by Smith, Bobbi
“You are very lovely,” he murmured, the deep resonant sound of his voice shattering the peace of the night.
Jennie gasped at his unexpected intrusion. “What are you doing here?”
“Would you believe me if I said I’d been looking for you?” he asked thoughtfully.
“No,” she scoffed. “You didn’t even know that I’d left camp.”
“Jennie,” he told her solemnly. “I’ve known everything you’ve done since we made camp.”
A thrill soared through her, but she fought against it.
“I’ve got to go back now,” she stammered as she attempted to walk past him.
Rick was anxious for a moment alone with her, though, and he reached out to grasp her arm.
“Wait, Jennie. Don’t go. I want to talk with you.”
“I really don’t think we have anything left to say to one another.” Jennie tried to pull away, but he held her fast in an unyielding yet painless grip.
“Well, I think we do.”
“Look,” she said with exaggerated patience. “You have Lucia and I have Todd ...”
“What are you talking about?” Rick frowned down at her. “I’ve never ‘had’ Lucia. She doesn’t mean anything to me, and I don’t believe for a minute that Todd means anything to you.”
“It doesn’t matter to me what you believe! Let me go!”
“Not until we’ve settled things between us.” He pulled her closer.
“There’s nothing left to settle,” Jennie said hotly.
“Oh, I think there is. All this concern about Lucia. Was she the reason you ran away?” When she refused to meet his probing gaze, he asked again. “Jennie? Why were you concerned about Lucia?”
“She made no secret of the fact that she wanted you, and you were with her so often.”
“It was not what you’re thinking.”
“Hah!”
“I admit she wanted me to love her, but, Jennie,” Rick said, releasing her arm and tilting her chin up so that her eyes met his. “I didn’t take her.”
Jennie’s confusion showed plainly on her face and when she didn’t speak, Rick went on:
“The first time she came to me was the night when I brought you back from the pool. I had wanted to make love to you so badly that it hurt. That’s why I went back up to the basin to take a cold bath. I thought it might help to bring my desire for you under control. You see, Jennie, I didn’t want to take you there with all the others around.”
Jennie looked up at him quickly as he continued to explain.
“What we shared in the mine was so special. I felt that if I’d made love to you in camp, I might somehow cheapen our feelings. Do you understand what I’m trying to say?”
She nodded nervously as his hand slid warmly to the side of her neck, the intimacy of his touch thrilling her.
“Lucia evidently had been watching me, and she followed me out to the pool. She was even bold enough to proposition me, but I turned her down.” His thumb caressed the wildly beating pulse at the base of her throat.
“But what about all those other times when you were alone with her?” Jennie could not easily forget the many occasions when Lucia had flashed her a knowing, victorious look.
“My refusing her only made her more determined, and she decided to try another tactic.”
“You mean she didn’t give up?”
“Hardly. Somehow she managed to overhear conversation I’d had with Juan, and she approached me one night on guard duty to tell me that unless I bedded her, she was going to Malo with the news of what I was up to.”
Jennie gasped in outrage that the other woman would do something so despicable. “How could she do such a thing? If she loved you, why would she try to hurt you that way?”
Rick smiled tenderly at Jennie. “Lucia doesn’t know the meaning of love, Jennie. There’s a big difference between the beauty of what we shared and what she was wanting from me.”
Jennie frowned at his statement and then looked shyly away as she whispered in a barely audible voice, “Did you do it?”
“No, thank heaven. But not for a lack of trying on her part. Luckily, the first night we were interrupted and then the second night when she cornered me, Malo found us.”
“My God, you’re lucky to be alive!”
“I know.” He gave her a lazy grin.
“What happened?”
“I managed to get the drop on Malo and Luis, and that’s when we made our escape.”
“So that’s why Lucia was with you? And that’s how she came to find out your real identity?”
Rick nodded and then realized what Jennie had been thinking. “You thought that I’d confided in her? That I’d gone to her willingly?”
“Yes.”
Rick wanted to pull Jennie into his arms and declare himself, but he also didn’t want to move too quickly with her. They had been at cross purposes for a long time now, and he wanted to straighten everything out before they went any further.
“If I had left her behind, Malo would have killed her—but only after he’d tortured her first.” He paused. “Lucia’s not a bad woman at heart. She’s just led a very difficult life.”
“I’m so glad we came along when we did.”
“So am I. We were just running out of ammunition when your father and Jake arrived.” Rick stopped as he gazed down at her. “Did I ever thank you for calling out to me? You saved my life, Jennie. If you hadn’t yelled, I have no doubt that Luis’s shot would have taken my head off.”
“I’m just glad that you’re all right,” she murmured.
“Are you, Jennie?” His eyes bore into hers, seeking the truth. “Really?”
It was the moment of reckoning, and Jennie instinctively knew that there would never be another chance for complete honesty between them. Her thoughts were jumbled. There were so many things to consider. Her heart cried out that she should tell him everything, yet her conscience seemed to be telling her that Todd should have her loyalty.
Rick seemed to understand her confusion and he smiled indulgently. “I know you think that you hate me for keeping my identity a secret from you, but I had my reasons. Believe me, it would have been much easier to confide in you and enlist your help, but I wanted to make sure that you were safe.”
“How could lying to me keep me safe?” she demanded with renewed indignation.
“If Malo had happened to find out about me and had even suspected that you might be involved in some way, your life would have been worthless. But as my captive, he would have kept you safe just so he could ransom you back to your father. As a kidnapping victim, you were worth a lot of money, Jennie.”
“Oh.” She hated to admit it, but he was making sense.
“There were so many times when I’d wanted to tell you the whole truth,” he said softly, yet earnestly. “But even now, knowing how you say that you feel about me, I’m still certain that I did the right thing. You’re alive and well.”
A sweet silence hung between them as everything he’d been saying began to take root in her heart. It all made sense, beautiful, wonderful sense, and her spirits soared.
“I had finally decided to tell you everything, but when I woke up that next morning, you’d run away.” Rick scowled slightly as he remembered the temper he’d been in that morning and his subsequent fruitless search for her. “Why did you leave me, Jennie? You’d told me that night that you needed me. And then you were gone.”
“I thought you were going to give me to the other men. I’d overheard Lucia and Chica, and I felt certain that you were growing tired of me.”
Jennie lifted luminous eyes to him as she realized how Lucia had planned the whole thing just to get rid of her. Lucia had wanted Rick for herself, and she’d used every trick she’d known to convince her that Rick was losing interest in her.
“Tired of you?” Rick was completely amazed. “Couldn’t you tell? Good God, woman, I couldn’t get enough of you.”
At that news, Jennie wanted to launch
herself into his arms and hug him wildly, but she controlled the impulse.
When Jennie didn’t respond to his revelation, he went on: “That last night I’d needed you so badly—” He dropped his hand away from her as if suddenly he couldn’t bear to touch her.
“Was that the night when Lucia threatened to reveal you to Malo?” she asked.
“Yes. I had needed your sweetness, your love. And then when you resisted me—” Rick glanced at her, his expression a bit shamefaced. “I’m not sorry that I made love to you, but I do apologize for forcing you to respond to me. I want more for us than mere physical gratification.”
“You want more? For us?” Jennie’s heart filled with joy. Was he really saying what she thought he was saying?
“I guess I’m not handling this as well as I could, but, Jennie,” Rick said, suddenly very serious, “I’ve never in my life said this to another woman before. I love you. I’ve loved you from the beginning.”
“Oh, Rick.” As the mellow sound of his voice and the magic of his words mesmerized her, Jennie swayed unconsciously toward him, lifting her hands to brace herself against the broad expanse of his powerful chest.
“I love you, too.”
Her words, so breathlessly spoken, were all the encouragement Rick needed and, bending to her, his mouth moved sensuously over hers, parting her lips and drawing the very breath from her body. Jennie gasped at the intimacy of the exchange and started to draw back, but Rick refused to free her.
“Oh, no, my love. I’m not about to let you go. Not after everything we’ve been through.”
Rick sought her lips again, and this time she met him eagerly, matching his intensity in a devouring kiss.
All thoughts of Todd and her commitment to him were wiped from her mind as Rick moved erotically against her, showing rather than telling her of the strength of his desires. Arching to his hardness, reveling in the feel of him, Jennie responded instinctively to his sensuous summons.
How she’d longed for this moment. How she’d dreamed of it! Rick loved her. The touch of his hands was ecstasy as he cupped her buttocks and lifted her hard against his thrusting arousal.
“Jennie.” Her name was a passionate groan as his lips left hers and caressed the sweetness of her throat.
She whimpered her excitement as her nipples hardened in anticipation of his caress. Rick felt the taut peaks against his chest, and he shuddered at the excitement their touch roused in him. Drawing a ragged breath, he ceased all motion and, releasing her hips, he let her slide slowly down the length of his body.
“Rick?” Jennie was on fire with her desire for him as she rested full against him. She needed him and she wanted him, now. “Rick, what’s wrong?”
She tried to pull his head down for a kiss, but he resisted her efforts. “Stop, Jennie.” His tone was more curt than he’d meant it to be, and her eyes reflected her hurt. “Darling, don’t look at me that way. I’m trying to stay in control of the situation and—”
Suddenly realizing why he’d stopped, she smiled to herself. Wickedly deciding to test that control, she began to unbutton his shirt.
“Jennie, for God’s sake, stop that,” he growled, his jaw tightening as she slipped her hands within to explore the hair-roughened expanse of his chest.
He gripped her upper arms, intending to push her away, but when she leaned forward to kiss his heated flesh, he gave up the thought. Rick could not see the smile of victory that curved her mouth as she trailed sensuous kisses across his chest and then stood on tiptoes to nibble seductively at his throat. Looping her arms about his neck, she again tried to pull him down to her and this time he surrendered, meeting her in a heart-stopping kiss that told her everything she needed to know about his desire for her.
Rick broke off the kiss but didn’t release her as he looked around for a more secluded spot to share their love. He longed for the softness of a bed, but if they were to enjoy each other to the fullest this night, he knew their comfort would have to suffer a bit.
“Come with me,” he growled, leading her behind a massive boulder farther from the campsite, and Jennie went with him eagerly.
Hidden in the night’s enveloping darkness, he kissed her once more and drew her close as he leaned back against the rock. With great pleasure, he unbuttoned her shirt and spread it apart to reveal the glory of her breasts, hard tipped and aching for the touch of his lips. Jennie’s knees threatened to buckle when Rick moved to kiss her breasts, and she leaned weakly into his strength as his warm mouth tugged gently, yet erotically, at her throbbing nipples. Burning desire pulsed through her as he intimately loved her breasts, and Jennie could not control the urge to move against him, her hips seeking the hard, masculinity of his own.
“Love me, Rick, please,” she begged, unable to bear not being a part of him any longer.
At her fervently whispered plea, he held her from him for a moment and gently stripped away her clothing. Standing before him, Jennie gloried in the knowledge that Rick wanted her. She felt powerful yet womanly as she moved back into his arms. pressing her nude body to his fully clad one.
“Now, Rick,” she demanded throatily as her hands caressed him through his pants and then deftly undid them to hold him more boldly.
“I need you, darling,” Rick told her seriously. “Now and always.”
Then lifting her hands to his shoulders, he picked her up and turned around. Jennie clung to him nervously as he balanced her weight against the boulder and guided her legs about his waist.
“I wish we had a bed, love.”
“It doesn’t matter to me, Rick. I just want to be with you.”
Her eyes widened in stunned surprise as he stepped closer and fitted his body to hers. Their gazes locked as he slid deeply within her, and all concept of time vanished as they stared at one another, memorizing the beauty of the moment. It was a rapturous reunion of flesh and spirit and one that had, for too long, been denied.
His lips sought hers as he began to move, and Jennie held tightly to him, reveling in his every thrust. The novelty of their position both amazed and excited her, and she matched his movements with ardent enthusiasm. The words of love they whispered were as heated as their mating as each sought to heighten the other’s passion.
The end, when it came, was a rapturous burst of pleasure that left them spent, yet sated.
Jennie clung to Rick’s neck, weak in her sensuous satisfaction. Never before had their joining been so wonderful, and never before had her love for him been so deep.
Rick stood unmoving, his eyes closed as he dwelled on the joy Jennie had just given him. He had not known love could be so perfect, but with her it was.
Gently, he helped her slide from his body, and he kissed her passion-bruised mouth softly when she stood before him once again. Quickly rearranging his own clothing, he picked up her things and, in continuing silence, helped her to dress. As she finished putting on the last of her clothes, he held his hand out to her and she took it trustingly.
“As soon as we get back, we’ll be married,” Rick said with calm confidence.
“Oh, no.” Reality crashed around Jennie with a vengeance.
“Sweetheart? Is something wrong?” He turned her to face him, noting worriedly her paleness and her stricken expression.
“How could I have done this?” Jennie was mortified that she could have forgotten Todd and her promise to him.
“Done what? Jennie! Tell me what’s wrong.” Rick wanted to help and his hold on her shoulders tightened.
Hanging her head in self-condemnation, she couldn’t look up at him.
“Jennie!”
“I can’t marry you,” She finally managed to way, the words choking her in their bitterness.
“Why the hell not?” Rick was totally confused. One moment they were loving each other and sharing that bliss, and now she was telling him she couldn’t marry him?
“It’s Todd,” Jennie whispered. “I’ve already accepted his proposal.”
“You wha
t?” Rick was incredulous.
“He had proposed to me before I met you—when we were at the ranch.”
“You told me he was just your friend,” he challenged.
“He was—is—but when I got back, I was so upset that I accepted his offer.”
“You accepted a marriage proposal from a man you don’t love?” Releasing her, he stared down at her condemningly.
“How was I to know I would ever see you again?” she cried helplessly. “I thought you didn’t want me.”
“And that justifies marriage to a man who can’t possibly make you happy?” he demanded brutally.
“Todd’s a good man and I’ll be happy with him.”
“You mean you intend to go through with it?”
Jennie fell silent, not knowing what to do. “I don’t want to hurt him.” She raised tear-filled eyes to Rick. “He’s such a good man. He’s kind and generous and—”
“Spare me the litany of his finer points,” he interrupted her angrily. “If you’re so worried about hurting him, what do you think you’re going to do to me if you marry Todd?”
Jennie was trapped, faced with making a decision she didn’t want to make. She looked up at Rick, but in his anger he had suddenly become a cold and forbidding stranger and she grew frightened.
“Jennie, love.” Rick read her mood accurately and softened. She was frightened and confused and he was determined to help her, not make it harder on her. “I love you and I want you for my wife. You love me, too, don’t you?”
She sensed the change in him and met his eyes, reading there his tender concern.
“I do love you, Rick.”
“Do you think it would be wise to marry another man, feeling as you do about me? What we share is so unique. We can’t give it up, Jennie. I won’t let you.” He framed her face with the comforting warmth of his hands. “Have you made love with Todd?”
“No! How could you even think such a thing?” She gasped and Rick smiled as victory was his.
“I just wanted to prove a point. You’ve known him for years, yet never wanted to make love to him. Do you think we could have denied our attraction for that long? We belong together, Jennie. You’re mine,” he said fiercely.
