by Lily Graison
Being shot the year before should have been the sign he’d been looking for but what had he done? Climbed back on his horse the moment he’d healed enough to ride and went looking for the next rowdy bunch of outlaws. He should have stayed at the ranch, helped Holden run the place, found some sweet smelling woman to ease the pains of working a horse ranch all day and been done with it.
Hearing a noise behind him, he turned his head to find Sarah standing at the edge of the woods looking at him. Damn if she wasn’t the finest looking woman he’d set eyes on in ages. He’d seen his fair share of them, too. Had more than he could count in his bed a time or two but none had compared to this one.
The others had been too easy. He flashed them a smile and it took less than a minute to get them to drop their drawers. He didn’t think it would be that easy with her, though. She was different. More refined than the women he associated with. A real lady. And more spirited than any other woman he’d ever met. This one wouldn’t lay down and let a man have his way. No, she’d want things done her way and wouldn’t be afraid to tell him how to do it. He held back a smile at the thought. He’d love to find out.
He groaned inwardly. Thinking like that was what got him in his current state. He needed to get this girl out of his system and fast. Maybe he should just let her know what he wanted. For all he knew she wasn’t as chaste as he imagined her to be. She may actually be as easy as all the others were. Somehow he doubted it but one never knew until they asked, right?
* * * *
Sarah started to ask him if anything was wrong but he turned and started walking back to where she stood. His gaze roamed her body from head to toe before he stopped in front of her. The look on his face made her nervous. His expression was lustful and hungry. Her pulse leaped, butterflies danced in her stomach, and she licked her lips as her mouth became suddenly dry. He groaned when she did, mumbled a curse under his breath and reached up, cupping her face in his hands, and kissed her. Her shocked gasp offered him entrance into her mouth and he wasted no time slipping his tongue in to taste her.
She went limp at the first flick of his tongue against her own, her body swaying toward him, and Colt wrapped his arms around her, angled his head and took everything he wanted. She was slow to reciprocate but when she did, sliding her tongue against his, his hold on her tightened, his mouth harder and more urgent.
The one kiss she’d had from William had been all lips, wet and messy, and she’d prayed the entire time it lasted that it would end sooner rather than later. This kiss… she never imagined it would be like this.
Colt tasted faintly of whiskey, his scent tickled her senses and she inhaled it, memorizing it before tentatively placing her hands at his waist. His hold on her tightened, that wicked tongue teasing and dipping until tingles raced down her limbs, causing tiny zaps of pleasure that left her weak and light headed. Small sounds escaped her throat, her breaths panted out as he fisted her hair in his hand, angling her head the way he wanted. He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth, teased it with his teeth before his tongue once again invaded her mouth with rapid plunges, the whiskers from his growing beard rasping against the flesh around her mouth until her face felt lit with fire.
She wrapped her arms around his waist, leaned against him and mimicked him, kissing him with a growing hunger that left her dazed and pleasantly warm.
He let her go suddenly, holding her at arms length. They were both breathing heavily and Sarah was stunned when he turned and walked away, back to where the horse was, without saying a word. He stood there for long moments before turning his head to look over his shoulder. “Let’s go, sweetheart. We need to keep going.”
It took her longer than it should have to catch her breath, even longer to make her body react. She crossed the distance, staring at his back, and stopped when he turned to face her. The lustful look was still on his face and something she couldn’t even put a name on lurked in his eyes. It caused those butterflies to dance again. His gaze roamed her face, stopping on her kiss swollen lips before rising to her eyes. Sarah blinked at him and shook her head. “Why did you kiss me?”
He gave her a sudden, lazy smile. “So I’d stop thinking about doing it.” He reached for her, wrapping his hands around her waist and lifted her to the horse. He put her in the saddle this time and climbed in behind her. She wiggled her bottom to give him more room and gasped when his arm clamped around her waist and he pulled her back into his chest, his head lowering until his breath was warm against her ear. “And if you don’t stop wiggling that ass around on me I’m going to do everything else I can’t stop thinking about, too.”
Sarah’s eyes widened at his words and that’s when she felt him against her bottom, hard and thick. Those nervous butterflies increased their movement and her mouth went so dry, it was difficult to swallow.
Colt nudged the horse into movement and Sarah sat still. She was afraid to even breathe. His obvious erection was the only thing she could think about and it took her near an hour to relax.
“Feeling better now?”
She glanced over her shoulder when he leaned forward again. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He laughed, the sound a husky vibration against her back. “I’m talking about you not moving a muscle for the last hour. You’ve been stiff as a iron rod since I put you on the horse.”
“Well…” Lord, what was she supposed to say? So have you? You shocked me with that kiss and feeling you against my bottom proved I was wrong in thinking you weren’t interested in me? No. She couldn’t say any of those things.
He moved his head, his breath on her neck causing goose bumps to pimple her skin. “Was it that nice of a kiss?” His lips touched the skin beneath her ear, his tongue teasing the flesh there. “Surely feeling me against you hasn’t shocked you so much. Every man who looks at you wants you, I’d imagine. I’m no different. I just don’t wait around for things to happen. Life’s too short to not take what you want.”
Sarah swallowed the lump in her throat. “You want…” My goodness, she couldn’t even say it.
“You sound surprised.”
She was, actually. Of course, he was a man, and they usually thought with their… She erased the thought and silently admonished the young serving girl in her father’s employ for putting such notions into her head. “Most men want what they can’t have.”
He chuckled. “Does that mean I can’t have you, Sarah?”
Her pulse leaped again when he said her name. Goose bumps broke out on her arms and the word whispered inside her head like a dream. Her mouth opened to offer him a reply but Sarah found the words wouldn’t come.
If she were honest with herself, she knew he could have her but that niggling little irritation of him being an outlaw was always there to taunt her. She couldn’t in good conscious take up with a wanted criminal. What would her father say? What would her friends say? Lord, what would William do? She felt ashamed she hadn’t thought of him since yesterday. He’d asked her to marry him, he should have been on her mind constantly since being taken from outside the bank but he wasn’t. That devilishly handsome outlaw at her back was.
Colt’s arm was still around her waist, the heat burning clean through her dress. His chest was pressed against her back and he’d yet to move his mouth away from her neck. His warm breath against her skin was leading her to distraction.
He moved his thumb, sliding it against the fabric covering her stomach and she felt the touch clean to her breasts, her nipples aching to be on the receiving end of that casual contact. She tried to ignore the feeling and focused on his question. “You can’t have me. I’m engaged, remember?”
“You aren’t married and until you are, you’re fair game in my book.”
Sarah turned her head to look at him. A teasing light shown in his eyes but under it she could see the truth of everything he said. He did want her. Her heart gave a powerful jump in her chest at the realization. “Fair game? For what, exactly?”
“An
ything you’re willing to let me have.”
That hand resting on her stomach moved, climbing up her torso. Sarah’s breath caught when she realized what he was going to do. A fleeting thought of stopping him screamed inside her head. She locked eyes with him instead, her mouth opening a fraction to collect more air a second before he cupped her right breast. The contact sent sparks jumping through her veins. His thumb slid against her hardened nipple while shards of pleasure caused her stomach to clench and tighten. He leaned forward, stealing a soft kiss before extending his tongue, licking her lips.
Sarah’s eyelids slid shut, her head falling back to his shoulder as his hand manipulated her breast, his mouth slanting over hers until she felt drugged. When he broke the kiss, she forced her eyes open to look at him.
“What do you say, sweetheart? You going to let me get you out of my system?”
The words snapped what little sense she had remaining back into place. He wanted her out of his system? That was all? Then what?
He’d leave her ruined and used, that’s what.
Her anger built hot and furious by the time she was able to speak. “Is that all it will take?” she asked, trying to keep her voice from betraying her outrage. “If I let you bed me, you’ll be able to sate your desire for me?”
He shrugged. “Might take a time or two but pretty much. I’ve never taken a woman to my bed and wanted to keep her there on a permanent basis. Too complicated.”
Complicated. Sarah scoffed at the idea. “You are a scoundrel, Colt… whatever your last name is, and I’d rather die than let you take my virtue and toss me away as if I were nothing but a common whore. Now take your hands off me before I break every one of your fingers!”
She grabbed his hand, jerking it away from her before shoving her elbow into his stomach. His grunt of pain wasn’t enough to ease her desire to maim him. Of all the insufferable, low down things to say. She was fuming by the time he started to laugh. “Get me to the next town, outlaw, so I can rid myself of you and your… desires. I’m sure you can find a suitable woman there who will allow you to use her. Lord only knows you’ve the money to pay for her.”
Chapter Five
It took them another day to find a town with a telegraph office and a stagecoach line running through it and the moment Colt stopped the horse, Sarah jumped to the ground and spent the next five minutes searching all the buildings to familiarize herself with the layout of everything. When Colt climbed from the horse, she turned on him. “Give me money for the telegraph.”
He raised an eyebrow at her before grinning. “You haven’t said a word to me since yesterday and the first time you do, you want money?”
Sarah pursed her lips and scowled. “You are the reason I’m here so you’re going to be the one who sees that I get back home. Besides, it’s not like I don’t know you have money. You robbed my father’s bank, remember?” She held out her hand and lifted her chin. “Now give me enough money to send a wire home, pay for a stagecoach ticket, and get a hotel room.”
He stared at her for long moments before looking down the street. Sarah tapped her booted foot on the ground as he inspected all the buildings. He reached into his pocket and pulled a handful of coins out and handed them to her. “I suppose you’ll be handing me over to the local sheriff now?”
“Tempting,” she said, looking down at the coins in her hand before closing her fist around them. It was more than she’d ever need for the things she required. Just proved he had a small fortune tucked away somewhere. “But I wish to be rid of you and turning you in means I’ll be stuck retelling what has happened for days. I wish to forget the whole ordeal so consider it an act of kindness on my part, one you don’t deserve.” She turned and walked away, looking back over her shoulder at him when she reached the sidewalk. “And I’m keeping what’s left of your money, just so you know.”
He actually smiled at her before turning and guiding the horse to a nearby hitching post. Sarah lost sight of him when the townsfolk moved on the sidewalk and she turned, making her way to the telegraph office. It was crowded and the waiting started to aggravate her when the line moved. The man behind the counter handed her a form and a pencil.
“Write your message there, Miss. Where will it be going?”
Sarah mumbled the telegraphs destination as she tried to think of what to say to her father. She didn’t want him to worry anymore than he probably already was. Saying she’d been kidnapped and said outlaw had given her money to return home seemed—ridiculous. No one would believe her. Who gets kidnapped then returned home as if it never happened?
A horrible thought occurred to her then. Would the people in her hometown think she’d left willingly? That she’d helped plan and execute the robbery? It was her father’s bank but the money didn’t belong to him. It belonged to the people who entrusted it to them. Would they think she was in cahoots with the outlaws?
Another sickening realization dawned on her, then. She’d been gone for days now. Alone, with strange men. Would they think she’d been used? Her virtue compromised by choice or force? Did it matter? She’d be ruined either way.
Her stomach rolled at the thought and she was instantly nauseous. What would people say when she returned? What would William say? Would he rescind his marriage proposal? Would anyone be willing to marry her after knowing she’d spent days with a group of men doing lord only knows what?
“Miss, do you have a message or not?”
Sarah looked up at the man behind the counter and nodded. She scribbled a simple, “I’m well and unharmed. Will return home soon, Sarah,” on the note and passed it to the clerk. She waited until the message had been sent before paying him and walking back out onto the sidewalk.
A sense of foreboding hit her as she watched the townsfolk hurry along their day. Her life was forever changed by the events that had taken place and she had only one person to blame for it all. Colt. He’d changed her life the moment he stepped into her father’s bank. He’d steered her fate by bringing those men into her town, being taken by one of them, and then by taking her himself as the other outlaws pursued him across the valley. Him bringing her so far from home would tarnish her reputation regardless of the facts. Her virtue was intact but to the average observer, they would always think otherwise. To the men at home, she would be damaged goods. Undesirable regardless of the amount of money her father had.
Her anger built until tears clouded her vision. Sarah stared down the sidewalk and saw Colt walking on the other side of the street. He looked as if he didn’t have a care in the world. His gate was sure, confident, and the longer she watched him, the angrier she became.
A rush of feminine giggles filled the air. She looked up at the second floor balcony above the saloon. The painted ladies waiting on that spindly ledge above the sidewalk were calling out to men on the street, many of which were grinning like idiots before venturing inside the building.
When Colt stopped in front of the saloon, pushing the swinging doors open, something intense burned through her chest so fierce she could hardly contain it. She recalled the things Colt had said to her the day before as she watched those doors swing closed behind him. He’d wanted her, wanted to bed her, and she’d refused, telling him instead to pay for it. Looked as if he was going to do as she asked.
Turning away, she sought out the Hotel and crossed the street when she saw it. She made quick work of navigating the people on the sidewalks and was at the hotel desk, staring into the face of a fat-jowled man wearing a pair of reading specs that didn’t look quite large enough for his face.
He looked down the bridge of his nose at her, sniffed the air near her, and then raised his eyes to her face. “Yes?”
Sarah wanted to refuse him the courtesy of a smile but did so anyway, standing to her full height and flashing him a smile so bright, her lips ached. “Good afternoon. I’d like a room, please.”
He stared at her for long moments, his gaze traveling over her unkempt hair and her dirty dress before he sni
ffed again and opened the ledger book in front of him. “Will your husband be joining you?”
