Page 38 of The Sheriff and the Outlaw

“Bright and early!” Daxton called after him.

“Yes, Pa!” Andrew hollered down from the loft.

Daxton smiled to himself as he placed a log in the fireplace and some kindling, and then lit it. Within minutes, orange, red, and yellow tongues lapped hungrily at the log, illuminating the room. Daxton made some coffee and then sat in the rocking chair in front of the fireplace, waiting for it to brew. It was nice being a true family again. Of course, they had always been a family, but today it seemed as if they were a true family, playing together, enjoying each other’s company… something he hadn’t made time for in a while.

As he rose from his seat and poured a cup of coffee, he vowed to change that. He had a wonderful family, and he didn’t want to waste one moment not being with them.

“Eahh!” A blood-curdling scream came from Lillian’s bedroom.

“Josey?” Daxton hurried to grab his gun from its holster hanging from a high peg by the door and then burst into the room. Josey was sitting up in bed, her eyes wide. “Shh…. Josey, it’s me, Daxton.” He sat down on the edge of the bed. “You had a nightmare.”

She looked over at him, trying to catch her breath. When she realized it was him, she flung her arms around him and laid her head on his chest. “Oh… Daxton… I’m so sorry. I was dreaming about….” Her voice trailed off.

Daxton stroked her hair, holding her to him. Reassuring her that she was now safe. “Shh… I’m here. I’ll protect you.” Hecouldn’t imagine the horrors that this woman had endured. It must have been a lot to make her run like she did, for her to prefer to live off the land instead of staying with him. How any man could treat his wife like that was beyond his understanding. If he had a woman like her, he would protect and cherish her to his dying breath. But he had to remind himself that she wasn’t his and she would soon be on her way, leaving him and his family behind to pick up the pieces. No, he couldn’t put his family through that. It was hard enough when Priscilla left years ago. Daxton didn’t know if he could go through it again.

When she had settled down, he pulled back and brushed a strand of blonde hair away from her face. “Now, get some sleep. I’ll be right in the next room.” He started to get up, but she caught his hand.

“Please, don’t go. Don’t leave.” She looked at him with pleading eyes.

Daxton looked into her eyes for a long while and then smiled. “Okay. I’ll sleep on the chair—”

“No… please.” She slid over to the edge of the bed, leaving a lot of space on his side. “Please.”

He let out a deep breath and then took off his boots, smoothed the blankets over her, and then laid on top. “Come here.” Daxton extended his strong arm, and she curled up to him just as she had done before and laid her head in the crook of his arm. He couldn’t help but notice how perfectly she fit there beside him… and how much he had missed holding a woman while she slept.

“Thank you.” Josey nuzzled onto his chest.

He turned his head and inhaled the sweet scent of her hair. She had a floral scent… like wildflowers on a soft, spring day. But he forced the thought from his mind. “Shh….” He nuzzled the top of her head, inhaling her scent and committing it to memory. “Get some sleep.” Soon, she started to relax in his arms. “Josey?”

“Um?”

“You can talk to me about anything,” he whispered, looking down at her. “I hope you know that.”

She nodded as she nuzzled onto his chest.

Daxton ran his fingers over her hair in gentle strokes. “Good night.”

Josey nodded against his chest. “Good night.”

As his eyes began to close, one thought ran through his mind: God help the man if and when he ever came for her.

Chapter 9

Josey

Faint rays of morning sunshine streamed in through the window, alerting Josey to the start of a new day. Daxton was still sleeping, so she quietly slid out of bed, careful not to wake him. When she got to her feet, she stopped, noting his dark brown hair that fell lazily over his forehead just right while he slept, and his muscular physique, strong, but gentle. He was a good man. Who else would have taken in a sick stranger—armed, no less—and cared for her? No man she had ever met would have done such a thing, unless he had an ulterior motive.

She gathered her clothes and rushed into Daxton’s bedroom. His wife had left behind a few nice clothes and a few work dresses, too. Josey could tell that Daxton had taken good care of her while they were married. How a woman could ever leave such a man was beyond her understanding.

She chose a brown dress from his closet and slipped it on over her corset. Even though it was obviously a work dress, it was much nicer than most of the dresses she had ever owned.

Josey would have made herself some nice dresses, but when she did, Logan accused her of prettying herself up to attract another man. After a while, she just tried not to provoke him… until she decided to change things… to prepare… hoping that one day, she would have a new life.

Josey tried to forget about it as she walked into the kitchen. She was nauseous, needing something in her stomach. She made coffee and then went down into the cellar. To the right were slabs of bacon, smoked ham, salt-cured country ham, and more. She hadn’t had country ham in a while, so she cut some off. When she had enough for the family, she also picked up some potatoes and headed back up the stairs. In the kitchen, she found a mixing bowl in the cabinet and got to work.

While the potatoes and country ham were cooking, she quickly made biscuits and slid them into the oven.

“Um, smells great,” a male voice said, causing her to jump.

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