Beneath the Honeysuckle Vine (45 page)

“
Not for me, Johnny,
”
she sobbed.
“
Don
’
t make me a promise you can
’
t keep.
Maybe promises don
’
t mean much to me anymore…but I beg, please don
’
t make one you can
’
t keep.
”

His eyes narrowed
,
and he released her face.
“
I can keep it,
”
he growled.
“
I can prove to you that you can know joy…even for the pain you
’
re feelin
’
over losin
’
your family.
”

Vivianna shook her head.
“
No.
”

Johnny nodded.
“
Oh yes, Vivianna.
I promise.
”

Vivianna gasped—breathless as Johnny
reached out and took her face between his hands—firmly
pressed his mouth to hers
.

“
Kiss me, Vivi,
”
he mumbled.
“
Kiss me
,
and I promise you that you
’
ll know joy even for your pain.
”

Again he
took her tremulous lips in a moist, lingering kiss.
Their lips separated, but his mouth remained close—so close she
could
taste the
warm
scent of his breath.
An airy thrill wafted through her heart for a moment—the lingering remnant of the joy his kiss had caused to spark within her.

“
You promise, Johnny?
”
she asked in a whisper.
“
Do ya promise I
’
ll know joy
too…even just for one more minute?
”
she cried in a whisper.

“
I do,
”
he breathed.

Viv
i
anna sighed as Johnny
’
s lips met hers again.
He kissed her softly at first
,
rather as if he didn
’
t quite believe she wanted him to kiss
her
.

“
Please, Johnny,
”
she breathed against his mouth.

He brushed the tears from her cheeks, cupping h
er face between powerful hands
as his mouth descended to hers once more—his open mouth—his moist, demanding, heated mouth.

Vivianna was startled at first
. H
is manner of kissing her
was
unlike anything she
’
d ever before experienced—heated, intimate
,
and drawing from her a sudden and overwhelming desire.
She slid her hands to his chest, over his broad shoulders, around to the back of his neck
,
letting her fingers travel up to be lost in the softness of his hair.
His hands dropped from her face
,
his arms encircling her body once more as he pulled her flush to him—his mouth conducting such a passion of moist exchange Vivianna could hardly draw breath!

Colors were alive in her mind
,
blissful sensations erupted through her body
,
and she wished his mouth would never leave hers!
She sensed the freshness of the
morning
breeze
,
the scent of
flowers and grass
.
Her skin was a
live with delight at his touch
,
her
sudden
thirst for his continued kiss insatiable!

Johnny
’
s heart was locked in an epic battle of emotions!
He owned her mouth—the very mouth he
’
d so long dreamt of tasting
. H
e was drinking of its nectar!
The feel of her body against his—of his arms wrapped around her—like a madman it drove him to kissing her more deeply, more demandingly!
Yet she met his kiss with no resistance
. I
n fact,
she
kissed him with as much desire and passion—or so it seemed.
He knew she only kissed him in endeavoring to find comfort and distraction fr
om her pain.
Still, he wanted her
. S
he was all he had ever wanted
,
it seemed
,
and if she wanted him for even this moment—no matter the reason—he would not deny himself the nectar of heaven.

Vivianna was a novice of passion.
It had been obvious when he
’
d first tried to coax her into a deepening kiss
beneath the honeysuckle vine
.
No man had ever kissed her the way he was kissing her now
;
he could tell as much
,
and he was pleased.
Johnny was glad it was he who had first tasted her sweet mouth
,
he who had silently tutored her in the ways of impassioned kissing.
No m
atter who won her for wife—Justin
or Caleb—the imp on Johnny Tabor
’
s shoulder affirmed to him that he had known Vivianna
’
s mouth first.
At least he would have that to carry with him back to
Texas
.

His innards began to tremble with too much
withheld desire—too much pent
-
up
emotion.
Yet he continued to kiss her.
He would not give her up—not until Vivianna was finished with him.
He didn
’
t care if she w
ere
using him to mask her pain.
He didn
’
t care if he died in trying to breathe hope and life into her with a kiss
,
didn
’
t care if his very soul expired or passed from his body into hers—not if it meant he could sooth
e
her with a measure of comfort
,
if it meant he could taste her for one moment more.

Tears streamed over Vivianna
’
s cheeks.
Tears of pain, yes
,
but also tears of splendorous joy!
Johnny had kept his promise.
Vivianna
’
s heart was breaking for the sudden accepted loss of her family
,
yet she was captivated by the ecstasy of knowing Johnny
’
s kiss.
One moment her heart would cry out in agony
,
thoughts of her brothers and her parents causing so much pain to grip her she was certain she might die.
Yet in the next moment, Johnny
’
s mouth would return to hers—hot and demanding
,
weaving such a tapestry of passion and desire as to cause her heart to leap with resplendent elation!
His arms about her caused her body to prickle with goose pimples.
The heated flavor of his mouth caused her to wonder if she could ever cease in kissing him!

Her parents
and
her brothers were gone.
Yet Johnny was there
,
in her arms
,
making love to her as she
’
d never imagined!
His mouth left hers a moment
,
placing firm, moist kisses on her throat.

It was too much
,
the joy mingled with pain.
In an instant, the walls of the prison surrounding Vivianna
’
s emotions crumbled.
She began to gasp for breath
,
for her heart beat madly—hammered with an abrupt understanding that her family was gone
,
thrashed with a rushed awareness that she was in love with Johnny Tabor!

“
Johnny!
”
she gasped.
She felt his arms tighten—felt him catch her—lift and cradle her in his arms as she was lost to sudden darkness.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Everything was dark—no light.
Yet there was a voice—in the distance there was a voice.
Gradually the voice drew nearer.
It was Johnny
’
s voice.
Vivianna could hear Johnny Tabor calling her name.

“
Vivi,
”
Johnny said.
“
Come on now.
Breathe deeply
. O
pen your eyes.
Come on.
”

Consciousness slowly returned, and Vivianna opened her eyes to see Johnny
’
s handsome face near to her own.

“
Johnny?
”
she breathed.

He smiled and nodded.
“
Yeah, darlin
’
. N
ow come on back to me.
”

“
What happened?
”
she asked, feeling rather breathless—still dizzy and disoriented.

Johnny smiled.
He caressed her cheek with the back of one strong hand.
“
I guess I smothered you with too much manly desire.
”

Vivianna smiled.
She did remember his kiss—the ecstasy that had erupted within her because of it.
She breathed a giggle and said,
“
You were tryin
’
to lead me astray, Johnny Tabor.
And I guess…I guess I
’
m not too good at resistin
’
ya.
”

He smiled—smoothed the hair from her forehead.

Vivianna frowned as she noticed the heaviness of the air.
The scent of dust caused her to want to cough a bit.
She turned her head
and
glanced beyond Johnny to see that she was no longer outside but rather in a room—a parlor—her mother
’
s parlor.

Instantly, pain began to wash over her.
She felt her eyes fill with tears.
She was home
,
lying on the chaise lounge in her mother
’
s parlor.
As her heart began to break once more, she looked back to Johnny.

“
Johnny!
”
she whispered
,
panic rising in her.
She did not want to know the pain again!
She did not!
She shook her head—took Johnny
’
s face between her hands.
As tears filled her eyes, she began to gasp for breath.
“
Help me, Johnny!
”
she begged in a whisper.
She could feel unconsciousness threatening to overtake her once more.

“
Vivi,
”
Johnny said, taking one of her hands from his face and kissing the palm.
“
Listen to me.
”
He kissed her lightly on the lips—tenderly.
He brushed his lips to her cheek and whispered,
“
Breathe, Vivi
.
I
’
m here…and you
’
ll be fine.
Just breathe.
”

Vivianna endeavored to do as Johnny instructed.
She didn
’
t try to move—just lay there on her mother
’
s chaise as Johnny placed warm, moist kisses to her cheeks and the corners of her mouth.
He pressed his mouth to hers—soothingly—lingeringly.
Softly the moisture of their kisses blended, and as he held her face between his hands, he gently wiped the tears from her temples with his thumbs.

She was somewhat soothed.
At least she no longer felt a faint coming over her.

When he paused in his careful kisses, his eyes gazed into hers.
She fancied there was moisture in them—saw her own sadness reflected in their deep brown.

“
Tell me about Sam and Augie,
”
he said. His voice was low and calming.

Vivianna felt her lower lip begin to quiver
and
felt the desire to sob rising in her throat.
She shook her head a little
,
afraid to speak.

But Johnny nodded and prodded,
“
Tell me…was Augie older?
Or Sam?
”

“
Samuel,
”
Vivianna whispered.
Johnny nodded
,
and she continued,
“
Sam was the oldest…one year older than Augie.
I…I was three and four years younge
r tha
n they were.
”

Johnny smiled.
“
How about your
d
addy?
”
he asked.
“
Was he a kind man?
”

Vivianna swallowed the lump of pain in her throat.
She nodded and answered,
“
Yes.
He was…he was
a
doctor.
”

“
And your mama?
”

“
She was…she was always smilin
’
…always laughin
’
,
”
Vivianna breathed.
She sniffled
,
and more tears escaped her eyes.
The frightening sense of panic began to rise in her again
. S
he began to tremble.
“
Johnny!
Johnny
,
I
—”

His mouth was warm and moist against hers.
His powerful arms embraced her
,
lifting her to a sitting position as he continued to kneel beside the lounge.
Butterflies of bliss mingled with the aching pain in her stomach.
He deepened their kiss
,
offering delicious affection until the panic began to subside.

He broke the seal of their lips
yet continued to hold her against him.
Vivianna buried her face against his neck and shoulder
,
careless that her tears were soaking his shirt.

“
Did you always live here?
”
he asked.
“
Were ya born in this house, Vivi?
”

She nodded.
“
Yes,
”
she breathed.
His neck was warm
,
and he smelled like woodsmoke and fresh air.

“
Were ya happy as a child?
”
he whispered.

Again she nodded—breathed,
“
Yes!
”

“
Share a memory with me, Vivianna…a happy memory.
Tell me of a time when y
’
all were together…laughin
’
maybe,
”
he said.
His voice was deep and resonated with tranquil reassurance.

Vivianna shook her head.
“
I…I can
’
t think of one just now, Johnny.
I can
’
t think.
”

“
Yes, ya can,
”
he told her.
His breath was warm and tickled her ear.
“
Tell me a story of your family.
”

Vivianna shook her head
. Y
et in the next moment a memory did enter her mind.
She wept a moment more before beginning.
“
A wasp got into the kitchen once,
”
she began.
“
Mama hated bees and wasps…anything with a stinger on it.
”

“
Mmm-hmm,
”
Johnny urged.

Vivianna tightened her embrace of Johnny
,
holding him closer—more desperately.

“
Go on,
”
he prodded.

“
We were…Mama and I were bakin
’
peach pies, and a wasp got in through the window.
It landed on Mama
’
s hand
,
and she started screamin
’
and dancin
’
around like it had flown up her skirt instead of landing on her hand.
”
Vivianna closed her eyes.
A slight smile curved her mouth as she envisioned her mother dancing around the kitchen, shrieking for her daddy to come and save her from the wasp.

“
What next?
”
Johnny prodded.

“
Augustus came runnin
’
into the kitchen…but I
’
d dropped a peach skin
,
and he slipped on it,
”
she continued.
“
His feet went out from under him
,
and he landed smack on his backside, just as Sam came runnin
’
in.
Samuel tripped over Augie and landed on his backside too.
Mama was still screamin
’
like a madwoman when Daddy came in and tripped over the boys.
Daddy didn
’
t fall…but he stumbled forward and caught hold of the edge of the table.
”
Vivianna smiled at the visions frolicking in her mind.
“
But the table couldn
’
t hold him up
,
and he tipped it, sending peaches and pies flyin
’
every which way up into the air.
Mama was still screamin
’
and swattin
’
at the wasp with a towel.
The pies and peaches went all over the floor when they come down…and I slipped when I was rushin
’
to help Mama.
I don
’
t think I
’
ve ever fallen down so hard in all my life!
So there we were…Sam and Augie…me and Daddy…sittin
’
on the kitchen floor covered in peaches and sugar…watchin
’
Mama get out after that wasp.
”

Vivianna couldn
’
t help but smile
,
even for the emotions causing her lips to quiver.
She drew away from Johnny—brushed the tears from her eyes.
He cupped her chin, running one callused thumb over her lips.
She looked at him—smiled as he grinned with understanding and encouragement.

“
Did she finally get that ol
’
wasp?
”
he asked.

Vivianna nodded
and
smiled.
“
It was silly enough to land on the floor…and to this day, I can see her grinding that wasp into the floor with the heel of her shoe.
We all started laughin
’
,
and Daddy pulled Mama down onto the floor with us.
”
Vivianna giggled a little.
“
One pie had somehow survived fallin
’
and was still in the plate…and Daddy took hold of it and dumped it right over Mama
’
s head.
We laughed until we were sick.
I swear we did.
It took us near to two hours to clean up the mess.
”

“
It
’
s a good memory,
”
Johnny said.

“
Yes,
”
Vivianna whispered—though her lip began to quiver once more.

Johnny reached out, gathering her into his arms again.
His kiss was more demanding when he kissed her this time.
Vivianna sighed as she melted against him—savored the moist heat of his kiss.
Tears still streamed over her cheeks.
Yet with beautiful wings of desire, the butterflies in her stomach began to beat away the pain.
Vivianna wrapped her arms around Johnny
’
s neck—let her fingers weave through his soft brown hair as she kissed him.
She felt his hands at her back—felt them move to her waist as he gently guided her body to lean back in the chaise once more.