touched her or even kissed her when they were alone. But his actions now told her all she needed to know.
She tugged his hand away. He watched in silence as she untied her camisole and let the cotton fall open. Then, she put his hand back on her breast with no material between them.
'Continue,' she whispered against his ear.
He laughed. 'I always follow orders.'
A few moments later she cried again in pleasure as his kisses moved down her throat and found the breast he'd already warmed with his hand.
She rocked gently in paradise as he explored her body, kissing and tasting. The gentle warrior she'd seen before returned as he touched her in places no man had ever seen. It crossed her mind, as his fingers molded into the flesh at the back of her leg, that maybe she should be shy, or even hesitant, but Rainey could never pull off such a lie.
He took his time showing her that he thought she was beautiful, and with each touch, each kiss, she wanted more.
As the room darkened into shadows, her underthings fell one by one to the floor of her tiny room and she was wrapped in his warmth. He took great care in moving his hands from her hair down along the center of her back to her hips, then he'd turn her to face him and kiss her until she felt she was floating. While she drifted, he explored, gently pulling her legs apart until she felt a fire of need build deep in her belly.
When she stretched like a cat across him, he whispered, 'I want you, Rainey. I want to watch the graceful way you move all day and hold you like this every night. I want to move inside you so deep that we won't even know where I end and you begin. Marry me.'
'No,' she answered, no longer angry at him because he asked. 'I can't.'
He pulled her close. 'And I have to have you.' He spread his hand wide across the inside of her thigh and gripped her flesh. Covering her mouth with his, he caught her sigh of pleasure and tasted deeply as she pressed her body gently against him in wave after wave of sensations.
She wanted to feel his flesh against hers, but when she began unbuttoning his shirt, he stopped her.
'I have about one ounce of self-control left, my fairy, so don't push this further. I have to think of your safety and be ready to act without having to look for my clothes first.'
She laughed. 'But it's not fair. I have nothing on.'
He kissed her hand. 'I agree it's not fair, and believe me I'm fully aware you have nothing on.' He ran his hand along the curves of her side stopping to grip one hip.
Fisting his other hand into the curls of her hair, he pulled her head back. 'You have no idea how perfect you are.' He kissed his way down to her breasts. 'I'll never again look at you clothed without seeing you like this.'
Rainey hardly noticed the room slip into darkness as she drifted on wave after wave of pleasure. She knew there was more to lovemaking, much more, but she felt she might go mad if he went further. She'd simply float off the edge of passion and shatter into a million tiny drops of paradise.
They lay together for a long while. His hands slowly circled over her body, exploring, getting to know every curve, learning how she liked to be touched. She wanted to tell him that he could have her if he wanted. Hadn't she already made it plain that she wanted him? But she didn't talk, for she knew if they did, they'd only argue. For now maybe it was enough for both of them to hold each other. She'd start believing in marriage when he started believing in love.
The opening of a door sounded from floors below.
Travis brushed his fingers across her mouth and pointed at her clothes. She stood, fumbling in the shadows, and dressed. He shifted and lit a candle without making a sound. She could still see passion in his eyes, and when his gaze moved down her dress, she knew what he was thinking.
Silently she packed her few things and followed him down the stairs.
Mrs. Vivian sat on the last step of the stairs in the foyer when they reached the bottom. Rainey expected the woman to yell at her for having a man upstairs, but she stared at them with glazed eyes.
Travis touched her shoulder. 'Are you all right, ma'am?'
She looked up. 'I'm finished. I'm bankrupt. No one will ever rent from me again.'
'Folks have short memories,' Travis said. 'They'll forget in time.'
Rainey wasn't so sure. They were still talking about the French girl from years ago. 'The women will come back.' She tried to sound hopeful. 'You can cover the outlaw's bloodstain with a rug and his death will become part of the legend of this place.'
Mrs. Vivian shook her heard. 'I tried to keep it going. I tried everything. But now I'm finished. When my husband comes back, he'll blame me for not keeping the house.'
Travis shrugged at Rainey, but tried again. 'Rainey's right, a rug would cover it up.'
Mrs. Vivian looked at them with vacant eyes. 'And who will cover the woman's body on my back porch,' she asked as if they had the answer. 'Who will wash up her blood?'
CHAPTER 31
Travis helped Rainey get Mrs. Vivian into her room. The scarecrow of a woman seemed nervous that they were in her private quarters. Travis figured it was because she had enough furniture for five rooms crammed into the space. She'd even suspended drapes in places where there were no windows to give the look of tiny rooms within the area. He felt like if he breathed he'd knock something over. He stopped about three feet inside and watched the landlord crumble into a chair by the window.
'Lock the door when I leave,' Travis whispered to Rainey. 'Will you be all right in here?'
'I'll be fine.' Rainey didn't look too sure.
He turned at the door and took one last glance at the woman he knew very well by touch. Rainey looked so beautiful when she was trying to be brave, he thought.
'I'll not open the door until I hear your voice on the other side,' she whispered, and he fought the urge to return for just one last kiss before the world stepped between them.
Travis looked over at Mrs. Vivian and decided he had the easier job of going to look for a body. Rainey had to deal with her.
He stepped to the front porch and yelled at the first rider passing to go to the Ranger station and tell anyone there that McMurray needed assistance at Askew House. The young kid of about fifteen galloped away, excited to help.
Then, Travis walked through the kitchen to the back door forcing his mind to not allow his body to react to whatever he might find. Something had frightened Mrs. Vivian into hysteria and she didn't seem the type to rattle easily.
The kitchen was a mess with laundry and dishes piled around.
He stood in the shadows by the back door for a few minutes waiting to see if anyone or anything moved in the alley. But all was still. He lit one of the kitchen lamps and placed it in the window so that he could see the porch more clearly. Mrs. Vivian had been correct. Looking like a rag doll, the body of a woman sat in the corner of the porch, her eyes staring sightlessly at him. Her arms were at her sides, a knife in one. Deep cuts ran across her wrists. Blood pooled around her.
It took him only a moment to recognize the woman who'd ended her own life. Rainey had called her Whiny, the thin barmaid. The one the Rangers thought was sweet on Seth Norman.
'McMurray!' a man yelled from inside the house. 'Travis, it's Dumont and Price. What's the problem?'
'Ask the boy who delivered the message to wait on the front porch!' Travis yelled back. 'I have something important I need him to do.' The last thing Travis wanted was for the young man to witness this suicide. It wasn't one that would wash out of anyone's mind easily.
Two Rangers had followed his voice and stood at the kitchen door.
'Oh, my God,' Roy whispered as he lowered his gun. 'What happened?'
'Looks like she killed herself,' Travis answered. 'Bring the other lantern and we'll have a closer look.' Travis was glad Roy Dumont had answered the call.
As Roy lit the lantern, Travis heard him say to the other, younger, Ranger, 'Stand guard at the front, Philip. We
