“You’re right, old friend.” Chad stood, stretched, and left.
Jace fetched an item from his tent and walked to Leigh’s. “You awake, Miss Webster?” When she came to the entrance and lifted the mosquito-net covering, he said, “I have something belonging to you. It was mixed in with my clean clothes. Mkwawa should know it isn’t mine.” He held up the cotton, lace, and ribbon camisole and sniffed it. He grinned. “I recognized the size and scent as yours. It’s been washed, but you have a nice fragrance that still clings to it.”
Leigh frowned, then pulled the undergarment from his fingers. “Thank you for returning my possession, Mr. Elliott. Too bad you can’t return all of them.”
“Do you really want back what I took? Rather, what you gave?”
She eyed the grinning rogue. “Part of it, yes.”
His playful grin faded. “Which part?”
“I’ll let you decide my meaning. By the way, would you back off a mite with the taunts and flirts? You told me Chad was a threat, so I’m working on him to discover the truth. Your recent behavior isn’t helping matters, and it isn’t a good way to entice or to hold a woman’s affections. Good night.”
“What does that mean? What are you up to, woman?”
“I’ll explain later, when I get the answers. Good night, Jace.”
“Get plenty of rest. We go hunting early in the morning.”
Jace decided to give Leigh one last chance to be honest with him. He sneaked into her tent and awakened her. “I wanted to apologize for being so asinine lately. Blame it on jealousy and tension. I also want to warn you to be careful with Chad. He isn’t a fool, Leigh.”
Leigh made the same decision Jace had, one last chance to tell the truth. She loved him, and couldn’t give up on him until she was certain her love was in vain. “That also applies to me, Jace, jealousy and nerves. If there was any peril, it seems to be over now. Soon we’ll be alone and we can forget this mess; you are winning.”
Jace recalled her words to Chad about fleeing their bargain, and it pained him. “I promise you won’t regret losing to me. I can hardly wait until it’s the two of us alone.” Please, open up to me, love, his heart and mind—his very soul—urged.
Leigh needed to coax him to confide in her. “I know, Jace.” She murmured. “It won’t be long.” She drew his head down and kissed him.
Wounded hearts, troubled minds, yearning souls, and hungry bodies craved contact and solace. They clung together in urgent need. They kissed until both were breathless and aflame, then yanked off their garments and sank to the bedcover on the jungle floor.
Jace worked skillfully and leisurely to arouse her, to dispel her tension and doubts. His tongue darted into and out of her mouth and across her lips. He nibbled at her ear lobes, his hot breath enlivening her senses. His mouth slipped down her throat, halting at her pulse point to absorb her reaction to him. His lips brushed her collarbone, then moved down her cleavage to encircle the base of each firm mound. With tantalizing and stimulating slowness, he traveled up one breast to moisten and arouse the rosy-brown peak. When his mouth relinquished the taut point, his forefinger and thumb caressed it while he labored at the other peak. One hand drifted down her stomach, caressing every inch of her quivering body along its journey.
Jace’s fingers stroked her inner thigh, moving closer and closer to her womanly domain. He felt her trembling in need, suspense, anticipation, and pleasure. His mouth recaptured hers as his hand covered the center of her desire. There, he intoxicated her until she moaned and writhed. His searing kisses and artful caresses drove her wild. She willingly and eagerly surrendered herself to him. He was determined to become her only reality, to make himself unforgettable, irresistible. He was resolved to titillate her fierce yearnings and to kindle her smoldering desires until her body pleaded for appeasement and her heart loved only him, until she was unable to never part with him.
Leigh’s mouth fused with his, exploring and tasting the sweet desire within him. He held her so tightly that she could hardly breathe, but she didn’t care. Her fingers played in his hair, across his back, along his arms, and down his neck. Every inch of her body tingled and burned. She let her responses tell him she was willing to be conquered and claimed by him, and him alone. She was enslaved to him. Her hand slid down his side and her fingers grasped the prize that could drive her mindless. She stroked it, relishing its warmth and smoothness. “Please, Jace,” she entreated him to continue.
Jace moved atop her, and she greeted his arrival with blazing surrender. Her hands wandered up and down his strong back, savoring the feel of his rippling muscles as he labored to sate them. The stimulating sensations were overpowering and wonderful. By instinct her body responded to him. Engulfed by fiery desire, her mouth almost savagely meshed against his and her tongue danced provocatively with his. Her body arched upward over and over, and she seductively wriggled closer to his enticing frame. Wanting and needing him as close and deep as possible, she wrapped her legs around him and clutched him possessively.
Jace increased his pace and force, driving them onward toward rapture. He expertly guided her through the tangled jungle of desire, up the summit of pleasure, and carried them down the other side of the blissful mountain. As he trekked, he was patient and gentle, passionate and tender, taking and giving, pushing his self-control and stamina to their limits. His mouth rested upon hers, then his lips roamed to her neck. “You’re mine, Leigh, all mine,” he murmured into her ear at the height of their joy. He clasped her to him and rolled to his back, carrying her atop him. His mouth continued to savor her kisses and his fingers stroked her wet back and drifted into her damp hair. In time, his heartbeat returned to normal.
The staggering climax left them weak and shaky. They were exhausted but content. It had been a journey beyond description, beyond comparison, beyond any previous pleasure. Sweat rolled down their sides. The scent of lovemaking hung heavy in the imprisoned air.
Leigh nestled her face to his chest, uncaring that it was soaked from his exertions and the tropical heat. Heavens, she loved this man. She never wanted to be parted from him. She wanted to be his wife, the mother of his children, his partner, his friend, his lover.
“You don’t know what you do to me, Leigh,” he whispered.
She hugged him tightly. “I know what I hope I do to you; I hope I make you want me more than anything else in your life.”
“Is that how I affect you?” he asked, his voice hoarse and husky.
“Yes,” she admitted, then kissed him with yearning.
Neither asked probing questions, and neither offered answers to unspoken ones. Neither wanted to force a confrontation now; each wanted trust and a commitment to come willingly. Perhaps all they needed was more time together. Yet each felt hurt and denied, as they had failed to touch completely tonight.
While the safari party was concealed in tall grass, a band of hyenas raced by on their way to seek sleeping cover after their night of feeding on carrion. The carcass eaters reeked of rotten flesh and the stench of death.
Leigh felt queasy and held her nose for a time.
“They trail lions mostly,” Jace whispered, “cleaning up after them. Sometimes they shadow pregnant animals so they can gobble up the newborn before its skin is dry from birth. Most people think the hyena is a coward, but he isn’t. He can be ruthless and skilled on a hunt. You don’t want one to bite you. His jaws and teeth can devour bone as easily as tender flesh. Some tribes leave their dead out at night for those scavengers to bury in their bellies, especially if the person died of a terrible disease and the natives don’t want to touch the body. By allowing the hyenas to devour the dead, some natives believe a person’s spirit can inhabit the animal and be reborn.”
Leigh knew there were scavengers in the human kingdom as well, people who would consume other people, particularly the weak and helpless. Jace had teased her once to beware of “predators like me.” She hoped and prayed that’s all he was, and not a skulking scavenger.<
br />
The trek for lion continued. At the edge of the last savanna before it swept into foothills, they saw numerous herds of migrating wildebeest. Among them were the ever-present zebra and gazelles. Some herds seemed to stretch for miles on the grasslands, reminding Leigh of what the buffalo must have done long ago on the American plains. An occasional tree offered a few animals shade from the blazing sun. Although peril was never far away, the creatures seemed content to graze and browse peacefully. Yet predators had followed the herd from Tanzania into British East Africa.
A pack of spotted wild dogs—the wolves of Africa, Leigh was told—were closing in on a solitary wildebeest. To her, the wild dog favored the hyena. But, as Jace explained, he was very different.
He motioned to the pack. “There’s a bloodthirsty killer for you. A pack will challenge a full-grown and healthy wildebeest. Usually there are five to twenty running together. The wild dog has speed, stamina, and intelligence. They take turns running their quarry to tire it. If the creature falters or doesn’t get back to the protection of the herd, like that big boy, they’ll rip his flanks and belly open.”
Despite her revulsion, Leigh watched the tragic, but natural, sight. The mostly black-and-brown killers had white-tipped tails and broad muzzles. The dogs were sturdy and determined. Their large ears were cocked to catch all sounds of the area and signals from the group. As with a wolf pack, the dogs relentlessly pursued their large prey.
Jace continued, “They offer more danger to the migrating herds than lions, cheetahs, and leopards put together. Watch how they close in on that bull when he fatigues and is forced to make a stand.”
Leigh witnessed the beauty, intrigue, and horror of nature. The pack streamed after the wild beast, nipping viciously at it. At last, it halted and challenged its attackers with ineffective horns.
“He’s twisting and turning to protect his flanks and belly. Once a pack separates its quarry from cover and help, they usually succeed with the kill. Those teeth are like sharp knives; it’ll be over soon.”
Leigh wondered if one of the human male beasts with her was trying to separate her from the cover and aid of the other. Presently she felt like secluded prey, helpless and vulnerable and afraid. She felt as if two predators were nipping viciously at her flanks and innards. She had, as the wildebeest, grown exhausted and been compelled to take her last stand. If only her beloved Sir Lance—
“Let’s move out,” Jace ordered again, tugging at her arm to pull her back to reality. “Did that scene disturb you?”
“A little,” she admitted. “Brutal killing should, shouldn’t it?”
“I would be stunned if it didn’t. Out of ignorance and hunger, that animal made the mistake of getting too far from safety. As you can see, risks and recklessness cause trouble.”
Leigh knew his words carried dual meanings, so she listened with care. “Paying with its life seemed unfair for a mistake in judgment.”
“That’s the way it is out here, Leigh: swift and deadly. If you walk a wild trail, you often get lost or slain.”
“I’m not certain I like your Africa, Jace. It’s very cruel and unpredictable. I have trouble understanding its secrets and ways.”
Jace locked his gaze on hers. “But it’s very beautiful, intriguing, and enchanting. It steals your soul if you aren’t careful.”
“A thief, too?” she quipped, aware Chad had moved closer.
“Is there a problem?” Chad asked as he eyed the two intently.
Leigh smiled and said, “No, just talking about Africa.”
They sighted several male lions beneath a tree in the open space. The beasts had tawny manes near their faces that drifted into black hair around their necks. They appeared noble, and had a wild beauty. Their golden eyes had not seen the hunting party, nor had their broad noses detected it. The solitary tree amidst the honey-colored trio was partially debarked by sharp claws. The large-bodied males were among the finest in Africa, or so Jace claimed. Lions were social creatures who consorted in prides for strength. The hunt was what bound them together. Power, wits, and daring selected the leader.
A pride nearby consisted of five lionesses, cubs of various sizes and ages, and the three males lying in the shade. Each pride claimed a territory, marked by clawed trees and urine-sprayed boundaries. Jace told them how a male would kill the offspring of other males to assert his rank, to allow survival for his heirs, and to put the females in heat.
One male stood and strolled, moving closer to their hiding area upwind, and yawned. “His teeth are yellow and blunt,” Jace whispered. “He’s battle-scarred and old, so you don’t want him. The others are too far away for a clean shot. Let’s move on.”
The next sighting was no better, as the pride was still too distant. With the beasts in the open, there was no way to sneak closer.
They walked farther, and came upon an attack. Several lionesses brought down a zebra. The hair and whiskers near their mouths were red with fresh blood. As two males approached the kill to feed, a fight took place. In a flurry of bites, growls, and claws, one lost ground and bled profusely. As a gesture of defeat and submission, the loser rolled to his back with his mouth agape. The victor roared, and the loser remained cowered. The big cat tossed its head, shaking its amber and black mane. He stalked to the kill, and all moved aside to relent to his rank. The leader’s mouth seized a black-and-white flank and jerked, ripping open a spot where he could begin his feast.
“After he’s gorged himself, the others can eat. When they leave to nap, the hyenas and vultures will take over. There won’t be anything left in a few days.” Jace glanced at the sky. It was getting late. The horizon would soon be blood-red with sunset. “We can’t get near enough today. Let’s try again tomorrow. We need to reach camp before other predators go on the prowl.”
Jace saw Chad talking with two of Jim’s men and not the first time, he realized. He worried that Jim and those men were Chad’s hirelings. Had he been watching the wrong people? Those men could have easily pulled off those “accidents.” If Chad had been spying on him and Leigh, he could know the truth about their love affair. Chad’s wooing could be a pretense to fool him and Leigh. The bastard could be after them as originally suspected.
Whatever, he was certain Chad planned to get rid of Leigh because of what she knew. If she held secrets about him, that explained her lack of fear of Chad. But didn’t she realize the bastard didn’t like loose ends? Maybe Chad had set up him and Leigh from the start, and Louisa was to be his scapegoat. The situation was getting more complicated and he needed answers soon.
As Jace lay on his cot, he reflected on this day of torment and ignorance. He had watched Leigh remove her pith helmet to pour water over her face to cool it. Her wet hair had clung to her beautiful face before drying to a sunny gold. He had wanted to lick the beads of water from lashes surrounding alluring blue eyes. He had yearned to yank her into his imprisoning embrace and never release her.
Once, she had grasped the back of her skirttail, drawn it between her thighs, and tucked the edge over her belt for easier movement. He’d glimpsed her sleek, tawny legs and ached for her. Each time she had spoken to him or looked at him, he had wished he could trust her.
Mercy, that false angel had him so bewildered and flustered and aflame. His mind was in turmoil. Why couldn’t he forget her treacherous words? Why hadn’t she told him the truth, whatever it was? He had given her many chances to come clean. If she loved him and had nothing to hide, why hadn’t she? The safari was almost over and he was no closer to understanding Chad’s involvement in those London crimes than when the man arrived. Worse, Leigh now seemed enmeshed. The bet and his wages didn’t matter, only exoneration and desire for Leigh.
Jace, Chad, Reid, Johi, and ten bearers departed early to stalk lion: their final quarry. The three women and remaining men were left in or near camp. Chad had worried aloud that the lion hunt was too dangerous for the females, and Jace had ordered them to stay behind today. Mkwawa was told to watch Leigh
with his eagle eyes.
The hunting party had been gone for two hours when Louisa told Cynthia, “I’m going to Leigh’s tent and get my vengeance right now before someone else does.”
“You can’t, Louisa; Chad will kill you if you harm her. Here, take your quinine tablet. You’ve hardly used any of them, and I see you sneaking unboiled water. You’re being foolish in both cases.”
Louisa pushed aside the outstretched hand with the bitter pill. “Relax, Cynthia. Chad will never know what I’ve done. It’s past time to deal with that blond harlot. Stay here. I mean it.”
Louisa peered outside. Mkwawa was working at the table, his back to the tents. She didn’t want the head servant to sight her and report to the men, so she crept to Leigh’s tent and slipped inside.
Leigh glanced at the hostile woman as she entered the tent and approached the cot where Leigh was reading. “Hello, Louisa.”
“It’s time you and I have an understanding, my devious rival.”
Leigh looked into the woman’s cold eyes and concurred. “Perhaps it is past time for us to clear the air between us.” The blonde had expected trouble ever since the redhead had been put out of Chad’s tent.
“You think you’re so beautiful and desirable, don’t you? You think because you’re rich now you can do as you please. You think you can walk into my life and steal my man. Tyler Clark isn’t enough for a greedy bitch like you, is he? You crave Chad, and Jace, too. But you won’t want either of them after you learn the truth. Chad can rant and rave, but I’m going to tell you.”
“What truth is that, Louisa?” Leigh asked, calm and vexing.
The redhead’s malicious words wiped the taunting smile from her rival’s lips and eyes. “It isn’t about those stupid bets you and Chad have with Jace. Not even about the secret one you have with our handsome guide.” When Leigh’s eyes widened in surprise, Louisa scoffed, “Yes, I know about all of them. I do have ways of extracting information from men. I was hoping both Chad and Jace would realize they aren’t the hunters and you aren’t the prey; it’s the other way around. They only thought they were winning you, but you’re duping both of them. Would you like to know why they really made that wager? Why both of them are so eager to get their hands on you? It isn’t your virginal body or huge inheritance, Miss Webster; it’s for revenge. Has either of them mentioned Joanna Harris to you?”
Whispered Kisses Page 34
