Fiery Bride

by Cynthia Woolf

  She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’m not teasing. I want this, too. For as long as I’m here, I want you to make love to me. Just don’t think that this will get me to stay. I’m still leaving.”

  He pulled her close again. “I agree,” he whispered into her hair.

  She knew he’d use this as a way to get her to stay. She wasn’t so naïve as to believe he’d change his mind so easily, but she was as determined as he was. Then he closed his lips over hers and she lost all train of thought. Everything in her focused on his lips and hers. Meeting, clashing, feasting.

  Caleb moved his hands up and cradled her face, tracing her cheeks with his thumbs, sending lightning bolts shooting through her. It seemed forever since she felt this close to him even though it had only been days. No one had ever held her with such gentleness or gave her so much joy as Caleb did just with his kiss. Maggie melted. She leaned into him, returning his passion with her own.

  He moved his hands down her neck gently caressing as he went. She felt her pulse pound beneath his finger tips. He swept over the buttons on her dress, untied the laces on her chemise until she was bared to the waist.

  “Lovely, as I remembered, as I’ve been dreaming about. You haunt me in my dreams,” he said as he cupped the soft globes. He grazed his thumbs over her nipples, his calluses abrading them until they were turgid little peaks.

  Her head fell back and the only thing keeping her upright was her grip on his shoulders.

  “Oh, Caleb. That feels so good. It’s been too long. Don’t make me wait.”

  “Darlin’ you’re going to wait and then you’re going to scream my name.”

  Finishing with the buttons on her dress she shrugged it off letting it drop to the floor. Her chemise and bloomers soon followed.

  He lay her down on the blanket he’d spread out on the fresh hay and came down beside her. Propping up on his forearm, he ran his fingertips up and down her stomach sending little tremors of pleasure to her core. He came back to her nipples, pinched them, bent and took one into his mouth where he teased it with his tongue. He pulled back his head and released the swollen nub with a pop and moved on to the other one. She grabbed his head in an attempt to keep him at her breast.

  He chuckled and moved to her belly, kissing as he went down. Fisting the blanket in her hands, she rolled her neck while her body wound tighter and tighter with each kiss downward.

  Finally he reached her slit and opened her nether lips with his fingers, baring her clit to his eager tongue. The first touch almost sent her soaring but he pulled back. “Not yet, honey. I’ve lots more fun to have before you come.”

  “No, Caleb, please. I can’t take it. Please.”

  “Oh, darlin’, you’re in for a treat.” With those words he entered her with one of his long fingers. “You’re so tight. It feels like the first time.”

  “It feels to me like it’s been years,” she said between pants for breath. “Now finish what you started.”

  “Tsk. Tsk. Greedy wench, aren’t you.” He put in another finger and curled the two of them until they reached her special spot. The one that made her freeze and feel everything more intensely.

  “What are you doing to me?” she moaned as he scissored his fingers, tapping on the spot then putting them together to rub against it. He stopped and she settled back down. He did this time and again until she was begging for completion.

  “Please. Please, Caleb. Damn you.”

  His fingers rubbed the spot and his mouth came down on her clit and he suckled her. As his tongue worked her, she pinched her nipples. The first wave of pleasure washed over her like the sea at the New Jersey shore. He circled her with his tongue then lapped at her like a cat with a bowl of cream.

  “Caleb,” she screamed and bucked against his hungry mouth.

  He kept licking, shattering her, until she finally settled, out of breath and gasping. He rose over her, positioned himself between her legs and entered her slick body in one swift sure stroke. He pumped slow, his whiskey colored eyes, black with passion, locked with hers. Bending down he took her bottom lip into his mouth and before claiming all of her mouth.

  His motions became harder, more frantic. Hard, and then harder he slammed into her; sounds of flesh meeting flesh filled her ears. Then he groaned. “Maggie!” he shouted and buried his face in her neck, kissing her, sucking her, he gave her a little bite and she knew she’d have a small mark the next morning.

  He rolled to his side and tucked her under his arm. “You’re an amazing woman, Maggie Selby.”

  She cuddled into him. The breeze from the open loft door was cool against the sheen of sweat that coated her skin. “Thank you, Caleb”

  “Give me some time to recover and we can do it again.”

  “As much as I’d like that, I have to go and finish my chores, as do you. Besides,” she sat up, leaned over and kissed him, “I don’t want you to get tired of me too soon.”

  “Maggie,” he said, his eyes solemn, “I’ll never get tired of you.” He pulled her head down, bringing her lips back to his.

  She felt his manhood stir against her belly and pulled away. “You’re not taking as long as you might have thought to be prepared for round two.”

  “You do that to me. I’m not usually so quick to recover.”

  “Well, it must be later,” she stood and pulled on her bloomers and chemise. Caleb watched her dress and where she’d been ashamed of her body with Edgar, preferring to make love in the dark, with Caleb, it was the opposite. He worshiped her and she suddenly felt proud and wanted to flaunt herself in front of him.

  He got up and put his own clothes on.

  “We have to be careful, Caleb. No one can know. Rachel wouldn’t understand and everyone else would lose all respect for me.”

  “If you’d marry me, none of this sneaking around would be necessary,” he said as he tucked his shirt into his trousers. He sat, brushed off his socks and pulled on his boots. “Turn around and let me get the hay out of your hair.”

  She dutifully turned her back to him and finished buttoning up her dress while he brushed his hands down her back, getting all the hay off of her that he could.

  “I guess I need to bring another blanket up here for next time. We seem to roll around off the one we have. Save us both a lot of trouble cleaning up.”

  Smiling she said, “That would be nice.” She turned in a circle in front of him. “Am I presentable?”

  “You are,” he kissed her nose.

  “You have hay in your hair and on your shirt. Let me brush it off you.”

  “I’m working in the hay loft; I’m supposed to have hay on me.”

  She walked to the ladder and started down it. “See you at dinner. Fran’s going to fix fried chicken if you’ll kill the chickens for her.”

  “Yes, ma’am. How many do you want?”

  “Four. The men are always especially hungry at noon meal. It’s like they think they have to eat more to last until supper. They do know that there are always beans and stew on the stove don’t they?”

  “Yes. They know. They just like Fran’s cooking. I’ll bring the chickens up in a little while. Don’t forget the milk.”

  “Thank you. I won’t.” She finished climbing down the ladder, picked up the pails of milk and walked out of the barn humming. She could definitely get used to that.

  * * *

  Time was growing short. The weddings were today. Maggie and Rachel spent the morning after breakfast gathering wild flowers. She’d arranged them in mason jars around the parlor where the ceremony was taking place.

  Caleb, Tom and Robert built a dance floor and tables for the food and drinks out in the area in front of the house. The happy couples had a band playing and planned for a lot of dancing. Half the town of Golden and all the surrounding ranchers were expected to come.

  Fran and Cassie were acting as each other’s maid of honor and Tom and Robert were each other’s best man. Rachel was the flower girl. Cassie had even surprised he
r with a new blue dress with lace around the ruffle at the bottom. She looked absolutely adorable. How Cassie had managed to make three dresses in little more than two weeks, Maggie didn’t know. Back in New York it took six weeks for Maggie to get three dresses. She guessed she was using the wrong modiste. A relic left over from the Edgar days. It was time to find another. Perhaps the one Cassie worked for before coming to Colorado would be a good choice considering the quality that Cassie’s dresses displayed.

  Maggie wore her best dress. A light green silk she’d had made in Golden for church on Sunday’s. It fit her beautifully, emphasizing her small waist. She wore her hair down for the occasion, pulled back on the sides with two pearl combs. They were two of the pieces of jewelry Edgar had given her that she actually liked. Another of those pieces was an emerald broach that happened to look spectacular with her new silk dress.

  The men, including Caleb, were dressed alike in three piece brown or black suits, white shirts, cravats that matched the suit and clean, black Stetson’s. Each of the three men wore their Sunday suit, were handsome as the devil and each was a good man, too. Her ladies were very lucky women.

  The Reverend Mr. Smith arrived to perform the ceremony. It was like one ceremony until he got to the “I do” part. Then he asked each couple separately. Once the ceremony was over both couples kissed, everyone cheered and the party started.

  Caleb watched Maggie and Maria handle the food. Fran did all the cooking the day before. All they had to do was keep the platters and bowls full. Finally it got down to the last of the chicken and Maggie felt she could enjoy the party, too.

  Caleb waited patiently. He danced with each of the brides and with Rachel but no one else. He waited for Maggie.

  “Are you ready to dance?” he asked when she came up to him where he stood by the hitching rail.

  “I am.”

  “Good.” He took her in his arms and they danced the waltz that was playing. The band played square dances, a Virginia Reel that was particularly popular with the crowd and several more waltzes before the night was over.

  Cassie and Fran had requested they play lots of waltzes so they could dance close with their new spouses. Maggie was glad because it also meant she and Caleb could dance in each other’s arms without attracting attention.

  Caleb arranged for Rachel to go home with John and Sarah Atwood. They had two little girls, just a year or two older than Rachel, who was thrilled to be going to spend the night. It was lonely for her, being an only child, and these visits were a special treat.

  With Cassie and Fran both out of the house, that only left Maria who could sleep through anything. Caleb had plans for tonight that didn’t include anyone but Maggie. He would finally have Maggie in his bed.

  The last person finally left and Maggie started to clean up.

  “Leave it,” he said coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. “Come with me. Come to bed.”

  “I can’t. You know that,” she said as she leaned back against his hard chest.

  He kissed the top of her head. “Rachel is staying with the Atwoods, Cassie is on her wedding night, so is Fran, and Maria won’t bother us.”

  “You’ve thought of everything except the fact that I’m too tired.”

  “I’ll make you feel better and I won’t make love to you.”

  She turned in his arms, looked up at him and cocked her eyebrow.

  He let go of her, crossed his heart and held up his hand. “I promise. Unless of course, you ask.”

  She laughed and settled against his warm chest. “You never give up, do you?”

  “Not where you’re concerned,” he said as he kissed the top of her head. He’d do anything for Maggie except give her what she most wanted. He just didn’t have it in him. Didn’t know how to love her the way she wanted. The way she needed. She loved him. He felt it. She couldn’t respond to him the way she did without loving him. He wished he could give it back to her. If there was ever a woman he could love, it was Maggie.

  CHAPTER 7

  Maggie allowed Caleb to lead her to his room. She’d been in here many times over the last three months to clean but this was the first time she was in the room with him in it, too. Somehow the bed she faced from the door seemed much smaller than it did when she changed the sheets.

  Caleb closed the door behind them, bringing Maggie out of her reverie. He came up behind her and again closed his arms around her waist bringing her back against his heat. “I’m going to make you feel good. Take off your clothes and lie face down in the middle of the bed.”

  She turned to him, a question on her lips, but seeing his face and the loving look on it, she started unbuttoning her dress. Caleb, unable to just watch, helped her, getting her naked in record time. She was long past being embarrassed to be naked in front of him, though having him still fully clothed was a bit disconcerting. Lying face down on the bed, she asked, “Now what?”

  “Now you get to relax.” Strong hands began rubbing her aching shoulders and she felt cream being massaged into them. Her rose cream by the smell of it. She felt his ministrations clear to her toes. Never in her life had she had someone simply massage her muscles. And it felt so good. She hadn’t realized how sore she was until now when he smoothed his hands over and over her, applying pressure and soothing her aching body at the same time.

  “How’s this feel?”

  “Wonderful. I might go to sleep.”

  “If that’s what you need, then do it. I’ll be right here. I’m not going anywhere, Maggie.”

  She got the feeling that he meant that in more ways than just staying with her tonight but she was too tired to question it very hard.

  Warmth. She was cuddled into Caleb’s side and was incredibly warm. Too warm. She threw off the blankets and rolled away from him. Her body still languid from the wonderful massage he’d given her, she fell back asleep.

  Later, she woke again. Her throat was dry. She was so thirsty but weak. “Caleb. Caleb.”

  “What?” he mumbled, his voice heavy with sleep.

  “I don’t feel good. I need water.”

  He sat up and lit the lamp at the bedside.

  “Maggie?” concern laced his voice. He reached over and put his hand on her forehead. “You’re burning up.”

  She nodded. “So hot.”

  He got up and got a glass of water from the pitcher on the commode and took it to her. She was so weak she couldn’t hold the glass and so he held it for her while she sipped. After she’d gotten her fill, he put water into the basin next to the pitcher and wrung out a soft washcloth in the cool water.

  He came back to the bed and laid it on her forehead. She turned into the coolness.

  “Ah, Maggie, you’re sick. You worked too hard on this wedding.”

  She moaned.

  “I’m going to go make you some tea. You get some rest and I’ll be right back.”

  She tried to nod her head but the pain shot through it and all she could do was close her eyes tight and press the cloth more firmly against her forehead.

  Caleb pulled on his pants and went to the kitchen. She was asleep when he got back. He hoped she slept while he was gone, but now he needed to get the tea in her.

  “Here, sweetheart, drink this.”

  He helped her to sit up some and then held a cup of hot tea for her to sip at. He’d put honey in it so it would soothe her throat.

  “Not too fast. It’s hot.”

  She lay back down and tried to shove the covers off of herself. “So hot.”

  “You’ve got a fever. I’ll get you some willow bark tea and it will help to break the fever and with your headache.”

  “Thank you.”

  He pulled the covers up around her chin. “I’ll be back. Stay under the covers.”

  As soon as he was out of the room she must have kicked off the covers and got up, went to the window and opened it. When Caleb returned she was sitting on the floor under the window.

  “Damn it, Maggie. What
do you think you’re doing? You’ll take a chill.” He set the tea on the night table, then went and picked her up in his arms.

  “It was too hot,” she murmured.

  He put her back in bed and pulled the covers up around her chest, leaving her arms bare. Then he helped her drink the willow bark tea. It was still the middle of the night and he knew it was going to be a long one.

  After he got her settled he left again and came back with one of her nightgowns. Then he took the washcloth she’d abandoned in the bed, rewet it and began to stroke it down her arms and across her chest.

  She relaxed under his caring hands and fell asleep.

  Maggie was too hot. He worked to keep her cool and to break the fever that had her gripped in its claws. He stroked the cool cloth up and down her arms, back and forth across her chest. By the time he’d gotten one pass the cloth was already warm from her fevered skin. He rewet it in the cool water and started again.

  After he’d cooled her down a bit, he had her drink some more of the willow bark tea until it was all gone. He’d make some more in a couple of hours if her fever still hadn’t broken. She’d fallen asleep again and seemed to be resting peacefully. He lay down beside her gathered her into his arms and fell asleep.

  Something hit him in the chest waking him instantly. Maggie was thrashing, deep in the throes of some nightmare no doubt brought on by her fever.

  “Shh. Maggie. Sweetheart. Wake up,” he said gently while he gathered her into his arms again.

  She struggled for an instant and then settled against him. Her fever still raged. He’d have to wake Maria. He needed help to get it down.

  Getting up from the bed, he pulled on a shirt and went to get Maria.

  They returned with a fresh pitcher of water and another basin. Caleb moved a chair next to the bed for her.

  “Maria, I’d appreciate it if you…,”

  She shook her head. “Mr. Caleb, I won’t say anything. What you and Mrs. Maggie do is your business. Let’s just get her well.”