Wanton in the Wild West (3 page)

“Dammit!” She cursed under
her breath, realizing that Harry Delaney was hot on her heels. Well, he could
chase her if he wanted.

He caught up with her and
fell in step.

“Why’re you in such a
hurry?”

“I’m just…” A bead of sweat
trickled down between her breasts. “I’m just hot is all, and I need to sit in the
shade.” Her lower lip trembled, and she bit it hard. What was wrong with her?
This man, something about him, made her feel all soft and vulnerable. There
seemed to be such kindness in his eyes that she wanted to fling
herself
into his arms and cry on his shoulder. To feel his
strong hands rub her back and soothe away her doubts and fears.
About everything.

Almost.

She bit her lip harder.

“Well there’s none near the
train.” He looked around. “You’ll have to walk a bit further. I’ll come with
you.”

“There’s really no need.” She
spoke through gritted teeth. She knew that she shouldn’t wander off alone. It was
far too dangerous. She could get attacked by a rogue band of men or a wild
animal or fall and hurt herself and be unable to return to the train. And she
wanted Harry to accompany her. She hoped that he wouldn’t listen to her whilst
cursing her own weakness for wanting his company.

“Perhaps it’s best if I do
though.” Harry spoke as if to
himself
.
“To be on the safe side.”

Amber nodded and continued
walking.

When they reached the trees
at the bottom of the banking, Amber realized that with the position of the sun,
there would be no shade this side of them for several hours.

“How long
d’ya
think they’ll be fixing the
track?” She shaded her eyes with her hand, which was trembling. She hoped that
Harry hadn’t noticed.

“They’ll be while yet, no
doubt. But don’t worry, Miss Carpenter. They’ll do a head count before they set
off again.” Harry gave a half smile.

“Oh.” Amber sniffed. “Well
it’s too hot to sit here.”

“We’ll have to go around the
other side.” He gestured at an area where the trees thinned out enough to find
a way through.

Amber nodded, but as she
took another step, she stumbled. Harry’s hand was suddenly under her arm
supporting her, and his other arm curled around her waist. His body was warm
against her side, and the hand beneath her arm grazed the side of her breast.
Her nipples hardened. Her body betrayed her with its dramatic response.

“Miss Carpenter,” Harry
breathed, gazing at her face. His eyes
twinkled
golden, emerald, and brown, and she saw her face reflected in their centers. It
was as if she were sinking into his eyes, becoming one with his soul, as if her
soul recognized his.

Her head swam as his face
moved towards hers, and her knees trembled as his lips brushed softly against
her own. His mouth was warm and soft, and she liked how it felt.

“Mr. Delaney.” She licked
her lips. “We mustn’t.” She could hardly breathe.

“No one can see over here,”
he whispered.

Amber exhaled shakily. “Are
you sure?”

He nodded. “They’re all
busy. But … why don’t we go through there?” He pointed at the opening in the
trees.

Amber glanced back at the
train, and sure enough, no one was looking in their direction. People were
milling around, seeking shade, water, or somewhere to relieve
themselves
.

No one need ever know.

This was her chance to
confirm to herself all that she already knew, to live up to the promise she had
made to herself. She would give her body to whomever she chose but never her
heart. There was no real risk. After all, Maisie would sound the alarm if she
didn’t return soon. The thought of her friend made her blood boil, and she
squared her shoulders.

“Yes,
let’s!”

“Are you sure that you want
to?” Harry’s heat seared through her clothing as he guided her through the
trees.

“Want to what?” Amber
thought that she knew what he was asking, but she had to be sure. Her heart
pounded so loudly that she felt sure that he must be able to hear it, too.

“To…” He turned her in his
arms and gazed into her eyes. “I mean … you’re so pretty and … and pure. With
that silky black hair and your sparkling blue eyes you could win any man you
wanted.”

Amber smiled.
“Really?”

“Hell
yeah!”
He grinned. “Any man would count his lucky stars to
take a woman like you to wife.”

Amber felt her heart
sinking.
“To wife?”

“Well, yeah. Isn’t that what
you women want?
To be a wife and mother?”

Amber chewed her lower lip.
“It’s what some women want. And it’s what Maisie wants, but…”

He tilted her chin with his
finger and rubbed his calloused thumb over her mouth. “Not you?”

Amber laughed and waved her
hand dismissively. “Not just yet.”
Not
ever!

“So what do you want?” He
pressed his thumb between her lips now, gently grazing her front teeth. The
movement was so intimate that Amber felt the flame of heat flicker wantonly in
her pussy. She nipped at his thumb feeling the nail and flesh against her
teeth.
Hard and soft, tough and vulnerable.

Just like her.

“I’d like to know…” She
summoned her resolve. “I
want
to know
… what happens between a man and a woman.”

Harry’s eyebrows shot up.
“Now?”

Amber nodded, heat flooding
her cheeks and her body.

“You’d like me to teach
you?” Harry’s voice had risen.

Amber nodded.

“It’ll be my pleasure.” His
grin lit up his face, and Amber’s heart fluttered like an excited butterfly. He
was so handsome and seemed so sweet and kind yet so incredibly male. He was
perfect for what she wanted. She had to do this now.

Harry reached for her hand
and led her quickly through the trees, as if afraid that she would change her
mind.

They emerged into a clearing
next to a river. The water flowed quietly, almost lazily, its surface sparkling
in the afternoon sunshine. The summer flowers created a colorful carpet of
blue, yellow, and pink upon the river bank, and the trees overhead offered a
welcome shelter from the burning rays of the sun. Amber breathed deeply of the
fresh, earthy scent of the riverbank mingling with the sweetness of the
flowers. It was a beautiful, tranquil spot.
A perfect place
for a lesson in love.

As Harry took her gently
into his arms, Amber realized that once she’d done this, there would be no
going back. Just like the water couldn’t flow back up stream.

****

Harry’s heart thundered
against his ribs. He couldn’t believe his luck. He was used to escorting ladies
of all ages across America when their own menfolk were either dead or unable to
accompany them, and it made him and Gideon a good living. But when they’d
collected the beautiful Amber Carpenter and her pretty, slender companion from
Chicago, he had been struck by Amber’s beauty, and he knew Gideon had, too.

She was striking, with her
sleek black hair, which tumbled like an ebony waterfall to her waist, and her
luminous sapphire eyes, which sparkled with mischief and promise. But it wasn’t
just physical attraction. There was something about her that differed from
other women of her age. She wasn’t needy. She didn’t exude
a
desperation
to be wed as soon as the cock crowed. It was refreshing. It
made her more alluring, even fascinating. He did wonder why she didn’t want
these things, but then people were different. She kind of set him off kilter
and made him feel wobbly. If he was totally honest, everything about Amber
Carpenter made him feel wobbly.

Lust was one thing, and he
could deal with that. He knew where he was—
see
an
attractive woman, get erect, seduce her if she was willing, and get it out of
his system.

Rule number one: do not get
attached. But with Amber, he already knew that it was more than lust. He was
interested in her, in
who
she was and who she would
one day become. She was still so young with so much ahead of her, so many new
experiences to enjoy. Yet she seemed to have made a decision about her own
fate. Harry wasn’t entirely sure about the details, but he was keen to find out
more.

Harry looked into her eyes
framed with thick dark lashes, and realization dawned like the rays of the sun
breaking through the clouds. He had to make sure that she knew what she was
doing. Hell, everyone knew that few brides were intact on their wedding nights.
He doubted that many men expected it, and as so many womenfolk rode horses
astride now, it was more difficult to tell anyway. But if Amber really was an
innocent, then he wanted to prepare her for what was to come. He didn’t want to
be taking advantage. If she wasn’t ready then he wouldn’t be the one to push
her.

His pa had spoken to him in
his youth about the importance of treating a lady with respect, whether she be
whore or grandmother, and that was what Harry always aimed to do
,
 
in
day to day life
as much as in bed. But now he was here with this beautiful young woman, and he
wanted to know that she wanted him as much as he did her. He couldn’t take her
if she didn’t want him to. He’d never hurt a woman, and he never would. Hell,
he’d been keen to settle as soon as he could, and that was why things had gone
so wrong back in Montana.

The familiar ache erupted in
his chest, and he swallowed hard. He’d vowed to try to forget, or at least to
avoid talking about it anymore, for Gideon’s sake as much as his own. Things
could go so wrong if you weren’t careful.

But this was different. This
was about here and now, and he had a chance to make love to a beautiful woman
who wanted nothing more than that. Better with him, he reasoned, than some fool
who might hurt her. He’d be gentle, take his time, treat her body like the
temple it so clearly was. He just had to remember to hold back his feelings. He
mustn’t get involved, though he knew that it would be hard when his emotions
were already threatening to betray him.

“Miss Carpenter?” He took a
step towards her. “Do you know what happens between a man and a woman?” At the
thought, his cock hardened.

She blinked rapidly then
raised her eyes to meet his. “I have some idea.”

“And this is your first
time?” His stomach flipped as he said the words. Should he really be
considering this?

Could he take her then leave
her in Deadwood? He didn’t know. Should he tell her how he’d felt since the
first moment he laid eyes on her? It might scare her away. Thing was, he knew
that Gideon had seen something in her, too. His lover’s eyes had lit up when
he’d first seen Amber, and it had lifted his own heart. He wanted desperately
for Gideon to be happy. They’d been through so much together. Wasn’t it time
for them to be happy? Life was so short and so damned unfair.

Amber nodded. “It is my
first time. I’ve never done this before.”

“Well, I don’t have to …
uh,
I can make love to you without taking your virginity.”
Maybe that would be best. Give her a taste of lovemaking without taking too
much from her.

Amber stared at him wide-eyed.

“You can?”

“Uh huh.”
His cock pressed hard against his clothing, and she
glanced down at it. He smiled at the widening of her eyes.

“I’ve never seen one.” Amber
pointed at his groin.
“A … cock!”
She slapped her hand
over her mouth and giggled.

“But you’d like to?”

She nodded vigorously. Her
eyes were bright and her cheeks pink. Harry followed the trail of the blush
down her throat to where it disappeared beneath her purple satin jacket. He bet
that flush spread right across her chest, covering her collar bones and her
cleavage like a rosy blanket.

He took a deep breath then
began to strip. He undid his gun belt and gently laid it on the ground. Then he
pulled off his dusty boots and socks before removing his shirt and trousers.
Amber stood still, her hands clasped together, watching his every movement.

Was that hunger in her eyes?

“And
those?”
She squeaked, pointing at his Stetson and his
underwear. “Will you take those off, too?”

He felt an unwonted wave of
shyness wash over him. He’d undressed in front of women before and had nothing
to be ashamed of, but with Amber, this time, it felt different. Damn these
confusing feelings. Why couldn’t he be like Gideon? Since Montana, since it all
went wrong, he’d seen how Gideon dealt with women on many occasions. He was
respectful yet distant, hot yet cool. He drove women wild with his touch and
his attention, but he still got up and left them the next day with Harry
trailing in his wake. Gideon didn’t get attached. And Harry hadn’t … not since,
at least until now.