Kevin sat next to her, holding her hand, digesting the astonishing news. He climbed out of the buggy and held up his arms for her. He didn’t speak until he’d opened the front door, entered the house, and carried Temperance into the bedroom. He placed her in the center of the double bed.
“As I said, this calls for a celebration!” he said, ripping off his tie and unbuttoning his shirt.
Temperance held out her arms. “Oh, Kevin…” The tears rolled quietly down her cheeks. Tears of joy. And love. Love for the hardheaded Irishman who had fathered her children.
“Mary, Mother of God, woman! Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” He blew out the lamp and climbed into bed beside his wife.
* * *
The main house of the Trail T was quiet. Reese blew out the lamps in his study, closed the door and started up the stairs to the bedroom he currently occupied. He had long since given up trying to sleep on the leather couch in his study and had moved into the bedroom next door to the one he had shared with Faith.
Reese opened the door to his bedroom and stepped inside. He began peeling off his clothes as he walked across the room. A small fire burned in the grate. Faith, he thought. At least a hundred times every day, he meant to thank her for the little comforts she provided, but somehow he never managed to say the words. He was afraid to acknowledge the numerous ways she made life more comfortable for him. Reese was afraid he might not be able to do without those comforts once she left. He decided it was better not to say anything at all.
So he pretended he didn’t realize Faith was responsible for the hot baths waiting at the end of the day, the endless supply of his favorite cigars and Napoleon brandy. He chose to dismiss the idea of Faith caring for him. But secretly he enjoyed the fires burning in the grate at night, warming his room, and the fresh clean sheets on his bed. He appreciated her light, woman’s touch. He wanted to feel it again.
Reese turned to his bed and flipped back the covers. He must have thought about making love to Faith a thousand times during the day, in a thousand different ways. He sat down on the edge of the bed and removed his boots. God, how he wished he could bury himself inside her. He squeezed his eyes closed, trying to block out the image of Faith naked in his
bed. He wanted to hold her. He ached to hold her, to smell the soft fragrance of her hair. He sniffed the air. He wanted her so badly, he could smell the scent of her. Reese kicked his boots aside and stretched out on the bed.
“I was beginning to think you were never coming to bed.” A soft cloud of lavender enveloped him as her soft voice echoed through the room.
“Faith?” He cleared his throat, moving closer to the edge of the bed as she advanced. “What are you doing here?” He squinted in the darkness, making sure he was in the right room.
“Waiting for you.” Her lips brushed a flat nipple as she raised herself on one elbow and bent to kiss his chest.
“What is it? What do you want?” God, her mouth felt good. He wasn’t sure he could stand much more. His flesh quivered as she leaned across him to kiss his other nipple.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Faith moved to her knees, crawling over one of his legs, imprisoning him beneath her. Her rounded stomach pressed against his. “I want you, Reese.” Her mouth burned a trail from his chest along his flat belly.
Reese gasped, half in pleasure, half in pain, as her tongue darted inside his navel, then swirled through the dark thatch of hair below. His hands moved up to tangle in her hair. “No, Faith.” He pulled her closer as he spoke. “You don’t know what you do to me.”
Her hand found him. She wrapped her fingers around the length of him, and leaning closer, kissed him there.
He jerked in reaction, groaning his pleasure.
“I know exactly what I do to you.” She let her tongue glide up his shaft, then down again. “You do the same thing to me.”
“Faith.” He murmured her name. It was half prayer, half curse. “Faith!”
She raised her head, leaned over him, and kissed his mouth. “Let me love you, Reese.” Her hands caressed him. “Let me show you how it feels.” Her mouth followed her hands.
Reese gave himself up to the pleasure. He didn’t question the miracle that had brought her to his bed. He simply enjoyed it. He lay back and let Faith work her magic. She brought him to a stunning climax. Then, sometime later, Reese worked his magic on her.
They made love. Slept, and loved again, gently, tenderly until the morning light filtered in through the curtains.
* * *
“Reese?”
“Hmm?” He opened his eyes.
Faith was propped on one elbow, a pillow wedged underneath her, staring down at him. She looked beautiful.
“I’ve never thanked you for all the things you did before I came out here. Christmas, the pink bedroom for Joy, the money…”
“Shh.” Reese raised his hand and pressed a finger against her lips. “There’s no reason to thank me. I didn’t do it out of generosity. I did it because I wanted you.”
“Well, thank you just the same. It made the ladies, Aunt Tempy, and Joy very happy. I…” She broke off, wincing.