by Alison Bruce
Jase told a scruffy boy outside to watch his horse. He told a slightly older boy to saddle and bring Portia out into the court.
That taken care of, he went inside.
He was not too surprised to find that he was expected. Pedro's nephew, a tough looking hombre, greeted him with a broken-toothed grin and directed him to Marly's room.
Without knocking, he flung open the door and strode inside.
"Oh," Marly said, lowering her carbine. "It's you."
If she thought her calm greeting was going to get her off the hook, she was crazy as a loon.
"What the hell do you think you're doin' runnin' off like that?" he demanded.
"I was going to have a hot bath ready for you, but they don't have a tub. Too bad," she smiled, "you could use one."
That derailed him.
"I just had a bath."
"But it would have relaxed you."
"Maybe, but that ain't the point." He revved up again. "I wouldn't need to relax if you hadn't run away. You've got the Crowleys worried and Sarge threatenin' me with bodily harm. Thank heaven I didn't run into Langtree. And Pequeño thinks―hell, I don't know what he thinks, but I could've killed him today, not tellin' me you were there."
"Would you like a glass of beer?" she asked with maddening calm. "I asked Juan to bring up a pitcher and two glasses when I got here. I smelled the coffee. Vile stuff."
Jase slumped down beside her on the bed, took his hat off and wiped his eyes free of dust, while waiting for his racing pulse to slow.
Marly stood and he grabbed her wrist. "Why?"
"Why what?"
He gave her the best hard stare he could muster.
She blinked. "Why did I run away? Because I couldn't think of anything else to do."
She sat down again and he took her hand in his.
"Marly," he said, "I know you'd like things to go back to the way they were. But I can't treat you like a boy. That's not the way I feel about you."
"You never actually said how you feel."
"I didn't think it was right. You were under my protection. I didn't wanna take advantage."
"But I did think you might care for me," she said. "Maybe even love me."
"I do."
Marly sighed with relief. Had she really doubted his feelings?
"I hoped so," she said. "When we got to El Paso, things were too confusing. First, there was Sarge acting like Papa Bear. Then Sheriff Langtree showed up and even though I did say I was a bit sweet on him, I..." She shrugged.
Careful not to pull her hand free of his, she stood and straddled his lap. With her other hand, she reached up and touched his cheek. Then, with only a moment of hesitation, she kissed him.
Surprised, Jase pulled back. But something in her eyes must have melted the last bit of his resolve. He drew her into his arms and kissed her hard and deep.
Marly was in heaven.
Just because she dressed as a boy didn't mean she didn't have a woman's heart. It had fluttered for John Langtree. It had been fooled by Charlie Meese. For a time, she wasn't sure whether she could trust that heart again.
But she had and it was worth it.
She wrapped her legs around Jase's waist. Once more, she could feel the outline of every hard muscle, from his chest down. She touched the more familiar territory of his back, while his tongue caressed her mouth. When he let her come up for air, she gave a happy sigh.
She kissed him again, her tongue exploring his mouth. She didn't have the words to describe what this was doing to her. All the stories she had read ended with the kiss, never hinting about the excited thrum she felt throughout her body―a body that seemed to have a mind of its own.
Heaven.
Hell, Jase thought, fighting his growing lust.
He stood, still holding Marly. With a groan, he set her down.
"We should go, Marly."
"What do you mean?"
"I promised to take you home to Crowley. It'll be late by the time we get there, but he'll be glad to see you."
She stomped her foot―the most female thing he had ever seen her do. "I thought we had settled where I was staying. With you."
"It ain't proper. Not yet, anyways."
Marly stood before him, hands on her hips, giving him an exasperated glare. He had a feeling this was an Aunt Adele glare.
"Jason Strachan," she said, "we have lived together for two months. We've slept in the same bed more than once. And now we've finally settled things you tell me this isn't proper?"
"Well, I have kind of missed havin' you around. I could ask Juan for a cot."
Scowling, she shook her head.
"All right," he said with a sigh. "But consider yourself engaged to me 'cause my sense of propriety is a sight more particular than yours." He gave her a quick kiss. "I gotta go check on the horses."
Jase headed down to the livery and discovered that Grandee had already been stabled. His saddlebags were waiting for him by the bar. Once again, Marly's influence had proven more irresistible than his own.
When he returned to their room, Marly was in her oversized nightshirt. She sat on the edge of the bed, sipping a glass of beer and swinging bare legs.
After a moment of distracted gazing, he remembered Mrs. Crowley's package. He handed it to Marly, who opened it cautiously.
Inside was a short lace veil.
"She did understand," she said, smiling.
"Sarge understands, too. He told me that if I don't do right by you, I'd be in more trouble than I could handle. So if you have no objection, we'll return to El Paso tomorrow so we can be married."
"No objection at all."
Marly slid under the covers and turned down the lamp. She was where she wanted to be. Though a little nervous about what might come next, she trusted Jase. Completely.
It seemed to her that he was slow to divest himself of his outer garments. She was reminded of the first time they shared a bed and how shy she had been.
Was it possible he was shy, now that there was no pretense between them?
"I could sleep on the floor," she offered. "Or we could get that cot. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."
In answer, he hung his gun belt on the bed post.
"You don't make me uncomfortable," he said. "Anythin' but."
His boots, jeans and shirt were laid out for the morning next to her. Then he sat on the edge of the bed, took his socks off and started unbuttoning the top of his combinations.
"It's not that I don't have any idea about what's proper," she mumbled, "whatever my aunt might say."
"Marly, why are you tellin' me all this?"
"Because I want you to know that I wouldn't have got into bed with you the first time if I hadn't already started to love you. I just realized I hadn't told you yet. I hadn't actually said I love you, but I do. With all my heart."
He squeezed his eyes shut and reached for her hand.
Was Jase upset with her admission?
When he released her hand, worry turned to fear.
But it turned out he needed his hands to finish undressing.
"Jase…"
He stood before her, naked, beautiful and a bit ominous.
"Don't you ever run off on me again," he commanded. "Got that, Marly Landers―soon to be Marly Strachan?"
Marly Strachan had a nice ring to it.
"Got it."
She slowly unbuttoned her nightshirt and heard his breath catch as he watched her. Even more exciting was his physical response. He was harder, longer.
"Just because I'm not a man," she said, "don't think I won't be with you on the trail. I aim to take my duties as a Texas Ranger very seriously."
He grinned. "Yes, ma'am."
She pulled the covers back, inviting Jase into her bed, her body and her heart. He was tender, touching her face, her lips, her skin…
He made her heart race and her pulse quicken with every kiss.
When she was ready and begging for more, he took her to the stars. The
y moved together as one, slowly at first and then with frenzied passion. He took her where she had never been, to heights so exhilarating and glorious that she thought she would weep with joy.
As they settled down to sleep, Marly rested her head on his shoulder, her hand over his heart. In the dark, she heard him whisper, "I love you, my Texas Ranger."
Message from the Author:
Dear Reader,
The book you hold has had many adventures on the road to publication. Orphaned by obsolete technology, the original manuscript clung to life as a printout from a dying dot-matrix printer.
When it finally made it into a workable file, it had to wait while I had a couple of kids and took care of my sister and father. Meanwhile, I collected far more information on Texas, guns, riding and the price of beans and ammunition than you would ever want to see in a novel.
I hope you agree that, like Jase and Marly's journey, it was all worth it in the end.
Thank you for reading,
Alison
About the Author
Alison Bruce has an honors degree in history and philosophy, which has nothing to do with any regular job she's held since. A liberal arts education did prepare her to be a writer, however. She penned her first novel during lectures while pretending to take notes.
Alison writes mysteries, romance, westerns and fantasy. Her protagonists are marked by their strength of character, the ability to adapt (sooner or later) to new situations and to learn from adversity.
Copywriter and editor since 1992, Alison has also been a comic book store manager, small press publisher and web designer in the past. She currently manages publications for Crime Writers Canada and is a volunteer with Action Read Family Literacy Center. A single mother, she lives in Guelph, Ontario with her two children, Kate and Sam.
www.alisonbruce.ca
www.alisonebruce.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/alisonebruce
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