Marnie untied the piece of twine and folded back the paper to reveal a new book. As she opened the cover, she smiled and she read the title and description.
“This is perfect, Lars. Thank you so much.” Marnie pecked his cheek then set the book on her table. She folded the twine and paper and put them in a drawer before turning her attention back to the brawny man sitting in her pink chair. “You didn’t need to bring me a gift.”
“I know, but I wanted to.” Lars removed his hat and ran his hand through his wavy, caramel-colored hair.
Her eyes followed his movements. She clutched her hands together, wanting to run them through his hair and feel the thick strands between her fingers. When Lars settled his gaze on her face, she struggled to breathe normally. A look of longing mixed with something she was afraid to acknowledge shined in his eyes.
He swallowed twice, started to speak then cleared his throat and swallowed again before finding his voice. “Look, Marnie, I’m going to be out of town on business for a few days. I just wanted to let you know I’d be gone and ask if you’d like to do something together on your day off. I could borrow one of Aundy’s riding skirts for you and we could take a ride into the hills or I can rent a buggy and we can go for another picnic.”
Marnie knew she should refuse. She needed to tell Lars to stop coming to see her, stop making her feel human again, stop giving her the idea that he cared. She looked forward to every moment spent in his presence even though the niggling voice in her head told her to decline his invitation.
“Look, sugar, you know how much I enjoy being with you, but we need to stop this before… well, we just need to stop it.” Marnie turned her back to Lars because it was too hard to see the surprise and hurt on his face at her words.
She’d encouraged him to be friends but she knew she needed to keep him at a distance. Her dream of experiencing a happy future with him was just that — a dream. The more time she spent with him, the harder it was going to be when he came to his senses and set his attention on some decent girl worthy of his love.
“Stop what?” Lars got to his feet and stepped behind Marnie, placing his hands on her shoulders, pulling her back against him. He breathed in her fresh, clean scent, not yet marred by the cloying perfume she wore when she was working. His breath stirred the tendrils of hair escaping the confines of the hairpins holding her tresses on top of her head. Enticingly, his hands inched down her arms, and he wrapped them around her waist, allowing himself the luxury of holding her close.
“This,” Marnie whispered, her voice laced with misery as her legs began to tremble. She’d never, in her life, felt so cherished and cared for as she did at that moment with the arms of the man she loved holding her like he’d never let her go.
“What if I don’t want to stop this? What if I want more than this?” Lars leaned down so his warm breath blew across her neck below her ear. He felt the tremor that passed over her as she closed her eyes, fighting against the emotions he knew he stirred in her. “What if I want you?”
“Lars,” she croaked, sounding in pain. “Don’t. Please don’t.”
“Don’t what? Hold you? Let you know I care about you? Kiss you?”
He turned her around and pushed up her chin until she met his gaze. Her stormy blue eyes raged with an inner battle as he drew a finger along her jaw and across her chin before tracing the outline of her mouth.
When her lips parted slightly, Lars knew he was so far gone for the woman, there was no point of return. He blocked out thoughts of her profession, how wrong it should feel to have such an intense affection for her, and succumbed to his need to taste her, to hold her.
Slowly lowering his mouth to hers, he gently caressed her lips with a tender kiss while wrapping his arms around her, drawing her closer to his heart.
It wasn’t the kiss he’d dreamed of giving her, but the one she needed. Softly, reverently, he kissed her mouth a second and third time, lingering only a moment before raising his head with an enticing smile.
“What were you saying?” Lars asked in a husky voice, pleased he’d thrown Marnie off kilter. Her hands clung to the lapels of his vest and he was certain if he let go of her, she’d sink to the floor. She stood with her eyes closed, as if she couldn’t quite bring herself to open them.
“That I’m a silly, foolish girl,” she mumbled. Her first kiss from Lars was even better than all the kisses she’d read about in her books. He gave it freely without an expectation of more from her, and for that, he won a place in her heart that no one would replace.
Finally opening her eyes, she smiled at him with such warmth and adoration, Lars felt his own legs grow weak. Before he gave in to the desire to ravish her with kisses, he took a step back and let his hands fall to his sides. Marnie sank down on the straight-backed chair at her table and stared up at him.
“I’ll see you when I get back into town. Okay, sweet thing?”
Marnie numbly nodded her head.
“Good. Stay out of trouble while I’m gone and I expect to hear all about the adventures in that new book when I get back.” He bent down and kissed her temple before rushing out the door.
Marnie stared at the closed portal, playing back everything that had happened in the past few minutes. She wanted to wrap her arms around herself in a hug, to hold the decadent feelings close.
Unfortunately, the clock in the hall struck the quarter hour, letting her know she needed to hurry and get ready for the long evening ahead.
The tip the sheriff’s office received that a few of the Bowman Gang were heading toward Pendleton panned out well. Although Chad Webster wasn’t among those Lars had spent the last several days tracking, three other members of the gang rode into town as he followed far enough behind they wouldn’t know he was there.
After losing a wad of cash at cards at O’Malley’s, they went to one of the Underground bathhouses. He could almost predict their next move. While they soaked in tubs and waited for their clothes to dry, Lars hustled back to the sheriff’s office. He found Kade and one of the other deputies there.
“Three of Bowman’s gang are in the Underground taking baths. Can I count on you both to help me bring them in?”
“Sure,” Kade said, checking to make sure he had plenty of cartridges for the revolver strapped to his hip. “What did you have in mind?”
“I could arrest them right now, but I’m of a mind to see what they do the rest of the evening before we lock them up. If we each tail one, I’m hoping to glean more information about the gang from them than they’re likely to give when questioned. I’m not convinced they aren’t planning to meet more gang members here later,” Lars said, leading the way back to where he’d last seen the three men. They were still in the bathhouse, so he, Kade, and the other deputy spread out, blending in with the crowds filling the Underground on a busy Friday night.
Eventually the three men exited the bathhouse. Two of them wandered down the tunnels in the direction of a brothel while the third, the one Lars was most interested in following, stepped into one of the saloons. He sat down at a table and joined in a game of cards, so Lars took a seat at the bar.
Lars watched the man who called himself Luce cheat at cards for an hour. In between witnessing the gang member fleece the rest of the men at the table, Lars noticed the bartender working a little racket of his own.
If someone paid in gold, the bartender would take a pinch out of the pouch of dust and trail it across the counter to the scale. His pinches were dead-on for being the right amount on the scale, but Lars couldn’t help but notice the man continually moved the scale farther away from where he took the gold out of the small bags, leaving more and more dust trailing behind. The gold dust barely had time to settle on the counter before the man quickly wiped it away with his rag.
Curious why he seemed to be brushing the gold dust to the floor, Lars stood and pretended to sneeze so he could get a good look over the counter, taking in a floor that looked to be a little muddy.
If he were
a betting man, he’d place money on the fact that the bartender carefully picked every bit of mud off his boots before he went home for the evening, giving himself a nice little bonus.
He’d come back and deal with the dishonest bartender another night. Right now, he had matters of more importance that required his full attention.
Luce gathered up a fistful of cash he’d cheated to win and rolled it into his pocket. After taking a final swig of his drink, he wandered through the tunnels then climbed up a set of stairs and came out on the sidewalk near the door leading to Miss Clementine’s establishment.
The criminal smoothed back his hair, yanked open the door and started up the 23 Steps to Heaven, as the sign painted on the door advertised. As Luce glanced over his shoulder to see if anyone followed, Lars lingered in the shadows, formulating a plan to continue tailing the man.
A drunk passed out in the alley wouldn’t miss his bottle of rotgut whiskey for a while. Lars splashed the liquid on his hands and rubbed it along the front of his clothes, prepared to jump into the role of a boisterous drunk.
Sometimes, he could do his job best by blending into the shadows and remaining quiet. Other times, he needed to become the center of attention to go unseen.
With a hope that Marnie and Miss Clementine would play along with his ruse, he yanked open the door and charged up the stairs, singing in a loud, booming voice.
Her eyes are like blue diamonds,
Her smile captures the sun -
She wrangled this ol’ cowboy,
Yep, boys, Miss Red has won…
Repeating the words when he reached the top of the stairs, he stumbled to the reception desk where Miss Clementine kept order over the men waiting for their turn at service. Luce walked down the hall with a plump little gal Lars knew was one of Marnie’s friends.
Loudly slapping his hand down on the desk, startling Miss Clementine, Lars bent down until his nose almost touched hers and dropped his façade just long enough to wink at her.
She leaned back as he stood to his full height and hiccoughed.
“I’m a wantin’ to see thet beautiful Miss Red. Please, Miss Clementine, I jes might surely up and die if I don’t see her tonight.” Lars slapped a hand to his chest in a theatrical display while he drew out every bit of southern drawl he’d accumulated during his time in the South.
Marnie, who happened to be walking down the hall toward the reception area, thought she recognized Lars’ voice, but then again, it didn’t really sound like him. From behind the doorway, she peeked out, amused as he staggered around, alternately singing and pleading to see her.
“Now, see here, sir, we can’t have you disturbing everyone. You need to quiet down while I see if Red is available.” Miss Clementine regally rose to her feet and stared at Lars but he detected the barest hint of a smile pulling at the corners of her thin lips.
“I’m right here,” Marnie said, strolling into the room, swinging her hips as well as a ruby-feathered fan dangling from a silk cord on her wrist. She gave Lars a thorough once-over and grinned. “You looking for me, cowboy?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Lars removed his hat and held it in front of him, gazing at Marnie like a love-struck fool. He didn’t have to play that part at all.
The red and black striped outfit she wore made the collar on his shirt seem three sizes too small as heat seared through his entire body. With her bosom about to spill out the top of her dress, her waist cinched impossibly small, and her skirt rising in the front to just above her knees, he bit his tongue to keep from completely losing his head.
“You pay the nice lady and then you can come with me.” Marnie tipped her head toward Miss Clementine, who stood with her hand held out.
Lars dropped a five-dollar gold piece in it. “Will that get me an hour?”
The men gathered in the reception area began to laugh. “You’ll be out cold in five minutes!” one of them hollered.
“You can have the rest of the evening with her, mister,” Miss Clementine said, dropping the coin in her moneybox. “Just keep the noise down.”
“Yes, ma’am!” Lars enthusiastically scooped Marnie up in his arms. “Jes point the way, darlin’. I’m fixin’ to show you a good time!”
The crowd erupted in more laughter and Lars set Marnie on her feet once they reached the row of doors where the working girls… worked. She made a show of opening a door and pulling him inside.
“What are you doing?” she whispered as soon as the door closed behind them. She set the fan on a table next to the bed and raised a questioning eyebrow as he removed his hat then unbuttoned the top few buttons of his shirt.
Yanking the tails of his shirt from the waist of his pants, Lars unbuttoned his vest and wished like everything that he could bury his hands in her beautiful hair. Unable to stop himself, he fingered a curl that escaped the confines of the pins she’d used to pile it up on her head. It was every bit as silky as he dreamed.
He had to use every ounce of his willpower to maintain even a hint of composure when Marnie stepped closer to him, offering a beguiling smile. Vainly, he tried to corral his thoughts.
“I know you didn’t come here to, um… What are you doing here?” Marnie asked again, gazing intently at him with a storm brewing in her blue eyes.
“Which room is your friend Daisy using?” Lars asked, placing his hands on her shoulders, ignoring the charged atmosphere between them. Her skin was even softer than he imagined. Creamy and smooth, it looked like fine porcelain in the light flickering from the sconce on the wall.
“She should be in that one.” Marnie pointed to a room to her right. “Why?”
“Because the man with her is part of the gang I’ve been chasing since I came to Pendleton. I’m not calling it a night until he’s in jail, but I’m trying to get as much information out of him as possible. Do you think Daisy would be willing to share any details he might impart to her?”
“I’m sure she would, especially if you bring her some peppermint sticks. They’re her favorite.” Marnie smiled at Lars then sat on the bed. “That was quite a performance you put on out there. I didn’t realize you were so musically inclined.”
Lars frowned at her, listening as footsteps approached their door.
“Hurry, we’ve got to make this look convincing.” He flopped on the bed, making it squeak in protest as he brought Marnie down with him. Rolling on top of her, he hid her from view, should anyone decide to peek in the door.
Not expecting the fiery explosion of sensations that assaulted him as he waited with his body pressed against hers, he leaned down until his lips touched her ear. “Am I too heavy on you, sweet thing?”
“No, you’re fine,” she whispered, slipping her hands beneath his shirt, trailing her fingers across his shoulders and back without giving a thought to what she was doing. Familiar with the anatomy of men, disgustingly familiar, Marnie had never wanted a man this close. Not until Lars.
The warmth of his skin against her palms created a raging fire that burned from her fingers throughout her entire body. She’d never before experienced anything like it.
He was, by far, the most handsome and wonderful man she’d ever met. The feel of his muscles beneath her hands, the rugged appeal of his presence, the kindness in his smile, made dreams she’d long ago locked away float to the surface.
As his gaze held hers, she lost the ability to think at all. His warmth enveloped her when he rubbed his whiskered cheek against her chin. The deep breath she inhaled carried a faint hint of his scent, mingled with sweat, dirt, and some malodorous booze.
The smell of the alcohol cleared her head as effectively as a dousing in cold water. Wrinkling her nose, she pushed against his shoulders. “Where have you been?”
“Sorry,” he whispered, lifting his chest slightly, concerned he was crushing her. “I’ve been on the trail the past few days and taking a bath wasn’t exactly an option. I know I stink like rotgut, but I had to make them think I’m drunk, otherwise ol’ Luce might have caug
ht on I was following him.”
“What’s your plan from here?”
“I’ll go out the back and trail him as soon as he leaves. I’ve got a feeling he’ll meet up with some of the other gang members, but I want to be sure there aren’t more of them in town before I take him in.” Lars gave in to the desire to nuzzle Marnie’s neck. Her skin was so soft and just begged him to press his lips against the pulse beating rapidly at the base of her slender throat.
“You better behave yourself, sugar. Don’t confuse your play-acting with the real thing,” Marnie warned, dropping her hands to the mattress. The feelings Lars stirred in her with his playful loving were unlike anything she’d ever experienced. He made her want and wish for things she knew would never come true.
“I’m not confused in the least.” Lars lifted himself up, grinning down at her. The latch on the door rattled, so he melded his lips to hers in a heated kiss that required no pretending on his part.
Wild, exhilarating sparks flew between them as his hungry mouth demanded a response from hers. Her arms wound around his neck and drew him closer as he lost himself in the passionate interlude. Again rolling onto his side, he cradled her to him, rubbing his big hands across her shoulders, along her sides and down her back as their kisses intensified with heat and desire.
He forgot where he was, why he was there. The only thing he knew was that he held Marnie close to his heart and he wanted her there permanently. He’d dreamed of the rich, dark flavor of her mouth, and he wasn’t disappointed as her sweetness flooded through him.
The clicking of the door as it closed brought him back to reality. When he lifted his head, he needed a moment to catch his breath and gather his wits. A glance at Marnie’s face revealed hurt blending with shame. “I’m sorry, Marnie. I didn’t mean… I wasn’t trying…”
“I think it best if you cease speaking.” Her quiet, clipped tone let him know it would take more than a book or box of chocolates to get back in her good graces.
Marnie (Pendleton Petticoats Book 4) Page 9