Trailing Home: Liam's Bride (The McKenzie Series #3)

by Lynn Coppersmith

  Some days were rainy, and Selena would huddle beneath the canvass as the rain came down in steady sheets. She was chilled and uncomfortable, but at least it wasn’t so dusty. The rain made their progress slower, and on those days they usually managed to travel only a few miles before they stopped to make camp. They would pitch the tent on those nights, and Selena was grateful for the protection it gave them. Still, their blankets were damp and cold, and she would toss on her pallet, trying to stay warm.

  Liam tossed for different reasons. He was finding it nearly impossible to sleep beside Selena and not make love to her. Many times he would wake up during the night, and his eyes would search her out in the darkness. He wondered how she would react if he were to wake her up with kisses, but he couldn’t quite muster the nerve. He didn’t want to do anything to disturb the closeness growing between them, and Selena hadn’t given him any indication that she would welcome his advances. His body was strained to the limits. It was one thing to remain celibate for long periods of time when a man was alone, but when he was constantly faced with a tempting woman, ever at hand but always beyond his grasp, it became pure torture.

  One evening during the third week, Liam was unhitching the oxen to turn them loose for the night. He was bent over unfastening one of the straps when one of the huge beasts jerked sideways unexpectedly. Liam was caught off balance, and he toppled back, landing on his rear. He jumped up nearly as fast as he had fallen and without thinking, brushed a hand across the stinging pain in his bottom.

  “Damn!” he swore viciously, looking down to see several spines from a cactus lodged in his palm and fingers.

  When Selena heard the curse, she came running. “What’s the matter?” she asked. Seeing Liam’s pained grimace, she rushed forward with concern. “Are you hurt? What happened?” She took his hand in hers and anxiously examined it, biting her lip when she saw the wicked looking needles. “Come here and let me get those out.” She tugged at his arm, but he made no move to follow her.

  “Let me finish unhitching the team. You go get the medical kit, and I’ll be there in a minute,” he said.

  “I can unhitch them,” she offered, “you shouldn’t be using this hand until I get these needles out.”

  “I said I’d do it,” he growled. He realized his voice sounded harsher than he intended. “Sorry,” he said more gently. “I’ll finish. I’m almost done.”

  Realizing there was no use arguing with him, Selena rolled her eyes, heaved an exasperated sigh and went to get the medical kit. Liam finished unhitching the oxen, but he was reluctant to face Selena. He was embarrassed to admit that he had sat on a cactus. However, he knew he would have to tell her. He had to let her remove the spines or they would get infected. Cactus spines could cause a nasty sore even after they were removed, and he grimaced at the thought. He joined Selena, but when she would have started on his hand, he delayed her further.

  “You’d better start the fire. It’s already getting dark and you’ll likely need the light to see what you’re doing.”

  “But Liam, it will only take me a minute to get those out,” she protested.

  “Just do it,” he snapped.

  She frowned, wondering why he was being so testy, but she quickly built a fire. When it was glowing brightly, she returned to his side.

  “Now, sit down and let me tend to your hand.”

  “I’d prefer to stand, if you don’t mind,” he mumbled.

  Selena sighed heavily and gave him a stern look. “Don’t be such a baby. I’m not going to hurt you, now sit down.”

  She gave him a firm push and he landed on a nearby log. His yowl of pain took Selena completely by surprise, and she stared at him in confusion as he scrambled up again.

  “What on earth is the matter with you?” she asked, noticing his face turning a deep shade of red.

  Liam refused to meet her eye and pointed to his back. “I’ve got more cactus needles in my rear.”

  Selena stood for a long moment as understanding dawned on her face. She hiccupped a couple of times as she struggled to contain her laughter. Her amusement finally erupted in a series of small giggles that bloomed into full belly laughs that shook her slender frame. Liam glared down at her, not appreciating the humor of the situation one bit. He raised a disapproving brow and waited impatiently for her laughter to subside.

  When she finally calmed somewhat, he growled in a menacing tone, “If you’ve finished laughing at me, I would appreciate some assistance.”

  “Sorry,” she said, but her twitching lips and an occasional giggle negated her apology.

  She bent over his hand and used the tweezers to carefully pluck the spines from his skin. Despite his discomfort, Liam enjoyed the sight of her with brows knit in concentration as she focused on the task. When they were both satisfied that she had gotten all of them, Selena washed his hand and rubbed a healing ointment into his palm and fingers to ease the sting. Her gentle touch soothed the pain in his hand but not the sting to his pride.

  “Now, you’d better let me see about your bottom. Lie on your stomach and unfasten your pants.” She motioned for him to stretch out close to the fire so she would have good light. However, when she knelt beside him and looked at his behind, she started to giggle again.

  “What is it now?” he grumbled.

  “You’re going to need to change your pants. A bunch of the stickers are in the cloth.” She placed a hand on his shoulder when he started to rise. “Stay there. I’ll get you a clean pair.”

  Liam watched as she stretched to reach his clothes in the back of the wagon. Despite his discomfort, he enjoyed the display of shapely ankles when she rose on tiptoes. In no time, she was back with a clean pair of breeches and a towel.

  “Here,” she said, handing him the towel. “You can use this for modesty, but you need to take your breeches off while I get the stickers out of your bottom.”

  Liam couldn’t remember ever feeling so embarrassed, but he kicked off his boots and glanced around to make sure there was no one to witness his humiliation. Satisfied that their campsite was relatively private, he unbuttoned his pants and carefully slipped them off his hips, keeping the towel in front of him. He wasn’t sure why he suddenly felt so self-conscious in front of Selena. He had removed his clothes in front of her numerous times before.

  Selena turned away more to hide her blush than because she didn’t want to see him undress. She was painfully reminded of another time he had whisked his breeches off, and she vividly remembered the incident down to the last, thoroughly masculine detail. When Liam stretched out on his stomach, she knelt beside him. The sight of his naked bottom was enough to set her hands to trembling, and she took a deep breath to steady her racing pulse.

  She set to work, meticulously removing the tiny barbs. She was soon engrossed in the task, and forgot about his nakedness. Liam had no such respite. He hid his face in his folded arms and gritted his teeth to keep from moaning with frustration. Her warm, soft hands on his buttocks wreaked havoc on his already strained self-control, and it was only grim determination that kept him from sweeping her down on the grass beside him and having his way with her. His straining erection was throbbing so painfully, he thought it might be the end of him. By the time she had removed all the stickers, his brow was coated with a thin layer of perspiration and his jaw was rigid.

  “There,” Selena murmured at last, sitting back on her heels to admire her handiwork. She ran a hand over his buttocks to check for any remaining spikes and she was surprised to hear a muffled groan. “Did I miss one?” she asked anxiously, bending closer to look.

  “No,” he ground out. “Just hurry up and finish.”

  Selena frowned, confused by his irritated tone, but she took a clean cloth and washed his bottom with soap and warm water. “Let me put some ointment on here and you’ll feel much better.” She gently smeared the salve on his buttocks and massaged it into the skin. She was reluctant to finish, enjoying the feel of his muscular bottom beneath her fingers, and s
he took her time massaging the muscular globes. “Alright,” she finally said, rising to her feet. “You can put your pants on now.”

  “Thanks,” came his muffled reply. Liam made sure she was turned away before he hastily rose and donned the clean pants. He mumbled an excuse and quickly walked away so she wouldn’t see the telltale bulge in his breeches.

  By the time he returned, she had dinner ready. Liam sat down gingerly, wincing as his bottom touched the ground and accepted a plate from her without meeting her eye. Selena sat beside him and they ate in silence. However, every once in a while, she was inclined to release a small giggle. Finally, she caught Liam’s eye, and when she started to laugh, he joined her.

  For the next few days, every time they hit a large bump, Liam would suck in his breath, and Selena would giggle. She insisted on applying more ointment each evening, and by the third day, Liam’s discomfort was completely gone . . . at least from his bottom.

  A few nights later, Selena surprised Liam with a birthday cake she had made especially for him. The cake was surprisingly light and moist, and she sat watching happily as he devoured a large slice while she ate a smaller piece.

  “I’m glad you like it,” she said. “I wasn’t sure when your birthday is. You just said it was sometime in May, so I thought tonight would be as good a time as any.”

  Liam grinned, pleased that she had remembered. “It’s actually tomorrow,” he said, “the eighteenth of May.”

  “Oh good, so it’s not late then.” Selena leaned back against the same rock Liam was using, her shoulder brushing his as she stared up into the starry sky. “You should make a wish.”

  After a long silence, she turned to Liam and was surprised to see a serious expression in his eyes as he watched her. Her breath caught in her throat. His eyes held a strange yearning.

  “And if I were to make a wish,” he murmured, the huskiness of his tone sending shivers of desire tickling down her spine, “would you be willing to make it come true?”

  Selena swallowed hard against the lump in her throat. “That depends.” Her eyes searched his in the firelight. “What is your wish?”

  Liam’s own heart was pounding. He hadn’t been this nervous with a woman since he was fifteen. “What if I were to tell you that I wished for you to kiss me?” He raised one challenging brow, holding his breath to see her reaction.

  A long moment passed, and just when Liam was certain that Selena would refuse, she leaned hesitantly toward him. Reaching up to cup his cheek, she touched her lips to his, softly at first, then with growing warmth. It was the first time she had ever initiated a kiss, and Liam felt a heady sense of triumph. Of their own accord, his arms encircled her waist, bringing her more fully around to face him. She tensed for a brief moment before relaxing into him, allowing him to pull her fully against him as he took control of the kiss. He delved into the softness of her mouth, feeling her fingers threading through the hair at his nape. Her responsiveness inflamed his senses, and he reached up to cup her breast. The soft flesh swelled into his hand, the nipple a gratifyingly hard nub against his palm. The blood was pounding through his loins by the time he raised his head.

  “I want you,” Liam breathed.

  Selena stared up at him, seeing the burning desire in his hazel eyes, feeling the heat of his hand still cupping her breast, before she released a shuddering sigh and rose to her feet. “I’d better get these dishes washed up,” she said softly. “We have a busy day tomorrow.”

  Without another word, she turned away, gathering the plates and pots. Liam glared at her back, furious that she could so easily dismiss him when she dominated all of his thoughts. He knew she had been affected by the kiss. He had felt her soften in his arms, and her sweet responsiveness had shaken him to his core. Why was she so reluctant to let him make love to her? Was she still afraid because of her stepfather’s abuse? With that thought, his anger dissipated, and he rose to retrieve his towel and soap from the wagon.

  “Goodnight, Selena. I’m going to take a bath.” Liam said over his shoulder.

  Selena breathed a long sigh, watching his retreating back until it disappeared. Her breast still felt the imprint of his hand, and there was an aching hunger in the pit of her belly, but she dared not call him back. It would have been so easy to yield to him, but she wanted so much more from Liam than just to share their bodies. If only he had said he loved her instead of he wanted her, she would have gladly responded to his caresses.

  Selena wondered forlornly whether she was expecting too much from Liam. Maybe it would be better to take what he offered her now and hope for more in the future. Her mind stubbornly rejected that notion, and she concentrated on finishing the dishes, but the thrumming tension in her body didn’t ease. That night, she found it nearly impossible to sleep, and she stifled a groan as she wondered how much longer she would be able to resist her own building hunger.

  A few mornings later, Liam awoke to find Selena snuggled close against his side. It had rained steadily the day before, but the rain had stopped sometime during the night. There was still a damp chill in the air, and he could hear droplets falling from nearby leaves.

  Selena was obviously drawn to his warmth, and she had wrapped an arm around his waist while she slept. Her face was nuzzled in the crook of his arm, and her warm breath feathered the side of his neck. He took advantage of the moment to admire the way her lashes lay in thick velvety crescents against her cheeks, and the curve of her rosy, slightly parted lips. He couldn’t resist the urge to sample her mouth. He rose on one elbow and kissed her, cradling her head on his arm. At first, she lay unresponsive, but as his kisses became more insistent, she roused from her sleep and sighed. She stole his breath when she began to respond. He tasted her with a leisured thoroughness, enjoying her softness even through the layers of blankets between them.

  Wanting more, Liam worked at the buttons of her thick cotton nightgown until he had it opened to the waist. He watched as her eyes fluttered open, and he wished he could make out the color of her eyes. When he pulled the blankets from between them, Selena made no move to stop him, and he felt the blood throbbing in his loins. He reached inside her gown to cup her naked breast, and Selena released a soft sigh.

  The feeling of his hand on her breast was like heaven. His strong fingers kneaded the flesh, and when he squeezed her nipple between his thumb and fingers, she bit her lip to keep from moaning out loud. Shards of white-hot desire shot through her to coalesce in her belly, and she felt an aching emptiness between her thighs. She closed her eyes and arched her back, mutely offering her breast for more of his attention.

  When Liam suckled her nipple into the burning cavity of his mouth, she gasped with shock. Of a sudden, she understood the soft sighs and moans that she had sometimes heard coming from her parents’ bedroom. The effort it took for her to remain quiet beneath Liam’s touch sapped her strength, but she didn’t want to make any noise when nearby campers might hear her.

  He nipped and suckled, taking his time to savor the soft mound before he moved to her other breast. The thick stubble on his jaw grazed her breasts, and despite her best efforts, Selena couldn’t suppress a soft moan of delight. By the time Liam had paid homage to both of her breasts, Selena was writhing with need, and when he raised his head to look at her, they were both breathing raggedly. Selena could feel the insistent pressure of his erection against her hip, and she knew what he wanted, but she wasn’t afraid. For some reason, she didn’t feel the need for questions between them. She wanted this, and she would worry about love and commitment later.

  Liam let his eyes drop to her naked breasts, rosy from his ministrations. He felt a primal satisfaction. Somehow he had stumbled on the one woman who could hold his fascination, and he wanted to discover all that she was, both physically and emotionally. Selena was his wife, and Liam was more than ready to make their relationship permanent. He skimmed his hand down over her hip and thigh to reach beneath the hem of her gown. His fingers trailed up the inside of her thigh, an
d she opened her legs for him, gasping from the intimacy of his touch. His fingers stroked her moist folds, and their eyes met and held as he explored her with increasingly bold caresses, finally slipping one finger inside her.

  Nearby voices intruded on the moment, and Liam looked out the tent flap to see several nearby campers moving around in the predawn darkness. Liam’s frustration was supreme. He briefly considered completing his conquest, but he dismissed the idea just as quickly. He wanted their first time to be something more than just a hurried coupling during which they both felt self-conscious in case someone nearby might hear them. Yet, he knew that stopping now, he would be uncomfortable throughout the day.

  “Damn!” The single word was full of aggravation.

  Selena reached up and cupped his cheek in her palm, waiting until he met her eyes. She smiled at him, and her eyes were limpid pools full of promise.

  “Shall we continue this tonight?” she whispered.

  Her proposition did much to lessen his disappointment, and he gave her a lopsided grin. “Selena, that is my most sincere wish. I want you in the worst possible way, and if I don’t have you soon, I fear that I’m going to go crazy.”

  “Well, I certainly wouldn’t want to be responsible for that,” she whispered, running a fingertip along his jaw. “We’d better get up.”

  Even though he knew it would increase his frustration, Liam stalled her. “Just one more kiss to last me through the day?” he asked.

  The raw need in his voice tugged at Selena’s heartstrings. She pulled him down to her and kissed him, letting her own pent up longings overflow. In her innocence, she couldn’t understand what a devastating effect she was having on Liam. He finally broke off the kiss with a pained groan. The fire in his hazel eyes stole her breath.

  “Until tonight then.” His voice held firm conviction, and Selena shivered with anticipation.

  Liam rose in the dim light of dawn and stepped into his breeches, noticing that for the first time, his wife was watching him dress. Her close attention only served to further inflame his lust, and his hands trembled as he fumbled with the buttons on his shirt. As soon as he was decent, he beat a hasty retreat from the tent. Selena waited until he left before she rose and hurriedly donned her own clothes. Her body was tingling from Liam’s caresses, and she felt feminine and pretty knowing that he desired her. She went about her morning routine with a spring in her step and a smile on her face.