Rescued (Flowers of the Bayou)

by Arlene Lam

  Cursing himself Jordan again began buttoning up his shirt and pulled on this dark boots. “My driver will see you safely home.” He started.

  “Am I being dismissed so soon?” The woman pouted.

  “It would seem so.” Placing a kiss on her forehead he tried once again to will away thoughts of Amelia to no avail. Peering down at the young beauty Jordan kissed her once more passionately. “You wouldn’t have me get in trouble would you? “Jordan deceived.

  “For what?” The blonde sulked. “You passed out before anything could happen.”

  Amazingly a sense of relief washed over him. “And I will have you leave before anything can. You are too beautiful to be wasted on a scalawag like me.” He smiled down at her, dimples showing.

  “I wish you’d let me decide.” The woman replied slipping from his bed fully clothed to Jordan’s glee. He kicked himself mentally, damn Amelia for being so alluring. Because of her he could not enjoy the bounty that was this blonde goddess. How could he when he was obsessed with the thought of indulging in something new, something a little different. And he was going to get it. Shaking his head at himself, he began to walk toward the door. Stopped by her soft voice.

  “The next time you come down to the Chateau Taverne Et Carte Club you come find me.”

  “I guarantee it.” Jordan charmed as she slipped from his quarters. He prayed Georgia had not tried to sneak into his room and witnessed the woman.

  It was late and he knew it was wrong but there was only one way to get Amelia out of his system and he was going to enjoy every second of it.

  *

  The wind swept through the window, whipping the dark curtains around fiercely and even though the cold gust chilled her to the bone she could barely bring herself to rise out of her chair to shut it. Vivian was cross with her and even though she didn’t want to acknowledge it, there was truth to the older woman’s words.

  A fact that was driven even further into her head when she’d gone to bring the man his breakfast and found a pretty blonde in his bed. She’d never felt such rage before and had gone home early and if the day hadn’t been bad enough it was soon topped when she had come home to Lorraine and an angry Morgan. She didn’t care though, not this time, she told them both that she was a grown woman free to do as she pleased and lord if she could have captured their faces.

  Dragging herself out of the old rocking chair and to the large dresser she pulled out her white nightgown and taking off her dress snatched it down her form. She was still livid. Had he really told her to go to hell? Going to the task of tying her hair tightly atop her head she nearly growled. It was tacky to bring a woman like that into a house where his young sister resided, tacky and crass. Hearing the clock chime twelve times from below she gave a loud sigh.

  It was now midnight and lighting another candle she went to her bed and fell down in it exhausted. She could kill herself for staying up so late. After all it was going to be an early morning; her fiancée was coming over for a picnic.

  She couldn’t shake the feeling of idiocy that now hung over her like a halo. At least the whole incident had placed everything in prospective. Marrying Morgan seemed like the most sensible and right thing to do. He loved her or at least he said he did and that’s all she needed or wanted.

  Twisting around she turned her back toward the light and hugged her pillow close to her. Taking in a deep breath she closed her eyes down tight against the burning tears that now threatened to fall in frustration. She would not cry he didn’t deserve her tears.

  She should have known that he didn’t truly like her. She was nothing to him would always be regarded as such. She had never felt so angry at herself, or so stupid. Angry because she allowed herself to become upset over something that never could be and angry because she was livid at him because she had found him with a woman in his bed. No she was actually beyond livid, but she did not have a right to be. He was supposed to be her friend. They both knew that that was a lie. She would not be so heated if she regarded him as just a friend. Amelia was so angry because she loved Jordan Bradford and it was a slap in the face to see a woman in his bed.

  She couldn’t really pinpoint when it happened but she could tell anyone when it started. From the moment she had laid eyes on him from the time he spoke her name from the second his lips touched hers and ignited a fire that even now burned down deep in her very being.

  Kicking off the covers Amelia picked up the dainty silver ring from the white dresser drawer to her right and examined it. M. H. and A. H. could be seen along its curvy side. He must have spent a lot of money to get the pretty piece and have it engraved on top of that. Morgan was where she belonged where she needed to be.

  Smiling she placed the ring on her finger pleased that it fit perfectly. So content on focusing on what could be instead on what couldn’t she didn’t notice the rustling at her window and barely detected the loud thud that came up from her floor.

  She didn’t need this. With her heart in her throat Amelia nervously peeked down the side of her bed. She was shocked to find a pair of violet and sapphire eyes. This wasn’t happening, rolling to the other side of the bed Amelia scrambled under the covers clutching them close to her and prayed to God that her mind was playing rather cruel tricks.

  Jordan pushed himself up from off the ground upset that he’d stumbled on the way in. Satisfied on the other hand that he’d bet on the right-lighted room. On his way to her home he’d began to feel guilty about the words he spoken to her earlier in anger. He wanted to and planned to apologize, and maybe a little more. For the life of him he didn’t know why he went through all the trouble to apologize. Why did he feel so damn bad?

  Dusting himself off he spotted her buried under a blanket. He couldn’t make out her face but he knew she had seen him.

  Hearing his heavy boots thudding on the wooden floor Amelia rolled her eyes skyward in disbelief. “You can’t be here.” She hissed. “How did you know where I lived?”

  “Mitchell picks you up every day.” Jordan responded matching her hushed tone.

  “Didn’t you have company in your quarters? I’d have thought you’d want to her.”

  Jordan gave pause at this. He never wished for her to know about that woman but instead of dwell on it he tried to ignore it and smiled down at her. “I’ve been trying to leave you alone, doesn’t seem to be working.”

  Amelia couldn’t help the surge of anger that now grew inside her. “So you just come into my room, well this isn’t the old days Mr. Bradford and you don’t own me and you have no right to come here!”

  Jordan let a dark scowl come across his features at her attack. But quickly hid it from view. Her words rang true after all. “I came to apologize; I never should have told you to ride a broomstick to hell.”

  Amelia rolled her eyes at that. “Get out! I know better than that.”

  “No I think I would rather stay after all according to you, you’re right where I want you.” He teased motioning toward the bed.

  Amelia shot him a heated look. Her instincts told her to scream to the high heavens and then he’d sure enough leave. But in reality she knew that if she did scream, if anyone found out that he was in her room, it would not turn out as it should.

  Jordan was rich and white and she would be painted as a whore and lose Morgan. Lorraine would disown her it wasn’t worth the risk. “Say what you have to say and leave please.” Amelia stated frustrated.

  Jordan knelt down on the hard wood floor and stared at her. “I thought I just did.”

  Amelia narrowed her eyes at him. “Why are you doing this to me—do you hate me that much?”

  “You know I don’t hate you. I just want you to listen.” Jordan shifted and stared at her. He had intended on apologizing. But he wasn’t sorry for the things he knew she thought he should be. If he said he was sorry for kissing her it would be a lie.

  Amelia pulled herself up in the bed and shook her head. “I don’t need an apology. Just leave Jordan.”

&
nbsp; “No. Not until I get what I came for.” He watched as she narrowed her eyes and he knew that if looks could kill there would be a funeral for him soon enough.

  “Whatever it is you want from me you won’t get it.” “I am a man who always gets what he wants” He retorted.

  Amelia glared at him. “And what is it that you want.”

  Jordan grinned and whisked away the stray tendril of hair that fell across her forehead. “I want you.”

  “That is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.” Turning her back to him Amelia focused her attention on the flailing curtains instead. There was no reason for the man to always be so ridiculous. “You know Mr. Bradford I’ve never met anyone who pestered me so. Why do you do it?”

  She certainly wasn’t making anything for him easy. “What will it take? What do I have or say for you to forgive me?”

  “I don’t want you to say or do anything besides what is there to be sorry for. You’re free to do what you will and say what you like but when you come into someone else’s home don’t you think that’s a little bold? You are the most infuriating man—” She couldn’t finish she didn’t know how. Nothing seemed to work so why should she waste her breath trying.

  Walking around to the other side of her bed he blocked her view of the window and went down on one knee. “Forgive me my lady.” Taking a moment he glanced up at the ceiling as if giving his words serious thought. “You see for I am changed and I beg you, pardon me. For the wrongs I’ve done I deeply regret. The wretched man, depraved man, wicked man, dare I say vile and shameful man you once knew is no more. Please grant this poor lost soul a second chance.” He teased barely containing his laughter at the dark stare she was giving him.

  “I’m happy your antics are amusing to you.” Getting out of her bed Amelia stalked over to him. ‘Because they are not entertaining to me, it’s not humorous when you deliberately hurt a body, making them feel lower than low, it’s not funny when you endanger their future, as you are mine by being here, it’s not witty to do whatever it is you think you’re doing, if you don’t understand what I’m saying, let me put it in another way. You are not in the least bit amusing, cunning, or charming, and you’re definitely not funny, and I don’t want to spend another minute in your presence.”

  “You’re playing coy I see.” He toyed with her not willing to relent one inch.

  The urge to scream out her frustrations almost won, as she looked up at him in the barely lit room. “You can’t even be serious, not even now.” Throwing her arms up in defeat Amelia leaned against the long post of her bed.

  Jordan reached out to her and gently tugged her against his strong frame surprised she didn’t pull back. Angling her just right, so that he could stare down in those eyes he adored so much and confine them with his own, Jordan spoke his next words. “You are the most extraordinary woman I’ve ever met, and I never, ever meant to cause you any harm. I am sorry. Please say that you forgive me.”

  In the back of her head she could hear her common sense bellowing at her to try and push him out of the nearest window and be done with him. But how often did she ever listen.

  Looking in his eyes she knew he meant what he’d said. Nodding slowly she pivoted her head away from him. “Yes.” She mumbled quietly under her breath. Afraid she’d regret her decision before the night was through.

  “I want to hear you say it.” Jordan kidded slightly, wanting to be truly assured that she was in fact not upset.

  Amelia tried unsuccessfully to twist out of his steely grasp. “If I were you I would take what I could and run with it,” She said.

  “Then there lies the difference between us.” He answered back good-naturedly “I need you to say you forgive me.”

  “I already did.”

  “Not with words.” He countered.

  “I said yes didn’t I? That is a word and keep your voice down.” Amelia warned waving her hand toward the door.

  Casually glancing in the direction Jordan shrugged off her warning. If she was afraid of someone hearing them it would probably be best if they took their conversation elsewhere. “Come with me.”

  “Come with you, now that’s funny.”

  “I thought you didn’t want to be heard.”

  “I don’t.”

  “Then come with me.”

  “I have a better idea. Just go.” Amelia stated turning in his arms.

  Jordan shook his head at her. He wasn’t leaving, not yet. Letting his arm wrap around her waist he pulled her completely against his frame. “I’ll make you a wager. You win I leave, you don’t, well you’ll see from there.”

  “Some wager I don’t even know what I have at stake.” Amelia said.

  “All I want” Jordan said letting he head fall to her neck and his lips graze its smooth skin as he spoke. “Is for the words I forgive you to come from your mouth. Not for a shake of the head or a barely audible yes.”

  Amelia ignored the sweet tingling that shot up her neck. “What’s the game, cards?” she asked quietly. Jordan smiled at that. It wasn’t cards. Letting his hand roam freely across her soft physique, he kissed and nibbled at the nape of her neck while a free hand pulled the large pins playfully from her head, causing her thick ebony hair to tumble out over her shoulders.

  She didn’t want to play his game. But she couldn’t bring herself to say so. It was a malicious trick he played to get his way, but she wouldn’t give in. Brushing his hand away from her she moved out of his embrace. Connected to him now only because his hand had darted out and took hold of her own.

  Settling down onto her bed she severed even that tie. “I don’t think you intend on playing fair” She could hear his low chuckle coming from the darkened corner, but barely made out his smiling face.

  “I didn’t know we had rules.” Jordan concentrated on how the moon now shown on her pretty features. Her caramel brown skin seemed to glow in its light while the soft wind played delicately with her onyx hair. Her pretty mouth was parted faintly as she took in a sharp breath upon seeing him approach. Kneeling before her he pushed her soft hair out of the way of her face and gently tugged her forward with his hands. He might not have been playing fair, but neither was she even if she didn’t know it.

  The white nightgown she wore left little to the imagination, and clung nicely to her generous curves and he took pleasure in the knowledge that soon even that wouldn’t be a barrier between them. Leaning up to her he touched his lips to hers, and marveled at how she could make him feel as if she was the very first woman he’d ever kissed as her soft full lips came into contact with his own. Pulling away from her, he took the time to look up at her again, and was taken aback by just how stunning she was.

  Even with her heart pounding a mile a minute within her chest and her body seeming to take on a will of its own she managed to push away the thought in her mind that told her there would be nothing sweeter than to give in to the man before her. To let go of any animosity she might have so that it could be replaced with unspeakable pleasures.

  Giving him her own sly smirk Amelia moved to the other side of the small cot. “Well there are rules. And now you know so don’t abuse them or the fact that I haven’t yelled out that you barged into my room. My room is my room and I didn’t ask you here. You’re very…what is a good word for it.” Thrumming her fingers against the post she looked to him for suggestions.

  “Arrogant, conceited, vain, incorrigible, handsome, smart.” He listed; smitten with the way she shook her head at the first three but looked up in horror with the last few.

  “I will say that you’re arrogant. That was a good word by the way. Conceited yes and most definitely vain. Handsome, that depends on whom you ask. Smart that can be argued against—if you was smart you wouldn’t be here.”

  “Was?” He said lifting an eyebrow at her. She usually had impeccable grammar.

  “What? Don’t correct me, I went to school I can read and write with the best of them.” Wagging a finger at him she hurled a pillow in his dir
ection for emphasis. “Don’t you of all people correct me? Was, were, same difference. You just come on in to my house to my room. My room! And you’re trying to correct me? You’re a crazy man.” She finished taking a deep breath.

  “I thought we had a wager.”

  “Why should I have to bet you for you to leave if I were any other woman? A white woman you wouldn’t even dare come in here thinking to get your way with a wager.”

  Jordan stared her down sternly matching her own heated gaze. “Don’t try that on me you know damn well I could care less if you were white, black or damn blue. And you know damn well that I don’t treat people any different because of color.” He said temper starting to rise.

  “Don’t you raise your voice at me! You’re in my house remember? You stole in here like a thief in the night not the other way around.” Hearing him make a deep grumbling noise under his breath she continued. “And don’t you growl at me.”

  Jordan grumbled all the more. “Then don’t accuse me of being a bigot. And believe me I know I’m in your house you’ve made it painfully clear a dozen times.”

  Amelia made a groan of her own. “I give up. I do. Whatever I say to you falls on deaf ears you’re gonna do as you want to.”

  “Going to.” He said knowing it would get to her if not just a little.

  “Going to okay, going to—happy now?” She corrected, frustrated at her faltering speech.

  Moving once again to her side Jordan gave Amelia his best smile “Saying you’re sorry has never been so hard.”

  “I never had such a problem with forgiveness. You’re an adult Jordan but you don’t act like one, you still act like a little boy—a spoiled, rich, little boy. When you don’t get your way you whine, kick and scream. Why do you always have to win?”

  Capturing her eyes with his he lost himself in hers for a while before answering. “I always win Amelia. And I wouldn’t have it any other way and right now I intend to win. Win you, your respect, and maybe a few other things.”

  “You can’t win all the time. You can’t have everything. You can’t have me.” Amelia said refusing to look into his eyes any longer.