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

Chapter Twelve

"Catherine seemed upset that you left so quickly." Tessa said as they walked into their hotel that evening and Richard shut the door behind them. He walked over to the bed and collapsed there.

"Emmett and I just ain't cut out to be in the same house." Richard replied. Tessa nodded. She had noticed the same thing. The two men were too tense and on edge around each other for either one to be happy or relaxed.

"Well you just stay right there and rest." Tessa said matter-of-factly. She pulled the bottle of pain medicine from the saddlebag and handed it to Richard who gladly took some.

"Doc Hawke said that you need to rest for a few days because of that blow to your head." she said. Richard nodded.

"Yeah yeah." he said. "Woman you sure are bossy. I've been knocked around harder than this before and hit the trail the same day."

"I've been bossy since you met me and you fell in love with me anyway so quit complaining about it now." she said.

"I never said there was anything wrong with you being bossy, I was just saying that you are is all." he replied.

"Well this bossy woman is going to go down to the diner before it gets too late and get us both something to eat." she said.

"Sounds good." Richard replied. When Tessa returned a short time later she found Richard sound asleep on the bed. She smiled and sat his soup down on the table for him to eat later. She ate her food, took a bath in the hot water she had brought up and then curled up against Richard and fell asleep.

888

A week passed before Richard was feeling more like his old self again. He would never tell Tessa but that blow to the head had come closer to killing him than the loss of blood from the gunshot. Truthfully the only thing that had gotten him up off the ground after getting hit was the thought of losing her.

They were lying in each others arms early one morning in their hotel room when Richard decided it was time again to talk about Trigger Jones. Neither one had mentioned him since coming to town.

"Well Tessa, guess we'll have to be hitting the trail again soon and looking for Trigger." he said while running his hands through her red hair. She sighed into his chest before raising up on her arm and looking at him.

"I don't want to chase Trigger anymore." she replied. Richard raised a brow.

"But I thought you wanted to kill him since he killed your pa? And you said you needed that five thousand dollars to keep your farm up." Tessa nodded.

"The farm will need work but I got a big strong man to help me now….. Don't I?" she asked. She had never really talked to him about whether or not he would give up bounty hunting to settle down on a farm. She worried that maybe he wouldn't want to and she knew they could never be together as long as he was riding trails chasing bounties.

"Yeah, I reckon you do." Richard replied kissing her gently. Tessa smiled and felt relief fill her. He was willing to settle down with her. "But what about your pa?" he asked.

"I miss my pa. I'm sad about what happened and yes I want to see Trigger pay for it but you were right when you said that killing Trigger won't bring pa back. I am not willing to lose you to a bullet just for revenge." she replied. Richard smoothed her hair away from her face.

"Are you sure you want to give up the chase? Cuz you know I'd ride beside you and fight with you till the end." he said. Tessa nodded.

"I'm sure." she replied. Richard narrowed his eyes.

"But that still leaves us with one problem." he said. "Trigger had his heart set on marrying you. What if he starts looking for you again?" Tessa shrugged.