WILD MEN OF ALASKA

chapter TWENTY-ONE

They’d sent her home.

Kicked her out of Cub’s room and told her she couldn’t return until visiting hours in the morning. There had been no change in his condition. The nurses and doctors had reassured her that Cub would probably be okay even though he hadn’t woken. Head injures were tricky. She was so sick and tired of hearing that.

Once home, she’d taken a few Advil and a long hot shower for the aches and pains that were making themselves felt. She slipped into her pajamas and went to crawl into bed when there was a knock at her door.

She glanced at the clock. It was after two in the morning.

Another more insistent knock sounded. Maybe it was the trooper who’d driven her home. Did they have more questions? The other driver was still touch and go, but that had more do to with the illegal drugs in his system than the car accident. She peeped through the window and gasped, yanking open the door.

“Cub!”

Soft brown eyes met hers, instead of Cub’s striking blue ones, along with the widest smile she’d even seen Cub sport. “No, call me Lucky.” He scooped up in his strong arms and spun her around.

She hugged him back, so glad that he was okay. “How—why? Wait! What?”

He set her on her feet, but kept her within the tight circle of his arms. “It took me a while too. I still don’t understand it all, but I’m just supremely honored, and humbled, and f*cking grateful.”

“Why did the doctors release you? How did you get here? And why didn’t someone call me to let me know you had woken up?”

A frown appeared on his forehead, where a small bandage covered the stitches he’d received, and for a moment, he resembled Lucky so much that her breath caught.

“Gemma, I’m Lucky.”

“I know you’re lucky. We were both lucky. But I don’t understand the hospital—”

“No, babe, look at me. See me.”

He’d called her babe.

Suddenly the room spun, and she kissed the carpet.

“Come on, babe. That’s it. Come back to me.” Lucky’s voice purred over her, and Gemma reached out with her arms to hold him tight against her.

“I’ve missed you.” She buried her face in his neck, refusing to open her eyes in case he disappeared on her. “Don’t ever leave me again.”

“You are stuck with me, Gemma. Forever and always. Before God and country, say you’ll be mine.” He kissed her, and everything inside her caught fire as though solar flares were exploding within her. Her body arched into his, and her hands raked through his hair.

His much shorter hair. She stiffened, confused.

“Open your eyes, Gemma, and look at me.”

“No,” she whimpered.

“Please. There is a lot to explain. A lot to celebrate. Come on, babe. I’m not going anywhere.”

Slowly she opened her eyes. She lay in her bed, the light low, but the man above her, holding her was Cub, wasn’t he? He looked like Cub, but he also looked like Lucky. Had she completely lost it?

“Right now, I sure as hell miss not being able to read your mind.”

She stared. Blue eyes to brown. That cocky grin instead of Cub’s bashful one.

Quickly he filled her in on the meeting in Limbo and Cub’s choice. And Lucky’s fortune. Hers too.

Silence followed his hasty explanation. Then Lucky caressed her face with the back of his fingers. “Are you okay with this?”

“I’m not dreaming, am I?”

He shook his head, his expression stoic as if bracing himself for her next words.

“And Cub is truly happy?”

“Grinning like an idiot.”

“And there are no give backs?”

“I double-checked.”

She launched herself at him, wrapping her arms and legs tight around him. He laughed rolling over the bed with her. Joy filled the room, followed by hard, quick kisses.

“Damn, but I love you.”

“Oh, Lucky, I love you. So, so much.”

“Now don’t do that. I’m not good with tears. It killed me when you cried over me.”

“You were there?”

“I couldn’t leave you. I hurt with you. Each tear that fell from your eyes, there was an equal one falling from mine.”

“Wait. Your eyes.” She pulled back. “How will we explain the changes? There are bound to be questions. You aren’t Cub, but you look like him. People will expect him.”

“Head injuries. They change people. Especially their personalities. Besides, I’m not worried about other people. Are you going to be okay with the new bod?” he asked, half jokingly. “Good thing the man had the same level of hotness I did. But I gotta grow out the hair. I look like a damn boy scout.”

Gemma smoothed her hands through his hair, over his face, tracing his brows. He looked more and more like Lucky as she gazed at him. Lucky’s expressions, his inflections came in how he looked and talked. “I see you, Lucky Leroy Morgan. It’s you who I love. Though I must admit, I did not find Cub’s body unattractive.”

“That’s a bit convoluted.”

“You didn’t want me to come out and say I thought Cub looked like a Norse god, did you?”

“I do, don’t I?” That cocky smile was back in place.

“What about the eye color? Cub’s eyes were blue. Not just blue, but a stunning blue.”

“That will be one for science to try and explain. Or I can wear contacts.”

“You know Tern is going to flip. There will be no keeping the truth from her.”

“Tern will take it in stride. It’s your mother who I’m worried about.”

“Oh, holy balls.”

THE END