River Song (31 page)

Sean's eyebrows lifted, then fell, and he shrugged.
"Yeah.
Sometimes, neither of us
Callahans
are
too bright."

"Oh, I wasn't trying to say that. It's just that I didn't know." Did Elizabeth Scott?
And what about the rest of the Fremont family?
She'd heard they were as anti-Indian as her own father, maybe more. How did the thought of their only son courting a half-breed set with them?

"It could be they don't want anyone to know just yet." Although he didn't like the idea of Cole Fremont keeping his sister on the sidelines as it were, he could see the reasons for secrecy, and understood why Eileen and others were unaware of their relationship. "Maybe you ought to keep that information to yourself."

"Of course."

Her nerves keeping track of the minutes, Eileen glanced towards the barn and saw a group of men milling around in the yard. Her time with Sean had to be cut short before they were discovered. "I'd better get back to the party soon or Pa's going to start wondering where I am." She laid a tentative hand on his forearm. "Will you at least think over my idea and give it a chance to work? I swear I can't take much more at home."

The best he could give her was a short nod and an answer that skirted the truth. "I'll give your problem some thought."

But Eileen hadn't put her reputation on the line, opened a part of herself no one had ever seen, just to be pacified with an ambiguous statement. "Please understand how serious I am. If I have to, I'll run off by myself."

And then he finally understood. This was no irrational, spur of the moment flight of fancy. Eileen meant to leave her home one way or another. And she'd chosen him as her guide. Suddenly, Sean was as pleased as he was concerned. "Do you realize if I agree to help you, you will be rejected by your kind wherever we go?"

"I'm rejected by my own family here. How can others hurt me worse than that?"

Sean curled up his fist and impulsively wrapped his arm around her. Pulling her close, he voiced his anger. "I simply cannot understand how your father can be so cruel. If you were mine, I would give thanks every day for such an honor, praise God for the beautiful person he has placed on this earth."

"
Ohhh
."
Her breath rushed out and tears sprang into Eileen's eyes.

No man had ever spoken of her in such terms, or with such sincerity. Completely convinced she'd made the correct choice in entrusting Sean with her problems and future, Eileen pondered her next move. She must do something to encourage him to take her along, something to interest him enough to take the risk, but what? She was unschooled in the art of flirtation, and Sean was becoming impatient, nervous. She had to move quickly.

Her fingers trembling, her resolve wavering, she leaned closer to the bronzed half-breed and stroked his cheek. To her surprise, the contact was more pleasurable than repulsive, invoked curiosity rather than aversion. Eileen marveled at the diverse textures, the coarse stubble of a too-fertile crop of whiskers banked by a surprisingly soft patch of burnished skin. Overwhelmed with wonder as she let her fingers drift to his hairline, Eileen shuddered with each increasing sensation.

Sean's tight stomach unfurled at her touch, blossomed and spread hot spurts of desire throughout him as she trembled against him. Sean forgot who he was, where he was, as he gave into a wave of urgency to taste her, to feel her. Not giving his mind a chance to question, to consider the consequences, his mouth quickly claimed hers.

She guessed he was thinking of kissing her, and had a moment of panic wondering if she should turn and run or accept what he so boldly offered. But then he was upon her. Eileen was stunned by the force of his embrace, the depth of his kiss. This wasn't the brief gesture of goodbye he'd bestowed on her a few days ago. This was something new, something exhilarating, and something frightening. Sean's fingers tangled in her hair as he drew her closer, and she could feel the warm moisture of his breath against her skin as he grasped her tighter and tighter. Her first reaction was alarm, a feeling akin to desperation, but Sean coaxed her, urged her to accept him and his explorations.

Eager to please him, Eileen forced herself to relax, to allow his tongue to part her lips, caress the tips of her teeth, then finally slide between them on a shocking journey to the inside of her mouth. She stiffened her body at the first onslaught of sensation, but Sean kept a firm hold on the back of her head, and soon his gentle probing pushed surprise and panic aside and introduced a curious new world of pleasure.

Sean knew he should stop, for his sake as well as Eileen's. But he was drowning in her, lost in her exquisite taste, her supreme softness. Sean muted his inner voices, and opened himself to her in a way reserved for the closest of lovers. When she tensed, pulled back as he deepened the kiss, he thought of releasing her, of apologizing for his lusty behavior and sending her back to the barn. But then she yielded, encouraged his caresses, and followed his guidance until he thought he'd go mad from her naive duplication of his movements.

The sudden cackle of nearby laughter brought them to their senses. As if each had heard the crack of a bull whip and felt the sting of its leather, Eileen and Sean twisted away from one another and dropped to the ground.

Sean peered through the shrubbery and spotted two male guests walking towards the stand of trees. Keeping his eyes trained on the approaching men, Sean whispered low and urgently, "Back down to the edge of the grove, then slowly come out on the south side. I'll stay here awhile." When he heard the rustle of her petticoats, he quickly added, "I'll have Sunny contact you and let you know my decision about your problem later."

Eileen hesitated as she worked her way out of the tangle of cottonwood trees, but decided against risking a reply. She would thank him later when she hoped she'd have even more to be grateful for.

After she was gone, Sean quickly rolled onto his back and covered his face with his hat. Feigning slumber, he forced his breathing to become slow and methodical,
then
jerked forward as one of the guests tapped his foot with the toe of a boot.

"Huh?" He jackknifed to a sitting position looking properly disoriented.

"
What'cha
doin'
hidin
' out here in the trees,
injun
?
Plannin
' an attack on the Triple F ranch?" Both men laughed at the clever remark, then the same one added, "Better wait 'til sundown
so's
we won't see you
sneakin
' up on us,
tho
."

Ignoring their remarks and hoots of laughter, Sean resumed a position flat on his back until they got bored waiting for him to react. They turned away, fumbling with the buttons on their trousers, and left Sean alone. He silently crept to his feet and took a northerly path out of the trees back towards the festivities.

As soon as he reentered the barn, Sean ambled over near the stalls and stood in the shadows. Scanning the crowd, he discovered Eileen dancing a lively polka with Cole Fremont. The blond rancher twirled her, sent her skirts and petticoats flying, and afforded Sean a glimpse of her well-turned ankle just before Cole collected her back in his arms.

Outrage swelled in his throat, but it was directed as much at himself as his host. How could he have lost control so easily in the cottonwood grove and taken advantage of Eileen at such a vulnerable moment? He hadn't been thinking. Now, all he
could
do was think—of Eileen, of their fevered embrace, of finding a way to make sure it never happened again, and of wishing that it could. He'd taken a terrible risk with his life. He couldn't even imagine what might have happened if things went further and he risked his heart as well.

Sean continued to study the dancers, worked at finding a way to deal with his new and conflicting feelings. He knew why she was with the appealing rancher, had noticed Daniel Hobbs observing the pair out of the corner of his eye, but the knowledge couldn't seem to stop a spasm of jealousy from chilling his spine or keep the color of envy from staining his eyes. How could he possibly grant her request and keep his sanity too?

He decided to dwell on his host and assess his sister's chances for future happiness, but all he could think of was his own plight. Cole Fremont could dance with any woman in the room while he, Sean Callahan, descendant of the honorable
Callahans
from Killarney, Ireland, must stand aside and watch. His mother's equally honorable Quechan blood wasn't good enough to mingle with this crowd, or court their daughters. It wasn't fair. It wasn't right. There wasn't one woman in the room he could invite to—Sean interrupted his own thoughts and nearly laughed out loud as he realized there
was
one woman who might do him the honor of accepting an invitation to dance with him. He continued sifting through the crowd until he finally discovered Sunny standing in the far corner.
Alone.

His spirits somewhat lifted, Sean approached her, noticing as he drew closer that her lovely features were pinched in a scowl and her foot tapped incessantly against the dirt floor.

Sean crept up beside her, out of her line of vision, and whispered, "You look as if a coyote has robbed your rabbit trap of its prize, my dear sister. What angers you so?"

After flashing her dark eyes his way, Sunny returned her gaze to the dance floor and grumbled, " 'Tis something very much like that, brother dear. Cole has not yet come to show me how to do this polka dance. First, this Elizabeth creature attached herself to him, and now your little friend with hair the color of an over-ripe pumpkin has lured him into her arms."

Not ready to tell
her
about Eileen and what she'd asked him to do, Sean tilted his sister's chin until she had to face him. "My, but you sound off-key, little sister. Has jealousy added a sour tone to your usually melodious voice?"

Sunny's pout lifted at the corners, and she tried to turn away from Sean, but he kept a firm grip on her chin.

"Well, am I right?"

"Oh," she complained with a chuckle, "I suppose you are, but just a little. I really want to learn how to do this polka dance, and—"

"And you can't stand watching Cole holding another woman," he finished for her.

Sunny opened her mouth to protest, but let out her breath in a long sigh instead. "No, I cannot," she admitted.

"If it makes you feel any better," Sean confessed under his breath, "I'm not too happy about him holding that particular woman either."

Sunny's head jerked towards her brother at this. "I was right?"

First checking to make certain no bystanders could overhear
them,
Sean pressed his lips together and nodded.

"Oh, my brother," Sunny gasped. "You must be very careful. If anyone finds out, you could be in danger."

"I'm aware of the danger. You don't have to worry about me just yet."

"Yet?"

Again checking for eavesdroppers, Sean leaned very close to Sunny's ear and repeated Eileen's story. When he finished, even though it was against all rational thought, he suddenly had his answer. "I've decided to take her to Yuma with me."

"But Sean, how can you?"

"Save your energy for the polka. My mind is made up."

Sunny bit her lip when she saw the determination in his eyes. There was nothing she could say or do to dissuade him. "What do you plan to do? Kidnap this girl from her family?"

"I don't have that figured out yet, but when—" Sean cut off his words as he noticed Cole and Eileen approaching. He glanced at Sunny, whispering out of the comer of his mouth, "Get Eileen alone and tell her I'm going to take her away from here. Tell her that when I have a plan I'll send you with another message. Got it?"

Her forehead creased with worry, Sunny gave him a short nod,
then
turned towards Cole. Masking her concerns, she managed a bright smile and stepped forward.
"So nice to see you again, Mr., ah, Mr.?
I am sorry. It has been so long since we met, I am afraid I have forgotten your name."