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She lifted her chin and looked up at him beneath long fake lashes. Wade looked down at her upturned face and recalled a certain set of chocolate brown eyes. Eyes which had the uncanny ability to speak volumes of words. He thrust the image aside with an angry growl and pushed Marion’s head further down his body.
“What’s got into you, tiger?” She bit into his skin and Wade felt himself grow large once again. “You acting like ya ain’t seen a girl for months.”
Unfortunately, Marion was wrong on that account. One girl in particular forced her way into his head. A girl with skin as pale and soft as the morning dew and a smile so sweet he couldn’t recall ever seeing one so pretty. He groaned, frustrated and felt himself lose his momentum once again. Marion looked up, oblivious to his state and gave him a seductive grin. Wade took the opportunity to undo his belt.
She chuckled again and the vibrations tickled his belly button. “My, aren’t we acting like a horny teenage boy.”
Christ that was the last thing she should have said. He was only reminded of a boy who no longer existed. Instead, a young woman took his place. A woman who was waiting downstairs. Wade growled and pushed Marion away.
“What the hell!” She gasped, her tousled hair falling in unruly cascades down her half naked torso.
“I’ve got to go.” He quickly buttoned his shirt and pulled up his suspenders.
“For Christ’s sake, Wade.” She glared at him. “What the hell is going on with you?”
“Some other time, Marion.” He retrieved his wool coat and hat off the dresser, unbolted the door and swung it open.
“You ain’t got yourself another girl, have ya?” Marion followed him out of the room. “Cause you know there ain’t any better than me for miles around. You brush me off and you’re going to have to come crawling back when you discover I’m right.”
Wade ignored her and headed for the landing. Automatically, he looked over the railing to the stool he left Anna sitting on. It was empty. He swore and moved swiftly down the steps, certain she would show up on another stool or taken a table. However, as he reached the bottom floor she was nowhere to be seen. He stepped up to the bar.
“Vern, where did the boy go who was with me?”
He shrugged as he wiped a glass clean. “Don’t know. Flew out of here pretty damn quick. Wouldn’t even stop when Stanford called him back.”
Wade felt a finger of apprehension creep down his spine. Then anger. He thanked the bartender then ran out of the swinging doors of the saloon and looked up the main street. There was no sign of Anna. He cursed, thinking, not again.
Taking two long strides, he leaped off the boardwalk and started off across the road to where he had parked the wagon. There was a sound of shuffling behind him and he spun around to see her crawl out from under the boardwalk. A flood of relief filled him and without thinking he went to her and grabbed her close by the shoulders. Those remarkable eyes of hers were dark with fear. He cursed his own stupidity for leaving her alone.
“Where’s Stanford?”
She pointed down
the boardwalk in the opposite direction.
“Did he speak to you?”
She shook her head.
“He didn’t touch you, did he?” He knew he was looking angry, but he didn’t care at this point. The constable was becoming a burden he could live without.
She shook her head.
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. She stood there looking up at him with such trust and Wade suddenly felt inadequate. He looked away and thought to ask, “Did you get my sister’s supplies?”
She indicated that she hadn’t. He nodded, then pulled her toward the wagon, hastily hoisting her up before joining her on the bench. With the reins he steered Sty away from his post and turned him instead toward the store. As they drew closer, the lawman exited the store. Next to him, he sensed Anna go tense.
The constable raised his hand and grasped Sty’s halter as Wade drew him to a halt in front of the mercantile. “Afternoon, Haddock.”
“Stanford.”
The constable’s intense stare was on the girl. “Your boy there was in quite the rush to get out of the saloon.”
Wade didn’t respond immediately, leaping off the wagon and waited for Anna to follow suit. She was slower than he would have liked.
“Don’t believe that’s a crime.”
“No need to get defensive.” The lawman stated, holding up gloved hands in mock protest. “It wasn’t an accusation, I was simply making an observation.”
