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"Wanton?" he said huskily, his eyes lit with points of fire as he gazed down at her. "Never wanton. Just your sweet self learning more and more how to please your man."
Their bodies strained together as he entered her in one bold thrust. Shane's mouth came to hers with an explosive kiss, as his movements within her became more demanding. She responded in kind, her hips moving in unison with his thrusts. Their bodies jolted and quivered. Their mouths opened and their tongues met and danced.
The pleasure mounted within Melanie. It filled her with a crazy sort of spinning sensation that suddenly spilled over, filling her with ecstasy.
Shane moved his mouth from her lips. He burrowed his nose into the depths of her hair and emitted a loud groan of pleasure as his body tightened and stiffened, and then plunged further within her, releasing his love seed within her womb.
Their bodies pearled and sleek with sweat, Melanie and Shane drew apart. They each stretched out on their backs, their eyes closed. Then Melanie's heart soared with pleasure when Shane gently cupped the throbbing mound at the juncture of her thighs, slowly thrusting a finger in and out of her, arousing her anew.
Their eyes met, locking, promising ecstasy. "What are you doing?" she murmured, smiling drunkenly. Her pulse began to race as the same, dizzying pleasure began to spread through her that only Shane had the ability to arouse. She closed her eyes, trembling, and shook her head back and forth.
"Oh, Shane, Shane," she whispered, breathing raggedly. "What you do to me! Oh, what you do to me!"
In a matter of moments that same wondrous release soared through her, blissful in its sweetness. She cried out, then was glad when Shane was suddenly there, holding her and rocking her in his muscled arms.
She clung to him, a gentle peace engulfing her.
Starved after their time of intense lovemaking, Shane and Melanie sat before a roaring fire in his parlor, feeding each other fruit and cheese. "If only everything in life could be just as it is at this moment," Melanie said, her face flushed with happiness. She fed Shane a piece of apple, then accepted a grape as he slipped it between her lips.
"Life could never be like a fantasy," Shane said, his eyes wavering. "There is too much ugliness to contend with. Always."
Melanie moved closer to Shane. "Shane, please tell me how things went at the Indian village," she said, her smile fading. "Were you in danger? Did anyone see you steal the horses and pelts? Shane, how did you do it without getting shot?"
"Everyone was asleep except for Blue Blos-
som," Shane said, picking at the cheese and placing small bites in his mouth. "She watched as the pelts were stolen from Gray Falcon's dwelling. Upon arising the next morning, she would also know that Red Raven and I were also responsible for stealing the horses."
Melanie's heart skipped a beat. "Shane, if she knows, she will surely tell Gray Falcon! Aren't you afraid of what he might do in return?"
"Yes, Blue Blossom will tell," Shane said, frowning. "She will have no choice. She is Gray Falcon's woman. But it was enough that she did not awaken him the moment she saw us in the dwelling. For Cedar Maid's sake, she let us leave without awakening Gray Falcon, and warning him of our presence."
"But, Shane, what can you expect him to do?" Melanie persisted, clutching his hands.
"In time, he will arrive to make wrongs right for himself," Shane said, slipping his hands free. He moved to his feet and leaned an arm on the fireplace mantel, staring down into the fire. "Until then, I will not worry myself over it. There is already too much burdening my mind and heart."
Hearing the sadness in Shane's voice, Melanie pushed herself up from the floor. She crept an arm around his waist and cuddled close to him. "Are you thinking about Josh and how he behaves toward you?" she asked, gazing raptly up at him.
"That and so much more," Shane said, nodding.
"I am appalled by Josh's attitude," Melanie
said, anger flaring in her eyes. "But now he's gone, and good riddance!"
She swung around and grabbed Shane's hands, urging him to face her. "Shane, let me teach you everything," she said breathlessly. "I will teach you to read and write. I will show you everything that I know about running a cattle farm. We both have a lot to prove, not only to Josh, but also to my brother. Let's show them both just how wrong they are about everything."
Moved by Melanie's continued devotion to him, Shane smiled softly down at her. "You have done so much for me already," he said thickly. "How can I ask any more of you?"
"Shane, don't you see?" Melanie said, sighing. "It is not only for you, but also for myself. I love you. I want you to be happy. If you're happy, I'm happy!"
"Melanie, I already know much about reading and writing," Shane said. "In my youth, I picked up those skills when trappers and traders came through the village. And as for learning about cattleI am of the outdoors. Early in life I learned everything about animals in the forest. Cattle should be no different."
Melanie laughed softly. "Longhorns are quite different," she said. "Tomorrow we shall ride among them. I will point out the differences. You will see just how far and wide your land stretchesland that your father bought and labored over, just like my father. At the beginning, it was not easy for either of them."
She eased her hands from Shane's and went to a window and drew back a heavy drapery. Looking out onto a moon-splashed land, she felt an emptiness assail her that she had become familiar with since her father's death.
"Our fathers labored so hard all of their lives and then they had to die," she said, stifling a sob. "It isn't fair, Shane. It seems that's the way it is in life. The parents work hard, then the children benefit."
She swung around and looked at Shane as he moved to her side. "Shane, let's enjoy life while we can," she said, her voice drawn. "One never knows about tomorrow. I hate to think what will happen when Josh comes back."
