He nodded.
She shook herhead.
“Pearl is theDerringer,” he said.
“I surmisedas much.”
“You are theColt.”
“I know,Jake. You are…” With a laugh, she shook her head.
He wrapped an arm abouther waist. “I don’t want a Derringer, Hope. I don’t needone.”
“But you needa Colt?” She yet smiled, but a hint of uncertainty lurked in hergaze.
In answer, he kissed herand, when they broke apart, she held his hand as they walked backto the hotel.
ChapterFourteen
THE NIGHT WAS RAUCOUS as Hope and Jake walked back tothe hotel. Men spilled out into the street from the saloons,already well into their cups and smelling of perfume, whiskey, andsweat. The sounds of a cheerful piano followed them, along withshouts and offkey singing, and in the distance, the faint strainsof music made by the strange Chinese instruments she’d never hadoccasion to see before.
Jake’s hand was warm onher elbow. Hope concentrated on the feel of him, his strong fingerspressing into the soft flesh above her elbow. A hum of excitementthrummed in her veins, as it had ever since he’d arrived up at herdoor earlier this evening and led her straight into adventure. Ithad dimmed somewhat when Miss La Monte and her companion had spokenwith them. Miss La Monte was the most beautiful woman Hope had everseen, and it had been clear at one time Jake had thought the same.Her lips twitched. However, his convoluted analogy with Derringersand Colts—and the fact he sought to ease her—rid her of anytrepidation. She sighed. Well, most of her trepidation. His analogyhad indicated he quite clearly wanted to be with her, and whateverhe’d felt for Miss La Monte was gone.
The pleasant hum hadreturned and thrummed now through her. When she had made thisinsane proposal, she’d had no notion of what she asked for. She hada vague idea they would go straight to bed, there’d be somecaressing and a rush of feeling, and the deed would be done. Shehad not expected him to woo her.
The excursion to theChinese harvest festival had been exhilarating, and she’d enjoyedthe sweet cakes and the bitter tea, the explosion of colour andlight, the unfamiliar and discordant music. It had beenfascinating, and nothing had fascinated her more than Jake Wade andhis version of wooing.
She had not been wooedbefore. A few men had attempted a flirtation, but they’d been moreinterested in her wealth than her person, and her lack ofenthusiasm had killed off all but the most determined of suitors. Asharp word or two had dissuaded the rest. Courting and romance hadnever been a pursuit of hers, consumed as she was with vengeancefor her family. Jake, though.... He’d turned her head. She wantedhim physically, was fascinated by his face and form, and she’dgiven herself permission to be distracted for a time. She’d not,however, expected to like him as well as she did. To like the wayhe looked at her, to like the kick of his half-smile, to love theway he called her ‘darlin’’. The best part of her day was when hereported on his findings, his attention wholly on her, and shefound herself glancing anxiously at her pocket watch, counting thetime until he would come.
And now he had kissedher.
Her skin heated as sheremembered his lips against hers, his taste. God willing, she wouldtaste him again. Soon.
They arrived at the hoteland he guided her up the stairs, stopping when they reached herdoor. She didn’t know what to say, but she knew she didn’t want theevening to end. “Won’t you come in? I have tea, and there are somebiscuits.”
“Hope,” hesaid. She shivered at the rough sound of her name. “If I come in,it won’t be for tea and biscuits.”
Breath locked in herchest at his words. Overwhelmed, she could only nod.
His eyes darkened, hisexpression intense. Fumbling, she unlocked the door and led the wayinto her rooms. Stopping in the centre, she wiped her palms on herskirts. She didn’t know what to do, and— “Are you sure you won’ttake refreshment?”
Capturing her hands, heheld her still. She couldn’t look from him, her mouth dry and herheart a wild beat in her. Gently, he led her to the settee andtugged her down with him. Every part of her was aware of every partof him, the agonising closeness of their knees, how his hands werebig and warm and strong around hers.
His thumb stroked theskin of her hand. “What do you want to happen?”
She watched the progressof his touch, the small circles that made her shiver. “Whatever youthink should happen.”
“I want toknow what you think. What you like.”
“I don’t knowwhat I like. That is why I have engaged you.”
Gaze still on her hands,the side of his mouth kicked up. “Ah. I didn’t realise that is whatwas driving you, darlin’. Shall I detail for you, then, mythoughts?”
Darlin’. So oftenhe’d called her that before, but now, in a rough-hewn voice, theendearment made her shudder. “Please,” she managed tosay.
He wet the corner of hismouth with his tongue and she almost swooned. “I’d start like this,with your hand in mine; your skin, soft under my touch. I’d wanteverything, all at once, I’d want to consume you, but I’d startslow ’cause I know you ain’t never done anything like that before,and beyond all else I don’t want to scare you none, or have you runfrom me.”
Heart beating faster, shestared at him as he spoke, his words winding around her like acaress.
