built for Julia, but one you build for me.” She slapped a hand to her breast. “If the layout is to be the same thing all over again, don’t bother. I won’t live there.”
He stalked over and took her by the shoulders. “You’ll live wherever I live. You’re stuck with me Molly. Until death do us part.” He smashed her lips with his in a quick, brutal kiss. Then he softened his voice and his hold on her. “Is that really so bad?”
Molly looked up at him. Tears blurred her vision. “Just don’t throw Julia in my face. I know you’ll never love me, but I hoped we could at least be friends.”
He let go of her and ran his hands through his hair. “I don’t mean to throw her in your face. I’m sorry for that. I care for you Molly. I want to be friends with you. You can design the house you want and I’ll have it built. Is that better?”
The knot of tension in her stomach unraveled. She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him. “Yes. Ever so much better.”
* * *
After a breakfast celebrating two months of marriage, Ben introduced Molly to Gil Toliver.
“Molly, Gil will be your bodyguard. If I can’t be there with you, he will be. I’ve assigned him to you. I want you to be safe.”
“Welcome Gil.” She extended her hand to the man.
Ben had picked Gil because he was a former Pinkerton man. He was several inches shorter than Ben but was stocky with what Ben knew was muscle not fat. He was unassuming with his blond hair was parted in the middle and slicked down straight. He had a mustache and a patch of beard below his lower lip. He could blend into any crowd. He wanted him to be Molly’s shadow.
He shook hands with her. “Pleased to meet you Mrs. King.”
“Oh, please, I’m Molly. Just Molly.”
“Yes ma’am, er…I mean Molly.”
“Well, now that you two have met,” said Ben, “I feel easier to go about my day without worrying about you, Molly. I know with Gil, you’ll be safe.”
He walked over and bent to give her a kiss.
She must still be feeling miffed about the change in circumstances, she turned so her cheek was to him.
Ben smiled, took her chin, and gently turned her back so she faced him directly. Then he kissed her full on the lips. A deep kiss, the kind he knew she liked. She called them her toe curling kisses and if the truth be known, he liked that his kisses had that effect on her.
She placed her hand on her chest. “Oh, my.”
“Now that was a goodbye kiss. Never will I kiss you on the cheek if your lips are available.”
Ben winked at her, and then walked out the door.
She turned to look at Gil, who was bright red and looking at his toes.
“Well, I guess I have something new to look forward to every day. You’ll have to get over your blushing, Gil. Of course, so do I.” She shook her head to clear it. “What a way to start the day.”
“Yes ma’am…er…Molly. If you say so.”
CHAPTER 9
A knock sounded on the door. Molly wasn’t expecting visitors this afternoon, but she answered anyway.
A young woman stood in the hall.
The dress she wore was quite risqué. “May I help you?” Molly asked the girl.
“I’m Trixie. I’d like to see Ben…er…Mr. King.” She pulled on the strings of her reticule and tried to see past Molly into the suite.
“Mr. King isn’t here, I’m Mrs. King. Please come in. What can I do for you?” Molly showed her to the settee.
Trixie looked around the suite, her eyes wide. “Well, I don’t know if you can help or not…but maybe you can. You bein’ a woman and all. I work at The Jewel. One of the girls, Joanie is hurting real bad and we think she might need to see the doc, but she won’t let us call him without talking to Ben…Mr. King, first.”
Molly was perplexed why young girls were living at this Jewel place, but it was one of Ben’s businesses and the woman was clearly upset. “Trixie, why don’t you take me to the Jewel, maybe she’ll listen to me since Ben is my
He stalked over and took her by the shoulders. “You’ll live wherever I live. You’re stuck with me Molly. Until death do us part.” He smashed her lips with his in a quick, brutal kiss. Then he softened his voice and his hold on her. “Is that really so bad?”
Molly looked up at him. Tears blurred her vision. “Just don’t throw Julia in my face. I know you’ll never love me, but I hoped we could at least be friends.”
He let go of her and ran his hands through his hair. “I don’t mean to throw her in your face. I’m sorry for that. I care for you Molly. I want to be friends with you. You can design the house you want and I’ll have it built. Is that better?”
The knot of tension in her stomach unraveled. She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him. “Yes. Ever so much better.”
* * *
After a breakfast celebrating two months of marriage, Ben introduced Molly to Gil Toliver.
“Molly, Gil will be your bodyguard. If I can’t be there with you, he will be. I’ve assigned him to you. I want you to be safe.”
“Welcome Gil.” She extended her hand to the man.
Ben had picked Gil because he was a former Pinkerton man. He was several inches shorter than Ben but was stocky with what Ben knew was muscle not fat. He was unassuming with his blond hair was parted in the middle and slicked down straight. He had a mustache and a patch of beard below his lower lip. He could blend into any crowd. He wanted him to be Molly’s shadow.
He shook hands with her. “Pleased to meet you Mrs. King.”
“Oh, please, I’m Molly. Just Molly.”
“Yes ma’am, er…I mean Molly.”
“Well, now that you two have met,” said Ben, “I feel easier to go about my day without worrying about you, Molly. I know with Gil, you’ll be safe.”
He walked over and bent to give her a kiss.
She must still be feeling miffed about the change in circumstances, she turned so her cheek was to him.
Ben smiled, took her chin, and gently turned her back so she faced him directly. Then he kissed her full on the lips. A deep kiss, the kind he knew she liked. She called them her toe curling kisses and if the truth be known, he liked that his kisses had that effect on her.
She placed her hand on her chest. “Oh, my.”
“Now that was a goodbye kiss. Never will I kiss you on the cheek if your lips are available.”
Ben winked at her, and then walked out the door.
She turned to look at Gil, who was bright red and looking at his toes.
“Well, I guess I have something new to look forward to every day. You’ll have to get over your blushing, Gil. Of course, so do I.” She shook her head to clear it. “What a way to start the day.”
“Yes ma’am…er…Molly. If you say so.”
CHAPTER 9
A knock sounded on the door. Molly wasn’t expecting visitors this afternoon, but she answered anyway.
A young woman stood in the hall.
The dress she wore was quite risqué. “May I help you?” Molly asked the girl.
“I’m Trixie. I’d like to see Ben…er…Mr. King.” She pulled on the strings of her reticule and tried to see past Molly into the suite.
“Mr. King isn’t here, I’m Mrs. King. Please come in. What can I do for you?” Molly showed her to the settee.
Trixie looked around the suite, her eyes wide. “Well, I don’t know if you can help or not…but maybe you can. You bein’ a woman and all. I work at The Jewel. One of the girls, Joanie is hurting real bad and we think she might need to see the doc, but she won’t let us call him without talking to Ben…Mr. King, first.”
Molly was perplexed why young girls were living at this Jewel place, but it was one of Ben’s businesses and the woman was clearly upset. “Trixie, why don’t you take me to the Jewel, maybe she’ll listen to me since Ben is my
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