Harnessed Passions (12 page)

"Just a mild concussion and a laceration
that doesn’t look bad enough for sutures, but her head will hurt
like the devil for a day or two," he began, speaking to Daniel who
stepped forward, taking Julia’s hand in his own. "Keep a close eye
on her. I want her to stay in bed, or at least stay quiet for a
couple days if you can manage it. I'll give her a shot to help her
sleep and I'll send over some medication in the morning. She's
going to want to have a light breakfast, this shot is bound to make
her queasy, but after that she can eat whatever a girl her age eats
these days. Now then, roll over my dear so I can give you this shot
and I'll be on my way." Julia frowned. Having been spoken about as
though she weren't even in the room made her angry, but it was
nothing compared to the embarrassment she felt now.

"
She
thanks you Dr. Stewart," Julia bit
out through bursts of pain. "But I'm not rolling over; in the arm
or nowhere."

"It'll hurt in the arm and it'll take longer
to work. In the backside is the best place." The old brown eyes met
with the heat of emerald green, but years of training and authority
made it difficult for her to force him to back down. Julia - like
most people - hated shots, especially in her butt. She knew she
wouldn't be able to sit for a week.

"Roll over Julia," Daniel ordered, squeezing
her hand.

"No."

"Do what you're told Julia and we'll get you
up to bed," Jeremy sounded near ready to burst with laughter at his
older sister's childish attitude.

"I don't want a shot," she argued moaning at
the pain exploding in her head.

"Enough foolishness," the doctor snapped;
his hand on the girl's shoulder. "Either roll over or I'll have
these two hold you down," he finished, pointing as Daniel and
Jeremy both smiled to her.

"Fine," she finally conceded, the pain
easing to embarrassment. "But not until you turn around," her eyes
were locked with the turquoise depths of Daniel's intent gaze. He
chuckled softly and glanced to Jeremy.

"You too brother," she growled, although the
attempt made her head explode like fireworks on the fourth of July.
The two men laughed lightly before they did as they were
ordered.

"I think this is more for your benefit than
mine," teased Jeremy as he and Daniel turned and offered the woman
their backs. "After all, I've seen her without her clothes on."

"Was she worth it?" Daniel asked, glancing
at the woman across his shoulder.

"As far as sisters go, yeah, but she always
complained and yelled for mother when she caught me looking."

"Women never let a man enjoy himself,"
Daniel replied, winking at Julia before completing his turn.

"Ouch! That hurts!" she complained loudly,
as the doctor's needle struck with her tender flesh making her
momentarily forget the rest of her trials.

"Make certain she stays in bed," ordered the
doctor, who paid no attention whatsoever to his patient's
outburst.

"Is that an order doctor?" Daniel teased,
looking at the delicate face that flushing a scarlet red.

"When you've reached my age son," began the
plump old man, his round face and balding head making him look more
like Santa Claus, than a physician of medicine. "You learn to take
advantage of every given opportunity." Julia groaned, Louise
cleared her throat and Jeremy and Daniel exploded in laughter.

"I'll remember never to question a doctor’s
orders again," Daniel snickered, shaking the man's hand as he left.
He allowed Jeremy to guide the older man to the door, while Louise
went to make certain Julia's bed was prepared.

Once the room was empty, Daniel turned to
look at the young woman reclining against the sofa cushions, moving
toward her with the slow grace of a panther about to prance on its
unsuspecting prey. He knew he was worrying her, but the deliberate
suspense was too erotic to pass up. After feeling the terror of
finding her unconscious on the floor, to holding her in his arms,
he felt the day had managed to explore every emotion known to
man.

Gently he slid his hands beneath her slender
frame drawing her off the sofa and into the strong curve of his
arms. His restrained hair fell across his shoulders as his hand
brushed the side of her breast, cradling her close as his touch
sent a shiver of anticipation through her - and him. He stared down
at her with a gaze so sensuous that she was forced to look away.
Her cheeks felt hot and her head began to spin, but all she cared
about was the feel of his arms around her, his chest close to her
breasts and the warm look in his eyes.

"Knock it off Browning," she whispered a
soft warning in the stillness of the room.

"Doctor's orders, Princess," he insisted,
his lips brushing against hers tenderly, once, twice and then
again, this time capturing them more fully. He released her mouth
only to reaffirm the pressure in a deeper, more stimulating kiss.
His lips tasted and teased hers into responding. The pain was gone,
the dizziness forgotten, as his tongue brushed across her lower lip
taking it between his teeth until she groaned, then released it
reaffirming the previous pressure against her mouth fully.

Julia's arms circled his neck holding onto
him tightly, winding her fingers playing with the thick ponytail at
the back of his neck until it fell from the leather restraints. The
muscles in his shoulders contracted, his arms pulled her against
him so hard she thought she'd never breathe again. Then the air was
there, his mouth had released hers and moved to her cheek down to
her throat and finally capturing the small lobe of her ear. With a
groan of regret he pulled his mouth away, yet he continued to hold
her tightly against his chest.

"We'd better get you upstairs," he
whispered, his breath brushing across her face, his tone deep and
husky.

"I can walk Daniel," she insisted, her own
voice shaky and weak.

"Can you?" The deep emotion rumbling between
them both bounded forward with each syllable. She looked at him for
a long moment, considering what he had asked. She shook her head
softly and laid it against his shoulder. Daniel chuckled knowing
his ego was bursting to new heights at the woman's silent applauds
for his attempt of seduction. His arms circled around her a little
tighter, holding her in a band of security.

He carried her up the stairs and into her
room, where he laid her gently on the pink covered brass bed.
Louise met them at the door then quickly left hurrying back
downstairs for an extra blanket and a pot of tea. Daniel stayed
with Julia for a few minutes to make certain the shot the doctor
had given her was going to work. He smiled as her eyes began to
flutter heavily; she was giving into the medication and he knew she
would soon be asleep, but as much as he wanted to, he couldn’t stay
by her side much longer. Just sitting next to her on the pink
bedspread, the intimacy of being alone with her in her bedroom
forced him to stand and pace his way quietly to the door, as her
eyes fell shut.

"Daniel," she said softly, causing him to
turn back and look at her from the doorway where he stood. "Thank
you," she whispered. He smiled stepping back to the bedside and
leaned over her.

"My pleasure, Princess," he told her,
brushing her lips softly with his. "Just think of me as your knight
in shining armor."

"As you wish Sir Daniel." He chuckled
softly, lowering his mouth to hers again, pressing against her
delicate lips hard and demanding for a few passionate moments.

"I'll always be here for you, my Princess,"
he promised.

"I was never very good at playing make
believe," she told him, realizing he was speaking to her as though
the whole thing was nothing but a childish game.

"Then we'll stop playing," he insisted
sliding his left hand beneath her, his right hand capturing her
breast and kneading it gently. His mouth covered hers with such
urgency it felt as though she could no longer breathe; the only air
she took was from the man who gave life back to her.

"Is she asleep?" Louise asked, entering the
room carrying a small tray on top of a thick hand quilted blanket.
She stopped, her eyes adjusted to the sight of her daughter in the
urgent embrace of the man who appeared to be ravishing her. Daniel
chuckled as he broke contact with her, allowing her to lie back
against the softness of the pillow.

"No, she's very much awake," he answered,
more to Julia than to her mother. "Go to sleep now Princess," he
continued, more quietly then his previous statement. "I'll be here
in the morning when you wake up." With that promise, he left the
two women alone and closed the door quietly behind him.

Louise stood by the door for a moment
watching her daughter who appeared to visibly collapse in her bed.
The two looked at each other for a brief second before a yawn
escaped Julia's kiss flushed lips. The last thing she remembered
was her mother smiling at her and the sound of a soft click, as the
door to the pink and lace bedroom closed. She was encased in the
room's protection, alone with her dreams of passion, desire - and
Daniel.

Early the next morning, Daniel crept quietly
into the pink room. Julia was still sleeping, as he had expected.
Her hair lie spread in tendrils across her pillow in a way he found
most inviting and erotic. He moved to the side of her bed and
lifted a long dark strand, smelling the clean fragrance and feeling
the silkiness of its texture as it slid through his fingers.

He had stayed in the one guest room he used
whenever he stayed at the stables, waking before dawn to see to
chores before taking a quick bath and slipping into Julia’s room.
He had lay awake most of the night thinking about her, about how
she felt in his arms, about the way she looked when he kissed her.
After many long hours awake, he had finally drifted to sleep only
to have her invade his dreams. He dreamed of her smiling up at him,
her hair spread across his pillow, just as it now lay across her
own. Her tender erotic body exposed to his explorations, her lips
locked with his as her legs wrapped around his waist.

Daniel wanted to ask how she was feeling,
but he mainly wanted to ask about the accident itself. Somehow he
felt she knew more than she had told him, but last night wasn’t the
time for questions. She was neither in the state of mind to answer
him, nor was she well enough. He knew someone had tried to harm
her, likely kill her, but he had no idea as to who would do
something this heinous.

With a reluctant sigh and a soft kiss to her
forehead; he wanted to see her eyes sparkling at him again, as they
had the night before. He wanted to hold her and kiss her and take
every opportunity to love her now before the reading of the will,
because he was certain she would want nothing to do with him once
she learned what her father had done.

Daniel shook himself consciously, and
hurried out the door. Now wasn't the time to think about any of
this. The woman was recuperating from a very nasty accident and was
in no condition to experience what he secretly hoped to someday
share with her.

With the promise that someone would be with
Julia when she woke, he hitched his steed to the small runabout
Louise allowed him to use and steered the carriage down the road to
the small town of Mayfield. He glanced at the numerous horses
scattered among the many acres of Turner Stables and smiled. It was
very relaxing to watch the horses in the pasture, though now was
not the time for such thoughts.

Neighboring farms and open fields pass by
with a familiar sense of awe. Nothing could compare to the beauty
and majestic splendor of Kentucky. It was beyond anything he had
ever seen. Only the ancient beauty of Britain’s lush rolling hills
were an equal match to this small Southern state.

Daniel pulled the carriage to a halt in
front of his office and climbed down, tying his horse to the post.
The building was smaller than most of the town's structures with
only three stories overlooking the street. The first floor of the
large brick building contained his office and that of his partner,
Harold Leonard. The second floor held the town's accounting office
and the third floor was rented out as bachelor apartments, one of
which was his.

"Well, hello there stranger," Anna said as
Daniel entered the office. The aroma of the woman's floral cologne
drifted around the room like a fragrant spring breeze. He smiled as
he accepted his mail from the attractive young brunette, glancing
about the empty office. The well-furnished, yet spacious waiting
room contained Anna’s desk and two large file drawers. A settee of
imported leather; an extravagance Harold insisted upon, was seated
across from two matching armchairs. A large potbelly stove and
several waist high book cases, holding magazines and literature
from all over the world lined the other wall. The coo-coo clock
hung above the stove, ticking the seconds like raindrops falling
against a tin bucket. The floor was a dark wood to match the crown
molding and the walls were decorated in rich gold and beige
wallpaper. A large window looked out onto the streets, revealing a
view of Mayfield's city life as it passed by.

"What's been happening around here?" he
asked with a smile, as bright as the morning's light.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you.
Harold’s been going half-crazy around here without you. Victor
Turner’s death seems to have made a lot of farmers around these
parts remember they were mortal. We’ve had five wills this week
alone."

"Sorry to be so distant. I’ve had a lot on
my plate with Victor’s stables. Besides, I’m sure Harold can take
care of a few wills."

"He's had a lot on his mind lately."

"Yes, I know. So where is the old badger?"
Anna chuckled softly and pointed at the closed door that separated
the reception area from the man’s office. Daniel winked a friendly
blue eye at her before he stepped to the door and rapped lightly on
it.