Lilac Temptress (7 page)

“
Rosaline sounds like an
interesting young lady.”

“
That she is. But she is
also outspoken, stubborn, and quiet spoiled,” Drake
replied.

“
Sounds like someone I
know.” Sierra giggled at the thought of her brother Kyle. “It must
be delightful having it all.” She rested her head against his
shoulder impulsively before realizing that she shouldn’t have done
so. But she ignored her better judgment and left her head in place,
since Drake allowed it. “Tell me more,” she whispered.

Drake grinned, elated that she found
his life so interesting. “My British great-great-grandfather,
Duncan McCalister, most notorious in the family tree, became
exceptionally wealthy from pirating the Gulf of Mexico, the
Caribbean and the Atlantic. It was said within family circles that
Duncan kept a crew of a thousand men, many fleets of ships, and a
constant cargo of black-marketed items.” Drake chuckled lightly
when hearing Sierra’s gasp.

“
I don’t know if I should
be proud of my family history of plundering buccaneers, but in the
stories I’ve heard as a child, Duncan never attacked an American
ship, and because of his generosity and Good Samaritan ways as he
traveled the Mississippi Delta, he eventually earned the respect of
the rich and poor alike. He was proclaimed a charming businessman,
instead of the real smuggling criminal that he was. I plan make the
most of his gains, damned by what some may think about my lineage,”
Drake voiced without a care.

“
You have an fascinating
history. I’d bet that you have lots of exciting stories to tell.
I’d bet that you have everything you’ve ever dreamed of,” Sierra
said.

Drake’s soft laughter echoed
throughout the room—his face near hers, and Sierra thought she
might melt into his arms at the sound of his voice.

“
I’m a very fortuitous man.
But I don’t have everything,” Drake admitted, accepting her as she
moved against him for warmth, he guessed. The room had become quite
chilly over the past hour, and she was thinly dressed.

“
If I had half of what you
have I would be content for life.” She closed her eyes while
pondering the thought of what was his that she might want most of
all. She concluded with ease that it would be his family. Sierra
had spent many days longing for both her parents as a
youth.

“
Sierra?” Drake said with a
hint of urgency in his voice.

“
Yes...” she flitted her
eyes open, and was instantly caught in his gaze.

“
I know this may sound
brash, but I’ve been lying here restraining myself for far too
long, and I need to ask you if you will let me have the kiss that
you refused me earlier in the bar. Normally, I wouldn’t ask. To be
honest with you, I would just take it, and risk any consequence,
but I don’t want you to feel that I’m treating you like...
like...”

“
A whore?” Sierra finished
Drake’s sentence for him, bolting upright. She was petrified at the
thought of kissing him. She had only shared such intimacies with
one other man, a mere reality, and he’d been gone for over a year
now.

What did she know about kissing a man,
a real man, as good-looking and tempting as this one who rested
beside her? An experienced man his age, probably in his early
thirties, she guessed, would no doubt pick up on her inexperience
with kissing men. She was truly afraid to let him touch
her.

“
If I permit you to
kiss me, it might lead to something more, and I can’t let that
happen. You cannot simply take what you will.” She pushed herself
away once again, putting distance between them on the bed.
And then you would leave at dawn and I would
never see you again
, she thought. “I don’t
think the choice would be a wise one.”

“
Then I should take my
leave now. You do make things difficult for me,” Drake said with a
palpable yearning in his voice. “I don’t know how much longer I can
keep myself well behaved. You are the most enticing woman I’ve ever
met, and also the first to deny me her pleasure. You have my
deepest respects.” Drake rose up from the bed.

Sierra just sat there, looking up at
him as he took his hat from the floor, and placed it on his head.
“It’s better that you walk outside my bedroom than give me
something I might forever miss. Already you’ve shared things with
me that I’ll always remember. You have my gratitude. Maybe one day
I might see your city.” Sierra blinked innocently at
him.

“
For God’s sake woman!”
Drake said in exasperation, realizing in that moment how badly he
wanted to take her with him. He wanted to dress her like a proper
lady, and show her the power she had over him.

He wanted to give her the
finer things in life. Take her to his home and have exquisite
dinners, and drink imported champagne. Perhaps go for long walks
along the Mississippi. He wanted to show her all the things in life
that she was missing, and how she would be wasting away if she
remained in a small town like Jadesville.
I must be losing my mind.
How could
I want so much for her and know so little about her?
Drake wondered.

He tried to reason with
himself. Maybe it was because she was the first woman to say no to
him and mean it.
That had to be it,
Drake thought. Women either threw themselves at
him or tried to be a challenge, which was often short lived. It had
been an easy sport to woo a woman into bed. He would treat her to
fine cuisine, buy her an expensive trinket, and say sentimental
things. Once he had won her over, which never took long, he might
take her to his townhome in New Orleans, into his
bedroom.

If he had met Sierra back home, he
would have taken his time with her, rousing her desire until it
matched his own. But this wasn’t New Orleans, and he seemed to be
the only one aching with lust. No woman had ever made him burn for
her so badly, not even Isadora.

Damn it!
Drake recalled. He had completely forgotten about
Isadora, whom he thought of as his remote goddess. “Goodnight,
Sierra.” With those two words Drake departed.

“
Goodnight, wonderful
stranger,” Sierra whispered softly after he had closed her door.
She was angry with herself for letting him go. Adrienne was right.
It was time for her to experience a man, but she once believed in
saving herself for marriage, and the man she loved. Despite the
fact that she thought true love might be a thing of fairytales, she
would let no man ruin her so easily. There was nothing wrong with
being a virgin, but in this town, where the girls started liaisons
young, it was almost a cardinal sin to remain chaste.

Still, Sierra’s morals ran strong. She
always tried hard to do the right thing. She could never sleep with
a man for money, but what about all her singing and dancing in the
bar? She wasn’t trying to lead men on, she was only trying to earn
enough money to leave town and break William’s hold on her. Was
that so wrong?

All she did was sing and
dance from the time she was a little girl especially after her
mother was gone. She danced to ease the pain from the loss of her
parents. She would even pretend that her mother was dancing with
her instead of Adrienne. Why was she trying to justify her actions?
Why did this stranger make her feel self-conscious?
Well, he is gone now,
she
thought.

“
But it does matter what he
thinks about me...” she whispered.

At least I didn’t deliver,
despite what Adrienne said. I must have looked wretched by
comparison to all the sophisticated mistresses he’s probably
had—the women he’s made love to.

She refused to linger on thoughts of
Drake’s erotic endeavors any longer. It was too late to want to
make love to him now. She yawned and lied back down on her bed, and
fell sound asleep after realizing that thoughts of Drake were
making her heart heavy.

Chapter
4

Drake lie
awake in bed.
He hadn’t slept at all last
night, unable to get Sierra out of his head, and now he heard the
heavy pounding of Girard’s fists outside the door.
It can’t be dawn already?
Drake groaned exhausted; he had just returned from Sierra’s
room not even an hour ago. Slowly lifting his head from his pillow,
he pulled himself upright—still wearing his trousers. He sluggishly
rose out of bed to open the door.

“
So, ready to get going?”
Girard asked as he sauntered into the room, rather cheerfully. “I
met two gentlemen who are headed to New Iberia and they agreed with
me that it was best that we all travel together.”

Drake knew Girard was referring to the
possible threat of natives attacking—it was something Girard was
always leery of.

Girard took a closer look at his
friend. “You look like you didn’t sleep a wink last
night.”

“
I think I can convince
Hunter.” Drake yawned and worked to rouse himself. He reached for
his shirt hanging over the back of the small wooden desk chair and
threw it over his shoulders.

Girard glared at Drake with heavy
skepticism. “I know his type,” Girard insisted. “Hell, you know his
type. We’ve dealt with people like him before. Let William Hunter
remain a fool,” Girard said, trying to cajole his
friend.

“
In a few months this will
all be a hunting ground for the Indians. Get your bags. We’re
leaving in twenty minutes, just giving us enough time to get a bite
from the kitchen. I’ll pack you up something,” Girard offered,
hoping the gesture would help jumpstart their departure, and then
he exited Drake’s room.

After fully dressing, Drake
dragged himself down the hall toward a water closet.
Good Lord, I should have gotten some
sleep.
He splashed water against his
eyelids, and massaged his temples before going back to his room and
grabbing his saddlebag.

When he did not find Girard outside
the inn, he started saddling his horse, and noticed two other
horses tied to a nearby post.

Realizing they likely belonged to
their traveling companions. Drake stood not surprised when Girard
stepped outside with two men moments later carrying a brown paper
bag, presumably breakfast, which he tossed his
direction.

Girard immediately launched into
introductions. “Drake, this is Jacob Gannon and Christopher
Jourdain,” Girard gestured toward the men.

After exchanging greetings, the men
walked away to tend to their horses, and began saddling up to start
the eight-hour journey to New Iberia. They seemed decent enough,
Drake thought, before turning his gaze down the dirt road in the
direction of the brothel.

“
Ready to ride out, Drake?”
Girard called, mounting his horse.

“
I’m not leaving,” Drake
whispered, almost inaudibly.

“
Pardon me? I don’t think
I’m hearing you correctly,” Girard challenged, raising his left
brow.

“
I said I’m not leaving.”
Drake did not like having to repeat himself. He knew damn well that
Girard had heard him the first time.

“
Comrades, we’ve got to
make good use of morning hours,” one of the men called
out.

Girard glanced from the men to Drake.
“Drake, I’m tired—worn out. We’ve been on the road for too long
now, and I’m ready to return home. So, do me a favor. Get on that
miserable beast, and let’s get moving!”

“
Girard, I understand how
you feel, but I’m not going to let this opportunity slip away just
because we’re both homesick. Go without me. I’m staying for a
while,” Drake said, determined. “I know I can convince William
Hunter. He hasn’t even seen the offer—when you get to New Iberia,
see that the buyers are ready for this place.”

Girard grunted, “Morgan won’t be
dissatisfied. We have the deeds of the property needed from two
other towns that he asked us to secure. Jadesville is the least of
importance. We’ve done what we can. Besides, our families are
expecting us back home,” Girard complained, twisting his face into
a scowl. “Let me help you recall what William Hunter said last
night. People around here don’t want their way of life being
disturbed by a railroad,” Girard continued to argue.

“
I’m sure he is one of few
in this town who has problems with the railroad,” Drake countered.
“Listen to me for a minute. William Hunter won’t have a choice, but
to sell eventually. This is a very lucrative deal. If we negotiate
this sell, think of how the railroad will affect the quality of
life in this region. It will help many.”

Drake saw the agitation in
Girard’s face. “I agree with you that the dispute of the land will
eventually drive him out. But tradesmen need this line,
now
,” Drake voiced
emphatically.

Girard knew that his argument was a
lost cause when pitted against Drake’s humanitarian principles.
Defeated, he decided to try a new angle. “You run a risk staying
here any longer. Traveling is unsafe. We need to leave this town
now. Is this transaction really worth it? I’ve been asking myself
this question since leaving Opelousas.”

Drake and Girard heard the travelers
calling again. “Come on, fellows. We best leave now if we’re going
to reach New Iberia before dark.”