Read Online In Your Arms by Rebecca Goings - Free Book Online Page B

into the collar of his shirt.
    His kiss became more urgent, demanding her response. He was igniting a fire inside her that only he could quench. She didn’t understand the logic of it, but she pressed as close as she could, tasting him. Delving deep.
    Her hair was now hopelessly tangled, but she didn’t care. She wanted him to push her to the ground, to lie on top of her as he had the other day. But the reality of where they were intruded upon her fantasies.
    “Marcus…” she panted against his lips. “Marcus!”
    Releasing her lips, he kissed a trail of fire down her neck. “What is it, sugar?”
    She could barely think with his hot mouth on her. “We need to stop. Someone will see.”
    She could hear him growl in the back of his throat, but he did not let her go. “Let them see.”
    She almost laughed at that. “Sweet, merciful… Marcus, I don’t want you to stop.” It was suddenly hard to draw breath as she clung to him, knowing that if he hadn’t been holding her up, she’d crumple to the ground.
    But her words halted his roving mouth. Lifting his head from her skin, he framed her face with his hands. “If you knew what’s good for you, Lissa, you’d stay far away from me. I’m a dangerous man.”
    “You’ve told me that before,” she whispered, stroking his face. “I’m willing to risk it.”
    “There you two are!” a voice called out in the darkness.
    Marcus pulled away from Melissa, but not fast enough.
    “Kissing behind the barn, eh? Ah, the joys of youth.”
    “Father!” Melissa cried, her cheeks flaming. She could only imagine the fright she must look with her hair in disarray and her dress hopelessly wrinkled. Without knowing what else to do, she fidgeted and wrung her hands in front of her.
    “You gonna come back into the barn?” Chuck asked. “Enjoy the rest of the dance? And your sister has been looking all over for Mr. McCaide to lead her in a waltz.”
    Clearing his throat loudly, Marcus ran his fingers through his hair. “No, sir, I… I think it’s time I leave.”
    “Marcus?”
    Melissa trembled when his passionate eyes pinned hers once again. “It’s best, sugar. For both of us.” He turned on his heel and walked briskly down the road.
    Melissa had to fight herself not to chase after him. Her skin felt as if it were on fire, yet she shivered in the breeze. Chuck Bloom’s attention returned to his daughter, and she could see the slight grin on his wizened face.
    “You gotta watch out for that boy,” he said.
    “What do you mean?” Melissa asked, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.
    “He’s falling for you, sweetheart. Falling hard too, but he’s so damn scared of it that he doesn’t know what to do.”
    Glancing back down the road, she licked her lips and shivered again. Her father’s words thrilled her, but, at the same time, she wasn’t sure if she should believe it. Marcus seemed to push her away more often than he pulled her closer.
    “He won’t talk to me,” she said. “He keeps shutting me out.”
    “Seems to me the boy’s been hurt in the past. Doesn’t want to be hurt again.”
    “I would never hurt him.”
    “You know that, and I know that, but he doesn’t know it. I also think he’s afraid of hurting you.”
    “How could he hurt me?”
    “By not marrying you.”
    Taking deep breaths of air, Melissa trembled as she realized she didn’t want any other man. She wanted Marcus. She wanted him to kiss her again, to make love to her, but he’d said he wouldn’t. He didn’t want to ruin her for her future husband, whoever that might be. But the only man interested in her was Dr. Newcomb, and she shuddered at the thought of marrying him.
    Biting her lip, Melissa kicked the dirt at her feet and excused herself. “I’m going home too, Father. My hair is ruined and my dress is a mess…”
    “I understand, honey. Don’t bother to wait up. I’m sure Shirley will want to stay here until the last song is played.”
    Kissing her father’s