As if sensing her worry, he said, “Being a marshal is more than going after criminals. There are the boring aspects of paying bounty hunters and attending to matters of the court.”
Olivia knew it was selfish, but she wished they would give him such boring jobs, not only to keep him safe but in Ruby Rock as well.
A blush crept up her face at her thoughts. She didn’t know why she was allowing herself to get worked up over something beyond her control.
Olivia stifled a rueful sigh when she saw the houses ahead. It signified that her walk with Adam was at an end. Stephen’s ranch was situated at the corner of the trail. She could only wish that he would stay during her visit and walk her back into the town.
Olivia’s eyes widened when Adam suddenly paused before a bed of sunflowers. She watched with slightly parted lips as he plucked two flowers from their stems.
Her face turned a rosy hue when Adam reached out and placed one of the flowers in her hair.
“Although the flower is beautiful, it can’t be compared to you.”
Olivia’s heart thudded against her chest as warmth spread through her body.
“Thank you for your kind words,” she managed to say in a choked voice.
With a bright smile plastered on his handsome face, he handed her the other flower.
“Thank you,” Olivia said in a voice she barely recognized.
Why was Adam fond of doing things that totally blew her mind? First, it was an unexpected picnic, and now he gave her flowers and complimented her on her beauty.
Just when she thought she had figured him out, he shocked her. But if Adam could be so sweet, why hadn’t he proposed a courtship between them?
She wasn’t knowledgeable in such matters but with the Cheyennes, a man didn’t do such things without having an interest in the maiden. He would already have made his intentions known before doing such things.
Perhaps Adam was the kind of man who took his time to develop a relationship before making it formal. Who knew?
Dear God, please help me not to make a cake of myself. I can’t stop smiling like a ninny.
“Olivia, I listened in on one of your lessons with the children a short while ago.”
She gasped. “Really?”
His grin widened. “Yes. I didn’t want to disturb the lesson. You taught them about Esther.”
Olivia’s forehead creased and then she smiled as she remembered the lesson that elicited many questions from the children.
“You were wonderful in the way you taught them. I admired how patient you were with them and answered all their questions. My own Sunday school teacher would have snapped at us or taken a twig to us if we dared asked such questions. Sometimes she told us the devil sent us to torment her with questions.”
Olivia burst into startled laughter. “That was wrong of her. Children are naturally inquisitive.”
“Not to her.” He laughed. “Anyway, as I was saying, you’re doing an excellent job taking care of the orphans. I’m glad you took up the challenge despite what happened to you.”
Olivia’s face glowed at Adam’s praises. She liked that he had listened to her teach the children. Possibly she was mistaken about him not believing in God. If he could stomach paying attention to her talking about God, then surely he wasn’t averse to their creator. Maybe he just wasn’t as passionate as she was.
She opened her mouth to ask him, but bit down on her bottom lip to keep from saying anything. She didn’t want to appear rude.
“Thank you. It was the least I could do,” she replied.
“And you do it very well,” he repeated.
Nodding, she remarked, “You do your own job very well, too. I can’t help but admire your resilience in seeking justice for people from another tribe.”
“The motto of marshals is justice, integrity, and service. I’m only doing my job.”
“I know and I applaud you for it.”
