Brave Beginnings (36 page)

Chogan sighed and sat next to her. “You don’t
even want to hunt?”

Not bothering to look at him, she shook her
head.

He took her in his arms, and she settled
against him. Running a hand up and down her back, he whispered, “We
don’t have to go back to the tribe.”

“Where can we go? It seems there is no place
where we can be together without someone trying to come between
us.”

“Some of my people are leaving the tribe to
build cabins. Maybe we should do that.”

She considered his suggestion and for the
first time since she realized the chief didn’t care if she lived or
died, her heart lightened. “A cabin? Where would we build it?”

“Anywhere we want.”

The idea had undeniable appeal, and she gazed
around them. Maybe if they lived alone out here, then they could
have the peace that eluded them for much too long. “Can my aunt
live with us?”

“Of course. We’ll build her a room.”

“And we’ll need a room for our baby.”

“Yes. Three bedrooms.”

She pulled away from him so she could look at
him. “Really, Chogan?”

He smiled and brushed her braids so they fell
behind her shoulders. “Yes.”

“Will you miss the tribe?”

“Considering I struck the chief, I’m not as
welcome at the tribe as I used to be.” His smile faltered. “What
Sarita did was inexcusable. I can’t believe the chief didn’t care.
Unfortunately, it looks like Citlali is following in his footsteps,
and Citlali is the future of the tribe.” He cupped her face in his
hands and kissed her. “You are my future. My place is with you, and
if that means we have to get away from the rest of the world, then
so be it.”

“You do love me,” she whispered.

“You’re just figuring that out?”

She chuckled at his joke. “I never imagined a
man could love me as well as you do, Chogan. You know I love you
more than I’ve ever loved anyone, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do.” He drew her closer and gave her
a lingering kiss. When his lips left hers, he asked, “Would you
like to hunt? I promise not to distract you this time.”

Giving him a sly grin, she said, “Maybe
later. Right now, I have something else in mind.” Wrapping her arms
around his neck, she kissed him, leaving no question as to her
meaning.

***

Sarita’s frown deepened as she went to the
outskirts of the tribe. She needed to be alone and sort things out.
She gritted her teeth as she stumbled on a fallen tree branch.
Curse her luck!

Had she been able to hold Julia’s head under
the water for a little bit longer, Julia would be dead and she
could finally have Chogan. Before Julia came along, Chogan
understood how important it was that he choose a Mandan wife. He
had been dedicated to the tribe. But the white woman came and
distorted his thinking.

If there was any way I could get rid of
her…
The white man made promises, but she had yet to see them
come to fruition. She caught sight of a white man up ahead and
stopped walking. Narrowing her eyes, she waited as Noah walked over
to her.

“Take Julia,” she told Noah. “She not part of
tribe!”

Noah cleared his throat and adjusted his
vest. “Yes, well, that’s why I’m here.”

Sarita’s eyes lit up. She’d given up all hope
that this mysterious boss would take Julia away from the tribe so
that she could have Chogan to herself. “You take her. Today?”

Noah rubbed the back of his neck and sighed.
“My boss…Ernest…is ready.”

“But?”

“It’s not right. Julia’s already
married.”

She grunted and rolled her eyes. “Julia stole
my man. He not marry her if she not…”—she searched for the right
word—“bewitched him. You people say ‘bewitched’. Is correct word,
yes?”

He grimaced and fidgeted from one foot to the
other.

She walked up to him and placed her hands on
her hips. “I try to get rid of her. It not work. You get rid of
her. I do not care how. Just do it!”

Sighing in resignation, he said, “Where is
she?”

“She go out with my man. They go that way.”
She pointed north. “I cannot go. People watch me.”

“But I don’t know where to go.”

Sarita groaned impatiently. The man was slow
to understand her. “I know path. I not able to get away before. Now
I can.” Thanks to the careful eyes of her family, she wasn’t able
to leave the lodge until Chogan and Julia left. With any luck,
Chogan would be coming back alone. Then she could comfort him, and
he’d marry her.

“You will meet my boss over here. By these
bushes?” Noah asked.

“When?”

“Tomorrow. At this time?”

She nodded. “I be here.” She expected him to
leave as he had before when their conversations were over, but he
stayed in place. “What you want?” she snapped, growing weary of
this whole thing. So far, there’d only been promises of getting rid
of Julia. She hoped the man wasn’t going to change his mind.

Noah gave her a pleading look. “Can’t you
marry someone else?”

She slapped him. “I only marry one man. You
get boss. I deal with him.” Hopefully, he wouldn’t be a weakling
like the man who stood before her. “You no warrior.”

He waited for a long moment before he said,
“No. I’m not.”

Satisfied, she watched him leave. Good. He
didn’t back down this time. He would bring his boss out, and then
tomorrow, once and for all, she could get rid of the thorn in her
side.

***

Julia unfastened the last button of her shirt
and let it slip off her shoulders. Chogan leaned her back onto the
grass and settled beside her. Sighing in contentment, she reached
out and ran her hands along his bare chest, loving the strength
beneath his skin. He pulled her closer and kissed her as his hand
cupped her breast beneath her chemise. His tongue traced her lower
lip, and she parted her lips for him, giving a light moan as he
deepened the kiss.

He lowered his hand and slipped it under her
camisole. The skin on skin contact made her body tingle in
anticipation. She couldn’t imagine another man touching her this
way, and even as it was intimate to feel his thumb brush her
nipple, it was wonderfully natural as well. Chogan was a part of
her—the better part.

Her hands descended until she felt the
breechcloth around his waist. She loosened the belt that held the
cloth in place and lowered the garment so that she could cup his
erection in her hands. He groaned and shifted above her to give her
better access to him. Sliding down the length of him, she squeezed
him and worked her way slowly back up.

Ending their kiss, he moved his lips to her
ear, his breathing raspy as he whispered his love for her. Then his
hand left her breast, traveled down her abdomen which was slightly
round due to her fourth month of pregnancy, and then down to her
skirt and two petticoats which he bunched up until they were around
her waist.

She let go of him so she could help him
remove her bloomers. She expected him to enter her, but he left a
trail of hot kisses down her neck and over her covered breasts. He
suckled her nipples through the thin fabric of her chemise and the
flesh between her legs pulsed for the need to be stroked. She
wiggled against him, striving for the pressure that would
ultimately bring her to a climax.

He brought his hand to the apex between her
legs and slid two fingers into her. She gasped and moved her hips
so he could deepen his exploration. His mouth departed from her
breasts and he moved lower so that he had full access to her
sensitive flesh. While his fingers stroked her in lazy movements,
slowly building the pressure within her core, his mouth traced the
insides of her thighs. Running her fingers through his loose hair,
she closed her eyes and gave into the sensations of their
lovemaking.

She wrapped her legs around his shoulders and
lifted her hips when his lips touched her sensitive nub. Softly
calling out his name, she urged him to continue, and his tongue
brushed her nub, causing waves of pleasure to course through her.
They’d made love partially clothed before, but here, out in the sun
with the breeze caressing her skin, it felt far more sensual than
she could ever recall.

Groaning, she gave into the need to move her
hips in rhythm to the stroking of his fingers as he made circular
motions on her nub with his tongue. The moment seemed suspended as
he continued to work, increasing the pressure and speed only to
slow it down and then increase it all over again. The effect was so
wonderful that she didn’t want it to end, and yet, when she felt
her body nearing the peak of her pleasure, she cried out for him to
keep going until she climaxed. As her flesh throbbed with
satisfaction, she let out a moan, aware that his tongue and fingers
still teased her in gentle movements, prolonging her pleasure until
she drifted back to Earth.

She felt weak as he moved above her so that
he could enter her. His thickness filled her core and stroked her
tender flesh. He seemed to be in no more hurry to bring himself to
the peak than he’d been to bring her to her state of bliss. He slid
as deep into her as he could, almost pulled himself all the way
out, and then slid back in. His movements were purposeful and
slow.

After she gathered enough energy back, she
rolled him onto his back, careful not to break their intimate
connection. Her petticoats and skirt fell over their legs as she
took over in moving over him. Placing his hands on her hips, he
guided her along and groaned as he brought his hips up to thrust
into her. Together they worked in unison until she heard him grunt
and knew he had reached his peak. She stilled as he spilled his
seed into her, taking note of his throbbing erection.

She leaned forward so that she could kiss
him. He wrapped his arms around her and returned her kiss. Then she
settled her head on his shoulder, and they remained that way for a
long time, content to enjoy being in each other’s arms.

~~********~~

The next day, news of Ernest’s sudden
disappearance spread through Bismarck like wildfire, and Conrad
hastened to Ernest’s house with the search warrant in hand.
Ernest’s disappearance meant bad things, Conrad knew, but until he
could piece the puzzle together, he wouldn’t be able to bring
Ernest to justice.

On his way to Ernest’s residence, he saw a
man leaving the Bismarck Tribune. “Excuse me, sir,” Conrad called
out as he ran up to him. “You’re a reporter, aren’t you?”

“I do some reporting from time to time. I’m
working on a story now. Why?”

“I have something you might find interesting.
I’m a detective from Fargo, and I’ve been hired by a man to track
down the person who murdered his daughter. The problem is, I
haven’t been able to nail down the suspect because I couldn’t find
the evidence I needed. The suspect is Ernest Freeman, and I just
received word that he embezzled money from his bank and is on the
run.”

The man nodded. “I know. I’m doing a story on
it. I’m Larry
Bleier
.”

Conrad shook his hand. “Conrad Williams.”

“The Senator’s brother?”

“Yes.” He held up the search warrant. “I’m
going to Ernest’s residence. I have reason to believe the murder
weapon is somewhere in the cellar. I could use a reporter to help
get things going on finding Ernest, if you don’t mind?”

Larry smiled. “Conrad, it would give me
pleasure to give Ernest exactly what’s coming to him.”

Conrad returned his smile and slapped the
warrant. “Let’s see what we can find.”

***

Julia sighed as she woke up. She opened her
eyes, noting the afternoon sun as it lit the inside of the teepee.
How long had she been asleep? Frowning, she became aware that
something seemed off. Rolling over, she saw that Chogan was sitting
up, tightening the belt around his waist.

A sound from outside the teepee caught her
attention. Footsteps. She bolted up and grabbed her chemise,
bloomers, and petticoats. When she realized Chogan reached for the
bow and arrows, she hastened to put on her undergarments. He didn’t
need to warn her; she could hear that someone was outside, creeping
up on them.

As soon as she finished putting her
petticoats on, she glanced at Chogan and saw the cautious look on
his face. Their eyes met, and she caught the warning in his gaze.
She nodded and reached for her skirt and blouse. She would stay
inside and wait for him to come back.

While he slowly lifted the flap on the
teepee, she pulled up her skirt and fastened the buttons around her
waist. She kept a careful watch on him as he peaked outside the
small opening he made. He let the flap fall back for a moment as he
readied the arrow in the bow. Just as she shrugged into her blouse,
he slipped out of the teepee without making a sound.

Her hands trembled as she worked the buttons.
Something definitely wasn’t right, and she had a sinking feeling
that it was about to get worse. She anxiously tucked her blouse
into her skirt right before she heard a gunshot. She stilled for a
second, unable to process what just happened.

A second gunshot rang through the still air,
and something inside of her snapped. Without thinking, she ran out
of the tent, her heart pounding. She and Chogan didn’t have a gun!
Her gaze fell on Chogan who was lying face first on the ground.

“Chogan!” she screamed and rushed
forward.

“Julia! Stop!”

She heard her name, but it didn’t register
who said it or where the admonition came from. Instead, she
continued to run until she fell beside Chogan and rolled him over.
She gasped when saw that his head had hit a rock when he dropped to
the ground. She took him into her shaky arms and cradled him to her
breasts.