At age twenty-one, Leah Thomson had never been in love but had been married. She was just eighteen when Charlie Sawyer had promised to free her from her half-brother and his wife's clutches. But that never happened and it wasn't long before Leah discovered that her husband didn't nor had ever cared for her. He took the little money she had and one day disappeared. She had been alone since.
Leah worked hard at her brother and sister in law's hotel cooking, serving the tables and cleaning the rooms, treated like a slave for a miserable wage. But she was happy. Rachel and Hannah were her best friends and filled her days with laugh and joy. She had inherited her family's book collection and had read all the classics. She was poor, like a woman without a man often was, but had all that she deemed important in life, a house, good friends, enough food on the table and food for her soul. She didn't feel the need of a man in her life.
But then Tom came and Leah fell in love for the first time. Everything changed. The light was different, colors were different, even tastes were different. She was still happy, actually happier than she had ever been, but slowly a void formed inside her. It was like she now was missing something, a part of her soul, and Tom was the only one who could give her that something, fill that void.
She had never felt in such a harmony with any human being before. They were matching souls. Anything she needed she'd found in Tom, anything she wanted, Tom would give her.
Tom was an influential, wealthy man twice her age. He was strong and handsome and knew the world. He was certainly married, with children, probably. While unconscious he had repeatedly called a woman's name, Victoria. Leah was a God-fearing woman and wouldn't hurt anyone nor had she ever imagined to be in the position of seducing someone to break their wedding vows. But love had turned her selfish. She wanted Tom for herself for as long and as much as she could. She needed to share everything with him, even herself, not just her heart but her body also. And she could sense how much he wanted that, too.
Tom was struggling with his own feelings. He was happily married. His wife Victoria, was his soul mate. She was his partner for life and his best friend. She was beautiful, wise, strong and brave. And she knew him better than he knew himself. They had two sons he loved dearly and they planned to have more. He wanted her by his side for the rest of their lives. They would grow old together and watch their children become men and one day have their own children making them proud grandparents. They had started it all together, all that he had he owed to her.
They were young when they had married and come to the West to realize their dreams. They didn't know how hard it would be. And hard it had been, very hard. But Victoria was his rock and he had always drawn strength from her iron will. Tom was not much of a believer but his faith in his family was unwavering and he'd never imagine he'd break his wedding vows.
But now, Leah was there.
He couldn't deny the feelings he was experiencing. When they were together, it was like no one else existed in the whole world. Time didn't count anymore. They could talk for hours, or just stare into each other's eyes. Her youth, her light spirit, made him feel carefree and young himself. In her company, he was happy like never before. He couldn't deny that in a way he irrefutably, irresistibly, irrationally, definitively loved Leah.
Nothing had happened between the two of them yet, nothing physical at least, but both knew something eventually would. They wanted more. They needed more.
Tom had obtained the doctor's permission to take short walks with a stick and Leah's aid and that evening they decided to walk in the little garden that surrounded Leah's cabin. She wrapped her arm around his waist and they slowly covered the perimeter. Tom was exhausted. They sat on the porch swing, very close to one another and the long, deep kiss that followed was the most natural thing. The world owed them that kiss. Leah breathed deeply, her fevered eyes fixed on his intense gaze. Tom cupped her flushed cheek. As she covered his hand with her own, she felt like melting inside and knew their moment had come.
Tom knew that was the time to be honest, to tell her the truth about his family. He'd never be in the position to give her what she deserved, no matter how badly he might want to.
"Leah…." he began.
"No, don't say anything, I don't want to know", she said in a whisper.
She stood and put out her hand. Tom hesitated. What she wasn't saying, he could hear loud and clear. If he took that hand there was no return.
Tom took the offered hand.
Leah led him toward her bedroom, Tom didn't make any resistance.