My Guardian Knight

by Lynette Marie

  you felt this way, sweetheart.”

  She looked up at him, tears streaking her face, and he finally read the trust in her eyes that had been there for quite some time. Tenderly, he kissed her salty tears away and smoothed the hair back from her forehead. Their lips met in a fusion so pure it shook him clear down to his toes. Driven onward, he moved to nip at the sweetness of her delicate neck and smooth, soft shoulder. Her skin was cool and silky, inviting him to touch, taste, and drink in the sweet nectar of her.

  Amanda clung to him as if her life depended on it, and indeed at the moment she felt as if it did. His warm, wonderful lips were moving over her slowly, creating delicious sensations deep inside of her. She sighed against his lips, melting against him even as she returned his kisses with a passion she had never known she possessed.

  They were each lost in the moment, both of them succumbing to the one thing they had searched for their entire lives and had given up on finding: someone to love who would love them in return. They clung to each other, silently nourishing the hunger that raged within their souls. And when they finally came together as one, the earth shook and the heavens exploding around them, the ache in their hearts was replaced with a peace and joy to rival any other.

  Much later, as the rooster crowed the dawn of a new day, Sebastian lay quietly in bed beside Amanda, her head pillowed on his chest. He stroked her hair, dreading climbing from the warm bed and the sweetness of holding her in his arms. He couldn’t keep the smile from his lips as he gazed down upon her soft form. Maybe, he thought to himself, she would grow fond enough of him that, when the time came, she wouldn’t want to leave. He would give her the freedom of choice. After all, he had promised that once the year was up she would have her life back, free and clear.

  Free and clear. Damn, but he was an idiot.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  “Mama, Marissa wants to know if we can go to

  Sharon’s house today.”

  Amanda smiled at him. “Marissa wants to know, does she?”

  He nodded emphatically. “It was Marissa’s idea, honestly. Wasn’t it?” he asked his sister indignantly.

  “It was my idea, Mama. I promise Matthew doesn’t want to go just because he knows Sharon is making blackberry jam today and she said we could have some if we come over.

  Really, it was all my idea.”

  Amanda glanced over at Sebastian, who was barely able to hide his mirth from the kids. Her heart warmed at the twinkle in his eyes as he returned her gaze. “Well, I’m not sure,” she teased. “You have been over there often lately. I certainly wouldn’t want to be a bother to the Mahoneys.”

  They jumped up and down simultaneously. “No,

  Mama,” Matthew objected, “they like us to come over. Sharon said we could come as often as we like.”

  “That’s right, she did,” Marissa piped up. “And she has the prettiest little puppy named Butterscotch that let’s me hold her like a baby and—”

  “What do you say, Mama?” Sebastian laughed. “Can

  they go visit their friends?”

  Amanda’s smile lit up the room. “Go on, but behave yourselves,” she called to their rapidly retreating forms. She was watching them run across the field when Sebastian came up behind her, wrapping his arms about her waist. “What do you want, Mr. Knight?”

  He chuckled near her ear. “I must be overworked,

  I’m feeling a bit tired. Would you care to join me for a nap?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

  Amanda nodded. “I’ll be along in a minute, I just want to make sure the kids get there safely. Sharon always hangs her orange blanket on the clothesline when they arrive so I know they are safe. As soon as they leave, she takes it down.”

  “I’ll be waiting,” he whispered in that deep, wonderful voice.

  The minute she saw the orange blanket waving in the breeze Amanda headed toward the bedroom. Sebastian was already tucked beneath the covers waiting for her. She smiled at him, shedding her clothes slowly. He sucked in a deep breath when she climbed in beside him, their bare skin igniting like wildfire when they touched. Their coupling was slow and intense, each gaining knowledge of the other’s wants and needs. Afterwards, they spent a long time just enjoying being together, wrapped in a cocoon of warmth and tenderness.

  Sebastian dressed with reluctance and returned to his chores at the stable as Amanda gathered the clothes to be laundered in the stream. She had just pulled the first shirt from the water when a prickly heat began at the back of her neck and worked its way down her spine. In her mind’s eye she saw a flash of danger that took her breath away. Dropping the laundry, she grabbed her skirts up high and began running up the hill toward the stable, calling breathlessly for Sebastian. When she finally reached her destination, he wasn’t in the corral as she expected. Trying to ignore the pain in her side, she rushed into the stable, her voice hoarse from shouting. Sebastian turned from the stall he was cleaning, a concerned frown on his handsome face. “Amanda! What’s happened?”

  She shook her head, grabbing his hand and urging

  him out the door. “I had a feeling. The children are in danger.

  Hurry, we have to save them.”

  “Where are they?”

  “I don’t know exactly, but we must hurry to find them.”

  “Amanda, be reasonable. You can’t know—”

  Hurt, angry, and frightened beyond belief, she started off without him. “Do you even know where they are?” he asked as he caught up with her.

  “No,” she grated.

  Just then they heard the voices of their children, calling out for help. Amanda didn’t see the stunned look Sebastian sent her as she began running toward the sound, her blood chilling as she stopped short at the sight that met her eyes. Matthew was standing on the ground, his little arms stretched out toward a branch about seven feet up. Amanda followed their path fearfully until her eyes lit upon Marissa, hanging haphazardly, desperately trying to hold on.

  Surprisingly, the girl didn’t seem to be afraid of falling. Her eyes were trained on something above her, something Amanda couldn’t yet see—

  Amanda sucked in her breath, clamping both hands over her mouth to stifle a scream. Neither of the children knew they were there. Matthew was trying to handle everything, his arms raised as if to catch his sister if she fell. Marissa was too shocked to move, her eyes never leaving the large snake that inched it’s way toward her little body.

  Sebastian assessed the situation. He pulled his gun from the holster and aimed, knowing without a doubt that if he shot without warning Marissa would surely fall to the ground. He made his way slowly, stealthily, toward the tree, making no sound, until he was directly under his daughter. Amanda and Matthew stood by quietly watching in horror, praying fervently that everything would turn out all right.

  Sebastian took aim just as the snake opened its monstrous jaw, and the sound that shattered the air was deafening. Almost simultaneously, the snake split into many pieces and Marissa fell from the tree, landing safely in her father’s free arm. Amanda ran to them, gathering both of the children in her arms, covering them with kisses as well as the hot tears that streamed down her face.

  Pulling her gently to her feet, Sebastian sent the kids on ahead of them to the cabin. Ironically, now that the danger was past, they weren’t nearly as frightened as their parents seemed to be. Sebastian put his arms around her and, his back against the tree, sank to the ground. He held her while she cried, stroking her back and murmuring comforting words in her ear. When she finally calmed down, they began the short walk home hand in hand.

  “I’m sorry,” Sebastian said quietly.

  Amanda glanced up in surprise. “What can you

  possibly be sorry for? You saved the children.”

  He shook his head, denial ready on his lips. “No. I didn’t even believe you, Amanda. I only followed along to humor you. I can’t even begin to describe the way I felt when I

  saw Matthew and Marissa�
�”

  Amanda turned to him, putting a hand to his cheek tenderly. “No one has ever believed in my premonitions. I don’t blame you for that, Sebastian. You may not have believed me, but you came anyway. And you are the one who saved them. I knew they were in danger, but what could I have done?”

  “You are stronger than you give yourself credit for. You would have—”

  “Stop it. All the would-haves in the world aren’t going to change what really happened. Be happy that you saved them.” She smiled saucily. “And, from now on, learn to trust my instincts.”

  Amanda took his hand and urged him into the house where they found the children busy setting the table for supper and begging for “just a quick snack”. Amanda laughed, relieved that they weren’t as traumatized as she was!

  CHAPTER NINE

  One evening, just as the leaves began to change colors, Sebastian announced at the supper table that he would be going out of town for a few days. Amanda looked up from her plate, her appetite gone. “We can’t come with you?”

  “I’m sorry, sweetheart, I’ll be able to ride faster on horseback than I could with a carriage. I really need to get this done as soon as possible.”

  “I don’t like your tone or the worry I see in your eyes, Sebastian. Where are you going?”

  “Look at that, you sound just like a real wife,” he tried to joke, succeeding only in alienating her.

  Amanda stood up abruptly, taking her plate to the washbasin and scrubbing ruthlessly. She felt Sebastian behind her, his hand rubbing her back, and she stiffened her spine as she jerked away from him. “We’ll talk about this after the kids are in bed,” he murmured. “I have some work to do in the stable, I’ll be back in a while.”

  Amanda didn’t acknowledge that she had heard him, and he walked out the door, wondering what he had done wrong.

  Amanda washed every surface in the cabin until it shone, then gave the children a bath before the warmth of the fire and put them to bed. When all was quiet, she sat before the hearth, her sewing in her lap, and stared into the flames. Her soft pink cotton nightgown protected her from the cool night, but the chill surrounding her heart was not so easily dismissed. Sebastian’s tense manner worried her, and the fact that he wouldn’t discuss where he was going. His lame attempt at a joke only served to hurt her fragile feelings.

  Sebastian walked in and sat in the chair beside her.

  Her heart turned over when she saw his handsome face, his damp hair shining in the candlelight. “I think it’s growing too cold to still be bathing in the creek, Sebastian.”

  He ignored her remark. “I’ll just be going to St. Louis, Amanda. I’ll be gone two, three days at the most. I’ve already asked Justin to keep an eye on you, and I’ve hired one of his farm hands to stay in the stable while I’m gone. Sharon invited you to stay with them if you don’t feel comfortable staying here alone. I swear I’ll take care of my business as soon as possible and come home. This is something that must be done.”

  Amanda rubbed her eyes wearily. “I’m not upset that you have to go. I’m upset, Sebastian, because you refuse to share with me the reason you are going. Don’t bother telling me it’s routine business, either, because I know better. Whatever it is must be very urgent and not a little dangerous. If you don’t want to tell me, then don’t, but you can’t expect me to be happy about it. I don’t understand how you can trust me with your child but you cannot trust me with a little information.”

  Sebastian sighed in defeat. “I’ve had a private investigator checking out all my leads on Avery Higgins, and he has some information for me. Papers, he claims, that will be enough evidence to put Higgins away for a very long time, if not forever. I need to get them now, so I can go over them and show them to my contacts. There are very few U.S. Marshals that I know can be trusted. I have to take care of this now, while the trail is hot. I promised you your life back, Amanda, and I mean to keep that promise.”

  Her life back, Amanda thought. What kind of life would it be without Sebastian in it?

  “I’m not asking that you like it, only that you understand.”

  She nodded. “I do. I want him to be put away where he can never harm another person. I know what he’s done to me, but I have a feeling that you know of things he’s done that are far worse. We have to stop him, Sebastian. When will you leave?”

  “Tomorrow morning. My investigator can’t stay long, and once I’ve made sure the papers are authentic I have to get them to the office.”

  Amanda felt as if the breath had been knocked from her. Tomorrow morning. For two or three days. She had never missed anyone before, but she knew she’d miss him.

  Who was she kidding? She missed him already!

  “Be careful, Sebastian, Avery is a monster.”

  He took her hand in his tracing circles in her palm, and raised his electric blue eyes to gaze at her. “Don’t worry about me, sweetheart, I have too much waiting for me at home to let anything happen.”

  She allowed herself to be coaxed into his arms, soaking up the warmth from his embrace to ward against the icy fear that settled deep inside of her. She wondered if she would ever see him again after tomorrow, but comforted herself with the knowledge that she still had not had the feeling. That, at least, was a good sign. And yet she wondered what was taking Avery so long to find her this time, when she knew he had tracked her as far as St. Louis.

  Sebastian’s lips at her temple made her forget her thoughts as he swept her off her feet and carried her to their bedroom, placing her gently beneath the warm covers and his much warmer body. She let her fears float away on wave upon wave of titillating sensation, clinging to the man that she had come to love above everything else except, perhaps, their children. His touch paid attention to every inch of her soft skin, driving her mad with desire. She watched the play of emotion in his eyes as they turned from bright electric blue to the deepest indigo. He smiled before his lips once again claimed hers and, with a muted gasp, they became one.

  Amanda felt as if she had never been complete before this moment, as if she may never be again. So she clung to him, her arms around his broad shoulders, her legs wrapped tightly around his waist, wanting to carry this feeling into eternity, but knowing it would be short-lived.

  Sebastian lifted himself to the bed beside her and pulled her into the security of his arms. His breathing was ragged as he stroked her back absently. He knew only one thing: Avery Higgins threatened his whole world, and he had to do something about it. He had promised Amanda he’d give her her life back, and he had to keep his word. He realized that once she was set free from her past she would also be free from him, and may very well choose to leave. But if he didn’t take care of Avery then he wouldn’t even have the chance to try and persuade her to stay. And he must persuade her to stay, for he was realizing more with every passing day that his heart and soul now resided within the palms of her hands, and he could never be truly happy without her.

  Sebastian snuggled closer to her, the faint smell of cinnamon still clinging to her hair from the apple pie she’d baked this afternoon, and finally fell into an exhausted sleep.

  He rose early, before dawn, and quietly gathered his things. He kissed her softly on the forehead, and, with one last look, reluctantly left the cozy warmth of the house.

  Amanda turned from the stove, her face red from the heat, and smiled at the children while she placed their plates before them. “So what do you plan to do today?”

  Matthew piped up. “I’m gonna play with my baby bunny, if I can find him. Mama, how come I don’t see him as

  much anymore?”

  “Well, it’s getting a bit colder and he probably stays home with his mama so he can be warm,” she smiled. “Marissa, what do you want to do today?”

  Marissa’s little bottom lip stuck out in a pout and she glared at Matthew. “I wanted to dress the bunny up in the new dolly dress you made me but Matthew won’t let me.” “Boys do not dress in pink frilly dresses, Marissa,” he spoute
d indignantly.

  “How do you know it’s a boy, anyhow? You think

  you’re so much smarter than me, but you’re just a dumb boy.” “That’s enough, children,” Amanda stated firmly. “Marissa, you really shouldn’t try to put dresses on wild animals, you could be hurt. Now both of you run along and play nicely together while I finish my chores in here. If we have time later we’ll search out some apple trees and I’ll make apple dumplings.”

  The children ran out and Amanda continued her cleaning, humming all the while. Two or three days weren’t really so long, she told herself. Sebastian would be back before she knew it. If she kept busy the time would go by all that much faster. So she cleaned the house until it sparkled and then went searching for apples with the children. Afterwards she baked apple dumplings and sugar cookies, and the trio trudged across the field to share their goodies with their neighbors.

  Matthew and Marissa immediately engrossed themselves with the little tan puppy, and Sharon made some tea to go with the baked goods. The women sat at the table, contented to keep each other company while they watched the kids play on the floor.

  “So how are you getting along without Sebastian?” Sharon wondered.

  Amanda laughed a bit. “So far, so good, I suppose. The house feels a bit empty without him, though.”

  “You and the children are more than welcome to

  spend the night with us, Amanda. It would be fun.”

  “Thank you, but we’ll be fine at home. I know how to contact you if the need arises, but I do appreciate the offer.

  You’ve been a good friend to me, Sharon.”

  Sharon hurriedly blinked the moisture from her eyes and hugged her friend tightly. “If you won’t spend the night, will you at least stay to supper? There’s more than enough for everyone.”

  Amanda agreed with a smile, and the two women busied themselves with preparations for dinner. Much later, her children in tow, Amanda started again across the field, admiring the way the setting sun turned everything to gold. The sight of the cozy house in the distance filled her with warmth, and she hurried forward, Matthew and Marissa following along sleepily behind her. The sun dipped yet lower, throwing long shadows on the field, and creating a chilliness in the air that reminded her autumn was upon them. She shivered, grabbed two little hands, and made a game of running the rest of the way home, laughing all the while.