Bracing herself against his shoulders, she took the full wave of his desire, feeling as though she were swimming in fire.

He was all she’d ever know of passion. And all she ever wanted. When she’d begged to be touched, she had no idea that his touch, or his kiss, could be so complete.

‘‘More,’’ she whispered, suddenly wanting to know how deep this well of passion in him was.

He didn’t answer with words, but with action.

For a while she was so lost in the kiss that she didn’t feel his hands caressing her body once more. Warming her though the layers. They grew bolder, more sure of their path, as his fingers gently slid over the worn cotton of her dress.

She whispered his name within the kiss as he pulled her hard against him. The smell of leather and dust and Winter surrounded her. She could feel his need for her even through their clothing. His strong hands rocked her against him as his mouth devoured her. She could taste the passion and longing he had for her, and the knowledge excited her even more. This strong powerful man filled with so much passion had waited to be invited.

When he ended the kiss suddenly, Kora leaned back, drinking in air. Her mind was whirling, and a fever seemed to be pulsing though her, making her feel more alive than she’d ever felt.

‘‘Is that what you wanted?’’

‘‘Yes,’’ she answered, suddenly realizing it was far more than she even thought to want. ‘‘And you?’’

‘‘No,’’ he whispered. ‘‘I need more.’’

‘‘The invitation’s open,’’ she whispered.

He pulled her back to him, only now he buried his face between her breasts. His hands ventured up her sides, pressing her mounds against his face, seeming to need to feel her with more than just his hands.

When she sighed in pleasure, he raised his head in question.

A slow smile spread across his face as their eyes met.

Without a word he kissed her again. Now she leaned into him as his mouth moved softly over her tender lips and his hands slowly opened and closed around her breasts. His passionate kisses before had made her mouth feel raw, sensitive so that now even the light kisses were wildly felt. He gently pulled her bottom lip into his mouth and tasted it, and she knew she would deny this man nothing.

His hands crossed over her as if they’d always had the right to do so. His tongue touched the corner of her mouth until she smiled, opening her lips to his kiss. And kiss her he did, soft and hard, gentle and rough, fast and slow.

Finally he turned her in his embrace and wrapped his arms around her while pulling her full length against him.

‘‘Are you accustomed to my touch now?’’ he whispered into her hair.

Kora couldn’t answer. Nothing had ever prepared her for how he’d touched her. Nothing had prepared her for how she’d reacted. When she’d asked him to touch her, she’d expected a light brushing of his fingers over her, maybe an embrace, but nothing like what he’d done to her.

‘‘I’m trying to go slow, but God, woman, your body’s not making it easy.’’ He ran his hand along her side. ‘‘All day I tell myself I’ve got other things to think about, but I keep remembering the way you move and wishing I could touch you. Then, tonight, you walk up and ask me to do the very thing I’ve been wanting to do every hour I’ve been with you since we met.’’

He moved one hand low, over her tummy and down. She arched her back against his shoulder as she felt his hand press hard through the layers. Panic flooded her mind once more. He was touching her where no one had ever dared. Covering his hand with her own, she tried to pull his fingers away. But his strength didn’t seem to feel her action as he stroked boldly.

His teeth bit gently into the flesh of her neck as his fingers explored. She pressed against his hand, suddenly needing his touch. Her back shifted against his shoulder as his hand roamed freely over her, dipping again and again between her legs. Each time his actions grew bolder, stronger. Her reaction matched his. She heard herself let out little sighs as his warm mouth moved along the pulsing in her throat.

He twisted his hand into her hair and pulled her around once more to face him. This time when his mouth found hers, his kiss was light. ‘‘Don’t pull away from me, Kora,’’ he whispered. ‘‘I need you so desperately.’’

‘‘I won’t,’’ she answered, knowing that her fear was of the unknown and not of him. ‘‘Touch me, taste me all you like.’’

Hesitantly she spread her hands over his shirt. The rock wall of his chest was there as always, but she could feel the heat of him through the material. As she kissed him, she glided her hands along his chest to his belt and then back up.

As her hands passed over his chest, his kisses deepened. Suddenly he stood, pulling her off the ground in his embrace, and kissed her wildly as his arms tightened around her.

Kora couldn’t breathe. She tried to break the kiss, then her hands turned from touching to pushing. Finally, in panic, she slammed her fist into his chest as hard as she could.

Win broke the kiss immediately and lowered her to the ground. For a moment he didn’t want to let go, but Kora pushed free.

‘‘Stop!’’ Her voice was shaking as she took in quick breaths. ‘‘You were holding me too tightly. You were hurting me.’’

Winter turned away and slammed his fist so hard against the tree trunk that a shower of blossoms fell around her like huge snowflakes. He swore in his low voice.

Kora felt as if she’d been on a runaway train. Her emotions were raw, out of control for the first time in her life. She lowered to the ground as silently as the flowers had fallen. The solid earth felt good as she leaned back, her body drained of all energy.

After a long silence Winter looked over his shoulder. For a moment he thought she’d vanished as quickly as she’d appeared tonight. Then he saw her lying on the ground with tiny flowers all around her. Her hair was wild and he thought she looked like something not quite of this earth. Maybe an angel, or a fairy.

All the anger left him as it always did when he looked at her. Logan had been wrong about her being invisible; she was magic. She was all he could see, even when he closed his eyes.

He knelt beside her and gently lifted her. For a moment she didn’t open her eyes, and a fear stabbed at him that he might have really hurt her by holding too tightly.

‘‘Kora?’’ he asked as he moved the long golden strands away from her face.

She opened her eyes and surprised him with a smile. ‘‘I’m sorry,’’ she whispered. ‘‘I was afraid I couldn’t breathe. I panicked. I pulled away when I said I wouldn’t.’’

‘‘No…’’ Winter couldn’t believe she was the one apologizing. ‘‘My hold is too strong. I’ll have to learn to be careful. Dear God, I’d never want to hurt you.’’

He leaned back against the tree trunk and gathered her gently against his chest. ‘‘This is no justification for what I did, but there’s never been anything soft in my life. I don’t know much about women, and the women I’ve known have been hard and fast. I’ve seen men lightly holding a woman’s arm, or gently patting her hand like it might break at any moment, but I never considered myself one of those dandies. Everything I’ve ever wanted in this world I’ve had to fight for to win and to hold. Nothing’s ever come easy to me except finding you to marry.’’

‘‘But you didn’t want me when you offered marriage.’’ Kora rested her head against his chest, listening to the steady pounding of his heart. ‘‘Not the way you did tonight.’’

‘‘I didn’t want a wife and I fought it as long as I could. But I wouldn’t give up the house, so I married. At first I told myself we’d made a fair bargain, nothing more, and I could forget you were there. But I was wrong. Every time I see you, I’ve had to fight a stronger urge to reach for you.’’

He lifted her shoulders so that she faced him only an inch away. ‘‘I want you, Kora. I want you like I never wanted anyone in my life. Not just to touch, but to hold all night long.’’

‘‘I want you, too,’’ she answered honestly. ‘‘But you don’t have to hold so tightly. I’ll try not to pull away again.’’

EIGHTEEN


KORA MOVED AS SILENTLY AS SHE COULD UP THE stairs to the attic. She sensed Winter following a step behind. The soft jingle of his spurs echoed his movements. Everyone in the house, Cheyenne, the two wounded cowhands, Jamie, and Dan, was asleep, and Kora was surprised the rapid pounding of her heart didn’t wake them all. She couldn’t believe that she was about to sleep with a man. And not just any man-Winter McQuillen. He was big and powerful and frightening when he roared. He only knew one speed, full gallop, when he wanted something, and tonight, he wanted her.

But that wasn’t the reason she was interested. The fact he owned the ranch didn’t matter. Or that he wielded more power with his low voice than most men did with a yell. Even the knowledge that he was her husband hadn’t been her motivation.

Kora wanted only the man. He thought he was so hard, but she’d seen the gentleness in the way he looked at her, and tonight she’d felt it in his touch. The very wildness that worried him excited her. She’d never thought she’d marry. She liked everything calm and in order. His world was filled with clutter and danger. But his was a chaos that made her blood rush. She didn’t know what it was like to sleep with a man, but it was about time she found out. And there was no other man she wanted to show her except Winter.