The Bronzed Hawk by Iris Johansen Page A

campfire.”
    “I don’t think it was seduction,” Kelly gasped, as he pulled her back even closer against him. She could feel the virile heat of his naked chest through the thin cotton of her shirt. “I don’t think they possessed that degree of subtlety.”
    He chuckled, and they were so close she could feel the vibrations of the muscles of his chest. “I thought a more delicate euphemism was called for under the circumstances,” he said teasingly.“I wouldn’t want to sully the ears of someone in your untouched state.”
    “You’re not angry with me about that anymore?” she asked, trying to turn around to face him. “I wouldn’t have lied to you if I hadn’t thought it absolutely necessary.”
    He prevented her from moving by the simple means of tightening his arms until they were like warm bands of steel around her. “Lie still,” he ordered. “That wriggling drives me out of my mind, and I’ve got to keep my cool tonight.” As she obediently quieted, his arms loosened a bit, and he answered. “I’m not angry. Though, if you ever lie to me again, I just may do something violent.” He drew a deep breath and buried his face in her hair again. “Once I thought about it, I found that I liked the idea of being your first lover so much that I didn’t give a damn about your ‘exaggerations’! I guess you’ve noticed that I’m a bit possessive of you?”
    “I’ve noticed,” Kelly said dryly, thinking of his threat to the bandit leader.
    “Very uncivilized of me. But no more uncivilizedthan your virginity, sweetheart. How did I get so lucky?”
    “You’re very sure of yourself!” At his answering chuckle, she added crossly, “It’s really none of your business, but I guess I do owe you something for those whoppers I told you. I suppose I was too busy with my career to get involved to that extent. I never saw what all the shouting was about.” Not before the appearance of one Nick O’Brien. “I guess that makes me even more of a freak in your opinion,” she finished belligerently.
    “An enchanting freak,” he agreed huskily, as his hands moved up to the buttons of her blouse. “I can hardly wait to normalize you, love.” His hands were rapidly unbuttoning her blouse. “I wish to hell I could do it right here and now.” His hand deftly freed the front catch of her bra.
    “Nick, no!” Kelly whispered, her body tensing with shock as she glanced wildly at the slumbering men in the clearing. “You can’t.”
    “I’m well aware of that,” he said, his hands gently massaging her silky midriff. “Don’t worry, Kelly. I’m not about to ravish you in a fit of lustfor your nubile young body. I’ll wait until I can make it good for you. I’m afraid that this damn weariness and our possible audience would preclude that tonight.” His lips were at her ear again, and his breath was warm and gentle on her skin. “I just want to touch you. I want to hold you through the night and wake up with your lovely breasts in my hands. Will you let me do that?”
    “I don’t think it’s a very good idea,” Kelly said breathlessly. The idea may not have been either safe or reasonable in view of her determination not to have an affair with him, but it was wildly appealing.
    “It’s a
very
good idea. You’ll see, sweetheart,” Nick whispered. “You’ll like my hands on you.”
    His warm gentleness was dizzyingly sweet as his hands left her midriff to caress her breasts tenderly. He was wrong. She
loved
his hands on her. For endless moments his hands explored the valley between her breasts, her nipples, and the creamy mounds. Then they moved up to her shoulders and her throat. Her upper arms, the hollow of her spine, her belly all received hisconcentrated tactile attention. When his hands returned reluctantly to her midriff, she felt as if he must know every curve and valley of her body more thoroughly than she did herself.
    “I think that’s enough for tonight,” he said, his breathing a