Just One Kiss (The Dream Catcher Series-Book Two) (25 page)

“Do you think it’s a boy?” Lee asked.

“Sarah, the Amish lady, she said if you carry it high it’s usually a girl, and if you carry it low, it’s usually a boy. I’m carrying it low,” Hattie said, touching his hand that lay on her belly.

She reached up and kissed him tenderly. Her lips were warm and soft and tempting him beyond belief.

Lee glanced around at the children. They were all sound asleep, so he opened her shirt and kissed her breasts, careful to pull the blanket over his head as he did so. Slowly, taking each nipple into his mouth one at a time, and laving it ‘til they were nearly raw. He rubbed his nose between them and blew breath on them, watching them react. Then he kissed them once more, sucking them into his mouth as far as they would go, and flicking them with his tongue. They were ultra sensitive, but she smiled when he looked at her. He pulled the blanket around them so the children couldn’t see even if they woke.

“I want to kiss you everywhere…” he murmured.

Pulling her up against him with her back to him, he unbuttoned her britches and let his hand slide inside them. She cooed in his ear, “Oh, Lee…”

“Enjoy it, this is for you…” he said as his hand went to her warm wet nest and his fingers slide inside the all-female lips of her. He felt her heat and her wet welcome. His fingers worked diligently to satisfy her as he moved inside her, letting his thumb flick the nub of arousal while rubbing sinuously until she squirmed against him. She rolled over so she could touch him. Her hands were all over him, delving inside his shirt at his nipples, kissing his neck and jaw, and moving her hips against him as the fire spread throughout her.

“I love you to distraction, lady,” he said as their lips met in a storm of emotions and feelings. She climaxed and curled herself into the crook of his arm. Her lips nipping him everywhere.

“I can’t wait to be your wife…” she purred in his ear.

“You already are…” he said, putting her clothes back together and kissing her soundly on the lips once more, dipping his head into her cleavage for a kiss there.

“How much farther to Texas and home…?”

“About a week…”

“Will you always make love to me…?”

“Always…”

Chapter Sixteen

Nearly a week later, they were crossing a small stream when a rider came up to the wagon.

“Hello there…” Chase Rivers called.

“Chase?” Lee called from behind, coming around the wagon and greeting him with a smile.

“You’ve made it, my friend. I’m glad to see you,” Chase said as he looked about the wagon, his eyes meeting Hattie’s, Sam’s, and the children’s, then Joe’s, who came around from the back of the wagon. But when he spotted Lee’s missing arm, he grimaced. “How did that happen?”

“The war…a cannon.”

“Don’t let that fool you. He can hold his own with any man or problem,” Hattie defended quickly.

“Glad to hear it.” Chase stared at him for a long time. “You’ve grown up, my friend.”

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” Lee nodded. “Folks, this is Chase Rivers, my friend, our friend,” Lee cried. “And this is my family. The beautiful pregnant lady is my life…Hattie. And our girls: Lily, Daisy and Violet. My young brother-in-law, Sam, and my oldest friend, Joe.”

“I ain’t old…”

“I’m sorry, of course you aren’t.” Lee chuckled.

After they stopped to make coffee and eat, Chase sat about telling Lee of the happenings about his village and how happy he and Katherine were with five children of their own.

“Five?” Hattie’s eyes rounded.

“I’m afraid I’ve kept my wife pregnant. What can I say? We are fertile people.” Chase chuckled.

“We are expecting our first,” Lee admitted.

Chase looked at him seriously now. “My friend, you have been busy too. I am glad you have found a good woman and made a family. Burning Tree is anxious to meet with you two and talk of the marriage vows between you. He’s said he’s seen visions of your coming and looks forward to learning more from you.”

Hattie’s eyes rounded. “I am so happy we can finally be married…”

“It is fitting. To love someone so hard and not be married is torture. But, rest assured, Burning Tree is anxious for you too and with us your life will be bountiful,” Chase promised. “The land is rich along the river, and I have set aside some just for you and your family. You will live abundantly and no one…no one will bother you here.”

“I look forward to that,” Hattie cried.

“Have you had any problems with the Comanche, or Apaches?” Lee wondered.

“Not for a while. They are concentrating on raiding the white settlements, but the blue coats chase them and kill them too. They are a battle weary bunch. They have no sense when it comes to living. They war all the time, raiding, pillaging settlements. I scout for the blue coats again. They know we are here, and they will leave us alone as long as I scout for them.”

Lee nodded. “Seen anything of our Captain?”

Chase hung his head. “I am afraid he did not come back from the big war between the states.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Lee sighed heavily.

“Yeah, he had quite a commission in the service, for the confederates.”

“He was a good officer, but better after he learned a few things from you,” Lee said.

“And your brother, did you find him?” Chase asked.

“He didn’t make it either.”

Chase glanced around at the others. “I am sorry for that. But at least you have a new family now, and you will be an honorary Shawnee member now.”

“I’d like that. So, tell me, how is Katherine?” Lee asked.

“She’s fine, and can’t wait to see you. She said it will be so good to have Hattie with her too. Sometimes she misses the conversations…”

Lee chuckled. “I thought about the two of you for a long time. I wondered how she adjusted to the people, and how she became such a healer among your people too.”

“Burning Tree knew that if she came, she would have the powers. He also knew it had to be her choice to come. He was very pleased, and together they saved the entire village from being wiped out.”

“I’m glad.”

“Well, my friend, we should move along now, it will be dark in a few hours. And Katherine is waiting anxiously at home to see you all.” Chase smiled at them.

“Is it true…is she really a princess?” Lily asked.

“Yes, little one, she is, and you will grow to love her,” Chase said.

As they packed up to move on, Joe shook hands with Chase. “I want to thank you too.”

“Thank me for what, my friend?” Chase asked.

“Coming here means a new life for us all. Back in Alabama, just living became a struggle.”

“No more struggles, my friend.” Chase laughed.

It was noon the next day when they finally reached the Indian village. The people gathered around them, as Chase introduced his wife and Burning Tree first, then his mother, his father the chief and so many others.

Hattie came in front of Katherine shyly. “I’m so very glad to meet you.”

Katherine opened her arms and hugged Hattie, tears in her eyes. “Oh Hattie, you are finally here. I am so happy to meet you and your family. We will become great friends…”

Hattie smiled, her face transforming like sunshine. “You’re right Lee, Texas is big and beautiful, and so are its people.”

Burning Tree stood tall and intimidating in front of Lee and Hattie. “We have much to talk about, much to do. All in time. We will celebrate and you, like Chase, may not see your woman for three days before you marry.”

“Three days…but…”

Chase laughed. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep you busy building a proper cabin for your family.”

Katherine and Chase’s mother invited Hattie and the girls to join them in the camp.

Sam glanced around wondering if he might make friends easily here. But he didn’t have to wonder long. A young Indian girl spotted him and smiled. Sam smiled back.

“That’s Running Bird; she likes you. She isn’t spoken for either,” a young Indian brave came forward. The boy was a year or so older than Sam but didn’t acknowledge an age difference. Instead, he invited him to join the other young men of the tribe in a game of some kind of stick ball. Sam didn’t hesitate to exercise his sore muscles.

Three Indian children came up to the girls. “This is for you…” they choired.

They held out three Indian dolls for the girls.

“How did you know we…I mean, how could she know how many…?”

“Burning Tree knows everything. He held counsel and told us who and what to expect. You can come play with us if your mother approves…”

Hattie spotted the girls and saw the excitement in their faces. “Go on, make friends.”

Katherine reached out her hand to her. “I am sure you are tired from the long journey. I will make you tea that will perk you up and make you feel much better.”

Hattie’s eyes widened. “Oh, don’t go to no trouble.”

“No trouble.” Katherine smiled. “I hope Chase told you how happy I am that you came with Lee.”

“Lee spoke so highly of you.” Hattie squeezed her hand.

Lee, Chase and Joe walked about the camp and Chase pointed out certain places of interest. He showed them where the spring water was, then took them to his cabin. After they had seen all the work Chase did on his place, he took him out back and showed him where they would build a home for Lee and his family.

“I’ll pay you for this land, Chase,” Lee insisted.

“No, my friend. You cannot do that. This land belongs to God and God does not charge us for it. And…we might have to move at some point too. It is often the custom to move about when there is distensions of any kind. Not that I expect any, but we do not know how long the government will let us stay here. Most of the people live on reservations now.”

Lee nodded. “I can understand that…but how will I repay all this kindness?”

“By respecting the animals and only killing what you can eat. By nurturing the earth and replenishing it as it’s meant to be. By making no war on people and living in peace. That is the repayment.”

“We can do that.” Joe nodded his appreciation too.

“Good. Now come, Burning Tree will speak with you both for a while. We will eat, and sleep and then begin to build.”

“Sounds good. Tell me something, did you and Katherine ever find the gold?” Lee asked, staring at his friend.

“Yes, we did. Thanks to your letter.”

“Well, what did you do with it?”

Chase folded his arms over his chest and glanced about. “Well, we contemplated keeping it, for just a while. But we turned it in to the Sheriff. He wired the bank it came from and they returned it to the rightful owners.”

“I guess that must have been hard to do, huh?” Lee questioned.

“Not really. We have everything here we need.” Chase gestured to the camp.

Lee looked about him for a long time, at the squaws who prepared meals, at the children playing and laughing, and the young warriors dressed like farmers. “I think you’re right.”

“No doubt you faced some hardships lately,” Chase said, throwing an arm over Lee’s shoulder.

“A few…”

“She’s a beautiful woman, she will be happy here. No one will bother you,” Chase promised once more.

“The war’s over, Chase, but the people…they don’t forget it. I love her. I couldn’t give her up.”

“Of course, you couldn’t. And now you don’t have to.”

“Coming here…it’s like a dream. It’s the only place I could think of where we would be accepted as people,” Lee tried to explain.

“Was it hard to give up your home?” Chase asked.

“No, because
she
is my home…”

Chase smiled. “You’ve answered everything as I knew you would. It is right for you to be here. Even Burning Tree says so.”

“Why does it take three days to marry?”

Chase cocked his head. “No one’s ever asked that question before. Come, we will draw up plans for the cabin.”

The next few days were busy; Lee kept trying to get a peek at Hattie, but she was nowhere to be seen. Burning Tree summoned him into his teepee.

“Come, sit by the fire and tell me why you want this marriage.”

“Because I love her,” Lee answered without thinking.

“Yes, you do, but why her? What made you decide a woman of color would be your choice?”

Lee felt defensive. “I’ve known her since she was a kid. I fell in love with her then. I have never had another woman but her. Don’t want another woman. We belong together; it is in my heart and soul.”

Burning Tree sprinkled something into the fire and it roared, making Lee move about a bit.

“Sit, it will not burn you. You have answered well. From the heart, as it should be. You have suffered greatly because you chose her, have you not?”

“Well, we’ve had some hard times, if that’s what you mean.”

“I have seen those hard times. I know you well, Lee Nelson. You have defended her well, and taken care of her and now you seek to bond with her to make it holy. It is good that you should do this. You are an honorable man, as Chase has said. I have seen your troubles and strife. I have felt your sorrows in my own heart. Now you come to us, to be one of us, to live among us in peace. You are welcome here, and I will marry you to your woman.”

Lee stood up. “That’s wonderful. Thank you.”

“Yes. Now sit, my son, and we will wash the impurities from you before you wed. You will be cleansed when you walk away from here. You must build your home for your family now and live in peace with the Shawnee brothers.”

Lee sat in the tent as Burning Tree increased the fire several times, making it hot, and he began to sweat.

Burning Tree nodded. “When the sweat stops, you are cleansed and may go forth to build.”

Lee nodded.

The next day, he, Chase, Joe and Sam began working on their new home.

Chase provided all the lumber he needed and they drew it out in the dirt and began to build. Sam and Joe seemed just as excited as Lee about the cabin.

Burning Tree summoned Joe to his tent.

Joe peeked his head inside. “Ain’t I too old for this?”

“Come, sit and be cleansed.”

“Okay, okay, I’m coming,” Joe no longer hesitated when he saw Burning Tree wasn’t going to leave him alone.