Whirlwind Groom

by Debra Cowan

  His gaze turned hard as he looked at her cheek. “How’s your face?”

  “It’s still sore.” She smiled. He’d asked her four times since breakfast. “How does it look?”

  “Like it hurts.” He took a step toward her then stopped, folding his arms across his chest. “And your jaw?”

  “It’s not uncomfortable enough to keep me from eating.” She grinned, not caring that the movement made her bruised face sting. “I must’ve eaten at least three of your biscuits besides the eggs and coffee you made.”

  He smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. His stance was guarded and his eyes narrowed as he took in her damaged dress. “Are you going to repair that dress and keep it?”

  “I haven’t decided for sure. I know it’s frivolous to get rid of it, but I don’t think I can stand to wear it ever again.”

  “You shouldn’t.” Somehow his jaw became even harder.

  Not knowing what else to do, she closed the distance between them and put a hand on his arm. “I’m okay.”

  His face gentled and she saw a combination of protectiveness and searing need in his eyes. Her stomach gave a funny flip, the same way it had last night when his hands moved over her body. The hot look in his eyes told her he remembered everything that had gone on between them at his house. And the ache in her body reminded her of what hadn’t.

  She regretted that they hadn’t made love, but Davis Lee had been right to pull back. Adrenaline and fear had addled her brain; her body had taken over. He’d saved her from more than rape. He had most likely saved her life and he had certainly safeguarded her reputation by getting her back here without anyone seeing her leave his house.

  “Thank you for breakfast.” She wanted to lose herself in his blue eyes. Go away with him somewhere and forget everything except the two of them. “And for letting me use your tooth powder. And for taking such good care of me last night.”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t get there sooner, Josie—”

  “No.” She put her fingers against his warm lips. “Don’t you dare. You got there in plenty of time and I’m thankful.”

  A dark dangerous light came into his eyes. For an instant, he looked like he wanted to sweep her into his arms. Josie wished he would. Instead, he said gruffly, “I’m glad you’re all right.”

  “Me, too.” She wanted to kiss him, but she settled for squeezing his taut forearm.

  Their relationship had changed. She knew he felt it, too.

  “I’m just a holler away if you need me.”

  She nodded.

  “For anything.”

  “Okay.”

  “All you have to do is come to the window.”

  “I know.” What was going on in his head?

  “Keep your door locked. It would probably be a good idea if you jammed a chair under the knob, too.” His eyes were intense, his shoulders stiff.

  “I’ll be careful, Davis Lee. I won’t be careless, like I was last night.”

  His gaze, sharp and urgent, swerved to hers. “That was not your fault, Josie. Not at all.”

  She nodded, wanting to feel as sure as he sounded. “Please don’t worry about me. I’ll stay busy today with your mending. I doubt I’ll go out at all.”

  She pointed to the stack of his clothes. “It won’t take me long to fix the buttons on those two shirts so I can probably get them back to you this afternoon. Mending the trousers and darning your socks will take a little longer.”

  “I’ll come get the shirts.”

  “It’s no trouble for me to bring them.”

  “I’ll feel better if I come. Send word when you’re ready.”

  “I certainly won’t complain about seeing you.” She smiled, trying to figure out what was bothering him. He wasn’t being overprotective exactly, just cautious. “Davis Lee,” she said gently, “I know you need to get to the jail. It’s okay to go.”

  The disquiet she caught in his eyes caused a tug of sadness inside her. She didn’t know what was going on, but she didn’t like it. Even more confused than before, Josie gave in to the urge that compelled her to reach for his hand.

  At her touch, he stilled. She could feel the strength, the power in his whipcord-lean body. “Please don’t worry about me. I’m all right.”

  He stared down at her, his features grim, his eyes softening. He didn’t try to move away, didn’t act as if he minded her touch. He didn’t act as if he felt…anything, but she knew he did. His manner was restrained, almost reluctant. As if he blamed her for what had happened in the alley or later at his house. But she was certain he didn’t blame her. He wouldn’t.

  She squeezed his big hand with both of hers. “Because of you, I’m just fine. Now get out of here before you make me cry. I did enough of that last night to fill up two water buckets.”

  At the mention of last night, his shoulders went as stiff as cordwood. “All right, but I’ll check in on you later.”

  “I’d like that.”

  He gently disentangled his hand from hers and walked out. She didn’t hear him move away from the door until she turned the key in the lock. She crossed to the window. After a minute, she saw him step into the street. He turned and looked up at her, his face so fiercely resolute that her heart thudded hard.

  She gave him a little wave. Just the thought of leaving town, leaving him, ripped at her. She couldn’t do it. She wanted a chance with Davis Lee. All she had to do—without killing the outlaw herself—was figure out a way to see that McDougal got the justice he deserved.

  Throughout the day, she tried to keep her mind off the attack and stay focused on Davis Lee or her work. Fixing the buttons on his shirts helped; she removed them all and neatly sewed them back on whether they needed it or not. The well-worn fabric held his dark, woodsy scent and inhaling it helped settle her nerves as did glancing out the window every few minutes. He checked on her twice, but he didn’t stay more than a minute each time.

  Just before she turned down her lamp to go to bed, she went to the window. Hazy moonlight spilled onto Main Street and Josie saw Davis Lee standing outside the jail. Lamplight from inside his office outlined his broad shoulders, touched his hat and black shirt with amber. His gaze was trained on her window.

  She touched the glass to show him she saw him, knowing he was there to put her mind at ease. The thought had her going all soft and shivery inside before she sighed and went to bed.

  When she woke the next morning, her first thought was of him. As much as she enjoyed being with him, as safe and right as it felt, she couldn’t forget about Ian McDougal. Every time Josie felt the growing urge to turn her back on the plans she’d made for the outlaw, Rosemary’s letter and the awful news about William’s mother popped into her mind. Josie wanted to forget, leave the past where it belonged and move on. With Davis Lee.

  Though still conflicted about her plan for McDougal, she was certain of her emotions regarding the sheriff. Her feelings for him were not going away, even if she left Whirlwind. Maybe not ever. Losing a chance with him would be something she would grieve over the rest of her days.

  Since the day they’d spent in Abilene, her resistance to him had been steadily eroding. After Saturday night, she didn’t have one defense left against him. Her mind had been filled with nothing except him. No McDougal, no William, no murders. She was tired of focusing on vengeance, tired of trying to balance her feelings for Davis Lee with what she felt for her family.

  She had to do something. The attempt last week on McDougal’s life made clear that someone else wanted the outlaw dead. If she could figure out who that person was, maybe she could let them do the deed.

  There was a good chance Cora would know about everything the outlaws had done and the people they had hurt, but Josie didn’t have the heart to broach the painful subject so close to the anniversary of Ollie Wilkes’s death.

  She could ask around town, but she didn’t want to be that blatant. The last thing she needed was for someone to tell Davis Lee she’d been asking about all
the crimes committed by the McDougal gang. How could she find out such a thing?

  It hit her then that accounts of the outlaws’ vicious misdeeds, at least in this part of the state, had probably been documented in Whirlwind’s newspaper. The Prairie Caller sat in a small brick building between Pete Carter’s saloon—a place Josie would do her utmost to avoid—and Haskell’s General Store.

  She didn’t know if she would uncover any information or what she would do with it if she did, but she had to try. Learning something would help her figure out a way to fulfill her vow to her parents, to William and his family without destroying Davis Lee’s feelings for her.

  He never should’ve touched her. Even on Monday evening as Davis Lee and Josie stood behind Catherine’s house, he couldn’t stop thinking it. Images of that bastard on top of her kept stabbing through his mind. What that thug had done to her, what he could’ve done, twisted viciously at Davis Lee’s insides. She’d been hurt, nearly violated and how had he responded? He’d put his hands on her, his mouth.

  She had wanted to be close to him, to feel safe and he’d nearly peeled her clothes off. He would’ve taken her then if her soft plea to make her forget hadn’t reminded him of exactly what had happened.

  They’d both been rattled; that was to be expected. But his common sense had unraveled faster than a frayed rope. The urge to have her had consumed him. How could she feel safe with him now?

  When he and Josie had first arrived at Catherine’s small yellow house outside of town, she and Andrew had come out to say hello, but now he and Josie were alone. Though a couple of times he caught her watching him with a perplexed look on her face, she seemed comfortable with him. Which reinforced his decision to keep his hands off her.

  Neither of them said much as she practiced shooting. Because the days were growing shorter, Davis Lee had called for her an hour earlier than the usual time. The sun was setting in a blaze of reds and oranges, the falling temperature putting a snap of color into Josie’s cheeks. The scent of wood smoke skimmed the air, floating from Catherine’s house as well as from town. Before that bastard had attacked her on Saturday night, Josie had hit four out of six targets consistently. She did the same tonight.

  “You did real well,” he said when she decided to stop for the evening.

  She beamed. “I have a good teacher.”

  He hadn’t kissed her since Saturday night at his house and he wouldn’t, but he sure wanted to.

  “Can you believe we’re already into October?” She rubbed her arms, though she’d told him she was warm enough in her long, dark green wool bodice and skirt. “Pretty soon, it will be too cold to continue my lessons. And too dark.”

  He murmured in agreement, but his attention wasn’t on the weather or her lessons. There was still enough light that he could see the bruise on Josie’s cheek and the edge of her jaw. His fists clenched every time he looked at her. Whirlwind was his town and he was supposed to protect its people, especially women. Especially her. And he’d failed.

  He cleared his throat. “Josie, I haven’t been able to get that polecat to the jail in Abilene yet.”

  She looked a little surprised, but not bothered. “All right.”

  “One of Jake’s ranch hands rode in yesterday with the news that there had been an accident at his ranch. He’s been out there ever since Sunday morning so he wasn’t able to take the prisoner to Abilene.”

  She studied him thoughtfully. “Thanks for telling me.”

  “Cody Tillman, one of Riley’s ranch hands, is relieving me for meals and your shooting lesson, but since I have no other help right now, I can’t make the trip, either.”

  She looked as if she didn’t understand how this affected her. “Cody’s at the jail now, watching over that snake who tried to hurt you. I don’t want you to worry that he can escape.”

  She said slowly, “I’m not worried.”

  He had to admit she didn’t appear concerned, but his mind still wasn’t settled about the issue. “Come hell or high water, tomorrow I’m getting that lowlifer out of Whirlwind and away from you.”

  “Davis Lee, I know you will. I know you’d never let him hurt me again.”

  “You can bet on it.” But what about himself? Did Josie know she could trust him not to peel her naked the first chance he got, though that was exactly what he felt like doing?

  The cream-and-honey taste of her, the feel of her magnolia-smooth skin against his tongue and his hands, had only whetted his hunger for her.

  Since he’d held her half-naked in his lap, the thick, dark throb of desire in his veins had become relentless. The woman turned him inside out, but he wanted more than her body. He wanted her to confide in him. He refused to be caught unaware again, the way he had been with Betsy. He would do everything in his power to make sure he found out what he needed to know about Josie. Before it was too late to protect his heart.

  So yesterday he had wired his cousin, Jericho Blue, who was in Houston. Catherine had gotten word from the Ranger a couple of days ago saying he thought his business there would be concluded this week.

  Being as Davis Lee still hadn’t heard from the sheriff in Galveston, he asked if Jericho could spare the time to ride to Galveston and ask around about Josie. He knew it would be a day’s ride to the port and out to the island. It would probably take at least a day for Jericho to locate the sheriff or someone who might have pertinent information.

  His cousin’s reply had been quick. He would do what he could, though it would be at least three days before he got back to Davis Lee. In the meantime, Davis Lee hoped Josie would tell him on her own why she had come to Whirlwind.

  He walked to the targets; she had graduated from hay bales to tin cans. While he picked them up and put them into a burlap bag, Josie emptied her gun and cleaned it. He moved back to her, cans clanking against his leg. “Ready?”

  “Not yet.”

  “Something wrong?”

  “I’m not sure.” She smiled, wondering how to broach the issue of his manner. While not distant, he was nonetheless different with her. She wanted to know why. “Thank you for the length of calico you sent this morning.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “You didn’t have to do that.”

  “I wanted to. Your dress was ruined the other night. Now you can make a new one whenever you have time.” He paused. “If you’d rather have a different color or something, Charlie said you could swap it out.”

  “I love the small black vines and the red, green and blue flowers, but you needn’t feel—”

  “It shouldn’t have happened.”

  His taut words fostered suspicion. Surely he didn’t feel responsible for her attack or anything related to it? He’d been quiet all evening. And just as he had yesterday in her hotel room, he’d been careful not to touch her, not to crowd her, not to get within a foot of her. So excruciatingly careful that she wanted to scream.

  “I appreciate your thoughtfulness, Davis Lee, but you have to stop buying me things.”

  “Why?”

  “It might be viewed as improper.”

  “Rumor has it we’re already involved.”

  “I guess so.”

  His gaze searched her face. Was that uncertainty in her eyes caused by him or something else? “Are you okay about keeping the cloth?”

  She nodded, looking solemn and intent. As if she had something important to say.

  “You’re still planning to stay in Whirlwind, aren’t you?”

  “I…haven’t decided yet.”

  He didn’t like that her hesitation caused a snag in his gut. “I hope you won’t let what happened the other night make you leave.”

  She shook her head. “I think I’m safer here than anywhere else.”

  He arched a brow. “You do? Why’s that?”

  “Well, I know the sheriff.” She lowered her voice conspiratorially. “He’s pretty quick on his feet and he’s got a knack for taking care of people.”

  The flirty, sweet smile s
he gave him hitched up his pulse, made him want to pull her to him. Instead he turned to leave, expecting her to follow.

  “Davis Lee?”

  He glanced over his shoulder, stopped when he saw she hadn’t moved.

  “I know something’s wrong. Is it me? Is it that you can’t look at me now, after what that man did?”

  “No!” He dropped the bag with a clang of metal and reached her in two strides. “Why would you think such a thing?”

  “You’ve been acting uneasy around me.”

  “It certainly isn’t because of anything you did, Josie.” He hated that he had put pain in her green eyes.

  “So, if it’s nothing I did…” She wrapped her arms around herself. “You’re being so careful not to touch me.”

  “Honey, I damn near took you—” He broke off, gritting his teeth against the urge to haul her to him and kiss her until their legs gave out. “You can trust me.”

  “I do.” She took one step, bringing her body within an inch of his. Her honeysuckle scent drifted around him, teasing and tempting. “Right now, you’re about the only man I do trust. I think you’re feeling guilty about what happened between us the other night. You don’t need to.”

  “I should’ve had more control.” He clenched his fists so he wouldn’t reach for her. “You never have to worry about me doing anything you don’t want.”

  “I know that,” she said quietly.

  She sounded completely sure of herself, of him. And he couldn’t mistake the trust shining in her eyes. “Good.”

  He exhaled a sigh of relief, which jammed right back in his throat when she said, “Are you saying that I don’t need to worry about you touching me again?”

  “Do you worry about it?” He stilled at her choice of words. Hell. “Because if you do—”

  “No, I don’t! And I don’t want you to, either. I’m more worried that you’ll never touch me again.”

  “Josie.” He briefly closed his eyes against the painful confusion on her face. “You went through hell the other night and I put my hands on you. All over you. That was not what you needed.”