McCrory's Lady (44 page)

      
“I...I never knew you could do this standing up,” she whispered breathlessly.

      
“I suspect there are all sorts of things you don't know...yet,” he replied as he bent his head down and suckled one hard pink nipple, then the other.

      
Eden threw her head back, holding onto his biceps with her hands as her body arched and bucked. She could feel the vortex of heat building up inside her, surging so swiftly it robbed her of breath.

      
Wolf watched her hair spill across the surface of the water like silver satin while her eyes closed in the bliss of the moment. He felt her body grow rigid as she neared her crest, and he braced his feet wide apart in the water, thrusting faster and deeper inside of her until he felt her sweet flesh clench around his staff, sending him spiraling off into paradise with her.

      
Eden felt the sudden rush of completion swamping her senses. Pulling Wolf's head closer to hers, she leaned into his kiss just as he stiffened, his thrusting phallus exploding in shuddering waves while their lips met, fiercely sealing the moment of love.

      
He gently carried her from the water as she clung to him. When they reached the shallows, he set her on her feet and reached up to cup her chin and kiss her softly. The sun blazed down on their bare flesh, greedily absorbing the droplets of water from their skin as they leaned against one another, struggling to regain their breath.

      
“That...that was so fast...so intense... I didn't know I could...we could...” Her words faded away.

      
“You did. We did,” he said softly. “But it was too fast—if very, very good. Why don't you take a quick swim—or float for a few minutes. I have some things to do.”

      
She looked at him with a puzzled expression, then waded back into the deeper water and lay back, floating as she watched Wolf's splendid bronzed body. He moved over to the horses, totally unconcerned by his nakedness as he unsaddled them and began to rub them down. His every movement was graceful. Powerful muscles bunched and stretched over sleek dark skin while he worked. His broad back narrowed to a pair of hard, small buttocks and long, powerful thighs. Remembering the feel of his hips thrusting against her made Eden begin to feel the recently appeased heat rise in her again.

      
As if reading her thoughts, he turned from the second horse, giving him an affectionate pat. A blinding smile slashed across his handsome face as he said, “You said last one in the water had to do the chores.” Then he began to unfasten his bedroll from his saddle.

      
She watched as he strolled leisurely around the edge of the pool to where a tall ponderosa pine cast its looming shadow over a small patch of ground that was clear of stones. He spread the blanket, then stood by it with his hand outstretched in invitation. “Come to me, Eden, and make this place paradise again.”

      
She stood up in the water and began to make her way slowly to shore. As she felt the water inch lower and lower, revealing more and more of her body to him, she could see his staff once more growing rigid with desire. A heady sense of power and a wild surge of love filled her at the same time. She splashed through the last bit of water and ran into his arms.

      
Wolf knelt and pulled her down with him, then lay her back on the blanket. The cool shade, combined with the rapidly evaporating water on her skin, began to raise gooseflesh. “Let me warm you,” he whispered as he covered her body with his, letting his heat seep into her. They kissed slowly, languorously, tasting and exploring each other. The mad passionate imperative of earlier now gave way to timeless communion.

      
Eden rolled up and placed one hand on his chest, saying, “I want to look at you. Every beautiful male inch of you.”

      
He smiled at her and lay back. “I'm yours,” he said simply. His breath caught as her hands traced the patterns of hair from his chest down over his belly, to lightly caress his rigid, aching staff. After a moment's consideration, she skittered her fingers down one leg and back up the other, marveling at the sinuous muscles, the crisp, rough texture of the hair. Her hands slid over his narrow hips and up his sides to glide over the powerful arms that had held her so firmly against him. Finally, her fingertips traced the outline of his chiseled features, the inky slash of his eyebrows, the high prominent cheekbones and straight nose, settling at last over his lips, those magic lips that she yearned to kiss. She dipped her head down, curtaining him with her silvery hair and kissed him.

      
“You are so lovely...everywhere,” he breathed after they broke off the kiss. He nuzzled against her ear and his tongue curled inside it. He rolled up and pushed her back onto the blanket to begin an exploration of his own. His kisses moved down her throat and over her breasts. He took one in his hand, cupping the small perfect globe as she moaned with pleasure. His tongue traced slow, lazy circles around the pale pink bud, then moved to the other.

      
When she began to arch and writhe, he gently took her delicate wrist bones and held her hands at her sides, sliding down as his kisses covered her ribs and belly. He flicked his tongue inside her navel and elicited a cry of delight; but when he moved to the pale triangle of curls below, he could feel her begin to stiffen in resistance.

      
Raising his head, he whispered hoarsely, “I told you there were all sorts of things you didn't know about making love, but I'm going to teach you. Don't be afraid.” His black eyes studied her earnestly.

      
“How could I be afraid with you, my love?”

      
He nuzzled the silky curls at her mound, then took one hand and slid it between her thighs, letting his callused fingertips graze lightly over the milk white skin. Of their own volition, her legs parted, allowing him access to the delicate pink petals, now moist and musky, swollen with want.

      
“You are beautiful everywhere,” he whispered as his mouth brushed her softness. He heard her sharp gasp of pleasure and persevered, letting his tongue swirl, his lips suckle until she grew mindless with the pleasure he was giving her.

      
When he sent the tip of his tongue plunging inside her she almost came up off the blanket. Her hands, balled in fists at her sides, opened and she buried her fingers in his hair, pressing his head closer to her, letting him work this incredible, blistering magic on her. She felt the slow gradual ascent begin, new and yet the same, hard yet ever so tender, until the sweetness engulfed her.

      
Wolf felt the rhythmic spasms of her release and tasted the nectar of her body's ecstasy. Never had he taken such pleasure from giving to a woman. And he knew in his heart that this was the woman he would love forever.

      
When he finally raised his head and met her eyes, she looked awed and bemused. “I take it that look means you're pleased?” He drew up and took her in his arms.

      
Eden nestled against his chest with a contented sigh. “Pleased scarcely seems an adequate word...Wolf...”

      
“Yes?”

      
“You were right. There are things I never understood... I knew women could do that for men...” She shuddered, remembering the degrading way Lazlo had forced her, then banished the image forever, secure in her lover's arms.

      
“You don't ever again have to think of what he did to you, Eden,” he said, kissing her temple softly.

      
“You know...you understand.” She felt at peace, holding him, stroking his broad shoulders, feeling his heart beat. “When you made love to me that way I loved it because I love you...and that's what makes all the difference,” she said as her hand reached between them, capturing the hardness of his phallus and stroking it until he gasped aloud.

      
“No, Eden,” he said as she slid down his body, never relinquishing her hold on his aching erection. “You don't have to—”

      
“I know. But I want to. Don't you see, my beloved? It's so different now...different and wonderful.”

      
She took her time examining the wonders of the male anatomy, this time with exquisite attention, cupping him with her small hand, letting her nails rake softly over the head of his staff, then down its length until it twitched with excitement.

      
“What a glorious toy,” she whispered in surprise. Then, she took him into her mouth and tasted his heady male essence, hard yet velvety, pulsing with life as her lips and tongue teased and suckled.

      
Wolf was totally out of control as Eden's hesitant, experimental caresses drove him mad with excitement. He willed himself to relax, to let her derive the same pleasure from having him in her power that he had experienced loving her this way. But he had waited too long, taking his time when he made love to her. Now, he felt himself go up in a blaze of glory.

      
Eden held onto his hips, letting him buck and thrust as his seed, sweet and hot, pulsed into her. When he was spent, she raised her head and looked at him. “I said this was different, wonderful...but it's more. Oh, Wolf, it's so very much more. There are no words...”

      
“Yes, there are,” he whispered, taking her in his arms. “I love you.”

      
“And I love you.”

* * * *

      
They dressed and ate a quick lunch of beef jerky and hardtack, then began to pack up. As he was putting the bedroll on his saddle, Wolf reached to touch her tousled hair.

      
“Like spun moonbeams gilded with sunlight,” he murmured.

      
Eden caressed his jaw and tiptoed up to place a soft kiss on his lips.

      
“How touching. Looks as if I missed the best part, though. Too bad. But I have some real creative ideas about using this water hole myself, Eden.”

      
Eden stood transfixed with horror. Wolf cursed to himself. His gun belt lay on the ground across the clearing. Grinning evilly, his green eyes as malevolent as a stalking jungle cat, Judd Lazlo walked from behind the rocks with a Winchester '73 leveled on them. His eyes raked Eden's damp hair and bee-stung pink lips.

      
“You're—”

      
“Dead?” he cut her off curtly. “Do I look dead? Not that your little present in my boot didn't almost finish me. But I got lucky. Some dumb greaser sheepherder found me. Took me to his jacal, put some redskin poultice on my foot. Saved my life.”

      
“I imagine it was more likely that biting you killed the centipede,” Wolf said calmly, edging away from Eden to get her out of the line of fire.

      
“Just stand where you are, breed. I heard about you. Seems you're causing real trouble for my boss—almost as much as McCrory.” Lazlo smiled, revealing a full set of white even teeth.

      
“Too bad you're such a lousy shot.” Wolf returned the nasty smile. “You must've botched the job three—or is it four times now?”

      
Lazlo's finger tightened on the trigger but he didn't shoot. “I would've had him in Prescott if that bitch of a whore hadn't got in the way. And speaking of whores—” He turned with a vicious glare at Eden. “I've got plans for you after I finish your breed lover here. You sure have taste, Eden. Too high-and-mighty principled to stick with me, but you spread your legs for a dirty Apach.”

      
“Wolf's a man of honor—you're scum, Lazlo,” Eden said, regaining a measure of calm. She must reach her saddlebags and the gun inside. Lazlo was enjoying the prospects before him too much to do his job quickly. If she could just keep him talking. “What are you going to do with us?”
As if I didn't know
.

      
Lazlo laughed, a low ugly chuckle. “I'm considering right now. I think I’ll keep your Apach alive...for a little while, just so he can watch what I do with you. Then,”—he shrugged—“if you're real nice to me, I might take you with me.”

      
“I'd sooner sleep with a whole nest of centipedes than spend one night with you, Lazlo.” She was next to her saddlebag now.

      
Wolf realized her ploy. She'd be killed if she went for that pea shooter. His only weapon was the knife he always wore in his boot. He had to get Lazlo to move in close. “You're a coward, Lazlo. The only way you can take a man is to back-shoot him from ambush—and you're not even very good at that.”

      
Lazlo instinctively took several steps closer, his eyes glittering with a mixture of fury and the sick pleasure his kind received when they inflicted pain. And he was going to inflict pain.

      
“I’ll get McCrory, don't you think I won't...after I have my fun with you two. But first there's business to attend to here. I was told you have a ledger that Win Barker wants real bad.”

      
Wolf's eyes narrowed. “How did you know about Lamp's ledger? And that we were on our way to Tucson with it?” He was almost close enough.

      
Lazlo looked smug. “Win, he's got friends in Prescott. Got a wire and sent me up the trail from Tucson to take care of you.”

      
“I have the ledger—in my saddlebags,” Eden quickly interjected. The perfect excuse to open the bag!

      
“No, Eden,” Wolf yelled as she began to pull her little Zig Zag derringer from the leather bag while cocking it at the same time. He dived for Lazlo, whose attention was split between the two of them. The killer had allowed them to move too far apart, and his minute hesitation before he swung the rifle Eden's way was all the edge Blake needed.