The Gallows' Bounty (West of Second Chances) (26 page)

As the feeling peaked in intensity, Boden gripped her hips and increased the force of the rhythm.  He lost his own control.  She was too far gone to care.

Willow
became weightless then, soaring beyond herself.  She had felt nothing like it before and knew Boden had finally warmed all of her.

She felt him shudder beneath her and smiled that he had been as affected by their passion as she.

BODEN HAD NEVER EXPECTED
loving to feel like this.  Few men ever discussed the joy of making love to their woman.  Perhaps that was because the men who discussed such things hadn’t loved their women.   They certainly hadn’t respected them.

He’d never be able to put into words what had just happened between himself and
Willow.  No, he’d cherish the memory in his mind and savor it for the rest of his life.

Maneuvering
Willow and himself to their sides, Boden tucked his wife close, unwilling as yet to be separated from her.  He felt so good, and he hoped she felt as wonderful as he did.

He absently stroked her side with his hand and placed a kiss on the top of her head.  She snuggled closer. Well, she must have at least liked it.  He had to be sure though.

“Did you–” how to finish the question?–“like it?” 
Well, didn’t that just sound stupid
?

“I loved it,” was her whispered response.

He felt his confidence return.

“I never thought being with a man could be like that,” she expounded.

Quiet ensued for a moment, and Boden could tell Willow wrestled with a question of her own.  He gave her a bit to decide if she was planning to ask it or not.

She finally did.  “Was this pleasant for you?”

It had taken her that long to build up the courage to ask him that?
  He grinned.  “It was pleasant all right.  So pleasant, I wouldn’t mind dying doing it.”

“You’re sure?” She was so endearingly unsure of herself.

He rushed to reassure her.  “It was the best I’ve ever had.”

“And have you had many?” She blushed the instant the words were out her mouth, and he realized she hadn’t thought over that question at all.  “I didn’t mean…”

He interrupted her embarrassed stammering with the truth.  “Actually, you’re all I’ve ever had.”

She pulled back from him slightly and met his eyes.  Her gaze said he had to be lying. He wasn’t.  She read the honesty in his eyes and promptly began to cry.

Now what had he done?  Shouldn’t a woman be pleased her man had taken only her to his bed?  At least, he’d thought she would be.

He didn’t have to ask her what the matter was however.  She sobbed it out.  “How can you–want a woman like–me?  You’re too–good–for me.”

Understanding dawned.  “The hell I am.”

“You are,”
Willow retorted between sobs.

He grabbed her chin then and held it firmly in his hands.  “That,
Willow, is one thing I won’t allow you to argue with me about in this marriage.  You have no reason to feel guilty.”

She nodded her captive jaw, evidently convinced by the impassioned nature of his statement.  Good.  He’d meant every word of it.

WORKING THROUGH A TANGLE
here and there, Willow ran her fingers through her hair.  Her toes curled on the cold planks of the floor.  The cold didn’t bother her so much for her eyes followed her husband, the man now her husband in every sense of the word.

Ezra’s muscles coiled beneath the shirt he’d put on to carry the bathtub outside and dump the water.  He carried the cumbersome tin tub down the porch stairs with an ease few men could boast.

She would have looked at him in fear not so long ago, but now she looked at him with love. He had surprised her with his understanding and his care of her.  He had shielded her and protected her from so much already.

“Chilly night,” he said as he rejoined her in the warmth of the kitchen.

He warmed himself at the stove.

“I believe that’s an understatement.”  The temperature had dropped rapidly over the past few hours, the hours they’d spent in bed.

Her fingers caught in her hair, and she turned her concentration to the tangle. But her hands gave up the effort and moved to encircle his waist as he stepped close and took over the detangling.

“I can see the problem better from up here,” he said and chuckled, “though my fingers are a bit clumsy.”

His hands weren’t clumsy; they were merely large.  He’d proven both earlier.  And they made her body respond like she hadn’t known it could.  Beneath his hands, her body had come apart in a million pieces, shattered.

He worked quietly for a while before speaking again.  “Wish we hadn’t forgotten a brush.  We’ll have to get you one the next time we’re in town.”

“I don’t think that’s necessary,” she said.

“Why not?” he questioned.

“I kind of like this better than a brush.”

“I think I do, too,” he said.

She drew up on her tiptoes and kissed him on the mouth.  Boden took what she offered and made the kiss magical.

She snuggled closer to him when he tried to draw away.  “How do you do that?”

“What’s that?”

“Warm my toes,” she responded.

“I put all of my love for you into my touch.”

She froze.  He loved her.

“Willow?” Boden prodded when she didn’t respond. 

“You just caught me unaware,”
Willow said.  She had expected to be loved once, but not after her life with Roberts.

“I hope it was a pleasant surprise,” his face looked as confident as always, but his eyes couldn’t mask his vulnerability.

And somehow that hint of vulnerability pleased her.  His heart was in as much jeopardy as hers.

Willow
decided to bare her feelings as well.  “I love you, too, Ezra Boden.”

Their lips met again.  A few long strides later found them behind closed bedroom doors for the second time that day.

T
HAT'S EXACTLY WHERE NATHAN
would have found them if he hadn’t learned to knock before entering Boden’s home.  Nathan was sure of it.

Boden looked like he’d just wrestled a steer, the way his shirt was half-tucked in, his hair tousled, and his fly yet unbuttoned.  Nathan let out a hearty chuckle.

“Shut up, Nathan,” Boden said as he gestured for him to take a seat at the kitchen table and straightened his appearance.

Nathan had a bit of fun with Boden before
Willow joined them.  “What’s that mark on your neck?”

Boden set the coffee cup down in a flash, his hand going to his neck.  That was before he caught the teasing gleam in his friend’s eyes.

“You’re rotten to the core, Nathan.”  Boden set the cup of coffee in front of his friend and took a seat as well.

Nathan had half-expected Boden to dump the coffee in his lap.  Thankfully, he’d refrained.  Nathan was sure it would make riding the range a bit uncomfortable.

“What’d you find out on French?”

Nathan finished his sip of coffee then answered.  “We found him strutting around town like he hadn’t been involved in a gunfight.  He had all of his friends hanging around him.  We were out-numbered.  Figured you’d want us to wait for Owens instead of incite a blood bath.”

Nathan knew Boden had turned to Marshal Henry Owens for help.  The men had ridden together for a while before Boden had taken up bounty hunting.  Over that time, they’d become close friends, brothers of a sort.

“Did French have an explanation for what he did?”
Willow asked as she came into the room.

Nathan thought the woman looked loved.  She was all flushed and soft looking.  The sight brought back memories of his own wife, and he missed his Laura even more.

“Claimed Boden’s just mad at him for what he’s done to you two in the past.  He let on that Boden initiated the gunfight.”

“He’s probably believing his own lies by now,”
Willow stated, taking a chair next to her husband.

The foreman nodded.  “Threatened to shoot us up if we didn’t leave.”

“That probably wasn’t all he threatened,” Willow commented.

The look in her eye told Nathan she wanted further details, but he wasn’t going to give them to her.  They’d just rile her up.  He’d gotten right riled himself when French had threatened to arrest
Willow for shooting James.  The sheriff had even gone so far as to say he’d make sure she hanged this time around.  Nathan could tell Willow wanted to press the subject, and he was thankful when Boden steered the conversation away from French’s threats.

“Unless we want an out and out war, we’d best wait for Owens,” Boden said.  He rose then and filled another cup of coffee.  “At least that way we'll have the law on our side.”

He set that cup in front of Willow with a quick peck to her cheek and a “Here you go, darlin’.”

Nathan bit his lip to keep from laughing.  The man was smitten.  The notorious Butcher Boden looked nothing like the man who’d brought in countless criminals by whatever means necessary.

Boden took his seat again.  “Keep an eye out for French.   He’ll try again.”

“I learned a long time ago to listen to your warnings,” Nathan commented seriously.  He’d learned the lesson too late to save his wife’s life, but he’d learned it.

Boden picked up on Nathan’s mood and let the conversation die for a while.  When he picked it back up, Boden talked about the next storm that both men felt sure would hit the area sometime tomorrow afternoon.

“We’d better move the cattle closer before that storm hits,” Boden informed him.

“Got it, boss,” Nathan said, rising.  He needed to get the word to the other hands.

“Good night, Nathan,”
Willow said.

Boden rose from the table and followed him to the door.  “Keep an eye out for
Willow, Nathan.”

“I think your wife’s proven she can take care of herself,” Nathan stated, then added with a grin, “and you too for that matter.”

Sadly, Boden ignored his jibe, saying, “I know, but–”

“Laura could take care of herself, too.  I know.  And it didn’t save her.” 
It saved me,
Nathan thought.  He shook off the thought, looking his friend in the eye.  “I’ll keep an eye out for her.”

“I didn’t mean to bring Laura up again,” Boden said.

Nathan sighed.  “You don’t have to worry, friend.  I think about her all of the time anyway.”

“Good night,” Boden said then.

And Nathan stepped out into the night, hoping Ezra never faced the pain he faced every day.

LATER THAT NIGHT EZRA
and Willow curled up for an early night of sleep.  However, Willow had one more question for her husband, one Nathan’s visit had delayed her asking.

“Boden?”

“Hmm?” he returned, although already half asleep.

“I just have to ask you one more question.”

“And what’s that?”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why at twenty-four years of age is a man loving a woman for the first time?” Truly he baffled her.  She’d never known a man to control himself so.

He rolled over in the bed and tucked her into his side before saying in her ear, “Never met a woman I’d wanted in my bed before.”

“Yeah, right,” was her cynical response to his romantic admission.

He laughed then, fully awakened by her response.  “There were women who caught my eye, but none I wanted to take that step with.”

“Why not?”

“Lots of reasons,” he answered evasively.

“Like?” she persisted.

“I didn’t want to leave a kid fatherless or worse yet be a father like mine was.”

“That doesn’t bother most men.”

“It would have bothered me.  My father left bastards and battered women all over the territory.  He thinks he's managed to keep most of it a secret, but I know.  I decided I didn’t want to be anything like him.  He hurt too many people that way.”

“You think a lot for a man,”
Willow mused.

Boden laughed aloud again.  “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

That ended the conversation for a while. Willow was about to drift off to sleep when she heard Boden say, “I do have twenty-four years to make up for.”

“Hmm?” she murmured, slow to comprehend what he meant.

She understood his meaning fully when he drew her close.  She smiled.

AS HE WALKED TOWARD
the house, Boden contemplated his sleepless night.  For one, he hadn’t been able to keep his hands off of Willow when he’d been awake. For another, when he’d finally fallen asleep, he’d dreamt about Laura taking the bullet intended for Nathan.  Only, in the dream, Willow became Laura and himself, Nathan.  Willow took the bullet meant for him, and Boden was powerless to stop the bleeding, to halt the dying. He’d awakened twice consumed by pure horror and stark pain.

The dream had felt so much like reality he’d checked to be sure
Willow was unharmed.  He’d tucked her warm, breathing body close to his and tried to fall asleep again, but he’d been assailed by another thought—he hadn’t been able to soothe Nathan’s grief and no one would be able to soothe him either if something happened to Willow.

The warmth of
Willow’s kitchen drew him from his reverie as he stepped into the house.  He shook off the heavy cloud that had followed him through his morning chores and smiled for her.  He didn’t want her to worry.

“I’m heading north.” Ezra closed the door, preventing any more cold air from rushing in behind him.

“Mmm…” was Willow’s only response.  She bent over the kitchen table, kneading dough and paying him little attention.

He knew just how to fix that.  He sneaked up behind her and placed his cold hands on her neck.

Willow jumped at the contact and turned to face him.  Her hands were covered in flour and sticky with dough.  “Your hands are cold.”

Ezra rubbed his hands together, blowing on them now and again.  “Care to warm them up for me?”

“No,” came the quick reply.

He reached for her again, but this time she evaded his cold fingers and held her doughy ones as weapons.

“I’d hate to get this dough in your whiskers.” She put the table between them and cast him a taunting look.

He wasn’t sure what had come over her. Maybe it was what had occurred between them the night before, but he was glad for it whatever it was.  It was good to see her laugh.  He liked to think he’d put the smile on her face.

“I’ll get you before you manage to get me,” he teased.

“And why’s that?”

“My arms are longer,” he asserted.

With that, he skirted the table and caught his wife around the waist. “Gotcha,” he gloated.

She laughed then.

For Ezra it was no longer about cold or floury hands.  It was about laughter and being close.

And she was close.  So close that he could feel the curves of her body pressed against the firmness of his.  Smell her sweet, womanly scent.

She became quiet.

He became quiet.

He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her briefly.  The short, quick kiss dulled his senses just long enough.  Before he knew it, she was running her doughy hands through his hair.  He pulled away from her.

“Willow!” he shouted on a laugh.

He tickled her then.  She twisted and giggled in his arms, unintentionally rubbing her body against him.  Or maybe it was intentional.  She tended to be full of surprises.

He drew her close for another kiss.  When he finished, she washed her hands and went back to her dough.  He went back to the door.

“I came in to tell you I’m headin’ north to check on some cattle.”  He began to pick the dough from his hair, but soon realized it was like mud, best left to dry and be picked out later.

She gave him her full attention, the remnants of her smile disappearing.

“The boys and I are headin’ out to move the cattle in before the storm gets here,” he continued.  “The deer are moving and the skies have grown dark.”

“I noticed that too,” she added with a glance out the window.  It wasn’t uncommon to see a lot of the local wildlife out and about before a big storm hit.

“Anyway, I’m going to herd the cattle a bit closer to the ranch.  Might have to put some of the late calves in the barn and throw out some hay bales if the weather gets too bad.”

“All right,” she said.

“Nathan’s boys will be coming over in a bit to keep you company,” he said.  He hoped she wouldn’t mind.

“I doubt they’ll want to sit around here with me,” she said, looking puzzled.  “They usually ride out with you men.”

“They do, but Nathan’s concerned the weather will get really bad, and he’d rather keep them home in that case,” Ezra explained.  “But don’t be tellin’ them that.  They think we’re leavin’ them behind to keep an eye on you.”

“Great,” she said with a grin, “they’ll probably insist on escorting me to the outhouse.”

Boden returned her grin.  “Yeah, they’re takin’ their assignment seriously.  Nate said the boys were armed to the teeth.”

“I might be in more danger from them,” Willow said and real concern etched her face.

Boden shook his head.  “Those two may be boys, but they’ve both been taught how to handle themselves.  They know better than to fool around.  You’ll be almost as safe as if Nathan and I were here.”

“The way those two idolize you both, they’d probably love to hear you say that,” Willow commented. 

“It would go straight to their heads,” Boden said.  He paused with his hand on the latch unsure if he should say what was on his mind.

Willow looked at him expectantly.  “What is it?”

“Be careful and keep an eye out.  The rifle’s over the door, and it’s loaded.”

She nodded then, and he was glad he’d expressed his concern.  He hated to leave her with just the boys for protection.  No matter how competent they were, they were still boys, but he had work that needed to be done.

Stepping close, he gave
Willow a lingering kiss.  “That’s to keep me warm,” he said, and with a tip of his hat, he lifted the latch on the door.  Outside he climbed atop Beast, heading north.

THE BOYS ARRIVED SHORTLY
after Boden left, and Willow fought hard to stifle her giggles.  They looked like a miniature set of Nathan and Boden.  Like her husband had predicted, they were armed to the teeth.  They both carried shotguns into the house and propped them by the door.  Knives peaked out from the tops of their boots, and Willow suspected other weapons were tucked in more places she couldn’t see.  Both of them were extremely careful when they sat down to the kitchen table.

“You boys want some milk and cookies?” she asked, turning to hide her smile from them.