Chapter Twenty-Four

Chase did not sleep once they were settled into a camp a few hours later. Jane had stitched Chance's leg and Chase suspected that if Jane stuck around long enough she would find herself married to Chance. The man certainly seemed interested, much to Paul's grumbling disbelief.

Now the camp was quiet as the moon finally peaked out of the clouds and shone on Leah's sleeping form. He reached out and brushed his fingers over her peaceful brow, smoothing the silky strands of hair that had fallen over it.

She was so beautiful that it made his chest ache. He had come so close to losing her. So close to never having the chance to simply stare at her again and it wasn't something he ever wanted to happen again.

He was settling down with her. He was going to make good on his promise and build her that home and buy those cattle. He was going to build as safe a life as possible with her and hopefully some day soon her body would begin to swell with his child.

There were still things they needed to discuss. The death of Benjamin being the one he dreaded the most. But for now Leah was safe and happy and sleeping peacefully beside him. Everything else could wait until morning.

Chase let out a long breath when he heard Paul rise from his bedroll and walk toward him. Chase nodded in greeting and Paul knelt down next to Chase who was sitting cross legged beside the fire. Both men simply sat there and stared into the glow of the firelight.

After several long moments Paul patted Chase on the back and then went back to his own bed. Chase watched the older man and knew he had just been accepted. Pride swelled his chest and he turned his gaze back to Leah only to discover that she was lying there awake and watching him.

"Sleep. You need your rest." Chase scolded as he pulled the blanket up around her bruised body. He knew her body below her shirt and dress was bruised. Her neck was black though Chase had yet to learn who it was that had strangled his wife and bruised the flesh of her throat. She had a small cut on the side of her throat from the knife and her cheek was welted. Chase felt that rage rising back up in him and he fought to swallow it back down.

Anger would serve no purpose and those responsible were dead.

"I want you to lay with me." Leah replied softly and Chase smiled down at her and stretched out on the ground beside her, pulling her body into his and wrapping his long frame around her shorter one.

"Better?" he asked. She didn't respond, instead she sighed with contentment and snuggled closer to him.

"So was that it?" she asked after several moments of simply holding one another in silence. Chase frowned and kissed her hair before laying his chin on the top of her head.

"Is what it?"

"You and my father's touching moment. That was it? He sits next to you, you nod at one another, he pats your back and then he walks away?"

"Were we supposed to kiss?" Chase asked with a raise of his brow and Leah mumbled under her breath and bit his nipple lightly. Chase laughed out loud and squeezed her tighter.

"I will return the favor later." he promised and Leah felt herself tremble against him.

"All the mean words and blind hatred and it's over just like that? Without either one of you even saying a word?" she asked, pushing her desire aside.

"Words truly mean nothing. Action are what matter. Your father saved my life when he did not have to. That told me all I needed to know." Leah fell silent again but Chase could tell by the way she was shifting in his arms that there was more on her mind and he simply lay there quietly and waited for her to speak.

"I was so scared, Chase." she finally whispered, her voice muffled against his chest. "Yancy and I were standing there waiting on you and then suddenly he threw a sack over my head and choked me until I just couldn't stay awake." Chase's jaw tightened until it popped. So Yancy had put those bruises on her neck?

Chase would ensure that Yancy had a few bruises of his own before he died.

"I woke up tied in that room and everything hurt.... Tobias he came and spoke to me once during the day and when he left Yancy came and told me that he was sure you'd come but that if you didn't I should just mind Tobias and be his woman since I like injuns."

"He will die for what he did to you." Chase growled and Leah pulled away just enough so she could look up at him.

"Hasn't there been enough killing? Enough death?" she asked. "I thought I had lost you. I thought you were dead. But yet a piece of me just kept hoping, wishing and praying that somehow you were alive and that you would come for me...."

"And I did. So forget about all that happened and just focus on our future." Leah began chewing on her lip once again and Chase sighed.

"What?"

"What is our future going to be, Chase? Is is going to be gunfights, kidnapping and constant fear?"

Chase could tell by the look in her eyes that she regretted asking that question as soon as the words were out of her mouth. He ran his knuckles down her cheek and kissed her brow tenderly.

"No. You never have to live in fear. Our future is a cabin beside a crystal clear pool of water. It's barns and cattle. Chickens and pigs. It's our children running around. Tucking them in at night and then falling into our bed and loving until we fall asleep only to wake up every morning in each others arms."

A tear slipped down Leah's cheek and he captured it with his lips before frowning.

"Why are you crying?" She smiled and laid her hand on his neck, letting her fingers slip into his hair.

"That was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard."

"I meant every word." Chase promised.

"I know you did. You would never lie to me or say anything just to make me feel better."

"Only the truth, always." he vowed. "Now let's get some sleep. We'll have a long day of traveling tomorrow to reach Billings and your mother." Leah nodded and snuggled up deeper into his arms, knowing that wrapped in Chase's love was the safest place she would ever be.

***

"Paul." Chase called as the five of them rode toward Billing's the next day. Paul turned to look at Chase and Chase signaled for him to fall behind everyone with him. Leah was about to fall behind as well but Chase indicated with his hand for her to continue and she bit her lip and did as she was told.

She wasn't sure why Chase wanted to speak to her father alone but she was no longer worried about them killing each other. They had been remarkably civil to one another all day.

Leah caught up with her brother and Jane and smiled at the discussion they were having.

"Why the devil would it be proper for a man to wear this gitty-up and not me?" Jane demanded looking down at herself.

"Because..well.. You're a woman."

"How'd ya figure that one out?" Jane asked dryly. "Was it the breasts or the lack o' facial hair?" Chances' mouth stuttered several times as his eyes went up and down her body and Leah burst out laughing.

"Mom's gonna pitch a fit and a half." she managed to gasp. Chance frowned.

"What are you talking about?" Leah forced herself to stop laughing and worked desperately at keeping her face straight.

"Nothing." she lied. "Jane, I want to thank you both for helping me with the ropes and the knife but also for saving my brothers life and helping us get away."

Jane shrugged and scratched at her arm.

"It weren't nothing." she replied. "It weren't right what Tobias was doin' and he needed to be stopped. Besides I couldn't let him kill your brother. He's the most decent lookin' thing I've run across in a long time." Jane gave Chance a grin and Leah saw her brother blush again.

It looked like Chance might have just found his life mate too. And Leah had no doubts that their mother would NOT be happy that her only son had found a woman like Jane.

"So, Jane, what are you planning on doing once we reach Billings?" Leah asked, giving her brother time to compose himself.

"I'm hitting the saloon first thing. Gotta have some drinks after a busy day a killin'." Jane shrugged. "Then I dunno. Guess it just depends on what Billing's has to offer." At this last comment she waggled her brows at Chance and he turned an even deeper shade of red.

Leah could no longer hold back her laughter and was soon leaning over her horses neck and clutching her aching stomach.

***

A faint smile passed over Chase's lips as he watched his wife laughing in the sunlight. So beautiful, she was. He knew he could watch her forever and never grow tired of the view.

"Are you gonna tell me what I'm riding back here with you for or is this just a bonding experience of some kind?" Paul asked dryly as he pulled a pouch of tobacco from his shirt pocket and began to dig out a pinch between his fingers.

"Leah brought it to my attention that I should thank you for killing Tobias." Chase admitted. Paul nodded as he stuck the pouch back in his shirt.

"I saw the way you were willing to sacrifice your own safety, your own life, for my daughters. That's not the kind of thing a father misses." They were silent a moment and then Paul spit out a stream of tobacco before looking back at Chase.

"Is that all?"

"No." Chase sighed. "I have not yet told Leah about Benjamin."

"You think she's gonna be real upset?" Paul asked and Chase nodded.

"Yes. She loved him. I want to tell her while we are alone and I would like to let her see the grave." Paul raised a brow.

"You willing to do that? Let your wife mourn a man she was gonna marry?" Chase fought back an irritated response and breathed several times to calm himself. He needed to do what he could to make he and Paul's relationship civil. If for no other reason than to make Leah's life easier.

"Of course. Benjamin is no threat to me, especially now."

"Well we buried him up under that oak tree at lookout hill right across from the main house." Chase nodded.

"I will take Leah there and we will meet you all in Billings."

"Sounds good. Welcome to the family, Chase. I don't believe I ever told you that." Chase nodded in acknowledgment and then quickened Blazes' gait to catch up with Leah.

"How is your leg?" he asked Chance and the other man waved his hand.

"It's fine." he replied.

"It hurts o'course. He got shot!" Jane exclaimed. "What kind of question is that?"

"A dumb one, I suppose." Chase replied. "Leah you and I need to break away now and go to your parents house before we go into Billings."

"Good idea." Leah replied. "I'm sure mother would like to have her sewing and a clean dress." Chase nodded, tipped his head to Chance, Paul and Jane and then he and Leah rode away from them.

"Pa, could I have some privacy with Jane for a minute?" Chance asked after Leah and Chase had ridden away. Paul spit out some tobacco and sighed with defeat.

"I reckon. I throw my hands up in defeat and surrender when it comes to you youngins but I can't speak for what your mama is going to say."

"What're y'all talkin' 'bout?" Jane asked with a frown. Chance threw his father a pointed glare and Paul sighed and sped up to give the two of them some privacy.

"Y'all men are actin' crazier than a mad cat at matin' time. What's goin' on?" Chance shook his head as he chuckled.

"You say the craziest things." he said matter of factly and Jane flashed him a smile. Chance felt his heart start pounding and took several deep breaths to calm it down and collect his thoughts. What the hell was wrong with him? While he'd never been a rogue, he'd certainly had some experience with the fairer sex and never before had he felt so helpless and out of control in his attraction.

He had no idea what it was about Jane. She was loud. She cursed worse than anyone he'd ever met when she got on a roll. She was wearing clothes that would have his mother breathing fire out her nose and her hair was a mess of tangles.

But beneath the dirt on her face he could see a dusting of freckles brushed across her nose and cheeks. She had big blue eyes and the gap between her teeth when she smiled gave her an innocence that Chance found captivating. Add to that her bravery, quick wit and the way she made him laugh and just how nice her petite little body looked in those trousers and stained up shirt and Chance was caught. Hook. Line. And Sinker.

"I ain't really as tough as I let on. It's dangerous in the life I live to let a man see ya as anything other than tough as nails and meaner than a rattle snake." Jane admitted.

"So what are you really doing once we reach Billings?" Chance asked and Jane sighed wistfully, sounding very much like a woman.

"Getting a hot bath." This statement stirred up all kinds of images in Chance's mind and he quickly cleared his throat and looked away from her. "Then I'd like to get some dinner, I'm awful hungry. Only trouble is it ain't no fun to eat alone."

Chance smiled and tipped his hat.

"Are you inviting me to dinner ma'am?" Jane laughed loudly.

"I ain't never been called a ma'am before!" she exclaimed as she smacked her knee. "And yeah, I'm inviting you to dinner."

"I'd be more than happy to eat dinner with you, Jane." They shared a smile and Chance knew he'd have to talk to Chase soon. How long had it taken the injun to realize that Leah as the one for him? Because from where Chance sat, Jane was looking more and more like a woman he could see himself tied down with.