by Unknown
His description of Tom did not sound like the man she knew. Yet, if Adam felt so strongly about his convictions, she would comply with his wishes. "All right, I'll do as you ask."
Adam's gray eyes kindled with growing desire as they lingered on Blair's silken nakedness. "You don't know how much better that makes me feel," he murmured, gathering her to him, his arms tightening about her pliant curves.
The world outside ceased to exist and they sat for a while in contented silence. Resting her head against his shoulder, Blair was confident there was nothing now that could shatter what they had finally found.
"There is just one more issue we need to discuss."
"Do we have to?" she softly complained, lightly teasing the edge of his chest with her lips.
He shrugged and said offhandedly, "No, I suppose not. I guess I can propose next week . . . next month. . . . "
"Propose? " she breathlessly repeated.
"Yes, although, if I remember correctly, this is the third time I've asked," he replied in a feigned pouting tone.
"You mean . . . those times you offered to make an honest woman out of me were sincere proposals?"
"Of course they were. After all, since I had stolen your innocence and made you a fallen woman, I felt I had to marry you to soothe my conscience."
She pressed her soft curves into the contours of his lean body as they eased backward onto the mattress. She smothered his Ups with kisses. "Of course I’ll marry you!"
Frowning, he asked warily, "You do understand that we'll have to wait until this trouble is over? I figure, one—two—three months at the most."
"That sounds reasonable, but let mc warn you, it is much too late to back out on your proposal now . . . but if it will appease your conscience any, I wanted to make love those times just as much as you did."
He pressed closer to her so that she could feel his rising ardor, and answered with a soft, vibrant chuckle, "You wouldn't want to burden your conscience by making love once more tonight . . . would you?"
"I might consider it," she murmured huskily, running her hands through his hair, "if you will allow me to make a confession."
"In my line of work, I am an expert at extracting confessions, although I doubt if I've ever had such a willing subject." He trailed kisses across her temple and his breath feathered her hair.
Blair gently pushed Adam onto his back and rested her elbows lightly against his chest. "Do you recall that first day we met when . . . ?"
"How could I forget?"
"Hush and let me finish." She giggled impishly. ". . . When I shot at you and the bullet passed between your knees?"
He chuckled. "As I said, how could I forget?"
"Well, I was telling the truth when I said I was an excellent marksman. The sight had to have been off on the rifle because I aimed between your feet."
"And ... the bullet passed between my knees," he mumbled slowly as the full implication of what she told him soaked into his brain. If she had aimed between his knees the bullet would have. . . . Suddenly he began to laugh. "Sweetheart, all I have to say is, see what you nearly missed out on?"
"I know, I’ll probably have nightmares about it for the rest of my life," she teasingly bantered.
Blair's naked breasts pressed so close to his chest had the desired effect on Adam that she hoped for.
"Blair—sweetheart, touch me," he urged in a ragged voice.
Adam's request took Blair by surprise. Even though they had known each other so intimately, she was still shy and had never deliberately looked at his manhood, much less touched him.
"Touch you . . . ? You mean . . . touch you . . . there?"
"Sweetheart, it won't bite, I promise."
His words were teasing, but Blair realized from the intonation of his voice how much it would mean to Adam for her to agree to his request. And, she smiled to herself, if that pleased him, what would it do if she actually made love to him?
Leaning forward, she brushed her lips across his cheek. When he turned to capture her mouth with his, she moved her lips to his earlobe, tormenting it with her tongue and tiny nips of her teeth.
"Uh, sweetheart, I think your sights are off again. That's not my ... "
Her voice rang with infectious laughter, "I know that, silly, but who is doing this, you or me?"
"Uh . . . you are ... I guess," he stammered, obviously stunned by her boldness, but his heart thudded loudly against his chest at the thought of what was yet to come.
"I want to make love to you. If you promise not to think I am a brazen hussy."
He gray eyes smoldered like heavy smoke hovering over a fire. "Sweetheart, be just as brazen as you want to be." He willed his body to relax so that Blair could take control.
She kissed him softly at first, then the kisses became more fervent, more demanding, and their lips parted. Timid thrusts of her tongue soon developed into an eager battle; much like that of dueling swords. Both delighted in the way her pointed breasts teased his hairy chest as they rose and fell with the motion of her heavy breathing like waves lapping at a sandy beach. She slipped her long, slender fingers through his hair, tangling it erotically around her fingertips.
Remembering what aroused her to lofty heights, she kissed the hollow of his throat, then down to his nipples, tormenting first one then the other with tongue and nipping teeth. Then her mouth followed the trail of soft, silky hair to his navel and tautly muscled stomach.
Adam's breath rushed raggedly through clenched teeth, his eyes pinched shut. His hands tunneled through her hair and tentatively held her head as if trying to decide whether to push her away or to urge her downward; he looked like a man caught somewhere between heaven and hell. Incoherent sounds slipped through his lips until they finally formed her name. He repeated it time and time again as her head moved lower and lower.
Some primitive force drove her on. Taking his manhood in her hands, she gasped, marveling at the silken feel of it; the thick, circular base, the long, massive shaft, and the head straining past the folds. Her fingertips found the wide vein running from top to bottom, and when she trailed her nails along the sensitive length, a low guttural sound came from deep within Adam's throat. He was a man on fire.
The quickening inside Blair became a raging inferno that ripped through her like a fiery whirlwind, beating turbulently in perfect rhythm with her heart, then twisting deep, settling frantically in her loins.
Adam realized Blair was too naive, too innocent to do what he really wanted. Yet, she was quickly driving him past the point of self-control. Grasping her shoulders, he gently pulled her up the length of his body, then, fitted his hands around her slender waist and positioned her above his shaft. Feeling her titillating moistness signifying her readiness, he slowly lowered her onto it.
Blair's eyes widened and she gasped as his organ scaled the passageway to her womb. Never had she been so filled with him, but instead of pain, it was a sensation of pleasure and awe.
There was no haste in their loving. Slow, sensuous, languid, they took their time quite deliberately, moving with primitive grinding motions, then slow, circular movements. Her head fell back in exquisite ecstasy, and her long, black hair flowed back and gently brushed Adam's thighs. Each time it gently flicked across his skin, he groaned with pleasure and thrust forward. His hands sought her breasts and whenever the essence of their bodies fused together, he caressed and squeezed them passionately.
For an undeterminable amount of time, the whole world was comprised of only one man, one woman, nothing else existed. Their tempo gradually increased and they were filled with a driving physical need which drummed through their veins like thunder, until finally, they fell into a darkened abyss which left their senses reeling . . . spinning . . . tumbling. . . .
Chapter 26
Blair straightened her skirt over her hips, then smoothed her hair back and retied the ribbon holding the thick, lustrous tress
es. "Do I look all right?"
Adam put one hand on Blair's shoulder in a possessive, but loving gesture, then he touched her cheek, the skin warm and flushed beneath his fingertips. "You're beautiful."
"No, Adam, be serious, I wasn't asking for a compliment. Do I look terribly disheveled?" Now was a fine time to worry what Coy would think. If she returned looking at least halfway presentable, perhaps he would not notice her rumpled appearance.
Envious, she glanced at Adam. Men clearly had the advantage. He had merely dressed and donned his hat; and from his appearance, no one would ever suspect that he had just spent the past few hours in a passionate revelry.
"Your hair and clothing look fine," he reassured her. "But there is nothing we can do about the shine in your eyes or the rosy glow on your cheeks."
Smiling, Blair wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his broad, muscular chest, marveling at the way they seemed to fit perfectly together. "And how else should a woman look when she has just accepted a marriage proposal from the man she adores? Oh, Adam," she murmured softly, "I am so happy, I never knew I could feel so contented. Then, when I think about being this happy for the rest of my life, I get even more tingly inside."
"I know." He urged her to look at him. "Sweetheart, I want you to know how much I appreciate you not putting demands on me right now." Seeing the question in her eyes, he explained further, "I'm referring to the possibility of hanging up my guns and turning in my badge. I realize how frightened you were when I faced those men out on the street, and I don't know if I can subject you to that sort of torment day after day. And now that I know how it feels to love someone . . . really love someone, I'm not sure if I want to continue being a U.S. Deputy—where I'm away on duty for weeks at a time. I don't know if I could stand being away from you that long." He drew up his shoulders and stared at Blair with uncertainty. "But it is the only life I have ever known, so it will have to be given a considerable amount of thought . . . it's a decision that can't be made overnight."
Startled by his suggestion, she dropped her lashes to hide the hope that had flared in her eyes. Regardless of her wants, her needs, Blair knew she could not use any undue influence on him. For them to ever know complete happiness, it was a decision he had to make on his own. "Adam, I meant what I said earlier about one day of happiness with you was worth more than a lifetime with a man I did not love." She paused and searched her mind for the right words to say, "I realize there are many differences in this comparison, nevertheless, the principles are still the same. Without going into the details again about my relationship with Warren, I’ll simply say, I know how easily it is to resent someone who is overly protective. I’m sure you have seen a small child love a puppy or kitten so much that he eventually strangles it. I refuse to strangle your love by holding on too tightly. So, whatever you decide, I will abide by it without one word of complaint. But, it will have to be your decision."
Adam loved Blair dearly, but at that moment his admiration and respect for her knew no bounds. She'd had the perfect opportunity to voice her fears and remind him how frightened she had been that day, but she hadn't even attempted to play on his sympathies the way most women would have.
Cupping her face with his large hands and gazing at her tenderly, Adam said, "Sweetheart, you are one hell of a woman!"
"And you, Adam, are one hell of a man!" she mimicked. "And if I don't get back to our room, Coy will be coming after me and I'm afraid we would have an awful lot of explaining to do."
He brushed a gentle kiss across her forehead.
"I think you can do better than that," she teasingly accused.
He laughed. "I know I can, but for the time being that kiss will have to do or I might not be able to let you go."
Then, everything seemed to happen simultaneously.
Adam reached for the door and politely moved aside so that Blair could pass. She started to step forward then stopped abruptly and stood there unable to move, blank, amazed, and very shaken. Warren stood in the hall, his hand frozen to the doorknob of their room, and his eyes were focused just above Blair's shoulders on the disorder in Adam's room. His color instantly turned a brilliant shade of red. She turned slowly and viewed what Warren saw: the metal springs bare on the bedstead and the mattress still lying on the floor.
Adam, immediately realizing something was wrong, stepped into the doorway. Seeing Warren he tensed, not out of fear, but out of concern for Blair, and for the ugly scene he knew was forthcoming.
For the longest moment, silence hung over them like a heavy shroud. Then Warren bellowed, "You son of a bitch!" He lunged at Adam with doubled fists and hit him with such a blow it sent him reeling backwards onto the mattress.
"Adam!" Blair screamed, as she rushed and knelt down beside him. Glaring furiously at Warren, she hissed at him, "Don't you dare hit him again!"
Warren huffed angrily, clenching and unclenching his fists. "Get up from there, you son of a bitch, and face me like a man! And to think I considered you to be my friend . . . !"
Rubbing his chin, Adam shook his head to clear it. Though it had been a long time since he had not defended himself, his conscience told him he deserved every punch Warren wanted to throw. "I don't want to fight you, Warren. If I had a sister, I'm sure I would be just as mad as you are."
Blair hurried to stand in front of Warren in hopes she could stop him. She knew what a temper he had and whenever he became this angry, he lost all sense of reasoning. "Warren, please, don't make an ugly scene. The townspeople are gossiping about our family enough without us giving them more reasons. I know you are thinking the worst . . . and perhaps you have every right to, but Adam and I are getting married"
Warren wiped his mouth with the back of his chin. He looked at Adam then at Blair with narrowed eyes. Her words seemed to have a calming effect on him. "Getting married still doesn't make this right!" he finally muttered, gesturing at the disorder of the bed with a wide sweep of his hand. "The honeymoon usually takes place after the vows are spoken . . . not before. Adam, you are going to marry her?"
"Yes, I am."
Warren queried out of spite, "What if I object?"
"I'll marry her with or without your blessing."
Deep in thought, Warren leaned against the door frame and toed the floor with his boot. His scheme had worked better than he had hoped, although he did regret having to use his sister and best friend this way. Through his constant planning and plotting, and using subtle means to throw them together, the inevitable had happened. Later, if his conscience nagged at him, he would have to remember that this had been his best possible solution to a problem that had bothered him for years.
Coy and Blair—especially Blair-were not aware of the snide remarks and ridicule that had gone on behind their backs because they were half- breeds. Samuel and Collin were, too —and even though he had tried to persuade them to change their minds —they leaned more toward the Indian way of life, so they did not pose that much of a threat to the whites. But Coy and Blair were different, they were inclined to be more white than Indian and the whites resented them for it. He’d seen the writing on the wall years before and knew the Indian way of life would soon be a thing of the past. So, he had used every means available to prepare them for the white man's world. He loved them too much to stand by and allow them to be hurt without doing anything.
Coy? In his own way, he was more stubborn than Blair ever thought of being. Only time would tell what would happen with his youngest brother.
And, maybe he was wrong by deliberately throwing Blair and Adam together so much. At least with Adam, she would have a husband who loved her and did not care that she was a half-breed.
He had been so afraid that she would fall in love with either a shiftless no-good piece of white trash, or a man who wanted to marry her simply to get his hands on her share of the ranch. Even if Adam later decided to resign from the law and work at the ranch, that wou
ld be acceptable to . him, because Adam was the sort of man who would pull his own weight, and who would treat his little sister decently and with love.
Warren heaved a deep sigh. "I’m still mad as hell, though, and very disappointed in both of you. But Adam, at least you're man enough to do the right thing by her. I’d like to know your plans, but I would prefer to discuss them over in our room." His jaw tensed and his mouth tightened as he stared at the mattress and rumpled sheet. "I don’t feel very comfortable here."
Adam slowly got to his feet and wiped the trickle of blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. He glanced at Blair, noting her troubled, shamed expression, and it was almost like he knew what she was thinking. "All right, we'll discuss our plans in your room. But for Blair's sake, I don't want what happened tonight mentioned in front of Coy. They've always been close and if she wants to tell him, let her do it in her own good time."
Warren nodded. "I find no fault with that. In fact, as far as I’m concerned, it ends here with the three of us."
They walked across the hall to the room and when Warren opened the door, he gave a startled cry. The window had been completely raised; Coy's clothes that had been neatly folded on the dresser top were gone and so was Coy.
"Damn it to hell, someone has got to Coy!" Warren shouted. "When I came in, Jake said everything had been quiet." He looked frantically about. "They must have come in through the window!" He turned angrily to Blair. "Damn it, if you hadn't left him alone . . . !"
Adam protectively stepped in front of Blair. "That's enough, Warren, don't blame her for something she had no control over! If someone did seize Coy, she couldn't have stopped them. In all likelihood, she would have gotten hurt or abducted herself." He glanced around the room. "Open your eyes and look around, Warren. Do you see any signs of a struggle? I don't. It appears that Coy left on his own accord."
