Promises: Promises Prevail Part 46

"I suppose so." Mark frowned, but he didn't have any argument for the truth.

The smile he put on his face was forced. "Mind if I ride in with you?"

"Yes."

"Planning on a little horse sport?" Mark's smile turned lecherous. He tried to peer around Clint's shoulder.

Clint kneed Ornery to keep Jenna hidden, while observing, "You always were an ill-mannered son of a b.i.t.c.h."

"And you always were a selfish b.a.s.t.a.r.d, keeping all the good wh.o.r.es to yourself."

Clint wanted to bury his fist in the other man's smirk.

As if sensing his mood, Danny snarled and lunged at the chestnut's hooves.

"G.o.dd.a.m.n it!" Mark cursed, trying to rein in the terrified horse. "Call off your dog, or I'll shoot him."

"I wouldn't." Clint raised the muzzle of his rifle.

Behind him, Jenna tensed. She was afraid of the son of a b.i.t.c.h. He didn't know why, but he would. And then, if necessary, he'd gut him like the pig he was. "However, if you move it along, Danny might see fit to leave you be."Mark hauled back on the reins, causing the bit to cut into the horse's mouth. The chestnut reared and spun.

Clint wasn't surprised when the horse took off under a gouge of spurs. Dougherty had always been a bully.

When Mark was a blur in the distance, Jenna relaxed, slumping against his spine.

"For a woman who couldn't shoot, you sure were ready to plug Mark." Clint removed the revolver from her hand, and eased the hammer back into place.

"I don't like him."

"So I gathered."

"You can't trust him."

"I never have, but I'm more interested in why he terrifies you."

"He doesn't terrify me."

"Worries you, then."

"He's a bully."

"Has he ever bullied you?" There was a little too much lag before her "no" to be believable. "C'mon back up here, Suns.h.i.+ne."

He felt the shake of her head rather than saw it.

"Are you telling me no?" Her nod was emphatic.

"It's only ten minutes to the house, Suns.h.i.+ne."

"I know."

"You're only adding to that beating you've gotcoming." He pried her fingers loose from the folds of his jacket. Her hand jerked in his. He kissed her fingers.

"I can't talk about it."

"You will."

"Not tonight."

"Why not?"

"Because you promised me something better."

"So I did." He smiled, tickling her palm with his tongue, enjoying the press of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s on his back as she took a steadying breath. He waited until she rested in relief against him, before adding, "But I'm not going to forget the other."

He hadn't earned his reputation by giving up.

Chapter Twenty-Two.

Jenna ladled stew into the last bowl. The tension in the small kitchen was thick enough to cut with a knife.

When she turned, Gray was glaring at Clint, who was bouncing Bri on his knee and ignoring the boy in that complete way that added sparks to Gray's resentment.

Her stomach churned. She had to do something about this.

She held out the bowl. "Gray, could you please take this."

The boy sat and stared at his utensils as if he hadn't heard. Clint frowned. She quickly brought it to the table and set it in front of him.

Gray centered it with a shove. Broth sloshed over the side. Jenna wiped up the spill with the towel, but Gray didn't even glance her way.

Jenna angled her body so that she blocked Clint's view.

"I'm sorry, Gray." She took his grunt as a response.

"You don't have anything to apologize for," Clint pointed out from behind her.She ignored him and focused on Gray. "I had no right to put you in the middle like that."

"You didn't put him anywhere. The boy made his own choices." The tightness in his tone indicated that he wasn't pleased with either of them.

Gray had made those choices to protect her. Jenna understood that even if Clint couldn't. She kept talking to Gray as if Clint wasn't behind her putting in his two cents.

"In the future, I don't want you to ever go against your father. Even to protect me." She touched Gray's shoulder. He glared at her and jumped up, knocking over his chair. She flinched from the disgust in his eyes.

Bri started to cry.

Clint hushed her with soft talk and a knuckle to chew on.

"He hates me." Jenna sighed as the door slammed behind Gray.

"He doesn't hate you, Suns.h.i.+ne. Clint sighed. "He's just mad because he can't go over and work toward that horse he wants."

"You were too hard on him."

"He risked your life."

"He thought he was protecting me."

"He thought wrong.""Couldn't you just-"

"No." He patted Bri's back with the softest of touches, but his eyes were hard as they met hers. "He can't come between us, Jenna, and he can't endanger you, Bri, or himself by being a wild card."

"But he's new here, Clint."

"The sooner he learns, the sooner he'll settle."

"His supper is getting cold." Jenna touched Gray's bowl. He was so thin.

"He'll come in when he's hungry."

"He's too proud." Jenna looked out the window. All she could see was the reflection of the oil lamp. Gray didn't even have his coat.

"Doesn't the Bible say something about pride going before the fall?"

"Pride is all he has."

"Would it make you feel better if I went and talked to him?"

"Yes." She had great faith that Clint's heart would soften if he spent time with the boy.

"Take Bri then." Jenna eased Bri off his shoulder. As always, it didn't matter how careful she was, Clint was Bri's favorite person in the whole world and she never left him willingly. Clint kissed her lips as Bri wailed in her ear. "The boy isn't going to thank me for this."She found her voice. "But I will."

"I'm counting on it." He nodded and shrugged into his coat, grabbing Gray's off the adjoining hook.* * * * *

Gray hadn't gone far. He was sitting on the far corner of the porch. In the light spilling out from the window, Clint could see him rubbing his arms. Clint made his next step heavy, giving the boy warning. Gray immediately sat up straight and dropped his hands.

"Your mother's worried about you." He handed the boy his coat.

"She's not my mother," he growled, shrugging into the heavy wool.

"Do me a favor son, and don't ever say that to her directly. Even if you feel it." Clint pulled his makings out of his pocket.

"Or you'll beat me?"

"Worse son, she'll cry." He sprinkled tobacco onto the paper.

"Women always cry."

"Not my woman." Clint had to give the boy credit.

He had his sneer down to an art form. Still, he was going to have to debate the point. He licked the side edge of the paper to seal it before twisting the ends. "I like my woman happy and content.""A man should not fear a woman's tears."

"He shouldn't go courting them either." Clint struck the sulfur.

The boy had the grace to flinch and looked through the window. Clint followed the trajectory of his gaze. It led straight to where Jenna sat at the table, toying with the rim of a plate, her expression heavy with worry. As he watched, she bit her lip, and a tear slid down her cheek. He took a drag on his cigarette, his insides twisting at the sight. d.a.m.n he liked her smile better.

"I want to thank you for bringing Bri to her."

"I knew she would not turn her away."

"No, she wouldn't." Clint took another drag, blowing the smoke out in a lazy stream. "I also want to thank you for not kicking up a fuss when she claimed you, too."

"It wasn't necessary." Clint looked the boy over, from his lean frame to his too-old eyes. If anyone needed Jenna's warmth, it was this hard-edged boy.

"I know that, just like I know her fussing annoys you, but she has her heart set on you being her son, and she's just treating you the way she would her own."

"It's not bad when she's cooking me something."

Gray shoved his hands into his pockets.

"She does know her way around an oven," Clint chuckled."I didn't ask her to talk to you." Gray cut him a glance.

Now there was a loaded opening.

"I never thought you did." He flicked the half smoked cigarette into the dirt. He was doing better with his quitting.

"She shouldn't have done it," Gray muttered.

"Son, she can't help wanting to protect you anymore than you could help wanting to protect her."

"You won't beat her?" Gray rubbed Danny's ear as if the answer didn't interest him much.

"I hadn't planned on it. Especially now that I've got you and Danny dead-set against the idea." Clint figured it wasn't a good plan to let the boy know he'd threatened her with it. For all his nonchalance, the kid was a keg of dynamite ready to explode.

"It would break her spirit if you beat her."

"She's stronger than you know."

Gray shook his head. "She would shatter under your hand." He turned those too-old, too-wise eyes on Clint, suddenly looking all man. "She loves you."

"She thinks she does."

It was an unsettling experience to be pitied by a kid, even if it was only with a look.

"If you are ever so foolish as to hurt her, I will killyou."