Love of a Bounty (Sequal to Unexpected Romance but can stand alone)

Chapter Seven

"So what is the plan?" Tessa asked the next day around noon as they were traveling across the dusty ground. Richard shrugged.

"You said five days south two days ago. I figure we travel another day or two then stop off in a small town called Greenlake and see what we can figure out. Greenlake is a favorite hangout for outlaws."

"Aren't you worried they might recognize you?" Tessa asked.

"Why is there something about my face that sticks out?" Richard asked with a grin as he ran his hand over his scarred cheek. "Naw I ain't too worried. Most outlaws that see my face die shortly after and I've been pretty damn good at avoiding having my picture taken."

"How did you get those?" Tessa asked pointing at the three long scars down his cheek. Richard looked out ahead of them squinting in the sunlight.

"I was in the wrong place at the wrong time with one hell of a pissed off mountain lion." he replied. Tessa's eyes widened.

"How did you get away?" she asked.

"I strangled him with my bare hands." Richard replied. Tessa stared at him in wide-eyed wonder.

"Really?" she gasped.

"No." he said with a grin. "I shot the bastard." Tessa laughed lightly.

"What about the one on your lip?" she asked. Richard looked over at her.

"Why the sudden interest?" he asked. Tessa shrugged.

"What else is there to talk about?" she asked.

"I do believe the woman is bored." Richard said leaning down to Horses' ear.

"I'm not the one talking to my horse." Tessa said. Richard laughed.

"No I guess you're not." he replied. "I got my lip busted by a man who was pissed off because I accused him of abandoning his woman and child. For some reason saying that did not make him want to shake and be friends."

"No I guess not." she said. She wondered who this woman had been and why Richard had been insulting her man.

"Any other scars you'd like to know about?" Richard asked. "Asking about most of 'em will just get you a shrug. I've been shot, stabbed and clawed so many times I guess I just lost track."

"What about the ones on your back." she asked. He looked out ahead of them.

"You wanna be more specific?" he asked. She rolled her eyes.

"The ones that look like whip marks." she said.

"Oh those." he replied. "Yea those are whip marks."

"Oh my God!" she exclaimed growing angry. "Who the hell whipped you?" Richard smiled at the sound of her anger.

"My pa." he said.

"Why in the hell would your pa whip you?" she demanded. Her own pa had been strict on her and her brother but never had he ever gone so far as to whip them.

"Toughen me up I guess." Richard said. "It worked, but I always said I'd find a bit gentler of a way to toughen my sons up."

"You have kids?" Tessa asked feeling her heart fall to her feet. Maybe there was already a Mrs. Richard Helms after all.

"No." Richard said and she was sure she could hear a sadness in his tone. "No, I had a wife once about eleven or twelve years ago now but we were only married about two months before she died."

"I'm sorry." Tessa said. Richard shrugged.

"It was a long time ago." he said.

"Did you take to bounty hunting after she passed?" Tessa asked.