Town Social

by Simmons, Trana Mae

  Teddy shifted sideways and laid her head on Sunny's leg. A moment later, her even breathing told Sunny the tiny girl slept.

  Jake kneed his stallion closer to the buggy. "If you want," he said quietly, "I can tie Dusty to the back of the buggy and drive for you. Then you can rest, too."

  Sunny mentally measured the width of the buggy seat and knew instantly how crowded it would be with Jake's large body sharing the space. "Oh, no. No, that's not necessary," she hastily hedged. "Uh . . . Teddy's sleeping on the seat, and I don't want to disturb her. And I'm not tired at all. It was a wonderful day."

  She caught herself frowning. "Well, most of it anyway, after that horrible man left the ranch. Mary's son was worried that Miller might come back. You don't think he will, do you, Jake?"

  "I very much doubt he wants to tangle with me again," Jake assured her. "That's part of what my presence is for around here — an attempt to keep the crime down. And despite what I'll admit were a couple blots on Ranger history, it's not just me personally who scares the sh . . . uh . . . who scares the outlaw element in the area into giving Liberty Flats a wide berth. It's the fact they know if they harm a Ranger, they'll have every other Ranger in Texas after their law-breaking hides until they're caught and punished."

  "I see," Sunny mused.

  And she did for a change, although she didn't completely agree with his assessment of it not being him personally who installed the fear of reprisal in the bad guys — not after seeing him at work today. She'd sure as heck hate to be the bad guy a Texas Ranger was after, if the rest of them were anything like Jake. She shivered just a little as she recalled his furious face and tensed, ready-for-action stance as he watched Miller ride away from Mary's ranch.

  But she still didn't understand why he couldn't at least help a little with the repair work. After all, he would be visible to practically everyone in town if he would join in. In fact, he'd be about the most visible man there, given his height and the breadth of his shoulders. He certainly had the muscles for the hard labor it took to saw the timbers into the right lengths and lift them into place — hold them until they were secured. He'd had no trouble punching the devil out of a man who outweighed him by as much as Miller did.

  That funny little sensation she noticed once in a while when she was near him tickled in her belly, and she unconsciously pressed one palm against the stirring. She only realized what she'd done when the sensation trickled downward — and upward, into her breasts. Suppressing a gasp of dismay, she jerked her hand back to the reins . . . where you should have stayed to begin with, she silently admonished her errant appendage.

  Lights shown in some of the town's buildings as they approached the house she shared with her aunt. She couldn't quite call it home yet, because she was continuing to contemplate whether she should return to St. Louis — taking Teddy with her, of course. She still hadn't uncovered the solution to the other mystery, either — the identity of her father. She was about ready to start making some more pointed inquiries, since her vague attempts at questioning some of the other townspeople hadn't borne fruit.

  Most of the stores on the main street should have been closed by now, except for the saloons, but Sunny saw a light in the doctor's office and even Ruth's store appeared to be open yet. Perhaps Ruth had a late customer. She couldn't see any of the other few residences in town from here, since they were scattered here and there behind the businesses. During the week, she'd come to realize the few townspeople who hadn't built living quarters into their stores, as Ruth had, maintained houses elsewhere. She'd visited a couple of the houses this past week, once to have tea with the twittery banker's wife, Cathy Percival. For some reason Sunny had been designated the spokesperson to talk some sense into Cathy, who was horrified that the other women in town had accepted Ginny McAllister into their newly-formed Women for Cultural Advancement group.

  Sunny chuckled when she recalled Cathy's haughty dignity crumbling when Sunny shrugged her shoulders and told her that she truly hoped Cathy didn't pine away with loneliness while the other women in town were so busy. Now, although Cathy and Ginny would never be bosom friends, Cathy was an avid supporter of their plans. She'd even ordered her husband to subscribe to several of the weekly newspapers from Dallas and further East, so they could scan them for mention of performers they might entice to Liberty Flats.

  Twilight lingered yet as she pulled the buggy horse to a halt at her house, and Jake dismounted. Leaving his own stallion's reins trailing, he tied the buggy horse's lead rope to the fence around the front yard. Approaching the side of the buggy, he held up his arms. Sunny lifted Teddy and placed her in his hold.

  "If you'll carry her in, I'll be right behind you," she told him.

  Jake regarded her for an instant, one corner of his mouth uptilted, but he shrugged and carried the sleeping Teddy toward the house. Sunny wrapped her skirts to the side and managed to get one leg on the buggy step. Then she made the mistake of glancing after Jake. His powerful thighs flexed in his close-fitting denims, and the material tightened across his rump as he climbed the steps to the porch. Her foot slipped, and Sunny tumbled from the buggy, cursing in a very unlady-like manner under her breath and thankful Jake didn't hear her skirt rip on something. Sprawled on the ground, she saw he'd gone on into the house.

  Why the hell couldn't that man wear looser clothing?

  ***

  Chapter 10

  By the time Sunny got to Teddy's room, Jake was gently assisting a groggy Teddy into her nightgown. He glanced up as Teddy stuck her head through the neck of the gown.

  "Figured this was her room," he said softly. "One door was closed, and the other room looked like it was yours. Besides, this one had the doll in it."

  Sunny flushed when she recalled she'd left a few of her underthings strewn around her room that day. She wasn't the neatest person anyway and, due to Teddy's insistence they finish the book they were reading this morning, lessons had run overlong. She'd barely had time to fix lunch and get to the Cultural Center at the agreed-upon time.

  "It's her room," she managed, pushing the vision of those whiskey eyes scanning her private underthings out of her mind. "Are you going to want a cup of coffee?"

  "If it's not too much bother. I've still got a long evening ahead of me."

  "I'll see if Aunt Cassie left any. If not, I'll start a fresh pot."

  On the way to the kitchen she firmly pulled the door to her room closed. The stove was still warm. Stirring up the embers, she added a couple pieces of wood, then checked the coffeepot. Having become somewhat familiar with Cassie's habits, she wasn't surprised to find the pot still half full. She placed it over a burner to warm as Jake entered the kitchen.

  "Teddy's back to sleep," he said. "I didn't know if you usually heard her prayers in the evenings, but she was so tired I didn't think I ought to wake her completely."

  Cassie appeared behind Jake, a fierce scowl on her face. "I find it highly improper for you to be entertaining a man alone in my house at this hour of the night," she said, ignoring Jake. "And where have you been all afternoon?"

  Unwilling to start a spat with her aunt in front of Jake but unable to quench the desire to defend herself, Sunny said with a huge sigh, "I'm not entertaining Jake. He was kind enough to escort me on an errand for our women's group, and I'm just offering him a cup of coffee. Besides, we're not alone with you in the house."

  "Harumph. Well, you might consider leaving word as to your goings on. Ruth came by here a while ago looking for you. She seemed agitated about something, and I would have thought she'd have known where you were. If your absence had, as you say, something to do with that silly group you and she formed."

  "I don't appreciate your insinuation that I'm lying," Sunny responded with gritted teeth, sending Jake an apologetic look. Then Cassie's words sank in. "What do you mean, Ruth was agitated? Did something happen?"

  Cassie sniffed disdainfully. "I didn't ask. I was already perturbed with her for dragging me over to that building th
is morning when I went into her store for a few things."

  Sunny shoved the coffeepot to the back of the stove, releasing it quickly when she realized the handle had already almost become hot enough to burn her palm.

  "Teddy's asleep," she tossed at her aunt as she hurried from the kitchen. "I'll be back after I find out what Ruth wanted."

  Cassie muttered something she couldn't quite make out but Sunny kept going. A second later she heard Jake's footsteps behind her. He took her arm, forcing her to slow her steps.

  "It's getting dark," he said. "Be careful, or you'll fall again."

  "I didn't think you saw me tumble out of the buggy," Sunny admitted.

  "Figured your petticoats had cushioned you. And how's your hand? Or does it just not take you long to look at a coffeepot?"

  Sunny couldn't quell her giggle, and she shook her head. "You don't miss much, do you?"

  Jake pulled her to a halt. "As long as we're being honest with each other . . ." He tugged her deeper into the shadows beneath the walkway overhang. "I'm finding out that every one of my senses is completely attuned to every little move you make, Sunny Fannin. What the hell are you doing to me?"

  "I'm not . . . uh . . . Ruth . . ."

  His lips cut off her stammering. Gently he nibbled at her, and she clenched her fingers on his shirt. She'd been kissed before, but never like this. He coaxed, teased and nibbled, barely brushing her lips with his and making her yearn with all her might for him to deepen the kiss — the kisses. Her swimming senses had already lost count of how many times he feathered his mouth against hers.

  Even with her eyes closed she knew when he started to pull away. Maybe she missed the feel of his breath on her cheek. Gripping his shirt tighter, she raised herself on tiptoe and silently demanded he continue.

  Jake complied. This time he took her mouth fully, wrapping one large hand behind her head to hold her in place. He needn't have bothered, since she had absolutely no desire to end the embrace. Desire had a totally different meaning right then. It sang through her, making each and every inch where their bodies pressed together long to get closer.

  A soft brush against the back of her hand made her realize her arms were around his neck, her fingers close enough to find out whether his black hair was as silky as she'd imagined. It was. She threaded her fingers through it, feeling his fingers respond and weave into her hair.

  A deep groan escaped his throat, rumbling from his mouth to hers, catching and mixing with the whimper emerging from within her. She flicked her tongue to try to capture the elusive sound, and instead felt the erotic slide of Jake's tongue against hers. For a bare instant Jake cupped her hip with his free hand and pulled her against him. Before the craving in her center had more than a chance to realize this was what it had been yearning for, he pushed her away, leaning his forehead against hers.

  "Jesus God, Sunny," he growled. "I've never before in my life wanted a woman as bad as I want you right now!"

  She pulled back an inch or so. "As long as we're being honest with each other . . ."

  "Don't say it!" he demanded. "Don't you dare! Hell, I'm gonna have to go over to the stable and jump in a horse trough now before I can face Ruth and see what's going on!"

  "A horse trough?" Sunny asked with a frown. "Full of water?"

  "Yeah," he replied with a sardonic chuckle. "And after this hot day, I doubt very much the water will be cold enough to do me any good."

  "Good for what?"

  "If I showed you for what right now, Miss Innocence, we'd both be on one of those cots in the jailhouse within the next five seconds." He reached up and caressed her cheek. "You do know what would happen on that cot, don't you?"

  Sunny stepped away from him. "Oh! Oh, I didn't mean . . . I mean, I've been kissed before but...well, I've never had anything like this happen. And I have no intentions of going with you to the jailhouse. And I'm sorry if you've misread something. I didn't realize . . ."

  Jake clamped his palm across her mouth, stilling her babbles. "I've been kissed before, too," he whispered. "And I've done a lot more than that — which is exactly what I'd like to do with you right now."

  Sunny's entire body began sagging as though some sort of weight were pulling at her. The only time she could remember having any similar feeling was when she'd fallen into the pond and had to stumble to shore, her sodden clothing dripping with water and dragging against her. Her breast tips prickled, as though responding to the chill of the water, but she knew her bodice was completely dry.

  "Uh . . ." She licked her still-moist lips, trying to ignore the lingering taste of him, and mentally ordered her body to straighten itself. "Ruth. We need to go see what Ruth wanted."

  "And it's a damned good thing we do have to do that," Jake said with a grunt as he squared his own shoulders. "Let's get the hell going."

  He started off ahead of her, and Sunny hastened after him. Her shoe heel caught in a crack, and she tried to stifle her gasp as she stumbled. She heard him sigh, and a second later, he came back and slipped an arm around her waist. Sunny immediately shook free.

  "I only need your arm to hang onto," she said primly. When she heard the tone of her voice, she mentally shook her head. Sure, now she turned prudish! A minute ago, she was holding onto every part of him she could reach! And enjoying every hard, masculine inch she touched.

  Realizing she was standing there dumbfounded while these thoughts raced through her head, she slipped a look through her eyelashes at Jake. The shadow from his hat brim partially concealed the grin on his face, but she knew immediately he wasn't accepting this prissy turnabout on her part as an undisputed fact. With a suppressed chuckle, he held out his arm.

  "Well, as you said, it's rather dark out here," she said in an effort to prick the circle of silence, which appeared to surround only the two of them.

  "Yeah. And dark places can be dangerous. I wouldn't want you to get hurt."

  Hurt, she mused silently as she caught the double entendre. Tucking her hand in the crook of his arm, she started on down the walkway beside him. Yes, there could be a world of hurt waiting for her in the darkness if she allowed herself to be alone there with Jake Cameron. Look what had happened this time — the very first time she'd been with him without prying eyes to chaperon their togetherness.

  Despite the fact her body appeared to think differently, he wasn't her type at all. Could her body actually have separate feelings from what her rational mind told it to feel?

  It evidently could, because her rational mind told her Jake Cameron was a rambler, a man who couldn't wait to get on to his next risky assignment. Hadn't she heard from Wanda Turley that Jake got as surly as a hungry alligator after his weekly telegrams from Austin, which continued to order him to remain in Liberty Flats for the time being? And he claimed as his best friend a man Sunny thought truly detestable, should her suspicions prove true.

  But her body — or that portion of her mind her body evidently communicated with on quite a different basis — was wondering just what would have happened on the jailhouse cot. Wondering if the sensations in her body were building up to something even sweeter and more thrilling than she had been feeling in the dark shadows of the walkway.

  Jake held the door of the general store open, and she went in, calling for Ruth. When no one answered, she glanced at Jake with a frown.

  "There weren't any lights on in their living quarters upstairs," Jake said. "And I don't like the fact that the store's unlocked this late with no one here. I doubt most people in town would walk in and help themselves, but you never know what might happen if someone with a few drinks in them and clouded judgement wanders by."

  "Could they be in the storeroom?" Sunny forced out. "Injured or . . . or worse?"

  "I doubt it," Jake assured her. "Your aunt said Ruth was upset earlier, so whatever's going on happened while we were on our way back to town from Mary's. I think we should check with Doc Butler."

  "The doctor? Oh Lord! Let's go!"

  He caught h
er as she passed, slowing her and tucking her hand back beneath his arm. "Doc might not have time for another patient tonight, if you have another clumsy spell."

  Too worried about Ruth to give his gibe much thought, she clenched her fingers on his arm and tugged, urging him to hurry. Familiar with the town now, she headed down the walkway steps and across the street to Doc Butler's office beside the jailhouse. She resolutely angled her path to take her directly up the steps in front of the doctor's office, instead of having to pass the jail with those cots inside.

  Ruth stood talking to the chubby doctor when they entered the office, and she turned a tear-streaked, red-rimmed-eyed face to Sunny. Sunny flew across the room to enfold her.

  "Oh, Ruth. Ruth, what's happened?"

  Sniffing, Ruth drew back. "Didn't Cassie tell you?"

  "No. She only said you were agitated about something."

  "Agitated?" Ruth shook her head and curled her lips in disgust. "I just don't understand why Cassie's become like she has. Why . . ."

  "Ruth," Sunny interrupted. "Don't worry about my aunt right now. What's happened?"

  "Fred," Ruth said on a choked sob. "The ladder step broke, and he fell. There . . . there was a chair there, and he hit it. His arm's broken, and besides that, one of the pieces that splintered on the chair stabbed into his shoulder."

  "My God!" Sunny's eyes flew to the doctor.

  "He's going to be fine," Doc Butler said. "Well, as long as no infection sets into the wound on his shoulder. But I'm pretty sure I got all the splinters out, though it took me quite a while."

  "Can I see him?" Sunny asked. "I need to tell him how sorry I am about this."

  Doc shook his head. "Won't do you any good right now. He's sleeping off the ether I gave him, so I could set his arm and pick out those splinters."