Chapter 10

Shadow Valley, Texas - August 1872

Teaspoon sat at the table and passed the rolls to Buck. He smiled pleasantly at Desiree. She was a beautiful woman it was too bad she was more interested in her daughter's love life than her own he thought to himself.

"That is the best chicken I've ever had." Teaspoon declared as he patted his belly.

"You must have had a lot of chicken," Samantha said innocently.

Buck choked back a laugh, earning a withering look from Desiree directed at her daughter.

The mood shifted as Desiree retrieved a bottle of wine. "To celebrate your safe return from Abilene," she announced.

"Thank you for the thought," Buck replied, his smile polite, "but I don't drink."

A flicker of surprise crossed Desiree's face. "Not at all?"

"No, please, go ahead. I wouldn't want to spoil the celebration."

"Such a gentleman." Desiree cooed, pouring the wine. Her gaze lingered on him. "I hope you don't mind my curiosity, but..."

Buck braced himself for another inquiry.

"You carry yourself with such refinement," Desiree continued, her voice taking on a probing tone. "It makes me wonder about your hair. It's quite...long."

"It's a part of me," Buck said simply.

"Of course, dear." Desiree conceded, though a hint of disapproval lingered in her eyes. "But don't you think a shorter style, something more...gentlemanly, would suit you better?"

"Why don't we let them have wine and dessert and you and I can go for a walk in the garden while it's still light?" Bethany smiled and rested her hand on Buck's arm. "We can watch the sunset."

"That sounds nice." He took her hand a little too tightly. "Excuse us please."

Buck led Bethany out to the secluded garden behind the house. As they walked along the fence line, the vast plains stretched before them, painted in the fiery hues of sunset. He glanced down, feeling the light touch of her hand slide into his. Bethany, with her perfectly coiffed blonde hair and flawless complexion, was the picture of elegance, a porcelain doll come to life.

He met her blue eyes, a spark of curiosity igniting within him. He traced his finger along her delicate brow, captivated by her beauty for a fleeting moment.

The space between them dwindled. He leaned in, his breath warm against her cheek. Their lips met in a hesitant touch, a mere whisper of a kiss. Bethany's skin, smooth and flawless like porcelain, felt like a stark contrast to the memory of Honor's sun-kissed cheeks, dusted with freckles.

A surge of heat roared through him, fueled by a desperate need to banish Honor's ghost. His grip on Bethany tightened, the kiss deepening into something fierce, a frantic attempt to rewrite his desires. But the echo of Honor's laughter in his mind shattered the illusion. Shame slammed into him like a physical blow.

With a jolt, he tore his lips away, the echo of Bethany's surprised gasp hanging in the air. Guilt twisted in his gut, a heavy knot that tightened with each ragged breath.

"I apologize," Buck stammered, his voice rough with suppressed emotion. "That wasn't... I wasn't myself." Shame burned in his chest. He had sought solace in Bethany's touch, a desperate attempt to erase the lingering image of Honor. But the kiss had only served as a cruel reminder of his unresolved feelings, leaving him more lost than ever.

Bethany pushed open the back door, her cheeks flushed and her heart pounding. The scene that greeted her was one of confusion – her mother's brow furrowed, a half-empty glass of wine abandoned on the table, and Samantha peering down from the landing with wide, curious eyes.

Before Bethany could even process the oddity of it all, Desiree spoke, her voice laced with concern. "Bethany, what's going on? Buck practically bolted out of here, and Mr. Hunter followed close behind."

"He...he kissed me," she finally managed, the words tumbling out in a rush.

A flicker of surprise crossed Desiree's face, quickly replaced by a dismissive snort. "He kissed you? That's all? Honestly, Bethany, if that's enough to send a grown man running, no wonder he's never married."

Bethany flinched. The sting of rejection was immediate and sharp. It wasn't just a kiss, it was the way he'd pulled away so abruptly, his eyes filled with a flicker of something she couldn't decipher. It was the feeling of being left hanging, confused and unsure.