As he began thrusting into her, she held her head back, moaning. He closed his eyes to only one pain, which was being quenched as he stroked within her. He pushed . . . he clung . . . he groaned.
And then the rapture moved between them, as the web of pleasure ensnared them. Their moans, sobs, and soft cries of ecstasy filled the night air. In the distance an owl hooted hauntingly, as though responding.
Sheer exhaustion flooded Adam’s senses
. He walked with Pure Blossom from the water. He crumpled down onto the blanket and lay on his back, panting.
Pure Blossom lay a blanket over him and started dressing. Then she began to experience pain, as never before. Sharp, throbbing pains were shooting from her fingertips upward. The knot on her back felt as though it was on fire, radiating pain down her spine.
She tried to hold back the tears. But by the time she was dressed, she was suffering so much that nothing would stop the flooding of her eyes. She sat down beside the fire and drew a blanket around her shoulders. She sobbed. She rocked.
Adam’s eyes were wrenched open by the sound. He moved to her side and held her. “Why are you crying?” he said, his voice drawn.
“My fingers,” Pure Blossom whimpered, giving Adam a pitying look. “My back. They pain me so. The cold water. It is the cause.”
Guilt splashed through Adam. He cradled her close and ran his fingers through her long hair. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I’m the cause.”
His hand moved downward, and he flinched when he discovered just how large the lump was at the base of her neck.
Flashes of memory were going through his mind of another young woman, another time: Pure Blossom’s namesake. Her transformation from a beautiful young thing had turned her into something grotesque.
He was also recalling how much Pure Blossom had suffered with agonizing pain in her fingers and other joints.
That was how his Pure Blossom would look one day. It caused an ache to swim through him to think of this ugly transformation of this woman he adored.
But he had to face facts. He now knew that it would happen. He also knew that he wouldn’t be around to witness it. Tonight would be their last night to be together, to share . . . to love . . . to dream.
“I love you so, Adam,” Pure Blossom whispered as she clung and rocked with him. “You look past that which is ugly about me. You are filled with such compassion. Such understanding.”
It was then that Adam realized how he could, and must break off his affair with Pure Blossom. It had to be done in a way that would hurt her so severely that she would not see any chance of them ever reconciling their differences. She would hate him. And that was how it had to be.
“Pure Blossom, you so often misjudge people,” he said. “Especially me.”
Pure Blossom eased from his arms, her eyes wide yet guarded. “What do you mean?” she said, her voice shallow.
“You trust too easily,” Adam said, reaching to brush a lock of her hair back in place at her brow. “You give of yourself too easily.” He paused and forced himself to say the next words: “You gave yourself too easily to me.”
“What are you saying?” Pure Blossom gasped, scooting away from him. She trembled, but not from the chill of the night—from fear, and not fear of Adam. The true fear was in losing him.
Adam took her hands and turned them from side to side as he looked at them through his swollen lids. “I knew your aunt Pure Blossom,” he said. “As hers were, your hands soon will be gnarled beyond recognition.” He reached around and stroked the lump at the base of her neck. “Soon this will be so ugly, I would retch if I had to gaze upon it.”
Shock registered in Pure Blossom’s eyes. She swallowed hard, choking on a sob.
“No, I don’t want a future with someone who is going to be ugly and repelling,” Adam said, feeling as though a knife was plunging into his heart with each added insult. Only moments ago, he had thought it was impossible to ever lie to her. Now, while telling her how he would feel about her appearance in the future, he was telling the worst lie of all.
“Tonight is our last night together,” he said solemnly. “You should leave now, Pure Blossom. I don’t think I can stand the sight of you another minute.”
Stunned speechless, hurting deeply, all that Pure Blossom could think about was what she had been planning to tell Adam tonight.
About their child.
She had only realized in the past few days that she was pregnant. They had been together just enough times at the appropriate time of month for her to be pregnant!
She had looked forward to this love child with such bliss. She had looked forward to being with Adam for the rest of her life. She had even decided to leave her village, if being his wife required it of her.
Now he would never know, for she would keep the child as her own. She would hold her head high against the ridicule of having a fatherless child.
At this moment, all that she could think about was the child and its welfare. It was better off not knowing such a bastard father.