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Something twisted within Elijah, something very close to the emotion he had felt the first time he took her in his arms. “I am not an easy man. Nor do I think I will be singing you songs, but I will bring you flowers every day except during the winter time.”
She laughed and it wrapped around his heart and warmed him in ways he never expected. “I will protect you and our children until my breath leaves my body. And I will equip you and any children we have with the ability to survive in this land. More than survive it. I will teach you how to remain strong in the face of danger and hardship. How to fight when something is worth fighting for. How to defend, how to love, and how to never abandon hope.”
She nodded happily. “I will marry you Elijah.”
She tried to hug him and winced.
“Move easy,” he said and ensured she was propped comfortably.
“You are happy about the baby?” she asked him and he hated that she still seemed anxious.
Sometimes he found simple honesty to be the best response. “Yes.”
Her smile dimmed. “Do we know who shot me?”
He exhaled shortly. “Yes.”
“Sullivan?”
“I visited him and he swore it was not him.”
Her eyes widened. “You visited him?”
Elijah gave her the unvarnished truth. “Sullivan woke as the sun was rising to see the barrel of my Winchester in his face.”
She sucked in a harsh breath. “Is he alive?”
“Yes.”
Relief filled her blue eyes. “Why did he do it?” She whispered, her hands going protectively to her belly.
“He swore he did not give any such order nor did he pull the trigger himself.”
“You believed him?”
Elijah thought back on the man’s fear. He’d believed that Sullivan in his bitterness had ordered for Sheridan to be killed. But beyond the terror of facing down a rifle at such close range, he had seen the truth behind Sullivan flustered speech. Elijah had warned him a final time that Sheridan was his and he would marry her. So if there was any thought to harm him to get to her, they would have to take on his brothers and the triple K. But Sullivan had pointed the fingers at Bartley and Joshua had gone hunting. And it seemed spot on, for Bartley had left the crazy eight shortly after. But Elijah was confident Joshua would find him. It had curdled Elijah’s gut to tell Joshua to bring Bartley in to face the law and not kill him. Joshua had treated Elijah to a cold smile, and he had known in that moment he would never see Bartley again.
“I believe him. Sullivan will never hound you again. I have made it known to all that you are my woman, and you will be my wife.”
Her shoulder relaxed and she bestowed on him the sweetest smile he’d ever seen from her. “So confident of my response were you?”
He nodded. “Very”.
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She chortled and then sobered. “I love you, Elijah, more so every day.”
“I know.”
“And I will endeavor to be a woman that you are proud of, a strong woman.”
He leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers, “You already are, Sheridan. You’re already that woman.”
Then he claimed her lips in a kiss.
Three months later…
Elijah and Sheridan exchanged their vows overlooking the prairie with Joshua and Beth as their witnesses. Sheridan stood under the gazebo Elijah had built for her, staring at the daunting beauty of the mountains. The gazebo was a replica of the one she’d had as a child at her Somerset home in England. A smile curved her lips as she remembered the many ways Elijah tried to bring a piece of her England back to her. She rubbed her distended stomach in gentle motions. She had four more months to go and she was anticipating the birth of their child so much. Joy squeezed her heart as strong arms wrapped her from behind and Sheridan relaxed into Elijah.
