Taken By Storm Part 28

It was enough food to feed her entire camp for a whole day.

She shed her bonnet and jacket and took the seat Burke held out for her.

"I know your thoughts and I will see that your camp is adequately supplied with food for the coming winter. Tonight, however, you will enjoy this meal without guilt."

She smiled. "You know me well, Mr. Longton."

"Of course I do, Mrs. Longton."

Her hand squeezed the linen napkin in her lap, the t.i.tle sending a quiver racing through her stomach.

Today she had had a small taste of what it would be like to be Burke's wife and she found it too much toher liking."There is one thing I've wanted to ask you, though I think I have my answer."

"What is that?" she asked as he emptied a ladle of stew into her bowl.

"We had started talking of Lady Alaina and how she might know you when you began to speak of your husband. I can only a.s.sume-"

Storm interrupted. "Lady Alaina saw me now and again when I visited with my husband. It was mostly from a distance, though once up close when I was leaving after a visit and crying terribly. She attempted to console me, but I wanted nothing to do with her and brushed past her."

"I don't blame you. How could you when her father was responsible for imprisoning your husband." "Now you understand why I do not want you going to the Earl of Balford to bargain for your brother's release. I will not lose another man I care for."

Chapter 22.

S ilence ensued, and Burke admired Storm's courage. After sharing the heart-wrenching story of how she lost her husband, she had the courage to admit that she cared for another man.

Cared enough that she would not see him suffer the same fate.

"I have given thought to us, Mr. Longton," she said calmly.

He had done the same, but he hadn't admitted that he cared for her as well, or that his caring might go deeper than he had expected. A strange thought but one that plagued him lately.

"What about us?"

She pushed the spoon around in her bowl. "I am an outlaw. I have no future to offer a man. There can be

no future for us since you will return to America and I will remain in Scotland and fight for the rights of the less fortunate."

"Which means?"

"We have a brief moment in time to enjoy each other. I propose that we do just that until it is time for you

to leave."

"What if I want more?" he asked, finding himself annoyed that she would think that a quick roll in the hay was all he wanted from her. But hadn't he? At first, possibly, but now? He wasn't certain what he wanted from her, and that irritated him even more.

She gave a soft laugh and shook her head. "There is no more for us. There is only now and good-byes."

"And I am to accept this?" Why he suddenly thought her idea ludicrous astounded him since he had

thought the same as she. They would share a brief interlude and then he'd be gone. Now, however, the idea disturbed him.

"It is all we have."

Her sadness showed in her deep blue eyes that normally stormed like a raging sea but now appeared

serene and ever so beautiful.

"Not so," Burke said, tossing down his napkin and pus.h.i.+ng away the bowl of stew that he had barely touched. "We have what we choose to have."

"We have what life has dealt us," she corrected. "We were brought together for a brief time and then we

will part. Do we share this time provided us or do we waste it and always regret the opportunity?"

Her remark caused his heart to ache like h.e.l.l. How did he love her and leave her? And did he love? Had

he suddenly discovered he had feelings for the wisp of a woman who had entered his life in a flash and planned to leave the same way?

"I will never love as I did my Daniel, but I must admit, Mr. Longton, that I have feelings for you, else I

would never propose such an interlude."

"I daresay I feel the same," he admitted, perturbed at his own questionable feelings.

"Then we have nothing to lose, do we?"

Burke feared they had more to lose than they bargained for, but then how would he discover that if he

didn't pursue his interest in her? Then and only then would he know for sure if he could truly walk away from her.

"Are you willing to find that out?" he asked.

"I have my answer. There is nothing for me to discover, only to enjoy."

"Why do you refuse to allow yourself to love again?"

She placed her spoon to the side, not having tasted a mouthful. "I don't refuse. I just know that I could never love as strongly as I did Daniel."

"As I mentioned once before, first love can never be replaced, but love can still flourish and be evenstronger than before.""Oh no," Storm said adamantly. "I'd never love with the strength that I loved Daniel.""Then you aren't being fair to Daniel."

Storm looked affronted. "Why do you say that?"

"If your husband loved you, truly loved you, then he wouldn't want to see you alone. He'd want you to love again, and with the same if not more courage and strength than you did him. Would you not want that for Daniel, if it were you who had died?"

Storm didn't hesitate. "I would want Daniel to be happy."

"Then what makes you think he wouldn't want the same for you?"Storm placed her napkin on the table. "It doesn't really matter what Daniel would want for me. My fatewas sealed the day I rescued him from the Earl of Balford's prison. The man is determined to see me caught and paid to suffer for the humiliation I caused him. I've stayed several steps ahead of him but he will catch up sooner or later. It is inevitable."

Burke stood, walked around the table to her, and yanked her out of her seat by her arms. "There is no

way in h.e.l.l I would let you be captured and imprisoned."

"You will not decide my fate, Mr. Longton."

He pulled her up against his chest. "I am your fate, Mrs. Longton."

He claimed her mouth with a feverish kiss that had their pa.s.sion soaring in seconds.

He held her close, running his hand up to her hair and freeing it of the combs that held it in place so that

he could run his fingers through the silky black strands. He wrapped his hand in the long waves and

tugged her head back to expose her neck to his lips, and he feasted on her smooth flesh.

She moaned her pleasure and it stirred his own. With quick fingers he opened her blouse and moved his lips to her hard nipples and continued to feast. She tasted exquisite, and he couldn't get enough of her, nor she him, since her hand cupped the back of his head.

He took a moment to free her completely of her blouse and himself of his s.h.i.+rt and once again pulled her

up against him.

She gasped as their naked bodies made contact, and he swallowed the staggering moan that rose in his throat.

Lord, but she felt good against him. She was warm and soft and fit perfectly to his chest, as if they were made for each other. Her hard nipples dug into him and the full mounds of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s snuggled against him as if they had come home and were content.

She belonged there, melded with him as if they were one, and the thought startled and excited him as he

leaned down and took her lips once again.

He kept his arms firmly around her as he walked her over to the bed and lowered them down on it, continuing to kiss her as they descended into the soft bedding.

He near s.h.i.+vered when her hand explored his chest, her fingers playing with his nipples before they

slipped down to rub the hard length of him through his trousers.