Runaway Bride (22 page)

"Savannah...I had to...."

"You–you called Chad? Why would you do
such a thing?" she moved away, because being this close to him was
unbearable, and yet exciting in the same breath.

He went back to the fire, as though he
knew she was upset with him and he couldn't tolerate her being
upset with him. "Because I had to know what you are all about.
Because you stirred things in me, I couldn't face. Because I care
about you, and I wanted to know the truth."

"And...did he tell you?" she held her
breath again.

"Yeah, he told me," his voice rattled
with strange emotions.

"He must hate me," Savannah closed her
eyes and tried to keep her tears from falling at the same
time.

"Quite the contrary, he loves you.
You're easy to love Savannah."

When she didn't say anything he went
on, "He told me he was gay, and that he was so happy that he was
finally able to say it aloud."

Savannah opened her eyes and looked at
the glowing fire, and when she did she saw Ben's face, so serious,
and yet so handsome. "He's happy...now?"

"I think he is. He said once he was
able to say it aloud, he felt freed."

Savannah smiled sadly, "Thank
God...."

"I'm sorry I called him in a way, but
the way it turned out, it seems it was for the best."

She nodded slowly, "You actually helped
him through a difficult time."

"Yeah, well, he helped me a bit
too."

Savannah moved closer to the fire now,
"How?"

He didn't look at her, "I've been
struggling with my own feelings, Savannah. I've known for some
time, just how much I wanted you...but the things you've done, the
way you've been, I wasn't sure about getting involved. We haven't
known each other very long."

When she didn't say anything he
continued with mock seriousness, "You seemed quite the little
nymph, to me."

"The saloon thing, you
mean?"

"That...and getting on that bus, in
practically nothing, trying to walk down the aisle with that camera
equipment, cleaning your teeth in broad daylight," his voice seemed
to suppress laughter.

"Well...I was running away, and trying
to look at least as though I had a brain functioning at the time.
Although, I'll admit I wasn't really thinking at all." she defended
coming to stand just in front of him.

He took her hand, and gently pulled her
down so he could look into her eyes. He studied her
intently.

"I knew you were trouble the minute I
laid eyes on you," he teased her gently.

"Trouble? I didn't know what trouble
was, till I met you!" she firmed her lips and pretended an anger
she was far from feeling.

"Really?" his voice
softened.

"You hand cuffed me, remember?" she
made a mock frown.

His eyes raked her entire form, taking
in the sundress he had admired earlier in the day. His finger began
to play against the softness of her skin, first down her arm, then
down her cheek.

"I didn't know what else to do with
you. There you stood in all your glory announcing how you were
going to get your car fixed, have something to eat, and go to your
aunt's house."

She rolled her eyes, and his nose met
hers, his lips were a mere breath away. She didn't breathe, didn't
move. She was mesmerized first by the look in those oh so brown
eyes, then by the sound of his soft, gentle voice.

"You were trouble..." he saw the smile
that quickly faded, and he grinned, "But you were my trouble. From
the very beginning."

The intensity of his gaze warmed
her.

"When you walked into that saloon, and
brazenly flirted with those boys, I wanted to take you over my knee
and spank you good. Then...I wanted to take you to my bed and make
you realize I was the only man you needed to flirt
with."

Her mouth opened and it was all the
invitation he needed, he covered it with his own. Like a warm
blanket, moving gently to get into just the right place, his lips
tantalized hers till she was dizzy from wants and needs she had
never experienced before.

He broke away and nearly laughed, "You
really shouldn't melt in a man's arms like that, honey."

"I'm not melting," she objected, but he
smothered her next protest with a sizzling kiss that weakened her
enough to make her pliant in his arms, and silently admit he was
right. She was melting.

"Oh yes you are," he chuckled lightly
into her ear, his breath sending rivets of reactions through her.
"If you were any more willing, we'd be in bed, right
now."

She backed away, just a bit, to look
into his face, wondering if he was mocking her, or merely being
cute. "You're very sure of yourself, aren't you,
Sheriff?"

He cast her a humorous but tender
glance, "I've never been surer..."

And he proceeded to kiss her lingering
doubts away.

Breathless and confused by her own
wanton body, she came up for air.

"I told you once; I wouldn't sleep with
you..."

"Hm..mm, you sure did," he growled
pulling her back into the protection of his arms.

He kissed her nose, her cheeks, her
eyelids, and back to her mouth that had softened once more and
invited his caress.

"I meant it," she barely whispered,
when his hands went over her gently, and he nuzzled her neck until
she was on fire for him.

His lips made a trail of fire all the
way down the front of her dress. Her breast swelled against him as
he pushed the offending material away and captured the rosy peak in
his mouth. She whimpered like a child, and then her body arched
against him.

Suddenly he moved away from her, got to
his feet, and turned completely away.

Confused by his actions, ashamed of her
own reactions, she covered herself and slinked up against the wall.
Her breathing was anything but normal. She could feel her pulse
throbbing through her body, and the strange, bewildering fire he
had built inside her was consuming all rational thoughts. She
wanted him, and he wanted her. But something was wrong...was he
rejecting her?

"Did–did I do something wrong?" she
asked with a broken huskiness to her voice.

He shook his head, and sighed aloud,
"Not wrong....just not good timing."

She leaned against the wall, in her
misery of not having him; she let the silent rejection flow over
her, calming her, cooling her.

"I–I don't understand," she
began.

"I know you don't. Look..." he turned
to look at her and moved towards her, then thinking better of it,
moved away again. "You stay there, I'll stay here...we need to
talk."

Frustrated, she drew breath,
"Okay..."

"Savannah," he looked at her again,
this time with the same desire she was feeling, "I've come to a
sudden conclusion with you."

"Oh," she tried to relax, and quell the
fires his gazes lit, "what?"

"Don't look at me like that," he put
his hand to his head and turned away again.

"Like what?" she barely
uttered.

"Like you wanted to be made love to,"
he snapped.

She swallowed, again ashamed of her own
responses to this man. "I'm...sorry."

He whipped about to look at her, "Don't
be sorry, honey. What you are feeling right now is perfectly
natural."

"It is?"

"Yes, it is," he said and came closer,
only to back up again.

"Ben...I don't understand any of this.
What's wrong?"

He moved so she could see him, see the
desire in his eyes, feel the heat of his body, "I know you don't,
and that's exactly what's wrong."

"You aren't making much sense," she
began, again frustrated.

"Now that's where you are wrong, honey.
I'm making better sense, than I ever have." He came up to her now,
and held her against him, then pushing her only an arm's distance
away he explained, "You're just so damned innocent. What I like
about you, what I've always liked about you is your strong sense of
moral character. You are the one woman that has put me in my place.
You were right, I was wrong."

Trying to turn away from him she
couldn't understand him. "What are you saying, Ben?"

"The same thing you were saying a
minute ago, that I won't take you to bed. I won't make love to
you."

To be rejected for another man, was one
thing, to be rejected because of her own innocence was humiliating.
She wasn't sophisticated enough for the great Ben Hogg?

"Fine, then take me home," she wailed
in misery.

"I–I can't do that either," he shook
with some kind of fury within him.

"Why not?"

"That little bridge you crossed to get
here, it's overflowing, it always overflows when there is a heavy
rain, it's impassable. We are stuck here for the night."

"You're kidding!"

"Not on your life," his breathing
seemed labored.

"And being stuck with me, makes you
miserable?" she wailed again.

"Yes," he came up to her.

If he saw the hurt in her eyes, he
didn't acknowledge it. Instead he moved away, so far, she didn't
know where he was. Sounds came from different areas of the room,
but she couldn't see him well enough, the fire was dying down and
only a faint flicker sent shadows about the room.

Finally, he called to her, "Come
here."

"What...."

"I made a make shift bed, it's an old
quilt, but it will keep you from a chill. Get some
sleep."

She glanced down at the pallet he had
made on the floor. Then back up at him, "What about
you?"

"I'll sleep by the fire, and keep it
going," he motioned for her to lay down.

"Ben...I'm sorry," she pulled at his
arm, but he gently moved away.

"Get some sleep," he
murmured.

Sleep was the last thing on her mind.
Here she was with the man she loved, and she was three feet away.
When what she really wanted was to make love all night. Admitting
it wasn't hard, but living with it was. She had never been with a
man before, and she was as naive about men as he had accused of her
of being. But at twenty-six, she thought it was time to make some
heavy decisions.

She and Ben might never have another
chance to be together. One night of bliss was enough, if it was
with the right person she silently vowed, but somehow things had
turned around. Now Ben was being the ultimate gentleman, refusing
what she offered him. And why?

He said he had wanted her, before. Had
that changed?

She stared at him through the dim light
till her eyes closed in complete frustration.

* * *

Dawn brought new awareness, as Ben woke
to find her curled against his legs, her hand resting on his knee.
She looked beautiful lying there. How he wanted to take her into
his arms, comfort her and be with her. But something had come over
him last night as he kissed her. This went beyond mere physical
lust for a woman. He felt protective of her, and no one, was going
to take advantage of Savannah. Including himself.

After all, it was obvious from the way
she melted in his arms that she couldn't be held responsible for
her actions. He had to be a gentleman if he really cared for
her.

"Face it, you’re in love with her," he
mumbled as he gently moved her head from his leg and went to the
kitchen to find something he could make coffee in. He kept instant
coffee in his car, all he had to do was go out and get it and at
least they would have that.

"What did you say?" she demanded right
behind him.

"I–I didn't say anything. What are you
doing up?"

"I woke up, the sun always wakes me
up," she smiled. "I can't believe that it's so beautiful after a
storm."

"I see you got a good night’s sleep."
he remarked drily.

"And I see you didn't." she
giggled.

"I'll be fine after I get a cup of
coffee." he admitted, "I've got some instant in the car, I'll be
right back."

She nodded, and went to the sink to
wash her hands and face.

He ignored the fact that she looked
even more beautiful in the morning sun. He needed coffee, and
quick.

"So, the sun is shining, I guess the
water will go down soon and we can get back, huh?" She asked
innocently.

"Give it an hour or two and it should."
He continued to busy himself with the coffee, as she
watched.

"Can you cook?" he asked trying to keep
the conversation light.

"A little, nothing fancy," she
admitted.

"That's okay, we'll stop off at a café
on the way in and have breakfast," he smiled.

"I'm starved," she said glancing about
the old house with interest.