CHAPTER 26
Shortly before midnight, Beth excused herself to the ladies lounge. Gwen had brought Cassie and after she'd been fed, her father was going to drive Rayna and the baby to the Inn.
"Thank you both for taking care of her for me." She said as she bundled Cassie up for the trip to the Inn. "I know you would much rather spend tonight with Rick."
"Rick is going to be in town for at least a week Lea, and it isn't a big deal. Tonight is about you and Adam, and I'd just as soon kiss this pretty niece of mine at midnight as anyone." Rayna replied. "Plus . you are going to owe me big time." She teased as they started out of the door, almost running into Adam and Richie.
"You weren't thinking about running out of here without letting me have one dance with my little princess now were you?" Adam said as he took the baby from Beth's arms and held her soft face up against his cheek.
"This is just too bizarre for words." Richie said as he watched the ancient immortal become completely enraptured with the child in his arms.
"I don't think I'd let him hear that." Amanda said as she passed behind him to go into the lounge. "He may seem all about sugar and spice, but trust me . he still bites." She laughed.
"Can I help you to the car." Richie asked Rayna when he didn't see Rick anywhere around.
"Thanks." She said, picking up the diaper bag and letting Richie get the car seat. Her father had already warmed up the car and was waiting at the entrance. Adam waited till after Richie came back in to say the seat was in place before taking the baby outside and strapping her in securely. "Daddy will see you in the morning." He whispered as he brushed his hand softly over her whispy, red curls and kissed the top of her head. Beth had said goodbye to the baby inside, and as he stood alone, watching the car drive away, Adam felt a cold shiver run through him that his gut told him was more than the wind.
Beth called to him from the doorway, and the sight of her smile helped him dismiss the premonition.
When Rayna and her father arrived at the Inn, Peter Harris and the Innkeeper took all the bags inside for not only Rayna and the baby, but for Adam and Beth as well.
Rayna's room was on the first floor near the back stairs. "This is beautiful." She said to the Innkeeper's wife. They'd put a baby bed on the other side of the room, and a few minutes after her father left her there, she managed to rock Cassie to sleep and put her down easily.
She was about to put on her gown and robe when she heard a tapping on her window.
"What are you doing?" she laughed as she opened the window to let Rick inside.
"You left without my goodnight kiss." He replied. "And without this." He pulled a carafe from behind his back, set it on the table and then pulled out two mugs from his pockets.
"What is that?" she laughed as she helped him take off his coat.
"Hot chocolate." He replied. "I knew champagne was off limits since you were on duty."
"You are too sweet to me." Rayna said as she snuggled against him. "And I wouldn't have left without giving you a proper goodbye if you hadn't disappeared."
"Can I help it if I had to go across town for these?" he pulled out a small bag of large marshmallows.
Rayna went to sit on the rug in front of the fireplace, taking the mug Rick offered before he sat down beside her. "No marshmallows for you?" she laughed when she saw three on top of her mug.
"Trying to cut down on the sugar." He replied, patting his trim waistline.
They talked for a few minutes as she drank her chocolate, using the spoon to scoop the marshmallow from the bottom. Rick set the mugs aside and moved over to kiss her, lying her down on the rug. He could still taste the chocolate on her lips when her eyes closed and she was no longer aware of his presence.
"Sorry love. You'll have one hell of a headache tomorrow." He said as he covered her with the afghan from the foot of the bed after lying her on it. "But thankfully you won't remember a thing. And as far as you know, I was never here."
His attention then turned to the baby in the crib. He covered her with a blanket and spotted the diaper bag on his way out the door.
"6 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - Happy New Year!" the room erupted in laughter and music.
"Happy New Year sweetheart." Adam said, looking down into Beth's eyes.
"Shut up and kiss me." Beth replied, lacing her arms around his neck and arching into him as he complied willingly with her request.
"Get a room." Amanda snickered behind them as soon as she let Duncan loose from her own steamy New Year's greeting. Adam had no sooner let go of Beth than Amanda planted a kiss of her own on his lips and then turned to find Joe and Richie.
"She really gets into this doesn't she?" Beth laughed as she gave Duncan a peck on the cheek.
"Oh Amanda lives for moments like this." He replied as they continued to watch her move across the room, assaulting every handsome man in the room with her lips.
Richie and Claudia were already headed back on the dance floor when Beth turned to find Garrett behind her.
"Happy New Year Leandra." He said before kissing her fully on the lips.
Beth was a little surprised, but played it off as no big deal just as Amanda's kisses hadn't meant anything a moment before.
Adam still didn't like it. He'd held her a little too close and the kiss was much too familiar. It caught him a little off guard that Beth didn't seem to notice. But he dismissed the thought. She was probably just trying to keep the peace.
"One more dance and I'm ready to leave anytime you are." She said as she pulled him onto the dance floor. Adam smiled as he let her take the lead, grasping her hips as she clung to him. "What do you say we finish this dance at the Inn Mrs. Pierson?" He whispered as the heat in their eyes demanded quenching.
"Lead the way Mr. Pierson." She replied, letting her hands run over his chest and beneath his jacket before stepping away.
"We'll be in touch." Adam called to their friends at the table as Beth asked one of the waiters if he could get her cape from the cloakroom.
"Does this mean you won't be joining us at the stable in the morning." MacLeod called back.
"Funny MacLeod." Adam replied as the rest of the group and Beth's family wished them a good night.
The limo driver didn't waste any time once Adam tipped him well to make the drive a short one.
The Innkeeper and his wife had already gone up to bed, but Adam knew which room their things had been placed in upstairs. So as soon as Beth stepped out of the car, he swept her up into his arms and carried her not only up the porch stairs, but all the way to their room.
"Wow." She whispered as Adam opened the door to the room and set her down on the edge of the bed. "Adam this is incredible."
The bed was covered with a gauzy white canopy and lots of throw pillows. A fire burned in the fireplace and the room was bathed in candlelight. And on every table and even on the floor there were vases and baskets of red roses.
Beth walked to one of the vases and lifted a rose, inhaling the sweet fragrance.
"Do you like it?" he asked, coming to stand behind her.
"I love it." She replied, turning in his arms. "I love everything you do for me."
"Then you won't mind this?" he said, reaching into her hair and removing the main clip, letting her hair fall down around her shoulders. "I've wanted to do that all night." He confessed as he let his fingers comb through the soft, silky waves.
They stood for a long time holding one another and staring into each other's eyes, and Adam was just about to kiss her when she remembered a surprise she had for him.
"What?" he asked as she slipped from his arms to look around the room until she spotted it. There on one of the tables was a large bucket with a selection of Adam's favorite beers on ice.
"Are you hoping to take advantage of me in my weakness?" he laughed as he lifted one of the bottles and checked the label.
"Of course." She replied, "but mainly I thought it would give you something to do while you wait."
"Wait?" he laughed. "I think I've waited long enough, don't you?" he tried to pull her into his arms, but she playfully slipped away from him.
"You aren't planning on peeking in on the baby are you?" he asked. "Because when we came up the stairs the light under Rayna's door was dark."
"Oh God no. If she heard either of us we'd never hear the end of her cries." she replied. "I just want a minute to change."
"You mean I don't get to help you out of this dress you selected just for me?" he pouted.
"Please?" she asked him, looking up through her lashes in a way he couldn't resist.
"Ok" he replied, shrugging out of his jacket. "But if you aren't out here by the time I finish this beer, I'm coming in after you." He finished, popping the top off of the bottle and dropping unceremoniously onto the bed to wait.
Beth blew him a kiss and picked up the small suitcase near the door before slipping into the bathroom.
Shortly before midnight, Beth excused herself to the ladies lounge. Gwen had brought Cassie and after she'd been fed, her father was going to drive Rayna and the baby to the Inn.
"Thank you both for taking care of her for me." She said as she bundled Cassie up for the trip to the Inn. "I know you would much rather spend tonight with Rick."
"Rick is going to be in town for at least a week Lea, and it isn't a big deal. Tonight is about you and Adam, and I'd just as soon kiss this pretty niece of mine at midnight as anyone." Rayna replied. "Plus . you are going to owe me big time." She teased as they started out of the door, almost running into Adam and Richie.
"You weren't thinking about running out of here without letting me have one dance with my little princess now were you?" Adam said as he took the baby from Beth's arms and held her soft face up against his cheek.
"This is just too bizarre for words." Richie said as he watched the ancient immortal become completely enraptured with the child in his arms.
"I don't think I'd let him hear that." Amanda said as she passed behind him to go into the lounge. "He may seem all about sugar and spice, but trust me . he still bites." She laughed.
"Can I help you to the car." Richie asked Rayna when he didn't see Rick anywhere around.
"Thanks." She said, picking up the diaper bag and letting Richie get the car seat. Her father had already warmed up the car and was waiting at the entrance. Adam waited till after Richie came back in to say the seat was in place before taking the baby outside and strapping her in securely. "Daddy will see you in the morning." He whispered as he brushed his hand softly over her whispy, red curls and kissed the top of her head. Beth had said goodbye to the baby inside, and as he stood alone, watching the car drive away, Adam felt a cold shiver run through him that his gut told him was more than the wind.
Beth called to him from the doorway, and the sight of her smile helped him dismiss the premonition.
When Rayna and her father arrived at the Inn, Peter Harris and the Innkeeper took all the bags inside for not only Rayna and the baby, but for Adam and Beth as well.
Rayna's room was on the first floor near the back stairs. "This is beautiful." She said to the Innkeeper's wife. They'd put a baby bed on the other side of the room, and a few minutes after her father left her there, she managed to rock Cassie to sleep and put her down easily.
She was about to put on her gown and robe when she heard a tapping on her window.
"What are you doing?" she laughed as she opened the window to let Rick inside.
"You left without my goodnight kiss." He replied. "And without this." He pulled a carafe from behind his back, set it on the table and then pulled out two mugs from his pockets.
"What is that?" she laughed as she helped him take off his coat.
"Hot chocolate." He replied. "I knew champagne was off limits since you were on duty."
"You are too sweet to me." Rayna said as she snuggled against him. "And I wouldn't have left without giving you a proper goodbye if you hadn't disappeared."
"Can I help it if I had to go across town for these?" he pulled out a small bag of large marshmallows.
Rayna went to sit on the rug in front of the fireplace, taking the mug Rick offered before he sat down beside her. "No marshmallows for you?" she laughed when she saw three on top of her mug.
"Trying to cut down on the sugar." He replied, patting his trim waistline.
They talked for a few minutes as she drank her chocolate, using the spoon to scoop the marshmallow from the bottom. Rick set the mugs aside and moved over to kiss her, lying her down on the rug. He could still taste the chocolate on her lips when her eyes closed and she was no longer aware of his presence.
"Sorry love. You'll have one hell of a headache tomorrow." He said as he covered her with the afghan from the foot of the bed after lying her on it. "But thankfully you won't remember a thing. And as far as you know, I was never here."
His attention then turned to the baby in the crib. He covered her with a blanket and spotted the diaper bag on his way out the door.
"6 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - Happy New Year!" the room erupted in laughter and music.
"Happy New Year sweetheart." Adam said, looking down into Beth's eyes.
"Shut up and kiss me." Beth replied, lacing her arms around his neck and arching into him as he complied willingly with her request.
"Get a room." Amanda snickered behind them as soon as she let Duncan loose from her own steamy New Year's greeting. Adam had no sooner let go of Beth than Amanda planted a kiss of her own on his lips and then turned to find Joe and Richie.
"She really gets into this doesn't she?" Beth laughed as she gave Duncan a peck on the cheek.
"Oh Amanda lives for moments like this." He replied as they continued to watch her move across the room, assaulting every handsome man in the room with her lips.
Richie and Claudia were already headed back on the dance floor when Beth turned to find Garrett behind her.
"Happy New Year Leandra." He said before kissing her fully on the lips.
Beth was a little surprised, but played it off as no big deal just as Amanda's kisses hadn't meant anything a moment before.
Adam still didn't like it. He'd held her a little too close and the kiss was much too familiar. It caught him a little off guard that Beth didn't seem to notice. But he dismissed the thought. She was probably just trying to keep the peace.
"One more dance and I'm ready to leave anytime you are." She said as she pulled him onto the dance floor. Adam smiled as he let her take the lead, grasping her hips as she clung to him. "What do you say we finish this dance at the Inn Mrs. Pierson?" He whispered as the heat in their eyes demanded quenching.
"Lead the way Mr. Pierson." She replied, letting her hands run over his chest and beneath his jacket before stepping away.
"We'll be in touch." Adam called to their friends at the table as Beth asked one of the waiters if he could get her cape from the cloakroom.
"Does this mean you won't be joining us at the stable in the morning." MacLeod called back.
"Funny MacLeod." Adam replied as the rest of the group and Beth's family wished them a good night.
The limo driver didn't waste any time once Adam tipped him well to make the drive a short one.
The Innkeeper and his wife had already gone up to bed, but Adam knew which room their things had been placed in upstairs. So as soon as Beth stepped out of the car, he swept her up into his arms and carried her not only up the porch stairs, but all the way to their room.
"Wow." She whispered as Adam opened the door to the room and set her down on the edge of the bed. "Adam this is incredible."
The bed was covered with a gauzy white canopy and lots of throw pillows. A fire burned in the fireplace and the room was bathed in candlelight. And on every table and even on the floor there were vases and baskets of red roses.
Beth walked to one of the vases and lifted a rose, inhaling the sweet fragrance.
"Do you like it?" he asked, coming to stand behind her.
"I love it." She replied, turning in his arms. "I love everything you do for me."
"Then you won't mind this?" he said, reaching into her hair and removing the main clip, letting her hair fall down around her shoulders. "I've wanted to do that all night." He confessed as he let his fingers comb through the soft, silky waves.
They stood for a long time holding one another and staring into each other's eyes, and Adam was just about to kiss her when she remembered a surprise she had for him.
"What?" he asked as she slipped from his arms to look around the room until she spotted it. There on one of the tables was a large bucket with a selection of Adam's favorite beers on ice.
"Are you hoping to take advantage of me in my weakness?" he laughed as he lifted one of the bottles and checked the label.
"Of course." She replied, "but mainly I thought it would give you something to do while you wait."
"Wait?" he laughed. "I think I've waited long enough, don't you?" he tried to pull her into his arms, but she playfully slipped away from him.
"You aren't planning on peeking in on the baby are you?" he asked. "Because when we came up the stairs the light under Rayna's door was dark."
"Oh God no. If she heard either of us we'd never hear the end of her cries." she replied. "I just want a minute to change."
"You mean I don't get to help you out of this dress you selected just for me?" he pouted.
"Please?" she asked him, looking up through her lashes in a way he couldn't resist.
"Ok" he replied, shrugging out of his jacket. "But if you aren't out here by the time I finish this beer, I'm coming in after you." He finished, popping the top off of the bottle and dropping unceremoniously onto the bed to wait.
Beth blew him a kiss and picked up the small suitcase near the door before slipping into the bathroom.