Mollie watched him leave, realizing she was looking forward to seeing him again and discovering what other information he might provide. It was quite obvious he was well connected, moved in the right circles, and most importantly, he wasn’t a proponent of the president. Eva and Chaz were right to put the lawyer on the list—there was much she could learn from him.
Pierce had not returned to their table. Mollie looked around the large room, expecting to see him on the dance floor with Georgiana. He emerged a moment later, Mrs. Grayson on his arm, both laughing.
Georgiana dropped her gaze from Pierce long enough to notice Mollie watching them. She pulled Pierce down to place a kiss on his cheek and whisper something in his ear. He stared at her then nodded.
Mollie swallowed the bile forming in her throat as she watched the spectacle they made. It’s just a job to him, she chanted to herself repeatedly, wishing she could believe it. She didn’t understand why she was having such a hard time on this assignment, when this had never been an issue before. Granted, the other case didn’t involve beautiful women and Pierce wasn’t asked to use his charm and good looks to draw information from the women he targeted. Still, before their current job started, Mollie remembered disliking him to the point of almost walking away. She no longer felt that way and couldn’t identify when everything had changed.
“Mollie, would you care to dance?” Pierce asked after he’d seated Georgiana.
“Not now, Pierce. Please feel free to spend your evening with Georgiana as you’ve done for most of the night.” She turned away, pulling out the list from her small purse and looking over the names. Perhaps she had time to meet at least one more gentleman before it was time to leave. She didn’t notice that he still stood over her, glaring down and wondering what in the hell was wrong with her.
Pierce did as Mollie suggested and took several more turns on the dance floor with Georgiana. They had made an arrangement to meet later that week for a late breakfast. He believed Georgiana expected they’d move from breakfast to bed, but that wasn’t going to happen. He would need to be very careful how he handled this, so it didn’t blow up.
He’d never admit it, but a few months ago, he wouldn’t have considered refusing an invitation to bed a beautiful, willing woman. It wouldn’t have bothered him a whit. Now, he had no desire for the stunningly gorgeous woman he’d held in his arms most of the night. There was just one woman he wanted, and right now, he couldn’t have her. When this was over, however, the rules would change and he would go after what he’d desired for months.
Chapter Thirteen
“I was doing my job,” Pierce explained for the third time, his frustration evident in the set of his jaw and narrowing of his eyes.
“I know, and you were doing it with obvious pleasure, completely ignoring me. We’re still supposed to at least put up a front that we’re married.” Mollie hissed and tried to slam the door, but his foot stopped it. He pushed the door open, glaring at her and daring her to try to stop him from entering. “Do you know what Lloyd Johnson said?”
“No, but I’m sure you’ll tell me.” His words were hard, measured, his eyes slits.
She stepped backward, her eyes blazing as Pierce stalked toward her after kicking the door closed. “He told me not to worry. That you’d grow tired of her quickly,” she huffed. “That’s how obvious it was.”
“It wasn’t meant to be a secret, Mollie. Georgiana made no attempt to hide her interest in me. I was just returning the attention.” He was inches from her now, not backing down at all.
“If that’s how this is going to happen, then the same rules apply to me.” She matched him stare for stare.
“I believe you’ve already demonstrated that.”
“Demonstrated what?”
“That you are fully capable of playing by the same rules as me.” He turned from her, paced a few feet away, squeezing the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. “You know what?” His voice was low and husky as he walked back toward her with slow deliberation.
“What?” Her sarcastic tone wasn’t lost on Pierce.
“I didn’t much like the way you threw yourself at Lloyd Johnson, either.” His tone was hard, rough.
“I did no such thing,” Mollie shot back. “I only did the same as you were doing with Georgiana.” She drew the woman’s name out in a caustic sneer.
“Is that so?” He was within inches of her, staring down into soft brown eyes that had darkened to a deep chocolate, his lean, tall frame towering over her.
“Yes.” Mollie tilted her chin up in defiance. She felt her body warm and tried to back further away from the source of the heat, but he’d have none of it. Her legs hit the edge of her mattress. She felt trapped, glancing around Pierce to locate a means of escape, but saw none.
With dawning amusement, he leaned down. “And what was I doing with Georgiana?” His voice was soft, thick, almost menacing in its intensity. His hands moved to her arms and lightly gripped her shoulders. “Tell me, Mollie. What was I doing?”
She tried to shift her gaze away from the deep blue eyes that mesmerized and scared her all at once. Her heart beat so rapidly she felt like it would explode from her chest. She felt sure Pierce could hear it.
“You were... Well…” Her voice caught.
“What?” Pierce’s breath wafted over her, causing heat to pulse through her body.
Mollie lowered her chin before she felt firm, warm fingers grasp it and tilt her face up. She kept her eyes closed, scared of what he’d see in them if they were open.
“Mollie, look at me,” Pierce encouraged as his lips brushed softly across hers. Instead, she squeezed them more tightly together. She didn’t see the slight smile that crossed his face as he moved his lips over hers a second time without breaking contact, increasing the pressure while his hands rubbed restlessly up and down her arms. He stopped abruptly, pulled back a couple of inches, and waited.
Mollie’s eyes drifted open as a slow sigh escaped her lips.
What Pierce saw in them thrilled and terrified him. The look she gave him did nothing to cool his raging desire. If anything, his blood flamed more intensely, and he knew he’d pushed them both further than he’d ever intended.
He lowered his mouth to hers once more. His tongue outlined her lower lip, seeking entrance to the delectable sweetness inside. She opened for him as her hands came up around his neck and pulled his head to her. He plunged inside, tasting a combination of strawberries and sherry, losing himself in the feel of her.
His body was on fire. He couldn’t remember ever wanting a woman the way he wanted Mollie. No one had ever caused his blood to boil the way she could.
His hands moved to her shoulders, then her back, to unbutton her gown, pushing the cap sleeves down her arms enough to allow her dress to drift to the floor and pool at her feet. Her trusting gaze never wavered from his as he pulled back to look at her, his eyes darkening to an intense midnight blue. He pulled her to him once more, his mouth reclaiming hers.
Mollie was lost. She couldn’t seem to fight the emotions, the heat, the thrumming of her body as his hands and mouth moved over her. She pulled him tighter, feeling his strong, hard body, and wanted to tear the buttons from his shirt and run her hands over his taut chest.
“Mollie.” His voice was a mere whisper, ragged and thick. “I want you. Tonight. Now.”
“I want you, too.” She pulled his mouth back to hers. Their kiss intensified until neither could stop the surging emotions that sparked between them.
Pierce broke contact and took a deep breath. “Are you sure? Tell me you’re sure this is what you want. If it’s not, I’ll leave.” His voice was urgent, almost a plea.
She looked into eyes, blazing with passion, and knew this was right. “Yes, I’m sure.”
He lifted her into his arms, placed her on the large pillowed bed, and straightened as his gaze wandered over her. She was stunning, more beautiful than any woman he’d ever known, and he’d wanted her since
the first day they’d met. He’d take it slow and ensure that neither of them ever forgot this night.
******
“You should have told me.” Pierce’s steel-edged voice cut through the crisp morning air as he shoved his hands into the arms of his shirt and tucked it into his pants.
Mollie sat stone still in bed after the best night of her life, her hands clasped firmly in her lap, knuckles white, feeling totally miserable. Yes, she thought, I should have told him. Now it was too late.
He walked to the bed, rested both hands on the mattress, and leaned toward her. “That’s not something you keep from a man.” He pushed away, grabbed his belt, vest, and jacket, and walked toward the door, hesitating before he turned back to her, his eyes conveying the regret she was certain he felt.
Her heart sank.
“We’ll marry.” His statement was terse, inviting no argument.
Mollie’s jaw dropped, but she quickly regained her wits and jumped from the bed, placing both hands on her hips and glaring at him. “We certainly will not.”
She could see his jaw work and his eyes narrow. Pierce took a few determined steps forward, stopping directly in front of her, his eyes sparking.
“We will marry, Mollie, make no mistake about it.” Satisfied that he’d made his point, he turned to leave.
“No. I will not marry you and you can’t force me to. I’m a grown woman, I have a choice.”
“Yes, you are a grown woman, and you made that choice when you accepted me into your bed knowing you were a virgin.”
This time, he did open the door and started into the hallway.
“You don’t love me.”
Pierce turned back to her, the edginess in his voice gone, replaced by acceptance. “It doesn’t matter.”
He left and stormed to his room, slamming the door behind him. Picking up the nearest object, a glass paper weight, he threw it against the wall, sending pieces of the ornament shooting across the floor.
******
“What do you mean Owen wasn’t available? Noah indicated he would be dispatched to help if needed. I’d been led to believe he had no pending assignments.” Eva was livid, her eyes dancing with fury and her voice scolding.
“That changed.” Lee sat back in their carriage, determined to let Eva vent her hostility to him. She had nowhere to go, no other options. She just hadn’t realized it yet.
“Surely there must have been someone else if Owen wasn’t available. Doesn’t Noah understand that this simply can’t work?”
He remained silent.
“Lee?” Eva’s voice was firm, disgusted.
“Yes.”
“Did you hear what I said? We can’t possibly be convincing, not with our past.”
Lee stretched his legs out as much as was possible in the moving carriage, crossed his ankles, and settled his hands in his lap. “I would think our past is what would make it that much more believable.” His blithe response only served to fuel her outrage.
“I’d expect you to say that.” Her bitter sigh was accompanied by a flushed face, an indication of the true deterioration of her patience.
Lee dropped his head back against the seat and closed his eyes. He was tired from the long trip, the work he’d done since his arrival, and most of all, tired of still being in love with his wife—ex-wife now. He’d loved no one before Eva, and didn’t believe the deep feelings he had for her could ever be duplicated with another. She was one of a kind, and for a short, exhilarating time, she’d been his.
Lee felt the carriage come to a stop outside the hotel and jumped out, reaching a hand up to Eva. She would have preferred to ignore the gesture, but the long dress and heels prevented her from scorning him completely. She grabbed his hand, navigated the two short steps, then released her grip as soon as both feet were firmly on the ground.
They walked up the stairs together before breaking off to return to their own rooms. She took out her key, and just before inserting it in the lock, glanced down the hall to where Lee was performing the same action, his eyes focused on the key in his hand. He turned his head and caught her watching him. He held her gaze a brief moment, made a mock salute, and entered his room.
Eva continued to stare at the empty spot in the hall where he’d stood then walked into her own room. She tossed her small handbag and wrap on the bed. Instead of removing her dress and meticulously securing it on a hanger, she fell back onto the bed and put an arm over her eyes.
Her heart had raced all night, ever since he’d walked up behind her and turned her world upside down. His deep, rich voice washed over her as it had all those years before, and her traitorous body had responded tonight the same as it had then. She’d often wondered how he was doing, if he’d changed or if he was still the most dangerously handsome man she’d ever met. To her disgust, he’d only improved.
It didn’t matter. Tomorrow, she’d send a scathing note to Noah, telling him in no uncertain terms that she’d leave if he didn’t find someone else, post haste. She knew there might not be another agent available. It would put her boss in a difficult position, but he’d set it all in motion when he’d approved Lee’s participation as her partner. Well, he would just have to find a solution.
******
Mollie sat on the bed, feeling bruised from Pierce’s firm admission that he didn’t love her. To make things worse, she’d known for a while that her heart belonged to the stubborn, cocky rancher turned federal agent. She’d hoped he might feel the same. Now she knew the truth.
She gripped the edge of the mattress and wondered what else she could have expected after encouraging him without disclosing her total lack of experience. Mollie couldn’t even throw the blame on how senseless he’d made her with his kisses, the way his warm, calloused hands worked magic on her body, setting her on fire, and making her feel like she would die from the sensations he provoked.
Even at the point where she thought her body would burst into flames, a warning flashed across her mind, pressing her to confide in Pierce before it was too late. She’d ignored it and was now faced with the outcome of her decision.
Mollie fell back onto the mattress and stared at the ceiling. He’d given her an ultimatum, not a choice. It wasn’t the usual demand to do something or else. No, he’d informed her they’d be married and left the room. She’d almost laughed at the thought that Penelope and all of their acquaintances in San Francisco already believed them to be married. How would they explain it? Then she’d sobered, realizing that he was absolutely serious. He demanded they marry and she, just as resolutely, would resist. Even if she wanted to marry her egotistical partner, she’d never agree to it unless he loved her, which he didn’t.
Though it had been at least an hour since he’d stormed from her room, Mollie could still hear the slamming of his bedroom door echoing in her mind. She’d abandoned the idea of running after him to explain, knowing he wouldn’t hear a word she said in his present mood. No, she’d wait until he calmed down enough to have a rational discussion, and quash his ridiculous idea of marriage in the process.
Chapter Fourteen
Pierce woke with a blinding headache. The sun was high in the sky, indicating it was already midday. He sat up and pushed his palms into his eye sockets, trying to ease the pain while doing his best to remember why he’d drank such a large amount of whiskey. Then reality hit. Mollie … marriage. He fell back on his pillow and groaned.
What had begun as the most incredibly intense sensual experience he’d ever had turned into a painful schooling in trust and honor. He couldn’t believe he’d let it happen after telling himself over and over to stay as far away from the alluring woman who commanded his dreams. And why had Mollie stayed silent, not giving a hint that this was her first time?
A part of him felt exhilarated, realizing he’d been her first. Another part felt betrayed. Her silence pushing him into a situation he neither expected, nor wanted. He’d always stayed away from married women and innocents, knowing both would lead to entangl
ements beyond what his traveling lifestyle could accept. His older brother, Connor, had been firm in his belief to take responsibility for bad decisions, and he’d drilled this same maxim into Pierce. As a young, single man, Pierce had thought it an honorable way to live.
His intentions to take it slow, make it last, were lost as he became consumed in his desire for her. The easy pace he’d envisioned had become frenzied as their need for each other increased. He remembered the sick surprise he’d felt when the truth was revealed—their bodies passionately entwined—already too late to reverse what had occurred.
He sat up, thinking of Mollie, and wondered if she’d accepted that they’d marry or would continue to fight him. It wasn’t so much the thought of marriage that bothered Pierce as much as marrying a woman who wasn’t in love with him. He knew his response to her about not loving her was a half-truth. He did care about her, most likely loved her, but he wasn’t prepared to confess the point. He would do the right thing, though, and marry her.
He dressed then walked the short distance to her bedroom and knocked. No answer. He tried once more. “Mollie, it’s Pierce. Are you in there?” There was still no answer.
Pierce descended the stairs and walked through the doors of the conservatory to find Mollie staring at a plate heaped with eggs and bacon. He stopped, watching her, and knew she hadn’t heard him enter. She continued to stare at the food, not making any attempt to lift her fork or give any indication she planned to eat.
He took a seat across from her and noticed her eyes lifting to his, haunted, turbulent, and wary.
“Good morning, Mollie.” His voice was soft, cautious, as he tried to gauge the best way to approach her.
She didn’t immediately respond. Without a word, she pushed from her chair and stood. “I won’t marry you,” she murmured and turned to leave.
“Sit down, Mollie.”
“I don’t have anything more to say.” She’d planned to discuss his ultimatum in a calm, even tone, explaining her reasons they couldn’t marry and letting him know that a future between them was impossible. Instead, all of her good intentions fell away as her eyes took in the incredibly handsome man before her and her traitorous body began to respond as it had last night. She crossed her arms, held them tight to her chest, and willed herself to relax.
Wilder Than the Rest: MacLarens of Fire Mountain Page 11