A Run for Love (6 page)

“I know, but I need you to lie back and hold on.”

She jerked when he cut into the bite. Holding her foot steady, he brought her ankle to his mouth, sucked the venom out, and spit it to the ground. He did it once more, and then pinched her skin to encourage bleeding to flush any remainder. When he finished, Tori had passed out.

He scrutinized the area. They were a good hour from Arkansas City, but they’d passed a small farm about ten minutes back. Tori would develop a fever, and with any luck that would be all. He needed to take her to the farm and get her into a bed with a poultice on the wound.

With quick hands, he tied the reins of her horse to his saddle and picked her up. Her pale and sweating face terrified him. He stuck his foot into the stirrup and, steadying himself, swung his leg over with Tori in his arms.

She whimpered when he sat her up and brushed the loose curls from her face. She already felt warm to the touch. Jesse raced over ground they had just covered. He kept murmuring under his breath, “Hold on, Tori.” Still unconscious, her heart beat rapidly against his chest.

He rode with desperation, and breathed a sigh of relief when the little house they’d passed before came into view. A very pregnant woman hung wash on a line near the back door. Across from her, a man worked on a gate connecting the corral with the barn.

Dust billowed as Jesse yanked on the horse’s reins. Sensing his anxiety, the horse pranced and swung its head nervously as he dismounted. Both the woman and man left their chores and hurried over.

“Snake bite,” Jesse mumbled between the heartbeats throbbing in his throat.

“Bring her in here.” The woman led Jesse up the steps and into the house. Drawn curtains blocked the sun and made the room several degrees cooler. Although a small house in the middle of nowhere, the woman had made it into a comfortable home. A large Bible held a prominent place on a table in the parlor.

She led him into a small room and turned down the bed covers. Everything appeared neat and clean, and a breeze from the open windows gently blew the lace curtains. Jesse laid Tori down. The man joined them in the bedroom, his hand on his wife’s shoulder. They both watched Jesse remove the shoe from her uninjured foot, followed by her stockings. Then he grabbed the pillow to elevate her head.

“Have you sucked the venom out of your wife’s foot?” The woman’s hands rested on her belly, rubbing it slowly.

He nodded, not taking the time to correct her assumption that Tori was his wife.

“I’ll get you some hot water and cloths.” She turned to her husband. “Stephen, can you please make a poultice for her foot?”

“Thank you, ma’am, I appreciate it.” Jesse spoke over his shoulder.

Within minutes, the woman returned with the supplies. Jesse washed the wound. He glanced at Tori. Her pale skin and closed eyes told him she hadn’t regained consciousness. A fine sheen of sweat covered her.

“I think you should remove her clothing. She’ll be more comfortable. If she runs a fever, you’ll need to keep her as cool as possible,” the woman whispered behind him. “Let me know if you need anything else. I’m Catherine Cole, and this is my husband, Stephen.”

“Thank you again, ma’am. I’m Jesse. Jesse Cochran, and this is Tori.” He left off her last name, afraid these nice, God- fearing people wouldn’t allow him to tend to her, and Catherine’s condition prevented her from nursing. “I appreciate your hospitality.”

He removed Tori’s dress, leaving her undergarments. She moaned and rolled her head side to side. Stephen returned with the poultice and left the room. Jesse put it on her ankle, and wrapped it with the clean cloths.

“Mr. Cochran I put the pan of water on the dresser. You should start cooling her off.” Catherine stepped back against the wall, resting her hands on her large belly.

Jesse ran his fingers through his hair and nodded. He took Tori’s cold hand. Lord, she scared him. He’d never dealt with a snake bite before, but knew the basics.

“Tori,” he murmured.

She opened her eyes and blinked, as if trying to clear her vision.

“Where are we? My. . .my foot. My foot, it hurts.” Her eyes grew large and she attempted to sit up.

“We’re at one of the farmhouses we passed earlier.” Jesse eased her back down.

“Why? And my foot. Why does it hurt so much?”

He rubbed her cold hand between his warm ones. “You got bit by a snake. Do you remember?”

“No. My head hurts, too, and I’m hot. So hot.” She plucked at her chemise and moaned again. “Did you take my spectacles?”

“No, honey, you have them on.”

“Everything’s blurry.” She frowned.

“That’s from the snake bite.” Jesse gestured to the other side of the room. “Honey, this is Catherine Cole. She and her husband, Stephen, have been kind enough to let us in so we could take care of your foot.”

She looked wide-eyed at him. A shaky hand went to her mouth. “Jesse, I’m going to be sick.”

Catherine quickly handed him a chamber pot. Jesse held Tori’s hair back as she vomited. After taking the glass of water Catherine passed to him, he helped Tori take a few sips before she rinsed her mouth and spit into the chamber pot. Tori squinted at Jesse, tears running down her face. “I’m sorry. So sorry.”

Jesse eased her back down. “Don’t be silly, Tori. You’re sick.”

“Oh.” Her eyes drifted closed, her brow still furrowed.

“I’m making some willow bark tea. If you can get her to drink, it’ll help with the pain. But now I’ll leave you to tend to her fever, Mr. Cochran.” Catherine closed the door behind her, the chamber pot in her hand.

Jesse removed Tori’s spectacles and put them on the small table beside the bed. He pushed her hair aside so he could run the cloth over her neck, then her arms and legs. When he finished, he pulled the sheet up and sat back.

With all the animation gone from her face, she had the appearance of a broken bird, delicate and small. And young. Too young for the burdens she carried. Already, dark circles appeared under her eyes.

Catherine brought the willow bark tea for Tori and a plate of supper for him. He ate the meatloaf, potatoes, and biscuit without tasting anything, his eyes on Tori the whole time.

“You and Mrs. Cochran are welcome to use this bedroom for as long as you need it. It’s an extra room, so you won’t be inconveniencing us.”

“Thank you, ma’am, I appreciate it. And please thank your husband for me as well.”

“I will. We’ll be in the parlor for a while if you need anything else. Good night.”

Jesse woke to the sound of moaning. One candle, burning on a small table, breached the darkness. Disoriented, it took him a minute to remember his whereabouts. The farm house. Tori’s snakebite.

A sharp pain shot up his back. He’d fallen asleep in the chair next to the bed where she thrashed. Yawning, he rotated his neck and shook his arms to ease the stiffness. He pressed the back of his hand to her cheek. Her fever had risen again.

A short trip brought him from the bedroom to the kitchen. The small house remained quiet and dark. He refilled the pitcher with water from the barrel outside the back door and returned to the bedroom.

She’d kicked off the light sheet, and tugged on her chemise. Once again he ran a cool, wet cloth over her heated skin. He smiled at the small pink ribbon threaded through the top of her chemise and tied in a perky bow right above her breasts. Who would’ve thought sensible teacher, Tori Henderson, hid such fripperies under her clothes?

When he finished, he pulled the sheet back up. He stood for a minute, glancing between the hard chair and the bed. Then he stretched out next to her and fell asleep.

Bright light and heat touched Jesse’s face. He flung his forearm over his eyes, but when he attempted to turn to avoid it, his body wouldn’t move. He peeled open his eyes and blinked. Tori had wrapped herself around him, her head on his chest, a fever flushed arm around his waist. Twisted underclothes left one breast exposed. His heart thudded. If she picked that moment to wake up, his life span would shorten. He eased out from beneath her.

Please God, don’t let her wake up now.

He checked her forehead for fever. It had spiked.

A low whistle escaped him. A riot of damp black curls spread over the pillow, her curves visible, from her generous breasts to her shapely calves. Full hips swelled from the indented waist.

This woman was made for loving. Nothing skinny or scrawny about her. Places to hold onto, to bury his face in, and no danger of getting poked with a sharp bone. He groaned and grabbed the pitcher. Before he got the cool water for Tori, he should douse himself with it first.

“Good morning, Mr. Cochran. Is your wife any better?” Catherine stood a distance away from the stove, her swollen belly almost touching the pan filled with frying eggs.

“She slept the night, but her fever is back.” Jesse smiled, and headed to the back door.

“These things take time. I’ll have breakfast ready in a few minutes. You should take a break and come eat with us. I’m sure Mrs. Cochran will be fine for a while. Then you can take more tea to her.”

“Thank you. I’ll do that.” Jesse filled the pitcher once more, returned to the bedroom, and again wiped Tori’s fevered body down with cool water. Using the same water, he washed up and combed his hair. He would make a quick visit to the privy before he joined the Coles for breakfast.

No longer frantic with worry over Tori, Jesse took time to study his hosts over the breakfast table. Catherine Cole was tall and of slender build. A plain woman, she had a soft voice and gentle manner. Her advanced pregnancy gave her radiance much more important in a wife than beauty. Stephen was a big man, what some would call rough around the edges. He openly adored his wife, and glowed with pride every time his eyes wandered near her large belly.

Love and contentment between the couple filled the room. Would he ever have that? He’d spent most of his adult life alone. After law school, he lived for a while in St. Louis, before seeking a better opportunity in Oklahoma Territory.

At twenty-eight, he needed to give serious thought to a wife and family. But it irked him the only woman who’d ever caught his eye, that prickly woman in the next room, would likely turn his own rifle on him. And wait till she looked under the sheets and discovered he’d undressed her.

After breakfast, he checked on Tori, and found her fever down for the moment. Catherine had convinced him his patient would be fine if he left her for a while. She promised to check on her and let him know if her fever rose again. After one last glance, Jesse left to help Stephen with his chores.

Tori opened her eyes and blinked. A pregnant woman adjusted sheets on her bed, the swollen belly brushing Tori’s face.

“I hope I don’t sound peculiar to you, but I’m not sure who you are and where I am.” A frog had taken up residence in her throat.

“No, not peculiar. I’m sure you don’t remember too much.” The woman stood back and rubbed her belly. “I’m Catherine Cole, and my husband, Stephen, and I own this farm. You were bitten by a snake, and your husband brought you to our house. You’ve been in and out of fever for the last two days.”

Tori frowned. “Did you say my husband brought me here?”

“Yes, he’s helping Stephen with the chores. It’s the first time your husband’s left your side. I told him he needed to get out of this stuffy bedroom for a while.” Catherine’s smile gave her face a gentle softness.

As the woman moved around the room and spoke, Tori’s memory returned in pieces. But no matter how many gaps in her recollection, she would never forget she possessed a husband.

Catherine stretched her back. “We’ve been here since the Land Run. I’m sure glad we got here and into a house before the baby arrived. My parents came with us and helped get the place built. They returned to their ranch in Texas a couple months ago.”

They shared a smile, but all the while Tori groused over Jesse deceiving these people. Married! Unless she made a scene and embarrassed them all, he’d forced her to play along.

“I’m going to get Mr. Cochran. I think he’ll be happy to see you’re finally awake.” Catherine patted her hand and left the room, her slender fingers kneading the small of her back.

Yes, indeed. Let’s get Mr. Cochran in here. The snake that’s passing himself off as my husband. He’s worse than the one that bit me.

She rose up on her elbow, allowing her legs to drop over the edge of the bed, but fell back exhausted. Never in her whole life had she been so weak. She lay back, glaring at the bare wood ceiling, breathing heavy, as if she’d just run a race. And Lord, her foot hurt!

The slight breeze from the window on her bare skin emphasized her undressed state. Her eyes narrowed. Most of her clothes were missing. The important ones—blouse, skirt, stockings. Who had removed them?

Hmm. Yes, she looked forward to a visit from her
husband
.

Jesse opened the bedroom door. Tori rested half in and half out of the bed. As he approached, a wet cold cloth smacked him in the face.

“Tori, what the devil’s the matter with you?” He pulled the cloth off his face, and glared at her.

Tears tracked her face as she weakly pushed his hands away when he tried to help her back on the pillows.

“Why did you tell these people you’re my husband?” She whimpered. “Better yet, who took my clothes off?”

He scooped her up and settled her on the pillows. She grimaced, and turned her head aside, tears brimming her eyes.

He raised his hands, palms up in surrender, when she scowled at him again. “Honey, be reasonable. You saw how pregnant that woman is.” He eased himself alongside her on the bed. “She’s not capable of removing your clothes or nursing you. The only other person is her husband. Would you have preferred to have a strange man take your clothes off?” he whispered and glanced toward the door.

“It seems I did have a strange man take my clothes off.” She sniffed.

“Honey, settle down. You’ve been sick, and this excitement isn’t good for you.”

“I told you to stop calling me honey.” She gulped through her tears. “And we still haven’t found Rachel.” She put her hands over her face and wept. Jesse eased closer, and after assuring himself there were no other wet cloths within smacking distance, he wrapped his arms around her.

All the stress of Rachel’s disappearance, the snake bite, and pain, has turned my little spitfire into a watering pot.
He’d need to tread carefully here.

“Catherine assumed we were husband and wife when I arrived at her door with you unconscious.” His fingers slid into her tangled curls, rubbing her scalp. “I didn’t correct her because after one look at her, I knew I had to take care of you myself. These people would have been scandalized if they knew we weren’t married.”

“I’ll have you know
I’m
scandalized, Jesse Cochran.” She hiccupped between sobs.

“I’m sure you are. I’m sorry. It all happened so fast.” He eased his hand down and stroked her back. She sagged against him, like a small child after a busy day. Little whimpering noises, not really words came from her mouth. Then she lifted her head. “My head hurts so much. What did you say that woman’s name was?”

Before he answered, she was fast asleep.

Sunlight slanted through the small window, announcing the approach of evening. Dust floated in the air, only visible where the last of the sun filtered in. Tori’s stomach fluttered in rhythm with Jesse’s heartbeat, the thumps pulsating against the palm of her hand resting on his chest. Heated sensations flowed down her fingertips until her own heart danced in answer to his.

Why was he in bed with her?

Jesse moved his hand up to her neck, once again rubbing her scalp, playing with her hair. He pulled her closer, and she put her arms around his broad chest. Tugging on her hair so she tilted her face up, he leaned down and kissed her. Lights flashed behind her closed eyes. She moaned. The soft sound escaping her lips seemed an invitation, so Jesse deepened the kiss, running his tongue across her lips, inviting her to open. When she did, he entered, touching all the sensitive parts.

Heavens, her insides warmed! Everything in her body melted and pooled in her core. She ran her hands over his back, his muscles rippling as he eased her under him.

“Mr. Cochran, I have some soup for your wife if you can get the door for me.” Catherine Cole’s voice came from the other side.

They sprang apart like two guilty youths caught behind the barn. Jesse yanked the sheet to her neck, and tucked it securely under her chin.

“For heaven’s sake, you’re choking me.” Tori gasped.

He scanned the room. With one hand, he grabbed the water pitcher as he moved toward the door, and with the other, he twisted the knob and met Catherine’s smile.

“I was, ah, just going for some water. We had a short nap,” he said as he brushed by her massive belly.

“All right, I’ll start feeding the soup to your wife.” Catherine entered the room and pulled the chair up next to the bed. “You’re a little flushed again. I hope your fever hasn’t returned.”

Time to leave. Three days had gone by, and Tori felt stronger. The fear in her gut motivated her to hurry. She’d wanted Jesse to leave and go on alone to Arkansas City to find Rachel, but he’d refused.

“It’s only one more day, and then we can both go.” He pulled his shirt out of his pants, unbuttoning it. His shoes and socks were next. His muscles rippled as he removed his clothing.
Lord, the man looks good
. The dark hair on his chest narrowed into to a strip that disappeared under the waist of his pants. Her gaze went a little further down.

“Stop looking at me like that.” He stood there in all his half-naked glory, hands on his hips, grinning.

Tori jerked her mouth closed, meeting his gaze.

Heavens, I hope I wasn’t actually drooling
.

She swiped her mouth with the back of her hand, and then glanced down between her lashes. Nope, she hadn’t drooled. “I’m not looking at you any particular way.”

“You were watching me like I was your next meal. If you keep at it, I’ll be giving up my chair tonight to join you on that bed.”

She picked non-existent lint from the blanket. “Well, it occurred to me if you sleep here instead of the chair, you’d get a better night’s rest. We both need to be fresh in the morning.”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “Honey, if I join you, I doubt very much either of us would get a lot of sleep.”

“Don’t be silly,” she sniffed. “There’s plenty of room. You can sleep on top of the sheet, while I’ll sleep underneath. You still have your pants on, and I have on the nightgown Mrs. Cole lent me.”

“All right.” He sighed. “It’s fine with me. The idea of twisting and turning in the chair for another night is not appealing.” The bed dipped as he joined her. She turned her back to him, and scooted over, hugging the edge. The sound of him punching his pillow brought a smile to her lips. Maybe he was as aware of her as she was of him.

Tori opened her eyes. Without even a sliver of moonlight to cast a glow, the room sat cloaked in darkness. She lay on her side in the middle of the bed. A strong arm encircled her waist. She and Jesse were settled together like a couple of spoons in a drawer. Jesse’s chin rested on her shoulder, and his hand cupped her breast, his thumb circling her nipple through the softness of her nightgown. That sensation had awakened her.

“What are you doing?” She looked over her shoulder.

“Shh, honey. Doesn’t that feel good?”

Tori closed her eyes. She should push his hand away, or maybe even elbow him in the stomach, but Lord, it felt so good. She’d wait a bit, see what happened.

Jesse tucked her closer, fitting her rump against his swelling manhood. He nuzzled her neck, his teeth tugging on her earlobe.

She tilted her head, giving him greater access. “You shouldn’t do that.” Her voice barely rose above a whisper.

His warm breath raised the hairs on her skin. “Are you sure you want me to stop?”

No, she didn’t want him to stop, but she shouldn’t allow Jesse these liberties. He unfastened the buttons on the front of the virginal nightgown to slip his hand inside.

Alarm shot through her, and she stiffened. Ah, but the sense of skin on skin contact felt strange and fascinating. Her breathing became ragged as his calloused fingers slid over her skin, raising goose bumps across her flesh so her nipples hardened like glass beads.

Jesse’s hand moved down and he inched up the hem of the nightgown. He caressed her leg as his hand rose. Concentrating on his movements, Tori shivered as his hand made its climb. Fondling, stroking, rubbing. Everywhere he touched, he left a trail of fire. Her body ached for his touch, and she pushed back into his warmth.

The hard muscles of his body, so different from hers, was exciting. Her eyes focused on his fingers as they again circled her nipple, then plucked and rolled it, sending spirals of heat from her breast to her center.

Gently, he eased her onto her back. Staring in her eyes, he brought the nightgown to her waist, rubbing small circles on the sensitive skin of her belly. Hair fell over his forehead as he bent and kissed her, lightly at first, and then deeper, harder. His hand continued to edge up the nightgown until he slipped it over her head, tossing it aside.

Lord, she was naked. But the heat from his hands and mouth kept her warm, hot, restless. She kicked the sheet off, enjoying the cool air on her heated skin.

“We shouldn’t be doing this.” Her voice came out in a whisper. Though her mind told her they must stop, her body wanted no part of being sensible.

Jesse groaned, the rattle from deep in his chest. “I want you. I need to feel you under me.” He nipped at her lips, bent his head further and licked the sensitive skin behind her ear. She jerked, then gasped. She felt his smile, heard his slight chuckle.

“This is just the beginning, sweetheart. I will make you feel so much better.”

His hand kept busy moving down her body, running over her curves. Until he stopped at her core, and rubbed his palm there while flicking his finger at her sensitive bud. Her body trembled as blood pumped. “Oh, don’t stop.” She breathed out the words.

“Never. Not until you come apart in my arms.” He smoothed the wet ringlets from her forehead, then rained tiny kisses over her closed eyes, her cheeks, and chin. The rough hair on his chest rubbed against her breasts, and his fingers were still busy, sliding in and out, stretching her.

Her hand burned where it rested on his shoulder. The warmth of his skin was so male, so bracing. Her fingers edged up, playing with the hair at the back of his neck. The essence of Jesse, his male scent floated over her.

He propped himself up and gazed at her body. “Tori, you’re so beautiful. I knew this is what you would feel like, look like.”

Shudders tormented her flesh as his gaze raked over her, darkening. She closed her eyes, feeling exposed, vulnerable.

Jesse rolled off the bed, and coldness replaced his warmth. She thrust her eyes open, wondering why he’d left her. When he removed his pants, the panic filling her chest disappeared. His eyes searched hers, and his nostrils flared as the bed dipped as he came to join her.

Her eyes grew large as they traveled to his erection. Before she could speak, he pulled her against him, and his mouth covered hers hungrily. Once again, he fondled her breast, dipping his head to taste and nibble.

Tori felt something building in her core. The sensation hovered on the edge of something she’d never felt before. She tightened her leg muscles and strained toward it. She could feel it in the distance, mocking her. Instinctively, she knew Jesse could help her reach it.

Jesse rolled over her, nudging her legs apart with his knee. Tori wrapped her arms around his neck, then pulled him in for a kiss. Their tongues battled.

He pulled away, panting. “Are you sure?”

“I’m scared, but yes.” Now that she had gone this far, she longed to discover what the next step felt like.

A half smile lifted his lips. “You don’t have to be scared. I won’t hurt you, well, only for a second, since this is your first time.”