Naomi woke to find Bobby standing at the basin shaving. Part of her saddened at the disappearance of his scratchy beard. She warmed, remembering the sensation of it scraping against her cheek, her thigh, her most private parts. Her belly fluttered, and she smiled.
She sat up and stretched. “Good morning.”
“‘Mornin’, angel.”
A sudden urge descended on her and she spoke boldly. “Bobby, may I do that for you?”
“Do what? Shave me?”
She nodded.
He chuckled. “Now angel, I doubt you’ve ever shaved a man before, and I can’t say I relish the nicks and cuts you might give me.”
“I’d never—”
“Don’t get all upset on me. I’m almost done anyway. I’ll let you do it next time.”
“Promise?”
He sighed. “It ought to be clear to you by now that I can’t deny you anything.”
He wiped his face with a cloth and came toward her, sat down next to her, and gathered her in his arms. The cover fell away, revealing her bare breasts. He reached for one and tweaked her nipple. A jolt of pleasure coursed through her. He took his hand away, and she whimpered at the loss.
“We need to talk, darlin’.”
“I know. We need to leave, don’t we?”
Bobby nodded. “I’m wanted for murder in Dugan even though I’m innocent. I’m also wanted for kidnappin’ you. I did murder a man at the camp, and the law’s no doubt been called by now.”
“But you’re innocent of the charges in Dugan. And you were defending me at the camp. As for kidnapping, I’ll say I went willingly, which is true, as of now, and—”
Bobby shook his head and interrupted her. “I’m not a paragon of society, angel. I’m a bounty hunter. I make a living huntin’ men. It took most of my money to replenish my supplies at the camp.”
“The dress!” Naomi flung her arms around him. “I never thanked you for the dress. You didn’t need to spend so much on me.”
“That was nothin’, darlin’. Pennies, really, and worth every one. The point is, I’m runnin’ low and I need to find a job.”
“Another...bounty?”
“It’s all I know.”
Naomi nodded. “I understand.”
“But that’s no life for a woman, so I’ll find somethin’ else. But for now we need money, and it’s the best way I know to earn it. I got some in a bank in Minnesota, but we got to get there.” He shook his head, sighing. “Staying here for the night was a chance I had to take. You needed a warm bed after what you’d been through.”
“This wasn’t a mistake was it? Will they find us? Because we stayed here? Because of...because of me?”
“You needed to be taken care of, and I was honored to do it. So stop talking like that. I know how to keep the law off my tail. Remember, I grew up stealing. Anyway, we need to get to Minnesota, where my money is.”
“All right, Bobby. I told you, I go where you go.”
He nodded, his full lips pursed in a thin line. “I’m going to get dressed and go downstairs and talk to the clerk. See if there’s any information on Jack Daily to be had. You get dressed. I’ll see that some breakfast is brought up for you.”
“Bobby?”
“Hell, angel, I’m sorry. You’re scared to stay alone, aren’t you?”
“Oh, no.” She wasn’t, strangely enough. Perhaps because it was daylight. Perhaps because she trusted fully in Bobby to keep her safe. “I was just going to say, if you’ll give me a minute I’ll come with you. I don’t want to hold you up.”