Chasing Rainbows (21 page)

Don’t do it
, his instincts warned. Find another woman. But Jake didn’t want any other woman. The woman he wanted was Miss Annabel Lee Foster, and she was standing right in front of him, just waiting to be kissed.

He slipped his arm around the small of her back and pulled her to him. “Like this.”

His lips descended on hers, barely touching, teasing her mouth softly with his own. He wrapped one hand around the nape of her neck, stroking it sensually, while his other hand gently traced the length of her arm. As she stiffened in reaction to his touch, he forced himself to go slowly, to let her adjust to the feel of his hands on her body, to the pressure of his lips against hers.

But the light, tender kiss left him far from satisfied. He wanted more from Annie than just a soft sweetheart’s kiss. He wanted the hot, pulsing thrill of a lover’s kiss. He wanted to peel her clothing off piece by piece and touch her, kiss her, stroke her body. He wanted the explosion of pleasure and need that would leave them both breathless and trembling. He knew he could achieve that with her. Annie was the kind of woman who would know instinctively when to be wild in her lovemaking and when, on the nights when the weight of the world seemed to rest oppressively on a man’s shoulders, to be gentle.

Jake wanted to find that part of her, the fire that was just waiting to be lit. He increased the pressure of his jaw, coaxing her lips apart. Once he did, he swept his tongue inside her mouth, sensually tasting and probing. He felt a tremor of shock sweep through her as their tongues met. He rubbed his hands along her back in soft, soothing circles, giving her time to adjust to the feeling of the kiss.

But to his amazement, Annie did more than simply adjust to the feel of his kiss. She melted into him, meeting his tongue with her own. Her mouth moved against his with such urgency and naked desire that Jake nearly groaned out loud. She rocked against him, her hips pressed against his, her breasts crushed against his chest, matching the rhythm of his kiss.

Jake brushed his hands down her back, caressing and exploring, learning the feel of every curve of her body. She felt exactly the way he had thought she would feel in his arms. Like she’d been designed to fit there. The woman had a body that was made for loving. Following his lead, she gently explored his frame with her hands, caressing his shoulders, his back, his buttocks; all while locked in their deep, sensual kiss.

He lifted his hand, gently cupping her breast in his palm. Once again, Annie seemed to recoil — whether from shock or surprise, he couldn’t tell. Then, like a skittish colt who was learning to trust, she leaned into him, uttering a soft moan that held both pleasure and acquiescence. He felt her nipple rise against his palm through the thin fabric of her dress as she grabbed his shoulders for support.

Jake let out a low groan as a rush of pulsating desire swept over him. He knew that if he didn’t stop now, he wouldn’t be able to stop at all. Summoning a self-control he hadn’t known he possessed, he reluctantly ended the embrace and stepped back a pace. Annie looked up at him with eyes that were bright with desire, lips that were rosy and swollen from their kiss. She showed neither embarrassment or shame, just the soft, satisfied flush of a woman who had been properly kissed.

Not knowing what else to say, he reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “You better get going.”

Disappointment and relief flicked through her eyes in equal measure. She let out a shaky breath and nodded, taking a step away from him. “You ready to leave, mister? We don’t want to be late.”

“I’m not going.”

“You’re not?” She looked surprised, then crestfallen, then hurt. “Oh,” she said in a small voice. She turned to gaze out the window. “I guess I just figured you were.
Me das perro
, huh?”

You’re giving me the dog
, Jake translated mentally, feeling a stab of guilt. Never had he promised to escort her to the dance, yet somehow it seemed as though he had broken his word. “I’m not much for town dances,” he said. “I thought I’d see if I could drum up a game of poker over at the saloon instead.”

“Oh.”

She looked like a little girl whose birthday party had just been canceled. Jake suppressed a sudden ridiculous urge to pull her onto his lap and cradle her in his arms. Or even more absurd, to go with her to the dance. Clearly what he needed to do was to put some time and space between them, before he did something he would really regret.

“Annie, darlin’?”

“What?”

“You’ll do just fine on your own.” He lifted her gun belt from the bed and passed it to her. “But I’ve changed my mind about the guns. If anybody else tries to do what I just did, you have my permission to shoot him.”

Annie walked down Main Street and toward the town hall, feeling more at peace with herself than she had in years. As near as she could tell, everything was finally starting to go her way. To begin with, she had found no sign of Snakeskin Garvey when she had gone out scouting earlier that morning. It had probably just been some no-account drifter trailing them, she decided, feeling no end of relief. In the second place, she was all gussied up in her new finery and headed for the first real dance she had been to in ages. And lastly, she was on her way to The Palace Hotel. By her reckoning, they would reach Cooperton in about a week.

The only way things could have been better was if Jake Moran were there beside her. A gentle fluttering filled her belly as her thoughts trailed off to the kiss she had shared with Jake back at the hotel. So now she knew. Kissing Jake wasn’t terrifying at all. In fact, it was a hell of a lot better than just about anything she had ever done in her life.

Funny how she had always thought that a man — any man — would feel like Snakeskin Garvey; all hot and rough, crudely smothering her with his body. But Jake wasn’t anything like that. She didn’t mind the way he touched her, or the way his lips felt against hers. A slight shiver ran up her spine, and a warm glow spread through her limbs as she thought about what it had felt like to be in his arms. Instead of feeling threatened, she had felt delicate and desired. Why, she wouldn’t even object if he wanted to kiss her again, she decided, smiling softly to herself.

Annie walked a few more paces, nearly skipping with excitement as she neared the town hall. Bright, glowing light poured out from the windows and spilled into the street. The sound of fiddlers playing a jaunty tune echoed out to her, followed by the sound of voices raised in good cheer. She paused to straighten her dress and check her guns, then smoothed back her hair one last time. Well, she thought, even though Jake wasn’t with her, at least she wouldn’t have to walk in alone. She had Cat to keep her company.

With that reassuring thought in mind, she took a deep breath and pasted a brave smile on her lips. For the first time in her life, she was going to be a true lady. She lifted her skirts and climbed the steps to the town hall with what she hoped was the proper amount of elegance and dignity, then she stepped inside. The huge room with the tall, grand ceilings was packed to the brim with folks laughing and talking. Couples spun around the makeshift dance floor, whirling in time to the music. A broad table stood against one wall, heavily laden with cakes, pies, cookies, and punch.

Not sure where to go, she stood awkwardly at the entrance, drinking it all in. After a moment, she became aware of a rush of excited whispers traveling through the crowd. Heads shot toward her as bold, curious strangers looked her up and down. The words Outlaw Annie, Mundy Gang, and no-good, thieving outlaws buzzed around the room. Finally the frenzied murmur died down and a sullen hush fell over the crowd. The curious gazes turned decidedly hostile.

Annie swallowed hard and tilted her chin. While she hadn’t thought she would be received with open arms, neither did she suspect that just walking through the door would cause this kind of a stir. Her heart beat wildly within her chest as she frantically searched her mind for something to do or say. Unable to bear the silence a second longer, she lifted her skirts and performed what she hoped was a reasonably graceful curtsy. That accomplished, she stared into the sea of angry faces and forced a wobbly smile.

“Howdy, everybody,” she said, wincing at the painfully high, nervous tone of her voice.

Blank stares greeted her, followed by a second shocked murmur of voices.

One man made his way through the crowd and walked toward her. The deep echo of his boot steps seemed to fill the hall. He was probably a rancher, she guessed as she watched him approach. His hair was deep silver, but his face had the leathery, bronzed look of a man who spent long days out in the sun. He regarded her with dour disapproval, then said, “We don’t allow no guns in the town hall. You can check your weapons, or you can turn around and get out. Which is it, girl?”

Annie stiffened her spine and informed him coolly, “My name is Miss Annabel Lee Foster, not girl.” She let that soak in, then unhooked her gun belt and passed it to him. Turning to the crowd at large, she continued, “Thank you for your kind invitation. I believe I prefer to stay.” Amazingly, despite the fierce knocking of her knees beneath her skirts, the words came out sounding proud and strong.

The rancher silently accepted her guns and deposited them in a box near the front door. Then, one by one, the townsfolk turned their backs on her and went back to their merriment.

Annie stood alone by the door, feeling as foolish and out of place as a mud-soaked hog wearing a satin sun-bonnet. As she looked across the room, she spotted the clerk who had sold her the Widow Porter’s dress. The girl stood in a tight knot with several other women of approximately the same age as Annie. Although she and the shop girl hadn’t been formally introduced, at least they had spoken before. Not only that, Annie had spent money in the store where she worked — a fact she hoped would count for something.

She caught the clerk’s eye and sent her a tentative smile, then lifted her skirts and took a step toward her. The girl returned her smile with a cool smirk, then turned and whispered loudly to her friends. A burst of high, jittery laughter sounded from within the group of women. Their gazes shot toward Annie, then they turned and skittered away like a group of nervous hens. Looking distinctly satisfied, the shop girl tossed her head and walked away with her friends.

Annie stood frozen in mid-step, uncertain how to respond to their barefaced rebuff. A cool draft blew in behind her, finally prompting her to action. She remembered the rule in Winston’s Guide that instructed a guest to find one’s hostess and properly greet her before enjoying the evening’s activities. Annie scanned the hall, spotting a woman who was seated with her back against the wall. She held two small squirming bundles that had been swaddled in blue in her arms.

Annie made her way across the room. As she approached, the well-wishers who had been gathered around the new mother backed away, various expressions of fear and distaste on their faces. Ignoring their reactions, Annie nodded at the woman seated before her.

“I reckon you must be the mayor’s wife.”

The woman nodded coolly. “I am.”

Annie gave a brief curtsy. “Pleased to meet you. I just wanted to thank you for throwing this fancy shindig and inviting everyone in town. I ain’t never been to a party like this before.”

The mayor’s wife stared back at her with tight, pinched lips.

Annie nervously cleared her throat and tried again. Smiling at the squirming bundles the woman held, she said, “Those are two fine little babies, ma’am. I reckon you must be awful proud of—”

Her words were cut short as a man stepped between them, reaching for the infants. “Let me help you, my dear,” he said. He passed the babies to a nearby woman, then assisted his wife to her feet. She turned and walked away without so much as a backward glance.

The man, obviously the mayor himself, spun around to face Annie. He drew himself up, gazing down at her with indignant outrage. “I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t speak to my wife again. I run a peaceful town here, and I don’t need any trouble from your kind. Is that understood?” Having said his piece, he turned and marched stiffly away.

As a flurry of excited voices heaped praise on the mayor for his brave defense of his wife, Annie felt her cheeks burn red with shame. She tilted her chin and walked away, moving blindly across the room. The buzzing rhythm of banjos and fiddles echoed through her head, making it throb. The dancers whirled in circles before her eyes, leaving her dizzy and nauseous. Her smile was stretched so tight she felt sure her cheeks would surely burst. But she wasn’t about to give up. Not yet.

Somehow she found herself standing next to the table that had been laden with food. Although she doubted she could swallow past the burning lump that filled her throat, at least getting something to eat would occupy her time. She randomly picked up a plate and nodded to the older woman who stood at the end of the table.

“Could you please tell me what I owe you for the pie, ma’am?”

The woman sent her a haughty stare. She picked up her cash box, slammed the lid shut, and moved wordlessly away.

Blinking hard, Annie set down the gooey slice of pie. Determined not to let the townsfolk see her reaction, she clenched her fists against her sides and moved stiffly toward a chair that had been set out for watching the dancing. She sat down and stared blindly ahead, trying her best to look as though she were having the time of her life.

After a minute, she noticed a group of five rough-looking cowhands standing on the opposite side of the hall. They stood huddled together, passing a flask from man to man. From the tone of their voices and the outrageous glances they sent her way, it didn’t take long to figure out that she was the object of their attention. Annie tried her best to ignore them, but their crude leers only became more pronounced.

Finally the group of cowhands ambled over, led by one man whose swaggering belligerence told her that he had been drinking more than the others. “You want to dance?” the man demanded.