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Runaway. Carolyn Davidson
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His scent was masculine, a combination of leather and sweat, but his breath was clean, like a fresh breeze. Against her lips, his were warm, moist and moving. With a barely discernible rhythm they touched hers, soothing the tender flesh of her mouth, as if he were coaxing her to join him in this venture.
He nudged at her, his teeth touching her firmly closed lips, and she heard another muted groan as she backed from the contact.
“Did I frighten you, Cassie?” he whispered against her lips, a sardonic tinge accompanying the query.
She stiffened, indignant at the humor inherent in his tone. “I’m not afraid,” she quavered, clearing her throat quickly. “I just think you’re taking privileges I haven’t offered.”
“Ever been kissed, Cassie?”
He moved his lips against her once more, nibbling, like a rabbit in a patch of lettuce, and, stifling a giggle, she relaxed a bit.
“By my mother.”
“That’s not what I meant,” he told her, glowering in the faint light shed by the campfire, his arms tightening around her.
Her giggle bubbled forth again and she bit at her lips, her breath catching in a half sob. “You laughin’ at me?” He leaned back, the better to see her face.
“No, of course not,” she denied, fearful of the tears that seemed to be hovering just behind her lids. Her words were shaky as she spoke on an indrawn breath. “I just…you just…you made my lips tickle when you bunny-kissed them.”
“Bunny-kissed! What the hell’s that supposed to mean?”
He rolled from her. Damn, he’d do well to keep his hands to himself and away from the bundle of innocence he’d managed to get himself tied up with. Horny as a bull in a pasture full of heifers, he fought the need that surged in his groin.
She was watching him, drawn up into a defensive ball, her lips tightly pressed together. He tucked his hands beneath his head, visibly relaxing, purposefully willing her to do the same, praying for the ache in his male parts to subside.
“Bunnies?” The single word of inquiry was a rasping whisper.
Her words were halting as she struggled to explain the game she’d played in years gone by with her mother, peering at him as if she would read his expression in the flickering firelight. “I’ve only ever been kissed by her,” she confessed softly.
Will drew in a breath. Then, shifting, he rolled to his side and reached for her hand, clasping her fingers. “Don’t let me set you to running, Cassie. I’ll leave you alone.” Much as the promise cost him, he vowed silently to bear it in mind. “You’re probably one of the better things that’s come my way since I left home,” he told her quietly.
“Have a lot of good things happened to you?” she asked, wary of his nearness, given her own urge to nestle closer to his side.
“Yeah, I’ve had my share of good and bad, I guess. I took up with a sheriff down in San Antone and spent some time learnin’ law and order. Then I worked on a couple of ranches, and got a real education. Found out more about horses than I’d ever expected to. And a few other things that opened my eyes, made me grow up in a hurry.”
“Like what?” she asked, enamored of his remembrances, almost envious of the years he’d spent on his own, her apprehensions put to rest for a moment as he spoke.
Will’s eyes darkened as if the memories were better left alone. “Most of it’s the sort of stuff a young girl like you doesn’t need to hear, Cassie.” He rose to one elbow, leaning quickly to drop a quick kiss against the tip of her nose, unable to resist her nearness.
“Don’t do that, Will,” she said sharply, her heartbeat increasing as she shifted away.
It was quiet for a few minutes, Cassie pondering his words, considering the traveling he had done. “Men are lucky,” she said finally, shifting to face him. “They can travel and meet folks and work where they want to, and a woman has to stay with her family till she’s married. Or else be bait for gossip if she doesn’t do what people expect of her.”
“That’s the way of the world, Cass.” Sitting up, he wrapped his arms around one knee, shifting for comfort, and finding little to be had on the hard ground. He grimaced, wishing he’d kept his hands to himself.
“Are you going to find a place to leave me, Will?” She watched him, sensing his withdrawal. Perhaps he wasn’t ready to get rid of her presence yet, if what he’d said was gospel truth. If he really thought she was good for him.
“I can’t just dump you off somewhere, Cass. My ma would have my hide if she thought I’d rescued you just to leave you with strangers.”
“Your ma? She doesn’t even know about me,” she said, frowning at his words.
“She will, once I get home. She’ll get every livin’ detail out of me, with her pickin’ and yatterin’ at me.”
Cassie peered up at him. “And will you tell her everything?”
“Most everything, probably.” Within reason, anyway. Some things a mother was better off not knowing.
“How come you’re going home?” she asked, after a long moment.
“It sure as hell isn’t my first choice,” he said harshly. “But Pa’s pretty bad off. Ma wrote me a letter, sent it to the last place I worked. I tried to keep Ma up on where I was, a couple of times a year, anyway. She said in the letter that Pa had taken a bad spell out in the field and just didn’t get over it. His heart acts funny, fluttering and making him lose his breath sometimes.”
“Did she ask you to come home?”
He nodded. “My brothers are both married now and have their own fields to work. Farmers can’t be runnin’ back and forth all the time to somebody else’s place to lend a hand. And my sister ran off and married a scallywag a few years ago. My mother was pretty cut up about that.”
“It sounds like you’ll be a homebody for sure, once you get there.” Her eyelids were getting heavy and the words she spoke were slurred. She yawned widely, covering her mouth with one hand, shifting to lie on her side.
Will looked down at her. “Homebody?” His laugh was harsh. “I’m not cut out to be a farmer.”
Cassie’s eyes flew open at his rasping tone. “Then why go? Why take me there?”
His hand silenced her anxious query. “I guess I owe it to my mother to lend a hand. She was always there for me when things got tough, with Pa on my tail all the time. You’ll be all right. My mother’ll take to you. There’s always room for another hand, helpin’ around the house and doin’ chores.” Cassie would probably be more welcome than he would, at that. There’d be hell to pay, with him and Pa in the same house.
Cassie looked up with sleepy eyes. “I doubt your mother will be pleased to see me coming. Not after we’ve been traveling together.”
“I don’t see that I have much choice right now,” he muttered. “You sure aren’t capable of headin’ out on your own.”
What he’d do with her once he got her home was another question, one he wasn’t ready to examine too closely tonight For one thing, he never should have kissed her. For all the good it had done him. She was about as innocent as they came, with her talk about rabbits. And then there was Pa. Ornery and miserable as the day was long. He’d give them both a hard time. The old resentment welled up within him, lending harshness to his voice. “Go to sleep, Cassie. Between you and