Echoes of the Heart (12 page)

           
“This
is perfect!
 
I don’t know how to thank
you.”
 
She moved her hand along the bolts
feeling the fine fabrics, anxious to get started.

***

           
Crates
of goods remaining after re-stocking would go into the attic accessed by
pull-down stairs mounted to the trap door in the ceiling.
 
The extra supplies would be valuable for the
winter.
 
Diane explained women canned
from their summer gardens but supplemented their winter meals with
factory-canned items on occasion.

           
Mike
entered wiping beads of sweat from his brow.
 
“Looks like we are making some progress,” He poured a mug of coffee from
the pot resting atop the stove.
 
He had
been unloading the large articles into their addition with the assistance of
two teenaged boys from town.
 
“I sent
Willy and Todd to the café for lunch.
 
Why don’t we all take a break?”

           
Diane
brushed stray strands from her face, walking toward the washroom while
speaking.
 
“Why don’t you take me to eat
at the hotel, if Rae doesn’t mind tending the store?”

           
Raeden
removed the apron and draped it over the back of a nearby chair.
 
“I would be pleased to do it.
 
Just explain how things work when a customer
makes a purchase.”
 
She straightened the
folds of her dress wishing she had worn trousers.

           
Diane
reappeared after washing her face and hands and re-pinning loose strands of
hair and began giving Raeden instructions as she pointed to the two ledgers to
the side of the register, explaining the blue book contained the price list and
the black held the accounts.
 
If a
customer desires to settle their account, she was to mark it down on the page
with their name or add the amount to the total if they were not prepared to
pay.

After Diane and
Mike left to have lunch at the hotel, she freshened up in the basin then sliced
a wedge of cheese from the wax-covered wheel of cheddar, grabbed a box of soda
crackers and plopped into a chair.
 
While
munching on her snack, she glanced at the fully stocked shelves and tables,
pleased with their accomplishment.
 

           
After
filling a mug with coffee, she sat it on the counter and began filling the
barrel jars with penny candy.
 
She peeked
into the crocks.
 
Dill pickles filled one
and the other held hard-boiled eggs immersed in brine.

She assisted two
customers desiring to pay off their tabs then carried a few smaller items to
store in the attic.
 
She pinned up her
skirt front to navigate the steps while holding boxes.

           
When
she climbed the narrow stairs, filtered rays shone through the slatted air vent
in the center of the front wall, reflecting off a metal dress form.
 
Raeden’s eyes opened wide and her pulse raced
at the sight of the figure leaning against the wall.
 
On closer inspection, she realized it would
be perfect to display garments in the front window and show off her wares.
 
She could hardly believe her luck.

           
Raeden
scooted the bulky frame to the narrow stairwell.
 
Once attempting to descend with the awkward
treasure it became clear she would not be able to keep her balance.

           
She
decided she needed a rope.
 
Raeden set
the form aside then carefully stepped down the stairs, cursing her choice of
shoes.
 
Once again ascending into the
attic, she tethered the mannequin with secure knots.
 
Dampness formed on her forehead from the
excess heat rising as she lowered it through the narrow opening.
 
She found the rope too short to reach the
floor below.

           
Never
one to give up easily, she hung onto the form until her arms began to shake
from the weight of the object straining her muscles.
 
She carefully stepped down the first two
rungs still facing forward and allowed the form to settle safely on the floor.
     

As she rotated her
body to descend the stairs in the normal fashion, she heard a voice directly
below.
 
Startled, her foot slipped
sending her careening toward the wooden floor beneath.

Out of nowhere,
strong arms suddenly grasp around her thighs halting her descent and she found
herself peering down into Cash’s ebony eyes.
 
To steady herself, she laid her hands on his expansive shoulders and
noticed a look resembling worry engraved on his handsome features.
 
She tingled all over as goose flesh rose on
her forearms.

           
Grateful
he had been there to catch her, she hoped he thought her trembling was due to
being frightened by the fall.
  

His grip loosened slightly
allowing her to inch down his body, their eyes locked in a stare.
 
When his hands rounded her rear to rest on
the small of her back, the already warm embers throughout her body ignited into
a flame.

As her breasts
slid past his face, he nuzzled her cleavage.
 
She felt a sudden jolt then folded her arms around his neck while his
hat fell to the floor.
 
Their faces met
at eye level and his mouth covered hers in a steamy hard kiss setting her on
fire.
 
Welcoming the union, she parted
her lips returning his passion while she struggled to breathe.

Nipples hardened
when he crushed her to his chest then he pulled her legs around him pressing
the strength of his maleness against her thighs when he backed her to the
wall.
 
His kisses penetrated deeper as
his hands roamed over her torso while the fire within blazed out of
control.
 
Her breaths turned to gasps as
he unbuttoned her bodice allowing warm hands to cover her breast while searing
lips kissed down her neck to end on the fullness cupped in his grasp.

           
A
desire rose within her so overwhelming, she thought she might faint when his
tongue flicked across her hard nipple then traced a line to the other to repeat
the blissful torture.
 
His hand slid
under her skirts to slide slowly up her leg resting on the soft mound between
her thighs.

She gasped tossing
her head back against the wall.
 
A deep
growl rose from his throat and his lips claimed her once more, muffling the
sighs as experienced hands continued their caresses.
 
His finger rimmed the inside edge of her silk
undergarment while his lips moved back to her breasts as he gently probed the
damp softness driving her mad as she quaked in his arms.
 
Oh, dear God, if he stopped now, she would
beg him not to.

Uncontrolled
spasms shook her body and his mouth once again covered hers stifling a squeal
while her nails clawed into his back.
 
Instinct stepped in, her hand lowered to cover his hardness, gently
stroking through his jeans, and he sucked in a breath through his teeth.

Voices from the
front room brought them both back to reason.
 
He lowered her gently until her feet reached the floor then he buttoned
her bodice while she ran fingers through rumpled hair.

Cash reached for
his hat while smoothing his hair back then adjusted the fit.

Raeden heard Diane call out.
 
“Rae, are you here?”

“I’m coming,”
praying the shame did not show on her face as she marched smartly, smoothing
the folds of her dress.
 
Cash followed
behind, mannequin in hand, a mischievous smirk on his face.
 
Mortified, Raeden hoped the frame would conceal
the bulge in his jeans.

Faced with their
questioning expressions, she decided to lie.
 
“Cash just helped get the figure frame down from storage.
 
I thought it would be perfect to display my
finished gowns near the window.”

Diane’s eyes
roamed over both of them, hesitant to speak.
 
“What a great idea, Rae.
 
I
completely forgot it had been stored upstairs.”

Embarrassed by her
emotional outburst with Cash in the back room, she snatched the mannequin from
his hands and clumsily maneuvered it into her workroom trying to maintain some
semblance of control.
 
I will never be able to face him after what
just happened.
 
How could he be so bold
to take such advantage?

Cash’s voice
drifted into the room where she stood near the door.
 
“I’ll come by later to help with the big
crates.”
 
While he purchased coffee, she
peeked through a crack in the door to watch him strut like a peacock into the
street.

***

Raeden sat in the
hotel dining room later in the afternoon, staring into the street, waiting on
the light lunch she had ordered.
 
Vivid
images of the earlier event flashed through her mind.
 
Her face warmed just thinking of the new
sensations Cash evoked from her body.
 
Get it out of your mind.
 
No gentleman
would paw her in such a manner
.

           
A
near presence drew her instantly back to reality.
 
She stared into heavily lashed dark eyes.

           
Cash
spoke in a casual voice.
 
“Mind if I join
you?”
 
He wore fresh cloths and smelled
of soap when he sat next to her at the table.
 
She felt drawn like a magnet to the aura engulfing him.
 
This is
not going to happen.

           
“Yes, I do mind.
 
Just who do you think you are to disturb me
while eating?”
 
Embarrassment flared into
anger making her quiver.
 
“Marshal, I
think you are an animal!”

           
He
peered through shuttered eyes, squinted in amusement.
 
With no more words, she pounded a fist on the
table, jumped to her feet then ran to the store without looking back.
 
As long as life pumped through her veins, no
meal would ever again be shared with that lascivious man.

           
As
if chased by a wild animal, Raeden stormed into the store.
 
“Aunt Diane, do you mind if I go home?
 
I would like to exercise Arte then take a
long hot bath.”

           
She
stomped through the room her mind churning with hatred, gathering her
belongings.
 
She could not endure the
aura in the back room for one more second.

           
Looking
weary, Mike stepped beside her.
 
“I will
drive you home.
 
You’ve worked hard
today.”
 
He couldn’t help noticing her
disturbing behavior.
 
“Has something
happened to upset you?”

           
“No,
I’m fine, just hungry.
 
The vermin at the
hotel drove me away.”
 

           
Mike’s
face creased, the look in his eyes betrayed confusion making her feel she
belonged in an asylum, just what she needed to complete this horrific day.

Twelve

           
Sitting
alone with his thoughts, Cash finished lunch at the hotel, paying also for the
meal Raeden had left.
 
She sure is a sassy one.

           
Surprised
by the way she applied herself at the store, he had presumed she would be
spoiled, thinking of herself too good for hard labor.
 
He found her rumpled hair and dusty face from
climbing into the attic endearing.
 
And
damn, he found her the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
 
Her jade green eyes drew him into their
infinite depths and those sensual lips curving at the corners begged for a
man’s kisses.

He had never
observed anyone with green eyes before and except for a blind man, no one could
possibly fail to notice their mesmerizing effect.
 
Her hair—that gorgeous hair.
 
He wanted to bury his face in it and run his
fingers through long wavy locks smelling of roses.

When his mind
drifted to her soft opalescent skin and round breasts imploring attention, he
felt himself swell.
 
Attempting to cast
aside images of her body and the way she had accepted his advances, he questioned
why she had come here.
 
What about the
marriage?
 
In truth, he had expected her
to be frigid, reticent but the way she reacted gave him pause to think.
 
As regards to her innocence, perhaps he had
been mistaken.

           
He
lit a cigar then pushed from the table and walked out in the street, glancing
down alleyways confidently strolling in the bank’s direction.
 
Making the rounds, his gaze settled on a
group of unfamiliar men, not seeming herdsmen, who had ridden into town that
morning.
 
He peered from corner to corner
when he entered the building to investigate.