by Mae Clair
“Well…” He grinned, fingering a strand of her hair. “I am only human. And after so many battles, it gets tiresome sharing camp with a bunch of weary, foul-mouthed soldiers. I once had a second lieutenant propose to me.”
That was when she knew he was teasing. “Marriage?”
His grin widened “No. He wanted permission to disappear into a bottle of whiskey for three days. He needed to forget about the prostitute he’d taken for a tumble in the hay. He’d just found out she had the clap.”
Clap. An old word for venereal disease. “What did you do?”
“The only thing I could. I gave him a bottle of whiskey.”
“Caleb.”
He laughed out loud. “Don’t look so beside yourself. At least I wasn’t in love with Libbie.”
“But you said–”
“Annie.” He cupped her cheek, smoothing his thumb over her skin. “Elizabeth Custer was as beautiful as every tale made her out to be, but she couldn’t hold a candle to you. No woman can.”
Her unease went flying out the window along with her resolve to discuss people from the past. Powerless to do anything but succumb, she melted into his embrace. He threaded a hand through her hair, cradling the back of her head as he bent to kiss her. She felt the touch of his lips, the seductive warmth of his mouth stealing her breath away. It unnerved her to realize how much she wanted him to make love to her. Now. Beneath the stars and moon, the night as raw and untamed as he.
She tipped her head back, her breath a gentle ghost-whisper against his ear. “Make love to me, Caleb.”
He made a sound low in his throat, half growl, half groan, and his arms tightened around her. She loved the thrill of being able to excite him, his always-perfect control shattered by the desire she stoked.
“I want to take you to bed,” he said huskily. The hand beneath her shirt roamed higher, kneading her breast.
She shivered in pleasure but danced away, snatching up the blanket they’d used earlier during their ride. “Not upstairs.” She coaxed him to stand as she backed toward the steps. “Under the stars.”
His brow shot up as if he found the idea scandalous. “Arianna, that’s hardly…” He drew a breath, his nostrils flaring. “Proper.”
She smiled, biting her bottom lip. It was clear from his reaction, the idea had him dangerously aroused. He was a powerful man. Even without the strain of the wolf in his blood, there was something feral about him, a raw masculinity she hungered to experience beneath the vast night sky. “Don’t tell me you’ve never made love outside, Colonel?”
“Of course I have.” He took a step forward, and she felt the air crackle between them. “But not with a woman I intend to make my wife. I’d never dishonor you.”
“I know you wouldn’t.” She would always cherish his old-fashioned morals and chivalrous nature, but couldn’t stop herself from teasing. “Try to make an effort.” She flashed a brilliant smile. “Just this once.”
With a mischievous laugh, she bounded off the step and raced across the night-blackened field behind the house.
“Arianna!” Caleb’s voice rose in alarm. A second later, he cursed and gave chase.
She ran as fast as she could, giggling, clutching the blanket under one arm, the night breeze whipping the hair from her face. It felt invigorating, empowering, the darkness ablaze with the flame-bright dance of fireflies, the air heady with the aroma of warm earth and night-blooming flowers. She was fast, even in sandals, but he was long-legged. It would only be a matter of time until he overtook her. She grinned, ran past the barn and down a grassy knoll toward the pond. She was starting to get winded, still giddy with laughter by the time she reached the edge of a wooded copse, the denser darkness of a ragged tree line looming ahead. Behind her, Caleb made barely a sound, swift and silent as the night itself. In the matter of a single heartbeat, he caught her in his arms and swung her off the ground. The power in his embrace took her breath away, leaving her limp with laughter and the wild thump of desire. Dropping the blanket, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his head down, seeking his mouth.
They were both breathing hard, and sweat dampened her cheeks. A few feet away the pond was black and still, its surface reflecting the ghostly shell of a waning moon. She clutched his face in both hands, feeling the faint slick of perspiration on his skin.
Kissing her hungrily, Caleb dropped to one knee, then the other. He fumbled with the blanket, trying to straighten it enough for a cushioning bed as he eased her onto the grass. Her blouse came partially unbuttoned, a seductive enticement that sparked a flare of silver in his sky-colored eyes. He wasted no time in freeing the remaining buttons, his mouth molded to hers. It took only seconds for them to shed their clothing, all the while exploring with the sensual touch of fingertips and tongues.
“You taste like silk.” Caleb’s lips contoured the curve of her shoulder, guided by the light brush of his fingertips.
Arianna quivered with desire. “What’s silk taste like?”
* * * *
“Mmm…” He found her neck and sucked briefly at the frantically throbbing pulse in her throat. He liked the fact he could send it racing out of control. That even now her naked flesh tensed against his, her entire body primed for his touch.
“Cool,” he decided. “And sleek. Like frosted creme and chilled champagne. Or dew on grass.” He brushed the hair from her face, languidly inspecting her earlobe with the tip of his tongue. He took his time, teasing the shell of her ear, moisture and heat sizzling together. She shuddered, moaning softly. The sound went through him like a flicker of lightning, streaking to his groin.
He groaned, control forgotten. Painfully aroused, he crushed his mouth over hers, hunger and excitement sealing their lips together. She tasted of the wine they’d shared earlier, of raw desire and sun-heated passion. Her fingernails scraped down his bare back, molding the firm flesh of his buttocks. He couldn’t think, could only act, his mind stripped of all, save love and desire. Lifting her hips, he plunged inside her. He needed to possess, to fill her, to have her heart pound in cadence with his. She moaned in pleasure, arching her back to meld their joined bodies in a crackling fusion of heat.
Caleb groaned, certain he’d explode.
He dropped his head, sealing his mouth to hers. He threaded his fingers into her hair, cradling her as his tongue teased her lips. Time unfolded in a slow sensual dance, golden and glorious until he felt drunk with passion, until the throbbing pulse of heat in his groin became unbearable and their pleasure erupted in near simultaneous release. Shuddering, he kissed her slowly, his heart hammering fiercely as it climbed down from a giddy high.
She wrapped her arms around him and clung tightly, her breath a quivery hitch in his ear. A moment passed, and then: “Silk?” she asked breathlessly. “You’re awfully poetic tonight, Caleb.”
Spent, he rolled off her, flopping onto his back. Already he could feel sweat drying on his skin, tingling across his chest in the warm summer air. She nestled against him, sliding one hand across his stomach. Her fingertips dipped, skimming lower, grazing the mat of hair between his legs. His abdominal muscles contracted sharply.
“No fair,” he complained, sucking down an unsteady breath. “I need a few minutes before round two.”
She laughed lightly and sidled closer, draping one bare leg over his hip and thigh. “I’ll let you take me upstairs this time. To your bed.” Her smile flashed white in the darkness as she rose up on one elbow to stare down at him. “Now that you don’t have one of those awful headaches, I bet four times in one night won’t be a problem.”
He cupped her waist, appreciating the thought. Her body gleamed with a light sheen of sweat from their lovemaking. The moist heat between her legs was warm and distracting against his thigh. “Don’t you know it’s improper for a lady to have a ravenous sexual appetite?”
Amusement crossed her face. “Would you rather I was demure and unresponsive?”
He kneaded her bottom, watching the dance of
moonlight on her eyes. “Never. Just as I’ll never tire of loving you.” He slipped his hand lower, seeking the warmth he’d felt earlier. Her eyes widened with surprise, and then feathered shut in pleasure as he slid a finger into her welcoming heat.
“Caleb,” she panted. He rolled her onto her back, his hand sending a shockwave through her body. She shuddered, clawing at his hair, pulling him down for a kiss.
He tasted her lips, the sweet honey of her mouth, wanting to possess and love her at the same time. He couldn’t give enough, his heart aching with the depth of emotion she kindled. He’d grown hard again, his fingers warm and wet with her silken heat. She whimpered beneath his kiss. Dipping his head, he trailed his lips to her throat, bending further to taste the swollen curve of her breast. He kissed her ribs, her stomach, the delicate dip of her navel. Silently she begged for more, lifting her hips in invitation, delirious with passion.
He bent his head, exploring with his tongue, teasing and tasting even as her hands knotted in his hair. He could barely contain himself, her scent obliterating his werewolf senses until he was filled with only her. He went slowly, the tip of his tongue circling the spot that would send her into delirium, teasing, promising, pushing her closer to climax, never quite there. She writhed, moaning in pleasure, her tanned flesh like milk and honey in the moonlight. Cupping her bottom, he rounded his fingers into the crease of her backside, applying pressure to her most sensitive region until she gasped his name in ecstasy.
And still he tasted her, sending shudders of pleasure cascading through her body. Only when she was quaking with need, moaning for him to love her, did he give her the release she craved. He found the spot he knew would send her into the stratosphere, exploring with his tongue. When the peak came, she cried out, knotting her fingers in his hair. The wave passed and she went limp, collapsing with a whimper.
Caleb gathered her in his arms and hugged her close. “I’ll love you forever, Annie,” he pledged, lifting her chin to kiss her softly. “Weathering rock or no weathering rock, I vow I’ll never leave you as long as I have blood in my veins.”
She smiled up at him through a glittering veil of tears. “I love you,” she whispered. “I’d marry you tomorrow if I could.”
It was all the pledge he needed.
* * * *
Seth watched the couple from beneath the shelter of the tree line. The heat of their passion pumped through his veins like a sexual elixir. He could smell male musk and the intoxicating scent of female. The combination made his groin throb.
Caleb’s bare skin was every bit as enticing as the woman’s. He dreamed of ripping his rival’s flesh from his bones until his mouth overflowed with the syrupy-sweet glut of blood.
But first there was Arianna. He fondled himself, aroused by her nakedness. He’d take his time with her, making sure she suffered before she died. She’d slept with his enemy, debased herself with a man he’d vowed to torment and destroy. She would scream and beg just as Caleb would, pleading for mercy. He’d have his fill of her, then rip out her throat. When he was through, the ground would be red, swimming in blood. He panted, breathing hard.
Soon, he promised silently. He would kill them both. Soon.
Chapter 29
Caleb lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Arianna was half asleep, drowsy from their lovemaking. The temperature bordered on mild. Outside, a storm brewed, creating a cross draft between the open windows. Caught in the breeze, the curtains billowed like disembodied ghosts.
He sensed the restless flurry of upturned leaves caught in the wind, smelled the moisture-rich scent of impending rain. The atmosphere felt charged with invisible bands of electricity. He tensed, thinking of ball lightning. Of his father and their limited time together.
“Annie?”
She murmured sleepily, nestling closer, her body creating a sensual pocket of heat against his side. He’d wrapped her in the blanket to carry her into the house and upstairs, stripping off his jeans when they’d reached the bedroom. He would have been content to hold her until they fell asleep, but she’d had other ideas, intent on pleasing him the way he’d pleased her. It hadn’t taken her long to work him into a state of blind need. She’d touched and stroked, fondling him until his breath came fast and ragged between his teeth.
Already aroused from pleasuring her, he was eager and on edge. He remembered the shock of her lips around him, the exquisite flick of her tongue coaxing him to greater and greater ecstasy until he’d exploded, shuddering and spent. She’d cuddled against him, whispering how she loved hearing him groan, empowered by the knowledge she could make him forget everything but the sheer pleasure of what she did to him.
He was still adjusting to how demonstrative she was with her sexuality, trusting and tender, aggressive at the same time. She never ceased to surprise him, like tonight when she’d wanted to make love beneath the stars.
“Annie,” he coaxed again, cupping her chin.
A gust of wind blew through the window, rifling the edges of her ink-black hair. She smiled dreamily. “I’m awake.”
Caleb wet his lips. “Did you mean what you said earlier tonight? That you’d marry me tomorrow if you could?”
“Of course I meant it.” Alert now, she stared up at him, a small crease on her brow. “Why? Is something wrong?”
“No.” He heard fear in her voice and reassured her with a kiss. “I was just thinking.” He pressed his brow to hers, enjoying the intimate contact as he tried to sort through the worry in his heart. “I know you probably want a big wedding with several attendants and a large reception.” He paused, grimacing when a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky.
Arianna tensed at the low rumble of thunder. A gust of wind swept into the room, cool as morning dew, drawing goosebumps from her naked skin. “What’s wrong?”
“The lightning. I can’t help think it’s going to take my father soon. I don’t know how much time we have left. He won’t tell me. I want him at my wedding.”
“Is that it?” Weak with relief, she melted into his arms. “Why didn’t you say so? I don’t need a large ceremony. I’d rather it be small and intimate. Maybe we could hold it here at Weathering Rock.”
“So you’re saying you’ll marry me now?”
She wrapped her arms around his neck, twisting to settle against his chest. Her lips parted with a silky smile. “I’m saying, Colonel DeCardian, that all you have to do is pick the date.”
* * * *
Arianna hadn’t realized how quickly time could pass, mostly because she existed on a perpetual high. Not even the opinions of others could deflate her exuberance. Lauren thought she’d lost her mind for marrying someone so soon, and her parents, well, she’d anticipated their reaction.
“Mom, I’ve got great news,” she’d relayed over the phone two weeks previously. “I’m getting married.”
Her mother had squealed into the line, overcome with pleasure. “Oh, sweetie, that’s fantastic! I knew you and Lucas would work things out.”
“It isn’t Lucas.”
“Your father and I think the world of him, and–” A swell of dramatic silence engulfed the line. “Arianna. I could have sworn you said you’re not marrying Luke.”
“I’m not.” She steeled herself for the inevitable reaction. “The man I’m marrying is named Caleb. Caleb DeCardian.”
More silence, longer this time. Arianna could picture her mother’s green eyes darkening as she digested the news. At fifty-four, her mom, Bethany Hart, remained fit and trim, a near mirror image of her but for her sleek, short hair. A librarian who taught yoga on the side, she was the perfect counterbalance to Arianna’s father, Paul. Two years older than her mother, he was the district sales rep for a large janitorial company. When his territory expanded five years earlier, they’d relocated to Richmond.
“If this is a joke, Arianna Jane, I’m not laughing.”
“It’s not a joke, Mom. I met a man, fell in love, and we’re getting married.”
“When? How
could you possibly meet someone and fall in love so soon? You and Lucas only broke up two months ago!”
“Three. I know it’s short notice, but the wedding is next month. It’s going to be small, a private ceremony.”
“I don’t understand why you’re rushing.” More silence, tinged with suspicion. “Are you pregnant?”
She sighed into the phone “No, Mom.” Lauren had asked the same thing.
“How on earth am I going to explain this to your father?”
“Tell him I’m in love.” She rushed into more detail, hoping to hustle her mother past the initial shock. “Caleb and I are going to have an old-fashioned ceremony. I found an antique wedding dress through a vintage clothing company. I’ve already ordered it and taken it to a tailor for alteration. Caleb is a Civil War buff like me, so he’s going to wear a Federal officer’s uniform. We thought it would be unique.”
“Oh, dear. Ari, I really think we need to talk about this. Marriage is for a lifetime. I don’t want you to make a mistake.”
“I’m not making a mistake.”
And so the conversation had gone, her mother alternately distressed and annoyed. Later that evening, Arianna had gotten a call from her father and been forced to relive the whole conversation over again. He’d wanted to speak to Caleb personally, and she’d patiently explained he wasn’t with her. Caleb bristled under normal circumstances when forced to talk on the phone. She didn’t want to put him through an interrogation with her father. Fortunately, he and Rick were busy working out other details related to the wedding.
Rick Rothrock had been ecstatic at the news and had insisted on getting involved in the preparations. Three nights after she and Caleb had picked the date, her blond lover had shown up at her door, immaculately dressed in a navy suit, starched white shirt and silk tie. She’d blinked, uncertain what the occasion was until he placed a dozen red roses in her arms and got down on one knee.
