Bushedwhacked Bride (36 page)
Appearing to waver,
Battle
scratched his jaw. “What about a compromise to get this started? Say, a brief mention in tomorrow’s edition that the mines may be unsafe,
and that the
Chronicle
will be doing further investigation.”
“I’m not sure that would meet my expectations—”
Battle
clenched a fist on his desk top. “Miss, you may
have your expectations, but I have standards for this
paper. I cannot possibly publish anything more substan
tial without first sending a reporter out to the mines to see
conditions for himself.”
Jessica hesitated.
“He’s right, Jessie,” Cole put in.
Sighing, she nodded to
Battle
. “Very well. But I’ll
count on seeing at least my basic accusation in tomor
row’s paper.”
“You will. And may I publish your name as the one re
sponsible for it?”
“Of course.”
Battle
grinned. “And what should I do when Miser comes storming down here wanting your head—and
mine?”
Jessica proudly rose. “Why, you may tell him to call
me. Room 226, the Antlers.”
“Yes, ma’am,” agreed
Battle
, standing to shake her
hand.
Seconds later as they swept out the front door, Jessica noted Cole regarding her with wry amusement. “What’s with you?”
Cole carefully took Jessica’s arm and linked it through his. “Remind me never to cross you, Miss Jessie.”
Chapter Thirty-two
“You look too gorgeous for words, sugar,” Cole said.
“You look pretty spiffy yourself,” Jessica replied.
That evening, they sat in the elegant dining room of the
Antlers, their table awash in soft gaslight as they ate suc
culent grilled rainbow trout and drank the finest French
wine. Jessica wore her rose-colored gown with its puffed
sleeves and low neckline, Cole his black frock coat and a
fresh shirt. He was clean-shaven and had never looked more handsome. Around them, other elegantly attired guests ate and talked quietly while obsequious waiters roved about, serving foods and refilling wineglasses.
“I love your hair,” Cole continued thoughtfully, star
ing at her glistening curls, “all piled up fancy-like on top of your head. Makes a fella ache to tumble it down over your shoulders..”
His eyes were so ardent, his voice so husky, that Jessica felt her pulse quickening. There was no doubt at all
about what would follow dinner. She flashed him a grin.
“You’re in a romantic mood tonight.”
He chuckled, his gaze settling on her daring décol
letage. “Sugar, what do you expect, with you all gussied
up like that?”
“So it’s just my appearance that excites you?”
“Not just,” he replied, a teasing light gleaming in his
eyes. “Hot damn, I was proud of you today.”
“You mean with Mr. Battle?”
“Yes, ma’am. Who woulda thought a delicate-looking
female like you could be such a pistol?”
“And I shall continue being a pistol until we get what we want. The power of the press can be awesome, Cole.”
He shook his head. “I’ve just never known a female
with notions as outlandish as yours.”
“Maybe that’s because I’m not from here.”
He groaned.
“Am I opening up your mind just a little?”
He reached across the table, clutching her hand.
“Maybe I’m unwilling to accept the notion that you might
belong somewhere else—or that I might lose you.”
She smiled at him tenderly, touched that he had confided in her. “There is so much I don’t understand—so I can’t blame you for being baffled by it all.”
He squeezed her hand. “You know what I wish for at
moments like this?”
“What?”
“That we could be married.”
Much as Jessica felt thrilled, she was also torn. “Then
what? Will you give up your life of crime?”
“Lawlessness and family life don’t exactly mix, do
they?” His expression turned wistful. “You know, today as we were passing those convalescent homes, I kept thinking about my second pa, Joseph Reklaw.”
She nodded. “Your ma told me he died of miner’s lung
not long after Billy was born.”
“Yes, but he was around till I was almost ten, and he was
a good pa. Used to take me and the younger boys hunting
and fishing. Always lent an ear when we needed one. I miss
those days, Jessie. Maybe that’s why I keep thinking about
us getting hitched and having young ones of our own.”
“Those are lovely thoughts, Cole.”
He met her gaze solemnly. “And if we do have chil
dren, I want to be around for them. I don’t want them los
ing their pa when they’re young, like I did.”
“Then you’ll just have to change, won’t you?”
He smiled. “You miss your own family, don’t you?”
“Oh, yes. More than you can know.”
“Then we want and need the same things, sugar, and
there’s not much time to waste.” His foot nudged hers under the table. “Doin’ what we’re doin’, there could al
ways be a young ‘un. In fact, we might want to get
hitched before we leave the Springs.”
Jessica felt color flooding her face. “Let’s not get too
far ahead of ourselves, Cole.”
“ ‘Sides, the gang is sure to be found out before long.
In fact, I think several menfolks at the church are already
wise to us, and are only keeping their silence because
they admire what the gang has done for the miners.”
She nodded. “I agree. So what would you do?”
“We have quite a grubstake saved up. We could all
move out west—
Wyoming
Territory
, maybe. Buy a big
ranch.” He winked. “Get married, all of us, and have lots
of babies.”
“That’s a lovely plan, Cole. But what if I move on in
the meantime?”
He shook his head. “Jessie, I still can’t even believe
you come from another time. How can you expect me to
believe you might return there?”
“Will you not believe me unless I disappear?” she de
manded.
“You won’t disappear. I won’t let you.”
“I wish I could share your confidence. But after seeing Buck Lynch and Sheriff Lummety yesterday, I’m not so
sure.”
“You know, you oughta be glad I’m willing to marry a woman who’s plumb haywire,” he teased. “Hot as a tem
pest and lovelier than spring, but crazier than a barking
squirrel, anyhow.”
Jessica laughed despite herself. “Perhaps the apt expression is ‘crazy like a fox’.”
He lifted his wineglass. “I’ll drink to that.” After they
toasted, he cleared his throat. “So what will you have us do tomorrow?”
“First, we’ll see if
Battle
keeps his word and publishes the article.”
“Then what?”
She grinned. “Start playing some more hardball. We can see the town and go shopping in the meantime.”
Cole didn’t respond for a moment, turning to watch
several musicians with stringed instruments ascend the
dais and sit down. As the lovely strains of a Strauss waltz
began, he grinned and said, “For now, you can waltz
with me.”
“Why, I’d be honored,” she said.
He stood and offered her his hand; then they strolled to
the dance floor together. He led her over the floor to the buoyant tune, waltzing expertly.
“Where did you learn to dance like this?” she asked.
He chuckled. “You’ll kill me if I tell you.”
“I’ll kill you if you don’t.”
“Me and the boys learned in
Old
Town
,” he confessed.
“At the dancing parlors.”
“Did Lila teach you?” she asked.
“She did.” He sighed. “Hope that doesn’t make you
mad.”
She wrinkled her nose at him. “It makes me want to
take you upstairs and rip your clothes off.”
Cole laughed as he spun her into a turn. “Now, that can
be arranged.”
Indeed, when they went upstairs to her room, they
began kissing each other the instant they were inside the
door. His mouth pressing eagerly into hers, Cole pulled at the pins in Jessica’s hair, stepping back to watch her curls
fall down upon her shoulders.
He caught a shaky breath. “Oh, honey, do you look a
beautiful sight, with that tumbled hair and your mouth
wet from my kisses. I’m gonna eat you up alive
tonight.”
“I’m counting on it,” she said breathlessly.
He tore off his jacket, threw it across the bed. ‘Turn
around.”
She complied, and felt his impatient fingers working the
buttons on her gown. Soon he lifted the rustling gown up
over her shoulders, folding it over the footboard of the bed.
His eyes devoured her in her petticoats and camisole. His finger traced the lacy edge of her bodice, raising gooseflesh. “How I love that frilly stuff.”
She gasped.
“Am I making you hot?”
“Oh, yes. Now you.” She reached for the studs on his
shirt.
But he backed away, grinning wickedly. “Not yet. I
have a better idea.”
As she watched, puzzled, he went to the armoire and
retrieved both their dressing gowns. He draped hers
across her shoulders. “Stay right there.”
“Cole, what are you doing?”
He didn’t respond, but went to the door, opened it, and poked his head outside. Turning, he grabbed a couple of
towels from a nearby stand. “Come on, the coast is clear.”
She gasped. “Cole, what on earth is on your devious
mind now? I can’t go out into the hallway like this!”
“Sure you can.”
With these words, Cole grabbed Jessica’s hand and
pulled her, laughing and protesting, out into the hallway. Quickly they raced down to the end of the corridor; then
he pulled her inside the bathroom, shut and locked the
door. He turned around and grinned triumphantly. “Now
I’ve got you.”
Jessica gazed about at the room, quite large by modern
standards, with its old-fashioned toilet with pull chain,
washbasin with painted china bowl, and huge claw-foot
tub. “Cole! You can’t be serious!”
Chuckling, he went to the tub, put in the cork stopper,
and turned on both hot and cold water. “Ever since I first saw you bathing on our back porch, I’ve wanted to make
love to you in a bathtub. Now I’m gonna..”
“No!” she protested.
“Yes,” he rejoined wickedly.
“But—this is a public bathroom—someone could in
terrupt—”
“Not with the door locked.” He leaned indolently
against a cabinet. “Now take everything off. I want to
watch.”
“Cole!”
He straightened and pulled her close. “Don’t fight me,
Jessie. At home we aren’t free to play like this.”
She eyed him askance. “I just think we need more
privacy.”
He caught her hand and pressed her fingers to his
swollen manhood. “Honey, we have
everything
we
need.”
She gulped.
He leaned over, pushed aside her hair, and nibbled at her ear, tickling it with his tongue. She moaned.
Softly he whispered, “Please let me have everything
my way tonight.”
She pulled back, cheeks hot. “Everything?”
He solemnly touched the tip of her nose. “Everything.”
She chewed her lower lip. “And do I get everything my
way next time?”
“Sure you do.”
“Very well,” she agreed primly.
Grinning at her demure response, he backed away.
“Now strip.”
Jessica complied, slowly removing her camisole, her
petticoats, then finally her bloomers, while Cole stood
eating her up with his eyes. At last she stood naked, chest
heaving as she absorbed his passionate stare.
“What now?” she managed.
He moved closer, reaching out to touch a taut nipple,
as steam from the bath rose between them. She closed her
eyes and shivered, transported by his touch.
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered. “So tight. Already
you’re aroused for me.”
“Oh, yes.”
He leaned over and turned off the faucets. “Get in the
tub.”
Trembling, she complied. The warm water envelop
ing her body only enhanced the passion coursing
through her.
Cole stood at the foot of the tub, staring down at her
naked body. “When I first saw you like this, you were all
closed up like a tight little rosebud. Now I want you open
to me.”
“I am, Cole.”
His expression turned devilish. “Spread your legs so I can see everything.”
She gasped, equally mortified and fascinated at the
prospect of his having such an unrestricted view of her
charms.
“Am I making you blush, Jessie?”
“God, yes.”
“That’s what I want.”
“Cole—”
“Now do it. Remember,
everything
my way.”
Burning to her very core, Jessica spread her thighs
wide, heat shooting up her face as Cole drank her in.
“Oh, sugar—you’re so damn lovely.” Cole sank to his
knees beside her and rolled up his sleeve. He dipped a hand
into the water, touching the valley between her thighs,
moving his fingers back and forth, touching, teasing, rais
ing moans from her. He leaned over and caught her lips in
a leisurely, drugging kiss. Then he pushed two fingers inside her—