He tilted her face up with his thumb. "That isn't what I asked you," he said in a soft whisper.
"It isn't?"
"No," he replied.
"Then what is it you wanted to know?"
She sounded out of breath to him. She needed some fresh air, he decided. Hell, he didn't want her fainting on him again. "I want to know if you hurt now, Sara," he said.
"No," she answered. "I don't hurt now."
They stared at each other a long, silent minute. Sara thought he might want to kiss her, but she couldn't be sure. "Nathan? You still haven't given me a proper greeting."
She put her hands on the front of his shirt, closed her eyes, and waited.
"What the hell is a proper greeting?" he asked. He knew exactly what she wanted from him, but he wanted to see what she would do next.
She opened her eyes and frowned at him. "You're supposed to kiss me."
"Why?" he asked, baiting her again.
Her exasperation was obvious. "Just do it," she commanded.
Before he could ask another aggravating question she clasped the sides of his face with her hands and pulled his head down toward her. "Oh, never mind," she whispered "I'll do it myself."
He didn't offer any resistance. But he didn't take over the duty either. Sara placed a chaste kiss on his mouth, then leaned back. "This would feel much better if you cooperated, Nathan. You're supposed to kiss me back."
Her voice was low, sensual, as soft as her warm body pressed against his. A man could only take so much teasing. Nathan lowered his head and slowly rubbed his mouth over hers. He caught her sigh when he opened her mouth and deepened the kiss.
She was already melting in his arms. He was once again nearly undone by her easy response to his touch. His tongue dueled with hers, and he couldn't contain his low growl of pleasure.
When he finally pulled back from her she slumped against him. He couldn't stop himself from putting his arms around her and holding her tight. She smelled like roses and cinnamon.
"Who taught you how to kiss?" he demanded in a rough whisper. It was an illogical question, he supposed, given the fact that she'd been a virgin when he'd taken her to his bed, but he was compelled to ask anyway.
"You taught me how to kiss," she answered.
"You never kissed anyone before me?"
She shook her head. His anger dissipated in a flash. "If you don't like the way I kiss…" she began.
"I like it."
She quit protesting.
He suddenly pulled completely away from her, grabbed hold of her hand, and dragged her over to the candles. He blew both flames out and then headed for the corridor.
"Nathan, I can't leave the galley," she announced.
"You need a nap."
"I what? I never take naps."
"You do now."
"But what about my lovely soup?"
"Damn it, Sara, I don't want you cooking again."
She frowned at his broad back. Lord, he was bossy. "I already explained why I took on this duty," she muttered.
"Do you think you can win the men's loyalty with a bowl of slop?"
If he slowed down just a little, she thought, she would be able to kick him in the back of his legs. "It isn't slop," she shouted instead.
He didn't argue with her. He continued to drag her along all the way back to their cabin. She was a bit surprised when he followed her inside.
He shut the door behind him and bolted it.
"Turn around, Sara."
She gave him a good frown for being so dictatorial, then did as he commanded. He was much quicker unbuttoning the gown than he had been the last time.
"I really don't want to have a nap," she told him again.
He didn't quit prodding her until her gown fell to the floor. It still hadn't dawned on her that he really wasn't interested in forcing her to sleep. He stripped her down to her chemise, but when he tried to remove that garment she pushed his hands away.
Nathan stared at her a long minute. Her body was simply perfection to him. Her breasts were full, her waist narrow, and her legs long, shapely, exquisite.
His hot stare soon made her uncomfortable. Sara tugged on the straps of her chemise, trying without much success to conceal a little more of her breasts.
She quit feeling embarrassed when he unbuttoned his shirt. That action gained her full attention. "Are you taking a nap, too?"
"I never take naps."
He tossed his shirt aside, leaned back against the door, and began to pull his boots off. Sara backed up a space.
"You aren't just changing your clothes, are you?"
His grin was lopsided, endearing. "No."
"You don't want to…"
He didn't look at her when he answered. "Oh, yes, I want to," he drawled.
"No."
His reaction was immediate. He stood to his full height and walked toward her. His hands were on his hips. "No?"
She shook her head.
"Why the hell not?"
"It's daylight," she blurted out.
"Damn it, Sara, you aren't afraid again, are you? Honest to God, I don't think I can go through that ordeal again."
She was outraged. "Ordeal? You call making love to me an ordeal?"
He wasn't going to let her stray from answering his question. "Are you afraid?" he demanded.
He looked as though he dreaded her answer. Sara suddenly realized she had a way out if she wanted it, but she immediately discarded that idea. She wasn't going to lie to him.
"I wasn't afraid last night," she announced. She folded her arms across her chest and then added, "You were."
That remark wasn't worthy of a retort. "You said you didn't hurt anymore," he reminded her as he moved forward another step.
"I'm not tender now," she whispered. "But we both know I will be if you persist in getting your way, Nathan."
His smile indicated his amusement. "Will that be so unbearable?"
A warm knot was already forming in the pit of her stomach. All the man had to do was look at her in that special way of his and she came apart.
"Are you going to want to… move again?"
He didn't laugh. She looked so worried, and he didn't want her to think he was mocking her feelings. He wasn't going to lie, either. "Yeah," he drawled as he reached for her. "I'm going to want to move again."
"Then we aren't going to do anything but nap."
The little woman really needed to understand who was husband and who was wife, Nathan thought to himself. He decided he'd explain all about her duty to obey him later. All he wanted to do was kiss her. He threw his arm around her shoulders, dragged her over to the trap, and didn't let go of her when he reached up and pulled the wooden door shut.
The cabin was pitched into darkness. Nathan paused to kiss Sara. It was a hot, wet, lingering kiss that let her know with certainty that he was going to get his way.
Then he turned to light the candles. Her hand stayed his action. "Don't," she whispered.
"I want to see you when you…"
He stopped his explanation when he felt her hands on his waistband. Sara's hands were shaking, but she got the buttons to his breeches undone in little time. Her fingers brushed against his hard stomach. His indrawn breath told her he liked that. It made her bolder. She rested the side of her face against his chest, then slowly edged the waistband down. "You wanted to see me when I what, Nathan?" she whispered.
It took all he had to concentrate on what she was saying. Her fingers were slowly easing their way down toward his groin. He closed his eyes in sweet agony.
"When you find fulfillment," he said on a low groan. "God, Sara, touch me."
His body was rigid now. Sara smiled to herself. She had no idea her touch could so arouse him. She pushed his clothing down a little further. "I am touching you, Nathan."
He couldn't take the torment any longer. He took hold of her hand and placed it where he needed her touch most.