Read Kimberly Nee - The McKenzie Brothers Online
Authors: The Pursuit
Kimberly Nee - The McKenzie Brothers (28 page)
Garrett looked over at her. “Are you all right, love?”
“No.”
He managed to his feet once more, crossing over to crouch down and gather her in his arms. “It’s all right, sweetheart,” he whispered, rocking her gently. “It’s over now. He’ll not trouble you ever again.”
She melted against him, wanting to cry but strangely enough, feeling no moisture in her eyes. Instead, she was flooded with concern for him. “Are you all right?”
He laughed ruefully. “We shall see the next time you get too close to me in bed, sweetheart.”
She pulled away to gaze up at him with puzzled hazel eyes. “I beg your pardon?”
“I’ll be fine. I may walk with a limp for a few days, and we should probably do nothing in our bed but sleep for the next few nights, but I will be fine.”
“I was so afraid he was going to kill you,” she whispered, hot tears stinging her eyes mercilessly. Slipping her arms around his neck, she clung to him. “So very afraid.”
Garrett gathered her close, kissing the top of her head. “You’ve nothing to worry about now, Kat,” he murmured, giving her a gentle squeeze. “I am not going anywhere any time soon. I am far too fascinated by you to leave.”
She managed a slight laugh. “What about him?”
“The constable will deal with him.”
Katherine sank into him for a long moment. Then she remembered Patsy. “We need to send Sidwell to fetch Dr. Samuels. Patsy is in terrible shape.”
“I know. I saw her on my way in here. Go back to the house and send him for the doctor and the constable.”
“What about you?”
“I will remain here, to make certain that bastard doesn’t slink off into the woods to die. I should hate to have to burn down this nice forest to remove the stench of him.”
She wasn’t so certain she liked the idea of leaving Garrett alone with Sanders. “Will you be all right?”
He gave her a slow grin. “You need not worry about me, love. I still have a score to settle.”
A chill went down her spine at the cold tone of his voice. Then, he gave her a gentle squeeze. “Go on, then. I will be here when you return.”
She gazed up into his eyes once more and suddenly squeezed him as tight as she could. “I love you,” she whispered into his neck.
His lips brushed her ear. “I love you, too, lady. Now, go.”
That night, Katherine perched on the edge of the bed, watching as Garrett slowly eased his shirt from his back and wincing at the mottled bruises spreading over the muscled expanse. Rising to her feet, she crossed over to him, resting one hand lightly against him.
“Garrett? Please, let me tend those bruises,” she urged. “They look terrible.”
“I am fine, lady,” he told her, turning to face her. “You’ve earned a bit of rest, sweetheart.”
“What did the doctor say?” she asked, her fingernails absently skimming over his flesh as he draped an arm about her shoulders and they walked back to the bed.
After a slight hesitation, he replied, “She will make a full recovery. For now, she will rest and will stay abed long as she needs.”
There was more to it, more he wasn’t telling her, but she wouldn’t press. If Garrett wished to tell her, he would. If not, it was probably just as well, and a wave of sympathy washed over her. Wrapping her arms about herself to ward off a sudden chill, she asked, “Am I to be arrested?”
By the time Constable McMichaels reached the clearing in the woods, Sanders had already gone to meet his maker. He would trouble them no longer. The constable listened as Garrett recounted the events leading to Sanders’ demise and the constable merely nodded before leaving the woods to fetch a wagon.
“I don’t think so, love. You were defending your husband, yourself, your maid and your home. You were well within your rights.”
“I was not defending you, Garrett. You did fine on your own.”
He chuckled ruefully. “Think so, do you?”
“I do.”
With that, he drew her into his arms and his lips found hers. “Thank you, lady.”
“For what?”
“For everything.”
She smiled up at him, into those beautiful topaz eyes she loved so much. “How are you feeling?”
His hands skimmed down over her derriere, cupping her cheeks and lifting her to press into him. “Why don’t you tell me?”
A soft laugh bubbled up in her throat as she felt his arousal pressing up into the juncture of her thighs. “Not too sore, then?”
“Sweetheart, I’d risk death if it meant making love to you,” he replied in a husky growl.
Her head fell back as his lips began creeping down her throat. “Death, you say? Well, that’s not
exactly
what I had in mind.”
“And what,
exactly,
did you have in mind, Madam McKenzie?”
Her gaze fell to the oak desk in the corner and a rush of daring filled her. “Well, I do believe — Garrett, stop that!”
He looked up from her breast, which he’d freed with little trouble. “Stop what, love?” he murmured, holding her gaze easily before catching her nipple between his lips.
A shudder tore up her spine at the sensuality of his actions. “I thought, perhaps — oh, my, that
is
nice — well, you did mention something once about me and a desk…”
His eyes darkened at once and he released her breast to give her his slow, sexy smile. “I did mention that, didn’t I?” At her nod, he said, “Hmm…not exactly the place I thought my son would be conceived, but it’s worth a go, I suppose.”
“Son?” she asked, wrapping her legs about his waist as he lifted her easily and started toward the desk. “I believe you mean daughter, darling. Don’t you?”
A look of horror twisted his handsome features into a grimace. “A daughter? Love, I can barely keep my temper when other men look at
you
. Do you think I’d be so successful when it’s my daughter they are ogling?”
With that, he set her gently on the edge of the sleek oak. As he pressed up into her, she couldn’t help her throaty sigh. “Well, it won’t matter at all, if we only
discuss
it. Far as I know, that is
not
the way one creates life.”
He leaned into her to capture her lips with his. “Say no more, Madam McKenzie. Your wish is my command.”
“Mmm…I do believe I like the sound of that.”
His laughter was like a velvet glove over her senses as he pulled her closer still and whispered, “As do I, love. As do I.”
About the Author
Kim fell in love with historical romance when she was sixteen, and blames it on Kathleen Woodiwiss, since it was her The Flame and the Flower that got her hooked. Not long after finishing it, she sat down to write one herself and now, many years later, she’s still writing them.
Born and raised in New Jersey, Kim still lives there with her husband, two children, a dog, and a handful of gerbils. When she’s not pounding away at the computer keyboard, she does crossword and Sudoku puzzles, knits, breaks wrestling matches between the kids, and occasionally, she gets to read. She’s also a lifelong fan of the New York Yankees, New York Giants, and the New York Rangers. She also loves Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Elton John, and the Rolling Stones.
For more information about Kim and her books, visit her website at:
Kim’s books are available at Musa Publishing, including:
The McKenzie Brothers 1: The Pursuit
The McKenzie Brothers 2: Playing with Fire
*The McKenzie Brothers 3: A Perfect Lady
*coming soon
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