Thief of My Heart (Watty Awards Finalist 2012)

Chapter 20

The rushing Pecos river wound noisily southwestward towards the Rio Grande.  Fluffy white clouds floated lazily eastward against a brilliant blue sky.  A westerly breeze set the surrounding trees into a synchronized swaying dance.  And the late afternoon sun shone down on two weary ex outlaws as they rested by the fireside in the clearing, waiting for the unconscious young woman lying nearby to awaken.  Heyes watched  her, while the Kid watched Heyes.   Kid had taken a short nap and lay awake now observing his friend.

Hannibal Heyes was in love.  There was no question about it. He'd never said the words out loud, but just like Evangeline had told him, some things didn't have to be said, they were understood.  And Kid Curry understood.  After saving her life twice, his feelings for Evangeline had gone from theory to absolute fact. At least from Kid Curry's view.

"Hey, Kid?  You awake?" Heyes asked never taking his eyes of Evie.

"Yeah, I'm awake, Heyes."

"Do you think she's gonna be mad?"

"She might be a little upset at first, but when she understands that you had to get her clothes off to...."

"No, no, I mean about you and me.  Who we really are.  Me  lying to her this whole time.  I think she's gonna be mad."

"You've  saved her life, Heyes.  Twice.  Don't you think that's gonna soften the blow just a bit?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Not to mention the fact that I think she's just about as in love with you as you are with her.  So I'm pretty sure she'll forgive you."

Heyes head snapped sideways to stare at his partner.  Could it be true?  Could Evangeline be in love with him?  Women had claimed to be in love with him before.  But they had really been in love with their romantic notion of being in love with an outlaw.  He didn't think any of them had ever really loved him.  None of them had ever really taken the time to get to know who he really was.   They had always been swept up  in the glamour and excitement of being romanced by the most wanted man in the west.  The leader of the most notorious gang  west of the Mississippi.  But Evie.... she had only known him as Joshua Smith. She had no prior knowledge of who he really was or the things he'd done when she met him.   He knew she felt gratitude towards him, but love?

"I don't think you're gonna have to wait much longer to find out."

Heyes turned his eyes from his partner to the sleeping girl.  She was starting to stir. Had it only been a week ago that he'd sat by the fire in the night waiting for her to regain consciousness, just like now.  Only this time, he wasn't bracing himself for hysterical grief.  He honestly didn't know what to expect from her this time.  "Considering we did save her life, maybe she won't be too upset." 

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She had been out for a couple of hours when she started to stir.  She blinked her blurry eyes open.  She felt incredibly warm.  And light, like a feather on the breeze.  She was so warm.  There was a fire nearby, the early evening sun beat down on her, and she was wrapped tightly in a blanket.   She moved to sit up and throw the blanket off her.

"No! Don't!"  The two familiar male voices shouting in tandem halted her movements.

"Joshua?  Thaddeus?  What's the matter?"

"Don't take the blanket off just yet,"  Joshua said.

She glanced down at the blanket.  Then lifting the edge of the blanket she peeked underneath.  Her mouth fell open.  She turned wide eyes on the two men sitting there with guilty yet apologetic smiles on their faces,  and gaped at them.  "I'm.....naked."  She whispered the last word.  She saw her clothes and shoes hanging near the fire to dry.