by Myla Jackson
A smile crossed Zach’s face, briefly. She’d put up a good fight when he’d captured her the night before. Knowing Honor, she’d be equally determined to escape a second time from the Indian who’d raped her.
His smile turned downward at the image of another man, red or white, forcing himself on Honor. His muscles burning, Zach surged forward. He wouldn’t let her be treated so badly. He’d kill the thieving redskin with his bare hands.
Ahead he could hear footsteps crashing through the forest.
“Let me go! Zach! Jake!” Honor’s voice carried to him from near the creek where he and Jake had been the day before.
As he burst into the clearing, Zach slid to a halt.
With his back to the creek, a dark-haired, dark-skinned Indian held a knife to Honor’s throat, his other arm around her naked middle, clamping her arms to her sides.
She leaned back, her eyes wild, her bare breasts heaving, the knife pinching against her skin. “Don’t come any closer,” she said.
Honor could have cried with relief when Zach caught up with her. At the same time, she almost wished he hadn’t. Running Bear wouldn’t give up without a fight, and from the way he held the knife to her throat, he wasn’t going to give her up unless she was dead.
“Don’t even try to save me,” she told Zach. “He’ll kill me, and then he’ll kill you.”
“I don’t care about me, but I’ll be damned if I let him hurt you.” Zach took a step closer.
Running Bear pressed the knife deeper, pricking her skin. Warm liquid dripped down from where the knife rested.
Zach’s nostrils flared, his cheeks reddening.
Honor’s pulse pounded against the knife’s blade, her stomach clenching into a knot. If anything happened to Zach or Jake because of her… “Please, Zach. He’s one of the fiercest warriors I’ve ever witnessed. I’ve seen him cut down a man your size without blinking an eye. He won’t stop until you’re dead.” A sob rose up her throat and she choked out, “Just let him take me.”
Zach’s jaw firmed into stone. “I won’t let him have you.”
“You have to.” Tears welled in her eyes and trickled down her cheeks.
“No.”
“Please,” she begged him. “I won’t forgive myself if he hurts you or Jake.”
“And I won’t forgive myself if something happens to you.” Zach’s lips turned up in a twisted grin. “You’re like a wicked itch and you’re already under my skin.” He eased to the side, as if sizing up his adversary. “And I like it too much to stop scratching.”
The savage turned her to face Zach, using her body as a shield.
“I won’t let you become another one of his victims,” Honor said. She dragged in a breath, closed her eyes and stomped her foot on the Indian’s, bracing herself for the stab of pain when his knife would cut into her throat.
Running Bear jerked backward, teetering on the bank of the creek, his knife hand flailing out to the side, his other arm dragging her down with him. The Indian hit the ground hard. When Honor landed on top of him, he grunted, all the air whooshing out of his lungs.
Free of his grip, Honor rolled to the side and scrambled away from him.
Running Bear leaped to his feet, his knife in one hand, crouching, ready to rip into Jake, who’d hit him from behind. “Fire Hair mine,” the savage said, his voice low, guttural.
Zach stepped forward, pushing Honor behind him. “No. She doesn’t choose you.”
“Fire Hair belong Running Bear.” He pounded his chest with his free fist.
“No.” Honor stepped away from Zach. “I choose him.” She pointed to Zach.
Running Bear nodded to Zach. “Fight to death. Winner take Fire Hair.”
“No.” Honor stepped between the two men, the cool air and fear making her naked skin pebble with gooseflesh. “I won’t let you fight.”
Zach grabbed her arms and forced her behind him. “He won’t leave you alone unless we do this.”
Jake moved closer, his knife drawn. “Let me fight him.”
“No. It’s between me and Running Bear.” He jerked his head toward Honor. “Take care of her, will you?”
“No!” Honor backed away.
As Jake’s hand snaked out to grab Honor, Running Bear lunged at Zach.
Zach ducked to the side. The tip of Running Bear’s knife slashed into his arm, cutting a long rip through his shirt and tearing into his skin.
Honor screamed and threw herself at Running Bear, but Jake’s arms tightened around her, holding her back. “Let me go.”
“No. You’ll distract him.”
“I won’t let him die for me.” She fought to free her arms, kicking and wiggling to escape Jake’s hold on her.
“He won’t. Zach’s a big boy. He can handle one little Indian.”
Zach snorted and took a swing at Running Bear with the knife in his left hand. When the Indian dodged the other way, Zach was ready and punched him with his right hand, square in the jaw, with all his might.
The Indian’s head snapped back and he staggered.
Without giving the savage a chance to recover, Zach threw his knife to the ground and punched Running Bear again and again until the Apache’s nose was a bloody mess. He teetered right, then left, and finally toppled, landing in the creek with a splash.
Zach snatched his knife from where it lay on the bank and waded in after the man. He lifted him by his hair and pressed the knife to his throat.
“No. Zach, don’t kill him,” Honor cried out.
“Woman, be quiet,” he said without looking up from his foe. “Listen to me, Running Bear. Fire Hair chose me. If I find you anywhere around her ever again, I’ll finish this. I’ll run you down like an angry buffalo. Do you understand?”
The Indian nodded, blood streaming from his nose, turning the water around him red. His bruised eyes shifted to Honor up on the bank. “Fire Hair Angry Buffalo’s woman.”
Zach stood and yanked the other man up by the arm. “Leave this mountain and never come back.”
Running Bear staggered to his feet, barely able to see. But he pushed his shoulders back and nodded at Zach and Honor before he turned and walked into the forest. Within several feet he disappeared, swallowed by the shadows.
Jake loosened his hold on Honor’s arms and she ran to Zach. “Thank God you’re all right.” She wrapped her arms around his middle and buried her face in his chest. “I thought he’d kill you.”
Zach smoothed the hair from her face with his good arm. “Not a chance. I couldn’t let him take you.”
Honor leaned back, her gaze raking over his body, stopping at the rip in his sleeve. “Do you think he’ll come back?” she asked, inspecting the slash across Zach’s arm. “We need to clean this before it gets infected.”
“Running Bear won’t be back.” Jake slapped his friend on the back, grinning. “Not with a man like Angry Buffalo around.” He laughed out loud. “Angry Buffalo.” He snorted and laughed some more.
Zach unbuttoned his shirt and stripped it from his shoulders, wincing as he dragged it over the cut on his arm. “It’s bloody, but it’ll cover you.” He held the shirt out for her.
She glared at him, took the shirt and ripped the sleeve where it was torn. “I’ve been naked for the past couple of hours. It won’t hurt to be naked for a few more minutes. Now shut up and let me tend your wound.”
He stood quietly while she dipped water from the creek and dribbled it over the injury. Honor tied the shirt sleeve around his arm, stemming the flow of blood.
Zach didn’t know what to do with his hands when all he wanted was to drag her perfect body against him and ram his cock deep inside.
“I think every man should have a naked nurse tend his wounds. Then again, it’s probably just as well such angels don’t exist for most men, or we’d have a lot more self-inflicted wounds.” Jake laughed at his own joke, and then his smile faded. “Look, Honor, Zach’s got something to ask you, and I’m gonna leave you to it. But know this. I think
you’re one of the most beautiful and courageous women I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. I hope you’ll be around for a long time.” When he’d finished his speech, he turned and walked toward the cabin, leaving Honor and Zach alone by the creek.
“What was it you wanted to ask?” Honor fussed with the fabric she’d tied around his arm, loath to move away, especially since they were alone and she was still naked. Something about that creek had her body flushing with heat—heat only Zach could handle.
Zach stared at the water, his gaze averted from Honor, a muscle twitching in his hard jaw. He stood without making a sound.
The silence stretched between them. Honor’s heart beat erratically. What was so important he didn’t just spit it out? Was he going to let her go like she’d asked him to? Did he want her to leave and was afraid of hurting her feelings? Was his love for Jake so great that he didn’t want her to come between them? A lump the size of her fist lodged in her throat. She swallowed hard, determined to save him the effort of letting her down. “Zach, before you start, I just wanted you to know that what I told Running Bear about choosing you was just to get him to go away. You are in no way responsible for me or obligated to keep me safe from savages from now on.”
“Honor, I—”
“Please, let me finish.” She ducked her head, tears welling in her eyes she didn’t want him to see. “I know how you feel about Jake and I never wanted to come between what you have. Besides, I told you from the start I wouldn’t be staying.”
She smiled brightly, looking up through watery eyes as she pretended that her heart wasn’t breaking just a little. She’d come to care for this big galoot in the one day and night she’d been with him. Seeing him fight for her had been beyond anything she’d ever expect from any other man, but not from Zach. “I can be in San Francisco before winter, if I can get to town. All you have to do is point the way and I’m out of your life.”
Zach couldn’t get a word in with the woman rambling on about San Francisco and Jake and everything else. When he’d had enough he shouted, “Woman, do you ever shut up?” He grabbed her around her waist and hauled her against him, his mouth closing over hers, effectively stemming the flow of words. His lips ravaged hers, his tongue pushing past her teeth to twist with hers.
Honor’s hands slipped up around his neck, pulling him closer, her naked breasts pressing into his bare chest.
His cock strained against the buttons of his trousers, eager to be free and thrust into her warm, wet pussy. He trailed his fingers down her back to her buttocks and lower to capture her thighs and lift her.
She wrapped her legs around his waist, her crotch warming the fabric stretched taut over his dick.
“I can’t do this.” He dropped her to the ground.
“Is it Jake?” she asked, her arms still around his neck. “Would you rather do it with Jake? I understand. I’ll leave.” Her hands slid down his chest, a tear rolling out of the corner of her eye.
“No, Little Thief. I can’t do this with my pants on.” He made short work of unbuttoning his trousers. It took him longer to shed his boots and step free of everything. At last he stood before her naked. “Now, where were we?” He scooped her up, wrapping her legs around him, his hardened shaft pressing against her pussy. “Ah. This is where we were.” He carried her into the creek until her bottom floated in the water.
“I’ve never had a man in a creek,” she said, settling down over him, taking his cock inside. Her legs tightened around his middle. “I’m sorry, what was it you were going to ask me?”
Zach shook his head. “Could you pay attention this time?”
She tweaked his nipple, rolling it between her thumb and forefinger. “I’m paying close attention.”
“Stop that. I can’t think.” He slapped her hand away. “I’m not a dandy all full of flowery words and gentle ways. I haven’t been around a real lady since my mother died a long time ago. The only women I’ve been with have been the two-bit whores in mining towns and I haven’t wanted any of them to share their lives with me. But…” He sighed. “I’m making a mess of this, ain’t I?”
She clasped his face between her hands. “So far you’ve swept me off my feet, Angry Buffalo.” She kissed his lips, her eyes shining with unshed tears.
“I want you to stay with me, Honor.” He pressed a finger to her lips to keep her from talking. If he didn’t get it all out, he was afraid she’d say no before he could say enough to convince her to stay. “I would never treat you badly. I won’t tie you up anymore, if you don’t want me to. I’ll let you leave if it’s really what you want. I just know that I could fall in love with you, if you’d give me half a chance.”
He dragged in a deep breath, his heart squeezing so tight he was sure it would break into a million pieces. “There. That’s about it. What do you say?” He closed his eyes, for the first time in his life afraid. Afraid he’d lose her when he’d only just found her. Afraid she couldn’t love a lonely mountain man, high in the Rockies away from God and everybody.
Her hand cupped his chin and warm soft lips pressed against his eyelids. “Look at me, Zach.”
His cock twitched inside her, full, erect and ready for action. But everything hinged on her answer. His future depended on what the widow had to say.
“We barely know each other,” she said, her mouth pressing a kiss to the tip of his nose, her breasts rubbing against his chest.
“We have all our lives to work on that.” He wanted to take each nipple into his mouth and tongue them until they beaded into shiny little pebbles.
“What about my independence?”
He spread his arm wide. “You’re free to go whenever you want. All I ask is that you give us a chance.”
She smiled, her heels pressing into his ass. “I’ll need a new dress.”
Hope surged through him. “I’ll get you five.”
“What about Jake? He needs a woman.”
“I’ll get him one.” He hugged her to him. “Just not you. I love Jake, but I want you for me.”
Honor pushed him far enough away to look down into his eyes. “What if I want Jake to join us?” She raised her brows, waiting for his response.
Zach’s body quickened, his dick throbbing at the thought of another threesome. “Whatever you desire. As long as I’m somewhere in there.”
“Oh, you will be. I want you where you are now.” She tightened her legs, lifting herself up to the end of his shaft and then slid down into the water, slowly taking him back into her fully. “I like this. Can we do this often?”
“As often as you like. Just stay with me, Little Thief.” He held her close, his face buried in her neck, nibbling at the vein pulsing beneath her skin.
“I’m not the thief here,” she said. “I never took a thing. It’s you who have stolen from me.”
He looked up into her shining eyes. “And what have I stolen?”
“My heart.” She kissed him and whispered in his ear, “I’ll stay.”
About the Author
Twenty years of livin’ and lovin’ on a South Texas ranch raising horses, cattle, ostriches and emus left an indelible impression on Myla Jackson, one she likes to instill in her red-hot stories. Myla pens wildly sexy, fun adventures of all genres including historical westerns, medieval, romantic suspense, contemporary and paranormal beasties of all shapes and sexy sizes. When she’s not wrangling words from her computer she’s snow-skiing, boating, riding her ATV or spending time with family. She lives in the tree-covered hills of Northwest Arkansas with her husband of 20+ years and her muses—human-wanna-be canines—Chewy and Sweetpea.
To learn more about Myla Jackson and her stories visit her website at www.mylajackson.com.
Look for these titles by Myla Jackson
Coming Soon:
Bound and Tied
Duty Bound
Their love rides on a spring and a prayer…
Wild Cards and Iron Horses
© 2010 Sheryl Nantus
During the
recent Civil War, a soldier risked his life to save Jonathan Handleston—and lost. With the help of an advanced metal brace on his crippled hand, Jon now travels from one poker tournament to the next, determined to earn enough money to repay the man’s debt.
Prosperity Ridge is supposed to be the last stop on his quest, but his brace is broken and he needs an engineer to repair the delicate mechanisms. The only one available is Samantha Weatherly, a beautiful anomaly in a world ruled by men.
Sam is no fool. Jon is no different from any other gambler—except for his amazing prosthetic. Despite a demanding project to win a critical contract to develop an iron horse, she succumbs to the lure of working on the delicate mechanisms. And working with the handsome Englishman.
Like a spring being coiled, Samantha and Jon are inexorably drawn together. Sam begins to realize honor wears many faces, and she becomes the light at the end of Jon’s journey to redemption. The only monkey wrench is Victor, a rival gambler who will stop at nothing to make sure Jon misses the tournament. Even destroy Jon’s and Sam’s lives.
Warning: Contains crazed card games, gears and springs galore and a wild ride that’ll have you panting at the end of the book.
Enjoy the following excerpt for Wild Cards and Iron Horses:
Sam looked down at the brown paper parcel, shaking her head as if waking from a dream. “Oh, yes. Your brace is repaired.” She went to the half-wrapped bundle and began pulling the paper off. “I intended to come over to Mrs. McGuire’s and meet you there.” The words rushed out like an oil leak. “Of course, then we would have had to come back here and do the fitting. I don’t think Mrs. McGuire would let me go up to your room and allow us to complete our dealings there.” She felt the tingling down her spine, settling in her stomach with a butterfly’s flutter.
