~ Double Destiny ~

by

Rosina LaFata

Elizabeth seemed to weaken and melt against him. He stooped to slide an arm under her knees and lifted her to his chest. Carefully, he knelt and lowered her to the fur. "Your kisses make me too weak to stand, little one. I think we will be more comfortable lying together." He’d left his mouth away from hers too long. Her spirit was still fighting him.

"Stop, White Eagle. You can’t do this. I want no man. I especially don’t want you."

"Your kisses tell another story. I think you feel the same potency I feel whenever we touch. I want to explore that power with you. I want to take you with me to sail to the moon. Let me show you how much I love you."

"You speak of love, but what you really mean is lust. You don’t love me. If you did you wouldn’t have turned me over to be tortured. You would have protected me with your life." Her voice sounded bitter and sarcastic. Guilt reared its unfamiliar head to laugh at him.

"Morning has not yet arrived. I came back. I didn’t intend to. I had planned to stay away until dawn. My love for you brought me back."

"No, your lust for me brought you back. You couldn’t stand the idea of the other braves possessing me before you could steal my virginity."

"That’s not true, Little Robin. When I left here, I hated what I thought you’d done so much that I could have cared less what happened to you. It was after I realized I loved you that I knew I had to save you." He rested his forehead against hers and breathed in the fresh smell that was uniquely hers. "Did I ever tell you I love the way you smell? I love the texture of your skin?" His hand skimmed down her arm and he brought her hand to his lips. Kissing her palm, he sighed and molded her fingers against his cheek.

"Every time I touch you, my skin heats. To look at you rouses my man root. I like the sound of your voice. I admire your ability to heal. You have many other qualities I hold in high regard. Could you find favor with me? I would keep you always."

"What are you saying? Tomorrow I’m supposed to die. There are no tomorrows for me." Elizabeth looked at him and he saw sorrow in her soul.

"What if I said you could have all the tomorrows you want?"

"At what price? My body? No, I don’t think I would even trade my body for the hope of freedom. I don’t trust you." She shoved at him again, but he didn’t budge.

"Ah, my little skeptic, then you leave me no choice." White Eagle rolled his body on top of her and kissed her until he couldn’t breathe. He wanted to scare her, but she lay still as a corpse. It would take more than an attempt at rape to scare his woman. He felt pride in her strong will.

"Your body melts at my touch. Your soul calls to my spirit. How can you deny what we both want?" He softened his voice to bare his weakness. He wanted her to come to him willingly. It was a matter of honor. He pressed his arousal against her belly and let his fingers trail a whisper of sensation down her arm. He felt the rise of prickled flesh crawl across her skin. Gazing into her soulful brown eyes, he watched them turn a dusty green. Her breathing became labored and she tried to avoid looking at him. He gently raised her chin with a single finger and lowered his lips to cover her mouth. This was still the most pleasant way to keep her from talking. He didn’t want her to voice an objection. He didn’t want to stop.

Elizabeth couldn’t control the wild hammering in her chest. She thought her body would explode. A pulsing throb started in her lower region and spiraled throughout her body. A tingling jolt ran from her legs up to her belly. It felt wonderful. She relaxed to savor each new sensation, then began to crave more. The dead weight left her arms and they floated up to curve around White Eagle’s powerful shoulders. Her fingers kneaded the back of his neck and she pushed them into his hair. It felt clean, no bear grease. She paused and sniffed. He smelled as fresh as spring water. The long braids down his back were still damp. Evidence that he’d bathed before he came to her. Somehow that pleased her. He knew her penchant for cleanliness.

She had fought her attraction for him for so long, she had to stop and think about what she was feeling. Though they’d fought constantly, she knew she’d baited him on purpose. She’d wanted him to notice her. She’d wanted him to admire her. She’d risked her life and her pride to make him pay attention to her. Was this what she’d been looking for all along?