Westward Moon (7 page)

              “I think that’s a good idea.  I’m sorry that I got upset with you.  Of course Sasha shouldn’t be alone for the holidays.  I have always trusted you.  I was a little jealous because she’s an attractive woman,” Tessa admitted.

              Dean smiled.  “You were jealous?”

              “Yes, Dean.  You’re a very handsome man and it wouldn’t surprise me if she was attracted to you,” Tessa said.

              Dean wasn’t a vain man, but it pleased him immensely to know that Tessa could still feel that way after sixteen years of marriage.  He cupped her face and made her look at him.  “There’s nothing to be jealous about,” he said and kissed her.

              Her lips trembled and tears leaked from her closed eyes.  Dean held her and asked, “Tessa, what’s wrong?”

              “Mike has been so horrible lately and I was at my wits end with him,” Tessa said.

              Dean frowned.  “I’m sorry, honey.  I’ll talk to him.  He’s going to listen or else.”

              “No, Dean.  I need to talk to you about him,” Tessa said.

              “Ok.  I’m listening,” Dean said.

              She sat down with him on their bed and explained everything that Ben had told her to her husband.  He sat for several minutes in silence as he processed what she’d told him.

              Finally Dean said, “He’s a genius?  How did that happen?  He doesn’t get it from our side."

              Tessa chuckled.  “He might.  Look at Marcus.  I’m not sure if he’s a genius, but he’s highly intelligent.”

              Dean sighed.  “And we have to
ask
him to do things now?”

              “I’ve seen it with my own eyes.  I’ll show you,” Tessa said.  “Come with me.”

              Dean followed her out to the kitchen.  Mike sat with Jack and Sparrow at the table.  He had a book open before him.

              Tessa said, “Michael, shut the book and bring more firewood in for the stove.”

              “Mama, I’m talking to Jack and Sparrow,” Mike protested.

              “Mike, mind me and go get the wood,” Tessa said.

              Dean saw the familiar dark look cross Mike’s face.  “Not right now,” he said.

              Jack’s brows drew down and he said, “You mind, Mama, and go get that firewood right now.”

              Mike crossed his arms over his chest.  “Are you going to make me?”

              Jack made a move towards his brother, but Tessa intervened.  “Stay still, Jack.  Michael, will you please help me by bringing more firewood?  I’d like to get supper started and it would really help me if you would.  Then you can go back to visiting.”

              Mike looked at her for a few moments and then said, “Ok, Mama.  If it’ll help you, I’ll do it.”             

              Dean was flabbergasted as Mike passed him to go out the door.  “Holy hell, Tessa.  It works!  While he’s outside, explain it to them,” he said indicating Jack and Sparrow.

              “Explain what?” Jack asked.

              Tessa briefly told them about her visit with Ben and what he’d told her.

              “So we gotta ask him to do stuff and he’ll do it?  And he really is a genius?  He told us that on the way home, but we thought he was messin’ with us,” Jack said.

              “No, he wasn’t.  It’s true,” Tessa said.  “Please be considerate of him.”

              Jack said, “It explains a lot.”

              “Yes.  Claire has already started planning a new curriculum just for him.  She’ll start him at two grades higher after the holidays,” Tessa said.

              Jack said, “Mama, most of the other kids are done after eighth grade.  Is she going to keep him in school without any other kids his age?”

              Tessa said, “I don’t think he cares.  He has such a thirst for knowledge.  There are three others close to his age that are still attending.”

              Jack nodded.  “I’d hate for him to feel like the odd man out.  Maybe he’ll be a doctor, too, and take over for Uncle Marcus.”  He smiled.  “Wouldn’t that be a hoot?”

              Dean chuckled.  “It’s not a bad idea.”

              Sparrow said, “I’m sure Marcus would like that.”

              Mike came in with the wood and put it in the wood box.  “I’m going to get some more, Mama because you’re going to use some now, but then there’ll still be some for later.  I’d better put some in the fireplaces for tonight, too.  It’s getting colder.”

              “Thank you, Michael.  I don’t know what I’d do without you,” she said.

              Mike grinned and said, “You’re welcome.”

              Dean snagged him as he went by and hugged him.  “You’re a good kid.  C’mon, I’ll help you and we’ll have it done in no time.”

              Mike laughed.  “Ok, Pa.”

              Sparrow made the bed in the bunkhouse as she hummed.  She was so happy to be home that she didn’t mind staying there instead of Jack’s house.  It made her feel guilty that they had to stay there in order to be safe.  She didn’t want to bring harm to Jack’s family.  Everyone had assured her that they weren’t upset at all, but Sparrow still had some doubts.  That she and Jack were being allowed to stay together had surprised her, too.  The thought of being apart from him filled her with dread, even if was just overnight.  She’d spent too much time away from him to be separated that way.

              Jack hadn’t been happy about not living in his place, but his common sense had prevailed and he realized that it was a good idea.  He was a good shot and lethal at hand to hand combat, but he was only one man and if they came after them in numbers, he wouldn’t be able to protect Sparrow.

              Jack had helped Tessa cook despite her protests.  He’d missed it and the job went faster with the two of them working together.  It was something they’d done often over the years.  Every so often, Jack would see Tessa looking at him wistfully, but he pretended not to notice.  If he had said something to her, she would have gotten weepy.

              A hearty reunion had occurred with their family and the cookhouse had been filled with laughter as they all caught up with each other.  At times they got their conversations crossed and confusion had reigned, which made things even funnier.  Sparrow felt a sense of belonging as she was welcomed into the family.  They hadn’t seen the ring Jack had given her before and everyone complimented the couple on it.

              Jack had offered to help Sparrow make the bed, but she’d refused.  She was used to taking care of the housework and didn’t want that to change.  So Jack sat in one of the chairs and watched her.  He smiled as she hummed and went about her work.  Jack had never been as happy as he was at that moment.  His little bird was back with him and all was right with the world again.

              It was warm inside the bunkhouse and the chair in which he sat was comfortable.  His eyes drifted shut and soon he slept.  Sparrow heard him snore and turned around to see him sleeping.  She laughed softly as she saw the way he was sprawled out in the chair. 

              “Jack, wake up,” she said as she shook him.

              “Hmm?  What?” he said and opened his eyes.  He saw Sparrow laughing at him.  “Did I nod off?”

              “Yes.  It’s ok.  We are both tired and need to sleep,” Sparrow said.  “We should go to bed.”

              Jack nodded and then had to stifle a yawn.  He stood up and began undressing without thinking.  Sparrow was unperturbed and didn’t say anything.  Jack kept on his long underwear and hung his clothes on one of the pegs on a wall. 

              “Will you step outside a moment?” Sparrow asked. 

              Jack smiled.  “How about I just turn around?  I’m in my underwear here, Sparrow.”

              Sparrow thought about it and said, “Ok.  Turn around.”

              Jack did and waited until she told him it was all right to turn back around.  Tessa had given her a warm nightgown that was demure and covered her from neck to ankles.  Jack looked at her in it and smiled.

              “Don’t you laugh,” she said.  “I am not used to wearing such things.  It’s going to bunch up and make me sweat.”

              Jack said, “Well, if you get too warm, just take it off.” 

              She smacked his arm.  “I can’t do that and you know it.”

              “I know.  Let’s go to bed,” he said.  “I’m beat.”  He yawned again.

              Sparrow crawled into the bed and moved over.  Jack watched her backside appreciatively as she did.  Desire shot through him and he immediately clamped down on it.  It was something he’d done countless of times over the years he and Sparrow had been together before she’d left.  He hadn’t been kidding when he’d told Dean that he and Sparrow had spent many nights together. 

              Back then, Jack had bought a second wind-up alarm clock and stowed it and a few blankets away in the clearing where they’d first met.  Both of them would wait until their families were asleep to sneak away and meet there.  Jack would set the clock to go off very early so that they could get back home before anyone was any the wiser. 

              A few times they’d been caught coming back, but had simply said they’d had to relieve themselves.  No one had questioned them about it.  Jack had felt a little guilty, but the deception had been worth it to him to be able to be with Sparrow.  All during the time they had been courting, they’d been able to resist temptation and had been satisfied just to be close.

              Jack blew out the lamp, joined her in the bed, and pulled the covers over them.  Sparrow snuggled close and inhaled his scent.  She smiled as he ran a hand over her hair and kissed her forehead. 

              “I can’t believe I’m here with you,” she said as she looked into his eyes.  “We should have never left.  Father became a stranger to me.  The man I knew when I was young wouldn’t have let someone get away with hitting me.  Nor would he have ignored our laws the way he has.”

              Jack asked, “Why did he change?  I knew your father and he never seemed like that kind of man.”

              “It’s Red Bear.  He never liked the friendship the Lakota here share with Dawson.  When the others left, Red Bear kept talking to Father, filling his head with hate over what had happened with Owl.  When we joined the others and they chose Father as the new chief, it only got worse,” Sparrow said. 

              “I never liked Red Bear,” Jack said.  “He always seemed like a trouble maker.  Guess I was right.”

              Sparrow nodded.  “You were.  He was one of the ones that convinced Father that I should marry Panther.”

              Jack heard the loathing in her voice and his feeling mirrored hers.  It was bad enough that some other man had been married to her, but to know that that man had abused her, made hate heat Jack’s blood.  The old guilt that ate at Jack surfaced.

              Sparrow felt the shift in his mood and said, “Don’t do that, Jack.  Neither one of us can change the past.  We have to move forward.  What good is living in the past when we have so much life ahead of us?”  She laid her hand on his face and smiled at him.

              Jack chuckled and said, “You always were so much smarter than me.  You’re right.  We’re gonna have such a happy life together.”

              “I know,” she said.  Even as she said those words, fear raised its head in her mind.  “I’m afraid, Jack.  I don’t want them to come for me.  I don’t want anyone to get hurt because of me.”

              “No one’s gonna get hurt.  They’re gonna be sorry if they come after you.  They’ll have to get through me and a lot of others to get to you,” Jack said.

              Sparrow tried to quell the sudden panic that gripped her.  “That’s what I mean.  People will get hurt because of what I’ve done.  I never should have listened to Sasha!  I never should have contacted you.  I have to go back!”

              Jack held her arms. “Sparrow, you can’t.  If you do, they’ll kill you and I’m not gonna let that happen.  You’re right where you’re meant to be, honey.  Shh.  It’ll be ok.”  Jack pulled her against him and wrapped his arms around her.

              Sparrow took deep breaths and clung to Jack.  His solid bulk comforted her and she was able to throw off a full-blown panic attack.

              Jack felt her body begin to relax and asked, “Better?”

              She nodded.  “Yes.  You are right about me being smart.”

              “I know I’m right about that,” Jack said.

              “But do you know why?” she asked.

              “Why?”

              She smiled and said, “Because I was smart enough to fall in love with you.”

              Jack laughed.  “Ok, that’s something you always say when you want something.  What is it?”

              “You, Jack.  I want you,” she said and pressed her lips to his.

              Jack ran a hand down over her back as their kiss deepened.  The heavy material of the nightgown thwarted his ability to feel the contours of her body and he guessed that was a good thing.  Sparrow was relearning his body as her hands traveled over him.  Jack had always been well-muscled because of all the physical work he did, but he’d put on even more muscle and she loved the way he felt under her hands.  There was a new contained power about her deputy that excited her. 

              Jack rolled her over and slid his fingers through her sleek hair as the embrace became heated.  His body wasn’t the only one that had changed some it seemed.  Sparrow felt more lush, more womanly now and Jack felt a passion for Sparrow that surpassed any he’d ever felt for her in the past.  Her soft lips kissing his brought out an urgent desire and suddenly Jack didn’t know if he had enough control to stop.

              With iron will, Jack pulled away from her and said, “Break time.”

              Sparrow laughed and the sound was slightly husky with her own desire.  “I haven’t heard that in so long,” she said as Jack rolled away from her.

              It was a sensual game they used to play.  They would drive each other crazy for as long as they could before one or the other would say “break time” so things could cool down.

              His laughter joined hers.  “I haven’t said it in a long time.”

              “You always had to say it more than me,” she teased.

              Jack cleared his throat and said, “As Uncle Marcus told me when he gave me the talk, ‘men tend to become aroused more quickly than women’.”

              Both of them burst out laughing over his imitation of his uncle.  “That’s exactly how he said it.  I swear.  I’ve never forgotten it.  You know what else is funny?  I always knew it wouldn’t be Pa that would talk to me about it.  He’s as buttoned up as they come, except for when he’s away from the ranch.  I found that out on the way down to Wyoming.  Maybe I should have gone on a cattle drive with him and he’d have felt more comfortable talking about it.”

              Sparrow laughed.  “I still can’t imagine him talking about it.”

              “You’re right.  I actually thought it would be Uncle Seth.  So it really surprised me the day Uncle Marcus called me into the barn and talked to me,” Jack said.  He laughed again as he remembered how embarrassed he’d been.  “I never saw that comin’.  I had no idea what to say, so I didn’t say anything.  I just nodded a lot.”

              Sparrow snickered as she pictured the look on Jack’s face.  “Poor Jack,” she said.

              A yawn came out of him that threatened to crack his jaw.  “Ouch,” he said when it passed.

              “Stop it,” Sparrow said and yawned, too.

              Jack chuckled and gathered her against him.  “I hope they don’t want me to cook in the morning.  We need to sleep.”

              Sparrow nodded and mumbled against his side.  She didn’t want to go to sleep because she was afraid he wouldn’t be there when she opened her eyes again. 

Jack smiled and kissed her forehead.  “Good night, my little bird.” 

When there was no response, Jack knew she was already asleep.  He closed his eyes and tumbled into slumber after her.