Anthology - BIG SKY GROOMS

by DAVIDSON, Carolyn. MALLERY, Susan. WILLIAMS, Bronwyn (in) Montana Mavericks

  Unless that man was a scalawag and a gambler. Not to mention being a reformed drunk, or at least a man well on his way to being permanently sober. Of course there was always his own statement of fact, that first day he’d come to the schoolhouse and ordered her to stand, then walk before him.

  Aren’t you going to ask me what my downfall is? he’d asked in that deceptively mild tone. And then he’d grinned and told her, while her face had reddened and her heart throbbed a mile a minute in her chest. Women, he’d announced with a narrowed gaze that seemed to penetrate the layers of her clothing. I can’t seem to stay away from women.

  And then he’d kissed her, a gentle, tender caress, and she’d been stunned by the enormous wealth of emotion his touch evoked.

  “James.” She whispered his name into the darkness, then jerked in alarm as his voice answered her murmured summons.

  “I didn’t know if you could see me in the dark, Kate,” he said quietly, stepping around the side of the building. “I left my horse tied out back, in case any of the townsfolk are out and about.”

  Kate’s hand pressed against her chest and her eyes closed as sheer panic tested the limits of her heart rate. “I didn’t see you there,” she said after a moment, each word gasped into being.

  He stepped up to the door and peered at her through the screen. “Then what made you call for me?” He tugged the door open and slid past her, drawing the heavy inner door closed behind himself. His arms circled her waist and he pulled her against his long length. “Are you all right, sweetheart? You’re shaking like a leaf.”

  She clung to him, all her anxious moments set aside as she basked in the warmth and comfort of his embrace. So quickly she’d come to love this man. And at that thought, her heart stuttered and climbed into her throat. James was not a marrying man, even Lizzy could see that. And it didn’t pay to have deep feelings for a man who was so dead set against matrimony. Especially a man so obviously unsuited to be the sort of husband she’d settle for. A sober, dependable.. someone. Someone she could count on to come home at night without another woman’s scent on him and an empty whiskey bottle in his pocket.

  Someone dull. Not like the man who even now was breathing soft words against her throat.

  Kate Elliott would have to take herself in hand. And she would. Just as soon as James took his long fingers off her waist and stopped the nuzzling he was doing beneath her ear.

  “I was thinking of you,” she said quickly. “Your name must have slipped past my lips.” Her mind searched frantically. “I didn’t know if you’d come home from seeing to that ranch hand. You know, the one that looks like a wanted poster in—”

  “Whoa,” he said quietly. “Just simmer down to a slow boil, Kate. I don’t mind if you’re thinking of me.” His grin developed slowly, encompassing his eyes and bringing to light the small dimple in his cheek. “Matter of fact, I kinda like the idea of you having me on your mind. And yes, I just came back from talking to the rancher, Matt Darby. The fella I wanted to check on rode off when he saw me, and Darby and I went looking for him. I’m willing to wager he’s the one with his picture on my wall.”

  “Wasn’t that dangerous, out riding around looking for a hardened criminal?” Kate had the absurd need to touch his face, to caress the line of his jaw and ease the small lines beside his eyes.

  “Naw, honey. He’s not exactly Jesse James. Just a young kid who was in on a bank robbery down in Wyoming six months ago. We didn’t find him anyway. He’s probably long gone.” James dropped a quick kiss on Kate’s mouth, and then tilted his head back to watch her reaction.

  “I’m pleased to know you were worrying over me, though.”

  “I wasn’t worried. Not really,” she countered. “I just wondered…”

  “I’m safe and sound, Kate.” He turned her easily, her feet moving in rhythm with his, and then her back was against the door and he was pressed against her. He scooped his hat from his head and placed it on a hook beside the door, leaving a black strand of hair to curl across his forehead. “How much persuading would it take for you to let me stay here for a couple of hours, Kate?”

  “What?” Distracted by the curl, she blinked up at him and then watched as his mouth twisted in a grin. Her hands gripped his shirt, pushing at his chest. “You must be out of your mind, James Kincaid. The men in town had a meeting tonight, and according to what Clovis Teal insinuated, they’re upset because I took a holiday yesterday and was off gallivanting around the countryside. They’d tar and feather me if I let you spend time in my room.”

  “We could just cuddle a little,” he whispered, his mouth against her ear, his warm breath bringing shivers to every inch of her skin. His hands swept up her back, then slid to her ribs, holding her in a firm grip. He bent his head, his eyes half closed, his mouth half open, and his mind clearly bent on seduction.

  Even with her limited knowledge of men, Kate knew enough to call a halt to the hands that seemed to relish her softness. “Stop it, James,” she said sternly.

  His mouth touched hers carefully and she heard a soft moan, felt its breath against her lips. “Kate?” He sought no answer, but only spoke her name, his lips nudging hers apart. “Sweetheart…” The single word was a sigh and his grip on her waist softened, his hands sliding up her ribs, drawing her against his chest. His arms circled her then, and one broad palm pressed against her nape, holding her captive for his kiss.

  A married folk’s kiss? Even as Lizzy’s words resounded in Kate’s head, James slid his tongue between her lips, teasing at the tender flesh inside her mouth, persuading her to allow him entrance between her teeth. I didn’t know that kissing could make me so ready for his loving. Lizzy had it down pat, Kate decided, with what little sense she had left.

  She’d said no. She’d told him to stop. And now she clung to him like a woman besotted, and she silently berated herself for the weakness in her knees. There was only one way to stop the man, and as difficult as the words were to speak, she’d better spit them out in a hurry, or he’d have her persuaded into that narrow little bed across the room.

  “When are we getting married?” The words were barely a whisper, and for a moment Kate wondered if he’d heard them. His mouth blessed hers, suckling for long seconds on her lower lip. And then he lifted his head, his narrowed eyes searching hers as if he questioned his hearing.

  “Married?”

  “I won’t give you a husband’s privileges without a wedding ring, James,” she said quietly, her breath catching in trembling little sobs. “And I’ve looked in the mirror enough to know that even if you were considering the idea, you’d find someone a whole lot more suitable than me to do it with.”

  “Damn, Kate. Damn.” He repeated the curse word, shaking his head, then dropping it to rest against her shoulder. “Just a minute here.”

  “I think you need to leave,” she said, sliding from between his long, hard body and the equally firm surface of the door. His hand lingered on her shoulder, then slid to her cheek. The callused palm was warm and welcome against her skin and she closed her eyes as though she would refute the pleasure of his touch.

  “Please, James.”

  “Yeah.” He sighed, bent to her and kissed her lips with a chaste, swift caress and then stood erect. “I’m just about as close to breaking my word as I’ve ever been.” He grinned at her, but his eyes were weary. “You don’t want to marry me, Kate. You were just trying to get my attention.”

  “It worked, didn’t it?” She smoothed her hair, her eyes refusing to look too closely at the temptation he offered. “My mama married a drinking man, James. Being sober for a matter of weeks is no guarantee, as far as I can see.”

  “You don’t have much faith in me, do you?” he asked, his smile vanquished by the pain she dealt with her harsh words.

  She bent her head, focusing on the toes of his dusty boots. “Does it matter?”

  “More than you know. I need someone to believe in me, Kate, and right now you’re about the only candidate for
the job.”

  “I think we’re about at a standstill,” she said carefully. “You want more from me than I can give you. I’m a virgin. You know that, and yet you would have persuaded me to throw my virtue away.”

  “Probably not,” he told her. “I might have given you a little pleasure, honey, and snatched a look at those pretty legs of yours, but I’m not going to give folks anything to talk about.”

  “Just you being here is enough to…” She closed her mouth with a snap, exasperated at him. “And you’re not going to get a look at my legs. They’re just ordinary limbs, no different than any other woman walks around on.”

  “Ah, that’s where you’re wrong, sweetheart,” he crooned. He looked down at her, this small female who had wormed her way past his barriers and found a place in his life. “There’s nothing ordinary about you.” His fingers touched her lips, then traced the line of her cheek.

  “I might have overlooked a lot of things at first, concentrating on your legs the way I did, but the first time I really looked into your eyes, I found out how beautiful they are. You’ve got skin smooth as cream and your hair is enough to set a man dreaming about hot nights and cool sheets.”

  A flush colored Kate’s face and he grinned, his pleasure in her overcoming the keening sadness her lack of faith had delivered to his soul. “You’ve about made me rethink my decision about marriage, honey.”

  “Well, I haven’t,” she retorted. “And all your palavering isn’t going to make a difference, James. I have a career here, and much as I enjoy your company, I’d like to keep my reputation above reproach in this town.”

  He might have taken her at her word if it weren’t for the shimmering tears that balanced on her eyelids. He’d made her cry and that would never do.

  “I’m leaving, honey,” he said, snatching his hat from the hook by the door and planting it firmly on his head. Stepping to the table, he blew out the lamp, leaving the room in darkness. The better to hide her tears, he thought, reaching to open the door.

  “No one will see me leave,” he assured her. “You’re reputation is safe, sweetheart.”

  She stood in the shadows and he filled his eyes with her image, like that of a dream he’d only begun to enjoy before awakening to reality.

  CHAPTER SIX

  “THIS TOWN hasn’t had much need lately for a posse, has it?” James asked, then looked around at the four men who’d formed a loose semicircle in front of him. John Dillard tugged at his collar, slanting a glance at Amos Carlton. “I’m not asking any of you to ride with me,” James said, quirking an eyebrow. “I’m just wondering if there’s anybody available who might know how to shoot a gun.”

  Harry Talbert straightened his white barber’s apron. “I’m not much for riding, to tell the truth. But I’m sure there’s a plenty of young fellas who’d like some adventure.”

  “Any idea where I’d find them?” James asked, enjoying the discomfort he’d set into motion.

  Amos nodded eagerly. “I think Joe over at the livery stable wouldn’t mind ridin’ with you. And then there’s a couple of ranchers you might could call on. Matt Darby for one, since he’s the guy that hired a wanted man and caused all this trouble. Then there’s your cousin, Caleb.” His eyes lit and he snapped his fingers. “Maybe Will would like to go along.”

  James grinned. “I can’t see Will chasing a bank robber.”

  “I’d think he’d have a vested interest, so to speak, in such an undertaking,” John said pompously. “Now, I wouldn’t be able to ride with you, what with a shipment coming in today, and Tess being alone in the store.”

  “Ah, hell. I’ll handle it myself,” James told them. “I might have known this sheriff job was gonna be a lonely one.”

  “We’ll stand behind you, James,” Harry said quickly. “We’ve been thinking about giving you a raise in pay, you know.”

  John opened his mouth and seemed to think better of it. But Amos, understanding the way of such things, nodded promptly. “Yes, I’d think a good sheriff deserves a living wage. You’ll be wanting to buy a house and settle down in your own place, I’d think.”

  James turned and grasped the reins of his gelding. “Well, if I come back alive, we’ll talk about it, gentlemen.” He slanted a look at Amos. “I’m thinking real hard about settling down. You’re right on that score, Amos.”

  One hand on the saddle horn, James mounted easily, then looked down at the men. “Anybody seen Miss Elliott this morning? I thought she might be out and about, seeing as how it’s Saturday and all the ladies are gathering.”

  Cam shot him a warning glare. “She’s probably doin’ some teacher stuff over at the schoolhouse. I imagine she’s got some catchin’ up to do, what with takin’ a day off this past week.”

  “I told the lot of you we needed to wait till a man became available,” Amos said hotly. “But you said, ‘Oh no, we’ve gotta have a teacher, right now.’ And so we did, and look at the problem we’ve got.” His tone mocked his cohort’s anxious reasoning.

  “What sort of problem?” James asked mildly.

  “You should know, Sheriff,” John Dillard said. “Not that we’re blaming you, being a man and all. But a teacher must be beyond reproach.”

  “I think we’d better discuss this when I get back, gentlemen,” James told them, irritation surging beneath the affable surface he strove to present for their benefit. His hand gripped the reins and his horse skittered, tossing his head. Without another word, and barely a look for the men who’d stirred his anger into being, he headed toward the livery stable.

  THE MOMENT Kate set foot in the Mercantile, three women made it their business to tell her the details of James going off in search of the young bank robber. Tess took her by the arm, offering soothing words as she led Kate toward the latest selection of ladies’ wear, delivered just today.

  “James is a crack shot,” she said softly. “John said so. He’d have gone along to help, but with all the business we have on Saturdays, he couldn’t leave me here alone, you know.”

  “James went alone?” Kate asked. Her hand stroked the fine fabric she held, but her joy in choosing new clothing had disappeared with Tess’s words.

  “He’ll probably find some ranchers to help,” Tess said brightly. “After all, how much danger can there be in looking for a young man barely old enough to shave?”

  “He’ll be carrying a gun,” Kate muttered. “And when you put a gun in a young man’s hands, especially when that young man has a price on his head, you’d better be prepared for trouble.”

  Tess gnawed at her lip, holding a dark-green gown against her apron. “Well, in the meantime,” she said, “I think you’ll find some real nice stuff in this shipment of dresses, Kate. Plain green or blue will work well for teaching, since I know you want to look the part, but there’s always after hours. And a nice flowered print or striped dimity would look wonderful on you.”

  “I’ve about decided to give up the black things I brought with me,” Kate told her. “I was in mourning for my father when I left Ohio, but I’ve worn my share of dowdy clothes. I’m ready for something pretty.”

  “I didn’t know your daddy died recently,” Tess said, sympathy alive in her voice. “I’m surprised you had the courage to leave your family at such a time. Especially coming all the way to Montana, all by yourself.”

  “I haven’t mourned greatly for him,” Kate admitted. “He wasn’t much of a husband, and less of a father. It just seemed the thing to do, buying black gowns and looking like I was in the depths of despair all the time.” She lifted her chin and met Tess’s gaze. “I’ve decided it’s time to look like a woman, a young, available woman.”

  “Well,” Tess said, “you surely won’t have any trouble finding a good man to marry around here. We’ve got more available men than we know what to do with.”

  “That’s what I’m counting on,” Kate said firmly. “I’ve been told that I’ve got nice eyes and good skin, and I look pretty decent when I get cleaned up.” Thos
e weren’t the exact words James had used, but there was no way in this life she was about to quote him verbatim.

  “I think there’s already one man who’s taken more than a liking to you, Kate. Everyone in town is talking about James hauling you off in a buggy the other day. I’m surprised you didn’t come back with a marriage proposal.”

  “He’s on my shortlist,” Kate said nonchalantly, picking up a striped taffeta dress. “This would look beautiful for Sunday church, wouldn’t it?” And with a month’s wages in her pocket, she was shopping in earnest, she decided. Looking frumpish was a thing of the past. If James Kincaid—with his beautiful eyes and elegant bearing—thought she was decent looking, she’d better give him something to really take a gander at.

  FOUR HORSEMEN paraded past the schoolhouse just before dark. One of their number rode awkwardly, hands tied behind him, his horse being led by a tall rancher. Third in line was James, astride his mount, but slumped in the saddle. And bringing up the end of the line was a man who bore all the earmarks of being a Kincaid. Tall and built like a mountain, he rode his horse in an easy manner, his gaze fixed on James. Riding at a slow trot, they passed the schoolhouse, and Kate inhaled sharply as James lifted his head, his dark eyes sweeping over her for a moment.

  She stood perching on the stoop and watched as they traveled to the jailhouse, where two of them dragged the youth from his saddle and shuffled him into the sheriff’s office. James slid from his saddle, leaning against the side of his horse, as if he sought strength enough to make it across the sidewalk.

  From the barbershop, Harry Talbert hustled across the street, hand uplifted. “I’m coming, James,” he called, his voice carrying in the still twilight. Lending a shoulder, he slid his arm around James’s waist and together they stepped into the jailhouse, leaving the door open behind them.