Zach closed his eyes, wondering what must be going through her mind. How often did you wake to find someone staring at you? He heard her stir.
“You were thinking about leaving me here alone, weren’t you?” Her accusation stung. “I know you’re worried about getting to your job and feel sorry you found me. I just want you to know you can go. I’ll find my way just fine.”
He jerked upright and glared at her. “I said I’m takin’ you to Phoenix, now go to sleep.” He didn’t mean to snap at her, but the thought of leaving her had crossed his mind. There was no way he could now.
* * *
Odessa’s scream filled the night.
Zach bolted from a sound sleep and grabbed his rifle. His heart thudded against his breastbone.
“No, not Pa.” Odessa, her eyes still closed, screamed again and thrashed about in her bedroll.
Zach released his relief in a whoosh of air, let go of his carbine then scrambled across to where she lay. Gathering her in his arms, he caressed her cheek. “Hush, now.”
She sagged against him, whimpering like the injured puppy he once had.
He brushed tousled hair back from her face. “Everything is all right. You had a bad dream.” Her body trembled and sent strange shock waves through his.
Odessa pushed him away and rubbed both hands up and down her face. “It was awful… like living the whole thing over again.”
Zach rested his arm around her shoulders. “You’re safe now. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Daylight peaking over the distant horizon lit the desert floor and tinted the sky in shades of orange. She lowered her hands to her lap and flashed a half grin. “Thank you, Zach. I’m beholden to you.”
The appreciative look in her eyes touched his heart. He wanted to hold her, kiss her and tell her everything would be fine, but he didn’t dare. If he wanted her to respect the honorable man he claimed to be, he’d have to show her he was one.
Drawing his arm away, he stood and brushed the dust from the knees of his jeans. “We’d best get things rounded up and get on the trail. I can tell it’s gonna be another hot one.”
She peered up at him. “When you do think we’ll get to Phoenix?”
“Maybe late tomorrow, if we’re lucky.” Funny, he didn’t feel lucky. Despite feeling irked at finding her earlier, he dreaded that their time together would soon end.
She turned to her knees and started rolling up her blanket. “I can’t wait to find Aunt Susan. I want this trip to be over.”
Zach’s shoulders sagged. He’d hoped for a different response. Dejected, he threw Storm’s saddle across his broad back. “Well, like I said, let’s get loaded up and get movin’. We can gnaw on a biscuit while we ride.”
While Odessa splayed her fingers through her hair, grumbling about the tangles, he loaded their gear on Storm. He turned and found her hand shielding her brow as she squinted into the distance.
“Look.” She pointed down the trail. “What’s that?”
Dots on the horizon became a growing cloud of dust. “Hmm, it looks like riders a comin’.”
"Where the Indian killed one buffalo, the hide and tongue hunters killed fifty."-
Chief Red Cloud
Chapter Seven
Odessa’s eyes widened. “You don’t suppose those are Indians, do you?”
Zach shook his head. “Nope, redskins are too smart to let you know they’re comin’. Probably just someone like us…headin’ someplace and wantin’ to get there.”
“That’s a relief. I’ve never seen a redskin and I’m certainly not anxious to.” She grasped her neck with both hands and tilted her head from side to side. “Lordy, sleeping on this hard ground sure makes a body sore.”
Zach grinned but kept squinted eyes trained on the approaching dust. “Looks to be three riders comin’ our way.” He inched towards Storm… and his rifle. One couldn’t be too careful, with highwaymen preying on innocent victims.
A pang of guilt tore through his gut. Wasn’t that the very thing he was on his way to become before Odessa upset his plans?
The approaching trio drew near, rode off the trail and reined their mounts in front of Zach. The cloud of dust following the three quickly engulfed him and Odessa. She sputtered and coughed, then hid her face behind her hat. Zach covered his nose and waited for the dirt to settle.
The burliest of the three riders leaned forward on his saddle horn. “Howdy. You folks doin’ all right?” He glanced from Zach to Odessa and back again, displaying yellowed teeth in a wide grin. Like his companions, the man’s face sprouted stubble from days of missed shaving, and his clothing bore a thick layer of grit. They all reeked of rancid sweat.
“We’re fine, thank you. Where you headed?” Zach pretended to rest his hand on Storm’s saddle, keeping a suspicious eye trained on the men. The other two men, obviously younger, ogled Odessa. Tension snaked along Zach’s spine.
“Headin’ to Phoenix. You?” The spokesman spat a stream of tobacco into the dirt then swiped his shirtsleeve across his mouth.
After motioning for Odessa, Zach rested his arm around her shoulders and gathered her close. “Me and the wife are headin’ for Tombstone to visit family. Ain’t that right, sweetheart?” He gazed down at her, and winked, praying she’d follow his lead.
At her nod, tension drained from his shoulders. He swallowed a sigh and stayed close to his rifle.
The tobacco-chewer stood in his stirrups and looked around the camp. “Travelin’ pretty light, ain’t ya?” His gaze settled on Storm. “And, on one horse?”
Zach’s head bobbed up and down. “Yep, we started with two but lost one to snakebite. Had to double up, but we’re taking our sweet time. Can’t complain, cause it gives me more chance to cuddle with the little woman.” He pulled Odessa closer.
Odessa peered up at Zach and restrained raising her brow. She smiled as she imagined a wife would. He squeezed her so tightly, her shoulder ached, and the jostling that accompanied his words rattled her head. The little woman? Wife? Tombstone? He must have a reason for lying, and she suspected it might be the unsavory characters only a few feet away. If pretending made them move along, she’d gladly play the part.
She fidgeted beneath the lustful leer of the two younger riders, feeling naked beneath their piercing stares. The speaker for the group fixed his gaze on her, too. “So, missy, how long you two been married?”
A lump formed in her throat. “Uh… o-only two months.” Odessa wrapped her arms around Zach and looked lovingly at her supposed husband. The truth: she needed to steady her trembling legs.
“That’s right, two whole months already. Hard to believe.” Zach nodded in validation. “And, if you fellas don’t mind, we need to get on the road. We’ve still a far piece to travel.”
“Us, too.” The big man settled in his saddle and reined his horse back toward the trail. He paused and shifted. The leather creaked beneath his weight. “Nice meeting up with you. Have a safe journey.”
“Likewise, I’m sure.” Zach doffed his hat.
As soon as the three riders moved back onto the trail, Zach placed his booted foot in the stirrup, mounted, then pulled Odessa up behind him. She quickly tugged her dress down over her bared legs and swallowed hard. She’d feel better as soon as some miles separated them from this mean-looking bunch. A horrible thought jumped into her head. What if they’d been the ones to find her rather than Zach? Her stomach knotted.
Zach nudged Storm forward before Odessa had a chance to settle herself, and she almost slid off. Gaining balance, she wrapped her arms around his waist and held on for dear life. “Next time, warn me,” she hissed.
He headed his horse back the way they’d come. “Don’t look back.” His voice drifted over his shoulder, but he kept his gaze forward. “My gut tells me not to trust ‘em.”
Odessa’s mouth went dry. “Mine, too. They looked at me liked buzzards viewing their prey.”
“I noticed. But I was outnumbered. We’ll just ride away an
d hope they don’t follow.”
“What if they do?”
“We’ll handle that, if and when it happens.”
“But we’re headed in the wrong direction.” Odessa inched closer and tightened her grasp around him.
Zach’s hand covered her clasped ones. “I realize that, but I’m not anxious to tangle with three armed men. Besides, I really need to get to Tombstone. I promise I’ll get you a train ticket to Phoenix as soon as we arrive.”
“What about the one you made to help me find my Aunt?”
His chin sagged to his chest. He patted her hand. “I hate to go back on my word after all you’ve been though, but I know you understand how important this job is to me. Meetin’ up with those scoundrels altered my good intentions. And, there’s no tellin’ how long they’ll hang out and see if we told the truth. I’m not willin’ to take the chance and turn back. Are you?”
“I…reckon not. Aunt Susan had no idea Pa and I were on our way, so I guess there’s no hurry on my part. I just hate the idea of traveling alone.”
“Tell you what…” He turned his head and smiled. “If you can stand my company for a bit, I’ll earn the money I need, then see you to Phoenix myself.”
She rested her head against his shoulder and sighed. “Granny always said beggars can’t be choosers, so I suppose I don’t have much choice.”
Odessa would allow him to go back on his word this time, but she intended to hold him to the promise where he vowed he wouldn’t let anything happen to her.
* * *
They’d ridden quite a while when Zach reined in Storm. He glanced back at Odessa. “Wanna get off and stretch your legs? My neck’s kinked from lookin’ over my shoulder, but I think we’re safe.”
She didn’t need a second invitation and slid to the ground. After holding onto him so tightly, her back ached. Hands planted on her hips, she rocked from side to side. Thoughts of the three strangers still worried her, but she stopped nibbling her bottom lip and glanced up at Zach. “Are you sure we’re safe?”
“If they had wanted anything from us, I think they would’ve followed. I’m guessin’ where they were headed was more important than us.” He dismounted, and holding Storm’s reins in one hand, pushed his hat farther back on his head. “Might be they were tellin’ the truth and had no other intention than reachin’ Phoenix.” He flashed Odessa a less-than-convincing smile.
She shrugged. “Why don’t I believe that?”
“Like I said, it’s clear they ain’t followin’ us, but we’re losin’ daylight.” Zach remounted and stretched out his hand to her. “I’m sure everything will be fine. We’ve wasted some time, but like my Pa says, savin’ one egg from the fox is better than lettin’ him empty out the henhouse.”
Odessa snuggled up behind him, grinning at his words. “If that means I’m the egg you saved, then I agree with your pa.”
Zach laughed. “I have a million sayings I can share with you. Pa’s the master when it comes to makin’ ‘em up. When we get to Phoenix, I’ll introduce you to him before we set off to find your Aunt Susan.”
“I’d like that.” Odessa held on as Storm lunged forward, and relaxed when the gait smoothed. A veil of grit drifted over her and tickled her nose. She’d settle for slow but sure any day. The few times Zach had urged the animal into a trot, Odessa had almost been unseated. The bouncing rattled her teeth and jostled her brain. She tilted her chin up toward his ear. “So…how far is Tombstone?”
* * *
The sun sat higher in the sky and beat down with relentless heat. Odessa favored the rawhide strip to confine her hair and let her hat dangle down her back. Sweat beaded on her brow and dripped into her eyes, stinging with fury. She squinted and swiped at the salty dew with the back of her hand. Adhered by their closeness, wetness seeped through Zach’s shirt and dampened the front of her dress, but she dared not complain. His patience with her already seemed thin.
He passed the canteen back to her. “Best keep your whistle wet in this heat.”
She took a sip, licked her parched lips, and then handed the container back. “I wish those scoundrels had never come along. We’d probably be almost to Phoenix by now.” She clenched her teeth. Hadn’t she just reprimanded herself for complaining?
Zach stiffened and sat straighter. “Are you havin’ second thoughts about Tombstone?” Annoyance tinged his voice.
God, it was the last place she wanted to go. She’d much rather be safe with Aunt Susan in Phoenix than being in a place where her closest acquaintance would be the stranger she rode into town with. “I-I…”
“What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue? Fine bunch of thanks I get for savin’ your life… not once, but probably twice. I’ll be happy to put you on the first stage back to Phoenix. I never asked to find you in the first place.”
Tears welled and stung her eyes. A lump formed in her throat. “I’m so sorry. I really am very thankful for all you’ve….” She hiccupped into a sob that choked off her words. All her pent up fear, anger, hurt, and worry knotted in her stomach, begging for release. Surrendering to the overwhelming emotion, her body sagged against his back and her tears mingled with the sweat already dampening his shirt.
Zach cursed under his breath. Now he’d done it—made her bawl. That wasn’t his intention. He’d just been letting off some steam. “Please don’t cry,” he muttered, reining in Storm.
Odessa’s sobs muffled against his back, and he feared moving too much lest she fall to the ground. Zach massaged the furrow between his eyes. “Please. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelins’.”
“I want my Pa.” Her voice trembled and ripped at Zach’s heart like a knife.
He’d never felt so helpless. She’d plastered herself to him and he couldn’t move—couldn’t even look at her. He shuddered each time she sobbed.
“Odessa, please slide down.” He extended his arm behind his back. “I can’t be much help here in the saddle.”
Her fingers locked around his and she did as he’d asked, but landed in a heap on the ground, wailing like a wounded pup. He removed his hat and splayed his fingers through his matted hair. He sorely lacked experience with soothing a frantic woman, but he couldn’t let her grovel in the dirt. Zach plopped his hat back atop his head and dismounted. “Ah, you’re gonna get yourself all dirty.”
Another sob came as his reward. Clearly more soil on her ripped and torn frock held little concern for her.
He knelt. “C’mon, Odessa. Get up and dry your tears. I said I was sorry, and I meant it.”
She lowered her hands from her streaked face and peered at him through clouded eyes. “I’m so alone.” Her voice crackled, and she went back to sobbing.
Zach gathered her into his arms, and stood, bringing her to her feet. His fingers smoothed her hair and he held her tight. Her petite frame barely reached his chin. “Don’t worry your pretty head. I may not be much, but you’ve got me to take care of you.”
She tilted her face up to him, her lips quivering. “D-do you mean it?”
He mustered every ounce of strength not to lower his mouth and claim hers. He stepped back and cradled her face between his hands “Course, I do.”
The pull was too great. Even with dirt smearing her porcelain skin, she looked beautiful. Before reason halted him, he did the unthinkable—he kissed her.
''I'm not afraid to die like a man fighting, but I would not like to be killed like a dog unarmed.'' - Billy the Kid
Chapter Eight
At the touch of Zach’s lips against hers, Odessa’s eyes widened. The brim of his hat obscured the sun, hiding everything except his face. She’d never noticed how thick his lashes were, or the broadness of his nose, especially at the bridge. He smelled of wood smoke, sweat and leather, odors she found repulsive on their own, but combined, attracted her like Grandma’s preserves brought flies. She clenched her eyes closed and clasped her stomach to quell the strange fluttering.
Soft and warm, his mouth defied her to pull away. Her le
gs trembled. His darting tongue probed at her lips, and her breath seized. What was her part in this? She had no idea how to respond. She backed away, leaving him mid-pucker and blinked a few times to make sure it wasn’t a dream.
The look in Zach’s eyes harkened memories of the disappointment reflected on Pa’s face whenever she’d let him down. Her emotions surged like stoked flames. She’d just experienced her first kiss and didn’t know what to make of it. It left her confused but wondering where it would have led had she not shied away.
Zach straightened and jammed his hands into his pockets. He stared at the ground and scuffed the dirt with his boot. Their mutual silence made the moment even more awkward. Finally, he lifted his gaze. “I-I ’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I reckon I was tryin’ to make you feel better.”
Odessa swallowed hard. “I’m not sure what one says after such an experience.”
Zach removed his hat and grasped the brim with both hands, holding it belt buckle high. He lowered his gaze. “I truly apologize for taking such liberty, Odessa. I sure hope you’ll forgive me.”
She traced the outline of her lips, letting her fingers linger to cover her smile. “I’m not angry with you, Zach.”
He took a deep breath. “That’s a relief. It would make the trip a whole lot longer if you had your hackles up.”
Laughter escaped her. “I didn’t realize I had hackles.”
“Yep, I know I’m not a real smooth talker, but you get my drift.”
“I do… and I should apologize for being such a baby. If I hadn’t become so weepy, you wouldn’t have felt the need to comfort me. So, let’s agree we’re both at fault and forget it happened.”
Arizona Sky Page 5