The Stafford Collection, Historical Western Romances

by Hubbard, Lynn

  “I’ll go,” Chase offered. To her delight, the rest declined.

  The group finished eating and Warren insisted on taking care of the tab. Sally yawned covering her mouth with her hand. “I don’t know about you all, but I am exhausted.” The others agreed and moved to head upstairs for the evening.

  Thomas fetched his bag as he and Jaelyn followed Riley into his room. Jaelyn looked away as Riley removed his pants. Unwrapping the blood soaked bandages, Thomas frowned at the redness surrounding the wound. He quickly doused it with whiskey and patted it dry as Riley hissed. He quickly and efficiently bandaged it up suggesting he stay off it as much as possible.

  Thomas and Jaelyn retreated to her room as Riley settled down for some much needed sleep. Warren retired to his own room after dropping Sally off at hers. He sat down on the edge of the bed and was pulling off his boots as he heard a small knock on the door.

  Chapter 19

  Sabrina sat on the front porch in the cool night air. It was a beautiful evening. The sky was clear and there must’ve been a million stars out that night. The door creaked open and Brock stepped out to join her. He sat next to her on the porch swing as it creaked with the added weight. Settling in, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.

  “What are you thinking of?”

  “Nothin’. Just looking at the stars.”

  “They are very bright tonight.”

  “When I was little, I thought if I could just get closer I could touch one. I climbed up in the old oak as high as I could and it seemed the higher I climbed, the farther away they got.”

  “My mother always said that they were our ancestors who came out to watch over us as we slept.”

  “Do you believe that people are still with us after they die? Sometimes it’s as if I can feel Lydia nearby.”

  “Our loved ones are always with us whether they are of the flesh or of the spirit. You’re cold. You should come in and let me warm you,” he stated, rubbing her bare arm.

  Sabrina nodded, a bit reluctant to let the night slip by so soon. She let out a small squeal of surprise as Brock easily lifted her up in his arms and carried her up the stairs to their bed.

  ***

  Amelia again grabbed Chase’s hand as they walked. He had such large strong hands and his skin was always warm as if he radiated his own internal heat source.

  The street was almost vacant as they walked to the water. They could hear it as they got closer. Amelia had always marveled at how the ocean by her house was always restless, constantly moving.

  Chase was unusually quiet and she wondered if he was as tired as she was. She would love to crawl into her soft bed and sleep but she didn’t want to waste this night. Once they passed all the stores and buildings it was very dark. The water was a black shadow on the horizon.

  “There,” Amelia said pointing to the beam of light from the lighthouse that stretched off into the night sky. Her voice sounded odd in the stillness. A bit rough and she cleared her throat.

  “It shines all the time?”

  “Day and night.”

  So enthralled with watching the beam cutting into the darkness, she did not even notice that Chase had moved behind her. He wrapped his arms around her chest and rested his chin on her head as they stood there watching and enjoying the moment.

  “You’re different.”

  “Excuse me?” he asked, perplexed as she twisted in his arms to face him.

  “You’re different out here, tonight. When you are around your family, you are more talkative, more of a prankster. But tonight, tonight you are very… pensive.”

  “I’m a what?”

  Amelia smiled. “Pensive, more reserved, quiet.”

  “And that’s bad?”

  “No, not bad, just different. You are unlike any man I have ever met. There are so many out there who pretend to be who they are not. Liars, cheats, and you’re so different.”

  “And that’s good?”

  “Yes, that’s very good,” she whispered, pulling his face down to hers.

  Chase almost growled. He had been fighting his passion for her all day. When she had come down for dinner looking like a goddess it was almost too much for him to resist. And now, now she was here in his arms offering her heart to him. He was starting to like this place very much. Maybe he could live with water.

  Amelia’s head spun as she was once again caught up in his kiss. The world disappeared, and she was in another place. She felt his hand slide down her thigh and then back up as he floundered through her layers of clothing seeking her flesh. So lost she did not notice the dark shadows closing in on them. However, Chase did. Releasing her, he spun pushing her behind him and pulling a huge serrated knife from somewhere on his being.

  “If you want to continue to breathe, I suggest you turn around and move on,” Chase warned, his voice deep and deadly.

  Amelia forced herself to clear her head as she reached for the derringer she always carried. Squinting through the darkness, she could make out three distinct figures and she could smell them from here. She cursed her stupidity for dragging Chase out here alone at night. These were desperate times for folks.

  “We don’t want no trouble, just some company for the evening.”

  “The only company you’re gonna have tonight is the Grim Reaper if you don’t take your sorry asses back into town,” Amelia said moving to stand beside Chase so she would have a better shot.

  The men seeing the gleam of silver from the knife and gun backed away with their hands in the air. “Didn’t mean no trouble now.”

  To Amelia’s relief they turned and staggered away. Chase watched them until they were out of sight. He cursed himself for letting his guard down. It could have ended very badly.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, I’m sorry. I should have been more careful.”

  “You will not blame yourself for the sins of men. We need to go.” Worried about Amelia’s safety, he grabbed her arm and they headed back to the hotel.

  Amelia frowned stepping into her vacant room. She didn’t even get a kiss good night. Seeing Sally’s empty bed made her even more ill. Damn vagrants. She lay down to face a long lonely night.

  ***

  Warren stood up to answer the knock. He kept one hand on the grip of his revolver and his other on the doorknob. Finding Sally on his stoop, he laid his gun on the washstand as she stepped into the room pushing the door shut behind her.

  Without a sound, she stepped forward and lifted her face up to his, eager for a kiss. His mouth came down more eager and urgent than she was expecting. She had to pull away to catch her breath.

  “My goodness, Warren, you are full of surprises.”

  “I do hope you are not a tease, Sally. It has been an awful long time since I’ve had a woman.”

  “I am not a tease. I just choose to follow my heart even though my brain is screaming for me to leave.”

  “I would prefer if you stayed,” Warren said again tasting her lips and pulling her body against his, proving to her how much he wanted her to stay. Sally gave into the sensation and before her mind was aware, she was naked on his bed.

  Sally closed her eyes tightly. She felt him prodding at her entrance and dimly, wondered if he needed any help. She soon felt a burning sensation as Warren entered her slowly. Her hands wandered to his shoulders and she squeezed tightly trying to distract her mind.

  She felt him shift her legs a bit and soon his pelvis was touching hers. He propped himself up on his elbows as he waited for her to respond.

  Sensing this, she opened her eyes to look up at his handsome face. Then he ruined the moment by opening his mouth.

  “Damn, you’re tight. If I didn’t know better, I would think it was your first time.”

  He saw a blur and then he heard, more than he felt the hand that slapped his face.

  “You lousy bastard! You think I am a whore? Some soiled dove? Get off of me NOW!” Sally raged as her eyes filled with tears.

&nbs
p; Warren’s face had whitened, except for the handprint on his cheek.

  “Are you stuck on, stupid? Off. NOW!” Sally said pushing against his bare chest to no avail. Warren gently retracted and hopped to his feet in a graceful move that made Sally even madder. She scrambled on the ground like a fish out of water looking for her clothes and trying to cover herself all at once.

  A mostly dressed Warren tossed them to her before he retreated from the room to give her some privacy. Her sobs tore through his heart as he left. What the hell had he been thinking?

  ***

  Amelia stirred as the room to her door opened and shut loudly. She peered through the dim light from a candle as Sally fell to her bed sobbing. She hesitated not knowing whether she should attend to the girl or not. Her debate ended and she left her bed to sit on the edge of Sally’s.

  “Are you okay? What happened?”

  “Warren.”

  “What did he do? Did he force himself on you?”

  Sally forced herself to a sitting position as she accepted the handkerchief Amelia handed to her. She mopped her face and blew her nose as she hiccupped trying to catch her breath.

  “He is such a snake. He lay with me then he called me a whore. Which I am not! I mean I have never, until now,” she squeaked out dissolving back into a pile of sobs on the bed.

  Amelia rubbed her back until she quieted. She did not know what to say. It was not like Warren. Yes, he was ignorant at times but never intentionally cruel.

  “I don’t know why Warren would behave as such. I know from Sabrina that he can be harsh. That is one reason why she ran away in the first place. I will talk to him in the morning. It has been a long day for all of us. Try and get some rest.”

  Amelia returned to her own bed, her sleepless mind swirling with worry.

  She awoke to pink rays peeking in through the window. She frowned knowing she had missed the sunrise. She vowed to make sure she caught it tomorrow morning before they left for their trip back to Montgomery. She looked across the span and was glad to see Sally sleeping soundly. She rose and dressed to go down for breakfast. She thought it would be best to eat in their room this morning.

  She was happy to see Chase at a table drinking coffee and eating.

  “Mind if I join you?”

  He stood up, pulling out a chair for her to sit in. Her hair was a bit mussed and shadows darkened her usually shinning eyes.

  “Not much sleep huh?” he asked.

  She shook her head as she picked up his coffee and sipped it, needing a boost before her own arrived.

  “No, I guess Sally and Warren had a falling out.”

  Chase snorted. “I heard everything and so did Riley. Kinda hard not to when Warren’s room is next to ours. I guess it’s good Thomas was on the other side. He is quite protective of his sister.”

  “Well I heard Warren was a complete arse.”

  “Yup,” he said, stealing his cup back.

  The waiter came by, the same one from last night, and she ordered biscuits, country ham, eggs, and grits to take up to the room. Chase added the same for Riley who was still resting his leg. “Oh, and lot and lots of coffee!” she added as he walked away.

  “Hungry?” Chase teased.

  “Oh, I am very hungry,” she said, not meaning for it to come out as alluring as it did. His eyes darkened and she was pleased by his response. The food soon arrived and she had the bill added to Warren’s room for spite. Chase helped her carry it up the stairs to her room and set it on the table by the window. She walked him to the door and thanked him with a kiss, promising to meet him later on the beach.

  “I’m sure that one of the men has an extra swimming suit for you to wear.”

  “A swimming suit? What is that?”

  “Special clothing to wear in the water. What do you normally wear when you swim?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Well that would cause a scandal, wouldn’t it?” she teased as her mind drew a picture of him fully exposed in the waves.

  He kissed her forehead before returning to his room with Riley’s meal.

  She was glad to see that Sally was already awake and getting ready to face the day.

  “Hungry? I brought us some breakfast. Thought we could have a little girl time.”

  “Starving,” she admitted, turning to take a plate laden with food from her roommate. She took a dainty bite as she sipped at her coffee.

  “Do you feel like going to the beach? I’m gonna meet Chase down there after I have a chat with Warren.”

  “Please don’t talk to Warren. I would die of embarrassment! The less people that know I’m an imbecile, the better.”

  “You are not.”

  “Yes, I am. I am the one who went to his room after dark, hoping he would let me in. Well, be careful what you wish for,” she muttered, taking another bite of biscuit.

  “I’m sure he did not mean what he said. Warren tends to have bad judgment when dealing with woman. I’ve heard tales from people who have seen him in court and he is ruthless.”

  “If he didn’t mean it, where is he? Shouldn’t he be stopping by to see me?”

  “Ah, if you want me to delve into the male ego, we would be here for hours. Get ready. We’re going to the beach and I won’t take no for an answer!” Amelia stated as she slipped out of the room and headed up the hallway to knock on Warren’s door.

  It was opened by a fully dressed Warren. His eyes were darker than usual and his chin was set as he clenched his teeth.

  “What?” he asked curtly.

  “We need to talk. Do you wanna discuss this in the hallway or your room? It doesn’t matter much to me.”

  With a curse, Warren opened the door just wide enough for Amelia to slip in before closing it and latching it behind her.

  “I have nothing to say.”

  “What? How is Sally after you ravaged her last night? Oh, she is just dandy,” Amelia answered her own question sarcastically.

  “I didn’t force her.”

  “I suppose not, but I believe calling her a whore was not the best use of words.”

  “I didn’t call her a whore,” he whispered a bit harshly as he ran his hand through his short red hair in frustration.

  “Well whatever you said had the same implications as such. We are going to the beach, so when you get your head out of your arse, you may join us,” Amelia said turning swiftly and leaving the room. In her anger, she had not noticed Chase had stepped from his room and he had to grab her arm to keep them from colliding.

  She was about to mumble an apology but the words stuck in her throat as she noticed his attire. He had borrowed Riley’s dark blue swimming suit, which came to his knees. The woolen outfit looked ludicrous on him. Most men wore them to cover their white pasty bodies but covering up Chase’s taunt flesh was a sin in itself. He had a scowl over his handsome face, and Amelia covered her mouth to hide her smile.

  “You look… great,” she said with a fake smile as a giggle escaped her throat.

  “It is the latest fashion from Paris, I’m told,” Chase replied. However, his carefree words did not match the intensity of his stare. Chase took a threatening step toward her and backed her up against the wall.

  “You’re not ready yet. Do you require assistance?”

  “Yes.” Her breath caught in her throat as his warm mouth plunged down over hers. Amelia’s hands had a mind of their own as they crept up over his broad shoulders and wrapped around his neck pulling them closer.

  A door creaked open and Chase released her so fast she almost fell. She was forced to lean against the wall until her legs were strong enough to support her and her mind reminded her how to walk.

  She forced a quick smile at Riley as he stepped out of the room he shared with Chase.

  “Good morning!” she quipped as he raised an eyebrow. He was dressed similarly to Chase but he looked more comfortable in the garments. She could make out the white bandage around his thigh and noticed he was favoring the leg still.
>
  Her smile faltered and her brow furrowed in worry. “How’s your leg?”

  “Oh, I’m fine. Seems like you’ve been running around the hotel checking on everyone except your wounded brother. If it wasn’t for Chase and Thomas, I’d probably be dead by now.”

  “Oh, hush! You’ll live!” she encouraged, kissing his cheek as he grunted. With a lingering look at Chase, she disappeared back inside her room.

  Her heart ached hearing Riley shuffling down the wooden hallway with his injured leg. She hoped the sea salt did the job. She could not imagine losing a sibling. She did not know how Sabrina could stand it.

  She was glad to find Sally already dressed and working on her hair. She went to her satchel, pulling out her own swimming suit and dressing quickly. Wool always made her skin itch and she hoped she wasn’t one big welt when she arrived at the beach. The tempered weather was one of the reasons why she loved San Francisco. She could not imagine living where it was cold for six months out of the year. She would itch to death.

  She tied her hair back into a ponytail and gathered some towels and a blanket to sit on. Sally did the same and they left the room together. They could hear noises coming from Thomas and Jaelyn’s room. Apparently, swimming was not on their mind.

  Sally was in better spirits and was soon chattering away as usual. Amelia was more alert as they walked down the boardwalk. She was weary after the encounter last night. She carried her dagger ready in her hand. The blanket she had draped over her arm hid it from sight.

  She relaxed as the water came into view. She could see more people out today and her eyes searched for Chase. He was not hard to find. His darker complexion stood out amongst the others.

  His keen eyes were focused on her as he watched their approach. He had forgotten about the shifting sand and fell backward as it was washed away from under his feet. Amelia laughed and he reappeared sputtering and grinning. He made his way toward them, the wet wool clinging to his large frame. Amelia tried not to stare as it emphasized more than his physique.

  She spread out the blankets far enough away so the water would not get them wet. Feeling secure, she left her pistol in her shoe as she slipped them off and left them on the sand. Sally and Riley were forgotten as Chase grabbed her hand pulling her into the water. She squealed and froze as the water reached her thighs.