Joe immediately hopped up and collected half of his pay, not wanting to chance the fat banker changing his mind, and fled the office.
Sighing, Thomas called "You can come out now."
"You sure that fool will do as you ask?"
"Don't worry. The kid is too hungry not to follow my instructions."
Pulling a thick package from his desk drawer, Thomas regarded the man standing in the shadows. "This is what you need to get the ball rolling on our plans... do not disappoint me."
"I know my job," the man snapped back.
"You just make sure that Sinclair girl leaves Alec Wentworth be. You keep her busy enough, no one will know about your nasty little secret," Thomas said as he poured himself a stiff drink without offering the other man one. "I have as much riding on this as you do, do not forget that," the man snapped back angrily before storming out of the office leaving Thomas to wonder if he had made the right choice in his recruits. It was never wise to turn your back on a snake.
"Have dinner with a fellow if you want to judge his character"
CHAPTER ELEVEN
The hotel dining room was full to capacity as courting couples descended upon it along with their chosen chaperones for the evening. Unlucky enough to have the table across from Alec and his companion for the evening, Serena could only watch in horror as Trudy brayed like a jackass at everything Alec said. They sat so close that Serena was sure that if Pops hadn't been there to chaperone their outing, Trudy would have been curled upon his lap. Disgust filled Serena's belly at the sight of Alec's wicked grin. Apparently he thought Trudy was amusing, as well. Well good for them. Serena hoped they choked on their steak dinners.
"Serena, David is talking to you," Serena's brother nudged her.
Poor Mathias, roped into the duties of chaperone for Serena and David Harris, could not be happy with his duties. Though the Sinclair siblings had known David for many years, they had learned much more about him in the last hour than they cared to. The man talked nonstop about himself. The conceited jerk had even tried to tell Serena that she should have worn something other than brown tonight.
Serena sighed, she was judging David unfairly. It was not his fault that they very thought of him did not send tingles all through her, like the memory of someone else did. Someone that Serena refused to allow herself to dwell upon.
"I'm sorry. Go on David, tell me more." Serena wished she could disappear under the table just to shut the fellow up. She wanted to go home to her quiet house and sulk like a child. Her parents were off on their trip and between her nervousness about what they would find out about her papa, and worrying about the fight she'd had with Alec, she was making herself sick.
"As I was saying, within a year I believe I will be established enough to build us a new home, maybe even work on having a child by then. That is after you agree to be my bride." David shot a nervous look in the direction of Serena's brother hoping that he hadn't overstepped proprieties while he was being observed.
David considered the woman seated across from him. Serena was pretty enough for his tastes, her body was nicely rounded in all of the right places. Serena's red hair and somewhat tomboyish nature was a bit off putting to David, but he figured he would put a stop to her wild nature after they were wed. No longer would she be allowed to go and do as she pleased, David would be the one who would put Serena in her place. He looked forward to the task.
He was pleased that he would not have to endure having sex with a hideous woman. Not that David wouldn't do it if the means justified the end, he just would not have liked doing it. That was exactly what Serena was to him, she was a way into the town council. Her father sat on the council and was influential in town. Serena's brother was a well-respected rancher who was currently filling in for his father with the council business. Once he could figure out a way to get himself on the council, he knew it was only a matter of time before he could unseat the unworthy mayor. His plans to uproot Wentworth were finally coming to fruition. David could almost taste the success.
Laughter rang out once again from the table across from theirs. David looked up and met the gaze of the man currently glaring holes into him. Nothing had changed over the years. Alec Wentworth had disdained David because of a little misunderstanding that happened so long ago, that David could not understand why Alec would not just let bygones be bygones. No one had gotten hurt, least of all, the whore that had started it all. She had enjoyed everything that he had done to her, so David did not see why Wentworth had gotten his nose out of joint.
"Alec, tell me more!" Trudy's voice rose an octave above glass shattering, and Serena had enough.
"David, Mathias," Serena turned to the men and pleaded. "Would you mind ever so much, if we called it a night? I am not feeling so well." Serena complained.
"Of course." David agreed.
"Let me walk you home," Mathias started to rise from his seat, but Serena stopped him. "No, please. It is just a short block away. Sit. Finish your suppers."
Sniffling, Serena tried not to make too much noise as the tears flowed freely. Watching Alec with Trudy at the hotel was just too much to bear. David's never-ending prattle about himself made it all the worse.
Pleading a headache, Serena had fled the scene. Promising Mathias that she would see him soon, Serena left him to finish off her dessert. Her appetite was gone as she watched the giggling trollop fondle Alec in public. Her brother was obviously worried over her staying in an empty house, but Serena being Serena, she had nixed his plan to stay with her.
"Mama and Papa will only be gone a little over a week Matt, for pity's sake. I'm a grown woman. I can stay home by my lonesome." She had argued with him.
Besides not wanting to cry like a child on her big brother's shoulder, she did not want to slip up and tell Mathias about the real reason for their parent's sudden trip. She hated lying to him, but she had made a promise and she would keep that promise.
Her parents had decided to tell Mathias that their father felt well enough to take a short vacation, and he had always wanted to see Austin. He had swallowed the lie whole. Serena was starting to wonder if her brother was either too wrapped up in his own life to see the truth, or he did, and just did not want to admit it.
"I know love. I just worry. A woman staying alone will cause some talk." Mathias had kissed her brow and reluctantly sent Serena on her way. Half way to her home, she had broken down and cried like a baby.
"Hey, stormy, what are you crying for?"
Turning at the unexpected voice, Serena smiled through her tears. "Hunter White-Wolf, you are back." Great, Serena sighed feeling foolish. Caught crying over a stubborn ass of a man, was not what she had planned for the evening.
"How was your trip?" Serena asked him as she wiped her tears.
"It was fine. I got a few things settled." One large hand settled on her shoulder he turned her to face him, "why are you crying, Serena?" Hunter asked concerned.
"I'm a woman. It's what we do."
Laughing at his incredulous expression in response to her jest, Serena asked him, "So, how did Alec handle meeting his mother for the first time?" Serena did not want to care, but she did anyway. She worried that Alec was hurting inside, but since they had basically ended their friendship, she could not very well show up at his house and ask could she?
"He will adjust," Hunter shrugged.
"I have not yet had a chance to meet your mother. How has she found our small town? I'm sure she is very proud of all the work her son has done here," Serena rambled.
"She doesn't socialize much. My mother is a very private woman," Hunter shrugged. "I'm sure you will run into each other soon enough."
"So, do you think you might change your mind and stick around Liberty? Maybe find a bride of your own?" she asked him.
"No chance in hell. Pardon my language." Hunter inclined his head to her. "I'm not here for a bride, but I may be sticking around for a bit."
Hunter had no interest in tying any knots anytime soon. Not
that a white woman would ever welcome his touch, Hunter silently reminded himself. Rocking on his heels Hunter regarded Serena through narrowed eyes. Finally, he broke the silence. "I'm here in search of Alec." He admitted.
"The bast...Um, Alec is at the hotel courting Trudy Bixby." Serena informed him miserably.
"Figures." Hunter muttered in disgust. There was no way he was going to walk into that damned place. Alec had been avoiding his home for days now. He was trying to escape run-ins with their mother. "I guess I will let him come to me after all." Hunter sighed, "Miss Serena, may I escort you home?"
"Thank you. I would appreciate that." Hunter obviously wanted to put a stop to her questioning. Wrapping an arm within the crook of Hunter's elbow, she strolled a few feet only to come face to face with a six foot wall of angry male.
"Am I interrupting something?" The wall snapped.
"Alec!" Serena gasped. He stood before her, furious enough to breathe fire. Hands on hips Alec took a menacing step toward the pair.
"I've been looking for you, Alec," Hunter pried Serena's frozen hand from him and faced his new found brother.
"Yeah, looks to me as if you've been real busy trying to locate me, all right."
"I have tried to talk her out of it," Hunter ignored Alec's sarcasm, "but Mother wants to speak with you."
"I told you I would take care of her, that doesn't mean I want to actually see her, why don't you convince her to stay at the hotel?" Alec fumed. "Josiah built that damned place for a reason you know."
"Your mother? Alec, you would not make your mother stay in a hotel, would you?" Serena was not having an easy time following the conversation.
Surprise, surprise, the men ignored her and continued baiting each other.
"Are we going to go toe to toe? Let me warn you big brother, I am not in the mood tonight, and you are in no condition to even try," Hunter could smell the liquor on Alec. It turned his stomach and made him feel a bit guilty about how the secret of his birthright had slipped out.
"Go away kid. I've got a few things to say to my old pal Serena," Alec waved Hunter away like a pesky little brother. Which basically was what he was, Hunter almost smiled. A brother, he had a big brother.
"I've decided to take the job on a temporary basis." Hunter informed the angry man. "That is, if you're still offering it. That is why I came looking for you."
"I am still offering it," Alec nodded. "Now go."
"Hunter it's ok. Go on," taking Hunter's stillness as reluctance, Serena ordered him gone before the two came to blows. It would not be the first time that the pair had taken swings at each other. Not too long ago, Serena had dumped a bucket of water on them to try to pry them apart.
"Make sure she gets home, or I swear I will kick your drunken ass." Bidding the lady good night, Hunter nodded to Alec then turned and reluctantly walked away.
"Alec..." Serena growled angrily.
"Is he courting you?" Alec ignored her fury. When Serena remained silent, Alec grabbed her by both arms and turned her to face him. "Answer me. Is there something going on between the two of you?"
"Let go of me," she ordered him.
"I need to know," he snapped.
Breaking free of his hold, Serena rubbed her arms. His grip had not been painful, but she felt as if he had seared her to the bone. "What does it matter?"
"I will show you why it matters."
At once, he was upon her. Crushing her in his embrace, Alec's mouth slanted over hers. His hand fisted in her hair, he roughly took possession of her. His mouth was devouring hers, just as it did nightly in her dreams. Unable to stop her body, Serena responded to him. She tasted the whiskey and the desire on him and shivered in pleasure. Her tongue met and tangled itself with his. Her slim arms wrapped around his neck and held on as her knees went weak.
His hands rose to cup her breasts through the faded brown cloth of her dress. Nimble fingers unbuttoned the neckline as he pulled her into the darkness of the bushes. They were near to her house within a heartbeat, neither aware at how they had gotten there. They were too busy with exploring the other with their mouths and hands to notice. The house was dark, as he nuzzled her neck. He leaned her against the wooden frame of the back door.
Reaching around her to open the latch, he continued his assault on her sanity. The top of her dress was now at her waist. Her chemise in his way, Alec ripped the fragile fabric in two exposing her flesh to him. Her full breasts revealed in the moonlight made Alec' mouth water. Her berry size nipples begged for his lips, and tongue. What could Alec say in response to their plea? After all, he was a giver. Closing his lips over the peak of one, he bit down gently, and enjoyed the little squeal of surprise she let out.
"Alec." She gasped aloud as he suckled sweetly on one then turned his attention to feasting on the other.
"Upstairs." He ordered. Lifting her high, he wrapped her legs around his waist, her dress bunched up between their bodies. Alec carried her over the threshold kicking the door shut behind him.
"What about Trudy Bixby?" Serena whispered worriedly.
"Forget about Trudy and focus on me. Your brother offered to walk her home," feasting on the soft skin where her neck and shoulder met, Alec happily informed her. "She is probably home at this very moment with those horrible parents of hers."
"Mathias? Mathias walked her home?" Serena was shocked. Mathias never wanted anything to do with any of the ladies in town. Not since he had his heart broken by one of the Howard girls some years back.
"Forget about them and kiss me back," he ordered huskily.
"Alec," Serena sighed and shivered in excitement before proceeding to do just as she was told.
Continuing his climb up the back stairs until he reached her bedroom door Alec asked between kisses, "are you sure Sugar? We can stop this right now."
There was no going back for her. Right or wrong she was determined to live this experience. She wanted this wild rush more than anything. Just one night, she promised herself. One chance to hold her dreams in her arms. Tomorrow did not matter. She had made her choice, as painful as it had been; she knew there could only be this one night. Her heart undoubtedly torn into two, but she would walk away head held high knowing she had given him all that she had inside.
"I'm sure Alec," she whispered into his ear before slightly biting down on his lobe causing him to groan deeply. Serena loved the sound; it was exciting to know that she could arouse him.
"Thank god," Alec chuckled shakily. He opened the door to her bedroom and carried Serena to her seduction.
Her room surprised him. Neat and orderly, the room was large but sparsely furnished. Alec had expected flouncy, girly bits of frippery strewn about. Though the bed was quite large and piled with thick pillows, the rest of the room was bare. A tall dresser sat against the far wall without any adornment. There were pin cushions of various sizes gracing the top as if she sewed for hours nonstop in her room. A large collection of books sat in a stack next to the bed, her little spectacles sat atop them as if just waiting to be donned.
Placing her gently upon the bed, Alec began undressing the rest of her body. He began tossing her clothing about the room. He worked diligently until she stood before him clad only in her silky pale stockings.
"That dress should be burned sweetheart," his thumb jerked motioning to the garment he had flung carelessly over his shoulder. It lay crumpled in a dark brown heap on the floor next to the closed door.
"What's wrong with my dress?" Serena tried not to smile. The man really was a clothing snob.
"It's uglier than sin, and it kept me from doing this."
Leaning over her prone form, Alec lapped at her hardened pink nipples. His tongue swirling over the puckered nubs, he bit gently on the sensitive tips. Large hands cupping her bottom once again, he lifted her beautiful body to his. Her legs instinctively wrapped themselves around Alec, as his mouth found hers once again. Alec's skilled tongue tangled with hers, and he stroked one hand down her soft belly to the juncture of
her thighs. The dark fiery curls that nestled there, shielding her feminine core, made his mouth water with longing. One thick finger ran along the seam of her plump secret lips, playing within the delicate folds of her sex. The wetness that gathered as he teased her opening shocked her.
Serena tore her mouth from his and gasped at the incredible sensation he was stirring within her. "What about my stockings?" She reached down to try to pull them off until one of his hands stopped her.
"Leave them," he ordered with a slow wink and crooked grin. It was that grin that did her heart in. She could not fight her love for him and that frightened her. Tomorrow she promised herself, tomorrow she would remember that this could lead to nothing.
"We are going to take this slow Sugar... nice and slow," he whispered wickedly into her ear in between nibbles of her neck. "Don't worry. You will like it," he promised her as he ran his tongue over her collarbone. He could feel her tense up in his arms and he forced himself to slow down.
If there was one thing he knew for sure, he knew that he was not going to stop until she found her release. Serena was so honest with her reactions to his touch that he was positive she would be a passionate lover. Alec knew that teaching Serena about bed sport was going to be one of the most exquisite gifts he had ever been given, and he would not rush it. He would savor every damn minute of it.
"I'm not worried, I trust you," Serena panted. "I don't want to be the only one naked, take your clothes off too, Mr. Mayor," she teased throatily. "I want to see what you hide beneath those fancy suits of yours."
"I always strive to please the people," Alec chuckled and began to tear his clothing off, in his haste to get back to the fun stuff.
Once he was fully naked, he stood back and allowed her to look her fill as she asked. His arousal stood proud and waiting for her, wanting her badly. She reached for his stiffness, but he pinned her hands to the bed above her head.
"Hey! Not fair," Serena pouted.
A Betting Bride Page 13
