by Connie Mason
"What happened?"
"I'm not sure, exactly I must have walked in on someone, for he rushed past me when I entered my room I tried to stop him, but he shoved me aside when he tried to get out the door I fell, and then I screamed, and—and that's when you came "
"What's goin' on here?" From the kitchen Hannah had heard Maggie scream and came running to her aid, brandishing an iron skillet "Someone was in Maggie's room," Chase explained tersely "I was too late He got clean away "
Maggie made a slow inspection of the room It didn't take long to discover what the culprit was after "Oh, no, look what he did to my plates I" Scattered over the room were the plates she had already exposed, as well as the remaining photographic plates she had brought with her from Seattle, each one broken or mutilated beyond repair Her papers and notes lay amidst the wreckage, torn into tiny bits The willful destruction lent mute testimony to Soapy Smith's power It was also a sobering warning meant to frighten
"Tarnation, will ya look at thatl" Hannah said, stepping into the room "Who'd do somethin' like that?" "Soapy Smith," Chase muttered sourly "He don't appreciate Maggie's determination to expose him "
"You been messin' with that man?" Hannah asked, awed by Maggie's daring "Honey, you oughta know better than that You'd be wise to leave Skagway "
"I intend to," Maggie replied tightly "As soon as I find someone to take me to the Klondike Now if you'll excuse me, I'll clean up this mess " "Stop by and tell Rusty what happened, will you, Hannah?" Chase asked "I'll stay and help Maggie " "Sure thing " Hannah left and Chase deliberately closed the door behind her "I don't need your help, Mr McGarrett"
"Maggie girl, this has gone far enough What happened here is just a wamin' Smith wants you gone Don't you know your life is in danger1?"
"Why should you care1?" Maggie challenged
"Damned if I know, but I do What can I say to convince you to leave Skagway1?"
"Take me to the Klondike," she argued, "where Soapy Smith can't touch me "
"Will you never give up1?"
"NeverI" Abruptly she turned and began tidying up the room
Chase bent to help, muttering beneath his breath all the while When finally a semblance of order was restored to the chaos Soapy's toughs had created. Chase tried one more time to reason with Maggie
Grasping her by the shoulders, he said, "Regardless of the way you tried to use me, I don't want to see you hurt"
Maggie sighed, weary of his accusations "Don't you recognize a true response when you see one1? If you weren't so damn hotheaded, you'd realize that we made love because of the way I felt, not as a means of cajoling you into doing my bidding I thought you felt something special between us, something that had nothing to do with taking me to the Yukon "
I did feel something special, Maggie That's why it hurt to think you'd use that feeling to persuade me into doing something I had no intention of doing But perhaps I was too hasty to judge I know how badly you want to go to the Klondike "
"Don't you understand. Chase1? I can't give up now My pride won't allow it I've begged and cajoled for this assignment, and to return now would mean I'd be back to covering society pages and book reviews Every man working for the Post-Intelligencer expects me to fail Oh forget it," she said dejectedly, "you're
a man yourself, so how can I expect you to understand1?"
Strangely, Chase understood exactly how Maggie felt He even had an inkling of what drove her But it didn't change his mind What it did was make him want her, make him yearn to experience her love once more He vividly recalled how she had given unstintingly of herself, deriving as much pleasure as he had from their union Afterwards there had been no recriminations or tears despite his angry accusations and cruel words Maggie Afton was a courageous young woman rushing headlong into a bold new century and bravely embracing every challenge along the way Chase couldn't help but admire her and what she was trying to accomplish, not just for herself but for the benefit of all womankind
"I understand how you feel, Maggie, but I can't help you I don't think you realize how long the six-hundred-rnile trip will take or what would likely happen when we're alone for so long a time I can't keep my hands off you now—think how it would be if we were together day after day " His blue eyes turned smoky with desire and his voice grew oddly hoarse
Maggie worried her bottom lip thoughtfully with her perfect white teeth "I've considered that. Chase," she admitted slowly "It will test our willpower, but I'm willing to take the chance if you are "
"Dammit, Maggie, don't you know I've got no willpower where you're concerned1? I hate the way you used me, but I can't forget the softness of your skin or the way your body responds to my touch I want "
"Just what is it you want from me. Chase1?"
"I thought I made it clear—I want you, any way I can get you "
Maggie glared at him with scornful mockery "Evidently you don't want me badly enough to take me to Dawson "
Chase gleefully rose to the challenge "Maybe not," he admitted, a lazy smile dangling on the comer of his mouth, "but I want you badly enough to take you here and now "
Maggie held her breath as his burnished head descended toward hers and his mouth took hers hostage, snatching her breath away, then offering it back
"Do you remember what it felt like when I was deep inside you, darlin"?" he asked, his voice slurred with desire "When I think of you tightened around me, I can hardly breathe I want you so badly "
Maggie's golden eyes grew wide with alarm, fighting her own demons as her treacherous body responded to his erotic words "Get out of here. Chase, before something happens neither of us is prepared to deal with "
"No way, darlin' " His touch had a savage roughness that spoke eloquently of his need "I got a powerful hankenn' for you and I aim to appease that gnawin' ache "
Maggie's eyes grew deep and tawny as Chase's need became her own Cradling her head in his hands, he let his thumbs caress the prominence of her high cheekbones, her satiny skin, moving in hypnotic circles, reacquainting him with the feel and texture of her His fingers trembled into the silken mass of golden hair, freeing the curls from the prim bun until they tumbled down her shoulders in glorious disarray
His kiss was not the kiss of a gentleman, but a bold assault on her mouth that both intrigued and frightened Maggie with its intensity His tongue plundered, and she answered with quick darting strokes that drove him wilder, crazier With a will of their own her arms dropped to encircle his powerful back under his denim jacket She kneaded the massive muscles there, tugged his shirt free of his
belt, and raked his bare skin while his kisses rained freely over her face and neck Slowly and methodically Chase was destroying her senses, turning her into a raw, aching bundle of yearning Even more incredible was the fact that Maggie was eager and willing to let the cowboy rogue have his way again
"Take off your clothes, darlin", I want to watch you undress," Chase ordered softly Without a word of protest, Maggie complied, lost in the soft, swirling heat of his gaze "I love your body, it's so responsive Look how tautly your nipples pucker, and I haven't even touched them "
Having shed the last piece of her clothing, Maggie stood before Chase wrapped in nothing but the magnificent golden veil of her hair No matter what Chase wanted from her, she wanted it too Why should men be the only ones to feel, to need, to want1? Women were equally capable of experiencing those things, though society forbade it She might be considered a spinster by some, but Maggie was determined to taste fully of life's pleasures What truly puzzled her was why she chose an illiterate cowboy like Chase McGarrett to share these special feelings with Then all thought came to an abrupt halt as Chase swung her into his arms and placed her on the narrow bed
Chase didn't follow but stood beside her and slowly peeled the layers of his own clothing away Maggie started to close her eyes but changed her mind The last time they were together like this, she'd seen too little of his body and was curious enough to want to see everything this time She wasn'
t disappointed In comparison to his massive brown shoulders and chest, his waist was narrow, his hips slim She followed the sturdy columns of his legs upwards to where they joined and her breath caught painfully in her throat Her tawny eyes lingered there, mesmerized by the stirring sight of his thick manhood
leaping forward from a dense copper forest
Stunned, Maggie's eyes flew upward to find Chase regarding her with wry amusement "Do you like what you see, darlin"?' Maggie licked her lips, aware that her mouth had suddenly gone dry "No—yes I don't know You're certainly impressive "So I've been told," he grimed wickedly "I've had no complaints so far "
"Conceited jackass," Maggie muttered, following the line of matted hair from his chest to that part of him that intrigued her most "My God, Chase, are you going to stand there all day while I admire you1?"
"Nope," he said, dropping down beside her "I'm gonna love you, then you're gonna love me " "I don't understand " "You will"
To Maggie's delight. Chase spent long pleasure-filled minutes exploring her body, bringing her to the brink of trembling ecstasy, only to hold her there, suspended When his lips slid downward over her stomach, Maggie's breath rasped raggedly in her throat "Chase, no, what—what are you doing1?"
The rigid tip of his tongue parted the hair guarding the tender opening between her thighs, gliding along the moist warmth until he found the swelling bud of her femininity "Chase, please, you can'tl" Thoroughly shocked, Maggie never knew such a thing was possible—or desirable Smiling, Chase proceeded to demonstrate just how little Maggie knew about loving and being loved
His tongue continued stroking and teasing while his fingers played against her heated flesh, increasing her pleasure until every nerve ending screamed for release
"Chase, please, I can't stand itl"
"Don't hold back, darlin'," Chase murmured in a muffled voice "I want to make you happy "
His words had the desired effect as Maggie stiffened, her body a vessel of raw, consuming passion She opened her mouth to scream, but Chase covered her lips with his own, swallowing her cries as her body convulsed beneath him Then, with desperate urgency, he thrust into her, feeling her close tightly around him and hold him in the cradle of her warmth Again and again he filled her, so completely she thought she would burst from the size and strength of him It was wonderful He was wonderful There was an explosion that no words could describe, a brief moment of paradise, then a slow return to reality
"I thought that first time was incredible, but this—I didn't know such pleasure existed," Maggie whispered breathlessly "Just let me catch my breath and well do it again," Chase rasped "Whatl Is that possible?"
"It is with me," Chase bragged, his eyes twinkling with amusement "Only this time, you'll make love to me I'll be able to hold off longer now and you can ride me to your heart's content" Seeing Maggie's shocked expression, he added, "Don't worry, I'll teach you Seem' that you're a thoroughly modem woman, I know you'll enjoy it"
She did
Chapter Seven
"Chase, ending up in bed with you isn't going to solve my problems," Maggie said reproachfully as she watched Chase dress Deliberately she looked away so as not to be distracted by the sight of his taut buttocks as he shrugged into his pants
"No, but it sure as hell helped mine," Chase grinned with wicked delight
"Dammit, Chase, be serious You know what I want"
"Yeah, my body," he teased, still grinning
"Ohhh, you're impossible I Just get out of here I'll find my own way to the Klondike I don't need a man to take me "
Suddenly Chase sobered "Promise me you'll do no such damn fool thing "
"No promises. Chase You'd better go now Miss Delarue is expecting you "
"Yeah, I don't want to be late for work," Chase grumbled, the words whipping around the door as
it slammed shut behind him "God deliver me from stubborn women "
Two days later Maggie had another surprising encounter with Soapy Smith He confronted her as she walked through town toward the beach
"Miss Afton, I owe you an apology," Soapy said, assuming a contrite expression "I wouldn't hurt you for the world I abhor violence It's unfortunate the way things happened in my office I'm afraid Mr McGarrett misunderstood "
"I think Chase understood perfectly, Mr Smith," Maggie sniffed "If you'll excuse me, I have business elsewhere " "I understand you're looking for someone to take you to Dawson City "
Maggie eyed him narrowly He was a pleasant-looking man, if not for his cold eyes And she had learned that he was a married man with children "I've decided I don't need anyone to take me I can get there on my own "
"I admire you. Miss Afton, I think we're a lot alike But taking off on your own is not only foolish but dangerous I'd like to help you " "You want to help me1?" Maggie scoffed derisively "Why is it I don't believe you1? Is it because you've thwarted me at every turn1?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," he said with feigned innocence, "but I can be of help if you'd let me I'm sending two of my best men up to Dawson to scout out possible sites for a saloon I could arrange for them to take you along "
"What's the catch? What will it cost me?"
"You've got me wrong. Miss Afton It won't cost you a cent other than the purchase of food and supplies "
Maggie waited, fully aware that there was more to come She wasn't disappointed
"In return for rny help, I ask only that you mention the good I've done for Skagway in any future articles you write about rne I'm not asking you not to write those articles, just temper them by listing my contributions to the community "
Maggie's mind worked furiously Her interviews had already revealed another side to Soapy Smith She wouldn't be lying if she wrote about those things, too But the question remained whether or not she could trust Soapy to keep his word about getting her safely to Dawson Other than going off on her own, it was the best offer she'd had after two weeks in Skagway
"All right, Mr Smith, I'll agree to your terms How can I be certain you'll not order my death once I leave Skagway1? Many accidents can happen on the trail"
Soapy looked appropriately aggrieved "Miss Afton, I assure you I would never do such a thing I've always cooperated fully with the press I want to be of help "
"How soon can we leave1?" Maggie asked, her mind already made up Soapy Smith hadn't asked her to do anything to compromise her integrity Her stones about him would certainly continue, the only difference being that she'd make mention of his good works
"Two, maybe three days," Soapy smiled, pleased by his easy victory Obviously he had gone about it all wrong the first time
"I'll be ready, just send word," Maggie said as she hurried off to begin her preparations She went directly to the outfitting store to buy food and equipment for her long-anticipated trip
Maggie's excitement escalated with each passing minute Finallyl She had begun to believe she'd never get to the Klondike, never complete her assignment, never prove her worth as a newspaper reporter
Chase couldn't believe his eyes when he saw Maggie standing outside the outfitting store amidst a growing mountain of food and supplies "Damnationl You really are goin' alone I"
"No, I'm not," Maggie smiled smugly, "not that it's any business of yours
"You found someone willin' to take you to Dawson? Who1? Don't you realize how dangerous it is puttin' your life in the hands of strangers'?"
"Chase, I know you're going to find this difficult to believe, but Soapy Smith offered his help "
"Whatl Dammit, Maggie, you've done gone and lost your mind I won't have itl"
"Chase, please, don't make a scene out here Mr Smith is sending two men to Dawson to look for a possible site for a saloon He offered their escort"
"Sounds fishy to me," Chase grumbled, shoving his hat to the back of his head "You're not goin' and that's final" Expecting his word to be strictly adhered to. Chase turned and stomped away
The evening was going badly Chase found it difficult t
o concentrate on his work He looked at his pocket watch for the tenth time in the last two hours Ten o'clock, still hours to go before closing time He hated this job, hated the way men gambled away their hard-earned money But mostly his mind was consumed with Maggie and how important she had become to him in the few short weeks he had known her She was far too courageous, independent to a fault, stubborn, outspoken, foolish, exasperating, and not afraid to be a woman with a woman's needs
"Chase, there's an old prospector asking for you That scruffy-looking character with a gray beard standing at the end of the bar " The dealer who was to relieve Chase for his first
break of the evening pointed to the man in question
Chase nodded "Much obliged, Johnny Be back in fifteen minutes " He rose and strode over to the prospector who looked as if he'd seen better days
"I'm Chase McGarrett, heard you're lookin' for me "
The old man glanced up from his beer, somewhat blurry-eyed but definitely not drunk "If yet Rusty Reed's partner, then yer the man I want Heard tell old Rusty done broke his leg and is laid up fer a spell"
"You're right on both accounts. Rusty broke his leg and I'm his partner What can I do for you1?"
"My name's Dan Freeman Got me a claim on Gold Bottom, Fourteen Above I understand you and Rusty left Sam Cooper in charge of Eleven Above
"That's right What about it?" Chase asked wanly
"Old Sam took sick real bad We been friends fer years I stopped by before I left Gold Bottom and he asked me ta deliver a message to either you or Rusty I was cornin' to Skagway anyways fer supplies "
"What's the message?" Chase asked impatiently
"Old Sam is doin' mighty poorly and says fer ya to get up there pronto if ya ain't already left"
