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

Chapter Thirteen

Joe tossed out the last bucket of dirty wash water and swiped her arm across her brow. “I reckon it’s clean.” She said with a sigh.

                “I sure hope so.’ Clayton grumbled as he slid down the wall and flopped onto his butt on the dirt.

                “Me too, kid.” Jonah agreed, flopping down beside him. “We’ve been cleaning for damn near two days solid.”

                Joe just shook her head at the two lazy men in her life. Of course she was pretty worn out herself. It had taken nearly a week to get to the old cabin and they’d been working hard to clean and do repairs for the last couple of days just to make the place fit to live in.

                “I’m thirsty, pa.” Clayton muttered and Joe was going to tell the boy to go get his own drink but before she could Jonah was pushing himself to his feet.

                “A sip of water sounds good to me too, boy.”

                “Jonah, ya gotta stop doin’ everthin’ for that boy! Yer gonna spoil him rotten!” Joe scolded and Jonah just shrugged as he pumped some fresh water into a bucket and then ladled out a spoonful. He grinned before pouring it down his own throat and then motioned for Clayton to come to him.

                Joe just shook her head as Clayton ran to Jonah and he helped the boy down several big swallows. It was then that Reb walked over from the smokehouse.

                “I fixed that whole and got the coals a burnin’. Clayton ya wanna come huntin’ with me? A smokehouse ain’t no good without a bit of meat in it.”

                “Can I mama?” Clayton asked and Joe nodded.

                “Sure ya can.” She replied. “Go get the extra rifle from under my bed.”

                “I’ll keep him out until at least dusk.” Reb said with a grin. “Y’all have fun.” The man winked, at least Joe assumed he was winking, it was hard to tell when a person only had one eye. 

                Joe felt a tremble wash over her when Jonah’s gray eyes passed over her hungrily. They hadn’t made love since he’d come back into her life. The moment had simply never seemed right. First she had been sick and then they’d been traveling with Clayton sleeping between them most nights and last night, their first night here, they’d had Reb and Clayton sleeping right outside the bedroom door and then Clayton had had a nightmare about the men who had hurt her and he’d ended up between them yet again.

But now Joe and Jonah were going to be completely alone and judging by the passion in Jonah’s eyes as he stared into Joe’s, it was clear the man was done waiting… And so was she.

“I can already see them explosives flashin in yer eyes.” Reb teased.   Joe glared over at the one eyed bastard that needed to mind his own business.

“Why don’t ya leave us alone and go spend time with yer wife?” she demanded.  Reb’s eye nearly bulged from its socket.

“Wife?! That’s a curse word to a man like me! What the devil are ya talkin’ ‘bout?”

“You didn’t already forget about her did you?” Jonah asked with a grin. “She was a big boned gal from out in California.”

Joe laughed when Reb seemed to shiver from head to toe. “Yeah, I remember her.” He muttered and then he glared at Jonah. “Ya weren’t never ‘spose to mention that to nobody!” he accused, pointing a finger up at the taller man’s face. “Don’t yer word mean nothin’ to ya?”