Julie Garwood - Prince Charming

He wasn't certain if she was completely awake or not. It didn't matter. She touched his arousal when he moved between her legs, and he knew he would die if he didn't mate with her. He burned with the need to feel her tight walls surround him, squeeze him, milk him.

He wrapped her in his arms, covered her mouth with his, and then thrust deep inside her. He wasn't gentle, and only when he was planted solidly inside her and was flooded with intense, throbbing pleasure did he realize he was hurting her. He was too caught up in his own passion to translate any subtle messages.

She wasn't subtle. She pinched his shoulder and told him she was in pain.

He stilled his movements immediately. She tried to move away from him. He clenched his jaw against the incredible pleasure she inadvertently gave him. He couldn't bring himself to leave her, yet he knew he was going to. What in God's name was the matter with him? Of course she was sore. She'd been a virgin, and it hadn't even been a full day since he'd bedded her.

He took a deep breath, willing some strength back into his mind and his body and then started to pull back. She stopped his retreat by putting her legs around his hips and bringing him back.

His head dropped to her shoulder. "If you want me to leave you alone, you're going to have to let go of me."

Under the circumstances, he thought his explanation was damned reasonable and noble. Her response was to put her arms around his neck and kiss his earlobe.

"Lucas." She whispered his name like an enchantress.

She brushed her hand across his shoulder. She knew she was giving him mixed signals, and it was the fact that he would do whatever she asked him to do that made all the difference to her. She ached from the pain of his invasion, but there was pleasure as well, and she knew that soon, with his kisses and caresses, the pain would be forgotten.

"I don't want you to leave me," she whispered. "I just want… I want…"

He moved inside her. One slow, long stroke. She let out a low sigh. "This?" he asked.

"Yes."

His mouth covered hers then in a long, drugging kiss. He was determined to go slow. He was going to be gentle with her, even if it killed him.

His promise only lasted a minute or two. Once he started moving inside her again, she quickened the pace. The pain was forgotten, replaced with such incredible pleasure, she thought her heart would surely stop and she would die the sweetest of deaths.

She wasn't a passive lover. Lucas was shaken by her uninhibited responses. Her mouth was every bit as wild and wet as his was, and she stroked him with just as much loving curiosity. She found fulfillment before he did, and when she tightened all around him and cried out his name, he allowed his own release. They held each other close while tremor after tremor of passion consumed them. He collapsed on top of her. The scent of their lovemaking filled the air around them. It made him drowsy with satisfaction. He was still fully imbedded inside her. He couldn't bring himself to leave her just yet. He knew he should get up and act the part of a gentleman by fetching her a cool, wet cloth. He would play her lady's maid like any good husband would.

Just one more minute, he thought. Then he'd get up. Just one more minute…

He was snoring with contentment a second later.

Taylor was too content to move. She knew she should get up. She would go and get a washcloth to freshen herself and then put on a clean nightgown. She didn't know what time the babies or Davy Daniel would wake up, and she wasn't about to be caught in bed with Lucas without a stitch of clothing on. The possibility was too mortifying to even think about. Yes, she would get up. In one minute, she thought. She snuggled closer to her husband and let out a loud yawn. In just a minute…

"Mama's naked."

Taylor bolted up in the bed when she heard one of the twins make the announcement. She thought it might be Georgie. She was the more outspoken of the babies.

Then she heard Hunter's deep voice. "Is that so?"

She wanted to die. She let out a low groan and pulled the sheet up to cover her breasts. Lucas had been sleeping on his stomach. When he heard the conversation going on in the other room, he rolled onto his side and glanced toward the alcove entrance. Thankfully the drapes were still closed.

"The man's naked, too."

Allie made that important announcement. She obviously didn't want to be left out.

Hunter laughed. "About time," he called out in a voice deliberately loud enough to reach his friend.

Taylor's face was burning with embarrassment. Lucas didn't dare smile. She gave him a glare he translated to mean she blamed him for the awkward situation. He didn't think laughing would be an appropriate response. She'd only get more riled up. He yawned so she'd know he was taking it all in stride and then reached over to trail his fingers down her spine.

She tried to scramble off the bed. He caught her around her waist and dragged her down next to him.

"Put your pants on," she implored him. "Oh, God, how am I ever going to face Hunter again?"

"First things first," he insisted. He rolled on top of her, smiled because she felt so damned good against him, and then kissed her. She struggled against him, but only for a few seconds, and then she wound her arms around his neck and kissed him back. She was reluctant to let go of him. He was so pleased with her reaction, he kissed her again. Then he got out of bed and put his pants on.

He walked into the other room to see what Hunter wanted. From the brightness of the sunshine streaming in through the windows, he guessed it was almost eight o'clock.

"The boy let me in," Hunter explained before Lucas could ask. His friend was sitting on the divan, patiently letting the little girls climb all over him. "He made certain he knew who it was knocking on his door first," Hunter added with a good deal of praise in his voice. "He's a smart one."

"Where is he?" Lucas asked.

"Getting dressed. These two need a little help," he said with a nod toward the twins. "Is Taylor up yet?"

Lucas nodded. Hunter grinned. "You look like a married man."

"Did you look in on Victoria?" Lucas asked, deliberately changing the subject.

Hunter's mood immediately soured at the mention of the woman. His expression showed his irritation. "I tried to check on her. Honest to God, I did. I'm telling you straight, Lucas. I won't be getting near her again. Enough's enough."

Lucas hid his smile. "What happened this time?"

"She opened the door, started in gagging, and then slammed the door in my face. What the hell's wrong with her?"

Allie had started bouncing up and down on the settee and was now leaping high enough for Lucas to be concerned she might throw herself into one of the windows and crack her head. He caught her in his arms, told her to behave herself, and then tried to put her down. She had other notions. She wiggled around in his arms and held onto him. He settled her against his chest and turned his attention to Hunter again. Georgie wasn't about to be ignored, however. She scooted off Hunter's lap and went running to Lucas. Then she put her arms up and gave a rather imperious command.

"Up."

Lucas bent down, lifted her into his other arm, and then straightened up again. Allie started pulling the hairs on his chest. He told her to stop it. Georgie had become fascinated by the stubble on his jaw. She rubbed her fingers down his cheek and squealed with delight.

"You've got that look," Lucas told his friend.

"What look's that?" Hunter asked.

"Like you've got something to say."

Hunter nodded. "I ran into a couple of bounty hunters this morning. They had some interesting news. Caulder was seen outside Kansas City. They got a posse together and chased after him but he got away."

"What are you talking about? A posse? When I left for England, Caulder had just gotten another promotion. Now you're telling me he's a wanted man? What the hell happened while I was away?"

Lucas had made it his business to know everything about the bastard he was going to kill. The only reason he'd let him live this long was because of the gold he'd stolen. Lucas hoped Caulder would lead him to the fortune. The gold was the evidence he needed to convince the authorities. He wanted the world to know what Caulder had done to eight honorable men.

He'd spent almost all the money he had accumulated paying men to watch Caulder when he couldn't. His patience had finally been used up, however, and he'd made the decision before leaving for England that when he returned he would hunt the man down like the animal he was and kill him. To hell with the evidence.

"The way I figure it, that fancy government man you talked to must have believed you."

"Travis?"

"You told him about the gold, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"You told me he wasn't a bad sort," Hunter reminded his friend.

Lucas nodded. Travis was a good man. He'd listened to Lucas, and although it had only been his word against the army officer, Travis still used his authority to change the records. The eight missing men had been listed as deserters. Travis cleared the charge. Lucas remembered where the bodies were buried. He thought they should be shipped home to their families. Travis wanted to leave them where they were resting. The issue had still not been resolved.

"Caulder finally went for his gold, didn't he?"

"And Travis followed him," Hunter said.

"Damn."

Lucas whispered the blasphemy. He was so lost in his own thoughts, he didn't hear the twins repeat the expletive.

"I take it he got away from Travis?" Lucas muttered.

"Yes," Hunter replied. "He had some help from his friends. Travis took a bullet, but it wasn't anything serious."

"What about the gold?" Lucas asked.

"Caulder has it."

Lucas let out a sigh. First Allie and then Georgie imitated the sound.

"The bounty hunters wanted me to help them track Caulder," Hunter remarked. "There's a sizable reward. They're sure he's headed west."

"You tell them any different?" Lucas asked.

"No."

Lucas nodded. "Caulder's headed north. His brother will hide him."

"Chicago," Hunter agreed. They both knew that was where the brother lived.

"Yes," Lucas said. "Caulder's definitely in Chicago."

Taylor walked into the room in time to hear Lucas's last remark. She was glad for the diversion. She kept her head bowed while she pretended to fuss over tightening the belt to her robe and walked over to her husband.

She kissed each baby good morning, smiled when they giggled, and then asked Lucas who Caulder was.

"No one important," he lied. "Victoria isn't feeling well this morning. You might want to look in on her."

"She's sick again," Hunter quickly added.

They were both trying to change the subject. Taylor went along with their scheme. She would wait until later to find out who Caulder was. She didn't believe for one minute he wasn't important to Lucas because of the hard look that came into his eyes at the mere mention of the man's name.

She left Lucas with the twins and went into the connecting room to see what David Daniel was doing.

The dear child was trying to make his bed. She gave him a good morning kiss and then helped him finish his chore.

He was shy with her this morning and very solemn looking. She sat down on the side of the bed and drew him close to her.

"Is something worrying you, David?"

"I'm Daniel today," he told her.

She smiled. "All right, Daniel. Now tell me what's worrying you."

The little boy had quite a few fears stored up inside, all of them concerning the babies, and the most important one was about food. Babies needed to eat often, he told Taylor, and since none of them had any shoes to wear, how could they go outside to get something to eat barefoot? He didn't want anyone laughing at his sisters.

She told him they would eat their breakfast in the hotel room. Then she needed to go to the bank. The errand would only take her a little while, and Victoria would stay with them until she got back. Then they were all going shopping. They would buy shoes first.