Free Desire's Golden Dreams by Tish Domenick Page A

shrugged, grabbed her hobo bag that held all the essentials for the day, and hopped into the Land Rover.
    As she drew closer to the mine, her body seemed to undergo a metamorphosis. Her nerve endings seemed more alive, all her senses heightened. She was able to maneuver the Rover quite close to the cave despite the rock barriers put up to keep people from doing just that. Slim was at the mine entrance as she jogged to it, and him. He greeted her with a hug and no words as he wound through the tunnels, her hand in his.
    His inner sanctum looked different today. The bar was there, and the soft chairs, but a couch with loose pillows had been added. She grinned. Men, even those without flesh, would always try to seduce a woman. Hannah sat in the chair she’d used yesterday.
    Slim stood at the bar. “Drink?”
    She shook her head. He poured a shot and downed it. “I’m surprised to see you so soon. How did you manage it?”
    “I’m an independent woman. I can do whatever I want.”
    “So, you wanted to see me.” He poured another drink and brought it to the chair opposite hers.
    “I wanted to hear more about my ancestors. And tomorrow, I don’t have to go to work.”
    “What work?”
    “I work for my father at his corporate office. He’d like to groom me to take over one day, but when I see how hard he works, I’m not sure it’s what I want to do with my life. One of my cousins is the CFO of Brown Enterprises, another is the CEO of Tolliver Industries. Another is my father’s Vice President and runs everything when Dad is out of town.”
    “Are you content simply going along on a path you intend to relinquish one day? Is there nothing you have a yearning for?”
    “I may like to get into publishing one day. Until Bolt has his practice underway, I don’t want to start anything new. For now the business world is exciting and my job can be quite riveting.”
    “Riveting is an intriguing word.”
    “I guess I should have said intriguing or absorbing or captivating.”
    “No, no, I didn’t mean you used it incorrectly. It brought me back to a strange era, that’s all. Did you know one of the Hannahs became a riveter during the Second World War?”
    “I’m ashamed to say, I’ve never delved into the lives of the Hannahs before me until now. Since I met you, it’s become a near obsession.”
    “If you stick with me long enough, you’ll learn about all of them.”
    “We’ll see. Can we get back to the first Hannah and her, uh, ‘husbands’ and her businesses?”
    “Let’s move forward in time.”
    “No, not yet. I want to know about Hannah and Rocco’s weekend together.”
    “It’s on the rough side. Are you sure you want to hear it?”
    “I won’t be shocked, believe me.”
    “I think you may be, but okay. I like to revisit that weekend often myself.” As he did before, Slim closed his eyes to transport his spirit back in time.

Chapter Seven
     
    San Francisco, 1852
     
    He entered the room silently while she was in the dressing area with her back turned. The bandana in his hand was one he’d worn around his neck all day. His scent would be unmistakable. She bent to roll down her stockings, first one, and then the other. He waited until she sat to tug them from her feet, then he pounced. He tied the bandana around her eyes and she tensed and gasped. Then she sniffed.
    “Rocco, what are you doing?”
    “Obviously, I am blindfolding you.” He pulled her to her feet.
    “I don’t know if I—”
    He slapped her bottom. “Shh, do not talk unless I give you permission. I am totally in control of you this weekend.”
    “But the servants….”
    “They are not a problem. You can protest. You can scream. You can yank on the bell pulls. No one will come. Brady and Andre are at the mine. I have arranged for meals to be delivered to the dining room on this floor at specific times. Most of the staff has gone away for the weekend with the Princess and her father. I gave the rest, one cook, one maid