Lily's Secrets [Elk Creek 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) by Gigi Moore Page B

began to work in earnest.
    Dakota opened his eyes to look at the bedside table where a pitcher of water and a glass sat, but when he reached for the pitcher he winced at the pain that shot through his side.
    “What do you think you’re doing?” Lily stood on the threshold of the bedroom with her fists on her hips and a stern expression on her face. “You’re going to tear your stitches.”
    Dakota thought she looked like the schoolmarm she once had been and grinned at the image of her disciplining one of her students the way she seemed about to chastise him.
    Lily made her way across the floor, grumbling and sounding a lot like her husband as she fluffed the pillows behind his head and reached for the pitcher of water. “Why didn’t you call me? I could have done this for you.” She poured some water from the pitcher into the glass and handed it to him.
    Dakota reached for the glass, brushing her fingers with his as he took it from her. The brief contact practically singed his skin, despite the coolness of the glass. He tipped the cup to his mouth and drained the water in three easy gulps. It was not too difficult to do. He was fairly parched and feverish beneath Lily’s intense gaze.
    As if reading his mind, she reached for him, resting her palm against his forehead. “You’re still a little warm. Do you want me to open the windows more?”
    “Yes, please,” Dakota rasped and closed his eyes against the sight of her voluptuous breasts hovering over his face. If he moved his head just an inch to the left, he would brush her bosom with his cheek.
    He swallowed hard as the soft lavender scent of her skin drifted out to him right before she moved across the room to open the windows. He silently thanked the Great Spirit for getting her away from him when It had. Maybe the cool air would put a rein on his mushrooming libido.
    “The food should be warm soon. It’s nothing fancy, just leftovers from last evening.”
    “I am sure it will be fine.” He opened his eyes to see her staring at him and frowned. “Is there something troubling you?”
    “Just fine? Not delicious?”
    “Of course it will be delicious! I did not mean to—”
    “Dakota, I was joshing you.”
    “Oh.”
    “You’re always so serious. I mean, I understand we didn’t meet under the best or most cheery of circumstances.”
    For an instant he wondered if she was referring to when he had rescued her years ago and not when she and Wyatt had rescued him a few days ago. He did not think that she recognized him, but realized that could change the longer he remained in her company, just another reason for him to regain his health and leave as soon as possible. “No, we did not.”
    “But are you always so…serious?”
    “I do not know any other way to be.” It was true. He had found precious little to smile or laugh about in the last several years…except for Lily. “I could say the same thing about you.”
    “I’m not always serious.”
    “Perhaps not.” He shook his head. “But you are sad.”
    She fidgeted beneath his look but did not turn away. After a long moment she whispered, “You know why.”
    Dakota recognized that it was not a question and reached out his hand. “Come, Lily. Sit beside me.” He knew his demand improper but did not regret his informality, especially not when she walked over and took a seat on the bed as he had asked.
    She held his gaze as she let him take her hand in his, and Dakota allowed himself to envision what life would be like for him if Lily was his woman. Strangely, he did not eliminate Wyatt from his imaginings, but included him.
    Dakota had never before thought of sharing a woman with another man, although he knew of at least one Comanche chief who had had as many as six wives. He did not think Chief Quanah Parker or men in other cultures who practiced polygamy like him, however, had had sex with more than one of their wives at the same time.
    His own people were monogamous by nature and he