penetrated her brain, she pushed against his broad chest until he released her. “That wasn’t part of the prize,” she told him, embarrassed at all the attention for her very first kiss.
“I don’t know why not. Every winner deserves his heart’s desire.” Alex grinned before bowing with a flourish to the townsfolk, then retrieving his hat and coat.
Her face flamed and she put her palms to her hot cheeks. The leering smiles of the men in the crowd made her want to run and bury herself in the earth.
“If we’re going to have a picnic, then let’s get on with it,” she grumbled as she accepted a basket of food from a shopkeeper. “I, for one, have to get back to work.”
Alex leaned close to whisper in her ear. “If you put yourself up as a prize, Meggie, the least you can do is be worth the winner’s effort. Shouldn’t you try to look happy for me? The men might get the idea you have a cranky disposition.”
Megan saw his point. After all, her entire presence at the race was intended to drum up business for the dance hall. She put on her best smile and linked her arm through Alex’s.
“Now, gentlemen, if you’ll excuse us, the lieutenant and I have a picnic engagement.” She looked back over her shoulder and winked at the open mouthed men as she allowed Alex to lead her away.
Once they were out of earshot of the others, Alex said, “You certainly are a wonderful actress, Meggie. Did you have professional training?”
“No, but I’m learning. Give men what they want to see and hear, and they buy it every time.”
He looked at her strangely. “I didn’t realize you were so hard.”
“Not hard, practical. Business is business no matter where you are. You just have to find the right key to open the lock of success. I think I’ve finally found that key with The Celebration.”
As they talked, their steps took them out of town toward a small grove of pines on a hill. From their vantage point they overlooked Dawson City and the festivities. The town lay nestled between tree-covered hills, the Yukon River cutting a wide swath of blue down the center. Several makeshift sailboats dotted the water—as well as an arriving steamship. Every day more people poured into the already bursting town in search of fortune. Little did they know that all the available land had been staked for claims long ago.
With a sigh, Megan turned away from Dawson City and opened the basket, removing a red blanket that Alex quickly spread over the sun-warmed earth.
“What do you say we put aside our prejudices of the opposite sex for this afternoon and enjoy the day?” Alex ventured.
Megan stared into his open, pleasant face for a moment before gracing him with a nod and a smile. They sat together on the blanket and companionably shared the meal.
When, a short while later, their eyes met, Megan was unable to look away from Alex’s direct gaze. She had seen lust many times before in a man’s eyes, but with Alex Carson the expression surprised her. She must be mistaken at what she saw in the depths of his sky-blue gaze. He was going to kiss her again; and though she hadn’t expected it, she leaned forward, eager for the contact. Her eyes slid closed.
Soft, warm, feather-like, his lips moved over hers. Her chest felt as though it might burst as warm, liquid sensations pounded beneath her breast. His hand warm at the back of her neck, his fingers long and supple as they pressed her closer. The smells of summer mixed with the scent of warm male flesh, and she leaned into him with a soft moan. His tongue teased gently at the corner of her mouth, then traced a path on her slightly parted lips. Uncertain at first of what he wanted, she kept her mouth tightly closed; but as he continued to stroke her closed lips with his tongue, she sighed and her mouth opened of its own accord. She started at the first touch of his tongue on her teeth, but the sensation was so new and exciting she relaxed instantly. Tentatively, she stroked
“I don’t know why not. Every winner deserves his heart’s desire.” Alex grinned before bowing with a flourish to the townsfolk, then retrieving his hat and coat.
Her face flamed and she put her palms to her hot cheeks. The leering smiles of the men in the crowd made her want to run and bury herself in the earth.
“If we’re going to have a picnic, then let’s get on with it,” she grumbled as she accepted a basket of food from a shopkeeper. “I, for one, have to get back to work.”
Alex leaned close to whisper in her ear. “If you put yourself up as a prize, Meggie, the least you can do is be worth the winner’s effort. Shouldn’t you try to look happy for me? The men might get the idea you have a cranky disposition.”
Megan saw his point. After all, her entire presence at the race was intended to drum up business for the dance hall. She put on her best smile and linked her arm through Alex’s.
“Now, gentlemen, if you’ll excuse us, the lieutenant and I have a picnic engagement.” She looked back over her shoulder and winked at the open mouthed men as she allowed Alex to lead her away.
Once they were out of earshot of the others, Alex said, “You certainly are a wonderful actress, Meggie. Did you have professional training?”
“No, but I’m learning. Give men what they want to see and hear, and they buy it every time.”
He looked at her strangely. “I didn’t realize you were so hard.”
“Not hard, practical. Business is business no matter where you are. You just have to find the right key to open the lock of success. I think I’ve finally found that key with The Celebration.”
As they talked, their steps took them out of town toward a small grove of pines on a hill. From their vantage point they overlooked Dawson City and the festivities. The town lay nestled between tree-covered hills, the Yukon River cutting a wide swath of blue down the center. Several makeshift sailboats dotted the water—as well as an arriving steamship. Every day more people poured into the already bursting town in search of fortune. Little did they know that all the available land had been staked for claims long ago.
With a sigh, Megan turned away from Dawson City and opened the basket, removing a red blanket that Alex quickly spread over the sun-warmed earth.
“What do you say we put aside our prejudices of the opposite sex for this afternoon and enjoy the day?” Alex ventured.
Megan stared into his open, pleasant face for a moment before gracing him with a nod and a smile. They sat together on the blanket and companionably shared the meal.
When, a short while later, their eyes met, Megan was unable to look away from Alex’s direct gaze. She had seen lust many times before in a man’s eyes, but with Alex Carson the expression surprised her. She must be mistaken at what she saw in the depths of his sky-blue gaze. He was going to kiss her again; and though she hadn’t expected it, she leaned forward, eager for the contact. Her eyes slid closed.
Soft, warm, feather-like, his lips moved over hers. Her chest felt as though it might burst as warm, liquid sensations pounded beneath her breast. His hand warm at the back of her neck, his fingers long and supple as they pressed her closer. The smells of summer mixed with the scent of warm male flesh, and she leaned into him with a soft moan. His tongue teased gently at the corner of her mouth, then traced a path on her slightly parted lips. Uncertain at first of what he wanted, she kept her mouth tightly closed; but as he continued to stroke her closed lips with his tongue, she sighed and her mouth opened of its own accord. She started at the first touch of his tongue on her teeth, but the sensation was so new and exciting she relaxed instantly. Tentatively, she stroked
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