Bushedwhacked Bride (28 page)
“Sure, Cole.”
Jessica glanced back to see Lila gazing after them, licking her lips like a cat anticipating cream. She didn’t like the way
that woman
was staring at Cole. And what on earth had gone on between the two of them previ
ously? It was clear to her that Cole disliked and dis
trusted Lila.
It was also clear that Lila and Cole had once been
lovers, and Jessica was stunned at the hot waves of jeal
ousy this revelation stirred.
***
The bunkhouse was indeed filthy. Jessica swept the floor
while Cole aired bedding, cleaned off the crude table, and
dusted the rickety chairs. Meanwhile the boys helped the
line girls bring in what few belongings they had, clothing
and toiletries crammed in several ratty carpetbags.
Then Dolly strutted in, holding aloft two bottles of
whiskey, squealing and jiggling her ample hips. “Hey,
you boys ready to play?”
While Wes and Gabe grinned, Clover, standing just be
hind Dolly in the doorway, hooted exuberantly and
waved two packs of cards. “Yeah, boys, I got the decks right here.”
Jessica noted with pride that Billy appeared uncertain.
“I don’t know, ma’am,” he replied soberly to Clover. “It don’t seem fittin’, and Ma’ll skin us all alive if she finds o
ut.”
Clover slinked over to Billy, devouring him with her sultry gaze. “Aw, honey, show some grit, will ya? What
are you anyhow, a man or a mama’s boy?”
Billy’s brothers howled derisively, and Billy colored
deeply. At last he unsteadily replied, “I reckon we’ll
play.”
“Billy!” scolded Jessica.
He offered her a lame smile. “Sorry, Jessie, but it ain’t
your decision.”
“What would Dumpling say?”
Clover hooted a laugh. “Dumpling!” she exclaimed to
Billy. “Who’s that, sugar?”
Though his face darkened, Billy managed to toss Jes
sica a surly look. “Dumpling’s got nothing to do with
this. It’s just a game of cards.”
“Yeah, sure,” Jessica mocked.
Clover glanced about the room. “Looks like there’s enough of us for two games.” She lifted an eyebrow at Jessica. “You playin’?”
Jessica could feel Cole staring at her, but her own gaze
shifted to Lila as she in turn ogled Cole. She quickly de
cided she didn’t want to risk leaving him alone with these tawdry creatures. “Sure, I’ll play,” she told Clover. “Why not?”
She glanced at Cole just in time to watch his mouth drop
open. Then he recovered with a cough. “Yeah, I’m in, too.”
The women fetched glasses and poured whiskey for
everyone but Jessica, who demurred. Then the group split
up into two games, Billy, Wes, Luke, Dolly, and Clover
taking up one end of the long table, Gabe, Cole, Lila,
Ernestine, and Jessica at the other.
Cole settled in next to Jessica, leaning over to whisper
in her ear. “Playing the devil’s game, Jessie? I’m sur
prised at you.”
She shrugged. “I have to make sure the boys behave.”
He comically wiggled his eyebrows. “Just the boys?”
Although she could feel her face heating, she main
tained a steady tone. “All my progress will be lost if your ma kills them.”
“True,” he conceded with a chuckle.
With a new cigarette dangling from her rouged mouth,
Lila dealt the first hand of five-card stud. “So, Cole,” she
murmured, slapping down cards, “do you remember
when we used to play strip poker over at
Colorado
City
?”
“I remember how you used to lose,” he drawled back.
Lila laughed ribaldly, and Jessica kicked Cole under
the table.
After throwing Jessica a belligerent look, Cole turned to Lila and offered the liquor bottle. “More whiskey?”
“Why, sure, honey,” Lila purred. “Why not?”
Cole grinned and poured the liquor, and Jessica could have shaken him.
The game continued, the atmosphere growing bawdy as the others imbibed more freely. Jessica noted that
Ernestine’s hand kept slipping under the table in the di
rection of Gabe’s thigh; the woman was up to no good, from the way Gabe first went bug-eyed, then colored,
then even moaned.
Down the table affairs were no better. Dolly was flirt
ing heavily with both Wes and Luke, and Clover had
climbed into Billy’s lap. Billy was ogling the whore like
a love-struck puppy. Good grief! Jessica could only hope
that things wouldn’t proceed too far as long as she was
here. At least Cole was behaving, although the hot looks he and Lila kept exchanging made her uneasy. She sus
pected passion on Lila’s part, anger on Cole’s, and realized the two emotions were far too closely allied for
comfort.
Down the table, Clover, winning a hand, shrieked and
smacked Billy’s cheek, making him blush like a virgin.
She was tossing her cards into the air and hugging his
neck when all at once a new, irate female voice ex
claimed, “Why, you low-down snake!”
Utter silence fell. Everyone turned to see Dumpling
Hicks standing in the doorway, hands balled on her hips,
features purple, the very picture of outraged female vanity.
Where had she come from? Jessica wondered wildly.
Soon this question receded in her fascination at Billy’s
reaction—which was downright comical. First he turned
pale as a ghost. Then he flinched as if poked by a cattle prod. Then he summarily shoved Clover off his lap. As the whore landed on her butt with an indignant yelp, he shot to his feet.
“Dumpling, darlin’, what are you doing here?”
“What are
you
doing, you cheatin’ little pipsqueak?”
Dumpling yelled back. “And to think I brought you my Jenny Lind cake that I baked myself, and here you are ca
vortin’ with”—she paused, chest heaving, staring about
the table in disgust—”with gall-durned Cyprians.”
“Honey, they’s just some old friends who stopped by
for a visit,” Billy protested, his face still white as a boiled
shirt. “And I sure would love some of your cake, honey.”
Amid wicked cackles from the women, Dumpling shot
back, “They’s whores, and if I had that cake in my hands
right now, I’d shove your lying face in it, you little snot. I’m sure your ma’ll do it for me once you get back to the
house.”
Billy rushed up to Dumpling. “Honey, can’t we talk?”
Dumpling slapped his face, hard, setting him spinning even as his brothers and the whores roared with laughter. Tears of humiliation in her eyes, Dumpling said bitterly,
“Play with your harlots. I’m leaving, and if you ever set
foot on my pa’s farm, I’ll have him shoot you on sight
like the low-down snake you are.”
Dumpling turned with dignity and marched out the
door, while Billy watched, aghast. The others, except for
Jessica and Cole, were still holding their sides and laugh
ing. Billy stood with a hand on his cheek, his expression
stunned.
“Well, your goose is cooked now, brother,” Wes jeered.
“Come on back in and play,” teased Gabe. “These
women are prettier than that heifer, anyway.”
Even as Jessica burned to throttle Gabe, Billy whirled
and struck him across the cheek. As his brother glared
back, Billy spoke with such vehemence that several of the
women gasped. “I told you, brother, that I’ll hear no more
of that loose, insulting talk about Miss Dumpling. She’s
a lady—
a fine
lady, and, meaning no offense to our guests
today, these here females
ain ‘t.
And all of you oughta be ashamed of yourselves.”
“Hey, brother, we didn’t mean no harm,” protested
Luke.
“Oh, yeah?” Billy countered. “Then you just tell me
what your Miss Minerva would say if she could see you carrying on like you are. And Gabe, have you given one thought to Miss Beatrice as you paw that Jezebel? Wes, have you forgot all about Miss Maybelle? Why, I say to
hell with the lot of you. You ain’t no brothers of mine—
not anymore. It’s just like Ma said—you’re a bunch of
dad-blamed heathens.”
Utter silence fell as Billy turned and walked out the
door. Jessica stared at the other brothers to find their faces
deadly sober and guilt-stricken. Then, to her amazement,
they got up, one by one, and filed out of the building.
Jessica glanced at Cole to see him grinning at her. A
treacherous warmth seeped into her heart as she realized
he was as pleased as she was regarding this show of ma
turity and solidarity from his brothers. Perhaps she was making progress, after all. Indeed, Jessica realized she
might have just watched the four younger Reklaw broth
ers grow up.
Chapter Twenty-five
Dinner was a somber occasion, mainly because Ma kept
an eagle-eye over the gathering. She marched about the
table, slapping mashed potatoes on each plate, mumbling,
“Guess it’s my Christian duty to feed you, even if you is
fallen women.”
Little else was said as roast beef, gravy, fried okra, and
biscuits were passed. Billy in particular looked so forlorn that Jessica actually felt sorry for him. Cole and Lila kept
exchanging odd, intense glances, increasing Jessica’s
anxiety.
At the end of the meal, a hush fell over the gathering as
Ma came forward with a beautiful iced cake. As the oth
ers eyed it greedily, Ma stepped up to Billy and all but
purred. “I almost forgot, son. Miss Dumpling left this here
cake for you.”
“Yeah, I know,” Billy muttered, regarding her skepti
cally.
Ma flashed him a simpering smile. “You want it, honey?”
Billy gulped. “Reckon I wouldn’t mind a piece.”
“Then it’s yours.”
Without further ado, Ma slammed the cake smack into
Billy’s face. For a moment he sat transfixed, looking
ridiculous with hunks of cake and icing globbed on his face and hair. Laughter shook the table.
Ma waved a fist and yelled at her son, “That’s what you
get, you little toad, for cheating on a fine woman like
Miss Dumpling—and with w
hores,
no less!”
Ma stalked away from the table. Billy sputtered and wiped the sticky mess from his face, while the hussies cackled and the boys held their sides. Jessica and Cole
looked on soberly.
Once the revelry died down, Cole stood and picked up
one of three lit hurricane lanterns on the table. “Ladies,
I’ll escort you back to the bunkhouse now.”
“All right!” agreed Lila, clapping her hands.
Casting her a chiding glance, he turned to Jessica.
“That all right with you?”
Although seething inwardly, Jessica jerked her chin in
the affirmative.
“And see you’re quick about it,” Ma scolded from the
sideboard. “We got church on the morrow, after these
sirens
is on their way.”
Lila shot Ma a cool look; Clover yawned, and Dolly
and Ernestine giggled.
Cole glanced about the table. “Ready, ladies?”
“Sure,” Lila said, standing and tossing down her nap
kin. She nodded to Ma. “Thank you kindly, ma’am.”
“You ain’t welcome,” Ma replied.
As the women filed toward the door, Cole leaned over and whispered in Jessica’s ear. “I won’t be long. Wait for me on the porch.”
Watching Cole leave, Jessica felt tempted to throw something at him. He was so arrogant, expecting her to
wait for him, when it was clear there was something
going on between him and Lila. Perhaps one woman wasn’t enough to satisfy the rogue.
Nonetheless, after she helped Ma tidy up, Jessica ven
tured out onto the porch, where she was greeted by a new
moon and a crisp night breeze scented of pine and cedar.
She arrived at the railing just in time to watch Cole’s dark
figure emerge from the bunkhouse and stride back toward
the house. Not wanting to seem too eager, she retreated to
the porch swing.
He soon joined her. “Thanks for waiting for me, sugar.”
“You’re not welcome.”
Cole chuckled. “Are you taking lessons from my ma now? You want to shove my face in a cake?”
“Sounds lovely,” she replied sweetly, smoothing her
skirts.
“God—you females when you’re riled.”
“You
males
when you prowl.”
His voice tensed. “Wait a minute, honey, that’s not true.”
“Yeah, sure.”
“I mean it, Jessie.” Cole curled his arm around Jes
sica’s shoulders. When she flinched, he pulled her closer,
then spoke in a husky drawl. “Why are you so mad, when
I haven’t even done anything wrong?”
She shot him a withering look. “Maybe it’s what you’re
thinking. What’s really going on between you and Lila?”
“Nothing—not now.” He toyed with her earlobe.
She pushed his fingers away. “What went on before?”
“Damn it, Jessie.” Cole sprang out of the swing and
stood facing her with hands shoved in his pockets. “I
don’t want to talk about Lila anymore. I want to get back
to you and me—before she interrupted us.”
Jessica’s voice trembled. “You don’t understand—
she’s come between us now.”
Cole grabbed Jessica’s hand and hauled her up into his arms. “Nothing’s going to come between us, Jessie, un
less you let it.”
Jessica reeled at his passionate words and the hard heat
of his body pressing into hers. Then Cole’s rough hand
gripped her chin, forcing her face up to meet his. He leaned over, tenderly pressing his mouth to hers . . .
All restraint evaporated. Cole clutched her close and plunged his tongue into her mouth. Jessica groaned and
coiled her arms about his neck, thrusting her breasts into his chest. Lord, she had missed him so much. It was as if she had waited forever for this moment. She was on fire
with him, her insides hurting to feel his heat—even
though she still wanted to murder him.
“Take me inside with you, Jessie,” Cole whispered in
anguished tones. ‘Take me inside
you.”
Reeling at his brazen suggestion, she still managed to
push him away. “No—not yet.”
“Why?” he asked darkly. “What ails you now,
woman?”
Jessica waved a hand and spoke hoarsely. “I don’t
know. You have me so confused. I don’t know if you re
ally want me—or if being around those scarlet women is
just making you hot.”
He laughed. “You’re jealous.”
“Maybe I am.” She tapped his chest with a fingertip. “And I want you to tell me the truth.”
“What happened was in the past, woman. This is now.”
“If that’s so, then the past is now, too.”
Cole made a sound of frustration. “Why do you have to
know what went on between Lila and me? Do you want
to punish me for it? I didn’t even know you then.”
She drew a seething breath. “That’s not my point, Cole. You’re keeping things from me, secrets that prove you still
don’t completely trust me. In other ways, you still have
blinders on. As far as darling Lila is concerned, that
woman has the hots for you—and I suspect the feeling
may be mutual.”
He ground his teeth. “Damn it, Jessie—”
“Why don’t you come back when you really want
me.”
Jessica rushed inside the house.
***
Cole remained on the porch, feeling hurt and confused.
Why on earth was Jessie so mad at him now? Was it his fault Lila
and her line gals had followed him and Billy home?
Perhaps indirectly, it was. He realized he had some
fences to mend with Jessie. And the hell of it was, he had missed her terribly, for days dreaming of nothing but tak
ing her in his arms again. Kissing her in the barn had been
heavenly, until Lila had interrupted, ruining everything.
Now Jessie was ready to roast his chops. How was he
going to get out of this pickle? Hell, he might be falling in love with the woman.
He also realized Jessie had made some valid points. He
was withholding himself from her in a lot of important ways; he still wasn’t ready to share his past with her, or the truth about him and Lila—perhaps because he still
hadn’t fully reckoned with Lila himself.
He needed to settle things with Lila once and for all.
Indeed, Lila was likely the reason he couldn’t trust
Jessie—or any woman—completely. It was time for him
to let go of the past and start building a future with Jessie.
***
In her bedroom, Jessica tossed and turned, missing Cole
but feeling too proud to go to him. The sight of him with
the hussies had driven her wild. She was still dying to know what had really gone on between him and Lila.
Would Cole go to the woman tonight, hold her in his arms,
make love to her?
She turned, tears in her eyes, her belly tight. Cole had been right—the very prospect of him with Lila made her crazy with jealousy. She had missed him so desperately,
wanted nothing more than to be with him. Now this—
more evidence that they were wrong for each other.
She wanted him with a fierceness that hurt . . .
Much later, the sounds of distant muffled laughter drifted
in through the window, awakening her. She grabbed her
robe and tiptoed to the window—and was appalled to spot Cole and Lila strolling together not far from the house!
Jessica quickly donned her underclothes, dress, and
shoes, then rushed out onto the porch, freezing at the sight
of Cole and Lila embracing about twenty feet away. Anger
and hurt churned within her with a vehemence that was
physically painful. She heard Lila’s low cackle as Cole re
leased her and watched the whore sashay back toward the
bunkhouse. Murderous thoughts blackened her mind.
Jessica rushed down the steps, joining Cole in the yard.
He regarded her in surprise. “Why, hello again, sugar.”
She slapped his face, hard. “You liar.”
Cole caught her wrist. “Jessie, you hit me again and by damn, I’m going to strip off your drawers and blister your
butt.”
“You try it and I’ll gouge out your eyes.”
He released her hand and eyed her in disbelief.
“What’s wrong with you now?”
“What’s wrong? You said there was nothing between
you and Lila, yet there you were kissing her, you bastard!
Are you planning to join her in the bunkhouse now?”
“You really are jealous!”
“You go to hell!”
Even as Jessica turned to march away, Cole grabbed
her by the shoulders and hauled her close. “Jessie, listen to me. It isn’t easy for me to discuss this, since it’s a very
painful subject—”
Her eyes blazed at him. “You better ‘fess up, mister, or
I’ll show you pain.”
He smiled. “All right, I’ll tell you the truth. Three years
ago, Lila and I were lovers. I used to visit her bordello in
Colorado
City
. Then Sheriff Pitts, the lawman before
Sheriff Lummety, arrested Lila and her girls for prostitution. She had to find a way to get herself out of trouble.”
Jessica mulled this over, then snapped her fingers.
“You’re talking about the time you were thrown in jail,
aren’t you? Did Lila turn you in to the law?”
Cole grimly nodded. “Lila connived with the sheriff to entrap me. I was arrested in her bed, then thrown into jail.
Although my brothers broke me out of the calaboose be
fore morning, I’ve hated Lila ever since for betraying me.
And she sure didn’t hesitate to pocket the reward money,
either.”
Jessica’s expression was awed. “No wonder you’re
suspicious of women. I’m surprised Lila had the courage to show up here.”
Cole sighed. “Seems Lila came to the ranch mainly to
apologize, and to explain that she betrayed me before be
cause the sheriff threatened her, claiming her girls would
rot in prison if she didn’t give over the leader of the Reklaw
Gang. When the sheriff promised that the whores would be
allowed to leave
Colorado
City
free and clear if Lila would
only cooperate, she felt she had no choice but to conspire
with the sheriff.”
“She could have chosen a different path in life to begin
with,” Jessica pointed out harshly.
‘To be fair, so could I,” Cole admitted. “You know, it
took a lot of spunk for Lila to show up here and make her peace with me. That’s why I hugged her—and we weren’t
kissing.”
Jessica regarded him in turmoil.
“Lila won’t ever be my woman again, but I’m really
glad she came, ‘cause now I can understand. Lila was
only protecting her own.” He stroked her cheek tenderly.
“Now do you understand, sugar?”