Love On The Frontier (A Bounty Hunter's Tale) Book I

Chapter Six | Burden

'The Weight of Responsibility'

Arizona 1873

Clayton awoke to find that a blanket had been laid over him. Sometime in the middle of the night Lena must have put done it. At first he felt touched at her small act of kindness, but instantly pushed the feeling down. All this sympathy and compassion was making him weak. This girl was a burden that he was more than eager to rid himself of.

Clayton packed everything up as Lena continued to rest. Even after he had finished loading up, Lena remained asleep. He nudged her with the tip of his boot. "Girl. . .Girl, get up."

Lena groaned as stretched out her arms. Sitting up she looked around while yawning. "Would you please stop calling me girl. How would you like it if I always called you man? Man this, man that. Come over here, man. Get up, man."

He snorted before bending down to roll up the bed she had slept on. "I see you do got a bit of bite in you."

She shrugged. When they reached the horses, he handed her the clothes that he had purchased in the town before. She frowned and said, "But these are boys clothes?"

Obviously. Clayton finds it difficult for him to tolerate such dullness. "That's the point," he said, but by the look on her face she still did not understand. He leaned against Buck and sighed. "Travelin' with a woman is dangerous enough, especially a young one like yourself. It will attract more attention--unwanted attention."

Even after his explanation she did not budge. Instead she kept frowning up at him. If this was an attempt at intimidation she failed miserably. 

"We're not goin' anywhere until you put 'em on," he firmly said. She was a physical reminder as why he does not want to have children. 

"I don't even look like a boy," she mumbled.

"You will after you put these clothes on. Wrap your tits in that cloth as tight as you can."

Lena did not appreciate that comment. Her face flushed and her neck heated up. She had never heard the term tits, but it was pretty easy to determine what body part he was referring to.  "You don't have to be so blunt, you know?"

Clayton smirked and chuckled again. "Just change out of your clothes, girl," he said. 

She clenched her jaw but began unbuttoning her shirt. Clayton amused laughter ceased as he watched her. He expected her to at least seek out privacy first. As if his feet were frozen to the ground, Clayton observed.

Living in a small house with only her mother and father, she had little to no privacy. Hell her parents did not have privacy for several years until her father was able to build on an additional room. Therefore, she had grown accustomed to changing in front of others. However, when she looked up and saw the way Clayton watched her--she stilled. Her cleavage was well enough exposed at that point and his eyes were fixated on it. That was not something she was used to.

"W-will you please turn around?" She began to blush, the heat in her face rapidly travling downward. Clayton forced his body to obey. Lena eyed him for a moment before she began removing her attire. 

Discretely Clayton slightly turned his head to watch her from his peripheral. She stood in her corset and undergarments. Truly she was petite, although her backside and hips had a nice curvature that would excite any man. Clayton felt himself twitch within his breeches. He quickly looked away. "Dammit. . ." he mumbled and ran his hand roughly over his face.