The Doctor Wears A Stetson (Contemporary Western Romance) (13 page)

Cameron's hands became more insistent. He
was going mad with the need to feel her bare body against his, her
silky skin touching him, shoulder to shoulder, thigh to thigh. He
grasped Jessie's bottom and lifted her against him, thrusting his
arousal between her thighs. He felt her heat and wanted inside
her.

Suddenly, she stiffened. Cameron knew she
was remembering. Remembering the reasons why she couldn't do this
or
thought
she couldn't. Inwardly groaning, he leaned his
forehead against hers. She tried to wriggle away, but he tightened
his arms around her. "Don't run from me, Jess."

"I can't do this . . . I promised . . ."
Jessie squeezed her eyes shut. A tear trickled down her cheek.

Cameron kissed it away. He pulled her face
into his shoulder and kissed the top of her head. "You're right,
sweetheart. We can't do this. Not yet." He handed her a large white
handkerchief. "Dry your tears. We need to talk."

Jessie dabbed at her eyes. Cameron's spicy
scent clung to the handkerchief, assailing her senses, enticing her
back into his arms. She had dreaded his return, but now that he was
here, her feelings and emotions were jumbled. Again. She folded the
snowy white linen and gave it back. "Okay . . . I'm okay. Let's
talk."

Capturing her wrists, Cameron kissed the
delicate undersides. He sat on the edge of the desk and drew her
between his legs. Jessie felt her cheeks burn and swallowed hard.
"I think I'll sit down," she said, diving for the swivel chair.

Cameron squatted beside her and placed his
hand on her knee. Jessie gripped the arms of the chair.

"There's something between us, Jess. You
feel it; I feel it. You want to ignore it, but I can't. Not
anymore. I don't think either of us can ignore it."

"There's nothing between us. There can never
be anything between us," Jessie declared vehemently. "Oh God, why
did you have to come back? I don't need this."

"Maybe you do need this. I know
I
do.
I went back to Houston and tried to push you out of my mind. I
can't sleep, Jess. I'm a bear at work. I can't concentrate. All I
can think about is you. Hell, it's as bad or worse than when we
were kids. That night, after the prom, as soon as I kissed you, I
wanted more."

Jessie hung her head. "You must not have
wanted me very much. You left town without saying goodbye."

"I said goodbye up on Lover's Point."

And took my heart with you
. Why was
he telling her this? It only made it worse. It didn't matter that
she loved Cameron, had always loved him. He didn't love her. He
only wanted her in bed.

Jessie sighed. "We said our goodbyes on
Lover's Point and you never looked back. No calls, no letters. A
few times you stopped for gas, but even then . . . seventeen years
is a long time, Cameron. I tried to forget this
thing
between us. You made it perfectly clear that I had no place in your
life or your plans. I married TR and tried to be a good wife."
Tried, but failed
, she thought miserably. "Why did you come
back? Yes, there's an extraordinary chemistry between us, but what
then? I would have thought there were plenty of women in Houston
you could . . . you know."

Cameron swore silently. She wasn't making
this easy for him. Hell, he wasn't sure why he'd come back.

Seeing her sitting there, chin held high,
and knowing that below the surface a fire burned for him, ready to
ignite if only she would let him fan it, Cameron was suddenly
unsure of everything. Would one night, one week in bed with Jessie
be enough? He had a sinking suspicion that he was in over his head
and powerless to stop it.

Easing out of the crouch, Cameron leaned
both hands on the arms of the chair, effectively trapping Jessie.
God, she smelled good. He took her chin in his palm and brushed her
lips with his thumb, tightening his grip when she tried to pull
away. "We're good together, Jess. You said I make you forget. Let
me help you forget. You can't keep living in the past."

"I'm not living in the past."

"Aren't you?" He pulled her to stand in
front of him. "I want you so much." He kissed the sensitive spot
just below her ear. "I turned my back on you when we were kids. I
don't think I can turn back now."

Jessie tilted her head. Cameron's warm lips
nibbled her earlobe, then nuzzled the length of her neck to her
collarbone. He dipped his tongue into the silky hollow, then
started back up again.

Why couldn't she just relax and enjoy this?
Cameron's words reverberated in her mind. Was she living in the
past? TR was dead. Nothing could bring him back. Nothing could
change what she'd done. She'd married TR, but hadn't loved him.
Cameron was her first love, her only love.
Her true love
.
But oh, the guilt weighed her down.

She pushed at his massive chest as hard as
she could. "We have to stop. I can't do this. Shouldn't . . ."

"Damn it, Jess." Cameron grasped her
shoulders, barely restraining himself from shaking her. "TR is
gone. Let him go."

"I know TR is dead, but a wife should be
loyal to her husband . . . to his memory. His battles were my
battles . . .
are
my battles."

"Even when you don't know what you're
fighting for? You said yourself you don't know what the feud was
about. It's not your feud. Hell, it wasn't even TR's. It was about
something that happened years ago when our grandfathers were
young."

"Do you know why they were fighting?" For
some reason, the answer was important. Jessie felt like she was in
a dark tunnel and had just spotted a pinpoint of light. If she
found out the reason for the feud, then she'd have one less thing
to feel guilty about. Maybe she could move on and not feel as if
she were betraying her husband.

"I don't know the reason, but we can find
out." Cameron grabbed her hand and started for the door.

"Where are we going?"

"To the ranch. My mother will know what that
damned feud was about."

****

Ruth sat at the old oak table in her
kitchen. She looked from Cameron to Jessie, then back to Cameron
again. "I haven't thought about the feud in a long time. Grandma
told me about it when I first married your father, but nobody
mentioned it much after that."

Jessie sat across from Ruth, waiting
impatiently. What could have happened to make TR's grandfather hate
the McCades so much that his grandson carried on the feud after his
death? Suddenly, she wasn't sure she wanted to know. Ignorance was
sometimes bliss. She didn't want to betray TR, but it was time to
move forward. She'd been given another chance with Cameron. She
couldn't let it slip through her fingers. But the guilt . . . she
had to get past the guilt.

Ruth folded a dishcloth, smoothing the
material with her palms. "Grandma said it was the silliest thing,
really. She couldn't understand why the men acted so stupid." She
reached over and patted Cameron's hand. "Nothing personal, dear.
Men just can't help themselves. Not that you act stupid, at least,
not often."

Jessie shot a look at Cameron to see his
reaction. His eyes held a glint of amusement. All the McCades
adored their mother. That had to be a point in their favor.

"Anyway," Ruth continued, "Grandma said it
was just a misunderstanding. 'All's fair in love and war,' if you
get my drift?"

Cameron took a deep breath. Probably praying
for patience, Jessie thought.

"No, we don't get your meaning," he said.
"Tell us what happened."

"Well, Grandma was engaged to Travis Devine
before she married Grandpa."

"TR's grandfather?" Jessie asked.

Ruth nodded, her cheeks turning pink as if
she were embarrassed.

"So what?" Cameron said. "They obviously
broke up and she married Grandpa."

Ruth shook her head. "There was a little
more to it than that. The night before the wedding, Grandpa
persuaded her to run off with him. It caused quite a scandal.
Travis was left standing at the altar, so to speak. He never
forgave Grandpa or Grandma."

"Why didn't she just end the engagement?"
Jessie asked.

"She couldn't. Everything was in place. It
had something to do with the land.
This
land. Grandma was an
only child. She brought a good portion of the Diamondback Ranch,
only it wasn't called that back then, to her marriage. Grandpa came
home from the war and swept her off her feet. They fell in love,
but Travis wouldn't release her from the betrothal. He wanted the
land, you see."

"Are you sure he didn't love her?" Jessie
said.

"Travis Devine never loved anyone but
himself," Ruth said. "He married TR's grandmother shortly after the
scandal.
Her
parents had money. Not a whole lot, but
enough."

"So why did Grandpa sell old man Devine the
mineral rights?" Cameron asked.

"He was trying to smooth things over with
Travis. Grandpa had a chance to expand the ranch, but was short on
cash." Ruth shot Jessie a mischievous and conspiring look, no doubt
thinking about Jessie's recent lack of cash flow. "Travis had
become something of a recluse, always making threats against the
McCades, obsessed with the Diamondback Ranch. Grandpa offered the
mineral rights on the northeast portion of the ranch, the part that
adjoins the Devine place. It was sort of like an olive branch."

"It didn't help though, did it?" Jessie
said.

"No, it didn't. Travis bought the rights and
held them over Grandpa's head, always threatening to lease them to
one of the big oil companies. He knew Grandpa would be powerless to
stop them from drilling on the land."

"So why didn't he make good on his threats?"
Cameron said.

"Luckily, the big companies were too busy
drilling off-shore. They haven't bothered looking for oil around
here in years. Only until recently . . ." Ruth trailed off as she
looked again at Jessie.

Cameron scooted back his chair. "I know
about Jessie and the mineral rights."

"You do?" Ruth asked.

He nodded. "We talked about it when I was
here last time, remember? Anyway, thanks for telling us about the
feud. I'm going to take Jessie home now."

"My truck's at the garage," Jessie said.

"Then I'll take you there."

He guided her out the door, his hand resting
on the small of her back. His touch sent shivers down to her toes.
She tried not to blush at Ruth's knowing smile.

On the road to town, Jessie sat in silence.
The feud had happened so long ago; it seemed foolish now. True love
had won out over greed. TR's grandfather had nursed the grudge
because he'd lost the land. He had taught TR to hate and mistrust
the McCades. Sighing, Jessie knew she had never hated the McCades.
In fact, she'd lost her heart to one when she'd been very
young.

She turned her head slightly and studied
Cameron's profile. The lights from the instrument panel cast a soft
glow over his rugged features. He caught her eye and winked,
setting butterflies loose in her stomach. He was dangerously
handsome, the attraction between them almost frightening.

Cameron was right. She
had
been
living in the past. With Ruth's explanation, Jessie finally
understood TR's hatred toward the McCades.

"Why so quiet?" Cameron asked, glancing at
her.

Because I want you so much it scares
me.
Of course, she couldn't tell him that. "I was thinking how
much time and energy TR wasted on that feud. Travis Devine's hatred
affected TR's life and mine."

"Does this mean you're going to put the feud
to rest?" he asked.

Jessie swallowed hard and nodded. "Yes, I
guess I am."

"Good. I'm glad, Jess." Cameron's smile
burned a hole right through her midsection.

"Does this mean you'll sell Dallas the
mineral rights?"

The muscles in the back of her neck
tightened. Letting go of the feud was one thing; letting go of
those mineral rights was something else. "No, I've told you before.
I'll never sell the mineral rights."

"Why not? You realize the feud was
pointless. Why not let Dallas buy back the rights?"

"I promised TR, and that's one promise I
won't break. I hate breaking promises. I hated breaking the one I
made to your mother. I had to lease the rights, you know. I had to
make that phone call."

"You did? She seems to be taking it well,"
Cameron said.

"I still hate that I had to do it."

"Try not to worry about it, Jess. You did
what you had to do."

The lights of Salt Fork were straight ahead.
Cameron turned into the station and parked next to Jessie's pickup.
He got out, walked around to open Jessie's door and helped her
out.

"So what happens now, Jess?" he asked.

"I'm not sure. You're the one who always has
a plan."

He frowned. "Right, a plan. Would you
believe I don't have one this time?"

That made her smile. "Wow, this must be a
first for you."

Cameron stepped close and touched her cheek
in a gentle caress. "Help me, Jess. I don't know where to go from
here. I want you so much, I hurt. But I can't see my way through.
For once in my life, I'm acting on impulse. I don't know what I
really want. Not only in my personal life, but my professional life
as well."

"Cameron, I--"

He placed a finger over her lips. "Help me
find the way, Jess. Nothing feels right anymore. All I know is that
when I'm with you, everything feels better."

Cameron gathered her in his arms and kissed
her tenderly. "Help me, sweetheart."

Jessie knew she was fighting a losing
battle. She didn't want to betray TR, but Cameron was right. It was
time to move forward. She'd been given a second chance. And Cameron
seemed open to explore what they felt for each other. She couldn't
let it slip through her fingers.