Guilty as Sin

by Rita Hestand

  When he pulled up in front of the doc's the Doc turned to look at him." And keep your eyes open, because when there is gold, people get crazy."

  Moon nodded, "Yes, I'm aware of that. It might bring more trouble than it's worth."

  "I knew you'd think that way, good luck to you son. I'll come check on Jack in a few days."

  "Thanks doc, for everything." Moon stared.

  The Doc smiled, and shook hands then walked to his door. But he turned and shot Moon a glance, "I'm sorry about your wolf, son. People can sure be mean when they want to be. I know how much you and Jack care for those wolves."

  "Thanks… "

  Moon thought about all the doc had said, about Lissa and the gold. It amazed him that everyone loved Lissa so much and knew she didn't do it. And that the Doc didn't even mention he should turn himself in. He couldn't wait to tell Lissa about it.

  Lissa was scared to death that Jack was going to die, but Moon had faith that the old man would recover and live out his life with his gold in his hands.

  Chapter Seventeen

  When Moon came in, Lissa was opening up the windows in the dark room and letting some air and sunshine stream into the room.

  "What are you doing, honey?" Moon asked.

  "Trying to keep this room sunny and bright instead of dismal." She told him. "I wanted him to be able to look outside and see the sunshine."

  "That's a good idea." Moon's inner strength, moral character and deep abiding compassion was in tact as he stared down at his friend.

  "Any change?" he asked her softly.

  "No," she looked up and a sad smile broke across her face. "Want something to eat, I see Jack had a ham on the table, want a sandwich?"

  "That sounds good," he winked at her as he sat by Jack for a moment.

  When she left the room to make it, he touched Jack's forehead. "Listen to me old man, this isn't the time to give up, you gotta get well and work that mine. I know nothing about mining for gold. So, let's don't dally. You snap out of this, okay." On another thought he looked outside at the clouds, "And if he doesn't Lord, give him a good kick in the rump, will ya?"

  He got up and went in the kitchen where Lissa was making them both a sandwich.

  He sat down in one of the wooden kitchen chairs and watched her closely. "I've got some things to tell you." Her reared back on the legs of the chair.

  She glanced up and while she put him a sandwich together, he told her what Doc had told him and Lissa sat very still. "He knew it was me?" She gasped.

  "Yeah, he did." Moon put his hand over hers. "But he won't tell. I told him everything, and he said just go on about our business, most of the folks in town understand it wasn't you."

  "What about you?" she shrieked.

  "I told him everything. I think he totally understands. And he thinks just living our everyday life here, everything will be fine in time."

  "I can't believe this. I mean, I killed, you killed, we are guilty as sin itself." She insisted.

  Moon sighed, he understood what she meant, and he wanted to relieve her mind some. "Lissa, we did what we had to do."

  "I know that, I agree too. But it's hard to live with, too Moon?" she asked him sadly. "There isn't a day goes by that I don't think on it. It's living with ourselves that is hard."

  "Maybe someday, we can straighten things out." Moon encouraged. "Everyone has a cross to bear, Lissa. No one is perfect. Mistakes are how we learn. The man I killed back there, he would have hung had we brought them in. Earl would have gone to jail for what he tried to do, and the man that was looking for you, well, he was trying to kill me, so you killed him in self-defense of me. But the guilt we feel, that's the price for what we did." Moon explained.

  "I guess a man comes into these kinds of circumstances more often than women, and it is easier for them to rationalize things. But I'm not sure I'll ever get over what I did."

  Moon nodded, "I know what you are saying. And someday, someway, we'll make it right. We pray in the meantime to the Creator, Lissa. As he is the only one that can make it all come right."

  "Promise?"

  "Promise!" he smiled sexily at her.

  He kissed her lips, meaning only to reassure her, but the kiss deepened quickly. She moved to his lap, and he held her with his good arm and kissed her until she was breathless. His hand went up her skirt and found her sweet love nest. He smiled against her lips as his fingers manipulated her. "Oh Moon," she murmured in his ear, as he made love to her with his fingers. "I love you so."

  She was warm, and wet and so inviting. He wanted to crawl inside her and stay there. He was wearing his white man clothes, but he had to have her. He picked her up carried her to the back wall of the kitchen, undid his pants and pulled her dress up and pushed himself inside her warm nest. She didn't complain, she wrapped a leg around his and brought him as close as she could. His kisses became heated and she let her head fall against the wall as he kissed her everywhere. "I can never get enough of you, my sweet Lissa." He whispered near her ear as they found the orgasm they so needed. She closed her eyes and enjoyed what he'd done to her. It was so quick, but so very good.

  He found her lips and kissed her as the orgasm took them to a much better place. She felt him go deeper and she swooned. She pulled him closer, working her muscles to pull him deeper as the orgasm overtook them. "Oh Moon, how can a man please a woman so much? How can he know her needs so well?"

  "Because in your bible, it says we become as one!" He smiled sexily at her.

  He smiled, his face a mirror of sensations that washed over them like a tornado snatching them up in a world of complete surrendering. She moaned audibly as he caressed her soft cheek. "We are one, Lissa, we are together in this, and we will have a good life, I promise you!"

  He saw the smoldering look in her eyes as she came down off the high, "There is nothing more beautiful to me, as seeing you in the throes of passion."

  "I've never been this happy before, Moon. I've never felt this way about a man before, as though I couldn't get enough of him. You take me to a place I've never been, you make me forget all the troubles."

  "I am glad I can please my love."

  "Please me, you make me dream… "

  After a few long and thoroughly satisfying kisses, the

  put their clothes back where they belonged, she washed her hands and went back to making the sandwich.

  "I am glad. I have not told you of a job I have to do."

  "Oh, what is that?" she asked still reeling from their love-making and trying hard to concentrate on his news.

  "A scout named Joe from Fort Hall, wants me to train a couple of wolves for him, to track for the army." He told her.

  "Oh, that sounds wonderful."

  "Yes, the army itself will pay for it too." He told her.

  "I'm so happy for you."

  "For us, sweet Lissa. For us!" he grinned.

  "I guess I need to start thinking like that, don't I?"

  "Yes, we are together now, in everything." He leaned to kiss her still wet lips.

  She sighed with sweet surrender, "You keep kissing me like that we'll never eat."

  He smiled, "I'm hungry, but not for that… "

  She stared into his eyes. She wrapped her arms around his neck, without invitation, he pulled his head down to her so she could kiss him senseless. He pulled her into his lap once more. He laid her head in the crook of his good arm and looked into her beautiful eyes, "It may be a while before I can keep my hands off my beautiful wife." He whispered near her ear.

  "I don't mind, I feel the same," she cried her lips exploring him now. "Is this needy feeling part of being newly married?" she asked between sultry kisses.

  His ran his hand up her dress and touched her lovely breasts. She squirmed in his arms. "Do you still feel like an old-maid?" he grinned.

  She smiled into his shining eyes, "I feel like a woman who can't keep her hands off her husband."

  They kissed for a long time, until her lips were raw, and fi
nally she pushed him away. "We'll need something for supper," she told him with a red face.

  "Do you really want to eat?"

  She grinned. "Do you really want me again?" she asked breathless for his answer.

  "I can think of something much more appetizing than food. Can't you?"

  He turned the lamps down low, locked the doors and got a blanket. He threw the blanket on the floor and came up to her. She could smell his male scent, it drew her, she could feel the tension between them, she licked her lips, her eyes landed on his. Her mouth fell open, and she had no idea how sexy she looked standing there, waiting for his touch. He created a fever in her that she could not rid herself of.

  "You are a temptation woman, and you know it."

  She grinned. "I can see the advantage of these mating games."

  "And your getting very good at them, sweetheart. But you know what?"

  "What?" she barely whispered.

  "I don't mind a bit." He grinned.

  He walked up to her and she stared at him waiting to see what he might do. Without a sound, he reached for the hem of her dress and slowly began to raise it. But instead of removing it. He went to his knees, which she did not expect. What was he doing? He pulled the dress higher, he stared at her womanhood, his finger dipped between her legs urging her to spread her legs. She complied with a whimper. He bent his head and tasted her, and she moaned the eustacy of his loving touches. His actions created a fire inside her belly. A fire he would have to put out. His hands spread her legs further and his mouth made love to her.

  "I cannot think when you touch me like this." She leaned back so her hair draped down her back.

  "Good, thinking is not necessary. Feeling is." He grinned up at her.

  She let out a little chuckle, "I'm doing plenty of that…"

  "That's my Lady." He smiled up at her. Her head was leaning back, her hair flowed over her shoulders and back in rich lustrous colors of red. She had no idea how desirable she looked. Her mouth was open in a gasp at his gentle persuasion. "Relax sweetheart and let your feeling take you over. Enjoy my love."

  All her senses came to life, as he suddenly swooped the dress away and chucked his own clothes. He laid her down gently, knowing she was hot and wet for him, and him alone. Her breast were knotted in a beautiful pink. They seemed to reach for him. He lost breath looking at her so aroused. His lips found her breasts and he romanced them with the tender flick of his tongue and hands. She ran her hand through his hair and gloried in his male scent that sent her over the edge of reason. Her fingertips ran over his wide shoulders wildly, her lips did the same. She was a ravenous lover and he enjoyed the way she prowled his body, wanting more of him. Gone was the shy schoolteacher, replaced by a woman of many passions.

  He entered her and she worked her muscles to pull him in deeper. "I will never tire of making love with you."

  "That is good, as I intend to do it as often as possible." He chuckled softly at her ear. "Be assured I will find many places, and many ways to make love with my Lady."

  The climax they sought was building into an inferno, as they explored each other's body with languid slowness. Their hearts thundered, as the need intensified, the heat grew hotter, making them sweat, making their bodies slick. As they continued on a high of love, she scratched his back with her nails, digging into him as he sent her spiraling into a maze of desire, lust and love. The orgasm hit them both with shockingly acute precision, their bodies rising to the occasion with such gusto, plunging them into fiery inferno of love. The smells, the tastes, the indescribable moment when desire, love and sexual pleasure released over them like a violent storm, but oh so pleasant storm, uniting their bodies in the oneness of their love.

  It was long rapturous moments later that they came back to earth completely satisfied and exhausted.

  "Was it good for you?" He whispered breathlessly.

  "If it was any better, I'd be in heaven itself." She cried.

  "You are the most fantastic woman I've ever known, and now you are mine. It is hard to believe the sweet innocent little schoolteacher has become a lioness in my arms."

  "Yes, do you like the change!" she cried with happiness.

  "I never thought when a beautiful little red-head followed me through the hills that I would ever be this happy." He kissed her sweetly now. "I wouldn't change a moment of knowing you, my love. I wouldn't change a moment of our adventure."

  "You want to know something?" she asked with a grin.

  "What?" he kissed her breasts as they lay on the floor, kissing and touching each other.

  "I think I fell in love with you from the very beginning. Why else would I follow you and make you take me with you?"

  He chuckled softly, "And I too was smitten, or I'd never let you come along."

  "Jack's happy about our marrying."

  "Is he?"

  "Very."

  "Good, so am I."

  She laughed, as he cradled her against him, she told him what he'd said.

  "He made a will out, when he struck gold and he's leaving it to you, if anything happens."

  Moon sat up now, "Nothing will happen to him for a long while. He's going to get better and sit out on the porch and show me how to train the wolves. Of that much I'm sure."

  "I hope so, my darling."

  "We need him with us."

  "Yes, I agree. He's our family."

  Then after a long silence, Moon, kissed her forehead and sighed, "I don't want his gold. I want him to live."

  "I do too, sweetheart," she told him. "And he will, I just know it."

  "You want that sandwich now?" she asked.

  His hold of her grew tighter. "It's getting late, and I don't want you to get dressed. Let's just call it a night and lay here in each other's arms all night. I'll go check on Jack in a bit. We'll have a big breakfast in the morning. How does that sound?"

  She cooed and stretched like a feline cat, then kissed his shoulder, "It's sounds divine."

  She curled up against him and they slept for a while. Sometime in the night he got up and checked on Jack, but there was no change.

  He came back, curled her around him and pulled the covers up and they slept until morning.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Three days later Jack woke up and Moon went to get the doctor.

  Dr. Martin examined Jack and smiled at Moon, "Looks like he's going to be fine if he gets plenty of rest and relaxes."

  "He will, I'll see to that," Moon promised him.

  "If he gets weak, get a hold of me, as he might still need a blood transfusion."

  "He can have my blood," Moon offered.

  "Alright Moon, just let me know." The doctor grinned.

  Moon agreed. After a couple cups of coffee, the Doc was on his way again, as Moon took him home.

  The doc hadn't said a word about Lissa being a half breed. He hadn't mentioned her name either.

  Moon went out hunting a few days later, he wanted to see if he could find some wolf cubs. The ranch on the other side of Jack's place had been having wolf trouble and they had come over asking if Moon might hunt it down for them. Moon agreed, hoping to find some cubs.

  Moon watched the cattle move about and kept a long watch on the ranch.

  Two nights later, he watched where the grey wolf had come out of the woods and stalked the cattle. He got his bearings and sights and killed the wolf. He put the carcass on his pack mule that they loaned him. He'd take it in later, now he was hunting to see if there was a den of cub about.

  It took him another day to find them, but he stumbled on them by accident. There they were four beautiful cubs, crawling around on top of each other in a little covey.

  "You are all beautiful, and now I will take you to Jack and we will train you." He told them.

  He made a cage like contraption out of limbs that had blown down from the storms. Once he had them secure, he went to the ranch and delivered the carcass. The rancher, Cal Montgomery paid him a hundred dollars and thanked him
for a job well done. He'd lost three head to that wolf and was glad to be rid of him. He showed the boys at the ranch the cubs and the rancher saw them and asked what he intended to do with them.

  "I'll train them, to be hunters, trackers, and good pets."

  "Would you bring me a couple after you train them, I could use them if they are well trained." Cal told him.

  "Be glad to, it might take a while, but as soon as I'm sure they are ready, I'll bring them to you. I'm taking two more to Ft. Hall, as I've been asked there for them too."

  "Great, I'd appreciate it." Cal told him and shook his hand.

  "Say, I heard you got you a wife now," one of the boys chuckled.

  "Yes, a half-breed, name White Dove. We were married by a priest."

  "No kiddin' well congrats, didn't think you'd ever settle down."

  "Neither did Jack." Moon laughed.

  He waved them goodbye and took off. He was anxious to see Lissa and Jack.

  When he rode up Jack was sitting on the porch and smiling at him as he came up to the porch with the pen full of pups.

  "Jack, you're looking good."

  "I should be Lissa, I mean White Dove has had me out here sunning as she calls it every day. Where did those pups come from?"

  Moon looked at the cage full of whining pups. " Cal had some wolf trouble and wanted me to hunt her down. I got her, then I checked to see if she had little ones. Sure, enough she had four. I brought them to train them. Joe at Ft. Hall wants two for the army. And Cal wants the other two."

  Jack seemed to perk up at the news. "Well, sounds like we got our work cut out for us. Don't it!"

  Moon saw how eager Jack was to help. "I guess we do." He smiled. "Where's White Dove?"

  "In the kitchen, she put a roast on, and it smells great." Jack told her. "I'm so hungry I'm chompin' at the bit."

  "I'll go check it out, then. Be back in a minute." He told him.

  He went inside and Lissa turned from the stove to see him. She ran into his arms. "Oh, I have missed you!" she said kissing him like crazy.