Read Online Love Forevermore by Madeline Baker - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Madeline Baker
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Freeman.”
“You’re welcome, my dear. Good night, Sergeant.”
“Ma’am.” Mike bowed over Stella Freeman’s hand.
After taking their leave of the colonel, Mike and Loralee left the Freemans’ home.
Mike smiled at Loralee as he helped her into the carriage he had rented from the livery stable. It was a smart rig, painted a shiny black, with yellow wheels and a fringed canopy.
“Old Ironsides give you a bad time?” Mike asked as he climbed in beside Loralee and took up the reins.
“Not really, but I get so tired of hearing her opinion on everything. Honestly, Mike, I don’t think she likes anything or anyone. She never has a nice word to say about anything, except the colonel. And you.”
Mike’s eyebrows went up in surprise. “Me?”
“Yes. She thinks you’re quite handsome.”
“Does she now? And do you share her opinion?”
Loralee cocked her head to one side, her eyes moving over Mike’s face as if she were making up her mind. “Yes, I think so,” she said after a long pause.
“Anything you’d like to change?”
“No.”
“Loralee.” Mike’s voice was no longer light and teasing, but husky with desire as he reined the team to a halt along the side of the road.
She did not resist when he took her in his arms, nor did she think to protest when his mouth closed on hers. Mike smelled of soap and cologne, nice civilized smells. His lips were cool against hers, his arms gentle around her waist as he gave her a squeeze.
“I’m crazy about you, Loralee,” he murmured. “You know that, don’t you?”
Loralee nodded, wondering how things had managed to get so serious so quickly.
“Is there any chance that you feel the same about me?”
“I like you very much, Mike. You know that.”
Mike nodded as he drew away. Take your time, Schofield, he thought to himself. Don’t rush her. But damn, it was hard to let her go, hard to wait, even though he was confident that, in time, he would win her love. He kissed her again at her door.
“Good night, Mike,” she whispered.
“Good night, Loralee. Sweet dreams.”
Loralee remained outside, watching Mike ride away. She was about to go into the house when something, a sound, a smell, something, changed her mind. Drawing her cloak around her shoulders, she walked into the darkness toward the trees, her feet moving soundlessly over the sandy ground. He was there, standing in the shadowy darkness, as she had known he would be. For a timeless moment, they stared at each other, unmoving. Then, drawn by a bond stronger than words, they moved toward each other until they were only a breath apart. Loralee’s heart was singing as she lifted her face for his kiss. She closed her eyes as his mouth covered hers.
Sensation. Wave after wave of sensation flooding to every part of her body. Her blood was on fire, alive, humming. Her heart beat fast and wild, drumming loudly in her ears. Her legs grew weak so that she swayed against him for support. Her nostrils filled with the scent of him, and she breathed in the aroma of sage and woodsmoke, sweat and leather. His scent, earthy and wild, excited her the more.
Shad Zuniga wrapped his long arms around Loralee’s trim waist, drawing her softly rounded body close to his own, letting her feel his rising desire. Her mouth was soft and yielding, her breasts warm against his chest. She smelled of lavender soap and perfume and an enticing woman-smell that was hers alone. He took a deep breath, memorizing her scent, so that he would be able to find her by smell alone in the dead of night. The blood pounded in his brain and in his loins, filling him with heat and a primal wanting that would have frightened Loralee had she known what he was thinking.
Drawing away, Zuniga removed the hairpins from her hair. Unbound, the silken mass fell to her waist in thick golden waves, tempting his touch.
Loralee shivered as Zuniga’s fingers moved through her hair. She leaned against him, inviting his kiss, quivering with
“You’re welcome, my dear. Good night, Sergeant.”
“Ma’am.” Mike bowed over Stella Freeman’s hand.
After taking their leave of the colonel, Mike and Loralee left the Freemans’ home.
Mike smiled at Loralee as he helped her into the carriage he had rented from the livery stable. It was a smart rig, painted a shiny black, with yellow wheels and a fringed canopy.
“Old Ironsides give you a bad time?” Mike asked as he climbed in beside Loralee and took up the reins.
“Not really, but I get so tired of hearing her opinion on everything. Honestly, Mike, I don’t think she likes anything or anyone. She never has a nice word to say about anything, except the colonel. And you.”
Mike’s eyebrows went up in surprise. “Me?”
“Yes. She thinks you’re quite handsome.”
“Does she now? And do you share her opinion?”
Loralee cocked her head to one side, her eyes moving over Mike’s face as if she were making up her mind. “Yes, I think so,” she said after a long pause.
“Anything you’d like to change?”
“No.”
“Loralee.” Mike’s voice was no longer light and teasing, but husky with desire as he reined the team to a halt along the side of the road.
She did not resist when he took her in his arms, nor did she think to protest when his mouth closed on hers. Mike smelled of soap and cologne, nice civilized smells. His lips were cool against hers, his arms gentle around her waist as he gave her a squeeze.
“I’m crazy about you, Loralee,” he murmured. “You know that, don’t you?”
Loralee nodded, wondering how things had managed to get so serious so quickly.
“Is there any chance that you feel the same about me?”
“I like you very much, Mike. You know that.”
Mike nodded as he drew away. Take your time, Schofield, he thought to himself. Don’t rush her. But damn, it was hard to let her go, hard to wait, even though he was confident that, in time, he would win her love. He kissed her again at her door.
“Good night, Mike,” she whispered.
“Good night, Loralee. Sweet dreams.”
Loralee remained outside, watching Mike ride away. She was about to go into the house when something, a sound, a smell, something, changed her mind. Drawing her cloak around her shoulders, she walked into the darkness toward the trees, her feet moving soundlessly over the sandy ground. He was there, standing in the shadowy darkness, as she had known he would be. For a timeless moment, they stared at each other, unmoving. Then, drawn by a bond stronger than words, they moved toward each other until they were only a breath apart. Loralee’s heart was singing as she lifted her face for his kiss. She closed her eyes as his mouth covered hers.
Sensation. Wave after wave of sensation flooding to every part of her body. Her blood was on fire, alive, humming. Her heart beat fast and wild, drumming loudly in her ears. Her legs grew weak so that she swayed against him for support. Her nostrils filled with the scent of him, and she breathed in the aroma of sage and woodsmoke, sweat and leather. His scent, earthy and wild, excited her the more.
Shad Zuniga wrapped his long arms around Loralee’s trim waist, drawing her softly rounded body close to his own, letting her feel his rising desire. Her mouth was soft and yielding, her breasts warm against his chest. She smelled of lavender soap and perfume and an enticing woman-smell that was hers alone. He took a deep breath, memorizing her scent, so that he would be able to find her by smell alone in the dead of night. The blood pounded in his brain and in his loins, filling him with heat and a primal wanting that would have frightened Loralee had she known what he was thinking.
Drawing away, Zuniga removed the hairpins from her hair. Unbound, the silken mass fell to her waist in thick golden waves, tempting his touch.
Loralee shivered as Zuniga’s fingers moved through her hair. She leaned against him, inviting his kiss, quivering with
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