Another Chance (33 page)

"I grant that is important, and I will be sure to notify Jeremiah
. Why did you bring Little Turtle?"

"I did not bring him; he escorted me!"

"Escorted you?" Her words surprised him.

She nodded
. "Thy son informed me that he knew where thee was."

"He did
."

"He also told me that he would make sure I arrived safely
. I am sure that he would not have allowed me to come alone." She smiled. "Thy son is as stubborn as thee."

He recalled his last conversation with Little Turtle
. "Forgive me for questioning you, but seeing you and Little Turtle riding alone filled me with dread." He hugged her tight.

She returned his embrace
.

Silently
, he added,
I could not have lived if I had lost either of you.
Instead of saying this, his lips sought and claimed hers. Anxious to declare his need, but reluctant to say the words, he plunged his tongue inside, skirting yet touching each section of mouth. Her mint sweet breath invaded his, and he sought to possess more of her.

His hands moved up her body, until they touched her breasts
. He cupped them, brushing her nipples with his thumbs and relishing the intimacy. His lips left her mouth and traced a path across her cheeks to her ear lobe. He nibbled on the soft, tender skin, before pursuing a trail down her neck. At the base of her throat, he drew her skin into his mouth and sucked. Her breath came in short, passionate pants and increased his pleasure. Wolf wanted to see and not just hear her reaction, so he eased his lips away. Her eyes appeared glazed. He placed a kiss on each eye lid.

With his tongue, he traced a path around her mouth
. She parted her moistened lips. Willingly, he responded. Plowing his fingers into her thick, chestnut hair, he massaged the base of her skull. He wanted her. Now. Here. On the ground. Inside the hut. Anywhere.

The sound of horses broke the spell
. He pulled away. "Sit here." Sarah glanced up at him, her face revealing her hunger, her need, and her disappointment. An emotion he definitely shared. Further, her reddened cheeks and the passion mark on her neck proclaimed their passion and reminded him to adjust his loin-cloth. Briefly, he touched the top of her head, before walking away.

"Little Turtle, while I unsaddle and hobble the horses, please fetch the food bag from the tree
. We can't risk a fire tonight, so we must make do with dried food."

Qu
ickly, Wolf finished his chores and then hunkered down near Sarah. "I must find Jeremiah and tell him."

"What can I do while you are gone?" his son asked, before biting off a piece of dried turkey
.

"Stay here and keep an eye on
Sarah." Wolf smiled at her. "Just as you did on your trip here." He ruffled his son's short scalp lock.

The child's face beamed with pride
. "Yes, sir," he mumbled, his mouth half-full of meat.

As Wolf stood, he said, "There's enough room for both of you inside the lean-to
. When I return, I'll throw my bear-skin on the ground." He pointed to an area directly in front of the half-moon structure.

After
adjusting his bow and quiver, he trotted off to search for Jeremiah and his men. Wolf had camped east of the river and a quarter of a mile south of the rendezvous spot. Never would he sleep in the Colonial encampment, for it was impossible to call these men friends or even true allies. Before setting up his camp, Wolf had corroborated the information Sarah had given them. Not only had he discovered how accurate her description of Doe Run was, but he had found the swampy area on the west side. When Sarah told why she had come, he considered mentioning that he already knew. However, the pleasure he saw when she imparted her information had quickly dissuaded him.

The lack of rain made crossing the wide river easy
. Wolf arrived at the outskirts of the camp before the moon had risen. Only three tents stood in the small clearing. Two guards had been posted, but he saw no one else. He decided to sneak in and surprise the Colonials. After safely and easily passing the first outpost, he relaxed his guard and headed for the largest tent, near the far side of the encampment. An instant later, arms grabbed his lower thighs tackling him.

"Got ya!" Jeremiah crowed, quietly
.

Before he could secure his hold, Wolf pulled his knife from his leggings and reversed their positions
. Straddling Jeremiah, Wolf stretched the colonist's neck and placed the tip of the blade just below his former friend's ear. "Oh?"

By this time, the two guards and three other soldiers had come to see what was happening
. "Damn it, Luke. I was sure I had you."

Wolf bounced to his feet and slid the knife into the sheath
. "You almost did."

Even in the starlight, Jeremiah's smile showed
. He dusted himself off.

"
Sarah brought us additional information about the ambush sight." Crouching, Wolf picked up a stick and sketched.

The soldiers crowded around then hunkered down, careful not to block the limited light provided by the stars that shone directly overhead
.

"There must be an underground spring, because Doe Run's dry, but the surrounding land for about one hundred paces on either side is a swamp
."  He added to his drawing. "As long as we let the patrol come to us and don't rush the attack, the conditions can only help us.

"Any questions?" Wolf asked
.

"Yeah," a guard replied
. "How did you get by me?"

"When you turned, you glanced to make sure your companion was there
. I made my move then."

"Okay, back to your position," Jeremiah said, "and don't let anyone else get by
." As the men moved off, he added, "Will you stay the night?"

"No
." Wolf stood. "I must return to Little Turtle and Sarah." As he spoke her name, her face appeared in his mind, and simultaneously his loins tightened.

"
Sarah is a beautiful woman," Jeremiah said as he, too, rose.

Wolf stared at him and realized Jeremiah was fishing for information about the relationship between himself and
Sarah. "She is a woman who needs protection until we catch the raiders."
That is all she must be to me.

"She cares for you
."

"She and her father follow the Quakers' beliefs, and they care for everyone
. Members of the Society have even adopted some Lenape children." This last fact caused mixed emotions within Wolf. Although the action protected the young from abuse by other whites, the little ones lost their people’s heritage.

"It grows late
." He erased the drawing with the sole of his moccasin. "Since our plans are settled, I will meet you an hour before the sun rises." Without further comment, Wolf jogged off.

When he reached his own camp, he saw
Sarah sitting by the lean-to. The moonlight also revealed Little Turtle's head resting in her lap. She rubbed the child's forehead with the tips of her fingers, smiling as she did so. The picture filled Wolf with pleasure and pain. How content she looked. In the subdued lighting, one would almost believe she was the mother. Again, Wolf reminded himself that Sarah was not for him, and the thought stabbed his heart. He broke the spell by making enough noise for her to hear him, but not enough to disturb his son.

She raised her head, puckered her lips and said, "Hush
."

Wolf knelt beside her
.

"Little Turtle was determined to guard me until thee returned
. Twice, I tried to carry him, but each time he awakened and repeated that he would protect me until thee returned."

Gently, Wolf lifted his boy
. Little Turtle stirred, but Wolf said, "I am here now…sleep." After crawling in through the open door, he gently placed the child on the blanket. Slowly, he backed out then placed several large pine branches over the entrance.

While he settled the lad,
Sarah vividly remembered the moments before Wolf left. Her mouth dried, and her body tingled from the memory. Unsure of what would happen now that he had returned, she sought to do something…anything.

"Would thee like a drink?" she asked him, but did not look in his direction
. Without waiting for his response, she walked into the shadows of the trees and lifted the water bag off a branch. She sensed him behind her.

"You first," he said, coming to her side
.

She pulled off the stopper, raised the deerskin to her lips, and squeezed
. The cool water eased her dryness, but did nothing to stem the sensations coursing through her body. After a few moments, she lowered the bag and offered it to Wolf. A small droplet of water ran down the side of her mouth. Before she could wipe it away, he leaned over and licked the moisture off. Although the night air was cool, her body burned from this brief contact and from what her imagination said would happen next.

Taking a quick drink, he corked the container and hung it back on the tree
.

Sarah
had not moved, but her heart beat double time. She reached up and touched one corner of his lips with her index finger. His tongue grazed her skin like hot velvet. She sighed with pleasure, drew her hand back, and placed the end of her finger in her mouth and sucked.

A soft moan escaped from him
.

The sound of his pleasure increased her desire and her longing
. She untied her apron and let it fall.

Wolf watched her carefully
.

Next, she removed the pins from the front of her short gown and eased her arms out before letting the top fall to the ground
.

His eyes filled with wanting, but he did not touch her
.

Keeping her attention focused on him, she loosened the strings of her skirt and wiggled her hips a few times
. Her outer garment dropped to her ankles and she stepped out of the cloud of fabric.

His chest rose and f
ell rapidly, heightening her desire.

She released the bow of her shift, eased her fingers inside, and stretched the opening until only her shoulders supported the linen material
.

He swallowed hard
then threw off his shirt and his leggings.

Sarah
lowered her gaze to his navel. She saw and heard his quick breaths. Allowing her attention to wander on, she stared at his breech-cloth. Seeing the tie on the side, she boldly reached over and released the last restraint. The deerskin fell to the ground. Even his magnificent body had not prepared her for the vision she saw. They had made love before, but the water had disguised his grandeur. Throwing all thoughts aside, she placed her hand on him and reveled in his size and splendor.

At her touc
h, he pushed away her shift …the last material barrier. A few moments later, he grasped her to him.

She stood on her toes and their bodies fit together
. Intense longing surged through her. Placing her hands on either side of his jaw, she kissed him, allowing her tongue to explore the interior of his mouth, showing him how much she wanted to complete what she had started.

He picked her up and carried her to the bearskin
. The thick, soft fur surrounded her, adding to her sensual pleasure. She lay on her back and stared but could see only the shadow of Wolf ringed by a heaven of stars. "I want thee," she whispered.

"And you shall have me
." Leaning over her, his head blocked her view of the night sky, but his kiss carried her there. The tips of his fingers stroked first one nipple and then the other. Under his nurturing, they hardened.

She sought his and returned the pleasure
.

Their lips parted
. His hand slid across her stomach, while his mouth claimed her breasts.  Arching her back, she sought to place more of herself within his grasp. When she moved, his hand slipped between her legs and captured the essence of her desire.

Aware of the child sleeping only a few feet away, she fought to control the moan rising from her throat by interlacing her fingers in his short, silky hair
.

"You are so beautiful," he said, while licking and teasing her navel
.

She needed to possess more of him than just his scalp lock
. Her hands found the flame that would feed and quench her ache.

He moaned softly
"This is the drink of life," he said then claimed her womanhood.

She shifted so his manhood stood directly over her
. Without hesitation, she took him.

Sweet moments of ecstasy bombarded her and sent a hail of wonderful sensations careening through her, but her goal still stretched beyond her reach
. Releasing him, she whispered, "Make us one."

Moments later, he buried his shaft deep within her moisture valley then covered her face and ears with kisses
. She bit his shoulder to keep from crying out and lifted her buttocks to give him greater entrance. Shards of pleasure shot through her as she soared to the heavens and exploded like a falling star.