Mail-Order Groom

by Lisa Plumley

  The words slipped easily from his mouth, surprising even him. But the sentiment he’d accidentally confessed was no less true, Adam realized. In so many ways, Savannah was the ideal partner for him—compassionate, clever and playful.

  The fact of the matter was, he’d become jaded in his line of work. He’d dealt with bad people for so long that he’d started believing they made up the whole world. With her good example, Savannah had restored his faith in the goodness of people—no small feat, given the depth of his cynicism.

  “Right now,” Adam continued with complete honesty as he tightened his grasp on her hand, then lifted his gaze to hers, “I feel very, very lucky to be here with you.”

  “And I feel lucky to be here with you,” Savannah said—exactly as coolly as she might have confirmed a shared affection for green beans. She picked up her menu, then raised her eyebrows at him. “Now then. What shall we eat?”

  Chapter Ten

  By the time the night grew late enough for Savannah to accompany Adam upstairs to the pair of rooms he’d booked them for the night, she’d forgotten most of the details about the delicious food and drink she’d shared with him…but she hadn’t forgotten what Adam had said just before they’d had dinner.

  If I didn’t love you already, I would definitely love you now.

  Savannah still could not believe she’d actually replied to that statement by asking Adam what he wanted for dinner! His had been such a momentous declaration…and she had answered it by inquiring about the state of his appetite. For the tenth time that evening, Savannah wanted to kick herself. She’d longed for someone to care about her. And now that someone did…

  Well, to put it frankly, she feared she’d ruined it. The plain fact was, Adam had caught her unprepared. She’d been so busy poking fun at the notion of hand-wrestled elk steaks that she hadn’t been thinking about the wedding day they’d shared or the importance her mail-order groom might have attached to it.

  If I didn’t love you already, I would definitely love you now.

  Thrilled by the memory of his gruff assertion all the same, Savannah smiled at Adam. But her new husband merely cast her a vaguely morose look—the same look he’d worn for at least five minutes now, ever since they’d left the dining room, crossed the lobby and started ascending the stairs to their private rooms.

  Worried, Savannah bit her lip. The fancy staircase underfoot might have disappeared, for as much notice as she paid it. The richly colored carpet runner, shimmering chandeliers, dark paneled walls and all the rest… Everything faded from view as Savannah took stock of her new husband’s tight jaw, grim eyes and squared-off shoulders. He appeared so resigned and miserable, he might as well have been going to the gallows.

  Clearly she’d hurt his feelings, Savannah thought. The realization made her heart ache as well. Adam had been so good and fine and upstanding today. He’d come all the way west to marry her and start a new life together. And how had she repaid him? By opening a menu and offering a silly query about food!

  Well, she would simply have to make it up to him, she vowed as they rounded the landing and ascended the staircase leading to their second-floor accommodations. She would have to cheer him up first, and then she would have to make amends somehow.

  The first part would be easy. The second… Well, the second she’d deal with when the time arose.

  After all, it was of paramount importance that she and Adam not be at odds with each other, especially tonight of all nights. She knew from gossiping with the other dancers and stage performers in New York City that a wedding night positively foretold everything about a marriage—its compatibility, potential happiness and longevity…even its fruitfulness.

  Savannah wanted her marriage to be fruitful. She knew that fruitful meant children, and she hoped that she and Adam were blessed with many. But if her friends from her old life had been correct in their whispered confidences, if she did not begin her marriage happily, she and Adam would be doomed for certain.

  Another glance at his glum expression settled the matter once and for all. She couldn’t allow this to continue. Even if it weren’t proven bad luck to begin a marriage discontentedly, she would have wanted Adam to be as joyful about their union as she was. To that end, when they reached the door to their room, Savannah turned to Adam. With a nonchalant, wifely gesture, she straightened his suit coat lapels, then let her hands linger. “That was a most delicious meal, wasn’t it?” Coquettishly she fluttered her eyelashes—the better to hide the sleight of hand she performed—then gave his suit coat another pat. She glanced up with elaborate innocence. “Do you have the key?”

  Adam patted his coat pocket. “Yes, I do. It’s right—”

  “Yes?” She raised her eyebrows in overt innocence.

  A frown. “It was right here a minute ago. I’d swear I—”

  “Maybe you didn’t put it in your pocket. Maybe it’s somewhere else. In your boot, perhaps?”

  He automatically bent to look, just as she’d known he would, giving her the chance to execute the second part of her secret maneuver. Deftly she palmed the key, which she’d plucked from him during her eyelash fluttering and coat patting.

  Once upon a time, this routine had been a part of the Reed family onstage act. It, like the boot joke that went with it, had always been a crowd pleaser. But tonight, to Savannah’s distress, her efforts didn’t draw so much as a ghost of a smile. To the contrary, Adam appeared just as somber as ever.

  “My boot? No, I’m sure I put it in my coat.” He juggled the satchel he’d had retrieved from their wagon, then checked his pocket again. “Maybe it fell out on the way upstairs.”

  He frowned down at the carpet runner, appearing even more dismayed than he had a second ago. Savannah felt her heart turn over. It was a good thing she knew how to cheer him up.

  “Oh! I think I see it.” She lifted onto her tiptoes.

  Adam stopped, his gaze following hers. “Where? In my hair?”

  “No. In your ear.” Savannah flexed her fingers in the same practiced move she’d used with the lost little girl on the train depot platform. Grinning, she waved the key. “Got it. See?”

  Adam clapped his hand to his ear—the way everyone always did—staring at her in amazement. “How did you do that?”

  “A good magician never shares her secrets.”

  His smile looked dazzling. “You can tell me.”

  “No, sir.” Savannah took her time looking over Adam’s broad-shouldered form, his capable hands, and his now-smiling face. She felt as though she’d accomplished a minor miracle by erasing his gloomy expression. That pleased her enormously. “I’m afraid I can’t even tell you. But it’s entirely possible that I won’t be able to keep my secrets—” here she broke off, allowing a devilish smile to sneak onto her face “—if confronted with a little bit of…shall we say…persuasion?”

  Adam gazed down at her, his hands on his hips. “Are you daring me to extract your magician’s secrets from you?”

  “That depends.” Savannah twirled the key, a delicious sense of anticipation coming to life inside her. She didn’t know where she found the gumption to be so daring…except for those words she kept remembering. If I didn’t love you already, I would definitely love you now. Yes, those words emboldened her beyond all measure. “Are you interested in doing such a thing?”

  “I hadn’t planned to,” Adam said. “I’d secured two rooms for us, in case you were feeling tired after the long day—”

  “I am feeling,” Savannah assured him, “wide-awake.”

  Still, Adam persisted. “If you’d rather take that key and go to bed early, you’re certainly welcome to—”

  “Wide,” Savannah repeated, “awake.”

  She stepped boldly nearer, until their bodies almost touched, swaying with a mixture of eagerness and nervousness and wild bravado. Feeling more alive than she had in years, she put her hand to Adam’s shirtfront, then trailed her fingers lower. “So if you would rather take this key,” she tol
d him, “and hold it in your hand while you give me a proper wedding-day kiss, then you’re certainly welcome to do exac—”

  As she’d hoped, his kiss cut off her words. With a low moan, Adam lowered his mouth to hers, then cradled her jaw in his hand. The hotel key dropped to the floor with a muted ping, its descent scarcely noticed as their kiss went on and on.

  Breathless and dizzy, Savannah twisted her fingers in Adam’s shirtfront, then kissed him back with all her might. The union between them felt wonderful. And it felt right. Arching higher, she pressed herself wholeheartedly against him, sending them both crashing against their hotel room’s closed door.

  The wood rattled beneath the impact, but Adam simply dropped her satchel and raised his other hand to her face, holding her still for his next slow, soft, heart-poundingly intense exploration of her mouth.

  Savannah’s lips tingled. Her breath escaped her in a surprised flutter. Adam angled his head to the side and kissed her again. Still holding her in his arms, he smiled.

  “Open your mouth a little.” He nudged her lower lip with his thumb, coaxing her. “That’s it. That’s…perfect.”

  Obliging him, Savannah felt as though she’d achieved an astounding feat. An instant later, Adam pulled her close once more, lowered his head, then swept his tongue inside her mouth.

  Startled, she jerked backward. This was not something the ladies backstage had warned her about. Still reeling from the surprise of it, Savannah put her hand to her lips.

  She gazed at Adam. He appeared concerned.

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “I should have held myself in check.”

  He turned away from her, then retrieved the room key and thrust it in the lock with a savage jab. He turned the knob.

  The door swung wide, revealing a dim hotel room lighted by the glow of the hallway’s chandelier and wall sconces. He gestured for her to precede him inside—probably for the night.

  Feeling disappointed, Savannah held her ground. “No, you were wonderful! This is my fault. I don’t like surprises,” she explained hastily. “Just ask Mose! I do whatever I can to plan for every possible eventuality. But that kiss—”

  “Was not what you wanted. I understand.” Adam took out the key to their second room, then fisted it. “I’ll be right next door. Don’t hesitate to call on me if you need anything.”

  He didn’t understand. She hadn’t disliked that kiss. She simply hadn’t been ready for it. She knew she could do better, now that she’d been forewarned and knew what to expect.

  Dismayed, Savannah watched as Adam opened the adjacent hotel room door. He set her satchel inside, then paused in the doorway. Clearly he had no intention of reentering the room he’d designated as hers. He tipped his hat. “Good night.”

  Again he gestured for her to take her place in her own room. Not sure what else to do, she did. She spent a few minutes fiddling with the oil lamp on the bureau, listening to the sounds of Adam settling into his own room. Something clanked. The bedsprings creaked. She imagined him sitting on the bed, all alone, while his new wife paced at a loose end next door.

  Well. That was plumb ridiculous. They shouldn’t be apart!

  An instant later, Savannah marched purposefully to Adam’s room. She gave a sharp rap. He opened the door immediately. His hair stood partway on end, as though he’d been tugging on it.

  At the sight of his familiar face and rumpled locks, Savannah felt something inside her give way. Her whole heart seemed to expand in that moment, enlarging to make room for her newfound feelings. She smiled then, and Adam’s expression eased.

  “I find I do need something,” she said firmly.

  “What do you need?” He grasped the doorjamb, leaning partly outside—the better to scour the hallway with an intent look. “What’s the matter? Did you see someone? Is your room not—”

  “I need you,” Savannah said, “and I won’t settle for less.”

  With all the determination and unshakable assurance she usually displayed, Savannah strolled into Adam’s room as though she owned the place. Swearing under his breath, Adam watched her. He’d thought he was free for the night. He’d thought he’d gotten Savannah safely stowed next door. But now she was here, tempting him again, and her unexpected arrival left him feeling nearly at the limits of his resistance.

  He’d tried his best to keep a safe and platonic distance between them tonight. He’d done all he could to keep his vow not to make their marriage real—for her sake. Even on the way upstairs, he’d forced himself to take every step with a strict reminder that he could not take liberties with Savannah. Doing so would not be fair to her.

  The effort required to do so had taxed him. So had the apologetic, worried looks that Savannah had kept casting him. He’d known he was disappointing her, so he’d tried to brighten his mood…but that had only led to kissing her. Kissing her and holding her and, ultimately, pushing her too far.

  Remembering the startled way she’d pulled back from him was an effective damper now, even as Adam lifted his gaze from the seductive side-to-side swoosh her skirts made as she moved.

  “You need me?” he repeated, deliberately misunderstanding her. There was always a chance she’d meant her remark to be innocuous. I need you, and I won’t settle for less.

  “Well, we’re married now,” Adam went on, “so you’ve got me.” He smiled. “Forever. Or at least as long as you want me.”

  “Those are the same things. I’ll always want you.”

  So she said now, Adam reminded himself amid a surge of regret…when she didn’t yet know the truth.

  Uncomfortably he edged toward the room’s bureau, looking for some busywork to occupy himself with. He needed something more innocent than contemplating how lovely Savannah looked in her best dress, how appealing she seemed as she stood there puckishly watching him, and how much he wanted to pull her in his arms again and kiss her into downright insensibility.

  Deliberately he crossed his arms and examined the hotel room. The place was about as ornately decorated as he’d expected. His room boasted flocked wallpaper, an elaborate four-poster mahogany bedstead and velvet curtains to grace the single window overlooking the starlit hills and valleys of the small town below. His gaze lit on the filled water carafe.

  He lifted it. “Would you like a glass of water?”

  Appearing lost in thought, Savannah shook her head. “No.”

  Hastily Adam thought harder. “A chair? You don’t have to stroll around in here.” Especially given the graceful, alluring way you’re doing so. “I’m sure the settee is very comfortable.”

  Mentioning it was a mistake, though. Suddenly all he could think about was lowering Savannah onto that settee and kissing her. Unfastening her gown’s tiny buttons, revealing her smooth skin, making himself better acquainted with all her tantalizing curves.

  Oblivious to his imaginings—and still seeming lost in thought—Savannah spared the cushioned seat a glance. “No.”

  “A blanket, then? A wrap? Are you cold?”

  “No.” Shaking her head, Savannah moved to the bedstead. She trailed her fingertips over its fancy quilted coverlet, then sat on the plump mattress. She gave an experimental bounce.

  A delighted smile crossed her face.

  Adam nearly groaned aloud. Savannah could not possibly know the kinds of notions such a move put in a man’s head. She was an innocent—no matter what secrets she might be hiding. Still, her energetic bouncing called to mind something entirely wicked to him. He felt hard-pressed to stop staring as she bounced a little more vigorously, making her bosom jiggle enticingly.

  Somehow, he made himself look away. “I’m sorry I don’t have more entertainment to offer,” he said awkwardly. “If I could offer you a book to read, or some other diversion, I would—”

  “That won’t be necessary.” Savannah slid off the bed, the whisper of her skirts against the coverlet sounding loud in the stillness. She fixed him with an alluring, boldly challenging gaze. “As I said, all I need is you. Es
pecially tonight.”

  Her words were as close to an outright invitation as any decent man could expect to receive from a respectable woman. If Adam had entertained any doubts about her intentions, the look she cast him next would have laid them to rest for certain.

  Savannah wanted to be with him, Adam realized with a fresh jolt of eagerness. She wanted him. But he would have to resist her. It was the only responsible thing to do.

  Desperately he gestured at the window, still hoping to find a suitable diversion. He felt, somehow, that he should have earned a medal for being capable of rational thought at all, given how preoccupied he was with Savannah’s nearness. Her softness. Her warmth and charm and overall allure.

  “The view is nice,” he managed to say.

  “Indeed, it is,” Savannah said. “I heartily approve.”

  But she wasn’t looking outside at the nighttime view of Avalanche, Adam noticed. She was looking, instead, directly at him. She was looking at him, in fact, the same way a hungry kitten might have viewed a bowl of cream. Intently. Curiously. And with a clear sense of anticipation.

  Adam didn’t know where that anticipation came from, since he was sure Savannah was inexperienced in carnal matters. Only he truly understood the togetherness he wanted them to share. But he also understood desire when he saw it…and seeing it reflected in Savannah’s gaze made him quiver in his boots.

  “I’ll get you a glass of water,” he blurted.

  But Savannah stopped him before he’d so much as lifted the carafe. “Thank you, but I’d rather…try kissing again.”

  Adam frowned, knowing he must have misheard her.

  “Especially that other kind of kissing,” she specified.

  She sounded breathless. Adam felt that way—deprived of breath and sensible thought alike. How had he gotten in this fix? “You should go back to your room,” he said roughly.

  Otherwise, I might find myself unable to resist you at all.

  “Kissing you again,” she specified, as though his frown owed itself to some romantic confusion—and as though he hadn’t just mentioned her leaving. “Kissing you in that special way.”