He tugs her head to the side and tangles his hands in her wavy hair, kissing her feverishly, forgetting all about breakfast. He grips her firm ass through her skirt and growls when he realizes she’s naked beneath. Walking her backward he slams into the small table, telling himself to slow down, don’t take her like this, but she leans her head to the side, and he laps at the vein pulsing for him, she arches into his heat.
“Mine,” he groans.
“Harris,” she whispers.
Lifting her up, he sets her gently on the table, “Say it, Nessa, say you’re mine.” Icy eyes dare her to deny him. She runs her hand up over his muscular chest, memorizing every dip and plane.
“If this is what happens when I say maybe, what happens if I say yes?” she quips.
“Say, yes and find out,” he demands and slides a hand up her bare legs. Vanessa jumps, and her eyes fly open wide. She licks her lips, and his eyes darken, “Say it,” he pleads, leaning down to taste her and she groans as his hands slide up to the back of her knees, gripping and kneading.
Vanessa pulls his head back down to hers. Desperate for him to take the choice from her, she moans restlessly against him, but Harris isn’t giving in. He rips is mouth from hers, and his eyes dance with joy as he traces his lips over her face, trailing the moist heat across her cheek. Vanessa smiles softly and moans as he slides down her neck, pressing random kisses nipping at her neck and causing her to jump.
“I need you, Harris,” she murmurs.
“You have me, Nessa,” he promises and pulls back to look at her.
His eyes held hers, promising more than words can say. “Will you marry me?” he asks.
“Why?” she asks.
“I need you, Vanessa,” he whispers. “I want you always beside me.”
Vanessa drags his mouth back to hers and almost screams in frustration when he presses her back, “Say it!” he demands.
“Yes, I will marry you, Harris.” He rips her blouse open shredding the material, sending buttons flying and leans down to capture her breast in his mouth. This time she does scream. Hot, heat, rips through her body, as he laps at her causing her to arch in pleasure. Teeth pluck, pull and tease, causing Nessa to thrash on the small table, and he leans back to drop his pants she stares in wonder at his beautiful body.
“Harris!”
“Lift,” he orders tugging on her skirt, but she tries to cover herself with the remnants of her shirt.
“No, my scars,” Vanessa whimpers.
“Are a beautiful tapestry,” he stops her hands and presses her back onto the table. “Don’t move,” he demands. Harris slides her skirt up revealing a scar on her leg, he presses a kiss to it gently, tracing his fingers over her body. “I know this body,” he murmurs and realizes the truth of his words. He’s seen every inch of her, but now he gets to claim it.
His rough fingers trail over the texture on her skin causing her body to erupt in chills.
“Harris,” she pleads and tries to move back, but he grips her preventing her from moving.
“Vanessa, these scars tell the story of a woman determined to fight back and live. I see the story of you in each one. They tell the story of who you are.”
She sniffs and pushes him back, standing proudly she drops the tattered remains of her shirt followed by her skirt. His eyes trace her body and darken with passion. Slowly she lifts a wrist, “Are you thankful for this one?”
Harris grins, drawing her wrist to his mouth. His hot breath touches the scar as he presses a kiss to the sensitive skin. “Very,” he says.
“What about this one?” she twists and points to her ribs.
His eyes drop to her breasts, and his roughed hands trail down the arm he’s holding. Down the side of her breast to circle the scar on her rib. “It’s beautiful,” he murmurs.
“And this one,” she spins and points to the one at the top of her pert backside.
Harris drops to his knees with a growl, “Yes,” he hisses and again traces the scar reverently before kissing it. Vanessa groans and runs a hand through his dark hair. She jumps when both hands grab her waist. “Harris?”
Silver eyes look up her body to her nervous face. “Don’t back away now, I’m just getting started.” His hands trail over her hips down to the top of her thigh, to touch the red, rippled scar. “This is my favorite because it brought you to me.” Hot tongue, moist heat, trailing over the rippled flesh and he grins when her hands fist in his hair.
“Oh, God, your beard,” she moans, and he rubs it over her body causing her to jump. “Harris if you are only going to kiss the scarred parts, that might be a deal breaker.”
“I’m going to claim every scar on your body as mine.” His eyes heat with a possession that thrills her. “Before I’m done you will love them as much as I do.
Tears slip from her eyes as his words heal the invisible scars in her heart. “You’re mine, now Nessa,” Harris promises.
“Yes, and you’re mine,” Vanessa nods, and the food is forgotten as they savor each other and nourish their souls.
Chapter 30
General Barclay sits back on the train with a soft sigh of satisfaction. Soon his land will be free of the vermin infesting it. The next few days he is meeting with the investors in San Francisco. Once he has secured a contract with them, he will return to the drilling
