clouds and captured the faces of the giant sunflowers in a flare of splendor. Sage couldn't have commanded a more beautiful day, and for some reason it seemed oddly important that today be perfect.
Wanapaya arched his neck back and looked skyward. "I never thought to see this again—a bird in flight, the blue sky or drifting clouds."
"There's more to see." She took his hand, pulled him into the dark shadows of the forest. Thunder rolled, not overhead, but through her.
Muted light, softened by branches of long-needled pines and massive oaks fell over the enchanted clearing. She knew he approved by the stillness that found him. He took in the scene, his dark eyes roving left to right, canopy to leaf-strewn floor. "I am rewarded again to have lived another day."
"Come, I brought lunch."
They settled onto a patch of silky grass and pine needles. Sage untied the linen napkin and removed the contents—two apples, thick chunks of cheese, and several pieces of crusty bread.
They ate in silence except for the nearby call from a mourning dove. "It is the dove's call, do you hear it?" she asked.
He nodded and looked toward the sound.
"They choose only one mate for life."
"I have read this."
"Ah, not only do you speak our language, but you can read?"
"The children of my village learn to read when they are young." He took a bite from the apple, and Sage wondered how one could look so beautiful while eating. "Long ago, the white traders brought the missionaries into our village. They built schools and convinced the elders to send the children. The Winnebago speak three languages¾English, French and Siouan."
"What does the name, Wanapaya, mean?"
"In the white man's tongue, it means Pursuer, a name given to me at birth."
A chuckle left her lips. "What did they want you to pursue when you grew up?"
"Food." He laughed with her. "The People count on me to track and hunt their food. I was hunting before you found me by the water."
Recalling his life's blood seeping into the ground beneath him, a shudder passed through her. "I'm glad I found you."
His face took on a serious countenance. "Now I am indebted to you."
"Oh, no." She waved her hand between them. "You most certainly are not."
"But I am; it is our way." He leaned forward and touched her arm. "We begin now. Tell me what you wish for."
She felt the warm touch of his hand on her skin and the soft whisper of his breath near her cheek. The world swam. What she wished for, she dare not say. His gaze held hers and she heard the mad beating of her heart. Maybe his too. She couldn't explain her feelings, didn't have the knowledge or the wherewithal to understand them. She knew only when he left he'd take a part of her with him.
His eyes dazzled her. The rich scent of earth, pinecones and his masculine scent engulfed her. She’d prayed for him to come and now he’d become her bane in life. Her fingers found their way to his clean, sleek hair, and before she knew it, he pulled her to him.
His hot mouth melded with hers. She thought she knew his body after looking at length while he lay in her bed, but nothing had prepared her for the absolute strength and draw of it. She wanted him and he wanted her, yet to know his love only to surrender it would be the end of her.
His tongue parted her lips. The act nearly undid her. She wound her arms about his neck and moaned against his hot mouth. With a gentle push to her shoulder, her back met the forest floor and his body followed her down. She bore his weight, felt every hard muscle move against her, press her into the hard ground. His knee slid between her legs, pushing her dress up and parting her thighs.
The act about to transpire was no stranger to her. She had learned more than most by watching animals mate, yet had never experienced such intimacy. She didn't fear the act, but the aftermath. How easy to surrender, allow him to vanquish her, carry in her heart forever the memory of his possession, the sweetness of his love.
Wanapaya arched his neck back and looked skyward. "I never thought to see this again—a bird in flight, the blue sky or drifting clouds."
"There's more to see." She took his hand, pulled him into the dark shadows of the forest. Thunder rolled, not overhead, but through her.
Muted light, softened by branches of long-needled pines and massive oaks fell over the enchanted clearing. She knew he approved by the stillness that found him. He took in the scene, his dark eyes roving left to right, canopy to leaf-strewn floor. "I am rewarded again to have lived another day."
"Come, I brought lunch."
They settled onto a patch of silky grass and pine needles. Sage untied the linen napkin and removed the contents—two apples, thick chunks of cheese, and several pieces of crusty bread.
They ate in silence except for the nearby call from a mourning dove. "It is the dove's call, do you hear it?" she asked.
He nodded and looked toward the sound.
"They choose only one mate for life."
"I have read this."
"Ah, not only do you speak our language, but you can read?"
"The children of my village learn to read when they are young." He took a bite from the apple, and Sage wondered how one could look so beautiful while eating. "Long ago, the white traders brought the missionaries into our village. They built schools and convinced the elders to send the children. The Winnebago speak three languages¾English, French and Siouan."
"What does the name, Wanapaya, mean?"
"In the white man's tongue, it means Pursuer, a name given to me at birth."
A chuckle left her lips. "What did they want you to pursue when you grew up?"
"Food." He laughed with her. "The People count on me to track and hunt their food. I was hunting before you found me by the water."
Recalling his life's blood seeping into the ground beneath him, a shudder passed through her. "I'm glad I found you."
His face took on a serious countenance. "Now I am indebted to you."
"Oh, no." She waved her hand between them. "You most certainly are not."
"But I am; it is our way." He leaned forward and touched her arm. "We begin now. Tell me what you wish for."
She felt the warm touch of his hand on her skin and the soft whisper of his breath near her cheek. The world swam. What she wished for, she dare not say. His gaze held hers and she heard the mad beating of her heart. Maybe his too. She couldn't explain her feelings, didn't have the knowledge or the wherewithal to understand them. She knew only when he left he'd take a part of her with him.
His eyes dazzled her. The rich scent of earth, pinecones and his masculine scent engulfed her. She’d prayed for him to come and now he’d become her bane in life. Her fingers found their way to his clean, sleek hair, and before she knew it, he pulled her to him.
His hot mouth melded with hers. She thought she knew his body after looking at length while he lay in her bed, but nothing had prepared her for the absolute strength and draw of it. She wanted him and he wanted her, yet to know his love only to surrender it would be the end of her.
His tongue parted her lips. The act nearly undid her. She wound her arms about his neck and moaned against his hot mouth. With a gentle push to her shoulder, her back met the forest floor and his body followed her down. She bore his weight, felt every hard muscle move against her, press her into the hard ground. His knee slid between her legs, pushing her dress up and parting her thighs.
The act about to transpire was no stranger to her. She had learned more than most by watching animals mate, yet had never experienced such intimacy. She didn't fear the act, but the aftermath. How easy to surrender, allow him to vanquish her, carry in her heart forever the memory of his possession, the sweetness of his love.
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