Jodi Thomas - Two Texas Hearts

He leaned down and kissed her lightly, wondering how one woman could make him feel so complete. With her near he felt whole for the first time in his life. She wasn’t fancy, or high-spirited, or showy. She was soft-spoken and shy, but in a thousand little ways she had changed his world. When they talked, just talked, she enchanted him. When they touched, she enslaved him.

She smiled and he couldn’t help kissing her again, enjoying the way her lips seemed fuller and velvety from having been kissed all night.

The rain allowed them the privacy they needed. She slid her arms around his neck and pressed against him, making him groan in pleasure.

‘‘I’m already hungry for you again,’’ he whispered against her ear as his hands moved along her sides. ‘‘I can’t get enough. I’d like to undress you right here on the porch.’’

Kora laughed and snuggled closer, as if daring him.

Win fought to keep his hands from being too bold along the soft curves he’d grown to know so well during the night. ‘‘As soon as things settle down, I’m building a door to our bedroom with a lock on it.’’

‘‘To lock me in or out?’’ Kora rolled against him as his hands came dangerously close to covering her breasts.

The slight action might have gone unnoticed by someone watching them, but it reminded Win of all he’d held only minutes before. When she locked the study door and came back to him this morning, she’d come as a woman who knew what she wanted. And he’d pleased her.

‘‘To lock the world out,’’ he whispered, remembering the way she’d lain nude before the fire and allowed him to stroke her. ‘‘With a lock on our door, I can touch you not only at night, but in the daytime. Maybe all day and all night. I’ll make you cry my name over and over with passion.’’

She laughed. ‘‘We’ll starve.’’

‘‘I don’t care,’’ he mumbled.

She parted her lips and knew he’d take the invitation.

He kissed her, pulling her close until her breasts flattened against his chest.

When he finally raised his head, he tried to make himself remember where he was. ‘‘I’ve always hated the rain,’’ he said, even though all he could think of was pulling her back to the study so they could be alone. ‘‘Even though I know I need it.’’ He moved away slightly, trying to slow his breathing. ‘‘I usually feel like I’ve lost a day’s work when it rains.’’ He kissed her lightly, very properly. ‘‘Right now I wouldn’t mind if it rained for a week.’’

‘‘Thank you’’-she fought back the tears-‘‘for the most wonderful night of my life.’’

‘‘There will be other nights. Better nights.’’ He pulled her lightly against him, allowing his words to caress her. ‘‘You’ll move as you did to my touch this morning, only I’ll be inside you next time.’’ He felt her stiffen. ‘‘Relax,’’ he whispered. ‘‘I’m never going to hurt you again. I practiced most of the night.’’

She hid her tears against his chest. He was the only good thing that had ever happened in her life. And he wanted her. Not just as any man wants any woman, but as one man needs one woman. She could tell it in the way he touched her, as though branding her, forever making her his. And in the way he kissed her as if he’d hungered for her for years and now that he’d finally found her he planned to have his fill.

Win slowly pulled away, letting his fingers brush her as long as possible. ‘‘I have to talk with Cheyenne.’’

‘‘Jamie said he’s a dead man when I passed her in the hall.’’ Kora laughed. ‘‘She plans to kill him if she ever sees him again.’’

Win nodded. ‘‘Murder by coffeepot. It’s a common way to die these days. For his safety, I’d better meet him in the barn.’’

‘‘I’ll cook breakfast.’’

‘‘And I’ll be back. I promise you I’ll never leave you without saying goodbye twice.’’

‘‘I’d rather you not say goodbye at all’’-Kora moved toward the door-‘‘then you’d never leave me.’’

Win pulled on his slicker. ‘‘The thought has crossed my mind.’’

Kora watched as he moved away. ‘‘A dream,’’ she whispered as she turned into the kitchen. ‘‘I must be living a dream.’’

As she watched Win disappear in his light brown duster, she remember something from last night. Wyatt had worn a black one.

She yelled Win’s name, but he was too far into the downpour to hear her. She’d have to wait until breakfast.

Jamie stood at the other side of the room with her arms folded in anger. ‘‘We’re in the middle of a nightmare, not a dream, sister. A nightmare I’m about ready to wake up from.’’

‘‘You’re just mad at Cheyenne,’’ Kora answered as she started breakfast.

‘‘No,’’ Jamie said. ‘‘It’s more than that. Can’t you see it, Kora? The trouble. Witchin’ luck has struck again. It’s time to travel on. You know the pattern. Once the trouble starts, we need to be packing.’’

‘‘I can’t.’’ Kora looked at her sister and said the one thing that had been on her mind for days. ‘‘I love him too much. I’m staying this time.’’ Kora closed her eyes, remembering that the last time Win talked of her leaving had been the night Andrew Adams had first shown up. Win had said simply that she could stay the six months, but he wanted her gone as soon as the time was up.

He’d never taken those words back. And if he didn’t, no matter what happened between them, she’d have to leave.

Jamie moved closer and lowered her voice. ‘‘If you love him, leave him before someone gets killed.’’

Kora couldn’t answer. Outside, thunder seemed to echo Jamie’s warning and lightning split the sky. She couldn’t remember the exact moment she’d known she loved him, but she couldn’t tell him when he’d never said the words to her. In fact, he’d made it very plain that he’d never love any one woman.

An hour later, when the rain stopped, a sense of doom passed over her. The sun might be coming out, but her world was dying. How could she live with him until summer and then leave him? How could she tell him she wanted to stay forever when he’d never asked her?

Jamie shoved her things into a bag. ‘‘I was just starting to get used to this place,’’ she mumbled. ‘‘Another ten years or so, I think Cheyenne would warm up to me.’’

Kora watched her from the door. Jamie had exchanged her buckskins for Kora’s best dress. ‘‘What are you doing?’’

Jamie handed her a note. ‘‘A rider brought this to me a few minutes ago. It’s from Wyatt. He says it’s urgent that he talk with me.’’

‘‘But why are you packing?’’

‘‘I’m planning to go up to the settlement after Dan, but if Wyatt asks the question I think he will, I may be leaving with him.’’

‘‘But are you sure? Do you love Wyatt?’’ Kora couldn’t believe Jamie was planning to leave.

‘‘I don’t know. I guess. Much as I love any man.’’ She looked at her older sister. ‘‘I’m ready for some excitement. If you’d leave, that would be fine, but I can’t wait around forever for you to make up your mind. The cowboy you married is crazy about you. I’m not even sure he’d let you go.’’

‘‘But all the men are saddling up. They figured after what I heard at the settlement, today is the day. You can’t leave now.’’

Jamie carried her bag down the stairs and out the back door with Kora following only a step behind. ‘‘Maybe not’’-she shrugged-‘‘but I got to be ready. If Wyatt asks me to leave with him, I’m going. I can’t stay around here and watch the two of you falling wildly in love.’’

As Win walked his horse out of the barn, Kora turned toward him.