Renegades and Pretty Women

Chapter Twenty-Eight

 "To apologize to her would be so simple, but instead he cries 'I'll be damned if I crawl'. If he loses her he's lost his best friend and more than just a lover can provide. So he wrestles with emotions that defeat him. Chalk another love lost up to foolish pride." Travis Tritt 'Foolish Pride'

“Who’s watchin’ the lovers?” Joe asked Jonah as he joined her beside the tiny fire she had built away from the main camp that night.

“Reb’s got his eye on them.” Jonah assured her and then his gray eyes fixed her with a concerned stare. “Now we need to talk.”

Joe felt that familiar tremble wash over her as Jonah’s eyes looked into hers. Quickly she looked away and poked at the fire with a stick.

“What?”

“How about we start with you telling me what the hell is wrong with you?”

“Excuse me?” Joe snapped, glaring over at him.

“You haven’t acted right since Biggley Falls….”

“Yer just mad cuz we ain’t laid together since then.” Joe replied with a shrug. “I just ain’t been in the mood, Jonah…”

“No, it’s not just that.” Jonah argued. “You’ve barely spoken to me. Did I do something to piss you off?”

“I’m just fine, Jonah.” Joe assured him. Truth was she was far from okay. The end was coming for she and Jonah and Joe knew she was going to be powerless to stop it.

“So what are you going to do once this is over?” Jonah questioned and Joe shrugged.

“Head back to the cabin, I guess. Try to get some trappin’ done and get a bit of extra money. I’m hoping to travel up the northwest a ways. I’ve heard there’s some good furs to be got up there. I’d like to get enough money to not have to work too hard for a year or two.” she replied, though she made sure to not tell Jonah the real reason why she was hoping to not have to trap too much the next year.

“What about you?” Joe asked Jonah. He shrugged.

“Don’t know yet. Might see about gambling and putting some money back.”

Joe nodded. Jonah’s future didn’t include her, that much was obvious. Before she could say anything else, Jonah moved closer and pressed his lips to hers.

Joe wanted to give in. She wanted to let him make love to her, let herself be weak with him…. But she couldn’t.

All she kept seeing was the pity filled glances that Bart and Reb were always sending in her direction whenever Jonah denied loving her. All she kept hearing was a chant in her head repeating ‘Jonah’s fool’ so loudly that she could not drown it out.

She would not be his fool. This game had been her idea in the beginning but now the rules had changed and Joe no longer wanted to play…. Not while Jonah was holding all the cards and Joe was sitting there with a losing hand. A good gambler always knew when to fold.

Joe pulled away from him and Jonah suddenly looked angry.

“I don’t know what the hell your problem is but as soon as you’re done acting like some moody woman…”

“I am a woman, dammit!” Joe exclaimed as she stood up. “I’m a woman, not a whore, and I don’t wanna be treated like one anymore.”

Anger flared in Jonah’s gray eyes as he rose to his feet as well. “I have never treated you like a whore.” he argued.

“Yes ya have! Every damn time I’ve spread my legs fer you!” Joe stormed away toward the main camp but Jonah followed after her.

“That’ s a hell of a thing for you to say!” he bellowed, not seeming to care that they now had the attention of everyone else in camp.