Claire had never been so delighted to see anyone as she was to see Billy and Ann. She smiled brightly. “I’m looking forward to my adventure. I shall write you often and let you know everything that is going on.”
“I’ll count on that,” Ann said. She embraced Claire warmly and whispered, “Take care of yourself, and remember, don’t hold anything back. Ask for what you want”
Claire nodded, then watched Ann leave. A lump formed in her throat. She turned to Billy. She was afraid to trust her voice.
“Would you care to dance, Claire?” David asked, taking her elbow.
“I believe the lady has promised me the next waltz,” Billy interrupted in his deep manly voice as he held his hand out to her. She pulled her elbow from David’s grasp and took Billy’s hand.
David shot her a look of furious contempt as she took Billy’s hand. David didn’t want her, nor did he want anybody else to have her. He looked at Billy. “Who are you?”
“Does it matter?” Billy swept Claire into his arms.
The music seemed to surround Claire as she whirled about the ballroom. Now that she was away from David, she began to relax. She was amazed at how smoothly they glided around the dance floor. Having taken so much laudanum, she felt as though she were floating in a dream as the music drowned out everything around her. All she could see was Billy. She didn’t realize just how strong that medicine was, but she was fully aware of Billy, his warmth, his strength, his masculine essence. Something within her glowed.
Looking into Billy’s eyes, she said with a smile, “You dance divinely, sir.”
“You mean, for a cowboy,” Billy said with a smile as his arm tightened on her waist.
“You don’t look much like a cowboy tonight As a matter of fact you are quite dashing, but—” Claire’s voice was shakier than she would have liked.
Billy arched a brow. “But?”
Claire gave him a sly smile. “I like you better in your ordinary clothes because that’s who you are,” Claire told him, the effects of the strong medicine making her speak her mind without holding back. His strong arm fit around her waist snugly, and Claire could feel his taut muscles beneath her fingers. He tightened his hold, and she figured that Billy had liked what she’d just said.
His gaze lazily appraised her. “I don’t pretend to be other than I am.”
“I know,” she said in a breathless whisper, and then she stumbled, but his tight grip kept her from falling, and once again he pulled her closer... much closer than was proper. Claire became extremely conscious of Billy's virile appeal.
“Are you all right?” There was concern in his voice. “You can’t possibly be tipsy.”
“I’m just a wee bit dizzy,” Claire said, fanning herself with her hand. “Do you mind if we step out on the veranda for some fresh air?”
“Not at all,” Billy said as he took her elbow and guided her through the double glass doors that led to the veranda. They drifted toward the far comer where a large tree limb swept down over the porch.
The air was just a bit crisp, and the breeze felt good on Claire’s skin. She turned to face him. “This is much better. Thank you.”
Billy leaned against the white rail, seeming quite at home there. “Mind if I smoke?”
“No.”
He reached into his pocket and withdrew a cigarette he’d evidently rolled earlier. She studied him as he struck the match and bent his head to light the tip of his cigarette. Then he straightened to his full height and blew out a breath of white smoke. It formed a little ring as it drifted through the air. Billy West looked so powerful and strong in his black jacket. Nothing like the dandies she’d known around New York.
Billy’s brows lifted a fraction. “Something wrong?” The texture of his voice was so deep, so rich, that she could listen to him forever. And at the moment all she could think of was kissing him. Of course, she couldn’t tell him that, so she said, “I like watching you smoke.”
I like everything about you. She left those unspoken words hanging in the air.
“Glad that I can please, ma’am.” Billy chuckled. “Are you ready to travel?”
She nodded. “Everything is packed and ready. Will you be glad to be going back home?”
Billy nodded. “You’ll see why as we travel. The country out there is so wild, untamed, and simply beautiful.”
Much like you, Claire thought. “Are there many people there?”
“In some places. Nothing like New York City. Sometimes you can go for miles without seeing a dang thing.” Billy looked down at her and smiled. “And you definitely won’t need a dress like this one out there.”
“You don’t like my gown?”
“On the contrary, you are very beautiful in it tonight, as I told you earlier,” Billy said. He paused, and Claire could see hunger in his dark eyes. She tried to deny the pulsing knot that had formed in her stomach as his galvanizing look sent a tremor shuddering through her. “The color of your gown makes your eyes look like rare gems.”
Her heart lurched madly as she tried to suppress all these new feelings that sent dizzying currents racing through her. He’d said that so seriously that she wasn’t sure how to take it Did he truly mean it? His bronzed features were so earnest and his voice had been so devastatingly honest that Claire found herself in waters she’d never ventured in before. “Thank you,” she whispered.
A noise sounded behind her. She turned as David stepped through the open doors. He stopped and looked around.
Claire didn’t think. She simply reacted and threw herself into Billy’s arms, causing him to drop his cigarette as his arms instinctively came around her.
“What’s this, sweetheart?” Billy asked. “A little forward, wouldn’t you say?”
“David just came through the door. Please kiss me,” she said, tilting her face upward toward him. “For just a moment, pretend that you care. At least, until he goes away.”
Billy was stunned. He couldn’t react. It was as if his dreams had come true. Here was the beautiful woman he’d been thinking of just moments ago exactly where he wanted her.
“Please,” she begged when he didn’t respond.
Her soft plea was Billy’s undoing. He glanced down into her pleading, blue eyes. His arms encircled her, one hand rested in the small of her back, and then he whispered for her ears only, “It’s my pleasure.”
“Claire,” David called from somewhere behind them.
Billy could not care less who was there as he succumbed to temptation and lowered his head. His warm lips covered Claire’s and the rest of the world disappeared as he pressed against her yielding lips. She responded by parting her lips slightly, letting him seek the warmth and promise of passion as yet unleashed. He wasn’t disappointed as her passion seemed to grow stronger.
His tongue plunged and caressed her mouth as he felt her fingers slide through his hair. God, she was sweet.
“Claire Holladay, you didn’t wait very long before you threw yourself at someone else.” David’s accusing voice was closer.
Neither Claire nor Billy bothered to respond.
Claire had forgotten that this was supposed to be a chaste kiss to show David she was over him. She was so shocked at her own eager response to Billy’s touch that she couldn’t remember anything.
David who? her subconscious asked as reality slipped away through her fingers and in its place fiery passion burned deep in her, a passion that she didn’t know she possessed until tonight. True she’d been kissed before, but never like this.
Nothing like this.
She didn’t know that a man’s touch could feel so wonderful.
Her hand shifted across Billy’s back as her lips moved against his. She wanted to give him as much pleasure as she was receiving. She followed his lead and realized she was doing something right when he drew her closer and moaned.
He tore his mouth away from her, and she knew that she didn’t want him to stop. He placed soft kisses on her throat until she heard herself moan as
she dissolved right in his arms. She would have collapsed in a heap on the ground if he hadn’t been holding her so tightly.
He lifted his head, and she felt as if she were staring at a dark sea of chocolate. His eyes were so dark and round. Claire thought she saw passion, but she wasn’t sure. All she knew was that she felt a new kind of dreamy intimacy between them, something she’d never experienced before.
She felt for the first time something she’d never felt before, something she’d never expected to feel... regret that they had to stop. What scraps of sanity remained within her told her they couldn’t start the long trip ahead like this.
This was a business relationship. Billy wouldn’t even be here if he’d not been sent to do a job.
What was he thinking about?
Was he regretting the kiss? Was Billy as confused as she?
Claire couldn’t tell by the serious expression on his face. He looked more like he was in pain instead of experiencing a pleasureful moment.
She hoped at least he’d enjoyed the kiss.
It was evident that one of them needed to say something, so she started. “Thank you.”
Billy looked a bit confused. “Thank you?”
“For the kiss. I didn’t want David to think that I was still pining over him when nothing could be farther from the truth.”
Billy glowered at her. “So you used me?”
“Well I wouldn’t like to think of it that way. It was quite enjoyable,” Claire said. She cocked her head to the side and smiled. “Wasn’t it?” He was acting peculiar.
“Don’t you know?”
“Of course it was for me, silly,” she said a little aggravated that he wouldn’t answer the question. “But what about you?”
“Sweetheart, it was wonderful. Magnificent. Do you think we convinced David?” Billy’s voice was so husky that Claire shivered, and then she realized that her arms were still wrapped around Billy’s neck.
“Yes,” she said in a breathless whisper. She felt Billy stiffen and something in Billy’s expression had changed, a muscle flicked angrily at his jaw. What had happened? She let her arms slip down and stepped back away from him.
As Billy’s senses returned, he realized that he had indeed been used. It didn’t matter that his mind had turned to mush and he’d jumped at the chance to kiss her. It was the fact that she wanted to make David jealous and Billy wasn’t sure he liked knowing that small fact.
He wanted Claire to kiss him because she desired to... not to impress David, who she apparently still cared for, or she wouldn’t have gone to all the trouble to convince him she didn’t care.
And the thought that she did care for the pompous coyote was like throwing salt into a raw wound. The harder he tried to ignore the truth the more irritated he became. He was attracted to the lovely Miss Holladay. He’d admit that. Where in the past he had been able to resist such females, all this one had to do was ask in that soft voice of hers and he forgot everything else. He was both surprised by his behavior and angry with himself. He must remember he was no better than hired help.
His mouth spread into a thin-lipped smile just before he said, “I’m glad I could be of service to you. But don’t you ever use me again, Claire Holladay or you’ll live to regret it.”
Claire watched Billy’s back as he disappeared into the ballroom, leaving her all alone. She never realized that a simple kiss would make him so angry.
She didn’t move for a long while as her jumbled thoughts replayed in her mind.
Billy was right.
She had used him and for nothing more than to save her pride. She had found pleasure and sadess all in the span of a few moments, and she ached to go back and undo the last few minutes.
But she couldn’t, she thought as she moved to the door. This wasn’t the best way to start her trip. What would tomorrow be like?
It would be a long trip with neither of them speaking.
Chapter Eleven
The next morning when Billy went downstairs, he expected to find Claire waiting for him in the foyer. Of course, he was learning that Claire didn’t always do or act as he thought she would.
Last night was a perfect example. Hadn’t she fallen into his arms and demanded that he kiss her? He couldn’t predict what this woman was going to do next! And to further confuse him, she’d kissed him far more passionately than he would have expected from a shy virgin. She had used him for her own purposes. And as much as he’d enjoyed the kiss, the reason for it made him damned mad.
As Billy paced back and forth in the foyer, muttering to himself, Margaret joined him. She told Billy that Claire had taken the carriage with her luggage to the depot and would be waiting for him at die station. Then Margaret, who had tears in her eyes, excused herself, telling Billy that she’d be right back.
He felt sorry for Mrs. Holladay. It was difficult to let her daughter go and he could see that she loved Claire very much. He wondered what it would be like to have a parent’s love. Claire was so lucky. But she was also hardheaded. That brought him back to his anger.
Billy was still frowning when Fredrick joined him, smiling and clearly looking forward to the trip. Until he saw Billy.
“What’s wrong?” Fredrick asked.
‘Your cousin. Seems she has taken matters into her own hands and has already left for the train station without letting us know.”
Fredrick rubbed his chin. “Maybe she thought that it would save you the trouble. You know women; they don’t travel light.”
“That’s not the point, F. D.,” Billy snapped. “I’m responsible for each of you, therefore I need to know where you are and what you’re doing at all times. There will be no wandering off on your own. Have I made myself clear?”
Fredrick held up his hands. “Hey, you need to tell her that, not me.”
Billy knew he was taking out his frustrations on Fredrick but he was there—she wasn’t. “Rest assured that I will speak to the lady just as soon as I see her.”
Margaret came back into the foyer with a basket of food on her arm. “I can see that you are both ready to leave. Here are some goodies to eat on your trip,” she said as she handed Billy the basket.
“Thank you. I assure you this ...” Billy held up the basket. “Will not go to waste. I’m surprised that you are not at the station.”
“I have already said my goodbyes, as hard as they were,” Margaret said in a tired sounding voice. “Claire didn’t want any crying or carrying on at the station—not that I would have, mind you, but she didn’t want to take any chances. My daughter is a very headstrong person, which you will find out once you get to know her.”
“I’m already finding that out,” Billy grumbled. Margaret looked at her nephew. “Your visit has been much too short, my dear. You must not stay away so long.”
“I won’t,” Fredrick said as he hugged her.
“And promise me you’ll report on how Claire is doing.”
Fredrick raised his right hand. “You have my word that I will give you a full report.”
Margaret turned to Billy. “Now, Mr. West....” “Billy,” he corrected.
Margaret gave him a smile. “Billy, then. It has been a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I shall confess that I feel much better knowing that you’re looking after my daughter. I’m afraid that we’ve protected Claire far too much, but we’ve had our reasons. So please be patient with her and don’t let her do anything foolish.”
Billy smiled patiently. The entire family had given him instructions on how to handle Claire. And now her mother didn’t want Claire to do anything foolish. This trip she was taking was probably the first of many foolish things Claire would want to do, and he wondered how he would be able to handle her. After last night, he knew he needed to keep his hands off the woman. She was much too tempting, though at the moment, he thought Claire could use a good spanking. But he wouldn’t dare say so with her mother standing in front of him with trust in her eyes.
“She’ll be safe with me,” Bill
y promised.
Margaret folded Billy into a warm embrace, taking him by surprise. “You’ll soon find out how special Claire is. If I could pick the perfect son-in-law, he’d be just like you.”
Billy smiled, but thought to himself that she’d change her mind as soon as she found out that I have no money. Hell, he didn’t even have a normal family. He had no idea what kind of people his parents were, and he’d learned a long time ago that he was better off not knowing. Anyone who’d throw his or her child away was rotten to the core as far as he was concerned. Billy could never give Claire the things that she was accustomed to, and he’d never ask her to live with less.
Whoa! How did his train of thought gallop down the road to marriage? It wasn’t a road he was ready to travel with any woman, no matter how tempting she was. Especially not Claire.
“My goodness, young man. What a frown on your face. Is the idea of marriage that distasteful?” Margaret laughed.
“Now don’t go marrying me off, Mrs. Holladay,” Billy joked. “I’m just not ready yet.”
Margaret reached out and squeezed his arm. “My dear, none of us are ever ready for marriage. Remember, the love we give away is the only love we keep. Love creeps up on us when we are the least prepared for it But don’t worry, marriage is the farthest thing from Claire’s mind as well. So you’re safe.”
Billy flashed her a relieved smile. He liked this woman, and she really didn’t have to worry. Her daughter would be safe with him—but was she safe from him—that gave Billy concern. “Is Mr. Holladay here so I can say goodbye?”
“I’m afraid Donald has already left for the city. He told me to convey to you that he was happy to have had you as a guest in our home, and that you’re welcome to come back to visit us anytime. And....” she paused, “as a token of our appreciation for taking care of our daughter, he has given you Firebrand. I believe you admired the horse yesterday?”
“No, ma’am. I can’t take Firebrand.” Billy shook his head emphatically “He is a beautiful horse, but that is too much.”
Until September Page 13