Lorraine Heath (20 page)

Her heart slammed against her ribs. “You don’t have to say that just because I did—”

“That’s not why I’m saying it.” He dipped his head slightly. “I’m saying it because it’s true.”

He closed the distance between their mouths, their hearts, with a kiss that made her body feel like a melted pool of wax, warm and molten, easily shaped to fit his desires. And more to fit her desires, desires that spiraled through her. She slipped her hands beneath the shoulders of his sheepskin jacket and felt the comforting heat of his body. He brought his coat around her. Her toes crept over his boots. And the baby rolled between them.

Austin drew away and glanced down at the small mound. Then he lifted his gaze. “Figure we’ll spend the day here, pack up our stuff, go to that Christmas ball that Dee is giving in town … then head home.”

She gave him a quick nod.

“Don’t remind me of any promises I’ve made in the past when we get home.”

Her voice caught in her throat, forcing her to push out the words. “I won’t.”

A slow lazy smile spread across his face and in it, she read a new promise, a promise she dearly wanted him to keep.

With long strides, Austin carried the box of presents to the wagon. He and Loree had been blessed last night with an assortment of gifts that ranged from useable items for the baby to a picture from Faith that he suspected was a horse only because it had been scribbled in brown.

After setting the box in the back of the wagon, he dug through the contents until he found one of the music sheets Loree had given him. He opened it and again studied the black ovals with the strange sticks and flags. He supposed it wouldn’t hurt to let Loree explain them to him. If they made sense to her, maybe they could make sense to him.

“Austin?”

Becky’s serene voice came from behind him. He stuffed the sheet into the box, spun around, and realized that he’d lied to Loree.

He’d told her once that a man couldn’t tell if a woman had been made love to, but standing here, staring at the warm glow on Becky’s cheeks, he had no doubt that she had just been well and thoroughly loved.

“I just wanted to thank you,” she said softly.

“For what?”

“For whatever it was that you said to Cameron that made him stop doubting my love.”

“I just told him the truth.” He turned and shoved the box farther back into the wagon.

Becky came up alongside him. “I did love you, you know,” she said quietly.

He met her gaze. “I know.”

“What we had was so incredibly sweet … and young.” She furrowed her brow. “I don’t know if that makes sense.”

“It does.”

“If we had gotten married five years ago—even without you going to prison—I don’t know if our love would have survived the passing years. I think we would have been content, but never truly happy.”

Words backed up in his throat and he could do little more than give her an understanding nod.

“I know it’s been hard on you since you got back. Cameron and I just finished talking about some things that we hadn’t really discussed before. I’m willing to make a public announcement saying I was with you the night Boyd was killed.”

Austin felt as though the air had been pulled from his lungs. Emotions clogged his throat. He knew that announcement would cost Becky more than her reputation. It would cost Cameron his pride.

“I appreciate that, Becky. More than you’ll ever know, but I think it would cause more harm than good. That’s the reason I told you not to say anything five years ago. Most people would think you were lying to protect me, but your words would still plant the seeds of doubt about your reputation in everyone’s mind. It’s not worth taking the chance of hurting not only you and Cameron, but Drew as well.”

He watched as relief washed over her face. “Just so you know we’re willing.”

He gave her a brisk nod. “Better get back to your husband. Wouldn’t want to make him jealous.”

“A part of me will always love you, Austin.” She leaned over and brushed a kiss over his cheek. His heart tightened.

“Same here,” he said hoarsely.

He watched her stroll back toward the house, her hips swaying gently from side to side. Within his heart, he bid the love of his youth a silent farewell.

T
he Grand Ballroom of the Grand Hotel had changed over the years—like everything else in Austin’s life. If windows didn’t grace the wall, then floor-to-ceiling gilded mirrors did. The room seemed larger than it was as Austin stood beside his brothers, Loree at his side.

While Amelia and Dee rushed around the room making certain everything was in order, the children sat in chairs along the wall, like stair steps, from oldest to youngest, with the very youngest nestled in Houston’s arms. The girls swung their feet, their heels hitting the underside of their chair. Rawley slumped forward, looking bored as hell. Austin understood that feeling.

Dallas’s cook strode in, his legs bowed out like a man who still had a horse sitting beneath him, his fiddle tucked beneath his arm. He wore a fancy black suit that Austin had never expected the man to own.

“The fiddle player’s here,” Maggie announced. “You’re gonna have to dance with me, Rawley.”

Horror swept over Rawley’s face. “Don’t neither.”

“Do to.” Maggie tipped up her nose. “Uncle Dallas, doesn’t Rawley have to dance with me?”

Absently, Dallas waved his hand in the air, his attention focused on his wife. “Can’t see that it’d do any harm, Rawley. Probably be good practice.”

Groaning, Rawley glowered at Maggie, who wore a smile of triumph. Faith slid out of her chair, tiptoed across the floor, and climbed onto Rawley’s lap.

“Dance wiv me, too, Wawley.”

He held up a finger. “One dance.” He glared at Maggie. “One dance.” Holding Faith in place with one arm, he leaned forward and glared at each of his cousins in turn, his finger pointing to the ceiling. “One dance each and that’s it.”

He slumped back against the wall, reached into his shirt pocket, and removed a sarsaparilla stick.

“Gimme some,” Faith ordered.

“It’s my last piece,” Rawley said, even as he proceeded to break it into six pieces and distribute it to the girls, popping the last and smallest piece into his mouth.

He met Austin’s gaze over the top of Faith’s head. “I sure hope your baby is a boy.”

“Reckon we need to even things out a little, don’t

we?”

Rawley gave him a brusque nod. “We men folk are sorely outnumbered.”

Austin laughed, remembering a time when that was exactly what Dallas had wanted: more women out in West Texas.

Breathless, Amelia rushed over and took Gracie from Houston. “I think we just about have everything ready to go.”

“Who’s gonna watch the young ‘uns while you and me dance?” Houston asked.

“I’ll be happy to watch the girls,” Loree said, her fingers tightening around Austin’s. “I can’t imagine I’ll be doing any dancing tonight. In this red dress, I look like an apple that’s been turned upside down.”

Austin gave her a long slow perusal, then leaned over, and whispered in her ear, “I’ve always liked nibbling on apples.”

Her face burned a deep crimson, and he wished he could find some dark secluded corner where he could taste her fully. His only fear was that once he got started, he’d be unable to stop. He couldn’t remember ever wanting anything as much as he wanted Loree at this moment.

People began to arrive. The night they’d gone to the theater, Austin had only seen Leighton’s successful citizens. They were here tonight, but so were the cowboys, the wranglers, the stonemasons, and the carpenters. The ladies who worked in Dee’s hotel and restaurant glided into the room in their fancy gowns and were swept onto the floor to dance before the music began to play.

When the first strains from Cookie’s fiddle filled the air, a roar went up and people began to dance in earnest.

“We’re gonna take you up on that offer to watch the girls if you’re sure you don’t mind,” Houston said.

“I don’t mind,” Loree assured him as she released Austin’s hand and took Gracie into her arms.

“We’ll just dance one dance,” Amelia said.

“Dance as many as you like.”

“I’m going to make my wife stop working and do some dancing,” Dallas said before walking off.

With a huff, Rawley shifted Faith off his lap, stood, and held his hand out to Maggie. “Come on, Brat. You asked first.”

Maggie hopped out of her chair and followed him onto the dance floor.

Austin helped Loree sit in the chair Maggie had vacated, then he sat beside her, easing Faith onto his lap. She reached up and planted a sticky sarsaparilla scented kiss on his cheek. “Love ya.”

“I love you, too,” Austin said quietly.

He glanced over at Loree. “And you.”

She pressed her cheek against his shoulder.

“We won’t stay long,” he promised. He looked toward the waltzing couples.

“They all look so happy,” Loree said quietly.

Cameron and Becky passed quickly in front of them before disappearing in the crowd. “Yeah, they do,” Austin said.

When the music stilled momentarily, Amelia came over and took Gracie from Loree. “Come on, girls. Let’s go get some punch.” Houston scooped A. J. into his arms before holding a hand toward Faith. “You thirsty?”

She nodded and slid off Austin’s lap. Austin watched his nieces, all in identical red dresses, traipse toward the table like performers in a circus parade. He glanced at Loree, her hands folded over her apple red stomach. He leaned toward her. “Do you dance?”

She wrinkled her nose. “I went to a couple of balls in Austin, but that was a long time back.”

He pulled gently on a curl dangling near her temple. “Is that where you met Jake?”

“I told you there was no Jake.”

“Who did you dance with?”

Sighing, she narrowed her eyes. “I danced with somebody named John and … Michael.”

“That’s it?”

“I wasn’t exactly the belle of the ball.”

“What do city boys know?” he asked.

“A good-looking woman when they see one.”

“Not on your life.” He stood, held out his hand, and helped her to her feet.

“Thought I spotted you over here,” Cameron said, diverting Austin’s attention away from Loree. “Would you mind if I danced with your wife?”

Austin caught the look of surprise in Loree’s eyes, and suddenly, he wanted every man in this room to dance with her. “No, I don’t mind.”

“You don’t mind do you?” Cameron asked Becky. “I’ll be leaving you in good company.”

Becky smiled. “Go on.”

Cameron held his hand toward Loree. She hesitated before slipping her hand into his. “I’m not very balanced these days.”

Cameron grinned. “That’s all right. Neither am I.”

Austin watched Cameron lead Loree onto the dance floor. Their steps were awkward, mismatched. Cameron chuckled, and even with the din of the other dancers, Austin heard Loree’s gentle laughter.

“You and I never got to dance,” Becky said quietly.

Austin slid his gaze to her. The royal blue of her dress enhanced the shade of her eyes. “No, we didn’t.”

She licked her lips. “We’re not going to dance tonight, are we?”

“No, we’re not.”

She shifted her gaze to the dancers. “Cameron wouldn’t mind.”

“But it might hurt Loree.”

She peered at him. “Do you love her?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“Then she’s a very lucky woman.”

“She hasn’t been up until now, but I aim to change that.” He tilted his head as the music drifted into silence. “If you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll dance with my wife now.”

He glanced toward the dance floor, reining in his impatience as Cameron escorted Loree back to him. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes sparkling. He would have grabbed her and hauled her back onto the dance floor right then and there, but he had something special in mind.

“Didn’t topple over, huh?” he asked as they neared. He laughed when Loree stuck her tongue out at him.

“Come on, Sugar, sit down,” he ordered.

Loree plopped into the chair, grateful to be off her feet. “Thank you, Cameron,” she called out.

Cameron glanced over his shoulder and winked at her before he led Becky back toward the dance area. Loree released a deep sigh. “I didn’t want to but I think I like Cameron. He’s nice.”

“Of course, he’s nice. You think I’d have mean friends,” Austin said as he knelt in front of her and lifted her foot.

She leaned forward. “What are you doing?”

“Taking off your shoes.”

She jerked her foot back. “Austin, not here,” she whispered hoarsely.

He looked at her with blue eyes that reflected the innocence of a child. “Why?”

She stared at him, trying to think of an acceptable reason. “It’s not proper. A woman doesn’t show her ankles in public.”

“Your skirt is long enough that your ankles won’t show. Besides, your toes have gotta be hurtin’. I’ve seen Cameron dance before. He may be nice but he doesn’t know his right foot from his left.”

She slapped a hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing out loud. Her toes were hurting. He patted his thigh. “Come on, Sugar.”

She gnawed on her lower lip. She supposed if she just sat here …

“Oh, all right, but don’t let anyone see what you’re doing,” she whispered as she placed her foot on his thigh.

She loved to watch his long fingers nimbly work to unbutton her shoes. She wanted to see his fingers gliding along the strings on his mother’s violin. She knew he had been touched by the case she had given him for Christmas, but she’d been disappointed that he hadn’t shown more of an interest in the music sheets she’d given him.

He slipped her shoe under the chair, and when she would have brought her foot to the floor, he held it in place on his thigh, rubbing his thumbs in a circle over the balls of her foot. “Oh, Lord, that feels good,” she said. “You have such nice hands.”

“Wait until you see how nice they’re gonna be later on.”

She didn’t know if the gleam in his eyes spoke of teasing or seriousness, and she wasn’t certain she wanted to know. He placed her foot on the floor, brought her other foot up, and removed her shoe. He rubbed her foot until every little pain vanished.

“How does that feel?” he asked.

“Wonderful.”

“Good.” He stood and held out his hand. “Will you honor me with this dance?”

Loree widened her eyes. “I don’t have shoes on.”

He smiled warmly. “I know that, Sugar. I just took ‘em off.”

“I can’t dance without shoes.”

“Sure you can.”

She thought of being held within his arms, her stockinged feet gliding over the smooth hardwood floor….

“Cameron said that you never learned how to dance.”

“He doesn’t know everything.”

The music stilled. “So you have danced before.”

“Once … with Amelia.”

She scooted up in the chair, hope flaring within her. “Only with Amelia?”

“Only with Amelia. I was sharing her with a dozen cowboys at the time, and all we knew how to do was swing her around, stomp our feet, and clap our hands.”

“Have you ever waltzed with anyone?”

“Never.”

Slowly, she rose to her feet. “What else have you never done?”

She knew from the darkening of his eyes that he understood what he was asking.

“Never danced with a woman I love.”

Jealousy was a petty thing, but she’d never known such gladness. She smiled warmly. “I wouldn’t want to miss this opportunity to be your first.”

“Sugar, it’s more important that I intend for you to be my last.”

Before she had the chance to respond, he’d placed his hand on her waist and swept her onto the dance floor. The room contained two hearths, but neither fire burned as brightly as his eyes. Her stockinged feet glided over the floor and she wondered why women bothered to wear shoes at all.

When the music drifted into silence, she slipped her arm through his and allowed him to lead her from the dance floor.

Cameron and Becky caught up with them. “I’ve never seen you dance before,” Cameron said. “Didn’t know you could.”

Austin shrugged. “Now, you know.”

“I guess it’s because you were always playing the music.”

Austin started to walk away, but Loree stood fast, staring at Cameron, her heart thundering in her ears. “What … what do you mean he played the music?”

“Austin plays the violin and whenever we had occasion to dance, he provided the music.” He glanced at Austin. “I figured you’d be playing tonight.”

“I don’t play anymore.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Cameron said. “No one played music the way you did. You should have heard it, Loree. It was beautiful.”

She felt Austin’s gaze boring into her. She slipped her arm from beneath his. “Yes, I should have heard it.”

The strains of the waltz floated around the room. She began to tremble from her head to her toes. “I’m not feeling well. Will you excuse me?”

She didn’t wait for his answer. She didn’t bother to gather up her shoes or her coat. She simply ran. Shouldering her way through the crowd like a mad woman, her heart breaking.

She finally managed to burst through to the lobby. She hurried to the front, shoved open the door, and stumbled into the cold night. Tears stung her eyes. She had told him that she loved him.

And she realized now that she didn’t know anything about him.

The ride home was quiet. Too quiet.

Austin had given their excuses and apologies for having to leave early. Naturally, everyone had wanted to check on Loree and make certain the baby wasn’t planning to come early.

The one time she had met his gaze, he’d seen nothing but hurt in her eyes. He drew the wagon to a halt. Loree shifted on the seat.

“Loree, wait for me to get over there.”

He leapt off the wagon and raced around to the other side. She’d already reached the ground.

“You’re gonna hurt yourself with your stubbornness,” he chastised.

“And you hurt me with your lies.”

“I never lied.”

“You never told me the truth, either.”

She spun on her heel and headed into the house. Austin grabbed their box of presents from the back of the wagon and traipsed in after her. Shafts of moonlight pierced the darkness.

“Will you start a fire in the hearth?” she asked. “I’m cold.”

He set the box on the table, walked to the hearth, and hunkered down. He struck a match to the kindling and watched the flames flare to life. He heard a scrape and bang. He twisted around and watched Loree remove something from the box.