Authors: Noelle Marchand
“I think so,” he whispered back but wasted no time in paving a way through the bushes to distance them from the fence.
“Why was he following me?”
“Perhaps to see if you’d meet up with me.” He jumped down the steep grade to the garden path, then reached up to lift her down.
She didn’t seem to notice. Instead, she glanced at her reticule thoughtfully. “Maybe he wants his telegram back.”
“You took his telegram?”
She met his gaze with a triumphant lift of her chin. “It has a rough layout of the bank on the back. I thought you might want it.”
“Lorelei…” he began. Apprehension filled her eyes. He caught her waist, lifted her in the air and waited until she looked him in the eye before continuing. “You’re a wonder.”
Her eyes never left his once her feet made it safely to the ground. She seemed to be trying to determine his sincerity. She must have been satisfied for she tilted her head in acknowledgment of the compliment, and the most unguarded smile he’d seen yet slowly blossomed on her lips. She finally turned away to begin walking along the winding garden path. She came to an abrupt stop. “Where are we exactly?”
“The far reaches of the hotel garden.” He placed a hand near her waist to guide her forward. “I think you’re going the right way. It’s easy to get lost in here, so stay close.”
“Yes, I think that’s the point,” she murmured.
They ignored a few forks in the path that probably would have taken them deeper into the heart of the garden. Even so, it was a while before the path widened then abruptly opened into the main area. He glanced at Lorelei sharply when she gasped. “Look at this. Isn’t it lovely?”
A long rectangular pond with a fountain stood in the center of the garden. Upon its raised stone border sat small glowing lamps. They dispelled the darkness just enough to cast golden light on everything without penetrating the feeling of seclusion. It was nice, but he was more interested in the evidence Lorelei had for him. “It sure is. How about letting me have a look at the telegram?”
She sent him a hopeless look as she dug it out of her reticule and handed it to him. “Sean, you have no sense of romance.”
He carefully studied the telegram.
Wait. Did Lorelei use the word
romance
in the same sentence with my name?
He tried to recall the comment he’d automatically dismissed as a quip. Yes, she’d used his name in the same sentence as
romance
if only to point out his lack of it. He took a second look at his setting and situation. He couldn’t go shooting himself in the foot when it came to courting Lorelei. He ought to take advantage of this situation, but how? It would probably be a good start to put the telegram away.
Lorelei had wandered toward the pond. She glanced back to find him watching and smiled as she hugged her arms to her waist. “Oh, I don’t think I’ve ever felt so wonderful! Wait. Yes, I have. Right before you found me with the Brightlys and I almost drowned. Isn’t it exhilarating?”
He chuckled. “Drowning?”
“No!” She laughed. “This. Preventing crime. Protecting the people you love. No wonder you’re a sheriff. You get to do this every day.”
He meandered closer. “It’s mostly paperwork. This is really unusual for Peppin.”
“Yes, but it’s important paperwork.”
He considered this thoughtfully for a minute, then shook his head. “No, usually it’s pretty bor—”
She stepped forward to place a stilling hand on his chest. “Sean, do me a favor. Just let me have this moment. All right?”
“Whatever you say,” he murmured. Her knees suddenly seemed to give out, and he had to catch her before she slipped to the ground. “Lorelei, what happened? Can you hear me?”
She closed her eyes as though dizzy. “I don’t know. I must have had a moment of delusion. I thought you said, ‘whatever you say.’”
“I did,” he said, then froze when she opened one mischievous eye. He released her. “I should have let you fall.”
She began laughing, then couldn’t seem to stop. He finally shook his head at her and headed for the hotel porch. She caught his arm to try to pull him to a stop. “I’m sorry, Sean. I’d just never heard those words come out of your mouth before.”
He turned toward her but kept walking backward. “Your apology would be a lot more effective if you weren’t laughing.”
That finally quieted her laughter. She peered up at him as though trying to discern his facial expression in the low light. “You aren’t really upset, are you?”
He tugged her closer, bringing them both to a stop. “What do you think?”
The moment lengthened after his quiet question. Her gaze searched his face, then his eyes. That close, he could watch as she raised her guard. “I think I’d better go home.”
Disappointment filled him, but he nodded, realizing it wouldn’t do well to push her too much, too fast. “I need to think about our next step anyway.”
Her eyes widened. “Another step?”
“With the robbery,” he explained when he realized she thought he was talking about their courtship. “I’d better walk you home.”
“But Calhoun—”
“—is exactly why I want to walk home with you. You disappeared fifteen minutes ago. What you’ve done during that time is anyone’s guess. If you show up with me, the only thing he’ll know for sure is that we’re courting. Everyone knows that.” He offered her his arm. “Let’s make it convincing.”
* * *
“Lorelei, is that you?” her mother called from the kitchen a few minutes later.
“Yes, I’m home.” She walked to the kitchen to watch her mother pour herself a cup of tea.
“Did you have a good time?”
“Yes.”
“What did you do?”
Lorelei glanced up at her mother. The woman offered her a cup of tea by lifting an empty cup. Lorelei shook her head. “We went for a walk in the hotel gardens.”
“That’s sounds lovely.”
“It was wonderful.” At her mother’s knowing look, Lorelei dropped the smile she hadn’t known was on her face. She said good-night, then walked up the stairs to her room and closed the door behind her. She set her reticule down and pulled the hairpins from her hair. She had to admit—it had been exhilarating. She’d held her own with those outlaws and Sean had seen it all.
She wandered to the window and peered out at the stars as she brushed her hair. She had to admit, it wasn’t until Sean lifted her in his arms, looked her in the eye and called her a “wonder” that all of those emotions were released. It wasn’t because she was falling in love. No, she wouldn’t let it be that. It was just that, after all those years of receiving his disapproval, she’d finally done something right in his eyes.
This afterglow was only the result of finally being able to create a friendship and a fledgling partnership with him. She was perfectly content with both and hoped that Sean would be, too. Surely he’d give up on this courtship once he realized he was wasting his time and efforts. Then maybe they’d be able to settle down into a warm friendship with no heartache involved. She just had to wait him out.
Chapter Sixteen
S
ean lifted the open-style kitchen shelves into place and somehow managed to settle a nail into the predrilled hole in the back of the unit. He banged the nail through the hole into the wall, then frowned. Perhaps he should have waited for Nathan’s help on this one. He was almost done fixing up the kitchen in his new place and hadn’t wanted to wait. He was too far along to stop now, so he slid to the other side of the unit.
“This is not the same kitchen.” The sound of Lorelei’s voice made him nearly drop his hammer.
He peered over his shoulder at her. “What are you doing here? Never mind. Come over here and help me hold this shelf in place. It isn’t heavy.”
She set her reticule on the new kitchen table to join him near the stove. “Where did all this furniture come from?”
“I made it.” With his newly freed hand, he was able to set the nails and hammer them through the wall in just a few seconds.
Lorelei hesitantly let the shelf unit go. Once it stayed in place, she turned to him in confusion. “Wait. You made the furniture? All of it? Even that cupboard over there?”
He glanced at the large piece of furniture standing by the window. “Is something wrong with the cupboard?”
She walked over to run her fingers over it. “Nothing is wrong with it. That’s my point. I knew you whittled and you’ve talked about designing furniture, but I didn’t realize you were such an accomplished carpenter.”
He shrugged. “I’m not a carpenter. I just like to make furniture now and then. It’s a hobby.”
She shook her head in awe. “I wish I had a hobby like that.”
“You do.” He crossed his arms. “You’re a pianist. You’re dedicated to it. It’s the one thing that’s held your interest for years. You should focus on it and stop trying to force yourself to do other things you’re only half-interested in.”
“Maybe, but I like doing new things.” She tried out one of the kitchen chairs. “I don’t want to interrupt your carpentry. Ellie asked me to show her around. I’m sure she won’t be long.”
“It’s no interruption. I was just doing this while I waited for Ellie.” He smiled as he repeated Lorelei’s exact words. “‘She wanted me to show her around.’”
“What?” she breathed in confusion.
“Ellie has been overly confident in her skills as a matchmaker since she was about ten years old. If this is one of her latest escapades, she might not show up at all.”
“I don’t believe it. She sounded like she really wanted to see the house. I still think she’s just running late.”
“If you say so,” he said doubtfully. Fifteen minutes later, with no sign of Ellie, they both thought it prudent to give up. “No use wasting a trip out here. I can at least show you the rest of the property. Let’s walk.”
Lorelei kept up with Sean’s steady pace as they explored the different areas of the farm from the barn and chicken coop to the empty fields and pastures for the animals. He told her of his plans for the future of the farm. She listened intently and even smiled now and again when he was particularly enthusiastic about something. He let out a sigh of relief. Her reaction to the farm was much better than it had been the first time. Perhaps she was beginning to see the value in the land that he did. Finally, he announced, “There’s only one more thing I want to show you. It’s on the way back.”
If she didn’t fall in love with the farm after this, there would be no hope for her. The trees began to thin out until they stepped into a clearing. One large oak tree stood by itself. The trunk had to be more than seven feet in diameter. Three thick offshoots rose from the trunk high into the air while one seemed to mosey out sideways for at least ten feet before it also contributed to the maze of large branches hovering above the ground. He glanced at Lorelei when he heard her gasp.
“It’s so beautiful! I’ve never seen anything like it.” She shook her head in wonder.
Sean followed her gaze to the large wooden swing attached to the branch that hovered over the ground. He gently bumped her arm with his. “Want to try it out?”
“Of course I want to try it out.” She tugged at his arm, pulling him forward with her.
“Are you ready?” he asked a moment later.
She caught the ropes on either side of the seat. “Ready.”
His hands settled on the ropes below hers as he pulled the swing back, then let it go. She swung higher each time he pushed her while the wind teased and pulled at her hair, trying to work it free from the pins. The swing was starting to get pretty high off the ground. It was now or never.
“Slide to one side,” Sean warned.
Lorelei quickly did as he directed then gasped as he took hold of the ropes and lifted himself onto the seat beside her. He balanced on the swing in a hunched position for a moment before he managed to lift himself into the correct position. The swing tottered along its usual path until Sean pumped his legs enough to straighten it out. Finally, he looked at her with a grin. She stared back at him in amused exasperation. “That could have ended badly. You know that, right?”
He laughed. “No, I had it all planned out. I knew it would work.”
Her dark blue eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “Do you realize you do that constantly?”
His confused look must have told her that he had no idea what she was talking about.
“You plan constantly,” she said. “Every time we come upon a situation that holds the least bit of uncertainty you rush in to save the day. You plan the problem away in a matter of minutes. Then you make sure every little part of the plan is carried out successfully.”
“I guess I do, don’t I?” He flashed a grin. “You’re welcome.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m not thanking you, Sean. I’m asking you why you do it.”
He felt tension begin to build in his shoulders. He tried to shrug it away. “I don’t know. I guess I’m trying to control everything so it will turn out all right.”
“That explains a lot.”
“Like what exactly?”
She shifted in her seat to face him a bit more directly. “It explains why you bought this house without even asking my opinion. I guess it’s also why you told me you were going to court me regardless of how I felt about it. And—”
“I understand.”
She lifted her brow and stared back at him inquiringly. “So you realize that God is the only one who could possibly control everything in your life? That the only way any of your plans will come out right is if you surrender them to Him?”
He definitely didn’t want to talk about this. What was going on with everyone lately? Was he doing such a bad job of managing his life that everyone felt he needed to listen to their advice? He was glad that Lorelei wanted to talk about spiritual things. It signified a deepening in their relationship. But, why this? Why now, when he was finally getting things in hand? He cleared his throat. “That’s a lot to take in.”
She left it at that to glance up at the sky thoughtfully. He should probably have done the same, but he noticed a long hairpin working its way loose from her fashionable chignon. “Your pin is falling out.”
She found it but couldn’t seem to fix it with only one hand free, so he reached over to do it for her. He barely touched the silly thing before it wobbled and fell from her hair. Lorelei gasped, then turned her head toward him abruptly, sending her long brown curls spilling over her shoulders. “Thank you so much for helping.”
“Anytime.” He grinned as the wind took complete control of her hair, tossing it across her face and teasing his cheek. At its fleeting touch, the tension immediately fled. He caught his breath.
How is that possible?
He brushed her hair out of her face, then allowed his hand to stray into her curls. They were soft and full and like nothing he’d ever felt before. He met her wide blue eyes. Suddenly, he recognized the girl he’d known at eighteen when past tension seemed easily buried and new possibilities were at hand. He saw the future they could have had if a misunderstanding and childish pride hadn’t stood in the way. He saw the woman she was now. The woman he was beginning to care for. It scared him, and he was tempted to bring the past between them again but he didn’t want to. He wanted for one day, one moment to let his guard down enough to see her as she really was—the woman he’d always longed for.
It was in that moment that he knew he was going to do something crazy, but he didn’t try to stop himself. He kissed her. He kissed her gently, testing, half expecting her to send him flying off the swing for his gall. She would have had every right to do so. For that reason, he ended it nearly as quickly as it began.
Her dark lashes swept down to hide her stormy blue eyes. They were both quiet for a long moment as the swing settled into nothing more than a gentle sway. Finally, she glanced up at him again. The anger in her eyes told him he was in for a sudden squall.
* * *
Lorelei set her boots on the ground to bring the swing to an abrupt halt and pinned Sean with a glare. “I don’t want to be just another one of your plans, Sean O’Brien.”
He had the nerve to look confused. “What are you talking about?”
“If you made our courtship real just so you can go through the motions and check things off your list, you can just stop this silliness right now.” She twisted her hair back into its normal style and used the only remaining pin in her curls to keep it in place. She stood to look around for her missing hairpins. “At least when I’m acting for the town, you still know exactly where you stand with me. Sean, the only person you’re really fooling now is you.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he growled as he stood to help her look in the grass.
“Do you really think if you just plan it out and follow all of the steps, you can schedule yourself into loving me?” She took the hairpin he offered her and shifted it into place. “Buy a house. Check. First outing as a couple. Check. First kiss. Check. Check. Check. I refuse to add to that checklist you have in your head.”
“Will you hush for half a minute?” He caught her arms and pulled her toward him. “I don’t have a checklist, but I will admit that I planned to court you. Why is that wrong? I told you I would.”
She braced her hand against his chest to push herself away, but he wouldn’t release her. She forced herself to ignore the warmth that spread across her hand as it flexed against his chest. “It’s wrong because you aren’t telling the whole truth.”
His gaze was unflinching. “What truth am I not telling you?”
Why wouldn’t he just let her go? She shook her head. “The truth is you don’t want to court me any more than you wanted to kiss me.”
He stared at her in what seemed to be amazement. “How could you possibly think that?”
“A woman can tell when a man wants to kiss her and when he doesn’t.”
“Apparently not.”
“Just admit it, Sean. That kiss was just like you—controlled and lacking any true emotion.”
His jaw tightened, though his stare held disbelief. “Did you ever think I was just trying to be a gentleman?”
“If you were a gentleman, you wouldn’t have tried to steal a kiss in the first place,” she reasoned passionately. He seemed to lack the ability to respond to her well-argued logic. He would cave any second now. He’d give in and tell the truth, then she’d know she couldn’t trust him with her heart.
She’d be able to weed out every little seed of hope that had taken root inside of her. She would get back to the peaceful life she’d led before he’d stormed in attempting to take control of her affections. A slight feeling of unease shifted through her. She almost questioned if that would be the best choice. She pushed the feeling away and tried again to make him admit the truth. “I could have seemed more sincere than that just by acting.”
He stared at her in deep contemplation for a moment. She could feel her victory coming. His jaw flexed again, then he lifted a brow and said exactly what she would never have expected him to say. “Prove it.”
She stared at him. “What?”
“I said prove it.” He released her but didn’t step away. “Prove that you can give me a more genuine kiss by acting than I was able to give you a minute ago when I wasn’t acting.”
When he says it like that it sounds crazy,
she admitted to herself as she tried to think. She thought about calling on the Lord for help, but she’d gotten herself into this mess. She had a funny feeling that He wouldn’t get her out of it. In fact, she had an uncanny sense that He was as interested in seeing how this might play out as Sean seemed to be.
Drat.
What had she been thinking? A small flicker of a fire seemed to light his eyes with gold as he stared back at her, daring her to continue. She immediately began to doubt herself. After all, pretending to rob a bank was nothing like pretending to kiss somebody. She really didn’t even have that much experience to draw from. She couldn’t remember the last time Lawson had kissed her. Their relationship hadn’t had much of a physical aspect to it. It hadn’t had much of anything else, either.
Sean’s arms slipped around her waist. Suddenly, she realized this wasn’t a game because Sean wasn’t playing. He was serious—really serious. She froze. “I get where this is going. I know what you’re trying to prove, but I’m pretty sure that it won’t work.”
“I think you’re just afraid it will.”
Since when did he know her well enough to read her thoughts? Since now, apparently. She could make this easier on herself by stepping away from him. Of course, she didn’t.
“It’s time you realized something, Lorelei Wilkins.” He pulled her slightly closer. “I’ve never hated you. I don’t dislike you. I’m sorry that we’ve wasted so much time at each other’s throats. I think it’s the only way we knew how to fight against this.”
“Fight against what?” she whispered.
“These feelings that have always been there and never seem to go away. I, for one, am tired of fighting against them and you. I want to see where this goes.”
She stared into his sincere green eyes, but she couldn’t quite believe the words he was saying. His face blurred with her tears, and she tried to blink them away. It didn’t do any good. He saw her tears and wrapped his arms around her until she surrendered to his embrace by hesitantly resting her forehead on his chest. He shook his head. “I’m so sorry we’ve hurt each other. I do care about you, and I’m trying to show it, as unsophisticated as I may be at it.”