She decided to try talking to dispel the tension growing within her. “So, what do you want for lunch?” She’d meant the question to sound bright and cheerful. Instead, a husky note had betrayed her. The question sounded downright suggestive.
He glanced up from his wrapping job, his gaze unreadable. “What are you hungry for?”
His expression gave no indication that he’d meant anything sexual by that remark. Yet heat burned in her cheeks as she thought of the answer she wanted to give. “I guess we should make it something easy.”
“Good idea,” he said softly, and broke eye contact so he could return to wrapping her wrist.
She wanted him so much she was afraid she might start drooling. Time for a little joke. “If there was such a thing as a wrist-wrapping contest, you’d get the prize for technique, but you’d never win in the time trials.”
He finished the last couple of turns with deliberate care and reached for the clip to hold the end in place. “Got an appointment?”
“Yeah. I’m supposed to have lunch with this ranger I know.”
“Sounds important.” He closed the lid on the first-aid kit, but he didn’t release her hand. Then he caught her gaze with his as he brought her hand up and placed a soft kiss in her palm.
As she stared into his dark and mysterious eyes, she almost forgot to breathe. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. “He’d hate it if I...stood him up,” she whispered.
“Then don’t.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
ZEKE KNEW MAKING LOVE to Katherine again wasn’t a good idea. It would probably make his ankle hurt now and his heart hurt later. But he couldn’t seem to help himself.
He slipped his hand up through her hair and cupped the back of her head. When his mouth touched hers, her lips were already parted, inviting him to kiss her the way she loved to be kissed. She clutched his shoulders and he thrust deep with his tongue. Her moan of delight aroused him as nothing else could. As nothing else ever would.
And so he would make love to her now because he had no choice, and he was no longer willing to give her one, either. They might part, they might live in different worlds for the rest of their lives, but she was his mate, and they were born to be joined together in a basic, primitive way. To deny it would be like trying to stop the orbit of the earth.
He couldn’t seem to get enough of her mouth, but he wanted so much more. The buttons on her shirt slipped from their holes as if nothing would stand in his way now. When the shirt was open he reached for her breast. The weight of it in his hand felt so good he couldn’t help the growl of satisfaction that rose in his throat.
He hadn’t realized his connection to her would intensify now that she’d borne his child, now that she nursed that child with the breasts that he loved to caress. The emotion he’d experienced after their first night together had been strong, but it paled in comparison to what he felt for her now. She’d become completely, gloriously female, which made him feel more a man than ever before in his life.
He eased his thumb across her nipple, bringing forth moisture. He was the man who had made her pregnant, he thought triumphantly, the one who had caused her breasts to fill and her body to grow ripe with their daughter. He’d created a place for himself in her life no one could ever take away. He was the only man who could have given her Amanda.
Stroking his thumb across her nipple, he drew back a fraction from the sweetness of her lips. “I need you,” he murmured.
“What about...your ankle?”
“We’ll work around it.”
“I shouldn’t let you...” She sighed gently and arched her back in pleasure as he continued to stroke her breast. The lapels of the shirt fell away, revealing the dusky rose contrast of her nipples against her milk-white skin. “This is selfish of me.”
His breath caught at her beauty. “No. I want you to give me memories. I’ll need them.”
Her eyes fluttered open. She gazed at him, her lips parted, her breathing shallow and quick. “So will I,” she whispered.
His body tightened in anticipation, yet when she pulled away from him and stood, he thought perhaps he’d lost her. But when she walked to his dresser and pulled out the bottom drawer, he knew he’d won...everything.
She placed the condoms on the bedside table and stepped back. Then she slowly took off her shirt and let it drop to the floor.
He was dazzled. He’d never been able to see her like this, standing before him in the full light of day. The gray light coming through the window outlined her body, making her seem to glow.
She untied the string holding the waist of the sweatpants. Instead of pushing them down, she allowed them to slide sensuously to her feet while she kept her attention focused on him.
His erection began to throb as he realized she was being deliberately provocative. “Am I getting...a show?”
Her voice was shy but her actions were not. “I think you deserve one.” She stepped gracefully out of the sweats.
“Thank you,” he said, his huskiness revealing just how grateful he was. She was no longer hesitant about revealing her body to him, stretch marks and all. He considered that a gift.
As she stood before him wearing only natural light, he allowed himself the pleasure of a long, leisurely visual trip back up that magnificent body as he anticipated running his hands over her again. He moved over to make room for her, oblivious to any pain in his ankle.
“Be careful, Zeke.”
“I don’t feel a thing. Come here.”
Her gaze was hot, but she moved slowly as she knelt on the bed beside him. “You need to let me be in charge,” she said.
His heart beat faster. “Is that right?”
“Yes. You’re injured.”
“According to you, injured people need to take their clothes off.”
“That’s right.” Her smile tantalized him. Then she glanced down at his cotton briefs, which barely contained him. “And that’s what I intend to do.”
He’d never had an experience like it. As she peeled his briefs down, she showered him with light, yet intimate, kisses. Her hair swung forward and tickled his heated flesh, and he thought he might go crazy from the feathery sensations created by her hair and her lips.
When she had him so worked up he thought he might explode, she paused in order to work the briefs down over his ankles. In the process her nipples brushed against his knees, and his pulse skyrocketed again. He had to fist his hands to keep from grabbing her and pushing her down to the mattress, no matter how much his ankle screamed in protest.
“I’m so afraid I’ll hurt you,” she murmured.
His voice was strained. “Trust me. I wouldn’t care.”
“Then you’re having a good time?” She tossed the briefs aside and glanced at him.
He gave her a lopsided grin. “As if you couldn’t tell.”
Still moving carefully, she eased back up the bed and wrapped her warm fingers around his erection. “I can tell. I just like to hear you say it.”
He groaned. “I’m having the time of my life. I—” He groaned again as she took him into her mouth. Pleasure this intense should be illegal, he thought, until she took away all thought and replaced it with a white-hot surge of pure feeling. He’d never trusted a woman enough to abandon himself to her. He’d always kept some measure of control.
But this time, all the barriers came down, leaving him open and vulnerable, hers to mold.
She brought him to the very edge of the precipice. Had she decided to hurl him over it, he couldn’t have stopped her. But as he balanced there, she rose to her knees and kissed his mouth.
He closed his eyes and held on tight, tasting the passion on her tongue, growing dizzy from wanting her. Mindlessly he grasped her hips, urging her toward him.
“Wait,” she murmured agains
t his lips.
When she moved out of his arms he remembered they had one more step to follow. He’d been so crazed from passion that it hadn’t even crossed his mind. He held out his hand for the packet. “Here. I’ll—”
“No, I will.” She was breathing hard, her breasts quivering, her hands shaking as she straddled his thighs and ripped open the foil.
He tried to help her, but he was trembling as much as she was. Their breathless laughter turned into moans of frustration, but they finally managed to get the condom on. The moment it was secure he cradled her hips and guided her over him. As she settled slowly down, he gasped and clenched his jaw against the urge to pour himself into her.
She clutched his shoulders, closed her eyes and tilted her head back. “Oh, Zeke.”
That gesture of surrender nearly did him in. “Don’t move yet,” he said, his voice raspy.
“I have to.” She lifted her hips.
He fought the pressure rising within him as she began a seductive rhythm. When she whimpered and quickened the pace, he lost the fight with a moan of pure ecstasy. Her cry of release echoed his as she shuddered and sagged against him.
Feeling more complete than ever in his life, he gathered her close. I love you. His lips silently formed the words as he pressed his cheek against her hair.
* * *
KATHERINE HEATED TOMATO SOUP over the fire for their very late lunch. Amanda continued to sleep as she brought a tray of soup and crackers to bed. “Bon appétit, ranger man.”
He surveyed her and the tray. “Shouldn’t there be a flower or something on there?”
“You want a flower?” Setting the tray down, she walked over to the door.
“Hey, I was kidding.”
“You want a flower, I’ll get you a flower.” She was feeling wonderfully reckless as she stepped outside wearing nothing at all. At least she wouldn’t get her clothes wet!
“Katherine, forget the flower.”
She flashed him a grin over her shoulder and closed the door behind her. But damn, it was cold, and raining like crazy. She glanced around and saw a drenched and rain-flattened daisy near the edge of the clearing and not too far from the porch. If she stepped just right, she’d be able to jump from one tuft of grass to another and not get her feet muddy.
She braced herself for the deluge of rain as she went down the steps. Leaving the shelter of the porch felt exactly like stepping under the shower, except, of course, that she was outside. And naked.
She stood there for a second adjusting to the idea that Katherine Seymour was standing outside a Wyoming cabin in the rain in her birthday suit. Then she began to laugh as the downpour soaked her hair and cascaded over her body. Finally she let out a whoop, threw her hands in the air and lifted her face to the rain, opening her mouth to swallow the drops as they pelted down.
But as exhilarating as the experience was, the air was pretty damn cold. She located the daisy again and hopped from one grassy spot to another until she could lean down and pluck it. “A flower for m’lord’s lunch tray,” she said, straightening.
That was when she saw the bull moose.
The breath seemed to leave her body as she stared at him and he stared back. He was huge, bigger than the biggest draft horse she’d ever seen in a New York City parade. He stood less than twenty feet from her under the shelter of the trees, his magnificently curved antlers dripping with rain, his coat dark and wet. Even his muzzle dripped.
Fully clothed, Katherine might have felt more secure about meeting a moose in the woods. Naked, she was a little less confident. She backed up one slow step at a time. The ooze slid between her toes as she made her gradual retreat without taking her eyes off the moose.
Glancing over her shoulder, she saw that she was almost on the porch. The moose hadn’t budged. He was probably as startled to see a naked woman running around in the yard as she was to see a bull moose in the midst of her flower-gathering trip.
When the back of her heel bumped the bottom step, she turned, hurried up the steps and across the porch. Yanking open the door, she stepped inside and closed it quickly behind her. Adrenaline poured through her system. She felt wildly primitive, but also half-frozen.
She crossed to the bed and climbed in, wet hair, muddy feet and all. “I’m f-freezing to d-death.”
“Can’t have that. Although I could say I told you so.” Zeke gathered her close.
“B-but you won’t.”
“No.” His tone was amused. “I won’t.”
“Good.” After a while his warmth calmed her and her teeth stopped chattering enough for her to talk. “You’ll never believe what happened. While I was in the midst of picking flowers, I looked up, and I was practically nose to nose with a big ol’ moose.”
He began to chuckle.
“Easy for you to laugh. You weren’t standing there stark naked twenty feet away from him.”
“That’s Elmer. He probably wanted the daisy you picked.”
“Oh. The daisy. Wonder what I did with it.”
Zeke peered over the edge of the bed. Reaching down, he scooped something up and held it in front of her face.
The daisy was pretty well mangled. She glanced up at him. “Sorry.”
He smiled. “It’s the thought that counts.”
“But I messed up the sheets and the pillowcase.”
He gave her a long, slow kiss before leaning back and surveying her appreciatively. “I have other sheets. Don’t let being muddy stop you from climbing into my bed.”
“You know what? I liked it. I liked running around naked in the rain, and even coming face-to-face with Elmer.”
He looked into her eyes. “That’s a good sign.”
“If this keeps up, you’re going to turn me into an exhibitionist.”
He grinned. “As long as the exhibit’s only open when I’m around.”
She realized they were both talking as if they had a future, when in fact they had none. Sobering, she gazed at him. “I guess there isn’t much chance I’ll turn into an exhibitionist, is there?”
Quietly Katherine disentangled herself, and the exuberance that had lightened her heart turned to despair. She reheated the soup and they sat together on the bed, their backs propped against the headboard while they ate, but they remained silent throughout the meal. Katherine knew she was negotiating her way around the tricky subject of their relationship and figured he was, too. Then they spoke at the same time.
“You first,” Katherine said.
“No, you.”
She set down her empty bowl on the tray between them and took a deep breath. “Have you ever heard of a movie called Same Time, Next Year?”
“No. It must not have played the Isis, and since then I haven’t seen many movies.”
Katherine picked up a cracker and broke it in two. “The man and woman in it each have different lives, even different partners, but they meet once a year, make love and get reacquainted. Then they separate and agree to meet again the next year, and so on.”
He put his bowl on the tray and looked at her, his face devoid of expression.
“I hate it when you look like that. Inscrutable. I suppose you’re going to say that’s your Sioux blood coming out in you.”
“No.” His voice was very quiet. “It’s the orphan coming out in me.”
“Oh, Zeke!” She dropped the cracker and reached for him, nearly overturning the tray. Her throat tightened as she cradled his face in both hands. “Zeke, I—” She paused. I love you. I’ll always love you. And once she said those words, what else would she say? That she would give up everything for that love?
He turned toward her and laid his hands gently on her shoulders. The mask fell away as he looked into her eyes. “I know what you’re trying to do, Katherine,” he said softly. “I’ve thought a
bout this, too. You’re hoping we can work out some sort of compromise where we can both have what we want, what we need, and yet still...” He massaged her shoulders and his voice grew husky. “Still stay connected to each other.”
She nodded.
He sighed. “I wish I could be that kind of man—strong enough to see you once a year, make love to you and let you go away again. Strong enough to believe that in a year, you’ll be back.”
“Maybe...maybe a year’s too long. Maybe every six months we could—”
“No.” He shook his head. “Don’t kid yourself. Six months would become three. Three would become one, and pretty soon we’d be flying across the country every weekend. You can’t function that way and neither can I.”
She swallowed the lump in her throat. He was right. Her body still hummed from his caresses, and she wanted him again. “We shouldn’t have made love. We should have kept things platonic, so that we wouldn’t make this any worse.”
His smile was sad. “God knows I tried. I don’t know about you, but I ran out of resistance early in the game.” He slid his hands down over the tops of her breasts and then cupped them lovingly. “I still don’t have any.”
“Neither do I,” she said in a choked voice. “But this... this is it, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.” His gaze searched hers. “This is it.”
She wiped the tears from her eyes and dredged up a watery smile. “Then if this is all we’re ever going to have, what are we doing with a tray of dirty dishes between us?”
“Beats the hell out of me.” He released her, scooped up the tray and plopped it down on the floor on his side of the bed. Then he gathered her into his arms.
“I suppose we should change the sheets,” she murmured. “I did get things messed up with my wet hair and muddy feet.”
“Why bother?” He slipped his hand between her thighs and boldly caressed her as he nibbled on her lower lip. “Now that I know running around naked in the rain like some wood sprite gets you hot, I’ll probably try to get you to do it again.”
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