Arizona Caress: She Feels The Heat Of His Hot Embrace

by Bobbi Smith

  Chance knew he should stop this madness, that he should turn around and walk out, but it was too late. He had wanted her for so long, needed to hold her and make love to her for so long that any thought of denying himself the joy of tasting of her love again vanished.

  He moved to lie on the bed, drawing her with him. His mouth met hers time and again in fiery, passionate kisses that left them both breathless and straining together. His hands explored her silken curves with cherishing yet arousing caresses. They were man and woman. They desired each other. That was all that mattered.

  Each touch led to another more bolder one. Soon Chance's clothing had been discarded, and he was next to her, his naked flesh pressed to hers, the heat of his maleness hot and hard against her thigh. His mouth explored the peaks and valleys of her bosom with hot, wet kisses that sent her senses reeling. His hands were everywhere, molding her soft curves to his hard leanness.

  Rori thought she was still dreaming as Chance finally moved to make her completely his own. She gasped at the sensation of being one with him. It was so intimate, so wonderful that she felt tears burn her eyes. Rori knew she was letting herself in for a lot of pain by caring for him, but she could no longer doubt her heart's desire. She loved him. Clasping him to her, she moved at his urging, matching his rhythm with her own fierce driving need. This was Chance . . . he was all she wanted, all she needed.

  Chance was beyond thinking as he plumbed the heated silken depths of her womanhood. It was an elemental joining . . . a craving that had to be satisfied. He was in ecstasy as he thrust into her welcoming warmth. It was perfection in all its rapturous splendor.

  They climaxed together, scaling the peak of excitement in unison, the glory of their mating a vibrant, almost living thing. Waves of heart-stopping pleasure washed over them as Chance held Rori tight. Their bodies were fused, their limbs entwined. The only sound in the quiet of the aftermath of their passion was the harshness of their breathing.

  Chapter Twenty-six

  As the heated moment cooled, a shudder of awareness wracked Chance. Confusion shook him as he cradled Rori's slender body to his. They had made love . . . and he'd never known ecstasy so sweet.

  Chance knew he should feel guilty, but what had happened between them was too beautiful to be marred by self-recrimination. He wondered what there was about Rori that could drive him to mindlessness with physical desire for her. Not even Bethany, with all her experience, had been able to arouse him to such heights of rapture. It was only with Rori that he could feel these things. Only with Rori . . .

  A tinge of conscience pained Chance as he realized what he was doing. He was using Rori for his own pleasure, and he knew it wasn't fair. She deserved so much more than the momentary physical pleasure he could give her. She deserved a man who loved her and would marry her.

  Chance's honor stung him again, and he knew he'd have to keep his distance from Rori in order to live up to the promise he'd given Burr. It was all too easy to enjoy the thrill of her lovemaking, but she was an innocent, unschooled in the ways of the world. He would have to teach her how to deal with men like himself, bachelors intent on seductions. He would have to show her how to fend them off without insulting them and how to use her womanly powers to gain what she really wanted in life. He didn't like the idea of trying to change Rori, but he tried not to think of it that way. Instead, he convinced himself that he would be doing her more harm if he didn't teach her what she needed to know to move into society gracefully.

  Rori stirred in Chance's embrace. She was in heaven. Rapturous contentment filled her. This was where she wanted to be . . . in Chance's arms forever. She loved him. Her heart sang as she accepted the truth. She realized that she might be hurt, but the pain would be worth it just for the joy he had given her today. She had never dreamed such delight existed, and now that she knew it did, she never wanted it to end.

  Chance opened his eyes to the brightness of the sunlit room. He knew he should say something, but he wasn't sure what. As he glanced around, he saw the new clothing he'd bought Rori strewn all over the floor beside the bed. He smiled as he realized how useless his threat had been.

  "Rori . . . " he began.

  Rori was tense as she waited for him to continue. She was expecting him to deny what had happened between them, and she was surprised when he didn't.

  "Rori, I think you'd better dress yourself . . . unless you're still doubting my manhood?"

  She heard the touch of humor in his voice and opened her eyes to gaze up at him. She found herself mesmerized by the tenderness in his expression. Her heart swelled with love for him as she visually traced each chiseled line of his handsome features. Yet even as she confessed to herself her adoration for him, she was saddened that she couldn't do as he asked. Her love for him was strong, and her newly discovered desire to please him was growing, but her pride held sway on this decision. She couldn't take the clothes from him—she just couldn't. As lovely as they were, and as much as she longed to wear them, she couldn't allow herself to become any further indebted to Chance. She had no money with which to repay him and no prospects right now of ever being able to earn any.

  "Chance . . . I can't . . ."

  "You're still doubting my ability to dress you?" he asked, trying to lighten the moment even though he found her continued refusals puzzling.

  "No, no, it's not that. It's just that I can't take the clothes, that's all."

  "Can't?" Now he really was confused. "Why not? They're here, they're paid for, they're yours. Wear them."

  "But that's the problem! They're not paid for, not by me anyway. I can't accept them as a gift from you. I don't want you buying me clothes. It's hard enough for me to accept the fact that I'll be traveling back East with you. I can't let myself become indebted to you for a whole wardrobe of white women's clothing."

  A whole wardrobe? He'd barely managed to buy her one day's essentials. Chance would have chuckled out loud had the moment not been such a serious one. He could tell that her pride was going to be a very important factor in their dealings with each other, and he made a mental note, from this moment on, to keep it foremost in his thoughts.

  Chance pressed a soft kiss to her forehead before replying to her heartfelt statement. "Let's get one thing straight right now. In our world, there's no 'white' anything. We are who we are, Rori. All right?"

  She nodded, but didn't speak, waiting to see what else he had to say.

  "Secondly, you seem to have forgotten that I'm the one indebted to you. Without your help and Burr's I would never have found Doug. I owe you five hundred dollars."

  "You do?"

  "I do. So, if it's money that's been worrying you, don't give it another thought."

  "It was," Rori confessed, the realization that she was not poor giving her spirits a definite lift. She did have money! She could reimburse Chance for all the things he'd bought!

  "Then don't let it concern you anymore. Just let me take care of everything, and when we get to Boston we'll settle up. How's that?" he suggested.

  "Fine."

  "Rori?"

  "What?"

  "Will you try the clothes on now?"

  "Oh, yes, Chance," she told him happily, sliding from his embrace to gather up the feminine garments. Suddenly she was eager to try on the new clothing. She wanted to impress Chance, to show him how good she could look when she dressed like one of his ladies.

  Chance watched her every move with glowing eyes as she pulled the garments on. He regretted that they were not the most delicate of underthings, but at least he knew they were better than what she had been wearing. His gaze was warm upon her as he caught an occasional glimpse of swelling breast and curvaceous thigh. He wondered distractedly how fantastic Rori would look in expensive, lacy lingerie, when she looked so absolutely beautiful in these plain things. Chance made a secret vow to himself to buy her some more delicate undergarments at the first opportunity.

  As she donned the chemise, he had to fight down the urge to tear i
t from her body and make love to her again. He was glad when she finally stepped into the dress and put him a little out of his misery. She presented too much temptation to him dressed the other way.

  Still, when Rori came to stand before him, wanting him to fasten the buttons at the back of the gown for her, he was hard put not to slip his hands beneath the soft cotton material and caress her silken flesh. He contented himself with the task at hand, though, and when he finished the last button, he stood up and pressed a gentle kiss to the back of her neck.

  Rori shivered with delight at the touch of his lips. She could not believe the change in Chance or in herself. She no longer wanted to fight him. Now she only wanted to impress him. It puzzled her, but she liked the idea.

  "Well? What do you think?" In a purely female motion, Rori stepped away to pivot before him.

  Chance studied the rather plain but serviceable gown with a critical eye. He always appreciated a beautiful woman, and he had no doubt that Rori was the most lovely female he'd ever seen. He wished with all his heart that her first gown could have been something special . . . a ballgown of the finest silk, but he knew that would have to wait until they reached civilization. When the time came, he would see to it that she had the best wardrobe of any young woman in Boston. Rori was acting so delighted, though, that Chance realized this gown might as well have been an exclusive from Paris. The thought that he'd pleased her made him smile.

  "You look lovely, Rori. Blue becomes you."

  "Do you really think so?" she beamed, blushing at his compliment.

  "I know so," he assured her. "I want you to have at least one more gown to take on the trip, so I made an appointment with the dressmaker here in town. We have to go see her in about an hour to have your measurements taken."

  "What measurements?" Since this dress fit so perfectly, Rori didn't understand what was needed.

  Chance's gaze dropped to her bosom, her slender waist, and then to the gentle swell of her hips. He decided then and there that he was not about to get into a detailed explanation on the art of dressmaking. "She has to know what size you are in various places so she can make the gown to fit."

  "Oh."

  "It's going to be a rush job on her part because we're leaving for Prescott tomorrow morning."

  "Tomorrow?" She was surprised that they'd be leaving so soon, but realized there was no longer any need for them to remain here.

  "The stage leaves at ten-thirty. We go to Prescott, then on to Denver where we'll board a train for home." Chance could see that she was a bit intimidated by the itinerary.

  "Home . . ." Rori repeated dully, swallowing nervously.

  "My home, but it will soon be yours, too."

  "It will?"

  Their eyes met across the room, hers mirroring her sudden uncertainty at the whole new world he was offering her, his reflecting only calm assurance.

  "You're going to do just fine there. Wait and see. Once you're settled in, you'll be the belle of Boston. You're a beautiful woman, Rori. Men will be swarming all over you just for one of your smiles. They'll be standing in line to court you, Rori, and you'll probably be swamped with proposals. You'll have the pick of the men in Boston." Chance wanted to convince her that she was going to be a tremendous success.

  Rori's spirits plummeted, and she turned away from him to study her reflection in the mirror. She didn't want the pick of the men of Boston. She wanted Chance! She realized a bit sadly that nothing had really changed between them. He didn't love her; he only desired her.

  The realization hurt Rori, but she refused to be heartbroken. Instead, her pride flared, and with it her spirits. If she was as pretty as Chance said, why couldn't she win his love? His proposal was the only one she wanted. He was the only man she loved. Her resolve stiffened, and she smiled in determination at her reflection. She was going to marry Chance Broderick. She didn't know exactly how she was going to manage it yet, but she was.

  Rori had only a few short weeks left until they reached Boston and his precious Bethany, so she knew she had to begin her campaign to win his love right now. Since he seemed to feel that ladylike behavior was an important asset for a woman, she decided to become the most ladylike lady he'd ever met.

  "Chance?" She turned from the mirror to face him, determined to use all her newly awakened feminine wiles in this pursuit. "How do you think I should fix my hair now? Should I still braid it?"

  "Where's your brush?" Chance had no idea what was behind her sudden concern for her hair outside of the possibility that she was finally becoming aware of herself as a female. Rising from the bed, he pulled on his pants and then went to her.

  Rori handed the brush to him and waited as he moved behind her. Chance had never thought brushing a woman's hair could be such a sensual act, but he found himself enjoying it. When he finished, her ebony mane was shining about her shoulders in silken splendor, and he had to fight to keep from running his hands through the satiny veil.

  Slightly annoyed with the direction of his thoughts, Chance gave her the brush back and went to finish dressing. He yanked his clothes on quickly, wondering how he was ever going to control what he was feeling for Rori if he couldn't even brush her hair without wanting her. The only way he could handle the situation, he decided, was to avoid being alone with her. From now on, he would have to make sure that there was always a third person around to chaperone him. That would force him to keep his hands to himself. He felt fairly confident that he'd resolved his dilemma as he faced her again.

  "Let's see if we can find Doug so we can tell him about our appointment with the seamstress and plan to meet him for dinner afterward."

  "Just let me get these shoes on . . . " Rori sat down on the bed and hiked her skirt up above her knees as she pulled on her stockings.

  Chance swallowed tightly as he watched her guide the stockings over her shapely calves. Finally, in desperation he wandered over to the window to look out at the street below. Only when Rori announced she was ready, did he turn back around. He offered her his arm and escorted her dutifully from the room.

  It was nearly two hours later when they finally made it to the restaurant for dinner. The trip to the seamstress had gone well, and she had given them her assurances that the other daygown Chance had directed her to make would be ready first thing in the morning.

  Rori's decision to become the most "ladiest" lady around fueled her attentiveness when they were seated in the restaurant. She was a bit startled when Chance insisted upon pulling out her chair for her, but acceded to his wishes without comment. Rori took her seat as gracefully as the awkward full skirt would let her, all the while telling herself that if he thought manners were important, then she'd learn every bit of manners there were. Whatever it took to win Chance, she planned to do. She wanted him, and she was going to get him.

  Rori sat across the table from Chance and Doug as they waited for the food to be served, avidly listening to their discussion of the ranch Doug had heard was for sale. The other patrons kept glancing at her curiously, but she ignored them with ease, having already dealt with Virgil Keeps and his look of gaping surprise when she'd crossed the lobby in Chance's arm. Chance and Doug had assured her that anyone staring at her would be doing it only because she was beautiful, and the thought thrilled her, for she wanted to be beautiful . . . beautiful for Chance.

  The two men were still involved in their conversation when the food was finally served. Rori was so hungry by this time she didn't care about utensils. All she cared about was eating. She dug into her meal with her usual gusto. But after a few minutes of stuffing down her food with her fingers, Rori realized that both men had stopped eating and were openly staring at her, Doug in amusement, a smile playing about his lips, Chance in consternation. She paused as she leaned forward to take a bite from the hunk of bread thick with butter that she held halfway to her mouth.

  "Is something wrong?" she asked, her mouth still full from the last bite she'd taken.

  "A lady never talks with her mou
th full," Chance admonished.

  "If I don't talk, how am I gonna find out why you're staring at me?" she demanded a bit defensively and then made a concerted effort to swallow what she'd been chewing.

  "Lesson number one on eating," he began. "Never chew with your mouth open and never take a big bite of anything."

  "You want me to eat like a bird?" Rori demanded, her stomach still growling hungrily. "I'm starving, and you want me to eat like a bird?"

  "Eat all you want, Rori, just do it politely."

  "Like a lady," she said snidely.

  "Yes, like a lady."

  She stifled a sigh, remembering her determination to learn all she could, as fast as she could. "All right. Tell me everything I need to know," she urged, surprising Chance completely.

  He'd expected her to react angrily to his negative comments, and he studied her for a moment to make sure she was serious. Seeing the earnestness in her expression, he began, and by the end of the meal, both men were pleased with her progress.

  "If you're always this quick at picking up on things, you should be more than ready for Boston when we get there," Chance complimented her.

  "I agree," Doug put in.

  Rori smiled widely at his praise. She knew she could do it! She knew she could!

  It was dusk as they made their way back to the hotel, and then Rori spotted Big Jake sitting all alone at the side of the building.

  "Jakie! C'mon, boy!" she called him, dropping to her knees to give him a big hug. "Mad at me, are you? I wouldn't have left you out here all night." She petted him and hugged him again before standing up.

  They started inside, but Keeps was vigilant again, and when he saw the dog, he erupted. "Get that mutt outside. I ain't letting no damned dog in this place."

  "Mr. Keeps," Chance's voice was chilling, "there is a lady present."

  Rori was amazed when the hotel owner flushed.

  "I apologize for my cussing, but I don't allow no animals in here."

  Rori glanced down at Jakie and knew that wherever he went, she went. She couldn't bear to be without him. He'd slept with her ever since she'd first gotten him, and she didn't intend for that to change. Chance saw the love in her gaze as she stared down at her pet, and he approached the desk where Keeps sat glowering at them.