The Complete Oregon Series, page 39
“Jacob?” Luke called after him. “Do you think you can take Nora and Amy with you?”
“No,” Nora said and clutched Luke’s sleeve before Jacob could answer. “You can send the others away but not me. Not me. We’re your family, and we’re not leaving you behind.” She sent a defiant glance in Bernice’s direction, daring her to object to the term “family.”
Bernice met her gaze but said nothing.
Luke studied Nora’s face as if gauging her determination. Then she sighed and nodded.
Nora watched as the other wagons slowly continued west. As the last formerly white wagon cover disappeared behind the dense wall of pines and firs, a sense of dread robbed Nora of breath.
“It’s just for one night,” Luke said and rubbed Nora’s shoulder. “All will be fine.”
Nora forced a smile. “I know.”
“Come on.” Luke swung the crying Amy up into her arms, instantly making the tears stop. “Let’s build you a nice, cozy nest in the wagon.”
The wagon was tilted to one side, standing on only three wheels. The provisions and tools inside had rolled to the side with the damaged wheel, so that left only enough space in the wagon for one person to sleep inside.
Nora put Amy to bed between the familiar contours of the pickle keg and a sack of flour while Luke cut down the branches of an alder to feed the oxen.
Wordlessly, they set up their tent next to the wagon.
Luke unrolled one of the bedrolls and covered it with their blankets and the remaining bedroll. She lay down on the bedroll and patted the remaining space next to her. “Come here. This is the only way of keeping halfway warm tonight.”
Nora slipped under the blankets, already shivering with the cold. She sensed the warmth of Luke’s skin and moved closer.
Luke’s arms settled around her.
Finally, Nora’s teeth stopped chattering as she slipped an arm around Luke’s waist.
“Maybe it’s for the best that the others are miles ahead of us,” Luke murmured. “If Bernice saw us, she wouldn’t like this.”
Nora cuddled even closer, feeling quite at home in the warm embrace. “No, she wouldn’t—but I do.”
Luke pressed her cheek against the crown of Nora’s head. “Hmm, me too.”
Nora lifted up on one hand to look into Luke’s eyes and noticed that her fingers rested on Luke’s chest. She felt the tight bandages that bound Luke’s breasts. “Isn’t that horribly uncomfortable? To live trapped in those wrappings every hour of every day of your life?”
“It’s a small price to pay.”
Nora studied the flat chest under her fingers. “Well, it certainly makes your disguise much more convincing. But what about…?” She trailed off, biting her lip.
“What?” Luke’s voice rumbled low and intimate right next to her ear.
They had developed that much trust between them that she could ask Luke anything, but still Nora couldn’t find the words. Instead, she slid her hand down from its place on Luke’s chest, tracing down a muscled abdomen and over a strong thigh. “What do you use to make this look convincing?” She pressed her palm against the area in question.
“Uh.” Luke’s low moan made goose bumps erupt all over Nora’s skin. Luke’s hand shot down and covered her own, staying there as if she wasn’t sure whether she should snatch Nora’s fingers away or press them closer against herself. “Careful.” She groaned.
Nora barely resisted the urge to feel around. “Is it some kind of prosthesis?” She had heard a few of the girls in Tess’s establishment whisper about such things.
“No. Just a little padding that I sewed into my pants.” Nora felt the heat of Luke’s cheek against her head as the experienced trail leader blushed like a young girl. “Could you move your hand away, please?” Luke’s voice was breathless and husky.
If the bulge that she so artfully displayed was just soft padding in her pants, Nora’s touch couldn’t have hurt her. So why was Luke sweating and trembling? Nora leaned over her to look into her eyes. The weight of her swollen belly pressed her hand more firmly against Luke.
With a growl, Luke surged forward and captured Nora’s lips in a rough kiss. The iron self-control that Nora had always admired finally shattered. With an almost desperate intensity, Luke’s mouth robbed her of breath while her hands were trying to be everywhere, do everything at once.
“Slow down.” Nora moved back an inch to study the wild expression on Luke’s face.
Luke snatched her hands away and sat up, all bodily contact between them gone. “S-sorry. I—”
“Oh, no!” Nora grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back down. “I’m through with this dance of one step forward, two steps back that we’ve been doing. I’m through with letting Bernice or social conventions dictate my actions. You taught me that I have the right and the skills to decide how I want to live my life—and whom I want to share it with. So this is my decision.” She faltered. “Unless, of course, you don’t want this…don’t want me.”
The answer was Luke’s lips covering her own again, this time without the desperate urgency, but with a more gentle passion.
At first, Nora reacted with the practiced response of a former prostitute, but Luke didn’t let her hide in her usual anonymity. Luke looked intently into Nora’s eyes, keeping eye contact as her trembling fingers began to work the tiny buttons of Nora’s bodice free.
Years of working in a brothel had left Nora anything but shy about nudity. Her body had been her most powerful instrument. But she hadn’t been nine months pregnant then, and she hadn’t been with someone whose own body was, in Nora’s opinion, as close to perfection as possible. When she had seen Luke’s body, she had been wounded and weak, but even then, Luke had reminded her of a picture of Artemis, goddess of the hunt, which she had seen in a book in her father’s library. Strong and muscular, with just a hint of softness that prevented her from appearing unyielding and hard. There was something untamed about her, yet tenderness glowed in her eyes.
When Luke stripped her free of bodice and skirt, Nora held her breath, waiting for Luke’s reaction.
Luke stopped and hovered over her.
“What is it?” Nora asked.
Luke looked back and forth between Nora’s belly and her face. “This won’t hurt the baby, will it?”
Nora slipped her fingers into Luke’s hair, lovingly fingering the soft, cool strands. She couldn’t help being touched by her thoughtfulness. “Don’t worry. The baby’s fine.”
“It won’t notice if we…when we…?” Luke awkwardly pointed between Nora and herself.
“I don’t think he or she can see through my skin, but if she can feel it, then at least she will know that she’ll be born into a loving family,” Nora said with a grin.
Luke barked out a surprised laugh.
“Relax,” Nora whispered. “Despite whatever Bernice might think about it, I came to believe that there is nothing to be ashamed of about this.” She slid her fingers down tense shoulders. “Let me—”
Luke’s nervous rigidity disappeared as she rolled around so that she was lying next to Nora, leaning over her on one elbow so she wouldn’t press against her belly. Her lips trailed down Nora’s neck and over her collarbone, then ghosted over her breasts in a whisperlike touch until they pressed a kiss against Nora’s bulging belly through the thin fabric of her chemise.
Nora had never had much patience with the awkward fumbling of her customers, but she found the trembling of Luke’s hands as she slipped the skirt down her hips endearing and sweet. How could something she had done so often feel so new and fresh, as if she had never shared her bed and her body with anyone before?
When Luke lifted the chemise over her head, Nora shivered in the cold mountain air. Then, in the next second, heat shot through her when Luke’s body pressed against hers again. A strong thigh came to rest against Nora’s center, and she stifled a moan.
Luke’s long fingers entwined with Nora’s smaller ones, stroking a thumb over Nora’s palm while her other hand tenderly cupped a heavy breast. She looked at it as if it were an awesome miracle of nature.
Nora followed her gaze, trying to see what Luke was seeing. Pregnancy had darkened the skin around her nipples, and blue veins blemished the normally fair skin.
Then soft lips closed over her sensitive nipple, and Nora instantly forgot her self-critical examination of her own body. Her fingers flexed against the back of Luke’s head, pulling her even closer.
Luke’s free hand rasped along the underside of her other breast, making her hold her breath in expectation of where that hand would end up. The calluses on Luke’s palm, testament to years of hard work, formed an alluring contrast to the gentleness of her touch.
When that hand began a tender massage, Luke pulled her lips away and trailed a line of kisses over Nora’s belly. She licked the sensitive spot between Nora’s belly and thigh.
Nora arched upward.
Luke’s hands followed her lips downward, making heat flash along the same path.
“Luke…” Nora gasped for breath.
“Sssh. Your turn to relax. Don’t worry, you’re safe with me.” Luke’s words tickled against her skin. Then Luke moved back a few inches and loosened the ribbon that held back Nora’s hair. She stared at the red waves that came tumbling down over Nora’s shoulders. “You’re beautiful,” Luke whispered.
Nora couldn’t believe that anyone could find her beautiful with her very pregnant, dust-covered body, but the awe in Luke’s voice left no doubt about her sincerity.
Luke gazed directly into Nora’s eyes, smoothing an errant strand of hair from her forehead while her other hand drew sensuous circles around Nora’s breast. The intensity of her gaze was almost overwhelming, and Nora felt it like a touch. “What do you want me to do?”
Nora blinked. Thinking and answering questions was becoming difficult under Luke’s distracting touches. “W-what?”
“How do you want me? How should I touch you?” Luke asked.
Nobody had asked her that for years, if ever. She gave Luke a tremulous smile. “However you want to.”
“No. However you want to. What do you like? I can do whatever you want me to. Well, except for certain obvious acts, of course.” Luke looked away.
Oh. Nora understood. Luke was referring to the fact that physically she was not a man. Obviously, she assumed that Nora would think their lovemaking inferior to anything that she could experience with a man. Nora reached out and touched Luke’s cheek, watching her eyelids flutter shut at the touch. “I got to ‘enjoy’ that particular act in abundance during the last few years. I’m not going to miss it, believe me.”
Luke still hovered over her. “So you don’t like…?” She stopped and gestured.
“Luke,” Nora stopped the nervous discussion, “all appearances aside, you are still a woman.”
Luke stared at her with wide eyes. “Um, yes, I guess. I mean—”
“When it comes down to it, our bodies are basically the same,” Nora said. “You know what would feel good to you, so why not just assume that I’d like it too?”
Luke took a deep breath. Finally, she nodded and lowered her lips to Nora’s again. Her eyes still locked to Nora’s, she slowly opened the drawstring closure of Nora’s drawers and slid the undergarment down her hips. When Luke looked down at Nora’s naked body, her eyes glittered with curiosity and something else that Nora couldn’t identify.
Nora shivered under the intense gaze.
Luke moved closer. The blanket still covering Luke’s shoulders settled over both of them, blocking out the rest of the world. Luke tenderly smoothed the tip of her finger down Nora’s cheek, then kissed the curve of her neck. The warm touch of Luke’s lips explored the arch of her collarbones, then trailed open-mouthed kisses over her chest until she nuzzled Nora’s breast, this time without the barrier of her chemise.
Nora shuddered. She clutched Luke’s shoulders, holding her close against her.
Luke moved back a few inches and looked up at her. “I’m not hurting you, am I?”
The words, spoken so close against Nora’s skin, only increased Nora’s shivering. “No,” she said, reaching down to smooth back the unruly, dark hair that fell onto Luke’s forehead. “But with me being with child, they’re very sensitive.”
“Oh.” Luke softly stroked the side of a breast. “I didn’t know that.”
“That doesn’t mean you have to stop. It feels very nice,” Nora said.
A slow smile curled Luke’s lips before Nora lost sight of them as the tender touches continued and she closed her eyes.
Luke slowly moved down her body. She stopped at Nora’s belly. She laid both of her palms against the swell of her abdomen as if to establish some kind of contact.
Nora had assumed that Luke would ignore her belly and just try to work around the limitations that came with her pregnancy. The reverent kisses that Luke placed all over her belly brought tears to her eyes, and she quickly wiped them away, knowing that Luke would become concerned if she saw them.
Luke laid her cheek against Nora’s belly, pressing her ear against her skin.
“What are you doing?” Nora lifted her head from the bedroll. She couldn’t help smiling as she looked down at Luke. Physical relations had never been like this for her. With most partners, the sexual act would have been over by now, but Luke hadn’t even touched her most intimate areas and seemed in no hurry to do it.
“Hush.” Luke’s ear was still pressed to Nora’s belly, her expression one of intense concentration. “I’m talking to your daughter.”
Nora swallowed down the sudden lump in her throat. “What’s she saying?” she whispered hoarsely.
Luke grinned. “She’s complaining.”
“About what?”
Luke pretended to listen again. “She says all that rocking and squirming of her temporary home is keeping her awake.”
“Well, tell her it can’t be helped.” She pulled Luke closer.
“Sorry, little one,” Luke whispered against her skin, “your temporary home says it can’t be helped. You can get back at her for keeping you up all night later this year.” After one final kiss to Nora’s belly, Luke moved on, raining kisses across the rounded curve of Nora’s hip.
“All night?” Nora gasped when the warm lips wandered down her thigh and then nuzzled the sensitive spot behind one knee.
Luke hummed her agreement against Nora’s calf. She rubbed her cheek against the skin of Nora’s ankle, reminding Nora of a big, purring cat, then tenderly kissed a blister that had formed on Nora’s heel.
The kisses continued until Nora felt that every inch of her had been worshipped. Despite still being fully clothed, Luke made love with her whole body and to Nora’s whole body, not just the one part of it that men usually concentrated on. I wonder if it’s always like this with a woman.
Then all thoughts ceased as Luke’s lips found the one spot on her body that they hadn’t touched yet. Her eyes snapped open. “Luke!”
Soft hair tickled Nora’s thigh as Luke lifted her head and stared up at her. “You don’t like it?”
“No. I mean, I think I do…enjoy it, I mean.” Lord, and here I thought I was the experienced one. She’s only ever been with one person in her life, and yet she’s making me tremble and stammer like a virgin on her wedding night. Another thought occurred to her.
Luke echoed the smile with one of her own. She moved back up to lie next to Nora. “What are you smiling about?”
Nora kissed her. “Well, it just occurred to me that this could be considered our wedding night.”
Luke’s body jerked against hers. Then Luke laughed, a sound that rumbled through Nora and made goose bumps break out all over her skin. “Great.” She frowned playfully. “Now you’re making me nervous.”
Nora threaded her fingers through Luke’s hair. “You’ve got nothing to be nervous about. You’re doing great,” she said and meant it.
They stared into each other’s eyes for endless moments. Their lips collided in a deep kiss.
When Luke slipped one hand between Nora’s thighs, Nora broke the kiss with a gasp. Her hips surged up to meet the gentle touch.
“Like this?” Luke asked, continuing with the light, slow strokes, barely brushing against Nora.
Dazed, Nora looked up into her face. Luke’s question held no trace of the smug teasing of some of her former sexual partners. Luke was asking for guidance. She struggled for breath. “Y-yeah. This is… Good God!” She moaned when Luke’s fingers began a circling motion. “It’s nice. So good.”
Luke leaned closer, pressing her lips against the thudding pulse at the base of Nora’s throat. The movement made her fingers dip into Nora.
A moan escaped Nora’s parted lips. She bucked against the gently invading fingers, clutching at Luke in wordless desperation.
“All right?” Luke tried to move back to study her face, but Nora held her close.
“Don’t stop!” Nora panted. She already felt the pressure grow in the pit of her stomach.
Luke began to move her fingers, still torturously slow, exploring, discovering, in no hurry to drive Nora over the edge.
Nora shook her head back and forth. She moved her hips faster, trying to get Luke to pick up the pace, but Luke was having none of it.
“Relax. Enjoy.” Luke’s hot breath washed over Nora’s ear. “We’re not in a hurry.” She withdrew her fingers, then slowly eased them back inside.
Nora met the movement with a moan. Her belly and her sensitive breasts rubbed against Luke. Heat shot through her. “Maybe I am. Luke…”
“Hmm?” Luke experimentally smoothed her thumb over the firm nub.
Another wave of heat shot through Nora. “Luke!” She threw her head back.
Luke’s lips immediately took advantage. She nibbled on Nora’s throat, then sucked at the sensitive spot just under one ear while her fingers continued their unwaveringly slow movements.
