Surrender Your Heart

by Marie Higgins

  Adam tipped his cowboy hat and walked out of the building. Strange that he felt so stuffy inside that office. It wasn’t too long ago, he’d dressed as a man of wealth, mostly because he wanted people to look at him with respect. But lately, he’d been more relaxed in jeans, a shirt, rugged vest, and wearing a cowboy hat.

  He grinned. If Jacob was still alive, he would have laughed at Adam’s appearance, and they would have tossed humorous degrading remarks back and forth as was their method of teasing each other.

  Adam leaned against a post as people gradually filled the streets. Up and down the boardwalks, the throng of people moved from one shop to the next, eager to spend their hard-earned money.

  A familiar black robe and turned white collar caught his attention. Father Brian moved slowly up the boardwalk on the other side of the street. He nodded to people as he passed. Adam wondered why the man of God hadn’t recognized him. Unless it’s because he dressed so differently now than when they’d first met. Nevertheless, there was something suspicious about Father Brian, but he didn’t know what it was. Then again, seeing the way Father Brian had reacted when he first saw his cousin, Emily, had shocked him. It was as if the clergyman had forgotten he wore black robes and the gold cross chain around his neck. But then in a split second, he’d turned back into a man of God.

  Something nudged on Adam’s instincts, urging him to follow Father Brian. After all, he had nothing better to do while waiting for Mr. Tuttle to return with the hackney.

  Adam made certain to keep a distance while following Emily’s cousin, staying on the other side of the street. Father Brian acted as if he was on his daily stroll through Main Street. He never stopped, although he slowed his gait when briefly chatting with others as they passed by.

  Once they reached the end of town and by the church, Father Brian took slower steps and turned to follow the path which led him to the front of the church. Adam stopped at a tree and leaned against it. He kept his eyes on the minister from across the street, but nothing seemed out of place. Perhaps his suspicions were not correct after all.

  Father Brian pulled out a set of keys and unlocked the church before entering. As the door closed behind the man, something else caught Adam’s attention. From the corner of the church, someone had darted around the corner and ducked behind some bushes.

  Curiosity pushed him to see what was going on. He crept closer, scanning the yard along the way. He reached the bushes and stalled. He tried to detect any noises, but heard none except for the chirping birds in the nearby tree. Daring to continue, he took another step closer, hoping he could peek around the building without being noticed.

  Just as he neared the edge of the building, branches snapped from somewhere on the other side. Seconds later, a woman appeared, and barreling into him and knocking into his chest. Gasping in surprise, he clutched her shoulders just as she released a little squeal. The jarring movement caught him off balance, and even though he tried to keep upright, she was falling and bringing him with her. With a thud, they landed on the ground—her first, and him on top, but he braced his palms on the ground to keep from smashing her petite body.

  Immediately, two familiar sea-blue eyes blinked up at him. Shock registered on her expression.

  “Adam?” Emily asked.

  He expelled a pent-up breath, letting his body relax slightly. “Emily, what in tarnation are you doing here?”

  “Well, at the moment, I’m underneath you.”

  He finally realized how improper their position was...and how private. Behind the bushes so that nobody passing by the church could see them, Adam was hesitant to leave their cozy situation. Her bosom lifted and fell quickly, moving against his chest so very intimately as her hands splayed on his shoulders. It didn’t take long for the surprise in her eyes to change to something entirely different. She held the same look of desire as she’d had the night when they were in the kitchen. And blast it all if the same yearnings he’d experienced during that night returned in full force.

  His mouth dried considerably, and it was hard to swallow. He licked his parched lips, and she watched. This was really utterly ridiculous, but for the life of him, he didn’t want to move.

  “Adam?” she asked in a low voice. “What are you doing here?”

  Enjoying myself... He shook the thought out of his head. For certain, he couldn’t give her that kind of answer. It shocked him that a lightning bolt hadn’t shot down from Heaven for thinking such naughty thoughts while leaning against the church’s wall.

  “Forgive me,” he said before he rolled off and sat next to her.

  She stayed on the ground. Her beautiful blonde hair wildly framed her head, spread over the ground where she lay. Her arms dropped to her middle. He was very grateful she’d decided not to wear her bonnet today, because he wouldn’t have had the opportunity to see such a vision.

  “I thought I’d seen someone sneaking around the church.”

  She arched a quizzical eyebrow. “And that made you suspicious?”

  Adam realized how strange it sounded, so he chuckled. “I suppose you think I’m over-reacting?”

  “Well, this is a church. If someone comes to see Father Brian in private to confess their sins, I’d think they wouldn’t want everyone knowing.”

  A movement from her lovely hair caught his attention when he spotted a black, hairy spider. Without frightening her, he casually swept his hand over the insect to brush it aside before taking her hand and pulling her upright.

  “Is that why you were sneaking around...to confess your sins to Father Brian?” he asked with a hint of humor in his voice.

  She brushed her palms over her brown skirt, removing some broken twigs and dirt. “Not that it’s any of your business, but no, that’s not why I came here. However, I did come to talk to my cousin.”

  “Then forgive me for interrupting you.”

  Adam knelt and offered his hand. “May I help you up?”

  She slipped her hand into his. Warmth encased him as he stood and helped her to her feet. As she continued to wipe off her skirt, he tried to assist by sweeping a hand over her backside. That’s when he realized her bustle was crooked. He shifted it, trying to make it appear normal.

  Gasping, she jumped away from him, snapping her wide-eyed gaze toward him. “I beg your pardon, Mr. Hamilton, but I don’t think that’s appropriate.”

  He wanted to laugh at her reaction. So instead, he grinned. “I’m curious about something, Emily. How do you decide when to use your temper?”

  “What...” She shook her head. “What are you talking about?”

  “I mean,” he lowered his voice, stepping closer to her. She retreated, but the brick wall of the church stopped her from going any further. “When my body had you pinned to the ground so intimately a few moments ago, you mentioned nothing of propriety. And yet, as I tried to help you look presentable, that’s when you decided it was wrong.”

  He continued leaning toward her, even resting his bent arm above her head on the wall. Her breathing increased, and even though he did this to tease her, his breathing accelerated, too. She opened her mouth to reply, and yet no words came out. Instead, her gaze lowered to his mouth—and stayed.

  He knew what she was thinking, and blast it all, but his mind moved in that direction, as well. Yet, his mind screamed at him to stop this insanity.

  “Adam, I think...” Her soft words stopped, but her ragged breaths increased.

  Desire leapt inside of him so hot and so urgent, he doubted he’d be able to talk himself out of kissing her now. His resolve weakened, and he leaned closer. Her eyelids closed. But just before he could touch his mouth to hers, voices came from somewhere behind them in the yard.

  He snapped out of the dreamy stupor she’d somehow put him under and focused on what was happening around them.

  “Shh,” he said, touching his finger to her tempting lips, “someone is here.”

  He glanced over his shoulder. Thankfully, the large bushes they stood behind, blo
cked them from onlookers. However, the shrubbery wouldn’t continue to make them invisible, especially if those voices continued to get nearer.

  Adam peered in between the branches. He recognized three men who walked slowly toward the back of the church. They were the ones who’d been chatting privately with Father Brian yesterday in town.

  “Who is it?” she whispered against his finger.

  The warmth from her breath on his finger caused him to catch his breath. Her lips were so soft, and so tempting. As much as he still wanted to kiss her, right now was not a good time.

  “I don’t know, but I doubt they are here to confess their sins to Father Brian.”

  The three men moved into the shadow of a large oak tree that stood nearby. Adam worried that they might be able to see him and Emily from their viewpoint.

  They had made Adam curious from the very beginning when he’d seen them in town. The man who appeared to be the leader was tall and thin with bright orange, bushy hair. The second man was an inch shorter, but he was quite round through the middle, and his hair was more auburn. The third out of the trio was much shorter and rounder, and had scars on his face, but the large puckered scar by his right eye was more noticeable.

  He crouched lower, pulling her with him. Using his body as a shield, he pressed it against her to block the view, just in case.

  “What’s wrong?” she whispered again.

  “I don’t know,” he answered, still keeping the three men in his sight, “but I have an uneasy feeling about this, so don’t move and be extra quiet. If we’re lucky, they won’t see us.”

  “And if we are not lucky?”

  Adam moved his gaze back to her. Emily’s amazing eyes were wide and curious. “Then, my dear Emily, the church is the perfect place for us to pray for help if those men aren’t friendly.”

  NINE

  Emily couldn’t decide what was making her heart beat so quickly. Was it the very handsome man pressing against her against the wall or was it the skittish tone of his voice when he talked about the men by the tree?

  She couldn’t see the men’s faces very well, but seeing them wouldn’t do her any good since she didn’t know anyone in this town. However, fear was the furthest thing from her mind at this moment. The way he’d just been looking at her as if he’d wanted to kiss her, left her yearning for more. For a brief, breathless second, she’d imagined herself entwined in his arms as they kissed passionately. It was a splendid dream, but a dream, nonetheless.

  Confusion filled her head. Why would Adam want to kiss her when it was obvious he and Hannah were quite fond of each other?

  “Did anyone see you comin’?” one of the men asked with an Irish accent.

  The shorter redhead shook his head. “Not a chance of it. I’m not foolish enough to be followed.”

  “I say we’re good.” The third man nodded. “But I’m thinkin’ we need to hasten this meetin’. I don’t like bein’ out in the open.”

  “Agreed.” The first man looked around them before leaning toward the other two. “I’ve recently learned that Mr. Faraday and his wife are from England.”

  “That’s not acceptable. I say we do somethin’ about it soon,” the third man said matter-of-factly.

  “Aye. What will it be this time? Fire or carriage accident?”

  Adam hitched a breath as his arms tightened around Emily. At first, she wondered if he was unconsciously trying to protect her, but then she realized he’d done it out of shock from what the three Irishmen were talking about.

  “I think it best if we include the others,” the short redhead answered.

  The other men in the group nodded and mumbled their response.

  Emily didn’t know what she’d overheard, but she knew it wasn’t good. Adam’s stiff body was testament that her observation was correct.

  The small group dispersed, each man leaving in a different way as they exited the churchyard. Once they were all out of sight, Adam’s body relaxed slightly.

  She peered into his stern expression and her heart twisted. “What did we just hear?” she asked in a tight voice.

  When his gaze met hers, his facial features softened. Although his smile seemed forced, his touch was gentle as he caressed her cheek with his knuckles.

  “It’s nothing to worry your pretty head about.”

  On instinct, she took his hand in hers, stopping him from stroking her cheek. “Adam, I’m not completely naive, you know. True, I live in a small town and I help my family in the livery, but I have been educated. And what I heard wasn’t right. It left a bitter taste in my mouth.”

  He nodded. “Forgive me. I was only trying to spare you from worrying so. But you’re correct. I don’t know what they are up to, but I’ll find out, and I’ll find Mr. Faraday and his wife to see what they know. When the words fire and carriage accident are mentioned in the same sentence, I cannot help but become tense.”

  “Because your family was in a house fire and Jacob was—”

  “Exactly.”

  She tightened her hold on his fingers. “Oh, Adam. You don’t think those men might have been responsible—”

  “I do now.”

  Her heartbeat quickened, but it had nothing to do with being so close to Adam. “We need to tell someone. Those men need to be arrested.”

  A slow smile spread across his face. “My dear, Emily, have you forgotten so soon? I’m a Deputy Sheriff, now. I can arrest them...but not without having evidence against them, first.”

  “Yes, you’re right. I had forgotten.” She smiled. “Let me know what I can do to help.”

  “Help?” His eyebrows lifted. “My sweet, Emily, the only help I want from you is to take care of your sister and our niece and nephew.”

  Her heart flipped momentarily when he called her sweet, but then she remembered about how he was attracted to Hannah, and Emily couldn’t stop her heart from breaking all over again.

  “You’re right,” she said with a sorrowful sigh. “That’s what I’m here for, correct? To help my sister with the children.”

  His gaze skimmed over her and a frown touched his brow. He pulled his fingers out of her grasp and stroked her cheek again.

  “And you’re doing a wonderful job. Hannah is really happy you’re here with her.”

  It didn’t matter if his words were nice, knowing that he praised her because it made a difference with Hannah, tugged on her injured heart. “I’m glad.”

  Her knees were cramped due to their crouched position. She tried to stand, but his body up against her, blocked the process. Why wouldn’t he move? And why was he looking at her like that? She really wished he’d stop. It made her so confused.

  “Adam, I...I should really get back to my sister now.”

  “I thought you came to the church to talk to your cousin.”

  Her memory returned, and she groaned inwardly. How embarrassing! His presence had made her forgetful, again. “Yes, you’re correct. I’ll visit with Brian first, then return to my sister’s house.”

  He stood and pulled her up with him. But her legs had fallen asleep and she nearly collapsed. His arms wrapped around her waist, holding her up. She gripped his vest and peered up into his melting green eyes. Oh, heavens! Not this again.

  “Are you all right?” he asked in a deep voice.

  “I lost feeling in my legs for a moment. It must be due to the cramped position I was in.”

  “Yeah...I’m sure it was.” A mischievous grin touched his perfect mouth.

  “No, really, it was.”

  He chuckled. “I believe you.” Seriousness etched in his face as he lowered his head. “Emily, forgive me if I’m wrong, but I get the impression you enjoy being in my arms.”

  Butterflies danced in her stomach, and she cursed her weakness. “You are most humorous, but you’re wrong.”

  “Then explain to me how we always end up in this position?”

  Warmth enclosed around her, and she fought it. She must not relent. If he wanted Hannah—and Hannah
loved Adam, then Emily could not stand in their way of true happiness.

  “I must end up in your arms because I’m a clumsy person.” She shoved the palms of her hands into his chest and moved out of his embrace. Immediately, the warmth from his body left hers, and she felt cold and alone. What was wrong with her? If she couldn’t find a way to keep him out of her heart, she would be one miserable woman. “Adam, I will not do this to my sister, I’m sorry.”

  His forehead creased, and eyebrows furrowed. “What?”

  “I hope you find some evidence on those men,” she continued quickly, not wanting to talk about him and Hannah any longer.

  A different expression replaced the confused one, and he nodded. “I intend to find something on them.”

  She moved around him and out of the bushes. “Adam, should we plan on you having dinner with us tonight?”

  “Yes, if that’s not any trouble.”

  “Of course not.” She flipped her hand in the air. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

  He tipped his hat slightly. “Then I shall see you later this evening.”

  As she walked toward the church, her hopes sank. Had coming to Savannah been a mistake? Well, she only had a few months to lift her sister’s spirit before Emily returned to Texas to help Pa with the livery. With any luck, she wouldn’t have her heart shattered into a million pieces before that happened.

  ADAM REMOVED HIS HAT when he walked up the porch steps and knocked on the door. After asking directions from townspeople, he was able to locate Mr. Faraday’s residence. The three Irishmen had mentioned the man was from London, but so far, the house didn’t show any signs. Not like The Hackney Carriage Company had done with all the fine furniture and well-dressed owner of the company.

  The door opened, and a middle-aged man with thinning head of brown hair, warily peeked around the door. The man’s gaze moved over Adam but stopped when he spotted Adam’s badge.

  “Are you the sheriff?” the man asked.

  “No, sir. I’m Deputy Hamilton.”

  Sighing, the thin man stepped into Adam’s view as he opened the door wider. “Forgive me of being leery, but I’ve had my share of inconsiderate neighbors lately, and I hesitate before letting people enter my house.”