Outlaws to the End (HotCider & heartofcourage)

Elizabeth had watched out the back of the ambulance as the figures of the farmhouse had grown smaller in the distance. She felt bad for the way that she was leaving them, but she felt good about her decision. Ian was the only one in the world that mattered to her and she was going to do whatever it took to take care of him. Even if that meant putting a man behind bars….

The time at the police station had seemed like a nightmare. There were questions and pictures, sworn declarations that she had lied on. All of it cultivated in the fact that Pa was going to be in trouble for a very long time. She knew that he hadn’t raped her, but the way that he had tried to poison Ian and kill him the night before told her more then enough about the kind of man that he was. She felt no pity. If it weren’t Ian, it would have been someone else.

After the interogation at the police station, they had sent her to the same hospital that Ian was in. They treated the scratches on her legs and gave her an ice pack for the slight swelling on her face. All in all, she would be healed in a few days. They called her lucky. She felt extremely lucky. Ian had been seen by a doctor and cleaned up. He was going to live and that very thought was enough to bring her to tears.

She had cried herself to sleep at his bedside. The nurses had given her a new dress to wear, one that was too big but her yellow sundress, the one that she loved so much, was beyond repair. As she silently slumbered at his side, they had placed a wool blanket around her, leaving her to the peaceful dreams that slowly fell upon her.

When she heard her name yelled from beside her, she jerked awake, looking over at Ian as he searched the room wildly. “I’m here.” She said quickly, taking his good hand and pulling it between her own.

“There’s nothing to worry about. You’re safe in a hospital. You’re safe.”

Elizabeth whimpered as Ian raked his fingers through her hair and pulled her in for a kiss. She pressed her hand against his cheek, taking in the moment and everything that it meant. She very nearly lost him forever. Any troubles that they might have had earlier had dissolved and she was just happy to be with him. She grinned as he broke the kiss and then kissed her again…and again…and again.

When he finally broke the kiss for a final time, Elizabeth was panting for air, her blue eyes capturing his and holding them with a calm compassion. He had questions about what had happened and that much was to be expected. What she wasn’t ready for was the doubt and shock and confusion that she saw in Ian’s gaze.

“Well, your cage bird finally learned to fly.” She said softly. “Turns out Pa wasn’t ready for a woman yelling rape to come flying out of his front door. The police believed my story over his, especially after Jesse and Cheryl spoke up in my defense. Jesse was the one who had taken our money from the car. He gave it back and I’ve already sent Ma the money she’ll need to live comfortably for a long time.”

“I love you, Ian Darcy. You have to see that I would do anything for you.” She said softly, her voice low as she prayed that he did trust her and shared the same feeling.

Elizabeth sighed happily the moment he pressed his forehead against hers. It didn’t matter their troubles at that moment. Ian Darcy was admitting his fears…and expressing the love and trust that she never thought she’d have. She smiled as his eyes opened and he looked deeply into her eyes, his coffee colored gaze holding her still for a long moment.

“And I trust you with my life, Ian.” She whispered back softly, confirming that she was with him 100% in this crazy journey of theirs.

As he shed the tears with his confession, she gently placed her hand upon his cheek, helping him to brush them away. She could only wonder how lonely and horrible his life must have been up until that moment and it made her heart ache all the more for her lover.

“If you weren’t injured, I’d let you be inside me right now.” She teased back, laughing softly as he pulled her in for a kiss.

She whimpered as he made love to her in the only way he could right then. Her lips clung sweetly to his, feeding from his energy and willingly giving him all that he wanted. It was a silent promise and a plea, begging him to love her for all eternity. Her tongue had just slipped past his lips when suddenly she heard someone clearing their throat, interrupting their moment together.

Pulling away from the kiss, she blushed and gave the nurse a sheepish gaze. The man behind the woman was unexpected and Elizabeth frowned as he made his way towards Ian’s bedside. The man was quickly followed by a photographer and she cocked her head to the side when he declared that he was a General. It was then that she remembered the little white lie Jesse had told the police.

As soon as the General had honored Ian and turned to leave the room, she looked at him and tried to contain the laughter that wanted to bubble forth. “Jesse told them you served in the war and that’s why you’d been shot before.”

She was laughing loudly now, her cheeks glowing with merriment as tears started to stream down her face. “And look at you now, my little war hero.”

Elizabeth’s laughter subsided as he asked her to lie with him. Who was she to deny that kind of request? With a grin, she carefully crawled into the bed beside Ian, making sure to not jostle him around too much. Very carefully, she pressed her head against his shoulder and breathed in the clean scent of his skin. It felt good to be with him, to feel the heat of his body and simply know that he was alive and on the road to recovery.

“I love you, Ian Darcy. I hope that you never forget that.” She said softly, her arm wrapping around his chest and squeezing him gently.

Elizabeth had discovered a book at the nurse’s station that she had claimed as her own. She sat the countless hours in Ian’s room curled in a chair, reading through page after page. She was distantly aware that Ian was moving before she noticed that he was naked and pulling on his own clothing. With a sigh, she gently closed the book and pushed her red hair back behind her ears.

“Ian, I don’t think it’s a good idea that we leave so soon. You still need help with your arm.” She said, trying to talk some sense into her hardheaded boyfriend.

She stood and made her way towards him, gripping the soft fabric of his tank before she turned him to face her. Gazing into his eyes she let out a little sigh. He was stubborn and would get his way, that much she knew, but she would most certainly put up a fight.

“Baby, I think it’s too soon to leave.” She said softly, her hands moving from the fabric of his shirt to his cheeks as she gently cradled his face. “You don’t want me to worry about you, do you?”

Elizabeth blushed deeply as Ian’s fingers pressed between her thighs and stroked her naked flesh. She hadn’t even thought about going to bed with him that morning as she showered at the hospital and dressed in her borrowed clothing. It had been a momentary lapse in her judgment, one that she regretted as Ian smirked down at her with that dangerous grin.

“Absolutely not.” Elizabeth huffed as she crossed her arms over the tops of her breasts, gasping as he stroked his strong fingers over her wet folds.

She licked her suddenly dry lips as she watched his free hand move to the fly of his pants, pulling at the buttons as his thoughts turned towards sex. She could see the shift in him and knew that he certainly must have felt better if he was ready to mount her right then and there.

“Are you sure that you’re well enough for this, Ian? I mean…you were shot just a few days ago and almost poisoned.” The concern flashed in her eyes and she wondered if they were doing the right thing.

Elizabeth was ready to give in to his seduction when he suddenly stopped and pulled away, telling her that they would wait. Dammit, why did he have to be so stubborn about things?! Elizabeth let out a little huff, watching as he started towards the door, fastening his pants.

“Ian Darcy…” She murmured, sitting up on the bed and watching him for a long moment. “I swear to God that you better not make me regret this.”

She turned her eyes down towards the button on the front of her dress, her fingers instantly going towards them as she flicked each button out of the hole and opened the fabric. She glanced towards his face only once as she showed him that she wasn’t wearing a bra either. Her breasts were soon framed by the gaping fabric, her hard pink nipples showing him just what she wanted from him.

“I sometimes wonder with you.” She said as Ian turned an eye over his shoulder and caught sight of her lounging on the bed with her dress unbuttoned.

Elizabeth couldn’t help the small smile that tipped the corner of her lips despite her frustration with Ian. He had a way about him that made her forget all the bad things that she wanted to say to him and it sucked the air straight out of her lungs when he looked at her with that heated coffee colored gaze. She let out a little sigh as he told her she was the devil and raced back towards the bed.

“Oh…” She whimpered as he was on her in an instant, his lips kissing both of her puckered pink nipples until she felt an increased dampness on her thighs. “You’re causing a mess, Mr. Darcy…”

Her teasing as cut off as his lips and tongue were suddenly smashing against her own, stealing her very soul with a scorching kiss. She whimpered, her fingers instantly curling against the fabric of his shirt as he moaned against her lips and caused another tingle to race down her spine. She loved this stubborn, frustrating, pigheaded man so much that it made her heart ache.

The few moments that he pulled away to undress were the longest moments of her life. She wanted him inside of her body and she wanted it now! As his hand grasped her ankle, she squirmed on the bed, only pausing when she felt the blunt tip of his shaft pressing into her wet folds. Complete and total bliss followed as he bucked against her, urging himself deep into her body.

“Only for you, Ian.” She panted, her blue eyes locked on his as he raised her leg higher and the bed started rocking. “I somehow think that you wouldn’t appreciate me giving this kind of attention to other patients.”

She giggled softly, cut off by another heated moan that burst from her lips as his thick shaft reminded her of just what she’d been missing. Never again was she going to let him get away with not making love to her for that long. It was positively obscene!

With each sure thrust of Ian’s hips against hers, Elizabeth whimpered at the pleasure that laced through her belly and melted up her spine. The bed beneath her squeaked, adding to the noises that were filling the room with each slap of their bodies. Her fingers gripped the bed linens tightly, pulling at them as he lowered her leg and leaned across her body to take hold of her lips.

God, her man was a good kisser. She melted beneath him as he licked and sucked at her lips, drowning her in more pleasure then she could have ever imagined. He didn’t even pull away to breathe and the sharp sounds of his exhaling added yet another note to their symphony. His chest was pressed against her breasts, teasing her achingly hard nipples with each thrust.

At first she didn’t know what had happened as Ian tore himself away from her body, glaring at something over his shoulder. Then he heard a female’s voice pleading with him and her blue eyes went wide. They had been caught by a nurse. Jesus, she thought to herself as she covered her bare breasts with her hands as Ian’s free hand settled against her naked thigh and kept her splayed as he growled at the woman to leave.

When Ian turned back towards her, she saw the disappointed look on his face. She also knew that he was thinking through every single possibility that they had to deal with. As much as she wanted him to just keep going, she knew that he was about to stop.

She blew out a small breath as he grumbled that he wanted to get out of there. She wanted to get out of there too if she were honest with him.

“Then let’s get out of here.” She said softly, her hands rising from her breasts to cup his cheeks. “The sooner we do, the sooner we can finish this.”

Elizabeth moaned softly as Ian’s lips captured hers, stealing the kiss that she would have willingly given to him. This man could make her sin with a smile, she thought to herself as he pulled away and told her that he loved her before that lazy, charming smile split his lips.

“Never and if I do, you’ll just have to keep reminding me.” She murmured back, shivering as his hands moved to pull the sides of her dress closed with a single button.

She glanced down at the scene that he had created, gasping at the wanton look of her breasts straining against that button, her pink nipples pressing hard against the dress as Ian stepped back and slipped from her body. She slowly closed her thighs as he cleaned himself. She slowly sat up, smoothing back her red hair before she finished buttoning her dress.

Grabbing the bag of money from where she’d stashed it, she followed after Ian without hesitation. She would get her moments alone with him when it was safe and she was sure that he would give her a nice little ride with all the pent up frustration between them. She took his hand as they stepped out the front doors and into the sunlight, her strong beau seeming to thrive off the fresh air around him.

She grinned back at him as he looked at her with that boyish grin and she kissed his cheek as he laid out his plans. “Wherever you want to go, this caged bird is going to follow. You’re stuck with me, babe.”

Elizabeth smiled sweetly as he wrapped his good arm around her waist, pulling her against him as they strolled along. She glanced up towards the sky as he commented about the day being just like any other. She supposed it was. The blue sky was clear and cheery, their stroll just like any other that a couple might have taken. But she was on the run from a former fiancée and he was a bank robber…

“Well, I suppose it would be more leisurely if I were with anyone but the infamous Mr. Darcy.” She whispered against his ear, laughing softly as she ignored the dirty glares from the public around them. She didn’t care at all what they thought.

She shivered as he pressed his lips against her ear, telling her that she made him want to take off his clothing. She most definitely wanted him to take off his clothes. Oh, the trouble they could get into when that happened. She let out a little sigh as he backed away from her, putting some distance between the two of them. That small gap felt like a huge chasm. She wanted his body pressed against hers, the more intimate the better.

She allowed him to guide her to a spot in the line, waiting patiently for their turn in the burning hot sun. The line seemed to be moving at a snail’s pace as Ian suggested that she go walk around town for a bit. It was a nice idea, she could probably buy them both new outfits while she were out, but that idea was absolutely crushed by what walked through the door jut a few moments later.

Elizabeth never thought in a million years that she’d see Stephen again. She didn’t even want to think about the man that she was running from. Her ex was steaming mad about something and she felt the air ripped from her lungs as she felt him coming straight for her. She moved closer to Ian, struggling to remain calm as a woman in a bright red dress came out chasing after Stephen.

So this was the woman that was warming his bed while Elizabeth lived in that little hell hole. How could Stephen even think that the woman with the thick, nasally voice was worth so much more than herself? She averted her eyes as Stephen walked past, struggling to just blend in. She didn’t want this adventure to end just yet…

She blew out a quick breath as the other woman squealed and Stephen was soon on his way again. She glanced over her shoulder and watched the two of them continue on. Turning towards Ian, she considered what he had asked of her.

“And ice cold Coke? And maybe a change of clothing?” She asked him softly, still struggling to not draw attention to herself.

Ian could see straight through her thinly veiled sense of peace. The way that he looked at her told Elizabeth that the jig was up. She was a horrible liar, but the way that his dark gaze settled upon hers told her that he saw so much more than what she was telling him. Damn that man for knowing so much about her. It was a severe disadvantage, she decided, as she sucked in a deep breath and prepared to tell him the awful truth of who had just walked through those doors.

“It’s not really a big deal, Ian.” She said softly, her shoulders shrugging in a nonchalant way. She gasped as his arms wrapped around her tightly and he begged her to tell him what the deal was. She didn’t want to tell him. The moment the words came from her lips, she knew her hotheaded man would be raring for a fight. Stephen would beat him to a blood pulp.

“Stephen is here…and I think he might have recognized me.” She said softly against his ear, her breath held as she waited for her unpredictable fella to blow his stack. “With his little bit on the side. That woman in the red dress with the horrifying nasally voice that just went racing past here.”

“But you listen to me, Ian Darcy. You are not going to say anything about going after him. I’ve nearly lost you too many times to let you go taunting my ex-fiancée.” She said, pulling back from their embrace to look him squarely in the eyes. “You got that?”

Stephen is here...

Ian's brows jumped in shock and immediately he began looking around their vicinity. He scrutinized the faces of the men and women around him. Why women? Because Stephen might as well had been one for ever thinking he could lay his hands on his sweetheart and not a real match. The bankrobber's eyes were wide and alert. His adrenaline was flooding his system, exciting him so much that a crooked grin cracked on his face, full of mixed emotions. He was feeling eager and angry at the same time.

"You're pullin' my leg," he said on a chuckle. "Where is the chump?"

Some woman in a red dress? He was upset that he missed the spectacles she described. When she looked him in the eyes with that look he always saw when she was not just serious but worried, she had his undivided attention.

"Lose me? What does that have to do with your fiance? You don't think I can punch the ugly from his mug?" he asked in confusion.

She broke away fron him. You got that?

The excited gleam in his eyes extinguished like a flame. He couldn't hide the disappointment he felt. She didn't think he could win. He curled and uncurled the fingera of his hurt arm and understood why. He would agree with her this once. In the condition he was currently in, he would more than likely get his ass handed to him.

"For you," Ian said simply. He then faced the line to notice it had moved some steps. He wasn't mad with her but he was angry that his chance to avenge his girl would be out of his reach a little longer.

Elizabeth could feel the fight building inside of Ian, she could see it shining in his coffee colored eyes, but she would be damned if she let him go after Stephen. On a normal day it would be close to a fair fight, but with Ian still on the mend she feared that Stephen would crush him like a bug. She wasn’t ready to see Ian’s blood spilled on account of her all over again. She very well might loose her mind if that happened.

Ian agreed, which surprised her and she blew out a little sigh of relief. Leaning in, she kissed his cheek as a way to appease him, her arm looping around his waist as they walked a few steps forward in line. This was going to take all day, she thought as she looked to Ian one more.

“Give me some money. I’m at least going to get us a decent set of clothes.” She said, smiling as he looked down at her. “What? Don’t trust me to pick out your clothes for you?”

She would dress him to the nines, she decided. He would look every bit the respectable man even if he didn’t act like one. That was what she liked about him…he wasn’t afraid to speak his mind or do whatever he wanted to do.

“I might even be persuaded to get you something to drink too. After all, standing in this line is going to be such hard work.” She teased him again, pressing her lips against his throat.