Thimbles And Thistles (Baker City Brides Book 2) Read online

  When all remained quiet, he tied his horse to a tree and took a fortifying breath. “Be quiet for me, Rob, and keep an eye out.” Ian patted the horse on his neck and cautiously made his way to the back of the cabin with his revolver in his hand.

  He noticed Maggie’s horse in a small corral as he edged around the side of the building. It was the only sign of life he’d seen since he’d arrived in the clearing.

  Carefully moving toward the door, Ian tried to glance in the lone window, but it was so filthy, he couldn’t see anything. No sound came from inside the cabin, though, so he wondered if anyone was there. Maybe they left Maggie’s horse and rode off to meet the rest of their group.

  With any luck, Tully would catch up to them. Ian hated to leave the sheriff alone to face five criminals. He decided to take a quick look around the cabin then ride back to meet Tully.

  The hinge on the door creaked loudly in the afternoon stillness as he pushed open the door. Uneasy, Ian waited for gunfire to burst around him. When all remained silent, he stepped inside and took in the sight of Maggie lying on the floor, tied to a chair.

  Swiftly holstering his gun, Ian knelt beside her, untied the ropes then cradled her to his chest.

  “Och, Maggie, my sweet lass, what have you gone and stepped in now?” Ian asked, panicked that she remained unconscious. As he brushed the hair away from her face, his fingers traced over a lump on her forehead near her temple. She was lucky whatever had hit her missed striking a few inches lower, or the blow may have killed her.

  The notion of never seeing her again made him protectively wrap his arms around her. Tenderly, he kissed her cheeks and murmured to her. “Maggie, my love, please wake up. Wake up and let me see those beautiful eyes spark with anger or dance with humor.” Ian kissed her forehead, her nose, her chin. “Please, Maggie. I need you to wake up, lass.”

  Desperate, Ian touched his lips to hers, kissing her softly. When he pulled back, Maggie’s eyes fluttered open and she stared at him, disoriented and confused.

  “Ian?”

  He smiled at her. “Yes, lass. It’s me.”

  “I had the most awful dream. Maybe I’m still dreaming.” Maggie pushed against his chest, trying to sit upright. Ian placed an arm around her while he helped her sit upright. “I dreamed I went for a ride on Danny Boy to my special rock in the mountains. A group of nasty men, outlaws who robbed a bank, found me and brought me to a detestable cabin. They tied me up and left with the most horrid promises to return and do… unspeakable things. I heard your voice and woke up.”

  Maggie left out the part about how she’d purposely kept her eyes closed. The temptation to linger in Ian’s embrace was too strong. For a few moments, she basked in his attention while breathing in his scent and reveling in his strength. There wasn’t a single place on earth she’d rather be than in his arms. The urgent tone of his voice, combined with him calling her, “my love,” had turned her insides into a molten mess.

  “You weren’t dreaming, Maggie. A gang of outlaws robbed a bank yesterday in Sumpter. Tully said he asked you not to go for a ride today since he didn’t know what direction they’d headed after the robbery. They must have come across you entirely by accident.” Ian rubbed a comforting hand along her arm and kissed her cheek again. “Did they hurt you, Maggie? Did one of them hit you?”

  “No,” Maggie blushed, arriving at the conclusion she’d knocked herself out in her efforts to escape. She hated to admit what happened, but there was no reason to tell Ian anything but the truth. “They work at a nearby mine and said they had to work their shift to keep anyone from considering them for the robbery. One of them is named Jonas. He um… he… well… a few weeks ago I’d gone for a ride and he happened upon me near the mine. He made some rather inappropriate comments and threats so I kicked him in the face and rode off.”

  “What?” Ian’s anger bounced off the walls of the shack as he raised his voice. “And you didn’t think it was important to tell me or Tully or even Thane what happened?”

  “I didn’t want any of you to get unnecessarily upset. I thought I’d handled the situation until he caught me unawares today.” Maggie rubbed a spot on her wrist where the rope had chaffed her skin. “Believe me when I say I realize I should have been more forthcoming in sharing the details of that incident.”

  “Let’s get you out of here and back to town. How many men were there?” Ian stood and offered Maggie his hand. She accepted it and stood, but appeared unsteady on her feet. Ian wrapped an arm around her waist and held her to him while she gained her balance.

  “There were five of them. They split up a half mile or so back down the trail. I assume the three who rode off the other direction were headed for the mine.” Maggie wondered how she’d ride home with the world spinning at such a turbulent pace. About to pass out, she sank down onto a chair and released a shaky breath.

  “It’s okay, lass.” Ian put a hand to the back of her neck and gently pushed her head forward until it touched her knees. “If you put your head down, it should help with the dizziness.”

  “Thanks,” Maggie whispered, closing her eyes.

  A loud boom rattled the house and Ian rushed over to the open door, glancing outside. Rain poured down in sheets while lightening streaked across the sky and thunder echoed around them.

  “Guess we aren’t going anywhere for a while, anyway.” Ian watched water puddle on the churned up ground in front of the cabin. The rain came down so hard and fast, the earth couldn’t absorb it all.

  “We can’t stay here, Ian. What if those men come back? What if…” Another explosion of thunder made Maggie hold back a scream. She’d never, ever liked lightening or thunderstorms. They scared her as a girl and they frightened her still.

  Ian seemed to sense how the storm unsettled her and shut the door. He stepped over to where she sat wide-eyed on the chair and placed a warm hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay, Maggie. Everything will be fine. We’ll wait out the storm then head toward town and see about catching up with Tully. It’s a good thing he worries about you as much as he does.” He worried about her, too, but Tully was the one she planned to marry.

  The impending union of the woman he loved and a man he respected made Ian agitated and troubled. He cleared thoughts of it from his head and focused on their current predicament.

  “What time did the men leave, Maggie?” Ian glanced around to see if he could do something to make her more comfortable. A pile of disgusting blankets in the corner, no doubt crawling with vermin, offered no suitable options. It looked like the rickety kitchen chairs provided the best accommodations.

  “It was probably close to eleven when we arrived. They packed in the money and made themselves some food before they left.” Maggie flicked her hand in the direction of the dirty dishes on the table.

  Ian pulled a watch from his pocket and checked the time. “It’s half-past noon. You weren’t knocked out too long, then. That also gives us an idea of when to expect their return. If they’re working a shift at the mine, we’ve got hours before they come back.”

  Maggie stared at him, noticing the shiny star pinned to his vest. “Since when are you a deputy?”

  Ian glanced down at the star he’d forgotten he wore. “Tully deputized me before we split up on the trail. He thought it might come in handy should I run into the outlaws without him.” Suddenly, he recalled Maggie mentioned money. “What money? You said they packed in money? Do you mean to tell me the money they stole is here?”

  Maggie pointed to the trunk where Jonas stashed the bags of currency. “They put the bags in there, but Jonas locked it and took the key.”

  Ian’s mind whirled with plans because they needed to take the money with them when they left. The outlaws would no doubt flee when they arrived home to find both Maggie and the money gone. He was sure Tully would prefer to haul them all into jail, but Ian had to get Maggie away before they returned. Although he was a good shot, he didn’t like the idea of taking on five ruthless men.

&nbs
p; A loud crack followed by resounding pings drew him to the door. Hailstones pelted the roof of the cabin, which proved surprisingly sound, and clumped on the rain-soaked ground. The breeze blowing in the open door held a bite to it, although the air smelled clean and fresh, with a hint of pine.

  Ian breathed deeply, catching a whiff of Maggie’s fragrance above the stench of the cabin. He left the door open and went to the stove, building a fire. Maggie rubbed her hands up and down her arms, attempting to warm herself.

  “If you’re cold, lass, I can shut the door.” Ian glanced up from coaxing a flicker into a flame. He added a few small pieces of kindling and watched it slowly start to burn.

  “No. The fresh air is clearing my head, not to mention the smells. Leave it open, please.” Maggie picked up the dirty dishes from the table and took them to the sink. She didn’t relish the thought of cleaning up after the awful men, but she’d rather stay busy until they could leave. After locating a sliver of soap, she put a pot of water on to boil so she could wash the dishes and wipe down the table. At least it would give her something to do.

  Ian continued stoking the fire until welcome warmth seeped into the cabin. He waited until the hail stopped to run across the meadow and bring Rob to the corral, turning him into the pen with Maggie’s horse. The lean-to provided shelter from the storm for the horses, so he left them and returned to the cabin. When he hastened inside, rain soaked him to the skin.

  “The air is a wee nippy for this close to summer.” Ian held his hands out to the stove, trying to warm them.

  Maggie looked up from where she scrubbed dishes with a rag she’d found. She almost dropped the plate in her hand at the sight of Ian.

  Droplets of rain clung to the ends of his hair and his beard. Moisture plastered the shirt and vest he wore to his skin, outlining the breadth of his shoulders as well as the muscles of his arms and chest.

  Heat seared her cheeks as wanton thoughts trickled into her mind. Shamed, she shook her head to clear it, and finished washing the dishes.

  When she turned around to gaze at him again, Ian continued to hover by the stove, dripping.

  “You’ll never get warm or dry with that cool breeze blowing in here.” Maggie shut the door then marched over to Ian. “You might as well take off your wet things and hang them up to dry.”

  Ian’s eyes widened in surprise and he stared at her for a long moment. “My dear Mistress Dalton, what sort of improper shenanigans are you encouraging? You’re practically demanding I strip off my clothes. Might I ask what wicked schemes you’re plotting?”

  Maggie spluttered with embarrassment while shock made her cheeks glow with color. “That isn’t what I meant or intended and well you know it, Ian MacGregor. Honestly, I don’t think you possess even a speck of decency or decorum.”

  Ian chuckled and unbuttoned his vest, hanging it on a nail by the stove before removing his shirt and hanging it on a second nail.

  He leaned over the stove, keeping his back to Maggie. She wasn’t sure if the view of his bare back or chest was more disconcerting.

  When he turned and gave her a rakish grin, she decided most definitely his chest. Only by focusing her full attention on his face could she keep from reaching out and tracing her finger over his taut muscles.

  Aware of her gawking, he took a step forward and settled his hands on her waist. “Like what you see, Mistress Dalton?”

  “What kind of question is that, Ian? My gracious! I’ve never been so…”

  Ian’s gaze held heat that burned far hotter than the roaring fire he’d built in the stove. “So what, Maggie? So enamored? So entranced? So filled with a desire to…”

  Maggie clapped her hand over his mouth. Even if what he said was true, it still seemed incredibly inappropriate to say it aloud.

  His kiss warmed her palm and she jerked her hand away, taking a step back. Ian held fast, though, not letting her leave the circle of his arms.

  “Where are you trying to run to, lass? There’s nowhere to go and naught to be done until the storm passes. You may as well enjoy my company until the sheriff comes to your rescue.” Ian backed her up until she bumped into the wall behind her. He reached out and wrapped one of the curls that escaped her braid around his finger, rubbing the silky strands with a gentle thumb.

  Shivers of delight slid over Maggie, making her weak-kneed. It had been so long since she’d wanted to be held, kissed, and loved.

  Right now, there wasn’t anything she wanted more than Ian to hold her close and kiss her until he made her head spin.

  Unsettled by the undisguised yearning in his eyes, she ran a hand along his jaw, savoring the feel of his beard against her skin. She brushed his hair back from his forehead while her gaze rested on his enticing mouth.

  No matter how much she needed to stay away from Ian, she couldn’t. In fact, she no longer wanted to. What she wanted was the man standing half-dressed in front of her, making her feel things she’d never imagined possible.

  Not even her beloved Daniel had stirred her to such passionate longings.

  “Ian,” she whispered, tormented by the need for his kiss, for his embrace. “Please, Ian…”

  “What is it, sweet lass? What do you need?” Ian took a step closer, his breath warm against her neck. She melted against him, enthralled with his masculinity and strong presence.

  “I need you to kiss me, Ian.” Maggie confessed, slowly raising her eyes to his again.

  Ian groaned and held her so close against him, she could feel the frenzied beat of his heart keeping time to her own. He inhaled a ragged breath and leaned back.

  When his gaze collided with hers, Maggie allowed the longings in her heart to fill her eyes. “I need you to kiss me, Ian MacGregor, like you’ve never kissed another. Kiss me like you’ll never taste my lips again.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Astounded by Maggie’s request, Ian took his time satisfying her demand for his kiss.

  He slid his hands along the smooth skin of her cheeks before burying them in her hair. A subtle move of his leg widened his stance and brought him so close, he felt her body tremble against him.

  “Och, my bonny lass. Of course I’ll kiss ye.”

  The timbre of his voice, combined with his thickened brogue, increased her trembling. Flames that had long been extinguished sparked to life in her amber eyes.

  In no hurry now that the glorious moment had arrived, Ian lowered his head. He kissed her left cheek, then her right, followed by the tip of her nose. When she reached up and wound her hands into his hair, pulling herself closer against his chest, he let go of his worries and fears. The only thing on his mind was claiming Maggie’s very tempting mouth for his very own.

  With painstaking care, he caressed her lips in a soft, tender prelude. He gently teased her top lip then worried the bottom before his passion for the woman overrode his patience and he deepened the kiss. Ian lifted her off her feet as he sampled and savored the unbelievably decadent flavor of her mouth.

  He lost track of time as they kissed, embraced, loved. At some point, he moved away from the wall he’d trapped her against to sit on a chair with Maggie on his lap. Ian continued to brand her as his every bit as much as if he’d placed the MacGregor brand to her lovely skin.

  Breathless and befuddled, Ian finally lifted his head and drew in a tight breath.

  “I should apologize for taking such liberties with that incredible mouth of yours, Maggie, but I can’t find a bit of remorse or regret in my actions. In fact, I’d like to repeat the experience.”

  Maggie grinned and bracketed his face with her hands. “I think you should repeat it, as quickly as possible.”

  Ian moaned and claimed her lips again, teasing and captivating her with his ardent, masterful kisses.

  Perhaps it had just been too long since she’d been kissed, but she couldn’t remember Daniel’s kisses ever driving her to such a point of desire and craving to be loved.

  She gave in to the urge to run her hands over Ian’
s shoulders and chest. He shuddered at the pleasure her touch created and leaned back.

  “Lass, we best put an end to things or we’ll both regret it. It’s not that I don’t want you, Maggie. Make no doubt about it, I want you more than any man has surely ever wanted a woman. But I can’t do this. Not when I love you as much as I do.” Ian set her on her feet and stood. He took a few steps away from her and added wood to the stove. While they engaged in the heated exchange of kisses, the fire had burned down.

  Maggie stepped behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing a hot kiss to his back. “I love you, too, Ian MacGregor. So much.”

  Ian spun around and took her hands in his, pressing them together. “Don’t you understand, lass? My self-control is dangling by a verra thin thread. You’re more temptation than any man could possibly bear, especially when you belong to another.”

  Maggie shook her head and dropped her hands to her sides. “Belong to another? What are you talking about, Ian? I know I’ve had a hard time letting go of my memories of Daniel, but I’m finally ready to move on. He wouldn’t have wanted me to be alone, not all this time. Daniel would give his blessing to me if he was able.”

  Frustrated, Ian ran a hand through his hair, making Maggie’s mouth water at the sight of his tousled locks. “Not your Daniel, Maggie. I’m speaking of Tully! You’re betrothed to the man and a fine one he is, too. He’ll make you a good husband.”

  The sudden sound of her laughter made Ian clench his jaw and narrow his gaze.

  Maggie looked at him as though he’d gone daft. “Me and Tully? Tully Barrett?” Her gales of laughter rang off the cabin’s walls, drowning out the sound of the rain falling outside the door. “Me and Tully?”

  “Yes, you and Tully.” Ian strode across the room then back again, needing a means of escape. He felt like a caged animal, especially with Maggie giggling hysterically. “It’s wrong to do this in light of your feelings for the sheriff. I’m sorry I…”