Rachel kept her mind busy by making sure that Buck’s room that is downstairs off to the living room is ready for his arrival home early this morning. Teaspoon and Kid had already left for town with the buckboard to bring Buck home where he belongs.

Rachel had heard Jane arrive home last evening in near hysterics, but she didn’t want to interfere into the woman’s business concerning Buck. She waited patiently until Teaspoon arrived home about an hour after Jane, to find out if something had transpired badly between Jane and Buck.

Teaspoon had told her the disturbing news that Jane no longer has any desire to be with Buck. 
There was no particular reason for Jane’s decision, or if there was one, Buck wasn’t sharing that information with Teaspoon.

Rachel had a difficult time sleeping. She felt as if she should go into town and stay with Buck. After all, Jane had stayed with him every night since he was brought into town with a bullet hole in his chest. Buck was used to having Jane’s presence next to him, and now suddenly she wasn’t going to 
be there for Buck to lean on.

Teaspoon couldn’t sleep either. He could see the plan brewing in his wife’s mind. So he put her plan to a complete halt by ordering Rachel not to ride into town by herself in the middle of the night. 
With Jesse and his gang nearby, it is entirely too dangerous for any of them to be out riding around by themselves, especially late at night. Teaspoon also kind of felt that Buck needed this night to be alone and think about how he might attempt to talk to Jane about whatever it is that is coming between them.

Rachel walks over to Buck’s bed and turns down the blankets. He’ll need plenty of rest today after the ride from town to the ranch in the back of the buckboard. Riding in the back of the buckboard 
can be mighty uncomfortable when everything else with your body is well. Rachel can only image 
how much pain Buck will be in after his short trip today.

Outside the Hunter home, Teaspoon is just halting the buckboard in front of the white picket fence that surrounds his and Rachel’s home. Buck is in the back of the buckboard grimacing in pain and looking very uncomfortable as he leans into Kid who is sitting next to him.

When the buckboard finally comes to a complete stop, Teaspoon jumps off the bench of the buckboard and walks to the back where Kid has Buck at the edge of the buckboard ready to help 
him off the back and into the house.

Teaspoon stands on one side of Buck and Kid stands on the other side. Both men grasp Buck gently around the waist and help him settle his feet on the ground before attempting to make him stand. 

“You think you can make it to the house?” Teaspoon asked with worriment in his voice.

“Yeah,” Buck spoke quietly.

Buck stands on his two legs with Teaspoon and Kid’s help. After a moments rest, Teaspoon and Kid help Buck start to walk toward the white picket fence. 

At the gate of the fence all three men halt their progress and bring their heads up to view the commotion coming from the bunkhouse when they hear the door slam shut and a certain young woman’s voice talking and laughing with Cody! 

Kid urges Buck to keep proceeding into Rachel and Teaspoon’s home, but when he hears Jane’s voice, Buck can’t help but watch as Cody takes hold of Jane’s hand and the two of them proceed to walk toward them!

Buck’s eyes moist over with fresh tears, but he isn’t about to let Jane see how much she’s hurting him by being with Cody. 

Jane stops dead in her tracks when she suddenly gazes away from Cody, and sees Buck standing in-between Teaspoon and Kid who are both looking angrily at her for hurting Buck intentionally by being with Cody so soon after breaking her romance off with Buck. 

Jane sees the utter torment on Buck’s face. For a moment she thinks it may be physically pain, but she knows Buck very well, and what she sees on his face is emotional pain. He obviously witnessed her walking out of the bunkhouse with Cody. By the enormous amount of pain etched on his face and the unshed tears welling up in his dark ebony eyes she can only guess that Buck believes that she has already spent the night in Cody’s arms.

Jane begins to tremble from the awful amount of pain that she is causing Buck. He doesn’t even realize that she is in the same amount of pain that she has caused him. She loves him. Why can’t she just ran to him and make all the pain that she’s causing disappear? He loves her so much that he would take her in his arms and never let her go. It’s what she wants, but her mind tells her not to go. 

Jane can’t look at Buck any longer. She can’t bear to see all the pain in him that she is causing.

Cody takes hold of Jane’s arm to steady her trembling. He knows that Jane loves Buck more than life itself, but he’s also willing to wait until the day when Buck is just a fond memory. He isn’t totally sure that that day will ever come, but he’s willing to wait for a while and find out. 

“Jane, it will get easier with each time you see Buck,” Cody spoke trying to make sure Jane doesn’t take off running into Buck’s arms.

“I hate what I’m doing to him, what I’m doing to us.”

Buck can’t bear to look at Jane with Cody any longer. He had hoped that once the two of them saw each other that she would regret ending their relationship and want to start over again. Her being 
with Cody had proved his thoughts totally wrong. He’s afraid that if he doesn’t look away from the two of them the tears will flow, and he won’t be able to hide from her the pain that he is in.

Buck glances away from Jane and Cody and stares blindly down at the ground. Kid takes this as a sign that Buck just wants to get into the house. The three of them start to move slowly past the 
fence gate and onto the front porch. 

Jane can’t take her eyes off of Buck. She is worried that the short trip from town has worn him out. She doesn’t take her eyes off Buck until Teaspoon and Kid have him safely inside the house.

Cody takes offense that Jane can’t seem to take her eyes off Buck. He won’t allow himself to get angry with her. He has to understand where her feelings for Buck are concerned. She had just ended their relationship last evening. That isn’t enough time to get over someone that you were planning 
on spending the rest of your life with. Even though Buck and Jane had not made a formal 
commitment to do just that, he knows that it was probably days from happening.

“I really need to get into town, Jane,” Cody spoke gently to Jane.

Cody’s voice brings Jane back to the real world. She gazes at Cody. “Of course.”

The two of them walk to the barn hand in hand. Cody goes inside while Jane waits outside staring blindly at the Hunter home. She can’t even imagine her life with Cody, but even more she can’t imagine her life without Buck.

Cody appears next to Jane atop his horse. “Are you sure you’ll be alright today with my leaving you alone?”

Jane glances up at Cody. She forces a smile at him. “I’m sure.”

Jane starts walking toward Rachel and Teaspoon’s home as she hears Cody gallop away from the ranch behind her. It will be awkward with the two of them staying with Rachel and Teaspoon, but at least they will be separated by one floor. She is sure that Rachel won’t let Buck get out of bed for at least a week. So for at least a week, Jane will be able to come and go as she pleases without running into her beloved.

Teaspoon and Kid help Buck to sit down in a chair located in his bedroom. Kid walks over to Rachel and helps her pull the blankets to the bottom of the bed. 

Teaspoon stays by Buck’s side. “Are you sure you’re alright, son?”

“No Teaspoon, I’m not sure I’m alright, but I’m going to have to make myself be alright because she’s obviously with Cody now,” Buck stated his voice cracking with emotion.

Rachel walks over to where Teaspoon is standing. Buck doesn’t need to get too emotional right 
now. Rachel figures it will definitely slow down his healing process. “The two of you may leave. I can get Buck into bed.”

Kid walks over to Buck. “I’ll be over a little later to see you.”

Buck just shakes his head in agreement.

Jane is walking onto the porch when Teaspoon and Kid make their way out of the Hunter home. Teaspoon is so angry with Jane that he doesn’t even acknowledge her being there. He walks right past her and heads out to the barn.

Kid stands next to Jane. He isn’t about to let her get off as easily as Teaspoon had just done by ignoring her presence. He wants to know exactly what is going on in her mind and heart.

Kid and Jane don’t say a word to each other. Both of them are busy watching Teaspoon limp to the barn. It is obvious to them that he hasn’t been taking care of his own health since Buck got hurt. 
They watch as moments later Teaspoon rides out of the barn and off the ranch.

“We need to talk,” Kid spoke with anger aimed at Jane. 

Jane tries to walk past Kid, but he dodges her escape and latches onto her forearm.

“You’re hurting Buck real bad.”

Jane tries to yank her arm free from Kid’s strong hold on her. “Do you think I don’t know that?”

“I want to know why? Why after all the love that was obviously between the two of you? Was all those feelings just a lie?” Kid asked his voice filled with rage.

“You’re hurting me,” Jane spoke as she still tries to free herself from Kid’s grasp.

Kid finally lets go off Jane’s arm. He doesn’t want to physically hurt Jane, Kid just wants to know 
the truth. “You can’t give me an answer because you still love him. But, if you still love Buck then why are you doing this to the two of you?”

“I don’t have to answer your questions, Kid. I simply can’t be with Buck, and that’s all I’m saying concerning Buck and I,” Jane spoke as she walks into the Hunter home.

Kid stands on the front porch upset that Buck is going through so much pain and that he is the last person in the world that should have to endure so much pain. Buck deserves to be happy. He deserves more than anyone to have someone love him with as much love as Buck can give in 
return. Kid knows Buck won’t complain about it. Buck will just go on living, alone.
 

Charlene and Louise are in Lou’s kitchen making homemade bread for this evening’s dinner. Lou 
has noticed that Charlene has been too quiet all morning. She can’t help but wonder if there is another scheme brewing in Charlene’s mind now that she knows that Jane has ended her 
relationship with Buck.

“You’re awfully quiet this morning, Charlene,” Louise spoke trying to find out what the deceitful woman might be up to.

“I’ve been contemplating on whether I should ask you something that is on my mind.”

“Go ahead. I will try to answer your question as honestly as I can.”

Charlene puts down the oven mitts that she has been holding while waiting for the bread to be done baking. “Do you think now that Jane and Buck are through, that I might have a chance with Buck? 
I mean I was thinking that maybe I could take supper over to Buck tonight and we could sit and talk for awhile.”

Lou can’t help but look distraught at Charlene. She doesn’t want Charlene anywhere near Buck. 
She plans on having a woman-to-woman talk with Jane to find what is really behind Jane’s ending 
her romance with Buck. If Charlene were the last single woman living in Rock Creek, Lou still wouldn’t want her with Buck. She doesn’t want to hurt Charlene by voicing her low opinion of her, so Lou will try and show as much compassion toward Charlene that her heart will allow for a woman
that is manipulating her family.

“Charlene lets sit down a minute.”

Both women pull out a chair to sit on at the nearby table. Louise leaves out a heavy sigh and tries to piece together her words in her mind before she allows them to escape from her mouth. She doesn’t want to make Charlene feel like she is a bad person even though that is exactly what Louise thinks 
of Charlene.

“Charlene, right now Buck is very hurt by the ending of his and Jane’s relationship. I think, no let 
me rephrase that, I know that Buck had serious thoughts of spending the rest of his life with Jane. That kind of love just doesn’t go away in a few days or even a few weeks. In all honestly I think it would be best if you don’t push yourself onto Buck too soon.”

“I wasn’t intending on pushing myself onto Buck, Louise,” Charlene spoke bitterly.

“Buck is extremely vulnerable right now. He may welcome your company but it might only be because Jane has hurt him so badly. You wouldn’t want Buck on the rebound, because those kind of feelings never last. He’ll realize that he doesn’t really love you, and then you will be the one getting hurt.”

“You really don’t think Buck will ever love me, do you Louise?”

“Honestly Charlene, no I don’t.” Louise looks down at the table as if she is trying to choose her 
next words very carefully. She glances back up at Charlene. “The truth is Charlene, you and Buck are two totally different people. Buck will never fall in love with you.”

Charlene quickly removes herself from Louise’s sight. She runs through the house until she reaches the front door. She walks outside and stands at the edge of the porch looking over at the Hunter home where Buck is resting. “I’ll have Buck. It’s time to put Jesse’s next plan into action!”
 

CHAPTER TEN

Cody had unexpectedly stumbled into the marshal’s office early so that he could be in and out 
without having to face the wrath of any of his family members. His plans did not work out to his benefit. He walks into the office and abruptly slams the glass door just a bit too hard.

“Careful with the door, Cody. Teaspoon doesn’t want to have to pay for the next one we break,” Jimmy spoke sitting at the desk going over paperwork.

“I’m not in the mood for you this morning, Jimmy,” Cody spoke boldly.

Teaspoon gets up from his chair and walks over to stand in front of Cody. “Why are you here in this office so early?”

“To be honest Teaspoon, I thought I could sneak in and sneak out without having to deal with you or Jimmy,” Cody spoke in a matter of fact tone.

Teaspoon gets right in Cody’s face not allowing him access to the files he came in the office for that sit on the edge of Teaspoon’s desk. The same files that Jimmy has helped himself to many times for interesting reading material. 

“The truth is you know how wrong you are concerning Buck and Jane, and you don’t want any of us telling you how wrong you are,” Teaspoon spoke angrily.

Cody gets a disgusted look on his face. “It bothers me that Buck’s happiness is all that matters 
here. To hell with Cody’s happiness!”

“That isn’t true. The truth is that Buck and Jane are in love. You’ve been trying your best to sabotage their love since the moment you realized that they were in love,” Teaspoon spoke louder than he actually intended to.

“I should be out investigating these murders. Instead, I’m at the jailhouse arguing over who is the best man for Jane!” Cody hollered angrily.

“I ain’t arguing with you about who the best man is for Jane! I’m telling you that Jane and Buck are in love. They are having a few problems. If you had just stayed out of it, I’m sure Buck and Jane would have been able to work their problems out.”

Cody grins at Teaspoon with a wiseass smirk. There’s no way Cody is going to give Jane time to rethink her feelings for Buck. He has to move in on her quickly because he knows just how deep Jane’s love is for Buck. That love shows in Jane’s eyes everytime she gazes at Buck. Cody has noticed how Jane’s eyes don’t just stayed fixed on Buck’s face. Cody has seen the way Jane’s eyes roam all over Buck. Even though she’s broken their relationship off, he has witnessed Jane’s quiet moods. Moods when she is obviously thinking about Buck Cross and what it would be like to make love to him. Cody knows about these quiet moods. They are the same moods he gets in everytime he thinks about Jane.

“Cody!” Teaspoon hollered to a man caught up in a daydream.

Jimmy has been listening intently to the conversation that is going on between the older man and the army officer. He looks away from his paperwork to see why Teaspoon has had to yell at Cody.

Teaspoon startles Cody out of his daydream. Cody gazes at the marshal with a smirk of achievement. 

“In time Jane will love me more than she could ever love Buck.”

“You’re wrong, Cody,” Jimmy spoke flatly.

Cody walks over to the front of the desk and stands positioned over Jimmy. “What makes you an expert on love, Jimmy?”

“I’m not an expert, Cody. I just can see the way Jane looks at Buck and I’ve witnessed the way 
Jane has pinned Buck down on the sofa a few times, attempting to…well…you know…attempting to get Buck’s clothes off of him. Admit it Cody. Jane don’t act that way with you.”

“Shut-up, Jimmy!” Cody hollered as he stomps out of the jailhouse.

Jimmy looks up at Teaspoon. “We should be able to do something to get Jane and Buck back together.”

Teaspoon turns away from the door and sits back down in the chair that is in front of the desk 
Jimmy is seated at. “I ain’t so sure we should interfere. I think Buck and Jane are gonna have to realize on their own just how much they love each other.”

“And, what if they don’t?”

“Then they will be lost to each other forever.”

“Yeah, forever sure is a long time to be without the one you love,” Jimmy spoke disheartened.

Teaspoon senses that Jimmy is talking about himself more than Buck and Jane at the moment.

“You got some problems with Hannah, Jimmy?”

Jimmy thinks for a brief moment that he should tell Teaspoon about the black leather glove that he discovered in Hannah’s purse. He isn’t so sure that Teaspoon would work with him to find out the truth. More than anything Jimmy doesn’t want Cody involved. Hannah would be guilty in Cody’s 
eyes before a court could give her a fair trail. “It isn’t anything Hannah and I can’t work out. I don’t have Cody standing between myself and Hannah the way he’s standing between Buck and Jane.”

Rachel sits in a chair in front of Buck in his bedroom. She is trying to get Buck to eat his supper. Buck refuses to eat so Rachel is trying to spoon feed him the vegetable stew that she has prepared. Buck won’t accept Rachel feeding him, and because of his stubbornness the stew has become cold. 

“You won’t get your strength back if you don’t eat,” Rachel spoke gently to the Kiowa who is 
staring blindly toward Rachel’s garden in the backyard.

Rachel sighs heavily while getting up from her chair and leaving Buck alone. She takes the soup with her to reheat it with hopes that Buck will eat it later.

She walks out through the living room and into the dining area to find that her husband is wiping off the faces of Addison and Daniel. Cody and Jane are seated at the table eating their meal. 

Rachel places Buck’s stew on the table and immediately Jane notices that Buck hadn’t touched his stew at all. 

“You two boys go on upstairs and get ready for bed,” Rachel spoke softly to her children.

Addison and Daniel make a run for the stairs.

Rachel turns her attention back to her husband. “Could you please go in and talk to Buck. He won’t eat, and I’m really worried about that stubbornness of his.”

Teaspoon glances at Jane hoping that she will volunteer to talk with Buck, and that perhaps they 
can clear their problems up, but Jane won’t even look up at Teaspoon and she doesn’t make a move to suggest she go in to see Buck.

Cody had noticed what Teaspoon is trying to do. He clasps unto Jane’s hand that she has resting on the table. 

Teaspoon witnesses this action and wonders just how much of Jane’s breaking Buck’s heart was her decision. It seems to Teaspoon that between Charlene and Cody that Buck and Jane would be together if those two weren’t fighting so hard to keep them apart.

“Go on ahead, Teaspoon. Jane and I can keep yourselves company till you get back,” Cody spoke with a grin.

Teaspoon gets up from his chair at the table in a disgusted manner. He throws his cloth napkin at his place setting. He doesn’t blame Buck for not having an appetite, because he has just lost his own.

Rachel walks away from the couple at the table. If Rachel didn’t know any better she would swear that at this moment Jane is the unhappiest woman that Rachel has ever known.

Teaspoon knocks softly on Buck’s bedroom door. He gets no response. He really didn’t expect 
Buck to inform him that he may come in. There is complete silence. Teaspoon knocks again only 
this time a bit louder.

“Buck,” Teaspoon spoke flatly, but he still doesn’t get an okay from Buck to enter his bedroom.

Teaspoon waits only a brief moment before he decides that he could stand out here all night hammering on Buck’s door, and Buck wouldn’t make any attempt to allow Teaspoon to enter. 

Teaspoon finally decides to take his chances with the Kiowa, and he opens the door and steps inside. Once inside Buck’s bedroom, Teaspoon closes the door quietly. Before walking to Buck, he glances at the Kiowa sitting in a chair with a blanket pulled up over his legs. To Teaspoon, Buck looks like a man that doesn’t want to get any better. He looks worn out and tired from all the lies and deceit that have been a part of his life for so long.

Teaspoon walks over to Buck quietly, and sits down in the chair that Rachel had obviously placed in front of the Kiowa. 

 “Rachel tells me you won’t eat your dinner,” Teaspoon spoke softly.

“I’m not hungry,” Buck spoke disheartened.

It is what Teaspoon had suspected. Buck is too upset over everything that has gone wrong between him and Jane to want to eat and get well.

“You ain’t going to get better if you don’t eat.”

“Who cares?”

“You know that all of us do.”

“Not Jane.”

“Jane wants you to get well. Buck, I don’t know what happened between the two of you to cause 
Jane to turn away from you, but I just witnessed the terrified look on her face when Rachel told me that you aren’t eating. I’m telling you that woman still loves you. If you want Jane back, you’re 
gonna have to get strong enough to fight for her.”

Buck gazes at Teaspoon with confusion. “I don’t understand why I should have to fight for Jane. I don’t even understand why she turned away from me. Jane never gave me a reason for ending our relationship.”

“If Jane never gave you a reason for ending your romance, then you should ask her why. Don’t let Cody get the upper hand here.”

“Cody isn’t about to back away from Jane just because I want her back. Cody claims he loves Jane just as much as I do. I’m sure he’s enjoying every moment he gets with Jane.”

“Talk to her Buck. Don’t let so much distance get between the two of you that you can’t find your way back to each other.”

Jane walks Cody out to the front porch. She has grown very tired so she has asked him to go home for the evening. 

Once out on the porch, Cody turns and bundles Jane up in his arms. “Are you sure you just don’t 
want to go over to the bunkhouse with me? I would keep you real warm all night long,” Cody asked 
as he kisses her with some passion.

The kisses that Cody bestows onto Jane are not to her liking. There is simply no amount of passion that Cody has for her that will ever make her return that passion. She can’t lie to herself. She simply doesn’t feel anything when Cody kisses or attempts to touch her. Jane pulls away from the kiss and embrace that Cody is desperately trying to keep on her.

“Is everything all right?” Cody asked upset that Jane continues to pull away from the intimacy that he so desperately wants with her.

“I’m not ready for that kind of relationship, Cody.”

“In another words, you don’t love me?”

Jane hates what she is doing to Buck, and now she will also hurt Cody with the answer that she must give him. “I don’t love you the way that a woman loves a man that she wants to make love to. Buck 
is still that man. I told you Cody that it won’t be easy for me to forget the feelings that I have for Buck. If you can’t give me the time that I need to erase the love that I still have for Buck, then we may as well call it quits right now.”

Cody doesn’t even have to think about Jane’s request. “I can wait an eternity for you, Jane. Although, I must admit I hope it doesn’t take that long.”

Jane smiles weakly at Cody. He kisses her lightly on the cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“That would be nice,” Jane spoke quietly.

Cody leaves her alone on the porch.

Jimmy had pretended to be asleep so that Hannah would fall into a blissful sleep after the two had made love several times. 

He reaches over and lightly places a kiss on her forehead. She doesn’t make a sound. He praises himself that he must have worn her out.

Jimmy quietly gets out of the bed that he shares with a woman that he is falling in love with. He tip toes over to her purse. He doesn’t want to bring the gloves up to Teaspoon until he is sure beyond any doubt that Hannah is the killer that they have been searching for the last couple of months.

Jimmy carefully opens her purse to discover a pair of black leather gloves! He pulls them out of her purse. He feels something rough on them, but he can’t see in the darkness of the hotel room that 
they are in. Jimmy walks over to the moonlight at the window. He is totally shocked when he holds up the gloves, and discovers that they have spots of dried blood on them! 

Jane had sat out on the porch for the good part of the last hour thinking about her life since she moved to Rock Creek. She has people in her life from The Kid & Buck Horse Ranch that treat her like a member of their close-knit family. She has met a man that she has fallen totally in love with only to shatter his heart because she’s afraid to love him. She had thought perhaps the night air 
would clear her head enough to give her the answers that she needs to fight the feelings she can’t seem to get rid of concerning the lose of her father. 

Jane decides to go back inside the Hunter home when the night air becomes too cold for her to be outside. She walks through the living room to get to the stairs when she suddenly stops in her 
tracks! Buck is just standing up from the sofa in the living room looking directly at her! 

Jane can tell by the hurt in his eyes that he wasn’t expecting to run into her tonight. She has given Buck enough pain to last him a lifetime. She certainly doesn’t want to hurt him further. Jane tries to just walk past Buck to get to the stairs, but he isn’t about to let her escape so easily.

“I want to know why you are doing this to us?” Buck asked disheartened. 

Jane tries to back up so Buck’s close proximity to her doesn’t drive her into his arms, but her legs won’t allow her to move. She doesn’t want to look at the heartbreak that invades his liquid warm ebony eyes, but Buck is forcing her to deal with the pain she is giving him.

“I just realized that we don’t belong together.”

Buck is confused by Jane’s answer. “How can you say that after all we meant to one another?”

“What did we mean to one another, Buck? Are you referring to the nights on the sofa that we almost made love? Are you referring to the clearing where we almost made love before Jesse’s bullets zinged by our heads?” Those feelings were lust, that is all.”

“I thought those feeling were much deeper than lust. I know that my feelings for you run much 
deeper than just the two of us making love. I can’t believe that I was so wrong. Why am I so wrong, Jane? Is it because I’m part Indian that you can’t allow us to be together? Did you suddenly realize that if you allowed us to make love that you’d be giving yourself to a half-breed?”

Jane doesn’t want to hurt Buck this way. She is well aware of how much pain and heartbreak her answer will bring to him. He has grown up with people hating him simply because he is a half-breed. That trait about Buck has never bothered Jane, and therefore has never been an issue between 
them not even seven years ago when they first meet. For her to tell him that yes now it is a part of him that she can’t deal with would significantly rip his heart in two. Buck would be forever lost from her. She wouldn’t have to tell him her true fears. She wouldn’t have to deal with any more confrontations with him that only end up causing them both an agonizing amount of emotional pain. 

“The fact that you are of mixed blood does have me wondering what kind of life I will have if we should marry and have children that would also be of mixed blood,” Jane spoke quietly almost dreading the hurt that she will see in Buck’s eyes once she has made her confession to him.

Buck has a difficult time keeping his feelings inside. He needs to get away from Jane before he can’t help but let her see how much her words have devastated him emotionally. Without saying a word to her, Buck slowly turns away from Jane and walks into his bedroom.

Jane doesn’t try to stop Buck from leaving her alone in the living room. It is better this way. When she hears his bedroom door shut quietly, she allows the tears that she kept locked in her eyes to fall. “Oh God! Why do I keep hurting you like this?”

Buck gazes out at the garden that Rachel has been working on for the past few years in the 
backyard of the her home. The moonlight shines in on the silent tears that he allows to escape in the privacy of his bedroom.
 

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The early morning sunrise had only brought more heartache and uncertainty to Rock Creek and its residents. Thanksgiving will soon be upon the family who lives at The Kid & Buck Horse Ranch. Teaspoon wonders silently as he sits in his chair at the jailhouse how they will maintain a happy family atmosphere when they are all bickering amongst themselves. Teaspoon watches Jimmy who 
is staring at the posters of Jesse and Frank James. With all the problems that Buck has been having lately, Teaspoon has had no time to talk in depth to Jimmy who is definitely having a few problems 
of his own. Even though the young man hasn’t burdened Teaspoon with what is going on in his life, Teaspoon can see the look on Jimmy’s face. He has had a permanent frown glued to his face for the past week or two. There is something eating at the young man’s heart, but Teaspoon isn’t quite sure what it could be that’s bothering him. 

Cody storms into the office bringing a strong gust of wind with him. He shuts the door quickly as to not let in too much cold air. 

Both Teaspoon and Jimmy glance over at Cody as he whirls around to face then with a stricken look on his face.

“Everything all right, son?” Teaspoon asked with minimal concern.

“I thought the two of you ought to know that there has been yet another killing,” Cody spoke out of breath from his brisk walk from his army post to the marshal’s office.

Jimmy turns completely around to listen more intently to what Cody is telling them.

“His name was Andrew Johnson. Either one of you recognize the name?” Cody asked flatly.

Teaspoon tries to remember if the name has ever crossed his mind, but he can’t really recall.

“Andrew Johnson,” Jimmy spoke out loud as he tries to place the name with a face. “I’ve heard of him. I think I even met him once.”

“When?” Cody asked elated that someone knows the latest victim.

“I think he’s one of the young men that I caught Hannah with.”

“I’m confused here Jimmy. I thought Hannah and you were seeing each other pretty steady,” Cody spoke dumfounded.

“That’s what I thought too. I have been informed by Hannah that she doesn’t see any one man steadily,” Jimmy spoke disheartened.

Teaspoon’s eyes brighten. So that’s what is wrong with Jimmy. Teaspoon is totally surprised that Jimmy is starting to fall in love, but Hannah isn’t interested in the emotion of love at all.

“You’re still seeing Hannah, aren’t you Jimmy?” Teaspoon asked trying not to be too interfering in Jimmy’s life.

“Yeah, whenever Hannah can make the time.”

“Well I just wanted to let the two of you know about the killing. I have to get back to my men. We’re going to do an all out search for Jesse and his gang,” Cody spoke as he makes his way out of the jailhouse. 

After Cody’s departure Teaspoon takes notice to the quietness that has overcome Jimmy. He looks to be in deep thought. Teaspoon isn’t quite sure that he should interrupt Jimmy’s train of thought, 
but he is starting to worry that something is extremely wrong in Jimmy’s life.

“I can see that something pretty intense is bothering you,” Teaspoon spoke hoping that Jimmy will confide in him.

Jimmy snaps out of his deep thought. He moves away from the bulletin board to stand in front of Teaspoon. “I’m real worried about Hannah. I’ve been noticing some things about her lately, and these things have me baffled.”

“You wanna talk about them?”

“Yeah. I just ain’t real sure where to begin. Everything is just such a jumbled mess in my head.”

“Why don’t you start with Andrew Johnson? That name seems to be haunting you a bit.”

“She knows him. She’s slept with him.”

“Hannah?” Teaspoon questioned bluntly.

“Yeah. Hannah also had been sleeping with Joseph Foster before he was killed, and Mister Carson seemed to know her intimately as well,” Jimmy spoke the words just flowing out of his mouth as if he’s putting a jigsaw puzzle together as he speaks.

“What exactly are you trying to say, Jimmy? Are you saying that you believe Hannah had 
something to do with the killings that have been going on around here?” Teaspoon asked with shock in his tone of voice.

“I ain’t sure. There’s something else, Teaspoon. I’m not sure I should tell you because I’m having a difficult time believing that Hannah is involved with these killings.”

“Jimmy whatever it is, I can help,” Teaspoon spoke trying to assure Jimmy that he will do whatever he can to make sure Hannah is not falsely accused of something she didn’t do.

“One night when Hannah and I were at the hotel, in our room, she had fallen asleep and I couldn’t 
get to sleep cause I was so afraid that Buck wasn’t going to make it.”

“So this happened when Buck was still at the doc’s clinic?”

“Yeah. I hadn’t been to see him all day, and I was real scarred that he wouldn’t make it through the night. I got out of bed to glance out the window to just make sure there was no commotion going on over at the doc’s clinic. I remember turning to go back to bed when my eye caught something 
sticking out of Hannah’s purse. Her purse was lying on the floor. I picked it up, and inside was a 
pair of black leather gloves.”

“Oh Lord.”

“That’s not all, Teaspoon. I didn’t ask Hannah about the gloves. I just figured that she has a pair of black leather gloves. I mean it’s a popular article of clothing for a woman who rides horseback. But, 
a few nights later we were at the hotel again, and that night I found a pair of black leather gloves in her purse stained with blood.”

“Why didn’t you say something before now, Jimmy?”

“I ain’t sure, Teaspoon. I don’t want to believe that Hannah is capable of cold-blooded murder, but the gloves sure make her seem guilty,” Jimmy spoke his voice cracking with emotion.

Teaspoon guides him to the chair in front of his desk and pushes Jimmy to sit down. Teaspoon sits 
on the edge of his desk. “Listen son, we have to find out whether Hannah is involved or not.”

“What about Cody? Should we tell Cody?” Jimmy asked quietly.

“I ain’t too sure that would be such a good idea. Cody can make such a damn mess out of anything he’s involved with. I’d rather the two of us try to find out what is going on with Hannah before we 
pull Cody into the situation.”

“Just how are we going to find out if Hannah is involved or not?” Jimmy asked perplexed.

“You need to spend as much time as possible with her. If she tries to give you the brush off then perhaps you should try following her to see exactly what she is up to on those evening when she doesn’t want to be with you,” Teaspoon spoke bluntly. 

“I don’t like trapping Hannah, Teaspoon,” Jimmy spoke disheartened. He gazes at Teaspoon 
hoping for a way out of this, but he knows deep down in his heart that they must find out the truth. “I suppose this is the only way to find out one way or the other whether Hannah is a killer or not.”

“I’m sorry, son.”

Kid is in the barn mucking out the stalls with Louise right by his side assisting him. Louise watches her husband with intensity. Kid has been just as quiet if not more quiet than Buck of late, and Lou is sure she doesn’t understand what it is that has given Kid such a bad disposition.

Kid is bent over working hard at getting fresh straw spread out in the recently mucked out horse stalls. The late November winds and dropping temperatures has Kid a bit apprehensive about 
leaving any of their stock gazing out in the pastures at night. 

As Kid tries to straighten up, he clasps for his back and lets out a painful groan. 

Louise smirks at Kid’s discomfort. “Getting too old to work in the barn, Kid?” 

Kid turns around to take in a full view of his wife clad in a pair of jeans and one of his flannel shirts. She is irresistible and irritating at the same time. She has witnessed a lapse of weakness on his part, and he hates Lou seeing that he might be having problems keeping up with the work with Buck not being able to do any work at the moment. Still though with all that Kid does around the ranch, he has very few aches or complaints.

“No, I’m not getting too old to get my work done,” Kid spoke bluntly as he moves to the next stall that needs mucked out and fresh straw put on the floor. Kid shoves the shovel in front of Lou’s face. “Would you care to show me how it’s done properly?” Kid spoke with a teasing smile on his face.

“Very funny, Kid,” Louise spoke boldly. “I’ll do your mucking out of the stalls if you do all the housework including the cooking for a week,” Lou spoke with a teasing smile of her own.

“No thanks,” Kid spoke flatly as he turns away from his wife and starts to muck out the next horse stall.

Lou had gotten Kid to talk for a while, but as soon as he starts back in on his work, he is quiet as a mouse once again. Lou can’t help but to be worried that there is something deeply bothering Kid. 

“Kid, is there something you want to talk about?” Lou asked in a concerned tone.

Kid stops shoveling and stands up straight to face his wife.

“No. There’s just so much turmoil going on around us. We have Jesse god knows where just waiting to attack our family again. No one knows where he is at or what he’ll do next.”

“Jesse can’t hurt us if we stay together as a family, and work to try and discover where he is hiding out before he can do anymore damage to any of us.”

“I’m going to be honest with you Lou. Even though Jesse has become a notorious bank robber and killer, I never thought that he would make any one of us his next victim. But he did. He’s hurt this family in a way that only a hateful, devious outlaw would do. Jesse has no shame over the trap that 
he set for us to ride right into,” Kid spoke with emotion.

“Kid, everything worked out all right. Buck is going to be fine, and no one else was hurt,” Lou spoke softly not wanting to alarm her husband.

“Lou you weren’t there that day. It was a nightmare. Jesse’s men had all of us cornered on every side. We couldn’t move out of the circle that his men formed around us. I couldn’t see three feet in front of me that is how bad the smoke from our guns was hanging in the air. All I could hear was gunfire all around me! Then I heard Teaspoon yelling for Jack, and shortly after that I heard Buck yell out for Teaspoon. I didn’t see Buck fall to the ground, but the gunfire got quiet after he fell. The smoke had started to clear, and I could barely see Teaspoon hobbling over to be by Buck. If Jesse would have wanted to, and believe me I still can’t figure out why he didn’t, he could have easily 
killed Teaspoon while he was tending to Buck.”

Louise holds Kid in a strong embrace. “I know it had to have been awful, but Jesse can’t hurt us 
now. We’re all here together, and none of us are going to leave this ranch to pursue him. We’ll just 
let Jack Morgan do that for us.”

Kid lowers his face into the warmth of Lou’s soft brown hair. “Yeah. I only hope you’re right, Lou.”

Teaspoon knew the boy could be extremely stubborn. He wasn’t sure if it were his white blood or Indian blood that had made Buck that way. Perhaps the fact that he is of mixed blood is the reason 
for the absolute stubbornness that never seems to let up. 

Buck had been refusing to eat so Teaspoon took it upon himself to have his meals with Buck. He 
had hoped that his company along with conversation would take Buck’s mind off all the hurt and betrayal he was feeling, and give him back the strength that he needs to get well again.

Teaspoon knew he couldn’t fool Buck into eating, but at least he could talk more with Buck in hopes of taking some of the pain away that he has been feeling since Jane had declared that she no longer loves him.

Teaspoon and Buck are sitting in Buck’s bedroom eating their evening meal together. In reality, Teaspoon would rather be spending time with Buck over having to put up with Cody’s inflated self-importance at the Hunter supper table.

“I realize that you don’t want to hear what I have to say about Jane, but I was there everyday with her while we waited for you to wake-up. Jane was a wreck. She was frightened that she was gonna lose you,” Teaspoon spoke trying to assure Buck that he needs to get well enough to fight to get 
Jane back.

“I understand what you’re trying to do here, Teaspoon, but it won’t work. I took your suggestion, 
and I talked to Jane. It’s my Indian heritage that is scaring her away,” Buck spoke sadly.

“That’s utter nonsense. Jane loves you. I can see it in her eyes everytime she glances your way. 
I’m telling you that your Indian heritage has nothing to do with her breaking your romance off. If Jane told you that then she’s just using that as an excuse so she can avoid telling you the real 
reason. ”

“If what you’re saying is true, then why is Jane hanging all over Cody? Why has she been so cruel 
as to tell me that she can’t stand being with me because I’m part Kiowa?” Buck spoke his voice cracking with emotion.

It hadn’t been Teaspoon’s intentions to make Buck feel the pain that Jane has caused him all over again. He is sure that Jane loves Buck and not Cody. But why then is Jane claiming to be in love 
with Cody?

“Could it possibly be because Jane is afraid of losing you? Jane lost her father to an outlaw’s brutality, did she not?” 

“Yes. But, I would hope that Jane could talk to me about being afraid of losing me if that were the case. No Teaspoon, I think you’re wrong. I thought Jane was different than every other woman in Rock Creek, but she proved me wrong. My Kiowa blood frightens her.”

Teaspoon looks right through Buck as if he hasn’t heard a single word that Buck just said. He thinks back to something Jack had said to him when Jack had first laid eyes on Buck. “I’m surprised you hadn’t told me that you found him,” Jack had said without thinking about the implications and the meaning behind those words. 

Teaspoon gazes at Buck. Jack had been looking at Buck when he spoke those words. “I’m surprised you hadn’t told me that you found him.” Those words keep repeating themselves in Teaspoon’s 
mind, and he can’t for the life of him get them to stop. What had Jack meant? Did Jack think for a moment that Buck was this long lost child that he claims Teaspoon fathered? 

“Teaspoon. Teaspoon!” Buck had hollered Teaspoon’s name many times before the marshal acknowledges Buck’s presence in the room.

“I’m sorry Buck. What were you saying?”

“Forget it Teaspoon. I think you’re miles away from here.”

“Not miles Buck, but maybe years,” Teaspoon spoke softly.

 
Jane and Cody are arriving onto the ranch on a buckboard. He had waited for Jane in town until she had completed her day’s work at the schoolhouse. Her teaching took up a lot of her time. Time that Cody thought should be spent with him instead of with a room full of children. His selfish mood led them to the restaurant for dinner even though Jane had wished only to get back to the ranch to prepare her notes for her next school day. Cody had insisted that Jane needed to eat, and Jane 
being somewhat afraid of Cody’s temper, simply gave in without fighting him. 

Cody halts the buckboard in front of the bunkhouse. Jane had been laughing about something that had been said between the two of them. Her smile ceases when Cody reaches up to help her down from the buckboard. She can’t help the way she feels whenever Cody is in close proximity to her body. She dislikes the way his touch makes her feel. She doesn’t have romantic feeling for Cody so when he touches her skin she has a very difficult time not pulling away from him. 

Cody walks Jane into the bunkhouse. He had asked Jane to go over all the paperwork that he has collected on the investigation. Jane had said that she would offer her assistance, but she hadn’t thought it would be in the bunkhouse. It was too late for her to change her mind now. She didn’t like breaking a promise.

Jane jumps slightly when Cody shuts the bunkhouse door leaving the two of them trapped together behind closed doors. Cody reaches from behind Jane and tries to pull her body close to his. Jane resists, and Cody can feel her resistance. Cody turns her around to face him.

“Perhaps I should warm you up a bit first,” Cody spoke with an over self-confident grin.

He leans into Jane and lowers his head to kiss her. 

Jane allows the kiss to happen, but immediately she thinks that she shouldn’t be kissing Cody because her heart belongs to Buck. Her heart will always belong to only Buck! 

Before Jane reacts to stop Cody, she feels his hands start to roam down her backside! Jane 
stumbles backwards away from Cody’s grasp.

Cody is totally surprised when he becomes fully aware of Jane being halfway across the room staring at him as if he has raped her!

“What’s going on, Jane?” Cody spoke in a demanding tone.

Jane blinks away the tears that are close to falling down her cheek. “I’m not ready for our relationship to be more than friendship. I’m sorry, Cody.”

“You still love him, don’t you?” Cody asked disheartened.

“I have to be totally honest with you and with myself about my feelings. Perhaps I always will love Buck. I’ll I really do know at this point is that I don’t want to be kissed or held by any other man 
than Buck. Right now the only man I want to make love to is Buck. To be perfectly honest with you, 
I don’t think these feelings that I have for Buck will ever go away.”

“Jane, I want to make love to you. I want to make you mine. I can make you forget Buck,” Cody spoke adamantly.

“Cody, you can’t make someone forget the love they have for someone else. Love just doesn’t work that way. You wouldn’t want to make love to me Cody when I would only be thinking that I was really making love to Buck. That wouldn’t be fair to either one of us.” 

“I would have thought by now that you were getting over Buck. I can give you a reasonable amount 
of time to get over your feelings for Buck, but I can’t wait forever, Jane.”

“I won’t ask you to wait forever, Cody.”

Jane walks around Cody, and opens the front door to the bunkhouse. She walks outside and shuts 
the door between herself and Cody.

“Good-night Jane. We’ll be together soon,” Cody spoke arrogantly.

Jane stands at the front door of the bunkhouse and watches the Hunter home for a brief moment. Buck is inside that home. She could easily leave Cody’s unwanted embrace and waltz right into Buck’s bedroom, and Buck would welcome her with open arms. Buck would forgive all the vicious words that she had spoke to him. He would lie her down on his bed, and the two of them would be lost to the world and all it’s surrounding until sleep overtook their exhausted bodies.

Jane shakes her head to relieve her mind of thoughts of Buck Cross! She slowly strolls across the ranch to the Hunter Homestead!
 

CHAPTER TWELVE

The moonlight shone brilliantly in through the windows of Buck’s bedroom at Teaspoon and 
Rachel’s home. The alluring light of the moon, pleading with a sleepless Buck to stroll outside, and relax in the natural beauty of Rachel’s garden. 

Buck is recovering from a bullet wound and bruised ribs, and now a broken heart. After Jane announced her intent with Cody, Buck hasn’t had any reason to hurry his healing process except maybe to help out Kid around the ranch. 

Buck lie tossing and turning in his bed, but no matter how comfortable he gets himself thoughts of Jane keep entering his mind. Today he had tried leaving the security of his bedroom only to immediately be confronted by Jane as she walked down the stairs ready for a full day of teaching. 
She had torn at Buck’s heart a week before, and the guilty appearance on her face doesn’t sit well with Buck. Jane had meant to hurt him, and if she is having a difficult time dealing with all the pain she has caused, then Buck figures she should move off the ranch. 

Jane had noticed the hurt in Buck’s dark eyes over her astounding declaration that his Indian blood 
is a part of him that she can’t tolerate. Buck could only sense that Jane was simply feeling bad that she had to hurt him in the way that she did. Jane knows perfectly well that Buck’s heritage has always been a sensitive area for him.

Buck wonders if there is some purpose that Jane had been brought back into his life after seven years only to have her taken away from him again by her own doing. Why had Jane been so explicit to him on what she wanted? On many occasions Jane had been all over him, and he had held back. Why? Teaspoon had even told Buck that while he was unconscious that Jane had stayed with him all day and every night. No one could convince Jane to go back to the ranch and get a good nights rest. She had been determined to stay with him, willing him to live another day. What had changed 
between them? Does she really hate him as much as her words are telling Buck so?

After their morning run in with one another, later in the day Buck had been sitting on Rachel’s porch when Cody and Jane rode onto the ranch in a buckboard. Buck watched as Cody lifted Jane from the buckboard, and then hand in hand the two of them walked into the bunkhouse. It seemed to Buck 
that Cody had brought Jane home for a quick lunch and whatever else he so desired. Buck didn’t want to witness their happiness as they strolled out of the bunkhouse to head back into Rock Creek. He slowly got up from the chair, and walked quietly into the house.

Buck simply can’t make his mind and body relax into a quiet slumber. He is haunted every night by Jane’s presence. The feel of Jane’s soft skin torments him when he had held her in his arms. He is tormented by the smell of her whenever their bodies had been close. He is tormented by the sight of her and all the passion she has for life. Buck is tormented whenever he lays eyes on Jane tangled in an embrace with Cody! He is so overwhelmed when he sees the two of them together that he has nearly broke down in front of her. He can never allow her to see just how much her being with Cody tears at his emotions.

Buck stares out at the moonlight. The bright light looks so beautiful that he decides it will have a calming affect on his shattered nerves. Buck gets out of bed clad in long johns, and makes his way over to the door in his bedroom that leads outside to Rachel’s garden. 

Jane quietly opens the door to her bedroom. She is arriving home late from Rock Creek where Cody had insisted on dinner before returning to the ranch. Then insisted on making love, but Jane couldn’t allow love to happen between them. Jane simply has no desire to make love to Cody, and she 
doesn’t see those feelings ever changing.

Once inside the security of her bedroom, Jane quickly removes her clothing and slips into a white nightgown that leaves nothing for the imagination of any man. She exhaustingly relaxes her weary body onto her bed and promptly begins to think about Cody and Buck. 

With the moonlight shimmering so luminous in the pitch-black sky, she would have thought Cody’s attempt at romancing her would have been inviting to her. Instead, Jane felt impure as Cody’s hands roamed over her body before she told him to stop! She had tried with Cody to muster up the same passion that Buck could bring out in her just simply by looking at her. Cody hadn’t wanted to stop what he was feeling. Cody wanted to make love to her. She figures that Cody would easily remove 
his clothes a lot quicker than Buck had attempted to remove his. Jane smiles warmly at the thought 
of Buck’s uneasiness with women. Why had Buck been apprehensive about their making love? Did he ever really want her? Of course Buck wanted her. During their many unsatisfied encounters she had felt the changes in his body letting her know that he desired her. 

Jane leaves out a heavy sigh. “There is simply no use in my staying in this bed. If only sleep would overtake my shameless promiscuous thoughts of Buck,” Jane spoke quietly to only her. Jane throws back her blankets to reveal the thin nightgown that clings to every womanly curve of her body. 

Jane stumbles out of bed and leaves the security of her bedroom.

Buck gazes up at the tall trees that surround him as he sits on a wood bench out in the middle of Rachel’s garden. The autumn flowers and the tree’s bounteous leaves of brilliant red, shimmering gold, and bright orange have settled his frazzled nerves for the time being. 

The chill in the autumn air causes Buck to shiver slightly. He didn’t even think about putting clothes on over his long johns before venturing out into the cool night air. The last thing he would want to happen would be for him to get sick putting an abrupt halt on his recovery. Buck slowly gets up from the bench and heads towards the house.

Jane comes rushing out the back living room door into Rachel’s garden! The cool air hits her bare arms causing her to shudder and curse herself for not throwing her robe on over her nightgown. She crosses her arms over her chest and begins to rub each arm with her hands hoping to rid the goosebumps that have invaded her skin.

For a second Jane thinks about returning to the warmth of her bed, but decides that the cool air will help reduce the passion that her body is feeling whenever she allows her mind to wonder back to all the heated moments she had shared with Buck in his arms!

Jane walks further into the depths of the garden. Her mind actually ventures away from thoughts of making love to Buck, and she takes in the beauty of the vibrant autumn colors that cry out for romance and passion! Jane scolds her mind for associating everything in her life with the passion 
that she feels for Buck. Why can’t I get him out of mind? Why won’t he leave my heart alone?

Jane takes her eyes off the beauty of her surrounding and halts her progression further into the garden. Her eyes soften and her breath quickens and comes out in gasps as she stands face to face with the man that she loves!

Buck is stunned to see Jane standing in Rachel’s garden before him clad only in her nightgown that 
is having an effect on Buck’s eyes wanting to roam all over her! The hurt that Jane has caused him keeps his mind focused enough that his desire for her doesn’t totally invade his mind and body.

For a moment that seems to last forever, the two are silent with one another. Jane can’t stand to 
look at the hurt in his dark ebony eyes that was put there by her, when she had told him that he no longer meant anything to her.

Jane allows her eyes to gaze down his body! The thought that he is only clad in long johns does nothing to help keep her mind from thinking about the two of them making love in the middle of this garden under the moonlight! Her eyes search out his eyes. She must keep focused on his face. Perhaps then her body will stop aching for Buck to take her in his arms and make love to her!

“You’re up kind of late. Is your wound bothering you?” Jane asked hoping to divert her brazen eyes from undressing him.

Buck isn’t too sure that he can talk to Jane. He feels so vulnerable and afraid that he might lose his emotions with her being so close to him. 

He has to answer Jane’s question. He doesn’t want her to think that he won’t talk to her simply because they are no longer romantically involved with one another. After all, the two of them had been friends long before love entered either one of their minds and hearts.

“It isn’t my wound that keeps me awake at night. What keeps me awake are thoughts of you,” Buck spoke choking back the emotion that he feels in his voice. His eyes begin to mist over with tears, 
and he can’t seem to halt the trembling of his lower lip. He just prays silently that the bright moonlight doesn’t give away to Jane the state his emotions are in.

Jane is so in tune with this man’s emotions. She had witnesses the hurt overflowing in his eyes 
before he had uttered one word to her. She so desperately wants to reach out to him, and take away all the pain that she is causing him to feel and endure. Jane takes a step toward Buck!

Her step toward him, gives Buck the message that she isn’t as repulsed by his Indian bloodline as much as she had claimed. 

Buck starts to approach Jane very slowly. He isn’t too sure he should lay his heart out in the open 
for her to stomp on again. He senses that there is more going on with Jane ending their relationship that what she is saying. If he doesn’t take a chance he may never know what is really going on in Jane’s heart. 

At first with every step that Buck takes toward her, Jane takes a step away from him. She needs to keep a reasonable amount of distance between them. A reasonable amount of distance to Jane 
means a distance where she can’t simply reach out and touch him! 

She wants to feel fear with his every approach toward her so that her mind will tell her throat to scream out at him to stay away from her! But, soon Jane discovers that his body is only inches from hers, and that she has made no further attempts to distance her body from his! With all her senses screaming out at her to close the barrier between them, Jane inches her body closer to his. 

Jane’s close proximity to him sends all his senses reeling feverishly. Buck isn’t too sure what he should do next. In his mind, his not knowing what to do next is what helped cause the demise of their relationship. He should just do whatever his heart and mind is telling him to do. His mind is telling 
him that he wants this woman. That he desperately wants to make love to her. His heart is telling 
him that he loves her and that he’ll never love any other woman as much as he loves her. Could it all be his fault because he was apprehensive about the two of them making love?

Buck takes his hand and places it on the nape of her neck. With his other trembling hand he reaches up to the soft creamy white skin of her face and gently caresses her cheek as he lowers his mouth to cover her lips that are eagerly awaiting an assault from him! 

Jane wraps her arms around Buck so tightly that she is almost certain nothing or anyone could pry the two of them apart! She allows Buck to kiss her breathless. All thoughts of Cody and being honorable to him have completely left her mind. Her mind, soul, heart and body are crying out in a demanding way with her body pressed tautly against Buck’s for him to love her!

Buck slowly pulls his mouth from her swollen lips to look into Jane’s eyes. He needs to feel secure 
in that he has her permission to continue with what he is doing to her. Jane’s eyes only give away the desire she feels for Buck.

“Dance with me,” Jane spoke softly.

Buck envelopes Jane in his arms and buries his face in her velvety hair. He leads her slowly through the garden as they dance to the gentle sounds of the whispering leaves, the near silent singing of a few birds that have yet to leave before winter hits, and the spirited beating of their hearts. 

Jane is all too aware of the intense hold that Buck has on her. The thin fabric of her nightgown 
allows her to feel the heat from his hand as he touches her! Oh, how she yearns for Buck to caress her bare skin! Jane melts tautly into his body and he responds to her with a soft moan.

Buck holds Jane tightly with the intent of never letting her go. Buck wants Jane back in his life. He needs her in his life, and he is finding it extremely difficult to face life without Jane.

Jane suddenly halts their dance. She searches out the look of desire in his eyes, but Jane also sees 
a tremendous amount of pain and fear in his eyes. She can silently admit that she loves him deeply, and she wants to take away all the pain she has caused him and put his fears to rest that she will never hurt him again. She reaches up to his mouth with her lips and regenerates the passionate kissing between them.

Jane presses her body tautly against his as Buck deepens the heated kiss between them. 

The thinness of Jane’s nightgown tempts Buck to touch Jane’s body in places he hasn’t allowed himself the pleasure of touching before this moment. He knows that Jane can feel what she is doing 
to his body!

Jane feels the need deep inside her to touch his body in places that she hasn’t explored yet! She brings her one hand down from around his neck and places it flatly against his chest. It pleases Jane that Buck’s heart is beating out of control with desire for her! She wants to touch his bare skin, and she silently curses the clothing between them!

Jane brings her hands slowly down to his hips. She pushes his body tightly to hers causing Buck to moan loudly. She has assaulted his body so many times in the past couple of months without the presence of any lovemaking. Jane is sure that Buck’s body is screaming out for the pleasure she 
can give him.

Suddenly Buck stops the onslaught of passion Jane is aggressively bestowing onto him. He tenderly takes Jane’s hand and leads her towards the door that opens up to his downstairs bedroom!

Jane feels her body start to tremble! There is no one to stop what is happening between them! There is no one to interrupt their lovemaking! Jane begs her mind to stop the feelings that she is having for Buck. But, even Jane can’t stop what is going to happen between them! She really doesn’t want to stop what is going to happen. She has waited too long for Buck to be aggressive, and lead her to his bedroom!

Buck quietly shuts his bedroom door that leads to the outside world. He pulls Jane gently to him and begins to kiss her already swollen red lips. Her immediate response to his kisses causes him to deepen the kiss as he backs her up to his bed! 

When Jane becomes breathless from his smoldering kisses, she briefly pulls away from him, but 
only to make damn sure that Buck doesn’t pull back from loving her. She initiates the removal of what little clothing their bodies are shielded by. Jane reaches for the bottom of Buck’s long john top. She pulls it off over his head, and Buck is more than willing to let her do so. Jane tosses the garment to the floor. 

Jane’s gaze falls back onto Buck. In the darkness of his bedroom with the moonlight shimmering through the windows, Jane has a full view of Buck’s bandaged chest and exactly what that bandaged chest means to her in the way of Jane almost losing Buck to an outlaw’s gun. She pulls away from Buck as if she has been burnt! All her senses come rushing back to her telling her that she can’t be alone in this bedroom with him. That by making love to him she will commit to him until the day some outlaw shoots him down. 

Buck takes a strong hold onto Jane’s forearm, and forces Jane to turn around and look at him. Buck decides to lay his feelings on the line in hope that Jane will respond to them with her own feelings of love for him.

“I love you. Please tell me you feel the same for me,” Buck spoke softly almost afraid to speak for fear of losing his emotions.

“I shouldn’t be here with you. I’m with Cody now,” Jane spoke not looking up into the hurt that is overflowing in Buck’s dark eyes.

Buck shakes Jane gently. “Look at me Jane, and tell me that I mean nothing to you. If you can do that, I’ll never bother you again.”

Jane raises her eyes to look into Buck’s eyes. She sees the pain already overflowing in them. She does truly love him more than life itself, but she can’t bear the thought of losing him. “I want you to leave me alone. I love Cody, and I’m going to stay with Cody,” Jane spoke adamantly as she pulls away from him and walks out of his bedroom and his life.

He has allowed Jane to hurt him all over again. Jane left his embrace and tore out of his bedroom without glancing back. Buck turns and walks over to the windows facing the garden. Perhaps he should have never ventured out into the garden. Instead of relaxing his rattled nerves, the garden 
has left him feeling very much alone. He brings his hand up to his face to wipe away the few tears 
that have escaped from his eyes. 

“Good-bye Jane.”