“We can find our own way back,” Lucas said, a note of pride in his voice. He looked up at Matthew, and studied him suspiciously.
Della held her hand to her mouth to suppress her smile. She didn’t doubt the truth of what the little boy’s brother had said, that their mother felt her young son would put her in an early grave with worry. He appeared to be quite the handful.
Hooves trampled through the grasses, and Matthew tensed. He held up his rifle, and moved in front of her and the boys. A dark-haired man appeared, leading both their escaped horses.
“Papa caught your horses,” Lucas Walker said smugly.
Matthew relaxed, and stepped forward, holding out his hand. The other man clasped it firmly in his.
“Alex, what a surprise to see you.”
Alex Walker smiled, and nodded. “Osborne. What are you doing here? I thought you were in a hurry to get . . .” His eyes narrowed, and he leaned slightly forward. “Matthew?” His voice gave away his astonishment. “Evie and I were told just a week ago that you were dead.”
Matthew chuckled. “I need to remedy that false rumor. Zach thought I’d been killed, but I’m very much alive.”
“So I see.”
The man’s eyes looked to his sons. He handed the reins to the horses to the older boy, then he looked at Della. Matthew turned, and held out his hand to her, beckoning her to come to his side.
“My wife, Addy,” he said, his voice filled with pride. “We were married this morning, just before leaving rendezvous.” Turning his head to her, he said, “This is a good friend of the family, Alex Walker.”
The older man quickly hid the surprise on his face, and shook her hand. He smiled. “My wife, Evie, is waiting for me and the boys back at our camp.” His eyes shot from her to Matthew. “I’m sure she’d be glad for the company, if you’d like to join us since we’re heading the same way. We could travel together, at least until the Jackson Valley.”
Della’s eyes widened in surprise. Having a woman to talk to was most appealing. She glanced up at Matthew. Would he agree to go with this man and his sons to their camp?
“On second thought,” Alex said before Matthew could answer. His lips twitched in amusement. “You’ve already got your camp here. Why don’t we meet up tomorrow morning?”
“I think that would be a good idea,” Matthew said quickly. He looked at her. “Is that all right with you?”
Della cleared her throat. The fact that he’d asked for her approval melted her heart. “I think that would be fine,” she answered. Matthew gave her hand a squeeze.
“We’ll see you tomorrow, then.” Alex Walker smiled smugly. “Let’s go, boys. We’re going to have some words when we get back to camp.”
Joseph shot a satisfied look at his younger brother, who made a face at him, then ran off ahead of them.
Matthew chuckled. He waited until father and sons were out of sight, then turned to face her. Della looked up at him, the tenderness in his eyes drawing her in.
“Where were we before we got interrupted?” he murmured, and pulled her into his arms.
Chapter Fourteen
Matthew led the horses back to their grazing spot near the pond, and hobbled their front legs. Releasing Addy out of his arms to tend to their camp had been one of the hardest things he’d ever done. He grinned. His back was turned to his wife, and he ran a hand through his hair. A ripple of heat flowed through him. Addy behaved like two women bundled up in one desirable package. She was daring and courageous in everything she did, and tackled the world head-on, but when it came to intimacy, she was scared to death and innocent.
He cursed her rigid upbringing, and reminded himself for the hundredth time that he had to go slow and show her that love between a man and woman wasn’t something to shun or be afraid of.
Addy spread out the blankets on the ground while he gathered wood and started a fire. Matthew glanced at the clear sky. The sun had already sunk deep into the horizon, and stars were starting to appear in the twilight sky. The chorus of frogs grew louder around them. She unpacked some biscuits and jerky from their provisions, and handed him the food.
“That boy was a handful,” Addy said, after she’d eaten in silence. She sat on the furs beside him, wringing her hands in her lap, staring toward the water.
Matthew swallowed his last bite of biscuit, and washed it down with a drink from his water skin. He offered it to her, along with a reassuring smile. Would they be sharing a quiet meal at this very moment if the Walker boys and their dangerous escapades hadn’t interrupted them?
Matthew tugged on her hand and pulled her closer. He grinned. “Maybe we’ll have one just like him.”
“If we do, I doubt he’d be provoking a moose, and chasing it through New York,” Addy retorted with a smile.
“There are moose in New York, too.” Matthew’s grin widened. His arm wrapped around her waist, and he drew her more fully against his side.
“Not in the city.” Addy stiffened slightly, but quickly relaxed against him.
It was all the encouragement he needed. Matthew leaned toward her. His lips grazed the side of her soft cheek. She shuddered in his arm when he kissed her just below her ear. Heat pooled in his gut at her reaction.
“I think you’ll be a wonderful mother someday,” he murmured.
He reached his hand up to cup her cheek, and turned her face to his. Her eyes glowed with desire when she looked at him, even if she didn’t realize it.
“Don’t hide under those blankets tonight.” He lightly touched his lips to hers.
Addy nodded, her eyes wide. Matthew wrapped his arms more fully around her, and pulled her onto his lap. She sucked in an audible breath. He slid his hand behind her neck, and pulled her to him. Her willing response when he kissed her sent renewed waves of desire crashing through him.
“I love you, Addy. You’re the most wonderful woman I’ve ever met. There’s no shame when a husband loves his wife.”
“Show me,” she whispered, and brought her hand up to his cheek, drawing him closer.
Matthew groaned at her response. His hands traveled up and down her back, caressing the contours of her spine, then along her hips, until her body softened to his touch, and she was no longer tense. He kissed her lips, her cheeks, and down her neck, struggling for a breath of air. When she pressed her body to his, her own breathing becoming more ragged, his heart raced out of control.
He stopped touching her long enough to pull his shirt up and over his head, then wrapped his arms more fully around hers and kissed her again. Slowly, her fingers explored along the planes of his back, along his shoulders, and down his chest. Matthew leaned back against the furs, pulling her with him, then rolled her onto her back.
Touching her with clothes between them was no longer enough. He unbuttoned her dress while murmuring in her ear that he loved her. Addy wriggled beneath him, bringing her hands between them to help him with the buttons. She shivered in his arms when he undressed her fully. Matthew stared down at her, tugging on the strings of her chemise, until the final layer of her clothes fell away. His eyes roamed her face before he took in the rest of her.
The deep purple and red hues shimmering on the horizon as the sun disappeared to give way to night reflected in the warm glow in Addy’s eyes. The complete look of trust on her face as she looked up at him, sent a surge of love through him with a force so strong it almost hurt.
“You’re beautiful,” he whispered.
She smiled tentatively, and reached for him. Matthew covered her with his body, and gathered her to him. The feel of her skin against his seared him like hot embers.
“My father is wrong,” she murmured against his neck. Her words sent another wave of pleasure through him. The light strokes of her fingers along his back as she explored him nearly drove him mad.
“Your father is the last person I want to talk about right now,” he growled. “I’m going to make you forget everything he’s told you about how it should be between a man and woman.�
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“You’ve already done that”, she whispered, and dug her fingers into his back.
Matthew covered her mouth with his. Addy writhed beneath him when he nuzzled her ear, then grazed his lips down her neck and to her breasts. His hands stroked along the soft curves of her hips and thighs, then back up to explore the rest of her. Her breathing quickened, and her own exploring hands raked more urgently down his back.
“I love you, Matthew,” she mumbled in a breathless voice.
Matthew kissed her again, unhurriedly. He wasn’t going to rush this, giving her time to explore and touch, and get to know him, just as he wanted to get to know her.
She hesitated slightly when he guided her hand to the ties that held his britches to his hips. His gut clenched when she helped him push the britches down his legs without further reservation.
“Come here,” he rasped, gathering her back into his arms. “I want to feel you.”
She pressed against him, raising her leg and rubbing her foot against the outside of his thigh. Matthew stroked her hips and the dip in her waist until her breathing became ragged. He kissed her long and slow until she squirmed beneath him.
“I like having you touch me,” she whispered, and gripped his shoulders. “And I like touching you.”
Matthew groaned. His stomach tightened almost painfully, and heat seared through him. He couldn’t wait any longer. He gathered her to him and eased her legs apart. Settling between her thighs, he took her innocence with one swift stroke. Just as she inhaled sharply, he covered her mouth with his, and waited until she relaxed against him. Her soft gasps and moans when he moved inside her filled his heart to near bursting. He grasped her around the waist, and rolled onto his back, bringing her fully on top of him to give her complete control to take them both to heaven and back.
* * *
Della lay on her side, bracing her upper body on her elbow. Her hair spilled down the sides of her face, tickling her bare arms. She smiled, and lightly touched her fingers to Matthew’s chest. His warm skin sent ripples up her arms, and she followed the contours of his muscles up his shoulders and back down to his abdomen.
His slow, even breathing from a second ago became erratic. Before she could blink, a hand snaked up and grasped her around her wrist. Della squealed and laughed, and before she had the chance to pull back, he was on top of her. Matthew braced his weight on one elbow and stared down at her, his dark eyes and roguish grin sending ripples of delight through her.
“I’ve created an insatiable hellion,” he growled, and kissed her with such tender passion, all air left her lungs.
He pulled the buffalo robe fully over their heads, and made love to her until they both lay panting in each other’s arms.
“You’re going to be the death of me. I may not make it home alive after all,” he grumbled, a satisfied smile on his face.
“I don’t think you’ve reached the end of your stamina yet. I have complete faith that you’ll be alive and well by the time we see your family.”
Matthew leaned down and kissed her again. “I’m going to be the happiest man alive by the time we get to the Madison Valley, although my father and brother-in-law will challenge that claim.”
“You think we’ll be home with them by the end of today?” Della wound her arms around his neck.
“Not if you keep me occupied under this buffalo hide all morning.”
“I don’t mind if it takes another day,” she purred, and smiled coyly up at him.
Matthew rolled to his back. He gathered her in his arms, and held her against him. Love flowed through her like the heat from the hot springs she’d seen yesterday. Today, she’d be married for two weeks, and with each day she loved her husband more. His heart beat strong against her palm that she held to his chest.
She smiled. How could anyone think that the love shared between a husband and wife was anything but beautiful and enjoyable? He was right that she was insatiable. She would never stop loving him. Her wedding night had been frightening and wondrous at the same time. Matthew’s lovemaking was both strong and tender, and she delighted in his touch.
When they’d broken camp the morning after their wedding night, she’d almost regretted agreeing to accompany the Walkers for part of the way through the mountains. Evie Walker, however, had become a wonderful friend. The love between her and her husband was clear to see, and while she had her hands full with her two sons, her husband doted on her.
They’d parted ways when they’d reached a valley that stretched along the base of one of the most magnificent mountain ranges she had ever seen. The snow-capped peaks of the Teewinots, Matthew’s name for the towering mountains ahead, were visible for miles as they rose into the sky. They’d followed the course of a winding river aptly named the Snake, and Evie had told them to send her regards to Matthew’s parents when they parted ways.
That had been a week ago. Matthew had led her through dense forests, over high mountains, and along fast-flowing rivers, until they came to the largest lake she’d ever seen. Waves crashed along its shores as if she was standing by the ocean. Off in the distance, more snow-capped mountains lined the horizon, and the forest continued for as far as the eye could see.
Della’s eyes had widened with wonder when she saw her first pools of hot water. The brilliant blue and orange colors beckoned to her, and she’d never seen such pristine clear water before. Matthew had held her back, cautioning her from getting too close.
“They’re beautiful, but also deadly,” he’d said. “No one survives if they fall into one of these.”
She’d watched in amusement as hot mud bubbled like thick porridge in a kettle over the fire, sometimes splattering her dress. She’d stepped back quickly when a splash of mud touched her skin. Matthew had laughed.
“I told you it’s hot, but I guess you had to find out for yourself.”
“What is that over there?” She’d pointed toward the lake, where steam rose along the water’s edge.
“There are hot springs even under the water all along this lakeshore. My guess is, you’d find them further out in the lake as well, but the water is so cold, you’d die if you stayed in it too long trying to investigate.”
Della shook her head in amazement. “I’ll burn to death over here.” She’d pointed to a hot spring not far from shore. “And die of exposure over there.”
“Something like that,” Matthew had said, and led her away from the area once she’d seen enough.
“What other wonders are there to see?” she’d asked eagerly.
“We’ll have all summer to explore, and even this winter if we don’t get snowed in,” he’d whispered against her neck. “And even that won’t be enough time to see it all.”
“Then we’ll have to return to visit your family as often as possible,” she’d replied with a sly smile.
Matthew had led her away from the lake, and back to where they’d set up camp, apparently eager to put an end to that day’s sightseeing. By the time he’d carried her to their blankets, she’d had no objections.
Chapter Fifteen
Matthew tensed next to her under the buffalo robe. His hand slid slowly upward and out from under the covering where he kept his belt and weapons. Della stared at him in the dim light under the covers. He didn’t make a sound. She’d learned by now that he didn’t react like this for no reason. Something had alerted him. Quietly, he moved away from her and out from under the robe, apparently unconcerned about his complete nudity.
Twigs snapped somewhere close by, and a dog barked.
“Come here, Grizzly,” Matthew said loudly.
Della kept a tight hold on her covers. She poked her head out just enough to see. Matthew slipped into his britches at that moment, and a large dog, or was it a wolf, danced happily around his feet.
“Well look what the sky people dropped on the ground. I don’t believe it. Matthew?”
A man’s loud voice drew closer. He laughed, sounding both happy and in disbelief. Della’s heart
sped up in horror. She was under the robe, completely nude, and her dress was too far away to reach. She snatched the covers back over her head.
“Chase,” Matthew said in greeting. “What are you doing this far south?”
Rather than answer, the other man said, “Well, I’ve been wanting to head up a search for you since Zach came home about a week ago to tell us you were dead,” he said slowly. “I told him I was heading toward the Tetons, and from there, to the Wind River. Zach, Sam and Touch the Cloud were going to catch up in a few days.”
“Well, you can save yourself the trouble. I’m alive and well.”
“Yeah, you are.” The other man laughed. “I can already hear Elk Runner saying that the sky people must have great plans for you if they brought you back from the dead.”
Della lowered the robe again out of curiosity, just enough to see. A tall, blond woodsman stood a short distance away. His eyes fell on the robes just then. His brows rose, and a wide grin spread across his face. To Della’s mortification, he looked directly at her, and nudged his chin in her direction.
“And that’s the way I’d wanna die, too. Good for you, man.”
Matthew frowned, and stepped in front of the robes, obstructing the tall man’s view.
“Are you on foot?” he asked gruffly.
“Left my horse back a ways. Grizzly sniffed you out, and I thought I’d better come and check it out.”
“If you wouldn’t mind, go back to your horse, and we’ll catch up with you.”
Laughter rumbled from the other man. “Sure thing. It’s good to have you home, Matt.” He slapped Matthew on the back, and clasped his arm before he turned and whistled. The dog followed on his heels, and the two disappeared into the trees.
Della breathed a sigh of relief. She raised herself to a sitting position, firmly holding the robe against her chest. Matthew knelt beside her, and touched his hand to the top of her head, stroking it slowly down the length of her hair.
Yellowstone Homecoming: Yellowstone Romance Series Novella Page 11
