brought her lips to his ear and whispered softly, as her fingers kneaded the firm muscles of his chest, "Are you sure your thoughts are pure, warrior?"
He wanted her. Oh, hell. He wanted her in a way he'd never wanted another woman in his life. His body burned. He drew in a deep breath as he moved his hand up her back. Taking a handful of her hair he slowly pulled her head away from his neck and lowered his lips to her ear. He whispered her name, and he felt her tense.
For all of his traitorous body's response, James knew this was another battle of wills. His anger flared almost as hot as his lust for her. She tested him again and again, but her actions would backfire. He was not the only one affected by her vicious teasing.
As he traced the lobe of her ear with his tongue he felt her shiver. His hardened body surged with need in response. He pulled her closer and pushed himself against her. Shock wave after shock wave of sheer desire pounded from the core of his being to his groin.
He slid his free hand down the outside of her thigh and slowly moved it over the top of her leg to rest his searching fingers on the inside of her knee. As he nibbled at her ear, he pushed her legs apart and slid his hand to the top edge of her leggings. There he gently caressed the tender part of her inner thigh. Inch by inch he moved upward.
A soft moan escaped from between her lips, and he fought for control. Her fingers closed over his and she pulled, trying to bring his hand higher.
Every nerve in his body screamed for him to continue. He was so close, it would be so easy, but he forced his body to become passive, his breath to become slow and even.
***
New Moon immediately became aware of the change in him. When he spoke, she shivered at the cold, calculating way he said each word.
"The way I see it, Little Wa-sa."
His words cut into her like a sharp knife. He was going to reject her again. But this time would be worse. The emotion she heard in his voice was anger, not the barely contained desire she had heard before.
"I could either break purification and return to the village in disgrace," he continued coldly, "or I could drop you on your pretty little backside and let you avenge your damned blood lust the best way you know how."
The next thing New Moon knew, James dumped her to the ground and strode casually away. Her fingers gripped the ground as anger and pain welled up within her heart. For the second time he'd played with her, proved to her that he was more in control of her body than she was.
She lay down on the damp ground and knew there would be little sleep this night. The hollow ache in her belly grew. When she thought her heart could hold no more pain, the pale face of a beautiful young white woman floated in the darkness before her. She squeezed her eyes shut, but the face remained to haunt her in her dreams.
Chapter Ten
The fourth day found the war party traveling cautiously toward the lower Cherokee town of Keeowhee , located on a river of the same name.
James, though still with the war party, had not looked once in New Moon's direction. He was sure the other warriors would be thankful. They were closing in on their prey, which had proven to be as difficult to track and as deadly as Grandfather Snake. It was imperative that each warrior kept his mind on finding and following the signs, or risk endangering the entire party.
James was angry with himself for his cruelty the night before, angry and confused. He was angry with himself for allowing what he'd seen to affect the way he'd treated New Moon, and confused about her attitude toward him.
No woman had ever been so difficult for him to understand; or maybe it was his own emotions he was having difficulty with.
She was attracted to him; there was no doubt about that. So why then did he not take her on her own terms? The terms were not unfamiliar to him. Perhaps once he sated his lust he'd be able to think more clearly and see her as just another
He wanted her. Oh, hell. He wanted her in a way he'd never wanted another woman in his life. His body burned. He drew in a deep breath as he moved his hand up her back. Taking a handful of her hair he slowly pulled her head away from his neck and lowered his lips to her ear. He whispered her name, and he felt her tense.
For all of his traitorous body's response, James knew this was another battle of wills. His anger flared almost as hot as his lust for her. She tested him again and again, but her actions would backfire. He was not the only one affected by her vicious teasing.
As he traced the lobe of her ear with his tongue he felt her shiver. His hardened body surged with need in response. He pulled her closer and pushed himself against her. Shock wave after shock wave of sheer desire pounded from the core of his being to his groin.
He slid his free hand down the outside of her thigh and slowly moved it over the top of her leg to rest his searching fingers on the inside of her knee. As he nibbled at her ear, he pushed her legs apart and slid his hand to the top edge of her leggings. There he gently caressed the tender part of her inner thigh. Inch by inch he moved upward.
A soft moan escaped from between her lips, and he fought for control. Her fingers closed over his and she pulled, trying to bring his hand higher.
Every nerve in his body screamed for him to continue. He was so close, it would be so easy, but he forced his body to become passive, his breath to become slow and even.
***
New Moon immediately became aware of the change in him. When he spoke, she shivered at the cold, calculating way he said each word.
"The way I see it, Little Wa-sa."
His words cut into her like a sharp knife. He was going to reject her again. But this time would be worse. The emotion she heard in his voice was anger, not the barely contained desire she had heard before.
"I could either break purification and return to the village in disgrace," he continued coldly, "or I could drop you on your pretty little backside and let you avenge your damned blood lust the best way you know how."
The next thing New Moon knew, James dumped her to the ground and strode casually away. Her fingers gripped the ground as anger and pain welled up within her heart. For the second time he'd played with her, proved to her that he was more in control of her body than she was.
She lay down on the damp ground and knew there would be little sleep this night. The hollow ache in her belly grew. When she thought her heart could hold no more pain, the pale face of a beautiful young white woman floated in the darkness before her. She squeezed her eyes shut, but the face remained to haunt her in her dreams.
Chapter Ten
The fourth day found the war party traveling cautiously toward the lower Cherokee town of Keeowhee , located on a river of the same name.
James, though still with the war party, had not looked once in New Moon's direction. He was sure the other warriors would be thankful. They were closing in on their prey, which had proven to be as difficult to track and as deadly as Grandfather Snake. It was imperative that each warrior kept his mind on finding and following the signs, or risk endangering the entire party.
James was angry with himself for his cruelty the night before, angry and confused. He was angry with himself for allowing what he'd seen to affect the way he'd treated New Moon, and confused about her attitude toward him.
No woman had ever been so difficult for him to understand; or maybe it was his own emotions he was having difficulty with.
She was attracted to him; there was no doubt about that. So why then did he not take her on her own terms? The terms were not unfamiliar to him. Perhaps once he sated his lust he'd be able to think more clearly and see her as just another
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