Give My Love to Rose(1st in Outlaw Series)

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

"What took the two of you so long?" Rose asked as they pulled up to the house. "I was getting worried."

"We had business to take care of," Langley replied, clutching his sack and disappearing quickly inside.

"What kind of business?" Rose asked Marston but he just shrugged and removed his saddlebags from the cart.

"Man business," he said, pressing a tender kiss to her brow as he stepped onto the porch. "You were supposed to be resting."

"I have been," Rose promised. Marston let his gaze roam across her body. She had showered and her red hair showed evidence of that as it hung in damn curls down her back. She was wearing the blue checked dress with a lower neckline that gave him a good view of that mole on her collarbone. It was his favorite dress.

"You look beautiful," he whispered.

She flushed red. "Did I look that terrible before?"

Marston laughed. "I'm not gonna dignify that question with an answer."

Rose wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned her body into his chest to hide her blush from him. "Did you send the money to the bank?"

"Yep," Marston replied quickly.

Rose pulled away and studied him closely. "Something's wrong," she firmly stated.

Marston's brow rose. "What?"

"I don't know," Rose admitted. "But something happened while you were gone—something to do with that money. What happened?"

"What makes you think something happened?"

"Don't lie to me," Rose snapped. "I can't tell when I look at you that something is wrong."

"How can you tell?" Marston grumbled. He had always prided himself on his ability to hide emotions and lie well.

Rose glared up at him and put her hands on her soft hips. "I can see it in your eyes, Marston, so you might as well tell me."

"You're the first person to ever be able to read something I want to keep hidden," Marston complained.

Rose smiled. "That's good. You're not supposed to keep secrets from your woman. Now tell me."

Marston stooped low and kissed her ear, causing Rose's legs to very nearly buckle. "My woman? I like the sound of that."

Rose squirmed out of his grasp. "Stop trying to change the subject, Marston."

He sighed and sat down in the rocking chair, grabbing her by the hips and pulling her down onto his lap. She shook her head. "You really are trusting this chair more than you should," she warned as it creaked and moaned beneath them.

"If it breaks I'll catch you."

Rose feigned breathlessness. "My hero... now what happened in town?"

Marston's smile quickly became a frown. "I sent your payment and a letter directly to the bank in Millerton and they sent it back. Apparently your account has been paid in full for nearly four years and Winston Meade has not worked for them for a while."

Rose couldn't believe what she was hearing. Surely there must have been a mistake! "But I've been sending payments directly to Winston Meade! Not to mention the times that he's come here demanding money and I've given him what little I had..."