Without warning, he reached over and wrapped one hand around the nape of her neck, pulling her closer. Then he kissed her hard, bruising her lips and sending a shiver of fierce longing through her body, which still hummed from their forbidden dance. The kiss lasted only a moment, but the message was clear.
Tonight.
She had to be sure. “What?” she whispered, touching her fingertips to her lips.
His eyes sparkled with amusement. “Tonight is payback time, mi cara.”
Nudging his horse with his thighs, he moved forward again. She did likewise.
“I thought you were going to wait until our last night,” she argued weakly.
“I changed my mind.” He smiled mischievously. “But we have to find a safe place to stop first. I don’t think those drunk miners will follow us, but we can’t take a chance.”
She nodded, equally concerned about the danger. “Rafe, the reason I came to the saloon was because some men were talking in the hall of the hotel, outside our room. They’d heard rumors that the Angel Bandit was in town.
They planned to search for him — you — to get the reward. I thought there was danger.”
He listened closely. “Then there was all the more reason for us to leave Marysville. Besides, I learned tonight that Pablo joined up with Sancho. They’ve moved farther north.”
She sighed. “Do you think our troubles will ever end?”
He slanted her a devilish look. “Honey, one of those troubles is going to end tonight.”
“We’ll talk about this when we stop.”
“No, we won’t, Helen. The time for talking, and teasing, and constant hard-ons is over.”
“Constant har… Oh, you’re always trying to shock me.”
He shook his head vigorously. “No, I’m not. I’m preparing you. And while you’re preparing, think about this. I’m picturing your widespread legs on that horse. With each rhythmic roll of the horse’s gait, you can feel the saddle pressing against your soft hairs… and open folds… and swelling — ”
“Stop it! Just stop it!” she gasped out.
“And I want you to imagine that it’s me under you.”
She tried to shut out his enticing words, to no avail.
“Are you wet already, Helen? Don’t lie to me. I know you were just as aroused as I was by our dance. Do you still feel the… throb?”
“Why are you talking like this?” she cried out. “I deal with men everyday. Do you think vulgar language is something new to me? I don’t expect it from you, though.”
“Vulgar? My talking about our making love is vulgar? Helen, if I were saying these things to some stranger, it would be insulting. Harassment, even. But this is you and me. A man and a woman. If it’s not to your taste, fine, but don’t paint it as perverted, or intimidating. Can you honestly say that my words don’t excite you at all?”
She groaned. “Do you enjoy torturing me?”
“This is foreplay, sweetheart. The most delicious torture there is. By the time we stop an hour or so from now, I want you so turned on and hot, you’ll blister my skin at fifty paces.”
I could probably do that right now.
He clucked to his horse and moved into a slow gallop. Her horse soon caught up. They rode for about a half hour without talking before he slowed.
“How’re you doing?” he asked.
“Fine. I’m not that tired, and my horse can probably go another — ”
“Helen, Helen, Helen. That’s not what I meant.” He reached over and ran a palm fleetingly over her thigh.
A shot of electricity ran from her toes to her groin to her brain. She put a hand over her mouth to stifle her telling moan.
He laughed. “Babe, we are going to be so good together.”
“I don’t like it when you talk like this.”
“Why?” he asked, cocking his head with surprise.
She lifted her chin and turned her face away from him, afraid she would reveal too much, even in the dark.
“Prissy, is your loose gown rubbing against your breasts?”
Her heart skipped a beat, and she refused to answer.
“Are your nipples hard? Do you want to be suckled? Do you like it hard or soft? Wet or dry? Whatever you wish, I’ll do. Everything. No holds barred.”