Desire in Deadwood (7 page)

He pulled his shirt over his head and looked wildly around the room.

“I have to get out of here!”

“Nate, please!” Salty tears rolled down Evelyn’s cheeks in torrents, spilling over the coverlet and trickling onto her naked breasts beneath it. She wanted to scream at him,
Don’t leave me again
…but instead she whispered, “If I had my time over I would do it all so differently.”

He glared at her.

“You chose another man, Evelyn. There’s no way to change that.”

“He was a good man, Nate. He just…”

“He just what?”

“He just wasn’t you!” She fell forward onto the bed and buried her face in her hands, sobbing like her heart would break.

* * * *

“How are you feeling, Mama?”

Evelyn stood on the porch of the Grand Central hotel, shielding her eyes from the harsh midday sun.

“I’m okay, Aaron.” She forced a brief smile but she was sure it appeared more like a grimace.

“Do we have to go? I kinda like it here.”

She placed a hand upon his arm. “You know that my position fell through, Aaron, and I need to find work to support us.”

A cloud of dust at the end of the street signalled the arrival of the stage coach from Cheyenne and her heart sank into her boots. They were really leaving.

“But can’t you find other work here, Mama? There must be something?” He wrinkled his little freckled nose. “Or maybe I could work?”

Evelyn laughed and cradled his chin. “Oh, my boy, you’ll be a fine man one day. Plenty of time to work then. Be young while you can. Now don’t worry.”

She looked around to ensure that all of their belongings had been brought down from their room, then she stared out at the busy street. The arrival of the stage always created such excitement for the inhabitants of Deadwood as they greeted family members, new settlers and the arrival of goods.

She wished that she could share their excitement and that her stomach wasn’t clenched so tightly. If only she’d been able to make her home here as she had hoped less than a month ago. But it wasn’t to be. It seemed like a lifetime since then and in that lifetime she had won, then had lost, everything that she had ever wanted.

The stage pulled up in front of the hotel and the unloading process began. Evelyn knew that the horses would need to be changed, the coach emptied and repacked, so they had some time left before their departure.

“Shall we walk a while, Aaron?”

He nodded and offered her his arm like a real little gentleman, but as they walked she could feel the tension in his young frame.

“I know that you don’t want to leave, Aaron, and I’m sorry but I promise that we’ll settle soon.”

He shrugged. “I know why we had to leave Mr Campbell’s house, Mama.”

Her heart beat quickened. “You do?”

“He wasn’t my real papa, was he?”

“Aaron…I…”

“It’s okay, Mama, I know why you married him. I understand that it was hard for you.”

She stopped walking and placed her hands on his shoulders.

“Oh, Aaron, how can you understand? You’re only ten.”

He looked back at her, his face still soft with youth but his eyes full of knowledge. She swallowed hard against the pain in her throat. Her son was growing up so quickly. Heading towards his eleventh birthday, he was almost the same height as her and he clearly knew more about their situation than she had realised. She’d been mistaken in her assumptions about his innocence.

“I went to see Mr Hamilton.”

“You did what?”

“I’m sorry, Mama, but last week you seemed so low and you wouldn’t tell me what was wrong. So I went to talk to him.”

Evelyn’s eyes roamed over his face. She had meant to protect him from her hurt but she’d been so lost in her own pain that she’d failed.

“And?”

The boy lifted his hat and pushed his damp hair back then chewed at his lip.

“He seemed to be in the same state as you.”

Evelyn squeezed his shoulders.

“What do you mean?”

“He’s my real daddy, ain’t he?”

Tears pricked the sides of her eyes as she nodded.

“How’d you know?”

“You said it in your sleep, Mama, and I asked Mr Hamilton if it was true.”

“In my sleep?”

“You always talk in your sleep. I’ve learnt a lot”—he grinned—“though I do try not to listen.”

Evelyn’s cheeks flushed.

“I’m so sorry you found out like this.” Evelyn took his face in her hands. “I love you so much and I just wanted to protect you.”

“It’s okay, Mama”—his cheeks coloured—“I’m kinda glad. He seems like a real good man.”

Evelyn rummaged in her reticule for a handkerchief, biting the inside of her cheeks. Not only had her son found out the truth but he actually liked Nate. And she’d blown it for them both, no, for all three of them. Again.

She had to try to make it right.

“Come on!”

She grabbed Aaron’s hand and hurried along the street, ignoring the calls from behind her that the coach would soon be leaving.

“Where are we going, Mama?”

She turned to her son but kept walking. “To see if I can’t put this right…”

As she turned back, she stopped in her tracks and looked up into eyes so dark they seemed to swallow her whole.

“Mrs Campbell.”

She inclined her head, her mouth suddenly dry and her mind blank.

“Were you coming to see me, Mrs Campbell?”

She let go of Aaron and held out her shaking hands, taking hold of both of Nate’s. “Yes, Mr Hamilton.”

He smiled but then his face grew serious. “I heard you were leaving.”

She nodded.

“Can I say anything to make you stay?”

“Ask me again.” Her eyes searched his face.

“To marry me?”

“Yes, but for the right reasons.”

“The right reasons?”

“Nate, you’re not making this any easier.”

“Evelyn…I’ve had time to think and although I know it wouldn’t be easy for us…after all that’s happened, I can’t imagine anything worse than being without you again. I don’t want to spend every day wondering where you are, what you’re doing and if you…and the boy…are safe and well. I want to wake up with you every day and hear my son waking up in the room next to us. I know why you didn’t wait before and I’m telling you now that you’ll never have to wait again. Your home is ready, your life is ready…your family is ready. Please stay.”

“You really love me?”

He nodded and squeezed her hands. “Of course I do, Evelyn! I always have.”

“Because…this has to be right. The thought of leaving you today fills me with pain and dread, Nate, but
I can’t live with you, alongside you each day, sharing bed and board if you don’t love me. That would be the worst punishment you could exact upon me. I know that I made a mistake and I’ve suffered every day for it.”

He reached out and placed a finger over her lips. “Hush, now. I love you and I want to be with you.”

She gently moved his finger away. “But it’s important to me that you know. If this is just about your son”—she turned and smiled at the boy then turned back to Nate—“you can share in Aaron’s life and see him every day. We’ll find a way to stay. But I can’t live a lie as your wife if your heart is closed to me. You might feel that I deserve that but it would destroy me. That wouldn’t be good for Aaron. I’ve kept myself going all these years by imagining that you were happy and that one day I might see you again. Hope has been my constant companion, helping me along through the toughest of days. But a loveless marriage would be the end of hope and without that what do I have?”

He shook his head and cupped her face.

“It’s not just about Aaron”—he looked at his son—“though he’s a damn good reason to marry you!”

“Thank you, sir.” The boy blushed.

“This is about doing what we should have done more than ten years ago, Evelyn Campbell.”

He knelt at her feet in the middle of the dusty street. A series of cheers and whoops erupted around them and Evelyn felt all eyes upon them as an unusual silence fell in Deadwood. Even the stage coach driver stood still.

“Evelyn…” Nate took her hands and caressed her fingertips, causing a shiver of pleasure to course through her body. “Will you marry me?”

She looked from Nate’s eyes to Aaron’s and briefly around at their audience. It seemed that every man, woman and child was waiting for her answer.

“Yes, Nate, I will marry you.”

He jumped up and threw his hat into the air, giving a whoop of joy before scooping her up into his arms and covering her mouth with his.

When he finally stopped kissing her, Evelyn smiled as Aaron appeared at her side and handed Nate his hat.

“Why, thank you, son!” He smiled.

“You’re welcome, sir.”

“Come here.” Nate reached out to Aaron and Evelyn felt that her heart would explode as she looked at the two most important people in her life stood side by side. Nate leaned over and whispered something in Aaron’s ear and the boy nodded vigorously.

“What is it?” Evelyn queried as Aaron ran off in the direction of the Grand Central Hotel.

“He’s gone to organise our supper with the hotel cook and to gather your belongings.” Nate kissed her hair.

“But why?”

“If you think you’re staying on in that hotel when you could with me in the home I built for you, Mrs Nate Hamilton to be, then you thought wrong!” He pulled her against him in a one armed hug. “Now come on, my dear, we’ve some time on our hands.”

Evelyn laughed as he pulled her by the hand and led her up the wooden plank steps to his house.

They stopped on the front porch, both breathless with laughter and exertion.

“Nate, we can’t. Not now.” She gestured at the main street. “It’s broad daylight.”

“That didn’t stop us before.” He placed a hand in the small of her back then pushed her through the front door and guided her into the kitchen area.

“But…Aaron,” she protested, as he pushed her against the heavy pine table with enough force to make her throw her hands against the waxy wood to steady herself.

“Aaron’s fine,” he whispered into the nape of her neck. A delicious shiver ran down her spine. “He’ll be gone a while. I told him to tell that cook to whip up something special—a pre-wedding supper.”

“Oh, Nate.” Evelyn’s eyes filled with tears and her heartbeat quickened as he reached around and unbuttoned her jacket. She sighed when he slid his hands inside, cupping and squeezing her breasts.

Nate helped her to shrug out of her jacket but when she moved to turn around to face him, he stopped her.

“No”—he pushed his groin against her—“like this, Evelyn.”

She leant forwards, resting her elbows on the table and inhaled deeply the sweet woody scent. Nate had made this table for her, for their life together and they were about to embark upon that life. A thrill of anticipation ran through her as an equally powerful longing began to pulse between her legs when Nate lifted her skirts so that they rested at the base of her spine. He tugged at her bloomers, pulling them down to the floor and she moaned as he ran his hands over her naked bottom then forced her feet farther apart with his.

“I love you, Evelyn, and I want to make you feel good.” He slid to his knees behind her.

“You do, Nate. But should we really…” Her question was cut short as he slid between her legs so that he was facing upwards. He opened her folds with both hands and she felt his mouth against her labia. The sweet caress weakened her and she leant farther forward against the table. Her hardened nipples rubbed against the wood through her gauzy chemise. The dual stimulation brought her to a quick climax and she had to lock her knees to prevent herself from collapsing onto Nate’s persistent tongue.

Though the kitchen was cool and dark, deliberately positioned in the shadow of the North Hill, Evelyn’s body was aflame. Nate continued to lick her pussy before sliding in and out of her depths, coaxing her towards the edge of reason. When he stopped suddenly, she cried out, but he moved quickly between her legs so that he was behind her again. He resumed probing her from this new angle, tickling between her buttocks and she tensed, wondering at his change of direction. But as his heat moved to her rear entry, she relaxed and surrendered to the unusual sensation. Whilst he licked there, gentle as a feather, she ground gratefully against the hand he pushed between her thighs to cup her sex, and she moaned with yearning when he plunged his fingers into her.

“Make love to me, Nate,” she pleaded.

“Whatever you desire, my love.” He moved up her body then he turned her to face him at last and lifted her onto the table.

Evelyn eyed him hungrily and reached out to help him to unbutton his trousers. His cock bounced free, glistening with desire and she groaned as he pushed it against her and rubbed it up against her engorged bud and over her pulsing lips.

He used the end of his erection to circle her cunny again and again, tracing a figure of eight, until she cried out with need, “Enter me now, Nate!”

He pulled her hips to the edge of the table then obeyed her command. He thrust into her, gripping her buttocks so tightly that she felt his nails bite into her flesh but she flung her arms around his neck and held onto him. She pressed her face into his neck, love and longing washing over her as her body rode the crest of the wave of desire and his body echoed in a shuddering, emotional climax.

They stayed that way for some time, wrapped around each other, their bodies still joined. Evelyn breathed deeply the musky scent of their lovemaking, wondering at how she had managed without Nate for so long. When she finally looked up, he gazed into her eyes then kissed her hard and full on the mouth.

“Are you okay, Evelyn?”

She smiled shakily, suddenly aware that her cheeks were wet with tears.

“I am, Nate. In fact, I am so much more than okay.”

He kissed her again, stroking her lips and tongue with his and she felt a stirring lower down that made her stomach and her heart flip simultaneously.

“Nate…again?”

He laughed. “We’ve got ten years to make up for, Evelyn.”

“So we have,” she sighed as he grew inside her, filling her up and making her whole. She gazed into his eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck, determined never to let him go. “I love you so much, Nate. I always have done, and I always will, but I never would have thought that I’d find my heart’s desire in Deadwood.”