the water and she swam up to him, putting her arm around his neck and rubbing her breasts against his solid chest.
"I have waited a long time for this," she said softly, meeting his lips.
Somehow he knew this was right, that it was meant to be. He did not need to ask questions or lure her. He had no qualms about her virginity or her honor. She came from a people who thought freely, a people for whom making love was as natural as breathing, when it was the right person. All these months they had hardly spoken, had not done one thing alone together; and yet both knew all along what the other was thinking, that it would all lead to this.
He kissed her eagerly, hungrily, grasping at her wet hair. They fell into the water together, and laughed. She looked down at him, touched his penis. "The water has cooled down my fine stallion," she teased.
He realized the cold water had shriveled him, and he was embarrassed. "Come out of the water and see how fast it grows again," he told her, his voice gruff with desire.
She wrapped her slender legs around his waist. "Then take me to the sand," she said, her dark eyes studying him lovingly. "I want to be your woman, Tyler Fontaine. I want you to be my first man, my only man. Mate with me and I will belong to you."
He kissed her again, and then she threw her head back so that her breasts were near his face. He took one taut nipple into his mouth, sucked on it hungrily, enjoying the feel of its ripeness against his tongue. He carried her to the soft sand on the bank, laid her back, rose up to his knees for a moment to study her naked beauty. Even though she lay boldly spread out before him, he knew this was her first time. She was going to be brave and welcome him, because she wanted to belong only to him.
He leaned down and tasted at her breasts again, and she closed her eyes and groaned his name. "God, Ramona, you're so beautiful," he whispered. "I want to taste you, make you feel good."
"I do not know all there is to know," she answered, nearly whimpering with excitement. "Show me, Tyler Fontaine. I want to be your woman."
He moved his lips downward, licking, tasting, feeling like a crazy man with the want of her. He found the magical spot where Jenny had taught him a woman liked to be touched. He licked at her, heard her groan with delight. Suddenly she cried out his name, grasping his hair tightly and pressing her thighs against his neck.
He moved back up to meet her mouth, and he quickly shoved himself into her, deep and hard. She cried out with pain, and he could tell by how difficult it was to get all the way inside her that this was indeed her first time. There was no stopping it now. He moved in quick rhythm, his life soon spilling into her out of an agonizing need to relieve himself.
He relaxed for a moment, raising himself up on his elbows and studying her beautiful face. "Did I hurt you?"
"It was necessary. It is the way."
He felt lost in her. "I don't know what anybody else will think of this," he told her, "either Nathan or my pa, or..." He decided not to mention Alice. It was too late to think of her now. "I just know that I love you, Ramona. I want to stay here with you all afternoon."
She smiled. "Then we will stay. By Indian law, you are now my husband."
He grinned, his eager fullness returning so that while still inside of her he began mating with her again in sweet rhythm. Right or wrong, he had made his choice.
CHAPTER 33
Luke grasped his future son-in-law's hand, afraid to squeeze too hard for fear he'd break it. It was soft and slender, not rough and strong like the ranchers and workers to whom he was accustomed. The young man was handsome, but, Luke thought, too clean and perfect. He wore round spectacles, and every hair was in place. This was not the kind of man he would have expected any of his daughters to marry, after being raised on a ranch; but then Pearl had never been ordinary. She beamed with joy. This Lawrence Bansen apparently made her very happy.
Pearl literally screamed with delight at seeing them again