Chapter Seven

Ebony's heart rate quickened as she approached the stairs the next morning, she had to go down them, she had to face the Saloon and most of all she had to face Slade. Part of her wanted to turn tail and run as fast as she could into her room and never come out but the other parts wanted to see Slade so badly that it hurt.

As the thought of running began to look the most favourable solution Ebony mentally kicked herself, she wasn't a coward and she hadn't come this far to get away from Lex and the pain and humiliation that he had caused her just to buckle at the first hurdle. No, she would go down and show everyone – and herself – that nothing could faze her and that she was strong.

That was why Ebony took a deep breath, pulled her shoulders back and began her slow but steady descent of the stairs. As the main Saloon hall came within view she made sure that her face was blank showing no hint of the emotional battle which raged within.

Her life seemed to be an emotional rollercoaster, one minute letting her ride so high that she thought that everything was going to be okay, the next plunging her down into a near depression.

As she reached the floor she walked directly over to the bar and sat down making sure that her eyes didn't wander around as she wasn't sure how she would react to seeing Slade. Yesterday she had felt fine around him yet now she felt oddly shy – or as near to shy as she could ever feel – and slightly uncomfortable around him.

There parting hadn't been unpleasant in any way and she knew that there was no resentment on his side yet there was still something in the back of Ebony's mind which wanted her not to get too close to a man like that, one that could see through all of her defences with such apparent ease.

Nothing in her life felt right anymore, the kind of man that she had always wished for was so near that she could almost smell his cologne but she couldn't stop thinking about all of the hurt that he could hurt her if she wasn't careful.

She decided that the best way to deal with this was to make sure that he never knew the way that he made her feel and while she wouldn't act as if she hated him she wouldn't let herself become a slave to his charm.

Yet the smell of his cologne wouldn't leave her senses. That was when she realised that her skin was prickling the way that it always did when someone was near to her. Without looking around Ebony realised that he was sitting next to her.

Ebony took a deep breath to try and calm her nerves as she ordered her breakfast from one of the people at the bar and decided that she would merely turn the other way and walk to another table without apparently having seen Slade when her breakfast came … however there were other forces at work which were not going to let Ebony leave that easily.

Slade had noticed Ebony the second that she had walked down the stairs and knew that it wasn't normal for a woman who was constantly suspicious not to at least take a quick sweep of the Saloon to make sure that it was safe. The only thing that he thought could account for this behaviour was that she was trying to avoid him.

Normally Slade would never have forced a woman to pay attention to him – not that any had ever tried to ignore him before – but in Ebony's case he was willing to make an exception. It wasn't as if she was afraid, it was more like they were playing a game than a war.

He noticed the focussed look in her eyes as she ordered her food and knew that she was having a hard time trying to make sure that she didn't look around and it was with a slight smirk that he finished his drink.

At his leisure he leant nearer to her and whispered, "Good morning Ebony".

Ebony's skin felt like it was on fire, as the ticklish caress of his breath sent her trembling, there was just something about him that was impossible to ignore yet although her eyes burned to look at him she resisted the temptation and merely replied, "Hello", in as nonchalant tone as she could manage under the circumstances.

Slade's smirk grew slightly as he saw a slight stiffness in her body which proved that he was having an effect on her. He wasn't sure why she had all of a sudden decided not to pay attention to him but he guessed that it had something to do with a kind of defence mechanism. But not that of a warrior scorned, rather more that of a teenaged girl whose boyfriend knew something that she didn't want him to.

Although he wasn't aware that he knew anything in particular about her he suggested that it might have just been the fact that he knew that there was something to find out which had her acting so. Slade loved it. He knew that she didn't want him to know and he wouldn't prod her for any information he just loved the way that she almost sulked … it was just so cute.

Her pursed lips became pouty and the evidence that she hadn't quite lost her teenaged spirit was revealed.

Deciding on the best method of getting her attention he ran a finger up her arms to trail across her shoulder and down to her throat before lifting it up under her chin and moving her chin to face him.

Ebony tried to face forwards she really did but no sooner than she felt his flesh upon hers, she felt the tingles coursing through her body and began to feel herself melt. When he moved her face she relented and looked at him for the first time and almost felt herself melt all over the floor under his heated gaze.

It was everything that she had ever wanted and never got, the feelings that she thought could never be real were suddenly realised. It wasn't love, it wasn't lust, it was chemistry pure and simple.

Everything about that moment seemed perfect, every thought evaporated from her mind and she was leave with only feelings.

It was not only Ebony who was experiencing feelings that she thought were long buried – if they ever immerged in the first place. Upon seeing her face, Slade too reverted back to nothing more than a teenaged boy who was looking at a girl that he had a crush on.

Yet there moment was destroyed by the arrival of Ebony's food and grinning slightly she slipped off her stool holding it and walked backwards to a seat with a clear invite in her challenging eyes.

Slade pursued her until she was backed into a chair and placed both hands in the arms of he chair effectively closing her in, and looked her up and down with approval.

It was all part of the game that they had started playing, both making a show of pushing the over one into a corner but both knowing that there was no competition this was just foreplay.

Just as Ebony chest began to heavy from his proximity Slade could no longer hold back, he closed the gap and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

Ebony let out a slight moan as she felt his lips retreating, her eyes fluttered shut. She leant forward for more yet after a few seconds opened them again to see Slade smiling at her but standing a little way back.

Immediately she remembered that she shouldn't be doing this, she couldn't remember why and she felt hot and dizzy but she knew that it was wrong. With an effort she pushed herself up and her food away, she couldn't eat at that moment and walked to the bar trying desperately to ignore the way that she brushed against Slade in the effort to get to the bar. She needed alcohol, anything to numb what she was feeling at that moment as she knew that it was wrong.

She sat at the bar again, only this time with Slade behind her with his hands on her hips, yet no sooner than the bitter taste of her drink touched her tongue he span the stool around and pulled her to him as he slandered her mouth hungrily and their tongues battled.

The glass fell in slow motion from Ebony's hand and as it smashed against the floor so did all of her reserves about giving into him.

Neither of them knew what was going on, neither knew what had changed between them yet at that moment … neither cared.

Ebony had felt animal passion before, the need to rip away the other persons' clothes and to rub against each other until their desires were quenched yet this was not that. Neither was it the tender sermonic love which others believed in, it was something entirely different.

This time there was no haze when they pulled apart, no deception that they were playing a game; that was all over as quickly as it had started.

The searing heat of their embrace scorched had through any masks that they were hiding behind and their probing tongues seeking out all of the secretes which their souls kept so well hidden, leaving them bare to each other once they had pulled apart.

Yet clarity wasn't a blessing for with the loss of the haze came the loss of Ebony's peace of mind, the loss of her playful mood where she had been allowed to find herself drawn to Slade despite the vague memory that it wasn't a good idea.

Now there wasn't a vague idea of her wrong doing there was a trumpet blaring the news deep into her skull as the reasons for her keeping away from Slade embedded themselves once more in her mind.

Heart ache captured her once more until she felt that she could not take it any longer, she longed for the feelings of a few moments ago when she was so blissfully peaceful. As she looked up she saw Slade's chocolate brown eyes shinning kindly at her and knew that for once she was safe with him. Yet, even if she wasn't, she no longer cared.

She knew what she was doing as she reached for another – much stronger drink – from the bar and drained the glass hungrily and gasped with a sigh of relief as sweet oblivion gripped her.

The hurt faded and she was peaceful and light headed and she surrendered herself to Slade's arms and to his bed.