Wilder Than the Rest: MacLarens of Fire Mountain by Shirleen Davies Page B
Authors: Shirleen Davies
Ads: Link
replied, and realized she’d spoken the truth. Being with this man, on her birthday, was more than she’d ever imagined.
******
Pierce opened the oversized entry door an hour later, followed Mollie inside, and escorted her upstairs. He pushed open the door to her room, and then turned her to him.
She looked up into his clear blue eyes, knowing he meant to kiss her, anticipating it as she felt her heart begin to thump in her chest. At least she thought that was his intention until he leaned down to place a soft kiss on her forehead then gave a brief brush of his lips against hers before setting her firmly away.
“I want you, Mollie, more than I’ve ever wanted a woman, and much more than I should.” He stared into her warm brown eyes and took a deep breath, trying to clear his head and explain himself in a way that would make sense. “We’re partners trying to focus on solving the puzzle Noah and Lee have dumped on us. Our job doesn’t include the two of us getting involved.”
Mollie’s face changed from expectant to emotionless as she stepped away from him, her anticipation turning to disappointment in the space of a heartbeat.
“You’re right.” Her voice was flat, devoid of the light tone that had captivated him most of the night. “It would be a major mistake for us to let anything happen.” She took another step backward, resting her hand the door frame, wanting nothing more than to disappear inside. “Thank you for the lovely supper, Pierce. It was the best birthday I’ve ever had.” She offered him a brilliant smile, one, he noticed, that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” She closed the door, leaving him standing alone with a strange, hollow feeling in his gut.
Chapter Eleven
Lee penned a brief message and handed it to the hotel messenger. “Do not include my name, just the message.” He focused on the short, slim man to emphasize his request.
“Of course, sir.”
Lee watched the employee take the stairs at a brisk pace. Within minutes, Eva would know the other agent she’d requested had arrived, although later than anticipated. The note recommended that they meet at the Mayor’s Ball. Lee had no intention of letting her know who had been sent to act as her partner until it was too late. She was a consummate professional and wouldn’t think of making a scene during the highly anticipated social event. No, she’d save her wrath for him, and Noah, until later.
It was mid-afternoon and he had one more errand to run before returning to his room to dress for the ball. Noah had alerted him to a service with an office not far from the San Franciscan hotel that was run by a former government employee. The man and his two partners, who ran the New York and Chicago offices, specialized in providing businessmen and government officials with messenger services, whether over the wires or in person, on an anonymous basis.
The information Lee received from Clive Hawkins had been gnawing at him. He wasn’t sure why, no one would be more pleased than him if the person named in the message did turn out to be responsible for the strange activities surfacing on the West Coast. Clive’s assumptions about what had been uncovered made sense, yet Lee still felt something was amiss. Perhaps another of his contacts could add some clarity to the mystery.
He stepped through the doorway and strode up to a tall counter. He looked around, and finding no one, rang the bell conveniently placed to the right of the ink pad.
“Be right there,” a deep voice answered a few moments before a short, stout gentleman with a long, graying beard slipped sideways through a slim opening between the front and back offices. “What can I do for you?” He leaned forward and placed his arms on the counter.
“I’d like to send a message to a contact on the East Coast. A private message.”
“How did you hear about our service?”
“Noah Dodds.”
The man nodded. “Silas Springer,” he
******
Pierce opened the oversized entry door an hour later, followed Mollie inside, and escorted her upstairs. He pushed open the door to her room, and then turned her to him.
She looked up into his clear blue eyes, knowing he meant to kiss her, anticipating it as she felt her heart begin to thump in her chest. At least she thought that was his intention until he leaned down to place a soft kiss on her forehead then gave a brief brush of his lips against hers before setting her firmly away.
“I want you, Mollie, more than I’ve ever wanted a woman, and much more than I should.” He stared into her warm brown eyes and took a deep breath, trying to clear his head and explain himself in a way that would make sense. “We’re partners trying to focus on solving the puzzle Noah and Lee have dumped on us. Our job doesn’t include the two of us getting involved.”
Mollie’s face changed from expectant to emotionless as she stepped away from him, her anticipation turning to disappointment in the space of a heartbeat.
“You’re right.” Her voice was flat, devoid of the light tone that had captivated him most of the night. “It would be a major mistake for us to let anything happen.” She took another step backward, resting her hand the door frame, wanting nothing more than to disappear inside. “Thank you for the lovely supper, Pierce. It was the best birthday I’ve ever had.” She offered him a brilliant smile, one, he noticed, that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” She closed the door, leaving him standing alone with a strange, hollow feeling in his gut.
Chapter Eleven
Lee penned a brief message and handed it to the hotel messenger. “Do not include my name, just the message.” He focused on the short, slim man to emphasize his request.
“Of course, sir.”
Lee watched the employee take the stairs at a brisk pace. Within minutes, Eva would know the other agent she’d requested had arrived, although later than anticipated. The note recommended that they meet at the Mayor’s Ball. Lee had no intention of letting her know who had been sent to act as her partner until it was too late. She was a consummate professional and wouldn’t think of making a scene during the highly anticipated social event. No, she’d save her wrath for him, and Noah, until later.
It was mid-afternoon and he had one more errand to run before returning to his room to dress for the ball. Noah had alerted him to a service with an office not far from the San Franciscan hotel that was run by a former government employee. The man and his two partners, who ran the New York and Chicago offices, specialized in providing businessmen and government officials with messenger services, whether over the wires or in person, on an anonymous basis.
The information Lee received from Clive Hawkins had been gnawing at him. He wasn’t sure why, no one would be more pleased than him if the person named in the message did turn out to be responsible for the strange activities surfacing on the West Coast. Clive’s assumptions about what had been uncovered made sense, yet Lee still felt something was amiss. Perhaps another of his contacts could add some clarity to the mystery.
He stepped through the doorway and strode up to a tall counter. He looked around, and finding no one, rang the bell conveniently placed to the right of the ink pad.
“Be right there,” a deep voice answered a few moments before a short, stout gentleman with a long, graying beard slipped sideways through a slim opening between the front and back offices. “What can I do for you?” He leaned forward and placed his arms on the counter.
“I’d like to send a message to a contact on the East Coast. A private message.”
“How did you hear about our service?”
“Noah Dodds.”
The man nodded. “Silas Springer,” he
Similar Books
