Chapter Twelve
The slow clip-clop rhythm from the single horse Nolan and Deborah rode upon was starting to relax him.
Nolan enjoyed the gentle sway of the horse as the sleeping woman sat in front of him with her back pressed against his chest. Although their positioning was uncomfortable, nothing could move him now.
Holding her like this was so very personal, and his heart beat crazily just thinking about them being so close that he could hear her soft sighs.
He liked that she trusted him now, although it surprised him that she’d be content sitting in front of him while encircled in his arms. After all, their relationship had started very badly.
He’d not had a second thought about jumping off the train to rescue her, but then once his mind had started to work, he’d thought they’d be arguing constantly.
Whatever had happened to bring about this change in her, he liked it very much.
Was it because they were forced into close proximity, which made them have to act married while staying with William and Martha?
Or was it because Nolan and his new wife had to share a bed?
But he definitely admired her courage and her intelligence for assisting with the capture of the bank robbers.
Since the death of his parents and grandparents, he’d been very cautious of letting people into his life.
He’d protected his heart against loving anyone because the pain of losing those he’d cared about had been too hard to bear.
However, Deborah had somehow crept into his heart, and he worried about what would happen when they finally parted.
They each lived such different lives. A woman as refined as Deborah would never want to live his kind of life. Or would she?
He arched an eyebrow and glanced down at her. After all, she thought quickly while inside the bank and was able to distract the bandits. Would a well-educated woman have thought of being sneaky enough to fool the bank robbers?
The sun had gone to bed several hours ago, and from the weight of Nolan’s heavy eyelids, he wished he had gone to bed, as well.
But returning to the train was more important, and he let the full moon guide his way.
William had given him a map to help with their search for the next town and train station.
Martha had given them a basket full of food.
The Lord had blessed the two wanderers by leading them to William and Martha.
Nolan prayed they’d be led toward the train station soon.
This journey was already taking too long.
According to the map, they were only a few miles from the next town, which was why Nolan continued to push them even though they were both very weary. The sooner they could get there, the closer they’d get to the next train station.
Deborah released another sigh—probably the sixth one since falling asleep on his lap—and shifted in front of him, turning her head to press her cheek against his chest. He smiled and gently stroked her arm.
She was so cuddly when she was asleep. If only she’d be this way while awake.
Then again, perhaps it was best that she didn’t act like this all the time.
He’d have a hard time keeping from passionately kissing her, which was something that had been on his mind since they were lying on the ground near the creek.
Sometimes he wondered if she felt the same way, but then other times, he reminded himself not to get involved.
Kissing her would certainly create havoc with his emotions, and since she had mentioned staying with her family once this ordeal was over, he wasn’t about to lead Deborah to believe there might be a relationship between them.
In the near distance, the light from a campfire caught his attention.
Although they were still considered to be traveling in the desert, there were still many trees along their path.
He brought the horse to a stop and studied the low-burning fire.
Unease washed over him, and he suddenly became alert to danger.
Not many people would have a camp outside of town.
Unless they were outlaws.
Immediately, his Marshal training kicked in. He needed to sneak over and see if they were indeed outlaws, and if they were... Inwardly, he groaned. How could he arrest them without a pistol? And he couldn’t willingly put a civilian in danger.
He gently shook Deborah awake. She blinked and looked around. When her gaze met his, she smiled. His heart melted, and he wanted to kiss her right then. But no, it was definitely not the time for that.
“Sweetheart,” he said softly as he cupped her face, “we may have stumbled across a situation that needs to be taken care of.”
Her smile disappeared, and her eyes widened. Before she could say anything, he nodded toward the campfire. “Look over there.”
She swung her head in that direction.
“I have a bad feeling that they are outlaws,” he told her.
She gasped and snapped her attention back at him. “Then we need to leave.”
He shook his head. “No. A lawman wouldn’t do that, and I still have the training.”
Slowly, she nodded. “What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking that I’ll need to keep my eye on them while you ride into town and fetch the sheriff.”
Her body stiffened. “Are you insane?”
Her voice lifted, so he quickly placed a hand over her mouth. “Shh...”
She took his hand away from her mouth but continued to hold his fingers.
“Nolan, I can’t ride all the way back—”
“You won’t have to. According to William’s map, we are approximately two miles east of the next town.”
She relaxed slightly. “But Nolan, you don’t have a gun.”
“Then I suppose I need to keep low and not get caught watching them,” he teased.
She frowned. “This isn’t a joking matter. There’s no way I can ride off to find the sheriff.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’ll need my help.”
Just the knowledge of her caring for his welfare tugged at his heart. Sweet emotion filled him as he stared into her eyes. It was rather nice to have a woman worry about him.
“But sweetheart,” he said, softer this time, taking her face in both of his hands, “at least if you leave to fetch the sheriff, the outlaws will be caught. If you stay with me, the only issue that will be solved is us getting caught and possibly taken prisoner.”
“At least we could keep each other company while being held prisoner.”
His heart melted again. How could it not, with all of the things she was saying as she worried about him? This time as he studied her mouth, the urge to kiss her was much stronger than before, and he was growing weak from restraint.
“Deborah,” he whispered with a smile, “there’s no one else I’d rather have as my prisoner partner, but justice really needs to be brought to these outlaws.” He stroked her cheeks with his thumbs. “Are you afraid to ride into town by yourself?”
Confusion passed over her expression as her gaze dropped to his neck, but then seconds later, she straightened and looked him in the eye again.
“No. I’m not afraid. I can do this. I won’t let you down.”
“Of course, you won’t. And just like what happened at the bank, you’ll save the day, and the outlaws will go to jail.”
“You really think I can do it?”
He smiled. “Deborah, if I know one thing about you, it’s that you can do anything you put your mind to, and you do it well.”
Her expression softened, the tension slowly leaving her features. Something warm and tender entered her eyes as her gaze drifted to his mouth.
Nolan’s heartbeat stumbled. For one suspended moment, the world seemed to narrow until only she remained. The distant sounds around them faded. The horse beneath them disappeared. Even the worries that had followed them across half the country seemed to loosen their grip.
Only Deborah mattered. Only this moment.
Slowly, giving her every chance to pull away, he leaned closer. His gaze searched hers one final time, silently asking a question he could no longer bring himself to voice.
She didn’t move. Instead, her breath caught softly, and her eyes fluttered closed. The answer was all the invitation he needed.
When his lips finally brushed hers, the kiss was gentle, almost reverent. Deborah released a quiet sigh that seemed to melt straight through him, and her hand came to rest against his chest, right over the frantic beating of his heart.
Nolan wrapped an arm around her waist, drawing her carefully closer.
The warmth of her settled against him, sending a rush of emotion through his chest that was far more dangerous than simple attraction.
For the first time in longer than he cared to admit, he felt something that looked remarkably like hope.
The kiss deepened naturally, unhurried and sweet. He savored the softness of her lips, the way she leaned into him as though she trusted him enough to let down her guard. Every gentle touch seemed to draw them closer, not just physically, but in all the ways that mattered.
The horse shifted beneath them, reminding Nolan that they were hardly in the most practical position, but he found he couldn’t bring himself to care.
Not when Deborah was in his arms, kissing him as though she felt it too...
as though, despite all the mistakes, dangers, and complications that had brought them together, neither of them wished to be anywhere else.
Suddenly, a gunshot pierced the silence. Instinctively, he tightened his arms around her and yanked her away from the direction of the sound. Her breaths were faster now, and he hoped it was from their kiss and not the fear he assumed was running through her.
Laughter from around the campfire lifted through the air. Nolan glanced at Deborah in his arms, her eyes now wide with fright.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“Yes. Are you?”
He nodded and kissed her forehead. “Yes, but unfortunately, we will have to continue our kiss at another time. These outlaws need to be taken care of.”
“Are you sure they’re outlaws?” she whispered.
He shrugged one shoulder. “There’s only one way to find out.” He glanced toward the campfire. “I need to get closer.”
He gently pushed her away from him until she was sitting upright, before he dismounted. She reached her arms toward him, so he helped her down, too. Keeping her in his arms longer than necessary, he gazed into her lovely face. Her lips were still swollen from their passionate kiss.
“Stay very quiet,” he told her. “And follow me.”
He found a tree close by and tied the horse to it before taking Deborah’s hand and leading her slowly toward the campfire. They moved from one tree to the next, doing their best to take careful steps. The snapping of a twig would announce them just as quickly as sneezing.
When they were far enough away to see the five men around the fire, Nolan kept him and Deborah behind the large tree as he peeked around the side. He listened intently. At first, it seemed like all the men wanted to do was laugh and drink out of whiskey bottles.
He held in a grin. He’d just found his weapon. If he could get one of those bottles and break it enough to use the sharp edges to cut someone. Unfortunately, he also knew that not everything worked out the way he had planned.
Finally, the men started talking, and Nolan listened closer. So far, they’d said nothing of importance except for talking about a woman in town inappropriately. He really hoped Deborah wasn’t hearing this.
She tapped his arm. “What are they saying?” she whispered.
“Nothing worth repeating, yet.”
“Are they outlaws?”
“I... don’t know. But my gut tells me they are.”
He listened closer, and he heard their names: Levi, Jonah, Hank, Martin, and Butch. These were popular names, and so Nolan still didn’t know for certain if they were outlaws or not. They were definitely part of a gang. He’d bet his career on it.
And then he heard a name that turned his blood ice cold. Farrington. Levi and Butch Farrington were brothers. Rumors had them and some of their cousins riding around the territories robbing stagecoaches, trains, and leaving dead people along the trails.
He faced Deborah and took her in his arms. Just as before, she rested her hands on his chest and looked up at him, searching his eyes closely.
“Sweetheart, they are the Farrington gang.”
“Are they dangerous?”
“Very.”
Her forehead creased with worry. “Nolan, I don’t think you should stay here. Come with me into town to find the sheriff.”
“I’ll be all right,” he whispered.
Something warm expanded in his chest at the concern shining in her eyes, and he lowered his head and brushed his lips gently across hers.
No one had worried over him like this in a very long time.
The feeling was unfamiliar yet deeply comforting.
He found himself wanting more of it—wanting more of her.
Deborah’s arms slid around his neck, and she seemed to kiss him with desperation that tugged painfully at his heart. There was passion in the kiss, but there was fear, too.
Nolan cupped her cheek and eased back just enough to look at her. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Her eyes searched his, bright with emotion, and he couldn’t help smiling.
“Please, don’t worry,” he murmured softly, brushing his thumb across her cheek.
“I promise I’ll be here when you and the sheriff return.
” He winked, hoping to give her courage.
“Now, ride into town and get the sheriff. Have him bring three more men with rifles. Tell the sheriff I have the Farrington gang.”
Tears filled her eyes, and she nodded. “Promise me you won’t get hurt.”
“Sweetheart, all I’m going to do is spy on them.”
She narrowed her gaze. “That wasn’t exactly a promise.”
He chuckled softly. “I promise not to get hurt.” He urged her toward the horse. “Now go and ride east.”
Nodding, she backed away, keeping her stare on him.
She looked as though she was going to say something, but then she quickly turned and hurried toward the horse.
He carefully stepped away from the tree as he watched her, making sure she was able to get on the horse and ride away without any difficulties.
Once she was on the horse, she kept the animal quiet as she snuck away from the thicket of trees and toward the direction Nolan had indicated.
Sighing, he moved back toward the large tree, but he stepped on a rock, and his foot slipped on the ground. As he quickly righted himself, his foot landed on a fallen tree limb, and it snapped in half.
Holding his breath, he listened carefully to the talk that had been going on around the campfire. But now... everything was silent.
Inwardly, he groaned. They had heard him!