Much Ado About Mavericks

by Jacquie Rogers

There’s a first time for everything.

  “Looks like someone’s stayed here recently,” Ben said, pointing to the charcoal.

  “Yup, it’s a popular place for—” Lovers. “Uh, picnics and such.” Mostly and such. “This here’s your property. Ezra bought it a couple of years ago. Wanted the water rights.” She could have smacked herself for rambling so.

  “I remember hearing about Jump Creek Canyon when I was a kid.”

  Jake groaned under her breath, knowing exactly what it would have been that he’d heard.

  “Some of the kids at school used to come here to swim in the summer.”

  Jake breathed out. “Did you go?”

  “No.” He bent over and picked up a few sticks and tossed them into the fire pit. “I wanted to, but I didn’t ever have much time for playing.”

  “Well, you’re here now.” And time to start playing. She kneeled down and lit the kindling. “Should warm up in no time.”

  “Nice,” he said as he gazed at the falls. “I could be persuaded to stay here all afternoon instead of scouting new grazing land.”

  Good thing, because that’s exactly what he’d be doing if she had anything to say about it. As the fire caught, she fed bigger sticks into it. The brush burned hot and fast, and the juniper soon caught. She rocked back on her heels.

  Now what? She got him here. She built a fire. And then she rattled on like a lovesick magpie. Should she just shuck off his britches and get right to it? That didn’t sound quite right, although it would save a lot of time.

  She sat on the sand beside the fire and took off her hat. “I suppose we could stay here for a while till the wind dies down. That grazing land ain’t going nowhere.”

  He sat beside her. “The wind could blow harder.”

  “Naw, it generally settles down in the evening. ‘Course, it’ll take us better’n an hour to get back to camp.”

  They sat in silence, soaking up the warmth from the fire. Jake had no idea what to do next. She wondered what Patience would do, then shuddered at the image of her flitting around like a cricket, batting her eyelashes. Jake would rather be hogtied and horsewhipped before she’d do that.

  “Are you still cold?” Ben asked. He scooted closer and pulled her to his chest. “We’ll be warmer this way.”

  Now, we’re getting somewhere! She’d shuddered, not shivered, but she wasn’t about to argue. Relaxing into his muscled chest, she felt her breasts press against him.

  The stubble from his beard caught in her hair. He brushed it, then sunk his hand into her tresses. She could feel his heartbeat race, and hers, too. But then it always did when he touched her.

  She was sure as hell warmer now. A fireball settled down low in her belly, waiting for him to do something. But he only held her. Sweet as it was, she didn’t think just doing that would convince him to stay on the Bar EL.

  Pulling back, she brushed his chest with her hand, flicking the flat nipple she felt underneath his shirt. His sharp intake of breath told her she was on the right track, so she did it again on the other side.

  “Jake,” he said folding his strong arms around her, “you’re trying to kill me.”

  “I just thought I’d warm you up some. You sure as hell warmed me up that night under the stars doing what you done.” Hell, she’d been like a cow in heat just thinking about him putting his mouth on her breast.

  “Heating me up, more like it,” he mumbled, pressing his face in her hair. Then he kissed her, long and hard. He pressed her down as he rolled onto her, then kissed her earlobe, brushing it with his teeth. The fireball in her belly heated and she pulled his hip tight onto hers.

  He kissed her neck, her eyelids, her nose, then licked her lower lip. She touched her tongue to his, and he pressed his mouth onto hers and drove his tongue into her mouth in a rhythm that made her own hips move.

  All she could think about was touching his bare chest. She grabbed the front of his shirt and hungrily unbuttoned it, the last few snapping off and flying away. She didn’t care.

  “Whoa, there, Jake.”

  She froze, knowing she’d gone too far, too fast. “Sorry,” she said as she pulled away.

  “Don’t be sorry—let me help. He shucked off his shirt and boots, then went to work on his union suit. “You have to keep touching me, Jake. It’s cold out here.”

  The sight of his bare chest with a sprinkle of hair on it made her weak-kneed. She placed her hands over his nipples and rubbed in circles. Then, not knowing what else to do, she did what he’d done to her. She kissed his nipple, then grazed the end with her teeth.

  He pulled her against him. The man part of him poked against her and she knew he was ready to go. Instead, he licked his lips and said, “I want to see your breasts in the daylight.”

  She didn’t quite know what to do. Did he expect her to shuck her clothes off right there? Well, hell, if that’s the way it’s done, then she’d do it. She unfastened one button, then he brushed her hands away. “Let me do it.”

  She didn’t know why, but if it made him happy, then he might as well do it, but she wished he’d hurry. He unbuttoned the second button, then the third. Then he pulled her shirt apart and cupped her breast with his hand, making her squirm. Quickly unbuttoning the rest, he pushed her shirt off her shoulders.

  He lowered his head and she felt his hot breath against her naked breast, the stubble of his beard making her gasp. “Do you want me to make love to you, Jake?”

  Yes, now! But she didn’t think it was fitting for her to say, so she kept her council. Instead, she ran her hands over his back, scraping lightly with her fingernails.

  He groaned and took her nipple into his mouth, flicking the other with his thumb. The pull on her woman parts forced her to run her fingers through his hair and press his face against her breast.

  “Ben?” she gasped.

  “Hmmm.” He kissed the other breast, licking around her areola, then teased her nipple with his tongue. For the longest time. The pressure inside Jake became nearly unbearable, but Ben didn’t seem to be in any hurry.

  He unbuckled her Colts and tossed her gunbelt aside, then threw his own pistol beside them. He untied her britches and rested his hand on the laces. The stirrings in her lower belly nearly drove her to distraction. Slowly, so slowly she thought she’d come out of her skin, he slid his hand down between her legs.

  “Now, Jake?”

  She could barely breathe, waiting for him to do what he was supposed to do. Not talk.

  He rested his hand there, and kissed her. She couldn’t get enough of him, of his lips, his tongue—even the scrape of his whiskers against her cheek. But his hand . . . “Ben,” she panted.

  “Do you want me to move it?”

  She waited, but he didn’t move a muscle. Finally, with a quick nod, she said, “Yes!”

  Moving his finger up and down through her folds, he heightened her yearning to where she couldn’t stand it one more minute. She grabbed him and toppled him over and landed on top of him, straddling that part of him that made his britches poke out.

  She wanted to see it. Him. She wanted to see all of him, to feel what he felt, and she was damned tired of waiting.

  “Get them britches off, Boston,” she growled, moving back and forth on his hardness. “We got business.”

  He chuckled, then rolled her on her back again. “No, Jake. You can be on top next time. This time—your first time—I’m in control.”

  She thought for a minute, then asked, “Is that the way it’s supposed to be?”

  Nodding, he shucked off his britches, then pulled hers down. “Just this once, Jake.”

  As he knelt beside her, she got a good look at the hard thing that had been poking her, wondering how much it would hurt when he did the deed. She’d been through worse, of that, she was sure.

  He must have read the expression on her face. “I’ll be very careful this time.” He brushed her hair back. “You are a beautiful woman, and I’m a very lucky man.”

  His
eyes darkened with passion as he lay on top of her, spreading her legs with his knees. “Feel my chest against your breasts.” He moved back and forth. She closed her eyes, wanting him in her. Kneading her hips with his hands, he moved forward and backward, sliding his hard part against her soft parts.

  Her mouth went dry and her face heated. She pushed against him.

  “Not yet,” he mumbled in her ear. He slid partway off her and put his hand between her legs. “Ah, you’re nice and wet for me.” He rubbed his finger in her most private folds.

  “Relax, princess, I’m going to open you up a little.” He lowered her breast and took the nipple in his mouth as he inserted a finger where nothing had ever been before.

  “Ben!” she yelled, nearly coming off the ground.

  He studied her face. “Want me to do that again?”

  She clamped his hand between her legs and nodded several times.

  “All right, then.” He kissed her nose. “Don’t rush me, princess, and I’ll make it good for you.”

  He suckled her other breast, his finger buried deep and his thumb pressing on that most sensitive of parts. He made her buzz like a beehive, and the honey was hot. Then he put two fingers in. She pushed her hips up to meet his rhythm. Her mind centered on feeling—nothing but fierce feeling. Oh, how she loved him!

  Suddenly, he stilled. “Jake,” he said, gently kissing her lips, “it’s not too late to stop.”

  “Do it, Ben!” She grabbed his face and stared into his eyes. “Do it now.”

  He rubbed the tip of his erection in her juices and groaned. “You’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met,” he mumbled, and eased into her, then pulled back.

  With a pained look on his face, he slowly pushed in again. Jake bit her lip in frustration. “More!” she groaned.

  “More what?” His voice was gravelly and low. “Ask me, princess.”

  She could barely breathe, and he wanted to conversate. “Deeper.”

  Pressing in a little farther, he asked, “Like this?”

  Her hips rose, for whatever this dizzy, breathless feeling needed, she had to get. “Deeper,” she insisted.

  “Ah, a greedy wench.” Still he barely sunk into her, then pulled out. Again. And again.

  She could bear his teasing no longer and captured him with her legs. With more urgency than she’d ever known she forced him to drive into her. The fullness ached for a bit as he held himself deep within her, then she moved against him, grinding her hips.

  “Hold still,” he groaned, sweat beading on his forehead.

  Jake had to have more. “No.”

  “I’m about to spill.”

  She ground her hips against him again. He thrust into her, again and again. Each time spiraling her into deep wanting. She gasped for air and kept her legs clamped firmly around his waist.

  Suddenly, all went grey, then colored lights shot through her head and she heard herself moan like an animal. He drove into her even harder—jerky now, and let out a roar.

  She laid under him. Stunned. She had never imagined such happiness. She had never loved a man. But Ben, well, he was her man, now. Forever.

  “You’re mine, Ben Lawrence,” she said as she brushed his hair off his forehead.

  He chuckled. “I always thought it was the man who marked the woman as his.”

  “You done marked me.” She kissed his cheek. “Along about the time you fell flat off that stage, you marked me.”

  * * * * *

  Ben helped Jake clean up, then they both dressed and stoked up the fire. “Want something to eat?”

  “Yup.” She fetched the canteen. “Thirsty work.” She took a drink then offered the canteen to him. “Drink?”

  He laughed and took a couple of swallows. “It didn’t seem like work to me.”

  They settled in, watching the birds flit about the junipers. “Most birds have gone south by now,” Jake said. “But here, in Jump Creek Canyon, some of them stay year around.”

  “If I were a bird, I’d stay here, too.”

  They sat on the sand where they’d made passionate love only minutes before. Neither of them spoke. Ben had a lot of thinking to do, and Jake, well, he figured she had to sort a few things out, too.

  After several minutes, she asked, “What’s it like in Boston?”

  He sighed, not wanting to talk about it. She jabbed him in the ribs.

  “It’s busy—there are people all over. The buildings are tall, four stories or more, some of them. Lots of horses and carriages. You’re only allowed to walk your horse or the constable will give you a ticket and you have to pay a fine.”

  “Sounds awful.”

  He squeezed her against him. “I guess in that way, it is. But in other ways, it’s exciting.” Kissing the top of her head, he continued, “There’s heavy commerce—trading—at Boston Harbor. Lots of rich people can’t spend their money fast enough. I work in the law offices of Morris and Graves. We only take the wealthiest of clients who are willing to pay a pretty penny for us to keep them on the right side of the law with their wheeling and dealing.”

  “Figgered as much.” She drew her legs up to her body. “So what’s your house like?”

  “Large. You could put the Bar EL house in it three times. I have a cook and a housekeeper.”

  “What do you do with such a big house?”

  He shrugged. “Most of it’s closed off. I was hoping to get Ma and Suzanne to Boston someday.”

  “But?”

  “But they don’t want to go. Even now that Father’s dead, they won’t go.”

  “You said it yourself, this is beautiful country.”

  “Yes, it is. And even more beautiful because you’re here.” They sat still, listening to the roar of waterfall.

  After a few minutes, Jake said, “Ben, I ain’t thinking to hitch up with you just because we, uh . . .” She closed her eyes and pressed her fingers on her temples.

  God in Heaven! He hadn’t even thought of marriage, although it was the proper thing to do. He had compromised her. But then, it hadn’t been too clear whether he had compromised her, or whether it was the other way around. What a woman.

  “So what exactly is it that you do for these rich fellers in Boston?”

  Glad for a change of subject, he answered, “Contracts and negotiations. That sort of thing.”

  “And that stirs up your juices?”

  Not as much as you do. “It’s interesting.”

  “So’s a skunk in heat, but I don’t wanna be around one.”

  He combed his fingers through her long, luxurious red hair and took a deep breath of cool, misty air. “That’s true.” The silky strands stirred him, for sure. “I’ve been thinking about that. I might stay the winter.” He shrugged. “Hell, we should get married.”

  She hopped to her feet and buckled her gunbelt around her hips. “We best be moving out.” Tossing his hat to him, she turned on her heel and scrambled over the rocks to the horses.

  “Jake!” he called, but she didn’t look back.

  An hour later, they were nearly back at the Sands Basin camp. Ben had cogitated on her strange reaction to his suggestion of marriage every single stride of the way. Jake hadn’t uttered a word since he’d mentioned it.

  At least the wind had died down and the temperature seemed warmer, although it was probably a few degrees cooler. The ride would have been pleasant had it not been for Jake’s stiff demeanor.

  “Jake, we have to talk about this before we get back to camp.”

  She kept her gaze straight ahead and shrugged. “Talk.”

  “Discuss. We both talk.”

  “Say your piece, Boston.”

  That pretty much said it all, he thought. In one afternoon he’d fallen from the most eligible bachelor to the most despicable cad. Still, he had to try. “I think we should get married.”

  “Why?”

  Why? They’d just spent an afternoon making bone-melting love, the kind only two people who loved each other could have, that
’s why. “I thought, since what happened and all—”

  “I just ain’t the marrying kind, Boston. Get that through your thick skull. I’m foreman of the Bar EL. I’m starting a horse breeding operation on the Circle J. You tell me when I have time to wash some man’s longjohns.”

  “But we—”

  “Had ourselves a little entertainment. That’s all.” She spurred her horse to a trot.

  So she thought he was a tasty treat and that’s it. Damnable woman! But he didn’t believe her for a second. Something was wrong and he aimed to find out what.

  He caught up with her and said, “My proposal stands.”

  Chapter 16

  Jake felt like a miserable fool as they rode into camp. Hell, she knew all along that he liked her. She cursed herself for her stupid mistake in thinking that he could love her. And for doing the deed. She’d gambled and lost, so she folded her cards.

  “Jake! Jake!” Teddy said as he ran toward her.

  She reined to a stop and dismounted. The boy threw his arms around her legs. “Come see Suzanne.” He grabbed her hand and pulled. “Whip made her a thing to put her leg on and now she can walk!”

  She pointed at one of the cowhands, then pointed to her horse.

  He jogged over and took the reins. “I’ll brush him down good.”

  “Thanks.”

  Teddy pulled her behind the chuckwagon. There stood the heifer, her back leg tied to two small boards with a little wheel on each side.

  “She likes to eat weeds, but Whip said we was gonna rope her mama and milk her.”

  The calf licked Teddy’s hand. “She thinks you’re her mama now.”

  “Garsh, Jake. I can’t be her mama. You gotta be a girl to be a mama."

  “Her papa, then.”

  He pursed his lips and nodded. “I’m gonna make sure she grows up big and strong, and I ain’t letting no one eat her, neither.”

  “That’s what cows are for.”

  “Not mine.”

  Jake patted the heifer on the head. “I’ll bet she gives us a strong calf every year.” She chucked Teddy on the cheek. “You’re taking mighty good care of her.”

  She left, thinking she’d talk Ben into signing a bill of sale over to the boy. Hell, each of the strays ought to have a few animals to take care of. They were old enough.