Wild Roses (13 page)

Ella tried to help Rose clear away the remnants of the meal, but was politely and firmly pushed aside. She was beginning to feel more irritated than grateful even though she knew that was unfair. When Harrigan returned, she was delighted to see him, but it was a fleeting pleasure. There was a slight flush to his cheeks and a glitter in his eyes. Ella grew a little suspicious as he approached her. When he leaned close to her, she grimaced, smelling the liquor on his breath.

“Are you drunk?” she asked.

“That's a distinct possibility,” he replied carefully. “Willie's homebrew is heady stuff, but I couldn't think of a polite way to refuse.”

“Perhaps you should have discreetly poured it over the porch rail when he wasn't looking.”

“He'd know. I think it'd kill the grass.” He smiled crookedly when she giggled. “Are you strong enough to take a little stroll? I could use a walk to try and work this brew out of my system and I thought you might need one to calm yourself enough to go to sleep.”

She did not hesitate, standing right up, and hooking her arm through his. A quick peek around the room revealed that they were alone, that Rose had already slipped away to sit with her husband. A well-taught sense of courtesy made her pause, however.

“Don't you think we ought to stay and visit with our hosts?” she asked as he led her out the back door of the cabin.

“They know where we're going. They even suggested that we take a walk. Rose thought it would be good for you. She said you were beginning to look itchy and might not be able to go to sleep. Willie told me about a pretty little water hole just on the other side of those trees.”

Ella smiled faintly at the careful way he walked. She knew it was not done solely out of consideration for her. He was getting better, the fumes of Willie's homebrew obviously clearing out of his head, but he was still a little unsteady.

The moment they stepped through to the other side of the trees, Ella abruptly halted, stilled by the beauty of the place. There was a creek running down the rock-strewn hillside and that created a small waterfall. The trees, grass, and shrubs grew lushly all around the water's edge. A full moon added a soft glow to the little glade and an inviting sparkle to the water. She released Harrigan's arm and skipped down the hillside to the water's edge.

“What are you doing?” Harrigan asked as he sat on the soft grass and watched her carefully inspect the area.

“Just checking for snakes.” She laughed at the way he hastily looked all around him. “You aren't fond of snakes, are you?”

“Is anybody?” he muttered. “Well, if it's safe, you can come and sit down next to me now.”

“Nope. I intend to enjoy this water.”

Ella was not sure what had suddenly possessed her. It could have been the haunting romantic air of the glade, or the fact that she was full of energy after such a long rest, but she felt alive, sensual, and daring. She wanted Harrigan to make love to her. Even more, she wanted to enflame him. Dozens of exciting possibilities sprang to mind and she was a little surprised at the boldness of some of them. Casting Harrigan a faintly taunting look she began to undo her gown.

“You're going to have a swim?” he asked.

“Yes. It looks lovely and cool and very clear.”

“That's nice, but you've been ill.”

“Not ill, tired.” She wiggled out of her gown and placed it carefully on the grass, then tugged off her shoes. “I've slept for a day or so and have done little more than sit in a chair for a whole day more. I don't believe a little paddle in the water will do me any harm.” Setting her foot up on one of the many rocks littering the banks, she slowly unrolled her stockings, knowing that Harrigan was watching her and finding that very exciting.

Harrigan drew in a slow, unsteady breath as he watched Ella take the pins from her hair and let it tumble free down her slim back. “If you want to take a swim, fine, do so, but I think you ought to be a little more careful. You're tempting fate with the way you're carrying on.”

Ella kept her back to him as she undid her camisole. She slipped it off, held it out to the side, and let it drop onto the pile of her clothes. Her heart pounding, she tugged off her pantaloons, savoring the feel of the cool night air on her body.

“Tempting fate, am I? I had rather hoped that I was tempting you.”

She heard Harrigan stand up and walk to the edge of the pool even as she eased her body into the almost too chilly water. Keeping her body submerged, she turned to look at him, knowing full well that her modesty was only partly preserved by the clear, moonlit water. Ella found it a little amusing that she could want him so badly, so quickly, when he had not even kissed her yet. Passion, she decided, was a very curious thing and apparently had a mind of its own.

“I'm trying to figure out if you're playing some game,” he said, his voice thick and husky.

“I might be,” she replied, smiling faintly at her own vagaries. “I'm not sure why, but when we arrived here, I looked at this place and decided there was something I wanted to do. Odd, but I felt almost compelled to do it.”

“What? Swim?”

“No. Enflame you.”

“Oh, you've more than succeeded at that.”

“Have I? Then why are you still dressed?”

She giggled when he began to shed his clothes with a speed that threatened to damage them. Within seconds he was in the water and pulling her into his arms. She sighed with pleasure as their flesh met and, curling her arms around his neck, she kissed him, meeting the ferocity of his kiss with one of her own.

Ella slid her hands down his sleek body to intimately stroke him, finding him hard and eager despite the chill of the water. She realized that she wanted him now, that she needed no kisses or caresses. Simply undressing in front of him and thinking about making love had stirred her passion to the point where she did not wish to waste any time. She wanted to be one with him immediately.

“Ella,” Harrigan gasped as he tore his mouth free of hers and began to kiss the rapid pulse point in her neck. “What the hell has gotten into you?”

Using her arms around his neck for leverage, she jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist. “Damned if I know, but I think it might be one of those times when talking about something could ruin it.” She shuddered as he slid his hands down to gently clutch her backside and rubbed her against him.

“Now?” he asked, his hoarse voice holding both a demand and surprise.

“Yes, now,” she whispered and cried out with pleasure as he lowered her down on him, the feel of him entering her enough to bring on a blinding release of her mindless desire. She was faintly aware of how quickly he joined her in the sweet depths of passion.

 

 

Ella murmured with a lingering pleasure as Harrigan laid her down in the soft grass and held her close. They were both still breathing heavily and she smiled with a mixture of delight and surprise. She rubbed her cheek against his smooth damp chest and trailed her fingers up and down his thigh. There had to be something in the air of the little glade, for she was still feeling very hungry for him, and very daring. Hot, fast, and furious was very nice, but now she wanted slow, gentle, and lingering.

She sat up, picked up her camisole, and used it to lightly rub dry her hair. Her nudity only bothered her for a second. Harrigan had made it very clear that he enjoyed looking at her, and tonight she felt inclined to let him look his fill. She idly wondered if it was the soft touch of moonlight that made her feel beautiful enough to be so brazen.

He sat up behind her and gently covered her breasts with his hands. Ella leaned back against him and watched as he used his fingers to tease the tips of her breasts until they were taut and aching. She offered no resistance as he turned her to face him. When he lowered his mouth to lathe and suckle her breasts, she curled her fingers in his thick, damp hair and held him there, wishing she had the strength to linger at that precise stage of her passion. It felt so good she wanted to enjoy it for hours, but knew that was impossible.

When he started to trail kisses down to her midriff, she knew what he was planning to do. Scandalous though it was, she liked it, and it was an effort to gently stop him, tugging his face up to hers so that she could kiss him. He had given her that pleasure several times and she decided it was time she returned the favor.

The moment she ended the kiss, she began to move her mouth down his body. She licked and nipped her way down his chest, the taste of him, the feel of his warm skin beneath her lips, heating her blood. He threaded his hands in her hair as she moved to kneel in front of him, caressing every inch of his strong thighs with her mouth and her hands. When she touched her mouth to the tip of his erection the groan that escaped him startled her. Fearing she had erred, she started to pull away, but he pulled her back.

Harrigan closed his eyes and shuddered as her tongue stroked him. He sought the strength to enjoy the pleasure she was giving him, but it was so intense he knew he could not last for long. When she enclosed him in the moist heat of her mouth, he doubted he could last longer than a heartbeat or two.

Knowing he had to cool his blood a little or he would not be able to give her any return for the delight she had gifted him with, he pulled her away even as he fell back onto the grass. He tugged her on top of him, gritting his teeth when she straddled him and lightly rubbed herself against him. With her passionate nature running wild and free, Ella was almost more than he could handle.

Harrigan felt his competitive nature flicker to life a small voice in his head scolding him for letting her rule in passion's game. It was obvious that Ella was taking great pleasure in driving him mad, and he decided to steal a little of that for himself. Slowly he eased her further up his body until he had free access to her firm, ivory breasts.

Delicious,“ he murmured as he licked each hardened tip.

Ella shivered and tried to move against him, but he held her by her hips, keeping a little distance between their bodies. “Harrigan, I thought—”

He nuzzled his face against her breasts. “God, you even smell like roses. And I begin to believe that you have been doing a little too much thinking.”

“I have?” She gasped when he drew the tip of her breast deep into his mouth and pulled on it in a slow, rhythmic manner as if they had all the time in the world. “Maybe I have, but I don't think I can do much more of this.”

“Well, we'll just have to see, won't we.”

Her soft gasp of pleasure as he turned his attention to her other breast was like a caress to his ears. He took his time and savored the freedom she was allowing him, using his hands and his mouth to stir her, pausing between each leisurely caress to view the results of his handiwork. His body began to protest his meandering, and he edged her up a little further, turning his attentions to the smooth skin of her stomach.

It was not until he touched a kiss to her navel that he felt the first hint of resistance. He ignored it, pulling her that last inch forward. She tried to pull back, to close herself to his look and his touch, but he would not allow it.

The feel of Harrigan's mouth on the inside of her thigh stole away Ella's hesitancy. The only tension she felt was her body's anticipation of what he would do next, its aching eagerness for the intimate kiss he was about to give her. She breathed her acceptance when his lips touched her, opening to him in eager welcome at the first slow stroke of his tongue. Ella allowed him complete freedom, not caring what he did so long as the exquisite feelings racing through her body continued.

He kept her teetering on the edge of release and she both cursed and blessed him. Finally, she knew even his skill could not forestall the need of her body any longer and she called to him. He suddenly pulled her down his body, sitting up as he did so. Ella gasped with the sharp pleasure that tore through her as he joined their bodies. He leaned her back and slowly took one nipple deep into his mouth even as he began to move her body against his. Ella felt her insides explode as wave after wave of delight ripped through her. Even as she sank beneath the weight of her own desires, she felt him press her down tightly against him as he cried out her name and greedily accepted the warmth of his release as it poured into her body.

When Harrigan finally eased out of her arms, Ella shivered from the chill of his absence. She hurried to the edge of the water, cleaned up, and began to put her clothes on. A quick glance at Harrigan revealed that he was also getting dressed. It was as if they had both decided at the same time that the magic of the glade had fled.

“Rose and Willie will wonder what's happened to us,” she said as she finished buttoning her gown and began to pin up her hair.

“I think they know exactly what this place can do to a person,” Harrigan said, and smiled faintly. “Willie had a little grin on his face when he told me how to get here.” He laughed when she frowned, then blushed. “Don't look so concerned. They'll be asleep by the time we return. We can sneak into the bedroom by the window. I opened it before we left, thinking to let some of the cool night air in.”

“Creeping to bed like sneaky children,” she murmured as he took her by the hand and started to walk toward the house.

“I would prefer to curl up on that soft grass and sleep right there, but I don't think it'd be good for you. And you need your rest, because we have to get an early start in the morning.” He inwardly cursed when he felt her steps falter slightly, knowing he had destroyed the last lingering pleasure of the glade, and wishing he had found another way to tell her they would be leaving in the morning.

“Back on the trail to Philadelphia?”

“Yes.”

Ella took a deep breath and fought down the urge to rail at him. He had never faltered in his determination to do the job he'd been hired to do. A few special moments in a moonlit glade could not change his mind. She told herself to savor those moments, that they would make a very pleasurable memory, and then inwardly sighed. Memories were nice, but she knew she was going to spend many a night wishing she had the man instead.