Every Little Thing About You (Yellow Rose Trilogy 1) (33 page)

and your mother told me where to find you."

"Were you looking for me for a reason?"

"Do I need a reason?" he asked softly, and Liberty gave

him a sideways glance but didn't answer.

"How was your day?" he now tried. They had seen

each other so briefly that morning, and he had known she

was upset over Griffin's treatment of Bernice. Slater wondered

if Griffin had told Liberty how Bernice had taken it.

That woman had curled up on the bunk and gone sound

asleep for the next four hours.

"Enlightening," she said cryptically.

"Oh!" was all Slater could think to say.

They walked in silence for a time.

"Are you going to enlighten me?" Slater finally ventured.

Liberty laughed. "Not exactly. Let's just say I learned

some things about myself that were very helpful"

Slater studied her profile and waited for her to look at

him. When she did, she couldn't look away from his eyes.

She even stumbled in the road a little, but that only caused

Slater to take her hand. He held it all the way to title small

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barn at the back of the Petersons' house.

Every Little Thing About You 241

Without a word of conversation, Slater tied Arrow to

the hitching post outside the barn and went inside to stable

Morton. Liberty followed, pulling hay from the rack so the

horse could reach it, applying the water bucket, and then

standing back against the wall, out of the way, until Slater

was done. Slater eventually turned to see where she'd disappeared

to and found her in the shadows. Like a powerful

magnet, he went to her, his hands going to the wall around

her, as he leaned close.

"I thought about you all day," he admitted.

"Oh, Slater."

"Tell me that means you thought of me too."

"It does."

Slater sighed and didn't even try to fight the temptation.

Not rushing or hesitating, his head lowered. His lips

caught Liberty's in a kiss that sent both their senses staggering.

Not content to keep his arms free of her, with hands

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to her waist, he pulled her close. Liberty needed no other

prompting. Her own arms went around his neck, and she

kissed him back.

They were both gasping when Slater broke away, only

to study Liberty's face and kiss her again. She was a wonderful

fit in his arms, and for long moments she was his

only thought.

"I have to go inside!" Zach's young voice suddenly

shouted. He was up by the house but must have been

calling to the boys who'd walked with him from school.

The sound was just enough to bring Slater back to earth. He

began to move away, but Liberty caught his arm; she was

still in a fog of sensation.

"Slater?"

"Yes?"

"Will you come to dinner tonight? Are you free?"

He nodded, his eyes still on her face and then her

mouth. "The usual time?"

"Yes," Liberty said softly. She had never been kissed

before, and now she'd been kissed by the man she loved.

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The thought of being separated from him made her anxious.

"Ill see you then."

"Okay."

Liberty wasn't sure why she didn't invite him inside

right then, but with a final look into his eyes, she made her

way across the backyard and to the house. Slater watched

her go, his arms still aching to hold her, but his heart telling

him how wrong he'd been.

"What a mess," he said softly, causing Morton's ears to

twitch. It was a good thing that he had some time before

dinner; he had a good deal of thinking to do and a fair

measure of confessing. He wasn't playing games where

Liberty Drake was concerned, but she was not his to hold

and kiss as he'd just done.

"And it's time you remember that," he said, pulling

himself into Arrow's saddle and going for a long ride.

3-*3r

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-Jr

"Maybe I shouldn't have invited Slater," Liberty said to

her mother as she checked on her in her room.

"Not at all, Libby," Kate said genuinely, but she was too

tired to rise. "I'm glad you did, but I'm not feeling the best,

so I think I'll stay right here."

"All right. I'll bring something up for you. Do you want

it before we eat or later?"

Liberty felt alarmed when her mother didn't answer

but then realized she'd fallen asleep that fast. She was glad,

however, that as she was leaving the room, Duffy was

coming down the halL

"Zach told me she's not feeling well."

"That's what she told me. She fell asleep almost in mid-sentence."

"I'll check on her and be down soon."

"We'll wait for you."

Every Little Thing About You 243

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Duffy thanked her, and Liberty continued on downstairs,

only to find Slater in the kitchen with her brother

and sister.

"May I see you a moment, Libby?" he asked without

preamble.

"Certainly."

Liberty was on the verge of asking where, when Slater

turned toward the door. Liberty followed him.

"I had no right to kiss you," Slater began as soon as the

door was shut. They stood facing each other on the step.

"I've confessed to the Lord, and now I'm repenting to you.

I'm sorry I did that."

"I started feeling pretty awful about 30 minutes after

you left. I'm sorry too, Slater."

"Liberty," Slater said, moving so close and bending

over her that had Liberty not known better, she might have

thought she would be kissed again. "I'm not playing games

here. I want you to understand that. With whom do I talk?

Do I go to Griffin or Duffy and tell him I want to court you?

Just tell me, and I'll take care of it as soon as I can."

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"Duffy," Liberty barely managed/ wanting to kiss him

all over again.

Slater nodded and worked to study her face in the

dusky light.

"You do things to my heart, Liberty Kathleen. I want

you to know that."

Liberty thought that if he could feel her own heart, he'd

know he wasn't alone, but no words would come.

"Libby?" Laura called through the door. "Are you out

there?"

Slater reached to squeeze Liberty's hand and then

opened the back door for her to go in. He didn't know how

he would manage the waiting. He wanted to be married

right now. He wanted to move fast, but the only way they

would be sure not to make a mistake was to go slowly.

Slater joined the family for dinner that night, his heart

light with the knowledge that Liberty was open to his suit

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It would be some days before he remembered the issue that

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was not settled between them, and hoping it would go

away was not going to make it happen.

"WELL, hello, slater," Duffy said the following day.

He'd only just arrived at his office and was not expecting

anyone for almost an hour.

"Is this bad timing, Duffy?"

"Not at all."

This was normally the time Duffy read his Bible, but he

could see that Slater had something on his mind.

"How is Kate?" the younger man asked. His eyes

showed that he cared, but his stance carried a good deal of

tension.

"Much better. We think she was just tired. She was up

early this morning and ready to go."

"Good," Slater said and then fell quiet. This was so

much easier when it was just he and Liberty. With Duffy

looking at him, kind as he was, Slater felt oddly tongue-tied.

When he didn't say anything, Duffy caught on and

also saw a way to have a little fun at Slater's expense.

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"Are you not feeling well, Slater?"

"No, I'm fine," Slater assured him.

"There are colds going around. You're sure you haven't

caught something?"

"I'm sure not."

"Old Mrs. Featherpenny--" Duffy went on expansively,

making up a name, "she was in recently with a horrible

rash. Itched and itched. Thought she would go mad.

I gave her some ointment, but sometimes these things take

a while. You don't have a rash, do you?"

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Slater shook his head, now looking at Duffy as though

the man had lost his senses.

"This is only mid-February, but you know we do have

our fair share of fevers in the spring, people fancying themselves

in love and mooning about with their heads in the

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clouds."

Catching the glint in the doctor's eyes, Slater finally

smiled.

"And can a doctor help with that?"

"Well, it depends on the doctor, I might be a bit of help

in Ubby or Laura's case, but I wasn't much help to Tess."

"Now that you've mentioned Libby..." Slater, seeing his

opportunity, eased in. "She said I should talk to you."

"About a rash?" Duffy teased one more time.

Slater laughed.

"Sometimes I think that would be easier."

"What's hard about Libby?"

"Going slow."

Duffy nodded wisely. He well-remembered that he was

ready to marry Kate long before the date arrived.

"Are you here today to tell me you love my girl,

Slater?"

"That just about sums it up. You can see how little I

have. I don't even have my own place. But I'd like to visit

with Libby with the intent of finding out what we have

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here."

"My blessing doesn't hinge on the answer to this question,

but do you plan to stay in Shotgun?"

"I do, yes. I love the church here, and I can easily see

myself settled down in this town."

"Liberty would be glad to know that. She loves

Shotgun."

"It's a fine town. People care."

"Indeed, they do. Well, Slater, I think I can speak for

both Kate and myself. You're free in our eyes to see Libby

and to court her. You did say that she told you to talk to

me?"

Every Little Thing About You 247

"Yes."

"Then I assume you have her consent"

"It certainly looks that way."

"How long have you been living here?" Duffy could

not remember.

"A little over four months. It seems longer, maybe

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because Libby and I have seen each other a lot during that

time."

"That'll do it."

Both men were thankful that Dr. Peterson's first patient

waited until that moment to come through the door.

Entering any sooner might have made it awkward all

around. Slater was able to leave knowing he'd done what

he set out to do. The only problem that remained the rest of

the day was keeping his mind on the job. Liberty seemed