Chapter Four #2
She leaned further toward him, offering her lips, and her long dark hair brushed his wrist as he held her face.
His mouth met hers with surprising gentleness, as if he were afraid to startle her away.
For a heartbeat, she went still, every memory of Bill and every fear of betrayal rising up like a wall—but Sebastian’s hands remained steady on her cheeks, his touch patient, asking rather than taking.
When she finally opened her eyes again, the blue of his gaze was close enough to steal her breath.
Lula let out a slow breath and melted into the kiss, allowing herself to feel the warmth of him and the quiet certainty that she was safe.
She tasted the spices she’d used in their stew on his lips.
Something inside her—a tight, guarded knot she’d carried for years—loosened.
It didn’t mean she loved Sebastian, and it didn’t erase what had been stolen from her.
But it did mean her life was still moving forward, one careful step at a time.
When he pulled back, he didn’t look triumphant the way some men might have. He looked...relieved. “Is this all right?” he asked softly, his thumb still resting at the edge of her jaw.
Lula swallowed past the sudden thickness in her throat and nodded. “Yes. And if it stops being all right, I’ll tell you.”
“Good,” he said simply. “That’s what I want.
” He kissed her again—slower this time—until her shoulders eased and she found herself smiling against his mouth despite everything she’d promised herself she would never feel again.
She felt passion building inside her, and though she was a bit surprised, she was happy she could have that feeling for her new husband.
It would be difficult to be married and not be attracted to him.
Later, when the fire had burned low and the cabin had grown quiet, Sebastian carried her to the bed as if she weighed nothing at all.
Lula would have protested—she was perfectly capable of walking—but she didn’t.
She climbed in beside him with a hesitance that faded when he only took her hand and laced his fingers with hers.
For the first time since she’d arrived in Alaska, Lula fell asleep with a man’s steady breathing at her back and did not feel trapped. She felt chosen.
*****
Sometime before dawn, Lula stirred against the warmth of Sebastian’s chest and found him already awake, his hand resting lightly at her waist as if he meant to comfort her rather than wake her.
In the hush of the cabin, he kissed her softly and gave her every chance to pull away.
She didn’t. Maybe she didn’t love him the way she had Bill, but she cared about making him happy.
She returned his kisses and let her hands roam over his strong shoulders. He was a good man, and she would have a good marriage.
When sleep claimed them again, she was folded in his arms.
In the morning, Lula woke to pale light slanting through the small window and the sound of Sebastian moving quietly so he wouldn’t disturb her. She sat up anyway, brushing her long dark hair back from her face. “You’re up early.”
“Habit,” he said with a sheepish grin. He pulled on his boots and glanced at the corner where her rifle rested.
“And I wanted to tell you before I leave—Everett mentioned the riverbank on the east side has the best rocks. He said if you ladies can gather a good pile today, we’ll be able to finish your cold house before the ground turns stubborn. ”
Lula swung her legs out of bed, suddenly wide awake.
A cold house of their own meant she wouldn’t have to ask permission to store what she hunted.
It meant she could bring meat to Katie without rushing into town while her hands still smelled of iron and forest. It meant freedom—something she’d started to believe might actually be possible.
She set water on to heat and made oatmeal—because even if she hated cooking, she had no intention of sending her husband out into the cold on an empty stomach. When he finished, he leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead, as familiar as if they’d done it a hundred times.
After he left, Lula pulled on her thickest skirt and woolen wrap, pulling on a pair of old gloves.
Rocks were not as thrilling as a bear, but the work would bring her the one thing she wanted almost as much as the hunt itself—proof that this cabin, this land, and this life truly belonged to her.
She stepped outside and headed for Belle’s, ready to find Belle and Ella and fill a canoe with rocks.
As she walked, she thought about the previous night. Her marriage was now consummated, and that was a good thing in her mind. It was the scariest part of marrying a stranger to her way of thinking. And it was over.
Lula had enjoyed making love with Sebastian, and she looked forward to doing it again and again. She so wanted to have babies, and knowing Maggie would watch her child while she hunted made it all that much easier.
Her step was lighter than it had been the day before, and she was pleased. With herself and with Sebastian. She knew they were going to be all right.