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Melanie bit her lower lip to stifle a cry of ecstasy when Shane's fingers teased a circle around her belly, up to her breasts, just missing the nipples, then made his way down her body again, until he reached her throbbing center.
As he began to stroke her hardening flesh, Melanie caught her breath, not daring to breathe. With quick, eager fingers he brought her almost over the edge into total ecstasy.
Then he braced himself with his arms, his hands catching Melanie's, holding them slightly above her. He kissed her eyes and nose, every place that he could reach. A white heat traveled through the sinews of his thighs and across his back, and he was unable to hold back any longer. He pressed his mouth to her parted lips and kissed her hotly as he plunged his hardness inside her and began his eager thrusts.
His loins were aflame. His heart was beating wildly.
Great surges of warmth flooded through Melanie. Her hands moved to Shane's buttocks. She splayed her fingers across his tight flesh and enjoyed the muscled feel of him as he stroked within her. Her hips responded, thrusting toward him. Each of his strokes promised more, assuring fulfillment. Tremors cascaded down her back. She shivered.
And then it felt as though she were filled with some great, warm light as a rush of ecstasy claimed her. Shane drew his lips away and burrowed his face between her breasts, groaning as his body spasmed and his own joy peaked.
Afterwards, they lay next to each other, pressing tightly together. Melanie caressed the long line of Shane's back and trailed her fingers over his buttocks, then encircled them around his velvet-textured shaft. It still pulsed, as though alive. She slowly caressed it, eliciting a moan of pleasure from Shane as he breathed hotly against her cheek.
"If only things were better between you and Josh," Melanie said, sighing. She looked at the deck of cards that lay on the floor beside the bed. "But I'm glad about one thing. I'm glad you are having a duel with cards instead of guns!"
Shane leaned away from Melanie and reached for his cards. He sat up and began shuffling them. "It's going to be interesting, Melanie," he said, chuckling. "My brother soon will learn that his smugness is misplaced."
"I doubt if he will ever change," Melanie said, shaking her head. "Since boyhood he's been impossible. I truly believe it will take more than a game of poker to make him change."
"Whether it does or not, at least one main decision will be reached," Shane said, stacking the cards. "Only one of us will own the farm. That seems to be the sole problem here. Josh does not want to share in the ownership, though I cannot understand why. It is a large farm. There is so much land, so many cattle! Sharing is in my blood.
I learned to share from the Chippewa. Did they not share with me after rescuing me from the forest? They shared their liveseverything!"
"Until Gray Falcon became chief?" Melanie asked, touching Shane gently on the arm as he lay down beside her again.
"Until Gray Falcon," Shane grumbled.
"If only we never had to leave this bedroom," Melanie whispered, melting inside as Shane moved his lips to her breast and nibbled at the nipple with his teeth. "There would be no problems and sorrow. Only wonderful joy, Shane. Wouldn't it be heavenly?"
"You're worrying about what your brother is thinking about you staying the night with me, aren't you?" Shane asked, leaning up on an elbow and looking down at her.
Melanie rose to a sitting position and drew a blanket up around her. With a forefinger, she began tracing the lines of the moonlight across the bear pelt beside her. "I don't worry too much about what Terrance says or thinks anymore," she said sadly. "Shane, since father's death, Terrance has changed. I hardly know him."
She swallowed hard. "I sometimes blame myself," she said, her voice strained. "Perhaps if I weren't so strong-minded, so bullheaded. Perhaps I should just step back and let him run things as he sees fit."
She looked at Shane. "But that could prove hazardous. The way he drinks . . ."
A strange sort of reddish-orange glow wavering along the ceiling drew Melanie's attention, causing
her words to die on her lips. She moved slowly to her knees, the blanket falling away from her. "Shane, do you see?"
Shane was already on his feet and drawing on his breeches. "Damn it," he growled. "Something outside is on fire."
Horses whinnying and longhorns bellowing drew Melanie's eyes quickly to the window. She jumped up from the pallet of furs and rushed to it. She gasped and placed her hands to her throat. "Shane, it's the stable!" she cried. "It's on fire! Flames are shooting from the sides!"
When there was no response from Shane, Melanie turned around in a jerk and discovered that he was gone. Her heart pounding, she rushed into her skirt and blouse, but didn't take the time to yank on her boots. She hurried from the room, down the stairs, and outside.
The sight of the fire in its full capacity momentarily rendered her numb. When she caught sight of Shane racing from the burning building, shooing horses from inside it, she broke into a mad run and joined him. Her feet stung as she stepped onto falling, burning debris. Her lungs ached from the smoke. Her eyes burned.
But still she worked earnestly alongside Shane, fighting the smoke and fire until all of the horses were rescued.
Afterwards, they stood disconsolately as they watched the fire rage out of control. Flames burst through the roof, then spiraled like orange streamers of satin against the dark velvet sky of night.
"If only the cowhands hadn't left," Melanie
said, her voice hoarse from the smoke. "The stable could have been saved."
"My new cowhands will build another," Shane said flatly.
