Slowly, his expression relaxed. “Hannah?” he asked, blinking open his eyes.
Her heart soared. He actually knew who she was. She caressed his cheek. “Yes, it’s me.”
“What... happened?” His head rolled to the side on her lap, looking toward the door.
“I don’t know. I heard them beating you, and then the next thing I knew, they brought you in here, unconscious.”
He grinned and then cringed when the cut in his lip opened again. A small amount of blood came out of the wound, and she dabbed the ripped material to his lip.
“I’m glad to know it worked,” he said.
“What worked?”
He chuckled and then grasped his ribs in pain. “I didn’t know how else to get inside to make sure you were all right, so I let them capture me. Of course, I didn’t plan on them beating me, but at least I’m here with you now.”
Her heart melted. This was all for her? “Oh, Maverick.” Her voice broke, and tears filled her eyes. “No man has done that for me before.”
His smile softened. “I won’t be able to do this alone. I need your help.” He winked. “I believe we make a great team.”
Her heartbeat quickened. “I’ll do my best, but I’m injured as well. Whoever took me from your house, knocked me upside of the head. I have a coal-sized lump.”
Maverick lifted his hand to cup her face. “We are quite the pair, aren’t we?”
She choked on her laugh. “Why? Because we’re both invalids who are determined to escape?”
“Exactly.”
She glanced up toward the door again. The men’s voices were still yacking away in the other room, and she prayed they were kept busy so as not to hear her and Maverick. “What do you think they want?”
“Money.”
She looked down at him, gasping. “So, this is all about money?”
“Yes. They are tired of working for it. Apparently, they don’t think my brothers and I work for our money, either.”
“Are they trying to ransom me?”
He nodded. “They have sent Bryan a note. I don’t know when he’ll receive it.”
“Where do you come into play in all of this?”
“At first, I was the distraction. Fred – the drunken cowboy you met when you arrived – was supposed to distract me so that another man could kidnap you. That worked. However, they didn’t plan on me chasing after them and trying to take you back.”
She could stare into his eyes forever, and she enjoyed touching him, even if it was just light strokes across his face. “Now, you are a complication to their plans.”
“Possibly. One way or another, they want money. A lot of it. I’m not going to give them one penny, and if Joel and Bryan were smart, they wouldn’t, either.”
Hannah sighed in defeat. “Then how are we going to get away from them? And how are we going to keep them from trying to get money from you again?”
“Once we escape – and we will escape – I plan on having them all arrested and thrown in jail. They will lose their jobs, and I’ll personally see to it that they are driven out of town. They’ll be sorry they messed with the Easton brothers.”
“Your hope gives me hope,” she said in a quiet voice.
He pulled himself to a sitting position, cradling his ribcage in his arm. He wrapped his other arm around her waist, pulling her up against him as he kissed her forehead.
“Being with you gives me strength,” he whispered against her skin. “Just don’t let me down.”
She nodded and leaned her forehead into the crook of his neck and circled her arms around his shoulders. “I’ll do all I can to help you.”
Although she made the promise, she still worried that she would be worthless. As long as her mind continued to spin and the lump on her head throbbed, she wouldn’t be able to do much.
Breathing steadily, she tried to calm her panic. She must believe that God would direct them in the path they needed to take. She’d pray fervently, and believe that help would come soon.
“Hannah?” he said in a deep voice.
She moved her head slightly to peer up into his eyes, but his head had turned as well. Once her gaze stopped on his mouth, she couldn’t look away. What was it about this man that tempted her so? Yet, she’d been fortunate to experience his kiss, and because of that, she wanted more.
“Hannah?” he said again, softer this time.
“Huh?”
His mouth stretched a little wider into a smile. “You know, if you want to kiss me, all you have to do is—”
She leaned up and pressed her lips against his. This was now the second time she boldly made the first move, but just as before, it didn’t seem to matter. Kissing him made her feel safe, and all the fears she’d experienced since coming alert in this room just disappeared.
“Oh, Hannah,” he muttered against her mouth before deepening the kiss.
She pulled him closer, not wanting to leave the comfort of his embrace, and she didn’t want to leave the security of his kiss. The kiss was passionate, more so than the one they shared in the wagon. Of course, the position they were sitting in now brought them closer. She had more room to caress his shoulders and move her hands up to his head to run her fingers through his hair. She realized he must have found it easier to caress her back as he tightened his hold on her.
Her heart soared higher the longer they kissed, but she knew they couldn’t continue this. The men in the other room would stop them. Plus, this was not the place to show such affection. The passion inside her climbed higher, and it made her want to say things she wasn’t sure she felt.
She broke the kiss and rested her forehead against his shoulder. Her breaths were ragged, and his breathing matched hers perfectly.
“Maverick, I’m sorry—”
He slid his fingers under her chin and lifted her head. When she gazed into his dreamy eyes, she nearly sighed with happiness. She loved the way he looked at her.
“Never apologize for kissing me,” he said. “In fact, I will cherish these moments, always.”
She swallowed the lump that had risen to her throat. “As shall I.”
“But I’m glad you stopped us. I’d forgotten about those men in the other room.” He winked. “Do you see what your kisses do to my brain?”
She chuckled lightly. “I’m surprised I remembered.”
He stroked the side of her face before running the pad of his thumb across her bottom lip. “Not to worry, my lovely Hannah. We shall find more moments for this kind of passion. But now, we must formulate a plan to escape.”
Her heartbeat raced with excitement. Perhaps convincing him of marriage might not be that difficult, after all.
SIX
Maverick’s body hurt all over, and yet, he’d never been happier in his life. Being with Hannah and kissing her made him as giddy as a schoolboy experiencing love for the first time. However, he knew this feeling growing inside his chest wasn’t love. After all, people just didn’t fall in love that quickly, and especially only after two kisses.
Thankfully, the men in the other room hadn’t known what was going on between Maverick and Hannah. He wanted to keep it that way. But, while the men were still discussing their plans, Maverick and Hannah would figure out their own strategies on how to get out of this place.
When he had finally caught up to the men who had taken Hannah from his house, he realized the shack was surrounded. Apparently, a good eight men were working with Fred to try to get a ransom from the Easton brothers.
While hiding out in the bushes, Maverick had overheard two men discussing their hostage, describing Hannah as the prettiest woman around. Maverick had to agree with them. Although they’d lived in a town with not enough women, and most of the men were lonely, he still knew he’d never seen anyone as pretty as Hannah Ross.
During the conversation between the two men, Maverick realized that no amount of sweet-talking was going to get him inside. The only way these men would let him in was if Maverick forced his
way through. He knew the consequences, and the way his ribs hurt, which made it hard to take deep breaths, let him know they’d probably cracked one or two ribs during his beating. Usually, Maverick could hold his own when fighting a man, but not when the odds were five-to-one.
As he whispered his idea to Hannah, he drew his finger on the floor to show her the outline of what the outside of the shack looked like, and where they possibly could hide. He wished they had a weapon, but the men had taken away Maverick’s pistol. All they had were their wits.
“I can’t climb out of the window,” she said softly, clasping his arm. “Maverick, I’m still dizzy. I’ll need your help.”
Inwardly, he groaned. He wouldn’t be much help at all. “Well, I’m not leaving you here. I’ll carry you if I have to.”
Her expression softened, and she smiled. “Thank you for caring about me.”
Oh, heavens! He’d do anything for her when she looked at him that way. Even in the shadows that were starting to fill the room, he could see the sparkle in her eyes. “Thank you for caring about me – even though you have every right to hate me after what I did this morning.”
Her chuckle was quieter this time. “Was it only this morning? So much has happened since I stepped off that stagecoach.”
“Indeed, it has.” He took her hand, lifted her knuckles to his mouth, and kissed her skin. “You don’t still hate me, do you?”
“How could I hate you now?”
He shrugged. “You could, but I’m glad you don’t. It would make rescuing you that much more difficult.”
She laughed a little louder and leaned against him. “I’m surprised that you can make me laugh at a time like this.”
“We have got to think positive. Once we lose hope, then we give up. I’m not ready to give up.”
“Me, either.”
“Maybe for now,” he told her, scooting closer as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, “let’s just rest so that our bodies can recuperate. First thing in the morning, we’ll feel better. Besides that,” he motioned his head toward the door to the other room, “most of them have been drinking. I’m sure they won’t be too eager to start the day first thing in the morning.”
“I pray you’re right.”
“You forget, they were beating me in that room, and most all of them smelled like Fred.”
She frowned and touched his cheek gently. “How could I forget when I see the damage on your face every time I look at you.”
She was doing it to him again – making him want to gaze into her eyes and never look away. Another thing he realized was that he found himself sighing around her more. Cupid must have shot an arrow at him because Maverick was mesmerized.
“Perhaps you should kiss my injuries. Ma always said that they would heal quicker that way.”
She grinned. “It’s tempting, believe me, but I don’t think this is the time or place for that.”
“Just as long as you agree to kiss my injuries when we are out of this mess.”
“Of course, I will.”
Releasing a heavy sigh, he shifted and lay his head on her lap again. This position had been a nice thing to wake up to. When her fingers caressed through his hair, he closed his eyes, smiling. It had been too long since he’d been this content. How had he gotten so lucky to meet such a passionate and caring woman? Then again, for the time being, she was still considered Bryan’s property. Hopefully, Maverick would be able to change that soon.
* * * *
Hannah’s head didn’t throb as badly the next morning, and thankfully, the dizziness was gone. The sun peeking through the curtainless window was what woke her up. As her mind slowly became alert, she realized she was lying in Maverick’s arms as they both stretched out on the floor against the wall. There was no blanket to cover them, and thankfully, she didn’t need one since it was late summer, and the nights were warm, anyway.
Letting out a satisfied moan, she snuggled against him closer and stretched her arm across his middle. He didn’t move, but his deep breathing let her know he was still asleep. She lifted her head and peered into his sleeping face. He was adorable. How nice would it be to wake up next to him every morning for the rest of her life?
If only she could convince him that she would make him a good wife. And yet...
Inwardly, she sighed with defeat. She didn’t want to enter a marriage with this incredibly handsome and caring man unless she was fully honest with him. Being honest with him just might make him turn away from her.
She didn’t want to just settle on a husband. She wanted Maverick.
Please, Lord... Make him the right man for me.
Slowly, she ran her palm over his wide, and very muscular chest. How could she not feel safe with a man like this? She prayed he felt better today and had the energy to break them out of this place. Now that her dizziness was gone, she had the strength to help him.
As she stared at his chest, a grin tugged on her mouth. He was one fine man. Out of all the things that had happened to her in her life, meeting him had been the beginning of something better. Wasn’t it time that she found a man who could make her happy and love her completely? Of course, right now, they were both in the infatuation stages, but it would eventually turn to love. How could it not?
“Do you like what you see, Hannah?”
Maverick’s deep voice started her, and she gasped as her gaze flew to his opened eyes. “How long... I mean, when did you wake up?”
His chest shook with a silent laugh. “I’ve been watching you for a few moments as you study my chest, my sweet.”
Hannah’s face grew hot, and she jerked her hand away from his chest. He snatched it, stopping its progress, before placing it back on his chest.
“Did I say I wanted you to move your hand?” His grin widened. “I love your touch. It’s a refreshing feeling to wake up to a beautiful woman caressing my chest.”
If her face flamed any hotter, she’d combust, she was certain. “How are you feeling this morning?”
“Well, currently – because of how I woke up – I’m feeling very relaxed and very much in the mood for more cuddling and kissing.”
She giggled, trying not to show him just how much his words meant to her. “How are your injuries?”
“Well, I’m sure my face looks colorful with blue and green bruises on it, but that won’t go away until you kiss them better. However, my ribs are still sore.” He paused, inhaling deeply. “It still hurts to breath, but I can handle it better now.”
“Do you think we should try to get away?”
He nodded and glanced toward the window. “It’s still early. I should sneak into the other room to see how many men have fallen asleep.”
Maverick sat up and pushed his fingers through his hair. He winced a few times, but then shifted to his knees and stood. She sat up slowly, grateful that the dizziness hadn’t returned.
Taking careful steps, he moved toward the door and stopped, resting his hand on the doorknob. He pressed his ear against the barrier between the two rooms. Hannah held her breath, not wanting to make any sound at all.
After a few moments, he turned the doorknob slowly and peeked into the other room. Another few seconds later, he pushed the door open wider and crept into the room. From where she still sat on the floor, she could see the bedrolls from the other men. So far, they looked as if they were sleeping.
Maverick took a couple more steps and then bent over. She couldn’t quite see what he was doing, but when he straightened, he held a rifle in one hand and the leather strap of bullets in the other. Although she wanted to sigh with relief, it was probably still too early. He was only one man with one gun. The odds were not in their favor.
As Maverick backed out of the room slowly, he pulled the door closed. Finally, she allowed the sigh to blow from her mouth. He lifted his winnings and nodded.
“At least it’s something.”
“Yes,” she said, rising to her feet. “But our best bet is to flee before they wake up.”
He moved to the window and looked outside, searching the grounds slowly. “There were only five men in that room. Three men are unaccounted for, and that worries me.”
“Do you think they are out there?” She hurried to his side, peeking out of the dirty glass.
“They have to be. Where else would they have gone to?”
She shrugged. “Unless they have families and returned home.”
He reached for her hand, clasping it tightly in his. “I hope you’re right. We cannot stay here forever.” He brought her hand to his mouth and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. “Say a prayer for us while I try and open the window.”
“Of course.”
He handed her the rifle and leather belt before turning back to the window. Silently, she prayed for guidance. The wicked men in the other room couldn’t win. She and Maverick had the Lord on their side. They must prevail. The Bible taught her that. Faith, the size of a mustard seed, could move a mountain. All she wanted was for them to escape without getting injured. Her faith was bigger than a mustard seed, so she couldn’t give up hope.
It took longer than she’d wanted for Maverick to lift the window. Every time it made a squeak, he stopped and listened for any signs of alarm from the other room. When silence greeted them, Maverick continued, going even slower.
Finally, he was able to open the window wide enough for a body to crawl through. Instead, he poked his head out and scanned the perimeter. She held her breath, waiting for his nod to proceed.
He pulled back inside and turned toward her, taking the leather belt first. He wrapped it across his shoulder and chest before he took back the rifle.
“I’m going to climb out first, and then I’ll help you out.”
“Be careful.”
By his slow movements with the occasional wince, she knew his body was still sore. But, he braved it and forced himself to keep going. His courage showed her what type of man he was. Her heart melted. He was the best of the best. She’d known many men in her life, and they were nowhere near as determined as Maverick.
Once he dropped to the ground, he kept crouched as he searched all around the area. Hannah held her breath, trying not only to listen to the men in the other room, but a shout from someone outside to warn the other of the escape.
Hannah's Hardship Page 5
