In Deep Water Read online

  “You are incredible.” He drew her into his chest. “I never dreamed a woman would willingly do something like that for me. I believe this marriage between us might just work out.”

  She snuggled closer, uncertain as to the meaning of his comment. Did he plan to make this more than a brief affair? After all, if he decided to leave her and move on, what choice did she have?

  ****

  After stopping to make camp, Zack tied the rope that would secure the horses for the night to a thick branch. Nearby, Carolyn was rustling around in the underbrush for firewood.

  They didn’t need the fire because dinner only comprised of dry beef and a hard biscuit. No cooking involved. Though, he had offered to kill a rabbit or squirrel. She’d squashed the idea, claiming she wasn’t hungry and didn’t want to go to the trouble.

  For most of the day, she’d been quietly pensive, her mind somewhere else whenever he talked to her. He’d tried drawing her out with questions regarding her life in Naked Buff. She’d given him the bare bones of her situation; teacher, living with a friend, not dating and happy with her current situation.

  The last part had him worried. Was she trying to tell him something? Did she not intend for their spur of the moment marriage to extend beyond the next few days?

  Did she only want a short affair?

  If so, could he leave her and continue with his plans to head off to war?

  Determined to settle the matter, he strolled over to where she had lain out a circle of stones. A few twigs sat in the center. “So what do you have planned for tonight?” He wiggled his brows suggestively.

  She giggled and stretched back, then off to the side as if her back hurt. “After spending the day on a horse, I’m thinking a good night’s rest will do me a world of good.”

  Unhappy with the direction this conversation was heading, he attempted to rein her in and stepped closer. He wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her tight against his chest. “I’d gladly massage those sore muscles if you’d like.”

  She peered at him. “A tempting offer...”

  He caught a spark of uncertainty in the depths of her dark eyes before she dropped her lids and shut him out.

  “...though, I’ll have to decline. You have to be sore too.” She pressed her hands against his chest and leaned backwards, trying unsuccessfully to escape his hold.

  “Why don’t you tell me instead, what’s bothering you?” He tilted his head to stare into her troubled gaze.

  She fidgeted like a nervous filly. “Why do you think something is wrong? Because I won’t have sex with you?”

  “No, because you’re strung out tighter than the strings on a fiddle.” Zack rubbed his hands along her back, hoping to ease her discomfort.

  Her eyes widened briefly before she dropped her head on his shoulder. Mumbled words rode against the collar of his shirt, most of which he didn’t comprehend. A few broke from the herd and registered in his brain...stranger, leaving, all alone...

  “Shhh, I’m not going anywhere,” he whispered and kissed her soft hair.

  Rebelling, she lifted her head and attempted to step out of his embrace. “Of course, you are. You were just passing through on your way to somewhere else. No one comes to Naked Bluff on purpose unless they have family there.”

  He grinned. “I do. My wife lives there.”

  She shut her eyes and shook her head, her frustration at him showing on her face. “You don’t understand. I knew when I said you were my husband that you wouldn’t stick around.”

  Again, she dropped her head onto his shoulder.

  Unable to resist, he tunneled his fingers through her hair and withdrew several pins. The rich bounty flowed over his hand and down his arm. The soft silk reminded him of her skin rubbing provocatively over his.

  Blood raced to his cock. He widened his stance and slid his other hand along her back to hold her against his growing need.

  “Zack, it’s not a good idea for us to make love again.”

  “Why?”

  “Because after tomorrow, you’ll be heading off to God knows where.” She stared at him, her determination causing her eyes to narrow into slits.

  Not understanding her logic, he held her gaze and noticed something unfamiliar. What was she trying to hide? He shook his head and fought with a way to convince her he wasn’t leaving. “I can see how you could’ve come up with that conclusion. I’m a stranger to the area, and under normal conditions, I have no reason to hang around.”

  He rocked his hips, the rigid line of his erection playing against her lower belly. “Though, if tonight was our last night together, I’d think you’d want to make love. Ride me hard so you don’t forget what it’s like to have a man deep inside you.”

  She groaned, and her mouth dropped invitingly open. “I’m, uh, not very good with goodbyes.”

  Recalling what she told him about her first husband, he tightened his hold on her hips. “Then you didn’t give your husband a night to remember before he set off to join the cause.”

  White teeth covered her lower lip and she raked the hard edges over the soft flesh. “We did enjoy the night, but the next morning I skipped out early. I hated the thought of watching him walk away.”

  Tears dripped from the corner of her eyes. “I was such a coward. I forfeited my chance to spend a few extra minutes with him and was paid with never having the pleasure of seeing him again.”

  The misery of her decision rode across her face. Shame, guilt, remorse he read them all before she lifted her hands to hide. A sob broke through her fingers, and he pulled her deeper into his embrace.

  What could he say?

  Though she was repeating the same mistake, he had no intentions of letting her escape. Not tonight, not tomorrow, not for a lifetime.

  Suddenly, he realized this wasn’t just about the sex. He cared about this woman, wanted to share his days with her, learn all her secret desires, and show her a few of his.

  God, what a time to discover himself in love!

  “I’m not letting you go,” he stated and slipped his fingers over the buttons of her skirt. With the release of each disk, he dropped a kiss on her neck and teased the rapid pulse beating there with his tongue.

  When her skirt dropped to the ground, she lifted her head. “Zack, you’re not paying attention. I just...”

  He slapped his hands against her ass, the impact driving her hips tighter against his stiff erection.

  She gasped.

  “No, you’re not listening. You told the world we were married, and I agreed. Now, as your husband, I want to make love.” He drew in a deep breath and gathered his patience.

  “The rich scent of your sex tells me you’re hungry for me too, so we’re not playing anymore games.” He dove for her parted lips. The shocked expression on her face didn’t stop his pursuit. He forced her mouth open, plunging his tongue into the wet haven.

  Rich flavors burst across his taste buds. He wanted to lap her up like sweetened cream. Sinking deeper into the kiss, he surveyed the soft texture of her mouth, trying his best to memorize every alluring detail. She’d excited him from the moment he’d met her, and now he was addicted.

  Holy smokes, she tasted good. Her flavor awoke a hunger in him that wiped all thoughts from his brain. The world narrowed to the two of them and the heat they generated between them.

  She whimpered and eased her pinned arms around his shoulders. The shift in position placed the swell of her breasts against his chest, her tight nipples poking at him through her top.

  Need rushed through him and he tore his mouth from hers. His blurred gaze scanned the area. The saddle with their other supplies sat a short distance away. He nuzzled the side of her neck and searched for a way to get from this moment, to the place where he sank deep into her hot pussy.

  “Zack, why don’t you release me for a few seconds?” She gripped his biceps and leaned back. “I’ll unroll the blankets while you finish building the fire.”

  He loosened his hold, ann
oyed with the idea of taking a break. After helping her step out of the circle of her skirt, she bent forward to retrieve the bulky mass. An erotic notion raced through his head and he searched the area again. A tall pine stood off to his left.

  Pleased with the find, he caught Carolyn by the waist. “Sorry, sugar, but I can’t wait.”

  “What?”

  He lifted her from behind, her back riding against his chest and her feet dangling around his legs. He set her down a few feet from the tree. “I want to see you bent over with your sweet ass in the air before I pound into you.”

  She shimmied as if in shock. “Zack, I am not...”

  He didn’t argue. Instead, he tugged the drawstring of her bloomers loose and guided them off her hips. The soft silk of her skin caressed his palms. He curled his fingers and squeezed the plush flesh. “Now, bend forward and hold on to the tree.”

  With a quick swivel of her head, she stared at him over her shoulder. “I am not doing this. We’re not that far from the trail and anyone riding by might see us.”

  “Exactly, and imagine their pleasure at watching us fuck like rabbits.” Zack hooked one arm around her waist and caressed the other across her stomach to the bushy hair covering her mound. He dragged a fingertip over her damp folds, parting them and collecting the hot wetness.

  She groaned, “I can’t even move with my bloomers around my ankles.”

  Happy with her inability to break away, he sent his tongue over the hollow behind her ear. “If you’re not a good girl, I might be tempted to tie your hands.”

  “You wouldn’t.”

  The thought must have excited her because she wiggled and a wet stream flowed onto his hand. He plunged a finger inside her, causing another whimper. “I love the noise you make when I play with you. But you might want to keep quiet if you don’t want to attract attention.”

  “I can’t...” she gasped and rocked her hips, begging for more.

  He teased her by withdrawing his touch and then drove two fingers deep inside her. Her body bowed in his arms, her back pushing against his chest and the line of her ass cushioning his demanding erection. “You can, but why don’t you busy yourself with unbuttoning your top. I want a look at your beautiful breasts.”

  She lifted her trembling hands and worked each button free while he set an easy rhythm. When her top fell completely open, he changed the thrust to include three digits, stretching her entrance and forcing her up onto her toes.

  “Zack, please I can’t take much more.” Her passionate demand echoed through the trees.

  Chapter Seven

  The noise caused animals to rustle through the underbrush. Zack couldn’t help but imagine someone watching them. What exactly would they see? Raw pictures, flashing through his head, ratcheted up his hunger. He removed his fingers from her inviting channel.

  “No, you can’t stop now.” She shimmied in his arms and her legs quivered.

  He caught her wrists and guided them to the truck of the tree. Bent over her, he licked his tongue along her neck. “I’m going to take you from behind, pound into you so hard you can feel my cock beating against the top of your head. So you best hold on.”

  He straightened and had to step back to release the connections of his pants. The elegant line of her back, bowed over seductively in front of him, drew all moisture from his mouth. The hunger in his groin tightened into a painful ache, and then his cock sprang free. He grunted with satisfaction and hooked one hand over her hip.

  If he didn’t feel so frantic, he might have paused to appreciate the heated gaze she sent over her shoulder at his cock, but he couldn’t wait any longer to be inside her. Guiding the head of his erection over her dripping entrance, he experienced a sudden wave of possessiveness.

  “You’re mine,” he growled and drove hard into her pussy with a heavy thrust.

  She screamed and then panted for air.

  Buried to the hilt, he waited a moment for her body to adjust and enjoy the hard grip of her silky core. She rippled around his penis with hot, tender pulses.

  He braced them both by setting his feet close to hers and his hands over her hips. Slowly, he gathered his strength and backed out of her clinging heat, pausing with only the tip still inside her.

  Standing there looking at the erotic sight of his cock poised at the entrance to her hot cunt, he realized his earlier thoughts of loving her weren’t true. No, love wasn’t a strong enough emotion for the gut-wrenching feelings that had taken possession of his soul.

  He slammed home with a heavy force, rocking her into the tree and spearing her so deep, he felt as if he’d hit the back of her womb. She groaned and lifted her hip toward him.

  Unable to pause, he thrust inside her again and again, riding her hard. Her sweet pussy felt like heaven, milking him as she squirmed and writhed beneath him. Her low cries shoved him closer to the hard edge of completion. Quickly losing control, he slammed harder and harder against her, battering into her without any desire to be gentle.

  Suddenly, her climax hit her and her core tightened around him like a vise grip. She released a raw scream that rang through the woods.

  Powerless to fend off his release, he thrust forward and pleasure dragged him over the edge. He poured himself into her and collapsed forward.

  She wobbled, unable to support his weight.

  Without thinking, he rolled to the side and pulled her to his chest before his back hit the ground. The skirt of her dress and pine needles lay under him. Their tangled legs were tied into knots with their clothes.

  “Darn, Zack, now we’re both going to need a bath.” she grumbled and shifted restlessly over his chest.

  He grinned, “Maybe we should take another dip in the Trinity River.”

  ****

  Carolyn dipped her toe in the water, uncertain if she wanted to risk wading again in the Trinity. The first time, she’d tried it, she’d almost drown. Now, thanks to Zack, she was heading back home in a new dress and no worse for wear.

  She shook her head, remembering what she’d lose at the end of the trail. An aching pain pierced through her chest, her heart hurting at the thought of saying goodbye to Zack.

  With her gaze locked on the water, she watched the light from a full moon play in the gently rippling waves. The cool night air caressed her naked body and her nipples peaked. With the romantic night scenery in front of her, she had to fight against the ideas of happy-ever-afters.

  No matter what Zack said, he would not be happy living in Naked Bluff. Hell, she didn’t even like the place and contemplated leaving many times. Why would he want to stick around?

  “You’re thinking again and coming up with the wrong conclusions.” Zack stepped into the water and waded in so the water splashed playfully around his knees.

  Studying his sexy form, she swallowed the lump forming in her throat. Hard muscles stood on display in the lean line of his body. Auburn hair rode across his chest and formed a V which ended at his crotch. She couldn’t help but stare at his thick erection. He appeared ready to satisfy her again.

  He cupped his hands under his cock and stroked its length. “Like what you see?”

  Dragging herself out of a fantasy where she got to taste him one last time, she lifted her gaze to his. “Give me one reason why you’d want to stick around?”

  He grinned and opened his mouth.

  She held up a hand. “Other than wanting to jump me again?”

  “Now, sugar, there’s more to you than just a sexy body.” He stepped forward and held out his hands to her. “Though, you look like a goddess tonight.”

  “You’re just saying that so you can convince me to go skinny dipping with you.” She held tight to his hands and stepped deeper into the water.

  “No, I have no intentions of going beyond a few feet from the shore.” He drew her up against his chest. “I’m not taking a chance of losing you, not tonight, not ever.”

  His words sang through her head, and she struggled not to believe in the promise he see
med to be making. “We’re just here to rinse off. Then we’re heading back to our bedrolls to get some sleep.”

  A wicked grin bloomed on his lips. “That is, however, one option. I’d like instead for you to tell me about the places we might be able to live in Naked Bluff.”

  “What? Why? I live with Sadie Pepperman while you’ll be leaving in a few days to head off to...” Had he ever told her where he was headed next?

  “Nowhere. Logan and I were heading to Galveston to join the war, but now...”

  Carolyn gasped and clasped a hand over her chest. She knew first-hand how much a man could be committed to the cause. She couldn’t convince her first husband to change his mind. What made her think she could sway Zack into not leaving?

  “Easy there.” Zack tugged her even closer, and his warmth helped ease the painful ache of him dying on some lone battlefield.

  She wrapped her arms around his waist and finally admitted how much she’d miss him. With the initial plan to have fun and walk away—blown to bits yesterday, she accepted the truth. She was in love with Zack.

  The gentle stroke of his hand over her hair didn’t ease the misery of losing someone else to the crazy battle between the states. She left Alabama to avoid this problem. Yet, here she’d run smack into it again.

  Damn.

  Suddenly furious with herself for getting involved with another man, she shoved out of Zack’s arms and stepped backward. The muddy river bottom clung to her feet, inhibiting her movement.

  He tightened his hold on her arms and grappled to keep her close. “Carolyn, stop struggling. We need to talk.”

  Not willing to listen to his argument, she countered by twisting away, only to be dragged back around by a quick tug. The action reversed her momentum. Her frustration growing, she dove into him, determined to break free.

  The hold on her arms loosened momentarily, then his arms circled her waist and he yanked her close before he fell backwards.