Chapter Eighteen
Tessa left the house late in the morning the following day. She was on her way to Jared’s office to speak with him when she met Elise on the street.
“Tessa, it is so good to see you!” Elise said, giving her a quick, warm hug. “I’m glad Jared found you in time. That must have been terrifying for you.”
“It was,” Tessa responded. “I was very blessed that everything turned out as well as it did.”
“It’s wonderful that Jared was able to go after you and track you down so quickly. He came by the newspaper office late last night and was telling us about it. The world is well rid of Boyd Wilson.”
“Speaking of Jared, I was just on my way to his office to see him. I wanted to thank him for what he did.”
“Oh, well, I guess you don’t know. . . .”
“Know what?”
“He hasn’t shown up at work this morning,” Elise said, making sure she sounded concerned, although she was sure she knew exactly why Jared hadn’t shown up.
“He hasn’t? Is something wrong?”
Elise shrugged. “I went over to ask a few follow-up questions for the article I’m writing for the paper and only Deputy Wells was there.”
“That is unusual.” Tessa was surprised and worried. She had really wanted to talk to Jared today. “Do you suppose something’s wrong with him?”
“He’s so dedicated, only illness would keep him home. If he is sick, he doesn’t have anyone to help him. He lives alone,” Elise said, trying not to smile. She knew Tessa would help anyone who needed aid. “Maybe you should check in on him at his house.”
“You’re right. I’ll stop by and see how he is.” She was frowning.
“I’ll see you later then.” Elise watched Tessa head off toward Jared’s house, and she finally allowed herself to smile. She loved playing Cupid.
As was normal for him, Jared awakened at first light. He immediately regretted it. Jared couldn’t remember a time in his life when he’d had such a bad headache, and he knew he had no one to blame but himself. He fleetingly thought about arresting Trace for supplying him with liquor, and then laughed. The laughter hurt, so he stopped laughing. He was very glad now that he’d told Nathan he might not be in early today. The way he felt, he had no intention of showing up until later—much later. He was even considering taking a day off, and that was very unusual for him. He got up long enough to close all the curtains, and then went back to bed.
Several hours passed before Jared finally forced himself to get up. He pulled on his boots, washed, and thought about eating, but decided against it. He was tempted to take another drink to ease the pain and was glad that he didn’t keep any liquor in the house.
Thoughts of Tessa and his conversation with Trace and Elise last night intruded on his misery, and only made him more irritable. He’d seen the way she was with Will, but he remembered, too, the sweetness of the kisses they had shared before the campfire. Jared tried to convince himself that that had only happened because she’d been terrified and needed comforting, but something in his heart told him different.
He scowled.
The knock at the door surprised him. No one usually came by to see him, and he liked it that way. He was a man who valued his privacy. Jared was growling to himself as he made his way to open the door. He knew it had to be important if someone had bothered to come over. He wondered what could have gone wrong now.
When he saw Tessa standing there, he knew what had gone wrong.
“What are you doing here?” he demanded curtly, shielding his eyes a bit from the glare of the sun.
Tessa was taken aback by the coldness of his greeting. She was surprised, too, by his appearance. He looked totally disreputable this morning. He hadn’t shaved and his clothes were rumpled. “I was going to your office when I heard you might be sick. I came by here to see if you needed anything.”
“Who told you I was sick?” Jared snapped.
“I met Elise, and she said—”
“I can just imagine what she said,” he broke in. Squinting at Tessa in the sunlight, he went on. “I thought I told you to stop helping people.”
Tessa knew when she wasn’t welcome, and she stiffened at his verbal attack. “You’re in a bad mood today. All I wanted to do was thank you for everything you did for me. That was why I was going to the office in the first place.”
“Fine,” Jared said tersely, trying not to notice how beautiful she looked. He was staring at her lips and remembering how sweet they’d tasted. He remembered a lot more, too. In spite of his headache, he found he wanted to take her in his arms. Jared wondered miserably if Trace and Elise had been right, but in an act of pure self-defense, he bit out, “You’re welcome. Now go away and leave me alone.”
Tessa was surprised by the change in him. He had been so kind and thoughtful yesterday, and now he was so cold and rude. She wondered why. “Are you sure you want me to leave you alone? If you’re really sick—”
“I’m not sick! I’m hungover! And, no, damn it, I don’t want you to leave, but you’d better—if you know what’s good for you.” His last words sounded almost like a threat.
She was shocked. “I don’t understand.”
Jared was trapped as he stood there staring at her. God, but she was beautiful. He wanted her so badly. His body was aching with the need to be one with her, but he knew it wouldn’t work between them. He knew he should insist she leave now. He knew he should send her away from him.
But he didn’t.
He took her by the arm and pulled her inside. Without saying a word, he shoved the door shut to give them privacy, and then he kissed her. It was a hot, passionate exchange that told her without words everything he was feeling.
Tessa melted against him, linking her arms around his neck and returning his kiss without reserve.
“I care about you, Tessa,” Jared said in a hoarse voice when he ended the kiss and miserably put her from him. “But it’ll never work between us.”
She hadn’t wanted to move away from him, and she stared up at Jared in confusion. “Why not?”
He shook his head and took a step back, deliberately putting more distance between them. He was too tempted by her nearness to think straight. “Because we’re too different.”
“Oh, no, we’re not,” she countered, closing on him. “Whether you’ll admit it or not, we are just alike. We both help people in trouble.”
“No, I—”
“You put yourself in danger coming after me,” she challenged, interrupting him. “Boyd could have killed you!”
“That’s because it’s my job,” he said.
“That’s because you chose to make it your job. You want to help people. Everyone goes to you when they’re in trouble and need help. They know they can count on you. They know they can trust you. How can you think that you don’t help others?” She moved to stand right before him and, lifting one hand, she gently caressed his cheek. “You are just like your father.”
Pain that had nothing to do with his hangover stabbed at Jared’s heart. He stood there, staring down at Tessa, experiencing emotions he hadn’t allowed himself to feel in years.
If he loved, he was vulnerable.
If he loved, he could be hurt.
“I love you, Tessa.” The words were torn from him.
“I love you, Jared,” she whispered, tears filling her eyes as she rose on tiptoe to press her lips to his.
His arms surrounded her in a fierce embrace. He crushed her to his chest as he deepened the kiss, and she gloried in his need. Jared lost himself in the wonder of Tessa’s nearness. She fit against him perfectly, and he never wanted to let her go. Desire surged through him, and he stifled a groan as he ended the kiss and just stood there holding her.
“You should go now,” he said hoarsely, savoring the feel of her, the scent of her.
“But I came here to make you feel better,” Tessa said in a husky voice as she gazed up at him. She could see he was exerting rigid self-control, trying not to let things get out of hand, but the siren in her was lured on by the challenge of seeing if she could break his will.
“Oh, you’ve done that,” Jared said with a half smile.
“I want to make sure,” she said softly, reaching up to him and drawing him back down to her.
Tessa kissed him hungrily, needing to know that he wanted her. She had never been aggressive with a man before, but then she’d never felt this way about a man before. She’d felt nothing when Will had kissed her, but Jared’s kisses left her breathless and excited. She knew only a driving need to get closer to him, to touch him and to hold him.
Jared meant to send her from him, but somehow at the willing touch of her lips, all logic fled. It was just the two of them, alone, and they would not be interrupted. He lifted his hands to frame her face as he pulled away from her one last time.
“If you stay . . .”
“What you trying to save me from, Marshal Trent?” she asked with a throaty laugh.
“From me.”
But Tessa would have none of it. She had waited a lifetime for this man and this moment.
Tessa did not speak, but simply kissed him again, and in her kiss Jared found his answer. He groaned and surrendered to his need for her. He lifted her in his arms and carried her to his bed. He laid her gently upon the softness and then followed her down.
Kiss after passionate kiss roused their desire to a firestorm. Jared’s lips left hers to explore the sweetness of her throat as his hand sought the curve of her breast.
Tessa tensed at his bold touch, then relaxed and gave herself over to his lovemaking. She wanted this. She wanted him. Tessa gave no thought to anything but the wonder of being with Jared. When he began to unbutton the bodice of her day gown, she helped him, and then reached out to unfasten his shirt. She wanted to be close to him. With eager hands, she helped him take off his shirt, and she caressed the width of his chest and shoulders, marveling in the heat and strength of him. She’d wanted to do this when they’d lain before the campfire—and now she could.
Jared had to make sure she was willing, especially after what had almost happened with Boyd. She was an innocent—an angel.
“Tessa,” he said seriously as he paused long enough to force her to look at him. He marveled at how beautiful she was. Her hair was spread about her in all its silken, burnished glory. High color stained her cheeks.
“What, Jared?” She, too, was studying him, memorizing the hard, lean lines of his face and the fiery passion in his gaze. He was the handsomest, most wonderful man she’d ever known.
“If you want to go . . .” Heaven knew he wanted her to stay, but he had to offer. It had to be her decision. He would not force her.
She lifted one hand to his lips to stop him from talking. “Shhh.”
Taking her hand away, she looped her arms around his neck and drew him down to her.
It was her unspoken invitation that shattered his barely maintained control. Jared closed his eyes as he began to kiss her again.
Shouts outside the house shattered their temporary haven.
“Marshal Trent!” a man’s voice yelled. “Marshal Trent! Hurry! It’s an emergency!”
Jared was up off the bed immediately, swearing under his breath. He began to pull on his shirt and button it.
“What is it?” Tessa asked, getting up quickly. She was startled by the interruption and suddenly very aware of where she was and what had almost happened. She quickly began to button her bodice and straighten her clothing.
“I don’t know. Stay here. I’ll be right back.” He rushed from the room to answer the door, shutting the bedroom door behind him.
“Marshal Trent! We got trouble!” Harvey Landon was shouting as Jared opened the front door.
“What’s happened?” Jared asked as he stepped outside to see what all the excitement was about.
“There’s a fire!”
“Where?”
“About four blocks over!” Harvey was running in the direction of the fire to help out.
“I’ll be right there!”
Jared ran back inside to find that Tessa had finished straightening her clothes. He quickly told her what had happened.
“Four blocks over?” she repeated. “That could be close to my house!”
“Let’s hurry!”
They were almost out the door when Jared caught her by the arm and stopped her.
“What?” She looked up at him, wondering why he was hesitating.
Jared paused only long enough to kiss her one last time. “Now, let’s go.”
Tessa followed him from the house, and they ran in the direction of the smoke.
* * *
Elise was grinning broadly as she entered the newspaper office. Trace looked up from his desk, saw her expression, and knew she’d been up to something. He got up and came out front to find out what she’d done.
“You are too happy,” he said. “What have you done now?”
“Me?” she asked with wide-eyed innocence. “Why, I haven’t done a thing except . . .”
“Except?”
“Well,” Elise began, “I saw Tessa this morning and mentioned to her that Jared might be a bit under the weather. I told her that I thought it would be good if she went to his house and checked on him, because he hadn’t gone in to work today.”
“Did she go?”
“Yes,” she answered triumphantly.
In spite of himself, Trace started to grin, too. “It’ll be interesting to see what happens, but you’re not getting a story out of this—unless it will be a society-page announcement about their wedding.”
“Yes, dear,” she promised, knowing that that would be enough as long as their friends were happy.
“Fire!”
They both heard the shouts and immediately ran from the office. As they stood in the street, they could see the smoke billowing up over the buildings.
“That wasn’t the kind of lead story I was hoping for,” Elise said as they hurried to help.
“Let’s hope it’s not too serious,” Trace said.
They knew every volunteer would be needed to control the fire. As they neared the site of the fire, they stopped to stare at the mass confusion. The scene was chaotic. Everyone knew that if the fire spread, there might be no stopping it at all.