Justin's Bride. Susan Mallery

her for you.”

      He held out the kitten. She took her and cupped the small creature in her hands. Bright green eyes blinked sleepily. The kitten nuzzled Megan’s chest and exhaled a deep breath. The kitten’s purring became muffled as she buried her face under the tip of her tail.

      “She’s so sweet.” Megan glanced up at him. The dampness of his mouth and his knowing look reminded her what had just happened between them. They were still standing close together. Too close. She stepped back. It didn’t help much. She had a bad feeling she could walk clear to the other side of Kansas and it wouldn’t be far enough. Justin’s apology made her want to forgive him everything. His hot kisses and thoughtful gift made her feel more than was safe. She should ask him to leave right now. Before any more damage was done.

      “Would you like to stay for supper?” she blurted out.

      He shook his head and started buttoning up his coat. “That wouldn’t be a good idea. You’re right. We aren’t supposed to be friends. It would be better for everyone if we tried to stay out of each other’s way. I know Landing isn’t that big, but if we work at it, I think we can avoid too much contact.”

      She wanted to ask why he’d had a sudden shift in attitude. She bit her lower lip. Was it the kiss? Had he been disappointed? Had she shocked him by responding? Did he think she wasn’t a lady?

      She walked with him to the front door. She held the kitten close, savoring the animal’s warmth and the faint rumble of her purr.

      “Thank you for her,” she said.

      “You’re welcome.” Dark eyes met and held hers. She couldn’t read his expression. Justin was such an odd combination of known and unknown. A stranger, and yet—she squeezed her still-tingling lips together—someone she would never forget.

      “I apologize for what I said about your mother.”

      He shrugged. “Goodbye, Megan.” He reached for the hat he’d left on the hall tree when he’d first come inside, then stepped onto the porch.

      Instinctively, she swept her gaze across the bare garden. In the last lingering illumination of twilight, she didn’t see anyone standing around. Thank goodness. Heaven only knew what would happen if her sister or someone from town saw him leaving her house.

      “You aren’t going to say anything to anyone, are you?” she asked.

      He looked at her over his shoulder. Confusion pulled his dark eyebrows together, then his expression cleared and she could read his contempt. “No. I won’t say a word. Your precious reputation is safe with me.”

      He stalked away. Megan stared after him. She thought about trying to explain, but he would never understand. He didn’t know the danger of being ostracized. He didn’t know what fate she would suffer. So many times she’d started to tell him the ugly secret from her past, but she hadn’t. She’d been too ashamed.

      So instead of calling him back, she closed the door and locked it, then headed for the kitchen.

      “I have some cream,” she murmured. “Would you like that?”

      The kitten stirred in her arms. The small warmth wasn’t enough to banish the ghosts from the past and the chill from her heart, but it was so much better than facing them all alone.

      * * *

      Justin pulled up his collar against the cold night air. As he made his way back to town, he cursed himself for still being a fool. Damn Megan and damn himself for caring. Her precious reputation had always been more important than anything else. Why was he surprised that hadn’t changed?

      He shook his head in disgust. He hoped her reputation kept her company in bed at night, otherwise she was going to have a long and lonely life. Not that he cared. He was only sorry that he’d wasted his time with her. Going to see her had been a mistake. Kissing her a bigger one.

      Suddenly, he laughed out loud. His breath created a small cloud. He slapped his arms over his chest and walked faster. Kissing her hadn’t been a mistake, it had been mighty pleasurable. He’d wondered if anything had changed between them. Now he knew it hadn’t. The passion, the fire, had still flared, and she’d tasted as sweet as he remembered.

      Just thinking about her yielding body pressing against his was enough to make his groin harden. Unfortunately, even the cold didn’t ease the swelling. He hoped thoughts of their kisses were bothering her as much as they bothered him. He grinned. It had been worth it, that’s for sure.

      Justin walked around the back of the Bartlett General Store, then across the muddy street toward the sheriff’s office. He had to lock up for the night before he could head back to his hotel room. As he passed the saloon, he heard the familiar sound of music and yells of excitement. No doubt there were a couple of poker games going on inside. He should probably make an appearance, but his duties didn’t officially start until the morning.

      He paused across the street from the building and stared at it. This saloon was newer and larger than the smaller Golden Landing down the street. He made himself walk toward that one, wondering what it would cost him to go inside.

      The old building hadn’t changed. The worn sign still needed painting. Three panes of glass had been covered over by boards, so little light filtered onto the boardwalk. Upstairs the windows were dark. The women hadn’t started their “hostess” duties yet. It was early and most of the customers hadn’t found their way to the saloon yet. Tinny piano music covered the sound of conversations and clinking glasses. Justin knew that in an hour or two the raucous noises would drown out the sound of the piano, and by ten o’clock, the man playing the instrument would give up. He knew the sights and sounds and smells of that saloon. The Golden Landing had been the first wooden building constructed in town. His mother had worked there for as long as he could remember.

      Without trying to he could recall the sound of her weary footsteps on the stairs as she’d climbed up to their room. Year after year she’d worked washing glasses, serving customers, cleaning up after everyone had gone home. Time and time again she’d been offered money to warm a man’s bed. With a growing boy to provide for, she must have been tempted to take the easy way out. But she hadn’t. She’d kept their tiny room spotless, him in food and shoes. Every year he’d watched her grow weaker. He’d quit school to work, but the extra money hadn’t helped improve her cough, or changed the gray tinge to her skin.

      He swallowed hard, fighting the memories. His mother had been a decent hardworking woman. But no one in Landing had cared. She’d worked in a saloon and hadn’t married his father. That was all anyone had needed to know.

      He turned away from the building and the past. As he had several times already that day, he wondered if he’d made a mistake by coming back. The idea of returning to Landing and making his peace with the town had sounded so easy. Now he wanted to forget he’d ever heard of the place. And Megan Bartlett.

      Without trying, he could feel her body pressed against his and taste the sweetness of her mouth. Damn. He’d never been able to resist her. He wouldn’t have come back if he’d known she was here. Why hadn’t she married and moved away? Now he was going to have to deal with the fact that he’d once offered his heart to her, exposed his most secret self and she’d thrown all of it back in his face. She’d reminded him he was just that bastard Justin Kincaid and that he’d been a fool to think she might have cared about him.

      The anger might be old, but it still lived inside of him. He wished it would burn hot enough to allow him to make her pay for what she’d said and done, but that wasn’t possible. He could never hurt Megan. Which is why he had to stay out of her way.

      As he crossed the dark, empty street, he noticed light shining out of the sheriff’s office. He hadn’t lit any lanterns before he’d left, so he must have visitors.

      As he approached the building, he saw two men standing in front of his desk. One of them turned toward the window. The muscles in Justin’s stomach clenched tight. He recognized the light brown hair and mustache. It had taken Wyatt the better part of five months for it to grow in