When he ended the kiss, he whispered, “Let’s take this to the bedroom, hmm?”
Even though she thought it might be best to pause and pretend to think about it, she was so intoxicated with his kisses she didn’t care if she seemed too eager for what was to come. She nodded and joined him, her hands betraying her since she had most of her shirt buttons undone by the time they reached the bedroom.
He looked down at her and grinned. “I see you’re excited.”
For what had to be the fourth time since she got home, she blushed again, and her hands paused on the last button of her shirt.
Taking her hands in his, he helped her with the last button and slipped the shirt off her shoulders. Kissing her, he said, “I like you excited, Jane. Be excited for me.”
Pleased he wasn’t disappointed in her, she worked on his buttons, loving the feel of his solid chest, so different from her own. He continued kissing her as he encouraged her to keep undressing him. Despite the uncertainty in what she was doing, for she hadn’t been this forward with him before, her desire to touch his bare flesh prompted her to keep going. Once his upper body was free of his clothes, she ran her hands along the contours of his skin. She’d felt this part of him often and never tired of noting the differences between his chest and hers, liking his strength.
Today, she decided she would explore him further, so she unbuttoned his pants and let her hands slip lower. He let out a low groan, letting her know he enjoyed it, and this emboldened her to keep going. She went lower and traced his male hardness with her fingers. It was a fascinating thing to learn this part of him. Yes, it’d been inside of her and she’d taken peeks at it from time to time, but now she was ready to learn everything she could about it. While she wrapped her hand around it and noted the length and girth, he kissed her neck and caressed her breasts. She ran her thumb over his tip, delighted when he moaned, for it told her he liked that. She did it again and was rewarded with another groan.
He let go of her so he could remove the rest of his clothes, and she took off her clothes. When he led her to the bed, he pulled her on top of him and brought her hand back to his erection. “Don’t stop, Jane.”
Had she not been so aroused, she might have realized what she was doing and gotten embarrassed, but he closed his eyes and cupped her hand around him. Glad he wasn’t watching her, she turned her gaze to his erection and took her time in learning him. He let go of her hand and massaged her back while she settled next to him. It gave her an odd feeling of power to know she could stroke him and have him squirm in pleasure. He’d often brought her pleasure through his touch, and it was nice to see she could do the same to him.
When she was satisfied, she straddled him and took him inside her. Noting that he had his eyes closed and a smile on his face, she grinned and leaned forward so she could kiss him. He brought his arms around her and returned her kiss. Their tongues intertwined for a minute before he moaned and moved his hips. Sitting up, she brought his hand to her sensitive nub and rubbed his thumb in circular motions. She let out a soft sigh and shifted so he was deeper inside her.
She moved her hips, slow at first to build the tension in her body. She groaned, aware she was getting louder as her arousal increased, but not caring because it felt too good to stop. When she reached her peak, she stilled and cried out, her body clenching around him. Before she could come back down, he grabbed her hips and moved under her. He climaxed as her body began to relax, and the throbbing inside of her caused another ripple of pleasure to course through her. She opened her eyes and smiled. Their coming together didn’t feel complete until he finished, but she was always glad he made sure she received her pleasure first.
When his body relaxed, she leaned forward and kissed him. He wrapped her in his arms once again. This time, their kisses were gentle, and neither one was in a hurry. After a couple of minutes, she got off of him and rested next to him. He brought her hand to his chest and held it. She smiled at his habit. It made her feel as if he was giving her a silent message saying she was close to his heart.
She recalled how he’d told her he loved her. The reminder made her too excited to rest. She leaned up on her elbow and saw that he was already drifting off to sleep. Perhaps all men grew tired after making love, but she thought it was a peculiar thing he did. It was endearing, actually. Not wishing to disturb him, she brought the quilt over them and snuggled back into his arms. She might not be able to fall asleep, but she would enjoy remembering how he told her he loved her.
Chapter Eighteen
Two months later, Jane took Jeremy’s hand and squeezed it. There was a lot of uncertainty involved in going to South Dakota, and as the train neared Sioux Falls, she noted the rising tension in his body.
“I should have written her first,” he said.
She smiled and shifted in her seat so that she could get a better look at him. “Everything will be fine.”
“There’s no telling if she’s even alive. We may have wasted a trip.”
“It was lovely to see the country, so it wasn’t a waste. Plus, it’s been nice to have you all to myself.” Noting his smile, she grinned. “I liked learning more about you.”
Looking at her, he said, “I liked learning more about you, too. You’re right. If nothing else, it was good to have time alone.” With a quick scan of the full train car, he shrugged, “Almost.”
“I hope your mother’s alive. It’d be wonderful for her to see how well you turned out.” He didn’t answer, so she added, “You did turn out wonderfully, Jeremy. If you were my son, I’d be proud of you. When I think of what Bill Peters said about her and how much she wanted a better life, it breaks my heart. I hope she got the life she wanted. I’d love to go there and find she’s happy.”
“I wouldn’t have taken you for a dreamer.”
“I don’t consider myself a dreamer,” she protested with a chuckle.
“True. You often have both feet on the ground, but I think in your heart, you like to believe the best in all things.”
“And what’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing. I like it. It’s refreshing.” He squeezed her hand. “I hope that part of you never changes.”
“I have a feeling that everything’s going to work out,” she whispered. “I can’t explain why. I just do.”
“I’m glad you’re with me. I don’t know what to expect, but I hope you’re right.”
“You worry she won’t like seeing you?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll remind her of that time in her life she’d rather forget.”
“No. From the way you said your father spoke about her, it sounded like it broke her heart to let you go.” The train slowed, so she glanced out the window and saw they were in Sioux Falls. “I suppose this is our stop.”
Clearing his throat, he nodded. The train came to a stop, and he grabbed their carpet bags before they departed the train. The station was bustling with activity, so she slipped her arm around his as they made their way through the crowd. Once they got outside, she let go of his arm and took in the activity of the area as she buttoned her coat.
“The first thing we should do is find a hotel,” he said. “Then we’ll get something to eat. After that, we’ll look into getting a stage coach. How are you feeling?”
“A little tired, but I’m doing well.”
“We can rest a bit before we eat.” He motioned down the street. “That looks like a good spot to spend the night.”
Nodding, she walked with him through the hustle and bustle of Sioux Falls as people went about their business. If she’d been alone, this would’ve been a terrifying experience, but since she was with Jeremy, she embraced the adventure that this trip brought.
Once they reached the hotel, they checked into their room and he set the carpet bags on the floor. She glanced at him as she took her hat off. As brave as he tried to appear, she recognized his apprehension. Perhaps nothing she said reassured him. He’d have to see his mother and find out what J
ane already knew in her heart, which was that a mother couldn’t help but love her child. Even Susie, for all her faults, loved her children.
He put his hat on the small dresser and took off his coat and shoes before he settled on the bed. Placing her hat, coat and shoes next to his, she joined him on the bed, content to snuggle up to him.
Wrapping her in his arms, he said, “It feels good to lie down after all that sitting.”
She chuckled. “It does.”
After a long moment of silence passed between them, he whispered, “You’ll stay with me when I see her, won’t you?”
“Of course, I will, and when you want me to leave you two alone, I will.”
He squeezed her shoulders. “Thank you.”
***
The next day brought them to the town Preacher Peters led them to. Jeremy stepped out of the stagecoach and helped Jane down before he turned to the driver and paid him. Collecting the two carpet bags, he took a deep breath and scanned the small town. It was an odd feeling—standing on the quiet dusty road while several people shot him and Jane quizzical glances. His gaze fell to the women, wondering if one of them might be his mother. He recalled Peters saying his mother had red hair, and since none of the women did, he knew she wasn’t any of them.
Taking a deep breath, he noted Jane’s encouraging smile and walked with her toward the general store, a small building settled in the middle of the business district. He wasn’t sure why that seemed to be the place to start, except the driver had stopped right in front of it. Here goes nothing, he thought as he followed Jane into the store.
A man from behind the counter stopped sorting through the money in his cash register and smiled at them. “Afternoon. Name’s Frank Garrison. Are you looking to move here or are you just paying a visit?”
Jeremy opened his mouth to speak but realized there was a lump in his throat. After he cleared it, he said, “Actually, my wife and I wondered about someone who might live in this town. We don’t have an address. I’m afraid all we have is her name.”
“We know everyone here,” Frank replied. “What’s the name?”
“Eliza Nitsick.”
Frank’s eyebrows furrowed. “We don’t know anyone with the last name Nitsick, but we do have a woman named Eliza. Before she married John Evans, she was Eliza Sweet.”
Jeremy didn’t know whether he was relieved or disappointed. There didn’t seem to be any reason to believe that they were talking about the same Eliza.
A woman came out from the back of the store carrying a box full of stable food and set it on the counter.
Frank turned to her. “Addy, before she married John, Eliza’s last name was Sweet, wasn’t it?”
“My, I haven’t heard that last name in the longest time,” she said with a chuckle. Brushing a stray strand of hair back from her eyes, she looked over at Jeremy, her eyes growing wide and the laughter dying. “You’re here to see someone named Eliza?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Jeremy replied, grateful that Jane offered him an encouraging smile.
“But the Eliza’s he’s looking for has the last name Nitsick,” Frank told Addy.
“Eliza didn’t remember her real last name, Frank.” With a wide smile, she nudged Frank in the arm. “Doesn’t he look like the Eliza we know?”
“Does he?” Frank asked, turning his eyes to Jeremy.
Uncomfortable with the couple’s scrutiny, Jeremy shifted from one foot to the other. He didn’t want to say the Eliza they knew might be his mother, but he suspected that’s what Addy was getting at.
Addy hurried over to Jeremy and Jane. “Eliza is my dearest friend, and she confided to me that she doesn’t remember her last name, so she made up the name Sweet.” She chuckled. “She was put on the spot when she first got here and saw a package of sugar. That’s why she called herself Eliza Sweet.”
“That is funny,” Jane said, laughing.
The knots in Jeremy’s stomach tightened, but he forced himself to smile in hopes they didn’t detect his unease.
“I can take you out to her place,” Addy offered. “If she’s not the right person, I can bring you back, too.”
Jeremy glanced from an excited Addy to Frank who was still inspecting him and finally to Jane. “We should find a hotel first, I think.”
Jane nodded and looked at Addy. “Is there a place for lodging?”
“Oh, you’re welcome to stay with us if you wish,” Addy replied. “We have a spare bedroom that no one uses.”
“While I appreciate the offer,” Jeremy began, “I’d feel more comfortable in a hotel.” So much of this was happening too fast. He needed a quiet place to process everything.
“I understand,” Addy said. “We don’t have a hotel, as you call it, but we do have a boarding house. I can take you there. Molly Richie currently has a room that’s vacant. After we get you settled, I’ll take you out to see Eliza. Then we’ll know for sure if she’s the one you came for. Let me get my coat, and we’ll head on over to Molly’s.” She hurried to the room in the back.
Jeremy gave Frank a nod. “Thank you.”
“Think nothing of it,” Frank replied with a twinkle in his eye. “She’s been itching to visit Eliza for the last couple weeks anyway, so this is a good excuse.”
Addy returned to the front of the store, said good-bye to Frank, and started asking Jane where they came from and how long they planned to stay. He was only half aware of what Jane said. His gaze kept darting to all the women lingering around outside. Could one of them be his mother? He glanced at Addy who continued to talk to Jane. If Eliza was outside, Addy would make it a point to stop on her way to Molly’s boarding house, but she kept walking so he knew none of them could be Eliza.
Once they reached Molly’s front door, Addy knocked and then opened it. “Molly?” she called out as she entered the house. Since she waved for Jeremy and Jane to join her, they did. She shut the door. “Molly?”
“In the kitchen, Addy!”
They went to the kitchen where Molly was rolling dough out on her work table. When she saw them, she put the rolling pin aside and wiped her hands on her apron. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you brought someone with you.”
“This is…” Addy’s eyes widened as she turned to Jeremy and Jane. “Oh, how silly of me! I forgot to introduce myself. Forgive me. I got so excited because… Well, never mind. I’m Addy Garrison. My husband, Frank, owns the general store. This is Molly Richie.”
“We’re Jeremy and Jane Graham,” Jane replied.
Addy squealed and clapped her hands, and Jeremy didn’t understand why she was so enthusiastic about learning their names.
She and Molly shared a knowing look, and she squealed again. “Eliza’s going to be so happy to see you!”
He frowned and checked to see what Jane thought of this unexpected situation. Jane gave a slight shrug but kept a smile on her face.
“You look a lot like Eliza,” Addy told him. “Her hair is red and yours is brown, but you have the same features on your face. She told me about her son that she couldn’t raise, and she said a couple with the last name Graham adopted him.”
He felt some of the tension leave his body. “She told you about me?”
“You’ve been on her mind all this time. She prays for you every day and keeps a picture of you over her fireplace.”
“She has a picture of me?”
“A picture of you when you were a baby. The Grahams sent it to her shortly after they took you home with them.”
He glanced at Molly. “Does everyone know about me?”
“It’s a small town,” Molly replied.
Releasing his breath, he wondered if that was a good thing or not. Did they know the circumstances surrounding his birth? And if so, why weren’t they shunning him for being a bastard?
Molly stepped forward and motioned to the kitchen door. “You can stay for as long as you need. Any kin of Eliza’s is welcome here.”
Surprised, he joined the other women as they left th
e kitchen and went up the stairs. On their way, they passed one of the boarders, exchanged a quick greeting, and continued down a narrow hallway. Molly rambled on about the rules in the house, and when the topic of the Saturday evening bath and going to church came up, his attention shifted to Jane.
“You have a temporary preacher?” Jane asked.
“To fill in until one can come here to stay,” Molly replied. “The one we had went to be with the Lord.”
“Jeremy’s a preacher.”
Addy and Molly stopped at a closed door and exchanged excited looks. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say someone upstairs is behind this,” Molly told Addy as she opened the door.
“There are no coincidences, Molly,” Addy replied.
Molly pointed to the room and moved aside so Jeremy could put the bags on the floor by the bed. “I want you to think of this as your home during your stay.”
“You have a lovely view of the town,” Jane commented as she peered out the window.
“This is one of the best rooms in the house. You can leave the curtains open without the sun coming directly into the room,” Molly said. “I need to get back to making biscuits. It’s so nice to meet you two.” She gave Jane a hug and smiled at Jeremy.
After she left the room, Jane turned to him. “Would you like to see her now or rest for a bit?”
Encouraged by the fact that his mother seemed to care for him after all, he said, “I suppose now is as good a time as any.”
Addy clasped her hands over her heart. “I can’t wait to see Eliza’s face when she sees you.”
He held off on being too optimistic in case he was disappointed. Regardless of what happened, Jane would be with him, and that gave him strength to proceed. He took Jane by the arm, knowing it was more for his benefit than for hers that he touch her, and walked out of the room to meet the woman who gave him life.
Chapter Nineteen
In a trip that seemed much too short to Jeremy, they arrived at a house located outside of town. Addy pulled her buckboard to a stop and pointed to the other house further down the property. “Brian and Lucy live there with their little girl, Charlotte. John and Eliza adopted Brian. They found him walking in the fields when his father abandoned him.”
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