Saving Grace (#1 in the Red Valley Series)

Chapter 12

"Six weeks or so, I think."

"It's settled then. We'll get married tomorrow and the day after I'll rent a private carriage for the ride home."

"Umm, I really don't want to get married here. People already think I'm married to you. Could we get married in another town? And I don't need a carriage. I can ride a horse."

"Yes, we can get married in the next town we come to and no, you are not going to ride a horse. You could fall off and – and I could lose you both. I don't think I could go on if I lost you." Cole rubbed her belly again and was rewarded with a sound kick to his palm. "What did you tell people happened to me anyway?'

"I told them we were on our way to California. You went out hunting one morning and your horse came back but you didn't; that we never found your body. So, I guess you could say that your horse got startled and threw you and you hit your head and that you've been looking for me. But Cole, I'm scared and I'm still not sure about going back to Red Valley. You don't know Jeremiah or what he's capable of."

"No, he doesn't know what I'm capable of. I won't lose you or our baby. We've both lost too many people we loved and it stops now. Neither one of us is going to run from out past anymore. Now close your eyes and get some sleep. We're going to have a busy day tomorrow. I love you, Grace." Cole said as he tightened his arms around her.

"I love you too."

Cole had been right. The next day was extremely busy. Grace introduced Cole to Sara and told her about his "miraculous appearance", she also told Sara that she was leaving Hot Springs. Grace got all of her things packed, as well as bought supplies for the trip home.

Grace knew that Cole was an exceptionally good looking man. The way he carried himself with confidence combined with his height, and the gun riding low on his hips made him stand out. By the time they got back to her room that evening she was just plumb mad. Every woman they passed either stared at him, or flirted, or both. She had never thought herself a jealous person but obviously she was.

It only made it worse that she was as big as a barn and most of these women were slim and very pretty. It did make her feel a little better knowing that Cole was oblivious to the stares the women of Hot Springs were giving him. It also helped that as soon as they were in her room again he locked the door and carried her to the bed and made love to her until they were both breathless.

Grace was laying on her back and Cole was laying with his head on her chest and his arm around her stomach. It seemed that when they were alone he kept his hand on her stomach. "You don't mind that I can't seem to keep my hands off of you?"

"No, I don't mind. In fact, I love it. I can't tell you how many nights I laid in this bed with my hand on my stomach wishing you were here and as excited about the baby as I am."

He raised his head and pressed his lips to hers. "I'll never let you go again."

"Why did you push me away to begin with?"

"I thought you would be better off without me. I thought that if you were just my housekeeper that no one would ever hurt you to get to me, like Billy did. I thought I was protecting you."

"I have a confession to make, well two really. First, when I offered you the job and then left to go get the cattle; I drove Kit, Rory and the cattle as hard as I could to get home because I wanted to see you. I missed you, even then. Second, I walked into my house and found this beautiful angel asleep in the tub in my kitchen."

Grace gasped. "You missed.... You walked in and found me sleeping? But I heard you stomping across the porch and....."

"That's right. You heard me stomping up the steps and across the porch. Have you ever heard me walk up behind you since then?"