Wolf Tracker (28 page)

He touched the tip of his tongue to the tight nipple of her right breast and lightly pinched the nipple of the left. “Reckon I won’t try very hard to get away. Sounds like it might be fun.”

Her giggle shimmied her belly against his ready cock. Her body melted with liquid desire. “I’ll use that rope,” she threatened. He was nudging himself against her in tiny thrusts, and she opened her legs wider and tilted her hips to welcome him inside. “But not tonight. Tracker, I need you now.”

The feel of his hard flesh parting her softer flesh made her draw a moaning breath that she let out in a blissful sigh. “You feel so good, Tracker.”

His kiss was sweet as he lay unmoving inside her body, a hot fullness that made her sheath weep with desire and love. “You feel mighty good, too.”

“Tracker, I love you.”

He pulled his hips back and thrust deeply inside her. “I’m not just a man who happened to be handy when you needed a husband?”

“No. I never thought that. If just any man would have done, I could have accepted a dozen men from Kearney. But I wanted you. Even before I knew I loved you, I wanted you to be my husband. I just didn’t know then that trust is a big part of love. I trusted you almost right away because you gave me reason to. That’s why I love you.”

He lunged inside her again. “I loved you before I even found you. I knew it while I was tracking you. But I never thought you’d marry me.”

Another hard thrust that bounced her breasts made her sigh happily. She angled her hips to guide him against that one perfect spot. He moved inside her in a series of frantic thrusts tempered by tenderness in his eyes as he looked down at her. Making love with Tracker was new and exciting and somehow comforting at the same time. She loved it. Her orgasm hit a minute later and his followed. He shifted so he was on his side next to her, his arm around her waist.

“You can’t leave me now,” he said with satisfaction. “I’ll track you down. I did it before and I can do it again.”

Tami laughed. “I reckon I won’t try very hard to get away from you,” she teased, purposely echoing his words earlier. “Getting caught would be too much fun.”

Tracker leaned over her on one elbow. In the flickering light of the dying fire his face was serious. “I mean it. You’re stuck with me now.”

“Good. I’m serious, Tracker. Being stuck with you is the best thing that could happen to me. I love you and I’m glad to be your wife. And your mate.”

“My mate. I like that.” His kiss was tender. “I always denied my wolf. He’s not strong. The only times I ever really feel him is when you’re being hurt or threatened. And sometimes when he’s real happy you’re safe. He picked you to be my mate, but I didn’t know how to understand that at first. I reckon he loves you, too.”

Tami kissed his bare shoulder. “Maybe tomorrow we can play in the snow, me and your wolf. You know, like Carla and Taye did. Oh, God that was only this morning!”

“It’s been a long day.” He tightened his arms comfortingly. “Lots has happened, some sad and some happy. I reckon it’s good to mourn the bad, but we oughta celebrate the happy too. Like playing in the snow.” Tracker kissed her mouth, a lazy, deep kiss with lots of tongue. “I think my wolf likes that idea. Maybe someday. I don’t know if he can come out unless he’s riled. We can try tomorrow.”

“No rush,” yawned Tami. “Just if you want to.”

Tracker stroked her cheek, giving her that tiny smile that was just for her. “Sleep, Tami.”

Tami settled her back against his chest. She knew their marriage would be good. They had passion, which was good and important, but they also had shared interests, and a mutual affection and respect. In twenty years they would have grown into their relationship and still be in love. Tami would make sure of it. The thought of such a strong, steady relationship brought tears to her eyes.

Tracker rose up on one elbow and looked down at her anxiously. “You okay?”

Tami decided that when he said that he was really saying, “I love you.” Tami caressed his jaw with a smile. “Yes, and I love you, too.”

The End

About the Author:

Maddy Barone was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at the tail end of the baby boom and currently lives in Fargo, North Dakota with her 3 rescue cats. The cats labor under the delusion they are neglected whenever Maddy sits down at the computer to write. Writing stories is something she has always done, first scribbling in spiral bound notebooks during boring classes in high school, and later graduating to a clunky desktop computer with a monitor big enough for the cats to sprawl over. The cats were seriously put out when Maddy upgraded to a flat-screen monitor. Maddy is an active member of the Kingdom of Northshield in the SCA, an educational non-profit organization that studies and re-creates the Middle Ages and Renaissance. When not writing, working the day job, or playing with the neglected kitties, Maddy may be found spinning yarn or knitting while chatting with her friends and wearing historical costume from various eras and cultures at SCA events.