by Rita Hestand
"I heard about Anna being taken. I'm so sorry, Joe." Melanie told him, putting her hand on his and hugging him.
The warmth of a woman made him temporarily sigh with relief, but then he realized this woman wasn't his.
Joe pulled away from her, his face a mass of frowns, "There was a grave with her things on it… " he stared into her face.
"Oh my God. She's dead!" Melanie cried. "I'm so very sorry Joe." She tiptoed to kiss him lightly on the lips.
He pulled away quickly a bit stunned by her actions, "I don't—" he started to say something but heard a noise outside.
He left her standing there. He turned to look at her, "Don't come out until someone tells you it is safe."
"But… "
He left and joined the others. "George just checked to see if the money was still there, it is. So, Quinton wasn't lying. I guess I scared the pants off him." Burt chuckled.
Joe smiled, and they waited. "How long do you think it will be before he shows up?"
"Shouldn't be long. He'll want that money for sure." Burt chuckled.
Burt was right just before dawn Frank showed up. He was limping as he ran toward the statues. He grabbed the money and was about to escape again when Burt came out of the bushes and hollered. "Frank Miller, you are under arrest for robbery and murder."
Frank threw his hands up, dropping the money at his feet. He slowly turned around to face Burt, Joe and the boys. "Quinton, I got Quinton to thank for this."
"What about your other friend?" Burt asked.
"What other friend?" Frank frowned.
"So, you're gonna play it like that are you?" Burt asked, shaking his head. "That's okay, Quinton already told us you were the ringleader of this bunch."
About that time Joe came toward him, "I saw the grave Frank, but I don't believe she's there."
Frank snickered. "You should have dug it up."
"I will if I have to." Joe thundered.
The boys got the two horses that Frank rode up with and one was one of the brood mares.
Melanie came out now and as Burt took Frank off to jail Joe rounded up their gear and started to leave but Melanie followed him. She reached for his arm. "Joe, I can't believe this happened."
"Sorry Melanie, forgot you were still in there." Joe tried to smile but it didn't work.
"Can I ride with you to your place, this is so very unsettling." She cried.
"Sure," Joe nodded.
She got her horse and followed him home.
When he went inside, he told Maria he was going to pack up and asked that she get some food together for him.
"Food, where are you going now?" Melanie asked a bit miffed.
"After my wife," Joe told her.
"But… the boys said you found her grave, are you bringing her body back here or something?"
"If necessary, yes."
Melanie clung to him now, throwing herself in his arms, "Oh Joe, I'm so sorry. But now you're free. Ken and I didn't work out either. He decided he couldn't move his office and so I called it off. We can be together now. There's nothing between us. I'm sorry she's dead, but I'm not sorry that we can be together now. We have so much in common, we'll do great things together. I'm in love with you Joe, you're bound to have noticed."
Joe stopped and looked at Melanie realizing she was serious.
"I'm sorry for you, Melanie." Joe stared down into her beautiful brown eyes. "You're a beautiful woman, talented, smart, and you'll find someone just for you. But it won't be me. I'm in love with my wife."
"But Joe, she's dead!" Melanie cried.
"I don't know that for fact. That's why I'm leaving. I'm going to find her, one way or another."
"Be careful Joe, I care for you, you know that, don't you?" she asked as she tiptoed and kissed him solidly on the mouth.
Shocked Joe pulled away and held her at arm's length, "Melanie, I've got to find Anna, my wife, remember?"
"But she's dead Joe, you found her grave! What more do you need?" Melanie protested. She turned his head toward her and tiptoed once more to kiss him. "I've loved you for so long Joe, you must know that. And we are so suited for each other. Dad's practically promised me to give you a top job on the place." She pressed her lips against his, but he didn't respond, and she pulled away staring. "Oh darling, Anna Lee was your youth, but I'm your future."
Joe pushed her away now. "Melanie, go home, where you belong… I'm going to find my wife."
"You don't love me?" she asked in shock.
"Love you?" he looked completely stunned by her words. "I love Anna Lee, I always have." He told her.
"You mean, all those rumors were true about you and her?"
Joe chuckled, "Every one of them."
"But me and my father can do so much for you Joe. This place could be as grand as ours, and with us working together there is no stopping us from success. I know you've cared for Anna, felt sorry for her. But she's dead now and you and I are alive."
Joe moved away from her as though he didn't know her. "Melanie, I love my wife more than anything in this world. I don't want your ranch or your father's help. Now I suggest you go home, I'm leaving tonight."
"You don't have to leave, I'm home!" Anna Lee cried seeing him packing his gear.
He whirled around and saw Anna standing in the doorway.
"Anna Lee!" he shouted and ran into her arms. It was like coming home being with her again. He cried, he kissed her tenderly, and he picked her up and whirled her around in his arms. "I can't believe it! How did you get home?"
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but I thought maybe I should bring her home as soon as we checked in with the Sherriff." A man said standing in the doorway.
"This is William Turner, he's a Pinkerton man, he was in the bank when it was being robbed. He knew what they were up to and played along with them. So, they took him with them. He even pulled a gun on the bank manager, that convinced Frank to take him along." Anna explained, still enjoying being in his arms.
Joe extended a hand to him and sat down with Anna in his lap. "Then you were with Frank Miller and Quinton?"
"Yes, I was, from the start almost. I actually helped Frank escape the bank, befriended him and rode along until I could get a break. When they picked up your wife at the ranch, I had to find a way to bring her back. It took me a while, but I wouldn't risk something happening to her."
"Well, I'm sure glad you were along."
"When we all split up, Frank took your wife with him. I shot Frank in the leg and took your wife along with me. She told me how to get back here." He smiled. "We'd been riding so long, and I wasn't sure I could find my way."
"I knew you weren't dead!" he smiled into Anna's face.
Melanie was totally forgotten.
"Well, Burt has things in control now and I'll be making my report out. I'm returning the money to the bank tomorrow."
"Won't you spend the night and go about it tomorrow then?" Joe asked.
"No thanks, I got a room in town and I just wanted to make sure she made it home safe." He smiled at Anna.
"You don't know how much I thank you for what you've done," Anna told him.
"I'm just glad it all came out well. When Frank had Quinton dig that grave, I could just imagine how you would feel." William glanced at Joe. "I got a wife and three kids at home, myself. I never saw anyone so clever in my life. Not many outlaws have brains. I been with a lot of cases, but never had anyone do that."
"It tore me up for a few minutes until I realized I could still feel something inside me, telling me she was alive."
"You two must have some kind of connection. She told me you wouldn't fall for it." William laughed.
When he left, he escorted Melanie out too. She hadn't said another word.
Joe was silently glad. He never knew Melanie thought like that, and he didn't want to know any more about her.
Maria and Pearl came into the parlor and saw Anna and embraced her. They were so happy to see her, they cried.
They fed
her and listened to her story about the great escape. Then Joe told them about how they caught Frank.
Joe also told them how none of this would have happened if Susan hadn't opened her big mouth.
"We're going to have to do something about her." Maria protested.
"I think the Sheriff has a few plans for her himself. Before he's through she'll think twice about handing information to strangers. That's not all either, she killed her own horse. A temper tantrum."
George, Randal and Dave and a few of the other hands came in for a second when they saw what was going on up at the house.
It was quite a reunion and Joe couldn't take his eyes off Anna during the whole thing. All the men were happy she was safe and home.
That night Joe carried Anna up the stairs to their room.
He had Pearl draw them a bath and he took delight in taking Anna's clothes off and they slipped into the tub together. He insisted he would scrub her back and anything else she'd let him.
"I'm yours," she squealed with laughter. "I'm so glad I'm home." She murmured as he laid her between his legs, and she leaned on his chest as he soaped her beautiful breasts. She was laying in his arms, enjoying the warm water that surrounded them and swooning at his touches.
"My God, darlin', me too!" he told her with a sigh and a kiss. "Frank never admitted you weren't in the grave, but I was setting out to dig it up, to find out for sure. Something inside me refused to think you dead."
His hands went all over her, reassuring himself that she was really here in his arms, and everything was alright. "They didn't hurt you?"
"No." She murmured as she turned her head to kiss him.
Moans echoed through the room. "I knew you'd come after me." She smiled moments later. "I only hoped the grave wouldn't bother you."
"It bothered me, but somehow, I knew you weren't dead. I could feel you somehow. I don't understand how I knew, but I did know."
"I was talking to you in my prayers." She smiled into his warm eyes.
"I felt it. I don’t begin to understand how, but I did." He told her. After that it got very quiet except for some long sighs and moans of pleasure, she relaxed against him and sighed then she turned her head and asked.
"What was Melanie doing here," she asked innocently.
"Being a spoiled and pampered brat. But I don't want to talk about Melanie, she's a fly on the wall to me, I want to talk about you and your prayers to have a child. The father told me about it. You don't know how good I felt when he told me. But then again, it scared me even more that you might already be pregnant." He smiled turning her into his arms and holding her as he slid inside her with such a happy sigh. She moaned as she closed her eyes and moved to plaster herself all over him.
"I think we should work on that, what do you think."
"I think, that is a lovely idea." she smiled, as she kissed him hotly on the lips. "I'm home now. And I've missed you so terribly."
"Were you afraid?"
"I don't know, at times, and more for you and the boys than myself. Frank was clever, his idea about the grave was shockingly clever, but he never put a gun to me or mistreated me. I was more afraid for you and the boys trying to find me."
He smiled, staring at her, all of her. "You are exactly where I want you!"
"I'm so glad you married me Joe." She murmured in his ear.
"I'm just so glad you asked me, Anna Lee!" he chuckled, and they made love until the water went cold. He took her to bed then and made love half the night. The next morning, she woke up when the sun filtered through the curtains. She was wrapped in his arms, her arm over his shoulder, her leg entwined with his, her head just under his chin. It all felt so very right so very familiar. Something moved under the covers and she chuckled, as she tickled his ear, "It's morning."
They both laughed. "You're learning darlin'." He smuggled into her.
"That's because you are the best teacher in the world." She laughed.
"How many children do you want?" she asked out of the blue.
"Oh, ten or twelve would be enough." He snuggled against her.
"I think we need to practice until we get this right, what do you think?" she chuckled.
"I think I'll be a little late getting out to the pasture this morning." He laughed and pulled the covers over them as their giggles turned into satisfied sighs.
He looked into her eyes just before they made love once more, "If you aren't already pregnant, you will be soon, I'm gonna see to that."
"Sounds like we're going to be busy a lot." She giggled.
He kissed her lips and smiled, "Thanks for asking me to marry you."
"You don't mind so much now?" she asked a bit breathlessly.
"I never did mind, darlin'." He smiled and kissed her lovingly.
"Joe, I want to kiss you now."
"You've been kissing me, sweetheart." He chuckled.
"No, I mean I want to prepare you for all this lovemaking we are going to be doing. I've been thinking about it for days. I don't want you to feel any pain… " she said seductively.
He stared into her beautiful eyes and a slow burning smile crossed his lips. "You've actually been thinking about it for days?" he asked.
"Yes," She sounded breathless now. Her eyes were sparkling with adoration. "I knew exactly what I wanted to do with you, if I ever got back home again."
"Well um… if you're sure?" he smiled devilishly.
Her hand went down his body and the moment she touched him there, he sighed with such contentment.
She touched her lips to his and smiled against him there. "You don't mind, do you?" she asked sexily now.
He looked at her and smiled, seeing the confidence she'd found in their love and his heart swelled. "I'm all yours darlin'."
Then the room went very quiet except for a few long and lingering sighs.
"Sweetheart at the rate we're going, you're going to be pregnant every year."
She smiled against him. "You think so?"
"Oh my God, it's a promise, darlin'. I don't think I'm going to make it out to the pasture today. Do you think the men will understand?"
She looked up at him and smiled, "I think they'll figure it out."
Long moments later, he held her close, his fingers running down her back, "I love you Anna Lee!"
She raised up over him, leaning on an elbow she stared seriously into his warm brown eyes. "I know that now, and I'll never doubt it again."
"You've always been mine; you know that don't you?"
She smiled, kissed him tenderly and cuddled against him. Her arm lay over his shoulder, her leg entwined with his and her chin resting just below his chin. "Yes, darlin' I know it! At long last I know it!"
The End
About the Author
I’m a professional writer of romance and children’s books. I’m also a poet and short story writer. I’m working on another historical western right now, one mid-grade book and just finished two historical westerns. You’ll find a lot of facts in my historical western romances not the run of the mill romances. Check them out.
I’m also a grandmother and great-grandmother who enjoys spending time with her family.
I hope you enjoy my books. Thank You and God Bless
Rita Hestand
Rita's Other Books
Beyond the Dream Catcher
Just One Kiss
Ask No Tomorrows
A Promised Heart
Be Free My Heart
Teach Me Your Love
My Captured Heart
Finding Her
Guilty as Sin
Western Serial Killer Series
Better Off Without Her
Good Day for a Hanging
Bad Day for a Killing
The Ghost of Victor Frank
The Travers Brothers Series
Chief Cook and Bottle Washer
Courting Abby
Hannah's Man
Along Came Love
Avalanche of the Heart
The McKay's
Raining in My Heart
Ring of Fire
Twelfth of Never
Stand by Me
The Amory's
Heart of the Wild
Sweeter Than Wine
Mail Order Nanny
Singles
Always Remember
Love Rules
Jodi's Journey
Nick's Baby
Pretend Mom
Runaway Bride
Suspicions of the Heart
Wandering Heart
Brides of the West
Heart of a Family
Delivering the Bride
Heart of a Woman
Wanted Bride
This Side of Forever
Shotgun Bride
A Love as Big as Texas
Heart of a Captive
Wherever My Heart Roams
In the Arms of an Angel
Bride from Shenandoah
Falling for the Bride
An Unexpected Welcome
A Desperado's Bride
The Filly & the Gambler
The Lady Train
Comes a Hero
An Unescorted Lady
And Here I'll Stay
Red River Valley Brides
Heart of a Lady
Dancing with the Preacher Man
Last Bride, Last Man
Winning the Lady
Maggie's Dreams
The Connor's
Cinderella Nanny
Guarding Red Riding Hood
Finding the Fairytale
Saving Sleeping Beauty
Beauty's Beast
Cowboy Lovin' Series
Broken Hearted
His to Hold
All my Yesterday's
