"Relax and let me in, baby. Accept me."

She shook her head. The soft denial ripped the veneer of civilization off his soul. Possession, primitive and wild, surged to the fore, demanding her compliance.

He brought his determination to bear on that critical connection.

"Yes." His voice was as guttural as his emotions. The shake of her head only increased his resolve. She would not deny him in this. "Accept me."

"Can't," she gasped. She shook her head harder, her fingers wrapping around his, her back pressing against his chest in rapid pulses of distress.

He worked his lips to the side on her neck. "I'm not leaving you a choice."

The soft muscles of her a.s.s were no match for the force of his determination.

Her "You'll leave" was a high-pitched wail of surrender as her a.n.u.s spread over the tip of his c.o.c.k, pulsing and tempting him with the promise of what could be.

You'll leave.He held himself still inside her. The rage ebbed as the cry echoed in his head. She wasn't denying him, she was denying herself. He kissed her cheek, her hair, the side of her mouth.

"Jesus, G.o.d, baby. Wild horses couldn't drag me away from you."

"Why?"

"Because you're everything I've always wanted."

"I don't understand," she whispered into the comforter, her voice tight with pain, both physical and mental.

He fought back the need to plunge inside her and gave her the truth instead. "I don't either, but that's the way it is."

It was a d.a.m.ned weak reason to give a woman, but surprisingly, Jenna relaxed beneath him. Her voice was soft as her skin as she whispered, "For me, too."

The confession exploded through him, reaching deep to that wild primitive part, blocking out all other emotions. One word chanted over and over in his mind as he surged into her, past her resistance, making reality of what had only been a supposition. "Mine. Mine."

He didn't realize that he was saying it aloud as he tunneled in and out of the hot, slick grip of her a.s.s until Jenna arched beneath him as he freed one hand and reached for her swollen c.l.i.t, pinching it in time with histhrusts. Her scream of "Yes" battered his ears, and shattered his defenses as the last of her resistance faded.

He surged deep into her body, pumping harder, longer -striving to reach that part of her that she kept hidden.

His b.a.l.l.s slapped against the soaking wet pad of her c.u.n.t as he increased the power of his thrusts, deepened the angle of his penetration, arching into her shudders, knowing he'd found his mark as she screamed and fought, her body convulsing...

She screamed his name as her a.s.s clamped down on his c.o.c.k, choking off his own climax. She shuddered and cried beneath him as her body milked his. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back into his chest, holding her close. Her tears soaked his arm as he powered to his own release. She turned her head, her lips brushing his cheek, accepting his wildness, his need.

"I love you," she whispered.

He heard her over the shaking of the bed, the protest of the mattress, and the thundering of his heart. She whispered it again, the last of her tension fading from her muscles, leaving her wide open to his thrusts, to him. He came in a rush, his seed boiling up from his b.a.l.l.s, bursting into her tight channel and filling her to overflowing. His seed mingling with her juices to coat his b.a.l.l.s and her p.u.s.s.y until there was nothing left in him. Just an aching emptiness. He sucked in a deep breath. The scent of roses, s.e.x, and satisfied woman filledbreath. The scent of roses, s.e.x, and satisfied woman filled his lungs, spreading through his being, drifting into the void.

And then as her a.s.s spasmed one last time around his c.o.c.k, she whispered it again, those three little words that filled him with peace.

"I love you."

Chapter Twenty.

By the time Jenna rode up to the front of Mara's home, she was bathed in sweat. Not just because Clint was going to be furious that she'd ridden out alone. Not because she was so new to horseback riding that every time the placid roan Clint had given her slipped, she went into a panic. No. She was in a lather because of what she was going to do. What she needed to do to protect her home. Her children. She shifted in the saddle, wincing as her posterior protested.

The last week had been difficult. Clint had been insatiable in his demands. He'd taken her over and over, his big body driving hers to climax like a man possessed, needing her surrender, forcing her to give him the words he wanted. Afterwards, he held her as if he wanted to pull her into his body, easing her through her tears, kissing her gently, tenderly, but he never said the words back. Never let her in.

So she'd pulled back, not giving him the words he wanted. Trying to be more like him. But it never worked.

Clint took charge at night, taking her however he needed to break down the walls she built, not resting until hehad what he wanted. Her total surrender.

She shifted again as her p.u.s.s.y pulsed with remembered pleasure. Last night, she'd held out longer than usual. He'd arched above her, muscles glistening with sweat, eyes burning with pa.s.sion, face tight with resolution as she bit her lip against the declaration wanting to spill forth-and then he'd flipped her over.

He hadn't taken her a.s.s since that that first time, waiting for her to recover. But last night he'd taken her over and over, not content with hearing the words "I love you"

once. She'd lost track of how many times she'd screamed her love as he took her, staking his claim, as if he wanted to imprint himself into her very soul.

This morning he'd woken her with a soft apology as he'd eased his big c.o.c.k into her sore r.e.c.t.u.m, kissing her gently, f.u.c.king her gently, relentlessly until she'd surrendered, holding his hand against her cheek and giving him the words he needed.

He'd moaned and then had come immediately, the tension seeping from his hard muscles as she convulsed around him. He'd held her for a long time afterward, rubbing her back, kissing her cheek, calming her as she cried. But he still hadn't said what she needed to hear.

And it wasn't hard to figure out why.

She pulled the roan to a halt at the hitching post in front of Mara's big house. As usual, just looking at theplace made her feel inferior, but that was just another thing she was going to have to get over. She was a McKinnely now, and McKinnelys bowed to no one.

She squared her shoulders. If she wanted Clint to love her, she was going to have to learn to be a woman he could rely on. A woman he could see as being strong enough to trust with his heart. Which was going to take a lot of toughening up. She looked up as a big, tall man came out of the barn, then raised her hand and waved.

Cougar broke into a run. His long hair flying out behind him as his legs ate up the distance between them.

She tried to swing her leg over the horse's back, but her tortured muscles screamed a protest. The roan shifted and she quickly settled back in the saddle.

"What's wrong," Cougar barked as he got close enough to be heard.

She smoothed her hair and straightened her skirt. "I came for a visit."

He stopped a foot away. His hair settled around his shoulders in a wild tangle that was as primitive as the man himself. He looked down the road, then at her dress, and frowned.

"Alone?"

"Yes."

"Dressed like that?""I didn't want to get my good clothes horsy smelling." It wasn't her best dress but it wasn't her worst either.

"I repeat, what's wrong?" He crossed his arms over his chest.

"I just want to see Mara."

"So you cut across the territory on a horse you barely know how to ride, unescorted, without Clint's permission?"

"How do you know I don't have Clint's permission?"

His right brow went up in an expression reminiscent of Clint. "Because you're here alone on a horse you barely know how to ride, in clothes more fit for cleaning than visiting, and if I'm not mistaken, without all the proper undergarments."

How could he tell that?

"So," Cougar continued with intimidating calm, "don't tell me nothing's wrong. Tell me the truth."

"I need to talk to you," she managed through her embarra.s.sment.

"Why?" His eyes were flat and cold.

"I need your help."

His expression didn't soften. "If you're looking for help leaving him, you came to the wrong place."

She blinked. "Leave who?""Clint."

"I don't want to leave him."

The front door opened and Mara came flying out.

"Jenna! I wasn't expecting you." She looked around.

"Where are Clint and the children?"

"They're home."

"Uh-oh." The same guarded expression came over Mara's face that had been on Cougar's.

"Why does everyone a.s.sume that there's some sort of problem just because I came out for a visit?"

"Because Clint wouldn't leave you unprotected,"

Mara answered as Cougar tucked her into his side.

"For heavens sake, I'm not a child."

"Of course not," Mara said, rubbing her arms as Cougar stepped away. "And we're thrilled you came to visit, aren't we Cougar?"

"Thrilled," Cougar echoed, coming toward Jenna, his eyes narrowed in speculation. He patted the horse's neck as his gaze met hers, the eyes she'd thought cold a moment before now warm with concern. He really was a handsome man when he wasn't looking so scary.

"Whatever it is, Jenna, we will help you."

"I don't know if you can."

"Then maybe we should get you off this horse so we can talk."She bit her lip and confessed yet another humiliating moment. "I'm stuck."

"So I figured." As if she were a feather, he lifted her off the horse, steadying her as her leg cramped and gave out. He frowned down at her. "You shouldn't be riding."

"I had to." She shifted her weight to her good leg and held to her purpose.

His thumb brushed her cheek. "If you tell Clint what's bothering you, he'll fix it."

"He can't."

"But you think I can?"

"Yes." She was counting on it.

"What do you need?"

"I need for you to teach me to fight."* * * * *

"I don't think I've ever seen quite that expression on Cougar's face before," Mara commented as she poured the tea.

Jenna rubbed her thigh where it rested up on the ha.s.sock, easing the cramping muscles. "He did seem surprised."

"You flat-out shocked him to the soles of his moccasins." Mara laughed, her elfin face lighting from within.

"I need to know how to defend myself."

"Why?"

"I need to be strong."

"Why?" Mara dropped a sugar chunk into her cup.

"I just do." She couldn't just blurt out "so Clint will love me".

"Are you in danger, Jenna?" Mara asked, growing serious.

"No."

"Do you think Clint wants a sparring partner?"

Cougar asked from the kitchen door, a hot brickwrapped in a towel in his hand.

"I just want him to respect me." She took a sip of her tea.

"And you think fighting will make that happen?" he asked, handing her the brick. She laid it on her thigh, her breath hissing out as the warmth seeped into the twisted muscles. Cougar squatted beside her, watching her face as the heat seeped in.

"Clint respects strength."

Cougar sighed. "He respects his wife."

No, he didn't. But he would.

"He'll respect me more if he always doesn't have to worry about me."