Mr. Easton felt warm and solid, comforting and safe all at once. Odd, since I didn't even like him. He just let me sit quietly for a time. "Laurel, you have to know your family was guilty."
I thought of Bill, running out of the stable with a rifle in his hands, firing at the bounty hunters—and me—with a look of hatred and intent blatant on his face. I'd never seen my brother in such light, but perhaps I'd never known the real Bill after all. Perhaps I didn't know any of my family. They were liars. Robbers. Killers. While they hadn't been cruel to me, they hadn't been kind either. It hadn't been easy for me on the ranch, and I'd wanted to escape the life there often enough. Perhaps I knew what they were like all along, but just refused to see it. Regardless, their illegal ways had caught up with them and now they were to die.
I nodded into his chest. He smelled good. Like pine trees and sunshine and something else, something primitive and male and very appealing. "I know. I mean...I didn't know, but now I do."
Tilting my head back, I looked into his green eyes, so clear and direct. This close I could see the stubble on his jaw, the sleep tousled hair. Before I had time to even consider his intent, he lowered his head and kissed me, this time his lips brushing over mine as if testing the feel of them. His motion was slow, the pressure light. I exhaled at the almost soothing touch and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue into my mouth. I gasped this time in surprise, his tongue plundering, learning, and laving me with carnal, almost illicit movements. This was a kiss? I never knew a man's tongue went in your mouth or that I would like it so much!
His body temperature rose and I was surrounded by his heat. His hand moved to my nape to hold me in place and I was unable to resist, for I didn't want to. I'd always wondered what it would be like to kiss a man, but this went above and beyond.
Eventually, he lifted his head and his eyes were darker and focused on my mouth, his skin flushed, his lips wet.
"What...what was that?" I asked, my voice breathy and soft.
"If I am to be convicted and sentenced to committing inappropriate acts upon your person, then I should...we both should...at least reap the benefits."
"But...but my family." He'd addled my brain with his kiss, but not enough to distract me.
He sighed, set me next to him on the bed. I felt cold.
"They...they knew the consequences, Laurel, and are probably not surprised by the verdict as you are. Remember, they are guilty. They killed innocent people. There's nothing you can do for them."
What he sa
id was true, I knew it deep down, but it was not easy to reconcile. "Then we should just go on kissing and I should just forget about them?"
He shook his head. "Kissing, yes. Forget them? No. You shouldn't forget about them, for they're your family, but you should remember the good things about them."
I darted my eyes away. "I don't have very many good things to remember about them."
He ran a finger down my cheek, which had me looking up at him. "I don't hold fond memories of my mother. Sometimes it's all right to forget. Didn't you ever just want to do that?"
I pursed my lips. Just yesterday I wanted to drive the horses right past Zenith and keep on going, to forget my life, my family. Everything. "Quite frequently, actually."
He looked down at me and grinned. It was the first time I'd seen him smile, and it was quite devastating. "Then my first job as your husband is to distract you."
The word husband had me returning to my senses. I pushed against his chest and slipped from his lap, tugging at the sheet to keep it wrapped securely about me, but it was big and unwieldy and I fought the material.
"Distract me? You were trying to kiss me into forgetting that this marriage is all your fault!"
His lips formed a thin line. "Do you think I wanted to marry you?"
I shook my head. "No! You're the one who refused to give me my dress. You're the one who made it appear as if we'd done...things. That man," I pointed to the closed door, "thinks I'm a...a hussy!"
I was breathing hard now, and it wasn't from a kiss.
Mr. Easton had the gall to roll his eyes. "No, he doesn't. He probably thinks you're corruptible and I took advantage of you."
"You did!" I countered.
"Then we should at least make it worthwhile."
"How? How on earth can you make this mistake of a marriage worthwhile?"
"Kissing and then some."
WILEY
My life had gone awry the moment I'd taken on the case of finding the train robbers. The price on each of the men's heads was high enough to fund a retirement on my spread, but more importantly, could bring my father's killers to justice. While the Sinclair men were going to pay for their crimes, this Miss Carter woman needed to be found. I would not have any one of my father's killers roaming free.