yourself decent. I can’t stay long. In fact, I may not be able to stay long enough to—”
“Don’t move!” Kiernan commanded him. She strode across the room to the wardrobe and quickly found a white cotton day dress with flounces and a sophisticated black pattern. She pulled it over her head just as Lacey reached the doorway to chastise Jesse.
“Captain Cameron, what do you think you’re doing?”
“Ah, Mrs. Donahue, I’ve known Kiernan since she was squalling around in diapers.”
“But Captain Cameron, I’m responsible for her welfare, and she isn’t in diapers any longer.”
The dress fell over her head. Kiernan’s eyes met Jesse’s, and she felt the sizzle in them just as he replied softly to Lacey, “No, ma’am. She isn’t in diapers any longer at all.”
She couldn’t speak for a moment, and his eyes remained on hers. He, too, was silent. Kiernan felt electricity sweep through the air between them like invisible lightning. Not even Lacey spoke to break the tension between them.
Then Kiernan discovered that she could move. She walked toward Jesse, facing him as she turned her back to Lacey. “Would you be a dear and get the buttons, please?”
Lacey quickly began to button up the long row of tinypearls that served as buttons for the dress while Kiernan continued to stare at Jesse.
“I take it, Jesse, that you did not find the man.”
“No, I’m afraid he’s joined his companions.”
“Companions?”
“The people in the street say John Brown has a force of about twenty men with him.”
“What about the other man?”
“I didn’t see him, Kiernan. I wish I could have kept my hands on the one. But …” his voice trailed away. He was worried, she thought. “I could have kept my hands on him, or you. I chose you,” he said lightly.
“Oh!” Lacey breathed. Of course it had been true. If he hadn’t thrown himself upon her, she would have pitched down the rock instead of rolling down the trail. But the way he made it sound …
“Lacey, he had to break my fall,” Kiernan said with what dignity she could muster.
“Oh,” Lacey repeated, this time understanding.
But Jesse wasn’t going to let her understand anything. His eyes raked over Kiernan like blue flames, taunting her, and his smile was overtly sensual. “You’ve definitely grown up,” he told her. “You’re sophisticated and elegant.” Then he ruined the handsome compliment by reaching over to remove a twig from her hair. “And almost domesticated.”
She snatched the twig out of his hand, then smiled, fighting for control. The excitement stirring in her was exhilarating. She wanted it to take her somewhere, even if she wasn’t sure where.
Even if the world was in revolt all around her.
“I’ll never be domesticated, Captain. Barnyard animals are domesticated.”
“So they are. Let me see, Kiernan. What is a lady such as yourself—untamable?”
“I’m not a wild horse, Jesse.”
“Horses need to be broken to the saddle, Kiernan. Women upon occasion also need to be tamed.”
“And have you tamed many women?” she demanded.
“A few,” he admitted, lazily slouching against the doorframe.
“Well, Captain Cameron, I cannot be broken or tamed!”
“Kiernan, Captain—!” Lacey began, distressed.
Jesse didn’t seem to realize that Lacey, still buttoning Kiernan’s dress, was even there—or else he didn’t mind. He laughed lightly. “I don’t remember making such an offer,” he drawled.
Lacey inhaled sharply. “Captain, this isn’t at all proper.”
“Jesse, you never do make offers or say anything concrete,” Kiernan said, inadvertently as mindless of Lacey as Jesse was. He had that effect upon her. No, he had it on everyone. He could make people laugh, he could make them furious, he could make them relax.
And he could create an excitement, a tension that demanded awareness of itself.
“It’s all insinuation,” she told him, keeping her brittle smile intact. She wanted to
“Don’t move!” Kiernan commanded him. She strode across the room to the wardrobe and quickly found a white cotton day dress with flounces and a sophisticated black pattern. She pulled it over her head just as Lacey reached the doorway to chastise Jesse.
“Captain Cameron, what do you think you’re doing?”
“Ah, Mrs. Donahue, I’ve known Kiernan since she was squalling around in diapers.”
“But Captain Cameron, I’m responsible for her welfare, and she isn’t in diapers any longer.”
The dress fell over her head. Kiernan’s eyes met Jesse’s, and she felt the sizzle in them just as he replied softly to Lacey, “No, ma’am. She isn’t in diapers any longer at all.”
She couldn’t speak for a moment, and his eyes remained on hers. He, too, was silent. Kiernan felt electricity sweep through the air between them like invisible lightning. Not even Lacey spoke to break the tension between them.
Then Kiernan discovered that she could move. She walked toward Jesse, facing him as she turned her back to Lacey. “Would you be a dear and get the buttons, please?”
Lacey quickly began to button up the long row of tinypearls that served as buttons for the dress while Kiernan continued to stare at Jesse.
“I take it, Jesse, that you did not find the man.”
“No, I’m afraid he’s joined his companions.”
“Companions?”
“The people in the street say John Brown has a force of about twenty men with him.”
“What about the other man?”
“I didn’t see him, Kiernan. I wish I could have kept my hands on the one. But …” his voice trailed away. He was worried, she thought. “I could have kept my hands on him, or you. I chose you,” he said lightly.
“Oh!” Lacey breathed. Of course it had been true. If he hadn’t thrown himself upon her, she would have pitched down the rock instead of rolling down the trail. But the way he made it sound …
“Lacey, he had to break my fall,” Kiernan said with what dignity she could muster.
“Oh,” Lacey repeated, this time understanding.
But Jesse wasn’t going to let her understand anything. His eyes raked over Kiernan like blue flames, taunting her, and his smile was overtly sensual. “You’ve definitely grown up,” he told her. “You’re sophisticated and elegant.” Then he ruined the handsome compliment by reaching over to remove a twig from her hair. “And almost domesticated.”
She snatched the twig out of his hand, then smiled, fighting for control. The excitement stirring in her was exhilarating. She wanted it to take her somewhere, even if she wasn’t sure where.
Even if the world was in revolt all around her.
“I’ll never be domesticated, Captain. Barnyard animals are domesticated.”
“So they are. Let me see, Kiernan. What is a lady such as yourself—untamable?”
“I’m not a wild horse, Jesse.”
“Horses need to be broken to the saddle, Kiernan. Women upon occasion also need to be tamed.”
“And have you tamed many women?” she demanded.
“A few,” he admitted, lazily slouching against the doorframe.
“Well, Captain Cameron, I cannot be broken or tamed!”
“Kiernan, Captain—!” Lacey began, distressed.
Jesse didn’t seem to realize that Lacey, still buttoning Kiernan’s dress, was even there—or else he didn’t mind. He laughed lightly. “I don’t remember making such an offer,” he drawled.
Lacey inhaled sharply. “Captain, this isn’t at all proper.”
“Jesse, you never do make offers or say anything concrete,” Kiernan said, inadvertently as mindless of Lacey as Jesse was. He had that effect upon her. No, he had it on everyone. He could make people laugh, he could make them furious, he could make them relax.
And he could create an excitement, a tension that demanded awareness of itself.
“It’s all insinuation,” she told him, keeping her brittle smile intact. She wanted to
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