Miracle Jones (36 page)

“No,” he ordered softly, but with perfect command.
He continued to stroke her until her legs fell apart, her thighs squeezing over his, her hips lifting and falling into a rhythm as old as time.
It was Harrison’s turn to moan as he held her hips to his rigidness.
She could feel him straining for control, but she wanted him to lose control.
Feather light, she let her own hand move down his torso, his skin quivering beneath her touch.

“Miracle,” he groaned in a tortured voice as her fingers found the mound of his shaft, stroking him.
His choked admission gave her courage.
She pleasured him the same way he’d pleasured her until with a muscular twist he turned over, pressing her down beneath him.

“Your arm,” she murmured, but he either ignored the pain or was consumed by a greater need, for he bent down to her breast, sucking at it with hard, lusty sounds that made her weak with longing.
She lifted one leg to bring him in deeper contact until he was rubbing against her in a way that left no doubt about what he had in mind.

But instead of taking her as he had the first time, his mouth moved downward, across her abdomen, and lower, lower.
She rebelled, frightened.

“Don’t,” she begged, tossing her head to and fro on the pillow, her fingers entwining in his hair as if to yank him away from her.

He didn’t listen.
He was intent on his task.
Then his mouth closed over her, and she bit back a cry of shock and pleasure.
Her climax came seconds later in a furious motion that had her arching and crying out, rising as he then held her hips down and thrust into her, filling her, crying out himself as his own fulfillment came within moments of hers.

Miracle lay panting beneath him, spent, and with wakening embarrassment at her own abandonment, but Harrison moved her to his side, cradling her with his good arm.
When she tried to wriggle away, he clamped down on her hard and smiled.

“No,” he ordered gently.
“You’re staying right here.”

And she did.

¤   ¤   ¤

Dawn’s gray light slipped through the windowpanes as Miracle eased herself from Harrison’s sheltering arm.
He lay on his back, the harshness eased from his face.
God’s truth, he was a beautiful man.
She ached to run her fingers over his broad chest and feel his strength surround her.

But then she remembered the incredible events of the night before.
Tossing on her muslin nightgown, she scurried downstairs to the wood stove and threw some fir chunks inside.
Then she stood shivering as she waited for the wood to catch fire and warm the rooms.

As she stood there she considered what she’d learned.
First and foremost, she was desperately in love with Harrison Danner, and if she stayed in Rock Springs she would be his mistress.
She simply lacked control when it came to him.

That was one reason to leave.

Second, Joshua Garrett was her father.
Jace Garrett would never accept her as a half-sister, and probably neither would Kelsey.
Now that she knew who her father was, her quest was over.
She wanted nothing from his family.

That was another reason to leave.

And third, Gil, the bounty hunter, was really Blue, her brother.
Her lips tightened.
She’d wanted to discover the remains of her family, and lo and behold, that’s what she’d done.
Only it wasn’t her father she’d found, at least not living.
It was Blue, her brother.
And what a sorry excuse for a brother he was!

Fear tightened in her chest.
Blue meant her to leave with him, and if she didn’t do as he suggested, he would hurt Harrison.
Though certainly Harrison was strong enough to look after himself in most instances, he’d known nothing but pain and misery since he’d met her.
For God’s sake, she’d stabbed him herself, and now this bullet wound was from Brody’s gun – or maybe Blue’s, she forced herself to admit – and this never would have happened to Harrison if he hadn’t crossed paths with her.

Miracle automatically heated up the pan of water that had been left on the stove from the night before.
When the water was hot she poured herself a cup of tea, cradling it between ice- cold palms.
She should leave Rock Springs.
She’d found her father, and there was no reason to pursue the Garretts any further.
She didn’t even want to be a Garrett!

And Harrison didn’t want her anyway.
Not for a wife.
She would only be his mistress, just like her mother had been Joshua Garrett’s.
She couldn’t stay with him and keep her self-respect.
It was in shreds already!

But she’d be damned if she would willingly leave with her murdering brother, either.

She could leave on her own.
Maybe she could save Harrison’s life if she disappeared.
There would be no reason for Blue to go after him if he weren’t involved with her.
And she could send a letter back maybe, when she was far enough away to keep him from following after her, because though she was certain Harrison didn’t really want her for his wife, he might be unwilling to give up his mistress.

Mistress.
Her jaw set in self-directed fury.
Yet she
had
kept him from chasing after Blue last night.
Even now she couldn’t think of a better way to stop him.
And though she couldn’t repeat the glories of last night, she also couldn’t deny that it has been wonderful…

She heard Harrison’s low voice call her name, and quickly she hurried back upstairs to the bedroom.
He was lying on his back, propped up against her pillow.
Embarrassed, Miracle folded her arms over her chest.
“Be quiet!
Uncle Horace is still sleeping.”

“So should we.”

“I’ve got things to do.” Miracle glanced over her shoulder and across the hall to Uncle Horace’s door.
She could still hear his deep snores.

Harrison smiled and crooked a finger at her.
“Come here.”

“No!”

“Miracle, I’m leaving in about ten minutes.
But I want you here first.”

“You’ve had me,” she hissed through her teeth.
Already he was treating her like she had no purpose but to pleasure him.

“Come here,” he ordered in a louder voice.

Miracle scuttled across the room to glare down at Harrison.
“You’ll wake the dead!”

“I have to, to wake your Uncle Horace,” he pointed out dryly, capturing her hand and drawing her closer to the bed.
“Why did you put this on?”

Miracle clutched at the nightgown as Harrison’s hand slipped to the hem, sliding it up over her thighs.
“Because it’s damn cold.”

“Lie on me.
I guarantee I’m warm.”

She shook her head, her hair tumbling around her shoulders, but his hand had found that she hadn’t yet pulled on her drawers.
He groaned at the realization, and with surprising strength he pulled her astraddle him.

“You are no good for me,” she told him.
“This has got to stop.”

“Last night you were eager.” His fingers slid to her moist heat, and his smile twisted.
“And you are now, too.”

“I won’t deny that last night was wonderful, but this can’t –” She sucked in a breath as he tested her until she flowed over him.
“Damn you!”

Moments later he slid smoothly inside her.
So smoothly she could only look down at him and shake her head.
He gazed up at her in a way that melted her fears, his eyes full of passion.

Then he cupped his hand around the back of her neck and brought her lips to his, kissing her as he pushed her knees back and she lay fully atop him, joined in the most intimate way.

“God,” he muttered, suppressed laughter in his voice.
“I’m beginning to understand why Jesse’s such a slave to his senses.
I’m afraid I’ll never be the same.”

And then he moved inside Miracle in a way that robbed her of all coherent thought.

Chapter Sixteen

Ignoring Emerald’s complaints as best she could, sick with fear for both her brother and Harrison, Kelsey held tightly onto the sides of the carriage as it jostled down the road into Rock Springs.
The message had arrived from one of Raynor’s men this morning: both Jace and Harrison had been shot.

“Tell the driver to slow down,” Emerald commanded, her mouth bitter as she was nearly jolted from her seat.
“We can’t help Jace unless we arrive in one piece!”

“I wish we’d go faster.”

“It’s all Harrison fault, you know.
Jace wouldn’t have gotten hurt if it weren’t for him.
Damn all those Danners.
They’re nothing but ignorant farmers with nothing better to do than cause trouble!”

“They’re doctors and horse doctors and farmers,” Kelsey pointed out tightly.
“Harrison and Jace were trying to catch those murderers.
They’re lucky to be alive.”

“No thanks to Harrison!
He
instigated this, I just know it.
Jace would never have been so foolish.
When you marry him, you have to straighten him out!”

“I’m not marrying Harrison,” Kelsey reminded her through her teeth.
“And if you don’t shut up, I’ll slap you.”

Emerald’s black eyes blinked rapidly.
“You wouldn’t dare!”

“Wouldn’t I?”

“You’re a terrible excuse for a lady, Kelsey Garrett.”

“And you’re a terrible excuse for a human being!” Kelsey banged against the carriage wall.
“MacDougal, can’t we go any faster?
Please,
hurry!”

¤   ¤   ¤

Miracle watched as Harrison bolted down a cup of tea and Uncle Horace tried to manage even one sip from the cup that shook between his palms.
The two men were eyeing each other carefully, neither knowing what to say.
Harrison was keeping his tongue about his evening with Miracle only because she’d begged him to.
He would’ve loved to let the whole world know that Miracle was his.
But Miracle’s fear of being labeled either Danner’s mistress or Injun whore was a legitimate one.
Until he could convince her that
this
white man cared for her, deeply, he wasn’t going to subject her to cruel rumors.

But right now he didn’t have time to do either.
He was bound and determined to help Raynor find that murdering Brody.
But Uncle Horace looked just as bound and determined to stop him, though the man was shaking as if struck by the palsy.

“If I had a rifle in my hands, young man,” Horace said sternly, “I believe I have the right to make you marry this here woman.”

“Uncle Horace!” Miracle was outraged.

Harrison was amused.
As if the old bottle tipper could even aim with those shaking hands.
“You don’t have to worry –” he began.

“She let you sleep on her cot!
Don’t tell me what to worry about.
I know’d what went on –”

“Say another word, and I’ll cut out your tongue!” Miracle yelled at her uncle.

Harrison grinned, then quickly wiped the smile off his face at Horace’s dark look.
Her fearless savagery was one of her most dubious attributes, but it only made him love her all the more.

He was astounded by the thought.
Was he really in love with her?
Was
that
why he wanted to marry her?”

“I’m going after Brody,” he told Miracle, setting down his cup.

“Don’t you dare.
You need to take care of yourself.”

His Stetson was downstairs in the shop.
Seeing it was useless to argue with her, he headed down the steps without another word, in search of his hat.

Miracle flew down after him.
“You can’t go after Brody yet!
Harrison, don’t be so damn stubborn!
Raynor’s men will find him.
Stay out of it.”

“Lady, I’m doing this for you as much as for any other reason.”

“For me?” Miracle frowned even while a part of her mind registered that he’d called her “lady,” which was certainly more endearing and respectful than some of the names he’d tossed at her.

“You can recognize Brody.
Let’s catch him before he figures out you’re the only one who can put him behind bars.”

“What about Jace?
He knows what Brody looks like, too.”

“If I save Jace’s hide, it’s only by default.” His green eyes became positively glacial.
“I don’t give a damn what happens to Garrett – even if he is your half-brother.”

Harrison was out the front door before Miracle could offer another protest.
She glanced back up the stairs, knowing she needed to explain to Uncle Horace.
Then, with a sound of frustration, Miracle chased after Harrison, catching up with him on the infirmary steps.
He lifted a brow and held the door for her.

“Glad to see you’ve changed your mind,” he said.

“I haven’t changed my mind.
I still insist that you stay in Rock Springs.
And I’m going to tell Tremaine the same.”

There was no one in the infirmary reception room.
Though it still early, Harrison found that strange.
“Billy!” he hollered.

It was Tremaine who appeared from down the hall, his expression so grim that Harrison asked instinctively, “Jace?”

“No, not Jace.
He’s fine.” Voices sounded from the back.
Harrison could pick out Raynor’s.
He glanced questioningly at Tremaine who said, “They found Brody.”

Miracle heaved a sigh of relief.

“He was dead.
Shot right through the skull.”

Harrison barely heard Miracle’s gasp of horror.
“Shot.
Who shot him?
What about the woman he was with?”

“No sign of her.
Raynor has no idea who shot Brody, yet, but the wagon was found in a ditch on the road to Malone, a ways from where Raynor found you, apparently.”

Harrison swore with suppressed violence.
“Then Brody wasn’t the last member of the gang.
God knows how many more there are.”

“Where are you going?” Miracle demanded as she watched Harrison head toward the back of the infirmary.

“To talk to Raynor and help him find these outlaws once and for all.”

Miracle stared after him, dazed and sick with worry.
She had to stop him.
She had to.
But how?

Billy came through the door from the surgical rooms, glancing over his shoulder.
“Mr.
Garrett’s awake again,” he said.
“He’s asking for his wife.”

“I dispatched a message to her last night.” Tremaine scowled.
“She should be here by now.”

“Maybe she don’t want to come,” Billy offered, shooting a disgusted look over his shoulder in the direction Jace must be.

Miracle’s mind was a whirl.
Brody was dead, and that meant Blue must have killed him.
There was no one else.
And unless she told someone about Blue, Harrison would be her brother’s next victim.

…if you breathe a word of this, I promise I’ll hurt Harrison Danner.
I’ll make him scream in agony…

She shivered at the memory of Blue’s threat.
Fury built inside her.
She’d kill Blue herself, if she had to.

She was on her way to join Harrison when he returned from the back room where Brody’s body lay, his expression set and stony and hard to read.

“I’m going with Raynor,” he told Tremaine.

“I’m coming with you,” Miracle said.

“The hell you are,” Harrison growled.

Just then the front door of the infirmary burst open.
Both Kelsey and Emerald strode inside.

“Harrison,” Kelsey said, stopping short.
Her gaze traveled from his bandaged arm to Miracle, who stood by his side.

Emerald sniffed, curling her lip.
“Well.”

“How’s Jace?” Kelsey demanded anxiously, turning at once to Tremaine.

With the ease of long friendship Tremaine put his arm over Kelsey’s shoulder, leading her to the recovery room and the bed where Jace lay.
Emerald, her haughtiness vanishing behind a look of pure fury, rustled after them.
She nearly knocked Billy over while he vainly tried to hold the door open for her.

Alone, Harrison turned to Miracle.
“Raynor’s men have been searching the area.
It looks like whoever killed Brody did it in cold blood.
No sign of a struggle.
No sign of the woman, either.
Raynor thinks she was one of the Half Moon’s whores.
If there’s a chance she still alive, I have to help find her.”

“Then let me come with you.
I can take care of myself, and I can help.”

“I appreciate your talents for rendering your enemy helpless,” he said, half smiling.
“But I want you safe here in Rock Springs.”

Her hand suddenly clutched his sleeve, surprising him.
“I don’t want anything to happen to you,” she said in a strained voice.

Pleased that she cared so much, he gazed down into her lovely face, seeing fear for him in her turquoise eyes.
“I told Jace about the box being yours.” Her eyes widened.
“He doesn’t want to believe you’re his sister.”

“He doesn’t want to believe a half-breed’s his sister.” Her gaze was steady, her tone bitter.

“You’re better than he is, Miracle.
Keep that in mind.”

She glanced away, and he was amazed to realize how much his words meant to her.
Didn’t she realize how he felt about her?
“I don’t care what color you are.” He touched her face.
“You’re beautiful.”

“Have I interrupted something?” Emerald’s voice was scathing with contempt.

Miracle stiffened, and Harrison inwardly groaned.
He fixed Emerald with a cold green glare.
The woman was staring at Miracle as if she’d crawled from beneath the rock.

She knows,
Harrison thought.
Jace told her.

“If I were you, I’d leave Rock Springs immediately,” Emerald snarled at Miracle.
“Breeds aren’t welcome in the Garrett house.”

“You hypocritical bitch,” Harrison growled, but Miracle cut him off in a crisp, cool voice that rivaled Emerald’s in haughtiness: “I wouldn’t set a foot inside your door if I thought it could save my life.
I would rather be full Chinook than possess even a drop of Garrett blood!”

“Just try to get your filthy hands on one penny of Garrett money, and I’ll see you hanged for thieving!” Emerald vowed.

“Say another word, and I’ll cut out your tongue!” Miracle threw back.

Harrison suddenly grabbed Miracle, pinning her arms to her side.
“Don’t think it,” he said on a suppressed laugh.

Miracle struggled furiously.
She wanted to rip the woman’s black hair out by the roots.
“I wasn’t going to really cut out her tongue.”

“You’ve made your choice, Harrison Danner,” Emerald added venomously.
“And it’ll be your downfall.
You have my word as a Garrett!”

¤   ¤   ¤

There was no convincing Harrison that he should stay.
Miracle’s heart was full of fear, but nothing she said had changed his mind.
He was bound and determined to do his duty to the citizens of Rock Springs and insure that she was safe and free of fear.
Lord, if he only knew she was scared for him, not for her!

I should have told him.

It was too late now.
Harrison had left with the lawmen, and she’d returned to her shop to pace the plank boards until she was certain she’d worn through a groove.
Uncle Horace was silent, watching her thoughtfully.
Miracle was grateful for that.
She didn’t want to hear his reprimands on top of her own self-recriminations.