Innocence and the Outlaw

Chapter Eight

Petey still made her nervous. Nearly every time she saw him he was watching her. Staring at her with lust and hatred in his blue eyes. Though he was careful to hide himself whenever Chase was near her. That was why she chose to keep to the tent nearly every moment when Chase was not around.

But today was a special day. Chase had grabbed her by the arm unexpectedly, thrown her on his horse and rode off over the plains with her without saying a word.

They had stopped miles from camp, beside a sparkling pool of water and large oaks. Wildflowers of every color bloomed in the spring sunshine. Filling the green grasses with flashes of yellow, white, orange and pink.

"This is beautiful!" Leah gasped as Chase dismounted and then put his hands on her waist and pulled her down, keeping her body pressed against his own.

"It is my favorite place. This is where I want us to have our home."

"So close to the camp?!" Leah exclaimed as she turned in his arms and pressed her back into his chest. Chase's arms wrapped around her and he rested his chin on her dark hair.

"The camp will be moving within the next two or three weeks. They will be moving on to a new place and I want a home here with you."

"I would love that, Chase."

"A log cabin just there on that tiny hill. A few heads of cattle, pigs, sheep and chickens. Enough to keep our family fed. We'll plant crops out there and we can breed and sell cattle for money."

"You've really thought about this." Leah stated with surprise and Chase smiled against her hair.

"Only since I've met you. I never wanted roots. I never wanted to settle down. You have made me want to live a different kind of life."

"Why don't we start now?" Leah asked as she turned in his arms again and looked up at him. He sighed.

"I have no money to start our life with. There is a job coming in a few days. I'll be leaving with Boss and most of the men for three days and coming back a rich man."

"A job? What kind of job?" Leah asked suspiciously.

"You don't really want to know that."

"Are you going to... to kill someone?"

"Only if they try to kill me first." Chase replied without apology. "I can promise you that this money is coming from a place that it will not be missed. I do not steal money from hardworking people who need their money."

Leah was silent and Chase could read the worry and trepidation on her face.

"I have to do what I must, Leah. I have searched for jobs doing other things and never made it past the front gate because of my dark skin, long hair and Apache face." Still Leah said nothing.

"You are ashamed of me. Are you thinking you made a mistake by accepting me?"

"No!" Leah quickly reassured him. She had learned over the last month that while he was a man of incredible strength, patience and power he was also insecure about his Indian heritage and constantly worried that she would push him away because of it. "I will never be ashamed of you or regret my decision to stay with you. You are a product of circumstance and despite the hardships you've encountered you are a good man. If there is one thing I've learned in the last month it is that life isn't black and white the way my father tried to make it seem."

"No, life is gray." Chase agreed.

"I hate that people hate you simply because of your blood."