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"Half-breed?" Prudence asked, having heard the word many times but not paid much heed to it.
"My father was white and of Irish descent, and my mother was Cheyenne, not an acceptable mixture in most parts."
"I must admit my ignorance of such matters, although I suppose it is similar to back home, where one's importance was determined by one's social status."
"That was why I was so relieved to find Stewart. It is sort of a haven to me, for which I am grateful."
Prudence placed the last dish away in the cupboard. "All finished."
Silver Fox smiled and reached for Prudence's hand, taking it gently in hers. She touched the two immovable fingers. "It is good to see that you do not hide your hurt, but display it bravely and without shame."
Prudence slipped her hand away. "It wasn't always so. I have Zac to thank for that."
A shadow of sorrow passed over Silver Fox's face as Prudence spoke.
"Back home it was difficult, especially when I was young. Often the other children would make fun of me, and I hid my pain behind pretty gloves and a false smile."
"There was no one to help you through this time?" Silver Fox asked with sadness in her tone.
"My grandmother was very good to me, but I wished for the comfort of a mother."
Silver Fox nodded slowly as though in understanding.
Prudence almost thought she saw her eyes grow moist in sympathy. "We will talk again."
"I'd like that," Prudence said, feeling she had made a valuable friend, a friend who lent her shoulder for Prudence to lean on and who shared her heart.
She walked Silver Fox to the door and was surprised to find Zac heading toward the house. She had seen him only briefly this morning upon waking, when he was already dressed and on his way out. She had assumed he wasn't angry with her over last night, since he had to have been the one to place her in bed.
It was one time she wished he didn't act the gentleman.
He took a moment to speak with Silver Fox and then he was bounding up the steps.
"Get enough sleep?" he asked, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her alongside him into the house.
"Plenty," she assured him. He looked so handsome in tight denims and a white shirt with his sleeves rolled up, displaying the strength of his thick muscled arms. His hair was rumpled in that devil-may-care way that always managed to excite her. His smile was lusty and sensual all in one, and she ached to taste the heady combination.
"Expecting any more guests?" he asked, his eyes straying to the stairway.
"No." Her answer was short and to the point. She had no plans except to get her husband upstairs and into bed.
He turned her in his arms to face him. "All this time until supper and nothing to do."
Prudence teasingly placed a finger to her lips in thought, and then pointed it at him. "I have an idea."
"What's that, Mrs. Stewart?"
"We could talk."
"About what?"
"Sex!" she said without stopping to think, for if she did, she would certainly have lost her courage.
"A most interesting topic, but . . ."
Prudence's heart dropped. Perhaps he wasn't interested in making love to her.
"The bedroom is the only proper place for such deep discussions."
"And we must be proper." She nodded seriously.
He snatched her up into his arms, to Prudence's surprise and pleasure. "Proper only goes so far, Pru. And one place there is no room for it is in our bed, so to speak. What I intend to do to you now is far from proper."
Her smile never faltered. She had only so much time to enjoy him, to pretend this would go on forever, and she would steal whatever moments she could with him. She was building a treasure chest of memories and she wanted to fill it to the brim.
He walked to the steps. "No objections?"
"None," she answered without modesty.
"But it's daylight."
"Wonderful!" She playfully snuggled her face into the crook of his neck. "Then I’ll be able to see you better."
"I can arrange for you to see every inch of me."
She pulled her head back and looked him square in the eye. "I'd like that."
Two parts of Zac's anatomy reacted in extreme opposite. One softened and the other hardened, and the only thing he could say was, "Damn."
"Mr. Stewart," Prudence scolded softly. "You're going to pay for that."
Zac brought his lips to hers and whispered across them, "Promise."
"Promise," she repeated, reaching out and tracing his lips with the tip of her tongue, while sending shivers through the both of them.
"We're wasting time." He turned, taking the steps steady and quick.
A hard pounding on the front door stopped him near the top. He turned as the door flew open and Josh, his ranch foreman, hurried in.
"Sorry, Zac, but Lucky is showing signs of an early delivery and it doesn't look good."
