Free A Promise of Roses by Heidi Betts Page B

calm her breathing. It didn't matter how many other men she'd spread her legs for. She was right. He was playing the role of a lawman, and as such he had no right to have intimate contact with her. Even if her dark eyes and firm breasts seemed to call to him. Even if he couldn't be within ten feet of her without remembering that he hadn't been with a woman since Annie's death.
    Five years. Five long, celibate years. Damn, those years were taking their toll now.
    He ran a hand through his hair, vaguely registering its new shortness. He stood and took a step toward the bed, only to see Megan grab the spread, wrap it around her body, and shrink into the pillows.
    A knock sounded at the door. He gave a weary sigh, buttoning his shirt before going to answer it. He opened the door only a crack, using his body to shield Megan's blanket-covered form.
    "Got your packages here, Mr. Campbell."
    Lucas held the door in place with his foot and took the paper-wrapped bundles. “Thank you."
    "The dinners will be up as soon as possible, sir. Should I send someone to retrieve the bath?"
    Lucas nodded. “That would be fine,” he said before closing the door. Then he lifted the ivory-handled knife out of his boot and cut the thin strings binding the packages.
    "Here.” He pulled back the paper for Megan to see her new skirts and blouses, tossing them onto the bed. “Everything you need should be there."
    Megan sat up and peered over the edge of paper. “These are all for me?” she asked softly.
    "I'm wearing my new clothes,” he said, holding up his arms and looking down at the now-wrinkled cotton shirt. “The lady over at the mercantile didn't seem to think you could get along with anything less.” He shrugged. “I don't know much about women's clothing, so I let her decide what I should purchase."
    She looked up at him. Her eyes held a trace of moisture, and Lucas felt decidedly uncomfortable.
    "Thank you."
    "Whatever,” he said gruffly. “Better get dressed before they come for the tub."
    She gave a little smile, grabbed the packages, and ran behind the satin and mahogany dressing screen, the long quilt trailing behind her.
    Within minutes, several young men came to remove the porcelain bathtub. Lucas took a seat in a brocade chair near the window and let them do their job. A moment later, the maid bustled in, giving orders to an older black man who carried a small square table. He set the table where the maid told him, covered it with a pristine white lace cloth, and arranged the flatware and a vase of fresh-cut flowers.
    The woman clicked her tongue and waved the man out of the way. She brought in two plates heaped with boiled potatoes, green beans, and thick, blackened steaks, then gave a wink and backed out of the room.
    Lucas chuckled at the maid's motherly manner. He looked at the bouquet in the center of the table, then at its reflection in the mirror above the bureau. A movement caught his eye, and his breathing all but stopped.
    In the mirror, he could clearly see Megan behind the screen. She seemed unaware of her nudity, comfortable and relaxed. She'd laid out all the different pieces of clothing, studying each. Lucas watched, mesmerized. He couldn't have looked away if a thousand-pound bull had charged him head-on.
    She picked up the yellow skirt and held it to her waist, then set it down. She stepped into a pair of silk drawers that shimmered in the bright lamplight, tying them at the waist. Then she slipped the matching camisole over her head.
    Lucas thought he would be disappointed to see her finely proportioned figure covered, but the white of the undergarments only accentuated the paleness of her flesh, drawing his attention to the length of her shapely legs.
    She put on the ruffled blouse, leaving it open at the neck. Lucas expected her to don the yellow skirt she'd picked up earlier, but instead she chose the red. And he'd been right. The color set off the auburn highlights in her hair.
    As she piled the rest of