immediately wrapped her arms around him and clamped her mouth closed. If there was one person she trusted to keep her safe, it was Mack.
As she came more fully awake, she heard men’s voices in the woods. “This way, no over here.”
“Them Injuns camp down in the valley. This way.”
“Quiet down, would ya or they’ll know we’re comin’.”
Annie tensed but kept still and stayed quiet while Mack’s arms held her close.
The voices moved further off and Annie took a shallow breath. “What was that?” her voice quivered as she whispered.
“The miners are tired of the Indian raids. The Indians are desperate because the miners are using all of their resources. I’m glad we are getting on that boat tomorrow.” He gave her a squeeze and then started to roll away.
“Mack,” desperation laced her voice as she spoke.
He stopped and turned back. “Yes?”
“Will you stay next to me? I know you’re right across the fire but I…”
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. I’m just, I’m…” her voice caught. She couldn’t tell him her fears, the ones about herself.
“I’ll be right back.” He rolled away but was back in a few seconds. She watched as he set his roll down next to hers and then laid on top of it. Annie waited until he was still, then she rolled to curl up next to him.
Placing his arm around her, he pulled her closer. A tear slipped down her cheek. Somehow, the intimacy earlier that day had chipped away at her walls and she felt vulnerable and softer. “Thank you. I didn’t want to be alone.”
He kissed the top of her head and she closed her eyes. Now that she was close to him, his strength made her feel stronger. She breathed in his smell and she laid her hand on his chest. Rock hard muscles met her touch.
She rubbed her cheek ever so slightly on his shoulder. “Annie,” his voice was so soft, it could barely be heard. “We can’t.”
“I know. I just want to touch you. I…” She didn’t know how to say all the things that were crowding in her mind. Something in her shifted today. She didn’t want to be alone. She wanted to love again and Annie didn’t want just anyone, she wanted him.
He let out a low chuckle. “I didn’t have the release you did today. Every touch…” he sucked in his breath as her hand slid down his torso.
“I asked you earlier, why didn’t we―”
“The shortest answer is that you can’t get pregnant.” Every muscle in Mack was tense against her body.
She sucked in her breath. “Ohh.”
“Go back to sleep, Annie.” He didn’t remove his arm but he did grab her hand from his waist and put it back on his chest.
Annie closed her eyes. While Mack gave her support and aid, he was moving them very slowly into a physical relationship. All at once it occurred to Annie that he was giving her the time she needed to trust him. If they hadn’t been together on the trail, she would never have trusted him the way she did now.
Did he trust her? Rake had accused her of acting like Garrett. If she was doing that then he most certainly did not trust her.
“Mack, thank you for being my friend. I don’t know how I will repay you for all that you have done but I know that I am going to try.” Giving him one last squeeze and she snuggled into him and fell sleep.
She woke the next morning alone. She propped herself up on her elbow and looked around. Mack wasn’t there but almost everyone else was still asleep. Swallowing her disappointment, she got up and stoked the fire, then headed for the river.
It didn’t take more than a few minutes to find Mack down by the water. Annie’s heart twisted. Why hadn’t he stayed next to her? Why did he leave so early? She took a deep breath.
“Mornin’,” she said as she leaned over to wash her face.
“Mornin’,” Mack replied.
“My stuff is all packed. Can we head to the boat early and then I can load my stuff and still make it to work?”
“That should be fine.” He rubbed his hands
As she came more fully awake, she heard men’s voices in the woods. “This way, no over here.”
“Them Injuns camp down in the valley. This way.”
“Quiet down, would ya or they’ll know we’re comin’.”
Annie tensed but kept still and stayed quiet while Mack’s arms held her close.
The voices moved further off and Annie took a shallow breath. “What was that?” her voice quivered as she whispered.
“The miners are tired of the Indian raids. The Indians are desperate because the miners are using all of their resources. I’m glad we are getting on that boat tomorrow.” He gave her a squeeze and then started to roll away.
“Mack,” desperation laced her voice as she spoke.
He stopped and turned back. “Yes?”
“Will you stay next to me? I know you’re right across the fire but I…”
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. I’m just, I’m…” her voice caught. She couldn’t tell him her fears, the ones about herself.
“I’ll be right back.” He rolled away but was back in a few seconds. She watched as he set his roll down next to hers and then laid on top of it. Annie waited until he was still, then she rolled to curl up next to him.
Placing his arm around her, he pulled her closer. A tear slipped down her cheek. Somehow, the intimacy earlier that day had chipped away at her walls and she felt vulnerable and softer. “Thank you. I didn’t want to be alone.”
He kissed the top of her head and she closed her eyes. Now that she was close to him, his strength made her feel stronger. She breathed in his smell and she laid her hand on his chest. Rock hard muscles met her touch.
She rubbed her cheek ever so slightly on his shoulder. “Annie,” his voice was so soft, it could barely be heard. “We can’t.”
“I know. I just want to touch you. I…” She didn’t know how to say all the things that were crowding in her mind. Something in her shifted today. She didn’t want to be alone. She wanted to love again and Annie didn’t want just anyone, she wanted him.
He let out a low chuckle. “I didn’t have the release you did today. Every touch…” he sucked in his breath as her hand slid down his torso.
“I asked you earlier, why didn’t we―”
“The shortest answer is that you can’t get pregnant.” Every muscle in Mack was tense against her body.
She sucked in her breath. “Ohh.”
“Go back to sleep, Annie.” He didn’t remove his arm but he did grab her hand from his waist and put it back on his chest.
Annie closed her eyes. While Mack gave her support and aid, he was moving them very slowly into a physical relationship. All at once it occurred to Annie that he was giving her the time she needed to trust him. If they hadn’t been together on the trail, she would never have trusted him the way she did now.
Did he trust her? Rake had accused her of acting like Garrett. If she was doing that then he most certainly did not trust her.
“Mack, thank you for being my friend. I don’t know how I will repay you for all that you have done but I know that I am going to try.” Giving him one last squeeze and she snuggled into him and fell sleep.
She woke the next morning alone. She propped herself up on her elbow and looked around. Mack wasn’t there but almost everyone else was still asleep. Swallowing her disappointment, she got up and stoked the fire, then headed for the river.
It didn’t take more than a few minutes to find Mack down by the water. Annie’s heart twisted. Why hadn’t he stayed next to her? Why did he leave so early? She took a deep breath.
“Mornin’,” she said as she leaned over to wash her face.
“Mornin’,” Mack replied.
“My stuff is all packed. Can we head to the boat early and then I can load my stuff and still make it to work?”
“That should be fine.” He rubbed his hands
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