“Sugar, don’t be making me out to be a nice guy who’s going to whisk you off to the preacher man and promise you a house and kids. Nope, the law is looking for me and they have a rope with my name on it.”
Maybe that would keep her off the trail he didn’t want her pursuing, though he doubted it. She was a stubborn woman who saw way more than he wanted to reveal.
“Yeah, I know. But I don’t know of a single outlaw who would have buried a man and his son. Or said a prayer over their dead bodies. Or not taken advantage of me last night. You’re acting like a nice guy,” she said, staring at him, her sapphire eyes questioning.
Those blue eyes were way too knowing and curious. How could he throw her off the trail? How could he convince her he was one mean ass hombre?
“So do you want me to kill someone and prove to you that I’m an outlaw? Even an outlaw says prayers because we have a tendency to die younger than most men,” he said in such a flippant way that even he cringed.
“No, I don’t believe you. Most don’t say prayers because they know their soul is going straight to hell.”
“Well, I’m certainly glad Saint Peter put you here on earth to decide our fates.” His stomach burned like he’d eaten a bushel of jalapenos. Memories rushed at him. “You don’t know the reason why most men become outlaws. In my case, my family was forced off our farm. I followed my older brother’s footsteps.”
What he’d told her was the truth and yet there was so much more hidden in his words. How a family member could rip out your soul and leave you to die.
She frowned at him. “Where’s your brother now?”
He shrugged. “We parted ways years ago.”
Somehow he’d managed to stay alive after Jesse had all but vanquished him from the family. In the last few days, being with Annabelle had brought up so much of his anger at his past. Why did this fluff of a woman have him thinking of what he’d walked away from?
“When you parted ways why didn’t you give up being an outlaw?”
Though his mother had wanted him to, he’d never actually ridden with Frank and Jesse. He’d wandered the plains until he found a chance to get even with his brothers. “And do what?”
“Get another farm,” she said.
With surprise, he realized that he missed the farm. He’d been fifteen when they’d been forced to leave the farm. At first, he’d been happy that he no longer had the chores to do. But then he’d missed his animals. His mother had been devastated and his sisters got married and moved away. At first, Jesse had been a hero of the war, but slowly, his reputation as a ruthless killer had turned public sentiment against him. And with that rising tide of hate, the town had come to despise the family even though his mother had remarried years before.
Eventually, Beau had left town filled with anger at his brothers and left feeling rejected by the family. Until he found his current profession.
“Farming is a lot of hard work. Robbing a bank is easier.”
Hrmph. “Except that you’re stealing from someone and it’s against the law.”
He shrugged. “Not unless you get caught. I don’t plan on getting caught.”
She laughed. “Sugar,” she said mocking him. “You’re caught. You just won’t accept it yet.”
“You and what posse?” he asked, staring at her and wishing he could kiss that sweet, luscious mouth of hers and knowing that wouldn’t be a good idea. This woman fired his blood like no one else. Touching her mouth could send him over the edge. They’d soon come to with little or no clothes between them and his seed planted in her belly. No, she may not be an innocent, but he didn’t want any children without him there to help in their raising.
She opened her mouth to respond when he heard the sound of hooves behind them.
“Sh,” he said terror running along the edge of his spine at the sound of pounding hoofs on the hard ground.
“Don’t tell me to sh,” she replied, and then she heard the noise.
“Come on, let’s hide in the trees,” he told her, directing his horse off the path and into the bushes.
Quickly, he pulled them into a grove of trees that had enough brush to hide them and the horses. He jumped off his mount, pulling out his gun. Annabelle slid off her Mustang. Her saddle twisted and she stopped to tighten the cinch, not paying attention to the riders.
A flash of red hair beneath a black hat caught his attention and then a blonde wearing a calico dress. And a lawman rode down the trail. Oh no, it was her bounty hunter sisters and a sheriff. If she spotted them, he wouldn’t be able to keep her quiet. He had to distract her.
He would be as good as dead if her sisters caught him.
Shoving his gun, back in its holster, he grabbed Annabelle and planted his lips on hers. For a moment her body was tense, but then she relaxed in his arms as his mouth coaxed hers into opening for him.
He melded his mouth over hers, deepening the kiss. God, this woman tempted and teased him and made him ache with a longing he’d never realized until she’d thrust her way into his life. She reminded him of the gentler things in life. Of his home and family and he ached with longing for everything he’d lost. For the family he’d rode away from.
Right now the Harris gang could ride up on them and catch them in the act and he wouldn’t know. She wrapped her arms around his neck, giving into the kiss completely. He pulled her tight against his groin pushing his hardened dick into her, wanting her to know what she did to him. What had started out as a distraction for Annabelle, turned into a forest fire of need for him. He drank deeply from her lips, needing to feel more of her, wanting her naked and willing in his arms.
Danger surrounded them, yet he wanted nothing more than to take her here right now on the ground.
His hand slipped down to her breast to caress her full mound through her clothes. She moaned deep in her throat and it was all he could do not to rip the dress from her body. That sound was so enticing, so tempting and desire pushed all rational thought from his mind. All he wanted to do was lay Annabelle down on the soft ground and bury himself deep inside her.
Lose himself in her soft womanly folds. He raised her leg and wrapped it around his waist pushing his erection into her feminine core. Her breathing changed and she whimpered beneath his kiss.
She pushed her hands up, putting distance between them. Her breathing was harsh and jagged.
“What the hell are you doing?”
She dropped her leg from around his waist and walked a short distance from him. Her chest was rising and falling and he knew she’d been just as affected by that kiss as him. She put her hand to her mouth and touched it gingerly. Glancing out at the road, she asked, “Are you trying to get us killed?”
“No, but I thought if we were going to die, I wanted one last kiss.”
A frown crossed her forehead and she gazed out at the road like she was trying to understand. “Make certain that’s your last kiss. Because there won’t be anymore.”
He folded his arms across his chest and stared at her. “Why?”
The longer he could keep her away from the trail, the better his chances were of surviving this rendezvous with her sisters. They had to get further down the road where Annabelle couldn’t see them.
“Seems pretty obvious. You’re going to hang and I don’t want to become involved with a man whose time here on earth is short.”
He chuckled. “What if I wasn’t going to die?”
She turned and faced him. “You’re a devilishly, handsome man, but you’re wanted by the law and you’re off limits. No kissing. No touching. Nothing. Stay away from me, Beau.”
She whirled and started walking through the brush towards the path, like suddenly she realized he didn’t want her to know the riders.
“Where are you going? We need to stay hidden,” he called after her, hurrying to catch her.
But Annabelle didn’t slow down. When she reached the trail, she stared up and down. “Who were the riders, Beau? Was it the Harris gang?”
He shrugged. “Does it matter? I was too busy kissing you.”
She knelt down and glanced at tracks left from the riders. When she stood, he could see the fury flashing from her eyes as she hurried to her horse. “You Son of a bitch. That was my sisters. You weren’t kissing me because you wanted one last kiss. You were distracting me so I wouldn’t see them.”
Oh God, he was in trouble again. Nothing seemed to get past this woman. And he couldn’t let her go after them. He couldn’t let her yell or do anything that would attract attention. He needed her to calm down and stay with him.
“Now why would I do that? I’d just as soon turn you over to them and get you out of my hair so I could be on my way.”
“Because you knew they would have arrested you.”
She opened her mouth to yell and he covered her mouth with his hand. “Now stop and think about what you’re about to do. The Harris gang is probably not far behind us and then we’d have everyone here on top of us. There could be a shoot out and someone could die. Is that what you want?”
She bit his hand. Not hard, but enough that he yanked his hand back. “Damn you, woman. How did you know from looking at their tracks that was your sisters?”
“See, I knew you were trying to distract me.” She rubbed her mouth across her dress sleeve. “Damn cheating, lying man.”
“You didn’t answer me. How did you know that was them from looking at the tracks?”
“Why should I tell you? You just might use it against me.” She all but stomped back towards her horse. Her mouth was pinched and in the three days they’d been together, this was the angriest he’d made her. He needed to try harder. It was one way of keeping them from kissing.
“You shouldn’t have stopped me from seeing them. Now I can’t trust you.”
He squatted down and examined the tracks in the trail. One of the horses only had five nails in the horseshoe, while the others all had eight. She recognized the shoe tracks left by the horses. He couldn’t have fooled her.
Walking back to where she was climbing back up on her horse, he grabbed her horse's bridle and held him. “I have to get to that bank money before the Harris gang. Once we find the bank money and we reach Fort Worth, then I will take you to your sisters. And I’ll even give you the five hundred dollar reward money.”
Her eyes all but branded him with their flashing fire. “I won’t be bought off. I’ll earn my money the honest way. If you want to give me your money, that’s your choice. But I’ll still turn you in.”
“I just bet you would,” he said shaking his head.
Her forehead wrinkled in a frown. “Why is it so important that you reach Fort Worth?”
“I’ve got a sick aunt who needs the money for an operation back east,” he said, knowing it was a lie, but unable to tell her the truth.
She shook her head. “See, this is why I can’t trust you. That is a blatant lie. I’d rather you told me that you were going to gamble it away. Don’t lie to me.”
He sighed and took a deep breath. “I’m trying to protect you. You may not understand, but I can’t tell you everything without endangering you.”
“Like you haven’t already put me at risk me?”
God, she had a point, but he couldn’t tell her the truth without risking her life and he wanted to protect her. He liked this smart, sassy woman more than he should and it was going to get him killed.
“Maybe I owe another outlaw cash and he said, get it to me before the end of the month or your sister dies. Would you understand then?”
Once again, he was lying, but he couldn’t tell her everything. Not yet. And even then she was going to be madder than a rained on rooster.
“You’re air’n your lungs, but I’m not buying what you’re saying.”
He let go of her horse's bridle. “Let’s go before the Harris gang shows up. I’m not ready to die just yet.”
“I don’t want you dead, just yet. I’ve got to get paid for your bounty and the five hundred dollars cash you’re going to pay me. I’ll be a rich woman while you swing from a noose.”
Beau shook his head and then crawled up on his horse. “Damn, woman, you are one stubborn miss. No matter what I do it’s the wrong thing.”
She looked over at him and smiled, her blue eyes twinkling. “Glad to know I’m getting under your skin. Now you know how it feels.”
“If I didn’t think they would find you and kill you, I’d leave you at the next farmhouse and go on my merry way.”
“Do it,” she dared him. “I’ll leave and go find my sisters. We’d have you arrested before sunrise.”
He couldn’t win. And yet he enjoyed watching her try to outwit him. She was the only woman he’d ever met who could take what he gave her and give it back double. And it made him wonder how she’d respond when he made love to her.
Beau raised his eyes heavenward. “I know I’m a sinner, Lord, but please save me from this crazy woman.”
Shaking her head, she laughed and rode away. “You’re in so much trouble, Beau. You best be saying your prayers.”
Beneath his breath, he mumbled. “I am. Lord help me get out of this mess.”
Two hours later, sitting on their horses hidden behind trees and bushes, they watched as the Harris gang rode down the trail. As the dust settled, Annabelle heaved a sigh of relief. “I feel better with them in front of us.”
She’d feel even more relief when her sisters caught up with her. She felt better knowing they were actively searching for her. They’d located her, but Beau had hidden the two of them in the bushes. Well, she’d left them another little clue in the grass. Hopefully, they’d found her secrets pointing them in the direction of where she was headed. Hopefully, they’d come across her other clues.
“That just means they could be waiting for us around the next bend,” Beau said his eyes watching their backs disappear.
“Always have to spoil it for me, don’t you.” she said knowing now she wouldn’t feel safe.
He grinned at her. “Well, it’s the truth. We’ve got to remain alert until we reach Fort Worth.”
“And how long will that take?” she asked, knowing she wanted to find her sisters and go home as soon as possible. Beau Samuels was much too tempting a man. And he had a price on his head.
“At least four days. That’s if I can find the bank money quickly.”
“Another week with you.”
“Think about how much you’ll have to tell your sisters.”
Patting her horse on the neck she glanced at him, shaking her head. Oh, he thought telling her sisters was funny, but Annabelle knew differently.
“You have no idea what my sisters are capable of doing to you if they find you. They’ll hurt you if they think you’ve acted improper with me.”
“What if you act improper with me? Who’s going to protect me?” he asked.
She shook her head at him, feeling her body tense with frustration. “Beau Samuel, it would be wise for you to tighten your smart mouth. Your mother must have had a time with you.”
He shrugged and then turned his horse, heading deeper into the woods away from the trail. “I was probably her easiest son to raise. Her nicest one as well, though she never appreciated me.”
Beau led them in a northwesterly direction away from the trail and the Harris gang. Hopefully, they would continue north, but there was no guarantee. She glanced around looking for moving bushes or trees, wishing it was her sisters she would see, not the gunned wild bunch they’d just witnessed.
“How many brothers and sisters do you have?” she questioned.
“There were my two older brothers Frank and Jesse James, sisters Susan, Sarah, Fannie, and brother Archie Samuel.”
For a moment, Annabelle, felt her heart skip a beat at the realization, her lungs seized and she could hardly breath. “Are you telling me that Jesse James is your brother?”
He laughed. “Yes, ma’am. He’s my older half brother.”
“Oh, dear God,” she said. “Why
did you tell me? I can see why you wouldn’t want the world to know you were Jesse James’ brother. Why are you telling me?”
“I don’t know. You’re easy to talk to.”
“Does the gang know?”
He glanced over at her and smiled. “It’s not something that I share with everyone. No, they don’t know.”
She shook her head. “God, I’m certainly glad I choose you to follow out of the bank. Nothing like bringing down the wrath of the James clan when you hurt one of their own.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said with a laugh. “That’s why I’m grateful that Beauregard John Thomas Samuel is my name. I added on the Beauregard to keep people from connecting me to the Samuel family and therefore Jesse James.”
She shook her head, not understanding his connection to the James gang. “If you didn’t want to be recognized as a James brother, then why did you become an outlaw?”
He shrugged his shoulders like it was nothing and yet just from his actions, she knew she’d hit a nerve.
“It would be hard to be a good man and live in the shadow of your brother,” she said. “In fact, I’m sure your sisters were considered renegades as well.”
The movement was subtle, but she saw the way his hands clenched on the reins. “It was the hardest on our mother. She loved all her kids and still does. But when people turned against Jesse it broke her heart.”
“An outlaw family,” she said.
They were only words. Beau felt his stomach tighten, his mouth turn into a grimace and yet he couldn’t explain why to her. If you were a member of the James or the Samuel family, you were an outlaw. A wanted man, regardless. You were guilty before you committed any crimes.
“Let’s ride,” he said, clicking to his horse and urging him on. There was plenty of daylight left and he wanted to put a lot of country behind them. He’d come to Texas after leaving the family farm in Nebraska needing to put as much distance between them and his brother’s reputation.
Only now he longed to visit his mother, see his sisters, but would they accept him back into the fold after he’d put so much distance between them?
Lipstick and Lead Series: The Complete Box Set With a Bonus Book Page 43