Lone Star Lover

by Debbi Rawlins

  “I’m sorry.”

  “No,” he said, “don’t.” He caught her around her waist and brought her back to him, but this time slowly and carefully. “I like feeling you close to me.”

  “Your side…”

  “Just don’t whack me.”

  She smiled a little, and then sighed. “I like feeling you close to me, too.”

  Jake kissed the top of her head, and then the tip of her nose. Both very chaste kisses, neither of which, along with the residual throb at his side, stopped him from getting hard. He hoped she wasn’t pressed close enough to feel his arousal. She was being careful keeping adequate distance not to hurt him so he didn’t think she could. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her off.

  She stared up at him, her fathomless blue-green eyes fixed on his mouth, and then she raised herself on tiptoe. He lowered his head to meet her part way, but waited for her to make the final move. The decision clearly didn’t come easy for her, but she touched her lips to his, the slight tremor that shook her body getting to him in a way he didn’t understand, rousing emotions that he refused to examine.

  The sweet taste of her was all he wanted or needed. It didn’t even matter that the kiss was brief. He still didn’t know if she completely trusted him, but Rebecca steadfastly didn’t want to see him hurt. And for now, that was enough.

  “CAPTAIN WADE WILL be returning in time for supper,” Kitty told the girls as she set up trays at the end of the bar. “So make sure y’all have had at least two customers by then and everyone else in the place is drinking steady.”

  Lola rolled her dark kohl-lined eyes. “Two customers.” She snorted and patted her black upswept hair. She wore two red feathers that matched her dress. Rebecca thought they looked silly but she would never say so, especially not to Lola, who sometimes threw glasses and bottles when she was in a temper. “By supper I will have five customers begging for seconds.”

  Trixie laughed. With a look of disgust, Ruby pulled a slim cigar from her bodice and walked toward the porch for a smoke. Lola went in the other direction, toward the only two customers in the saloon. The men had been drinking for most of the afternoon and were slumped over their table.

  Rebecca knew Ruby and Lola didn’t always get along. Both women had mostly ignored her since she’d arrived, and she was happy to stay out of their way. Trixie had been more friendly, but right now, Rebecca wanted to talk to Kitty alone. In another hour she wouldn’t have a chance. The saloon would be too crowded.

  Almost as if Kitty sensed Rebecca’s need to talk, she asked Trixie to check with Cook about having Captain Wade’s supper ready before he arrived. Rebecca waited until Trixie was out of sight, and then said, “Jake says he’s coming downstairs after he cleans up. He wants to work for the Rangers.”

  “Good.”

  Rebecca reared her head back. “How can you say such a thing?”

  Kitty sniffed the clean glasses the bartender had set near the trays, and then nodded her approval. “The man needs a horse and gun, and he needs to make money. Better to be Wade’s friend than his enemy.”

  “Jake can find work on a ranch away from town.” Rebecca didn’t try to hide her disappointment in Kitty. The woman had been her friend from the beginning. When Rebecca had tried to steal a horse and knife the day after she’d been brought to town, it was Kitty who convinced her the timing was wrong to try and escape.

  “Look, honey.” Kitty glanced around and pulled Rebecca away from the bar and the bartender’s big ears. “You’d have to be blind to miss seein’ that Jake isn’t an average fella. He’s too smart and quick. He’s no cowhand, that’s for sure. Besides, you really think he’ll go hole up on some ranch and leave you here in town with these miserable coyotes?”

  Rebecca felt the heat climb her throat, and wondered what Kitty had seen or heard to make her think Jake would care that much about her.

  Kitty chuckled. “Don’t go getting embarrassed. It’s plain as day that he cares for you. I wish I had a man like that to run to.” Kitty sobered, and lowered her voice. “Does he know?”

  She drew in a deep breath. No need to ask if Kitty was talking about the past five years. Rebecca’s captivity was no secret around here. At least not among the Rangers. She suspected that Cook and Lloyd, the bartender, also knew. But they wouldn’t say anything for fear of Captain Wade. Word got out, and men wouldn’t pay to sleep with an Indian whore. She’d heard the hateful words often enough, but thinking about them still had the power to slice through her. “I haven’t told him.”

  “You fixing to?”

  “I don’t know.” She knew that was a lie. He’d kissed her. She’d kissed him back. He had a right to know. But he’d likely hate her, and she couldn’t bear that thought right now.

  “He might not be the sort who cares about such a thing,” Kitty said, quickly glancing away, telling Rebecca that she didn’t believe her own words.

  Her heart heavy, Rebecca stared down at the floor. Maybe tonight she’d take a horse and knife and leave this place. Even if she were caught, let them hang her. Her life was over anyway.

  “I wouldn’t be hasty telling him anything.” Kitty touched her arm. “He’s your chance to get out of here. You took good care of him over at Doc Davis’s. Let Jake take on work and make enough money to get you out of Texas. That’s what I’d call evening things up. Your past can stay right where it is.”

  Rebecca truly wished that could be so without feeling empty inside. She didn’t like to lie, especially not to Jake. Or to Kitty. She’d be horrified to know that Rebecca had no intention of leaving Texas. The only other two people who’d treated her with such kindness in the past year were Bird Song and Meadow Flower. She missed the two women who’d been like a mother and sister to her, and Kitty wouldn’t understand…she might even hate Rebecca for wanting to return to the tribe. She didn’t simply want to return. She had to. After learning what she had from Doc Davis’s books, Rebecca owed it to Bird Song to find her.

  “I’ve got to get back to work,” Kitty said. “When Jake comes down, don’t be too chummy with him around the saloon. It might set Corbin off.”

  At the mention of his name, Rebecca shuddered. She wasn’t sure she understood that remark, but Kitty had already returned to the bar, where Lloyd waited with another tray of glasses for Kitty to dry and stack in preparation for the busy night.

  Her gaze going to the stairs, Rebecca sidled up next to Kitty and picked up a rag to help her with the drying. She figured that by the time Jake had shaved and washed, he’d be coming down about now. Although he wasn’t like the other men around town. He took bathing seriously. She smiled to herself thinking about his frustration over using only a basin to wash. She told him about the bathhouse, but he didn’t have money and he refused to borrow any from Kitty.

  Instead, he’d asked for extra water and warned her that he might make a mess on the floor. He’d also promised to clean it up himself. He was a puzzle, for sure. In her experience, men, no matter what color, never cleaned up after themselves. And they certainly weren’t worried about being so clean. She liked that about Jake a lot.

  She wondered suddenly about what he’d look like shaved. Dark stubble had covered his face from the first day Slow Jim had brought him to town. He’d be even more handsome, she was sure of it. Sighing, she picked up another wet glass. It slipped from her hand, hit the floor and shattered. Shards of glass flew everywhere.

  “Goddamn it.” The bartender leaned over the bar to peer at the scattered pieces, and then glared at Rebecca. “Ain’t you good for anything around here?”

  Rebecca swallowed, and dropped to the floor to clean up the broken glass.

  “Shut up, Lloyd.” Kitty glared back at him, ignoring Rebecca’s pleading eyes. She didn’t want Kitty to get in trouble because of her. “You got time to be jawing, you got time to dry your own damn glasses.”

  “Watch your mouth, you stupid whore. You don’t scare me none just because—”

  One brow arched up.
“Yes?” Kitty said, leaning across the bar toward Lloyd, her voice deadly calm.

  The bartender backed up. “I’ll get the broom. That best be cleaned up before the next customer comes in.”

  Rebecca pressed her lips together to keep from smiling at the look on Lloyd’s face. She’d heard the tittle-tattle about Kitty the second day she was here. The story went that a man had beaten her up once, and she cut off his private parts in his sleep. Lola claimed it was a rumor, but Ruby and Trixie swore the story was true.

  Rebecca stood to take the broom from Lloyd, and forced herself to meet his small hateful black eyes. For a second, she wished she were already across the street, sitting with Mr. Otis while Doc Davis made his evening calls. She would’ve been there if she hadn’t been waiting for Jake to come down. But she was also tired of being bullied by these men.

  “Indian whore,” he mouthed silently.

  “Go to hell, Lloyd.” It was Kitty, who’d apparently seen him. “Heard they have a special place waiting down there for you.” She tugged at Rebecca’s sleeve.

  But Rebecca wouldn’t look away. She wasn’t sure what had gotten into her, but she refused to let him stare her down. It helped that in her hand, she’d secreted a nice long shard of glass. She wouldn’t use it, didn’t even know if she were capable, but she was so tired of these awful men….

  “Good evening, ladies.”

  Jake’s voice snapped her out of her trance. She turned sharply toward him.

  “Is there a problem?” he asked calmly, his eyes glittering dangerously.

  9

  “NO.” Rebecca squeezed the broom handle, trying not to wince when the glass bit into her palm. Heaven help her, had he seen what Lloyd had mouthed to her? Is that why he’d seemed angry? She started to look away, afraid of what she might see if she stared too long, but then Jake turned his attention to the bartender.

  “Everything is just peachy,” Kitty said with a sassy smile. “Right, Lloyd?”

  The bartender snarled. “The girls said you were sick. You look fine to me.”

  “Almost good as new.” His chin and cheeks were smooth, the dimple in his chin deeper than she thought, and his long dark hair freshly washed. He looked so handsome she nearly ached from just setting eyes on him.

  “Then you ain’t got no business staying up there.” The bartender cocked his head toward the balcony. “Better get your ass out in the street.”

  Jake looked at him with a mildly amused expression on his face. “You must be Captain Wade.”

  “What?” Lloyd seemed confused. “No.”

  “My mistake. Though you can’t blame me, what with you strutting your feathers and pretending to be the big boss,” Jake said with a taunting curve of his mouth.

  Kitty hooted with laughter.

  “Why, you goddamn—” Lloyd reached under the bar where he kept his shotgun.

  Rebecca opened her mouth to warn Jake, but with lightning speed, he lurched across the oak bar and grabbed the front of Lloyd’s shirt. The bartender shrieked, his eyes bulging as Jake yanked him forward across the bar, inches from his face.

  “You swore in front of the ladies,” Jake said quietly. “And you irritated me. So this is what you’re going to do. First, you’ll apologize to them, then you’ll hand me that gun you were going for, barrel first. After that, you’re going to pour each of us a drink on the house. Understand?”

  Lloyd’s eyes got even bigger, but he stubbornly refused to respond, until Jake jerked again. One of the snaps popped off his shirt.

  “You take too long, and that just irritates me further. You really wanna do that, buddy?” Jake didn’t look angry anymore. In fact, his features bore no expression at all.

  But then Rebecca saw his other hand supporting his injured side. He had to be hurting, pressed up against the bar like he was. God, she prayed Lloyd would just give in.

  “I’m reaching for the shotgun now,” the bartender muttered, his eyes brimming with hatred.

  “Forgetting something?” His eyes fixed on the other man, Jake made a slight gesture with his chin toward her and Kitty.

  “I’m sorry,” Lloyd ground out through clenched teeth, and then withdrew the shotgun by the barrel and passed it to Jake.

  “Thank you.” Jake smiled. “Ladies, will you sit with me while you have your drinks?”

  Kitty, who seemed as shocked as Rebecca, shook her head. “Sorry, sugar, I’ve got to get ready for work.”

  “Rebecca?”

  She met his eyes, her heart still pounding. “I promised to go to Doc Davis’s and sit with Mr. Otis.”

  “Another time then.” He gave her a small nod like a gentleman would do to a lady, and then reached for her hand. Or was it the broom he wanted?

  Panicked, confused, she abruptly moved back, not wanting him to discover the shard of glass she held pressed between the handle and her palm.

  “I have to sweep up this glass,” she said.

  “I know,” he said, holding her gaze, and with gentle force, circled his fingers around her wrist to keep her from fleeing.

  She held her breath, knowing she was about to die at any second. She wouldn’t be able to explain hiding the glass. Lloyd would accuse her of wanting to cut him.

  Jake smoothly took the broom from her, and then quickly cupped his hand over the shard of glass so that it was lightly pressed between their two palms. She nearly choked on her tongue when he brought the back of her hand to his lips. He placed a light kiss there, and then withdrew his hand, taking the shard with him.

  It happened so fast, him as slick as a seasoned card player that she doubted anyone saw a thing.

  Lloyd snorted. “Well, if that don’t beat all.”

  Kitty sighed. “Shut your fat mouth, Lloyd, and put these glasses behind the bar.” She started toward the back, but abruptly stopped, her lips parting in surprise as she stared past Rebecca. “Wade, you’re early.”

  Rebecca spun around toward the front of the saloon. Her insides quaked at the sight of him, his arms resting over the tops of the swinging doors as he peered inside. Captain Wade was a giant of a man, even taller than Jake. He had hard gray eyes, and a humorless face she’d never seen without whiskers.

  “I heard a ruckus in here,” he said, strolling inside, the heels of his boots thumping the floor, the jingle of his spurs pricking her nerve endings.

  His gaze surveyed each face, lingering too long on Jake’s, and making Rebecca’s stomach roll. Fearing how much he’d seen and heard, she moved closer to Kitty. Her first instinct had been to go to Jake, but she knew that might cause trouble for both of them.

  “Nothing, really,” Kitty assured him, shrugging. “A glass slipped out of Rebecca’s hand, and Lloyd overreacted. You gonna want your supper soon?”

  He pulled off his hat and then his gloves, unmindful of the dust that sullied the air, and tossed everything on a nearby table. He didn’t answer Kitty, but rather kept his eyes fixed on Jake. “I reckon you’re the fella Slow Jim found north of town.”

  “That’s what they tell me.” Jake didn’t seem the least bit uneasy meeting Captain Wade. With a faint smile, he stuck out his hand. “Name’s Jake Malone.”

  “Wade Gibson.”

  “That’s Captain Gibson to you,” Lloyd cut in, eyeing Jake with a smug smile, his arms crossed over his round belly.

  “Shut up, and get us a whiskey.” Captain Wade exhaled tiredly and stretched his neck to the side, and then without looking at Kitty or Rebecca, growled, “Don’t you women have work to do?”

  Rebecca promptly resumed her sweeping, but Kitty made a motion with her head, telling Rebecca she should ignore the glass and leave. Any other time, she would’ve jumped at the chance. But she hated not knowing what would happen between Jake and Captain Wade.

  This strange side to Jake bewildered her, filled her with contrary feelings she couldn’t readily sort out. He’d been so gentle with her, kind and tender, but he was different now. His face seemed darker, more sharply defined, a subtle s
hift, but enough to make her nervous, enough to make her wonder what kind of dark secrets lurked in his suddenly emotionless blue eyes.

  She hesitated too long, and got another stern look from Kitty. Slowly she headed toward the swinging doors, knowing her friend meant for her to head to Doc Davis’s. At the doors, she paused again, unable to resist a last look at Jake. Their eyes met. Just for a moment, and then he winked.

  JAKE WISHED HE KNEW how much Wade had seen and heard before making his presence known. The man had an excellent poker face. So did Jake. No matter what, this was going to be interesting. He just didn’t want Rebecca involved.

  What the hell had she been thinking, hiding that sharp piece of glass? She’d made him nervous, the way she’d stared at the bartender with such intense loathing. Jake didn’t think she would’ve actually used the shard as a weapon, or maybe he simply hoped that she would’ve shown restraint. What did he really know about her? Except that she was scared out of her mind. And frightened people often did stupid things.

  Wade stood at the bar, one boot on the brass rail. He lifted his glass of whiskey, threw his head back, downing the entire shot. Then he set it back down, and indicated to the bartender that he wanted a refill, even though the bottle had been left within his reach. “What brings you to these parts?” he asked Jake, his dark eyes appearing neutral, but the man clearly missed nothing.

  “Can’t say. I banged my head up pretty good. Don’t remember how, or what I was doing here.” Jake took a cautious sip of the harsh liquor. “The doctor says it could still come to me.”

  Wade toyed with his replenished glass. “Not much of a drinking man, I see.”

  “Sometimes.” Jake shrugged. “But like I said, my head is messed up enough.”

  The other man almost smiled. Instead, he brought the whiskey again to his mouth, but this time sipped slowly. “A wise man knows when to put the bottle down.” He pulled over a stool and sat near Jake. “Don’t see too much of that around here.”

  The bartender didn’t look happy. He gave Jake a sour look, which made him wonder if he’d just passed some kind of unspoken test. Mostly to annoy the jackass bartender, Jake pulled up a stool, too.