“You can’t deny you’re sweet on the man, have been for the past three months. Everyone saw you two spooning. And since he has now taken liberties, you’ll say your vows.”
“He didn’t.”
“You admitted it yourself.”
“I said he spanked me. That doesn’t mean I’m ruined, especially when only you, me, and Jake know.”
“And every man guarding that coach who heard his promise to blister your backside before he high-tailed it after you like an angry bear with a burr in his tail. Already word is spreading like wildfire.”
She puffed up in outrage. “Who dared spread such gossip?” Her father’s cheeks turned ruddy. “Daddy, please tell me it wasn’t you.”
“Would I spread rumors about my own daughter? No, but I heard the tale bouncing around the stable this afternoon. Since you’ll be wedded to the man within the hour, there’s no real harm done.”
“Horse feathers! I won’t be forced to marry over a bit of vicious gossip! I refuse.”
A throat cleared behind them, making them turn.
“Do you think you’ll be needing this, Mr. Banks?” the man asked as he climbed the front steps, raising his pistol grip first, as if in offer. “It’s not quite a shotgun, but should bring her to the altar just as good.”
Amelia gasped, when he came into the circle of light cast by the porch lanterns, recognizing the brown eyes, the familiar vaquero’s hat, and the thin, dark mustache.
“You!”
Rodrigo holstered his weapon, grinning as he tipped his hat to her. “Miss Banks.”
“He’s one of the Viejo gang,” she exclaimed, as her fingers curled into linen of her father’s shirtsleeve.
“No, Amelia,” he corrected, patting her hand lightly. “This is Lieutenant Rodrigo Alvarez, also of the Texas Rangers. He reports to Jake.”
Her jaw went slack when the man she knew first as a vaquero, then a bandit and co-conspirator in a long rash of robberies, winked at her.
“Were you successful?” Gerard asked him.
“Of course. Renaldo, Carlos, Mateo, Diego and Tomas Viejo are all enjoying the accommodations of the Corpus Christi jail.” This welcome news came from Jake, who approached from the side, his boots echoing on the wide-planked, unvarnished floor. “The judge is expected to hear their pleas in the morning. The sheriff said it might take a while to get back your bank notes and gold, Gerard, since they’re evidence, but he swears they will be in his safekeeping until they are returned to you.”
“Excellent.”
“You mean… it’s true?” Her wide eyes met his as he came to a stop in front of her. “You really are a Texas Ranger?”
“Yes, darlin’.” Jake took her hand in his large calloused one. After raising it to his lips, the scruff of a full day’s beard making his kiss rough against her skin, he raised his head and addressed her father. “You’ll excuse us, but I need a word with my bride-to-be before the vows are spoken.”
“Certainly,” was her father’s easy response. “We’ll wait for you inside, with the judge.”
Jake waited until both men had entered the house and closed the door behind them before tugging her to the side, out of sight from the windows. Positioning her with her back against the whitewashed shiplap siding, his body moved in close, also blocking her from the view of anyone who might pass by on the street.
“Jake, I, uh… what can I say? Except I’m sorry,” she whispered, her eyes fixed on the swirls of dark brown hair in the open vee of his collar. Her fingers itched to touch it, only slightly less than she wanted to bury her face in it and inhale. But he must hate her for acting like such a shrew and for being forced into this farce of a wedding. “You don’t have to go through with this. I’ll talk Daddy around.”
“You won’t get me to beg off, Amelia.”
Her chin came up. “What? You can’t want to marry me!”
“Who says? I want you, darlin’, and I have ever since the first day I set eyes on you, with your sweet smile and beautiful blue eyes.”
“But…”
“No buts. I brought you out here to get the answer to one question.”
“What’s that?” she breathed.
The next moment, she couldn’t even do that because she was in his arms and his mouth had claimed hers, forcing her lips wide as his tongue sought entrance. That was all it took to have her melting, which she did against his chest. And she didn’t resist when his hand, which had wound in the hair at her nape, angled her head back. Instead, she opened wider, giving as much as taking.
It wasn’t long before she was breathless, his kisses robbing her of reason and the desire for anything other than the possessive heat of his tongue dueling with hers.
Dazed and clinging to him helplessly, she whimpered in disappointment when he raised his head many moments later. His mouth, slick from her own, tipped up in a captivating grin.
“Let’s go get married, darlin’.”
Unable to think straight, she nodded.
He took her hand in his and led her to the front door. As he opened it, revealing her father and an older, bearded man in a brown suit and string tie, standing with a grinning Rodrigo, something occurred to her. She whirled on the threshold and looked up at him.
He frowned down at her, his hands sliding up to cup her shoulders. “What is it, darlin’?”
“Didn’t you want to ask me something?”
”I already did.”
Puzzled, she racked her brain, trying to remember if he asked her something while they were kissing. “I must have missed it.”
Jake let the door slam. His arms encircled her, pulling her into his chest, flattening her breasts against him until she knew he must feel the hardness of her nipples that his lips and tongue had caused.
“Our kiss, and your response to it, are answer enough. You want me as much as I want you, so we’re getting hitched. After that, I’m going to love you until you can’t move.”
“Jake,” she breathed.
“Is that what you want?”
“Yes, I’ve wanted you since I first saw you, too. Then you broke my heart and crushed my dreams when I thought you were a scoundrel. I’m sorry for being such a ninny, but you must admit, all the signs pointed to me being correct.”
“No, Amelia. You are a brave, loyal, spirited woman. Those are all qualities I want to instill in our sons. Well…” He grinned suddenly. “Not the woman part.”
Her cheeks suffused with warmth but she returned his grin.
“What’s more, you’re beautiful, loving, and steadfast, something every man searches for in a wife.”
“Oh, Jake,” she cooed, her heart beating faster at his words.
“Unfortunately, with all this good comes a bit of trouble. You are impulsive, take reckless chances, and are headstrong in the extreme—”
“I am not!”
He placed two fingers against her lips, silencing her. “You are, darlin’, but it’s out of love and boundless devotion to your father, something else I admire. In time, I hope to deserve the same and know our children will have it, always, from their mother.”
Tears misted her eyes at his sentiments, such that she had to press her lips tightly together to keep them from falling and turning her into the female version of a leaky watering pot.
“Although I admire your enthusiasm, we’re going to have to find a way to curb your impulsive nature, because I won’t see you hurt. In the future, if you have trouble of any kind, you’ll come to your husband first.”
“I will?”
“Yes, you’ll learn that I am as loyal and passionate as you, but have a deeply instilled need to protect. That’s why I became a soldier and then a lawman. I also seek justice for offenders of the law, in our case, my laws, which you will find out I am serious in defending, even if we have to have a few lessons similar to the one we had this morning.”
“Jake!”
“I’m about to swear to love, honor and cherish you, Amelia, and my vow to keep you
safe—always—is a part of that. Which includes no more reckless, clandestine stagecoach rides in the middle of a July heatwave. No more chasing after armed criminals. No more stealing horses, particularly strange mounts you’ve never ridden before then taking off like a mad woman across unfamiliar terrain. I almost lost my mind watching you.” He frowned down at her while giving her another squeeze. “And no more taking on trouble by yourself. Can you do that for me?”
She thought for a moment. Today hadn’t been enjoyable—at all. She was dead on her feet, her body ached, her face painfully tight from the sun, and she couldn’t forget the lingering tenderness in her backside, as much from the spanking as from sitting in a saddle all afternoon. Looking up at the man who would be her husband—tall, strong, and having proven more than capable of taking care of business—she could concede all of this to him, at least for now. If they had children, especially sons, with her same qualities, including the ones he intended to curb in her, she wasn’t about to make any promises for the future.
But she kept that small detail to herself and nodded.
“I can promise to come to you at the first sign of trouble, especially since I’m marrying a legitimate lawman, not a dirty rotten thief.” Her hand crept up to cup his roughly stubbled cheek. “It hurt my heart to believe that of you, Jake.”
He lowered his mouth and took hers in a tender kiss. “Amelia Annabelle Banks,” he whispered against her lips. ”Will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?”
“Captain Jacob Steele of the esteemed Texas Rangers, I thought you’d never ask. And, honey…”
He raised his head a fraction, a brow arched in question.
“There’ll be no need for a shotgun to get me to say, ‘I do,’ or to climb into our marriage bed.”
She immediately flushed at her bold declaration while he grinned at her daring.
“Yep, brave and feisty.” His arms enveloped her tight, and right there in the doorway of the home of the judge who would officiate their wedding, not to mention in full view of her father, Jake’s hands slid to her bottom and squeezed as he lifted her clear off her feet. “Just how I like it.”
Chapter 6
Side by side, they climbed the stairs, Jake holding an oil lantern to light their way. At the top, Amelia hesitated while he moved past her, into a room just off to the right. Peeking through the open door, she saw an inviting, already turned down bed with a thick white and blue quilt and matching shams with eyelet ruffles on plump pillows. As he set the lamp on a nightstand and adjusted the wick, the rest of the dark varnished wood furniture was bathed in soft light. It was a lovely room to spend what would be their wedding night—her first as Mrs. Jake Steele.
Great day in the morning! She needed a good sharp pinch to convince herself this was real. After the past few weeks and the events of the last twelve hours, she’d never dreamed such a thing could happen.
On the outside looking in, she laced her fingers together, clasping them tight to hide the telltale nervous tremble. Butterflies danced wildly in her stomach and her feet, frozen as though encased in a block of ice, prevented her from going any further.
“It was nice of Daddy and the judge to arrange for dinner,” she commented, her voice coming out high and reedy thin, not as she had intended. She watched her husband turn to face her, his head tilting ever so slightly to the side as he directed his full attention her way. Then he slowly moved forward, speaking in a low voice that resonated in the quiet house, empty now, except for them.
“With his wife visiting relatives in Abilene and him leaving on the late stage for Houston to continue his rounds, it was even nicer of him to offer us his home for the night. The city is growing fast, but the few hotels are rustic and in rough sections of town. I thought you’d be more comfortable here.”
“It’s good to have friends with influence. How fortunate for us that both you and Daddy knew the judge.” He had retraced his steps and was standing in front of her. Then he bent, and the next thing she knew, he had her cradled in his arms. With a small squeak of alarm, she wound her arms around his neck and hung on.
“I believe it’s tradition to carry the bride over the threshold on the wedding night.”
She blinked up at him, seeing passion kindling in his gorgeous blue eyes. “That’s very romantic, husband,” she managed to whisper.
“You ain’t seen nothing yet, wife,” he whispered back then winked.
She giggled; his teasing lessened her nervousness a smidgeon until he carried her inside and kicked the door shut behind them. At twenty-three, well past the age at which most of her friends had become brides, Amelia willed herself to calm and to act like a woman grown, not a skittish girl. Still, with his destination being the bed, she couldn’t look there or at him without blushing, so she cast her gaze around the room.
Night had fallen long ago, and the full moon had risen high and bright in the cloudless sky after the earlier rain. It shone in through the window, further illuminating the room with the already burning lamp. She would have preferred shadows to hide her burning cheeks, this first time.
“This is the guest room; the judge said it had fresh linens.” He laid her on the quilt covered bed. Keeping his arm beneath her, he slid it lower, lifted her hips and pulled down the covers before following her down. The springs squeaked loudly as he did so, making her eyes widen.
She could only imagine the racket they would make when they… um… Oh, dear.
He propped himself on an elbow and looked down at her, his smile wide. “Good thing we’re alone.”
His thoughts had taken the same path as hers.
“Darlin’, your blushes are hot enough to set the linens to smoldering. I swear, it’s going to be all right.” He dipped his head and touched his lips softly to hers. “Better than all right, after we commence with the loving I have in mind.”
“Jake,” she whispered, turning her face into his scruffy, scratchy neck. “I’ve never…”
“I didn’t expect that you had, sweetheart.” One of his hands came up to her cheek, which she knew was scalding hot from the intimacy. “We’re going to ignite with passion, you and I, but I’ll go as slow as you need me to.”
She squirmed a bit beneath him, not wanting slow at all. Since the kiss on the front porch earlier, her body had been tingling and craving more of his brand of attention. “What if I don’t want slow?”
“This first time, you’re still going to get it. But I’ll make it good for you, I swear.” As he kissed her again, his mouth played over hers, softly exploring, until she arched into him, needing more.
Only then did he take things further, his fingers moving down the buttons on the front of her blouse. As he spread the placket wide and his lips brushed a line of kisses from her throat to her chest, she remembered the everyday camisole she was wearing underneath.
“I didn’t have time to get anything pretty. This is as old as Methuselah.” Already, she regretted not having the time to plan a real wedding, to wear her mother’s beautiful beaded white dress with her friends as attendants, and to arrange for a trousseau of new things, especially underthings made of the softest batiste that Jake would appreciate. Not serviceable cotton like she was wearing now.
Worse, she hadn’t had time to soak in a scented bubble bath as she ordinarily would have. At least she’d had time to sponge off in a basin of tepid water while he took off and rounded up the Viejos. But she didn’t even have a fresh change of clothes and had to put on the same dusty skirt and blouse she’d had on since that morning. And she had no brush for her hair, which had looked a fright when she’d seen it in the mirror. A quick twist at the back of her neck, after finger combing it, had been the best she could do.
She felt dreadfully self-conscious.
“Perhaps I might freshen up, first?”
“Later, sweetheart. I don’t want you out of sight or reach until I’ve made you cry out with pleasure.”
“At least let me comb my hair,” she protested, wiggling
even more. “I’m sure the judge’s wife has a brush or comb lying about.”
Jake’s head popped up and he stared down at her. “Amelia, what is it?”
She pressed her lips together for a moment, embarrassed, before blurting out, “I’m covered in dirt and dust from the trail. How can you want me like this?”
“I’m in the same straits, pay it no mind. Besides…” He dipped his head into the bend of her neck and inhaled as his lips brushed gently over her sensitive skin. “You smell and taste as sweet as always. I want you, and I’ll take you however I can get you.”
His hand swept along her side, over the curve of her breast, up her throat to her jaw, where his large hand cupped her face and held her still. As he sealed his mouth over hers, she forgot her appearance and surrendered to his lips and tongue. Desire sparked, once again, within her.
Jake made quick work of her blouse, unzipped, and tugged off her skirt, then stripped her drawers down her legs, and whisked the camisole over her head until she lay naked alongside him, barely knowing how it had come to be. The roughness of his leather vest against her hard nipples and his trousers against her thighs made a gush of liquid arousal rush to her center. She wanted him as much as he’d said he wanted her, and where she wanted him was inside her.
As she moved restlessly against him, he caught the beaded tip of one breast and drew it into his mouth while one hand slid down her belly. His fingers found the mound of blonde curls shielding her sex, then dipped between her thighs. Gently, he spread her legs and stroked over her nether lips, causing rivers of fiery sensation to race though her body, setting her skin to tingling, before converging on the place between her legs that pulsed with need.
“Jake, I don’t… I’m not…” she whispered brokenly, unsure what was happening, yet at the same time wanting more.
“Hush, now,” he soothed, his breath sweeping warmly over her breast. “Lie back and relax. Let me show you how good it can be.”
Her breath locked in her chest when his fingers located the wet furrow between her thighs and stroked over it lightly. On the next pass, they delved inside and found the source of the pulsing ache. He circled the nub gently, causing her hips to arch into his touch. It felt good, but too soon, he moved on and slipped lower.
Hero Undercover: 25 Breathtaking Bad Boys Page 110