Free The Spanish Outlaw by Marie Higgins Page A

kisses. She did care!
    “No, mi dulce .” He paused, waiting for her reaction, but when her mouth dropped into a frown and her lips had a slight tremble, his heart couldn’t take anymore. He kissed her forehead. “I will not come back to see you because you will be with me.”
    Her head snapped up. “ Pardon me? What did you just say?”
    “You are coming with me to Spain.”
    She forced a laugh. “Are you insane? I can’t do that. My friends are here. My work is here. Besides, I hate to sail...I’m afraid of the water.”
    “You will have to get used to the idea, because I am not leaving you.” Facing her toward her bedroom, he gave her a slight push in that direction. “Now get dressed and pack a few things. Time is of the essence.”
    She swung around to face him, her hair flying over her shoulder. By the fire flashing in her eyes, he knew he’d be fighting her all the way. He looked forward to the challenge.
    “I’m doing no such thing. You have dictated to me all evening, and I will not have any more of it. If you’re in a hurry to leave, then you better go by yourself.”
    “Vivian,” he said in a warning tone.
    “Will you not allow me any time to set my affairs in order? I need to speak with my employer, and I need to make certain Margaret is safely at home.”
    Smiling, he walked to her and only stopped when he slipped his arms around her waist. Oh, why did this have to feel so good?
    “Your companion is safe, I assure you.” He touched her stubborn chin. “You have exactly thirty minutes to ready yourself, and if you are not packed, I will take you to Spain wearing your night clothes. It is your choice what you wear.” Taking a step back, he scanned her body and grinned. “But personally, I rather like you in this.”
    “Oh,” she shouted, then spun in a half-circle and marched into her room, slamming the door behind her.
    He listened for a lock, and thankfully did not hear the metallic click. He chuckled. Yes, this journey would be exciting one way or another.
    He walked into the kitchen and picked up Vivian’s cooling cup of coffee from the table before gulping it down. After she packed, he planned on returning to his townhouse to gather his belongings and the money he’d saved for this very day. Since leaving Spain, he had known it would only be a matter of time before he returned.
    Leaning his hip against the table, he scanned the kitchen and front room. Vivian kept her little cottage tidy, but it didn’t look as if a woman had decorated it. He strode into the front room to the worn cushioned chair beside the fireplace, and on the floor was a permanently dirt-stained throw rug just inside the front door. Pictures on the walls were of mountains, not of frilly flowers as he’d expected.
    He snooped through the rest of the house, which only consisted of one more room besides her bedroom. The door to the unknown room remained shut, so he turned the handle and opened it. The faint smell of tobacco hung in the air, and the scent of dust tickled his nose and he sneezed.
    He assumed the other male who lived with her had been a brother or a father. By the inch-thick layer of dust on the old wooden drawers, he surmised the occupant had been absent from the home for a while.
    Once h e closed the door softly, Anton stepped to Vivian’s door and listened. For somebody who was supposed to be packing, she certainly wasn’t making any noise.
    “ Vivian? Are you almost ready?”
    From the other side of the door, she growled. He smiled, loving her feisty mood.
    “No, I’m not. It’s only been about five minutes.”
    “You are so quiet in there, I wondered if you were done.”
    “I know you’ll be disappointed to hear this, but when I’m dressing, I don’t make a lot of noise.”
    He chuckled. “Do you need any help?”
    “No. I’ve been doing just fine for twenty-two years, thank you.”
    He ran his finger alongside the doorframe. “ Vivian?”
    “What is it now?”
    He steadied his