WARRIOR'S BRIDE Read online

  "Well, soon—"

  "There's a job for a nurse at the health service that Dr. Redcloud can't fill. You could apply!"

  Katarina smiled warmly, shaking her head. "I don't think so. Cole has his practice up in L.A. But thank you for asking. You've all made me feel so welcome."

  Two of the girls reached over and hugged her, and soon she and Chance were being hugged by all. Her heart was ready to burst. How could she ever have thought these sweet girls were out to steal Cole away? She was so ashamed of herself.

  "Come on, let's take Chance for a walk and show Rini the sights!"

  Laughing, she allowed herself to be dragged by the giggling mob to the front door, passing an astonished Cole.

  "Hey, where're you going?"

  Katarina lifted her arms in an expansive shrug and smiled. "We're off to see the sights!"

  The girls commandeered one of the half-dozen baby carriages sitting in front of the house and settled Chance into it, all snug and cozy.

  "Shouldn't we ask the owner?"

  "Nah," Katarina was assured. "This is Luz's. She won't mind."

  She was beginning to get a feel for what it was like with Cole's people. There was a real sense of community, of sharing, that she found herself unbelievably drawn to. For the first time in her life, she saw the possibility of belonging to something larger than one small isolated household. The thought was more than appealing. Too bad Cole's practice prevented him from moving back here. She would enjoy getting to know these people.

  The day was glorious. A cascade of sunshine tumbled over Mount Palomar into the narrow green valley that surrounded the lazy San Luis Rey River. A scattering of puffy white clouds floated by overhead as the group strolled along the gravel shoulder of the road, heading for Route 76. They passed a miniature orchard of stately trees filled with fragrant white blossoms.

  "That's Tanya's macadamias," Mare said. "You'll no doubt get a bagful at holiday time. Tani hasn't bought a Christmas present in over ten years."

  Katarina chuckled. "I think I've already gotten a taste. Cole's mom sent me some delicious nut-covered cookies this year."

  The plump cousin looked puzzled for a moment. "She sent you Christmas cookies?"

  She nodded. "Cole delivered them Christmas Eve. We took a walk and I nearly went into labor."

  They all wanted to hear the story, and by the time she'd finished telling of her and Cole's whirlwind courtship, they had passed a mushroom farm and a chapel with two tepee-shaped outhouses, and had reached a tiny grocery store. Some of the girls went in for sodas while Katarina stayed outside with Chance and Marie. An older woman came out of the store.

  "Oh, look! There's Mrs. Padilla. Hello, Aunt Lanie!" Marie called out, motioning her over to where she and Katarina stood.

  Leaning over the crib, the woman exclaimed, "Oh, what a beautiful little boy." She glanced up curiously, her eyes obviously comparing Katarina's pale blond looks with Chance's dark coloring. "He's yours?"

  Marie introduced them. "Mrs. Padilla, this is Rini Lonetree, Cole's wife. And this is their son, Chance."

  "Cole's wife?" Shock and surprise momentarily paralyzed the older woman. Then her eyes strayed back to the carriage. "And his son?" They softened as she reached in to pull the blanket from Chance's face. "Yes. Yes, I can see that now." She looked up. "Rini, I am so happy to meet you and Chance. I didn't think Cole would ever get married again." Once again her eyes were drawn to the carriage, and she reached out to stroke Chance's tiny arm. "May I?"

  Katarina nodded.

  Chance gurgled and cooed in Mrs. Padilla's arms as they chatted, waiting for the girls to come out of the store. He grasped the end of her long black braid, pulling it until Katarina thought she would surely put him down. But the woman just beamed and hummed and rocked him in her embrace. She had the patience of a saint.

  When they were ready to go, she handed Chance back with obvious reluctance. "He's such a dear one. If you ever need a baby-sitter, you call me, okay? Marie has my number."

  By the time they got back to Tanya's the sun was low in the sky, and Chance had fallen asleep again.

  "What did you guys do, hike to the top of Palomar?" Cole teased when she came out after putting Chance down. He gave her a quick hug and kissed her forehead. "I missed you."

  She melted into his embrace, breathing in the delicious male scent of him. "Missed you, too."

  Her pulse quickened when he pulled her tight against his still shirtless body. She made a low purring sound into his neck, tempted to slip her tongue out and taste his smooth, dusky skin. He was as tantalizing as a mocha fudge cheesecake. She longed to indulge in his rich sinfulness.

  Groaning in frustration, she pulled away. This would never do. The man was seducing her. Worse, she was seducing herself!

  "Come on. Let's go for a drive." He grabbed her hand and tugged her toward the door.

  "But Chance—"

  "I asked the girls to keep an eye on him. Come with me. There's a place I want to show you."

  Katarina relaxed as Cole steered the truck through the village, then turned onto a dirt road leading up into the rugged hills. Dark green chaparral covered the hillsides, interspersed with some kind of bright purple flowering shrub. The smell of sage and moist, clean earth permeated the air.

  They parked at the side of the track and Cole slowly led her on foot up a steep, nearly nonexistent animal trail. They hiked past huge granite boulders that lay scattered about as if a giant had poured a bag of irregular gray marbles on the peaks and watched them roll down.

  By the time they reached the top, Katarina was panting. She flopped down on a clear patch of sandy ground below a giant marble and collapsed onto her back, catching her breath. Even Cole was winded. But as he lay down on the slope next to her she couldn't miss his peaceful expression.

  "Did you come up here when you were young?"

  "Yeah." He stacked his hands under his head and peered down over the valley. "After I found my biological family and moved to Rincon, life got pretty intense. Sometimes I just needed a place to be alone and think."

  "Must have been tough for you, jumping into the middle of things like that."

  He shrugged. "Yes and no. Tanya and my aunt and uncle were great. Billy, too. He made sure I was accepted and learned everything I needed to know. He was very protective of me." A smile crinkled the corners of his eyes. "He'll be good with Jeff."

  "Who else looked after you?"

  He laughed. "Pretty much everybody. I was a community project."

  "What about your mom and dad? I mean your biological parents?"

  His face went stony. "What about them?"

  "Did they help you?"

  "No."

  "Are they still around?"

  "I never asked."

  Katarina wondered at the venom in Cole's voice. As important as family was to him, it was strange that he hadn't attempted to see his own mother or father. But it was obviously not a subject open for discussion. "Do you miss living here?"

  His expression softened a bit. "Yeah. Especially on days like today. But it's not always like this."

  "No?"

  "This place is like a family. We love each other, but we fight, and it can get nasty and petty. We gossip, get jealous. Mostly it's good, but it's like living in a glass house."

  She chuckled. "Is that why you didn't have any curtains in your house? To make up for moving away?"

  He shot her an amused glance. "Ha ha ha." He rolled onto his side and scooted closer. "But you fixed that, didn't you?"

  She knew she was in trouble when she turned to him and his pirate's grin flashed back at her. She could practically taste the mocha fudge. Lord have mercy.

  He reached out and drew a finger down her cheek. "You going to let your husband kiss you, Rini?"

  She licked her lips. "I don't think that would be such a good idea…" Her gaze was caught by his sensual mouth—the corners upturned in a predator's smile, the bottom lip full and kissable—already parting in ant
icipation.

  "Oh, I disagree," he murmured, pulling her onto her side to face him, running his hand down the length of her body and then back up again, turning her resistance to quicksilver. "I think it's a good idea." He slid his fingers into her hair and tugged her closer. "A very good idea."

  Poised, waiting, searching her eyes, he held her there. Waiting while her limbs grew slack and her blood pounded. Waiting while her mind emptied of objections and filled with longing. Without realizing what she was doing, she lifted her face and moved toward him.

  He tightened his grip and held her so she could go neither forward nor back. "Tell me, Rini. Tell me you want to kiss me."

  His hot breath fanned across her face, tickling the nerve endings in her cheeks. Her throat tightened and she had to swallow to keep the desire from overwhelming her. "Kiss me, Cole," she managed to whisper. "Kiss me or I'll die."

  With a low groan his mouth consumed hers. All her pent-up yearning and hunger exploded when she opened to him and tasted his tongue on hers. She moaned in surrender and fell back, twining her arms around his neck. He followed, covering her upper body, pressing her into the sandy ground.

  She closed her eyes and her world was reduced to the taste of barbecue and salsa and male. "Oh, Cole," she moaned.

  One large hand cradled the back of her head, the other roamed her body, igniting blazes wherever it touched. She arched up when it skimmed her tender breast.

  He broke the kiss, rubbing his finger along the lacy garment under her blouse. "Damn, I can't get used to you wearing a bra."

  She dug her fingers into his shoulders and tried to pull him back. Her excitement settled right in the tips of her heavy breasts. "Trust me, it's better this way."

  "Why's that?" His clever fingers were already unbuttoning her blouse.

  "Never mind." She gasped when he pulled the front of her blouse out of her skirt and bared her to his ravenous gaze.

  "So damned beautiful," he murmured hotly, bending down to run his tongue along the upper curve of her bra, dipping into the deep valley between her breasts.

  It felt so good she didn't know what to do with the small voice telling her she shouldn't be letting him do this. It felt so right that when the voice told her her hands should be pushing him away, she instead made them hold him tighter. It felt so arousing when he slid his hand behind her and unclasped her bra that the little voice was thoroughly drowned out by her moans.

  "Cole…"

  Her loosened breasts swelled and tingled. She glanced down and saw him watch a drop of milk seep from her nipple and run slowly down the side of her breast. The heated intent in his eyes was obvious even before he had moved a muscle.

  Her eyes widened. "I don't—"

  He leaned forward and drew his tongue up her breast, gathering the droplet as he went. "Mmm. So good."

  "Cole, stop," she moaned, mortified.

  He nestled closer. "Every time I watch Chance suckle at your breast, I'm so damned jealous. I want to curl up beside him, have you stroke my head and sing softly to me, too."

  His gaze burned into her eyes, igniting her to the core, making her forget all modesty. She slowly became aware of his fingers sliding up and down the sensitive skin of her inner thigh.

  "Oh, babe, I want to touch you." He slipped them past the elastic of her panties and into her waiting flesh.

  There was no earth, no sky, no wind, no sun. There was only Cole. Cole was the solid strength that grounded her, the shelter covering her, the ragged breath catching in her lungs, and the heat scorching her body.

  She surrendered completely to the skill of his tongue and the art of his fingers. Her breath came in gasps. Her body shuddered and she sang out moans of ecstasy.

  "Oh, darlin', I love how you sing for me."

  He paused to tug off her panties, pushing her flowing skirt up to her waist. He spread her legs wide, then knelt between her naked thighs.

  She looked up at him, backlit like a Hollywood god, his square jaw set, his sweat-shiny muscles rippling in the sun. She wanted him. Lord above, she wanted him. Posed as she was to accept his sexual demands, she wished like hell he'd just unzip his pants and thrust into her.

  For a moment it looked like he might do just that. But then he gave her a slow, sultry smile and hooked his arms under her knees, raising them as he lowered his body. When his hips rested just above hers, the fabric of his jeans brushing the small cloud of hair between her legs, he stopped. He smelled tangy, like fresh sage and hot skin and molten desire.

  Soft as a feather, his lips brushed hers, gliding smoothly over them like an eagle riding a thermal. She trembled at the raw strength that lay behind his deceptively gentle touch, and yielded to the predatory fierceness that had scattered her objections to the wind.

  She was his, completely.

  And Cole knew it. Today Rini would refuse him nothing. "Tell me what you want," he urged, his chest swelling with hope.

  She searched his eyes for a long moment, a moment that felt like an eternity to his heart. Finally, she whispered, "I want my husband."

  Her words filled him with elation. "You're sure?" He laid his forehead against hers. "If we do this, I won't go back to what it was before." Not that he possibly could even now. Not after tasting her again.

  "I'm sure." She kissed him, a sweet yearning kiss filled with promise for their future. "Make love to me, Cole."

  He nestled down onto her, feeling every lush curve and soft inviting mound under him. He held her quaking body tight and claimed her lips with his, exploring her surrender with infinite joy and delight.

  His tongue teased and tasted, drawing more moans and shudders from her as he plumbed the depths of her warm, welcoming mouth. So sweet. So giving. So perfect.

  She began to move under him, subtly spurring him to deeper intimacy. His hand moved down over her hip, then up again, dipping into her waist, sliding up to her breast. "Think the doctor will scold us? There are still two days to go."

  "I'm sure she—"

  Whatever Rini was going to say was lost in a sigh when he burrowed his face between her breasts, kissing and licking her, then dipped his tongue lower, skipping over her skirt to kiss and caress her tummy. Her belly wasn't concave as it had been before, but he loved the little swell that reminded him of the small miracle that was sleeping contentedly back at Tanya's.

  A warm feeling of possessiveness flowed through him. God, he wanted Rini. He wanted to keep her and cherish her forever. Never let her go.

  He couldn't wait any longer to make her his. He rose, and with eager hands Rini helped unfasten his jeans and pull them down his thighs, then she held out her arms to him. With a low sound deep in his throat he lowered himself over her.

  He felt her legs wind around his waist, pulling him closer. Poised on the brink of joining, he looked into her eyes and caught his breath at the love and happiness he saw in them. Holding her gaze with his, he eased his aching manhood into the silken heat that beckoned. He groaned at the lightning quick, welcoming pleasure of being surrounded by her.

  If there was a heaven, he'd found it.

  At his entry, Katarina's mind simply ceased to function. Her body took over. She melded with Cole, and their joining became the center of her swirling universe. He filled her and quietly held her and whispered sweet words until she was bursting with emotion.

  "Are you doing okay?" he asked. "Does it hurt?"

  "You feel wonderful," she managed to answer on a sigh.

  He let out a breath and started moving. Slowly at first, then more boldly, he rocked deep into her. His mouth came down over hers, his tongue matching the long, measured thrusts of his pelvis.

  With every new stroke she burned hotter and wilder. More than ten endless months she had waited for this, and now she was finally his. She dug her fingernails into his back and hung on, drowning in the ecstasy of his hard, strong body claiming hers again and again.

  Much too soon, she felt herself hurtling toward the brink of oblivion. She melted under h
im, into him, lost herself in the torrent of sensation flooding over her. She twisted and turned, crying out as he buried himself in her once, twice, three times.

  Then she was over the edge. Pulsing and bursting in an explosion of pleasure. Calling to him, over and over. He crushed her in a tight embrace, moving against her quickly, urgently. Then he arched up, throwing his head back like a magnificent beast, and she heard the echo of her name, torn from his throat, on a gust of wind.

  He collapsed onto her and laced his fingers through hers. They lay like that, chests heaving, hearts soaring.

  Cole rubbed his cheek in her hair and whispered, "Oh, Fire Eyes. You take my breath away." Lifting onto his elbows, he smiled down at her. He pulled her left hand to his mouth and kissed her wedding ring. "You're mine now. Only mine." He gave her a searching look for several moments. "You wouldn't leave me, would you?"

  Katarina's heart stopped. She shook her head. She didn't want to leave him. Not ever.

  Now that they'd shared so much, surely he would say the words she longed to hear. Winding her arms around his neck, she held him close.

  "Tell me you love me, Fire Eyes," he whispered into her hair. "Say you'll stay with me always."

  Emotion burned behind her eyes. She shut them tightly and clung to him with all her heart. "I love you, Cole. And I never want to leave you. Ever."

  She held him and waited for him to say it back. That he loved her, too. But the moment passed. Disappointment stabbed through her.

  Give him a chance, Alex had once said to her. A sigh fluttered past her lips. And she prayed she wouldn't have to wait too long.

  * * *

  Chapter 15

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  Cole studied the pattern emerging on the piece of butter-soft buckskin in Rini's hands and smiled. "That's really pretty." The red, blue and yellow geometrical shapes looked like they'd been woven, the beads were placed so tightly and precisely together. "You're a pro at this. Are you sure you've never done beadwork before?"

  He was putting together a buckskin vest and pair of moccasins for a friend's regalia, and he had decided to make Chance a set at the same time. When Rini had sat quietly watching him, he'd invited her to decorate the back of Chance's vest. At first she'd resisted, but he explained that it didn't matter how it turned out, it was the love behind it that counted, and she'd given it a try.