It was early Friday afternoon and school had let out early for the day. Rachel was on her way home when she spotted "him". How could she not notice a man like that? 'Why, he has to be at least six foot three,' she told herself, watching the man from under her lowered eyes. Rachel had seen him several times before in town. If she wasn't mistaken, he worked for Polly over at her restaurant and saloon. She didn't know his name but thought he must be a foreigner from the sound of his voice as he talked to several men outside the hardware store. 'Possibly Irish,' she told herself as she came up to the small group. As she walked around them, several of the men noticed her and tipped their hats. "Afternoon, Ms. Dunne," one of them said. Smiling she replied, "Good afternoon to you too Mr. Fields." Nodding to the others she added, "Gentlemen." Her breath caught when he turned to see whom the other men were speaking to. A huge smile lit up his face when he noticed the schoolteacher passing. "Ma'am," he said, eyes twinkling. Never before had Rachel seen such blue eyes. Everyone talked about Cody's eyes, but even they paled in comparison to the man standing in front of her. 'Coupled with his black hair, why the total effect was devastating to a woman's heart,' she thought. Shocked at the direction her thoughts had gone, Rachel nodded hastily at the man, hurrying past. She didn't see how Kelly watched her until she disappeared from sight, a smile playing upon his lips. Rachel chided herself the rest of the way home once she got past the men. 'Why, Rachel Dunne. A Handsome man looks your way and you forget how to talk like some silly school girl.' Entering the stations yard she noticed Jesse James sneaking around the side of the house. Forgetting about the man in front of the hardware store she called out, "Jesse Woodson James! Get back here this instant!" Jesse stopped mid-step, cringing at the sound of Rachel's voice. Turning, he walked back to where Rachel was standing, hands on hips, toe tapping. Rachel almost laughed at the pathetic face Jesse wore. Keeping her face as straight as possible, she asked in a serious tone, "I don't suppose you have already finished all your chores, seeing how you were sneaking off, now have you young man?" Head hanging, he grumbled, "No ma'am." "Then I suggest you go do so before Teaspoon returns. After that, you can go off with your friends as long as you promise to be home by dinner time." With a big grin and a wave, Jesse dashed towards the barn to do his chores as quickly as he could, yelling "Thanks, Rachel!" Shaking her head, Rachel had to laugh as his antics. With a sigh, she went into the house to do some of her own chores. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Polly came out of the kitchen to find Kelly James, one of her bartenders wiping down a glass, lost in thought. A smile played upon her lips as she watched him for several moments while he continued to wipe the same glass. "Must be some woman," she told him taking the glass from his hands and setting it under the counter. "What?" he asked coming out of his reverie. Setting the towel down on top of the bar, he looked at his boss. "What do you know about the school teacher?" he asked getting right to the point. 'Ahh,' Polly said to herself, tickled that Rachel had caught Kelly's eye. She didn't know why she hadn't thought of pairing the two of them before. Kelly would be a match for her lively and vivacious friend. "You're talking about Rachel Dunne. She's a sweet woman. Just started teaching over at the school this year. She runs the Pony Express Station with my Sugarlips." Unable to resist the matchmaker in her, she added with a mischievous smile, "I'd be happy to introduce you to her after church Sunday." Kelly's eyes narrowed as his headshot up at her offer. "I'm Catholic, in case you've forgotten Polly." "Oh, I didn't forget," she winked at him. She had been after Kelly to attend Sweetwater's little church since he moved to town. He was as determined to keep away as she was for him to go. For now she let it drop. One of these days, Kelly would be in church, she just knew it. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Well, I'll be…" Polly muttered, upon seeing Kelly sitting in the last pew after the Sunday service two mornings later. "What was that Polly?" Rachel asked as she gathered her shawl from the pew and settled it around her shoulders. Tucking her arm in Rachel's, Polly smiled at her. "It was nothing." Then with a surprised look told the younger woman, "Oh, look! There's a friend of mine I would like for you to meet." Leading Rachel through the throng of churchgoers, Polly came to a stop in front of Kelly who was looking uncomfortable in a suit coat and string tie that looked out of place on him. Rachel's heart skipped a beat when she noticed who the friend of Polly's was. "Why, Kelly!" Polly gushed. "How nice of you to join us this morning. Letting go of Rachel's arm, she linked hers with Kelly's and pulled him closer to where Rachel stood. "I'd like for you to meet a dear friend of mine, Rachel Dunne. Rachel as you may know is the school teacher here in Sweetwater." Turning to Rachel she smiled. "Rachel, this handsome man here is Kelly James, a dear friend and employee of mine." Not wanting to be a third wheel, Polly pretended to see someone hailing her from across the churchyard and made her excuses to the couple. Rachel felt panic rising when Polly left her alone with Kelly. Telling herself that she was being silly, Rachel put on her biggest smile, determined not be like one of her love struck pupils. "Mr. James, from your speech I take it you are from Ireland?" she asked, hoping that she didn't sound nervous. Grinning, Kelly thought, 'Ireland I can talk about for hours.' "You'd be correct, Ms. Dunne. County Cork to be certain," he told her as he noticed that the churchyard was slowly emptying of worshipers. "Would you mind if I walked you home, Ms. Dunne," he asked, not sure if she would accept having just met him. Looking shyly into his blue eyes, Rachel nodded. "I think I would like that Mr. James." Offering her his arm, Kelly grinned down at her. "Please, call me Kelly. Everyone does." Rachel slipped her arm through his offered one, telling him, "Only if you agree to call me Rachel." "Done!" he said cheerfully. "How did you come to be in Rock Creek, Kelly? Ireland is a long ways from our little town," Rachel asked as they strolled slowly into town. "Well, now," Kelly began. "It's a sad tale full of woe that brought me here. I was a lad of twenty, the youngest of four sons me da and mother had. We lived in a small cottage back in Cork. My da and brothers were potato farmers and I, I wanted something else out of life. So, one day I run off with me best friend and set sail for the States. Upon our arrival in New York, which is such a filthy city by the way, I read about the opportunities a man had opening up to him in the west. I decided to take the last of my money to buy a horse and some supplies and was on my way." "You mean, you just left without telling your family where you were going?" she asked amazed that he would do such a thing. "Don't think unkindly of me, Rachel. I did leave a note for me mother and da. I just didn't want them or any of my brothers's trying to stop me from going. Though, thinking back on it now, they might not have tried," he said with a wink. "And why is that?" she asked, curious to hear his answer. Tucking her arm more firmly within his, Kelly leaned down towards her and said quietly, as if it were a secret, "I was something of a hellion when I was young, if you must know." Pretending to be aghast at his revelation, Rachel looked at him wide eyed, "No. Surely not you Mr. James!" she teased, flirting with him. He laughed and she joined in. The deep rich sound of his laughter made her feel happy. She liked the man and it worried her. Was she ready to see anyone? It had been a long time since her husband's death and there hadn't been anyone since him. Could she open herself up to this man walking besides her? She wasn't ready to answer the questions her mind was asking and dismissed them, intent on enjoying the walk with Kelly. When they arrived at the station house, the couple stood talking for several minutes on the porch. Across the yard, Cody noticed Rachel arrive home in the company of Kelly James, the bartender over at Polly's. With a sappy grin, he called to the other riders in the bunkhouse. "Look's like Rachel's got a caller!" The other's rushed out to stand next to him, surprised to see Rachel in the company of the good looking dark haired Irishman. "Well, I'll be!" one of the boys said. "Good for her," Lou told them, glad to see Rachel letting herself be in the company of a man other then her fellow riders. None of them could miss the smile Rachel gave Kelly as he took his leave. They watched as he walked back towards town, whistling an Irish melody. "Hey, Lou. Go over and see what you can find out from Rachel," Cody suggested as he gave her a little shove towards the house. Frowning, she shook her head. "Just let her be, Cody. If she's seeing Kelly, that's her business, not ours." Cody didn't look happy that Lou wouldn't go talk with Rachel, so he looked over at Jimmy and asked, "Hey, Jimmy. Want to go get a sarsaparilla? My treat?" He ignored the dark look Lou sent his way as Jimmy shrugged. "Sure, why not," he told the blond rider, not caring who Rachel was seeing but willing to spend Cody's money if he was offering to buy. "You two shouldn't interfere," Lou yelled, but the two men just ignored her as they followed behind Kelly. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ By the time Cody and Jimmy entered the saloon, Kelly was already behind the bar serving up drinks to a rapidly filling room. The two riders took up their usual post at the end of the bar where they could watch everyone coming and going. With a grin, Kelly came over carrying two sarsaparillas. "One of these days, I'm gonna talk you two into something a little stronger," he told them wiping the bar with his towel, then setting it over his shoulder. "Yeah and one of these days we might just let you, Kelly," Jimmy told him like usual. Cody took a sip of his drink and got down to business. "Seen you walking Rachel home earlier," he told the bartender. Kelly grinned and nodded. "She sure is some woman, isn't she?" He moved away from them to pour a beer for a customer and returned. "So, you plannin' on seein' a lot of Rachel?" Cody asked getting to the heart of the matter. Jimmy just shook his head and stepped on Cody's foot, hard. With a lopsided grin, he told Kelly, "You don't have to answer that." "Well, no. But seeing how ye two boys are like family to Rachel, I don't see any harm in telling ye that I would like to see Rachel, if she'll allow. I can't rightly say what my intentions are, seeing how we don't know each other yet, but I can tell ye that they will be honorable no matter what happens." Jimmy nodded, liking how Kelly always told a person what was what. Cody on the other hand, wanted to know more. As he was about to open his mouth, Jimmy turned towards him saying sternly, "Just leave the man alone Cody. It ain't no business of ours anyway." Cody's eyes narrowed at Jimmy's order but he shut his mouth. If Kelly didn't talk, he'd never find out what was going on with him and Rachel 'cause he knew Rachel sure wouldn't tell him anything. The two held up the end of the bar long enough to have several glasses of sarsaparilla when Polly came whirling through the kitchen doors to check on how things were going in the saloon. Spotting the two riders, she went over to greet them. "Hello, boys. Nice to see the two of you again. Though it would have been even better to have seen you this morning like I did this young man," she said putting an arm around Kelly's waist. "How did you and Rachel get along?" she asked Kelly, fairly bursting with curiosity. Cody's ears perked up at her question. 'Now we're getting somewhere,' he thought grinning at Jimmy who just shook his head. "I'd like to thank ye for introducing us, Polly. We had a nice talk as I walked her home after the service," Kelly told her, still feeling Rachel's arm linked through his. Cody's eyebrows shot up. "You went to church?!" he asked in amazement. "I thought you said nothing could get you to step foot in that place…" Polly gave him a dirty look and tapped Kelly on the arm. "Ignore him. He's another one who won't go to services." Kelly laughed; sure that Polly had tried getting the blond rider to go as often as she had him. When Cody would have protested, Polly waved her hands at him and ordered, "Shoo. You two get on out of here. Stop monopolizing my bartender. He has work to do." Ready to leave, Jimmy grabbed Cody by the sleeve and pulled him towards the door. "Best get out before she throws you out!" Jimmy told him with a grin. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ All through dinner that night, Cody kept looking at Rachel, dying to ask her about Kelly but every time he would have said something to her, he'd either get a dirty look from one of the others or kicked under the table. Glaring at the others, he kept silent. When the meal was over, he stood up and bent over rubbing his leg. "I bet I got bruises where y'all been kickin' me!" Teaspoon and Rachel looked at him funny, waiting for him to explain what he was talking about. Seeing that Lou was about to push him out the door, he left on his own volition without saying a word. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Rachel was walking home from school the next day when an arm startled her as it dropped in front of her. The arm belonged to Kelly and he had a rose in his hand. "For ye," he told her, dazzling her with his smile. Feeling a bit shy, she took the offered gift, bringing it to her nose to breath deeply its fragrance. "It's beautiful. Thank you." "May I walk ye home?" he asked stepping closer to her. Rachel had been dreading this moment since she had made a decision late last night about Kelly. She could tell that he really liked her and she thought that she could come to fall for him too. Seeing a bench next to the store they were in front of, she asked, "Could we sit for a moment?" Kelly was surprised at Rachel's suggestion to sit but it seemed like she had something she wanted to talk to him about. He got a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach that whatever it was, he wasn't going to like it. And he was right when she told him, "Kelly, I spent last evening thinking about you…" "I thought about ye too, Rachel," he admitted when she paused for a moment. Taking a deep breath she knew she had to tell him that she couldn't see him. "And I came to the decision that maybe getting involved isn't a good idea right now." Kelly didn't pretend to understand. "But I thought we were getting along so well yesterday…I thought ye liked my company…" Rachel felt awful, seeing how hurt he was at her announcement. "I did. I mean I do, enjoy your company. It's just that, I guess I'm not ready to start a relationship right now with anyone." Rachel hung her head, hating herself. She was really attracted to Kelly and would love to see more of him. It was just that she couldn't take the chance of finding herself around alcohol and with him being a bartender for a living and the stories she had heard of his drinking contests with patrons it would be a bad situation for her to put herself into. With a sob, Rachel stood up and ran from him. Kelly sat, watching her go, feeling helpless, his anger rising as her words filled him with despair. "Why?" he wondered out loud as he stood up and strode over to the saloon. Polly had been putting several items under the counter when she noticed a coin against the back of the shelf. She'd just reached for it when Kelly came storming through the front entrance, causing the door to crash loudly against the wall. Cursing to herself as she hit the back of her head against the underside of the bar, Polly crawled back out glaring as she saw her bartender arguing with himself. She was just about to say something when his hand balled into a fist and he punched one of the beams in the middle of the room. Wincing at the pain he must be feeling, she wondered what had him so upset that he was taking it out on her saloon. "Damn it, Kelly! You just about killed me storming in like that! Not to mention almost breaking the front door off it's hinges," Polly hollered at him. Kelly whirled around at the sound of his boss's voice. He had thought he was alone in the room. "Polly!" he choked out. "I didn't see ye!" "That's obvious," she grumbled rubbing her head. Grabbing a bar towel, she soaked it in cool water and brought it over to where he stood. Kelly didn't protest or pull away when she took his fist and wrapped the rag around it. Nodding to the nearest table she ordered, "Sit!" Kelly dropped into the chair, running his hands through his hair in frustration. "What happened?" Polly asked. "I thought you were going to see Rachel." "I was. I did," he told her crossly. "Then what happened? Why are you so upset?" she inquired not understanding why he was so frustrated. Kelly closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. "Rachel told me she does no' want to see me." Polly was taken back, never thinking he was going to tell her that. "But why? I thought things had went well with the way you talked yesterday." Sitting back in the chair he looked up at the ceiling. "So did I. She didn't give me any reason. She just said that she didn't think it would be a good idea is all…" Polly wracked her brain trying to figure out why Rachel would turn Kelly away like that. Usually her friend was one of the kindest people she knew and she didn't understand why she would hurt Kelly this way. "She did say that maybe she wasn't ready to start a relationship right now. But yesterday it seemed like she was glad to be with me. I don't understand Polly," he told his boss dejectedly. Polly looked around the room to make sure they were still alone before she spoke. "I'm going to tell you something in confidence Kelly James and you had better not tell a soul what I'm about to say," Polly said tapping a finger on the table emphasizing each word. Kelly sat up in his chair, curious as to what could be so secret. "I promise. Whatever ye tell me will stay between the two of us." Satisfied she nodded. "Good. I think I may know what could be the problem. Now, I'm not saying this is the reason Rachel has turned you away, but it could be part of it…" Kelly's brow furrowed. 'What could be so awful,' he wondered. "About two years ago, Rachel went through a tough time. He husband had been killed in front of her, and then within days of his murder she lost her unborn son. She was six months along. She was alone, no family, no friends. Her home was taken from her by the bank and she had nowhere to go." She stopped for a moment to see how Kelly was taking the news. Polly wasn't surprised to see the tears in his eyes. From the time she had met him, she had learned that he cared deeply for people and would do anything to help someone in need. Clearing her throat, she continued. "Rachel roamed from town to town, living above saloons, spending her evenings gambling and drinking. Soon the drinking took over her life and things got pretty bad for her. I don't know what was the deciding factor, but one night she had had enough and crawled her way out of the bottle, never touching a drink again." "I had no idea…" Kelly murmured, stunned by all that the strawberry blond had went through. "Nobody does. She's only told a few people. It's not something she's proud of." "But I do no' understand what that has to do with not wanting to see me," Kelly growled. Shaking her head, Polly wondered how he could be so clueless at times. "Well, she's probably heard about how 'you can't out drink an Irishman!'" Polly complained. "You spout it often enough. Why, you're becoming legendary for drinking everyone under the table as you put it." "Oh…" Kelly mumbled. "When you put it like that, it does no' sound so good." Sighing, Polly admitted, "No, it doesn't." She stood up, looking at Kelly as he sat, dejected and broken. "I want you to take tonight off. Go home, get some rest and get something cold on that hand before it swells any bigger." Without an argument about taking time off, Kelly agreed. "Sounds like good advice Polly. Thanks." She watched as he walked slowly to the door, lost in thought. "And don't slam the door on the way out!" she called out. He just waved, letting her know he had heard. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Kelly spent the evening lying on the bed in his small room above the Tack shop. He thought back to a conversation he had had with his mother when he was just a lad. He come to her complaining about how his older brothers all had girls of their own, how they went walking every Sunday after mass with them while he could never find one to suit him. With all the girls in his village, he wasn't able to find one who caught his fancy. "Oh, Kelly me boy," his mother had said with a smile. "Ye'd be just like your da!" Sitting down across from him, she laid a hand over his. "The two of ye are so alike. For both of ye it will be the same I think. He always felt the same as ye do now. But when he laid eyes on me, he said that he knew in that moment I was the only one for him. And I have been to this day!" she said proudly. Kelly looked up at her with such a sad face she almost laughed. "And ye, one day, ye will meet a woman and know right then and there that she is the one for ye. And there'll be no other for ye either me boy." Kelly grinned at the memory. How right his mother had been. He'd seen Rachel around town before that day in front of the hardware store but it wasn't until he looked into her eyes did he really see her. In that instant, he knew what his mother had been talking about. Never a quitter, Kelly was determined not to lose Rachel. If his drinking and shenanigans were a problem for her, then he would change and gladly do so. Being true to the promise he had just made himself to change his ways, he crossed over to the cupboard and pulled out a bottle of whiskey he kept there. Going over to the window, he opened it and poured the contents of the bottle out. In a much better mood, he readied himself for bed. As he lay down in the dark, he said out loud, "Ye'd love her ma." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Kelly kept true to his promise to stay away from the drink, no matter how many times patrons of Polly's challenged him to a drinking contest. He'd just shake his head and say, "No' to night fellas." Thought Kelly hadn't said a word to her about changing his habits, Polly noticed immediately that he no longer had a whiskey or beer with any of the men. Silently she applauded him, guessing he was doing it for Rachel. Every Sunday morning, Polly would see him sitting in the back pew in church, where he had a good view of Rachel several seats down on the other side. He never approached Rachel after services or lingered to speak to other churchgoers either. Polly was at a loose as how to help her two friends find their way to each other. Teaspoon had told her to leave well enough alone, that if they were meant to be together, they would find a way to do so. Polly didn't like his advice but could think of nothing to move things along. She had hoped that at the upcoming dance that Kelly would talk Rachel into dancing with him at least once. Though he usually worked on Saturday nights, Polly arranged for her daytime bartender Clem to work that evening, leaving Kelly no excuse not to attend. Polly should have known that he would be there. At any of the town functions in the past, Kelly was the life of the party. He never sat out a dance and was more then willing to squire onto the floor those that usually remained wallflowers. Sitting out during a dance wasn't something he would allow himself to do. Tonight was no different. From the moment he had arrived he had been out on the floor. He made his rounds with all the women, leaving out only one. Rachel. He had seen her surrounded by several of the express riders when he walked into the room and knew where she was every moment he was dancing. He just wasn't going to ask her to dance and that was that. One of the young men asked the musicians to play a jig, knowing that Kelly would be out in the middle of the floor showing how the Irish did it. Yelling and calls were heard as the musicians stepped up the tempo, Kelly keeping in time with them. By the end, he was breathless, but happily so. Music was in his soul and he loved it all. Rachel had watched as Kelly had lead woman after woman onto the dance floor. Age didn't seem to matter to him as he asked one after another, all except for her. 'You can only blame yourself,' Rachel told herself knowing that he was only staying away because she had told him too. But when he asked Haddie Smyth to dance for the last song, it was more then Rachel could stand to watch. 'Why Haddie is the meanest shrew in Sweetwater' she fumed heading for the nearest door. Kelly saw her out of the corner of his eye and grinned. He had gotten under her skin tonight and he knew it. Bowing gracefully to his partner at the end of the dance, Kelly made his was out of the hall with the rest of the revelers. The cool air felt good after all that dancing. Whistling an Irish tune that he was so fond of, he headed for home. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Kelly was already at work when Polly arrived after attending church service the next day. Tying an apron around her waist she demanded to know, "And where were you this morning Kelly James?" Kelly gave her a dark look. He had awoken in a fowl mood this morning. His plan was going to slowly for his liking. "I didn't feel like going and staring at her another morning while being ignored. I'm through going to service so don't say another word about it Polly." Polly was surprised at his disposition. Usually he was so easy going and mild mannered. "Humph! Must be catching. Rachel was in a black mood today too! The pair of you deserves each other!" Kelly glared at Polly. "What was wrong with Rachel?" Throwing the towel on the bar she snapped, "Probably you!" That made Kelly grin. Maybe his plan had worked and he just hadn't known it. Polly noticed the sparkle in his eye and the silly grin upon his face. 'What is he up to now?' she wondered watching him as he started to whistle that infernal tune he was so fond of. "Why don't you take the afternoon off? It's quiet right now and I have Clem stopping by later if I need any help," she told him. She was in no mood for any of Kelly's shenanigans today. With a wink, he kissed her on the cheek. "Thank ye Polly!" There was a definite spring in his step as he headed towards the door. "She's alone today. The boys have went swimming and fishing!" Polly called after him hoping he'd take the hint. He waved as he went through the door, turning towards the end of town where the express station was located. Rachel was on the porch swing looking over work her students had handed in on Friday. Hearing whistling coming towards her, she looked up to see Kelly heading her way. Her heart skipped a beat as she noticed how handsome he looked this afternoon. It had been a long time since she had seen him smiling the way he was as he came to stand upon the steps of the porch. "Good afternoon to ye, Rachel," he said leaning against the railing. It was good to be close to her again. "Kelly! This is a surprise. Would you care to sit down?" she asked moving papers off the swing next to her. Not needing to be asked twice, he sat down before she had a chance to change her mind. "Not working this afternoon?" she inquired trying to keep her mind off of being so near him once more. It was impossible not to think of him sitting next to her though. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes loving his scent. It was a mixture of soap and fresh air. Kelly smiled as he watched emotions play over her face. He could almost see what she was thinking as she blushed when she caught him staring at her. "Polly gave me the afternoon off." Wanting to see how she would react to Polly's earlier statement, he added, "She said ye and I deserve each other. Claims were both in a black mood." He looked her up and down then grinned as he winked, "Ye look pretty good to me!" "Oh, she did, did she?" Rachel grumbled the realized what Kelly had said. "I do? Really?" Sitting back on the swing he put his arm along the back, fingers gently brushing her shoulder. "Ye always look good to me," he stated matter of fact. Before Rachel could reply Kelly turned towards her. "Rachel, I know ye said ye didn't want to see me. I tried to respect your wishes, really I did. But I can't do that anymore. You're always on me mind. You're everywhere I go…I've tried to figure out why ye won't see me." He paused, looking out over the stations yard. "At first I thought maybe ye felt I was too young. I'll only be twenty-three next week. I've been out on me own for over two years. I left me home and family, sailed across the ocean to find you. I can't just let ye go." Rachel had lowered her eyes as he spoke. Here was a man, saying all the things she had longed to hear and her heart was more then ready to open up and let him in. But she was still unsure if she could handle his working around alcohol or his drinking. Much to her surprise, he addressed that issue without her mentioning it. Kelly leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, fingers steeple as he went on. "The only other thing I could figure ye might have taken offence too is me drinking. I'll admit that until recently I was not aware of how much I'd been doing that. Someone mentioned how I never turned down a challenge to drink anyone under the table. I'm not proud of that. I wanted ye to know that I've stopped all those shenanigans. I haven't had a drop in almost a month…" He took a deep breath, afraid that Rachel would look down upon him for his past. "I know you've given it up," she said softly. "Ye do? How?" he wondered searching her face for some clue of how that made her feel. "One evening, a week back, Teaspoon had come home early from town. We'd been having coffee when he mentioned that things has sure gotten quiet since you had stopped drinking men under the table and he had to haul them away to sleep it off in a cell." "So ye knew," he stated. "And?" he held his breath waiting for her answer. "And I'm proud of you." Rachel couldn't put into words what his leaving behind the bottle meant to her. She didn't know his reasons, but she was sure that if he had had a problem like she had in the past that it wasn't an easy thing to do. Kelly sat back smiling. "I don't know if that will make a difference to ye Rachel, but I'd really like ye to give us a chance. Let us at least find out if we have something or not." With a shy smile, she looked into his blue eyes. "I'd like that Kelly." Relief flooded over him at her words. Leaning over he gathered her into his embrace having waited too long to hold her in his arms. "I hear tell that we have the whole place to ourselves. If'n it was up to me now, I'd carry ya inside and make passionate love to ye that's what I'd do lass. But seein' how we have just started ta see each other, better save that for another day!" he told her with a wide grin and a wink. Though she would like nothing more than to have Kelly do exactly what he'd just mentioned, Rachel didn't want to give him the wrong impression and had to bite her tongue to keep quiet. Lord, but the dreams she had had about him in the past several weeks. Just thinking about them with him sitting next to her made her blush deeply. "So then, what should we do?" he asked chuckling to himself at her red face. He was not afraid to let her know he wanted her. 'Best to let her get used to the idea now so when I do just that she'll be looking forward to it,' he told himself sure as the day was long, that he would indeed make sweet love to the fair Rachel. They ended up taking a long walk down by the stream just outside of town where they sat for hours as Kelly told Rachel about growing up in Ireland. She laughed so hard at the antics of the James brothers and surmised that his mother must have the patience of a saint with what her sons put her through. Between tales, there were shared kisses, intoxicating and sweet so full of promises to come they made Rachel's head spin from sheer delight. 'Never has a man been so tender yet so manly with me at the same time,' she thought as Kelly lay on the grass, a weed stuck in his mouth, holding her hand in his. Wondering why Rachel had suddenly become so quiet, Kelly turned on his side, one hand holding his head as he studied her. Her beauty took his breath away. Her skin golden from the sun, hair gleaming like a copper penny, lips the red of a rose in his mother's garden back home. Tossing the weed aside, he pulled her down on top of him, cupping her face in his hands. His lips captured hers with an urgency he'd never felt before. God, how he wanted this woman. After several minutes of exploring her mouth with his, Kelly pulled back, his breath coming in short gasps. "Aye Rachel, if'n we do na stop now, I'll shame us both by takin' ya right here, right now," he confessed trying to rein in his desire. Rachel was unable to answer him, resting her head upon his shoulder. "It's goin' ta be dark soon, we'd best be gettin' back…" Kelly said in an even tone once his heartbeat was back to normal. Rachel reluctantly agreed, asking if he'd like to stay for dinner. "I'm sure that the boys have caught enough fish for everyone if you'd like to stay for dinner, you're welcome to." Helping her up off the ground, Kelly was thrilled. "I'd love to! Did I mention the time me brother's and I went fishin'…" ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Kelly was outside the schoolhouse each day when Rachel came out to walk her home. He would spend the next two hours at the express station, visiting with her before he would have to head over to Polly's Saloon for work. On Wednesday afternoon, Lou was sitting at the table reading when the couple came in. She greeted them and was about to leave so they would have some privacy when Kelly motioned her to stay where she was. "No need to be leavin' now fair lassie," he said with a wink as he sat down at the end of the bench she was on. Lou's eyes grew wide and she looked to Rachel who shrugged and shook her head. She hadn't told Kelly that Lou was a girl. "By the look in your eyes I can see you're surprised that I know ya secret aren't ya lass?" Kelly was amused. "I've known from the first time I seen ya that ya be a woman. And I bet that will be a blessin' when I let ye both know that Polly has asked if ye would all come to the restaurant to her private room Saturday night for me birthday celebration. She thought that ye two would like to come early," he said looking at both women. "And Lou could change into one of the pretty dresses she must have hidden somewhere. Polly plans on having dancin' so I expect the both of ye to save one or two for me!" "Well, now," Rachel exclaimed amazed that he had saw through Lou's disguise. Outside of those at the station, very few knew the truth. "I'll have to let the others know and see if they had plans, but you can count on me being there," Rachel promised giving him a quick kiss as she tied on her apron to start on dinner. Kelly looked to Lou, who had put her book down on the table and was lost in thought with a far away look in her eyes. He smiled at the longing he could read on her face. Surly she wouldn't pass up the chance to dress up as a female and dance with her fellow riders. Watching Rachel take vegetables out for the meal she was fixing her asked, "Can I help with any thing?" Grinning, she set a bowl full of potatoes in front of him and handed him a knife. "Here you go!" "Ah, me favorite! Why I musta peeled a million of these growing up…" he began telling the two another story from his childhood. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Kelly was looking forward to the party. He'd been helping Polly all afternoon setting up though she had tried chasing him away, saying that he shouldn't have to help with his own party. "But Polly, I've nothin' ta do and Rachel's busy today with work for the express," he argued. So she set him to fixing up the tables they were going to use and laying out the cutlery. Shortly before the party was to begin, voices could be heard coming towards the private room. Rachel entered carrying a box, wrapped with a pretty cloth. Lou was beaming as she greeted Polly by holding up a package of her own. Hurrying forward, Polly was excited. "Now Louise, I have a room all set up where you can get yourself all prettied up for the party. Why don't you follow me? I think Rachel's going t stay here with Kelly by the looks of it," she told the young woman, putting an arm around her shoulder and ushering her through a side door. Kelly couldn't keep the smile from his face when he got a look at how beautiful Rachel looked in a deep green gown with white lace. "Me own Irish rose," he murmured taking her in his arms and kissing her. "Happy birthday Kelly," she murmured kissing him back. Half expecting the rest of the riders to come barging in, Kelly kept glancing at the door. "We've got a few minutes before the others arrive," Rachel whispered, turning his head towards her. Seeing the devilish look in her eye, Kelly couldn't help the direction his thoughts were turning too. "Mmmm," he nodded. "And what do you suppose we should do until they arrive?" he teased. Running her finger through his hair, she played with the hair at the back of his neck. "Oh, I can think of one or two things…" she laughed as he nuzzled her neck, loving being in his arms. He made her feel so alive again, so ready for happiness in her life. His hand had made it's way to her waist and was about to move lower when the door to the room flew open admitting an arguing Cody and Noah followed closely by the others. Kelly let his hands drop as Rachel jumped back at the intrusion. From the looks of things, Teaspoon was the only one who noticed the couple as they came in and he just winked at them, causing Rachel to blush and Kelly to laugh heartily. "Hey, Kelly! Happy birthday," the riders called out coming to shake his hand when they heard him laugh. "Thanks," he told them. "Polly and Lou should be right back. Can I get ye something to drink?" he rolled his eyes and laughed again, "I know, I know. Sarsaparilla!" ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The dinner was enjoyed by everyone and afterwards, Polly had a three man band from a neighboring town play so that there could be dancing. With only three females, the women were exhausted by the time cake was served. The party broke up shortly after ten. Teaspoon was staying to 'help' Polly clean up. Kelly walked Rachel home, walking slowly behind the others who were laughing and talking as they went. Jesse went up to bed in the main house as soon as they got home. The riders drifted off towards the bunkhouse amidst "Good nights" and "Happy Birthday, Kelly's" leaving Rachel and Kelly alone on the front porch. Not ready to leave yet, Kelly put his hand on the small of Rachel's back and led her to the swing. Sitting next to her, he put his arm around her, settling himself comfortably. "This has been one of the most enjoyable birthdays that I can remember having," he told her quietly. "I'm glad," she replied resting her head against his shoulder. They sat swinging in silence, just enjoying being together. They noticed the light in the bunkhouse go out, signaling that the riders had turned in for the night. With a sigh, Rachel rose from the swing and turned towards Kelly with her hand out. "We should probably be heading in too." His heart stopped for a beat when she said they should be going in too. Thrilled beyond words, Kelly took her outstretched hand and rose. He closed the doors behind them and followed her up the stairs to her room. Once inside, Rachel closed the door and leaned against it, feeling a bit nervous. It had been a long time since she entertained a man in her room but she had been planning on this all day. Kelly reached out, grabbing her hand and drawing her further into the room. "Are ye sure, lass?" he whispered, trying to control the emotions that were churning inside of him. Rachel nodded, not sure she could speak. Sitting on the side of the bed, he pulled her onto his lap. He threaded his fingers in her hair, shaking out the pins that held it up so that it cascaded in waves down her back. Kissing her neck, his hands slowly undid the buttons on her dress, letting it fall off her shoulders. With a groan, he buried his face in the flesh that shown above her chemise. He turned her towards the bed and lowered her down upon it, his body covering hers. "I've been wantin' ya fer so long," he murmured kissing her slightly swollen lips. "So have I…" Rachel murmured losing herself in the moment. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Rachel went about getting ready for church service quietly as Kelly remained dead to the world, lost in a sound sleep. A smile played on her lips as she gazed at his sleeping form. He looked so relaxed, his arm tucked under the pillow, one leg hanging part way off the bed. Gently, she moved it back and covered him with the sheet. Closing the door softly behind her she went down to Jesse's door and knocked. At his disgruntled moan, she cracked the door open and ordered, "You'd best be dressed and down stairs for service in five minutes young man. You know how Polly hates to be kept waiting." Knowing the young man would make it down in exactly five minutes and no sooner, Rachel went onto the porch to await him. Cody was waiting for the arrival of Ike so he could take his run to the east while Jimmy left with Teaspoon for the jail. Kid, Lou and Buck were busy in the barn. Noah was out on an overnight run and expected back later that afternoon, so it would only be Rachel and Jesse going to church once again. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ It was late morning when Buck, Kid and Lou who had been looking over one of the horses fetlocks out in the yard, heard a loud crash from in the house. Unknowingly to them, Kelly had knocked over a night table when he fell out of the bed. The men had drawn their guns and were ready to rush in, thinking that an intruder was in the house when Lou started giggling. "Put your guns away," she told them merrily. "It's only Kelly!" Buck and Kid look confused. "How do you know that?" Kid asked as the man came out the front door slipping on his vest, muttering something to himself about infernal small beds. "I could hear him cursing in Irish," she giggled again. Kelly stopped on the top step of the porch when he noticed the trio in the yard. The two men had hands on their holsters but Lou was smiling at him. "Top o' the mornin' to ya!" Kelly called out, bounding down the steps, heading off towards town whistling an Irish tune that he was so fond of. Watching him walk away, the three couldn't contain their laughter. "Sure isn't shy about getting caught leaving was he?" Kid asked shaking his head. "I don't think he's shy about much," Buck replied as he looked at the horse's fetlock again. "I think it's a little swollen, what about you Kid?" he asked drawing the other twos attention back to the matter at hand. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Kelly was on top of the world as he waited outside the little church at the far end of town. His smile grew as he spotted Rachel coming down the stairs talking with Polly and keeping an eye on Jesse. He could tell the second that she spotted him. The blush that stole over her face made him want to grab her to him and kiss her all over again. The memories of their shared night of passion were fresh in his mind as he met her half way across the yard. "Dia duit ar maidin (Good morning)" Kelly said softly as he put an arm around her waist not caring if anyone saw them or not. He was proud to be with Rachel and wanted every man, woman and child in Rock Creek to know that she was his. "Kelly," Rachel said breathlessly, losing herself in his eyes. Just the sight of him made her want to be alone with him all over again. Something about the man brought the passion right to the surface and kept it simmering, ready to consume her at a moments notice. "I've been a missin' ye while ye were gone," he whispered in her ear. Tucking a stray curl away from her face, he smiled. "Ta tu go h-aileann! (You are beautiful!)" He exclaimed as Polly came up to the couple with Jesse tagging behind her. A knowing grin crossed the woman's face as she watched her friends. It's about time those two got together, she thought, thrilled that they looked so happy and in love. "What a surprise it is seeing you here Kelly James. You should have been a bit earlier and joined us inside," she chided as the tall man squirmed under her gaze. "An' ye know that I'm no' much of a church goin' man now Polly. Why won't ye leave me be?" he asked, half teasing. A pouting Jesse nudged him in the arm. "If I got to go why not you too?" Jesse hated having to get up early on Sunday morning and attending services and if he could find a way out of it, he'd take it in a heartbeat. He figured if he had to be miserable, why not have Kelly to keep him company. "Because I'm a grown man an' ye are still a lad, Jesse," Kelly declared ruffling the youth's hair. Rachel and Polly laughed at the face Jesse made before he asked if he could head back to the station. Nodding, Rachel told him she'd be there shortly. "Why don't you take the day off today Kelly?" Polly told him giving Rachel a conspiratorial wink. "Maybe Rachel would like to go for a ride or on a picnic," she suggested, shameless in her open attempt to give the two some private time together. "That sounds like a wonderful idea," Rachel said slipping her arm through Kelly's. "What do you say? Shall we?" she asked liking the idea of spending the day alone in his company. "I think ye two are conspirin' against me is what I think," he told the women eyeing them carefully. "But I'd be honored if'n ye'd spend the day with me Miss Dunne." Patting him on the shoulder, Polly walked past the two with a hearty, "That's my boy!" "I'll talk to you later Rachel. Have fun!" she called over her shoulder, leaving the lovebirds alone in the near empty churchyard. As Kelly started leading Rachel towards town, he asked, "How about I go get a buggy and come by the station in a little while…" Giving his arm a squeeze she answered, "That would be fine. I'll get something packed for us to picnic on and put one of the boys in charge of the meal at the station." As they reached the livery, Rachel let her arm slide from his and stood looking at him. "I had a wonderful time last night," she said only slightly shyly. Grinning from ear to ear, Kelly couldn't help blurting, "Me too!" before gathering her in his arms and kissing her soundly on the lips. They were both breathless by the time he set her from him. "Ye keep kissin' me like that and I'll have to throw ye over me shoulder and carry ye away…" Rachel laughed in delight. Kelly's open and honest way of talking was like a breath of fresh air to her. It had been a long time since she'd allowed herself to open up and allow anyone close to her and the man before her was quickly making a place in her heart that would never be filled by anyone but him. Clearing her throat, she let her hand slide down his arm and their fingers touched briefly. "I'll see you in a little bit then." Kelly watched as Rachel made her way into the heart of town and disappeared. Whistling a merry Irish tune, he went into the livery stable to get a buggy for their outing. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Aw, come on Rachel! Why do I have to be the one ta do the cookin'? Why can't one of the others do it?" Jimmy complained loudly as Rachel handed him one of the aprons. "Because I said so. Here, wear this so you don't dirty those nice clothes of yours," she teased. "'Sides, you're the only one who seems to be able to cook a roast without burning it to a crisp." Cody who was sitting at the table reading a dime novel grinned. "Besides, you look so pretty Jimmy!" "Shut up," Jimmy growled slapping the blond in the back of the head. "If you ain't helpin', get out of the bunkhouse," he ordered. Cody's eyebrows shot up as he looked from Jimmy to Rachel. At Rachel's nod of agreement with Jimmy's statement, he stood up and feigned a huff, "Well, then I'll just take myself off somewhere nice and quite!" "Good!" Jimmy snarled, daring any of the others to make a comment about his having to cook or wearing the apron. The other riders hurried out after Cody not willing to brave Jimmy's wrath at having to be stuck in the kitchen all afternoon. Smiling at Jimmy, Rachel picked up the basket she'd packed and walked to the bunkhouse door. "Thank you Jimmy. I appreciate your help." Waving a hand at her, he had already turned towards the sink where the vegetables she wanted fixed with the roast were waiting to be sliced and diced. "Yeah, yeah. Just go have a nice time." With a devilish smile he added, "But not to nice!" Rolling her eyes Rachel walked out the door in time to see Kelly tooling into the yard and up to the bunkhouse. "Ready?" he asked hurrying to take the basket from her and setting in the buggy. Handing her up next, he waved to the riders who were taking a keen interest in him and Rachel. "See ye all later!" he called out as he jumped in next to her and they pulled away. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Rachel, I hate havin' only this short time each day with ye," Kelly complained seeing that it was almost time for him to leave for work. "I want more time….I want to be with ye in the evening, I want the right to wake up with ye each mornin'." Rachel's eyes went wide at his proclamation. She wasn't sure if he was asking her to marry him or not and her heart was pounding so hard, his next words were lost in it's drumming. "What did you just say?" she asked, choking slightly, a hand flying to her throat. "I said, I'll see ye tomorrow after school like usual. I'd best go before Polly comes lookin' for me." Kelly leaned over and kissed her soundly, not noticing the look of disappointment that passed over Rachel's face before he left. As Rachel watched him walking down the street, she chided herself. 'He never mentioned wanting to marry you Rachel Dunne so I don't know what you were thinking.' Swiping at a tear that slid down her cheek, Rachel turned and rushed inside the house, determined not to let the others see her so upset. She and Kelly had been seeing each other daily for weeks now and she thought that what they had was serious. 'Well it appears it's only me who has serious feelings,' she told herself pacing the floor of her room, forgetting the words Kelly had spoken about wanting to be with her all the time. Disappointment and sadness overwhelmed her and she threw herself down on the bed to have a good cry. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Several days later, Lou walked through the door of the saloon looking for Kelly. Seeing only Polly she asked if he was around. "He's in the back room doing an inventory of supplies," Polly told her motioning for her to go on back. "Thanks Polly!" Lou called out heading through the kitchen area to the supply room. Kelly was busy counting bottle in crates and making notations on a piece of paper when Lou walked in. "Hey Kelly, I got a package here for you," she said pulling the item out of her coat pocket. "Came all the way from Ireland." "Hmm?" Kelly said at the intrusion, lost in what he was doing. Seeing the package in the rider's hand, he realized what she'd said. Setting his paper and pencil down, Kelly hurried to Lou's side and took the offered piece of mail. "I've been waiting for this," he declared with a grin. Not knowing if it was private or not, Lou cleared her throat and mumbled, "I'll just leave you to it then." Kelly stopped her with a hand on her arm. "No. Please, wait," he asked taking the rest of the paper off the box. "I wrote my mother several months ago asking her to send me this…." Opening the box, inside was a soft piece of Irish linen, cushioning something wrapped in it. Kelly revealed what was inside to Lou with another grin. "Tis a Claddagh ring," he told her letting her look at it. "When a person wears it crown facing out, their affections are not engaged. Wearing it with the crown facing in tells all that their heart is taken." Looking into Lou's eyes Kelly stated, "I plan on giving it to Rachel…she's…she's the… a ghrá mo chroí ( love of my heart). Do you think she'll like it?" Lou could see the hope and love in Kelly's eyes as he talked about Rachel and the ring. Swallowing a lump that formed in her throat and pushing away the thoughts of 'would she ever find someone who felt that way about her,' she smiled and laid a hand on Kelly's arm. "I think she's going to love it Kelly. It's beautiful…" Wrapping it up again, Kelly tucked it safely in his shirt pocket intending on showing the ring to Rachel that very evening. "Would ye let Rachel know I'll stop by after I'm through here?" Nodding, Lou promised to let her friend know to expect him. "Good luck!" she told the Irishman before leaving him to his work once more. When Lou returned to the station, she found Rachel in the bunkhouse finishing up with cooking dinner. "Kelly asked if I'd let you know he was going to stop by in a little while after he's finished with some things at Polly's," she told Rachel while setting her hat on a peg and hanging her coat on the post of her bunk. "Oh, he did, did he?" came the curt reply as Rachel banged a few pots and pans around in the sink. "Rachel? Is something wrong?" Lou asked, not sure what was up with Rachel. The last few days it seemed like the woman was mad at the world. Taking a deep breath, Rachel stood still for a moment before apologizing. "I'm sorry Lou. I'm just upset about something and I have no right taking it out on you or the others…" Laying a hand on Rachel's shoulder Lou asked, "Do you want to talk about it? I know I'm the one usually crying on your shoulder about Kid…or Jimmy but I'm here for you too…" Giving the female rider a watery smile, Rachel shook her head. "No, that's all right," she said then added, "I just thought he cared more but I guess I was wrong." Lou didn't need Rachel to say who 'he' was. It was obvious that Rachel was talking about Kelly. Confused by what Rachel had just said, seeing how Lou had just come from seeing Kelly who told her that he planned on giving her a ring, she couldn't help but ask, "What are you talking about? What do you mean you thought Kelly cared more? From where I stand, he cares a whole heck of a lot Rachel…" Starting to cry a little, Rachel turned to look at Lou. "But that's just it Lou! I thought he cared a lot too. He said he wanted the right to be with me, to wake up next to me each morning….to me that means he wants…he wants…" Here she started to sob and Lou led her to a chair and sat down next to her. "He hasn't said a word since then…he hasn't said he loves me or anything! He never talks about getting married or having a life together…" Scrunching her eyes closed, Lou wrinkled her nose and touched the bridge of her nose wondering what to say next. Apparently Rachel thought Kelly didn't love her or at least not the way Rachel cared for him but Lou knew that wasn't the case. She didn't want to spoil Kelly's plans but she hated to see her friend in such pain. Taking a deep breath Lou chose her words carefully. "Rachel, I don't know what Kelly's said or hasn't said to you but anyone can see that he's head over heels in love with you. Maybe he thinks you already know how he feels…or he hasn't found the right time to tell you? I don't know…" "But…I mean…I would have thought that by now…" Rachel couldn't think straight. She thought that after all this time, after the nights they'd spent together, that Kelly would have said more about how he felt. Giving Rachel a little smile, Lou told her, "Why don't you let me finish dinner. I can't mess it up too badly seeing how you got just about everything ready. Go over to the house and wait for him. He seemed really happy about something." She hoped she hadn't said too much but from Rachel's distracted nod, she knew the woman would never guess anything was going on. Glad to have some time to gather her thoughts and compose herself, Rachel headed over to the house to await Kelly's visit. By the time he had arrived, she was feeling much more in control of her emotions. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ There was definitely an air about Kelly as he went up the steps to Rachel’s. Since Lou had brought the package over earlier, he’d been preoccupied with whether Rachel would like the ring or not. Sure, it wasn’t the most fancy or biggest gem that money could buy, but it held special meaning to him and he wanted to share a part of him with her that was his heritage. Rapping several times on the door, he opened it calling out, “Rachel me love, where are ye?” Hearing Kelly at the door, Rachel patted her hair and pinched her cheeks to give them some color and hoped he would not notice that she’d been upset earlier. Pasting a smile on her face, she hurried from her room. “Kelly!” Just the sight of him so handsome took her breath away again. She doubted she’d ever lose that feeling whenever she seen him. “There’s me darlin’,” Kelly murmured, pulling her into his arms and giving her a little twirl before kissing her. “I could hardly wait to see ye….” Rachel closed her eyes, savoring the moment and how it felt being held in his arms, knowing that he longed to be with her when they were apart. “And I you,” she whispered, holding on tight to him, letting all her earlier fears melt away. When they were like this, everything seemed right in her world and she never wanted that feeling to end. She never wanted them to end. “I know that ye had some plans for this evenin’ but I was a wonderin’ if ye might take a stroll with me instead….there’s a big, bright moon to light our way,” he asked once Rachel moved away from him. “Oh…okay. Just let me get a shawl.” Kelly waited and helped put the light shawl around her shoulders to keep the slight chill of the evening air off her. Tucking her arm in his, Kelly led the way. “Sure is a beautiful night,” he mentioned looking at all the stars shining. “I wonder if they are the same ones me da and mither are able to see…” Rachel smiled in the dark. For having left home at such a young age, Kelly seemed genuinely fond of his parents and talked of them often. “I would think so,” she told him, recalling a book she’d used in school once. “It is believed that what we see here, they see on the other side of the world also, but at different times.” Sighing, he told her, “There’s so much that I do na know. I can read and write but book learnin’ was no’ my thing as you know. I may not be rich, but I’m no’ poor either…” Rachel’s brow furrowed. It seemed like an odd thing for Kelly to say, but at times the Irishman’s train of thought lost her. Kelly stopped and turned towards her. His hand reached up and gently stroked her soft cheek and she leaned into his hand. It was so large and warm and strong. “I love ye Rachel Dunne and I find me longin’ to grow old with ye…” Kelly paused, reaching into his shirt pocket and taking out the ring. Holding it up in the moonlight, he lifted her hand and laid it in her palm. “I’m hopin’ ye will accept this ring, that ye will be me wife.” Rachel’s heart stopped for a moment then raced at his words, words that she had been longing to hear and was afraid that he would never speak. A hand fluttered as she picked up the ring and looked closer at it. She’d never seen anything like it before…there were two arms with hands holding a heart and a crown on them. “It’s…it’s beautiful…” she whispered, looking up at him. “Tis a claddagh ring,” he said, still waiting for her to answer his question. “Well?” he queried, his large hand closing over hers, forcing her to look up at him. “Will ye marry me or no?” A little laugh of happiness escaped Rachel as she threw her arms around his neck, kissing him and repeating over and over, “Yes!” Kelly laughed along with her. “Ye have made me the happiest of men, Rachel.” Cupping her face in his hands, he lowered his lips to hers. Taking the ring from her fist, he slipped it upon the third finger of her right hand. “Tis the hand a woman wears it on in Ireland,” he explained when she told him it should go on the left. “’N later I will tell ye what the hands, heart and crown mean, but right now, I want to take ye back to the house and have my way with ye!” Rachel loved the feel of the cool silver band on her finger. It felt so right. “Then what are we waiting for?” Kelly laughed as he held her hand in his. “What are we waiting for indeed!” He kissed her soundly before leading the way back to the house, intending on showing her how much he loved her now and always. Drop me a note and let me know what you thought!