Beneath Passion's Skies

by Bobbi Smith

  Fired by emotion, Blade laid her down upon the soft grass to make love to her, but held himself back. She was innocent, and he needed to take his time. He pulled slightly away to cool his blazing ardor.

  “Blade? What is it?” Angel asked softly, her emerald eyes wide and questioning.

  “Nothing, love. I just wanted to look at you . . . You’re so beautiful.” His mouth settled over hers again in a possessive brand. Blade was in heaven. His dream had come true. Angel loved him. His lips left hers to plant kisses along the sensitive line of her jaw. One hand settled at her waist, holding her tightly against him, while the other sought the soft mound of her breast.

  The bold, intimate touch left Angel gasping with pleasure. Excitement coursed through her and her legs grew weak.

  Blade could wait no longer to see her. He began to unbutton her blouse, and Angel did not resist. When the buttons were freed at last, she quickly took off the blouse and cast it aside. He started to slip the delicate straps of her camisole from her shoulders, but Angel anticipated his wish. In a very sensuous, womanly gesture, she reached up and gently pushed them down.

  Blade’s mouth went dry and passion’s flame glowed in his eyes. His gaze was riveted on her as he stared at the enticing silken undergarment, caught and held up now only by the swell of her breasts. Unable to resist the temptation, Blade lowered his head to press hot kisses along the top of the camisole.

  She tightened her arms around him, afraid he would slip from her grasp. Her eyes closed in ecstasy as his hands slid upward to cup her breasts. When he kissed them through the soft fabric, she moaned.

  Blade raised his head to look at her. “You can’t imagine how many times I’ve yearned to touch you and hold you like this.”

  “Perhaps as many times as I’ve wanted you to,” Angel replied.

  His gaze dropped from the sweet curve of her mouth to the camisole that still shielded her bosom from his questing gaze. “I want you, Angel. I have from that very first night.”

  “Oh, yes,” she sighed.

  Blade tugged gently at the camisole, and it settled at her waist. His breathing was labored as he stared at the beauty of her creamy, pink-tipped flesh.

  Angel felt shy. She feared that she might not be pretty enough for him and that he wouldn’t find her attractive. But one look at his smoldering expression eased her concern.

  “You’re lovely.”

  Made bold by his words, she reached for him. At his questioning look, she told him, “I want to see you, too.”

  Blade found Angel’s innocent gesture arousing. He didn’t wait for her to undo his buttons, but tore at them himself in desperation. He threw the offending garment down, and he clasped her to his naked chest. Desire ruled his every action. Her satiny flesh was cool against the heat of his body, and he groaned in exquisite agony at the feel of her hard-tipped breasts crushed against him. They sank to the ground, their bodies straining together. Kissing her in wild abandon, he moved over her, and settled himself between her thighs.

  Blade’s lips sought her breasts and he suckled, giving her pleasure with the hot, wet touch of his mouth. The feel of his lips upon her breast flooded Angel with desire. Yearning for him, she instinctively moved her hips in search of release. Angel was mindless with pleasure.

  When Blade broke away, she called out to him, begging him not to go. He silenced her with a searing kiss, exploring the slender length of her legs. Tentatively, he eased the soft undergarments from her body and at last allowed himself to gaze upon her natural beauty. Her full hips invited his touch. Her waist was tiny, her breasts full and round. Ready for her, he dropped his own clothes onto the grass.

  That night at the lake, Angel had seen that he was beautiful, but she was amazed now by the perfection of his lean form. Blade was handsome. Where she was soft and round, he was hard and solid. He was tanned. His legs were long and straight; his chest wide and powerful. When she saw the hard strength of him for the first time, she did not draw away, but held out her arms in invitation.

  Blade had been worried that seeing him naked would disturb her, and he was glad when she did not turn away from him. He lay down beside her again. Bracing himself up on his elbows, he gazed down upon her. The expression in his eyes was one of gentle understanding. He would still stop if she wanted him to. It wasn’t too late.

  “Angel, are you sure you want to do this? Are you sure you want to make love?”

  “Yes, Blade. I want to love you,” Angel’s voice was throaty with desire as she lifted her hands to frame his face and drew him to her for a soft kiss.

  At Angel’s response, Blade moved over her. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. His passion became a raging torrent that swept any remaining doubts from his mind.

  Blade wanted only to please Angel, to give her love’s full pleasure. His hands searched out her most sensitive places. His every touch was designed to show her more of what loving really was. He was careful and gentle as he stirred the fire of her need to a fever pitch equal to his own.

  Angel had never known excitement so intense. She moved restlessly beneath Blade’s pleasure-giving touch, driven by the need to know him more fully. When he shifted over her, positioning himself between her legs, she lifted glowing eyes to his.

  “I love you, Blade,” Angel whispered.

  He dipped his head, kissing her softly. There could be no turning back the floodtide of his love, and the softness soon gave way to passion. His mouth moved over hers, coaxing and at the same time demanding, as he pressed his hips forward. That first entry into the depths of her womanhood gained, he thrust deeply into the heart of her innocence, piercing that proof of her virginity.

  Angel bit down on her bottom lip at the sharp, stabbing pain of his possession.

  “I’m sorry I hurt you.” Blade could almost feel her pain. He began to caress her again, wanting her to know he loved her, needing to let her know he’d never intended to hurt her.

  The discomfort subsided quickly. She felt the heat and power of him deep within her and hugged him close. “It’s all right. I wanted this . . . I wanted you. Love me, Blade....”

  Her words brought him a surge of joy. His lips met hers. When he felt the tension begin to dissipate, he moved within her. His rhythm was slow at first. He wanted only to please Angel, to show her just how wonderful love could be. His hands sculpted her body, exploring her satiny curves.

  As her passion grew, Angel instinctively began to move with Blade. Her hands clutched at his back as the coiling knot of desire grew ever tighter within her. His steady, powerful rhythm took her higher and higher, edging her ever closer to the moment of Elysian ecstasy when nothing mattered but the glory of his body deep within hers and the splendor of holding him in her arms.

  It happened then—paradise. In a moment of exquisite beauty they reached that pinnacle of rapture together. Their bodies locked in love’s fulfilling embrace, each giving to the other, each taking from the other in a perfect unending circle of love.

  When at last the heavenly, heart-stirring excitement passed, Blade rolled to his side, taking her with him. Their bodies were still one, and they rested in each other’s arms, their legs entwined in a sensuous tangle.

  Blade held her near, one hand gently stroking her hair. He could not remember a time in his life when he’d been so content, so happy. He savored the moment, wishing he could stop time and stay right there in her arms for all eternity. She was his heaven. In her embrace, he’d found that which he’d always sought and never hoped to find. Peace and love.

  Angel lay in Blade’s arms, treasuring the incredible poignancy of being one with him. Dazed, she wondered how she’d managed to resist him for so long. Only with Blade was she loved. Only with Blade was she safe. How difficult it must have been for him to listen to her talk of Christopher. She smiled into the darkness, glad that he’d loved her enough to fight for her. Blade would own her heart forever. He had given her the gift of himself, and she would cherish that gift always.

&nb
sp; They lay together in the darkness, sharing tender kisses and gentle touches. Reality would not stay at bay, though, and eventually they knew they would have to return to the campsite. With regret, Blade drew her to him for one, last lingering kiss.

  “We’d better go back,” Blade said sadly, yet he made no move to let her go.

  “I know,” Angel agreed with a sigh, not wanting to leave his embrace. “I wouldn’t want Lucky to come looking for us right now.”

  They remained quietly together for a little longer, then slowly moved apart. Blade helped her dress, kissing and caressing her as he did so.

  “I liked taking them off of you much more than I like putting them back on,” he told her with a wry smile.

  She kissed him then and almost made him forget his good intentions. Once they were both fully clothed, Angel linked her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest.

  “I’ll talk to Lucky in the morning.”

  “What are you going to tell him?” Blade asked, wrapping his arms around her and holding her to his heart.

  “The truth. It’s time,” Angel answered simply. “Now that you know everything, there’s no reason to keep it from him any longer.”

  “That’s good. He deserves to know what’s going on.” Blade hesitated, then took her gently by the shoulders and held her slightly away from him as he asked, “What will you tell him about us?”

  Angel looked up at this magnificent man. “I’ll tell him that I love you,” she whispered.

  His eyes darkened with emotion. He bent to kiss her. “Tell him we love each other.”

  Blade took her hand in his, and they walked slowly back to the campsite. They paused just outside the ring of the firelight to kiss once more, then he walked with her to her bedroll and waited until she’d lain down. He wanted to stay with her, to hold her in his arms and make love to her again, but he didn’t. He moved off to his own separate bed, content for the moment with the joy of knowing she loved him.

  Angel curled in her bedroll; her heart filled with wonder, her body alive in the aftermath of passion. She fell asleep, reliving Blade’s declaration of love, and for the first time in days, she slept soundly.

  Blade lay down across the fire from Angel, wishing she were beside him. Far from diminishing his need for her, making love had increased his desire. He wanted to hold her and kiss her and keep her with him very minute of every day. As he lay there staring sleeplessly up into the night sky, he went over every detail of their intimacy. He had taken her innocence and had claimed her. She was everything he’d ever wanted in a woman, and she was his. He smiled to himself at the thought.

  The smile faded, though, when he let his thoughts drift back over their conversation. He’d been right from the beginning. She was running from someone, a man who’d murdered his wife and would harm his son if he got the chance. Michael Marsden. The name was a curse in his mind, and Blade vowed to make certain the man never hurt anyone again—not Angel or her sister or her nephew.

  Blade closed his eyes and tried to sleep, but the image of Angel, naked in his arms stirred too many feelings for him to rest. He sighed, but decided that it had been worth another sleepless night.

  The eastern horizon was already brightening when Lucky finally woke up. It startled him to have slept so late, and he jumped up nervously, thinking Blade and Angel would be annoyed with him. To his surprise, he found Blade sitting by the campfire, looking quite relaxed, drinking coffee.

  “G’morning,” Lucky said slowly, frowning. Every day since they’d been on the trail, Blade had been up and moving before dawn—even on days when it had rained. Today, however, the sun was shining, things were dry, and yet Blade was sitting there acting as if he were enjoying himself. It didn’t make sense.

  “Good morning.” Blade smiled.

  “You want me to wake Angel?” he asked urgently. “I know it’s late and we—”

  “No,” Blade answered. “Let her sleep.”

  “You sure? She’s going to be awful made if we’re not riding soon,” Lucky cautioned.

  “Don’t worry. I’ll handle it if she gets mad,” he assured the boy confidently. “I want to rest the horses. The last few days were rough on them and they need to take it easy for a while.”

  “All right,” the boy agreed, puzzled. Something must have happened last night after he had gone to sleep. He’d known Blade was angry, and from the way things looked now, he supposed the two of them must have had it out with Blade the victor. Still, he was curious about what had happened, and he couldn’t wait for Angel to wake up so he could find out. To his dismay, it was almost an hour before she stirred.

  Sunshine finally penetrated Angel’s sleep, and she opened her eyes to find the new day well under way. She threw off her blanket.

  “Good morning, Angel!” Lucky called out cheerfully. He and Blade were tending the horses.

  “Morning.”

  Blade heard the boy’s call and her answer and looked up to see Angel sitting on her blanket. Her hair was free and tumbling about her in glorious disarray, and she looked as though she’d awakened from a night of passionate lovemaking. A current of desire shot straight through Blade, and he couldn’t look away. He’d thought her hair lovely in the moonlight, but that dim, unearthly glow hadn’t done it justice. In the sunlight, her tresses shone—a myriad of shades blended together by nature’s hand. He longed to touch her curls.

  Angel felt wonderful. She saw Lucky where he stood by the horses, but she had not yet seen Blade and she wondered where he was. Blade. Just the thought of him brought a soft smile to her lips and, as if sensing his gaze upon her, Angel glanced in his direction. Their gazes locked. Neither one could forget the intimacy of the night before.

  Blade had to admit he was a little nervous about facing Angel this morning. He wasn’t sure just how she was going to react to him. He’d been awake for most of the night, but the dreadful fear that she might harbor some regrets hadn’t occured to him until a short time before. As he watched for her reaction, he was careful to keep his expression inscrutable. It wouldn’t do to appear too eager if she had awoken this morning with a change of heart.

  Angel saw Blade standing near the horses, looking much like the serious gunfighter she’d seen that very first morning in New Orleans when she’d overheard the two women talking about him. She’d found him intimidating before, but now that she had held him in her arms, she could only love him. They had touched souls, and she’d found a gentleness in him. She could not keep her love for him hidden, and a bright, silly smile spread over her face. He was the man she loved, and she wanted him to know it.

  Blade saw her smile and all the dread that had haunted him vanished. He hadn’t realized he was so tense. Helpless to do anything else, he smiled back at her. Nothing had changed overnight. Everything was wonderful. Drawn magnetically to her, he walked away from what he was doing and went straight to her.

  Angel’s heart lightened at his answering smile, and when he came toward her she rose from her bed to greet him.

  “How are you this morning?” Blade asked as he joined her.

  “Fine,” she said, her eyes sparkling as she gazed up at him. “In fact, I can’t remember ever feeling better.” She wanted to hug him, but knew she couldn’t. Lucky was only a short distance away and would have been able to see them had she decided to be so delightfully brazen.

  “Good.” Blade was smiling down at her and couldn’t seem to help himself. He realized he probably looked like a damned idiot, but he didn’t care. She was absolutely breathtaking in the morning, and he imagined what it would be like to wake up with her in his arms. It was an appealing daydream. He wondered how soon he could make it come true.

  “How are you?” She took a step closer to him, a small concession to her desire to launch herself into his arms.

  “I’m fine. Real fine.”

  “How soon did you want to leave?” They could not speak freely in front of Lucky, and she felt awkward.

  “I
f we ride out before noon, we can still make good time today. I’m going to change our direction a little bit.”

  “Why?”

  “There’s a special place I want to take you.”

  “Where?”

  “I want you to meet my mother’s people.”

  Angel was stunned. He’d revealed little of himself to her, and this new openness touched her. “I’d like that. Is it far?”

  “If the weather stays clear, it’s less than a week’s ride and it’s on the way.”

  “What is?” Lucky asked, joining them.

  “I thought you might like to pay a visit to an Indian village,” Blade explained.

  “Can we go, Angel?” Lucky turned imploring eyes to her.

  “Yes. Blade says it’s safe.”

  “My mother’s people are peaceful. We’ll be welcome.”

  “When do we leave?” Lucky asked, unable to contain his excitement.

  Angel grinned. “Later this morning,” she replied. “First, though, come sit with me while I have some breakfast. There are a few things I need to tell you.” Angel poured herself a mug of coffee and helped herself to some of the food Blade had prepared earlier.

  After taking a deep, bracing drink of the strong, hot brew, Angel lifted troubled eyes to Lucky as she started to speak of her horror for the second time in less than a day. “It’s time I told you the truth about why I’m going to California.”

  “You aren’t going there to get married?”

  “No. I’m not. In fact, most of what I told you, I made up.”

  “why?”

  Angel explained everything from her sister’s violent death to their flight with Christopher to the moment when she’d caught Lucky trying to steal from her in St. Louis. “You needed someone to care for you, and I knew I could do it. I thought if we traveled together, we might draw any of Michael’s men who were following us away from Sarah and Christopher and give them time to escape.”