Untamed Journey (36 page)

Her pupils dilated in immediate response to
Jackson’s careful nip at the base of her thumb. “I want to win, of
course.”

Jackson carefully stroked the tip of his
tongue along the path his teeth had just taken, watching for Ruth’s
reaction. “So do I,” he admitted. “But I’m bound to win, seeing as
you’re riding my horse, over my land.”

She chucked Jackson’s too-confident grin on
the chin before snatching her hand back. “My daddy was one of the
best horsemen in the county and he taught me well. You don’t have a
chance.”

Jackson let out a full body laugh at her
challenge. “Well, then, you won’t mind wagering a kiss on the
outcome? Although I must remind you that my daddy was a Cavalry man
for thirty years. And rumor has it I was conceived in the
saddle.”

She snorted at the absurdity of that claim,
even while her traitorous thoughts started painting a picture of
just how much trouble she could find herself in, riding double with
Jackson at her back.

“Then it’s a bet?” he prompted.

“You just kissed me, so by my count, you’re
already in my debt,” she said.

“A kiss on the hand hardly counts,” he
replied. “I thought I taught you better last night.”

Her body flushed with heat at the memories
his words conjured up. “If I win, I want a week to myself. I need
some time to think.”

“As long as you promise to think about me for
that week, you’ve got yourself a wager,” Jackson replied, certain
Ruth’s natural curiosity would get the better of her in much less
time. Win or lose, he would come out on top.

“What’s the course?” She asked.

“We start at that large pine tree up ahead,
and end at that stand of boulders over the rise there.” Jackson
pointed to the northeast. “The trees thin out some after that first
bend. Then it’s a straight shot through the meadow. The last
quarter mile is a steep climb up to the finish line.”

“Done,” Ruth nodded her agreement. “I’m ready
when you are.”

“At the count of three then,” he replied.
“One, two, three…”

Ruth’s horse shot out in front at the firm
kick of her heels. She took an immediate lead, being the lighter
rider. The narrow path forced Jackson to follow behind, as they
wove and ducked through tall pines.

When the trees began to thin, he darted to
the side and jumped over a fallen log, paralleling the cleared path
she was on. The obstacles before him were all low to the ground,
and his well-trained horse quickly cleared them without breaking
stride.

What Ruth did not realize was that Jackson
rode his favorite mount regularly through this forest, in
preparation for longer treks through similar terrain. He often
pursued wanted men through un-cleared land, and needed reliable
mounts that were exceptionally stable on their feet.

Jackson’s more direct path through the woods
brought him out ahead of Ruth by two lengths, and he quickly gave
his stallion free rein the minute they hit flat land.

Ruth cleared the woods and set off after
Jackson, determined to make up the distance. She kept pace with him
through the mile of straight meadow, until they reached the final
quarter mile of uphill terrain. She urged her mount on, leaning
forward in the saddle as much as she could without losing her
balance. With her lighter weight, she slowly gained on Jackson,
coming neck and neck with his stallion.

Jackson’s horse kept his lead by a length,
determined not to lose to a mare.

Both riders kicked in one last surge of
energy as the finish line came in sight.

Jackson nudged his stallion into a jump, to
avoid a small ditch.

Ruth’s careful tracking caught sight of the
ditch, but not in time to take it at a jump. She was forced to turn
her horse around it, and lost the race by just three feet.

Ruth pulled her mare to a walk, patting her
laboring sides in encouragement. She looked over her shoulder to
congratulate Jackson on his win. “You train excellent horses.
Congratulations.”

Jackson tipped his hat in acknowledgement.
“You ride as well as you claim, Miss Ruth. I’m genuinely impressed.
Once you call this place home and learn the terrain, I’ll be hard
pressed to win again.”

He dismounted and quickly removed the saddle
from his now cool horse. He hobbled the stallion, and with a pat on
the rump, the horse wandered off toward the nearby stream in search
of a drink and fresh grass.

Jackson walked up behind Ruth, who had cooled
down her mount, but still struggled with the weight of her
saddle.

“Let me do that.” Without waiting for a
reply, he reached over and pulled Ruth’s saddle off one handed.

“Thank you,” Ruth replied. “She’s already
hobbled.”

Jackson nodded his understanding and sent the
mare after the stallion. He turned to ask her where the food was,
but was interrupted by Ruth herself.

“I suppose you want your prize now?” she
asked quickly before she lost her nerve. She gently placed both
hands against his chest and turned her face up for the winning
kiss.

“Don’t rush me, woman.” He grasped both of
Ruth’s hands with a twinkle in his dark eyes and carefully pulled
them behind her back, where he grasped both with his left hand. He
placed his right hand on Ruth’s chin, pulling her perplexed gaze
directly in line with his own teasing eyes. “When I win, I pick the
time and place. When you win, you can decide.”

Jackson’s glance narrowed and settled on her
parted lips, making it clear where his thoughts lay.

Her lips tingled in anticipation of his warm
mouth and teasing tongue, but she was quickly disappointed when he
freed her hands and stepped away.

“We’ll eat first,” he announced, going in
search of Ruth’s saddlebags and their impromptu picnic fare.

Jackson spread out a blanket he kept tied
behind the saddle as protection against the sudden cold. The
weather could turn bad in a matter of hours this close to winter.
As luck would have it, warmer than normal weather was still
lingering, making the thought of spending the afternoon outdoors
welcome.

“Thank you for this day, Jackson,” Ruth
sighed in pleasure as she sat back on the blanket and relished the
warm rays of the sun beating down on her skin.

He turned towards Ruth and caught her gaze
before replying, “It’s my pleasure.”

She felt her heart beat rapidly in response
to Jackson’s look. She quickly started talking, in an attempt to
keep the atmosphere light between them. “It’s been a very long time
since I rode just for the joy of it. I haven’t been out riding in
the open since my father left for the War. I didn’t realize until
today how much I miss that feeling of freedom – to relax my guard
and not worry about what’s around the corner.”

Jackson smiled at Ruth’s words, pleased she
felt safe in his presence.

“I have something for you,” he offered.

“What is it?” she asked.

“See for yourself,” Jackson replied, handing
Ruth an envelope he had pulled from his saddlebags before sitting
down next to her.

She shook out the papers and started to read.
She looked up quickly into Jackson’s eyes as she read her own name.
“This looks like a land deed. I don’t understand.”

“It’s a homestead claim – for one hundred and
sixty acres, all in your name,” he explained, watching her reaction
carefully. “The edge of your land starts right here, in this
meadow.”

Ruth allowed herself a few moments of silence
as she savored the feeling of independence that owning her own land
might bring. She quickly tamped down the joy building inside her,
not sure she could trust this change in luck. “I can’t accept this
from you. It’s too much.”

“You misunderstand. It’s not a gift, as I
never owned this land. It’s gone unclaimed all these years. There’s
no gold or silver to be found in these parts, and the water is only
seasonal. But we can irrigate it for you, if you wanted to farm. Or
raise horses, or even just sell it.”

“Why?” she asked, studying Jackson’s dark
eyes.

“I want you to marry me freely,” he replied,
meeting her gaze. “I don’t want to be your only choice this side of
starvation. This land is yours and yours alone. You can stay and
marry me, or sell and have enough money to travel to San Francisco
in style.”

“You’d just let me go?” Ruth asked.

“If that’s what you truly want. I can’t force
you to stay. But that’s not to say I can’t try a bit of
persuasion.”

J
ackson pulled Ruth
into his lap and claimed her lips, thrusting his tongue into her
waiting mouth until he could taste the heat of her. “Tell me you
want to stay,” Jackson demanded, running his lips along the side of
her neck, just grazing along the surface of her warm skin until he
heard her breath catch.

Ruth’s body flooded with heat and wet as
Jackson’s strong hands stroked her from nape to hips. She let the
joy and lightness of the choice before her turn into passion, as
she stroked Jackson’s strength and marveled that it was hers. She
slowly ran her hands across Jackson’s shoulders, then down each
muscled curve. Finally, she grasped his hands in hers, reveling in
the power she felt to respond freely at last. She wanted this man
and would no longer let worries of the past stop her from joining
with him.

“I want to hear you say it, Ruth.” Jackson
stroked his hands lightly across her nipples, persuading her body
to accept him so her mind would follow.

“Yes,” Ruth whispered, pulling Jackson’s
rough palms closer to her breasts, demanding more of his touch.

“Yes, what?” Jackson prompted, as he ignored
her demanding tugs and slowly circled her tightened nipples, not
touching until she gave him the words he wanted.

“Yes, I want to stay,” Ruth responded,
pulling Jackson’s lips back to hers and instinctively sliding her
hips across his straining erection.

At Jackson’s sudden intake of breath, Ruth
slowly and deliberately repeated the caress, sliding across the
hardness she knew she had caused. She let go of her reservations
and reveled in the freedom to feel, and want, and act. She promised
herself she would never again hold back from this man as she slowly
stroked her hands down his chest. She grasped him in her hands,
feeling each rapid heartbeat as she returned his kisses.

Jackson thrust into Ruth’s seductive touch,
and cupped her swelling breasts fully in his large hands, unable to
deny her. He grasped her waist, lifting and turning her until she
faced him, straddling him fully.

She gasped at the feel of Jackson between her
legs, immediately resenting the barrier of clothing. She rose to
her knees, pressing up against him, wanting more of his touch.

Jackson watched Ruth’s lips part in wonder as
he carefully suckled her breast until the wet of his tongue
penetrated the thin barrier of her dress. He repeated the caress
against her other breast, but more slowly this time, as he watched
her anticipate the feel of his mouth over her straining nipple. He
slowly released the fullness of her breast – then lingered with
just the tip held carefully in his teeth.

Ruth nearly screamed in pleasure when Jackson
scraped his teeth lightly, releasing her nipple to the cooling
breeze.

He undid the laces down the back of her
dress, until he could slide the cloth over her breasts and expose
her bare skin to his touch. He caressed her deliberately with the
back of his hand, stroking back and forth until her nipple clenched
in time with her heartbeat and the throbbing between her legs.

Ruth slid both hands through Jackson’s thick
hair, pulling his mouth back to her aching breast. She savored the
feel of his lips on her sensitized skin, as he suckled her nipple
and breast into his waiting mouth. When he caressed the underside
of her breast with the smooth surface of his tongue, the throbbing
pulse in Ruth surged upward from her sex to the tip of her nipple,
still fully-encased in Jackson’s warm mouth. She moved her hips in
time with his tongue, thrusting her breast further into his mouth,
wanting more of his touch.

Jackson deliberately separated Ruth from his
kiss with one final stroke, circling her puckered nipple. He placed
delicate kisses an inch, then two, from her glistening nipple,
provoking her as he moved slowly away from the tip of her aching
breast.

Her heartbeat raced in frustration, as she
felt Jackson gentling his touch when her body demanded more. When
he moved his lips to her other breast, and kissed only the
still-covered underside, she pushed the offending cloth off her
shoulders. The movement bared her fully to the waist, and she
locked eyes with Jackson.

When he offered only a slow smile in
response, she pulled his mouth to her lips, where she kissed him
slowly.

“I want more,” she whispered, sliding her
hands into his black hair. She scraped her nails lightly across his
scalp, then pulled his laughing mouth to her naked breast, until
she felt his warmth enclose her.

Jackson pulled her back to her knees, taking
her breast into his mouth and lightly stroking her from nape to
waist.

She arched her back in pleasure when she felt
Jackson’s hands slide under her dress to unlace her pantalets. When
she felt his large hands slide inside, stroking down her bare skin,
she cried out his name, needing more.

He stroked the globes of her buttocks with
the lightest of touches, caressing the undersides with the tips of
his fingers, sliding back and forth until Ruth’s moans became his
name. Jackson slowly released the tip of her breast, and pulled her
lips to his for a slow, deep kiss. He cupped her fully with both
hands, and began to knead her heated flesh in rhythm to the pulses
slowly arcing out from her body.

She thrust her hips back, demanding a firmer
touch, as the heat consuming her body centered itself between her
waiting thighs. She felt empty and alone, and wanted the remembered
feel of Jackson’s flesh, hard and hot inside her clutching
thighs.