She turned away at the burning in her eyes. He couldn't know how much those words meant to her, how she'd longed to hear them, and to know they were true. He moved to stand close behind her.
His left hand encircled her upper arm, the touch of his warm rough palm sending a thrill into the pit of her belly, spreading downward. Slowly, she turned, looking into his face.
By his faint smile, she realized her feelings were not as well disguised as she hoped. The bruised eyes, his torn lips, and the gash across his left cheek had brought empathy to her expression, swiftly followed by a spark of anger for those men who'd done this to him.
"You know what I love about you, Allie?"
She shook her head, her hand going to his cheek in silent comfort. With her thumb, she lightly touched an unscathed plane of skin, mesmerized by his eyes, his voice, the feel of him standing so near.
He let his hand glide slowly up her arm, fingering the warm column of her neck, her hair falling across his skin as he laid his palm at the back of her head, spearing his fingers up through the soft silk.
"More than anything, I love the way you love me."
She closed her eyes, letting his words caress her as his fingers were.
"I love knowing you'd fight for me." His lips were close, almost touching hers, his warm breath mingling with her own. "No one ever cared for me as much as you do," he whispered. His lips brushed hers gently, and she whimpered in need, biting it back belatedly. Her eyes flew open, then shut again, as he pulled her close, his mouth coming across hers, hot and moist, full of promise and pleasure.
She moaned again and he caught the sound of it in his kiss, his tongue demanding entry as she yielded in his arms.
He pressed her back against the rough cabinetry until she could go no farther. Her body quickened even more as she felt his hardness come up into the V of her thighs. She moved to bring him closer, cradle him tighter.
He groaned, pushing against her, and holding her pinned against the counter. His whispered curse ended the kiss, and she felt his reluctant release as he pulled away from her slowly. She opened her eyes and he gave her a wry smile.
"Another minute and I'd be making love to you on the kitchen floor. You make me forget myself," he murmured. "That's dangerous."
"No," she whispered breathlessly. "Not dangerous, Bran." She couldn't help the teasing smile that came. "As long as we don't both 'forget ourselves' at the same time. Someone has to keep a clear head."
He lifted her chin with his knuckle. "I meant what I said," Brandon told her, serious again. "I'll do whatever it takes."
****
An hour later, bellies full for the second time that day, the boys trouped out to the barn to bed down for the night. Jay led the way, proudly showing them the outhouse and the pump on the way.
Brandon had announced to the group earlier that Sam and Ben were in charge. And anyone who didn't obey would answer to him. He hadn't really expected any trouble from them, as tired as they were, but it was too much to ask the older boys to enforce the rules.
Now, he stood at the cabin doorway beside Allie, watching Jay lead the procession. He could feel Allie's tension.
"They'll be fine," he murmured.
She glanced at him and smiled. "I know," she said. "Jay's so excited. I've never seen him so happy."
He grinned. "I was about to say the same of you."
Her gaze strayed to the boys again. "Everything happened sooner than I thought," she mused. "I wasn't nearly prepared was I?"
When he remained silent, she turned to look up at him, a spark of the familiar defiance in her eyes. "But it's not crazy. It's not crazy to want to build something, is it Brandon?"
He searched for a way to cover the mistake he'd made. He hadn't realized how badly he'd hurt her. Damn it. "No. It's not crazy. I shouldn't've ever said that to you." He understood her better than anyone. Those years of growing up rough and tumble at the orphans' home had been a proving ground. Allie might be tough on the outside, but he'd wounded her tender heart, and her pride.
The fragments of Tenting Tonight On the Old Campground drifted to them on the cooling night air. Doc Wilkins and his new partner had followed the boys down under the auspices of making sure the horses were settled for the night, but Brandon suspected it was to give him some time alone with Allie. There was no doubt, they'd be scrambling to figure out what they were going to do.
"We're tenting tonight on the old camp-ground
Give us a song to cheer
Our weary hearts, a song of home
And friends we love so dear…"