Page 66 of The Banker's Bride

“Dallas, you have yourself a brave one there. I’ll give you that!” Charles laughed. “Man! I was about to give her a gun myself!”

A moment later, they pulled in front of the sheriff’s office and Dallas gave her hand a squeeze. “I’ll be right back.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll stay with her,” Charles interjected.

Dallas nodded once, and then disappeared into the sheriff’s office. He was in there for a few minutes, and then came out with the sheriff and Colton.

“Don’t worry. I’m headed over there right now to question them.” Sheriff Clark nodded toward the hotel. “We’ll take care of it. They’ll be lucky if I don’t arrest them all.”

Butch slid off his horse and tied it to the carriage. “I’ll go with you.” Bloodstains still covered his shirt.

“Now, we can’t go over there hotheaded,” Sheriff Clark warned. “We’re going over there to question and to warn them.”

“I’ll go with you, too,” Charles replied as he stepped out of the carriage and turned to Dallas. “You go ahead and take Megan home.”

Dallas nodded. “Are you sure you won’t need me?”

Charles shook his head. “The four of us can handle it. I’ll see you back at the ranch.”

Reluctantly, Dallas climbed into the carriage and sat beside Megan. “Bill, to the ranch.”

“Yes, sir,” Bill replied, and a second later the carriage was moving again.

Dallas didn’t say much for a bit. They both watched the sunset, content with each other’s company.

“Megan.” Dallas stroked a strand of hair away from her face. “I don’t know what I would have done if something would have happened to you today.”

Megan sighed. “Dallas, I don’t know what I would have done if I had lost ye, too.” She sighed, absentmindedly shaking her head. “No, I couldn’t have lost ye that way.”

He placed a hand on her cheek, forcing her to look at him. “Megan, I’m in love with you.”

Megan shook her head. “Dallas, I—”

Dallas gently pressed a finger to her lips. “I know you married me out of necessity, and you don’t have to say anything in return. I just wanted you to know.” He turned sideways so he could take her hand into his. “I love you, darling.”

She nodded. “Dallas, please understand. I’ve lost everyone I’ve ever loved. If I lost ye, too, I don’t know if I could take it.” Her eyes filled with tears, unable to say more.

Dallas pulled her to his chest and stroked her hair, but didn’t say another word.

Megan turned her gaze toward the darkening sky, fearing that he was angry with her, and she wanted to make it right. “Dallas, I—”

“Shh….” He gently brushed the hair away from her face. “You don’t have to say anything.”

When they arrived at the ranch, Dallas opened the door and climbed out, lowered the step, and held Megan’s hand as she stepped down. “Let’s go inside. You need to eat something. I don’t want you to go into shock.”

Megan smiled, and looked down at her dress, but only a few spots of blood were evident. “I’ll hurry upstairs and change. I don’t want to give Mrs. Daly a heart attack when she sees me. But I ate so much earlier, I don’t think I’ll be able to eat much now.”

Dallas pulled her to a stop when they reached the door and placed his hand on her cheek. “Megan, I don’t want you to have to live in fear. It’s my job to protect you. I want you to stay close to the ranch. Please, don’t venture off—”

“I’ll be fine.” Megan reached up and kissed his cheek. “Ye do protect me, but I can protect meself, too.”

Dallas pulled her into his arms and his lips descended upon hers as she ran her fingers through his blond hair. This kiss was filled not only with passion, but with desperation and pain. He pulled back, leaving her breathless. “Megan, promise me you’ll stay safe. Those men in town are dangerous.”

She nodded as a smile lit her lips. “I promise. Now, let’s go inside and get something to eat. We can discuss this later.”

Dallas gazed into her eyes for a long while and then gave her one last sweet kiss. “One more thing: Be sure not to hurt Mrs. Daly or one of my men, thinking they’re an intruder,” Dallas teased, remembering her with the knife at the restaurant as he walked with her up the front steps to the porch.

Megan burst out laughing. “Don’t worry. If I attack anyone, it’ll be in self-defense or… because I meant to.”

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