Chapter 15

After leaving Alice and Steve's, Mary Anna shivered in the chilly night air. She held onto Chris as he was still unsteady on his feet and complained of a headache. She waved to Jake and Sheila as they went across town to the Drop Dead Saloon. Jake had whispered that he was going to ask her to marry him.

Mary Anna would believe it when Sheila told her. Mary Anna had offered to keep Chris in her room so she could wake him up every fifteen minutes. She worried about him, as his eyes didn't look normal.

She struggled to get him up the stairs and into her room. He was mumbling nonsense all the way to The Drover Hotel. Was she going to be a widow before she was really his wife? She got him to shed his coat and fall on the bed. She pulled off his boots and, with great effort, got his legs on the bed.

She brought the washbasin closer, wetted the washcloth, and cleaned the wound on his head. The lump had stopped bleeding but hadn't gone down. She looked at him and had to admit, she did like his face. While asleep, he looked innocent and kind.

"If only." She whispered.

He struggled to sit up, took the washcloth from her, and stared at her. "Why am I here? What are you doing?"

"You have a concussion, and I need to wake you up every fifteen minutes. You're not bleeding anymore, so that's a good thing."

"I don't need any help." He winced.

She shoved him down onto the bed. "You need to rest. I didn't come all the way to Abilene to become a widow."

He grinned at her. "You care about me?"

She matched his grin. "You are growing on me. I like your sweet face when you're sleeping."

He laughed. "I guess that's something." And he was out.

Mary Anna wanted to wake him up but thought better of it. She'd wait another fifteen minutes and then rouse him. She ran her hands through his hair and then loosened his shirt. Yes, she was getting used to having him around.

She got up and dragged a chair to the bed. It was going to be a long night. She wondered about the marshal and his posse. Why didn't Chris and Jake want to go with him? It had surprised her when they'd declined the invitation.

Was it because Chris wanted to stay with her? She doubted it. Then again, he was in no shape to ride out. Mary Anna studied his face, his lips, and wondered what his kiss would be like. Or even if he would ever kiss her.

She drew back in embarrassment before she could give in and kiss him. What was happening to her? She was flirting with the enemy. Mary Anna ran a hand through his sandy brown hair. Maybe he was no longer the enemy. She needed to make peace.

After a quick glance at the clock, it was time to wake him. Gently, she shook his shoulder. She paused as she ran her hand over his muscles. He was strong. She shook him again. "Chris, time to wake up."

He mumbled.

She shook him again. "Chris, you need to wake up."

His eyes opened, and he stared at her. "Are you an angel?"

She laughed. "It's me. Mary Anna. Your wife."

"My wife?" He looked confused. Then he smiled. "My wife." He pulled her into an embrace and kissed her. Tenderly, he held her and kissed her again. "I love you, Mary Anna."

"Chris, you need to stay awake."

"I wouldn't dream of falling asleep with you in my arms."

She sighed and kissed him back.

***

Jake walked next to Sheila. He wanted to link her arm in his, but she didn't look all that friendly. Finally, he bolstered his courage and reached out to her. "Stop. We need to talk."

"It's a cold night, Jake." Even in the moonlight, he could see she was glaring at him.

"Sheila, I do love you. Will you forgive me?"

"Hah!" She turned and started walking toward the saloon.

He pulled her to a stop. "I mean it, Sheila. I want you to quit your job at the saloon, marry me, and live on the ranch with me."

She shrugged his arm off her and faced him. "Jake, you had your chance. You hurt me. Used me. Kept me around for good times, but you had no intentions of marrying me. Not until we tricked Chris into his marriage."

"That might be. I was stupid. I didn't know how much you meant to me. Please."

"No. You're a drifter. Just like you named your ranch. How long do you think you and Chris will stay before you ride off to the next adventure?"

He stared at her. Moved by her beauty and wondering why he'd never seen it before. Jake stepped closer to her. "Sheila, I've been a blind fool. Now, I see you. I see what you mean to me. Yes, I took you for granted in the past. But no longer. I want to love you like you deserve to be loved, marry you, and raise a family. You have become my reason for living. I want to protect you from ever being hurt again."

She was crying now, her head down and shoulders sagging. "I don't trust you."

He put his hand under her chin and raised her head to look at him. "I don't blame you. But I want you to know that I will never hurt you. I only want to love you, protect you, and provide a good life for you. I love you, Sheila."

He could see her resolve was weakening as Sheila edged closer to him.

He pulled her to him and embraced her. "I want to keep you warm in the winter. Hold you close every day. You're my night and my day. Sheila, I can't live without you."

"Oh, Jake. How I longed to hear you say you loved me. Can I trust you?"

"In the past, I'd say no. But now, you're all I can see. He kissed the top of her head. I will love you until my days end."

She kissed him, delighting in his warm lips.

He picked her up and carried her to their hotel. "You sleep in my room tonight. I'll go to the livery and sleep in one of the stalls. Tomorrow, we'll find the preacher. I want to do it right."

She nodded and held onto him. Her grip tightened on his shoulders as she sighed deep and long as their eyes me t .

Jake couldn't believe the change in his heart. Somehow, he became a good man. Maybe it was the prayers he'd said earlier in the day when he thought he'd lost Chris to Drake. When he realized he would have been on that road to a hanging himself all those lost years ago if it hadn't been for a wise word from an old man.

God had gotten hold of him back then and pushed him onto a different path. He felt that same push after they left Steve and Alice's. An urge to risk his heart for Sheila. Then, like a star falling from the sky, his heart exploded in love for Sheila.

He'd never let her go and would love her until the day he died.