She shouldn’t let it bother her so much. She knew she should simply accept her lot in life, but it was a hard pill to swallow. She liked Marcus. She liked the way he’d made her feel when he’d talked to her today; she liked the way he’d saved her from going to the dance with old Dr. Newcomb. Everything about the man was perfect.
But he would never be hers.
He’d said himself that he wasn’t the marrying kind, that he’d killed men before. And Melissa knew nothing about him. Perhaps he really was hard and ruthless. Perhaps his friendly banter was just a ruse. No, she didn’t believe that, not for a moment.
She doubted very seriously that he preferred her to her sister though. However, it was also apparent that he thought Shirley was a pampered brat who needed to do some growing up. Perhaps that could work in Melissa’s favor. But who was she kidding? Even if he weren’t attracted to her sister, she’d be the last woman he’d call on. Shirley’s words echoed in her ears. A man like Marcus would simply never look at her with interest.
The bubbling creek flowed lazily past as she sat on the ground. Picking up a few stones, she threw them into the water one by one. Each one plunked into the creek, sending a small spray of droplets into the air. Crickets chirped in the night. Their trill, along with the gurgling water, calmed Melissa’s nerves.
Bringing up her knees, she smoothed her skirts and rested her head on them. It was all she could do to convince herself that it didn’t matter, that she shouldn’t be worried about the attentions of a man she’d only known for a short time. But her heart suddenly slammed to life when she heard Marcus’s deep voice in the darkness. She hadn’t even heard him behind her.
“Lissa, is that you? Are you all right?”
“Marcus?” She gasped. “Where are you?”
“Over here.”
Looking toward the sound of his voice, she could see an outline of a shadow leaning against a nearby tree.
“What are you doing out here?” he asked.
“I should be asking you the same question.” Melissa pushed herself off the ground and brushed the dirt from her skirts. She began to tremble. Had he been there the whole time?
He took a few steps toward her until she could clearly see his stern face. “At least I’m not a woman who’s obviously not concerned with her own safety.”
He sounded angry, but his tone only made her own temper rise.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means, Lissa, that you shouldn’t be out here all alone at this time of night.”
“It’s hardly late.”
“That’s not the point.” Marcus shifted from foot to foot and sighed, running a hand through his hair. “You’re far enough from the buildings that no one would be able to hear you scream if something should happen. Did you ever think of that?”
Melissa blushed. She hadn’t thought of her safety. Marcus was right in that regard. “No, I didn’t. But the Gulch is a friendly town. I doubt there is anyone who would do me harm.”
“I’m not just talking about the people of the Gulch, Lissa.” His hand suddenly grasped her upper arm. “What about coyotes? Or snakes or cougars? Heck, what if you happened to fall into the creek? Do you know how cold that water is?”
“Of course I know how cold that water is!” She twisted out of his grasp. “I sometimes bathe in it!”
The silence of the night seemed to bear down on them. Even the crickets stopped their chirps. The only sound was the babbling of the water. As the quiet stretched on, something changed in Marcus’s gold eyes, making the hair on Melissa’s neck stand on end.
She had the uncanny urge to run from him. The images of herself naked in the creek were running through her mind, and she was sure they must be going through his as well. That horrifying thought was enough to make her turn and walk away briskly.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he demanded, clamping a hand on her shoulder. He spun her around to face him once again.
“I’m going home.” She refused to look at him.
“Then let me walk you.”
“No.”
She heard him sigh as he gripped her chin in his hand, forcing her gaze up to his.
“I’m walking you home whether you like it or not, Lissa. I’m serious about the dangers out here. Why do you think I wear these guns?”
Glancing at his hips, she could see his gun belt around his waist. Melissa shuddered and realized he still held her chin in his fingers. His gaze roamed her face, lingering intently at her lips before returning to her eyes.
“I… I don’t know, Marcus. Why do you wear your guns?”
He stared hard and took a step closer, towering over her. “I already told you, sugar.” His breath scorched her face. “I’m not a nice man.”
The air itself seemed to crackle at his sudden intensity, and Melissa’s breathing came in short, labored gasps. Marcus let go of her chin only to move his hand along her cheek and up into her unbound hair. His other hand followed, and she found herself being pulled even closer, pressed against him with his heat singeing her through their layers of clothing. Her hands shook as she pressed against his chest in a measly effort to push him away.
“Marcus…”
“Lissa,” he growled, holding her fast. “It’s been a damned long time since I’ve kissed a woman.”
Then his mouth was on hers, and there was nothing gentle about it. His lips demanded a response as his tongue forced her mouth open. Melissa had to hold on to him for dear life or risk crumpling into a puddle at his feet. Clutching his shoulders, she mewled in the back of her throat but opened her mouth for him.
He groaned in response and crushed her even closer with his hand tangled in her hair. His other hand found its way around her waist, bringing her flush to his body. Melissa wasn’t sure what she should do. Never before had she been kissed by a man, but Marcus seemed determined to teach her the finer points of kissing as his tongue caressed hers, making her hold on even tighter.
Something warm and unfamiliar began to overtake her. Her nipples hardened painfully, and she felt an ache between her legs. A throbbing need filled her heart, although she didn’t know what it was that she wanted. Standing on her toes, she followed Marcus’s lead by moving her lips on his and running her fingers through his hair. It felt wonderfully soft. She wanted nothing more than to get closer to him, to feel his weight on top of her and his bare skin against hers, and that scared her more than anything. What was she doing--kissing Marcus like a wanton woman?
As if he’d heard that thought, he let her go so abruptly that she stumbled and fell onto her backside with a yelp.
“I’m sorry. God, Lissa. I’m so sorry.” After helping her up, he pushed her toward the buildings of the Gulch. “Go on home.”
Still shaking, she turned to him in confusion. “But, Marcus...”
“Go, damn it!” His eyes appeared on fire as he stood there practically panting.
Her lips tingled from his kiss as she ran her tongue over them. She wanted nothing more than to fall into his embrace, but he turned his back on her. Her eyes filled with tears. His rejection was clear enough.
With a shaky voice, she said, “I’m sorry, Marcus.”
Lifting her skirts, she ran the rest of the way back to the general store.
His voice drifted to her on the wind, foul curses that made her tears fall even faster. Marcus had just kissed her, and now he was regretting it.
Six
Marcus fell to his knees and watched Melissa run back to town. He rubbed his hands on his face, trying to calm his racing heart with deep, even breaths.
“Shit!”
Even from where he was near the creek, he could hear her sobs fading away, and each one of them slapped him in the face.
“Son of a bitch!”
His entire body shook with desire, and his erection strained to be set free from his jeans. What was wrong with him? He was a hardened, thirty-year-old man who’d bedded more women than he’d care to admit. Why was this one getting under his skin? And in only one day?
He wanted her. He wanted her something fierce, and it was all he could do not to jump up and run after her. Melissa Bloom was a woman who was completely unaware of just how desirable she was. She worked hard, she smiled often, and she wasn’t afraid of standing up to him. That’s what impressed him the most.
Women in the past had shrunk away from him and his base talk, but not Melissa. She hadn’t even cringed when he’d told her he’d killed some men. And that impressed him so much that he’d wanted to kiss her senseless that afternoon by the water pump, but he’d stormed away instead. He knew he shouldn’t unleash his passions on her. He’d been serious in telling her he wasn’t the marrying kind, and he was sure Melissa wanted a family of her own some day. What woman would want a man as scarred as he was?
He didn’t enjoy taking the lives of others, but being a sheriff hadn’t always been easy. Even when a man pointed a gun at him first, killing him wasn’t what Marcus
wanted
to do. But sometimes he didn’t have a choice. The screams of the people he’d shot echoed loudly through his head even now, and that was what made him turn in his badge two years earlier.
He shouldn’t have let Melissa draw her own conclusions about his jaded past, but reliving those memories wasn’t something he ever intended to do. Burying them deep inside was better. At least that allowed him to wake up and look at his own reflection in the morning.
Marcus pushed up from the ground and squinted toward the Gulch. Melissa had made it safely back to the general store, even if her heart was bruised. He cursed himself for withdrawing from her so harshly, but he’d been a hair’s breadth away from dragging her to the ground and lifting her skirts in the air. And that couldn’t be allowed to happen. He would never take her innocence unless it was given freely to him, and he doubted she would ever do that. A woman’s virginity was a gift she gave to her husband.
But that didn’t stop his body from screaming for her. Unbuckling his gun belt and stripping off his clothes, he jumped into the creek without another thought. As his head went under the water, his body suddenly began crying out at the contact of the cold water. He had to erase all thoughts of Melissa Bloom from his mind.
It was going to be hell working with her and not being able to do a damn thing about it. The best thing to do was ignore her, to pretend the kiss that evening had never happened. He’d take her to the dance as he’d promised, but that would be it. Nothing more than a polite
hello
every now and again would have to do. If he got any closer to her than that, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to stop himself again.
He’d spoken to her true--he was not nice. He was merciless when it came to getting what he wanted, and he wanted
her
. Dunking his head again, he wondered to himself how he was ever going to ignore that glorious hair or those expressive eyes. He knew he wouldn’t be able to. It would be impossible to ignore Melissa.
But, damn it, he had to try!
~ * ~
Over the next few days, Marcus found it hard to avoid both Bloom sisters. Chuck kept him busy doing a few odd repairs to the roof and staircase. At the end of the week, a new supply of goods was brought in that needed to be stocked.
Melissa had barely said two words to him since the incident near the creek, and Marcus couldn’t be more thankful. She was probably mortified at his behavior of kissing her and wanted nothing further to do with him. That thought twisted his gut, but it made it easier to stay away from her, even if he stole a few glances her way every now and again.
He noticed Melissa and Shirley weren’t speaking with each other as well, and whenever either of them occupied the same room, a definite chill could be felt in the air. He had no idea what had gone on between them, he was just glad he hadn’t been there when it happened.