ROCK CREEK ADVENTUROUS TALES
PART 2

GHOSTS FROM THE PAST

by Debra © 2001

CHAPTER TEN

"Teaspoon, those are our horses! Jesse and his gang are the horse thieves! I don't believe this," Kid shouted angrily.

What are you going to do Teaspoon?" Rachel asked sternly.

"I'm not going to do anything at this point," Teaspoon replied gruffly.

Kid throws his arms up in the air in frustration. "Buck is right! Jesse isn't ever going to change into an honest, law-abiding man. Jesse's been playing us all for fools ever since the day he rode back into our lives, and we all let him!" Kid spoke annoyed at his own foolishness.

Teaspoon leans his crutches underneath his arms and places a hand on Kid's shoulder patting him in hopes of calming the young man down. "It's no one's fault but mine. I'm the one that let Jesse into our lives. I'm taking full responsibility for Jesse's behavior and the lost horses."

Cody walks up to the small gathering still chewing on a mouth full of food. He glances around the tables and sees that Jane is gone and so is Buck. "Where is Jane?"

"Where have you been?" Kid asked annoyed with Cody.

"I was in the social hall finishing up my meal. You know how much I hate leaving anything to waste," Cody replied.

"Cody, Buck took Jane, Charlene, and Louise home. Jesse was in town with a few of his outlaw gang members. Jimmy and Buck were both worried that Simon might show up."

Cody turns his attention to Kid. He swallows his last mouthful of food before addressing Kid. "Why were you yelling about the stolen horses?"

"You always come in when everything is half over Cody? Jesse is the one who stole the horses from our ranch," Kid explained impatient with Cody and his eating habits.

"Well I might as well inform all of you about my meeting with the soldiers who had shown up here earlier this evening. It seems some evidence has been discovered in the vicinity of Jesse's camp. "I'm real sorry to have to inform you of this Teaspoon, but I have to consider Jesse a suspect in the army soldier killings," Cody spoke straight forward.

"Cody, I know Jesse isn't being totally honest with us, but I can't believe he would kill just for the sake of killing someone. It wasn't like he was stealing anything from the soldiers that were killed."

"Teaspoon, he stole our horses! Jesse did this after he asked you to help him change his life around!" Kid yelled loud enough for Buck to hear him back at the ranch. Kid is having a real difficult time calming his temper down.

Rachel, who has been standing in the background allowing the men to bicker back and forth finally steps forward to give every one of them a piece of what's on her mind. "I want all of you to listen to what I have to say, and then I don't want to hear no more about Jesse James."

Teaspoon, Kid and Cody turn away from each other and face Rachel. They give her their undivided attention. There is silence in the air for a few moments while Rachel gathers her thoughts.

"Jesse came into our lives as a boy almost seven years ago. Six years ago he brought his brother into our lives and wreaked havoc on our home. All of you do remember Noah."

"Yes," all three speak disheartened in unison.

"Jesse has made some unwise choices in his life," Rachel spoke clearly. She focuses her next statement of fact at her husband. "That doesn't mean that we should have to live our lives by the wrong choices Jesse has made. I'll be the first one to admit that I don't want to see Jesse at the end of a noose. But, I also don't want any of my family hurt or taken away from me because of the foolishness that is going on around here lately," Rachel spoke calmly but to the point. She glances at each one of them wondering if she has gotten through to their thick skulls. "Am I making myself perfectly clear?"

"Yes," all three replied in unison.

"Good. Now I think we should go home, and tomorrow morning we'll talk to Buck and Jimmy about the horses."

The gathering starts to break up to head home.

Charlene, Jane and Buck have just walked into Buck's home after taking Louise to her home first. Buck lights a few of the oil lamps that are in the living room, and one that leads to the upstairs. Charlene stands close to the stairway hoping on one foot as she takes her heel off of the other foot. She proceeds to do the same with the foot that still has a heel on. She has kept her eyes on Buck all evening, while Buck has kept his eyes on Jane. She isn't sure what she can do to draw his attention to her. "I'm going up to bed. Are the two of you coming?" Charlene spoke unable to really think straight tonight about her dilemma with Buck Cross.

Jane looks directly at Buck, but talks to Charlene. "I need to have a few words with Buck first. I'll be coming up shortly."

Charlene once again looks disgusted at the thought of Jane and Buck together. She is too tired to deal with it tonight. Tomorrow she will come up with a plan to get the two of them apart. "Well then good-night Buck…and Jane." Charlene walks slowly up the stairs hoping to catch some of the conversation between the two lovebirds below.

When Charlene is out of sight, and Buck hears her bedroom door shut, he walks over to be with Jane in the living room.

"What is it you want to talk to me about?" Buck asked softly.

His voice is so deep yet soft and sensual. Jane can hardly stand on her legs they are so weak from his proximity to her. She takes an awkward step backwards, but not really meaning it as a way to get away from him.

He thinks she's about to trip, and he latches out at Jane to steady her on her legs. Buck helps Jane to establish the stance she had close to the sofa. "I wouldn't let you fall."

"About what happened between us earlier this evening. Cody is awfully upset with the both of us," Jane spoke unclear of what she really wants to say to Buck.

"You and Cody aren't really courting, are you?" Buck asked confused by the way Cody had been so possessive of Jane, and afraid that Jane will tell him that the kiss they had shared earlier in the evening had been a mistake. He wants to shut out her voice from telling him that they can't allow their feelings for each other get the best of them again.

"I think Cody wants to think we are. It seems like Cody has developed a protective shield over me since he rescued me from Simon Davenport's clutches."

"So Cody is your protector, and he thinks that gives him the right to court you as well," Buck spoke with a little more understanding about what Jane thinks is going on inside Cody's head and heart.

"So what am I suppose to do?"

"Do you want to court Cody, Jane?" Buck asked almost dreading the answer he will receive.

"I want to…I want to explore what happened between you and I this evening," Jane spoke nervously.

He had been worried that Jane really didn't want anything at all to do with him. But, Jane's words of wanting to explore their feelings for each other is all the persuasion Buck needs to make an advancement to get closer to her. Buck takes a step toward Jane. All is quiet inside the house except for their delicate intakes of air. He lowers his head to kiss her welcoming lips. She reaches her hands around his neck to pull him closer to her as his tender kiss meets her parted lips. Buck places his arms tenderly around her back as he pulls her body closer to his! Her body molds to become a perfect fit to his. Passion begins to mount between the two people who are so much into each other that they shut the rest of the ranch totally out of their minds. Buck allows his hands to become entangled in Jane's cinnamon brown strands of hair.

Jane's thoughts are going places she hasn't explored as a young woman. His gentle touch is awakening her body up from its innocent sleep. Her heart begins to race with his every heated touch to her clothed body. She simply doesn't want to imagine what his touches would do to her body if she weren't clothed!

Soft moans of passion from each other are the only sound either one of them hears. Buck backs her up to the sofa and she willingly surrenders herself onto the sofa with Buck overtop her! Her hands are on Buck's hips pulling him down intimately to her. She wants him! But, how can that be? Shouldn't she take her time and get to know him better, maybe even fall in love with him first.

Buck's body is only inches from touching hers! The heat between the two is about unbearable! Buck pulls away from her lips and caresses her neck with his lips and mouth. He nips softly at her skin causing more soft moans to escape from within her. They are both breathless from the passionate hold they have on each other. Jane's mind is lost in the physical aching that her body demands to be satisfied by this man!
Jane's unguarded state of mind has her forcing Buck's body completely onto hers! Buck groans deeply and continues another assault on Jane's swollen lips. Her arms are wrapped tightly around his hips to keep him from moving off of her!

Jane can't believe the strong intimate feelings she already has developed for this man. She wants Buck, and her need for him is allowing her mind to abandon what she should do, and her heart prevails to allow unrelenting arousal to happen between her and Buck. No other man has ever given her these torturous sensations that she is feeling. She hopes that Buck doesn't think she does this sort of thing with every man she glances at! Jane's powerful desire for Buck to make love to her makes her seem too aggressive. In reality Buck will be her first.

His lips part from hers, and he explores the soft flesh of her neck and shoulders. The softness of Jane's skin has Buck's body shuddering with passion that needs gratification. He hungrily brushes his lips down her chest and over each of her clothed breasts.

"Please Buck," Jane spoke desperately yearning for him to make love to her.

She tilts her hips up to meet his body! She feels his arousal against her womanhood. Buck deepens the kiss between them and moans deeply as she continues to press hard against him! He feels as if he's about to explode if he doesn't soon make this woman beneath him his! He wants badly to continue to the next part of their love making, but he isn't so sure that he should. They barely know each other, even though seven years are between them. But, it's seven years that they weren't in each other's lives at all. They need to slow down and get to know one another first. He has to stop this and fall in love with her first. But, his body is telling him differently!

"What is all the noise down here?" Charlene hollered as she witnesses Buck and Jane appearing from on the sofa. Both are unable to stand up or catch their breath. When Charlene realizes what has been taking place on the sofa between Buck and Jane, she turns a deep red in color.
"Excuse me, I didn't mean to interrupt!" Charlene spoke gruffly and storms back up the stairs.

Buck and Jane are sitting breathlessly on the sofa. They both give out a giggle when they hear Charlene's bedroom door slam!

The interruption has both of them thinking about what almost took place between them on Buck's sofa. His breath is labored as he tries to get himself back under control from the onslaught of passion that Jane released onto him. Buck hasn't explored the sensations a woman can make you feel for a very long time. His body had been passive for way too long causing him to quiver with every touch Jane had made to his body.

Jane can't pull her eyes away from him. She is having a difficult time keeping her eyes off of all of him! Perhaps talking with him will keep her mind focused on other things besides the lust she is feeling for him!
"This is pure lust, you realize that don't you?" Jane spoke her voice shaky from the passion that hasn't left her.

"Yeah, I'm sure that's exactly what it is," Buck spoke his voice husky with passion unsatisfied.

They both laugh softly and lean their foreheads against each other for support.

"It's also kind of embarrassing at our ages to get caught on the sofa almost doing it," Buck spoke amusingly. He wants to ease the tension between them. He wonders if she feels as uncomfortable about their situation as he does. He tenderly swipes a loose strand of her hair away from her face. Her senses become alive again with that single touch of his hand to her face.

Jane looks deeply into Buck's eyes. She knows she feels more than just a tumble between the sheets for this man. Her only problem is that at this moment a tumble between the sheets with him is what she wants! She begins to kiss him tenderly on his lips that have not yet recovered from their passionate kisses that were halted by Charlene's entrance into the living room.

Buck allows Jane to kiss him gently. But, he doesn't want the passion between them to mount back to where it was. He wants Jane to be sure before they make love. Actually, Buck wants her to tell him that she loves him before they make love. His heart feels fragile as if Jane could break it at any moment.

"Jane," Buck spoke softly as he pulls himself away from her. "We really shouldn't do this."

"I know you think that this isn't what I really want, but it is. I want you. I don't know why I'm feeling this way so fast with you, but I don't want to wait," Jane spoke her voice trembling with desire for him.

Buck can't seem to think straight after she speaks her words of sensual inducement to him. He places her gently back down on the sofa and resumes the kissing that had taken them to extreme heights of passion just moments ago! Buck encircles his arms around her waist and brings her body up to greet his.

Jane moans softly from the heat coming from his body. She becomes aware of the fact that the desire between them is intensely powerful, but the two of them have yet to remove a stitch of clothing from each other. Perhaps Buck is right. Or maybe she is ready to make love to him, but he isn't quite ready to make love to her. Buck seems content to kiss her, and run his hands all over her body, but that is where it ends for him. Buck hasn't made one attempt to remove any of her clothes!

The two are so engrossed with each other that they don't hear the opening and then shutting of the front door to Buck's home. Their soft moans of sensual pleasure for each other are the only sound they need to hear. Jimmy's light footsteps are the last thought on their minds.

Jimmy walks into the living room and stands behind the sofa. He glances amusingly down at the two passionately involved on the sofa. "You two look like you're having fun."

Buck practically jumps off of Jane. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Jane awkwardly stands up from the sofa, and tries to straighten out her dress that wasn't meant to have a man's passionate weight on top of it.

"I live here remember. Listen, I really didn't mean to interrupt the two of you. I'll just head on up to bed. Just pretend that I never came in," Jimmy spoke softly all the while not being able to stop the grin his mouth is making.

"Never mind Jimmy. Between you and Charlene, you've spoiled the mood," Jane spoke her voice calmer then it has been all evening. She reaches over to a now standing Buck and kisses him gently one last time before retiring to her bedroom. "I'll see you in the morning." She turns to walk up the stairs. "Good-night Jimmy."

"Uh…good-night Jane. Sweet dreams," Jimmy spoke amusingly.

Buck is sitting back down on the sofa running his fingers through his hair in a frustrated motion.

Jimmy is smiling from ear to ear, and he doesn't mind if Buck sees the proud look he has for him. Uh…I didn't mean to intrude."

"You didn't."

"Sure looked that way to me. As a matter of fact the two of you looked downright into it, to me," Jimmy spoke with uncontrollable snickering.

"What's so damn funny, Jimmy?"

"Does Cody know you're compromising his woman on your sofa?"

"I wasn't," Buck spoke getting worked up over Jimmy's taunting.

"What would you call it Buck?"

"She kissed me, and one thing just lead to another…"

"One thing lead to another until the two of you were lying on the sofa two seconds from tearing each others clothes off!" Jimmy stated bluntly.

"Is that how it looked to you?" Buck asked worried that it didn't seem like he cares about or has any respect for Jane.

"Yeah! Hell I wish I would have walked in about five minutes later."

"You wouldn't have caught us. I was just about to stop what was going to happen," Buck spoke more calmly.

"Why?" Jimmy asked disappointed in his friend.

"It isn't very romantic with Jane on the sofa, with Charlene stomping down the stairs asking us what we're doing. Besides, Jane had already stopped me, but then she started kissing me again. I just wasn't sure. Maybe all the intrusions, including you, has us both a bit nervous about what was going on between us."

Jimmy just shakes his head at his friend. He is totally baffled by what Buck has just told him. He knows Buck would never ask him, but he wants to help Buck figure out what he wants, so he'll try to offer the Kiowa some sound advice on women. "Buck, if she's kissing you like that then she wants it."

"When did you become such a romantic, Jimmy?"

"Romance? What do you need romance for?" Jimmy spoke disgusted at the sound of the word romance. That is a word that never enters his mind when he's engaged in such activities with a woman.

"I thought maybe I should court Jane before taking her to my bed," Buck spoke wearisome from unsatisfied passion between him and Jane.

"Why?" Jimmy asked dumfounded.

"God Jimmy! That's not all I want her for!" Buck spoke loudly.

"Why not?"

Buck looks at Jimmy with confusion. The two of them are in two different worlds when it comes to women. Buck knows he's confusing Jimmy, but he also knows that Jimmy makes no sense at all to him.

"Look Buck. You're a man, and Jane's a woman. Men and women have been doing this sort of thing for quite some time now. It ain't nothing new."

"You have an answer for everything, don't you Jimmy?"

"I'd like to think I do."

"Jimmy, you're just confusing me more than what I already was."

"Why? It's simple Buck. Listen I've already done it with Hannah."

"I don't really need to hear this."

Jimmy smiles proudly at himself. "She enjoyed it too. As a matter of fact, jumping into bed is about the only thing Hannah wants to do."

"I think I'll just listen to what my heart's telling me."

"And what's that Buck?"

"That I should court Jane for awhile before taking the next step."

"Okay Buck. But, ask yourself a very important question. While you're waiting, do you really think Cody is gonna stand by and wait for you to make Jane yours?"

Buck doesn't even have to think about that question. He knows how persuasive Cody can be when it comes to his women and his food. "No."

"No. That's right. Cody will compromise Jane the second you don't. Hell Cody won't even wait for you not to compromise her!"

"Jimmy, I just don't want anyone to get hurt," Buck spoke disheartened.

"Anyone Buck or is it that you just don't want to get hurt?"

"Jimmy, I'm not exactly used to women falling all over me the way Jane did tonight. What does Jane want with me when she can have Cody?"

"Now you're confusing me. What the hell does she see in Cody?"

"I don't know. Maybe Jane likes the uniform or the fact that Cody isn't a half-breed," Buck mumbled disheartened.

"I don't think either one of those things matters much to Jane. She's too sensible to let a uniform hold clout with her. Jane doesn't even see the Kiowa in you. She sees the man not his color. Look Buck, from what I saw on the sofa tonight, you don't have anything to worry about."

"That was just lust Jimmy. Maybe Cody has told Jane that he loves her."

"Then that would make Cody a damn liar. And, don't make lust out to be something bad. It's a good thing."

Buck glances up at Jimmy and aches an eyebrow at him. He doesn't realize it, but he's asking Jimmy to explain that one.

"At least she wants you. In my book that ain't a bad thing."

Buck gets up from the sofa, and heads toward the stairs. "I think you've given enough advice for one night Jimmy. I'm going up to bed," Buck spoke quietly. He starts up the stairs.

"Good-night Buck," Jimmy spoke with a glint in his eyes. Somehow tomorrow he will work on getting Buck and Jane together.

Jesse rides into the dimly lighted camp. There is one small campfire burning in the center of the camp. It is just large enough to heat up the coffee pot and the black, tasteless liquid inside.

When Jesse gets close to the campfire. Simon Davenport apprehends him as he dismounts from his horse. The other four gang members who where in town with Jesse ride off away from Jesse and Simon.

"What do you think you're doing, going off riding into town with stolen horses?" Simon asked angrily.

"It isn't any of your business what I do," Jesse proclaimed loud enough for all his men to hear. He doesn't want any of them thinking they are running the show around here. This is his show, and he'll run it the way he sees fit. They either follow his orders or they disband from the group. Of course most of them realize that disbanding from the gang means a certain death sentence. Jesse bends down and pours himself a hot mug of coffee. He sips on it, but he finds out that the black liquid is too hot to drink.
"It is plain foolishness allowing Teaspoon Hunter, a marshal I might add, to see that you were the one that stole their horses," Simon spoke calmly. He doesn't want to give Jesse James a reason to shoot him in the back, but he obviously needs an austere lecture concerning tactfulness.

"I wanted all of them to see their horses. It is the start of my latest plan. I'm going to cause heartbreak and ruination to those who misjudged me. Those people reside at The Kid & Buck Horse Ranch!"

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