The Outlaws: Jess (34 page)

"I can take it," Meg said, gritting her teeth
against the pain.

Though Jess was as gentle as humanly
possible, he knew he was hurting Meg, but she persevered with
courage, just like she faced everything else in life. His Meg was
no lily-livered weakling. She was brave, courageous, and spunky as
hell. And she was his.

After he tended her cut neck and various
bruises, he helped her undress so he could inspect her body for
further damage. He found a livid purple bruise where Jay had kicked
her and bruises on her breasts from Lucky's heavy hand. Other than
the wounds he had already treated, she had miraculously escaped
serious bodily harm. And she hadn't suffered the degradation of
rape. He fervently thanked God for all of the above.

"I'd like to wash in the pool before we
leave," Meg said as Jess handed her clothing to her. "Do you
mind?"

"No, not at all. I'll join you. The Calders
aren't going anywhere."

Meg's gaze flickered briefly to the horse
carrying the bodies and returned immediately to Jess. "When did you
do that?"

"While you were sleeping. Shall we find that
pool?"

Jess produced a bar of soap from his bag and
tenderly bathed Meg, gently laving her bruises and washing her
hair. When Meg offered to reciprocate, Jess refused. He didn't
think he could stand her hands on him. He wanted her too badly and
she was in no condition to make love. She needed time to heal, both
in body and mind, and he intended to give her as much time as she
needed. Though he ached to hold her, to love her, the sight of her
bruised and battered body gave him the strength to control his
raging need for the woman he loved.

Later, after Jess had fixed them a decent
meal from food he found inside the cabin, he and Meg prepared to
leave. Meg didn't glance back once they rode away. Jess knew she
wanted to take no memories of her ordeal with her and he couldn't
blame her.

"Let's get out of here," Jess said, grasping
the reins of the horse carrying the dead bodies as he fell in
beside her.

"Gladly," Meg concurred. "I want to forget
everything associated with this place."

They rode throughout the day, stopping often
for Meg's benefit. Jess wasn't taking any chances with Meg's
health. There was no hurry to reach town.

At sundown Jess suggested they camp for the
night beside a stream flanked by a few stunted trees that would
provide cover from the elements. He was stunned when Meg suddenly
paled and suggested they ride on a ways before stopping. Jess
didn't question her as they continued on, but he vowed to learn the
reason for her sudden skittishness.

Jess built a fire and prepared a makeshift
meal from the food he'd carried away from the cabin. After they
ate, Meg wandered down to the stream while Jess laid out their
bedroll. Then he walked to the stream to find Meg. He came up
behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

He pulled aside her hair and kissed the back
of her neck. "Would you care for a swim? It's a warm night, the
water will be refreshing after the dusty trail."

She shuddered. "I feel as though I'll never
be clean again after being touched by Jay and Lucky."

"Why didn't you want to stop earlier?"

"I couldn't bear to sleep in the same place
the Calders used as their campsite. It brought back to many painful
memories."

"I'm sorry, love. I want to erase those
memories forever if you let me."

"Yes, oh, yes," Meg cried passionately.

Jess smiled. "Let's have our swim. I'll fetch
everything we need. I won't be long."

When Jess returned he found Meg standing at
the edge of the stream, her naked body clothed in silver and gold
moonlight. His admiring gaze drank in the sight of silken black
hair cascading down the elegant curve of her back. The beauty of
her face and form was utterly, temptingly mesmerizing, and he
quickly undressed and joined her. She heard him approach and smiled
up at him. His body turned instantly hard. He wanted to hold her
against his heat, kiss her senseless, and love her until they were
both too exhausted to move. But he feared she was still too
emotionally fragile to suffer his loving and forced himself to do
nothing more than hold her.

She turned in his arms, pressing her body
against his. Jess froze. If she continued enticing him like this,
his control would vanish like dark before the dawn. Did she realize
what she was doing to him?

"You're trembling," Meg whispered against
this lips.

"I want you so badly I'm shaking from the
effort to control myself. My lust is the last thing you need right
now."

"Are you sure?" Meg asked. "Maybe it's
exactly what I need."

"Meg..."

"No, Jess, don't say anything."

She stretched on her tiptoes and pressed her
lips against his. He groaned, his arms tightening around her.
Breast to breast, thigh to thigh, her body branded his, making him
burn to be inside her again, to possess her.

"The bath can wait," he whispered against her
lips. "Don't move," he ordered as he left her for a brief
moment.

He returned almost immediately with a blanket
and spread it on the ground.

Meg stared at him. The sleek, masculine
beauty of his body made her throat constrict. He was long and lean,
his form forged in iron. The length of his arms and legs were
sinuously sculpted with muscles. A dark netting of fur covered his
chest and the ridged hardness of his belly. She gazed at him in
admiration, unaware that he was watching her.

Her gaze slid downward, where his staff stood
boldly erect, framed in the coarse dark curls covering his groin.
The breath left her throat as her gaze returned to his face. The
cad was smiling at her, as if he knew exactly what she was
thinking.

Reaching for her, he grasped her hips and
brought her against him. Meg gasped. His skin was pure fire, making
her burn. The eyes that bored into her were brighter than any
flame. His fingers caressed her cheek, then twisted in her hair,
turning her face up to his. His mouth took hers, stealing her
breath and filling her throat with his own heated breath.

His kiss went on and on, his tongue dancing
against hers, swirling deeper then drawing away in teasing little
strokes. She went limp in his arms. He lowered her to the blanket
and followed her down, keeping the chill away with the heat of his
body.

She breathed in his scent. His hand closed
possessively over her breast. "Mine, all mine," he groaned into her
ear. It was a deep, primal sound that sent shafts of raw pleasssure
clear down to the heart of her womanhood.

"Yes, yours. Always," Meg answered, cupping
his cheek and caressing the length of his strong neck. His skin was
warm, his jaw hard, the stubble of his beard raspy beneath her
fingertips.

Her hand slid downward and stopped over his
heart. It was beating hard and strong, just like hers. Then his
mouth covered hers and she was lost in the thrusting rhythm of his
deep kiss. She nearly lost what breath she had left when he gripped
her bottom, lifted her, and rocked his hips slowly against her
loins. Then a new sensation battered her as he lowered his head and
suckled her breasts. That heated place between her legs throbbed;
she felt her nipples harden and the ache inside her quickened with
need.

She gave a ragged cry. "Jess, please!"

"Hush." His voice was hoarse, his breathing
labored as he slipped a hand between their bodies and his fingers
found the core of her. He plied his magic, touching, stroking,
playing with her heated center until her body wept pearly
tears.

Something inside her shimmered and grew. She
welcomed it, losing herself in the glowing tide of passion pushing
her into the tumbling waves of pleasure. Then suddenly he removed
his fingers and the building pressure subsided. She wanted to
scream in frustration, but uttered a sigh of relief instead when
she felt the blunt tip of his shaft penetrate the dewy lips of her
pulsating center.

One hard thrust took him all the way home,
filling her with his strength, his heat, the very essence of him.
Then he began to move, and all coherent thought ceased as she
soared beyond herself, searching for that exalted place where
sensation ruled. Delicious pleasure burst upon her when she found
it, and she clung to sanity with a desperation that left her
hanging by a slim thread. When the thread broke she went tumbling
into an abyss of raw sensation. Jess followed her by scant seconds.
His body stiffened and poured himself into her, shouting his
pleasure.

Meg was scarcely aware when Jess arose and
placed a blanket over their flushed bodies. When she regained her
wits a cozy warmth enveloped her, and she burrowed into the heat of
Jess's body.

"Are you awake, sweetheart?" Jess asked when
she stirred in his arms.

"Ummmm."

"Are you ready for that bath now?"

"I suppose," she muttered, preferring sleep
to a bath.

"Come on," he said, pulling her to her feet.
"I have the soap."

Reluctantly Meg stepped into the water. It
was cool and she would have pulled back had not Jess been behind
her, urging her into the shallow stream.

"Stand still," Jess said. "Let me wash your
back.

Jess plied the soap to her back first, then
moved on until he'd washed every curve and crevice of her body.
When he finished, he handed her the soap so she could reciprocate.
By the time they had washed and dried each other, they were both
eager to make love again.

This time Jess lay down on the blanket and
pulled Meg on top of him, letting her lead the way. By no means
shy, Meg explored, kissed and teased every inch of his body, until
he was trembling and groaning uncontrollably.

"Enough!" he cried as he grasped her waist
and tucked her beneath him. Then he used his hands and mouth to
torment her in the same way she had tormented him. Thrusting her
legs apart, he lowered his head and sipped greedily from her
nectar. When he felt her body stiffen, he entered her quickly and
took them both to paradise.

They rested awhile, then returned to the
stream to wash away the residue of their lovemaking. They returned
to their campsite sated and exhausted. Jess built up the fire and
joined Meg on the bedroll she had laid out for them to share. Sleep
came swiftly, and so did morning.

Meg all but ignored the two stiffening bodies
draped over the spare horse tagging behind them. She didn't feel
the least sympathy for them, not after what they tried to do to
her. In fact, she'd brought in more than one dead outlaw in the
same position during her bounty hunting career.

They reached the small border town of Wilson
late that afternoon. They rode directly to the sheriff's office to
drop off the bodies. Sheriff Durant looked up from the newspaper he
was perusing as Meg and Jess walked through the door.

"I see you've brought her back," Durant said,
smiling at Meg. "Good work, Gentry." He sent Meg a sharp look.
"Looks like they weren't too gentle with you. Are you hurt
badly?"

"Nothing that won't heal," Meg assured
him.

"Sorry I couldn't lend a hand, Gentry.
Sheriff Crowley over at Goodland couldn't send the help I
requested. He was getting his own posse together to hunt down a
cattle rustler. Said he'd send someone up to lend a hand as soon as
he returned. I just didn't have the manpower here to pursue the
Calders on my own. Any idea where I can find them when help
arrives?"

"A posse won't be necessary, sheriff," Jess
saod. "Miss Lincoln and I brought the Calders back with us. They're
both dead. The reward is to go to Miss Lincoln."

Durant let out a low whistle and tipped his
hat to the back of his head. "You brought got them both? I'll be
damned. Excuse me, ma'am," he apologized to Meg. "I reckon your
reputation's not exaggerated. I'll see that you get your reward.
Just tell me where to send it when it arrives."

"Send it to Cheyenne, in care of general
delivery," Meg returned.

"You'll find the bodies draped over the horse
outside your door," Jess said. "We'll be on our way. Got pressing
business south of here."

Suddenly the sheriff's expression hardened.
"Sorry, Gentry, but you're not going nowhere. I thought you looked
familiar the first time we met and finally remembered where it was
I saw you. It was on a wanted poster I received some weeks back. I
got it out and sure enough there you were, along with your
brothers. You're under arrest for bank robbery. I've got to put you
in jail."

Meg paled. "No! Jess is a doctor, not a bank
robber. Those charges are false. We were on our way to Dodge to
clear up the matter when our stagecoach was held up."

"I'm only doing my duty, Miss Lincoln. If the
charges are false, Sheriff Diller over at Dodge will clear the
matter up. I'll wire him, but I still have to put Gentry behind
bars."

"You can't..."

"Meg, it's all right," Jess said in an effort
to calm her. "I'll probably be sent back to Dodge, where I wanted
to go in the first place. Don't worry, sweetheart."

Still not satisfied, Meg sent Durant a
pleading look. "Don't put Jess in jail, sheriff. Let him remain
free while you contact Sheriff Diller. He won't go anywhere, I
promise."

"Sorry, Miss Lincoln, I've got to do my duty.
Hand over your guns, Gentry."

For one crazy minute, Jess considered drawing
on the sheriff and fleeing. But he soon realized that following his
inclination would make him the outlaw that the law proclaimed him.
Accepting an unjust fate meekly, however, went against everything
he believed in. But it wasn't Jess who drew his gun, it was
Meg.

"Sorry, sheriff, we can't stick around. How
can Jess prove his innocence if he's rotting in jail?"

"Now see here, Miss Lincoln," the sheriff
blustered. "You're breaking the law. If you don't put your weapon
away I'll have to lock you both up."