Free The Outlaws: Jess by Connie Mason Page A

her
worrying about me."
    "I doubt you can keep it from her. Meg's an
astute woman. She's smart, strong, and independent. She has a right
to know."
    "She's all of those things, and more," Zach
admitted, bursting with pride. "She wasn't always like that. You
should have seen her when..." He paused, giving Jess a sheepish
look. "Forgive my rambling."
    "Tell me about Meg," Jess said. "I know so
little about her."
    Zach shook his head. "Ask Meg. It's not my
place." He sent Jess a hard look. "You care for Meggie, don't
you?"
    Jess shrugged. "Of course, I care about all
my patients."
    "I don't mean those kind of feelings. I'm
talking about feelings a man has for a woman."
    "Look, Zach, you've nothing to be jealous
about. Meg loves you."
    "Hell, Doc, you don't need to tell me that.
I've been watching you two since you arrived. Meggie is attracted
to you. You're exactly the kind of man she needs. She'd make you a
good wife."
    Jess's mouth fell open. "You want me to marry
Meg?"
    "You could do a helluva lot worse. I know
she's a mite strong minded but ain't that better than having a wife
who's afraid of her own shadow?"
    "You want me to marry Meg?" Jess repeated
harshly.
    "Well, hell, Jess, I know for a fact there's
more passion in her little finger than most women have in their
whole body."
    "I'll bet you do," Jess said sarcastically.
No matter how ill Zach was, it just wasn't right for him to offer
his lover's hand in marriage to another man.
    "I'd rest a whole lot easier in my grave if I
knew Meggie was being taken care of after I'm gone."
    "Why marriage?" Jess challenged. "Why not
offer her to me as my mistress?"
    Zach stiffened and his eyes narrowed with
outrage. "Why would I do a thing like that? I want only the best
for Meggie. Nothing but marriage will do for her. You're a damn
fool to think she'd become your mistress after I'm gone."
    "I don't think anything at all," Jess said,
pretending a calm he didn't feel.
    Jess was ready to blow. Only Zach's
precarious state of health prevented him from doing so. How could
Zach speak so casually about the woman he loved, a woman who loved
him? This whole impossible conversation was beyond his
understanding. There was only one answer he could give.
    "Sorry, Zach. Taking a wife at this time
isn't feasible. You'd be doing both yourself and Meg a favor if you
divorced your wife and married Meg before your health
deteriorates."
    Zach sent him a puzzled look. "That wouldn't
be right. Meg needs a young man, one who can do right by her."
    "You should have realized that a long time
ago," Jess chided in a voice ripe with disapproval. "I'm not
changing my mind, Zach. A wife is the last thing I need right
now."
    "Why?" His eyes narrowed. "Meg thinks you're
running from the law. Is she right? You don't look like an outlaw,
but life taught me not to judge a book by its cover. Are you a
wanted man, Jess?"
    Jess's gaze slid away. "A man's privacy
should be respected. Suffice it to say, taking a wife isn't in my
plans at the present time. I suggest you quit trying to foist her
off on the first young man who meets your requirements and marry
her yourself."
    "Damn young fool," Zach muttered beneath his
breath.
    Jess pretended not to hear. "I'll leave this
bottle of pills with you. Take them whenever the pain comes on. You
can live a long time if you take care of yourself. Keep that in
mind."
    Jess's angry steps carried him from Zach's
room. The man was too ill to lay into but that's exactly what Jess
felt like doing. This whole situation was abhorrent to him. He
couldn't understand how Zach could casually hand his mistress over
to another man. Demanding marriage, no less. Who did Zach think he
was, Meg's father?
    Jess stormed into the kitchen, disgruntled to
find Meg waiting for him, her expression anxious. "What's wrong
with him, Jess? He's going to be all right, isn't he?"
    "It's Zach's place to tell you," Jess said
shortly. He turned away.
    "Dammit, Jess, Zach won't tell me anything.
But I have to know.