And Those Who Trespass Against Us (33 page)

Catriona shook her head, her eyes filled with wonder.

"What is it?" Katherine asked.

"I can't believe I'm finally here beside the woman I love."

She lightly brushed away a tear from Catriona's eye. "I couldn't think of any place I'd rather be."

Katherine eyes fluttered closed when Catriona lips met hers. Catriona's soft touch ignited a spark, and the passion they had concealed from each other for so long was set afire. Catriona began a sensuous assault on Katherine's mouth. Her fingers played their way down Katherine's back, coming to rest on Katherine's backside.

Katherine's breath hitched and she broke free of their kiss. "The first time you touched me like that I thought I was on fire." She softly pressed a kiss to Catriona's collarbone. "All I knew is that I wanted so much more."

"You can have it all." Catriona pulled Katherine to her, reclaiming her lips with her own.

Catriona's lips parted and Katherine's tongue lightly touched Catriona's. Catriona moaned. Katherine's delicate hands charted their own course along the muscles of Catriona's back.

"Oh my God," Catriona said as she broke their kiss. "For a celibate woman, you have an uncanny knack of knowing what excites me."

"I'm glad, because I
really
have no idea of what I'm doing. It just feels--right."

"It's
very
right." Catriona eased Katherine on to her back. She traced a lazy line up Katherine's side, until her fingers came into contact with the outer fullness of Katherine's breast. Deliberately avoiding their more sensitive centre, Catriona gently stroked her breast--her fingers teasing and barely touching the outer reaches of her tender pebbled flesh.

Where Catriona touched her tingled, as if her skin retained a permanent imprint of the intimate contact. Katherine attempted to chase Catriona's hand, growling when she removed it. "Catriona." Katherine failed to keep the desperation out of her voice.

"You never were very patient, were you? Trust me, all good things come to those who wait." With a smile, Catriona lowered her head and trailed a path of kisses down Katherine's throat to her breast. She lightly touched the erect nipple with her tongue, barely allowing her lips to touch Katherine's skin.

Katherine moaned and arched her body, desperately attempting to heighten the sensation of Catriona's busy lips.

"Oh, yes," she hissed when, finally, Catriona's mouth closed around her eager nipple. Katherine couldn't believe the wonderful sensations coursing through her. Her body instinctively reacted, and she shuddered with desire at the feel of Catriona's tongue and teeth grazing her nipple. Eager to maximise the contact, she laced her hands in Catriona's hair and drew her head to her breast.

Katherine lightly tugged Catriona's hair, while Catriona nuzzled her way across to her chest. She softly raked Katherine's breast with her teeth, and lightly blew on it and raked it again.

Just when Katherine thought the sensations inside her had reached their pinnacle, her body began a slow burn. Catriona's hand weaved its way down her body drawing feather light circles on her stomach and then finding the sensitive crease of skin where leg meets hip. Strumming the delicate skin with her fingers, Catriona teasingly encroached on the outer regions of Katherine's hair then slowly retraced her way to the safer ground of her hips.

"Oh God, please, Catriona, please!" Katherine cried, unsure of what she was asking for, yet seeking deliverance from the exquisite tension she was experiencing.

Catriona laughed with pleasure. She brushed her hand over Katherine's mound and rested her hand on the inside of Katherine's thigh. With a deeper primal sexual instinct, Katherine parted her legs. Catriona's fingers trailed ever so slightly over her lips, and Katherine raised her legs, opening herself to her.

Catriona's fingers parted her soft folds of flesh, and Katherine shuddered. She looked down to where Catriona rested her head against her chest.

"Oh, my darling you are so ready," Catriona said. Fingers lingering in Katherine's wetness, she raised her head and possessively kissed her.

Katherine couldn't believe the pleasure she was feeling. Wherever Catriona touched, her skin burned. What had started as butterflies in her stomach had now progressed to a horde of stampeding elephants. With a will of their own, her hips moved in concert with Catriona's stroking. Her fingers beat a relentless tattoo in Katherine's readiness, her tongue languished in Katherine's mouth.

Catriona broke away from their kiss, cerulean eyes locked with emerald pools of desire. "Trust me," Catriona entreated.

"Trust you," Katherine managed, her breathing ragged, "with my life." She passionately claimed Catriona's lips with her own.

Katherine felt a fleeting resistance, followed by slight pain when Catriona entered her. The pain was quickly forgotten. Catriona's fingers moved inside her and she arched her hips in time with Catriona's beat. Catriona's thumb delicately stroked her bud and she released a guttural cry.

On sensory overload, Katherine could no longer focus. Her passion continued to mount. Her body disassociated itself from her mind. Her hips thrust faster with Catriona's frenzied caresses. She was vaguely conscious that the voice urging Catriona on was her own. Then, as if breaking through an invisible barrier, Katherine shuddered uncontrollably. Screaming out Catriona's name, she held Catriona's head to her breast, twitching as she slowly regained control over her body.

Catriona slowed her ministrations, and Katherine lay back on the bed and wiped her face. Catriona's breathing was ragged, her face aglow.

Katherine cupped Catriona's face in her hand. Her thumb stroked the soft fuzz on her cheek. "If someone had tried to explain to me what just happened between us, I wouldn't have believed them. I don't think I've ever experienced anything so, so passionate and frenzied, and yet so beautiful." Uncontrolled tears welled in her eyes. "Thank you," she said and embraced Catriona.

For Catriona the moment was almost too much too bear. Resting in Katherine's arms, she felt her own tears begin when she realised how long she had waited to openly love Katherine. Thinking back to her recent rekindling of her relationship with Adele, she could find no comparison. She wanted to be here with Katherine--now and always.

Katherine cleared her throat and wiped her eyes. "Never in my imagination would I have thought loving you was like this." She sniffled. "And I do love you. I know I hid it for so long behind religion, society, propriety and any number of convenient excuses. But when I saw Susan and Me Lin together, at last I realised how special my feelings for you are."

Catriona laughed and brushed a stray hair from Katherine's face. "I think I've loved you from the moment I set eyes on you, all dusty as you were, at the train station. You frustrated me at first with your anger and your pride. I later realised that was what made me so desperately want you." She searched Katherine's face, taking in every element of beauty captured there. Earnestly looking into her emerald eyes, she was exposed to the love Katherine held within. "Be my partner, Katherine, and I promise you my love, my friendship, my home, and my security for as long as I live."

Katherine let her actions speak for themselves. She took Catriona's face in her hands and kissed her deeply. Her fingers lightly drew patterns over Catriona's stomach and then trailed a line up to her breasts. Using her open palms, she made miniature circles over Catriona's breasts, delighted in their response to her touch.

Katherine lowered her head until her tongue barely met Catriona's excited nipple. She brushed it lightly with her teeth. Catriona gasped. "Do you like that?"

"A little harder," Catriona said. She guided Katherine's head to where it had previously been.

Katherine alternated between sucking and gently biting Catriona's nipple, pleased at Catriona's reaction. As one nipple hardened, she kissed and nipped her way across Catriona's chest, applying the same attention to her other breast.

"Oh God, like that, just like that." Catriona entangled her hands in Katherine's hair.

Recalling how Catriona's hands had traversed her body, Katherine began an assault of her own. Her fingers lingered in Catriona's wet heat. "You're so very wet."

"Only for you."

Katherine stilled her hand over Catriona's passion. A throbbing heat pulsed beneath her fingers. Catriona covered her hand with her own, and gently guided her to the sensitive font of her pleasure.

Taking her lead from the experienced hand enveloping hers, Katherine gently stroked the bud, occasionally dipping into Catriona's passion. Her hand rapidly developed a rhythm to match Catriona's thrusting hips.

Somehow realising Catriona craved deeper contact, Katherine's fingers tentatively teased Catriona's opening.

"Inside," Catriona hissed. "I need you to fill me."

With two fingers, Katherine entered her to Catriona's emphatic yes. Katherine used her thumb, teasing the bundle of nerves and elevating Catriona to greater heights of passion.

Katherine watched the heavy lidded eyes of her lover. She heard Catriona's breathing deepen. Suddenly her body stiffened, then crested in sensual waves of passion. As her hips slowed, Catriona stilled Katherine's hands.

Katherine nuzzled Catriona's chest while Catriona's hand idly stroked Katherine's hair.

Catriona kissed the top of her head. "My love, no one has ever made me feel so complete. It scares the hell out of me when I think how close I came to losing you last night."

"You didn't, and for that I'm eternally grateful."

Catriona frowned, as if she were working through something.

"What is it?"

"I'm doing the sums here, and I can't get last night to add up. You left the Connors, but Mrs. Connor said you were gone hours before I arrived at her farm."

Katherine nodded.

"I didn't pass you on the way out. But I found you on my return journey, not all that far from the Connor property. What happened?"

Katherine pulled away and searched Catriona's features. "I was on my way home when one of the bushrangers--"

Catriona sat up in bed. "What the hell do they think they're doing? They've got no right to prey on anyone who travels that road."

Katherine placed her fingers on Catriona's lips. "Let me explain." Catriona petulantly nodded. Katherine collected her thoughts in an attempt to try to piece together her story. "The gang was involved in a botched robbery two days ago. In the process, some of the gang were killed and Mary, the leader, was seriously wounded. I couldn't refuse to help her." Her voice trailed off and she turned away from Catriona.

Catriona gently guided Katherine face back to her. "What is it? Did something happen out there?"

"Yes. No," she added at Catriona's look of surprise. "Before you say any more, please let me tell you from the beginning. When I was captured by the bushrangers and first met Mary, I knew something wasn't right. I couldn't put my finger on it. She made me feel, well--strange, scared, and exhilarated all in the same moment. I had no idea of what was going on with me. As we sat and spoke she told me of--of her love for women." She smiled when she remembered her outburst.

"I told her thoughts and actions like hers were unnatural, and women shouldn't live together in such a fashion. She then challenged me over our living arrangement and I was outraged. Yet at the same time, I couldn't help but wonder how other people saw us. The moment passed between Mary and me, and the next day I was allowed to leave.

"Do you remember our argument in the study, when I returned? When you touched me, I felt the same sensations Mary had stirred in me. I found myself wondering if there was substance to what Mary said. It confused me. I didn't know what to do or who I could speak to. So I hid the feelings deep down, hoping they'd pass.

"Not long after Alexander's death and
that
morning between us, Mary visited the homestead. Again she challenged me on how I felt, and it scared me so much. It's why I moved in with Susan and Me Lin. I didn't know what to do and I thought some distance between us might put the whole issue in better perspective." Katherine shook her head. "I shouldn't have bothered. Every time I visited you the feelings were still there. Then, at the dinner party, I think I started to see things a lot more clearly. I had every intention of speaking with you about it yesterday, until I was waylaid by a bushranger." Katherine shifted uncomfortably. "Mary and I spoke yesterday and she told me how she felt for me. We, that is, I kissed her."

Catriona failed to conceal the look of hurt that crossed her face. "Do you love her?"

"No! I don't love her, although I think she had strong feelings for me. The kiss, it felt natural given the circumstances."

Catriona's thoughts raced like a team of wild brumbies. She closed her eyes and centred herself, then returned her gaze to Katherine. "What sort of situation would have precipitated you kissing a bushranger?" Try as she might she couldn't keep the anger out of her voice.

Katherine took Catriona's hand and placed a kiss in the upturned palm. "She was dying, and her final words were about how she felt for me. We kissed and she told me not to wait too long to find in life what I wanted. You see, she was sending me to you. Please understand when I say what I felt for Mary is nothing compared to the love I have for you." Katherine lowered her head and began to cry.

Catriona drew her into her arms. "I'm sorry she had to die, but she knew the chances a bushranger takes. You know that, don't you?" Katherine nodded against her chest. "Between Mary and me, your life over the past weeks couldn't have been easy."

Katherine raised her head. "It hasn't, but I can honestly say the outcome is more than I could have ever wished for."

Moving out of Catriona's embrace, Katherine's face adopted a pensive expression. "Can I ask you a question?"

"My love, of course you can--anything you wish."

"Were you and Adele lovers? Is it why your mother originally told her to leave?"

Catriona knew the answer was written on her face and, regardless, avoiding the answer wasn't an option. "We were. How did you know?"