Unexpected (31 page)

She somehow doubted he had.
She looked up at him with an unspoken question in her eyes.

“
Don’t worry Josie, I won’t let him touch you again.  I promise.”

She sobbed in relief.  His arms tightened around her.
  She felt safe for the first time in days.  He may have been wounded, but the strength in his thick arms was unmistakable. He was healing.

“As soon as I’m done
mending, I’m going to hunt him down and tear him to bits.”

She lifted her head and looked into his eyes. “I can’t go through this again.
  I mean, thinking I’ve lost you.”

He smiled slowly. “
Love, you’ll never lose me.” He threaded his fingers through her hair and pulled her mouth towards his.

His words were heartfelt.  She knew they were. She didn’t need him to repeat anything.  Josie never felt like she could be with anyone until Cogan came along.  Everything about him felt so right to her.  Even through the passage of time, she still didn’t regret their night together.  She moved on top of him, moaning as his mouth moved aggressively against hers.  Then suddenly he pulled her back.

“What is it?”

“
I love the feel of you, but in about five seconds we’ll have company.”

“Oh!” She quickly moved off him just as the door opened and Gus stepped in.

His eyes shifted back and forth and Josie’s blush made him know he interrupted something.

“
Excuse me.” She moved by him out the door.

“I’m sorry,” he said to Cogan over the interruption.  “I have some questions that need answers.  The Marshal is due here the day after tomorrow.”

“Fair enough.” Cogan sat up and moved to the edge of the bed swinging his legs over the side.  When he did that, the sheet fell away from his upper torso.

Gus was envious of this man in every way.  He was built
to perfection, and you wouldn’t know he was on death’s door less than an hour ago.

“Ask away.”

“What happened at the mine?”

“Do you really want to know?” He met Gus’s eyes.

Not really
.  “Yes.”

“Well, Butch no longer has any men working for him again.  I suspect he’s already put a wire out for more.”

“What do you mean no one? Did you kill them all?”

“Well, unless he can make a couple out of the pieces I left
, no, he has no one.” He actually chuckled.

“Is what the priest said, true?”

“Well, I don’t know what he told you, but considering you didn’t really look surprised at the information I’m giving you, or what you witnessed with my healing power, I suppose so.”

Gus nodded.  Maybe he was beyond being surprised by this man—or whatever he was but he wasn’t even nervous sitting there speaking with him.  If anything he felt oddly at peace.

“I trust you can keep this to yourself Gus.  At least until we deal with Butch.”

“I won’t tell anyone.  Besides you have the Hamilton’s and the Russell’s loyalty.  Then there’s that thing where—who the hell would believe me.”  His expression became serious. “Just promise me that you’ll look after her.”

“You don’t have to ask. I would give my life for her.”

Gus didn’t doubt the sincerity of his words because he nearly had.
“Thanks Cogan.  I promise, I won’t leave you and Ryker to deal with Butch again, my conscience won’t let me.  I’m going to arrest him for kidnapping. He has no men to protect him right now.”

“She’ll be happy to hear that.”

“I’d like to do it tomorrow, but I’d just prefer to wait for the marshal.  The problem is, Butch has called a town meeting to do something about you.”

Cogan smirked. “Is that so?  Well, maybe I’ll just show up.”

Gus would have preferred he stayed here, but he knew there was no use arguing with him.

***

Josie stood inside the house watching through a window as Ryker and Gus exchanged a few words.  He was already mounted on his horse. Gus waved at her then rode away.

Her brother turned and looked at her before he went toward the bunkhouse.

Now she knew from that look that the men were up to something.  Ryker just didn’t want her involved.  Well, she’d make that decision on her own.  She grabbed her wool shawl and left the house.

Cogan was just finished getting washed up in the bathhouse when Ryker found him.  He gave him a grin of genuine relief and held out his hand.  Cogan smiled back and shook it.

“You never cease to amaze me my friend. I swear you were dying.”

“Well, I think I owe you my life.”

“Let’s just say we’re even.”

“All right Ryker—until the next time.”

“Well, about that.  Gus and I were talking, and Gus has an idea…”

Josie could hear male voices
as she crept up to the bath house, but they were speaking too low for her to hear.  Then there was Cogan’s acute senses.  He had heard her coming and suddenly their voices got quiet.

“Josephine, quit lurking in the shadows.” His eyes glittered and Ryker laughed.

She came around the open door and crossed her arms under her breasts. “You two are scheming.” Ryker walked by her laughing and she turned her accusing eyes on Cogan.

He
reached over and gathered her in his arms. “Perhaps.”

“I want to know what you are up to.”

“No, not this time.  Knowing you, you’d try and stop us, or go in with guns blazing.”

She smiled into his chest. She probably would.

“I made you a promise Josie.” He tilted her face up so she could look at him. “I meant it.”

“I know you did
, but—” His mouth cut off her words.  Josie didn’t think she even hesitated in responding to him. She missed his hands on her. Her arms flew around his neck causing her shawl to fall to the floor at her feet.  She pushed herself against him and his moan vibrated in her mouth.

Cogan reached behind her and pulled the door shut, flipping the wooden slider in place to lock the door.
  He then slowly backed her toward the wall of the small room all the while not allowing his mouth to leave hers.  He hungrily kissed her delving his tongue into the soft recesses of her mouth.  His hands moved down her body pulling her skirts up.  He’d thought he’d lost her.  The anguish that went through him thinking that near crushed him.  He was also certain Butch had done something to her in the time he had her.  What man in their right mind wouldn’t have taken advantage of her?  Then again, Butch wasn’t in the right mind.  She said he didn’t touch her, but she always kept things to herself as not to worry anyone, like the incident in Bill’s store.  No one would have known if Butch hadn’t bragged to him.  So, nothing could explain the relief he felt as she openly accepted him again. It was then he knew, Butch didn’t touch her.

She released a gasp of pleasure as he moved her
bare thighs over his hips and lifted her against the wall. “W—what if someone comes?” she said breathlessly.

“I’ll hear them before they get twenty yards near us.” He moved his mouth down her neck.

“God Cogan, aren’t-you-recovering?” It was hard to talk when she was so breathless.

He chuckled deeply against the s
oft sensitive flesh of her neck, grabbed her hand from around his neck and slid it between their joined bodies.

She felt his solid erection and realized he was about as weak as a charging bull.
  To her own surprise she laughed softly against his mouth.

He easily tore the fabric between them and positioned her so he slid inside her warmth smoothly.  Her whimper of ecstasy vibrated through his large frame like a thunderclap.  Only Josie could move him so deeply with a small gesture of pleasure.

He thrust upward with a deep growl of pleasure and covered her mouth with his to smother the gasp of pleasure that could have carried out of the bathhouse.  His hands smoothed over the sheer perfection of her bottom as he lifted and released her against him. Her hands tangled in his hair and she kissed him back feverishly as if he would disappear if she let go.  He felt his climax building and thankfully she reached her own peak.  He couldn’t hold back. Spasms of pleasure wracked his body over and over again.  He groaned deeply burying his face in her sweat soaked neck.

He stood there for a long while, in her, while bracing her against the plank wall of the bath house. Her legs were
still wrapped around his hips. His breathing started to relax and she’d yet to say a word or untangle her fingers from his hair.

After a long moment of satiated silence,
he lifted his head and met her eyes.  Then he kissed her slow and deliberate. She kissed him back passionately.

Finally, and reluctantly, he lifted her off him and set her straight.  “We need to do something about this now.”

“What?”  Her eyes popped wide. She was perplexed.  He may have the strength to do that again but she certainly didn’t. In fact, if he wasn’t holding onto her, she was sure she’d fall to the floor.  Her legs were shaking.

He chuckled seeing her expression while fastening his trousers.  He shook his head.
“Not what you’re thinking, although it is tempting.  You do look thoroughly ravished, but could probably use another hour or two under me.”

“Cogan!” she was aghast at his openness to discuss things.

He gave her a handsome smile enjoying her shyness.  “What I meant is, you and me need to be able to be together without sin.” He unlocked the door and opened it. “Set yourself straight darling.  We’re going to bother Father Sampson before he leaves.”

It wasn’t the wedding Josephine had dreamed about, but it meant that she could spend the night with her new husband from now on. Ryker, Thomas, Hattie and Mrs
. Russell stood up for them.  The only nice dress she had was the one that Cogan bought her in town.  Her mother’s wedding gown, the one she wanted to wear, had burned up in the house fire.  Everything they owned did.  She felt her cheeks heat up in anger. Yes, she wished it could have been more extravagant, but Cogan did promise her a celebration with the townsfolk, a party she would never forget, after they took care of other business.  The other business was Butch.  She asked him several times throughout the evening what he’d planned with her brother but he refused to answer her.  He just gave her a look with those deeply secretive eyes letting her know he wasn’t going to discuss it with her. However, despite the small crowd and the worry over what her brother and Cogan had planned to do, she found herself enjoying herself.  Everyone did their best to make them happy. She also had the determination in her not to let this go.  She was stubborn and resolute to get it out of him later.

It actually stopped raining enough that Ryker started a fire in a pit behind the house, and Doc Russell found an old bottle of good scotch that he shared with everyone.  Cogan refused, but the good Father had some as did she.

She’d never drank hard liquor before and it burned her throat causing her to cough.  Her brother and Cogan laughed.

“When you fight the effect
of good scotch, you cough,” Doc Russell offered with a smirk before he downed the contents of the glass.

“Is that what it is?  I thought it was just strong kerosene.” She shot back.

Ryker burst into laughter.  “Its actually pretty good sis, if you know what hard liquor tastes like.”

She guided her eyes to Cogan who shrugged and nodded.

“He’s right.”

“You don’t drink though.”

“I don’t drink because I choose not to.  I’ve probably drank more in my lifetime than all of your generations together.”

“Is that so?” she inquired with interest.
“So why not anymore?”

“Because my love, it makes men stupid.”

She blushed at the endearment, but Ryker, who seemed to be laughing a lot tonight started again.

“He’s right sis.”

One by one, they went to bed until it was just Cogan and Josie.  She glanced at him to find him staring down at her.  She smiled.

“You have a beautiful smile Josephine.  In fact everything about you is beautiful,” he said with seriousness.  “If I could write a poem on how you look right now, I still couldn’t touch your beauty.”

“Stop Cogan. It’s embarrassing,” she said softly.  She could feel her face heat up again.

“You shouldn’t be shy about how you look.  You are my wife now.  I can complement you anytime and anyway I please.”

She looked away for a moment thinking about that.  He was her husband now and had every right to speak like that.  Her eyes met his again. “Cogan you make me feel beautiful without saying a word.  It’s the way you look at me, or touch me.” That was hard to say but she felt it needed to be said.  She wasn’t very good at expressing herself, and she was certain he wasn’t either, and he was making that effort.

He gave her a heart stopping smile, reached over and took her hand, standing up and pulling her with him. “Then, I
should touch you more because I sure as hell don’t think it’s enough.” He pulled her against him and kissed her.