He looked away.
Analisa felt her stomach knot. Caleb turned to face her again, and she raised her head off of her arms to look directly into his eyes.
“Analisa, I can’t tell you anything yet about what I’m doing out here. I hope I’ll be able to explain when I get back.”
“Are you out of the law?”
He stared for a moment trying to make sense out of her question. “You mean an outlaw?”
She nodded.
He could see by the fear creeping into her eyes that she was afraid he would admit that he was. “No, Analisa. I’m not an outlaw. I’d tell you all about myself if I could. As it is, though, you’ll just have to trust me. If you were worried, why didn’t you ask me anything before now?”
“It’s for you to tell me. You never asked about Kase. I’ve tried not to ask about you.”
“Today I found out about Kase.”
It was her turn to look away.
“Analisa, listen to me. It doesn’t matter to me what happened to you in the past ... Do you believe that?”
She nodded but refused to look at him.
“I’m surprised you don’t hate all Indians, after what happened to you. I wouldn’t blame you if you never wanted ...” Caleb found himself backed into a very tight corner. He picked up a blade of grass, twirled it between his fingers, and then tossed it away. “Let’s just say I’ll give you all the time you need. We can talk about it when I get back.”
She looked at him again and, seeing the questions in his eyes, tried to explain. “I can’t blame all for the acts of a few. My son is Indian. I know how deep the white hatred runs.” She was thinking of Kase and they both knew it. “Each man must be judged on his own, if one dares to judge. I can’t even remember what the man looked like. I was spared the memory when I was knocked unconscious. When I woke up, all I saw was his knife. He meant to kill me, but I struggled so hard he only cut me.”
Caleb rose and with two easy strides stood next to her. She lowered her eyes and studied the silver-gray snakeskin of his boots. When he remained silent, standing so near, Analisa looked up along the columns of his long legs, past the broad wall of his chest, to his eyes, burning with crystal intensity. He held out his hand, and placing her fingers in his warm palm, Analisa allowed him to pull her up beside him. They stood toe to toe.
A bird called out its sweet song from somewhere overhead. She was drawn toward Caleb, moving without moving, leaning into him as he leaned toward her, his head lowered to accommodate her height, drawn to her lips as a man who thirsts for water is drawn to a stream.
It was gentle, that first kiss, as gentle as the sound of the water in the creek sliding over the smooth stones. Caleb’s lips touched Analisa’s for a moment and then drew away, only to return a heartbeat later and linger this time. She let his lips capture hers without returning the kiss as yet, merely savoring such close contact with another being. He still held her hand. She could feel his fingers tighten as they laced between hers. As this last sweet kiss ended, his fingers lessened their hold until Caleb released her hand, only to wrap his arms around her, pressing his palms into her shoulderblades, enfolding her against the hard wall of his chest.
This time his lips met hers with little of their former gentleness. Hot, demanding, Caleb’s kiss forced Analisa to realize this was not a dream. As his mouth moved over hers, his tongue seeking entrance, Analisa began to feel an overwhelming need rising within her. A slow heat spread throughout her body, its origin the very core of her womanhood.
He buried his hands in the thickness of her hair and urged her head back, arching her neck as his mouth worked its magic against hers. Analisa’s lips parted, wanting more from Caleb’s kiss, needing to ease the ache that was pulsating through her with the ferocity of a summer storm. She clung to Caleb’s strong form, caught up in the fury of his passion.
Analisa felt her stomach knot. Caleb turned to face her again, and she raised her head off of her arms to look directly into his eyes.
“Analisa, I can’t tell you anything yet about what I’m doing out here. I hope I’ll be able to explain when I get back.”
“Are you out of the law?”
He stared for a moment trying to make sense out of her question. “You mean an outlaw?”
She nodded.
He could see by the fear creeping into her eyes that she was afraid he would admit that he was. “No, Analisa. I’m not an outlaw. I’d tell you all about myself if I could. As it is, though, you’ll just have to trust me. If you were worried, why didn’t you ask me anything before now?”
“It’s for you to tell me. You never asked about Kase. I’ve tried not to ask about you.”
“Today I found out about Kase.”
It was her turn to look away.
“Analisa, listen to me. It doesn’t matter to me what happened to you in the past ... Do you believe that?”
She nodded but refused to look at him.
“I’m surprised you don’t hate all Indians, after what happened to you. I wouldn’t blame you if you never wanted ...” Caleb found himself backed into a very tight corner. He picked up a blade of grass, twirled it between his fingers, and then tossed it away. “Let’s just say I’ll give you all the time you need. We can talk about it when I get back.”
She looked at him again and, seeing the questions in his eyes, tried to explain. “I can’t blame all for the acts of a few. My son is Indian. I know how deep the white hatred runs.” She was thinking of Kase and they both knew it. “Each man must be judged on his own, if one dares to judge. I can’t even remember what the man looked like. I was spared the memory when I was knocked unconscious. When I woke up, all I saw was his knife. He meant to kill me, but I struggled so hard he only cut me.”
Caleb rose and with two easy strides stood next to her. She lowered her eyes and studied the silver-gray snakeskin of his boots. When he remained silent, standing so near, Analisa looked up along the columns of his long legs, past the broad wall of his chest, to his eyes, burning with crystal intensity. He held out his hand, and placing her fingers in his warm palm, Analisa allowed him to pull her up beside him. They stood toe to toe.
A bird called out its sweet song from somewhere overhead. She was drawn toward Caleb, moving without moving, leaning into him as he leaned toward her, his head lowered to accommodate her height, drawn to her lips as a man who thirsts for water is drawn to a stream.
It was gentle, that first kiss, as gentle as the sound of the water in the creek sliding over the smooth stones. Caleb’s lips touched Analisa’s for a moment and then drew away, only to return a heartbeat later and linger this time. She let his lips capture hers without returning the kiss as yet, merely savoring such close contact with another being. He still held her hand. She could feel his fingers tighten as they laced between hers. As this last sweet kiss ended, his fingers lessened their hold until Caleb released her hand, only to wrap his arms around her, pressing his palms into her shoulderblades, enfolding her against the hard wall of his chest.
This time his lips met hers with little of their former gentleness. Hot, demanding, Caleb’s kiss forced Analisa to realize this was not a dream. As his mouth moved over hers, his tongue seeking entrance, Analisa began to feel an overwhelming need rising within her. A slow heat spread throughout her body, its origin the very core of her womanhood.
He buried his hands in the thickness of her hair and urged her head back, arching her neck as his mouth worked its magic against hers. Analisa’s lips parted, wanting more from Caleb’s kiss, needing to ease the ache that was pulsating through her with the ferocity of a summer storm. She clung to Caleb’s strong form, caught up in the fury of his passion.
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