sleeping in the crib. âItâs not that I donât like him, itâs justâ¦â
âJust what? Has Dallas told you something about him? Something I should know?â
âOh, no!â Angel reassured her. âItâs nothing like that. Itâs justâ¦â
Honey waited while Angel searched for the words to explain her aversion to the drifter.
âWhen I was much younger, I had a bad experience with some Indians.â What Angel wasnât able to tell Honey was that she had seen the tortured remains of a Comanche raid in 1857. But no one except Dallas knew Angel had traveled through time to reach this century. So Angel was forced to explain how she felt without being able to give specific details.
âWhenever I look at Jesse,â she said, âI see something in those dark eyes of his, something so savage, so feral, it reminds me of that time long ago. He terrifies me.â Angel visibly shivered. âArenât you afraid of him?â
âSometimes,â Honey admitted reluctantly. âBut not in the way you are.â Honey felt certain Jesse posed no physical threat to her. The wild, savage looks that frightened Angel only served to make Jesse more intriguing to her. âI find him attractive,â she confessed. And that was more frightening than anything else about the drifter that she might have admitted.
Their talking woke the baby, but Honey couldnât be sorry because she had been dying for a chance to hold the little boy.
âArenât you a handsome boy, Rhett,â Honey cooed as Angel laid the baby in her arms. âCan we take him downstairs?â
Angel seemed hesitant, but Honey urged, âPlease?â
âAll right.â Angel had to face the fact that her fears of Jesse were misplaced in time. She might as well start now.
Dallas and Jesse stopped talking abruptly when the women came downstairs with the baby.
âLook,â Honey said, holding Rhett so Jesse could see his face. âIsnât he something?â
Jesse wasnât looking at the child, he was looking at the glow on Honeyâs face. It was something, all right! She looked radiant and happier than he had ever seen her. He couldnât help imagining how she would look holding their child in her arms.
He frowned, wondering where that idea had come from. He wanted Honey, but babies hada way of tying a man down. Still, he considered the idea and felt things he hadnât anticipated. Pride. Protectiveness. And fear.
Was Honey still young enough to carry a child without any danger to her health? She didnât look over thirty, but he knew she had to be older because Jack was thirteen.
âHow old were you when Jack was born?â Jesse asked.
Honey was surprised by the question. âEighteen. Cale and I married right out of high school.â
That made her thirty-two. Three years younger than he was. Maybe the better question was whether he was too old to be a father. He hadnât realized until just now how much he wanted a child of his own someday. Maybe heâd better not put it off too much longer.
âDo you wish you had more children?â he asked Honey.
She never took her eyes off the babyâs face. Jesse watched her fingers smooth over the tiny eyebrows, the plump cheeks, the rosy mouth and then touch the tiny fingertips that gripped her little finger. âOh, yes,â she breathed.
She looked up at him and his heart leapt to his throat. Her eyes were liquid with feeling. Suddenly he wanted to be gone from here, to be alone with her.
Honey saw the fierce light in Jesseâs eyes but knew she had nothing to fear. The fierceness thrilled her. The light drew her in and warmed her. Jesse Whitelaw was a danger to her, all right. But only because he had the power to steal her heart.
Honey was never sure later how they managed to take their leave so quickly, but she was grateful to be on her way home. In the darkness of the
âJust what? Has Dallas told you something about him? Something I should know?â
âOh, no!â Angel reassured her. âItâs nothing like that. Itâs justâ¦â
Honey waited while Angel searched for the words to explain her aversion to the drifter.
âWhen I was much younger, I had a bad experience with some Indians.â What Angel wasnât able to tell Honey was that she had seen the tortured remains of a Comanche raid in 1857. But no one except Dallas knew Angel had traveled through time to reach this century. So Angel was forced to explain how she felt without being able to give specific details.
âWhenever I look at Jesse,â she said, âI see something in those dark eyes of his, something so savage, so feral, it reminds me of that time long ago. He terrifies me.â Angel visibly shivered. âArenât you afraid of him?â
âSometimes,â Honey admitted reluctantly. âBut not in the way you are.â Honey felt certain Jesse posed no physical threat to her. The wild, savage looks that frightened Angel only served to make Jesse more intriguing to her. âI find him attractive,â she confessed. And that was more frightening than anything else about the drifter that she might have admitted.
Their talking woke the baby, but Honey couldnât be sorry because she had been dying for a chance to hold the little boy.
âArenât you a handsome boy, Rhett,â Honey cooed as Angel laid the baby in her arms. âCan we take him downstairs?â
Angel seemed hesitant, but Honey urged, âPlease?â
âAll right.â Angel had to face the fact that her fears of Jesse were misplaced in time. She might as well start now.
Dallas and Jesse stopped talking abruptly when the women came downstairs with the baby.
âLook,â Honey said, holding Rhett so Jesse could see his face. âIsnât he something?â
Jesse wasnât looking at the child, he was looking at the glow on Honeyâs face. It was something, all right! She looked radiant and happier than he had ever seen her. He couldnât help imagining how she would look holding their child in her arms.
He frowned, wondering where that idea had come from. He wanted Honey, but babies hada way of tying a man down. Still, he considered the idea and felt things he hadnât anticipated. Pride. Protectiveness. And fear.
Was Honey still young enough to carry a child without any danger to her health? She didnât look over thirty, but he knew she had to be older because Jack was thirteen.
âHow old were you when Jack was born?â Jesse asked.
Honey was surprised by the question. âEighteen. Cale and I married right out of high school.â
That made her thirty-two. Three years younger than he was. Maybe the better question was whether he was too old to be a father. He hadnât realized until just now how much he wanted a child of his own someday. Maybe heâd better not put it off too much longer.
âDo you wish you had more children?â he asked Honey.
She never took her eyes off the babyâs face. Jesse watched her fingers smooth over the tiny eyebrows, the plump cheeks, the rosy mouth and then touch the tiny fingertips that gripped her little finger. âOh, yes,â she breathed.
She looked up at him and his heart leapt to his throat. Her eyes were liquid with feeling. Suddenly he wanted to be gone from here, to be alone with her.
Honey saw the fierce light in Jesseâs eyes but knew she had nothing to fear. The fierceness thrilled her. The light drew her in and warmed her. Jesse Whitelaw was a danger to her, all right. But only because he had the power to steal her heart.
Honey was never sure later how they managed to take their leave so quickly, but she was grateful to be on her way home. In the darkness of the
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