Another sign that the real world was intruding on their moment in paradise.
“Stay behind me until I figure out what’s going on.”
Now he could hear the murmur of voices. At least two people, maybe more, were nearby.
“There!” Rayanne whispered, pointing off to the left.
Sure enough, two people were moving through the woods on the far side of the creek. For now, they seemed unaware of Wyatt and Rayanne. It wasn’t until the pair stepped out of the trees a short distance away that he recognized them.
Amanda and her son.
Son of a bitch, what were they doing there? How could they have found their way into Rayanne’s dream?
“We need to go.”
He slowly bent down to gather up the quilt, but it was too much to ask that young Billy wouldn’t notice. That boy always did have more curiosity than good sense. He tugged on his mother’s arm and pointed toward where Wyatt stood. Amanda smiled, but when she spotted Rayanne, it faded away.
Her voice carried across the babble of the water. “Wyatt? What are you doing out here? Who is she?”
How the hell was he supposed to answer that? Amanda, meet your great-great-granddaughter. You and I never actually...but I’m standing here looking guilty because she and I just did.
The two of them needed to leave and right now. It was bad enough that Amanda and her boy were there, but now he could see others moving toward them. Was the whole damn town headed this way? And what if Earl and his boys were drawn into this moment, too? They’d been willing to shoot up a town full of innocent people. What if they went after Rayanne?
He whirled around and grabbed her by the hand. “Rayanne, you need to wake up before they get here.”
She let him lead her away, but she kept checking back over her shoulder. “But who are all those people?”
He waited to answer her until the two of them had gotten far enough from the creek that he could no longer see Amanda or the others.
“They’re like me, but they shouldn’t be here in your dream. You invited me in, not them. I don’t know what it means or what will happen if they reach us. You need to wake up and right now.”
But not before he held her one last time. Who knew if they’d ever have another chance like this? He enfolded her in his arms, savoring her sweet warmth. Holding Rayanne against his heart plain felt so right, as if they’d been born to be together. The moment wouldn’t last, though, and he’d feel nothing but the cold chill of death.
And if that wasn’t just sad.
He kissed her one last time and then stepped back. “Wake up, Rayanne. I’ll be waiting for you if I can.”
She started to reach for him. “Wyatt, there’s something you should know. I—”
Before she could finish, she shimmered and disappeared, leaving him alone with his fellow ghosts. Time to deal with them. But when he reached the edge of the creek, the woods were empty, and he was more alone than he’d ever been.
* * *
The morning sun spilled through the window, its warmth gradually coaxing Rayanne awake. She kept the quilt pulled up, reluctant to leave the comfort of her bed after the best night’s sleep she’d had in years. Then she stretched and discovered she had a few twinges in unexpected places.
She bolted upright and looked around. The dream! Had it been real? Some of it must have been or else her body wouldn’t be feeling the way it did. She blushed, remembering what it had been like to make love with Wyatt outside under the summer sun. Thinking about the powerful surge of his body moving over hers, moving in hers, had her legs stirring restlessly. Her breasts were tender, and there were other signs that made it clear that the hours she’d spent in Wyatt’s arms had been more than her overactive subconscious.
The idea of birth control hadn’t even crossed her mind. But then, why would it? Her lover was a ghost and they’d made love in a dream. And if that wasn’t all mind-boggling, she didn’t know what was.
But back to the problem at hand. Where was Wyatt? He’d promised to be waiting for her, especially because this was the day they were going to scatter her uncle’s ashes. Not only was he nowhere to be seen but she couldn’t sense his presence anywhere in the cabin.
She hoped he was all right. Everything had been so perfect right up until those other people had intruded. Odd, though, that Wyatt had known them when it was her dream. Shouldn’t they have been people she knew?
Their presence definitely worried him. Had something happened after she left? Wouldn’t her dream world have ended when she woke up? How was she supposed to know something like that? Only one way to get answers. She’d grab a quick shower, fix something she could eat on the go and head into Blessing. If Wyatt wasn’t there, she’d decide what to do next.
* * *
Twenty minutes later, she reached the head of the path that led toward Blessing. Before she’d gone more than a handful of steps, she realized something felt off. Someone else was out there in the trees, and it wasn’t Wyatt. She would’ve recognized him whether he could be seen or not.
She backed up to study her surroundings. There. Behind a clump of trees, a flash of dark red moved through the trees. Who was that? She remained still, waiting to get a better look at whoever it was. Finally, a woman strolled into sight, wearing a dress better suited to Wyatt’s era than this one.
As she came closer, Rayanne realized the woman moved in absolute silence. What’s more, when she walked through a spot of sunlight, she cast no shadow. Okay, so the obvious answer was that she belonged in Blessing of a hundred years ago. Was that what had freaked out Wyatt in her dream? That all those people belonged in his time, not hers?
The woman winked out of sight as quickly as she’d appeared. Before continuing on, Rayanne did a slow three-sixty to make sure that no one else, real or otherwise, was in the area before hurrying on down the path. Wyatt didn’t scare her, but the presence of these others did.
It meant the anniversary of the gunfight that had cost Wyatt his life was drawing close. She didn’t know if she’d have the courage to see it all play out again, not if it meant watching Wyatt die. There had to be something she could do to change things. Were the events of the past written in stone?
She hadn’t seen everything that happened that day, and Wyatt never once spoke of the events that had led up to the gunfight. Clearly, the memories were powerful ones for him, but there had to be some reason he was caught in this endless nightmare. As soon as she found him, she’d start by making sure he was all right.
And then it was time for some long-overdue answers.
She found him sitting on an old bench outside of the saloon. His dusty boots were propped up on the railing, his hat pulled down low over his face. Was he actually asleep? She grinned. Maybe even a ghost needed a nap after the night they’d shared.
But at least he was all right. She’d been worried about the effect the night’s vigorous activities would’ve had on his energy level. Walking as quietly as she could, she stopped in the street right in front of where he was seated. As soon as she stopped moving, he stirred.
Pushing his hat back, he studied her, his pale eyes staring right through to the heart of her.
He asked, “Are you all right?”
She brushed her hair back from her face and mustered up a smile. “I was about to ask you the same question. I thought you’d be waiting in my room when I woke up this morning.”
Okay, that came out sounding worse than she meant it to. She’d been more worried than disappointed that he hadn’t been there. “I was concerned about you.”
His boots hit the porch hard. He stood up and leaned forward on the railing, looking up and down the street. “Sorry, but I had things to check on.”
“Like those people who showed up when we were...when we’d finished?”
Okay, now she was bl
ushing. Why was it so hard to just say that they’d made love? Maybe because right now Wyatt looked about as warm and approachable as a grizzly bear.
“Who were they?”
He finally dragged his gaze back to her. “The fine, upstanding citizens of Blessing. I didn’t think you’d be able to see them at all, especially under those circumstances.”
Rayanne swallowed hard. “I saw another one on the way here—a lady in the woods wearing a dark red dress. She wore her hair braided and coiled around her head.”
Wyatt frowned. “Did she take note of you?”
“Not that I could tell. She was walking through the trees, but after a minute she simply disappeared.”
“Damn it, I was hoping I was the only one you’d have to deal with. They’ll be appearing more often now. It’s always this way right before it all plays out again.”
He slammed his fist down on the railing hard enough to crack it. “God, I hate this. What the hell do I have to do to make it all stop?”
Rayanne hated the pain in his voice, but all she could do was stare first at the broken wood and then up at Wyatt. “You broke the railing.”
He glared at the damage he’d done. “Yeah, so? It’s not like anyone hitches a horse to it anymore.”
Clearly, he hadn’t realized the significance of what he’d just done. She joined him on the porch. “I don’t care about a piece of broken, half-rotted wood, Wyatt. I do care that you were able to break it.”
She held her breath and stepped closer, slowly raising her hand to brush across the sleeve of his duster. The leather was buttery soft and just a bit gritty from the ever-present dust in Blessing. Wyatt froze, the muscles in his powerful forearm bunching up tight under her fingertips.
“I broke the railing.” His eyes filled with wonder and his voice was gravel-rough as he stared down to where her hand had come to rest on his. “Rayanne, I broke the railing.”
She smiled back up at him. “You sure enough did.”
Slowly, he lifted his hand from the railing, turning it over to mesh his fingers with hers. She didn’t blame him for moving slowly. They were treading on unknown territory here. Had the physical and emotional bond they’d forged in their dream world somehow spilled over into this one?
Better to savor the moment rather than risk shorting him out again. Wyatt’s skin was warm to the touch, that of a living man, not the usual cool feel of her ghostly lover a hundred years dead. How long would it last? She didn’t know the answer to that question, but she knew one thing. She wasn’t going to waste a second of this amazing gift.
That didn’t mean she wanted to rush things, especially when they didn’t know what the rules were. With the lightest of touches, she trailed her fingertips across his lips, then down his jaw to follow the length of his neck and back. He closed his eyes and drew a deep breath as she continued her explorations.
She tested the breadth of his shoulders and the hard planes of his chest. Sliding her hands inside his duster, she basked in the warmth of his lean strength, kneading his chest like a kitten would a soft blanket.
“You feel so good, so real.”
It was tempting to ask questions. What had happened that was different? But the wonder in his eyes warned her that he didn’t have the answers, only the same terrified joy that they could share even this much.
“My turn,” he whispered. His powerful hands were ever so gentle as they settled on her waist and pulled her closer to his body. She sighed with pleasure when he cupped the curve of her bottom and squeezed as he nuzzled the juncture of her shoulder and neck.
“You smell like lemons this time.”
He smiled against her hair as he did some more exploring. His fingers trailed up the length of her back. His teasing assault on all of her senses had her body softening, melting into his. She ached in all the right places. Her breasts felt swollen and heavy, and her core had grown damp, preparing for what she prayed was about to follow.
Finally, she grabbed his hat and tossed it onto the bench behind them and tangled her fingers in the black silk of his hair. “Wyatt, kiss me. Please, while you’re—”
She didn’t get to finish because just that quickly, his mouth was on hers, hungry and demanding, just as it had been during the night. She rose up on her toes, trying to get closer, to hold on that much tighter.
He swept her up in his arms, lifting her legs high around his waist as he carried her inside the saloon. His actions made her giggle. Did he really think they needed privacy in a ghost town? But then he set her on the bar and reached for the tie on her drawstring shorts and tugged it loose.
Okay, the man definitely knew what he wanted. What they both needed. She put her hands on the worn surface of the bar and lifted her hips up long enough for him to peel down her shorts and panties.
“Lean back,” he ordered. “And spread your knees.”
She’d willingly comply with his orders but not before she issued a few of her own. “Take off the duster and your shirt.”
His smile was all male hunger as he tossed the coat aside and reached for the first button on his shirt. He took his time, offering her a slow striptease that had her clenching her knees together, trying to assuage the aching hunger for this man’s body.
When his shirt hit the floor, she stripped off her own and flung it in the same direction. Her bra quickly followed suit.
“Now your pants.”
Wyatt hopped on one foot and then the other while he yanked off his boots, which hit the floor with a satisfying clunk, another reminder that he was all so solid and real. A heartbeat later, he was shed of his pants and drawers, revealing proof positive of how much he wanted her. On the other hand, he seemed content to stand just out of her reach, watching her with his sexy mouth quirked up in a half smile.
What was he thinking? “Why are you standing way over there?”
“Trying to decide where to start.”
Starting at the top of her head, he stared at her with an intensity that felt as if he were stroking her most sensitive places with his hands or, better yet, his tongue.
“Have you figured it out yet? Because I’ve got some suggestions if you need them.” She cupped her breasts and lifted them, hoping he’d take the hint.
He quickly spread his duster on the floor, adding to the rest of his clothing. Then he carried her over to settle her down on the makeshift bed.
He stretched out beside her. “Sorry this isn’t more comfortable.”
She didn’t give a damn about the floor. “I’m betting you can make me forget all about that.”
His smile was full of wicked intent. “I’ll do my best.”
“I know you will.”
When his lips settled on her breast and drew her nipple into the wet warmth of his mouth, she arched up off the floor. He held her still with the weight of his leg between hers. She clamped her knees hard, pressing against the strength of his thigh. It helped, but not nearly enough.
When she tried to push Wyatt over on his back, he grinned and offered himself up to her. She straddled his hips, centering her core right over the hard length of his cock. Rocking forward and back gave them a little more of what they both needed.
She kissed that stern mouth and then nibbled her way down his chest and kept right on going. He propped his head up on his arms and simply watched. He was far too calm, especially when she was slowly going out of her mind. Well, she’d see what she could do to shake him up a bit.
Sliding farther down his legs, she stopped at just the perfect position to lean down and kiss the tip of his cock. Wyatt didn’t move an inch but he couldn’t hide the hitch in his breath, especially when she did it a second time.
“Rayanne!”
He groaned when she took him in her mouth and pleasured him in every way she could think up. Oh, yeah, this was good. From the
way he was straining up and murmuring encouragement, he was almost at the breaking point.
She cupped his sac and gave it an easy squeeze. “Like that, do you?”
“Yes!” His eyes glittered down at her. “But you’d better stop now.”
She teased him with a little more tongue action. “What if I don’t?”
What she should have remembered was that he was a man of action rather than words. Before she knew what was happening, he sat up, captured her in his arms and flipped her over onto her stomach and pulled her back up on her knees. He kept one arm wrapped around her waist as he positioned himself between her legs.
“Wyatt!”
“Hold still.” He took a long, slow breath and added, “Please.”
When she nodded, he found the entrance to her body and pushed slowly forward. She dropped her head down on her arms and pressed back toward him, taking more of him, asking without words for as much as he could give her.
“Brace yourself, honey. I don’t think I can be gentle this time.”
Then he cut loose, overwhelming her with the sheer power of the connection between them. She’d thought what they’d shared during the night had been amazing, but both of them had known it was but a dream.
This was as real as it got. The smooth leather beneath her hands and knees. The slick sweat on their skin. The slap of his body against her bottom. The calluses on his fingers feeling so delicious on her breasts and between her legs as he drove them both fast and hard.
The whole world shrank down to the two of them, their bodies joined in a dance with their own unique rhythm. The tension built until first she and then he shattered. She cried his name; he hollered hers as he held on tight as he shuddered out his release deep inside of her.
Then they both collapsed. Wyatt pulled away long enough to ease them both over onto their left side and then spooned behind her. He kissed the back of her neck and held her close.
Immortal Cowboy Page 15
