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Alex groaned silently. Whispering Waters, the Bannock Indian woman he’d met while trading with her father’s tribe over the course of several seasons had made it no secret that she would like nothing better than have him offer a bride price to her father. It was also common knowledge that Laurent was in love with her. Alex never encouraged the young woman’s interest in him, not only out of respect for his friend, but also because he simply felt no attraction to her.
You sure as hell are attracted to Evie Lewis, Walker. And for that very reason you need to stay away from her.
“What the hell am I going to do about her, Laurent? She thinks I killed her folks. I don’t have time to take her back to St. Louis.”
Laurent laughed, and slapped Alex on the back. “Bring her with you to the valley. It is the only solution. I will have to meet with Sabin and his men in a few months, but I will accompany you and help build your cabin, just like we agreed last year, my friend. Perhaps one long winter with you, and the mademoiselle will see you in a different light, no?” His eyebrows rose suggestively. “You will have many long nights to convince her that you did not kill her parents. There is always time next spring to go to St. Louis and find out who the real murderer is.”
Alex stared off into the distance. The snow-covered jagged peaks of the Tetons rose like a wolverine’s sharp teeth into the distant sky. These mountains had beckoned to him since he first laid eyes on them six years ago, calling him back year after year. The thought that he would ever want to leave the mountains to return to his old life in St. Charles never crossed his mind.
Alex inhaled a deep breath. He knew what he had to do, what he wanted to do, and both stemmed from the same selfish reasons. If Evie didn’t hate him already, she would surely hate him the next time he spoke with her.
****
“I wonder what’s keeping Alex. He said he’d be here at dawn.” Aimee heaved a large leather pouch onto one of her packhorses’ backs. “Hand me that rope there on the ground, please, Evelyn.”
Evelyn reached for the coiled twine, and stepped up beside Aimee. The comment only served as a reminder that Aimee and her family were leaving shortly, and she would be left to deal with Alex on her own. The shorter blond woman glanced up at her with a smile, which faded instantly. She placed a hand on Evelyn’s shoulder, her face etched with concern.
“He’s a good man, Evelyn. Alex may have bartered for you, but I know he did so with the best intentions. He’s trying to look out for you, no matter what you may think he’s done.”
“Would you trust a man who might have murdered your family?” Evelyn blinked back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. She had thought a lot about what Alex said yesterday, and she had to admit that Charlie did seem to have a lot to gain by killing her parents. The more she had thought about it throughout the day and into the night, it started making more sense to her. Was it possible that he had lied to Henry?
Evelyn hadn’t seen Alex since the previous morning. Her anger seethed anew at the memory of his heated statement that she belonged to him. It had taken all of her restraint not to strike out at him. Instead, she’s sought sanctuary in the tent she’d occupied since he brought her to Aimee. Her mind was overrun with a jumble of mixed emotions where he was concerned. One minute he acted quiet and reserved, almost friendly, and the next his eyes would blaze in anger and he became a stranger to her again.
His clean appearance had both shocked and surprised her. It also brought back all the old feelings and emotions about him that she thought had died years ago when he didn’t return from his venture into the wilderness. Worse, these feelings seemed to have intensified. Her childhood infatuation had erupted into a grown woman’s desire for a man. His touch had evoked the most electrifying sensations in her when his fingers grazed hers as he handed her the muslin, leaving her both confused and exhilarated. Anger had quickly evaporated those warm feelings when Alex proclaimed he owned her.
“Evelyn, I know there are some misunderstandings between you and Alex, but I can’t believe he would kill someone in cold blood.”
Evelyn stared at Aimee. The entire Osborne family thought fondly of Alex. Daniel Osborne seemed like a decent man, so unlike most of the other trappers she’d encountered. If he thought highly of Alex, shouldn’t she be a bit more trusting?
“How did you come to know him?” Evelyn asked. Perhaps if she knew more about the man he had become, she could think more clearly about her reaction to him.
Aimee grinned. “It was six years ago, when he first came to the mountains. He thought he had to prove to everyone how tough he was. The trouble is, this wilderness quickly humbles even the strongest man.”
