“I think I’ll stay here if you don’t mind,” Annalise smiled. “I’d like to learn the pineapple pattern Mrs. Whittaker is working on. You all go on without me.”
“Suit yourself,” Fancy replied, pulling Matthew toward the door.
Morgan and Callie Mae were the last ones out and he let them fall behind the others.
“You must have a guardian angel,” he said smoothly.
“Why do you say that?” Callie Mae asked sweetly.
“Because you know I was hoping to get a few minutes alone with you tonight and you know why.”
“I don’t have the faintest idea what you’re talking about,” she insisted. “If you wanted to get me alone in the moonlight so you could kiss me again, I’m afraid I can’t allow it. My mama told me never to be alone with a young man, lest they try to take advantage of me,” she sighed.
“I have no intention of kissing you and you know it,” he snapped. “I’m going to tan your hide at the first available opportunity, so let’s be clear about that. After I put you over my knee and turn your pretty little bottom cherry red, perhaps you’ll take my warnings more seriously.”
“And what warnings are you talking about, Mr. Whittaker?” she asked pleasantly.
“You know very well what warnings. I’m worried about the safety of you and the girls you’ve brought here. You’ve managed not only to place yourself in a precarious situation, but them as well, and from the sounds of it, they’ve had enough heartache to last them a lifetime.”
“Well, they’re here now and counting on me to help them get a decent start on a new life. What would you have me do, toss them out on the street and lock my doors?” she demanded, turning to him.
“Toss them out, no. Lock your doors, yes! Callie Mae, so far you’ve only encountered town folk and the occasionally drifter in the saloon. Soon that will change and change drastically,” he insisted, taking her upper arms in his hands. “You need to listen to me and do something before someone gets hurt.”
“No, I won’t close my doors, or sell The Duchess, or be ordered about like some silly school girl. I’ve made my choice and I’ll handle the consequences. I don’t recall asking for your help or your opinion,” she shot back angrily. “Who appointed you my boss anyway? You’re not my father, my husband, or my brother. You haven’t even declared your intentions of courting me, and if that’s what you think you’re doing, you’re doing a dreadful job of it. If you want to run things around here, why don’t you run for marshal or something and leave me alone!”
“Maybe I will run for marshal,” he shouted, losing his temper. “But I won’t leave you alone in any case. I’m still waiting to give you that spanking you so richly deserve for your stubborn, pigheaded attitude. Maybe that will take the blinders off you and make you see reason.”
“Well, you’ll be waiting a very long time, Mr. Whittaker,” she hissed as she kicked him smartly in the shin. “I have no intention of giving you anything remotely resembling an available opportunity. As a matter of fact, if you come into my establishment again, it better be as a paying customer, or you’ll be out on your ear,” she promised, giving him another kick and twisting out of his arms.
Morgan watched her run to catch up with the others, as he bent to rub his leg. He was fuming mad and it was all he could do not to chase after her, throw her over his shoulder, and tote her out to the barn. The little brat should run into the house and kiss his mothers, um… Emma’s…well, she should be damned grateful that he wouldn’t embarrass Emma like that. As far as Callie Mae went, protocol had just fallen by the wayside. He had an itch to feel flesh on flesh, and he intended to see 19th century panties up close and personal. Sooner or later her luck would run out and then she’d be a sorry little girl, he promised himself as he stomped to the house, favoring his left leg. He didn’t care what etiquette said, he was spanking her bare ass and spanking it good.
That letter from Cara couldn’t come soon enough. He’d have a timeframe to work with and if he had to leave, so be it, but he wasn’t leaving this lifetime without giving Miss Callie Mae Walker something to remember him by.
Morgan let the screen door snap closed behind him and hobbled to a chair.
“Where are the others?” Emma asked, watching him closely. “What’s wrong with your leg?”
“I ran into the toe of a shoe,” Morgan replied, rubbing his shin.
“Oh, I see,” Emma said, hiding her grin. “Was it attached to any foot in particular?”
“I’m pretty sure you know exactly whose foot it was, Ma.”
“Well, Callie Mae has always been a bit feisty, son. Sometimes you have to take the good with the bad,” she advised.
“At this particular moment, I’m having a hard time recalling the good,” Morgan sighed.
“Nonsense. Callie Mae’s a lovely young woman and you well know it. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be so all-fired up about her.”
“Where is Annalise?” Morgan asked looking around the room.
“She’s out in the kitchen making coffee; poor girl tries to make herself useful. It’s a sad thing having no family to care for you,” Emma sighed. “I think they all need a bit of mothering.”
“I can think of a few things Callie Mae needs and that isn’t one of them.”
“You’re likely right in some respect,” Emma sighed rising from her chair. “Just you mind your manners tonight, Morgan Whitaker; I won’t have you frightening the others. Anything that you need to straighten out with Miss Walker can wait. Why don’t you go see where the others are? I’m going to dish up the pie. If we want to get those girls back to town at a respectable hour, we better get a move on.”
“All right, Ma,” Morgan replied, heading toward the door.
