by E. E. Burke
The notion amazed her. She rarely saw her mother’s family, and she certainly wasn’t welcome to live with them. On the other hand, she wasn’t an orphan. She just felt like one.
Beneath the noonday sun, her head grew warm. She was glad for the floppy straw hat his aunt had loaned her.
Jake slowed his horse to an amble as they crossed a grassy field painted with wildflowers. When she sat straighter and her hands moved to the sides of his waist, his shoulders relaxed.
That he’d be more at ease without her hugging him shouldn’t disappoint her.
“What about you?” he asked. “How big is your family?”
Kate’s spirits perked up. His interest signaled a willingness to establish a friendly bond, which was the first step in any relationship. “Not as big as yours, just my parents and me. I’m their only surviving child. My brother died when he was eight.”
“You were raised alone?”
He couldn’t possibly know how alone.
“Father’s business kept him away from home.” He’d virtually ignored her. “My mother became distracted.” With a secret lover. “I never knew my grandparents.”
Even her friends had been few because she’d been painfully shy as a child, something she hadn’t outgrown as much as overcome. Thank heavens for dear Miss Applegate, who had praised her cleverness and fed her curiosity. “I was close to my governess, and I had my books.”
“Your life sounds lonely.”
Kate’s throat tightened. God forbid that Jake would pity her. She didn’t want that. Nor did she want to return to the worksite empty-handed, looking as though she’d messed up again, which was what everyone would think. She wouldn’t betray Jake and admit she’d been abducted. “I have no complaints about my childhood. I had more than most people.”
She strove for a light tone. “In fact, I’m in the fortunate position of being a railroad heiress, which could be fortunate for you, too.”
“Very fortunate.” His sarcasm couldn’t be missed. He’d throw a wet blanket over a fire rather than let the flames warm him. Or maybe it was just her warmth he wished to douse.
He nudged the horse into a loping gait. With no option except to slide off, she tightened her hold around his waist, which brought her chest flat against his rock-hard back.
Strands of his hair blew into her face and tickled her nose. He smelled of soap and leather and sunshine. She hadn’t intended to sniff him, couldn’t very well avoid it sitting this close.
At least he didn’t stiffen like before. That only meant he’d become resigned to the necessity of having her hold onto him to stay on the horse. For her part, it would be best if she ignored this inappropriate longing and focused on what was more important—convincing Jake to champion her suggestion.
“With your council’s support, we could persuade my father to change routes. The proposed line follows the old Texas Road, which is the most direct path. It’s also the most rugged terrain we’ve encountered. Henry complains all the time about how expensive it is to grade the road. You could help us locate a better route.”
“I am not a surveyor.”
“But you know this land, and we have surveyors. They can assist you. If we could talk to the council—”
“I will not take you to the council,” he said firmly.
“Why are you determined to keep me away from your leaders? I swear I won’t betray you, if that’s what you’re worried about.” She hugged him, for emphasis.
He straightened his spine, which made it difficult for her to hold on.
Disappointment threaded through her. Did he pull away because he couldn’t bear to have her touch him? Perhaps he viewed this attraction between them as nothing more than an inconvenient itch.
Kate loosened her embrace as tears stung her eyes. She wasn’t a weepy female. Jake had the power to hurt her because she cared about what he thought. She cared about him. And what she felt wasn’t only physical. She liked and respected him. The more she learned about him, the more she admired him. Had they met under other circumstances, she might have set her cap for him. That is, if she could draw him away from the beautiful women who would be hovering around, hungry as hummingbirds.
She released her foolish daydream with a sigh. Any relationship with Jake—past one of mutual benefit—wasn’t going to happen. That didn’t mean they couldn’t work together to find a solution to help his family and keep her father’s railroad solvent long enough for her to inherit it.
“If you won’t accept my help, what do you plan to do?
“You are worse than a woodpecker,” he muttered under his breath.
“I’d stop pecking if you’d give me straight answers.”
Jake lapsed into silence. She might’ve taken it as more rejection, except she’d noticed that he also went quiet when he was thinking about something. Deep reflection counted as a good trait. One she’d do well to cultivate.
“We will wait for the courts to decide,” he replied, finally. “They are considering an appeal based on sovereignty. It’s a strong argument under the treaty.”
He appeared to be savvy to the legal wrangling going on, which both surprised and annoyed her. He trusted the white men’s judicial system more than her.
“A court decision could take years. Would you leave your future in the hands of a group of men who have no vested interest in seeing your people treated fairly?”
“Are you saying you have a vested interest?”
“As a matter of fact, I do. If I can resolve this standoff, my father will see that I’m capable of playing a larger role. I’ll gain more influence in decisions. Maybe even a place on the board.”
“You want power.” He made it sound like a curse word.
“Power can be used for good.”
“I know of no power that is used for good. Especially in the hands of a white man.”
She curled her fingers into fists against his stomach. “Your haranguing against whites is wearing thin. And in case you haven’t noticed, I’m not a man. I am a woman.”
His muscles contracted on a huff. “How could I not notice when you keep pressing yourself against my back?”
Was he being crude in an attempt to shut her up? She wasn’t easily offended. “I know how it feels to be powerless and unable to protect myself. I would never use my strength to prevail over someone in a weaker position.”
His shoulders tensed at her not-so-subtle dig. “That explains why you would want to see me hanged from the nearest tree. Not why you would want to help me.”
“Hanging you won’t do either of us any good.”
“Glad to hear you think so.”
At his droll tone, Kate’s tension eased. If he was bantering with her, they were back on steady ground. She pondered her next move. “If my father agrees to give up the government-awarded grants, would your leaders lease the land for right-of-way?”
Jake’s chest expanded before he heaved a sigh. “Are you always this persistent?”
“I wouldn’t get anywhere if I backed down every time the mule balked.”
“First I am pig-headed. Now I am a mule.”
She smiled against his back. “Are you seeking confirmation or forgiveness?”
A breeze blew past, carrying with it the fragrance of peaches. She peeked over his shoulder. They were nearing an orchard and the trees were laden with fruit. Several hours had passed since breakfast. His aunt had packed leftovers. However, fresh fruit was too tempting to pass up.
“Could we stop here to pick a few peaches? Do you think whoever owns it will mind?”
“Our people own this land. They will not mind sharing with visitors who are invited.”
She didn’t point out that she hadn’t asked for an invitation when he’d taken her.
He halted near a tree where the branches sagged from an abundance of treasure. “We can stop here and rest a while.”
Kate grasped his broad shoulders as he circled her waist with his hands to lift her down. His hold lingered. He
might resist her efforts to gain his cooperation. He couldn’t resist this magnetic attraction any more than she could.
The fragrance of ripe fruit filled her senses. Her body hummed with a charged energy that electrified the very air. She knew, deep inside, something was about to happen. Something that would change her life forever, unless she walked away.
She picked two peaches and handed him one. Jake tucked the fruit into a sack hanging from his saddle. She bit into hers and sweetness exploded in her mouth. “Mm, delicious,” she said, offering him a bite.
He wrapped his fingers around hers and brought the peach to his mouth to take a bite.
She stared, entranced, as he licked the juice from his lips.
His arm slipped around her waist and he drew her closer. With his other hand, he removed her straw hat, draped it over the saddle horn, then tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. His tender familiarity set off a sensual firestorm.
God forgive her, she wanted him to kiss her again. Touch her.
As if he’d read her mind, he bent his head and molded his lips to hers.
The peach dropped from her hand, forgotten.
Chapter 13
Jake couldn’t force himself to walk away. Not even if they had been standing in front of a steam engine bearing down on them. Redbird’s lips, pink and wet with juice, were too luscious to resist. Like the fresh peach, only better.
She plowed her fingers through his hair, knocking off his hat in her haste to return his kiss with a fierce hunger. He didn’t understand why she hungered for him, other than an appreciation of some physical attributes that women found pleasing. Maybe that was the only reason. Based on how she responded, it would be enough to gain her consent to do more than kiss.
So sweet. He would never get enough.
He gripped her braid to pull her head back and sampled the pale skin on her neck.
She melted in his arms with a moan.
All his good intentions flew away like a flock of birds startled out of the trees. The way she had pressed herself against him for hours, touched his body and hugged him, had worn down his resistance. Why keep his hands off her if she wasn’t concerned about it?
He unbuttoned her jacket and tugged open the ribbons on her undergarment, slipped his hand inside to palm her bare breast, the same size and firmness as a peach. He rubbed the pebbly tip, eliciting a gasp. Lust coursed through him, hot and heavy. His erection strained against his trousers. Aching for relief, he pressed his hardness into her soft belly.
“Jake, please—” Her breath hitched as he fondled her and rubbed himself against her, as crudely as he would seduce a whore.
“I will,” he promised. “Let me please you.”
He demanded and she surrendered, eagerly accepting his tongue, even sliding hers alongside his, which pulled a helpless groan right out of him.
Did she realize how blatant an invitation it was? No, she was an innocent, getting her first taste of pleasure. If she learned this fast, he would be her willing slave in no time.
She was supposed to be his prisoner. The further they had ridden, the more she wheedled and joked, and made him crazy with wanting her, the tighter the bonds, until he’d become her captive.
Maybe he didn’t have to let her go, just yet. She desired him. Why fight it?
If he took her and put a babe in her belly then he was no better than the careless yu-ne-ga who had sired him.
An image formed in his mind. Two wolves grappled for control. One, robust with a silvery coat, the other, gray and scrawny. The silver one had strength and courage, yet the gaunt, gray wolf overpowered it. Jake knew what the vision meant. He had become that other wolf, the one whose appetite could never be satisfied.
Kate put her hand over his, trembling, as he rolled the turgid tip of her breast. Oh yes, he could please her, and she could please him. Later, they would part ways and go back to their separate and very different lives and forget about each other.
He bent her over his arm to suckle her breast. Her gasps soon turned to desperate, breathy mewling. She dug her fingers into his hair, not to drag him away, to pull him closer. His body throbbed with anticipation.
Here in the shaded orchard, he could create a makeshift bed from a blanket he had packed. Undress her, spread her out and feast on her fruit until she bucked and cried his name. Only then would he give her the release she craved. Then, she could return the favor. There were many things he could teach her. He did not have to spill his seed inside her to enjoy them. They could both find pleasure without making a child.
“Jake,” she breathed his name. “Love me…”
Her mindless plea chilled his overheated body.
Who was he trying to fool? If he did those things with his sweet Redbird, he would never get her taste out of his mouth or her image out of his head. And if he coaxed her out of her clothes, he could not guarantee that he would not give in to the temptation to bury his aching manhood inside her and thrust until he reached oblivion.
Redbird deserved more than a tumble in the grass. Much more…
The good wolf fought back.
Jake lifted her up, he jerked at her clothing to cover her. “We do not have time for this. We must go.”
Kate blinked with confusion. He half expected her to slap him or pull away. Instead, she gazed up at him with longing and trust—which had the same effect on him, only worse. She had placed her faith in him, might even believe she cared for him, and all he could think about was using her to slake his lust.
As much as he wanted her, she did not belong to him and never would. He had no right to take the precious gift she offered. He had turned his back on honor and become a thief, but he refused to steal an innocent woman’s heart, knowing he would only break it.
He solemnly slid the buttons on her jacket back into place.
She tilted her head back. The moisture welling along her lower lids made her eyes a brighter blue. Maybe she thought he was angry or she was hurt or embarrassed. Whatever the reason, the last time he had kissed her, he had also made her cry.
Misery would be his parting gift.
He released her and stepped away. “I am sorry, Kate Parsons.”
Uncertainty crept into her expression. “Sorry you kissed me?”
“No. I will never be sorry for that.”
“Neither will I,” she said with a brave tilt to her chin. Then she glanced away to wipe her eyes with her sleeve, looking lonely…and lost.
He recalled what she had told him about her childhood, about growing up with only a governess for company. He had been surrounded with family and members of his clan. That didn’t mean he could fill the emptiness in her life any more than she could shed light into his. They were from worlds as far apart as the sun was from the moon.
She stared at some point over his shoulder. Rather than abating, her tears continued, streaking her cheeks. He frowned to hide how much it bothered him to see her grieve.
“Why do you cry?”
Her gaze shifted to meet his with uncomfortable directness. “Why do you reject me?”
“You know why. It is not safe for you here.”
“That’s not the only reason.”
It was the only reason he would offer.
He had not thought it possible to care this much when he had nothing left to give. The curse he bore extended to those around him, especially anyone he cared about. Already, he had endangered too many people, including her. It would only get worse the longer he held on.
He searched for his hat on the ground behind him. “We must move quickly, before we run out of daylight.”
Rather than get on the horse, she reached up to a low-hanging limb and picked another peach. “I don’t want to go back to the worksite.”
He debated tossing her into the saddle. Knowing her, she would ride off south toward Tahlequah and leave him standing there. He drew the reins over his horse’s neck. “We have been through this. I will not take you to the council. It is a waste of time. They wil
l not listen to you.”
“Yes, you’ve made that crystal clear.” She stuffed the peach into the sack that contained the rest of their food. “Take me to Ladore.”
“Ladore?” His heart jerked with alarm. Of all places, he could not return there. He risked being recognized. “It would take us another day to ride that far north into Kansas.”
“If we catch the worker’s train, it’s only a couple hours.”
The heat must’ve gotten to her again if she thought that was a good idea.
“What makes you think I would get on a train with you?”
“Because it’s the quickest way to get to Ladore.”
“We are not going to Ladore.”
She lifted his aunt’s straw hat from the saddle horn where he had hung it before he kissed her. Not the first poor decision he’d made since meeting her. “That’s where I’ve taken lodging. I wish to clean up and change into fresh clothes. I’ll send a telegram to my father to meet us. You can explain to him in person what you want.”
“Not if they shoot me first.”
“He won’t shoot you if you’re serving as a go-between for the negotiations.”
“What negotiations?”
“The ones where we’ll work out a compromise. One that will be satisfactory to both sides.” She spoke slowly, as if speaking to a half-wit. Then she lifted her foot. It took him a moment to realize she wanted him to help her into the saddle, not kiss her boot.
Once they were mounted, he kicked the horse into a brisk trot. She circled her arms around his waist and smashed her breasts against his back. He gritted his teeth as desire consumed him. Did she think because she rubbed her sweet body against him that he would grant her wishes?
“We are not going to Ladore,” he rasped.
“You’d rather go to jail?”
“Are you threatening me?”
“I’m negotiating.”
“It is called blackmail. Maybe your father calls it negotiation, and that is why you are confused.”
“Call it what you will. I didn’t want it to come to this. If you’d just be reasonable about presenting our idea—”
