“Indeed, she was at that.” Taking a deep breath, Chuck sighed. “Look, Marcus, I’ve prided myself on being able to read my daughter fairly well. She’s often overlooked by the people in this town, outshined by her younger sister. She’s not one to show her affections to a man because she thinks eventually he’ll be stolen by Shirley. It’s happened before.”
“It has?”
“Yup. Poor thing was smitten over a Mr. Richard Lowell who breezed through here a few years back, and all he could do was drool over her sister. Never once had a kind thing to say to Lissa. Ever since then, she’s closed her heart.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Marcus said, and he was. Taking another sip from the cup, his eyes darted to the door of the store as his thoughts turned to the woman inside. Ever since she’d given him that kiss on his cheek in the livery stable four days ago, things had been pleasant around the shop. Her smiles were back, and often she blushed whenever their bodies accidentally touched. It’d been hard keeping his hands to himself, and he smiled just a little at the knowledge that not every touch had been accidental.
“Seems the only man in town giving her his obvious affections is Dr. Timothy Newcomb,” Chuck said.
Marcus nodded as he pursed his lips. “Ah, yes. The old doctor.”
“He comes by every few days to check on my aching joints, but I know he does it just to chat with Lissa. And she’s so amiable that she doesn’t have the heart to tell him she’s not interested. The man is a few years
my
senior, and he’s got his sights on my daughter.”
Picking up the hammer, Marcus suddenly had the urge to hit something. He grabbed a nail and pounded it into the squeaky board. The good doctor bothered him, not because he was a bad man, but because he was so much older than Lissa. Thinking of her with him made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.
“I’m telling you this, son,” Chuck went on, “because I know my daughter is sweet on you. She may try to hide it, but I see it plain as day. If you don’t feel the same, then I want you to tell her right now before she falls completely in love with you. Better for her to feel a few days of sadness than to mourn a broken heart.”
Marcus stared at Chuck a few long moments. “She’s a beautiful woman, and she’ll make someone a fine wife someday, but she doesn’t want me. I’m not… the marrying kind.” Lowering his head, he picked up another nail and pounded it mercilessly into the wood.
“We’ve all got a past, but what’s done is done. Don’t let it rule your life. If you truly feel you’ll never marry, then Lissa needs to know right now, and you need to tell her beyond the shadow of a doubt. But if you want her, you gotta fight for her tooth and nail, boy. There ain’t no beating around the bush with Lissa. If you hem and haw too long, she just might go off and marry the venerable doctor. You want to see her hitched to that old coot?”
Chuck stood and walked back into the shop, leaving Marcus there on the boardwalk with his own dark thoughts.
~ * ~
Melissa’s senses whirled as Marcus suddenly barged into the store and pulled her by the arm into a secluded corner hidden by the shelves of canned goods. He braced her against the corner, filling her entire vision with his body. She could feel her heart slamming against her ribcage as she looked into his eyes, his head towering above hers.
“I want you to listen to me.” His voice was gruff, and his eyes looked hard as agates.
“What is it, Marcus? What’s wrong?”
He closed his eyes, his breaths coming hard and fast, making a sudden worry spring into her heart.
“We can’t go on like this, Lissa.”
“Like what?”
“Don’t play coy with me, lady. You know damn well what.”
He leaned in closer, planting his hands on either side of her head and trapping her in the corner. Her head swam at his heady scent, and just the heat of him made her body respond. It was all she could do not to reach out and caress his face.
“Marcus,” she whispered, her breath catching in her throat, “I don’t know what you’re--”
“Every day I see you watching me,” he said. “Don’t think I don’t see your pretty smiles or hear you catch your breath when you touch me. You’re playing a dangerous game here, Lissa.”
She stared at him, too shocked to do much more. His gold eyes bored into hers. He was so beautiful that her throat closed around the words she’d planned to say. All she wanted to do was run her fingers through his hair and feel his hot mouth on her neck. Even the thought had her groaning as she leaned her head back for support on the wall, but that just seemed to invite Marcus to press even closer.
“I’ve told you before,” he growled, his hot breath caressing her cheek, “I’m not the marrying kind. I’m not the man for you. Don’t get your heart set on me, sugar, ‘cause I’m only gonna break it.”
Snapping her eyes open, she gasped at the nearness of him. His face was only a few inches away from hers. If she just stood a little straighter, she could kiss him. But his words pierced her fantasies and shattered her fragile dreams. He didn’t want Shirley, she was confident of that, but now he was telling her he didn’t want her either.
She felt her eyes begin to pool with tears, and that made her angry. How dare this man make her cry at every chance he could get! Planting her hands on his shoulders, she shoved him back forcefully and glared at him.
“You think too highly of yourself, Mr. McCaide.” She dug her index finger into his chest. “You’re not the only man in the world, you know. Have no fear, my heart is safe from the likes of you. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” Sweeping past him, Melissa practically sprinted out the back door of the shop.
~ * ~
“You surprised me, son,” Chuck said softly behind Marcus a moment later.
Turning to glance at the older man, Marcus ran his fingers through his thick, dark hair. “Why is that?” he asked a little too harshly.
Chuck took off his round glasses and cleaned them with a handkerchief. “Thought you might’ve fought for her.”
Melissa’s father did nothing more than turn and walk away. Scowling darkly, Marcus strode over to the back door and ripped it open then lunged down the steps. Melissa was nowhere to be seen.
“Damn it.” He sighed and wondered if he’d done the right thing. His head said yes but his heart said no. Melissa was the one woman who invaded his dreams both day and night. He couldn’t get her out of his head no matter how hard he tried, and he knew he wouldn’t be satisfied until he saw all that glorious red hair spread out upon his pillow.
He wanted to taste her skin, to hear her moan with the pleasure of his touch, to make her burn for him as much as he burned for her. He’d never wanted so badly to be buried inside of a woman. He yearned to feel her heat surrounding him, and craved her bare legs wrapped about his waist.
The more his torrid thoughts consumed him, the more he was convinced he’d done the right thing. If anything, Melissa needed to be protected from him. If he ever had her in his arms again, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to resist her.
Eight
Melissa’s humiliation was complete. How could she be so blind? Marcus wasn’t interested, and he’d probably tried to tell her in subtle ways--not looking directly at her, going out of his way not to touch her, keeping their conversations to a minimum.
She felt like a fool. Regardless of what he’d told her again and again, Marcus
was
a nice man, and he’d only done his best to console and brighten the spirits of the ugliest girl in the Gulch. True, he was a little rough around the edges, but he’d called her beautiful, and now Melissa wondered if his words had just been a means to an end. She’d been crying, after all. And what man wants to be subjected to that?
Her stormy thoughts followed her all the way to the livery stable, where she ran right into Dr. Newcomb as he walked out the door, causing him to stumble.
“Oh goodness!” she exclaimed. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you.”
“That’s quite all right, Miss Bloom.” He smiled cheerfully. “I was just thinking about you.”
She returned his smile with a heavy heart. Looking at him, she could see the handsome man he’d once been, but she just couldn’t bring herself to have any feelings for the man. Still, she wasn’t getting any younger, and she did want a family some day. Perhaps Dr. Newcomb was her only chance, considering her horrid run-in with Marcus only minutes before.
“Well, I don’t know what to say.” And she didn’t either. They had nothing in common to talk about.
“How about you take a ride with me around the countryside?” he asked.
Folding her hands in front of her, she nodded and allowed him to lead her into the stables. A ride was just what she needed to clear her head, and perhaps she would come to like the good doctor a little more if she spent some time with him.
She took pains not to look at Pete standing serenely in his stall. He nickered when she walked by, obviously recognizing her, yet she did not stop to scratch him. She needed to banish all thoughts of Marcus McCaide from her mind, even if that meant snubbing his poor horse.
Once Dr. Newcomb’s bay gelding and her father’s tan mare were ready, he helped boost her up into her sidesaddle. “You all right up there?”
“Yes, thank you, Dr. Newcomb.”
“Please, call me Timothy.”
Blushing, Melissa nodded and urged her horse forward before Timothy was fully astride. She didn’t want him to see her consternation.
As they rode out the stable door and up the street, they passed the general store where Marcus had resumed his hammering. He seemed to be pounding the wood with a little more force than was necessary, but once he saw them riding up the road, he stopped what he was doing and stared hard.
“Good day, Mr. McCaide.” Timothy smiled, seeming to swell with pride in front of the younger man.
Marcus barely nodded, his gaze burning into Melissa mercilessly. She returned his stare with a cold one of her own before setting her jaw and suddenly kicking the horse into a gallop. She didn’t care if the good doctor couldn’t keep up with her. Being under Marcus’s scrutiny and seeing the look on his face had done nothing to bolster her mood. If anything, it had made it even fouler, and she needed to be alone.
The mare seemed to enjoy the rigorous run. She was rarely given her head on jaunts around town. Looking over her shoulder, Melissa thought the buildings seemed so small, and she could just make out the figure of Dr. Newcomb behind her. Bending low over the horse, she whispered to the mare, urging her even faster.
After a few more minutes, she reined in the horse, breathing almost as heavily as the winded animal. Inhaling the acrid air, Melissa smiled and closed her eyes, letting the sun beat down on her face. It felt so good to just sit in the silence. Being so far away from the Gulch seemed to make her problems less important. Looking around the countryside, she saw no sign of the doctor, and a pang of guilt made her sigh. But she wasn’t sorry. Galloping at such a breakneck speed was the only thing that appeared to help clear her frame of mind.
Nothing was around but sand and sagebrush. She could see the creek winding its way through the basin a little to her left, with green trees lining its banks. Turning the mare, Melissa decided to trot that way. She hadn’t brought any water for the horse, and the hot sun was beating down on them both. Fat drops of sweat were already running down Melissa’s neck, and the mare neighed and chuffed, tossing her head a few times as she pricked her ears.
“What is it, old girl?” Melissa cooed, rubbing the horse’s lathered neck. It didn’t take long before she heard for herself what had the mare excited: the sound of galloping hooves wafted on the thin breeze, and Melissa craned her neck to look over her shoulder. Sure enough, there was Dr. Newcomb’s horse tearing across the desert to intercept her. She supposed it had been too much to hope for that the doctor wouldn’t try to follow, and she couldn’t help but be impressed by his riding skill.
But, as the bay gelding fast approached, Melissa gasped. That wasn’t Dr. Newcomb! Kicking the mare, she urged her to run the remainder of the way to the creek. The horse complied with a snort, but that didn’t stop the thunder of hooves behind her.