Just One Kiss (The Dream Catcher Series-Book Two) Read online

  He fell to his knees so he could reach her breasts much easier. He pulled her hard against him. His hand slid up and down her breasts, sweeping them up one at a time, circling the nipple slowly, then kissing them slowly, pulling one into his mouth deeply, massaging her with his tongue, swirling the tips as they puckered.

  Pulling away he stared up at her.

  “You have the most beautiful breasts I’ve ever seen. Full, and round and always so alive when I touch them, or even just look at them. I’ve dreamed of touching them…” he whispered, leaving her mouth to touch her there once more, his hand manipulating her nipples. "And the color…so beautiful. God, I love the difference in the color of our skin, so dark, and beautiful."

  "Only you, my Lee, would say something so wonderful…" she gasped, “I’ve never done this…But you gotta take what is yours, what has always been yours…” she panted, undoing the top button on her pants and staring into his eyes.

  He paused, his lips slipping toward her pants, his breathing eratic, he pulled her so her skin burrowed into his face, and his nose pushed further against the material that hid her from him. Her skin felt like silk, so soft to his touch. He shook with his need of her. He laid his head against her lower belly, sniffing the sweet love scent of her, feeling the heat of her. "You offer me so much. You always have. And I do want you, my love."

  Then he stopped, she felt the tremble in his hand, as it moved against her pants and then stilled.

  “I know you’re a virgin, sweetheart. That’s why it won’t be up against a wall, or on the floor. Like I’m thinking right now. This is going to take all the strength I have to not take you right here and right now. Right now it sounds like heaven. But I’d regret that later. You are a lady, and I want to treat you like one. When I do take you, it will be because neither of us can stand it any longer. And in a bed, like it should be. Where I can touch, and look, and feel and taste you, all of you. We will be together I promise you that. You’re my woman, and you’ve got to know it. You always have been mine. Ever since a little girl came up to me boldly and challenged me to make a woman out of her.”

  “I love you Hattie, I always have…” The air hit them as he came up and kissed her mouth again, and he pulled her so her breasts flattened against him, her round nipples puckering with excitement against his skin. “I’ve wanted to feel your breasts against me for so long. You are so beautiful. You take my breath away.” He smothered her with another kiss. “You’re so full and round and kissable.”

  “I feel as though I’m melting into you, I’m wet and hot between my legs all the time. Every time I look at you and you are undressing me with your eyes. I see it, feel it, want it. Is that how it’s supposed to be? I don’t know…I know I shouldn’t feel this way about you. You’re a white man, I'm black. But I can't control my feelings for you. I couldn't when I was a kid, I can't now. I shouldn’t talk of it. But you’re the only man that can make me feel this way. Is this the way it’s supposed to be, me standin’ here on fire, dripping with love for you?” she asked, her lips sliding up and down his neck, caressing, nipping, loving. Then one leg came up to encircle his hip again as she pulled him against her once more and she moaned as she pressed herself into him and felt his shaft hard and strong against her through the material of his pants.

  He pulled away to look into her eyes. “Yes my darling Hattie…I want you to know something. As much as I love your beautiful body, it isn’t just that. It’s so much more than that… I love your spirit, your boldness, your caring.”

  She smiled now at him. “Don’t you think I know that. I loved the young man who took care of a little boy who lost his father, I watched in the darkness that night, and I tried not to feel anything, but I did. I couldn’t believe a white man could care so. And you rescued a girl who didn’t know what she was doing when she fell in love with your goodness. I couldn’t believe you wanted to take care of us. That you didn’t care that I was black and kissed me anyway, like you did. That’s what made me fall in love with you. And later, I realized you could have taken me then if you’d have been a bad man. You didn’t, you protected me, even from yourself.”

  “Sometimes people can look at each other and just know…Hattie. That’s the way it was with us. We can’t make love here…but yes my sweet, that’s how it is supposed to be. Your body is just readying itself for me. Don’t ever be ashamed of it, it's as natural and old as time itself,” he said and ran his hand down the side of her breasts.. She deliberately moved her hips toward him.

  With regret, he let his hand move away, and began putting her back together. His eyes blazed into her. “Don’t you know—you’re already mine—”

  He sealed that with a kiss that burned into her.

  "Some day, Hattie, we'll be married as we should be. I promise…"

  "Don't," she looked into his eyes. "Don't promise me that. It's a beautiful dream, but just a dream."

  "No, my sweet, I will find a way. I love you Hattie, and I’m not ashamed to admit it to you or anyone else. And someday, someway, we will be married." He kissed her once more and she moaned raggedly at the fire of the kiss. "In the eyes of God, we already are."

  He kissed her slowly, thoroughly. He pulled on her lower lips, making her open to him as he deepened the kiss.

  When they came up for air, she smiled slowly, sexily. “You know I’m yours…” she said, moving so he could take any advantage as she thrust herself up for his tender kisses again. “I’ve known it for a long time. I never wanted anyone but you. I don't know why we got such a burnin' love for each other, but God knows it's real. When I thought you died, I wanted to die too, so I could be with you. I don't know why God himself put us together so, but I'll never quit lovin' you…”

  He wouldn’t think on that too heavily, for he might be tempted to finish what he knew he had started here. She needed time to get used to the idea of being his. Time to build the fire that he knew she would. He’d felt the heat on his hand when he touched her, felt the moisture between her legs, and smiled contentedly into her eyes.

  “I better go, while I still can…” he murmured. “But hold that thought…”

  “I been holdin’ for too long as it is…but…be careful…my love. Come back to me so we can finish this together.”

  “My God, honey, how could I not with a promise like that?” Lee said and moved to go get his gun. Hattie started to stop him from leaving, but Violet came inside, slamming the door, and Hattie hurriedly fixed her shirt and pants. Flustered, she tried to look and act normal, feeling as though something new and wonderful had just transpired.

  “Where’s Uncle Lee?” Violet asked when Hattie came out of the dining room.

  “He’s getting ready to go to town.”

  “Oh, could I go with him?” Violet asked.

  Hattie shook her head, trying to put things back in perspective. “No honey, that’s not a good idea right now. Maybe another time, okay?”

  “Alright mommy, can I help with the dishes?” Violet shrugged.

  “I never turn down help in the kitchen.” Hattie laughed.

  When Lee came strolling through the kitchen once more, Violet grabbed him and hugged him.

  “What’s this for?” He chuckled as he held her.

  “Just for bein’ my Uncle.” She smiled.

  “Well, thanks, honey. Now, what’s your favorite candy? I thought I might pick some up at the dry goods store,” he said.

  “Really? We all like peppermint sticks.” Violet smiled.

  “Peppermint, it is. I’ll be back directly.” Lee kissed Violet on the cheek and glanced at Hattie.

  Hattie watched him leave, trying to shake the trepidation from her shoulders, not fully liking the idea of him going alone into town.

  “What’s wrong, Mama?” Violet picked up on her tenseness.

  “Nothing, honey.” She went back to washing the dishes. "You just miss Daddy?"

  "Daddy?" she glanced at her with surprise.

  "Uncle Lee, I'd rather call
him daddy. He acts like my daddy. I love him…"

  "So do I sweetheart, so do I." Hattie smiled.

  “Can I help dry the dishes?” Violet asked, grabbing a big flour sack towel.

  Hattie smiled and handed her the cup-towel. “Mama never turns down help.”

  ***

  It was overcast and Lee could almost smell the rain coming. The trees always got greener just before a rain, and the smell in the air was prominent. He spurred his horse to a trot and tried to kick the feeling that something was about to happen. He heard a mockingbird in the distance singing his little heart out and he smiled.

  His mind was still on Hattie and the hot kisses they shared, each time he took her into his embrace, he could barely manage to walk away from her. This time was the hardest of all, because what he started he sure wanted to finish. The misery of not having her was compounded by the needs. Nothing stood between them but hatred. He knew she wanted the same thing he did. But now she knew how he felt, it was hard not to act on it. Somehow he had to find a solution so they could be together always, because he knew now, they had to be.

  He was almost humming when suddenly out of nowhere three riders approached him, not that Lee was surprised, but how could they have known he was leaving?

  “Well now Lee, it’s good to see you finally came home,” Frank muttered.

  Lee slung his arm over the saddle horn and stretched himself, then settled into the saddle and tried on a smile.

  “Frank, good morning.”

  “Lee, everybody thought you was dead.”

  “Well now, I guess everyone was wrong, weren’t they? I’m still alive.” Seeing as how the three of them aimed to stop him, he eyed their guns. “Thanks Frank, it’s good to be home. You sure got the word quickly. I wonder, how?”

  “Where you headed?”

  “Into town.” Lee smiled.

  “What for?”

  “Gotta get a little girl some peppermint.” Lee tried the smile on again.

  “Well now, about that little girl, and the others with her. We had hard times before you left and hard times while you were gone, but I reckon it’s time to settle things up now, Lee. You ain’t been very friendly about them water rights, and neither has that woman,” Frank said, as he pulled his gun on him.

  “That woman? You mean Hattie?”

  “What took you so long to get back, Lee?”

  “Well now Frank, if you’d been in the war, you might know. Lot of men got hurt. Lot of men died.”

  “Yeah, too bad about the arm. And I might show a little sympathy for you, except you haven’t shown any for me about the water. You’re still as stubborn as always.”

  “I guess it is time to talk about it, Frank.”

  “Too late for talkin’.”

  “It’s never too late, Frank.”

  “Why all the secrecy when you came back?”

  “Didn’t want you to know I was back, is all.”

  “I want to know why you are goin’ to town.”

  “I told you, for peppermint.”

  Frank chuckled. “Yeah…sure…you’re ridin’ all that way to get candy?”

  “Not that it’s any of your business, but yeah…”

  “Well, not that it’s any concern of yours, but you ain’t gonna make it into town. Now as I see it, nobody but that she-wolf you got on your place and that old black buck, know you are alive. That makes it awful easy for me to do you in, right now. Wouldn’t you say?”

  “Frank, you don’t want to do this. I’m willin’ to talk to you about the rights.”

  Frank looked at his brothers and smiled. “Is that a fact…Well, I might be impressed except I got a better idea. You see, since no one knows you are still alive, if I kill ya, it won’t matter. So I think I finally have the right edge to this, don’t you?”

  “You don’t want to settle this once and for all, and end the fighting?” Lee offered.

  “Oh we’re gonna end it alright…”

  Then before Lee could react, Tor jumped from his horse to him and tackled him to the ground. Tor fisted him several times across the mouth, then hit him in the gut. Lee cringed but managed a left hook that shocked Tor. He was pulverizing Tor when a shot rang out that stopped him dead cold.

  He reached for his shoulder. Blood gushed from him and nausea erupted from his gut as Tor hit him there. Pain echoed in his shoulder.

  “Now Lee,” Frank was saying as Tor continued to batter him, “We don’t want to do this, but you’ve been kinda hard-headed about everything all along. We want that water, and we want it today…not tomorrow or next week. We’ll take your land too…” Frank laughed. “And the woman…”

  Lee continued to try to hold his own with Tor, but another bullet sung out and hit him in the leg. He buckled from the pain, blood splattered.

  Tor jumped on top of him, pounding him with his fist. Blood went everywhere.

  “So long, neighbor…” Frank said as he put his smoking gun up and laughed.

  “Search him,” Frank demanded.

  Tor ripped his shirt, trying to check his pockets. His hands were everywhere but Lee could barely stand to move. Tor stepped on his leg and twisted his boot, then laughed. “Try to stand on that, will ya.”

  Inside, Lee was laughing because he’d hid the money so well, they’d never find it. But Tor delighted in knocking him down every time he moved.

  Lee struggled, trying to tie his leg up so the bleeding would stop. With one arm and badly injured shoulder, it was near impossible.

  His shoulder was killing him, but he needed to fight Tor off of him. It was a losing battle and finally blackness surrounded him.

  “What we gonna do…we didn’t find nothing…” The voices swirled in his head as he felt the blackness surrounding him.

  “Maybe he ain’t got any money after all…” Frank laughed. “Leave him be. He’ll bleed to death…Serves him right.”

  They rode off laughing.

  Lee felt himself falling down into a hole and never reaching a bottom. The black void seemed to stop all his movements. His mind registered that he needed to tie himself up, but the void sucked him in.

  It was dark before he heard or saw anything again. The sun had gone down, and he wondered if anyone was looking for him yet.

  His wounds kept him from getting up, he was weak and getting up didn’t seem an option. But if he didn’t, he’d die, he told himself. Just like he’d told himself many times during the war. If he lay there, he’d bleed to death and he knew it.

  The crickets and locust were making a noise; he thought he heard a coyote but he couldn’t be for sure. His eyes opened and Joe stood over him swearing up a storm.

  “Joe…is that you…” Lee cried out, hardly able to open his black eye. He reached out and found Joe’s arm, and grabbed hold of it tightly.

  “It’s me, boy. Come on, I gots to get you to the doctor…”

  “No…wait…put me down. I got to tell you something.”

  “But you is bleedin’ to death, Mr. Lee…” Joe protested.

  Joe laid him down once more and stared down at him as he tied the leg as best he could.

  “I want you to do something for me, Joe. I didn’t make it to town. But I still got the money. So I want you to just throw me on my horse and send me home…they didn’t get the money, Joe. I hid it.”

  Joe stared at him as he started to lift him.

  “Where’d you hide it?” Joe asked, lifting Lee to his shoulder.

  “Under my saddle between the saddle and blanket, wrapped into the blanket so if they moved it, it still wouldn’t be obvious. Now listen to me, Joe. Take the money and get into town…”

  “Now? But Mr. Lee, you’re hurt. You don’t know how bad. I ain’t gonna leave you stranded out here in the middle of nowhere. Bleedin’ like you are.”

  “Please Joe, listen. I want you to go see Mr. Weatherby, the bank manager. Pay him and get back here with the doc.”

  “But I needs to take care of you first…”

>   “No…listen to me, Joe. You’ve got to get to town and pay the taxes. They won’t be expecting this and now is the time to move. Get them paid, it’s important. Then get the doc to come out with you. No one will expect anything if they see you comin’ back with the doc.”

  “But Mr. Lee, you is hurt…”

  “I’ll be okay…just do it…please…” Lee begged. “I can make it back to the farm. And I can’t make it into town. Not like this. Besides, they might have someone watchin’ in town. If you go, they’ll just think you’re getting the doc or something.”

  “You a mighty strong headed man…” Joe fussed as he helped him into the saddle. “It could cost you your life and you know it.”

  “This is the best thing that could happen. They won’t expect you to be carrying any money. I want you to do this for me, no matter what, Joe. If I don’t make it, then the property must go to Hattie and Sam and you.”

  Joe stared up into his face. “You gonna be okay? You gotta make it.”

  “Sure…I’ll be fine, now, go on…” Lee urged. “Help me on my horse. I’ll make it back to the house.”

  Joe mounted him on his horse, tied the reins in his hands, and looked at Lee with a frown. “Be careful and get home. Miss Hattie is beside herself with worry…”

  Lee smiled, and leaned towards the saddle horn. “See ya…”

  Joe took off at a gallop never once looking back.

  Lee rode slowly back to the farm. His shoulder was killing him. Joe had wrapped a bandana around his leg, but he’d lost a lot of blood. He could barely see out of his good eye to head his horse in the right direction.

  “Easy Shortenin’, those bumps sure do make a man hurt,” Lee muttered as he nearly passed out again. He knew his horse would get him home, he’d trained him well. And if Hattie was waiting for him, he’d be alright.

  But as he rode into the yard, Hattie was on the porch. She ran down the steps toward him and reached up to help him off the horse…

  “Dear God…what did they do to ya?” she screeched, throwing an arm over his shoulder and trying to help him up the steps to the house.

  He leaned against her hard, almost passing out on her. He smelled the sweet scent of roses, and smiled.