“Ryder spoke of his little sister. Do you know what happened to her?”
Abby’s silver eyes dimmed. “Zach checked
the army records and learned that Sierra was
picked up by a family and taken West. Until
that time I had no idea that Sierra had survived the Crow attack.”
“Do you know the family’s name?”
“The records were fifteen years old and the writing was faded and difficult to read, but we
think the name was either Alden or Adler. Zach
has hired a man to check into it, but so far he’s
been unable to locate Sierra.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I have a feeling Sierra is happy
wherever she is. Meanwhile, concentrate on
Ryder and what you must do to stay together.”
That night Hannah mulled over Abby’s words.
The house was quiet. Everyone had retired for
the evening, and Hannah hoped they were sleep
ing. The longer she thought about Ryder riding
away, perhaps never to return, the more she
realized she couldn’t let him do it. The Irish in
her made her just stubborn enough to fight for what she wanted.
Hannah left her bed and tiptoed to the door.
She heard nothing but chirping crickets and
night birds singing their sad songs. The door
swung open on silent hinges, and she stepped
out into the hallway. Dressed in a thin shift,
Hannah’s bare feet moved silently down the hallway and out of the house. A full moon lit
the path to the barn. The door was open. It was
pitch black inside. Since she had no idea where
to find Ryder in the cavernous interior of the
barn, she called his name softly.
Ryder was caught in the midst of a vividly
carnal dream. In his dream his eyes were no
longer sightless and he was making tender
love to Hannah. At the height of her pleasure
he heard her whisper his name and groaned wordlessly in reply. Hannah heard and moved unerringly in the direction of his voice. Slowly and carefully, she made her way through the dark barn. When Ryder groaned a second time
Hannah, her eyes having adjusted to the dark
ness, found him lying on a bed of fragrant straw.
A half smile curved her lips as she pulled off
her shift and lay down beside him. Instantly, his arms came around her.
“Oh, Ryder,” she whispered against his ear. “I’ve missed you so. Love me. Please love me.”
Ryder turned to cover Hannah’s mouth with his. If he couldn’t have Hannah in the flesh, he
could at least have her in his dreams. In his
dreams he was not blind. He was whole, and
strong, and hungry to taste Hannah’s sweetness
again. Blood swelled his manhood, bringing it to full erection. When Hannah’s mouth opened
beneath his he thrust his tongue inside, the
sweet taste of her driving him into a passion
ate frenzy. He wanted to push himself into her immediately, feel her tight heat surround him, but he restrained himself, unwilling to
bring his dream to an abrupt end. Instead,
he slipped his hand between her legs, his
fingers seeking her slick, wet heat. He was
rewarded by Hannah’s sharp inhalation of
breath.
He deepened the kiss, his fingers teasing
the tender bud hidden between her thighs.
He felt it swell beneath his fingertips and
rejoiced that he could bring the woman of his dreams pleasure. The searing ache in his
loins built to such intensity that his face
contorted in pain. From a far-off distance
he heard her cries of rapture, and his fin
gers delved deeper inside her. She whim
pered and began tossing beneath him, her
hips thrusting upward, impaling herself more
deeply.
“Ryder, please.”
Ryder almost laughed aloud as he felt her incredibly tight, searing heat gripping his fingers, and her body stiffen. He felt her climax
wash over her in wave after wave of rapture
as his fingers continued the rhythm and his mouth pulled at her nipples, until she had no
more to give. Then he rose above her, des
perately eager to join their bodies. This was
one dream that would not elude him. Flexing his hips, he thrust into her, driving himself so
deep, Hannah gasped and clung to his neck.
The breath jammed in his chest as pure sen
sation overwhelmed him. No dream had ever
felt so real.
Pumping his hips furiously, panting, groaning, Ryder wasn’t certain when he realized that he wasn’t dreaming, that he held a flesh-and-
blood woman in his arms. A woman hot for
him, needing him, whimpering and panting as loudly as he was. He felt her muscles contract
around him, heard her call out his name, felt
the scorching heat of her body, and spewed
forth his passion into her receptive body.
Drained, he lay like one dead; indeed, he
had experienced a kind of death in Hannah’s
arms. But after a few minutes he began to
stir, rolling over and carrying her with him
until she was lying on top of him, their bodies
still fused, his erection still potent despite his
violent climax.
“I love you, Ryder,” Hannah said once she
had caught her breath. “I swear if you leave
me now, I’ll never forgive you.”
“You made me break my vow, Little Sparrow. You knew how I felt. Why did you come
to me? Why do you torment me?”
“You could have sent me away instead of making love to me.”
“I did not think you were real. Night and day
you are in my mind. If I couldn’t have you in person, I would have you in my dreams.”
“Since you’ve already broken your vow, there
is no need for you to leave,” Hannah said
smugly.
If it hadn’t been so dark in the barn, Hannah
would have seen Ryder’s face contort into a
grimace of pain. “Hannah, we’ve already had this discussion.”
Hannah wasn’t willing to accept his answer. Still joined, she moved her hips experimen
tally, reassured when she felt him throbbing
against the walls of her tight passage, growing
larger inside her. “If you are so sure about your
decision, I dare you to leave my body, to tell me you don’t want me again.” She sat up and
straddled him, sliding her thighs down hard on his. His strangled groan was all the answer she
needed.
“You are a witch,” Ryder gasped as he grasped her buttocks and moved her up and down the
length of his erection. “And I have no will where
you are concerned. It would take a stronger
man than I to leave you right now. I will gladly
suffer
Heammawihio’s
wrath for this moment
with you.”
Her ripe breasts dangled within his reach and
he raised his head to suckle the tender fruits, certain that paradise had never tasted so sweet.
She rode him wildly, gripping him with her
knees, fearing he’d leave her if she relaxed her
hold. Then her thoughts left her head as rapture
exploded inside her, consuming her body with
wracking shudders. Ryder gave a great shout and followed her down pleasure’s path.
Collapsing atop his powerful chest, Hannah allowed herself to drift peacefully for a time,
forgetting everything but the man she loved and
his child, carried safe inside her. She offered
token protest when Ryder lifted her from him
and nestled her in the curve of his body, curling
himself around her.
“So much for my resolve,” he said in self-derision.
Hannah smiled inwardly. “You didn’t have
much of a chance. I was pretty determined, you
know. I love you, Ryder,” She briefly considered
telling him about the baby, but she decided she wanted him to remain for her sake, not because
of their child.
Ryder went still. Then his arms slackened
and he turned away from her. Wrenching pain
shot through Hannah. She felt as if she’d been
punched in the stomach. Her arms went pro
tectively around her middle, her head rolled
from side to side, and she moaned. The ter
rible ache of rejection nearly tore her apart.
Ryder didn’t want her. A sob gathered in her throat and pushed past her lips. Ryder heard
and turned back to gather her into his arms.
“Why now, Little Sparrow? Why has the Great
Spirit stolen my sight so that I cannot take care of you properly? I am no longer a whole man. My sight is gone; I am helpless without eyes.”
“You are a brave man who fears no one. You
are a fearless warrior. Nothing else matters.”
“It matters to me.”
“Are you saying you don’t want me?”
She felt his muscles tense and was heart
ened. “No, Little Sparrow, I will always want you. I want to see your face when I make love to you. I want to see Grandfather Sun rise in
the morning and set at night. I want to hunt
the bounty provided by Mother Earth. Is that
asking too much?”
Tears gathered in Hannah’s eyes. “You will
have all of those things, Ryder. You’ll have your
sight again. You
will!”
She said it with such fierce conviction, such resolute assurance, that
Ryder wanted to believe her. If she had so much
faith, how could he doubt?
“If my sight never returns, I will be fortunate to have been loved by you.”
“Then you won’t leave?”
“I must. I will go into the hills and pray
to
Heammawihio
to restore my sight. If it is
restored to me, I will return.”
Hannah dared to breathe again. She truly
felt his sight would return. But the one thing
she wanted to hear from Ryder still remained
locked within his heart. He hadn’t said he loved her.
“You must be exhausted. Go back to the
house, Hannah. I will see you in the morn
ing.”
“No. I hate lying in that bed alone. I’d much rather share this bed of straw with you.”
“Then sleep, Little Sparrow. I will hold you
all night so you do not get cold. Until I leave, we
will share the same bed. I’m sure my meddling
sister and brother-in-law will be pleased.”
“I’m sure they will,” Hannah concurred,
hiding a smile. Abby had been right in advis
ing her to go to Ryder. Soon his sight would
return—she was certain of it—and then she
would tell him about the baby. They’d be a
real family. She knew Zach had offered Ryder
a job and land, and her dream of living in peace
with Ryder in their own house was within her
grasp.
Hannah fell asleep thinking happy thoughts
while Ryder dwelled on his dark future. A future
without eyes, without the means to support a
wife or family, without a notion in which world
he truly belonged.
Hannah stretched luxuriously, aware of
warmth and happiness and contentment. The
straw beneath her crackled and, abruptly, she recalled where she was and why. She had
swallowed her pride and gone to Ryder last
night. They had made love more than once,
and afterward they had slept entwined in each
other’s arms.
“It’s about time you woke up.”
“Ryder.” She gave him a foolish grin, but it faded the moment she realized he couldn’t see her. “Is it morning already?”
“I can’t really see it, but I sense daylight.
My senses have grown keener since I lost my
sight.”
Snuggling into the warmth of his body,
Hannah was loathe to rise. But she knew
she must before Zach came to the barn to
start the chores. Sunshine pierced through the
open door, bathing them in blazing light, and
Hannah stifled a giggle when she thought of
what Zach would think if he stumbled upon them lying naked upon the straw.
Lost in their own happiness, they didn’t hear riders enter the yard. And since the barn was
set some distance back from the house, they
didn’t see Zach arguing with his early-morning visitors in an effort to convince them to leave.
“I tell you he’s not in the house,” Zach
insisted.
“Where is he? You might as well tell me; I’ll
find him sooner or later anyway.”
Unaware that they had visitors, Abby came
into the room, carrying a howling baby who
demanded his breakfast most boisterously.
“Is that Ryder you’re talking to, Zach? Has
he come in from the barn already? Break
fast will be ready just as soon as I feed your son.” The words died in her throat
and her smile faded when she saw Lieuten
ant Gilmore standing in the doorway, talking to Zach.