The Cowboy Wins a Bride (The Cowboys of Chance Creek) (23 page)

The rest of the party turned in for the night, including Morgan, who would stay in one of the empty rooms in the Big House, and Rob who insisted on camping out on one of the living room sofas, just in case she needed him. Jamie offered to escort Claire back to the bunkhouse.

"I want to stay with you," she said and his heart expanded until he didn't know how it could still fit in his chest. Walking with her up the trail to his cabin, he only meant to hold her hand, but they hadn't got a third of the way there before she was in his arms. They kissed long and hard, swaying against each other, before he tore himself away and hurried her along the path. Another few hundred yards and they stopped again, kisses leading to heavy petting. Jamie unbuttoned Claire's shirt as she devoured his mouth. She helped him unhook her bra and then her breasts were free, warm and full under his hands.

When she went to work on his shirt, he tore it off himself, relishing the feel of skin on skin as he drew her back into his embrace. He couldn't kiss enough of her, couldn't touch enough of her, and he was beginning to think if they didn't reach the cabin soon, he'd have to make love to her right here on the path.

He lifted her up and carried her the rest of the way, nearly tripping once or twice in the dark, but managing to keep his feet. Up to the front porch, fumbling with the door, and then inside. When he deposited her on the bed, he collapsed beside her.

"Am I that heavy?" she asked, laughing.

"You're perfect," he growled, and pounced on her.

He soon peeled off every stitch of clothing she wore and flung it to the floor. He wanted her naked. He wanted to touch every inch of her, kiss every inch of her, and then do it all over again. As far as he was concerned the rest of the world could go to hell. He had everything he wanted here in his arms.

She lay back and held still, even when he kissed her. Jamie slowed down, afraid he'd scared her off – afraid she wasn't actually ready for this, especially after the night's events. "You okay?" he whispered.

"Yes." But she ducked her head and wouldn't meet his eye.

"What is it?"

Her voice was muffled. "Remember on the trail? What I did?"

Hell, he'd never forget that as long as he lived. "Yeah. You want to do it again?"

"Kind of. I want…you to be the one who…."

An electric jolt coursed through his body. Oh yeah. He was up for that. "You got it," he said, and tilted her chin up to kiss her. "You just lie back and let me work my magic."

Claire did just that, reaching up over her head to grasp the headboard. With her arms raised, her breasts were irresistible, and he didn't hold back. As he showered them with kisses, tugging first one nipple, then the other into his mouth, squeezing them and laving them with his tongue, her breathing quickened and she closed her eyes. He kneed her legs apart and she gasped, opening them again.

He knew what she wanted and she was going to get it, but now he wanted to take his time. He kissed a trail down her stomach to her mound and then lower still. Claire groaned and bit her lip.

"Is this good?" he asked, as if he didn't know the answer.

She looked at him with shining eyes. "It's nice," she said, but she couldn't fool him.

He dipped his head again. She was so sensual, so responsive. For once, all of her attention focused solely on him. He dipped lower, tasting her, teasing her, browsing her secret folds and places until she was fighting to keep from crying aloud. As he brought her to the peak of sensation, he pulled away, all of a sudden desperate to be within her – to be joined with her. A longer session would have to wait.

He moved over her, groaning himself when he positioned himself near her core. "Claire?" he whispered.

"I'm ready." Her fingers clutching the headboard were white.

She gazed at him with loving eyes and he was overcome by the strength of her trust in him. Unable to hold back any longer, he pushed inside her with a strong stroke and was rewarded with her passionate groan.

Jamie pulled out and thrust into her again, spurred on by her response. Sliding out and in again, slowly and deliberately, he moved within her until he could barely retain control. Then he sped up, the sensation building to crescendo inside him. When Claire cried out, he went over the edge with her, grunting his own release as wave after wave of feeling overpowered him.

He loved Claire, loved this woman he cradled in his arms. If she wasn't already wearing his ring, he'd have put it on her finger tonight. They would spend their lives together, and he would make love to her every night.

He kissed her soundly and rolled off of her, snuggling her into the crook of his arm. Claire was finally his – forever.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

Since no one had gotten a good night's sleep, Ethan and Jamie decided to postpone the campout until the following day, and Rose and Tracey volunteered to take the ladies to Billings to go shopping. Claire helped Autumn do up the rooms and give the Big House a thorough cleaning. By the time the women returned, happily laden down with packages, Autumn had a gourmet dinner on that pleased everyone.

The following morning, everyone met early at the stables to saddle up for their overnight trip out onto the range. The party had swelled to nearly twice its intended size with Morgan and all the Matheson men joining in. Autumn had shaken her head, sighed, and packed more provisions into the saddle bags. She wouldn't be coming along. Instead, Rose was taking her place as cook on the campout.

As happy as she could ever remember being, Claire helped Jamie get their guests' horses ready for the long trek.

"I'm a little saddle sore and I haven't even been in the saddle," he said, sneaking close for a kiss before tending to the little gray mare that Angel had ridden all week.

"You think you're saddle sore." Claire smiled at the memory of their previous night's lovemaking. Slow and tender and unforgettable. "Tomorrow will be worse, you know."

"Because of the ride?"

"Because of the way I'm going to ride you tonight." She blushed a little at her own boldness. Jamie's look told her much more of that and he'd shuck off her clothes right here and now and to hell with the horses and guests.

She sobered at the thought and turned away. No illicit sex in the stable – she wasn't her mother. A pang of unease swept through her. She was taking a hell of a chance, hitching her heart to a man like Jamie. Women adored him. How long before he got bored of her and strayed from her side?

She tried to shake off the thought. Jamie wasn't Mack. And she wasn't her mother. Surely the two of them could make a go of this.

Ned came into the stable and said something in low tones to Jamie. Frowning, Claire let her fingers tighten the strap she was working on. What were they talking about?

"You don’t say. Maddy? I thought she'd be more straightforward."

"She was pretty straightforward when we got down to it," Ned laughed.

"She didn't mind the substitution?"

"She called it an upgrade." Ned slapped Jamie on the back. "Thanks, man."

"Thank you." Jamie glanced in her direction and stiffened when he caught her watching them. Ned left the stable, whistling.

"What was all that?" Claire asked the next time Jamie passed her.

He looked sheepish. "One of the guests tried to organize a little…one-on-one time with me the other night. I let Ned handle it."

"You passed up a chance for a roll in the hay? Was that before or after you found out what Morgan and I were up to?"

"Meaning would I have slept with someone else if I hadn't known you were in danger?" There was an edge to his voice. "No, Claire. I wouldn't have slept with her. I already arranged things with Rob. He passed it off to Ned when he heard about you and Morgan."

She dropped her gaze. "Sorry." She hated to admit to herself how much the thought of Jamie with another woman burned her through and through.

"Not sorry enough. Get it through your head. You're the only woman for me."

She busied herself with the horses, not daring to answer that. When they exited the barn, she caught Rose's eye. Rose was already mounted on her horse and as her gaze swept Claire and Jamie, she started in surprise, then a smile spread over her face.

Claire raised an eyebrow. What had Rose seen? Remembering their conversation in Autumn's kitchen, she looked Jamie over, then stared down at herself. Had her energy…changed?

God, she hoped so.

* * * * *

All in all, the ride went smoothly enough and there were plenty of hands to make setting up the camp at the end of the day quick work. Rose might not have been the gourmet chef that Autumn was turning out to be, but the evening meal was incredibly tasty after a day out in the fresh air, and as dusk deepened into night the group sat around a campfire telling stories and jokes, even singing a song or two.

Autumn packed plenty of beer, and the evening definitely took on a mellow feel as it progressed. Maddy, who hadn't made eye contact with Jamie all day, sat close to Ned. Jake and Luke made a point of squiring Liz and Adrienne around. Ethan and Christine were engaged in a conversation about the best time to wean infants. Angel had already gone to bed.

Ethan headed off to his tent. Christine went to hers. Several of the other couples slipped off into the night and Jamie grimaced as he thought the Cruz Guest Ranch might get a reputation it wasn't entirely after. Still, he couldn't blame anyone. He sure planned to make the most of his time with Claire.

She was busy helping Rose pack things away for the night. Rob was looking after the horses, checking them one last time before turning in. Jamie wanted to clean up a bit before his night with Claire. He joined her where she was packing the food into a bag near a rope dangling over an overhead tree branch. Once she was done, she'd haul it up high away from marauding animals.

"Want help with that?"

"I've got it."

"Meet you back at the tent?"

"You in a rush?" She smiled.

"I've got a thing or two to do before you get there. See you soon."

He'd set up their tent a little ways apart from the others in a stand of pine trees. Claire was a ranch girl and she wasn't squeamish, but a day on the trail had him as stinky as a skunk in heat. There wasn’t a lot he could do to fix that, but he'd at least give it a try.

He hadn't been in the tent for two minutes, however, when footsteps approached and someone cleared her throat outside. "Jamie?"

It wasn't Claire. He swore softly. He'd been rummaging in a bag by flashlight, trying to find some soap and a wash rag. The tent was hard to move around in, with bedding and bags piled up to one side.

"Yeah."

"It's Morgan. Can I come in?"

He relaxed. Not one of his oversexed guests, then. "Sure thing." He unzipped the door and she stepped in, the flashlight sending odd shadows to her face. She moved stiffly and he wondered if the ride had been more than she was used to.

"I didn't want to tell Claire, because she's already so freaked out about putting me in danger," she began.

"She should be," Jamie interrupted. "That was a damn fool trick."

"I went along with it," she said shortly. "Anyway, I’m really sore."

"From the ride?"

"No. Those guys…they were pretty rough the other night. They knocked me around a bit. Something really hurts between my shoulder blades."

Jamie sucked in a breath, a haze of anger surging upwards in him again. He didn't know how much time would have to pass before he could think of the previous night's events without being overcome by the desire to pound Ledstrom to a bloody pulp.

"I can't see it," Morgan went on. "Like I said, I didn't want to ask Claire to look. She feels so bad already. I can't ask Rob, either. I'm having a hard enough time fending him off. If I start undoing my shirt he'll be all over me."

Jamie suppressed a smile. "I thought you liked him."

"I do. Sort of. But my life isn't here – it's back in Canada. Why start something I can't finish? Anyway," she sighed. "I know this is weird but would you just look at my back. I swear I won't jump you."

"Sure. Better do it quick, though, if you don't want Claire to see, too. She'll be here in a minute."

Morgan turned her back to him, undid a few buttons of her shirt and dropped it down over her shoulders so it hung near her waist. "See anything?"

Jamie held up the flashlight. "Shit." A dark blue-black bruise spread over most of her back. "Morgan, I've never seen anything like that."

* * * * *

Claire froze as she approached the tent where it lay secluded in a stand of wiry pine trees. A flashlight inside lit the canvas structure and highlighted two silhouettes against a backdrop of white.

A man and a woman.

Jamie and Morgan.

Their shadows juddered and dodged, but they stood close together, Morgan's head turned to Jamie, his hands stretched out to touch her.

"Morgan," Jamie said, his voice low and husky. "I've never seen anything like that."