Nevada Heat (8 page)

“They're both gone now." Miranda took a step closer. Only inches separated them. "Mother died when I was fifteen and Father was killed only two years ago."

"Killed?" Jesse whispered. Her perfume drifted up to him and he took a long, deep breath of it, letting it fill him.

“Hunting accident. Just outside the canyon." She licked her lips nervously and watched Jesse’s mouth.

"Shame."

“Yes." She breathed. "I miss them both."

"'Course." Jesse held perfectly still for a long moment. His gaze moved over her face like a gentle touch. Her eyes held him and he felt himself falling into the clear blue-green depths. Slowly, tenderly he raised one hand and touched the sprinkle of freckles across the bridge of her nose. Her skin was so soft. Her warm breath teased the inside of his wrist and his heart began to pound furiously.

She tilted her head back and seemed to invite his fingers to smooth down the length of her cheek and jaw. The silence in the room screamed at him. All he heard was the rushing of his own blood and the quickening of her breath.

He bent lower and dipped his head close to her. The fresh, clean scent of her flooded him, and when she cocked her head to one side, he moved and claimed her lips with his own.

His mouth moved over hers almost reverently. His hand moved to the back of her head, his fingers pushing through her hair. The length of her braid felt heavy against his palm. He wrapped his left arm around her waist and held her with a gentle strength. She sighed into his mouth and Jesse's throat closed with the rush of long-denied emotion. When she lifted her arms to encircle his neck, something deep inside Jesse's chest snapped.

He tore his mouth away and buried his face in her hair to muffle his quiet groan. Like a drowning man, he held on to her as though his life depended on it. He couldn't understand what was happening. He only knew that something was different. Something about him had changed.

And it was because of her.

Chapter 5

He released her so suddenly, she almost fell over. Jesse stared at her, his chest heaving with his effort to calm his breathing. What had happened?

Miranda reached out a hand for him, but he stepped back. Her hair was coming loose from her once neat braid. Long, soft tendrils curled down around her face. Her cheeks were flushed, her lips parted as her breath came in short, harsh gasps. Her turquoise eyes were shining as she watched him, and Jesse felt a vague sense of dread creep through him.

Oh, Lord, what was goin’ on? He reached up and rubbed one hand over his face. He ignored the trembling in his fingers and tried to remember why he'd come to the canyon.

He had to get out of that damned store. He was after vengeance. Justice. He couldn't let anything distract him.

Not even Miranda.

He had to think.

His gaze flicked to her and he knew he'd never be able to think clearly around her again. The memory of that kiss and what it had done to him would always be with him. Deliberately he turned away from her. It was hard enough trying to figure out what she'd done to him. With those eyes of hers looking at him, it was impossible.

“Jesse?”

He flinched but didn't turn. 'What?"

She took one step closer and it was all he could do not to run. “Jesse, what’s wrong?"

Jesus! Her voice sounded so small and hurt. He dragged a deep gulp of air into his lungs and desperately fought to keep from looking at her. "Nothin's wrong." His throat closed. Jesse swallowed heavily and added, “I got to go, Miranda."

“But…"

She took another step and Jesse couldn't bear it any longer. Without a word, he stalked to the door and hurried outside.

Miranda listened to the sound of his bootsteps as they faded off down the boardwalk. Suddenly alone, she tried to make sense of everything.

But there wasn't any sense in what had happened. None at all.

She touched her own lips with her fingertips in memory of his mouth against hers. If she tried, she could recapture the warmth of him. The smooth feel of his lips. His breath on her cheek.

Stop it! she silently ordered herself. Instead of recalling every detail, she should be trying to wipe it from her mind. No matter what the kiss had done to her… and him. In a few moments with Jesse, Miranda had betrayed every vow she'd ever made — both to her mother and to herself.

She looked at the empty doorway and shivered slightly. Jesse Hogan had done with one kiss what a lifetime of living with outlaws hadn't accomplished. Miranda was afraid. Afraid of what he made her feel when he was near. She would have to be on her guard. Slowly, deliberately Miranda crossed the room and closed the door.

#

Miranda handed the cup and saucer to Serena and smiled. "How are you feeling today?"

The tiny blonde looked down at her swollen stomach and grimaced. “As big as a cow."

Miranda laughed and handed over another cup of tea to Shelly.

"I swear," Serena added as she ran her palm over her belly, "if this child doesn't show up soon…"

"What will you do?" Shelly asked. "Change your mind?"

"Guess it's too late for that, huh?" Serena took a sip of tea then gasped, her hand shooting to the side of her belly.

"What is it?" Miranda set her cup down and knelt beside her friend. "Serena? Are you all right? Is it time?"

After a moment she shook her head gently and sighed. "You're gonna have to settle down some, Miranda. You can't get to jumpin' every time the little fella gives me a mule kick!"

Shelly chuckled and Miranda looked from one woman to the other before smiling reluctantly. "All right. I know I'm a little flustered over the baby."

"A little?" Shelly's brows went straight up. Glancing at Serena, she said, “Do you know that she's plannin' on havin' a pot of water boilin' all the time from now until whenever that child arrives?"

"What're you plannin' on doin' with all that water, Miranda?" Serena's eyes shone with gentle laughter.

Miranda paused, thought for a moment, and finally admitted, "I don't know." She glared playfully at Shelly. “It’s your fault!"

“My fault?"

“Yes.” Miranda shook a finger at her friend. “I heard you a couple of weeks ago down at Big Pete's place." She turned to Serena. "Shelly was telling Fat Alice about the time she helped deliver a baby and she said it was a lucky thing they had plenty of hot water."

Shelly grinned. Strange how remembering the hard times she'd lived through didn't hurt nearly as much as it used to. Had to be because of the friends she'd found in this place. “You should have listened to the whole story, Miranda.” She turned to Serena and winked. "Why that hellhole the baby came into was so filthy dirty, I used up oceans of hot water just scrubbin' the place down."

"That's what the water was for?" Miranda's brow wrinkled. "Well, I'm glad to know that!” She looked slowly and deliberately around the little cabin they'd fixed up for the Dexters. Only two rooms, the tiny place was sparkling clean and Miranda had rooted through all of her treasures to find little things to make their home more cozy. Yellow curtains hung at the windows, a bright rag rug covered the middle of the plank floor, and on it sat two chairs with a small table between them. A wash table with a pitcher and bowl stood in the corner and she'd even found an old painting of a mountain sunset to hang over the fireplace. In the other room was a narrow feather bed with a good warm quilt atop it and two lamps hung on either side.

She smiled, pleased with her efforts. Serena had a nice home and people who cared about her. She would be fine.

All she lacked was her husband. And there was nothing any of them could do about that.

“I won't worry about boiling water again," Miranda said firmly. "This house fairly gleams."

“It does that," Serena agreed, and let her eyes roam around the little room. "Miranda," she said softly, “I don't know if I ever thanked you for all you done for me, but I…"

"No need for that, Serena." Miranda patted the other woman's hand and smiled at Shelly. "We were glad to, weren't we?"

"Yes.” The woman nodded.

"Besides," Miranda said brightly, “I can hardly wait for the baby to get here! It's all so exciting!:'

"Oooh…" Serena gasped again.

“Another kick?”

The pregnant woman smiled and nodded. Reaching out, she took Miranda's hand and held it firmly against her belly.

Miranda held her breath. Her fingers spread out over Serena's taut skin, she waited, hoping she'd know it when she felt it. Then something hard poked her hand fiercely and Miranda's jaw dropped. She stared at Serena's unborn child and waited again, hoping for more. This was the first time she'd ever been around a woman about to give birth. The baby obliged and Miranda laughed delightedly.

"That's wonderful!" She glanced at Shelly. "Don't you want to feel it?"

Shelly shook her head. "No… I've, uh, felt it before."

Miranda shrugged, turned back to Serena, and reluctantly pulled her hand back. “What does it feel like from inside?"

"Oh, that's hard to say." She smiled and pushed herself to her feet. "Guess it would be kinda like swallowin' a jackrabbit that's all the time hoppin' around… it's somethin' you've got to feel for yourself. But I'll say this. I've seen the inside of an outhouse more in the last few months than ever before in my life!"

She walked slowly to the backdoor, her hand at the base of her spine. “I’ll be back directly."

When she was gone, Miranda sat back on her heels and looked at Shelly. “I hope someday I'll get to know what it's like to have a child inside me." But when she did, it wouldn't be in a bandit town with an outlaw husband, she reminded herself firmly. No. She wanted a husband that would be there with her when she needed him. Then she dismissed that thought and added, “It must be a joyful thing."

"Not always."

"Hmmm? Why not?"

“Well, take Serena." Shelly glanced at the still-closed door. “I reckon it's mighty hard to be 'joyful' with your husband out doin' Lord knows what and maybe gettin' killed by some posse or other."

“Yes,” Miranda agreed. After all, hadn't she just thought the same thing herself? "But Serena seems happy."

“What else can she do? She sure as hell can't change Pike. And there's no stoppin' that child from comin'."

"But I know she's happy about her baby," Miranda protested. She'd watched Serena's face as the baby kicked. She'd seen her pleased, proud expression.

Shelly exhaled in a rush. "Oh, I expect you're right, Miranda. Don't pay me no mind."

"Is anything wrong, Shelly?" Miranda looked at her friend closely. She seemed a little pale.

“No.” Shelly took a deep breath. "Everything's just fine."

As the other woman reached for the kettle hanging on a hook over the fire, Miranda watched her thoughtfully. Despite what she said, there was something bothering Shelly. And why not? There was certainly something bothering her, and his name was Jesse Hogan.

Miranda frowned. There were altogether too many damned secrets all of a sudden in Bandit's Canyon. Shelly's behavior. Jesse's kiss and dismissal only that morning. Even Birdwell hadn't been himself lately. What in heaven was happening to everyone? Herself included.

She hadn't told Shelly about Jesse's kiss. And for the first time in her life, she hadn't gone running to Birdwell with her problems. This was something she was going to have to figure out for herself.

And now, watching Serena preparing all by herself for the birth of her child, Miranda told herself that maybe Jesse walking away from her was the best thing that could have happened.

#

“Hang on, man!" Jim Sully shouted, and waved his hat high over his head in excitement. "C'mon, Jes! You're doin' fine!"

Whether Jesse heard him or not was hard to tell. Jim shook his head and grinned. His forearms on the top rail of the corral fence, he leaned forward, his eyes never leaving the man on horseback. Some of the men had brought in a pack of wild horses they'd come across and now the outlaws had to face up to the chore of breaking them. It would be a lot of work, but when they were finished, they'd have a supply of fresh horses right handy in the canyon.

“He's havin' him quite a ride, ain't he?"

Jim looked up as his brother Bill stepped up on the rails, swung his leg over the top, and straddled the fence.

“I'd say so!" His gaze turning back to Jesse atop the wild, bucking horse, Jim chuckled. "For some dang reason, Jesse appears set on breakin' every damn horse himself!"

Bill pushed his hat back and watched.

The chestnut mustang arched his back, jumped in the air, and spun in one vicious move. Jesse's left arm high in the air, his right hand curled around the lead rope, he gripped the horse's sides with his knees and stayed with it. The horse leaped forward suddenly and just as quickly stopped dead, its forelegs stiff and head down. Jesse sailed over the animal's head and landed with a crash against the fence on the far side of the corral. Free of its unwanted rider, the chestnut trotted docilely around the open area.