The long journey to Summitville had left her tired and more irritated than usual, as Elizabeth hadn’t been able to sleep the last night in the train. It was already nine in the morning and the train was entering the train station. Lizzy was standing at the window, looking out and hoping to see Ian, before he could see her. There were only a few people waiting at the station, so it was easy for her to identify him.
Ian Johnson was standing a little behind the others, dressed in a brown jacket and high black boots, with a cowboy hat on his head. From her position on the window, Lizzy could see that he had a dark blond hair and handsome features, although the lower half of his face was covered by a short beard. The man avoided looking at the train or its windows, finding much more interesting the dirt under his feet, so Lizzy had time to observe him undisturbed.
And then suddenly, Ian lifted his eyes and Elizabeth wasn’t quick enough, so their gazes met. Lizzy tried to smile, but it didn’t work the way she hoped, so she simply nodded and headed for the door. When she stepped out of the train, Ian was there to offer her a hand and take her luggage.
“Is there more, or do you bring only this?” Ian asked, looking pointedly at the small suitcase, he was holding.
“No, I have more, this suitcase I needed with me in the train,” Lizzy answered shyly, feeling a bit stupid because the man had the most beautiful blue eyes, she had ever seen and she couldn’t help thinking about them.
“Okay, I can send for it later,” the man said in a confident tone of voice. “You must be very tired.”
“Yeah… thank you…” Elizabeth said a bit nervously. She cleared her throat and opened her mouth to tell him the truth about who she really was when Ian extended his hand and offered her a charming smile.
“I’m Ian, by the way, Ian Johnson,” he said. “Nice to finally meet you, Annabelle.”
“Yeah, nice to meet you too, Ian,” she took his hand and the electricity that went through her was so unexpected that she forgot everything she was about to say.
“Listen,” the man continued seriously. “I read your letter and want to tell you that I agree with you. It’ll be for the best if we wait with the marriage and get to know each other a little better.”
Although it had been her idea to wait, Elizabeth felt his words as a slap on the face. There were hundreds of thoughts turning around in her mind and Lizzy almost forgot that she also had things to be ashamed of. Ian was waiting for her answer, so the woman nodded gently with her head and said nothing.
“I’m going to take you to the local guest house, where you will be able to rest and eat something,” Ian continued to talk, seemingly unaware of her distress. “I’ll come to see you later.”
They walked together to the small, but pretty looking house near the town’s church. On the way there, Ian pointed out the most prominent buildings of the small town, commenting that they weren’t anything like the buildings in the East.
“It doesn’t matter to me,” Lizzy said sincerely. “I admire what you are doing out here and actually like the beauty of this place.”
This time, Ian looked at her surprised, but there was no time to actually ask her any more questions, as they were already by the guest house’s door. Ian knocked on the door and a smiling woman opened it for them.
“Oh, how glad I’m to see you here, my dear,” she said to Lizzy as if she had known her for years. “Ian had told me about your letters and I promise to help you both with whatever you might need.”
Elizabeth was tugged inside and offered a cup of tea before she could open her mouth. She looked at Ian for help, but the young man once again seemed distracted. “Ugh, thank you, Missis…”
“Stevens, my name is Mrs. Stevens,” the woman continued to talk. “I came here as a mail order bride more than ten years ago, when the town was no more than a hole in the mud. My husband died five years ago in the war, but I didn’t give up, turned our house into a guest house and continued to live here.”
“Mrs. Stevens,” Ian suddenly interrupted her. “I would be going now, but if there is some problem, you know where to find me. Annabelle,” he turned towards her. “Maybe you can rest today and tomorrow, I will take you to see the town and its surroundings?”
“That would be great,” Elizabeth agreed, hoping that tomorrow, she would be given a chance to tell Ian the whole truth.
“Then, see you tomorrow,” the man repeated and walked closer to her, took her hand in his and kissed it gently. Neither of them spoke after that, but some silent words were exchanged between them, as Lizzy was trying to tell him how sorry she was for lying to him and Ian wanted to say that he really liked her and she had nothing to worry about.
When the man was gone and only the two women were left in the house, Mrs. Stevens smiled kindly at Lizzy and offered her something to eat before accompanying her to her room. “Ian is a good man, you know?” she said, before closing the door. “You should give him a chance.”
Elizabeth wanted to share her doubts with the kind woman, but it seemed to her that Ian should be the first one to know that she wasn’t Annabelle. Mrs. Stevens closed the door before Lizzy could say anything else and she sat heavily on the bed, falling backward.
It had been an exhausting day, and Ian’s presence hadn’t helped. Now that she had seen him, Lizzy had been able to put a face on the letters he wrote to Annabelle. He was much handsomer and more confident than what she had expected and that somehow made it more difficult for Lizzy to tell him the truth.
“May God help me,” the young woman whispered and closed her eyes.
Chapter 4
Ian Johnson exited the guest house and quickly walked towards the other side of the main street. At that time of the morning, it was full of people going to work, to shop or just to eat a late breakfast. Ian wasn’t in the mood to talk to people, but he still had to say a few Good mornings and stop for two short conversations. He asked a boy to go and fetch Annabelle’s luggage from the station and carry it to the hospice, paying him for the service.
The young man found it difficult to concentrate, after meeting Annabelle for the first time. The woman had surprised him with her beauty and intelligence, as well as with the dignified way she was carrying herself. And yet, there was something about her that made Ian wonder, if that was really the woman, he communicated with. In her letters, Annabelle had told him about her life and how she viewed the world around her. Once, she had insisted that in her opinion, both men and women should have a say in the family. Ian had found that surprising, but now, after seeing her, he understood.
Annabelle was a beautiful woman, more beautiful than any other he had ever seen and she seemed to be at ease with her life. Ian felt a bit guilty for hiding the truth about his new situation from her and decided to talk to her as soon as possible.
There had been a tangible physical attraction between them when Ian had offered her a hand, and he couldn’t stop thinking about it. The man suddenly realized that he was still in the middle of the street and quickly turned right, heading towards the sheriff’s office.
Samuel Tucker, the local sheriff, was sitting behind his wooden desk, going through some papers. Ian and Samuel had been good friends since the day, Ian arrived in town, a few years ago. Samuel was a few years older, and Ian looked up at him, often asking him for advice.
“Good morrow, Sam,” he greeted the sheriff, before sitting down on one of the empty chairs in the room.
“Ian,” the other man looked up. “If I have to judge from your face, I’ll say that something is bothering you.”
“Annabelle arrived,” the younger man offered.
“And?” Samuel raised his eyebrows.
“And what?”
“Is she old, bad looking, bitter… should I continue?” Sam laughed and leaned back in his seat.
“No, she is the opposite of all that,” Ian answered a bit irritated.
“Then what is the problem?”
“I haven’t told her about the gold,” Ian answered, taking
a deep breath. “I wanted to, but the thought that she might like me just because of my money stopped me.”
“Do you like her?” Samuel asked another simple question, although Ian found his questions very irritating.
“Yes, I like her,” he said, stressing the words. “Maybe I like her even too much.”
“I see,” Samuel nodded.
“No, you see nothing,” Ian jumped up from his chair and started circling the room. “Annabelle is young, beautiful, intelligent, she has a good heart and she came here to meet me. And what did I do? I lie to her.”
“Did she ever ask you about your money?” The sheriff sighed deeply, probably thinking that Ian was worrying too much.
“No, but I know that one of the reasons, why she came here is the fact that she has no way to support herself. So, money is important to her.” Ian looked pleadingly at his friend, asking Sam to tell him what to do.
“I’m sure it is, who doesn’t need money, after all? But you cannot let the money scare you away. Talk to her, tell her what is going on and only then make a decision.”
Ian listened to his words and analyzed them in his head. “I should give her a chance.” He nodded.
“Yes, you should,” Samuel agreed.
“Okay, I’m going now, thank you for listening,” now he was feeling a bit silly for sounding so unsure and afraid, but Sam never teased him about his weaknesses, so Ian returned again and again.
Still wanting to keep things quiet about him and Annabelle, Ian sent her a note to meet him tomorrow morning for a picnic at the nearby lake. He chose the place because of its secluded position and also for the fact that he had bought the land around the lake, and was building a house nearby it.
No one was going to disturb them there.
Chapter 5
Ian knocked on Mrs. Stevens’ door around ten o’clock the next morning. Elizabeth was already dressed and ready to follow him, having calmed considerably and made her mind. She was going to tell him the truth about herself and accept whatever he decided after that.
“Good morning,” she greeted him with a gentle smile and accepted his help to climb the horse, he had brought for her.
“I hope you were able to rest?” Ian asked her while adjusting her bridle.
“Yes, thank you,” she answered and followed him out of the town, into a beautiful forest, which at that time of the year was green and covered with colorful flowers.
They rode together mostly in silence, but Elizabeth could tell that the man was very interested in her. There was passion in the way his eyes followed her movements and ran over her body. It wasn’t the first time that a man noticed her or showed signs that he admired her, but, this time, it felt different because Elizabeth was feeling the same.
She couldn’t say why or how, but somehow that man had managed to wake the woman in her and make her feel things no other man had managed. Lizzy thought that it was because she knew him from his letters to Annabelle. She had multiple times asked him questions in those letters about the way he lived and thought, and loved…
“We’re almost there,” Ian startled her from her thoughts and Elizabeth almost fell from her horse. “Sorry, did I startle you?” Ian had noticed her confusion.
“No… yes… I was thinking about something, it’s all fine, now,” she stuttered and felt the color rise in her face.
Ian, as a real gentleman turned the other way, giving her some time to recover and started telling her about some local legend about an Indian girl that lost her only love. Lizzy listened fascinated by the way he was telling the story and didn’t realize that they were at the lake until the trees stepped aside and let her see it in its full splendor.
“Oh,” she couldn’t help uttering. “It's beautiful.”
“Yeah, it is,” Ian agreed, thinking that he liked the way her face shone with excitement. He led the way around the lake, letting Annabelle enjoy the soft breeze and the warm sun. He showed her a few good spots for a picnic, but insisted that he had something better in mind.
They rode for another half an hour until they reached a small bay that cut into the land and formed a natural pool. The pool was surrounded by trees and bushes, which hid it from the rest of the lake and made the place perfect for having an intimate date.
Lizzy wondered if Ian had chosen it because of that or if he simply liked the place, but she couldn’t find it in herself to ask. Ian jumped elegantly down from his horse and went to help Lizzy down from her own. She smiled at him thankfully and put her hands on his shoulders, leaning downwards. Ian put his hands on her slim waist and lifted her easily from the horse, letting her body slide down his own. Their bodies came in full contact and Lizzy could feel her adrenaline level rising to the sky.
The man smelled like earth and trees, and grass. His eyes were even brighter from this close and Elizabeth could almost tell what he was thinking at the moment by just looking at them. They stayed like that for what seemed like hours – Lizzy had her hands on his shoulders and he held her close to her waist.
“You’re beautiful,” the man muttered and leaned down, kissing her gently on the lips. If he expected her to push him or turn around, Ian must have been really surprised, because all Lizzy did was to kiss him back.
Elizabeth gave a soft sound of pleasure, and looked up, watching Ian carefully. “Why did you do this?” She asked, but it wasn’t a complaint and the man could feel that.
“I wanted to,” Ian said simply and touched her on the cheek, sending a jolt of heat right through her.
“We’re not married,” Lizzy commented again. “And I have to tell you something…”
“I’m sure it could wait,” the man said and let his hand slowly crawl downwards. Then he leaned in and used his teeth to get hold of Lizzy’s lower lip and tug it gently. His hand began to undo the buttons of her shirt one at a time while Lizzy leaned closer and let herself feel it all.
Another soft sigh escaped her lips, her eyes closing as Ian’s warm lips made contact with the tender skin of her neck. Heat washed over Elizabeth, her muscles tightening. “Oh,” she whispered, wanting nothing else but Ian’s mouth on her.
The man looked flushed, his eyes smoldering, his lips wet and red from kissing her. Lizzy gathered the courage and ran her hand through his hair, mussing it and then putting it back in order. Her heart nearly stopped in her chest at the moan that came out of Ian. He was beautiful and she wanted him more than anything in her life.
Elizabeth’s breath caught for a moment, and she froze, staring at the beautiful man in front of her. She leaned in slowly, tilting her head and for the first time in her life initiating a kiss. Now her heart was racing like a horse in her chest, but Lizzy had never felt so good.
The moment stretched and Ian had to shake his head to clear it a little. He took a step back, bringing the woman with him and slowly lowering himself to the ground, his back leaning against the nearest tree. Lizzy didn’t protest and let him help her straddle him. And then Ian was kissing her again, his mouth moving over hers, to the point that Lizzy opened her mouth and their tongues tangled. The man closed his arms around her, running his hands up and down her back, moving her closer.
Elizabeth felt at peace in his arms and moaned when the man tugged her closer, deepening the kiss. “You taste great,” Ian whispered, wondering how something as simple as a kiss could affect him so much. The man brought his mouth on Lizzy’s neck, trailing kisses along her exposed flesh and over her breasts.
His words had made Lizzy happier than she could ever feel and she allowed his hand to wander under her dress and tug at the ribbons holding her underwear. She had no idea how, but the next moment she felt him penetrating her. A silent cry left her lips, but Ian didn’t let her go. He wished to have more time and to be able to remove all of their clothes, but the place and time weren’t good for that.
Lizzy shuddered with excitement when the man touched her in new places and in different ways. Ian kissed and touched every piece of her he could reach while mov
ing inside of her. Elizabeth was falling apart in his arms, feeling completely and totally exposed, and helpless. There were moments when she thought that Ian was killing her and then bringing her back to life.
Their moans were louder now, and Lizzy could feel that something was building deep inside of her. Ian claimed her lips again, moving their bodies in a perfect rhythm and giving her more pleasure. The orgasm took her by surprise, but Ian was there, holding and encouraging her to let go and enjoy the moment. When Lizzy started breathing again, she felt the man go rigid under her and then moan deeply.
His next kiss was perfect, and Lizzy felt his hot breath wash over her face. Ian leaned in and moved his mouth over her ear. “I couldn’t dream of a picnic more perfect that this one,” he whispered hotly.
The woman suddenly realized what was going on between them and tried to push him away. Ian didn’t let her, closing his arms around her waist and pulled her back down. “Everything is fine, Annabelle,” the man said gently.
“No, nothing is fine,” she disagreed. “We really have to talk now.”
Chapter 6
One hour later, Lizzy had readjusted her clothes, thrown some water on her face and eaten some of the food, Ian had brought with them. It had been a hard hour for both of them, with Lizzy feeling awkward and Ian trying to give her some space.
“I… I’m sorry,” Lizzy said when the silence became too much for her. “This is not something I have ever done…”
“I know, don’t worry, this is new to me too,” Ian assured her with a smile. “And I think that we can consider marrying…”
“Ian, please, let me explain something,” Lizzy pleaded with him. “There is… there is something I need to tell you. The letters you sent to Pennsylvania were… I mean, I’m not… what I want to say is that…”
“Annabelle, calm down,” Ian moved closer and put his big, warm hands on her arms, massaging them gently. “Whatever it is, I’m sure we would find a way to fix it.”
Romance: Alien Romance: Having The Kings Baby (A Paranormal Science Fiction Shifter Romance ) (Sci-fi Alien Invasion Abduction Romance) Page 130