Atlanta
Page 36
“Thank you,” Claire said as Fortune took her arm. They went out through the side door. With Badru driving, they headed for the Chattahoochee River to take a boat south to the Gulf and Mobile.
She glanced back at the house, and Fortune placed his arm around her shoulders. “Stop worrying. Sophia will fuss over him constantly. And I suspect Chantal and Rafe will stay another two or three days with them before they head back to New Orleans.”
She turned to look at Fortune and he smiled at her, sliding his arm around her waist. “Now I have you all to myself for a week.”
They drove through downtown Atlanta, past city hall. At the river a steamboat was waiting at the landing when they arrived, and Fortune helped her from the carriage. She watched while he told Badru good-bye and the carriage turned for home.
Fortune took her arm to board the boat, and a tall, bearded man stood at the head of the plank.
“Welcome aboard, Colonel O’Brien, Mrs. O’Brien. I’m Captain Duncan.”
Fortune shook hands with him while she greeted him. He motioned to them as stewards carried their trunks on board. “This way, sir, and I’ll show you your quarters. We’ll be underway in the next few minutes.”
They followed him up a ladder, and he opened a door to a large cabin. “Here’s where you’ll be. Your brother’s sent champagne and flowers,” he said. “Is there anything you’ll be needing?”
“I don’t think so,” Fortune replied while she walked across the cabin. It was spacious, holding a large built-in bed, a table and chairs, a desk, a copper tub in one corner. Two vases with large bouquets of roses and mixed flowers were on the table and desk. A bottle of champagne was cooling in a bucket.
She turned as the door closed behind the captain and Fortune slid a bolt across it, locking it. “Now you’re all mine and no one will disturb us,” he said, shedding his coat and draping it over a chair. He crossed the cabin to open the champagne, the cork popping loudly. He poured them glasses and returned with hers.
“Here’s to you, Claire,” he said quietly, raising his glass.
“To us, Fortune,” she said, touching his glass lightly before she sipped the bubbling dry champagne.
He took her glass from her hand and set them both down. His gaze darkened, becoming more intense. He removed her tiny rose silk hat and tossed it on a chair. Then he began to unfasten her buttons.
“Claire, why do you always have dresses that have hundreds of buttons?” he asked softly, bending his head to kiss her throat. He twisted another button free and another. “I know how it’ll disturb you if I rip this dress off you, but I don’t want to wait.”
She helped him, and he removed her sheer silk chemise, her corset, her silk underdrawers and finally her silk stockings, bending down, his fingers drifting over her long legs, and she trembled with eagerness for him.
“Fortune,” she whispered, unbuttoning his shirt and pulling it over his head, reaching down to unfasten his black trousers that bulged with his arousal.
He stood naked before her, and she ran her hands across his chest and down over his belly and thighs, sliding her fingers across his hard, muscular body.
He caught her to him, his arm banding her waist tightly as he looked down at her. “I want you, Claire,” Fortune said. “Thank God I found you and Michael.”
Joyous, she clung to him, gazing up at him and feeling love well up inside her. She ran her fingers through his dark hair and pulled his head down so she could kiss him.
He held her tightly while she clung to him, moaning softly, knowing this was the man for her. Fortune had her heart forever. She tightened her arms around him, so thankful that she and Michael both had him, and now they all had Kieran.
She leaned back to look up at him. “I love you, Fortune O’Brien.”
“It’s the luck of the Irish, love,” he said softly. “Such wonderful luck to find you,” he added.
She clung to him, her heart beating with joy. They were beginning a life together filled with love and children’s laughter.
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