Lion in the Shadows Read online

  He wanted to believe her. Something had definitely spooked her. The proud, contrary woman was as tough as nails—a professional. He’d never seen her flinch from danger, yet she’d trembled in his arms inside the cave.

  Lani stirred beside him, and her leg slid over his until her knee nudged his sex. “Thought you needed your sleep,” she said, her voice low and husky.

  “I lied,” he said, hugging her closer, a smile curving his lips. “You were the one yawning in mid-stroke.”

  “Impossible,” she said, sounding grumpy. “This thing kept prodding me awake.”

  Rafe drew a deep breath and hauled her over him, until she’d settled her legs between his, her chin propped on her folded hands. “What’s next, baby?” Jesus, could he have been blunter?

  Lani’s eyes clouded. “I don’t know. You’re a hard man to shake loose.”

  “Why try?” he asked, surprised by the scratchy quality of his voice.

  “You don’t really know me…”

  “I know I love you,” he said baldly, his heart thudding like a dull drum.

  Tears pooled, and she turned her head to hide them.

  Rafe was determined this time she wouldn’t shut him out. He cupped her chin and lifted her head. “Tell me why that upsets you. You have to know by now how I feel.”

  Lani took a deep breath but shook her head. “I can’t. I just wish you didn’t…love me, that is.” Her eyes held a world of hurt.

  Sure, she cared, but she was confused about why she was so set on denying him. Rafe sighed. Tackling problems head-on might be how he handled most situations, but Lani wasn’t an easy puzzle to solve. “If you don’t tell me, how will I understand? Or is it that you just don’t love me back?”

  Her breath caught, and her mouth opened.

  He thought her first instinct would be to tell him just that. “Don’t,” he said, pressing his thumb against her lips. “Don’t say it. I’m not gonna believe you.”

  “If you have this all figured out, why ask me?” she said, resentment making her lips thin.

  Anger was a lot easier to face than hurt. Feeling relieved, and a bit like a coward, Rafe decided to let it go. “All right. I’ll back off for now. But don’t you try shutting me out again. It won’t work, you know. I’m not going away.”

  Lani stared for a long moment. Rafe wished he could hear her thoughts. But Lani gave him a tense little smile, and then laid her head on his chest.

  His arms tightened around her body, and he heaved a sigh of relief. At least for now, she wasn’t pushing him away.

  Chapter 3

  When his horse grew lathered and winded from the wild ride, he hauled back on the reins and slid from the roan’s back in one fluid movement. Without a thought beyond the need to survive the next few minutes, he jerked his rifle from its scabbard and ran toward the mouth of the cave.

  The three white men were almost upon him and fired shots at his feet, their laughter high-pitched with excitement. His soft-soled moccasins gripped the sand and gravel as he hunched down to make himself a smaller target, but he never slowed his pace. When they tired of harassing him as he ran, they’d kill him.

  The cave loomed large and black. He ignored the prickles of awareness lifting the hairs on the back of his neck that warned him of mischievous spirits and plunged into the darkness. Finding the long skirt of the Mother, he hid behind the wall of rock and lifted his rifle to his shoulder to await the men who’d dogged his trail so many miles.

  Not for the first time, he regretted leaving the rest of his people as they’d traveled northward. He’d been rash and foolish, and two of his brothers, friends since childhood, lay dead for their folly. Their way of life as they had known it was gone and would never be returned to them. Too many of his people lay dead as testament to a powerful and treacherous enemy.

  He would have served his family better had he traveled north to the reservation. He despaired for his mother’s health, and worried that she and his sister had no man to protect them. He’d been foolish and prideful—and selfish. Now he would die alone without anyone to sing a song for his spirit.

  He waited with his rifle raised until his arm burned with the effort. Still, the white men didn’t venture near the mouth of the cave. Then he heard scuffled footsteps, and a shower of rock and gravel fell from above the opening.

  Before he had time to figure out the puzzle, he heard laughter again and the footsteps running away. Then a flash of heat and light exploded in front of him, and he was flying, twisting and turning, falling backward until finally he landed, his body thudding dully on a bed of rock and sand.

  He was dying, his spirit rising from his body, when he heard a nearby snarl.

  Feet padded nearer, and a low, raspy growl reverberated around the darkened tomb. The creature’s breath washed over his face, and then sharp teeth bit deep into his throat. With a last silent prayer, he sank into the darkness…

  Rafe awoke, sweat cooling on his hot skin. A suffocating feeling, like the one he’d felt inside the cave, closed around him. As the dream faded to shadowy remnants, he gently withdrew from Lani’s warmth and crept from the bed.

  He jerked open the door that led to her wraparound porch and pulled it closed behind him. Then he gripped the railing, dragging deep, cleansing breaths into his starved lungs. The dream, what he could remember of it now, had felt so real, down to the long hair that brushed the tops of his shoulders, the smell of his lathered horse, and the pain the man inside the dream suffered when the cat ripped out his throat.

  Damn Lani and her talk of mountain lions! Rafe rubbed a hand over his face and wondered what the hell he was doing out here, shaking off nightmares, when Lani was still lying naked in her bed.

  The early morning light filtered through the leaves of the oak trees, and Rafe closed his eyes and let the warmth sink into his skin. Then he heard a scrape and the pad of paws on the porch. Whatever animal was just around the corner of the house was sizeable.

  Naked and feeling at a distinct disadvantage, Rafe reentered the bedroom and peered out the window.

  “What’s the matter?” Lani asked, her voice scratchy. “Bad dream?”

  “I think there’s an animal on your porch.”

  “Mmm. I live in the country, city boy—there are always animals on my porch. It’ll go away. Come back to bed.”

  Rafe glanced over his shoulder. Lani had flipped back the covers, exposing her nude body and the mussed sheets. An invitation he couldn’t refuse.

  He gave the porch a final look, but all seemed quiet outside now. Leaving the curtain open, he hoped Lani wouldn’t object to the light streaming through the window. She’d never allowed him to make love to her without shadows hiding her sweet form.

  He walked to the bed aware her gaze swept over him. She wet her lips, and her breaths grew shallow. Nice to know some things were mutual. Her rosy-brown nipples beaded as quickly as his cock grew hard. By the time he climbed onto the mattress, he was ready to drive a nail through the wall.

  But he held back, wanting to drink in the sight of her—her body, long-limbed and sturdy, the pale triangle of curls between her legs, breasts set high on her chest. When his gaze reached her face, he let out a breath.

  Her eyes were moist, her expression a little shy. Not for the first time, she confused him. As strong and competent as she seemed on the job and outside the bedroom, she held a core of vulnerability that made his heart ache.

  Cupping her chin, he swept his thumb over her soft lips. “You’re beautiful, Lani Kimmel.”

  “I was thinking about what you said before. I don’t want secrets between us, Rafe. Not anymore. I’d like to give this thing between us a chance.” Her glance swept down again, and a little smile curved her lips. “Besides, you stuck closer to me than a tick on a hound dog.”

  “’Bout time you realized you can’t shake me loose. I’m in for the long haul, baby.”

  Lani shook her head. “I can’t make any promises about where this might lead.”
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br />   “This is enough for now.” He leaned over her and kissed her, glorying in her first tentative touches gliding over his shoulders.

  Her fingers raked through his hair, tugging gently. “Love me, Rafe.”

  “I do, baby. You know, I do.” He kissed her again and came down on top of her, resting the weight of his torso on his elbows. “We’re gonna talk after we’re done this time. I have to know what dragons we have to slay.”

  “All right,” she whispered, her gaze holding his.

  Unable to resist the temptation of her creamy flesh a moment longer, he leaned to one side and caressed a firm, round breast. Her skin was so pale, a fine tracery of blue veins was visible just beneath the surface. He rubbed the pad of his thumb over her nipple, and Lani’s breath caught. He loved how damn responsive her body was to his touch.

  He gently squeezed the tip, rolling it between his thumb and forefinger.

  Lani made a little noise in the back of her throat, and her eyes closed tight.

  He bent and nuzzled the velvety areola then tongued the tip, a butterfly-soft flutter that produced a moan. Plumping her breast with his palm, he sucked the entire nipple into his mouth and drew hard.

  She writhed beneath him—long, sinuous undulations, her legs opening to cup his sex.

  Much as he would have loved to follow her sensual suggestion, he had a war to win. This was only one battle.

  He moved down her body until his face was level with her breasts. He teased one then the other, drawing the tips to rigid little points. When her fingers clutched his head tightly, he bit a reddened, dimpled areola, determined this time he’d draw out their lovemaking to the point of physical pain—then maybe, she’d experience just a fraction of the mind-stealing desire he felt.

  While Rafe’s lips strafed and suckled her tender nipples, Lani gloried in the light that glinted in his thick, dark hair and the burnished tone of his skin as he labored over her breasts. The differences between them—light to dark, hard muscle to soft curves, man to woman—no longer made her cringe inside.

  Rafe had banished most of her fears, first by the example of his steady, relentless pursuit, and finally, through the tender passion of his lovemaking. He’d seen to her pleasure, driving her to the point of madness time and again, but not once did his strong hands harm her. Not once had the near-violent desperation of his lovemaking caused her to fear him.

  Oh, he’d drawn out her desire until she’d begged for release, her stomach clenching, and her vagina clutching around his tongue, his fingers, his cock—her entire body writhing like a wild thing. But he’d never hurt her, never let his frustration take a darker turn.

  Sometime during the long night, she’d given him her heart. She’d only meant to open the door a crack, to test her comfort for this sort of sharing—but he’d muscled his way through, laying waste to all her defenses, leaving her shattered with the beauty and intensity of his loving.

  She wouldn’t deny him any longer. He’d branded her body and her heart.

  Lani raised her knees on either side of his hips, tilting her pelvis to steal a glide along his thigh.

  His mouth continued to suction, strong and biting, until her pussy was slick with anticipation. Still, he didn’t let up. Scooting down her body, his lips and tongue left a wet trail of kisses, pausing to dip inside her navel, and then moving lower to nip and torture her quivering belly.

  Lani surrendered, letting her arms fall to either side of her head, her moans growing louder the lower he traveled, until his mouth was poised once more above her sex. She let her legs drop open, her breath catching, waiting for the first intimate touch of his tongue on her heated core.

  Instead, he blew a stream of cooling air over her flesh and gently parted her with his fingers. “You belong to me.”

  “Yes,” she groaned. “Please, Rafe.” Her eyes squeezed shut. His carnal kisses left no room for embarrassment, inciting her to an abandon she’d never thought herself capable of experiencing.

  “Look at me,” he said, his words gusting over her.

  Her pussy pulsed, making a wet, sucking sound, and she opened her eyes, unable to deny the submission her body craved. She brought her hands to her breasts, cupping them, her fingers squeezing to raise her engorged nipples for his inspection.

  His dark gaze, liquid chocolate framed by a face sharp-edged with need, held hers for a long moment. “Tell me you belong to me.”

  She drew in a ragged breath, and the sight of him blurred beneath pooling tears. “I’m yours.”

  He turned his head and kissed her inner thigh. “Baby, I won’t ever let you down. Won’t ever hurt you.” Then he licked her, his tongue gliding in long strokes over her open pussy, flickering the edges of her thin inner lips, delving deep to drink her excitement.

  Lani couldn’t take her gaze from him. His forearms curved around her thighs, holding her hips still as she fought to squirm and pulse. His eyes were closed, his expression enraptured, and she believed. He loved her—craved the essence of her body and soul.

  A fresh gush of pleasure pumped from inside her, and he burrowed his face between her legs, his nose and chin rubbing on her open sex. His coarse morning shadow added a delicious scrape to her sensitized flesh. “Rafe!” she gasped, as the first convulsions rippled along her channel. “Please, come inside me.”

  The point of his tongue tunneled upward, delving beneath the hood protecting her clitoris to stroke the engorged knot. Each lap produced a tightening deep inside her belly, and her thighs closed around his head to hold him there. Her hips resisted his firm hold, and she bucked beneath him.

  One hand moved between her legs, and he pressed a finger into her pussy, twisting as he pressed it inside.

  Lani tightened her inner muscles around it, needing a deeper, thicker penetration.

  While continuing to tease her clit with his tongue, a second finger joined the first, and he slid them in and out, delving deeper, pumping faster.

  Her hips matched his rhythm, jerking up and down. Her cries grew louder.

  Just when she felt her orgasm begin its tight spiral, he withdrew his mouth and fingers, and rose to sit on his haunches between her legs. He hooked his elbows beneath her knees, lifted her buttocks off the bed, and nudged her sex with his until the crown of his cock found her moist entrance.

  His expression fierce, almost frightening, he plunged into her, deep and straight—all the way inside until his cock touched her womb.

  Lani couldn’t tear her gaze from the sight of him, his chest heaving, his eyes clenched shut. The powerful muscles of his chest and arms tensed as he held himself still inside her.

  Then he drew a deep breath and pulled out, until the crown was once more poised at her entrance.

  Lani’s fingers gripped the bedding as her body spasmed. Her cunt opened and closed noisily, wetly, trying to draw him deeper.

  “Jesus!” He groaned, and then let loose a short bark of laughter. “I wanted this time to last.”

  “I can’t bear it,” Lani whimpered. “I need you inside me. Please, give it to me.”

  “Everything I have is yours,” he gritted out, driving deep. His hips flexed forward and back, his cock gliding in and out in powerful thrusts that raised her bottom higher.

  Relieved the dance had finally begun, Lani let him take the lead and watched fascinated as his muscles flexed, while he drove into her again and again. The sight of his thick sex, glistening with her juices, disappearing into her body, seemed to add heat to the friction building inside her. Ruddy and veined, the longer she watched his cock play inside her cunt, the harder and thicker he felt.

  The spiral tightened and suddenly snapped deep inside her belly. Her back arched off the bed, and she screamed—maybe his name, she didn’t really know, couldn’t think beyond the feeling she was shattering into a million pieces of sensation.

  Her hands squeezed the bedsheets, her hips slowed, and eventually she remembered how to breathe. Her eyes fluttered open, and she found Rafe hovering abo
ve her, only a breath between their mouths.

  His face was fierce and tender, and his cock was still hard and buried deep inside her.

  Lani lifted a limp hand and fitted her palm to his cheek. “You love me,” she said, cringing a little, knowing it sounded inane and wasn’t really what she’d meant to say at all.

  His expression reflected grim satisfaction. “You’ll love me, too,” he promised. “You’ll also answer my calls, and I get my own damn key.” The hard set of his jaw told her he wasn’t backing away, no matter how many obstacles she might try to place in his path.

  Still glowing from her orgasm, all she could manage was a nod.

  He rested his forehead on her shoulder and groaned. “Now put your arms around me, baby. I’m ready to explode.”

  Lani slid her arms around his back and held tight.

  With his hands planted on either side of her shoulders, Rafe flexed his hips, tunneling deep. Then he circled, grinding the base of his cock against Lani’s swollen clitoris. He repeated the action, until Lani’s fingers dug deep into his skin, urging him faster.

  Sweat gathered between his shoulder blades; his breath grew labored. He pistoned his hips faster and faster, reigniting a passion that had Lani slamming her hips upward to catch the flame.

  Soon the room was filled with the sounds of their moans and the sharp staccato of flesh slapping as their bodies met.

  At the end, Lani dug her heels into the mattress and screamed as Rafe uttered a shout of triumph. While their heartbeats slowed, she pressed her face against his moist shoulder and thanked God for giving her the gift of Rafe’s love.

  A noise from beside the bed woke Lani from a deep, dreamless sleep. It came from the end of her bed—a scratching sound on the hardwood floor, like the scrape of claws accompanied by muffled footfalls. She reached for Rafe lying beside her to warn him, but he wasn’t there. The bedding was cool to her touch—he’d left her some time ago.

  She was alone with sunlight streaming through her curtains, and a wild creature paced at the foot of her bed. Then a purring, deep and resonant with each exhalation, rose from the floor, and before she could let out a startled cry, the creature leapt onto the bed, the mattress dipping beneath its weight.