Lost and Found

Chapter Twelve

The jingling of harness and rasp of an approaching sleigh slowly intruded on their passion. Blinking in confusion, Sawyer and Lillian broke the kiss and turned to see the arrival of Mrs. Richardson and Doc Brennan on his property.

Fanning her cheeks as she took in the scene, Abigail exclaimed, "Goodness gracious."

Sawyer groaned a curse and let his head fall softly back against the frozen earth as he closed his eyes. Of all the times they could have shown up, it had to be now. Keeping his arms banded about Lillian's waist, he prevented her from rising, reluctant to have her leave him just yet.

Her lips were swollen and moist. The skin around her mouth was slightly red from where his whiskers had rubbed against her. It was a good look on her.

"Sawyer?" She whispered in mounting panic, her body wriggling in his hold, "What will they think?"

She knew what they'd think. They'd brand her a hussy, trash, spoiled, unfit for the company of children. Her stomach dropped to her toes because she knew that was precisely what she'd be labeled if anyone ever found out about what Walker had done to her.

Seeing the distress in her eyes, but needing one last taste, he pulled her mouth down to his again for a firm kiss before helping her off his chest. "Let them think what they want, it's feeble minds that find offense in seeing two grown adults sharing a kiss," he grumbled.

Dusting the snow off the seat of his trousers, he turned and brushed the back of Lillian's skirt, smirking when she turned to him in surprise, "Don't want your bottom to freeze, darlin'."

Mortification battled inside her troubled heart, waging war against the delicious feelings and exhilaration. She turned to find a disapproving Abigail being helped down from the sleigh by a glowering Doc.

"Good morning," Lillian croaked past a throat thick with emotion as she watched the two newcomers.

Sawyer wrapped an arm around her waist and hugged her close to his side, "Thought we might be seeing you two this mornin'."

Abigail clucked her tongue and scowled. "It would seem you weren't expecting us for quite some time. What will people think?" Her mouth opened and closed several times like a fish out of water as she struggled to express her displeasure. Finally, she huffed, "I'll tell you what they'll-"

"And just how," Sawyer said, interrupting her, "would 'people' hear about this, Abigail?" He planted a fist on his hip and quirked a brow at both of the intruders.

Abigail frowned, "It isn't right. How do we know you two haven't been carrying on this past week with no one here to supervise you? What about the children? Have you two no shame?"

Lillian gasped as a humiliated blush stained her cheeks. Unable to bear their disapproving presence a second longer, she fought against Sawyer's hold and ran into the house. Tears left scorching trails down her cheeks as she ran to her room, but she could hear their angry words spewing forth outside.

Why did they have to ruin such a beautiful moment? If only they had known what Sawyer's kisses had meant to her, had healed within her broken soul. For the first time in her life, she knew what it felt like to be kissed out of desire, and it was glorious.

A rush of all-consuming anger flowed through her veins, fortifying her as she grabbed her shawl and marched outside to confront them. How dare they try to tarnish and cheapen something so beautiful. She had lived through many experiences in her life that brought her shame.

Dishonor and pain so intense it nearly drowned her at times, but she'd be damned if she allowed anyone to try to take away the joy she'd experienced as Sawyer had plied her mouth with such masterful kisses.

Turning an icy stare to Abigail, Sawyer advanced on the small woman. "You will apologize to Lillian. She has done nothing to warrant such remarks from you. How you even dared utter them, I'll never know."

"Now, Sawyer," Doc placated, his hands raised in supplication, "let's not make this any more uncomfortable than it already is. Mrs. Richardson is merely stating the obvious after what we witnessed just now between the two of you."

Glaring at Doc, Sawyer ground his teeth, "Shut your mouth, Harvey, before I shut it for you."

"Why I never," Abigail gasped as her chest puffed out like an enraged chicken. "How dare you speak to the good doctor that way."

Turning furious eyes on the grey-haired woman, Sawyer fumed. "If you were a man, I would have leveled you flat for what has come out of your mouth this morning, so you'd best hold your peace."

"Now, I've had just about enough of you," Doc thundered, "apologize to Abigail this instant."

The two men stood toe to toe, neither one willing to back down, chests heaving with angry breaths.

"ENOUGH," Lillian shouted, wrapping her shawl firmly around her. She stomped down the stairs until she stood on the last step, "We are all adults here, and therefore we will act like it."

She frowned at each of them then continued, "I am sorry if seeing Sawyer kiss me was distressing to the two of you. But I refuse to feel embarrassed about it." She turned and stared at Abigail, "As for what people will think once they find out about us, I would assume that would only become public knowledge, were either of you two to share it. Which leads me to question as to what purpose that would serve? All it would do is damage the reputation of an admirable man and allow fingers to point and lay disgrace upon something that is truly none of your business, let alone the rest of the towns."

Sawyer stood transfixed as he gazed at the enraged beauty before him. She was magnificent. His mouth flooded with moisture as he watched her lips move and remembered the heaven he had found in her kiss. The desire to haul her into his arms fought against reason. They still had these two idiots to deal with.

"The very fact," Abigail chirped in outrage, "that we stumbled upon you two making love in the snow, knowing full well we could arrive at any moment, is proof that marriage is the only way to save either of your reputations from being ruined."

He'd never wanted to strike a woman as much as he wanted to at that moment. "Hell's bell's, woman," Sawyer said in bewilderment, "did you not hear a thing that Lillian just said?"

"We weren't making love," Lillian choked, "it was a kiss, damn it."

Doc ignored Lillian's outburst and admitted, "Abigail's right, Sawyer." His shoulders lifted in a sad shrug, "You'll have to marry her. Even if we both promised never to speak of what we saw, people always have a way of finding things out."

Without speaking another word, fists clenched tightly at his sides, Sawyer turned and walked to the barn; the wound on his hand forgotten when he slammed it into the sturdy wooden door.

Lillian stood on the stairs in shock, her hands covering her mouth to stifle her gasp of alarm.

After several furious swings at the wood, his chest heaving with angered breaths, he turned to face Lillian.

He ignored the two people that had just ruined one of the happiest mornings he'd had in a long while and refused to take his eyes off Lillian as he walked forward. "I don't care what these two say, Lillian. I won't marry you because we were caught sparkin' in the snow." He shook his head and continued toward her, declaring, "I will not allow them to bully me into marryin' you."

Did he think she expected him to marry her, just as Doc and Abigail did? The blood drained from her face as her heart thudded dully in her chest, and her skin suddenly became clammy. She couldn't breathe, her throat was too tight, but even if it killed her, she wouldn't cry in front of them.

When she tried to speak, the words had to fight their way out of her mouth. "I-I wouldn't want you to; I don't want you to."

His dimples made a brilliant appearance as he smiled at her, "But I will marry you if it's something you want... " his hand gently cupped her cheek as he whispered, "Say the word, and I'll get the preacher and marry you today if that's what you want. Not because we got caught kissing, not because tongues will wag from jealousy, but because you want to marry me."