Chapter Sixteen
Boyd’s hands were harsh upon her, tearing at her clothes. She was twisting and turning, trying to get away, desperate to escape him. He rose up over her and laughed at her pitiful efforts.
“You’re gonna be mine, bitch!”
“No!” Tessa let out a cry.
At her cry, Jared rose up, reaching for his gun. He had not really been asleep—holding her in his arms had made that impossible for him. When she had drifted off, she’d moved slightly away from him. He had started to relax then as the long, dark hours of the night slowly passed. When Tessa had begun to move restlessly in her sleep, though, he’d sensed that her rest was troubled.
“Tessa?” He was instantly alert, ready for trouble. His gaze swept over the area, looking for some sign of danger, but there was nothing. It was quiet. He glanced at her and saw that she was trembling and crying.
“Oh, Jared.” She breathed his name in obvious relief as she became more fully aware of her surroundings. “I’m sorry. It was terrible. It was Boyd, and . . . Hold me. Just hold me.”
The last request was so desperate that he immediately holstered his gun and took her in his arms. He cradled her gently and could feel her trembling slowly subside and her breathing calm as he held her. He started to let her go, but she clung to him.
“No—please, hold me tighter. Don’t let me go,” she whispered, trying to banish the last remnants of her nightmare of Boyd.
Jared bit back a groan as she pressed herself more tightly to his chest. He did as she’d asked, enfolding her in his embrace, but he paid the price for it. His body ached at her nearness. There was no ignoring the sweetness of her curves. He was tremendously grateful when she stopped moving and just rested against him.
“Are you going to be all right?” he finally asked, and he was thankful, too, that his voice didn’t give away any of the sensual torture he was enduring.
Tessa nodded, but didn’t speak. She prided herself on being strong, but that last vision of Boyd coming at her had been so real, it had unnerved her.
“Let’s lie down again,” Jared suggested. He thought if they did, she might move a little away from him and give him some peace.
“All right,” Tessa answered.
Jared let her go, and she did lie down. When he stretched back out, rolling on his side to watch over her, she shifted closer to him, pressing her back against his chest, getting as near to him as she could. He knew without her saying so what she needed, and he put his arm around her.
It wasn’t easy for Jared to remain still and just hold her, but he did it. He wondered sleeplessly if there was any kind of reward in heaven for this kind of self-control. He knew that if she tried to move any closer to him, all might be lost. So he silently prayed that she would fall asleep—and soon.
Morning couldn’t come quickly enough for him.
Next to Jared, Nathan was one of the best trackers around, and he was furious because he knew they had to give it up for the night. The sky had become cloudy, blocking the moonlight and making the trail too difficult to follow over the rocky terrain.
“We’ll bed down here until sunup,” he ordered in disgust.
“What do you mean?” Will demanded as he rode to his side.
“I mean the trail’s too difficult here. We have to wait for daylight.”
“No. We’ve got to keep going. Wilson’s got Tessa. We can’t leave her at that man’s mercy.”
“I know you’re personally involved, what with Miss Tessa being your boss and all, but we’re stopping here for the rest of the night.” Nathan was annoyed enough at the situation without Will giving him any trouble. “I don’t like it any better than you do.”
“Then let’s keep trying,” Will insisted.
“You can’t track ’em if you can’t find the trail.”
“Deputy Wells is right, Kenner. We’re going to have to stop till dawn,” Deputy Tom Colvin told him.
Will barely managed to control his temper as he glared at the other members of the posse, who had already started to dismount. He wheeled his horse around and rode a short distance away. He was too angry to want to have anything to do with them. He was angry with Tessa, too, for putting herself in this situation. She’d known Boyd was looking for her. She’d known he was threatening to hurt her, and yet she’d allowed herself to be drawn away from the dance by a little boy claiming to have a sick mother. Once he had her back, he was going to make sure she never did anything so ridiculous again. Once she was his wife, she would curtail her “helpful” activities. He was going to see to it. First, though, they had to find her.
He did not sleep, but lay a distance from the other men, mulling over exactly what he was going to do to Boyd when he got his hands on him.
Dawn was long in coming for Jared. There were moments when Tessa stirred against him in her sleep that he thought it would never come. The night had been torturous for him, and he was greatly relieved at first light.
Ready to wake Tessa so they could be on their way, he gazed down at her. She looked so lovely in the pale light of the morning that he could only stare at her for a moment, memorizing the beauty of her features as she nestled quietly, trustingly against him.
“Tessa.” He said her name gently, not wanting to startle her.
“Ummm,” was her reply, but she did not awaken.
She stirred slightly, but remained asleep, torturing Jared even more.
Jared had thought he had his wayward desires under control, but just that simple motion aroused him. He knew he had to get away from her. “Tessa, it’s sun up. We need to get back to town. Everyone is worrying about you.” He spoke a little more loudly than he’d meant to, but he had to wake her so he could escape her tempting nearness.
“It’s morning already?” Tessa asked sleepily as she opened her eyes. She started to stretch and found herself moving against the hard, muscular width of his chest. The discovery was both startling and comforting. She went still for a moment as she looked up at him. “Thank you,” she told him.
He nodded, but didn’t say anything. Carefully, he put her from him and got up, moving quickly away.
Tessa was an innocent, and so she had no idea of her effect on Jared. She only thought he was in a hurry to return to town. She got up and tried to straighten her clothing. When she realized the futility of her efforts, she merely buttoned Jared’s shirt. It covered the torn bodice and gave her a modicum of modesty.
“I’ll check in the house and see if Boyd had any supplies up here,” Jared called to her. He was deliberately keeping distance between them.
It was the first time Tessa had thought about food. She had to admit she was a bit hungry. She stoked the campfire while she waited for Jared to return. She had no desire whatsoever to go back into that cabin. It was going to be difficult enough for her, taking Boyd’s body with them on the ride back to town, but she knew it had to be done.
Jared emerged from the cabin a few minutes later with a small wrapped bundle. “Cheese and bread were all I could find.”
“It sounds like the best of breakfasts to me right now,” she told him.
He spread the wrapping out on the ground and pulled out his knife to cut thick slices of cheese. They each tore off hunks of the bread and ate quickly without much discussion. When they’d finished, Jared spoke up first.
“It’ll take me a few minutes to take care of Boyd. Once that’s done, I’ll be ready to head out.”
“Do you think the posse’s close?”
“Knowing Nathan, I’m sure of it. I was actually surprised he didn’t catch up with us last night.” He stood up and walked back to the cabin.
Tessa deliberately moved away, keeping her back to the cabin, not wanting to witness Jared’s gruesome task. It was almost half an hour later when they rode away. Tessa could not bring herself to look back.
“There they are!” Nathan shouted to his men as he spurred his horse to a run to meet Jared and Tessa. He saw the body tied to the horse, and immediately knew what had happened.
Jared raised an arm in greeting as he saw his deputy. They had been on the trail for less than an hour, and he was pleased to see the posse.
“You’re all right?” Nathan asked Tessa as he reined in before them.
“I’m fine, thanks to Jared,” Tessa told him. “He rescued me just in time.”
“Tessa!” Will came charging up and stopped his horse close beside hers. His gaze went over her, searching for some sign that she’d been harmed. He noticed that she was wearing the marshal’s shirt and that bothered him, knowing that her gown must have been damaged in some way.
“Will? You rode with the posse, too?”
“I had to come after you. I was so worried! Thank God, you’re all right.”
“I was just telling Deputy Wells that Jared saved me from Boyd. It was terrible.”
“Thank you, Marshal Trent,” Will said, looking up at the other man and hiding his resentment that he had been the one to save her.
Jared just nodded in his direction.
“And Boyd’s dead?” Will saw the body tied to the horse.
“Yeah, he’s dead,” Jared answered.
“Good,” Will said, pleased with the news.
“Jared—here,” Tom called out to him, tossing him the jacket he’d had tied to the back of his saddle.
“Thanks.” Jared was glad to have the garment. He shrugged into it as he looked at Nathan. “We’d better head back. I’m sure Miss Maggie is waiting for us.”
“How is my mother?” Tessa looked at Will, knowing how upset her mother must be by all that had happened.
“She was worried and afraid, but I promised her we’d find you before I left,” he said confidently.
“Let’s hurry,” Tessa said, glancing at Jared.
They rode on toward Durango. Will positioned himself near Tessa for the trek. When they stopped by a small stream to rest and water the horses an hour later, he dismounted quickly and hurried to help her down.
“Why, thank you, Will, but I’m fine, really.” She tried to discourage him from hovering so close.
“I was worried about you, Tessa,” he told her as he walked with her to the water’s edge. He angled their path so they were a distance away from the others, and when they stopped by the stream, he boldly took her hand.
Tessa was completely taken by surprise at his move. She looked up at him, a bit troubled by his daring.
“Tessa, I just wanted you to know that I care about you—deeply. When I thought something had happened to you . . .”
“Everything is all right now.” She tried to sound compassionate without being too cool, but she just didn’t share his feelings—no matter what her mother had hoped for between them.
“I know, but I don’t ever want anything to happen to you again. I want to be able to protect you and keep you safe. I—”
“Will, thank you, but I—”
“Tessa, are you rested enough to ride some more?” Jared had already mounted up, and he rode over to where they were standing. He’d noticed something in the way she was holding herself with Will that bothered him. Then, when the man had taken her hand, she’d definitely stiffened. Jared wasn’t certain she wanted him to interrupt, but he was taking a chance that his instincts were correct. Besides, he didn’t really like seeing Will’s hands on her.
She was glad of his interruption. “Yes, Jared. We need to get back—the sooner, the better. I can’t wait to see my mother.”
“I’m sure the feeling is mutual,” he answered.
Tessa drew her hand away from Will’s and started back toward her mount. Jared dismounted and walked beside her, leaving Will to follow. When they reached her horse, he helped her to mount. It wasn’t easy to do, wearing a skirt as she was, but with Jared lifting her, she made it, just as she had earlier that morning when they’d left the line shack. He helped her arrange her skirts and then mounted his own horse again. He led the way toward town, and Tessa followed close behind him, giving Will no chance to dominate her again.
Will had remained back by the water’s edge, glowering after them as they’d walked away. He didn’t like the lawman at all, and he wasn’t too pleased with Tessa either. How dared she just walk away from him after he’d been telling her how much he cared about her!
Mentally, he sneered at Jared. He might have saved Tessa from Boyd last night, but that had been only because Boyd had been so stupid. Jared still had no idea that the leader of the gang that had been robbing the stagecoaches was riding as a member of his posse.
The thought almost brought a smile to Will’s face, but he fought it down. He would gloat later, once they’d made off with the biggest prize of all. During the course of the dance, before all the trouble had started, he had spoken at length with Lyle Stevens and some of his business friends. It had become clear to Will during the course of the conversation that a big gold shipment would be passing through town very soon. If it was half the size he thought it was going to be, he and the boys could retire forever, and he was finding that prospect more and more pleasing. Once they got back to town and he was certain Tessa was safe with her mother, Will was going to ride for the Ace High. He and the boys had some planning to do.
Julie had seen Maggie to bed long after midnight. Steve and Jim had remained with her a little longer until she’d decided to seek what comfort she could on the parlor sofa. She hadn’t thought she would fall asleep, but somehow she’d finally drifted off in the wee hours of the morning. She awoke at dawn, tormented by the knowledge that Tessa had still not returned.
Rising from the sofa, Julie went to the parlor window and brushed aside the curtain to watch the sunrise. The morning sky was cloudless. It promised to be a beautiful day, but Julie could see no beauty in it without word of Tessa’s safety. She prayed Marshal Trent had found her in time. She knew just how vicious a man Boyd Wilson was.
The thought of Boyd sent a shiver of disgust through her, and she turned away from the window to find Steve standing in the parlor doorway, watching her. He looked so tall and powerful—his shoulders seemed to fill the entire doorway. He hadn’t shaved yet, and the hint of a day’s growth of beard gave him a more dangerous look. She shivered again, but not from thoughts of Boyd.
“Oh, good morning,” she said a bit nervously. After the way they’d parted last night on the porch, she hadn’t been sure he would even speak to her again. He had eventually followed her back inside, but when Miss Maggie had gone to bed, he had retired to his own room.
“There’s been no word of Tessa yet?” he asked, trying not to notice how pretty she looked this morning. There was a slight flush to her cheeks, and her hair had come loose and tumbled about her shoulders in golden splendor.
“No,” she answered, “nothing.”
He nodded and left.
She stared at the empty doorway, not the least bit surprised that he hadn’t wanted anything to do with her this morning. He’d made that clear enough last night after he’d kissed her. She regretted now that she’d been so weak around him. She would make sure it never happened again.
Unconsciously, Julie straightened her spine at the memory of Steve’s rejection. That didn’t matter. What mattered was Tessa’s safety, and she hoped against hope that Jared Trent proved to be the fine lawman everyone believed him to be. He had to save her! He just had to.
Julie knew she couldn’t go back to sleep, so she went into the kitchen to see about making breakfast. She doubted Miss Maggie would want anything, but she was certain her boarders would still want their morning meal. Julie didn’t pride herself on being much of a cook, but she would do her best. At least the cooking would keep her busy. She couldn’t bear the thought of sitting idly by and waiting for word of Tessa’s safety.
“Why, Julie, dear, I had no idea you were such a good cook,” Maggie told her an hour later as she joined Julie and the others for breakfast.
“I didn’t know you were going to get up,” she said, surprised by the older woman’s appearance in the dining room.
Maggie’s expression was haunted and tired. “I only slept a little while all night. I guess I should have come down earlier to help you.”
“I did just fine, didn’t I?” she asked the men gathered around the table eating the scrambled eggs and fried ham slices she’d made for them.
“Yes, ma’am,” Sludge answered as he dug eagerly into the hot fare. “And you look real pretty, too.” When he realized what he’d said, he blushed and, looking down, quickly stuffed his mouth full of eggs so he wouldn’t say anything more.
“Why, thank you, Sludge.” Julie laughed, looking down at the gown she was still wearing and the apron she’d donned over it. “It is rather a different kind of outfit for a cook, isn’t it?”
Maggie took a seat at the table and joined the meal. She ate sparingly. She was not hungry, but she knew she would need something to help her get through the day.
“Where’s Steve this morning?” Maggie asked.
“He came down earlier and left, but he didn’t say where he was going,” Julie told her.
“I’ve just been down to the marshal’s office,” Steve announced as he came into the dining room.
No one had heard him return, and they were surprised by his appearance.
“Did you learn anything?” Maggie asked quickly, hopefully.
“No. There’s been no word since they rode out last night.”
“I see.” Maggie nodded. She’d expected as much, but she’d hoped that somehow, some way, Jared had found Tessa quickly and had brought her back.
“Come and eat,” Jim invited Steve, motioning to an empty chair. “We got us a new cook this morning.”
“I’m no Miss Maggie, but at least nobody will be going hungry today,” Julie said.
Steve didn’t look at Julie but slid into the chair and helped himself to the eggs.
Julie sat down, too, taking a small portion for herself, though she honestly didn’t feel much like eating. She kept watch over the table, making sure everyone had what he needed. She also found herself surreptitiously watching Steve as he ate. She expected him to be rough, and she was surprised when he was as mannerly as her own father.
After Henry and Sludge had left to go to work, Jim helped Julie clear the table.
“Miss Tessa wanted me to fix the back porch steps,” Steve said. “So I’ll start on them today.”
“Thank you, Steve. She’ll be glad you’re working on them,” Maggie told him. She was too weary to do anything else, so she remained at the table to sit and wait.
The day passed slowly. Each minute seemed an hour; each hour seemed endless. Both Jim and Steve made additional trips to the marshal’s office to see if there was any news, but each time they returned with nothing to report.
Julie’s parents came by for a visit and brought Julie a change of clothes. She’d already told them that she would be staying on with Maggie until word came.
At noon, Julie went out back to call Steve in to eat, and she found herself hard-pressed not to stare at him. He’d shed his shirt to do the manual labor, and she had never seen a man so unclothed before. His arms were thickly corded with muscle, and his chest was broad and tanned and lightly furred. She swallowed tightly against the strange feelings that filled her and hurried back inside after telling him the meal was ready. Julie found she was almost disappointed when he appeared in the dining room fully clothed. Her imagination gave her no rest, and she was glad when they finished eating and he went back outside to resume work.
It was midafternoon when Maggie heard the sound of horses coming up the street. She’d been sitting on the sofa and rose quickly to look out the window. Her expression was one of pure joy as she turned back to Julie and Jim.
“It’s Tessa!” she cried as she started at a run for the front door.