The Outlaws: Jess (24 page)

"Get out of here and let me cook," Meg
laughed, pushing him out the door. "I'll call you when supper is
ready."

Meg leaned against the closed door and shut
her eyes. Guilt stabbed her; the pain was excruciating. She felt as
if she had betrayed Jess. And in a way she had. He expected her to
marry him, not go off with a man he believed she despised. A man
she
did
despise. What would he think when she
disappeared?

A note of explanation might help, but she
decided against it. Better that he hate her than pine for her. He
was bound to find out she had left with Arlo and he'd probably
never forgive her, or understand why it was for the best.

Briefly Meg considered Zach and what he would
think about her leaving. She hated to take off with his health so
precarious, but Widow Dowling could easily take her place in his
life. Zach could marry Peg and live happily with the widow now that
his wife was dead.

Time passed quickly as Meg cooked supper.
When everything was done, she set the food on the table and called
Jess to the kitchen.

"Smells good," Jess said, sniffing
appreciatively. "I'm hungry as a bear." His grin told her he was
hungry for more than food.

Meg's appetite had disappeared. She pushed
her fork around her plate and tried to concentrate on Jess's
conversation. She and failed miserably.

"Are you all right, sweetheart?" Jess asked,
putting down his fork. "You haven't touched your food. Did Skully's
visit upset you more than you're letting on?"

"No, it's not that," Meg quickly denied. Too
quickly, obviously, for Jess slanted her a puzzled look. "By the
way, I collected my reward from the sheriff."

"Did you have time to look for the wanted
poster?"

"No," she lied, "the sheriff was in his
office the whole time."

"Forget it, it doesn't matter. Is that all
you want to tell me?"

"That's it. I'm sorry, Jess, I guess I'm just
tired."

"Go crawl in bed, sweetheart, I'll finish up
here."

Another healthy jolt of guilt smote Meg. Why
did Jess have to be so good?

"Maybe I'll take you up on that," Meg said,
rising. "Just pile the dishes in the sink. Are you sure you don't
mind?"

"Not at all, as long as it's my bed you crawl
into. Go on, I'll be up shortly."

Meg gave him an uncertain smile and left the room.
How was she going to find the courage to leave? she wondered
distractedly. How would she survive without him? She was going to
leave him tomorrow, and made up her mind to savor him one last time
tonight. Yes, she decided, tonight she'd love him as she'd never
loved him before. She wanted to give him enough memories to last a
lifetime.

Jess finished his supper and cleared away the
table, his thoughts deeply disturbed as he piled the dishes in the
sink. Something was troubling Meg. He knew her well enough by now
to know when she was disturbed. He was fairly certain Arlo Skully
was involved and decided to let her tell him in her own good time.
He loved Meg too much to badger her.

Jess finished in the kitchen and slowly
walked up the stairs, his lust for his beautiful Meg nearly
uncontrollable. The thought of having her in his bed every night
made him hard as stone. He hoped she wasn't asleep.

Jess's wish was granted. Meg had changed to
her nightgown and stood by the window, staring into the darkness.
Jess came up behind her, surrounding her with his arms.

"What are you thinking?"

"I wasn't thinking at all. Just enjoying the
fine night."

Jess knew darn well she was lying but didn't
press her.

"Come to bed, sweetheart."

Meg turned in his arms, her eyes glowing like
emeralds in the lamplight. Her arms crept around his neck and she
pressed her body against him. Lifting her head, she offered him her
lips. Jess didn't hesitate, taking her lips in a deeply satisfying
kiss. He breathed in her scent, savoring her taste. the very
essence of her. His hand closed over her breast. His groan came
from the deepest part of him as he swung her into his arms and
carried her to bed.

He whispered sweet love words against her
lips, then flicked open the front ties on her nightgown. Her hands
fumbled with the buttons on his shirt. With a groan of impatience
he flung off his shirt and tossed it aside.

Meg struggled to control the guilt she felt
over her decision to leave tomorrow as Jess removed her nightgown
and cupped her breasts, his warm, rough palms rubbing circles over
the tips. They pebbled in response. She stroked his cheek, then ran
her hand down the column of his strong neck. She could feel the
stubble from his day's growth of beard. Her hand moved lower, until
it rested over his heart. She felt the strong beat against her palm
and felt connected almost spiritually to him.

He moaned a sound of male pleasure against
her mouth, a deeply moving sound that touched her to the depths of
her soul. Suddenly she pushed him down and loomed over him.

"Let me love you, Jess. Let me give you the
same pleasure you give me."

"That's not necessary, love."

"To me, it is. Lift your hips so I can remove
your trousers."

He quickly obliged. She heard his harsh
breathing and reveled in the power she had over him. The same kind
of power he held over her during their intimate moments.

Then he was naked; the turgid shaft of flesh
jutting out from its bush of brown hair captured her attention. He
was magnificent. She climbed over him, pressing her palms flat
against his hips and her face against his belly. The earthy scent
of his arousal filled her nostrils, sending her senses spiraling
out of control. She had to taste him or die.

She traced the column of dark hair running
down his naval, enjoying the sensation of tautening muscles against
her tongue. Her hands slipped between his thighs to test the weight
of the tender globes hanging between his legs. She squeezed gently,
amazed at their softness, at the taut skin surrounding them. Then
she ran her hand up his shaft, enclosing it fully in her palm. She
felt his life's blood pulsed strongly against her hand and lowered
her head to taste him.

"Meg, no!" Jess cried on a hoarse groan.
"You'll kill me."

"You'll live," Meg said moments before her
tongue licked a fiery trail down the sensitive underside of his
shaft. He nearly bucked her off him when she licked over the
pulsating head and took him it into her mouth.

A cry of raw agony escaped his throat and
suddenly Meg found herself flat on her back with Jess looming over
her. "I have to have you. Now," he panted into her ear. "You've
driven me to the brink of madness."

He entered her. She felt his hardness, the
hot, thick, rigid length of him, the pulsing fullness moving
strongly inside her. Her fingers dug into his shoulders. Solid
muscle bunched as she pressed her lips to his hot skin.

His lips seized hers, his tongue thrusting
inside to the same rhythm of his thrusting below. He moved in deep
nudging strokes, angling himself to stimulate the hidden peak of
her sex. Everything blurred as he probed deeper, harder. His hands
slid under her buttocks, bringing her up to meet his pounding
loins. She tensed, feeling violent contractions clutching at her
innards. She exploded. Arching, cresting; shimmering waves of
ecstasy spread outward until her body was inundated with vivid
sensation.

She was still lost in the throes of
excitement when she felt Jess's body go rigid, heard his hoarse cry
of completion echo loudly in the silence.

"I love you, Meg."

No, Meg's heart silently responded. Don't
love me. Please don't love me.

Afterward, Meg rested in Jess's arms, tears
streaming down her cheeks. Leaving the man she loved was going to
be the most difficult thing she'd ever done. But she had to do it.
Jess was too good a doctor to be reviled and scorned because he'd
married a woman with an unsavory reputation.

Jess's soft, even breathing told her he was
sleeping and she cuddled against him. She wanted to saver every
moment of her last night with him.

And Jess gave her plenty to savor. Sometime
during the darkest part of night he awakened her with kisses and
made love to her again.

Meg awakened before Jess. She washed and
dressed quickly, then went down to the kitchen to prepare
breakfast. The last she would ever cook for Jess. Jess entered the
kitchen just as she was setting the table.

He gave her a big hug and a kiss, then sat
down at the table. "I'm famished. Your cooking is going to make me
fat."

She set a plate piled high with food on the
table. "Flapjacks and bacon. I used Zach's recipe for
flapjacks."

Jess dug in with gusto. When he noted that
Meg merely sipped coffee, he asked, "Aren't you hungry? You should
be after last night."

Hiding her breaking heart behind a smile, Meg
replied, "I couldn't wait. I ate my breakfast before you came
down."

Jess had just lifted the last bite of food to
his mouth when the jangling doorbell announced a patient. He
glanced at his watch. "They're arriving early today." He swallowed
the rest of his coffee and rose. "Looks like it's going to be a
busy day. Do you have anything planned for today?"

"I thought I'd ride out to the house and pack
the rest of my clothes," Meg said, refusing to look at Jess. "I'll
leave something for your lunch and see you at supper."

Jess smiled and nodded as he headed out the
door. Meg knew he'd soon be immersed in his patients and wouldn't
have a spare moment to think about her.

Meg packed her carpetbag and fixed something
for Jess's lunch before she left. She saddled her own horse and
headed out to Zach's place. Once there, she packed the clothing
she'd left behind the day before. Then she donned her leather
britches, vest, fringed jacket, and battered hat. With cold
determination, she strapped her gunbelt around her slim hips,
placed her five hundred dollars in a pouch, and tied it around her
neck with a leather thong.

Then she rode back to town and left her horse
in the lean-to behind Jess's house. The next part was more
difficult for she had to slip away to the train depot without Jess
seeing her. She needn't have worried on that score. When she peeked
through the waiting room window, she saw that the office was
crowded with patients. Jess would be far too busy to notice her
absence.

Hefting her carpetbag, Meg strode down the
street to the depot, ignoring the curious stares following her. The
train was already in, discharging passengers. She spied Arlo
standing near the platform, anxiously checking his watch. He saw
her approach and met her arrival with a scowl.

"It's about time. You nearly missed the
train."

"There's plenty of time," Meg said dully.
God, how she hated this man.

Arlo sent her a disparaging look. "Why are
you dressed like that?"

"I wanted to be comfortable." She held out
her hand. "Give me the wanted poster."

"Not a chance."

"We had a deal. Give me the poster."

His eyes narrowed, as if considering her
request. "When the train leaves the station and not before."

Meg gave a curt nod.

"You don't look like my Meg dressed like
that."

"I'm not your Meg. You no longer frighten me.
I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

He opened his mouth to say something then
quickly shut it as passengers began pushing past them. "It's time
to board. We'll talk about this later. I don't feel comfortable
with you packing guns."

"Neither did any of the outlaws I brought to
justice," Meg stated boldly. She wanted Arlo to be aware that he no
longer intimidated her.

Meg smiled inwardly at Arlo's disconcerted
look as they found seats midway down the car. She stared out the
window until the train jerked forward and slowly rolled out of the
depot. Then she held out her hand. "The poster, Arlo."

Arlo obliged. "Giving you the poster doesn't
mean a damn thing," he maintained. "I know where Gentry can be
found. A telegram is all it will take to put him in jail."

"But you won't do that, will you, Arlo?"

"Not if you do as I tell you."

"Of course," she lied.

"Where are we going?" Meg asked, directing
her gaze out the window.

"Denver," Arlo replied. "I hear the pickings
are good there. Lots of silver being mined in those parts."

Meg's determined expression should have
warned Arlo. She hadn't decided until just now that Arlo had to be
taken care of so he'd never be a threat to Jess again. She didn't
know how, but she fully intended to rid the world of a man who had
beaten her so severely she'd nearly died. A permanent way to
dispose of him would take serious thought.

Jess hadn't seen Meg all day and was eager to
hold her in his arms again as he closed and locked the office door
after his last patient of the day had departed. The day had been
long and exhausting. Word of his skill had reached outlying areas
and a stream of farm families, cowboys and townspeople tramped in
and out of his examining room. Jess considered hiring a nurse, if
one could be found, to assist him.

Despite his busy schedule, Jess felt good
about his work. Treating patients, diagnosing their ailments, those
were the things that made his life rewarding. Medicine and Meg.
They were all he needed to make his life worth living and to
fulfill his destiny. He prayed that fate would allow him to enjoy
his profession and the woman he loved.

Jess walked into the kitchen, expecting to
see Meg working over the stove. The kitchen was empty; no delicious
smells wafted from the oven. The sense of emptiness, of coldness,
clutched his heart with icy fingers. He raced through the house,
calling her name. The bedrooms were empty. A terrible suspicion
seized him as he tore open the dresser drawers. Every last piece of
clothing she'd brought with her was missing.