"Mae, it's Vance."

The door opened almost immediately. Smiling, Mae reached out, took Vance's hand, and drew her inside. "How are you feeling?"

"Good as new." Vance caught Mae around the waist and kissed her soundly. "Like I haven't seen you in a month of Sundays."

Laughing, Mae slapped her hand against Vance's chest and held her away. "You might be feeling pretty frisky right now, but I saw that shoulder this afternoon, and you're not ready for romping just yet."

Vance ignored the restraining hand and tugged Mae close again.

She nuzzled Mae's neck. "We don't have to romp. How about we stroll?"

Mae tilted her head back and gave her throat to Vance's kisses.

Truth was, she missed her touch more than she would've imagined, even though she'd seen her every day. She never would have believed she could hunger for something she hadn't known she'd wanted until a few short weeks before. Loving Vance had opened her heart and her body to the possibility of not just pleasure, but communion. Now there were critical places inside her that only Vance could fill. She threaded her fingers through Vance's hair and tugged her head up so she could kiss her mouth. After she did, thoroughly, she whispered, "I think a nice long walk would be just perfect."

Grinning, Vance released her so that she could undress her. "Turn around."

"I took pity on you," Mae said as she turned her back. "This dress has laces."

"Buttons, ties...makes no matter," Vance muttered, rapidly loosening the laces that closed the back of Mae's dress. As she opened the material, she kissed along the edge of her shoulder blades and down the center of her spine. "Nothing's going to slow me down, let alone stop me."

The dark, edgy tone caught at Mae's heart and places lower down, and she turned back to Vance, suddenly just as eager to have her naked. She pushed at Vance's coat. "Let me help you get this off that shoulder."

"I thought you were anxious to see me in these new clothes,"

Vance protested.

"Right now," Mae murmured, "I want to see you out of them."

Vance laughed and held up her arm for Mae to help her out of the new coat. Then Mae went to work on the buttons on her shirt and Vance's patience disappeared. She gave a growl and tugged Mae's dress off her shoulders, then scooped her hand inside her bodice. The sensation of warm, soft flesh in her hand drove all caution from her mind, and if Mae hadn't gently restrained her, she would have tried to pick her up and carry her to the bed.

"Careful," Mae said breathlessly. "You start that shoulder bleeding, and I'm not letting you into my bed."

"Lord, Mae, I want you so much," Vance gasped. "Never. Never knew it could be like this."

"You can have me, for however long you want, as often as you like." Mae covered Vance's hand and held it still. "There's no need to rush, as much as I love the way you want me."

Vance laughed shakily. "I feel like I've been away from you for weeks."

"Well come to bed, and let's get reacquainted." Mae took Vance's hand and led her across the room. She stopped by the side of the bed and finished undressing Vance, taking her time, running her hands over Vance's body as if learning it for the first time. By the time she was done, Vance was shaking.

"Mae," Vance said, her voice a hoarse whisper. "What you're doing to me. I don't know that I'll last much longer."

"Just a few more minutes." Smiling, Mae stepped away and removed her undergarments. The way Vance's eyes darkened and her face tensed as Mae slowly uncovered herself sent spirals of pleasure curling through her. Naked at last, she lay on the fresh smooth sheets and opened her arms. "Come here where you belong."

With a sigh that spoke of a rightness she had never dreamed of, Vance settled into Mae's embrace.

"Do you know what Vance intends to do about Mae's situation?"

Kate asked, running her fingers lazily down the center of Jessie's chest.

They lay curled together just before sunrise. The rooster would crow at any second, the day would begin, and it would be hours before they saw one another long enough to do more than wave or exchange a passing word. These quiet interludes at the end of one day and the beginning of the next were precious, because those were the times when she had Jessie all to herself. They were the moments when there was nothing between them except love.

Jessie lay on her back, Kate's head pillowed on her shoulder and their legs entwined. Fingers of red and gold stretched into the room as the sun broke over the horizon. She couldn't imagine wanting for anything else when she had this every morning. She kissed Kate's temple. "Not exactly. I got the feeling that she's going to use her wits and not her gun, if she can."

"I know she wouldn't do anything to endanger Mae, but I'm worried about her." Kate lifted her head and kissed the point of Jessie's chin. "And I'm worried about you."

Jessie shook her head and turned on her side so they faced one another. She kissed Kate softly. "No need. Vance won't do anything to hurt Mae. I feel the same way about you."

Kate traced the curve of Jessie's collarbone where it dipped into the hollow at the base of her throat. She kissed the pulse that rippled there. "You're precious to me above all else. Be careful."

"Don't worry." Jessie curled an arm around Kate's waist and pulled her near until their bodies fit together seamlessly. "You're the most important thing in my life."

"If you kiss me, you're going to be late for your morning chores."

"That's what's nice about being the boss." Jessie grinned and kissed her.

v Kate was in the kitchen when she heard the rider come into the yard. She went to the door, drying her hands on a towel, and looked out.

Vance dismounted and threw her horse's reins over the porch rail. Kate opened the door to greet her as Vance crossed the porch.

"You're just in time for coffee. I've got bacon and grits, too."

"I was hoping my timing would be good," Vance said with a grin.

"How are you feeling?"

"Happier than I thought I would be about going back to work."

Vance scanned the yard. "Jessie around?"

"I think she's down talking to the men. She should be back any second, because she always knows when the coffee's ready." Kate led Vance into the kitchen. "Sit down. I'll get you a plate."

"I appreciate it." Rather than sitting, Vance hesitated on the threshold. "Maybe I'll just walk down and find Jessie."

Kate pursed her lips. "I take it you're in need of another horse?"

Vance opened her mouth, then closed it with a chuckle. "My apologies. Somewhere in the last few years I've learned some bad habits.

I wanted to ask Jessie if she could come into town this evening."

"Because you intend to do something about Mae?"

"Yes."

Kate nodded. "My parents have been wanting Jessie and me to come in for supper. Tonight should suit."

"I don't know that--"

"If you're going to suggest that I stay here and wait, you should rethink that," Kate said mildly as she poured coffee. "The two of you have had quite enough adventure lately."

"I don't want Mae to know."

"I can imagine that you don't." Kate smiled. "I can even understand why. Do you realize that's unfair?"

"Yes." Vance crossed the room and took Kate's hand. "This is something I have to do, because I love her. I don't want her to worry because of my needs."

"Worrying comes with the territory when you love someone."

Kate gave Vance's hand a little shake, her expression one of fond exasperation. "Mae is one of the strongest women I've ever known.

A little worrying won't hurt her, and you should stop underestimating her."

Vance frowned. "I don't."

Kate shook her head. "I'm not saying Mae doesn't need you, that she wouldn't be devastated if something happened to you. Of course she would. And that's why you must take care of yourself and not take foolish chances. But Mae doesn't need you to stand between her and hardship. She needs you to stand beside her."

"Does Jessie understand all this?" Vance asked, her expression mildly perplexed.

"She's learning."

"Learning what?" Jessie said as she came through the door and tossed her hat onto the counter. "Hello, Vance."

"Learning how to let me help with the hard parts," Kate said.

Jessie winced. "Oh. That." She glanced at Vance. "I guess it's too late to go to the barn?"

"Way too late," Vance said, sitting down as Jessie pulled out a chair and settled at the table. She waited until Kate sat as well. "So this is what I've been thinking."


CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

"I don't understand how you can be so calm about this," Mae fumed, pacing in front of the settee in her parlor.

"I never said that I was calm." Kate sat at one end and waited for Mae to settle down enough to listen.

"You act like you're calm. You're sipping tea and nibbling on biscuits as if those two damn fools weren't working out a way to get themselves shot up again."

"They've both promised that won't happen."

Mae stopped dead in her tracks and planted both hands on her hips. She glared at Kate. "And you believe that?"

"I trust them."

"I noticed that you didn't let Jessie come into town by herself, just the same."

"I trust her, but I didn't say I wasn't worried."

"Oh, I know. I'm just taking my jitters out on you." Mae glanced at the watch pinned to her bodice and wished there were some way she could get out of working that night. But she knew it wasn't possible.