RENEGADE LOVER

Little Bear is a man torn between two cultures. After growing up on the Blackfoot reservation with his father’s
family, he attended Harvard, and soon found himself at the head of a major corporation when his estranged
mother left him controlling interest in the family business. After taking the name Steve Durham and
struggling for two years to gain the acceptance of his mother’s family, Little Bear left Boston without a word
to anyone — including his vice president, Lily Smith, a woman he spent one magical night with….

When a takeover bid threatens Durham Shipping, Lily sets out to find Steve — and discovers him on a
personal quest in the middle of nowhere. Can Lily forget the pain of the past and help the man she couldn’t
forget find his place in the world?

Chapter One

"When I imagined finding you, I never pictured you standing at the edge of a cliff…bare–assed naked."

Lily?

Arms and head raised toward the blazing afternoon sun, Little Bear’s body tensed, then froze solid…not even
daring to breathe for fear the slightest movement would send him pitching over the edge of the cliff.

"Would you please get away from there before you hurt yourself," the feminine voice from his past
beseeched.

One by one, he relaxed his muscles and lowered his arms to his side. Lily. His heart pumped so wildly he half
expected the organ to explode from his chest cavity. A year had gone by since he’d seen or talked to Lily
Smith. A year of missing her, dreaming of her, yearning for her.

Turning sideways, he stared over his shoulder at the woman who’d tormented his soul since the day he’d met
her three years ago. His eyes widened. Her blond hair stuck out in snarled clumps around her head, dirt
smudges covered her face, hiding her porcelain–colored skin, and the bright blue eyes he remembered
sparked with irritation. She looked adorable and in desperate need of a hug.

Scowling, she held up a hand. "Don’t say a word. You’d look a little worse for wear if you’d just ridden
through the Nevada desert in August on a mule with only a compass, a canteen of water and a sack of dried
nuts and raisins."

Despite her bedraggled appearance, Lily’s presence eased some of the ragged feelings tormenting Little Bear,
leaving him to wonder if the spirits had led her to him. Needing a moment to catch his breath, he faced
forward and focused on the valley a thousand feet below.

"I swear to God, Steve, if you fall off that cliff I am not going after you."

Little Bear grinned. He’d missed Lily’s sassy mouth. It had taken all of one week after meeting her to figure
out she hid her insecurities behind a witty tongue.

"How long were you planning on playing Native American in the wilderness?"

He snatched his gym shorts off the ground near his feet and slipped them on. Like a wary wolf, he slowly
approached Lily, expecting her to run at any moment. But the spunky woman stood her ground, and
admiration filled him. "I’m not playing Native American, I am a Blackfoot Indian."

"You’re also Steve Durham, CEO of Durham Shipping in Boston, or have you forgotten?"

"I haven’t forgotten." Hell, for the past year he’d felt as if his insides were being pulled in two different
directions. Unable to keep from touching her, he lifted a lock of snarled hair and raised the strand to his face.
The scent of honeysuckle filled his nostrils, bringing back memories of her ready smile, her generous heart,
and their one night together in his office….

She shivered, but didn’t pull away. "Are you having some sort of midlife crisis? And if you are, isn’t thirty a
little young for that kind of thing?"

He couldn’t stop himself. Cupping her jaw, he lifted her face and kissed the sass right out of her. Her lips
were warm and smooth and so damned soft his whole mouth sank into her. He swept his tongue against hers
and groaned when her fingernails poked his bare chest. The fire…the heat…the need for this woman hadn’t
dissipated with time or distance.

"Mmm…stop!" Lily pushed abruptly away from him, her breath coming in jagged gasps. "I didn’t track you
halfway around the world to kiss you."

Amused by her struggle to keep her gaze off his torso, he asked, "How did you find me?"

"Three months ago I called the reservation. One of the tribal leaders mentioned you were training horses for a
man named Jake Montgomery. I finally got tired of waiting for you to return, so I went to visit Montgomery’s
ranch. He said you’d left at the end of May for personal reasons."

Little Bear motioned around him. "This is personal." She wouldn’t understand he’d come here seeking
answers…answers about who he was…what world he belonged to. And about Lily.

She nodded toward his belongings scattered near a large rock. "I stopped at the reservation. Your relatives
insisted you’d gone off on some sort of camping trip."

"I’m communing with nature."

Lily pointed to the cliff behind him. "Maybe while you’re out there on that ledge communing with nature, you
can come up with a way to save Durham Shipping from a hostile takeover."

Chapter Two

Lily wasn’t here because of him.

Little Bear’s chest tightened, but he ignored the sensation and focused on what she’d just told him. "Who’s
trying to take over my mother’s company?" He’d never thought of Durham Shipping as his company, even
though he’d inherited the business upon his mother’s death.

"Did you expect me to take the helm of a Fortune 500 company without anyone objecting? Steve, I might be
vice president but the board of directors sees me as nothing more than a glorified CEO assistant. I’ve tried to
hold them off, hoping you’d come back." Her voice hitched. "But you never did."

Feeling as if he’d been gut–kicked, Little Bear swore. "I’m sorry, Lily." He pulled her into his arms, surprised
she didn’t resist. "I swear I didn’t know this was going on." Damn! Had he thought the company would run
itself until he decided to return? He could only imagine the problems his grandfather had caused.

The daughter of a poor Kentucky miner, Lily was no stranger to hard work. Little Bear had promoted her to
vice president the first month he’d taken over the company. It hadn’t mattered that she’d only been twenty–
four. Her keen business intellect had been invaluable to him.

No wonder she’d gone through hell to find him. Durham Shipping meant everything to her. Now if only he
could figure out what the company meant to him.

***

It wasn’t every day a woman came face–to–face with a naked man standing on the edge of a cliff. A naked
man who happened to be her boss and former lover…that is, if one night of making love qualified him as her
lover. Lily was amazed she’d kept her composure as well as she had when her insides churned with emotion.

Half of her wanted to burst into tears that Steve was alive and well, then throw herself into his arms and beg
him to love her again, to give her another chance. The other half wanted to slap his face, kick him in the shin
and punch him in the gut for turning his back on her and the company as if they meant nothing to him.

She pressed her cheek to his chest and breathed deeply, relishing his male scent. Steve had changed — not
that she objected to the transformation. She actually preferred the bare–ass look over his three–piece suits.
He’d grown his hair out and now wore the long, inky strands tied back in a ponytail. Even his cheekbones
looked more pronounced with his darkly tanned skin and longer hair. All in all, Steve Durham made a
handsome man.

"I believe you didn’t know anything about the takeover," she mumbled against his skin. In the two years
they’d worked together, she’d learned firsthand he was an honorable man who never lied. That’s why when
he’d disappeared, leaving only a note promoting her to acting CEO, she hadn’t panicked. She’d assumed he’d
return shortly. But a week had turned into two, then a month. She’d gone to his apartment and after
discovering he’d moved out with no forwarding address, she’d wondered if their friendship and one glorious
night of lovemaking had meant anything at all to him.

"Do you know who’s behind the takeover?" he asked.

"Your grandfather."

"My grandfather?"

Talking business with her face pressed to his heated skin, his scent enveloping her, and his hands caressing
her back was nearly impossible. Lily wiggled out of his hold. "Your grandfather has never made an attempt to
conceal his dislike of you or the fact he doesn’t want you controlling the company."

Steve grimaced. "True."

A year without seeing or speaking to this man left Lily light–headed and shaky. "I haven’t eaten in a while."
Better to lie than confess her legs were about to fold under her.

His eyes filled with concern. "Sit down. I’ll get you something to eat."

She sat on the blanket spread out several yards from the edge of the cliff. "Here." He offered a paper plate
filled with chunks of cut apple and bread. "There’s only water to drink."

She nibbled on a piece of apple. "Water sounds great, Steve."

"Little Bear," he corrected.

Little Bear? Bear she understood but Little? There was nothing little about the man. "Thank you, Steve, Little
Bear, whoever you are."

He stared at her with solemn brown eyes. "That’s the whole problem, Lily. I don’t know who I am."

Chapter Three

Little Bear sat down next to Lily on the blanket and handed her a water bottle. Dark circles ringed her eyes
and lines of exhaustion framed her pretty mouth. He hated that his selfish decision to find himself had put her
through hell.

She touched his leg, and his thigh muscle bunched. Startled, she pulled away, but he caught her hand.
"Don’t." He threaded his fingers through hers. "I’ve missed your touch." That was an understatement. He
hadn’t been near another woman since he’d left Boston. Hadn’t wanted another woman since Lily.

When she allowed him to hold her hand, he relaxed. "Tell me about the trouble my grandfather is stirring up."

Brushing a strand of hair from her face, she sighed. "Three weeks ago your grandfather had a meeting with a
businessman named Perkins, who —"

"Perkins Worldwide Distribution out of Los Angeles," interrupted Little Bear. Anger, hurt and shame warred
inside him. He’d known from the start his grandfather hadn’t wanted him running the company. But naively,
he’d thought hard work and dedication would win the man over. The fact the old geezer would stoop so low as
to sell out his family heritage to get rid of his grandson made Little Bear ashamed to be related to the
bastard.

"You must have some idea of why your grandfather has it out for you," she insisted.

"Before my father died he’d explained that my mother came from a world where money and family names
were highly valued. He’d told me I didn’t fit into my mother’s world and that’s why I lived on the reservation
with him."

Lily shook her head. "That doesn’t make sense. You’re a Harvard grad for Pete’s sake. With your business
acuity you’ll be a millionaire five times over before you retire."
Little Bear turned his head away. "It’s not just about money and social status. My mother intentionally duped
my father into getting her pregnant as a way to get out of an arranged marriage. She had no intention of
keeping me, nor did she love my father."

"Oh, Steve. That’s horrible." She scooted closer and wrapped her arms around his waist. Resting her head on
his shoulder, she murmured, "I still don’t understand why you left and didn’t tell me where you were going."

He hugged her close. Lily had a way of making him feel safe. Too bad he couldn’t hide forever in her arms. "I
didn’t want to subject you to my grandfather’s anger. The less you knew about me and my whereabouts the
better."

"It wouldn’t have mattered, Steve. Your grandfather knew I had feelings for you and made no attempt to hide
his disapproval."

Little Bear’s heart pounded. Lily still had feelings for him — after he’d abandoned the company…and her? Part
of him rejoiced that she cared, the other part grieved, knowing it would make his decision about the future
more difficult.

"For two years I struggled to fit into the white man’s corporate world, to be the kind of man my grandfather
could be proud of. I even took my mother’s last name. But I realized that no matter how well I ran the
company, how well others respected me, I was still part Indian in my grandfather’s eyes. And he hated that
part of me."

Lily shoved away from him and scowled. "You’re going to let your grandfather run you off without a fight?"

Chapter Four

Little Bear winced at the flash of anger in Lily’s eyes. He hated that she saw him as a coward. Better to be a
coward than to hurt her with the truth.

A few seconds passed and when he hadn’t responded to her question, the anger drained from her face,
replaced by weary acceptance. "A shower would be nice." She glanced around. "But there doesn’t seem to be
one handy."

He got up from the blanket and held out his hand. "Follow me."

"If I’d followed you a year ago, I wouldn’t need a shower right now," she grumbled, ignoring his hand.

Even though her rejection hurt, Little Bear would take her sarcasm any day over seeing hurt in her eyes. Hurt
his actions had caused.

"There’s a pond a half mile from here." He went to his camping gear and removed a bottle of natural
shampoo and bar of soap a woman from his tribe made. He grabbed a towel and headed down a rocky path
toward the pond, listening to Lily’s light footsteps behind him.

He stopped by the rocky bank and stared pointedly at her torn T–shirt sleeve. "Did you bring a change of
clothes with you?"

"No," she huffed. "I didn’t think I’d need my entire wardrobe." She whisked her shirt over her head and
shoved it at his chest.

He opened his mouth to tell her he’d give her some privacy but the words came to a screeching halt at the
sight of her lace–covered breasts. His hands shook with the need to worship her petite body, show her how
much she meant to him, how much he’d missed her, how sorry he was that he’d hurt her…and a million other
reasons. But he couldn’t. Not until he figured out whom he was.

Turning his back to her, he offered, "I’ll wash your clothes while you bathe." Even though they’d only made
love once, the memories were vivid in his mind — how he’d discovered the secrets of her body, the way her
skin felt gliding across his, the tiny sounds she made at the back of her throat when he…damn!

He was to blame for their one brief, hot, sexy encounter. Lily had acted nothing but professional around him
the two years they’d worked together. Stupidly he’d drunk too much at the office party and Lily had looked so
damned sexy in her little red dress. If she hadn’t followed him into his office to speak in private, he would
have been able to keep his hands off her. He had only wanted to kiss her, but one kiss had led to another and
he’d had Lily on top of his desk, her dress hiked up her thighs and those sexy red heels wrapped around his
waist.

He’d never blamed Lily for that brief encounter. From the moment he’d met her, he’d known she’d had little
experience around men. He’d been her first that night. And there was no doubt in his mind, Steve Durham
had made love to her, not Little Bear.

He heard a splash and peeked over his shoulder. Lily’s head bobbed below the surface for a moment, then
popped back up. He picked up her clothes and took them to the far side of the pond. Keeping his head down,
he scrubbed the pants and shirt with the bar of soap.

"You forgot these."

He glanced up and two lady’s unmentionables smacked him in the nose. Peeling the wet lace off his face, he
glared at the little tease as she dove back under the water, her naked little fanny poking up in the air for a
brief moment.

Gently, he lathered her undergarments and rinsed them. The next time he looked up, she was washing her
hair. He stared at the soapy suds, trailing down her back, her narrow waist, slim hips and delicate
backbone — which barely looked capable of holding her erect.

A surge of anger swept through him at the thought of his grandfather harassing Lily. She didn’t deserve that
kind of treatment. She’d gone to college on an academic scholarship and was smarter than every employee in
the company, including himself — a Harvard business grad.

"Ready or not, here I come," her voice floated across the pond.

Chapter Five

As Lily emerged from the pond, one inch of shimmering skin at a time, Little Bear stopped breathing. First her
neck, then her gently sloping shoulders, her toned arms, her God–help–him–beautiful breasts, flat tummy,
slim hips…

He closed his eyes and fought the swift, fierce urge to pounce on her and claim her as his woman.

Clenching her delicate unmentionables in his hands, he grimaced. How someone so tiny, so delicate could
wield so much power scared the hell out of him. After several deep breaths, he thought he had his emotions
in check — not! He stood. Opened his eyes. And almost swallowed his tongue. Lily walked toward him, beads
of water clinging to her skin making her look like a glistening goddess. Her lips curved and her blue eyes
sparkled. Was this how she planned to get back at him for leaving her at the mercy of his grandfather?

***

Lily stopped in front of Steve and lifted her chin. "Where did you put the towel?"

She noticed he carefully avoided touching any part of her as he snatched the towel off the ground and
wrapped the material around her shoulders. She knotted the terry cloth between her breasts, but no matter
how she adjusted the towel, it barely covered her backside. Lily studied Steve’s face, searching beneath his
grim expression for the man she thought she knew.

His breath caressed her forehead. "I’ve missed you, Lily," he whispered.

Her throat swelled with emotion. He missed her. He desired her. But did he need her like she needed him?

She’d led Steve to believe she’d tracked him down because Durham Shipping was in trouble. But there was
another reason she’d traipsed halfway across the country to find him. Before she let him walk out of her life
for good she had to know if she meant more to him than a valued employee or a fun one–night stand. "I’m
getting the feeling your grandfather isn’t the only reason you left Durham Shipping."

Steve closed his eyes as if her words caused him great pain. "It’s complicated, Lily."

"I’ve been through hell and back since you left the company. At the very least, I deserve the complete truth."
He turned away and paced in front of her. "The pressure was getting to me. Being confined in the office for
twelve hours a day after living on the reservation was difficult." The left corner of his mouth curved. "I hated
wearing a suit."

She didn’t miss the way his eyes didn’t quite make contact with hers. "Maybe I’m wrong, but I’d always
thought you were a man who thrived on solving problems and instituting changes. Everyone you worked with
respected you."

"Except my grandfather."

"Forget your grandfather. Who cares if he didn’t appreciate the changes you made to the employee benefit
program or the construction of the on–site daycare."

"C’mon, Lily. Those were your ideas."

"Doesn’t matter whose ideas they were — you made them a reality. You had everyone in the palm of your
hand." Especially me. "Then you just…jumped ship."

"You’re being dramatic."

"Am I? The only thing your employees knew about you, when you took over the helm of Durham Shipping,
was that you were an illegitimate grandson who’d been disowned by the family until your mother died and left
you the company in her will."

"Only because she hated my grandfather."

Lily shrugged. "I don’t think so. I think she was telling you that she was sorry for hurting you all those years
and that despite her motives for having you, she ended up loving you just the same."

Steve grinned. "I never knew you had a romantic streak, Lily."

"Stop changing the subject. Your work ethic, dedication and respect for others earned you your employees’
admiration and loyalty. And then you just turned your back on them." She clenched her hands into fists to
keep from grabbing his arm and apologizing for her wounding words. But darn it, he’d hurt her and so many
others. "My gut tells me there’s more to you leaving Durham Shipping than just your grandfather’s dislike."

He cleared his throat and stared her straight in the eye. "You’re right. My grandfather was only one reason I
left Boston."

A shiver raced across her bare shoulders. "And the other…?"

"I left the company because of you, Lily."

Chapter Six

Lily stomped her foot. "What did I do to make you run away from Boston?"

Little Bear flinched at the catch in her voice. He hated having to hurt her with the truth. He had to make her
understand it was for her own good that he’d left the company. "You didn’t do anything, Lily."

Her eyes welled with tears and he swore under his breath. "I left Boston…left Durham Shipping because of
something you said the night we…we —"

"Made love?"

Little Bear cringed inside. He’d rather think of their steamy encounter across the top of his desk as sex.
Making love played havoc with his heart. Lily’s blue eyes, wide–open windows to her soul, begged him to
make her understand. God, this woman rattled him. "You mentioned children."

A tiny wrinkle formed above the bridge of her nose, then she gasped and the blood drained from her face. Her
chest rose and fell rapidly as she raised a trembling hand to her lips. "You thought I seduced you? That I
wanted to get pregnant and trap you into marriage?"
"No!" He couldn’t stand not touching her. He grasped her trembling hands and held them tightly in his. "You
didn’t seduce me. If anyone is to blame for that night, it’s me. I should have stopped before things got out of
hand." He offered a half smile. "But no way in hell was I going to walk away from you that night. I’d wanted
you for a long time, Lily."

"You had?" The wonder in her voice boosted Little Bear’s ego.

"You were all I could think about night and day." He let go of her hands and stroked the side of her face. "I
wondered how smooth your skin would feel. What your kisses would taste like. What color your eyes would
turn when I…" No longer able to resist the aching need building inside him, he touched his mouth to hers in a
soft, gentle caress. His kiss begged her to forgive him but he pulled away before he begged her for something
that would do more harm than good in the long run.

Lily’s lashes fluttered and her eyes opened. "I wanted you, too, Steve." She dropped her gaze to his chest.
"The wanting hasn’t stopped."

At Lily’s confession, a surge of lust pooled between Little Bear’s thighs. How he wished he could lay her down
and take her right there at the edge of the pond. He closed his eyes and prayed for strength. "You told me
once how you hated being an only child, remember?"

She nodded.

"I knew if I’d stayed at Durham Shipping I wouldn’t have been able to keep my hands off of you." And my
heart…, He didn’t want to think about the damage to that organ this tiny woman would have inflicted. As it
was, he’d spend the rest of his life trying to forget her.

Her smile wobbled. "And keeping your hands off me was a bad thing?"

"I knew you wouldn’t settle for a casual affair." He exhaled roughly. "That one day you’d want forever — a
husband and children." He swallowed hard, envisioning her as a mother and wife. "You deserve forever, Lily."
It hurt to look at her and think he wouldn’t be a part of her future. "How can I offer anyone forever, have a
family or be a father when I don’t even know who I am? Or where I belong?"

Lily frowned and shook her head. "I’m confused. Do you or don’t you want a family someday?"

His heart spoke before his brain could stop him. "Yes, I want a family." Her face lost all color and for a
moment he thought she might faint. "Lily." His hand shot out to steady her, but she backed away.

"I understand now." A tear leaked from the corner of her eye. "You want a family. Just not with me."

Chapter Seven

Lily thought her heart might explode from pain. The urge to kick Steve in the shin was so strong she feared if
she didn’t move away she’d break her toe doing exactly that — kicking the daylights out of him.

"I’m cold." She turned away and went to her shoes, slipping her sandy feet inside them. She wasn’t sure how
long she could hold out before she broke down and cried the year’s worth of tears she’d held inside. All her
hopes and dreams had just been shattered and, quite frankly, she felt gutted. She headed back to the
campsite, regretting her decision to find Steve. She’d rather live with her dreams. Reality sucked.

Back at camp, she paused, not sure what to do. He hung her wet clothes over a bush, then searched through
his camping gear and removed a T–shirt and brought it to her. "You can wear this until your clothes dry out."

Making sure their fingers didn’t touch, she took the shirt. He paused in front of her as if he wanted to say
something, then shook his head and walked back to his gear. Quickly, she removed her towel and tossed the
shirt over her head. Now that she knew he didn’t want her, she wasn’t about to parade in front of him, naked,
like some kind of hooker. She had her share of pride, too.

They stood, opposite sides of the camp, and stared at one another, neither seeming to know what to say…
what to do. The sun dipped lower in the sky, and Lily was sure it was too late to head back to the reservation.
She didn’t want to chance getting lost and having to spend the night out in the desert alone in the dark.
"Before I head back to the reservation tomorrow morning, I need to know what you’re planning to do about
the company." If she kept things between them strictly business, she might survive until dawn without falling
to pieces.

Steve’s face hardened, the lines around his mouth deepening as his eyes filled with a predatory gleam. It was
hard to reconcile the corporate Steve with the Native American Steve. His struggle with his identity and his
heritage was taking a toll on him. Even though she was mad and hurt at him for dumping her, she still felt
sad that he didn’t know who he was. If only she knew what to say or how to help him.

"With your keen intelligence and business acumen, you must know something more about this takeover
attempt by my grandfather."

Normally, she would have preened under his compliment, but now his praise only made her feel empty. "I’m
pretty sure your grandfather has entered into talks with Perkins. The accounting department has received
numerous calls requesting the company’s financial records."

"And you haven’t stopped the records from being sent out?"

She quirked an eyebrow. "I don’t have the authority to stop them. Besides, your grandfather is signing off on
everything now."

"The man must really hate me to sell a family legacy he’d saved from bankruptcy thirty years ago."

Lily dropped her gaze to the ground, no longer able to look at the bleak expression in Steve’s dark brown
eyes. Was it any wonder he’d left Boston to escape the hostility toward him?

Chapter Eight

Lily’s heart felt as if it were being torn in two. She ached at the thought that Steve believed they had no
future together, and she ached for the hell his grandfather was putting him through. What a mess!

"First things first. Return to Boston and thwart your grandfather’s takeover attempt. Once that’s accomplished
you can work on your relationship with the man."

She wished she could reassure Steve she’d stand by him as he fought for his rightful place in the company.
But after seeing him for the first time in over a year and discovering her heart was still in love with him, she
knew there was no way she could continue to work for Durham Shipping — too many memories. She’d begin
circulating her résumé as soon as she returned to Boston.

Steve gestured around him. "I can’t leave now. I’m in the middle of —"

"I know. Communing with nature. But right now your company and your employees take precedence over
playing Geronimo."

The setting sun dipped lower in the sky, casting a shadow across Steve’s body, making him appear
forbidding. She closed her eyes and imagined him living two hundred years in the past and shivered.
Undoubtedly he would have made a fierce warrior. The touch of something soft against her face startled her
and she opened her eyes.

He stood before her, the pad of his thumb brushing her cheek. "You’re exhausted. We can talk tomorrow.
Right now I want you to rest." He went to his camping gear.

"What’s that?" she asked.

"A foam sleeping pad," he answered as he unrolled it near the fire. "You’ll rest more comfortably on this."

"But I thought Native Americans slept on the hard ground?"

His sheepish grin almost…almost made her smile in return. But she pressed her lips firmly together, refusing
to let her heart lose another inch to this man.

"I got tossed off a horse at Jake’s ranch last winter. My back hasn’t been the same since."
"Did you have a doctor check you over?" As soon as she voiced the question, she wished she’d kept her
mouth shut. She didn’t want Steve to know he mattered to her. Fat chance of keeping that little secret in the
bag. Not after you’ve chased the man halfway across the country.

"Yes, ma’am. The local doc poked and prodded and said I’d pulled a disk." She kept her concern to herself
and watched as he flattened out the pad, then tossed a thin blanket on top of the bedding. "All set."

Lily stretched out on the makeshift bed and pulled the blanket over her legs. An audible sigh escaped as she
sank into the softness and watched Steve light the fire. "Do we need a fire tonight?"

"Keeps the critters away." He grinned, then his face sobered and he asked, "How were Jake and his daughter,
Annie, when you stopped by their ranch?"

"Fine, I guess. Why?"

Steve shrugged. "Jake had a contract to train several cutting horses this summer." He shook his head. "I
shouldn’t have left him alone."

Lily swallowed a sharp retort. He sounded more concerned about deserting his friend than deserting his own
major corporation and its five hundred employees…and her. "He wasn’t alone."

"Yeah, but his daughter’s only five. Not much help when it comes to busting broncs."

"The daughter was there, but so was his wife."

"His wife?" Steve scowled.

"You seem a little upset." Lily narrowed her eyes. "Did you have your sights set on that gorgeous redhead?"

"I don’t know anything about a redhead. The last time I saw Jake he was a single father raising his daughter
with the help of a housekeeper."

"I didn’t meet any housekeeper."

Steve paced in front of the fire. "I should go back to Jake’s place and find out what’s going on."

"I guess every man’s a sucker for red hair," Lily muttered, turning her back to him. Darn. Did she have to
show him she was jealous, too?

"I only have a thing for blondes." Steve whispered.

Chapter Nine

Little Bear lay on his back, staring at the twinkling night sky. Lily lay on the other side of the campfire sawing
logs. He smiled to himself. For such a tiny thing, she sounded like a sumo wrestler with bad allergies.

He hadn’t lied when he’d said he’d had a thing for blondes…Lily in particular. From the moment he’d gazed
into her deep Caribbean–blue eyes, he’d known she was special. He just hadn’t known how special until it was
too late.

He hated what he’d put her through. His abandoning Durham Shipping and leaving her holding the reins had
taken a toll on her this past year. The long hours and his grandfather’s constant harassment had exhausted
her.

Crossing his arms behind his head, he exhaled loudly. The time had come to choose — one side or the other.
His white relatives hated him, resented his mother for sleeping with a full–blooded Native American. He’d
been five years old when his father had died of cancer. Little Bear’s Blackfoot grandfather had refused to talk
about his white relatives. So when the news came that Little Bear’s mother had died and left him the
controlling shares of Durham Shipping, he’d seized the opportunity to bridge the gap between the two
families. Two years’ worth of effort had resulted in zero progress. So, he’d returned to the reservation, hoping
to find the answers to his future there.
He probably would have straddled the fence forever if Lily hadn’t confessed that she’d always dreamed of
marrying and having a large family. After they’d made love the night of the office party, he’d sat at his desk
until the wee morning hours, contemplating life and the shocking realization that he’d wanted a family of his
own to belong to.

After working with Lily for two years he’d come to admire and respect her as a person and an employee. He’d
even developed protective feelings toward her. It wasn’t until they’d made love that he’d realized how deep
those feelings went. He’d done the only thing he could — he’d run.

"Aren’t you going to sleep?"

Little Bear’s head snapped sideways at the sound of Lily’s voice. "Not for a while. Go back to sleep."

Ignoring him — something she’d done from time to time that had always amused the hell out of him — she
sat up and brushed her tangled hair from her face. Since she appeared determined to talk he asked, "Have
you come up with any ideas to stop my grandfather’s takeover attempt?"

"I have some ideas. But nothing will work unless you return to Boston. Your grandfather has his lawyer
looking into suing you for abandonment or something along those lines."

Abandonment? Maybe he should sue his grandfather for abandoning him all these years. "I guess I have no
choice but to return to the company."

She crinkled her nose. "You don’t sound too excited."

"I was excited when I first arrived at the company. I looked forward to the challenge of running the business.
But…."

"But?"

"But after a while I felt confined. Like I couldn’t breathe."

She lay down and sighed. "I know you had a lot on your shoulders. Why didn’t you ask me to help? I would
have gladly taken on more responsibility."

"You were already doing the job of two people, Lily."

"If Durham Shipping makes you feel that way, then are you sure you want to remain president of the
company?"

He rolled to his side, facing her across the fire. "There’s only one thing I’m sure of right now."

"And that is…?" Her soft voice danced across the flames.

"That right here…right now…with you is where I want to be."

Chapter Ten

Lily’s heart flipped over. The sincerity in Steve’s eyes made her throat swell with emotion. If only he would
confide his fears in her, then she would know how to fight against his insistence that they had no future
together. Somehow she had to convince him to give them a chance as a couple. She prayed making love
would encourage him to drop his guard and let her in. And once she got inside this man, there was no turning
back for her heart.

There were no guarantees that if they made love both their worlds would align and they’d live happily ever
after. But Lily couldn’t afford to walk away without giving this man everything she had. And if she were
honest with herself, nothing short of death could make her turn him away right now. The attraction was too
strong, the need too long denied. Her heart too weak to fight. She held out her hand.

He sucked in a quiet breath, his eyes darkening as he stared at her fingers.

Her pulse pounded so hard she thought she might faint. Her gaze roamed his darkly tanned torso, and the
purely feminine side of her sighed in appreciation of his strong broad shoulders and deeply muscled chest.
Light from the fire flickered across his face, and she swallowed a gasp at the raw desire burning in his eyes.
Desire for her. He may have left Boston because of her, but he still wanted her. For now that was enough.
"Make love to me, Steve."

His eyes slammed closed and his chest shuddered as if he’d been startled by the invitation. That she affected
him so deeply was a balm to her weary heart. He left his pallet and skirted the fire.

She stared up at his imposing figure, her insides tightening with uncertainty. Because you’ve only made love
to Steve, Mr. Corporation. The man ready to pounce on you is Little Bear, Blackfoot Warrior. Lily wasn’t at all
sure she could handle Little Bear.

Kneeling on the ground next to her, he traced her eyebrows with the tip of his finger and studied her face. "I
can’t promise you anything, Lily. I haven’t figured out who I am or where I’m meant to be."

Eyes glowing with need, he trailed his fingers down her neck and across her shoulder. "Every time I touch
you, the storm inside me calms." He rubbed his mouth across hers and murmured, "You’re my anchor, Lily."

She’d barely drawn her next breath when he tumbled on top of her.

***

Little Bear’s body felt ready to explode and he hadn’t even kissed Lily yet. Maybe it was the wilderness.
Maybe it was the fact he hadn’t made love to another woman since Lily. Or maybe it was just Lily. Regardless,
he thought he’d die if he didn’t have her right then…right now.

Grasping her head between his hands he kissed her mouth — all–out. There was no other way with Lily, but
all–out. In her arms he felt normal. Neither Native American nor white…simply a man. He reminded himself
that this would be the last time he loved Lily…at least with his body.

Determined to build memories even if they crippled him later…he poured himself into the kiss, letting her feel
how much he needed her. How much he cared for her. Hoping that when the sun rose tomorrow, tonight
would be enough to last them both a lifetime.

Chapter Twelve

Steve grunted softly in Lily’s ear and she knew instantly that he had no protection in his camping gear.
Disappointment filled her. Oh, darn. Why hadn’t she thought to buy some condoms when she’d embarked on
this crazy trip?

Steve held himself immobile above her, his face buried in her neck, one hand clasping the back of her head
tightly. His chest shuddered with the effort to bring his body under control.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him close, rubbing her nose in his silky hair. "I guess I
didn’t plan things very well when I left Boston." She sighed. "I wasn’t thinking." Just feeling.

His arms tightened around her and he flipped over so she lay on top of him. He pressed her face to his chest
and nestled her thigh between his legs. His choppy breathing had calmed but the hardness pressing against
her hip told her he had a ways to go before all of him settled down.

"Ah, Lily." His calloused hands felt like satin as they smoothed up and down her back. "I didn’t think I’d miss
you this much. I miss the little things the most." He twirled a piece her hair between his fingers. "I miss the
way you nibble on your lip when you’re unsure of something. The way your blue eyes deepen when you’re
discussing a business matter that means something to you. The way you touch my hand when you want my
attention."

Lily sniffled, willing away the tears flooding her eyes. Never before had Steve expressed his feelings so openly
to her. That he was doing so now, made her chest ache all the more with love.

He kissed the top of her head. "I think I missed your sharp tongue the most."

She punched his chest playfully. "Wonderful. Just the kind of compliment a woman yearns for."

Tilting her chin, he stared into her eyes. "I need to ask you a question."
She swallowed hard. "All right."

"Was my grandfather’s takeover attempt of Durham Shipping the only reason you tracked me down?"

Part of Lily wanted to lie and say yes, if only to protect her heart. The other part knew if they were to have a
chance at a future together she had to toss her feelings out there and get everything in the open. Sighing,
she sat up and moved away, taking the blanket with her and wrapping herself in the protective covering.

She glanced over her shoulder, her face warming at his blatantly aroused body. Snatching his shorts from the
dirt, she flung the material at his face. "I can’t talk to you with that…that…" she motioned to his lower body
"…sticking up."

His deep chuckle sent a warm rush through her. Everything this man did affected her in some way…good or
bad. He was so much a part of her, it scared her senseless. He sat up and tugged on his shorts…for all the
good it did. The material barely restrained his arousal. That he was still attracted to her sexually soothed
Lily’s pride. But she needed more than sex. And if he couldn’t give her more, then she had a decision to
make.

He moved behind her, snuggling her against his naked chest. He nuzzled the sensitive skin behind her ear.
"Okay, I’m decent. Talk to me."

Decent? The man was far from decent. "Steve…Little Bear…oh, heck — both of you!" She turned sideways and
glared at his sexy half grin. Taking a deep breath, she blurted, "I came all this way because I realized I loved
you and I wanted happy–ever–after with you…and 2.5 kids."

The laughter drained from his eyes. "I was afraid of that."

Chapter Thirteen

Little Bear cringed inside as the color drained from Lily’s face. Damn! He hadn’t meant to hurt her, but the
time had come to set things straight between them. Not that he’d been hiding anything from her. Lily had
hunted him down…and put her heart on the line. She deserved the truth from him…and a whole lot more.

But first his heart insisted he say something to chase the hurt from her eyes. "Lily." God, he was terrible with
words. He had to find the right way to say this…to make her understand. Hell. How could he explain the very
things that tormented him when he couldn’t fully understand them himself? "I have feelings for you —"

She pressed a finger to his lips. "I don’t want pretty words just so you can appease your guilt and make
amends for hurting my feelings. I’m a big girl. I can take the truth." She moved off the foam pad and stood,
clutching the blanket like a shield. "You liked me, respected my work at the company, were sexually attracted
to me…but." Her eyes shimmered with tears. "When it comes to the future…to marrying and having children…
obviously, I’m not the woman you see yourself with."

He rubbed a hand down his face, feeling old and tattered around the edges. "That’s just it, Lily. I don’t know
who I see myself with."

"Well, if I’m not your idea of a wife and mother, then you have to have someone else in mind. Maybe you like
redheads and don’t even realize it." She stalked several feet away.

He scowled. "There’s nothing wrong with the type of woman you are. You’re perfect."

Some of the belligerent, I–don’t–give–a–crap attitude fizzled away. "Then help me understand what you’re
struggling with."

"If I understood any of this do you think I’d be out here in the boonies talking to the frickin’ heavens?" Her
eyes widened at his outburst. He expelled a long frustrated breath. "I’m sorry, Lily. I didn’t mean to shout.
It’s just that half the time I feel like Steve, a white businessman, and at other times — Little Bear, a Blackfoot
tribal chief in the making."

"Tribal chief? That’s neat."

"Lily, you’re not making this easy."

"Sorry. Go on."
She didn’t look sorry. She looked amused. Trying to stay in tune with the little dynamo’s emotions was like
riding a roller coaster. "When I lived on the reservation I felt Native American. When I worked at Durham
Shipping I felt white. It scared the hell out of me how fast I adapted to the world outside of the reservation."

"So you adapt well. I don’t see the problem."

"Adapting is one thing, but inside —" he thumped his bare chest "— I don’t feel like a whole human being."

"Oh, for Pete’s sake." Lily stormed toward him with a fierce scowl on her face, and Little Bear scrambled off
the sleeping pad. She shoved her five–foot–nothing right in his face. "Do any of us know who we really are?
We’re humans. We adapt to our environment in order to survive. You adapted to the reservation and you
adapted to Boston and Durham Shipping. Why is that such a big deal? And for crying out loud what does all
that have to do with me…with us having a future together?"

His chest ached with the need to hold Lily. But feared if he did he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from
damning the consequences and making love to her. "Hell, Lily. What kind of husband and father would I be
when I feel like two different men are living inside of me." He moved away.

Lily stared at him across the fire. "Which man do you want to be?"

He studied her thoughtfully. "Which man do you want me to be?"

Chapter Fourteen

Steve was off his rocker! Lily scoffed at the absurdity of choosing between his white ancestry and his
Blackfoot heritage. You couldn’t choose who you were.

She’d had it with his word games. Just once, she wished he wouldn’t talk in riddles or answer a question with
a question. Shaking her head she lay down on the makeshift bed. She was at a loss as to how to deal with the
man. Refusing to answer his in–her–opinion–ridiculous question, she announced, "I’m going to sleep."

She turned her back to him. Except for the popping and cracking of the fire, silence filled the dark. She held
her breath, listening for sounds that would tell her Steve was laying down on his blanket…but nothing.
Irritated, she flipped over. Steve stood motionless, in a trancelike state, his face empty, bleak, as if he’d been
emotionally overwhelmed.

She wished with all her heart he would let her love him…help him. But could she even help him? That old
adage about walking in someone else’s shoes popped into her mind. Even though she’d never fully
understand what he was going through, did he have to make such a big deal out of it? Ouch! That was
insensitive. But darn it, the world was filled with interracial people…Chinese–American, Mexican–American,
African–American.

Afraid he’d keel over into the fire if he didn’t sit down, she insisted, "Go to sleep, Steve. We’ll talk in the
morning."

He shifted his gaze to her, and she bit her lip to keep from crying out at the pain reflected in the dark depths
of his eyes. Without a word he obeyed and Lily lay awake long into the night wracking her brain for answers,
knowing she wouldn’t find any.

***

"Wake up, sleepyhead."

Lily swatted at the feathery tickle near her ear. After having almost–sex, going to bed grumpy and sleeping
on the lumpy ground, she wasn’t in the mood for Steve’s good–morning cheer. "Go away."

He chuckled. "I put your clothes at the bottom of the pad. I’m going to check on my horse, then I’ll check on
your…ass." Before Lily could think of a comeback, the irascible man disappeared from the campsite.

She didn’t know how long he’d be gone, so she jumped up and hurried into the bushes to relieve her bladder,
then quickly dressed. She sniffed, wrinkling her nose. If she were a Native American herself they’d probably
call her Smells–Like–Pond–Water Woman.

"How about an orange for breakfast?" Steve offered fifteen minutes later when he reappeared.
"Sure," she mumbled, her mind occupied with replaying the previous night’s conversation.

"What’s going on in there?" Steve tapped a finger against her temple playfully, then handed her a peeled
orange.

A lump formed in her throat at his thoughtful gesture. She sighed, deciding not to beat around the bush.
"Wondering what I should call you."

"What are you more comfortable with?" The question came off sounding casual, but his knotted shoulder
muscles told Lily her answer meant something to him.

"I’ve only ever known you as Steve, but seeing you here —" she gestured around her with her hand "— Little
Bear fits better than Steve."

His eyebrows dipped. "Then what do you want to call me?"

"How about Stud?"

The corner of his mouth lifted. "Funny."

She scuffed the toe of her shoe against the ground. "I know this isn’t funny. There’s a lot going on with you I
hadn’t realized." Gazing into his eyes, she whispered, "I want to help Steve and I want to help Little Bear."

His hand caressed her cheek, and her heart expanded with emotion. "Thank you for caring so much, Lily. It
means more to me than you’ll ever know."

"I also want to talk about us." Lily lifted on tiptoe and kissed his mouth. Softly, fully and warmly.

He pulled away much too soon. "I thought we straightened that out yesterday. There is no us, Lily."

Chapter Fifteen

"What do you mean, there is no us?" Lily’s question hung suspended in the morning air.

Not wanting to start an argument, Little Bear turned away and began rolling up the sleeping pad.

"What are you doing?"

"Returning you to the reservation, putting you into your car and sending you back to Boston." Little Bear
refused to look at Lily’s face. He knew the pain his words had caused, but he didn’t know how much longer he
could hold out around her and not give in to her wishes and agree to resume their physical relationship…the
consequences be damned!

"Stop."

His hands froze in the process of stowing the pad with his camping gear. Taking a fortifying breath he faced
her. Fists planted on her slim hips, she looked mad enough to kick her donkey…or him. "I’m not leaving until
we’ve had this out."

"There’s nothing to have out. I’m not the right man for you, Lily. No matter how much we’re attracted to one
another, it wouldn’t work out. You want kids —"

"Yes, and you do, too."

Damn it! She looked so lost standing by herself several yards away. He wanted to go to her, hug her, kiss
her, tell her he’d find a way to make her happy. "I admit I want a family. But where would that family live?
On the reservation? In Boston? Do I raise my children as Native American or Caucasian? Do they go to the
reservation schools or public schools?"

"You’re making a big deal out of nothing."

She just didn’t get it. He shoved a hand through his hair, forgetting that he’d grown it out and had tied it in a
ponytail."
Lily’s eyes twinkled with mirth as she pointed to his hair. "You’ve got a rooster comb on your head."

Disgusted, Little Bear pulled out the rubber band and let his hair hang loose around his shoulders. "See, damn
it! Sometimes I don’t even make a very good Blackfoot."

Lily closed the gap between them and ran her fingers through the strands of his hair, her gentle hands
soothing to his soul. "I like your long hair."

He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face between her neck and shoulder, wishing he could hide in
the shelter of her arms forever. "Living in both worlds is difficult, Lily. Neither accepts me fully because they
don’t trust the other half of me."

"You’re a strong enough man to handle that."

How could she have that much faith in him when he didn’t have any faith left in himself? "Maybe I am strong
enough to handle how others will treat me…but I couldn’t handle others treating you —"

Lily stepped out of his arms. "Why would people treat me any differently if we were a couple?"

"Some might call you my squaw." The idea of anyone insulting Lily made him see red. Hell, if they married
he’d spend half his time sucker–punching every jerk that so much as looked the wrong way at Lily.

She rolled her eyes. "You’ve got to be kidding! People don’t think that way these days."

He ignored her outburst. "And what about children? How would their peers treat them? Teachers? Neighbors?
How can I inflict that prejudice on my children…especially when I have a choice."

"Meaning a choice whether or not to marry me?"

"Meaning…whether or not I marry, period."

"You left the reservation three years ago. Worked in Boston for two years. Then hid out at Jake Montgomery’s
ranch for several months."

"What’s your point, Lily?"

"This isn’t about what world you belong to, or what others will think or say about me or about how others will
treat your children."

He clamped down on his back teeth. "Fine. Tell me, Lily." He swung his arm in a wide arc. "What is this all
about?"

"It’s not about others accepting you…it’s about you accepting yourself."

Chapter Sixteen

Steve flinched at Lily’s harsh words, anguish darkening his eyes. He stared off into the distance. "It’s all right,
Lily. I didn’t expect you to understand."

A year ago Lily swore nothing could hurt as much as Steve disappearing without a trace. She was wrong. The
anguish in his gaze, the pain behind his words as he tried to offer her comfort when he was the one who
desperately needed it, tore her apart.

Unable to watch him battle his demons alone, Lily threw herself at him and wrapped her arms around his
waist, squeezing as if she could infuse his body with her love and strength. "We’ll figure this out together."
Silence. "Don’t shut me out." Please put your arms around me.

He grasped her shoulders, his fingers biting into her flesh. Refusing to allow him to push her away, she clung
all the harder.

More silence. How could she lose this man when she’d only just found him? Sucking in a quiet breath, she
raged silently at the unfairness of life.
"I should have stayed away from you, Lily. I knew I wasn’t the right man for you. I suspected you had
feelings for me and I tried not to encourage them…but that night in my office…" He shuddered in her arms.
"God, help me, Lily. As soon as you walked through that door I wanted to make love to you, even though I
knew we couldn’t be lovers."

"But we did become lovers."

He tipped her chin up. "One night, Lily, doesn’t make us lovers." He threaded his fingers through her hair and
held her head immobile as he gazed into her eyes. "That night in my office was a wake–up call. We’d been
playing with fire for months. All those accidental touches, shared smiles…."

Lily wanted to crawl inside him, if only to prevent him from pushing her away again. He pressed her face
against his chest. "God, Lily. I used every excuse I could think of to stop by your desk a hundred times a day
just so I could catch a glimpse of your blue eyes, breathe in your sweet feminine scent, bask in your smile.
You had me under your spell from the first moment we met."

He touched his lips to her forehead. "I can’t give you the future, but I can give you this…I love you, Lily. You
will always hold a special place in my heart. And it hurts like hell to know I’ll have to start every day the rest
of my life without you."

***

Lily tugged free of his hold. She stared long and hard at the man in front of her. How could she have not
figured this out sooner? Understanding dawned painfully clear. "I think you’re using me as an excuse and I
don’t appreciate it one damned bit."

"What are you talking about?"

"I think you’re telling yourself you’re running away because you’re trying to protect me. That you can’t bear
the thought of how others will treat me or our 2.5 children if we marry."

His brow dipped. "I’m not telling myself that, Lily, it’s the truth."

This had to be said. Brought out in the open no matter how painful. "For your own sake, I think it’s time you
faced the truth, Steve."

The muscle along his jaw bunched, anger and frustration obvious in the tight lines bracketing his mouth. "The
truth? If you think you know me so well, Lily, then tell me…what the truth is."

"The truth is…you haven’t accepted yourself for who you are."

Chapter Seventeen

Little Bear stared into Lily’s eyes, feeling as if his chest were tearing wide open. "That’s not true. I’ve
accepted that I’m part Native American and part white." He shoved a hand through his long hair, sending the
strands flying over his shoulder. "Haven’t you been listening to a word I’ve said?"

"I’ve been listening…maybe closer than you’d like. I heard all the reasons you left Boston." She held up a
hand and counted off her fingers. "You left because you didn’t like wearing suits."

He made a rude noise but Lily ignored him. No stopping the woman once she was on a roll. He’d have to
stand here until the end to see where she was going with all this.

"Two. The long hours behind a desk felt confining. Three. You were trying to protect me because you thought
if you hung around any longer we’d have this hot and heavy affair and I’d expect marriage…which you don’t
want. Because…four. You think any children between us would be at a disadvantage or treated unfairly by
others."

"Those are valid reasons, Lily."

"Five."

Little Bear clamped down on his back teeth so hard he thought the enamel might pop off. "Go on."
"Five is the real reason you left Boston." The steam drained out of her and right before his eyes she seemed
to wilt. He tamped down the urge to hug her to him and…what? Shield her from himself?

She took a deep breath. "You left Boston because you haven’t accepted yourself for who you are. You’re
running from yourself."

"That’s insane —"

"No. Hear me out. Now that I understand, I have to say this. I don’t think the issue is how other people will
treat me or our children. I think the issue eating you is how you’re going to treat yourself. It’s not a question
of whether I or your children or others will accept you. It’s a question of whether you’ll ever accept yourself."

"I don’t have to stand here and listen to this garbage." So why didn’t he walk away? Why all of a sudden were
his feet made of cement?

"Although your reasons are all wrong, maybe you’re right in that we don’t belong together. I don’t want my
children to grow up thinking something is wrong with them or that they aren’t as good as other children. I
want my children to be proud of who they are, what they have to offer the world. If their father can’t give
them that…then I don’t want their father."

Little Bear’s lungs were on fire. Lily’s words thrashed around inside his head until it felt ready to explode. Was
it true? Did he hate himself? Did he think he deserved less than others just because he wasn’t a nice smooth
peg that fit into a perfect little ethnic hole? Would he unknowingly harm his own children by teaching them
that they were less than others? The thought made him physically ill. So deep was he in his misery, he hadn’t
noticed Lily had gotten up on the donkey.

"Where do you think you’re going?"

"Back to the reservation."

Little Bear gripped her ankle. "You’re not leaving." She couldn’t drop a bomb on him like that and just leave!

"You can’t make me stay."

"Oh, yes I can."

Chapter Eighteen

Lily was crazy if she thought he’d let her go back to the reservation alone. "It’s too dangerous to travel by
yourself," Little Bear insisted.

"I found the way here on my own, I can find the way back on my own."

"Yeah, amazing considering the way you looked when you crashed my campsite." She wouldn’t budge from
the donkey. Stubborn twit. "I’ll take you back tomorrow, I promise." He didn’t want things to end between
them this way…with anger, hurt and resentment. He’d decided he needed more time to think over the things
Lily had said to him.

Her chest heaved up and down and he prayed like hell she wouldn’t start bawling. He could handle her anger
but he couldn’t handle her tears. She shook her head, her lower lip wobbling. "If you think I’m going to hang
around and watch you stand on some cliff while you meditate me off your conscience and out of your life,
then you’re just plain nuts!"

Little Bear had worked with this woman for two years and knew her inner strength rivaled the strongest of the
strong–willed. There was only one way to make her stay. He grabbed her around the waist, then tossed her
over his shoulder.

"Put me down, you Neanderthal!" Small fists pummeled his back, which was much more preferable than the
feel of her silky hair swish–swaying across his naked skin. If that wasn’t enough to challenge his resolve, then
the feel of her soft breasts pressing into his shoulder threatened to trip him up.

Clamping one arm tightly around her butt, he removed a rope from his saddlebag, then set her on the
ground. Lily stared at the rope, her mouth dropping open before she looked up at him. "You’re joking, right?"
Taking advantage of her stunned reaction, he secured her wrists, making sure the rope wasn’t too tight. Out
of the corner of his eye, he saw her lift her foot and jumped out of the way just in time to avoid a kick in the
crotch. With one swift movement, he knocked her feet out from under her, then caught her by the arm right
before her bottom bumped the hard ground. He tied her ankles, then carried her like a rescued princess to a
shady spot across the camp. He propped her against the trunk of a tree. "Now," he growled, "I’m going to go
stand on my cliff and think."

"I hope you fall off."

"Behave or I might be tempted to jump." At the worried look that flashed in her eyes he added, "Just kidding.
I promised to return you to the reservation and I will." As he walked away, she mumbled something that
sounded suspiciously like the word bastard.

Little Bear sucked in several deep breaths until his nervous system settled down. With one last glance over
his shoulder to make sure Lily had stayed put, he stepped onto the rock ledge. Off in the distance a hawk
glided on an air current. He concentrated on the bird, forcing his mind to drain of all thoughts.

"Oh, my God, Jake. He’s taken the woman hostage!"

Chapter Nineteen

Not again?! Little Bear froze, afraid to breathe for fear he’d pitch forward and fall off the cliff edge.

"Nothing’s so bad you have to jump, Little Bear."

His former boss, Jake Montgomery, thought he was about to commit suicide? Why him? All he’d wanted to do
was go off on his own, think a little. Was that too much to ask? Little Bear eased back from the edge, one
step at a time. A safe distance away, he turned and stared. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you." Jake glanced at Lily briefly, then whispered, "Have you flipped out and lost your mind?"

A woman with flaming hair ran over to the tree and worked on untying the knots in the rope around Lily’s
hands. He nodded toward the redhead. "Who’s she?"

"My wife, Maddy." Little Bear noticed the way Jake’s face softened as he watched his wife. "Maddy, this is my
horse trainer, Little Bear."

Little Bear walked closer but stopped when the redhead jumped in front of Lily, arms spread wide. Looked like
Jake found himself a spirited wife. Admiration for the woman with flaming hair filled him, as well as a shot of
envy. Envy that Jake had found happiness after his first wife had died…wondering if he’d ever find the same
happiness in his own life. "When did you get married?"

"Two weeks ago."

Little Bear bit back a grin. "Busy summer."

"Yeah, I’d say we’ve both been busy." Jake approached Lily. "Are you all right, Ms. Smith?"

Lily glared at Little Bear. "Fine, thank you."

"Jake, its 2004! Men just don’t capture women anymore. Why, that’s barbaric. That’s…that’s so…wrong!"

Little Bear grinned, as he watched the redhead’s face turn the color of her hair.

Lily stepped out from behind Jake’s wife. "He didn’t capture me, Madeline. I insisted on leaving for the
reservation, and he was afraid I wouldn’t be able to find the way back on my own."

Madeline frowned. "But you found your way out here —"

Lily held up a hand. "I know. I know."

They both shook their heads and mumbled in unison, "Men."

Jake motioned to the trail leading away from camp. "We need to talk, Little Bear."

Oh, hell. Little Bear stomped off toward the pond, Jake on his heels. When they reached the water, he picked
up a handful of rocks and started skimming them across the surface.

"Is Lily the reason you took off at the beginning of the summer?"

"Yes. No. I don’t know."

"Are you really Stephen Durham, CEO of Durham Shipping in Boston?"

"Yes."

"And you’re also a member of the Blackfoot tribe?"

"Yes."

Removing his cowboy hat, Jake shoved a hand through his dark black hair. "Busy man."

"Where did you meet the redhead?"

"She caught her wedding dress on my barbed–wire fence."

Little Bear stared at Jake. "You married a runaway bride?"

"Catherine quit and Annie needed a nanny. Maddy volunteered." Jake grinned. "Turns out she volunteered to
be my wife, too."

"Where’s she from?"

"Seattle. She was the vice president of some bigwig advertising firm up there."

Little Bear stared thoughtfully at his friend.

"I know what you’re thinking. We’re from different worlds. And I guess we are. But Maddy’s the best thing
that’s ever happened to me."

"How did you know it would work out between you two?"

"We might come from different backgrounds but it took me losing her for a short time to realize that the
world we created together was a hell of a lot better than the ones we lived in by ourselves." Jake shuffled his
feet. "So what’s with the blonde?"

"I’m in love with Lily."

Jake slapped Little Bear’s back and grinned. "Well, hot dang, that’s great news." He pulled his hand back and
scowled. "It’s not great news?"

Little Bear shook his head viciously and threw the rest of the rocks across the pond. "No, damn it, it’s not
great news."

"Why isn’t loving Lily a good thing?"

"Because." He hated that Lily had been right all along. He hated himself for…hating himself. "Lily deserves a
better man than I’ll ever be."

Chapter Twenty

"Shouldn’t I have a say in who I deserve?"

Little Bear stiffened at the sound of Lily’s voice behind him. Jake gripped his shoulder and leaned in close.
"When you have this all figured out stop by the ranch." Jake turned away and called out, "Time to go home,
Maddy."
Home. Funny word…home. Little Bear waited until he was sure Jake and his wife had left. Slowly, he turned
around, his eyes meeting Lily’s. He clutched a fist to his chest, unprepared for the jolt to his heart the sight of
her caused. Home. In that split second, he knew. Lily was home. Lily was where he belonged.

Why had it taken so long for him to realize that with Lily by his side he could find the courage to embrace his
heritage and accept himself for who he was…both Native American and white? "You were right, Lily. I ran
from Durham Shipping and you…but I was really running from myself."

A lone tear dribbled down her cheek, and Little Bear rushed forward, catching the drop of liquid on the end of
his finger. "Thank you for showing me that I’m a worthy man. A man I can be proud of. A man that has much
to offer in this world." He pressed a soft kiss to her mouth. "Give me a chance, Lily. Give us a chance. With
you by my side I know I can be the man you need…the man you deserve. The kind of man our children would
be proud to call Father."

After another minute of silence it finally hit Little Bear — like a thunk on the head from a war club. She
wanted the words. There was no turning back once he said the words. He held her face between his hands. "I
love you, Lily."

"I love you, too. Now shut up and let me kiss you."

The softness of her kiss, the absolute forgiveness in the gentle caress made Little Bear’s throat tighten. She
pulled back, touching his cheek. "I fell in love with you the first day you shook my hand, stared me in the eye
and joked, ’Save me, Ms. Smith.’"

"And you did, Lily. You saved me." He carried her back to camp and laid her on his blanket. He worshiped her
with his heart. Now he would worship her with his body. He undressed her and himself in record time. He
pressed his hand to her breast and stared, amazed that this delicate woman with a warrior’s courage had
found a way to free his heart, his soul from his self–imposed prison.

With Lily by his side, he would return to Boston and fight for his rightful place in his grandfather’s heart. He
knew he had his work cut out for him with the stubborn old codger. But for the sake of his future children…for
Lily…for himself, he’d find a way to bridge the gap between both worlds. He didn’t want his children growing
up not knowing who they were.

"You’re going to marry me, Lily," he whispered as he slid his length against her slick heat.

"Yes, I am."

He grinned. "Are going to call me Little Bear or Steve?"

"Hmm. I think I’ll call you My Renegade Lover."

He chuckled, rubbing himself against her, loving the way her neck arched off the blanket, begging him for
more. He gave her more.

"I’ve never had two lovers at the same time — I think I’m going to like this…." she sighed in his ear.

"I think you’re more than two men can handle." He gazed into her beautiful blue eyes. He didn’t think she
could be any more beautiful, but her smile turned him inside out. "Thank you, Lily."

"For what?"

"For loving me enough to chase after me and make me see that I’m just a man."

She nibbled his ear. "Just my man."

The End