by Mia Ford
“What do you want, Celia?” He hurled the words at her.
“I just wanted to speak with you for a bit. I just wanted to see how you were doing.” She said kindly, hoping that he would see that she was there in peace. She didn’t want to fight with him. She had felt just as hurt by Conrad’s words as he probably was. She could physically feel his pain.
Wilder’s sandy blonde hair fell thickly over his eyes; he wasn’t wearing his hat. His blue eyes looked small and dark. He was breathing heavily, with his lips parted.
“No, Celia, what do you really want?” He repeated himself. She was confused, her brows were furrowed. What was he asking her? She took a few steps towards him, and he straightened himself, watching her every move.
“You know what I want. You felt it.” She said softly, walking up close to him now. She could see that his gaze had dropped to her breasts. Was he as aroused as she was? Did he feel the same way around her as she did when he was near? Were there goosebumps on his flesh too? She wished he knew the effect he had on her, even with just his voice.
Wilder remained quiet, and Celia extended her hand, gently daring to touch his cheek. His skin was ruddy, tanned and rough. He hadn’t shaved still, and his emerging beard was rough but still quite short. She stroked it delicately, enjoying the tingling feeling of its coarseness on her skin. She wanted his mouth on hers. She wanted to thrust her tongue into his mouth. She wanted that beard to chafe her skin as he licked her neck.
“Wilder…” She breathed his name. He didn’t move, he was standing very still, looking at her face, at her body.
She placed another hand on his chest, slipping in a finger through the gap in his shirt so that she could feel the solid muscles on his chest. Celia felt herself growing wet immediately. She wanted him again. She wanted to feel him inside her. He was the most delicious man she had ever met.
“I do want you. Conrad doesn’t know what I want.” She dared to say, and watched as his eyes grew wild. He looked angrier than before, but only licked his lips, studying the curves of her jaw, her lips. She could see he wanted her, he was growing in his pants. She dropped her gaze to watch it grow. She liked the power she had on him, as much as he tried to resist her, he couldn’t. His body wouldn’t let him.
She turned her face to him and smiled.
“Say you want me too.” She whispered. He hadn’t said a word yet, but focused his attention on her cleavage. Celia dropped her hand from his chest to the bulge in his pants and he grabbed her by the wrist. That same strength had returned to his arm, and Celia nearly gasped.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Wilder hissed, bringing his face close to her face.
“I know you want me, Wilder.” Celia cried, her voice tearing as she squirmed under his fiery gaze.
“You are making plans with my brother. You’re going to be Conrad’s woman, what are you doing touching me?” Wilder hissed again. Celia tried jerking her hand out of his grip but he held her tightly.
“That isn’t true, I haven’t told him anything. He says he wants me, but I want you.” She tried explaining, but Wilder was holding her close to him, tightening his grip on her hand.
“No, you listen to me Celia. I won’t allow you to play us. I’m not as foolish as Conrad. You can have each other, you both deserve it. Just leave me alone. You hear?” He let go of her hand suddenly, and the force of it nearly threw Celia off her balance. She rocked back gently and then Conrad pushed past her, back into the house.
She was left out in the porch, alone again in the dark, for a second time by him. She couldn’t understand it. Why was he treating her like this? What did he want from her? Why was he so afraid of admitting that he wanted her just as much as she wanted him?
Footsteps up ahead distracted her, and Celia drew in quick breaths. It was Conrad coming up to the porch again, and she ran her fingers through her strawberry blonde curls in impatience. At least he was a friendly face.
“There you are, my beautiful girl.” Conrad climbed up to the porch two steps at a time. Before she had the chance to say anything he had pulled her in close to himself and was kissing her. Celia’s face froze as their lips pressed together. She wasn’t kissing him back but Conrad didn’t seem to notice. He kissed her, and she noticed that he had cold lips, but she didn’t struggle in his arms.
“Jack needs his dinner.” Wilder’s voice broke them apart, and Celia gasped, hiding her face away from him. He was standing behind her. He had crept up on them quietly. His voice was calm now, accepting and resigned.
“Sure, let’s go have dinner.” Conrad said with a flourish and she felt his hand on hers, tugging her in his direction. Celia kept her face hidden from Wilder as she was pulled past him into the house. She couldn’t bear to look at him. He had caught her kissing Conrad, mere minutes after she had claimed that she wanted him instead, after she had just tried to seduce him.
“That smells great.” Conrad said, tugging her gently towards the dining room. Celia smiled quickly and turned her face away from him. She had avoided looking at Wilder successfully, but it also meant that she didn’t know what he was thinking, she hadn’t seen his eyes. He must really hate her now, she thought, now his suspicions were definitely proven correctly. Now Wilder would be sure that she was playing the two brothers, that she was only trying to seduce him for her own gains.
Celia could barely breathe. She didn’t know how she would share dinner in the middle of these two men.
They were eating their dinner in complete silence. Not one of them had spoken a word yet, except Celia’s grandfather who was so happy to taste the casserole that he couldn’t hide the glow from his face.
“This is exactly like my wife’s, your grandma’s. Thank you, Celia, my child you have made me so happy.” Jack was happy, smacking his lips as he took each bite of his dinner. Celia pushed the food around in her plate in silence, only acknowledging her grandfather’s compliments with a weak smile.
Conrad was sitting next to her, not bothering to hide the smug smile on his face. He had just stolen a kiss from her, and had seated himself beside her. In his mind, it was all but accepted that she and him were going to be together.
Wilder was at the head of the table again, concentrating on his food, not looking at anybody. Celia couldn’t look at him either. She was too ashamed, too upset, she couldn’t think of a single thing to say. She wished she hadn’t come here, that she had never met Wilder…then a man like Conrad would have been more than good enough for her.
Jack finished his food and pushed his plate away from him.
“I’m stuffed. That was brilliant.” He said, rubbing his stomach energetically.
“You are a star.” Conrad turned to her, wiping the corners of his mouth with a tissue paper. Celia smiled again, looking at Wilder with short bursts of glances. He had still not finished his food; he wasn’t looking up.
“You have a talented granddaughter, Jack. She really knows her stuff.” Conrad continued with the compliments. Celia wasn’t blushing, she wasn’t even paying attention to his words.
Wilder suddenly stood up from his chair, picking the half-eaten plate of casserole from in front of him.
“I’ll do it.” Celia stood up too.
“No, I’ll tidy up.” Wilder said, without looking at her.
“But you haven’t even finished it. Didn’t you like it? Was it too spicy?” Celia asked, wringing her hands together.
“Don’t be offended by Wilder, Celia. He doesn’t appreciate anything that anyone does for him.” Conrad commented. The two brothers exchanged bitter looks, while Conrad remained seated. Wilder took his plate and his empty glass from the table and disappeared into the kitchen.
Jack was still clutching belly, and he smiled at his grand-daughter.
“Why don’t I get you ready for bed instead then, grandpa?” Celia asked him.
“Before you do that, can we have a private chat first, Celia?” Conrad had placed a hand on hers, and she looked at him. His blue eyes spark
led in their friendliness. His dark hair was brushed back and glistening in the light from the yellow lamps in the dining room.
“Do you mind, grandpa? To wait a bit?” Celia asked him.
Jack looked at her, with concern in his eyes. Then he looked at Conrad. He wasn’t sure what to think of the whole thing.
“Oh don’t look so frightened, Jack! I’m not going to gobble up your grand-daughter.” Conrad stood up from his chair with an accomplished laugh.
“Of course I don’t mind. But what are you two going to talk about?” Jack asked, turning to Celia again. She gulped, aware that her grandfather had his suspicions. Moreover, there was no way that she was going to tell him about the little arrangement she was discussing with Conrad. What would he think of her?
“You don’t have to concern yourself with that, old sport.” Conrad said and grabbed Celia’s hand again, leading her out of the drawing room into the living room.
When they got there, Celia pulled her hand away from his.
“You can’t behave like that in front of grandpa.” She said, twisting her eyebrows in annoyance at him. She was trying so hard to like him, trying so hard to appreciate his affection for her…but she couldn’t, not when she was feeling the way she did about Wilder.
“Behave like what?” Conrad asked, standing very close to her.
“I don’t want him to know about us.” Celia said, looking about her nervously. Conrad smiled and then placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Does that mean you’re saying yes?” He asked. Celia licked her lips and looked at him.
“No, not yet. I’m still thinking about it.” She said.
Conrad’s face darkened immediately. The smile had disappeared and was replaced by a sour scorn.
“What is taking you so much time to decide? I’m just handing over an easy-going life to you, for almost nothing more in return. I know you enjoyed that kiss. I know you want to sleep with me. Teasing me isn’t working, Celia.” He spoke quickly, harshly and she flinched from the words he was flinging at her. She suddenly wanted to cry.
“I’m not teasing you. It’s just not easy for me. I feel like a prostitute doing this.” She said and Conrad smiled, squeezing her shoulder.
“No…don’t think like that.” He said and placed a finger under her chin, lifting her face up at him. “That is not who you will be to me. This is a chance at a legitimate relationship. I need you and you need me.” He said, but she didn’t reply.
“Make up your mind Celia. I’ll be waiting for you in my room, otherwise we will have to make different living arrangements for you and Jack.” He said and drew his hand away from her quickly. Celia gulped again as she watched Conrad leave the room in a hurry. He was threatening her now! He was going to have her grandfather and her thrown out of their home if she didn’t comply with him. Where would they go? Back to New York? But her grandfather didn’t want to be anywhere else but here. Such a thing would break his heart. She felt like crying, she was growing desperate. What had she gotten herself into?
She turned on her heels and walked back into the dining room to be with her grandfather. Celia was fighting back tears, keeping them back for his sake.
But he wasn’t there.
“Grandpa!” She yelled out, in a sudden fear that something had happened to him.
Celia ran out of the dining room, towards his bedroom, her feet sliding over the oak floors as she rushed. Celia flung open the door to his bedroom. And there he was, and so was Wilder. Her grandfather was sitting on the edge of his bed, with his feet dipped into a broad bucket of water. Wilder was at his feet, scrubbing the older man’s feet with a coarse sponge. They had both looked up at Celia when she burst in through the door.
She couldn’t stop the tumult of emotions that rushed into her heart when she saw them there. Never in her wildest dreams would she had imagined Wilder like this, so gentle and caring towards anyone. They were natural in each other’s company. It was evident that Wilder had done this for her grandfather before, that he probably even did it quite often.
Her hand flew to her mouth as she stared at them. She knew that her eyes were watering.
“Come in dear, Mr. Moore is just scrubbing my feet. I can’t reach them when I take my bath you see.” Her grandfather said kindly.
Celia was looking at Wilder, her brown eyes wide, and he was looking back at her too, innocently.
“Do you need some help?” She managed to say.
Wilder turned around, gave the older man’s feet a final scrub and then stood up, lifting the bucket up by its handle.
“Thank you, but we’re all done here. You can tuck him in if you like. I’ve helped him change already.” Wilder said and walked past her and out of the bedroom.
Her grandfather silently lifted his feet up on the bed and straightened them. Celia walked over, tugging the covers over him and then tucking them into the sides of his bed. She knelt down by his side and her grandfather reached for her face with both his hands.
“Thank you dear, thank you for being here. I know what kind of sacrifice it is for you, leaving your life and your job behind in New York.” He said, his voice breaking as he spoke to her. Celia’s eyes were still watery. She was looking into the face of a very sick man. A man she loved dearly, but whom she had ignored for the past few years.
“I would do it all over again if I had to, grandpa. This is what families do, and you are my family.” She said, touching his hand where it rested on his cheek.
Her grandfather stared into his eyes for a few moments and then spoke again.
“I don’t want to interfere in your life, my child, but the Moore’s…they are different from us. Especially…especially…” He said.
“Conrad?” She asked, and he didn’t reply. But his silence spoke volumes.
“But Conrad says that Wilder is jealous of him, that he wants to take away his inheritance.” Celia said. Her grandfather’s eyebrows crossed.
“What inheritance? Their father left the ranch and all the property to Wilder alone.” He said, flatly, like it was an obvious statement. Celia’s lips had turned dry. She couldn’t understand what her grandfather was saying.
“Why would he do that? Isn’t Conrad his brother? An equal member of the family? I don’t understand.” Celia said.
“Conrad was a rebel, the black sheep of the family. He never wanted any part in the ranch. He ran away from home when he was fifteen and went away to New York. His father disowned him. And then he came back when his father died.” Her grandfather explained. Celia licked her lips in confusion. But Conrad had said that he was an equal share holder in the ranch, in the family’s properties…that Wilder would try and steal his inheritance if he left the ranch.
Her grandfather was studying her closely. They were both silent for a few moments.
“I don’t know what Conrad has been telling you dear. But the truth is that Wilder is supporting Conrad. He feels guilty…” He was saying, but fumbling with his words. Celia had heard the guilt in Wilder’s voice earlier on the porch.
“Wilder feels guilty because his wife slept with Conrad. Because he blames himself for his wife’s seduction of his younger brother?” She suggested. Again, her grandfather said nothing, but that was enough for her to understand. She breathed in deeply. Wilder was looking after his disowned younger brother, after everything Conrad had done to the family, to Wilder.
“Thank you for telling me, grandpa.” She said, patting his hand and straightening back up.
“I told you because I don’t want you to make a mistake. The same mistake that Katherine made. I’ve seen the way Wilder Moore looks at you, the way you look at him. Don’t let Conrad manipulate you into something that you’ll later regret.” He said.
“Did Katherine later regret it?” Celia asked. She had never loved her grandfather more, now she was learning the true worth of family. This was the greatest gift that her grandfather had ever given her. The gift of the truth.
“Of course she did. She was you
ng and foolish and didn’t have the capacity to appreciate Wilder Moore for the man he is. When she regretted it, it was too late. He wouldn’t have his brother’s seconds, even if she was his wife to begin with.” He replied and Celia nodded her head.
“Thank you grandpa. Now have a good night’s sleep and we’ll talk again in the morning.” Celia said before flicking the light bulb off in the room and stepping back out into the quiet house.
Celia went looking for Wilder, she needed to speak to him, to tell him that she knew the truth now. He was looking after Conrad, giving him a share of the property because he believed that his brother deserved it as much as he did. And Conrad had lied, he had manipulated the truth to make her believe that Wilder was a despicable man.
Celia was running down the corridor towards the porch outside in search of Wilder when Conrad’s hands grabbed her waist from behind and she shrieked.
“Stop screaming! I know you want this.” She heard him breathe into her ears. Conrad’s arms were crossed over the front of her own body and he held her like that tightly. She was breathing hard, afraid now of what might happen. What he might make her do that would push Wilder away from her forever.
“You are just a simple girl, Celia. You don’t understand the complications of the world.” She heard him say. The laugh in his voice had returned. He was enjoying Celia struggling against him, trying to get free. He held her tightly, facing forward; his hand slowly creeping up her body.
“I know everything Conrad. Let me go! You’ve been lying to me about all of this.” She shrieked, not afraid of who might hear her.
Conrad yanked her by the hair towards him, and she yelped.
“Shut up. I’m not a liar. I told you what you needed to hear. You don’t need to know everything. You’re just our servant’s grand-daughter and that is all you are.” Conrad’s voice was slippery; he was breathing hard through his nose and his hand had now reached Celia’s right breast. She struggled against him, trying to get free but he was holding her tightly.