Chapter Seven
"Who the hell…"
Josey watched in stunned silence as the soldier rolled over and then jumped to his feet. He cocked his gun then jumped in one direction then another, trying to find his intruder through the darkness. Josey saw her chance.
As she sprang up and whirled about, she knocked the gun from the soldier's hand with her arm, a heavy thud sounded. She turned around to see the soldier fall unconscious to the barn floor.
"Leroy?" Josey called quietly through the darkness. She’d have known his voice anywhere. He was here. Her heartbeat quickened.
However, he was hidden before she could spot him, and it made her gasp when he finally called out to her. "Yeah honey, come this way, into the darkness so they can’t see you."
She wandered into the shadows, her heartbeat quickening.
"Now…make a few giggly sounds for the men out there to hear." Josey’s eyes widened.
"Are you serious?" she whispered.
"Very…So they will think the soldier succeeded, honey."
"Oh…okay…" She tried to do as he asked but nothing would come out. She felt a slight brush of his fingers against her ribs, sending goose bumps down her back and a gasp from her lips. How he found her in the darkness she’d never know, but it worked beautifully. She giggled aloud.
There was instant laughter from outside.
"See what I mean?" Leroy whispered at her ear.
She almost jumped when she realized how close to him she was standing. She could feel his warm breath on her cheek, smell the woodsy odor of him. Josey nodded but wasn’t sure Leroy saw her. It was simply too dark.
"Where are your ma and Rose?"
"In the house, Rose just went back inside." Josey turned toward his voice. She couldn’t see him yet, but she recognized his voice. She recognized the simple thrill it gave her too, although thrills had no place here.
As she edged into the darkness of the barn, she reached out to touch him, but he was much closer than she thought and she came up against him. He grabbed her arm.
"Leroy." She didn’t realize what a breathless whisper she let out, or the sudden awareness she felt when he pulled her closer. She could feel his chest moving in and out as he breathed. She inhaled the pure male odor of him, an erotic combination of sweat, leather, and creek water, her breathing quickened, as she tried to control her racing heart.
"There’s no time to lose. We’ve got to get out of here. But we’ll tie him up first."
She had to quit fantasizing about Leroy. Not the time nor the place, and she had no business even thinking like that. He had saved her and that’s all.
Trying to shake some sense into herself, she shuddered for a second, and then nodded. "Okay, there’s some rope over here."
"Can you reach it without being seen?"
"Yes, but hold my hand."
"Good girl." Leroy smiled, for she saw the flash of his teeth.
She moved about quietly so as not to alert the others standing not far from the door. "Sorry I had to knock him out, but we can’t afford him letting the others know." She nodded and gave him the rope.
In seconds, Leroy had tied and gagged the soldier. Then he took her hand and pulled her toward the back door. The combination of sudden danger and the thrill of being with Leroy in a life consuming adventure made her blood rush.
"Look, it’s gonna let a little light in when I open the door, so we need to hurry through and close it, understand?"
She nodded.
He squeezed her hand and looked at her, but she still couldn’t see him well through the darkness. "When I say go…head for the cornfield. Don’t look back, understand?"
"But where are you going?" She asked, afraid he might try to rescue Rose and her mother alone.
"Right behind you darlin’. Now get ready." he commanded.
"Yes…"
"One, two, three…Go!"
Without another thought, she ran like lightning for the cornfield and didn’t look behind her. She heard voices but she refused to look back. Her heart pounded in her ears from the fear of what she was doing, but she kept going until she was in the clear. Scared of being caught kept her ever mindful. She heard footfalls too, but she refused to look over her shoulder. She ran so hard and so fast, she stumbled almost head first into the soft dirt. The field was not much shelter for them, for Jacob had plowed it down. Leroy was right behind her and the sight of him almost made her pause.
He wasn’t the same man. He had filled out in muscle and brawn and his hair was longer and shaggier, a shadow covered his cheek, but he was still Leroy and she loved him so. This rugged look on him was actually more thrilling than the neat as pin Leroy she had known. If she had thought him handsome and dashing before, she thought him a rogue now.
Where had that thought come from, she mentally slapped herself. He belonged to Rose. Jerked out of her reverie, Leroy whispered near her ear, "Stay low, in fact, get down on your belly, we are going to crawl to those brambles over there. I do mean crawl, stay as low as you can. If they see us, we’ll be captured in no time."
Again she nodded, afraid to say anything until they were clear of the soldiers.
She lay down and began to scramble like him. He stopped a couple of times to push her butt out of the air. She couldn’t believe he did that, but she didn’t argue the point, just yet.
He took her hand and didn’t let go, as he pulled her into the bramble bushes not far to their right. Her foot slipped and she practically flew through the leaves and thorns. He helped her up and through them. "Keep your head down as much as you can," he instructed.
She nodded, breathless again.
"Did they see us?" She asked, wide eyed as he looked back.
"I don’t think so, but we can’t take any chances, come on," he encouraged. "We’ll get out of this mess fast."
Occasionally, her dress would hang up on a bush, and she stepped on her hem several times tearing it in places. Leroy saw her at her worst most of the time. No wonder he preferred Rose. She mentally scolded herself for even thinking of such a thing while they escaped the Yankees.
He must have sensed her hesitation since he smiled at her and winked. "You’re doing just fine."
His gentle reassurance helped instill a little confidence.
It seemed like hours before they finally stopped at all. Her feet were hurting and he slowed down when he heard her panting.
"My God, have I been gone that long?" He asked with a sneaky grin.
"W-what do you mean?"
She asked trying to figure out what he was talking about. She was too tired and scared to put meaning to his words.
"You’ve done gone and grown up on me, that’s what I mean." He chuckled, a melodious sound.
"So everyone tells me." She tried to smile despite her blush.
"The Yanks…did they harm any of you?" He asked changing the subject quickly.
"Not physically at least, I guess. ‘Cept they punched Hank in the stomach with a gun butt for being a little too sassy. Beat George up and tied him, Jacob and Hank to a tree." Josey replied, trying to catch her breath. "They didn't harm us girls though."
His back stiffened, his jaw tightened, but his eyes still smiled. "Good for Hank…for being sassy. Is George alright?"
"Rose tended him. She got his head bandaged and his ribs wrapped."
She looked straight at him now and marveled at how much she wanted to go into his arms. This new Leroy was even more devastatingly handsome. Not only that, but he had such confidence about himself and his own ability to lead. He looked so rough, and capable. This was a worldlier Leroy and he entranced her, scared her, and thrilled her all in one.
"Rose and your mother are okay then?" He asked quietly.
Bringing Rose’s name into their conversation sobered her quickly from her fantasy. "Yes, Mama instructed us to feed them and come straight inside. She’ll be worried when I don’t." Momentary panic set in as she recalled her words.
"That’s true. Nevertheless, as soon as they leave we’ll go in and you can assure her you’re all right. I can’t risk going back right now. Besides…" He winked. "You’re safer with me… believe me."
"Am I?" Josey sighed, trying to control the erratic beat of her heart when she looked at him. "But when she asks the Captain where I am, he’ll be alerted." Only her fierce pride made her conceal her fears.
"That’s true, but maybe they’ll leave sooner then." Leroy smiled.
"You think so?" She struggled to hold her voice steady through the turmoil of emotions swamping her. She trembled slightly and he squeezed her hand in his, for reassurance she was sure. She could not let Leroy see how this little adventure had weakened her. Exciting yes, but scary too.
Still, he leaned to touch her forehead with his lips, slowly. She shivered, he was kissing her a second time, but not on the lips where she hungered. Yet, if she lifted her head, maybe…
And she did. The temptation was too great, and her heart screamed for needing him so. Wrong, yet so right too.
His lips grazed hers and he stared into her eyes, his smile gone. His expression was so sobering, so confusing to her. She blushed again and tried to move out of his reach. Yet he didn't let go of her hand.
He didn’t really kiss her, her thoughts tumbled. His lips merely slid over hers and left and she felt the disappointment to her toes. He still saw her as the plain little sister. She had to get hold of her emotions. She was afraid she could not control her feelings, and of being discovered by the Yankees. But which would be worse, Leroy finding out how much she cared for him, or the Yankees finding them?
"We need to get moving." He cleared his throat and turned away from her.
Ashamed she couldn’t control herself, she mentally scolded herself for being so weak. So many times she had accused Rose of being weak with men, and now she had become the same. What must he think of her?
Rose, he was thinking of Rose. It was best he didn’t kiss her, for he was promised and a man of his word. She had to admit this was the most exhilarating adventure she’d ever had and her heart was pumping like a steam engine. Was it the adventure, or the man behind the adventure?
Josey shook sense into herself, squared her shoulders, straightened her back, and strengthened herself against his charms. Gently, she eased her hand from his. "Rose is scared right now…and rightly so."
Leroy looked at her again and frowned about something. "Your mother is with her. She’ll be all right until we can break through."
"Aren’t you worried about her?" Josey tried to sound upset.
He took her hand again—now more sweaty than before—and held it tight. "Of course I am. I was worried about all of you. Now let’s go."
For some reason, he refused to get into any tight conversation about her or Rose and this wasn’t at all like the Leroy she knew. Perhaps the responsibility of being a soldier changed him.
This man was twice as exciting! Twice as virile, twice as dangerous to her heart.
Again he pulled her through the bramble bushes and low-rise trees. They must have walked for miles and even though Josey was familiar with this country, she had no idea where she was. With every twist and turn she felt herself lost, as though she’d gone through one circle after another.
Finally, they came to a creek. He stopped again. "Take your shoes off," he instructed.
"What…why?" she asked not understanding.
"‘Cause we’re gonna wade through the creek for a mile or more and you don’t want to ruin them."
"Oh, that makes sense." She tried to laugh. "This is quite an adventure for me…you know."
She bent to untie her laces, but as he already had chucked his boots and socks, he leaned over her and undid her ties. He gently slid her feet from them and handed her the shoes. His touch was so gentle, she almost swooned.
"The water is a little cold, but you’ll get used to it easy enough."
"I’m used to it, I bath in this creek every day," she said before even thinking. He looked at her and frowned. No matter what she said, nothing sounded right.
Oh Lord! She put her hand over her mouth as he headed for the bank. How stupid she must sound to him. Here he was trying to escape the Yankees and she was telling him how she bathed in the creek. He must think she was out of her mind.
What was wrong with her? She was with the man she loved and she couldn’t carry on a decent conversation with him. Maybe it was better to let silence reign for a time.
The water was colder today and she had to pull her dress up to her knees to wade through it. Maybe this would cool me off, she thought absently. Because following behind this wonderful creature of a man was sure making her blood boil.
After a while, her teeth chattered realizing how cold it had turned. She never stayed in the water this long.
Leroy turned to check on her. "My God, honey, you’re freezing." Without a word, he scooped her into his arms and began carrying her. Her cheek brushed the stubble on his chin. "You should have said something." He looked down into her eyes. "Look Josey, you don't have to be so brave, I know this is taking a lot out of you. I won't let anything happen to you though, I promise."
"Leroy, put me down, I can walk," she protested.
"Not on your life, honey," he whispered, as his eyes met hers for an instant. She felt his warm breath on her, and her muscle tensed for a moment.
Heaven couldn’t be any better than this, her heart wanted to shout, as her protests died a happy death. Surrendering to her fate, her hands went around his neck and she laid her head on his massive shoulders. His lips grazed her hair and she held her breath, but it was only to reassure her, not make love to her. She had to stop reading things into his actions. Leroy was only being gallant. He was taking care of his betrothed’s sister.
Honestly, she was beginning to act like Rose. This was going to be her brother-in-law. She couldn’t keep throwing herself at him. At least that’s what her mind told her, while her heart spoke differently. What would he think? She had to stand strong and leave him alone. He had decided to marry Rose. But it was her heart doing all the damage. She couldn’t stop feeling.
Almost asleep by the time he got her to dry land again, he sat her on the tree stump by the creek.
She opened her eyes and met his gaze. He was bent in front of her, staring at her full force. He smiled instantly. "We’re here," he announced. "Sleepyhead."
Quickly she realized they weren’t alone any longer and straightened to look around. Young men were darting about the camp. A lot of men. Everyone seemed busy and she wondered what they could possibly be doing. A couple of young soldiers came up to Leroy and he spoke with them for a long while, then he turned back to her.
"All these men are Rebels?"
"Every one of them. We’ve been here for two weeks, honey."
She loved the way the word 'honey' rolled off his tongue so easily. He'd never given her an endearment like that, and she wondered if he was even conscious of it.
"Do you need to report to someone now?"
He smiled charmingly. "No, I’m the lieutenant here."
Josey gasped. "You’re a lieutenant now? That’s wonderful…I think…" Leroy had always been her hero, but now even more so. "Why didn’t you come home…let us know…something?" she asked, her voice going more husky. "We've all been so worried about you."
His glance slid over her. "Couldn’t chance that. Might look like we’re safe as an egg in a robin’s nest, but we aren’t. We knew that troop of Yankees was right up the road from us. And unless we keep moving, they’ll find us. But they haven’t spotted us yet. We need that edge. We’ve got to run them out of here before they get the idea they can hang around. They’re in Texas now and before we are through they are gonna know it.
"We’re here to try and capture an ammunition shipment they’re making. If they get through, Texas might suffer mightily. You see up until now they’ve always used the big ships in the Gulf, but this was a secret shipment, meant to fool us."
"Oh my…" Josey’s eyes widened in surprise. "So you’re not staying?" she asked breathlessly.
"No, we can’t. Wish that we could. However, we have our orders. Most of the men here have family within walking distance, but it’s not like they can go marching home. You understand?"
She nodded, but she didn't understand. "Have you seen your ma?"
"No, too risky. They have their ways of knowing names and the people that own property here. I’m sure they’ve been there. You could carry the message that I am fine to her, once we’re gone. If you’ve a mind. Just be sure the Yankees aren’t close when you do, or they’ll stop you. They'll want to know your business at my house."
"All right." Josey wondered why he hadn’t given that duty to Rose, but she didn’t argue. This was a small favor and one she would gladly fulfill. She liked his ma, and most of his brothers. Knowing how worried they must be, it would be no hardship, especially if the captain of the Yankees had stopped by.
A strange silence stretched between them, full of unsaid things. He kept looking at her, from head to toe the slowness with which his eyes traveled had her hitching her breath.
"I’ve been hearing cannons and guns going off nearly every day. I wondered how close they were, and then today they just galloped into the yard as if they owned the place. We were all shocked, our first experience with Yankees actually. Not one I want to repeat either. You’ve should have seen Ma though, she was grand. She stood right up to that arrogant Captain. I was never prouder. Or more afraid for her."
He sent her an almost wicked smile.
"She's got grit. Josey, just remember, no matter who comes riding up, they are just men. Flesh and blood like the rest of us. Try not to be afraid. Even when they intentionally intimidate you. Don't worry, that won't hurt you, unless you let it. We don’t intend to let them stay here. The only reason they are here is this shipment, but we’ll soon put a stop to that. And if you get the chance, shoot first and ask questions later."
"I’m not sure I could kill…but if I could, might be a lot easier if they were Yankees."
He smiled at her, a warm pleasant smile that curled her toes.
"I know I shouldn't let them intimidate me, but I'm not used to dealing with such rudeness. Their captain was quite arrogant. Gave Ma such a time…Course you know Ma, she didn’t let him get the upper hand. I never seen her so brave. Hank and Jacob controlled their anger and resentment, even though I knew Jacob wanted to lay into them. Ma knew too, and she sent signals to them not to fight them. I was sure glad for a while we thought they might kill them."
"Hank has a temper. I'm surprised and proud he controlled it. When you don't have the upper hand, you have to. Your ma is quite a woman."
She glanced at him again, her eyes sliding over him this time. Obviously it had an effect as he seemed to move about more.
"What’s this war all about Leroy?" Josey sighed unhappily. Josey couldn't hold back the sadness in her voice as she spoke. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined the war would go on so long and be so brutal.
"Honey." He moved to sit beside her, and take her hand. She trembled, and he put his arm around her. She was breathless and yet humbled by her own questions..
"War is hard to describe to a woman. Women are so much a part of the peace we all want, and war is a means to the peace.
"Personally Josey , I think we should have never seceded from the Union. It did no good and caused a lot of deaths. Doing that was a big mistake, but one we can’t take back. Sam Houston was right. We were wrong in our treatment of him too. Wrong about a lot of things. After all he did for Texas. It's a shame. However, we can’t change that. This war is about many things. Hard to pinpoint what really started it. Hard to figure what might stop it."
"Slavery?" she asked her voice soft and husky.
"Slavery is a part of it, yes, and about what each side needs to exist. After all, not all Texans own slaves. The war isn’t just about slavery. Oh, they try to say it is, but that’s not the only cause. You see, honey, we don't speak the same language as the North for one thing. Just like your Yankee officer that sounded so arrogant. His very arrogance filled you with an anger. And you aren't the only one. We really don't speak the same language and never have. Southerns are not used to bad manners. At one time good manners was the measure of a good southerner. The Yankee have a different way about them. No beating around the bush so to speak. They think us a bunch of ignorant backwoodsmen. But the war, well…the North wants Texas for her cotton plantations, for her crops. Its big trading business up north, that we are not concerned with. That’s part of what I’m trying to defend. The North has great cotton resources, but they don’t grow cotton, so the need is even greater that we ship it to them. But they levy taxes and make it so the average farmer down here can't make a living with it. They want our supply. In addition, they are going to try to take it. The war is about the greed for control more than slavery. Without the cotton, their trading will stop and their economy will suffer greatly. Just like without slaves, our gathering and shipping would slow way down too. We need the manpower. What it boils down to is this, Josey; the South needs the slave labor to get the crops to market. And being slave labor it makes it affordable to do so. But the profits are eaten by the levies placed upon us when we ship. Without the slave labor we couldn't possibly get the cotton to market on time. That's fact. And the North needs our resources for trading. If the south paid the slaves to work for them, it would cost too much money, because too much man power is needed to do the work."
"You mean to tell me that men are dying for cotton? Is that what you’re telling me?" Josey’s heart raced in a strange fear that humanity had lost everything somewhere.
Leroy stared at her for a long moment.
"Leroy…that’s senseless. We ship cotton north anyway."
"We did, but not now, and to do so, we need the slaves to help us get it to market. As much as the North needs for all their trading, we can't handle unless we have the manpower to get it to market. Without slaves, it would be impossible to accomplish. I know this all probably sounds crazy honey, but in some ways it’s the truth for Texas." He kissed her hand tenderly, not seeming to realize what he had done, but his action did not go unnoticed, and he had the audacity to act as though it were nothing. But Leroy wasn't thinking of her hand, or his actions, so she tired to slow her heartbeat down. Tried to control her emotions.
"They want to take Texas over and use her supply of cotton and sugar in Louisiana, all the things we grow in God’s green Earth, they want. Just like the Mexicans, they wanted Texas for themselves. Only the Mexicans wanted the land. The North doesn't grow cotton. Can't. They only manufacture it and sell it. Texas on the other hand, signed with the Confederate states to protect the rights of slavery, as Texas slavery is heavily into the cotton business too. We aren't innocent. Now do you understand? As far as Texas is concerned, we have a need too, unfortunately we are both wrong."
"No…I’ll never understand why men kill each other. I don’t understand any war, Leroy. I guess I understand that Texas needs slaves to run the cotton plantations here. And I can see where the North would want those plantations for running the businesses and markets there. But what you are telling me is we believe in slavery, is that what you’re telling me?"
“To some extent…the entire south does. They have to if they want their crops to market. My mission is to defend the ports of entry into our state so they don’t get the cotton, nor free the slaves. Unfortunately, slaves are our manual labor force, I think Lincoln was right. It might have saved a war, if we had let them go or just paid them for their work. The rich plantation owners could afford it. But it would have put the poor farmer out of work, basically. Because now, the North is using the slaves as an excuse for this war. And the ignorant people believe that slavery is the only reason."
"Do you believe in slavery?" Josey asked, holding her breath for his answer.
"Josey…" He lifted her hand in the air and squeezed it as though the action was something he enjoyed. "It’s hard to say yes or no to that. Men like Jacob have a home because he knows the fields and can work them well. He’s invaluable to you, as all of them are. However, the slaves gather the cotton for the plantation owners. So yes, slavery is an important industry, vital actually to the South. Nevertheless, personally, no…I don’t and never will condone slavery. I believe we could hire them, pay them fair wages, and get the same amount of work or more done. But we are sworn to uphold the law of the land. Plainly put, slavery means manpower that the South needs. Take away the slaves; you take away the ability to get the cotton to market for anyone.”
"I don’t believe this. Then we’re wrong? Texas is wrong? I can’t see Texas being wrong, forgive me?"
Leroy bent his head, placing his forehead against hers. His nearness made her catch a breath.
"Yes, in some ways we are wrong…but both sides are wrong, Josey. That’s the way it is with war. When this is over, all of this will be mulled through, and someone will come up with better ways to do things." He kissed the top of her head and she almost swooned. She wanted to stay right here in his arms forever.
"Then why do you continue to fight?" She needed to concentrate on the conversation, not on what he was doing to her, but he kept doing little things that warmed her heart so she wanted to go into his arms and never let go.
"Because this is our land, and they want it. But we lost a lot of good men defending this state from the Mexicans. We paid the ultimate price for our freedom from Mexico. It was a dear price. Therefore, I fight for Texas…not slavery…not cotton…but Texas. Because I believe in her. This is my home, your home. We have to defend what's ours from invaders. And right now, the North is the invader."
"But that is such an evil circle," Josey wailed.
"I know…and I shouldn’t have said anything." He pulled her closer to him and held her there for a long time. She felt more content than she had ever been. To be in Leroy's arms was heaven.
"Texas is full of strong men who are willing to lay down their lives for it. The battle of the Alamo was a war that will be remembered long after we are gone. It speaks of the Texas spirit. I'm proud to be a Texan. And I also believe in America too, but war means being called to fight even when you know some things aren't right. You can't sit on a fence post an ignore something this big."
"I'll be so glad when it is over."
"Tell me about home," he whispered, his lips absently stroked her brow.
"Home?" She tried to still her racing heart. She was home, right here in his arms. Why couldn't he see it? Why couldn't he feel her racing heart?
She had to think about something else, he was driving her to complete distraction.
"Well, everything did well this year, but the corn nearly burned. Rose and Jacob got it picked just in time. Me and Mama canned most of the garden, we got a mess of black eyed peas, and okra and had lots of spinach and greens. Our peach trees looked good this year, and we’ve enough to have cobblers for quite some time. George took the cotton in after we all spent a week pickin’. The price was down so we didn’t make as much as we thought we might. I guess the North is to blame for that. Mama made me a dress to go to the dances in, but we won’t be havin’ any till the war is over, I’m sure. We sold some eggs when things got kinda poorly, and we sold all the hogs not long ago. Is that what you wanted to hear?"
Josey saw he had almost fallen asleep, and she didn't want to disturb him, but his arm was still protectively about her. She sat content to be with him.
"You look so tired." She absently ran a finger down his cheek and his eyes opened. Josey quickly jerked out of his arms.
"I guess I put you to sleep didn’t I?" She tried to laugh.
"Your sweet voice did. Now, tell me about you." he whispered, closing his eyes again.
"Me?" She couldn’t believe he wanted to know anything about her. Where could she begin? What did he want to know?
"I tried the dress on Mama made, it’s so pretty, but I doubt I’ll have anywhere to wear such a beautiful thing. Mama insisted I was growing up and needed a goin' out dress."
One eye popped open. "How many young men have come to call on you?" he asked with a teasing smile.
She shrugged. "No one’s come to call, except John Hendrix and his ma came one night out of the blue. Never did say what they wanted. I’d been pickin’ cotton all day and I was a mess."
"Did he ask to call upon you?"
"No, of course not. In fact, he spent most of the evening trying to get Rose’s attention. Rose was so bored that night, ‘cause Mama made us sit in the parlor and entertain them. Mrs. Hendrix kept sending silent messages to her son, but John, he didn’t talk much."
"Would you let him come calling on you?" Leroy asked, his eyes wide open now.
"I went to school with John most years, and he never once struck up an interesting conversation. He knows horses, I’ll give him that, but he’s so boring to talk to. He don’t talk politics or religion or even act as though he cares about anyone that isn't in his world. No, I wouldn’t let him call upon me." Josey said finally.
"What sort of man are you looking for, Josey?" He grinned.
"Well, it’s you that said I was lookin’, not me." She blew a tendril of hair from her face. However, the subject was fascinating since Josey had never even contemplated what she wanted in a man. She knew what she wanted, the man sat beside her now. But then she couldn’t exactly blurt that out.
"I want a man who will talk to me about anything, politics, religion, crops, anything. I want a man who can be satisfied with someone like me." she said lowly.
"Satisfied?" He turned her chin around to look into her eyes. "Why Josey, you are one of the prettiest, nicest, and most intelligent young women I know. Don’t ever sell yourself short. You have a lot to offer a man." he insisted.
She stared into his indigo eyes, drowning in them. "I do?"
"Well of course, haven’t we been discussin’ the war, and the cause of it? I don’t know many women that could hold a conversation like you. Now then…Where would you want to live?"
"Live?" She frowned at him. "I never much thought of that. I can’t imagine living anywhere but right there on my farm. Not that I wouldn’t like to visit and see places. I'd love to visit California, and go to an opry, or opera, and see the ocean, it must be lovely. But live…I guess I’ll never marry, ‘cause I’d want to live right here. And to most people that isn’t exciting."
"And this husband we are talking about…what would he have to look like?" he asked.
"Look like?" Josey stared into his eyes once more. "You ask some strange questions. I don’t know. I guess every girl wants a handsome man, but I do know that much. All girls consider differently when picking out a man for themselves. To me…it isn't so much looks, except I wouldn’t want him to be bald or red headed."
He laughed. "I guess that excludes Hank then." He stared into her eyes again.
She sighed. "Hank’s nice. He is a hard worker and that’s important. And…I kinda think he’s a one woman kind of guy, which makes him attractive to most women. But he's not for me."
"So it isn’t looks so much as what kind of man they are?" he teased.
"Well, it’s what’s inside you that counts the most. A big heart, a good worker and provider, a faithful type, and throw a little bit of looks in there and you have a right nice fella." She said breathlessly.
"You don’t like them bald, you don’t like red heads, and so exactly what do you like?"
She squirmed a little now. "I-I like dark hair on a man…and the kind of eyes that when he looks at me, he sorta melts, and he would need to be tall, to make up for me, ‘cause I’m not exactly tall."
"I’d almost fit that description, then wouldn’t I?"
Her breathing grew rapid. "Well, of course you would. But you’re too old."
Why had she blurted that out? Perhaps because he was too close to guessing the truth from her. But oh, she’d give anything to take it back, because it was as though she threw a gauntlet down.
"Am I now?" He stared intently into her eyes. "Too old or too experienced or both?"
"Oh for goodness sake…" she began, only to have her lips swept against his in a kiss that spoke so much and made her head spin. She closed her eyes and lost herself for the moment.
Josey was way in over her head, she was so swept away by his actions. She could barely do anything but swoon, as she opened her eyes and he smiled at her actions.
"So am I too old or too experienced?"
"Both." She nearly choked on her words. The man's kiss had completely taken her by surprise, but despite it all, her lips had moved beneath his in a slow sinuous kiss that burned into her memory.
His grin grew wider. "Perhaps you’re right, but I’d say from the way you kissed me back you’re catching up fast."
She could scarcely breathe. "Why’d you do that?"
"To show you exactly how remarkable you are. And to teach you that the next young man that tries that should get a face slap. So why didn’t you slap mine?"
The intimacy that question caused made her blush.
She crimsoned. "I didn’t want to."
"You’re so irresistible when you blush like that. And I’m glad you didn’t slap me."
"You are…" her voice filled with the wonder of the moment.
"Because I enjoyed every minute of that kiss…now I should attend to a few things…" He got up and turned to leave.
As he walked away, she let out a breath. "I enjoyed it too." But he didn’t seem to hear her.
Was he avoiding her? Why? He's the one that kissed her, for heaven's sake!
"I’ve got to go make a report. You are free to run about the camp. There’s some rabbit stew I think, and I’ll be back soon."
His avoiding her made her stiffen her back and reinforced her determination not to ever entice him again.
"Thank you," she said as he was leaving.
He peered over his shoulder at her. "For what?"
"Back there…in the barn" she whispered.
He looked her up and down now, as though distance made it safe, and smiled, that same flicker of awareness in his eyes. "I’ll be back."