by Diana Bold
“It wasn’t enough to kill them once. I’d do it again if I had the chance. Even if it means burning in hell for all eternity.”
His words erased the last of her doubts. Deep down, she’d known he wasn’t a bad man. Anyone who could show her such kindness had to have been driven into darkness by forces beyond his control.
She buried her hands in his thick, silky hair and urged his head down toward hers. “Then kiss me. Make me forget the past. Make me forget everything except you and this moment.”
Chapter Four
Zach allowed Bethany to draw him down into the sweet warmth of her kiss as he reeled from her abrupt compliance. Her lips moved with butterfly softness over his, so chaste and tentative he could almost believe she’d never been kissed before.
He didn’t understand how he’d gotten here, or what he’d done to deserve the angel in his arms, but he intended to make the most of it while he could. She obviously saw something worthwhile in him, and he wanted to take advantage of her mistake before she realized the truth—everything good in him had died long ago.
With a soft moan of surrender, he took control of the kiss, cupping her face in his hands as he plundered her sweetness. She tasted of apples and innocence, everything soft and good that had been missing from his life for so long.
Just this, he promised himself. Just her sweet kiss and nothing else. She’d given him this much; he’d be a bastard to try and take more. But oh, God, she felt so good. The thought of letting her go without making love to her was unbearable.
After several breathless moments, she drew back and stared at him, her eyes wide and hazy with unmistakable arousal. “I’ve never been kissed like that before.”
He brushed her hair from her eyes with a trembling hand. “Is that a compliment or a complaint?”
“Oh, definitely a compliment.” She gave him an abashed grin. “Would it be presumptuous to ask for another?”
“Not if you promise to touch me while I kiss you.” All his promises to stop at a kiss vanished in the wake of her gentle teasing. “I want to feel your hands on me, darlin’.”
Holding his gaze, she placed her hand on his chest, a knowing sparkle in her eyes. “Here? Or somewhere else?”
“Lower,” he said, unable to believe his luck. “Lower, please.”
Blushing, she trailed her fingertips down his chest. They drifted like rose petals across his belly and then grazed the length of his aching cock. He moaned and caught her lips with his, plunging his tongue deep within her honeyed mouth, mimicking what he’d like to do with the part of him she touched so tentatively.
Incapable of bearing her sweet torture, he wrapped his own hand around hers, showing her how he liked it—hard and fast. She got the hang of it within moments, and he fell backward, breaking the kiss as the pleasure became too much, cresting with such force it curled his toes and made him cry out in sheer bliss.
* * * * *
Bethany propped herself up on one elbow, staring down at Zach with shocked wonder. She’d never watched a man fall apart so utterly. Even in the beginning, David had made love to her in the dark. Nothing more than a quick fumble beneath her nightdress. It had never occurred to her to touch her husband the way she’d just touched Zach, but she couldn’t deny she’d enjoyed it.
He’d been silky smooth, yet incredibly hard in her hand. So alive and beautiful, so unashamed of his body and the pleasure she’d given him.
He lay quiet now, one arm thrown across his eyes, his thick shaft still full and erect, angled across the muscular ridges of his lean stomach.
“Are you all right?” she asked as the silence stretched out between them.
“Ah, darlin’. I’m better than I’ve been in years.” He lowered his arm and met her gaze as he used a corner of the blanket to wipe himself clean. “You don’t know how much I needed that.”
She walked her fingertips up his chest, still amazed to think she could touch him however she wanted. “Oh, I think have some idea.”
“Do you now?” Laughing, he rolled on top of her, pinning her beneath him as he covered her face with kisses. “Perhaps you need it, too. Is that it?”
“Would that be wrong?” she asked.
The teasing light left his eyes, and he shook his head. “No, darlin’. It wouldn’t be wrong at all.” Lowering his head, he kissed her again. A deep, drugging kiss like the ones they’d shared before.
She lost herself in the taste and feel of him, trying to forget that tonight was all she’d ever have of him. It would have to be enough. It was more than she’d ever expected to have.
One night of pleasure to keep her warm during all the long, lonely nights to come.
Breaking the kiss, he trailed his lips down her throat. “I want to see you. Will you let me take off your shift?”
She nodded, unable to speak as he pulled the flimsy garment over her head, baring her. Under his heated gaze, she felt so feminine, so desired. She tingled and yearned for more.
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, grazing her nipples with the back of his hand. “I could look at you forever.”
Then he lowered his dark head and made a feast of her breasts, licking, nibbling and suckling until she thought she’d die from sensual decadence.
He continued to surprise her, showing her there was far more to lovemaking than her limited experience had ever suggested. David had never spent so much time ensuring her pleasure. Zach had already kissed her longer than David had ever made love to her.
By the time he trailed his hand down her belly, she parted her thighs without the slightest hesitation. She trembled with arousal, aching to join with him. But instead of a quick prod to determine her readiness, he began a gentle exploration, using her body’s shameful reaction to ease his way as he slid one finger, and then two, into her teeming wetness.
His thumb circled the hardened nub of sensation at the apex of her thighs while he continued to tease her breasts. She moaned, tossing her head in growing unease. She’d never felt this way before—as though she were on the verge of something terrifying and wonderful.
“Let yourself go,” he whispered, releasing her nipple and kissing his way down her belly. “Come for me, darlin’.”
When she realized what he planned to do, she tried to stop him, but he ignored her struggles and pressed his mouth to the spot where his thumb had just been, lashing her with his tongue until brilliant light exploded behind her eyelids, and she shattered in wordless ecstasy as a wave of unimaginable pleasure washed through her—over her.
She sank back against the blanket, trying to catch her breath, her limbs heavy with sated bliss. So, that was what all the fuss was about. Until this very moment, she had never understood.
“Oh, Zach,” she whispered when she regained her equilibrium. “That was so... wonderful.”
He slid back up her body, staring down at her with stunning intensity. “Just wait until it happens when I’m deep inside you.”
Before she had time to even imagine the possibilities, he reached between them and rubbed the tip of his hard shaft against her, making her sigh in pleasure. Holding her gaze, he thrust deep, seating himself to the hilt.
“Ah, darlin’. You feel so good. So damn good.” Lowering his head, he kissed her again, a slow sweep of his tongue he mirrored with a thrust of his hips.
Wrapping her legs around his lean waist, she pulled him even deeper, and lost herself in the magic of the moment.
His shadowed past, her aching wound, the blizzard howling outside—all of it disappeared beneath the reality of his hard body thrusting within hers. He whispered soft endearments as the pleasure built to an overwhelming peak. The shattering explosion of bliss broke over her, even more spectacular than last time.
Before her tremors faded, he gave a harsh, shuddering cry, cresting over her with a beautiful intensity she’d come to love so much. And as she held him close in the aftermath, she knew she’d been wrong. She’d never get enough of him, not in one night. Not even in a th
ousand.
* * * * *
Zach knew he must be crushing Bethany, but he couldn’t bring himself to move. The last hour had been the most erotic, beautiful experience of his life. He kept expecting to wake up in a cell back in Texas and find out it had all been a dream.
But even his dreams had never been this good.
He’d loved Hannah, but she’d never enjoyed lovemaking. She’d always lain there with a long-suffering look on her face, as though wishing he’d get it over with. After Jeremiah’s birth, he’d found himself relegated to once a month, if he was lucky.
But Bethany… She’d been pure sweet fire in his arms. With every soft word and sigh, she’d let him know she’d taken as much pleasure in the act as he had. Given her unconcealed surprise and praise, he gathered her husband had never appreciated the bounty he’d been given.
If she were his…
He ruthlessly squashed the thought. Best not to even contemplate such impossibilities. How could he have forgotten, even for a moment, that he had no future and nothing to offer her?
Christ, he was such a selfish son of a bitch.
Sighing, he forced himself to roll off her, though he kept her at his side, unwilling to let her go, even if it made him the biggest bastard who ever lived. It had been wrong to take advantage of her vulnerability, but he couldn’t be sorry. He’d needed her softness, needed to feel wanted more than he’d realized.
Though now he was even more aware of the barren wasteland his life had become.
“Are you all right?” he asked. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
She gave a breathy laugh. “It was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever known. Thank you so much. I never knew it could be like that.”
He hugged her tight. “I’m the one who should be thanking you. I don’t deserve you. I should’ve been stronger.”
“I wanted you,” she assured him. “I’ve been living for someone else my entire life. This is the first time I’ve ever done something just for me.”
“I’m glad,” he whispered. “I’m so glad you don’t regret it.”
She brushed her lips against his shoulder. “Getting in that wreck was the best thing to ever happen to me.”
Her words were like a cool rain in the parched desert of his soul. He doubted she’d carry these feelings for him for long, but he was determined to soak them up while he could. Morning fast approached and, with it, the end of this idyllic interlude.
“I wish things were different.” The dangerous thought spilled from his lips before he could stop it. “I wish I didn’t have to leave you.”
She looked up at him, her big green eyes welling with tears. “I could wait for you.”
“Ah, darlin’. Don’t say that. You’d be waiting forever. If they catch me, I’ll never get out. And I won’t take you with me on the run.”
“But—”
He pressed his fingertip to her lips, silencing any further protests. “Let’s just enjoy this for a few hours more. Don’t ruin it with ‘what ifs.’”
A troubled frown wrinkled her beautiful brow, but she remained silent, curling into his arms and resting her cheek against his chest. Sighing, wishing for things that could never be, he pressed his lips against her silky hair and stared into the fire, trying to enjoy his last few hours of paradise.
Chapter Five
Zach dressed by the dim light of the flickering fire. His trousers were still damp, but he gritted his teeth and pulled them on, figuring they’d soon be even wetter. The pale glow of daylight had pierced the far corner of the cave hours ago, but Bethany had fallen asleep in his arms, and he hadn’t wanted to wake her.
Then, about thirty minutes ago, she’d rolled away from him, onto her side, and he’d known he’d run out of excuses to stay. Besides, it would be easier this way. He couldn’t bear to look into her eyes and say goodbye.
He slid into his boots and stood, staring down at his lovely little snow angel for an endless moment, committing her features to memory. With a deep sigh, he turned away and trudged toward the narrow exit, stopping short when he realized the storm was far from over.
They’d been well insulated in their cave. He didn’t hear the fury of the wind until he was halfway down the passageway. Standing a few feet back from the entrance, he stared out at the driving snow, which had intensified during the night.
This was no simple winter storm—it was a blizzard of mammoth proportions.
Relief surged through him when he realized it would be impossible for anyone to travel in such weather. Rescue wouldn’t come for days—if not weeks.
His elation was short lived when he thought of their dwindling supply of firewood. It wouldn’t last through the day and, no matter how appealing the prospect, it was going to take more than body heat to get them through the next few days.
A shiver snaked down his spine as he contemplated his choices. The only solution seemed to be to trek back to the coach and gather as many supplies as he could. The weather was much worse than it had been yesterday afternoon, but it needed to be done.
It wouldn’t take long, a few hours at the most, and then he could enjoy the rest of his time with Bethany in relative peace. Sighing, he turned his collar up to his ears and stepped out into the storm.
* * * * *
Bethany managed to control her tears and feign sleep while Zach dressed silently behind her. But the moment she was certain he’d left, she let them fall, great sobs of grief curling her into a tight ball of despair.
She understood why he hadn’t said goodbye—it would have been far too hard. Perhaps he’d sensed how much she wanted to cling to him and never let him go. In his arms, she’d felt safe and cherished for the first time in recent memory. Now loneliness overwhelmed her.
Just thinking about his lovemaking—his passionate, playful tenderness—brought a fresh surge of tears to her eyes. She knew she’d never find such happiness again. She’d spend the rest of her life remembering last night and wondering what had happened to him.
Pushing to a sitting position, she shoved her hair out of her eyes and tried not to think about it. The fire was dying down, and it could be quite a while before anyone came looking for her.
In fact, the more she thought about it, the more she wondered how anyone would ever find her in this cave. Would it be wiser to return to the coach?
Standing up, she crossed the cave and entered the narrow tunnel leading outside, and wondered if the sun had broken through the clouds. Before she’d gone very far, she realized something was wrong. Snow spilled into the narrow corridor, and the howl of the wind echoed against the stone.
Reaching the end of the tunnel, she stared outside with growing panic. The snow hadn’t stopped. In fact, it was far worse now than it had been yesterday. She visually traced Zach’s footprints through the deep drifts, wondering why on earth he’d left.
No one was coming for them. Zach would die of exposure before he’d gone more than a mile or two.
She took a step forward, mad with fear, then gasped and shrank back as the cold cut through her. “Oh, Zach,” she murmured, fresh tears filling her eyes. “Come back. Come back to me.”
* * * * *
The last twenty yards of Zach’s journey yawned before him, seeming like a hundred miles. He was frozen to the bone, exhausted from battling the wind and snow. The thought of lying down, even if it meant never getting up again, sounded better by the moment.
Thoughts of Bethany spurred him on. He’d find warmth in her arms, if he could get there.
After what seemed an eternity, he finally retraced his footsteps to the cave entrance. “Bethany,” he called, stumbling down the narrow tunnel. “Bethany, I need your help.”
She came running, her face lighting up at the sight of him for a split second before her expression turned to one of concern. “Zach! You’re frozen half to death.”
“Grab my pack,” he muttered. “I went back to the coach to get us some more supplies.”
He’d bundled more splinte
rs of wood and the entire contents of the coach’s storage box in another rough, woolen blanket, but his arms were so numb he couldn’t lower it from his shoulder. Biting her lip, she struggled to take the heavy weight from his back.
The pack slid off, landing on the cave floor with a clatter, breaking open and spilling its contents all over. Moaning, he sank to his knees, too tired to take another step.
“Throw another p-piece of wood on the fire,” he instructed, his teeth chattering. “I’m s-so c-cold.”
“I thought you’d left for good.” She picked up a few splintered pieces of the coach and carried them to the fire. “I was so worried about you.”
Her concern warmed him, and he fumbled to unbutton his shirt. Before he’d managed more than the top two, Bethany had stoked the fire and was back at his side, brushing his hands away and accomplishing the task with brisk efficiency. She peeled the frozen fabric off his shoulders, then helped him shed his trousers and boots. When he was naked, she wrapped him in one of the warm, dry blankets and urged him over toward the fire.
He hunkered down next to it, uncontrollable shivers racking his body. His feet were so cold he feared he’d gotten frostbite.
“Let me help you,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around him and giving him her warmth. “Oh, Zach. What were you thinking? You could have died out there.”
“We’d h-have frozen without the w-wood,” he explained. “And I found s-some more food. There’s also a coffee pot, some coffee, and a few cups. And can you get me the bottle of whiskey? That m-might help warm me up.”
“Of course,” she assured him, searching through his bundle until she found the liquor. She handed it to him, then stood up with the coffee pot. “I’ll go fill this with snow and heat it up. We’ll have hot coffee. That should help.”
He silently thanked the driver for his stash. Besides the coffee and whiskey, he’d found a loaf of bread, some more apples, a dozen cans of beans and peaches, and some beef jerky. He’d also found two more blankets and gathered all the wood he could carry. It should get them through a couple more days.