t you was going to turn me loose. They'll hang me, more than likely. You can't do that." Jake protested.
"Until I thought on it a bit, I was going to turn you lose. You see, if we turned you lose, you'd just go and do something again, and get in more trouble. Maybe even kill someone else or rape another woman. I might have turned you lose, but you tried to rape Snow Bird. That ain't right. We'll clear Matt's part in this, and see justice is done and turn the money over to the authorities. You see ole Coon there, is a preacher and well, he believes in the good book too. Sort of preached it to us all along. And it took. So, we'll be doing the right thing. So, you see, you thought you were going to see that Matt didn't turn you in, now you gotta worry about me turning you in."
Matt was grinning ear to ear, he knew Ferg would do the right thing. Judging character Matt was seldom wrong about people.
He knew instinctively that Toby and Jake were bad, but he was rebelling against his own, and that was what caused him to take a crooked road. A road that brought him to Snow Bird, he couldn't be sorry about that. He looked at her and swelled with pride.
Ferg studied on Matt a moment, "Coon and them will see Snow Bird isn't harmed. You can bet on that."
Matt nodded. The others nodded to assure him of it.
But before they left, Matt pulled Snow Bird to a secluded spot the woods. He stared down into her eyes and she smiled up at him. It was easy to see what was on in his mind, because it was obviously on hers too.
"I’m in love with you Snow Bird. I guess you probably know that, but it's true. I want you for my own. I know I don't have the right, but what I feel grows stronger every day I'm with you."
"I am glad," she pulled his face, so she could stared into his eyes, "because I love you too!" She whispered. Then he kissed her long and hard. His mouth devoured hers, as he pulled her skirt up. She didn't object, in fact she was helping him. Her words had enflamed him. He rubbed her tummy for a minute, then leaned to kiss her there. Suddenly he undid his pants and entered her, softly pushing her up against the tree. She still didn't object. She closed her eyes and smiled, as his lips found hers. Surprised, she threw her legs around him and let him have his way. She held him tight with her legs, moving against him heatedly. She was so light and so willing. He held her close. She moaned when they both reached an orgasm that had her leaning back and still holding on to him with her arms and legs. Passion filled her beautiful face now, as the ebbs of their love-making subsided slowly. She played with his hair and sighed into him. "I wanted this…" She put her forehead to his now.
"I know…so did I. I couldn't leave you without it." He smiled, as he put her skirt down and kissed her wildly once more. He could feel her pert little breasts needling his chest, and it almost caused him to take her again, but he knew he'd need his strength to get down the mountain. "Coon and the others, they'll take care of you, stay close to them."
"I will."
He started to join the others, "Matt…?"
He regarded her with appreciation, "Be careful…" She said.
He smiled, "Don't worry," He came back to her, and touched her cheek with his hand. "I got lots of reasons to get back as fast as I can. And you're most of those reasons."
She stared into his eyes now. "I have come to care a great deal about you…more than I ever cared for Too Tall."
He beamed at her admission. "I feel the same, Snow Bird." He told her. "Maybe I don't have that right. But it's how I feel. We're like the bible says, one now. You're my wife…and I care…."
He took her hand and walked her back. He marveled at the oneness he felt toward her. It was a new experience, a good experience.
"Don't you fret none, we'll be back before you know it," Ferg told her.
She nodded and kissed him on the cheek, then she watched them leave.
Chapter Seven
Snow Bird didn't want him to leave, but she knew they had to take care of this. And she was glad that Ferg had thought it through and decided to turn the money in. It was the right thing to do.
She was also glad that Matt would get the chance to clear himself too with the law.
She remembered him making love to her there in the forest, and how badly he wanted her. Their skin might not be the same, but their hearts spoke to each other. Her heart swelled. She knew she had feelings for her white husband, but she needed to remember Too Tall also. Now that Matt had taken her, would Too Tall want her? Did she want him? Did she want to go back there now? Many questions flooded her all at once. It was confusing, except for one thing, she knew now that she loved Matt without reservation, he was her real husband. He had made her his. He had claimed her, and in her heart, she feared she would always be his.
She knew all the answers without hesitation. But could she dare speak them?
She also felt a great guilt for not being loyal to Too Tall. Still, he had two other wives, surely that would be enough. Or he could take another.
She wandered out of the cabin and down to the stream, she needed time alone to consider herself and her white husband.
She suddenly rubbed her belly. A warm smile lit her lips. As much as they enjoyed making love. If he could love her unborn child, perhaps someday she could give him his own child. To think he would father this child though warmed her heart to bursting point. To have his baby would prove how much she cared for him. She looked up at the sky, in between the tall pines and whispered. "If it is your wish, I would love to have his baby."
She smiled, the thought comforted her all day long.
Although she felt guilty at times for caring for her white husband so much, she knew that she had so much more with Matt than she ever had with Too Tall. She owed Too Tall her loyalty, but her heart was with Matt and she knew that it always would be now. She could not change that any more than she could change winter to summer.
"Somethin' botherin' you Snow Bird?" Coon asked as he saw the distress on her face as she began preparing the evening meal.