Cameron, Paige - Commando Cowboys Rescue Their Bride [Wyoming Warriors 2] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Polyromance) (2 page)

Chapter One

Two months later

Morgan O’Malley tried to shake off the uneasy feeling that crept up her spine and had her heart beating faster than usual. Over the past six years she’d attended numerous parties her boss, Bill Sams, had given. She was being silly.

Her three-year-old sedan looked incongruous among the fancy automobiles parked on the circular drive and along the street. Stepping out of her car, she straightened her spine and headed toward Bill’s front door.

“Morgan, I was beginning to think you weren’t coming,” Bill said, and ushered her inside. “Everyone is here. They’re in the family room, or out on the patio. Get a drink and circulate.” He motioned her toward the bar, set up in a corner of the room.

She studied the crowd as she strolled in that direction. The majority of the men were business acquaintances who she’d seen come in and out of Bill’s office. Most had first appeared this past year. She didn’t recognize any of the women.

If only Ellen had been free to come with her today, she’d be more comfortable. She missed Sara since she’d married and moved to Wyoming. Sara and Ellen were Morgan’s best friends. They had gone everywhere together. More and more Morgan either stayed home, or found herself going places alone.

“What’s your pleasure?” the bartender asked her.

“Can you make me a virgin strawberry daiquiri?”

“I can, but what a waste. A little buzz at a party always makes for more fun.” He gave her a flirty smile.

“I can do without the buzz.”

He shrugged and began to mix her drink.

“Morgan, hello.” A short, plump, partially bald man stepped to her side. “After you get your drink, join our group on the patio.” He slid his cold, pudgy hand along her arm. “I like the sundress.” His eyes pointedly stared at her heart-shaped bustline.

Morgan fought to keep from shivering at his touch. Her stomach churned. Bill had introduced her to Mr. Brown about six months ago. She suspected Brown wasn’t his real name. Since then, the older man had made a determined effort to date her. Apparently, a repeated no was not enough of a rejection.

She deliberately turned her back to him and reached for her drink. “Excuse me. I’m going to mingle.” She strode off in the opposite direction from the group on the patio.

Two women stood by long windows facing the wide yard leading down to the river. Morgan joined them.

“It’s a beautiful day for a party,” Morgan said to start a conversation. How inane she sounded, but at least it kept her away from Mr. Brown, and several of the other men who always looked at her as though they were undressing her in their minds.

“The weather doesn’t matter to me. Anytime I can get into a group with this many powerful, rich men is a good day,” the tall, anemic-looking blonde said.

“Me, too,” her friend added. “This is the first party of this type I’ve been invited to. I don’t plan to waste any time. Let’s go meet some men.” She and the other woman ignored Morgan and headed to the glass doors.

Morgan’s gut had told her to stay home, but she’d been doing too much of that lately. She took a sip of her drink and walked across the room to the buffet. She’d eat a small amount, finish her drink, and get out of here.

After selecting a variety of stuffed shrimp, mushrooms, vegetables with dip, and cheese bread, Morgan took her plate and drink and found a seat to the side of the room. She’d been hungrier than she’d realized, and cleaned her plate quickly.

Gradually the room had emptied. She and another couple were the only ones left.

She took a long sip of her daiquiri, left her plate on a nearby table, and strolled out a side door, managing to avoid Mr. Brown. She walked toward the river and the dock where a large houseboat sat waiting to take them all on a ride later. She planned to be gone long before then.

Morgan reached in her pocket for her sunglasses and blinked her eyes. The sunlight had made her dizzy. She hurried the last few steps to get to the bank and sink onto the grass. Her stomach didn’t feel so good, either. Maybe the shrimp was bad?

When she tried to raise her glass, her hand appeared to be moving in a circle. “Whoa.” What the hell was happening to her? Taking two hands she guided the top of the glass to her mouth.

“I’d throw that away if I was you.”

A smooth, sexy voice echoed in her ear. She turned her head to see him, and the world swam around her. Her stomach rebelled. All her food and drink spewed out across polished black shoes.

“That wasn’t exactly what I meant.” The man spoke from a distance and strangely sounded amused.

“So sorry. Don’t know what is wrong.” She let her body fall flat against the grass.

“Let me help you.” Warm hands sat her straight and then his strong, muscular arms picked her up and held her against his hot body. His scent had her turning her head into his chest and taking a deep breath.

“You smell good.”

“Thanks.” This time he definitely chuckled. She felt it under her ear. Taking long, smooth strides, the man carried her back toward the house.

“No,” she whispered. “Take me to my car. Don’t want to see Mr. Brown. Might throw up again.” She barely managed to get the words out around her stumbling tongue.

“He has the same effect on me. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of you.”

Morgan blinked and tried to see her rescuer. A tanned face with eyes that moved around and blond hair falling over a forehead were brief impressions. She gave up and closed her eyes.

“What’s wrong with Morgan?” She heard Bill’s voice from a distance.

“She’s not feeling well. I’ll see her home,” her rescuer answered.

But he doesn’t know where I live. I have to tell him
. The words refused to form on her lips. The rest of the conversation was lost as she sank deeper into the blackness.

* * * *

Ethan Wright Stanton held Morgan close to his body. The other men stood watching and listening to the interchange between him and Bill. He was in a tight spot. From the angry expression on Mr. Brown’s face, Ethan expected he held what Brown had paid to enjoy. The other women here today looked like ladies of the night. The woman in his arms didn’t.
Whatever Brown had had in mind for her, it wasn’t going to happen.

“You don’t know where she lives, do you?” Bill asked.

“Actually I do. We went to dinner the other night. I followed her home to be sure she got there all right.” He lied, but they wouldn’t know. “Anyway, I plan to take her to my place until she’s feeling better.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. You can leave her with me. I’ve known her for six years. She’ll be more comfortable waking up in my house instead of someplace she’s never been.”

Bill frowned at him.

“I promised her I’d take care of her. I never break a promise.” Ethan stared him down.

“Wait a minute.” Mr. Brown had walked across to stand by them. “I’ve paid for this,” he whispered to Bill.

With Ethan’s heightened sense of sound, he had no difficulty hearing the weasel. He’d suspected as much. Her drink had been spiked, probably with a date rape drug. Why would her boss do this to her?

“I must insist you leave her with me,” Bill repeated. Sweat formed on his brow. “If not, there will be serious repercussions.”

“Such as?”

“We’ll stop you,” Mr. Brown snapped.

“Just try.” Ethan turned and strode across the grass and around the house.

“Wait. I demand you stop.” Mr. Brown stumbled and fell flat in his effort to catch Ethan.

“Good riddance,” Ethan said, over his shoulder. His chauffeur waited holding the door to his limo open. Ethan carefully placed Morgan inside. He stepped back out to face Bill Sams.

“After this behavior I doubt you’ll be invited to continue to be a part of our group,” Bill threatened.

Ethan shrugged. “If you don’t need my money, that’s fine.”

He started to step back inside the car.

Bill grabbed his arm, but let it go when Ethan stared at his hand. “Come to my office Monday morning. We’ll talk.”

“Charles, close the door and drive.” Ethan stepped into the limo.
Let the asshole sweat
. He sat on a side seat and studied Morgan. She was beautiful. He’d seen her twice, just recently, at Bill’s office. But he hadn’t spoken to her, other than to acknowledge their introduction.

Money had paved the way for him to infiltrate into the espionage group. Then, a few weeks ago, he’d been introduced to Bill Sams.

Justin had been right about the man. But Ethan still had no idea of the identity of the mastermind leader, or how all the different personalities worked in the spy ring that included many diverse illegal activities. He glanced at the woman passed out on the long back seat.

What was her role? It was difficult to believe she was totally innocent, and yet she was a close friend of Sara’s, his leaders’ wife.

Ethan slipped off his ruined shoes. He smiled, remembering. It was his fault for stepping so close, but he’d noticed her coming his way in her lemony-colored sundress, the sun making her black-as-night hair glisten. She’d simply taken his breath away.

He moved from his seat and sat beside Morgan. His fingers itched to touch her creamy skin. What was there about her that had hit him so hard?

Bill Sams had encouraged him to come to the party today and meet some of the other men in the group. He hadn’t been impressed, and he soon got the message that the women were there to be enjoyed.

Not being interested, he’d taken the opportunity to explore. He’d wandered down to the river and pretended to be admiring the houseboat when the guard had invited him on board. He took the opportunity to observe the fancy electronic setup on the bridge.

He’d thanked the guard and walked back down the pier to return to the party, when her sweet scent grabbed his attention. She had stumbled on her way to the bank and managed to sit, before she fell, onto the ground. Her glazed expression had told him she was definitely in trouble.

He wished Jack, one of the community doctors, was nearby. Morgan was still completely out, and her breathing had slowed. He touched her wrist to take her pulse. Her soft skin sent a jolt to his heart. Her pulse was steady, but slow. Her particular scent filled his nostrils, and his dick went instantly hard. He moved back to the seat across from her.
What the hell?

She hadn’t moved. Her creamy skin glistened in the sunlight coming through the car windows. Shiny black curls clustered around a heart-shaped face. When she’d walked toward the water earlier today, the sunlight appeared to encircle her in a special glow. His cock got harder with his increased desire to taste her, touch her, sink into her sweet body.
Down boy, she needs protection. That’s all
.

The limo pulled into the underground garage and parked. Charles opened the door. “You need some help?”

“If I look that weak, just shoot me. Get the elevator.”

Charles laughed and strode across to put the key in the private elevator for the penthouse. Ethan lifted Morgan into his arms and carried her inside the lift. Soon they were speeding up toward the condominium he’d purchased as part of his cover.

When the doors opened to the foyer, Charles went ahead and unlocked the entrance. Ethan went straight through the living room, down the hall, and into a bedroom on the right. Gently, he laid her on the bed.

“Call Jack. Tell him to get here as soon as possible.”