Honor Bound(74)

They consented and left for home, just the two of them. It was a beautiful evening. The sky was star-studded and a full moon hung low over the mountains.

"You know, I think I've become part Indian myself," Aislinn said musingly. "I love all this," she said, nodding toward the horizon.

"You gave up a lot, Aislinn," Lucas said quietly, keeping his eyes on the narrow road that led to the ranch.

She took his hand from the steering wheel and held it, pressing it hard until he looked at her. "In that other life, I didn't have you. I didn't have Tony. I would never trade back."

Indeed, she had severed all her connections in Scottsdale. The condo had been sold. She used her equity in it to buy playground equipment for several of the schools on the reservation. She had sold the photography studio as well, and after using part of the profits to expand her darkroom and camera equipment, bought Lucas a magnificent stud for his herd. The day the animal was delivered, he had struggled with his pride to accept the gift.

Aislinn had laid her hands on his chest and gazed up at him imploringly. "You've given me so much, Lucas. Let me give you this."

He had accepted the horse because it was a gift of love from her. Too, the stud would strengthen his herd. Its offspring would be valuable. The more profitable the ranch, the more young men Lucas could hire as hands who might otherwise go jobless. One of the first buildings to go up on his property had been a bunkhouse to house the six cowboys he had already hired. They ably ran the ranch so he could devote more time to his law practice.

Now, Aislinn looked at Lucas's stern profile etched against, the moonlit sky and her heart swelled with love. She could barely contain the happiness that had been hers since Tony had survived the bout with pneumonia.

"I hope the pictures I took today turn out well. Especially the ones of Tony." Her husband seemed to sense that she wasn't finished, so he said nothing. "I still get the shivers when I think how close we came to losing him."

He withdrew his hand from hers and rubbed the backs of his fingers against her cheek. "We promised that we would never forget it, but we also promised that we wouldn't dwell on it either."

"I know," she said, softly kissing his knuckles as they stroked her lips. "I was just thinking about that day. You telling me that you loved me, then Warden Dixon showing up with his news, and almost immediately after that the doctor informing us that Tony would pull through." She smiled at him. "Whew! So much good stuff at one time nearly did me in."

"You're certainly in a reflective mood tonight."

"My way of celebrating how happy I am."

He pulled the car to a halt in front of the house and slid his gray eyes toward her. "Well, I've got another form of celebration in mind."

"And what would that be, Mr. Greywolf?"

They didn't even waste time turning on lights, but let the moonlight, shining in through the windows, guide them through the house into the bedroom.

Lucas whipped off his jacket and slung it onto a chair. He unbuttoned his shirt. That's as far as he got before his passions ruled him. He reached for Aislinn and pulled her into his arms. She dropped the jacket of her suit onto the floor, barely having had time to take it off.

His mouth retained the same hot fierceness it had had the first time he kissed her. His bitterness might have mellowed, his prejudices might have been tamped down, he might have come to accept and appreciate the Anglo half of himself, but Aislinn hoped that the savage nature of his lovemaking would never be tamed.

He touched the front of her blouse, groping for buttons. He released them one by one as she plowed all ten of her fingers through his hair, holding his mouth hard against hers. He tugged the blouse from the waistband of her skirt, unfastened the clasp of her bra and pushed the lacy cups aside, then covered her breasts with his hands.

His callused fingertips and palms were excitingly abrasive against her smooth flesh. They worked their magic, and when she was primed for his mouth, he took her between his lips and made her very wet.

They both groaned with pleasure when he lifted his mouth once again to hers and drew her breasts against his chest. He held her tight against him, wrapping his arms as far around her as he could reach, bending his head down low over hers.

"I don't ever want to remember when you weren't a part of my body," he said huskily, squeezing her closer. "I don't want to remember when I didn't love you."

The romantic speech was so unlike him that she treasured it all the more. He had learned that admitting to profound emotions didn't compromise his heritage or manhood. Still, he rarely voiced aloud his deepest feelings. When he did, as now, Aislinn cherished every precious word.

With their mouths fused in an ardent kiss, he slipped his hands beneath her skirt and moved them up her thighs. He played with the tops of her stockings and the suspenders of her garter belt, which he had expressed an extreme liking for and which she favored him by wearing often.

He cupped her derriere and positioned her against him, maximizing the sensations for both of them. Moments later, she stepped out of her panties. His hand slid between her thighs. And up. And inside. And he let her die a little before bringing her back down with soothing kisses and whispered endearments.

"Lucas," she murmured weakly, wilting against him like a flower that has experienced full bloom.

"God, you're beautiful." He wound his fingers through her hair, pulling hard. "My wife. My woman," he murmured possessively, and held her even tighter.