Authors: Stolen Ecstasy
Hannah Howell (23 page)
Shaking away those sad thoughts, he kissed the top of Leanne’s head. “Anyway, I assured my father I did indeed know what I was doing. We’ll do fine, you and me, Leanne.”
Before she could respond, the door to the room was flung wide open, and light from a hand-held lamp bathed the room. Leanne took one look at the robed figure looming in the doorway, groaned, and hid her face against Hunter’s chest.
“Evening, Mother,” Hunter drawled. “Come to say good-night?”
“It’s just as I suspected. Did you think to fool me?”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
“I’ll not have this in my house. It’s immoral. Did you lose all sense of right while with those thieves and killers?”
“Lorraine!” snapped Sloane as he stepped up behind his wife.
“Are you going to allow this—this shameful arrangement?”
“I don’t see anything shameful. And they’re getting married. Get out of here and let them sleep.”
After a brief staring match, Lorraine strode off and Sloane gave his son a wry smile. “Sleep well, you two.”
“Goodnight, Pa. Say good-night to my father, Leanne.”
He grinned when she gave a soft groan of embarrassment. His father laughed softly, then shut the door. Hunter slowly rubbed Leanne’s back and waited for her to calm down. It was not going to be easy to convince her she had nothing to be embarrassed about.
“Why on earth did she do that?” Leanne muttered when she was finally able to speak.
“Damned if I know.”
“How am I ever going to face your father in the morning?”
“Leanne, did you really think he didn’t know about us? Even before I flat out told him we were lovers?”
“Why did you tell him that?”
“I told him you were a virgin. There was only one way I could know that for sure. I told him, just in case he had even the tiniest thought along the lines of my mother’s about your morals.”
“And, of course, seeing us here like this reassures him that my morals are exemplary.”
“What he sees is that we’re not hypocrites. This is my home, Leanne. I shouldn’t have to play those games here. Not with my own damn family.”
She thought about that for a moment. “No, I suppose you shouldn’t have to.”
“That was a quick capitulation.”
“Well, on occasion you can be right.”
“Thank you so much.”
“You’re very welcome.”
He lightly hugged her. “Besides, until Watkins is tried and convicted, I’ll be away a lot, sleeping alone too much as it is.”
She returned his hug. “Then let’s pray Watkins gets a very speedy trial.”
Chapter Thirteen
“T
OMORROW
?” L
EANNE STARED AT
H
UNTER
and Sebastian in dismay.
OMORROW
?” L
EANNE STARED AT
H
UNTER
and Sebastian in dismay.
“To tell the truth,” Sebastian said, “I’m surprised we haven’t left before now, but that fellow from New Mexico was being real careful about getting all the evidence he could and Tuckman was being real careful about arranging secure transport.”
“I can’t really disagree with those two reasons, Sebastian.”
“Nope, reckon you can’t at that, Mr. Walsh.”
Hunter sat down next to Leanne on the settee, put his arm around her, and lightly hugged her. “You knew I’d have to go sometime.”
“Oh, I knew. I knew that’s why Sebastian came. I was just startled that it was such quick notice.”
“Well, Miss Summers . . .”
“Don’t you think you could start calling me Leanne now, Sebastian?” When he smiled at her, she decided he was a remarkably handsome man.
“My pleasure. As I was going to say, I left it this late on purpose. It’s a long ride out here. I didn’t really feel inclined to come out here to tell him we’re leaving, then have to return to escort him back.”
“There’s no need for you to escort me,” Hunter said.
“Don’t get your back up, Walsh. I’m not talking about marching you in like a prisoner. You’re an important witness, and we didn’t get every last man that worked for Watkins. There might be a couple out there still thinking on cutting him loose.”
After a moment’s silence as that dark warning sank in, Sloane Walsh said, “Well, I’ll get Molly to fix you up a bed in the guest house. She’ll set you out a nice hot bath if you’re wanting one.”
“I won’t say no, sir, but as for the bed, I can bunk down with the hands,” Sebastian said.
“You deserve something a little more grand. You want to be well rested when you set out tomorrow.”
Tomorrow. The word drummed in Leanne’s head for the rest of the afternoon and all through the evening meal. So too did Sebastian’s warning about some of Watkins’s men still running free. She was surprised that the worry consuming her did not spoil her appetite, but ruefully admitted that nothing seemed to do that lately.
It was an hour after supper before she wrangled a moment alone with Sebastian. As they stood out on the veranda enjoying the cool evening air, Hunter left them to make a final check on what he would be taking with him. Leanne sat on the porch swing and watched Sebastian roll a cigarette.
“You’re healed enough to make this journey?” she asked at last.
“I’d go on a stretcher if I had to. I’ve waited a long time to see Watkins pay for his crimes. But, yeah, I’m as good as new.”
Glancing up at the sky, she murmured, “I noticed you had no trouble sitting down.” She flashed him a grin when he choked on a laugh.
“Wretch. Not many people know about that particular injury.”
“My lips are sealed.” She sighed, her moment of levity quickly dampened by her worry. “Sebastian, is there really a danger from whatever men Watkins had who might still be free?”
“I honestly don’t know. He had a few who were real loyal and we didn’t get all of those. There’s also that money he offers for anyone getting him loose. I prefer to be cautious.”
“Yes, I prefer that too.”
“And when we get back, you and Hunter are still getting married?”
She looked at him with a touch of surprise. “Yes. Why do you ask?”
“It’s just that I’ve heard a thing or two. About his mother.”
“Oh. Well, she has been less than welcoming, but that is more than made up for by Hunter’s father and brothers. And at Hunter’s age, surely his mother no longer has final say over how he spends his life.”
“That’s as it should be, but men can be funny when it comes to their mothers. I also wondered if, once things here are a little less hectic, you might find marriage wasn’t what you wanted.”
“I will admit that Hunter’s different here, with his family. He’s more at ease, more open. He doesn’t worry at every turn that he might let slip something that’ll get him killed. Also, I think it weighed heavily on his mind that he was branded an outlaw.”
“It did. No doubt of that.” He watched Leanne as she rose and moved to stand by the railing. “Sure you ought to wait ’til he gets back to get married?”
Frowning at him and wondering why he was studying her so intently, she replied, “It’s what Hunter wants. It’ll all be behind us then. We can start fresh. And there’s no reason to hurry.”
“Isn’t there? What you two have been indulging in for so long”—he half-smiled when she blushed deeply and was unable to meet his gaze for a moment—“has been known to make babies.” He raised his eyebrows slightly in silent question when she suddenly stared at him.
“Babies?” she croaked, her mind suddenly filled with stray bits of information that collected up into an alarming whole. “Good God! No. It can’t be. And why are you looking at me like that? There’s no brand on my forehead proclaiming it.”
He ignored her testiness. “Leanne, I’m the oldest of a dozen kids. My sisters are busily building large families. I’ve been seeing pregnant women for as long as I can remember. There is a look. Don’t ask me to explain what I see. Damned if I know. I just see it. Now, if you can say for certain you aren’t, I’ll accept that I’m talking through my hat.”
“I can’t,” she whispered. “Damn, damn, damn. How long do you think you’ll be away settling Watkins?”
“Can’t think it’ll be more than a month.”
“That’s not too bad. The child will still be arriving too soon, even if we marry right this minute. Another month won’t make much difference. Don’t you say a word about this, Sebastian. Not a word.”
“Why the hell not? He could marry you before we set out.”
“Just drag the preacher out of his bed, mutter the right words, then wave Hunter good-bye? And what a lovely time to hit him over the head with this kind of news. He’ll worry the whole way there and back.” She ignored his muttered curse as he acknowledged the truth of her words. “I’ll fret about him the whole time he’s gone—but not as much as I would if he was taking this news with him.”
“All right, but the minute we get back—the minute, mind you—you tell him. No more stalling.
“Yes, Papa.”
“Hunter’s right. You are a sassy little thing.”
Later that night, as she watched Hunter get ready for bed, she wondered if she was right, if she should wait until he came back. Ever since Sebastian had mentioned the possibility, she knew without a doubt that she was pregnant. She wondered how she could have been so stupid not to have seen it before. She supposed she had simply had too much else on her mind. But it was news she ached to share.
She told herself firmly that her first decision was the best one. While she might not know much about how Hunter did or did not feel about her, she did know that he worried about her well-being. To tell him she was carrying his child before he had to leave on what could be a dangerous journey would be unnecessarily cruel. She would wait until he was safely home again.
Pushing away her troubled thoughts, she welcomed him into her arms when he slipped into bed at her side. It was their last night together for a while. She was determined to make it one he would remember the whole time he was gone.
Rolling onto his back, he dragged her on top of him. “It’s real hard to leave this to go back to sleeping on the ground—alone.”
“I’ll be much more comfortable than you, but I won’t like it much either.” She brushed a kiss over his mouth. “Just keep reminding yourself that this will end it at last. All our trouble will finally be firmly behind us.”
Trying to hold her close for a fuller kiss, he frowned a little when she eluded him. “It’s the only thing that’ll get me to do it.”
Sitting up, she smiled down at him as she unbuttoned her nightgown. She felt exceedingly bold. Some of it, she supposed, was because he would be leaving and she would be over whatever embarrassment her wantoness might stir in her by the time he returned. Her daring would also help make some memories that would stay with him, so she did not fight it. Still smiling faintly, she grasped the bottom of her nightgown and ever so slowly pulled it off over her head.
Hunter caught his breath at the slow exposure of her slim body. He was almost afraid to move. Leanne rarely acted so boldly. He did not want to do anything that might make her stop. Another thing that worried him was that, if she kept on, he would not be able to control himself for very long. Just watching her sensual removal of her nightgown had him breathing hard.
As she bent to kiss him, she grasped his wrists to hold his hands to the bed. He could break her hold with no effort at all but, as she had suspected, he did not even try. It was a heady feeling to have him so pliant beneath her. Slowly, taking her time and thoroughly enjoying herself, she kissed and licked her way down his body.
When her tantalizing little mouth reached the juncture of his thighs, Hunter groaned with the effort of controlling the tremors of need tearing through him. She released his wrists and he had to clench his hands into tight fists to keep from grabbing her. Finally, with a harsh cry as his control broke, he grabbed her beneath her arms, dragged her up his body and set her down upon him. For a moment he held her still there, enjoying the feel of their joining, savoring the warm, moist welcome of her body.
“God, woman, you feel so good. So damn fine.”
“You don’t feel so bad yourself.”
“I wish I could hold us here, at this point of needing it so bad it hurts yet feels so damned good.”
“I’m not sure that would be healthy.”
He laughed softly. “You’re probably right.”
At first, they moved slowly. Then their need gained control of their bodies. Hunter encouraged her fierceness as she took them swiftly toward release. When her movements grew a little frantic as the culmination of her desire robbed her of all control, he held her tightly against him. He lifted his hips off of the bed slightly in response to the force of his release. He held her close when she sagged into his arms, sharing the trembling that afflicted her. If her intention had been to remind him of the beauty of what they could share, she could not have done a better job. As soon as he recouped his strength he would turn the tables on her. It would not hurt to do a little reminding of his own.
Easing out of Hunter’s lax hold, Leanne rose and went to wash herself. Her own daring had surprised her but, she thought with a little grin, she had also had a very good time. Casually tossing aside the cloth she had freshened herself with, she walked back to the bed—only to discover the man she had thought half-asleep was very much awake.
He slid over to her side of the bed and gripped her hips in his hands before she could climb into bed. His soft kisses over her stomach and thighs soon had her desire stirring again. When his lips touched the heated softness between her thighs, she sighed and closed her eyes. It was obviously going to be one, long scandalous night, she mused as she opened to his kiss. She was beginning to like this sensual abandon—and how could that be such a bad thing?
Leanne slowly opened her eyes, then sat up with a soft cry. She was alone. Noticing a slip of paper on the bedside table, she grabbed it, reading: “It’s better this way. Take care of yourself. When I get back, this’ll all be over. Hunter.” Tossing the note back onto the table, she lay back down, thinking idly that his handwriting was appalling. She waited for the feeling of loss to hit her, but all her body was interested in was sleep. Closing her eyes, she decided the worry and loneliness could wait.
Hunter started to yawn, caught Owen grinning at him, and smothered it. “You find something amusing?”
“Nope. Not a thing. Didn’t get much sleep, huh?”
“Just why do I have the dubious pleasure of your company?”
“Pa didn’t want you riding off alone this time.”
After glancing around at the dozen well-armed men they rode with, Hunter looked back at Owen. “You call this alone?”
“Without family along.”
“I would’ve thought you’d be needed more at the ranch.”
“Charlie and Jed more than make up for my loss.” Glancing toward the prison wagon that held a coldly glaring Watkins, Owen murmured, “Seeing the kind of hate you’ve stirred up makes me glad I came.”
Looking towards Watkins, Hunter felt a chill snake down his spine. The man had gone beyond hate and fury. He felt certain Watkins’s mind had gone, that the man had become insane with a need for revenge. It would be hard to relax his guard until Watkins was securely jailed and waiting only to be hanged.
By the end of the first day of travel, Hunter was aching with exhaustion. Even the hard ground that was his bed would not stop him from sleeping. It might have been wiser to get some sleep the night before he left, but he knew he would pass the night the same way if given a second chance. Just thinking about it stirred a wanting even in his exhausted body. When Leanne let her sensual nature run free, she was beyond compare. If her intention had been to plant herself firmly in his mind, she had done a superb job. He decided he would be a complete idiot if he told her the truth, that she did not have to go to such efforts to make him remember her. She never really left his thoughts.
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