Western Desire

by Janelle Daniels

  So that’s why she was here tonight. She’d have a quick meal with him, make it clear that she wasn’t interested in a further acquaintance, and then they’d both go their own ways.

  She stepped into the hotel lobby, smoothing her mint silk skirt. It was one of her favorites that she’d brought with her when she’d moved, but it was probably terribly out of style back home. Normally, she would have been humiliated to wear such a thing, knowing she’d be ridiculed, but she just couldn’t bring herself to care about that anymore.

  It was a beautiful dress, one of her favorites. And it wasn’t like she had the resources to stay abreast of fashion. Nathan would just have to accept that.

  She walked toward the dining area, and Nathan spotted her instantly. Again, his eyes roved over her, and she felt her blood heat. Why did he always look at her that way? As if he could devour her with his eyes.

  He came to her side, offering his arm. “You look breathtaking this evening, Miss Pierce.”

  “You’re too kind.” She wanted to comment on her gown but held her tongue. Such screened conversations used to be second nature to her, but after being here so long, she was finding it difficult.

  Why couldn’t they just say what they wanted to? Why were there so many restrictions on conversation and what was considered polite? It was exhausting and a waste of time.

  “Our table is ready.”

  “Excellent.” She wasn’t surprised. With enough money, you could get the best at a moment’s notice. He led her over to the maître d’ and spoke quietly with the man.

  A moment later, they walked along the edge of the dining room. Guests ate steaming soups, succulent steaks, and hearty bread as they conversed in the large, open area. At least she and Nathan wouldn’t be alone. In a room like this, it was easy to let minutes go by without conversation.

  But as they continued across the room, passing many open tables, dread settled in her gut. The man led them into a private dining room. The glass windows allowed unmarried couples privacy while remaining socially acceptable.

  “Is this to your satisfaction, sir?” the man asked.

  “It’s perfect. Thank you.”

  With a nod, the headwaiter moved forward to assist her into her seat, but Nathan waved him away. “I’ll do that.”

  Without missing a beat, the man bowed. “Your server will be with you shortly,” he said before leaving the room.

  “Allow me,” Nathan said softly.

  She hadn’t realized how close he was until his breath caressed her bare shoulders. She shivered, but she tried to hide her reaction with a shrug.

  By the twinkle in his eyes, she hadn’t succeeded. Fortunately, he didn’t comment on it.

  He went to one of the chairs and pulled it out for her. He settled her, sliding her chair forward with practiced ease. How many women had he done that for? No doubt they’d all been impressed. Most men didn’t bother with such things, allowing servants to see to the task.

  Heaven forbid a man lift a finger to see to her comfort. Her father and brother hadn’t ever seen to it. Her mother hadn’t seemed perturbed over it either, but Hannah wondered if that was only because she’d been used to it.

  Hannah herself had thought little of it until she’d moved here and seen how her friends’ husbands doted on them. When together, the men were always near, holding out chairs, giving small touches and lingering looks.

  At first, she’d been embarrassed by such displays, but since then, she’d changed her mind. Having a man who was completely unafraid to let the world know his feelings was something she craved. They were never embarrassed over it. They didn’t cringe as if taking care of their women was a burden.

  Now, more than anything, that’s what Hannah wanted. If she ever married, it would be because they wanted each other so much that nothing else mattered.

  It sounded like a fairy-tale—and just as likely.

  Nathan moved around the table, sitting across from her. “Thank you for joining me this evening.”

  She laid her napkin across her lap. “Of course. It wasn’t as if I had much of a choice.” She quirked a brow in challenge.

  He grinned. “No. I was rather heavy-handed, I admit. I apologize.”

  The apology unsettled her. Her brother and father had never done such a thing. They’d always expected her to get over their wrongdoing without ever admitting their error.

  “Would you like to view the menu, or shall I order for us?”

  Back in New York, she would have allowed him to order, and she would have eaten it whether she liked it or not.

  But that was the old Hannah. “I’d like to order for myself, thank you.”

  Spying the waiter on the other side of the glass, Nathan gestured for him to enter. “Please give the lady a menu.”

  The menus were produced with a flourish, and Nathan waited until she’d started looking it over to do the same. “Have you dined here before?” he asked.

  She looked over the top of the menu, realizing he wasn’t really looking at his. “Yes. There aren’t many restaurants in town. Sally’s Café has simple fare, but everything is delicious. And my friend Charlotte opened the bakery several months back. She offers gourmet sandwiches.”

  His brow raised. “And that’s all?”

  “Yes.”

  A gleam entered his eye. “For a town this size, especially one that’s growing, that’s an underserved market. Someone could come in and open several more restaurants and make a tidy profit.”

  She shrugged. “You’re probably right. I’m sure someone will eventually.”

  “You don’t approve of my assessment?”

  She lowered her menu. “I think not everything is about money.”

  He leaned back in his chair. “No? Then why does this town exist? Did people come here for the beauty?”

  She flushed. “You know very well this is a mining town. Yes, men came for gold. But it’s not why they stayed after they found it.”

  He gave her a small smile. “Touché.”

  Satisfaction wove through her at winning the small argument. She had a feeling Nathan didn’t concede points often, so it felt like even more of an accomplishment. She turned her attention back to her menu, hoping to hide her pleasure.

  After another moment he asked, “Have you decided?”

  She lowered the menu. “Yes.”

  He motioned for the waiter again, and when the man looked to Nathan, he directed the waiter’s attention to Hannah. “Miss?”

  “I’ll have the beef soup and the braised lamb.”

  “Very good, miss.” He glanced to Nathan, but Nathan only continued to look at her.

  “I’ll have what the lady is having.”

  Her heart stuttered. It was clear he’d intended to order whatever she did, no matter what it had been. Men didn’t usually do that—at least none that she’d ever interacted with. It was something her friends’ husbands would have done.

  And even though she and Nathan weren’t together, having him choose the same thing as her brought her pleasure. “I hope you enjoy it.”

  “Oh, I have a feeling I will. Have you ordered it before?”

  She flushed. “Yes. It’s my favorite.”

  His eyes warmed. “Then I’m sure to like it.”

  When he looked at her like that and talked to her like there was more between them than a lukewarm acquaintance, she didn’t know how to react. None of this made any sense.

  And while it wasn’t appropriate to ask, she found herself tired of wondering. “Why are you here, Mr. Branson?”

  He cocked his head. “You know, at one point, you used to call me Nathan.”

  Her back straightened at the reminder. “That was a long time ago.”

  “Not that long.”

  “All right. It was a different time.”

  He conceded the point. “Perhaps. But that doesn’t mean we can’t still be friends.”

  She scoffed. “We were never friends.”

  “No?” He sounded ca
sual, but she caught the edge in his tone. “If not friends, then what were we?”

  She held up her hands. It should be obvious. “You were my brother’s friend. Are his friend.” Her eyes narrowed. “Did he send you here to spy on me?” She shook her head. “If that’s the case, then you can leave and tell him I’m fine. I’m making my own way now, and I won’t take anything from him no matter how sorry he feels.”

  As her words flew from her lips, his face hardened. “He didn’t give you anything? He let you come out here completely alone with nothing?”

  She paused, realizing how much she’d let slip. “Forget I said anything.” She shook her head, confused and humiliated. “This was a mistake.”

  Before she could scoot her chair back, he reached across the table and took her hand, keeping her in her seat. “Oh no. You’re not leaving until you tell me what happened.”

  Anger surged through her, and she ripped her hand away from him. Her voice was icy and low. “Don’t ever try to force me to stay against my will. I don’t belong to you. I belong to no one but myself.”

  She expected him to rail against her, to belittle her claim and try to force her to submit.

  But instead, he inclined his head. “You’re right. No one should ever have that power over another. Not even a husband with his wife.”

  She paused at his declaration and studied him. He meant it. Every word. “You truly believe that?”

  He looked at her seriously. “I never lie, Hannah. Ever.”

  She looked away, sitting back. “Don’t call me that.”

  “I always did before.”

  She looked him square in the eye. “Because you’re my brother’s friend. I’m not certain why I need to explain this, but my brother washed his hands of me after what happened.” She was proud that she could refer to what had happened without cracking. “And because of that, I’ve washed my hands of him. I want nothing from him. And I hope when you return home, you’ll tell him that.”

  “I’m not here because of your brother.”

  She shook her head. It wasn’t possible. It was too much of a coincidence. “Look, Nathan, I appreciate this, but I’m finished.” She stood from her chair, and he rose as well. “The fact is, I’m a different person than I once was. Back then, I might have sat here and conversed with you, speaking of nothing but the weather or whatever, but I find I don’t have the stomach for it any longer. At this point in my life, I do what I want, when I want, and I don’t answer to anyone. And right now, I don’t want to be here. I hope you have a pleasant stay and a safe journey home.”

  She left the room without another word, throwing off the chains of the past with each step.

  She meant everything she’d said, and she believed it. Completely. She was her own person, and she answered only to herself.

  For the first time in her life, she felt free.

  Chapter 5

  Nathan watched Hannah weave through the restaurant on her way out, stunned by what had happened.

  After seeing her in her studio yesterday, he’d realized she’d changed. But he’d had no idea how much until tonight.

  The woman he’d just had a conversation with was not the Hannah he’d known back home. While he hated inane chitchat, it was what society dictated, and he’d accepted it—to an extent.

  He thought he’d known who she was, what her strengths and weaknesses were. He’d accepted all of them, ready to join his life with hers.

  But their conversation tonight had made one thing clear—he’d wanted the Hannah from before, the beautiful woman who’d intrigued him, but he needed her as she was now. She was like a phoenix risen from the ashes. And the woman she’d become only made his blood burn hotter.

  She thought he was here as a part of some misguided attempt by her brother to check up on her, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. He’d cut all ties with her self-indulgent brother the moment Alexander had turned his back on Hannah.

  Nathan was here for one thing and one thing only.

  Her.

  But he’d made a mistake. She wasn’t the same person he once knew, and gaining her agreement to marry him wouldn’t be easy. It would take work, dedication, and patience. And she was worth every ounce of it.

  Hannah thought she’d ended things between them, when they’d only just begun. If she thought he would be frightened by her display of strength, she’d misjudged him. He only wanted her more now.

  She’d made her first move, but it wouldn’t be the last. She didn’t know how much he loved playing this game.

  He’d meant every word he’d said about respecting her, so he didn’t run after her. She’d made her choice, and he loved her strength in following it through. He relished the thought of seeing what else Hannah would do.

  She fascinated him, and he knew marrying her would be the right choice. She’d challenge him, push him, and make him work even harder. He just had to be patient, to show her that he was what she wanted.

  When the waiter returned, Nathan asked for the food to be sent to his room and paid the bill. Tonight, he’d strategize.

  Tomorrow, he’d work on winning her over.

  As Hannah walked from her studio to the Copper Kings’ office the next day, she realized that no matter how many times she tried to claim she felt nothing for Nathan, she was lying to herself.

  Last night, he’d made her feel things she’d never thought possible. How could she be attracted to one of her brother’s friends? None of them were the kind of people she wanted in her life.

  It was stupid—but she couldn’t seem to stop thinking of him.

  Nathan had treated her as an equal, had fenced words with her, had conceded points. To him, she hadn’t been someone lower, someone he thought to control.

  When she’d made the decision to leave, he hadn’t ordered her to return or belittled her for her choices.

  Had he always been like that?

  She combed through her memories, but she couldn’t recall. He’d always been with her brother, moving in a pack with the rest of Alexander’s friends. But when she really examined each memory, she couldn’t remember him indulging in any of the behavior she so despised. He had never joined in the jeering Alexander enjoyed, she’d never once seen him overindulge in spirits, and he’d always treated the servants with respect.

  She paused on the boardwalk. Was she remembering correctly? How had he been friends with Alexander without being like him?

  What did it matter anyway? It wasn’t as though he was a part of her life. He was here for a week or two and then he’d return east. And she’d never see him again.

  That shouldn’t bother her in the slightest, but it did.

  She shook her head and continued toward the office. She had work to do.

  She passed by the front window and saw Lily hunched over her desk. Hannah snorted. Lily was married to Chase and was now wealthy beyond imagining, but that didn’t seem to matter to her. She worked in the office just as she had before they’d met.

  Hannah respected that about Lily, and it had taught her a lesson. No matter what happened in her life, Hannah wanted to be like that. She’d always work hard. It didn’t matter if she switched focus, only that she kept working.

  She opened the door and stepped in. Lily glanced up. “Hannah, I wasn’t expecting you until later.”

  “I finished early and thought I would try to catch you. I hope that’s all right.”

  Lily’s eyes widened. “Yes. Please. Save me from all this.” She gestured to the chaotic mess on her desk.

  Hannah bit back a smile. “Lucas has you busy again,” she said, referring to the Copper King who’d hired her.

  She shook her head. “No. I’ve wrangled all of Lucas’ mess. This is all stuff that needs copying. One of the other partners arrived and has written reports that need to be distributed.”

  “Another Copper King arrived? When?”

  “Only a few days ago. I haven’t seen him much though. He’s been up at the mine a lot.”
<
br />   A few days. No, it couldn’t possibly be…

  Lily looked out the window and smiled. “Ah. Here he is now.”

  Hannah heard the door open and close behind her, but her feet were rooted to the spot. She already knew who it was and was mortified.

  Lily rounded the desk to greet him. “Mr. Branson, I’m glad you were able to stop by today. I’d like you to meet my friend, a very talented artist, Miss Hannah Pierce.”

  She wished she could run and hide somewhere, anywhere. But she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing how embarrassed she was.

  Cool mask in place, she turned around. “Good afternoon, Mr. Branson.”

  “Miss Pierce.” He tipped his hat in greeting, acting as though she hadn’t rudely left their meal the evening before.

  He turned his attention to Lily. “Miss Pierce and I are acquainted.”

  Lily looked between them curiously. “Oh? Here in town or from back East?”

  “Back East,” Hannah offered, hoping the conversation would turn.

  Nathan smiled politely at Lily. “I’m a friend of the family and spent quite a bit of time in Miss Pierce’s home.”

  Lily’s eyes widened as she glanced uneasily between the two, realizing this must be a difficult meeting for Hannah.

  She hadn’t shared everything about her past, but the other women knew it wasn’t happy—especially the circumstances surrounding her departure.

  “He stopped by the studio the other day, so I knew he was in town,” she said, not wanting Lily to worry that this was their first meeting. But then she looked at Nathan accusingly. “But I didn’t know he was a Copper King.”

  “I did mention I was here on business.” He smiled charmingly at Lily. “I purchased her latest painting before I knew she was the artist. I had no idea she was so talented.”

  At his kind words, Lily softened. “She really is. None of us knew until recently.”

  “I have a feeling everyone back home is going to be jockeying for one of her works.”

  Why hadn’t he told her he was a Copper King? The question swirled through her mind until she realized it was the Copper Kings who had initially offered her the chance to move here.