The Outlaws: Jess Read Online Free PDF Page A

very
good."
    "Do you need help?"
    "No, thank you. I can manage."
    And manage she did, settling back against the
saddle after she'd cleaned the plate.
    Jess took care of the dishes and returned a
short time later. He dropped down beside her and felt her forehead.
It was cool to the touch.
    "When can I leave?" Meg asked.
    He searched her face. "Let's play it by ear.
I don't want you to suffer a relapse."
    Meg heaved an exasperated sigh. "Why should I
believe anything you say? I found you with the Calders. Three
brothers robbed the bank. Three, not two. Your story sounds pretty
farfetched to me. How do I know you're not lying to me? Why should
I believe you're Jess Gentry and not a Calder?"
    "Because of the simple fact that Danny Calder
is dead. Jay told me he took a bullet during the bank robbery and
died from loss of blood before they could get him to a doctor."
    Meg found it difficult to believe him despite
his medical skills. "Where do you fit in?"
    "I don't. I had no idea who they were when
they stumbled upon my campsite. They weren't shy about offering
their names or bragging about their exploits. I was wondering how I
was going to save my skin when you appeared from out of
nowhere."
    "Danny Calder is dead?"
    "So they said, and I have no reason to doubt
them. How can you question my skill? You wouldn't have pulled
through without medical help. I'd seen many nasty infections during
the war, but yours was one of the worse."
    "You were a doctor in the war?"
    He nodded.
    "You were a Rebel, weren't you?"
    Jess gave her a lopsided smile. "It's my
voice, isn't it? Rafe and Sam lost all traces of their Southern
accents but mine persists no matter how hard I try to lose it."
    "Who are Rafe and Sam?"
    For a moment Meg thought he wasn't going to
answer, then he said, "My brothers."
    "Tell me about them. Where do you hail
from?"
    Jess refused to meet her gaze. "I don't care
to talk about them or myself right now. I'm more concerned about
convincing you I'm Dr. Jess Gentry."
    The intensity of his feelings, his sincerity,
nudged her in the direction of acceptance. But she wasn't going to
let her guard down. Doctor or not, a man was still a man. Zach was
the only male she trusted.
    "I suppose," she grudgingly admitted.
    "Do you want to tell me how and why you
became a bounty hunter?"
    Meg went still. "I don't think so."
    "What about Zach? What's he to you?"
    "I'm tired, Jess. Good night," she said.
    Jess wisely chose not to pursue the subject.
Meg's life was none of his business. Why should he care if Meg
wanted to risk her life hunting down dangerous outlaws? Because
you saved her life and you'd hate to think something like this
could happen to her again , he told to himself.
    "Good night, Meg."
    Meg continued to improve. The following day
she awakened before Jess and gingerly eased herself to a sitting
position. When she succeeded with only moderate pain, she raised
herself to her knees, struggled to her feet, and headed for the
nearest tree, dragging up one of the blankets to cover her
nakedness.
    Two steps, then two more. Her legs wobbled
dangerously and she proceeded with caution. Then suddenly she felt
a strong arm steadying her and she relaxed briefly against Jess's
broad chest.
    "I'm fine, now, thank you."
    "Why didn't you say you had to relieve yourself?"
    Her chin notched upward. "I thought I could
manage."
    His arm tightened around her waist. "You're
one stubborn female. Let me help you. Call out when you're finished
and I'll help you back."
    Meg nodded, thrilled that she'd made it this
far on her own. Each step she took without help was a step closer
to home and away from Jess Gentry. She didn't like the way she'd
come to depend on him. There were too many things she didn't know
about Jess Gentry. What was he doing out on the prairie alone? He
didn't look like an outlaw, but being on the run from the law was
the usual reason men refused to divulge their pasts. Jess might be
a doctor, and he might have saved her life, but only