She tilted her head up. “I wish you would, Gavin.”
Then his lips were on hers and this kiss was nothing like the one at the church. She’d thought she’d experienced a perfect kiss before; this one caused her toes to curl and her legs to turn to water. If Gavin hadn’t had his arm around her waist and the other at the nape of her neck, she would have slid into a liquid puddle at his feet, she was sure. When he finally pulled his lips back from hers she whimpered at the loss of contact and he’d quickly sealed his lips back over hers. She heard what sounded like a moan and realized it came from her. She was so lost in his kiss that she almost stumbled when he pulled back the second time.
“I think that’s enough for now. Otherwise I might just forget that I promised to wait until we decided together to take the next step.”
She blushed at his words, not out of embarrassment that he almost lost control, but that she wanted him to.
They quickly worked together to get the horses in their stalls, brushed down and fed so that they could turn in for the night. “I’ll take you over to the big house tomorrow and introduce you to Mrs. White. But tonight, I just want to take you home and show you our house.”
Adelle smiled and put her hand on his chest. “That’s what I want too, Gavin. Take me home now.”
He smiled down at her and swept her up into his arms and she squealed, “What are you doing?”
He looked at her with passion and heat and something she didn’t know what to call it in his eyes. “Just what you told me to do, wife. I’m taking you home.”
Then he set off across the field headed for the little cabin that was their home. He didn’t slow, and she marveled at his strength. Her strong and kind husband. Her knight and rescuer. He carried her right up onto the little porch attached to their house and quickly opened the door and carried her across the threshold. There he kicked the door shut before putting her down on her own two feet. Once there she grabbed the back of his head and pulled him down and kissed him with everything she was feeling inside. This time it was him who moaned in the back of his throat and she finally pulled away when her vision was starting to dim from lack of air.
“Welcome home, Adelle.”
She smiled up at him. “Show me our bedroom, Gavin.”
He shook his head. “I’m not sure that’s wise, sweetheart.”
She looked into his eyes and saw what she needed to see there. “You said we’d decide together. I’m ready to go to my marriage bed, husband, are you ready to take me there?”
He looked deep into her eyes for just a moment then with a growl swept her up into his arms and didn’t let her out of them until the sun came up the next morning.
Chapter Seven
Adelle woke and was frightened; there was someone in her bed. Then she remembered she was married and the arm holding her close to that other body was Gavin, her husband. She smiled. She was married and her husband was holding her in his sleep. Then she grew worried as she thought back to the night before. She’d acted so wanton. How would Gavin react to her this morning after how brazen she’d been the night before? There was no way she could face him laying here in the bed with him. She slowly slid out from under his arm and out of the bed. She’d stopped for a moment when she realized the state of her dress, or more so the fact that she wasn’t dressed. She quickly gathered up her clothes and slipped into the front room and got dressed.
Once armored in clothing she went to where the kitchen area of the room was and realized that she didn’t really have much there to cook with. Thankfully she knew there were some staples and at least a skillet and Dutch oven in her pack saddle as well as the two tin plates, cups and utensils. She also still had a few supplies, she might be able to fix them something to eat.
She opened the door to see a basket of eggs with a slab of bacon and a half a can of milk sitting on her porch. There was a note attached to the basket.
My husband said he didn’t think you had any food stuff in the cabin. I know it isn’t much but this should get you started on breakfast. I’ll be over this morning to meet you and we can go shopping and get what you need in town. I look forward to meeting you.
Your neighbor and new friend,
Hattie White.
Adelle brought the basket and the can into the house and set them on the table. She decided that if she started the fire in the stove it would be ready to cook on when she returned with everything else she needed. Once that task was done she hurried out to the barn to gather what she needed to fix her husband breakfast.
She’d just finished gathering everything she needed and stacking it so she’d only have to take one trip for now when she heard a sound behind her. She turned and froze when she saw Rufe Bennett standing between her and the exit. In his hand was the same piece of rope he’d tied her up with the day before “Well now, little girl, seems this is my lucky day. Someone told me they saw you and that cowboy riding out here yesterday so I came looking for you. Thought it would take longer than this to get you alone.”
“What do you want, Mister Bennett? I don’t owe you anything. My husband saw to that.”
Rufe laughed. “Your husband. Now that’s perfect; even gave ya a ring, I see. That works out just great for me, doesn’t it? When we get back to Durango and I put you to work everyone will think you’re my wife.” He laughed even harder. “I need to thank that cowboy someday. Shame though, I really wanted to send him a lead thank you card. Oh well we can’t have everything.”
Adelle folded her arms across her chest. “I’m not going anywhere with you. I don’t owe you nothing. Gavin has that marker from you saying so.”
“I don’t care about that marker. I don’t know how, but he cheated and I’m adding that to what you owe me. You’ll be working for me for a long time, little girl.”
Rufe stepped forward to tie her up, ending up just in front of the stall where Diablo was just a bit too close to the door. The big horse huffed then pawed the ground. Just before Rufe could grab her arms to tie her up, Diablo’s head came over the stall door and clamped down on the side of Rufe’s head. The gambler yelled and pulled away from the horse as blood squirted from the side of his head. Adelle slammed into him, knocking him on his rear as she ran past screaming for Gavin at the top of her lungs.
Her husband ran outside in his small clothes. He hadn’t even taken time to dress and in his hands was his rifle. “What’s wrong, Adelle?”
She pointed at the barn. “Bennett! He tried to tie me up and make me go with him. Diablo bit him.”
Gavin took her in his arms for just a second. “You’re safe now. Go in the cabin and into the bedroom. Get my Colt and stay there. If anyone besides me or Cooper comes in you shoot first, you understand?”
She nodded and ran. Gavin continued toward the barn with Cooper White, who was at least dressed in pants and boots, right behind him. Adelle didn’t slow until she was in the cabin kneeling on the far side of the bed with Gavin’s Peacemaker in her hands. She was shaking like a leaf as the fear and adrenaline in her body fled leaving her weak, tired, mad and scared. She just wanted Gavin to come and hold her and tell her everything was going to be alright. Then and only then would she believe it because right this moment it felt like nothing would ever be alright again.
Gavin woke to an empty bed and the sound of his wife screaming his name at the top of her voice. They may not have known each other long but he knew that scream; it was a scream of terror and anything that terrorized Adelle would not like meeting up with him. He sprang from their bed and headed straight for the cabin door. Along the way he snatched up his rifle and ratcheted a slug in the chamber. There running toward him from the barn, tears streaming down her face, was his Adelle. After hearing what had happened Gavin was livid. He held Adelle for a moment to give her some of his strength. Then sent her inside to wait until the situation was dealt with. Then he strode quickly and purposefully toward the barn. About halfway there, Cooper appeared beside him. “What’s up?”
“Th
at gambler I was told you about just tried to snatch Adelle in the barn. Apparently Diablo attacked him and stopped him.”
“What?? Why would that idiot think he could get away with that?”
“I don’t know and I don’t care.”
Before they could enter the barn they heard the sound of more than one horse galloping toward them from the main road between Topaz and Creede. Gavin recognized Cookie and the badge on the second rider’s duster made it obvious that the cowboy had brought the law with him. They rode up and Gavin did a double take at the strange sight that met his eyes. Sitting behind the lawman was a large red and brown rooster. Cookie waved at the two ranchers. “Henry, Bob and I were riding by when I thought I heard a woman screaming.”
“You did. Gavin’s wife was attacked by that gambler from the Nugget. According to her he’s in the barn. Diablo attacked him when he tried to tie her up and kidnap her.”
Cooper’s words got Henry Wheeler off his horse and on the ground. The rooster crowed loudly and then hopped off the back of the horse too.
“Sounds like I should be part of what’s about to go down. If this man committed a crime, I’ll haul him in. We don’t need any cowboy justice around here.”
Gavin glared. “I don’t care what you do with him but if he comes after my wife again I’ll plug him where he stands. He’s already had her robbed, tried to force her to be a soiled dove for him all over seventy-five dollars. I have a marker in my house that says he lost her debt to me in a game of cards and yet here he is trying to snatch her from my home.”
“Let’s go see what this gambler has to say for himself.”
The four of them walked in to see Rufe Bennett sitting on the ground, his hand to his right ear moaning. The gambler looked up and saw Gavin and yelled at him. “Your demon horse bit my ear off. I want it put down.”
Gavin pulled the man’s hand away from his face. The ear was still attached to his head, sort of anyway. It would take several stitches to reattach but should be fine. “Your ear’s still on your head. If you hadn’t tried to attack my wife that horse wouldn’t have touched you.”
Cooper looked down at the man. “Why are you on our ranch anyway this early in the morning? I know there wasn’t any card game here last night.”
“I came to get what I’m owed.”
Henry stepped forward then. “You look familiar, do I know you?”
Rufe looked up and saw the U.S. Marshal’s badge and his already white from blood loss face looked even whiter. “I don’t think so. I’m just a simple gambler.”
Gavin said. “Who on this ranch owes you and what’s that got to do with my wife?”
“My ear hurts. I need a doctor.”
Despite what the marshal had said, Gavin pressed his rifle barrel up against Bennett’s forehead. “I can make it so your ear don’t hurt and I will unless you answer my question.”
The man glared at him. “You know who owes me. Just because you cheated me don’t mean that girl don’t owe me for the job I did.”
“The job you did. You mean leading her to Durango and arranging for her to be robbed so you could force her to pay you with her body?”
Again Bennett looked at Henry and the badge on his chest. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Cookie stepped close “That ain’t exactly true now, is it. I saw and heard you talking to the two men you sent after Miss Adelle in Durango. Iffen I hadn’t followed them they’d have robbed and raped that girl.”
“That’s not true; you can’t prove any of that.”
Gavin lowered his rifle. “I don’t need proof. I’m going to make myself clear, Rufe Bennett. Stay away from my wife. If you so much as lay one finger on her I’ll shoot you. If you show up on this ranch again, every hand will have orders to shoot you on sight. You forget you ever knew Adelle and if you were smart you’d take that horse she bought, and you’re still riding, and ride out of Creede before I decide you stole that horse from my wife. After all I have the bill of sale, do you?”
Henry stilled halfway through the conversation. “Wait a minute, what did you say his name was?”
Gavin looked at the marshal. “Told my wife his name was Rufe Bennett. Told me that too, said he’s known throughout Colorado as an excellent cardsharp.”
“He’s known through Colorado all right, Montana and Wyoming too. Known as a thief, and rapist. He has warrants in all three states for everything from theft, assault, rape and even murder. He won’t be bothering your wife anymore. I’m going to be putting him in jail until the Judge can get back to town to send him to the state prison or the hangman’s noose. I’ll need to borrow that horse you were talking about, but you and your wife come collect him this afternoon.”
Bennett tried to get up and make a run for it, but blood loss made him dizzy and he passed out. Wheeler slapped handcuffs on him and tossed him over his shoulder. The three cowboys followed the lawman out into the yard and Gavin noticed the marshal’s rooster sitting on his porch. “Um, Marshal, your rooster seems to have taken up residence on my porch.”
Wheeler glanced over and laughed. “He’s not really my rooster. His name’s Bob; he’s kind of a self-appointed guardian of women here abouts. If he’s on your porch that means he thinks your wife needs extra protection. You may as well get used to him. Oh, and don’t be surprised to wake up to him sitting on the bedrail staring at you. Darn bird still creeps me out when he does that.”
He placed Rufe over the back of the horse he’d rode to the ranch and secured him to the saddle. “You bring that bill of sale and collect your horse later today. Your wife will need to tell me what happened both in Durango and today as well. Judge will want that information. I’ll get a statement from Cookie too.”
Henry climbed up onto his saddle and looked over at the cabin. “Hey Bob! I’m leaving, you coming?”
The rooster looked at the marshal and turned his head left and then right, then let out a loud “Brawck, Cock-a-doodle-doo!”
“That’s about what I thought.” He waved to Cooper and nodded to Gavin. “Looks like you’re stuck with him. He’ll leave when he’s done protecting your wife.”
Then Henry, and Cookie secured Bennett to the horse, and headed back up the lane. Gavin thanked God at least now his wife was safe from Rufe Bennett. He could breathe easier, right?
Chapter Eight
The door opened and closed but Adelle didn’t hear anyone walking around, then there was a knock on the bedroom door. “It’s me, Sweetheart. Don’t shoot me.”
The door opened and in walked Gavin. Adelle was off the floor and racing around the bed. She threw herself into his arms and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight. “It’s okay, Sweetheart. He’s gone and he’s never going to bother you again.”
She shook her head. “Don’t say that Gavin, he isn’t going to give up. I need to leave. I’ll go somewhere else and start over again.”
Gavin just held on. “No Adelle, you’re my wife and you aren’t going anywhere. I promise you that you never have to worry about Rufe Bennett again. He’s headed to prison. The U.S. Marshal was here. Cookie brought him. The marshal said there are several warrants out for Bennett’s arrest; he’s never coming back.”
“Prison, you’re sure?”
Gavin kissed her slow and sweet and her fears melted a little bit under his lips. “I’m positive. Marshal Wheeler said he is wanted in three states. He wants us to come in later and give our statements about Durango, the saloon and today to add to his charges but he is behind bars and he’s not getting out anytime soon, if at all. You’re safe and I’ll keep you that way.”
She sighed and hugged her husband when a clucking sound came from the end of the bed behind her. Adelle turned and saw a dark red and brown rooster sitting on top of the bedpost. “Gavin, why is there a rooster in our bed?”
“That’s Bob. The marshal said he sort of appoints himself guardian over some of the women in town and won’t leave their side until he is sure they are saf
e. Apparently, you’re his new owner.”
“Alright but that doesn’t explain why he’s sitting on the end of our bed inside our house?”
“Darlin’, I don’t know what to tell you. He came riding onto the ranch sitting on the back of Marshal Wheeler’s horse. Got down when the marshal did and came and sat in front of the cabin door while we dealt with Bennett. Then he moved when I came to the door and I shooed him out before I shut the door. So I honestly don’t know what to tell you. Wheeler did warn me that he did this often to him as well. So I guess he likes sitting on bedrails.”
The rooster looked at them and clucked and squawked a few times. Adelle couldn’t help it and she started giggling because it was like Bob the rooster was talking to them, explaining himself. “Hello Bob. Thank you for staying to make sure I’m safe.”
The rooster stretched out his full size and seemed to puff up his chest then. “Cock-a-doodle-do!”
Adelle couldn’t help it and she laughed out loud. Gavin squeezed her. “Are you feeling better now?”
“Yes thank you. Can you get dressed and bring in the stuff from my pack saddle I’m going going to need the things I’d gathered before all this started.”
Gavin looked in her eyes and dipped his head. “After I get a kiss.”
Their lips met and she lost herself in the sensation of kissing her husband. She realized that despite everything that told her it was impossible, she had already fallen madly in love with her husband. She pulled back to tell him she loved him when they were interrupted by a knock on the door.
Adelle went to answer the door with Bob trailing beside her, as Gavin hurriedly started to put on his clothes. When Adelle opened the door, two of the ranch hands stood there, one of them with his arms full of the pots and dishes she’d gathered earlier and forgot in her running away from Rufe. The other had her pack saddle in his hands. “Mister White said you might need these things, Mrs. Knight.”
Winning His Wife Page 7
