The Outlaws: Jess by Connie Mason

dishes, pushed her down on the hard
surface and thrust himself into her. He wanted to ride her hard,
ride her until they were both sated.
    Long minutes passed before Jess realized the
sound thrumming in his ears wasn't the pounding of his heart.
Someone behind him was clearing his throat. With marked reluctance
Jess broke off the kiss and backed away.
    "Am I interrupting?" Zach asked, pinning Jess
with a hard, probing gaze.
    "Your timing couldn't have been better," Jess
said, grateful for the intrusion. Another minute and he would have
taken her on the kitchen table and propriety be damned. Zach's
appearance saved him from making a fool of himself.
    He glanced at Meg. Speech seemed to have
deserted her. She was staring at him, her eyes wide, the fingers of
one hand splayed over her lips.
    "Have you changed your mind about what we
talked about?" Zach asked, glancing from Meg to Jess.
    Meg suddenly found her voice. "No, he hasn't.
I don't know what possessed you to even suggest such a thing, Zach
Purdee. Men," she said, her voice ripe with disgust.
    "I could have sworn you were kissing Jess
when I walked into the kitchen just now," Zach said.
    "Most certainly not! Jess was kissing me.
There's a difference."
    Suddenly Jess felt as if his world was
skittering out of control. And all because of a female bounty
hunter who hadn't the sense to stay home and be a woman. He
couldn't recall when a woman had set him on his ear like Meg
Lincoln. She was unique and special, a woman who followed her own
rules. He had to forget her. If he knew what was good for him, he
would walk away and never look back.
    He was a wanted man. Meg already had a lover.
He didn't need a woman in his life right now. She didn't want
anyone but Zach. There were countless reasons why he and Meg should
steer clear of one another, every one of them valid.
    "I'll be leaving within the hour," Jess
announced. "I've done all I can here. Meg is nearly back to normal
and I've given Zach my professional opinion of his condition and
the medication I had on hand to treat it."
    "You're leaving?" Zach didn't seem at all
pleased and that puzzled Jess.
    "I think it's best."
    "Where will you go?"
    "Somehow I'm going to scrape up enough money
to open an office in town."
    "I'd like to help, Doc, but me and Meggie are
a little short ourselves."
    "I'll manage," Jess said. "Take care of
yourself. You, too, Meg. I'll stop by in a few days to see how
you're doing."
    "No need," Meg said. "I'm perfectly fine, and
quite capable of taking care of Zach."
    "Aw, Meggie, I don't need no one to take care
of me. There's a heap of life left in me yet."
    "Well, then, I reckon I'll say good-bye,"
Jess said. "It will only take me a few minutes to gather my
things."
    Zach stuck out his hand. "I hate to see you
go. It's been a real pleasure, Doc. Come back any time. Me and
Meggie will be glad to see you, won't we Meggie?"
    "The man who saved my life will always be
welcome here," Meg said.
    "Think over my proposal, Doc. It's still
open."
    "Zach!" Meg rounded on him. "I know what you
did and I'm not pleased. We'll discuss this later, when we're
alone."
    Jess made a hasty exit while Meg and Zach
were bickering. He found the subject revolting. He could understand
Zach's need to provide for his lover after his demise, but to offer
her to the first likely man to come along was reprehensible.
Besides, Zach still had many good years left if he took care of
himself.
    No one was on hand when Jess rode away. It
was better that way, he thought. He couldn't look at Meg without
remembering that last kiss and how it had affected him. Damn, he
wondered if Rafe and Sam were more knowledgeable about women than
he was. Rafe was resourceful, he wouldn't let himself become
romantically involved, Jess decided. It was Sam he worried about.
Impulsive Sam would probably fall head over heels for a dozen women
and discard each one by the time they met in Denver next year.
     
    Jess rode down Cheyenne's main street, his
body tense