Stay (7 page)

“Hold on,” he said, and he felt her nod beneath his chin. Syd buried her head against his chest and tightened her hold around his waist.

He gripped the mare’s reins with his fist and urged Bodacious into a fast lope. Had he been on his own he would have kicked him into a gallop. Bodacious wasn’t fond of thunderstorms. Judging by the way he had to rein him in, a good hard gallop was what the horse felt the situation required.

Lucas headed straight for the stand of willows above the creek. The area was low-lying. He hoped the trees would provide some protection. They covered the distance fast, Syd balanced on his thighs, pressed as close as possible under the circumstances. His arms surrounded her, protected her.

There was no way in hell he’d let her down.

She didn’t imagine it. That big hard ridge pressed up against her hip, rubbing against her with each stride the horse took was proof enough. Lucas was aroused.

There was another crash of thunder, right overhead this time. Syd cringed. It didn’t matter that Lucas had an erection; they were in danger, stuck out in the middle of the pasture, the closest shelter a good mile away. She knew he was fighting his horse to keep him at a controlled lope. And she was the reason.

He didn’t want her to fall. She didn’t think it was simple chivalry. Lucas cared what happened to her and to the baby. The notion made her shiver.

Lucas immediately hunched his shoulders, sheltering her with his body. She assumed he thought it was the hail making her cold, but if he did he couldn’t be more wrong.

She shivered because of the existential implications. The same man had been reborn into the same body but he possessed an entirely new set of memories and experiences. Lucas did not and might never remember who, or rather what, he really was. But somehow the universe had conspired to bring him back to her. That Lucas existed at all was a miracle. The idea shook her to the core.

Mysticism was not her strength. Empirical data was.

All the empirical data she’d been given stated one thing clear as a bell, she had another chance at a life with him, with Wolf, and she’d very nearly blown it.

Syd opened her eyes and squinted through the downpour. She realized they weren’t headed for the barn. He was trying to reach the thick grove of willows near the creek. She braved a quick glance forward, judging the distance to their destination, then squeezed her eyes shut to keep out the stinging hail.

The ground was uneven but the big horse had a smooth stride and Lucas held her tight within his arms. The only danger would be if the horse slipped on the wet ground, but Syd felt no fear. Lucas would keep her safe.

The horse slowed beneath her.

“Duck,” Lucas said.

He was a second too late. A cold, wet willow branch had already smacked her cheek. No matter. She smiled despite the circumstances. Syd felt the wind go slack and she opened her eyes. Lucas had led them into the thickest growth of willows. He brought the horses to a stop.

“I gotta get you down,” he said.

He dropped Delia’s reins, wrapped his own around the horn, put both his hands under her arms and slid her along his leg until her feet touched solid ground. She hurried to move her horse away from Bodacious so Lucas could dismount.

The instant he pulled his foot from the stirrup, lightning flashed across the sky. Thunder boomed less than a second later.

When the horses made to bolt, Lucas said, “Let them go. They won’t get far.” He grabbed the back of her shirt and dragged her deeper into the willows.

The skies opened and marble-sized hail fell in sheets. Syd yelped, trying in vain to shield her face. Lucas leaned his back up against a tall tree and lowered his hat. He crushed her against his chest, enfolding her within the warmth of his jacket.

Mmmm, his body sure puts out a lot of heat, like a furnace
. Syd couldn’t help herself, she burrowed as close as she could, inhaling deep, savoring the oh-so familiar spicy scent of his body.

It didn’t matter the reason. To be in his arms again felt like heaven.

“Syd, look at me.” Lucas adjusted the brim of his hat to give her more protection.

Braving the pouring rain, she lifted her head to face him. Intense brown eyes met his own.

“Why did you really ride out today? Why did you take the risk?” He watched her throat work as she seemed to consider how much to tell him.

“Something happened this morning,” she said. Her eyes never left his. “Something I wanted to share with you.”

He raised his brows, waiting.

“It’s the baby.”

His heart leapt into his throat while his stomach dropped to his feet. He gripped her shoulders. “Is there something wrong? Is the baby okay? What happened?”

Her eyes widened in surprise at his reaction. Truth be told, he’d surprised himself. The mere shadow of a smile touched her lips. She took one of his hands from her shoulder and moved it to her belly, flattening his palm over her slight baby bump.

“There’s nothing wrong. Everything is right. I came to tell you the baby moved. I felt the baby move this morning. It’s the first time.”

Lucas was struck dumb. His eyes registered the sudden flash of lightning overhead. His ears heard the crash of thunder, but neither mattered to his brain.

“My son,” he murmured.

Syd sucked in a breath. “What?”

Lucas shook his head. “What?”

“You just said, my son. I heard you.”

“No, I…”
Had he? What had he said?

He tried to pull his hand away, but Syd held on tight. “I heard you. I know what you said. Somewhere in here…” She pressed a finger against his chest. “You know the truth.”

Lucas fought an almost overwhelming urge to snag his horse, jump on its back, and run like hell. Instead he stood his ground. “Syd, I don’t know what to tell you.”

“Don’t tell me anything, cowboy. Shut up and kiss me.” She pushed the brim of his hat back and rose up, balanced on the toes of her boots, eyes daring him to resist.

He couldn’t.

He lowered his head, meeting her halfway. He brushed his lips over hers, tasting, testing. She was so tantalizing, so tempting. The hand she slid along his thigh spoke loud and clear. His body heard every word. He’d waited long enough. He would take the woman to bed and if the rain didn’t let up within the next few minutes he’d take her up against a tree. It didn’t matter where he took her as long as he did.

He’d wasted too damn much time already, spent too many nights using his fist instead of doing what he really wanted to do, brand Sydney Blake with his body. Claim her so thoroughly no other man would stand a chance in hell of winning her affection. Not for all eternity.

Stay

ucas rose to his knees. He reached for Syd and pulled her up along with him, facing him. God she was perfect, perfect breasts, the little belly, mouth made for kissing, skin like the most precious silk. What was not to adore about her?

He studied her face. Her lips were swollen from his kisses, eyelids made slow and heavy by passion. She lifted her head and met his eyes.

“Come here,” he said. He held her above his knees, spreading her thighs so she straddled him. Eyes locked on hers, he lowered onto his jutting erection.

She gasped as he pressed against her, threw her head back in ecstasy. Lucas felt the same. Damn she was slick. The woman fit him like a tight, hot, wet glove, as if she were made for him and him alone. Syd belonged right where she was, in his arms forever.

She tightened her hold about his neck, arched her back and rolled her hips, moving up and down along his shaft, milking him. He gripped her hips to stop her. Lucas wanted this to last. He planned to make it last all night. He gritted his teeth; put his mouth against her ear. “Be still. I’ll do the work.”

“Oh yes,” she said. “Yes, please.”

He smiled at the word, please, such a little word with such huge implications.

Lucas held her with one arm, supporting her weight, using his much greater strength to lift her up and down, entering her and retreating with slow deliberate motions, taking care not to push too hard. He allowed his free hand to explore her breasts, tweak her gorgeous rose-colored nipples; rub slow, lazy circles around her clit until she lost control and thrashed against him.

When her breathing grew ragged, her whimpers turned to kittenish purrs of pure delight, and her eyes closed, he knew he could let go and fuck her the way he’d been dying to. He wanted to come inside her, deep inside, no more waiting, no more fantasizing. He wanted to burn away her memories of that other Wolf, make her his and his alone.

In this moment, buried inside this particular woman, Lucas felt more alive and more powerful than he’d ever felt. He was on fire for her, hot enough to melt Cass’s stinking pile of gold.

Oooh, she felt so…so… Sydney struggled to find the right word to describe exactly how she felt but she failed altogether. Not that she cared. Her brain was quiet for the first time in months.

She pushed the sheet away from Lucas’s chest. Her fingers danced over his skin. She pretended she wasn’t trying to wake him. But she did want to wake him. She wanted to wake him and make love all over again, maybe even twice before they had to check the cows, if he was willing and able.