The Outlaw

***Interracial Historical Romance**

The snow may have stopped for the time being, but the cold wind coming down off the mountain was dangerous enough to freeze a person to their core. Anna sensed the storm coming and was thankful her intuitions paid off about preparing for it ahead of time. She was also happy that she got supplies before they ran out as the town sheriff assembled a posse to hunt down the gang that was close by. With the storm passed, she was now just happy to be home hunkered down, staying nice and warm in her place.

Anna figured that she would most likely see the posse come back to town as her place was on the far outskirts of the town and in the direction they were heading towards the gang. Justice Timmons was always generous with money when it came to those who helped as she knew helping the posse stable their horses and feeding the men would bring in some very much needed money.

Since she had one of the largest barns in the town, it helped every so often when a traveler needed to stable their horse in exchange for a small stable fee. She even dealt with traveler's comments about paying a stable fee to a negro woman who lived alone. Although it was from travelers going into town, but she still felt the staring eyes and the careless whispers about her being negro in an all white town.

With the sky turning a cool grey and the howling winds picking up, Anna retreated to the warmth of her home after putting her chickens in the barn with her horse. The fire was already warming up her supper as she figured it was going to be a cold night. She did a quick look at the barn hoping her only horse Rose was warm for the time being.

Looking at the barn still reminded her of her dead husband George though. He insisted on build-ing a barn larger than their needs in hopes that they would raise horses. Spending money to make money he said as his pay from the railroad was just enough to cover the move. Now it stood mostly dormant and to Anna, a symbol of better times when she had a husband. Anna never dreamed or wanted to raise horses like George did. She now relied on selling her hand-made quilts at the town store as her main source of income and an occasional stable fee during the spring.

Once inside the warm confines of her home, she threw off her overcoat and tended to the fire in her kitchen. Her meal was almost done but she knew the fire needed to keep going to add warmth to her home. Colorado Territory did not have the warm temperatures of the South and she added more wood knowing she was spoiled with better winters before she went out West.

Anna thought that after she ate, she would put on her nightgown and read by the fire. She smiled knowing that it was her favorite thing to do as it brought back memories of when she used to hold her son by the warm fire. The sensation of the heat from the fire brought back a flood of good memories and reading by it at night in her nightgown was as close to reliving the past as she could get.

With her place being cozy and multiple fires going, Anna knew she was spoiling herself with wearing her nice thin nightgown. She only needed the one fireplace going but she wanted to enjoy feeling the silky material of the nightgown on her skin. It was her favorite and most expen-sive piece of clothing she had and wearing it made her feel like she was doing something wrong and yet erotic at the same time. It was something she wore when nobody would be around or coming around as the thin white material did nothing to hide her long dark nipples that jutted out from her large chest.

The food was almost done as Anna put on her nightgown preparing for the rest of her night by the fire. Her caramel skin tone contrasted perfectly with the pure white gown she had on making her body almost seen right through the fine material of the gown. Her slim hourglass features highlighted by her full and ample chest that made her the envy of most of the town's women she thought as she knew a few men would stare. Her tight waist was made for a corset while her hips flared out just right for a man to love on.

The sound of her horse rearing was loud enough to snap her out of her daydream about better times though. She looked outside quickly to see her barn door cracked open. Remembering that she secured it meant that someone had to have opened it. Not having a neighbor within shouting range and living out in the middle of God's Country meant she knew a weapon was going to be needed before investigating.

She put her coat on over her nightgown not caring about anything else other than making sure her only horse Rose was alright and not absconded with. Losing Rose would be devastating as it was her only horse and in this cold weather would leave her stranded. Her last stallion died just a few weeks ago and now Rose was her only horse left.

With her shotgun in her hands and a lantern hanging from her wrist, Anna closed within halfway of the front barn door and her house. She put down the lantern to get a better grip when she saw the door move again. She figured there had to be someone in there and most likely waiting for her as the light from her lantern was the only light around.

Knowing that her horse Rose was the only way of getting into town, she was not about to let a horse thief get away with her. She walked in the back of the barn knowing that there was a small door there to get in. She left the light on the ground and walked carefully in the dark to where the door was.

Even though it was dark, it was not so dark that she could not make out the back door to the barn. She carefully opened it and then heard Rose rear up again. Using this as a distraction to cover the noise of her entering, she moved in quickly. Once she heard the sound of her saddle being prepared on her, Anna swooped in. With her shotgun at the ready, she moved quickly to-wards the dark figure that was trying to make off with her Rose.

"Don't move. I will kill you as you stand," she hissed as she trained the barrel of the gun right in his back and was ready to fire.

"Not here for you Ma'am," the male sounding voice responded.

She knew once he said it that he gave away his southern roots. She spent her lifetime in the South and could easily pick up a southerner speak even in a crowded room. With the town look-ing for the Sullivan Gang, she knew that he had to be one of them since the group was made up of former Confederates.

"Best you leave now. Don't want to shoot you, but you ain't taking my horse," she commanded as she felt her heart pounding hard from knowing that a bank robber and outlaw was at the end of her shotgun.

"You sending me out in that cold?" he inquired calmly as he turned around before limping back-wards.

She looked down to see blood coming from his right leg right below his gun belt. He was about in his late twenties or early thirties and had about a week's worth of facial hair on his chiseled strong looking face. He had a strong build like he worked in the fields but wore clothes that matched that of a man with some wealth.

"If I be taking you inside, you gonna be my prisoner till the posse comes back. You go now and you can get away. I ain't taking in no bank robber in my home. Best you git outta here," Anna said again even though she knew there was a reward for any member of the Sullivan Gang. In her mind, she knew that there was still a danger to bringing him in and it might not be worth her life for the bounty offered.

Anna knew she was hard up for money, but not that down where she needed to put her life on the line. She always ran from danger and enjoyed knowing she lived through certain times when she could have died. She just thought about the stories about how deadly the Sullivan Gang was and how they were known to kill those who tried to bring them in.

"You really putting me on the spot here," he replied as he stepped back again only to fall down against the barn door.

Anna knew that there was no chance of him making it the night in the cold and that was even if his leg was not wounded. She knew there was other options other than to take him in as her prisoner.

"Drop the gun belt," she commanded using the end of her shotgun as a motioning device to em-phasis her strength that she was in charge.

With him disarmed, she bound his hands and helped him into the house making sure he would not fall down. Once inside the warm shelter of her house, she tied his hands and then tied one hand to the chair to keep him in one place. She figured with him tied she could tend to his wound and keep him from gaining advantage over her.

With the light of the kitchen fire and her gas lantern going, she finally got a good look at her new captive. Even in the dark she could tell his clothes were nice, and in the light, it only confirmed he was not a vagabond or dirty simple ruffian. His stark blue eyes were almost piercing in their brilliance too and his face was that of a man who had a good lineage she thought.

She got her sewing kit and some bandages she had as he sat there not even trying to struggle. From her limited knowledge, she could tell that the bullet went through him and stitches and rest was all he needed. Anna knew he got lucky as she could sew a wound and also had whiskey for his pain too.

Kneeling down with scissors to gain access to his leg, she then heard him protest. "Please. I only got this one pair. Just take them off and don't cut them. On my word, I won't try anything."

She handed him the whiskey in his bound hands. "I swear to the Lord, you make a move and I ain't helping you. You can freeze out there for all I care. Still be collecting the money on your head too."

"Yes Ma'am," he replied with a stern look on his face as she felt her message was received well.

She pulled down his pants to get a better look at the wound now that there was nothing ob-structing her view. She also saw from the bulge in his underpants that he was all man down where it counted. She pushed that aside as he was a white southern man and was hurt. In the back of her mind, she knew that she was not properly dressed under the overcoat either as she still only wore her nightgown.

"I got to ask. Would you have shot me?"

She saw him take a swig as she prepared her needle. "Best you not think about that. Cause I still may shoot you if you try anything."

He took another swing and then held the bottle tight. "I promise I won't."

With a clean washcloth she began cleaning his skin. She pushed the needle into his skin to close his wound. He then asked, "I reckon you miss them Southern winters too. I hear your accent...it ain't from around these parts."

Anna stopped and then looked confused at him as he knew she was not from around here. She knew her accent was there, but it had diminished to a point most people could not tell. "Not too many people round here can recognize my accent."

"Ohh, I can. You sound like you're from the Carolina's. Before the war?" he asked as she con-tinued sewing.

"Charleston, then Georgia. Working in the big house and learned how to talk like white folks. After the war, I went to school and learned to read and write from them too. White folks at the school were from the North taught me how to sound like them too."

As she just about finished she figured she would break the ice and ask him where in the South he was from. He was not struggling and she didn't even know his name nor did she tell him hers. It was going to be a couple of days at best before the sheriff stopped by before heading back to town and being rude was not something she was known for.

"So you gonna tell me your name...where you're from in the South?"

"Lee Cooper. Born and raised in Virginia, but I spent a lot of time in Tennessee. Fought with General Hood in the Army of Tennessee. The rest you know from the bounty posters I guess."

As she stood up she looked down at her work marveling that she sewed him up. "Well, Mr. Cooper. You're all fixed up."

"Thank you, but I still don't know your name to properly thank you," Lee added sounding like a southern gentleman that she used to serve when she worked in the big house on the plantation.

"Anna. Anna Roberts." She smiled as he sounded genuine and was thanking her like he would thank a white person.

"Well, thank you kindly Mrs. Anna Roberts," he said again nodding his head like a gentleman.

"Just Ms.," she corrected him. In the past she would get emotional but now it was just a sad memory.

"Sorry about that. Just assumed you would be with a man is all."

Anna went to get him food that was nice and hot and put it on the table. "I have more than enough for the two of us."

Lee then popped his head up and smiled. "Southern cooking if I do smell it."

Anna smiled as she knew people out here didn't have the benefit of a good southern meal. She then turned to him still showing a smile. "Be nice cooking for a person who appreciates a good southern meal."

As she put food on a plate it came to her that his hands were still tied. Either she was going to feed him or trust him. Anna picked up his gun and put it by her side. "If you try anything, I will use it."

"I wouldn't dare," he answered as she felt that he was still weak, and the cold would stop him from getting too far.

With his one hand free from the chair he was now able to eat. His hands were still bound but he was now able to reach his mouth to eat. Anna hoped that the threat of her having his pistol was enough to keep him from getting up too.

Lee seemed more interested in the hot food though and made no movement towards her. He just ate with her savoring the hot food in front of him. The warmth of the kitchen also made wearing her coat uncomfortable and she decided to just make sure she was on the side of him or behind him as to not let him see that she was wearing such a revealing garment. She figured a white former Confederate would not be interested in her anyhow and he also had a bandaged leg to keep him from running at her.

Anna still felt curious though as he made no derogative remarks or mention that she was a co-lored woman living alone. This was not a big deal in the territory but he was a former Confede-rate and knew that she was a former house slave.

"So. Did you be owning slaves before the war?" she asked wanting to know more about how a former Confederate got this far west and was now wanted by the law.

"Family did yes. Father owned about half a dozen. Mostly house help though. Ma needed help with the house."

Anna now felt even more curious to why a wealthy southern man turned to a life of crime. "So what made you rob the train and then the bank?"

"Long story. Let's just say, I didn't want to stick around for the end of the war and robbing banks became my source of income."

Ann then gave him a confused look as to how a Confederate that had wealth ended up a mem-ber of the Sullivan Gang. "So how did you end up in the West to rob banks and trains?"

"Being told to charge when there was no hope of winning and it was only done to satisfy some general's need for glory was not my idea of fighting a war. I saw my share of combat and did my time. I was not about to lose my life for a cause that we weren't going win. Rather steal from a bank than die in a hopeless battle. Figure get away from the South and rob a few trains."

Anna then poured more whiskey for him and then got up to take his plate. She then realized that she forgot the pistol on the table. Her heart beat frantically as she knew he could just grab it and gain the upper hand over the whole situation. She looked at the pistol and then him. He then stared at her and then at the pistol but never made a move to grab it.

She rushed over to the table putting her hand on it. Lee just leaned back and took a sip of the whiskey. "I rob banks...I don't kill innocent widows."

"Still...you wanted by the law."

"Yeah...but I still won't do it. Take my chances with the law, but not with God for doing some-thing as evil as harming an innocent beautiful woman."

"If it's all the same, I will keep this close by," Anna answered as she took the pistol with her.

"I do miss the South though," Lee said as he began whistling as if to diffuse the bit of tension.

Anna walked over in front of him from across the table and leaned against the wall. As Lee con-tinued to whistle, she knew he was not good at it but he was trying to whistle a nice tune though. "Good Heaven's, you ain't gonna be converting no sinner with that racket."

She loved to sing and now that Lee put a song in her head, she felt compelled to sing it now. It was a beautiful song that she sang in church a hundred times before too. Singing was something she loved and now was a good a time as ever to get the song out of her head.

Her sweet voice now filled the room as she could see it almost intoxicating Lee as he sat there in total awe of her singing. Lee tried to sing with her,but she could tell his voice was lowered as to not spoil her volume too. Anna then let loose and felt her soul escape through the song as she imagined a hundred people listening to her.

Her eyes closed and her hands covered her heart and she let her heart scream out from just thinking about the song. Lee added the best he could as she finally opened her eyes to see him smiling as if her voice inspired him to see the blessing of what God gave her through her singing.

Just as she finished the song, she saw that when she covered her heart, her nightgown lifted up showing more of her thigh than would ever be appropriate. She also saw his eyes upon her like she was a woman to be taken to bed. She then quickly lowered her nightgown giving him a scowl. She felt a little guilt in getting carried away and walking into his view letting him see her wear such a nightgown too.

"I see you looking at me like that. I ain't no house nigger that you can bed at your will," she hissed at him and then put back on her coat.

Lee's face showed remorse as he lifted his hands up showing that they were still bound. "I would never. And I never took advantage of any woman, slave or not."

"You telling me you grew up around house niggers and never once gave into your male needs to bed one of them?" she asked with an anger knowing that she got lucky but knew others were not so lucky.

"If you asking if I did anything then yes, but it was not what you think. Ruby was the same age as me and we had a special connection. I wanted to buy her so we could live together. She wanted the same thing too. I loved her the way a man should love a woman and not because she was a slave neither."

Anna could see in his bright blue eyes and face that he was not telling a lie and had some feeling for this Ruby. "You loved her?"

"Ma sold her off when she found out. I went looking for her but then stopped," Lee responded as if she struck a chord of sadness in him that she knew too well herself.

"Why?"

Lee reached for the whiskey and Anna helped as she figured he was about to reveal his heartbreak to her. He poured his own glass and shot it down before pushing the bottle away to-wards her.

"Cause, I was after her for all of the wrong reasons. I realized that she was only loving me to survive. That if I was any other man, she would not have cared. I was just a way to serve for her, not get lashed from my Ma about messing up on her work. Volunteered after that and the rest you know."

"Did you ever find her?" Anna asked as she was now curious and his story sounding similar to that of one of the house slaves she knew.

"Some things need to be let go. Now, what's your excuse? Must be a hundred men lined up to marry you. Beautiful woman like you don't go unnoticed...even out here."

Anna could see his eyes looking at her like she was something more than a captor. She could feel his eyes looking at her like she was prey for his male needs now. His admission and his comment proved that he liked the taste of colored woman. She could not shake the comment he made about her being beautiful as she felt it was only meant for white woman when it came from a white man.