Alan tried to hide a smile at Lucinda's attempts to keep as wide a distance between them as possible on the bench of the wagon. With Miss Lady and Elma on the back seat, she'd had little choice of where to sit. He slid his gaze to her and cocked an eyebrow. "You could ride in the very back, I'm sure the bouncing would be minimal at this pace."

Narrowed eyes met his. "No doubt you'd pick up the pace once I was back there."

"You have a bad opinion of me Miss Roberts." Alan replied his attention on the horses.

Lucinda sniffed. "I'm sure my opinion matters very little to you."

This time he faced her, not looking away until her eyes lifted to his. "It does matter. Very much."

As if to ensure the women in the back could not overhear them, she looked to them. Their conversation never stopped, and her shoulders lowered. "You enjoy shocking me Mr. Murphy, do you not?"

"Call me Alan." The only reply was a tightening of her lips.

Once they arrived at the chapel, Alan climbed down and began to help the ladies down. Arms entwined, Elma and Miss Lady made their way to the entrance. Last down from her perch, Lucinda seemed more than reluctant to go inside. With a grim expression, eyebrows drawn and lips pulled tight, she stood without moving.

"I will sit with you and ensure you're all right," Alan told her, not quite sure why the need to protect her came over him. "Come on Miss Roberts." He held out his arm and was shocked silent when she slipped her arm through.

* * *

Lucinda's heartbeat quickened. Why had she agreed to come today? The closer they got to the entrance of the church, the larger the urge to flee became and her breathing hitched. She and God had a huge misunderstanding, and there was still too much anger in her to step inside the church and pretend all was well. It would be a lie to allude to him she did not hold a grudge at his allowing her husband and son to die in front of her eyes.

Alan's arm was firm, solid, and she dug her fingers into his muscle. At the steps, she stopped walking, her eyes glued to the open doors. "I can't. This was a mistake." Lucinda took a step backward, never pulling her hand from Alan's arm. Truth be told, she feaed her legs would give out and she'd fall. "I'll wait over there by those trees," Lucinda told Alan, pushing away from him. The fact that his chest was firm under her hands did not escape her notice.

Blue eyes met hers before flicking over to where she motioned. "Why don't you just come with me? I have something to check on. We'll be back by the time service ends."

Not quite sure of anything other than she needed to get away, she allowed the man to guide her back to the wagon. He helped her onto the bench and ran toward the church doorway. After speaking to someone, he returned and climbed onto the bench next to her.

Alan Murphy was a handsome man. With sandy brown wavy hair touching his collar, broad shoulders and a slender waist, Lucinda wondered why he was not married. Unless he was, but she'd just assumed he wasn't.

The horses followed a long dirt road. In the distance she spied a small cabin and barn. A well-kept fence around the surrounding land did not pen any animals. As they neared, she realized the house was either abandoned or the owners were not there as there barn doors were flung open and no animals seemed to be inside.

"Why are we here?" Did he plan to ask her to provide a service? Lucinda stiffened. Of course she'd told him her past, so she shouldn't be surprised.

"This is my house," He replied removing his hat and scanning over the small farm. Looks like someone was in the barn not too long ago." He pulled the wagon to the side of the house, and looked up at her. "Let me ensure all is safe before I help you down."

Lucinda nodded and eyed the reins. She should leave, return to town and leave him here. She'd not have relations with him, not that she thought herself too good for it. It was the fact she’d come to expect more from Alan for some unexplainable reason. When she leaned to retrieve the leather straps, she saw Alan draw his gun and step into the barn. What if he was hurt?

At the thought, she scampered down from the wagon and went toward the barn. Not hearing a sound, she slowly peered from the doorway only to jump back when a plaid covered chest appeared. "Goodness Alan, you scared me to death."

A lopsided grin made her even angrier, and she stomped her foot. "It's not funny."

"It's a good thing you're beautiful when you're angry, cause you sure spend a lot of time that way." He told her walking towards the house. "Would you like to come inside?" He stretched out his hand.

It shocked her, but Lucinda trusted Alan right then, and she took his outstretched hand allowing the male to pull her towards the doorway of the house. His large framed filled the doorway, as he unlocked the door and stuck his head inside, then moving to the side he guided her inside before him. Such a gentleman, she could get used to this.

The room was of a good size, clean, recently swept and utterly empty. There was a hearth and some blankets on the floor before it, but nothing else. They walked through another two rooms, both just as empty. "Why is it empty?" She finally had to ask.

"I gave everything away, or sold it after..." He looked away from her and she finished for him.

"After your family died."

"Yes."

"Why not sell the place? Why keep it and all its sad memories?" A familiar pang began to grow in Lucinda's chest. "I would burn it to the ground." She moved away from Alan and pressed her lips together to stop talking.

"Look at me." The words more a request than a command yet she did as he bid. Her knees almost buckled at the compassion in his eyes.

Instead of bitterness or sadness, she saw warmth in his expression, on the soft curve of his lips. Not sure why, she reached up to his face and cupped his jaw with her right hand. He leaned into her touch and sighed, Alan's eyes closed for a moment. When they opened, she recognized the heat in his gaze and pulled her hand away.

Alan cleared his throat. "When I see this house, I remember the happy moments with my family. A life rich and full with love and comfort." He shook his head. "Don't get me wrong, it took me a while. For a couple of years, I did little more than exist. But then I remembered the promise my wife and I made to each other. If ever one of us left the other, we'd do everything in our power to move on. To be happy."

Abruptly pictures of her time together with William, her quite unassuming husband, appeared in the forefront of her mind. Of their whispers in the darkness of night, when they'd lay down exhausted but happy, during their trek west with their son tucked safely between them. "Promise me you'll always be content like this." He'd said one night. "I want to make you happy."

She had agreed, not knowing a few days later...

"You've left me Lucinda." Alan came back into focus.

Lucinda focused on Alan's face and realized once again how handsome the man was. Unlike William's slight build, he was tall and muscular with a square jaw and a mouth made for kissing. "Will you kiss me?"

His eyebrows shot up for a moment, and then his hands cupped her face. "Are you sure?"

Her customers were never allowed to kiss her, the one small part of her she kept for herself. For William.

She nodded, considered taking the words back until his mouth covered hers. His lips pressed against hers with hesitation, soft and tentative. His hands, on her face, he held her in place while his mouth explored her. It was...like heaven, and Lucinda did not want him to stop. Ever.

Wrapping her fingers around his shoulders, she returned the kiss and all reservations floated away. A moan escaped. She wasn't sure if it was Alan or her, but it broke the spell and both abruptly moved away.

Alan's large chest expanded and withdrew with his breathing, his lips reddened from her kiss. "I'm sorry, didn't mean to get carried away. It’s been a while since..."

"Me too." Lucinda lifted her hand to touch her lips. "Should we return?"

He swallowed and moved toward her. "Yes." This time when he leaned in, he kept his hands to his sides. The kiss was sweet and chaste, yet Lucinda closed her eyes.

"I hope this means you won't be mean to me once we get back to the ranch." He smiled down at her and for the first time in a long time her lips curved in return.

"We'll see."

His laughter was rich, and she enjoyed the sound of it.