Page 125 of New Storm Rising
“Gimme!”
“You are welcome.”
A few moments of munching later…
“You could have told me, you know!Beforeall the shooting and running and aborted executions.”
Mr Ambrose inclined his head. Somehow, he had snuck around the desk while I was concentrating on my treasure of deliciousness, and was now sitting right beside me, his arm around my shoulders.
“Indeed, I could have. I could have explained everything to you the day we set out.” Pausing, he sent me a look with those deep, dark, sea-coloured eyes of his. “Yet that would have meant your honeymoon wouldn’t have been half as interesting.”
“You…!”
That son of a bachelor! He…he was…
…right.
Dammit! How come he knew me so well?
Eyes narrowing, I stared at him. “Am I supposed to believe that you orchestrated a Wild West adventure with shootouts, saloon brawls and prison breaks simply to provide me with an entertaining honeymoon?”
Capturing my cheek in one hand, he drew me closer until his unfathomably deep eyes were only inches away from mine. “Certainly. What other reason could there be?” And, leaning forward even further, he brushed his lips against mine. “After all, I love you.”
Not fair!
“Y-you’re not playing fair!”
His thumb stroking across my cheek. “Why would I? Playing straight never wins you the greatest prize. And the greatest prize,” he breathed as his lips once more touched mine, “is often the sweetest one.”
“Th-that’s just the chocolate,” I mumbled, feeling heat rushing to my face.
“Really?” Mr Ambrose cocked his head. “I don’t really think so. Let me verify.”
And, snatching me up in his arms, he proceeded to do so. Thoroughly. Next to the desk. On top of the desk. On the chaise longue in the corner. He was very thorough, and dida lotof verifying.
When, finally, we lay cuddled together on the chaise longue, filled with blissful afterglow, I leaned over to gaze into his eyes.
“So…we’ve won.”
“Indeed.” His arms slid around me, holding me close. “The Spaniards are done for. Now, all we have to do is take a trip back to New York, where we can enjoy the sea air, see the sights, catch up on paperwork and watch two corrupt criminals be sentenced to death.”
“Aww…you say the most romantic things.”
“I do my best, Mrs Ambrose.”
And then he drew me close, locked his lips with mine and started doing some more verifying.
***
Hours later, when the darkness of the night had fallen like a blanket over the land, a shadow moved towards the towering form of the newly rebuilt and reinforced prison. It glided along the wall noiselessly until it reached a certain window.
“You took your time!” came a hiss from inside. “Why didn’t you make a move earlier? Were you just going to watch while sey shot holes srough me?”
“My apologies, Señor.” The man bowed. “I wanted to act, but there were too many people present. Armed people in particular. And that marshal…”
A curse exploded from the interior of the cell.
“Don’t mention satcabrónto me! Not unless it is to tell me sat you have his head on a silver platter, or better yet, have captured him alive! I want nosing more but to estrangle se very life out of him!”
