by Addy, Alice
Whiskey loaded the heavy trunks up onto the wagon before dinner and made a big show of how he was taking these extra plates and such to the church in Wide River, for distribution to the needy. “It’s the Christian thing to do,” he proclaimed loudly.
After ten o’clock, when the lights had been turned down and the hotel was bathed in darkness, Blake and Emily silently left through the back door. With Emily well concealed beneath a tarp, the wagon rolled quietly down the street, heading out of town. Hopefully, if Lucas caught sight of the old wagon rumbling down the road, he’d think it was just some farmer who’d stayed too long at one of the many saloons.
Three miles seemed a long way off when traveling by moonlight and at a snail’s pace. Eventually, Emily crawled out from under her cover and was enthralled by the beauty that awaited her. High above her head, millions of stars twinkled in the deep cerulean sky. The air smelled cleaner and the night sounds were welcoming . . . not the least bit ominous. Best of all, Blake sat beside her, reins held securely in his strong hands.
Emily couldn’t help but admire his physical form. With legs long and muscular, connected to lean hips and a fine backside—he was a magnificent example of masculine beauty. His shoulders were wide and well formed, and the muscles on his chest moved deftly as they worked beneath his shirt, guiding the team. He carried no excess weight around his middle, keeping his stomach hard and flat. Emily sighed as she compared his male perfection to the pictures she’d once seen of Greek statues.
Her mouth had gone dry and her hands itched to touch his warm flesh. The mere thought of running her hands up and down his back, caused her temperature to climb sharply. His back was flawless, firm and tan. Oh, how she yearned to nuzzle his neck and nibble at his ear, bringing deep moans of pleasure that only increased her ardor. She knew Blake enjoyed the touch of her hands roaming over his large body, exploring freely his most private areas.
Emily dragged her gaze up to admire his perfect face. He was a handsome man with sculpted lips and a straight nose. Even after years of boxing, his face remained unmarked. His compassionate brown eyes sparkled with intelligence and good humor. Still, in spite of his physical beauty, it was his deep goodness that she loved and found most attractive. He possessed a huge heart and wasn’t afraid to risk breaking it. He had taken a big gamble when he fell in love with her and, hopefully, it would pay off for him and he would never regret his decision. He moved her in ways she didn’t totally understand, but she knew she liked it—loved it, actually, and she was convinced she would love him forever.
Emily hadn’t noticed she was squirming on the wagon seat, but Blake noticed. He chuckled, knowing what was causing her slight distress, for he was uncomfortable in the same way. Watching Emily staring at him, he grinned and gave her a wicked wink.
“It won’t be long now, sweetie,” he promised “The farm is just over that rise and then we’ll be alone for the entire night.” He looked at her intently, and then wriggled his eyebrows up and down rapidly, causing her to break out in a fit of laughter.
“There it is!” she squealed, pointing to the floor of the valley. “I see the moonlight on the lake. Isn’t is glorious, Blake?”
He looked at her—not the lake—and smiled, “Beautiful. Heavenly in fact.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
After quickly unloading the wagon, Blake helped Emily change the bed linens, and then eagerly assisted her out of her traveling clothes, wasting as little time as possible.
His eyes teared up as he gazed upon her scantily clad body. He couldn’t believe his good fortune. Standing before him—in only her shift and stockings—was Emily, smiling seductively and inviting him to come closer and touch what he was so obviously admiring.
“My God, Emmie. If only you could see what I see when I look at you. You are magnificent . . . total perfection, and you’ll soon be mine. The thought of it overwhelms me.”
“You could make me yours tonight, darling, if you’d only ask. I want to feel your arms around me and know what it’s like to give oneself completely. I crave that special closeness a woman receives from her husband. Blake . . . I need you, desperately. I’m ready for this,” she stated unequivocally.
Blake took Emily in his arms and covered her beautiful face with sweet, sweet kisses. She tasted divine and felt like heaven in his arms. He inhaled her womanly fragrance, filling his lungs with her erotic essence. He groaned from the sheer bliss of it. There was nothing he wanted to do more than to make love to her . . . but now was not the time.
“Emmie.” He struggled to speak through the overwhelming desire burning through his veins. “I love you so much, but I want us to wait until we’re married. It’s important to me that we do it right; however, do not think for one moment that I do not want to take you completely. It’s torture for me to leave you without joining our bodies. I nearly burst with the need to bury myself deep inside you and fill you up with my seed. In the meantime, there are other things we can do to bring each of us pleasure. I’d like to kiss you here, if you’d let me.” Carefully, he placed his hand at the juncture between her thighs—her most private place.
“Kiss me, there?” Emily was astonished he would mention something like that. Surely no one did that.
Blake chuckled. His voice grew soft and raspy, “Yes, my darling. I want to kiss you and taste you, too. You’re so very sweet and I desire the flavor of you upon my tongue. It will be pleasant for you and heaven for me, I promise.”
His fingers had already begun circling her feminine spot causing her temperature to rise and her nerves to tingle. She could feel herself getting wetter and an ache began to throb under his touch. Closing her eyes, she relaxed and willed herself to let go of her insecurities and enjoy his masterful hand. She assumed Blake was an expert at pleasing a woman and she, most assuredly, would benefit from his knowledge.
Within moments, Emily was swept away on the surging waves of desire. Blake’s skillful fingers located and stimulated a small, hidden bit of flesh, previously unknown to her. “Yes, oh yes. Don’t stop,” she urged. “Just like that . . . oh,” she screamed.
Blake stopped just long enough to remove the remainder of Emily’s clothing and place her upon the bed with her legs hanging over the edge, spread wide for his enjoyment.
Blake was a considerate lover and took great joy in the many pleasures he brought to Emily, bringing her to ecstasy again and again, and in ways she never could have imagined. She was incredibly responsive and highly passionate. He smiled as he felt the tremors of sexual fulfillment engulf her voluptuous body. Soon he would be able to claim her body and, at long last, find that explosive release for himself.
The night sky was beginning to lighten by the time Blake and Emily sought their rest. She was well satisfied and much exhausted by the time Blake finally removed his clothing and crawled into bed next to her. With the quilt tucked up around them and their naked bodies entwined around one another, they soon fell into a deep and peaceful sleep.
*
Blake flicked at the pesky fly alighting on his lips and nose. Repeatedly, he swatted it away, but it kept returning. Once again, he knocked the offending insect from his face. How was a man to sleep? He was flipping it off for the fourth time when he noticed the irritating tickle was accompanied by a delightfully feminine giggle. This fly was either a giddy female fly or a feisty little brunette. Slowly, Blake opened his sleepy eyes to discover the real culprit disturbing his slumber.
“Emmie, are you bothering my sleep?”
“Not me, dear. What gives you that idea?” She continued to giggle as she loomed over him, her hair hanging down around her shoulders and the tips of her bare breasts grazing his chest.
“Well, maybe I have my suspicions because you’re holding that lovely black curl of yours, just below my nose and I see blue sparks coming from your entrancing eyes. Could I be correct?”
Emily sat back, thrusting her plump breasts forward, their rosy tips begging for his attention. “Entrancing? You think my eye
s are entrancing?” She smiled, mischievously. “What do you call these?” she cupped her breasts together and pointed them in his direction.
He put his hands around her waist and pulled her down on top of him. “I call them magnificent, and I call you an incorrigible and most desirous woman—one that needs to learn a few lessons.”
“Stop . . . stop,” she laughed as she tumbled down on top of the playful man in her bed. Staring deeply into his eyes, biting her lower lip, Emily told Blake exactly what she wanted.
“This is our home, Blake. You and I shared this bed only last night. I think it is perfectly proper for us to make love in it now—right now. I see no reason to wait.”
She nibbled on his ear and kissed his neck, making her way down to his strong shoulders. Her hands stroked his chest and flicked his manly nipples while she nuzzled her face in the soft curls surrounding his navel. The groan she heard from him only encouraged her to be bolder. However, once again, she met with resistance.
In danger of losing his self-control, Blake grasped both her hands and held them tight. “No, Emmie. I must beg you to stop this behavior. Why do you insist on tempting me? You know I want to wait. But by God, I’m only a man and I can only endure so much. Did you ever stop to ask yourself what would be the consequences if something happened to me, before we married, and you discovered you were with child? What would you do, Emmie?” Blake’s face was red with temper. This was no joke to him.
“That wouldn’t happen, darling,” Emily insisted, “but if it did, I’d manage.”
“”Well it could happen, and it did happen . . . to my sister. Anna was happily engaged one day, and the next . . . her fiancé was trampled by a horse—just a freak accident. He died leaving her pregnant. She didn’t wish to embarrass the family, so she left town. We received a letter informing us of her death during childbirth. She and her baby were buried in a lonely grave, without the comfort of her family and friends about her. It broke my mother’s heart—so yes, Emily—it can happen!” Not wanting Emmie to see his tears, he quickly wiped his cheeks and turned to look away, breathing deeply, trying to regain his composure.
“I know it may be irrational of me to insist, but I’m afraid I must. I will not make love to you, Emmie, until we are married and that is final.”
Emily slowly left the bed and went behind the screen to get dressed. She had never known about his sister. She wanted to comfort him, but he was clearly in no mood.
From behind the screen she said, “I’m sorry, Blake. I didn’t know. Naturally, I’ll wait. I’ve waited all my life for you. What’s another week and a half?”
Blake peeked around the corner and smiled at the beautiful picture of his future bride, standing only in her stockings and her lacy camisole—no drawers—leaving her precious bottom bare for him to admire and lust after.
“Oh, Emmie. If we were married . . . what I’d do to you.” He snickered. “I don’t know how I’ll survive another nine days. You have no idea what your beauty does to me.” Just then, he grabbed her around the waist and returned her to the bed, where upon he proceeded to touch her and kiss her and stroke her all over until she was panting and begging for mercy. It was exquisite torment for them both.
Much later, Blake was ready to return to town. “Nobody knows you’re here, Emmie. You should be fine. I’ve got to see four patients this morning and then pick up some supplies for this place, but I’ll be home for supper,” he grinned. “That sure sounds nice—home for supper. Almost like we’re already man and wife.
“Keep the rifle handy and don’t talk to anyone. Stay inside the house as much as possible. We’ll play some more games when I return.” He gave her a little swat on her bare bottom and laughed; knowing the only types of games they would be playing would be in their big bed.
“Don’t worry about me, Blake. I hid out here before, remember? This farm has felt like my home for months. Could you bring some whitewash back with you? The house and barn could use a good coat. They look rather shabby.”
“Sure thing, sweetie. I’ll start working on the house right after the wedding. Give me a kiss and send me on my way,” Blake begged.
Emily stood on tiptoe, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissed him long and deep, tasting his lips and sharing his breath. Her heart swelled with love for this man.
Her bare breasts pressed against Blake’s shirt, causing his body to respond, once again. He could feel her hard nipples through his shirt, and longed to suckle them, rolling their pink tips over his tongue. It seemed he was always in a state of arousal these days, and it was damned uncomfortable, as well as embarrassing. He reached down and adjusted the front of his trousers.
Blake growled, playfully, as he picked up Emily’s wrapper and handed it to her. “Put this on, you naughty minx, and stay out of sight. I’ll be home before you have time to miss me.” His lips curled up at the corners in a roguish manner. “I am a lucky man,” he sighed.
Emily giggled. “Hurry back, darling. I miss you already.”
She stood on the rickety porch and waved goodbye until Blake and the wagon had long disappeared from sight. Even though he promised to return in only a few hours, her heart was heavy. Whenever Blake left her side, he always took some sunshine with him, but when he returned, her heart soared and the sky was blue.
“Well, might as well get busy,” she muttered to herself. “Where are those pesky geese?”
* * *
“What the hell?” questioned the ragged man taking cover from behind the feed and grain building. “Where the hell is that girl?” Lucas growled, as he spit on the ground, striking his boot. He’d seen her ride out with the doc, just last night, and now Dr. Donovan had returned without her.
That could only mean one thing, he thought to himself. The good doctor thought he had stashed her somewhere safe, but Lucas was smarter than that. Sneaking off in the middle of the night hadn’t fooled him one bit, and this wouldn’t either. It’d be as easy as falling off a rock, to retrace the doc’s steps back to where he’d left the girl. And when he found her, he planned on having some fun before he either killed her or sold her off. She was still worth a lot of money to the right people, even though she was probably no longer a virgin.
The despicable man laughed out loud at his good fortune. “Well, tarnation, if I ain’t one lucky son of a bitch,” he laughed. Raising the half empty bottle to his lips, he swallowed the rest of its contents and staggered to his poor excuse for a horse.
“Come on, Maverick. We’ve got us some trailing to do.” He climbed up on his saddle and kicked his heals into the sides of the old gelding, who managed a lumbering gallop out of town.
The sun shone brightly, but the temperature was crisp and still held the promise that winter would soon be upon them. Lucas hated the cold weather. His bones hurt and his feet never warmed up until April. He pulled his collar up around his dirty neck, and his hat . . . he pulled down low.
After a couple of miles, Lucas had had no luck in locating Emily’s trail. She couldn’t have gone far. “Damn it, Maverick. Where the hell did he take her?” His rheumy old eyes saw nothing that would hide the girl or provide good cover. There wasn’t so much as a cave to give her shelter. He saw no fires, smelled no smoke. Still, she had to be somewhere close by, he thought. He could feel it in his bones. Tirelessly, he kept searching for signs.
The sun was high in the sky when he finally caught a glimpse of something sparkling and reflecting light. He forced the old horse up to the top of the ridge and reined in suddenly, to survey the countryside.
It was the glistening water on the lake that first caught his attention, but it was the pretty little farmhouse and barn that drew his real interest. The windows were sparkling clean and the porch had been recently swept. But it was the smoke curling up from the chimney that brought a smile to his face.
“Well, doggies! I think I’ve hit pay dirt, Maverick.” Lucas licked his lips in anticipation. “I got a good feelin’ about this here, place. Let’s git on
down and have a look see.”
He drew his pistol as he quietly rode around to the rear of the house, keeping an eye open for a ravishing, dark-haired beauty. His hands trembled with excitement, and he hated to admit it, but his manhood had come to life just thinking about her. He’d definitely have a little fun before he decided what to do with her. It wasn’t as if she was his blood kin.
Lucas tied old Maverick up to the clothesline pole and crept over to the closest window where he could peer in, in hopes of spying Emily.
Emily was talking to herself. She’d been talking to herself, all day. It made the time pass faster and it reinforced her to do list. She needed to be able to concentrate on all the things that were necessary to set up house.
“A dog,” she stated, as she swept the hearth. “I want a dog—a really big one.” She was bent over, with her head half-way hidden in the fuel box, when she thought she heard a sound coming from the kitchen. She paused for a moment.
“Blake? Are you home already?” she hollered, excitedly. “I’m a mess. I wasn’t expecting you for hours yet.”
No sound came from the kitchen. Having received no answer to her query, she shrugged her shoulders, thinking she must have been mistaken and turned back to her work.
As she cleaned off the final trace of smoke and ash, Emily was totally unaware of the evil in the eyes staring at her, from the nearby kitchen doorway. So lost in the work she had just completed, she wasn’t aware of anyone entering the room—until she heard his voice.
“You always did like to keep things clean,” a gruff voice said, in a low and menacing tone.
Startled, Emily bumped her head on the firebox as she whipped around to confront the intruder. “You!” Her hand tightened on the broom handle.
He chuckled without the least bit of humor. “Yes, little girl. It’s yer old pappy come fer a visit.” He held out both his arms to her and invited her into his embrace. “Ain’t you gonna come and give me a kiss to welcome me home?”
“You’re repulsive. Get out!” Emily shrieked, as she stood up and instinctively, backed away from the man.
