Wayward Lady

by Nan Ryan

  And then when he returned today. The way he looked at her when he saw her after being gone for three days. And tonight, when they danced together, he had held her so close, his mouth almost touching her face. More than once he’d looked at her with passion in his eyes.

  Suzette was shaken from her thoughts by the unmistakable sound of Kaytano’s voice just beyond the door. “Really, my friends,” Kaytano was protesting, “I am no longer able to keep my eyes open. I must have some rest. It was a wonderful celebration. There’s plenty to drink and eat. Enjoy yourselves.”

  The door opened and his lithe frame was momentarily silhouetted against the light from the outer room. Suzette feigned sleep and watched through slitted eyes, expecting to see him hurriedly strip and get into his bed. Slowly he walked to his bed and she could feel his dark eyes moving over her. Wordlessly he sat down on the bed and pulled off his high black boots. With his back to her, he unbuttoned and discarded the white shirt. Then he sat, unmoving, for several long minutes. When he stood, Suzette, still looking at him, waited for him to pull off his black trousers.

  Kaytano crossed the room to the window. His profile to her, he lit a cigarette, the flare of the sulphur match lighting his unsmiling face. He stood at the window drawing on his smoke, his bare chest and back glistening with perspiration. Fascinated, Suzette watched as he raised a hand to the back of his head. Long, brown fingers massaged the base of his skull. Suzette longed to toss the sheet aside and go to him, to put both her hands on his neck and rub away the tenseness and pain. She could almost feel the knotted muscles, could almost hear his groan of satisfaction as she tenderly manipulated the smooth brown skin of his neck.

  Her eyes moved on to his lean chest and shoulders. She’d seen this man shirtless at least a hundred times, but the sight of his bare torso never failed to bring a flood of warmth to her face. He had the look of a superbly built wild animal—as if he possessed abundant power and was ever ready to attack his prey. With every tiny movement of his arm, hard muscles rippled under the sweat-slick dark skin.

  His cigarette had been tossed out into the night. Kaytano turned and again looked in her direction. Without realizing it, Suzette held her breath. Suddenly feeling uncomfortable, she noted her arms were still up under her head and wished that she had lowered them while he stood staring out at the valley. Now it was too late. His eyes were on her, and if she moved her arms he would know she was still awake. Knowing she must endure the discomfort a while longer, Suzette closed her eyes tightly as Kaytano crossed the room.

  The bright moonlight seemed to shine right through her eyelids, and when abruptly it became much darker, she knew Kaytano was standing over her. Her heart began to thump against her ribs and she fought the strange sounds threatening to erupt from her tight throat. For what seemed a lifetime, he stood above her, not moving.

  Suzette’s eyes opened when Kaytano reached down and slowly pulled the sheet to her waist. Wordlessly he sat down on the edge of the bed beside her. He was leaning over her face, and when she looked up at him to see his dark eyes studying her so intensely, it both frightened and excited her. His mouth was a hard line and now it was very slowly descending to her lips. Panic gripped her; his mouth was so close to hers, she could feel his breath. Certain his kiss would be punishing and cruel, she closed her eyes.

  Kaytano put his hand to her face and very tenderly kissed the right corner of her mouth. From there, he moved across her mouth, feathering soft, warm kisses over her trembling lips. When he reached the left corner, he let his open lips rest there, making not a sound. But his hand moved over her cheek to her throat. She tensed but didn’t move. His fingers trailed downward, then up over the rounded fullness of her breast. With his thumb, he circled the hardening nipple slowly and moved on to her slim waist. His hand came to rest there and against her lips he said huskily, “I will not rape you, Suzette. If you are going to stop me, do it now while I still can.”

  He raised his head and looked down at her. The dark eyes were surprisingly warm and tender. The mouth had lost some of its hardness, and for a second Suzette would have sworn she saw a flicker of a smile.

  He was waiting for her answer. She knew what that answer should be. She knew, too, that he meant exactly what he said. He was not going to take her against her will. The decision was entirely hers.

  Why her throat hurt so badly, she didn’t know. Why she wanted desperately to cry was a mystery. How she could be so tempted to bury her face in the warmth of his smooth chest and sob made no sense at all. But that’s how she felt.

  The dark, beautiful eyes were on her face. The warm hand lay on her waist, unmoving. Within seconds this strange handsome man bending over her would either release her and go to his bed or he would make love to her. The choice was hers.

  Not trusting her voice, Suzette slowly moved her arms from under her head. Praying he’d make it easy, she hesitantly put her fingers on his lean cheek. When he slowly turned his head and lovingly kissed her palm, Suzette’s sobs broke from her aching throat.

  The sound was no more than a faint, brief whimper because Kaytano’s mouth swallowed her cries as his lips closed over hers and he pulled her up into his arms. The soft, feathery kisses were gone and in Kaytano’s kiss were a power and passion that ignited Suzette’s simmering desire. She opened her lips and gloried in the plundering, demanding mouth pressed to hers. His hands were gliding up her back, holding her close to his hard chest.

  When at last his searing kiss had ended and he lifted his head, Suzette was clinging to his neck while the room spun around her. Smiling, Kaytano took hold of her slender wrists and moved her hands away. Trusting him completely, she asked no questions when he laid her back down on the bed. Pushing the sheet to her feet, he stretched out beside her and she smiled happily when his warm lips came back to hers. Never in her life had she been kissed the way Kaytano was kissing her. Wave after wave of warmth spread over her, and in the heat enveloping her she was aware that Kaytano’s hard lean body was burning too. She spread her fingers on the wall of his chest and loved the feel of his slick hot skin under her hand. It was warm in the room, but not that warm. This dark irresistible lover wanted her as much as she wanted him.

  His mouth continued to play with hers, plundering, invading, and tasting until Suzette could feel her lips becoming tender and swollen. Kaytano’s sensitive lips could feel it too. They left hers and went to her neck. Gently he nibbled and nuzzled his way down to her breasts.

  When he bent his dark head and sucked gently at first one, then the other, her breasts swelled and she moaned with pleasure. Her eyes were closed as she lay writhing against him, her fingers running through his thick black hair.

  When finally he raised his head, she opened her eyes to look at him. “My God, you are magnificent,” he said softly as his palm curved over her bare stomach. Gently he touched her, never taking his eyes from hers. “I have wanted to touch you this way since the first minute I saw you. I have lain in that bed night after night and cursed the day I took you off that train.” His hand slowly moved down to cover the blond triangle of silky hair. There was no need for him to ask that she move her thighs apart. Eagerly they opened to him and his slender fingers slipped between her legs. Slowly, gently, Kaytano began to caress her while his smoldering eyes impaled her face.

  There was fire in the tips of those fingers as he tenderly explored, probed, circled, coaxed. Suzette looked into those great dark eyes and felt that all she had ever wanted in her life was to lie in this man’s arms while he intimately touched her. Nothing else on earth mattered. They were drifting in a universe where only he and she belonged. The fire inside her was growing ever hotter; it would rage out of control, but Suzette felt no urgency or apprehension. This very sensual man knew just how far to take her before he let the insistent craving subside slightly, only to begin again and take her dangerously close to the crest. She was his and his alone. When she arched her back and called his name, almost begging for all he had to give her, Kaytano rose
from the bed.

  Suzette’s eyes flew open and she watched shamelessly as he took off his trousers and stood naked in the moonlight, gazing down at her, possession in his heated gaze and poised body.

  For one frightening second, she was terrified he would walk away from her, leave her, and get into his own bed. “Kaytano,” she whispered through fevered, dry lips, and lifted her shaking hand to him. He dropped onto the bed beside her and she wrapped her arms around his back. He kissed her cheek, pushing a long strand of her hair away from her face with his mouth. His long, lean leg moved over hers, its darkness covering her pale whiteness. And then he was looking into her eyes again as he slowly pulled her underneath him.

  “I won’t hurt you,” he whispered as he took her with a deep sure thrust of his hard body. If his hand had brought her pleasure, his body brought her ecstasy. Expertly he moved within her, his body sleek and slippery on hers. His breath was hot and ragged near her ear, and his strong heartbeat, pounding rapidly, mingled with hers as his chest pressed heavily on her tingling breasts. She clung to him and moaned. Kaytano grasped her hips and lifted her to him while he drove into her with mounting need.

  When the zenith came for Suzette, it took her with terrifying swiftness and she was not capable of holding back to wait for Kaytano. Sobs of rapture burst from her throat. When finally she started to drift back to earth, she opened her eyes and saw Kaytano’s passion-hardened face just above hers as his own ecstasy was attained on the heels of hers. “My darling,” she murmured and held him to her.

  He collapsed on her, his head resting on her breasts. They lay entwined, their spent, damp bodies unmoving, their voices stilled. For the first time since Kaytano had entered the small room, Suzette noticed the music and laughter from just outside the door. Miraculously she had forgotten about the party going on in the other room. There had been no one and nothing but Kaytano. Only Kaytano. Kaytano kissing her. Kaytano’s hands on her. Kaytano’s hard body on hers, in hers.

  Kaytano raised himself up on an elbow. “Has that damned party been going on all this time?”

  She grinned. “I have no idea. I didn’t hear a thing.”

  He laughed, and the sound of his laughter filled her with happiness. He laughed so seldom. Never had he laughed with her. His laughter was almost as precious as his lovemaking.

  “Suzette,” he said and began to kiss her shoulder lightly. “It’s so noisy here, and it’s so hot. Know what I’d like to do?”

  “I think so.” She nodded and slowly slid the sole of her foot up his long leg.

  “You do?”

  “If it’s the same thing I want, I do.” She licked her finger and traced his full lower lip with it.

  “I want to make love to you out in the open where the night breeze will cool us. I want to lie naked with you on some hill-top in the moonlight. I want you to shout my name to the stars overhead, and the wind, and the hills.”

  “When do we leave?” she asked happily.

  “Let’s get dressed. I’ll saddle Darkness and we’ll ride out of camp.”

  “But what about the others?”

  Kaytano rose from the bed and reached for his trousers. “What about them?”

  “The party is still going on. If we leave here together and stay away all night, everyone will know.”

  “We won’t be followed, if that’s what’s worrying you.”

  “They’ll think we’ve gone out to make love, Kaytano. They’ll know you intend to take me out to rape me.”

  Kaytano buttoned his pants and laughed. “Suzette, they think I’ve been sleeping with you since that first night they heard you screaming. Remember?” He touched her cheek affectionately.

  Color flooding her cheeks, she bent her head. “What do they think of me?”

  “They know you’re Kaytano’s woman. And you are. Now, either get dressed or I’ll carry you right through their party stark naked.” She looked up at him and saw the impish grin. His smile softened his hard, handsome face.

  She laughed and jumped from the bed. Standing on tip-toes, she kissed his smiling mouth. “Help me dress?”

  “I’d be delighted.”

  30

  Laughing like two small children, Suzette and Kaytano hurriedly dressed, anxious to be out of the close, warm room, far from the camp, free to explore their newly found passions. Kaytano, his gunbelt strapped around his hips, two blankets and his empty saddlebags slung over his shoulder, stood smiling at the excited young woman scurrying about the little room, packing personal items as though she was off on a long trip.

  “Kaytano”—she looked over her shoulder at him—“should I…that is…” She held a bar of sweet-smelling soap in her hand.

  “Take it, and grab your hairbrush. We’ll be gone for a couple of days, so you’ll need it.” He said it matter-of-factly.

  Suzette smiled and came to him, looking down at her tight trousers, plaid shirt, and beaded moccasins, the only clothes she owned, save the white blouse she’d worn to the dance. “Should I pack my other blouse?”

  Kaytano grinned and kissed her nose. “That you won’t need. Now, let’s be off.” His hand clasped her neck lightly and he propelled her through the door, back into the big room where the party was still in progress.

  Shouts and cheers greeted the couple. The drunken men and women were eager to have the dark leader and his blond woman join them in their revelry. “Hey, Kaytano, you let me dance with pale beauty, no?” called a lusty, laughing man, whiskey clouding his judgment.

  “Kaytano, mi amigo.” Another came up to him and draped an arm over Kaytano’s shoulder, bobbing his head around to gape at Suzette. “You make love to your woman. Now you hungry and thirsty, eh?”

  Kaytano said nothing, but smiled easily and slipped from the drunk’s grasp. Still holding lightly to Suzette’s neck, he walked with her to the food table. “Suzette, wrap up that roast beef,” he said as he pointed to a large, half-eaten mound of well-done meat. Suzette nodded happily. Kaytano picked up cheese, fruit, bread, and two bottles of red wine and crammed everything into his saddlebags.

  “Wait, Kaytano.” Suzette jerked a white cloth from the table, folding it rapidly and tossing it to him.

  She was packing a silver fork when Kaytano said, “That’s it, Suzette. Let’s go.”

  Outside she rushed to keep up with his long, sure strides. His impatience was evident. At the stable, he led the large black horse out into the moonlight. He lifted the hand-tooled saddle, its silver conches glinting in the moonlight. In seconds the cinch was tightened under the horse’s belly and Kaytano was strapping the blankets and saddlebags behind the saddle. That done, he stepped to the horse’s head and patted his muzzle while he put the bit into his mouth. To Suzette’s surprise, Kaytano began to speak to his horse as if it were a person.

  “My faithful friend”—Kaytano’s voice was low and resonant—“we are going out of the canyon, up to the south rim. Pick your way carefully; I have my woman with me and I will be giving her my attention. Don’t let me down, Darkness.” Bridle in place, Kaytano turned to Suzette.

  “Do you suppose he understands you?” Suzette was amused.

  Lifting her astride the big horse, he said, “I trained him myself. Darkness understands. You will see.” He looped the reins over the horse’s neck and was up behind her, his long arms encircling her. His weight had hardly settled on the horse’s back before Darkness was prancing proudly across the courtyard. At the front gate, a sleepy Mexican came immediately alert when he saw the tall rider was Kaytano.

  Rushing to swing the heavy gates open, he bowed and grinned sheepishly. “Kaytano! You go for pleasure ride, no?”

  “Sí.” Kaytano nodded and let Darkness have his head. The horse went rapidly into an easy lope, and Suzette, laughing and happy, leaned back against Kaytano and did something she’d not done in years.

  She began to whistle. Her attempts to whistle a Spanish love song she’d heard snatches of when she lay with Kaytano earlier brought a grin to his
lips. He joined her. He whistled beautifully. Suzette fell silent, hugging the strong arms that were around her. Kaytano finished the lovely ballad before pulling up on the reins. Darkness halted and Kaytano kissed her temple. “Why did you stop? You were very good.”

  Turning to look at him, she said, “Not really, it’s been ages since I whistled.”

  “Ah, perhaps you need a little practice. Shall I teach you my secret call?”

  “Oh, Kaytano, please.”

  “I will have to look at you.” He wrapped the reins around the saddlehorn and put his hands on her waist. “Throw your right leg over, Suzette.”

  “You won’t let me fall, will you?”

  “Never, love.” She sat across the saddle, held firmly in place with his hands. “Okay, Darkness.” The horse, heeding Kaytano’s spoken command, walked along with his ears pricked, while the two laughing people he carried made strange sounds.

  Suzette paid close attention as Kaytano gave a high, shrill whistle that seemed to make his whole mouth vibrate. Its sound was plaintive, lonely, and its volume low, yet far-reaching. It was unlike any sound she’d ever heard, and something about it made the hair stand up on her forearms. It was hauntingly beautiful and uniquely suited to Kaytano.

  Kaytano licked his lips and looked at her, waiting for her to speak. “I could never do that.” She shook her head.

  “Eerie, isn’t it?”

  “Yes. Where did you learn it? I’ve never heard anything like it.”

  “It’s an Indian call, Suzette. I want you to learn it. I’ve not shown it to anyone since I was a boy. It’s special to me, and you’re special. Try it, please.”

  Suzette looked into his eyes, puckered her lips, and gave the plaintive call with her first attempt.

  Kaytano cocked his head. “Do you learn everything that rapidly?”