Dakota felt the touch of her soft lips and felt himself surrender to the wonderment of holding the woman he loved. He had ached for her since sailing from England. He had known he would miss her, but nothing had prepared him for the deep void that had engulfed him without her in his life.
A soft moan escaped his throat as he eased himself down on the bed beside her. "Breanna," he murmured, "my Breanna."
It felt so good to be crushed against his hard body. "I was afraid you would be angry with me for coming."
She felt his body tense as reason returned. "You said you would stay with my grandfather."
She sat up, pushing her tumbled hair out of her face. "I stayed with him until he was buried, Dakota. Your grandfather died without ever regaining consciousness. The doctor said he did not suffer. It saddens me to inform you that you are now the Marquess of Weatherford."
There was silence in the room as she reached out to him, feeling his pain. He pushed her away and stood up. Lighting a lamp, he waited until the room was bathed in light before he looked at her.
There was no warmth in his voice when he spoke. "Why are you here, Breanna?"
"I came because . . . I am your wife and I did not want to be separated from you."
His eyes blazed. "It was a foolish thing for you to do. Where I must go, you cannot go—what I must do, I must do alone. I will expect you to take the first ship back to England."
"No, I want to be with you," she pleaded.
"Where is your maid?" His voice was cold. "Have you a woman to attend you?"
"No, I did not bring Etta with me"
His eyes darkened. "Surely you did not come alone, did you?"
She hesitated. "No, but I want you to know it was entirely my idea to come. John tried to talk me out of it, and when he failed to change my mind, he and Baxley accompanied me."
Dakota's jaw tightened. "You traveled with only John and Baxley as your companions?"
"Yes, but I—”
"Had you been an Indian woman, you would not have dared insult your husband in this way."
She came off the bed and stood before him, her eyes wide and innocent. "I am not an Indian, and you cannot ever forgive me for that, can you? If I thought it would make a difference, I would paint my skin and wear my hair in braids. Look at me, Dakota. I am as you see me. If I displease you, then say so.
He had never seen her behave in this manner before, and he had never known she would go to such great lengths to please him. Dare he hope that she had missed him and had come to be with him? Did she not know how beautiful she was with her hair tumbling down about her face and her breasts heaving from her labored breathing.
"I do not want you other than you are, Breanna. But neither am I pleased by your actions. What am I to do with you?"
"Take me with you."
"I cannot."
"Cillia wouldn't have allowed Holden to go anywhere without her; Baxley told me this."
"And you know what happened to them," he reminded her.
"Yes, but they were together."
He took a hesitating step toward her. "Dare I hope that you really want to be with me, or are you merely looking for adventure?"
Now was the time to tell him that she loved him, she thought. Why did she hesitate? Could he not see that she wanted to be with him? "You and Levi have talked so much about America I wanted to see it for myself."
His voice was dull. "You have gone to the extreme."
She moved closer to him and caught his arm. "Take me with you."
His resolve softened. It was not in him to deny her anything she wanted. "You have no notion of the hardships you will face, Breanna."
"I promise that if you will allow me to go with you, I will do exactly as you say. I will not be a burden, Dakota. You have my word on this."
He studied her face. "I remember the first day we met, you assured me that you always kept your word."
"I do, I do," she said eagerly.
He took in a deep breath. "All right, Breanna. But only as far as Murphy's Trading Post, and only if you will follow my orders and do exactly what I say. You will not have preferential treatment just because you are a woman; is that understood?"
She could not hide her joy. "I understand, and I will follow your orders, I promise."
He found her trunk at the foot of the bed and threw open the lid, tossing gowns and petticoats onto the bed. "None of these are suitable for where we are going."
"I did not know what kind of clothing to bring, and we left too quickly to have others made up," she answered, gathering up an armload of gowns and placing them back in the trunk. Happiness shone in her golden eyes. He was going to take her with him!
Dakota stepped back from her, angry with himself for not insisting she return to England. He wanted to strip her clothing off and take her to his bed, but his outrage at her behavior tightened his resolve and made him want to strike out at her, to wound her.
"I hope you will be comfortable here. I will stay with Levi, whose room is just next door. Should you need anything, call out and we will hear you."
"But—”
He turned away and moved out the door, leaving her confused. Dakota had agreed that she could go with him, but he did not want to share a room with her.
***
Dakota pushed the door open to John's room and angrily faced his cousin. "Why did you bring Breanna here?" he demanded.
John was sitting in a chair with his booted feet propped on the bed. "I have been wondering that myself. What in the hell could have possessed me to agree to this foolery?"
"I cannot believe you disregarded her safety in bringing her here. And now I have agreed to take her with me, and where I am going is no place for a woman."
John came to his feet, a smile on his face. "So, she persuaded you to allow her to go with you. If you cannot deny her slightest wish, how do you expect me to?"
Dakota's eyes darkened. "You love her." It was not a question, but a statement of fact.
John became serious. "You have nothing to fear from me, Dakota. Whatever you know of me, you know I place honor and family above all else."
"That is no answer, John. Do you love my wife?"
"Don't we all?"
Dakota's eyes narrowed, and John shivered at the coldness he saw there. "I trusted you, John."
"You still can. If I had not accompanied her, she would have come alone. Think about that, Dakota. And I'll tell you something else. If you allow Breanna to go with you into the wilderness, then I am going, too. I intend to see that she comes to no harm."
"You are not invited."
John shrugged, knowing his and Dakota's friendship hung in the balance. "I will always honor you as head of the family, Dakota." Then he smiled faintly. "Besides, even if I did covet your wife, she would never consider dishonoring you."
Dakota stared at him. He had never admired a man more than John, but now jealousy made Dakota suspect his cousin's motives. "I will not stop you from coming with us, John. I have always wondered what kind of man you are. The wilderness has a way of testing a man and making him face his true self. I wonder if you are up to that?"
John stared long and hard at Dakota. "Do not think because I laugh at life that I cannot be called upon to take it seriously. I have not dishonored you in any way. You are my friend, and I would not betray you. Breanna does not even know that I love her, nor will she ever know unless you tell her."
Dakota turned away, wrenching the door open. "I would hate to have to kill you, John." With that, he softly closed the door behind him.
28
The next morning Dakota appeared at Breanna's door and escorted her downstairs to the dining room. He was silent and brooding, contributing little to the conversation, while her nervousness made her patter on.
"I was astounded by how quickly the steamship made the voyage to America. John says the sailing ships will soon be a thing of the past."
Dakota gave no hint that he had heard her. "I have important busine
ss to attend to this afternoon. Can you manage alone? I will not see you until sometime this evening."
Disappointment showed in her eyes. "Yes, I can manage, but I had hoped you would show me New York."
"Breanna, I am unfamiliar with New York, so I would be of little use to you. You were aware when you came here that it was not for pleasure. If you cannot accept that, then I suggest you go back to England on the first possible ship."
She was hurt by his cold words, and further wounded that he should suggest that she leave. "I told you if you would allow me to go with you, that I would not be a bother to you," she said bravely, refusing to allow him to see how hurt she was.
For a moment she thought his eyes softened, but his voice was cold and emotionless when he spoke. "I will ask Levi to entertain you today. John will go with me," he said, watching for her reaction.
"I am sure Levi has things he would rather do. He doesn't need to entertain me," Breanna said, not wanting to be treated like a child.
"Nevertheless, he will accompany you."
***
When Dakota escorted Breanna back to her room and abruptly left her, she stood silently long after the door had closed behind him. Finally she moved to the window, her heart aching but her eyes dry.
She watched as the swirling mist thinned, offering her a better view of the city. Her eyes moved across the cobblestone streets, past the rooftops, where in the distance she could see the spire of a church.
Breanna was struck by a feeling of newness. This was a young nation, exciting and teeming with ideals of freedom. The people bustling along looked no different from anyone she would have met on a London street. She felt a kinship with these Americans, perhaps because her husband still considered this his country.
Some of the excitement had gone out of Breanna, and she dreaded the thought of remaining alone in this small room. She loved Levi, but was not overjoyed by the prospect of spending the day with him. She had so wanted to be with Dakota. Why hadn't he asked her to go with him?
There was a rap on the door, and she crossed the room to find Levi in the hallway. She had to smile at the dear old man. He was dressed in fresh white shirt and stiff neckerchief, and his hair was still wet where he had slicked it down with water. His marvelous eyes were dancing. "It's good to see you, Breanna. I'm yours to command today."
She decided to throw off her gloom, and responded to his invitation by offering him her hand. "I am most delighted to see you also, Levi, and I want to see America through your eyes," she announced fervently.
The smile on his face told Breanna that Levi was pleased.
***
Levi took Breanna on a carriage ride through a park and then along the bay. They had lunch from a street vendor, then drank tea in a wonderful little shop that specialized in herbal teas.
She had to laugh at Levi as he sat in the tea shop uncomfortably balancing the dainty teacup in his hand. She could tell he had gone to great lengths to , please her, even to having tea in an environment that made him squirm. She listened attentively as he told her funny stories and explained the history behind many of the New York landmarks they had seen.
When they stood before a white arched building, Levi removed his hat with a look of reverence on his face. "This is Federal Hall,'' he explained. "In this building George Washington became our first President. They wanted to make him King, but he would have none of it. My father fought for him and swore there was no better man to serve under."
"I know a little about your General Washington," she smiled. "Of course from the English point of view, he was more scalawag and upstart than hero.*
Levi grinned. "I can see as how you might feel that way. But to us in America, Washington is the symbol of our freedom. We could use someone like him now because I fear civil war is about to rip this nation apart. I wouldn't want to see that happen."
"Isn't that what happened when America fought against England? Was that not considered civil war?"
"Not in a sense. You see, we never have felt English, but we was born feeling American."
"Any war is devastating, isn't it?"
"Yes it is. Especially when it is brother against brother," he said, thinking about Dakota and Black Otter. "It's a bad thing when a brother is forced to slay a brother."
Breanna stared at the building where this country had made George Washington its first leader. "I don't know about such things, Levi. I ^would think with what this country has gone through to gain its freedom, the Americans would not risk losing it all by fighting among themselves."
"You would think so, wouldn't you? Now," he said, his eyes brightening, "I have exhausted my knowledge of New York. Are you ready to go back to the hotel? There's a storm coming up, and we may not make it back before it hits."
Breanna had been enjoying herself so much, she hadn't realized that dark clouds were gathering over the city, bringing with them a premature darkness. A lamplighter treaded along, lighting the streetlights to disburse some of the gloom.
"Yes, I am ready, and I thank you for a most enjoyable day." She found she meant it. What would she have done without him today? she wondered.
Levi helped Breanna into the carriage before he spoke. "You mustn't mind Dakota's preoccupation at the moment. He has things on his mind that have nothing to do with you. He has to see them through to the end."
She stared out the window. "I had always thought a husband and wife shared everything. Why will he not tell me what is bothering him?"
"Not ever having been married myself, I cannot answer that for you. But you know by now that Dakota is not like other men. There is something in his past that is calling him back. If you understand this, and don't ask him too many questions, you will save you both a lot of grief."
Breanna's eyes were flaming when she faced Levi. "Well, I do not understand, but I gave Dakota my word that I would do as I was told. However, I can tell you this, Levi, when I have fulfilled that obligation, I intend to demand that Dakota supply me some answers."
***
By the time they reached the hotel, heavy drops of rain were falling from the dark sky. Breanna rushed into the hotel and thanked Levi for a wonderful afternoon before going upstairs to see if Dakota had returned.
When she found the room empty, she sat in the darkness, listening to the rain pelting the window. Her spirits were at low ebb, and she was hurt that Dakota would not share with her whatever was troubling him.
After she ate a solitary meal in her room, Breanna dressed for bed and crawled under the covers. She ended her second day in America without saying good night to her husband.
With the sound of the intensifying storm in the background, Breanna drifted off to sleep, remembering other storms when Dakota had held her in his arms and had made passionate love to her.
***
Breanna was awakened from a sound sleep when Dakota slipped into bed beside her and pulled her into his arms. At first she fought against the hands that ran over her body, pulling her ever closer to his heat. But little by little, Dakota gained the advantage, and she turned her head to find the mouth that teased her ear. Burning heat ran through her veins as his lips settled on hers in a kiss that left her weak and breathless.
"I didn't think I would see you tonight," she said in a voice that was too throaty to be accusing.
"Shhh," he whispered. "I will always want to be with you, sweet, sweet Breanna."
Dakota could feel the tremor that went through Breanna, and he ran soothing hands across her hips and up her back. His lips explored the curve of her cheek, the delicate arch of her brow, the lobe of her ear.
"I tried to stay away from you, but I couldn't." His voice sounded as if that confession had been forced from him.
Somewhere in the deep recesses of her mind, Breanna knew she should not submit so easily to Dakota. She should tell him how angry she was for being neglected all day, but when his lips traveled down her neck, to sensuously enclose the tip of her breast, she could only moan with urgent longing.
With a fluid movement, Dakota rolled to his back, bringing her on top of him. She was mindless with need as he moved her forward and buried himself deeply within her. His emerald gaze moved over her face noting the fever-bright passion that gleamed in the golden depths. Breanna felt her heart stop beating as his lips settled on hers, and when his kiss deepened, she could only quiver in his arms. For a moment she felt as if she was suffocating and dragged her mouth away from his so she could take in a deep gulp of air.
"What are you doing to me," she questioned breathlessly as his fingers trailed a blazing path down her back and across her hips. With a forward lunge he deepened inside of her.
"I am proving to you . . . or perhaps myself that I still have some control over you."
As he started a slow rhythmic motion, she tossed her head from side to side. "I admit that you are in control, my lord."
His eyes flickered. "Oh no, my lady, it is you who rule me."
She gasped with a quick intake of breath as his smooth motions robbed her of speech. Again and again he plunged into her body, bringing her to the brink of total surrender. He took Breanna on a sensuous journey where soft murmured words made her soar through the dark storm clouds to break through to the brilliant sun above.
At last when their bodies found the quivering satisfaction they both craved, Dakota held Breanna to him. They lay locked in each other's arms until at last Dakota spoke.
"Levi said he took you to see the town today."
"Yes. Where did you go?"
His hand ran soothingly up her arm. "For one thing I had some gowns made for you."
She raised her head, her eyes still softened from his lovemaking. "You did?"
His fingers trailed down her arm and he gloried in the softness of her skin. "Mm-hmm. I found a shop that could make what I wanted for you in one day's time."
Her curiosity was piqued and she raised up on her elbow to look into his face. It was difficult to imagine Dakota shopping for women's apparel. "What kind of gowns?"
"As I told you, the clothing you brought with you is unsuitable for where we are going. I had the woman make skirts for you that are slit so you can ride astraddle. It would not be advisable for you to ride sidesaddle."
Dakota Dreams (Historical Romance) Page 27
