Lacy: (Sweet Historical Western Romance) (Pendleton Petticoats Book 5) Read online

  Lacy fought back her tears and leaned against her sister. “Thank you, Ruth. You can’t know how much I needed to hear that.” She lifted her gaze to encompass Tom, Walker and Rebecca. “I love you all so much and always will, no matter what the future might bring.”

  “I hope it brings some of those cookies I saw you set out earlier.” Walker ducked when Lacy swatted at him. “It’s been forever since I’ve had something sweet.”

  “You mean other than Ellie Paul’s kisses?” Tom teased as they went inside to enjoy cups of coffee and the cookies Lacy brought.

  A sheepish look stole over Walker’s face and he glowered at his brother-in-law.

  Tom slapped him on the back. “If you don’t want anyone to know you’re chasing after Ellie, you might do a better job of not courting her where everyone can see.”

  Aware of her brother’s interest in the pretty girl, Lacy goaded him. “Ellie Paul? Isn’t she just a child? Really, Walker, what are you thinking?”

  “She’s just turned sixteen, not that it’s any of your concern.” Walker huffed as he accepted the cookie Lacy held out to him. “Can’t a man do anything around here without all of you involved?”

  Lacy relished how good it felt to be with her family, laughing and teasing each other once again.

  Chapter Ten

  “Is there anything else you need, Miss Williams?” Mr. Johnson asked as he placed Lacy’s purchases in a box and tallied the total.

  Before she could respond, warmth penetrated her side and she caught the delicious, masculine scent of Grant.

  “I believe this lady needs something a little sweet.” Grant grinned at her and pointed to the jars of candy located on the end of the counter.

  Lacy smiled at him then Mr. Johnson and shook her head. “What you have in my box is all I need, Mr. Johnson. Thank you.”

  “Come now, Miss Williams. What’s a fine spring day without a lemon drop or a licorice whip? It’s my treat.” Grant opened the lid to a jar of colorful jellybeans. “Surely you have a favorite, Miss Williams.”

  Lacy handed Mr. Johnson the exact change for her purchases. He slid the box her direction and gave her a broad smile. “Mr. Hill has quite a sweet tooth, Miss Williams. You might as well indulge him because he won’t leave the store without a piece or two of candy in his pocket.”

  “It’s sad, but true.” Grant affected a pout that would have put any of the children she knew to shame.

  Mr. Johnson filled a small sack with jellybeans then scooped a few peppermints into a second sack.

  Grant stared at Lacy. “I’ll buy one of everything if I have to, Miss Williams, if that’s what it takes to discover your favorite.”

  Lacy hid her smile and pointed her gloved finger at a display of pastel-colored candy disks. “My father always purchased NECCO Wafers for us to share.”

  Grant nodded to Mr. Johnson. The man added two rolls of the candy wafers to a growing pile of sweets.

  “What else do you like?” Grant asked as he pointed to the selection of colorful treats. “Horehound? Butterscotch? Maybe something chocolate?”

  The mention of chocolate sparked Lacy’s interest. Grant chose a small box of chocolate confections and asked Mr. Johnson to add an assortment of candy to a sack. When he finished, Grant paid the storeowner, set the candy in Lacy’s box, and picked it up.

  Lacy started to take the box from him, but he held it in one hand while opening the door for her with the other. He turned back to Mr. Johnson and tipped his head. “Have a pleasant evening, sir.”

  “And a pleasant evening to you both.” Mr. Johnson grinned. “Don’t spoil your dinner with all that candy.”

  Lacy ducked her head and hurried out the door onto the sidewalk. “I can carry my purchases, Grant. No need for you to walk me home.”

  “It’s practically on my way home,” Grant assured her as they walked across the street and turned the corner, heading in the direction of Ilsa’s shop. “Besides, I hoped to run into you today.”

  “You did?” The thought that Grant wanted to see her made her stomach flutter.

  “Don’t sound so surprised, Lacy.” Grant chuckled and gave her a long glance. “It’s easy to let my thoughts rest on someone so kind and beautiful.”

  The light in his eyes and the husky tone of his voice coupled with his words caused heat to sear her cheeks.

  Lacy unlocked the back door of Ilsa’s shop and stepped inside, holding the door open as Grant walked in carrying her box. She locked the door then motioned for him to follow her upstairs. After the incident with Mr. Kent, she always made sure she locked the door, even if she only stepped outside for a moment.

  Grant followed her up the steps and down the short hall to her kitchen. He set the box on the counter and inhaled the scent of roasting meat. “Something smells delicious, and the food smells good, too.”

  She ignored his teasing and leveled her gaze at him. Hesitant to do something the gossips might deem improper, Lacy decided a simple meal together shouldn’t stir up any trouble. “Would you like to eat supper with me?”

  He smiled and leaned against the counter. “I thought you’d never ask.” His glance took in the neat and tidy kitchen as well as the woman standing in the midst of it, glancing at him uncertainly. “I promise I won’t tell anyone I was here without a chaperone, if that’s giving you concern.”

  Finally, she set down the small beaded bag she carried, removed her gloves and hat, and pulled on an apron.

  “May I help you with anything?” Grant removed his hat and set it along with his suit coat on a chair. He turned around to find Lacy staring at him with a dishtowel clutched tightly in her hands.

  “You may set the table, if you like.” She pointed to a shelf that held plates, cups, and glasses. While Grant set two place settings at the table, Lacy opened the oven door and pulled out a roasting pan. She set it on top of the stove and lifted the lid.

  Grant’s mouth watered as the aroma of the meat filled the room. His stomach growled and he smiled guiltily when Lacy raised an eyebrow at him. “Hungry?”

  “Yes, ma’am, I am.” Grant filled the water glasses then set them on the table. As she lifted the roast out of the pan, he held a platter beneath the meat. He offered to carve it while she made pan gravy. She mashed potatoes, spooned cooked carrots into a bowl and set them on the table, then poured the gravy into a serving bowl.

  She retrieved a jar of pears from a cupboard and struggled to twist off the lid. Grant took it from her and easily opened the jar then handed it back to her. After draining the juice from the pears into a glass, she poured the fruit into a bowl and set it on the table.

  Grant held out her chair and waited for her to be seated. Flustered by his formal manners, she caught her foot on the hem of her skirt and lurched forward, bumping into his chest. His arms wrapped around her to keep her upright.

  “I’m so sorry.” Embarrassed, she stepped away from him and took her seat.

  His chuckles drew her gaze to his face. The fine lines crinkling around his eyes made her insides hot and limbs languid. “Can’t say that I minded that at all.”

  Lacy held back a smile and ducked her head. “Would you say grace, please?” she asked quietly without lifting her gaze.

  After Grant’s prayer, she passed him the platter of meat. He took a serving then cut into the roast, eager to taste it.

  “This is so tender, it falls apart at the touch of my fork. It’s got a stronger flavor than beef.” Grant helped himself to another serving and added potatoes and gravy to his plate, along with a scoop of carrots.

  “It’s elk. Walker brought that to me yesterday.”

  Grant forked another bite. “Tell Walker I said thank you. I don’t know that I’ve eaten elk before. It’s very good.”

  Shocked that Grant had never eaten elk, she supposed someone in his position with his background probably never had a need to eat wild game, unless he chose to. Deer, elk, birds, and rabbits were all that kept the Williams family from starving mo
st of the time.

  “I’m glad you like it. Next time you come for dinner I’ll make one of my specialties.” Lacy took a small bite of the meat, drawing on her best manners as she sat ramrod straight in the chair with a cloth napkin draped across her lap. Thanks to Ilsa’s generosity, the apartment came furnished with all the kitchen necessities, like dishes and silverware, napkins and dishtowels. If it hadn’t, Lacy and Grant would have been forced to eat off a tin plate and share a rag for a napkin.

  “What kind of specialty?” Grant imagined a baked pheasant or perhaps a stuffed sage hen.

  “Polecat stew.”

  Grant choked on the bite he’d just swallowed and coughed repeatedly to force it down. When he drained his glass of water, she jumped up and refilled it for him. His eyes watered and he thumped his chest with his fist before regaining the ability to speak.

  Lacy cast him a reserved glance before taking another bite of her meal.

  “Would you really make me eat skunk for supper?” He hoped the answer was no, otherwise he might not be quite so eager to accept her next invitation to dine together.

  A saucy smile lingered at the corners of her mouth. Grant concluded she taunted him and relaxed.

  She shrugged her shoulders. “Perhaps you’d rather eat fried rattlesnake or squirrel pie.”

  “No, thank you, Miss Williams.” He narrowed his eyes as he picked up his fork and stabbed another piece of the roast. “I do believe I’ll have to pass.”

  “Suit yourself. You haven’t lived until you’ve had squirrel pie.” At the appalled look on his face, she laughed.

  The sound fascinated Grant. Too few times he’d heard her laugh, but each occurrence made him stop and admire the joy on her face. Her incredible cheekbones held his attention before he lowered his gaze to her mouth, wishing he could kiss those delectable lips.

  Drawn to her in ways that defied a reasonable explanation, Grant wanted to lean across the table and kiss her until he satisfied his growing yearning for her. Instead, he returned his focus to the tasty meal.

  Thoughtfully chewing a bite, he swallowed and observed her graceful movements as she ate. “Have you really made all those things?”

  “I refuse to incriminate myself with a response.” Although Lacy’s voice held a teasing tone, she wouldn’t tell Grant the truth about all the things she’d eaten she’d rather not think about. There were times her family had been so hungry, they ate whatever her father and brothers could trap, shoot, or catch. Although she’d never serve Grant any of the things she’d mentioned, she had eaten them.

  “So you have eaten skunk stew and rattlesnake pie.”

  The way he waggled his eyebrows at her made her laugh again. “It’s was squirrel pie, not rattlesnake.”

  “And what other wild delicacies have you eaten? Gophers? Maybe a frog or two? How about a fish?” Grant continued to tease her.

  She scowled at him. “Gophers? That’s disgusting. No one would eat a gopher. We do enjoy lamprey, though. Have you ever eaten one?”

  He shook his head. “No. I can honestly say I have not. Aren’t they an eel or fish thing?”

  “Technically, they are fish, but they appear more like an eel because they don’t have fins or scales. They’re an important part of our culture. When they travel upstream, many from the tribes gather them by the hundreds. Some we eat. Some we dry over racks. The oil we collect from them is used for medicinal purposes. They also make good bait for trapping coyotes.”

  “I had no idea lampreys were used for so many different purposes.”

  “They are useful in many ways. Have you ever seen one up close?”

  Grant shook his head.

  Lacy stuck out her lips and sucked in her cheeks, imitating a fish. Grant chuckled and she grinned. “Little cups in their mouth enable them to cling to other fish and draw out the nutrients they need to live. Lampreys are among the oldest fish alive, dating back to ancient days.”

  “So they suck the life out of other fish to live?” Grant shuddered at the thought. “They’re like the vampires of the river.”

  Confused, she looked at him. “Vampires? What’s a vampire?”

  “You mean you’ve never read Bram Stoker’s Dracula?”

  When she shook her head, he grinned. “I have the book at home. I’ll let you borrow it. It’s the story of a man who turned into a vampire named Count Dracula. A vampire sucks blood from his victims and sometimes turns them into vampires in the process, if he doesn’t kill them. Count Dracula attempts to move to England from Transylvania to find new blood to drink and spread the undead curse.”

  Lacy’s eyes widened and she leaned away from the table. “I don’t believe I’d enjoy that story at all. It’s not real is it?”

  “Real?” Grant kept his face impassive. “That’s hard to say.” He stood from the table and held his hand out to Lacy. Uncertain, she rose to her feet, keeping her gaze fastened on his.

  Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around her and placed his mouth against her neck, gently nibbling at her with his teeth. He affected a strange accent as he held her close. “Vhat do you fink, my dear? Are vampires real?”

  Overwhelmed by the sensations produced from Grant holding her to his chest with his mouth hot and moist against the tender flesh of her neck, she couldn’t speak. She could barely stand. Everything in her wanted to stay right where she was for the rest of her life. In her wildest imaginings, she’d never dreamed of how wonderful it would feel to be so intimately close to the charming, engaging man.

  He nibbled her neck once more before a flood of desire washed over him with such brutal force, he almost succumbed to his need for the lovely girl. The sudden awareness of his actions brought him up short.

  Immediately, he released his hold and stepped back. “I’m sorry, Lacy. I had no call do to that. None at all.”

  Bereft of the ability to stand without support, Lacy sank down on a kitchen chair and stared at Grant a long moment before she forced herself to speak. “I don’t know a thing about vampires or Bram Stoker, but if that’s what they’re like, it might not be all bad.”

  The breath he’d held, waiting to see if Lacy would be angry with him for his questionable behavior, escaped on a relieved sigh. “Oh, they are bad, Lacy. Horribly bad and terribly awful. You must stay away from them at all costs, unless, of course, it’s me.”

  His endearing grin encouraged her to smile and she relaxed once again. “I have the distinct idea you might be more dangerous than any vampires I encounter.” Grant was dangerous — to her heart, to her ability to focus on building a better life for herself and Walker. At that moment, all she wanted was for him to take her in his arms again and continue what he’d started.

  Mindful of the errant direction of her thoughts, she quietly returned her attention to finishing her meal.

  Grant ate another serving of the elk roast then helped her wash and dry the dishes. When they finished, he lifted the candy from the box of supplies he’d carried in earlier.

  “Do you really not enjoy candy?” He opened the box of chocolates and held it out to her.

  “I never said that.” Lacy accepted a piece and took a small bite, savoring the creamy, smooth confection. “It’s just that I’ve never had much candy.”

  “That’s because you were too busy eating ancient blood-sucking fish and venomous reptiles.”

  Lacy frowned at him as she finished the bite of candy in her mouth. “When you say it like that, it sounds positively horrendous. As I mentioned at the store, Father most often purchased NECCO wafers, so we could each have one. Once in a great while, we might get a lemon drop or a peppermint from a visitor. Tony brought Grandmother a box of chocolates once. It was divine.”

  “Personally, I much prefer chocolates or even licorice whips to snakes and rodents.” Grant hid a sarcastic smile by studying the candy in the box he still held. After selecting a piece, he held it out to Lacy. “Here, try this one. It’s my favorite.”

  She started to take it from his hand,
but he refused to relinquish it, holding it up to her lips. “Take a bite.”

  After she did, he popped the remainder into his mouth and gave her a roguish grin. “That’s the sweetest it’s ever tasted.”

  Pink suffused her cheeks at his comment and the heated look he gave her. “For an upstanding citizen and respected banker in this town, I think you could be quite scandalous, given the opportunity.”

  Grant winked at her and popped a peppermint into his mouth. “Only with the right girl. I wouldn’t scandalize just anyone, you know.”

  The blush on her cheeks deepened and she started to turn away, but Grant placed a hand on her arm.

  “It’s so fun to tease you. Your cheeks look like they were dusted with pink roses when you get embarrassed.”

  The soft glow in Grant’s eyes combined with the warmth of his hand on her arm sent sensational tingles skittering over her skin. She distractedly nodded her head. “Thank you.”

  Any number of notions traipsed through his thoughts. Not a single one of them were things a church-going man should think.

  Before he decided to nuzzle Lacy’s neck again or find out how sweet her lips really tasted, he removed his hand from her arm. Grant slipped on his suit coat and picked up his hat. “It’s far past time for me to go home. Thank you for that wonderful dinner. I appreciate it.”

  Lacy started to gather up his candy, but he wrapped his hand around hers. “You keep it, Lacy. Let me know which one is your favorite.”

  “I can’t accept all this. It’s too much.”

  “No, it’s not. Let’s call it a trade for a good meal.”

  Slowly, she nodded her head and set the candy aside. She followed him down the stairs to the back door. When he turned the lock to open it, she gingerly touched his arm. “Thank you for staying to talk with me. Sometimes the evenings seem so quiet.”

  “Anytime you need some company, let me know. I know what it’s like to be surrounded by deafening silence, rattling around in that big ol’ house of mine.” Grant twisted his hat around and around in his hand.