The Present: The Malloy Family, Book 8.5 Read online

  “I, uh, had a chill.” To her utter mortification, her nipples picked that moment to stand up and wave howdy.

  He continued to remain silent and stare at her.

  The borrowed shirt fell to her knees, but she might as well have been naked. She felt exposed and vulnerable to this man she barely knew, one she was attracted to on an elemental level.

  She marched to the fire and stood in front of it, holding out her palms to ward off the chill that now truly did snake up her skin. It was because of him and not the temperature in the room. The goosebumps were not from actual cold. Oh no, they were something entirely different, but Fiona didn’t know enough to understand all the particulars. That frustrated her.

  “You, ah, need to move away from the fire.” His voice was rough, low.

  Fiona’s annoyance grew. “You want to keep the warmth for yourself? That’s pretty dadgum selfish, Ethan.”

  “No, you’re welcome to the warmth. I’m already, um, overheated.” He huffed out a breath. “I’m no good at this. Jack would know what to say.”

  She whirled around and put her hands on her hips. “Spit it out. No use dancing around the words.” She dreaded what he would say, knowing it was necessary. He had to help her stomp out this unwanted need burning inside her.

  To her surprise, he got to his feet. He had been beneath a quilt, but when he stood, she saw he wore a union suit, unbuttoned to his belly. What caught her attention, though, was lower. Fiona knew what an erect cock was and how a man used it. She’d never been confronted with one before and found her normally sassy mouth at a loss for words. Her body, apparently recognizing an opportunity, tightened even further.

  “The firelight shows me what’s beneath that shirt, as if I could forget.”

  Confusion raced through her. Ethan was obviously aroused, but he’d run when he’d seen what she had earlier.

  Her arms dropped to her sides. “I don’t understand.”

  He shook his head. “You’re very lovely, Fiona. Your body, ah, is curvy and lush, and damn but I can’t seem to stop myself from wanting to touch you.” His expression looked pained.

  Fiona stood very still, her heart beating a mad tattoo against her ribs. She likened the moment to watching a soap bubble float past. If she touched it, moved even a smidge, it would burst.

  “Touch me?” Her own voice was barely a squeak.

  He moved toward her and she couldn’t suppress the shiver of desire that whipped through her. What was he going to do?

  “Yes, touch you, feel you, kiss you.” He frowned. “I haven’t been with a woman in a very long time—years. Never wanted to. Until I saw you.”

  Now that was something. Fiona found herself smiling at him. “You want me?”

  “Jesus, if I wanted you any more, I’d embarrass myself like a green boy with his first erection.” He stopped in front of her. The scent of him filled her—heat, man and something spicy. She trembled as she looked up at him. He was very tall and broad, and the crisp hairs on his chest winked at her from where the union suit gaped open.

  She wanted to touch him, to look at that part of his anatomy currently straining at the still-secured buttons. It might be wrong in some people’s estimation, but Fiona wanted to feel something special, if only for one night of her life.

  Chapter Five

  Ethan’s hands shook. Hell, his entire body trembled. She had come to him of her own volition, a goddess in the shadows. Her lush body outlined by the firelight made his cock stand at attention, harder than he could ever remember. It had been too long without release.

  And now the late winter storm had thrown Fiona in his path and Ethan into hers. Ethan told himself to leave her be. She wasn’t a girl in the blush of youth, but she wasn’t his to take either. Yet his body ached to have her.

  She smelled faintly of soap, but he could also smell her arousal. His conscience took solace in the idea she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

  “You can walk away right now.” He hardly recognized his voice.

  “I don’t want to.” She moved even closer, barely an inch from his aching staff.

  “Are you sure?” He wanted to kick himself for asking, but he had to. His parents had ingrained a strong sense of honor, and honesty, into him and his siblings. No matter what he wanted, he had to do what was right. In this case, the words tore from his chest, abrupt and sharp.

  To his surprise, she didn’t take offense. Instead she smiled and cupped his cheek. “You’re a gentleman, Ethan Malloy. And I appreciate that more than I can say.” She reached up and pressed her lips to his.

  She was soft all over, most especially her mouth. Sweet, wet heat flooded his senses as he deepened the kiss, and she gasped. Ethan took the opportunity to tangle his tongue with hers. She didn’t know how to kiss but she was a fast learner.

  She’s probably a virgin. Leave her be.

  Ethan ended the kiss with a sigh and forced himself to pull away from her. His cock might never forgive him.

  Fiona opened her eyes and blinked, her expression languid with arousal. “Ethan?”

  “I can’t.” He managed to smile, although his skin felt tight. “I can’t take advantage of you.”

  She chuffed a laugh. “Take advantage of me? Funny you say that. I thought I was taking advantage of you.”

  Ethan stared at her, her expression hidden by the shadows. What was she thinking? He was the experienced person here. She was obviously innocent. “You can’t seriously think you could take advantage of me? You don’t even know how to kiss.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “You don’t need to insult me. I enjoyed the kissing and I was hoping to enjoy more.”

  Ethan choked on his own spit. “More?”

  She gestured to her body, which currently still sported hardened nipples poking through his shirt and those sweet curves, shining through the light from the fire. He swallowed the big lump in his throat and tried to remember he was a gentleman. And she was a virgin. Or at least he thought she was. It wouldn’t be prudent to ask that question, especially now that he’d let stupidity fall out of his mouth. Again.

  She shrugged one shoulder. “I’m here. You’re here. Tomorrow I’ll be gone.” She ran one finger down his chest, and damned if his dick didn’t jump toward her. “We can enjoy each other tonight.”

  Ethan could hardly believe his ears. One of his brothers had to have sent her here. It would be like Trevor or Jack to send a woman to his bed, to engineer a night of pleasure to yank him from his solitude. He had opened his mouth to accuse her of just that when he saw her hand tremble and her pulse flutter at the base of her neck in a crazy rhythm.

  His brothers wouldn’t have sent a real virgin to his door, which meant Fiona was being honest with him. His knees almost buckled.

  “Fiona.” His voice came out in a croak. He cleared his throat. “I would like nothing more than to accept your invitation, but I can’t.”

  “Can’t or won’t?” Her blunt honesty was refreshing, but it made him damned uncomfortable.

  “Won’t,” he growled. “We barely know each other—”

  “Exactly why this is perfect.” She pressed her body against his, her bountiful breasts like paradise on his chest. A thrum of nearly painful arousal slammed through him. “You won’t ever see me again.”

  “The community isn’t that big. If you work for the Peter—”

  She interrupted him again with her mouth. Fiona grabbed his neck and pulled him down for a soul-stealing kiss. She was magic personified, a nymph who wove a spell around him until he forgot his own name. Ethan resisted. Or at least he tried to resist.

  Then her tongue tickled his and he lost the battle with his conscience. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her even closer, tighter against him.

  Bang, bang, bang!

  Fiona jumped away from him so fast he stumbled. She pressed a hand to her mouth, but he could see the glisten of their kisses on her lips. He licked his own, tasting her sweetness on his tongue.

  Bang
, bang, bang!

  “Open the goddamn door, Malloy!”

  Ethan’s gut tightened. “Shit.”

  “I told you to wait until daylight. She is safe where she is.” That was Jack’s voice.

  “I don’t give a damn what you told me, you annoying shit.” That was Petersen.

  A thick silence followed. “You talk to any of my family like that again and I can promise you won’t like what I do.” Holy hell, that was Ray. How many of his damn brothers were outside the cabin?

  “Who is it?” she whispered.

  “My family.”

  Her brows shot to her hairline. “Why are they here in the middle of the night?”

  “Petersen is with them.”

  Her face blanched, making the freckles stand out.

  Bang, bang, bang!

  “I don’t think they’re going to go away.”

  Ethan sighed and ran his hand down his face. “No, they’re not.”

  She turned to walk toward the door. “We might as well let them in. It’s not like there’s anywhere to hide. I’ll give them a show they won’t forget.” She sounded angry, and perhaps justifiably so, since women were held to a standard men weren’t.

  Before he could stop her, order her to put on her own clothes again, she’d reached the door and swung it open.

  Wearing only his shirt.

  Shit, shit, shit.

  Ethan fumbled to light the wick on the lantern on the table. The men in the door stared wide-eyed at Fiona’s luscious, half-dressed figure. He wanted to punch each of them until they stopped.

  “You didn’t tell me she was a redhead.” Jack smiled.

  It was worse than he thought. Three of his brothers were there—Ray, Jack and Brett. At least his father wasn’t present.

  “Miss Carmichael?” Petersen shoved his way past the Malloy brood and put his fists on his hips, glaring at Fiona. “You do not arrive on time and now I find you cavorting with one of the Malloys. What makes you think I would ever allow such a loose, unreliable woman to be my housekeeper?”

  Fiona’s mouth tightened and she crossed her arms. “Perhaps if someone had met my train, I might have arrived on time. Instead I had to rent a horse and rig, drive through a snowstorm and nearly die. Mr. Malloy saved my life.”

  The older man took off his hat and slapped it against his thigh. “A passel of lies. I knewed it was a bad idea to bring a woman from clear across the country here.”

  Ethan’s back rose. “Don’t you walk into my house and insult my guest. She is telling the truth. You can talk to folks in town and verify her story.”

  His brothers stepped in and stood like a wall of muscle and guns. For once, Jack was serious. Each of the Malloy men favored their father, John, in looks. Jack had gone his own way and was a superb furniture maker. Ethan worked with Ray at the horse ranch with their father, while Brett had his own cattle ranch. Yet they were there for him when they should be home in bed with their wives.

  “I expect full reimbursement of the money for your train ticket and the fifty dollars I advanced you.” Mr. Petersen stepped closer to Fiona. “That will teach me to hire someone sight unseen.” Contempt dripped from his words.

  Fiona was more like his sisters-in-law and sister than any weak-willed female. She straightened her shoulders and looked to be a warrior ready to do battle, her expression hard and unyielding. “How dare you? I nearly died trying to arrive at your house to report for a job I took in faith. You accuse me without a shred of evidence. I wouldn’t take a job with you if you got down on your knees and begged.” She flipped her hand toward the door. “I reckon it’s time for you to leave.”

  “You owe me—”

  “I don’t think the lady owes you a thing.” Another Malloy walked through the door. This time it was his father. Ethan’s stomach slammed into his throat. His reaction might have marked him as a ten-year-old boy instead of a forty-three-year-old man. Did a person ever lose that fear of disappointing his parents?

  “I told you to stay out of it, Malloy.” Petersen glared at his father. “Your family might flaunt tradition but I won’t have a whor—”

  Pa’s fist flashed so fast, Ethan barely saw it. Astonishment echoed across everyone’s faces, including Petersen, who rocked back on his heels.

  “Ethan told you what happened, Rick. There is no call to insult this young woman any further or call my son a liar by word or by deed.” His father gestured to the open door. “I’ll see you get your money. Now get out.”

  “Keep her, then. And good riddance. Don’t think I won’t tell people not to do business with the almighty Malloys and their horses.” Petersen waggled his finger while blood trickled down his chin. Ethan saw the fear in his face. The son of a bitch was bluffing.

  “If you think to threaten me, think again.” John Malloy was a force of nature, even in his sixties. The air between the two older men shimmered with animosity.

  Petersen stomped out without another word. Ethan swore everyone let out a breath of relief. Now came the explanations. That could be sticky. And knowing his father, painful.

  Fiona crossed his arms. “Thank you for your help. I pity any housekeeper who works for that man.” Her eyes were big in her pale face. Ethan resisted the urge to pull her into his arms again.

  “Petersen is a jackass. Put two wives into their graves with his hard ways.” Jack shook his head. “You are better off this way.”

  She scowled at the youngest Malloy brother. “Better off? I’m two thousand miles from all I know, without more than a few pennies to my name and no job or home. How do you figure that’s better off?”

  Brett, normally a serious, quiet brother, grinned. “She’s got fire, Ethan. Good choice.”

  “No one has chosen me!” Fiona nearly growled at them. “I appreciate your help, but right now I think I’m just gonna puke.” She dropped to her knees and Ethan was beside her in an instant.

  “You know what you have to do, boy.” His father speared him with the look that made every Malloy man quake in his boots.

  “Take her to Mama?” Ethan knew he was pushing his luck.

  Pa took him by the collar. “It’s a damn shame you’re so big or I’d throw you across my lap and spank some sense into you.”

  “That’s how I proposed to Lily.” Ray shrugged, the silver at his temples shining in the lamplight. “Can’t say I regret that decision for a second.”

  Ethan didn’t want to get married again. Bonita was the only woman for him. Always and forever. Fiona was nice and she made him feel things, but she wasn’t his wife. She couldn’t be.

  Pa must have seen something in Ethan’s face because his expression softened a smidge. “I know you loved Bonita, son, but she’s been gone for more than two years. She damn sure wouldn’t want you living the rest of your life alone.”

  “You’re not the first to anticipate marriage vows either.” Jack winked, the son of a bitch.

  “We didn’t anticipate anything.” Ethan said through clenched teeth.

  “That explains the whisker burn on her neck,” Brett observed dryly.

  “Most couples jump the gun when it comes to tussling under the covers. None of us can point a finger.” This was from his father.

  “What are you saying, that you and Mama…?” Ethan could hardly believe it.

  Pa nodded. “That’s how Raymond arrived less than nine months after we were married.”

  “I didn’t need to hear that.” Ray made a face.

  “You’re all healthy young people, and there ain’t a thing wrong with wanting to be close to a pretty woman.” He glanced at Fiona. “Or a man if you’re a lady.”

  Fiona’s head snapped up. “What are you talking about? We didn’t do anything.”

  “Doesn’t matter what you did or didn’t do. Folks know you spent most of the night here with Ethan.” Pa had gentled his tone for Fiona. “Especially with Petersen flapping his gums.”

  Fiona scowled at all of them. “I don’t understand.”

 
Pa’s hard stare pushed Ethan into a decision. One that would resonate for years.

  “Marry me, Fiona.”

  Chapter Six

  Fiona stared at the rising sun until her eyes burned. The men had all gone out to the barn and fixed up the carriage so she didn’t have to ride in the invalid chair. Now she was being delivered to Ethan’s sister’s ranch, half a day’s ride away, until the wedding.

  She was getting married. There wasn’t much of a choice and she knew it. The fact this handsome man had offered for her was enough of a shock. Fiona didn’t want to starve or turn to worse choices to survive. The Malloys were a loyal if eccentric family, based on the small amount of time she’d known them. Her marriage wasn’t forced, but it wasn’t a cause for celebration. It simply was a necessity for her.

  Fiona was practical most of the time. She’d always had to be. Marrying Ethan Malloy would be pleasurable, of that she was certain. Now she had to figure out how to be a wife and find that magic way to be more than an inconvenient bride his father bullied him into marrying.

  The entire evening had been like a dream, some good, some awful. Now, in the pink light of dawn, Fiona couldn’t help but wonder what her marriage would be like. She wasn’t ignorant of the acts between men and women, but she wasn’t experienced either.

  She snuck a glance at her future husband as he drove the carriage. His jaw was set and his expression hard. He wasn’t happy, and perhaps Fiona could change that.

  The day passed with the journey cloaked in silence. He didn’t speak and she couldn’t make her mouth form the right words. Behind them rolled another carriage holding the Malloy women. Their excited chatter carried on the breeze and made Fiona that much more aware of how uncomfortable she was.

  By the time they rode up to the sprawling ranch house, Fiona’s head hurt from clenching her jaw so hard. Two dogs came out to greet them, barking and circling the wagons in a doggie frenzy. A tall woman in britches emerged from the house, perhaps a few years older than Fiona. She had frizzy reddish-brown hair in a fat braid and wore a green shirt and a look of confusion.

  “Nicky!” one of the women called from the wagons behind Fiona. “We’re invading!”