“Hmmmm,” she hummed, as though in acquiescence.
Jesse's seed was rising… rising. His own pleasure threatened to break over him. And Addie's passage felt so perfectly sweet and wonderful, he couldn't stop the process. Couldn't slow down. You have a lifetime of tomorrows with this woman, your lover, the mother of your child. You have a lifetime to enjoy her. The knowledge that his decision had been taken away didn't bother him in the slightest. He pushed deep into his lady and bathed her womb with his seed.
Gasping, Jesse rested a long moment on Addie's body, then, mindful of his weight on her pregnant belly, withdrew and rolled to the side, taking her with him.
With her head cradled on his shoulder, Jesse laced his fingers through Addie's and lifted them both to his mouth, kissing each of her fingers in turn. She settled more comfortably against his shoulder and sighed. “I haven't felt this right in four months.”
And that's your fault too, West. You owe this girl so much.
At least now he had the opportunity to repay her for all her sweetness.
Chapter 13
Morning dawned like hope over the little cabin a mile outside of Colorado Springs. Light crept past the mountain peaks and through the pines to wake the couple tucked beneath a thin sheet on a comfortable bed. The man; tall, youthful and muscular, with golden hair, opened his eyes and smiled, pressing a kiss to the auburn hair of a petite and curvy woman, who lay naked in his arms.
“I need to go, Addie,” he said.
“No, please stay,” she begged.
“I can't, honey.” He kissed her again, on the lips this time. “Sooner or later someone will come to buy something. I can't be here alone with you.”
Addie rolled onto her front, her arms propped up on Jesse's chest. “We're getting married, right?”
“Of course,” he replied.
“And I'm already carrying your baby, almost halfway through. What difference does it make if people gossip? They're going to regardless.”
“You're a naughty girl, Addie.” He tweaked her nipple. She yelped. “We're going to observe the proprieties. Besides, I need to go back to my room and get some things set up. I think, in a week or so, we'll know better how the future is going to look… hey, don't make that face at me!” He pulled her down for a sweet kiss. “I'll be with you. I'm marrying you no matter what. The question is where, how, and what the future is going to be like. I have a few details I need to work out.”
Addie sighed. “All right then. But be quick about it, Jesse. I sleep much better when you're beside me.”
“I know what you mean.”
She leaned in for another kiss. Jesse had intended to get up and dress, but the lure of his betrothed's luscious lips was more than he could resist. He grabbed her in a forceful embrace and rolled her under him. Addie squeaked, startled, but offered no protest. In fact, as Jesse took position between her thighs, she hummed in anticipation. Drenched from arousal and from the aftermath of a night of fiery lovemaking, his erection slipped easily into the snug embrace of her body.
Now, relaxed and ready, Jesse was able to ride Addie hard, not worried about her. Her expression spoke of the pleasure he was giving her. After holding back for weeks of playful exploration, and then months of separation, Jesse couldn't get enough of Addie's silken depths. And you don't have to, now. He smiled at the thought. She pushed up to meet his punishing thrusts, as lost in the moment as he was.
The orgasm that followed was just as hard and wild as the lovemaking had been. Addie and Jesse shuddered together as ecstasy washed over them. “I love you,” she murmured.
Jesse pressed one last kiss on her lips and strode to her commode for a quick wash before donning his clothing and leaving the cabin. Addie had fallen back to sleep, done in by a long night of loving.
All the way back to the rooming house where he was staying, his mind dwelt on Addie. On the second chance he had with the girl. No, she isn't Lily, but she's enough all on her own. I don't need to feel that I've been in any way let down. My future wife is a passionate, beautiful girl with a good head on her shoulders. I could do much worse. Now to figure out how to provide for her without leaving her alone all the time. The thought caused his shoulders to tense. His love of the wild and dangerous lifestyle bordered on an addiction. How could he settle into life in one town, working day in and day out under someone else's supervision? How could he resist the lure of the open road?
For Addie… and our child… I need to find a way. Mercury snorted, wresting Jesse back to reality. Pay attention to the road, Jesse.
Reining in a bit, he slowed his pace and watched the gravel path for dangers. If only the pitfalls in the future could be so easily detected. There were so many options open to him, and he didn't know what would work best. In some ways, accepting Wesley Fulton's invitation to return home would be ideal. If the new sheriff accepted Jesse, he could have some of the thrills and excitement of his current life, along with retaining his sense of being a lawman, a servant of justice. That appealed. And he could catch up with his friends again. Wes, Kristina, and Allie. Allie's sister the beautiful Miss Rebecca. James Heitschmidt, Kristina's dad, who was like a second father to me. The Spencer parents. He'd missed them more than he wanted to admit. But going back would be heart-wrenching. Every building in the town carried a memory of Lily, his sweet, lost flower. He could still see in his mind's eye, her golden beauty, her angelic smile. Though the years-old images had faded like photographs, the feelings remained. I will love Lily until the day I die. And that alone would be reason enough not to go back. Not because of himself, exactly, but because of Addie. The girl he'd fought attraction for, unsuccessfully. The girl who carried his child. For her he should consider a different path. Maybe in this town, where her last remaining family member lived, where she'd begun to make a life for herself. He should ask the sheriff, see if there was a deputy position here. Or something else. Could he do it? Work at the mercantile? The livery stable? The hotel? All the thoughts made him wince. I intend to do right by Addie and the baby, but do I have to do it this way? Really? Jesse was a man who craved open sky. The thought of town life made him itchy.
I should ask Addie what she wants, he decided at last. There's no way a woman as independent as her would want to be left out of this process.
At last satisfied he had an answer that worked, Jesse shook his reins and sent Mercury off in a new direction, towards town. He had a few questions to ask. It wouldn't do to present his lady with choices if he didn't really know what they were.
Addie woke up about an hour later. Goodness, pregnancy is tiring. Stretching, she rose from the bed and meandered over to the commode where she regarded her body in the oversized mirror. Curvy as she was, her belly hardly showed yet. Well, you're not quite halfway. It will be a while before your condition becomes obvious. She couldn't help smiling. With Jesse on board, everything seemed to be falling into place perfectly, and she had great hopes for her marriage. If passion played any role in the success of a union, they would be just fine.
Whisker burn and love bites dotted her breasts, evidence of an afternoon and evening spent in delicious naughtiness. Her womanly parts ached pleasantly after repeated rounds of lovemaking. Jesse, darling. I love you so much. She couldn't feel anything but pleased and proud that he was going to be her husband. Reluctant husband, she reminded herself, though the terse thought did little to dampen her joy.
She emptied out the ewer and poured fresh water so she could wash up and dress. She had to set aside two shirts because they would no longer fasten around her breasts. At last, one of her larger ones consented to button and she was able to move forward with her day, brewing coffee and preparing herself a sandwich that would serve as both breakfast and lunch. She sat down to eat, unable to wipe a tender smile from her face.
About an hour later, a loud pounding sounded at the door. Addie, who was washing up a sink full of dishes, drew her eyebrows together in consternation. I wasn't expecting anyone. Who could be here? Surely
Jesse wouldn't be back so soon. Is it a client? “Who's there?” she called.
“Bear,” came the answer.
Addie's whole body tensed. “Just a minute. I'm… indisposed.”
Creeping to the entrance with her most silent step, she quickly shot the heavy bolt home. There was no other door in the cabin, and the windows were so small, only an assailant the size of a fox would be able to wriggle through. She was safe for the moment.
“Byron Mills,” Addie shouted, letting her anger show in her voice, “you're going too far this time. How dare you come to my home uninvited?”
“C'mon Addie,” the growling voice whined. “Open up. I just want to talk.”
“I don't like the way you talk, Mills,” she replied, not giving an inch. “You manhandled me in a public place. What the hell would I open the door for?”
“You don't need to be so shy now,” he insisted. “There's no one around who will be offended, so you can stop playing coy. You want me, Addie. I know you do. Open up. I won't tell anyone. Don't be afraid of my size. I know how to be gentle.”
”Compared to what? A tornado? You don't listen well, Mr. Mills. I'm not playing any games. I'm telling you right out that I'm not interested in you. I don't like you, let alone want to be with you, and I don't want you here. Go away. Now.”
“Addie!”
“NO!” She yelled, cutting off further comment. “There's nothing to discuss, and I have a rifle aimed at the door. If you don't go away right now, I'm going to see how well it penetrates wood.” Shit, where is the rifle? She scanned the room, momentarily panicking. “I'm loading the bullets right now, Mills. Get the hell out.”
Bear didn't leave. He banged on the door. The whole cabin reverberated with the force of the blow. Paint cracked and flaked, falling to the floor. On a wild hunch, Addie ran into Beth's bedroom and sure enough, there lay the rifle across the bureau. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed it and opened the chamber, relieved to see it fully loaded.
The hammering continued unabated.
Addie cocked the weapon and held it ready at her side. Willing her hands to stillness, she drew in a deep breath, centering herself, and opened the bolt that held the door shut. Battered under a barrage of furious blows, the cracking wooden structure swung inward. Bear took a menacing step forward but Addie was ready. She braced the rifle against her shoulder and glared, unblinking.
“Take another step, Mills, and I'll send you to your great-grandparents,” Addie snarled. Her finger strained against the trigger as she willed herself not to fire prematurely. “Are you listening?”
To her relief, Bear nodded.
“Good. Now I want you to leave this property and never come back. You are not welcome here. Not even to buy flowers or a quilt for your bed. If I see you on this land again, I'll make sure it's the last thing you do. Don't test me. I assure you I'm serious.” Bear blinked, looking confused as his namesake after waking from hibernation. “Now scoot before I decide to shoot you on principle.” She gestured with the gun. He took a step backwards. She advanced and he retreated again.
“Miss Addie,” he said, lifting his hands, palms up, “this isn't necessary.”
“It is,” Addie insisted. “Get. Go on.” She gestured again.
“This isn't over, Addie.” Bear turned and ambled away, casual as though he didn't have a weapon aimed at his back.
Addie slammed the door shut and locked it again. Dropping her rifle on the floor, she walked to the couch and sank down, burying her face in her hands. A tiny shudder ran through her.
Her hands went automatically to her belly. What would have happened if he'd gotten in? As if there was a doubt. The big oaf would have raped her and pretended it was her idea. Of course that's what Bear Mills would do. And the baby? Would he have been okay? She had no way of knowing, but the knowledge of Jesse's tiny, helpless child being harmed made her feel ill. Literally. Though her legs wanted to collapse under her, she managed to wobble to the chamber pot before being violently sick.
How long she crouched, retching and weeping, Addie wasn't sure, but it seemed like ages. At last she managed to gain control of herself enough to crawl to the bed and slip in. She wanted nothing more than to sleep forever.
Despite her exhaustion, sleep eluded Addie. She didn't feel safe in the cabin. Eventually the door frame would have splintered. I can't keep Bear out forever. She shuddered again.
Jesse leaped from Mercury's saddle outside the McCoy flower farm, leaving the horse to nibble the dry summer grass. The horse snorted in disgust and gave Jesse a telling look. Sighing, Jesse led Mercury into the barn, slipped off the saddle and rubbed the horse down. In the warm interior, a gentle faced cow greeted him with a soft moo. He smiled at the sight of the calf beside her, bumping her belly with his little head. A barn cat meowed. While the animals amused him, Jesse still felt restless. He wanted to see his Addie. Needed to. Not only to take her in his arms again, but also because he had important things to discuss.
Leaving his horse to chew on a serving of dry, sweet hay, he approached the house. Trying the handle, Jesse was startled to find the door bolted against him. He knocked. “Addie,” he called, pressing his ear against the door. He heard soft whimpering. “Addie, please let me in, honey,” he called.
There was a groan and then a soft shuffling. The door opened to reveal Addie, pale and sick-looking, standing before him. Her pregnancy stomach must have caught up with her again. Her legs were shaking, so Jesse dropped his coat on the floor, scooped her into his arms and carried her back into the cabin. The smell in the air told him she'd been sick, just as he'd thought. “Poor Addie,” he consoled, sinking onto the sofa. She rested, trembling, against his shoulder. “I thought you were past the sick time.”
“I did too,” she replied.
“What happened?”
A shudder ran through her. “Oh, Jesse. I was so scared.”
He blinked, startled. “Scared? Okay, Addie, what happened?” he repeated.
She didn't answer, but a wet heat spread across the front of his shirt. Realizing he wasn't going to get anything from her right away, he devoted attention to comforting her. He held her cradled against his chest and petted her back.
“Addie, sweet girl, it's okay. I'm here now. Right here with you. I have you.”
At last her shuddering subsided to sniffles. From her safe place in his arms, she seemed to be regaining some of her strength.
“It's… do you know Byron Mills?” she blurted out at last. “I think he lives in the same rooming house as you.”
Jesse pondered her words. “I don't think so…”
“He goes by Bear.” She sobbed.
“Oh yeah,” he replied as realization dawned on him. “That guy. Doesn't seem overly bright. What about him?”
“He…” she gulped. “He's sweet on me, I guess. But he's scary about it. He…”
“He what?” Jesse pressed, not quite sure Bear would ever hurt anyone on purpose. He's a bit dim, but I doubt he's dangerous.
“He grabbed my hand once and nearly broke all my fingers. A little while ago he came here, uninvited, and tried to break the door down.”
Poor Addie. “I'm sure he wasn't trying to scare you. He's just a big guy and not a very intelligent one. I'm sure he doesn't know his own strength.”
Addie shook her head. “I don't think that's it. He's so pushy, won't take no for an answer. And he's threatened me.”
She's overwrought, Jesse reminded himself. She's assuming the worst. But rather than upset her further by dismissing her concerns, he said, “Do you want me to talk to him? You're my betrothed, not his sweetheart. I should set him straight. That might help.”
She shivered and stiffened. “No, Jesse. Please don't do that. He's so volatile. He might get violent with you… or me. I hope, since I ran him off with the rifle, he'll finally figure out I'm not interested.”
Jesse nodded. She's exaggerating, but I'm sure her condition is the reason for it. But if I run into Bear somewhere,
I just might mention, man to man, that Addie isn't available. “Okay, honey. It won't matter much longer anyway. Soon you'll be my bride and all would-be suitors will have to go away. Which reminds me…” he kissed her forehead. “I have a question to ask you.”
“What's that?” She demanded with more intensity than the comment warranted. It seemed she was eager to talk about something other than Bear.
“Where would you like to live?” he asked. “We can stay here if you want. I mean, there's a job available as a teller at the bank.” Jesse couldn't help shuddering. Being stuck not only inside a building but in that little cage-like structure counting money all day was quickly becoming his definition of hell.
“I have a hard time imagining you doing that,” Addie said, her mouth turning upward on one side.
“I know, but I don't feel right running off all over the countryside and leaving you alone all the time, especially with a baby on the way.” He stroked her belly. The other corner of her mouth rose, forming a real smile. “And that brings me to another option,” he continued. “Remember I told you about my hometown, Garden City?”
Addie nodded.
“Well they have a new sheriff – new means he's only been there five years, I guess – and he needs a deputy. Apparently, the train robbers did get there and robbed a train, way back in December. One of the deputies was killed, so the sheriff is shorthanded. My friend Wesley Fulton wrote to me, asking if I would come back, since they haven't had any luck finding someone to replace the deputy.”
“Now that I can see you doing,” Addie commented.
“Yeah, everything about it is great for me. A steadier, more secure job, close to my friends.”
“Do you have any family there?”
Jesse shook his head. “No, honey. No family anywhere. Not since I was a teen. My friend Kristina's parents kept an eye on me until I was old enough to be on my own. I mean, her mama passed away a few years back, in a measles epidemic.” Pain lanced through him as an image of Lily, covered in angry red spots and struggling to breathe, floated up in his mind's eye. He must not have concealed it quickly enough, because Addie reacted, silently touching the corner of his mouth, and then the skin between his eyes. One thing I love about Addie. She never feels the need to fill the silence.
High Plains Heartbreak (Love On The High Plains Book 3) Page 12
