Falling for You (29 page)

Trying to push the thought aside, she continued her way through the tables, asking if anyone needed anything, picking up dirty plates and empty glasses. Conversation buzzed around her, blending with the sound of the performers down on the ship as they belted out the bawdy lyrics of a sailing song. The ship blazed with candlelight and Galveston’s elite filled every table.

“The St. Claires have really done a great job restoring the house,” a woman said from behind her, making her smile as she set her tray on a table and began loading it with dirty dishes.

“With the help of Oliver Chancellor, don’t forget,” another woman added.

“Well, I wouldn’t expect that to last long.”

Rory glanced over her shoulder and saw three women seated at a table with their backs to her so they could watch the stage while they talked. They were as sleek and sophisticated as the rest of the guests, wearing dresses that probably cost even more than the price of a ticket to the ball, and jewels that sparkled in the torchlight.

“What do you mean?” one of them asked.

“You haven’t heard?” The older woman’s tone said she had a juicy bit of gossip to share. “The bank is threatening to fire him over his partnership with the St. Claires.”

Rory turned away, her heart pounding.

“No!” one of them gasped. “Surely they wouldn’t fire one of the Chancellors.”

“They fired Mr. Chancellor, didn’t they?”

“They did not. He took early retirement.”

“He was
asked
to take early retirement. Trust me, my nail tech has a client who works in the loan department. According to what she’s heard, the bank gave Norman the old heave-ho, then told Oliver to end his business relationship with the St. Claires or he’d be out the door, too.”

“That’s terrible. I guess he’ll be giving up his interest in the inn, then.”

“Not necessarily.” The third one snickered. “Since business isn’t the only relationship he has with them.” The voice lowered to a titillating stage whisper. “I heard he’s sleeping with the youngest sister.”

“You’re joking!” The older woman laughed. “Oh, that’s rich. Still, even if he is cheating on Paige, I can’t believe Oliver Chancellor would be stupid enough to throw away his career at the bank over an affair with Aurora St. Claire. Lord, she can’t be that good.”

Rory turned slowly and faced the three women. Carried away with laughter, one of them fell against her friend. As she straightened, she caught sight of Rory and paled. “Uh-oh.”

“What?” The other two turned in unison. “Oh, dear.”

On wooden legs, Rory moved past them, picking up speed with each stride. Every fear she’d tried to hold at bay broke free. Why hadn’t she listened to Alli? And what had she done to Chance? Because of her, he was being forced to choose between the inn and the bank, which was no choice at all. Of course the bank would win. That was a part of his real life. The inn was just play for him.

He didn’t belong in her world any more than she belonged in his. She’d never fit in with people like those three women, people who attended events like this—not that she wanted to if that was how they behaved. She’d been foolish to think she and Chance could ever be together long-term. She’d been so very, very foolish!

With no goal but escape she continued down the hill, her breath turning ragged. When she reached the beach, she turned away from the pier and hurried past the people gathered around the bonfire.

“Rory?” her brother called.

Fighting back tears, she lifted her skirts and ran, fleeing the words that pursued her. Not the ones she’d just heard, but Chance’s words from the day on the pier when he’d told her he didn’t want a relationship with her, that all he felt for her was physical attraction. He’d tried to tell her then that they were mismatched. Why hadn’t she listened!

And later, when he’d admitted the attraction had turned to love, he’d said she’d ruined his life. And he was right.

There had to be a way to fix the damage she’d done. There had to be!

~ ~ ~

Chance frowned in concern when he saw Aurora take off down the lawn. Excusing himself from his conversation with Frank and Carol Adams, he followed her at a slower pace, smiling and nodding to people as he passed them. The last thing he wanted to do was create a stir by chasing her at a dead run.

When he reached the beach, Adrian waved him over. “What’s wrong with Rory?” her brother asked, low enough so that no one else would hear.

“I don’t know,” Chance answered. “Did you see where she went?”

“Not exactly. She just ran down the beach, that way. I hope she’s not having one of her weird panic attacks.”

“Me, too.” His concern mounted as he remembered her last one. “I better find her.”

Adrian nodded and Chance headed down the beach, leaving the lights and noise of the party behind. His steps slowed as darkness closed about him. The water lapping against the shore became more pronounced.

“Aurora?” he called, squinting into the tangle of trees and undergrowth. The moon washed the island in soft blue light, but the shadows of the trees were too black to penetrate.

Where could she have gone? His concern turned to fear the farther he walked. Could she have stumbled and hurt herself while running in the dark?

“Aurora?” he called again, louder this time. He listened intently, but all he heard was the lapping of the water and the chirping of night bugs. Finally, his eyes adjusted enough to the dark to see a trail of footprints in the sand. He followed them until they veered away from the beach into the dark shadow of the trees.

He found her in a clearing washed in moonlight. She sat on a driftwood log, her hands covering her mouth as silver tears coursed down her cheeks.

“Aurora! What is it? What’s wrong?” As he hurried toward her, she rose and flung herself into his arms.

“Oh, Chance, I’m so sorry,” she wept as she clung to his neck.

“For what?” He tried to pull away enough to see her face.

“For everything. For getting you involved with the inn. For causing trouble between you and Paige. You would have been better off staying with her.”

“Whoa, wait—”

“It’s just that I love you so much.” She lifted her head and his heart twisted at the sight of her anguish. “I know it was wrong to seduce you that first time, but I didn’t know then how it would turn out. I should have listened when you said we were mismatched.”

“We are not mismatched! And I’m glad—”

“But how can you ever forgive me for ruining your life?” she rushed on.

“Would you stop? You didn’t ruin—”

“It’s just that I love you so much, and—”

He kissed her, more as a way to make her stop talking than anything else. But the moment his mouth touched hers, she seemed to ignite in his arms. She returned the kiss with a desperation that knocked him back a step.

He braced himself as her arms tightened about his neck. He tried to pull his mouth from hers long enough to speak, but she followed, pressing her body against him. Blood surged to his groin when her hips molded to his. Jesus, he’d been half hard all evening with visions of getting her out of that dress. Or taking her while she was still in it. Not that it ever took much to get him aroused when she was around.

Unable to resist, he decided to kiss her back just for a minute, then he’d find out what was wrong. He slanted his head to mate his mouth more fully with hers and let his tongue slip inside. She tasted so good, so unbearably good, he couldn’t pull away. He needed more. Just a little more.

His hands moved to cup her breasts. She moaned as she came up on tiptoes, her pelvis rubbing his erection. Her arms lowered and her hands slipped inside his jacket to caress his stomach, his sides, and up his back.

Somehow the dress slipped lower and he was holding her naked breast, her nipples teasing his palms, begging to be tasted. He broke away from her mouth and trailed a line of kisses down her neck.

“Yes, oh yes,” she rasped, arching her back and offering her breasts up to him. With one arm around the small of her back to support her, he lavished attention on each breast in turn, before sucking one nipple into his mouth.

A choked sob escaped her, a sound filled with more pain than pleasure. Startled, he lifted his head and found her still crying. “Aurora, what is it? Did I hurt you?”

“No, I just—I want you so much it hurts.” She burrowed her face against his chest, crying softly. “I know it’s wrong, but I want you. Just one more time and then I’ll do the right thing.” She kissed his neck, his jaw, the underside of his chin. “Love me one more time, Chance. Please love me.”

He tried to make sense of her words as she tugged his shirt from the waistband of his trousers, but his pulse was roaring in his ears. Her hands found his bare skin, making him flinch. He was so hot, he probably scorched her fingers. She found his mouth and kissed him with such desperate longing, he gave up on rational thought.

Later, he decided, he’d find out what had upset her. Later. Right now he had to touch her, taste her. Without breaking the kiss, he looked about the clearing. Twigs and leaves littered the ground. God, what he wouldn’t give for a blanket!

A stout oak stood just behind her, offering at least some support. He walked her back a couple of steps. When she felt the trunk, she leaned against it while her hands tugged at his belt. He undid the buckle and the sword fell to the ground. He shed his jacket and flung it away while she unfastened his trousers. Kissing her, he lifted the yards upon yards of skirt and petticoats until he found the warm smooth skin of her thighs.

Her underwear was quickly dispensed with. When his hand slipped between her thighs, her head dropped back against the tree. A look of pleasure softened her face even as tears continued to course down her cheeks.

Longing to take the tears away, he kissed her cheeks as he stroked her gently with his fingers. But the feel of her so hot and wet had his body aching with a different need, one to bury himself deep inside her.

“I love the way you touch me,” she whispered, her eyes closed.

His groin clenched at her husky words. He freed himself and braced his feet wide apart, his thighs forcing hers to open. “Aurora,” he rasped. “Hold on to my neck and wrap you legs around me.”

Her legs went eagerly around him. Cupping her bottom, he poised her, then plunged with near brutal force. She gasped and stiffened in his arms.

“Aurora,” he rasped as she clamped her legs around him, pulling him deeper, and his control snapped. She moved with him, calling his name, telling him she needed him, loved him. Then she stiffened against him, her head flung back. Her expression of rapture sent him over the edge.

His climax hit him like a physical blow, leaving his limbs weak. His knees nearly buckled before he managed to lock them. He collapsed forward, supporting her more with the pressure of his body than his arms, which had turned to rubber.

They remained that way a long time, their harsh breathing drowning out the sounds of the night. Her head had fallen forward onto his shoulder. When he felt he could move, he pressed a kiss into her hair.

“You okay?” he asked in a surprisingly steady voice.

“Yes.” Her own voice sounded small and unsure.

“Calmer now?”

She nodded, her cheek moving against his shoulder.

“Then do you think you can tell me what’s going on?”

She lifted her head and nodded but didn’t meet his eye.

He eased her feet to the ground and helped her straighten her clothes. Then he gathered his jacket and sword. When they were seated side by side on the driftwood log he waited for her to begin.

“Well?” he prompted.

She plucked at the folds of her skirt. “I overheard some women talking. They said your job at the bank was in jeopardy because of your partnership with us.”

“That’s
it
?” He sagged with relief. “God, Aurora, never scare me like that again. I thought something serious had happened. And the way you were babbling a minute ago, I thought you were trying to break up with me.”

Her head snapped up and fire shone in her eyes. “What do you mean, ‘That’s it?’ You’re about to lose your job because of me, and you don’t think that’s serious?”

“I’m not about to lose my job because of you—”

“Are you saying the bank didn’t give you an ultimatum?”

“Yes, they did. And I’m sorry, now, I didn’t talk to you about it sooner. But I thought you had enough to deal with this week without finding out that I’d decided to leave the bank.”

“No!”
Her face paled. “You can’t. I won’t let you.”

“Aurora, it’s okay.” He tried to reassure her. “If you’re worried about the money, don’t be. I make enough off my investments to live reasonably well. And once the inn takes off, we’ll have income from that.”

“It’s not the money, it’s your life. I really have ruined it. First your relationship with Paige, now your career. No, Chance, I won’t let you throw everything away like this. You belong at the bank, not running an inn. The three of us will buy you out.”

“The hell you will!”

“If only I could put everything back the way it was.”