by Lily Graison
He’d never had thoughts of settling down. Oh, he had them when he was shot last year but even that wasn’t enough to cure his wanderlust but looking at Sarah, he imagined it. Visions of going to bed every night for the rest of his life with that luscious body snuggled in close to his. To waking up every morning and seeing her face. To finding her in the kitchen, baking, with a couple of his babies by her feet.
“Colt? Are you all right?”
She said his name and he blinked, the images fading away. He smiled and nodded his head, reluctantly letting go of her hand. “Never better, why?”
“Because you had a funny look on your face.”
He reached down to unwind the reins to her horse from the saddle horn, handing them back to her. “Let’s go. We need to put some distance between us and that town back there.” He didn’t wait to see if she’d follow. He’d chase her down if she didn’t but it only took her a minute or two to get the horse moving. He smiled to himself when he saw her out of the corner of his eye. She was following him.
* * * *
It was a little past noon when they stopped. Sarah slid from the horses back and had to grab the saddle to keep from falling. Her knees were wobbly from riding all morning.
She watched Colt walk his horse to the shelter of the trees and grabbed the reins to Virgil’s horse and did the same. When Colt entered the thicket, she halted her steps. “Where are you going?”
“There’s a good size creek back here. We can water the horses and cool off a bit.”
Washing the sweat and dust off her face would be heaven and caused her heart to leap for joy. Sarah was nearly running by the time she reached the trees. She followed Colt, stumbling on a tree root before righting herself and guiding the horse. The sound of running water reached her moments before the scent of wet earth did.
The air was cool under the canopy of trees and she sighed at how refreshing it felt. Although she didn’t have on the mounds of silk and petticoats she normally wore, the calico dress was tight fitting and left little room to breathe.
Sunlight sparkled off the water and threw a kaleidoscope of color onto the foliage above and Sarah hurried her steps. When they reached the clearing, she smiled.
The area was small, with a few large rocks lining the creek bed. The ground around the creek looked washed out as if the creek had been larger at one time but the small grassy area surrounding it looked like heaven to her. Shrouded in shade, small flowers dotted the creek bank and lent an added array of scents to the entire area. It was as close to paradise as she’d ever seen.
Colt led his horse straight to the water’s edge before letting go of the reins and turning toward her. He took the reins from her hand, guiding the horse to the waters edge. Sarah followed, eager to kick her boots off and dip her toes into the water. It didn’t look very deep, maybe knee high, but that was enough. If she’d had the privacy, she’d be willing to bet she could sit on the bottom and be cooled cleaned to her neck.
Sitting on one of the rocks, she unhooked her boots and kicked them off. She reached under her skirt and discreetly tugged at her stockings. A flash of light out of the corner of her eye caught her attention and she looked up. She blinked when she saw Cole standing a few feet away. He was removing his shirt. The holster of guns normally around his lean hips, his coat, hat and boots were already lying on the ground.
She’d seen him shirtless twice and had nearly swallowed her tongue at the fleeting glance, now, as the shirt fluttered to the ground, she was able to look her fill.
The same muscles she’d admired then were presented for her gleaming with moisture. Every move he made caused them to ripple and slide under his skin. His chest was well defined and his stomach muscles dipped and curved. Her mouth went dry just looking at him and she never moved or blinked until he reached for the front of his pants. It took her a moment to realize what he was doing and when he pushed the material down, sliding it over his hips, she caught the faintest flash of where that hair on his belly ended up. Her eyes widened when he bent to kick the pants away, his backside in plain sight, and she screamed, embarrassed, as she lifted her hands to her face to cover her eyes. “Colt!”
His laughter was the only thing she heard until the splash of water reached her. He was in the creek, butt naked. The desire to look was overwhelming. Her hands shook with the need to do so and her fingers twitched to slide apart so she could peek through them.
“What’s the matter, sweetheart? Never seen a naked man before?”
“No! Why on earth would I have?”
His laughter taunted her. Did he want her to see him? Knowing Colt, he did. The man never did anything without a reason. Chewing on her lip, she debated on what to do. Uncover her face and ignore him or sit here like some ninny with her eyes covered. His laughter only proved how ridiculous she probably looked and with a deep inhale, she lowered her hands, trying desperately not to look toward the creek.
The splashing water only made it harder. The cool water probably felt wonderful and the more Sarah thought about it, the more her dress stuck to her body. She was hot, her skin felt sticky, and damn his hide for taunting her. How would he react if she’d done such a brazen thing?
A naughty thought struck her then and the smile tugging at her mouth was held at bay by biting her lip. What would he do? Stand there and gawk at her? Kiss her again? Or would he do more? Either thought caused a ripple of pleasure to tingle up her spine.
But what would her father say? He’d probably whip her good and proper for even thinking such a thing. Good girls didn’t strip bare for a man that wasn’t her husband. They certainly didn’t have sinful thoughts of that man touching her, of him kissing her in places that weren’t her mouth or of feeling his hands on her flesh. They certainly didn’t entertain the thought of lying with him, of letting him do things to her no unmarried woman was supposed to do.
The water splashing again broke her train of thought and Sarah turned her head to look without thinking. Colt’s naked backside was in full view and lord have mercy that man was built for sin. Even his behind was a work of art. Hard muscles and gentle sloping cheeks. She swallowed to moisten her throat.
When he went to his knees, splashing water onto his face and neck, all those muscles bunched and glinted with water. He was purposely displaying himself for her and damn him, she wasn’t going to be the only one salivating like a starving dog.
Standing, she reached for the buttons of her dress, unhooked them quickly and parted the material. A fleeting thought of turning her back flashed across her mind but she ignored it. She couldn’t be wanton and shy at the same time.
Untying her shift, she grabbed both it and the dress from her shoulders, she pushed the material down and over her hips, grabbing the waistband of her slip in the process and sliding it all to the ground. She was left in nothing but her bloomers. Raising her arm, she covered her breasts for a moment before stealing her nerves. Colt still had his back to her but she knew if she saw his face, he’d be smiling, getting a good chuckle out of making her uncomfortable.
Well, two could play this game. Her bloomers joined the rest of the clothes at her feet. She quickly untied her hair, unwound the braid and let it all fall down her back and started for the creek, her head held high.
Chapter Eight
The moment her feet touched the water she gasped. It was colder than she thought it would be. Her harsh inhalation of breath was enough to grab Colt’s attention. She saw him turn his head out of the corner of her eye moments before he hissed out a strangled, “Son of a bitch.” He stood quickly, turning to face her.
“Sarah, put your clothes on!”
She smiled and bent at the waist, scooping a handful of water and splashing it onto her face. “Why? It’s much easier to get clean this way. Besides,” she said, standing and glancing over at him. “You’re naked.”
He was facing her now and Sarah felt her face blaze as her gaze naturally traveled over him, ending up in the one place she should have never
looked. Her throat seemed to close off the moment she did and she turned her head, closing her eyes as visions of him danced behind her closed eyelids. Lord above if he wasn’t the most wicked thing she’d ever seen.
His backside was a sight to behold but the front… She swallowed again, trying to moisten her throat and found it hard to catch her breath.
She imagine many times what a man looked like naked but it was nothing compared to seeing one in the flesh. Especially one who was partially aroused. Seeing Colt that way did funny things to her. Her heart was pounding hard enough to break a rib, her stomach clenched painfully and a pulse between her legs made itself known before a funny tingle started to grow there and intensify.
Trying to ignore it all, she bent again, scooping up more water and washed her face, letting the cool liquid trickle down over her chest. She heard Colt coming toward her, the splashing as he stomped across the creek signaling his approach. She didn’t dare turn her head. Seeing him from a distance was hard enough without having his most intimate parts in her face. She blinked the image away moments before he grabbed her arm and pulled her into an upright position.
His brows were drawn together, a muscle in his cheek twitching. “What exactly are you trying to prove?”
She smiled while looking him in the eye. “Nothing. I’m just trying to cool off and wash away some of the dirt and sweat, the same as you.”
He glanced down the line of her body, heat flaring in his eyes. Sarah flushed at his casual perusal, her nipples aching when his gaze landed there. When he lifted his head, she knew whatever happened next would change her life. She saw it in the depths of those crystal blue eyes moments before he lifted his hand to cup the back of her neck. Before he dragged her closer to him, the heat from his skin scorching her flesh from chest to thigh. “If you’re trying to tempt me, sweetheart, it’s working.”
“And why would I do something like that? I’m trying to wash. You’re the one thinking there’s more behind my motives.”
He smiled but it looked strained, as if it pained him to do so. “And I’m supposed to just stand here while you flash all god gave ya and not do a damn thing about it?” He glanced down at her breasts again and shook his head. “I’m a lot of things, but a saint aint one of ‘em. Now put your clothes on or I’m going to have you in every way I can possibly imagine.”
She was fighting for breath. She could feel his chest rising against her own, feel the proof of his arousal against her stomach and the hungry look in his eyes was enough for her to beg him to take her. His hand at the back of her neck held her captive, the intense expression on his face caused her heart to race faster and that aching throb between her legs was causing her skin to break out in tiny beads of perspiration. What was she supposed to do? If she dressed, he’d gloat at being able to order her around. If she didn’t, and decided to defy him, and stayed naked instead?
Sarah knew one thing. If she went home without ever having a taste of a man as wicked as Colt Avery, she’d live out the rest of her life regretting it. Besides, she was already ruined. There wouldn’t be a person back home who didn’t think she’d been touched by one of those outlaws so the stain would be with her forever. She might as well make those assumptions a reality. She wanted Colt, just as he’d said, and she was tired of denying it.
The thought of what he’d do next caused that throbbing between her legs to increase, to ache in a way that caused her to become lightheaded. If she were honest with herself, she’d admit to wanting him to act upon it, to do what she was too scared to even fathom. To seduce her. To give her more kisses, to touch her in places no man had even seen, let alone felt.
She wanted him, even if it was just for a night, she wanted to know what it was like to love a man as intense as Colton Avery.
Inhaling a deep breath, she licked her dry lips. “How many ways can you imagine?” It was enough to tempt him. His eyes darkened, the look he gave her heating her skin. He made a small sound in the back of his throat and lowered his head, his mouth covering hers. His lips were firm, his tongue forced into her mouth, searching out her own.
His free arm wrapped around her waist, squeezed her tight for a moment before he lowered it, cupping her left buttock in his hand and forcing his erection harder into her stomach.
Sarah lifted her arm, draping it around his neck, and leaned up to her tiptoes, molding herself to him and kissed him back, taking everything he offered.
Her body sang with pleasure as the velvet warmth of his mouth devoured and stole her breath. She pulled away with a gasp, her eyelids fluttering open. The intense look on his face was still there and she gasped when he bent, scooping her up into his arms and carried her to the grassy area lining the creek bed.
Dropping to his knees, he laid her down, that hungry mouth once again finding her own. Sarah nearly drowned in his kisses, the nerves under her flesh jumping as he ran his hand over her ribs to cup the underside of her left breast. His thumb danced along the tender flesh, rasped across her hardened nipple.
He broke the kiss and nibbled a path to her ear, his breath hot against her skin. Sarah stared at a shard of sunlight filtering through the trees and smiled, closing her eyes again and savored every touch, every hot exhalation of his breath.
Wet kisses were peppered down her neck and across her throat. Sarah watched him kiss his way to the soft skin of her breast. He looked up, his gaze locked with hers as he extended his tongue, rolling it around her nipple before sucking the tiny bud into his mouth.
The sensation was overwhelming. Her mouth opened as she took in more air, her back arched, trying to bring him closer as pinpricks of pleasure sparked through her body. His hand held her breast to him, his fingers firm, squeezing gently on the soft flesh.
He released her, small kisses dotting her chest before he moved to the other breast, lavishing the same attention to it as his hand skated down her ribs, to her hip. His fingers tickled a path to the soft flesh of her inner thigh and she parted her legs, that throbbing pulse in her center growing fiercer by the second. The moment he touched her, the tip of his fingers grazing the soft hair covering her, she cried out. “Colt.”
Lifting his head, he looked down at her. “Has anyone ever touched you like this before?” He parted her, his fingers burrowing inside her flesh to find the small bundle of nerves that seemed to control all those throbbing pulses. Sarah gasped as tingles raced through her limbs. He lowered his head again, kissing the valley between her breasts, moving lower to pepper small, playful bites and kisses on her belly, her hip. When she felt him kiss her very close to where his hand was, her eyes widened and she lifted her head to look down at him.
He lifted her leg, threw it over his shoulder and Sarah was shocked when he buried his face between her legs. She cried out, grabbed his head and tried to push him away. “Colt! What are you…” His tongue lapped at her moist center and her eyes rolled, her head slamming back to the ground. “Oh my sweet heavens.”
Small jolts of pleasure rippled along her limbs, her stomach clenched with every swipe of his tongue, his breath fanned across her heated flesh. His hands soothed the skin of her belly, tickling a path to her breasts before he cupped each one, squeezing gently as his lips and tongue teased and tasted her flesh. Her fingers wound in his hair and it only took minutes before she was clinging to him, her hips rising from the ground in search of his mouth.
He made a small sound, the vibration tickling at her core and she whined as his tongue flicked back and forth, rolling that small bundle of nerves until she ached with need of… something. Her fingers clinched in his hair, her nails digging into his scalp and it wasn’t until her legs started shaking that she realized something was happening. Sparks shot behind her closed eyelids, torrents of pleasure rippling through her body so fierce that she cried out, gasping on the sound as her body convulsed. Colt held her, his face buried deeper, his tongue and mouth sucking at her flesh until the last tremor faded.
When she’d calmed, she opened her eyes. Sunli
ght danced along the tree limbs above, the sway of the branches hypnotizing. Colt was still between her legs placing small nips and bites on the tender skin of her inner thighs.
