Dashing Druid (Texas Druids) (21 page)

“Tye, the panther scratches. Maybe we’d better not –”

“Forget them. They’ll not bother me, not now.”

He removed her other boot and finished unfastening her
Levis
. Parting them, he kissed her stomach. It tickled, and she giggled in reaction. He laughed, too, making her skin quiver as his warm breath brushed over her. His mouth strayed lower across her belly as he worked the pants down over her hips, and the ticklish sensation of a moment ago turned into coiled, feverish desire. When he blew softly on her triangle of hidden curls, her knees nearly buckled. She had to clutch his head to remain upright as he finished stripping away her britches.

“God, Lily!” he breathed, hands cupping her hipbones. “Ye glow like a candle in the moonlight. You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

Lil’s heart skipped a beat. Did he truly think her beautiful? He’d told her so over and over again. Did she dare believe him? Rising, he looked into her eyes.

“Believe what I say, for every word is true,” he said, again seeming to read her thoughts. He gave her a quick hard kiss. “A moment, luv. Let me see to yer comfort.”

The moon was well up by now, allowing her to watch him as he dragged off his shirt and made a bed out of their garments. He was the beautiful one, she thought. Even the bandages covering his upper chest didn’t spoil his male perfection.

He kicked off his boots and undid his britches. As he started to shinny out of them, Lil suffered a wave of uncertainty. She turned away, shivering in her nakedness.

What am I doing
? she asked herself.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Within seconds, Tye was behind her.

“Ah, colleen, don’t be afraid, not with me,” he whispered, caressing her shoulders. Gently, he turned her to face him. “Hold me, love, and let me warm ye.”

She caught her breath as his arms encircled her and the hot staff of his erection pressed against her belly. Then he kissed her long and persuasively. Doubt melted away; she slipped her arms around him, eager to know every inch of him.

His hands traveled over her, turning her knees to jelly. It was a relief when he lowered her to the bed of clothes he’d made for them. She lay back and he leaned over her, kissing and caressing her, stoking the flames inside her until she clutched at him in need.

“Ye have such lovely, long legs,” he whispered, running a hand down her thigh, making her tremble. “Part them for me, love.”

She hesitantly obeyed, then watched with a trace of wariness as he knelt between her outstretched limbs. Once more, he drove away her uncertainty with his touch. His hands slid up both legs from mid-calf to just below the damp, tender folds of her womanhood, and pleasure sang through her veins. He drew delicate circles on her sensitive inner thighs, trailing down to her knees, then back up, and she was ready to let him do whatever he wished.

He repeated the same pattern over and over. Sometimes, he reached to caress her belly and breasts, but never that eager place he’d touched before, where she wanted him to touch her again. Even when she groaned and arched her hips, he refused the invitation. Finally, frustrated beyond endurance, she caught his hand.

“Please,” she begged, leading him to where she wanted him. She saw a flash of white teeth; then a streak of pleasure shot through her as he obliged her.

“Ah, is this what ye want, sweetheart?”

“Yes! Ohhh . . . .”

He stroked her until she whimpered and writhed, rolling her head from side to side. Then two fingers delved into her, and she shrieked as he massaged her from within and without.

His other hand quickly sealed her lips. “Shhh, luv. Much as I crave hearing ye cry out, ’twould be most untimely were someone to hear and come running.” He lowered himself over her, supported by one elbow, and his mouth muted the noises she couldn’t contain when he resumed his devastating onslaught.

Everything became unfocused; all that mattered was satisfying the desperate need he’d created. She groaned in protest when he took his hand away again, but he quickly replaced it with his hot, club-like member. He caught her hands, and knitting his fingers with hers, pressed them to the ground by her shoulders.

“’Twill hurt a bit,
mavourneen
, but then we’ll find the heaven I promised ye,” he whispered, kissing her eyes and cheeks, then her lips again. His hard, heated flesh probed into her gently, paused, drew back, and drove into her.

A short, intense pain pierced her. She cried out beneath his lips and stiffened, but only for a moment. She wouldn’t let a few seconds’ discomfort ruin this for her, any more than Tye’s wounds would stop him from taking his pleasure.

The pain subsided, leaving in its wake a welcome fullness. Releasing her hands, Tye began to move slowly in and out. He guided her uncertain response until their hips rose and dipped in harmony. Soon she was gripped by that mad hunger he had aroused moments ago. He increased the speed of his thrusts gradually, building the exquisite tension to a point where she bucked frantically under him.

Tearing her mouth away from his, she gasped, “I . . . I can’t stand it! D-do something!”

He rose to his knees and grasped her hips. “Wrap your legs around me, love,” he ordered hoarsely.

She obeyed, and he lifted her as he drove into her full-force once, twice, a third time. The pleasure-pain mounted to a blinding crescendo that burst in great spasms of delight. Crying out in victory, Lil heard Tye utter a growl of ecstasy, and his manhood throbbed within her.

Seconds later, he collapsed on top of her. Even in his moment of weakness, he thought of her, taking part of his weight on his elbows. Feeling him tremble in reaction, Lil wrapped boneless arms around him and smiled against his throat. Joy, so sweet it brought tears to her eyes, settled over her.

* * *

Consumed by his soul-stealing release, Tye found it impossible to move for long moments. Never before had he known such shattering ecstasy, but then no woman had ever captured his mind and senses the way Lil did, effortlessly overcoming his mental shield. Feeling every blissful sensation she’d experienced, he’d felt as if they were one being sharing the same body.

At last, he roused himself and nuzzled Lil’s neck, inhaling her heady female scent and rejoicing in their mutual pleasure. Her skin was damp and faintly salty from their lovemaking. A shiver passed through her, and goose bumps formed under his lips.

“You’re cold. We’d best get some clothes on.”

When he attempted to disengage himself, she tightened her arms around him and moaned in protest. He chuckled softly and kissed her, lingering when her lips parted under his. Finally, he forced himself to lift his head.

“I’d gladly stay here with ye all night, love, but if we don’t get back soon, we’ll be missed. Your night-herd shift will be coming up before long.”

She stiffened instantly. “Oh! I forgot. I . . . I’m sorry.”

He cut her off with a light kiss, then levered himself up enough to see the moonlit oval of her face. “Don’t apologize, colleen. Ye pay me a rare compliment by not wishing us to part, and if ye haven’t noticed, I feel exactly the same way.” It was true; he’d already hardened again inside her.

Thick lashes screened her eyes, and although darkness hid the color of her cheeks, he knew she blushed at his frankness. He groaned in regret as he separated from her.

She pushed herself up on her elbows while he got to his feet. Raking her body with a lusty gaze, he held out his hand to her. She grasped it and he pulled her up, and unable to resist, straight into his arms. She lay her hands lightly on his torn shoulders. As before, the touch of her beaded nipples against his chest overcame any pain from his wounds.

“One more kiss,” he said thickly, claiming her lips. He reveled in her immediate response and was tempted for one wild moment to reconsider and take her again. But she’d been a virgin, as he’d sensed from the beginning. She must be sore. He wouldn’t subject her to more pain
or
the shame she’d be forced to endure if they were caught in the act by one of the drovers or, God forbid, by her father.

Wrenching his mouth from hers, he stood her at arm’s length and bent to snatch up her clothes. His voice rang rough with need as he handed them to her. “Get dressed, Lily, before I forget everything but how much I want ye again.”

She gave a jerky nod, breathing hard, and fumbled into her shirt while Tye found his pants and snaked into them. He didn’t trust himself to look at her again until they were both fully clothed. He waited as she quickly braided her hair; then they walked back to camp in silence.

When they were within a stone’s throw of the wagons, he caught her arm and whispered, “Go on ahead. I’ll circle around and come in from the far side, just in case someone’s awake.”

“All right.” She started to turn away but paused. “Good night,” she said softly.

“Good night, love.” He cupped her cheek and brushed a gentle kiss across her lips. With great reluctance, he let her walk away. Giving her a few moments’ head start, he made his way around the sleeping camp.

* * *

Early the next morning, Lil rode slowly along near the lead steers as they grazed and ambled north into the Indian Territory. A stiff easterly breeze stirred the short tufts of grama grass they fed upon. The red earth nourishing the grass was firm and dry, a pleasant change.

Sloshing through water and mud, and eating nothing but soggy, wilted grass all the way from Fort Worth had left the cattle footsore and somewhat underweight. They would soon recover, though, now that they had dry ground and good forage.

Lil wasn’t so sure about herself. Tender in certain places, she shifted in her saddle, but the physical discomfort was nothing compared to the painful turmoil of her thoughts.

How could she give herself to Tye so brazenly? How could she ignore everything she’d been taught about right and wrong? Shame warred with the part of her that rejoiced because she finally knew what it was like to be loved by a man.

Loved? No, she mustn’t hoodwink herself. Tye had called her “love” but he’d never said he loved her. What had happened between them was lust, plain and simple.

A chilling prospect assailed her, one she hadn’t even thought of last night. What if she came up pregnant? She hadn’t lain with a man before, but she knew how babies were made. She’d be plumb stupid not to, living on a ranch around animals all her life.

Tye had been so gentle, he’d given her such pleasure, and he’d risked his life to save her back at the river. She believed he did care for her, but he wasn’t interested in marriage. When she’d put the question to him after the night in Fort Worth, he’d gone mute. She’d known immediately what that meant.

Since he felt that way, was it fair to shackle him to her for the sake of a child, if there turned out to be one? No, she couldn’t do it. He’d given her a chance to walk away last night, but she’d chosen to grab a moment’s happiness, throwing consequences to the wind. Now she would bear those consequences herself, no matter what.

Her fretful pondering was interrupted when her father appeared on a low ridge up ahead. He signaled for Neil and her to turn the herd slightly west. Copying his motion, she doffed her hat and waved it to her left to let the man behind her know which way they were to go. Then she dropped away from the lead steers, while Neil crowded in close on his side and gave a yell. Jefe and his followers reacted by angling away from him, in the desired direction.

They moved on without incident through the morning, leaving Lil plenty of time to think before her father called the midday halt. As luck would have it, she and Tye rode into camp at the same time.

“Hello, love,” he said sweet and low, drawing up beside her.

Her pulse tripped over itself. She made a wordless sound as her feet touched ground, then stood rooted, hand on her saddle horn, while he dismounted and walked around her horse. His nearness nearly undid her. He was a lode stone, pulling her, making her long to touch him. But she’d come to a decision and she meant to stick to it.

“God, how I want to kiss ye!” he murmured.

“Be quiet. S-s-someone might hear,” she stammered, growing hot all over at the thought of his kiss. She glanced around for her father, hoping he wouldn’t interfere, and spotted him near the fire. He’d ridden in ahead of her and already sat eating with the men. To her surprise, he eyed her and Tye and nodded complacently.

Tye returned his nod. “Ye needn’t worry, colleen. It seems I’m to be trusted around ye now, because of yesterday, no doubt. Ah well, I’ll not quibble over the reason.”

His gaze shifted back to her, and she swallowed hard. As she searched for the courage to speak, a worried look creased his brow.

“Something’s wrong. You’re angry with me. Or is it with yourself?” He suddenly glowered at her. “You’re about to tell me to stay away. Again.”

Like last night, she imagined he was reading her mind. Ridiculous! Mind reading wasn’t real; it was a carnival act. Blaming his guess on her unguarded expression, she met his probing blue eyes and nodded. “Yeah, I . . . I want you to leave me alone.”

“Saints above! Lily, I understand if you’re having regrets, but ye needn’t worry, colleen. I promise ye –”

“No! No promises,” she snapped, hand raised to stop him. “Last night was . . . it was something we both needed after what happened at the river. But don’t pretend it was more than that. And don’t think I’ll let it happen again, because I won’t. I can’t.” She hardened her voice. “Like I said, just leave me alone.”

He clenched his jaw, then said in a furious undertone, “If that’s how ye feel, I’ll abide by your wishes.” Touching his hat, he stalked away.

A silent cry of regret strangled Lil. She wanted to run after him and take back every word she’d said, but she resisted the impulse. This was for the best, she told herself, no matter how heartsick it left her.

Damnú!
Tye fumed as he strode to the chuck wagon.
Why couldn’t she at least hear me out?