When Passion Calls

con inside his wigwam. She stood quietly by as he pulled his magnificent pelts from the back of the wigwam and began counting them.

''They took many!" he shouted, gazing at Blue Blossom with fire in his eyes.

"I have counted them, Gray Falcon," Blue Blossom murmured. "In pelts and horses, they took exactly the amount that Trapper Dan paid bride price for Cedar Maid. That is all, Gray Falcon. Please do not be so angry. I beg of you not to be angry with me!"

Gray Falcon tossed the pelts aside and went to Blue Blossom. "It is your innocent loveliness that saves you this time," he growled, drawing her against his hard body. "But do not make the same mistake a second time. I will throw you to the wolves."

Blue Blossom trembled with fear. She sobbed as Gray Falcon crushed his mouth to her lips and eased her down onto his pallet of furs. Gently, his hands disrobed her.

"Love me, Blue Blossom," he whispered, removing his loincloth. "Be my woman. I want a woman of courage. You proved that you are such a woman last night! You defied me, your chief!"

Blue Blossom could not deny how his body and hands always affected her. Warming all over inside, she reached for his hardness probing at the juncture of her thighs and led him inside her. She offered herself to him willingly, and hated herself for such a weakness!

She so badly wanted to ask Gray Falcon what he

was going to do about his stolen property, but she was too afraid to ask.

Would the revenge never stop?

Melanie stopped her horse and buggy in front of Shane's front porch. She peered toward the pasture, then the stable, seeing no signs of Shane's return. She glanced up at the sky. The sun was gone and the moon slowly slipping up into the sky to take its place.

Yet there was still no sign of Shane!

"Melanie?"

Josh's voice drew Melanie around. She looked up just as he took the last step to the ground, walking toward her.

"Hello, Josh," Melanie said, stepping down from the buggy. She went to the back and began taking packages from it. "I went into town, to the tailor's. I got Shane's clothes."

"Now aren't you the helpful one?" Josh said sarcastically. He smiled smugly as she brushed past him, ignoring his sarcasm.

"The fancy clothes won't be needed, you know," he said, following her up the steps. "He's gone, Melanie. He couldn't stay away from his Indian friends."

"We'll see, Josh," Melanie said icily. She gave him a frown over her shoulder. "I would appreciate it if you would help me with the door. Or would you rather I didn't take Shane's clothes to his room?"

Josh shrugged and opened the door for her. "It's

a waste of time," he said. "But go on, anyhow. Perhaps I can find something among them that suits my taste." He winked down at her. "Especially since you had a hand in choosing them."

"Josh, before you wore what I helped choose for Shane, I would burn them first," Melanie said, her voice drawn. She stepped inside and went up the stairs to Shane's room. She placed the packages on the bed, then spun around when Josh approached her suddenly from behind.

When Josh locked an arm about Melanie's waist and drew her around to face him, his blue eyes filled with lust, she froze inside. "Unhand me this minute, Josh Brennan," she hissed. "You know better than to expect me to appreciate being manhandled by you. I'd die first."

"Damn it, Melanie," Josh said throatily. "What do you see in Shane that you don't see in me? God, woman, he's nothing more than a savage, raised by savages. You've known me all your life, Melanie. Doesn't that amount to something?"

"I think that's the problem," Melanie said. "I have known you too long and too well. I know all of your faults, Josh, and there are plenty!"

"I could give you a loving no other man would know how to give!" Josh pleaded, leaning his face closer to hers. "Let me have a chance, Melanie. Good Lord, I've waited a lifetime for you. Don't tell me I'm going to lose not only my father to my brother, but also you!"

Melanie pushed at his chest with the palms of her hands. She smiled slowly up at him. "Why, Josh, I do believe you suspect Shane is going to

come back home after all," she tormented him. "If not, you wouldn't be pleading your case so hard for me this evening. You would have plenty of time to plan a new strategy on how you could court and win me! But you feel pressured, don't you?"

Josh turned abruptly away from her, then rushed to the window when he heard the approach of many horses below, coming up the long lane that led to the house. He grew cold inside and his face paled. "Goddamn it all to hell," he gasped. "Shane. It's Shane."

Melanie felt a rush of relief flow through her. She went to the window and crowded in beside Josh. With pride and an immense flooding of happiness, she watched Shane as he dismounted out by the stable, while his friend, Red Raven, stayed on his horse. Her gaze went to the five handsome horses that were now being guided into the pasture and let loose.

"He did it," she whispered, placing a hand to her throat. She looked at the pelts thrown across the back of Shane's horse. "Not only did he succeed at getting the horses from Chief Gray Falcon, but the pelts too!"