by Nancy Bush
Jesse’s mood darkened as he realized he hoped she was—hoped it because it would mean Kelsey would have to make some kind of choice—a choice heavily weighted in his favor.
Coercion was hardly the way to win a woman’s heart, yet he’d been coercing her from the moment they met. And he’d choose getting her with child as a means to keep her even now.
“What has put you into such a foul mood?” she asked when they stopped by the side of Silver Stream, its banks strewn with a riotous profusion of late summer wildflowers in red and blue and gold.
“Our marriage,” he admitted, throwing her a look as he dismounted.
“Oh.” Kelsey tethered her mare next to Jesse’s gelding, looping the reins around the scraggly branch of a low-growing bush. Then she walked several yards away, raised the rifle to her eye level, and sighted across the fields toward a distant lone oak tree.
“How soon do you want those divorce papers signed? The ones Samuel’s drawing up,” he added a bit testily. “The ones you asked him to draw up.”
She thought about their lovemaking these past few nights. “As soon as possible,” she said, her chest tight. “We can’t really stand each other, you know,” she pointed out lightly.
“Except at night, when we’re alone in bed.”
Kelsey swiftly turned back to her rifle. The intimate turn of this conversation was too dangerous. “You see that one branch that dips downward? If I hit it just right, I can break off the end.”
“Impossible,” he said. “Do you still want a divorce?”
“I just told you—”
“You said you’d keep to the bargain, I know,” he cut in swiftly. “But do you still want a divorce?”
Kelsey’s hand shook as she took aim. Carefully, she inhaled a long breath and expelled it. “Yes.” She squeezed the trigger and the shot rang out in the still September air. The tiny branch broke neatly and fell to the ground.
Jesse was astounded by her accuracy. She was a better marksman than he was.
“Don’t you?” she asked.
Her gray eyes were regarding him seriously through a small cloud of cordite. “No,” he admitted baldly, deciding honesty was the only answer.
“Why not?” Kelsey questioned cautiously.
“Because I don’t.”
“I see,” she said slowly, though by her troubled brow she clearly didn’t see at all. Not that Jesse understood his own possessiveness either.
“I just don’t want to, yet,” he qualified, glancing toward the oak tree so that he missed the hurt that crossed Kelsey’s features.
“When will you want to?” she asked, opening the chamber and examining it as if it held the key to all life’s mysteries.
“I don’t know…” Maybe never, Jesse thought.
“What if I were to fall in love with someone? Would you be willing to end this farce of a marriage then?”
He stiffened. “I suppose it would depend on who he was,” he answered without thinking.
Kelsey clicked the chamber shut and aimed at another branch. “You mean he’d have to be worthy of me, as, for instance, you are?”
As soon as she lowered the rifle it was jerked from her hands. Kelsey inhaled sharply as Jesse tossed it on the ground, then grabbed her by the shoulders, glaring at her. “Has it been so terrible? Has it?”
“Yes!” Kelsey declared recklessly. “You’ve used me, and deceived me, and treated me like a possession. You refuse to acknowledge to your family that we’re husband and wife except when it’s time to go to bed. How do you think that makes me feel?”
“If you want me to act like a husband, I will.”
“Act like a husband. You are my husband! At least for the moment. And don’t tell me you’re trying to spare me future heartache, because I don’t believe it. The only time you really want me is in bed, and that’s only because I’m the most available woman!”
“That’s not true.”
“Yes, it is, Jesse.”
“I don’t want any woman but you,” he admitted suddenly.
Kelsey gazed at him doubtfully, but with growing hope. Kicking herself, she shook her head slowly, then ever faster, refusing to listen to this.
“What you do want from me?” Jesse demanded. “Would it help if I said I love you? Would it make that much difference?”
She swallowed hard. “It wouldn’t make any difference at all,” she admitted. “Because you wouldn’t mean it.”
“Kelsey, for God’s sake, don’t do this!” he muttered in a tortured voice.
“While we’re here in Rock Springs, I’d just like you to be a little nicer to me. In front of your family.”
Gathering her close, Jesse closed his eyes and inhaled through his teeth. “Whatever you want,” he murmured, knowing how easy it would be. Knowing that very easiness was what had made him push her away.
“Kelsey,” he murmured, cupping her face between his palms, wondering what was happening here to make him feel so utterly helpless and anxious.
With an eagerness that seared him with regret, Kelsey dragged his mouth down to hers, wrapping her arms around his neck as they both sank into the wildflowers beside the flowing stream.
Chapter Twenty
Kelsey lay against her husband’s chest, breathing deeply of his masculine smell mingled with the dry dust of Indian summer, the delicate scent of wildflowers, and the musty, dank odor emanating from the riverbank. A bird dipped overhead, its shadow sweeping across Jesse’s shoulder before disappearing.
“It’s true, you know,” she said softly, slightly shamefaced.
“What?” he asked lazily, his hand twining in her hair.
“You are an”—she swallowed on a choking, desperate laugh—“accomplished—lover.”
“And you would know so much about it?” he teased, pulling her atop him until her breasts were hot against his chest.
“I’m learning,” she admitted, blushing furiously in spite of her need to prove herself capable, independent, and in control.
“Yes, you are,” he replied, his smile widening.
Deciding conversation was more dangerous than silence, Kelsey closed her usually voluble mouth and lay her cheek against Jesse’s bare chest. Her gaze followed the trail of clothes; his boots, her camisole, her cotton socks, his shirt, her wrinkled calico dress, his breeches.
His chest hair tickled her nose and she smiled, savoring the moment. Then her eye spied a white envelope sticking from the pocket of his butter-soft buckskin breeches. She opened her mouth to ask what it was, then thought better of it. Dealing with Jesse was still tricky, and she was fully aware he wouldn’t tell her more than he wanted her to know.
She would simply lift the missive from his pocket before he put his breeches back on.
“I feel well enough to make the trip home,” she told him a few minutes later when the breeze swept her shoulders and caused her to shiver.
“Home?” He eyed her sardonically.
“To Portland,” she clarified.
He shook his head. “Too dangerous. You need to stay in Rock Springs until it’s safe.”
“When will that be?”
He shrugged, and said instead, “Let’s get dressed before we turn blue.”
Their interlude of peace was apparently over. Kelsey scurried to clutch her camisole and drawers to her chest, lifting Jesse’s breeches at the same time and expertly plucking the telegram from his pocket before handing him his clothes.
“Thanks,” he said, trying to fathom her mood.
Dressing hastily, Kelsey turned her back to him and shoved the purloined missive inside the front of her gown. It felt hot against her chest. Her penchant for trickery would undoubtedly be her downfall someday, yet who could blame her for resorting to such methods when her husband was so unwilling to play fair with her?
“I’m almost certain I could ride a horse all the way to Portland. I feel as good as new.”
“You’re not going back to Portland,” he said again, buttoning his trouser
s and shoving his arms through his shirt.
“I’d like to go back with you.”
“I want you to stay here until I’m finished with Montana. Please,” he added as an afterthought.
“What exactly are you planning to do?”
He frowned at the buttons of his cuff, as if the task were one which required concentration.
“You won’t tell me anything, will you?” she declared in exasperation. “It would help if I knew something. I could help you.”
“No.” He was adamant.
“Let me make my own decisions,” she threw back in growing anger. “You may be my husband, but you have no right to tell me what to do.”
“Oh, don’t I?”
“No, you don’t. I’d rather walk through a pit of rattlesnakes than let some man tell me what to do!”
“Meekness,” Jesse reminded her, inflaming her further.
“You can’t stop me, Jesse.”
They glared at each other, the sweet somnolence of the afternoon forgotten beneath the heat of their anger. “A few more days,” he bit out. “Maybe a couple of weeks. I’ve already said I’ll give you your divorce. Just stay here in Rock Springs until I send for you. Then we can finish this.”
Her breath was trapped in her lungs. Depressed, she fought back the unreasonable pain of rejection. “Thank you,” was all she said, and she stepped past him, collected the rifle, and swung herself into the saddle before the conversation could deteriorate further.
¤ ¤ ¤
The telegram was brief, pointed and more confusing than enlightening: GRAY AND FRIENDS UP TO SOMETHING NEW STOP ZEKE WATCHING THEM STOP DON’T WORRY STOP SAMUEL.
Jesse had received the telegram yesterday morning. He hadn’t received one yet today, but since he’d been delivered one every day since his arrival, it was only a matter of time until today’s missive appeared. Kelsey was going to have to make certain she got her hands on today’s as well, because she had no intention of being left in Rock Springs, and she knew her husband was likely to steal away without so much as a good-bye if he felt it would keep her safe.
If Jesse was facing down Montana, she wanted to be there. His fight was now her fight.
Dinner was served at eight with the entire Danner clan in attendance: Lexie, Tremaine, Jamie, Seth and Mattie; Harrison, Miracle and Lucas; Joseph and Jesse.
To Kelsey’s surprise and delight, Jesse acted as promised, lavishing her with attention in a way that had everyone trying hard not to stare. He held her chair, let his hand linger a moment or two longer than necessary against her back, and brushed her hair away from her cheek in a tender gesture it was impossible to misinterpret.
Except that Kelsey knew—knew!—it was an act and therefore every sweet touch only deepened her resolve to thwart him.
When he left Rock Springs, she would follow.
The doorbell rang right before dessert. The Danners collectively looked up as Elsie swung open the front door. The succulent pork roast turned to ashes in Kelsey’s mouth as she saw again the russet hair of her brother, Jace, and the thin, mean-lipped beauty of her black-haired sister-in-law, Emerald.
“Kelsey, there’s some family business we need to discuss,” Jace told her. “Emerald and I would like to you come back home for a few hours.”
“No,” said Jesse.
Jace’s face turned brick-red at Jesse’s insolence. He strode around the room, reaching for Kelsey’s arm, intending to yank her from her seat.
Kelsey snatched her arm back, but there was no need. Jesse was already on his feet, his body taut and ready for battle.
“Touch her and I’ll break your arm,” Jesse snarled.
“Jesse!” Lexie admonished on a strangled laugh. She tried to adopt a stern face for her sons, who stared wide-eyed across the table at their uncle, hero-worship shining from their eyes.
“Jesse!” Little Mattie repeated in a perfect imitation of her mother.
“Let’s all relax,” Tremaine suggested, lifting a decanter of red wine. “Sit down, Jace, Emerald. Have you eaten? We’d love to have you for dinner.”
“Yes, sit down, Jace,” Harrison added with a grin. “Miracle and I were just talking about how long it’s been since we’ve seen you.”
Miracle was delicately cutting a piece of roast with her knife. She glanced up, meeting Kelsey’s gaze across the table, the look in her eyes saying clearly that Harrison was a bald-face liar. Kelsey felt a giggle of nervous laughter bubble in her throat as Jace’s gaze swept to Miracle, then froze on his half-sister’s knife, as if he expected her to draw it across his throat.
Emerald was staring at Jesse and Kelsey lifted her brows at the strange look on her face.
Seeing Jace was distracted, Jesse turned to Kelsey, gazing down at her with undiluted adoration. She had to remind herself it was an act, but her lips parted involuntarily anyway.
“Kelsey, get out of that chair right now. We’re leaving,” Jace warned sternly.
She dragged her gaze away from the hypnotic emotion of Jesse’s eyes. Her brother’s mouth was a line of fury and contempt. “What kind of family business?”
Jace glared at her in consternation. “The estate. You’re a part of it.”
Emerald slid Kelsey a cold look that said in no uncertain terms that she disagreed. “You already received your inheritance,” she bit out.
“I did,” Kelsey agreed, seeing this for the ploy it was. “If you want to discuss more family business, send me a letter. I’m staying with my husband and his family,” she informed Jace determinedly. “And unlike the Danners, I don’t care to have you stay for dinner. You and Emerald can leave the way you came.”
“By broomstick?” Lexie asked Emerald innocently.
Little Mattie chortled as if she understood every word.
“Lexie.” Joseph Danner frowned sternly while Lexie’s sons struggled to maintain serious faces.
“Dessert’s ready, Dr. Danner,” Elsie announced to the room at large, supremely unaffected by the tension radiating in all directions. “And Mr. Jesse’s got another telegram.” She handed the envelope to Joseph, still unwilling to approach Jesse. “One of the Cullen boys just brung it,” she added, eyeing the envelope with blatant curiosity as Joseph handed it to Jesse.
Kelsey looked over his shoulder, in time to see: TROUBLE STOP GET BACK HERE NOW STOP SAMUEL before Jesse crumpled the telegram in his hand.
“Excuse me,” he said, shouldering his way around Jace and Emerald.
Kelsey tossed her napkin down on the table, gathered her skirts, and raced after him as Elsie held the front door open for the reluctantly departing Garretts. By the time Kelsey reached their bedroom, Jesse had gathered up the few belongings he’d brought to Rock Springs and was preparing for a quick exit.
“You’re not going with me,” he said.
“I know,” Kelsey said calmly. “Gray and his friends are up to something new.”
Jesse stared at her, then jammed his hand into the pocket of his breeches, searching for yesterday’s telegram. His gaze was accusing.
“There’s something you don’t know about your wife, Mr. Danner. She has a troublesome penchant for thievery.” Kelsey’s knees started trembling at the harsh severity of his unrelenting gaze. “You might not let me come with you, but you can’t keep me here, especially if you’re gone yourself,” she said reasonably.
“I’ll have you put under lock and key if necessary.”
“Oh, yes.” Kelsey said sardonic. “That’s just the kind of thing your family would do.”
“Then I’ll have your brother take you away,” he declared in an ominous tone that sent apprehension skittering up her spine.
“You need me, Jesse.”
“I need you safe!”
“I can handle a rifle better than all women and most men. Maybe even better than you—”
“Goddammit, Kelsey! I’ve got one woman’s death on my conscience. I refuse to have another. Stay out of it.”
“You were the one who br
ought me in it,” she reminded him with damning logic.
“No more.” He dropped his hands to her shoulders, then dragged her close against him. “No more, Kelsey,” he added in an agonized voice.
He kissed her hard and she wrapped her arms around him, somehow hoping this pitiful attempt to delay him would keep the inevitable from happening. But he gently removed her arms and slipped through the door, his boot-steps deadened by the runner on the stairs.
She heard him murmuring his good-byes to his family. Dashing around the room, Kelsey gathered up her own belongings, the ones she couldn’t do without. Luckily, there weren’t a lot.
Sweeping down the stairs in Jesse’s wake, she bypassed the dining room and sneaked out the kitchen door, hurrying to the barn. Unfortunately, she couldn’t tell the Danners good-bye without raising a hue and cry.
Thievery was fast becoming second nature, she thought with a pang as she saddled the prancing black mare and snatched the Winchester down from its wooden hooks again. She would explain later in a letter. Lexie and Tremaine would understand, and, she reminded herself hastily, Joseph Danner had always liked her.
She was halfway down the lane, just short of the turnoff to Garrett property, when she heard voices. A man’s and a woman’s. Jesse’s and Emerald’s.
¤ ¤ ¤
Kelsey reined in the mare so quickly, the poor thing nearly stumbled. Luckily Emerald’s voice was such an outraged screech that Kelsey’s approach was virtually soundless.
“Damn you to hell, Jesse Danner!” Emerald hissed viciously. “You married her on purpose, didn’t you? Because I married Jace!”
“I didn’t realize you were married to Jace until I came back to Rock Springs,” Jesse said bitingly. “And I wouldn’t have cared if I’d known.”
“You used to care. Remember? Back in Malone…”
Kelsey shivered in the crisp night air. She had no jacket and her bones felt chilled. She heard a rustling—Emerald’s reams of petticoats—and realized her sister-in-law had moved closer to her husband.
Nausea tightened Kelsey’s stomach. Jesse and Emerald? Realization slammed into her like a battering ram. Jesse and Emerald!