Honey and the Hired Hand Read online

  "See you at eight, Honey."

  Honey almost groaned aloud at Adam's purring tone of voice when he said her name. It was not going to be a pleasant evening. "At eight," she confirmed.

  When Jesse and Jack came into the house for supper they found only two places set at the table. It was the most subtle way Honey could think of to say that she was going out for the evening. From the look in Jesse's eyes, subtlety wasn't going to help much.

  It was Jack who asked, "Aren't you going to eat with us?"

  "No. Adam is taking me out to supper."

  Identical frowns settled on two male faces. It had apparently dawned on Jack that his mother had not one, but two suitors. Honey would have laughed at the chagrined expression on her son's face if the situation hadn't been so fraught with tension.

  Jack looked warily at Jesse. "Uh…Adam is mom's…uh…friend," he said by way of explanation.

  "That's what your mom said," Jesse agreed.

  Jack relaxed when it appeared Jesse wasn't upset by the situation. He turned to his mother and asked, "Are you going to tell Adam tonight that you won't marry him?"

  Honey clutched her hands together, frustrated by the situation Jack had put her in. The gleam of amusement in Jesse's dark eyes didn't help matters any. She simply said, "Adam deserves an answer to his proposal. And yes, I intend to give it to him tonight."

  "And?" Jack prompted.

  "After I've given Adam my answer, I'll be glad to share it with you," she said to Jack. "Until then, I think you should sit down and eat your supper."

  Honey escaped upstairs to dress, where she managed to consume most of the two hours until Adam's expected arrival at eight.

  Shortly before Adam was due to arrive, Jack knocked on her door and asked if he could spend the night with a friend.

  "What time will you be home tomorrow morning?" Honey asked.

  "Well, me and Reno were thinking maybe we'd go tubing tomorrow. I figured I'd stay and have lunch with him and spend the afternoon on the river."

  "Jack, I don't think-"

  "It's the first Saturday of summer vacation, Mom! You aren't gonna make me come home and work, are you?"

  Jack knew exactly what to say to push her maternal guilt buttons. "All right," she relented. "But I don't think you can make a habit of this. I'm depending on your help around the ranch this summer.1'

  "Believe me, Mom, it's just this once."

  Moments later Jack came by with his overnight bag thrown over his shoulder to give her a quick, hard hug. Then he scampered down the stairs and out through the kitchen. She heard the screen door slam behind him.

  If Honey thought she had managed to avoid a confrontation with Jesse by staying in her room until the very last minute, she was disabused of that notion as soon as she descended the stairs. He was waiting for her at the bottom.

  "You told me you aren't going to marry that Philips guy," Jesse said.

  Honey postponed any response by heading for the living room. She brushed aside the lacy drapery on the front window and looked for the headlights of Adam's sports car in the distance. No rescue there. She turned and faced Jesse, who had followed her into the room and was standing behind the aged leather chair that had been Cale's favorite spot in the room.

  "I've never given Adam an answer to his proposal," Honey said. "He deserves to be told my decision face-to-face."

  "Tell him here. Don't go out with him."

  Honey felt a surge of anger. "I may not be willing to marry Adam, but I care for him as a person. I agreed to go to dinner with him, and I'm going!"

  She watched Jesse's eyes narrow, his nostrils flare, his lips flatten. His anger clearly matched her own. But he didn't argue further.

  Neither did he leave the room. When Adam arrived five long minutes later, he found Jesse comfortably ensconced in Cale's favorite chair idly perusing a ranching magazine.

  Jesse looked up assessingly when Adam entered the living room, but he didn't rise to greet the other man. He kept his left ankle hooked securely over his right knee and slouched a little more deeply into the chair, concentrating on the magazine.

  "Don't be too late," he said as Adam slipped an arm around Honey to escort her out the door. Jesse smiled behind the magazine when the other man stiffened.

  His smugness disappeared when Honey replied with a beatific smile, "Don't wait up for me."

  Jesse would have been downright concerned if he could have heard what passed between Honey and Adam in the car on the way to the restaurant.

  "That hired hand sure made himself at home in your living room," Adam complained before too many minutes had passed.

  Honey sighed in exasperation. "It wasn't what it looked like."

  "Oh?"

  "He was trying to make you feel uncomfortable," Honey said.

  "He succeeded. I wouldn't have been half as upset if it weren't for the things I know about him."

  "You've only seen him twice!" Honey protested. "You don't know anything about him."

  "Actually, I did some checking up on him."

  "Adam, that really wasn't necessary." Honey didn't bother to keep the irritation out of her voice. Men! Really!

  "Maybe you'll change your mind when you hear what I have to say."

  Honey arched a brow and waited.

  "Did you know he's got a criminal record?"

  "What? Jesse?" Honey felt breathless, as though someone had landed on her chest with both feet. " Dallas vouched for him."

  " Dallas obviously covered for his friend. The man's been arrested, Honey." He paused significantly and added, "For rustling cattle."

  Honey leapt on the only scrap of positive information Adam had given her. "Arrested. Then he was never convicted?''

  Adam released a gusty breath. "Not as far as I could find out. Probably had a good lawyer. It was only by chance that there was any record of the arrest. Don't you see, Honey? He might even be one of the rustlers who've been stealing your stock. He probably moved in so he could look things over up close."

  "I lost stock long before Jesse showed up around here," Honey said coldly. "I refuse to believe he's part of any gang of rustlers."

  But she couldn't help thinking about the night Jesse had been gone until three in the morning. Where had he been? What had he been doing? And Jesse hadn't wanted her to call the police when she had spotted someone suspicious on her property. He had said he would rather tell Dallas about it. Had he?

  Adam had given her a lot to think about, and Honey was quiet for the rest of the journey to the restaurant in Hondo. Hermannson's Steak House was famous for its traditional Texas fare of chicken-fried steak and onion rings. A country band played later in the evening, and she and Adam danced the Texas two-step and the rousing and bawdy Cotton-eyed Joe.

  Adam was always good company, and Honey couldn't help laughing at his anecdotes. But she was increasingly aware that the end of the evening was coming, when Adam would renew his proposal and she would have to give him her answer. She felt a sotnberness stealing over her. Finally Adam ceased trying to make her smile.

  "Time to go?" he asked.

  "I think so."

  She tried several times in the car to get out the words I can't marry you. It wasn't as easy being candid as she wished it was.

  Adam wasn't totally insensitive to her plight, she discovered. In fact he made it easy for her.

  "It's all right," he said in a quiet voice. "I guess I knew I was fooling myself. When you didn't say yes right away I figured you had some reservations about marrying me. I guess I hoped if I was persistent you'd change your mind."

  "I'm sorry," Honey said.

  "So am I," Adam said with a wry twist of his mouth. "I suppose it won't do any good to warn you again about that drifter you hired, either."

  "I'll think about what you said," Honey conceded. She just couldn't believe Jesse had come to the Flying Diamond to steal from her. She had to believe that or die from the pain she felt at the thought he had simply been using her all this time.<
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  The inside of the house was dark when they drove up, but it was late. Honey was grateful that she wouldn't have to confront Jesse tonight about the things Adam had told her.

  "Good night, Adam," Honey said. She felt awkward. Unsure whether he would want to kiss her and not willing to hurt him any more than she already had by refusing if he did.

  Adam proved more of a gentleman than she had hoped. He took her hand in his and held it a moment. The look on his face was controlled, but she saw the pain in his eyes as he said, "Goodbye, Honey."

  She swallowed over the lump in her throat. She hadn't meant to hurt him. "I'm sorry," she said again.

  "Don't be. I'll survive." Only he knew how deeply he had allowed himself to fall in love with her, and how hard it was to give up all hope of having her for his wife.

  Slowly he let her hand slip through his fingers. He came around and opened the car door for her and walked her to the porch. As he left her, his last words were, "Be careful, Honey. Don't trust that drifter too much."

  Then he was gone.

  Honey let herself into the dark house and leaned back against the front door. Her whole body sagged in relief. She had hurt a good man without meaning to, though she didn't regret refusing his proposal.

  "You were gone long enough!"

  The accusation coining out of the dark startled Honey and she nearly jumped out of her shoes.

  "You scared me to death!" she hissed. "What are you doing sitting here in the dark?"

  "Waiting for you."

  As her eyes adjusted to the scant light, she saw that Jesse was no longer sitting. He had risen and was closing the distance between them. Escape seemed like a good idea and she started for the stairs. She didn't get two steps before he grasped her by the shoulders.

  "You didn't bring him inside with you. Does that mean you've told him things are over between you?"

  "That's none of your-"

  Jesse shook her hard. "Answer me!"

  Honey was more furious than she could remember being at any time since Cale's death. How dare this man confront her! How dare he demand answers that were none of his business! "Yes!" she hissed. "Yes! Is that what you wanted to hear?"

  Jesse answered her by capturing her mouth with his. It was a savage kiss, a kiss of claiming. His hands slid around her and he spread his legs and pulled her into the cradle of his thighs. He wasn't gentle, but Honey responded to the urgency she felt in everything he did. Against all reason, she felt a spark of passion ignite, and she began to return his fervent kisses.

  "Honey, Honey," he murmured against her lips. "I need you. I want you."

  Honey was nearly insensate with the feelings he was creating with his mouth and hands. He made her feel like a woman with his desire, his need. She shoved at his shoulders and whispered, "Jesse, we can't. Jack is-"

  "Jack's spending the night with friends," he reminded her.

  He grinned at the stunned look on her face as she realized that her youthful chaperon was not going to come to her rescue this time.

  Without giving her a chance to object, Jesse swept her into his arms in a masterful imitation of Rhett and Scarlett and headed upstairs.

  "What do you think you're doing?" Honey demanded.

  "Taking you to bed where you belong," Jesse said.

  "We can't do this," Honey protested.

  Jesse stopped halfway up the stairs. "Why not?"

  There was a long pause while Honey debated whether to confront him with the accusations Adam had made. "Because… You'd never He to me, would you, Jesse?"

  It was dark so she couldn't see his face, but being held in his arms the way she was, she felt the sudden tension in his body.

  "I'd never do anything to hurt you, Honey."

  "That isn't exactly the same thing, is it?"

  There was enough light to see his smile appear. "That's one of the things I like about you, Honey. You don't pull any punches."

  "I think you'd better put me down, Jesse," she said.

  Slowly he released her legs so her body slid down across his. She was grateful for the way he held on to her, because her feet weren't quite steady under her. Her nipples puckered as he slowly rubbed their bodies together.

  "You want me, Honey," he said in his rusty-gate voice.

  ' 'It would be hard to deny it without sounding like a fool," she said acerbically.

  His mouth found the juncture between her neck and shoulder and blessed it with tantalizing kisses. Honey gripped his arms to keep from falling down the stairs as his mouth sought out the tender skin at her throat and followed it up to her ear. Her head fell back of its own volition, offering him better access. Her whole body quivered at the sensations he was evoking with mouth and teeth and tongue.

  A hoarse, guttural sound forced its way past Honey's lips. "Jesse, please."

  "What, Honey? What do you want?"

  Honey groaned again, and it was as much a sound of pleasure as of despair. "You," she admitted in a harsh voice. "I want you."

  Jesse lifted her into his arms and carried her the rest of the way upstairs.

  Seven

  Honey felt the heat of the man beside her and reached out to caress the muscular strength of a body she now knew as well as her own. When Jesse stirred, Honey withdrew her hand. She didn't want to awaken him. Last night had been magical. She didn't wish to rouse from the night's dream and face the reality of day.

  Jesse looked younger in the soft dawn light, though still something of a rogue with the stubble of dark beard that shadowed his face. She rubbed her cheek against the pillow, noticing that her skin was tender where his beard had rubbed again-and again. As were her breasts, she realized with chagrin.

  He hadn't been gentle, but then, neither had she. Their lovemaking had blazed with the feelings of desperation that had followed them upstairs to the bedroom.

  Honey understood her own reasons for feeling that she had to reach for whatever memories she could make with Jesse before he was gone. She had no idea why Jesse had seemed equally desperate. Had he already made up his mind to leave her? Did he already know the day when their brief interlude would come to an end?

  She touched her lower lip, which was tender from the kissing they had done, the love bites he had given her. She must have bitten him, as well. There was a purplish bruise on Jesse's neck, put there in a moment of passion, she supposed. She didn't remember doing it, and she was embarrassed to think what he was going to say when he saw it. She hadn't left such a mark on a man since she'd been a teenager, playing games with Cale.

  Honey winced. She hadn't thought of Cale once last night. Jesse hadn't left room for thought. He had spread her legs and thrust inside her, claiming her like some warrior with the spoils of battle. And what had she done? She had allowed it. No, that wasn't precisely true. She had reveled in his domination of her. She had opened herself to Jesse and allowed him liberties that Cale had never enjoyed.

  And she wasn't even sorry.

  Honey had never needed a man so much, or felt so much with a man. She didn't understand it. What made Jesse so different from Adam? Why couldn't she have chosen a man who would give her the security she needed in her life? Why did she have to love-

  Honey stopped her thoughts in midstream, appalled by the word that had come to mind. Love. Was that why the lovemaking had been so thrilling? Was she in love with Jesse White-law?

  It was unfair to be forced to evaluate her feelings when she was staring at the object of her desire. Because she loved the way Jesse's raven-black hair fell across his brow. She loved the way his dark lashes feathered onto bronze cheeks. She loved his mouth, with the narrow upper lip and the full lower one, that had brought her so much pleasure.

  She loved the weight of his body on hers when they were caressing each other. She loved the feel of his skin, soft to the touch, and yet hard with corded muscle. She loved the way his flesh heated hers as his callused fingertips sought out her breasts and slid down her belly to the cleft between her thighs.
/>   She loved the feel of their two bodies when they were joined together as a man and woman were meant to be. She loved his patience as he brought her to fulfillment. She loved the lazy-lidded satisfaction in his eyes when she cried out her pleasure. And she loved the agonized pleasure on his face as he followed her to the pinnacle of desire they had sought together.

  Honey refused to contemplate the other facets of Jesse's character that appealed to her. They were many and varied. It was painful enough to know that she loved him this way. Because where there was love, there was hope. And Honey was afraid to hope that the drifter would be there in the days to come. She wasn't sure her memories would be enough when he was gone.

  Honey knew she couldn't stay in bed any longer without turning to Jesse yet again. Rather than be thought a wanton, she slipped quietly from beneath the covers, grabbed a shirt, jeans, socks and boots and headed downstairs to dress in the kitchen.

  She didn't make coffee, certain the smell would wake Jesse, and wanting more time alone. Honey headed outside to feed the stock. Maybe she could subdue her unruly libido with hard work. She entered the barn and was immediately assailed with familiar smells that comforted and calmed her. She headed for General's stall and stopped dead at the sight that greeted her. Or rather, didn't greet her.

  At first Honey refused to believe her eyes. She gripped the stall where General was supposed to be with white-knuckled hands. Had she left General outside in the corral all night? She was appalled at her thoughtlessness.

  Honey ran back outside, but the bull was nowhere to be seen. She hurried back to examine the stall, thinking he might have broken the latch. But it was still hooked.

  Staring didn't make the bull appear. He was gone. Stolen!

  Honey felt despair, followed by rage at the one suspect for the theft who was still within her reach. Purely by instinct, she grabbed two items from the barn as she raced back to the house. She made a brief stop in the kitchen before marching determinedly up the stairs.

  ***

  Jesse came roaring to life, drenched by the bucket of icy water Honey had thrown on him. "What the hell are you doing, woman?"