Shadow Walker

by Connie Mason

  “Is this considered decent behavior?”

  “To me it is. Tanner must think so too. Move over, I’m joining you.”

  Water splashed over the sides of the tub as Cole eased his big body into the water, settling across from her.

  “Look at the mess you’re making! Your sister won’t be pleased.”

  “I’ll clean it up.” He took the washcloth from her nerveless fingers. “I’ll wash you first, then you can wash me.”

  He worked up a rich lather and began with her foot, working his way up her leg to the dark triangle at the apex. He didn’t linger there but moved to the other foot, slowly working the lather upward. When he reached her sweet center, he dropped the cloth and parted her with his fingers.

  “Cole! What are you doing?”

  “Exactly what it feels like.” His finger slid inside her. He closed his eyes, savoring the tightness and warmth of her sheath as it closed around his finger.

  “You shouldn’t do that. What if someone came in and saw us?” If he stopped she would die.

  “I locked the door.” He slipped a second finger in beside the first. Then he began working them in and out of her, smiling when she groaned and lifted her hips to meet his questing fingers.

  “Relax, sweetheart,” he whispered. “Not so fast.” He had become painfully aroused in a very short time, just as he always did when he was with Dawn. When had making love to Dawn become necessary to his well-being? he wondered distractedly. “I know what you like. Trust me to give it to you.” With his free hand he caressed her breasts, rolling each nipple between forefinger and thumb, watching passion transform her lovely features. God, he loved seeing her like this, hot for him, only for him.

  Dawn was burning. Not even the cooling water could douse the fire Cole had ignited in her. She was clinging to the edge, driven nearly senseless by Cole’s deft fingers and hands. Then abruptly his hands left her body. She cried out in deprivation, wanting him to continue, wanting his fingers in her, on her. “I know what you want, sweetheart,” Cole said as he lifted her and brought her onto his lap facing him. He shifted slightly and thrust upward, impaling her with his sex. He was rock hard and heavy, but he slid into her effortlessly.

  Grasping her hips, he brought her down hard, thrusting his loins upward at the same time. Over and over he repeated the rhythm, her softness squeezing him as his juices swelled and filled him. “Hurry, sweetheart, come to me.” His voice was strangled, his face contorted with urgency. When his mouth fastened on her breast, suckling her, she went wild.

  She felt her climax beginning clear down to her toes. Her head fell back, her mouth opened in a silent scream as her body convulsed again and again, giving him everything he asked for, everything she had to give.

  Cole’s climax commenced before Dawn’s ended. When he would have spent his seed outside her body, she refused to allow him to withdraw. Clamping her legs around his hips, she slid as far down onto his manhood as she could get without causing herself pain. Cole gave a hoarse shout and exploded inside her, his fierce convulsions spilling nearly all the water out of the tub onto the floor.

  “Why wouldn’t you let me withdraw?” Cole asked when his breathing slowed to a steady pounding.

  “I wanted you inside me as long as possible.”

  He gave her a shuttered look. “That was foolish of you and reckless of me.” He lifted her off him and set her aside. “We’ve been lucky thus far. I’ve tried not to get you with child. It’s nearly time to go downstairs. I’ll clean up here while you get dressed.”

  Fifteen minutes later Dawn and Cole walked downstairs together. Ashley was waiting for them. She took one look at Dawn and couldn’t help smiling. Dawn’s face was flushed and her breathing still hadn’t returned to normal. It wasn’t difficult to imagine what the two had been up to. Cole had the sated look of a cat who has just lapped a saucer of cream.

  “Did you two get a chance to rest?” Ashley asked with feigned innocence. “I hope the bed was comfortable.”

  “You know damn well we didn’t rest,” Cole replied, sending Ashley a wicked smile.

  “Cole!” Dawn cried, embarrassed by his impudence.

  Ashley laughed gleefully. It was wonderful seeing Cole like this. After his last visit she’d begun to fear that Cole would never recover from Morning Mist’s death. Now it was obvious that he loved his new wife, and nothing could have pleased Ashley more. Cole hadn’t mentioned Dawn’s mixed blood, but it wasn’t difficult to tell she was a half-breed. The intriguing combination of blue eyes and golden skin made her beauty riveting.

  “Don’t be embarrassed, Dawn. Cole always was outspoken. You can’t begin to know how pleased I am to see him this way. I feared he’d never recover from Morning Mist’s death. It left him devastated.” She saw the haunted look in Dawn’s eyes and immediately regretted her candid words. “Forgive me. I didn’t mean to bring up the past.”

  “There is nothing to forgive, Ashley. I know all about Morning Mist and how much Cole loves her.”

  “Loved her,” Ashley corrected. “Morning Mist is dead. I’m pleased Cole has found another woman to love. He loves you very much, I can tell.”

  Dawn bit her bottom lip to keep it from trembling. “Ashley, I—”

  “Enough of this kind of talk,” Cole interrupted. “When am I going to see my niece?” Talking about love made him nervous. He’d only just begun to explore his feelings for Dawn and still didn’t understand the strong emotions she stirred in him. He wasn’t sure he wanted to.

  “If I’m not mistaken, that’s Lily now,” Ashley said. “She was upstairs doing her lessons.”

  The words were no sooner out of Ashley’s mouth than a compact bundle of energy came bounding down the stairs. She slid to a halt, dark curls bouncing, when she saw Cole and Dawn.

  “This is your Uncle Cole and Aunt Dawn,” Ashley said, urging the child forward. “Make your curtsy, sweet.”

  Lily curtsied clumsily, then smiled beguilingly at Cole. One day she was going to drive men wild with her flirty green eyes and stunning smile, Dawn thought. No wonder she was the apple of her father’s eye.

  “Pleased to meet you, Lily,” Cole said as he bent and kissed the little girl’s cheek. “Did anyone ever tell you you’re a little charmer?”

  “Only my daddy,” she chirped. She turned her attention on Dawn, studying her gravely. “Is Aunt Dawn your wife?”

  “She is,” Cole said, giving Dawn a quick look that could have meant anything.

  “She looks like an Indian,” Lily remarked with the innocence of a eight-year-old.

  Ashley blanched, embarrassed to her toes.

  “I’m half Indian,” Dawn said, filling the void left in the conversation.

  “I’m sorry,” Ashley said. “Lily is a curious child.”

  “It’s all right. I’m accustomed to being looked at oddly. The only time my heritage wasn’t remarked upon was during my stay with Running Elk and his people.”

  Ashley gave Cole a tongue-lashing for his omission. “Why didn’t you tell me you’d returned to Running Elk’s village?”

  “I’ll explain later,” Cole said as he set Collette on her feet and seated himself at the table. “I’m starved.”

  Between mouthfuls, Cole told Ashley an abbreviated version of their visit to Running Elk’s village. He purposely skipped over the part about taking Dawn to the reservation with the intention of leaving her with the People.

  “We heard about the battle at the Little Big Horn,” Ashley said. “Was Running Elk there? Did he participate in the battle? I’m sorry you could do nothing to prevent the Indians from going on the warpath. I’d hate to see harm come to Running Elk and his people.”

  “I haven’t heard a thing except that a battle took place and the Seventh Cavalry was soundly defeated. Running Elk still wears your talisman. He believes it will protect him. I pray it does.”

  They fell silent, each consumed by his own thoughts and worries. Finally Ashley asked, “Where did you meet Da
wn? How long have you been married? Is she one of Running Elk’s people?”

  “A lot has happened that you don’t know about,” Cole hedged. “Running Elk asked me to remain until spring, and I agreed. I hoped if I stayed I might still talk him out of joining Crazy Horse and the other chiefs at the Little Big Horn. Dawn and I even traveled to the Little Big Horn with them so that I could plead with the chiefs to return to their reservations. Nothing I said made them change their minds.”

  “What about Dawn?” Ashley pressed, wanting answers that Cole seemed unwilling to give. “I know she’s a half-breed. You never did say where you met her.”

  Dawn stared at Cole curiously, wondering what he would tell his twin.

  “I met Dawn in Dodge City.”

  Ashley waited for him to continue. When he didn’t, she asked, “Is that all you’re going to tell me?”

  “For the time being.”

  The closed look on Cole’s face told her it was pointless to pursue the subject. When Cole wanted her to know, he’d tell her.

  Dawn swallowed past the lump in her throat and concentrated on her food. She wondered why Cole didn’t tell Ashley the truth. Was it up to her to tell his sister that they weren’t really married after he left?

  Chapter Sixteen

  Dawn was favorably impressed with Tanner and envied the deep and abiding love he and Ashley shared. Somewhat older than Cole, Tanner was handsome in a dark, dangerous way, with hair as black as sin and eyes the color of newly minted silver. Dawn was intrigued by his soft Southern drawl. She questioned Cole about Tanner’s roots when they were alone.

  “Tanner is a Southerner,” Cole explained. “Ashley told me they got along like oil and water at first. But their love proved too strong to allow different beliefs to come between them. Their love has survived many obstacles.”

  Dawn sighed wistfully. She’d die for a love like that. Why did she have to love a man who couldn’t love her in return?

  “They’re very lucky.”

  “Ashley had been content with being a spinster until she met Tanner. She’d been jilted once by a fiance who loved money more than he loved her. Before she came West she taught school in Boston. She sold the house our aunt left to her and arranged to travel with a wagon train. There was a mixup about her name, and the wagon master refused to let a single woman travel with his outfit. It proved to be quite an adventure, but happily it turned out well at the end. She met her true love, and I couldn’t be happier for her. Ashley and I have always been close, even when separated by thousands of miles.”

  “I envy Ashley.”

  “Tanner and I have a lot in common despite having fought on opposite sides during the war,” Cole continued as if Dawn hadn’t spoken. “We both lost wives. Tanner’s wife killed herself. She’d been brutally raped and couldn’t live with the shame. Her death made a bitter man of Tanner. He hated all Yankees. He was in jail when he and Ashley met. But as their love grew, Tanner was able to put his past behind him.”

  “He must love Ashley a great deal.” Dawn regretted being unable to reach Cole on that level. His past was still very much a part of him.

  Cole and Tanner spent every day except Sunday at the mill. Since school had let out for the summer, young Price was free to tag along. Dawn tried to make herself helpful to Ashley, who did just about everything in the house that had to be done except for the cooking.

  “Tanner wanted to hire household help,” Ashley confided one day while they were working together in the small garden behind the house, “but I didn’t want the house overrun with strangers.”

  Dawn wondered if Ashley considered her, Dawn, a stranger. She wondered what Ashley and Tanner would think when they learned that Cole expected Dawn to make her home with them after he left.

  “It must be wonderful having a real home,” Dawn said wistfully.

  “Where do you and Cole plan to settle? It would be wonderful if he decided to stay in Oregon. Tanner wants to deed Cole a piece of land so he could build a house for you.”

  “You’ll have to ask Cole,” Dawn said noncommittally. “I think he plans to return to his job with the Pinkertons. He enjoys his work a great deal.”

  Ashley rested her hands on the hoe she’d been using and stared at Dawn with concern. “But that job takes Cole all over the country. What will you do while he’s on assignment? Where will you live? Does he plan to drag you from town to town?”

  Dawn bit the soft underside of her lip while she sought an answer that would satisfy Ashley. Nothing came to mind. Finally she said, “I’m not privy to Cole’s plans. And we haven’t been together long enough for me to read his mind.”

  Ashley was thoroughly perplexed, as well as upset, with her brother. Married couples were supposed to share everything, yet Dawn appeared to know nothing about Cole’s plans for their future. Cole was exceedingly secretive about his wife and his marriage, and it bothered her. Ashley was curious about the whole situation, but she set her misgivings aside. Her twin had no reason to lie to her.

  “I’m sure it’s just an oversight on Cole’s part,” Ashley said. “Maybe he hasn’t decided yet where to settle. I’m sure he doesn’t intend to leave you alone months at a time while he’s on an assignment.”

  Dawn said nothing, for the truth hurt. Not only did Cole intend to return to his job but he had every intention of abandoning her. He would leave her with his sister and go about his business without his conscience bothering him. All he’d ever wanted was to settle her somewhere safe. White society didn’t recognize their Indian marriage, so he had no reason to claim her or to remain with her. He could go on as before, cherishing his freedom, his heart cold and empty except for his memories of Morning Mist.

  When Dawn remained mute, Ashley decided it was time to have a talk with her brother. But first she’d talk it over with Tanner. She broached the subject that night as they cuddled together in bed. Throughout the years of marriage, their romance hadn’t died, it just grew better. Their lovemaking was as intense and rewarding as ever.

  “I’m worried about Cole,” Ashley said, nuzzling Tanner’s neck.

  “How so?” His hands skimmed her body, which was still as slim as a girl’s.

  “Something’s been bothering me. Dawn isn’t as happy as a new bride should be. Cole doesn’t confide in her.”

  “I asked Cole to stay on here. He’s learning the lumber business amazingly fast. I could use a man like him. He already owns a share of the business.”

  “What did he say?”

  “He didn’t say anything. I got the impression he intends to move on soon.”

  “There are problems in that marriage,” Ashley said worriedly.

  “Your brother and Dawn share a bed and appear to be intimate lovers. What worries you, love?”

  “I don’t know. I hate to interfere, but if Cole won’t confide in me, I’ll be forced to speak with him.”

  “Your brother doesn’t need to explain himself to you or anyone else.”

  “He does if it concerns an innocent girl. I know Cole. I’m his twin. I can sense when he’s troubled.”

  “Let them be,” Tanner advised. “Cole hasn’t said a word yet about leaving. Wait until he comes to you with his problems before you jump to conclusions. Now,” he said, pulling her against his hard body, “how about giving your starving husband some attention?”

  “Starving? You put away too much food at dinner tonight to be starving.”

  “Did I say anything about food? Live up to your name, sweet Flame. Make me burn.”

  Ashley laughed. Whenever Tanner used her Indian name she could expect a night of extraordinary passion.

  He didn’t disappoint her.

  In another bedroom, Cole had just finished making love to Dawn. She lay atop him, replete, but she sensed his withdrawal, not just from her body at the moment of climax, but mentally as well. He seemed miles away.

  “What is it, Cole?” she asked anxiously.

  “I’ve been here four weeks now.” His tone b
etrayed nothing of his thoughts, but Dawn knew what was coming.

  “You’re leaving,” Dawn said without surprise. “Where will you go?”

  “I’m concerned about Running Elk. I have to find out what happened to him and the People after the battle.”

  “Am I going with you?” She should have known better than to ask.

  Cole refused to look her in the eye. “You’ll be safer here with my sister. She and Tanner think the world of you.”

  “You’re not coming back.” It was a statement rather than a question.

  Dawn could not see his expression in the darkness but she felt his rejection keenly. She would have been surprised at the uncertainty and confusion on his face had she been able to see it. Cole had searched his soul for an answer to his dilemma and come up empty-handed. He’d fought against his growing feelings for Dawn and was losing the battle. Placing distance between them was the only way he could come to grips with his dilemma. He needed to find out if the time had finally come to bury his memories of Morning Mist and move on. He hoped the solitude and peace he’d once found with the People would help him find the answers he sought.

  “I can promise nothing more than what I’ve already given you. I know it’s damn little, but I need to resolve the uncertainties that plague me. I can’t do it unless I distance myself from the temptation of your body. My obsession with you haunts me night and day. I loved once; I’m not sure I can love again.”

  “I’ll not settle for anything less than your whole heart,” Dawn said, disheartened by his words. If Cole couldn’t love her, she didn’t want him. “Lust isn’t a bad thing but it’s not enough to base a marriage on. I want more. I want a lifetime of commitment. You’re right, you should leave now. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

  “You’ll remain here with Ashley,” he said firmly.

  “Am I to wait for you to return?”

  “I … yes.”

  “What if you never return? I refuse to impose upon your sister’s charity.”