by Tia Dani
Libby's secure world once again spun. She was in an era where she had little control over her life, and the only person who could help her left in disgust, a man who always seemed to do his best in the only way he knew how.
"Matthew," she whispered, "I'm sorry." Wiping away her tears, she opened the saddle bags, making a decision. If they survived this, she'd never push her beliefs on anyone again. At least not in a righteous, know-it-all arrogance...unless they asked for it. Like Getz, she amended.
It didn't take her long to survey the saddle bags. They held little. However, with careful rationing, she and Matthew would be fine for a few days. She retrieved her first-aid kit and searched through it finding several candy bars and gum buried in the bottom. She'd put them there for her father, in case he wanted a snack while out in the field. Their biggest problem would be water. All they had were the two canteens, and the brackish pool she'd bathed in. She picked up both canisters and shook them one at a time. From the sound and weight, one was half full, the other about three-quarters full.
She glanced down at the men's clothing she'd worn on the way to the Bair homestead. They'd be warmer than her usual clothes. Besides they could use her skirt and petticoats as blankets during the night. September nights could be chilly. She paused, thinking about last night, for some reason she hadn't been cold at all. In fact, besides having one of her strange dreams, she slept fine. It didn't surprise her to find Matthew's blanket covering her this morning. It was the type of man he was. Tears threatened to fall again, and Libby slapped her hand against her leg in impatient anger. She was going to have to stop being so weepy. Matthew needed someone he could rely on, not an emotional, crying woman.
Libby crouched by the opening of the cave, trying hard to ignore the skunk. She pretended to be an Indian entering the cave. Carefully, she surveyed the area, checking for shadows and possible cover. Finding it, she started gathering as many of the large rocks she could roll to form a barrier to hide behind. Heavier rocks took some maneuvering but she managed to get them in place. Slowly, she built a natural-looking screen. If the wind came up, it could serve as a wind break.
Behind her pile of rocks, Libby placed both slickers on the ground followed by her petticoats and skirt. The two saddles, saddle bags and first-aid kit, she positioned at the top, next to the wall.
Plopping down on her make-shift bed, Libby scooted toward the end and looked over her screen and frowned. She needed more rocks to make it high enough to hide her and Matthew, but all in all it satisfied her.
Footsteps sounded on the ledge outside, and she dropped as low as she could. A man's body darkened the opening of the cave. Silence filled the chamber, and Libby held her breath.
"Ah, shit. Where in the hell has she gone now?"
Smothering a giggle, Libby peeked over the edge. Matthew stood inside the cave with his hands gripping his rifle.
"I told her to stay put."
When he started to turn, she popped up from behind the rocks. "I stayed put."
"What the—"
"I built it myself."
He stared at her screen of rocks and then turned to stare at her. "You did this?"
"Yes, all our stuff is behind it. No one will be able to see us, and—" She noticed he shook his head. "What do you mean no? You didn't see me, did you?"
"No, but—"
"Admit it," she replied, putting her hands on her hips. "It works."
A faint smile turned up the corners of his mouth, and Libby wasn't sure if he smiled at her or at her determination to make him admit she was right.
"It works, Miss Know-it-all. What I was trying to tell you before you interrupted me was you need more rocks at the end there. I can see the edge of something white."
Libby ignored his sarcasm and beamed. She turned back. "I thought the same thing too. I put my petticoats and skirt down on top of our slickers for us to sleep on."
"Together?"
He sounded upset, but, Libby decided, more likely their voices sounded different in the cave. "You don't think I'm going to make two of these screens, there isn't enough room and—"
"It won't work."
"Of course it will." Why did he have to be so stubborn? "It's better this way. We'll be able to keep each other warm during the night and—"
"No. We'll have to figure something else out."
Libby's patience ended. "Matthew," she said tartly. "If you interrupt me one more time, I swear I'm going to scream so loud it will bring the entire Indian nation running up here. And..." she added slowly. "We will not figure anything else out, because this is the best arrangement, and you know it."
When she saw he still balked at the idea, she placed a hand on his arm. "Please, I'd feel better if you were close to me at night. You know how I walk in my sleep. If...if—"
"All right. We'll sleep together."
She looked up at him and smiled. "Good." Suddenly he turned and headed for the opening. "Where are you going?"
"To get more rocks."
"But...wait" she whispered, hurrying after him. "What about the Indians?"
"They're busy right now."
"Doing what?"
"You don't want to know."
His answer told her everything. "I see. All right, what do you want me to do?"
"Stay inside. Have you checked my saddle bags?"
"Yes, we have enough food to last a few days. We shouldn't have trouble with our water supply as long as we're careful. We'll be fine, if the Indians don't discover us."
For several seconds he stood there looking at her. Then he said slowly, "Libby, I can't guarantee we'll get through this. But, I promise, I won't let them take you."
She knew what he meant. Resting her head against his chest, so he couldn't see her tears, she said softly, "I understand. You'll do what you have to do."
When she felt him place his lips against the top of her head, she closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his waist. "We'll be fine, I know it."
He pushed her away and held out his rifle. "Do you know how to use this?"
"Me? Of course not. I don't like guns. I'm a doctor."
Her answer seemed to amuse him for he chuckled and placed the weapon against the cave's opening. "I thought so. Stay put. I'll be back in a minute with your rocks."
Later, after their meager meal of dried beef and swallow of water, Libby sat cross-legged on their bed. Matthew remained near the opening, looking out. She ran her fingers through her hair and sighed. "What I wouldn't give for a hair brush, and...a bath." She wrinkled her nose. "I might be getting used to skunk smell, but, I don't have to like it."
He joined her behind their makeshift screen. She could barely see him in the dark but when he sat down beside her. "You smell the same as me."
She sniffed the air next to him and pretended to groan. "Lordy, Lordy. If I smell like you. I'm in trouble."
She heard him chuckle. "Go to sleep, Libby, it's going to be a long night as it is."
She lay down beside him and heard him scoot further away. It took a while before he answered.
"We're going to have to take turns staying awake."
"Why should we? Don't Indians need their sleep too?" She knew she was being difficult, but she didn't want to have to stand watch. She'd never make it.
"They do, but one of them might decide to take a late night stroll."
"Don't tell me that. I'll be a nervous wreck. I happen to have one of the greatest imaginations in the world."
"If you hear something, wake me up...quietly."
She reached out and stopped him from moving. "What if it's nothing but my imagination? You won't be mad if I wake you up?"
"No."
"Promise?"
He released a long sigh. "I promise. Now go to sleep."
It must have been one of the longest nights in history. Libby couldn't sleep at all. At every sound she jumped and scooted closer to Matthew. He gave her a strange look and sighed.
By the next evening, the situation hadn't i
mproved. The weather changed, the temperature dropping several degrees. Neither of them spoke much during the day. Libby wondered what Matthew was thinking. As for her, she had no doubt about what was on her mind. It might have been the suspense or the nearness of each other for such a long time but her desire for him seemed to grow, the harder she mentally tried to explain it away. By sunset, she'd decided Matthew was the Mr. Right she'd waited for, and as each hour ticked by, her wanting became steadily worse.
But she couldn't do anything about it. They had to take turns stretching out on the hard, cave floor or sitting in the shadows to peer over their rock blind at the cave entrance. Time meant nothing to Libby. She'd lost count of the hours long ago. It was her turn to watch. She sat cross-legged with her back against the cold rocks and watched the jagged circle of moon light which passed by the entrance by the hour. Footsteps stumbling and slurred voices drifted into the cave. Libby crawled quietly around their barrier to where Matthew slept. She placed a trembling hand over his mouth, awakening him.
"Someone's coming," she whispered.
Matthew reached for his rifle. He pulled her behind him and rested the tip of the barrel on the top row of rocks.
Terror, greater than Libby ever felt before pounded inside her chest, until she thought she'd burst. She molded her body to Matthew's, needing his heat and strength. He must have felt her fear, for when she wrapped her arms around his waist, he covered her hands with one of his own and squeezed.
The voices became louder outside their cave. In the moonlight a man's head appeared in the opening. A guttural string of words followed raucous laughter. The man's silhouette disappeared, and the laughter drifted away. For several seconds, neither of them moved. Then Libby could no longer contain her tension. Silent sobs racked her body.
Matthew turned and pulled her close. "Sssh. It's all right. It's all right."
"I was so scared, Matthew."
"I know. So was I."
Libby shivered. "I thought we were going to die."
Matthew leaned her down onto their bedroll. "Rest now. I'll take the next watch."
She grabbed at him. "No...no...cold. Hold me." She sensed his reluctance. "Please, Matthew. I can't stop shivering."
A groan escaped his lips, but he lay down beside her and gathered her into his arms. "Go to sleep."
Libby snuggled closer, drawing in his heat. "Thank you, Matthew."
He said nothing for several moments. Then his voice floated, husky and ragged, near her ear. "You're welcome. Now go to sleep."
Hours later, Libby woke. She still lay wrapped in Matthew arms. His soft breathing told her sometime during the early morning hours he'd fallen asleep. She rose up slowly and studied him. Even with a two-day growth of beard, he looked handsome. Glowing warmth surged within her and she licked her lips. If only she could place a kiss on his mouth without waking him.
Matthew suddenly mumbled under his breath, and Libby jerked back. Her heart skipped a few beats. Dear Lord, what was she doing? How could she even think about making love with someone, when danger was so close to their little hide-away? Before she could come up with reasonable answer, her stomach rumbled.
To her surprise, Matthew's eyes opened, and he gave her a sleepy smile.
"Good morning. Hungry?"
Eating was the last thing Libby had on her mind. She snuggled closer, wrapping her arms around his chest. "No," she whispered. "I'm all right." Her stomach rumbled again, making her a liar. He sat up, pulling the blanket away from them. Cold air rushed over her, and she shivered. "Where are you going?"
"To get us something to eat." He dragged a saddle bag between them and sat cross-legged in front of her. He pulled out the cloth which held the dried beef and removed his knife from his sheath. We need to keep our strength up."
His long fingers unwrapped the cloth, and she shivered again, but not from the cold. An image of those same fingers unbuttoning her dress and touching her breasts inflamed her mind. She could even feel those fingers touch her inner thighs, then delving deep inside her.
Biting off a moan, she glanced at his face. Slicing the beef seemed to hold his full concentration, so he didn't notice her uncomfortable squirm. Her body shook with need. Even her face swelled with heat and desire.
Nervously, she reached up and played with the top button of her shirt. She wondered what he would do if she removed her clothes, starting with the shirt and... She heard a sudden intake of air. He stared at her hands, watching her fingers play with the buttons. She stared back, her fingers hesitating. Desire burned within his brown eyes, and she involuntarily leaned toward him.
"Don't," he whispered, holding up a hand.
"Why?" She didn't move any closer, but she didn't lean away, either.
"Because, it isn't right, and I don't want you."
Now they both were liars. He wanted her as much as she wanted him. She let her gaze travel down his body, especially where his hands hung in front of his crossed legs. His knuckles were white, as if he was gripping the knife tightly in order not to touch her, and directly behind them, at the apex of his legs was the tell-tale bulge of passion.
Libby came to an instant decision. If Mohammed wouldn't come to the mountain, then the mountain would go to Mohammed. She slipped the first button from its hole and dropped to the second one.
"Ah, shit, don't do this."
The raggedness in his whisper made Libby all the more determined. She slipped the second button through and did the same with the next two. Softly, she motioned toward his knife. "Put it away."
He glanced from her opened shirt down to his knife. Slowly, he shook his head. Not one to give up so easily, she rose up on her knees and leaned over him, resting her hands on his knees. With her shirt opened he had a clear view of her breasts. "Put your knife away, Matthew." When he still hesitated, she said huskily, "What I want isn't food."
A growl escaped him, and he tossed the knife and jerky off to the side. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her so she was half-sitting, half-lying across his lap. "There are Indians are out there, you vixen, or have you forgotten?"
"I haven't forgotten, and I don't care." She reached up and started unbuttoning his shirt. "All I care about is for you to make love to me. Now."
He inhaled hoarsely and grasped her hand, stopping her from continuing. "Libby, I can't. I swore that—"
She placed a hand over his mouth. "I don't want to hear what you swore. All I want is for you to make love to me, now, before we might be discovered. Don't you see, if they find us, I'll never get the chance to...to know..." She trailed off, uncertain how to say the rest. She couldn't tell him she didn't want to die or leave this time period knowing she never once made love to her Mister Right.
"Know what?" The heat in his voice burned her.
She shifted her hips so she pressed against his lap then answered as truthfully as she could. "Know what it would feel like to have more than your fingers inside me."
The minute she finished saying it, all his resistance must have evaporated. In one swift motion he had her lying on their make-shift bed.
"Remove your clothes. All of them."
Goose bumps prickled along her arms as she slowly removed each piece of clothing. The desire radiating from his body warmed her. When she lay naked before him, he started on his own clothes. She watched wide-eyed, not wanting to miss anything in the morning sunlight beaming inside. Muscles rippled across his bare shoulders and flat stomach as he bent to remove his boots and pants. Her breath came hard and fast, and she admired his naked body slowly bending over her.
"You know this is wrong," he said quietly, as if giving her one more chance to change her mind. "We can still stop."
She shook her head, bringing her hand up to his chest and dragging her nails through the mat of hair. "No, it's never wrong for a man and woman to want to share their love."
His gaze burned hotly into hers. "Is this what you think? Sharing love?"
"Yes. Don't you?"
"No." Mat
thew spread her knees and lowered his body so he was between her legs. She could feel his maleness pressing against her already slick moistness. "No. I wish to God I did, but I don't. It's nothing more than sharing lust."
Without warning, he gripped her hips and thrust forward burying his entire length inside her in one fluid stroke. The shock of having him enter so suddenly ripped a cry from her. Smothering her cry with his mouth, he withdrew and plunged again.
Waves of pleasure cascaded through Libby with each thrust. Lust or love, she was past caring. Never before had she experienced this much pleasure so quickly. The rush of excitement soared through her veins as plunged inside her again and again. Flames of white light licked at Libby's mind and body, igniting her into a shaking fever. Her body bucked and shuddered with the intensity of Matthew's powerful body slamming into hers. Before she could stop it or prolong the intensity, she slid with him into the welcoming arms of ecstasy.
Chapter Twenty-nine
Matthew held her close in the approaching dawn and battled with himself. He'd lied to her. What they had shared meant much more to him than lust. But he couldn't let himself fall in love with her, not in the way a man does with a woman he plans to marry.
Lightning flashed outside the cave, brightening up the early morning dawn to an instant of full daylight. The air crackled with charged energy. They were on their third day of hiding. Matthew frowned at the strangeness of it. No hint of moisture or rain filled the air. Rising slowly, so as not to awaken Libby, he donned his pants and slipped outside. Carefully, he worked his way to the ledge and glanced down at the Indians. They talked animatedly with anxious voices. Some pointed at the sky with wild gestures.
Matthew glanced upward. The sky seemed clear, void of any clouds. Where the lightning had come from, he had no idea. Another flash of light appeared out of nowhere, almost a blue color and, this time, the Indians responded with yells of fright and bounded to their horses. In a matter of minutes, they were racing north, heading away from the unusual lightning.