haughtily joined them, towing one of Lily's farmhands behind her. Maria was a whore at heart, but she hadn't denied him her bed as many another had done before. Cade wouldn't begrudge this offer of friendship now.
Unaware that a small cadre of friends and neighbors were forming a protective circle around them, Lily laughed and took Cade's hand as the music began. She had waited for this moment all her life, and she expected to enjoy it to the fullest. She no longer pictured a dream man to sweep her off her feet. She merely wanted to enjoy the music.
Cade watched in amazement as Lily spread her wings and flew. She didn't need anyone's protection. The sheer delight on her face as she swung from arm to arm around the circle, her feet scarcely touching the floor, was enough to stop even the hardest heart from treading on her happiness. Cade almost half-believed that life had some meaning beyond mere existence as he watched her. He wouldn't need liquor if he could always feel that kind of joy, even secondhand.
Lily collapsed, laughing, into his arms as the music ended. For a moment, Cade was supporting her slenderness against him while she recovered her breath. He had no right being aroused by innocence incarnate, but while Lily laughed, Cade burned.
The evening ended simply enough. Lily played a few more tunes until the drunken farmers became too rowdy, then she accepted Cade's escort to the wagon waiting outside.
Cade deliberately kept his distance, but he could feel every movement she made as she walked beside him. He drank in the clean scents of her soap and rosewater and burned in every place she had touched him this night. Remembering the priest's preaching of purgatory, Cade knew he had found it right here on earth as he walked beside this completely unobtainable woman.
He should have been feeling relieved that no one had offered to shoot him for daring to invade a territory that had always been off limits. Mostly, Cade wished he'd taken the opportunity to get drunk so he would be numb now instead of burning like a lovesick schoolboy.
As Lily called farewell to her newfound friends and neighbors, Cade worked at reining in his lusts. It was lust in the plural, he knew. He didn't want just her body, although that would go a long way toward easing some of the ache. He wanted everything about this woman. He wanted her joy, her home, her family, all the things he'd never known—and would never know.
Scowling, Cade stared at the oxen's rear ends as they pulled the wagon down the road toward the ranch. Lily hummed, totally oblivious to his predicament. She was his boss. She was white. She was an American. She was a lady. He built the barricade of bricks between them with thoroughness. He should have dragged Maria off to a dark corner and eased his hungers before he left the safety of the lighted barn with this woman.
"You'll never know how much I appreciate this, Cade." Finally sensing her companion's silence, Lily reached out to him in the only way she knew, with words. He had given her an evening to remember for the rest of her life. She wished there were some way to show her gratitude.
Cade responded with a surly grunt.
Surprised, Lily studied the man beside her. His size was still intimidating, but he had touched her with gentleness all evening and had not once stepped on her toes. She was beginning to feel almost comfortable in his presence, if only she could break through his reserve.
"I mean that, Cade. I've been dying inside without music. I hadn't realized that until tonight. I feel alive again. It's the most wonderful feeling. I wish I could make you feel it too."
Cade pulled the wagon to the side of the road beneath a stand of oaks. The darkness engulfed them, the leaves blocking out even the stars' light. Without a word of warning, he slid his arm around her waist and drew her closer.
Cade's lips came down across hers, smothering Lily’s gasp. That was the last protest she made. Her whole body was
Unaware that a small cadre of friends and neighbors were forming a protective circle around them, Lily laughed and took Cade's hand as the music began. She had waited for this moment all her life, and she expected to enjoy it to the fullest. She no longer pictured a dream man to sweep her off her feet. She merely wanted to enjoy the music.
Cade watched in amazement as Lily spread her wings and flew. She didn't need anyone's protection. The sheer delight on her face as she swung from arm to arm around the circle, her feet scarcely touching the floor, was enough to stop even the hardest heart from treading on her happiness. Cade almost half-believed that life had some meaning beyond mere existence as he watched her. He wouldn't need liquor if he could always feel that kind of joy, even secondhand.
Lily collapsed, laughing, into his arms as the music ended. For a moment, Cade was supporting her slenderness against him while she recovered her breath. He had no right being aroused by innocence incarnate, but while Lily laughed, Cade burned.
The evening ended simply enough. Lily played a few more tunes until the drunken farmers became too rowdy, then she accepted Cade's escort to the wagon waiting outside.
Cade deliberately kept his distance, but he could feel every movement she made as she walked beside him. He drank in the clean scents of her soap and rosewater and burned in every place she had touched him this night. Remembering the priest's preaching of purgatory, Cade knew he had found it right here on earth as he walked beside this completely unobtainable woman.
He should have been feeling relieved that no one had offered to shoot him for daring to invade a territory that had always been off limits. Mostly, Cade wished he'd taken the opportunity to get drunk so he would be numb now instead of burning like a lovesick schoolboy.
As Lily called farewell to her newfound friends and neighbors, Cade worked at reining in his lusts. It was lust in the plural, he knew. He didn't want just her body, although that would go a long way toward easing some of the ache. He wanted everything about this woman. He wanted her joy, her home, her family, all the things he'd never known—and would never know.
Scowling, Cade stared at the oxen's rear ends as they pulled the wagon down the road toward the ranch. Lily hummed, totally oblivious to his predicament. She was his boss. She was white. She was an American. She was a lady. He built the barricade of bricks between them with thoroughness. He should have dragged Maria off to a dark corner and eased his hungers before he left the safety of the lighted barn with this woman.
"You'll never know how much I appreciate this, Cade." Finally sensing her companion's silence, Lily reached out to him in the only way she knew, with words. He had given her an evening to remember for the rest of her life. She wished there were some way to show her gratitude.
Cade responded with a surly grunt.
Surprised, Lily studied the man beside her. His size was still intimidating, but he had touched her with gentleness all evening and had not once stepped on her toes. She was beginning to feel almost comfortable in his presence, if only she could break through his reserve.
"I mean that, Cade. I've been dying inside without music. I hadn't realized that until tonight. I feel alive again. It's the most wonderful feeling. I wish I could make you feel it too."
Cade pulled the wagon to the side of the road beneath a stand of oaks. The darkness engulfed them, the leaves blocking out even the stars' light. Without a word of warning, he slid his arm around her waist and drew her closer.
Cade's lips came down across hers, smothering Lily’s gasp. That was the last protest she made. Her whole body was
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