A young, beautiful Indian woman stood at the bottom of the stairs and gazed up at her.
Madeline stopped in front of her. “Kami?’’ This woman is always there to help me, and I don’t even know who she really is.
Kamikowa smiled, but remained mute while pointing to the door and nodding as she walked away.
Outside, the sun shone bright, and Madeline shaded her newly-healed eyes with her hand. Where am I supposed to go?
A magnificent black stallion galloped straight toward the entrance, while tourists on the sidewalk gaped and stepped to the side. Shirtless and wearing traditional Indian leather pants, along with his stunning smile, Devon rode right to the door and lifted her onto his lap.
Madeline laughed with pure abandon and joy at his swift, spontaneous maneuver.
Tourists gawked at the sight and spoke quietly to each other, while the Hualapai People all stood with their heads bowed in reverence.
Madeline wrapped her arms around his neck, and her laughter drifted along the hushed, crowded sidewalk. They rode straight up a rocky path, and she could hear the Indians let out cheers and wild guttural calls from the walk behind them.
His People were right; they knew he would come for me. She grinned.
She peered at the narrow, treacherous path, aware of its steep danger and felt no fear, but only experienced elation at being with Devon again. She chose to spend her time and exhilarated energy kissing his neck the entire ride on the canyon-rimmed path. Oh, he tastes so good! The intoxicating flavor of his skin enhanced the excitement of the wild ride. I could fill my mouth with this flavor for the rest of my life!
The path plummeted downwards, and finally they came to the bottom as the horse fell into a stately gallop at the side of the river. With her long suckling of his neck, Devon’s wicked smile edged at his lips as he navigated the horse.
Reluctantly, she removed her mouth from his neck and surveyed the colorful canyon walls rising above them.
They rode in the shade from the canyon walls and the horse slowed as the terrain became smoother.
Devon whistled loudly and the horse instantly adjusted to a slow walk.
Madeline looked out over the widening river. The sun sparkled on it and glittered upon the small swirls in the flowing current. “How beautiful.”
“Yes, you certainly are.” Devon reached around, placed his hands over her breasts, and held one in each hand as he flicked her nipples with his thumbs.
“Um…” She swallowed heavily as her body responded.
He leaned in close to her ear. “I instructed them to give you only the dress, no underwear or bra.”
She shivered. “So, you planned to—?”
“Yes, Maddy. To ravish you in the very dress you wore the day I met you.” His mouth lowered to her neck and he kissed her skin.
Her heart pounded in her chest as she remembered she’d contemplated going back to Malibu, and would’ve never felt this glorious again. Her pride now existed as something on her downfall list, a luxury to avoid at all costs. That ugly, self-centered Madeline nearly cost her the most important deal of her life.
A realization of Phoebe and Rick’s sad story dawned on her, and she finally understood what everything meant. When you get your chance, don’t mess it up, because you may never find it again.
Interrupting her musings, Devon removed his mouth from her neck. “I am gonna lift your dress, Maddy.” He smiled to her cheek. “I figure you know me well enough by now.”
Madeline felt his voice and breath on her cheek, and her body pulsated with anticipation while he tugged her dress to her waist. Breathless with the ride, his body rubbing along hers, and the brilliant colors of the rock cliffs dazzling her eyes, she could smell the sweet pine scent of him. Nervously breathing in through her nose, Madeline had never felt so alive and warm.
Abruptly, Devon removed both hands for a moment and she clutched at the horse’s mane to keep steady. “What are you doing?”
His hands returned and he took hold of her hips, lifting her as she drew in a sharp, flabbergasted breath. With a strong but swift motion, he scooted her body back toward him.
Astonishment rushed over her as she realized what Devon meant to do. “You’re not going to—do this here, a-are you?”
He tugged her hips down onto his lap and entered her, leaning close to her ear again. “What? You’ve never ridden before?” His wicked voice taunted her.
Madeline shuddered and felt herself go instantly wet around his cock as it slid high inside of her. The motion of the horse’s gait caused her body to bounce up and down on him as she grasped the horse’s mane. “Oh,” The rhythmic sliding helped by Devon’s hold on her hips. His hand came around under her sundress, pinching her nipples with his warm fingers.
Never before had Madeline envisioned anything as erotic as this! This rhythmic riding of his cock in such a penetrating way jolted her insides, and a climax overwhelmed her almost immediately. “Oh, no,” she exclaimed frantically as her orgasm peaked.
“Ride, Madeline, ride,” he breathed into her ear with a throaty growl.
Her body writhed ferociously with a sensual spasm, and she let go of the mane. “Ahh!” Her shout echoed through the canyon, and in embarrassment, she bit down on her lip to quiet herself.
Helpless to control her body’s reactions, she leaned heavily back against Devon’s sleek chest, as he remained inside of her. Her body pulsed and little tremors ran through her as she struggled for air. He pulsated hard inside of her, as the horse continued its path beside the river. Still panting for air, she heard Devon laugh quietly in her ear, and she shook her head to clear it.
The horse’s rhythm kept jostling her, and she sighed with an amazed gratification.
Devon continued to hold her to him while he grasped her hips.
“No more,” she breathlessly pleaded.
“It’s gonna be a long ride, Maddy girl.”
She gulped heavily as her body vibrated with building need again, while his fingers found her pulsing clit.
“Yes, a hard ride before we get to the planned destination.” Devon rubbed her tender, wet skin with a relentless caress.
“No, Dev, I can’t stand it!”
Rubbing her faster and harder, his fingers slipped through the moisture as it seeped from her and abruptly, he gave out a loud whistle.
Madeline jumped at the blaring whistle in her ear, and he held her tighter with his arm around her waist as the horse went into a trot. “No, Dev!” she begged.
The trotting caused his cock thrusting to increase in force. “Unh—unh,” she breathed out with a helpless desperation as her body rose and descended on his lap.
“Mmm,” he groaned into her ear.
At the sensuous sound, her body peaked again.
“One more whistle?” he teased.
Madeline fought for air, while her body begged for release she couldn’t speak, and shook her head.
Devon held an amused expression on his face as he let out the dreaded whistle. The horse escalated to a run, and the river rose past its legs as the water splashed over on them.
Madeline screamed while trapped in enthralling rapture.
With a strong grip, he held her hips in place and allowed the impelling thrusts to pound inside of her. Devon lifted her as the surface of the desert floor changed and rocks appeared on the path below them, and when it smoothed out, he would ease her back down on his waiting cock.
An exquisite ecstasy flowed through her as she felt his cock throb and swell inside of her. She could hear his slight groan in her ear while the heat of his cum flowed into her. Clenching her thighs, Madeline was overwhelmed by the powerful sensations. A splendid wonder of such an erotic ride spread through her being as she even felt the tip of him touch her deep inside.
The muscles of her inner thighs twitched helplessly, and she tried to keep from screaming her euphoria aloud.
Panting in her ear, Devon laughed with wicked approval. “Mmm, yes, what a ride!”<
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Her body grew rigid as the tightening took hold of her, and she could not catch her breath as the rapturous feeling ran all the way up her torso.
He whistled again, and the horse slowed back down to a walk.
Madeline fell forward with an enormous, rasping breath.
Devon held onto her, clicking his tongue at the horse with a strange, guttural snapping sound. The horse halted, and he raised her limp body to his chest.
Hyperventilating, she couldn’t speak as the sunlight swirled before her vision and the sparkling water spun around her.
“Maddy?” Devon’s troubled shout echoed through the canyon.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Colorado River Canyon, Arizona
Floating, she surveyed the blue sky above and could feel the water around her body.
Devon held her to his body as they floated in the river.
“Dev?”
“Yes, Madeline?” He sounded concerned.
“Where are we?”
He squeezed her tighter to his chest. “The Colorado.” His answer vibrated with relief.
“And, what are we doing here?”
“Cooling off.” He chuckled as she tried to rise. “No, no. You stay, Mrs. Ananza!”
Madeline released a sigh and leaned back against his chest. After a long moment of floating, she let out an impulsive giggle.
“What’s so funny?”
“You could charge great sums of money for rides like that!” Her eyes twinkled at the visions in her head.
“Oh?”
Madeline grinned. “You could make a lifetime’s fortune in a Vegas act!” She laughed.
He joined her laughter, and they floated in peace for a long while.
“Dev?” She broke the serene quiet.
“Mmm?” Devon’s sleepy voice answered.
“Tell me how you came to be.”
He tightened his hold on her.
“I’m your wife, you know, and I have certain rights!”
“Yes, woman, you do.” He smirked at her teasing. “Well, I remember parts of when I first...”
She kept her mouth shut, so he would continue.
“…I was riding through the pines on a hunt for game, and I felt this pain in my chest.” He released an uneasy breath. “A pain like I’ve never known and I fell from the horse.”
Madeline squeezed his hand and waited for more.
“Next, I was in a cave, and there were others there; they were like human forms of light.”
She tried to envision the beings as he spoke.
“They were Indian spirits, I suppose. They told me, I’d been chosen to save my people. They showed me visions of death and destruction in all the Indian villages, and they showed me our end.” Devon’s voice vibrated with sorrow as he continued, “There was an Indian child, sitting on the ground, and these horses were stampeding through one of our villages. They were ridden by white men on a village raid, and they ran her over.”
At the graphic description, Madeline drew in a breath.
“The elder spirits said to me, ‘That was the last living Hualapai’.” Madeline felt tears in her eyes as he went on, “They instructed me that if I did not take my place as protector of the tribe our end would come as a people and that soon, I would be called when the time came.” He stopped talking.
Madeline waited, and her heart pounded. “What happened, Dev?”
“The tribe was to go to war exactly five years to the day I was slain. They held a ceremony in honor of me, and a call to war in revenge for my death. I suddenly found myself standing in the middle of their war dance circle, and I was just a form of light like the elder spirits.” Devon paused for a long moment. “There was this warrior of that time, an Ananza too. The ancients gave his body to me. He pledged it willingly to save the People.”
Madeline held her breath at his incredible story.
“I came back every five years after that. As the world grew and changed, I learned a great many languages and all about finance and technology. The warrior is in me and what I was a hundred and fifty years ago is in me, along with the twentieth-century Devon and blended together?” He shrugged his wet shoulders. “We are the way and the will of the People.”
She realized now why he became different men at different times. “What about Taylor?”
His body stiffened. “What about him?”
“He was warning me about you.”
Devon released a humorless laugh. “That’s calling the kettle black, for sure!” He released a breath. “Do you fear me, Maddy?”
“I fear—”
“I know, I know.” He laughed in her ear. “No one!”
“No, that’s not what I was going to say!” She laughed with him. “I fear life without all this color and light...without you.”
His arms tightened her around her waist. “And, I cannot have you gone from me.”
Madeline gazed at the wispy clouds that floated above the canyon. “So, what happens now?”
He sat her upright. “I’m not sure.”
“Do you get to stay?”
Devon shrugged and drew her closer. “I just flowed with the events, you know?”
She nodded and felt fear compress her chest.
“I kept with all of this out of honor and loyalty to my people, but...”
Madeline looped her arms around his neck. “What?”
“You are my reward, you see?”
She batted her lashes. “Reward?”
He nodded. “I get to live a life of my choosing, starting with choosing my bride.”
“And when does it all end?” she asked.
“Remember when we were in the hotel?”
The part, which occurred to her first, was when he’d seduced the truth from her, and she felt color creep up her cheeks.
Devon grinned. “Well, after my raging seduction to get the truth from you?” He winked at her. “I felt a weird sensation and knew I was about to fade.”
“Do you think it will keep happening?”
“I have noticed it’s happened often since I met you. I saw the car accident, and then everything faded, and I was drifting.”
“How did you come back?’’
“I heard you calling me.” He glanced away as he answered, “You were in pain, and I struggled against that peaceful flowing. I think part of it is locked to the needs of my People.”
Madeline smiled. “So, I’m your People?”
“Yes Madeline, you are everyone and everything... all the People.”
She thought about all the times he had disappeared. “So, when you go away, it means you’re dying?”
“I don’t know what it means. Maybe? But maybe, I was supposed to go already.”
With a flutter of apprehension, she tightened her hold on his neck. “You can’t leave me again, Dev!”
“That’s just it. I keep coming back because of you. The legend says that I get a bride and then...”
She gazed into his dark eyes. “And then, what?”
“A new start—a real life for me.” He wiped her tears away.
Madeline stilled and realized she’d been crying.
“And guess what else I get?” he asked in a sly voice. “I also get to ride you home.”
Shivering at the idea, she rolled her eyes. “Bareback?”
Devon studied her flushing face and laughed. “Oh yes, and I always ride shotgun!” He towed her to the shore.
At the joke, she laughed while anticipation quivered in her body and she laughed as her sundress dripped with water.
Devon stepped back, staring at her dress.
Madeline looked down at the sodden dress, her hardened nipples poking through the thin fabric.
He let out a hungry-sounding growl and whistled for the horse.
Startled, Madeline jumped at the sound and her body shivered with nervous anticipation. Like a Pavlovian response or something! She giggled at the ridiculous conclusion.
“Only this time?” Devon reached ou
t and gripped her waist. “You won’t see where we’re going.” He set her closer to the horse, jumped up on it and held his hand out to her.
Madeline tilted her head at his weird and wonderful statement while remembering the very first time he sat on a horse and offered her a new life with the extension of his hand. She actually knew the meaning now of real happiness, the kind songs were written about. A reassuring certainty flowed over her that with Devon, she had a chance at this kind of happiness and, she gave him her hand.
He hefted her up and sat her on his lap, facing him.
A wave of exhilaration swept through her being and a spontaneous laugh slipped from her.
Grabbing the reins, he paused and raised a questioning brow at her giggling.
“I always set my sights on where I was going, all the time, you know? Like to the next horizon of my future?” she mused.
A smile tugged at his lips while he adjusted her head to meet with his face. “And, you will still be doing that.” Kissing her for a long moment, he nibbled on her lips with his teeth.
As always, she gloried in it and never wanted him to stop kissing her.
Devon grinned at her and let out a loud whistle.
Madeline laughed with joy while a pulse of exhilaration throbbed through her being. The horse started into a slow walk by the riverside as she looped her arms around his neck and kept her sights locked to his eyes.
PART TWO
As Madeline Sayers adjusts to her new life with Devon… more otherworldly secrets seem to loom over this newfound bliss of a life. Can she hold onto her happiness?
Rick Sayers lost his true love years ago. His life, though filled with his art and the beauty of the desert home he lives in, is empty. Until he finds the Lightning cave and the Lightning pool. Then something otherworldly occurs and he suddenly, inexplicably has the love of his life back in his arms.
Taylor Scott has been a cold businessman for years. He separated from his tribe to make himself a success with Billions to his name. Then after he attempts something stupid against his God of a brother, he ends up in a coma.
Tame Me: A Filthy Billionaire Romance Page 15