Lady Deception

by Bobbi Smith

  "Elizabeth..." Jack said her name again, but this time his voice was hoarse as he battled the emotions that were churning within him.

  She drew another deep breath as she brought her crying under control. Jack sensed her anguish at being so mistreated and wanted to reassure her that he would protect her. He gently cupped her chin and tilted her face up to him so he could look in her eyes.

  It was meant to be the gesture of a friend, of someone who cared about her, but when she whispered his name, it was his undoing.

  "Oh, Jack... I'm so afraid." Her eyes were luminous with tears.

  In that moment, Jack could no more have stopped himself from kissing her than he could have stopped breathing. He bent toward her slowly, mindlessly, caught up in a web of sensual allure from which he didn't want to be freed. Elizabeth needed him, his protection, his comforting....

  A distant cautioning voice in his mind warned him that what he was doing was wrong, but he ignored it. He moved slowly, gently, not wanting to frighten her, his lips seeking hers in a tender caress.

  A part of Jack was prepared for her rejection. She was another man's wife. He had no right to touch her.

  But another part of Jack believed that Jonathan had forfeited any right to her when he'd abused her. He had betrayed her with violence. Her slender arm bore the mark of his fury. Jack could only think of helping her, of healing her hurt, of caring for her and erasing the sorrow he saw in her eyes.

  Jack was thrilled when Elizabeth did not reject him. He could tell she was fearful at first, withdrawing slightly at that first touch of his lips. But when his mouth settled over hers in a possessive yet undemanding kiss, she did not balk, but uttered the slightest of sighs as she gave herself over to him. Her surrender sent his emotions soaring. He wanted her more than he'd ever wanted another woman.

  The warning voice echoing in his thoughts cautioned Jack to stop, but as Elizabeth's lips moved under his it faded away. And then when she leaned into him, her breasts brushing his chest as he deepened the kiss, the voice of his conscience disappeared completely.

  They were man and woman, and there was no need for words or guilt. They needed each other, wanted each other. Right then, nothing else mattered.

  Jack lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed. He laid her upon the softness and followed her down. Covering her body with his own, he branded her with the heat of his desire. He had somehow known she would feel this way beneath him, deliciously soft, completely inviting, undeniably perfect.

  There was no stopping. His hands were upon her, skimming over her slender curves. When Elizabeth reached out for him, he gloried in her touch as she caressed his chest, sculpted the muscles of his back, and then slipped her hands lower to tug at his shirt. Jack groaned and started to help her. As he took over stripping off his shirt, she began to unbutton the bodice of her gown.

  His gaze met hers, and Jack paused. He realized what he was about to do and knew he should stop. He started to speak, to keep them from going any further, but she lifted one soft hand and pressed it to his lips to silence him before he could say anything.

  "Don't say it," she whispered. She rose up and kissed him, silencing any argument he might have made. It was as if she feared that to speak of it would ruin the moment-so precious, so special.

  When she'd finished with the buttons, he helped her slip the dress from her shoulders. The straps of her chemise followed, and her breasts were bared to him.

  "You're beautiful," he said in a passion-husky voice as he reached out reverently to touch her.

  The crests of her breasts hardened at his caress, and he drew her to him, crushing her to him. He kissed her passionately, and she responded with out reserve. Her answering hunger drove him on, and he pressed hot kisses to her throat. Jack could feel her trembling as he moved lower to explore the silken glory of her bosom. When she arched in pleasure at the touch of his mouth upon her flesh, desire stronger than any he'd ever known surged through him. He knew he had to have her. He had wanted her from the first time he'd seen her, and he could not, would not stop. Not now.

  Elizabeth slipped away, but only long enough to take off her dress and her chemise. She returned to the bed and opened her arms to him in invitation. Jack went into her embrace, and they came together in a heated frenzy. Theirs was pure, hot desire as they sought the ultimate pleasure that could be found only in each other.

  Jack was surprised that Elizabeth matched him in his ardor. He'd expected her to be shy, but she proved a tigress. She led him to her, urging him on, creating a firestorm within him. As his body sank into the silken depths of hers, Jack groaned in exquisite agony. She began to move beneath him before he had time to think, and he was lost in the power of her embrace. He had never known passion could be so completely overwhelming. They moved together wildly, searching for ecstasy's peak.

  When it burst upon them, Jack was shocked by the power of it. He held her close as the lightning storm of their joining passed. She had needed him as much as he had wanted her.

  The knowledge excited him, but as his mindless ardor cooled and his sanity returned, the realiza tion of what he'd done left him unsettled. He had always considered himself a moral man, and he couldn't believe he had just taken another man's wife.

  It was then that Jack realized Elizabeth was quietly crying. He pulled away from her to try to comfort her, to apologize for what he'd dared, but she wouldn't let him.

  "Please don't say a word," she told him in a tearful voice. "I know this should never have happened between us, but you must know"-she rose up on one elbow to look down at him-"I will never regret that it did."

  His gaze met hers in wonderment. He had expected recriminations. He had expected her tears to be of regret and sorrow.

  "You are a wonderful man, Jack Logan. I hope you don't think less of me because of this."

  Jack could find no words to express what he was feeling, so he kissed her as his answer.

  "You're a beautiful woman, Elizabeth. I'll do anything I can to help you," he said when they broke apart.

  He kissed her once more, and she sighed. When the kiss ended, she rested her head on his shoulder, her hand splayed across his chest. Jack didn't want to think about anything right then, so he lay quietly with her beside him, savoring what little time they had together. He feared he would never have her with him again.

  It was Elizabeth who shifted away first. It was Elizabeth who, regretfully, left Jack's bed and began to dress.

  His blood heated as he watched her move about the room. Regret that they could never be together again filled him. Making love to her had been one of the most wonderful experiences of his life, and he didn't want to let her go. He hated the thought that he would never hold her again, never kiss her again. He couldn't let her leave this way, so he got up, and, after quickly donning his pants, he went to her and took her in his arms.

  "There's no need for you to worry. No one will ever know this happened between us."

  She looked up at him. "I'll never be sorry, Jack."

  He wanted to kiss her one last time, but Elizabeth moved away. She went to the door and then stopped to look back over her shoulder at him. "The reason I came... What I needed to know..."

  "What is it?" He could see that there was something troubling her deeply.

  "Jonathan has been so vicious.. .so cruel. I've been trying to encourage him, to keep his spirits up, but he wants to see that Majors and the rest of the gang are caught. He wants them to pay for what they did to him. I just wanted to know if you'd heard anything yet. If any of the rewards the town offered has done any good?"

  Jack understood her need for reassurance, but he could offer little. "I know there are bounty hunters looking for Majors and the others, but there's been no news yet. I promise you, the minute I hear something, I'll send word."

  She managed a sad smile. "Thank you. It will mean so much to Jonathan." She started out the door, then paused for a moment to look back. "And to me." A lone tear was tracing a c
rystalline path down her cheek. "Good-bye."

  The door closed soundlessly behind her.

  Jack stood there staring at the closed portal, trying to come to grips with all that had happened. He didn't know how it was that she had come to him, but he gloried in the fact that she had. Jack knew he should have felt guilty, but the memory of the bruise on her arm shielded him from any attack of conscience. Any man who abused a woman didn't deserve her.

  Jack wanted to help Elizabeth. He needed her. And she had done something that no other woman had done in years. She had touched his heart.

  Jack stood unmoving in the middle of the room a few minutes longer, steadying himself, clearing his thoughts. Then, unable to bear the loneliness of his room, he finished dressing and went down to the saloon.

  Cody was tense. El Trajar was just a few miles ahead. She was almost there, yet something within her was warning her to be careful, that someone was watching, that she was not alone. She urged her horse to an even quicker pace. She wouldn't feel safe until she was in town, and even then she wondered how safe she'd be. No one had tried to save her when Luke had carried her off, and she doubted anyone would come to her aid today, if the gang came after her again.

  Glancing back, Cody checked to see if she could spot someone following her, but it looked quiet. She knew quiet could be deceptive, though, so she rode even harder.

  Miles passed, and then he appeared before her like an apparition, emerging from his hiding place behind some rocks and brush. Startled, Cody reined in quickly and her horse shied nervously. With a practiced hand, she controlled her mount as tears clouded her vision. In an instant, she was on the ground and running to him to throw her arms around him.

  "Stalking Ghost! You're alive! Thank God!"

  Stalking Ghost accepted her embrace, then held her away from him. He studied her for a moment, his expression, as always, impossible to read. He nodded slightly as if confirming that she was all right, before he spoke. "Where is Majors?"

  "Back in camp. I'll tell you about that later. What about you? What happened? I was afraid you were dead!"

  "I am fine," he answered, disdaining any more discussion of his situation.

  "I'm glad." Her words were heartfelt.

  "So am I." It was as close to an emotional exchange as he ever allowed himself to have with her. "Why didn't you bring Majors out with you?"

  "I couldn't. There were too many of them. I kept up the Sister Mary ruse as long as I could, but last night I got the chance to get away, so I took it."

  "We will go back together."

  "No. It won't work. The camp is too well guarded. I've got another idea. Where's the wagon?"

  "I left it in town."

  "Then let's head there. We don't have a lot of time. They may be coming after me. I'll explain on the way."

  They mounted up and rode together into El Tra jar to where the wagon and their belongings awaited them. Cody quickly changed back into her Sister Mary role before speaking to anyone. The townspeople were amazed that she'd gotten away from the terrible gang.

  Cody did not deviate from being the preacher woman until they were well out of town and headed for the border. Only then did she change clothes again. She'd had enough of high-necked, long-sleeved gowns. She just wanted to be herself for a while. She would worry about transforming herself in another day or two, but for now she just wanted to be comfortable. They had a lot of ground to cover.

  His days were passing with an infuriating sameness, and Jonathan Harris was in an uglier mood than ever. He hated all the false happiness being put on around him. The doctor had been in to see him earlier that day. He'd told him that he was recovering nicely. Recovering nicely? He would never walk again! What was so nice about that? As far as Jonathan was concerned, the doctor could go to hell. The long weeks since the shooting had been torturous for him, and it wasn't going to change.

  He was sitting in his hated wheelchair by the front parlor window staring out across the street, watching and waiting for Elizabeth to return. She'd gone to the store to pick up a few items and had been away the better part of an hour: He didn't like being alone. He wanted her beside him all the time. She was his wife and she should be there to take care of him. When she finally came into view, his temper was hot. He was waiting for her by the door when she entered.

  "Hello, darling," she greeted him.

  "Where the hell have you been?" he demanded, confronting her the moment she closed the door.

  "I told you. I was at the general store."

  "For almost an hour? What took that long?"

  "I was visiting with Mr. Wayman. He said to tell you hello and that he hoped you were feeling better."

  "Sure he does," he snarled, grabbing her by the wrist and yanking her toward him. "When I tell you to hurry back, I mean it!"

  "But I did hurry, Jonathan," she protested, trying to twist free of his painful grip. "I have to get out and see other people sometime. I can't stay locked in this house forever!"

  "Why not? I'm going to be locked here from now on!"

  "Jonathan, you know that's not true. Just this morning, the doctor said you could go back to work."

  The look in his eyes turned glacial at her words and he tightened his grip even more. "Do you think I want to go back to the bank so people can come by and stare at me? So they can tell me how sorry they are that I'm half a man? Think again! I won't play the freak for anyone!"

  "Jonathan, let me go. You're hurting me."

  "You will do what I say from now on!" His tone was threatening. "If I say be back in ten minutes, then you get back here. Do you understand me?"

  "You can't mean this. This is crazy! What about me? What about my life?"

  "Your life ended the day I was shot, just like mine did. Now fix me something to eat and be damned quick about it!" he raged as he shoved her from him as if touching her was suddenly a vile thing to do. He turned the wheelchair awkwardly away from her so he could stare out the window again.

  Tears burned in Elizabeth's eyes as she spoke to her husband. "I don't know what's happened to you, Jonathan. You're still alive. You're not dead. You need to get out and see your friends. You need to start living again, and not hide here in the house."

  "Hide? I'm not hiding. I'm just burying myself prematurely."

  "But the doctor said you could live a nearly normal life."

  Jonathan gave a harsh, cruel laugh. "Nearly normal? What's that? I'd rather be six feet under."

  "I won't be buried with you."

  He turned on her, his expression threatening. "Don't tempt me, woman."

  "You're not the same man I married."

  "You're damned right I'm not. I'm going to be in this chair for the rest of my life."

  "But there's no reason why things can't go back to the way they used to be."

  "Go back?" His vicious, savage anger showed in his expression. "Go back to walking? Go back to being a man again? Don't you understand that it's never going to happen? Never! And it's all because of that.. .that Luke Majors. I'm living only for the day I get to see him hang for what he's done."

  There was so much venom in his voice that Elizabeth ran from the room. She'd been hoping he'd go back to work and resume his old way of life, but it would never be. She wondered what she should do next.

  It was evening before Elizabeth managed to slip away from the house. Jonathan had gone to bed after drinking himself into a stupor, and she felt it was safe to leave him alone for a while. As drunk as he was, she was certain he would sleep all night.

  She made her way to Sarah Gregory's house. She had not had the opportunity to speak with her in the days since she'd met her on the street with Jack, and she felt the need to see how her old friend was doing.

  "Evening, Elizabeth," Sarah said, smiling in welcome as she answered the knock on the door. "Come in. It's so good to see you."

  "Is this a good time? I'm not intruding?"

  "Never. I need a friend right now."

  The two women em
braced as Elizabeth entered the house; then they settled in the parlor to talk.

  "How are you doing?" Elizabeth asked in earnest.

  "Terrible. Sam was my life. I'm lost without him," she admitted painfully.

  "I'm so sorry. Sam was my friend, too. This whole ordeal has been a nightmare. Have you heard anything yet?"

  "There's been no word, not even with those big bounties they're offering."

  "I don't understand how those murderers can just disappear like this. It doesn't make sense."

  "None of this does. Lives ended.. .lives ruined forever. Oh, Elizabeth." Sarah reached out and took her hand. "You are so lucky to still have Jonathan."

  Their gazes met as Elizabeth began to answer. "I don't feel lucky and neither does he." She gave a small sob as she continued, "Oh, Sarah, Jonathan wishes he were dead. You know he'll never walk again or-"

  "I didn't know. When I'd heard that he was better, I thought he was going to recover fully."

  "No. Hell never be the same again. He's changed so much. He's so bitter. All he thinks about is revenge. I try to keep him calm, but I don't know what more I can say to him."

  "It must be awful for you."

  "It is, but then when I start to feel sorry for myself, I realize how self-centered I'm being."

  "You're not self-centered. You're a wonderful woman, who's trying hard to be a good wife in a horrible situation. You're so brave. I don't know how I would have handled it, if our situations had been reversed," Sarah said.

  "And I don't know what I would have done had I lost Jonathan."

  The two women shared a look of mutual understanding and sorrow.

  "I'd better get back. If he wakes up and finds me gone, he'll be angry."

  "I'm so glad you came. I've missed our visits."

  "If you need anything, let me know."

  "You, too. I'll never get over Sam's death, but I will go on. I have to. I have no other choice." She sighed. "One day, justice will be done and Sam's killer will hang. Until then, I just have to live day to day, and keep praying for strength."