Pure Desire [Pure 3] (Siren Publishing Allure) (8 page)

He actually groaned and turned an unusual shade of red.

Allura laughed to let Channing know she teased…maybe not, she halted abruptly when Noor moved and she focused on his attendance. How could she forget he was standing there? She watched beneath shuttered lids as he walked with a purposeful stride, his agility and leanness reminding her of a cougar.

For her gawking, she received a none-too-gentle nudge in the side. “Do you want your name involved in a scandal…again?” he said, briskly.

“Ouch, that hurt.”

She could tell Channing immediately regretted his statement, but she did not intend to allow him to apologize. In fact, she would have left him where he stood and walked out of the room if she could have gotten past Noor. He stood between her and a dignified exit. She had no idea if he overheard Channing’s comment or not. Cowardly, she refused to face him.

“I profusely apologize, sis.” Channing tried.

She shot eye-daggers at him.

“Oh, my god, it’s true you are alive and well.” Allura turned as her mother entered the room in a whirl of action and hurried to Channing. She stepped aside as she hugged him tightly, before stepping back and examining him from head to toe. Her personal inspection to ensure not a hair on Channing’s head was ruffled.

“Mother, you look radiant as ever,” Channing said. He kissed her on the cheek.

“Don’t you dare try to pacify me with your sweet words as if I’m one of the women in your entourage who is easily persuaded by your smooth talk and charm,” she said, smiling. “I will warn you your father is in a fit, as he should be. You, young man, worried us needlessly. We heard about Harland Graham as soon as we rode into town. It’s a sad situation for all. However, I can’t act as if I’m displeased, to see you alive,” Fawn said, sighing in relief.

“Mother—”

She raised her hand and commanded silence with the single action the way only mothers could do. Channing politely went mute, pinching his lips together.

“My darling, how do you fare?” she asked Allura. “You were greatly missed as well.” They exchanged hugs, and then she turned, as if noticing Noor in the room for the first time. Her mother’s etiquette was unquestionable, and Allura could tell she felt self-conscious for the oversight.

“Mother, this is Noor Rynoir. Channing brought him home,” she said. So cheerful her mother looked at Noor, then her, and raised her eyebrow, quizzically. Channing’s features tensed and his scowl intensified. Noor looked amused. She wanted to sock her brother in the stomach. Naturally, it was his entire fault she’d lost her composure and embarrassingly spoke excitedly, as if she was a child and Channing brought home a floppy eared rabbit for her.

“Mrs.?”

“Please, call me Fawn.” She removed her kidskin gloves and extended her hand. “Sheriff Jacob mentioned your name. You were the one responsible for assisting Channing?”

Noor gently shook Fawn’s hand. “Yes. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Fawn touched his arm and squeezed. She gave him a misty eyed smile, saying, “We owe you a debt of gratitude, and you are welcome in our home for as long as you wish.”

“Thank you for the generosity, though it’s not required. I could see Channing was in a precarious situation and required assistance. The probability of him surviving questionable, my interference was necessary. Something I would have done for anyone.”

“Well, my admiration for you remains nonetheless,” Fawn said.

Noor bowed his head in acknowledgement of her appreciation.

“Mother, where is Father?” Allura asked.

“He will be inside shortly after he finishes with Dodson, who informed him as soon as we returned, someone cut the barbed-wire fence at the south pasture, and several heads of cattle and calves escaped. All have yet to be rounded up so far. There is a storm brewing, and he wanted to handle the situation before heavy rains, possibly flooding, complicated retrieving the animals.” Fawn removed her hat and blue riding jacket and handed the items to the servant who suddenly materialized. “Thank you, Nana. When you have put my things in my room, please inform Consuela we have a guest and to bring refreshments.”

“Of course, ma’am.”

“You think Matt Graham had anything to do with it? Did Father say?” Channing asked.

“Your father doesn’t like to discuss Matt Graham’s nefarious deeds in my presence. I think because he wishes to curse the man and his foolish antics without me in hearing distance. Mainly, I suspect he wanted to discuss possible retaliation he doesn’t want me privy to. He knows I’m not naïve and understand sometimes one must fight fire with fire, but I don’t care to hear any talk of potential violence in detail.”

“Father is correct in his actions, as neither you nor any woman should be exposed to nasty specificities involving guns and violence. If you will excuse me, I will see if Father requires my assistance.”

Mortimer entered the doorway, dwarfing the frame with his broad shoulders and height. His look testy, he started in a tirade, saying, “The matter is handled, son. Luckily, the men were patrolling our borders and noticed the damage to the fence. Dodson moved on it. The animals are accounted for and the herd intact. It’s too late tonight to repair the wiring properly this evening, especially with those clouds rolling in, so he’s putting up a makeshift barrier for the night. Matt Graham is determined to be a thorn in my side. Eventually, I’ll get tired of the nuisance and pluck it out for good, preferably with the end of my Colt doing the digging. Maybe, a quick death is too good for him. I should skin him alive…slowly.”

Fawn cleared her throat softly. “Dear, we have a guest.” Fawn spoke quietly with deference reminding her husband women were present.

* * * *

Allura stepped forward, next to him, and Noor tried not to react to her close proximity. The scent of her drifted into his nostrils, a heady floral, enticing, and damned distracting.

“Father, this is Noor Rynoir, the man responsible for helping Channing,” Allura said.

The general utterance shouldn’t have triggered a primal wanting, as if she breathed the words dulcet and husky while they lay entwined in a lover’s embrace. Aware all eyes were on him, he gathered his reserve to fight against the streaks of desire shimmering through him, and prayed his expression remained placid.

Channing stepped forward. He noticed tension firmed his body, enough he sensed it, leaving him to wonder if he failed the attempt at casualness. “Noor, this is my father, Mortimer Deverill.”

Mortimer removed his Stetson and leather gloves, strolled toward him with his hand extended. Noor froze, the air in his lungs constricted. It was all he could do to focus on the man and not Allura. No, she wasn’t just Allura anymore, but the legacy to the Oridus throne. With that, everything changed about the mission except the constant pang inside him to touch her. The feeling raw, an intense longing, even knowing what he did and how it changed the dynamics of this insatiable hunger he had for her. He would have thought commonsense would prevail. As he reached for Mortimer’s hand, harshly he reminded himself the agency came first, and he steered his thoughts into a more sensible mindset. He couldn’t afford to jeopardize the assignment with the eminent threat to Sanguine apparent.

“Noor, I’m glad you’re here so I can thank you personally, even though I know Channing expressed his gratitude eloquently. You will stay for a while and visit, and allow us to get to know the man responsible for saving our son’s life,” Mortimer said.

He saw Mortimer’s forehead crease into a wrinkle, his eyes squinted, watching him expectantly, and he realized a question was obviously somewhere in his comment. For the life of him, he hadn’t heard a damned word past learning who Allura was.

Allura touched his arm slightly, furthering his decent into lustful madness that did nothing for his current lapse. She spoke while looking up at him, saying, “Mother extended an invitation for Noor to stay, and I believe he accepted. Didn’t you, Noor?” When he merely stared at her, she raised an eyebrow, prodding him to say something.

He blinked to break the trance. “Thank you for the generous offer, sir. I accept.”

“I asked Consuela to bring refreshments. I will check on what delays her while everyone gets acquainted,” Fawn said. She stood up, running her hand over the wrinkles in the camel hue skirt that fell and swirled around her laced tan boots. Her stride regal, she carried her height with grace as she walked over to Mortimer, who reached for her hand and enclosed it in his. “Or would you like to delay until supper this evening, dear?”

He affectionately kissed her knuckles. Warmth filled his eyes, and it was clear they were enamored with each other. “Whatever you feel is appropriate.”

Fawn tore her gaze away from him, saying, “We should wait until this evening to allow us all to freshen up. It’s been a long and tedious day, has it not? Allura, please go with Noor while he retrieves his things and show him to the guest quarters.”

“I will do it,” Channing said. He positioned himself between him and Allura, intentionally creating a barrier that said he didn’t want Noor and Allura alone.

Mortimer spoke in a low tone that did nothing to disguise he was serious about what he was about to say and disagreement was unacceptable. “Your sister will show Noor to his room, as your mother directed. You and I will have a quick meeting before I retire upstairs to wash this dust off me. Matt Graham has made some severe allegations where you and Caroline are concerned. Not that I believe the man as far as I can see him, but as your father, my responsibility is to listen to his haranguing about the delicate matter because it involves his daughter. If this involved Allura, etiquette would require we put our differences aside and discuss the circumstances amicably.”

Fawn touched his arm, drawing his attention. “Allura would never be in Caroline’s predicament, dear,” she said softly.

Mortimer patted her arm kindly, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I was speaking metaphorically, of course,” he murmured.

“Even though I don’t subscribe to Channing’s profligate behavior toward females, surely he is not as bizarre to get entangled with Caroline,” Allura said.

“Unfortunately, with the entire town aware of his voracious reputation for attending to females, your father would be remiss in his duties not to give Matt Graham an audience.”

“Channing’s past aside, the issue is Caroline made the accusation and now I must address the matter, regardless of Channing’s propensity for getting himself into unfortunate situations.”

“Hello, I’m standing here and my hearing is exceptional,” Channing said, sarcasm apparent in his tone. “And if anyone is interested in listening, my past amorous liaisons aside, I wouldn’t be stupid enough to bed—engage with the girl,” he said earnestly.

“I don’t intend to have this discussion presently, Channing,” Mortimer said firmly.

Noor understood the look passed between father and son, a silent acknowledgment their conversation about trivial tryst, a prosaic male affliction, required the absence of females.

* * * *

He admitted to himself that he was pleased when Allura hadn’t immediately followed him outside. He needed a moment to get his bearings together and snap back into reality. His thoughts were beyond rational, even after he found out her heritage. His head remained filled with insane thoughts of assuaging his lusty desires between what he imagined were silken thighs.

Out in the open, with the stagnant air and damned pesky little creatures buzzing around, he could concentrate on something else besides bedding the temptress. That would be a major fax paus, and a regrettable mistake that would not only end his career but possibly his life if he touched her.

Noor swiped the air, capturing the winged-tipped nuisance. He examined it closely with interest. Having never seen such a creature, Noor was intrigued. He searched the database and learned it was an insecta on his planet, or bug, by Texas terms. He reviewed the origin and habits, wanting to know why it felt the need to follow him around like a honing device.

“It’s a fly.”

He spun around, and the sweet fragrance of femininity drove his scent sensory into overdrive. He shut down the history module and faced Allura.

Allura pointed to his fist. “Haven’t you seen a fly before?”

“What makes you think I haven’t?” he said, and then opened his hand and let the bug free.

“You were staring at it like it was the first time you saw an insect.”

“They don’t come so big where I’m from,” he said. He turned his back to finish gathering his things, acutely aware if she didn’t run and persisted, he could possibly do something irreversibly stupid.

Allura moved closer and invaded his personal space. “Where are you from, Noor? You never said.”

“I thought I did.”

“Maybe I didn’t ask. Is it a secret?”

She came within touching distance, and he found himself stepping back as if he meant to take flight. It was a first, and he was amused she had the affect on him. He felt like fleeing before he gave her what her large captivating eyes silently pleaded for. Maybe it was what he wanted, to lose himself in unbridled debauchery until he died from pleasure. Regardless, he had to remind himself—sternly—he couldn’t just fuck the next intended to Oridus and walk away whistling.