“Did he now? Well, I’m not surprised. Keep it in mind. I don’t know what business you got in San Francisco but as long as it ain’t gold hunting, Mack will help you.”
Annie nodded but she felt her insides flutter. It was gold hunting, in a way. Although she had no interest in mining, she was going for gold. Garrett had found gold. And that gold belonged to her. Her spine straightened. She had a mission to accomplish and she wasn’t letting Mack or anyone else get in her way.
She already knew that Mack would think it was terribly foolish and Garrett had warned her not to tell anyone. Garrett may have been a fool on many fronts but on this, she was sure he was right. Gold fever was spreading and the less people who knew her secret, the better.
She walked back to camp. It was a beautiful evening. As she hit the wagon train she heard Tom’s voice float towards her. “That girl’s a vault. Whatever she’s doin’, she ain’t sharing.”
“I know, you’re right. Whoever he was, he did something awful to her. She said he dragged her from New York and then when she couldn’t go any further, he left her in St. Louis. What kind of man does that?” Mack’s voice was razor sharp. Was he angry on her behalf?
“Why wouldn’t she have been able to go any further? You seen her. Strong as hell for a woman. Haven’t heard her complain once.”
Rounding the wagon, Annie faced down the men. They were talking about her and she didn’t like it one bit. Mack saw her first and had the decency to blush a little. She could see a slight pink in his cheeks under his tan. Her head only came to his shoulder but she tilted it back, glaring at him. Her chest bumped into his.
“What happened to me is none of your concern and I will thank you to mind your own damn business.” Her voice grew louder with every word.
“Now Annie―“ Mack started.
“Don’t’ you ‘now Annie’ me. I’ve a right to keep my affairs private and what I did say was for your ears only. But I’ll keep this in mind the next time you start asking questions. I won’t share a thing unless I want the entire camp to hear about it.”
His hand touched the small of her back. She jolted away from the touch but it only caused her overlarge breasts to push into his chest. “That isn’t fair. I’m not just meddling. I’m worried―“
“I’ll tell you something else, Collin Mackinnon. You’re awfully free with touching me and I don’t like it. I ought to―“ She stopped because he picked her up, slung her over his shoulder, and started carrying her towards the trees.
“If it’s privacy you want, you’re gonna get it. Starting with this conversation.” His tone was clipped as he took long quick strides. Annie’s stomach bumped against his shoulder and she tried to wriggle free. His hand came to her backside, holding her in place.
“Don’t be ridiculous. Put me down. You can’t just carry me off. Are you one of those Indians?” She pushed at his back as she yelled. Her feet kicked uselessly in the air. She finally made contact with the toe of her boot into his stomach and he grunted. A smile flitted across her face and then she fought harder.
“Put me down this instant!” she yelled as they walked into the trees. He finally stopped and set her down. She opened her mouth to tell him that he was an animal when his lips came crashing down on hers again.
It wasn’t the soft kiss of last week; this one seared her. The hungry pressure of his lips sent her into a frenzy. In an instant he had pushed her lips open and his tongue explored her mouth. Unable to resist, her hands travelled up into his hair, grabbing fistfuls of it and pulling him even closer.
She pressed every inch of her body into his. It was the most erotic moment of her life, unlike anything she had experienced before.
His hands slid down her back and cupped her buttocks, pushing their pelvises together. She gasped as a sweet longing shot through her. She felt suddenly irritated by her own clothing and she slid one of her hands down his neck and into the opening of his shirt. She wanted to touch his skin.
His lips continued the assault on hers and she drank in every second of it. Truth be told, she wanted more of him. He felt like a release from all her pent up anger and frustration. She wanted to lose herself in Mack’s arms. She held tighter to him, pulling him even closer.
He moved his lips away for a second, “Annie, sweetheart, you’re….”
Her lips sought his again. She didn’t want to think. She didn’t want to talk. She just wanted to escape.
He lifted her up higher, wrapping an arm underneath her bottom. Their faces were now level. He continued to kiss her, but it was softer. Finally he stopped and sat them both down on a rock. Her legs were wrapped around him, her skirts bunched up and tangled. She pressed herself closer to him attempting to kiss him harder.
“Annie, you’re crying”
Annie stopped moving her lips. She pulled her face away to look in his eyes. His hand gently came up and brushed the tears away.
“I can’t be crying. I haven’t cried since…” she didn’t want to tell him.
“It’s all right. You don’t have to tell me when the last time you cried was. I’m sorry I told Tom about your husband leaving you in St. Louis. You were right. I should have kept it to myself.”
She took a deep breath. She didn’t want to face reality again. She liked the blissful numbness of his kiss. “I…I…don’t know why I got so mad. I’m sorry I yelled that you’re always touching me. I was angry and…”
“Is your temper as fiery as your hair?” He chuckled and his lips playfully kissed hers. Annie tilted her head to give him better access.
“Sometimes. Do you always meddle in other people’s business?”
“Not usually. You seem to be an exception.” His hand trailed along her neck.
“Then why are you?” If he hadn’t been kissing her between questions, she probably would still be spitting mad. But with his lips playfully nipping at hers, all she could muster was desire.
“I’m worried about you. You’re tough but even the strongest men fall in a place like the goldfields. I just want to help you.”
“What if I don’t want help?” His lips teased hers with a lingering kiss and her words lacked her usual sharp tone.
“Well that is a tough one. If a man is carting you off, should I just let him?” He opened her lips again and their tongues met. Annie squirmed under the touch.
She broke contact for a second. “I see your point.” She brought her lips back up to his.
“What do you want to find in California?” For a moment the question made her freeze in fear but then his hand travelled to her breast, and his thumb skimmed over her nipple as he held the generous flesh in his hand. She groaned as he massaged the round orb.
“I need to find Garrett’s best friend, Jasper. I want to know what happened and I want Garrett’s possessions. They’re mine.” It was the truth, though she had left several important details out. She couldn’t lie to him when they were like this but she couldn’t tell him the whole truth either. It had become clear he would not approve and she was determined to do this.
His lips kissed a trail down her neck and she found herself straining to give him better access to her skin. She again had the sensation of wanting to take her clothes off.
“That is why you are risking your life?” His mouth dipped to her breast and he kissed her nipple through her shirt. Her hands went back into his hair and she let out a groan.
“I can’t go home, not like this.”
“Annie, you can’t let pride get in the way of your safety.” He was sliding open the buttons of her shirt. His hand reached in where he reached another layer of buttons for her long underwear. Most of the women had given up corsets for the journey.
His delay caused her to sit up straighter, pulling away from him. “I’m getting back what is mine and I am taking my life back. I’ll not have any man telling me where to go and what to do―“
She stopped talking because his hand ripped open her long underwear and his palm came down on her bare breast.
Her head fell back and her she thrust up into his hand.
“I’m beginning to understand,” he said between kisses on her neck. He nipped at her collarbone and then slid his mouth down.
“What?” She gasped out as his lips took her nipple into his mouth. For all her talk a moment before about being no man’s puppet, she was absolutely powerless to stop him in this moment. The sensations were so new and so powerful she would have done anything to make him keep going.
He didn’t answer right away; instead he kept working on her nipple. He lifted his mouth and stroked it with his thumb. “I know you’re angry at Garrett but not all men are like that. Lots of men stand by the people they care about.” His mouth came down on her nipple again.
Annie let out a moan, barely processing what he had said. She found herself grinding her pelvis into his. His shaft was hard against her but it seemed only to fill her with more desire. Her head rolled back and forth. “What is happening?”
That stopped him dead. He lifted his face from her chest and reached behind her neck to hold her head so he could look into her eyes. “You mean you never…”
“Never what?” She looked at him completely perplexed.
He closed his eyes. “Annie, did ever enjoy being with your husband?”
It took her a second to realize what he meant but then her cheeks flushed bright red. “That is none of your business!” She had heard other women sighing about their nights with their husbands. She had to admit, she was more than a little curious. But she would not sacrifice her happiness and her life for a few moments of… well, she wasn’t quite sure. Something deep inside told her that Mack would be able to teach her. Her cheeks turned an even darker shade of pink.
He gave her a devilish grin in return. “I’ll sew up your clothes later. Sorry about the rip.” He stood them both up and Annie bit her lip. She didn’t want to stop. She wanted to explore every inch of his body and she wanted to feel his skin on hers. But to keep going was utter folly. Giving herself a mental shake, she tried to push away these wanton thoughts.
“I can sew my own clothes.” Her voice was soft, though. She bit back the urge to beg him to touch her again.
“I know you can take care of yourself, sweetheart.” He patted her bottom like he was consoling a child.
Her embarrassment was momentarily gone, as was her desire. Instead, irritation coursed through her. “Quit patronizing me.”
“There’s the Annie I know.” He picked her bonnet up off the ground and placed it on her head. Annie only had a moment to wonder when it had come off before he was buttoning up her shirt.
“We’re done?” Disappointment laced her voice.
He kissed her again. It was long and slow and it made her toes curl all over again. “I can’t go any further and not make you my own. And you’re not ready to belong to anyone but yourself. But if you ever change your mind, Annie, I promise you--”
“I’ll never belong to anyone again!” she shot back vehemently, then she instantly felt guilty. It wasn’t Mack’s fault she ached inside. “I’m sorry, I know you haven’t done anything. I…”
“Don’t be sorry. Someday, maybe you’ll understand that when you care for someone and they care for you, you belong to each other.” He started pulling her out of the woods. “We’ve been gone a long time. Tongues are already going to be wagging.”
Annie sighed. He was right. “They already are…wagging.” He frowned but said nothing and Annie held his hand as they walked back towards the wagons. She couldn’t fathom ever wanting a relationship again. But it felt so right to walk hand-in-hand with him. She took a quick glance at Mack. She could get used to him touching her, that was for sure. Was Mack right? Could a relationship be different than the one she had with Garrett? She shook her head. She ached too much to find out.
That night, Annie lay awake for a long time and two things became clear. One, she yearned for Mack to finish what he started. Two, she could never let him touch her again. She had told him everything he wanted to know, and she hadn’t denied him a single touch. She couldn’t trust herself around Mack.
With that said, she was beginning to see the sense in sticking close to Mack when they first arrived in San Francisco. She hated to admit it, but she didn’t know what she might be getting into.
THE GOLDEN RULES OF LOVE
CHAPTER THREE
Across the camp, Mack also lay awake. He was still rock hard from his time in the woods with Annie. He closed his eyes and pictured the way her soft body felt pressed up against his. Everything about her had softened in his arms…her lips, her hips, and her sharp tongue.
He didn’t mind a woman who could handle herself. Life had taught Mack to be a survivor. But he sensed that Annie had a much softer side, despite her tough-as-nails exterior. He had seen her with the children on the wagon train. When she didn’t know anyone was looking she turned soft as butter with those children. No, he would wager that Annie wasn’t normally so gruff. She had just been going through some hard times.
He sighed heavily; he needed some sleep. They were only a week out from San Francisco and then the real work would begin.
It was vitally important that he remain focused in California, and not just on what he was doing for the wagon train. He needed to concentrate on his mission, no matter how much he wanted to help Annie. Annie was searching for something in California but so was he. He rolled over and looked to where Annie was sleeping.
He couldn’t allow his attraction to Annie to get in his way. He would help her if he could but he had his own questions to answer. Nerves he rarely experienced rose in his chest. If he failed again, he was unlikely to ever succeed.
The next morning Mack woke up with the sun. He tried to rub the sleep out of his eyes but they were puffy and sore.
He groaned as he stood and headed off to the river to try splashing his face awake. As he approached the river, he could see Annie already there. She had taken off her bonnet and her red hair gleamed in the early morning sun. What was curious was that the other women had moved away from her and were standing in a cluster twenty feet away, whispering furiously.
Mack swore to himself. He already knew what had happened. He had carried her off into the woods. Now she was being labeled as a loose woman and ostracized from the group. “Dammit,” he swore to himself.
Annie needed these allies when they reached California. She would need all the help she could get. And these ladies didn’t know it, but many of them would end up in Annie’s position. Their husbands would abandon them for gold fields and some of those men would end up dead.
They would need a friend like Annie then. She was a strong woman who knew how to fend for herself in this world.
He stopped and thought about what he could do. This mess was his fault and he had to help Annie clean it up. Taking off his hat, he ran his fingers through his hair. He rubbed his eyes and then started towards her.
“Mornin’ Annie.” He walked over and knelt down beside her.
“Mack,” she replied softly but he could hear the strain in her voice.
Mack sighed. He reminded himself that she didn’t want his help. Then again, he couldn’t leave her to face this alone when he was responsible. It went against his grain. Even deeper, even though Annie was tough, he sensed a real vulnerability in her. Whispering quietly so the others wouldn’t hear, “Tell those ladies we’re getting married if you want. It doesn’t matter to me. I won’t tell a soul the truth until I leave California.”
Her head snapped up and her eyes narrowed. As he watched her take a deep breath, he knew she was going to tell him off again. Couldn’t she stop being so prickly for one second? He was only trying to help. He cut her off before she could speak, “Or don’t. It doesn’t matter to me. But if you won’t take help from me in California, you’re going to need some of these women. Your choice.”
He got up before she could say a single word and started walking toward the group of ladies. Damned if Annie couldn’t be
the most infuriating woman in the entire country sometimes…maybe the world. He didn’t want to hear what she had to say. It was like she wanted to make things as hard as possible for herself.
Mack hadn’t been in a good mood to begin with, and by the time he reached the huddle of ladies, he was spitting mad. He wagged his finger at them, barking out, “You ladies take care to set up farms far away from the gold fields. Miners will trample your crops and your husbands will join the hunt for gold in desperation or desire. You may find yourself in Annie’s shoes before you know it. Watch who you judge, lest you be judged.”
Each and every one of their mouths hung open as they stared with fish eyes at him. Not a single one spoke as he turned to stalk back to the camp. Those women deserved every word, but he was going to catch hell from their husbands later.
As he walked back towards camp, Annie looked up at him. Her eyes glowed as her smile spread from ear to ear across her face. She was so beautiful, she nearly took his breath away. She gave him a single nod of gratitude as she stood.
That woman was exquisite. With her full lips smiling at him like that, her look unguarded, it was like she was sent from heaven. It was almost as sweet as the softness of her body the day before. The memory of her eyes, filled with desire, looking up at him caused his entire body to tense. He clenched his teeth together and gave her a single nod back.
Shaking his head, he headed back to camp. Annie Sullivan was wreaking havoc on him. He had just agreed to have a fake engagement, for Christ’s sake.
He had to figure out how to get himself back under control before he lost his senses entirely and ruined his chances of putting his family back together.
***
Annie watched Mack walk away with a spreading smile of satisfaction on her face. She had never been more grateful to anyone in her life. While she doubted she would take him up on the offer of a fake engagement, watching him chastise those ladies had been so very gratifying.
The Golden Rules of Love: Western Romance Page 3