Bushedwhacked Bride by Eugenia Riley Page B

Ma on her side, and also convince the boys to clean up their language and appearance, if she could teach the unruly outlaws to act and talk more like gentlemen, then surely no one would guess that the “Lively” brothers were actually the hardened Reklaw Gang. After all, families with half a dozen sons were not uncommon in these times.
    Jessica was still immersed in thought as the buckboard crested a rise and rattled down the hillside toward the farm house. Jessica frowned as she spotted the five brothers in front of the barn saddling their horses. All of them waved at the approaching buckboard, then began striding toward the house. Jessica noted all five wore hats, chaps, and gun belts.
    Not a good sign!
    Jessica turned to Ma. “What are they up to?”
    Ma pulled the buckboard to a halt before the house. “Off to more of the devil’s doin’s, no doubt.”
    Bi lly arrived first at the conveyance, tipping his hat to Jessica. “Howdy, Miss Jessie. How was your outing?”
    “Fine, thank you. And it appears you’re about to embark on one of your own.”
    Before Billy could respond, Luke ambled up, offering Jessica a hand. “May I help you down, ma’am? Golly, that’s a purdy book you got there.”
    “Thanks.” Accepting his assistance down, Jessica added, “Your mother very kindly bought it for me in town.”
    Gabe joined them, gallantly offering Jessica his arm. “May I escort you into the house?”
    Ma snorted loudly from the buckboard. “Which one of you sidewinders is gonna help me down, and bring in the supplies?”
    “Ma, we’re all headin’ out,” protested Wesley.
    “Headin’ out where?” asked Ma.
    “Here, Ma, let me help you,” offered Cole.
    He stepped forward and assisted his mother out of the buckboard. Then his dark gaze settled on Jessica. She fought a shiver, feeling intensely conscious of his strong, virile presence, especially as she remembered him kissing her so audaciously beside the barn last night. She couldn’t help noticing how his shirt hugged the muscular contours of his arms and shoulders, how his chaps molded to his powerful thighs. Not to mention how deep-set and sexy his eyes were, how sensual his mouth, how stub born the set of his handsome jaw.
    His gaze still lingering on her, Cole remarked to Eula, “We just got word of a gold shipment leaving the Aspen Gulch Mines. Reckon we’ll go relieve them of a bit of the heavy stuff.”
    “Another robbery?” Ma shrieked. “Ain’t you boys got in enough trouble?”
    “Yes, you men should be ashamed of yourselves,” sec onded Jessica.
    “But, ladies, there weren’t no strong box yesterday, so we gotta make up for lost time,” whined Billy.
    “Yeah,” seconded Gabe.
    “You boys already got enough gold stashed away to pave a road halfways to hell,” groused Ma.
    Cole lifted an eyebrow at Jessica. “And we’ll need everything we’ve got if we’re ever found out, if we have to pull up stakes and move on. Now if you ladies will ex cuse us—”
    “But I don’t excuse you,” Jessica retorted crisply. As Cole swung about, glowering at her, inspiration dawned. “In fact, I’m going to come along and take notes.”
    Jessica’s bravado had the desired effect. All five of the men appeared stunned. Billy stood with his mouth gaping open. Luke and Wesley exchanged horrified glances. Gabe stared bug-eyed at Jessica. Cole glared.
    At last Billy sputtered, “Y-you’s gonna turn us in, ma’am?”
    Before Jessica could answer, Luke spun angrily on Cole. “I just knew it. This Jezebel’s gonna give us over to the law!”
    Cole stared hard at Jessica. “That true?”
    “No! I haven’t done anything to betray you, nor do I in tend to. Just ask your mother how I behaved in town.”
    As five sets of suspicious male eyes turned to Ma, she nodded. “Miss Jessie did right well, other than being a mite too friendly gossiping with Mr. Granger about church and such.”
    Wesley stalked forward and stabbed at Jessica’s journal