Sudden Storms (6 page)

“Well, I figure…if I steal a kiss from ya once…you’ll herd me in there as a plain, regular sort of feller and won’t be so jumpy whenever I’m around. I mean, you’ll see I’ve got my own weaknesses when it comes to a purty girl, right? Now, hold still,” he ordered. Rivers fancied the teasing manner was suddenly absent from his voice.

Trying to take a step back, Rivers bumped solidly into the tree as Paxton’s head descended toward hers. Her heart still pounded brutally as she realized he was undaunted. He reached up and planted his hands firmly on the tree branches at either side of her head, and instinctively her mind told her to run. To escape before her heart would be lost forever. But her hands reached back and held the trunk of the tree, steadying her trembling body. Rivers closed her eyes when at last his face was too close for her to focus on it clearly. She felt his lips brush her cheek lightly.

Paxton firmly gripped the tree branches. He had to move ahead slowly. He could sense Rivers was like a scared rabbit, ready to bolt and run at the slightest sign of threat. He wouldn’t reach out and pull her into his arms like he wanted to. He just wanted to taste her kiss once. Those cherry-red lips had been tempting him since the first time he’d seen them clearly that night in the barn, when her true identity had been revealed to him in the lamplight. And so, the tree bark scratched his fingers and palms as he tightened his hold on the limbs.

Rivers perceived a sort of thrilling fear begin to rise within her at his kissing her cheek. Paxton frightened her—frightened her because the sight of him was like gazing into a dream. He was the exemplary vision of a man. She sensed the passion he was capable of generating would be overpowering in the very least. But she wouldn’t run from him. She’d dreamt of this since the first moment she’d laid eyes on him, and she wouldn’t run from it.

Paxton kissed her cheek softly a second time and moved his body closer to hers, keeping his hands on the tree. The fragrance of her skin was unlike anything he’d never experienced, and it refreshed him—like the cool morning breeze in autumn. He let his cheek brush hers and took a deep breath. Then, turning his head slightly, he sampled for the first time the sweetness of her delicate, velvet-soft mouth.

Rivers’s knees began to fail her. They buckled entirely when Paxton’s mouth flirted with her own. He ably caught her in his arms, however, and pulled her to him, never breaking the seal of their lips. Rivers found herself oddly short of breath and turned her head from him. Paxton took her chin in his hand and brought her face to meet his once more. She looked up into Paxton’s eyes for only a moment before they narrowed as he kissed her again. The blue of his eyes was mesmerizing in their near translucence, and as he kissed her this time, she knew he watched her, and she began to tremble. The power of his kiss coupled with the intensity of his narrowed stare stole Rivers’s confidence from her. She wondered what he thought of her, if he enjoyed kissing her and the taste on her lips. She was intensely aware of the scent of him—of his whiskers as they scratched the tender flesh around her mouth—of the power contained in the muscles of his chest and arms. She knew she would feel ashamed for it later, but finally, closing her eyes, she let her arms slide around his waist and returned his powerful, moist, delicious kisses.

Time evaded Rivers’s senses, and she had no idea how much had passed when he broke their kiss and rested his forehead against her own briefly.

He whispered, “Consider my winnin’s as paid.”

Paxton’s own mind and senses were a tornado of emotion. This confirmed it. He had to lock himself away from her inwardly. She was, indeed, dangerous to the way of life he’d come to accept. And he didn’t want that life to alter. He’d worked far too hard to achieve it. He had nobody to be responsible for, no one to worry about but himself and Jolee. And he was certain his sister would soon marry Weston and leave him to his own chosen solitude.

Paxton released Rivers and tucked his shirt tail into his trousers. “Well…guess we oughta be headin’ back in now. They’ve had long enough to get over bein’ bashful with each other.”

“Yes.” Rivers cleared her throat, trying to act as unaffected as he did. She took several steps toward the house before her knees gave way from the lingering effects of his kissing her, her body enveloped numbingly in goose bumps.

“Whoops! Watch out now,” he warned, lunging forward and catching hold of her arm to steady her.

“Gopher hole,” she lied. “Better watch your step. It’s so dark now.”

When Rivers and Paxton entered the house, it was to be greeted by Jolee’s and Weston’s beaming, smiling faces.

Even the beaming smile radiating from the sweet face of her friend couldn’t erase the euphoric feelings and thoughts bouncing around inside Rivers’s mind and body. She could still feel Paxton’s breath on her cheek, his arms around her, his firm chest crushing against her. She could still taste the warm flavor of his mouth.

“Where were ya all anyhow?” Weston asked innocently as they all took seats in the parlor. Rivers knew she blushed and hoped with all her heart it was too dark in the room for anyone to notice.

“Beautifully?” Paxton questioned, as his voice went high and squeaky with disgust. “Good, maybe. Perfectly, even. But, ‘beautifully’? Only kind of men that do things ‘beautifully’ is the same kind that uses curlin’ rods in their hair.”

“He must be takin’ to you all right then, Rivers,” Jolee remarked. “He doesn’t play for anybody but himself and the stock usually.”

“I guess I’m at least as privileged as the stock then,” Rivers said.

“Don’t get too all confident there, girl,” Paxton chuckled.

Rivers glared at Paxton and stuck her tongue out at him quickly. She was instantly horrified as he winked at her, licking his lips with insinuation. He chuckled and shook his head, satisfied at having obviously unsettled her.

Rivers glanced at Jolee, who was too involved in her quiet conversation with Weston to have noticed her brother’s shameless flirting. And Rivers was thankful for it.



The four sat talking for nearly two more hours before Weston finally stood to take his leave.

“That was the finest meal I’ve ever had, Jolee,” Weston said, taking one of her hands and pressing it between his own. “I hope you’ll be askin’ me over again soon.” He smiled at her and tipped his hat to Paxton and Rivers.

“Oh, nothin’. Nothin’ at all, Jo,” he said chuckling. “Just that you’re glowin’ like a firebug in the summer dark! Did he give ya a big lickery kiss while ya were doin’ up the dishes?”

Jolee’s mouth dropped open as she turned to scold him. “No! Of course not! He’s a gentleman, Paxton. Course you wouldn’t understand that,” she teased. “And anyway, what were you all doin’ out by the pond? Skippin’ rocks? That’s about the dumbest story you’ve ever come up with, Pax,” Jolee snapped.

“Ain’t no story, Jo. It’s the truth, ain’t it, girl?” he said, turning to Rivers.

“Yes,” she answered shortly.

Rivers felt the hurt and humiliation deepening at the siblings’ light treatment of what she considered a very serious situation. Without a word, she turned and walked toward her room.

“Teased me? You weren’t teasing me. Don’t think I’m stupid enough to believe it was just a friendly teasing. Men. You’re all so…that’s what women are here for, aren’t we? For you to humiliate, to enable you to make yourselves feel superior and powerful?” Rivers accused in a whisper, glancing toward the kitchen to ensure that Jolee couldn’t hear her.

The frown capturing Paxton’s face was complete. Not just eyebrows and forehead, but also mouth, eyes, and jaw. Rivers was at once incredibly uncomfortable. Yet she wanted to reach up and entangle her fingers in the soft, sable-colored waves hanging at his forehead. She wanted his kiss on her mouth again. What had happened? The moments at the pond under the tree had changed things. She would never be able to leave him now.

“Yep. That’s it, all right,” he growled and, before she could think to escape, he pulled her brutally against his body and nearly smothered her with his hard, angry kiss.

Rivers knew he meant for it to hurt her—to make her feel as if he were using her mouth for the sheer pleasure of his own. Even so, something in his kiss thrilled her. She sensed it wasn’t fully as cruel as he intended it to be.

“You’re exactly right,” he growled after breaking from her. “In fact, since you’re on to me now…I guess I’ll have to satisfy my manly needs somewhere else.” He stormed across the hall to his own room, slamming the door behind him.

Rivers scolded herself as she climbed into bed. Jolee had told her weeks ago about Ruby. No doubt memories of her were the reasons Paxton took what Rivers had accused him of so fully to heart. Paxton was a tease! That’s all it was. He hadn’t meant to hurt her feelings out under the willow. He’d only been playing with her—a friendly flirtatious playfulness.

Rivers tossed and turned and was utterly guilt-ridden for at least an hour. Sleep evaded her guilty conscience to the point she was driven to put it to rest. Quietly she crept from her room and put her ear to the door of Paxton’s room across the way. A light shone from the crack at the bottom of the door, and she could hear his bed squeaking. She swallowed hard, mustering every bit of courage she could, and without knocking opened the door and entered his room.

“Before you throw me out…I’ve come to apologize,” she blurted out. “I…” She couldn’t finish her sentence as she looked up at him then. Paxton was sitting on the bed in nothing but a towel, having obviously just finished bathing.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she stammered. “I…I’ll come back later. I had no idea…”

“Naw. You go on ahead and say your piece now. We’ll both sleep better,” he grumbled, standing and walking toward her, gripping the towel firmly at his waist.

The surprise of finding him in such a state had swept all coherent thought from Rivers’s mind. What had she planned to say? It was gone—every word of it.

“Yeah? So?” Paxton coaxed as he stood directly in front of her.

There were still beads of water covering his chest, arms, and shoulders. As Rivers’s eyes wandered a fraction, she noted his stomach, too, was still damp. “I…um…” she still couldn’t organize her thinking into words.

“I’m sorry,” Paxton seemed to finish for her. “I was only teasing ya, Rivers,” he whispered as a grin broke across his handsome face.

“I know,” she said, casting her gaze downward. “I guess I was just tired out or something.”

“Yep. My kisses can have that effect on some women,” he chuckled.

She looked up ready to do battle, but smiled, relieved as she saw the twinkling mirth in his eyes. “I don’t think you’re as tough as you like to pretend,” she whispered.

He smiled. “Ya got me by the gills there, girl.” He lowered his voice again and whispered, “Tell ya what. Double or nothin’.”

She rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. “I’ve learned my lesson about betting with you, Paxton Gray.”

“Now, just hear me out. Double or nothin’…you let me kiss ya one more time, to make up for that mean thing I did in the hallway earlier, and I won’t go teasin’ ya beyond what ya can handle any more. Deal?”

Rivers looked up into his dazzling smile. She shook her head nervously. “No, no, no. That’s all right. I understand. Really, I do. I provoked you before.” She began to back away.

He ignored her answer and reaching out took hold of her arm. As his head descended toward hers, he whispered, “I just wanna make sure ya know there’s somethin’ besides playin’ the harmonica that I do ‘beautifully.’ Even if I don’t use curlin’ rods in my hair.”

Then Paxton’s lips touched hers so tenderly that if it hadn’t have been for the pure tremor of titillation moving through her like thunder echoing in a mountain valley, she wouldn’t have felt his kiss at all.