by Laura Wright
He barely got his zipper down before sheathing himself. Barely slid aside the strip of cotton at her waist before entering her.
Ava felt as though she'd died and gone to heaven. She cried out into the night, as though Jared had pierced not only her body but her soul as well. And perhaps he had. He felt so familiar, so perfect in her arms and inside her she wanted to weep.
But he didn't give her the chance.
His head dipped and he took her nipple into his mouth. His thrusts turned wild as he flicked the hard bud back and forth with his tongue.
Ava let her head drop back and gripped the balcony wall for support as the rhythm of his tongue against her swollen nipple quickened. She sucked in a breath, felt the sublime rise of heat building up in her womb.
He tugged and nipped as flesh slapped against flesh.
Flashes of red desire erupted in her belly, then shot lower. She felt him grow harder, thicker and she felt herself stretching to meet his need as he pounded his groin against her tight hips.
She labored for breath, waves of pure pleasure hitting her full on, then rippling. Finally, she gave in, released a guttural moan.
Climax hit full force.
In her ringing ears, she heard Jared take his own pleasure as he drove into her fast and furious.
The moments that followed were hazy. They were filled with slow thrusts and labored breathing. Cool air made its way from the far off plains to their heated skin as Jared nuzzled her neck.
"I always loved the sounds you make," he whispered huskily against her skin.
She smiled. "I hope we didn't wake Lily."
Jared chuckled. "You mean you didn't wake Lily."
Easing away from him, she socked him playfully in the arm.
He lifted a brow. "You were the loud one, Thompson, admit it."
"You weren't exactly quiet yourself."
"Don't worry." He leaned in and kissed her mouth gently. "Our daughter is fast asleep."
Our daughter. Did she dare melt right here under the black sky, under the smoky gaze of the man she loved? "She had a wonderful day today."
"Yeah, she told me."
"I hate to say it, but she's so excited to have a grandfather."
Jared's lips thinned and his jaw tightened.
"Please don't look like that," Ava said, warring emotions swelling within her. "I really think that maybe he's changed, Jared."
He stiffened in her arms, then backed up and quickly zipped his fly. "Do we have to talk about your father right now?"
"Why are you so angry with him? If anyone should be angry with him, it's me."
"The man is a fraud, that's why."
She felt very naked suddenly and reached down, grabbed her clothes and pressed them to her breasts. "He may be many things, but he does keep his word."
"What does that mean?"
She plunged on heedlessly. "He took care of you and Muna until you were ready to leave the ranch, didn't he?"
"Your father kicked us off his land a week after you left."
Sheer black rage seeped slowly into her once-heated blood. "What?"
"Just like he didn't want to have to look at his mixed blood granddaughter, he didn't want to have to look at his granddaughter's mixed blood father, either."
Panic—sick, hot panic—rose in Ava's throat. "No, he couldn't have."
"He did."
Ava could barely stand upright. She didn't want to believe what Jared had said, didn't want to think that her father had done such a horrible thing. But in her gut she knew it was true.
And after today…
She sighed, disillusionment enveloping her. She'd had a wonderful conversation with her father after lunch today. He'd apologized for all he'd done and said and had forced her into. But he'd said nothing about this…
Her eyes downcast, she moved away from Jared.
"Where are you going?"
"To check on Lily," she said, slipping her tank back on.
Jared stared at her intently. "Are you coming back?"
She hesitated. What a question. She wanted to, but she felt so tired and unsure and disappointed in herself and her father. She needed to be alone. "I don't think it's wise."
"Right," he said with undisguised bitterness.
The night air seemed suddenly cold and damp.
"Jared, for Lily's sake. If she happened to wake up early … seeing us in the morning. She could—" She could develop the same hopes as her mother regarding a future in this house.
"I get it, Ava." Grabbing his shirt, Jared walked away and leaped back over to his balcony. "Have a good night," he called before heading into his room.
And there she was. Again alone. Watching him go.
But this time, she had sent him away.
She fought the tears welling in her throat. Lord, what kind of future, if any, did they have?
Have a good night.
She chuckled with her own bitterness. A good night— She didn't know what that was anymore.
* * *
Nine
« ^ »
Jared listened intently as she spoke to her father on the phone. She didn't know he was there and he preferred it that way. At seven this morning he'd heard Ava in the kitchen, making coffee and picking up the phone only to put it back down again a moment later. He'd been on the porch enjoying the sunrise at the time and only when he'd heard her actually start speaking did he scoot his chair closer to the screen door.
He was sure that no matter what Ava asked her father, the man would deny it.
"I need to hear the truth, Dad."
The truth. Jared almost laughed out loud. The man wouldn't know the truth if it rose up and bit him on the—
"I understand that Lily was getting tired and wanted to go home," Ava continued, clearly agitated. "But I would've waited a few minutes. I needed to hear everything you had to say."
Jared stood up and looked through the window. Brilliant yellow sunlight took up residence in the kitchen, and in contrast, a pale Ava sat on a kitchen stool, grief and confusion in her eyes.
"But why?" she said, a choked sound to her query. "Why would you make them leave?"
Jared's thoughts came to a screeching halt. He'd told her. He'd actually told her the truth.
"Do you really expect me to believe that you've changed—that you've suddenly shed this prejudiced cloak you've worn for so long?"
Hearing the sorrow in Ava's voice, the anger inside Jared's heart subsided a touch. He hated himself for softening—hated Ben Thompson for screwing with them all.
He didn't want to hear any more. Her questions or the old man's honesty. In fact, he'd like to get upstairs and drown himself in work. But he couldn't go through the kitchen without Ava seeing him. He'd have to go through the front door.
Halfway down the porch steps, he heard the screen door squeak open.
"Jared?"
Too late. He turned and saw her, eyes a little red, jaw a little tight.
"You were listening?" she asked.
He nodded, waiting for her certain reproach.
But she didn't scold him for eavesdropping, instead she sat down on the chair that he'd occupied only moments ago and released a weighty sigh. "I'm sorry."
"For what?" he asked tightly.
"For all of this. The lies, the holding back—what my father did to you and Muna. It's—"
"It's over."
"No, it's not. Not between you and me and not between you and him."
Her voice was hoarse with frustration and her eyes implored him as much as they had last night—but for an altogether different reason. Jared raked a hand through his hair. No matter how much he cared for Ava he wasn't going to allow her to weaken him as she'd already weakened his resolve. "I won't forgive him if that's what you're asking."
A melancholy frown flittered across her features. "What about me, then?"
Jared released a heavy sigh. "Ava—"
"Hi, Mama. Hi Jared."
Skipping out the door came his
sweet-faced daughter. She looked from him to Ava, her brows lifted in wonder. Not wanting her to pick up on the tension between them he forced a smile and held out his hand to her. "Good morning, Little Star."
She went to him instantly as if she knew to whom she belonged. "I wanna go to the lake today."
"The lake, huh?"
"I wanna see my froggies."
Ava stood up and forced on a smile of her own. "I'll take you this afternoon, Lil."
"No," Jared said quickly, lifting Lily into his arms, holding her tightly. "We'll take you."
The little girl squealed with delight and buried her face in his chest.
* * *
"Rain's coming."
"How do you know, Mama?"
The three of them sat under a crabapple tree, the sky above unsure of its conclusion. Grayish clouds wandered across the pale sky and below a picnic basket sat open displaying several half-eaten turkey sandwiches and three empty bottles of lemonade.
Ava glanced over at Jared. "Jared taught me how to see rain in the clouds, Lil."
Lily's eyes widened and she whirled to face Jared. "How?"
"Look up," he said, pointing to a puffy cloud. "Can you see those gray steaks across that cloud?"
She nodded excitedly.
"That's rain."
"How'd you learn that?"
"It's something my grandmother taught me. And her ancestors taught her."
"I wish I had antsisters," Lily said, flopping back on the red blanket.
"Sweetie, you do," Ava assured her, giving her exposed belly a tickle. "Rita and … Grandpa."
Lily grabbed Jared's hand. "How many antsisters you got, Jared?"
"Hundreds, I expect."
"I want hundreds, too."
"Well," he said, giving her a loving smile. "You can have mine, Little Star."
"Really?" she asked, bolting upright.
He looked pointedly at Ava. "Yes."
Looking pleased as punch, Lily scrambled to her feet and skipped off down the hill, following a butterfly to the water's edge.
For a few minutes neither Ava nor Jared spoke, just stared down at where Lily was searching for her frog. Perhaps they, too, were searching—for words, for understanding of one another.
"We have to tell her," Jared said, breaking the silence, his gaze resolute. "She should know where she comes from."
"I know."
Ava hesitated, her chest tight with nerves. She was finally starting to realize why she'd come back here. To face the truth. Everyone's truth. It seemed that all involved in this past devastation were looking for answers.
Jared was right. It was time.
Her gaze moved over to him. He, too, deserved the full story. He deserved to know about the deal she'd made with her father and why she'd really left Paradise.
Her stomach dipped. He would never see her actions as an act of love, as her sacrifice for him.
"I won't wait much longer, Ava."
"I know," she said before turning back to watch their daughter play.
* * *
"Tomorrow I leave for a showing of my bags in San Antonio."
"That sounds like fun, Muna," Ava said, admiring the beautiful works of art Muna had set up on the dining room table after dinner that night.
"I feel good about this showing. I have many pieces I wish to see placed."
"These are amazing." Ava fingered a red and yellow jug-like basket. "I'm sure you'll sell the lot."
"It is not about the selling." Taking a seat at the table, Muna tossed her braids over her shoulders.
Jared grinned at Ava. "It's about the placement of her pieces. Making sure they find their way home."
Ava lifted a brow. "Home?"
"Each bag has an owner before it's finished."
"Really?"
With gentle reverence, Muna picked up a double woven basket in three shades of blue and held it to her heart. "When this basket was just reeds and plants it was in its rawest, truest state. Only then can it become truly attached to its rightful match."
Rawest, truest state, Ava mused. Muna could've been talking about her and Jared. "And how does its rightful match find the basket? How do they know each other?"
"They sense a need in each other. A need only the two can fill." Muna smiled first at Ava then at Jared, then rose gracefully from her chair. "Good night, my children," she said, before placing her basket back in its rightful spot on the table and leaving the room.
* * *
Rain fell from the sky in fine, misty sheets as Jared walked the path leading to his sweat lodge. It felt good to be outside, felt better to be taken over by the dance of rain than to remain inside another minute.
One hour ago he'd been standing between Muna and Ava, feeling the unspoken dialogue that had electrified the air around them all with the discussion of rightful matches. One by one they'd all dispersed, leaving the unidentified but uncomfortable energy behind in the dining room, no doubt hoping it wouldn't follow them.
Muna had gone to Lily's room, where the little girl had requested several stories before bed. Ava had retired to her room and Jared had gone to his office where for exactly two hours he'd pored over his work. Then a file had crossed his desk. A family of three: father, mother and daughter. They wanted to work on securing their financial future. They'd reminded him of his own odd family situation and he'd grown impatient and had headed out for a sweat.
But before he left the house, he'd stood outside Ava's door and fought the urge to knock.
Above him, the rain swelled to heavy droplets. His sweat lodge came into view and Jared broke out into a sprint toward the door.
He was so tired of fighting his attraction, his need for Ava. Why couldn't he just shout it to the world, admit that he craved her, plain and simple, admit that if she decided to move back to Paradise he wouldn't stop himself from seeing her, making love to her whenever she'd have him.
The tarp door to the lodge had been tossed up over the roof and Jared paused before entering. The last time he'd been here he'd walked away from Ava. Had she left the tarp this way? he wondered, stepping inside the dim cave.
His answer came quick and in the form of the sexiest, most knee-weakening sight he'd ever seen.
Ava.
There she was. Smiling at him, completely nude, her long blond hair loose about her shoulders and breasts. Standing above the cold rocks that were intermingled with several flickering candles.
The sight made his chest constrict.
Long ago, he'd talked about making love to her in a sweat lodge. Long ago, when they'd lain in each other's arms, her leg draped over his burgeoning arousal. Long ago, in that little shack on her father's land with the scent of hay and earth surrounding them.
Long ago…
It was useless to struggle, foolish to make conversation. Jared stripped off his clothes, went to her, stood before her. "I am in my rawest, truest form," he said with a hint of a smile.
She returned his smile, her green eyes dancing. "Me, too."
Jared reached out, brushed his fingertips over one perfect breast, then cupped the weighty underside and growled with desire. "You are so beautiful."
Her smile went soft and she said with the utmost sincerity, "Thank you."
"I'm glad you came back here."
"We have some unfinished business, I think."
"Yes." He touched her face, brushed a thumb over her lips. Lips he'd dreamed about, fantasized about for four long years. "This place is very special to me. It is where I pray, where I dance."
"And where you make love?" she said quickly, apprehension flickering in her eyes.
Jared leaned in and his mouth brushed her as he spoke. "I have never made love to a woman here."
Ava felt like melting against him, nuzzling her head into the curve of his shoulder, finding that familiar protection once again. But the velvet warmth of his mouth beckoned. She kissed him with a hunger she'd been suppressing for so long, raking her hands up his smooth, hard chest to his
neck.
She couldn't believe her pluck in coming here, standing in the middle of Jared's sacred place completely nude and practically begging him to make love to her.
But those were the actions of a woman very much in love.
As were these, she mused, dragging her fingers up the sides of his face and into his hair. The inky blackness felt like silk as it weaved through her fingers.
Jared pulled away for just a moment, gazed into her eyes. As they stood there together, totally exposed, Ava could almost hear the haunting streams of the Native American flute. The sound thrummed in her chest, in her womb.
"My spirit dances with yours," Jared said, raw hunger glittering in his eyes.
A hunger Ava understood.
With all the passion that filled her soul, she eased his head back and kissed all the way down his neck. His pulse pounded at the base of his throat and she lapped at it with her tongue.
Jared cursed to the ceiling and she felt him hard against her belly.
Reveling in her effect on him, Ava lowered her head to his chest and took his nipple into her mouth and between her teeth, tugging. Jared growled, squeezing her breast in his palm as he pressed his hips against her, hard, his rhythm furious.
Ava felt as though she were melting from the inside out, completely liquid. It had always been primitive with them, in sound and action, and she loved it.
Pressing him back slightly, she reached down and encircled his shaft with her hand. On a groan, Jared grabbed her wrist. Their eyes met in the dim light and he gave her dangerous grin, using the force of his own hand to lift hers, and himself, up and down—first slowly, then faster. As she played his erection, his breathing became rapid, his eyes glazed and he uttered words and phrases that were meant to shock.
But they only aroused her more.
He pulsated in her hand, growing impossibly harder, the wetness that leaked from him a tantalizing lubricant. His excitement made Ava squirm with need, her hips thrusting again and again as sweat dripped down her back.
Suddenly Jared released his grip on her hand and moved his palm down her belly. Down, down, until he was between her thighs. Slowly, decadently, he eased a finger between her wet curls, then slipped inside her.
