It was a little hard to follow, but he thought he got the gist of it. His cock was throbbing and didn’t want to give up without a fight though. He reached for her again, but she backed off until she was against the kitchen wall. He advanced, closing her in, not sure what he was going to do. He knew what he wanted to do, and he knew what he should do, and they were nowhere near the same thing. He dipped his head until he could lay his mouth lightly on her cheek. “Why are you letting me then?”
“I don’t know.”
It was a small voice, trembling.
“Don’t you? This all new to you, Melinda? No boy back home? No man?”
“No. Nobody.”
“I won’t marry you.”
Her firm little chin jutted out. “I don’t recall asking you to.”
He swooped all the way down and kissed her, less furiously now, but with a purpose. Seduction. He admitted it now. He was going to seduce Melinda right now. She wouldn’t stop him.
He kissed her, his tongue thrusting in her mouth, and the hesitant way she responded confirmed she had never kissed anyone like this, well, anyone but him when he was half-asleep. The thought thrilled him, and he didn’t stop to analyze it.
He unbuttoned the back of her dress as they kissed and slid it over her shoulders. She freed her arms from the sleeves, and he did the same with her shift until she was naked to the waist. He pulled away from her lips only to fasten on one taut pink nipple, his hand going to fondle the other one. She cried out, and he reached down for her skirts, dragging them up her legs and anchoring them behind her as he lifted her up and tilted her against the wall, grinding his hard cock against the juncture of her legs.
Her soft hands sifted through his hair, and, enflamed, he tried to open his pants. If he could just get his near-to-bursting cock out, he was going to put an end to this madness once and for all.
And Melinda wouldn’t stop him.
But Ginny could.
It was almost like the wail right out of nowhere was a sign. They sprang apart, each breathing hard, and mumbling something, Melinda tugged her dress up and went in to Ginny. By the time she came back, she looked shy and embarrassed, and he had cooled off.
“She’s asleep now.”
He came right to the point. “That would have been a big mistake where we were heading.”
She said nothing, simply examined the wood floor.
“I do want you, Melinda. The way a man wants a woman. I have from the start.”
She looked up. “I want you too.”
The quiet murmur just about undid his resolve. But not quite.
“But it wouldn’t be right for me to take a girl like you, a girl I’m offering the protection of my home to. Not without marriage. And I meant what I said. This is not an audition for marriage.”
“And I meant what I said. I’m not asking you to marry me. I’m asking you to—”
“No, you’re not. If we can’t ah, rise above this thing between us, then I’ll have to send you back East, Melinda. I don’t want to. Ginny needs you, but I’ll have to.”
She turned wearily away. “I understand. That won’t be necessary. We’ll just forget this ever happened. I want to be here for Ginny.”
He sat up a long time after she’d gone back to her room, trying to convince himself he’d done the right thing. Of course there wasn’t one part of him, not his cock, not his brain, not his heart, that believed it.
Chapter Five
Regina Winthrop danced gracefully. It was just a country square dance, but she moved at one with the music, smiling at her partner, who was quite a good dancer as well. Jake.
Melinda felt a pang of what she knew was jealousy. What was wrong with her? She needed this job. Jake claimed he would never marry again and certainly he would never marry a poor nobody like her with the likes of Regina Winthrop being offered to him. The thought soured her stomach, even if she could marry, which she couldn’t. She reached for a glass of lemonade on the refreshments table but, in an impulse, instead took the hard punch.
“That’s got liquor in it, you know,” a silky smooth voice next to her said.
She glanced sideways at Jesse. “Yes, I’m counting on it.”
Jesse smiled. “Not having fun, sugar?”
“Where do you come from anyway, Jesse? Sometimes you sound northern like me, but sometimes you sound southern like just now.”
“And you’re dodging the question. How about we take a spin out on the dance floor and give them a run for their money?”
“Who?”
“You know who.”
She took a healthy swig of her punch. “I’m afraid that wouldn’t be a very good idea. I have strict instructions to stay away from you.”
“Aren’t you ever tired of being a good girl, Melinda?”
She reached for another glass.
“Yes, I am.” When she finished the second, she felt an unfamiliar sense of lightness. “Yes, Jesse, I am tired of being so good.”
Jesse looked around. “Where’s Ginny tonight?”
“The Wilsons took her overnight. Annie said I was young and should enjoy myself. This is my first dance, you know.”
“No, I didn’t. Not much cause for dances in the orphanage?”
She laughed, rather loudly if the glance Jesse gave Jake and Regina was any indication. “No, not much dancing in the orphanage. I imagine Regina Winthrop has seen her share of dances, though.”
“Well, maybe so, but it looks like she’s trying to make this one memorable. If she’s let our boss out of her clutches for two seconds tonight I’d be surprised.”
The observation caused Melinda to reach for another glass of the hard punch. She’d only gotten a swig or two in before Jesse pulled it away from her. He took her hand instead and led her out to the dance floor. “I think you’ve had enough of that, Miss Melinda.” He pulled her close and began to dance, coaxing her rather effortlessly into the steps. “Hmm, what a nice rhythm you have, honey,” he whispered in her ear. “You’re a natural.”
“I am?” The thought pleased her, but somehow she wasn’t sure she was thinking too clearly. The warmth of Jesse’s big lean body, so like Jake’s, was soothing, but not exciting like it was when Jake had held her this close. Jake, she thought miserably, who was sidling up to perfect Miss Regina right at this very moment.
“You are, Melinda, a real natural, yes, ma’am. I bet I could teach you just about anything and you’d catch on real quick, wouldn’t you?”
“You’re not teaching her anything, Whelan.” It was soft-spoken, but firm, and right at her elbow. Jake was there, pulling her away from Jesse before either of them had a chance to resist.
Jesse laughed. “I thought you were busy with Regina.”
“I don’t want to make a scene in here, Whelan, because it’s Melinda who’d suffer. But I expect you don’t care much about that, busy as you are trying to make Miss Winthrop jealous.”
“Look, boss, if you want to dance with Melinda, just say so. Looked to me like it was Regina you wanted to get cozy with, but I expect that was just a ruse, huh?”
Melinda wasn’t quite following this. They were speaking so low, almost as if they were having a regular conversation. She wandered back to the refreshment table and poured another glass of punch. She did manage to get it all down this time before someone took it out of her hand. This time it was Jake, Jesse nowhere to be seen.
“Why don’t you come show me what a good dancer you are, Melinda? Or is it just Jesse you can find the rhythm with?”
He pulled her out on the floor before she could respond, and the reward of being in his arms was enough to quiet whatever response she may have given. This was a slow dance, just perfect, and she pressed against him eagerly. It was a second before he put some space between them again, but he looked down at her intently for a minute before looking away, waving to a nearby dancing couple.
After a turn or two around the floor, Jake asked, “How much punch did that bastard Whelan give you?”
“He didn’t give me any, Jake. He kept taking it away from me, same as you. He did ask me if I was tired of being good, though.”
“I just bet he did.”
“I am, Jake. I’m so tired of being good.”
“You are good, Melinda. You’re a good girl. The way you take care of Ginny. You’re a good person.”
Somehow, this was not what she wanted to hear tonight. “What about me? Who’ll take care of me?”
He froze in the dance steps for just a second, and then continued to lead her around the dance floor smoothly. “You’ll be with Ginny and me for as long as we can get you to stay, then I expect you’ll marry and have children of your own.”
“No, I won’t. I can’t.”
“You’ve had too much to drink, honey, is all. That’s the punch talking. Of course you’ll marry. As pretty as you are, any man would be happy to have you.”
“But not you?” There, she’d said it. She wasn’t sorry, even though she knew she couldn’t ever marry this man anyway, not if he got down on his knees and proposed right now. No, she couldn’t ever risk it.
“No, not me. I’ve told you that.”
“Oh, of course. But you can marry somebody like Regina Winthrop.” She felt like she was going to cry, and for a second, he looked panicked. They stopped dancing.
“We should leave,” he said.
Just as well, considering the fool she’d just made of herself. Maybe what they said about the Irish and drinking was true after all. Great, just another curse hanging over her head.
He was shepherding her towards the door, stopping only to say a few polite goodbyes, when Regina and her father stopped them.
“Dance isn’t nearly over, Jake. Where you going?”
Jake nodded to them.
“We’ve got to head on back, pick up Ginny. Mr. Winthrop. Regina.”
“Lou, please.”
“Lou.”
“And look here, Regina still wants one more dance. Go on, little girl, give it one more whirl with this big fella. I’ll wait with this missy. Go on.”
Looking pained but resigned, Jake let himself be led out to the dance floor one last time.
When she was alone with Winthrop, he said, “Come on, girl. Let’s go on out to the wagon and wait till they’re done. That way you and Jake can get on your way faster like.”
Melinda nodded, turning away from the sight of Regina in Jake’s arms, and let herself be led outside. The air had a distinct chill in it, and she shivered.
“You cold, girl?” he asked.
“A little.” For all everybody referred to him as an old man, Winthrop looked pretty hardy to her, and big. In fact, he was crowding her a little as he clutched her elbow and steered her to the wagon.
“Don’t worry none. I’m sure Jake will keep you warm tonight.”
The casual observation halted her, but Winthrop tugged at her elbow until they were moving again and then at the wagon. Before she knew what was happening, he had pushed her up against the cold wood. “Now, see here, girl. I know a whore when I see one. And I got nothing against whores.”
To her disgust, he put one meaty hand on her waist. She tried to shrug away out of his hold, but he was having none of it.
“No, I like whores just fine. As long as they know their place. So you best not be forgetting your place and getting any grand ideas about Jake Stone. He’s taken.”
Between the hard punch and Winthrop’s suffocating hold, Melinda felt faint, even though she most definitely was not the fainting type. Regaining herself, she pushed with both hands against his chest, hard, and he staggered back.
“You have no call to speak to me like that, Mr. Winthrop.”
“What’s going on here?” Jake called it out even as he approached, and she climbed into the wagon.
“Nothing. Just a little misunderstanding.”
Winthrop tipped his hat. “Night, Jake.” Then he was gone.
When they were underway in the wagon, Jake asked, “Did Winthrop give you any trouble? When I saw he’d taken you outside, I came as fast as I could.”
“I’m not a delicate little flower, Jake. You don’t have to shield me from anything. Least of all insults. I’m a bastard and an orphan. And Irish to top it all off.”
“He’s the bastard. Damn it, did he insult you?”
“Forget it.”
They were driving away into the dark now, and she rested her head on his broad shoulder, not caring if anyone they left behind could see it.
“We’ll stop at the Wilson’s first, pick up Ginny, and maybe, depending on how you’re feeling, we may have you stay at Annie’s tonight.”
“Why do we have to go to the Wilson’s, Jake? Ginny will be sound asleep already, and Annie said she’d keep her till morning.”
He looked at her askance.
“Please, why can’t we just go home? I want to just be with you.”
He chuckled, low. She loved his laugh.
“That’s why.”
“Don’t you want to be with me?”
* * * *
Jake jerked on the reins a mite too tight and clicked his tongue in apology to the horses. Christ, how could she even ask that? He’d about chewed nails seeing the way that asshole Whelan was dancing with her, like he was just trying her out for his bed. Undoubtedly he was, but then to add to that the fact that she was drunk… Okay, maybe Whelan hadn’t gotten her drunk. Maybe even he wasn’t that low handed, but he expected Jesse would have no compunction about taking advantage of it. Thank god he’d torn Regina off his tail fast enough to split Jesse and Melinda up.
Regina was another problem. The way she batted those eyes of hers at him and pressed her tits in his chest while they danced, he had half a thought to take her up on it. Of course she was only doing it on Daddy’s orders. How Old Man Winthrop could whore out his daughter like that was beyond him. Sure, it was marriage they were trying for, but all the same. It left him cold. He didn’t much care for the way Regina’s eyes kept darting to Jesse either. Not that he really cared. Regina was just a convenient diversion to keep his mind, and other things, off what he really wanted, who he really wanted, and right now that who was right next to him, trustingly resting her head against his shoulder. From the time he’d seen Melinda in her party finery earlier tonight, a delicate light blue dress one of Annie’s girls had lent her, he could think of nothing but peeling it off her.
Then that damned Annie offered to take Ginny so they could have a night of “fun.” It was so transparent. Annie expected he would sleep with Melinda and then marry her because he had. She was just trying to move things along. He’d thought it humorous at first, but with Melinda drunk and all but offering herself up to him on a platter, he realized that tonight could very well be one of the most dangerous nights of his life.
Melinda’s hand dropped to his lap, and he just about drove off the road. But when he groaned, she looked up at him, startled, and he saw she hadn’t even seemed to know what she’d done. She suddenly looked very sleepy. Sexy still but sleepy, and before he knew what was happening, she laid her blond head down on his lap. Apparently his boner made a good pillow because she was out. He continued to drive, but when he came to the fork in the road where he could go home or go to the Wilson’s, he headed home. If he showed up with Melinda’s head in his lap, Annie was liable to send for the preacher that very moment.
Melinda looked harmless enough now anyhow—hot, but harmless. When he carried her into the house at the end of the ride, she barely stirred. He laid her on her bed, not daring to undress her, and went back outside to take care of the horses. Once that was out of the way, he came back inside, threw his hat on the hook, and loosened his string tie. If tonight hadn’t earned him a stiff whiskey, he didn’t know what would. Maybe he could drink enough to knock himself numb so any temptation to tiptoe back into the bedroom of that sleeping, sexy girl would be moot. Five whiskeys later, he was sprawled out on his easy chair in front of the fire, not knocked out, but feeli
ng pretty damn good and thinking he should probably go take an icy dip in the creek. He’d been doing that every once in a while to calm his lust when his hand got too tired, but somehow after he had seen Melinda as good as naked there, he didn’t think it would work as well anymore to douse his lust.
Well, he had to do something. His cock was still tenting his breeches. Damn unruly thing.
He felt her soft hand on the back of his neck, so soft at first that he thought he might be imagining it. But no, there she was, awake now in a tousled way, still clearly tipsy, and having taken care of the undressing rather handily on her own. She was in that same damn shift of hers. The one she’d worn into the creek. The fact that they were here, alone, and she would no doubt let him take it off her if he just reached out his hand froze him. He’d made a terrible mistake. So worried about resisting her while she was under the effects of the hard punch, and so relieved to have gotten her home to bed without further incident, he’d let down his guard. Now five whiskeys later, resisting her seemed like the last thing he could bring himself to do.
He eyed her as she came around to the front of the chair. The firelight behind her showed each luscious curve. He reached a hand out to touch one—the sweet soft curve outwards of her hip. She put her hand over his and lifted it to her mouth, kissing lightly, then placed it deliberately on her breast as she looked down at him.
“I want you, Jake. Please.”
He groaned.
“Don’t you want me, too, Jake?”
In answer, he took her other hand and laid it on his aching cock. “Are you too innocent or too drunk to know what this means?” He gripped her hand tighter around his stiff cock and then began caressing her with the hand that was on her breast. “Of course I want you. But it would be wrong to take your innocence, to maybe even get you pregnant, without marrying you.”
Even the mention of pregnancy, meant to scare her, didn’t seem to deter her. She squeezed his cock eagerly, and, God help him, he massaged her tit and pulled at one nipple, dark underneath the cotton of her shift.
Claire, Angela - Heart of Stone (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 7
