Every Little Thing About You

  to be argued with. Liberty obeyed automatically. "Stay

  put!" was the next order before Slater started up the ladder.

  Liberty stood in shock. It took her a moment to realize she

  was not up there to take care of Griffin. Would Slater really

  know what to do? All cowboys carried guns, and she had

  originally found Slater with one, but did that mean he

  knew how to use it? In the next moment more shouting

  came to Liberty's ears, and without thought she climbed

  the ladder. She had just reached the top when she heard

  Griffin's voice.

  "I've got him, Slater. Do you have the whip?"

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  "Yes. How do we get him down that ladder?"

  "We don't There's a stairway at the back here."

  Liberty stepped across the roof then, and both men

  spotted her.

  "We've got him, Lib," was all Griffin had to say.

  "Good."

  Slater, on the other hand, was speechless. He could not

  believe she'd come up that ladder. He opened his mouth to

  say something but closed it again. Now was not the time.

  They had a drunk to put in jail, but in his mind, the incident

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  was not over.

  '3' Sr

  "I take it Leonard's moved into town, since he's still

  here?" Liberty asked Griffin.

  "Smiley tells me that he lives out a ways, but when he

  gets lonely, he brings his whip to town for a drink."

  "Smiley needs to get smart and have his bouncer take

  the whip away from Leonard while he's still in his right

  mind."

  "I'll have to tell him," Griffin said. "In fact, I need to

  head over there right now and confirm what happened.

  Can you stay here for about 30 minutes?"

  "Sure."

  "All right. Thanks for your help, Slater. I'll be back long

  enough to check on him and then I'll come home."

  "All right."

  Both Liberty and Slater watched Griffin leave. Liberty

  walked to the cell and looked in to where Leonard was

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  sleeping off his bottle before turning back to Slater. His

  look gave her pause. Indeed, after seeing the intensity of

  his gaze, she stopped a few paces short of the desk and

  stood very still.

  Slater wasn't still at all. With the reach of one long arm,

  he hooked a finger in the bandana Liberty had knotted

  around her neck and pulled her toward him.

  $

  earn

  the bandana and his finger still holding Liberty captive,

  Slater spoke when their faces were scant inches apart

  "I thought I told you to stay put at the bottom of that

  ladder."

  Liberty looked hesitant before her chin rose just a little.

  "Just because you have a gun doesn't mean you can handle

  it"

  Slater's eyes narrowed, his finger still in place.

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  "All right," he began, his voice saying he would let it

  go this time. "But just for the record, Liberty Drake, I can

  handle a gun."

  Liberty nodded, her eyes on the ones that watched her

  so sternly. She stood still while he removed his finger and

  even when he brushed that finger gently across her chin,

  but her heart was trying to beat a hole in her rib cage.

  "How long did Griffin say he would be?" Slater asked.

  "Thirty minutes."

  'Til stick around and walk you back.*

  "All right. Slater?"

  "Yeah?"

  "How did you happen to be in the alley?"

  Slater explained where he'd been, and Liberty worked

  hard to quell an emotion she'd never before experienced:

  jealousy. For a moment, all she could see was Betsy Caron's

  face. Betsy was a good friend--a remarkably sweet

  woman--but Liberty had a hard time seeing her with

  Slater. Liberty almost shook her head. She had no right to

  picture Slater with anyone. His life was not her business.

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  "Did I hurt your neck just now?" Slater asked.

  "No," Liberty said with some surprise. "Why did you

  ask that?"

  "You got so quiet all of a sudden."

  "I'm not hurt. I was just thinking, and before I forget to

  say it, thank you, Slater, for going up and helping Griff."

  "You're welcome. I was glad to do it." I would do it all

  the time if I could just figure out a way.

  "Where'smywhip?" was suddenly slurred from the

  cell, and both Liberty and Slater heard a thump. Investigating

  the noise confirmed to them that Leonard had rolled

  onto the floor. Liberty began to get the key, but Slater's

  voice stopped her.

  "I would leave him there. He'll be stiff in the morning,

  but this way he won't fall off again and possibly hurt him-

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  "All

  right/' Liberty said, but she couldn't help but

  notice the way he spoke. He was so confident, more so than

  she would have thought he would be. Her mind recalled

  the way he had climbed that ladder going to Griffin's

  defense, seemingly without a qualm. Was there something

  they were all missing?

  "Okay, Libby/' Griffin called as he came back through

  the door. "Oh, Slater, you're still here."

  "I told Libby I would walk her home."

  "Well, be my guest. I'm going to make sure Leonard is

  settled and then head home myself."

  "He fell off the bunk," Slater put in. "He's probably

  safer there."

  Liberty nodded. She knew that if Leonard woke and

  caused a fuss, someone would just head to Griffin's house

  and shout him out of bed.

  "Thanks again, Slater," Griffin said.

  "You're welcome."

  Slater and Liberty headed out the door then, both a

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  little quiet. Slater was still thinking about the way Liberty

  seemed to withdraw from him just before Griffin returned,

  Every, Little Thing About You 95

  and Liberty was still speculating on the way Slater handled

  himself. Griffin, staying back at the jail for a few minutes

  longer, reminded himself not to start matchmaking when

  clearly he was no expert.

  Slater woke early. It was still dark out, but his body told

  him he was done sleeping. Thankful for an untroubled

  night, he rolled to his side, lit the lantern, and reached for

  his Bible. He was still studying Nehemiah's life, wanting to

  keep up with Pastor Caron, but he was also spending time

  in 1 Corinthians. The early church was teaching him a great

  deal. Slater was now in the seventh chapter and began to

  read there. Reading verse one, he was ready to move on but

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  got no further. Slater read it a second time.

  Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is

  good for a man not to touch a woman.

  Slater felt his breath leave him in a rush. The verses

  right before this had spoken of the sacredness of the body.

  Because a believer was bought with a great price--God's

  blood--his body was God's temple. br />
  So what were you thinking in the alley last night, Rawlings?

  You knew immediately that it wasn't a man, and as soon as you

  figured out it was Liberty, you hugged her and held her as if you

  had the right. Slater rolled to his back and looked at the

  ceiling.

  She was so soft and smelled so good, but she's not mine, Lord.

  I've got to apologize to her. I've got to put things right. I can't

  have intimate thoughts about her. It's wrong. You have better for

  me. As You do Liberty. She was so quiet as I walked her home. I

  can only imagine how offended she must have been.

  Slater was sincere in his confession and planned to

  make amends, but his heart was still heavy. He had a

  feeling that it would be until he could go next door and ask

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  to speak to the woman who occupied his thoughts so much

  of the time.

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  96 lori wick

  B-

  "Here, let me try," Liberty said, as she worked on the

  button on Zach's pants. He had to leave for school soon.

  "The problem is, Zach," she continued, panting a little, "if

  it's this hard for me, how will you ever get them off to use

  the privy at school?"

  "I don't know/' the little boy worried. "Should I

  change? Do I have time?"

  "Let me work the hole for a few more seconds," Liberty

  suggested. "Maybe that will loosen it"

  "I even soaked those/' Kate said as she put a platter of

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  eggs and toasted bread on the table. "New denim pants

  should be outlawed."

  "Now you try," Liberty encouraged Zach.

  She was still watching him as he tried to unbutton and

  button his pants when his mother said he had to eat. Zach

  had just taken his place at the table when Liberty heard a

  knock at the door. Laura, fork in hand, began to rise.

  "I'll get it," her older sister said. Liberty went through

  the house, opened the front door, and found Slater on the

  porch.

  "May I see you a moment, Libby?" Slater said as soon

  as he saw her, relieved that she had answered the door.

  "Certainly. Come in."

  Slater cleared his throat. "I think out here might be

  better."

  At a complete loss as to what could be going on, Liberty

  joined him on the porch and shut the door behind her.

  She watched Slater turn his hat in his hands and waited.

  "I acted inappropriately last night, Libby, and I want to

  tell you I'm sorry."

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  Liberty's mind raced but she came up blank

  "I grabbed you in the alley and should have let go as

  soon as I knew it was you. I didn't, and that was wrong of

  me."

  Every Little Thing About You 97

  Liberty had forgotten all about it, but she was suddenly

  standing in his arms again. He was taller than she was, and

  his arms had been very gentle. The recollection was not

  unpleasant.

  "I hope you can forgive me."

  "Of course, Slater. Don't give it another thought."

  Slater studied her eyes to see if she truly was all right

  and then nodded. It was so tempting to tell her how sweet

  she was and how lovely she'd been to hold, but that would

  have canceled everything he'd just said.

  "I hope in the future you won't be afraid to be around

  me or untrusting of me because of the way I acted."

  Liberty's mouth nearly fell open, but she saw the pain

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  in his eyes and knew she had to make him understand.

  "You don't feel threatening to me, Slater, not in the

  least. And as for the hug in the alley, I had forgotten about

  it, but I can honestly tell you that I wasn't offended." Quite

  the opposite were the words in her head, but she wisely held

  them, along with Slater's eyes, as she looked up at him.

  Slater thought he could get lost in her gaze. She was so

  sweet, and unless he missed his guess, she had not objected

  to the hug. Slater was on the verge of asking when the

  verse came to mind. She was not his.

  "I was reading in 1 Corinthians this morning about the

  fact that a man shouldn't touch a woman, and I realized

  what I'd done."

  Liberty nodded. "I know the verses, the ones that go on

  to say that each man should have his own wife and such."

  Slater nodded but realized he hadn't kept reading; he

  would have to do that.

  "Thank you, Libby," Slater said.

  "Thank you, Slater."

  Slater put his hat on but still stood for a moment. He

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  had to get to work--it wasn't wise to be late--but it was

  certainly hard not to stay and talk with this woman.

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  98 lori wick

  "Are you and Griffin still coming to dinner tonight?"

  Liberty asked, working not to read anything into the look

  he gave her.

  "I wouldn't miss it," Slater told her before forcing his

  eyes away and admitting that he had to get to work.

  Take care," Liberty wished him and then watched as

  he left the porch, hoping he would turn so she could wave.

  He did that just before he disappeared around the corner.

  Liberty went back inside, a smile on her face as she thought

  171

  about the evening to come.

  ^--5*

  "I have something I need to thank you for," Liberty told

  Duffy over lunch that very day.

  "What's that?"

  "Do you remember when I told you I'd fallen into a

  slump in my Bible study and prayer time?"

  "Yes, I do remember."

  "Well, you told me that I had lost my wonder over the

  cross, and you know what? You were right."

  Duffy smiled. They had been planning to go to lunch

  all week and were now at the hotel, just the two of them at

  a quiet corner table.

  "So what did you do?"

  "I began looking at those passages that cover Christ's

  death, and I realized I wasn't thankful, not deeply

  thankful, for the sacrifice God made on my behalf. I was

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  saved when I was so young, Duffy, that ifs too easy to take

  it for granted. I've been thankful and, I think, more obedient

  lately because my focus has changed."

  "That's great news. I've been reading in the book of

  Revelation. There's so much to come, Lib, and we can't

  waste a moment in sin; ifs just not worth it."

  The waitress came with their lunch. They ate in silence

  for several minutes, but Liberty had something more on

  her mind and could wait no longer.

  Every Little Thing About You 99

  "Slater was over first thing this morning," Liberty told

  him. "Right after you left."

  "Oh?" Duffy's coffee cup went to his mouth. "Something

  wrong?"

  "He thought so," Liberty said, watching Duffy's brows

  shoot upward.

  "But you didn't?"

  Liberty gave a quick rundown on what had happened

  in the alley. She ended by saying, "I honestly didn't think

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br />   anything of it, Duff. I didn't even remember it until he

  brought it up, but thaf s not my biggest problem."

  Duffy waited, but she didn't tell him. Finally he asked.

  "Whatis,Ubby?"

  "I enjoyed it," she said so softly that he almost missed it

  Duffy's eyes lit with tenderness. "I'm going to say

  something that may surprise you, Libby girl. I'm glad."

  "Why, Duffy?"

  "Because it could have scared you, and I wouldn't want

  you to have that kind of memory. I don't know who the

  Lord has for you, and Slater was right, he had no business

  hugging you, but your response was normal. If it causes

  your thoughts to wander where they shouldn't, that will be

  very hard for you. But God made us to enjoy one another.

  I would not have chosen for it to happen, but now that it

  has, it's good to know that you'll enjoy your husband's

  embrace someday."

  "I think about him a lot," Liberty admitted. "You're

  right, we don't know who the Lord has, but Slater is the

  first man I've even been able to imagine. Is that bad,

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  Duffy?"

  "Not if you handle it well. You can't be in a hurry, no

  matter what your emotions or body says. If God has a plan

  for the two of you, He will reveal it in His time. Neither you

  nor Slater should rush or push the point"

  Liberty smiled at her stepfather. He was a gift to all of them. The subject shifted soon afterward to various topics--dinner that night, the barn raising on Saturday,

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  100 lori wick

  and eventually the baby and how Liberty could help Kate

  take it easy from time to time. The tender light in Duffy's

  eyes caused Liberty to pray and ask God to let this child be

  healthy and live to fill their hearts for many years to come.

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  L-S'"

  %r

  Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Slater knew there was much more to chapter 7 than the verse he'd

  read that morning and the one now, but for the moment he

  stopped.

  It was late at night, and he had just gotten home from

  next door and an evening full of good food, fellowship, and

  fun. Liberty Drake was one of the most special women he'd

  ever met She was bright and talented. Slater smiled when

  he remembered her at the piano. She was compassionate

  and caring--he smiled again over the way she helped

  Duffy with the kids so Kate could put her feet up. And the

  whole family had made him feel welcome, even when

  Griffin had to leave right after dinner to go on duty.