Rocky Mountain Rogue (Rocky Mountain Bride Series Book 5) by Lee Savino
Authors: Lee Savino
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Susannah. Best get into town before it's too late."
* * *
Mid-afternoon they came to the town, which was little more than a camp in Susannah's opinion.
"Stick close to me. We are still within Doyle's reach," Jesse said as they rode down the one long street.
"As if there's anywhere I could go," Susannah grumbled as Jesse guided Jordan towards a rough building—another one of the establishments that passed for a hotel in this godforsaken land.
As he helped her dismount, Susannah felt the eyes of every man on the street crawl over her. Her fingers itched to fiddle with her hair, trying to smooth it into some semblance of order. She was hot and dirty all over. Jesse kept his hand on her waist, his gaze sweeping up and down the street.
They entered the building, and Jesse paused again to get his bearings, beating his black hat against his leg to get rid of some of the dust. His thick hair was silky with sweat. Even with dirt creased on his clothes and dark stubble covering half his rugged face, he was very handsome.
Approaching the innkeeper, Jesse got them a room, then drew Susannah under the shelter of his arm. "I'll settle you in the room, and then go see what I can do about securing a coach. Best if you keep to the room. I don't think Doyle's men are about, but we need to lay low."
"I say, is that Jesse Wilder I see?" A crisp British tone sounded across the lobby. "Jolly good."
Jesse closed his eyes for a moment as if the sound pained him. Susannah turned to see a tall man in smart dress and an outrageously large brimmed hat. He strode up to her husband, sweeping off his ridiculous hat.
"Lord Chivington," Jesse greeted the man, holding out his hand.
The fair-haired fellow ignored the hand and pulled Jesse into an embrace, pounding him on the back.
"Good to see you again, old boy. Especially since you owe me fifteen shillings." Stepping back, the man wagged a long finger.
Jesse raised an eyebrow.
"You bet I wouldn't survive my first encounter with a buffalo. I can gladly report I bagged two." A smile wreathed the tall man's face.
"I'm glad there are enough left. The hunting is sufficient?"
"Yes, quite. I haven't gotten enough of killing things," Chivington said, then turned. "But who is this lovely vision of beauty?"
"This lady is my wife," Jesse said drily. "My dear Susannah, may I introduce my former employer, Lord James Sebastian Chivington?"
"Mrs. Wilder, it is a pleasure to meet you." As Susannah murmured her greetings, the Englishman made a great show of bending over her hand and kissing it. He followed it up with a hard smack on Jesse's arm. "Tish tosh, employer. We were comrades in arms against the great wild," he explained to Susannah. "Your husband helped me a great deal in my travels. He's a top-notch wanderer. Jolly good fun; always handy with a flask." Chivington winked at Jesse, who, eyes closed, was rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"Yes, I know." Susannah raised a brow of her own at "Mr. Wilder."
"So are you staying here?" Chivington asked, rubbing his hands together briskly.
"Just arrived, hoping to get some rest and a bath."
"Mr. Wilder and I were just married a few days ago." Susannah took Jesse's arm and dug her fingernails in hard enough to pinch through the coat. "Isn't that right, dearest?"
"Yes, my love," Jesse said through gritted teeth. His hand covered hers in what looked like a tender gesture, even as his glance promised retribution.
Susannah smiled sweetly.
Chivington's glance darted from one newlywed to the other. To Susannah's eyes, the English lord missed nothing, but wisely held his tongue. Instead, he fixed a carefree grin on his face. "Oh, you're on your honeymoon! How delightful. Well, we won't keep you."
"We?" Jesse asked.
"Hello, Jesse," a woman's voice purred from the corner.
Jesse's head whipped around, and Susannah turned to see a short, curvy woman with a mass of scarlet curls falling down her back. Her skin was wrinkled under the paint, but as she walked
* * *
Mid-afternoon they came to the town, which was little more than a camp in Susannah's opinion.
"Stick close to me. We are still within Doyle's reach," Jesse said as they rode down the one long street.
"As if there's anywhere I could go," Susannah grumbled as Jesse guided Jordan towards a rough building—another one of the establishments that passed for a hotel in this godforsaken land.
As he helped her dismount, Susannah felt the eyes of every man on the street crawl over her. Her fingers itched to fiddle with her hair, trying to smooth it into some semblance of order. She was hot and dirty all over. Jesse kept his hand on her waist, his gaze sweeping up and down the street.
They entered the building, and Jesse paused again to get his bearings, beating his black hat against his leg to get rid of some of the dust. His thick hair was silky with sweat. Even with dirt creased on his clothes and dark stubble covering half his rugged face, he was very handsome.
Approaching the innkeeper, Jesse got them a room, then drew Susannah under the shelter of his arm. "I'll settle you in the room, and then go see what I can do about securing a coach. Best if you keep to the room. I don't think Doyle's men are about, but we need to lay low."
"I say, is that Jesse Wilder I see?" A crisp British tone sounded across the lobby. "Jolly good."
Jesse closed his eyes for a moment as if the sound pained him. Susannah turned to see a tall man in smart dress and an outrageously large brimmed hat. He strode up to her husband, sweeping off his ridiculous hat.
"Lord Chivington," Jesse greeted the man, holding out his hand.
The fair-haired fellow ignored the hand and pulled Jesse into an embrace, pounding him on the back.
"Good to see you again, old boy. Especially since you owe me fifteen shillings." Stepping back, the man wagged a long finger.
Jesse raised an eyebrow.
"You bet I wouldn't survive my first encounter with a buffalo. I can gladly report I bagged two." A smile wreathed the tall man's face.
"I'm glad there are enough left. The hunting is sufficient?"
"Yes, quite. I haven't gotten enough of killing things," Chivington said, then turned. "But who is this lovely vision of beauty?"
"This lady is my wife," Jesse said drily. "My dear Susannah, may I introduce my former employer, Lord James Sebastian Chivington?"
"Mrs. Wilder, it is a pleasure to meet you." As Susannah murmured her greetings, the Englishman made a great show of bending over her hand and kissing it. He followed it up with a hard smack on Jesse's arm. "Tish tosh, employer. We were comrades in arms against the great wild," he explained to Susannah. "Your husband helped me a great deal in my travels. He's a top-notch wanderer. Jolly good fun; always handy with a flask." Chivington winked at Jesse, who, eyes closed, was rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"Yes, I know." Susannah raised a brow of her own at "Mr. Wilder."
"So are you staying here?" Chivington asked, rubbing his hands together briskly.
"Just arrived, hoping to get some rest and a bath."
"Mr. Wilder and I were just married a few days ago." Susannah took Jesse's arm and dug her fingernails in hard enough to pinch through the coat. "Isn't that right, dearest?"
"Yes, my love," Jesse said through gritted teeth. His hand covered hers in what looked like a tender gesture, even as his glance promised retribution.
Susannah smiled sweetly.
Chivington's glance darted from one newlywed to the other. To Susannah's eyes, the English lord missed nothing, but wisely held his tongue. Instead, he fixed a carefree grin on his face. "Oh, you're on your honeymoon! How delightful. Well, we won't keep you."
"We?" Jesse asked.
"Hello, Jesse," a woman's voice purred from the corner.
Jesse's head whipped around, and Susannah turned to see a short, curvy woman with a mass of scarlet curls falling down her back. Her skin was wrinkled under the paint, but as she walked
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