by Unknown
“Then why are we standing here?” Pulling his hand, she ran toward the truck.
THE TWENTY-MINUTE DRIVE SEEMED MORE LIKE TWENTY hours. Luke had already dismissed the guard he had watching the house. The truck had barely braked, the motor cut before he was reaching for her hand. Unmindful of closing the truck’s door, they ran up the steps. With a jab of the key and a twist of his wrist, they were inside. Greedily he pulled her to him. She went.
The taste led to another and another. Clothes were quickly discarded. On the couch with the sun pouring over them, his mouth trailed kisses over her heated body, pleasing her where he touched, teasing her where he did not.
She twisted beneath him. “Luke, I can’t wait.”
His head lifted, his hair flowing down his shoulders. “Neither can I.” His mouth came down on hers, the same instant he slid into her velvet heat. The twin pleasures had her hips urging up, a moan slipping past her lips. His thrusts were deep, and fast and sure.
She wrapped her legs and arms around him, loving him, glorying in his strength, his power. He was all that mattered to her—and soon she’d have to leave him. Her heart cried out in protest, her arms tightened, she moaned his name.
As always, he heard. His hands locked beneath her hips, joining them closer, taking him deeper.
Pleasure whipped through her. She forgot to think, to worry, only feel. Stroke for incredible stroke, she matched his driving need until her body tightened. His name was a hoarse cry. Again he answered. They went over together.
She came back to herself to feel Luke nuzzling her neck. One more night was all she had. “I still want you.”
His head lifted, coal black eyes stared down into hers. “Then take me.”
With a supple twist of his body, Catherine found herself on top, her hands pressed against his muscular chest. “I can’t decide what I want to do first.”
“Take your time, I’m enjoying the view.” His strong, callused hands stroked from the curve of her shoulders, down her arms, crossed to her stomach, then swept up to her breasts gleaming in the light.
“Beautiful.” His hands closed over their soft weight, gently caressing her. “Taste like cinnamon mixed with brown sugar.” His lips fastened on her nipple, gently drawing it into his mouth, his tongue circling the taut pebble.
Suddenly, amid the growing pleasure and heat, she knew what she wanted. With hands that trembled, she drew his head away. “Do you know how incredible you make me feel?” She continued before he had a chance to answer. “Let me show you.”
Pressing her hands firmly against his wide chest for him to lie back down, she bent over him then kissed his thickly lashed eyelids, rubbed her cheek against his strong jaw, nipped his tempting lower lip. “I love the way you’re built. Powerful and perfect,” she murmured in appreciation. “The first time I saw you with your shirt partially unbuttoned in the woods, I wanted to touch you, like this.”
“I wanted to touch you, too,” he said, his voice rough, his hands clamped around her waist.
She smiled, a soft, slow, secret smile. Lowering her head, she flicked her tongue over his nipple, then blew her warm breath across it. Luke groaned. Her head lifted only enough to meet his hot, piercing gaze. “Did you also want to do that?”
“Yes.”
The smile came again. “Let’s see what else we can agree upon.”
By the time Catherine finished their “comparative analysis,” Luke was sweating and rock hard. Her soft, sweet, mouth and quick little tongue had teased them both unmercifully. When he had finally ended their torture, and slid into her hot, moist sheath, their lovemaking was as frenzied as their first time that evening.
Spent, and too tired to move to the bedroom, he settled her in the curve of his arm. “You cold?”
“Never with you,” she murmured drowsily.
Drawing her closer, Luke stared out the window to the forest and mountains beyond. In the past they had given him peace, renewed his spirit, left him content. He glanced down at the woman sleeping trustingly in his arms. Before he realized it, his lips brushed against her hair. At times strong and vulnerable, at times fierce and tender, she had invaded his solitude, his life. If he wasn’t careful, when she left, she’d take his peace with her.
LUKE AWOKE TO THE RINGING OF THE TELEPHONE. Catherine, her naked warmth wrapped around him, stirred. He pulled the comforter up around her neck. About an hour ago, he’d awakened to find her chilled and had taken her to his bed. His tough hide might be used to the drop in temperature in the mountains, but hers wasn’t.
The phone rang again.
“We’re not in,” she mumbled, her eyes still closed.
He kissed the top of her head. “It’s probably for you.”
“I don’t care.”
“I’d agree with you if your friends and family were the patient, trusting type. One of us better answer the phone.”
Her tousled head lifted. She peered at him through half-closed eyes, then regarded the ringing phone on the night table. “I talked with Mother yesterday and Helena this morning. Dianne is in Bermuda.”
“Answer the phone before the state police show up again.”
“Bossy,” Catherine said, then grinned and slowly eased her body enticingly across his to the other side of the bed to the phone.
Luke’s black eyes narrowed. “You’ll pay for that.”
“Promises. Promises.” Grinning, still on her stomach, she picked up the phone. “Hello. Hi, Naomi.” Sitting up in bed, she pulled the cover over her breasts and watched his gloriously naked body stroll into the bathroom to take a shower. Her breath fluttered out. “Oh, my.”
Catherine grinned. “No, no, I’m fine. I just saw the most magnificent animal. All that exotic grace and leashed power just took my breath away.”
Luke stopped and gazed back at her, heavy eyebrows lifted.
Blowing him a kiss, she waved him on into the bathroom. “Luke said you wanted to talk with me, how can I help?”
As Naomi talked, Catherine’s smile faded. The story was an old one, nothing new, but that didn’t make it any less important to the woman and child involved. They had lived the nightmare and were just beginning to awaken. The healing would take time.
“You call me anytime you want to talk. I think you’ve made the right decision to remain in Santa Fe. There are good people here. I want to see you, Kayla, and Richard at the Red Cactus for my signing in the morning and I won’t take no for an answer. I have some books for Kayla. Great. See you then. Good night.”
Hanging up the phone, Catherine tossed back the cover and went to take a shower. Luke had left while she was talking to Naomi. Naomi had found the courage to face her worst nightmare and start to live without fear. Richard had helped. All Catherine could hope was that if there was an attraction, that Richard would be patient. Naomi wasn’t likely to want anything heavy, but she could use someone she could count on. Stepping under the spray of the shower, Catherine’s thoughts turned to Luke. Before she left, she was getting him in the shower.
CATHERINE CAME OUT OF THE CABIN’S FRONT DOOR to see Luke sitting on the porch. Hero was by his side. The animal jumped up and went to her, his tail wagging.
“Hello, Hero.” Leaning down to pet the hybrid, she regarded Luke with a smile. “I think he’s growing on you.”
“I owe him.”
“How?” she asked, sitting down beside Luke.
Quietly he told her about the intruder. “If not for your pet I might have missed the real culprit.” Luke regarded the animal. “I owe him, but I’m not quite sure what to do with him. He can’t take a plug out of every stranger that comes up here.”
“You can teach him not to,” Catherine said.
“Catherine, I don’t know . . .”
“Please try. I know you can do it.”
“And how do you know that?”
“Because failure isn’t a word you accept for yourself or others. Because you’d never turn your back on someone who helped you. You’ll teac
h him. You have too much honor not to.”
His arm went around her neck. “Catherine, you’re quite a woman.”
Your woman she wanted to say, but couldn’t. She pushed the sadness away and lifted her mouth to his. There’d be time enough for sorrow after she left.
CATHERINE WAS THE CENTER OF ATTENTION.
Every now and then Luke caught a glimpse of her smiling face through the crush of people crowded around to talk to her or to get a book or books autographed. Many of the people from the workshop had taken the opportunity to bring their children, increasing the numbers. To provide more space, most of the tables in the Red Cactus had been removed. Even so, you couldn’t walk two feet without bumping into another person. From the smiling faces of people clutching books, they didn’t mind.
His mother and Amanda Poole were all smiles themselves. Why shouldn’t they be? The book sales were steadily climbing and people happily paid full price. The Women’s League and the bookstore were going to come out sitting pretty.
Speaking of . . . Luke made his way through the crowd to where Catherine was sitting. Pretty wasn’t close to describing how beautiful, how vibrant she looked in the lemon double-breasted jacket. Knowing only three gold buttons on her vest of the same color separated him from the satin softness of her skin was as much torture as it was pleasure.
He recalled comparing her to the yellow flower of the prickly pear cactus when they first met. As he had thought, there was a way to pluck the bloom without being pricked by the hundreds of tiny thorns, if one knew how. She caught him looking at her, flushed, and accepted the book from the next person in the long line.
Luke’s lips curved into a smile, certain her thoughts had paralleled his. He’d never enjoyed a shower more, never was more grateful for the strength of his body . . . and its endurance. Deep inside Catherine, her arms and legs wrapped around him, hearing her cries of pleasure as the water beat down upon them was like nothing he had ever experienced. Catherine made a man want to give and give, then turn around and give some more.
Brandon walked up beside him and noted Luke’s expression. “I suppose it’s too late to watch your back.”
Luke glanced sideways at his youngest brother. “This is different.”
A long sigh escaped Brandon. “That’s what I’m afraid of. I can’t decide if I’m pleased for you or should lock you in a closet until you come to your senses. If you go down, Mama won’t rest until we’re all married.”
Luke went still. Slowly his gaze centered on Brandon. “What makes you say something like that?”
“Because you’ve changed.” Brandon shook his dark head. “You can take or leave women. Mostly you leave them. Not this time. Where Catherine goes, you go.”
“I was working on a case for her,” he defended.
“And holding her hand and touching her every chance you got.” Brandon shoved his hand in Luke’s direction. “Look at you. Wearing a sports coat and a tie for the past two hours and you’ve yet to complain. You hate crowds, yet, just now when I walked up, you were smiling like a kid on Christmas morning.”
The truth of Brandon’s words hit Luke full force. “Catherine’s been through a lot. I’m just happy things worked out for her.”
“We’re all thankful you caught the creep, but we aren’t looking at her as if she’s the cherry on the top of an ice cream sundae,” Brandon accused.
“I’m not either,” Luke flared.
“Luke,” Brandon said, clearly unconvinced.
“I care about her, but it’s not any different than with any other woman I’ve been out with,” he said.
“Then you won’t care that a guy over there is hitting on her.”
His face hard, fury whipping through him, Luke whirled. All he saw was Catherine talking to a woman and her two children. He turned back to Brandon. “That was dirty.”
“But necessary. You’ve never been the jealous type before either.” Brandon’s hand rested on Luke’s tense shoulder. “Big brother, I think you better decide if you want to get the hell of out Santa Fe or make Mama’s prophecy come true. Whatever, I’m with you.”
Luke didn’t see Brandon walk away. He was too busy trying to look inward.
He cared for Catherine. Hurt for her when she was hurt. Thought her too soft-hearted for her own good and worried about her, but that was as far as it went. Sure, he didn’t want her to leave, didn’t like to think about it, but that was just because they were great in bed.
Positive of what he was feeling, he turned. A group of children were clustered around Catherine, their young faces bright with wonder, their eyes glued to Catherine as she read from one of her books. Kayla sat in her lap holding Teddy. She held the little girl lovingly, but was careful to make eye contact with each of the other children listening.
Gradually the hum of conversation and the tinkling of glasses ceased. One by one, people turned, and strained to hear what she read. Luke found himself just as caught up in the soft, lilting voice.
“Love is magic and Keisha knew if she kept the magic to herself it would wither away, but if she gave the magic, it would grow strong. She gave the magic to her new baby brother who took so much of their mother’s time, and watched him wave his tiny arms and smile at her.
“Love is magic that can touch the coldest, hardest heart. But it has to be given freely, without regret, without expecting anything in return. For only in loving unconditionally can the magic be released. The end.”
There was a full five seconds of silence, then the room erupted into applause. This time Luke didn’t join in. Before the enthusiastic crowd blocked his view of Catherine, he saw her pull Kayla closer to her, lean her head against the child’s, her smile tender and sad.
Then, she glanced up and their eyes met. He felt the pull of her eyes from twenty feet away. Denial was impossible any longer. The truth stared back at him. Now he just had to decide what he wanted to do about it.
CATHERINE’S BOOK SIGNING AT THE SANTA FE CONNECtion that afternoon was equally successful. A line stretched from her table down the aisle and out the door.
Luke watched with open delight as she warmly greeted enthusiastic parents and coaxed shy children to tell her their names. She was marvelous with people. Her genuine sincerity was evident in the patience and attention she gave to those around her.
Finished, he thought she’d be tired after signing autographs for hours, but she insisted on spending her last day in Santa Fe enjoying the sights. Her reminder that she was leaving made his chest feel odd. He didn’t have time to dwell on it because when they walked outside the book store, Richard, Naomi, and Kayla were walking toward them.
Luke wasn’t surprised to see them. Catherine hadn’t had much of an opportunity to speak with Naomi earlier. Before Catherine left, she’d want to make sure the other woman was doing well. Catherine’s capacity for love astounded him.
“Thank you again for all the books, Miss Catherine,” Kayla said with a wide grin. “Teddy thanks you, too.”
“You’re both welcome,” Catherine said, smiling down at the child.
Luke’s chest felt funny again.
“Catherine, you sure you want us to go?” Naomi glanced at Luke.
“Positive,” Catherine returned and tucked her arm into the crook of Luke’s.
Whatever Catherine wanted, Luke wanted her to have. “I thought you and I were going to be friends?”
“That’s the reason I said what I did,” she told him, smiling one of her rare smiles. “You don’t need us tagging along.”
“Yes, they do, Mama. Miss Catherine said we could go to a museum that’s just for children,” Kayla reminded her mother.
The adults laughed. “Smart girl,” Richard said.
Catherine looked up at Luke. “Where to first?”
“I guess the Palace of the Governors.” He had taken the other women out to dinner and driven them around, but he hadn’t been their walking tour guide. “It’s the oldest public building in the United States,” he hear
d himself say.
“Fantastic,” Catherine said, leaning closer. “Lead on.”
LUKE WASN’T MUCH FOR SIGHT-SEEING, DIDN’T LIKE crowds, but as the day progressed he found himself enjoying the afternoon. The familiar and unnoticed became new and exciting with Catherine by his side.
More than once, he caught himself admiring paintings or statues of a mother and her child or family gatherings. One in particular, of a Native American storyteller with a group of children around her held him captive for long moments.
“She’s beautiful,” Catherine said from beside him.
“She reminds me of you.” Luke tenderly gazed down into Catherine’s face. “A strong woman who gives to others.”
Catherine’s smile was sad. “Thank you.”
He frowned. “What’s the matter?”
“Nothing.” She pulled away and walked over to Kayla, whose interest in the gallery had waned. “Kayla, why don’t we go outside and I’ll finish telling you about the rest of the butterfly’s adventures?”
“Goody,” Kayla said, happily going with her.
Naomi turned from viewing a pictographic diary documenting the battle of Little Big Horn.
“She’ll be all right,” Richard said, his hand light on her shoulder.
“I know.” She turned and looked at him. “We both will.”
Luke walked outside and stood listening as Catherine wove her tale. She looked beautiful and natural holding Kayla. She deserved children of her own. The thought caught him off guard, then the certainty and the rightness grew. The pressure eased in his chest.
She deserved children of her own. His children.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
BONELESSLY MELLOW, CATHERINE CURLED AGAINST Luke. The day had been wonderful and showed every indication of continuing to be. There had been a few bad moments when she had looked into Luke’s eyes and was confronted again with her inability to have children. But she had refused to give in to self-pity, and enjoyed the dwindling time they had left together.
