Chase the Wind Read Online Free

flash his grin and wink, as if they shared a deep secret. The best part about being with Ian, however, was his kisses. They left her breathless and excited, and wanting so much more. She knew Ian felt the same way because each week he had a harder time pulling away. The last beautiful fall day they shared was especially difficult. They were in the grove of hemlocks again, on the quilt, when he pulled her to him. The touch of his lips to hers was intoxicating as always, but this time she felt an urgency in him. He pulled her down beside him, so that she was on her back looking up at him when he pulled away.
    “God, Faith, do you know what you do to me?” he asked, his voice husky with emotion.
    “Probably the same thing you do to me,” she whispered, losing herself in his gaze. He placed his hands on either side of her heart-shaped face and looked into her eyes.
    “I love you, Faith. Since the first time I saw you, I loved you.” She looked up at him and saw everything that was Ian reflected in his deep blue eyes. She knew he was good and she knew there would never be another for her as long as she lived. Her mother’s words came back to her. When you find the man you love, don’t ever let him go.
    “I love you too.” Her hand caressed his cheek, and he lowered his face to hers, their lips barely touching, their eyes open, searching the depths of each other. His hands on her head became possessive, and he suddenly bore down on her lips, asking her to respond in kind. She opened her mouth to receive his kiss, and Faith felt as if her very soul was being drained out by the play of his tongue on hers. Her arms wrapped themselves around his neck, her fingers wove through his hair, and she felt herself suffocating. He dragged his lips away and began to kiss her neck. Faith tilted her head back and gasped for air. Her head was spinning, and she felt as if she was being sucked down into a whirlpool. His hand caressed her arm and moved around to take possession of her breast. It surged up to meet his touch, the heart beneath it pounding frantically.
    Suddenly he was gone. In the seconds it took for Faith to get her raging body under control, she realized that he had removed himself from her. He was sitting on the edge of the blanket with his back to her, running his hands through his hair. She rose to her knees and tentatively touched his shoulder. A shudder ranthrough him at her touch, and she dropped her hand. She gathered her skirt around her and sat beside him, facing him. His face was flushed, and he turned away to look up the river.
    “Would you come away with me then?” he finally asked, when the color in his face had returned to its normal bronze hue.
    “To Richmond?” she asked, her face curious as to what he had in mind.
    “Aye, to Richmond, to live over a stable, with a trainer of horses as your husband.”
    “Husband?” she asked, a smile turning up the comers of her mouth.
    He gave her an exasperated look. “Yes, husband. I mean to be your husband, if you’ll have me, and I mean to do better for you than what I can offer now.”
    “I think what you’re offering now sounds just fine,” she said with a laugh.
    “Are you having fun with me?” he asked, his exasperation turn ing to annoyance.
    “Yes, I am, and I’d like to have fun with you for the rest of my life, if that was indeed a proposal of marriage. Was it?”
    He looked down at her. Her face was positively merry, her smile wide, her eyes tilted up at the comers with happiness.
    “It will be,” he said. He became very serious. “Faith, I mean to make you my wife, but it will have to wait until I can make us a home. Can you wait?” His eyes were desperate as they searched hers. She reached up and smoothed his hair back.
    “Ian, all I want is to be with you. I can wait. I don’t want to, but I will.” He took his hand in hers and raised it to his lips. Their eyes met and made promises to each other. He pulled her up from the quilt and