“Now, tell me how you find our city.” Virginia looked up at him and smiled. She’d rested her hands in her lap at first, but as she spoke, Pierce felt one hand gently tap his leg as if emphasizing a point before she settled it on his thigh. Her fingers squeezed just enough to gain his attention. It surprised him that no one seemed to notice her unseemly behavior.
“I believe we’ll like it here once we’ve had a chance to settle in.”
“And what do you do for pleasure, Pierce?” She’d removed her hand from his thigh and held a cup of tea to her lips, glancing over the brim at him, her eyes sparking with a wicked glimmer.
He narrowed his eyes at her then curved his lips into a half-smile. “Why, Mrs. Traxton, are you flirting with me?”
She laughed and placed her cup on a nearby table. “Of course I am, Mr. MacLaren. Are you not interested?” Her voice had become soft, a husky whisper that only the two of them could hear.
Pierce didn’t know how to respond to such a direct offer. He wasn’t immune to her beauty, yet had no interest in the woman for anything other than information which would help solve the strange mix of messages Noah and Lee fed them. He dragged his eyes over her, wondering if her husband knew her true nature, or if he cared.
He leaned forward, close to her ear. “I wouldn’t want this to be spread around, but, as unfortunate as it sounds, I’m in love with my wife.” He pulled back and stood. “I know Mollie is looking forward to your luncheon this week, Mrs. Traxton. It has been a pleasure.” He made a slight bow and turned toward Carlton Benstead, who stood several feet away talking with Gerald Black. Pierce glanced at Mollie, who was in deep conversation with Thomas Traxton and Lottie Goss. He wondered what she would think of his conversation with Virginia.
“Ah, Pierce, Gerald and I were just speaking of you.” Carlton took a quick look toward Virginia then back at Pierce. “So, you’ve had your invitation from Mrs. Traxton, I presume.”
Pierce’s face remained impassive at Benstead’s comment.
“Come now. The woman is notorious for her boldness. Has she ensnared you yet?”
He took the glass of whiskey Carlton’s butler offered. “I’ll only say that the lovely Mrs. Traxton made her intentions known.”
Both Carlton and Gerald chuckled.
“The woman is nothing, if not tenacious. Best you keep a level head around her.” Carlton offered a vague smile as he sipped his whiskey.
“Good advice.” Pierce took a small sip from his glass.
“Yes. She and—” Gerald stopped as his wife, Viola, walked up to the group and laced her arm through his.
“Excuse me, gentlemen, but I do believe it is time we say our goodnights.” She looked at her husband then the others.
Pierce turned to find Mollie smiling up at Thomas Traxton, who stood not six inches from her. It appeared the husband was just as bold as his wife. Pierce watched as Mollie laughed at something Traxton whispered in her ear before he reached down to take her hand in his. She quickly slid it free and dropped her arm to her side.
Pierce felt himself chill. In a single, fluid movement, he was by her side, taking her arm in a gentle but firm grip before focusing his attention on Traxton.
“My wife and I will be leaving now. It was a pleasure meeting you.” He held out a hand to Thomas, his other hand not releasing its hold on Mollie.
Traxton shifted his gaze from Pierce to Mollie then back to Pierce. “The pleasure was mine, MacLaren. I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other soon.” He nodded to Mollie before leaving to join his wife.
Pierce loosened his hold on Mollie as they thanked the Bensteads then escorted her to their waiting carriage. He took a seat next to her, crowding her space.
Mollie could feel heat radiating from him, not understanding his actions and not liking the way he’d manhandled her. “What was that about?” she demanded as she tried to create some space between them.
Pierce worked to control his temper. He’d been asking himself the same thing for the last ten minutes and hadn’t come up with an answer. All he knew was that the moment he’d seen Mollie’s rapt attention on Traxton, the man whispering in her ear then taking her hand, he’d seen red.
“Pierce, did you hear me? What just happened back there?” Her voice was uneven, anger coursing through her blood. Anger that she knew wasn’t just from the way he’d acted. Her fury had started as soon as she’d seen the way Virginia had laid her hand on Pierce’s thigh, the subtle way the woman had massaged his leg, Pierce doing and saying nothing to stop her.
He ran a hand through his short brown hair, but didn’t speak. He had to get himself under control, fast. This was a job, nothing more, with a woman he wasn’t certain he liked, and certainly didn’t want to be partnered with. What the hell was wrong with him? Even as the logic of his thoughts penetrated, his body tightened as their legs and shoulders touched in the close quarters of the carriage.
The short ride felt like hours. He helped her from the carriage and escorted her into the entrance hall and up the stairs, not stopping until they’d reached her bedroom. She’d just extended her hand to grasp the door handle when she felt his hands grip her shoulders and spin her toward him.
Mollie looked into eyes that appeared tormented and hostile. Her voice caught in her throat. She lowered her thick, golden lashes and tried to step back, but he held her firm.
Without warning, Pierce pulled her to him, his mouth coming down on hers in a hard kiss. She tried to ease her hands between them and push away, but stopped as he softened the embrace, his warm, firm lips claiming hers, causing heat to course through her body, all thoughts of pulling away were now gone. Her eyes, strangely heavy, fluttered shut. His grip loosened and she leaned into him, feeling the warmth radiating from his body to hers.
Mollie’s hands eased up his arms to his shoulders as his mouth shifted over hers, his gentle ministrations fogging her mind while her body thrummed with need. She wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him closer.
He guided them toward her room, moving through the entrance and kicking the door closed. He wrapped his arms around her, letting his lips find the soft, sensitive area behind her ear before traveling down her slender, ivory neck then back up to her lips. She moaned into his mouth, her body surging against his.
Pierce didn’t know what it was that made him stop, pull away, and step back, letting his arms drop to his sides. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and paced a few feet away, lifting his arms to spear his hands through his hair. His eyes opened to see Mollie, lips slightly swollen, confusion on her face, and breathing heavily.
“Mollie, I…” Pierce began then trailed off. He wasn’t sure what it was he wanted to say.
She blinked a couple of times in an attempt to recover her composure and took a deep, steadying breath before opening the door.
“It would be best if you’d leave.” She nodded once toward the hall.
Pierce’s eyes narrowed on hers before he stepped past and into the hall, hearing the door close behind him. He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked toward his bedroom. The walk seemed like miles, yet it was just a few yards.
He made his way to his bed, dropping clothes as he went, and fell across it, resting an arm over his eyes and wondering how he’d let that happen.
Chapter Seven
Mollie took one last look in the mirror, and satisfied, picked up her reticule to leave for her luncheon.
She’d been struggling with her body’s intense reaction to Pierce a few nights before. The encounter had been unexpected, but not unwanted, at least from her perspective. She had an inkling of what had triggered his sudden desire for her, even though Pierce had yet to utter a word about that night. Their few, brief meetings since had been all business, as if the passion they had experienced never happened.
Mollie had been attracted to Pierce from their first encounter, but had kept her distance, in part because of her job, but also due to his status as a MacLaren. Everyone in Fire Mountain knew and r
espected the wealthy ranching family. She’d grown up barely able to survive from week to week, her father’s work never providing for anything besides the bare minimum. Pierce was used to a life only wealth and status could offer, two things she knew little about.
It had surprised her when he’d joined the agency. She’d vowed to keep her distance, her attraction at that point already too strong. Then Noah had partnered them on the counterfeiting assignment. As much as she’d resented it, felt he would hinder the progress she’d already made, Pierce had been the one to identify the leader and close down the operation. To her distress, working with him had done nothing to lessen her attraction to the tall, handsome man.
Mollie had been angry when he’d insisted they leave the Benstead’s house. Even though it had grown late and others were saying their goodbyes, Pierce’s sudden appearance by her side, the way he’d clasped her arm, forcing her to his will, had infuriated her. Now, looking back, his anger was no more than she’d felt when Virginia had thrown herself at him. The short ride home had done nothing to relieve the tension between them. She’d simmered while trying to control the urge to vent her frustrations. At the same time, she’d wanted to wrap her arms around him and pull him to her. Her instincts told her that Pierce had been fighting the same temptation.
While Mollie had tried to ignore and fight it, Pierce had given in to it and she’d been swept along as a willing participant. Until he’d stopped. Now, they were as far apart as ever.
Mollie pulled her thoughts to the present as the carriage stopped outside a fashionable restaurant. She could see Henrietta Benstead, Lottie Goss, and Viola Black through the large windows. Each of the women was older than Mollie by a few years. Only Lottie and Viola were originally from the area, Lottie from a small town on the other side of the bay and Viola from the city. Henrietta was from Philadelphia.
“Good afternoon, Mollie.” Henrietta beamed as Mollie was shown to her seat.
She greeted the others, noting that Virginia Traxton had not joined them.
“Is Virginia ill?”
The three glanced at each other before Henrietta spoke.
“She sent a note with her apologies, indicating she was indisposed.” Henrietta looked at the others again before continuing. The three knew the woman’s life with her husband, Thomas, was strained. They suspected he kept a mistress, yet no one had dared bring it up with Virginia. “We so enjoyed having you and your husband over for supper. It’s always nice to meet people new to San Francisco.”
“Thank you again for having us. We enjoyed ourselves immensely.”
“You seemed to spend quite a good deal of time speaking with Thomas. Did you find some common ground?” Lottie asked, remembering how Traxton’s gaze had rarely lifted from Mrs. MacLaren.
“I don’t know about common ground, however, he was gracious enough to explain a little bit about how all of you are connected. It seems each of your husbands work together in some way.”
“Yes, that’s true. My husband, Harold, is an engineer, involved with the railroad and planning additional bridge systems,” Lottie explained. “Viola’s husband, Gerald, handles distribution of building supplies—steel, iron, and other products. And, of course, Henrietta’s husband is in banking.”
“And Mr. Traxton?”
No one said a word until Viola broke the silence. “Thomas owns several businesses. He doesn’t speak too much about them, although, I’m certain the men understand what he does. He and his wife haven’t been in San Francisco more than a few years. According to my husband, his businesses are doing well.”
“Sounds intriguing.”
“Yes, Mollie, that’s an excellent word for it.” Henrietta opened her menu. “Well, ladies, shall we order?”
******
Pierce was on edge. He’d spent the last few days poring over various bits of information that funneled in from Lee and Noah. As necessary as it was, and as much as he usually enjoyed solving puzzles, he needed more to do, something to take him out of this office and into the streets.
Eva had been to the office twice, garnering the attention and, Pierce surmised, the suspicions of his assistant, Martha O’Connell. He had deflected the speculation by introducing Eva as a business associate of Louis Dunnigan.
“What do you make of it, Eva?”
“Lee’s message says that several prominent New York and Boston businessmen are being investigated, quietly of course, regarding steady withdrawals of cash from a bank where most were original investors. There are several men involved in the withdrawals, all wealthy and successful. The team on the east is attempting to get someone placed inside the circle, close to at least one of the men, to see if they can discover what is happening. It may all be quite innocent, but that’s not the sense Lee or Noah gets. Both believe something isn’t right, but they just can’t identify what. From experience, I would trust their instincts.”
“And the same investors are involved in a bank here in San Francisco,” Pierce muttered, more to himself than Eva. “They could simply be shoring up the new bank through profits from the one on the East Coast. That doesn’t seem odd to me, but I have little knowledge of banking and money transfers.”
“That’s my thought as well, that Treasury may be jumping to conclusions. There is something else pushing the agency to learn more about the actions of these men. All have been quite vocal in their negative reactions to President Cleveland’s stand on certain issues and his vetoes of legislation they believe to be in the best interests of the country. From what I know, their comments have been no more vociferous than those who support the president’s actions. We could find that this whole assignment is a waste of our time.” Eva began to fold the various messages and place them in a file that Pierce would place within a wall safe.
“What do you suggest? Wait for more information? Try to dig something up on the bank investors at this end?” Pierce wanted some firm directive.
“Chaz is on his way and is expected to arrive within two to three days. Let’s wait until he arrives then meet again.”
******
Pierce walked to the window and stared out at the street below. Frustrated at the lack of information on their assignment, he wondered if they were wasting their time in San Francisco, and pondered the one person he’d been trying to force from his mind—Mollie. Memories of their brief encounter a few nights before played over and over in his mind, tormenting him in a way he’d never experienced. He was through telling himself she wasn’t what he wanted. He now knew better.
The touch of her mouth on his had a strange effect on him, quite unlike anything he’d felt with other women from his past. He’d felt a tightness deep in his chest, a heating of his blood that made him feel as if he were on fire. If sanity hadn’t returned to save them, Pierce felt certain he would’ve seduced Mollie and taken her that night in her room, destroying their already tenuous partnership in the process.
They’d met a few brief times to discuss the progress of their assignment, awkward and strained encounters. He’d left each meeting frustrated with their lack of progress on the assignment and hollow inside from the tension between them. He had no idea what to do at this point except close the current job, find a way to diffuse his growing attraction to Mollie, collect his money, and head back to Fire Mountain as soon as possible. The one other option was to bed her, get this burning desire for her out of his system, and get on with his life. Neither choice felt right.
******
Chaz Yarbrough left the train station, climbed into the waiting carriage, and instructed the driver to take him to the San Franciscan Hotel, the same hotel where Eva was staying. He wanted to arrange a meeting with her, Mollie, and Pierce soon, today if possible. Chaz had a growing suspicion that there was significance to what the agents were investigating. He had nothing to prove his belief except the burning sensation in his gut that something major was looming.
It didn’t take him long to get settled. He’d sent a message to Eva and was now impatientl
y awaiting her response. He didn’t wait long, evidence that she and the others were just as eager to learn what was going on.
An invitation had arrived at the hotel from Mr. and Mrs. Pierce MacLaren, inviting him for supper at their home that evening. A carriage would be sent for him. Chaz unpacked his few belongings, strolled to the downstairs lobby, and waited for his conveyance. He’d just settled into a large wingback chair when the carriage arrived for the short trip to the area referred to as Nob Hill.
“Good evening, sir,” Penelope greeted the tall, slender man.
“Chaz Yarbrough,” he said and handed her his hat.
“Chaz.” Pierce walked in, shook Chaz’s hand, and led him into the nearby parlor where Mollie and Eva waited.
Chaz greeted the women, accepted a drink from Pierce, and took a seat next to Mollie.
“I’m wondering if we may have been sent to San Francisco too soon, without enough information.” Eva’s voiced what all, except perhaps Chaz, were thinking.
“It doesn’t appear that we have much to go on or check out. At this point, it all seems like a waste of time.” Pierce was exasperated with the assignment. Sitting and waiting wasn’t high on his list of things to do, especially in such close proximity to Mollie.
“I have to agree with Pierce and Eva. Besides meeting some of the local bankers and attending social functions, there doesn’t seem to be enough coming from Lee or Noah to keep this going.” Mollie leaned forward in her seat, focusing her attention on Chaz.
“It does appear to be a bit of a waste,” Chaz said as he finished his drink and set down the glass. “There’s little detail, and what we have, is conjecture. Nothing proves anything illegal is happening yet. My guess? There is someone in Cleveland’s government stirring things up to see what happens. He may have his suspicions, genuine concerns, and Noah’s boss may side with whoever has triggered our involvement. Unfortunately, when someone at the stop snaps their fingers, we must jump.”
Wilder Than the Rest: MacLarens of Fire Mountain Page 6
