It hurt to keep his eyes open, so he gave uptrying and allowed his lids to close. If a mate nudged him awakewith the toe of their boot, he didn’t care. He needed sleep. Hedrew a deep breath, his muscles relaxing into the wood as heexhaled. Yes, sleep and a delicious dream about Allison.
Was she also resting comfortably? Holding herin his arms, he’d felt all her curves. Her shift was well-worn,making it easy for him to visualize her naked. The picture teasedhim, her lying beside him, curly black hair falling in front of hershoulders, not quite long enough to hide the globes of her breasts.Focusing hard on her image, he felt himself drift off.
He scooted closer to her. Flicking one duskynipple with his tongue, he turned it into a hard peak. She was theloveliest woman he had ever seen. Her honey skin made him want ataste. He sucked the nipple into his mouth and sighed. She was evensweeter than he expected, sweeter than Mary could ever be. Hedevoured her, teeth gently scraping her skin and then moved hisattention to the other breast. Her throaty sigh wordlessly beggedfor more, just like Frederick had told him.
With the lightest touch, he traced her smooth belly. She giggled as thepads of his fingers tickled along her skin. Encouraged by her smileand the pleasure in her eyes, he moved his hand lower travelingbetween her thighs and she moaned.
He brushed her curls and she inhaled sharply.Parting her nether lips, he slowly entered her with his finger,eyes locked with hers in a passionate gaze. Lust roped both of them, binding them together. Hefingered her, slowly and carefully, watching her response. This wasnew territory for him and he reveled in seeing her pleasure,knowing he was capable of providing it. Her eyes rolled back andshe arched off the floor, her walls tightening. His cock hardenedfurther in his trousers. He desired her, his body burned for her,desperate to get inside. This is what had been missing withMary.
Sweat beaded her forehead and heaving bosom.She panted harder. He increased his pace. When she finally came shescreamed, her sweet juices flooding his hand. Just watching hercome was almost enough to send him into his own state of bliss. Hisbody hummed, fluid rushing up his cock. He swallowed hard. Hedidn’t know how to ask, but maybe she’d return the favor. “Allison,I—”
He wasshaken awake. George opened his eyes and saw Mr. Seever.
“We need more steam.”
“Yes, sir,” George said, getting to his feet.“I’ll need more wood soon.” The pile of wood dwindled fast. Hisdream still hovered vividly in his mind. After listening toFrederick explain how evenings went with his clients, he oftendreamed of sexual fantasies, imagining he had been pleasuring thewoman instead of his brother. But in those dreams, he never saw the faces of the women. This was thefirst time he’d imagined his own perfect lover.
The mate didn’t leave. The playful glint inhis eye made George uneasy. He didn’t know what to expect.
“You were talking in your sleep,” he said.“Who is this Allison?”
George’s cheeks burned. “Just a girl, sir.”He did not want to discuss his personal life with a white man nomatter if he was friendly.
“Uh-huh,” Mr. Seever said as if he didn’tbelieve him. “So that’s what you do whenever you go ashore in St.Louis for the night. You’re chasing the girls. Or is it just thisone girl?”
George ran his tongue across the bottom ofhis teeth. Why did Mr. Seever want to know? He wasn’t in thewhoring business like his brother had been before he married.Usually he was too shy to talk tothe ladies and admired them from a distance. “Just her at themoment, sir,” George said softly.
Mr. Seever nodded. “Thought so. You’re young,boy. If you got any questions about women you know where to findme.” The mate turned and left, leaving George gaping at him.
Finally, George forced his mouth closed. Wasthis some sort of game for Mr. Seever? Or did he really care?
George ignored him and added more wood to thefire, fearing more questions about Allison would come in thefuture.
He didn’t know what to do. She was the firstwoman he had feelings for and he had no one to share it with. Well,no one except Mr. Seever and he damn sure wasn’t going to spill hisdeepest feelings to him. Maybe he could get word to Frederick. Ifhe didn’t tell everything to his brother soon, he’d either go crazyor burst from trying to keep it a secret.
In his hours of solitude, he kept trying to find the right words to sayto Allison when he saw her again. So far nothing sounded rightbesides, “How are you?” Unlike hisbrother, he hadn’t been born with a smooth tongue. In fact, hismama said she had to pry the words out of him. He hadn’t said aword until four years of age.
It served him well on the plantation. He kepthis mouth shut, did his work, and nearly became invisible. Excepthe didn’t want to be invisible now. He wanted Allison to noticehim.
This trip down the river passed quickly,thanks to the new job constantly keeping him busy. And his feetwere healing. It no longer hurt like hell to stand all day.
He’d be back in St. Louis soon. Would Allisonbe willing to see him? Would she even be there? He didn’t know ifAllison would stay with Mrs. Brown once she was strong enough toleave. The midwife couldn’t make her stay against her will. Allisondidn’t strike him as the type of person to let anything hold herback.
He had to atleast make sure she was safe. Allison wasn’t only wounded onthe outside; from her reaction to his touch, he sensed she boreinternal wounds as well. Such a vulnerable woman needed protection,needed a man in her life.
He wanted to look after her, be that man.
Chapter 7
COSWELL STOOD NEAR the charred remains ofGrier’s body. His skeleton, still containing patches of flesh,disturbed him more than most of the corpses he helped bury duringthe war. His stomach turned over, and he consciously focused on notvomiting.
He’d never expected his friend—formerfriend—to meet a fiery end. Or for him to
