Free Stolen Little Thing (Little Thing Series Book 1) by Sasha Gold Page B

stolen you a long time ago.”
    Esme searched his eyes, wondering if he meant those words because of affection for her or because of their shared property lines. He drew her toward their remaining guests. The tables, illuminated by lanterns, dozens of them that the boys had helped set out before the wedding, were surrounded by the boys and a few guests who looked as though they had little intention of leaving soon. All sat in a circle around Nolan, who was finishing an outlandish tale about the ghost of a wild bronc haunting the sand flats by the creek.
    “What do I need to do to get these people to go home?” Luke grumbled, looking at the last guests with irritation. “If Nolan keeps feeding them liquor, they’ll be here for breakfast.”
    Nolan began a new story, one about how he proposed to Loretta from the window of a hospital in Fort Worth. Esme couldn’t hear the details, but a roar of laughter extended beyond the boys who lingered nearby. When the story was done, Nolan held an empty whiskey bottle out to Maria who jumped to her feet to fetch him a replacement from a nearby table.
    “They sure don’t put as much in these bottles as they used to!” Nolan proclaimed, taking the full one from Maria.
    One of the men pulled out a deck of cards. The boys, all seven, joined the adults. They pulled up chairs and argued about what type of poker was the best.
    “Don’t you know it’s bad manners to be the last to leave a wedding reception?” Luke asked as he approached the card players hand in hand with Esme.
    Nolan looked over at Luke. His eyes widened. “What the hell you two still doing here?”
    Luke felt his irritation mount as he watched Nolan pour several other old-timers a generous belt of Luke’s best whiskey. Where was Loretta, he wondered, looking into shadows for a sign of the woman who could always be counted on to cut Nolan’s whiskey with a little water to slow him down. Luke didn’t especially like his foreman drinking in front of the boys, but at least he didn’t drink like he did before he married Loretta. Still it was still entirely possible for Luke to find him on the den couch, passed out after a night of drinking and banished by his wife from their house.
    Luke decided to let it go. Nolan was already gaining momentum on a new tale, and the boys were more interested in the game of Five-Card Stud than listening to more of Nolan’s yarn.
    Let them have their fun, Luke thought, drawing his wife near, and away from the cluster of tables. He’d spent the entire afternoon, an eternity it felt like, playing host with friends and neighbors, smiling, and conversing with them when all he really wanted was for everyone to leave early. If there were a few leftover guests, and if Nolan was intent on drinking into the wee hours of the morning, Luke wouldn’t worry. Not tonight. Not on his wedding night. He was ready to have his beautiful bride all to himself.
    “Mrs. Crosby and I are retiring for the evening,” he called over his shoulder. “Ya’all can find your way home.”
    Luke didn’t wait to hear their responses. Grasping her hand, he drew her away from the noise and toward the house. They walked up the path as dusk settled.
    Loretta hurried past them with a tray of sandwiches, cookies and a pitcher of what Luke hoped was lemonade. She halted on the path and turned back to them. “I had Consuelo leave a tray of sandwiches in your room. I’m going to go play cards, unless you need me.” The last bit was directed to Esme. Loretta gave her a pointed look to communicate motherly concern. “Esme?” she added to make her offer perfectly clear.
    “If she needs anything, I’ll take care of it,” Luke’s air of finality dismissed the woman.
    “Good night, Loretta.” Esme made her voice bright to dispel any worry in her mind or Loretta’s.
    Luke stopped at the front door, picked her up, and carried her across the threshold, plunking her down unceremoniously in the entry hall. Esme turned to