He wasn't sleep. No, he wasn't sleep and hadn't been sleep all night. It didn't surprise him at all to see the sunlight dimly creeping into their bedroom. Suddenly it was theirs and not hers. Creeley couldn't remember when he started thinking like this? It was before he finally broke down and kissed those full lips he'd been dying to kiss for weeks he was sure. It might had started when she saved his neck from the Black Legion by way of Barryman.

No, he couldn't pinpoint the exact moment he started envisioning her as his other half, and hers and his became theirs, but he could damn sure pinpoint when the spark that had him falling for her so hard was ignited.

Damn his hide for buying that stupid yellow dress. If they both wanted to be honest, he knew that was the moment that changed her feelings for him as well. That one moment changed both their lives and now he was hell bent on keeping this woman curled up in his arms safe.

He was hell bent on getting her out of this brothel and into that house she'd been dreaming about. God willing he'd also be lucky enough to be there right alongside her.

Creeley gingerly moved his arm from under her head and sat up in bed. Bessie cried, herself to sleep and he knew it was his fault. The things he'd said to her, the way he pushed her out the room. Even though he knew she had to know in her heart he had to say them. Words hurt all the same. Yet he'd do it again to keep her from Duvall.

A grin spread across his face at the thought of Eggers Hyde. He only wished that bastard Duvall had let him shoot him instead.

What did he even know about Duvall. Nothing beside the information Bessie unearthed. At least with Eggers Hyde he'd been around that rat enough to know what he was about. No matter. He would find a way out of this. He would use all that money they threw at him for killing and find away to get his freedom and give Bessie her dreams.

"Did you sleep at all?" Bessie asked reaching out to him tentatively. When Creeley looked down at her and linked his fingers with her Bessie let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Sure, she knew he must feel something for her, but it was hard to believe it was real. He was real and wanted her.

Creeley saw the genuine concern on her beautiful face but wouldn't lie. They didn't do that with one another. "No. Not a wink" He replied softly.

Bessie's gave him a weak smile and slipped out of bed. He looked worn and tired and last night he'd shown her the softer side of him. He held her hand tightly as she started to cry and listened as she told him how scared she had been thinking she'd never see him again. That he was dead. Then he wrapped his arms around her when she sobbed harder. He held her while he cried. Never in her life had anyone been there for her like this. He stroked her hair and told her he was sorry. He listened to her tell him the truth about her mother and he held her even tighter then until she had exhausted herself and fell asleep.

Looking at him she noted the weary eyes and slumped shoulders. The new scar forming and his side and hurt even more for him. Squinting a little as she looked at the sun making its presence known through her window she wondered when was the last time he ate. "Are you hungry?"

"You cook?" Creeley laughed.

"I'm a girl of many talents. Lay down and try to rest a bit, I'll fix you something up." Bessie headed to her closet and the stopped short. Instead turning around and reaching for the suitcase at the end of their bed and opening it snagging a thin robe to help ward of this chill in the air. "I better get all this back." She said a sigh in her voice.

"Nah best let them stay."

"Why?"

"Because your looking at a man with a new job and a lot more money. We aint staying in this room another day."

Bessie stared at Creeley confused. "New job?"

"New job, new girl."

"New girl." Bessie questioned a smile playing at her lips. "Can I assume I am the new girl."

"With all them smarts of yours I'd think you'd be able to do more than assume."

At this Bessie flat out laughed before making her way to him and kissing him with all she had. When she finally managed to pull away she asked. "How are we going to get out of this?"

"You're the smartest person I know. I am a damn good gunslinger, together I'm sure we can get the hell out this mess and Holden Iowa." Creeley eyes dropped down to those perfect full lips and again captured them with his own. He didn't have the will nor the want to resist them. He needed this.

Creeley lazily drew lines up and down her spin and marveled at satin feel of her skin when he reached the exposed flesh of her lower back. Bessie leaned into him even more when he trailed kisses down the side of her neck and he nipped her there. This won him the sweetest moan he'd ever heard.

It was in that moment he realized how Seth must have felt for Cynthia Raney. How her death could have drove him to do what he did. Because if he ever lost Bessie he would go crazy.

How feel so deeply for this woman, how could that happen in a few short weeks. He was a man that knew the reality of feeling anything. Hardened himself so that he never would. And now he cared for her more than he cared for anyone or anything. It was both frightening and exciting.

Bessie felt herself drifting away into heaven from the feel of Creeley's lips against her skin and gingerly placed her hands on the sides of his face bringing his lips back to hers. In-between slow kisses she managed to breath out. "We are crazy you know."

Yes, he knew. Placing a kiss to her forehead Creeley gave her a soft smack on the behind. "I thought you were fixing me something to eat."