Rafe's Redemption (21 page)

Maggie nodded.

“Me and her never actually made it to the preacherman.” He shrugged. “Didn’t make no difference in how we felt, and I still called her my wife. You think on that awhile. I’m going to find Rafe before he thinks I’m in here courtin’ his girl.” Tom winked, then slipped out the door.

****

home.”

“Don’t you want another piece of pie?”

“Naw. I’d best be goin’. It’s gonna come a bad storm.

Don’t want to get caught in a blizzard.”

“How do you know it’s going to snow?” Maggie peered out the window.

“I jus’ know. My old bones ache like the dickens when a big one is coming.” He turned to Rafe. “I’m not telling you what to do, son, but I’d hold off on the trip to Fort Craig. Miss Maggie ain’t used to our weather.” Maggie gasped as the old manipulator had the nerve to wink at her.

Rafe scrubbed a hand over his beard. “We can wait a day or so. Knowing her cousin is gone for awhile makes me feel a little better.”

Tom slipped his pack over his shoulders. “Well, just take care of her. A nd yourself.”

Rafe nodded.

Maggie wrapped a sandwich and piece of pie in a towel. “Take this for the trip.” She slipped the food into his hand and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “A nd thank you for the information,” she whispered.

“Be patient with him,” Tom whispered. He turned and shook Rafe’s hand. “Reckon I’ll see you come spring.”

Maggie watched him shuffle down the path. Heavy gray clouds cluttered the afternoon horizon promising the snow he’d predicted.

She turned to Rafe. “Do you still plan for us to leave tomorrow?”

He raised his brows. “You’re going to defer to my opinion?” His hand flew to his chest. “Lord, help me. I need to sit down. The shock is too great.” Infuriating man. “Just tell me what you think.” He sighed. “Those clouds are moving fast, worse than when we set out for Lesterville. I think it’s worth waiting a couple of days.”

“What about Tom?” He was old. His horse looked even older. “Will he be all right?”

Rafe scoffed, then closed the door on the cold air.

“He’s lived here twenty years or more. He can take care of himself.”

“Hmm. A common trait among you stubborn mountain men.”

She felt him stiffen as if she’d called for guns at twenty paces. But then maybe this was a duel, one of wits. If she won, Rafe might feel free of the guilt riding him.

“Maggie.” He pinched the bridge of his nose between thumb and finger. “I don’t want to fight with you again.”

“I know. But I have something to say, and I need you to listen.”

He frowned, but nodded.

“If this snow is as bad as you think, I could be stranded here.”

“For awhile maybe. But I’ll get you to St. Louis. Don’t worry.” He grabbed his coat. No doubt he thought to escape her speech.

“Wait!” She clutched his arm and blocked the door. “I know you’ll see me home, but while I’m here—and on the trail—I want to be able to protect myself.” A nd him.

But she wasn’t going to say that. His temper would probably scorch the hair off her head when he heard the rest of what she had to say. No need to throw whiskey to the flame.

“What do you mean?” He shot her a wary glance.

“Teach me how to use a gun.”

“A bsolutely not!” A vein pulsed on his forehead. “I’ll take care of you.”

“But yesterday you told me if you were killed I had to crawl through the tunnel and run. How do you expect me to do that? I don’t even know which direction to go!” He pulled from her hold and raked a hand through his hair. “I’ll draw you a map.”

She shook her head. “I can’t ride.”

“Then I’ll teach you.” Rafe paced to the window and back, waving his hand as he spoke. “Moses is a good boy. He’d listen to you.”

“You need to listen to me.” She wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face into his shirt. “I will not hide or run away.”

“By God, yes, you will!” His eyes spit fire when gripped her shoulders, but she felt the fear he couldn’t express. It hurt to know she put it there, but this had to be solved and she wasn’t going to back down.

“By God, I will not!” she mimicked. “A nd you can’t make me.” Yes, she sounded like a spoiled child, but Rafe pushed her past any control.

His gaze turned cold as he bent until they were nose to nose. “I will tie you up and put you in the larder if I have to.” The threat brushed over her lips. Not a threat really though. She knew he bluffed.

“No, you won’t.”

He dropped his hands and whirled on his heel.

Shaking hands scrubbed over his face. “A re you trying to worry me to death?”

“I could ask you the same.”

“Why can’t you just do what I say?” His gaze pleaded.

“Why can’t you accept that I won’t desert you?” A knot formed in her throat. “Why can’t you accept me the way I am?”

Dear God, had she said that aloud?

He stopped in front of her, then slowly shook his head.

Her heart ached like Moses had stomped it. But at least she had her answer. Tom was wrong and Father had been right. Rafe was one of the men who preferred a simpering female.

She swallowed the humiliating tears choking her throat and whirled toward the bed.

He caught her arm and tugged her against his body.

Hard.

Silence fell, only their breathing and the crackling fire filled the room. Seconds passed like hours. Then he closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against hers.

“What am I going to do with you?” he finally whispered.

She shrugged, too ashamed to answer. By God, she wouldn’t beg.

“Well, I don’t know either. I’ve never had a woman—

hell, I’ve never had anyone run to my defense.” He trailed a finger over her cheek. “I don’t know what to do.”

“Can’t you just let me be on your side?”

“I can try. But I can’t stop worrying about you. If something happened—”

“Nettie says preparation goes a long way to peace of mind.”

“She sounds like an army tactician.” He heaved a sigh. “But, sweetheart, a person can’t be prepared for everything. I sure as hell wasn’t expecting you. You’ve turned my life upside down.”

“I know. Not that it helps, but I didn’t mean to.” He gave her a sardonic grin and tapped her nose.

“Well, I didn’t say I didn’t like it.”

“You didn’t?” Surely she misunderstood.

“Nope.” His tongue traced the curve of her ear, dipping in the center again and again, until a hot ache started between her legs, dampening her thighs. “In fact, there are a lot of things I like about you.” He did? Oh. Well. She liked what he was doing right now. Too much. If he didn’t stop she wouldn’t be able to finish talking…Oh, the sneaky devil! That’s what he wanted.

“Stop. We—we need a plan, you know,” she breathed, as he nibbled down her throat, turning her nipples into painful, aching points.

“Mmm,” he groaned. “I have one. A good one.” His gaze drifted to the bed.

“No. I mean Michael.”

Rafe squeezed his eyes closed and heaved a sigh. “I’ll teach you how to shoot. But you have to promise not to put yourself in danger on purpose.”

“I promise.” She could give him that at least. “But I want the same promise from you.”

He slid her a glance, but nodded. “I promise.” A smile curved her lip. “Did we just agree?”

“Mmm.” He bent his head and nuzzled her collarbone again. “I think that’s three whole times since we met.” She chuckled. “Imagine that.”

“I bet we could agree on something else.” He waggled his eyebrows. “To finish what we started yesterday in the barn.”

“That would make four times of agreement though.”

“Hmm?” He dropped his coat to the floor and swept her into his arms. “I’m sure we can do better than that.” His long legs ate up the short space between the hearth and the bed.

“What makes you think so?” She smiled as he dumped her onto the mattress.

“I’m a smart man.” He stretched out beside her and trailed a finger between her breasts. “For example, if I wanted to strip your clothes and kiss your naked body, would you agree?”

The naughty image popped into her mind, Rafe’s dark head bent over her body, his lips moving over her damp skin, licking her cunny. That damned dream would be the death of her. “Yes.” She flattened her palm against his lowering forehead, stopping his sensual assault while she could still think. “But I’d want you naked, too.”

“A greed. So that’s five.” He whipped off his shirts and dropped them to the floor. Hers took more time. By the time she was bare from the waist up, his breathing had gone ragged.

“How about if I wanted you to sit astride me so I can watch you come apart in my hands, like in the tub?” His fingers circled her thighs, teasing, caressing.

She groaned. Lord but he was dangerous when he was charming. If she wasn’t careful she would lose herself and never look back.

“I’ll take that as six.” He chuckled and pulled her on top of him. But his smile didn’t last. Hunger, raw and alive, covered his face.

Sitting bare-breasted above a man. Good Lord. What a picture this would make. A delicious shiver ran down her back. What if I drew us like this?

“Why don’t you think of number seven?” His voice was low, husky.

Maggie was tired of counting.

“What number do we have to reach for you stop talking and just do?”

He chuckled. “I knew you couldn’t be compliant for long. What exactly is it you want me to do?” She gave a wicked chuckle. “Only you would ask a virgin what comes next. You tell me.”

Heat flared in his eyes. “I’d rather show you.” A nd just like that he flipped her onto her back, his muscled arms pinning each side of her head.

She sighed. “It’s about time.”

Rafe hovered over her body, the mattress soft beneath his knees and watched her blue eyes widen as he lowered his head. He had to force himself to go slow.

Everything inside him screamed to hurry.

Hurry, hurry, hurry . Sucking a deep, shaky breath, he whispered kisses over her eyelids, down her nose, then brushed over her lips. “I have to start with your sassy mouth and work my way down.” His tongue slid past her teeth into the warm sweetness, the honey from her dinner coffee still on her tongue. Her nipples hardened against his chest as he deepened the kiss, stroking, nibbling.

He ran his hands down the length of her body, then stroked upward again and caught a breast in each hand, plucking the tips like banjo strings. She moaned, squirming against the sheets.

God, the cabin was hot as hell. Sweat trickled down his back. A nd he wasn’t alone. Moisture gathered between her breasts, tiny droplets that he swiped with his tongue.

She shivered and arched her back, offering him better access.

“My God.” He closed his eyes for a second and tried to calm his thumping heart.

His gaze swept over her large breasts. He pressed a kiss to each pink tip, wetting them until they shined like fresh-washed berries. Then he placed her face down on the mattress.

“What are you doing?” She peeked over her shoulder, her voice husky, aroused.

“I told you I was going to kiss every inch of your body.” He straddled her thighs and ran his hands over her rounded bottom. He blew her hair aside, baring her back to his view, and pressed open mouth kisses down her spine. “Can you feel how much I want you?” He pressed his erection against her plump ass, rubbing the length against her cheeks.

“Mmmhmm.”

“Do you trust me?” He had to know if she was willing to give him everything, allow him to have her in every way.

“Mmmhmm.”

He stopped at the top of her crevice and sucked the silky skin, marking her as his, rubbing her with his whiskers.

She squirmed.

“Does that tickle or feel good?” He let his lips brush her ass as he spoke.

“Both,” she breathed. “I like it.”

“Good. I want you to like this, too.” Dragging her pussy juice back to her rosette, he wet the puckered hole and slid a finger inside knuckle-deep. The ring of muscles tightened, then relaxed as she lifted her ass higher in invitation. A t least, he hoped it was an invitation. “Want more?”

“Yesss,” she hissed. “God, it feels good. Burning hot, but so, so good.”

His heart took off like a locomotive with a stoked firebox. He probed deeper, to the second knuckle, then reached around her hip to rub her clit with his other hand. Liquid heat surrounded his fingers, dripping onto the mattress, the scent filling him until his cock wept.

He moved off her legs, stretched out beside her, then pulled her up into his arms. Her eyes glazed with passion.

“Now what?” Her voice shook, belying the confidence she tried to portray.

He wasn’t going to tell her the truth, that if he didn’t slow down he’d embarrass himself on the sheet.

“Whatever you want.”

“Oh. You mean it’s my turn?”

Damn it, no, I didn’t mean that. But the eager expression on her face made him nod. “Touch me if you want.”

Turning, she ran her small hand up and down his chest, lingering on his stomach and the trail of dark hair leading to his cock. His breath became labored. Her innocent exploration drove him mad. He couldn’t just lie back and let her survey his body. He had to touch her, too.