by Nancy Bush
“You need to recuperate.”
“You can’t make me stay,” he stated flatly, and she inwardly sighed, realizing he was well aware of her tactics. But he didn’t know the reason for them.
“Not by force,” she admitted, lifting deep turquoise eyes to his.
His breath was sharp between his teeth as he inhaled in shock. He tried to rise to his feet, but she stopped him by putting one slim hand on his shoulder, holding him down. “But I don’t want you to go.”
“Miracle,” he began impatiently but was cut off by the soft feel of her lips pressed to his temple. Harrison froze. Dryly, he added, “You can’t seduce me into staying, either, if that’s what you have in mind.”
“Can’t I?”
“I know all about being used by women for their own purposes,” he told her coolly.
“Kelsey?”
“No, not Kelsey. But others.”
Isabella. Miracle wondered if he really knew how his bitterness over Isabella had let him offer for Kelsey simply because she was safe. A friend. A trustworthy female. And it was Isabella’s treachery that made him cautious with her.
Miracle had never played the temptress before, but with Harrison it was easy. “We’ve already made love,” she pointed out. “Even if you don’t remember it.”
“I remember it.” This was gritted between his teeth.
“Not like I do.”
“Miracle, for Chrissake, if I could change that I would, but I can’t do anything now!”
“You said you wanted me earlier.”
“I do,” he admitted with great reluctance. “But not now.”
“Brody will wait.”
“No, he won’t! And what about all that talk about not being a white man’s mistress?” he demanded furiously.
Miracle blushed. She couldn’t have him out there with Blue stalking him, and the truth of the matter was she loved him and wanted to make love to him desperately. If that made her like her mother, she would face it later. Right now the situation was too desperate. And before Blue ruined her chance with Harrison she wanted one more memory, something to keep her warm on cold, lonely nights.
She gazed at his muscular chest, bronzed by the light of the fire. Uncle Horace was bound to sleep straight through till morning. There was no reason to keep her from making love to Harrison, and every reason to keep him near her and out of harm’s way.
Except that now he was unwilling.
Lightly she touched one of the scars that covered his right shoulder. Harrison jerked away automatically, snatching her hand with one hard fist. “Why now, Miracle?”
“Because I want you,” she said, covering his mouth with hers.
It only took a few moments after that. His arms suddenly crushed her to him, until she was sitting on his lap. His fingers tore into her hair, his mouth savage in its need. Miracle’s blood pounded. She tried to get up, thinking of heading upstairs, but he pinned her down until she felt the hard heat of him against her.
“Don’t change your mind,” he rasped in her ear.
She shook her head, then nearly jumped from her skin when his hand slid under her skirt, rubbing her in a way that made her knees go weak. Then his fingers slid inside her drawers and entered her in one smooth motion. She jerked upward, but he held her close while he introduced her to new magic. She cried out, in both outrage – for surely this was not done! – and pleasure.
She fought for several moments until she climaxed suddenly and fiercely, furious with him when she felt his silent laughter. Hellfire and damnation, she wasn’t going to let him get away with that.
“Just because I want you doesn’t mean you can use me like a mistress!” she declared in grand fury.
“Is that what I did?”
She pushed away from him and stood in front of the chair. The evidence of his own arousal was blatantly obvious. Good. He could just stay that way.
She made it to the stairs before she heard the chair clatter onto its side. He grabbed her swiftly, crushing her to his chest, pressing his face against her nape, groaning.
“I told you not to leave.”
She was already regretting choosing this method to save his infernal skin. “I won’t be –”
“You’re not my mistress. God, Miracle. Don’t you know what you do to me? I’ve practically embarrassed myself time and again, fantasizing about you. For weeks I thought of nothing else but getting inside you, making love to you. It’s damn frustrating. You said you wanted me, and by God, you’d better come up with a helluva good reason if you don’t intend to have me!”
Miracle was at a loss for words. She opened and closed her mouth several times as his hands cupped her breasts.
“What? Miracle Jones struck speechless?”
“Curse and rot you, Danner. You have a miserable sense of humor.”
He suddenly swept her off her feet, carrying her upstairs, grinning down at her in a totally superior way. Miracle flung her arms around his neck, wondering if she’d made a terrible mistake. Then she felt renewed embarrassment when he set her on her feet in her bedroom and began systematically pulling off her clothes.
“Wait!” She clutched her hands to her throat. “Let me get under the covers first.” She glanced at the cot. There wasn’t a blanket on it.
“Sorry,” he said, sounding suspiciously smug.
Her nightgown pooled onto the floor. With a yank, her drawers followed. Then she stood completely naked in front of Harrison, her knees quaking. She couldn’t look at him. She turned her head and felt herself flush.
“God Almighty,” he whispered reverently.
His vision of her arising from the water was only partially accurate. He didn’t remember such long, supple limbs, or such a tiny waist, or such perfectly formed breasts. The tiny moon-shaped scar was just barely visible, but he ran his thumb over it.
“You’re shaking,” he said in surprise. Then realizing why, he muttered roughly, “I promise it’ll be better this time. If I’d been aware you were a virgin the first time, I would have taken more care.”
“That’s not why I’m shaking. I’m cold.”
“Liar.” He unbuttoned his pants, and now Miracle’s gaze slid back to him. She couldn’t help herself. But when he also stood naked, she was astounded as well.
She didn’t have any more time to give it thought, however. He sat down on the cot and pulled her atop him. Miracle’s forthrightness vanished as soon as she felt his hard limbs beneath hers. The mystery of love making was just as strong as it had been the first time. Sensing her reluctance, he said, “Come here,” cupping her face and bringing her mouth to his.
She shivered. He groaned, wrapping his legs around hers, pinning her hips against his burgeoning hardness.
“Tell me. Was it like this the first time?” he asked, a smile in his voice. His hand pressed against her softly rounded buttocks, pushing her against him in a thrilling way.
“Yes,” she gasped.
“I thought I had dreamed it, but it was just too real. I could feel you,” he said through his teeth. “I could feel myself inside you. But God help me, I never meant to take you by force.”
“You didn’t,” she choked out. “I lied.”
“Did you?” He hesitated a moment. “You put me through hell over that!”
“You deserved it! You were engaged to Kelsey, thinking of her while you and I were – were –”
“I wasn’t thinking of Kelsey.” He cut her off harshly. “It was you I saw coming out of the water.”
Miracle searched his eyes to see if he were really telling the truth, but desire glowed like glittering emerald gems. “Harrison…”
“Shhh. Use your mouth for something else.”
She opened her lips to ask, “What?” but he used the moment to slip his tongue inside and caress the heat of her. She moaned involuntarily as his hand slid down her leg once more, discovering her heat, driving her to an embarrassing wetness that had Miracle rising both in ecstasy and in an attempt to escape
.
“No,” he ordered softly, but with perfect command. He continued to stroke her until her legs fell apart, her thighs squeezing over his, her hips lifting and falling into a rhythm as old as time. It was Harrison’s turn to moan as he held her hips to his rigidness. She could feel him straining for control, but she wanted him to lose control. Feather light, she let her own hand move down his torso, his skin quivering beneath her touch.
“Miracle,” he groaned in a tortured voice as her fingers found the mound of his shaft, stroking him. His choked admission gave her courage. She pleasured him the same way he’d pleasured her until with a muscular twist he turned over, pressing her down beneath him.
“Your arm,” she murmured, but he either ignored the pain or was consumed by a greater need, for he bent down to her breast, sucking at it with hard, lusty sounds that made her weak with longing. She lifted one leg to bring him in deeper contact until he was rubbing against her in a way that left no doubt about what he had in mind.
But instead of taking her as he had the first time, his mouth moved downward, across her abdomen, and lower, lower. She rebelled, frightened.
“Don’t,” she begged, tossing her head to and fro on the pillow, her fingers entwining in his hair as if to yank him away from her.
He didn’t listen. He was intent on his task. Then his mouth closed over her, and she bit back a cry of shock and pleasure. Her climax came seconds later in a furious motion that had her arching and crying out, rising as he then held her hips down and thrust into her, filling her, crying out himself as his own fulfillment came within moments of hers.
Miracle lay panting beneath him, spent, and with wakening embarrassment at her own abandonment, but Harrison moved her to his side, cradling her with his good arm. When she tried to wriggle away, he clamped down on her hard and smiled.
“No,” he ordered gently. “You’re staying right here.”
And she did.
¤ ¤ ¤
Dawn’s gray light slipped through the windowpanes as Miracle eased herself from Harrison’s sheltering arm. He lay on his back, the harshness eased from his face. God’s truth, he was a beautiful man. She ached to run her fingers over his broad chest and feel his strength surround her.
But then she remembered the incredible events of the night before. Tossing on her muslin nightgown, she scurried downstairs to the wood stove and threw some fir chunks inside. Then she stood shivering as she waited for the wood to catch fire and warm the rooms.
As she stood there she considered what she’d learned. First and foremost, she was desperately in love with Harrison Danner, and if she stayed in Rock Springs she would be his mistress. She simply lacked control when it came to him.
That was one reason to leave.
Second, Joshua Garrett was her father. Jace Garrett would never accept her as a half-sister, and probably neither would Kelsey. Now that she knew who her father was, her quest was over. She wanted nothing from his family.
That was another reason to leave.
And third, Gil, the bounty hunter, was really Blue, her brother. Her lips tightened. She’d wanted to discover the remains of her family, and lo and behold, that’s what she’d done. Only it wasn’t her father she’d found, at least not living. It was Blue, her brother. And what a sorry excuse for a brother he was!
Fear tightened in her chest. Blue meant her to leave with him, and if she didn’t do as he suggested, he would hurt Harrison. Though certainly Harrison was strong enough to look after himself in most instances, he’d known nothing but pain and misery since he’d met her. For God’s sake, she’d stabbed him herself, and now this bullet wound was from Brody’s gun – or maybe Blue’s, she forced herself to admit – and this never would have happened to Harrison if he hadn’t crossed paths with her.
Miracle automatically heated up the pan of water that had been left on the stove from the night before. When the water was hot she poured herself a cup of tea, cradling it between ice- cold palms. She should leave Rock Springs. She’d found her father, and there was no reason to pursue the Garretts any further. She didn’t even want to be a Garrett!
And Harrison didn’t want her anyway. Not for a wife. She would only be his mistress, just like her mother had been Joshua Garrett’s. She couldn’t stay with him and keep her self-respect. It was in shreds already!
But she’d be damned if she would willingly leave with her murdering brother, either.
She could leave on her own. Maybe she could save Harrison’s life if she disappeared. There would be no reason for Blue to go after him if he weren’t involved with her. And she could send a letter back maybe, when she was far enough away to keep him from following after her, because though she was certain Harrison didn’t really want her for his wife, he might be unwilling to give up his mistress.
Mistress. Her jaw set in self-directed fury. Yet she had kept him from chasing after Blue last night. Even now she couldn’t think of a better way to stop him. And though she couldn’t repeat the glories of last night, she also couldn’t deny that it has been wonderful…
She heard Harrison’s low voice call her name, and quickly she hurried back upstairs to the bedroom. He was lying on his back, propped up against her pillow. Embarrassed, Miracle folded her arms over her chest. “Be quiet! Uncle Horace is still sleeping.”
“So should we.”
“I’ve got things to do.” Miracle glanced over her shoulder and across the hall to Uncle Horace’s door. She could still hear his deep snores.
Harrison smiled and crooked a finger at her. “Come here.”
“No!”
“Miracle, I’m leaving in about ten minutes. But I want you here first.”
“You’ve had me,” she hissed through her teeth. Already he was treating her like she had no purpose but to pleasure him.
“Come here,” he ordered in a louder voice.
Miracle scuttled across the room to glare down at Harrison. “You’ll wake the dead!”
“I have to, to wake your Uncle Horace,” he pointed out dryly, capturing her hand and drawing her closer to the bed. “Why did you put this on?”
Miracle clutched at the nightgown as Harrison’s hand slipped to the hem, sliding it up over her thighs. “Because it’s damn cold.”
“Lie on me. I guarantee I’m warm.”
She shook her head, her hair tumbling around her shoulders, but his hand had found that she hadn’t yet pulled on her drawers. He groaned at the realization, and with surprising strength he pulled her astraddle him.
“You are no good for me,” she told him. “This has got to stop.”
“Last night you were eager.” His fingers slid to her moist heat, and his smile twisted. “And you are now, too.”
“I won’t deny that last night was wonderful, but this can’t –” She sucked in a breath as he tested her until she flowed over him. “Damn you!”
Moments later he slid smoothly inside her. So smoothly she could only look down at him and shake her head. He gazed up at her in a way that melted her fears, his eyes full of passion.
Then he cupped his hand around the back of her neck and brought her lips to his, kissing her as he pushed her knees back and she lay fully atop him, joined in the most intimate way.
“God,” he muttered, suppressed laughter in his voice. “I’m beginning to understand why Jesse’s such a slave to his senses. I’m afraid I’ll never be the same.”
And then he moved inside Miracle in a way that robbed her of all coherent thought.
Chapter Sixteen
Ignoring Emerald’s complaints as best she could, sick with fear for both her brother and Harrison, Kelsey held tightly onto the sides of the carriage as it jostled down the road into Rock Springs. The message had arrived from one of Raynor’s men this morning: both Jace and Harrison had been shot.
“Tell the driver to slow down,” Emerald commanded, her mouth bitter as she was nearly jolted from her seat. “We can’t help Jace unless we arrive in one piece!”
�
�I wish we’d go faster.”
“It’s all Harrison fault, you know. Jace wouldn’t have gotten hurt if it weren’t for him. Damn all those Danners. They’re nothing but ignorant farmers with nothing better to do than cause trouble!”
“They’re doctors and horse doctors and farmers,” Kelsey pointed out tightly. “Harrison and Jace were trying to catch those murderers. They’re lucky to be alive.”
“No thanks to Harrison! He instigated this, I just know it. Jace would never have been so foolish. When you marry him, you have to straighten him out!”
“I’m not marrying Harrison,” Kelsey reminded her through her teeth. “And if you don’t shut up, I’ll slap you.”
Emerald’s black eyes blinked rapidly. “You wouldn’t dare!”
“Wouldn’t I?”
“You’re a terrible excuse for a lady, Kelsey Garrett.”
“And you’re a terrible excuse for a human being!” Kelsey banged against the carriage wall. “MacDougal, can’t we go any faster? Please, hurry!”
¤ ¤ ¤
Miracle watched as Harrison bolted down a cup of tea and Uncle Horace tried to manage even one sip from the cup that shook between his palms. The two men were eyeing each other carefully, neither knowing what to say. Harrison was keeping his tongue about his evening with Miracle only because she’d begged him to. He would’ve loved to let the whole world know that Miracle was his. But Miracle’s fear of being labeled either Danner’s mistress or Injun whore was a legitimate one. Until he could convince her that this white man cared for her, deeply, he wasn’t going to subject her to cruel rumors.
But right now he didn’t have time to do either. He was bound and determined to help Raynor find that murdering Brody. But Uncle Horace looked just as bound and determined to stop him, though the man was shaking as if struck by the palsy.
“If I had a rifle in my hands, young man,” Horace said sternly, “I believe I have the right to make you marry this here woman.”
“Uncle Horace!” Miracle was outraged.
Harrison was amused. As if the old bottle tipper could even aim with those shaking hands. “You don’t have to worry –” he began.