Epilogue
She rolled onto her back under the covers, watching as Heath threw another two logs on the dying embers. It was the middle of the night and the bed shifting as he got up had woken her. She didn’t mind, a smile curving her lips as she watched him work, her eyes skimming down his naked back and below, admiring the muscles in his rear end that bunched and flexed as he moved. When he returned to bed, she took in his impressive length where it stood firmly at attention. Funny, she heard they shrunk in the cold.
As he slipped under the covers, he hauled her close. “Sorry for waking you, darlin’.”
“I don’t mind.”
“I do. You had an eventful day and nearly fell asleep in your supper.”
His hands roamed over her curves, causing enough friction that the chill had already left his skin. Sighing contentedly, she nuzzled her face into his neck.
“I’m feeling quite rested all of a sudden.” She propped up on an elbow and looked down on him, wide-awake. “You never told me what the judge ruled today for the Turners and Skeenses.”
“There’s good and bad news in that regard. The good news is that he ordered your uncle’s funds released to reimburse them for the fraudulent sale of the farm.”
“Can you believe he had the nerve to sell something that didn’t belong to him? And forge a deed? His gall is astounding.”
“Hm, well, now it’s astounding in Detroit House for ten years of hard labor.”
“Serves him right, to end up in prison clear on the other end of the country. I read it’s a rough place and the escapes are much less than in the Wyoming prison.”
“A thousand miles away from you is still too close from my way of thinking.”
She smiled down at him, her fingers coming up to trace the downward turn of his lips. “He’ll be an old man when he gets out, honey. Don’t worry. What was the bad news?”
“The Skeenses and Turners will have to wait for their money, if they ever get it. Evidently, Eugene’s funds are tied up in some other legal proceedings and if that resolves first, there won’t be any left to pay the others.”
“But I thought he was wealthy and had successful business dealings in Kansas City? Can’t they sell something to pay them back?”
“Evidently, his wealth belonged to his wife and most of the assets are in her name. She filed for divorce while he was locked up in Omaha.”
“So they lose everything? That’s not fair.”
“Caveat emptor, darlin’, let the buyer beware.”
“What a shame. I would have liked Wisteria to get her money back at least. She knew from day one Eugene Harper was a lying, four-flushing, snake-in-the-grass swindler, but because she’s a woman, and because Colorado is living in the dark ages, she had no say in the business transaction, but wound up paying the price.”
“Would you rather give them the farm?”
“Well… no. That’s not fair to me or Will.”
He made a humming noise as his lips began moving against her throat and his fingers wandered into intimate places. Jenny didn’t complain in the least, settling into his arms as she waited for him to finish his news from court. When he didn’t seem intent on doing that, she prodded him for more information.
“Is that all? What about the trespassing charges?”
“Pa was angry when he filed his complaint and asked for it to be withdrawn, but the judge wouldn’t let the charges drop. Says if word gets out they found silver—no matter how small the amount—and he lets them off scot-free, Laramie will be overrun with fevered miners and claim jumpers.”
“What does that mean?” she demanded, her dander rising as she came up on an elbow again. “Surely, they’re not going to put them in jail, especially Wisteria.”
Heath cut in with a sigh, appearing resigned to finish the conversation before getting on with other things. “No jail time, darlin’, but to discourage them from claim jumping in the future, the judge had their horses and mining equipment confiscated.”
She relaxed, lying back down, her head cushioned on his wide bicep. “Thank goodness he went easy on them.”
“Not so easy,” he corrected. “They sold their home in Denver and sank all their money into the farm. The horses and equipment were all they had of value, so that was a hard blow. Aaron felt bad for them. They might be gullible, but they weren’t entirely at fault. He also didn’t want another family winding up in South Town and was able to find the men work. Peterson took on one at the mill, the other two accepted jobs at the glass factory. The girl’s brother couldn’t be found for the trial, and she was fit to be tied. Her defense was that since she hadn’t agreed to any of this, she didn’t deserve to be punished. She demanded her horse back. I was quite impressed by her gumption. However, the judge wasn’t at all sympathetic, said she was guilty after the fact by working in the mines.”
“What did she do then?”
“She stormed out. No one has seen her since.”
“I don’t like this, Heath.”
“Luke, Aaron, and I went after her, but didn’t have any luck. The deputies are keeping an eye out for her, darlin’. There’s not much else we can do if the girl doesn’t want to be found.”
“This is awful. She’s in a strange town, homeless, in the cold. She has no money, Heath, and isn’t much older than me…” Sixth Street came to mind. She worried Wisteria Turner would face the same poor choices she’d had. She tilted her head back and looked into his face, the firelight casting it in a soft light. His eyes gleamed the dark caramel color she so adored. “If not for you, Heath, what would I have done? I’d be the one homeless and living on the streets.”
“Over my dead body, sweetheart.”
“Don’t even say that in jest.”
In apology, he rolled her until she rested atop him. His hands cupped her face as he pulled her down for a steamy kiss. Immediately, his erection made itself known, pressing insistently at the seam of her thighs. She let her legs fall open, groaning as the length of him aligned with her slit. Unable to keep still, she moved until the smooth head found its way between her slick lips and settled against her inner folds.
Remarkably, despite the hard, naked body beneath her and the warm lips and hungry kisses, her thoughts remained on Wisteria.
“There’s got to be something we can do for her, Heath. She’s doesn’t have a good man by her side.”
Groaning, his head flopped back to the pillow. His eyes popped open, the smoldering fires battling frustration. “She’s got a brother, Jenny. And Jarrett Skeens claims to be her intended.”
She frowned, pushing up on his chest as she looked down at him. “I said a good man. One skipped town before the hearing, abandoning her, and the other… Well, you said they were like oil and water. Besides, she says they were never engaged. I’m worried about her, Heath.” Her eyes misted with tears. “What if she doesn’t find her hero, someone who will rescue her and sweep her away to safety, like you did for me?”
“Darlin’…” he began, but she cut him off, not expecting to like his answer.
“She was ready to take on Eugene for me. If you hadn’t arrived when you did, she’d have shot him to save me, I feel certain of that. I owe her something for that, offering a helping hand at the very least.”
His eyes searched her face as he wiped a tear away with his thumb. Then he shook his head and corrected her. “We owe her, sweetheart. Come morning, I’ll get some men and we’ll search again.”
“Thank you.” She dipped her head and pressed her lips to his in a gentle kiss. “See, you’re a very good man.”
“Hm,” he grunted. “I thought I was a hero.”
Lifting her head, she grinned down at him. “You’re that too, and I love you for it.” She burrowed her hands underneath him and curled her hand up over his shoulders, hugging him tight. With her cheek against his chest, she sighed contentedly. “I also love when Will stays at the big house and we get to sleep naked.”
“This from the girl who not so long ago said she couldn’t sleep without a gown.”
“Yeah, silly me, what was I thinking?” She giggled, squeezing him tight.
The fire had made the room toasty warm. As easily as he’d built the blaze in the hearth, his roaming fingers stroking down her back, along her hips, and over her bottom were stoking a similar heat inside her. She began to move restlessly against him. Her lips found his throat and she couldn’t resist taking a taste with a long lick of her tongue. Wanting to feel his skin unimpeded, she threw back the covers that were getting in her way.
He groaned as she rose above him. Hands splayed wide, Jenny trailed them up his firm, rippled belly and across his muscular chest, the springy hair abrading her fingers and palms until they tingled. Leaning over him, she shook her head until the gleaming red-gold curls that he loved tumbled over her shoulders and around his face. Hips undulating slowly, she stared down into his eyes and stated boldly, “I want you inside me.”
“Soon.” His strong hands moved her higher, until her breasts aligned with his face. Suspended like ripe fruit above his mouth, they were just barely out of reach. “Bend down to me, Jenny. I want a taste of you.”
Instantly, her nipples hardened as she bowed her back, offering her breasts to his mouth, crying out as he sucked an already peaked tip between his lips.
“Come inside me, Heath. Please.”
“So impatient,” he murmured, taking the tip between his teeth and biting gently, slowly increasing the pressure until she gasped with delight. “See. It’s better when we build it.”
“Impossible. I ache for you now.”
He flipped her to her back, his lips moving downward. His order came in a growl against her belly. “Spread your legs, Jenny. I’ll see what I can do about that ache.”
Pure heat claimed her as his hot tongue licked into her. “Sweet heaven above, what you do to me,” she moaned as his tongue circled the nub at the top of her slit. When he dipped his fingers into her channel, sinking deep, she could hear her wetness. Lost in her pleasure, she didn’t care enough to be embarrassed. Clutching his head, her fingers curling around handfuls of his hair, she cried out her need
“Heath, I’m coming apart.”
“Do it, darlin’,” he growled against her. “Come apart for me.”
She did, her hips lifting off the bed as great waves of pleasure rocked her body. Her insides were still a mass of quivering jelly as he rolled to his back with her above him once again. His hands maneuvered her into position and once her thighs straddled his hips, he surged upward, filling her to the hilt.
“Ride me, Jenny.”
Breathless, she began to move. With the ache assuaged, she set a slow leisurely pace. A sharp hand landing on her behind startled a yelp from her.
“I’m in the mood for a lusty gallop, not a sedate walk. Ride me hard.” Twice more his hand came down, urging her faster. With his big hands cupping her behind, he helped her find a satisfactory rhythm, occasionally applying a motivating swat.
The spanks and his rough-and-ready possession rekindled the fire within her. As she moved enthusiastically atop him, her full breasts bounced obscenely. She brought her hands up to steady them, only to have them brushed aside by one of his own.
“I like watching you move, darlin’, leave them be.” Fueled by the desire burning in his eyes, she rode him harder, relentlessly pumping her hips. The constant circling of his thumb around her sensitive nub drove her higher until she was flying close to another climax.
“You feel so good around me, Jenny. Hot and wet, tight like a fitted glove. Are you ready to come again for me, love?”
Her answer came in another hoarse cry as she threw back her head and screamed, reaching another feverish peak. That was all the answer he needed. Thrusting up into her, he gripped large handfuls of her warm bottom cheeks and pulled her down onto him, hard. With her breathing labored, her skin damp, and her heart racing, she hung on for the ride. Her head came forward to watch as he moved and juddered beneath her, enthralled by the sight of him as he found his release.
His eyes popped open as his seed splashed against her trembling insides. One large hand reached out, wrapping around her nape as he pulled her down and fused his mouth to hers, his seeking tongue plunging inside.
His voice came gruff to her ears a short time later when he released her enough to speak. “I love you, Jenny. Never did I think I’d have this with a woman. Like my ma is to pa, and Janelle is with Aaron, I didn’t think this type of love was meant for me.”
Her hand came up to cup his cheek tenderly. “I never doubted it. I knew you were my swashbuckler, my hero among men, even at the tender age of eleven, and it will be true when you’re pushing one hundred. You’ll always be my brave knight, rescuing the maiden fair and carrying her off on his fiery steed.”
“Never doubted it?” He rolled her beneath him, laughing down into her smiling face. “Little liar. You went to Bennett seeking an annulment if you recall.”
“Silly man, I didn’t doubt you, but myself. Your love has shown me the error of my ways, however. Just try to get rid of me now, Mr. Jackson. I dare you.”
“Never, my darlin’ wife, you belong forever at my side, for better or worse. I must say, since we’ve already had a gullet full of worse, it’s high time for better.” His lips found hers in a sweet, gentle kiss. “Tonight was an excellent start.”
Soon the fire blazed anew. A long while later, lying pleasantly spent in one another’s arms, they spoke words of love while laying out a plan for their future. It looked bright, and as in Jenny’s books, would undoubtedly end with a happily ever after.
The End