Ruthless Heart Read online

  His warm breath gusted against her skin. “I plan on it.”

  She felt his member hardening beneath her, and she wanted to feel more than that. As a woman knows a man, as a lover knows another. Eliza hadn’t planned on copulating with Grady, but now, she couldn’t imagine being with any other man.

  As she closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensations, his hand slid away and then his mouth was slack on her nipple. Popping one eye open, she looked down to find him unconscious again.

  “Fiddlesticks.”

  Grady woke with a pounding headache, but the dizziness and urge to vomit were gone. It was dark, and the embers of the fire were the only source of light around them. He was lying on the bedroll on his back, with a warm form pressed up against his right side, the fire on his left.

  Eliza was shivering. That’s what woke him up. She’d been sleeping between him and the fire, but obviously because he was injured, she’d swapped places with him. Grady wouldn’t have done that for her, at least he didn’t think he would have. The woman had him turned topsy-turvy.

  He felt better, stronger than he had after the beating. She was a damn good nurse, his little brown wren. Grady sat up and poked the fire until the flames started up again. Then he put a few more pieces of wood on it.

  “Time for you to warm up, Liz.” He managed to slide her closer to the fire.

  She immediately rolled over and faced the warmth with a contended sigh. Grady liked the sound of it, like a sweet candy rush on his tongue. He laid down behind her and spooned up against her.

  Apparently not the best idea, because as soon as he was touching her, his body reacted. Strongly. His blood began pulsing through his veins, through his ears, through his balls and dick. Suddenly, he was hot, more than hot; he was burning.

  Why did he react so strongly to her? She wasn’t pretty or even well put together, although her tits were fantastic. Had she actually dangled them over his mouth? It was a hazy memory, but it was there. He must have been hit on the head harder than he thought because he would have taken her if he’d been himself.

  If asked, Grady couldn’t have explained what his fascination with Eliza was. Something about her though called to him at the deepest level, pulling him to her until he was helpless to stop his reaction.

  He nuzzled her hair, breathing in her scent even as he inched closer to her, until he was flush against her soft, curvy form. God, he wanted her so badly. He was harder than an oak branch, straining against the buttons of his trousers.

  Grady shouldn’t bother her when she was sleeping, if at all, but he couldn’t seem to help himself. The more she made little noises when he touched her, the more he had to keep touching her. He unbuttoned her blouse, pleased to find her undergarment bunched up, and her sweet breast completely unfettered. He couldn’t help but groan as the soft skin filled his hand. The nipple reached for his palm, begging him to be tweaked.

  When he pinched it, she sucked in a breath. That’s when he knew she was awake. He was almost embarrassed, like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar, or tittie jar in this case.

  “This is familiar.” Her voice was hoarse from sleep. “I remember how lovely it was to wake up with your hands on me.”

  He figured that meant she wanted more, which was a good thing because he didn’t think he could stop this time.

  Eliza rolled onto her back and faced him. Her blue eyes glittered darkly in the firelight. She reached up and ran a finger down his cheek then along the seam of his lips.

  His tongue snaked out to lick the meandering digit. He smiled at the expression on her face, the way her lips parted in surprise. There was only one thing to do.

  He covered his mouth with hers, fusing them into a hot mesh of lips, tongue, and teeth. She opened readily for him, dancing with his tongue even as his hand continued to pleasure her breast. The nipple was like a pink diamond in his hand.

  She moaned sweetly in her throat as he moved to the other breast while he pushed his aching staff against her soft hip. They kissed for what seemed like hours, learning each other, learning themselves.

  He pulled back long enough to get a breath, since he was getting light-headed.

  She surprised the hell out of him by reaching down to cup him. Her small hand had strength he didn’t expect, and it felt more than good.

  He lapped at her, teasing her swollen lips, until her tongue did the same to him. Grady couldn’t help but wonder what that tongue would feel like on his dick.

  He grew about an inch just thinking about it.

  “God, Liz, I can’t… if you want to stop this, it’s gotta be now, or I’m going to fuck you.” Better to be honest than not. She had to know what she was in for if they continued.

  To his disappointment, she sat up, and his entire body howled in denial. Damn, he’d have to go get himself off to get any sleep. Instead of leaving him horny and hard, she stood and slowly undressed, revealing alabaster skin in the moonlight on one side, and golden warm skin in the firelight on the other.

  Grady almost forgot his name.

  Like a green kid having sex for the first time, he clumsily took off his boots first, although the right one got stuck, and he thought about cutting his foot off. Fortunately, he didn’t have to and it came off, followed quickly by all his clothes.

  She stood there, watching, with her deliciously curvy, delightfully naked body, pink diamond nipples, and dark triangle between her legs, beckoning him. Grady could hardly believe she wanted to do this with him now, but he wasn’t about to refuse the gift.

  He ran his hands down her soft shoulders and arms until their hands met. She smiled and reached up to kiss him, and then surprised the shit out of him by licking his nipples.

  He almost jumped out of his skin when her wet tongue pleasured his tiny nubs.

  She looked up at him with concern. “Is this wrong?”

  Grady choked on his own spit. “No, honey, it’s not wrong. I was just surprised is all.”

  “It feels so good when you do it, I thought you might like it, too.”

  She was so childlike at that moment, unlike the brisk schoolmarm who was so matter-of-fact all the time. He liked this Eliza, the sensual siren who came out at night and into his arms.

  “I did like it.” He dropped to his knees. “And I’m going to do the same to you.”

  Eliza trembled as he held her waist steady and leaned forward to capture a nipple in his mouth. God, she was like honey, all sweet and hot, melting on his tongue. She made another kittenish moan, and his dick slapped her leg.

  “He’s hungry.”

  “So am I.” Her response nearly made him stop what he was doing and throw her on the ground.

  The only thing that stopped him was the notion it would be over way too soon. Grady wanted to enjoy every second for as long as he could.

  He sucked her breast into his mouth, pulling and tugging until she filled him, then released her with a pop. He nibbled the hard bud, and then licked it. His other hand crept down to her pussy.

  She was wet.

  That’s when Grady knew she was as eager as he was. The truth was, he’d never been with a woman he didn’t have to use his spit to moisten her.

  Eliza was wet enough for him to slide in to the hilt, to bury himself inside her until he forgot where he ended and she began.

  Without another thought, he scooped her up and put her down on the bedroll. Her legs opened for him, and her center glistened in the firelight.

  “God, you’re beautiful.”

  “No need to flatter me, Grady. I’m yours.”

  He wanted to tell her it wasn’t flattery, that he truly did believe she was beautiful. The most gorgeous thing he’d ever seen, lying there with her black hair fanned out behind her, eyes darkened with arousal, her pale skin glowing in the moonlight, and her sweet cunny ready for him.

  He couldn’t imagine anything more beautiful than her at that moment.

  Her arms reached up to pull him toward her, and he lost his balance, landing
on her too hard. She laughed and opened her legs wider. Far from being embarrassed, Grady was trying to remember his fucking name as his dick pressed up against her wet flesh.

  He braced himself properly and watched her face as he inched slowly inside her. Truthfully he wanted to get in so badly he was trembling, but for their first time together, he needed to take his time.

  He went in an inch, then he pulled out and went in two inches. When he reached three, he was struck by a paralyzing thought.

  She was a goddamn virgin.

  “Liz, what the hell?”

  “Please, Grady. Don’t stop.” Before he could react, she grabbed his ass and pulled him so hard, he was completely inside her.

  For a moment, he was unable to speak or even take a breath. She was so tight, so hot, so amazingly perfect, he lost the ability to do anything but close his eyes.

  She didn’t make a sound, no protests, no moan of pain, nothing. When he’d gotten his senses back, he opened his eyes and looked at her. Her expression was one of curiosity and unbelievably, arousal. Then she smiled, and Grady knew everything was going to be all right.

  “It’s… so big.”

  He barked a laugh, but couldn’t tell her that’s what every man wanted to hear. His body commanded him to move. “You ready, Liz?”

  She reached up and pinched his nipples. “Yes, Grady, I’m ready.”

  He pulled out just a little, then slid back in, giving her time to get used to the movements, the sensations.

  “Faster, please.”

  Obviously, he didn’t need to go slow. Heeding Eliza’s request, he began moving faster, pumping in and out of her pussy. She clenched around him with each thrust, squeezing him like a fist.

  Her face displayed a myriad of emotions, from surprise to pleasure to beyond bliss. He reached down and touched her clit, rubbing the pleasure button between his fingers.

  Her face lit up. “Oh my.”

  Grady knew he wouldn’t last much longer, his balls tightened as his release drew closer. He wanted Eliza to experience what he did, or at least try to anyway.

  He pleasured her clit as his speed picked up. She started making all kinds of noises, likely scaring all the critters away, and he loved it. Her exclamations of pleasure echoed through him, made him go faster, deeper within her.

  She screamed his name and bucked beneath him, squeezing his dick so much he came immediately. The orgasm whooshed through him so quickly he almost blacked out from the intensity of it. She scratched at his back as small yelps continued to pop out of her mouth.

  Grady shuddered as the waves of pleasure rippled through him. Then when he could get control of himself, he leaned down and kissed her hard, their tongues dueling in mimicry of their coupling.

  “Oh my,” she repeated.

  Grady rolled off her and lay beside her on his bedroll. “Holy shit.”

  Chapter Seven

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  Grady watched the sun rise as Eliza slept beside him. He hadn’t meant to touch her, certainly hadn’t met to take her, but he had anyway. The experience had gone beyond the crude act of fucking. Being with her had been the only time he felt connected with a woman.

  Eliza had destroyed the vow he’d made to himself long ago. He didn’t want to like her, but damned if he did. She was smarter than any person he’d ever met, that was for damn sure. Not only had the woman saved him from jail, but she’d also doctored him better than any sawbones.

  She talked funny, was awkward and clumsy, but liquid sweetness in his arms.

  Grady had to focus on his quarry, finding the woman he’d been paid to hunt down. It was his first time hunting a woman, and the experience was hard enough. Eliza was distracting him, and he had to do something about it. What he could do, he sure as hell didn’t know, aside from leaving her behind.

  After all she’d done, it would be the lowest of the low to abandon her. It sounded easy, but the damn woman had woken up his long slumbering conscience, not to mention his primal urges. He certainly hadn’t wanted all of it to happen, but it had, and now, there was no going back.

  In fact, he’d tried to leave her behind, and she had shown him exactly what she was made of and tracked him. Eliza would likely do the same thing if he left her again, and he’d ride with her ghost beside him.

  Like it or not, he was stuck with her. And he didn’t know anything about her other than she read too much and knew a hell of a lot about the Bible.

  Grady had to know more. He’d stake his life that she was hiding something, otherwise she would have let more information out about herself. He was skilled enough in reading people to know she was lying—the question was why.

  While she slept with a child’s innocence snugly in her bedroll, he walked over on not quite steady legs to her horse. The poor thing had faithfully toted her damn heavy bags strapped to its saddle. It was a sturdy, faithful horse, considering how much Eliza had put the thing through.

  Grady checked on both horses, then got to the business he needed to take care of. He’d looked through her bags before for weapons, but this time, he looked for details about just Miss Eliza.

  He looked through the titles of the dozen books, some of which he couldn’t pronounce. It was no wonder she knew so much about stuff if she’d read all the complicated books. He had a limited education, more or less what he’d learned up until the age of twelve. Then after that, his learning had been done with guns.

  Tucked away in a piece of fabric at the corner of the bag was a slate with chalk, a half-full journal, quills, and an ink bottle. Who took something to write with on a journey? Or maybe she was planning on staying wherever she traveled to. If that were the case, there would be more than the few articles of clothing, which were barely rags.

  The purchases she’d made in town would double her wardrobe. He knew she felt guilty about spending money, and he understood why. Whoever had been taking care of Eliza hadn’t had two nickels to rub together or didn’t care if she wore rags. Either way, she had next to nothing, except for the books or course.

  The journal intrigued him. Most times, he let people keep their secrets, but considering just how tangled they’d gotten, her privacy didn’t mean spit. He needed to know more.

  Grady looked over his shoulder and made sure Eliza slept on before he took the journal from the bag. He walked over to the boulder near the horses and sat down. If he was lucky, she hadn’t used fancy words he couldn’t understand.

  It felt as if he was peeking into her business, and damned if a smidge of guilt didn’t creep across his shoulders. Grady shrugged it aside and opened the book. At first, he didn’t know what he was looking at, but then he realized it was a drawing of something with measurements and numbers. She had terrible handwriting, judging by the chicken scratch next to the drawing.

  He flipped a few more pages and found drawing after drawing, along with notes. It took him a dozen pages before he recognized what he was looking at.

  Eliza was an inventor, by God. Each of the drawings depicted some kind of gadget and the notes detailing her tests. He could almost hear her speaking as he read some of them.

  The gasket didn’t perform well against the heat.

  Need to find another material to form a seal.

  The mechanism won’t function correctly without it.

  She spoke the same way she wrote, so he knew for certain Eliza wasn’t pretending to be someone she wasn’t. The fact she was some kind of inventor had never crossed his mind. What the hell was she doing out in the middle of nowhere by herself? The woman needed to be at home with a husband and babies.

  Then a picture filled his mind of her at home with those babies, and it made his jaw clench. She didn’t belong there, and he knew it. Eliza was as different as he was, standing out from everyone around her, singled out as unnatural. He could tell that by reading her invention journal.

  Who the hell was Eliza? She’d obviously never had a husband, which would explain why she was still a virgin, or was until last night when he�
��d taken her on the hard Utah ground. Obviously, the journal was important to her, a collection of her life’s thoughts. Not many women had the brains or the education to think of even a handful of her inventions, much less a book full. His instincts told him she’d run from somebody or something—maybe a bastard who’d stuffed her into a corner and made her into something she wasn’t. And she’d run because she wanted more than the simple existence allotted to women.

  Grady didn’t want to feel a kinship with her, but damned if he didn’t. He wasn’t someone who did what was expected, hadn’t followed the straight and narrow path by rote or listened to how he was “supposed” to live his life. He’d chosen what he did, when he did it, and how he did it. Eliza might not have gone as far as he had, but she’d obviously been just as constrained by the role she’d played.

  Grady closed the journal and rose to return the book to the bag. Eliza stood there fully dressed with her hands folded in front her and a frown on her face.

  “I, uh, wanted to see. Ah, hell, I was just being nosy.” He didn’t want to feel embarrassed; it was a weakness he refused to acknowledge.

  “I understand. May I have my journal back, please? It’s quite precious to me.” She held out her hand without meeting his gaze.

  Grady reluctantly walked over and set the journal in her hand. That’s when he noticed her hands were trembling, and she was pale as milk.

  “You okay, Liz?”

  She managed a shaky smile. “I find myself in uncharted territory.”

  He knew exactly what she meant.

  “Are you hungry? I can make some food with the supplies we managed to get. You should be sitting down and resting based upon your injuries. And how is your lip?” She talked so fast he had trouble keeping up with her words. “Never mind, just sit down, and I’ll get the fire going again so we can eat.”

  He watched as she ran around gathering new kindling, poking the embers of the fire, then running to the saddlebags to get the cook pot. Then she went to the creek for water and returned to the fire to poke at the embers again.