Bonds of Matrimony by Carrigan Fox Page B

been
concerned and protective.   And here
Chase had been preparing his downfall as revenge on behalf of Elisabeth
Davies.   Suddenly, she felt sorry
for the way she had been treating him.   He’d gone out of his way to rescue his younger cousin, to allow her to
retain her pride and self-respect.  
                Chase
stood up and slipped out of her robe.
                “What
are you doing?” Elisabeth asked.
                “I’m
just going for a walk.   All of this
excitement in a new country.   I’m
feeling restless,” she explained lamely.   She slipped into the clothes she had worn earlier that day, not
bothering to pull her damp hair back in the yellow ribbon again.   As she reached the door, she felt
compelled to say something to Elisabeth.   She paused with her hand on the doorknob and turned to smile at
her.   “You’re amazing, you know,” she
said quickly.   “I have all the
respect in the world for you.   More
women should follow your lead and stand up for themselves and take control of
their lives.”
                She
blushed and grinned.   “Are you sure
it’s safe to wander about the city by yourself?”
                “I’ll
be fine,” Chase assured her.   After
all, she didn’t actually plan on leaving the hotel.
                She
paced the hallway a few times before a man’s voice signaled his approach.   He came around the corner with another
man.   As they passed, both men
looked her over thoroughly, their eyes lingering for a moment at her
breasts.   Their attention made her
uncomfortable, and she suddenly realized how vulnerable she was standing alone
in the hallway of the hotel.   A
scoundrel had to only open his door when she passed and pull her inside.   She would be defenseless against him.
                She
hurried down the hall to the door numbered 217.   This was Marcus’s room.   Chase rapped quickly on the door when she heard another set
of men’s voices approach.   She
wasn’t quite sure what she would say if Marcus opened the door, but racking her
brain wasn’t helping.   She couldn’t
think of a single excuse.   Fortunately, she didn’t have to.
                Webb
opened the door.   He had his shirt
untucked and unbuttoned.   He looked
her over for a moment before saying, “Your brother isn’t here.”
                Three
men entered the hallway, moving quickly toward her.   
                “I’m
here to talk to you.”
                He
looked mildly surprised.   His blond
hair was mussed and begged to be touched.   “So talk,” he responded after a moment of silence.
                The
three men passed behind her, and when she turned to meet their eyes, all three
of them were looking over her body.
                Webb
scowled at the men and then pulled her into his room once they’d passed.   “You shouldn’t be wandering around the
hotel by yourself.   Too many men
around here take advantage of women walking alone at night.”
                “I
know.   But I had to talk to
you.   I want to apologize for being
so rude to you.   I thought that…” she
trailed off, suddenly not sure how to continue.   She wasn’t sure she wanted to continue.   He was grinning at her arrogantly with
his tanned, muscular chest exposed.   In the gap of his shirt, Chase could see the pale hair on his chest, and
her stomach began to flutter.   Her
fury these past two days had dampened the fire she felt coursing through her
body every time she saw him.   Now
that she understood what he’d done for Elisabeth, the fury was gone, and the
fire was back.
                “You
thought that…” he interrupted her thoughts and encouraged her to finish her
apology.
                “You
gave me that ridiculous speech about women, and I was so furious with your
ignorance.   And then I