Gunslinger (10 page)

Then his thoughts scattered as blood rushed to his loins in anticipation of his climax. Before he disintegrated he glanced down at Chloe. She was breathing hard, her lips parted, her eyes tightly closed. Her body was rigid as she strained against him, reaching for that elusive goal. He licked her lips and whispered, “Hurry, honey. I don’t want to leave you behind.”

He knew she heard him for her fingers tightened on his shoulders and she pushed up against him, as if struggling to catch up. Fearing he’d go off without her, he worked a hand between them and massaged the rigid bud he found nestled in a fold of sensitive flesh. He heard Chloe scream out his name, felt the contractions squeezing his sex and let himself fly. He soared further and higher than he ever had in his life.

Chloe awoke to the sounds of chirping birds and street noises. She stretched, overwhelmed by a contentment she’d never dreamed was possible. She’d never felt more satisfied or complete in her entire life. The soreness between her legs reminded her of last night’s activity, and she smiled. Making love with Desperado had been an inspiring experience.
He
was inspiring.

She smiled when she recalled how Desperado had wanted her again last night after a brief rest. Then he had given her free reign to do as she wished to him. First she had explored his body, murmuring over the scars from old wounds that marred his smooth bronze flesh. She had kissed and caressed and satisfied her curiosity as Desperado writhed and moaned and promised dire consequences if she didn’t end it soon.

Of course she had ignored him. She tittered to herself when she recalled how he’d nearly jerked off the bed when she’d decided to see what he tasted like. Unfortunately, he hadn’t allowed her to do more than run her tongue down his length a time or two before he let out a roar, pulled her over him and thrust himself inside her. She had thoroughly enjoyed being in the dominant position, controlling him with the pressure of her legs. When he tried to thrust them both to completion, she had deliberately slowed him down, making it last until she felt him trembling beneath her and knew he could bear no more. Then she had let him have his way, until the pressure grew unbearable and she climaxed violently.

Afterward they had slept. And judging by the thick wedge of sunlight shining through the window, it appeared as if they had overslept. She glanced over at Desperado. In sleep his features were not so tautly drawn or stern. He looked younger, less damaged by life. She wondered what his childhood had been like, and if he’d been loved by his parents. She wanted to know everything about him. Had he been raised by Indians? What happened to his white parent? She smiled when she thought of the child Desperado must have been. She had a vivid picture of his naked bronze body, playing beneath the baking sun.

“Is that smile for me?”

Chloe flushed guiltily. “I was just thinking.”

“About what?”

“About your childhood. Were you happy? Were your parents good to you?”

His face hardened, and she chided herself for prying. If Desperado wanted her to know about his childhood he’d tell her. “I’m sorry. You don’t have to tell me anything.”

“There are other things I’d rather do than talk right now.”

“Are you evading my questions?”

“Probably. Turn around. Slide your back against my chest.”

Chloe stared at him for a long moment, then did what he asked. She fit perfectly in the cradle of his body and snuggled against him. Her eyes widened and she let out a yelp of surprise when she felt his hard sex prodding her from behind.

“Again? I didn’t think…” She bit her lip in consternation. “That is…Doesn’t a man need to regain his strength?”

“I did. And I’ve never felt stronger. Lift your leg a little so I can slide inside you.”

“But this isn’t the way…”

Chloe soon learned that Desperado knew exactly what he wanted and how to go about getting it. He pulled her bottom into the cradle of his thighs, found her opening and thrust inside. Then he moved, in and out, rapidly, with sure deep strokes, quickly taking Chloe on a spiraling journey to bliss.

“Where did you learn so much about…about…this?” Chloe asked when her breathing returned to normal.

“Here and there,” Desperado said dryly. “Did you think all Indians were savages?”

Chloe had the grace to flush. That was exactly what she had thought when she’d thought about it at all. “How did you come by your name? Jones isn’t your real name, is it?”

“It’s as good as any,” Desperado said with a shrug. “Names meant little to me when I left the Apache village and struck out on my own. Someone called me a desperado after my first job and the name stuck. Jones was my own idea.”

“Why didn’t you use your white father’s name?”

His lips thinned. “I cut all ties with my white family many years ago,” he said tersely. “Why all the questions?”

“I was just remembering,” Chloe mused. “My stepfather had a son by an Indian woman. Mama mentioned him a time or two. His name was Logan.”

“What happened to him?” Desperado asked in a hushed voice.

“Mama said he was attacked and killed by wild animals. He was returning from San Antonio, where he had been visiting relatives.” She shuddered. “I recall hearing the story and feeling so sorry for that poor boy. His horse was found dead on the prairie, and everyone assumed his body had been carried off by wild animals.

“Ted was sad for a long time. I think he blamed himself and Mama for Logan’s death, but I never found out why.”

“I’m tired of this subject,” Desperado said, swinging his legs from the bed. “I’m famished. Shall we go down to the hotel dining room for breakfast?”

Chloe wrinkled her nose as if sniffing something offensive. “I’m not going anywhere until I’ve had a bath.”

Desperado gave her a wicked grin. “What you smell is spent pleasure, honey. But I know what you mean. I’ll order you up a bath and mosey over to the bathhouse for mine. I’ll meet you in the dining room in an hour.”

Desperado was waiting for Chloe when she entered the dining room. He waved and she waved back as she quickly wended her way through the maze of tables. He seated her and picked up the menu. Moments later the waitress appeared to take their order.

“See anything you like?” Desperado asked.

“I’m starved,” Chloe admitted, giving him a sheepish grin. Then she ordered black coffee and enough food to satisfy the most voracious of appetites.

“I like a woman with a healthy appetite,” Desperado rasped, sending her a wicked look that conveyed exactly which of her appetites he liked best. Then he proceeded to order nearly every breakfast item on the menu.

Desperado watched through hooded lids as Chloe sipped her coffee, a half-smile on his face when he recalled everything that had transpired between them last night and this morning. He tried hard not to give a name to what he felt for Chloe. He told himself it was a primitive and purely physical response to a sexy woman he’d taken a shine to. Unfortunately, his mind refused to accept that explanation. Though he tried to deny it, he found something profoundly stirring about Chloe Sommers.

Perhaps it was the way she made him feel, as though he could conquer the world with her beside him. She made him long for something he’d never had. A home and family. But casting off an old life and forging a new one was easier said than done. A man with his reputation and skill couldn’t decide to change the course of his life overnight. But if he could…He shook his head to clear it of insane ideas. Even if he decided to pursue a new life, he’d be chasing rainbows to think that Chloe would want him. Chloe was a lady. She wasn’t for the likes of him.

Granted, he had given her pleasure, but that didn’t mean she wanted to spend the rest of her life with a half-breed gunslinger. No, the best thing he could do for Chloe was to get on with his life so she could get on with hers.

“What are you thinking?” Chloe asked, interrupting his morbid thoughts. “You look so solemn.”

“I was just wondering where my next job will take me,” he lied.

She set her cup down carefully. Desperado couldn’t help noticing that her hand shook. “Have you had another job offer already?”

“Not yet, but I reckon one will come along.”

She cleared her throat. “You could always stay on at the Ralston ranch. The boys seem to get along with you, and I could use a good foreman.”

His dark brows arched upward. “I thought you fired me.”

“A woman is entitled to change her mind.” She fidgeted a moment, then said, “Forget I asked. Men like you never light in one place for long.”

The conversation was going in a direction he found discomfiting. “Tate Talbot and his friends left town,” he said, abruptly changing the subject. “The desk clerk told me they checked out early this morning, and the hostler said they collected their horses and rode out of town shortly after dawn.”

“Thank God,” Chloe breathed.

“Don’t count on being rid of them yet,” Desperado warned. “You won’t be safe from the Talbots until your taxes are paid.”

“Do you think they’ll try to steal my money?”

“I wouldn’t put it past them. The Talbots aren’t the kind to give up.”

Desperado’s words got him to thinking. He couldn’t leave Chloe now. She still needed him. Not until the taxes were marked paid in full would he relax his vigilance.

Their breakfast came then and they dug in, each determined to maintain the tenuous harmony that existed between them. Neither spoke again until their plates were clean and the waitress had refilled their coffee cups. Chloe was the first to break the charged silence, “I paid the men last night. They’ve probably spent most of it in bars and brothels, but they’ve more than earned their night’s entertainment.”

Desperado wondered where all this was leading. He didn’t have long to wait.

“I suppose you want your pay so you can move on. It’s in the hotel safe.”

“My job’s not done yet, Chloe.”

Chloe looked confused. “What? What did you say?”

“I reckon I’ll hang around to make sure you get back to the ranch safely. I’ve nothing better to do right now. When do you plan to leave Dodge?”

“First thing tomorrow morning,” Chloe said, staring at Desperado as if he’d lost his mind. “Are you sure about this?”

“Yeah, real sure. I’ll round up the hands and meet you at daybreak in front of the hotel.”

“Desperado…”

God, when she looked at him like that, he wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her silly. Then he wanted to…“Chloe, don’t…”

She looked away. “I just wanted to thank you. For…everything. In case I don’t get around to it before you leave.”

She shot to her feet. “I’ve got to buy supplies for our trip back.”

Desperado watched her walk away, admiring the long, lean line of her legs and slim hips. He wondered how in the hell he was going to keep his hands off of the trouser-clad wildcat for the next ten days or so. He smiled inwardly. Perhaps he didn’t have to. Maybe Chloe wouldn’t object to continuing their affair. She certainly had wanted him last night.

Suddenly the conscience he’d recently discovered poked at him. He tried to tell it to leave him alone, but it wouldn’t listen.
Tell Chloe who you are
, that voice in his head prodded relentlessly.
Tell her you
’
re Logan Ralston
. But his need to conceal his true identity was so deeply ingrained that he cast that thought aside. Besides, Chloe’s first reaction upon learning his true identity would be to question his reason for returning to Trouble Creek. She would undoubtedly think he’d come to claim her land.

But she’d be wrong, Desperado thought. He wanted neither the land nor the responsibility that went along with it. His father had made his wishes known in his will, and Desperado had abided by them. He hadn’t liked it but he had accepted it. Had he arrived at Trouble Creek before his father had died instead of the day of his father’s funeral, things might have been different. The ranch, the land, everything Ted Ralston owned would have been his.

Back then he wasn’t the hardened gunslinger he was now, and Desperado knew the ranch would have prospered under his care. But fate had intervened and his father had died before they’d made their peace.

Desperado no longer resented Chloe. Nor did he blame his father. The woman he held responsible for the estrangement between him and his father was dead now, and he’d lost whatever right he might have had to his inheritance. Would Chloe believe that he hadn’t returned to Trouble Creek to take her land? Hell no! Not after he’d hired on with Talbot, even though he’d changed horses in midstream and come over to Chloe’s side.

After long and careful thought, Desperado decided to keep his identity a secret. Nothing, except maybe the family Bible he’d stolen from the house after his father’s funeral and carried in his saddlebag and the miniature of his mother in his medicine bag, linked him to the lad named Logan Ralston.

Chapter Nine

It was apparent that each of the Ralston drovers suffered from overindulgence of one kind or another, but all were present and accounted for bright and early the following morning as Chloe and Desperado emerged from the hotel together.

Chloe felt no guilt over the past two nights spent in Desperado’s arms. When he had knocked on her hotel room door the night before, she did not question his right to be there. She had opened the door and welcomed him into her bed as if he belonged there. When he disappeared from her life, at least she’d have the memories. Men like Desperado Jones never hung around in one place long. They were loners. They shunned permanent attachments and kept a tight hold upon their emotions. Desperado Jones would never allow himself to fall in love.

“Mount up,” Desperado rasped to the men as he helped Chloe into her saddle. Moments later he leaped onto his mustang and led the hung-over drovers out of town.

Chloe followed close behind Desperado, admiring the way he sat a horse. So tall and straight, like a proud Indian warrior, at one with the elements and the world around him. But was he at peace? Chloe wondered. His profession was not an easy one, nor a safe one. She sensed within him a turbulence that had nothing to do with his dangerous profession. Desperado Jones was a complex man plagued by demons. Chloe was no fool. She could tell a tormented man when she saw one.

The first day and night on the trail passed uneventfully. Chloe had sold the lumbering chuck wagon in Dodge and replaced it with faster pack-horses to carry their supplies. They all ate the meal Randy had prepared and the hands bedded down shortly afterward, since most were still suffering from the previous night’s revelry. Chloe chose a spot beneath a tree a short distance away from the sleeping drovers.

Desperado looked longingly at Chloe, then placed his own bedroll where he could keep an eye on her. He felt a strong responsibility to protect Chloe, though he seriously doubted that any of the Ralston hands would treat her with anything but respect. But Tate Talbot and his cronies were still out there somewhere, and Desperado couldn’t afford to relax his vigilance. He tried not to think about Chloe’s future after he left Trouble Creek. Chloe would be alone then and vulnerable to the Talbots’ underhanded dealings.

Unexpected rain showers followed them most of the next day. The men broke out their slickers and hunkered down in their saddles as rain ran down the brims of their hats and pelted down their backs. Desperado rode beside Chloe, aware that she was as miserable as he. But unlike Chloe, he was an old hand at coping with inclement weather and uncomfortable situations.

“Are you all right?” he asked solicitously. “Maybe we should head for the next town and get a hotel room for the night.”

Chloe shook her head, sending drops of water spinning around her. “No, I want to get home. If Tate reaches town first, he and his father might decide to burn down the ranch house out of spite. You beat Tate up pretty good and he’s not likely to forget it.”

Desperado’s dark eyes glinted with malice. “I would have killed him had I known what he did to you.”

Chloe sighed. “That’s over and done with. I’d go crazy if I dwelled on the past. I’ve gone on with my life even though Tate won’t let me forget.”

“Tate still wants you and we both know it,” Desperado rasped. “You should marry, Chloe. A husband could protect you.”

Chloe gave a snort of disgust. “You’ve seen the men in Trouble Creek. Who among them would you suggest?”

Desperado thought about that and decided no one in Trouble Creek was worthy of Chloe. She was nothing like her mean-spirited, self-centered mother. If he tried hard enough he could imagine himself settling down with a woman like Chloe. Having children with Chloe. That thought startled him and he kneed his horse, sending him sprinting away from Chloe and the disturbing thoughts that gave him no rest.

“I’m riding ahead to find a good camping spot,” he called over his shoulder. “Keep the men moving.”

Desperado located a deserted mine entrance large enough to shelter both men and horses from the rain, which was now pounding down upon them with unrelenting vehemence. It was a wet, bedraggled group that bedded down that night on the dry sandy floor of the cave-like mine entrance. Tired from their long ride, the men soon were snoring peacefully in their bedrolls. But Desperado couldn’t sleep. The closer they got to the ranch, the more confused he became. Riding away and leaving Chloe behind was going to be damn difficult.

Rising stealthily, Desperado stepped over the sleeping men, picked up a lantern and headed down the main tunnel. He’d always been fascinated with mines, and since he couldn’t sleep, he decided to explore. The tunnel twisted and turned and ended abruptly where a cave-in blocked the path.

“What are you doing?” The voice came from behind him.

Desperado spun and reached for his gun, then relaxed when he saw Chloe in the lantern’s glare.

“I couldn’t sleep. Thought I’d explore a little.”

She walked into the circle of light. “Neither could I. I saw you leave and decided to follow.”

“That wasn’t wise,” Desperado rasped in that sexy-as-sin voice as he reached for her. “I’ve missed you.”

She came into his arms without protest. “I didn’t follow you for this,” she said, resting her hands against his chest.

“Why did you follow me?”

“I…we need to talk.”

His mouth hovered inches above hers. “I’m a man of action. Talking bores me.”

To prove his words, his mouth came down on hers, his kiss as violent as it was needy. He kissed her with all the pent-up hunger that had been grinding inside him during the past two days. He wanted her. His fingers were already working the buttons on her blouse as he eased her down onto the hard-packed earth beneath their feet.

“No! We can’t do this!” Chloe gasped when she finally found her mouth free. “The men—”

“They’re sleeping,” Desperado whispered against her ear. “I want you, Chloe. These past two days have been torture for me.”

“Me, too,” Chloe admitted shyly, “but that doesn’t mean we have to give in to our…mutual attraction.”

“It’s more than mutual attraction and you know it,” Desperado growled as he pulled her beneath him.

Chloe’s heart began to pound. “What would you call it if not mutual attraction?”

“Damned if I know,” Desperado said, too aroused even to consider his confused feelings. “Let’s call it lust, for lack of anything better.” He stripped off her blouse and stared at her breasts. Then he lowered his head and sucked a plump nipple into his mouth.

“Wait!” Chloe said, pushing against his shoulders. “There is something I need to say.”

He lifted his head, his expression stark with unrelenting need. “Spit it out, sweetheart. We might not get another chance to be alone like this, and talking is a waste of time.”

“I just wanted to know if you had changed your mind about staying on at the ranch. The job offer still stands.”

“Does it matter so much whether or not I stay?”

Chloe flushed and looked away. “Yes, dammit, it does matter.”

Desperado eased away from her, his expression guarded. “You deserve better than me, Chloe. I’m a loner, always have been. You don’t need a half-breed gunslinger complicating your life. I don’t know where my next job will take me. A man in my line of work knows there’s a bullet out there somewhere with his name on it. I’m hard, ruthless, and good at what I do. Is that the kind of man you want?”

“You could change,” Chloe whispered hopefully. “Nothing is written in stone.”

He gave her a hard, humorless smile. “I’m too old to change. Men looking to make a name for themselves will always find me. Beating Desperado Jones at the draw would be a feather in any man’s cap. I couldn’t drag you into that kind of life.”

“If any man is capable of changing, it’s you. I don’t care about your past. It’s your future I’m concerned about.”

“You don’t know a damn thing about me,” Desperado said harshly. “I don’t want you to care about me.”

“I’ll always care about you,” Chloe said with feeling. “I don’t know how to explain what I feel, but I do know I’ll miss you when you walk out of my life.”

“If you knew…”

“What? What were you going to say?”

“Nothing. God, Chloe, I can’t think with you in my arms. Can’t we just forget about tomorrow and concentrate on here and now? You can’t begin to know how desperately I want you.” His lips touched hers, a gentle promise of more to come.

“I think I can,” she whispered against his mouth as her arms went around him.

With sudden insight she realized that Desperado was right. Tomorrow could take care of itself. All that mattered was here and now and the man who set her body afire with a simple touch. There were still several days remaining for him to change his mind. His hands were on her breasts, his mouth claiming hers, and her thoughts skidded to a halt. She had no idea how he’d removed her trousers and underwear, or his own clothing, but her body was singing with joy as naked skin brushed against naked skin. This might be the last time they’d be together like this, and she intended to make the most of it.

“Love me, Desperado. Please love me,” she moaned against his lips.

“Aw, sweetheart, that’s what I’ve been trying to do but you’ve been talking too much.”

His kisses were wild and hot, falling like scalding rain on her face, her neck, her shoulders. Then her thoughts scattered as he suckled her nipples into hard peaks, and aimed his mouth downward, to forbidden territory. When he buried his head between her legs, she cried out and arched upward into the heat of his mouth. She was so ready she climaxed almost immediately. Her whole body was still pulsating when he scrambled upward and plunged into her tight passage, intensifying her contractions. Desperado growled low in his throat, grasped her hips and pumped his loins against hers in a wild frenzy of thrust and withdrawal. She felt a second climax begin, and her eyes widened, surprised that she had summoned the strength to respond again.

“Go for it, sweetheart,” Desperado urged on a tormented gasp. “You’re one helluva woman.”

That was the last thing Chloe heard as she shattered into a million pieces. When next she opened her eyes she saw Desperado bending over her, his lips kicked upward into a smile, his dimple firmly in place. God, she loved his smile! Before she realized what she was doing, she kissed the dimple in his cheek.

“I’ve wanted to do that for a long time,” she said without apology.

His dark eyes glowed with sudden warmth. “That damn dimple has gotten me into a lot of trouble.”

“Woman trouble?”

“It’s time to go back and get some rest,” he said, adroitly changing the subject. He didn’t want to discuss all those nameless, faceless women he’d bedded in his lifetime. “Can I help you dress?”

“I can manage. Will you think about my job offer?”

“We’ve already been through this. I’m not the kind to settle down.”

They finished dressing in silence. Desperado picked up the lantern. “Are you ready?” Chloe nodded and they retraced their steps back to their bedrolls. Their gazes met and clung for a tense moment before parting.

The journey home resumed the following morning. The weather turned clear and blistering hot and they took their time so as not to tire their horses. Summer was ending when they finally reached the ranch. That night in the mine had been the last opportunity for Desperado and Chloe to be alone, and Desperado felt the lack keenly, even though he knew it was only a matter of time before he would ride out of Chloe’s life forever.

Desperado was happy to see that the house was still standing when they arrived. Nothing seemed to have been disturbed during their absence. The two men left behind to look after things reported nothing amiss, but Desperado didn’t trust the Talbots. He knew it wouldn’t be long before they started harassing Chloe again to sell the land. In his brief association with the Talbots he’d learned that they would stop at nothing to gain what they wanted. Why they wanted the Ralston ranch was a mystery Desperado hoped to solve before he left Trouble Creek for good. He owed Chloe that much.

“Everything seems as it was,” Chloe said on a note of relief. “Perhaps the Talbots have given up on me.”

“Don’t count on it,” Desperado muttered beneath his breath.

“I can’t wait to have a bath and a decent meal,” Chloe said enthusiastically. “Will you stay on for a few days?”

Desperado was torn. He wanted to stay with Chloe but knew he was only fooling himself by thinking he could change. Even if he wanted to change, circumstances wouldn’t let him. Dimly he wondered how Chloe would react should she somehow find out that he was Logan Ralston. And she was bound to find out if he hung around long enough. One day someone would remember him; things were bound to change between them after that.

“I think it best for both of us if I get a room in town. I intend to stay just long enough to make sure the Talbots aren’t going to bother you again.”

Chloe felt the crushing weight of disappointment. She’d been alone for a long time and had taken care of herself and her mother since Ted’s death, but never had she felt such an overwhelming sense of loss. She couldn’t imagine what was wrong with her. She wasn’t in love with Desperado so why…?

Good Lord!
Was
she in love with Desperado Jones? Though she had tried to hide her sexuality by wearing trousers and toting a gun, Desperado had exposed her femininity. His loving had shown her that mating with a man needn’t be repulsive or feared. It could be wonderfully fulfilling and pleasurable beyond imagination.

She wanted it to last forever.

But Desperado wanted no restraints or commitments. He was a free spirit. He didn’t need her.

“If you change your mind, there’s always a place for you in the bunkhouse.”

“I’ll try to remember.”

Chloe watched him ride away, biting her lip to keep from calling him back.

Tate Talbot had reached town the previous day, still bearing bruises from Desperado’s beating. He faced his father across the expanse of his desk.

“Damn him, Pa! Jones turned on us,” Tate railed. “He threw your money at me and said to tell you he no longer worked for you. I warned you about him. I told you you should have let me handle things. If not for Jones, Chloe would be in my bed now and her land ours. That half-breed gunslinger is a double-crossing snake.”