Vivid scooted over to make room for Nate on the swing and Magic hopped onto his lap. "What's the story going to be, Pa?"
Nate leaned his head back on the swing as if thinking, then asked, "How about 'How the Bat Got Its Wings'?"
"No, let's save that for lacrosse time. How about a princess story then?" Magic asked eagerly. "You haven't told me a princess story in a long, long time."
She looked at Vivid and said, "Widow Moss said Pa's princess stories were bad for my constitution."
"I see," Vivid replied, though she didn't at all. She was still trying to sort out what a bat story might have to do with the game of lacrosse. She leaned over to ask that question just as Nate started to speak.
"This story is called 'How Mother Africa Got Its Rain.' Once upon a time there was a beautiful dark-skinned princess. Her father was a great African king and her mother a beautiful Spanish queen."
Vivid raised an eyebrow. The princess's ancestral tree sounded a lot like her own, but Vivid kept her peace.
"Did she have a tree house?" Magic interrupted.
Her father looked down at her and asked with a smile, "Majestic, haven't we agreed that you would not interrupt a story when I'm telling it?"
She nodded yes.
"And didn't I promise to build you a tree house when you return from Detroit?"
She nodded yes again.
"Then will you please stop pestering your old pa?"
She nodded yes a third time.
Before Nate could begin his story, Magic whispered loudly to Vivid, "Pa doesn't like me to ask a lot of questions."
Vivid whispered back, "My pa didn't, either."
"Lancaster?" Nate said, leaning over.
"Oh, sorry," she said guiltily. She and Magic shared a silent giggle.
Nate continued. "Anyway, the beautiful princess was loved by her people and she loved them. She was also very brave. When slavers came to their little land, she and her parents led an army and drove the slavers back into the sea."
"She sounds very brave," Magic said softly.
"She was. She had a very big problem, though. There'd been no rain for many years, and all the crops and animals were dying in the heat. Her people were starving."
"So what did she do?"
"She went to the village shaman, and he told her to go and search for the Thunder God and see if she could barter for some rain."
The tale continued with the princess's long search for the Thunder God. Nate's descriptions of the tricksters and evil spirits the princess defeated and outsmarted on her quest made Vivid understand why Magic loved her father's princess stories. The princess was smart, brave, and true, and Nate was indeed an excellent storyteller.
The princess searched for so long that at one point in the tale her small sack of food became nearly empty, but even though she was down to her last corn cake, she shared it with a magic raven who was very hungry, too. The raven repaid her for her generosity by revealing the whereabouts of the Thunder God's cave.
"That was nice of him," Vivid supplied.
"I think so, too," Magic added.
Nate, smiling at yet another interruption, simply shook his head and continued. “The princess found the cave, but the Thunder God took one look at her beauty and told her to go away."
"But why, Pa?"
He looked down at his daughter and said softly, "He was frightened."
"He didn't know that the princess wouldn't harm him?"
"No, he didn't."
"But he was a big strong god, Pa, why was he frightened?"
"Because he really wanted her to stay and visit, and he didn't think she would like someone who lived underground. He'd been alone most of his life and was very, very lonely."
"He didn't even have a daughter?" Magic asked.
"No, Majestic, he didn't even have a daughter. He lived in his dark underground cave all alone, making thunder."
"That's sad, Pa."
"Very sad," Vivid whispered, looking at him.
"Well, the princess thought so, too. So she stayed with him awhile and taught him how to play games and read books and most of all how to smile again. He'd forgotten how to do those things because he'd lived underground for so long.
"After teaching the Thunder God all the things he'd forgotten, the princess then asked about water for her land. By now, the Thunder God was in love with the beautiful princess and he didn't want her to leave."
"Did the princess love him, too, Pa?"
"Yes, and she didn't want to leave him, either, but her people were depending on her for the rain, so she struck a bargain. She agreed to stay underground with him for six months every year and make him smile, and in exchange he promised to give her people all the rain they wanted for those six months. So now in Africa there is a rainy season and a dry season, all thanks to the beautiful brave princess."
Nate glanced down at his daughter's face and smiled. "How was that for a story?"
"I liked it, Pa. Too bad the Thunder God didn't give the people rain all year round, though."
"Well, you know from other stories how gods act sometimes. He probably didn't want the princess to go home at all and pouted the whole time she was away."
Magic nodded, then said, "Well, I liked the story anyway. How about you, Dr. Lancaster, did you like my pa's story?"
He wouldn't look at her but Vivid spoke directly to him anyway, "I liked your pa's story very much."
His gaze brushed over Vivid just long enough to increase the pace of her heartbeat, then he asked his daughter, "Are you ready for bed now?"
She nodded yes. Magic laughed when her pa lifted her to his strong shoulders and carried her home.
The darkness settled in star-studded abandon over the countryside, bringing with it the night's velvet hush and a beautiful moon. Vivid could hear the song of the crickets and the occasional menacing buzz of a mosquito as she sat in the swing. The little biting beasties were an increasing problem now that the nights were warmer. She'd been warned they'd only worsen as the summer progressed, but she sat outside a bit longer anyway, enjoying the night air and mulling over Nate's story of the princess and the Thunder God. Had he purposely chosen this fascinating way to reveal himself and his feelings? She heard a footfall behind her. She turned and heard Nate say, "Thought you'd be inside by now."
Just the sight of him made her senses soar. She hadn't expected he would return. "No, I'm just enjoying sitting here and not having anywhere to be. I love this swing, Nate Grayson. I also loved your story. Magic is lucky to have a storyteller in the family."
He smiled in the dark and said, "I can't believe she's still after me about that tree house."
"She's a persistent little girl."
"That she is," he replied.
Silence settled between them as they each pursued private thoughts.
Nate could feel himself teetering on the edge of an abyss as he gazed at her in the moonlight. His need for her grew stronger with each passing moment. He walked over to where she sat with her trousered legs drawn up onto the seat of the swing. He then stood over her as if coming closer would somehow solve the riddle of his attraction. Being so near only made the need sharpen. Moonbeams streamed over his shoulder, bathing her as she sat looking up at him. His devouring eyes took in the beautiful glory of her coiled hair, the graceful line of her throat, and the soft rise and fall of her breathing from within the loose-fitting shirt as she waited for his next move.
Before he realized what he was about he sat down next to her, moved closer, and with a hand placed gently behind her head, eased her into a kiss. Her mouth was as sweet as he'd remembered, sweeter. He thought kissing her again would cure him of what he knew to be madness, but the dementia spread and flared, making him pull her closer so he could slowly run his hands over her delicate shoulders, the sturdy softness of her spine, and the lush curve of her hip.
"We aren't supposed to be doing this..." she whispered, her heart beginning to beat with a familiar sensual rhythm.
He was kissing his way down her throat and up to her ear as his hand cupped her breast. "I know. I'm hoping to find a reason to stop...but I haven't yet..."
He bent his head to her captured breast and bit her softly through her cotton shirt. Vivid shuddered, and then as he moved to pay tribute to the other side she shuddered once more. His mouth was warm, hot, her nipples aching when he raised his head. "You have a mouth as lush as spring..." he whispered just before covering her lips with another long lingering kiss.
Vivid could do nothing but feed on the sensations he evoked. Every brush of his lips across her mouth, the throbbing point of her temple, and the shell of her ear promised passion and gentleness. His touch was like wildfire, his hands like flames as she felt them slowly blazing a trail down her back. There was no sanity here, just a man and a woman caught up in the raw vitality of desire.
Slowly he unbuttoned her shirt and she felt the night breeze sweep her bared skin. He placed kisses against her trembling throat and she moaned softly as his heated palms slid feverishly over her breasts. His touch made her arch, his teasing fingers made her swell. When he eased his hot hand inside her gaping chemise and squeezed her nipple seductively, piercing ripples swept her up and overrode all.
Nate used the teasing friction of his fingers to raise the buds up nice and sweet, then, unable to resist, pulled the chemise down below her breasts and loved her as he'd dreamed. Her breasts were as virgin-ripe as the rest of her firm, lithe body. No man before him had ever explored her until now. No man had ever bared her breasts to the moonlight and his glittering eyes, or tasted her until she moaned his name, as he was doing now. He was the first.
And the only one, he vowed possessively. With renewed determination he pleasured her precious dark jewels until her head dropped back on the swing.
Vivid tingled beneath his large hands boldly tracing her thighs and the roundness of her hip. She could feel him tugging her shirttail free from the waistband of her belted trousers. She arched to give him better access, then sighed as his warm hands slid beneath her chemise and up her bare back. The wanton warmth made her move closer against him so she could seek his lips.
Her boldness made Nate groan and run his hands greedily over the rich curve of her buttocks. As she leaned passionately into his chest, he explored her thighs and legs with savoring hands. Emboldened by her responsiveness and urged on by the throbbing in his manhood, Nate loosened her belt buckle until it opened, then slid the length of leather from around her waist. Next he began freeing the buttons on her pants one by one, until he could slide his fingers over the humid skin of her navel. The thought of what lay beyond drew his hand to circle lower. Suddenly his hand stopped and he looked into her eyes with amused surprise. ''Viveca Lancaster, where are your drawers?"
Vivid should have felt a tinge of embarrassment at his discovery, but his hands began moving again, touching her so gently yet so erotically she almost forgot what she'd meant to say. "I don't wear..."
He pulled her pants down her thighs. "They bunch up on my legs and..." Vivid lost her ability to speak once he began to explore her.
He eased her across his lap. "Right here..." he said, his hands moving to the core of her soul, “is that lode-stone I told you about this afternoon. Its only purpose is to bring you pleasure. I'll show you..."
Vivid could feel that part of herself ripening and rising to his touch in much the same way her nipples had. Yet this pleasure had its own unique heat; it was fuller, hotter, and more encompassing than any other sensation she'd ever known. It only took a few more seconds of his wanton lessons to send the moon crashing into the stars and for her to feel as if she were at the center of the explosion. The buffeting aftermath left her panting, keening, and stunned.
Once the world stopped spinning, she said, "My goodness. What was that?" His hands were still tutoring her slowly, letting her feel the remnants of her passion. She had never ever experienced anything so glorious before.
He grinned down at her knowingly and asked, "Something else they didn't teach you in medical school, I take it?"
"Heavens, no. Nate, what did you do to me?"
"I did nothing. Well, I take that back..." he said, sliding his hands boldly over her moonlit breasts. He smiled, watching her arch to the sensual command. "It's called a climax, completion. The French call it le petit morte.''
Vivid fought to make her mind do the translation in spite of him making her nipples rise and ripen once more. "The little death?"
"The little death," he replied.
"Dying is probably not that pleasurable," Vivid replied, still spiraling because he wouldn't stop touching her. "But I understand why the French call it that..."
He kissed her lips. "So do I...Now fasten your pants and go on in before I'm tempted to show you another path to the little death..."
"Would you really?" Vivid asked, nibbling softly on his tempting bottom lip. "When?"
"Go inside, brazen woman, before your trousers wind up around your ankles and you find yourself sitting on something a bit more lively than this swing."
He could see how perplexed his statement made her and he chuckled at the confusion reflected in her dark eyes. "And you call yourself a doctor," he teased.
Vivid had absolutely no idea what he was intimating but from the sparkle in his gaze, she thought it might be something she would like to try.
In the end, though, Vivid stood and repositioned her clothing all under Nate's blazing scrutiny. As he watched her redo her buttons, he felt his manhood throb painfully not only from being denied but also from knowing that all this time she'd been bare inside those denims. Had he known, he would have carried her off and pleasured her weeks ago.
Vivid said softly, "Thank you for a very...enlightening evening, oh mighty Thunder God."
He looked at her and smiled. “You're welcome, brave princess. Now go on in and get some rest. I'll see you in the morning. Give me a kiss first though, Viveca..."
Vivid bent to give him a parting kiss and he met it with his own sweet goodbye.
After she went inside Nate sat on the swing taking in the night and waiting for the throbbing in his pants to stop so he could get up and walk home.
It took a while.
Chapter 13
Vivid spent the next two days combing the Grove for anyone needing her services. She also spread word that no one could become ill, break a limb, or step into a bear trap until she returned from Detroit.
On the morning they were scheduled to depart, she, Magic, and Abigail were joined by Eli after their dawn breakfast. They were placing their valises into the buggy they would be taking to the Niles train depot when Nate, who'd seemed content to watch the proceedings from the porch, strolled over to where the traveling party had gathered.
He stood before his cousin. All activity ceased as they silently confronted each other. Nate then reached into his pocket and pulled out a coin. "Call it in the air, cousin," Nate instructed, then tossed the coin high and let it land in his palm.
Eli grinned. "Heads."
Nate opened his hand and showed it to Eli. "Tails. Offer your regrets."
Eli looked into his cousin's eyes for a moment, then, shaking his head, stated, "Ladies, it appears I won't be able to accompany you to Detroit. My cousin will escort you instead."
Magic cheered, unmindful of the adults and their intrigue.
Eli asked, "What if it had been tails?"
"Then we would have flipped again."
Eli seemed to assess Nate a moment before asking, "That bad, is it?"
Silence.
Eli chuckled knowingly, "That bad. Well, I've lost the war anyway, you may as well take my place." He then began to remove his things from the buggy.
Abigail shook her head, mumbled something about men and brains, then got into the buggy without another word.
Vivid, having witnessed this amazing encounter, didn't know what to say or think, so she, too, joined Abigail inside the buggy to wait while Nate went back into the h
ouse to fetch his traveling gear.
Vivid and the Graysons boarded the Michigan Central Railroad in Niles and took the day-long ride to Detroit. Upon arrival, Nate hailed a hack and the Black driver helped them load their trunks and then they were off.
Abigail had lived in Detroit for many years before and after Mr. Lincoln's war and she proved to be a font of information on the city. She pointed out the sights as the driver headed them east. "That's the famous city hall, dedicated in 1871. We'll visit it tomorrow, but from the top you can see the river and Canada."
The hack rode up the busy avenue and the three adults smiled as Magic gawked at the horse-drawn trolleys. Vivid was impressed by all the buildings and people on the streets. She hadn't known how much she'd missed the hustle and bustle of city life until now. The voices and sounds tugged at her heartstrings.
As they tooled past shops and businesses, they all listened to Abigail tout the city's accomplishments in the manufacturing of soap, paint, and Mr. Vernor's ginger ale. She also told them about the important role Detroit played in shipping and promised they would see the waterfront before they returned home.
They would be staying at Mrs. Fisher's boarding house. Mrs. Fisher, a longtime friend of Abigail's, greeted them with hugs and friendly smiles. She showed them to their rooms—one for the women and a separate room down the hall for Nate.
They were too tired from the journey to do any sightseeing so Nate rented a buggy from Mrs. Fisher's stable and they rode to the home of Abigail's friend, Hester Vale Vachon.
"Is she the woman married to the Black Daniel?" Vivid asked.
Smiling, Abigail asked, "How do you know about that?"
Vivid explained about the story Miss Edna had related.
"Yes, Hester's husband, Caleb, was the Black Daniel. He arranged freedom for many before the war. Hester and Caleb are fine people."
And they were. Caleb Vachon was as handsome as Miss Edna said he would be. He had a complexion as light as churned butter, but despite the age in his face and the gray streaking his hair, he was still a stunningly handsome man. His wife, a beautiful ebony-skinned woman, had prepared a fabulous meal. At the table Vivid watched the Vachons as they teased and smiled at each other. It was easy to see the two were very much in love even after being married over twenty years.