by Danni Roan
Another flutter near an old snag had him shooting down stream as the big orange paddles churned water into foam. Dan’s heart froze as fear clutched at him with icy claws. If Rosa had drifted under those wheels; no, he wouldn’t think like that. Swimming hard, his long strokes brought him to the old log, it’s battered and broken limbs skeletal in their bareness, he saw her. Rosa bobbed upward her heavy skirt snagged on the log as she rolled in the current. Dan was by her side in an instant, untangling her and pulling her into his arms. Her face was deathly pale, her skin clammy, but he wrapped his arm under hers and stroked toward the shore.
His strength waning, Dan Gaines clenched his teeth and continued swimming across the slow heavy current his sodden boots tipping into a sand bar and he pushed himself to his feet. Lifting Rosa he staggered toward the rippling grass of the embankment collapsing in the damp grass and rolling Rosa to her side.
Hands shaking Dan bent her knees up trying to force the water she had swallowed out of her. “Please darlin’ don’t leave me,” he moaned as he repeated the action. “Come back, I need you. Christina needs you. Rosa, Rosa,” he sobbed as he pressed on her middle and water spilled from her mouth.
Rolling her on her side again Dan held her while she coughed, spewing the river water from her body like poison from a wound.
“You’re gonna be all right,” Dan crooned stroking her hair away from her face. “You’re gonna be all right. I won’t let anything happen to you.” Tears stung his eyes as Rosa gasped for breath finally pulling in the fresh air as she sagged into him.
Dan pulled her close pressing her head to his chest. She was shaking, trembling now and his hot tears dropped onto her shoulder as they clung together. “I’ve got you honey. I’ve got you.” He dropped a gentle kiss to her head and sighed as she took another shuddering breath.
Dan clutched Rosa to him rocking her gently as he whispered silent thanks to God that she was alive. His heart was pounding and he was afraid he would never be able to release her.
“You came for me,” Rosa whispered her voice rough. “You risked everything.”
“I’ll always come for you Rosa,” Dan said, all his feelings pouring from his soul. “I love you, and I’ll do anything for you. I’ve never been so frightened in my life.”
Rosa pushed herself away from him breaking his grip as she reared back to stare at him.
Dan’s heart almost stopped as his hands shook with fear, hope, doubt, and relief. The emotions rolled over him faster and more chilling that the black waters of the big river. Without thinking he grasped Rosa’s arms pulling her to him and dropping his lips to hers. Perhaps he would live to regret it, but in that instance he had to hold her, taste her, and touch her.
Rosa’s eyes went wide at Dan’s words, and when he jerked her to him, she couldn’t think. He couldn’t love her. He didn’t know her. As his lips met hers she blinked, everything whirling past like the muddy bottom of the river then she leaned into him grasping his dripping shirt in her hands as she kissed him back. As she surrendered to his kisses, his words echoed in her brain. He loved her.
Dan’s chest burned as his breathing quickened and when Rosa wrapped her hands in his shirt, his heart began to race. She was here, in his arms and kissing him back. He flinched as pain shot through his side and Rosa pulled away.
“I’m, I’m sorry,” he said dropping his hands and looking away though he wasn’t sorry at all. He knew Rosa would be angry. His lips burned longing to kiss her again as he waited for the inevitable tirade of words.
“You are hurt,” Rosa gasped looking at the long cut along his ribs where bright red blood was oozing under his coat. “Let me look.” Gently she pushed his coat back away from the cut, peeling the two sides of his slashed shirt aside.
“I guess that fella with the knife must have caught me. I don’t remember.”
“You could have been killed.” Rosa reached down tearing a strip of cloth from her dripping petticoat as she pulled Dan’s coat off and lifted his shirt.
Dan raised his arm as she peered at the wound. “It doesn’t look too bad,” he said offering her a slight grin. “I’ve had worse.”
Rosa’s dark eyes flashed at him as she began to wrap the cloth around his ribs stemming the flow of blood. “You will be lucky if you do not get infection.” Rosa shivered at the thought and Dan pulled his coat around her. It was a good wool coat and would offer some warmth even wet.
“Come on,” he said pushing himself to his feet and taking her cold hands. “We need to find shelter.”
“Shouldn’t we wait for the boat to return?” Rosa asked scanning the river for any sign of the vessel.
“Darlin’ at this point I don’t even know if they realize what happened. I think we’re on our own.”
Rosa shivered as the cool breeze gusted off of the river, and she struggled to rise, the weight of her sodden skirts making it difficult to stand.
Dan wrapped an arm around the little woman next to him steadying her as she struggled to her feet. She was shivering with cold, and he needed to find somewhere out of the wind for them so that they could warm up and dry out. He flinched as she clutched at him finding her balance, but he only tucked her closer trying to keep her warm.
Stepping out he helped Rosa through the long grass along the river, his eyes watching for any sign of danger. Neither of them spoke. There was too much to be said for mere words to suffice and only time would work out their fate. They had been walking for several minutes headed to the tree line when Dan stumbled and Rosa clutched at him lending her strength to his. Perhaps he had lost more blood than he realized when he was in the river. Either way they were both exhausted and needed rest.
“Thank you,” he whispered his arms tightening on Rosa as they stepped into a grove of trees that blocked the growing wind.
“Sit, you are too tired.” Rosa insisted following him to a fallen log and helping him sit. “Perhaps there are houses nearby. I will go while you rest.”
Dan’s harsh chuckle made Rosa study him, her brows furrowing with an unspoken question.
“I don’t think I’m letting you out of my sight,” he laughed. “Besides you’re already shivering with cold. We both need to get out of these wet clothes and get warmed up.”
“How are we supposed to do that?” Rosa bridled placing her hand on her hips. “We are in the forest.”
Dan patted the log next to him as exhaustion tugged at him. “Sit,” he said “I’ll get a fire going and we’ll strip down to our under things so our clothes can dry.”
“I will not,” Rosa said her eyes flashing but her voice lacked the conviction it so often held.
“You will if you don’t want to freeze to death,” Dan laughed. “We’re not in Needful anymore, and if I read the weather right, we’re probably in for a storm. It’s already cooling off not warming up, and the sun has been hidden most of the morning by clouds.”
Rosa gazed around her and the signs forced her to agree. “I wish we could find some place better,” she mumbled, but another gust of wind rattled the treetops and she had to agree.
The wind picked up and the surrounding trees swayed making Rosa yelp. “What is that?” she asked as the grass flattened itself against the earth.
Dan turned wincing at the pain in his side as he peered deeper into the grove. “Looks like a sod shack.” He pushed himself to his feet and turned toward it bending to pick up a thick stick of wood on his way.
Rosa fell in behind him her wet clothing making her shiver again under the shadow of the trees. In a few minutes they had reached the old cabin. It was covered in vines and the wood shake roof had moss growing on it, but it looked solid enough.
“I’ll go in first,” Dan whispered ducking low to step through the door. A flutter of wings and a family of doves startled him as they flew from the rafters and out a hole in the eaves. “It looks alright,” he called to Rosa who stepped inside her own stick raised in her hands.
“Check for snakes,” Rosa breathed her
eyes scanning the dust covered floor. “There are always snakes.”
Dan chuckled but made a careful turn around the small cabin. It had a wooden floor and stood a few feet off of the ground on thick logs. “No snakes,” he grinned returning to the door. “The fireplace looks alright though and there’s wood.”
“What is this place do you think?” Rosa asked looking at the simple structure as she wrapped her arms around her middle trying to gain some warmth.
“Probably someone’s fishing cabin, or maybe an old homesteader’s place. At least it’s shelter.” He hurried to the fireplace looking into a box of kindling with a grin. “I’ll get a fire started and hope the flue won’t smoke us out.”
Rosa wrapped her arms around herself as the wind whistled by. “You really don’t think anyone is coming for us?” she asked her dark eyes full of worry.
“We can’t count on it,” Dan said striking a piece of steel to a hard rock and urging the sparks to take. “There’s no telling what is happening on the steam boat. With most of the passengers at breakfast it might be dinner time until we’re even missed.”
The spark took and Dan added twigs and sticks to the flicker, blowing on it gently until a tongue of fire wrapped around a small branch. His teeth chattered as slowly he added wood to the fire watching that the smoke drifted upward, unobstructed by a nest or fallen leaves.
Rosa walked to the tiny fire sighing with relief as it caught and handing Dan a larger log. She was cold, wet, and exhausted. She wanted to be warm again, to feel the heat of Dan’s kiss once more, and the assurance that she had survived.
“Now what do we do?” she asked as Dan rose.
“Now we get out of these wet things,” Dan said walking to a box by the door and pulling out two old wool blankets. “I’m afraid it’s the best we’re going to get.” He grinned. “This must be a fishing cabin or it wouldn’t have anything inside.”
Rosa nodded but didn’t say anything as she turned her back on the man who had saved her life, slowly unbuttoning her dripping dress. If they stayed in their wet things for much longer, they would probably both die of cold.
As the gown slipped from her shoulders, she shivered then started as a warm blanket wrapped around her. It smelled of dust, and wood smoke, and she knew that Dan had been holding it by the fire to warm it. “Thank you,” she whispered her heart swelling toward him as his word echoed once more in her brain. He had said he loved her. Could she believe him? Pulling the blanket tight and stepping out of her dress she realized that she desperately wanted to. She did not want to spend the rest of her life alone. What would it be like to truly be the wife of Dan Gaines, a wealthy rancher and Mayor of Needful?
Dan picked up Rosa’s dress, the weight of it tugging at his wound and he hissed with pain.
“Your wound,” Rosa said twisting to face him. She was wrapped in the thin blanket but her bare shoulders were still visible and Dan swallowed hard as his eyes traced the delicate line of her collar bone. He knew she was standing there in nothing but her shift and pantaloons and his blood heated at the thought. Turning on his heel he hurried back to the fire and hung her dress on a peg in the wall.
“You must change too,” Rosa insisted. “Then I will check your wound.”
The wind picked up outside and the first heavy drops of rain began to fall. Dan nodded, not daring to turn back to look at her as he began to unbutton his ruined shirt. In only moments he had stripped down to his draws under the scratchy blanket but he was still wet and cold. Holding the blanket with one hand he lifted another log into the fire and settled onto the dusty floor. “Come get warm,” he called never turning his head. “No point freezing.”
Rosa shuffled to where Dan sat before the fire holding her own blanket tight as she settled on the floor. They had shelter, warmth, and something to wrap themselves in. She had to thank God for that. Now if He would only help her figure out the feelings raging through her mind. She shivered and Dan snaked out an arm pulling her into his warmth and Rosa accepted it leaning her head on his shoulder as exhaustion, worry, and fear drained her of all energy.
“We’ll be all right,” Dan whispered his strong arm holding her tight. “We just need to get warm and dry.”
Rosa nodded against his shoulder letting the comfort of his strength roll over her. She didn’t understand it, but she believed him and as her eyes drifted closed. She believed his words as well. In her heart she knew that when he had said he loved her it was true.
Dan felt Rosa sag against his side as the rain drummed against the little cabin. He pulled her closer, wrapping the blanket a little tighter around her shoulders. She whimpered in her sleep and his grip tightened once more as their body heat began to meld.
The Mayor of Needful grinned as he leaned his head against Rosa’s wondering how he’d ended up here. He should have been content now that he was completely alone with Rosa. He had her in his arms and wanted to keep her there, but how could he do it?
Chapter 24
A peel of thunder rolled over the cabin and Dan blinked awake. He was sprawled out on his back with something warm and soft practically on top of him. The orange glow of the dying fire lit the dim room and though he realized it must be midday, almost no sunlight reached them.
Tipping his chin downward he noticed Rosa splayed across him, her head resting on his chest as she slept. Somewhere along the way he must have nodded off to sleep and pulled Rosa with him onto the floor. He didn’t mind though as he studied her bare arm draped across his chest. Rosa shifted snuggling closer and her hair fell into his face tickling his nose. Dan held in his chuckle trying to blow the offending strand away before it drove him crazy. Careful not to disturb her he grabbed the edge of the blanket that had fallen to the floor, flicking it over them and closed his eyes. He needed to build up the fire before the cabin grew cold and damp but he couldn’t bring himself to disturb Rosa.
Again she wiggled closer, pressing tight against his warmth, but when a shapely leg fell over his legs he groaned. “Rosa,” he whispered. “Rosa, I need to build the fire up.”
Rosa mumbled something then rolled over turning her back to him and suddenly grew still.
“Mayor Dan?” she queried her spine rigid.
“I’m here.”
Rosa let out a breath pushing herself upright and blinking at the man. He lay on his back one arm pillowed beneath his head. “What are we doing on the floor?” She pushed herself into a sitting position trying to focus on her surroundings.
“I think we were sleeping,” Dan’s tone was light, teasing.
Rosa’s cheeks flamed as she realized she had let the blanket slip and was sitting in her shift and bloomers next to Dan Gaines. She swallowed noticing the hungry, appraising look in his eyes and was shocked when he didn’t look away.
“I thought you were going to build up the fire,” she said tugging at the blanket that was stuck under his hip.
Dan chuckled pushing himself up on his elbows and watching Rosa squirm. Her hair had mostly fallen loose from its pins and fell around her in a tangled weave. Her eyes, dark and bright glimmered in the fire light. His eyes fell to her lips, and he licked his, his mouth suddenly going dry. Pushing himself upright he reached out brushing a lock of hair behind her ear and wondering if that was the one that had tickled his nose a moment ago.
“You look lovely,” he drawled, his mind seemed to have slowed down and it couldn't control the words his heart wished to speak.
Rosa dropped her eyes pulling her meager corner of the blanket to her breast but only drawing his eye there. Closing his eyes Dan willed himself not to reach for her. His arms trembled with the need, but instead he rolled to his side and began placing logs on the fire coaxing it back to a bright and steady flame.
“How is your side?” Rosa asked her words punctuated by another crash of thunder.
Dan tuned back, to reveal a broad chest smooth and well muscled as well as the tight bandage around his ribs. “See for yourself,” he offered twisting to give
her a better view.
Rosa reached out carefully her eyes tracing every line of his body. Her hands shook as she placed them along his ribs feeling for any heat or signs of swelling. “I think you will live,” she spoke her hands still resting on his rib cage.
Dan dropped his hands to hers pressing them against his chest as he sat straighter. First lifting one and then the other he kissed each palm his eyes never leaving hers. A day ago, he had married her to save her from her father, now who would save her from him. His eyes burned with the knowledge that he loved her, but could never have her. He knew that she did not believe him to be an honorable man.
Rosa tugged, pulling her hand from his, but instead of rising and running away, she placed her palm on his cheek studying his face. His eyes never wavered from hers, though she knelt before him in next to nothing. His face was warm and the rough stubble of growth on his cheeks prickled against her palm.
“You meant what you said earlier?” Her voice sounded like a ragged croak and his lips twitched.
Placing his hand over hers he nodded, turning his head and kissing her palm once more. Heat that had nothing to do with the roaring fire shot through her, and Rosa realized that she had a choice. She could pull away and lose this man’s love, or she could let go and embrace it. For three long heartbeats, she studied his face searching for the truth that glowed in his blue eyes.
“Tell me again.”
Dan sat up straighter, his face inches from hers as he met her dark eyes. “Rosa, I love you,” he drawled. “At first I just wanted to look out for you for Raul, but…” he dropped his gaze his body sagging. “Somehow, I didn’t mean to, but I fell in love with you.”
Rosa pressed her hands to either side of her new husband’s face and smiled. “I did not know,” she said. “I misjudged you, but…” she swallowed. “I see how you feel about me, and it does strange things to my heart. It gives me hope.”