From Forgiveness, available now from Cerridwen Press

Penelope was silent on the walk back to the hotel, deep in thought. “Is something wrong?” James asked as they paused outside her room. “You seem so quiet tonight.” He put a restraining hand on her shoulder when she would have turned to go inside. “I don’t like to see you feeling so bad. Is there something I can do?”

 Penelope shook her head. “It’s not your problem James. I’m just the spinster lady you have to take care of for a few weeks. My brother will return soon and—”

 “Won’t you forgive me for saying that?” He grabbed her shoulders and glared down at her, the shadow from his hat casting his eyes into darkness.

 “You were right.” His fingers tightened then his hand moved slowly down her bare arm, skimming lightly over the slight puff of her sleeve. He suddenly was much closer. She felt his warmth and smelled a faint musky aroma, a combination of maleness, sweat and whiskey.

 “Obligation has nothing to do with the way I feel about you.” His hands went around her waist then she was in his arms, her hands slipping up along his coat to rest on his shoulders. “Kiss me.” His lips came down on hers…

 And the world spun away. All that remained was the feeling of James’ arms around her, holding her tightly against him. There was the long, lean warmth of him, the hardness of his legs, his body pushing insistently against hers, his mustache scratching her lips as he devoured them. Penelope clung to him as his hands roamed down her body, ran over the thin blouse and back up to her shoulder blades, pulling her against him. He snatched off his hat, tossing it to one side. Penelope eagerly touched his hair, feeling the thick, rough texture of it. She twined her fingers in the hair at the back of his neck. He moaned as though her touch had electrified him.

 He tore his lips away from her mouth then his mustache rasped against her throat as he tasted her jaw, her ear lobe, the sensitive juncture of her neck and shoulder. He kissed his way back up to her lips where he paused to put both hands on the sides of her head, tilting her face back so he could stare down into her eyes. “Damn it, Penelope. You’re the most beautiful woman in the world. Don’t you know that?”

 Then his lips came back down on hers and the ground gave way under her. Penelope clung to him, kissing him greedily, her stomach churning and every sense dazed with desire. She ached to reach down and verify that it wasn’t his gun poking her. It had to be him poking her. Penelope wanted to touch it, wanted to see for herself what he looked like when he was aroused. She wanted to touch and taste and feel and experience. Her basic sexual training at HQ had been clinical. This experience was anything but.

 With a groan he pulled away from her, his eyes like shining pools of water. “I shouldn’t be doing this,” he said in a harsh voice. He gave her a desperate look, staring at her so intently she wondered if he was memorizing her face. Then he made a small, despairing noise and reached for her again, pulling her hard against him. He kissed her so forcefully all breath left her body.

 The sound of Jim scratching on the door brought her back to her senses. James heard it too. He reached around her to insert the key and open the door. Jim sprang back with a low snarl as James led Penelope into the room then set the key on the chest and turned to leave.

 Penelope put out a hand. “James? Can’t you stay?”

 He wouldn’t look at her. He glanced at Jim, crouched under the bed, glaring at them. “He’s right. I shouldn’t have done that.” He picked up his hat from the hall floor, his hands shaking. He paused at the door and looked back at her. “Don’t ever forget it, Penelope,” he said in a harsh voice. “You’re the most beautiful woman in the world.” He left, closing the door behind him.