The Gallows' Bounty (West of Second Chances) (22 page)

Digging his spurs into his horse’s flanks, James rode out of the barnyard. He wanted to make sure he lived to see another day.

EVERYWHERE WILLOW WENT BODEN
hovered nearby.  He was concerned about James despite having sent him on his way.  Nathan’s warning had incited his worry.  Boden wouldn’t tell her exactly what had happened, but he oft told her to be careful.  His concern showed Willow that her new husband was many things she had never thought a man could be.  He was kind and patient and strong.

“You look lost in thought.”  Boden walked up behind
Willow.

She worked at the stove and she turned to smile at him.  “Your cheeks are red.  Chilly out?”

He bent down and placed his cold cheeks against her warm ones.  “I don’t know; you tell me.”

A day’s growth of whiskers tickled her skin, and she laughed.  “You need to shave.”

“Nope,” he returned, “this hair on my face will be keeping me warm this winter.”

She caught the laughter in his eyes just before his lips hovered over hers.  She found she couldn’t wait for his kiss.  She leaned a bit closer.

That proved to be all the encouragement he needed.  His mouth dipped low and covered hers in a slow-moving kiss.  She expected the roughness of his beard to be uncomfortable against her skin, but his kiss was such that the hairs merely whispered against her face.

He tenderly caressed her lips before insinuating his tongue between them.  His right hand made its way behind her head and into her hair.

He pulled her gently to the length of his body.  His hold on her was loose, leaving her an escape route as he had since their first kiss.  She had appreciated that consideration the first few times, but now she longed to feel his body pressed tightly to hers.  Fear halted her urge to draw him closer.  Not fear of him, but fear that he should discover her last secret.  Her stomach had rounded noticeably in the last few weeks.  She figured she was six months along now, and it wouldn’t be long before he started to notice the changes in her.  The colder weather had allowed her to hide her increasing waistline beneath heavier clothing.

The kiss deepened, and Willow marveled at how it weakened her knees.  She suspected  making love to this man could be pleasant.

But he wouldn’t want her once he knew about the baby.

Reality made her break the kiss.

Her hands trembled.

He caressed her cheek.  “You all right?”

“Yes,” she lied.  She may never be all right again.  She backed away from him and returned to the meal on the stove.

He shifted behind her before speaking.  “Those kisses are getting harder to stop every time.”

Willow agreed wholeheartedly. She wanted to give herself to him, but she had yet to tell him of her pregnancy.  She remained silent.

Boden broke the silence by changing the subject.

“Bad weather’s headin’ through soon.  Someone needs to make a trip to town.” He sat at the table, putting distance between them.

If he thought announcing a trip to town would relax her, he had been wrong.  Dead wrong.  Sending James packing hadn’t relieved her fear completely.  Sure, Nathan prowled about, but he wasn’t her husband.

But “I’ll make a list” was all she said.  She was hungrier today than she remembered ever having been, so she heaped another spoonful into her bowl.

When she joined him at the table, they shared their customary prayer.  After his amen,
Willow took a bite of her food and listened as Boden outlined their options.

He stirred his stew as he spoke.  “I don’t know if we should go or if I should send someone else.”

“Why are you undecided?”  Willow asked.  To her it was obvious–send someone else.  That way the two of them could stay safe on the Box  B.  She picked up her bowl and started for the table.

“I need to go,” Boden explained, blowing on a bite of steaming stew.  “I’m sending a telegraph to Marshal Owens. And I’d like to do some checking up on James’ background in town. Not to mention, there are a lot of things we need before winter sets in.”

“Then go, Boden,” Willow said, thinking she’d spend the day working on something in the house.  It’d be safer that way.  She sat down at the table only to realize she’d forgotten a spoon.

“I’ll get it,” Boden stood and got her a spoon.  “I don’t want to leave you behind.”

Her heart thudded in her chest.  Now that he wanted her to join him, new doubts assailed her.  Dare she ride a horse in her condition?  However, it could be equally dangerous for her to stay behind and riding wasn't really anything new.  “Go with you?”  she questioned.

He chewed thoughtfully on his spoonful of stew for a moment before speaking.  “You may think I’m overprotective, but I don’t feel comfortable leaving you here without me.”

“Then, I reckon I’ll go with you,” Willow said.  She felt better knowing she wouldn’t have to be without him, but he looked concerned about their upcoming trip.

“Are you sure?” Boden asked.  “I don’t want to put you in any danger.  I’m just not sure what’s safer for you–being here or there.”

Willow decided to speak honestly.  “I’d feel safer going with you.  Besides, there are a few things I need to pick up that would be hard to explain on a list.”  Like things for the baby, Willow thought.

He reached across the table then and squeezed her hand.  “All right, I’ll take you with me, but you’ll be staying at my side the whole time.”

The man seemed to forget she’d proven quite capable of taking care of herself.  She wasn’t about to remind him, though, he looked rather cute when he spoke of protecting her, and she liked the protection he offered her.

“Think we’ll get a storm while we’re gone?” she asked a while later.

“I don’t think so.  We haven’t gotten any snow so far.  I think we’ll be fine.”

“It’s been a cold October.  Hope the whole winter isn’t this frigid.”

He looked up from his meal and smiled at her.  “I’ll have to disagree.  I’m lookin’ for reasons to keep you warm.”

She returned his smile, and said smartly, “There’s a surprise.”

She stood and topped off Boden’s bowl with another dipper full of stew.

“Now what did you go and do that for?” Boden asked when she set the bowl back in front of him.

“What?” she asked, pretending innocence.  He never asked her to refill his plate, but she did it anyway, and now it served to hide her concern from him.  Should she tell him of the baby now?  Or risk the trip?  She was healthy.  The morning sickness had passed, and she felt almost normal.

He shook his head at her, grinning. He turned the conversation back to their trip to
Devils Lake.  “How about heading for town early tomorrow morning?  I’d like to get the trip out of the way before snow falls.”

“I’ll work on the list tonight.”

“And I’ll talk to Nathan and see if there’s anything he needs us to get.  I’m going to ride the pasture for a while after that.” He stood.  “I’ll be back in a bit.  Keep an eye out.”

He kissed her cheek and headed out the door.  She watched his tall, strong form head to the barn.

Her heart grew heavy.  He was too good to be true.  Yet she rarely wondered anymore if he would turn violent. It was a fact that he had wormed his way into her heart.

She might as well face the truth.  She had come to trust him and depend on him.  He made her feel secure for the first time since she was a child.

To her surprise, he made her feel more than security.  He made her feel desire, too, a feeling she hardly recognized for what it was.  At first, she mistook her shivers after his touch for fear, but even then she’d known she’d lied to herself.

Her gaze wandered to the window.  He was just leading Beast out of the barn.  Willow’s feet propelled her out onto the porch.  She lifted her hand to wave farewell when he looked her way.  But instead of leaving, he rode alongside the porch.

“Keep the rifle with you while I’m gone.” He leaned forward in the saddle and crossed his forearms over the saddle horn.

“I will,” she said. 

“It’s kind of cold out,” he said, dismounting and joining her on the porch stairs.  “Seems I better get some more fortification against the cold.”

Willow
turned to go back into the house.  “I’ll grab you another scarf.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about,” he asserted, taking her elbow and turning her back to him.

He wrapped strong arms around her waist and pulled her close.  Warm, gentle lips descended to hers, and Willow drank in Boden’s scent and taste.  It was clean and comforting, exciting yet soothing.

The kiss strengthened, and soon Willow forgot about her pregnancy and the growing roundness of her figure.

Every time he touched her, she could believe she had never known another man’s touch.  Almost. She broke the contact between them.

“I’ll be back by sundown,” he said. “Keep safe.”

He acted as if he had something special to come home to, and Willow realized she was that something special.

THE NEXT MORNING SAW
Willow and Boden on their way.  Each rode their own horse with a packhorse behind.  The day was cold and the air unmoving.  The footing was secure for the animals, and the air chilly but bearable for their riders.  The Dakotas hadn’t seen such a cold October for a long while.

After a few hours of riding,
Willow decided she and her baby would handle the ride just fine.  She felt no discomfort and enjoyed the outing.

At least for now.

She wasn’t sure how she’d like facing the people in town, especially Sheriff French.  She had no doubts Boden could protect her and would at the risk of endangering himself.  And that was what she feared.

He rode alongside her.  “I’m planning to make this a quick trip.  Be sure you stay by my side.”

“What?   You don’t trust the fine gentlemen of Devils Lake?” she returned, a derisive smirk on her face.

“Nope,” he returned.

“Glad to know we agree,” Willow said.

They arrived in town just before the noon meal.  It was safe to say
Willow was starving.  Her stomach confirmed its emptiness by growling.

“Hungry?” Boden questioned on a laugh.

She laughed as well.  “I suppose I am.”

“You’ve been eating like a horse lately.  I must be working you hard.”

More like I’m eating for two
, Willow thought. 

“We’ll get something to eat at Kern’s.  He usually has a little something extra on hand.  I’ve eaten with him more than once to avoid a scuffle.”

“I’d enjoy a good visit with Kern,” Willow said.

“Visit with Kern? Sounds as though the two of you know each other pretty well.”

“We do,” Willow explained.  “Roberts owed him a few debts.”

“He mentioned you stocked shelves for him a few times.”

“I did.  I much preferred when Brett owed him money,” she said.  “It was almost like a vacation spending a few days working in his shop.”

“Why didn't you ever ask Kern for help?” Boden asked.

“I couldn't let him get killed on my behalf,” Willow said and shook her head.  “He is a kind enough man, but he was no match for Brett.”

“Brett Roberts.  What I wouldn't give to give that bastard a piece of my mind,” Boden said.  “Jenkins and French will pay, however.”

“Now you sound like the legendary Butcher Boden,” Willow commented.  She could feel the anger radiating from him.

“Call me the Butcher if you want.  But a couple of men are going to pay for their actions.”  He looked her straight in the eyes as he spoke, almost daring her to doubt his word.

Willow chilled at his look.  If she didn’t miss her guess, he meant what he said.  The Butcher really was alive and well.  She held her breath.

“But not today.  Not when it could put you in danger as well.”

Willow breathed an audible sigh of relief.  This was the man she knew.  The man she understood.  The Butcher was a part of him that she was glad he had never directed at her.  No man stood a chance when Butcher Boden surfaced.

“But Willow, they will pay one day,” the Butcher promised.

And she believed him.

WILLOW WAS GLAD WHEN
they finally rode up to Kern's Mercantile.  So far they hadn't gained any undo notice.  The last thing she wanted while in Devils Lake was a scene, especially if it was anything like the last one they had endured.  Boden slid out of the saddle and looped the reins of the horses to the hitching post.

In true Boden style, he lifted her from her saddle a moment later.  Taking her hand in his, Boden headed them into the shop.

It took Kern only a moment to realize they were in his store.  His customary bright smile flashed across his face, and he boomed out a hello.

“Never expected to see you here in the middle of October.  I expected you months ago, but seeing as you’ve been fighting off gunmen, I’ll let it pass,” Kern said, shaking Boden’s hand and hugging
Willow.  He always seemed to know everything about everyone in the territory.  “Now that you’re here I’ll cook you up a little lunch.”