She smiled and tunneled her hands through his hair, drawing his face to hers. “What I want is for you to fuck me like the stud, you are.”
Nathaniel allowed himself a moment of shock at her words, convinced he’d revisit the comment another time before he sprang into action. His mouth covered hers and his body slammed deep into her. The hard thrust of his cock was matched by the plunge of his tongue. One mimicked the other, taking, claiming, relishing in the pure pleasure of having this woman in his arms.
She allowed him a few moments of control, before she tore her lips from his and hissed, “Yes.”
The word set him in motion. The piston action of his hips hammering into her gave her no relief. She didn’t bulk at the fast pace rhythm. Instead, she met him, stroke for stroke, rocking her hips and took everything he had to give.
With each thrust, he felt the impending threat of his climax. But first, he wanted nothing more than for her to explode around him again. He lowered his head and groaned, “Come for me, Baby.”
As if waiting for his command, her body clutched at his. Her legs trembled, and fingernails bit into his skin. Her orgasm played against his cock, squeezing and massaging him until he couldn’t delay any longer.
Slamming deep, he fired his seeds into her soft core. Rapture filled him, highlighting his vision of their future together. She belonged to him...his to fuck, his to hold, and his to love.
Allowing his body to relax, he eased gently from her inviting warmth and rolled onto his back. With his arms still wrapped around Dixy, he drew her up over his chest. “Now, sweetheart, we are off to the church to get married.”
A light chuckled, and she dropped a kiss on his neck. “That is, of course, once we can move again.”
Nathaniel hugged her, enjoying the smooth glide of her moist skin against his. Already he was picturing the next time he’d make love to her. His body tightened. He whispered into her hair, “Believe me, sweetheart. With you so close, I’m sure I won’t be able to stay still long.”
She lifted her head, and her gaze met him with a bold invitation. “Meaning?”
“Only that once we are married. I plan to maintain a hard and...” He cupped his hand over her ass and rocked his body into hers, “...steady pace when you’re around.”
****
Less than thirty minutes later, Dixy sat on the front bench of Nathaniel’s carriage unable to contain the smile on her face. Making love to him might have been the single most memorable moment of her life. Not only had he been hot and demanding but gentle and kind.
Once they were ready to get out of bed, he’d retrieved a wet cloth for her and helped clean up the moisture between her legs. By the time, he finished washing off her intimate flesh she was almost tempted to delay their wedding for a while longer. The man made her melt with a single touch.
She shifted and admired the stylish carriage. Not only did it have a deluxe seat but also a thick canvas hood which shielded her from the bright sunlight. Early in the day, the brisk wind had tugged on wraps and slapped at exposed cheeks with an abrupt burst. Luckily, the light breeze now reminded her of more balmy weather. A good sign, she figured to her upcoming nuptials.
“Are you cold, honey?” Nathaniel offered her a crocheted lap blanket from the driver’s side of the buggy.
“No, I’m fine at the moment.” She eyed his broad shoulders, which were encased in a wool coat. The ends of his dark hair glowed with red highlights from under the black, leather hat he wore. His lean body silhouetted by the sun reminded her of what it was like to have him positioned over her. His thick length buried to the hilt. Her erogenous thoughts lit a fire in her core, and moisture trickled between her legs. She hastily shifted out of his way and straightened her skirt to prevent it from hampering his movements.
“Okay, I’ll set it here in the back should you need it later.” He tossed the blanket in the small bed of the carriage and settled on the seat beside her. “Now, I guess we are ready to go.”
He collected the reins and slapped them against the rear of a beautiful Bay, which was harnessed to the front. The buggy rolled easily forward. The powerful, iron wheels ran smoothly over the dirt road.
The gentle rocking sent her thoughts to a question she’d struggled with since walking into his home. What made him so successful as a doctor? He seemed to care and worked hard to help his patients. Yet, he had more than most rural physicians she’d met in Texas, a nice house, a stylish buggy, and several acres of land. How, in such a small town, had he’d been able to pay for all the things he had acquired?
Her father had a thriving practice in Georgia, affording them a big spread on the outskirts of Atlanta. The constant rumblings on the likelihood of war had caused them to move west. He’d claimed that after paying off debtors and moving to Texas, they had limited funds. Why? She could never really understand. Still, he had continued to work hard to re-establish himself until his health faded. Then dang it, he’d caught that fever.
She shoved aside the pain she experienced at his passing and realized how little she knew about Nathaniel. Nervous butterflies danced in her stomach. She stiffened and drew her shawl tighter around her shoulders.
Was she making a mistake? Or did she have a choice?
After all, Nathaniel’s deputy friend had said to stay put until he checked out her story. Which she might have been able to achieve if not for Tobias’ killer probably knowing she’d witness the murder. In addition, she didn’t intend to upset the law and find herself hanging from the end of a rope.
An uneasy quiver ran through her. She had to fight the impulse to break free and run. Instead, she set a hand on Nathaniel’s thigh and examined his face. “I don’t mean to sound as if I’m meddling into your business, but how can you afford this carriage?”
She studied his features closely, looking for any signs she might have upset him. Taking an extra second, she pushed for an answer. “Along with your house and livestock?
“I was wondering when you’d get to the subject of my finances.” He shifted the reins and laid a hand over hers. “Most of the people in town already know that my father is a doctor in Dallas. He has a thriving business where I worked for a few years. Once I made enough to quit, I moved here and opened my practice.”
Her mind busy with constructing a reason for him moving away from such a big city, she rolled her hand over and held his. “And do you like it here better?”
With a nod, he redirected his attention to the road ahead, effectively avoiding holes and rough spots. “Here, I work five to seven hours a day. In Dallas, I had long shifts, which last ten to twelve hours. Between the time in the office and visiting the hospital, I was lucky to have two minutes to myself.”
Remembering her father’s busy schedule in Atlanta, she nodded. Her father had trouble dealing with the constant demands and had numerous spells where he had to drink a half a bottle of whiskey to relax. “Yes, but don’t you get bored here?”
He chuckled, “No, I enjoy the challenges of ranching and growing vegetables.”
Still unsure of his motives for marrying her, she eased her hand away his and held her wrap close to her bosom. “But, uh, won’t your family be upset by you taking a wife without them meeting her first?”
“No, they’ll probably be excited I finally found a girl to marry me.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and drew her to his chest. “Don’t worry. They’ll all love you when they meet you.”
Refusing to argue the point, Dixy took stock of where they were going and noticed a group of buggies by the side of the road. The church stood farther along the path. Searching through her memory for any important religious holidays, she tried to recall if today had special significant.
“Oh gosh, I forgot. They’re burying Tobias.” Nathaniel pointed to the people gathered in the cemetery. He tugged on the reins and slowed the carriage to a crawl.
The small crowd appeared to be breaking up with individuals walking steadily back toward their wagons. The minister dresse
d in a dark coat stood, shaking the hands of a tall man. He carried himself with an air of authority and pulled his hand quickly free as if uninterested in the clergyman’s sympathy.
The sound of voices fluttered in the breeze.
“Nice service.”
“Tobias deserve better.”
“Hey, isn’t that the woman who rode to Naked Bluff with Tobias?”
The last statement hit Dixy in the face. She glanced around, searching for the speaker, but couldn’t tell who might have spoken the words.
Did they blame her for his death?
She swiveled around and cupped a hand over Nathaniel’s arm. “Should I have gone to his funeral?”
Chapter Eight
Reading her concern, Nathaniel eased his grip on the reins and allowed the carriage to roll by the other wagons parked beside the cemetery. “There’s no reason for you to attend it. You barely knew the man.”
“But I liked him. I just didn’t...” Her words dried up as if she was uncertain what to say next. Shaking her head, she stared at the people leaving. “They must all think I killed him.”
“No. They’re probably wondering how you didn’t get shot too.” Nathaniel tucked the reins against his chest and drew the wagon to a stop. He had decided after he found out the time of the funeral not to tell her. Mainly, because he hadn’t been certain if he could attend the service with her, and he hated the thought of her going alone.
She whipped around and stared at him as if stunned. “But I didn’t save him.”
“Yes, but you tried. That’s more than most people would have done.” He placed his hand on her shoulder and pulled her close. “Quit blaming yourself. You did everything you could.”
With sad eyes, she studied him a moment longer before she ducked her head and leaned into him. Her sweet scent teased his senses and triggered a protective instinct. He had to fight the urge to hold her and forget the world existed.
Unfortunately, he learned small town dynamics didn’t allow for ignoring proper protocol. Public display of affection was frowned upon, and he did not aim to draw any more unwanted attention to Dixy.
He surveyed the people milling around their wagons and noticed a three-person party still standing by the grave. After exchanging a few words with Tobias’ boss, Gab Van Pelt and his wife, the minister meandered toward the church.
Seeing his opportunity, Nathaniel whispered, “Why don’t you wait here while I go talk to Minister Jenkins?”
“Are you sure?” She shifted and glanced over her shoulder. “He might want to meet me before he agrees to marry us.”
“True, but why should you leave the comfort of the wagon until we know for certain he’ll do the ceremony,” Nathaniel argued. From the stories, he’d heard regarding the clergyman. The man didn’t hold his tongue when faced with a stranger. He’d instantly hammered them with questions involving their religious beliefs and attempted to convert them to his way of thinking as fast as possible.
Nathaniel hoped to forgo the inquiry by reminding the man of his matrimonial duties. It’d also allow Dixy a few minutes to herself. He released his grip on her, slid out of the carriage, and retrieved the warm cover from the rear compartment.
“Why don’t you throw this over your lap until I return?” He didn’t give her time to respond. Instead, he pitched the blanket onto the bench seat and walked toward the man in the dark wool coat.
As Minister Jenkins wandered down the path, Nathaniel took in his slight build and his sandy blonde hair, fluttering wild around his cherub face. Most thought of him as being too young to be a man of God, but his demanding presence in the pulpit and his willingness to help other had won almost everyone’s respect.
Nathaniel called out a greeting as soon as he was within shouting distant. “How are you today, Minister Jenkins?”
With a slight bob in his stride, he blinked and appeared as if he hadn’t even noticed Nathaniel walking toward him. “Oh, my, you gave me a start. I was lost in thought, wondering how such a nice man as Mr. Poe could have worked for Mr. Van Pelt. The two have such dissimilar personalities. Mr. Poe was always willing to bring me news of what was happening at the Indian reservations when he visited them up in Oklahoma.”
He tucked his hands under his armpits and crossed his arms against the cold wind before he continued, “I have friends...”
Hoping to prevent the man from droning on about nothing for hours, Nathaniel gave a noncommittal shrugged and held his opinion concerning the two men to himself. He’d not had a reason to get to know either man. Yes, he’d seen Tobias around town, but they had never exchanged hellos.
As far as Mr. Van Pelt, Nathaniel had no contact with him what-so-ever. The Van Pelt’s sat at the front of the church on Sunday morning, while Nathaniel preferred the back. So other than a few faraway glimpses, he had no knowledge of the man. Other than town gossip and he didn’t rely on hearsay.
Once Nathaniel detected a pause in the dialog, he broke in with “I was wondering Minister, if you might have time this afternoon to marry me to my betrothed.”
He pointed to the carriage where Dixy sat, hoping to persuade the man to help them achieve the task today.
“Oh, my, I didn’t realize you were engaged. Why half the girls in the community have set their sights on being your bride,” Minister Jenkins responded as if each of those girls’ mothers hadn’t pestered Nathaniel.
“Yes, well, Dixy is the woman I plan to wed. Do you have time today to perform the ceremony?” Nathaniel pushed, hoping to schedule the service as soon as possible and return home without any more delays.
Minister Jenkins rushed for the side door of the church. “Let me check my notes. I know I have another appointment this afternoon with Mr. Randal, but I’m not exactly sure of the time.”
Nathaniel followed along behind him, confused by the young man’s scatterbrained response. Did he have that busy of schedule?
“I, also normally like to meet with a couple several times before I recite the holy sacraments of matrimony. You don’t want to end up with the wrong girl, do you?” Minister Jenkins held the door open for Nathaniel to follow him inside the church.
“I can see how that might be helpful for most couples, but Dixy is already living with me. And we’re hoping to dodge any unkind rumors.” Nathaniel whipped his hat off his head and followed the clergyman to a room behind the pulpit.
“Yes, we will need to get this marriage performed promptly.”
Glad to have the man understand his urgency, Nathaniel paused in the doorway and waited while the clergyman rummaged through the papers scattered across the top of a table.
Memories of his earlier tumble in bed with Dixy had a content smile blooming on Nathaniel’s lips. His fingers played, running back and forth over the rim of his hat. He recalled the soft texture of her skin. Desire built inside him to have her plush ass in his hands and her succulent flavor of her sweet cream on his tongue. An ache formed in his loins, and he smiled at the thought of sinking into her tight twat.
In the very near future, Miss. Dixy Hawthorne would officially become his wife.
“Yes, yes, it looks like I have a few minutes to spare.” Minister Jenkins waved him out the door. “Go get your girl as quickly as you can and meet me in the sanctuary. I’ll be out there as soon as I get off my coat and collect my Bible.”
Not having to be told twice, Nathaniel raced along the side aisle, darted to the front doors, and hurried outside to the front steps. His gaze fell on the spot where he’d parked the carriage. Gawking at the empty space, he rushed for solid ground before pausing. A sense of panic filled him, sending his feet into a run. He sprinted along the road, searching for any sight of Dixy or his carriage.
Nothing.
“God, what the hell happen to her!” he roared and berated himself for leaving her alone and unprotected.
****
Only a few minutes earlier, Dixy had sat watching the minister and Nathaniel as they walked to the church. She had no doubt he wo
uld convince the man to marry them. Still, as they disappeared, she wondered if she should rethink the commitment of marriage. After all, if she left the state who would ever know what she did in Texas?
“Hello, there.”
Surprised to hear a voice on the other side of the carriage, she swung around to see a handsome man standing where Nathaniel had been moments ago. “Uh, hello.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. I merely didn’t want Nathaniel to see me talking to you. Rumor has it he’s already decided to make you his wife, which means, he’s not going to take kindly to me chatting with his girl.” The stranger leaned into the wagon as if ready to climb aboard.
Stunned by the man forwardness, Dixy tightened her wrap around her shoulders and offered him a haughty glare. “And who are you?”
“Oh, there I go forgetting my manners. My name’s John Smith.” The man tipped his hat, his deep southern drawl telling her he was not from around here. “It’s a real pleasure, madam. I can see why Tobias would’ve let you tag along on his trip home. You are right pretty.”
“Why thank you.” Dixy studied him. His wavy hair stood out from the dark rim while his gray eyes held a serious concern in their depths. Convinced she’d never seen or met him before, she offered her hand. “I’m very sorry. I couldn’t save Tobias. He was such a kind man.”
“Yes, well, he had a feeling his days were numbered. Told me before he left he was heading for trouble, but he wouldn’t tell me exactly what was up.” He rubbed the back of his neck and frowned. “I was kinda hoping we might be able to talk a spell about your trip here with him.”
Shocked by the request, Dixy hurled a quick glance at the church doors, concern how Nathaniel would react to her talking to a complete stranger. He’d not minded her conversing with his patients, but something told her he’d be upset at her carrying on a conversation with this particular man. “I don’t see any problem with that. Why don’t you come by Nathaniel’s tomorrow morning sometime?”
The Country Doctor's Bride (Historical West - The Cowboys of Naked Bluff, Texas series Book 6) Page 6