by Lenore Wolfe
“An honor, Mandy dear, I assure you. You make an old man proud.” He tucked her hand in his arm and led her down the stairs.
Hawk was not disappointed when, minutes later, she was escorted to the front room
He was stunned.
He drank her in, with a possessive gleam in his gold-green eyes. Mandy felt the familiar warmth steal through her, leaving her limp and weak as a kitten.
If she stared into his eyes, she could feel his hands. She shook her head at her volatile emotions and darted a worried look at the others in the room, wondering if her thoughts had been as transparent to them—as they appeared to be to Hawk. The fire in his eyes told her—he could read her mind.
He was magnificent—standing there, waiting for her to reach his side. And soon after she did, their lives became irrevocably woven together. Mandy likened it to a silvery, invisible thread, joining their hearts. And she knew the Grandmothers smiled.
She felt rebellious right now with their sure vision of her path. A path with Hawk... their lives entwined. Her heart pounded—fanciful thoughts. But her mind soon followed down the path her heart had taken, with what would have been—could have been—had she not insisted this marriage be in name only.
She had done so only an hour ago, and he had only looked at her, an unreadable gleam in his eyes. He hadn’t argued, hadn’t said one word.
She had wanted to cry.
“Second thoughts already?” his whisper caressed her face.
Meg hugged her then, and ran off to take care of their hotel.
Mandy frowned as she watched her friend disappear. Meg was clearly enjoying this—too much. She shook her head at Hawk. “No, the marriage has its merits,” she answered, trying for a neutral tone.
He let that jab slide, grinning. “I wasn’t talking about the marriage—exactly.”
Startled, she looked up and was captured, completely off guard, by the intense look in his gold eyes. He’d read her mind again, drat the man; or was her body giving her away?
She should look away—really she should—but suddenly she couldn’t remember why.
“Give over, Mandy,” he whispered. His gaze refused to release her from the fine thread he was weaving around her. She was caressed by it—captured by it. And each time, the web grew stronger. “You want this marriage in every way, every bit as much as I; admit it, Mandy,” his low voice fanned the flames.
Mandy opened her mouth, then shut it. She fought for control, lost, and opened her mouth again, but the words of denial wouldn’t come.
His hand touched the side of her face, his thumb sliding possessively over her lips, stroking her bottom lip again and again until she thought she would faint with pleasure.
She’d made a fatal mistake with her heart, thinking she could control this. She should have listened to the danger signs—to all the warnings, and now it was too late. There was no holding back—any part of her; at least, not anything strong enough to hold back this tide of love—and desire. Even though the love part lay only on her side.
She’d been a fool
And her heart was going to pay the price; but she couldn’t stop now.
Hawk’s intense, green-gold eyes searched her face, and knew the exact instant she surrendered, and only by iron will did he wait to hear the words.
Words avowing her complete surrender.
She nodded.
He shook his head. “Say it,” he softly commanded. “Tell me what you want.”
Mandy’s tongue darted out to moisten her lips and heard Hawk groan. She swallowed, her eyes closing for a moment with her body’s reaction to that simple sound. The fires were rapidly burning out of control. “You.” She looked into his golden gaze. “I want you.”
Hawk picked her up and walked straight out of Doc’s house and across the street to the hotel, where he’d rented a room for the night.
Mandy wouldn’t think until much later how they must have scandalized the town. He set her down at the door, pausing only long enough to unlock it.
“You were very sure of yourself,” she whispered with heat, but not from anger.
“Sure of us,” he corrected, swinging her back up into his strong arms. Carrying her across the threshold, he kicked the door shut behind him, setting her back down only long enough to lock it. He turned—pulling her to him.
Her eyes locked with his once again as he cupped her chin, his lips lowering to claim hers. Their tongues melded and mated, darting out to meet each other, only to withdraw again. He ran his tongue over her lips and teeth, tasting all of her, sucking her tongue in a way that buckled her knees, causing her to twine her hands through his hair, meeting him thrust for thrust, not even noticing when he lifted her and placed her on the bed.
Within moments, he had pulled off her gown and laid it carefully over a chair. He unfastened her corset and slipped her out of her chemise—all the while kissing her, touching her, reveling in the feel of her—until she was finally free of every stitch of cloth, and he could touch her without restraint.
His hand molded her breast, then his mouth covered it with kisses—breathing lightly on it, raining it with kisses again—and only when she started to writhe beneath him, finally taking it into his mouth.
Mandy gasped at the intensity of it and moaned his name out loud.
He slipped out of his jacket and shirt, then pressed her breasts to his bare chest, causing them both to groan with the pleasure. Pulling back, he resumed his tender administrations to first one breast, then the other, till she begged for something she couldn’t name.
His hand caressed her thighs, his fingers touching lightly over the softness of her inner thigh—touching, touching—exquisite fire, which finally came to rest in the softness of the curls between the apex of her thighs, causing her to buck and cry out.
Yet still, he teased her unmercifully, kissing her, touching her, watching her desire build, until she was gasping and crying out with pleasure.
He quickly removed the rest of his clothes before resuming the sweet assault on her body, which had her crying his name and weeping. If he died now, he’d die happy, with the sound of his name on her lips. Knowing he’d brought her this pleasure. And in which, it was his name she screamed and when she moaned, she moaned for him, wanting only him. It touched something soft deep within him. And if she had opened her eyes right then, she would have been shocked to see the tears that shimmered in his golden eyes.
He moved over her, moving her legs around him as he pressed slowly inside her—stopping briefly at the barrier before pushing through—taking her cry deep within him, kissing her, soothing her. He felt her accept him, then move with him. She began to thrash, and he felt her tremble and cry out from the intense feelings washing over her—waves, which crashed over her as she clung to him with her startled moans.
Mandy felt the building waves upon waves of pleasure and knew something would burst if he didn’t stop—almost thinking to fight him with mounting fear of what was happening to her—yet before she could gain enough coherent thought to begin to fight—the tide broke over her, making her body spasm with the most intense pleasure she had ever known. Muscles inside her pulsed with the force of the pleasure, holding her in throes of passion, making her scream from its intensity. Her climax brought him over the edge of control, causing him to seek his own release as he pulsed violently inside her, exalting with her from the force of their combined pleasure, pushing deep inside her before collapsing on top her. He rolled them both to one side while still inside her, gathering her in his fierce embrace, overwhelmed by what had just happened.
Tears shimmered in Mandy’s eyes with the power of her emotions. Never could she have conceived anything like what had just taken place.
This was the meaning of becoming one.
Her heart overflowed and surged in her chest, and she squeezed him tightly to her. Unable to hold back the power of her love, she held onto him with everything in her heart.
He rained kisses over her face, caressing her, touching her, ch
erishing her. He tasted her tears, understanding them for what they were. For the intensity of what had passed between them, shook him just as deep.
When she moved her hips towards him in unspoken desire, his response was immediate, and with the slow leisure of savoring the beauty and delight of such unequaled joy, he made love to her again.
Chapter Eighteen
Lydia had a whole celebration feast planned when Mandy and Hawk arrived home late the next day. Smiling in apology, Mandy glanced a bit shyly at Hawk, and he grumbled, but after they ate he laughingly joined the festivities and asked her to dance. His gold-green eyes stared into hers as they swayed back and forth in each other’s arms. Looking into her wide, shining eyes, he tried not to put a name to the emotions he saw there.
It was a couple of hours later when the hush from the guests, and the pounding of the ground of many horses, brought an end to the joyous occasion.
Hawk cursed himself as ten kinds of a fool. He’d left his gun in the house, not wanting to spoil the celebration with the reminder of the ever-present danger of their neighbor.
She was making him soft, and it was going to get them all killed.
A beaten and bruised Ashley, and a dozen of his men, rode right through the crowd. They ran their horses into the tables, laden down with food, roping everything they could and pulling things over, shooting their guns in the air. Ashley rode right up to Hawk, who refused to move, even when the horse came to a shuddering stop, ramming into him, snorting wildly and throwing its head. Ashley’s evil smile twisted his once-handsome features. “So you think you’ve won, Hawk?” He leered crudely at Mandy.
Hawk gave him a cold, measured look.
Mandy grasped Hawk’s arm, scared stiff Ashley would shoot him, heedless of his being unarmed.
“Why don’t you get down?” Hawk quietly invited.
Ashley grinned. “What? And do the noble thing, taking off my gun-belt and making this an even fight?” he waved a finger at Hawk like at a naughty boy, clucking his tongue. “Shame on you, Hawk. You should know me better by now.”
“No stomach for a fair fight?” Hawk softly taunted.
Ashley grinned again, his face ugly. “Sell out, Hawk. I give you one week. Then, I’ll kill you and bed Mandy. I’ll even think of you every time I take her.”
Hawk took a menacing dive at Ashley, surprising him with the speed of the attack, knocking him from his horse. He came up, dragging Ashley with him, an ominous blade glittering at Ashley’s throat as he held him in a vice-like grip.
“Where’d—where’d that come from?” Ashley sputtered.
“I never go completely unarmed,” Hawk hissed. “You would do well to remember that in the future. Now, tell your men to leave.”
When Ashley didn’t immediately comply, Hawk pricked his neck, drawing a thin line of blood. Ashley turned purple, afraid to breathe. The slightest movement could be fatal. “Leave!” he yelped.
“But boss,” one man started to argue.
“Now!” Ashley whispered as the tip entered his flesh. They turned and rode out but stopped outside the ranch, still waiting within sight, as a warning.
Hawk watched for a moment. Then, easing the tip out of Ashley’s neck, he told him, “If you step foot on this ranch again, I’ll kill you. If I see you within a mile of Mandy—I’ll kill you.” He tossed Ashley face first in the dirt. “And if you ever provoke me again, like you did tonight...”
“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Ashley sputtered, “you’ll kill me.” He stood up and slapped his Stetson on his leg to knock off most of the dust, then ground it back down on his head and remounted his horse.
“Then, we’re understood,” Hawk said, unemotionally.
Cold rage glittered in Ashley’s eyes as he raked Mandy, but he wasn’t a stupid man. He didn’t have to look around to know that, by now, he had better than a dozen rifles trained on him. And he didn’t have to look in their faces to know—he wouldn’t catch them unaware a second time.
He reined back, causing his mount to rear, and turned hate-filled eyes on Hawk. “Enjoy her while you can. Because there will come a day, soon, when I will bed your wife. But now, I’ll make sure you live long enough to watch—and listen to her scream my name.” He turned his horse and sawing at the reins, he spurred him into a dead run—as Hawk reached for the nearest rifle.
He yanked one from Ned’s grasp, taking deadly aim at Ashley’s back, only to have Mandy yank the barrel down as he squeezed the trigger.
He glared at her with barely leashed fury.
“If you do this, you’ll be no better than he is. He told you that himself not so long ago, remember?”
Hawk’s jaw clenched, but Mandy gathered her courage and met his fury head on. She felt several men back away, and she couldn’t blame them. She knew the exact moment when the cold rage left him. She saw it in his eyes, knew the second he returned to her—when she felt it in the release of the deadly grip he had on the rifle beneath his hands.
After a long moment, he gently took her hands from the gun and extended it back to Ned—who reluctantly came forward to claim it—watching Hawk’s eyes as he did so. But his fury was gone. Hawk gathered Mandy to him—and after hugging her tight—he picked her up and, ignoring the collective gasps of the guests—he carried his wife to bed.
Kid and Jake grinned wickedly and set up watch. They were still grinning when they encouraged the neighbors to continue on with their celebration.
“You enjoy shocking people,” Mandy laughed, her arms locked behind Hawk’s neck.
He carried her upstairs and though the door. Crossing the room, he set her gently on the bed. “I’m sorry your evening was ruined,” he told her, his voice husky.
“Oh, I disagree. Not every girl gets to have her hero save her at her wedding celebration.” She pulled him down to her. “And without getting a single man killed.” Hawk kissed her deeply, then nuzzled her neck and nibbled at her earlobes.
“Oh, Hawk,” she shivered, “you make me feel so good. I never knew I could feel this way. I can’t imagine never feeling this again.” She sobered when she realized what she’d said. For someday she would have to learn to live without him. He’d be here till they’d dealt with Ashley, she reminded herself. Then he’d be gone like the wind. And who knew if, or when, he’d be back. Her dreams saw them together—and their children. They didn’t say if he stuck around long enough to see them grow up, and he, himself, had said that when this was done—he had no choice—but to go.
“Such sad thoughts I see in those beautiful eyes of yours,” Hawk murmured as he kissed her face, then pressed kisses in her hair. “Do my kisses make you unhappy, then?”
She pulled his lips to hers and kissed him back, wildly.
He chuckled. “I think it’s safe to say no.” And he kissed her back, kneading her back, sliding his hands over her.
He made love to her slowly, inch by tantalizing inch, making her scream with wild abandon. And only when she crashed over the edge of wild oblivion did he give over the control, growling his release into her sweet body.
Mandy blushed furiously when she woke the next morning to find him watching her.
He chuckled, “You’re beautiful, mitawin, my woman—my wife.”
She blushed deeper. “So are you.”
He scowled. “Men are not beautiful.”
“Well, if a man could be,” she told him, “you would be. I believe the Lakota would say, ‘your face is pleasing to me.’”
He laughed. “Everything about you pleases me, darlin’.”
“Hawk,” she asked innocently, “what is your stake in this fight?”
Hawk’s eyes narrowed dangerously. Mandy gulped and then giggled, despite the look of pure menace in his eyes. “I was teasing. I figured you married me, so I could ask.”
“You figured, wrong.”
“I see,” Mandy looked away. “Shall we go eat? Half the house must be waiting for us by now.”
“Sure,” Hawk murmured, “but first…” H
e climbed on top of her and started seducing her—all over again.
It was some time later before Mandy managed to get washed, dressed and down the stairs without being ravished. Hawk had left ahead of her to check on the men.
She blushed furiously again when she saw everyone downstairs waiting.
Kid grinned at her. “You look beautiful.”
Jake jabbed him hard in the ribs.
“Dag-nabit, easy on the ribs,” Kid complained.
“Better that than that pretty face of yours,” Jake threatened.
“Well, hell, man, why didn’t you just say so?”
“I thought I just did,” Jake growled.
“Not before you cracked two of my ribs,” Kid grumbled.
“What was that?”
“Noth’n.” Kid grinned.
“Is Hawk around?” Mandy asked them.
“He was out checking his horse. He’ll be in shortly,” Jake answered.
“I never got to kiss the bride,” Kid stepped up to her.
“You do and I’ll break your fool neck,” Hawk growled from the doorway. He walked up and put a possessive arm around her. “I seem to remember you took that kiss before.”
Jake’s eyebrow shot up. “That’s right. In that case...”
“Don’t even think...”
But Jake was already doing more than thinking. He pulled her firmly into his solid embrace and kissed her hard.
Hawk growled, and Jake stepped back. For the first time since Mandy had known him, he grinned.
Hawk’s fist slammed hard into his jaw. Jake’s head snapped around, and he staggered. It was something to behold. Mandy knew a lesser man would have been knocked down. But Jake touched his jaw and grinned at Hawk.
“You got it bad, old friend.”
Hawk scowled.
Jake picked up his hat, tipped his head at Mandy. “Ma’am, it was a pleasure.” And, chuckling, he strode out of the house.
Kid stared after him. “Well, I’ll be hanged.”