Lone Star 05 (4 page)

“I haven't much liked any of the soldier boys I've met,” said Barbara. “But I like you an awful lot, Ki. I—I wish I could show you how much I ‘ppreciate what you did for me back there at the office—saving my life and all.”

“A man is not a man who does not come to the aid of a beautiful woman in trouble.” He read the invitation in her eyes. And he felt the growing need within him. “I should like to have your company at dinner, Barbara,” he went on. “I would consider it an honor if you joined me.”

“That's nice of you to ask.” She thought about it for a moment and agreed. Running a hand through her soft hair, she felt for out-of-place strands and reminded herself to glance in a mirror the first chance she got, to see that she looked presentable. The tussle with the outlaw had shaken her up a bit, but right now she felt fine. She would follow wherever Ki led.

 

In fact, he led her to his room, where they soon found themselves on his bed with no thought of food. Scarlet-gold sunlight slanted through the windows as they lay entwined on the sheets, locked in a deep kiss.

Ki held her tightly and tried to reach for her soul with his tongue. Barbara responded urgently, allowing him to take total command of her mind and body. She wanted this strange man as she had never wanted a man before. There had been other men, a few, but with them she had not experienced anything like this. Ki's lithe, muscular body, his quick mind, his Oriental handsomeness all combined to entrance the girl.

They undressed each other. She marveled at his smooth, tense musculature, his golden-tinted skin, and his scrupulous cleanliness. The other men she had been with, she recalled, smelled less than pleasant. But Ki was different—in so many ways. Her hands followed the contours of his chest and trunk, exploring his firm shoulders and the curve of his back, finally seeking out the prize that sprung from the thick black thatch between his legs.

Ki, for his part, also appreciated this girl's clean, perfectly rounded body; her breasts were ample and firm, her waist tapered inward before the sensuous flare of her hips, her legs sculpted as if from white marble. He looked into her eyes ... and he could not refuse.

They lay on the bed for a long time, finding out the secrets of their bodies. The girl then made the first move, impelled by a craving from deep inside her. She brought her lips to his, and they kissed hungrily. Ki brought her lips apart with his tongue and sent it writhing into her mouth. She accepted it, answering with her own, and their tongues entwined wetly. Ki set the pace, continuing the delicious kiss, not hurrying for a second on the path toward fulfillment. He wanted to enjoy each moment, each sensation, before moving on to a new pleasure. It was the way of the Orient, the way of deliberate, practiced lovemaking—the way, he knew, to win a woman's heart as well as her body.

Barbara pushed him away to catch her breath. Her face was flushed prettily, her eyes sparkling. “Gosh, Ki—where did you learn how to kiss like that?”

“In my homeland. A warrior takes pride in his conquests on the field of battle and in the maiden's bed—he learns how to please a woman as well as handle the
katana
.”

“Katana?”
She wrinkled her freckled nose in puzzlement over another new word.

“The long sword of the samurai,” he explained.

“
This
long sword?” she asked coquettishly, stroking the long, curved weapon that jutted from his groin.

Ki smiled. “One should know his
katana
as intimately as he knows this other weapon, yes.”

She stroked his erect manhood, then pulled her hands away abruptly. “Oh, Ki—I don't want you to think I do this with every man I meet. There have been others—a few. You see, a woman out here—”

Ki placed his finger on her lips and silenced her. “A beautiful woman need never explain herself. She has the privilege of remaining silent if she so wishes, and allowing that silence to speak for her.”

The girl hugged him. “Thank you,” she murmured. “You're special, Ki.”

But Ki did not hear her. He slid down beside her, his lips caressing her flesh. He burned a trail down her neck, over her chest, to the twin peaks of her breasts. Now, with his tongue, he painted mystical patterns there before taking a budding pink nipple into his mouth. She shuddered and then stiffened for a moment, and then relaxed to enjoy him fondling and sucking her. He lightly bit on the roseate nipple and felt her start. She was inexperienced, he thought, and yet she knew what pleased her, as all women do. She allowed him to take control, trusting him.

With his free hand, Ki explored the silky smoothness of her inner thigh. Her skin was marvelous to the touch, like the finest silk from the Japans, or the smoothest porcelain from China—yet much warmer. His fingertips stroked her there and touched lightly at the love nest at the juncture of her pale thighs. Then, with a single finger, he opened her nether lips, which were moist with anticipation. He probed gently there until he found the small button of flesh that sealed the secret treasure of every woman. She shuddered at his touch. Slowly, ever so slowly, he rubbed it, sliding his strong finger up and down, feeling the wetness increase. He brought her to the brink with his sure, even massage, and then pulled back.

Barbara stifled a cry and looked down at him. Ki put his arms beneath her and lifted her further up onto the bed, until her head rested on the pillow and her navel was even with his face. He gave a playful flick of the tongue to her belly button, and she laughed.

Then, with more serious intent, he lowered his head, spreading her legs at the same time. When she realized what he was doing, she said, “No, Ki! You mustn‘t!”

Ki did not answer, continuing his sweet journey, his tongue poised to taste her dripping essence.

“Stop that, Ki!” she insisted. “You can't. Don‘t—”

But the intrepid warrior-lover would not retreat an inch. He buried his head in her steaming sex and teased and tortured her with his tongue. The girl bucked and squirmed under his ministrations. She nearly screamed as he licked her, swirling in and out of her flesh.

Finally she cried out, “Oh, yes, yes, that feels so nice! Yes, I've never—” But she ran out of words and gave herself up to a quivering, completely shattering climax. Hot bolts of satisfaction warmed her from head to toe.

Ki could feel her body registering the orgasm, and it gave him pleasure to see her beautiful face upturned, her mouth open but eloquently silent. He kissed her legs, working his way down to her feet, and heard her giggle.

“Really!” she excaimed. “You do the strangest things to a girl. I'd like to visit that faraway place you come from. Ouch!” He bit at her toes. “Stop that. It feels funny.”

“No part of the body deserves to be ignored. I want to love all of you.”

“Well, first I want to love you the regular way.”

Ki raised himself up over her, planting his strong arms at her shoulders. He kissed her full on the mouth, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down. His chest crushed her soft, generous breasts as he rested his weight upon her. Their lips melded hotly as her fingers groped for the tumescent sword. Then she found it and guided it into her sheath. She was ready for him and he slid in easily, nearly to the hilt.

Barbara gasped. “God, that's wonderful, Ki. There's so much of you.”

“I am greater because I desire you.” He thrust strongly into her. The length of his shaft was buried in her velvet wetness. “I will give you all of me.”

“Yes, oh, yes. Please ...”

Slowly, Ki withdrew nearly to the tip, then pushed it in again. He repeated this movement several times before he increased the speed of his movements. The girl lifted her legs high into the air to give all of herself to him in return. He filled her to her depths, and she took it willingly.

Sweat beaded on his forehead as he struggled to control his rhythm. He wanted to bring her along again before he came; he wanted her to share her second climax with him. She tried to meet his thrusts, begging him with her hips to do it harder.

Their bodies burned together, Ki pumping strongly, the girl answering his strokes with deep-felt sighs. As she had told him, never before had she experienced a lover like this man. He brought her alive, every bit of her, and she let him work his will on her. She gave herself up with abandon.

“Yes, I want you, please ... Ki, make me feel it.”

Her words drifted through a fog of heat to his brain. Clutching at him, in the core of his being, was a powerful fist of lust. It possessed him as he made love to her, but his iron discipline did not leave him even now. With every stroke, he knew she too felt the desire building, nearing eruption.

Then, gripping them both at the same time, the wrenching orgasm took hold. She felt him explode as a flashing wave crashed over her. They bucked against each other, flesh meeting searing flesh.

After a minute it was over. Again they lay in each other's arms on the bed, naked, exhausted, holding each other close. Ki, still inside her, still hard, did not want to pull out. Not just yet. Nor did she allow him to. Barbara grasped his firm buttocks and held him there.

“Don't leave me,” she whispered.

“No,” he assured her, fingering her fine hair and kissing her on her forehead.

Finally, as they rocked slowly together, he grew softer. She reached down and fingered the base of his shaft. It stiffened and she smiled.

“You are a man, Ki. Oh, you feel so good. I want to keep you here with me always.” She nuzzled against his neck.

“I can never stay in one place for long. I am a wanderer, I serve my master. That is my life.”

“Your master? You mean that pretty lady you were with today?”

Ki chuckled at the golden-haired girl's innocence. “I serve her, yes. But my master is dead—her father. Together we serve his memory. To us, he lives.”

“Who was he?”

Ki explained to her who Alex Starbuck was, and how he had met his death. She listened with interest and sympathy. She knew Starbuck must have been a great man to win Ki's loyalty, even in death.

“But are you going to spend your whole life seeking revenge?” she wondered. Already she felt the pangs of loneliness his absence would bring.

“As much of my life as I have to. It is the only way I have left to serve him.”

“I was so frightened today, Ki—when those men tried to kill you. Others will try if you go on like this. I don't want them to kill you.”

“We all must die someday. I do not invite it, but I am prepared for death. And the cause I fight for is worth more than my life.”

“I don't understand you,” she confessed.

As the soft rays of the dying sun struggled into his room, Ki thought that sometimes he did not understand himself, either. Yet only one way seemed to him to be the proper way—and that was the trail he was following, riding with Jessica Starbuck to avenge the death of her father. Now, with the rumor that there was another Starbuck, the boy in Skyler, that mission had taken on a different meaning. His
karma
was tied to Jessie‘s, and whatever the next days and weeks held for her, he must be at her side. He looked at the girl who lay with him now. As beautiful and tender and loving as she was, even she could not hold him here.

“It is not a matter for understanding,” said Ki. “It is just the way I am.” He looked directly into her eyes. The girl was frank and bright, as well as pretty. Ki decided to ask her about something that had bothered him all day long. “Barbara, that telegram for Mr. Elkin today—did you read it?”

“I couldn't help it—it was right there and—”

“I'm not accusing you of anything. I was wondering whether your employer has ever received any similar messages.”

“From Skyler? Oh, yes, lots. There's always something going on out there. I think the company may have a mine out there or something. Mr. Elkin is always very interested in Skyler. More in the last few months. Some kind of business deal, I guess.”

“Do you know what it's about?” Ki asked.

She thought for a moment. “Not really. I don't get to see
all
the messages.”

“How is it, working for Elkin?” Ki went on.

“He's nice enough. Doesn't treat a girl bad, the way some men do.” She blushed. “He's not as nice as you.”

“Has he ever given you any reason to distrust him?”

“I don't think so. What do you mean, Ki?”

“I'm not certain I know, either. It is just a feeling I have about the man.”

With Provo now two days behind them, Ki and Jessie rode into Skyler. They approached from the west, their tired horses picking up at the sight and smell of human activity. Ki's senses, too, caused him to sit his saddle more upright, prepared for any eventuality.