Chapter Fourteen

"Where are we walking to?" Eleanor asked after they'd been walking in silence a while.

Willa shrugged. "Hell, I don't know." She looked all around them at the wide expanse of land. "I have no idea where we even are."

Eleanor pointed toward a tree a short distance away. "Let's get in some shade."

Her stomach was twisted in nearly painful knots as they walked. What was Willa going to say? What would she want from her? Eleanor kicked herself for not staying hidden in the loft. She should have stayed in the loft.

Once they were under the shade of the tree, Eleanor crossed her arms tight around herself and chewed at her lip. Willa leaned against the tree, clearly taking pressure of her side. "You shouldn't be doing so much walking," Eleanor scolded gently.

Willa waved off her concern. "I'm okay."

Silence fell again. Eleanor wondered what they were doing out here if Willa wasn't going to speak. Finally, the silence was broken. "Your brother seems real protective of you."

Eleanor shrugged. "He has his reasons."

Willa nodded, glancing over the horizon. "I'm guessing it has something to do with why you're afraid of people?"

Eleanor's eyes widened. "What do you know about that?"

"Just that you were kidnapped and held captive by a gang. Wyatt too."

Eleanor heart thundered in her chest. Memories of that horrible time filled her mind. Breathing became hard. Suddenly, Willa was directly in front of her. One of her hands took hold of one of Eleanor's and one went to Eleanor's cheek.

"Calm down, Ellie. I'm sorry... I'm sorry I said anything... You gotta breathe...."

Slowly, with Willa's fingers gently stroking her cheek and wrist, Eleanor's breathing returned to normal. The world came back into focus. She found herself looking into brown eyes flecked with gold. Focusing on those eyes and Willa's voice still offering soothing words, sent a wave of calm over Eleanor—never had she felt anything that soothed her so thoroughly.

"Can I be honest with you, Ellie?" Willa whispered, their bodies so close that mere inches separated them.

Eleanor nodded but she was unable to form words. Willa leaned closer, laying her forehead against Eleanor's. "You've got me all twisted up inside and I ain't never felt this way before."

"I do?"

"You do. You make me want to think about puttin' down roots for the first time in my life."

Swallowing hard, Eleanor pulled away. "I do?"

Willa rubbed at the back of her neck and nodded. "You do. Hell, I ain't even known you more than a week so it really is crazy, ain't it?"

Eleanor wanted to tell her that yes she was crazy but the lie wouldn't come. Willa had her thinking thoughts of forever that she'd never thought of before too. "No.." she managed to whisper. "No, it's not crazy."

Willa smiled brighter than the early morning sun. "I'm real glad to hear that." She reached out and tucked a stray hair behind Eleanor's ear.

Eleanor wanted to be with Willa but it wasn't that easy. Willa had told her stories about her life and Eleanor didn't think the woman would truly be happy settling in one place... and Eleanor could never be happy traveling.

They were far too different. One wild and carefree, the other quiet and reserved. But when Willa gave her hand a gentle squeeze and smiled so happily, Eleanor didn't have the heart to say so.

Eleanor wanted happiness. She wanted a partner to share her life with. Seeing so many happy couples around her every day had always left her craving to feel that for herself.

"You're scared," Willa said, her smile fading. "Of me?"

"No." Eleanor chewed her lip. "I'm not afraid of you."

Willa leaned in and brushed a tender kiss to her cheek before Eleanor knew it was coming. "Good."

Eleanor's cheek was left hot and tingling. She felt her lips curve in the smallest of smiles. She knew she had to be getting back to the ranch. Everyone was going to be busy today and watching the children was going to be up to her.

"I have to head back," she said, glancing in the direction of Jeb's house. "I have to watch the children."

"Child watching, huh?" Willa asked, keeping her hand held tight and beginning a slow walk back. "Can't say I've ever done that before."

"You'll be sitting down and resting before you overdo yourself and end up in worse shape," Eleanor stated.

"For someone so quiet and sweet, you sure are bossy." Eleanor didn't reply and Willa bumped shoulders with her gently. "Probably just as well. I'm stubborn as hell and need a bossy woman to keep me in line."

Eleanor knew this happiness would be fleeting. Eventually Willa would grow bored of a life with Eleanor and she would leave. But for now, Eleanor was going to enjoy the woman's presence.

"I'll do my best."

***

Floating. Yep that was the best description of how Willa felt. She was floating. Eleanor was hers. That beautiful, soft, gentle woman was hers. Damn, she was a lucky woman!

Willa knew it wouldn't be easy. Eleanor carried a lot of scars from her past that Willa would have to learn to work around and overcome. Hell, Willa wouldn't be the easiest person to live with.... She liked to drink, gamble, let loose and have fun when she wasn't healing from bullet wounds. She had also never stayed put in one place for long—of course that had had more to do with her journey to find family than anything else.

Maybe staying put wouldn't be hard when it meant staying put with Eleanor. It would work. It had to work. Surely there had to be a reason Eleanor came into her life when she did—right when Willa had lost all hope.

That night, Eleanor brought Willa supper to her barn bedroom. They had spent much of the day together. Willa had helped Preston more with his riding and had helped chase after Willie and Delilah the best she could. Taking care of children had been something real new for Willa but she had to admit she'd had fun.

"I had a good time with you today," Willa said as she patted the bed beside her for Eleanor to sit down.

Eleanor chewed her lip a moment as her arms tightened around herself. Willa hated seeing her so frightened. She wished she could have had a hand in dealing with the men who had done that to her.

Finally, Eleanor nodded and sat down upon the bed. "Did you eat?" Willa asked her.

"No," Eleanor shook her head. "Not yet."

Willa held her plate out. "Here. Share with me."

"No...I..."

"Do it," Willa insisted. "I can't eat it all myself and I don't want you hungry. You gotta take care of yourself too not just everybody else." That was one thing Willa had noticed about Eleanor. Most of her attention went to taking care of everyone else—the poor woman didn't take a single minute a day for herself.

Eleanor flushed and a trembling hand picked up a piece of fried potato and placed it in her mouth. Willa smiled. "Relax, Ellie. I keep telling you, you don't have to be afraid around me."

"I'm not..."

"You are."

"I..." her hair fell across her face. "I have trouble letting people close. I never had anyone that cared enough to get close to me growing up and I lived alone as an adult until...." She stopped suddenly.

Willa nudged her gently with her shoulder. "Until those men got ahold of you."

Eleanor's eyes were wide as fifty cent pieces when she looked at Willa. "How do you know about that?"

"Craig told me you were taken captive by a gang. And that they got Wyatt too. Said that you were with them for months."

"He shouldn't have said anything," Eleanor dropped her gaze again. "Those were horrible times. I didn't know if I was going to live or die. Every day I wondered what new horrors I would have to live through and most days I'd pray they'd just get tired of me and end it all. Those men.. the things they did..." She stopped talking and was silent for several long moments. "I don't know why I just said all that. I shouldn't have.."

"Yeah you should have. Hell, Ellie, I've shared a hell of a lot with you. I've told you about being so damn lonely and following dead end after dead end just trying to find one person I could call family. I'm glad you finally trusted me enough to open up a bit."

Eleanor remained silent.

Willa sighed. "But you know that part of your life is over. You aren't a kid by yourself anymore. You aren't a woman living alone. You got a family that clearly loves you and... you got me."

A cautious smile curved Eleanor's lips as she met Willa's gaze again. "I know... I'm.. I'm glad I've got you."