Teton Splendor (21 page)

Chapter Twenty One

Joseph raised himself to his full height and dropped the flap behind him, dimming the light streaming in from outside. His lips curved in a smile, and for a moment, Sophia had the impression that he seemed unsure about something. Was he just as nervous as she? The idea was almost laughable. She’d never known him to be anything but confident.

He held two steaming bowls in his hands.

“Two Bears is quite pleased with himself,” Joseph said and offered her one of the bowls. Sophia hesitated. Her hands were so shaky, she might just spill the contents all over herself. She accepted the bowl and set it on the ground.

“And you? Are you pleased?” She held her breath while waiting for his answer.

Joseph hastily set his own bowl next to hers, and reached her in one stride. He gripped her upper arms, his stare so intense, Sophia thought she might catch on fire.

“There’s nothing I’ve ever wanted more than you for my wife,” he said almost forcefully. His hold loosened. “I’ve been trying to find the right moment to ask you. I would have waited until spring to take you to a preacher. I still plan to do that.”

Sophia bit her quivering lower lip. “I was hoping you’d ask me to marry you,” she whispered, and lifted her hands to his face. “I’m glad Two Bears made the decision for us.” She laughed softly. “Spring is a long time to wait.”

“Yeah, it is.” Joseph grinned. He leaned forward, and gently kissed her lips. “Two Bears likes to talk in riddles, but he gave me quite a scare when he said you’d agreed to marry a warrior from the tribe.”

“He scared me, too.” Sophia’s smile widened. “I didn’t know you were a great Bannock warrior.”

Joseph chuckled, and he shrugged. “I lived with the tribe for a few seasons.” His voice deepened. “I’ll reveal all my secrets to you, Sophie.” His sensual words pounded in her ears.

“Your secrets will be safe with me,” she purred against his lips, and ran her hand up his arm. Her pulse raced with nervous anticipation.

He was her husband now. There was no need to hold back any longer. Joseph’s embraces and heated kisses over the last several days had seemed so natural. This was her wedding night, and although she wasn’t naïve to what happened in the marriage bed, she’d heard mixed opinions on the subject. She was ready to give herself completely to him, even if she wasn’t sure what to expect, or how to proceed.

Joseph’s eyes darkened, and he cleared his throat. Sophia ducked out of his embrace, a coy smile on her face. 

“Would you like some food before it gets cold?” she asked, even though she had no appetite. The butterflies in her stomach churned more violently than ever. Swallowing her nervousness, she tugged on his hand to sit by the fire. She reached for one of the bowls filled with what looked to be a stew made with chunks of meat and pieces of root vegetables. Not even the delicious aroma of food produced any moisture in her mouth. Joseph moved closer to her, and added more wood to the fire.

When she made no move to eat, he fished a piece of meat from the bowl and held it to her mouth. Sophia glanced up at him. His mischievous grin sent her heart pounding up her throat.

“Do I have to hand feed you?” he asked in a low tone, and leaned toward her. His breath tickled her cheek, and she sucked in a deep breath.

“I thought it was a wife’s duty to feed her husband,” she whispered in a sultry tone, even as heat crept up her neck. Sweat beaded her forehead, and she wished she hadn’t sat so close to the fire.

She took the meat from Joseph’s hand, and held it up to his mouth instead. His eyes darkened, and the flames of the fire reflected in their depths. He locked his eyes on her and slowly opened his mouth to accept what she offered. When his lips closed around her fingers, she sucked in a deep breath. His tongue licked her fingertips, igniting a surge of heat to race up her arms. She bit her lower lip to keep from crying out in pleasure.

“A man could get used to this,” he whispered, grinning while he chewed.

“Would you care for more?” She raised her chin. The satisfied look on his face gave her courage.

Before she could reach for her bowl, he scooted up behind her, and wrapped his arms around her waist. Sophia couldn’t suppress a surprised squeal.

“I think I’m hungry for something else instead,” he breathed against her ear. His lips nuzzled along her neck, sending waves of new sensations racing up her spine. Despite the heat in the lodge, goose bumps formed on her skin. She leaned back against his chest and tilted her head to the side, offering him better access to her neck. The strong beating of his heart seeped through the soft hides of her dress. Could he feel her own heart racing? She scarcely dared to breathe while giving herself over to the intense sensations his touch aroused in her.

Joseph’s chest heaved in a drawn out sigh. “You’re a beautiful Bannock bride.” His deep and sultry voice against her ear sent shivers of pleasure racing down her spine. His hot breath tickled her neck. With slow and deliberate movements, he worked the fur and binding from her braids and combed his fingers through her hair.

“But I like your hair better free and unbound,” he added. Sophia sighed with pleasure and closed her eyes. 

He pushed her hair to the side, exposing her neck. He continued to trail light kisses along the back of her neck and shoulders. Sophia sucked in a deep breath as ripples of desire rushed through her. A soft moan built in her throat. Joseph’s other arm was still wrapped securely around her middle, holding her as if he couldn’t get her close enough. This was the only place she wanted to be, and somehow she would communicate that to him.

His warm and calloused palm slid along the top of her one bared shoulder and down her arm, dragging the doeskin with him. His light touch seared her bare skin. When had he undone the ties at the shoulder that held her dress up?

Sophia squirmed. How much more of this delicious torture could she withstand? With every second that passed, the fire he ignited within her threatened to explode into a raging inferno.

“Joseph,” she rasped. She turned her head to look back at him. The raw desire smoldering in his eyes left her momentarily stunned. A slow smile spread across his face, and he lifted her hand and brought it up to his mouth. With painstaking slowness, he kissed the inside of her wrist, and trailed his lips up her arm, all the while his eyes caressed her face with unspoken longing.

Sophia closed her eyes and leaned her head back against his shoulder. A floating, weightless feeling came over her while Joseph continued to ignite her body with his soft kisses and languid caress. She couldn’t suck enough air into her lungs. This sensuous torture would drive her insane.

Swallowing back her inhibition, she turned her body sideways to look at him. “How does a Bannock wife show her husband that she loves him?”

Joseph’s chest heaved, and he turned her fully toward him. In one swift move, he heaved himself up off the ground, and scooped her in his arms. Holding her tightly against his chest, their eyes met. Sophia reached her hand up to touch his cheek, drowning in the intensity of his stare. The world spun dizzily around her, and time stood still. The unmistakable gleam of love in his eyes couldn’t be any clearer than if he had spoken the words. Her arms wound around his neck, and she pulled his face toward her. With a deep groan, he leaned forward and claimed her mouth. Sophia clung to him, her fingers raking through his hair.

When he pulled back, his lips trailed along her cheeks and he buried his head against her neck. Sophia gasped, every nerve ending in her body alive with sensations she never dreamed possible.

“You’ve shown me already,” he breathed. His solid chest rose in quick succession, as if he’d been running several miles. When he pulled his head back, his gaze locked on hers.

“I’m not looking for a Bannock wife, Sophie. All I want is you, whether you’re Sophia Yancey, Boston socialite, or Little Raven, granddaughter of Chief Two Bears. I love you, no matter who you choose to be.”

Sophia blinked back the sudden tears in her eyes. In his arms, in his gaze, she finally found what she’d longed for all her life. 

 “I choose to be Joseph Walker’s wife,” she said softly. Her hand slid from behind his neck back to his face. Her fingers traced the contour of his strong jaw, then his lips, while her other hand traveled lower to rest against his chest. Joseph groaned. He set her on her feet, his eyes never leaving hers. Sophia wrapped her arms around his waist to steady her shaking knees.

Joseph couldn’t get enough of staring at the beautiful woman in his arms. His wife. In the dress she wore, she looked every bit like a Bannock bride, but he meant what he told her. He wanted her to be the woman that she chose to be, not what she thought would please him or anyone else.

Joseph smiled down at her. Her soft gasps and sighs when he kissed her neck told him he was doing something right, even if it took every effort to remain in control and move slowly. He wasn’t about to rush their wedding night.

“If you choose to be Sophia Yancey, it might be a challenge to remove all those layers of frilly clothes you used to wear.” He grinned. “Joseph Walker’s wife would definitely wear something similar to what you’ve got on, to make it easier for her husband to undress her.”

“But you wouldn’t shy away from such a challenge, would you?” she purred seductively, the smile on her face igniting his desires. Her arms slid up behind his back, and she leaned into him. 

“I never shy away from a challenge,” he rasped. With one hand around her waist, his other hand skimmed the satiny skin of her arm. “And right now, my challenge is to satisfy my wife.”

Sophie’s body shivered in his arms. Smiling to himself, his words had obviously elicited the intended response. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips to hers, slowly moving them across her mouth. She responded instantly. Her arms gripping the back of his shoulders, and her soft curves rubbed against him. Joseph groaned. His fingers worked the leather ties at her other shoulder that held the dress up.

Free of the straps, the doeskin fell past her shoulders. The only thing holding her dress up was his body against hers. With a pounding heart, he broke his kiss and eased away from her. He had to see her. Joseph’s eyes followed the movement of the material as it slid down her body, exposing her peaked breasts, then further past her hips, until it fluttered in a heap around her legs. His mouth went dry and he ground his teeth. Heat raced through him, the fire in his body about to explode. She was the most incredible woman, brave and beautiful, and she belonged to him to care for always. His gaze traveled slowly upward and returned to her face. Her eyes betrayed her raised chin and squared shoulders. A hint of uncertainty flashed in her gaze, but she smiled bravely and placed her palm on his chest.

“You’re beautiful,” he rasped.

“I think you have the advantage over me, Joseph.” Her voice cracked slightly, but her hand reached for the buckle of his belt, and her meaning became clear. His wife continued to surprise him. Joseph grinned slowly while trying to control his body’s reaction to her.

“We can remedy that real quick.” He chuckled, and yanked the belt from around his waist, tossing it to the ground. Sophie slid her hands up under his shirt, her seductive smile driving him nearly mad. He sucked in a hiss at her satiny touch, and stood unmoving while her hands explored his chest. He leaned forward while she pulled the shirt up and over his head.

Her gaze roamed appreciatively over his nude torso, and a mischievous smile formed on her lips. Her hands followed the movement of her eyes as they traveled lower until her fingers reached the waistband of his britches. Joseph’s gut tightened and he sucked in a deep breath.

He leaned forward and whispered in her ear, “I’ve told you before, there’s nothing wrong with my anatomy.”

Her head shot up toward his, the uncertainty back in her eyes. He couldn’t help but grin at her. His brave little wife wasn’t so brave after all. Joseph sensed her hesitation, but she boldly raked her eyes over him. She was an amazing woman. At every turn, she surprised him. Fully aware that she was an innocent, he never expected her to be so daring their first time.