“Here you go!” he said with a smile, setting it down near the foot of the bed.
“Thank you.”
“Have you eaten?”
“No, sir.”
Malachi nodded. “I’ll get something warmed up for you. Take it easy, you hear? I’ll bring you some of Nora’s clothes to wear when you’re done.”
Jericho walked in, hefting the pots of steaming water. Once he’d poured them in, he winked at her when his father shuffled out the door.
“Leave your window open,” he whispered, nodding toward the pane of glass. “I’ll help you bathe.”
“But your father...”
“What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him,” he said, interrupting her.
“I don’t know, Jericho, this is his house.”
He glanced at the tub. “Do you think you can undress and climb in yourself? What about washing your hair? Drying yourself off?”
Mercy trembled, imagining Jericho doing all those things for her. “I don’t think so.”
“Then let me take care of you.”
His eyes pinned her to the spot. She almost swooned at their intensity. She wanted him to touch her again. Desperately.
Without breaking his gaze, she walked to the window and opened it slightly. “It gets stuffy in here,” she told him.
The smile that lit his face made her heart leap inside her. She’d give him anything he asked for.
She laughed out loud when he raced out the room, slamming the door behind him.
* * * * *
“Leaving so soon?”
Jericho thundered down the porch steps and waved to his father. “Yeah, gotta get Bandit stabled and get myself some dinner.”
“But I’m heating up a—”
“See you later!”
Climbing onto Bandit’s back, he turned the horse and kicked him into a gallop. He ran the horse a few blocks before turning back toward his house down another road. Smiling at his own cleverness, Jericho tied the horse behind the church so it couldn’t be seen, then snuck across the yard to the open window of his father’s guest room.
With one swift movement, he’d vaulted inside and wasted no time as he marched to Mercy, who stared at him with a combination of lust and fear in her eyes. He gently held her in his arms before claiming her mouth, demanding she open for him.
The moment her tongue slid within his mouth, he couldn’t keep himself from popping her buttons, driven with the need to see her naked once more. She helped him, somewhat clumsily, but the heat of her response told him she wanted him just as badly. That knowledge howled inside him, and he devoured her mouth, tasting deeply the flavor that was uniquely hers.
He pulled back as he peeled the dress from her shoulders and stared into her eyes. Her emotions were written plain as day across her face. Every word she’d spoken to Roger on the road had been the God’s honest truth. She loved him beyond the shadow of a doubt.
His heart swelled as well as his cock. He never wanted to let her go.
Once her garments and bandages had been shed, he led her to the tub and helped her ease into it. This wouldn’t be easy for him, but he’d damn well do it. There was nothing more he wanted than to make Mercy happy, and if washing her hair was what he needed to do, he’d do it gladly.
His father had given her a sliver of soap after he’d left in a rush. Jericho dunked it in the water and began to lather her.
“Can you dip your head for me?” he asked.
Mercy nodded and obeyed with his help, sitting back up with wet hair. He worked the soap into her tresses, biting his lip to keep from groaning at her whimpers of pleasure. His jeans were uncomfortable, but he was determined to keep on task.
Goose bumps raced down her arms. He longed to kiss them. For now, he was content to massage her scalp and prompt her to dunk her head once more.
“Jericho?” she asked in a timid voice.
“What?” he answered, rinsing her.
She was silent for long moments, biting her lip. “Nothing.”
“Tell me.”
She swallowed hard and turned away, resting her forehead on her bent knees. “I’m in love with you. So much.” She paused, as if waiting for his reaction. But she continued before he could say a word. “I don’t know where I stop and you begin. I feel like I’m drowning. I want you to stay with me, but I can’t ask that of you. The thought of watching you ride out of my life terrifies me.”
He let out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “Mercy,” he whispered. “Look at me.”
When she did, her eyes were red-rimmed. He knew, in that moment, he belonged to her. There was no other option.
“You’ve got me all tied up in knots,” he said. “One day I’m minding my own business, and the next, there you are, standing so pretty, I can’t ever take my eyes off you.
“You’re the only one who knows me, who understands me. Every minute I’m with you is better than the one before. When Butcher had you, I’d never been so scared in my life. Mercy, honey,” he said, cupping her cheeks, “you’re my other half.”
Chapter Fourteen
After what he’d just confessed, Mercy couldn’t hold herself back. With a splash of water, she leaned forward and kissed him, taking the initiative and exploring his mouth with her tongue.
Jericho’s clothing was sopping from her splash, but he didn’t seem to care when he bent over her to hook his arms under her knees. His strength once again impressed her when he stood and walked her to the bed, without bothering to dry her off.
“Jeric—” That was as far as she got before he was kissing her again, laying her back into the pillows.
The bed dipped when he crawled over her, nudging her legs apart to make room for his large frame. He lifted his mouth from hers and licked his way down her neck, seeming to lap every drop of water from her skin. Mercy shuddered and held onto him for dear life when he attacked her breasts and feasted.
Stars exploded behind her eyes as he dipped even lower, tracing her navel with his lips and caressing her cool skin with his large, warm hands.
The moment he crouched between her legs and kissed her pussy, she bucked, lifting her hips to him in silent sacrifice. His tongue danced upon her clit in such a sinful way, she could barely draw breath. It didn’t take long before a flood of sensation swept her away.
“Come here,” she managed to gasp, holding out her good hand to him.
Jericho didn’t hesitate. He lunged on top of her, kissing her voraciously while trying to yank his shirt off at the same time. Amazingly, despite his passion, he took great care not to jostle her in any way. She barely felt a twinge of pain.
“Honey, I’m gonna burst if I don’t get inside you right now.”
He ripped off his gun belt and fumbled with the buttons of his jeans, then pushed them down his hips. That was as far as he got before he thrust his cock hard and deep within her. Mercy cried out, but he muffled her cries with his mouth.
Again and again he plunged, touching her all over her body with his expert hands. Her passion flared once more, and she raised her hips to meet his rhythm, yearning for the completion only he could give.
Jericho released her mouth and gazed down at her. His fingers smoothed her hair as her desire built with every entry, finally culminating in a crescendo as he watched her orgasm crest. Moments later he followed her, his own features twisting with ecstasy. His pleasure seemed to heighten her own.
A loud banging suddenly interrupted their rapture. “Jericho James! I know you’re in there, boy. If you don’t come out right now, I’m gonna walk right in!”
“Shit,” he whispered under his breath. “It’s the old man.”
“Saw Bandit behind the church,” Malachi yelled. “I wasn’t born yesterday, you know!”
“Hold your horses, Pa, I’ll be out in a minute.” Jericho climbed off the bed and fumbled with his jeans. “Get dressed as best you can,” he told her. “I’ll rebind your ribs after I talk with my pa.”
Mercy’s eyes rounded like saucers. “But he’s going to be furious!”
“Not as much as you might think.” With that, he bent down and gave her a swift, ardent kiss before striding to the door.
* * * * *
Malachi stood tapping his foot in the hallway, a look of righteous anger on his face.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“I was—”
“The James men, we’re upstanding folk. Pillars of the community. We help those in need, not take advantage of them.”
“I know, Pa, if you would just—”
“That poor girl in there is clinging to hope. And so help me, Jericho, if you’ve given it to her falsely, I’ll tan your hide right here and now.”
“Listen to m—”
“After all the love she’s given us, all the happiness and self-sacrifice, that woman is family, and I swear, boy, you’ll do right by her if it’s the last thing you ever do.”
“Pa, if you—”
“You’re gonna marry her, son!”
“I know!”
Malachi stood still and raised a brow, as if shocked at Jericho’s words. And uncomfortable silence filled the hall.
With a grin, the older man smacked his hand on his son’s shoulder. “Then what are we fighting for?”
They both began chuckling right when Mercy opened the door. Her look of confusion had Jericho laughing even harder. He slid his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close, kissing her on top of her head.
“What’s going on out here?”
“A wedding, apparently,” Malachi said with a grin.
“What? Whose?”
“Ours.” Jericho smiled at her intake of breath.
“You can’t be serious.” She looked back and forth between them.
“If my son wants to warm your bed, then you’d best be married before he gets you pregnant, girl, and that’s a fact.”
Mercy blushed, and Jericho was overcome with the urge to kiss the tip of her nose.
Malachi turned away. “Put your shoes on and meet me at the church.”
“Wha—now?” she croaked.
“No time like the present,” the older man said.
“But the sun’s going down. We can’t get a marriage license right now. Besides, don’t we need witnesses?”
Malachi lifted his finger in the air but kept walking down the hall. “God is our witness!” He rounded a corner and disappeared into the kitchen.
“Jericho hasn’t even asked me!” she called out.
“Don’t think he cares much, sweetheart.”
Mercy scowled up at him. Her tiny finger dug into his chest. “Well I do, Mr. James. I refuse to marry you because you’re forced to. That’s not the way a marriage should begin.”
He advanced on her, and she retreated until the wall of the hallway stopped her. Both of Jericho’s hands pressed against it on either side of her head as he leaned in close.
“Woman, do I have to spell it out for you? My father’s never been good at forcing me to do anything I don’t want to do. I’m in love with you, Mercy. I want you for my wife. Wanted it probably since that day behind the schoolhouse. But I was blinded by Joy’s death. I took off and left you. I didn’t realize the one thing I was searching for was right under my nose.”
Her eyes filled with tears, and her entire body trembled like a leaf in the wind. “You love me?”
Jericho nodded. “I’m hopelessly in love with you, Mercy Ainsworth, and no other woman will do.”
She giggled through her tears, recognizing the very words she’d spoken to Roger Ford.
“Will you marry me?” His tone turned serious while he rubbed her nose with his. She was silent for so long, he thought she might not answer him. “The correct response is yes,” he teased.
Mercy nodded furiously, clutching onto his collar with a vengeance. She buried her face into his neck and wept. He held her close, swaying gently back and forth, until she calmed herself.
“I love you,” she said through her sniffles.
“I love you, too,” he answered with a grin. “Although we’ll probably have to do this again tomorrow to make it legal. Tonight’s just so my father can sleep better.”
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “Tonight is for us, Jericho.”
He smiled and answered her with soft, tender kiss.
Chapter Fifteen
Mercy placed a small bouquet of wildflowers on the grave of Nora James. She’d passed in her sleep shortly after Mercy’s impromptu marriage to Jericho two weeks ago. She never woke from her ailment, but Mercy couldn’t help but wonder if she’d hung on long enough for her prayers to be answered.
In the evenings since her passing, Malachi regaled them with stories of how much Nora had hoped her son would someday marry Mercy, as she’d felt God had given her a new daughter after taking Joy home. Perhaps Nora’s spirit had been looking out for them since Jericho’s return to Sagebrush Springs.
“She’s with your sister now,” Mercy said, leaning against her new husband in the cemetery. Jericho’s arm wrapped about her waist, but the tall, confident man next to her had tears in his eyes.
“I know,” he breathed. “Just wish I could have come back sooner.”
“She felt you. She knew you’d returned.”
He held her close. “I sure hope so.”
Mercy’s ribs gave her a slight twinge when she reached to embrace him. “She would have been so happy to see us together.”
Jericho nodded. “Her biggest dream was to have grandbabies.”
Mercy pulled away slightly to look at him, but he wouldn’t let her get too far.
“Wanna make a family, darlin’?”
“You know I do,” she said, somewhat breathless.
“How many children should we have?”
“Lots. Little boys that look like their daddy.”
He frowned. “And here I was hoping for a gaggle of girls just like their mama.”
“Once they get older, you’ll have to deal with the likes of Roger Ford knocking on our door, you know.”
He made a face. “You’re right. Boys it is.”
They both chuckled and turned back toward the house, walking hand in hand.
The End
Author Bio
Rebecca resides in Portland, Oregon with her husband and five children, who are the light of her life. A native Californian by birth but a native Oregonian at heart, Rebecca loves the Pacific Northwest and never plans on leaving. You can find out more about Rebecca at www.rebeccagoings.com, www.twitter.com/rebeccagoings, and www.facebook.com/rebecca.goings.
The Fall of Jericho Page 5
