My Cowboy

Chapter 2

**Allie**

The first thing i thought when i woke up was that i must be in hell. My head felt like a thousand hammers were beating against it from the inside. I tried opening my eyes but the light made the headache worse. My face felt tight and very sore.

I must have groaned or made some noise of my pain because a deep voice i'd never heard before spoke. The sound sent a shiver down my spine. "Are you alright miss? I have some laundum for the pain."

I barely opened my eyes to see the man that had been at the store talking to Mama bending over me with a worried expression on his face, and what a handsome face it was. Deep brown hair fell to his shoulders to frame a face with bright green eyes, a strong jaw, and broad, muscular shoulders filled my vision.

I felt as an arm gently slid behind my shoulders and lifted me up. I hissed in pain and coulndt help but curl into the man and rest my head on his chest as he lifted the spoon to my mouth. I parted my lips and felt as the liquid slid down my throat. Foul tasting stuff.

He laid me back down gently after propping some pillows up for me. My headache was very gradually lessening and was being replaced by hunger. First off though my curiosity was getting the better of me. Why was i here and why did my head hurt so bad? I remember walking home from the store, but after that its a blank. My headache had stopped me from freaking out at first.

I looked to the man and asked in a soft voice full of confusion, "who are you? Why am i here and how did i get here? Why does my head ache so bad and my face feel sore? Why do i remember walking home but not arriving? What happened?"

"Whoa slow down miss. The doctor said you'd have a concussion but i didnt think memory loss would be a part of it, but i'm sure you'd rather not remember last night. My name is Michael O'Conor. I was walking back to the motel last night when i found you being attacked and nearly rapped by a drunken man. Once i knocked him out i took you here and found a doctor."

I lay there with my lips parted in shock. Suddenly it all came back. Walking home and feeling relief at getting past the saloon only to be grabbed and attacked by Jeremy, hitting my head as he pushed me to the ground, and the relief and hapiness at seeing Michael come to rescue me. Tears filled my eyes and i saw his eyes widen before he was beside me and pulling me to his chest as i lost control of my tears and sobs.

Throughout my crying he held me, running his fingers through my hair as he whispered sweet words in my ear. It was a while before my sobs turned to hiccups and i pulled away from him and laid back against the pillows so i could dry my eyes.

"My parents must be worried sick," i said in a raw voice. "I planned to get them as soon as you woke and told me where they lived, but now they must be at the store," he said, "after i order you breakfast i'll head out to bring them here. I'm sure you dont want to leave here with your face swollen and bruised as it is. Too many questions."

I nodded to him smiling slightly. He smiled before going out the door. My smile slipped as i thought of what this meant. No matter the circumstances i'd spent an entire night alone with a man, even if that man was my rescuer. Society would demand we marry so my name wouldnt be tainted. I thought of being married to Mr. O'Connor. The thought wasn't displeasing after the little time i spent with him and he was very handsome, but the thought of leaving my father with all the work in the store had me recoiling from the thought. Besides i wanted to marry for love. Not because society demanded i marry.

Too many thoughts were racing through my head so i was glad when Michael came back in carrying a tray with oatmeal and milk. I smiled and gave my thanks before i ate delicately and with manners. My mother had taught me well how to eat in public and a man's pressence.

He smiled a knowing smile before he got up, "i'll go fetch your worried parents now. We have much to talk about." The oatmeal got stuck in my throat as i realized what he was insinuating. He turned and left the room and i finished my meal in silence. My eyes began to droop at the end of the meal and it wasnt long before they closed and i fell into a deep sleep.

**Michael**

I walked down the street wondering how her parents would take this. It wasnt a long walk before i came to the store they owned. I found them arguing inside about what to do to find their daughter. The sherriff was there as well.

"Exscuse me," i said getting there attention. "Your daughter was attacked last night on her way home by a drunk from the saloon. I found him in the process of trying to rape er and stopped him before i took her to my hotel and had the doctor look after her. Her face is bruised and swollen and she had a hard hit to the head giving her a concussion. She is fine but not well enough to get up yet. I told her i'd come to get you as soon as she woke. She is currently eating oatmeal from the hotel in bed."

They starred at me open mouthed and speachless. It was a moment before the sherriff walked up to me. "Which alleyway was it. The man may still be there if you knocked him out." "It was in the alleyway directly two blocks down and around the corner. Yes he was knocked out." The sherriff nodded before leaving me with her parents.

"Is my daughter really okay Mr. O'Connor?" Her dad asked. "Yes Mr. Spencer. She's just a little shaken up and has a headache that some laundum took care of." He sighed in relief. "You know what this means dont you. You may have saved her but she still spent an entire night alone with a man. If you do not wed her, her name will be ruined forever," Mrs. Spencer said with worry. "I have no aversion to marrying your daughter ma'am. As long as she agrees to the union i will be glad, though i will be heading back to Wyoming soon to my ranch there."

Joy filled her eyes at the thought of having her daughter married. Even if the circumstances werent the best. She didnt care about the distance, merely having her daughter married and taken care of.

Her dad looked tired, happy, worried, and relieved all at the same time. "I'm glad to hear you say that, but its not going to be easy with her. She will marry only who she chooses and if i know my daughter she will be worried about leavin the store alone with just me and her mother. It's about time i hired some helping hands anyway."

I smiled at him, "so you're okay with your daughter marrying me if she chooses and moving to Wyoming with me?" "I'll miss her dearly but as long as she is happy then no, i dont mind." My smile grew. Maybe things were looking up for me after all!