"Don't do this to yourself," Farlan said.

"I won't give you up," she told him. "And I won't allow you to take anything away from Brian."

"Go to bed, Veda. Leave me alone. We can talk again in the morning, after we've both had time to think things through more thoroughly." When he reached out to touch her, she cringed and withdrew from him. He nodded understanding, knowing she couldn't bear his touch now, not even a gentle one. "I'd never do anything to hurt Brian. You, of all people, must know to what lengths I'd go to protect him. I gave up the woman I loved and my two daughters so that Brian wouldn't have to lose his mother when he was just a boy. You were so crazy back then that you'd have actually killed yourself. You weren't thinking of our son when you tried to commit suicide, only of yourself."

Straightening her back, squaring her shoulders and tilting her chin, Veda glared at him, then turned and walked out of his study. He sighed heavily the moment she left, thankful to be alone again. Not hesitating, he picked up the phone on his desk and dialed Griffin Powell's private number.

"Powell residence," a masculine voice answered on the third ring. A butler? A personal a.s.sistant?

"I'd like to speak to Griffin Powell. It's urgent business."

"Who may I say is calling?"

"Farlan MacKinnon, of MacKinnon Media."

"Yes, sir. Please wait just a moment."

Farlan waited. And waited. He watched the clock on his desk. One minute. Two. Three. He wasn't accustomed to being kept waiting. Four minutes.

"Mr. MacKinnon, this is Griffin Powell. How may I help you?"

"I know that you're investigating the background of Reve Sorrell and Jazzy Talbot, that you're trying to locate their birth mother."

"I would ask how you came by this information," Powell said. "But I suppose everyone in Cherokee County knows about the twins' search for their biological parents."

"I may have information that can help you discover their ident.i.ty."

"Is that right? And just what information would that be?"

"There was a young woman named Dinah Collins who gave birth to twin daughters thirty years ago. I have reason to believe Dinah is Reve and Jazzy's birth mother."

"What reason do you have to believe this, Mr. MacKinnon?"

"Because I saw Reve Sorrell for the first time recently. And I knew Dinah Collins. Ms. Sorrell is a taller, larger woman than Dinah, but her facial features are almost identical, and her hair is the exact shade of auburn red."

"How well did you know Dinah Collins?" Powell asked, and Farlan caught a hint of something odd in the man's voice.

"You already know that Reve and Jazzy are Dinah's daughters, don't you?"

"I know more than that," Powell said. "I've narrowed the ident.i.ty of their father down to three men. Only three men were known to have visited Dinah Collins at her apartment on Hyatt Street in Sevierville in the year before she gave birth to twin daughters. Judge Dodd Keefer, Maxwell Fennel and-"

"Me."

"I plan to contact Ms. Sorrell in the morning with this information. Is it possible you could narrow down the field even more so that I can give her only one name-her biological father's name?"

"Tell her that Farlan MacKinnon is her father. And tell her that I want to see her, talk to her, explain to her why..." Farlan choked on unshed tears. How could he ever make his daughter understand why he had abandoned her and her twin? How could he ever prove to her that he not only had loved their mother, but that he had loved them?

"Knowing Ms. Sorrell, I'm sure she'll ask for a DNA test."

"I'll agree to a DNA test. And the sooner the better."

"Mr. MacKinnon, out of curiosity, what is your blood type?"

"My blood type?"

"Yes, Dinah Collins was O-negative." "I'm AB-negative," Farlan said. "Why?"

"Reve Sorrell and Jazzy Talbot are AB-negative." Farlan gasped for air. They were Dinah's babies. His and Dinah's twins. "Please, tell Reve that I... I want to see her."

Jacob awoke slowly, languidly. The bedside lamp was still on, casting a forty-watt glow over the room. When he stretched, the covers slid off his shoulders and down to mid-chest. He turned over on his side and stared at the woman sleeping beside him. She looked like Jazzy. Same features-nose, mouth, chin. Same long neck. But he'd never gotten a hard-on just being near Jazzy. The two women might be identical twins, but when he looked at Reve, all he saw was Reve, despite her striking physical resemblance to her sister.

He wanted to touch her. Lying there so peacefully, her long hair tousled, her face void of makeup, her body warm and inviting, she posed an irresistible temptation. Having her once hadn't been enough. He wanted her again. Wanted her right now. And he'd probably want her again in the morning.

Reve Sorrell might be a refined lady outside the bedroom, but naked and aroused, she was a h.e.l.lcat. Every step of the way, every touch, every kiss, every pa.s.sionate exchange, she'd given as good as she got.

He'd wanted her more than he'd ever wanted another woman. And his gut instincts told him that she'd wanted him just as badly. They'd gone at each other like a pair of wild animals. This time he wanted to go slower, easier, make it last longer.

Jacob tugged the covers off her left shoulder, then kissed toe smattering of tiny freckles that dotted her flesh there. She sighed. He slid his hand beneath the cover and cupped ne large breast. She sighed again. When he teased her nip-P'e, she wriggled and groaned.

He grinned, then yanked the covers off her completely. While she was awakening, he cupped her mound and lowered his head to one breast. She gasped. He slipped two fingers between her moist feminine lips and inserted them inside her.

"Jacob." His name came out whisper soft and sultry.

"Yeah, baby?"

She turned into him, a s.e.xy smile on her face. "Let's make love again."

He laughed. "Lady, there's nothing in this world I'd rather do."

When he took her into his arms, she slid one leg over his and burrowed against him as he sought her mouth. The kiss began sweet and tender, but within seconds turned hot and wild. He kicked the bunched covers to the foot of the bed. Still kissing him, her hands raking over him frantically, she crawled on top of him and settled her thighs on either side of his hips.

"You want to ride me, baby?" he asked.

"Oh, I'm going to ride you, Sheriff Butler. I'm going to ride you hard and fast." She rose up enough to center her body perfectly over his, her intention apparently to ease herself down over his erection.

Before she could take charge, he grabbed her b.u.t.tocks, then thrust up and into her. Gasping when he took her completely, she tossed back her head and keened softly.

"You wanted it, you got it," he told her, doing his best not to move once he was buried to the hilt inside her. G.o.d, she was hot and wet and tight. If he moved at all right now, he was liable to come.

Leaning forward, positioning herself so that her hands splayed out on either side of his head and her t.i.ts hung over his mouth, Reve began rocking back and forth, then up and down. She was killing him. It was all he could do to slow the inevitable, but he couldn't wait much longer. While he caressed her hips, loving the feel of her soft, supple skin, he lifted his head and opened his mouth to capture one tight, begging nipple. He gave each breast equal attention, alternating back and forth. When she increased the tempo, he suckled one breast and tormented the other with his fingertips. He had to bring her to the breaking point where he was heading right now, and hanging on only by a thread. And he had to do it fast.

He'd wanted to make this second time last longer, but G.o.d Almighty, it wasn't possible. He was on the verge of losing it. And if she didn't come any minute now, he wouldn't be able to wait for her. Reve Sorrell turned him inside out and every which way but loose.

He felt her tightening around him, knew her body was swelling as it gushed with moisture. She took complete charge, seeking and finding what she wanted, taking her own pleasure. She whimpered and shook, then cried out when her climax hit. That was all he could take, the final blow that sent him toppling over the edge. When he came, his ears rang and he thought the top of his head would blow off.

While he groaned and jetted into her, he suddenly realized he hadn't used any protection. d.a.m.n, he'd never done anything that stupid. But then he'd never lost his head over a woman the way he had Reve. She was such bad news for him. But right this minute, he didn't give a d.a.m.n. He felt too good. Had enjoyed loving her far too much to have any regrets. Time enough for recriminations in the morning.

She lay on top of him, sprawled out as if they were permanently attached. Using his foot, he drew the edge of the covers up far enough in the bed to manage to grab them and drag them up and over Reve.

"I'm too heavy," she said. "I should-"

He wrapped his arms around her and held tightly. "Baby, don't you dare move. You stay right where you are."

Sighing, curling herself around him, she kissed his neck, his ear and then sought his mouth. With her lips almost on his, she said, "We're going to do this again later, aren't we?"

"You bet your sweet a.s.s we are. I haven't had nearly enough of you."

"I feel the same way."

"Then you'd better go to sleep and get a little rest so you'll be ready for the next time."

Smiling dreamily, she settled on top of him. He'd never known a sweeter weight against his body. As far as he was concerned, they could stay like this from now on. He laid his hand possessively over her b.u.t.t, then closed his eyes.

When the telephone rang, Jacob woke with a start, not realizing at first that he'd fallen off to sleep. In his effort to reach the phone, he toppled Reve off him and onto the bed. By the time he managed to grab the receiver, Reve was wide awake.

"Yeah?" Jacob said.

"Who's this?" a male voice asked.

"Who's this?" Jacob countered.

"Jacob, is that you?"

He suddenly recognized the voice. "Yeah, Caleb, it's me."

"Keeping Reve company?" Caleb chuckled.

"What's up? Why are you calling? Has something happened to Jazzy?"

Reve sat straight up and grabbed Jacob's arm. "What's wrong?"

"Yeah, something's happened all right," Caleb said. "Jazzy woke up about five minutes ago. She woke up, looked right at me and smiled. The nurses are in there with her now, and they've called Dr. Behel and Dr. Cornelius."

Emotion knotted in Jacob's chest. A lot of prayers had been answered, including his. "I'll bring Reve right on over there." After hanging up the phone, he turned and grabbed Reve by the shoulders. She stared at him, hope and fear in her eyes. "Jazzy's come out of the coma. She looked at Caleb and smiled."

Reve threw her arms around Jacob and hugged him as tears streamed down her cheeks. "This is the best possible news. Jazzy's awake. She's really going to be all right, isn't she?"

Jacob pulled back, cupped Reve's face in his hands and kissed her. "Yeah, baby, Jazzy's going to be all right."

CHAPTER 27.

Reve was glad to have a big, strong man at her side, someone who so obviously had appointed himself her protector. In the past she'd never felt the need for a man to complete her life. Perhaps that was because she'd never met a man who was her match or, in the case of this man, more than her match. Jacob wasn't her social or financial equal by any means, but that really didn't seem to matter. At least not to her. Odd how she'd always believed it did matter, that those would be the defining factors in choosing a mate.

"You okay, Reve?" Jacob asked, his arm tightly surrounding her shoulders as they rode up on the elevator at County General.

She nodded, then looked at him and smiled. "I'm more than okay and for more than one reason."

When he hugged her to him, she closed her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest. He kissed the top of her head.

"I can't wait to see Jazzy," Reve said, her lips grazing the soft, supple suede of his jacket. "I'm so thankful she's come out of the coma."

Before Jacob had time to do more than hug her again, the elevator doors opened. Reve turned, grasped his hand and together they made their way past the nurses' station and directly to the ICU area. They found Caleb pacing the floor in the hallway. When he saw them, he smiled broadly and hurried toward them. He grabbed Reve, lifted her off her feet and swung her around. She laughed and hugged him after he set her back on her feet, happily sharing his exuberance.

"She's awake," Caleb said. "She opened those big brown eyes and smiled at me. And she said my name." Caleb swallowed hard.

"Can I go in to see her?" Reve asked.

"Soon," Caleb replied. "Dr. Cornelius just got here and he's in there with her now, examining her."

Reve covered her mouth with her hand and sucked back the tears threatening to overflow. Jacob came up behind her, slid his arm around her waist and drew her to his side.

"This is what we've all been praying for," Jacob said.

"Yeah, it is." Caleb turned from them, overcome with emotion.

Reve lifted her hand to reach out and touch his back, but Jacob caught her wrist. She looked at him, questioning his action. He shook his head, and strangely enough, she understood the verbal translation of his action. As a man, he understood that Caleb didn't want anyone to see him crying and wouldn't appreciate her trying to comfort him.

They had to wait less than twenty minutes, but it had begun to feel like twenty years by the time Dr. Cornelius emerged from the intensive care unit. Just as the doctor walked toward Reve, the rest of Jazzy's family-Genny, Dallas, Sally and Ludie-came rushing down the hall.

"Jazzy is going to be all right." Genny's words were a firm statement, a prediction Reve believed in wholeheartedly.

"Jazzy is doing remarkably well, considering the seriousness of her injuries and the length of time she remained in a coma," Dr. Cornelius said. "She's a fighter."

"We knew that," Reve said. "Will she recover fully? Is there any permanent damage?"

Standing directly behind her in a possessive, protective stance, Jacob kept his hand on Reve's shoulder.

"There's no way to tell at this stage if Jazzy will have a complete recovery, but I believe there's a good chance she will." Dr. Cornelius glanced from Reve to Caleb. "Her mind isn't quite clear, but she knows who she is and her recognizing Mr. McCord immediately is a good sign. However, she didn't know where she was. When I explained she was in the hospital, she asked why. She has no memory of the night she was attacked. As a matter of fact, she has partial amnesia, but that's only temporary. She should regain her memory within a few weeks. However, she may never remember the exact details of her attack."

"Is this temporary amnesia the only problem she has to overcome?" Caleb asked.

Dr. Cornelius frowned. "At present, Jazzy is showing some mild, partial paralysis in her legs and arms, but this, too, should be only temporary. And she has a minor problem with her speech. But with extensive physical therapy-"

"d.a.m.n!" Caleb turned and walked off.

"Whatever Jazzy needs to help her recover, she'll get it," Reve said. "I don't care where we have to take her or how much it costs, I want the best for my sister." Tears choked Reve.

Jacob tightened his grip on her shoulder.

"May we see Jazzy?" Genny asked.

"Yes, of course," the doctor replied. "Two at a time and only for a few minutes."