Renegades and Stubborn Pride (sequal to Renegades and Pretty Women)

Chapter Eight

 

                The pain in her leg had lessened. That was the first thing that Joe noticed as her senses began to return to her. She was hungry, that was the second thing she noticed. And the third thing that came to her mind was how warm and comfortable she was.

                Joe opened her eyes and felt her heart tighten in her chest. She had thought that Jonah showing up had simply been a dream, brought on by fever, but here he was. His rugged, sleeping face was mere inches from her own. Joe could feel his warm breath against her skin and he had one strong arm draped over her waist.

                Something squirmed between their bodies and Joe glanced down to see Clayton snuggled up in the cocoon that Joe and Jonah’s bodies made for him.

                Joe’s throat clogged with emotion that she quickly swallowed down.  This is what life should have been; Jonah, their son and herself all together.  But Jonah had thrown all that away and she would do well to remember that and not get caught up in the sweet peacefulness of this moment….

                But it couldn’t hurt to enjoy it for, at least for a few seconds.

                She listened to her son and Jonah breathing deeply. Both of them were snoring lightly and the sound of it caused a smile to spread across her face. Clayton was so much like his father. Not only did he look like him but he had a softer side that Joe knew he hadn’t gotten from her, he was good with animals and he snored something terrible.

                Joe heard Jonah’s breathing change and knew the man was beginning to wake up. Not wanting to be in such a vulnerable position when he did, Joe moved out of his arms and slowly got to her feet. Her leg still hurt her terribly but it no longer felt as hot or swollen. Her wrists were a mess but Joe knew they would heal and she’d have a few new scars to brag about.

                “Nice to see ya lookin’ a bit more alive this morning.” Reb said as he walked over to her and handed her a canteen and several strips of jerked beef.

                Joe took several deep swallows of water and then began to chew on the first food she’d had in days, a groan slipping from her lips at just how delicious it tasted. The fact that Reb’s jerky tasted like a delicacy told her just how starved she had been since she happened to know for a fact that it really tasted like stale horse piss.

                “Thank ya, Reb, for takin’ care of my son and findin’ me.” Joe glanced around, through the early dawn fog and frowned. “Where is Bart?” she asked with concern.

                “He snuck off last night.” Reb replied with a shrug. “And It’s Jonah that ya need to be thankin’. That boy took up with him real quick and if it weren’t fer Jonah’s tracking skills we might not have found ya.”

                Joe swallowed and glanced back over at Jonah and Clayton. Jonah was awake now but he wasn’t looking at she and Reb. Instead he was staring down at his son, who was wrapped in his arms.