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Chapter Twenty-seven
Tired from the long climb on horseback to Eagle Wolf’s stronghold, Nicole was glad to finally be inside the tepee with his arms so warm and wonderful around her.
And the kiss!
She never would have imagined a kiss could stir so many feelings within a woman as his kiss had caused inside her.
Eagle Wolf was still holding her hand as they both turned to go and sit beside a fire that someone had kept burning for Eagle Wolf while he was gone.
Having never been in a tepee before, Nicole marveled at what she saw.
She could tell that the tepee was new. She not only could see the newness, she could smell it. It was a nice, clean smell.
She looked slowly around her at what the tepee held. It was like nothing she had ever seen before. The entire floor of the tepee was covered with colorful bulrush mats, and there were brightly colored blankets rolled up and placed along one wall.
It was a warm, comfortable place, and larger than she’d thought a tepee could be. There was certainly room for a family of Navaho to eat and sleep comfortably.
“And now you see how this chief lives,” Eagle Wolf said, noting how she had taken everything in as she looked slowly around her. “It is not like what you are used to. Will you be comfortable enough?”
Nicole looked quickly at him, blushing. “I am to stay here with you?” she asked, surprised. Then she tried not to act as though she was bothered by the idea, for she truly could not see herself living anywhere else now that they had declared their love for each other.
She was learning about life and how quickly a person’s circumstances could change. Before all of these changes came into her life, she took each day without much thought of tomorrow.
While growing up, she never had reason to fear the future. She had been happy. Her mother had doted on her, and for a long time she had not known about her father’s gambling.
So why would she have a reason to wonder if tomorrow would even come? She always knew that it would.
But now?
Her world had changed.
Nothing was the same as it had been before she’d arrived at Tyler City and seen what hate could do to one’s life. It had been Sam Partain’s hate that had changed everything for Nicole.
But one of those changes had been a good one, for she was with the most wonderful man in the world. Eagle Wolf had brought sunshine back into her life.
He gave her a reason to want to wake up each morning, for she would awaken now, knowing that he would be there for her. He would protect her.
Eagle Wolf was taken aback by Nicole’s question about her staying with him in his lodge.
He had never thought that might be a problem. They had confessed their love for each other, and he had assumed a wedding ceremony would come soon after.
But now? He wondered whether she wanted the same.
“I am certain that all the sudden changes in your life have been difficult for you,” Eagle Wolf said as he reached over and took one of her hands in his. “I want to change your life back to something wonderful and good. If you are uncomfortable about sharing a lodge with me, I will understand.”
He gazed into her eyes and was glad when he did not see anything now but love and peace in their depths.
“I do not want you to think that I was bothered by what you said,” Nicole murmured. She reached up and covered his hand, feeling truly blessed to have met such a man, one who would look out for her best interests, and who loved her.
“I would love to share this tepee with you,” Nicole murmured. “Eagle Wolf, I adore it…I adore you.”
“My love for you is strong,” Eagle Wolf said thickly. “I realize that we have not known each other for long, but love sometimes comes quickly, as it has for us. When it does, one must grasp what is offered from above and protect it. I will protect you and my feelings for you, forever.”
“As I will you,” Nicole murmured.
Her pulse was racing, for she knew that she was moments away from being kissed once again by this man who stirred sensual feelings she had not known existed within her.
No, she had not known passion, not until she gazed into his eyes that first time and saw, even though he was gripped by fever, that he was a man among men.
