by Bobbi Smith
"It was Will," he stated flatly as they started back toward their hotel.
"The man who was your deputy?"
He nodded, lost deep in thought, wondering how Will had come to be in Canyon Creek and why he'd chosen to talk about him to a whore. "It doesn't make sense that he was talking about me, unless there had been some talk of the Harris gang earlier in the evening and he just got too drunk to know what he was saying. It's strange, though. As long as I've known him, Will was always able to hold his liquor."
"What are you going to do about it?"
"There's not much I can do now. I'll just send him a wire and remind him that we were going to keep it quiet until the time was right. It was probably just a momentary lapse on his part. He's a good man."
"I'm sorry it had to happen, but I'm glad it's that easy to resolve for you. I'm also very glad that I got you out of the Mother Lode when I did."
He looked down at her, his mood lightening as he slanted her a wicked grin. "Why? Were you remembering your working days at the High Time?" He had a mental image of her as she'd looked those nights.
"No, I was remembering what women like Sissy like to do with their customers to earn their money." She tightened her grip possessively on his arm. "And if you're going to be anybody's customer, you're going to be mine, Gabe West-all mine."
"Sissy was a temptation," he teased, "but I like my saloon girl from the High Time the best." Trace was suddenly wishing they were back at the hotel already and not walking down the sidewalk in broad daylight. It wouldn't do for him to stop and take her in his arms right there in front of God and everybody-not that the thought didn't have appeal.
"I was hoping you'd say that." She gave him a smile that let him know that she was just as eager as he was to return to the hotel as quickly as possible.
They quickened their pace, glad that they hadn't checked out yet. It seemed to take an eternity to get back to the lobby. They managed to control their need until they'd made it up the stairs.
Elise was thankful that there was no one else in the hallway, for the moment they were out of sight of the lobby, Trace dragged her into his arms and kissed her. It was a powerful, hungry kiss, and she matched his desire. She'd wanted him desperately, ever since she'd watched the other woman flirting with him. When they broke apart, Trace unlocked his door.
They slipped inside his room, and before Elise could even speak, he began unfastening the buttons at the back of her dress. Elise couldn't wait to be free of the barrier of her clothes. As soon as he'd loosened the last button, she slipped out of the offending garment, took off her shoes and the rest of her underthings, and went into his arms. She started to unbutton his shirt, but he couldn't wait any longer to have her. He took off the glasses and tossed them aside. He wasted no time removing his own clothes. Lifting her, he turned and backed her against the wall. Freeing himself, he linked her legs around his waist and sought the sweet depths of her.
Their mating was a heated, frantic coupling. They strained together, desperate to give each other the ultimate pleasure of their union. When at last ecstasy burst upon them, they clung to each other, weak yet sated from the splendor of their loving.
Without speaking, Trace carried her to the bed. They lay together in enraptured silence, treasuring the fierce wildness of their passion.
"Will it always be like this?" Elise finally asked, her heart still pounding an erratic rhythm from the thrill of their joining.
"Yes, love, between us it will be. I promise," Trace said softly as he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips.
She sighed and relaxed against him, savoring his nearness, never wanting to let him go. She loved him.
They remained together, exploring each other with tender touches and sweet whispers until reality forced them to awareness.
"We'd better get up," Elise said reluctantly. She would have loved to stay in Trace's arms for all eternity, but she knew they could not hide there in the hotel room forever.
"I know," he agreed with less than _nthuseasm, rising over her to kiss her one last time.
She looped her arms around his neck and pressed herself against him.
It was a gesture of wanton innocence, and one that forced Trace to move away from her-quickly.
"Trace?"
"Darling, if you keep kissing me like that, we'll never get back to Durango."
She gave him a seductive smile. "Would that be so bad?"
Trace was tempted. His body was certainly urging him to return to her side and spend the rest of the day loving her, but he forced himself to discipline his wayward desires. "There's nothing I'd like to do more than make love to you for hours on end."
"I'd like that, too," she sighed, slowly getting up and moving to pick up her hastily discarded clothes.
"Need any help getting dressed?" he offered, his eyes glowing with the rising heat of his barely controlled need.
"No. You just stay right where you are, or we may never get out of town."
He knew she was right, so he stayed across the room from her. Still, he did manage to enjoy every minute of watching her slip back into her clothing. Only when she was finally fully dressed did he allow himself to go near her again.
"Is that better?" Elise asked as he crossed the room.
"No, it's not better, but I guess it wouldn't do for you to take the stage to Durango dressedor should I say, undressed-the other way."
She smiled up at him, thrilling to the newly discovered power of her femininity. "It all depends. If there were only the two of us onboard the stage..."
Trace drew a ragged breath at the thought and donned the spectacles. "I'll finish packing and meet you at your room."
"I'll be waiting." Elise let herself out. She was smiling as she returned to her own room and gathered her few things together.
A short time later Trace was there, looking very Gabe-like. They paid their bills at the front desk and then headed for the telegraph office.
"Can I help you, sir?" the operator asked.
"I need to send a wire to Sheriff Will Campbell in Eagle Pass."
"Here you go," the man pushed a pad of paper and a pencil toward him. "Just write out what you want me to send."
It took Trace only a minute to jot down the few lines.
Sheriff Will Campbell-
Regarding our private conversation in your back office, the information discussed there was to remain confidential A recent report out of Canyon Creek seems to indicate otherwise. If there is a problem, you can reach me in Durango.
Gabriel West
"This is everything," Trace said, handing the operator back the paper.
"I'll get it out right away for you. That'll be two bits."
Trace paid him.
"Thank you, Mr. West."
They left the office and went to the stage depot. The next stagecoach was leaving for Durango in less than an hour.
"Will you be riding back on your own, or will you ride with me?" Elise asked in all innocence.
Trace's eyes darkened as he remembered her idea for an enjoyable trip back in the stage. "I'll ride with you," he said in a low voice, letting her know that he hadn't forgotten her words.
She blushed and turned away as she tried to collect her thoughts. Elise had always prided herself on being in control of her emotions at all times. But with Trace, she was finding that she had become a creature of the flesh. He had only to look at her, and she was weak with wanting him. She had always known that when she fell in love it would be wonderful, and it was. She had never dreamed it would be so exciting.
Trace went to get his horse from the livery and settle his bill there, then returned to meet her at the depot. His hopes were soaring as he found that Elise was the only person waiting there for the stagecoach. His gaze met hers as he rode up, and heat settled low in his body as he imagined the long, private, uninterrupted ride back to Durango.
"It seems we're destined to meet at stage depots," Elise told him as he came to join her where she was awaiting
the stage's arrival.
"It's the ride home I'm looking forward to," he said in a voice meant only for her to hear.
Elise tried to ignore the way her pulse quickened at his words, but there was no way. Just his very nearness set her heart to racing. She wanted to reach out and touch him, to kiss him and caress him. She brought herself up short, forcing herself to think of other things-of her grandmother and Andy and the office and how blue the sky was.
"The weather certainly is nice today, don't you think?" she asked, deliberately trying to distract herself and him.
"It won't matter what the weather is like once we're alone in the stage," he said quietly.
It was then that they heard the stagecoach pulling in, and the sexual tension between them grew even more intense. In a matter of minutes they were going to board the stage, and then they were going to be alone on it for hours. The thought left Elise positively breathless, for she knew that once they were back in Durango they would have little or no time for intimacy. There would be no privacy for them.
They shared a look of longing and desire as the stage rumbled ever nearer. Soon, very soon...
And then the stage pulled to a stop before them. The door opened and three of the four passengers descended. One little old lady remained on board.
"You can go ahead and get in," the driver called down to them. "Mrs. Warson is going all the way to Durango with us."
Elise and Trace exchanged disappointed glances as their excited anticipation died a painful death. Trace handed Elise into the stage, making sure he didn't take her by the waist to lift her in. He wasn't sure he would be able to let go of her if he touched her that way. Elise couldn't believe how disappointed she was that they were going to be so thoroughly chaperoned for the entire trip.
"Good afternoon," she said as she settled in opposite the woman.
"Hello, dear," the old lady greeted her happily. "I'm Mrs. Warson."
"I'm Elise, and this is Gabe," Elise responded.
Trace climbed in and sat down beside Elise. The coach was so small, there was no avoiding contact with her, and he found his leg pressed thigh to thigh with hers. He wanted to groan in misery at the torment he knew awaited him for the next few hours, but he controlled the urge. He smiled at the little old lady.
"Are you two married?" Mrs. Warson asked quickly, eyeing them with interest.
"No, we're not," Elise answered, glancing up at Trace. "Gabe and I work together."
"Ali," Mrs. Warson said knowingly.
Suddenly, Elise feared that her emotions had been too easy to read, but she said nothing more. She tried not to think about the hard heat of Trace's thigh pressed so tightly against her own. She tried not to think about the long, hot exciting hours they'd just passed in each other's arms. She stared out the window, wondering if there was any way the driver could make the trip in half an hour instead of three or four.
"I'm going to see my grandchildren in Durango," Mrs. Warson chirped. "I haven't seen them in almost a year, and my son just invited me to come and stay with them for a whole month."
"That's wonderful," Elise and Trace agreed. They were miserable, but they made sure it didn't sound in their voices.
From there on, Mrs. Warson performed a monologue, telling them everything they had never wanted to know about her life and her grandchildren and the scenery and the way the stage was so uncomfortable as it hit every bump-although Trace himself was rather enjoying the bumps, for they brought him closer to Elise. Neither Elise nor Trace had to worry about making witty conversation with the woman. They couldn't have gotten a word in edgewise if they'd wanted to. Finally, after a good solid hour of her ramblings, the elderly lady nodded off.
Elise was afraid to take a deep breath for fear that it might wake her and start her chatting endlessly again. She glanced up at Trace to find him giving her a knowing, humorous look. She reached out and gently covered Trace's hand with her own.
Trace had managed to lose himself in the elderly woman's ramblings, but at the touch of Elise's hand, his carefully banked desire threatened to reignite. He lifted her hand to his lips to press one sweet kiss to it, his gaze meeting hers as he did so.
Their eyes locked, and they each knew the others most heartfelt need. Elise gave him a trembling smile and withdrew her hand. They sat quietly together, neither of them speaking for fear of rousing their companion, remembering the last twenty-four hours and enjoying the simple contact that they were allowed in the close confines of the coach.
They began to think that the trek would never end, and they were relieved when at dusk the coach arrived in town a little behind schedule. Providence had been looking out for them, though, for Mrs. Warson had managed to sleep for a good two hours, at least giving them some peace and quiet.
"Maybe one day we can take another trip, and we'll be the only passengers," Trace said to Elise as he held out his hand to her to help down. Mrs. Warson had already been met by her family and had disappeared down the street with them.
"I think I'd like that," she said sweetly, deliberately leaning into him as he aided her descent.
Trace let her sweet body slide down the length of his as he helped her down. He knew it was a mistake, but he didn't care. Now that they were back to Durango, things would have to be different.
"Shall we stop at Marshal Trent's office before we take you home? Your grandmother's not expecting you at any particular time, is she?"
"No. I didn't say when I'd be returning in the note I left her."
Trace was very tempted to take her home with him that night, but he knew better. Her reputation was on the line. He would not do anything to harm her.
"Then let's talk to the marshal. We need to fill him in on everything so we can start making our plans for when Harris shows up."
Trace left instructions at the depot for his horse and their luggage to be delivered to the Star's office, and then they headed off to speak with the lawman.
Jared Trent sat at his desk in the marshal's office, enjoying the fact that it had been a very quiet day. Nothing illegal or dangerous had gone on, and he was grateful. A little peace and quiet was a wonderful thing. He heard voices outside and looked up to see Gabe West and Elise Martin coming into his office.
"Evening. I didn't expect to see you two tonight. Last I heard, you were in Canyon Creek."
"We just got back into town and came straight here to talk to you. We're just glad you're here tonight," Trace told him.
"Is there some kind of trouble?" Trent wets instantly alert, fearful that something might have happened down at the Star's office. "Did you find something out about the Harris gang or Sheriff Jackson?" He had learned from Andy why the two of them had left town.
"No-at least, not yet," Trace began. "Are we alone? We've got a few things to tell you that need to be kept quiet."
"I'm the only one here. There's one deputy on duty, and he's out making the rounds. What can I do for you?" He looked expectantly from Gabe to Elise.
"There's something you need to know," Trace began slowly.
"Gabe is really Trace Jackson, Marshal Trent," Elise finished for him.
Jared's expression betrayed his shock. "You're Jackson?"
Trace nodded. "I was left for dead in the ambush. Only two people knew I'd survived. I kept it quiet so I could have an advantage on Harris when I'd recovered enough to go after him."
"No wonder you knew exactly what to do with Farnsworth!" He was grinning as he rose from his desk to shake hands with Trace. "I'm damned glad to meet you, and damned glad you survived the ambush."
"So am I," he answered. "Elise heard from Ben that the word was out in Canyon Creek that I was alive. I'm sure you saw her special edition of the Star"
"It's been the talk of the town for the last couple of days, but no one even suspects it could be you."
"Good, and we want to keep it that way," Trace said fiercely. "Here's what we'd like to do, but we're going to need your help."
Elise explained their tentat
ive plan to use the news of royalty and jewels to draw the Harris gang into the area.
"Have you talked to your grandmother or George about this yet?" the marshal asked.
"No, you were our first stop. We just got to town on the late stage."
"I think it will work, but only if we're very careful," Jared said, trying to calculate the danger involved.
"I don't want anyone else to die at their hands," Trace stated flatly, his determination unyielding.
"How many people are going to know the truth about you, Sheriff Jackson?"
"Just call me Trace, but better yet, we ought to stick with Gabe until this is all over."
Jared nodded in agreement.
"We'll have to tell my grandmother and George and Andy," Elise said. "They should be the only ones who really need to know. To everyone else, he'll remain Gabe until this is all over."
"And the end can't come soon enough for me," Jared told them. "I've been waiting a long time for the chance to see this gang brought to justice."
"Let's do it," Trace said.
"We can run a special edition about the `royalty' and their fabulous jewels coming through town," Elise said.
"Then it's a matter of waiting and praying that Harris hears about it and comes after them. We'll have to be ready and watching for them," Jared pointed out.
"Don't worry. We will be," Trace declared.
The two men shook hands on it.
"How soon do you want to pull this off?"
"Next week?" Elise suggested.
"We'll be ready. Just let me know the details as soon as you've worked them out."
"We will."
They left the marshals office and went straight to Elise's home. They were delighted to find that George was there with Claire.
Claire looked suitably upset with her granddaughter as Elise came through the door.
"Well, young lady, I hope you have something to say for yourself," she huffed. "Do you know how worried I've been?"
George reached over and patted her hand to calm her. "We have been concerned about you, Elise."
Elise managed to look a bit chagrined, but answered, "I think once you've have heard what we've got to say, you'll understand why I did what I did."