“Mr. Cochran, I have some soup for your wife if you can get the door for me.” Catherine Cole’s voice came from the other side.
They sprang apart like two guilty youths caught behind the barn. Jesse yanked the sheet to her neck, and tucked it securely under her chin.
“For heaven’s sake, you’re choking me.” Tori gasped.
He scanned the room. With one hand, he grabbed the water pitcher as he moved toward the door, and with the other, he twisted the knob and met Catherine’s smile.
“I was, ah, just going for some water. We had a short nap,” he said as he brushed by her massive belly.
“All right, I’ll start feeding the soup to your wife.” Catherine entered the room and pulled the chair up next to the bed. “You’re a little flushed again. I hope your fever hasn’t returned.”
Time to leave. Three days had gone by, and Tori felt stronger. The fear in her gut motivated her to hurry. She’d wanted Jesse to leave and go on alone to Arkansas City to find Rachel, but he’d refused.
“It’s only one more day, and then we can both go.” He pulled his shirt out of his pants, unbuttoning it. His shoes and socks were next. His muscles rippled as he removed his clothing. Lord, the man looks good. The dark hair on his chest narrowed into to a strip that disappeared under the waist of his pants. Her gaze went a little further down.
“Stop looking at me like that.” He stood there in all his half-naked glory, hands on his hips, grinning.
Tori jerked her mouth closed, meeting his gaze.
Heavens, I hope I wasn’t actually drooling.
She swiped her mouth with the back of her hand, and then glanced down between her lashes. Nope, she hadn’t drooled. “I’m not looking at you any particular way.”
“You were watching me like I was your next meal. If you keep at it, I’ll be giving up my chair tonight to join you on that bed.”
She picked non-existent lint from the blanket. “Well, it occurred to me if you sleep here instead of the chair, you’d get a better night’s rest. We both need to be fresh in the morning.”
He chuckled, shaking his head. “Honey, if I join you, I doubt very much either of us would get a lot of sleep.”
“Don’t be silly,” she sniffed. “There’s plenty of room. You can sleep on top of the sheet, while I’ll sleep underneath. You still have your pants on, and I have on the nightgown Mrs. Cole lent me.”
“All right.” He sighed. “It’s fine with me. The idea of twisting and turning in the chair for another night is not appealing.” The bed dipped as he joined her. She turned her back to him, and scooted over, hugging the edge. The sound of him punching his pillow brought a smile to her lips. Maybe he was as aware of her as she was of him.
Tori opened her eyes. Without even a sliver of moonlight to cast a glow, the room sat cloaked in darkness. She lay on her side in the middle of the bed. A strong arm encircled her waist. She and Jesse were settled together like a couple of spoons in a drawer. Jesse’s chin rested on her shoulder, and his hand cupped her breast, his thumb circling her nipple through the softness of her nightgown. That sensation had awakened her.
“What are you doing?” She looked over her shoulder.
“Shh, honey. Doesn’t that feel good?”
Tori closed her eyes. She should push his hand away, or maybe even elbow him in the stomach, but Lord, it felt so good. She’d wait a bit, see what happened.
Jesse tucked her closer, fitting her rump against his swelling manhood. He nuzzled her neck, his teeth tugging on her earlobe.
She tilted her head, giving him greater access. “You shouldn’t do that.” Her voice barely rose above a whisper.
His warm breath raised the hairs on her skin. “Are you sure you want me to stop?”
No, she didn’t want him to stop, but she shouldn’t allow Jesse these liberties. He unfastened the buttons on the front of the virginal nightgown to slip his hand inside.
Alarm shot through her, and she stiffened. Ah, but the sense of skin on skin contact felt strange and fascinating. Her breathing became ragged as his calloused fingers slid over her skin, raising goose bumps across her flesh so her nipples hardened like glass beads.
Jesse’s hand moved down and he inched up the hem of the nightgown. He caressed her leg as his hand rose. Concentrating on his movements, Tori shivered as his hand made its climb. Fondling, stroking, rubbing. Everywhere he touched, he left a trail of fire. Her body ached for his touch, and she pushed back into his warmth.
The hard muscles of his body, so different from hers, was exciting. Her eyes focused on his fingers as they again circled her nipple, then plucked and rolled it, sending spirals of heat from her breast to her center.
Gently, he eased her onto her back. Staring in her eyes, he brought the nightgown to her waist, rubbing small circles on the sensitive skin of her belly. Hair fell over his forehead as he bent and kissed her, lightly at first, and then deeper, harder. His hand continued to edge up the nightgown until he slipped it over her head, tossing it aside.
Lord, she was naked. But the heat from his hands and mouth kept her warm, hot, restless. She kicked the sheet off, enjoying the cool air on her heated skin.