Read Online Gideon, Robin - Desire of the Phantom [Ecstasy in the Old West] (Siren Publishing Classic) by Robin Gideon - Free Book Online Page B

celebration were responsible for getting their employers back into their respective car riages and home.
    “This way,” Phantom said, placing his hand at the small of Pamela’s back and urging her along the stable’s exterior wall. Across from them stood the security wall.
    His hand warmed Pamela’s shirt, then her chemise, and as her skin responded, it was as if she were in his arms again, feasting upon his probing, intimate kisses.
    They’d taken only three steps when the sound of a woman’s laugh stopped them in their tracks. A second later, a man and woman appeared in the shadows. They were in their forties, were well dressed and jovial, and both had drunk more than a glass or two of champagne.
    “Walter, what has gotten into you tonight?” the woman asked, laughing softly as she tried to sound annoyed.
    “Give me half a chance, and I’ll show you,” Walter replied.
    The woman’s laughter was suddenly silenced as he kissed her.
    Pamela stood less than twenty feet away. Horrified at the thought of being caught, but astonished at what she was seeing, she recognized the couple now: Walter and Mar garite English. Citizens of Whitetail Creek, they’d made a fortune by bringing lumber and building materials to the territory. Both had earned prominence by spending time and money with local church and charitable organizations. Three summers earlier, when Pamela had sprained her ankle, it had been Margarite English who’d appeared unexpectedly at the Bragg house with a large kettle of stew and three hearty loaves of bread. It had been a simple act of kindness, but one Pamela had never for gotten.
    Now Pamela was on the verge of being caught by that very same altruistic woman, and the thought of it distressed her. “Stop it now,” Margarite continued, making only a half- hearted attempt to scramble out of her husband’s ardent embrace. “This champagne has turned you into a wolf.”
    “A wolf that wants to eat you alive!” Walter replied, pulling his wife of more than two decades back into his arms and firmly placing a hand over her breast.
    Pamela was shocked that the Englishes were still so pas sionate. For reasons she did not at all understand, she had believed them too old and much too genteel to still be involved with something as tawdry as sexuality.
    The moan of passion from Margarite told Pamela the woman’s feelings were not those of a long-suffering wife who had to bear up under her husband’s ardent demands.
    Suddenly, Phantom took Pamela by the elbow, spinning her so that she faced him. He pulled her tightly into his arms and kissed her hard on the mouth.
    Pamela balled her hands into fists and jabbed them into his chest. How dare he kiss her at a time like this!
    The commotion drew the attention Phantom had planned. His back was to Margarite and Walter as he said in a growl, “Go find your own love nest. This one’s spoken for.”
    “Sorry, good fellow, didn’t know,” Walter said, snickering. Margarite pulled frantically at her bodice, trying to get her dress properly arranged and buttoned.
    After the couple had stepped out of the darkness and moved back toward the ballroom, Pamela heard Margarite say, “I’m so embarrassed. I hope they didn’t recognize us. I’ll never have another glass of champagne again. I’ll never go for a midnight stroll with you. Not as long as I live, Walter English.”
    Alone once more, Pamela breathed a sigh of relief. Phantom’s quick thinking had saved them from discovery once again. How truly unprepared she was for this attack on Jonathon Darwell and his criminal empire!
    “That was close,” she whispered. “You think fast.”
    “I was going to kiss you anyway. Margarite and Walter just gave me the excuse,” he said with a boyish smile that was very seductive. He was apparently unfazed by how near they’d come to being discovered.
    Once again with no idea of what kind of response she should make to his devilish teasing, Pamela said nothing.
    They