Dark Warrior: To Tame a Wild Hawk (Dark Cloth) by Lenore Wolfe Page B

enough to cry.”
    She swallowed a sob in her throat. “You’ve lost everyone, haven’t you, Hawk?”
    He pressed his forehead against hers. “Not everyone. I have friends who are closer to me than blood.” At this reminder, he wondered when Kid would show. He brushed a hand against her cheek. “You’ve lost everyone, too.” He pulled away from her, leaving Mandy feeling hurt. “Well, at least you solved our little problem.”
    She struggled to mask her disappointment. “What problem was that?”
    “Now you’ll have a good reason for having me in the house.”
    “I was going to put you in the bunkhouse,” she answered sweetly.
    “Not on your life.” He walked out the door.
    Mandy nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
    ***
    It was hours later when he strolled back in.
    Mandy looked up, an unguarded expression flickering through her eyes. “Hawk?”
    Something deep and warm within him shifted, and he knew his life had been forever changed by this beautiful, enchanting woman. “It’s me, little one,” he answered softly, wanting for some indefinable reason to reassure her; to let her know he wasn’t about to abandon her, now he was finally with her.
    Mandy stared at him. Her thoughts spun. Her emotions whirled. She fought to regain control of herself, not liking the emotional vulnerability that she’d always been able to push aside—until he walked into her life. “You’re beautiful,” she whispered.
    Hawk strode towards her. “Mandy, are you okay? You’re very pale.”
    Mandy continued to stare at him. “I thought you left.” She gave a little shrug.
    Hawk pulled her into the safety of his arms, his throat tightening, convulsively. “I won’t leave you, little one, I promise,” he said in the language of his people. So there was a soft, vulnerable woman beneath all the bravado. Somehow, that only made it more difficult for Hawk to hang on to what senses he had left. Her vulnerability was his vulnerability to her. The last of his defenses were stripped away.
    But somehow, he’d have to protect her—from himself.
    He leaned back, tilting her face up and stroking her dark auburn hair. “We’ll find a way, Mandy, I promise you. We’ll beat McCandle. We’re in this together, all the way.”
    She tried to turn away, but Hawk held her firmly. “Don’t, Mandy. Don’t hide your tears from me.”
    Mandy looked up at him, her breath quickening as his lips kissed the path of her tears first, then softly kissed her mouth. “Your lips are soft, as if they were the first flowers of spring,” he whispered against her mouth. “They make a man want to breathe deep of their fragrant scent,” he kissed her again, “to kiss away the dew,” and again, “to taste their succulent sweetness.”
    Mandy groaned as a fiery path burned its way through her body. She leaned into him, making it easier for him to deepen the kiss. Her hands moved over his shoulders, then up to lace themselves in his hair.
    He broke free from her lips and kissed her face, then her eyes, then down her neck. “Mandy,” he breathed. “Sweet, sweet, Mandy. I want you.”
    “As I want you,” she whispered back.
    Doc chuckled from the doorway. “Then I guess it’s a good thing you two young folks are getting married.” He grinned, then appeared to momentarily sober. “Sorry, Mandy,” he added, “Didn’t mean to embarrass you.” But he continued to grin unabashedly at the couple.
    Hawk glowered at him. “What the hell do you want?”
    Doc’s grin widened at Hawk’s discomfiture. “I just heard the news, and now I’m here to admonish you two for not telling me first. In fact, I was the last to hear it.”
    Mandy flushed deeper. “Doc Mallory . . . .”
    “Sorry, Doc,” Hawk broke in. “We sort of surprised ourselves, and Meg happened to be here. The rest is self-explanatory.”
    “Yes,” Doc agreed, still grinning. “I can see that. Meg has a great love for rubbing things in McCandle’s face.”
    “You got here