Page 26 of Hard Bounty

“That’s the plan,” he said. “We’ll eat some breakfast and load up on some provisions, so we do need to stay around at least until the general store opens. But I think that’s six or seven. So not too late.

“It’s about a two-and-a-half-day ride from here to Fort Smith still. And that’s if we push it. But with the mountains we have to go through, well, it might take us three and a half or so. No sense in wasting any more time.”

She nodded. Tears were threatening to spill out of her dampening eyes.

Two or three days was all she had left with John. And then it was goodbye.

Probably forever.

***

It was a little past midnight when Mary kicked out of the bed’s covers.

She was trying to be as quiet as possible, but evidently John still heard her, because he said, “What has you all fired up?”

Sitting, she looked to where he lay on the floor, though she couldn’t make out any details in the darkness, just a lump lying in a bedroll.

“I thought you were trying to get some rest,” she whispered.

She could hear the humor in his voice when he replied, “Mary, you don’t have to be so quiet. I’m already awake.”

She giggled.

Was that silly? she wondered. Do outlaws giggle?

“I can’t sleep,” John added.

“Is it uncomfortable down there?”

She could hear him shifting and then saw he was sitting. “Well, it’s not the most comfortable place I’ve ever slept. But it ain’t the worst. It’s not that cave, that’s for darn sure.”

A moment passed before she said, “You know, this bed is plenty big enough. And…you need to get a good night of rest before we hit the trail tomorrow."

She waited for him to respond. When he didn’t, she filled the silence.

“We’re in a real building. Have a real bed. Would be a shame for you to let all that go to waste. You know?”

For a moment, Mary thought he wasn’t going to respond again. But then she felt the mattress sink down and realized he’d moved stealthily to the other side and got in bed.

Her heart rate increased.

John just needs a comfortable place to sleep. Now that he has a soft mattress below him, he’s going to drift off immediately. Calm down, Mary.

“We best get that shut-eye now,” he told her.

Though he didn’t sound very resolute in the suggestion.

“Yeah,” she agreed, her voice with an equal amount of skepticism. “We’re going to be so tired on the trail.”

“We get to sleep right now, and we can still have six or so hours of solid rest,” he noted.

“Good night,” she told him.

“Good night, Mary.”

There was something about hearing him say her name. It nearly pushed her over the cliff, forcing her to hop atop and straddle him. But she resisted. Though just barely.

Stop thinking like that! How unlady-like can you be? Women shouldn’t do stuff like that! You shouldn’t even dream about it.

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