“No, you aren’t.”
She was amused by that. “You’re right, I’m not. Every woman wants to be memorable, especially to her husband.”Love match or not.
“You are that.”
“Is that so terrible?”
“I’m still trying to decide,” he replied quietly. In his eyes were embers of last night’s passion. Waiting to see what he’d do next, she forced herself to stand still. He didn’t disappoint. He gently traced her mouth and she rippled in sweet response. Her lips parted and he kissed her slowly. Easing her closer, the kiss deepened. His lips traveled to her ear. “I shouldn’t be wanting you this much...”
But she was glad he did. That wanting connected them, burning away the control he seemed to value so highly. Kisses that began slow turned feverish. As if last night had not been enough their hands explored each other lazily. He undid her buttons with a heart-stopping slowness and punctuated each newly bared inch of skin with alternating kisses and tiny flicks of his tongue. His mouth on the hollow of her throat and the strong hands that pulled open her corset sent her spinning.
Colt wanted to slowly devour her; her with her perfect breasts and satin skin. Feeding lustily, he found her as sweet in his mouth as before. Her soft gasps of pleasure fed his senses like the lure of a siren and when he undid her denims, slid them down, and turned her to the now rising moon, the gasps rose higher. He took her breasts in his hands and brushed his lips up and down the edges of her trembling throat. “Feel what you do to me, Mrs. Lee.” And he pressed the hard proof of desire against the yielding softness of her bared hips. She responded with a series of slow sultry circles that closed his eyes. Savoring the feel of her moving over him so erotically, he undid the front of his own denims. Now, flesh to flesh, her heat against his made him growl and wonder if a man could die of pleasure.
Regan had never done this this way before but it didn’t matter. Her body knew what to do and it glorified in its power. Reaching back, she caressed his length. He sucked in a breath, freed himself from her hold, and entered her with one powerful thrust. She cried out in passionate response, and gripped the porch railing in front of her. At first, he teased her with strokes of varying depths, thrilling her when he filled her completely and making her body silently beg for more when he slowly and partially withdrew. Because of the sultry foreplay, she was already teetering on the verge of completion and when he increased his pace, she sensed he was on the edge, too. The next series of thrusts sent an orgasm rushing through her like the powerful waves of a sea and she clapped her hand over her mouth to keep her screams from waking Anna and the countryside. He came a few strokes later, muffling his roar into her shoulder and she relished having caused his surrender.
In the aftermath, as she righted her clothing, she wasn’t sure what to do or to say. He seemed equally unsure, then said softly, “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Good night,” she whispered and left him to the night.
After her departure, a brooding Colton stared out into the darkness and was again left wanting more of Regan Carmichael Lee. She was everything a man could want in a woman: fearless, intelligent, sensual, beautiful, and his plans to keep her at arm’s length were not working out very well at all.
Chapter Eight
The following morning, Regan awakened alone in her bed, and smiled at the memory of last night. A knock on the door made her sit up and cover her nudity with the sheet. “Come in.”
Colt stood in the doorway and she sent him a smile. It wasn’t returned. “There’s oatmeal for breakfast. Anna needs to be dropped off at school before we head to town. If you still wish to go.”
“I do.”
From his distant manner, one would never know they’d done what they had under the stars on the porch last night. She knew he was fighting his desire for her and determined to throw up a wall between them after each intimate encounter, but not why. Was he still grieving for Adele? Did he consider their encounters so unseemly he was shamed by them in the light of day? Regan had no answers. Keeping her irritation from her face, she said, “I’ll join you shortly.”
He left without a further word.
Tight-lipped she left the bed to wash up and get dressed.
After Anna was dropped off, he headed the wagon towards town. Determined not to let him know how hurt and disappointed she was by his manner, she concentrated on visual landmarks along the route to help her remember her way into town. She spied a tall pine with a split top that looked as if it had been hit by lightning, and committed it and the lay of the land surrounding it to her memory. Farther ahead was a fast-running stream with an outcropping of rock on its left bank. An elk with an enormous rack was drinking there and glanced up to watch them roll by. A short while later, they passed a run-down abandoned cabin. She wanted to ask him about its history, but he’d been so silent, she kept the questions to herself.
When they reached town, he parked in front of his office. “I have patients to see this afternoon, so when you’re done at the store, I’ll drive you home then take care of them.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ll come around and help you down.”
“Not necessary.” She got down without assistance. As she set out for the store, she felt his eyes on her back, but she didn’t slow.
The store’s interior was larger than she’d expected. There were dry goods, farming implements, and a penny candy display. She saw threads, yarn, a Singer sewing machine, and a stand holding local newspapers and back East published magazines likeThe Ladies Home Journal. There was a handful of customers milling about and they greeted her with nods and smiles. Many faces were familiar from the wedding. She didn’t remember their names but hoped to be able to do so soon.
The owner, Chauncey Miller, was behind the counter. She’d met him at the wedding, too. He was of average height, had blue eyes like his wife, Lacy, and wore thick, black-framed spectacles. Unlike his wife, he’d been a bit standoffish, but Regan assumed it was his nature and hadn’t taken it personally. “Good morning, Mr. Miller.”
“Mrs. Lee. How are you?”
His eyes widened for a second at her gun belt. “I’m well.”
“What can I help you with?”
“I need a bit of everything, I’m thinking.”
“Doc has a tab.”