To Seduce a Rogue by Tracy Sumner Page B

house through a large pantry. “Go sit in the kitchen, I’ll get the drinks.”
    Adam pulled his hat off and dropped into a chair. Rubbing his eyes, he yawned.
    Miles dropped into a chair across from him and shoved a glass his way. “This should fix you up.”
    Adam lifted it to his nose and sniffed. “What is it?”
    “Homemade mash. The best in this county...maybe the state.” Seeing Adam’s frown, he urged, “Go on, take a swig.”
    Adam took a sip and immediately began coughing.
    Miles swilled it in his mouth before swallowing. “Ah, hair of the dog.”
    “ Sure .” Adam coughed again.
    Miles pounded his fist on the table. “Haven’t you ever had this stuff before?”
    Adam shook his head. His throat burned like someone had taken a match to it.
    “Oh, only the good stuff, huh? Well, a true southerner you’ll never be until you’ve wet your whistle with this.”
    Adam licked his lips, wishing feeling back into them.
    They sat a moment, the silence welcome. The late afternoon sun cast shadows across the kitchen floor. The smell of apple pie permeated the room.
    Adam leaned back in the chair, stretched out his legs. “It feels good to...do nothing.”
    “The newspaper been busy?”
    “Extremely.”
    “You know, maybe that’s why I haven’t seen my pa in a few days.”
    “He’s been putting in long hours. Hell, we all have. It’s looking better, though.” He stared at the liquid in his glass as his thoughts traveled along the dirt road, through town and into the newspaper office.
    Miles drew his finger along a scar on the table. “How is Charlie doing? In fact, if you were wondering, that’s who my lovely wife is with right now. Some nonsense about a dress for the dance.”
    Adam raised a brow. “Charlie worrying about a dress?”
    Miles chuckled. “Oh, no. The dress is all my Kathy’s idea. Charlie, I’m sure, could care less.”
    Adam began a fierce inspection of his thumbnail.
    “This is the first year I can even remember her going. Charlie isn’t much for social gatherings,” Miles said.
    “Well, Tom asked. What else could she say?”
    “Ha. She could have said no. Just like all the other times.”
    “Other times?”
    “Yeah, Tom has been asking for nigh’ on two years. A dance here, a church gathering there, a picnic. Always the same answer...no, no, no.”
    Adam could hear crickets chirping outside the window. The sun had dropped low, throwing a wide gold band across the table. He placed his hand in the strip, moving it in and out of the light. “I’m coming to know Charlie pretty well. She’s sure contrary to any woman I’ve ever run across.”
    “Tiny-bird chairs.” Miles shifted. “Contrary, yep. That does sum it up nicely.”
    Adam scratched his chin. “What I can’t figure is, why does Walker keep trying? Lila was telling me—”
    Miles slammed his hand on the table. It was the first angry action Adam had seen him make. “Lila is jealous of Charlie and always has been.”
    “And you know this, how?”
    “I sparked her a bit, before Kathy came along.”
    Adam blinked. Miles and... Lila .
    “Surprised? So were her parents. She was sixteen. And lovely. But, such a spoiled—” He shook his head. “I can’t tell you what I saw in her. Probably nothing past her bosom.”
    Adam took a slow sip. The fire trailing down his throat kept him from replying, which was probably a good thing.
    Miles laughed and leaned his chair back on two legs. “We went to a few dances, and then I met Kathy—and boom. End of story.” Miles’ gaze slid towards Adam. “Aren’t you taking her to the dance? Make you jealous to hear about other fellas?”
    Adam snorted and finished off his drink.
    “Yet you’re concerned about Charlie and Tom. Mighty interesting.”
    “Curiosity isn’t concern, my friend.”
    Miles smiled and drained his glass. “Charlie grew up...differently. She was allowed to roam free, write, sketch. Work at the paper.” Miles’ gaze caught Adam’s. “Nothing