be together? It sounded foolish to her, and no doubt it would send him to the nearest saloon. Who would want a rough-talking, short, freckled, not-so-pretty orphan for a wife? She could bring nothing to a marriage except all her stellar qualities, or lack of them.
Her gloomy mood grew worse the farther they traveled. When he stopped the wagon, she peered into the night looking for whatever he’d spotted.
“What’s going on?” Chloe was surprised to see how dark it had become while she’d been mooning over him in her mind.
“We’re stopping. This is as good a place as any. I’m not risking the wagon or these old nags to get a few miles farther tonight. Let’s set up camp in that field there. I hear water too, and we can wash up. Maybe even find another canteen in this mess in the morning.”
Sounded like a fair plan, and Chloe was yet again glad he was there. She needed to regain her wits, and to do that she needed to steer clear of Gideon Blackwood.
Easier said than done.
* * * * *
They didn’t speak as they set up their camp. Gideon built a fire close to the wagon, using it as a buffer for the wind and anything else that might try to visit them during the night.
As she unpacked the supplies to make supper, he used the quilt and blanket they’d made into packs to create a bedroll. There was no way they were going to sleep in the wagon with all the junk in there, not to mention the smell. He laid out only one bed—no matter what happened, it was the safest for both of them. He expected her to squawk about it, but she just glanced at him occasionally as she worked.
What was he to think of that? Was she hoping they would sleep together or apart? Perhaps she might even sleep in the wagon. He dismissed that idea. She was as repulsed as he was by the stench of the peddler woman’s things. Gideon was out of his element and didn’t know what to do or what to say.
Chloe chipped away at his control, and that made him short-tempered. He’d yelled at her enough to make her hate him, or at the very least dislike him. Yet she continued on with him, counting on him to help her find her family. He had already vowed in his heart to help her no matter what.
As he finished readying the bedroll, she gathered up a few things in the wagon, then appeared holding what looked to be a bedsheet. Her gaze settled on him, and the blankness in her eyes made him nervous.
“I’m going to wash up.” She turned to go.
“No, you’re not going anywhere alone.” He rose and put his hands on his hips. “We’re in a strange place, with obvious dangers no matter which way we turn. There’s no way in hell I’m going to let you go off in the dark by yourself.”
“I don’t want you peeking at me. I don’t need a protector.” She kept walking away.
“Chloe. I said no.”
She waved her hand in the air in dismissal.
Gideon thought perhaps his head would explode. “Chloe. Come back here.”
All he saw was her back disappearing into the woods. He stomped after her, furious and scared at the same time. She tied him into knots. Gideon wasn’t used to being disobeyed, and this little sprite was making him loco because she never listened to him.
“Don’t be peeking at me.” She had stopped by the creek, and from what he could see, she was glaring at him.
“I won’t peek, and I resent the fact you believe I would.” He didn’t mean to sound affronted, but it came out that way.
“I don’t know you from a hole in the ground, Mr. Blackwood. All we know is how to pleasure each other.” Her brazen words left him speechless.
She disappeared behind some bushes, and he took the opportunity to check the water. The creek was about eight feet wide with a gentle current. He cupped a mouthful and tasted it, and it was clean. Next thing he knew, a pair of legs went past him into the water. She either didn’t care if he peeked, or she hadn’t seen him squatting by the edge.
Either way, he was struck dumb by the sight of Chloe
Her gloomy mood grew worse the farther they traveled. When he stopped the wagon, she peered into the night looking for whatever he’d spotted.
“What’s going on?” Chloe was surprised to see how dark it had become while she’d been mooning over him in her mind.
“We’re stopping. This is as good a place as any. I’m not risking the wagon or these old nags to get a few miles farther tonight. Let’s set up camp in that field there. I hear water too, and we can wash up. Maybe even find another canteen in this mess in the morning.”
Sounded like a fair plan, and Chloe was yet again glad he was there. She needed to regain her wits, and to do that she needed to steer clear of Gideon Blackwood.
Easier said than done.
* * * * *
They didn’t speak as they set up their camp. Gideon built a fire close to the wagon, using it as a buffer for the wind and anything else that might try to visit them during the night.
As she unpacked the supplies to make supper, he used the quilt and blanket they’d made into packs to create a bedroll. There was no way they were going to sleep in the wagon with all the junk in there, not to mention the smell. He laid out only one bed—no matter what happened, it was the safest for both of them. He expected her to squawk about it, but she just glanced at him occasionally as she worked.
What was he to think of that? Was she hoping they would sleep together or apart? Perhaps she might even sleep in the wagon. He dismissed that idea. She was as repulsed as he was by the stench of the peddler woman’s things. Gideon was out of his element and didn’t know what to do or what to say.
Chloe chipped away at his control, and that made him short-tempered. He’d yelled at her enough to make her hate him, or at the very least dislike him. Yet she continued on with him, counting on him to help her find her family. He had already vowed in his heart to help her no matter what.
As he finished readying the bedroll, she gathered up a few things in the wagon, then appeared holding what looked to be a bedsheet. Her gaze settled on him, and the blankness in her eyes made him nervous.
“I’m going to wash up.” She turned to go.
“No, you’re not going anywhere alone.” He rose and put his hands on his hips. “We’re in a strange place, with obvious dangers no matter which way we turn. There’s no way in hell I’m going to let you go off in the dark by yourself.”
“I don’t want you peeking at me. I don’t need a protector.” She kept walking away.
“Chloe. I said no.”
She waved her hand in the air in dismissal.
Gideon thought perhaps his head would explode. “Chloe. Come back here.”
All he saw was her back disappearing into the woods. He stomped after her, furious and scared at the same time. She tied him into knots. Gideon wasn’t used to being disobeyed, and this little sprite was making him loco because she never listened to him.
“Don’t be peeking at me.” She had stopped by the creek, and from what he could see, she was glaring at him.
“I won’t peek, and I resent the fact you believe I would.” He didn’t mean to sound affronted, but it came out that way.
“I don’t know you from a hole in the ground, Mr. Blackwood. All we know is how to pleasure each other.” Her brazen words left him speechless.
She disappeared behind some bushes, and he took the opportunity to check the water. The creek was about eight feet wide with a gentle current. He cupped a mouthful and tasted it, and it was clean. Next thing he knew, a pair of legs went past him into the water. She either didn’t care if he peeked, or she hadn’t seen him squatting by the edge.
Either way, he was struck dumb by the sight of Chloe
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