Chapter Twenty-One

Entering the restaurant, Anita’s father, Walt, walked up to them.

“Mr. Adams,” Taryn greeted, “how nice to see you.” Following Dean Breck’s death, Walt attained the management of the establishment. His large, stocky frame and fierce appearance belied the man underneath who was as good-natured and easygoing as Anita herself.

Walt Adams’ frowning countenance broke away into a smile as he greeted them. “Taryn, how beautiful you look.” Turning to Jared, Walt extended his hand. Jared’s gaze was wary as he shook Walt’s hand. Walt whacked him on his upper arm. “Rest easy, lad. There are a few of us who don’t believe you were responsible for Dean’s death.”

“I appreciate it, Mr. Adams.”

“You two go enjoy your supper.”

They were shown to a table by the large windows overlooking the park. Sitting on the same side of the table for four, they ordered wine while they waited for her parents to arrive.

“What time is it?” Taryn played with the stem of her wine glass.

“They still have a few minutes.”

She clasped her chilled hands together in her lap. “He won’t come.” Jared placed a calming hand over hers, a gesture she felt as grateful for his tenderness as she did his warmth.

The Ashfords walked into the large restaurant, briefly spoke with Walt Adams before they were escorted to the table.

Jared felt Taryn tense even more, her back going stiff. She entwined her fingers with his for support. He turned to see the Ashfords approaching. The shocked expression on Dennis Ashford’s face indicated his unawareness they would be dining together. Madeline Ashford’s searching glance toward her husband, confirmed Jared’s assumption. She had used another pretext to bring him to the restaurant. Uncertain what Taryn’s father would do, Jared felt his guard go up. He stood, greeting them both.

Madeline side-stepped around him to kiss Taryn upon the cheek, squeezing her shoulders to bolster her daughter’s nerves. Piercing Dennis with a penetrating stare, Madeline waited.

“Madeline?”

“Sit, Dennis. People are beginning to stare.”

The four sat down in silent unison.

“I’m sorry, Dennis, to have deceived you so.” Madeline broke the awkward moment. “But this is enough. You need to put your personal feelings aside.”

“This is neither the time nor the place to discuss this situation.”

Madeline scoffed at Dennis’ evasion. “Why not discuss it? Everyone else in town is doing so. Or don’t you care anymore?”

Taryn inwardly applauded her mother’s pluck. Her mother might be prudish in some ways, but when necessary, she applied no such reservations.

Dennis seethed. “Of course, I care.”

Madeline stood her ground. “Then tell her so, because you haven’t been acting as if you do.”

Dennis turned his gaze, frowning across the table at Taryn and Jared. His first words were to the gunman, words angry but controlled. “Mr. King, I will admit when you pulled me aside at the festival, I respected your integrity. However, you must realize your marriage has not salvaged much of anything. Maddie’s right,” he conceded. “The gossip is still occurring and, in all likelihood, will continue.”

Jared felt grateful the man was at least willing to speak to them. “There’s not much we can do about what others think or say.”

“No, I don’t suppose there is.” Dennis assessed them. “You two will have to face that on your own.”

“We will,” Taryn assured her father.

The tense lines of Dennis’ expression softened. Her hand entwined with King’s on the table presenting a united front against him. “Taryn, is spending your life with this man what you want?”

She squeezed Jared’s hand in hers. “Yes, it is.”

Dennis turned a sharpened gaze to Jared. “Does marriage have a place in your life, especially considering the circumstances?”

“This marriage fits into my life. Regardless of the circumstances, as I’ve told you, I still would have married your daughter.”

Dennis heaved a sigh, leaning back in his chair, weighing their words in his mind.

Taryn leaned forward. “Father, can’t you accept our marriage? We’re not asking you to approve of how we married, only accept we are married.”

A long silence lingered before Dennis spoke. “I cannot approve of certain actions occurring between the two of you. However, I am not blind in seeing what’s before me. There’s no denying the two of you love each other. I’m not blind to the truth of what I see. I suppose if you’re both happy in your marriage, willing to confront whatever others may say against you, the least I can do is support it.” Dennis drilled Jared with a hard stare. “Did you kill Dean Breck?”

Jared held Dennis Ashford’s gaze. “No.”

Dennis nodded. “In my own interaction with you, you’ve proven yourself to be honorable, in spite of your profession. I’ll trust your word, Jared, but there is one thing I expect from you.”

Jared masked his uneasiness. “Which is?”

“I want to face off with you for another fencing match similar to what took place at the festival. But this time,” Dennis added, “I don’t want you to hold back so I can win. I may be twenty years your senior, but I’m not so old I don’t know when I’m being handed a match.”

Jared released his pent-up tension, grinning. “I’m at your disposal, assuming the blade tips will be covered.”

“Concerned I’ll run you through?”

“The thought crossed my mind.”

Taryn couldn’t remain silent. “Covered tips or not, I don’t think you should fence at all. You could both be hurt.”

Jared glanced in Dennis’ direction while he addressed her concern. “We’ll make sure the match is held without your knowledge then.”

Madeline noticed the developing camaraderie between the men, a smile on her face.

****

On the carriage ride back to the hotel, Taryn leaned into Jared. “You’ve charmed both my parents. I’m very happy tonight.”

“So am I.”

“Now with my parents no longer angry with us, we can focus all our efforts on discovering who killed Dean Breck. The marshal is so free with his disparaging comments about you, we have to do something to counter it. I know you told Robert you didn’t want to talk with Andrew Donahue, but if you did…”

“No.”

He was leery of talking with any law official, particularly one who worked alongside Marcus Rhodes, but she wished he would change his mind. “Anita told me Andrew isn’t like the marshal at all. I know Luke suggested you speak with him as well.”

“How do you know?”

“Anita told me,” she replied matter-of-factly. “Jared, please consider it. Even if you gave Robert an interview for the paper…”

“Taryn.”

She huffed in frustration, placing her reticule on the seat beside her. There was no point in pressing the issue any further now. He was not going to budge on those ideas. His mistrust of others made it more difficult to discover the truth. She would have to think of another way they could learn something more useful about the murder. Her mind was meticulously working in her desire to help prove his innocence.

Jared reached for a copper curl refusing to remain pinned up, curling it around his finger. “You are going to burn a hole right through the carriage floor if you continue concentrating so hard.”

“We have to think of something.”

He lowered his head, his mouth touching hers for a feather-light kiss. “We will, sweetheart, but not tonight. Why don’t we try to concentrate on something else?” His mouth sought the softness of her neck. She angled her head exposing the sensitive flesh as he continued down the to the base of her throat.

Her heart hammered in her chest. The now familiar tingling seared her entire body. All coherent thought fled her mind. His fingers kneaded the back of her neck, his touch sending heat coursing through her. Their carriage arrived at the hotel. The driver’s solicitous action of opening the door interrupted their passion.

Hurrying to their suite of rooms, they were impatient in their pursuit. Jared already worked the fastenings of her gown. She was as eager as he to remove the garment. She unbuttoned his shirt, exposing his chest.

He shrugged out of his shirt, releasing the last catch holding up her gown. It slid off her body to the floor.

She walked to the bed, sitting on its edge to remove her stockings. Jared removed his clothes then joined her on the edge of the bed.

Having discarded her stockings, Taryn reached for the ribbon of her chemise, but he dragged her across his lap, kissing her with growing passion. The chemise forgotten, she reached up to encircle his neck. His mouth moved to her cheek, his fingers brushing across her breast. He kissed the corner of her mouth. “I want you, Taryn.”

Leaning back, he undid the lacings of the sheer garment, removing it from her. He reached under her knees, sliding off the bed with her to the large carpet covering the wood floor. Laying her down upon it, he propped himself over her, kissing her mouth in need.

She could feel the softness of the carpet’s material against her back and buttocks. Everything he did felt seductive in nature. His tongue tempted her breasts with its swirling, his mouth pulling at their peaks. Her fingers entwined in his hair, wetting her lips in rising desire. His hand slid down over her stomach. She opened herself to him, awaiting the enticing allure of his caresses. She bit her lower lip. Short pants changed to moans of ecstasy. Her breath caught in her throat before it expelled in a sigh. Rolling to her side, she kissed him with the passion she felt. She slid her hands over his chest, trailing a path of warm kisses across its expanse down to his stomach.

His stomach muscles tightened in reaction to the course she was taking. His hands rested on her shoulders, his lower body responding in eager anticipation. Her warm mouth heightened his pleasure causing him to promptly harden. When her caresses became more intent, he soared to a place where nothing matters but feeling. At the peak of arousal, a throaty outcry passed his lips. Regaining his breath, Jared pulled her up across his body. Deepening his kiss, he positioned her body to straddle him.

She felt him enter her, their new positions surprising her as much as it did excite. He held her hips while she braced her palms on his chest. Their rhythmic movement started gradually then spiraled into a wild, frantic pace until they reached the pinnacle of satisfaction.

He rolled her onto her back covering her mouth with his. His tongue plunged into her mouth. He denied her nothing, using all his knowledge to bring them both to the fullest heights of passion. Jared threaded his fingers with hers then pressed his mouth to her breast. Her back arched up in answer to his soft caresses, his mouth encompassing the peak as he suckled it to life. His hands grazed over her body finding every tender curve, each sensitive nerve. His fingers toyed and teased, cajoled, and demanded. He shifted his lower body, entering her, driving forward gently, slowly.

Her pelvis jumped in instinctive reaction. He reached down, raising her buttocks closer to meet his thrusts. She felt her muscles tighten, enticing him farther in, molding her lower body to his. She reached her hands around his hips to press him onward.

He pressed downward, deeper within her, burying himself in the soft folds of her. The blazing passion he felt in his loins reached higher and higher. Taryn’s moans intensified his pleasure. He pushed forward one last time, his fingers digging into the soft flesh of her thighs where he held them.

Taryn clutched his shoulders, crying out his name. His final thrust made her body shudder in ardor.

He withdrew from her, laying on his back, drawing her close, even now needing her near.

She didn’t have the will to move. Her head rested against his shoulder, her arm draped across his chest. Her parents accepted Jared and her marriage. She only wished they could discover who was responsible for Dean Breck’s murder.