She was so beautiful and he reacted so powerfully to her. She was his perfect match. Even her head fit perfectly in the hollow between his shoulder and neck. And her intoxicating body was beyond perfection and made him feel like a breathless boy of eighteen.
But it was her spirit that he found most enthralling. Strength, courage, and faith ran strong in her character. And only love guided her open heart. She was truthful and guileless. If she ever managed to deceive or hurt him, it would not be intentional.
She’d come so far since he first met her—from the traumatized victim of abuse and rape to a woman whose strength was admired by not only him but now also by so many of the townspeople. He wanted to do everything he could to help her feel good about herself and to make her glad to be with him. She was a priceless diamond he cherished and she seemed to sparkle more with every day that passed.
He quickly unsaddled Smoke and got his feed as well as Ginger’s, and then raced toward the cabin anxious to hold Kelly in his arms. Even his long legs couldn’t get him there fast enough to suit him.
Before he even opened the door, intoxicating aromas assailed him. Was that fresh bread he smelled?
“My Darling,” Kelly cried as she opened the door. She ran onto the porch and hugged him, dressed in her nicest gown. She’d piled her long hair on top of her head in some sort of dazzling display of curls and ribbons. She smelled of lavender, roses, and fresh air. Something else was different that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Her lips appeared pinker than normal, her eyes sparkled, and her cheeks glowed.
“My love,” he said. “You look spectacular. Let me look at you!” He clutched her fingers and whirled her around in a circle. “Positively ravishing.” He had a feeling he would remember how she looked just now for a very long time.
“Thank you, Sir,” she said and then looked past him. “William, look, it’s snowing!”
He turned around and, with the bright rays of the setting sun spilling over their hills and through the trees, he saw a sky and forest full of what looked like tiny white stars. “My mother used to say the first snow signals a coming blessing.”
“Your mother was a wise woman,” she said.
A wonderful aroma drifted out onto the porch. “What are all these wonderful smells? Bread? You actually made bread?”
“I did!” she proclaimed, taking him by the hand and leading him inside. “I used the cookbook you gave me.” Then she excitedly rattled off the rest of the items she’d prepared for their dinner.
“Is this a special occasion I forgot about?”
“It is indeed a singular occasion. But you will have to wait to learn just how special.”
He bent down to pat Riley and then just decided to pick him up. Carrying the dog around cradled in his arms, like the spoiled baby that he was, he surveyed all the luscious bowls of steaming food spread out on their table. “I can see I am in for a real feast,” he said. “Don’t worry Riley, I’ll sneak you a couple of bites.”
He stood in front of the hearth for a moment to warm up and then put Riley down, removed his tricorne, weapons, powder horn, and lead pouch. As he turned back to her, she was smiling from ear to ear. Her obvious animation made him wonder just what she was up to.
“Is all well in Boonesborough?” she asked.
“Yes, I caught a hog thief today and organized some volunteers to stand guard duty at the fort, since the militia has gone to Fort Logan.” Not wanting to spoil the festive mood, he left unsaid his letter to Lexington’s sheriff.
Her youthful liveliness faded anyway as concern filled her face. “Is there some reason the fort needs guards?”
“No, I just believe in being prepared. Colonel Boone asked me to care for our town and I mean to do so.”
“I do hope Colonel Byrd and his men will return safely.”
“Indeed,” he said, taking a seat at the table. “I wish I had known we were having a special dinner, I would have tried to secure us another bottle of wine.”
“I made some spiced tea for us. I thought you might want something warm after your chilly ride home,” she said, pouring him some.
After she placed the pot on the table, he tugged her into his lap, and then took a sip of the brew. “Hmm, delicious,” he said, and then kissed her deeply. “Hmm, even more delicious.” He looked her over seductively, letting his eyes linger on the creamy mounds on her chest. “Do you think our dinner would suffer if we waited to eat?” he asked, breathing into her ear, and letting a fingertip explore her cleavage.
Quickly affected by his touch and obvious desire for her, she whispered, “Perhaps if I covered it the food would not suffer too greatly.” She captured his mouth with her own and chewed on his lower lip. “I warn you, though, I am ravenously hungry.”
“You’re not talking about food, are you?”
“No, I’m not,” she answered, her voice thick and breathy.
He slipped her gown off her shoulder and started to nibble there, lingering until he felt her chest begin to rise and her breathing quicken, then he lowered his lips as far as the dress would allow to the top of her breasts. “We need to get you out of this gown,” he suggested between kisses. “It’s impeding progress.”
“Indeed,” she said, and hastily covered the food.
When she finished, he kissed her again, then they reluctantly parted to dispense with their clothing in a feverish rush. Smiling at each other, they met again in the one place in the world where they could take time for tenderness and to give each other pleasure. To make their love sparkle with life.
William’s large hands began a lust-arousing exploration of Kelly’s flesh.
Holding her close, he was everywhere and every touch felt like a caress. Every kiss an embrace. Every cuddle a hug. Never had their love-making made her feel so worshiped. So valued.
Enfolded in the haven of his love, her spirit soared with happiness taking her on a glorious ride—first gliding through soft rolling hills and vales of pleasure—and then surging skyward in a wild frenzied spree of ecstasy to the tops of mountains.
Kelly wanted him to soar with her and she drew him closer to her and caressed the length of his back. Then her hands roamed freely over his firm body and she delighted in the feel of his strong muscles beneath her fingertips. Snuggling up against him, she wrapped her legs around his. As always, she felt the intense heat of his body down the entire length of hers.
She reached under William’s head, wove her fingers through his thick golden hair, and kissed him, letting all her love and fervor for him flow from her lips. The tender passion he returned filled her with a desire that heated every drop of her rushing blood.
Burying her face in his neck, she deposited an ardent kiss there, while he in turn kissed her cheek and hair. The caress of his soft lips set her aflame and passion pulsated through her head, her heart, and her entire body. Then a glorious soul-reaching kiss made her wonder if a heart could burst with love. For surely hers was in danger.
She wanted to say she loved him. But the words seemed inadequate. Too little and too few to express the profound depth of what she felt now for William. Her mind searched for another way to tell him. But everything she could think of seemed insufficient and imperfect.
Then, as his hand reached down below her belly, she remembered their child. What better way to show her love. The thought elated her.
Her heart raced, passion, and excitement both making her dizzy and breathless. Sparked first in her heart, then smoldering through her breasts, the blaze within her own body quickly spread out of control, like a raging wildfire that couldn’t be stopped. It burned wildly, fed by her roaring desire, until a series of white-hot flashes began to explode within her, each one more powerful than the last. The final blinding flash consumed her, leaving her breathless and stunned.
As they ate their dinner companionably in their nightclothes, the room lit by the bright gleam of the hearth fire and the table by the soft glow of candles, William decided he could never be happier th
an this. He kept smiling at her, knowing he must seem like a lovesick schoolboy, but he couldn’t help it.
He also couldn’t help worrying about her. He decided it was time to broach the topic. “Kelly, I’ve been thinking.”
“Oh dear,” she teased. “I don’t know if I can do that again so soon.”
“As delightful as that sounds, that’s not what I was about to suggest.”
“What is it then?”
“I’m concerned about leaving you out here all alone every day. We averted this last danger, and you were extraordinarily brave, but it could have ended far differently.” He wouldn’t say exactly how bad it could have been.
“William, I refuse to live in town. I hate big cities. You know that. I need the peace and solitude of the forest and hills.” She threw a few more small pieces of wood on the fire and sparks fluttered off the glowing coals.
“I know how you feel about that and also know how much you love it here.”
“I do, it’s so incredibly picturesque. The hills are stunningly beautiful. No wonder Boone chose to settle here. And I’ve discovered this wonderful place at the top of the ridge. The view from there is remarkable. I went up there this afternoon and I actually heard the wind whisper!”
“What did it say?”
“That you love me.”
“I do Kelly. That’s why I want so desperately to keep you safe. Here’s my idea. Why don’t we ask your father to move here as soon as he finishes helping Sam out? He and I could build a small cabin next door and he can have his own place so we can keep some privacy here.”
“William, that’s a marvelous idea! It would make me so happy to have him close, now that he’s changed so much. I can keep an eye on him to be sure he stays strong and doesn’t backslide into drinking again. And he can lend a hand around the place while you’re in town every day. He would be a big help. And when he grows older, I’ll be able to help him. Just as a family should. That would mean a lot to me. And to him. Oh, thank you, William, thank you!” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him.
“I would do anything to make you happy and keep you safe. I love you so much my love,” he said.
“I could tell that quite well earlier,” she teased with a half-smile.
“It was a spectacular experience. Do you suppose we could have conceived a child? It was truly that special.” They had never discussed parenthood but the possibility thrilled him.
“No,” she said simply.
“No?”
“No,” she repeated, her face a mysterious mask.
He couldn’t understand. “Do you have some womanly problem you’ve never told me about?”
“No,” she said again, this time with a coy look on her face.
Then her lovely eyes started to shine with moisture and her almost lustrous face blushed.
Did she not want children? “Then why?”
“Because you cannot conceive when you are already with child.”
He stood and nearly knocked the table over. Dishes clattered and one of the candles tipped over. He quickly reached for it, setting it aright. His suddenly buoyant heart felt like it had jumped out of his chest. He threw his napkin down, the rest of his dinner forgotten.
Breathless, he gawked at her, letting her news sink in. For a moment or two, they just stared at each other, too overcome with emotions to do anything else. Her eyes sparkled like the sun bouncing off glassy blue water. She held her hands together as if praying, waiting for him to respond. When he was finally able to breathe, a smile broke across his face.
Intense satisfaction shone through her eyes and her grin broadened.
Joy bubbled out of him into a laugh and then he hollered with pleasure, feeling the glory of the moment. He’d been wrong earlier. It was possible for him to be happier than he’d been just moments ago. In fact, he was so overjoyed he felt like singing, humming, whistling, playing his fiddle, all at once. Or skipping, leaping, running, shouting, bouncing on his toes—anything to express his overwhelming pleasure.
He picked Riley up by his paws and danced with the young dog, who barked joyfully.
Kelly sat back in her chair and watched with smug delight, laughing.
He tried to find his voice, to invite her to dance with them, but couldn’t. Deciding a hug was more in order anyway, he held his arms out wide, and went to her. He wrapped his arms around her in an embrace so heartfelt that it heated the clothing between them.
Feeling exhilarated and light-hearted, he lifted her straight up and twirled her in a circle.
She looked down at him with a brilliant smile.
He finally found his voice as he sat her feet on the floor. “I’m going to be a Papa!”
“He’ll be calling you Papa Sheriff.”
“He’ll? Maybe she’ll be calling me Papa Sheriff,” he said, elated by either possibility and hearing his voice crack a little.
Joyful tears filled his eyes as he held his wife and child tightly against his heart.
Life is a beautiful thing.
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THE END
About the Author
Amazon bestselling novelist Dorothy Wiley is an award-winning, multi-published author of Historical Romance and Western Romance. Her first two series, the American Wilderness Series and Wilderness Hearts Series are set on the American frontier when Kentucky was the West. And because nothing stays the same on the frontier, not even its location, her third series, Wilderness Dawning—the Texas Wyllie Brothers, continues the highly-acclaimed Wyllie family saga but brings some of the family to the new edge of the West—Texas. All of her novels blend thrilling action with the romance of a moving love story to create exceedingly engaging page-turners.
Like Wiley’s compelling heroes, who from the onset make it clear they will not fail despite the adversities they face, this author is likewise destined for success. Her novels have won numerous awards, notably a Will Rogers Medallion Award, a RONE Award Finalist, a Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal, a Laramie Award Finalist, a Chatelaine Finalist for Romantic Fiction, an Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Quarter-finalist, a USA Best Book Awards Finalist, and a Historical Novel Society Editor’s Choice.
And Wiley’s books continue to earn five-star ratings from readers and high praise from reviewers, including several Crowned Heart reviews from InD’Tale Magazine.
Wiley’s extraordinary historical and western romances, inspired by history, teem with action and cliff-edge tension. Her books’ timeless messages of family and loyalty are both raw and honest. In all her novels, the author’s complex characters come alive and are joined by a memorable ensemble of friends and family. And, as she skillfully unravels a compelling tale, Wiley includes rich historical elements to create a vivid colonial world that celebrates the heritage of the frontier.
Wiley attended college at The University of Texas in Austin. She graduated with honors, receiving a Bachelor of Journalism, and grew to dearly love both Texas and a 7th-generation Texan, her husband Larry. Her husband’s courageous ancestors, early pioneers of Kentucky, Louisiana, and Texas, inspired her novels. After a distinguished career in corporate marketing and public relations, Wiley is living her dream—writing novels that touch the hearts of her readers.
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Also by Dorothy Wiley
TITLES BY DOROTHY WILEY
All of Wiley’s novels, in her closely related series, are available in both print and eBook, and many in audiobooks at www.amazon.com/author/dorothywiley
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So far, the story of the Wyllies is told in three series—
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AMERICAN WILDERNESS SERIES
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Book One — the story of Stephen and Jane:
WILDERNESS TRAIL OF LOVE
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Book Two — the story of Sam and Catherine:
NEW FRONTIER OF LOVE
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Book Three — the story of William and Kelly:
WHISPERING HILLS OF LOVE
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Book Four — the story of Bear and Artis:
FRONTIER HIGHLANDER VOW OF LOVE
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Book Five — A story of Sam and Catherine and the entire family:
FRONTIER GIFT OF LOVE
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Book Six — the story of Edward and Dora:
THE BEAUTY OF LOVE
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WILDERNESS HEARTS SERIES
Romancing the Wilderness: American Wilderness Series Boxed Bundle Books 1 - 3 Page 80
