Darlin' Druid

by Lyn Horner

“Yes sir!” Sul replied. “You heard the man, boys. Let’s move!”

  David strode back to the house, where his father waited on the porch, leaning on the split log railing. His eyes were trained on the approaching horsemen. David had no more than joined him when Jessie stepped out of the house and came to stand beside him. He cocked an eyebrow at her, and she lifted her chin, silently asserting her right to be there. He had no problem with that. In fact, it made him feel downright proud.

  Jessie’s stomach churned as the Crawfords drew to a halt in the ranch yard. Meeting Lil Crawford’s withering glance, she returned it in kind, then looked up in surprise when David laid his arm across her shoulders. He gave her a smile, relieving her uneasiness to some degree.

  “Del, Jeb, I’m glad to see you,” Reece said. “Afternoon, Lil.”

  The cowgirl uttered a terse reply. Her father merely glared, first at Reece, then at David. Middle-aged, with a drooping iron-gray mustache, he was tall and lanky like his daughter. The man to his right – obviously his brother – fit the same general description, but he was clean-shaven and less wrinkled. And he smiled as he returned Reece’s greeting.

  Del Crawford’s glare shifted to Jessie. He’d given her the same hard look that day during the roundup when he’d come pounding on the door, demanding to see Reece. Growing self-conscious, she tried to draw away from David, but his arm tightened, pressing her to his side.

  “Jessie, you’ve met Lil Crawford,” he said, “and I heard Del, her father, also paid a visit while I was away. But I don’t think you’ve met her Uncle Jeb.” He gestured at each man in turn. “Gentlemen, my wife, Jessie.” His tone carried a thread of steel, warning them to show her respect.

  Lil set her lips and looked defiantly away.

  “Pleased to meet you, ma’am,” her uncle said, touching his hat to Jessie and smiling wider.

  She returned his smile and murmured a polite reply.

  Anger etched Del Crawford’s face, but he nodded curtly to her before addressing Reece. “Sul said you found the stolen cattle.”

  “Not me, not with this bum leg. David tracked them down. By the way, it looks like you were right about Wes Foster and his pals being mixed up in the thieving.” Reece frowned, shifted uncomfortably and added, “Sorry I didn’t listen to you, Del.”

  Looking equally uncomfortable, Crawford vowed, “Well, they won’t get away with it. Just tell me where they are and we’ll go after ’em.”

  “I can’t tell you where that canyon is,” David said, forcing the man to look at him. “I’ll have to lead you there along with our own men.”

  “The hell you will!” Crawford exploded. “I’m not eating your dust.”

  Jessie caught her breath and felt David tense. “Would you rather waste time hunting for the place and let the rustlers get away?” he asked coldly.

  “Del, we chewed over all this at home,” Jeb Crawford put in, “and you said you’d cooperate.”

  “I don’t care what I said. I’m not taking orders from a Yankee-loving traitor!”

  David released Jessie and made a move toward Crawford, but Reece laid a restraining hand on his shoulder.

  “That’s enough, Del,” he growled. “We’ve been friends a long time, but you’ll either keep a civil tongue in your head or get off my land. And know this: my son is home to stay and he’ll damned well be giving orders on the River T from now on.”

  David jerked his head around and stared at his father. Reece returned his gaze with a look of pride. Seeing David’s throat work convulsively, Jessie’s eyes misted over.

  Crawford spat disgustedly. “God almighty! I can’t believe you’re lettin’ this snake back into your pocket. How can you trust him after the way he turned on you? On Lil, on all of us.”

  “Pa! You promised!” Lil cried, her pale copper features drawn in distress, causing Jessie to almost pity her.

  “To hell with that! This stinking traitor –”

  “Del, shut up,” Jeb Crawford ordered sharply.

  Rounding on him, his brother roared, “Don’t you tell me –”

  “I said shut up! You’re makin’ a consarned fool of yourself and you’re hurting Lil.”

  Del looked at his daughter. He seemed to fight with himself as he studied her downcast eyes and pained expression. “Fine, do what you want,” he growled at his brother. “But count me out.” With that, he jerked his horse around and galloped away, leaving dead silence in his wake.

  Jeb Crawford shifted in his saddle, cleared his throat and looked at David. “When do you want to leave?”

  David glanced at Jessie. “Give me five minutes.”

  “We’re ready when you are.”

  “Glad to have you.” Catching Jessie’s arm, David tugged her unceremoniously into the house. As soon as the door closed behind them, he pulled her into his arms. She barely had time to gasp before his mouth claimed hers. Heart singing, she looped her arms around him and fervently returned his demanding kiss. When he finally lifted his head, she felt giddy and light-headed.

  He gave her one of his lazy-lidded smiles. “That’s to tell you what we’re gonna do when I get back, darlin’,” he drawled. “So make up your mind to it.” One more fleeting touch of his lips, and he swung on his heel and walked out.

  Jessie pressed her fingertips to her lips and closed her eyes, wishing he were already back. She wasn’t even bothered by the thought of him spending another night under the stars in the company of Lil Crawford.

  * * *

  Crouched behind a large boulder inside the canyon’s entrance, David caught the smell of a mesquite campfire and saw the glimmer of firelight on the waterhole’s surface. Clinging to the enclosure’s rocky walls, twisted cedar trees were no more than black silhouettes in the evening shadows. Among the ghostly shapes of cattle, the men guarding the herd were hurriedly stowing their belongings, rolling up bedrolls and saddling horses, not knowing they were being watched.

  They were protected from the chilly night wind in there, but David felt its bite as he quietly inched back from his vantage point and rejoined his companions. “Everybody set?” he inquired in a hushed tone. At their affirmative replies, he said, “All right, let’s get to it.”

  Sul and the River T men moved into position to the right of the canyon mouth; Jeb Crawford led his people to the left side. As Lil started past David, he caught her arm.

  “We never got a chance to talk during the roundup with your pa always around,” he whispered. “When this is over –”

  “We’ve got nothin’ to talk about,” she hissed, jerking her arm away. “Just leave me alone.”

  “Lil, I want to apologize –”

  Ignoring him, she ran after her uncle, as silent and sure-footed as a cat in the dark. David sighed and abandoned the idea of speaking to her. Maybe one day she’d hear him out, but not any time soon.

  He joined Sul at the head of their men and yipped three times, imitating a coyote, signaling Jeb to move. As planned, they filed quietly into the canyon along both sides of the narrow neck, then spread out among the cattle crowding the bowl, stepping carefully and keeping to the shadows.

  When he’d given everyone time to get into position, David cocked his six-gun and called out loudly, “Stand where you are, boys. You’ve got company.”

  The six outlaws froze for a split second. Then one man dove for the ground, pulling his gun as he fell, but David’s bullet struck him in the chest and he never got off a shot. On the other side of the clearing, another outlaw tried to draw, but several guns barked, taking him down. That was enough to discourage the others from reaching for their weapons, although it didn’t stop them from turning the air blue with cuss words.

  David recognized the sidewinder he’d shot, as well as three of the four who remained standing. “You and your compadres are a might far from the River T, Foster,” he said. “Can’t say I’m surprised to see you, though.”

  “We ain’t alone, turncoat,” Foster snarled, broad face twisted with rage. “You�
�ve got yourselves trapped in here.”

  “Sorry to disappoint you, but your other two pals are kind of tied up.” He jabbed a thumb toward the bluff overlooking the canyon, where Foster’s pair of lookouts now lay gagged and bound. Smiling, he added, “Guess we’ll just have to take these brand-blotted steers off your hands.”

  “You no-good Yankee! I’ll show yuh!” Red with fury, Foster lunged at him, ignoring the carbine pointed at his gut.

  David could have shot him, but he wanted the bastard to stand trial and hang. Swinging his carbine around, he clubbed Foster on the side of his head. The blow stopped him but didn’t take him down. He shook his head, gave a murderous growl and knocked the gun from David’s hands. Before David could step back, two heavy arms locked around his middle and squeezed. Grimacing in pain, he pummeled Foster’s face, trying to free himself before his ribs cracked.

  Absorbing the blows, Foster snarled, “I’m gonna squash you like a bug!” His hold tightened, forcing a strangled cry from David’s throat.

  “Shoot him, for God’s sake!” he heard Lil scream.

  “I can’t! I might hit Davey!” Sul shouted.

  David didn’t expect anyone to save him. Gritting his teeth, he gave up on Foster’s iron jaw and jammed a fist into his Adam’s apple. His adversary choked and loosened his grip slightly. David repeated the blow, this time managing to break Foster’s hold. It took him a while longer to subdue the brute, with his mid-section feeling like it had been run over by a herd of stampeding steers.

  * * *

  Jessie threw open the front door when David returned home late the following evening. She’d stayed up, hoping he would arrive.

  “Thank God! I was so worried,” she said, shutting the door. He gave her a curious look as if wondering if he should believe her show of concern, but before he could say anything, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight. However, at the sound of his sharply indrawn breath, she quickly released him.

  “Begorra! You’re hurt, aren’t ye,” she cried in alarm.

  He smiled tiredly and, evidently deciding she was sincere, brushed her lips with a brief kiss. “I’m all right, darlin’. Foster gave me a fight, bruised my ribs some, that’s all,” he said, turning to hang his hat on the coat tree that stood near the door.

  Noting how stiffly he moved, she knew he was understating his injury. “So he and his friends were in with the rustlers?” she asked as he went to lay his carbine across a pair of massive cattle horns mounted above the fireplace in the parlor.

  “Yup. Now they’re in jail. Except for two who didn’t cooperate.”

  He meant they were dead, Jessie realized. But he was alive, thank God. Seeing him grimace as he started to shrug out of his buckskin jacket, she hurried over and helped him out of it. “Your father and Anna went to bed a while ago, but I’ve kept some supper warm, just in case ye should return. While you’re eating, I’ll heat water for a bath. ’Twill help loosen ye up a bit.”

  “Sounds good. Thanks,” he said, accompanying her back into the hall. She felt him watching her as she hung his jacket on the coat tree, and her heart began to race. Giving him a fluttery smile, she turned and hurried out to the cookhouse.

  A half-hour later, she helped David out of his shirt, gasping when she saw the heavy bruising along his sides. “What did that brute do to ye?” she asked in horror, gently touching the black and blue areas.

  David caught her hands and laid them on his chest. “He gave me a hug. I let him know I didn’t like it. But I don’t want to talk about Foster anymore.”

  Jessie slipped her hands upward over his muscled chest, bringing them to rest around his neck. “And what would ye like to be talking about?” she inquired softly, gazing into his eyes.

  “Not a thing, darlin’,” he murmured, lowering his head. His mouth was hot and hungry, his hands eager in their explorations. “I want you,” he said feverishly against her lips. But when he bent to kiss her throat, he abruptly straightened. Pain swept across his face, although he tried to hide it.

  Jessie drew back. “What ye need, sir, is a good soak. And I didn’t go to all the trouble of heating water for ye only to let it grow cold. So sit ye down and I’ll help ye off with your boots.” Evading his reaching hands, she pointed sternly to the bed. He grumbled in protest but reluctantly obeyed.

  A few moments later, she listened to him settle in the steaming bath and heave a tired sigh. She smiled to herself as she brushed out her hair at her dressing table. She’d retreated there while he was removing his pants. Recalling the view of him she’d caught in her mirror, she went still. Even the ugly bruises marring his sides couldn’t detract from the carved symmetry of his body – or stop the liquid fire that had rushed through her veins at the sight of him. Of course he’d glanced her way and caught her staring at him. Embarrassed, she hadn’t dared look up again until he stepped behind the privacy screen.

  “My back could use scrubbing,” he called out. “Would you mind lending me a hand, Jessie?”

  She gaped wide-eyed at herself in the mirror. She started to utter a flustered refusal but hesitated, knowing he would taunt her again for being bashful. Besides, wasn’t it her wifely duty to assist him? He was injured, after all.

  “Coming,” she replied, voice shaking slightly. Rising, she slowly approached the privacy screen and stepped around it. She halted, her gaze meeting David’s, then ricocheting off his damp, bare chest and bent knees, searching for a safe place to land. Her face grew hot, her breathing rapid.

  “You took so long to answer, I thought you’d left the room,” he said. His amused tone told her he was well aware of her agitated state.

  “I-I was thinking and I didn’t hear ye at first,” she said, hurriedly moving to the other end of the tub, where the view wouldn’t be so unnerving, she hoped.

  “Must have been thinking mighty hard. What about?”

  Caught in her lie, she knelt behind him and stared at the back of his dark head. She gave a brittle laugh. “Why, I can’t remember. Isn’t that odd.”

  “Mmm, real odd,” he agreed, sounding even more amused.

  “Hand me the sponge,” she said briskly.

  He complied without comment and she snatched the soap from its dish on the table beside the tub. Directing David to lean forward, she washed his broad shoulders and muscled back. She recalled the time in Grand Island when she’d guiltily ogled his masculine form. Only a few months had passed since then, but how her life had changed in that short time, she mused.

  “You have a gentle touch, love,” David murmured, drawing her from her thoughts. Her hand stopped in mid-motion on his shoulder. Taking advantage of her pause, he reached up and trapped her wrist. She instinctively tried to pull away, but while his grip gave no pain, it was unbreakable. Chuckling softly, he leaned back, took the sponge from her, and brought her hand around to his lips.

  He kissed her sensitive palm, making her whole arm tingle. When his tongue flicked at the tender spot, she moaned softly as pleasure shot through her. Hearing her, he smiled against her hand. “Want to join me in the tub, darlin’? I’d enjoy giving you a bath.”

  Jessie went rigid with shock. “No! I-I-I couldn’t! I don’t want to!”

  “Don’t you? I think you do, but you’re afraid to.”

  “I don’t care what ye think. Let go!” she demanded.

  David snorted, eloquently expressing his irritation. For a moment, she thought he might drag her into the tub, clothes and all, but then he sighed and released her. “Run away,” he barked. “I can do the rest myself.”

  Jessie scrambled to her feet. Dashing from the alcove, she ran to the bed and sank down on the edge, hugging herself. He was right! Part of her had wanted to accept his lusty invitation. It had been weeks since he’d made love to her, and she craved the pleasure he could give her. That was the unvarnished truth.

  But her mother had taught her to be modest, and it was a lesson not easily forgotten, even with David. Yet she was not bashful about touc
hing him in the privacy of their bed, or about letting him touch her. It was only the looking that embarrassed her so. Was that not a wee bit foolish?

  She had driven him away with her jealous accusations about him and Lil Crawford – and been miserable without him – yet, just yesterday, he’d boldly proclaimed her his wife before Lil and her family. And he’d demonstrated his desire for her most convincingly. She feared to believe David loved her, as Reece insisted, but he did continue to want her. So why was she sitting here, denying him and herself?

  Standing up, she began to undress.

  David was starting to rise from the tub when she stepped into the alcove. His eyes widened, he made a choked sound and sat back down abruptly, splashing water onto the floor. Jessie’s heart pounded frantically as his gaze traveled over her nude body. She had pinned her hair up, offering him an unimpeded view, and she felt like the most wanton creature on the face of the earth. But he was her husband. There was nothing wrong in pleasing him, she told herself.

  “D’ye have room for me in there?” she asked with a nervous smile, knowing the oversized tub could easily accommodate them both.

  “Plenty of room,” he said hoarsely, holding out his hand to her.

  Jessie grasped it and stepped into the tub facing him, between his legs. “H-how?”

  “Turn around,” he directed, and she did. His hands gripped her waist and he drew her down into the water, on his lap, with her back to his chest and her buttocks to his rigid arousal.

  “Th-the bruises. I might hurt ye,” she said.

  “Sweetheart, I’m hurting so bad for you that I can’t feel anything else.” His hands stroked the tops of her thighs, and she melted against him. “Mmm, nice,” he murmured, nuzzling the side of her neck.

  He lathered his hands with soap, then glided them slowly across her shoulders and down over her breasts. Moaning, she turned her head, lifting her mouth to his. He took her offering, their tongues dueling avidly while he continued to fondle her breasts.

  “Wrap your legs around mine,” he soon instructed, bringing his knees together under her as she languidly followed his directions.