She took off down the narrow lane as quickly as her feet would carry her without actually running. At the last row, she filled the long spouted can from one of the pre-filled buckets of water. Taking a moment to thank her earlier oversight in leaving a partially filled bucket, she quickly watered all the delicate plants that were partially shielded by the windbreaks she'd constructed. This was the only plant that was growing in her field that was so rare most people thought it was extinct. But with careful tending, she had encouraged the small cutting she'd stolen to grow into about twenty healthy plants. With time, she could probably have grown enough for it to be reintroduced, but she didn't want that to happen.

Finally, she finished and replaced the barriers. Turning, she saw that Sean was standing a few feet away, watching her. Picking the watering can back up, she moved around him. Since her rows were narrow it left only enough s.p.a.ce for one person, not two. Her body pressed against him and he took advantage of the moment to grab the can from her hand.

"I sent Billy on home. There are really only a few more rows to do. That kid is fast."

Rayne moved on down the row, aware that Sean was watering the plants she'd not done in her rush to reach the others first. She filled the other can that Sean must have left when he'd followed her with the last of the water in her bucket. Quickly she moved into the next row, working carefully, but with speed. Dawdling tonight didn't seem like a good idea. A few feet along she heard Sean begin the row in front of hers.

"I imagine you aren't used to this old-fashioned way of doing things," Rayne spoke quietly, surprising herself by speaking at all. Part of her head was convinced the best idea was to say nothing, while the rest of her body was reminding her about that very human need she'd been thinking about during the walk home. No doubt about it-s.e.x with Sean McDougal would be pretty amazing. The sight of his naked chest, in the moonlight, was enough to get any woman's engine racing. And hers had been primed since the first time she saw him. All day long she'd been fighting thoughts of him, or thinking about him. Reminding him of how different they were had worked with Billy, so why shouldn't it work in this case as well?

"There is nothing wrong with doing things an older way if it works. From what I've heard in town, you seem to have more than the proverbial green thumb. Rumor has it this land was worthless for growing anything until you took over for back taxes." Sean spoke softly, hoping that by revealing what he knew she might open up to him. They had certainly made a connection earlier before dinner. He'd followed her after she refused a ride, only because he was worried about her walking alone at night. But she'd obviously done fine, except when she'd stubbed her toe the one time. He'd nearly revealed himself then to offer his help.

"I've done nothing special."

Sean watched while Rayne finished her row and they walked back to the beginning together. Picking up the other bucket, he topped off his can, and added some more water to hers. "Not much more to do," he murmured softly.

"You can leave if you want," Rayne spoke quickly.

Sean turned his head and lifted one eyebrow as he met her gaze. "It goes more quickly with two."

"I know, but I can manage this easily. I figured you'd want to get back home and to bed."

Sean grinned and shook his head. "Actually, I'm not at all sleepy tonight. This should help tire me out some. Maybe I'm just feeling wired or something. It's possible something got me all stirred up earlier in the evening."

Rayne's watering can slipped from her fingers. Water splashed up onto her dress and legs. She quickly picked it up without another word and started dousing the plants. She'd only done two when Sean's hand came out and took hold of her wrist.

"Slow down, Rayne. Drowning them won't help."

"d.a.m.n, I wasn't thinking," she muttered and resumed her task once he'd released his grasp upon her slender arm.

Sean watched her quietly for a few moments and then continued as well. After he'd gone a few steps he heard Rayne speak again.

"If you hadn't chased off Billy, I'd have all the help I needed. He probably won't be coming back at all after your caveman display at the house."

Sean grinned in the darkness. He had wondered if she was going to comment on that or just let it slide. Without stopping his work, he replied, "Billy wasn't helping you altruistically. That randy young boy had just one thought on his mind and it involved getting into your panties."

"I knew that, but I enjoyed having some help once in awhile. I could handle a seventeen-year-old boy. Besides, there are no 'panties' for him to be getting into."

Sean shook his head and scoffed doubtfully. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm not wearing any!"

Sean's watering can slipped from his fingers as he heard her words. He spun around and looked at Rayne, his eyes lowering immediately to her waist and below. When he lifted his gaze to hers, she looked away from his hurriedly. He was sure she was wishing she'd kept her mouth shut just now. And he rather wished that she had not informed him because now all he could think about was her sitting at his dinner table without her panties on! G.o.d! If possible, he wanted her even more now. Deliberately he picked up the can and finished the row. Without waiting for Rayne, he walked back and refilled. As he began the last row, he was aware that Rayne had nearly finished hers.

He held his tongue until she finished and was pa.s.sing him. He knew his voice sounded harsh as he spoke quickly. "I hope to G.o.d you didn't talk like that around that young puppy. With the slightest encouragement, a kid that age is like dry tinder."

"I am not stupid, Sean. I could have handled Billy. Now he won't be stopping by to help anymore. I'll let you finish since you have been so eager. Good night," Rayne said sharply, turning quickly. She muttered back over her shoulder, "And thanks."

Sean watched her until she was swallowed by the darkness of the night. Illogically he thought that it had sounded nice, hearing her call him by name. Up until that point, it had seemed as if she were avoiding any direct notice of him. Almost as if by not speaking his name, she could avoid giving him form and substance, or a place in her life. With a jolt of surprise, Sean acknowledged that she was going to have to get used to the fact that he was definitely in her life from now on. He knew then that no matter what he discovered about her, their lives were going to be intertwined for some time to come.

Chapter Four.

As she stomped back to her house, Rayne told herself to go inside, turn off the lights and lock all the doors and windows. That would be the safest thing to do at this point. She didn't need complications in her life. Her life was comfortable, despite the hard work. Why should she let turmoil in? h.e.l.l! She was inviting it in!

Sitting down on her front steps, she slowly began taking her sneakers off. In a moment she'd take them around back and wash the mud off. Even though she could think of other things she'd rather do, it was better to do some things now to save more work later. A smile curled her lips upward as she recalled the many times their grandmother had tried to get her and her sisters to clean up after themselves. They were always more interested in hearing about the past and testing their psychic powers. Grandpa had disapproved of using any psychic power to help with their day-to-day lives.

Rayne had never longed to return to the days when the psychics ruled as overlords. The world was a much better place, according to Maile, since the rebels had overthrown the psychic government. But with her grandmother's warnings echoing in her head, she never forgot to hide her psychic abilities from everyone. One never knew who might report someone to the government as a possible psychic. They could arrive on one's doorstep or at a place of work and whisk him or her away with a psych search warrant. Sometimes people never returned.

Lowering her head, she covered her face with her hands. Dear G.o.d, it must have been terrible for people-psychics-right after the war. Their grandmother might have scared them too much with her stories, but she'd wanted the girls to be prepared. In the end, it hadn't mattered because the sisters had been forced to leave their home much too early as it was.

"You look worn out."

Rayne lifted her head and saw Sean walking toward her. He was still shirtless and he now had some mud on his boots and jeans. "I'm fine. I waited to offer you the use of the outdoor shower to rinse the mud off, if you want."

Sean sat down beside her before she could move, putting his hand on her forearm to restrain her when she did start to get up. "Seems to me the only reason I'd want to wash the mud off now would be if I were going inside. If I'm walking back to my place, then I might as well wait."

It was the way he lifted that one eyebrow, she decided. That one simple little action seemed to be the answer she needed. Or maybe it was just hearing him say the words out loud. In that moment, she knew there was nothing in the world she wanted more than for him to come inside. The grip on her arm had relaxed and she stood up.

"Then I think we both should wash the mud off."

She didn't wait but started around toward the back of the house. If Sean was interested, then she guessed he'd follow her to the shower. Hoping that he had come after her, she didn't look back as she pulled her dress up and over her head. She reached her hand out to pull the chain cord that would release the water. A larger, more tanned hand covered hers a moment later. She felt the heat behind her a second before the chilly water came crashing down over her body.

"Ooh!"

One hand encircled her waist, pulling her back against him. Immediately, she felt his hard c.o.c.k pressing insistently against her b.u.t.t. There was no way she could stop the wiggle of her hips pressing and rubbing across his flesh. She felt his lips against the side of her neck as he kissed his way to her ear lobe, which he paused to nibble for a few seconds.

"I want you so much right now that there is no way that cold water is going to cool me off."

Sean's deep, husky voice sent shivers through her body. The hand around her waist moved down over her flat belly and cupped her mound. He slipped two fingers into her cleft and rubbed lightly.

"I should apologize for last night, but I can't. I've never seen any woman look as beautiful or desirable as you did with your clothes dripping and clinging to you." His mouth moved to the side of her neck, kissing and then sucking on her skin. One part of him wanted to mark her as his woman and he didn't give a d.a.m.n if it was macho, chauvinistic or caveman at the moment. All he wanted to do was to show the world that she belonged to him-she slept in his bed and it was his children she would bear!

The primitive thought shook him to his core. He'd never really thought of himself as getting married or having children. That was something he would leave to his siblings. They could worry about carrying on the family name. But right now, it was Rayne he wanted to see pregnant, her belly swollen with his child. His hips jerked forward, grinding against her soft a.s.s at the vision of a tiny black-haired child suckling at her breast.

G.o.d! He'd never thought a women breastfeeding was erotic. The image in his head of Rayne tenderly holding his child while it nursed eagerly upon her breast was making him harder by the instant. His fingers moved more and wiggled between her soft, completely shaven p.u.s.s.y. He wanted to give her pleasure. The need to arouse and satisfy was strong and driving.

"I want to be inside you, Rayne, but I don't have a condom. Let me pleasure you with my mouth and fingers tonight."

Rayne turned in his arms. "I have one in the pocket of my dress."

Sean pulled her close and kissed her mouth hard. He stepped away and grabbed the soft fabric, looking for a pocket. Upended, the pockets disclosed the packages she'd tucked inside. He managed to catch one but the other fell to the gra.s.s. Fumbling for a second only, he turned back toward her. His breath caught in his chest as he looked at her wet, naked body. She had slicked her hair back off her face and was standing with her arms down. In that instant, his heart seemed to skip a beat. Shaking his head, he stepped back to her.

"Do you want to go over to the gra.s.s?" he asked her softly.

Rayne shook her head. "No. I want you to take me standing up, against the house. That's how it was in my dreams last night. Please."

Sean's head jerked once, in agreement. He was kissing her a second later, savoring her lips before delving more deeply with his tongue. His hands skimmed over her skin, feeling the heat only partly cooled from the water. One second he cupped and ma.s.saged a breast, the next he was stroking her thigh or slipping in between to sample the secret sweets awaiting him.

When or how he did things to her became a jumble in his hurried rush to be inside her. Finally, his hands were lifting her upwards and pressing her against the house. And then he thrust into her body, hard and fast.

"Uhh," Rayne grunted as his body slammed against her.

Sean paused, though it wasn't easy to hold back his desire just then. "Are you okay, honey?"

Rayne nodded. "I'm fine...please...go on."

"Yes!"

Sean started thrusting faster, shorter strokes. He was stunned by how tight and hot it felt to be inside her. d.a.m.n! It felt so good he wished they were lying down so he could make it last longer. Doing it this way was hard and awkward...but he had been taught by his mama to please a lady. Although he was sure she had not considered this when she was talking about pleasing.

"Ooh!" Rayne cried out once, and then again, with her voice an octave higher. "Ooh...oh my G.o.d!"

Sean felt her climax even as she spoke. He tried to hold back but it was too much for the first time. Holding her tightly, he thrust quickly to his o.r.g.a.s.m. Over and over he shot his come into the condom protecting their bodies. The regret that swamped his senses was intense and shook him deeply. He pushed the thoughts and feelings away as his body quieted and he relaxed his tight grip upon Rayne's body. Slowly, she slid down and he stepped back once she was steady on her feet. He wanted to say something, but he wasn't sure what was the right thing to say right now. This had never happened before. Women he'd had s.e.x with before had been from work, or acquaintances whom he'd known for a while.

Rayne stepped away from him. As he watched her, she walked over to where he'd dropped her dress. She didn't pick the dress up. Instead, as he watched her pretty a.s.s jiggling a little, she picked up the other condom package that had fallen from her pocket. Still without saying a word, she started walking back toward the front of the house. When she had gone about ten feet, she looked back to where he seemed to be glued in place. The smile on her face jolted him instantly, arousing him again-to his surprise.

"I have more inside, but I don't want to waste any." She wiggled the package in her fingers, almost like a wave toward him, and then kept on walking.

Sean MacDougal was no dummy, nor did he need to be told twice. Grabbing his jeans, he took off after her.

Rayne was standing by the bed when Sean rushed in a few seconds later. From the single light she'd turned on, the bed was dimly lit and she could see the scattered condoms across the bed from where she'd tried to decide which to take earlier. Suddenly she felt her cheeks heating in embarra.s.sment as she recalled how bold she'd been acting since she'd met this man.

Like yesterday, never before had she showered with just her camisole and panties on. And certainly she'd never done it with anyone in shouting distance. Her behavior with this man around was inexplicable. Maybe he was making her go insane? That might explain her crazy actions-nervous, jittery and skittish like a wild mare. Just like a mare around a stallion, was her next thought.

She saw Sean toss his jeans into the corner and walk toward her. He looked so strong and good that she shivered in reaction. How or why he was affecting her like this didn't make any sense. Eagerly she went into his arms, kissing him hotly. She copied his motions and slipped her tongue into his mouth. When one of his hands cupped her breast, she groaned softly. Soon they were stretched out across the bed, lying on top of the prophylactic packages.

"That's quite a rainbow collection," Sean whispered as he picked one up.

"I didn't know what to buy, so I got the a.s.sortment." The words came out in a rush as she caught her breath. "It was the first time."

Sean lifted his mouth from kissing his way toward her right nipple. "I'm glad you thought ahead. A modern man is never sure whether he will be presumed to be too forward if he has one, or thoughtless if he doesn't."

Rayne giggled at his honesty. It made no sense why she felt comfortable with him. The same as it was inexplicable the way his warm breath flowing across her damp skin aroused her so deeply. Or the way that he had so easily invaded her dreams and they scarcely knew each other.

Suddenly, she remembered her grandmother telling her once that psychic women needed to be very careful with whom they fell in love with. The old woman refused to say why, just that her granddaughters needed to be cautious about whom they gave their hearts to. Rayne lifted her hand and caressed the side of Sean's face, trailing her index finger slowly across his lower lip. He surprised her when he opened his mouth and sucked her finger inside. She wanted to look away but she couldn't. After a few seconds, Sean's hand pulled her finger away.

"That's how it feels to be inside you, only a hundred times better. Hotter, tighter and sweeter." He sucked her finger back into his mouth, sucking in a quick rhythm. When he let her finger slip free, he smiled at her. "Of course, there is another way I can show you how pleasurable making love with you is."

Rayne held her breath as Sean lowered his head until his mouth hovered above her breast. His breath blew over the hard tip, raising goose b.u.mps in the surrounding sensitive flesh. When his tongue licked around her nipple, it was like a child's tongue eagerly circling an ice cream cone. Rayne could feel her nipple getting harder and tighter, the skin puckering more with each second. When his mouth finally opened and suckled her nipple gently, she cried out softly. As he sucked and tugged with his tongue and mouth, Rayne felt the resulting pull deep inside. It felt like a string was attached to her p.u.s.s.y and each resultant lick or suck sent shards of excitement straight to her groin.

"Sean!" she moaned his name, lifting her hand to curve around the back of his head. "Yes! I want you inside me again!"

Sean pushed up against her hand a few seconds later, but tugged her nipple still enclosed in his mouth with him. Finally he released it with a loud, wet squelching noise. His fingers had slipped down and were working magic between her wet p.u.s.s.y folds. As he pressed and then wiggled his index finger around her c.l.i.t, Sean pressed kisses from one nipple to the other.

Rayne could feel her body tensing, needing...with each touch of his mouth or fingers, heightening her arousal. Sweating and writhing upon her bed, she began pulling at his shoulders, his arms, and finally trying to push his hand from between her thighs. But he resisted her completely.

"I want you, Sean." She paused to lick her lips. "I want you inside me."

Sean smiled down at her, but shook his head slowly. As she stared up at him, he slipped two fingers inside her channel. She could feel them wiggling around, searching for- "Oh G.o.d!"

Rayne cried out as he found her G-spot, pressing and ma.s.saging the area with his fingers. She closed her eyes, but just as quickly opened them as his rhythm changed. Every time she felt herself almost reaching the pinnacle, Sean switched how he was touching her. Or he alternated the way he ma.s.saged deep inside her. She knew she was crying when she dug her fingernails into his skin, demanding release.

"Soon, my sweet. Let go...stop fighting me and just flow with the feelings. You are trying to antic.i.p.ate my moves. Just let your breath flow with the feelings."

His words soaked into her brain. She couldn't do what he wanted. To let go like he wanted might possibly release the power inside her. Fear of being discovered had governed her life for so many years. How could she relax her guard? She barely knew this man. Could she trust him?

Torn between her emotions, her body's demands and the chaotic thoughts in her head, she was startled to feel Sean's hands on her thighs. Opening her eyes she saw that he was moving down her body- "No!" she moaned hoa.r.s.ely, her voice cracking. She reached down with one hand and threaded her fingers in his hair. Pulling a little, she tried to pull him away.

"Hush, sweetheart. Shh."

Rayne told her hands to push him away...or was it pull? Then it didn't matter. His mouth was on her flesh and his tongue was making a magical spell. She swallowed once, getting ready to tell him to stop. That was her plan. Then she felt his fingers deep inside her once again, all while his tongue was deepening the thrall which held her. One deep breath and then she'd tell him- "G.o.d! Oh my G.o.d! Sean!"

Her climax slammed through her body like a sledgehammer. There were no more thoughts that made any sense. Everything was sensations, feelings and emotions. Her body shivered and jerked rhythmically. Nothing had ever been this overwhelming. Not even when she discharged psychic energy. One moment she was still in control, but then with just one deep, relaxing breath her body took over.

Chapter Five.

Sean moved slowly away from Rayne's body. Something had just happened that he had never experienced before. The problem was that he was not sure what it was. The air around them had suddenly felt charged with electricity. His own senses had been so heightened that he had very nearly lost his control as he witnessed Rayne finally o.r.g.a.s.m without restraint. He couldn't be sure. Still, he thought he'd heard the clap of thunder.

Looking down at her face, Sean thought she looked so peaceful. She could be the poster child for relaxed right now. But he couldn't shake the feeling that what had just happened was not out of the ordinary. Even more than that, he realized in surprise that he wanted it to happen again and again. He wasn't used to being this aroused on more than just the physical level with a woman. Perhaps he should just leave- "Sean."

He turned his head slightly and saw that her eyes were open and watching him. For a moment he wondered how long he'd been lost in his thoughts. That certainly didn't fit into the realm of proper bedroom etiquette at all. A woman usually expected all of the man's attention, based on his past experiences.