Teton Sunrise (Teton Romance Trilogy)

by Henderson, Peggy L

  Alex groaned. Heat coursed through him, and his stomach tightened almost painfully.

  “I love you, Evelyn.” He brought his mouth down on hers, and crushed her to him. She breathed heavily against his lips, and her hands ran up and down his back, scorching his skin wherever she touched him.

  He kissed her long and slow, until Evelyn began to squirm beneath him.

  “Alex,” she gasped.

  He knew what she was asking, and that there was no easy way the first time.

  “Evie, I might hurt you,” he whispered against her neck. Apprehension filled him.

  “You’ll never hurt me, Alex,” she panted. “Haven’t you realized that by now?” She held her hand to his cheek, a trusting smile on her face. Her eyes smoldered with passion, and Alex swallowed. It was too late to turn back. He couldn’t wait any longer. Slowly, he eased her legs apart. He settled between her thighs, and slowly pushed past the barrier that told him she was his, and only his. His heart raced in his chest, and warmth rushed through him. She gasped when he entered her fully, and he waited until her body relaxed beneath him.

  “This is the last time I’ll ever hurt you, Evie, I swear it,” he breathed against her neck.

  Evie’s gasps and moans of pleasure when he moved inside her drove him onward. She wrapped her legs around his back, and cried his name when her body began to convulse. He shuddered against her in his own release, and their bodies, slick with sweat, melted together in a heap of dangling limbs and blankets.

  Alex rolled to his back and drew her up close to him. He wrapped her in his arms, waiting for his breathing to slow. Holding her tightly to him, he would always remember the feeling of her heart beating against his chest. He gazed down at her, and caught her staring up at him, a soft smile on her face. She touched her hand to his damp chest, and a warm sense of peace and contentment flowed through him. Words eluded him. He tucked some strands of her tousled hair behind her ear, and kissed her forehead.

  Evie rested her head in the crook of his arm and sighed. His heart nearly burst with love for her; with the knowledge that she felt safe with him. Alex ran his fingers through her damp hair, the tension that he’d lived with for so many years slowly melting away in the arms of the woman who had become his entire world. The thought of ever losing her was unthinkable. They lay together in silence, and watched the sun rise over the tallest of the Teton peaks. A golden glow spread along the mountains to match the glow in his heart.

  Chapter 17

  Evelyn stirred awake, and her eyelids fluttered open. A soft smile spread across her lips and she arched her back in a languid stretch, moaning softly. Warm and relaxed, her bare leg draped over Alex’s hard thigh.

  “Mornin’,” he murmured, and leaned over her. His calloused hand ran along her neck and behind her head, just before his mouth covered hers. Her body ignited instantly as ripples of desire spread through her. She wrapped her arms around her husband’s neck and welcomed him to her.

  For the last week, this was how her days started and ended, and she had never been happier. Alex doted on her almost to the point that she had to tell him to find something else to do besides hover over her. It didn’t matter if Laurent, Yancey, or a small gathering of Indians stood nearby. At every opportunity throughout the day, he’d find a reason to be near her and touch her. He’d often pull her into his arms and kiss her to the point that she wished for night to come quickly.

  Work had begun on their cabin. Alex cleared an area a short distance from the lake where they had first consummated their marriage, and used the lodgepoles he felled to build the framework of their home. He constantly asked for her opinion and input on matters such as where the door should go, or the window, the hearth, and the bedroom. Rather than a simple one-room trapper cabin, he planned to build a two-room home for her, even after she insisted she didn’t need such an elaborate dwelling. He’d used her protests as an excuse to pull her into the bushes, and by the time they re-emerged, she was willing to tell him anything he wanted to hear.

  Lying in his arms now, Evelyn listened to the sound of the slight breeze that flapped against the deerskin covering of the tent Alex had erected at the edge of the Indian camp. Until their cabin was finished, this would be their home. Outside, horses whinnied and people’s voices drifted in. A thin ribbon of bright light streamed down through the small opening at the top of the conical structure, a sure indication that a new day was well underway.

  Evelyn had little trouble blocking out the noise. Her entire focus centered on the man in her arms, making love to her with such tender devotion that it took her breath away. She trailed kisses along his shoulder and chest, her fingers tracing the outline of the fresh scar from the bullet he received at the hand of Charlie Richardson.

  “He could have killed you,” Evelyn whispered against his neck. Alex rolled to the side and wrapped his arms around her.

  “Who?” His forehead wrinkled. He caressed her shoulder, his hand traveling slowly along the contours of her body and over the curve of her hips with practiced familiarity.

  “Charlie,” Evelyn clarified, and kissed the scar.

  Alex scoffed. “I’ll deal with him next spring when we return to St. Charles.”

  Evelyn’s head shot up to look up at him. “What are you planning to do?”

  A wide grin formed on Alex’s face. “I’m going to marry you in a church, for starters.”

  Evelyn’s pulse quickened. Startled, she shook her head. “I don’t need a church wedding to feel married to you, Alex. I don’t want you getting in trouble with the law. Everyone in St. Charles thinks you killed my parents. If you’re recognized, they’ll hang you. They won’t ask questions.”

  “Your folks were always good to me, Evie. Your ma bandaged me up every time I stopped by with some new injury, and remember how they let me stay for days at a time when I didn’t want to go home?” Alex’s face sobered, and his jaw clenched. “I won’t stand by and allow their murder to go unpunished.” His body tensed, and he drew her more firmly to him.

  Evelyn clasped his face between her hands. She studied the pained expression in his eyes. “I never realized how hard it was for you, growing up. I know that he . . . hit you and your mother, and everyone always turned a blind eye.”

  Alex’s gaze roamed her face. His blue eyes, which had smoldered with passion a moment ago, were now iced over in anger. “I wish the old bastard were still alive, so I could kill him myself for what he did to my mother,” he said, his voice taking on a menacing tone.

  “You’re not a killer, Alex. You’re not like him.” Evelyn stroked his jawline, and leaned up to kiss his lips.

  He scoffed. “I’ve killed my share of men.” His voice matched the chill in the air.

  Evelyn ran her fingers along his rough cheek. “I would wager that every man whose life you’ve taken would have killed you first if you hadn’t acted. You had plenty of chances to kill your father, but you walked away instead. Let him go.”

  Alex nodded slowly, and held her tight. His facial features softened, and a slow grin spread across his lips. He nuzzled her neck, sending ripples of pleasure racing along her spine. She purred as Alex methodically worked his magic on her with his mouth and hands.

  “I don’t know how I will get our cabin built before winter,” he growled softly in her ear. “You are the most delectable distraction.”

  Evelyn wound her arms around his neck, giving herself over completely to the pleasurable sensations his touch evoked. Without him, she no longer felt whole.

  “Remind me to thank Laurent again for bringing you to me,” he said huskily.

  “Laurent!” Evelyn exclaimed, and she pushed against Alex’s chest. The mention of his friend suddenly reminded her of something important.

  Alex’s hand froze against her thigh, and he raised his torso away from her. His forehead wrinkled and a perplexed look washed over his face. The corner of his lips twitched into a smile.

  “If that’s the reaction I get for mentioning hi
s name, I’ll never utter it again,” Alex mumbled. “Especially not at times like this.” He lowered his head back to hers. Evelyn pushed harder against him to prevent his intended kiss. Although she could never deny her husband, and would much rather lie in his arms all day, a sudden thought entered her mind.

  Alex’s smile turned into a slight frown. Evelyn reached her hand up to touch his cheek. Her fingers softly outlined his lips.

  “Don’t you know what today is?” she asked. Alex’s brows drew together in confusion. Clearly, he didn’t remember.

  “Laurent and Whispering Waters’ wedding ceremony.” She’d almost forgotten it herself. Whispering Waters had asked Evelyn to be with her today while she prepared for her union with the Frenchman. After their initial encounter, she had taken an immediate liking to the soft-spoken Indian woman, and she was glad for the friendship that slowly developed between them. She’d missed not having another woman to talk to, and Whispering Waters’ grasp on English was good enough for most conversations.

  Alex hesitated, then inhaled a dramatic breath of air before he rolled off of her and onto his back. Evelyn threw back the fur covers, shivering as a blast of cold air hit her bare skin. She sat up and reached for the newly-sewn muslin dress that lie in a tangled heap next to the palate of furs. Alex’s warm palm stroked along her lower back, and sent a completely different chill racing down her spine.

  “And that’s the reason you’re leaving our bed?” he asked. “It’s much warmer under the covers.” Evelyn glanced over her shoulder at him, meeting the pleading look in his eyes, and the wide grin that spread on his face.

  “I promised I’d help with the festivities. Besides, who was it that complained about not getting a cabin built?” She raised her brows at him, and hoped her stern look had the desired effect. Apparently it didn’t. In one fast move that Evelyn would have missed had she blinked, Alex grabbed her upper arms and hauled her backwards. She squealed and giggled as he rolled her over, and pulled her on top of him.

  “What if I refuse to let you go?” He cupped the back of her head and brought her face down toward him. His mouth covered hers, and Evelyn parted her lips in an unspoken answer to his question. The ceremony wasn’t until later in the day. Perhaps a few more minutes with Alex couldn’t hurt.

  ****

  Alex pushed the carcass of the buck he’d shot off of his horse’s withers, and it fell to the ground with a loud thud. He swung his leg over the gelding’s neck and landed lightly beside the deer. Spotting Laurent standing near the chief’s tent, talking to his future father-in-law, Alex led his mount toward them.

  “Mon ami, you have returned in time to witness the wedding.” Laurent rushed toward him, his arms spread wide to match the smile on his face.

  Alex grinned and clasped his friend’s shoulders. “Wouldn’t miss it.” He turned his head to study the Frenchman. “It appears we both require a woman in our lives to remind us to get cleaned up.”

  Laurent’s shoulder-length brown hair, which he normally kept tied back with a leather thong, shone in the afternoon sun. His beard looked freshly trimmed, and he wore a clean wool shirt.

  “I had no choice, Walker,” Laurent said, combing his fingers through his mustache. “The shaman came with a bowl of water, and insisted he wash my hair. It is tradition for the ceremony.”

  “So I’ve heard.” Alex sniggered. “I brought meat for a feast after the ceremony.” He pointed behind him to the deer on the ground.

  Laurent’s smile widened even more. “My bride and I may not stay for a feast. We have our own celebrating to do. I do not plan to wait as long as you did to claim my bride.” He straightened and puffed out his chest. A wide, unabashed grin spread across his face.

  Alex laughed, and slapped Laurent on the back. “I understand,” he said. How well he understood. He could have saved himself and Evelyn weeks of misery if he had only known how to communicate with her. Laurent certainly didn’t suffer from that particular deficiency.

  His eyes scoured the camp. He hadn’t seen Evie since she left their tent this morning, insisting on helping Whispering Waters with her wedding preparations. His insides warmed just thinking about his own bride. Not an hour went by in a day that he didn’t think about her. In fact, she was constantly on his mind. He was slowly making progress in reading her thoughts and moods by watching for subtle clues in her body language.

  When the corners of her eyes twitched, it was a sure sign she was about to speak her mind, just like when her pert little nose rose higher in the air. Often, these subtleties were accompanied by a more obvious sign of annoyance when she fisted her hands at her hips. Luckily, he hadn’t been the recipient of those gestures lately. Hopefully it meant that he was doing something right.

  Alex’s mouth curved in a slow smile. Thoughts of her soft sighs when he held her in his arms, and the way her green eyes shimmered with love and need sent his heart galloping in his chest. How well he’d learned those signs. She was probably not even aware of how much her coy glances in his direction, the way she licked her lips, or her discreet smiles affected him and made him forget the world around him.

  Evie’s most difficult mood to interpret was when something upset her enough to cry. Wide and round eyes most often preceded her tears, and she fidgeted with her hands in front of her. He’d failed to recognize this particular warning sign a few days ago when he’d finished for the day at the site of the cabin. Tired and hungry, he’d walked into their camp, eager for a hardy meal followed by his wife in his arms. When he’d casually mentioned that he was famished, her eyes had pooled with tears.

  “What’s wrong?” He’d pulled her into his arms, alarmed by her behavior. He wondered silently what he had done to cause her distress.

  Evie lowered her chin. “I’m sorry, Alex,” she sobbed. “I . . . I burned supper.” She pulled away from him, and buried her face in her hands. He could barely understand her muffled words. “Time slipped away from me while I was sewing my dress, and I forgot that I had the biscuits in the fire. The meat is charred as well. I know how hard you work on the cabin all day, and you must be hungry.”

  Alex had stood there silently. When she raised her head slightly and peered at him from between her fingers, he burst out laughing.

  “You’re crying because you burned some biscuits?” he asked, and scooped to lift her into his arms. “I have another hunger that needs to be satisfied, wife,” he murmured against her neck. “The burnt biscuits can wait.”

  Alex sucked in a deep breath, and his gut clenched, remembering the pleasant incident.

  Another memory crept into his mind, leaving a sour taste in his mouth. He recalled an incident when his mother had prepared a supper that angered his father. Alex couldn’t have been more than eight years old at the time, when the bread pudding she’d prepared was a bit too dark on the bottom for his father’s liking. She’d received a beating that left her eye swollen shut for days.

  Alex pushed the memory from his mind. Not even for a second had he thought to react in anger when Evie told him about the ruined meal. He smiled softly. After he thoroughly put her mind at ease that he wasn’t upset with her about the food, he’d eaten every last biscuit, and the charred meat as well. The look on Evie’s face, the pure love that sparkled in her eyes for him, made every distasteful bite worth it.

  He couldn’t imagine a life without her anymore. She made him happy no matter what she did. He took pleasure in simply watching her perform even the most mundane tasks throughout the day, and the tension he’d felt in his body for most of his life melted away in her arms.

  “It is time, my friend,” Laurent said excitedly, and rubbed his hands together. Alex blinked. He hadn’t even realized he’d been deeply absorbed in thought. Looking up, Whispering Waters stood outside her parents’ lodge, a red blanket draped around her shoulders. The clan’s shaman stood next to her, and beckoned Laurent to him.

  “Go on, Laurent. Go wed up with your bride.” Alex gave him a hasty shove, but his attention
was on the woman who emerged from the lodge behind Whispering Waters. Evie looked around until her gaze met his. A wide smile spread across her face, and she rushed to him. Alex pulled her into his arms, and kissed her like he’d wanted to do all day.

  “Doesn’t she look beautiful?” Evie beamed and turned to glance at Whispering Waters. Laurent now stood before her, and held her hands.

  “Not nearly as beautiful as you,” he whispered, and drew her fully up against him. Evie lowered her head and smiled coyly. She held up her hand, and revealed a leather-wrapped bundle.

  “The shaman gave this to me,” she said. “I am supposed to bury it somewhere, and not tell anyone. It’s hair from Laurent and Whispering Waters that he tied together.”

  Alex nodded. “It signifies their union,” he explained. “If they ever want to part ways, they can only do so if they find this bundle. So make sure you hide it well.” He grinned. “Laurent isn’t about to let go of his new wife easily.”

  The shaman draped the blanket Whispering Waters wore around her and Laurent, and spoke a few words that Alex didn’t hear. He knew their union was now complete. He reached for Evie’s hand and waited for her to look at him.

  “Well, I don’t think we’ll see them for a few days,” Alex said and chuckled. He nodded toward the happy newlyweds. Laurent held his bride’s hand, pulling her away from the small group of well-wishers and family members. Those who stood by to watch the informal ceremony dispersed to go about their daily business.

  “I just hope Laurent remembers to visit and say goodbye when he leaves for St. Louis.”

  Evelyn’s head snapped up. “Why is he going to St. Louis?” Her forehead wrinkled.

  “He has business there. Remember that he is looking for information about the people behind the raids on the Rocky Mountain Fur Company’s supply boats. He has to meet Oliver Sabin and his men. We probably won’t see him again before spring.”