Fate's Intervention (40 page)

“
The
y don
’
t,
”
Matthew admitted.
“
I thought I
could
ride in and get something to eat from the restaurant in town while I wait.
”

“
If you need to eat, I can always go to the cookhouse and whip something up,
”
Marcelle offered.

“
D
am
n
it, woman! Go back to bed!
”
Matthew snapped, turning his
gaze,
blazing
,
to hers.
“
Or so help me I
’
ll be taking your virginity with me to
New York
.
”

“
You don
’
t have to be so crude, Matthew,
”
Marcelle said softly, raising her chin indignantly,
“
I merely wanted . . . .
”

“
What?
A
goodbye kiss?
”
Matthew snapped, his gaze moving along her scantily clad body.
“
Didn
’
t you take the time to think about your mode of dress before barreling down the stairs to see me off?
”
He asked and then smiled grimly as her face tinted pink next to the flickering candlelight.
“
No, you didn
’
t. I can see from your expression that you didn
’
t. Well, I
’
m trying to be a gentleman and give you fair warning that you need to take your half-naked body back up those stairs or a goodbye kiss is the least of what you
’
ll get from me. Do you understand me, Marcelle?
”

Marcelle nodded, but didn
’
t move.

Matthew closed his eyes and
breathed
deeply. He hadn
’
t been able to douse the fire she
’
d sparked last night with her affection and now, here she was innocently flaming those embers just by her presence. Just what kind of saint did she think he was? Maybe accepting her
father
’
s agreement hadn
’
t been such a great idea. There was no way he could spend the rest of his days under the same roof with this woman and not touch her. Even now, his fingers tingled with the thought of running along her creamy flesh. His temper flared again along with his arousal. He peered beneath his lashes, hoping beyond hope that she was gone. She wasn
’
t.

“
You are not going, Marcelle.
”

“
I don
’
t want you to leave angry with me, Matthew,
”
Marcelle whispered. Matthew
’
s eyes shot open at the tone he heard in her voice. He groaned when he noticed the tears glistening in her eyes by the light of the candle she held in her now shaky hands.

“
I
’
m sorry, love,
”
Matthew said, his anger deflating like a balloon. Unfortunately, his arousal didn
’
t leave with it.
“
I didn
’
t mean to upset you, but you make it very difficult for me to behave as a gentleman ought to behave.
”

“
I don
’
t mean to provoke you,
”
Marcelle sniffed. She hadn
’
t lost control of her emotions since her mother
’
s funeral. Had never had
reason
, and couldn
’
t see a
reason
that she should be on the verge of blubbering like a baby even now. Perhaps her lack of sleep was affecting her senses.

“
Oh, Lord, Marcelle. Please don
’
t cry,
”
Matthew said.

“
I
’
m not crying,
”
Marcelle sniffed again, but knew that if Matthew didn
’
t put her mind at ease with his next words that she would end up making a horrible spectacle of herself.

Matthew drew in a deep breath,
“
I
t
’
s
okay, Marcelle. I
’
m not angry with you. Now would you please go to bed?
”
He prayed silently that that would suffice and she would turn and leave before he did something completely foolish. He wanted her too much for her to be unwittingly
flaunting
herself in front of him. When she didn
’
t leave, he smiled grimly.

She wasn
’
t fleeing his threats or suggestions
as
she did last night, he noticed and so did his arousal. Damn, she was beautiful! Damn, he wanted her! In all fairness, he told himself, I gave her plenty of warning and plenty of opportunity to mount those stairs, so if she doesn
’
t leave in the next second, then all bets are off.

“
A
re
you sure you don
’
t want me to . . . ,
”
  Marcelle started, then let out a yelp when Matthew reached out and grabbed her by the upper arms, yanking her flush up against his rock solid physique.

“
Didn
’
t I tell you to leave?
”
He whispered, his face mere inches from her shocked countenance. She nodded stiffly.
“
So
you agree that I gave you fair warning, yes?
”
She nodded again, and her tongue flicked out to lick her suddenly dry lips. Matthew
’
s eyes noticed, and he smiled thinly.
“
You should have left when
I told you to
, but you had to stay
; h
ad to use the word
‘
want
’
. Well, hell yes, I want, and since you didn
’
t heed me, I
’
m going to show you just how much I want,
”
Matthew said fiercely and brought his mouth crashing down on hers.

He
’
d given her fair warning, he
reason
ed, sliding his hand up her arms, caressing her neck as he moved around to the back of her head. His other hand followed suit up the opposite side and he released a groan of male satisfaction when he felt her quiver beneath his touch.

His fingers deftly worked at her braid, releasing it in waves over his hands. He groaned
again and gripped a fistful of the chestnut tresses, pulling her head back to allow his mouth access to the path that his hands had only just moments ago caressed.

He heard a sigh escape her softly parted lips and grinned, returning to claim her mouth in a thorough kiss.

Marcelle gripped tight to the sides of Matthew
’
s shirt, afraid that if she let go she would fall in a heap at his feet.

Matthew released his hold on Marcelle
’
s hair and brought his hands around front, careful not to break the kiss. He pulled at the ties of her robe and then slid the silky material off her shoulders, imagining the sight of it falling in a shimmering pool at her feet.
He placed his hands on her lower back and pulled her closer, causing her back to arch ever so slightly. Lifting his head, he peered down between their bodies at the heaving breasts clearly visible through the sheer fabric of her nigh
t
gown and groaned.

“
You are so beautiful,
”
he murmured and heard her sigh.
Fighting against all common sense, he lowered his head and took one of the rosy peaks in his mouth.
Marcelle gasped, gripping Matthew
’
s shoulders as her legs collapsed. Matthew raised his head and smiled as he looked into her dazed expression. Wordlessly, he lowered her to the cool wood floor of the foyer. Stretching out beside her, he played with her mouth, reining kisses along the sides then sucking gently on the fullness of the lower lip, while his hands expertly worked the buckle on his gun belt. When the belt was free, he laid it aside then he leaned down to capture her mouth in a thorough kiss, capturing a moan that escaped when his hand slid across her breast and down to the concave of her belly. His mouth moved from hers, reining kisses along her cheek.

“
It
’
s not the softest bed in the world,
”
he whispered next to her ear,
“
but I
’
m not willing to wait until I can carry you upstairs to a soft mattress. Unless you object,
”
he murmured, pulling back to look into her eyes. What he saw
,
momentarily stopped his heart
–
they
held a smile
and passion.

Her head moved a fraction from side to side and she smiled again, unable to speak. Matthew didn
’
t need words to read the acquiescence in her body. Sometime during the night, she
’
d decided that he was what she wanted, despite all the arguments she presented about their remaining friends.

His smile increased and he gently nipped playfully at her lips before his tongue delved between them and engaged her own in a battle of passion. She arched in surprise and her breasts
encountered
his chest. Matthew
’
s hand slid beneath her back and he pulled her closer, a moan escaping.

With a tenderness that raged against his mounting desire, he lowered her again, allowing his hand the freedom to explore. When it reached the hem of her gown, he gently tugged upward, caressing the flesh of her calf, and higher toward her thighs. This time, it was Marcelle
’
s turn to moan.

The loud chime of the cuckoo clock snapped him to his senses. He closed his eyes, trying to bring his raging desire under control.
A
hand touched his cheek lightly and he opened his eyes, his gaze examining Marcelle
’
s bemused expression.

“
It
’
s time for me to head out,
”
he whispered huskily, wanting to do anything but leave. He would have given up everything if only he could bring time to a halt so that he could finish what
he started.
As
it was, it was going to be another very uncomfortable ride into town tonight.

Marcelle smiled knowingly, as if reading his thoughts.

“
You know we can
’
t keep going on like this, don
’
t you?
”
He whispered, and winced at the pained expression that crossed her face.
“
I don
’
t mean that I
’
m not coming back, Marcelle. You can bet every horse out there that I
’
ll come back. You and I have unfinished business to attend to.
”

Marcelle blushed.

“
We just have a lot to talk about, and time is too limited to do it now. Do you understand?
”

Marcelle nodded, not trusting her voice to speak.
Matthew placed a swift kiss on her mouth and then leapt to his feet. He offered her a hand up and almost gave into the urge to sling her back to the floor and finish what they
’
d started, she looked so beautiful and desirous. He leaned down and retrieved his gun belt, then moved swiftly to the front door, knowing without looking that Marcelle was right behind him.

“
Want a goodbye kiss?
”
He teased lightly, and smiled at the profusion of color that seeped into her cheeks. She was so beautiful, he thought again, pulling her into his embrace again.
“
I
’
ll be back as soon as business allows, okay?
”

“
Have a safe journey, Matthew,
”
Marcelle murmured.

Matthew placed a gentle kiss on her puffy lips then let her go. He reached down and snatched up his gear, slinging it over his shoulder,
“
W
e
’
ll work out this crazy mess when I come
home. I promise.
”