Jesse by Barbara Goss (namjoon book recommendations txt) 📕

something else. They may go easy on him since he and his gang haven’t killed anyone... yet.”

Jesse shook his head.  “No matter what we do, we’ll be wrong.”

“I suppose, but I would say his death would be harder to explain than his being jailed.”

Jesse finished his drink and stood.  “I’ll leave tomorrow, but I’ll need you to look after Charlie while I’m gone.  I’ll tell her I’m hunting a man for a bounty.  If she won’t stay with you and Sophia, please keep her safe until I return.”

“Jesse, you know I will.  And when the horse droppings hit the fan, I’ll admit to being the instigator so we’ll both be in the doghouse.”

Jesse laughed.  “You just reminded me that I need to build Shep a doghouse.  I’m glad I got him.  He’ll be a great watchdog for Charlie.”

Sophia left shortly after Jesse came home.

Charlie went out to feed Shep, who stayed outside all day and just came in at night.  Jesse sat on the settee with his head in his hands, trying to think of how he might tell Charlie he had to leave.  He had to get on Leo’s trail before it went cold.

He heard Charlie come back inside, and he stood.  It was now or never, he thought, but Charlie looked so happy that he hated to spoil it.

“This being Sunday, we are to rest, so I’m going to make us some sandwiches from the roast we had last night.  Is that all right?”

He hadn’t ever touched Charlie romantically, but he had the strong urge to hold her in his arms just then, so he reached out and brought her to him.

She put her head on his chest and her arms around his waist. She peeked up at him. “Does this mean you want the sandwiches?”

“It means I care about you deeply,” Jesse said.  He had spoken the truth.  She had begun to burn a hole in his iceberg of a heart.

“The feeling is mutual,” she said, looking into his eyes.

Jesse studied her face.  She had meant it.  Her eyes told him so.  And now he had to go ahead and spoil it. “Come, sit down with me.”  He pulled her gently to the settee.

“I was hoping we could have stayed as we were a while longer,” she said with a giggle.

He took her hands in his after she had sat beside him.  “I have something to tell you that will take that lovely smile off your face, and I hate to say it.”

Charlie’s smile faded.  “Something’s wrong, isn’t it?  Are you having a shootout with Roy?”

“No, but I still want one.”

“What, then?”

 “I have to leave tonight and may not return for a few weeks.”

Charlie pulled her hands from his.  “You promised you wouldn’t bounty hunt anymore.”

Jesse held up both of his hands as if in protest. “No, I did not promise.  I said we’d have enough money for the winter, and I didn’t need to, but this is a special job.”

“How special can it be to take you away from me just when we were about to... really get acquainted.”

Jesse tried to draw her to him, but she pulled away.

“Why now?”

 “It’s an urgent situation.  Do you think I’d leave you here alone if it wasn’t important?”

Charlie frowned.  “Important to whom?”

“I can’t say.  It’s a secret mission.

"Believe me, sweetheart, I wouldn’t think of leaving you otherwise.”  He pulled her closer to him, and the sound of her crying on his chest nearly broke his heart. That was when he knew for sure that he loved Charlie with all his heart.

He wiped away her tears.  “You have to trust me, Charlie.  If you care about me at all, trust me.”

Charlie sniffled, put her arms around Jesse’s neck, and clung to him.  “I don’t want you to go!”

Her face was right in front of his, and he couldn’t resist kissing her passionately.  When he did, he’d never felt anything so wonderful in his life.  Her lips were warm and slightly salty, and she returned his kiss with such fervor that he hated that he had to leave even more than she did.

Before Jesse knew it, she was reclining against him, and he knew that was the night he’d make her his.  He held up her chin and gazed into her bright blue eyes.  “There has to be love first.”  He kissed her forehead and whispered, “I love you, Charlie.”

“And, I love you with all my heart,” she responded.

Jesse kissed her again and stood. He helped her to her feet, led her to his bedroom, closed the door, and led her to his bed where he stood in front of her with his hands on her shoulders. “Are you sure?”

Charlie nodded and smiled through her tear-streaked face.  “We need to seal this deal.”

Chapter Thirteen

Charlie and Jesse lay quietly in bed.  She looked up at him and asked,  “Can’t you wait until morning to leave?”

Jesse pressed the tip of her nose with his finger. I have a hard time refusing you anything when you look up at me with those big blue eyes.  I’ll wait until early tomorrow.”

Charlie sat up.  “Is that rain I hear?”

“Shep!” Jesse jumped from the bed, slipped into his pants, and ran out of the room.  He opened the door, and Shep scampered in, shook the rain from his fur, and soaked Jesse.

“Thanks, Shep.”  He grabbed a towel to dry himself off.

Charlie came into the room, grabbed the towel, and said in an alluring voice, “Come back to bed.”

Jesse didn’t hesitate.  How he dreaded having to leave.  Married life, what little of it he’d experienced, was heaven on earth.

They were back in bed in moments.  Charlie snuggled close to him and put her head on his chest.

“Is there a