by Caroline Lee
The ladies up on the dais were all atwitter at the bidding, hoping that MacLeod would continue to bid. Sebastian honestly didn’t care; he would win the auction. He suddenly understood the way those other men—the men who’d participated in the earlier auctions that he’d considered slightly barbaric—had felt. He was going to win this. He’d win her, and it didn’t matter who thought they’d stand in his way.
“Sebastian?” He felt, more than heard her whisper. “Fifty dollars is too much. It’s just a basket.”
His smile was slow and easy, and he loved the way she caught her breath. “Nothing’s too much for you, Serena.”
“Oh.” It was more of a sigh than anything else.
“Fifty-one dollars.” Didn’t the man know when to quit? Apparently not. MacLeod’s bid had taken a long time, but Sebastian didn’t bother tearing his gaze away from hers to look at his opponent. His answering bid was immediate.
“Fifty-two.”
“Fifty-three.” He heard someone say “Oh, Cam, really!” before being drowned out by the crowd’s roar of approval at this spectacle.
And then there was a hush, as everyone looked to him to see what he’d do. He knew it. He knew how to hold a crowd—he was a teacher, for crying out loud—and he knew what to do with his money.
Slowly, he lifted her hand, drawing small circles on the backs of her fingers with his thumb. She still hadn’t taken a real breath, and he liked the way she reacted to his touch. And then, with everyone watching, he placed a kiss on the back of her hand, and heard her sharp intake of air. Smiling wickedly now, he turned her hand over to place another kiss on the inside of her wrist. Her skin was warm against his lips, and he felt like he was marking her. Branding her as his. The teacher—the modern gentleman—couldn’t help but find it barbarous; but the man in him appreciated the symbolism.
Still smiling, he called out clearly in the hush, “One hundred dollars.”
They erupted. There wasn’t another word for the way the crowd burst into noise when the lady on the dais banged her gavel, but Sebastian didn’t have a thought to spare for them. He was utterly captivated by a pair of violet eyes.
He dropped his lips towards hers, and was encouraged when she met him. Their kiss was sweet and powerful and full of promise. She smelled of everything good in the world, and he nibbled at her lower lip until hers parted, and he was able to chase her tongue with his own. She made a sexy little whimper in the back of her throat, and he wanted to crush her to him. It was so hard to refrain; he didn’t want to startle her or scare her away. But then he felt her small hand—the one he wasn’t still holding tightly—clutch onto his jacket sleeve, as if to hold herself upright, and he smiled against her lips.
It seemed like hours before he finally forced himself to disengage, to hear the catcalls and the hoots, to listen to the church ladies desperately trying to control the crowd. He stared down at Serena, slightly flushed and breathing hard, her lips red and bruised and utterly desirable. It took him two tries to get the invitation out. “Miss Selkirk, I’d be honored if you’d picnic with me.”
She gave him a dazed nod, and took his offered arm. Did he strut a little as they made their way towards the dais? Maybe, but he thought he was justified. He’d just ‘won’ the woman of his dreams, and he wasn’t going to let her go. Ever.
The realization made him happier than he would have imagined.
Later, Serena wouldn’t have been able to say exactly what happened that afternoon. She remembered walking beside Sebastian, clutching his arm, afraid if she let go that he’d slip away and it would all turn out to be a daydream. She was promenading on a cloud, surely the envy of every woman at the Fourth of July barbeque. Maybe every woman in Cheyenne! She was giddy and breathless and finally understood what all of those heroines in the novels felt like.
Her first real kiss! It had been… well, it had been everything she’d ever hoped it would be. It had been everything Cam’s hadn’t been. It had been wonderful. Arousing. Breath-taking. She didn’t know if she knew enough words to describe how it had made her feel, and it was all because he’d been the one to share it with her. Sebastian Carderock, the prince of her dreams, had kissed her. She thought she would be excused if she gave a little skip of happiness.
After the auction, they laid out a blanket under a spreading tree, and he fetched two heaping plates of beef and salads and cakes and cheeses, and a tall glass of lemonade to share. They laughed and fed one another and compared and chose favorites, and then he went to get more. Truthfully, Serena wouldn’t be able to recall what she’d eaten, even later that day; she was still so bemused by the entire experience.
She might have been able to regain some control of her own wild emotions and reactions, had Sebastian not continued to find excuses to touch her. But he did. His hand brushed against hers whenever they exchanged plates, and twice he stroked her cheek and chin when he said she had crumbs there. And once—oh Heavens!—he actually fed her a particularly delicious piece of cookie. Serena nearly choked, she was so surprised by the feel of those smooth fingers against her lower lip.
It was an afternoon of sighing, of holding her breath and wondering if he’d kiss her again. Of laughter and confidences and admiration and discussions of the future. It didn’t take long for Serena to realize that he was courting her. And that’s when she nearly fainted from the heady rush of pleasure. He was courting her. That kiss might be the first of many. That wondrous kiss she hoped to repeat many, many times.
And then they did. There, on the blanket under a grand tree, surrounded by other couples who were diligently pretending not to be chaperones, he kissed her. It was just as glorious as the first, but she enjoyed it even more. Maybe it was because she made herself relax and appreciate the experience. Maybe it was the way he took the time to make her feel comfortable with each step before he moved on to the next. Maybe it was the scandalously wanton way she felt when his tongue teased hers. Maybe it was just because she was in love with him.
Oh yes, she’d given up pretending. She was utterly in love with Sebastian Carderock.
She sighed against his lips when he finally ended his sweet torture. And just in time, because a great weight fell across her back, pushing her back into Sebastian’s arms. It was little Pete, followed by his brother and then the rest of his family. Molly smiled apologetically and explained that Serena’s aunts were dining with their friends, and had left her to “see to the lovebirds”. Serena blushed and glanced at Sebastian, but he couldn’t be more gracious. He stood and shook Ash’s hand, making small talk. When Nate returned with Annie, passing out plates of cookies and cakes, Serena was heartened to see the way Sebastian sized up the young part-Indian man. She knew that Nate had experienced more than his share of prejudice in his life, from men very much like Sebastian. But her beau smiled and offered the younger man his hand, and Nate shook it solemnly.
They packed up the dinner dishes in the auction basket, and all joked and laughed as the sun sunk in the sky. Despite her aunts’ absence, Serena knew that she was among her family. And her family—the people who were closest to her and understood her the best—accepted Sebastian as one of their own. She knew that he’d be welcome in her life.
She wasn’t sure what had happened to Cam, where he’d gone after losing the auction to Sebastian. She wanted not to care, especially after his display the day before… but she couldn’t. He was a friend and a neighbor, whom she’d known for years. But despite his proposal, she’d known that he wasn’t right for her for… well, since the beginning. She’d wanted something more than the life Cam could offer her, but didn’t know what that was until Sebastian had come along. Until she’d met a man who made her heart sing and her breath hitch and her palms itch and her soul smile. Cam would never be that man for her. Sebastian made her feel alive in ways she’d never dreamed.
No doubt about it: she was a woman in love.
CHAPTER NINE
Molly smiled as she watched her friend with Sebastian. It was o
bvious to her that Serena couldn’t be happier with the outcome of the basket auction, and Molly was pleased everything had worked out. Cam had stood with them—he and Ash were trusted friends—and she’d tried to stop him from wasting his money on Serena’s basket. She’d known how he thought he felt about Serena, and known that those feelings weren’t true. He probably thought he loved her, but would soon realize he loved the idea of a new wife and a fine spread. She’d also known that there was no way he’d be able to outbid someone as wealthy as Sebastian Carderock.
Besides, anyone could look at Serena and Sebastian together and see that they were a perfect match. They looked like a painting, so achingly beautiful and perfect. And when they smiled at one another…! She sighed, and reached for Ash’s hand. He squeezed it, and she smiled up at him.
Ash pulled her against him, and placed a kiss on her forehead. Smiling, she stretched up to peck his cheek. After six years of marriage, she still loved his touch just as much as in the beginning. But seeing Sebastian’s display at the auction today had brought back memories of the first time Ash had kissed her; the breathless anticipation and heady rush of desire. And now, embracing her husband, feeling his heat against her palms, she knew that she was right where she was supposed to be. They’d had their ups and downs over the last years, but they’d built a beautiful life. And maybe in the spring they’d have another child, another reason to celebrate together.
Her cheek pillowed against Ash’s shoulder, one of his strong arms wrapped around her, she watched her friend through eyes misty with unshed tears. Yes, she had a beautiful life, and while she knew it was nothing like the one Serena hoped to build, she wished her friend success in creating one equally wonderful.
“You’re thinking about the future, aren’t you?” Ash’s quiet rumble was for her ears alone.
She smiled, and squeezed him once. “Yes. And how lucky I’ve been.”
He nudged her chin up with his free hand, until she was staring into his smoky gray eyes. “And I’m not?” He kissed her then, and it was everything it’d always been. Sweet and strong and full of promise. “I love you, Mrs. Barker.”
“I love you too, Ash.”
“You think you can remember that later tonight?” She felt her pulse speed up in anticipation at his sly grin. “I’ve missed you. A week is a long time.”
“You know we’ll be sharing a room with the boys. Pete will already be cranky from sleeping on the floor.”
“So they can sleep on the chaise in the parlor.” He kissed her again, and she couldn’t help the small blush that crept up her cheeks. She tried to remind herself that they were married, and it was perfectly natural to be talking about such things, but she couldn’t help but feel a little wanton.
“And what about Nate? He was going to sleep in the parlor.”
Ash chuckled, and squeezed her once. “Not if he’s smart. There are plenty of women who’ll share a room with him tonight.” Molly knew he was talking about whores, and rolled her eyes. How her brother-in-law spent his nights in town was certainly not any concern of hers.
The young man in question was currently chatting with Sebastian, who was managing a spirited discussion even with his attention fully focused on Serena. Molly had to admire the way he’d accepted Nate as Ash’s brother without blinking an eye, and treated the young man—Indian blood and all—as an equal. She knew that Sebastian was planning to stay out here in Cheyenne, rather than returning to a life of ease back East, and it was a good sign that he accepted a man based on his merit and abilities, rather than his blood. In the six years she’d been living west of Chicago, she realized that those ideals were pretty much what their world was built on. Sebastian Carderock would do well in Wyoming, and Cheyenne needed men like him.
She put her musings behind her when Serena’s aunts arrived, all atwitter from the gossip they seemed to eat and breathe at these gatherings. It was funny to see the way they could carry on a conversation, finishing each other’s sentences without a thought. They rushed to the young couple, but Molly could see their smiles through their scolding.
“Sebastian, dear, you are quite the talk—”
“—of the town! That kiss, sir…!”
“Poor Serena’s reputation would have been ruined—”
“Quite ruined!”
“—had it not been, well, understandable. As it was, I’m sure we were all swept up—”
“Quite swept up!”
“—in the drama and the romance. You had all of us sighing like ninnies, I’m sure.”
“Oh yes, you looked like quite the ninny, sister.” By Molly’s count, that was four ‘quites’, indicating that they were flustered.
Her sister gasped, “And you didn’t? Don’t think I didn’t notice the way you were sniffling into that handkerchief, you old bat!”
Molly glanced at Ash, who had shoved both his hands in his pockets, and was staring up at the cloudless sky resignedly, trying not to smile.
“Miss Agatha, I’m sure you didn’t look anything like a ninny.” Sebastian’s voice was smooth and calming, and sure enough, the older lady immediately preened under his attention. “And Miss Agnes, I’m sorry if my attentions caused inappropriate talk. I was…quite overcome.”
Molly had to turn away to hide her smile. He was a master when it came to dealing with Serena’s aunts, and seemed to understand that the ladies were usually just playing the roles they thought they ought to. More importantly, he was the only person she knew—Serena included—who always seemed to know which twin was which. Even Serena admitted to not being able to tell them apart just by looking at them, and sometimes not even once they’d started bickering. But in all the times Molly had seen Sebastian interacting with the two older ladies, he’d always been able to identify them by name, immediately.
“Can I fetch you some dinner, Miss Agatha? Miss Agnes?”
Both ladies scoffed. “We ate hours ago, dear, but—”
“—thank you just the same. We just came to fetch you for the bonfire. Mrs. Davis mentioned that they’ll be starting it earlier this year—”
“—after all the trouble they had last year.”
Sebastian turned to smile at Serena, who had sidled up to him and taken his hand. “Well, darling?” Molly saw her sigh dreamily. “Shall we escort your aunts to the bonfire?”
Serena seemed lost in his eyes, and he didn’t make any effort to distract her. Finally, Agnes—or maybe Agatha—tsked lightly. “I think it was probably a mistake to invite them.”
“Yes!” her sister answered. “In their current state, they’ll probably wander into the fire on accident, and we’ll have another repeat of that excitement from last year.”
“Oh dear. We’ll need another escort.” In unison, both ladies turned to Molly’s young brother-in-law, who was giving Noah a piggy-back ride, and hollered “Nathaniel!”
Everyone burst into laughter at their exchange, including Sebastian and Serena. Nate took one look at the happy young couple, and nudged Pete towards Agatha…or maybe Agnes. Offering his own arm to the other twin, with his nephew still on his back, the entire group started making their way towards the bonfire site.
The fires were actually set up in a ring, because it was just too warm to make one big conflagration. Lighting the blazes was always an exciting ceremony, and the young men who arranged it all did a wonderful job. They all sung “The Star-Spangled Banner” as the flames caught, and cheered wildly once the bonfires flared up. There was singing and dancing, and Serena even convinced Sebastian to borrow Mr. Kaminsky’s fiddle to play for them. He chose a haunting air that left several ladies wiping away tears, and then swept Serena up into a jig that obviously left her breathless. Yes, he was a welcome addition to Cheyenne society, and would fit in well.
It wasn’t until an hour after dark that Molly began to think of rounding up her sons for bed. They’d joined the pack of wild urchins scampering among the crowds of their elders, and she’d seen them only occasionally all evening. She truste
d Pete to keep Noah out of trouble, and all parents kept an eye on all the children. In fact, coming to social gatherings like this was often a relief for Molly, and other mothers. It allowed them to just be themselves, without having to constantly be a mother. She’d danced, and sang, and laughed, and kissed Ash more than usual. She was feeling grand.
Until she reached out and snagged Pete when he ran by. “It’s time to get ready to go, Peter. Where’s your brother?”
His beautiful face was streaked with dirt when he shrugged up at her. “I dunno. I thought he was with you.”
Her heart lurched, and she choked on the breath that wouldn’t come. “When did you see him last? Where?” She knew her voice was shrill, but couldn’t seem to make herself calm down. Had they been at home, she’d trust that Noah wasn’t in too much trouble; but here, surrounded by so many exotic dangers, there was no end to the trouble he could get into. She felt light-headed at the thought. Her panic affected her son, and he didn’t even seem to realize that she was gripping his shoulders.
“A while ago. He got angry ‘cause he tripped and I didn’t stop to help him. He said he was going to find you.”
Oh God. “And you haven’t seen him since then? Where were you?” Pete wordlessly pointed to the far side of the clearing, away from the bonfires. She pressed his pale face to her, trying not to think of all the dangers that could await a little boy in the Cheyenne wilderness, and determined not to make Pete feel guilty.
Ash had seen her gripping Pete. “Molly? What’s wrong?”
“Noah is missing,” she croaked out, and told her husband everything she’d learned. The rest of their friends gathered around, silent and worried.
Her husband pulled her into his arms, and she gladly released Pete to accept Ash’s comfort. He squeezed her. “We’ll find him, don’t worry.” She tried to nod, tried not to think about the bonfire or the river or the snakes or all the other dangers, and just focus on finding her precious little angel.