The Education of Madeline (9 page)

“Yes, professor.”

His hand slid down her leg and lifted it at the knee. He slid into her easily, and she sighed at the feeling. She was full, complete. He was big but not too big. She was actually quite amazed it fit. Teague had a very large member, as was expected. He was not a small man anywhere.

“God, you feel good, Maddie.”

“So do you.”

They moved together slowly. Teague never increased his pace. Just in and out over and over. He pulled her hands up to her breasts.

“Touch yourself.”

His hand slid between her legs and started caressing her nubbin of pleasure. With a bit of embarrassment, she circled her nipples with her fingers. After a few minutes of his hand, his cock, and her own hand, the embarrassment disappeared. She pinched and rolled her nipples with abandon.

“Yes, that's it, darlin'. Feel me fucking you? You are so damn tight. I could do this all day.”

His naughty words just served to excite her even more. She thrust against him, silently willing him to go faster, harder.

More, please.

“Don't get too pushy, Maddie,” he growled in her ear and then bit her lobe.

Just when she thought she'd go insane from his pace, he pinched her clit and thrust deeply. Her body fell over the precipice of pleasure, and she squeezed her own nipples as the waves rolled through her. Over and over. She heard him whisper her name as he thrust in deeply again, reaching his own orgasm.

Madeline released her nipples as she tried to come down out of the clouds. Her body was throbbing and humming with satisfaction. She knew it was a feeling she'd never find with anyone but Teague.

T
he next morning Madeline found herself alone in her bed. The covers were mussed beyond belief, and the room had a distinct musky odor. She stretched lazily, and many muscles were yelling loudly at the movement. That's when she realized she was naked.

Madeline was no longer a virgin.

She smiled into the empty room and forced herself to rise. The sun was brightly shining in through the window. It was late, probably midmorning. She slipped her nightgown over her head and opened the window. The sounds of the world drifted in on the soft breeze. Madeline breathed deeply of the fresh air.

She felt wonderful. More than that, she felt as if she were ten years younger. A woman in love.

Where is Teague?

He had probably slipped off before dawn to save her some embarrassment with Eppie or Isaiah. He needn't have. She didn't care if they knew Teague had been in her bed. Madeline had to restrain herself from running down the street and shouting it to the world.

She stared down at the street and saw Sheriff Webster riding toward her house on his big bay horse. She grimaced. There was no time to take a bath, but she'd better wash the scent of Teague off her skin. Something she didn't want to do but had to.

After a quick wash with tepid water, Madeline fixed her hair and then slipped on a demure brown dress with a high collar and lace at the cuffs. The dress felt wrong somehow. She wanted to be wearing something colorful to match her spirit.

Smiling, she went downstairs to see Eppie standing with her back against the front door.

“Madeline! Where have you been? That fool sheriff won't go away.”

“Eppie! You need to stop calling him names.”

Eppie frowned. “Even if it's true?”

Madeline shook her head and bit back a grin. “What does he want?”

“He wouldn't tell me. I's just a po servant.”

“Stop it!” Madeline admonished. “You'll make it worse by acting stupid.”

Eppie shrugged and headed for the kitchen. “I'll go put water on for tea. Oh, and by the way, you might want to pull the collar up a bit higher. You got a good case of whisker burn from your man.”

Madeline felt her cheeks heat, and she yanked on the collar until it touched the bottom of her jaw. Whisker burn? What was that?

She opened the door to find Sheriff Webster leaning against the column by the front steps.

“Good morning, Jackson.”

“Hello, Madeline.”

She stepped outside and closed the door behind her. “What brings you by?”

He hitched up his trousers and bracketed his hands on his hips.

“Well, I heard that man you took in was getting to be a problem.”

Madeline felt her annoyance blossom. “Who told you that?”

“It makes no never mind. Fact is, I was worried about it from the moment you convinced us to hand him over to you.” He waved his hand in the air in dismissal. “I want to know if he's been trouble.”

She squared her shoulders and prepared for battle. Madeline had learned from the best how to be stubborn, intractable, and immovable. Now was the time to put those skills to the test.

“I don't know who told you he was trouble, but it isn't true.”

“Then he didn't tear your dress open in the kitchen?”

Madeline felt her mouth open and snapped it shut immediately. How could he know about that?

“I was burned by hot coffee, Jackson. Eppie was there helping me, as was Mr. O'Neal. It was all perfectly innocent.”

He nodded and pulled at his chin.

“I also hear he kicked you out of your own carriage house.”

“No one kicks me out of anywhere. You know that. Who is telling you these exaggerated lies?” Her heart was pounding, and her palms felt clammy. What kind of person would deliberately do this?

Jackson took off his hat and scratched his thinning blond hair. “You know that's confidential information. I've had someone keeping an eye on you and that horse thief.”

“He is not a horse thief!”

“So you say, but I reserve my judgment.”

“You don't have to judge him at all. The evidence will prove it.”

He stepped toward her and put his hands on her shoulders, looking at her eye to eye. Not many men in Plum Creek could do that.

“I am worried about you. He is not a man to be trusted. Let's face it, Madeline, you don't have much experience with men. Somebody with a silver tongue could take advantage of you.”

She tried to step away from him, but he held her firm.

“Let go of me, Jackson. Now.”

He released her arms, but a dangerous glint of something flew from his eyes. She felt it hit, and her uneasiness increased tenfold. Jackson was up to something. Something that didn't bode well for her or Teague.

“I appreciate your concern, but there is no need for it. I've told you before, Mr. O'Neal is a perfect gentleman. I won't keep you from your duties.”

It was a dismissal. He knew it, and it stuck in his craw. He nodded and put his hat back on his head.

“Be careful, Madeline,” he said as he walked down the steps and headed toward his horse.

She knew he wasn't just talking about Teague. His words spoiled her perfect mood as a gray cloud covers the sun. She shivered and hugged her arms to her chest.

She watched the sheriff's horse until he turned the corner into town. The sound of the creek behind her house should have been soothing. Instead it sounded like a melody of warning.

 

Teague took a break from working on the roof of the carriage house and wiped the sweat from his forehead with his discarded shirt. From up there he could see all the way to town. He saw the sheriff ride up to the house and then ride back into town half an hour later.

God only knew what he'd been talking to Maddie about for half an hour. Teague was most assuredly not that curious and definitely not jealous. Madeline was not his woman. She was his…well, hell, he didn't know what she was. What he did know was that he didn't trust that sheriff for a second. The only thing he served was his own interests.

Teague went back to hammering and saw a horse and buggy pull up to the house. It was as busy as a train station at Maddie's house. A natty little man in a bowler hat and a pretty suit hopped out and went in the house.

Teague tried to focus on the roof, but his eyes kept straying to the house. He wondered who the man was and what he was doing with Maddie.

He smacked his thumb twice with the hammer and then dropped some of the boards off the edge of the roof. Cursing in Gaelic and English, he climbed down the ladder to retrieve the boards. By the side of the house, Isaiah was standing in the shadows, peering through the window.

Wasn't that interesting.

Teague walked up behind him silently. He was good at being silent, one of the many skills he'd learned in the war. Most of them he was not proud of. He stood only a few feet from Isaiah and tried to figure out what he was doing.

He heard Eppie humming through the open window. So, the young man liked to peep. That was definitely not polite.

Teague grabbed him by the throat so quickly he didn't make a sound and then dragged him back to the carriage house and slammed him against the wall. The force echoed through his arm, and he was pleased to see fear in the other man's dark eyes.

“What did you think you were doing?”

“I…I was…only…” Isaiah croaked out.

“You were spying on Eppie. She is a good girl, and I won't let you turn her into something cheap you can find at any saloon. You understand me?”

Isaiah nodded and pulled at Teague's arm. It didn't move so much as an inch.

“I didn't mean no harm.”

“Doesn't matter if you meant harm or not. You did harm just by looking at her when she didn't know it. That's the last time you're going to do it, too, isn't it?” Teague bared his teeth in a feral smile.

“Yes. I swear. I won't never spy on her again.”

“Good. I'm glad you agree with me. Now, aren't you supposed to be taking care of weeding the garden today?”

He let Isaiah's throat loose and stepped back. Isaiah rubbed his throat with one hand and looked at Teague like he was an avenging angel.

“I finished. I was fixing to ask Eppie what else she needed done, and I…” He trailed off and looked at the ground.

“You can start weeding the flowers in the front, then. Get busy, Isaiah, before I stop being nice to you.”

Isaiah ran for the front of the house like a swatted fly. Teague was glad he was scared of him. No man should ever take advantage of a woman. Ever. He punched the side of the building and winced as a blister popped on his hand from the force.

There were too many secrets in the house already. Isaiah just added another unexpected layer that forced Teague to rethink what he was doing.

 

After Mr. Finley left, Madeline felt exhausted. The attorney had had so much information for her to review and approve it had simply drained her. Not to mention the fact she had been up half the night learning. Lesson number three had been worth the wait.

She stretched out on the settee in her mother's sitting room and looked out the window. The gurgling water in the creek was soothing now, pulling her closer and closer to sleep. Her eyes drifted closed.

 

Teague was going down to Plum Creek to wash. Sweat, dirt, and sawdust coated his skin from his work on the roof. It wasn't summer, but the sun was hot enough, especially when you were working your ass off in it.

He grabbed a towel and soap from the pile Madeline had left. The sound of bees humming, birds chirping, and squirrels chattering were soothing, in a way. It brought back the normal quality of life. God knew his life hadn't been normal for years. He breathed deeply of the Colorado air. It was a bit thinner here in Plum Creek, not as bad as Denver, though. The air was so thin in the Mile High City, he was dizzy for days when he got to town.

He followed a well-worn path through the woods and almost salivated at the sound of the water. He needed to get clean and cool in the worst way.

Teague reached the bank and shucked off his clothes in a blink. Laying the towel and his clothes on a nearby rock, he walked into the water. The cold water shriveled him up and cooled him off right quick. This was likely melted snow from the mountains. But, damn, it felt
good
. Surprisingly the creek was about twenty feet wide, and his feet just touched the bottom. Big creek. When swollen with rain, he had no doubt it was deadly. The current gently tugged at him, but his feet found firm purchase on the sandy bottom.

He ducked his head under and wet his hair. Coming up he was startled to find Eppie standing on the bank, her hands fisted on her hips and a scowl on her face.

“What did I do?”

She pursed her lips. “You touched Miss Madeline, that's what.”

“That's not your business, Eppie.” He started lathering himself up and tried to ignore her.

“It is so my business. My life wasn't worth spit until she found me. I love her like she was my sister. I won't let no drifter horse thief break her heart.”

Teague just kept on lathering and gritted his teeth. Life always got so fucking complicated.

“I don't plan on breaking her heart. What's between us is not your business. Leave it alone.”

She stamped her foot, which caused her to slide into the water. She started screeching like a banshee. With a sigh, Teague dropped his soap and swam toward her. He grabbed her and towed her back to the edge. She climbed up, chest heaving and yelling, “Lord have mercy!” over and over.

She stood and wrung the water from her dress.

“That water is devil cold, Mr. Teague. I don't know how you're in there buck naked in it.”

“Go home, Eppie.”

She took his towel and started drying herself with it. Teague tried vainly to get some of the soap from his head to scrub the rest of his body, but it was no use. And his soap was probably halfway to Utah by now. Well, there was always sand. Not his favorite way to wash, but effective.

“Not until you promise to leave her alone.”

He started walking toward her. “If you don't head on home now, I'm gonna give you an eyeful of man.”

She squeaked and dropped the towel, running through the trees toward the house. Teague dove back into the water to finish washing himself, cursing the fact that his now wet towel was lying in the mud.

 

Madeline woke and gazed around her, disoriented. It was her mother's sitting room. She must have fallen asleep. In the distance she could hear Eppie shouting something out by the creek.

Madeline stood and walked to the window in time to see her stomping out of the woods soaking wet.