Compromised Cowgirl (22 page)

“How is that going?” asked Beth.

“He’s making up for lost time,” said Amelia, blushing.

* * * *

Jessie blinked at Beth and Amelia. Her head buzzed, but in a good way. She put her empty glass down, almost missing the table, and leaned back. She didn’t know women could talk openly about sex the way men did. She finally had someone who might understand how she felt.

“I used to think Henry was sweet. He likes to do special things for me, like finding a pretty rock and putting it by my plate at supper. He doesn’t say anything, but I know.”

“You’re right, that is sweet,” said Amelia. “Nevin brought me flowers the first morning.” Her eyes sparkled. “But it was really an excuse to catch me sleeping. Naked.”

“Why don’t you think Henry’s sweet anymore?”

Jessie gulped at answering Beth’s question. She squared her shoulders and spoke the truth. “He’s still sweet during the day and when the others are around, but when it’s only the two of us, he gets a bit possessive.”

Beth rolled her eyes. “Don’t they all! What about Sin?”

“He’s the biggest, with the widest chest and long fingers. He’s really, really good with his fingers and tongue.” She thought for a moment. “Henry’s pretty darn good as well.”

“Does the rest of their body match?” asked Beth.

“Big men, big feet, big cocks,” chanted Amelia.

“And big, cold feet,” laughed Beth. “What about Ace?”

“Ace sees me as an equal in bed. He likes to cuddle after.”

“I don’t think you want to know about your brothers,” said Beth. “But I love them all, and I’m happier than I could ever imagine.”

“I never knew what love was, until I fell for Ross, then Nevin, and Gil.” Amelia sighed. She met Beth’s glance and shared a smile.

“How do you know that you love them?” asked Jessie quietly. “I haven’t seen love since my parents died. I don’t know how it feels.”

“How do you feel when Ace is near? Do you want to kiss him?”

“Yes, but at the same time I also want to smack him half the time.”

“Sounds like love.” Amelia and Beth shared a laugh.

“Jessie, you would not have let Ace into your body unless you loved him,” said Beth gently. “Before they all left tonight, Ranger told us how you looked at Ace, and Sin and Henry, when you didn’t think anyone saw you. And they look at you the same. Wanting, but not sure if you want them.”

“Sin was the only one who would come near me for three weeks. He rubbed my back a couple of times at the beginning. After that, he kept away as well.”

“Hon,” said Beth, “Sin was the only one who knew you weren’t a boy. That first time he rubbed your back? He did it to see if you had bindings on. Then he came to Trace to ask permission to court you, so Ace could marry you. He knew you were suited, just as Ranger did.”

“I realize now that Ranger set me up to find a husband he approved of, but I can’t believe Trace knew and let me stay.”

“Sin promised you would not be touched while you worked there.”

“I wasn’t. It was only after, when I went swimming at the hot spring, and Ace found me.” Jessie flushed at the memory. “That was the first time he realized I was female.”

“What do you think about him as a husband?”

“He said I could stay at the ranch as long as I followed orders, but he would never, ever marry a woman like me. Because I’m not a lady.”

“That was his fear talking, hon,” said Beth. “Those men love you as much as you do them. They just aren’t ready to admit to it yet. And you are every inch a lady.”

Amelia held out her glass. “Sisters?”

Jessie’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. She bit her lip. She nodded and held out her glass. “I always wanted a sister.”

“Next on the list is to build you a home,” said Beth.

“A home?” Jessie blinked.

“Someplace where you can feel safe and loved. Where you can surround yourself with whatever you want.” Amelia pointed to the front room. “I have my sister’s lace and quilt pictures.”

“I love the wonderful drawings Amelia made of Trace and James,” added Beth. “And my children, James and Bridie and Meggie—”

“Daniel, Hope and this little one,” continued Amelia.

Jessie looked at their bellies. She might be growing a child of her own already. She gulped.

“If I had to do all the work I do, but for someone else, especially without pay, I would hate it as much as you do,” said Beth. “But I love my home, my men, and my children. I’m happy caring for them. Just as Trace, Simon and Jack are happy to care for us.”

“I’m not as good at this home-making yet,” said Amelia ruefully. “But Auntie is such a help, and Daniel as well.”

“I couldn’t do it without Meggie and Bridie,” said Beth. “We’re a family, working together, each doing what we’re best at.”

“I’m the best cowboy on the Double Diamond,” said Jessie.

“When we design your home, we’ll make sure to make a place for a housekeeper,” concluded Beth. “That way you’ll have someone to do those things you’d rather not. You could hire a woman who would have no place to go otherwise.”

“I never thought of that,” said Jessie. She slurred her words a bit.

“I think it’s time we find our beds,” said Beth.

“With no men in sight for once, we’ll get to sleep all night,” said Amelia smugly.

“Unfortunately.”

Chapter Twenty

“Tell that damn woodpecker to use a tree instead of my head.”

Sin’s yell bounced around in Ace’s head like a billiard ball. He groaned. The tapping continued. Ace opened one eye halfway. He carefully shifted his head toward the door. Yes, the noise came from that direction.

“Whatever you want, go away,” he called out.

“Get up. The horses are saddled and ready to go.”

“Jessie?” After years of moderation and control, Ace no longer had a head for whiskey. However, a man doesn’t refuse toasts from his new brothers, especially with the last of his good whiskey. He ran his tongue over his teeth and wished he hadn’t.

“Gillis said I’m not allowed in the cabin unless you’re awake, alert and decent. He came home hours ago.”

The rope bed fought back as Ace tried to stand. He looked down. Yes, he had pants on. He was awake enough to stand, and dressed enough to be called decent. Alert was another thing, but he could fake that.

“Come on in,” called Sin from the other end of the bed. The man easily rolled to his feet. He wavered a moment, wincing at the light. Sin might get a headache after a night of drinking, but it never affected his stomach.

Jessie opened the door and took three steps. She stopped, wrinkled her nose, and looked around the room. She stomped over to the stove and grabbed the empty stew pot and metal spoon. Ace covered his ears, but it didn’t do any good. She clanged them together so loud it would wake everyone in Tanner’s Ford. Hell, in
Bannack
City
!

“Get a wiggle on, boys. Light’s a’ wasting.”

Henry crawled down the ladder from the loft. “Where are your brothers?”

“Out working, like you should have been an hour ago.” She clanged the pot lid again. “Are you man enough to work today, or are you so hungover you’re going to embarrass me?”

“Did you decide to marry me after all?” Ace met her eyes across the room. “I want to know if I’ve wasted a good morning-after drunk.”

Jessie stomped over to the bed. Each footstep, complete with the jingle of spurs, reverberated around his skull a few times before leaking out his ears. She narrowed her eyes and glared up at him.

“I’ll be at the wedding.” She growled like a hungry bear. “But only because I want my horse back!”

She poked him in the gut and stomped back out. She tossed the spoon and lid on the stove on the way past. As a final wake-up call, she slammed the door.

Sin laughed so hard his shoulders shook. He leaned sideways and fell back on the bed, still chortling.

“What is it you find so amusing, dear boy?” Ace looked around the room for his boots.

“That is one damn fine woman.”

“I beg to differ. She epitomizes everything I dislike in a wife.”

“That so?” Sin rolled to his feet again. The motion caused Ace’s stomach to roll. “Then why are you marrying her?”

“Because when I found out she was female, I was so damn horny I grabbed her offer and took her virtue!”

“Ah!” Sin and Henry exchanged shrugs. “We thought it was because you wanted her brains, her abilities, her horse and her inheritance. And her body, of course.”

Ace blinked at Sin. “What inheritance?”

“Ranger and the others thought they’d have to make their own way north and move in with the Rocking E if they wanted to escape The MacDougal. But when Jessie turned twenty-one, she found out her grandmother was the only Bonham left. Mrs. Bonham said the four youngest Elliotts would get an inheritance. But there was a catch.”

“There’s always a catch,” said Henry. “Especially when there’s a rich harpy in the picture.”

Ace winced in memory of Henry’s wealthy Aunt Ophelia. The slightest hint of weakness, and she could flay skin with her acid tongue.

“Only if Jessie proved she was a lady would she see a penny. That meant two years at the Virginia Female Institute. Ben, being a lawyer, helped her to prove he and his brothers were gentlemen enough to receive their portions.”

“If Jessie spent two years there, she knows how to behave properly,” said Ace. He closed his eyes in relief. When his stomach complained, he opened them once more. Many of their friends, also younger brothers, went after rich American girls for their fortune. One of the reasons he, Sin, and Henry came West was to make their own way. He’d not touch a penny of Jessie’s money.

“Jessie sacrificed a lot for her brothers,” said Henry. “They owe her. They bought the Bitterroot Ranch and cattle with that money. Jessie’s brothers said they’d build her a home for her dowry. I, for one, would like to spend the winter in a place that the wind didn’t howl, though.” He looked pointedly at the sun streaming between the logs to land on the bed.

“Jessie earned the money, and she can keep it. We’ll make it on our own.”

“I’m not giving this back.” Henry lifted a cloth bag off the table. He weighed it in his palm and whistled. He looked around the small cabin. “Trace doesn’t want Jessie to be a poor relation to Beth and Amelia.” He held the bag six inches above the table. When he saw Ace watching, he let go. It fell with a hard, solid
clunk
.

“You wish me to guess what is inside that bag?”

Henry shook his head at Ace. “It’s gold. Couple pound’s worth, I figure.”

“Where did it come from?”

“You spent half the night arguing with Gillis,” said Sin. “We took the opportunity to ask a few questions about family history.”

“And?”

“Both families arrived here in 1846. Plenty of time to pluck gold nuggets from a few streams before anyone knew it was there.” Sin absently scratched his chest. “I figure Trace and Gillis have enough to pay off the debt on all three of our family estates.”

Ace met Sin’s hard stare. “That has nothing to do with us. I can see using their money to build Jessie a decent home. I won’t refuse the building. But the rest will come from our sweat. I have no intention of tugging at their coat tails. I wouldn’t do it in
England
, and I’ll be damned if I’ll do it here!”

Sin and Henry nodded.

“Are you working today or do I have to come in there and whup your asses?”

Sin’s lip twitched at Jessie’s bellow. Henry snickered. Both fell silent when Ace ground his teeth.

“What do we do with the gold?”

“You and Sin bury it somewhere up the hill,” said Ace. “I don’t want to know where.”

Ace sat up, head and stomach reeling, and stomped on his boots. His temper rose as his head throbbed. Did the Elliotts think they could buy him? Jessie would be embarrassed by him? He was as good, or better, than her blasted brothers! So he wasn’t as good on the range, but they’d done it all their life. He could do many things they couldn’t. He’d show them he was a force to be reckoned with. And he’d start with their sister!

* * * *

Jessie waited on Trouble between the cabin and barn. She was unwilling to go in and roust them again. She had a bit of a headache thanks to drinking potent cordial as if it was juice, and banging the pots had hurt her head as well.

She was about to dismount when the men finally hauled their sorry asses out of the cabin. Henry and Sin shuffled around back, but Ace crossed the porch and came right toward her. In fact, he huffed and puffed like a steam engine as he stomped across the dirt.

Now he was up and moving, she regretted her words. Maybe banging those pots was a bit too much as well. He had a bit of that look Fin, Hugh, and their father got. Almost as if steam came out of his ears. Usually someone got beaten shortly after.

Yeah, he was pumping his fists. He squinted his eyes in the morning sunshine, and his color looked a bit too white. Trouble felt her fear and snorted. Ace kept coming, his face all screwed up.