by Carol Arens
“See if...if... Agatha is in there!”
“She’s safe at home, honey. Can you stop shaking? Breathe slow.”
No...clearly she could not. But at least she was breathing. Against the odds, both of them were.
* * *
Ivy ought to be dead and was not fully convinced she was not.
Still, it wasn’t likely that a body would be having a shaking shiver fit if she had traveled beyond the Pearly Gates.
Travis stood beside her, his knee brushing her shoulder where she continued to kneel in the mud, willing her legs to become firm enough to support her. He stroked his mount’s wet mane, looking him over for injury. As far as she could tell, horse and man seemed mortal enough.
“You are a damn good animal,” he said.
That was the plain truth. The stallion had run only far enough to avoid the stampede then galloped back again before Travis even whistled.
“Here.” Travis stooped beside her. “Loop your arms around my neck.”
He lifted her then placed her in the saddle, his hands gentle on her hip when he shifted her weight.
“You s-s-sure are—” Strong was what she wanted to say but could only stutter. He had hoisted a hundred and twenty-five-pound woman and her fifty pounds’ worth of muddy gown onto the horse. Admirably strong—his muscles must be made of stone.
“Hush, honey.” He climbed up behind her, drew her in tight to his belly and chest. “I’m taking you someplace I know of that’s warm.”
She’d be a hog-tied, flying pig if a place like that existed within miles of here.
Even if he did know a warm place, Ivy doubted she’d ever be warm again. The cause of her shivering came from her soul, not her body.
There were so many things she could not get out of her mind. The sound of Hilda Brunne’s bloodcurdling screams, and cattle, the rumble of hooves pounding mud, the scent of wet hides. Looking up and seeing Travis racing toward her...fearing that his despairing expression would be the last thing she would ever see.
If she was laying a wager, she’d bet that she would never be warm again.
It didn’t seem that time had passed, but all of a sudden Travis slid off the saddle.
“Here we are.”
He reached for her but instead of setting her on the ground, he carried her into a cave.
It was dark inside, but warm. That was mighty odd. She’d never heard of a warm cave.
“Can you stand?” he asked.
Maybe, but maybe not. “Yes.”
“Don’t move. I’m stepping away but I’ll be close by.”
She’d cheated death once already today, she would not risk moving about in a place so dark she couldn’t see her own nose.
Locking her knees, trying to stand without shaking, she listened to Travis’s footsteps moving about. Sometimes it sounded like he was walking on dirt, but other times rock.
The cave smelled damp, but a different kind of damp than outside. Out there, the weather of nightmares continued to pummel the land.
She heard the strike of a match, watched the flare brighten then dim. The illumination revealed Travis’s hand reaching for a lamp.
All at once the interior of the cave became engulfed in a soft, golden glow.
“Blazin’ day!” A hot spring? Sure enough, she was a hog-tied, flying pig.
“I meant to show it to you before, but it never seemed the right time. I like to come here sometimes to soak away stress.”
Steam curled up from the surface of the clear water. It churned, bubbled and called her name.
“Cut me out of this dress.”
The way he stood there staring at her, she wondered if he was going to refuse. A full minute passed, then half a minute more. She was beginning to feel like a bug pinned to a board.
“Give me your knife, then. I’ll try and do it myself.”
All of a sudden he drew a breath, shuddered. If she didn’t know better, she’d think he’d been gone a’visiting out of his body and just come back.
“I’m sorry, Ivy, I was just...” And there he went, looking far away again but he rallied quickly this time. “I’ll do it. With the way you’re trembling, you’ll cut yourself.”
He stood behind her. His fingers brushed her neck, rubbed the grit crusted on her skin.
“I don’t see any way to do this that won’t ruin the gown.” She felt the warmth of his words skim her ear.
“It’s ruined anyway.” Besides, a destroyed dress didn’t seem so awful. Not compared to what they had just escaped—what Hilda Brunne had apparently not.
“It was her own doing, but still...”
“You mean Hilda, honey?”
Ivy nodded, felt the weight of the dress fall away from her shoulders.
“We’ll send someone looking for her just as soon as we can.”
Ahhh! She was free to her hips. It felt good to just breathe.
“I feel horrible about it, Travis.”
“Because you are a good person. Don’t forget she brought this on herself—she made a choice and paid a price she meant for you to pay.”
“As much as her mind was in a condition to make a choice. Say! How did you know what she meant? Let alone know where to find me?”
“Agatha. Seems like Hilda said a few things in front of her before she locked her in a closet. Your sister broke out then hunted us up in the parlor. She told us what happened. As far as knowing where you were? I didn’t. I made a lucky guess.”
There was luck, and then there was providence, destiny. It seemed a far fetch to believe he’d just happened upon her in the very instant she needed him. Sure was more to this than luck could account for, in her opinion.
“Hilda...she was crazy, Travis. She had her twin babies all jumbled up with me and Agatha. Couldn’t tell us from them.”
“The ones who died?”
“That’s the thing. They didn’t die. Her husband took them from her, tried to kill her. She substituted me and Agatha for her own babies. When Mama took me away...it did something to her. Made her cling to Agatha. It’s why she kept her weak. To keep her always as her own.”
“She never seemed insane—no one ever thought so.”
“I reckon the worst of the demon in her lay quiet until I came home. It didn’t fester until she thought she would lose Agatha to me. And this storm. I think it had something to do with pushing her past reason.”
The dress hit the cave floor with a thud, followed by the corset that Travis had cut along with the gown. She stepped out of the muddy blue puddle still wearing her camisole and drawers.
She spun about. “Is my sister all right? Did Brunne hurt her?”
“She’s worried about you is all, and about Little Mouse. Laura Lee was fussing over her when I left.”
“Praise the good Lord!” Ivy nodded and kicked off her shoes. “But why is she worried about Little Mouse?”
“According to your sister, Hilda dumped her somewhere outside.”
“She’s a crafty little survivor. I’ll find her.” Ivy rolled her head back on her neck. Her shoulders went slack.
“Shed those clothes, Travis. They’re in as sorry a shape as mine.”
He plucked off his shirt. Ivy thought it best to turn around, find distraction by touching the water with her toe, because he looked fine without his shirt. Stripped all the way bare, he would be more than fine. She knew that from the first time she met him.
“I’m sorry, Ivy. I never expected to bring you home to this,” he said, his voice nearer than what would be proper under the circumstances.
Circumstances being William back in the parlor waiting to become engaged.
She stepped onto a shallow rock under the water. Warmth rushed between her toes and up her ankles.
The water was clear and beautiful. It would be a shame to muck it up with the mud on her underwear.
Besides, how much difference was there between barely a stitch on and plain old bare?
She wriggled out of the bloomers and flicked them away with her toe.
Heavenly warmth crept up her thighs as she stepped deeper into the water. Could be that some of her shivering was due to being chilly, after all.
Lifting her camisole off over her head, she pitched it after the drawers.
Two splashes disturbed the water—Travis stepping in behind her.
“Ivy...” His voice sounded as heated as the water, her name on his lips as pleasant as the pulsing undulation on her skin.
Finding the deepest point in the spring, she turned. Water covered her from the neck down...but it was clear as a window.
She crossed her arms over her chest as Travis waded toward her. His arms weren’t trying to cover anything.
Not that she minded—he was male perfection, muscular, powerfully graceful.
Given that he wasn’t trying to hide anything, it was easy to see what was on his mind. His intention was evident.
Standing in front of her he touched her cheek, slid one finger under her chin and tipped it up.
She had nowhere to look but in his eyes. Unless she stared at his mouth, but that was not wise.
Being naked in the spring wasn’t wise either but here she was and glad of it.
“You heard what I told you earlier?”
What he believed to be his last words?
“I love you, too, Travis.” And with those words, nothing would ever be the same again.
“I’m done pretending you were meant for someone else.”
Gosh almighty, there must be a dozen ways to shiver and she’d just discovered a new one.
Chapter Eighteen
Ivy opened her arms.
Shot him that wide and lovely grin of hers. The genuine one, the smile William would never see. There was so much of Ivy the man would never see.
But Travis had seen all of her: the hopeful boat pilot, the gambler, the river nymph, and the lady of impeccable manners and captivating charm.
He loved all of who she was. William could never fully love Ivy because he would never fully know her.
When the man took her to his bed, he would not be making love to the true woman.
Ivy deserved to be loved. To be touched and cherished, if it was only this one time, for who she was. And Travis was the one who needed to cherish her, body and soul.
Before it was too late.
Once they returned to the ranch, she would accept a marriage proposal. Until she did, she was free. What he did tonight would not be illicit.
Lifting her dripping hand from the water, she touched his cheek, stroked the line of his jaw.
“I’ve only ever been meant for one man, for you.” Delicately, she traced a line across his lips. Water dribbled down his chin then his neck. “All it took was nearly being crushed in a stampede to make it clear.”
He kissed her fingertips then put one arm around her waist to draw her to him, flesh to flesh.
Not simply flesh to flesh, though. There was so much more to the intimate press of skin on skin. It was as if everything that had happened in the last several weeks had led to this moment of joining. Some people would call it destiny.
He trailed his fingers up her spine, felt a shiver ripple under her skin, heard the whisper of a sigh when she tilted her head back and gazed into his eyes.
“You know what I’m asking of you?”
She nuzzled her hips against his belly. “I’m not blind, Travis, I reckon I understand the message.”
He laughed, couldn’t help it. “There’s that, but what I mean is we can never come back from this. No matter what happens, we won’t be the same.”
For a few hours of fulfillment, he was taking on a lifetime of regret and asking her to accept the same. But regret was in their futures, no matter what.
He sure as hell would rather regret sharing love than denying it.
“I want you to know how much I love you, Ivy. Just because you—” Speaking about her future with William at this moment seemed profane. Still, she should know. “I’ll always love you, no matter if—”
“Hush.” She went up on her toes, kissed his mouth lightly. “We won’t speak of that. It’s you and me, now. I’ll always love you, too.”
* * *
Travis cupped her cheeks with his big, calloused palms. He gave her a kiss so sweet it was nearly reverent.
Down below though, under water, things felt downright carnal. His erection rubbed hot and heavy against her belly.
All of a sudden the gentle caress of the kiss changed, flared. Intoxication lit her up inside like the match had done to the cave. She glowed from the inside out, throbbed from the outside in.
He kissed her jaw, nibbled her throat, then his head went below the surface of the spring. Ivy watched, blearily fascinated by the way the dark, glistening strands undulated with the movement of water.
She was about to touch it when his tongue flicked the tip of her breast. His mouth covered it, suckling gently. Her fingers curled. Her feminine part clenched.
Anywhere he wasn’t kissing, he was caressing with long, strong fingers and making her joints melt.
It was too much effort to force them to hold her upright. She let go and slipped beneath the surface with Travis.
Warm water sifted through her hair, freed it of bits of dirt and grass. Travis slid beneath her; she saw his face through rippling strands, looking up at her and grinning.
Needing a breath, she broke the surface. Travis came up under her, scooping her into his arms when he did.
“My nymph,” he murmured, his eyes emerald green in the dim light. “My sweet water fairy.”
“Truth to tell, Travis, I’m not feeling quite so ethereal. I’m about ready to melt out of my skin for wanting you to touch me.”
“Truth to tell, I’ve wanted to since the first time I saw you.”
“Better get back to it then.”
Travis carried her to an underwater ledge. Water lapped her shoulders with an erotic suckle, and made her impatient to feel Travis’s lips upon her again.
Pressing on his shoulders, she drew herself up, braced her knees on his thighs. His hands curled around her buttocks, kneading. At the same time, he gave her what she wanted, made a feast of her, made her moan his name.
Lightheaded, she slid back down, her thighs splayed across his lap and water kneaded her exposed womanly part.
Travis cupped her head, his fingers tangled in her wet hair. He kissed her deeply. She felt the loving message to her soul.
And then, it was no longer water lapping at her intimate place. Travis touched, caressed...petted.
“You are mine, Ivy,” he whispered into her hair, his breath coming in short gasps.
“Always yours.”
She felt a change. The hard, hot tip of him pressed against her where his fingers had petted a second before.
He lifted her to a shallower rock. Pressing her down, she felt cool, smooth stone on her back. He crawled over her. The heat of his skin laved her breasts and her belly.
“Never forget, I had you first.” With his big, firm hands, he spread her thighs and thrust into her, staking his claim. “I loved you first, my Ivy.”
Not only first...always.
There had to be a way. She would make a way.
* * *
Beyond the mouth of the cave, Travis watched the wind blow the clouds away. The morning star hovered over the horizon, bright with the promise of a new day.
One that he was not eager to face.
Looking down, he watched Ivy sleeping naked in hi
s arms. He’d made his point, time after time during the night.
Ivy belonged to him, even if it was only for this brief moment.
Sitting on a shallow step he held her close, warm water their intimate blanket.
He’d tired her out, and wasn’t sorry for it. He had time now while she slept to just look at her, to memorize the way her lashes curled in slumber, how a slight smile curved her pink, well-kissed lips, even now.
He caressed her all over with his eyes, keeping this vision of her for the future. Looking at her long, beautiful legs, he remembered how they felt locked around him when he came inside her. Watching her hands, one lying across her belly and the other splayed across his, he cherished the fire those fingers ignited in him.
Moving water shimmied her breasts. He felt them softly undulating against his chest. Just there! Her nipples tightened. He could only hope she was dreaming of him, that she would always dream of him.
He would see his angel every time he closed his eyes.
“Ivy,” he murmured.
One more time, just one. Then he would let her go as he must.
* * *
Ivy hadn’t expected to sleep the day away but it was late in the afternoon when she woke, near evening when she ventured outside.
It was unlikely that Travis had even closed his eyes. His day would be spent checking the ranch for damage and making sure no one had been harmed during the storm. No doubt he had organized a search for Hilda Brunne.
She couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like the first time she saw him. Would she leap into his arms in front of everyone? Or would she only blush and remember?
Last night she had gone into a cave a plain and prickly caterpillar. Several hours later she’d emerged from that sweet cocoon a butterfly.
Travis had the right of it when he said nothing would be the same.
Dinner was in a couple of hours. Not so long to wait to see his eyes shining at her in love.
Reluctant to dispel that image, she stifled a groan.
She approached a bush near the porch off the kitchen, then stooped down.
Unusual aches and twinges conjured up visions of declared love, of emotions spoken with touch rather than words. Sure was an odd state of affairs when something that smarted could make a body grin from the inside out.
