Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

C aleb lay in the darkness, staring at the log cabin ceiling, the comforting weight of Jenny nestled against his side. He had taken her innocence, but thank God he’d had the presence of mind to protect her from pregnancy. He had never known loving could be this intense and pleasurable. Caleb suspected the taste and feel of Jenny would forever haunt him. Even now, her presence filled a void in him, a hollow feeling that had greeted him each morning for years now unexpectedly filled. She was asleep, her head resting on his shoulder, her breaths a gentle sigh against his chest, bringing him a sense of peace he hadn’t known he was missing.

The savory aroma of roasted rabbit permeated the cabin, and he heard Jenny’s stomach rumble softly in her sleep. Smiling, Caleb carefully extricated himself from the bed, pulled on his trousers, and padded over to the stove. He carefully lifted the rabbits from the earthen oven, setting them on a cutting board to carve them into smaller pieces. He found a couple of tins of baked beans in the cupboard, which he opened and set to warm over the flames.

Caleb chuckled softly, imagining the shock his friends and family back in England would express if they could see him now. Living with his grandfather in this rugged land had taught him a level of responsibility and resilience he’d never grasped during his pampered years back home. The memory of the men he had possibly killed during their escape lingered in his mind, and he felt no sense of regret.

Turning back to Jenny, he walked over to the bed and gently shook her shoulder.

“Jenny, wake up. You need to eat.”

She mumbled incoherently and rolled onto her side, her eyelashes fluttering as she slowly opened her eyes. Her gaze was soft and sleepy yet filled with warmth as she focused on him. Jenny's entire body blushed, and he grinned, lowering his head to kiss the bridge of her nose.

“Now is not the time to go shy on me, where you were a wildcat only an hour ago.”

She gasped and lightly laughed, slapping him with the small mound that barely passed as a pillow. With a nod to the small, rustic table, Caleb helped her to sit up, grinning as she blushed when he helped her wrap the blanket around her body like a toga. He guided her to the table where he had laid out their simple meal. As they settled down to eat, the soft patter of rain against the window provided a soothing ambiance to their simple dinner.

Jenny took a bite of the rabbit, her delight evident. “This is too delicious,” she purred.

“What did you manage to eat while I was out?”

Jenny smiled. “Your brother had some tinned biscuits stashed away, and I found several berry bushes near the creek at the back. I felt lucky when I caught these rabbits.”

She reached for the bottle of whisky Caleb had discovered hidden in his brother’s pantry, pouring each a glass. Taking a tentative sip, she winced slightly. “This is very strong.”

“There is a good chance Sam brewed it himself,” Caleb said with a wry smile.

“Are you close with him?” Jenny asked, curiosity in her voice.

Caleb pondered their relationship. “I did not know about Sam until my grandfather introduced us. I never knew I had another brother living away from us. Our grandfather told him about his three siblings in London and even showed him a portrait, but our mother never mentioned the child she left behind in America.”

Jenny’s eyes widened. “I can’t believe it. Why would she do that?”

He chewed thoughtfully on a mouthful of beans. “My mother was to be married to Sam’s father, but he died before they could exchange vows. The grief overwhelmed her, so my grandfather sent her abroad with his sister to heal and to also escape the scrutiny of being an unwed mother. She never returned. She married an earl, had three more children, and never visited Sam. My grandfather raised him like a son, even naming him a Colton, and only when he was much older explained everything about our mother.”

“That’s... terrible ,” Jenny murmured. “Sam must have missed having her in his life.”

“I think so, though he did not say it. He is very…. reserved. We spent one night here talking for hours. He never asked about her, but I volunteered what I knew. He listened intently and didn’t stop me.”

“I cannot imagine being separated from my family like that,” Jenny confessed. “It would devastate me.”

Caleb felt a pang as he realized how deeply family meant to Jenny, knowing her loyalty was something fierce. He brushed aside the bittersweet thought, focusing on the meal. They continued to eat, sharing satisfied sounds of enjoyment and exchanging smiles.

Jenny licked her fingers with a theatrical moan of delight.

“Minx,” Caleb said fondly, chuckling.

She got up to wash her hands in a water basin, then returned to her chair, lifting the whisky to her lips again for a deeper swallow, gasping at the burn.

“I know why you’re returning to England, but I never asked why you left,” she said, looking at him intently.

Caleb grabbed the brandy bottle and took several deep gulps. Setting it down, he said, “A bounder tried to take advantage of my sister. She rejected his advances, but he cornered her at a ball, forced a kiss on her, tore her dress, and slapped her when she bit him. Luckily, a noise interrupted him, and she managed to escape. I couldn’t stand by; I confronted him, and we fought. I punched him repeatedly. His father is a powerful duke, and with the threat of retaliation and scandal, my mother pleaded with me to leave England. George, my brother, urged the same.”

“Your brother should have killed him for such dishonor,” Jenny said sharply, her eyes blazing with fury.

Caleb smiled gently and reached out to caress her cheek. “You are quite the bloodthirsty hellion.”

Her eyes widened, and then she chuckled softly. “But you like me just as I am.”

“I do, very much so,” he said.

The soft hitch in her breathing whispered through his heart.

“What did you mean when you mentioned you were taken once?”

A fine tremor went through her slender frame, and a shadow moved through her eyes. “I was fourteen when a band of Comancheros rode into Bravo. They were ruthless, thinking they could take whatever—and whoever—they wanted. I was abducted along with a few other women. They had vile intentions. I was terrified, not knowing if my father lived. He was shot a few times because he fought when they took me. I knew my father and brothers would come for me. I only needed to endure until they found me. Joshua tracked me down and killed nine men to rescue me.”

Caleb felt a chill run through him. “Were you hurt?”

Her stark expression softened. “No. My brother came for me before they got a chance. On the return journey home, he started teaching me how to handle a knife and a gun. Then all my brothers took turns teaching me how to defend myself.”

“You healed from your experience,” he said gruffly.

“My Pa said it made me tougher.” A shadow flickered in her eyes. “Are you wondering if your sister has healed?”

“Yes.” He took another long swallow of brandy. “I left London a week after everything, and she was a shadow of herself. She no longer wanted to attend any balls or the frivolities of the ton . It gutted me.”

Jenny dropped her chin to her knees. “My mother always said it is silly to look back on the past with worry, pain, or sadness when the future awaits us, and we have the present to contend with. I still had nightmares, and I often reminded myself of my mother’s words. The better I got at shooting, riding astride, and throwing my knife, my fear also receded. Perhaps upon your return, you could teach your sister to defend herself from rakes and libertines.”

A rough sound chuffed from him. “My mother would possibly collapse at the very thought. However, if Lydia is willing, I will teach her as much as possible.”

“Is it scandalous for a woman to know how to stand up for herself?”

“Hmm.”

Her green eyes sparkled with that inner fire he loved. “How absurd ! Should I ever visit your country, I would do so wearing my trousers and my guns on my hips.”

He gave a low, rough laugh. “Ah, Jenny, I will miss you so much.”

One of her shoulders lifted in an elegant shrug. “Then don’t leave,” she said.

The words hung in the air, weaving a thread of tension between them.

“Or you could come with me,” he suggested softly, watching her reaction closely.

She laughed, the sound tinged with a strain that didn’t escape him. “I could never leave the Triple K. You must return and tend to your responsibilities. It’s nice to dream about impossible things, though.”

Her wistful sigh struck him deeply, like an arrow finding its mark. Unable to bear the hint of sadness in her eyes, Caleb stood and gently pulled her to her feet. Placing one hand on her waist and taking her hand with the other, he led her in a slow, graceful dance across the room.

“What are we dancing?” Jenny asked, a spark of curiosity lighting her eyes as she placed her other hand on his shoulder.

Caleb leaned in, his lips brushing against hers as he whispered, “The waltz. It’s a dance we often enjoy in the ballrooms back home. It was once considered quite scandalous.”

“I can see why,” she replied in a husky voice, her gaze locked with his. “Just being this close, in your arms, makes my heart race and fills my head with...rather wicked thoughts of you kissing me and doing so much more.”

Ignoring the hunger darting through his body, he showed her the moves and how to follow his rhythm. They bumbled a few times, and her laughter traveled deep inside him where he hoarded the sound, hoping he would recall this moment when the months got lonely in London. As they moved together, Caleb was acutely aware of every point their bodies touched. Each step they took was a bittersweet reminder of what he was about to leave behind. He realized then, with a clarity that startled him, just how deeply he wanted this woman in his life.

They practiced the turns and the fluid motions, and with each step, Caleb felt the heaviness of regret. Why had he not pursued her more ruthlessly? He loved being with her, loved how she looked up at him with trust and a touch of mischief and loved how naturally she fit against him.

Her eyes widened when he tugged, and the blanket slithered to her feet. Caleb lifted her into his arms, and she wrapped her legs around his hips, her slim arms wrapping around his shoulders. He kissed her with violent tenderness, palming her lush buttocks and lifting her slightly.

“Grab my cock and put it at your pussy,” he said against her mouth, desire coiling hotly in his gut.

She reached between the tight fit of their bodies, opened the flap of his trousers, clasped his cock and tucked it at her entrance. Caleb groaned, pressing her against the wall of the cabin, and he pushed deep into the tight, wet welcoming of her pussy.

“Caleb,” she gasped, her nails sinking into his shoulders.

His breath hissed through his teeth. She felt so damn perfect. Caleb started moving, slowly feeding her his cock, for she felt so damn tight. Her soft moans rippled over his skin like a physical caress, and she kissed the flesh of his shoulders as he started to thrust deeper and harder into her clenching wetness.

Sensation built unbearably, and he thrust upward, hard. Her wild cry echoed in the small cabin as she convulsed in his arms, her nails raking his sweat-slicked shoulders.

“All night,” he groaned, “I am going to keep you on my cock for the night, and you’ll come for me over and over.”

Caleb spun with her, still deeply impaled on his cock, and took her to bed. He withdrew only long enough to lower her to the mattress, turned her onto her belly and then tugged Jenny onto her knees. He groaned, his cock aching at her lush provocativeness. He kissed the small indent above her derriere. A needy moan hissed from her lips and traveled straight to his balls, tightening them. Caleb gripped her hips, arched her and slowly sank his cock deep.

“Caleb,” she gasped, her fingers tightening on the sheet.

He snaked his hand from her hip and delved between her curls, finding her clitoris and rubbing it until she trembled, pushing back on him in a silent demand for more. Only then did he start to ride her hard and deep. Her hips jerked in time to his hard, deep thrust as he sank into her over and over. A distant part of him tried to be gentle, given her inexperience, but Jenny rolled her hips back on him, taking his passion, meeting him thrust for thrust. She cried out, shaking as pleasure overwhelmed her. Her pussy clamped so tightly onto his cock that it was hard to drag from her flesh. He brought her to climax two more times until, with a deep groan, he attained his release.

Caleb withdrew from her, and Jenny collapsed onto her belly, panting. Then she laughed, the sound sweet and delighted. His release was so powerful that he couldn’t speak or think. Caleb sank weakly to the blanket beside her, still holding her to him with fierce possessiveness.

Bloody hell .

He had overdone it. His heart raced, and his head felt light. There was no doubt that damn snake bite still affected him, and he had made love to Jenny twice. The room spun, and he closed his eyes, thinking if he had to die, at least he would die happy.

She sighed, closed her eyes, and fell asleep. He stared at her face for several beats before he forced himself to look away and inhaled deeply to steady himself. Jenny Kincaid had bewitched him, body and heart, it seemed. It gutted Caleb that he had to leave this country and her. It hovered on his tongue to ask her to wait for him, even as he recognized the selfish and foolish nature of the request.

How long would he be in England? A year or two, perhaps five years. He felt as if he had taken a huge blow to the chest, robbing him of breath. How could he ask her to wait? He pinched the bridge of his nose, for it was hard to imagine life without her in it.

As he closed his eyes, an awareness had him stiffening.

“What is it?” she murmured sleepily, reacting to the tension seeping through his body.

“I did not pull out just now. I could have gotten you with a child just now.”

She shifted, draping her body across his. “A baby ?”

His heart was a war drum in his ear. “Yes.”

Jenny fell silent and softly said, “There is no sense in worrying about the unknown, Caleb.”

He scrubbed a hand over his face, silently cursing. “Jenny—”

“I will write to you and let you know if I am. There is no need for you to worry.”

“Good.”

They stayed silent, each breathing deeply. Caleb knew she was awake, for her heart raced frantically against his, and he could feel every beat.

“What if you are—”

She bit his chest, then kissed the spot when he hissed.

“I do not wish to worry about something that might not come true,” she whispered.

“I like to plan ahead.”

“I did say I would write to you,” she said pertly.

“A letter will take six weeks or more to reach London.”

“I know.”

He placed a finger under her chin and urged her gaze to meet his. “If you are with child, Jenny, you will have to come to me in England and we—”

“Or you come to me here,” she said through narrowed eyes. “When I have a child, I want to be surrounded by my mother and family.”

Bloody hell . “I will not be able to return so soon.”

“I know,” she said, lowering her cheek to his chest. “That is why I do not wish to worry about a situation that does not exist now.”

“We will head back to the Tripple K in the morning,” he said gruffly. “Your family must be frantic with fear.”

“They know I am with you,” she murmured. “They know you will protect me.”

Caleb wrapped his arms around her, hating the thought that one of the best things in his life would soon be out of his reach.

What I wouldn’t give to call you mine, Jenny Kincaid .