Why would you bother lying?" Her eyes darkened. "What would you gain?"
"Your ruffles?" He watched her face and knew the moment when she realized he was teasing her. "You said I could steal them, yes?"
"As I recall, we decided you should take them when I wasn't them."
He ran a knuckle along the shadowy contour of her jaw. She tipped her head to press her cheek into his palm, tears spilling in sparkling splendor from her eyes. "Oh, Hunter, I should have trusted you. I'm so sorry. After all you've done for us, how will you ever forgive me?"
"It is finished," he murmured. "No sorrow, eh? Only gladness. Your Aye-mee is yours, so she is mine. It is a very simple thing, yes?"
Through the gloaming, he could see her features softening, her quivery lips tipping up at the corners in a smile. She was not easy with him yet. A sudden move from him would set her heart to pounding again. Her smile encouraged him, though.
He ran his palm up the curve of her back and then removed his arm from around her, amused at how swiftly she rolled off him, fussing with her many skirts to be sure her ruffled breeches weren't exposed. Her shyness baffled him. He could remember how her body looked in firelight, her skin as pale as moonbeams, the tips of her breasts the delicate pink of cacti blossoms. How could such loveliness bring shame?
"Your ruffles?" He watched her face and knew the moment when she realized he was teasing her. "You said I could steal them, yes?"
"As I recall, we decided you should take them when I wasn't them."
He ran a knuckle along the shadowy contour of her jaw. She tipped her head to press her cheek into his palm, tears spilling in sparkling splendor from her eyes. "Oh, Hunter, I should have trusted you. I'm so sorry. After all you've done for us, how will you ever forgive me?"
"It is finished," he murmured. "No sorrow, eh? Only gladness. Your Aye-mee is yours, so she is mine. It is a very simple thing, yes?"
Through the gloaming, he could see her features softening, her quivery lips tipping up at the corners in a smile. She was not easy with him yet. A sudden move from him would set her heart to pounding again. Her smile encouraged him, though.
He ran his palm up the curve of her back and then removed his arm from around her, amused at how swiftly she rolled off him, fussing with her many skirts to be sure her ruffled breeches weren't exposed. Her shyness baffled him. He could remember how her body looked in firelight, her skin as pale as moonbeams, the tips of her breasts the delicate pink of cacti blossoms. How could such loveliness bring shame?
( Catherine Anderson )
[ Comanche Moon ]
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