The Outlaws: Jess Read Online Free PDF

a fool would
trust a man who kept secrets about his past.
    Meg finally got her clothing back. Jess
helped her don her shirt and slide on her trousers, though it
embarrassed her to have him play her maid. She kept reminding
herself that Jess was a doctor, that he was accustomed to seeing
unclothed women. She would have been horrified had she known that
Jess's experience in treating women was limited. He had joined the
war shortly after graduating from medical school, and men made up
the bulk of his patients to date.
    "When do you think I can leave?" Meg asked
once she was decently clothed.
    "Another day or two. How long will it us take
to reach your home?"
    "Us? Look, Jess, you don't need to accompany
me. I can find my way home by myself. It's not far."
    "You're not strong enough," Jess said with a
stern shake of his head. "Listen to your doctor. I'll see you
home." And give that man of yours a good talking to before I leave,
he thought but did not say.
    The following day Jess allowed Meg to walk
around a bit. Though she moved stiffly, he was satisfied with her
progress. She was still pale and drawn and appeared to have lost
weight but she was so anxious to return to her Zach that he decided
they could leave the following morning. He began making
preparations and advised Meg of his decision.
    "We're leaving!" Meg exclaimed. "Thank God. I
know Zach is frantic with worry. I rarely stay out longer than a
week. If I don't have my man by then, he's probably left the area
and his trail is cold."
    "I hope this teaches you a lesson," Jess said
with marked sarcasm. Leave men's work to men and concentrate on
something better suited to your gender. Like getting married and
having children."
    Meg faced him squarely, her expression
belligerent. "Are you one of those men who believe women are
inferior to men?"
    Jess took one look at Meg's outraged features
and sparkling green eyes and was aware of only one thing. He wanted
to kiss her. Badly. Her pouting lips were pursed enticingly; he
couldn't recall when he'd last kissed a beautiful woman. And make
no mistake, despite her near brush with death, Meg Lincoln was
beautiful, provocative, and far too tempting to resist.
    Gently, so as not to hurt her injured right
side, he drew her close. "Meg, I don't think that at all. I believe
men should protect women, and obviously Zach isn't doing a very
good job of it. You're very beautiful, you know. You could have any
man you want. Perhaps Zach isn't right for you."
    She gave him a perplexed look. "Zach
is..."
    "No, I don't want to hear it. Just think
about what I've said. I don't want to see you hurt again."
    Her lips hovered so close to his he could
feel her sweet breath fan his cheek, see her green eyes widen with
sudden awareness. Her breath hitched; he felt her body tense, and
knew intuitively she experienced the same sexual attraction that
made his body swell with desire.
    Damn! This was no time to form an attraction
to a woman, Jess thought. Meg was still weak and vulnerable and
didn't need his lustful inclinations adding to her woes. But her
lips! All he had to do was lean forward and...
    The kiss was inevitable, but what happened
during the kiss stunned him. The intimacy was searing,
intoxicating. He expected her to draw away from him, but she
shocked him when her lips softened and melted against his. The next
step came naturally as he nudged her lips apart and slipped his
tongue inside to explore the inner contours of her mouth. His arm
slipped around her waist. A groan of pleasure reverberated from his
throat as the tips of her unbound breasts brushed his chest and her
loins meshed with his. He heard her whimper as he deepened the
kiss.
    "Meg...you taste...so damn...good."
    His words must have awakened her survival
instincts for she broke off the kiss and shoved him away with her
good arm.
    With an effort he returned to the hard
clarity of reality, releasing her instantly. "I'm sorry," he said,
backing away. "I don't know what got into