Midnight's Captive(23)

Why did Laura feel there was so much going on around her without her truly understanding it? She’d felt it from the moment they drove onto Dreagan land, and the sensation grew the longer she was here.

“I know Charon likes it here.”

Cassie beamed as she stood and motioned for Laura to do the same. “Come. I’ll take you to him.”

As they walked to the stairs, Cassie leaned close and said, “Charon is a handsome man. Men like him don’t stay single for long.”

Laura missed a step and nearly fell on her face. She glanced at Cassie and shook her head. “Charon is my employer.”

“Then why do you look at him the way you do?”

She was saved from having to answer when they reached the stairs and started up them with Charon watching. As always, Laura was caught off guard by his dark eyes and the way he held her gaze.

It was easy to forget everything, including her past in England, when she was drowning in his eyes. It was easy to forget she was just his employee and not the woman he desired.

It was easy to forget that he would never be hers.

“Thank you for your tenacity, Miss Black,” Con said, breaking into her thoughts and shattering the haze that had taken her. “Charon will now be selling Dreagan whisky.”

Laura smiled, but it was directed at Charon. She alone knew how much this had meant to him. “Congratulations. I told you it would all work out.”

The boyish grin Charon wore made her stomach flutter. He was pleased, and if she wasn’t mistaken, the look that passed between him and Con was full of a deeper meaning that alluded to the conversation they’d had before she left them.

With a handshake and farewells, Charon was soon walking toward her. When he reached her, Laura found his hand upon her lower back as he walked with her down the stairs.

His touch was light, barely grazing her clothes, but she felt it all the way to her bones. She slowed enough that his hand came in full contact with her. It was such a small pleasure, but she would take anything she could.

She was torturing herself. Yet in these few moments, she could pretend Charon was hers. There would come a day when she knew she’d have to face the fact that he’d fallen in love with someone else. Until then, however, she had her fantasies that got her through each day.

There was so much she wanted to ask Charon about his visit with Con, but she would have to wait until they departed the mansion. Just when she thought she’d get the chance, Cassie and Hal offered to walk them out.

“They want to make sure we doona snoop,” Charon whispered as she passed him while he held the door open.

Laura coughed to hide her laugh, but she couldn’t stop the grin. Charon’s dark eyes twinkled with merriment as he spoke to Hal.

By the time they reached the car, Laura had already promised to call Cassie in the next few weeks to set up a time to visit. She was so dazed at having made that promise without grasping that’s where Cassie had been heading her that she didn’t realize Charon was opening her door for her until he reached for the handle.

He was always a gentleman, but he had never opened her car door for her before. She looked up and was ensnared by his eyes.

“Laura!” Cassie yelled.

Out of the corner of her eye, Laura saw something small and furry rush by her feet, and then she spotted something huge coming at her.

In an instant, she was hauled against the car, Charon’s body pressed against hers. Laura inhaled deeply, letting the spicy sandalwood scent of Charon fill her senses.

Her hands automatically took hold of his shoulders, and the feel of the thick sinew beneath her palms caused her heart to race.

But it was nothing compared to the amazing feel of the entire hard length of him against her.

It was the loud, deep bark that brought her eyes open. Laura spotted a harlequin-colored Great Dane skid to a halt and collide with Charon.

The dog went down on his front paws and ducked his great head beneath the car with his butt in the air and tail wagging. A moment later, the dog stood with a small solid white kitten held loosely in its mouth.

“Duke,” Cassie admonished as she rushed to them. “I’m so sorry. Duke doesn’t understand he isn’t the momma to the kittens. He won’t let them out of his sight.”

“Are you all right?” Charon asked softly near Laura’s ear.

“I’m not the one who almost got taken out by a Great Dane. Duke ran into you.” Though she had barely felt the collision.

Charon’s face was inches from hers. He was so close she could see the black ring around his deep brown eyes. Her breasts were crushed against him, causing her blood to sear her veins.

If she were the take-charge kind of girl, Laura would close the space between them and kiss him as she’d been yearning to do. Instead, she stood there, hoping, praying he’d be the one to kiss her.