Give My Love to Rose(1st in Outlaw Series)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Seven

The days passed quickly, flying into weeks which, in turn, became months. Marston had never been more satisfied with his life than he was now. He had a son and he had a woman who was a wife to him in every way that mattered. He'd offered to make the marriage legal but no one in the backwater town was ordained to do so and Marston was too keen on having some nosy two-bit government type give him a sheet of paper with a signature on it.

Hell, all that mattered was what was in Marston's heart and Rose's heart and as far as either of them was concerned, they were husband and wife.

Marston listened to the early morning sounds of spring outside the bedroom window as Rose breathed gently against his chest and he held her close. He closed his eyes, deciding that he didn't need to rush off to work today, and he was nearly asleep once again when the peace of the morning was shattered by Rose tensing and letting out a scream before attempting to leap from his arms.

Marston sighed and did his best to comfort and soothe her as she jerked, kicked and punched for all she was worth, struggling against his hold. Marston hated this. It made him feel helpless and powerless and neither were feelings he enjoyed. Nothing in the world was worse on a man than seeing the woman he loved suffering being able to do nothing to stop her pain.

"Rose, love, who's hurting you?" he asked gently, grunting when her elbow sank between his ribs. He didn't honestly think she'd answer even in her dream state but she shocked him when she opened her mouth.

"Gilliam."

Marston finally had a name.

His shock at her admission had his hold on her loosening and that proved to be a mistake as she was still asleep and that nightmare was still plaguing her. Her fist shot up and the heel of her hand caught Marston in the nose.

"Dammit!" he bellowed, leaping away from her and clutching at his face.

Rose's eyes flew open and horror filled their blue depths. "Did I hit you?"

Marston paused in his ranting string of curses and mustered a grin behind his hand. "No, I hit myself."

Tears filled Rose's eyes and Marston felt blood trickling between his fingers. Damn the woman had a mean right hook.

"Oh god... you're bleeding!" she gasped, sobs building in her chest.

Marston sighed. "I'm fine, Rose. I've had worse. Can you get me a towel?"

Rose quickly left the bedroom, her nightdress swishing around her ankles as she dashed from the room. She returned moments later with a small towel and Marston pressed the cotton tight against his bleeding nose. "Did I break it?" Rose whispered, wringing her hands.

Marston chuckled, the sound muffled with the towel on his face. "No, you didn't break it," he assured her. "You just hurt its feelings real bad."

Rose frowned and smoothed his thick brown hair from his brow. "I'm sorry."

Marston waved his hand dismissively. "No need for apologies. I've taken harder licks than that and I'm still here."

Guilt was still etched deep in Rose's features and when Marston pulled the towel away and she saw the bright red blood staining it, her face paled considerably. "I've never hit anyone...."

Marston laughed lightly as he felt his nose. It was done bleeding and it was tender as hell but he'd be just fine. "You should make a habit of doing it more," he teased. "You have a good arm."