Allie drew in a deep, shaky breath. “What do you want from me?” She asked in a husky voice.
Jacob smiled and raised his hand to cup her cheeks. His eyes softened when he saw the fear and uncertainty in reflected in the clear blue depths. His smart-mouth, ball-bashing, hot tempered cowgirl was terrified.
“Just time,” Jacob murmured as he threaded his fingers into her hair and drew her closer. “I need to finish seeing to the horse and the supplies I have packed.”
Allie’s eyelashes fluttered as Jacob leaned forward. Her chin tilted back as she felt his hands slid from her hair. A frown creased her brow when he dropped a quick kiss on the end of her nose and pulled away.
“I’ll work on the inside,” she said as he took a step back.
“Thanks,” Jacob replied before he turned and walked out of the cabin.
Jacob refused to look back as he walked outside. Uncurling his fists, he made short work on securing the gelding in the covered stall he had added earlier in the year. He tilted his head and listened as Allie began to sing as she worked inside.
A soft chuckle escaped him when he heard some fresh curses escape her as she discovered some of the furry rodents who had taken up residences during his absence. Several ran out the front door, followed by a couple of his pans.
“Sorry,” she muttered as she bent to retrieve the battered pot. “I don’t mind mice and things, but not in the house.”
“No problem,” Jacob said. “I’m going to see if I can’t catch some fresh fish for dinner.”
“Okay,” Allie replied, looking back at the cabin with a grimace. “Take your time. This place is a mess.”
Jacob flushed, but grinned. “I wasn’t expecting any company.”
Allie raised her eyebrow. “I guess none of the widows have had the privilege of being kidnapped yet.”
The flush on Jacob’s face darkened. “Not likely,” he muttered. “I’ll be within hollering distance if you need me.”
“Go on, cowboy,” Allie snorted. “I’ve tackled worse and won.”
Jacob watched as Allie’s jean clad ass walked back into the cabin. He swallowed as he felt his body reacting to her ‘cowboy’. Turning, he raised his face to the sky and whispered a brief prayer that it didn’t take him long to convince Allie that this was the place for her.
*.*.*
Allie had stripped off her outer shirt and T-shirt after the first ten minutes. She was down to the sports bra she liked to wear when she was riding. She knew she was going to need a bath by the time she was done. She had picked up everything that could be taken out and deposited it outside the cabin.
Once the interior was fairly empty, she had set to work cleaning everything. The interior wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be overall. Fresh moss in the mattress would take care of the bed. Jacob had pulled the old stuffing out and rolled the covering for it up and placed it in a thick chest with what smelled like mothballs. That was the first thing that had been emptied.
She had draped the covering outside to air out, along with the blankets and clothing stored in the chest. Using a primitive broom, Allie swept the stone flooring as best as she could before deciding to tie an old, moth eaten shirt to the end of a stick so she could use it as a mop.
She found a wood-turn spigot up above the sink area. She had followed it to a small pool of fresh water that ran through a crack in the rock face outside. The water dripped down into a large pan. Jacob had designed a channel system so that he could access the water that ran into it. There was also an overflow spout that ran through the wall and outside as a drain. It was actually pretty ingenious and gave her a continuous supply of running water.
“Cold, running water,” Allie muttered as she squeezed the extra icy, cold water out of the shirt.
Soon, she had the inside reasonably clean. She gradually began moving things back inside, cleaning them as she went. The sun was beginning to set low in the sky and she made sure that the two lanterns that she had found had fuel and plenty of wick.
She found an old piece of broken mirror and hung it on the wall where the sun was shining through one of the windows. Aiming it, she used it as a way to brighten the interior. She was surprised by many of the things she had found. She suspected that each small item meant something special to Jacob.
Allie walked outside to gather some more wood for the fire. She glanced up when she heard Jacob’s low whistle. She straightened and put her hands on her hips.
“Please tell me you have food,” she said with a raised eyebrow. “I have to tell you, I’ve worked my ass off and I’m hungry.”
*.*.*
Jacob swallowed as he held up the fresh trout on the end of the line he had strung. His eyes swept over Allie as she straightened and he swore his stomach dropped to his feet just like it did in that damn moving coffin back in her time. He knew he was staring, but damn if he could help it.
He had hoped staying down at the river for a bit longer would help him cool down. Hell, he’d even taken a damn bath in the freezing water after he’d caught their dinner. It hadn’t helped much. He still couldn’t keep his mind from replaying holding Allie’s squirming body in his lap.
He had been lost in his thoughts as he came up the trail from the river. He hadn’t realized that she would be outside. He’d been trying to think of how he was going to make it through the night. He didn’t have a clue how he was going to be able to do that, much less make it through two weeks alone in the cabin with her. When he looked up and saw her dressed in the same type of top that Indy had been wearing, his heart had damn near jumped out of his chest.
For the first time, he understood his brother’s words when he said he would kill another man if he went near Indy. Jacob could feel the same primitive desire to protect his woman. The fact that she was standing scowling at him like he was a deranged idiot didn’t change the fact that he wanted her.
“I… Damn, Allie,” Jacob muttered. “Where’s your clothes?”
She rolled her eyes. “Since you didn’t let me bring my suitcase, I had to work with what I could. As it is, I’m going to be wearing a dust covered shirt to bed. The last thing I wanted was for all of my clothes to get filthy,” she stated, folding her arms across her chest and staring back at him. “Besides, I wear less when I go swimming at the beach.”
Jacob paled before his face flushed as he remembered what some of the women on the colored box on the wall were wearing at the ‘beach’. Or more likely, what they weren’t wearing. Just the thought of Allie in something like those little pieces of material sent his cock into full attention.
“Shit, Allie,” Jacob croaked out as he marched toward her with a dark scowl. “You’re killing me. You know that, don’t you?”
Allie chuckled and grinned. “You were the one that kidnapped me, cowboy,” Allie drawled. “You should have thought about it a little more before you did. Clean the fish. I’m heating some water. I hate cold baths,” she added as she picked up more firewood.
Jacob’s mouth dropped open as she bent over and grabbed some more wood. He swore she wiggled her ass before she straightened. His mouth snapped shut and his eyes glittered when she cast a mischievous grin over her shoulder. The message was clear. She might give in to his request for time, but not gracefully.
A reluctant smile tugged at his lips. Whistling under his breath, he walked over to the side of the cabin and rinsed the fish that he had cleaned down by the river again before picking them up and carrying them into the cabin. He was startled by the brightest until he saw the mirror in the corner that was angled to catch the fading sunlight.
“It smells fresh and clean,” Jacob said in appreciation. “I don’t think it has ever been this clean before.”
“I don’t either,” Allie said as she turned to look at him. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to get a bath while there is still some light.”
“I… sure… I…,” Jacob looked at the fish in his hand, then at Allie before he looked at the bathtub.
; “You can fix dinner,” Allie said sweetly. “Just make sure you keep your back turned that way,” she added pointing to the fireplace. “I rigged a line across the corner. I’ll throw the blanket for the bed over it.”
“Sure,” Jacob replied, swallowing. “Do you need help with the water?”
“Not until I’m done,” she replied with her tongue in her cheek. “Oh, I need to borrow one of your shirts. I hope you don’t mind. I decided I needed to wash mine out.”
Jacob nodded, the muscle in his jaw pulsing at her cheerful tone. He knew she was pushing him. If she wasn’t careful, that little hellcat was about to find out she wasn’t the only one with a set of teeth.
Chapter 19
Allie laid her head back on the rough cloth that she had rolled up for a pillow. A sigh escaped her as the hot water covered her. Her lips curled up as she imagined Jacob trying to fit into the old copper tub. He would have to sit in it with his knees up in the air.
It was a little cramped for her, but she could turn sideways and the water came over her shoulders. She briefly closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth compared to the chilly outer room. She could see Jacob’s hands as he placed the fish on a flat, cast iron griddle. The sound of sizzling fish and the smoky smell made her stomach growl. Jacob’s soft chuckle told her he heard it.
So much for privacy, Allie thought as she relaxed.
“What do you want out of life, Allie?” Jacob asked, suddenly.
“I don’t know,” Allie replied in a soft voice. “At one time I thought I did, but now, I’m not so sure.”
“What did you want… before you decided you didn’t?” He asked.
Allie watched as he carefully flipped the fish. A smile of appreciation curved her lips when he adjusted the height of the griddle so it was higher. She knew he was doing it so the fish would not overcook while she enjoyed her bath.
Sitting up, Allie rubbed the small bar of soap that she had found hidden in some of his clothes. The small wrapper told her it was some of the hotel soap that they had collected on one of their family outings. She ran it over her skin as she thought about how to answer his question. It wasn’t like her to lie. She figured it was better to know the truth and deal with it, than to make something up and regret it later.
“It seemed like forever that I wanted to take over the running of the ranch,” she admitted. “I was always shadowing Papa. He taught me everything.”
“So, what changed?” Jacob asked, sitting down on the floor in front of the fire.
She could see the tips of his boots, legs, and hands. He had strong hands. Hands that made a woman want to feel them on her. She looked down at the water. Her hands moved to her breasts and she closed her eyes as she imagined them on her.
“Chris,” she admitted. “I wanted to stay on the Whitewater Ranch, but he wanted a ranch of his own. That was the biggest argument we used to have. He didn’t understand that it was big enough for the both of us,” she whispered as she ran the soap over her skin.
“I already have a ranch,” Jacob replied.
“I know,” Allie murmured as her breath caught as her imagination kicked into high gear. “I don’t know why I didn’t put two and two together. The Tucker’s Twin River Ranch is one of the biggest, most profitable ranches in the country.”
“What do you want to do now?” Jacob asked.
Allie wasn’t sure, but it sounded like his voice was deeper. The fingers of her left hand caressed her nipple, as her right hand moved down between her legs. It had been over a year since she’d had an orgasm, not since before Chris was injured. They had made love three days before the accident. Since then, life had gotten in the way and her body had been put into a deep freeze, until Jacob kissed her that first time. Now, now all she could think about was sex and Jacob.
“I don’t know,” Allie said as she caressed the little nub between her legs. Raising one leg up so her foot caught on the side, she rubbed a little faster. “What about you? What do you want?”
She desperately needed him to talk. She was fast losing all coherent thought as she imagined his hands on her, touching her, loving her, licking her. She bit her lip to keep from moaning as she felt her body heating up.
*.*.*
Jacob slipped his boots off and set them to the side. Rising, he picked up another piece of firewood and placed it in the fire. He tried to keep his eyes focused away from where Allie was bathing, but every time she moved and he heard the water slosh, he couldn’t help the images it invoked.
His eyes moved once again to the foot wide space between the wall and the blanket. His eyes widened when he saw one delicate, bare foot suddenly appear on the side of it. Tiny, red painted toes peeked back at him.
He watched as they curled. Unable to contain his curiosity, he shifted a little closer so he could see a little more. His eyes ran over her slender foot and up to her ankle. Sweat beaded on his brow as he shifted a little more.
“I want,” he started to say when he glanced up to her face and saw that her eyes were closed. His eyes swept down to where her fingers were caressing… “Shit, I mean… I… Jonathan and I wanted to have one of the biggest ranches in the territory,” he continued.
Jacob had no idea what he was saying. He just talked. As long as he talked her fingers moved. He told her about the horses that they had, and the contract they had just signed with the Army, and about the cold winters, and the hot summers, and the endless rains that sometimes came. He told her anything and everything he could think of as he watched her caress her breast.
He took a step closer so he could see into the water. Her fingers moved in slow, steady circular motions between her legs as she moved back and forth. Her toes curled and she bit her lip as her breathing increased into tiny, silent pants.
Jacob continued to talk as he watched her. His hand slid down in his pants and he gripped his cock. He fumbled with the front buttons, popping them open so he could grip it better. His hand moved in rhythm with hers.
He winced as he stroked it, faster and faster. His voice faltered, coming to a stop as he watched her head tilt backwards and she released a low moan. His body shuddered as he came.
Staggering backwards, he held his cock as he turned his back to the curtained wall. Bracing his hand against the wall, he grimaced as his seed filled his hand and flowed between his fingers. Another shudder went through him when he heard the water slosh again.
“Jacob?” Allie called.
“Ye… Yes, Allie,” Jacob responded in a strained voice.
“Thank you for sharing your dreams with me,” she said.
“I… I need to get more firewood. I’ll be right back,” he replied. “I’ll give you a minute to get… get dressed.”
“Thank you,” she said with a deep, relaxed sigh.
“My pleasure,” he choked out, bending to grab his boots.
Jacob pushed his feet into the boots before pulling open the door to the cabin. He pulled it closed behind him and drew in a deep breath of the chilly, mountain air. Another shudder ran through his body. It had nothing to do with the cold and everything to do with Allie Whitewater.
“Damn,” he muttered, leaning his head back and looking up at the stars. “I have to be the craziest man on the planet.”
He looked down at his now shriveled cock in his sticky hand. Shaking his head, he chuckled. It was almost as if it was mocking him as well.
Walking around the side of the cabin, he used some of the water in the collection pan to wash the semen off his hand and cock. He dried his hands on the front of his pant leg. Wincing from his cold hands, he tucked his cock back into his pants and buttoned them up.
Washing his hands again to make sure he had cleaned all the evidence of his lack of control away, he turned back to the front of the cabin. He remembered to pick up a couple of logs by the pile, supporting them with one arm and straightened before he stepped up to the door and tapped on it.
Drawing in another breath, he cracked the door and called out to Allie to
let her know that he was back. Her soft response that she was dressed gave him the courage to push the door open and enter. He almost retreated again when he saw her bare legs peeking out from one of his oversized shirts.
“You know you’re killing me, don’t you?” He grumbled with a deep sigh of resignation.
“Come eat,” she said with a shake of her head. “I’m starving.”
“So am I, Allie,” he growled as he stepped forward and took the plate she offered. “And it’s not for fish.”
He glared at her when she retreated to the bed to sit under the blanket. That wasn’t what pulled the glare from him. It had been her parting words and the definite lack of sympathy in them that did that.
“Poor baby, my ass,” he muttered under his breath.
Chapter 20
Allie yawned again. Between the riding, the work she had done to clean the cabin, the hot bath, good food, and even better orgasm, she was about ready to melt. She glanced up when Jacob rose and took her empty plate from her hands.
“I’ve got this,” he murmured. “Why don’t you lay down.”
“Where are you going to sleep?” Allie mumbled as she slid back down under the blanket. A slight shiver shook her as the temperature outside dropped with the setting of the sun and she snuggled down. “There’s only one bed.”
“Don’t worry about me,” Jacob chuckled. “I need to do a few more things before I can get to bed.”
“I’m toasted,” Allie admitted as she rolled onto her side and tucked her hands under her cheek. “I can barely keep my eyes open.”
“I can see that,” he laughed. “I won’t be long. I just want to check on the horse and I’ll clean these up.”
“Okay,” Allie whispered as her eyes closed. “I’ll make sure the bed is okay.”
Jacob chuckled again and turned away. He opened the door to the cabin and shut it quickly behind him as a brisk breeze blew across the open area. He quickly washed the two plates and set them aside before he made sure the gelding was secured for the night.