“Haa’he, I do.” He proceeded to plait her hair into two neat braids at the sides of her face. “Now, you look good. You look…” He spun her around to face him, where he scrutinized her up and down. “No…you look still white.”
She laughed.
He gazed at her with such affection that she could only smile back at him, returning the favor. Truly, this must be love.
He took her in his arms then. For a long moment, he did no more than hold her as if he might be blending their bodies together into one neat whole. At last, however, he bent towardher, bringing his forehead to hers. So softly she could barely hear him, he whispered, “Your life, and mine, may change now because of what we have done. But do not worry. When two people wish it, the impossible can become as commonplace as the earth upon which we tread. Know this, Little Sunshine, as I now belong to you, you also belong to me.”
And then he kissed her.
It was a delicious kiss too. A coming together of lips, tongue and sweet desire. It made her wonder if perhaps he wished to memorize the very taste of her, so sweetly did he dally over her.
The thought was a heady one, one that sent her pulse soaring, even as excitement cascaded through her.
As she stood up against him, breast to breast, hip to hip, she closed her eyes. Happiness swept over her, and a feeling of rightness comforted her.
But then, quick as that, he was gone. One moment he was there, the next she was holding on to nothing.
Opening her eyes, Angelia could see no trace of him, no notice of where he had gone. No footprints, no telltale sign of grasses weaving about unnaturally, no noise though the bushes, no splashing of water.
It gave her a strange feeling, as though she had imagined the whole thing, as though he had not been there.
And yet it had been real. The gentle ache, there between her legs, stood witness to that.
Little Sunshine, he had called her. Little Sunshine.
She liked it very much, almost as much as she loved him.
Jubilant, Angelia had run all the way back to camp. “You belong to me.”
It had seemed right, so very right, for in truth she had felt as if she did belong to him, and he to her. To her he was beautiful; moreover, he was now a part of her…
“Angel,I’ve come to let you know that…” Julian pulled up alongside their wagon, reining in his horse. Jerked back to the present, Angelia tried hard to pretend she hadn’t been caught daydreaming. She was astonished to realize she hadn’t been roused by the sound of the many hooves galloping toward her.
She sighed, closed her eyes momentarily, then looked up. Before her not only was Julian sitting astride his pony, but so too were Swift Hawk and Red Fox. Both Indians sat on their mounts, off to the side of Julian, and Angelia couldn’t help but cast a glance at Swift Hawk.
It was a sweet point in time. For as Swift Hawk gazed at her, it was as though no one else in the world existed. Simply her and him. He did not hide his feelings from her, either, she noted, as she had often heard that Indians were inclined to do.
Certainly, within that gaze, Angelia could feel Swift Hawk’s affection for her, and so full was it, she was almost taken aback by it.Almost.In truth, she wanted nothing more than to leap off this wagon and go straight into his arms. And to the devil with anyone else’s opinion.
But now was not the time, if indeed there ever would be another time.
“What was that you said?” Angelia asked of Julian, tearing her glance from Swift Hawk’s. “I’m sorry, but I didn’t hear you.”
Julian didn’t answer right away. Instead, he stared at her, then to Swift Hawk, then back again at her.
Angelia noted her brother’s response, and her heart sank. Were she and Swift Hawk being that obvious?
Her brother scratched his jaw, looking for all the world as if his beard itched him. “That’s all right, sis. I’m just stopping by to tell you that the scouts and outriders will be traveling ahead of the caravan, watching for river crossings that will need covering, and scouting out any enemy tribes that might lurk out there. Don’t look for me tonight.”
“But—”
“Can’t be helped.”
Shielding her eyes against the sun, she glanced up atJulian. “All right, but just tonight?” Truth was, it was probable that if Julian were to be gone, so too would Swift Hawk.
“It’ll most likely be a few days before we return with any news.”
News?Oh yes. She had news. Important news. “Jules, I’ve some rather distressing tidings.”
