Beverly Barton - Paladin's Woman

"Good morning, beautiful," he said. "You've slept half the day away."

She stood several feet from him, simply staring at him, thoroughly enjoying the sight of his big, bronze body—remembering every word, every touch, every sensation the two of them had shared. "I feel beautiful. You've made me beautiful."

"You were always beautiful, Addy." He put the mug to his lips, downing a swig of black coffee.

"Have I really slept half the day away? What time is it?"

"Almost eleven." He grinned, then nodded to his cup. "I've made coffee. Want some?"

"How did you make coffee? I didn't see anything in the kitchen except an old wood stove."

"Former SEALs and DEA agents are very capable. We're used to surviving under primitive conditions."

"You built a fire in the stove?"

Setting his mug on top of the banister, Nick walked toward her, limping heavily. Every nerve in her body alerted itself to his approach, sending tingles of excitement racing through her.

"I'm good at building fires." Leaning down, he took her lips in a good-morning kiss as passionately sweet and moist as the rainy Georgia day.

He threaded his fingers through the long, silky mane of her hair, cradling her head in his hand, drawing her closer and closer, deeper into his kiss. She skimmed the side of his face, letting her fingers caress his jaw. Gradually, he slowed the kiss, then rested his forehead against hers.

She traced his ear with her fingertips, circling the diamond stud sparkling in his lobe. "When did you get your ear pierced?"

He hit her playfully on the neck as he wrapped her in his arms. "While I was in the hospital. After I nearly lost my leg."

"What made you want to have your ear pierced?" She tongued his ear, then nuzzled the side of his neck.

"My hair got long and my beard and mustache grew, so I looked pretty scruffy there for a while. One of my nurses said I looked like a pirate, that all I needed was a gold hoop in my ear."

"You're very susceptible to suggestion, aren't you?" She gasped softly when Nick loosened the tie belt on her robe and slipped his hands inside, cupping her behind.

"Very. How about you, Red? Are you open to a suggestion?"

When he pulled her against his arousal, she sighed. "Was she pretty?"

"Was who pretty?"

"The nurse who talked you into having your ear pierced?"

Nick chuckled, sensing Addy's teasing remark displayed a certain amount of jealousy. "She was very pretty. Bosomy and blonde. And she didn't just talk me into having my ear pierced, she actually pierced it herself and supplied the gold hoop." He felt Addy stiffen. She tried to pull back, but he held her tightly. "You asked, Addy, and I told you the truth. I'll never lie to you."

"What—what happened to the gold hoop?" Addy hated the blond nurse and every other blonde who'd ever been a part of Nick's life.

He kissed Addy on the nose. "I gave the hoop back to her when I left the hospital."

"You've known a lot of women, haven't you Nick?" Addy felt a growing sense of uncertainty, wondering if she was a fool to believe that Nick loved her.

"I've never known anyone like you, Adeline McConnell."

"Is that good or bad?"

"Ah, Red, that's good—very, very good." He captured her reply, silencing her as he made love to her mouth with a thoroughness that left her breathless.

Through a hazy fog of passion, Addy realized that Nick was an expert at changing the subject to suit himself. She pulled out of his arms so quickly that his grab for her missed the mark, allowing her to escape into the bedroom.

Nick watched her disappear into the house, knowing that she was feeling a little insecure. She was new to this business of being a man's lover, new to the joys of sexual pleasure. Addy was the type who'd fancy herself in love, and a woman in love could be less than accepting of a man's past relationships.

He'd give her some time alone, but not too much time. If she started thinking too much, she'd start doubting herself again, and she'd doubt him, too. Finding his cane and their hastily shed clothing on the living-room floor, Nick retrieved his cane and gathered the assorted items. His shirt and briefs. Her blouse and slacks, bra and panties.

A few minutes later, he found her seated at the small kitchen table, a mug of steaming black coffee in front of her. When he entered the room, she glanced up at him.

"I suppose we should try to fix some breakfast." She glanced at the wood stove, which had already heated the room to a toasty warmth.

Leaning on his cane, he stood beside her. "How about a bear claw? There's a fresh pack in the cupboard."

"Fine. They'll taste great with coffee."

Nick pulled the package of danishes from the second shelf, ripping open the plastic and pulling out two of the sticky buns ladened with almond slices. They ate and drank in silence, each sneaking glances at the other.

"What would you like to do today?" he asked.

"What is there to do?"

"Oh, I don't know. A swim in the creek. A hike in the woods."

Addy nodded toward the window. "Have you forgotten that it's raining?"

"I guess we'll have to find something to do inside."

"I suppose so."

Nick pointed his cane at Addy. She stared down at the gold-tipped walking stick. He tapped her on the chest, between her breasts. She swallowed, her heartbeat accelerating rapidly. He ran the tip of the cane down her body, sliding it under her belt, loosening it until the front of her satin robe fell open.

Addy sucked in her breath. The gold tip felt damp and cool against her warm body. Moving the shiny lacquer rod slowly downward, across her stomach, hesitating momentarily at her navel, he positioned it between her thighs, rubbing it against her fiery curls.

"Nick…" Her voice vibrated with the urgency of her emotions.

"This cane was a gift from my friend, Nate Hodges." Nick continued stimulating her with the walking stick. "We were in the SEALs together for ten years."

Addy squirmed in the wooden chair, wanting to run from Nick, from the tormenting rod he'd positioned between her thighs, but she felt trapped by her own sensuality, her own wild desire. "Nick … please—"

"What is it, Red? What do you want?"

Moaning when he increased the tempo with which he was rotating the cane, Addy reached out, grabbing the stick, clutching it in her fist. "I want to take this cane and knock you senseless! You—you know what you're doing to me. You're doing it on purpose."

Jerking the cane away and out of her grasp, Nick smiled, then stood. He held out his hand. "Come on, Red. Let's go back to bed. You can knock me senseless without ever touching this walking stick."

"You're so damned sure of yourself, aren't you?" Addy glared at him, knowing that she wanted a repeat performance of last night as much as he did.

"I'm sure you want exactly what I want." He took her hand, tugging until she stood.

"And what do you want?" She refused to budge when he tried to pull her toward him.

"I want to take you back to bed, drag you beneath me and bury myself deep inside of you. I want to—" With one powerful jerk, he brought her into his arms and whispered into her ear, using hot, raw words to describe his needs, telling her in the most basic words a man can use precisely what he wanted.

Addy clung to him, her lips accepting his marauding mouth. Slowly, steadily, they made their way to the bedroom. By the time they reached the bed, both were flaming fierce and bright, both more than ready to burn themselves out quickly.

He lowered her to the bed, taking her with a swift, savage lunge that made her cry out from the intensity. Clutching his buttocks, matching him thrusting move for thrusting move, Addy gave herself to Nick, taking from him everything he had to give. The moment ended almost before it began, each hurled into the spiraling whirlwind of fulfillment. Breathless, sweaty and totally spent, they lay side by side in each other's arms, uncaring of the time, the weather or their whereabouts.