"How long does it cook?" She asked.
"Oh about 30-45 minutes it will be ready."He smiled.
"Well, I learned something." Shechuckled.
"Is that better than reading Ivanhoe?" Heasked as he turned to look at her once more.
"Much better, I've read Ivanhoe many times,but never made what you just did."
"Want to go sit on the porch?" he asked.
"That would be great. I love to sit on theporch when it rains."
"Fine," he picked her up but this time shewrapped her arms around his neck. But as he put her down in therocking chair on the porch, she didn't let go.
"Uh…. You can let go now."
"What if I don't want to?" she askedbreathlessly.
"Kate… " but it was too late, he turned tolook at her and she opened her mouth. This time he touched his lipsto hers and when she didn't turn loose, he took her up into hisarms once more and sat her in his lap.
The kiss was long and heady and more thanshe'd hoped for. The slight scent of the man lingered, hay andleather. Her fingers went through his hair as the kiss deepened.Her mouth was an open invitation to his exploring her. His tongueshot out and entered to mate with hers. She slowly let her tonguewind up with his and the feel of his slight shadow on his cheekdidn't phase her. His lips melded into hers, blending. How could amere kiss be so exciting? How could it turn her insides into putty?The more he kissed her, the more she wanted from him.
From the moment he took command of the kiss,Kate's surrender was obvious. She moaned the way he massaged herlips, and it felt as though their lips melded to each other.
When he pulled away rather reluctantly, hepicked her up and put her in another chair.
"Why did you do that?" she murmured as heset her down.
"It's probably best," he told her with araspy voice.
"I enjoyed it, didn't you?" she asked.
"Yeah Kate, I enjoyed it. Now let's leave itat that."
"Why?" she asked innocently.
"I'm a drifter Kate, I'll be leaving beforetoo long. Best left alone, don't you think?" He said sitting in theother rocker.
"It wasn't a marriage proposal Wes. It wasjust a kiss." She tried to explain her actions.
"I got nothing to offer you Kate. Nothing."He exclaimed.
"I see. I didn't know." She said quietly hervoice faltering at bit.
"Didn't know what?"
"There's no difference."
"No difference in what?" his voice raisedsome.
"Kissing! I mean, when you kiss me likethat, and you still feel nothing. I didn't realize it." A tear fellon her cheek and he almost came undone. "I guess you've been awayfrom people so long, you forgot how to feel. That kiss was betterthan anything I've ever shared with a man. And you throw it awaylike it's nothing."
"I felt something Kate." He stared at herbut didn't move toward her. "The way you kiss a man makes them feelten feet tall, like they could fight a bear with their fists andwin. I wanted to take you into your bed, just now and make youmine. Kiss you until you begged me to take you and make you mine.That's what I felt. But I'm nothing but a drifter, Kate. Youdeserve better. Now are you satisfied?" He said and walked off intothe rain.
"Wes," she called to him, but he didn't turnaround, he just kept walking.
A few minutes later he came back, picked herup and took her inside, sat her in a chair in the kitchen, dishedher a plate of the hash and they ate.
Neither one said a word to the other, butshe had a flush to her cheeks that wouldn't go away.
ChapterSixteen
Kate lay in her bed the next day trying tofigure Wes out. She'd never been kissed like that before. She neverrealized a kiss could be so much. But Wes' kiss had curled aroundher heart and made her want so much more. Did every man kiss likethat? She doubted it.
Wes wanted to make love with her. Itstartled her, pleased her, and made her want much more. If a kisswere that good from him, what would making love be like withWes?
She'd never thought of another man this waybefore. But Wes left her wanting so much more from him, and yet sheknew he wasn't going to give her more.
She couldn't quite get over the fact that hethought himself less a man because he drifted. She was sure at thismoment if he asked her, she'd go with him in a heartbeat. But shealso knew he wouldn't be asking her to.
Was this what love felt like? Since she hadlittle to compare it to, she didn't know.
The only thing she knew for sure was thatshe wanted way more of him than he was willing to give.
Moby came into her room, pushing her dooropen.
Dickens saw the strain between them and wentto talk to Kate.
"So what's with the silence around here?" heasked.
"What do you mean?" Kate asked.
"Don’t play games with me, Kate. I left theother day and when I came back, something had changed. Is somethingwrong that I don't know about?'
"No, not a thing."
"I know better. What happened?"
"He kissed me." She blurted.
"Well, he did? That's great." Dickenssmiled.
"No, no it isn't. It isn't great. It was thefirst time he really kissed me. And he didn't hold back from me. Hereally kissed me. I've never been kissed like that before."
"Then, what's wrong?"
"Nothing… "
"Oh now, don't kid me. What happened afterhe kissed you?"
"Nothing, he says he has nothing to offerme."
"Is he right?"
"No! He's wrong. He gave me something Inever had."
"And what was that?"
"A real kiss. You see, my husband neverkissed me, I mean a real kiss."
"Never?"
"Never!"
"And you liked Wes kissing you?"
"Of course I did. "
"Did he like it?"
"I think so."
"Then I don't understand what is wrong?"
"I told him it wasn't a marriage proposal;it was just a kiss. Even though at that moment, I'd have said yes,if he'd asked. But he didn't. He said he was a drifter and he'd bemoving on soon. That he had nothing to offer me." Kate cried.
"And you believed him?"
"No, I didn't, but he walked off and neversaid another word. Now when I am around him, I
