Chapter Eight
Splendor, Montana
Cash smoothed back his thick, blond hair, then grabbed his hat. Letting out a shaky breath, he wondered what had gotten into him. The last time he’d shared a private supper with a woman he courted was before the war, before the fighting had devastated the South, changing everyone’s lives.
The thought triggered an image of Stephen, who made his way through each day without a single complaint. He didn’t begrudge the fact he’d lost his leg to a cause that ultimately failed. His friend had believed in what the South stood for, giving his service willingly, accepting the consequences.
So had Cash. At least that’s what he’d thought.
Then why did he find it so hard to put the carnage behind him and return to the life he’d planned before the war? A life which included a wife, children, and work he enjoyed. A life so far out of reach, he could hardly remember his dreams.
Stephen had returned to the woman he loved, married her, started a family, and built the life he’d always imagined. Cash had never returned to Savannah, his boyhood home, or his uncle’s farm in Louisiana. He’d run fast and far, joining up with Beau to become a bounty hunter, focusing their pain on those committing crimes of opportunity. Without an ounce of guilt, they’d taken outlaws out of this world, hauling their bodies to the nearest town to collect the reward.
Then after one particularly treacherous search resulting in the deaths of several outlaws, their hunger for revenge stopped. Staring across the campfire one night, Cash had turned to Beau, shaking his head.
“I’m done.”
Beau didn’t say a word for several moments, then nodded, knowing what Cash meant. “What now?”
Cash had dragged a hand down his weary face, then rubbed his eyes. “I don’t know.”
They’d finished one last job, then ridden to Splendor, the home of Cash’s boyhood friends and fellow ex-Confederates, Dax and Luke Pelletier. Once they’d settled in, the two agreed to become deputies under Gabe Evans, an ex-Union colonel.
Their plans now included buying some land from the Pelletiers, raising a few head of cattle while continuing to protect the town. They’d once discussed a future of meeting the right woman, falling in love, and having families. Each had dismissed the notion. They were too jaded and long past worn out.
Yet here he stood, clutching his hat with both hands, wearing his best Sunday clothes, a few minutes away from sharing supper with the most intriguing and attractive woman he’d ever met.
Beau came through the back door, slinging his gun belt over a nearby hook before pouring a cup of stale coffee “You going to stand there all night and make that pretty girl wait for you?” Settling into a chair, he placed the cup on the table, then crossed his arms. “Get out of here before she changes her mind.”
Cursing, Cash slammed his hat firmly on his head, flung the door open, and stepped into the cooling air. Staring up at a late afternoon sun, he shook his head, then closed his eyes. He’d allow himself one evening with Alison, one supper with a beautiful woman, before returning to the life he’d created, a life he could depend on to get him through each day. The life of a survivor.
“Good evening, Cash.” A tentative smile swept across Alison’s face before her brows drew together, her face sobering. “I thought you’d changed your mind.” She had opened the door after the third knock, a severe case of nerves causing her hands to shake.
Taking off his hat, Cash’s face softened. “I’d never do that, Alison.” Without stepping inside, he held out his arm. “Shall we?”
They walked in silence, Alison keeping her shawl wrapped tight around her to ward off the chill, wondering if the shivers she felt had more to do with the man next to her than the temperature. As they approached the restaurant, she chastised herself. She’d never learn the truth about her brother’s death if she became distracted by anyone in Splendor, especially a much too handsome lawman who set her heart racing with each encounter. She’d agreed to supper to discover what Cash knew about Bobby’s death. At least that’s what she kept telling herself.
“Good evening, Alison, Cash.” Suzanne took Cash’s coat, directing them to a table near the front window. “The special tonight is roast beef. Fanny also made some wonderful chicken stew.”
“Alison?” Cash asked.
“The chicken, please.”
“I’ll have the beef, Suzanne. And save a piece of pie for each of us.” Settling back in his chair, Cash watched Alison fidget with her shawl, twisting the corners. She didn’t look at him. Instead, her gaze darted around the restaurant, never focusing on one spot too long before returning to stare down at her hands.
Leaning forward, he rested his arms on the table, waiting for her to acknowledge him. When a few minutes passed, he cleared his throat, tired of the quiet.
“Tell me about your husband.”
Her head snapped up, her eyes wide. “My, uh…”
“Husband? You told me he died in the war.”
“Oh, yes.” Shifting in her chair, she licked her lips. “There isn’t much to tell. He was a few years older than me. A farmer, like my father. We didn’t know each other well before we married. He joined the Confederates a few months after our wedding, saying he could no longer watch others die for a cause he believed in.” She stopped for a moment, trying to recall what she’d told Rachel and the other women about him. “I got word a few months later he’d been killed.”
“No children?”
“Um, no.” She glanced toward the kitchen, grateful to see Suzanne carrying plates heaped with food to their table. “Thank you, Suzanne. This smells wonderful.” Alison inhaled as the plate was set down, her face flushing pink when her stomach growled.
Smiling, she set Cash’s plate in front of him. “You let me know if I can get you anything else.” Suzanne filled their coffee cups, then moved on to another table.
Cash tucked into his meal, casting curious glances at Alison, who picked at her food. The evening hadn’t gone quite as he expected. Her answers to simple questions seemed stilted, as if she were searching for the right words. Setting down his fork, he picked up his coffee, taking a sip as he considered his next words.
“Do you plan to stay in Splendor?”
“If business continues as it has, then yes, I’ll be here for a while. What about you, Cash? Is this now your home?”
“As much of a home as I’ve had in a long time. Beau and I are talking about buying a small section of land, maybe raising some cattle. It’s a ways off yet.”
“You’d both stop working for Sheriff Evans?”
“No, ma’am. Gabe and the town have been good to me. Speaking for myself, I’d stay a deputy.”
She took a few more bites, then pushed her plate away. The time had come to get some answers. “Do you have many instances of bank robberies?”
Cash’s eyes widened at the abrupt change in direction of their conversation. The last topic he wanted to discuss was the robbery and its outcome. His gaze became hooded as he considered his answer. “I suppose no more than any frontier town.”
“I see. Were any townspeople shot during the robbery a few months ago?”
Placing the cup back on the table, he crossed his arms and leaned back. “Only the outlaws.”
“And they all died?”
“Yes, they did.” Although he tried to moderate it, his voice hardened with each answer.
“Did you kill any of them?”
Cash’s shoulders tensed, his back straightening. He didn’t like talking about the senseless waste of lives. The death of one young gang member in particular still haunted him.
“Why so many questions, Alison? It was their decision to threaten the people of Splendor, and their misfortune to discover how far we’d go to protect the town.” Cash stopped when Suzanne replaced their supper plates with servings of pie. He couldn’t remember getting so many questions about the outlaws from a woman. Most wanted the slimmest details, enough to know the innocent were safe and the gang had paid. Alison wasn’t content with such a small amount of information. “Surely you don’t believe what happened was wrong.”
The fork slipped from her fingers, clinking against the plate. Fumbling, she picked it up, lowering her voice when she saw other diners watching them.
“No, of course not. It’s idle curiosity, nothing more.” Taking a regretful look at her pie, she pushed the almost full plate away, attempting a smile. “I’m afraid I can’t eat another bite.”
He studied her face another moment, his doubts about her increasing when she failed to meet his gaze. Her answers, continued questions, and reasons for traveling across country to buy an almost worthless seamstress shop ate at him. Cash didn’t trust actions he couldn’t define or understand.
Standing, he walked around the table, pulling out her chair. “I thought we could take a walk.”
“That would be lovely.” She let out a shaky breath, smiling up at him as he helped straighten her shawl. His fingers lingered on her shoulders a little longer than necessary, his body moving behind her as he inhaled her unique scent of roses and lavender.
The sensations passing through Cash were swift and powerful, causing his chest to tighten and gut to clench. He hadn’t felt this amount of desire for a woman in more years than he could remember. The fact he’d felt this way each time he’d been around Alison bothered him more than a little. The belief she hadn’t been truthful with him should have caused him to ignore the attraction and walk away. Instead, the allure became more intense, chipping away at his defenses.
Snatching up his coat and hat, he held out his arm, trying to calm the conflicting emotions of attraction and apprehension. He needed to sort out the contradictions before doing something he couldn’t undo.
“I thought we’d take the path below Noah and Abby’s house. There’s a clearing not far up with a beautiful view of town and the mountains. Have you been there?”
Alison thought it sounded perfect. “To be honest, I haven’t been outside of town since I arrived. The Pelletiers invited me for supper, but running the store and keeping up with orders has taken all my time.” She slipped her arm through his, tightening her grip as they started up the slight incline.
“I’m going to supper at the Pelletier’s tomorrow. Why don’t you join me?” He winced, wishing he could pull the words back, not understanding what inspired him to extend the invitation. His friends would be fine with Alison coming along. If she said yes, he’d be forced to spend most of his day with her, which wasn’t a good idea—not with his misgivings about her past, or the strong desire he felt, which intensified with each minute they shared.
“If you’re sure you wouldn’t mind, I’d be pleased to accompany you.” As they walked into a meadow, she turned her gaze toward the mountains, gasping at the sight. “Oh, Cash. It’s incredible.” Dropping her arm from his, she stepped closer to the edge of the clearing, looking down on the town, then letting her gaze sweep over the surrounding hills as the sun’s rays disappeared to the west. Clasping her hands in front of her, she took a deep breath of clean air, unable to control the smile spreading across her face. “It’s simply beautiful.”
Watching her face light up and her eyes shine, he allowed himself a moment to be caught up in her unrestrained enthusiasm. For the first time since the war, Cash wished he didn’t feel so tired and cynical. Wished he had a life to offer a beautiful woman such as Alison, who seemed to embrace each day, even when faced with loss and hardship.
Flashing him a mischievous grin, she gripped his arm, pulling him forward. “Let’s get closer.”
Chuckling, Cash let her drag him a few steps closer to the sloping edge of the meadow, getting a better view of Splendor. Candles and lamps were lit as the sun set, allowing a yellow glow to filter onto the street. A few people walked the boardwalk. Some alone, some couples arm-in-arm as they finished their day. A normal evening in a remote, quiet town on the frontier.
“Who would have thought Splendor would be such a beautiful place?” Her eyes sparkled as she looked up at Cash, her face inches from his.
His gaze locked with hers as his hands moved to her waist, turning her toward him. “I’ve never seen such a gorgeous sight as tonight.” Slowly lowering his head, he waited for her to turn, move away, and break the spell. Instead, she settled her hands on his arms, steadying herself, waiting.
Alison’s breath hitched when she felt Cash’s hands grip her waist, but she couldn’t pull away, didn’t want to break the contact. His large palms and strong fingers almost spanned her slim body, drawing her closer as his gaze held hers.
She’d been kissed once by a boy from a neighboring farm. It had lasted seconds and made no impression, other than causing her to grimace and swipe an arm across her mouth. He’d wanted to do it again. Instead, she’d pushed him away, turned, and ran as fast as possible back to her home. Her feelings today couldn’t be more different.
Although unwise and against all her plans, Alison looked up, her tongue darting out to moisten her lips. She closed her eyes at the feel of his lips brushing hers.
On a low groan, Cash slanted his mouth over hers, ignoring the warnings in his head in favor of the sensations she made him feel. Warmth spread through his body as she allowed him to take control, sweeping his tongue into her mouth when her lips parted on a sigh. She tasted of coffee and pie. He couldn’t get enough and deepened the kiss, tightening his hold, aligning his body with hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck, brushing her fingers through his hair.
Her taste, touch, and unique scent messed with his rational thought and common sense. For a man used to dealing with situations in cool, dispassionate logic, Cash felt all control slip away as their embrace and actions became more zealous.
Knowing he had to stop before the passion caused them both to lose all restraint, he broke the kiss, resting his forehead against hers, his breathing unsteady and ragged.
Taking a step back, Alison looked into eyes reflecting the same desire and confusion she felt. When he placed one more kiss on her forehead, she inhaled a deep breath, touching a finger to her still sensitive lips.
Clearing his throat, Cash grasped her hand in his. “We should be going before we lose sight of the path.”
Unable to form a coherent thought, Alison nodded, leaving her hand in his as he guided her off the hill and back toward town. Neither of them spoke until they stood outside the door to her shop. At least the time had allowed her to get her breathing and erratic heartbeat under control.
“Thank you for a wonderful evening, Cash. It was…well…unexpected.”
Eyes dark and hooded, he pulled her close for one more kiss before setting her aside so as not to draw attention from those few people still on the street. Clearing his throat, he glanced around, searching for control.
“I’ll come by at noon tomorrow and we’ll head out to the Pelletier’s. That is if you’re still interested in going with me.”
“Yes, I’d like to go if you’re certain they won’t mind.” She sucked in a breath, realizing they’d be alone during the ride, posing a temptation she didn’t need. Alison wrapped her arms around her waist to help control the shivers from their brief, intense kiss. “Perhaps it would be best for me to wait. I don’t want to impose.” She let her gaze slowly move from his chest to the opening at the top of his shirt before traveling to his face, which now held an easy smirk.
“You’re not afraid to be alone with me, are you, Mrs. Burns?” He leaned forward, his warm breath washing over her cheeks, his lips brushing hers.
Drawing away and straightening her shoulders, she glared at him. “Of course not, Mr. Coulter.”
Moving close to her ear, he lowered his already husky voice. “You should be, Alison.”