Under the Moon Gate

Under the Moon Gate Read Free Page A

Book: Under the Moon Gate Read Free
Author: Marilyn Baron
Tags: General Fiction
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the movies and in fairytales. The soft brush of her lips against his felt like the tiniest whisper of hummingbird wings. She stirred, and her arms wound around his neck involuntarily until the two of them were intertwined. She responded by kissing him back tenderly, barely conscious, apparently still in a daze.
    No, actually, he was the one in a daze, an almost dreamlike spell. He clasped her tighter, gathered her closer and pressed her warm body to his. He wanted more, but romance was not part of his mission. In fact, it would be unacceptable in this instance. Not that he believed in romance. Love and romance was for fools, and he was very definitely not a fool, not anymore.
    She sighed and moved in his arms.
    “Patience,” Nathaniel whispered. “Good. You’re back.”

Chapter 3
    Patience awoke in the pirate’s arms. He resembled a reenactor of The Bermuda Journey, just back from performing on St. George’s. No doubt he was one of the parish’s more feisty residents who belonged in the stocks or the pillory for committing a variety of public offenses, not the least of which might be scandalous behavior and taking unwarranted liberties with women. Yes, the man was definitely a St. Georgian, a consort of the devil, or at the very least, a sorcerer. Certainly he was an enchanter or a charmer. He was also hard and lean and rugged, and he looked better than any man or devil had a right to.
    “Patience, say something.”
    Patience tried to speak, but her mouth was dry.
    “Water,” she finally whispered. “May I have some water?”
    Nathaniel took a glass from the coffee table, filled it with water from the pitcher, and handed it to Patience.
    While she drank, she recovered her composure, but common sense prevailed and fear crept back into her consciousness. Could he be the man who was threatening her? The one who’d broken into Marigold House, who’d called her every day since her grandfather’s death, sometimes late in the night? The stalker who breathed heavily into the phone and spoke in a harsh, guttural language? The stranger who lurked in her nightmares? The police claimed they would patrol the house. Obviously they hadn’t taken her concerns seriously or this man wouldn’t have slipped through their net.
    But the man before her seemed too young to belong to the gruff voice on the telephone. And she had to admit he didn’t cause the same terrified reaction she felt when the stalker called. Her pirate sent chills down her spine, but they were chills of a different sort.
    Patience placed the water glass on the coffee table and looked out the picture window. The sun, already settling lower in the sky, was still spreading riotous sparkles across the sea. Images that had horrified her in the middle of the night—shadows in the moonlight, strange sightings, and shallow breathing—seemed less intimidating in daylight. The immediate threat had receded.
    But Patience faced a threat of another kind. She was entranced by this dark and dangerous stranger with the handsome face, this man she couldn’t seem to dismiss. The pirate was downright dazzling, and he knew it. His nearness was making her lightheaded. Or maybe it was the fact that she hadn’t eaten anything substantial in days.
    Patience struggled out of his grasp. Her lips were warm. Had he kissed her? Or was that a dream? She looked down at her hands. Because she didn’t seem to have the strength to resist, they were still firmly folded in his.
    “Keep your hands to yourself,” she said. Then she remembered his last words before everything went black.
    “My grandfather. You said something about my grandfather.” She fought to remain alert as she pulled away from him.
    Patience followed the pirate’s gaze as he scanned the room and settled on the large portrait hanging on the wall directly across from the fireplace.
    “Is that a picture of you?” he asked, veering off the subject, nodding toward a portrait of a woman in a vintage 1940s yellow

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