by Sue Heasley
Jose cried out in pain. “You little shit.” He turned toward Ben.
“Run,” Rex yelled. At the same time, his fist landed on Jose’s chin. He stumbled backward, dropped his .45, and fell over a bale of hay. Rex grabbed his gun off the floorboard and moved forward to continue the fight.
Jose’s feet stuck out from behind the hay bale. A painful groan reached Rex’s ears. He stepped closer to get a better view. Blood dripped out of the corner of Jose’s mouth. The ends of a pitchfork protruded from the front of his belly. It had pierced him clean through from his back. He wasn’t going to make it. Rex set Jose’s gun on the bale of hay. He knelt beside his old childhood friend.
“Rex?”
“I’m here.” He took Jose’s hand and grasped it.
“Take care of Lillie for me,” he whispered. His head fell to the side, his eyes in a dead stare.
Rex slid his hand over Jose’s eyes to close them. He stared down at his clenched hand, which went limp in his. He said a silent prayer wishing things could have been different between them.
The bank money had spilled out of its bag and had spread across the floorboards of the hayloft during their scuffle. Rex ignored the bills and headed for the ladder. During his climb down, a faint whimper from below drew his attention.
“Ben, where are you?” He followed the sounds. Ben had curled up in the back corner of an empty horse stall. His hands pressed against his ears. Tears streamed down his rosy cheeks. Rex squatted down in front of him.
“You’re okay now. It’s over.” Rex held out his hand.
Ben shook his head.
“Son, I’m your real father. I will always protect you and your ma.”
Ben dried his eyes on the sleeve of his shirt. “Are you really my pa?”
“Yes.” Rex held out his arms.
His son ran into them and hugged him. His little faced buried into his shoulder. His tears wetted his shirt. Rex carried him back to the house where his mother and grandfather waited.
“Is he okay?” Lillie asked. A cloth bandage had been wrapped around her arm to stop the bleeding from the gunshot wound.
“Yes, he’s shaken up a bit.” Rex held him tightly. Enjoying the feel of his son in his arms for the first time.
Charlie rubbed Ben’s head. “What about Jose?”
Rex lowered his eyes. “Dead. Landed on a pitchfork during our fight.”
“It’s over then. Thank the Lord.” Charlie frowned. “It’s too bad. Jose used to be a good ranch hand. Although, we were never close.”
“Come here,” Lillie urged Ben. “I want to give you a big hug. I’m worried about you.”
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to hug my pa a little longer. I never hugged him before.” Ben smiled at Lillie.
Rex tried to keep his emotions in check as he stared into Lillie’s eyes, which were filled with tears. He held out his arm to pull her close into his circle of hugs. “So, this is what it feels like to have a son.” He couldn’t help but to give the woman he loved a big smile.
“It’s about damn time.” Charlie smiled.
“Come here, old man. I got room for one more.”
Chapter Eighteen
Rex had his arms wrapped around Lillie as they sat around the campfire at their secret swimming hole. This was right where she belonged, in his embrace, snuggling up against him. He figured she had finally forgiven him for leaving her all those years ago.
She hadn’t asked him if he was planning to stick around town. Even Charlie seemed to be acting strangely toward him and not talking much. The old man hadn’t even offered him a job to stay and work on his ranch.
Rex tried not to think about his future. He wanted to enjoy their time together however long it lasted. But then again, he’d been waiting for the right time to ask Lillie a special question. He had never been more nervous before in his life. He worried she’d reject him.
Lillie laughed at Ben frolicking in the shallow water with Charlie. “You two better get out. It’s getting chilly. You’ll catch a bad cold. Come dry off, and we’ll head back to the ranch.”
Charlie took Ben’s hand and led him toward the fire. A limp still evident in his gait. He placed a blanket around Ben’s shoulders. “What do you think?”
“Now. Can I do it now?” Ben jerked his blanket off and began to jump up and down.
“Do what now?” Rex and Lillie said in unison.
“Yes, go ahead.” Charlie nodded.
“You have to close your eyes,” Ben said.
Rex glanced at Lillie, and she smiled. “Okay, our eyes are closed.”
He could hear Ben looking for something in his saddle bag.
“Okay, open your eyes.”
Rex chuckled at the sight of a horseshoe nail shaped into a ring. Ben’s face lit up with excitement as he stood in front of him.
“Grandpa helped me make it. Would you marry my ma? Can you be my pa forever and take care of us?”
Rex glanced at Lillie when she gasped. She seemed surprised at the emotions playing across his face. Even though he was a man who never cried, tears filled his eyes. Love filled his heart leaving all doubts behind.
“Yes, I’d be proud to marry your ma. I also look forward to being your father.” Rex slipped the ring onto his little pinky finger.
Ben ran into his arms, and Rex hugged him closely. “I’ll always be here for you.”
“Thank the Lord.” Charlie put his hands up to warm them at the fire. “I didn’t know how much longer I could have kept this secret.”
Rex looked down at Lillie and skimmed her cheek with his knuckle. She began to tremble. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to talk to your ma in private.”
“It’s about damn time,” Charlie commented.
Ben giggled and sat in his grandpa’s lap.
****
Lillie couldn’t stop shaking as Rex took her hand and led her to a shadowed area where Charlie and Ben couldn’t see them. He held her face between his hands and gave her a deep kiss until they were both breathless.
“Rex,” her trembling lips said against his mouth. He got down on one knee and held a little gold band up to her.
“I love you, Lillie. I’ve never stopped loving you. You stole my heart the first day I ever laid eyes on you. I was a fool for leaving you. Forgive me. I’m done wandering. Will you do me the honor of marrying me?”
“I…” Her heart raced like the fluttering of hummingbird wings. Rex’s voice sounded sincere. But a tiny flicker of doubt still occupied her mind. She couldn’t deny how much she loved this man. But she wanted to make him beg. She deserved that, after all. Lillie said nothing, turned, and walked away, swaying her hips a little more than she should.
The sudden sharp crack of a whip startled her. Her hand automatically slipped to her waist where her whip always hung. It was gone. Suddenly, the leather whip wrapped itself around her waist. She gasped, surprised that Rex knew how to use it. Lillie turned to look at him as he pulled her to him, a mischievous grin across his face. She smiled back unable to help herself. He pulled her hard up against him.
“I know you better than you think I do.” Rex dropped the whip and wrapped her in a loving embrace. His kiss filled her with a love she had never known before.
“Rex.”
“Say the words,” he whispered into her ear.
The tone of his aroused voice sent warmth through her body like a cozy fire. Her lips tingled from his touch. “Yes, I’ll marry you. I’ve always loved you too. Despite all the pain you’ve caused me in the past.”
“Hey.” Rex stared into her eyes. “I promise I’ll make it up to you every single day for the rest of your life. Do you believe me?”
Lillie paused as she evaluated the seriousness of his words. Two of her fingers skimmed across his lower lip, and he kissed them. He took her hand and placed it over his heart.
“Do you believe me?” There was a slight shakiness to his voice as if he feared she would reject him.
“Yes, Rex. I b
elieve you.” Her hands slowly began to unbutton his shirt.
“Um, honey, your father and Ben are still here.” Rex put his hands on each of her shoulders and turned her around to face them. Charlie had been stirring the embers in the fire pit with a stick. Ben had been watching them despite his grandpa’s attempt to distract him.
“Why don’t the two of you head back to the house? I want to talk with Rex privately for a while longer.” Lillie hoped they couldn’t see her blushed cheeks from a distance.
Her father stood and faced her with his hands on his hips. “Well, don’t keep us in suspense.”
“I said yes,” Lillie yelled back.
Rex stepped up behind her, put his arms around her waist, and pulled her back against his chest.
“You’re going to have to put up with me for a long time, old man,” Rex teased. “You too, son.”
“Yippee.” Ben danced up and down. “We did it, Grandpa.”
“We sure did. It’s about time you two put the past behind you.” Her father smiled and grabbed Ben’s hand. “Let’s give these young’uns some privacy. How about we head back home, and I’ll teach you a new card game. We’ll have some apple pie for dessert.”
“Yummy.” Ben turned back to them and waved. “Don’t bring Mommy home too late, Pa.”
Rex nodded. He leaned down close to her ear and whispered, “Did you hear that? He called me pa.”
“Yes.” Lillie heard the emotions filling his voice. She turned to face him and smiled. She had never seen a grown man with tears in his eyes before. She started to unbutton his shirt the rest of the way while Rex continued to watch his son walk away from them.
“I like hearing him call me pa.” Rex sounded excited. “Maybe I should go with your father? I could help him teach Ben how to play cards.”
“There will be plenty of time for that later.” Lillie started to lay kisses across his muscular chest. He released a groan in response to her touches.
“Sorry, I’m distracted about the reality of becoming a father.”
Lillie put her arms around his neck and said against his lips. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. But right now, this is my time. I’ve waited long enough for this moment.”
“No.” Rex lifted her up into his arms. “It’s our moment.” He carried her to the water’s edge and set her down. “Are you up for a little swim?”
Memories of Rex saying those very same words to her when they were younger made her shiver. They had explored each other fully that day. His expression showed that he remembered too. “Yes.” Lillie giggled as they both shed their clothes.
He took her hand and they waded into the cold water until it reached their waists. They slipped under the surface for a kiss exactly like they did all those years ago. They were initiating their commitment all over again. They stood up, her hair hanging in wet ringlets around her shoulders. Droplets of water beaded on Rex’s chest like diamonds. His hands cupped her breasts, then slid along her neck to hold her face between his palms. He bent his head and gently kissed her mouth.
Her lips tingled, sending sensations clear to her toes.
“Will you surrender yourself over to me completely?” Rex said in a husky voice.
“Yes,” Lillie whispered. “Will you promise to love me forever?”
“Until my last dying breath, my love.”
Rex lifted her up holding her buttocks as her legs wrapped around his waist. He kissed her breathless under the moonlight and twinkling stars as their bodies became one, starving for the love that had been lost and reborn. Forgiving Rex had mended her broken heart, creating a love that would last a lifetime and beyond.
A word about the author…
I became interested in the history of the wild west after my mother gave me my first historical western romance. Stories of the strong-willed men and women of that era filled my head. Characters demanded my attention. It is important to me to create stories that will take my readers on a journey alongside my characters. I strive to create an experience for you.
www.sueheasley.com
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