Spirit Warrior (15 page)

Jacob glanced up as two men exited the General Store. The frown that had started to darken his face cleared when he saw Allie smiling at Arlene Jackson. Relief swept through him that Allie appeared to have everything under control.

“So, Jacob, have you had any more problems with the rustlers who attacked your ranch?” Andrew Marshall asked.

“No, not since your men have come into town,” Jacob replied.

Captain Andrew Marshall nodded. “Glad to be of help. The scouts we sent out still haven’t located the other two men,” he replied. “I’ve sent word back East as well, but with everything still torn up from the war, it isn’t likely anyone will be looking for them.”

“I heard that you are training some horses for the fort,” Orlie Jackson commented. “It will be nice to have some protection from the red skins.”

“Actually, the politically correct term is Native American,” Allie said as she stepped out of the store. “They are the original inhabitants of the North American continent. Many scientists believe that they traveled over the land bridge created during the last major ice age that was flooded over some twelve thousand years ago.”

“Thank you, Allie,” Jacob muttered. “Gentleman, may I present my wife, Allie Tucker.”

Allie rolled her eyes and stuck her hand out. “Mr. Jackson, a pleasure to meet you and your lovely wife. She said that you would assist us in delivering the items we purchased to the Livery Stable tomorrow morning.”

“I… Yes, of course,” Mr. Jackson stammered. “I’ll see to it now. Mrs. Tucker, Jacob, congratulations. Captain.”

Allie smiled politely and stepped to the side so Orlie Jackson could pass. When she turned back, she locked gazes with the ‘Captain’. Her eyes swept over the uniform he was wearing and a slight grimace of distaste flashed across her face.

“You don’t care for the Army, Mrs. Tucker,” Andrew asked, noting her expression.

“Let’s just say I don’t care for the history of the Army, Captain,” Allie replied.

“You are familiar with military history?” Andrew Marshall asked in surprise.

“Allie is highly educated,” Jacob interjected, wrapping his arm around her waist. “Isn’t that right, honey?”

Allie shot Jacob a scowl before she nodded her head. “That’s right, cowboy. I know my history pretty well. Especially when it comes to the treatment of…”

“Captain, my wife and I’ve had a long trip and were hoping to rest up before we head out tomorrow morning,” Jacob interrupted. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to get to the hotel.”

Andrew Marshall chuckled. “Of course. Perhaps we can meet up for dinner. I’ve heard the hotel has good food and I’d like to discuss the contract the Army has with you and your brother.”

“That sounds good,” Jacob replied, squeezing Allie’s arm in warning when she snorted. “Until this evening.”

“Jacob, Mrs. Tucker,” Andrew Marshall said, touching his hat before he turned and walked down the boardwalk to where several other soldiers were standing.

“Contract?” Allie asked with a raised eyebrow before she turned on her heel and started walking in the opposite direction.

“Allie,” Jacob hissed.

“Jacob, do you have any idea what happens to my people? Do you have any idea of how they suffered?” Allie choked out. “You are helping them.”

“Allie,” Jacob said, grabbing her arm and turning her so she had to look at him. “Oh, cowgirl,” he muttered when he saw the tears in her eyes. “I researched it when I was in your time. Well, I had Taylor research it. The horses are for Fort Shaw. It’s a new fort being built to protect the major supply line to Fort Benton. That is all we are doing. I swear. After this contract is done, we won’t deal with them again. I promise.”

Allie buried her face in his chest and sighed. She could handle a lot of things, but knowing she was powerless to stop what was to come was more difficult than she realized. She nodded when he asked her if she was okay.

“Come on,” Jacob whispered. “How would you like a proper bath? It might even be big enough for two.”

“I’d like that, cowboy,” Allie whispered. “Thank you, Jacob.”

“For what?” He asked, tenderly brushing her hair back behind her ear.

“For caring,” Allie replied softly.

*.*.*

“Is that one of them?” Clancy Butte asked the man standing next to him.

“Jacob Tucker,” the man replied.

“Who is the half-breed?” Clancy asked, watching as Jacob Tucker tucked a strand of the glossy black hair back behind the woman’s ear.

“From what I overheard, he claims she is his wife,” the man said. “What do you want to do?”

“We need to bust Wyatt out first,” Clancy said, turning to his younger brother. “Once we have Wyatt, we go after the brothers.”

Ellis looked back as the couple walked down to the hotel. “When are we breaking Wyatt out? The Army is here for him. If we aren’t careful, they’ll get us too,” he said, shifting uneasily.

“They have two men taking him back to the fort tonight,” Clancy said, lighting the cigarette he had rolled earlier. “We kill them. Then, we follow Jacob Tucker and his wife.”

“I’ll get the horses,” Ellis murmured, turning away.

Clancy didn’t bother watching his younger brother leave. He drew in deeply on the cigarette and watched the couple pause outside the hotel before entering. There was something strange about the woman. It was more than she was a half-breed. It was the way she talked and acted.

He’d never heard a woman talk like she did. A smile curled his thin mustache as he blew out a puff of smoke. She said that she would scream loud enough to draw the attention of the Calvary. He might just take her up on that threat.

*.*.*

Jacob smiled and handed several coins to the two boys who had hauled the last buckets of water up the stairs. Both of them grinned and thanked him profusely as he closed the door. Flicking the lock into place, he turned to see Allie standing by the steaming tub with her back to him.

She had removed her hat and laid it on the dresser next to the brown paper package he had asked Mrs. Jackson to send over to the hotel as soon as possible. He quietly removed his gun belt and draped it over the chair. Walking across to where Allie was standing, he tenderly placed his hands on her shoulders before running them down her arms to her hands where he threaded his fingers through hers.

“Are you sure about this, Allie?” He asked, quietly. “I don’t want you doing anything you aren’t ready for.”

He felt her squeeze his fingers before she pulled away from him and turned. Looking up at him, her eyes were filled with a shimmering warmth that scorched his blood. She reached up and touched her lips to his in a kiss that was so light, so delicate that he would have thought he imagined it, if not for the bolt of electricity that shot through him.

“Damn, Allie,” Jacob muttered, drawing her into his arms. “I love you.”

“Make love to me, Jacob,” she whispered. “Make me believe in forever again.”

“Forever was the day I saw you coming around the end of that horse trailer with your eyes flashing and your fists clenched,” he said. “The second I saw you I knew I was a goner.”

Allie tangled her fingers in his hair and pulled him closer, silencing him with her lips. He was saying all the right things. His words were tearing down the wall that she had built around her heart to protect it.

“Love me,” she gasped as she pulled away.

“Always,” he promised.

Jacob’s fingers trembled as he started releasing the buttons on her shirt. He kissed her neck as he slid it off her shoulders and tossed it onto the chair. His hands ran down to grip the tank top that she was wearing under it. Gripping the bottom, he pulled it upward and over her head.

He smiled and tossed it on top of her shirt. Pressing a kiss to her right shoulder, he ran his fingers under the bottom of her sports bra. He grabbed the end and slowly pulled it over her head as well.

“Finally,” he muttered. “I swear you are wearing too many layers. God, Allie, you are so beautiful.”

He watched as her head fell back as he cupped her breasts. He had known that they were full, he could feel their weight against him when she snuggled up to him at night, but to see them like this! He swallowed as he bent to brush his lips over first one rosy tip then the other.

Her panted cries struck him hard as the careful control he was trying to maintain stretched closer to the breaking point. He pulled back with a muttered curse, and fumbled with the unfamiliar clasps on her jeans. She reached down and quickly unbuttoned and unzipped her pants. She toed off her boots at the same time as he realized he needed to remove his.

“Damn,” Jacob said again as he pushed her jeans and panties off, watching as she kicked them to one side.

“You have too many clothes on,” Allie complained as her hands went to work on his clothes. “How long do you think the water will stay hot?”

Jacob’s eyes flashed to the steaming tub, then down to Allie’s nude body. His own body was throbbing with need. With a groan, he stilled her hands as she reached for him.

“Wait,” he hissed, closing his eyes and drawing in a deep breath in an effort to regain control. “I swore I was going to do this right.”

“Yeah, like right now,” Allie said as she reached for him again.

Jacob’s chuckle echoed as he opened his eyes to stare down at her. The determination and pleasure reflected in her gaze pulled a low moan from him. She really was going to kill him if she kept looking at him like that. He pulled her up, holding tightly onto her hands.

“Get in the tub,” he murmured. “I want to wash you. I want to know every inch of your body and like you said, we have all night.”

Allie rose on her toes and pressed another kiss to Jacob’s lips before she pulled away. A satisfied smile curved her lips as she noticed the pained expression on his. Turning, she stepped over to the side of the tub and touched the water. It was already beginning to cool a little.

“You are beautiful, Allie,” Jacob said as he watched her.

“You’d better hurry, cowboy,” Allie replied as she stepped into the water and sank down. “I’m also very impatient to get my hands on you.”

“Damn,” Jacob chuckled and quickly pulled his shirt off. “How can a man resist an invitation like that?”

*.*.*

Allie watched as Jacob tossed his shirt to the side before his hands went to his pants. He quickly unbuttoned them and pushed them down. Allie’s eyes widened when she saw a familiar brand of boxers on his slender hips.

“You went shopping while you were in my time,” she noted with a grin.

Jacob flushed as his fingers ran around the top of the soft cotton underpants he was wearing. Taylor had shown them a lot on the Internet and both he and Jonathan had ordered a multitude of items. He liked the feel of these much better than the ones from his time. His flush deepened when Allie whistled softly under her breath as he slid them down and kicked them aside.

“Damn,” she whispered, eyeing him.

Jacob walked over to where she was sitting in the large copper tub. It took up almost a quarter of the room, but he figured they would only need it and the bed for the night. He picked up the small bar of soap from the table next to the bath and unwrapped it. He like the soap from her time as well. Motioning for her to scoot forward, he stepped into the hot water behind her.

“Would you miss your time if you were to stay here?” He asked in a husky voice as he slid down behind her.

Allie rose up and scooted back along his thighs as he straightened his legs under her. She lay back against his chest, shivering when his arms came around her and he held her close. There was something special about sitting in an old copper bathtub, a small fire in the fireplace, with the fading light of the day surrounding them.

“Maybe a little,” she admitted.

“Just a little?” He whispered as he began rubbing his hands along the smooth skin of her stomach. “Maybe I can make it worth your while to not care about the little things.”

“Jacob,” Allie whispered, closing her eyes as his hands came up to caress the heavy mounds of her breasts.

“I like it when you say my name, Allie,” Jacob admitted as he ran his soapy hands over her breasts, catching her nipples between his finger and thumb. “I want to hear it when I bring you to pleasure.”

Allie nodded, unable to speak as he pressed a kiss to the side of her neck. The things he was doing to her was definitely bringing her pleasure. She tilted her head to the side as he continued to kiss her neck while running his hands over her.

“I saw you that night in the cabin,” he admitted. “When you touched yourself.”

“I was thinking of you,” she whispered, flushing and moving against him. “I was imagining your hands on me. I was so achy.”

“It was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen,” he whispered as his hands slid down to the smooth skin between her legs. “How is it that you don’t have any hair here?”

“Jacob,” Allie moaned, pressing back against him as he ran his fingers along her slit. “I… I wax. I’ve never had a lot of body hair, anyway. Damn, but that feels so good.”

“It looks good, too,” Jacob admitted as he gazed over her shoulder. “I want you to do it again. I want to watch you pleasure yourself while I hold you.”