Read Online Wilder Than the Rest: MacLarens of Fire Mountain by Shirleen Davies - Free Book Online
Authors: Shirleen Davies
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Mr. MacLaren. Are you not interested?” Her voice had become soft, a husky whisper that only the two of them could hear.
Pierce didn’t know how to respond to such a direct offer. He wasn’t immune to her beauty, yet had no interest in the woman for anything other than information which would help solve the strange mix of messages Noah and Lee fed them. He dragged his eyes over her, wondering if her husband knew her true nature, or if he cared.
He leaned forward, close to her ear. “I wouldn’t want this to be spread around, but, as unfortunate as it sounds, I’m in love with my wife.” He pulled back and stood. “I know Mollie is looking forward to your luncheon this week, Mrs. Traxton. It has been a pleasure.” He made a slight bow and turned toward Carlton Benstead, who stood several feet away talking with Gerald Black. Pierce glanced at Mollie, who was in deep conversation with Thomas Traxton and Lottie Goss. He wondered what she would think of his conversation with Virginia.
“Ah, Pierce, Gerald and I were just speaking of you.” Carlton took a quick look toward Virginia then back at Pierce. “So, you’ve had your invitation from Mrs. Traxton, I presume.”
Pierce’s face remained impassive at Benstead’s comment.
“Come now. The woman is notorious for her boldness. Has she ensnared you yet?”
He took the glass of whiskey Carlton’s butler offered. “I’ll only say that the lovely Mrs. Traxton made her intentions known.”
Both Carlton and Gerald chuckled.
“The woman is nothing, if not tenacious. Best you keep a level head around her.” Carlton offered a vague smile as he sipped his whiskey.
“Good advice.” Pierce took a small sip from his glass.
“Yes. She and—” Gerald stopped as his wife, Viola, walked up to the group and laced her arm through his.
“Excuse me, gentlemen, but I do believe it is time we say our goodnights.” She looked at her husband then the others.
Pierce turned to find Mollie smiling up at Thomas Traxton, who stood not six inches from her. It appeared the husband was just as bold as his wife. Pierce watched as Mollie laughed at something Traxton whispered in her ear before he reached down to take her hand in his. She quickly slid it free and dropped her arm to her side.
Pierce felt himself chill. In a single, fluid movement, he was by her side, taking her arm in a gentle but firm grip before focusing his attention on Traxton.
“My wife and I will be leaving now. It was a pleasure meeting you.” He held out a hand to Thomas, his other hand not releasing its hold on Mollie.
Traxton shifted his gaze from Pierce to Mollie then back to Pierce. “The pleasure was mine, MacLaren. I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other soon.” He nodded to Mollie before leaving to join his wife.
Pierce loosened his hold on Mollie as they thanked the Bensteads then escorted her to their waiting carriage. He took a seat next to her, crowding her space.
Mollie could feel heat radiating from him, not understanding his actions and not liking the way he’d manhandled her. “What was that about?” she demanded as she tried to create some space between them.
Pierce worked to control his temper. He’d been asking himself the same thing for the last ten minutes and hadn’t come up with an answer. All he knew was that the moment he’d seen Mollie’s rapt attention on Traxton, the man whispering in her ear then taking her hand, he’d seen red.
“Pierce, did you hear me? What just happened back there?” Her voice was uneven, anger coursing through her blood. Anger that she knew wasn’t just from the way he’d acted. Her fury had started as soon as she’d seen the way Virginia had laid her hand on Pierce’s thigh, the subtle way the woman had massaged his leg, Pierce doing and saying nothing to stop her.
He ran a hand through his short brown hair, but didn’t speak. He had to get himself under control, fast. This was a job, nothing more, with a woman he wasn’t
Pierce didn’t know how to respond to such a direct offer. He wasn’t immune to her beauty, yet had no interest in the woman for anything other than information which would help solve the strange mix of messages Noah and Lee fed them. He dragged his eyes over her, wondering if her husband knew her true nature, or if he cared.
He leaned forward, close to her ear. “I wouldn’t want this to be spread around, but, as unfortunate as it sounds, I’m in love with my wife.” He pulled back and stood. “I know Mollie is looking forward to your luncheon this week, Mrs. Traxton. It has been a pleasure.” He made a slight bow and turned toward Carlton Benstead, who stood several feet away talking with Gerald Black. Pierce glanced at Mollie, who was in deep conversation with Thomas Traxton and Lottie Goss. He wondered what she would think of his conversation with Virginia.
“Ah, Pierce, Gerald and I were just speaking of you.” Carlton took a quick look toward Virginia then back at Pierce. “So, you’ve had your invitation from Mrs. Traxton, I presume.”
Pierce’s face remained impassive at Benstead’s comment.
“Come now. The woman is notorious for her boldness. Has she ensnared you yet?”
He took the glass of whiskey Carlton’s butler offered. “I’ll only say that the lovely Mrs. Traxton made her intentions known.”
Both Carlton and Gerald chuckled.
“The woman is nothing, if not tenacious. Best you keep a level head around her.” Carlton offered a vague smile as he sipped his whiskey.
“Good advice.” Pierce took a small sip from his glass.
“Yes. She and—” Gerald stopped as his wife, Viola, walked up to the group and laced her arm through his.
“Excuse me, gentlemen, but I do believe it is time we say our goodnights.” She looked at her husband then the others.
Pierce turned to find Mollie smiling up at Thomas Traxton, who stood not six inches from her. It appeared the husband was just as bold as his wife. Pierce watched as Mollie laughed at something Traxton whispered in her ear before he reached down to take her hand in his. She quickly slid it free and dropped her arm to her side.
Pierce felt himself chill. In a single, fluid movement, he was by her side, taking her arm in a gentle but firm grip before focusing his attention on Traxton.
“My wife and I will be leaving now. It was a pleasure meeting you.” He held out a hand to Thomas, his other hand not releasing its hold on Mollie.
Traxton shifted his gaze from Pierce to Mollie then back to Pierce. “The pleasure was mine, MacLaren. I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other soon.” He nodded to Mollie before leaving to join his wife.
Pierce loosened his hold on Mollie as they thanked the Bensteads then escorted her to their waiting carriage. He took a seat next to her, crowding her space.
Mollie could feel heat radiating from him, not understanding his actions and not liking the way he’d manhandled her. “What was that about?” she demanded as she tried to create some space between them.
Pierce worked to control his temper. He’d been asking himself the same thing for the last ten minutes and hadn’t come up with an answer. All he knew was that the moment he’d seen Mollie’s rapt attention on Traxton, the man whispering in her ear then taking her hand, he’d seen red.
“Pierce, did you hear me? What just happened back there?” Her voice was uneven, anger coursing through her blood. Anger that she knew wasn’t just from the way he’d acted. Her fury had started as soon as she’d seen the way Virginia had laid her hand on Pierce’s thigh, the subtle way the woman had massaged his leg, Pierce doing and saying nothing to stop her.
He ran a hand through his short brown hair, but didn’t speak. He had to get himself under control, fast. This was a job, nothing more, with a woman he wasn’t
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