Chapter Eight

Zachariah sat atop his gelding and simply watched Wyatt in the sunlight as they rode side by side. In the last two days, he'd found himself simply watching the other man quite often. Spoken communication was impossible. Written communication was difficult given Zachariah's inability to read well and Wyatt's lack of penmanship.

That meant Zachariah needed to study Wyatt closely and learn to read his body language and nonverbal cues if they were going to be riding and working together. He tried hard to convince himself that was the only reason he watched the other man so closely.

It wasn't because he enjoyed every smooth motion of Wyatt's body as he went about daily tasks. It wasn't the sight of those smooth muscled forearms or calloused fingers that had his eyes transfixed. Full lips and soulful brown eyes that shone with every emotion and thought weren't what made it difficult for Zachariah to look away...

No. It was simply part of getting to know your partner and learning a way to communicate. Nothing else.

Maybe if he lied to himself about it enough times, he might actually start to believe it.

Zachariah called a stop to their traveling and Wyatt frowned at him. "We need to get some supplies from a town nearby."

Wyatt shrugged. Zachariah sighed. "And by we, I mean you. I need you to go into town while I stay back."

Wyatt's eyes widened and fear overwhelmed his features. He shook his head vehemently. "Why the hell not?" Zachariah growled.

Wyatt just shook his head again as he shifted in the saddle and began to nibble his lip. "You're scared," Zachariah accused.

At first Wyatt appeared ready to defend himself but then he simply let out a long sigh and his head nodded slowly.

Zachariah hated seeing Wyatt frowning and sad. "Why are you scared?" he asked, moving in a bit closer and catching Wyatt's gaze.

Wyatt made a fist and lightly tapped his own self in the jaw. Understanding dawned in Zachariah's mind. "You're scared of men like Gus and his crew, right? Men that want to hurt you just because you're colored, can't talk and are on the little side?"

Wyatt's jaw hardened and he glared. Zachariah chuckled. "Don't glare, your face will get stuck that way." The glare merely deepened. Zachariah reached out and nudged the other man. "Don't be that way. You might be wiry but you're strong. I know, remember? You knocked me on my ass."

Pride lit up Wyatt's features. "And now I need you to go to town," Zachariah added. "There are people in that town that work closely at times with the man I'm after. If they see me and get wind that I'm getting close, he'll disappear before I get close." 'Or get rid of my sister,' he added silently.

Zachariah swore that somehow Wyatt heard his unspoken message. His expression softened and he swallowed hard as he sat up straighter in his saddle. At the sight of his nod, Zachariah sat there dumbfounded.

"You'll go?" Another nod. "Alright then. Get that paper of yours out and you can write down what I need you to pick up."

Once the list had been written, Zachariah could see the tense set of Wyatt's shoulders and the fear that the man was trying hard to hide.

"Here, why don't you take this?" he offered as he slid a leather necklace adorned with mountain lion claws from his neck. "It was given to me as a boy and it's kept me safe so far."

Wyatt's brown eyes were wide as he reached out and took the offered jewelry from Zachariah's hand. "I figure it might help you feel a bit better in town. Not that you need help staying safe." Zachariah winked. "You have that damn sawed-off gut buster on your side. If a man has something clever to say, I reckon you can blow his smile clear off his face."

Wyatt's smile was shaky and uncertain as he slid on the necklace and patted the list in his pocket. "I'll stay here and make camp. It shouldn't take you too long to get to town and back but if you're not back by night, I'll come looking."

Wyatt nodded, clicked his tongue and rode away.

Zachariah watched him with mixed emotions. He hated knowing that Wyatt was afraid, but it had been Wyatt's choice to come help him and just now, Zachariah needed to take advantage of that. He needed Clint to think he was still on a cold trail and Zachariah could only pray that he'd keep Eleanor alive until he arrived.

***

Wyatt hated going into town alone—any town. The fact that this was a town he'd never before been in, filled with people he had never before met, only served to make that fear intensify.

He clutched the necklace Zachariah had given him tightly in his hand as it dangled upon his chest. Wyatt's first stop was the mercantile. Zachariah had warned that this was the last town between them and the men they were after so the list of supplies they were needing was fairly long.

Without wasting any time, Wyatt shoved list into the store clerks hand, ignored the snickers and snide comments due to his poor penmanship and bolted for the door.

Out on the street, Wyatt's heart raced. He held that necklace and thought of Zachariah. He saw the man's gray eyes in his mind and let the image calm him. Then he remembered that bad men had Zachariah's sister and Zachariah was counting on him to help save her.

With resolve easing a bit of the anxiety in his mind, Wyatt headed down the road and around the corner to the livery. He avoided eye contact with those he passed and merely tipped his head when greeted.

He was happy when he stepped into the darkness of the livery stable. He had come for a pack mule and feed but his eyes were immediately drawn to a sleek appaloosa mare in the first stall.

Her ears instantly turned toward him when he entered. When he stepped toward her, her head snapped up and she scraped her hoof across the floor as her ears flattened to her head.

He offered her a comforting smile and stepped closer, holding out a hand. She sniffed it cautiously and, after several quiet moments, she tossed her head over the door and allowed Wyatt to rub her cheek as she leaned into his touch.

"What can I do for.... Well, I'll be damned!"

Wyatt turned to see a broad shouldered, pot-bellied man with thick black sideburns and a broken front tooth scratching at his head as he stared at the horse in wonder.

"That horse right there is normally scared of her own damn shadow and tries to kill anyone who gets close. I ain't never seen her let anyone touch her that way before."

Wyatt simply smiled. He'd always had a way with animals. It was as if they could understand him when no one else could. Then Wyatt felt the horse growing nervous as the livery man drew closer. He stood protectively in front of her, wondering if perhaps she had a reason to be so standoffish with people.

"I can see where your mind is going," the livery man stated with a chuckle. "I never laid a mean hand on her. She was like that when I got her and I've spent months attempting to earn her trust with nothing but a few bites and a whole lot of kicks to show for my effort."

Wyatt studied him closely and the man shifted his feet before crossing his arms over his chest. "Well, you gonna say what you're here for or glare at me all day?"

Wyatt sighed and pointed to his throat before shaking his head. He hated meeting new people and explaining to them that he could not speak. He hated the annoyance at the inconvenience he caused and he hated the surprise, the pity and the judgments.

"You can't talk?"

Wyatt shook his head.

"You can hear though, can't you? You aren't deaf as well as dumb?"

Wyatt bristled. His lack of a voice did not mean he lacked intelligence.

Annoyed, Wyatt held out the list. The man looked it over and scratched at his bushy sideburn. "Sure, I can get these for you. The mule will be about ten and it'll be another dollar and a quarter for the feed."

Wyatt nodded. "I'll go get that mule and bring him around front. We'll load the feed onto him once he's ready." Again Wyatt nodded.

The man walked away and Wyatt returned his attention to the appaloosa. He stroked her silky neck and wondered what had happened in her life to make her so mistrustful of others.

Wyatt chewed his lip as he stared at the mare. Zachariah had sent him with a good deal of money to get what they needed—and he had the brown mare he'd been using.

The mare technically belonged to Jeb and Gill but Wyatt couldn't see them minding if he made a trade.

His mind made up, Wyatt stepped outside and found the livery hand readying the pack mule. Wyatt tapped the man on the shoulder to get his attention and then pointed toward the barn.

"What?" the man asked, scratching at his head.

Wyatt's gaze went skyward a moment and then he motioned for the man to follow him into the barn. He pointed to the mare and then to himself.

"You want her?"

Wyatt nodded.

"I don't know.. I paid a pretty penny for that worthless beast."

Wyatt frowned before holding up his hand to signal for the man to wait. He ran to the mercantile, got the brown mare he'd hitched there and led her back to the livery stable. He pointed at the brown mare and then at the appaloosa.

The man scratched at his sideburn. "You want to trade?"

Wyatt nodded enthusiastically. The man clicked his tongue. "Is this a good horse? Does she ride good? Is she tamed well?" Wyatt nodded and motioned for the man to get on her back.

The man nodded, led the mare back out into the sunlight and hopped into the saddle. After several moments of putting her through her paces, he smiled down at Wyatt. "Now, boy, we might just be able to work something out."

***

Darkness fell and Zachariah felt his slight concern morph into all out worry. Wyatt should have been back before nightfall.

Had something happened? Damn, but Zachariah hadn't thought anything would happen to the man! He'd simply wanted Wyatt to go in order to avoid any of Clint's men recognizing him.

Zachariah had to find him. If someone had done something to that man then Zachariah would bring hell down around them. He went to his gelding and lifted up the saddle. Just as he was preparing to lay it over the horse's back, something tapped his shoulder.

Zachariah spun, pulling his knife as he did. Wyatt's wide brown eyes were full of amusement even with a ten inch blade against his throat. Quickly Zachariah lowered the knife and shook his head with disbelief.

"That's the third damn time you've snuck up on me and the second time you got close enough to touch me without me even knowing you were around. How the hell do you manage that?"

Wyatt shrugged, his smile spreading. He bounced up and down and pointed behind him. Zachariah followed the excited man's gaze and saw the loaded down pack mule as well as a healthy appaloosa.

"Where did you get that horse and what happened to your brown mare?" Zachariah demanded as Wyatt led the beasts into the firelight.

'Trade' Wyatt mouthed.

Zachariah nodded. "Good trade," he acknowledged.

He stepped toward the mare but she stomped and her ears flattened to her head. "Not real friendly," he grumbled as he stepped back.

Wyatt grinned and patted her neck. "She likes you, huh?" Zachariah inquired.

The other man nodded and draped his arm over the mare's neck proudly. Zachariah couldn't help but smile. Wyatt's excitement and happiness were infectious. "Well she has good taste at least."

Wyatt's bottom lip was instantly sucked into his mouth and his teeth began to nibble at it. Zachariah felt his pants tighten and he quickly turned away. "Well, let's get them unloaded so they can rest and we can fill up on some beans. I'm hungry."

Once the two men were sitting beside the fire, eating their beans and biscuits, Wyatt removed the necklace Zachariah had lent him and held it out. Zachariah stared hard at it a moment. He'd had that necklace for a long time—it truly was special to him.

"Keep it, Wyatt."

Wyatt's eyes widened. He pointed to the necklace and himself. "Yes, Wyatt. I'm giving it to you."

'Really?'

Zachariah grumbled, unhappy to have a big deal made out of the gift. "Yes, Wyatt. I want you to have the necklace. It's lucky and keeps folks safe and I reckon I want you to stay safe."

Zachariah nearly ran for it when Wyatt's brown eyes began to glisten. He quickly reached out and snatched the necklace from Wyatt's hand before walking behind the man and slipping it around his neck.

Zachariah let his fingertips linger on the smooth skin of Wyatt's neck and felt his blood begin to pound. Without another word, Zachariah walked away into the darkness to calm his desire with fresh air.

Wyatt was temptation.... A temptation that Zachariah didn't have time to give into. He never should have let the man come along.