To Tempt a Rogue

by Connie Mason

  He presented his back to her, and Kitty spread lather over it, relishing the feel of smooth skin over sleek muscles.

  “Turn around,” Kitty said breathlessly. Just touching him set her afire. He turned to face her, and she soaped his chest, spreading her fingers through the soft, curly mat of hair growing there. He felt like heaven. She wondered if he tasted as good as he looked.

  Her hands plunged beneath the water, searching for him, needing to feel him, all of him. She glanced up at his face and saw a look of blissful agony pass over his features as her fingers curled around him. She felt him shudder as he pulled her hand away from him. Then he drew her into his embrace; his lips teased her mouth and brushed her cheek. He nipped her ear and whispered, “This is our wedding night, love. I want to make it last as long as possible. If you touch me there it will end too soon.”

  His hands slid down to cup her buttocks, pressing her against him. She wrapped her legs around his hips; that aching place between her legs embraced him as she pushed her loins against his. A jolt of pleasure shot through her, so intense that she cried out and clutched at him.

  “Oh, God, Kitten, I don’t think I can wait,” Ryan gasped as his fingers found her heat and began a gentle stroking. Then he bent his head and drew a swollen nipple into his mouth, sucking hard. Kitty arched against him, the burning ache inside her too urgent to be denied.

  “Now, Ryan, oh, please, now.”

  “Kitten, sweet, passionate Kitten,” Ryan groaned. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you.”

  He lifted her, then lowered her onto his erection. She felt herself stretching, filled to bursting, the tension nearly unbearable as he plunged and withdrew, then plunged again. Kitty gasped with pleasure. She bucked wildly against him, finding his rhythm and matching it. Their mouths met in brutal combat, tongues probing, fencing, in a battle as old as time.

  Faster and faster. Deeper and deeper. The heat within her kindled into a roaring blaze, and then her shrill, wrenching cries of pleasure bounced off the stone walls surrounding them.

  Kitty’s heart beat so loud and so fast that she barely heard Ryan’s shout of ecstasy. But she knew he had found his own fulfillment, for she heard the rapid cadence of his heartbeat drumming within his chest and felt the great shudders racking his body.

  “What an incredible beginning to our wedding night,” Ryan said when his breathing returned to normal. “Let’s finish washing and get out of here.”

  Ryan washed first and left the water to build a fire. The small blaze was burning brightly by the time Kitty returned to the main cavern.

  “Are you hungry?” Ryan asked.

  “Not really. What about you?”

  “I’ve already eaten.”

  Ryan searched her face, waiting for a sign from her. When she nodded, he swept her into his arms and lay her down on the bedroll he had spread out close to the fire. He whipped off the towel and stared at her, worshipping her with his eyes. Then he spread her legs, exposing her heated center to his hungry gaze. She glistened wetly in the firelight. He parted the pink folds of flesh to expose the tiny bud nestled there. He leaned forward to inhale her exotic scent. He felt her fingers tighten in his hair as his tongue flicked out to taste her.

  “I love you, Kitten,” Ryan whispered. “What a fool I’ve been.”

  Kitty blew out a ragged breath. “None of that matters now. We’re married, and nothing will ever part us again. Kiss me, Ryan.”

  He kissed her, only not where she expected. She arched violently against him as his mouth closed over her core and his tongue aroused the small pebble of flesh at her entrance until it grew taut and full.

  “Ryan! Please. I can’t stand it,” she screamed softly.

  He rose quickly and settled on top of her. She opened eagerly for him. He placed his hand between them and cupped her. His fingers were covered with the dewy evidence of her passion when he drew them away. “You’re weeping for me,” he whispered tenderly.

  “Only for you, Ryan.”

  He kissed her roughly, letting her taste herself on his lips, then he drew back and thrust forward into her tight, hot core. She convulsed around him, holding him so snugly inside her that he felt he had somehow become a part of her. That thought made him swell larger, grow longer and heavier. He felt her contract around him, and then all thought ceased as his stroking brought her to a shattering climax. He waited until she stopped trembling before giving in to the wrenching need to release his seed inside her. Everything inside him went rigid. He raised his head and shouted as wave after wave of earthshaking turbulence roared through him.

  They rested, then made love again. This time Kitty played the aggressor, loving every inch of Ryan in the same way he had loved her. When she finally took him inside her, they strove for the top and found it together, touched the splendor and clung to it, fearing that everything might change once they floated back to reality. Then they slept.

  Padre Enrico waited for the law in the chapel the morning after the jailbreak. They found him kneeling before the altar, his head bowed in prayer. Marshal Pringle invited him outside to answer some questions. Padre Enrico cast one last pleading gaze at Christ on the cross and padded outside behind the marshal.

  “What can I do for you, Marshal?” Padre Enrico asked. “Has one of the Indian lads been causing trouble? I try to keep my flock under control, but I don’t always succeed.”

  “This is far more serious than troublesome Indian boys. I’ve come to arrest Padre Carmello and Brother Ambrose. They’re suspected of masterminding a jail-break. I understand the two priests in question are assigned to the mission.”

  Father Enrico’s brow creased, marring the smooth lines of his round face. “I know no priests bearing those names.” It wasn’t a lie, Father Enrico reflected. He did not know the names Bert and Kitty had used to gain entrance to the jail. “I am the only priest at the mission. I have asked for help with my flock but have been unsuccessful in obtaining it.”

  Pringle sent him a skeptical look. “So you tend your flock alone.”

  “I am a man of God, Marshal, I do not lie. You are free to search if you’d like, but you will find that I am the only priest in residence.” Again the truth. Padre Enrico knew himself to be the only priest at the mission.

  Pringle stroked his chin as he considered the priest’s words. The priest was known to be an honest man of God who performed only good works. “Searching the mission won’t be necessary, Padre. I believe you. Obviously the men who broke Delaney out of jail were imposters,” he concluded. “Deputy Desmond couldn’t even say with conviction that the bogus priests had a hand in the breakout because he didn’t see or hear anything suspicious while they were visiting the prisoner. Delaney’s absence wasn’t noted until this morning, when I carried breakfast in to him. Nothing seemed amiss when I returned from supper last night. All the keys were in place on their hooks. It’s as if he disappeared into thin air. It just doesn’t make sense.”

  “What about Delaney’s brothers?” Deputy Desmond ventured. “They could have returned to town and visited Delaney dressed as priests.”

  “We’ll soon find out if they were involved,” Pringle replied. “Two of my deputies have been trailing them. They can tell us if the Delaney brothers were in town last night about the time the jailbreak took place.”

  “Sorry I couldn’t be of more help, Marshal,” Padre Enrico said. “If you’ll excuse me, I must prepare for morning Mass. I say Mass every morning whether anyone attends or not. Would you care to stay for the services?”

  “Sorry, Padre, I’ve got an escaped prisoner to catch. The town pays me to keep the law. Allowing a condemned prisoner to escape could be the end of my career in this town. Good day, Padre.”

  He tipped his hat and rode away with his deputies. Padre Enrico waited until they had ridden from sight before hurrying to the infirmary to report the encounter to Bert.

  Bert was awake but obviously much weaker than he had been the day before. His part in Ryan’s ja
il-break had cost him dearly, but he had known the risks and accepted them. His gaze was anxious as the priest hurried to his bedside.

  “What is it, Padre? Are Kitty and Ryan all right?”

  “The marshal and his deputies just left. They questioned me about Father Carmello and Brother Ambrose. I told them I knew no one by those names. I did not have to lie, for I had no idea those were the names you and Senorita Kitty used to gain entrance to the jail.”

  “That’s the way I wanted it, Padre,” Bert said. “Did they believe you?”

  “I’m sure they did. I gave them permission to search the mission but they said it wasn’t necessary. Thank God they worded their questions so that I did not have to lie.” He searched Bert’s face. “How do you feel, senor?”

  Bert gave him a bleak smile. “Not as well as I’d like. There is still something I must do before I leave this earth. But I have one more favor to ask of you, Padre.”

  “Name it. If it is within my power, it is yours.”

  “Your help will not go unrewarded,” Bert promised. “The favor has nothing to do with the law. I need to speak to Ryan’s brothers when they return. They might seek me out at the ranch but I do not feel strong enough yet to return home. There is one more thing I must do before time runs out for Ryan and Kitty, and I need the Delaney brothers’ help. They are due back in town today. I need someone I can trust to summon them here.”

  “Since I have business in town, I will do as you ask, Senor Lowry. How will I recognize them?”

  Bert gave accurate descriptions of both brothers. “They are staying at the hotel,” he concluded.

  “I will go after morning Mass,” Padre Enrico promised.

  * * *

  Exhausted, disheartened, and carrying a yard of trail dust on their clothing and skin, Chad and Pierce rode into Tucson the day after the jailbreak. Their grim expressions spoke volumes about their unsuccessful efforts on Ryan’s behalf. The judge had refused to grant their request for a new trial.

  “What in the hell are we going to do now?” Chad asked, giving voice to his brother’s fears.

  “We’d best be doing it fast. Ryan’s hanging is in two days,” Pierce muttered grimly. “You got any bright ideas on how to break our little brother out of jail?”

  “I’m thinking as fast as I can,” Chad complained. “Except for sticking a gun in the marshal’s ribs and taking off for parts unknown, nothing comes to mind.”

  “Reckon we can outrun the posse?” Pierce wondered.

  “The only problem with that is the marshal knows we’ll head for Montana, and he’ll alert the law there. We break Ryan out of jail and the law will have all three of us under lock and key.”

  “This is so damn frustrating,” Pierce growled as they dismounted at the livery and headed over to the hotel. “Let’s wash this trail dust from our hides before we tell Ryan the bad news.”

  “Are our shadows still trailing us?” Chad asked, glancing behind him.

  “Still there,” Pierce replied. “Been trailing us for two days. I hope they’re as tired as we are.”

  They walked toward the hotel, saddlebags slung over their shoulders, their steps dragging. They saw the marshal hail them from across the street and waited for him to join them.

  “What in the hell do you suppose he wants?” Pierce growled.

  “Whatever it is can’t be agreeing with him,” Chad ventured. “Look at his face. He looks like he ate something rotten.”

  “Good morning, Marshal,” Pierce greeted. “What can we do for you?”

  “Did you two just ride into town?” Pringle barked without preamble.

  “Why?” Chad asked. “Is something wrong? It’s not Ryan, is it?”

  “There’s been a jailbreak,” Pringle said as he searched their faces for their reactions. “Your brother escaped.”

  “You’re kidding!” Pierce crowed. “Who broke him out?”

  “That’s what I’d like to know. Where were you boys last night around suppertime? We think two men disguised as priests masterminded the escape.”

  “My butt was planted on an anthill about ten miles outside of town,” Chad said, rubbing his behind. “I sat down to eat my supper and found out too late I had chosen an anthill to sit on. I’m surprised you didn’t hear me yelling all the way to Tucson. I can drop my pants and show you, if you don’t believe me.”

  “Never mind,” Pringle said, grimacing. “I took the precaution of having you followed. Here come my deputies now. They can verify whether or not you were in town last night.”

  Chad and Pierce exchanged amused glances as they waited for the two deputies to join them. Pierce was heartened by the fact that they looked as tired as he and Chad felt.

  “Morning, Marshal,” the deputies said in unison as they joined the group.

  “Deputy Asher, Deputy Tuttle,” Pringle greeted. “You’re just in time to settle something for us. Have either of these men been out of your sight since they left town?”

  Asher and Tuttle looked at one another, then shook their heads. “No, sir,” Asher said. “Me and Tuttle took turns watching them each night so they were never out of our sights. A real funny thing happened last night. Chad Delaney sat on an anthill and screamed loud enough to wake up the dead.”

  “Are you certain of this, Asher?”

  “Certain as I am of standing here, Marshal. Ask Tuttle.”

  “That’s right, Marshal,” Tuttle verified. “Happened around suppertime, about ten miles outside of town, where they bedded down for the night.”

  “Satisfied, Marshal?” Pierce asked. “Whoever broke Ryan out of jail has our undying gratitude, but it wasn’t us.”

  “We’ll find him,” Pringle growled. “And we’ll find the two men masquerading as priests.” He tipped his hat. “Good day, gentlemen.”

  Pierce felt like jumping for joy, and he could tell by the look on Chad’s face that his brother felt the same. “Who do you suppose broke Ryan out of jail?” he asked, thoroughly puzzled.

  “I don’t know, but we owe him a debt of gratitude,” Chad replied. “I can’t believe someone found a way to free Ryan when our own plans failed. Who do you suppose…”

  They exchanged knowing glances, then mouthed in unison, “Kitty!”

  “I reckon we should hightail it out to the ranch and find out what’s going on.”

  Chad groaned. “I was hoping I could give my arse a rest after those ants gnawed on me. A bath sure would feel good.”

  “Later,” Pierce said tersely. “First we have to…”

  “Are you the Delaney brothers?”

  The brothers turned on their heels, both registering surprise when a rotund priest with warm brown eyes joined them. “I’m Pierce Delaney and this is my brother Chad, Padre,” Pierce said, brimming with curiosity. “What can we do for you?”

  “I am Padre Enrico. Do you know where to find the Mission of San Pietro? It is located on the western outskirts of town. I have a message for you from Senor Lowry. He is staying on at the mission as my guest. He wants to speak with the both of you as soon as possible.”

  “I didn’t think Bert was capable of leaving his bed,” Pierce said somewhat skeptically.

  “You can trust me, my son,” Padre Enrico assured him. “I can say no more without rousing suspicion.”

  “Is this about Ryan?” Chad barked.

  Padre Enrico gave him a blissful smile. “God is good. Your brother and his wife are safe for the moment. That is all I can say. Come to the mission tonight, Senor Lowry will tell you the details.”

  Without offering another word of explanation, the priest walked away, his brown robe swishing about his ample form.

  “Ryan and his wife?” Chad repeated dumbly.

  “Ryan is married?” Pierce gasped, echoing Chad’s surprise. “Either I’m crazy or in the short time we were gone Ryan managed to get himself out of jail and acquire a wife.”

  “Then we’re both crazy,” Chad contended, “for it appears our little brother has ac
complished the impossible.”

  Chapter 19

  Chad and Pierce rode to the mission that evening without fear of being followed. Since they were no longer considered a threat, the marshal had no reason to keep them under surveillance. A single light shone through the window of the small adobe house next to the chapel as they rapped lightly on the door. Padre Enrico answered almost immediately.

  “Ah, come in, come in,” the priest invited. “Senor Lowry is waiting for you. Follow me to the infirmary.”

  Chad and Pierce followed the priest through the small house to a back room set up to treat the sick. There were three narrow cots in the room, and only one was occupied.

  “Thank God you’ve come,” Bert said on a shaky breath.

  The brothers exchanged worried glances, shocked by Bert’s appearance. His skin seemed withered and gray, more so than when they had last seen him.

  “The padre said you wanted to see us. What is this all about, Bert? Are you strong enough to tell us what happened? We know about Ryan’s escape but little else. The marshal met us with the news shortly after we hit town. At first he thought we were involved, but his deputies soon put him straight. We were camped ten miles from town last night.”

  Bert managed a weak smile. “It was Kitty’s idea. She loves your brother very much, you know. She hatched the plot to visit Ryan dressed as a priest and exchange places with him.”

  “Shit!” Chad exploded. “Are you saying that Kitty is sitting in jail now? I can’t believe Ryan would allow Kitty to do such a foolish thing. Sounds like a coward’s way out to me, and Ryan is no coward.”

  “You’re right about Ryan,” Bert agreed. “He’d never let Kitty make the sacrifice. When she told me what she intended, I came up with a better plan.”

  Bert then launched into a retelling of what had happened at the jailhouse, ending by saying they could never have succeeded without Padre Enrico’s help.

  “I can’t believe you got out of a sickbed to go to Ryan’s aid,” Pierce said in a stunned voice. “My God, look at you! You’ve probably done yourself irreparable harm.”