Chapter 8

This chapter contains a brief PG-13 moment.  If you are not old enough then don't read any further.



"Really?  Seven feet tall?

"Yep."

"Indians?"

"Yep."

 "But they weren't really redheaded?"

"Oh, no.  We figured out that there was something in the soil there that turned their hair red."

The creak of saddle leather and the jingle of harness and tack created a melody of sorts as they rode together  on the back of the strong stallion they had both affectionately come to know as Rusty.  As Rusty carried them southward at a brisk walk, Evangeline thought about the story Joshua has just told her.

"That's unbelievable.  If I didn't have complete faith in your trustworthiness Joshua, I'd think you were making the whole thing up. I think I'd very much like to see that cave with those Indian bones someday.  But I don't think I would want to go anywhere near Devil's Hole though."

"So you've heard of Devil's Hole, have you?"

"Everybody's heard of Devil's Hole.  That's where the Devil's Hole Gang lives. I've read stories about them, and that's why I wouldn't want to go there.

"Oh, you'd be alright.  Those stories are exaggerated.  Half of what's in them isn't  even true.  Not all outlaws are murders, Evangeline.  Most of them are just good men who've been forced to make some bad decisions.  And before they know it they're stuck in a way of life that they can't get out of."

She turned her head so that she was looking up and behind her directly into his beautiful brown eyes.  She squinted curiously at him.  "And just how do you know those stories aren't true?  And just how is it that you know anything about outlaws, Joshua?"

"Because I'm Hannibal Heyes, the former leader of the Devil's Hole gang and the subject of many of those tales you've read. Perhaps you've heard of me,"  That was what he'd like to say.  "Oh, I've known a few outlaws in my day.  And I'd trust most of them with my life.  Not my money or my girl maybe, but definitely my life."

"And speaking of girls.  That girl, Julia,  that you explored that cave with....was she nice?"

"Uh huh.  Real nice."

"You liked her, huh?"

"Yeah, I liked her."

"Was she pretty?"

"Yes, she was very pretty."

"What did she look like?"

"Long blonde hair, blue eyes.  Short.  Came to about here,"  he put his hand to his shoulder.

Oh that figures, she thought.  Why did men always find the petite blondes pretty? Why couldn't she have inherited her mother's blonde beauty and small stature?  At five feet five inches tall she had felt like a giant next to her mother's five foot height.

"Did you fall in love with her?"

"My, you are direct aren't you?"

"I'm sorry.  It's one of my many faults, I'm afraid.  Another of the Scottish traits that, according to my father,  I inherited from my mother."  A pause.     "Soooo,  did you?  Fall in love with her I mean."

"Direct and persistent.....I like that.  It reminds me of......me.   And the answer is 'no.'  She was a real sweet girl.  I liked her alot, but I didn't fall in love with her."

"But she fell in love with you didn't she?"

He chuckled deep in his throat.  "I guess maybe she did.  She wanted me to come to Boston with her."

"Why didn't you?"

"I've never lived anywhere but in the west.  I don't know if I could survive back east.  Especially in a big city like Boston.  Thaddeus and me like the open spaces of the west.  It's our home.  Doubt if we'll ever get further east than the Mississippi.

"Have you ever been in love, Joshua?"

He thought about that for a minute.  "There was this girl at the orphan's home where me and Thaddeus grew up.  Her name was Laura.  I was only thirteen.  She was fifteen.  She was the first girl I ever loved.   We were inseparable for almost a year. I used to daydream about me and her being married.   Then on her sixteenth birthday,  I went to look for her to give her a birthday present I'd made for her.  When I found her she was behind the outhouse kissing a boy I couldn't stand.  My heart was broke. Well first I was mad.  I punched that boy in the nose. Then she informed me that I was too young and immature for her and Bradley was her new beau.   Then I went off by myself and cried like a big baby."

"Awwww.  That's so sad.  I'm so sorry."  She gave his hand which was resting on his thigh beside hers a squeeze. "But if she couldn't see how wonderful you are and grab onto you and not let go then she was a foolish girl and didn't deserve you anyway. I know I wouldn't have let you go."

His brows shot up in surprise at that.   He cleared his throat.  "Yeah that's what Thaddeus told me too, when he found me sulking in the woods. That was the first time he'd seen me cry since our folks died.  And the last time."

"You mean you haven't cried since you were thirteen?"

"That's not what I said.  I said it was the last time he'd seen me cry."

"Well, it's not many men who would admit that they've ever cried, even in private."

"Everybody cries.  It's called being a human.....Whoa."   The horse halted and he announced, with a self satisfied grin, "There it is."

"There what is?"

"What I've been waiting to run into all day."   He dismounted and reached to help her down.  He took her hand a led her towards a spot in the creek where there were no trees allowing the afternoon  sun to shine down on the water.  "I think I promised somebody a bath."  He smiled down at her with his crooked  smile, making his prominent left dimple grow deeper in his cheek.  She really liked that dimple.

She was overjoyed at the sight of the inviting water glistening in the sunshine.  "Oh, Joshua, I can hardly wait!"  She giggled a little as she clapped her hands and hopped up and down, before turning on her heals and bounding back towards the horse.  "I'll get the soap,"  she called over her shoulder.

Joshua watched her, fascinated.   One minute she was so like a woman and the next she was more like a child.  This woman child was bringing out instincts in him he didn't think he would ever have toward any other human except the Kid.  Instincts to protect and provide.  And to make her happy.  He felt a tightness in his chest as he witnessed the happiness she was experiencing from something as simple as a bath.   He hadn't felt this happy at somebody else's happiness since he'd surprised Kid with that new hat back in  Carson City last year.

"Come on  let's go," she said as she grabbed his hand and tugged him along down to the water's edge.  

She kicked off her kid skin ankle boots without even unlacing them, pulled her socks off and gingerly stepped over the rocky ground until her feet were submerged in the rippling stream.  "You don't mind if I go first do you?

"Of course not.  Lady's first.  I'm gonna go look after the animals while you get in the water.  And be careful.  Stay close to the bank and watch your step, the bottom can be tricky.

"Joshua, I've been bathing in streams and creeks for weeks now.  Ever since we left  Fort Worth."  She unbottoned  her dusty shirt as she waded further out into the rushing waters and tossed it onto the rocky  bank.

"I've been bathing in streams and creeks for most of my life, Evangeline,"  he spoke to her over his shoulder as he walked back toward the horses, "and no two are the same and they can fool you.  The bottom can drop out from under...."

He was cut off by a scream followed by a noisy splash.  He ran back to the stream and splashed into the water,  boots and all, to grab her flailing arms and pull her up out of the water and against his chest.   She coughed and gasped for air,  grabbing onto his shoulders for support.  When she had gotten her breath back, she looked sheepishly up at him. 

"You alright?" he asked, pushing her wet clinging hair from her face with his leather gloved hands.

 "Wipe that smirky grin off your face, Mr. Smith," she sputtered out as she gripped his firm biceps to better steady herself. 

"Alright, how about I just laugh at you instead,"  he said and gave a throaty chuckle.

She looked down, embarrassed at having made such a fool of herself and what she saw made her go from embarrassed to down right mortified.  There she stood holding onto him in her sopping wet camisole.  The wet fabric had become practically see through and was clinging indecently to her breasts. Their eyes traveled slowly upward in unison until their gazes locked.  He wasn't laughing anymore. And she knew he had seen too.  She quickly turned her back to him,  crossing her arms over her breasts.  "I'm sorry.  I should have listened to you.  And I made you get your clothes and your boots all wet."

"That's alright.  No harm done."  His voice sounded a little shaky even to his own ears.  He cleared his throat and made his way out of the water. "I'm going to get you some dry clothes.  Don't move from that spot 'til I get back.  Understand?"

"I won't move. I promise."

When he reached the mule he had to take a moment to compose himself.  First from the scare she'd just given him.  The thought of her in trouble made him sick to his stomach.  And second from the sight of her breasts in her clinging wet undergarments and all that glorious hair dripping wet down her back.  Hopefully they'd be in town tomorrow night.  Thirty six more hours and all this alone togetherness would come to an end.  If it didn't end soon he was afraid they were both going to be in trouble from more than murdering outlaws.  He just couldn't figure it out.   Women didn't get to him this way. Oh, he liked women.  Liked them alot.  Enjoyed looking at them, talking to them, smelling them, and....well, he liked women alot.  But one thing he didn't do was let them get in his head.  But this young lady was getting in his head and she was getting to him.  And he could tell he was getting to her too.  He was no idiot.  He knew when a woman was attracted to him.  Most women found him attractive, he knew that, but this was different.  She found him attractive and she had become dependant on him.   It was just lucky for both of them she was too innocent and afraid to act on that attraction.  Because if she had acted the slightest bit inclined a minute ago, he would have pulled her into his arms and kissed the breathe right out of her again.  But she had been frightened and turned away from him just in time. Shaking his head to clear the lingering vision of her in her nearly transparent underclothes, he took the set of saddlebags from the mule's back that held  a couple of towels, his soap, tooth powders , shaving things, and changes of clothes for both of them.  He took a deep breath, exhaled it slowly and  headed back to the stream.

"Here's one of those dresses  I told you about and a pair of stockings.  I'll lay them here on this rock.  Go ahead and take off...uhm....everything.... and wash them out and they should dry by morning.  I'll take your other clothes downstream aways and wash them.  I'll be close enough to hear you if you holler.  But be careful. Don't get so far out in the middle.  Stay closer to the bank, will ya?"

"I will."  Keeping her back to him, she watched over her shoulder as he disappeared around a thicket of trees with her dirty clothes she'd thrown onto the bank.  When she was sure he was out of sight she let out a long, tremulous sigh.    She walked back to the creek bank on shaky legs.  Just from so many hours gripping the saddle,  she told herself.   She retrieved the soap and wash cloth and  busied herself with scrubbing her hair, face and arms.  Her under clothes needed to be scrubbed too, as well as her body beneath them.  But the thought of baring herself completely made her quiver all over.  But what exactly was she afraid of?   Was she afraid of eternal damnation if she was unclothed with a man so close by. The pastor of her church back home would have told her it was sinful to even think of being unclothed with a man so close.  But that wasn't it.  Was she afraid that Joshua might be lurking behind the bushes watching her?  No, he was far too gentlemanly to do such a thing.  What then was she so afraid of?    She was afraid of what she had felt when she realized he had seen her  even partially naked.   When their eyes had locked for that brief second,  and awareness had passed between them,  a strange tightening happened low in her abdomen.  And she felt flushed and warm in places she'd never even paid any mind to before.   And removing every bit of clothing and being completely nude when he was so close made her feel reckless and wanton.  She couldn't put a name to what she felt but it was definitly new to her.   She began to shiver a little.  The water must be chillier than she had thought.    The once inviting water was slowly becoming downright cold and the  warm breeze that had been blowing was quickly becoming a brisk, cool wind.  Unable to put it off any longer she timidly removed her undergarments, after looking  around in all directions as if someone might be watching her out here in the middle of nowhere.   When she and her underclothes were scrubbed  clean, she cautiously  stepped from the water and onto the rocky shore.  She dried herself and picked up the dress he had left for her.  She knew it wasn't one of hers as soon as she saw it lying there folded up.  The simple cotton dress was a beautiful lavender print that had been one of her mother's favorites.  She unfolded it and  pulled the dress over her head.  The bodice of her petite mother's dress fit so snuggly that her ample breasts spilled out of the scooped neckline. She expected it to be far too short but her lack of bloomers and petticoats to take up the length allowed the skirt to fall to her ankles.  She wrung out her wet underwear and laid them out on a bush hoping the afternoon sun would help dry them and her hair. It was only then that she realized the sun was no longer shining.

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All their clothes were clean and spread out to dry on an old pine log nearby.  Hannibal Heyes was now busy at the task of getting himself clean.  He knew he had been dirty but he didn't realize how dirty until he began to wash away the layers of grime and grit that clung to his hair and skin.  The cool brisk waters felt good to his overheated skin.  All he needed now was a shave.  He hadn't shaved in a couple of days and his beard was getting pretty thick and scratchy. He withdrew himself from the water, dried and dressed.  Settling his mirror between two branches on a tree he lathered up and started to shave.  His mirror caught the reflection of the sky in the west behind him.  Rolling in from the west, behind the mountains,  were thick heavy clouds that matched the color of Evangeline's eyes.  Oh, no.  Rain was coming.  He shaved almost as fast as Kid Curry drew a gun then grabbed all their wet belongings and headed back to where he'd left her. 

 She  had just finished  lacing  her shoes when he came running around the thicket of trees he'd disappeared around earlier.  Only this time he was clean shaven, his dark hair wet and slicked back on his head.  He'd changed from his buff jeans and dark shirt into dark  brown pants and blue shirt which he hadn't even taken the time to button or tuck in.  The look on his face told her something was wrong.

"What is it?  What's the matter?"  she jumped up and ran to  meet him

.  

"It's alright,  It's nothing that serious.  It's just that we're fixing to get wet from more than a bath."  He pointed to the western sky and she followed his gaze to see the dark looming clouds lurking behind the mountains.

"What should we do?"

"We gotta go west towards the mountains.  Those foothills have got to have some caves or something we can take shelter in." 

"Won't we be riding right into the storm?"

"Yeah, but I think we got time to get there and find shelter before the rain gets here.  Anyway, we can't just stay here in the open."  

As he spoke he began buttoning his shirt.  He must have washed the white henley under shirt he had been wearing because his chest was bare under the blue shirt.  She was momentarily hypnotized by the sight of  his well sculpted chest with a small triangle of dark hair nestled in the middle.  And then there was his hard, flat belly with it's own sprinkling of dark curls surrounding his belly button that tapering  down to disappear below the waist band of his pants. A few tiny droplets of water still clung to his skin and sparkled against the ripples of his abdomen.   There was that tightening feeling again. "You ready?" he asked, tucking in his shirt tail.

She jumped in her skin as his words startled her out of her appreciative examination  of his upper torso.  Not trusting her voice, she merely nodded.

They packed all their belongings back into the saddlebags. Joshua  mounted the horse and reaching down pulled her up behind him.  The proud stallion swiftly carried the pair  west towards the mountains and the impending storm.

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An hour later they came upon the foothills of the Davis Mountains.  They dismounted and searched on foot until they found a perfect place to take shelter.   Projecting out of the side of a steep cliff was an overhang.  Evangeline said it looked like God had taken a spoon and dipped it into the side of the mountain, leaving behind this dry shelter with a soft sandy ground inside.   The overhang extended about ten feet from the side of the mountain and was about twelve feet wide and eight feet from the ground.   There was plenty of room for Joshua, Evangeline and their animals and equipment.    Large raindrops began to fall and thunder began to roll in the distance as Joshua removed the last of the gear from the mule and placed it under the overhang.   Evangeline was busy placing their blankets on top of the pine needles and leaves she'd gathered and arranged in a neat pile on the right side of the shelter.  Soon a fire was blazing in the center nearer the front edge  with the animals on the left.   As Joshua unsaddled the horse the winds picked up, lightning steaked the sky and rain began to fall in sheets to beat the ground outside.  

"Whew.  We barely made it.  Couldn't have done it without you," he said.

"Hey, we're in this together remember.  Until we get to Red Rock, I'm your partner."

"Well, partner,  looks like we're stuck here for the rest of the night."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"As long as it keeps raining like this I think it's a good thing.  Our tracks will get washed away if anybody's trailing us.  And nobody can do much traveling in this kind of weather.  So I think we're alright for tonight." 

He didn't know if he was trying to convince her or himself.  He just had that nagging feeling that trouble was looming.  He stood for a long time at the edge of their shelter scanning the surrounding area and the trees. If somebody did find them here in this cave, there was no where to run. It made him feel trapped and he didn't like that.  And his gun had to be cleaned and oiled now that he'd gotten it wet earlier when he'd went in the water to pull Evangeline out.  At least he had the dead man's rifle.  But he didn't have any extra ammo for it.  He only had the few bullets he'd found in the dead man's pockets.   It made him nervous and so he paced.  Like he always did when he was nervous.  He turned to watch her as she busied herself with  unpacking their wet clothes and laying them out by the fire to dry. Then there was the other kind of trouble he felt was looming.  All the alone togetherness he was hoping to avoid was now unavoidable.  He resumed his pacing, as he watched the rain fall in sheets outside.  Being confined with her for the night was going to be a real  test of willpower.  His mind went back to the day he'd cracked the safe at the Armendarez Ranch and found priceless jewels and thousands of dollars inside.  He had resisted the temptation that day and it had paid off in the long run.  And he would resist this temptation too. 

 "Will you sit down somewhere please?  You're making me nervous with all that pacing."

Her words roused him from his thoughts and he turned to see her sitting cross legged on their make shift bed. Her words sounded like something the Kid would say to him. 

 "Didn't you say you had some more of my clothes?" she asked, looking for anything to distract him so that his nervous pacing would stop.  She didn't like it when he was nervous.  

"Yes, they're in my extra set of saddle bags.  I tried to fold them up as neat as I could."

"I'd like to have a look at them please.  I'd like to know if they're mine or my mama's.  This one is Mama's,"  she fondled the material of the skirt a she spoke.  "It's a little too small."

"Yeah, I noticed.  Sorry."

She didn't know if he meant he was sorry he had grabbed the wrong dress or if he was sorry he had noticed the indecently tight fit of it.

  

He handed her the saddlebags and sat down on their leaf and pine needle bed beside her.  She pulled out the articles of clothing and after inspection determined that he had indeed salvaged two  of her dresses.   As she pulled the last dress out of the bags a boxed deck of cards fell out.  "Now, why have you been keeping these a secret?" she asked as she held up the deck in front of him.

"I didn't think it would be proper in the presense of  a young lady that's all."

"Now didn't you tell me that propriety had to be set aside when you're trying to survive?"

"Oh, yeah, I believe I did say something like that."

"Well I can't think of a better way to pass the time, can you?"

He smiled, intrigued by her boldness and charmed by her childlike eagerness.   "Alrighty, then," he said as he removed the deck and began to shuffle.

                  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Why, you little cheat." he said with a grin on his face.  They sat cross legged, facing each other.

  

Her mouth fell open for a split second and then snapped shut.  Always deny it even if you get caught her father had taught her.  "Whatever are you tallking about?"  she feigned innocence.

" Well first off I'm talking about you making me think you didn't know how to play poker.  And second, I'm talking about that ace of clubs you just played.  I saw you palm it when you were dealing."

She knew she was caught.  "I was only returning the favor."

It was his turn to play innocent.  "What is that supposed to mean?"

"That means I saw you deal me that deuce off the bottom of the deck a while ago and spoil my staight."

His grin turned into a full on dimpled smile.  "You saw that did you?"

"Yes I did."

"Well,  that was just me returning the favor.  You were dealing me seconds the whole time we were playing black jack earlier.  So I thought I would do a little cheating myself to see if you would call me on it."

"Yes, I spotted it and yes I'm calling you on it.  And it takes a cheat to spot a cheat so I guess we're both cheats, huh?"

They laughed at each other.  "Yeah I guess so.  But I never cheat in a legitimate game, " he added with seriousness.   " Where in the world did you learn to deal seconds and palm cards?"

"Oh, I can do alot more than that.  And my daddy taught me.  He was a con man and a gambler back in the day remember."

"Oh, yeah I remember you mentioning that."

"But he only taught me to cheat so I could spot a cheat.  Mama never even knew he taught  me to play cards let alone how to cheat at them.  She said it wasn't decent or respectable for a lady to ever be caught playing cards or shooting a gun or going in a saloon.  But Daddy had grown up an orphan with no money  and he'd had to do what he had to to survive.   Mama never had to worry about anything like that.  And Daddy said if there ever came a time in my life when I might have to do whatever I had to to survive he wanted me to have every advantage I could,  because the world could be a cruel and a hard place."  She paused.   "Looks like he was right."

She became very quiet then.  He knew she was missing her folks.  "I think your father and I would have gotten along just fine.  He sounds like my kind of people."

 "You would have liked him very much.  And he would have liked you too.  And he would have spotted that breathers crimp you put  in that ace of hearts long before I did."

He looked at her in disbelief, astonished that she even knew what the art of putting an almost invisible diagonal crease in the center of the card was called.  Let alone that she'd spotted it.     "You spotted that?"

"It took me awhile but yes, I spotted it."

"It takes a real good eye to spot a breathers crimp.  You're quite a woman, Miss Webb."

"Why thank you, Mr. Smith."

"Except for a couple of things.  Your left eyebrow arches just a little bit when you draw  what you need. And the right side of your mouth twitches ever so slightly when you bluff."  He reached out his finger and brushed the corner of her mouth lightly.

She blushed a little knowing he had spotted her tells, and at the fluttery feeling she had in her stomach when he touched her.   She on the other hand had spotted none of his tells. "I know.  I need to work on that. But my hat's off to you.  I never spotted a single tell from you."

"Well, it takes alot of practice and I've had alot.  You're good though.  Nobody else would have noticed your tells.  You're pretty amazing."

How many other men  would think her skill as a card sharp was amazing?  Her guess was none.

He picked up the deck of cards.  "I believe it's my deal."

"Yes, Joshua I believe it is." 

                              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sounds of rain and thunder were loud outside the cave.  But inside it was the sound of laughter that reverberated off the cliff  walls as they lounged on their blankets with their heads against Joshua's saddle.    They both laughed as Evangeline shared tales of her misadventures as a child.

"I came stumbling out of the barn, tripping over my own feet.  Mama and Daddy thought I was sick with some terrible disease.  They put me to bed and Daddy went into town for the doctor. When the doctor got there I was puking my guts up.   After he examined me  he  said 'What do you want me to do for her, she's not sick she's drunk as a skunk!'."  

  

"I'd love to see that.  You - three sheets to the wind."   He laughed at the picture of her falling down drunk as a kid.  "How old were you?"

"About ten I think."

"So I guess you got your hide tanned for that one too,huh?"

"No, actually I didn't. Daddy said the hangover I had the next day was punishment enough.  I thought I was dying.  And I learned my lesson, too.  I have never touched liquor since.  Except for egg nog at Christmas."

"It sounds like you have some real good memories of you and your folks.  That's something  you should be grateful for.  I never got the chance to make a whole lot of memories with my folks."

"That makes me sad, Joshua.  My heart hurts for the little boy you were.  All alone with nobody to take care of you."

"I wasn't completely alone,  I had Thaddeus.  We took care of each other.  But you, you don't have anybody."

"Not true.  I have you."

 For the first time in a long time, Hannibal Heyes' silver tongue failed him.  Having nothing suitable to say he just gave her a sympathetic smile and went to stir the dying fire.

                                  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As dusk fell outside the cave, they shared a meager meal of beef jerky, hard tack and Joshua's  coffee.

When the dusk was overtaken by complete darkness, Joshua added more wood to the fire, as it was sure to get colder as the night went on.    He reclined across their leaf and blanket bed propped up on one elbow, watching as Evangeline brushed her hair by the firelight. Her eyes were closed as she gently tugged the tangles from her long lush tresses which had finally dried.  So she didn't see his deep intake and slow release of breath as he envisioned brushing her hair for her.  

He watched, transfixed by the play of the firelight on her hair as she pulled the brush through the length of it.  Still she kept her eyes closed as she tended to the silken mass, straightening the knots and tangles.  He took the opportunity to study her.  She was so lovely.   His eyes traveled slowly up the length of her as she sat with her legs stretched out in front of her.  The tight fit of her dress left little to the imagination about the shape of her body underneath.  Round hips, small waist, ample bosom, which protuded from the top of the  too small garment.  A gracefully slender neck which supported one of the prettiest faces he'd ever seen.  Skin that reminded him of the cream his mother used to let him drink after she'd milked the cow.  He remembered how soft if had felt against his fingers earlier.  And then there was that hair.  The tangles were loosening for her  now and she was able to pull the brush  all the way through the length of it and it began to crackle with static as she did so.  He envisioned his fingers replacing that hairbrush.

"Would you mind?"

"Huh? What? Oh."  Her voice had shook him out of the stupor he had found himself in as he fantasized about running his fingers through her hair.  She was extending her hand with the brush in it towards him.

  

"There are some tangles back there I can't reach."   She sensed his unease at her request and she wished now she had not asked him to brush her hair for her.  It was quite rude and presumptuous of her.  "You don't have to if you don't want to."

If he didn't want to?  Was she kidding?  That's all he'd thought about doing for the last half hour.  But now that she was giving him the opportunity he felt as nervous as a school boy about to kiss a girl for the first time.  "No, no.  It's fine.  It's just that I've never....uuhh."  He laughed nervously, rubbing his jaw with this hand.   He took the brush from her hand and looked at like it was a three headed frog or something.

"Well it's not that hard, Joshua, you just pull it through.  But not too hard though."

She turned so her back was to him.   He sat cross legged behind her.  And he brushed her hair.  That glorious hair that was the stuff of fantasy for him. He gently worked out the knots and tangles he found until the brush ran easily through the entire length of it.    He couldn't resist the urge to touch it.  He ran the fingers of his free hand through it.  It was softer that he had imagined it would be now that it was washed and brushed.  

"Joshua?"  

"Hhmm?"

"What's going to happen to me?"  she asked in a subdued tone.

"What do you mean?  I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

"I know you won't but, that's not what I mean.  I mean after we get to Alpine and we tell the sheriff about everything that happened.  What happens then?"

"Well...I guess you'll go with me to Red Rock. We'll meet up with Thaddeus and decide what our next move is."

"Your going to contact my mother's family in Tennessee, aren't you?"

"They're your  family too, Evangeline.  And don't you think they'd want to know about your mother and brother, and about you."

She turned to face him and looked into his brown eyes, which had a hazy seductive look to them now.  "What if I don't want you to contact them?  What if I asked you not to?  Would you do it anyway?"

"They're the only family you've got now.  You're going to need all the support you can get from any family or friends you have.  Believe me I know.  My life might have been alot different if I'd had some kin to take me in after my folks died."

"They may as well be strangers.  I don't know them and they don't know me.  And what if they don't care?  What if they don't want me?"

"How could anybody not want you?"  

He was doing it again,  looking at her mouth like he meant to devour it.  And oh how she wanted him to.  The whole time he was brushing her hair, she was acutely aware of the fact that she had nothing on under her dress.  Why in the world would his brushing her hair make her aware of that.  And why in the world would that last question he asked make her feel all fluttery in her belly and weak in her knees?  If she hadn't been sure before, she was sure now that these strange sensations were the awakenings of desire.  She didn't quite understand it but she wanted to find out what happens next.

Yes, it was desire.  He had seen it in the way her facial expression changed as soon as those last words had left his mouth.   Had seen it in her eyes.  He tossed the brush down on the blanket and  rose quickly. He walked towards the fire at the front of the cave, needing to distance himself from her.  But he heard her rise and follow to stand behind him. He didn't know how much of this he was going to be able to take.  Lightning flashed outside followed by a loud crash of thunder.

She didn't know what to say to him. Was unsure of what to do.   She lightly touched his shoulder.  "Joshua, please...."

He turned suddenly and pinned her with a look that silenced her.  She had never seen a look like that  from him before. But she had seen that look somewhere else.  It was the way her father had looked at her mother on many nights when she and Gabe were told to go to bed early.  His voice was deeper and huskier than usual when he said,   "Joshua, please what?"

He took her face in his hands and ran his thumb across her soft full botton lip.  He was testing the waters to see just how far she would let him go before she tucked tail and ran.  When her response was to match his gaze with one of anticipation instead of fear,  he stepped closer to her, closing the space between them.  Her soft, full lips parted as if she were going to speak, but she said nothing.  Good, grief, she's asking for it.  Does she even know what she's doing?  Well, if this is what she wanted then he would oblige her.  He felt like he was moving in slow motion as he lowered his mouth to her waiting lips.  It was a very quick almost chaste kiss.  And when still she didn't retreat,  he lowered his mouth to hers again.  Only this time he opened his mouth over hers.  His warm soft lips coaxed hers apart.  He felt her momentary hesitation, as she was unsure of what to do.  But as he moved his mouth over hers,  she began to open to him and give him access to the honeyed sweetness inside. 

She learned quickly.  Soon she was kissing him back.  An animal like growl sounded deep in his throat and he moved his hands from her face down to encircle her waist.  She wrapped her arms around his back and clung to his shoulders.  He deepened the kiss even further and slanted his mouth back and forth over hers. She tasted so sweet.  Then his hands drifted back up to plunge into her hair.  He kneeded her scalp with his fingertips loving the feel of her silky hair as it slid through his fingers. He could smell the scent of the lavendar soap she 'd bathed in.  It mingled with the unidentifiable scent that was Evangeline and it intoxicated him.  He released her mouth to trail tiny kisses across her cheek and down to her jawline before making his way back to her waiting mouth.  His hands left her hair and moved downward until they were grasping the soft round cheeks of her bottom. He pulled her closer, pressing her pelvis into his.    And that was it.  She stiffened in his arms and her once pliant mouth became still and hard.  He had ventured into territory her innocense would not allow her to go.  She released her grip on his shoulders and  brought her hands up to her flushed face.  She was unable to look at him.  He searched her face to find her eyes but she would not look at him.  And he wasn't going to force her to.  He released her from his embrace and turned again to face the fire.

  

"I'm sorry.  I shouldn't have......Don't worry.....it won't happen again."

She stood rooted to that spot as he marched past the fire and the animals to sit at the far left side of the overhang.  Her legs  felt like they  were made of paper and they weren't going to support her much longer. She wanted to follow him and ask him why he had stopped.  But she felt like her knees were going to buckle.   She made her way back to the blankets and half way collapsed onto them.  She brought her fingers up to her lips and touched them.  They still tingled from his kisses.  Her first real kiss.  And Joshua had given it to her.  Oh, how wonderful it had been.  And how scary at the same time.  Despite the warmth inside the cave she found herself shivering.  How could she be shivering when she felt like her insides were on fire?   And everytime she thought of how his mouth had felt on hers, she felt a throbbing heaviness in her womb.  He was awakening feelings in her she didn't recognize.  When he had grabbed her bottom she had stiffened in his arms.   He had thought she was afraid.  And she had been, a little at first.   But actually she just didn't know what she was supposed to do. She was embarrassed by her complete lack of experience.   If she could do it again maybe......but he'd said it wouldn't happen again.  She was suddenly as limp as a rag doll.  She fell back onto her bedroll and closed her eyes.  "I wish you were here, Mama.  I need you to tell me what to do.  I'm so confused.   He makes me feel things I've never felt before."   She threw her arm across her closed eyes as tears began to squeeze from the corners and run down her cheeks. What if he thought she hadn't wanted him to kiss her.  What if he thought she had stiffened in his arms because she was afraid of him.  She could never be afraid of him.  He was her knight in shining armor.  Her savior.  She trusted him with her life. She wanted to go to him and tell him she was the one who was sorry for making him think he had taken advantage of her when she had wanted him to kiss her.   But she sensed he wanted to be alone right now. And she didn't think her trembling legs could carry her that far.   And so she lay there silently, trying to ignore the lingering scent of him.  It was a tantalizing combination of leather, saddle oil and shaving lotion.  The heaviness and the shivering were getting worse.   She lay awake staring at the cliff wall wondering if what she felt was normal.  And if this was desire, how did one get the quivering and aching to go away?

                            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He sat by the far edge of the overhang looking out at the endless blackness, listening to the sound of rain as it pounded the ground outside.   He was grateful for the two big animals that stood between him and the young woman on the other side.  The same young woman that was responsible for the fire that was burning inside of him.  He was hoping the cool night air wafting in would cool him off.  So far it had not.  Even the cold rain drops that found their way inside and splashed against his heated skin did little to calm the need she'd aroused in him.  My God, what was wrong with him? He was ashamed of himself.  He'd  known better than to touch her.  He knew once he did he'd only succeed in scaring her and losing her trust, and making himself miserable with wanting something he couldn't have. Never mind the fact that she was an innocent young woman who'd probably never been kissed before.  No "probably" about it.  He could tell when he'd  first opened his mouth over hers she had never been kissed.  At least not a real kiss.  She had probably dreamed of her first kiss being a wine and roses experience.  Which is what she deserved.  To be treated like a lady.  But he had treated her like a two dollar whore.  He slammed his fist into his thigh.  "Kid, I've really messed up this time.  I wish you were here.  I need you to tell me what a blasted fool I'm being."   Just then Jenny decided to put in her two cents and brayed at him.  He looked at the mule.  "So you agree, huh?"   Then it was Rusty's  turn to give a snort.    "You too?  Well, that makes three of us."

He sat and stared into the darkness until he knew she was asleep. It must have been a few hours. The storms were moving east and had left behind a cold mist of rain.  The temperature had probably dropped twenty degrees.  But it was still plenty warm inside their cliffside hide away.  He added more wood to the fire anyway, and settled down by the fireside to clean and oil his gun.  He looked at her sleeping form covered by her blanket.  He hoped he hadn't destroyed her trust in him.  They still had a day and a half's ride ahead of them.  He didn't want her to be afraid of him.  But one thing was for sure.  He was not going to lay down beside her here in the confines of this cavern.  And that was a promise he was making to himself and one he planned to keep.  Lying beside her now was asking for more  trouble than he'd already created.  He'd just sit here by the fire and clean his gun.  Then maybe he'd do a little reading.  Anything to take his mind off the memory of the taste of her kiss and the feel of her in his hands. Not to mention the emotions he'd felt when he'd first felt her returning his kiss.  He looked at his watch.  One am.  Five more hours and the sun would be up and he could get out of this cave.  And he couldn't wait.  For some reason the air in here had become stifling and he felt like he was suffocating.  

                                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Despite his best efforts to stay awake,  Heyes dozed as he leaned back against the cliff wall.  But he was jolted from his sleep by a blood curdling scream that echoed off the rocky walls.  Evangeline was having another nightmare.  He was by her side in less than a heartbeat. 

"Joshua!" she screamed, as though she were terrified.

"Wake up, Evie!  It's just a bad dream."

The sound of his voice brought her instantly awake.  She sat up, not sure where she was for a moment.  She was bosoms rose and fell with her  heavy breathing.  She felt as if she had been running for a long distance. Then she saw Joshua kneeling beside her.  She touched her hand to the side of his face to make sure he was really there.  Solid and warm.  He was real.  "Oh, thank God.  I thought he'd killed you.  I thought you were dead."  She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly, comforted by the reassuring sound of his heartbeat in her ear.

   

"It's alright, I'm here and I'm just fine.  It was just a dream, that's all."

   

"It was  a terrible dream.  It seemed so real and I....what did you call me? 

"Huh?"

"Just then, when you woke me, what did you call me?"

"I called you 'Evie' I think.  It just came out that way.  Evangeline is quite a mouthful, you know."

"That's what Daddy and Gabe called me.  They were the only ones who ever called me that."

"Oh.  I won't call you that any more if it bothers you."

"No.  It doesn't bother me.  In fact I can't think of anybody else in the whole world I would ever want to call me that except you."

There was a strained silence then as both were remembering the kiss they had shared earlier, but neither was willing to broach the subject.

  

Then they blurted in unison, 

  

"I hope you don't think.....

"I'm a real jackass for.....

A moment of silence.  Again in unison,

"You're not a jackass....

"I wasn't thinking....

Silence.  Then they both began to laugh.

"Listen,"  he started before she could, "I was real stupid earlier and I know I probably made you feel uncomfortable and that's the last thing I wanted to do.  I'm sorry." 

"You didn't make me feel uncomfortable.  You just...surprised me that's all.  I could never be uncomfortable with you around.  And you're not a jackass.  There's nothing to be sorry for."

"Is that the first time anybody ever kissed you?"

She looked away from his piercing brown gaze.  He seemed to be able to look inside her and see the answer without her speaking.  And so she said nothing as a soft blush crept up her cheeks.

"That's what I thought. Tell you what.  Let's just forget that it ever happened.  That way, someday when you meet Mr. Right  your first real kiss it will be perfect and romantic with candlelight and roses.  Deal?"   Needing the deeper connection of eye contact, he placed his hand under her chin and lifted her head until her eyes locked with his.  

Forget it?   Was he crazy?  How could she ever forget it?  It had been the most wonderful experience in her life so far.  And to her mind it had been perfect and romantic.  It made her sad to think that he thought otherwise.  Or that he felt he had cheated her out of a memorable first kiss.  She would trade candlelight and roses for firelight and pine needles any day, as long as Joshua was with her. But he obviously ranked it very low on his list of memorable moments since he was so eager to forget it. Trying to hide her disappoitnment, she said softly, "Deal."

He smiled that dimpled smile she had grown to love so much and placed a tender kiss on her forehead. "Kisses on the forehead don't count, though."   Then he laid back against his saddle that she had been using for a pillow.  He was mentally and physically exhausted.  

"If I promise there won't be any kissing involved, can I maybe sleep next to you again?  It seems to keep the bad dreams away."

He didn't speak but instead stretched his arm out to the side and patted the spot beside him.  She wasted no time, as she dropped down beside him and lay her head on his shoulder.

He casually stroked her soft hair which cascaded over the arm he had loosely draped around her. So much for keeping promises, was Hannibal Heyes' last thought before he followed the young woman at his side into a deep peaceful sleep.

Soundtrack Selection for Chapter 8

"The Way He Makes Me Feel"  by Barbra Streisand