Wilder Than the Rest: MacLarens of Fire Mountain by Shirleen Davies Page B

enough to respect the man and the way he conducts business. Not many are his equal.” Pierce sipped the French wine then replaced his glass on the table.
    “Are you originally from the east?” Virginia Traxton asked. Pierce hadn’t failed to notice the way her eyes roamed over him, or her predilection for touching his arm when she spoke. He shook off his initial unease at her obvious interest.
    “Yes, Boston and New York.” He kept his answer short, hoping to dissuade further questions from the woman next to him.
    “Oh, then perhaps you know the Kendall’s? One of their sons, Owen, attended university with my brother.”
    Although Mollie sat at the opposite end of the table, their eyes shot to each other, recognizing the name as that of the other agent Eva had indicated might join their assignment. Both knew it could be pure coincidence that his name came up, but neither was willing to write it off as pure chance.
    “Yes, I’ve heard of Owen Kendall. I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting him,” Pierce answered.
    “Oh, you’ll remember him if you ever do make his acquaintance. He’s quite impressive.” Virginia smiled at Pierce.
    “What she means, Pierce, is that he is quite wealthy, mainly family money, and eligible,” Thomas Traxton added in a mild tone.
    Virginia’s eyes fell to her lap, and Pierce noticed how she fidgeted with her napkin. He thought perhaps the woman might know quite a bit about Kendall’s past.
    “However, he’s rumored to have become quite successful on his own,” her husband finished.
    Mollie listened, trying to assimilate the comments Virginia made against what Eva had told them of the man who might join their assignment. She hadn’t mentioned anything other than his wealth and temper. It appeared there might be more to the man than she’d shared.
    “We’ll take our dessert and coffee in the parlor,” Henrietta instructed the butler, ending a conversation that had just become interesting, in Pierce’s point of view.
    Virginia latched onto Pierce’s arm as soon as he’d pulled out her chair. He glanced at Mollie, not missing her questioning stare and arched brow.
    “May I?” Thomas Traxton offered his arm to Mollie and escorted her into the parlor. She kept her eyes fixed on Pierce, not missing the intimate way he leaned down to hear something Virginia had said. She was one of the women scheduled to attend the luncheon the following week, and Mollie already found herself disliking the woman.
    Pierce escorted Virginia to a large divan and stepped back, expecting her husband to occupy the spot next to her. Instead, the woman tugged on his hand. “Come, sit by me, Pierce. There are so many questions I’d like to ask you.”
    He shifted his attention to Mollie, who sat across the room, Thomas beside her.
    “My pleasure, Mrs. Traxton.” He tried to emphasize her married status, already knowing his subtle hint would be lost on the voluptuous blonde. Unlike the other women in the room, Pierce pegged her as someone who went after what she wanted, whether it was a married man or a prized horse. He guessed she was unaccustomed to being refused any overture.
    “Now, tell me how you find our city.” Virginia looked up at him and smiled. She’d rested her hands in her lap at first, but as she spoke, Pierce felt one hand gently tap his leg as if emphasizing a point before she settled it on his thigh. Her fingers squeezed just enough to gain his attention. It surprised him that no one seemed to notice her unseemly behavior.
    “I believe we’ll like it here once we’ve had a chance to settle in.”
    “And what do you do for pleasure, Pierce?” She’d removed her hand from his thigh and held a cup of tea to her lips, glancing over the brim at him, her eyes sparking with a wicked glimmer.
    He narrowed his eyes at her then curved his lips into a half-smile. “Why, Mrs. Traxton, are you flirting with me?”
    She laughed and placed her cup on a nearby table. “Of course I am,