Bayou Bride

by Bobbi Smith

  Though not bold in her actions, Peri was without fear. Her eyes never left his as she reached up to help him. She loved this man. She trusted him with her life, and she wanted to share all the wonder of her feelings with him, to express the depth of her emotions physically.

  Philip parted the soft material, and a tremor of need shook him as he gazed down at the beauty of her breasts beneath the semisheer chemise she wore. His touch was light, reverent, as he pushed the blouse from her shoulders and slipped down the straps of her chemise. The lacy edge caught at the crests of her breasts and he gave a groan at the seductive display. It seemed as if he was moving in slow motion.. .He dipped his head to press kiss after heated kiss along the tops of that satiny flesh.

  "Oh, Philip.. .that feels so good," she whispered, arching to his mouth and in that movement allowing the chemise to slip completely free of her breasts.

  His mouth sought the crest of one pale breast, and she couldn't stop the cry of ecstasy that escaped her. His caress was unlike anything she'd ever experienced before. Desire, hot and pulsing, throbbed through her. Settling low in her body, it created a driving need within her, the need to move, to get even closer to him, to feel the hardness of him against her.

  Peri's eagerness nearly drove Philip out of his mind. He raised up to kiss her once more, then picked her up in his arms and carried her to the softness of his bed. He lay her upon it, brushing aside the tangle of blankets and following her down, lying beside her so he could gaze upon her loveliness.

  "You're more beautiful than I ever dreamed..." he told her, his gaze warm upon her.

  Peri blushed then for the first time. "I'm glad you think so." She smiled dreamily. "Kiss me..."

  Philip bent to do her will, their mouths meeting in a flaming kiss that reduced any resistance that might have lingered in their souls to cinders. They both wanted this. There would be no holding back.

  When the embrace ended, he shifted away only long enough to help her finish undressing. Her outer garments were shed with haste, but he took his time and made erotic play out of stripping away the chemise. He traced a pattern of love on her skin as he drew the soft garment down her body. His lips lingered at her breasts, then her waist, and finally he kissed the sweetness of her thighs.

  Anxious to be one with her, Philip paused in his lovemaking to partially undress. He came to her with his pants still on, for fear of distressing her. But though she was innocent, she was not an ordinary young girl.

  "Philip ...I want to know all of you, as you'll know me."

  Her sweet acceptance encouraged him, and he wasted no time in discarding the last of his clothing. They came together in a blaze of glory. Heated flesh pressed to heated flesh. Philip's hands skimmed over her sensitive curves, cupping and molding her to him. Following his lead, Peri began to caress him with equal fervor. She explored the width of his powerful shoulders and the hair-roughed plane of his chest. His body was foreign to her, but she was eager to learn all the differences between them. They sought only to please each other. Each touch, each kiss, took them higher and higher, until they were no longer satisfied apart.

  Philip moved to fill her with his love, breaching her innocence with the heat of his desire. Peri tensed, the pain of his possession momentarily sharp. But as he continued to kiss her, talking to her in low tones and telling her of his love, she relaxed and accepted him fully.

  It was a blending of beauty, a rare and splendid loving. Philip began to move, but kept his pace slow so as not to hurt her any further. Though it was all new to her, Peri quickly understood what he needed from her. She matched her movements to his, wanting to give him pleasure. They gave to each other the rapture of passion's play. The joy of their union spiraling to heights of ecstasy they hadn't known existed.

  The peak of pleasure burst upon them with explosive wonder. They clung to one another, gasping in surprise as wave after wave of rapturous delight washed through them. Each peak seemed to take them even higher than the last, until the crest was reached in a moment of breathless exhilaration that eclipsed anything they'd ever known before.

  Caught up in the vortex of tempestuous love, they held tightly to each other until the storm of their desire calmed. Their bodies as one, they drifted on a sea of enchantment, oblivious to all but the glory of their joining and the truth of their love.

  Long minutes later, awareness slowly returned. As they lay quietly together they had no regrets. Their lovemaking had been as special as they'd known it would be. With languid movements, they still touched and explored, but this time with gentleness and curiosity. It was a moment of intimacy, a bonding of hearts and minds.

  "I'd better go..." Peri whispered, realizing how long she'd been away but making no real move to get up as Philip caressed the smooth curve of her hip.

  "I know," he answered huskily, his hand moving to her waist and then to her breasts.

  She gave a little whimpering moan as he cupped the soft mound and kissed the pert peak. Desire pulsed through her again as he worked his magic upon her flesh, and she was deeply disappointed when he drew away.

  "I have to stop this. We might be discovered at any minute," he confessed, kissing her tenderly. "But you're so irresistible to me..."

  "I don't want to leave you..."

  "Once we're married, we'll never be apart."

  "I'm counting on that," she told him with a loving smile.

  They rose together and helped one another dress, caressing and kissing with each garment that they were forced to don. Philip watched as Peri used his brush to fix her hair. He moved behind her as she stood before the mirror, and he slipped his arms around her, pulling her back against him and kissing the side of her neck. Peri purred with contentment and turned in his arms for one last, lingering embrace. When at long last they parted with the promise to meet again as soon as she could get away, her cheeks were flushed with happiness and her eyes were alight with the knowledge that she loved and was loved.

  Charles came awake slowly in a fog of pain. The weight in his chest was oppressive, and he was having great difficulty breathing. He wanted to sit up, to do something to ease the distress, but he could barely muster the strength to move. All of his energy had to be used just to inhale. With agonizing clarity he realized what was happening. Soon the struggle to live would end. Soon the excruciating pain would be over and he would be able to rest in peace.

  The thought of dying did not frighten Charles. The thought of dying without seeing his son again hurt him unbearably. There was little time left, and Charles wanted desperately to be with him. Dominic was his gift to life, his pride and joy. He needed him there. He needed to gaze upon him and know that he was a fine, strong man who would be all right alone.

  "Nick..." he called his name, his voice a dry rasp.

  Jordan had been standing at the window watching the bustle of plantation life and thinking how very strange it seemed that everyday things went on so smoothly when in reality the whole world was falling apart. The sound of Charles's strangled call pierced her downcast thoughts and brought her rushing to his bedside.

  "Charles, It's Jordan, I'm here," she reassured him, taking his hand and holding it tightly in hers.

  "Jordan..." he went on slowly, each word an effort as he fought to breathe. "I need Nick... Please, find Nick..."

  Fear clutched at Jordan as she realized how terrible he looked, and she went cold with dread. "I'll get him for you, Charles. Please, I'll be back as soon as I can." She gave his hand a squeeze and, kissing his cheek softly, fled the room.

  Peri had just entered the house, feeling lighthearted and happy, when she came face to face with Jordan as she rushed down the stairs.

  "Peri! Thank God you're here-"

  "Jordan.. .what is it?"

  "Charles is much worse and he's asking for Nick. I've got to go get him. He's with Slater at that meeting," she quickly explained. "Can you stay with Charles until I get back?"

  "I'll go right up."

  Weddington had heard t
he noise in the hall and hurried forth to see what was wrong.

  "Weddington, he's worse, and he's asking for Nick. I'm going to get him now. Have a horse brought around for me."

  "A horse, ma'am?"

  "I can't afford to waste time in a carriage, I'm afraid every minute counts."

  "Yes, Miss Jordan. Miss Peri, I'll be up to help you just as soon as I take care of the horses."

  Peri had already mounted the steps and was racing down the hall to her uncle's room. When she entered she found that he'd fallen back into a fitful sleep, the exertion of speaking to Jordan having taken a dramatic toll on what little strength he had left. As quietly as she could, Peri sat down in the chair by the bed to wait.

  Within minutes, Weddington had a horse brought around front for Jordan. One of the stable hands mounted up to accompany her.

  "It'll be safer for you to have him along."

  "Thank you." Jordan gave him a heartfelt look. She knew that the butler loved Charles as much as the family did and that he was suffering, too. With Weddington's help, she swung up into the sidesaddle, and without pause the two riders headed off at speed for Mitchell's Taveran.

  Julian Kirkwood was a heavy-set, middle-aged man who dressed with style and spoke with easygoing confidence. But his icy, beady blue eyes revealed the truth of his soul. Nick and Slater sensed immediately that he was not a man to trifle with or to take lightly. The three of them sat in a small back room at the tavern now, closing their deal over a drink.

  "I appreciate your interest in my seagoing ventures," Kirkwood pronounced with robust authority as he sipped of the whiskey he'd ordered.

  "When do you think we'll be receiving a return on our investment?" Nick pressed, trying to find out whatever information he could. Until now, Kirkwood had been amazingly adroit at avoiding giving specific answers to their questions, but now that he had their money, Nick figured it was time to ask for some hard facts.

  "I'll keep you fully informed, but I should think you'll be seeing a payment within four months. Maybe sooner, if everything works out right."

  "Good, the sooner, the better." Slater smiled wolfishly. Their whole pretense in meeting with him had been that they needed to make money fast, and they didn't care how.

  Believing their ploy fully, Kirkwood had relaxed as the meeting had gone on. He'd had Nick and Slater checked carefully before meeting them and had found them both to be upstanding citizens. As far as he'd been able to discern, there was nothing in their backgrounds to give him cause for worry. Besides, now that he had their bank drafts in his pocket, it was too late for them to give him any argument against being involved in slave running, anyway.

  "Right now, gentlemen, our flagship, the Sea Demon, is en route to Africa to pick up a very profitable cargo, if you know what I mean?"

  Nick and Slater both went still at this first mention of the death ship they'd been trying to trace. Feelings of fury, followed closely by feelings of victory, surged through them. They were close now, very close. All they had to do was to notify some of Slater's government contacts, and when the Sea Demon came within territorial waters they'd snare the ship and its filthy, murdering, amoral owners.

  "We know what you mean," Nick answered, smiling coolly. It amazed him that he could be so calm when all he wanted to do was take Kirkwood by the throat and strangle him. Still, it wasn't time yet. There was still Kirkwood's mysterious other partner to track down.

  "You'll keep us posted at regular intervals?" Slater inquired easily.

  "Definitely. Now that we're officially partners in this investment, I'll give you my address. That way, should you ever need to contact me for any reason, you'll know where to find me."

  "Fine," they both agreed.

  Kirkwood gave them the information, then they rose to shake hands, the meeting concluded. As they were saying their good-byes the door to the room suddenly burst open and Jordan came rushing in unannounced.

  "Nick, I'm..." She stopped, frozen in place. Her face drained of all color and her voice failed her at the sight of Julian Kirkwood, an associate of Luther's she met once in passing in Luther's office many months ago.

  Terror seized her soul, for she feared that he was there looking for her. She went cold and began to shake. Her heart was pounding and felt like it would burst in her chest. She wanted to run, but she couldn't seem to move. She stood poised like a doe in the midst of danger.

  The men looked up at the unexpected interruption. Nick saw the terrible look of fear and distress on Jordan's face and immediately went to her.

  "Jordan, what is it?" he asked earnestly as he took her by the shoulders in a gentle grip, his eyes boring into hers.

  "It's Charles," she managed, maneuvering her back to Kirkwood's avid gaze and praying madly that he hadn't recognized her.

  "My father..." Nick repeated, then glanced back at Slater. "Slater, I have to go..."

  Slater waved them on, and Nick and Jordan rushed from the room together. As she hurried back to her mount, Jordan's hands were shaking uncontrollably and her knees threatened to buckle. She was trembling so badly that only with Nick's help was she able to climb back in the saddle. Her nerves were stretched taut as she kept checking the door, expecting Kirkwood to come charging outside at any minute. When he didn't come after her she offered up a quick prayer of thanks, and then turned her thoughts to getting back to Riverwood as quickly as possible. Putting her heel to the horse's flank, she raced for home at Nick's side.

  Understanding the urgency of their situation, Slater made their excuses to Kirkwood. He then left the tavern, intending to travel to Riverwood himself to be there in case Nick needed him.

  After they'd all departed and he was alone, Julian frowned in thoughtful consideration. There had been something vaguely familiar about Kane's wife, but he wasn't sure exactly what it was. The look of shock and panic on her face had been disconcerting, but he assumed she'd been fearful because she'd dared to interrupt her husband's private meeting. Certainly, women had no right to intrude on such business affairs, but he supposed in a life-or-death situation it could be forgiven.

  Dismissing the nagging feeling that he'd met her before, he patted the pocket that held the bank drafts and left the room. The day had been a most successful one, and he was pleased.

  Jordan was terrified on the ride to Riverwood. At any moment she expected to find Kirkwood thundering up the trail behind them, ready to have her arrested for Luther's murder and shipped back in irons to England. With the passing of each mile, though, she slowly came to realize that he hadn't followed her. The nearly hysterical fear that had gripped her since leaving the tavern calmed a bit, and she was finally able to bring herself under some sort of control.

  Jordan's thoughts were in turmoil as she tried to make sense out of what had happened. Nick and Slater had met with Kirkwood, but why? Nick had mentioned that it was a business meeting about shipping, and she wondered if that could be true. Logic told her it could. Luther and Kirkwood had both made their fortunes in shipping. Now that Luther was dead, Kirkwood was probably in need of new investors. Maybe that's what the meeting had really been about.

  The thought that Nick and Slater might be investing in the illegal slave trade sickened her, but she had no time to worry about that. Just the knowledge that Kirkwood might have had another legitimate reason for being there with Nick sent relief swelling through her.

  As they traveled toward home, moving farther and farther away from the tavern and the man who could send her to the gallows, Jordan managed to convince herself that he hadn't recognized her. Calming though that was, it was still not completely reassuring. She had met him once in passing in Luther's office many months ago, and given time and opportunity, she felt certain that he would eventually remember the encounter. Because of all the confusion and excitement at the tavern, he'd only gotten a quick glimpse of her, but if they ever met in more quiet surroundings, she was certain her life would be over.

  Jordan was tempted to run away now and take advant
age of the small headstart she'd have if she did, but her love for Nick and Charles held her bound. She had promised Nick that she would stay with him until the end, and she knew she could do no less.

  Jordan told herself she would deal with it only if Kirkwood did come for her. Until that time, she would fulfill her part of the bargain. A fervent prayer was on her lips for the duration of the ride to Riverwood as she begged God to let things somehow work out, at least until Charles was resting in peace.

  Peri heard the sounds of horses racing up the drive, and she rushed to the window to make sure it was Nick and Jordan returning. When she saw it was them, she ran from the room to meet them.

  Nick paused outside only long enough to help Jordan dismount. Then, his father foremost in his mind, he ran inside and took the stairs two steps at a time in his haste to see him. Reaching the second floor hall, he found Peri standing outside his father's room. His heart constricted with fear, for he thought he was too late.

  "Is he...?" His question was choked with emotion as his eyes locked with his cousin's.

  "No," Peri quickly reassured him.

  "Thank God! I've got to see him..." Nick moved past her to enter the bedroom.

  "How is he, Peri?" Jordan asked as she reached the top of the stairs.

  "Jordan ...I'm scared. He hasn't stirred since you left," she confided, glancing into the room toward Nick. "He can't breathe. He fights for each breath, but it never seems to be enough..." Her expression faltered. Uncle Charles meant a lot to her, and she hated to see him suffering so.

  Jordan nodded and took her hand. "We'd better go in with Nick."

  They entered the room to begin the vigil they knew wouldn't end until Charles had left them.

  Nick had drawn the chair as close as he possibly could to the side of the bed and was sitting there, talking in low tones, trying to let his father know he was there.