Kiss in the Moonlight
Judah stepped into a beam of moonlight, and Hope felt her heart seize up for a moment, unsure whether she should be relieved that it was him and not an actual murderer or if she should take off running before he could infiltrate her fragile heart any more. “Are you all right, Miss Tucker?” he asked, his voice soft in the night air. “I saw you light out of there. That song remind you of some long lost love?”
He had worked his way under the canopy of branches now, but even through their filter she could still see concern in his eyes. “I’m fine, thank you. Not a lover but my daddy. He used to sing it when I was a girl.”
“I see.”
A small chuckle escaped her lips. “You must think I’m awful silly takin’ off over something like that.”
“Why would you say that?” He moved even closer, though there were still a few feet between them. “Memories can be powerful, especially when they creep up on us.”
From the way he spoke, she sensed he wasn’t just talking about her own memories. He adjusted his hat so that it was further back on his head and she could fully see his face now. She could’ve described him many ways, but looking into those eyes, she was certain he was no killer, regardless of what Doc and the others may have to say. “Why are you out here?” she asked, not sure what she was hoping to hear.
“I saw you take off, wanted to make sure you were okay.”
Hope let that settle into her chest for a moment, not sure how to respond. She ran a hand through some loose curls and spread them back to where the rest of her tresses were gathered on the top of her head, trying to avoid thoughts of this man without his shirt on from earlier. “If I had my own cart, I’d probably head back home... back to the Howards’ home, anyhow.”
He glanced back toward the barn. “I’m sure Caroline’d give ya a ride whenever you want. I’d take you myself, but I know that’s against yer rules, though I guess it’s okay for someone like Brady or Doc Howard.”
Had he been keeping tabs on who she’d been riding around with? “Well, Brady’s engaged, so he’s not a single man. And Doc... I’m not sure on that one. I asked Nita if it was okay, and she sorta just laughed at me.” She held in the conversation she’d heard when Doc had asked if the rules of her contract could be changed.
Judah didn’t appear to be dwelling on her statement anyway as he studied the ground between his boots. “I guess if they wanna get real technical, I ain’t single either.”
She stared at him for a moment, not quite understanding before she realized he meant there was a difference between being a bachelor and being a man who’d been made a widower twice, at least that’s what she assumed. She’d never heard him mention either of his wives, and since the rumors had been wrong on so many other counts, she thought perhaps she shouldn’t take anything for granted. Was there a chance he was still married and had just left his wife in Kansas for some reason? “I don’t mean to pry, Mr. Lawless, but, I heard you lost your wife. Two of ‘em, in fact. Do you mind telling me if that part of the rumors is true?”
He looked up at her, and she could see in his eyes that the answer was yes before he gave a short nod. Hope felt like an intruder for having asked and gazed past him, through the trees at the lights coming from the barn. What if someone came out here and caught them speaking? Would she be released from her employment?
The song shifted to something slow and haunting, similar to the melody that had sent her running, but she didn’t know this one. “I’d ask you to dance, but I think that would be dangerous,” Judah said, his voice as gentle as the breeze that stirred her hair. “For both of us.”
“Why is that?” Hope couldn’t stop the question before it came out of her mouth, and she found herself leaning toward him as well. “Why would it be dangerous for you?”
He made a noise that sounded like a cross between a snicker and a yelp. “Because... I’ve determined to never, ever get involved with another woman again for as long as I live.” He was looking directly into her eyes now, and Hope felt a stirring in her chest as her heart caught and tried to restart again. “You seem like the kinda woman that could make me forget that vow, Hope Tucker. And that ain’t safe for no one.”
The ability to think rationally had fled her mind, and despite all the warnings, all the things she had to lose, Hope stepped forward, closing the gap between them and pressed her lips to his. He didn’t jerk back in surprise as she would’ve imagined, not that she’d spent much time thinking at all, but instead his hand slipped around the back of her waist, pulling her closer, and Hope melted into him, the feel of his soft lips on hers assuring her nothing in the world could ever be wrong again.
But it was only for a moment, and then the realization of what she’d done hit her like a stone in the stomach. Hope pulled away, and he let her go. “I’m so sorry,” she muttered, taking off between the trees, careful not to tangle her hair in the branches or misstep and stumble and fall. She needed to get away, back to reality, before it was too late.
She ran almost all the way back to the barn, not even glancing over her shoulder to see if Judah was following. She knew he wasn’t—she would’ve heard his footsteps if he was. Once she felt as if she’d put enough distance between herself and temptation, she paused to catch her breath and knew her lungs were burning for reasons other than the short sprint. He’d taken her breath away, and she’d let him. Hope smoothed her hair back and ran her hands down the length of her gown before slowly proceeding back to the barn. A quick glance around let her know if she’d been missed at all, no one would say anything. Caroline and Paul were taking a turn on the dance floor now, but Hope desperately wished she could run all the way back to McKinney, or maybe Missouri. Instead, she took a seat on her hay bale, praying it would all be over soon.
When Judah came back in, it was through another door, and no one seemed to think anything of that either. She couldn’t look at him, not while he was looking at her anyway, so she avoided his gaze. Once the song ended, she followed his boots over to his sister and the next thing she knew, Caroline was approaching, asking if she was ready to call it a night. It had been his work, she was certain. And she knew he would’ve said something generic, such as, “Look at Hope sittin’ over there all pathetic by herself. Maybe you should take her back to her prison at the Howards’ house,” only not that harsh. But suddenly that’s how she felt—caged.
She took Caroline up on her offer and followed her out the barn door, along with George and Ginny who needed to get to bed so they could be up for church the next morning. Hope fought the urge to look over her shoulder as she went, but she was certain blue eyes followed her into the night.
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