Ellie had taken the small loft above the main cabin.
Near midnight, she woke.
A sound below.
She sat up.
Another sound.
A chair scraping.
Ellie grabbed her robe and hurried downstairs.
Jasper stood near the table.
Shirtless.
Bandages visible.
One hand braced against the wall.
“What in God’s name are you doing?”
He turned.
“Water.”
“There is a pitcher beside your bed.”
“Empty.”
“Then call me.”
“You were sleeping.”
“That is not a medical emergency.”
Jasper took a step.
His knees trembled.
Ellie crossed the room.
He raised a hand.
“I can do it.”
“I know.”
Jasper blinked.
That was not the argument he expected.
Ellie stopped in front of him.
“You can do it.”
She lowered her voice.
“You don’t need to.”
His face changed.
Ellie held out one hand.
“Come on.”
Jasper looked at it.
Then placed his hand in hers.
She guided him toward the bed.
Halfway there, he stopped.
Ellie looked up.
“What?”
He was very close.
Closer than he had been before.
His body radiated heat.
Not fever now.
Simply him.
Jasper’s gaze dropped briefly to her mouth.
Then returned to her eyes.
Ellie felt it.
The moment.
Something alive.
Something dangerous only because she wanted it.
Jasper’s voice roughened.
“Ellie.”
“Yes?”
He lifted one hand.
Stopped.
“May I?”
She knew what he meant.
Her pulse hammered.
“No.”
His hand immediately lowered.
Ellie blinked.
That was it.
No wounded expression.
No persuasion.
No embarrassment turned into anger.
Jasper simply nodded.
“All right.”
The ease of it almost hurt.
Ellie helped him into bed.
She adjusted the blanket.
Then turned toward the door.
“Ellie.”
She looked back.
“Did I scare you?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
She should not have answered.
Instead she did.
“Because I wanted to say yes.”
Jasper went very still.
Ellie continued.
“And I don’t trust wanting something this quickly.”
He nodded.
“That makes sense.”
She stared at him.
“You are unusually reasonable for someone who tried to walk across a cabin with torn ribs.”
“Different problem.”
Ellie smiled despite herself.
“Sleep.”
“Yes, nurse.”
She returned upstairs.
And lay awake for almost an hour thinking about the fact that Jasper Cain had accepted no faster than most men accepted yes.
Samuel returned the next afternoon.
He carried flour.
Coffee.
Fresh bandages.
Mail.
And gossip.
“A whole lot of town thinks you’re dead.”
Ellie looked up from the table.
“Me?”
“You and Jasper.”
Jasper, sitting near the stove, raised an eyebrow.
Samuel nodded.
“Sheriff says no woman your size could survive the trail.”
Ellie slowly put down her spoon.
Jasper’s face changed.
Samuel noticed.
“Don’t kill him.”
“I’m healing.”
“Good.”
“Then I’ll wait.”
Ellie pointed at Jasper.
“No violence.”
His eyes stayed on Samuel.
“Can I dislike him?”
“Yes.”