of her skin. His lips touched the place between her ear and shoulder as her chills multiplied.
Moving to her ear, his mouth whispered kisses until he suckled gently on the lobe, causing more havoc to her system. She turned her head and met his seeking mouth.
Although their position felt awkward, she wouldn’t have moved out of his arms for anything. The way he held and kissed her made her body want to remain there forever.
Just as her mind resolved to allow him to seduce her, someone banged at the door. The sound startled her back to reality. Panicked, she jumped and turned in his arms, clutching his shirt.
“Anton? Who could that be?” she whispered.
“ Dios Mio! It is the devil himself!”
Vivian ’s heartbeat took on a different rhythm as panic filled her. They were going to die.
Chapter Four
A tomblike silence hung thick in the air. Anton dared not to even breathe, yet his chest still heaved from the passionate kiss. He’d forgotten about the rider who’d followed. Could it be one of Juanito’s men? Who else would venture into the late evening hour?
“That could only be one person,” he whispered.
“He wouldn’t come to the door.” She glanced up and met his stare. “Would he?”
“ Sí. If he is sent by my uncle, he will not rest until he has finished the assignment.” Her body shivered against him. Poor woman was frightened out of her wits.
All because of him.
The person on the door pounded again. Vivian gasped and clutched his hands.
“What sh ould we do?”
“You must see who is here.” Keeping her hands in his, he walked toward the door.
“Anton, don’t leave me.”
“Do not worry. I will not allow him to harm you.”
Before seeing to her visitor, Vivian lit the lamp in the hallway, smoothed her trembling hands down her dress, and walked to the door. She reached for the door handle, but before she grasped the brass knob, the rude intruder knocked again, making her jump higher than before.
Her hand flew up to her throat. “Who...is it?”
“I am looking for Señorita Wentworth.”
The stranger’s Spanish accent was strong, and Anton silently cursed. She swung her head toward him, pleading with wide eyes.
He nodded. “I am here. Do not worry,” he whispered. Strength appeared in her eyes and gave him hope that she could handle the situation.
“I’m Miss Wentworth,” she called back, her voice much stronger now.
“May I speak with you?”
“Who are you?”
“I am a friend of Señor Pinkerton.”
“Then you’ll forgive me if I don’t let you in. It’s too late, and I’m not properly chaperoned.”
“Where is your companion? I saw her come home with you.”
She glanced Anton’s way again. His breath caught in his throat. Why hadn’t he thought of that?
Vivian pulled her shoulders back straighter and lifted her chin. “She has taken to her room with a headache and is asleep, so please return tomorrow and we’ll speak in the light of day.”
Anton grinned. He had to give her credit. She thought quicker than he.
Hostile stillness lasted for only a few minutes. “Please, Señorita Wentworth,” the voice started again, a plea in the tone. “I have come a long way to talk to you. It is most important. At least open the door so I may speak with you face to face. I need not enter.”
She glanced at Anton again. He released a soft growl as he massaged his temple. He didn’t want her to allow the man inside. Yet, Anton didn’t want the stranger to become suspicious, either. There was no other way. Vivian must open the door.
He nodded. “Do as he wishes. I will go around front,” Anton whispered, “and grab him from behind.”
She shook her head, but he ignored her protest. He couldn’t stand to see her wide eyes begging in that manner. His twisting heart couldn’t take it. After giving her a wink, he turned and hurried toward the back door.
“I can only speak to you for a moment,” she called out as she slowly unlocked the
Moving to her ear, his mouth whispered kisses until he suckled gently on the lobe, causing more havoc to her system. She turned her head and met his seeking mouth.
Although their position felt awkward, she wouldn’t have moved out of his arms for anything. The way he held and kissed her made her body want to remain there forever.
Just as her mind resolved to allow him to seduce her, someone banged at the door. The sound startled her back to reality. Panicked, she jumped and turned in his arms, clutching his shirt.
“Anton? Who could that be?” she whispered.
“ Dios Mio! It is the devil himself!”
Vivian ’s heartbeat took on a different rhythm as panic filled her. They were going to die.
Chapter Four
A tomblike silence hung thick in the air. Anton dared not to even breathe, yet his chest still heaved from the passionate kiss. He’d forgotten about the rider who’d followed. Could it be one of Juanito’s men? Who else would venture into the late evening hour?
“That could only be one person,” he whispered.
“He wouldn’t come to the door.” She glanced up and met his stare. “Would he?”
“ Sí. If he is sent by my uncle, he will not rest until he has finished the assignment.” Her body shivered against him. Poor woman was frightened out of her wits.
All because of him.
The person on the door pounded again. Vivian gasped and clutched his hands.
“What sh ould we do?”
“You must see who is here.” Keeping her hands in his, he walked toward the door.
“Anton, don’t leave me.”
“Do not worry. I will not allow him to harm you.”
Before seeing to her visitor, Vivian lit the lamp in the hallway, smoothed her trembling hands down her dress, and walked to the door. She reached for the door handle, but before she grasped the brass knob, the rude intruder knocked again, making her jump higher than before.
Her hand flew up to her throat. “Who...is it?”
“I am looking for Señorita Wentworth.”
The stranger’s Spanish accent was strong, and Anton silently cursed. She swung her head toward him, pleading with wide eyes.
He nodded. “I am here. Do not worry,” he whispered. Strength appeared in her eyes and gave him hope that she could handle the situation.
“I’m Miss Wentworth,” she called back, her voice much stronger now.
“May I speak with you?”
“Who are you?”
“I am a friend of Señor Pinkerton.”
“Then you’ll forgive me if I don’t let you in. It’s too late, and I’m not properly chaperoned.”
“Where is your companion? I saw her come home with you.”
She glanced Anton’s way again. His breath caught in his throat. Why hadn’t he thought of that?
Vivian pulled her shoulders back straighter and lifted her chin. “She has taken to her room with a headache and is asleep, so please return tomorrow and we’ll speak in the light of day.”
Anton grinned. He had to give her credit. She thought quicker than he.
Hostile stillness lasted for only a few minutes. “Please, Señorita Wentworth,” the voice started again, a plea in the tone. “I have come a long way to talk to you. It is most important. At least open the door so I may speak with you face to face. I need not enter.”
She glanced at Anton again. He released a soft growl as he massaged his temple. He didn’t want her to allow the man inside. Yet, Anton didn’t want the stranger to become suspicious, either. There was no other way. Vivian must open the door.
He nodded. “Do as he wishes. I will go around front,” Anton whispered, “and grab him from behind.”
She shook her head, but he ignored her protest. He couldn’t stand to see her wide eyes begging in that manner. His twisting heart couldn’t take it. After giving her a wink, he turned and hurried toward the back door.
“I can only speak to you for a moment,” she called out as she slowly unlocked the
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