“I need to feel your skin.”
To his delight, she pulled off her nightdress to reveal nothing but what God had given her. He ran his hands down her shoulders, back to her round buttocks. She moaned low and soft in her throat when his touch moved to the front of her body. He cupped her breasts, loving the weight of them in his hands.
Matt dropped to his knees and took a nipple in his mouth. She trembled as he lapped, nibbled, and sucked at her. He moved his hand between her thighs, gently parting the incredibly soft skin until he found what he wanted. She was wet and welcoming, making his cock thump against his belly.
“I need you, Matt.”
He would have responded in kind but he couldn’t find his voice. So he scooped her up and brought her to the bed instead. When she lay there looking up at him, her brown eyes like liquid heat in the silver moonlight, he paused to stare at her. His wife was a gift and he wanted to be sure she knew that.
Although he didn’t have a lot of experience with women, he knew enough to make Hannah feel good. Together they could learn everything they needed to know about keeping each other happy.
He dropped to his knees again and parted her thighs. Her glistening cleft waited, its pink folds enticing him to taste, touch, pleasure. He kissed her nether lips, earning a surprised gasp from Hannah. When his tongue found her clit, the gasp turned into a full-fledged moan. Her tangy taste coated his tongue, exciting him to the point he found his hand sliding up and down his shaft.
Lick. Tug. Lick. Tug.
As her thighs quivered against his cheeks, he lapped and sucked at her. When he pushed two fingers into her, she clenched around him so tight, he knew he wouldn’t last long if he entered her too soon. He needed to make sure she came first.
His fingers thrust into her as he increased his tongue’s rhythm. She made a funny, kittenish sound in her throat, which turned into a low keening moan as she grew closer to her peak. When he started sucking on her clit, she grabbed the quilt and dug in her heels.
“Maaaaattthheeeewwww—” She drew out his name as she came, her juices becoming sweeter, her channel tighter.
He couldn’t wait a second longer. Matt stood and plunged into her welcoming core. He came almost immediately, filling her with his seed as her own orgasm shuddered around his staff. Stars swam behind his eyes as he experienced the most powerful ecstasy of his life. He held onto her hips, plunging in with each wave of pleasure. When he was wrung dry, he collapsed beside her, shaking with the force of what he’d just experienced.
Whether he would admit it to her or not, Matt knew he was in uncharted territory. Nothing had ever felt like that with any other woman. It was she who made the difference. For the first time in his life, he was afraid he couldn’t stop himself. Matt was falling in love with Hannah.
After he caught his breath, he tucked them both under the covers, naked as the day they were born. When they spooned together, their body heat mixed to form a cocoon around them. It felt safe, comfortable. As he listened to his wife breathing softly, Matt promised himself he would find a way to control himself around Hannah. If he didn’t, he might never be the same.
C
HAPTER
F
IFTEEN
M
att kissed Hannah before he left for the McRaes’, leaving a stupid smile on her face. The girls made silly kissing noises in imitation while the boys make disgusted sounds. To Hannah, the embrace meant the world to her. Perhaps he was starting to feel things for her. The possibility lit a glimmer of hope in her heart that there was a fighting chance for the love she needed from him.
As soon as he was out of sight, she ran into the house and changed into her riding skirt. Olivia appeared wearing one as well and looked at Hannah in surprise.
“Are you going somewhere?”
“I just needed a little time to myself. Yesterday was so busy.” Hannah’s smile was forced but she hoped her sister-in-law didn’t notice.
“Matt would have our hides if we let you ride off by yourself. Take Caleb or Javier with you.” Olivia pulled on her gloves with a frown. “I’m going to the Stinson ranch for tea with Margaret.”
Inspiration hit Hannah like a knock to the head. “May I come?”
Olivia’s brows went up. “You want to have tea with Margaret?”
“No, I mean yes. I just want to get away from the ranch for a little while.” This was a perfect opportunity to get into the Stinson ranch without having to sneak.
“She’s bound to be catty to you.” Olivia looked guilty. “I know she’s not the nicest person in the world, but she’s my friend.”
“It’s okay. I won’t mind, really. It will be my first real tea.” Hannah shrugged. “Not much opportunity for ladylike teas at a boardinghouse.”
“Or on a ranch for that matter.” Olivia smiled. “You should put on the scarf first. We don’t want to give Margaret any more reason to be, ah, difficult.”
Hannah was delighted to put on the scarf and go out to the barn with her sister-in-law. She didn’t know what she would have done without the escort to the Stinson property. Now she had the perfect excuse to be there.
Javier saddled their horses for them, frowning the whole time. “Matt will not like this.”
“He’s not my boss so he has no say in what I do, or what Hannah does for that matter.” Olivia got up on her horse with more agility than Hannah could ever hope to have.
After using a mounting block to awkwardly mount Buttermilk, Hannah was ready to face the lioness in her den. With a grim smile, she nodded to the worried-looking Javier and the two women started riding toward the Stinson ranch.
She would show Matt just what she could do for him.
Matt rode up to Angus McRae’s ranch with a knot in his gut. He wasn’t surprised to see Stinson’s prize stallion already there, tied to the hitching post in front of the sprawling ranch house.
He dismounted and retrieved the map from his saddlebags. This was the moment he would have to stand firm against Stinson and his greed. He sure as hell hoped his father was somewhere nearby, giving him strength to face the challenge and not lose his temper in the process. Strength and logic would win the day, not anger and passion.
Matt knocked on the door and Maggie opened it. The redheaded younger daughter blushed when she saw Matt. The fifteen-year-old had always followed him around from the time she could toddle. But he was almost ten years older than she and certainly didn’t want her pining after him.
“Good morning, Maggie. I’m here to see your father.”
She stammered a response and led him into the house. The men were seated in Angus’s office in the front corner of the house. He had put in a large picture window so he could watch his five daughters whenever they were outside. With no sons to take over the ranch, McRae knew there would come a time when too many young men would be sniffing around his land and his daughters.
The big red-haired man sat behind his desk while Stinson leaned on the corner of it, as if he owned the room. Matt considered accidently pushing him off his perch, but decided it would be a bad start to the meeting.
“Did you bring the map, Graham?” Stinson didn’t seem the least bit concerned he was about to be exposed as a thieving murderer.
Matt laid the map out on the desk and the three of them stared at it. “Right here is my ranch and here is yours, Angus.” He traced the outline with his finger. “Here is my new land grant and here is the two-mile gap between them.”
There was a moment of silence before Stinson laughed. “That little wiggly line? What is it?”
“It’s your property.” Matt wanted to punch the laughing jackass.
“No, it’s not. Why in the hell would I buy a piece of property like that?” Stinson straightened up. “You got your facts wrong, Graham. Maybe next time a grown-up ought to come with you.” His cocky grin made Matt’s temper almost bubble over.
Then a sudden thought struck him, snatching the anger as quick as a hawk. “What do you mean it’s not yours?”
“Just what I said. There ain’t no money to be made on such a small tract of land.” Stinson frowned at Matt. “What makes you think it’s mine?”
Matt’s stomach fell to his knees. “I saw the deed. It’s in your name, along with another half dozen pieces of land west of here.”
This time it was Frederick’s turn to look surprised. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“It’s not you, is it?” Matt was suddenly very afraid for his sister. “It’s Jeb.”
“What’s Jeb? Graham, would you start making sense?” Stinson was a jackass, but he was a straight shooter who would tell a man to his face what he thought of him. This whole situation with the land, the murders, the missing children, didn’t point to him.
It pointed to his son. The twenty-five-year-old with nothing but a big smile who waited to inherit his father’s ranch. Impatiently.
“I think Jeb has decided to snatch up as much land as possible, perhaps even arrange for you to have a riding accident.” Matt ignored the confused anger on Frederick’s face. “Armstrong was right. It was a Stinson all along, but not the one he suspected.”
“Graham, I think you have gone loco.” Stinson folded his arms across his chest but Matt saw a glimmer of uncertainty in his gaze.
“Someone wants as much land as he can get no matter what the cost. My parents, Benjy, and half a dozen other families are all gone, either dead or disappeared. Their properties were purchased by you.”
“The hell you say. I didn’t kill nobody and I haven’t bought any property.” Stinson glanced at the map. “You saw the deed with my name on it?”
“Yes, I did, and so did Hannah. I’m guessing if we travel to Houston, we’d find quite a few deeds with your name on them.” Matt couldn’t believe the affable Jeb was behind it all. “Where is Jeb?”
“At home like always. He said Margaret was having company so he stayed to flirt with ’em.” Stinson’s gaze didn’t leave the map.
“At home? Oh my God, Olivia is the company. She was going to have tea.” Matt knew he had to get to Stinson’s ranch immediately. “Angus, go to town and get the sheriff. Meet us at the Stinson place.” He turned to Frederick. “You ready to find out the truth?”
Stinson’s eyes met his and Matt saw confusion and anger swirling in their depths. “I don’t believe a word of what you said but if someone is buying land in my name, I want to find out who and why. You’re going to have some apologizing to do when we get to my ranch.” He slammed his hat on his head. “Let’s go.”
The two of them left Angus’s office in a hurry. As they untied the horses from the hitching post, Matt hoped Winston was ready to fly.
After Olivia knocked on the door, Hannah waited beside her on the ornate front porch of the Stinson ranch. She was trying to figure out how to get into the office without anyone noticing. It was imperative she find some scrap of evidence that Stinson was up to no good.
When the door opened, she knew Olivia was as surprised as she was to see Jeb in the doorway. He smiled and bowed at Olivia.
“Welcome, Miss Graham. I’m so glad to—” He spotted Hannah standing a few feet away. “I didn’t expect to see you though, Mrs. Graham. What a lovely surprise.” His grin was unsettling and made her warning bells ring loudly.
“Margaret is expecting us for tea.” Olivia glanced at Hannah. “Well, just me really, but I convinced Hannah to join me.”
“Please come in. Both of you.” Jeb opened the door and gestured with his arm for them to enter.
As Hannah walked in, she swore she felt Jeb’s breath on her neck, and she hurried to catch up to her sister-in-law. She took Olivia’s arm.
“Something’s wrong,” Hannah whispered.
Olivia frowned at her, then turned back to look at Jeb. “Where is Margaret?”
“She’s feeling poorly this morning after the barbecue.” Jeb put his arm around their waists and led them through the house. “However, our housekeeper had the tea and sandwiches all ready. Margaret asked me to host in her place.”
Hannah stared at the handsome, charming Jeb, wondering just what it was that set her on edge. He seemed so friendly and sincere, but she didn’t quite feel comfortable with just the three of them. What if Hannah hadn’t accompanied Olivia? Her sister-in-law would have been alone, unchaperoned with Jeb.
That could have been exactly what he wanted. Jeb Stinson was hunting for a wife, if Hannah wasn’t mistaken, and could ruin Olivia just by being with her alone. Possibly even take it a step further and rape her.
Hannah was doubly glad she’d come. Now she could stop the snake from defiling her sister-in-law and find evidence his father was swindling, murdering and kidnapping folks. Her smile was genuine if a little self-satisfied.
“Poor Margaret. Does she need a poultice or some of Eva’s special tea?” Olivia turned to go toward what Hannah assumed was Margaret’s bedroom, but Jeb stopped her.
“Oh, she wouldn’t want you to see her like this. She’s been, ah, vomiting all night. Probably some bad beans or something.” Jeb ushered them back toward the terrace, toward the garden that had seemed so lovely a week earlier. Now with the clouds hiding the sun, it seemed almost sinister and the bright flowers had lost their vibrancy.
On a small table were a teapot with two cups and a plate of tiny sandwiches. There were also only two chairs and Hannah knew she’d been right about Jeb’s nefarious motives. Maybe Margaret wasn’t even sick. Perhaps he’d done something to his sister so he could get Olivia alone. The possibilities were endless.
“I think we’ll need another cup and chair, Jeb.” Olivia frowned at him.
“Of course. I shall be right back. Why don’t you two lovely ladies enjoy some refreshments while I go rustle up what we need?” He disappeared back into the house, shutting the glass paned door behind him.
“That snake.” Olivia snatched up a sandwich. “He was going to have tea with me alone.”
“I thought so, too. Olivia I don’t trust him. I think he’s trying to find himself a wife and he’s zeroed in on you.” Hannah glanced around the beautiful garden. “There isn’t a soul around, which means he could do whatever he wanted to you.”
“Matt would kill him.” Olivia’s flat tone said what Hannah was already thinking.
“I believe you’re right. I need to get into the house for a few moments but I don’t want to leave you here alone.” Hannah had to bring her sister-in-law into her confidence. “I want to look in Mr. Stinson’s office for evidence.”
“What kind of evidence?”
“I can’t give you all the details, but Ranger Armstrong is investigating him. I want to help as much as I can, maybe even help solve your parents’ murder.”
It was what Hannah didn’t say that Olivia heard. Her gaze narrowed and her eyes hardened. “That bastard.”
“I want to see what I can find. Will you help me?”
“Damn straight I’ll help you. I knew that Armstrong was up to something when he convinced me to have tea with Margaret.” Olivia huffed out a breath. “Gave me some humbug story about possibly courting Margaret and wanting my help. Ha!”
Hannah hadn’t realized Armstrong was such a good liar, but perhaps as a lawman, he sometimes needed to be untruthful to get what he needed. After all, she was a normal woman who had been about to commit a crime by breaking into her neighbor’s house. She couldn’t cast any stones against the man.
“He’s just trying to help find out who’s behind the crimes.” Hannah took her hand. “Are you ready? If Jeb catches us, we’ll be in hot water.”
“I hope he does. I want to call him on this attempted seduction anyway.” Olivia tightened her grip. “Let’s go find out what Stinson is up to.”
When they walked into the house, Jeb was coming right toward them.
“Stay here. I’ll distract him,” Olivia whispered, then turned a full smile on the younger Stinson. “There you are. I was hoping you’d come back soon. Take me to the kitchen please. I brought some special tea to share with Margaret, but now I can share it with you.”
Hannah stayed in the shadows until they disappeared from view. Heart pounding, she tiptoed down the hallway to the room she thought was the office. As she slipped through the door, she held her breath until the snick of the lock sounded.