Innocence and the Outlaw

Chapter Twenty-Four

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.