Rebecca leaned more weight against him. She had to feel his arousal. No way she didn’t know how turned on he was, yet she wasn’t afraid of him. The small expression of trust pleased him, emphasized how much his next move mattered.
It took about everything he had, but he slowed down, gentled the kiss, and brought his hands to either side of her waist. She stiffened slightly, her arms going slack around his neck, before she pulled back to gaze at him with confused eyes.
He swooped back down to kiss the tip of her nose, and then nibble the corner of her mouth. With his teeth, he grazed her chin, her jawline, and finally the shell of her ear. When he flicked his tongue over her earlobe, she giggled. The perfect time to retreat. For her benefit. For him, no way in hell. In a minute he’d have to discreetly adjust his fly.
She blinked at him, and then quickly looked away as her face turned pink.
“I like kissing you,” he whispered, touching her warm cheeks and then watching a strand of hair curl around his finger. “I want to kiss you some more, if you’ll let me.”
Her eyes widened slightly, in obvious surprise. Was she used to men who simply took what they wanted?
“But not here,” he continued, not having expected a response. “Anyone could walk in.”
Her startled gaze flickered toward the door, and she backed away. “Will you walk me back to the saloon?”
“Of course.”
“You don’t have to accompany me inside,” she added quickly, picking up the brown wool wrap that she’d left on the stool. She drew it around her shoulders, trapping her hair.
Jake lifted the thick mass of curls free and let the silky locks sift through his fingers as they tumbled down her back. “Try and stop me.”
She smiled shyly, a hint of hero worship in her doe eyes.
His heart constricted, and he suddenly didn’t know what to think, or what to say. He quickly shoved his hands into his pockets. Tonight they would talk. She’d find out he was a Ranger. And God only knew what she’d think of him then.
WITH JAKE BESIDE HER, Rebecca walked through the doors of the saloon, each step she took more frightening than the last. The piano music seemed somber, not the lively tunes that often hurt her ears. The men weren’t laughing loudly or joking with each other like they usually did this time of night. Shots of whiskey and glasses of beer crowded the tables, but only one group of men played cards near the stairs, and no one was cursing or fighting. Trixie and Ruby stood at the end of the bar with dour expressions, drinking together. Rebecca didn’t think that was even allowed.
It was a strange night, though not unexpected, on account of Mr. Otis dying. She didn’t know the rancher, and still she felt a wretchedness in the pit of her belly that wouldn’t ease. If folks blamed her, she wouldn’t fault them. But she was glad Jake and Kitty didn’t, and that Jake had pointed out that there was nothing she could’ve done against a killer. That helped her shame some.
But there was more than a senseless death eating at her. She’d made a difficult decision a few minutes ago. Tonight she would tell Jake about her past. All of it, the slaying of her family, the five years she’d lived with the Comanche, she’d even tell him about her husband. The idea that she had to form the words and let them spill from her lips made her queasy again.
She was so confused about Jake at this point, she couldn’t imagine how he would react to her admission. One minute he was cozying up to Captain Wade, and the next he was defending her at the cost of angering the captain. Jake Malone surely was the most unusual man she’d ever met, not that she’d met many. White men, anyway. But even Kitty agreed that Jake was different and unexpected, and heaven only knew how many men Kitty had known in her life. Poor Kitty. So kind and brave in many ways. How had she ended up in Diablo Flats? Why wouldn’t she leave this horrible place?
Rebecca drew in a deep calming breath. She had her own problems to worry about. Even if she denied it aloud, she knew in her heart that she held onto a small hope that Jake would help her escape. Particularly when he kept befuddling her with his acts of nobility.
She spotted Kitty sitting at the bar drinking a glass of whiskey, and felt a measure of relief, until she noticed that Captain Wade sat beside her friend. Rebecca wanted to change direction, run for the safety of her room, but Jake walked beside her, his hand cupping her elbow as he steered them toward Kitty and the captain.
Almost as if her fear had willed him to seek her out, Captain Wade turned his head and watched them approach. He had the most unreadable face of any creature she’d ever met, even when he drank, though she’d never seen him drunk like some of the other Rangers. He reminded her of a snake that waited patiently and struck when a person least expected it.
“Any idea when Doc Davis will return?” Jake asked, leaning against the bar. He’d moved his hand from her elbow to the small of her back, which should have helped her feel protected, but only made her more nervous.
“Why?” Captain Wade snickered. “Sounds like Otis needs an undertaker, not a doctor.”
“Jesus, Wade, show some respect,” Kitty said, and then looked away and downed the rest of her whiskey when the captain glanced at her.
“Just stating a fact, darlin’.” The captain’s mouth curved slightly as he sipped from the foaming glass of beer.
“Too bad you never got him to talk first,” Jake said, then shook his head at the offer of a whiskey.
One of the other Rangers sitting at the bar overheard and leaned toward them, his breath stinking with the odor of stale tobacco and cheap spirits. “Why? What would he have to say that we’d want to hear?”
Rebecca tried to step away, revulsion clogging her throat at the man’s nearness. His face was so close to hers that it was hard not to be rude and openly cringe.
Jake kept his hand at her back and moved with her, putting some distance between her and the Ranger, whom he peered at as if the man were daft. “Gee, I don’t know, maybe some information on the rustlers or who’s behind the vigilante hangings.”
The Ranger cursed violently, glaring at Jake with bloodshot eyes, his fingers tightening into a fist.
“Enough.” Captain Wade put up a hand, gave Jake an impatient look, and then eyed the other Ranger. “Time you turned in, Vernon. Sleep off that whiskey. We got a long day tomorrow.”
“What?” The look of shocked betrayal slid to anger on the Ranger’s face and made Rebecca take another step back.
This time Jake didn’t move with her. He stayed where he was between Captain Wade and the other Ranger. She understood that for him to have backed up would have shown weakness, but the knowledge didn’t stop her insides from fluttering like leaves in the wind.
“And you need to shut up,” Captain Wade said to Jake. “No good will come of us fighting amongst ourselves.”
“You including him with us?” Vernon’s face flushed an angry red and he couldn’t seem to take his eyes off Jake.
“Look…” Jake’s smile was slow and purposeful. “Vernon, right? You’re pissed. I don’t blame you. I shouldn’t have shot off my mouth.” He stuck out his hand. “No hard feelings?”
Vernon blinked at Jake’s outstretched hand. He muttered a curse, picked his hat up off the bar and left.
The captain chuckled. “You’re just full of surprises, ain’t you, Malone?”
Jake shrugged. “I didn’t mean to stir up the pot. But I’m not looking to make friends either. I was just saying…this Otis fella could’ve been useful.”
Captain Wade grunted, his gaze going to Rebecca. “You, get out of here.”
She stiffened, and as she picked up her skirt and turned, she met Jake’s eyes. He gave her a small encouraging nod and glanced toward the stairs.
“You, too, Kitty. Get.” The captain patted Kitty’s fanny, and then laughed when Kitty glared at him.
She grabbed the half-full bottle of whiskey off the bar, and took it with her. Rebecca braced herself for the captain’s reaction, but he said nothing as she and Kitty walked toward t
he back of the saloon.
“Stupid bastard,” Kitty muttered.
Rebecca stared at her, never having seen Kitty in such a dark mood, or heard her say anything bad about the captain. “Are you going upstairs?”
“No, to the kitchen. I’m betting Cook could use a drink. He knew Otis from way back.” They paused by the piano. “You go on upstairs. I doubt anyone will bother you tonight, and I’m betting Jake will be up shortly.” Kitty started to go, and then whispered close to Rebecca’s ear. “Tell him I haven’t said a word about his suspicions about Otis being murdered, and I think he’s right.”
Rebecca watched her disappear down the short hall, and tried to shake the feeling of being watched herself. She glanced over her shoulder and scanned the room. No one seemed to be paying her any mind. Not even Jake. His attention was focused on what the captain was telling him. He looked particularly solemn as he listened, and she got a chill thinking about what she herself had to admit to him later.
For a moment she considered it could wait until morning, but that wouldn’t be fair to him. If he kissed her again…She pressed her lips together, ashamed at how much she wanted another kiss, how much she wanted his hands on her. Her husband had been in the ground for only a year. A decent woman would still be in mourning.
Swallowing painfully, she gathered her skirt in one hand and reached for the railing with the other. Before her foot hit the first step, she sensed someone behind her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Corbin rushing from the hall. He yanked her backward, his fingers pinching into the tender flesh of her nape.
She let out a shriek that was smothered by the shrill notes of the piano. Corbin grabbed her arm and dragged her toward the narrow hall. She kicked at him, clawed at him, struggled to wrench her arm free, but his grip was too tight.
“Where’s your boyfriend now?” he asked, his fetid breath slithering across her cheek. “Better not be giving it away, you ungrateful bitch.”
She dared to look at him, and saw a wildness in his bleary eyes that terrified her. Three deep scratches slashed his cheek. Had she done that? Surely, he’d kill her. She opened her mouth to scream, but before she uttered a sound, a fist shot out and connected with Corbin’s jaw.
He staggered backward, releasing her as he tried to regain his balance. Jake threw another punch that sent Corbin to the floor with a loud thud. He pushed up on one elbow, groaned when he couldn’t get up and then fell back onto the hardwood floor.
He spat out some blood, and then fixed his evil glare on Jake. “Fine,” Corbin said, “Go have your Indian whore.”
12
THE URGE TO HIT Corbin herself, pulsed in Rebecca’s veins.
She desperately wanted to silence him, to wipe the smug look off his face. But it was too late. He’d said the words that would doom her with Jake. How he must despise her for not having the courage to tell him herself. For allowing him to kiss a mouth that had already been claimed by an Indian.
Oh, God. The earth seemed to move beneath her feet, and her head felt so light, so wrong. It hurt where the Ranger had dug his filthy fingers into the side of her neck. God forgive her but she wished he were dead.
Jake touched her lower back. “Are you okay?”
She couldn’t look at him. Why was he still being kind? Tears threatened, but she wouldn’t cry. Not in front of Corbin. The pig. How she longed to spit in his face. If she did, maybe he would leap up and slit her throat, and it would all be over. The agony of the past weeks since the Rangers captured her would end.
“Rebecca?” Jake tried to catch her chin, but she jerked away from him.
Corbin laughed, the hacking sound echoing across the suddenly silent saloon. “Look at that, he still wants you. Must be one of them Indian lovers. Ain’t you the lucky whore?”
Jake moved so quickly she didn’t realize what had happened until she saw his boot pressed into Corbin’s chest. He started hacking again, his coughs so violent blood spewed from his mouth.
“I’m gonna tell you one more time, Corbin, to shut the hell up. After that, I won’t be so nice.” Jake eased his boot off the Ranger’s chest. “Are we clear?”
“Jesus Christ, Malone.” Captain Wade shoved aside two card players who’d stood to watch the fight. He frowned down at Corbin. “What the fuck is going on?”
Corbin turned his head to the side and spit out more blood.
The captain shook his head. It wasn’t hard to read him now. His face was darker than thunderclouds as he eyed Jake. “You’re starting to make me nervous, Malone, and I don’t like feeling nervous. What the hell happened?”
Jake wearily rubbed the back of his neck, watching as the captain gave Corbin a hand up.
The Ranger staggered as he got to his feet, the fury in his eyes aimed at Jake. “This goddamn Indian lover—” Corbin cut himself off, clearly remembering that he was breaking the rules.
Another small piece of Rebecca’s heart broke off and shattered. What did it matter what Corbin said now? Enough of the men heard what he’d said earlier. By now most of them knew she’d been bedded by an Indian. By the end of the night, they would all know. But she only cared that one did, and Jake was showing no reaction, other than the hatred that burned in his eyes for Corbin.
He must have seen it, too. The Ranger wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve, at the same time, circling around Jake and the captain, his angry gaze darting between the two men. One of the card players picked his hat up off the floor and passed it to him. He snatched it with a muttered curse, and left the saloon.
Captain Wade poked a finger in Jake’s face. “I don’t need trouble.”
Jake’s gaze narrowed on the captain’s finger, and then he slowly moved it away. “What did you expect?” he asked in a low controlled voice. “Did you think your men were going to welcome me with open arms?”
The captain hooked his thumbs in his gun belt, his steely gaze fixed on Jake.
“They don’t know me,” Jake continued. “They don’t like me and they don’t trust me. There are gonna be scrapes. It’ll be up to me to keep my cool.”
Captain Wade barked out a harsh laugh. “By laying them out on the floor?”
Unexpectedly, one side of Jake’s mouth lifted. “Yeah, well, shit happens.”
Even more unexpected, Captain Wade looked as if he wanted to smile. But he didn’t. His jaw jutting out, he studied Jake for a moment. “You let pussy get in the way of business, that makes you a goddamn fool. I don’t need fools working for me.”
“I hear you.”
Captain Wade slid a brief look at Rebecca where she’d shrunk back into the corner. “Get out of my sight,” he told Jake. “Now.” The Ranger turned toward the back, and yelled for Kitty.
With his eyes and chin, Jake motioned for Rebecca to ascend the stairs. She quickly obeyed, horribly afraid her wobbly legs wouldn’t carry her the entire way to her room. But Jake was right behind her, guiding her with his hand, ignoring the stares that followed them. When they got to her door, she turned to thank him for the escort, loath to meet the disappointment she was sure to find in his eyes. But he startled her by opening the door, urging her inside and following her.
She quickly lit the lantern, the click of the door closing behind him stealing her breath. Didn’t he understand that he could no longer be with her? Even if nothing happened, the closed door would surely feed rumors. The men downstairs would talk…they’d shun him for knowingly taking an Indian whore…
“Are you all right?” He gently took her by the shoulders, his anxious gaze roaming her face. This was no longer the Jake who’d stood up to Captain Wade.
“Yes,” she whispered, scarcely able to find her voice. “You have to go.”
“Why?” With his fingers, he gently probed the tender skin Corbin had dug into. “You’re going to bruise. I should’ve killed the bastard,” he murmured, so low, she almost didn’t hear.
“Jake?”
He put his arms around her and held her against his chest. “Y
ou’re safe now. I promise.”
“Don’t you understand?” She didn’t, not what was happening now. Had he been so angry that he hadn’t heard what Corbin said? It didn’t matter. Everyone else knew.
“I’m so sorry. That was my fault.” He leaned back to look at her. “I thought you’d be safe to go as far as the stairs with Kitty. Please forgive me, Rebecca.”
“Oh, Jake, I’m fine.” She felt the tears fill her eyes, and she quickly laid her cheek against his chest so he wouldn’t see her crying. He’d think she was hurt when she wasn’t. She wasn’t sure what she felt right now, humbled, grateful, frightened. Her insides were a jumbled mess like a ball of yarn that had been strewn across the room by a mischievous cat and tangled so badly she couldn’t unravel it.
He lapsed into silence for several nerve-racking moments. “I’m also sorry for what happened to you,” he said, his voice strained.
She froze, blinking hard, willing the tears to stop before he tried to look at her. “It’ll be only a small bruise,” she said, knowing in her heart that wasn’t what he meant.
“Not that. What happened to you before.” His tone was gentle, not in the least condemning. “Tell me about it.”
She tensed, and pulled away, but he caught her hand. That’s when he saw she’d been crying. He used his thumb to wipe the moisture from her cheeks, his expression so grim she wanted to start crying all over again.
“I was going to tell you tonight,” she said brokenly. “You deserved to know.”
“Deserve?” He frowned. “I don’t know about that, but I’ll listen to anything you want to tell me. Anything that isn’t too painful for you to relive.” He tugged at her hand and drew her to the bed, helping her to sit at the edge as if she were a fragile porcelain doll.
She had no choice. That he was still willing to touch her, his face full of tenderness and concern, made her so weak she’d crumble if she didn’t sit.
Lone Star Lover Page 12