Page 72 of Fated Mates

“And we’re married,” I added, in case he was talking himself out of it. “It’s proper now.”

He growled, “What I want to do to you, woman, will not be proper.”

“Even better. Please. Make a married woman out of me, Michael James Bryant. Before I go up in flames right before your sexy eyes.”

He slowly pulled his buckskin shirt off, still giving me time to change my mind, never tearing his silver-blue focus from mine. I merely smiled and sat down on the grass filled mattress, then gripped the beaded necklace touching his bare, muscular chest, and pulled him down on top of me into a luscious kiss that ignited a blaze that lasted all night long.

And all the way into the morning.

Three days later.

FATED MATES

CHAPTER 14

Pour Some Sugar on Me

It had rained all night, and I woke feeling the sharp icy bite in the morning air. It was late September, and I could feel Autumn slowly pushing its way forward. I snuggled down under the warm quilt with the consideration of adding a second blanket tonight to ward off the oncoming night chill.

My movement stirred Bryant sleeping next to me. Lazily he rolled onto his side facing me, then lounged his arm over my waist to draw me against his blazing naked body. Sighing, I closed my eyes and allowed his natural heat to warm me inside and out.

Perhaps I didn’t need a second quilt after all.

“Want to go to town today?” he murmured, clearing the morning roughness from his throat. “For your birthday present.”

I snapped my eyes open at Bryant’s offer. Ever since we consummated our pretend marriage over a month ago, the man had been insufferably protective and had kept his distance from Silver Falls. Or more precisely, keptmefrom Silver Falls and its sheriff. At least most of the time.

“Really?”

“If you want,” he added, drawing me in closer. “Or we could just stay here at the cabin and—”

“No way!” I said, scooting back and jumping out of bed before he could distract me from the offer with something much more pleasant. “Besides, Alice promised that she’d show me how to make her special soft soap, and I’m in dire need of something that will stop ripping the skin off my body and make me smell like pig fat.”

“I think you smell just fine,” he growled huskily. “Come here and give us a whiff.”

I hopped away from his hungry reach. “Uh, uh. You aren’t cheating me out of a trip to town that easily, Michael Bryant. Get your sexy butt out of bed and get dressed, while I head down to the creek to bathe.”

“Need some help?”

Tempting.

My lips twitching, I worked to plaster on a stern expression. “Nice try. Be a good husband and fix breakfast for us. It better be good too, since it is my birthday today.”

I was still wearing my chemise, but only that, so I dramatically swayed my rear as I snatched up the rest of my clothes.

“Taunt me like that once more, woman,” he threatened, “and you won’t be eating your breakfast before you satisfy a different hunger of mine.”

I snickered and thumbed my nose at him, then saucily walked outside and down to the rocky creek.

The cold breeze whistled through the trees, making me hug myself and shiver. Some of the trees and bushes were beginning to turn autumn colors of amber, gold and scarlet. I sighed in contentment as I breathed in the delicious aroma of damp woodsmoke as it rose from the cabin’s chimney, mingled with the sharp resin of pine and cedar in the air.

Still, as much as I loved my rugged mountain life here, I was eager to visit modern civilization again.

Well, modern for these times, anyhow.

An hour later, we were ready to leave. After packing the horses up with the items he planned to barter at the trading post, Bryant headed around the corner with Pat and Patty. He frowned at me as I laid a tin plate filled with venison jerky on the ground in front the porch.

“What in the name of Mike are you doing?” he asked.

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