Sara unsaddled Satin and wrestled the packs off the other horse. She refused to think of what might be happening outside. She refused to even look outside. She felt as if all her emotions were frozen. She didn't even register surprise when Dog trotted into the cave, the other packhorse following behind, led by the reins gripped in the dog's teeth. She patted Dog absently and unloaded the pack, stacking it neatly in one corner.
He'd be back any second now. That was what she told herself as she rubbed the horses down. Any minute he'd walk through the entrance, leading Dancer. She kept repeating that as she forced her shaking hands to make a fire with the wood Cody had been gathering all day and tying to one of the packs. He'd be cold and wet and he'd probably welcome the fire. She scraped up handfuls of pine needles that had sifted into the cave over the years and used them as kindling, feeding the fledgling flames with bits and pieces of twigs until the fire was large enough to add the larger chunks of wood.
Any minute now, he'd come walking in. She gave each of the horses a ration of oats and fed Dog a double handful of dry food. She huddled next to the small fire, trying not to hear the pounding rain outside. Dog settled next to her and she welcomed his company, despite the pungent odor that filled the air as the fire began to dry out his coat.
What if Dancer had thrown him off? What if the stallion had tripped in a hole and broken his leg, or maybe he'd tripped and broken his leg and thrown
Cody over his head, and Cody was now lying out there in the rain, unconscious?
She put a brake on her feverish imaginings. Cody was a superb rider. He would be okay. Dancer had been too upset to be controlled without a battle. It would take some time.
Outside, the rain had turned to sleet, and it might as well have been night for all the sunlight that managed to penetrate the thick clouds. Higher up, it would be snowing. But she refused to even consider that. She could go crazy if she started thinking about Cullen and Cody both out in this weather.
She drew her knees up to her chest and tried to think of absolutely nothing. She didn't want to remember her parents, each dying while rain streamed down outside. Nor that Evan's plane had crashed in a storm. She didn't want to think of anything at all. She just wanted to hang on to her control.
When she heard a noise that managed to penetrate through the rush of the storm, she hardly dared to hope. Cody had set the rifle down just inside the cave and she'd brought it in farther when she was arranging their camp, and now her fingers closed over the stock and drew the rifle a little closer. The way her luck had been going lately, it was probably a bear looking for a place to hibernate for the winter.
Cody entered first. His flannel shirt was plastered to his body; his jeans were similarly soaked. The suede Apache boots had gone from light tan to dark brown and squished with every step he took. Water dripped from the brim of his hat. Behind him, Dancer paced tiredly.
Sara uncoiled slowly, torn by conflicting urges. She wanted to run forward and throw her arms around him. She wanted to hit him for all the worry she'd gone through. And she wanted to remain perfectly calm so that he wouldn't know just how much she cared.
His eyes skimmed over the camp she had made—the crackling fire, the sleeping bags neatly laid out not too far from the heat, the horses dozing in the back of the big cavern—and he nodded.
"You've put in a lot of work."
He led Dancer to the back of the cave and lifted the saddle from the horse's back. Sara stood up as Cody began to rub the stallion down, wiping the moisture from his coat.
You've put in a lot of work. Was that all he had to say? No explanation? No apologies? No concern for whether or not she had been worried?
"You were gone a long time." Her voice was huskier than usual, and if he'd been listening, Cody might have heard the note of strain in it. But he was absorbed in feeding Dancer some oats and making sure that the horse was dry enough. Satisfied that the stallion was all right, he turned and moved closer to the fire, stripping off his wet shirt as he moved.
"I let him run some of the energy out." He tossed his hat onto one of the packs as he spoke and ran his fingers through his hair, which was damp despite the hat's protection. His torso glistened in the firelight as he bent to dig through his pack for a fresh shirt.
Energy crackled around him as he thrust his arms into the shirt's sleeves, and Sara's anger built as she realized that he was actually enjoying the storm, just as he'd undoubtedly enjoyed pitting his wit and strength against the stallion's.
Cody turned to look at her, wondering at her silence. But whatever he'd planned to say was lost in the sharp crack of her hand connecting with his lean cheek. His head jerked to the side with the force of the blow. "What the hell?"
Chapter 8
"I've been sitting here worrying myself sick about you and you've been out playing some kind of macho game with that damn horse!" Sara could hardly see him through the blur of tears. Something had broken loose inside.
She'd been so frightened, so alone. Sure that something had happened to him. Convinced that she was going to lose both him and Cullen to yet another storm. Seeing him safe and sound seemed to have shattered all the control that had enabled her to get through her brother's death, raising a young boy on her own and then dealing with Cullen's disappearance.
Her hand was shaking as she lifted it again, but this time Cody caught it before her palm could connect.
"Sara, calm down."
"I don't want to calm down! I hate you. Do you hear me? I thought you'd been thrown off that stupid animal and you were lying out there somewhere bleeding to death in the rain." Her free hand formed a fist but his fingers wrapped around it before it struck his chest. Her shoulders were shaking with suppressed sobs as he pulled her to him. She resisted, but it was a weak resistance at best.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know you'd worry."
"I hate you." The words were muffled against his chest. He released her hands and his arms slid around her back, pulling her against the broad strength of his chest, offering her a place to rest her head.
Her fingers wound around the open edges of his shirt. Her nose was tickled by the curling hair that matted across his muscles, He smelled of sweat and rain and the outdoors. He felt so strong, as if he could easily brace her weight forever.
Cody bent his head over hers, his hands running soothingly up and down her back. She was such a slight weight against him. So fragile. It was hard to believe that such a slender body could hold such strength. The wild ride through the rain, the electricity that had been crackling between them for days, the isolation and her sweet warmth combined into a powerful force that drowned out all the cautions in his rational mind.
As if from outside himself, he saw his hand slide upward to bury itself in the hair at the nape of her neck. Sara's head tilted easily at his command, and he looked down into eyes the color of amethyst. His other hand slid down her back to press her closer, letting her feel the pressure of his arousal against her stomach. Her eyes widened and then fluttered shut as his head dipped and he kissed the traces of dampness from her cheeks.
The storm raged outside, pounding relentlessly against the ancient mountains, sending every creature that could move scuttling for shelter. Miles away, a mountain lion snarled its dislike of damp fur and slunk deeper into its lair.
Beside Cody and Sara, the fire flickered as a gust of wind blew into the cavern. But the rest of the world had faded to a far-away dream. Cody's fingers tilted Sara's head, giving his mouth access to the delicate line of her chin. His tongue teased every trace of tears from her skin, leaving a building warmth behind. Her mouth softened in anticipation of his touch, but he drew back. Her lashes lifted slowly, her eyes meeting the hot green of his. Beneath the hunger, she read a question. If she wanted, now was the time to draw back. Now was the time to say no. With a sigh, she tightened her hold on his shirt, pulling him closer, giving him the answer he needed.
His mouth sought hers, hesitantly at first, and then with growing hunger. And S
ara responded with an equal hunger. Something in this man had been calling to her since the first moment they met. The one kiss they'd shared had only served to whet her appetite. Her hands inched their way around his neck, burrowing into the shaggy thickness of his hair, drawing him closer as she stood on tiptoe. Her slim body arched, her hips fitting into his thighs as if made to rest there.
Her mouth opened to his, inviting him to take possession. He tasted the heat of her response. Sara twisted her head to give him greater access to her mouth, her tongue coming up to fence with his.
Cody's hands left her back, easing her away. Sara murmured a protest but then sighed with satisfaction as his hands slipped between them. She waited for him to search out the buttons on her shirt, but he seemed in no hurry. His hands circled her rib cage, his thumbs resting on the lower swell of her breasts. She forgot how to breathe, waiting for his hands to move. It seemed like eons before his palms slid up to cup the weight of her.
Her breath left her in a shuddering sigh. Cody dragged his mouth from hers, trailing kisses down the length of her throat. His fingers shook as he struggled with buttons that seemed reluctant to yield. The front clasp of her lacy bra was dealt with more easily, but he hesitated a long moment before easing the fragile material aside.
He wanted her so badly. The thought slid into his mind, frightening him with the intensity of his need. It wasn't safe to want something this much. It opened the way for pain. But he had to have her.
Sara knew nothing of his tortured thoughts. All she knew was that she had finally stopped fighting her need, had finally given in to the irresistible pull of desire. Something that felt this right couldn't possibly be wrong. And, right or wrong, she wasn't strong enough to fight it.
She moved a step away and Cody's hands tightened on her rib cage. No matter what his doubts, he didn't want to let her go, didn't think he could bear to let her go now. A twist of her shoulders eased the shirt away, and it fell to the hard ground of the cave. The firelight cast dancing shadows over her body. She stood before him, stripped of civilization's protective layers. She offered herself to him in the most elemental way possible. Need slammed through him. She was so perfect. Almost too perfect to touch. His hands slid upward, and Sara thought she would surely die from the sheer completion she felt as his hard palms at last cupped her breasts. She'd waited days, months, all her life for him to touch her like this.
Cody worshiped the beauty of her with his eyes for a long silent moment before he leaned forward and his lips closed around one pink nipple. His beard rasped against her soft skin. And suddenly all their slow passion disappeared in a surge of heat. Where a moment ago they'd had all the time in the world, now they had to have each other immediately.
He fought the fastening of her jeans while she struggled to pull the loose shirt from his shoulders. Somehow, they were at last freed of their clothing. His jeans hit the stoney ground and were kicked aside, and Sara's breath caught in her throat at the pure male beauty of him. Firelight flickered over lean muscle and coppery brown skin. The mat of hair on his chest tapered across his stomach in beckoning swirls before widening across his thighs, a path her fingers itched to explore.
Cody stood frozen, unable to read her stillness. Was she going to turn him away now? His lungs ached with the need for air as her fingers came out to lightly trace the dark curls that covered his chest. He couldn't drag his eyes from her face, the almost childlike curiosity in her expression. But there was nothing childlike about the way her small fingers closed around him. His breath left him in a groan,, and her eyes lifted to meet his.
"You're beautiful, like a painting of a pagan warrior," she whispered.
His smile was shaky, and it was a struggle to make his hands gentle when he reached for her. Need boiled in him, urging him to slake his hunger now.
"You're the one who's beautiful. Fragile yet strong. Your hair is like morning's first light—shining promise." His fingers sifted through the gleaming mass. "And your eyes are like the mountains themselves, sometimes amethyst, sometimes gray, always beckoning." Sara's eyes closed beneath the gentle touch of his fingertips. "Your skin is as silken as spring's first rains." His hands slid over her shoulders. "Your breasts just fit my hand, as if made for only my touch."
With her eyes closed, Sara was cut off from everything but the sound of his voice and the feel of his hands on her body. The moan that slid from her throat was as much from the pleasure of his words as the pleasure of his touch. He was making love to her with his voice; every husky word drew her closer to the edge she knew awaited.
His hand slid from her breasts to tangle in the golden curls that guarded her femininity. Her lashes came up, the smoky violet of her eyes meeting the simmering green of his. He seemed to look deep inside, reaching for her very soul. His hands cupped her, his fingers finding the welcoming dampness of her.
"Cody." His name was a mere breath. She couldn't drag her eyes from his, couldn't look away from the flame that drew her closer, promising her a completion she had to have. Their only contact was his hand on that most private part of her. His finger slipped inside and her knees buckled, her breath leaving her in a rush. His free arm caught her around the waist, supporting her as his hand left her without hurry.
Sara's arms came up to circle his neck as he lifted her, cradling her to his chest. Her mouth parted beneath the hunger of his. The warm liquid pressure that centered in her loins was spreading throughout her body. She was clay for him to mold with the touch of his fingers, the strength of his body.
He knelt to place her on one of the sleeping bags, and her lashes fluttered. The naked hunger in her eyes was his undoing. His body throbbed in sweet agony. His vision was filled with her. The rough cave, the storm outside—everything else faded away. Nothing mattered but the two of them.
"Cody." Her hands slid up his arms to his shoulders, drawing him down to her. Her legs shifted, inviting him. Slowly, moving as if she were made of fragile porcelain, he stretched his length along hers, his hips sliding between her thighs.
The heat of him seared its way into her flesh, setting her on fire. Her fingers knotted in his hair as his mouth found hers. She twisted demandingly beneath him, wanting completion, needing to feel him within. She could feel him against her, silk-covered steel, hot and hard. There was a moment when he seemed to test himself against her, and her hips arched. She'd never been so demanding, so wanton. Her hands found the hard muscles of his hips, but he needed no urging.
The hard strength of him slid into the welcoming dampness of her, and Sara felt the delicious friction of the movement from her head to her toes.
Cody's senses swam with pure pleasure. She was so hot around him. She held him as if made for only him. No other woman could fit him so perfectly. His hands slid to her hips, deepening the contact. He wanted to absorb her into himself. He wanted to let the sweet flame of her cleanse him of a lifetime of loneliness. For the first time, he belonged somewhere. Absolutely and forever.
Sara felt as if the fire that burned a few feet away had settled in the pit of her stomach. And each rocking thrust drove the flames higher, consuming her. Her hands moved restlessly up and down Cody's back, searching for something to cling to, something solid to anchor her as the world began to spin around them.
Cody felt the shivering tension in her break loose, felt the way she tightened around him. Her neck arched, her hair spilling over the dark fabric like palest silk. She whispered his name, high and breathless, as if it were the last word she'd ever utter. His fingers tightened on her hips, tilting her to him. His body arched as the fire exploded into a million sparks and he shuddered with completion.
Outside, the sleet fell with relentless persistence. Nature was oblivious to the more-contained storm that had raged so fiercely in the wide cavern. Winter was coming, and this storm was a final warning to the creatures who dwelt in the mountains that they should finish up autumn's business and get ready for the long cold months ahead. If the two humans were too absorbed
in each other to heed the warning, that was not the storm's concern.
In the dark warmth of the cave, Sara murmured a protest as Cody lifted himself from her and rolled to the side. "Where are you going?"
"Not far." He slid his arm under her shoulder and drew her against his side. Despite the fire, the air was cool, but neither of them noticed it. The heat that had blazed between them had left a lingering warmth that served as well as any blanket.
"Are you all right?" His hand stroked the damp tendrils of hair back from her forehead, the movement so tender that Sara felt tears come to her eyes. She nodded, turning her head to kiss his palm.
"You know, I saw you at the pool. I knew I had no right to invade your privacy like that, but once I saw you, I couldn't look away."
"I knew you were there." She blushed as his eyes widened. "I wanted to be angry and embarrassed, but all I could think of was that I wished it was your hands on me and not just your eyes."
He groaned. "You shouldn't say things like that. It might get you ravished."
"Promise?" Her eyes met his and she sobered, her fingers touching his cheek. "I'm sorry I hit you."
"I'm not. If you hadn't hit me, we wouldn't have ended up here. I'm sorry you were worried."
"It was just that you seemed to actually be enjoying the storm." The sleet lashed down harder outside. A sudden gust of wind blew cold, wet air into their shelter, and Cody's arms tightened around her, absorbing her shiver with his strength.
"Are you frightened of the storm?"
She shook her head uncertainly. "It's not the storm itself that scares me. It's what it can do. Evan's plane went down in a storm over the Sierras. And now Cullen is out there, and I thought I was going to lose both of you."
She shut her mouth abruptly, frightened of what those words might say about her feelings for this man. If Cody heard the potential in her words, he didn't acknowledge it.
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