"How could you possibly doubt it?" He kissed her nipples once more. "If you knew the restraint I used, you'd understand.
She wiggled beneath him innocently. "I love you too," she admitted softly. "I just hadn't dreamed you felt the same."
"Trish…" He seemed shocked and yet pleased.
Her hips began to move as he continued to caress her body he gently entered her, as though her words were the last straw to control. His mouth covered hers.
"If I hurt you, please tell me. Because the last thing I want to do is hurt you," he said as he continued to love her.
Gil drove himself deeper inside her, and she joined him with equal effort. He kept the fires going until they were both ready. Then he took her so high it took several minutes to come down.
"Oh, my God," she cried out. "Oh…"
"This is love? This is what it's like to love someone, Trish. And for them to love you back." He kissed her hotly on the lips.
"If you never touch me again, I'll treasure this night forever." She sighed against him, her hands going shyly over him.
"Now that we are one, I doubt I can keep my hands off you" He laughed.
"One?" She asked.
"Sure. We're both part of the other." He kissed her on the nose. "You see, I feel when a man and a woman consummate their love for each other in the eyes of God, they are already married."
She collapsed on top of him, enjoying the way his hands ran over her back.
She smiled against his warm skin. "One. I like that. It's a very powerful word."
"I think we were one some time ago. We just sorta made it official tonight. The minute I took you on, I felt different, somehow."
"I love you, Gil… but I'm married to another. And I'm having his baby. It's sounds so crude and ugly when I say it or think it, but I can't help how I feel about you."
"There's nothing ugly or dirty about you and I. And you will be shed of Chester before too long. Eb is dead, he can never hurt you again. There is no problem there, and no one has to know it isn't mine. I will love the baby as much as I love you. It's a part of you. Don't you see?"
She scooched herself up in the bed. "You could love another man's baby that easily?"
"It's your baby. Anything that concerns you concerns me. It will be our baby…." He smiled. "I get to watch it grow, to feel it move, to see it born. It's heaven."
"Oh, Gil, will you marry me?"
He looked strangely at her. "Marry you? A man is supposed to do the asking."
"I'm sorry, but you hadn't asked, so I did." She laughed.
"When the time comes, yes, we'll be married. By a preacher. The right way. We are gonna start off right. Only I couldn't prevent tonight from happening. So be patient. Our time will come. Until then, know I love you with all my heart and soul. And nothing short of dying will keep us apart now."
"We sort of put the cart before the horse, didn't we? We don't have to marry, if you don't want to."
He bent down and kissed her softly on the mouth, "Of course we do. We're in love and we are going to be a family."
"A family, a real family?" She searched his face. "That's a nice word."
"Yes, darlin', a real family."
The rest of the night was a blur of making love, of promises, of kisses and touches and being one.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
The next day was not as happy. After a short sightseeing trip around the town, it was time to attend Juan's hanging.
Trish had squashed the thought all morning. Now it would soon be a reality. Her heart grew heavy.
A grimness fell over Trish. A lump grew in her throat, and she could barely talk.
"Oh, Gil, he's so young."
"I know, honey. I hate this as much as you do, but he wanted us here," Gil reminded her.
"Yes, of course. I wonder if Sister Ann will make it in time?" Trish fretted.
Just then, Sister Ann made her way through the crowd of people who gathered around the platform. She found them. "I made it. Thank God."
It was a grim reality for everyone. The tension between the three of them seemed to set the stage.
But strangers seemed to have no problem with watching it. Men stood around joking and carrying on as though nothing was about to happen. Women were not as jolly.
Trish fiddled with her handkerchief.
Sister Ann grabbed her hands. "Now, now, everything is going to be all right. Juan did make it to the church, followed of course by the marshal. He confessed everything and was blessed by the father. He is at peace about it now," Sister Ann assured her. "You will see for yourself."
"But, Sister Ann, he's so young to hang."
"Yes, he is. That's why I insisted he come to the church. It is hard enough when they are fully grown but to be so young and to lose one's life… It is sad. He did rejoice that he made it to the church and talked with the priest about it. Last night, he was totally at peace with it all."
Trish frowned. "I hope he still is."
The sister smiled.
Gil held Trish's arm and stood between her and Sister Ann. The priest had come too.
The crowd began to sing hymns and worship before the hanging. They were still singing when Juan walked out of the jail with the marshal. The marshal guided him up the steps, and the wood creaked as they walked up to the noose. The marshal took the hood and started to put it over his head. Juan shook his head. "I don't want it." He murmured.
Even the marshal's face looked different today, more somber, more emotional.
The priest said a prayer for Juan and blessed him.
"You got any last words son?" The marshal asked.
"Yes, do not grieve for me, my friends. I'm going to meet my maker today. This is a celebration of life."
The marshal stared at him. "You sure, kid?" He held the mask up once more.
"I'm sure."
"Very well."
After another hymn and a few words spoken by the marshal to verify the hanging brought home the seriousness of the situation. The hangman put the rope around Juan's neck. Juan never faltered. His face was a shining example.
He smiled at the crowd.
Everyone stared with open mouths.
"Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned," he said aloud.
The crowd murmured.
The marshal nodded to the hangman. The door to the floor opened, and Juan fell to his death, the rope making his body jerk and jump. It took time before his body began to still. The crowd hushed.
Everyone stared at the body. A hush flew over the crowd. Only as they dispersed did the mumblings start.
Trish stared with tears running down her face.
Sister Ann shook her head. "He's with God now."
Gil nodded, and squeezed Trish's arm.
"I never want to see another hanging," Trish said as they walked away.
"I've never seen one like this one," Gil admitted.
"What do you mean?"
"Didn't you see his face? He was smiling, and there was just something about the whole expression that was unreal. Never seen anyone die so good in my life, and I've seen a few hangings."
The marshal was behind them. "No, neither have I. He died good. And I think our Sister Ann was the reason. Makes a man wonder, don't it?"
Trish wanted to lash out at him. "Died good? How can anyone die good?"
The marshal stared into her tear-stained eyes and smiled sadly. "I ain't sure, but he sure did. Maybe God did forgive him."
Trish was quick to correct him. "I thought you didn't believe in God."
The marshal twisted his head. "Did I say that?"
"Well, you insinuated it," she insisted.
"Good day, ma'am." The marshal walked off with a smile on his face.
"I don't get it. The other day he was so cynical."
Gil patted her arm. "That was the other day. He's been to the church too, and Sister Ann has made her impression on him, along with the padre I expect. Anyone can change, Trish. Anyone!"
When sh
e realized what Gil was saying, she began to grin, watching the marshal blend into the crowd. "He does work in mysterious ways, doesn't he?"
"I'd say so." Gil nodded.
As they walked toward the hotel, she stopped dead center, staring at the beautiful old mission that stood so still. "That's the Alamo, isn't it?" Her voice died to a whisper.
"Yes, it is."
"It's beautiful, but you can almost feel something different about this place."
Gil seemed to reflect a moment. "I know. If you came here for no other reason, that would be enough."
"You're a wonderful man, Gil," she whispered, tightening her hold of his arm.
"You think so?"
"I know so." She smiled sweetly at him.
Chapter Thirty
Weeks went by, and Gil and Trish busied themselves at the poker tables. Gil had found a comfortable bunch of players and tried to stick with them as long as he could. The players were all seasoned men with knowledge of the game and offered some challenges that kept Gil alert.
The intensity of his relationship with Trish had developed into a warm and loving companionship. Even though they had both admitted their feelings, there was no direct plan of action. Gil knew it was time. He had to do something about it.
"What would you think about going home?" he asked on rainy day as they came back from breakfast.
"Home? What home?"
Gil smiled with understanding. "You've been talking non-stop about your friends in Vada. I thought maybe you'd like to visit them."
Trish's eyes widened. "Do you mean it?"
"We'll leave tomorrow." He smiled at her.
"Are you sure? I mean, what about the games going on here?"
"They'll be going on when we come back, I can assure you of that."
"Oh, Gil, yes, I want to see them all. It's been so long." Her eyes shone like a child's.
He glanced down at her. "And the baby? Would you be embarrassed to tell them about it?"
"No, not at all. I've shared everything with them, no use stopping now."
"Good. Then I'll draw out some money and we'll leave on the train."
"The train?" She gasped. "How exciting." She tiptoed to kiss his cheek. "I've never ridden on a train before. It's so sweet of you to think of it."
"Trish, there isn't much I wouldn't do for you." He looked down into her face.
She was just beginning to show now, and she'd gotten over the morning sickness. They had told the men he gambled with, and everyone bought drinks for Gil. There had been a lot of celebrating. But now, he wanted her to enjoy some time before the baby came. He wanted to please her, and he knew going back to Vada, a place she had found some sort of connection with, would make her happy.
That night, she lay in his arms, cuddling against him.
"How are you feeling?" His hands stroked her back.
"So happy. You've been very good to me, Gil."
"I love you, Trish. I think I've loved you since that day I saw you cleaning that little boy's wound in the street," he whispered.
She rose up to lay her chin on his chest and look him in the eye. "You saw that? That was the very first day."
"I don't know why, but that touched me. The poor little fella was having a rough day, and you crouched down and met him eye to eye. You talked to him and cleaned his wound, and he stopped crying. It had a very profound effect on me," Gil admitted. "I saw a part of you that probably very few have seen, your compassion, your love…"
"He'd fallen down, and the other kids were laughing at him because he had a club foot. I felt sorry for him. His folks weren't around to protect him. I couldn't help it. I had to help him." She smiled. "I love children."
"So do I. And someday, we'll have a houseful. I promise you that. That's what I fell in love with first, your compassion for people. So when Chester bet you in a poker game and I suspicioned it was the same girl that had run out in the street to help, I somehow hoped I'd win that bet, more than any other. You just don't know how much you impressed me that day."
She ran her finger over his chest, circling his nipple. "I thought you had to be the most handsome man I'd ever seen. And I'd seen a few. I was scared of you. Handsome men always scared me. I never enjoyed touching a man before."
He jumped when she bent to take the pert nub into her mouth. When she came up and met his smile with a kiss, he folded her into his arms.
"Why did you make the bargain with me? I mean, I knew you could kick me out in the street if you wanted to. Why didn't you?"
He rolled her over and stared down into her warm eyes. "I wanted you with me. You were so sensible, so completely unaware of your own value. It was charming meeting someone who had no vain streaks. You began to melt my heart that very day."
She took his face into her hands. "I never trusted any man until you came along. That day at the creek, when I went to see Chester and you came and got me, you turned away when I went in to clean myself. No man had ever done that for me. No man had ever respected me that much. It meant something to me, and that's when I began to trust you. It may not sound like much to you, but to me, it meant everything."
He bent his head to kiss her. Despite knowing full well there were no clothes between them, he didn't jump upon her. Instead, he relished the fact that she was that trusting and loving toward him.
Suddenly she jerked up.
"What's wrong?"
"The baby… I think it just moved." She touched her belly.
He pulled her back and leaned over her. Ever so gently he ran his hand over her belly.
"I want to feel our baby's touches too." He smiled.
"Our baby, that sounds so… I don't know. There just aren't words to tell you how much I love you for it."
He smiled then kissed her belly and pulled her against him, holding her.
"We've been through a lot, and I wanted to let you visit your friends before winter sets in. We need to be in a warm and comfortable place for winter. The baby will be coming, and I want to be somewhere that we can find a good doctor for you."
"What about Doctor Malloy?"
"Do you want him to deliver the baby?" He played with her bottom lip as he stretched it and tasted it.
She relaxed into his arms. "I think so. I trust him…"
"All right, then, Doctor Malloy it is." He smiled.
Then he kissed her. At first, it was feather touches around and on her lips. He was never in a hurry when he held her, never rough or needy, but rather loving and gentle. His hand gently ran over her, memorizing her.
The kiss when it finally came it enflamed his senses,, and she began to respond and she met his tongue eagerly as he explored her lips and mouth. His hands held her, and he turned her back on top of him, so he didn't hurt her.
"You're a beautiful woman, Trish. Both inside and out. And that's what I love most about you."
She smiled impishly. "I bet you tell that to all the girls."
Gil stopped and looked at her. "There are no other girls, just you. You are all I want. You and the baby."
Gil swept her up and into his arms and sat on the bed, holding her tight against him.
Pulling her against him, his arm holding her. He motioned to the baby. "It's growing."
"I know. I'm getting fat. Don't look at it."
"Why not? It's the most beautiful thing in the world to see a woman pregnant. I love our nights together. I love holding you through the night and making love until dawn when we feel like it. And I love looking at you this way. It's such a pleasure."
"Don't be silly."
"You are with child, and there isn't an inch of fat on you anywhere. You are all baby. It's lovely."
She smiled. "I never had anyone talk to me like you do. It makes me blush."
"I seriously never thought I'd enjoy being intimate with a pregnant woman, but this is an experience I wouldn't miss for anything. You are gorgeous, you know."
"No, I didn't know. I'm glad you like me," she whispered.
"Like yo
u? Honey, I'm crazy about you. Don't you know that by now? We've made love every single night now. Not because we have to, but because we both want to. I think you are terrific."
"But will you still love me, when the baby comes? Will you love it when the baby poops on you or pees on your clothes? Will you love me when he wants his dinner and you want me downstairs? Having a baby changes a lot of things."
"That's why I want you every night in my arms now. There will be times we can't make love. I know I'll have to share you. I don't mind. Watching you with a baby is going to be so much fun. I can hardly wait. But in the meantime, I want to make love with you every night until it is too uncomfortable. Then I'll behave and take care of you. But for now, I'm going to enjoy this time we have."
"How can you love another man's baby so easily? I've never met a man like you." she asked softly.
"How could I not love it?"
"Oh, God. You don't just want my body?"
He smiled into her shining eyes. "Sweetheart, I want your body, yes, but that's not all. I want you downstairs, touching my hand like you do, smiling at everyone and bringing us luck. I want you on my arm when we walk down the street. I want to show you off. You have no idea how many heads you turn."
"As long as I turn yours when I'm big as a cow." She smiled sexily.
"I like cows." He laughed. "Have you ever noticed how a cow walks? Very nice."
"Gil, tell me I'm not dreaming. Tell me I'm not going to wake up some day and you'll be gone and I'll be alone with the baby."
"It'll never happen. I promise."
"But what if you hit a bad streak? What if your luck doesn't hold out? Will you love me then? Or blame me for it?"
He pulled her hips up against his, letting her feel how ready he was for her as his hands slid slowly down the sides of her hips. "Trish, gambling is a sport. You win some, and you lose some. If things get too bad, I'll stop and go to farming or something."
"Would you be bitter?"
"I hope not. I don't want to bring you any unhappiness. You've already had your fair share of that. Stop fretting. You are stuck with me whether you like it or not. We are a team, a couple, and we are crazy in love…" He moved to prove it.
Winning the Lady (Book 4 of the Red River Valley Brides) Page 19
