Love on the Range (Brothers in Arms #3)(72)

John came fast. Molly caught up. The three of them exchanged a look, then Molly said, “We need the best trackers. We need Falcon and Cheyenne.”

All three of them turned and ran for the cabin. They met Cheyenne and Falcon, coming fast. Before they reached the two trackers, they heard a high yell of pain. All five of them whirled to face the forest.

“What was that?” Molly edged closer to Wyatt, and he felt her shudder. He slipped an arm across her waist.

“It sounded like Hawkins to me. It sounded like fear.” Cheyenne pulled her gun and checked the load.

Another shout. Hawkins for sure.

Win came running down the trail.

“You were supposed to watch Kingston,” Cheyenne growled.

“He’s tied up and unconscious, and the sheriff and Rachel have guns on him. He’s not going anywhere.” Win heard the next shout. Then she smiled as Hawkins emerged from the woods, being shoved along by Kevin.

John strode forward and said, “I’ll take him back to the cabin. Let’s get the horses caught and head back for the jail.”

He nodded at Kevin—they had matching bleeding shoulders. “Glad to see you made it.”

John took hold of Hawkins and turned to march him back toward the cabin.

“You’re alive.” Win rushed to her husband and wrapped her arms around him. Gently, as if she could see he was a man nearing the end of his rope.

Kevin wrapped both arms tight around her and hugged her close. “You’re alive.”

They held each other, rocking a bit, utterly silent. Then the silence was broken by the sound of Win’s tears. Kevin held her tighter.

Cheyenne went to Kevin and said, “Did you leave your horse around here?”

Kevin told her where, and she headed up the trail away from the cabin. Falcon jogged along until he caught up with her, and they disappeared into the woods together.

Kevin and Win walked the opposite direction Cheyenne went, arms around each other, talking quietly.

John left them behind, shoving Hawkins along at a fast clip. Win and Kevin moved slower because she was fussing at Kevin’s bleeding arm.

Molly headed after her brother to help, but Wyatt reeled her back in like a newly roped maverick calf.

John gone on ahead with Hawkins.

Falcon and Cheyenne gone together.

Win and Kevin leaving them behind.

Wyatt found himself alone with Molly.

“How many times would you say we’ve been alone together, Molly?”

“Are we counting when you were half mad with fever and when you were bound up in that tight sling so your collarbone would heal?”

“No, we are not counting that.”

“How about the nights you sneaked into Hawkins’s house at night?”

“Nope.”

“I think maybe we should count those.”

Wyatt smiled. “Maybe. But alone when there was nothing stopping us from really spending time together?”

“About twice. Three times maybe.”

“It has to be at least four times because I’ve kissed you four times.”

“Only three, I think.”

Nodding, Wyatt said, “That’s right. I didn’t kiss you when we woke up together that morning.”

“I fell asleep from pure exhaustion, and you mostly just regained consciousness, and you were still bound up in that sling. That doesn’t really count as waking up together.”

Wyatt smiled. “It doesn’t count, you’re right.” He leaned down and kissed her. “But I would dearly like to do it when it does count.”

Molly’s eyes went wide as if she might be going to cry. Well, it’d been a hard day. He wouldn’t fault her for it. But he hoped she didn’t make a habit of it like Win.

“Y-you shoved me away when I told you about my pa.”

“There were outlaws coming down the trail.”

“I told you the law might come after me, and you turned your back on me.”

“That is not what happened.”

“It doesn’t matter what happened. I can’t marry you, have children with you, and maybe someday hang.”

“No, you most certainly can’t.”

She gasped and pulled away from him. He still had her as good as hog-tied and pulled her back.

“Let me go.”

“I mean, you most certainly can’t hang.” He dragged her all the way into his arms. “We are not going to let that happen.”

She stopped struggling and looked into his eyes. “We aren’t?”

“No wife of mine is going to hang.” He smiled. “I’m a powerful, connected man in this territory. I think we can clear it all up.”

“I-I-I . . . b-but I did it. I’m guilty.”

He kissed her into silence. When she wrapped her arms around his neck, he decided she was sufficiently distracted.

Pulling only inches away, he spoke just above a whisper. “You wanted to talk, before you could say yes to my proposal. Now we have. Will you marry me, Molly?”

She looked into his eyes. Hers wide with hope and unshed tears.

“Just say yes and help me find a horse.” Rachel cut into the touching moment. “I need to go back to the RHR or somewhere and collapse.”

They both turned to see a very pale Rachel. They’d forgotten about her.