The Outlaws: Jess (16 page)

Zach shook his head. "I can't. Meggie will
tell you if she wants you to know. I know for damn sure that this
latest fiasco spells the end of Meggie's career. Carelessness leads
to death. She knows that. I taught her everything I know. She
learned to shoot, ride, and track a man. And she was damn good at
it.

"At first the lessons were meant to take her
mind off her problems, and to give her confidence. Then everything
changed. Meggie became serious about bounty hunting and no amount
of persuasion could change her mind. I began to relax when she
brought in her first outlaw without mishap. After that there was no
stopping her. The Calders were her first mistake. Fremont was her
second. Her third could be fatal. I know it and she knows it."

"I hope you're right," Jess said with
feeling. "Go on home and get some rest, Zach. I'll bring Meg home
tomorrow."

"I could wait around, Doc."

"I expect Meg to sleep the clock around. I
could use some sleep myself. Don't worry, I'll take good care of
her."

"If you're sure," Zach said with marked
reluctance.

"Very sure. I'm going up to check on Meg now,
then I'm going to find my own bed."

Jess locked the door after Zach and started
up the stairs. He hadn't been lying, he was so bone weary he
couldn't think straight, but he wanted see Meg first. Cautiously he
opened the door to the spare bedroom and peered inside. Meg was
lying in bed atop the rumpled coverlet. She was still wearing her
gunbelt, trousers and boots. Jess smiled and shook his head.
Apparently she'd been too tired to remove them by herself.

Jess tiptoed to the bed and carefully removed
her boots. Meg didn't even stir. Her gunbelt went next. Jess tossed
it onto a nearby chair. Then he unfastened her trousers and pulled
them off along with her drawers.

An angry gasp exploded from his lips when he
saw purpling bruises marring the tender flesh of her inner thighs.
He heard her whimper in her sleep and his gaze shot up to her face.
Even in sleep her expression was troubled, as if she were suffering
untold anguish. It nearly ripped him apart. What terrible secret
was Meg hiding? Who had hurt her?

Meg moved restlessly in her sleep. Another
moan slipped past her lips and Jess could bear it no longer. He
quickly shed his clothing and climbed into bed beside her, tugging
the bedcovers up over both of them. Then he took her into his arms
and crooned softly,"No one is going to hurt you, love. Rest easy. I
won't let anyone harm you."

It must have worked for Meg sighed, snuggled
against his chest, and immediately calmed. Moments later, Jess
joined her in sleep.

Purple shadows flirted with daylight when Meg
awakened. Her mouth was dry, her body ached, and she was starving.
She also had to use the privy. Slowly she became aware of a warm
presence beside her and an unaccustomed pressure around her waist.
She went very still, suddenly aware that she wasn't in her own bed.
Turning her head, she was stunned to see Jess's big body curled
around her, his arms hugging her middle.

It took but a moment for her to remember
everything that had happened during the past twenty-four hours. Her
last recollection was of Jess carrying her into his spare bedroom.
What happened after that was a blank in her mind.

Her squirming around must have awakened Jess
for his opened his eyes and smiled at her. "How do you feel?"

"Like I've been thrown from my horse."
Gingerly she touched her jaw and winced."

"Fremont was pretty rough with you."

He surged out of bed. "Lie still. I'll fetch
water and towels so you can clean up. After that, a thorough
examination. Then breakfast."

Meg rose up on her elbow. "Jess, I don't
think..."

"I'm the doctor here, remember?"

"I have to..."

"The chamber pot is under the bed," he said
crisply, as if reading her mind.

"I'm not an invalid. A few bruises aren't
going to kill me."

"Nevertheless, humor me."

Her answer died in her throat when he paused
beside the bed, hands on hips, daring her to protest. He was nude,
every magnificent inch of him. Everything about this man was
pleasing to look at. He might be a doctor but the width and breadth
of his strong body proved he was no stranger to physical
exercise.

Her gaze followed a tantalizing path down a
muscular chest and taut stomach. Her breath hitched and her eyes
widened when she saw his sex rising from a nest of black at the
juncture of his thighs. Flushing, her gaze returned to his
face.

"Sorry about that," Jess said, sounding not
at all apologetic. "You have but to look at me and I get hard." He
turned away and pulled on his clothes. "I'll be back," he said as
he hurried out the door.

While Jess was gone, Meg used the chamber pot
and studied herself in the narrow mirror hanging over the dresser.
Her face looked terrible. The bruise on her jaw spread upward in a
purple smudge across her right cheek. Her other cheek bore the
imprint of Fremont's hand. So did her breasts. She couldn't see
beyond that in the mirror, but she supposed she bore more bruises
on her thighs.

Intuitively Meg knew her days of bounty
hunting were over. Her close call with Fremont had all but
destroyed her career as a bounty hunter. She'd always been so sure
of herself, so confident of her ability, that she'd never
considered failure. After bringing in the first outlaw, the others
became easier. Until the Calders. Until Jess had walked into her
life.

Her inspection finished, Meg pulled the sheet
around her and sat on the edge of the bed to wait for Jess. He
returned a short time later, freshly shaved and wearing clean
clothing. He set the basin of water and towels he carried on the
nightstand.

"You can wash up while I go fetch my medical
bag."

Meg made good use of the water and towels
during Jess's

absence. By the time he returned she was back
in bed with the sheet pulled up to her neck.

Jess wore a businesslike expression as he set
his black bag on the bed and took Meg's pulse.

"There's really no need for this, Jess," Meg
said. "I'm fine."

"Let me be the judge of that."

"Where's Zach?"

"I sent him home. I told him I'd bring you
home myself tomorrow."

"What time is it?"

"Seven-thirty. We slept nearly the whole day
through. I'll bet you're hungry."

"Starved."

"When I finish up here I'll see what I can
find in the pantry."

He peered closely at her face, his fingertips
gentle upon her tender flesh. Then he pulled the sheet down to her
waist, clucking his tongue as he examined the bruises on her
breasts. His fingers felt warm and slightly arousing as they slid
over her breasts. She sighed softly and tried to think of other
things as he accidentally brushed her nipples with his
knuckles.

His hands left her breasts and traveled over
each rib, searching for fractures. He seemed satisfied with what he
found for his grim expression eased. When he shoved the sheet down
to her ankles, Meg shuddered and went still.

"I'm going to ask you one more time, Meg, and
I want the truth. "Did Fremont rape you?"

"My answer is still the same. No, he didn't.
These bruises will heal in a few days and I'll be just like new.
Can I get up now?"

Meg's breath hitched as Jess parted her
thighs and touched the livid bruises he found there. "I should have
killed him," he muttered darkly. His hazel eyes glowed with
restrained ardor as he lowered his head and laved each purple
bruise with his tongue.

Meg arched into his caress. "Jess!"

His mouth moved upward along her thigh. She
knew what he intended and girded herself against the exquisite
pleasure of his intimate kiss.

Jess took a deep wild taste of her and knew
he would never get enough of her. He heard her whisper his name,
felt a tremor go through her and her legs stiffen. Spreading her
thighs wide, he parted the tender petals of her inner flesh,
teasing the sensitive nubbin at the entrance of her sex with his
tongue. He heard her breath quicken and let his own out in a
groaning sigh. She tasted sweeter than ambrosia; he couldn't get
enough.

Suddenly he felt her body go rigid. She let
out a sobbing cry and clutched his shoulders so hard he was sure
she had scored them through his shirt. When her last shudder
stilled, Jess removed his mouth and tore off his clothing. Then he
covered her with his body. Her arms went around him, as if she
feared he would leave.

"Jess."

His name was a soft, heated whisper on her
lips, her breath warm upon his face. He drew her nipple into his
mouth and suckled her gently. He heard her gasp. Her hands
tightened in her hair, holding him tightly against her as his mouth
laved and teased her nipples.

"Open for me, love," he whispered hoarsely.
"It's been so long, so damn long."

Nudging her knees apart, he settled between
them and kissed her full on the lips; a kiss of possession, of
hungry passion, as he slowly filled her with himself.

Meg held him tight and let the pleasure
build, let it carry her beyond herself. Each sensation battered her
senses, overloaded her mind. His hard body, heavy on her, his chest
hard, hair-roughened, rasping against the soft flesh of her breasts
and sensitive nipples. She was aware of the flexing of his spine,
the rhythmic fusing of their bodies as he anchored her hips in his
big hands and drove into her. Excitement, hot, unquenchable,
erotic, swelled and built.

She felt him deep inside her, become an
integral part of her, her softness gripping his hardness, taking
all of him and needing more. His kiss deepened and she tasted his
passion on her tongue.

On a shuddering moan, Meg felt her bones
melting, felt her senses soar. She was floating, taking all he had
to give, her eager body begging for more.

He gave her more, filling her body and her
senses with heady delight. She gasped, moaned, and arched, fearing
she would break on the torturous rack of sensual excitement. But
she didn't break, she merely shattered. Ecstasy filled her.
Whatever she needed, he gave. Mouth to mouth, breast to breast,
softness gripping hardness.

Jess drove himself into her, savoring every
torrid inch that hugged him so tightly, pausing a moment to feel
her throb around him. He withdrew, only to thrust deeply again, and
yet again, pushing her higher until her head was thrashing blindly
from side to side. He knew when the end was near for he felt the
keen edge of her tension ready to explode. Then he released her.
She went rigid, screaming his name.

Raising himself on his elbows above her, he
wanted to watch her. He'd never seen anything or anyone more
beautiful than Meg in the throes of ecstasy. Gloriously wanton,
recklessly abandoned, wild in her need. Her volatile climax
triggered his own. He thrust deeply, once, again, gave a shout of
triumph, and spilled his seed deep inside her. Then slowly he
relaxed atop her, lowering his weight on her briefly before he
rolled to one side, still holding her in his arms.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" Jess asked
anxiously. She made him so damn hot he'd lost control. "You've
bruises all over your body. I'd never forgive myself if I added to
them."

"You didn't hurt me," Meg said. Her eyes grew
misty. "I never knew making love could be so wonderful. I was too
frightened the first time we made love to enjoy it as much as I did
today."

Jess grasped her hand and brought it to his
lips. "You're not frightened now, are you?"

"Of you? Never."

He shifted her in his arms until they were
facing one another. He needed to ask Meg something but didn't know
how to broach the subject. Finally, he just blurted out, "Who is
Arlo?"

Meg went still. He could tell by her stunned
expression that he had surprised her.

"How do you know about Arlo?"

"You mentioned his name while you were in
shock after Fremont's attack."

She dropped her gaze, refusing to look at
Jess or even answer.

"Meg, you can tell me," Jess cajoled. "I know
there was a man or men in your life for you weren't a virgin the
first time I took you."

"Meg raised her gaze to his and shook her
head. "I can't."

Her hollow, vacant stare distressed him. This
was something she had carried with her a long time. As a doctor he
knew that getting her to talk about it was the best medicine.

"Do you think I'd condemn you?"

"It's not that. I...just can't talk about
it?"

"Was it so horrible?"

"It was to a sixteen year old girl."

"What about your family? You've never
mentioned them."

"Jess, please."

"Does Zach know?"

"Zach knows everything there is to know about
me."

"You've carried this with you a long time,
haven't you?"

He heard her suck in a deep breath. "Let's
talk about you. I saw the poster, Jess."

Now it was Jess's turn to express shock. "You
saw..."

"At the sheriff's office, the day I stopped
in to see if anything new had come in. You and your brothers are
wanted for bank robbery. You lied to me. You
are
running
from the law."

Jess scowled, his hard gaze pinning her to
the mattress. "Are you going to turn me in?"

"Had I wanted to I would have done so before
now."

"Has the sheriff seen the poster?"

"No. He's been too busy. My experience has
been that he gives them a cursory glance when he finds the time. I
shoved your poster to the back of the drawer with the others after
I looked through them. Maybe he'll forget about them."

"Not the way my luck has been running," Jess
muttered.

"Why did you do it?" Meg asked. "Why would an
accomplished doctor rob a bank?"