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Chapter 11
When he was gone, Sam released a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. Not that one single Indian was any threat. But in his experience, they rarely rode alone. He didn’t doubt somewhere in the darkness, others waited.
“Is he gone?” Ivy asked behind him. He turned and looked over at her sitting in the glow of the fire, her bright strawberry blond locks looking very much at one with the flames.
For some reason, the Indian’s parting words unsettled him more than he cared. Their prophecies had always held a place of respect with Sam. Then giving the thought a shove, he dropped down on the opposite side. “For now.”
“For now? Y’mean he may be returning?”
He shrugged, trying to appear unconcerned. “I have something he wants.”
Her eyes grew round. “I knew ye shouldn’t have been offering him food.”
Sam scowled at her. “He isn’t an animal. Just because we feed him doesn’t mean he’ll keep coming back. There’s a good chance he simply wanted to check us out. See what type of threat we proved.”
“But y’says ye have something he wants.”
Sam caught her gaze. “I wasn’t exactly referring to the food.”
It took a moment before the realization of his words sank in. When they did her eyes rounded even more as she pulled his coat closer.
“Don’t worry. We only have a day left to get through this. If we’re very cautious, we’ll manage just fine.”
But she didn’t look convinced.
“For tonight, let’s be grateful for this,” he said, snatching up the pelt. “We’ll definitely be needing it. The native foretold snow.”
Startled, she reached out and grabbed the pelt after he tossed it at her. “How do ye know how to speak the Indian’s language?”
“I spent some time living with a tribe,” he told her and when one of her brows arched in surprise, he said, “It was when I was young and inexperienced. Was trailing a mountain man up into the Montana mountains, but got myself cornered in a quarry. Took a bullet to the chest. Must’ve just missed my heart ‘cause I didn’t die right off. Thought that was it for me though until two Indian women out scavenging for herbs, found me and dragged me back to their camp. They fixed me up good with their mix of herbs. I was allowed to live amongst them until I healed. Guess you could say I have a good ear for language. Didn’t take me long before I picked up what they were saying.” He added another stick to the fire and watched the small cascade of sparks. “Because of their medicine and care, I was able to live. I took an interest in understanding how they lived and became familiar with their techniques.”
“Ye nearly died?” The crack in her voice had his head coming up to look across at her. Even in the shadows dancing across her features, he could see something lurking beneath her eyes. His thoughts went back to their earlier conversation. An unexpected tightening in his chest had his fists curling inward at what that man had done to Ivy. Yet, she was sitting in front of him now.
In that split second, he allowed himself to acknowledge his admiration for this woman. It wasn’t every day a person went through as much ordeal even for a short interval, as she had done on a regular basis.
He relaxed his fists. “Haven’t we all?”
When she said nothing, he sighed and got to his feet. “It’s getting late. We better get some sleep.”
* * *
He decided because of the bitter cold, it was best they sleep together. They would need each other’s body warmth to get through the freezing temperatures. He was, however, grateful for the fur pelt. It provided an extra layer of warmth they greatly needed. The wind had begun to pick up and the first flakes of snow had drifted down to the ground.
Sam gave their surroundings one last look before reaching out and covering their heads entirely with the pelt. Sheltered beneath, the cold wind howled above them. Beneath the pelt, the wool blanket felt raw against his cheek, but at least they were warm. He tucked his revolver close to his head where it was within easy reach if needed. The Indian knew they were travelling alone. Though he appeared cordial tonight, Sam was still on his guard. He wouldn’t lose sight of the fact he had butchered a man in cold blood.
Next to him, Ivy gave a small shudder. Likely shaking the last of the chill from her bones. He wanted to reach out and pull her close. Hold her until the cold subsided. Being this close, however, was dangerous. He knew it. She knew it. But they had no other choice. He hadn’t wanted to spend the time building a temporary shelter. Time that could have been used on the road instead.
Tomorrow.
It would all finally be over for Sam. No other assignment had ever caused him so much ache. Not even Daphne Sweeney. He had never come close to feeling anything remotely similar to how he realized he was beginning to feel for Ivy.
But he had to stomp out those feelings. She killed a man. If he had to repeat those words over and over until they were drilled into his head he would. But it wasn’t his head that needed the reminder. He feared it was his heart. And for Sam, that was much more frightening.
He had been on the receiving end of love only once before. And it had nearly cost him his life. No matter how soft he was becoming toward Ivy McGregor, he had to shield his heart. A man didn’t barely miss the clutches of death only to taunt it once again.
* * *
He lay next to her, their bodies touching, yet not touching. It took all his will-power to keep his hands from stroking her soft body. To feel the silk of her hair between his fingers. He closed his eyes and forced the images out of his mind. It was already going to be a long night. He knew he wouldn’t be sleeping a wink with the threat of danger nearby. Thoughts of Ivy naked would not help the long hours pass.
