Another Chance (27 page)

His glance roamed slowly over her face, down her neck and shoulders
. The clear water lapped against her breasts and did little to shield her from his wondering gaze.

After a long minute, he focused his attention on her face
. She stared at his eyes. His desire showed, increasing her need for him.

"I spoke harshly to you," he said, rubbing his thumbs against her upper arms
.

His words pleased her, and his touch stoked her internal furnace
. Still, his earlier comments had hurt. She fought back her physical yearning and waited for him to continue.

"You wanted to help," he added, his tone soft
.

Would he ask for forgiveness for his sharp words?

"Quick Rabbit has not responded to any treatment." His fingers massaged Sarah's shoulders. "I understand your desire to help. I will not prevent your visits."

She considered snapping back at him, telling him she did not need his approval, but she stared into his warm, black eyes
. Silently but intensely his desire flared. A war raged within her between her temper and her longing.
Although not a total apology, he had taken a giant step. Was it enough?

He drew her closer, until his chest touched her breasts
.

Before she could speak, his mouth captured hers
. As his kiss deepened, she could only respond. His tongue eased into her mouth and surrounded hers, nay invaded her soul; nothing mattered except being a part of him. Now, she pursued him, placing her arms around his head and drawing him closer. Their tongues joined and intertwined.

While she engaged his mouth, he raked her upper body across his hard, firm chest
. His round, stone-like paps raked against her swollen nipples. Her breath shortened as the fire grew. She edged her hands down his neck and across his shoulders. Dizzy with desire and passion, she put her feet down. "Auk!"  She jerked up her legs.

Wolf released her and crumpled over
. "
E-e.
"

Disregarding the yuck oozing between her toes, she grabbed his arms
. "I'm sorry," she grimaced.

He straightened slowly
, keeping his distance. Pain etched his face. "You kneed me!"

"I didn't mean to
. " She tried to pull him closer, but he stayed an arm's length away.

"Why?"
His breath came in short pants.

"I hate mud
."

"You what?"

"Ever since I was a child and the boy next door dunked me in the river and wouldn't let me up, I've loathed muddy bottoms. Crayfish, snapping turtle, all kinds of creatures exist down there."

"Boy next door? You have no near neighbors
. Haven't you always lived at the inn?"

She sensed her face reddening
. "No, I haven't." Sarah hoped her words were true for Benjamin as well as for herself. Unable to stand the slime encompassing her toes, she began treading water.

"What are you doing now?" Wolf asked as the water rippled around them
.

"Keeping my feet off the bottom, but aiming my legs away from thee
."

His face lightened, and he laughed
. "I am going to put my arms around you. You put your legs around my waist, so stop kicking."

Paddling with only her arms, she allowed him to move closer
. When his chest touched her breasts, she smiled and encircled him.

"Hold on
." A tender expression covered his face. "I like what your body does to mine."

Just below her buttocks, his hard, firm shaft nudged her
. She shivered, but not completely from the cool temperature of the air.

He crouched until the surface of the pond covered their shoulders
. "Better?"

Keeping her legs tightly around him, she nuzzled his neck with her nose
. "A little."

He began walking and each step teased her nether lips
. Suddenly, the cold spray from the waterfall bounced off her shoulders, while warm water surrounded the rest of her body.

"Comfortable?"

"Yes." She snuggled lower so that only her head stayed above the water. "Why is it so warm here?"

"A hot spring feeds this portion of our pond
." He grinned mischievously. "Although with you wrapped around me, I need no outside warmth to raise my temperature." He kissed her mouth then trailed his tongue along her chin down to her neck. His lips sucked on her tender skin.

She gasped for breath, her hands scarcely able to hold on
. He lowered her and her gate of passion opened to receive him. His manhood slipped inside the doorway, then hesitated--his eyes heavy with wanting. The look fanned her desire. She locked her hands on his shoulders and eased herself down. His arms grabbed her waist as if to prevent her from reaching her goal. She pushed against his shoulders, and he slipped deep inside.

"
E-e
!"  Passion flashed in his eyes.

She moved
. He joined her, increasing the pace. As he stirred deeper within her, she kissed his eyes, the tip of his nose, his cheeks, his chin and finally his mouth. While she touched her lips to every feature of his face, he massaged her back and caressed her bottom. Her yearning built. She arched her back and moaned as the heavens exploded.

He jerked again echoing
her cry. Like a thousand shooting stars, they burned brightly, before collapsing into each other arms.

Sarah
clutched his head to her breasts while Wolf licked the moisture from her shoulder blade. "That was wonderful."

"For me, too
.
" But you are not a virgin,
Silver Wolf thought
. How is that possible for a maid who observes the Quaker traditions?

"You are cold," he said, noticing her shiver
. He rubbed her arms, but the goose bumps remained. "You must dress."

She nodded as her teeth chattered
.

He lifted her and carried her out of the water
. "Nu Hum," he called.

Instantly, the old woman appeared carrying a bearskin in her arms that she threw on the ground
. Sarah's feet touched the soft fur instead of the hard cold ground. Nu Hum began drying her off. "Go," she said, gesturing with her head for Wolf to leave.

"I will dress and return for you," Wolf told
Sarah.

As he walked the short distance to his clothes, he thought about his discovery
.
How could a properly raised, unmarried Quaker woman not be a virgin?  If she were Lenape, the situation would be normal, but for a gently raised religious white?  Never.
Suddenly, another reason struck him.
Has she been married?
He had never asked, but that was possible.

As Nu Hum rubbed
Sarah with a deerskin cloth, desire rose within Wolf. He wanted to be the one to stroke the soft fur over Sarah's luscious flesh. Although too far away to see all the details of her body, he imagined her nipples hardening as he caressed her breasts with the skin. He would caress her belly with the silky cloth while his mouth covered her apex of curls with kisses.

Wolf watched as her shift dropped over her ripe, desirable body
. Reluctantly, he donned his loin cloth. Yet, when he tied the raw hide strings of his leggings, he remembered Sarah's smooth, velvet inner thigh. Fighting his craving, he drew his shirt over his head and tried to chase the image of her from his mind.

He cared more than he should
. Even after his lovemaking he wanted her more than he had any woman. His wife's image flowed through his mind. Love and desire had very little to do with that marriage.

Wolf focused on
Sarah. Must he continually remind himself that any relationship between them would cause her harm?  Her people and her religion would ostracize her. She knew this. Why had she consummated their love making? Why had he allowed her to?  The answers to both questions were easy. They wanted each other. Unfortunately, this path led to destruction.

She looked over and smiled at him
. He sought to avoid her eyes for he was unsure of how to respond, but she stared at him, forcing him to nod.

"Sit
. Nu Hum comb hair," he heard the old grandmother say.

When
Sarah perched on a tree stump, her attention stayed centered on Wolf. How could he escape when he wished to succumb?

The aroma of peaches drifted toward him, as Nu Hum applied a jelly-like substance to
Sarah's long, chestnut locks.

"What is that?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder to look at the old grandmother
.

"Ground roots of peaches and oil," Wolf replied, walking closer
.

Her whole face lit up, as he drew near
. Her look filled him with mixed pleasure, but for the moment, he pushed his negative thought aside.

"I like the smell," she said
.

"Thank you, grandmother," Wolf said
. "I will finish this job." He began massaging the cream into Sarah's hair.

"Is she really thy grandmother?"

"No. Nu Hum or grandmother is an honorary title we give to our elders, just as the village girls you saw earlier called White Owl, grandfather."

"Oh
." Sarah sighed. "What wonderful hands thee has."

She twisted her head slightly, exposing bare skin just below her ear
. He fought his desire to brush his lips across her neck and chin. Instead, Wolf picked up the tortoise shell comb Nu Hum had laid near the tree stump and eased the fine teeth through Sarah's thick, rich hair. "Are you warm now?"

"Yes
. Nu Hum rubbed me down with a soft fur."

"I should have taken her place," he said softly
.

Looking back over her shoulder,
Sarah said, "If thee did, neither of us would now be dressed." The desire shone in her eyes.

He could not resist asking, "Would that have been so bad?"

"We might have shocked Nu Hum."

"She has seen much in her many years, but she tells no tales
." He brushed the side of Sarah's forehead with his fingertip. Sarah shivered under his touch, and her reaction stirred his loins.

"Did she watch us?"
Sarah asked in an embarrassed tone.

"No
. Our people do not spy on others."

"She might have glanced out
…"

"The white cloud partially covers her eyes, limiting her vision
."

"Oh, she has cataracts
. I didn't notice."

He pulled the comb through the thick strand of hair before stopping
. "Cataracts?  What do cataracts have to do with Nu Hum's eyes?"

Her cheeks reddened
. "That's the medical term used for her condition."

"Cataracts?"  He thought about the word
. "Strange. The only cataracts I know are obstructions in the river."

"I guess that's where they get the name, since both cause problems
." She laughed, hoping he heard the gaiety in her tone, but not the nervousness. "Shall we start back?" she asked.

"If you wish
.  "

"Where are my dirty clothes?" 
Sarah looked around the area.

"Nu Hum will wash them and return them to the house
."

"I would have done that
."

"Yes, but cleaning them is part of her responsibility," Wolf said
.

"She is too old to work so hard
."

"Having a reason for living is important to my people
. If she requires assistance to complete her task, she will ask."

"Oh
. I understand. Her job gives a reason for her existence. Everyone needs to feel and be needed," she added in a strange tone.

Was she speaking of herself?
Although her face revealed nothing, Wolf sensed her statement and tone covered much. "I am glad you approve. Are you ready?"

She glanced around before saying
, "Yes."

As they strolled toward the house, side by side, close but not touching, Long Knife met them
.

"I must speak to you, Silver Wolf," the young brave said, after acknowledging
Sarah.

"If thee will excuse me, I will go on ahead
." She nodded her goodbyes.

Her leaving left Wolf with an emptiness he could not explain.

"I have made an important decision," Long Knife said
.

His young brave's words broke into Wolf's concentration
.

"About what?"

"Revenge."