The Christmas Vow

by Shanna Hatfield

  “Thank you for your kind words, wife. It gladdens my heart to know you think me slightly more civilized than a wild beast turned loose in a tea shop.”

  Her laughter chimed around them and Adam drew her closer in his arms, fully aware of how much he’d missed her the last eleven years, how much he still wanted her.

  The sounds of the ice beneath their skates blended into the background with the hum of other voices and the music from the band. Obsessed with tasting Tia’s mouth, he neared desperation to savor her sweet lips.

  He forgot all about the waltz, about being on the middle of a pond with half the town around them, as he cupped her chin and tipped her head back slightly. With limited self-control, he slowly lowered his head toward hers. Their lips would have connected if Toby and Erin hadn’t chosen that moment to scream as if Beelzebub himself chased them onto the ice.

  Adam jerked back and grabbed Tia’s hand, speeding across the pond to the children.

  Erin sobbed while Toby’s wide-eyes appeared as if they might pop right out of his head.

  Tia placed a comforting hand on Erin while Adam knelt before Toby and held his arms in his hands. “What happened son? What’s wrong?”

  “Me and Erin saw tracks in the snow. I thought it was a bunny. We followed them over there.” Toby pointed to a cluster of trees on the far side of the pond. “A bad man tried to grab me. Erin kicked him with her skate. I poked him in the eye when he bent over then we runned back here.”

  By this time, Chauncy and Abby Dodd as well as several others had gathered around the two distraught youngsters.

  Luke and Blake hastily removed the skates from their boots and took off running in the direction of the trees with the sheriff. Chauncy picked up Erin while Adam lifted Toby into his arms.

  “You two were very, very brave. I’m proud of you,” Adam said as Toby squeezed his neck in a tight embrace.

  “He was a scary man, Daddy. His face looked all smooshie.” Toby leaned back from Adam with tears swimming in his eyes.

  Adam turned to Tia to interpret Toby’s description. She reached out and grasped Toby’s hand in hers. “What do you mean by smooshie, sweetheart?”

  Toby appeared thoughtful then he looked to his mother. “Member the clown Grandfather bought for me. The one I didn’t like?”

  “Yes, baby. I remember.” Tia had hated the toy. It had a creepy face and painted eyes that followed her every move. She didn’t scold Toby when he set it against the stove and ruined it.

  “Member when it melted, Mama? When his face went like this?” Toby dragged a hand down one side of his face, mimicking the melted appearance of his clown.

  “The bad man had a melted face, is that what you’re saying Toby?” Tia asked as Adam tried to make sense of their conversation.

  “Yes! One side of his face was smooshie. The other side had a scar, right here.” He drew a line down from the outer corner of his eye to his cheek. “Do you think I broke his eyeball? It squished when I poked it.”

  In spite of the frightening circumstances, Adam held back a chuckle. “I’m sure you didn’t break it, Toby. It’ll probably hurt him for a while, though.”

  “Good,” Toby said, seemingly pleased at inflicting some damage to the man. “He scared me and Erin.”

  “I’m sorry about that, Toby.”

  The little boy stared at Adam. “It wasn’t your fault, Daddy.” The child shrugged. “He’s just a bad man.”

  “In light of the current circumstances, it’s probably best if we head home.” Adam glanced at Tia and she nodded in agreement.

  The incident put an end to the party as the guests departed. While Tia and Adam removed their skates, Toby stayed close to Erin and her parents. Several of them helped clean up, waiting for Luke, Blake, and the sheriff to return.

  When they finally appeared, they walked over to where Adam and Tia helped Ginny and Filly pack up the refreshment table.

  “What happened, Blake?” Ginny asked, placing a hand on her husband’s chest. “Did you find the man?”

  Blake shook his head. “No, love. We found a set of tracks where Toby indicated, but we lost them in the trees.”

  The sheriff looked to Adam. “For now, let’s all go home.”

  Adam offered Tia an encouraging look. “Tia, why don’t you and Toby help Ginny carry those baskets back to the house. I’ll be right there.”

  She gave him a slightly perturbed look, aware he wanted to speak to the sheriff without her hearing the conversation. Rather than voice her disapproval, she handed Toby a basket and gave him a nudge toward Ginny’s house.

  When she was out of earshot, Adam took a step closer to the sheriff. “Toby said the man’s face looked like it had been melted on one side and he had a scar running from the corner of his eye to his cheek. Without seeing him, I can’t tell you for sure, but there’s a thug for hire who loiters at one of the ports in Portland. He’d as soon slit someone’s throat than give them the time of day. With Tia’s father-in-law intent on taking Toby, it wouldn’t surprise me if he sent another degenerate to steal the boy.”

  “I was thinking along those lines, too. I didn’t want to worry you or Tia, but I received word that Mr. Nivens disappeared before he ever made it to the jail in Portland.” The sheriff had contacted a U.S. Marshal to transport the man to Portland to stand trial since they weren’t equipped for anything like that in Hardman. “Somehow, after leaving the train in Portland, the U.S. Marshal ended up dead and Nivens disappeared. No one seems to know if he’s dead or alive. My gut says whoever hired him didn’t want him to talk and made sure his body wouldn’t be found.”

  Adam struggled to digest this bit of news. “Maybe I should take Tia and Toby and leave. Just leave without any word about where we’re headed.”

  The sheriff shook his head. “You and I both know people like the judge have contacts everywhere. He might not find you tomorrow or next week or even next year, but you can’t live your life looking over your shoulder.”

  Adam knew the man spoke the truth. “I don’t know what to do to keep them safe.”

  “Keep an eye on them. I’d hoped the judge would give up, now that Tia has you. Evidently, he’s more persistent than we thought.” The sheriff put a hand on Adam’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “Don’t frighten the boy, but just make sure you or Tia never leave him alone or let him out of sight until we get a handle on this. If we can catch the man who tried to snatch him today and connect him to the judge, this nightmare will be over.”

  “And if you don’t catch him? Then what?” Adam asked as he and the sheriff helped load benches into Blake’s big wagon.

  “We’ll worry about crossing that bridge when we get to it. What did you say that man’s name is, the one with the scarred face?”

  “Bass. His name is Beauregard Bass.”

  The sheriff looked at Adam and grinned. “You are pulling my leg.”

  “No, sir. That’s his name. And you don’t want to shorten it either. I once saw him run an Arkansas toothpick into a man for calling him Beau.”

  “Thanks for the warning,” the sheriff said, nodding toward Ginny and Blake’s house. “Go collect your little family and get on home with them before it turns dark.”

  “I will, Sheriff. Thanks again.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  After spending what seemed like hours tossing and turning in bed, Tia finally gave up on sleep.

  She buttoned her dressing gown and slid her feet into slippers before leaving her room.

  Quietly making her way to Toby’s room, she checked to make sure he was safe. In the light from the small lamp she’d set on a shelf in the hall, she noticed a smile on his face as he slept.

  With devoted motherly affection, she lightly brushed the hair back from his forehead and placed a kiss there before leaving the room.

  Satisfied Toby was well, she picked up the lamp and ventured to the kitchen where she stoked the stove, trying not to make any noise. When she turned around with the teakettle to mak
e a cup of tea, she almost dropped it as Adam rushed into the kitchen brandishing a pistol in his hand.

  “What are you doing?” she hissed in a whisper. Hastily plunking the kettle down on the stove, she pressed a hand to the pulse pounding so rapidly in her throat, she thought her heart might explode right out of her chest. “You scared the waddin’ out of me.”

  Adam set the gun on the table and offered an apologetic grin. “I heard a noise and wanted to make sure everything was fine. I bet you haven’t said the word waddin’ since you moved to Portland.”

  “Once, and I was severely reprimanded for my primitive speech.” Tia added more wood to the stove then washed her hands. “From then on, I thought it, even if I didn’t say it. I can’t help it that Grandma shared her southern dialect with me. The esteemed Devereux family were appalled by some of my word choices and made sure I knew Grandma’s favorite phrases wouldn’t be tolerated.”

  Adam stepped around the table and wrapped her in his arms. “You can use them all you want around me. I always enjoyed listening to your grandma talk. It put me in mind of those big southern plantations I’ve heard about, and mint juleps, and those flowering trees. What did she call them?”

  “Dogwoods,” Tia said, recalling how much her grandma loved to tell stories about her growing up years in North Carolina.

  “Why did you let them take so much from you, Tia? It’s like they picked away at your spirit until there wasn’t much left.” Adam rubbed his hands comfortingly along her back.

  Tia sighed and wrapped her arms around his waist, relishing the security and acceptance she found with him. “What else could I do? I couldn’t leave Patrick, couldn’t come back here. I made my choice and had to stick with it. Grandma would have said something about making my bed and having to sleep in it.”

  Adam chuckled. The deep rumble felt achingly familiar against Tia’s cheek as she pressed against the warm skin of Adam’s bare chest.

  “I think a better saying of hers would have been the one about getting fleas from lying down with dogs.”

  She sighed. “I can’t argue against that.” With her weakened defenses, Tia knew she should step away from Adam, away from the comfort and care he so willingly offered. But she was tired and lonely, fearful and pensive. Rather than put distance between them, she snuggled a little closer and trailed her fingers across the broad expanse of his back.

  Adam groaned and drew her more fully against him. With unwavering clarity, Tia knew where she belonged. Home was right there in Adam’s arms.

  Her thoughts trailed back over the time they’d spent together enjoying the skating party with their friends. Up until that horrid man had tried to snatch Toby, Tia thought it was the most wonderful day she’d had for years and years.

  Adam had charmed her, wooed her, teased her, and romanced her. Yet because she’d been so caught up in her love for him, a crazy man had nearly snatched her child and made off with him.

  Conflicted by her longing for Adam, her desire to be loved by him, and her need to protect her son, Tia battled to keep her emotions in check. Fear would drive her away from the man she loved if she wasn’t careful.

  Perceiving her struggle, he picked her up, sat down on a kitchen chair, and held her on his lap. He rocked back and forth, like he would with a child, whispering words of encouragement.

  “It’ll all be fine, Tia. I won’t let anyone take Toby and I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.” Adam kissed the top of her head. “Everything will be just fine.”

  The soothing tone of his voice combined with the comforting shelter of his presence calmed her. Fully relaxed against him, she allowed herself the pleasure of enjoying the moment, of the decadent luxury of resting in his powerful arms.

  Suddenly, Adam tipped her chin up to look at him. “Do you remember how your grandma used to go on and on about the peaches she enjoyed, right off the tree in the summer? How those peaches were the sweetest, juiciest fruit she’d ever tasted?”

  Tia smiled. “I remember. She made them sound like the most delicious thing that would ever touch your lips.”

  Adam released a choked sound. “Every time I see a peach, I think of you, Queenie. I think of you and those luscious lips of yours and how much I want to taste them.”

  Tia tipped her head back and gaped at him. If it hadn’t been for the craving for her burning brightly in his eyes, she would have been sure he jested.

  “Tia…” Adam whispered her name in a husky tone that made threads of desire and longing weave throughout her entire being.

  His tempting mouth rested mere inches from hers. Before anything else could happen to delay the kiss, she tugged his head down until their lips met.

  Adam let her kiss him, softly at first. He held perfectly still as she pressed timid, hesitant kisses to his lips.

  His only response was to trail his thumb along the column of her throat.

  Emboldened by his touch, her kisses grew more demanding. As she moved closer against him, drove her hands into the tousled richness of his hair, he deepened the kiss, taking control of the sizzling passion snapping between them.

  Fiery embers of yearning that had remained banked in the recesses of their hearts burst into flame. Tia knew nothing would satisfy the hunger in her except Adam. Always and forever Adam.

  “Tiadora, are you sure?” Adam asked as he fumbled with the buttons on her dressing gown.

  Unable to draw enough breath to speak, she melded her lips to Adam’s again, desperate to hold him closer, to love him with abandon.

  His hand slipped inside her gown. The heat of his fingers seared her skin as he worked to unfasten the top buttons of her nightdress.

  Full of eager anticipation, Tia screamed when a weight dropped onto her shoulder and bounced off her lap, using Adam’s head for a springboard before speeding off in a blur of white.

  Startled, Adam jumped to his feet, dumping Tia onto the floor as he frantically reached for the pistol he’d left on the other end of the table. Sudden realization that their attacker was only Crabby forced a growl out of his throat. He set the pistol back down and ran a hand through his hair.

  “I swear, Tia, I’m going to find that cat and turn it into a pair of fuzzy mittens!” Adam’s chest heaved as he glanced around, frustrated and angry the cat had disturbed their amorous interlude.

  Tia sat on the floor, watching the impressive form of Adam’s chest rise and fall as the situation went from frightening to entirely humorous.

  The hand she clapped over her mouth did nothing to stifle her giggles.

  When Adam reached down to give her a hand, she jerked him off balance until he sat on the floor beside her, shoulders shaking with silent hilarity.

  Finally, neither of them could hold back any longer. They both broke into uncontrollable laughter.

  “Oh, Adam, you should have seen your face when Crabby jumped off your head,” Tia said between gasps of air and more giggles.

  “Me? Your eyes were as wide as dinner plates when he landed on your shoulder. You looked like the grim reaper’s hand had reached out and grabbed you.” Adam snorted with glee.

  Awakened by all the noise, Toby shuffled into the room, dragging a blanket behind him. “Why are you sitting on the floor? What’s funny?”

  Tia reached out to him and settled him on her lap, kissing the top of his head. “I’m sorry we woke you, baby. Adam and I were just, um…” She searched for an appropriate response. “We were merely engaged in a meaningful interaction when Crabby offered his opinion on the matter.”

  A fresh round of laughter assailed Adam, causing Tia to break into peals of uncontrollable giggles.

  Toby stared at them as if they’d lost their minds. Finally, he got up and took a few steps away from the two adults sitting on the floor, behaving like deranged lunatics.

  “I’m going to bed. Try to be quiet, please. I need more sleeps.” Toby frowned at them before marching back down the hall to his room.

  Adam was the first to recover enough s
ense to get to his feet. He helped Tia to hers. Together, they tucked Toby back into bed then returned to the kitchen. Every time they looked at each other, Tia giggled and Adam chuckled, so they agreed it was best to turn in for the night.

  Tia settled into the soft comfort of her bed with a smile in her heart and the dark, scrumptious flavor of Adam’s kisses on her lips.

  Chapter Nineteen

  The knob on the back door rattled as Adam unlocked it then stepped inside. Tia glanced up from where she rolled out sugar cookies on the counter and offered him a brief smile before returning her attention to the flour-coated dough.

  Toby sat at the table with crayons and a paper tablet, coloring pictures. Adam stepped beside his chair and studied the drawing the boy had made of what he assumed had to be Santa Claus. A red blob stood by two brown blobs. “Is that ol’ Saint Nick?” he asked the boy.

  “Yep!” Toby looked up at him and grinned. “It’s Santa with his reindeer.”

  Adam ruffled the child’s golden hair. “You’re doing a great job coloring, little man.”

  Toby beamed with pleasure and picked up a green crayon, drawing something that might have been a tree.

  Entertained by the boy’s fascination with the upcoming holiday, Adam removed his coat, hat and scarf, leaving them on hooks by the back door.

  After washing his hands at the sink, he snitched a piece of cookie dough and popped it into his mouth.

  “Mmm. That’s good dough, wife.” He stuck his finger back in the bowl for another piece but Tia smacked his hand.

  “Stay out of my dough.”

  “Aw, come on, Queenie. I worked hard this morning shoveling walks and chopping firewood. Don’t I deserve a little treat?” Adam took a step closer to her, flashing his dimples as he stuck his fingers back into the bowl and swiped another bite.

  Lost in the warmth of his gaze, Tia absently nodded her head.