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He grinned. No truer words had ever been spoken.
Isaac left him to finish his supper. When he’d eaten his fill, Alex was still there, staring at him. He sighed and stood, taking his dirty bowl and spoon to the wash pot Isaac had sitting on the back of the wagon.
“What will it hurt having me around?”
Her voice startled him. She was standing behind him when he turned around.
“It won’t hurt anything, Alex. But it will cause a disruption. A woman on a cattle drive is just asking for trouble.”
“Why? A woman can watch a herd of cattle as good as any man.”
“True and of all the women I know, you’re more capable than most.”
“Then why can’t I stay?”
Jesse rubbed a hand over his face before looking down at her. The top of her head barely reached his chin. Those blonde curls were hanging nearly to her waist and her pouty lips just begged to be kissed. “Because it’s not safe for you to be here.”
“I can take care of myself.”
“Really?”
“Yes, you know I can.”
Under normal circumstances, he was sure she could but things were different when you had a group of twenty men around and she needed to see that first hand.
He reached out and grabbed her, one hand sliding into her hair to cup the back of her head, the other around her waist. He lifted her from the ground, her shocked gasp echoing in his head. Dragging her around the side of the wagon where the shadows were deepest, he pushed her against the wood planks, wedged a knee between her legs and molded every inch of his body against her before lowering his head. “Now,” he said, trying not to let on how much he enjoyed having her so close. “Prove to me you can take care of yourself.”
Her eyes were wide with shock and it took her several moments to realize what was going on. Her first attempts to struggle were weak. Determination filled her eyes a moment later and she fought harder. Jesse held on tighter, his head lowering until his mouth was over hers. “It wouldn’t take much for me to have you flat on your back and those trousers around your knees. Is that what you want?”
She jerked in his arms again, trying to loosen his hold. He held on tighter, the hand in her hair pulling her head until her face was tipped up toward him another inch. The move brought her mouth so close he could feel her warm breath on his lips. “Do you want one of these cowboys to take you by force?”
She jerked again. “No.”
The word was ground out between clenched teeth.
“Then tell me how you’re going to take care of yourself when Lewis and his friends find you alone again? You can’t even break the hold I have you in, how will you do that when three of them are holding you down and taking turns between your thighs.”
Her eyes looked glassy and if he had to guess he’d say tears were filling them. She was either scared or mad as hell, but he knew he’d proved his point. She couldn’t defend herself like she thought she could and if he had to guess, the knowledge probably stung.
He looked down at her lips again, the urge to fill the remaining space and kiss her was so strong he had to bite his tongue to keep from doing it. He locked eyes with her and loosened his grip, easing back enough so he wasn’t pressing her into the wagon. “Do you get it now?”
She smiled but there wasn’t anything amusing in the look. “Do you?” Something poked into his stomach the moment the words left her mouth, a small clicking sound reaching his ears. He looked down to see what she was doing and laughed.
“Where the hell did you get that?”
“My pa bought it for me.”
Jesse raised a hand and pushed the barrel of the derringer away from his stomach. “Smart man.”
“I can take care of myself, Jesse. I’ve never needed a man to protect me.” She pushed him away and lowered the hammer on the gun, tucking the weapon into her boot. She met his gaze, fire shining in her eyes. “And next time you treat me like that you’ll wish you hadn’t.”
She stomped away mumbling under her breath. He grinned. Maybe he’d underestimated her. Maybe she could handle herself with this bunch.
Lewis walked into his line of sight, the man’s head turning to where Alex’s bedroll lay. No, he thought. He didn’t trust this group of men around her regardless of how confident she was at being able to handle them.
As much as he’d love a chance to keep her close by and away from Hugh Jacobs, she was safer at home, away from Lewis and his friends. Safe from him as well. Lord knew he wanted her. He always had and now that he’d held her so close the desire to have her in his arms was stronger than ever.
Eleven
