She sighed and tried to roll away from the tidal wave of passion and need. But his hands on her legs held her to him and his mouth tasted full of her flesh. Then, slowly, like a hungry man who’d reached the banquet, he slowed, enjoying each touch.
‘‘Don’t pull away from me, darlin’,’’ he whispered. ‘‘I want all of my wife tonight.’’
She relaxed once more as his touch turned tender. He slowly unlaced her undergarments one ribbon at a time so that he could enjoy her slowly. He stopped for a long while, enjoying the sight of her camisole open to her waist and pulled wide enough apart that only the peaks of each breast were covered. Her underpants were pushed low over her hips so that his hand could cross back and forth in wide strokes below her waist, then circle back to caress her hips.
‘‘I love watching you like this,’’ he whispered as his fingers brushed the silk completely from her breasts. ‘‘I thought of it all last night and all day today.’’
She could feel his wedding band sliding along her skin as he pushed the garment aside.
Now his hands roamed over her, molding her with his need. He covered her hips with his touch and pulled her against him, rocking her to him as he kissed her throat. She hadn’t said a word, his silent wife; she didn’t have to. She brought him all the beauty and passion he could hold.
She felt her body growing warm, alive with feeling. Sighing softly, she leaned back, allowing him to lower his mouth once more to her chest.
His hand moved down as he kissed her. She felt his fingers slide inside her.
When she tried to pull away, he held her tightly, not removing his hand. ‘‘Easy,’’ he whispered against her skin. ‘‘I’m not going to hurt you, darlin’.’’
Without another word he kissed her again, drawing her into passion as she opened her mouth. His hand moved once more between her legs, and this time she didn’t try to pull away.
The third time he touched her, he was kissing her lightly on her waiting lips, but he wasn’t holding her to him at all. She could have pulled away from his probing hand, but she remained still.
He rewarded her with a deep kiss while his hand circled her breast. By the time he pulled away she was afire with desire and moving slightly against him, begging for more.
Laughing, he gave her what she wanted. Kissing her in all the places he’d tasted her the night in the study, driving her beyond all reason, pulling her into passion’s deep water.
Slowly, in the warm afternoon glow of sunlight, he made love to her. As he had in the study, his hands moved over her, touching each part of her body, readying it to be tasted. And as she had before, she set no boundaries.
There were no words of love, no whispered endearments, no promises voiced. Only the loving, pure and silent, as wave after wave of passion passed over her. When he entered her, he did so slowly, allowing her to accept him without pain.
She moved her hands over his shoulders, loving the feel of him above her, loving the way he made her feel all warm and protected and afire.
The pleasure she brought him was doubled when he felt her passion explode. She held tightly to him and whispered his name as he brought her back down to earth.
Then, without a word, they cuddled in each other’s arms and fell asleep.
• • •
Kora awoke to the night sky. Something Jamie said had haunted her dreams. Jamie had made the point that Winter never went back on his word. He’d never said he loved her. He’d never told her to stay forever. But he had told her he wouldn’t try and stop her if she wanted to leave. He had said he wanted her gone when the six months was up. He had told her over and over that he’d never love any woman. But he called her his wife. He’d given her a ring.
She dressed and tiptoed down to Jamie’s room. ‘‘ Jamie?’’ she whispered as she opened the door. ‘‘Are you asleep?’’
Jamie stretched and sat up in bed. ‘‘Why would I be doing a fool thing like that?’’
‘‘I have to talk to you.’’
Jamie moved over. ‘‘All right. I’ve been waiting all my life for you to come to me for advice. I’m a sage, you know.’’
Kora smiled. ‘‘All right, tell me what to do.’’
Jamie rubbed her eyes. ‘‘Shoot.’’
‘‘I love Win, but I’m not even sure if he’d follow me if I left here.’’
Jamie didn’t waste any time thinking. ‘‘Then let’s leave and see.’’
‘‘What!’’
‘‘Trust me, Sis.’’ Jamie jumped out of bed with a loud thud. ‘‘Go up and get your coat and I’ll get the wagon. We’ll take Dan for a ride.’’
Kora thought this was probably the dumbest idea she’d ever heard, but maybe Jamie was right for once. At best, Win might miss her. At worst no one would notice them gone and they would have had a little drive in the middle of the night.
Jamie stomped into her shoes and opened her door. ‘‘Go on and pack,’’ she said too loudly. ‘‘It’s time we were moving on.’’
Kora went upstairs for her coat, wondering why Jamie was acting as if they were leaving for good. As she walked down the darkened stairway, she wondered why she was even bothering to listen to Jamie.
A chair from the study blocked her path at the opening of the foyer. Kora circled it and found Win, wearing only his jeans, sitting in the wing back chair with his feet stretched out on one of the stair’s steps.
‘‘I said I wouldn’t say a word if you decided to leave.’’
His words were cold as they drifted across the darkness to her. ‘‘But I lied.’’
‘‘If I just rode off one night,’’ Kora tested him, ‘‘you could have the house.’’
‘‘I don’t want the house. I want you to stand by our bargain.’’ He wasn’t saying the words that would make her stay, and they both knew it. ‘‘I was working in the study and couldn’t help but hear Jamie shouting you were leaving.’’
‘‘But I’m bad luck. Look at all that has happened since I’ve been here.’’
Win was silent for so long she wasn’t sure he’d say anything.
Just as she turned, he whispered, ‘‘You’re the only luck I’ve ever had.’’
‘‘Then tell me why you want me to stay, Win,’’ Kora whispered.
‘‘We had an agreement. The six months is not up yet. I need a wife.’’
Kora fought back the tears. She’d been wrong-she did need to hear words of love, but he wasn’t saying them. How could he have made love to her so completely and not voice the words?
‘‘Why else?’’ She had to give him another chance.
‘‘I’ve never felt the way I feel when I’m with you. I’ve a hunger for you that may never be filled from a lifetime of sleeping with you.’’ He was trying, but she was asking him to speak a language he’d never had the time to learn.
Kora held her breath, waiting for the words. Three words that even this strong, powerful man should be able to say. In the final hour the decision wasn’t hers, but his. She suddenly realized that if he couldn’t say he loved her, she couldn’t stay.
The door swung open and Jamie stepped through with a lantern swinging at her side. ‘‘Kora,’’ she whispered, without seeing Win sitting in the chair. ‘‘I’ve put Dan’s chair in the wagon twice, and Dan keeps taking it out.’’
‘‘Maybe he doesn’t want to go,’’ Cheyenne said, making everyone jump. He rounded the doorway with his arms folded as though he’d been on the porch for a while.
‘‘No one asked you.’’ Jamie set the lantern down on the stairs. ‘‘I’ll put the chair in again. And don’t you dare call the alarm or try to stop us.’’
‘‘If you’re leaving, I’ll be glad to help load the wagon,’’ Cheyenne offered.
Before Kora could join them, Win’s voice stopped her. ‘‘I want it back,’’ he whispered.