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Eden considered the wet boards, the shattered pitcher, and the man who had known her name. “I suppose I could have tried.”

“Don’t joke.”

“I’m not certain I can help it just now.”

That earned the faintest change in his expression.

She leaned closer. “I stayed because I wanted to help you. And because, when Crowley came through that door, I was frightened for you.”

Jesse’s hold tightened. “I was frightened for you.”

It was the first time he’d said it so plainly. He didn’t make it a command or disguise it in a joke.

She ran her thumb lightly over his knuckles. “Then we’re agreed.”

“On what?”

“That we’d prefer neither of us meet Mr. Crowley again.”

“Strong preference.”

She smiled. This time it came easily.

Jesse studied her for a moment. “Eden.”

“Yes?”

“When I can take you riding, I’m choosing a road without outlaws.”

“Buck may have opinions about that.”

“He usually does.”

“And you promised to teach me.”

“I remember.” His gaze lingered on her face. “Planning to keep that promise.”

Eden held his hand while the afternoon light broke through the clouds and fell across the ruined room. The broken pitcher could be swept up. Whit had Crowley in custody. There would be questions to answer, and whatever Rusk intended was far from finished.

For now, Jesse was looking at her as though their ride together mattered every bit as much as the news from the front room.

She found it mattered to her, too.

Chapter Sixteen

Jesse had expected Crowley’s capture to bring him some peace.

Instead, he lay awake listening for another door to break open.

The clinic had quieted since Whit hauled the man away. Someone had swept up the broken pitcher. The back door had a new bar across it. Jesse could still picture Eden standing between his bed and Crowley, one hand gripping a chair, determined to make trouble for a man twice her size.

He should have been frightened for her. He was, but he was proud of her, too.

Eden sat by the window with their novel open, a folded shawl over her knees. She’d been on the same page for ten minutes.

“You can turn it,” Jesse said.

“Turn what?”