Comanche Haven (The Loflin Legacy: Book 1) (25 page)

“
We can’t.” His words, edged
with his own brand of defense, sounded harsh. Seth stepped close
and adjusted the shawl with the shear lace on her
shoulder.

His words dug deep at the
wound that never seemed to heal.
Did he
actually miss the uneducated, naive girl she’d been?
“I guess not,” Celia felt his hands burn with the
touch. “Seth, you have to know, I didn’t want to go.”

“
Somehow, I convinced myself
you didn’t.” He let out a half laugh. “I guess that was the only
way I could bear it. Celia, do you doubt I loved you
then?”

“
No.” The one word trembled
on her lips. She felt the ache subside a bit.

“
Now, so much time has
passed. You’ve grown into a beautiful, independent, sophisticated
woman. You’ve unsettled my idea of you, I guess.” Glancing off,
Seth released a short, impatient breath. Taking her by the arm, he
peered once more into her face. “But I want to know you.” With that
last stern word, Seth lowered his head to hers. “I’m just a smitten
cowboy, but I want to know you again, Celia. Will you let me?” His
lips grazed hers.

The air stilled. Celia couldn’t move.
Somehow, she found she didn’t want to. She heard her heart in her
ears. The pounding was so loud, she was sure Seth heard it too.
Hesitantly, she reached out laying trembling fingers on his coat
sleeves.

“
Yes.” She searched his
shadowed face. His Stetson covered his eyes. She wanted desperately
to see his face. All she could do was hope he felt the need that
burned inside of her, burning in him. Drawn to him like the
proverbial moth, Celia lifted her mouth to the heat of his. Here
was the one thing that she’d never forgotten. Here was Seth. She’d
known long ago that Texas would always be home, but she hadn’t
fully realized why. Celia raised her arms to wrap them around his
neck as he deepened the kiss. No flights of fancy or delusional
thoughts here, no, here was her heart and Seth was the
key.

“
You’ve only to ask and I’ll
tell you anything you want to know.” Anything but one, she mused.
She couldn’t hurt him that much.

“
Would you allow me the
pleasure of discovering you all over again?”

Celia glanced aside. She knew exactly
what he meant. She too remembered what it was like in his arms. The
years may have toughened the man. Time may have roughened the
edges, but he was still Seth. “Yes.”

Wrapping his arms around her before
drawing her in with a low groan, he trailed tiny, tender kisses
down the column of her neck.

It sent shivers down her spine as his
warmth enveloped her. Her heart leapt and Celia released a pent up
breath. Here was the man that she’d dreamed of for so long telling
her there was hope. Asking to know her as a man knows a
woman.

“
I want you, Celia.” Seth’s
eyes gleamed in the faint light.

In the moonlight, Celia could see the
strong angular, plains of his face. The light showcased the way his
mouth, that wonderful mouth, curved. He hesitated. “I want to
become quite involved with you, Celia.” He leaned in close brushing
a stray strand of hair that had slipped from its binding with the
strength of the kisses. His fingertip traced the angle of her chin
before following the length of her neck sending delicious little
tingles down her spin.

He was being honest. Still,
the voice inside her head said
Beware!
Desire was a two edged sword.
She had no doubt that he was confident that she would come
willingly to his bed as she had all those years ago. But the
logical Celia, the woman who’d been forced from her home and
traveled to an unknown place, who’d shared life with people who
were so strange to her, had to guard her heart. She had to remember
that she was different. Facts, knowledge and poise carried a lot of
weight when it came to being respected by one’s peers, but it
didn’t change the way people thought of you not when you were a
half-breed. She had to be realistic. There would be no declaration
of love or warm proposal of marriage in her future. A half-breed
could never consider those things. He could never promise her
tomorrow or offer her the title of Mrs. Seth Loflin. Shooter Creek
ranch was his wife and the people living on that ranch depended on
him. Would sharing his bed be enough for her – the knowledgeable,
realistic Celia? Was it enough for a lifetime? She closed her eyes
tight. One tiny tear trickled down as her body betrayed her with
the answer, ‘yes’. Leaning in, Celia touched her lips to his with a
whisper of feeling – a trembling need. “I’d like to know you
better.” Simple though the words might be, Celia felt their weight
heavy on her heart.

Seth pressed her back to the wall of
the alley they’d stumbled into. He stilled. “In dreams, I’ve had
you. In dreams, I’ve known a need greater than I could handle
darlin.’ Celia, lie with me, let me love you.”

“
Here?” She let her voice
trail off as she found the idea shocking but not out of the
question, because she couldn’t deny the need smoldering inside her
at that moment.

“
It’s just you and I.”
Seth’s words rushed out as if he feared a change of heart on her
part. He leaned in tilting her head up with the tip of his finger.
“I want you Celia. Love me, girl. I’ve never known anyone like
you.” His eyes roamed her face.

Suddenly skittish, Celia tried for
flippant. Moving sideways, she escaped his roaming hands. Sucking
in a deep breath, she whispered, “I suppose, I’ll have to take your
word on that. After all, I have no idea how many young ladies
you’ve known.” She flashed him a coy grin. Secretly, Celia hoped it
curled his toes in his boots. She thought about a few words to put
him in his place as her strength returned. “You know, you’ve
changed some too, Seth.” She spoke lightheartedly as she stepped
past him moving away from the heat. “I came home to find you a
rancher with vast holdings and interests.” Her eyes grew devilish
as she turned her head to watch him. “There are several words I
would use to describe you.” Celia paused before pursing her lips.
“Let’s see - there’s educated, responsible, overbearing,
domineering, and bullheaded. Oh yes, don’t forget cocky. She marked
them off on her fingers one by one.

Seth raised one dark brow.

Celia watched him struggle with the
analysis. Briefly, she thought she may have gone too far before she
saw his control win out and a grin split his ruggedly handsome
face.

“
Granted, I have my faults,
but cocky? I don’t see myself that way. You must be thinking of
Ty.”

Both of them broke out in laughter that
felt good. Celia was reminded of how he’d always been able to make
her laugh. “Seth, what do you remember about that summer?” Her
bravado at the question surprised Celia. But she found she’d
relaxed some. She decided now she wanted to know.

He took her again loosely in the circle
of his arms before giving her chin another tracing.

“
Do you remember the Creek?”
She cut her gaze back to his as she fingered the buttons of his
shirt.

“
I remember. Those nights
live in my mind still. You were the only thing that mattered to me.
I can remember the first time I ever saw you on the creek bank.” He
gave her one of his killer smiles.

“
Oh, Seth, you would have to
bring up that.” Playfully chiding him, Celia remembered the night
too when, as she bathed, Seth had rode up unannounced. “I thought
you the most brash, vulgar, loathsome devil. You simply sat there
staring at me with that brilliant smile on your arrogant face. A
gentleman would have turned away.” Celia feigned a pout. The
burning in her depths needed controlling.

Seth let out a rush of a laugh. “Was
that what you called me? Funny, but it sounded a lot different in
Comanche.” He inclined his head. “Darlin’, you know I’m no
gentleman. But I thought you the most beautiful creature I’d ever
laid eyes on. I have to confess, I enjoyed looking my fill at your
loveliness.”

His chuckle fanned the flame growing
deep inside. Celia groped for control. He wasn’t a saint. He’d
always been her sinner. Somehow, she mused, that was exactly what
she wanted. In fact, he was what she’d always wanted. The devil
take her, but tonight, she wanted Seth.

“
Instead, I found a little
temptress hoping I’d look my fill.”

Celia’s mouth fell open. “Ah! You are a
cur!” Struggling as he laughed, Celia tried to escape simply for
affect.

He pulled her close. “You know damn
well that you wanted me as much as I wanted you back then.” Dark
smoldering eyes watched her. “If the truth be told, I think you
still do.” With smooth agility, he pulled her up by her arms
centering her spine against the wall once more.

Deep in the shadows where nothing made
a sound, he whispered low and feral, “Did it ever occur to you that
I may have wanted you to stay? I asked you to stay,
remember?”

She couldn’t see his face. But she
heard his words take on a hard edge with a trace of
pain.

“
Yes, but…” Celia’s voice
cracked over the simple reply. She struggled to find the words that
would explain her flight all those years ago. She couldn’t. The
words wouldn’t come. Her eyes traced the angles of his face that
was so close to hers now. There was only one way to ease the
tension between them. Celia’s breath left her throat as she leaned
in. Seth met her advance with one of his own.

They wrapped arms around each other
melding into one. Time ceased as their mouths explored each
other’s. Sensations, long buried rose and feasted. Those questions
that haunted them both would have to wait.

“
Deny you want me. Go
ahead!” His voice ragged with lust, edgy with hunger burned her
skin as he streamed kisses across her mouth, her face, her
throat.

His hands gripped her in a vice.
Somehow, she didn’t care. She wanted him despite tomorrow. She
wanted his hands on her no matter what the daylight
brought.

Like the wolf after prey, Seth took her
mouth again and again in a primal, almost savage assault. Lost in
the need, Seth groaned when he found her breast.

Celia escaped his mouth for one
precious moment to pull air into her lungs. Then the world went
spinning.

His hands raced like hot brands over
her flesh.

She shifted, but he followed. Some
small voice inside said she should be shocked at the assault on her
person, but it wasn’t her head speaking to her at that moment. Her
heart had a very different voice. Thrilled by his taste, Celia
shoved away everything else as she melted into him.

Seth left a possessive trail of
fingerprints down her backbone. His shaft pressed in hard pinning
her to the wall. Reality skittered into the darkness.

Warmed now by his hands, Celia gave in
to the need. With her own fingers exploring old familiar territory
as if it were the first time, she felt the passion take her. There
was no tamping down the desire that only Seth could stir in her. To
be with him now was all she needed. Soft gasps left her lips as he
trailed hot, wet kisses down her throat, while tugging at the front
of her dress. Driven by the hunger that was engulfing them both,
Celia undid the buttons of his shirt. With wanton fingers, she
touched the skin which had once been so familiar.

“
Christ, Celia. I want you.
Let me…” Her lips eagerly seeking out his smothered his
reply.

“
I…” Celia’s brain faltered
before she gathered air in her lungs again. With oxygen came a
strangled kind of clarity. “Don’t stop. Please…I want you. Oh, yes,
I want you too.” Celia’s head fell back when Seth found her breast
with his tongue.

Circling her bud into a hard peak of
need, Seth cupped the mound of her breast, nipped and then sucked
greedily.

Celia’s vision blurred as she reached
to unhook his gun belt. Driven to the brink, her hands trembled and
fumbled to undo his pants. Finally freeing him, she raced over his
heated flesh.

He groaned with sexual tension
simmering to a boil. “I need you so much.” Seth began to work the
material of her skirt up and out of his way.

“
Tell me what you want.”
Celia pleaded as she encircled his massive erection through the
cotton of his drawers. The feel of him straining against the
restraint of the material had her crazy with the desire erupting
inside her. No more could she think, only feel. She thought she
might go mad before she could feast on him.

Seth’s fingers sought her out finding
her wet and slick. Again, his low, throaty groan was pure
passion.

Panting out her directive, Celia begged
Seth to take her, “Now, right now!”

In that moment with the heat of need
surging through them, their private world was shattered with one
ear piercing scream.

Chapter 8

Family Secrets

The scream destroyed the moment with
the precision of a gunshot.

Both Celia and Seth froze.

Again, the sound of a woman in distress
startled the night.

Without fanfare, Seth dropped Celia to
the ground. “Cover up,” he hissed. Buttoning his pants with one
hand, he reached for his gun with the other.