Hawkins poured another healthy dose of whiskey into his crystal glass and stared out the window. Miss Barnes should be arriving tomorrow. He needed to find the will before killing her. A smile tugged at his mouth and he went to find his housekeeper.
“Marie, I need my suit pressed and boots polished. I’m going to town tomorrow for an important meeting.”
Young women were silly enough to believe anything if you lavished them with gifts. A box of chocolates, a friendly smile of “Welcome to our town,” and she’d be his.
Trinidad, ah , the feel of mountain air, cool, clear and crisp stirred poignant feelings deep in Kathleen’s soul. The smell of pine and pinion brought back strong, heart-wrenching memories of a home, of Mother, Father, and her brothers, forever lost to her.
When the stage swayed to a stop, giddiness settled over her. As she stepped out of the coach, she inhaled and smiled. Clean, fresh air greeted her. For the first time in days, her good fortune was imminent. So close she could almost taste it on the soft breeze. She was home.
Mike froze in his tracks and stared at Kathleen. The enchantment painted on her face by the silver beams of the full moon fascinated him. She stood still, eyes closed, her face tilted up toward the heavens, the corners of her mouth turned up in a smile.
She looked happy. And that also brought a smile to his lips. He waited quietly as the rest of the passengers departed, not wanting to disrupt this special moment. What did she dream of?
When Kathleen opened her eyes, it appeared as though some of the stars in the night sky had come down and taken up residence in them.
He held out his arm. “Tell me where you’re headed, and I’ll walk you there.”
She laughed and gave him a mock curtsey. “Thank you.”
The jovial tone of her voice bubbled around him like a hot bath on a cold night. Warm and comforting.
“I’m just going to the Sherman House.”
“Shucks, don’t you want to stretch your legs a bit first?”
“Umm. Yes, that would be nice.”
Mike didn’t know why, but he just wasn’t ready to let her go and the joy she exuded was catching. When her dainty fingers rested on his arm, he turned away from the hotel and gave Kathleen a walking tour of Trinidad. A strange lightness filled his chest and he felt as if it were the most natural thing in the world to be strolling along a dark street with Kathleen by his side.
Blame it on the moon. Blame it on the sparkle in Kathleen’s eyes. Blame it on his stupidity. Didn’t matter, it was fitting when he finally stopped at the steps of the hotel to cup her face in his hands, tilt her head back, and take a taste of her lips.
His kiss was leisurely, and she yielded to him without hesitation. He felt her hands slid up to his chest, and he braced for a shove that never came. The sounds around him ceased. The street lamp burned brighter and the strangest sensation curled around him. He felt as if he had just come home after a long journey.
He started to pull away but Kathleen gripped his shirt and tugged. Now, he was not one to deny a lady, so he returned to the unexpected pleasure of fulfilling Kathleen’s desire. But the kiss Kathleen offered this time was full of need. His pulse galloped through his veins. This time he jerked away.
“Goodnight, Kathleen.”
She raised a trembling hand to her mouth and surprised confusion entered her eyes. She may be confused but he wasn’t. He pivoted and sauntered off.
There was no way he wanted to condemn himself to a loveless marriage. He didn’t love Sally and he was certain she didn’t love him. Hawkins was the only one in love. And that was with Mike’s land.
He shot a glance over his shoulder. He owed Kathleen a debt of gratitude for shaking him out of the lethargic, malleable lump he had become. He didn’t get where he was by letting some rich rancher with a beautiful daughter swoop in and start issuing orders.
Sally may not be willing to defy her father,
“Marie, I need my suit pressed and boots polished. I’m going to town tomorrow for an important meeting.”
Young women were silly enough to believe anything if you lavished them with gifts. A box of chocolates, a friendly smile of “Welcome to our town,” and she’d be his.
Trinidad, ah , the feel of mountain air, cool, clear and crisp stirred poignant feelings deep in Kathleen’s soul. The smell of pine and pinion brought back strong, heart-wrenching memories of a home, of Mother, Father, and her brothers, forever lost to her.
When the stage swayed to a stop, giddiness settled over her. As she stepped out of the coach, she inhaled and smiled. Clean, fresh air greeted her. For the first time in days, her good fortune was imminent. So close she could almost taste it on the soft breeze. She was home.
Mike froze in his tracks and stared at Kathleen. The enchantment painted on her face by the silver beams of the full moon fascinated him. She stood still, eyes closed, her face tilted up toward the heavens, the corners of her mouth turned up in a smile.
She looked happy. And that also brought a smile to his lips. He waited quietly as the rest of the passengers departed, not wanting to disrupt this special moment. What did she dream of?
When Kathleen opened her eyes, it appeared as though some of the stars in the night sky had come down and taken up residence in them.
He held out his arm. “Tell me where you’re headed, and I’ll walk you there.”
She laughed and gave him a mock curtsey. “Thank you.”
The jovial tone of her voice bubbled around him like a hot bath on a cold night. Warm and comforting.
“I’m just going to the Sherman House.”
“Shucks, don’t you want to stretch your legs a bit first?”
“Umm. Yes, that would be nice.”
Mike didn’t know why, but he just wasn’t ready to let her go and the joy she exuded was catching. When her dainty fingers rested on his arm, he turned away from the hotel and gave Kathleen a walking tour of Trinidad. A strange lightness filled his chest and he felt as if it were the most natural thing in the world to be strolling along a dark street with Kathleen by his side.
Blame it on the moon. Blame it on the sparkle in Kathleen’s eyes. Blame it on his stupidity. Didn’t matter, it was fitting when he finally stopped at the steps of the hotel to cup her face in his hands, tilt her head back, and take a taste of her lips.
His kiss was leisurely, and she yielded to him without hesitation. He felt her hands slid up to his chest, and he braced for a shove that never came. The sounds around him ceased. The street lamp burned brighter and the strangest sensation curled around him. He felt as if he had just come home after a long journey.
He started to pull away but Kathleen gripped his shirt and tugged. Now, he was not one to deny a lady, so he returned to the unexpected pleasure of fulfilling Kathleen’s desire. But the kiss Kathleen offered this time was full of need. His pulse galloped through his veins. This time he jerked away.
“Goodnight, Kathleen.”
She raised a trembling hand to her mouth and surprised confusion entered her eyes. She may be confused but he wasn’t. He pivoted and sauntered off.
There was no way he wanted to condemn himself to a loveless marriage. He didn’t love Sally and he was certain she didn’t love him. Hawkins was the only one in love. And that was with Mike’s land.
He shot a glance over his shoulder. He owed Kathleen a debt of gratitude for shaking him out of the lethargic, malleable lump he had become. He didn’t get where he was by letting some rich rancher with a beautiful daughter swoop in and start issuing orders.
Sally may not be willing to defy her father,
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