Fifteen

Will glanced around the room as if assessing the situation, then his familiar brown gaze came to rest on Alexa. “I heard a woman scream.”

Caleb released his hold on Quentin, and the smaller man slumped to the floor.

Words seemed to have deserted her, and though she opened her mouth to speak, nothing came out.

“It…it was me.” Felicity stepped forward, her voice barely above a whisper. “I was…startled. I’m all right.”

“What’s going on here?” Father demanded.

“Uh…we…” Alexa winced at the jumble of words coming from her lips. “That is, I…”

“Your daughter’s been harboring a Reb down here,” Quentin spat the words.

Father stumbled backward, as if the news had knocked the wind out of him. “Alexandra! Is this true?”

Caleb stepped forward. “Sir, if I may—”

“Yes.” She shot a warning glare at Caleb. “I treated him, and since he wasn’t well enough to be moved or to return to his men, I’ve continued to care for him.” She swallowed, scarcely daring to meet either her father or Will’s gaze. “If he’d been found, they’d have imprisoned him at Fort McHenry. He’d have surely died there.”

“Well, he’s gonna die there now,” Quentin snickered.

“Oh, you hush up,” Grammy hissed.

Confusion and disappointment furrowed Father’s brow. “And you dragged your Grandmother and Felicity into this?”

Her cousin slipped her arm about Alexa’s waist. “She didn’t drag us into anything, Uncle. She saved his life, Grammy and I helped her with the surgery.”

Frowning, Father turned. “Mother?”

Nose in the air, Grammy shuffled forward until she, too, stood beside Alexa. “A man bleeds red whether he’s from the north or south, and she saved a lot of lives here this summer. She’s a fine doctor, Edwin. I don’t expect you could ‘a done any better.”

Alexa shrugged off Grammy and Felicity’s hold. If Father was going to be angry, he could direct his anger at her, not them.

“Father, Will, this is Maj—Colonel Caleb McKenna. And while it may be true that I saved his life, I should point out he saved mine first.”

“He saved all of us,” Felicity insisted. “The first day Confederate troops rode into town, a bunch of foot soldiers set up camp on our lawn. One of the Reb—Confederate—soldiers tried to force his way into the house. Colonel McKenna came to our aid.”

Alexa glanced over at Caleb, then at her father. “Later that night I…I wanted to see if I could find Nate. Colonel McKenna found me and insisted on seeing me home safely.”

Father’s gaze narrowed on her. “Searching for Nathaniel where Alexandra?”

“I found her in a field where some of our men lay, sir. She was administering to the gravely wounded and dying.”

Father put his hands to his balding head. “Good Heavens, you could have been—” He crossed the room and sank into one of the chairs at the table.

Alexa hurried to his side. “Father, I’m sorry I defied you. But when I saw all those men suffering—”

“I’m not upset about you caring for wounded men. When I told you not to let any Rebs in the house, I…I couldn’t have imagined anything like that happening in Gettysburg.” He shook his head “But I never realized until this moment what a headstrong, foolhardy girl I raised. Sneaking out at night when the Rebs were in control of the town to go find your brother—”

“Precisely my sentiment at the time, sir,” Caleb added.

Alexa shot a sideways glance at him. With hands clasped behind his back, he looked every inch the officer he was. Had she been close enough, she might have smacked him.

“If I’d’a known what she was up to,” Grammy spoke up, “I’d have taken a wooden spoon to her,”

Father glanced up at Caleb, his face still registering shock. “And you brought her home?”

“Yes, sir. And though we were without escort, I assure you her virtue was not compromised.”

Alexa closed her eyes as memories of that night sped through her mind. Had she been falling in love with him even then?

When she finally opened them, Will still stared at her, but something in his expression had changed. Understanding dawned in his eyes.

“Well, a hell of a lot of good it did him,” Quentin said, still on the floor with his crutch out of reach. “‘Cause I’m placing you and your Reb lover under arrest, Alexa.”

Grammy let out a strangled cry. “If you arrest her, Quentin Lord, you’d better arrest me right along with her.”

“And me,” Felicity disentangled herself from Alexa and stepped forward.

“There’s no need for these ladies to sacrifice themselves,” Caleb spoke up. “If you allow them to remain free, I’ll surrender like a gentleman.”

“Now, wait just a damn minute.” At last, Will spoke up. “In the first place, I outrank you Lieutenant Lord, so you won’t be arresting anyone unless it’s on my orders. And the way I see it, Colonel McKenna, you’re in no position to negotiate.”

“Understood.” Caleb nodded and gave a slight bow. “But I must warn you, if you intend to arrest these ladies, you’ll have to go through me.”

“Stop it,” Alexa couldn’t tolerate another moment of male bravado. “Dammit, McKenna, I won’t let your Southern honor make things worse for you. I knew the risks.” She stepped forward, wrists extended toward Will. “Arrest me. Go ahead.”

Reaching his crutch at last, Quentin struggled to his feet. “Carter, if you don’t do it, I’ll turn you over to General Meade.”

Without a word, Will stepped over to Quentin, pulled back a fist and socked him in the jaw. Quentin fell to the ground unconscious.

“I can’t think with him talkin’ so much,” Will admitted somewhat sheepishly. He glanced at Alexa again, this time with something of a wounded calf expression. “Look, I don’t want to arrest any of you ladies, and I won’t if I can help it. But him…” He glanced at Caleb. “I’m sorry, Miss Alexa, but I have to take him to Fort McHenry.”

“No,” Felicity cried, rushing over to grab hold of Caleb’s arm. “Can’t you let him go, Will? Please?”

“I wouldn’t be much of a soldier if I did. And even if I could, your friend over there would make sure everyone knew about it.” He sighed and scratched his head. “Doctor Winters, could you find some rope so I can bind his hands?”

With a somber expression, Father rose from the table. “Of course, son.”

Tears stung at Alexa’s eyes, and she turned away. She’d stubbornly refused to admit this could happen, and now that it had, was helpless to stop it

Caleb came up behind her, the familiar smell of him, bay rum and lye soap, surrounding her.

“Alexa.” Warm hands settled on her shoulders. “I won’t ask you to wait for me, because I can’t promise I’ll return.”

She wrenched around to face him. “Don’t say that.”

He lifted her chin on a finger, forcing her to look into his eyes. Fear clenched her insides, but in his gaze she saw only calm resolve and determination.

“When the war ends I intend to return home and tell Melody I can’t marry her.”

Her breath hitched painfully in her chest, and his image blurred as tears filled her vision. “Now? You decide this now?”

He took her hands between his and dropped to one knee. “Marry me, Alexa.”

A sob tore from her throat. Head spinning, she could only shake her head. “Caleb, you’re not thinking clearly right now. What about the shame…the disgrace to your family? The years Melody has waited for you?”

“Right now, faced with losing you forever, I realize I can live with that far more easily than I can face a lifetime of never seeing you again.”

She tried to tug her hands from his, but he held tight.

“And you tell me this now—when you’re about to become a prisoner of war?”

He pressed his lips to her fingers. “Now, because fate may not grant me the opportunity to say it later.”

“You’ve taken leave of your senses. This isn’t love, Caleb, it’s gratitude for saving your life.”

“God willing, I’ll spend the rest of my life proving you wrong.”

Across the room, Will cleared his throat. “Uh…Miss Alexa, might I have a word with you?”

Guilt stabbed at her to realize Will had witnessed their exchange. She glanced at him across the room, looking somewhat embarrassed, then back to Caleb, who waited patiently for her answer. Reluctantly, she pulled her hands from his grasp.

Granny and Felicity joined Caleb near the cot, laughing and crying and assuring him that Alexa was stubborn, but would come around.

Will motioned her over toward the steps, out of earshot of the others. “It’s him, isn’t it? He’s the reason for that dreamy expression.”

She couldn’t bear to wound him, couldn’t bring herself to look him in the eyes. Feigning a sudden interest in his feet, she frantically searched her mind for a way to avoid hurting him.

“What he said gave me an idea.”

Frowning, she peered up into his face. Instead of the wounded puppy expression she’d expected, he appeared resigned, in control and every bit the Federal officer. This was a Will she hadn’t seen before.

“I’m still trying to figure a way to get you out of this without you being thrown in prison. The General doesn’t like citizens harboring the enemy but…he’d be a lot more lenient if you were…” He swallowed, Adam’s apple bobbing. “I don’t think he’d imprison a woman for hiding her husband.”

Chill bumps broke out along her skin and a tingle of trepidation threaded through her. “I’m not sure I understand.”

“Look, it’s up to you, but like I said, the General probably would go easy on a woman hiding her husband.” He shoved his hands in his trouser pockets and shrugged. “He’d probably also understand a soldier not wanting to arrest his wife. So, the way I see it, you got two choices.” He nodded toward Caleb. “You can accept his proposal...or you can accept mine.”

****

The rhythmic tick tock of the grandfather clock in the parlor of the Winters’ residence soothed Caleb’s nerves. After all that had taken place, he could scarcely believe only an hour had passed since he had proposed to Alexa.

The preacher, who had been pulled from his supper to perform a hasty wedding, paced across the room, his boots barely making a sound on the wood floors. Caleb had all but memorized the blood patterns on the floors, following a line from the front door through the dining room, to others that soaked the parlor floor. His heart ached to realize how much suffering had occurred here, and how valiantly Alexa had fought to keep wounded soldiers alive.

Beautiful, brave Alexa. He could scarcely believe they were about to be wed.

The creak of a door opening drew his attention up the stairs. A short time ago, Felicity headed up there with a handful of wildflowers, but after much whispering and opening and closing of doors, the second floor had gone silent. Now he felt a fleeing stab of disappointment as Grammy Winters, rather than Alexa, exited the room. With slow, careful steps, she shuffled down the stairs.

Caleb met her at the bottom step, offering his arm to assist her, shortening his pace to match hers as he helped her toward a chair. Once she was settled, she reached for his hand, pressing something into his palm. A glance down revealed two gold bands, warm from her grasp. She touched the larger ring. “This was her grandfather’s. We were married thirty years before he passed away. I was saving it for Nate but…” Her voice cracked and she swallowed. “I think he’d want you to have it.”

Caleb watched her, feeling a flood of affection as her small, dark eyes welled with tears.

She pointed to the second ring. “This was her mother’s. She left before Alexa could even walk, ran off with some peddler man who promised to show her the world. Head full of fanciful notions, that one.” She gave her head a disgusted shake. “I don’t think she’s comin’ back for it.” She closed his hand around them and gave a weak squeeze.

A ball of emotion wedged in his throat. He’d likely never live to wear the ring as long as Alexa’s grandfather had. He opened his hand to study the rings, staring at the one that had belonged to her mother. She’d never mentioned her mother’s leaving; he’d assumed the woman had passed on. So many things he didn’t know about the woman he was about to marry; so many things they hadn’t had time to say to one another or talk about. Would they ever get the chance?

Beside him, standing in as best man, Will Carter cleared his throat. “I’ll see to it that you and Miss Alexa get a proper wedding night,” he said. “I got nothing to gain by taking you to the General tonight.”

Surprised at that information, Caleb frowned. “What about Lieutenant Lord? I think he’d feel otherwise.”

Staring up the stairs toward the closed bedroom door, Will shrugged. “He’s in the fruit cellar, tied up. He won’t be goin’ anywhere before morning. After I take you to the prison camp, I’ll come back and take him before the General. He needs to answer for his conduct.”

Caleb suppressed a smile at that. No one had been more surprised than he when the Union Captain had used the requested rope on Quentin Lord rather than him.

“You’re a good man, Captain Carter.”

“I ain’t doing it for you; I’m doing it for Miss Alexa. You’re a lucky man, you know.” Will slid him a glance. “But I’ll have sentries posted near the house, and they’ll have orders to shoot first and ask questions later, so don’t try anything foolish.”

“You have my word as a gentleman.” He wouldn’t insult Alexa’s family by trying to escape immediately after their wedding, nor would he force his new wife to watch her husband get shot trying to escape. “Will, I know you have fond feelings for her…”

The other man’s jaw tightened. “That’s beside the point.”

“If I don’t make it back…look after her for me.”

The captain turned a startled gaze on him. “You really do love her.”

Caleb cleared his throat past a sudden thickening of emotion. Unable to speak, he nodded.

Another sound came from upstairs. Felicity exited the room this time. She’d changed her dress and pinned wildflowers in her hair. Glancing over the railing at Caleb, she smiled a broad cat-that-ate-the-canary smile. Affection for the young girl so reminiscent of his sister flooded him. He wished his family were here, his mother and sisters would be so excited... Or would they? He was marrying a Yankee girl, after all.

Alexa’s father was next to exit the room. His jaw was set, his expression drawn. His gaze met Caleb’s over the railing, studying him. Curious about Alexa’s father, he studied him back. Doctor Winters had reluctantly given his blessing for the marriage, adding that days ago, he would have never allowed it. Now, after losing his son, he realized life was too short for bitter feelings.

A sound behind him pulled the elder doctor’s attention, and Alexa stepped out.

Caleb’s breath caught at the sight of her. She still wore the mourning dress, but her long, dark hair was pulled to one side of her face, loosely braided with purple, pink and blue wildflowers twined through it.

As she took her father’s arm and started down the stairs, she met his stare. If he’d expected to feel nervous or trapped at this moment, as he had when he thought of marrying Melody, no such feeling came. Instead, warmth swept over him, security in the knowledge he was exactly where he wanted to be. Alexa may not possess the generations-long Southern heritage so prized by his family and neighbors, nor the sheltered, pampered upbringing of a coastal Georgian belle, but this was the woman he wanted to pledge his life to.

After what seemed an eternity, she reached his side. He took her hand, unwilling to wait another moment to touch her.

Icy cold fingers met his grasp, and he leaned in close to her ear. “Are you all right?”

“Scared to death,” she whispered. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

“Look at me.” When she turned to face him, he clasped both her hands in his. “If you’d rather not do this…”

“I want to.” She met his gaze and her lower lip quivered. Tears slipped down her cheeks. This time she wasn’t trying to stop them. “Very much.”

The preacher began to speak, but Caleb couldn’t look away from Alexa. A delicate pink flush stained her cheeks, and the moisture shimmering in her eyes only deepened their bewitching green color. How was it possible she had so completely captured his heart and mind in just a few weeks. Or had she had them all along? Looking back, he couldn’t recall when his feelings for her had begun, it seemed as though they’d been there all along.

Minutes later, he slipped a ring on her cold, trembling finger and recited the vows that would bind them for life.

****

The bed had been freshened with clean sheets and blankets, candles lit around the room cast a soft, inviting glow and the windows were open to let the evening breeze spill into the room. Alexa couldn’t help but smile. Her romantic-minded cousin obviously wanted to give them a special night.

Grammy was of much the same mind, having given orders to the soldiers guarding the house for the night to bring the tub and plenty of water inside so the couple could freshen up.

The few recovering soldiers at the Winters’ home had been relocated to the hospital in town. Father had gone to help them settle in and Grammy and Felicity were on their way there to help him.

She was completely alone with her new husband. But plans for helping him escape, rather than romance, occupied her mind.

“Alexa?”

Heat bathed her insides at the sound of his voice from below stairs. No one said her name quite like Caleb.

Reminded her new husband was unfamiliar with the house, she stepped into the hallway and peered over the banister. “Up here.”

He began a slow climb up the stairs, and she had to bite her tongue to keep from scolding him for not using the cane. She stepped back into the bedroom before he reached her, nervous flutters in her stomach making her almost queasy.

She stood before the wardrobe, pondering the contents when she felt him in the doorway.

“Were you planning to hide in there?”

Despite the humor in his tone, Alexa found no reason to laugh. “I was wondering which of these old dresses might fit you.”

“I see.”

She glanced over at him, cursing herself when her insides fluttered at the sight of him leaning in the doorway, one blond brow cocked in amusement.

“I thought if we dressed you in women’s clothing, we could slip past the guards—” She reached inside to pull out one of her old dresses, then with a frown, tossed it aside.

“You want me to wear a dress?”

The laughter in his tone raked over nerves already stretched taut by the day’s events. “It’s not my best plan, I’ll admit. But it’s too late to cover you with a sheet and say I’m taking you to the undertaker.” She bit her lip. “Maybe one of Grammy’s dresses…” She turned to move past him, but he caught her elbow as she started through the doorway.

“No.”

Frustrated, she met his gaze, wishing her body would stop reacting to his nearness. But try as she might, she couldn’t forget this was their wedding night. Well, they wouldn’t be spending it the way most newlywed couples did, so there was no point in dwelling on the exciting sensations rioting inside her. “Do you have a better idea?”

“As a matter of fact, I do.”

Something in the languid, honeyed way he spoke made the hair at the nape of her neck prickle. She backed up a step and caught her foot in one of the dresses she’d tossed on the floor. She bent to retrieve it, well aware of Caleb right behind her.

When she righted herself, he stood so close, his warm breath fanned the back of her neck. Gooseflesh broke out along her skin.

“What…” She licked her lips, forced herself to swallow. “What is this idea of yours?”

Warm lips brushed the curve of her neck. “Would you prefer I tell you…or show you?”

“Caleb…” She needed to move away, to break the spell that held her in place. But as if he read her mind, his hands came to rest on her shoulders, then slid down her arms in a slow caress.

“Do you think I married you simply to buy time to plan an escape?”

Moist heat met her skin again, and an involuntary moan escaped her when his lips met the curve of her jaw.

“Y-you married me because you were too much of a gentleman not to.”

She felt as well as heard the chuckle that rumbled in his chest.

“My reasons are anything but gentlemanly.” His hands moved to her waist, and he bent to rest his chin on her shoulder. “I gave my word that I wouldn’t try to escape. And I won’t. Not tonight.”

“But you must.” She wrenched around to face him, anger and sorrow churning her insides. “You’ll never survive prison.”

He dropped a kiss to the top of her head. “I can survive anything knowing I have you to come home to.”

“No.” The need to scream built up inside her, but she squelched it, knowing it would bring the guards posted outside. “I won’t listen to any of your Old South romantic nonsense. Surviving has nothing to do with will, it has to do with physical strength—and you’re still recovering.”

“For a doctor, you know very little about life.” One corner of his mouth lifted in a half-smile. “And you’d make a lousy soldier. A few months ago, I didn’t care if I survived when I went into battle. What others might have called bravery was merely indifference on my part.” He shrugged. “I was simply doing my job. And when that job was over, I would go home to a life I didn’t want—to a marriage I didn’t want. So, whether I lived or died made no difference to me.”

Alexa swallowed past a sudden lump of emotion and gazed up into his face. “I’ve never heard you talk like that.”

“I don’t think I was aware of it. Until I met you, I only knew how to act, how to say and do what was proper in any given situation. But I didn’t know how to feel.” He shook his head. “I won’t be so cavalier again, Alexa. Not with so much to lose.”

“Which is why you need to leave now.” She turned back to the wardrobe, hands trembling as she yanked aside one dress after another. “There must be some way to disguise you, to keep you from being discovered.”

“And miss our wedding night?”

“I’m more concerned with getting you safely back south.”

“Not tonight.” He hooked an arm about her waist and tugged her toward him until her body collided pleasantly with his. “I gave my word as a gentleman that I wouldn’t repay Captain Carter’s charity by escaping. It’s because of him that we have this night together, and I won’t cause him to regret giving it to us.”

“Damn you!” She struggled to remove herself from his arms. “Your chivalry is going to be the death of you; I won’t let you do this.” Unable to contain her emotions any longer, an anguished sob bubbled forth.

Caleb turned her and pulled her tighter to his chest, holding her in place until she stopped struggling. “I promise you, if an opportunity for escape comes, I’ll take it. Whether it’s tomorrow, or the next day or six months from now.” He pressed his lips to her hair. “And with God as my witness, I swear I’ll come back to you.”

She curled her fingers into the warm linen covering his chest. Six months. How on earth was she to exist that long—or longer—not knowing whether he was alive or dead? Only one thing was certain, she knew Caleb well enough to know this debate was pointless; he was just as stubborn as she, perhaps even more so. Arguing would get her nowhere and waste what precious few hours they had left.

Lifting her head from his chest, she met his gaze through the watery haze blurring her vision. In an instant, the rioting emotions fled. Unwilling to wait another moment, she reached up to feather her fingers into his maple sugar hair, tugging his mouth closer to hers. “Love me.”

“Sweeter words have never met my ears, Mrs. McKenna.”

She smiled at the sound of her new name for the first time.

Caleb scooped her into his arms, silencing her objection with a stern look as he carried her to the bed. He deposited her gently upon it, and then began to unbutton his shirt. A warm breeze stole into the room, and candles around the room flickered. Though the smell and feel of fresh air after being locked up for so long soothed his senses, he wondered if the candles cast shadows that could be seen from outside.

Rather than close the windows and pull the curtains, he chose to extinguish the candles one by one. Just as he finished, Alexa slipped up behind him, wrapping her arms about his waist. She pressed her lips to his bare back. The feel of her soft breasts pressed against him, the sight of her small, pale hands on his skin was nearly his undoing. The urge to throw her onto the bed nearly overtook him, but they had all night, there was no need to rush.

He unhooked her arms from his waist enough to allow him to turn and face her. “I wonder how long it will be until I see you in a dress again.”

A smile played over her lips. “A long, long time.”

“Then allow me to remove it for you.”

She turned and presented him with her back, and he realized she had no idea of his intent. With the painstaking slowness reserved for unwrapping the last gift on Christmas morning, Caleb unfastened the row of buttons down her back, pausing to press his lips to each bit of milky white flesh he exposed.

When half the buttons were open, he eased the dress down; it fell to the floor with a gentle swish of material. She rested her head against his shoulder, and he bent to kiss her. He slipped his fingers over her collar bone, stroking, skimming until he brushed the ribbon at the front of her camisole. He swallowed her gasp of pleasure as he slid his hand purposefully inside, lifting and stroking one velvety breast. Dragging his mouth from hers, he glanced down at the sight of her creamy, pale flesh filling his palm and realized that the chemise, too, had fallen to the floor. “You’re not wearing a corset.”

“There should be a law against them.” She pulled his head back toward hers, mouth seeking his.

His fingers sought and found a plump, ripe nipple, and he rolled it gently between his fingers, squeezing slightly when she moaned in pleasure. Then he dragged his mouth from hers and branded the curve of her neck with his tongue.

“As your husband, I really must insist you dress like a proper lady.”

A soft laugh escaped her. “Insist all you like, it’ll do no good.”

He turned her to face him and lifted both her breasts in his hands. “You might pretend to obey now and then, just to humor me.”

Caleb bent to stroke his tongue over one rosy nipple. Enraptured by the taste of her, he lingered, circling the swollen bud with his tongue. He drew the peak into his mouth and suckled. Soft moans came from her throat, reminding him of the purring of a kitten as she threw her head back and arched toward him. His hands strayed lower, splaying over the curve of her hip, to her waist, seeking the ribbon that tied her pantaloons. He tugged at it, and with a brush of his hand, they soon joined the dress and chemise on the floor at her feet.

He tore his mouth from her breast only long enough to seek her lips again. Their mouths fused together in a hot, openmouthed kiss that left no doubt in his mind she was every bit as eager as he.

But it had been so long since he had been with a woman, and he’d dreamed of Alexa so many nights, he wasn’t sure he could last long enough to give her the pleasure she deserved on her wedding night.

With a mind of its own, his hand stole between her thighs, finding the moist heat at her center. She cried out as he brushed the damp curls at her opening, his finger slipping inside. The moist, slick heat was nearly his undoing.

Her gasp turned to a cry as he found and stroked the sensitive bud. “Caleb, what are you…”

Her knees buckled and he lifted her, carrying her to the bed where he set her gently on the edge. When she would have scooted to the other side to make room for him, he placed a hand on her thigh. “Lie back.”

She did as he asked, and he knelt before her. Pressing a kiss to the inside of one knee, he slid his hand up the length of her thigh. He stroked the dark curls, finger delving inside to tease as he kissed and nipped his way up the inside of her thigh, the musky, feminine scent of her filling his senses.

He glanced up at the incredible sight of her nude skin bathed in the rosy glow of the waning evening twilight, legs parted for him. God above, she was a vision of Venus.

“Alexa, when I mentioned sleep giving no respite from my thoughts of you...”

A sound, half-sigh, half-question came from her.

“This is what we did in my dreams.”

Before she could ask, he dipped his head to taste of the sweet nectar between her legs. A startled cry escaped her and she shifted, trying to bring her legs together, but Caleb held them open, stroking, caressing her with his tongue until she began to moan and writhe.

Alexa cried out, and he felt the spasm that shook her, tasted the honey that flowed from her as he lifted her buttocks to hold her closer until her cries faded.

Something powerful and instinctive surged through him, not just the primal need to pound his chest with his accomplishment, but the need to gather her in his arms and shelter her. He joined her on the bed, kissing her, stroking her. Despite his own aching, throbbing need, he felt an immense satisfaction at having pleasured her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her face to his bare chest. “What was that?”

“That never happened with your first husband?” He dropped a kiss to her forehead.

“Heavens no.” She frowned up at him. “Should it have?”

A relieved grin came over him. “Not as far as I’m concerned.”

She splayed a hand over his bare chest, fingers trailing down over his stomach. Her fingers stilled when they reached the waistband of his trousers. “Caleb, I…”

He held his breath, waiting to see if she’d venture lower.

“I want to touch you.”

He grit his teeth as a wave of need swept over him so strong he nearly came right then and there. God’s nightshirt, the woman knew how to turn him inside out. Unable to speak over a sudden thickening in his throat, he took her hand and moved it to where his erection strained for freedom against his trousers.

Her fingers slid over the length of him, exploring even as he unfastened the buttons that would free him. He sprang free, and she closed a hand around him. She leaned up on an elbow, her mouth seeking his lips as she trailed her fingers over his cock, familiarizing herself with the feel of him.

This time, it was he who moaned when she closed her palm around him. He reached up to fist a hand into her hair, holding on as she turned him inside out with her innocent touch. When he could stand no more of her pleasant torture, he pulled his mouth from hers. “Alexa, if you don’t stop, we’re going to have to start over again.”

She gazed at him with heavy lidded eyes. “I don’t understand.”

“You will.”

He grabbed her about the waist and swept her beneath him. She gave a playful shriek, her legs parting as she arched against him in invitation.

The moist heat of her entrance touched the tip of his shaft. The urge to plunge forward nagged at him, but he wanted to savor this moment before passion completely took them away. After weeks of longing for this, of wanting her from afar, being tormented by dreams of her, they were finally free to make love.

He eased forward. Tight, slick warmth surrounded him as her body at first resisted and then gave way to the size of him. With painstaking slowness, he retreated, pleasure skittering along his spine, then moved forward with the same languid care.

A whimper tore from Alexa’s throat. Her hands moved restlessly over his back, sliding over his buttocks, urging him closer. He rocked against her, lifting her hips to meet his next thrust and the next. She cried out, muscles clenching around him, squeezing.

At last he let go his own rigid control. Despite having pleasured her earlier, he wanted to give her so much more than that one moment to remember their wedding night. A tremor moved through him, and as his seed spilled forth, he sent up a desperate plea that it would take hold, giving Alexa his child to keep her company through the years in case he never returned.

White-hot heat seared his brain as wave after wave of ecstasy consumed him, sapping him of every last bit of strength. It was all he could do to keep from collapsing atop her.

Chest heaving with exertion, Caleb rolled to one side and pulled her against him. Never had he experienced something so primal. This had been far more than sating carnal desires, it was as though she’d crawled inside him to touch his soul.

Alexa’s head rested on his chest. She, too, was silent, as though she needed time to recover from what they had just experienced. He stroked her arm, admiring the silken feel of her skin, and was reminded of the many times she’d accused him of confusing his true feelings for her.

“Do you still think this is merely gratitude?”

She laughed. “If it is, then I’m the luckiest woman alive.”

He pressed her close, nuzzling her dark hair. “I intend to spend the rest of our lives making you feel that way.”

She was silent for several moments. He thought she’d fallen asleep, but then she raised her head to stare into his face.

“Caleb, what are we going to do about Melody?”

He trailed a finger over her nose, touched by her concern for a woman she’d never met. “When the time comes, I’ll tell her in person. I owe her that much.”

She frowned. “And your family? Will they…accept our marriage?”

“You are my family, now, Alexa. We belong to one another. I know your father doesn’t wholly approve of having a Southern son-in-law, and I’m sure my mother and sisters will be suitably shocked, as well.” He rolled to one side, staring into her face, willing himself to memorize every detail before the dawn came and they were torn apart. “Whatever comes, we’ll face it together.”