Texas Heat

by Holly Castillo

  Trevor was still bothered by whatever he had said to upset her so much. He had reviewed in his mind their conversation from that morning and tried to understand why she was so frustrated and angry with him. He had stated the truth... she needed to be with a man that could take care of her better than he. But he still ached for her. How was he going to survive with her sweet body nestled in his arms every night and not take what she was so willingly offering?

  They ended the day and all three men were exhausted. It seemed ironic to Trevor for them to be more exhausted after a day with a silent woman than if they had been with a chatterbox. Given that the woman was Serena, though, was what complicated things. She wasn’t a chatterbox that simply had to hear her own voice. She offered a unique perspective on something she saw, curious questions that could lead to laughter, and a mental break from the stresses of hunting down an enemy.

  When they had bedded down for the night, Trevor was shocked when Serena didn’t even try to get into the cot. Instead she changed into her chemise and came directly into his arms.

  “This is a bit unexpected,” he said softly, sliding one arm around her and brushing her hair out of her face.

  “If this is where I’m going to end up no matter what, I might as well start off this way,” she said sleepily.

  He wondered if she could hear his heart beating faster. Her tiny frame felt perfect against him, and his skin was especially sensitive to every spot her bare skin touched him. He wanted nothing more than to pull the silky chemise off of her and feel her breasts resting on his chest, allowing his arm to wrap around the smooth skin of her waist.

  He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, then her forehead, and when she tilted her head backwards, he captured her mouth, pleased to find her willing and meeting the movements of his lips.

  He released her lips reluctantly and pressed light kisses to each of her eyes. “Will you tell me what I did wrong, now? What did I say to make you so angry with me?”

  Serena nuzzled his neck. “Let’s just forget it ever happened. I overreacted. You may not have noticed this about me, but I can be a bit hotheaded.”

  Trevor laughed, deep and low. “I would never have thought you were hotheaded,” he quipped, kissing the top of her head again. “If you’ve already forgiven me, why have you been silent all day?”

  “I couldn’t resist the urge to watch you squirm.” She let out a soft squeal as he began to tickle her and then slid down to nuzzle her neck, his light beard growth scratching at her soft skin.

  Her giggles made him feel as if he could conquer the world. And it gave him a few moments to forget his father’s killer, to forget the Comanche that he was going to have to face at some time. He was able to forget everything except the woman in his arms that was trying to keep her laughter silent so her brothers-in-law wouldn’t come charging in at her defense.

  He slid a little further down and began nibbling on her collarbone and, suddenly, the laughter was replaced by a gasp of discovery with his hands cupping her waist. Trevor felt the tension in her body change and his body reacted in a way that could prove dangerous for both of them, especially with her “body guards” right outside.

  Slowly, he moved back up her body, kissing her on every piece of bare skin he could reach. When they were finally face-to-face, only the light of the fire and the pale light of the moon drifted in. Her green eyes watched him with wonderment and curiosity, and he wanted her more than he had ever wanted another woman.

  He brushed her wild, curly hair away from her face and pulled her in for another kiss. It was a passionate touch of their lips, full of craving and marvel and need. He leaned back, his hands cupping her face, and he swallowed hard, trying to gain control of his raging need. “Serena, I want you. I want you as mine—I want to claim you as mine.”

  Serena smiled softly at him and her fingers combed through his hair. “I’m certain Cade and Lorenzo will approve.”

  “That’s the only thing holding me back right now.”

  “The only thing?” she asked, her eyes wide with surprise.

  “Well, that and whether you would want to do anything with me.”

  Serena buried her face against his neck to conceal her laughter. “I don’t know what it feels like to want someone. But I want to be close to you, closer than we already are. I crave your touch, I crave your lips, I crave—”

  Her words were cut off by his mouth crashing against hers urgently. The kiss lasted for several moments before he finally tore his mouth from hers reluctantly. “What you crave is everything I crave.”

  “Then I suggest we find someone who can get rid of my bodyguards for us.”

  He chuckled softly, his eyes looking over the features of her face, trying to memorize them. He never, ever wanted to forget this moment when he was so happy. “You deserve so much more, Serena. You deserve a man who can give you everything you desire in life and then more.”

  Serena’s eyelids had started to drop out of exhaustion and she ran her fingers tenderly down his face. “It’s a good thing, then, that I only desire you in life.” And then she was asleep.

  They awoke before the sun rose, and Trevor felt the warmth of Serena’s body pressed along his and a smile instantly lit his face. He wanted to remember every moment with her. He couldn’t recall the last time he had slept so soundly, and he knew it was due to Serena.

  When he was with her, he felt—peace. His anxieties slipped away and his ability to laugh had come back. It had been far too long since he had laughed, and it was a petite woman smoking a cigarette on a rooftop that had brought the laughter out of him.

  He pressed his lips to the top of her forehead. Even though it had been a long time since they had bathed in the pond, she still smelled like strawberries and cream. His palm spread around her waist, noting that with his large hand he could touch one hip bone with one finger and the other hip bone with another finger. He couldn’t believe the things she did even though she was so small. It was almost as if she felt she needed to prove to others she could do all and even more than what a larger person could.

  He drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Holding her like this made him forget they were potentially on the verge of a war, and that his father’s killer was stalking him from behind and could attack him at any point.

  “You’re deep in thought,” she mumbled sleepily against his chest.

  He smiled and ran his hand up and down her bare arm. “How could you tell I was awake?”

  “Mmm. Your heart beats faster when you’re awake.”

  “It beats faster for other reasons as well, you know.” He smiled to himself.

  She turned her head and propped her chin on his chest. “Yes, I know. And it is the same for me.”

  His heartbeat kicked up just at her very words and he dipped his head down, kissing her gently, softly, welcoming her into the morning. He pulled away and his eyes searched hers. “What am I going to do with you? I’m supposed to be the law, the enforcer, and yet, at every turn, you end up in the scenario in a way I had never planned.”

  She buried her face against Trevor’s chest, laughing silently. When she lifted her head to look at him, magnificent, glowing emerald stared into his eyes. “Are you saying that I pose a challenge to you, Captain Daniels?”

  His hands slid down until he had captured both of her butt cheeks in his firm grip. “Yes, pixie, that is exactly what I am saying.”

  Her breath caught and her eyes darkened. “Trevor... the things you do to me...”

  “What do you think you do to me?” He released his grasp slowly, caressing her as he did.

  Serena’s eyes had darkened and her pulse beat rapidly in her neck. It was reassuring to know he had the same impact on her as she had on him. But he couldn’t take advantage of her. He couldn’t be the man who tarnished her name because she had fallen in love with the wrong man. All that he could offer her would be heartache.

  “As much as I would love to go back to this tantalizing conversation”
—he kissed her lips lightly—“we need to get moving. We’re getting closer to the Comanche, and we’ve got to be more diligent now than ever.”

  Unable to stop himself, he gave her a quick slap on her buttocks, causing her to gasp, then laugh softly as they began to get dressed and in their own ways, anticipate what would happen next.

  It was already the early part of June and the sun was merciless. Every time it seemed they were getting close to the Comanche, they would only find remnants of a camp. Until they began to come across some of the smaller settlements.

  The destruction and carnage there was more than anything Serena had ever imagined, and was something she wished she would never see again. But, unfortunately, as they trailed after the Indians, all they would come across were pillaged homes, dead men, women, and children, and the structures burnt to the ground.

  Instead of the men getting discouraged and wanting to return to their own families, they seemed more focused than ever to bring down their enemy. Serena could see the strain on Trevor’s face, and wished, during the day, she could reach out to him and grasp his hand in reassurance. But with Cade and Lorenzo around, she had no choice.

  But the nights belonged to Serena and Trevor. In hushed voices they would talk, and she told him about working in the cocina with her sisters and how hard it had been to grow up as the baby of the family, though she did confess to being horribly spoiled by her grandmother and grandfather. She even revealed to him her dreams of escaping San Antonio and seeing the world and that this adventure was just the first step.

  He shared with her wild and hilarious stories of him tending to his farm and small herd of cattle, the mischievous dog that pestered him to no end, and the rooster that seemed to have it out for him and had already left a small scar on his leg.

  And, in the silence, they snuggled together and kissed, and tried to tickle one another, and basked in having each other’s company. They caressed, touched, kissed... loved.

  After nearly two whole months with this man, she realized she had fallen in love. She used to look at Angie and Olivia as fools for having given their lives to a man. But now Serena understood. It was a feeling she had never experienced before, and she thrilled at every moment they had together.

  It was on a particularly hot day that they stumbled across a deep pool of clear water. The men, including herself, needed baths desperately. And Trevor knew it would be good for their morale. Keeping sentries posted, he allowed the men to take off towards the water, their bare bottoms bright white before they dove into the pond and enjoyed the luxury of a fresh bath.

  They weren’t quiet about it, either. They splashed and played and yelled at one another, dunking each other and trying to prove who could do the most outlandish dive off of a rock cropping into the water. Serena had turned away immediately as soon as Trevor had told them they could bathe, because she had no desire to see over one hundred naked men vying for whose turn it would be to jump into the water. Fortunately, the pond was large enough to occupy almost all of them.

  Trevor was smiling at her when she happened to glance sideways, and she narrowed her eyes at him. “What?”

  “Would you like a bath?”

  “Not after all of those filthy mongrels. I’ll keep my own filth to myself, thank you very much.”

  He chuckled and walked to her, helping her loosen the cinch on her horse’s saddle. “What if I told you there is a pond set a little further back that supplies the water to this pond? And it is even more clear than that water, well, used to be.”

  Serena could barely contain her excitement. She quickly grabbed her soap out from her saddle bag and turned back to him, feeling like an eager child. “Where? Oh, Trevor, you are magnificent! Where is it, and how do we keep Lorenzo and Cade from searching for us?”

  “They are on sentry duty,” Trevor said smugly. “And I’ll only show you the location. I won’t tell you the location.”

  Serena laughed. “How long have you known this pond was here?”

  “A couple of years ago, I came through this part of Texas and I remembered these magnificent ponds. My only hope was that they hadn’t dried up yet.” He reached out for her hand. “Are you ready, pixie?”

  She couldn’t hold back the wide smile that split her face. “For you? Always.”

  She saw something flicker in his eyes at her comment and she wished she could take it back. Her heart had been brimming with love for him. It was inevitable she would say something foolish that would send him running from her.

  But his hesitation was only brief, and they were on their way to the pond quickly, with him holding her hand and guiding her around rock outcrops and large roots until finally she heard running water.

  Serena’s mouth dropped open in awe as she stared at the beautiful pond. But it wasn’t just the beauty of the pond and all of the foliage and flowers that surrounded it. What made it truly incredible was the stair-stepped waterfalls that led down to the pond, from a point easily forty feet above their heads.

  “It’s magnificent,” she said breathlessly.

  She cast a quick glance at Trevor while biting her lip, then decided to go ahead and take the plunge. She quickly raced forward to the rocky edge and with one last look over her shoulder, dove in, clothes and all.

  She had barely burst to the top before there was a huge splash next to her and Trevor surfaced, smiling at her. They broke out into laughter and he caught her in his arms and swung her around in the water. She held on to him tightly, her eyes squeezed shut, thanking God for delivering this man into her life.

  “We don’t have much time,” he said, obviously disappointed as he stopped their swirling and planted a kiss on her lips quickly.

  Serena didn’t need to be told more than once what she needed to do. She had been dreaming about a bath for weeks. She quickly shed all of her clothing and began to wash it, doing her best to get some of the filth and grime that had built up over the weeks to vanish in the water. When she was pleased with her clothing, she set it out on one of the large rocks to dry in the sun and turned back towards to the waterfall to bathe herself. And she froze in mid-step.

  Trevor was watching her with such hunger she had to pause for a moment as her heart skipped a beat. He, too, had been cleaning his clothes, but she could tell he had been distracted from his task, and that distraction had been her. Slowly she moved closer to him. Although the water was high and came nearly to her chin, the water was so clear he could see far more.

  She stopped within inches of him and watched him expectantly. But he didn’t move, and his eyes didn’t waver as he watched her—they stayed focused on her face. Feeling a boldness she had never felt before, she slid up against him in the water, her body gliding along his, and she caught his forearms to bring herself to eye level with him.

  Watching his intense grey eyes that looked nearly silver, she moved her arms up to wrap around his neck, and she leaned forward, tentatively pressing her lips to his. He still didn’t move, and she realized he was giving her the opportunity to be in charge, to do whatever she liked. The thought sent shivers down her back and her tongue traced his lips as her hands moved into his hair, pulling him closer to her. She began to kiss him more passionately, her tongue sliding along his and moving aggressively, deepening it.

  He moaned softly against her lips, and she could tell he was close to losing control. She pulled back from the kiss and began to press her mouth to his throbbing pulse in his neck, and then nibbled on his ear, before tracing it with her tongue. She brushed up close against him and suddenly realized just how much she was seducing him. Her eyes flew open and focused on his face.

  His face was tense, and his eyes shimmered. “I’ve told you I want you, pixie. Did you doubt me?”

  She could feel the blood rushing to her face and felt an odd sensation low in her belly. “No,” she said softly, “No, I didn’t doubt you. It’s just that... I mean, I’ve never... Oh, I don’t even know what I’m trying to say.”

  He smiled gen
tly. “This is all new for you is what you are trying to say. And I understand. And I don’t want to scare you. But, Serena, if you continue tempting me the way you are right now, I don’t know that I’ll be able to control myself.”

  To know she had that kind of power over him was a heady experience. She wanted to continue caressing him, kissing him, loving him. But she didn’t know what would happen next, and she had to admit to herself that she was afraid.

  “I’ll—” She drew a deep, shaky breath. “I’ll go bathe over here,” she said softly and moved away from him.

  She scrubbed quickly, eager to get out of the water. Trevor was stirring emotions and feelings in her that she had never experienced before, and she didn’t know how to handle them. She stepped out of the water and dressed quickly, even though her clothes were still damp.

  Trevor came out of the water shortly after her and also dressed quickly, but he caught Serena before she could head down the hill. “Nothing has changed between us, pixie,” he said softly, grabbing some of her loose, wet hair and hooking it behind her ear. “I won’t ever take advantage of you. When the time comes, you will be ready. And it will be with a man far better than me.”

  Serena nodded at him, a half smile touching her lips and she squeezed his hand with her own. When the time comes. Not if the time comes. But not with him. He wouldn’t allow it to be with him.

  Her heart ached as she looked at him. “You are that man for me, Trevor.”

  Trevor chuckled softly and pulled her into his arms and she lay her head on his chest, finding security in his arms, his strength. She wanted to tell him that she loved him. She wanted to tell him so much. But she couldn’t. Not yet. The time would come.

  The break at the pools of water had raised the morale of the militia and the rangers, and they rode forward as if they were new men. Several of them did look like new men as they had shaved their rough beards off, including Trevor.