“I…I meant I’m sorry about what I said the other day. Before you left for Cactus.”
He gazed at her with understanding in his eyes. She rushed on before he could respond.
“I don’t want you to leave me. I was hurt and angry. I shouldn’t have said those horrible things. I’m so sorry!” Panic coiled in her belly. With her father’s death, if Luke decided to move on, she’d have no one in her life.
His warm palm caressed her face. He held her gaze for a good, long time. “You know what I realized on my way back from Cactus?”
Shirley shook her head. If she said another word, she’d erupt in more violent sobs.
“I realized I couldn’t live without you,” he whispered. “I realized you’ve become more important to me than anything else I care about. When I was at Milt’s, his daughter gave me a few winks and smiles, but all I could think about was coming home to you.”
She couldn’t hold his eye contact any longer. Gazing at his chest, she sucked in deep breaths and clutched handfuls of his shirt.
“I love you, Shirley. I’m the one who should be sorry for breaking your heart. I’m the fool who didn’t tell you when I had the chance.”
Hiding her face in his shoulder, she took a deep breath and held him as if she’d die if she let go.
“The last thing your father told me, before he passed,” Luke whispered, his voice trembling, “was to give you a good life. To do right by you. And I told him he didn’t need to worry about a thing, that I loved the hell outta you.” He gave her a squeeze. “I meant that.”
Hooking his finger under her chin, he brought her gaze back to his. “I love you, filly, and that’s the God’s honest truth.”
Shirley swallowed hard and struggled to breathe. The sincere light in his eyes melted away the last vestiges of her fear and apprehension. “I love you, too,” she replied, scooting closer. “So much!”
When he leaned over her, she met him halfway and opened her mouth, ready for his kiss. She wanted, needed to feel his tongue against hers and taste him once again. It hadn’t been that long, but it seemed like ages since they’d pressed together and lost themselves to rapture.
His body covered hers and she sighed at his weight bearing down on her. Her clothing was a hindrance, but she didn’t want to let go of him to take off her dress. Grasping onto his shirt, she tugged it from his denims. She needed to feel his skin against hers, remembering how soft he was.
Luke gasped at her bold hands and pulled away from her mouth, holding himself up on his elbows. His lips were a whisper away and his hair brushed her face. She had half a mind to yank him back down, but she wasn’t inclined to take her hands from his belly.
“Are you sure, filly?” he breathed, giving her a few soft pecks. “You just lost your father. Maybe this isn’t a good idea.”
“Luke,” she said, lifting her head to continue his kisses. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. I need you now, more than anything.”
Without bothering to unbutton his shirt, she pushed it up his chest until he was forced to pull his arms out and throw it over his head.
“Sink into me and make me come,” she demanded against his throat. “Make me scream your name.”
Luke growled low in his throat and attacked her. His tongue filled every corner of her mouth. She answered him in kind, exploring him and holding on tight. The buttons of her dress were no match for him as he popped them one by one, exposing her chemise.
“Where’s your corset?” he asked, nipping at her neck.
“I was in too much of a hurry to help my sister last night. I didn’t want to bother.”
His wicked, handsome grin stole her breath. “I’m so glad.”
Luke peeled her dress down one shoulder, but stopped at her elbow. She was trapped in her sleeve just as he lowered his head. His hot mouth engulfed her breast, suckling her through the thin fabric of her chemise. The rasp of the fabric coupled with the moist heat of his tongue made Shirley cry out and arch her back.
Again and again he rolled her nipple against his teeth and used the fabric to rub against her. Sparks of delicious ecstasy pulsed straight to her clit, making her throb for his touch.
Fighting her dress, she attempted to pull her arm out, if only to hold his head right where he was. But it was awkward and clumsy. She knew she couldn’t tug herself out of her sleeves unless he helped her.
“Luke…” she panted. “Please.”
He somehow understood what she wanted. Lifting his head, he yanked her dress off her arms, yet didn’t bother to undress her any further than her waist. With his deft fingers, he tugged on her chemise until it bunched up in his hands, and without a word, returned to his feast—this time without the fabric.
Shirley threaded her fingers through his hair, trying in vain to quell her cries. It was futile. The way he suckled her ignited her passion. She was unable to keep her hips from rubbing on him, trying in vain to ease the ache between her legs.
When he lightly bit her nipple, Shirley gasped as an orgasm rocked her. She hadn’t expected to come so soon, but her fevered response seemed to snap something inside him.
“I’m not through with you yet, filly,” he whispered in her ear. He pulled back and his eyes caught hers, holding her captive with his fiery blue gaze.
The sensations he’d stoked still burned within her. She ached for his cock and lamented that her clothing still hindered him. “Take off my skirts, Luke,” she pleaded. “I need you inside me.”
He gave her another calculating grin. The bed groaned at the force with which he heaved off her skirts. Luke ripped at the ties of her petticoats, and it soon found its way to the floor as well, along with her drawers.
“Why, Mrs. Austin,” he said, hovering over her naked body. “Sounds to me like you want a right good fuckin’.”
“Lucas!” she exclaimed, her eyes wide.
“I speak the truth, woman, don’t bother trying to deny it. You and me, we’re gonna light this bed on fire. But before we do, I’m gonna hear you say you want this.”
Shirley groaned and gritted her teeth. He knew good and well she thought his choice of language was foul and crass. But he’d promised she’d say it to him one day.
And today was that day.
Oddly, the thought of giving him what he wanted didn’t horrify her, it excited her. Knowing she had the power to enflame him made her heart quicken and her mouth water. Perhaps she could tease him, just a wee bit, before she gave in and said the word.
Her hands disappeared between them.
“I want this,” she said, smiling back at him.
Luke chuckled while his fingers explored her inner thighs. “That’s not what I want to hear.”
He almost touched her center, but pulled away before he’d made contact. She should have hit him for making her suck in her breath for nothing.
Arching a brow, Shirley unfastened the buttons on his denims—one at a time. She took care not to be too obvious in her game, but she allowed the backs of her fingers to touch his cock and felt the rigid length of him. Luke swallowed hard and closed his eyes, allowing her to undress him.
The moment his trousers were open, she plunged her hands into his undergarments and took him boldly in her palms.
“I want this,” she said again, stroking him, leaving no room for doubt about what she meant.
Luke was not calm. His nose flared and his eyes snapped open, pinning her to the pillow. She didn’t expect him to thrust. And she certainly didn’t expect him to do it again.
“Your touch ignites me, little filly,” he uttered with a lift of his lips. “But if you don’t tell me what you want, I’m gonna spill in your hands.”
Over and over, his slow plunges delivered his cock into her palms. Shirley was at a loss for words. She’d meant to tease him, but he knew damn well what she’d been doing and had turned the tables on her.
But Lord above, she couldn’t help but watch as his beautiful face twisted with pleasure each t
ime her palm sheathed him. She squeezed harder, just before releasing him.
Luke’s thrusts stopped and she used that opportunity to push his denims down his thighs. With an annoyed sigh, he kicked out of them, sending them flying. Seeing every inch of his magnificent body decided her fate. She was through with her teasing. She was wet. And she ached.
For him.
Her hands made their way up his belly, through his chest hair, and over his shoulders only to rest on his cheeks. “Luke,” she whispered, pulling his ear to her lips. “Fuck me.”
He didn’t wait for a second invitation. His cock sank into her, to the hilt, but she couldn’t enjoy his fullness before he’d retreated and thrust again. With each new plunge, he drove into her harder and harder, until the bed groaned at his exertion, until the frame banged against the wall.
Lifting her thigh against his chest, Luke continued, holding his weight above her and working his hips with hers. Shirley’s thoughts were gone, blown away with the wind. The only thought she had was of Luke and his claiming, and the swirling pressure building within her once more.
As the bed rocked, Luke grunted, slamming into her and leaning far over her to ravage her mouth. In that position, his pelvis hit her clit until she strained to feel that sinful sensation, rubbing against him savagely. Within moments, her passion caught up with her and her pussy tightened, convulsing around his cock.
“Lu…cas!” she exclaimed, screaming his name at the peak of her second orgasm. His wasn’t too far behind, and he did some shouting of his own, mere seconds before Shirley realized she’d bitten his shoulder. The entire bed shuddered when he strained within her for every last shred of his pleasure.
He collapsed on her and they both took deep, whimpering pants. Shirley couldn’t move, but she didn’t want to. All she had the strength for was to run her fingers lightly through Luke’s hair. His head rested on her shoulder and his breath ruffled her hair, but she wouldn’t have moved him for anything.
“I love you,” she whispered into his ear.
“I love you, too,” he responded with a smile. “But my shoulder hurts somethin’ fierce.”
Shirley grinned. “I’d say this filly just branded herself a cowboy.”
Luke chuckled, and the deep, rumbling sound of it gave her goose bumps. “Yes, you did, honey. You sure-the-hell did.”
Twenty Four
It was nearly dawn. The golden hue of the hidden sun painted the clouds, giving the room a soft, ethereal glow. Luke gazed at the woman cuddled next to him. Her hair was a mess. Her eyes were swollen and the dark circles beneath them betrayed her exhaustion.
But to him, she was the most beautiful woman in the world.
They’d talked long into the evening, about the shop, about what they would do now that Chuck had passed. He’d fetched their supper when Shirley’s stomach had protested loudly. She hadn’t wanted him to leave, but they needed to eat, and he’d been quick in returning to her.
She’d clung to him for dear life. The moment he’d sat back on the bed, she’d scooted closer, holding onto his arm and leaning her head on his shoulder. But Luke hadn’t complained. Not one bit.
He’d never been needed by a woman before. Hell, he’d never been loved by one, either. It was strange, having his feelings returned to him. He knew Shirley’s love was genuine. She was a fiercely passionate woman, yet she was childlike and innocent as well. That’s what first drew him to her. He loved her spunk and indignation, but he also loved that she hadn’t given her heart to any other man.
After they’d eaten, he’d crawled back into bed naked once again, but they’d done nothing more than collapse in each other’s arms. He’d slept the sleep of the dead until now, until he’d awoken to the gentle sounds of his wife breathing beside him.
Her face twisted with what looked like pain and she whimpered, furrowing her brow. Luke lifted his hand and stroked her hair. He pulled her closer and whispered into her ear.
“I’m with you, filly,” he said. “You’re all right.”
With a sigh, Shirley slowly opened her eyes and gazed into his. He saw the grief behind them and his heart broke for her. He remembered his own boyhood heartache when his mother had died, but the years had softened that sting. Now, his grief for Chuck’s passing was fueled by his wife’s despair. He didn’t want her to cry. He wanted her smiles, her laughter. Her cries of pleasure.
“My father is gone,” she murmured, biting her lip.
“I know.”
“I dreamt I tried to save him. But I couldn’t reach him. I couldn’t get to him in time!”
“Hush now,” Luke replied, hugging her to him. “It was just a dream. Besides, your daddy is with your mama. I reckon he’s in no more pain. In fact, he’s probably over the moon.”
Shirley pulled back with a sniffle. “You believe in heaven?”
“Course I do.” Luke gave her a soft grin. “Don’t you?”
She grinned back just as the rays of the sun brightened the room. It caught her hair, giving her a crown of fiery gold. Luke sucked in his breath and could do no more than stare at the angelic sight before him.
“Are you all right?” she asked, stroking his cheek.
He nodded. “Just struck by your beauty, darlin’.”
“You’re the beautiful one,” she told him. Her hand wandered along his chest and down his belly only to round his waist. “You are everything I’ve ever wanted in a man.”
He lightly scoffed, doing a little exploring of his own, running his hand along her hips and further down her thigh. “Don’t have any fancy suits,” he said, teasing her.
Shirley smiled, lightly caressing his ass. “I like the suit you’re in right now just fine.”
“I’m not educated. Never had much schoolin’.”
She gave him a kiss on his neck then continued on, across his collarbone. “Ah, but the things you do know never cease to amaze me.”
Luke nuzzled her neck and kissed the underside of her jaw. “I’m rude, uncouth, and I have a foul mouth.”
“Mmm, I love your foul mouth and the things you do with it.”
Her words lit a flame of passion within him. “Don’t have any money,” he breathed, hooking his thigh over hers. “I’m sure the banker laughs every time I make a withdrawal.”
“True,” she said, pursing her lips. “There is that…” He arched a brow, but she continued before he could say a word. “But you’ve said yourself you have the prettiest girl in the Territory. Maybe that banker is jealous.”
He pushed her until she lay flat on her back. He easily climbed on top of her and kissed both her cheeks. “I’m not exactly a refined gentleman.”
“No,” she agreed. “You’re a rugged gentleman. You’re the only man who’s ever thought about my wellbeing. The only one who’s been concerned about my safety and my peace of mind.” Her fingers wandered into his hair. “You taught me I didn’t really want any of those fancy things.”
“I trapped you into marrying me.”
Shirley shook her head. “You showed me the true meaning of passion and what it’s like to lose yourself completely within another person. You taught me the difference between a flight of infatuation and the firm foundation of love. I didn’t know it at the time, but the day I married you, Luke Austin, was the best day of my life.”
He couldn’t hold back. After that admission, he had to taste her. Lowering his head, he took her mouth and made love to her tongue, plunging deep, only to pull back and invite her into his mouth. When she thrust into him, he groaned and angled her head to kiss her deeper. Shirley whimpered and opened her legs, giving him a silent invitation.
He filled her. Then he pulled back and filled her again, gently, lovingly. This woman was the light of his life, and he wanted to make damn sure she knew it. He caressed her legs and her hips, only to bring his hand between them and thumb her clit. He swallowed her cries with his mouth, continuing to press deeper into her.
Shirley’s legs wrapped around him, changing the
way her pussy sheathed his cock. Luke grunted and thrust harder, needing to have his entire length inside her sweet body.
She couldn’t possibly know what she meant to him or how very much his heart swelled with love for her. But perhaps he could tell her right here, right now. Without words.
Her hands were everywhere, burning him with fire. His chest, his arms, his belly, his neck… There wasn’t a place on him she hadn’t touched, and not a corner of his heart she hadn’t claimed.
Luke’s pleasure built inside him and he couldn’t keep himself from thrusting faster, needing the completion only his beautiful wife could give. But before he pulsed into her pussy, Shirley arched her back and gave herself to him completely, gasping her passion while her channel gripped him over and over again.
Feeling her orgasm overtake her was all it took to push him over the edge as his seed shot forth. He cried out and closed his eyes, holding her steady as he grinded his hips with hers. Shirley continued to buck, prolonging his delight. Her gentle hands led his lips to hers where she devoured him whole. With her arms and legs wrapped around his body, they were one being, and he never wished to be separated from her.
She didn’t say a word. Neither did he. He kissed his way down her neck to her breasts, lightly suckling each one before making his way back up the other side of her face. Rolling off her, Luke brought her with him and held her tight, unwilling for any small space to come between them.
Tangling her legs with his, Shirley clutched onto him just as tightly and rested her head on his shoulder. There were no words to say.
He’d already told her everything in his heart.
Twenty Five
“His name is Charles Bloom McCaide.”
Shirley looked up from the precious bundle in her arms and smiled at her sister. She sniffled with watery eyes. “You named him after Pa.”
Lissa nodded. “Considering he only had girls, our maiden name will live on in my son.”
“A fine name for a handsome boy.” Luke’s voice sluiced down Shirley’s spine like warm water. Ever since their tender lovemaking, her heart burst with love for him. She wondered if she’d ever hold his baby like this. A child they made together.
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