last night,' Roy complained.
Rainey retrieved a blanket from the saddle and spread it by a tree, insisting that Travis sit down. When he did, she rolled his coat and placed it under his left knee, relieving a little of the pressure he felt.
'How'd you know that would help?' Travis asked as he leaned back against the tree trunk.
'I was hurt once in an ice-skating accident.' She spread the extra blanket over Travis.
'I'm not an invalid,' he mumbled.
'I didn't say you were. The blanket is for me.'
Travis watched Roy disappear in the cottonwoods down by the creek. 'He's giving us time alone. He doesn't need a nap.'
'I know, he's sweet.'
'Sweet,' Travis grumbled. 'If he were here alone with you, he'd have you with child before the hour was up.'
Rainey laughed. 'I doubt it. You see, I'm not the least attracted to him.'
'How about me?' Travis thought he already knew the answer.
'You I can't keep my hands off of.' She laughed. 'But, I'll try.'
'Roy is right about one thing. We do need to talk.'
Rainey sat next to him on the blanket padded with the dried grass beneath a tree. 'About what?'
'When we get back, there will be no time for us. The Rangers, the newspaper, everyone will ask what happened. In most places you'd have to tell the story once or twice, but in Austin everything turns into a sideshow.'
She cuddled closer to him, pulling the blanket over her shoulder. 'What do I say?'
'The truth of course. Tell them all about why you put on Sage's coat. How the Norman brothers kidnapped you. How you killed Seth. All they'll have to see is that bruise on your cheek to believe every word you say.'
She laid her head on his shoulder and spread her fingers over his heart. 'Well, if all I have to do is tell the truth, I guess our talk is over. Mind if I take a nap? I dreamed last night I was sleeping in a cave with a hibernating bear. He was delightfully warm, but noisy.'
He put his arm around her and tugged her closer to him. How could a woman feel so right? 'That's not all. There is one thing I want you to lie about.'
Rainey raised her head and looked at him. 'What?'
'I want you to tell people that I found you huddled in the ruins at dawn.'
'But you found me last night.'
'I know I did and you know I did, but no one else has to know.'
'But nothing happened last night.'
'I think I know that, too. I'm just thinking of your reputation.'
Rainey laughed. 'I don't have a reputation, good or bad.' She smiled at him. 'So I guess I shouldn't mention to the paper that I came to your room late the night before.'
He didn't answer.
'Or that we kissed in the alley long after the boarding-house was locked up. We kissed and you opened my shirt.'
His arm tightened slightly, but she didn't stop.
'Or maybe I should leave out all together about how we met and how you accused me of stealing your horse.'
'You did steal my horse. Twice.'
She slid her hand to his collar and touched his hair. 'I have a little trouble with what to leave out of my life when you tell me to be totally honest. I figure on a good day the best you'll get is about fifty-fifty.' Her fingers moved into his hair, closed into a fist, and tugged.
Travis cracked and pulled her to him. He kissed her hard on the mouth. 'You're going to drive me to drink, Rainey.'
She smiled and felt her body relax in his arms. 'Kiss me again, but don't ask for honesty. Kiss me hard like you did before dawn. Kiss me like you'd die if you didn't get to kiss me.'
He turned her until she faced him and kissed her gently. 'I don't want to hurt you here.' He brushed her cheek. 'Or here.' He slid his hand over her backside. 'You're nice and rounded here.'
She smiled up at him, guessing that it was his turn to tease her. 'It doesn't hurt and I don't mind if you touch me. After all, I touched you plenty while we slept together.'
He raised an eyebrow. 'You didn't.' He studied her green eyes and had no idea if she was lying or telling the truth.
'You'll never know, but I promise you, you'll wonder.'
His hand moved along her waist as he kissed her again. He would have kept the kiss soft, but she would have none of it. This time she wanted passion and would settle for nothing less.
When his hand slid to her hip, he pressed gently, then slowly, moved up until his fingers covered her breast. If she said he could touch her, he planned to call her bluff.
But she didn't move away. In fact, she shifted slightly, filling his hand with her ample breast. Through the few layers of clothes, he could even feel the point of it brushing his palm. She felt like heaven hidden beneath a few layers of cotton.
Suddenly he was very glad she'd placed the blanket over them. He'd thought her small, slim, but she was very much rounded in all the right places. Breaking the kiss, he stared down at her eyes as his fingers unbuttoned a few buttons on her blouse. When he slipped his hand beneath the dress, he saw surprise in her green eyes, but she didn't move away or tell him to stop. When his touch moved over the thin camisole and once more closed around her breast, he saw fire flicker in her eyes.
Then, to his surprise, she arched her back slightly, closed her eyes, and let him enjoy exploring the softest flesh he'd ever touched. He wished he could pull the blanket down and see her, but for now it was enough to watch her smile and feel her flesh grow warm beneath his hand.
He kissed her gently and whispered against her lips, 'I could get used to the feel of you.'
She moaned and stretched like a cat as he continued.
He told himself that maybe she just needed to feel alive, or maybe she wanted to know what the touch of a man felt like. It didn't matter that she'd allow no promises of the future. For right now, it was enough to hold her.
He gripped one breast tightly and smothered her surprise with a kiss. While his tongue tasted her, he held her breast boldly.
When he released her mouth, he expected her to pull away. He knew he'd been too forward.
But she only whispered, 'Again, please. I like the way you hold me.'
He laughed, deciding he was her slave. He had no choice but to grant her request.
But when he started to kiss her, she leaned away, smiling shyly as she unbuttoned the rest of her blouse so his hand could move freely between her breasts.
He kissed her as he explored, then whispered against her ear, 'I'd love to taste all of you.'
Her cheek warmed against his, and he knew he'd shocked her, but she didn't pull away. He kissed her tenderly then, trying to remember that all this was new to her. He wanted nothing more then to tell her that she was his and would be all their lives, but he knew he'd only frighten her. So he kissed her gently and touched her as if she were a treasure.
By the time Roy came whistling into camp, she looked like she had a fever and she definitely knew she'd been both kissed and touched. He buttoned her blouse beneath the blanket and sat her beside him before Roy had walked close enough to notice what they'd been doing.
'We'll continue this discussion later,' he whispered.
She smiled and nodded slowly as if she'd already decided to do that very thing.
CHAPTER 27
