by Nan Ryan
The barrage of eager kisses finally ended, and he opened his eyes and smiled. “My favorite fantasy is, you kiss me until I’m wet and then you dry me off with your hair.”
Laughing, she raised up a little and drew her hair down over her head. She shook it out over his face, tossing her head about, trailing the long, tangled locks over his face. “That’s about got it,” said a pleased Kaytano. “Would you care to try the same thing on my chest and on my…”
Flipping her long hair back out of her eyes, she punched him playfully in the stomach. “I refuse to do anything until you feed me!” With that she slid off him and sat with her legs curled under her. Kaytano rolled to a sitting position.
They ate cold roast beef and hunks of bread, washing it down with river-cooled wine. Kaytano, his sharp hunting knife slicing bite-sized pieces of meat, watched the ravenous young woman roll her big blue eyes and sigh with each mouthful. Suzette appeared as much at home in this beautiful canyon as in her Jacksboro mansion. Kaytano wondered if there was a chance for the two of them. Could he ask this beautiful white woman to spend her life with him, a renegade half-breed? Would the fire between them burn out rapidly? Would she grow to hate him for robbing her of her safe, respectable life as Mrs. Austin Brand? Would she despise him eventually? If she could walk away from him today, would she go?
“Umm, Kaytano, this is delicious,” she said happily. She sat on her heels, the long white shirt open down her middle, exposing her body to him. Her blond hair was a thick, tangled halo around her fragile face. Her soft lips were greasy from the meat. She licked her fingers and sighed. The sight of her unabashed pleasure filled Kaytano’s heart with joy. It was easy to push aside nagging doubts.
He reached for her wrist and pulled her into his arms. “You’re delicious,” he growled and kissed the grease from her mouth. Cradled to his lean chest, she lay quiet and still while he kissed her face, her ear, her throat. His lips surrounded the tiny gold locket she wore; with his tongue he pressed it into the hollow of her throat.
“Kaytano,” she murmured, “unhook my locket, please.”
Unquestioning, he raised his head and smiled at her while his fingers found the clasp. Suzette put her fingers to the delicate heart and drew it from her neck. She kissed it and draped it around Kaytano’s dark right wrist, winding it around twice. She fastened it and said, “My mother and daddy gave me this locket when I turned sixteen. I’ve not had it off since that night.” She lifted her eyes to his. “I love you, Kaytano, more than I’ve ever loved anyone on this earth. The locket is precious to me, just as you are. Will you wear it always?”
Touched deeply, Kaytano looked at the tiny gold heart resting on his dark wrist. His eyes went to hers and he said honestly, “To take the locket from me would mean cutting off my hand. Thank you, my darling, it’s the most valuable gift I’ve ever been given.” His lips met hers in a tender kiss. When his tongue parted her lips, Suzette squirmed and pulled back.
Petulantly, she said, “Kaytano, you promised me a bath. I’m not clean, so please don’t love me until I am!”
Sighing, he raised his head. “Woman, are you forgetting to whom you are speaking? I’m the cruel Kaytano, the Prince of Darkness. Do you think you can boss me around?”
Suzette laughed and traced the curve of his lips with her fingertips. “I’m terrified,” she said lazily. “I’m afraid you’re going to love me to death!”
Laughing, he rose with her in his arms. “I may well do just that, but first I’ll let you have your bath. You can use one—you smell of me.”
“Umm.” She snuggled to him. “And you of me. Take me to the river.”
“No, put your pants on, we’re going to my favorite place.”
They rode Darkness around the bend of the river, heading in a westerly direction. The sun was still high overhead, though it had traveled far enough across the clear blue sky to cast long shadows in the deep canyon. Suzette looked about her and felt she could spend the rest of her days lazily exploring the corridors of these breathtaking canyons with Kaytano at her side.
She heard it before she saw it. She straightened, straining to identify the sound. It was growing louder, and just as she turned to question Kaytano, Darkness rounded a glacial wall and she saw it. From high on the opposite side of the canyon, a mighty rush of water pounded over the rock formations, falling loudly into the river a hundred feet below them. Suzette’s eyes filled with delight and she shouted to be heard. “Kaytano! It’s beautiful! Can we go down to it?”
“It’s Capote Falls, Suzette. I knew you’d like it. We’ll leave Darkness here and walk down.”
She stood in awe of the magnificent sight while Kaytano unsaddled Darkness and turned him loose. Then she was tugging on Kaytano’s hand as she skipped along the sandstone boulders, drawing nearer and nearer to the water. At the edge they raced each other to strip. Kaytano won and was slicing through the cold, clear water toward the falls when Suzette splashed in, yelling and laughing. In her hand was the sweet-smelling soap. Gasping and sputtering from the cold, she was shouting to the dark, agile Kaytano to wait for her.
Kaytano turned onto his back and floated easily. “If you’ll swim instead of walking, Suzette, you’ll catch up with me.”
She glared at him. “I don’t know how.”
Kaytano threw back his head and laughed, the sound of his deep laughter dueling with the deafening falls. “It’s not funny!” she shouted at him. “I was never allowed to swim in the creek when I was a little girl. My mother thought it wasn’t ladylike. You’ll never know the times I was soundly scolded for slipping down to the water just to wade.”
Kaytano’s laughter softened. He swam to her and touched his feet to the bottom, putting his arms about her narrow waist. “I’m sorry I teased you. I’ll teach you to swim, it’s easy.”
Suzette raised her hands to his shoulders and smiled. She was beginning to get warm. The water reached just to her breasts and was so crystal clear she could see the pool’s bottom as though there were no water. Squeezing her lightly, Kaytano said, “Let’s go play in the falls. The water’s not over your head.”
Holding to her waist, he eased over onto his back and pulled her with him. He paddled his way toward the falls until they were so close all sound was drowned out by the roaring water. Touching bottom, he took her hand and led her directly under the frothy, foamy falls.
The pressure of the water stung her sensitive skin, peppering her head and shoulders. It felt wonderful. Its stinging punishment brought blood to the surface, making her face glow with radiant health. Her hair was immediately plastered to her head and neck, as was Kaytano’s. He stood beside her, his head back, mouth open, letting the raging, tumbling water hit him directly in the face.
All at once he shook his head and turned to her. Reaching down, he lifted her up on his shoulders as easily as if she were a small child, and she screamed and clung to his wet head as he settled her legs around his neck. Holding tightly to her wet, silky thighs, Kaytano did a water dance under the plunging falls, whooping and grunting while the naked girl dug her feet into his slippery sides and squealed with fear and delight. He walked directly under the falls, letting the rushing water wash over them. Then Kaytano plucked her feet from his sides and dumped her over backward, swiftly spinning about to catch her before she hit the water.
Gasping for breath, she clung to his neck. He lifted her to face him and she wrapped her legs around his waist. Kaytano locked his hands under her bottom and shouted, “I’ve had enough of you, white woman! I shall evaporate into the canyons, leaving you behind to mourn my disappearance.” He grinned wickedly.
“Now, Kaytano—” she began, tightening her hold on him, but in the next second he easily tossed her over into the water. She emerged sputtering and indignant. “I shall get you for…”
Kaytano was gone. Suzette pushed her wet hair from her eyes and looked about. He was nowhere in sight. Laughing, she knew he wouldn’t leave her here alone and she began to turn around a
nd around, calling his name. Nothing. No answer. Growing irritated, Suzette continued to call, straining to be heard above the ferocious falls. Her hands paddling the water furiously, she turned away from the raging waterfall, her eyes scanning both banks of the river, and then the rocky inclines above her.
Suddenly feeling cold and apprehensive, she shouted again, praying he’d end this childish game and answer. “Kaytano, please. Please!”
A brown arm with a gold locket gleaming on its dark wrist snaked out from under the white, rushing falls and grabbed her. She screamed as she was pulled through the raging water and hauled up against a warm, slippery chest. “Miss me?” he shouted and bent to kiss her trembling lips.
They stood in a completely dry place: a tiny room behind the falls. The grotto was the perfect hiding place from the world. Glad to be safe in his arms, Suzette wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him. “How did you know this shelf was back here?”
“When I love a place, I learn all I can about it. I seek out its secrets.”
“And people?”
Kaytano’s dark eyes flashed. He pressed his hard, wet body closer to hers. “I intend to learn all of yours,” he said seriously and kissed her lovingly.
Back outside, they both lathered up their bodies, laughing and assisting each other. When they were clean, Kaytano shampooed Suzette’s long tangled hair, his lean fingers massaging her scalp vigorously. Afterward they sat on a huge, flat boulder at the water’s edge while Kaytano ran his fingers through her wet hair, shaking excess water from it. Suzette sat in front of him, hugging her knees to her chin, content to let him brush the long, wet locks until they were dry.
His pleasant task finished, Kaytano smiled when Suzette stretched her pale legs out in front of her and spread her arms beside her. Snatching the opportunity, he flung himself down on his back, laying his head in her naked lap. Wordlessly, they remained thus while the perfect summer day drew to a close,the canyon plunging into twilight while the sun still shone on the mountains above them.
With the sounds of the spray of the falls lulling them, they grew lazy and content and soon Suzette squirmed a bit. Kaytano shifted and she lay down beside him. Both now on their backs, their knees bent, feet flat on the rock, they held hands and watched a million twinkling stars fill the heavens high over their heads.
“Are you cold, Suzette?” asked Kaytano dreamily.
“No, but…”
“What, love?”
Suzette’s hand went to his taut abdomen. “I was thinking what a great place this would be to make love, except I’m afraid my sensitive backside couldn’t take much of a pounding on these rocks.” She sighed lazily.
“My back is not so delicate,” he said. Yawning, he leaned on an elbow and kissed her. His lips were warm and soft and Suzette shivered. His mouth played with hers, teasing, tasting, kissing at the corners, licking at the soft fleshy inside of her bottom lip.
Soon Suzette was lifting her head, longing for deeper, more meaningful kisses. Sensing her need, his mouth settled more firmly on hers and his tongue slowly penetrated. His bare chest was pressing down on her breasts, his hand stroking a gleaming naked thigh. His lips left hers and Kaytano lay down on his back. Gently he lifted her astride his waist. Suzette leaned to him and again he was kissing her, his hands eagerly caressing her bare, soft bottom. She gripped his dark hair and kissed him passionately. She nipped at his bottom lip nervously as her hunger grew. Kaytano raised his hands to her waist and she lifted her head, her blue eyes limpid with desire. Gently he eased her down over his aroused hard body and she gasped as she clung to his muscled arms and slid slowly over him.
“Love me, Suzette,” he murmured, his dark eyes on her face.
“Yes,” she breathed and did.
They ate at midnight. Kaytano caught a striped bass, built a fire, and roasted the fish on a spit. Both sat licking their fingers while they washed down the fish with cool wine. They talked most of the night and stumbled tiredly to a grassy place high up on the canyon wall to sleep when dawn broke.
When they woke they traveled again, finding another lush, private meadow inside the canyons. There were no booming falls, but they located a clear shallow stream, dotted with smooth boulders. They went farther, running into Burro Bluff and its white-water rapids. Kaytano explained to her that they were now on top of the falls where they’d been the day before. They were higher up in the mountains now, where wildflowers like Caliche Bahaia and Parralena, their huge yellow flowers dotting the landscape, fought with the beautiful red Chinos Paintbrush and the vivid pink Strawberry Pitaya for Suzette’s attention.
She bent to pick some of the lovely pink flowers. Taking her hand, Kaytano pulled her up. “Wait till sundown. That’s when the evening primrose opens. I’ll gather a bunch for your hair.” Nodding agreement, she let him lead her through the flowers and grass down to the floor of the canyon. Looking young, relaxed, and boyishly handsome, Kaytano grinned and said, “I want to love you, but not on the rocks.” Around the curve in the river, a long, soft sandbar jutted out into the water.
“Don’t tell me,” she kidded, “you knew the sandbar was here.”
Kaytano gave no reply. He shrugged his shoulders and laughed. The bright sun that had beat down on them all morning had gone behind a cloud. The warm sandbar was completely in the shade. Silently, Kaytano and Suzette undressed and stretched out on the sand. Suzette lay on her back, ready for his loving. Kaytano lay with his torso partially covering her, face above hers. The sky grew darker; black clouds seemed to boil up from out of nowhere. While Kaytano gently kissed her, the first giant drops of rain splattered on the canyon floor. Thunder rolled, clouds broke, and a deluge of water hissed against the limestone. Lightning streaked across the black sky and the wind changed abruptly, the temperature inside the canyon falling several degrees.
The rain intensified as the summer storm picked up momentum and crashed around the lovers’ heads. Kaytano, oblivious to the storm, fiercely pounded into the woman he loved while the rain pounded down on him. He was mindless of anything save the sweet, pliant body clasping him, the soft, hot kisses, the dear sweet voice calling his name.
Suzette, her bare bottom twisting in the deep sand, wrapped her legs around Kaytano. Her eyes slitting open, she clung to his shoulders and moaned. Above her, his dark, handsome face was wet with rain, his thick black hair plastered to his head. The long lashes sweeping over his eyes were spikey with water.
He was godlike in his splendid wet beauty, and in his arms, Suzette was not bothered by the storm. He was the storm. His power was unmatched. The thunder was in his heavy heartbeat. The lightning was the fury in his blood. And when the deluge was released within her, she felt washed clean and new by his love.
Over her head two white doves flew into a gathering rainbow. They wet their beaks in the spray off the rocks, circled, and disappeared. The sun came out, rapidly drying the wet, sated bodies on the tiny sandbar.
At sunset Suzette was perched on a smooth boulder. She watched Kaytano gathering the little yellow flowers he called evening primrose. Their sweetness attracted hummingbirds and filled the rain-soaked canyon with their gentle fragrance. Coming to her, Kaytano crouched down on his heels and worked the flowers into a crown for her head.
Almost reverently he placed it on her shining golden hair and put his hand to her cheek. “Never wear anything but a crown of primrose.”
“Thank you, darling.” She turned her lips into his hand, kissing his palm. She patted the rock and he sat down beside her, pulling the last cigar from his breast pocket. Cupping his hands, he lit it, drawing in the smoke, holding it, then slowly releasing it. Suzette watched with interest and he knew she wanted to try again.
She took a puff and drew it deep inside. Holding it, she looked at him for instruction. “You’re doing fine. Now slowly release the smoke.” She exhaled and almost managed to keep from coughing.
“That really tastes awful, Kaytano. Maybe I’ll let you handle the cigar smoki
ng.”
His lips curving into a grin, he said, “I thought you were dying to take up the habit.”
She shrugged. “That was because I was always told I couldn’t try it.”
“Could be. Be advised you can and will try everything with me.”
“I know.” She smiled. “Maybe that’s why I love you so much.”
Kaytano didn’t reply. He smoked quietly and watched her. Suzette was still naked, as she’d been all day. She had started to dress after the storm, but he’d stopped her.
“But you’re dressing,” she had countered, holding her clothes up in front of her.
“Only to cook your food and gather flowers for you. I’m willing to slave and work for you; the least you could do is to let me enjoy the sight of you without clothes.”
So she sat beside him, comfortably naked, while he was fully clothed. She longed for the sight of him naked. “You’re finished with your daily chores, aren’t you?”
“I hope so.” He laughed. “I feel lazy.”
“Why don’t you take off your clothes? I like to watch your skin change color in the setting sun.”
Kaytano clamped his cigar between his teeth. Rising to his feet, he obligingly stripped. She sat looking up at him, her feet tucked under her. The blood-red sun washed over him, turning him a brick color. Awed by his masculine beauty, she reached out to touch a sinewy thigh. He looked down at her, the cigar between his teeth. She tilted her head back to look up, her eyes unashamedly registering her adoration.
Kaytano threw the cigar into the water and reached for her. He carried her to a grassy spot and wordlessly took her. The sweet, fragrant smell of primrose floated about them from her crown of flowers, now fallen from her head.
“Kaytano,” she breathed against his shoulder, “let’s don’t go back tomorrow. Let’s don’t ever go back.”
“Don’t,” he breathed. “Just love me, darling. Forget about tomorrow.”
