by Norah Hess
When low moans began to come from Willow's lips, all three heaved happy sighs. She was in pain because her body was heating up. They also now knew that no part of her body had frostbite.
"Come help me start supper, Jimmy." Corrie Mae smiled at the teenager hanging over the bed's foot rail. Jimmy sighed and reluctantly followed the big woman out of the room.
When Jules was finally left alone with Willow, he pulled his chair up close to the bed and inserted a hand under the covers. Finding her hand, he held it, while his other hand stroked her brow and hair.
As the room heated up, the rigorous day he had spent caught up with Jules. Suddenly he was dead tired and overwhelmingly sleepy. He took off his boots and stretched out beside Willow. He lifted her head to rest on his shoulder, and then fell into a deep sleep.
It was dark and someone had entered the room and lit the lamp, when Jules came awake. He looked down at Willow and found her smiling at him. "How do you feel?" he asked softly. "Washed out, and my ankle hurts."
"It's swollen. I'll bathe it with cold water later."
"Much later, please. I've had enough cold to last me a lifetime." Willow raised her head to look up at Jules. "I was so frightened when my mare threw me and ran away. I thought that I was going to lie in the snow and freeze to death."
"Don't say that." Jules hugged her fiercely. "When I found you, all I could think of was that you were dead and that I had never said I loved you."
"And do you love me, Jules Asher?" Willow asked softly.
"Sometimes I actually hurt, I love you so much."
Willow stroked his whisker-rough cheek. "I know you do, love. And I love you. I suffered greatly when you never said those three little words to me. I thought that you had used me the same way you were in the habit of treating all the other women in your life. Then, at Corrie Mae's urging, I went up to her cabin to think things through. I wanted to decide whether I would stay on here, or go away.
"As I walked and rode over the mountain, I retraced every day of our relationship from its beginning. Two days ago I realized that maybe you didn't know it, but you did love me. When I started home this morning, I intended to go to you and accept your proposal of marriage."
Jules leaned over and gazed down at her, love shining in his eyes. He gave her a crooked grin then and teased, "Do you mean to tell me I said those words when I didn't have to?"
Willow lifted her arms around his shoulders and said huskily, "That's right, bucko. Now give me a kiss."
The heated kiss was broken when Corrie Mae entered the room and said in mock anger, "That will be enough of that, Jules Asher."
Jules lifted his head. "I'll never get enough of that," he said, and before he bent his head to capture Willow's lips again, he added, "Get out of here and close the door behind you. Willow and I have some serious talking and working to do."
"Hah," Corrie Mae snorted as she walked toward the door. "There will be working but precious little talking done."
When the door closed behind the cook, Jules said thickly, "That's right." Standing up, he got out of his clothes. Willow sat up and whipped the gown over her head.
"Be careful of my ankle," she said, laughing, when Jules slid in beside her and folded her in his arms. "I have no interest in your ankle, lady," he said, his voice thick with desire.
Epilogue
As soon as Willow was able to hobble around on her strained ankle, she and Jules were married by the same preacher who had married her mother and Rooster. Corrie Mae was Willow's attendant and Jimmy was Jules's best man.
As Mrs. Jules Asher, Willow moved back to the large hacienda. Jimmy, of course, went with her. A man was hired to run Aunt Jess's ranch, and Corrie Mae stayed on as cook.
Although Jimmy was a little old to be adopted, Willow insisted that he should carry Jules's name. The papers were drawn up, and the homeless teenager who adored Willow finally had a family and a home.