Softly he whispered her name again 'Elizabeth' but it was clear she had fallen asleep as he spoke about his dream for the future, a future that he hoped, prayed and dreamed she would be part of, sure they hadn't had the best of starts, he was annoyed his dream of fighting the good fight in a big city town had been interrupted when he was forced to come to this small town to take care of a rich heiress instead of chasing gun runners in the north, but somewhere along the way, maybe even after that first meeting he knew that he now had a new purpose in life and that purpose was sleeping soundly next to him, her head softly placed on his right shoulder as he looked at the fire crackling gently in front of them, he could feel her gently breathing as she slept, he didn't want to disturb her but he knew that at this early stage in the blossoming relationship he had to move.
Gently he shifted his weight to the side slowly moving the pillow from her lap to behind him, he felt her stir gently as he moved, hoping and praying he wouldn't wake her, or maybe he did want to, if she would wake he would tell her everything that was going through his head, he would tell her his wish and dream again and that all he wanted was for her to be the loved one he was curled up with by the fire, but now was not the time, she was exhausted, the homestead had been hard for her, but he couldn't be more proud of how well she had coped with everything, she may have been a city girl but she was now a true Hope Valley girl, not that he cared it was her he loved not the way she was raised.
Letting her head slowly lower to the pillow he brushed the curl away that had fallen from her face, it took all his willpower not to kiss her as he gently lay the blanket from the back of the sofa over her making sure she would be warm tonight, standing he never took his eyes from her as he walked towards the door, making sure not to make a noise and disturb her, taking one last glance Jack headed to the barn knowing that one day soon he wouldn't be leaving her, he would be curled up with her in their own home.
