RIVERBOATS & RAINBOWS by Jewel Adams

Riverboats and Rainbows is definitely a book with a twist. Set in the west it makes me wonder about the true stories of the times lol. Angie is a strong heroine that fights to save the love she finds in time.

http://classactbooks.com/bkpgRiverboatsRainbows.html


RIVERBOATS & RAINBOWS
By
Jewel Adams

Historical Erotic Romance Time Travel
The renovated riverboat appears to be the perfect solution for her aunt's annual fundraiser. Angela La Cross' busy agenda didn't include falling into the boat's hold. When she comes to and finds she is the only woman on a boat full of men, she begins to think this wasn't such a good idea.
James McFarlain wanted his last trip up the Mississippi to be uneventful. The last thing he expected to see on the Silver Queen was a woman. Telling himself she was nothing but a mess of trouble didn't stop him from looking into her emerald eyes. When she silently sought his help, James knew he was done for.
Her trip back in time to 1875 became only a minor set back for Angie when compared to a good looking cowboy, cattle rustlers and one very determined Sioux warrior.
Angela might survive her tumble through time, but can her heart decide between the love of two men? Can she find the answers before time runs out? Her journey is not an easy one when love keeps changing the rules. Join Angie in the adventure of a lifetime, one that will capture your heart!
Time Travel Erotic Romance
ISBN: 978-1-935048-09-1 1-935048-09-0
Word Count: 77,742

You can read the first chapter on the link page. I am going to post chapter 2 here, enjoy!

CHAPTER 2
Muddy Waters

The water washed over her head, drowning out her screams as they entered the rushing current. It was his hand, wrapped in her hair that pulled her gasping to the surface.
“Hold on to my belt!”
The current was too strong to argue. They were caught in its drowning flow. Angie gripped the belt where his hand placed hers, she could barely keep her face out of the water continually sucking her down. Her moan over the pain in her head became lost beneath the wild roar of rushing water.
“Kick with all you’ve got! Come on, we can make it.”
Automatically she did what he wanted. All the while the word obey rang in her mind. Anger over what they’d done to them made her fight the sluggish haze trying to capture her. She felt the heavy weight of her sweater pulling her down, making her struggle for its release. She worked it off with the only remaining hold at her wrist where she held onto his belt. The strain was taking its toll, she must get rid of the sweater or loose the battle.
Kicking harder, she struggled to get close enough to switch hands on the belt. When she reached to change her hold something hit her legs, pulling and catching them. The exchange never happened. Angie lost him in the current.
James spun about over the sudden release of her weight. She was no where in sight. “Angela! Damn it woman, where are you?”
Trying to keep above the water she called out to answer, swallowing the mud laced river water in the process.
Letting himself go with the current he saw her arms thrashing before they disappeared beneath the surface. Swimming to the spot, he reached out touching something soft. Latching on to it James pulled her up against him, he held her limp body as he strained to get them to the shore.
When his feet touched the muddy bottom he dragged them both up onto the bank before collapsing beside her. Gulping down air he fought his exhaustion. Moving over her, he rolled her onto her back.
“Come on....” He watched. Placing his hand over her chest, he practically shouted when he felt her take a shattering breath. Holding her until she coughed up the water James fell back with her across his chest.
* * * *
Angie fought waking; the dream far too real. The brightness intruded as she fought off the memories, all but those of him. His image brought on a storm of emotions. The remembered kiss they shared overwhelmed Angie’s senses.
James wondered when she would finally open her eyes. The memory he held of them couldn’t compare to the very real fresh green in their depths. Like a meadow caught in spring, life glowed in her eyes.
His fingers stroked the satin strands falling down her back. He held her all night. Waking long before dawn, he’d refused to stir wanting to experience the feel of her against him. It wasn’t a liberty he felt she’d allow once fully awake. After the night they’d been through it seemed only right to hold her. The bump on the back of her head went down some. The feel of her bare arms…he couldn’t get enough of how she felt.
He almost regretted that the sun rose when she started to wake. But then, he was anxious to see what her reaction would be. Remembering how he’d kissed her peaked his curiosity, she’d drawn more emotions out of him than he’d felt in ten years. James thought a lot about that revelation. He’d changed too much since the war. Last night he’d felt alive. After the shocking admission he found he liked what was happening to him.
Angela. Was she an angel? It was a silly thought, but it stayed with him all night. When her hands started to move over him, his own tightened to hold on to what they found.
Angie’s head shot up causing her to cry out over the pain. She closed her eyes to the sensations, she didn’t want to know if what they said were true. She slowly opened her eyes and let his image rushed in, with it came the panic. “Oh no....”
“Good morning.”
Biting her lip, she couldn’t believe this. “Oh no...”
“You said that.”
“It happened. Didn’t it?”
“ ‘fraid so…Mrs. McFarlain.”
Her eyes blazed in disbelief as she shoved herself off of him, earning James’ smile before he eased himself up before her. Oh yes, she was going to be in one hell of a state. As he’d discovered during the night she lost nearly all her covering. Standing before him, with her hands on her hips, what he saw left little to the imagination. The material stretched across her breast was like a transparent skin.
He decided to enjoy every lovely curve and luscious mound exhibited, at least until she realized how much was on display. Even the ridiculous mud caked pants she wore were enticing. The way they hugged her shape so tightly did unthinkable things to his male physique. His questions for her were piling up, but they could wait.
James took his gun out of the holster, the act sent her stumbling back. He chose to ignore her reaction as he blew out the empty cylinders. “Are you hungry?”
She was, but looking around she wondered where he expected to eat. There wasn’t a building to be seen.
“Well I am. Why don’t you take care of…whatever, while I rustle up something edible.” He tossed her the matches from his pocket. “They should be dry, if not, lay them out so the sun hits them. Can you build a fire?”
“Of course.” She wanted to groan over the defensive feelings he immediately called to life.
“Give it a try.”
Too confused to mouth the questions she wanted, she watched him take off into the woods. By the time she realized he actually left her alone it was too late to call him back. Turning around, all she saw were more woods and the river. Shivering at the memory of the muddy water she quickly busied herself.
Angela’s frown deepened, the tips of the matches were damp. Locating a flat rock she laid them out like little soldiers to dry. The dampness in her boots finally penetrated her thoughts and she pulled them off, putting them over a thick branch with the hope they too would air out.
The loss of her sweater made her angry. “Those creeps.”
Almost drowning and finding herself stranded with Mr. Macho made her scoff at the possible disasters that might rise up to smite her. Wondering how far it was to the nearest town made her fingers gingerly touch the knot on her head.
Angie told herself that worrying over it wouldn’t change what happened. She needed to do something and started to gather the wood and build it up for a fire. “Can I build a fire…his mother is probably still on the farm!” Standing back she surveyed her handiwork then tried the matches until one finally caught. Once the fire got going she started to panic over the blaze she’d created. “All I need to do is start a forest fire.”
“We could always jump in the river again.”
Startled by his voice she jumped, but when her eyes saw what was hanging from his hand, “You killed a rabbit!”
“I couldn’t find a bear.”
Grimacing, she avoided him and the dead animal.
James hid his humor over her reaction, but he wondered how she lived. She obviously wasn’t used to fending for herself. “Where are you from Angela?”
She refused to face him over his question because of what she might see, she kept her attention on the river and answered. “New Orleans, actually outside in Clayton. Do you know how far we are from there?”
He would have been surprised if she hadn’t been from there with that accent. It did get heavier when her anger rose to the surface. She was a long way from home. “We were only a few hours from docking in St. Louis. Walking, I’d say it will probably take us a full day to get there.”
Spinning about she completely forgot about the poor dead bunny his attention was centered on. “St. Louis! No way, you must be wrong.”
Placing the skewed rabbit over the coals, James tried to retain his patience over her outburst. “We will be in St. Louis by morning, sooner if we can catch a ride on the river.”
The finality in his tone stopped all the arguments she wanted to voice. But how?
“What’s wrong?”
“I…I guess I must have been unconscious longer than I realized. But that can’t be right either, I mean it would have taken the Silver Queen days to get this far.”
“Weeks.”
“What?”
“I takes her weeks to come up river fighting the current.”
He seemed so sure Angie didn’t know what to say. Things about last night she hadn’t wanted to acknowledge started coming back. All those men...and the Silver Queen...it was different. What was it she’d seen? Trying to remember made her headache return. The uneasy thoughts made her eyes skip to him. Thankfully he was busy with their breakfast and didn’t see her wary scrutiny.
Ignoring the dried mud on his clothes, the dark tailored suit wasn’t noticeably different, unless one looked closer. It was the cut. Fitted down to his firm waist, the coat’s bottom flared out in a long, rather unusual style. The vest was a fancy thing with its silver brocade design over the once white silk shirt. Even the thin tie was different.
But she knew it was the holster, slung low about his waist that held her curiosity. She remembered that the other men wore guns as well, some were double holsters.
Angie didn’t like the strange thoughts coming to her concerning the reason for such open firearms. The way he wore it, strapped tightly to his muscled thigh, stopping just above the high black boots. He didn’t carry it for show. No, this McFarlain knew how to use it.
Shaken by the truth she forced her eyes away. They came to rest on the thick brown hair. Before their dive into the river she remembered he had been wearing a black Stetson with a silver band. Didn’t gamblers once wear fancy garb like his? Was he? For some reason she didn’t ask, it didn’t seem important. Several of the men last night wore similar rakish outfits. And there were the moustaches. McFarlain’s was long on the sides, as were his side burns that jutted out onto his cheeks. On him it was a very attractive style, even if it was outrageously old fashion.
Aware of her intense study of him, James decided not to interrupt her. Was she as fascinated about him as he was of her? Some of the things she said last night came back to him. “What was it you wanted the captain to call the authorities on?”
“A radio?”
“Yes, that was it. What is it?”
Sucking in her breath, she couldn’t answer. She didn’t like the question his raised.
“Angela?”
“Its Angie, everyone calls me, Angie.”
She didn’t seem to notice his eyes on her. James didn’t like the far away look her misty green eyes held him in.
“Let’s eat, we have a long walk ahead of us.”
They ate in silence and he was surprised she didn’t complain about eating the rabbit that upset her so openly. Something was going on inside that lovely head of hers that made him worry.
Scattering the ashes he watched her move as if oblivious to his presence while putting on her boots. Taking off his jacket he went over and placed it around her shoulders. She moved freely about him and didn’t seem at all self-conscience about her lack of proper attire.
“You might get a sunburn, keep it.”
Slipping her arm into the long sleeves she rolled them up to her elbows. “Thank you.”
He didn’t answer, just moved off and Angie followed in silence still deep within her own troubled thoughts. Once she wondered why she followed him, but dismissed the question, the others flooding her senses held more importance.
Time seemed immaterial as they followed the riverbank. They came upon a large patch of raspberries. Eating all they could, McFarlain tore off a section of his shirttail to hold a store of them for later.
It wasn’t until they walked some distance from the berry patch that Angie stopped cold. Turning, she looked back unable to see where they found them.
“Something wrong?”
“We just ate raspberries!”
His broad shoulders straightened in warning.
“But...” Her troubled eyes came back to meet his. Searching the electric blue depths she didn’t know what she expected to find. She was acting weird and felt his awareness, but the crazy thoughts wouldn’t stop.
“Angela?”
“There aren’t any berries in February.”
Only the nerve above his left eye flinched. His control was superb, but she knew that was exactly what it was...control.
“It’s not February, is it?”
Answering her proved difficult when she looked so scared. James couldn’t imagine what caused this reaction. She hadn’t even brought up last night, the ceremony, nothing! Now this.
“Please tell me. What month is it?”
“August. August twenty-second.”
Holding herself, she forced the next question out past the quivering in her lips. “The year, what year is it?”
He answered very slowly. “1875.”
She wouldn’t faint. His eyes were trying to penetrate to her very soul making it extremely difficult to hold herself together. She didn’t want to listen to anything more...it was impossible!
“Angela?”
“I’m fine, I...that fall really did a number on me. I guess I’m just disorientated. It should pass.”
Her excuse came too quick and given in the fear he glimpsed in her eyes. James didn’t think forcing her to tell him what was wrong would work. He took her hand and he led them on.
Angie didn’t object to his hold, she needed the strange reassurance it gave to her. Chancing a glance at him, his proud features looked so strong, she tried to gather strength from him and not think anymore over the unsettling fears. Instead she concentrated on last night’s events.
McFarlain hadn’t brought it up and she couldn’t make herself do it. No, she couldn’t deal with any of that now. Once they reached St. Louis...or wherever he took her, she’d get a message to Aunt Belle and Sally. They would know what to do. Angie was incapable of thinking straight. Maybe it was all a bad dream. She didn’t want to hear the facts that said she’d already slept and was still in this mess.
James’ own thoughts were as troubled as the girl’s beside him. Why did the date upset her so? He didn’t believe for a moment that the bump on her head caused this reaction. Troubled by what he couldn’t understand his concentration remained on her and what he was going to do with her.
The marriage was a farce, no matter what Welsh did about filing the papers. But James knew he couldn’t just walk away once they reached civilization. Why should he suddenly be filled with compassion for the woman? His thoughts only left him more confused. The fact she failed to acknowledge their marriage bothered him no end. He’d have to get her home, back to New Orleans. She mentioned an Aunt; at least she had family.
For someone that didn’t want to get involved, he felt up to his neck in trouble. He had a wife he held no claim on and to top it off he couldn’t make himself leave it at that.
* * * *
The craft moved steadily up the river, but Angie barely took notice of the passing scenery. McFarlain called it luck when the barge came into view on the river. He’d hailed them down. The man and his young son were more than willing to take them the rest of the way.
He’d left her alone, seeming to understand she needed to think. Angie took in every nuance of these, two new people. What she saw made her more frightened than she wanted to admit. Anxious to reach St. Louis Angie hoped she would find some answers.
“Captain Beck sent these for you.”
Sitting down beside her, James passed her the biscuit and ham slice, which ended up sitting in her lap.
“When will we get there?”
“Before nightfall.” She didn’t look at him and he wanted to make her. “Angela, we need to discuss some things.”
Sighing, she realized it had finally come. Scooting back so she could face him, she told herself not to show him anything, no matter what happened. Even in their short time together she came to rely on him too much. The thought of not having him around to help her face what she feared made her stomach wretch. He’d done more than most men would under the circumstances and she couldn’t fault him.
“You never told me what a radio is?”
Raising her eyes from her lap, it was the last thing she expected to hear. Relief and curiosity over his reaction made her decide to tell him. “It is a machine that sends out sound waves and transmits voices or messages across the air to another machine called a receiver.”
He accepted her explanation. “Sounds like a telegraph.”
“Only there are no wires.” He was good. It must be all the card games she believed he played, he hardly blinked. All but that tiny nerve jumping over his eye, it was a dead giveaway.
“It must be quite new, I haven’t heard of it.”
“Captain Welsh obviously hadn’t.” She wasn’t ready to take this any further.
“That man only sees trouble.”
“It’s not real...what he did. I mean you don’t have to worry, I don’t expect you to be held by it or anything.”
Why did her declaration send a spark of anger off inside of him? His thoughts fell right in line with hers. Damn it, what was wrong with him!
“Right, but Angela, I can’t just let you...” Go out of my life? She’d think him crazy to say something like that.
Discovering what lay behind those crystal blue eyes wasn’t possible. She wanted to reach out and brush that stray lock of hair back from his tanned brow. Instead she pulled his coat tighter about her.
“I’ll see you have passage back to New Orleans. You have an Aunt there?”
“Yes.” She prayed she did. But Aunt Belle seemed far away. Blinking back the threatening tears she dropped her eyes, not wanting him to see her distress. When his finger came under her chin and forced her gaze back, she wanted to moan over the concern he held out for her to see.
“Angela don’t. Tell me what’s wrong?”
“I can’t.” Her heart wanted so to tell him. Confide in him about her fears, about what she believed just happened to her.
His anger over her refusal came with a strength that wouldn’t stay buried. “Alright, if you’re so stubborn, than I can be too. You’re wrong about the marriage, its legal and very binding. You are Mrs. James McFarlain!”
His unexpected anger sent her scooting back. “You aren’t serious?”
“Wrong, I am, and so are the laws on the subject. The Captain wasn’t lying. Once those papers are filed there is no way of changing them. He docked last night, I suspect our license was the first piece of business to be dealt with this morning.”
Leaning forward, he closed her open mouth. Whatever his reason for making such a ridiculous claim, it didn’t matter. James refused to take it back. The lady wasn’t going anywhere!
“But that’s absurd, we were forced into saying those vows. Why, he didn’t even read from the bible.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Rising before he could stop her, she glared down at him, pinning him with her flaming green glare. He hadn’t seen so much life in her and he loved it! He sensed she’d been hiding all this spunk.
“There you are wrong, it matters a whole hell of a lot! When I marry a man, it will be done properly, in a church. Not by some lunatic Captain that probably can’t read!”
When he stood up he towered over her, but it didn’t matter, the lady was on a roll. Her finger came up and poked at his chest. “And you...why you have no claim on me what so ever! And you know it! I’m not your wife and you can’t change that, no matter what the laws say.”
His deep broad smile was disarming, halting her tirade and her finger. He moved too quickly, taking her hands and wrapping them around her back, then yanking her against him.
“You are wrong...Mrs. McFarlain. We spent the night in each other’s arms.” His breath fanned her flushed face.
“But...”
“And when you were in my embrace...must I spell it out.”
“I never have...”
“No? Are you sure?”
A blaze of color flooded her exquisite face. She stammered unable to destroy what he claimed.
She didn’t know! Dear heaven she...no, it was only a dream, it couldn’t have been anything else. Could it? Before she could put her scattered thoughts in order he took her lips in a hold that left her falling weakly against him.
His tongue demanded entrance and she couldn’t stop the pillage of his mastering assault. Deeper and deeper he delved into the warm recesses of her mouth, igniting a scorching flame that destroyed her arguments. Passion found its own life. A sensual heat, unlike any before, made her bold and reckless. Her arm wove about his neck, her fingers dove into the rich waves of wind kissed hair, bringing him closer. Her hardening breasts pressed in wanton abandon against the solid heat of his chest.
James’ hand wove through the untamed tresses, binding her to him in a hold he never wanted her to escape. A fierce feeling came over him to possess this woman and stole away his logic. In that moment he knew nothing would stop him from keeping her.
Pulling back he looked into the green fire of passion smoking her dazed eyes. “My wife, Angela! You can’t deny what is between us, any more than I can.”
How she wanted to, but his power over her proved so strong, she couldn’t get a hold of herself. He left her to stare after him in amazed silence.
The afternoon dragged on forever for Angie. What happened between them preyed on her mind, out distancing her other concerns. She couldn’t fathom what to expect from him since his heated declaration. Neither did she know what to think about her own feelings where he was concerned.
Through the dusty sunset she watched him move about the barge, helping the captain navigate the shallows. The long poles he walked up and down the deck moved with expert ease through the rushing water. She didn’t think she could be wrong about his gambling, but seeing him like this made her decide there was a lot to learn about this man. Her thoughts deepened her frown. Would she learn? Or would St. Louis be the end of James McFarlain?
The prospect left her more confused than before. Angie felt like a player with no say in the acts taking place around her.
Dusk fell before the barge pulled into St. Louis. Angie saw James give the captain some money even though she heard the man tell him he worked enough for both their fares. He actually enjoyed the labor, and Angie added the knowledge to her fast growing store of information about this complex man.
James placed her arm through his as he led them through the unfamiliar streets. He was relieved it was dark. Angela’s current clothing would be the first thing he’d take care of replacing.
He held little doubt over her naiveté. Her shock over what he implied this afternoon told him more than she realized. Her innocence drove that violent urge to protect her closer to the surface. It also brought on some rather ungentlemanly feelings deep in his gut. Stirrings he never expected to experience for a woman, but ones he was quickly coming to terms with.
More than once Angela felt the gentle pull on her arm to keep her up with him. She couldn’t take it all in. Men were riding on horseback down the hard packed dirt streets. The boardwalks they were moving over were really wood. And the clothes! Stars, it was worse than she expected. Bustles and bonnets were the only styles she saw on the few ladies they encountered.
Angie wanted to crawl in a hole and hide from the looks they gave her. It didn’t take much to know why they condemned her. God, no woman in her right mind would be dressed in a tee shirt and jeans!
Hugging the coat around her proved difficult over the tight hold he maintained on her arm. If he knew how frightened she felt, he needn’t be worried she might disappear. He was concerned about her, she could feel it. If only she could tell him.
Angie cursed her own weakness. Damn she needed him!
Dealing with what she could no longer deny was impossible. But how? How did she go...back in time?