TO HAVE AND TO HOLD
PART 5
MARY BOLTON & ROBBIE WOOTEN
It was nearly dark when Jimmy brought Sarah home. They left the horses
under a small shed to the side of the house. Jimmy had already promised
that he would take care of Panache for her once he returned to the
bunkhouse.
Jimmy really didn’t want to leave her side. Not after the day they had
shared together.
“Will you stay to supper Jimmy? I can throw something together pretty
quick.”
“Thanks. I was jist thinkin’ that I weren’t in no hurry to go back to
the bunk house.”
“You worried about what they are going to say to you? About us?” Sarah
looked towards him as she cut up some carrots to throw into the pot of
left over stew that she was re-heating.
“I know that Buck will be happy for us. Ike and Noah too. Lou has been
naggin’ me since she met you and Melissa, for me to overcome the fears
that I had. So she and Kid won’t have a problem with it. But then
there’s Cody.” He frowned as he thought of him. They used to be
good friends. Now he wasn’t so sure what sort of friends they would be.
Sarah cleaned her hands on a towel, and walked over to where he was
standing by the door. “Jimmy, Cody will get over the way he’s feeling.
I know that you don’t think that he will. But he’s going to find
someone one day that will make him forget that he ever thought I was
the one! I didn’t like hurting him, but I couldn’t go through with
plans with him and feel the way I feel about you.”
“I know Sarah. I guess I jist ain’t lookin’ forward to meetin’ up with
him, face to face. He’s gonna still be mad at me for what happened in
the barn.”
“True, but if it hadn’t happened, we would still be dreaming about
being with one another instead of knowing how wonderful it is to be
one!” She smiled as she reached up and caressed his cheek.
Jimmy leaned into the caress. “Well, Cody will jist have to learn to
live with it. Cus I ain’t gonna give you back to him! Not after today!”
Sarah laughed at the look on his face. He was so serious about it. “I
love you Jimmy Hickok! And I won’t let you give me back to Cody!”
Standing on tip toes she kissed his lips. “Now, how bout getting a fire
started?”
He gave her a squeeze and hurried off to do as she had asked, feeling
wonderful knowing that someone loved him after all these years!
Their meal was wonderful and Sarah caught herself wishing that it could
be this way every night. But she knew that she would have to take it
one day at a time.
After the dishes were cleaned up, Jimmy knew that he had to be getting
back. He had carried in enough wood to last her a few days, and the
fire was burning steadily. He couldn’t think of anything else that he
could do to prolong his leaving.
“I best be gettin’ back. Guess everyone is wonderin’ where we are!”
Sarah smiled, and she could feel her cheeks blushing a bright pink.
“Oh, I imagine they know pretty much where we’ve been all day. I think
that Buck and Melissa would have told them we were left together at the
cabin. They can put two and two together!”
He encircled her in his arms. “Well, I know it has been a beautiful
day. I hate for it to end.” He kissed her softly, and Sarah
sighed.
“So do I. But I have school Monday and no lesson plans! So I guess I
should get busy.”
“Guess you should. I’ll see you soon.” He started for the door.
“Don’t forget to take good care of Panache for me!”
“I promise!” After opening the door, he leaned near to kiss her
one last time. Then he was gone into the night.
Sarah leaned against the door. Her eyes closed, and a smile on her
face. She had never dreamed that this would be the way it felt to be in
love. She felt like she could take on the world and never be worried
about the out come.
Buck and Melissa had slipped out right after supper to have a few
moments alone. He had brought his mother’s necklace and slipped it over
her head once more. “Now it’s back where it belongs!”
Melissa smiled and leaned up to kiss his lips. “I agree! You don’t have
to worry about my taking it off ever again!”
Teaspoon stuck around until Lou and Rachel had finished cleaning up
from supper. He needed to do his rounds, but he wasn’t interested in
getting out in the snow to do them! He glanced over at Lou who was
standing at the window, lost in thought. He moved over and slipped an
arm around her shoulders.
“He’ll be okay Lou. Kid has done the run in snow before.”
She leaned into his side. Slipping an arm wound his waist. Teaspoon was
the closest thing that she had to a father, and at times like this, she
was glad for his comfort. “I know. The snow just worries me. It’s awful
hard to find the route when it’s all covered in white stuff!”
“But he’ll come through and be back bright and early in the
mornin’!” He smiled her way. “Right now, I’m a little worried
bout Cody and Jimmy.”
Lou sighed. “Cody is just gonna have to realize that Sarah is the best
thing that ever happened to Jimmy. She could change his entire life, if
he lets her!”
Teaspoon shook his head. “I know, but I ain’t so shore that Cody is
gonna let it go that easy. He was mighty upset the other nite when
Jimmy left and he couldn’t find him no wheres! I tried to talk some
sense into him, but he weren’t ready to listen. I’ll try again. I jist
hope he doesn’t try to start somethin’ with Jimmy a fore I git to talk
to him!”
“Well, I think I’ll go out and see if the boys want to play cards for
awhile. You want to come?” She picked up her coat, and he helped her on
with it.
“No, I gots to make my rounds a fore I call it a nite. I’ll see you in
the mornin.”
Rachel was about to put another log on the fire and Teaspoon took it
from her. Placing it, sparks flew for several seconds.
“Thank you. Seems I can’t get good help around her any more! Cupid has
hit everyone with his arrow! Buck, Melissa, Ike, Emily, Noah, Cassie,
Lou, Kid and lastly, Jimmy, Cody and Sarah!” She frowned as she
mentioned the last three names.
“Seems my boys is all a growin’ up! They ain’t boys no more! Two of ‘em
is already married and I won’t be surprised none if several of the
others follow rite behind ‘em!”
Rachel smiled again. “Guess love is a wonderful thing! Only I’m a
little worried about Cody, Jimmy and Sarah!”
“Lou and I was jist talkin’ bout that. It will all work out as it’s
‘sposed to! Cody ain’t gonna be happy with the outcome. But
Jimmy’s been lovin’ that young woman since she stepped off that stage.
He jist never would admit it! I hopes they git it all straight a for
they git back today. He needs her in his life.”
“If Jimmy weren’t so hard headed, he would have realized a long time
ago that she was the perfect match for him. But I guess in the long
run, things work as they are supposed to."
“I gots to git to my rounds! See you in the mornin’ for church!”
He slipped on his coat, and after tipping his hat in her direction, he
stepped out onto the porch.
Buck and Melissa were standing on the porch when Teaspoon came out.
Their bodies where molded together, as well as their lips. For a
moment, Teaspoon stood looking their way, remembering when he and
Melissa’s mama used to be that way. Then he cleared his throat. They
jumped apart quickly. Their hearts were beating even more to have been
caught once more in this situation.
“Well, I’m glad to see you two has made up! Or at least that’s what I
hope all them kisses is fer! I don’t think love has changed that much
over the years!” He grinned as he watched Melissa’s face turn a
brighter pink. Her cheeks were already flushed and he wasn’t sure if it
were from the cold, or from the feelings that he knew she was having
for Buck.
“It’s a mite cold out here. Don’t keep my daughter out here in this
here cold too long Buck!”
Buck nodded as Teaspoon leaned over to kiss her good night. “I’ll see
you two in the morning.”
Buck watched as he walked off through the snow. “I sure am glad he
likes me!”
Melissa laughed as she slipped her arms around his waist once more. “If
he didn’t we’d be in a heap of trouble!” She kissed him again,
and they said their good nights.
Jimmy rode back towards the bunkhouse slowly. It was quiet as he
arrived. He noticed that the light was still on. He had been in hopes
that everyone would be sleeping. He wasn’t looking forward to meeting
up with Cody.
He unsaddled the horses, brushed them down, and gave them feed and
water. Then he headed for what he felt would be a show down.
Lou was winning her fifth hand of poker when the door opened. Everyone
looked up as he walked in.
“Bout time you decided to git back!” Noah grinned his way.
“Yeah, we thought you had decided not to be a part of this family no
more!” Lou was grinning his way. She could tell that things had
gone well between him and Sarah. He appeared to be calmer, more at ease.
Cody who had been playing cards with the others, threw down his hand
and headed for his bunk. He jumped up, stretching out, and lay staring
at the ceiling. He didn’t want to talk to Jimmy, or even hear his voice
at the present moment. He was too upset about it all.
Jimmy didn’t miss Cody’s action. Neither did the others. Lou especially
looked on with worry on her face. Buck who had also just come in, moved
closer to Jimmy.
“Sarah okay?” He watched Jimmy’s face soften at the thought of her.
“She’s fine. I made sure she had a fire going and plenty of wood to get
her through the next day or so if the weather continues to be
bad.” He started taking off his coat, and the scarf that she had
made for him. He glanced towards Cody. He had his eyes closed and
pretended to be asleep. Maybe it was for the best that he was acting
this way.
“Did you two get things straight?” Lou had picked up the cards from the
table and reached for her coat. It was late and time to turn in. Rachel
and Melissa would probably be in bed by the time she reached the house.
Jimmy turned his smile her way. “Yeah, we did. We’ll talk about it
tomorrow. I haven’t gotten much sleep the last few nights.”
Lou stepped closer and gave him a hug. “I’m glad for you. We’ll get
together tomorrow.”
He nodded her way and watched as she left the bunkhouse.
Most of the boys had already settled down for the night. Jimmy
undressed, and headed for his bunk. It was across from Cody’s. As he
covered up, shivering from the cold night air, he glanced towards Cody.
His voice was a whisper…”I’m sorry Cody!”
Cody didn’t reply, but he heard his words. He sighed, and turned over
to sleep, if he could.
Melissa, Lou, Rachel and Teaspoon went to church the following morning.
Melissa had hoped that Sarah would be there, but she didn’t show up.
Everyone made a comment about it as they were walking back to the house.
“Do you think that Miss Sarah’s not feelin’ well this mornin’? It ain’t
like her to miss church.” Teaspoon looked around Lou and Rachel
towards his daughter.
“I thought I would go over and visit with her after lunch. She didn’t
get much sleep Friday night I’m sure, so she probably just slept in
this morning.”
“Tell her we missed her then. A lot of her students were looking for
her.” Rachel waved at a passing mother as they headed on down the
street.
There were nearly to the house when someone yelled “Rider comin’!”
Lou quickly turned to see who it was. To her delight, it was her
husband. He came speeding to a halt in front of the house and Teaspoon
hurried over to see if everything was okay.
“Whose up?” He looked around and saw Cody rushing out of the bunkhouse.
“I am Teaspoon.” He jumped on the horse, and reached for the
mailbag.
“Ride safe Cody.” Teaspoon slapped the horse on the rump and
watched as Cody kicked the horse into a running start. The others
watched him ride off. The scowl on his face wasn’t a pleasant one. Noah
came out looking at Teaspoon.
“Cody insisted on taking my ride. I hope that was okay. You usually
don’t care when one of us switches off.”
“No, that’s okay.” Teaspoon was still looking after Cody. “I
guess he needs some time to think about all that has happened. Mite do
him some good.”
Lou and Kid were talking with one another as Melissa and Rachel headed
for the kitchen to fix lunch. Buck, Ike and Jimmy were out near the
barn fixing a fence at the corral.
“Jimmy acts like a different person, don’t you think Buck?” Ike signed
as he stood looking towards Jimmy who was leaned against the fence day
dreaming.
Buck grinned. “Must be love!”
“Not got his mind on repairing the fence! Guess we’ll have to do it
all!”
“No problem. He ain’t used to feeling this way! Let him day
dream!” Buck laughed as Jimmy turned their way.
“Don’t be makin’ fun a my day dreamin’! Seems I catch the two a you at
it enough!”
“I reckon you do! Course it’s sort of new to Ike too! I think he and
Emily are getting’ serious!” Buck looked towards his friend. He
was blushing.
“You like Emily, Ike?” Jimmy was watching the look that went across his
face at the mention of her name. Was that the way he looked now?
“Like her lots! Might just marry her!”
“Marry her?” Jimmy shook his head. “I don’t know if I’m ready to git
married yet! How bout you Buck?”
“I been thinkin’ a lot bout them married things lately! Mite have to do
it soon!”
“Married kind a things? Like what?” Jimmy looked towards Buck. Was he
blushing?
“You know. The sort a things that go on ‘tween a married man and woman!”
“Oh, you mean like makin’ babies and such!” Jimmy stuck several
nails in his mouth and leaned over to hammer a nail into the fence so
that they wouldn’t see the feelings that he was sure were going across
his face. All he could think about was what had gone on between him and
Sarah the day before. In fact, it was all that he had been able to
think about since it had happened. Making love to her had been the most
beautiful thing that he could remember ever happening in his life!
Buck and Ike noticed that Jimmy became suddenly quiet. They had a
feeling that he knew exactly what Buck had been talking about.
“I ain’t so sure how Teaspoon would feel bout somethin’ like that
happenin’ before I marry her!”
“You plannin’ to ask her?” Jimmy had stood back up straight. “If you
plan to ask her, what difference does it make if you wait on such
things as that?”
“I don’t think Teaspoon would take too kindly to learnin’ bout it is
all!” Buck moved over to help Jimmy hold a board that he was
nailing into place.
“How bout you Ike? You and Emily that serious?” He looked over his way
and there was Ike giving him the same blush that Buck had. He had a
feeling he wasn’t the only one that had never done this before!
“Not sure. I haven’t known her that long!”
“But you ain’t gonna tell me you ain’t thought about it since you met
her!” Jimmy stopped what he was doing and looked back at Ike. He
was blushing again.
“What about you and Sarah?” Ike signed fast, but Jimmy followed it
easily. “You thought about it?”
“Umm, yeah, I thought bout it!” He could feel his cheeks getting
warm.
Buck laughed. “You know Ike, he’s blushin’ too! Course, it mite be that
he and Sarah have already, you know…” Jimmy was turning even
redder. “Melissa and I did leave them alone at that cabin, and they did
stay there all day!”
Jimmy was three shades of red by now. “Jist you wait Buck, til you and
Melissa have a chance to git some time alone. I’ll rag you jist as
much!”
Buck laughed. “You do and you’ll git us both in trouble!”
Ike signed towards Jimmy. “There mite be a shotgun weddin’ in this
somewheres!”
Jimmy laughed. “That mite be interestin’ at that!”
“Teaspoon won’t do that will he?” Buck seemed a little worried all of a
sudden. Jimmy patted him on the back and pointed towards the house. He
had spotted Melissa coming out of the door. She was about to ring the
dinner bell. The wind was blowing her hair about her face and Buck felt
his insides go weak.
“Won’t she be worth it?”
Buck smiled. “I know she would be!”
Melissa rang the bell and slipped back inside the house out of the
cold. The boys laid down their hammers and nails and headed for some
lunch. Ike had run ahead to meet Teaspoon who was on the porch.
Buck looked Jimmy’s way. “All I really want to know is,” he
hesitated for a moment, a little reluctant to ask. Then the words
tumbled out quickly. “Is this makin’ love stuff as wonderful as they
make it sound at them whore houses?”
“You ain’t been in no whore houses have you?” Jimmy looked startled.
“Course not. You know the riders ain’t ‘sposed to be in them kind a
places! I jist heard bout it in the saloons when I’d stop for somethin’
to eat. You know, when the men git a little drunk and start to brag
bout which one they think is best at that sort a thing!”
They had stopped walking. Jimmy knew they shouldn’t be talking about
this. He blushed as he looked towards Buck. He knew that Buck wouldn’t
tell anyone about what had gone on between him and Sarah. So he might
as well tell the truth. His answer was nearly a whisper. “Yeah, it is.
If you’re with the right woman!” At that, Jimmy quickly headed
for the house. Leaving Buck to look after him, his mouth hanging open.
While Melissa was clearing the table from lunch, Buck stepped up behind
her and slipped his arms around her trim waist.
“How bout a ride this afternoon? I know it’s cold, but the sun is
peaking through and the snow is beginning to melt a little.”
She smiled up at him, her arms full of dishes. “I would love to. But
could we make it later on this afternoon? I want to go over and check
on Sarah. She didn’t come to church this morning.”
Jimmy was about to go out of the door to finish the fence when he over
heard Melissa’s words. “You reckin’ she’s okay?” His face was full of
concern. She couldn’t be sick could she? It had stopped snowing as Buck
had mentioned and the sun was beginning to melt away some of the snow.
The weather couldn’t be the reason that she hadn’t come to church.
“I think she’s fine Jimmy. I think she just slept in this morning. I’m
sure that she didn’t get a lot of rest the last few nights!”
“Then tell her I’ll be by to see her later this afternoon.”
“I will Jimmy.” Melissa carried the dishes over to the sink. Then
she turned back to Buck.
“I guess I should go help Ike and Jimmy finish that fence. Come find me
when you get back.”
“Promise!” She leaned up on tiptoes to kiss his lips, and then he
was gone.
Rachel came in carrying a bucket of water to wash the dishes. “You and
Buck all right? I noticed you was wearin’ his necklace again!”
Melissa smiled and reached down to finger it. “We’re all fine
again!” She started on the plates. “Rachel, have you ever been in
love?” Melissa looked her way.
“Oh yes. It was the most beautiful part of my life.”
“What happened to him?”
Rachel didn’t answer for a moment and Melissa noticed the frown that
went across her face. She had a feeling that she had brought up some
unhappy memories. “I didn’t mean to pry Rachel.”
She smiled at Melissa. “It’s okay. I just hadn’t thought about it much
in a while. He was killed. I was pregnant at the time, but I lost the
baby the same day.”
“Oh, I’m sorry Rachel. I guess I really did bring up painful memories.”
Rachel reached out to squeeze her hand. “No, it’s okay. It’s good to
remember form time to time. There have been others. And one day there
will be someone else for me. Love is a wonderful thing Melissa. Enjoy
it to the fullest! If Buck is the one, don’t let him go!”
“I’m glad that Teaspoon doesn’t have any problems with him. He told me
that since he just learned that he was my father, he didn’t think that
it should matter if he approved of my choice or not, but it matters to
me.”
“Buck is a very special person Melissa. He has overcome so many
hardships to live in the white man’s world! Teaspoon respects that, and
he respects his beliefs.”
“I just wish that others in this town would understand what he’s been
through! They can be so cruel sometimes!”
“True. But life is never fair all the time! We have to take the good
with the bad. Buck’s your good! Always remember that!”
Sarah had woken early. She’d planned to join her friends for church.
But as she lay thinking about everything that had happened in the last
couple of days, she had drifted back to sleep. She hadn’t realized how
tired she was.
She dreamed of Jimmy. He was loving her. Their being together, always.
It was the perfect life! She woke once more to the loud sound of church
bells and realized that she had gone back to sleep and didn’t have
enough time to ready herself before the service started.
Sitting up on the side of the bed, her body protested. She was stiff
and sore in places that she never thought of being so! She smiled as
the stiffness brought thoughts of Jimmy once more to her mind. She
sighed. Would she see him that day? She certainly hoped so.
Getting up slowly, she made her way to the bedroom window. It had
stopped snowing at some point during the night. The sun was beginning
to peak through the clouds. Moving back from the window, she decided to
heat some water and take a long relaxing bath. That would take care of
most of her stiffness. Besides, she hadn’t bathed after spending all
those hours with Jimmy. The house had been too cold last night to do so.
It took a very short time to heat enough water to fill the tub. She had
moved it into the living room close to the fire. She sank into the hot
water, sighing as the warmth enveloped her body. It felt so good!
She thought about a lot of things while she was sitting in the tub.
Jimmy and Cody traveled over her mind. Had Cody confronted him when
Jimmy
when he had gotten back to the bunkhouse? If so, that would have been
the first time since Cody had caught them in the loft together. When
that had taken place, she had never dreamed that she would ever belong
to Jimmy! Things had certainly changed, and she was ever so glad that
they had.
She closed her eyes for a moment. Jimmy didn’t have to have an
invitation to drift into her thoughts. She loved him so much. She just
prayed that she would have enough time with him to show him just how
much that was. A knock on her door brought her back to the present.
Melissa had slipped on her coat and had walked the short distance
through town to Sarah’s. The snow was melting and it wasn’t that hard
to walk. On the way over, she had tried to decide how to bring up
something that was bothering her. She needed to talk to Sarah about the
time that she had spent with Jimmy at the cabin. She had to make sure
that Sarah had no hard feelings about it.
Smoke was coming out of the chimney, so she knew that Sarah was there.
She stepped up on to the porch and kicked the snow off her boots as she
knocked lightly on the door.
“Who is it?”
“Melissa. May I come in?”
Sarah smiled. “Of course! I’m in the tub!”
Melissa opened the door and hurried inside, closing the door quickly to
keep out the cold air. There sitting in a tub of water was Sarah. She
grinned towards her friend.
“What pray tell are you doing in a tub of water on Sunday? Most
everyone round here takes a bath on Saturday whether they need one or
not!”
Sarah laughed. “That’s probably true!” She sat up in the tub and
started to wash her arms. “I had planned to do this last night. But the
house still wasn’t that warm, so I put it off until today!”
“You missed church this morning. I was worried about you.”
“I didn’t mean to miss it. I woke the first time early enough to get
ready, but I fell back asleep. The church bells woke me the second
time. I guess I was just so worn out that I needed the extra
rest!” She quickly finished her bath and washed her hair. Melissa
had taken a seat near the tub, trying to decide how to bring up what
she needed to talk about.
“Could you hand me those towels?” Sarah pointed their way and Melissa
leaned over to pick them up. Sarah noticed the necklace swinging around
her neck.
“You’ve got Buck’s necklace on again! I take it the two of you have
made up!”
Melissa grinned her way. “Yeah, we did on the way back from the cabin
yesterday."
Sarah wrapped one of the towels around her hair and the other around
her body. She wasn’t nearly as stiff as she had been. But certain areas
of her body were still very tender. A look of pain went across her face
as she stepped from the tub. Melissa noticed and quickly asked, “Are
you okay? You didn’t get thrown while you were out alone did you?”
“No, nothing like that, I’m fine.”
Melissa didn’t believe her. “No you aren’t. Now what’s wrong?”
Sarah was toweling her hair dry and she looked out from under the
towel. Melissa’s face held a worried look. She was her best friend, and
this subject was something they had talked over before. She knew that
Melissa would keep her secret. She slipped on her robe and sat down in
front of the fire, combing the tangles from her hair. Melissa was
waiting patiently.
“Well, you remember the conversation that you and I had about what it
would be like to make love? Would we do it before we were married? I
think we left the conversation hanging, but we thought that if I did
it, it would be with Cody and not Jimmy….”
She fell silent and Melissa came over and sat closer to her. Was she
telling her what she thought she was?
“Well, yesterday, at the cabin, after Jimmy and I had talked and gotten
things straight between us…we…us…we…” her face was turning pink.
She couldn’t believe that she was blushing in front of Melissa! Was she
going to make her come out and say it? She glanced at Melissa, who was
sitting there her mouth all but hanging open.
“You and Jimmy? You aren’t kidding?”
Sarah shook her head. “I’m sore in places I never dreamed of being
sore! But it was worth it!” Sarah smiled her way.
“You and Jimmy really did it? No clothes on?”
Sarah laughed. “No clothes on! I lost count of the times we made love
to one another!”
“What was it like? Like you had expected it would be? What does he look
like without clothes on? I mean…” Melissa could feel her face
turning a bright red.
Sarah laughed again. She wasn’t surprised by her questions. She was
sure she probably would be asking the same if the situation were
reversed.
“I shouldn’t be asking you all these questions. That’s private, between
you and Jimmy. It’s not that I wanted to know what Jimmy looked like
without clothes on. Just men in general!” She blushed again.
“It’s okay. I don’t mind telling you a little about it. But there’s no
way to totally describe it. It has to happen to you before you know how
wonderful it really is! Jimmy is beautiful, and I’m sure that Buck is
the same! So muscular and powerful. His body is so perfect!” She
had closed her eyes as she envisioned Jimmy in front of her, unclothed,
and her body began to come alive again at the thoughts! She opened her
eyes and willed her heart to stop beating so fast. “You want to touch
all of him at once. Of course, at the same time, you want him to be
doing exactly the same to you! Oh Melissa, it was so beautiful! I’m his
completely now. No questions, no turning back! It’s as if we’re one
now!”
“Didn’t it hurt? I mean…my grandmother always told me making love was a
painful thing. That a man never cared how much it hurt a woman! All he
cared about was his own satisfaction!”
Sarah smiled. She’d heard the same things over the years from friends.
She knew that it was mother’s way of telling their daughters that
making love was something that shouldn’t be taken lightly and should
never happen before the marriage vows were spoken! “The first time was
painful. But you forget the pain after a second or two. From then on,
it only gets more beautiful! Maybe some men don’t care if the woman
gets something out of it. But Jimmy wasn’t like that. I don’t think
that Buck would be either. He’s a very gentle and loving man. I learned
that the night in the Kiowa village. He’ll treat you the same as Jimmy
did me.”
Melissa frowned. “Sarah we need to talk about that night. You know that
I stayed at the cabin with Jimmy while Buck went looking for you. Some
things happened between Jimmy and I. I’m unsure how you feel about
them.” She glanced her way, but Sarah didn’t seem upset. “We did
a lot of talking and he told me that he thought that I was more suited
for him. We’d both grown up out here, and you were so different, coming
from Boston and all. Even I thought that perhaps we should be together.
Buck and I were hardly on speaking terms then. And Jimmy didn’t have
the problems that Buck did. He fit into my world so easy. Not like Buck
and his Indian ways. We slept together Sarah! I let him touch me, like
I haven’t even let Buck touch me!”
“I know Melissa!” Sarah had been watching the emotions travel
across Melissa’s face.
“You know?” Melissa looked her way startled.
“Yes. It was pretty much the same between Buck and I. But like you and
Jimmy, not much really happened. I mean, it did and it didn’t. Buck and
I have always been close. I think I should have been Indian! We got
closer that night, but it was nothing like what Jimmy and I shared. I
was still a virgin when Jimmy and I came together last night. It wasn’t
meant to be between Buck and I. We talked much the same as you and
Jimmy. And we slept together as well that night. But it was just
that…sleep. Holding one another close. We needed that closeness. When
the light of day returned, we knew that out hearts belonged to another.
We were meant to be just friends. Very close friends. I hope you have
no hard feelings because of what took place between us. I know there
aren’t any about you and Jimmy. I know where your heart is!”
Melissa smiled. “I was so afraid Jimmy hadn’t told you. I was afraid it
would harm our friendship!”
Sarah smiled and leaned near to give Melissa a hug. “If anything, I
think it has made our friendship stronger!”
Jimmy had finished up his chores and decided to go into town. He was
planning to visit with Sarah. He tried to give Melissa time to see her.
He knew they would want to girl talk. Before the evening was over, he
knew that Melissa would know what had happened between him and Sarah.
But as with Buck, that didn’t bother him. He decided to stop in and see
Teaspoon. He could see Sarah’s house from the office and would know
when Melissa left.
“You boys git that fence mended?”
“Shore did! Thought I’d stop in and see if you needed any of them
wanted posters put up.”
“No, I think you got ‘em up last week. Nothin’ new has come in.”
“Oh.” Jimmy moved away from the stove and stood gazing towards
Sarah’s house. How much longer would he have to wait to see her?
Teaspoon noticed which direction he was looking. “Goin’ to see Miss
Sarah are you?”
Jimmy turned his way. “Thought I would. Wanted to give Melissa a little
time to visit a fore I went though.”
Teaspoon stood looking at Jimmy. He acted different where Miss Sarah
was concerned. Something had happened yesterday. He wasn’t sure what.
But he had a feeling that Jimmy and Miss Sarah were together now.
“Melissa did mention going over to see her on the way back from church.
You worried bout her?”
“Some. Melissa said she weren’t at church.”
“No, she weren’t. But I think she would have come for us if somethin’
was wrong. I been meanin’ to ask you somethin’ Jimmy.” Teaspoon
stepped over to the window where he was standing. “That there letter
that you left me the other day….”
“Yeah, what bout it?” Jimmy looked his way. Had he spelled something
wrong on it?
“Son, did you write that?”
Jimmy was silent for a moment. He hadn’t told anyone he could read and
write now. He suddenly wanted to tell someone his secret! A big smile
covered his face and he nearly shouted, “I shore ‘nough did!”
“Where’d you learn to read and ‘rite? You couldn’t do it when you
signed n with the company. Couldn’t even ‘rite your name!”
“Sarah taught me! She’d been givin’ me lessons. In return for teachin’
her to shoot!”
“To shoot?” He sounded surprised. “You think that was safe?”
Jimmy grinned. “She wanted to learn from the best! Plus with Melissa
moving in at Rachel’s she didn’t feel secure here alone. So she asked
me to git her a gun and show her how to use it. She’d purtty good with
it!”
“So how’d the readin’ lessons come bout?”
“She insisted on doin’ somethin’ for me in return for the shootin’
lessons, and wanted to know if I wanted to learn. I think she knew that
I did. You cain’t begin to know how I feel now that I can do it!”
“I know son! I know!” He looked at the smile on Jimmy’s face and
realized that he was proud of himself for what he’d accomplished.
“Readin’ is a wonderful gift. Be surprised what you can learn from
readin’ a book!”
Jimmy looked up and saw Melissa headed back towards Rachel’s. “Gots to
go Teaspoon!’ He started out of the door. Then stopped. “Oh, if you
don’t mind, I’d ‘preciate it if…”
“I ain’t gonna tell a soul bout your readin’!”
“Thanks! Sees you later!” At that he hurried off to Sarah’s.”
Teaspoon chuckled to himself. Jimmy was changing. He wondered what
would happen next. He was glad that Miss Sarah had come into his life.
He needed happiness in his life, and he knew that Miss Sarah could
provide that for him. If he would only let her!
Jimmy walked quickly towards her house. He couldn’t wait to see her,
feel her in his arms! He felt as if he’d been away from her for a year,
even though it had only been less than twenty-four hours! He kicked the
snow off his boots as he stepped onto the porch.
Cody checked into the hotel. He didn’t want to get anything to eat. His
insides felt as if they had been ripped out - specially his heart. He’d
changed rides with Noah just so he could get away form Jimmy and Sarah.
But all he had been able to think about was the two of them!
Why had it all turned out this way? Why couldn’t he have her? He’d been
good to her, tried to give her everything that she wanted, told her how
much he loved her, but it hadn’t seemed to mean anything to her at all!
All he’d wanted to do was make her nappy! He lay down on the bed and
tried to sleep. He hadn’t gotten any sleep the night before. But it was
no use. Sarah was all that he could think about.
What had Hickok had that he hadn’t? Jimmy had never courted a woman
before! He didn’t even know how! But here she was all his! He turned
over and pounded the pillow with his fist.
Maybe some women liked men who didn’t know how to court them. Not
everyone could be as charming and wise where women were concerned as he
was! So how could Sarah think Hickok was better? He had a feeling that
he might never know!
Had Sarah been interested in Hickok all along? Had he been so into her
that he hadn’t noticed her attraction to him? They did seem to always
search each other out when they were in the same room together. There
was always that smile. But Sarah had been careful not to let any
feelings show if she had been interested. Until he had caught them in
the loft together! Those thoughts made him angry all over again!
He sat up on the bed, running his hands through his hair. At least
Sarah had been honest with him, even if Hickok had not! Why had Jimmy
not wanted to tell the truth? Was he really protecting her reputation?
He didn’t think that was totally it.
Getting up, he walked towards the door. Maybe something to eat would
help him to sleep! If he continued to lay in the room and think, he
would never get any rest!
Buck and Melissa had a nice ride that afternoon. But it was so cold
that they didn’t stay out long. The wind would cut right through you.
As they said their good nights that evening, both were reluctant to
leave the other. As they lay in their own beds, not that far away from
the other, their thoughts were the same. Both were thinking about what
Jimmy and Sarah had told them. Being together, holding one another,
making love...that was what was upper most in their minds. Neither
slept much that night!
The following weeks, the sun quickly melted the snow away, Sarah was
back in school and the riders had started on Lou and Kid’s house. Cody
and Jimmy basically ignored one another. Cody even ignored Sarah when
she could come for supper. It bothered her, but she didn’t really know
how to make things different. Cody had to be the one to make the
decision to be her friend again. Jimmy didn’t like the situation
either, but until Cody came around, there was nothing that he could do
about it.
It started out as a good day. Buck, Jimmy, Kid, Noah, and Cody were
working on Lou and Kid’s house. Ike was on a ride. Noah, Kid, and Cody
had gone into town to get some more supplies. Buck and Jimmy were
taking a break, sitting in the sunshine. It was still awfully cold, but
the warmth of the sun felt good on their backs.
Jimmy had been quiet most of the morning. Buck had wondered if
something was wrong between him and Sarah. He felt like he would be
acting different if that were the reason, but he wasn’t sure. He looked
his way and broke the silence between them. “I’m glad you and Sarah
finally got things straight ‘tween you. I ain’t had a chance to tell
you a fore now. I knew the two of you belonged together from the
beginnin’!”
Jimmy knew that Buck was being sincere with his words. But with all the
worries about Cody and how he was acting, not only to him but to Sarah
as well, Buck’s words struck a raw nerve.
“Guess that’s why you slept with her at the Kiowa village! Right?”
Buck looked at Jimmy startled. Where had that come from? He wasn’t sure
how to answer that. “Jimmy…I…”
He cut him off. “Don’t tell me nothin’ happened! That nothin’ went on
‘tween you two! She told me!”
“Jimmy, Sarah and I are kindred spirits. She understands me, my ways!’
“Guess jist because she understands your ways you thought you could
take her to your bed?”
Jimmy had gotten up and walked a little ways from him. His voice was
getting louder by the second. Buck’s temper was beginning to rise as
well. Not only was Jimmy bringing this up, he was acting as if he
hadn’t slept with Melissa! Had he forgotten about that?
“Jimmy have you forgotten what happened between you and Melissa that
same night? Don’t deny it, cause she told me about it too!” Buck
had moved over to where Jimmy was standing and was poking a finger into
his chest.
“That’s different!”
“Different? And jist how do you see it’s different?” Buck’s voice was
now as loud as his. They were yelling at one another.
“You touched her Buck! Sarah is my woman!” Jimmy was angry and
Buck was still wondering why the fact that he had done the same to
Melissa wasn’t an issue!
Lou had gone to Rachel’s to get some lunch for everyone. She and Rachel
were on the way back when they heard the yelling. Lou started running
to see what was wrong.
“What’s goin’ on here?” She quickly stepped between the two, her hands
on her hips. They continued to glare at one another over her head as if
she weren’t there. “Well?”
“Buck slept with Sarah at the Kiowa village! He don’t think nothin’ of
it! He’s jist passin’ it off as if it never happened!”
“That ain’t true! I remember exactly what happened that nite! It’s you
who seems to have forgot! You slept with Melissa at the miner’s cabin
while we were gone! You’re the on who is actin’ as if it never
happened!”
“I cain’t believe that you two are standin’ here yellin’ at one another
over this!” Lou shook her head.
Rachel arrived about then over hearing her words. “Boys what’s wrong
here?”
“Both these hard heads are yellin’ bout who slept with who the night
that Sarah ran off after Jimmy! They cain’t seem to realize that it
doesn’t matter what went on before! What if Buck did sleep with Sarah,
or Jimmy with Melissa? It ain’t like they done married things with one
another!” Lou was shaking her head again. Why were men so hard
headed?
“She’s right boys. We all know who has Buck’s heart, and who has
Jimmy’s! If Buck was supposed to be with Sarah, it would have come to
pass that night that they sought shelter in the village! But it didn’t!
The same goes for Jimmy and Melissa! Sure you four spent time with each
other, alone, but it was only meant to bring the four of you closer
together. Not pull you apart! Jimmy, Sarah isn’t in love with Buck!
She’s in love with you! And Buck, if you don’t know who Melissa loves
by now, you better stop the train and get off! It’s written all over
her face every time she looks at you! So stop this jawin’ at one
another and just be glad that Buck was there to rescue Sarah, Jimmy. If
he hadn’t been, she would probably be dead right now! Plus, if Buck
hadn’t brought up you sleeping with Melissa at the miner’s cabin by
now, I would have thought that it meant he wasn’t upset by it! That
tells me that he trusts her, not to mention he left her in your care,
he must have trusted you!”
Rachel turned from them and started to put things out for lunch. Giving
them time to think about what she had said. Jimmy looked out over the
mountains. What Rachel said made sense. He shouldn’t have jumped Buck
like he did. He looked his way, and he was looking towards town.
Melissa was on her way from Sarah’s where she had been doing her
cleaning. She was coming to join them for lunch. A slight smile played
on his face. Jimmy knew that Buck wasn’t in love with Sarah.
“Hi guys! How’s the house coming?” She walked over to where Buck and
Jimmy were standing, slipping an arm around his waist. She immediately
noticed that Buck was stiff and that Jimmy was looking upset. Before
she could ask, Jimmy stuck out his hand.
“Rachel’s right Buck. I’m sorry. You don’t know how thankful I am that
you were there to go after Sarah that day! I know I couldn’t live
without her! I’ve jist been so on edge cause of the way Cody’s actin’,
I shouldn’t have let it git to me!”
“It’s all rite Jimmy!” Buck shook his hand, then he turned to
Melissa. “Let’s git some lunch. I’m starved.” He walked with her
towards the table that Rachel was setting. Melissa was looking back
over her shoulder at Jimmy. What had just happened here?
“Are things all right Buck?” He shook his head in answer.
“Jist fine! Don’t worry none! Let’s eat!”
She had a feeling that she might never know what had just happened
here. He wasn’t about to tell her. Oh well, she would just have to let
it be for now.
That same evening, Cody decided it was time to talk to Lou about his
feelings for Sarah. They had spent the entire day working on the house
and it was beginning to look really good. They were in hopes of moving
in before Spring. If the weather continued to hold up for them.
Rachel and Melissa had left earlier to start supper. As usual, Jimmy
was with Sarah. Ike had returned from his ride, quickly cleaned up and
had gone to see Emily.
Lou drove the wagon to the barn. Cody followed her while the others
were putting up the tools.
“Lou, you got a minute?” Cody started to unhitch the wagon from the
horses.
“Sure Cody.” She jumped down and helped him to get the horses
settled for the evening. “What’s on your mind?” Lou acted as if she had
no idea what he wanted to talk about, but she felt sure that she knew.
It had to do with Sarah.
“You always seem to know what to say to us boys when we had problems.
Guess you bein’ a woman an all, you understood.”
“Mite have somethin’ to do with it. So what do you need to talk about?”
“Sarah!” He didn’t hesitate as he quickly said her name. He sat
down on the tongue of the wagon and looked up at her. She was leaning
against it’s side. “Lou, I fell for her head first. I thought she had
feelin’s for me. She agreed to let me court her! Then all of a sudden
she belongs to Hickok! I don’t understand what went wrong!”
Lou sighed. “Cody, some times love don’t turn out the way we think it
should. No matter how hard we try, at times it don’t work out right.
Sarah didn’t mean to hurt you. It weren’t Jimmy’s plan either. Sarah
had feelin’s for Jimmy from the start!”
“Then why did she agree to let me court her? Why didn’t she jist tell
me that she was in love with Jimmy?”
“Cause at the time, she thought there weren’t no hope for her and
Jimmy. He kept pushin’ her away, pushing her towards you. You know like
he’s always done. He would git so close and then run. He never expected
to meet someone who would turn his whole world upside down! Someone who
he wanted to spend time with no matter what! The fact that he’s a known
gun has always stood in the way. Jimmy actually pushed Sarah your way.
He kept tellin’ her that there was no hope, even as things kept
happenin’ every time they were alone together. He kept tellin’ her how
good you would be for her and that she should let you court her! So
Sarah finally convinced herself that there was no hope and when you
asked her the last time if you could court her, she said yes.”
“The night I caught them in here, in the loft, Jimmy tried to tell me
that it was all his fault, that he forced Sarah. But she insisted it
weren’t true. Later on she told me what was goin’ on. She was honest
with me. But Jimmy weren’t. Why? Why did Jimmy lie to me? Jist to
protect her reputation?”
“I don’t think so. If Sarah were worried about her reputation, she
wouldn’t have been with Jimmy in the first place! I think Jimmy lied to
you to keep from hurtin’ you! If he could make you think that he had
forced her, then you would be mad at him, forgive Sarah, you’d git over
it, and Sarah would still have you. He wanted her to have happiness in
her life. He didn’t think she had a chance of it with him. He knew that
you would be good to her. He knew how you felt about her Cody. You two
been friends a good long time. He didn’t want to mess that up.”
“So now, he thinks he can give her what she needs? Jist like that?” He
snapped his fingers. “Why so suddenly? After he was so dead set ‘gainst
it?”
“Jimmy fell in love with Sarah. She finally wore him down, with a lot
of help from Melissa! They convinced him to give love a chance with
her.”
“So I’m ‘sposed to step aside and forgit I love her too?”
“Cody I know you cain’t turn off your feelin’s. But you have to
understand Sarah loves Jimmy. She cares a great deal for you, but Jimmy
has her heart. Plus Jimmy needs her in his life! Look at his life up
until now. He has had very little happiness. Mostly because he won’t
let himself. But with Sarah he’s changin’. That’s good!”
“So, no matter how I feel, it ain’t gonna change a thing?”
“No. Even if Jimmy decided halfway into this that he was gonna run from
his feelings, it ain’t gonna change. I think Sarah would return to
Boston. She won’t stay round here.”
Cody got up and ran a hand through his hair. “I love her Lou! How do I
git over these feelin’s? How do I learn to control my angry feelin’s
round Jimmy?”
“Give it time Cody. Time will heal your hurt and your heart. And there
will be someone else for you.” Lou reached out to give his
shoulder a squeeze.
“Lou where you at?” Kid’s voice reached their ears. “Supper’s
ready!” He stuck his head in the barn door.
“We’re a comin’!” She turned back to Cody. “If you need to talk
again, you know where to find me.”
“Thanks Lou.”
Lou went to join her husband. He slipped his arm around her shoulders.
“He all right?”
She looked up at him and smiled. “He will be. Gonna take awhile.”
“I’m glad I got you and don’t have to worry bout it!” They
stopped in the moonlight and Kid kissed her gently. He really loved
this lady!
Cody saddled his horse and rode out of the barn. He needed to think for
awhile. Supper could wait.
It was early Wednesday morning. Sarah was sleeping peacefully by his
side. Jimmy looked over towards her and smiled. She was so very
beautiful. He hated the thought of having to leave her. But he was up
for the ride today and he knew that he had to get back to work.
The other riders had all been willing to swap off with him for the last
few weeks. Giving him and Sarah time together. He had done all their
chores for them, and even a few things that he didn’t want to do in
order to stay in town. The sky was beginning to lighten and he knew
that he had to get up and dressed. He would have just enough time to
eat breakfast before he had to leave. Slowly he slipped from the bed,
trying not to awaken Sarah, but she stirred at his side.
“Jimmy, is everything all right?” She sat up and rubbed the sleep from
her eyes. He smiled her way.
“I have to ride today. Remember?”
“Oh, yeah, I remember.” She sat up and reached for her robe.
“No, you stay in bed. It’s not time for school for several
hours.” Jimmy came around to her side of the bed. He had slipped
on his pants and he knelt down in front of her. “I’ll slip back to the
bunkhouse and be there to eat with everyone else.”
“You sure?”
“Positive. I’ll miss you. See you in two days.” He made her lie
back down and covered her again. She reached out and took his hand in
hers.
“Be careful Jimmy. I love you!”
His heart sang with her words. Leaning down he kissed her gently. “I
will. I love you too Sarah.” With that he picked up his shirt and
shoes and left the room.
Sarah lay awake and listened to him as he finished dressing in the
living room. He slipped on his coat and she heard the door shut as he
went out into the cold. She closed her eyes. Perhaps she could get a
few more minutes of sleep.
Jimmy made good time getting back to the bunkhouse. No one was up yet.
Quietly, he slipped inside and took off his coat. Buck was awake and he
smiled as he saw Jimmy come in. He knew where he’d been. He sat up on
his bunk and reached for his pants. It would soon be completely light
out. Might as well gather some wood for Rachel and Melissa.
“You up today?” Buck whispered Jimmy’s way.
“Yeah. Gonna be the longest ride of my life!”
Buck smiled. “But she’ll be waiting on you once you get back! That
makes it all worth while.”
The others began to stir. Buck was nearly dressed. Jimmy got up and
reached for his coat. He needed to make sure his horse was ready for
the ride. He followed Buck out of the bunkhouse.
Sarah’s day was a long one. Her thoughts were on Jimmy. She knew that
he would be okay. He had done the ride a million times. Just not since
they had become one! Even her class seemed to notice that she wasn’t
able to keep her mind on their studies. Several asked if she were
feeling well and she would just smile and tell them it was just that
she was anxious for Spring to arrive. She was beginning to get cabin
fever.
Melissa and Buck rode into town to pick up supplies for Rachel. A
letter was waiting for Melissa from Fancy. She sat reading it as Buck
loaded the wagon.
“Everythin’ alright back home?” Buck looked up at her sitting in the
wagon, a little worried that she might have to go back for something.
He wasn’t sure if he could live without her if she did.
“It’s fine. Fancy is just telling me that she is ready to send the
things that I wrote and asked her to send me. They should be arriving
soon.”
“It it’s goin’ to be a large shipment, it will probably be sent to Fort
Laramie. The riders don’t carry anythin’ other than letters!”
“Guess that means I’ll have to go there and pick it up. How far is Fort
Laramie from here?”
Buck looked out over the mountains. “Bout a day. If one leaves early in
the mornin’ you can usually make it by nite fall. If you don’t run into
any trouble.”
“Buc, she’s sending me some of my mother’s photos and some of me when I
was a child. I had planned to give them to Teaspoon for Christmas, but
there wasn’t enough time to get them here. I guess I can’t ask him to
take me to pick them up. I want them to be a surprise for him. When
they let me know that they have arrived, would you accompany me to the
Fort to pick them up?” She was looking worried, as if she might think
he might tell her no.
“You know I will. I’ll accompany you any where!” He reached up to
help her down from the wagon. As she slipped down to stand in front of
him, he leaned near to lightly kiss her lips. “Just let me know when.”
She smiled. “Thanks. I knew I could count on you.”
Teaspoon had been standing in the door of the Marshall’s office and he
smiled as he watched his daughter and Buck together. He also noticed
that several others witnessed the kiss that they had shared, and he had
a feeling that the town’s people still couldn’t accept the fact that he
was letting his daughter be seen with a breed! Or let him kiss her in
the street in front of everyone. He knew though that Melissa wasn’t
gonna turn her back on her feelings for Buck. When the time came, the
temper that belonged to his side of the family would come to a head! He
felt sure Melissa could hold her own if confronted.
Jimmy reached his destination late that evening. He turned the mail bag
in at the station and headed for the saloon for something to eat. He
had never seen a day so long in his entire life! Had Sarah missed him
as much as he had her? As he ate, he thought about her. He would miss
her so much that night. He had come to rely on her love every night.
How would he ever sleep without her in his arms? He couldn’t remember
ever feeling so loved! He wouldn’t be complete without her in his life.
Why had he been so stubborn and hard headed in the beginning? They
could have been together much sooner if he had listened to his heart
and not his head. He sighed as he finished off the meal. The sooner he
got to bed, the sooner he could get up with the sun and be in her arms
again!
Melissa invited Sarah over to supper that night. She knew that she
would be lonely with Jimmy out on the ride. She hadn’t seen much of her
lately, so she was looking forward to spending some time with her.
Buck was sitting in the sun outside of the bunkhouse when Melissa came
out onto the porch to get a breath of fresh air. She stood looking out
over the mountains, her mind far away.
For a moment, Buck sat looking at her. She was so beautiful standing
there. Even though she was wrapped in a heavy coat, he had held her so
many times that he knew where each of her curves were. Getting up, he
moved towards her. She didn’t know that he was there as he slipped his
arms around her waist. She jumped slightly, but then settled back
against his chest as she realized that it was him that held her so
close.
“You look so lost in thought. Are you dreamin’ of far away places?”
She smiled. “Far…far away!”
“I hope I’m there with you!” He kissed the side of her neck, and
she turned in his arms.
“always, you are always with me.” Her arms went up around his
neck and their lips came together again. Their kisses were a far cry
from the ones that thaty had shared in the beginning. They both knew
that their relationship was changing. It was getting more serious as
each day passed.
“Melissa, I dream such dreams bout you at nite. You are in my arms,
lettin’ me love you. I…”
Her fingers touched his lips to silence his words. Looking into his
eyes, she whispered; “I share those same dreams Buck. Soon, very
soon I feel things will change between us. Those dreams will become a
reality. Please be patient with me.” She kissed him again softly,
and he smiled. He would wait a lift time for her if need be!
Cody was surprised to see Sarah there for supper. As usual his heart
started beating a quick tap dance against his chest at the sight of
her. He tried to act normal around her. But he was still finding it
hard. His heart felt betrayed.
Sarah smiled timidly at Cody when he’d come in for supper. She had been
helping Melissa and Rachel set the table. She always enjoyed being
there to eat, but she missed Jimmy.
“Miss Sarah, it’s nice to see you again!” Teaspoon leaned near to
kiss her cheek as he came in. She gave him a hug.
“Good to see you too, Teaspoon.”
Just then the door opened and the others crowded in to be seated at the
table. Everyone was there with the exception of Jimmy. Teaspoon said
the blessing and they started to eat. Conversation was light, talk
going from the house they were working on to picking on Ike about
Emily. They all liked to see him blush when they asked him about
private things that were going on between them.
Cody spent most of the meal looking towards Sarah. She felt
uncomfortable sitting there. She didn’t know why he was staring at her.
It was bad enough that he hadn’t spoken a word to her at all since the
night that she had told him what was going on between her and Jimmy.
But his staring at her was more than she could handle. She made up her
mind that she was going to speak to him after supper.
“Poker game in the bunkhouse! Anyone want to play? It’s too cold to do
anything else!” Noah looked around the table.
“That’s what you think!” Kid slipped an arm around his wife and
they smiled at one another.
Buck threw his napkin at Kid. “You two are the only ones that can git
away with that!” He sent Melissa a quick look wishing that they
could get away with it. Melissa blushed slightly and turned away
quickly in hopes that no one would see.
They all laughed as they stood up from the table to reach for their
coats. Ike was going over to see Emily.
“See I told you he was a mite serious bout her!” Cody was patting
Ike on the back.
“Don’t pick at the boy bout it so much! You mite change his mind! He’s
old enough to have someone just like the rest of you are!”
Teaspoon was smiling at Ike. Ike grinned back and hurried out the door.
“You ladies want to join us?” Noah was looking their way.
“Not Rachel! We’ll all be broke after one hand!” Buck groaned.
“Well thank you for the confidence Buck! I knew I was good, but I
didn’t know I was that good!” She grinned towards him. “I don’t
think so. Not tonight. Thanks for the invitation though. I think Sarah
and Melissa want to visit for awhile. I have a few mending hobs to do.
Maybe next time.”
“Okay suite yourselves!” Noah reached for his coat.
Sarah got up from the table and m,oved over to where Cody was standing.
“Cody could I talk to you a minute before you join the others?”
He hesitated. Everyone that was left in the room was looking at him.
What did they think he would do? Be hateful to her? “Shore.”
She reached for her coat. He helped her on with it and they stepped out
onto the porch.
Teaspoon looked rather surprised. “Well, well, wonder what brought that
on?”
“I think Sarah has had enough of Cody;s giving her the silent
treatment. I think since Jimmy isn’t here, she decided that this was a
good time to talk to him. He’s had several weeks to think it over and
calm down.” Melissa started to clear the table.
“Well I think it’s time he took it like a man and stopped ignoring his
friends. He and Jimmy have been close for a long time.” Lou left
Kid’s side to help Melissa with the table.
“True. But nothin’ can bust up a friendship like a woman!”
Teaspoon leaned back in his chair and rubbed his stomach. “That was a
find meal ladies! I think I’ll go to the office and finish my paper
work. See you all later on tonight!” Getting up he reached for
his coat.
Cody and Sarah had walked a little ways from the house. They were
standing in the moonlight, neither of them had said anything since
leaving the house.
“Cody, I don’t know how you feel, but I’m not fond of no longer being
able to consider you my friend. It bothers me that you ignore me and
then tonight you sit there and stare at me through the entire meal. You
don’t know how much that unnerved me!”
Cody sighed as he looked away from her and then back again. “Sarah it
ain’t easy to give you up. I thought that I was doin’ prutty good til
you came to supper tonite!”
“Cody, I’m sorry it ended as it did. I never should have lead you on.
That’s what I was doing and it was wrong. I should have just told you I
had feelings for Jimmy. But I didn’t want to hurt you. Sometimes
we get ourselves into things and they aren’t so easy to get out of. All
I can say is, I wish you would try and forgive me. I want us to be
friends again. I don’t like being ignored.”
She looked so sad standing there. She was so beautiful, and he wanted
her more than anything. “Sarah, I’m sorry I ain’t been so nice to you.
I’ll try my best to not ignore you. It’s just gonna take me awhile to
get over you.”
“Have you spoken to Jimmy at all?”
“No, not since the nite in the barn.”
“Then don’t you think it’s time you talked to him about it? I know he
isn’t happy with the way things are between you two.”
“Maybe not, but I ain;t so shore I’m ready to talk bout you with him.
There are too many hard feelin’s where you are concerned.”
“Cody I never meant to destroy your friendship with him. I can’t help
the face that I ell in love with Jimmy. We can’t control that. I didn’t
ask for it to happen. Fact is, it would have been so much easier if I
had fallen in love with you. But I didn’t. Please try and understand
that.”
“I know Sarah.” He reached out to caress her cheek. For a moment
they stood looking at one another. “Okay. I’ll give it some thought.
And I promise not to ignore you any more. You’re just gonna have to
give me some time to git my broken heart back together. I will one
day!” With that he left her standing there, and went towards the
bunkhouse.
Teaspoon had just stepped out onto the porch when Cody walked by.
Looking to his right, he saw Sarah slowly coming back to the house. Her
hands stuck deep in the pockets of her coat, and her head down. “Things
alrite Miss Sarah?”
She looked up at him and sighed. “I’m not sure Teaspoon. Maybe one day
they will be back to normal around here. I’m afraid I came between a
friendship and I don’t know how to mend it.”
Teaspoon reached out and slipped his arms around her, pulling her close
to his chest for a moment. She stood quietly, enjoying his comfort.
“Miss Sarah, there ain’t nothin’ you kin do bout it. Jimmy
and Cody will eventually get things straight 'tween them. Rite now Cody
is hurt, and Jimmy is on the defensive where you are concerned. It will
all work out as it's 'sposed to. Jist give it 'nough time. Try not to
worry ‘bout it."
“That’s a little easier said than done Teaspoon.” She smiled up
at him as she stepped away to go inside.
“I know Miss Sarah, I know!”
Melissa walked with Sarah back to her house a few hours later. She knew
that her friend wasn’t her cheerful self.
“You just missing Jimmy? Or is it something else?” Melissa looked her
way as they went inside.
“I miss Jimmy terribly. But I’m concerned about his and Cody’s
friendship. I know I came between those two!”
“Sarah, that isn’t your problem to worry about. I know that’s what you
spoke to Cody about earlier tonight. You’ve done all that you can do.
Let time heal the hurts and it will all be back to normal soon. Don’t
let that come between you and Jimmy now that you two have things worked
out. He needs you as much as you need him!”
Sarah smiled. “I know. I won’t let that come between us. Guess you’re
right. I’ve done all that I can do about it. It’s time to get on with
things. Hopefully Cody will see that before long. I wish Lou could find
someone for him. She seems to be known around here for her matchmaking.”
They laughed together. Melissa was glad to see her smiling. They spent
a few more minutes talking and then Melissa said her good nights. As
she stepped outside onto the porch, Buck walked up.
“Ready to go back to Rachel’s?” He smiled her way.
“How’d you know that I was here?”
“I saw the two of you leave together. I didn’t want to interrupt your
visit so I stopped off to see Teaspoon and then walked over this way.
So, can I escort you back?”
She smiled up at him as she came down the steps to stand at his side.
“I would love it!”
He gave her his arm and they slowly walked back towards the bunkhouse
together.
Jimmy was up with the dawn. He’d spent a restless night. As soon as it
was light enough, he was on his way back to Rock Creek and the woman he
loved!
Cody spent most of the night in thought. He knew that Sarah was right.
It was time that he had a talk with Jimmy. It would be a long time
before he got over Sarah, but he and Jimmy had been friends way too
long for it to end. He had to admit that it was bothering him that they
weren’t still as close as they had been before. He could at least try
talking to him for Sarah. He didn’t know what the out come would be,
but he could at least give it a try.
Buck and Melissa had gone out early that afternoon for a ride. The day
was unusually warm for winter and they enjoyed their time together.
Something had been bothering Buck and he wanted to talk to her about it.
They were sitting on a group of rocks in Buck’s private spot where he
prayed to his spirit guides. The sun was so warm and felt wonderful.
Melissa was snuggled into Buck’s arms, just enjoying the feel of them
around her so tight.
“Melissa…” She looked up into his eyes and smiled.
“Hum?”
“Have you thought any bout going back to Sutters Creek?”
Melissa looked at him startled. “Why would you ask that? You trying to
get rid of me? If so, you don’t have to ask me to go back to Sutters
Creek!” She looked a little hurt.
He quickly cleared up her questions. “Course I don’t want to git rid of
you! It’s jist that ever since you got that letter from Fancy, it has
been in the back of my mind that you mite be home sick! I don’t know
what I would do if you decided that you wanted to go back. If for some
reason you didn’t want to stay here in Rock Creek!”
Melissa smiled softly and reached up to caress his face with her hand.
“Stop thinking about such as that! If the time comes that I want to go
back to Sutters Creek, I’ll be inviting you to come along. I don’t
think that I could leave you behind!”
“I was afraid that getting’ that letter would make you want to go back!”
“Why would I want to go back? I mean, I know that I own the farm and
everything there. But I know from Fancy’s letter that things are
running smoothly. They don’t need me right now. Besides, all my friends
and family are here now. Not in Sutters Creek! One day, I would love
for you and I to go back together. But never without the other!”
Leaning a little nearer, she kissed his mouth. “My life is here with
you Buck, always!”
“As mine is with you!” His mouth took possession of hers and for
several seconds they sat kissing one another, the emotions raising
quickly between them. Breathless, Buck looked down into her eyes. His
hand caressed her cheek. “I love you Melissa.”
She closed her eyes, her heart pounding against her chest. She’d been
waiting to hear those words for so long. “Oh Buck, I love you too!”
His smile would have reached across the canyon that was laid out before
them. He thanked the spirits as he held her tight against him. He
thanked them that they hadn’t let him send her away in the beginning.
He knew that this was the woman that he was supposed to spend the rest
of his life with!
It was two hours past dark when Jimmy came riding in. Teaspoon met him
at the door of Rachel’s.
“Good ride son?” He took the reins of the horse as Jimmy jumped from
the saddle.
“No problems. Rachel have anything left over from supper?” He knocked
the dust off his hat onto his pants leg.
“I think I heard her say that she was goin’ to save you somethin’. She
had this fool notion that you would be ridin’ in tonite! Somethin’ bout
how you would ride fast to git back to Miss Sarah! I told her you’d
take it easy comin’ back. Guess it weren’t no fool notion after all! We
do some strange things to be with our women folk don’t we?”
Jimmy smiled towards Teaspoon. “Guess we do at that!”
“I’ll take care of your horse. Go git yourself somethin’ to eat.”
“Thanks Teaspoon.” He hurried inside to eat. Then he planned to
clean up some and hurry over to see Sarah. He couldn’t sleep another
night without her in his arms!
Melissa came downstairs to find Jimmy sitting at the table.
“You’re back! Sarah will be happy to see you.” She smiled his way.
“She alright? Didn’t have any problems while I was away?” He looked a
little worried.
“Other than missing you, I think she did just fine. You going over to
see her?”
“After I eat, and clean up a little. Cain’t go over there smelling like
a horse!”
Melissa laughed. “If I were her, and I was missing you as I know she
is, I wouldn’t care if you smelled like a herd of horses! What would be
important was that you were back!”
Jimmy smiled. “Well, it really depends on how many people are fighting
over the tub at the bunkhouse as to whether I git a bath or not!”
“Sarah has a tub, you know!”
Jimmy blushed as he looked towards Melissa. Things were traveling
through his mind suddenly. “Yeah, she does at that!” His words
were nearly a whisper as he stopped eating and sat thinking about if
for a moment.
Melissa grinned as she picked up her coat and headed out the door. She
would let him finish his meal alone, she wanted to see Buck again
before she turned in.
Teaspoon was starting across the front of the house. Melissa stopped
him with a wave of her hand.
“And just where are you headed this time of nite daughter of mine?” He
grinned at her.
“I was looking for Buck. You seen him?”
“As a matter of fact, I have. He’s in the barn, takin’ care of Jimmy’s
horse. I was headed that way with it, but he offered to do it sos I
could git my rounds done.”
“Thanks!” She gave him a hug and then hurried towards the barn.
Teaspoon watched her run along and he wondered how much longer it would
be before those two were announcing to the world that they were making
plans for a wedding? He shook his head and headed off down the street.
Buck had his back to the barn doors. He was busily brushing Jimmy’s
horse. Melissa stood for a moment watching him. This man was hers! Her
heart soared with the thoughts of it!
“Buck?” She’d said it softly, but he’d heard her. Turning he smiled.
“What ya doin’ out here in the cold?” He stopped brushing the horse and
held out a hand to her. She took it and he drew her up close to his
side.
“I came looking for you! I wanted to tell you good night before I
turned in. Teaspoon said you were out here putting Jimmy’s horse up for
the night.”
“I knew Teaspoon had his rounds to do, so I offered. You alright?” He
looked down into her eyes and she swallowed quickly. He had such an
affect on her. The urge to stay with this man all night was getting
harder to ignore. But she knew she couldn’t…not yet. It would be soon
though. Very soon!
“I’m fine. I just needed to be near you before I went to bed.”
She smiled and he leaned near to kiss her lips.
She responded to his touch, her arms coming up around his neck. He
dropped the brush and pulled her fully against him.
Their mouths caressed one another’s, their tongues doing sensual battle
together. Buck’s hands worked their way up under her coat, and slowly
caressed her back and rear, pulling her even tighter against his body.
Melissa felt the maleness that was Buck pressing into her thigh. He
slowly moved his hips against hers and they both groaned together at
the same time.
Her hands moved to his chest and inside his coat. In seconds, she had
unbuttoned the shirt and long johns that he wore. Her hands moved
inside to caress his beautiful, smooth skin. She loved the feel of him
under her finger tips.
Cody had just entered the bunkhouse. Ike, Noah, Lou and Kid were
playing cards. He looked around for Buck, but he wasn’t there. He had a
feeling that he would know when Jimmy was expected back. “Seen Buck?”
“Mite check the house. He’s probably with Melissa.” Kid motioned
towards Rachel’s as he played his hand. Groans went up around the table
from the other players.
Cody decided to go and see if he could find him. Walking towards the
house, he wondered if Jimmy would even come there first. He could go
straight and see Sarah.
Jimmy had just left Rachel’s. He had decided he would take Melissa’s
advice and go on to see Sarah. Maybe he didn’t smell too bad! Besides
the more he thought about the tub, and Sarah, the more interesting it
became! He and Cody just missed one another.
“Rachel! Rachel!” Cody knocked, then stuck his head in the door.
“Yes Cody?” Rachel appeared at the top of the stairs mending in her
hand.
“Have you see Buck?”
“I overheard Melissa telling Jimmy she was going out to look for him. I
imagine they’re together somewhere.”
“Jimmy? Did you say Jimmy? He’s back?”
“Yes, been back almost an hour. He just finished eating.”
“Where’d he go?”
She noticed Cody seemed a mite upset. “Why you in such a hurry to see
Jimmy?”
“I just wanted to talk to him.”
“Well, you mite try the barn. I don’t think he had put his horse up for
the night yet.”
“Thanks Rachel!” Cody quickly went back out the door. She hoped
his wanting to talk was a good sign.
Buck and Melissa were lost in one another. Their kisses had turned
passionate. Melissa was pressed against Buck’s body. One of his thighs
was resting between her legs and she was very intimately resting on it.
Her skirt was pushed way above her knees. She was kissing his chest and
his hands were caressing her rear, pulling her even closer. Her breasts
were pushing into his chest. With one hand, he started to unbutton the
blouse that she wore. Her coat had already come undone with a little
help from them both.
Cody wasn’t expecting to walk in on anything. Jimmy was the only one he
thought to find in the barn. He opened the barn door and stepped inside
before he turned. Buck’s back was pressed against Jimmy’s horse. He
wasn’t paying them any attention as he munched on fallen hay in the
entry way.
“Jimmy, you here?” Cody looked to his right, then straight ahead and he
couldn’t believe he’d done it again! “Darn it all you two! Cain’t you
find somewhere else to do this? Geeze!”
It took several seconds for it to sink in that Cody had once again
walked in on them! They jumped apart; Melissa blushed as she smoothed
her skirt down with trembling hands. Buck cleared his throat nervously.
“Somthin’ we can, uh, do for you Cody?” Buck leaned down to pick up the
brush he had dropped and started vigorously brushing the horse again,
trying to calm his racing insides.
“Jimmy. I was lookin’ for him. Ain’t that his horse?”
“He was eating a few minutes ago, before I came out here.”
Melissa looked up at Cody and licked her now dry lips. She tried to act
as if nothing had been going on. Her eyes strayed to Buck once more.
Why did Cody have to always interrupt them?
“He’s already finished. Rachel thought he mite be out here taking care
of his horse.”
“Haven’t seen him. He’s probably at the bunkhouse!”
“Or gone to see Sarah.” Melissa glanced his way to see what
affect his words had on him. He actually looked disappointed.
“Nope, he wasn’t in the bunkhouse, so he must have already gone to see
Sarah. Guess I’ll have to catch him tomorrow.” He sighed as he
headed back to the door. He turned as he opened it. “Sorry I
interrupted again, Buck!”
Buck nodded as he left the barn. Melissa was standing a few feet away
from him. She couldn’t help it. She started to giggle. The giggle
turned into full-fledged laughter as Buck turned and looked her way.
For a moment he was silent just watching her, and then he was laughing
too.
“You know, we really have got to find a better place to do this! Every
time we get carried away, Cody interrupts us!” Melissa wiped a
tear from her eye. Buck took her in his arms and leaned near still
laughing softly against her neck.
“Maybe it’s a sign! We jist ain’t supposed to do this yet!”
“Well when the day comes that we are supposed to, I do hope Cody is no
where around!” She laughed again. and he turned to put Jimmy’s
horse in its stall.
“Come on, it’s getting cold out here.” He reached for her hand
and walked her back to Rachel’s.
Once on the porch, Buck pulled her close once more. “I promise, one day
Cody won’t interrupt us! No one will!”
He kissed her tenderly. “I love you.”
“I love you too!” They parted, still tingling from their moments
in the barn!
The light was still on in Sarah’s living room. Jimmy stepped up to the
door and knocked quickly.
Sarah had just finished filling the tub for a bath. She wore only a
robe. Her hair was twisted on top of her head and she had her arms full
of towels and soap. The knock on the door startled her. She laid the
items on the chair and quickly reached for her gun that she always kept
close at hand. Who would be calling on her this late at night?
“Who is it?” She held the top of her robe closed with one hand as she
stepped to the door.
“Jimmy.”
She was surprised to hear his voice. She wasn’t expecting to see him
until tomorrow. She quickly placed the gun on the table by the door and
slid back the bolt that secured her door.
“Jimmy!” She quickly reached out to pull him inside out of the
cold. “I didn’t expect to see you until tomorrow!”
She hugged him close and Jimmy kissed her waiting lips.
“I missed you lady! I rode since dawn to git back to you!” He
kissed her again and for a moment they just stood holding one another.
“Have you had supper? I can reheat what I had left over.”
Jimmy smiled. “No, that’s okay. Rachel saved me somethin’. She had a
feelin’ I would be in tonite! She knows me purty good. Knew I’d be
chomping at the bits to git back to you.” He smiled again and
leaned over to kiss Sarah on the nose.
Looking over her head, he spotted the steaming tub. Melissa’s words ran
through his head. He looked at Sarah. She was dressed in her robe.
“That tub looks a mite invitin’!” Jimmy looked down at himself.
“There was a card game goin’ on at the bunkhouse. Lou was there. I
couldn’t very well take a bath with her round. I hated to come see you
lookin’ this way.” He looked down once more at his clothes.
Sarah smiled. “Well, not that I think you need a bath or anything, but
you Mr. Hickok, are welcome to share my tub with me!”
She took his hand and led him towards the tub. Taking off his hat as
they went. Then she started to unbutton his coat, walking backwards
across the room. Once it was removed, she unbuckled his gun belt,
putting everything on the chair near the hearth. From there, she
unbuttoned his shirt and long johns, and caressed them off his
shoulders. Jimmy could see the passion smoldering right below the
surface in her eyes.
Before long, she had undressed him down to his boots. As he sat down on
the nearby sofa to pull them and his trousers off, Sarah undid her robe
and let it fall to the floor. The she stepped into the steaming water.
Jimmy swallowed quickly as he watched her. She was beautiful and he
wanted to make love to her over and over again!
“Come join me. I’ll wash your back!”
Jimmy didn’t hesitate as he quickly crossed the space between them and
joined her in the tub.
For nearly thirty minutes, they soaped one another’s bodies, caressing
one another, touching, knowing what all this would lead up to.
Jimmy reached out to cup her breasts in his hands and he marveled at
their softness. When the Lord had made woman, he surely had Sarah in
mind!
The water had begun to get cold. Sarah leaned over to kiss Jimmy’s
lips. Her hand found his hardness under the water and she caressed him.
A groan came from deep inside him and he pulled her closer.
Getting up from the tub, he pulled her with him. Picking her up, he
stepped out of the tub. She leaned over and picked up the towels off
the chair. She wrapped one of them around Jimmy’s shoulders and the
other around herself. He carried her into the bedroom.
He sat her down on the floor beside the bed and slowly rubbed her body
dry with the towel. She was doing the same to him. Then he slowly sank
to the bed, taking her with him.
His hands traveled over her body, his mouth following close behind.
Sarah was like putty in his hands. He could mold her into anything that
he wanted. At that moment and for the rest of his life, he wanted her
to be his!
Sarah matched him move for move. She shifted positions and Jimmy was
soon under her, her hands moving with butterfly strokes over him.
She kissed her way from his mouth, down his chest, around his belly
button, down over his hips, over both legs to his toes and then back up
to his hardness. She caressed him first with her hand, then with her
mouth and tongue. Jimmy thought sure he’d died and gone to heaven. If
this was what death felt like, he knew he was no longer afraid of it.
The longer her mouth and tongue played over him, the more he craved to
be inside her. “Sarah, you’re driving me crazy!” He pulled her
hands away and pulled her up the length of him. She rose above him,
kissing his lips, rubbing her breasts lightly against his chest.
Jimmy wasn’t sure he could take any more of this sweet torture.
“Sarah….PLEASE!” His voice was pleading and she smiled down at
him. Straddling his waist, she reached down to once more caress him and
guide him to his home inside her.
Together they rode each new wave of passion, climbing the mountain of
passion together. Sarah’s body moved up and down the length of him,
until he thought he would scream from the pure pleasure of it all.
Reaching for her, he pulled her down to his body. She stretched out on
top of him, their bodies moving in perfect rhythm. Hips pounding hips.
In seconds, they both reached their release. Breaths came in quick,
short gasps as Jimmy plunged himself into her one last time, spilling
his seed deep inside of her.
As their breaths returned to normal, Sarah moved to lie at his side.
Her hand drifted across his chest and he caught it in his own, bringing
it up to his lips to kiss.
“Umm, that was wonderful! I dreamed about you the entire time I was
gone!”
Sarah giggled. “It was good wasn’t it? We’re getting pretty good at
this. Aren’t we?”
Jimmy laughed and hugged her close. “I’d say we were! And we were so
afraid we wouldn’t git it rite in the beginnin’!”
“I never dreamed it would be so wonderful!”
“Me neither! I never want it to end Sarah!” He kissed her slowly
and she moved closer to him. “Neither do I, Jimmy. You have my heart,
my body, my soul, always!” She kissed him again and their loving
started all over. It lasted well into the night.
The following afternoon, Melissa headed over to see Sarah right after
school. The children were just leaving as she arrived. Sarah was
cleaning the chalkboard, and putting her desk to rights for the weekend
ahead.
“Sarah, got a minute?” Melissa stepped inside the doorway and she
looked up.
“I always have a minute for my best friend!” She smiled as she
walked over to give her a hug. “What’s going on?”
“I just thought I would stop by and see how things went since Jimmy got
back last night.”
Sarah smiled brightly. “It was so good to have him back in my arms! I
was so surprised when he came by. I truly didn’t expect him until
tonight! I was just getting ready to take a bath.”
“A bath huh?” Melissa thought about what she had said to Jimmy. She’d
had no idea that Sarah would be bathing when he had arrived.
“What are you grinning about?” Sarah had walked back to her desk to
pick up her books.
“Oh, just that I mentioned to Jimmy that you had a tub when he told me
that he needed a bath before he came to see you. I sort of hinted that
it might be interesting to use your tub instead of the one at the
bunkhouse!”
Sarah blushed around the edges, as she looked her way. “Actually, it
was very interesting. I owe you a big thank you for suggesting it
then!” They walked out of the school and started towards Sarah’s.
“So what’s happening with you and Buck?” She noted the smile that
quickly went across her friend’s face.
“He told me that he loved me yesterday!” She reached down to
finger the necklace that hung around her neck. “I guess I’d been
waiting to hear those words forever!”
“I’ve been telling you all along that he loved you! Maybe next time
you’ll believe me!”
Melissa laughed. “Maybe so! We were up at his private place where he
prays to his spirit guides. Just enjoying being together. It was so
peaceful and beautiful up there. Some day, I would like to have a home
close to it. Everyone needs a place to go and be alone sometimes. I
think Buck has found the perfect spot!”
Sarah agreed, as they reached her home. She opened the door and they
went inside. Sarah fixed them both something to drink and they sat down
at the table.
“Oh, I think you might be interested in this. Buck and I were in the
barn last night. He was getting Jimmy’s horse taken care of after the
ride. We were standing there kissing, one thing led to another and as
usual dear Cody, walked in on us again!!”
Sarah laughed aloud. “No! Not again! How many times does that make now?”
“At least three! I’m afraid of what he might be walking in on if he
does it again! Each time that it happens, we’ve moved ahead a little
more. Taking a new step in out relationship. It’s going to work into
something really serious, and I don’t think I want Cody or anyone for
that matter, interrupting us!”
“I should say not! Better find somewhere you can go, when you think
that might be happening! I wouldn’t want to be interrupted either!”
“Anyway, that wasn’t what I wanted to tell you. When Cody walked in on
us, he was looking for Jimmy.”
“Jimmy?”
“Yeah. He said he wanted to talk to him!”
“I know he didn’t talk with him last night. Jimmy would have told me.
That means that they have probably had a confrontation today while I
was at school.” Sarah looked troubled.
“He didn’t seem upset any more. Maybe that’s a good sign.”
Melissa reached over to squeeze her hand.
“I hope so. They need to end this between them. Maybe my little talk
with him did some good.” Sarah smiled. She would have positive
thoughts about it all! If she did, perhaps it would rub off on them.
Jimmy had returned to the bunkhouse as Sarah left for school that
morning. There was a serious smile on his face and he noticed so much
as he walked along. Like how the sunshine filtered through the clouds
and reflected off the windows of the shops. How the people who were
walking down the streets, holding on to someone’s hand or arm seemed to
be so happy. How the children laughed with one another as they hurried
towards the school. Why had he never noticed these things before? Was
this what love did to a person? Make them see things they’d never seen
before?
Teaspoon watched Jimmy walk down the street. There was something very
different about him lately. Miss Sarah was working her magic over him.
Would there be another wedding soon?
Reaching the bunkhouse, no one was in sight. He knew they had planned
to work on Lou and Kid’s house. He wondered if they had already headed
over there. He changed into a different pair of trousers, since those
he wore were the ones that he had spent two days in the saddle in, and
was about to go out to look for everyone when the door opened and Cody
looked inside.
“So you’re back!” He came inside and closed the door.
“Been back since last nite.” Jimmy didn’t know what to make of
Cody talking to him. He didn’t seem all that upset. This hadn’t been
what he’d expected from him, the first time they talked about things.
“Yeah, I know. I meant you were back from Sarah’s. You know, you really
should be careful about her reputation! She is the schoolteacher an
all! I’m sure the town’s people would just love hearin’ the woman they
have teachin’ their children is sleepin’ with a known gun!” Cody
sort of sneered at him as he spoke the last words. Jimmy made a grab
for his shirt front.
“Don’t know one know bout it but you and the other riders. Whose gonna
tell? Sides it ain’t none a your business no how!”
“Maybe it ain’t! But I still care for Sarah! I won’t take too kindly to
you getting her hurt or run out of town!” His voice was getting
loud.
“Sos you made your point! Anythin’ else you want to say?” Jimmy let go
of his shirt and sat down on his bunk.
“Yeah, there is. I ain’t so sure I like the idea of you stealin’ Sarah
right out from under my nose!”
“Cody, I didn’t steal her out from under your nose!”
“Well, jist what ya call it? She ain’t mine no more!”
“Maybe she weren’t yours to begin with!” Jimmy’s voice was
getting loud too.
“Then if she weren’t mine, why’d she tell me I could court her?”
Jimmy sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Cody, I didn’t aim to
hurt you none. I pushed Sarah into your arms. I shouldn’t a done it.
But it’s too late. I cain’t take back what I already done. I fell in
love with Sarah, Cody. I cain’t help that!”
“Jimmy, we ain’t never messed with one ‘nother’s ladies a fore! Why
now? You have no idea how it made me feel to walk in and find you and
her in the loft. I felt like I’d been punched in the
gut…betrayed!” Cody sat down beside Jimmy on the bunk. He looked
so hurt, so rejected that Jimmy hurt for him.
“I know. But I tried to tell you how it was. That it was all my fault.”
“Yeah, and then Sarah told me the truth! Why’d you lie to me bout it
all?”
“Didn’t want to hurt you none! Didn’t want to hurt Sarah! Thought if
you knew it were my fault, you’d forgive Sarah and the two of you would
stay together. I didn’t want her to be left with nothin’!”
“You didn’t want to hurt me? Then why’d you take her out from under my
nose?”
“Cody, I ain’t gonna lie to you none! I didn’t plan on fallin’ in love
with her. I never felt the way I feel about Sarah! I knew when I met
her she’d be special, but I never thought I’d love her like I do! Never
spected to fall for no woman for that matter. I pushed her towards you
cause I didn’t think I could give her what she needed. I knew you’d be
good to her!”
“Jimmy, I love her too! I would have given her the moon if I could have
pulled it from the sky!”
“I know.”
“What changed your mind?”
“I ain’t shore. I jist know that she is the most important thing in my
life!”
“I don’t know how to handle this. She was the most important thing in
my life too!”
“I know, and I’m sorry! How many times you want me to say it?”
“Thousand won’t make no difference!”
“Guess you’re rite!” Jimmy stood up and moved over towards the
window. For a moment, he stood looking out into the sunshine. He didn’t
know what to say. Finally he turned towards Cody. “It’s like the
sunshine out there. That’s what Sarah is to me! I ain’t never had no
sunshine in my life Cody! I’ve always lived in the shadows. With Sarah,
I’ve come out of the shadows, into the lite and I love the feelin’! I
know it hurt you. I know it ain’t easy us livin’ and workin’ here
together. Maybe it would be better if I jist left!”
Cody looked towards Jimmy. The look on his face told him he was serious
in what he was saying.
“No, ain’t no need in doin’ that. Sarah already got on me bout ignorin’
you both. I cain’t turn off my feelin’s. It’ll take a while to git over
her, but I will! If I told Sarah I’d told you to leave, she’d have my
head! But know Jimmy, she’ll always have a special place in my heart.
If you hurt her, ever, I won’t back off again! I’ll be the one who
picks up the pieces. I’ll be the one who puts her life back together!
So don’t stumble Hickok! She done told me once I could court her. I’ll
persuade her again if you trample on her heart!”
“I’ll remember Cody! But I ain’t plannin’ to stumble!”
“Jist remember!” He pointed a finger into his chest. With those
words he was gone.
Jimmy stood watching him walk away. He really did feel bad about the
hurt he’d put on Cody. But he couldn’t give up Sarah. Some way, they
would work through this.
The weeks were flying by. Sarah had been happy to hear that Jimmy and
Cody had finally talked things out. It still wasn’t back to normal
between them, but it was better. They were at least on speaking terms
and Cody was treating her as a friend again.
Teaspoon had been a little worried about Jimmy. He noticed that he left
the bunkhouse every night that he was there after the others had turned
in. One evening, he had decided to follow him to ease his mind. He had
known that Jimmy wouldn’t volunteer any information if he had
questioned him. About halfway through town, Teaspoon realized where he
was headed. He stopped and watched as Miss Sarah had opened the door to
him and in moments the lights had gone out. Teaspoon smiled. This was
how young love was supposed to be he guessed. He shook his head and
went back to Rachel’s. At least he knew that he wasn’t in some sort of
trouble.
The others loved to tease Jimmy. “Why ain’t you never here at nite
Jimmy?” Noah looked his way over the card game.
“Gots things to do!” Jimmy played his hand, pretending not to
think much about the question he’d been asked.
“At nite? You workin’ at the saloon again or somethin’?” Kid looked
over towards him, remembering when he’d worked a short time in the
saloon to help the army and Teaspoon catch some no counts.
“Nope!” Jimmy shuffled the cards and dealt them once again.
Ðon’t act as if you ain’t got no idea where he’s a goin’!”
Lou looked at her husband. “You and I used to sneak off ever chance we
got to be alone together! We had to use the woods! At least Sarah has a
home of her own they can be private in!”
“No wonder he comes back with a smile on his face!” Ike patted
him on the back.
Jimmy had remained silent. He wasn’t going to volunteer any
information. He didn’t want others outside of the riders to know what
was going on between him and Sarah.
“Guess if somethin’ big was to happen round here in the middle of the
nite, we’d have to send someone after you!” Noah looked his way.
“Reckon you would!” Jimmy kept a straight face as he played his
cards. What he really wanted to do was shout how happy he was with
Sarah in his life!
“I don’t think Miss Sarah taught him how to smile yet! He’s till the
same ole Jimmy we’ve always knowed! Looks like love would at least put
a smile on your face!” Kid grinned his way waiting. Slowly a
smile covered Jimmy’s face. He couldn’t help it! “Told you so! Looks
like Ike don’t he when you mention love?” Ike blushed a deep red and
they started in on him!
The card game ended, and Jimmy got up and left the bunkhouse. Lou
grabbed her coat and followed him out.
“Jimmy, I ain’t one of them in there. I ain’t gonna say nothin’ to no
body. Now tell me truthfully. You happy?”
Jimmy had stopped walking and was looking towards the barn. Then he
turned her way and the smile that covered his face would have reached
to California! Lou grabbed him and gave him a hug.
“That’s all I need to know!”
Cody even began to see the difference in Jimmy. Sarah was exactly what
he’d needed in his life. It was hard, but Cody came to accept things as
they were.
Sarah couldn’t believe how happy she was. It was all because of Jimmy.
She’d never thought she would meet someone who would make her feel so
alive, so complete, so loved. She thought about the men at home she’d
known, that her parents had hinted would make a good husband. She knew
none of them could even measure up to Jimmy Hickok! She also knew that
she needed to let her family know about him. But she still wasn’t sure
what to say! Eventually one of her letters would tell the story. Now
just wasn’t the time. They wouldn’t approve, but would learn to live
with it.
Jimmy knew Sarah was the best thing that had ever happened to him. She
made him whole. He knew he couldn’t live without her! Every time he had
a ride, they seemed to get longer! Getting back to her was all he could
seem to think about.
Both Sarah and Jimmy were ecstatic with the love they’d found in one
another. Life had so much more to give it seemed. The couple spent a
lot of time with Buck and Melissa. Their friendship grew steadily each
day. Sarah watched her two best friends together and knew that soon,
very soon, they were going to share their love with one another. Their
feelings were written all over their faces.
It was early afternoon when Buck and Ike took the wagon and rode into
town to pick up some nails and other things needed for the house they
were working on. While they were in Tompkins store, Ike motioned for
Buck to come over to look at the rings that were in a case by the cash
register.
“Pick one out.”
Buck looked startled. “Pick one out? For who?”
“Want to give Emily one!”
“You really serious about her ain’t ya?”
Ike quickly nodded. “Marry her!”
“You asked her yet?” Buck was grinning at his friend.
“No, need a ring!”
“Well, let’s see if we cain’t pick one out then! Tompkins, can we see
these rings?”
Tompkins moved over to where they were standing. “You boys plannin’ to
give the ladies in your lives a ring?”
Buck patted Ike on the back. “Think Ike here is purty serious. He wants
to give her somethin’ nice.”
“Okay, let’s see what we can find. How much you want to spend Ike?”
They spent the next thirty minutes looking over the selection that
Tompkins had. Ike decided to buy Emily one with a sapphire in the
center. “Matches her eyes!”
Buck smiled. “This is the one Tompkins!”
“Fine choice buys! Want me to wrap it for you?”
Ike nodded and Tompkins turned to do as he’d requested. “Buck, bout
time you bought that purty little Melissa a ring ain’t it?”
Buck blushed. “Someday maybe. Ain’t shore jist yet!”
“Ain’t shore yet? I bet you are! You just got cold feet! She’s a mighty
fine young woman! Teaspoon got himself one lovely daughter! Course Miss
Emily is one lovely lady too!” He smiled as he handed Ike the
package. “Good luck with your young lady Ike!”
He smiled paying Tompkins for the ring and they hurried out of the
store.
Teaspoon was on his way to Rachel’s. It was nearing supper time. He was
going a lot of thinking as he walked along. Lou and Kid’s house was
nearly finished. It was only a few weeks until Spring. They would be
moved in by the time the first trees swelled with the new buds. Then
they could think about starting a family of their own. Lou would make a
good mother. Of course he knew she still wanted to go back to the
orphanage and get her younger brother and sister when the house was
complete. They had built a place big enough for them all! It would be
nice to have children around again. His mind touched on his own
daughter. Would Melissa give him grandchildren? He smiled at the
thought. That would make his life complete! He stepped up onto the
porch and made a mental note once more not to forget the message he
needed to give her about the package at the fort.
The table was set and everyone was waiting on his arrival. “Sorry I’m
late. Had to sign some papers for a messenger bout a prisoner comin’ in
tomorrow.”
“Prisoner? In Rock Creek?” Kid looked interested.
“Yeah. They should be here tomorrow sometime. Takin’ him to California
to stand trial for bank robbery and a murder charge. Happened bout two
years ago. He’ll he spendin’ several days in our little jail until an
escort can git here from Fort Laramie to take him out west.”
“Been awhile since we had anyone other than locals in the jail.”
Jimmy looked Teaspoon’s way. He wondered if this outlaw was someone he
knew.
“True. Jist proves me and you boys keeps things in Rock Creek purty
safe!”
They all agreed as Rachel and Melissa started passing the food around.
Sarah had joined them for the evening. She enjoyed being there with
everyone. Even Cody had been happy to see her.
“Melissa, before I forgit. Message arrived for you. Seems there’s some
sort of package at Fort Laramie for you. Somethin’ too big for the
riders to carry. You need to go pick it up.”
“It’s finally here! I knew it was on the way.”
Teaspoon noticed that she was rather happy about the news. Melissa
noted his questioning look.
“Fancy is sending me some things that I wrote and asked her to get
together for me. I didn’t want to return to Sutters Creek for them
myself!”
Teaspoon smiled quickly. It made him feel better to hear her say those
words. He thought often about her returning to Sutters Creek. He was
afraid she might want to do it some day. He wasn’t sure how he would
handle it when the time came.
“Well, then you need someone to escort you to Fort Laramie to pick it
up. I’d be more’n happy to do it…”
Buck quickly glanced at Melissa. How was he gonna get a chance to do
this if Teaspoon wanted to take her? He’d been thinking about this trip
ever since Melissa had mentioned it. This would be their chance to have
some time alone.
“But with the prisoner a comin’, I needs to stay here! Anybody here
want the honor of escortin’ Miss Melissa to Fort Laramie?” He glanced
around the table, knowing full well Buck was the one who would be
taking her.
“I ain’t got a ride for several days. Melissa had already told me bout
the package and asked if I would take her when it arrived.” Buck
looked first at Melissa and then towards Teaspoon. He wouldn’t have any
objections would he?
“Then it’s settled. You two can leave out at first lite tomorrow!
Should put you there by late evening. Provided the weather holds up,
you’ll be back by Sunday.”
Cody looked at Teaspoon. “You gonna let Buck escort her all by hisself?”
“And why shouldn’t I?” Teaspoon was looking towards Cody, grinning. He
knew what was coming.
“Well, I jist didn’t know if you thought it was safe and all. I mean,
Buck all alone out there with her. They’ll be a spendin’ the nite and
all! Don’t they need a chaperone?”
“You mean like you Cody?”
Cody grinned. “Yeah, like me! I would love to go to the fort!”
“Cody, if anythin’ was gonna happen ‘tween Buck and Melissa, I think it
would have happened already. Or if it ain’t yet, I don’t think a
chaperone would keep it from happenin’! Sides, I needs you here to help
keep guard with the prisoner a comin’! You can go to the fort next time
I need somethin’ and flirt with all the ladies then!”
“Ah Teaspoon!”
“Sides, I think it will do Buck and Melissa good to git off on their
own! They don’t have much time for that here!”
“I don’t know Teaspoon. It’s a fer piece to Fort Laramie! They mite
decide to git hitched or somethin’ while they’re gone!” Kid
grinned as he looked Buck’s way. He was blushing.
“She better not git hitched without her best friend!” Sarah
looked at Melissa whose face was a bright red.
“I don’t think either of ‘em would do somethin’ like that! Least ways,
I hope not! I’d like to be the one who gives the bride away!”
Teaspoon smiled at his daughter.
Getting up, she quickly went to the head of the table throwing her arms
around his neck. She kissed him on the cheek and then whispered. “Don’t
worry none Daddy! You will be!”
Teaspoon beamed. He’d never thought the name Daddy would be given to
him! He hugged her back and then looked towards Ike.
“Speakin’ of getting’ hitched. What’s this I hear from Tompkins that
you is a thinkin’ bout it?”
“What?” Everyone turned eyes to Ike. It was his turn to blush as he
shook his head in the affirmative.
“Gonna ask her tonite!”
The conversation turned to Ike and Emily. Melissa started helping
Rachel clean the table. Her mind was on the trip that she and Buck
would be taking tomorrow. She was nervous, yet at the same time,
thrilled at the chance to spend some time alone with him.
The following morning, Buck and Melissa headed off for Fort Laramie at
first light. They were traveling by horseback. Rachel had insisted that
Melissa take a dress along with her. Usually at the fort on Saturday
night, dances were held. She knew that she wouldn’t want to attend in
the men’s trousers that she was dressed in for travel.
Both Buck and Melissa were excited about this trip. Being alone was
something they both needed. Melissa had a feeling that she would come
back a very different person.
They made good time, stopping near noon to share a lunch that Rachel
had packed for them of left over chicken from the night before. Melissa
was sure that nothing had ever tasted so good. Riding had sure made her
hungry. As they were about to start their journey once again, Buck
looked her way.
“Teaspoon tells me there is usually a dance at the fort on Saturday
nite. I guess I should have mentioned it before we left. Don’t guess
you’d want to go in your travelin’ clothes!”
Melissa looked down at her men’s trousers and woolen shirt that she
wore under her coat. They were already covered in dust.
“No, don’t guess it would look very good. Unless I tuck my hair up
under my hat and tried to act as if I were a boy like Lou used to do!”
Buck looked at her and grinned. He knew about the curves that she
possessed, and he didn’t think there was any way she could pull off
posing as a boy.
“What, pray tell, are you grinning so about? You think I couldn’t pull
it off?” Melissa looked his way. The grin was still on his face. “I can
even walk like one! Watch!” She started off in front of him, her
legs slightly bowed, lumbering along like most boys do.
Buck watched for several seconds. Yes, she could walk like most of the
male gender, but there was something different about it. Possibly the
fact that he had watched her walk away from him so many times, he knew
exactly which way that cute little rear end of hers moved? She might
convince a few, but never him!
She turned and hurried back to Buck. “See, I told you I could.”
He laughed aloud and reached out to pull her into his arms. “You mite
fool a few people, but you ain’t never gonna fool me! I know exactly
where all your beautiful curves are, and I could never see you as a
boy!” His mouth quickly covered hers and she melted against him.
For a moment, they forgot about the trip to the fort, as passion rose
between them. Melissa looked up into his eyes. There she saw flames of
desire.
“We better go, or we’ll never make the fort by night fall. I don’t want
to miss that dance! I brought a dress!” At that she jumped on her
horse and took off, leaving Buck standing alone by his own horse, his
mouth hanging open. In seconds, he’d taken off after her. The little
sneak!
It was nearing dusk when they reached Fort Laramie. Melissa had never
seen a fort before. It was completely surrounded by a large wall of
logs. There was a loom out tower that sat well above the wall, and she
heard someone call out their arrival. In moments the heavy doors swung
open to allow them entrance.
The inside was much like a small town. There was a church, a small
general store, a one room school, much smaller than the one in Rock
Creek, the headquarters for the army personnel, and of course a
bunkhouse for the soldiers. There were also houses here and there that
Melissa assumed some of the married officers occupied.
Buck noticed that most of the soldiers did a double take when they
glanced at Melissa. She would draw a crowd if they attended the dance
that evening. He had a feeling it would be a long night!
Melissa noticed the looks they received also. Not only were they
appreciative looks thrown her way, but there were also looks of disgust
thrown towards Buck. She hoped there wasn’t any problem with him coming
to the fort. She hadn’t thought about what the people there would think
of a white woman being with a half-breed. Teaspoon didn’t mention it
either. She thought perhaps Buck had been there before.
Her train of thought was interrupted as a man rushed out of one of the
buildings and reached out to take the reins of their horses. “Sergeant
Smith at your service mam. Can I direct you somewhere?” He glanced at
Buck for only a second and then turned back towards Melissa as if he’d
dismissed him completely.
“I’d like to see Major Hollingsworth please.”
“This way mam.” He motioned towards a large building in front of
them just a short piece. They followed him, dismounting and tying their
horses to the post outside.
“Thank you Sergeant Smith.” She gave him a smile, and she and
Buck went inside.
“Any time mam!”
The major was going over some papers when he heard the door open. He
quickly looked over the two people who came into his office. Buck had
taken off his hat and was holding it in his hands. Melissa was standing
rather close to him.
“May I help you Miss?” He stood up behind his desk. He frowned slightly
as he noted the young lady was with a half-breed. She was rather pretty
with all her red hair spilling down her back.
“I’m Melissa Crawford. This is Buck Cross. You sent Teaspoon Hunter a
message that I had a package here to be picked up.”
“Ah yes. One moment and I’ll get it for you.” He quickly crossed
to the door that they had just entered and requested that Sergeant
Smith get the package for her. Returning to his desk, he asked, “Are
you acquainted with Marshall Hunter, Miss Crawford?” He smiled her way.
“Marshall Hunter is my father!”
The major looked surprised. “I’ve known Teaspoon a good many years. He
never mentioned a daughter.”
“We just became acquainted a few months ago.”
Just then the door opened and Sergeant Smith brought in her package. It
was wrapped in brown paper, tied with string, and Fancy’s hand writing
jumped out at her.
“Here you are Miss Crawford. Will you be spending the night with us
here at the fort?”
“That’s our plans. We’ll be leaving at first light tomorrow.”
“We’ll be happy to have you with us. There is a dance tonight if you
would like to attend. I’m sure that I can provide you with a…” he
looked Buck’s way as he said the next words, “…suitable escort.”
Melissa saw red.
“For your information Major Hollingsworth, should I decide to attend
the dance that you are having this evening, Mr. Cross is the only
escort that I would even consider! For now, you could show us both to
our quarters for the evening. I would very much like to bathe and have
something to eat. It has been a long time since lunch.”
“Certainly. You may stay here. There are several rooms that aren’t in
use at present. As for Mr. Cross…” he hesitated and Melissa
noticed that it seemed to be more than he could handle to call him MR,
“There are several bunks available in the soldiers quarters that should
do nicely for the breed!” He sort of sneered as he said the last
words.
That was all it took. Melissa could feel the hairs standing up on the
back of her neck. How dare he suggest that he didn’t deserve the same
hospitality that she did just because he was different! Buck watched as
Melissa’s face turned bright red. He wasn’t sure what she was about to
do, but he had a feeling he was about to witness a side of her that he
had never seen before!
“I beg your pardon Major Hollingsworth. Did I hear you right? Mr. Cross
is my escort. I will not stay any where that he isn’t given quarters.
You may also stop this ridiculous nonsense of calling him “breed”! He
has a name just as any other man does. He has a right to be called by
that given name, just as you do. If he is treated with any other
disrespect, I will make sure that your superiors hear about it. I
believe that my father and the governor are very CLOSE friends!”
Her eyes were shooting sparks towards him. Major Hollingsworth couldn’t
believe that this beautiful young woman was standing up for this no
count breed! But rather than make a scene, he nodded towards her. “Yes
Miss Crawford. I beg your pardon. He may use one of the other rooms
here. I will see that a bath is sent to both your rooms immediately as
well as supper!”
“Thank you Major!” With that Melissa gave him a nod and walked
down the hallway after Sergeant Smith, whom the major had motioned to
show them the way. His hat still in his hands, and his heart singing,
Buck followed his lady.
“I can see to your horses if you like sir.” Sergeant Smith was
looking at Buck.
“Anything you need Melissa besides your bed roll?”
“No, that’s all Buck.”
“Be back shortly.” He followed Sergeant Smith out once more.
Melissa entered the room that had been given to her for the night and
sat down. She couldn’t believe the nerve of that man! How could people
treat others so unkindly?
Buck gathered their belongings and returned to Melissa’s room. Her door
was open, and he stepped inside. She was standing at the window.
“It seems I have misjudged you. You handled yourself very well in front
of the major! I could have stayed in the quarters with the soldiers. It
would have been all rite.”
She turned and looked up into his brown eyes. “No, it wouldn’t have
been alright! I wouldn’t have stayed here without you nearby. I’m very
lucky to have a man like you. I don’t give a hang what others have to
say about it. I love you Buck.”
He embraced her, holding her tightly against his chest. Kissing her
forehead, he whispered, “I know, and I love you too!”
Buck knew that what Melissa had voiced what was in her heart. He knew
that she was learning to hold her own where others’ prejudices were
concerned.
The evening was nice. Much like the Saturday nights in Rock Creek, the
only difference was there were soldiers every where one looked. Melissa
thought that they all looked very nice all dressed in their uniforms.
But the only man that held her attention at the dance was Buck. Several
settlers had come into the fort for the dance. Melissa was dressed in a
simple calico dress. It was low cut, showing off her ample breasts.
Buck’s necklace she wore in plain view around her neck. She wanted
everyone to know who she belonged to! Her hair was pulled over to one
side, and Buck was thrilled to have her on his arm.
The major was very polite to them both. Melissa had put the fear of God
into him, it would seem. He’d known that Teaspoon Hunter and the
governor were close friends. He thought it wise not to cause any more
problems. He wasn’t about to have his career ended because of some no
count breed! They would be gone tomorrow and things would be back to
normal.
Melissa turned down what seemed hundreds of dances that evening. She
danced with no one but Buck. His smile was a mile wide each time he
took her out on the dance floor. She was so beautiful and she was all
his! He was the envy of every soldier there. He didn’t miss their
jealous stares!
Major Hollingsworth hadn’t missed the necklace that Miss Crawford wore
around her neck. It was obvious that she had made her choice. Several
of his men were upset that she wouldn’t give them the time of day, but
he passed it off. If she wanted to be known as a half-breed’s whore, it
was no skin off his nose!
As the hour grew late, Buck and Melissa headed back to their quarters.
They would be leaving very early the following morning.
“Try and git some sleep Melissa. It will be a long day tomorrow. I’ll
be jist next door if you need me for anything.”
Melissa smiled. This would be the closest she’d been to him at night
except for the night they had gone with Jimmy and Sarah to watch the
sunrise. She didn’t want him to leave her, and for a moment she
pondered on what she could do to get him to stay a few more minutes.
“Don’t you want to see the photographs that we came after?”
He smiled. “I’d love to.” Moving into the room, he left the door
slightly ajar so that no one would get the wrong impression. He wanted
to protect her reputation here. He’d already seen the way some of the
soldiers had been looking at her. He didn’t want to start any trouble.
Melissa lovingly pulled out the photographs and placed them on the bed
one by one. There were photos of her mother alone, of Melissa and her
mother, of the two of them and her grandmother, of Melissa as a small
child and then photos at intervals as she was growing up.
“You’ve been beautiful all your life!” Buck looked her way and
smiled.
“No I haven’t! Look how fat I was in this photograph.” She
pointed to one of her near the age of ten.
“You weren’t fat! You were a beautiful baby and now you’re a beautiful
woman!” he sat looking at her for a moment. I would be so easy to
walk over and lock the door and spend the night with her in his arms.
He wanted to suggest it, but he knew this wasn’t the place for them to
share their love for one another. All he could think about was making
her his though!
Melissa felt her cheeks growing hot as she looked up at him. She could
tell what he was thinking. She was nervous and she tried to make
conversation to cover it up. “My grandmother always told me that I
looked like my mother. But I don’t see a lot of resemblance.”
She picked up two photographs and was comparing them. “Perhaps there’s
more of Teaspoon in there than you think!” Buck grinned. There
were times that he would glance at Melissa and he would see Teaspoon
there.
“Perhaps!” She smiled as she caressed the photographs.
“I should let you git some sleep. I’ll see you in the mornin’!”
Melissa walked with him to the door. He leaned near to kiss her lips
and whispered a soft “goodnite”.
As she settled down to sleep, Melissa was a little disappointed. What
had she really expected to happen on this trip? It was nearly over.
Buck hadn’t made any advances towards her. But then she knew that the
fort wasn’t a wise place to have anything happen. Not with way the
major was feeling about Buck. She fell into a restless sleep, dreaming
of Buck, their making love over and over again, until the gray light of
dawn woke her.
Buck spent most of the night pacing the floor. He couldn’t sleep. He
was worried about Melissa being alone in the room next door. There were
a lot of uneasy feelings at this fort. The sooner they left, the
better. As he finally lay down to try and sleep, dreams of Melissa
invaded his mind. She was making love to him. He couldn’t express the
feelings that she was causing in him.
Buck looked at the sky very uneasily. He had the horses saddled and was
ready to get Melissa. It was cloudy and very gray. There was no way the
sun was going to peek through even for a minute this day.
Melissa was waiting for his knock. “Are you ready?” He smiled as she
opened the door.
“Been ready! Even got a few things from the major’s kitchen for
lunch!” She grinned as she handed him the sack. “I’m sure that he
won’t miss them!”
“Good thing you were able to find somethin’. I’m unsure bout this
weather. Looks like s storm brewin’ to the east of us. We could be in
for some snow before we git back to Rock Creek. It jist depends on how
fast it moves this way.”
“Then let’s get moving.”
“We could stay another nite here, if you didn’t want to chance beatin’
the storm.”
Melissa hesitated as she looked up at Buck. She would love to have
another nite with him away from the others, but here wasn’t the place
for it. “Nope, I’d rather brave the storm with you, then have to stay
here another night with these people! I’ve felt like an outsider since
we arrived.”
“Then let’s git goin’!” Helping her gather her things, they left
the major’s quarters. He wasn’t even on hand to bid them farewell!
Traveling was a little harder than their trip coming had been. The wind
had begun to swirl around them near noon. The clouds were getting
heavier. They stopped in a grove of trees to share part of what Melissa
had gathered for them. Buck looked with concern at the sky.
“What is it Buck?” She could tell he didn’t want to worry her. “I want
to know what we’re in for.”
“It’s gonna reach us in jist a few hours. I don’t know if we will be
able to git back to Rock Creek before it hits or not.”
“I know you’ll take care of me. I’m not too worried.” She smiled
slightly in his direction.
“I jist hope I can live up to your expectations! You never know with
something like this.” He really looked worried.
She smiled. “I know you can! Let’s get going.”
They rode for several more hours, at a hard pace. But they weren’t
covering much ground. The wind had gotten stronger and much colder. It
was going right through the coat that Melissa had on. Buck pulled his
horse to a stop under some trees.
“It’s almost on us. We’re still several hours from Rock Creek!”
With his words, which he had to yell at her so she could hear over the
wind, the first flakes of snow began to fall. “We can ride as long as
we can, then find some shelter.” Melissa nodded his way, and
followed his lead down the road.
It seemed like hours before Buck stopped again. Melissa had been riding
with her head bent low, letting the horse have its lead. It followed
Buck’s horse closely. She had the coat pulled up as closely around her
neck as possible and her chin stuck down inside to cover most of her
face. She was so cold that her teeth were chattering. Her freezing
fingers had ceased to fold around the reins of the horse. The only way
she knew Buck had stopped was her own horse pushing up against his to
divert some of the wind.
Buck had been keeping a close watch on the sky and Melissa. Leaning
over he yelled in her ear. “Are you alright?” She nodded. She was so
cold, she wasn’t sure her voice would work. She knew it would never be
loud enough to carry over the howling wind. Buck stood in the stirrups
and looked around him. The ground had long since become covered with
snow. He was trying to get his bearings. If he was where he thought he
was, there was a cabin a few more miles up the road. Could Melissa make
it?
“Melissa, can you go on?” He looked her way worried. She shook her head
yes quickly. “There should be a cabin jist a few more miles ahead. We
can stay there til this passes!” She nodded again and kicked her
horse into action. It followed Buck’s easily.
Melissa thought she’d never seen anything as beautiful as the run down
cabin! The roof was sagging and the porch was falling apart. But it
would at least be warmer inside out of the wind! She couldn’t take much
more of this wind or the stinging flakes of snow and ice.
Buck quickly dismounted and hurried around to her. Reaching up, he
pulled her from her horse. “Come on. We’ll be okay inside. I’ll git a
fire going.”
He helped her to step over the holes in the porch and pushed open the
door. It took a minute for their eyes to adjust to the dimness. The
cabin wasn’t that bad on the inside. Things were covered with a year’s
worth of dust, but Melissa could live with that. They stepped away from
the door, and Buck closed it behind them.
It was a single room cabin, a fireplace, a table, a few chairs and that
was all. Melissa hugged herself, rubbing her arms to try and get the
feeling back into them. She picked her way to the table and lit the oil
lamp.
Buck had made sure Melissa was safely in the cabin before he went in
search of some wood for the fire. He worked his way around the cabin,
and thanked the spirits as he came to a woodpile. He gathered as much
as he could, and hurried back to Melissa.
“You okay?” He asked anxiously as he laid the wood by the fireplace.
“I’ll be fine. But what about you? You’re the one who seems to always
be taking care of people in snowstorms.” She told him softly.
Buck briefly thought about rescuing Sarah during the blizzard when she
had run away. He could feel his face get warm as he remembered certain
things that had happened between them during that storm. He was glad
his back was to Melissa.
“I’m fine. It will take me jist a minute to git this started.” He
told her as he busied himself arranging the wood, and coaxing the
flames to take hold.
“Come closer,” he urged her as he motioned for her to come closer to
him. “You’re still shakin’!”
As she sat down next to him, Buck put his arms around her, and pulled
her against his body.
“Better?” He asked.
“Much.” She admitted. “How long do you think this storm will
last?” She realized as she asked, that she was hoping that the storm,
went on forever. Being alone with Buck, with no one else around, had
interesting possibilities. It wouldn’t be like it had been at the fort.
She shivered with the thoughts.
Buck was thinking that she was still chilled, pulled her closer against
him.
“I dunno, possibly through the nite. We’ll have a warm place to sleep.
As soon as you’re warm, I’ll git the horses comfortable as possible and
bring what’s left of our food in.”
“I’m okay. How will the horses be if they have to stay out in this all
night?”
“I saw a lean to a short distance from here. I’ll get them comfortable
in there. They’ll be okay. You sure you’re warmer?” he asked her,
reluctant to let her go.
She looked up into his dark eyes. “I’m warmer…” her voice drifted
off as she saw the intense look in those eyes. It made her feel even
warmer.
Buck quickly realized what a dangerous situation this could be. He felt
confused, unsure of himself. In the past, whenever he had suggested
they stay the night together, she had put him off. He had no reason to
believe that tonight would be any different.
“I’ll go take care of the horses.” He told her abruptly as he
quickly stood up and left the cabin.
Melissa shook her head. First he’d been there, and then he was gone!
What had just happened? Or maybe it was her imagination. They would he
here all night..alone..together. The shiver went through her again.
Would tonight be her night? Did she want it to be her night? She knew
how happy Sarah and Jimmy were. Their love had only gotten bigger and
better, and they seemed so close. She envied them that. She wanted to
have that with Buck. Maybe this was why things hadn’t gone as she had
thought they might at the fort. Someone up there had known this was
going to happen to them on the way back.
Buck led the horses to the lean to and he knew they would be alright
there. The shelter cut the wind, and the snow wouldn’t fall on them.
There was even a little hay that someone had stored at one time or
another in the lean to. That would give them something for the night.
He took off their bedrolls and the food pack and started back to the
cabin. A few feet from it, he stopped. The women he loved more than
life itself was in there. He needed to be closer to her. But he knew
that he had to respect what she wanted too. The cold suddenly got
through to him and he hurried inside. It definitely felt warmer inside.
“Here’s the food.” He handed it to her and she smiled.
“Then I’ll see if I can’t pull something together for us to eat for
supper. Wonder what else is here?” She turned to make a search of the
cabinets. “Did our bedrolls get wet?”
“Some. I’ll spread them out by the fire so they’ll be dry by the time
we’re ready for bed.”
“The horses okay?” She asked him. She didn’t seem to find anything else
in the cabin that was edible.
“Yeah. They’ll be okay through the nite. There was some hay that
someone had stored there at one time or another. So they are dry, and
have something to eat. We couldn’t have picked a better place to find
shelter.”
Melissa suddenly felt very nervous with this man. She could tell that
he felt the same way, and he was doing his best to keep his distance
from her. She set the food on the crude table.
“Buck, what’s wrong?” She asked him as she started to walk towards him.
“Nothin’ Melissa.” He nervously licked suddenly dry lips. “I’m
jist a little hungry is all.” He lied.
“I love you, Buck!”
He smiled in spite of himself. “I love you too.”
“So why are we acting so polite to each other all of a sudden?”
Now how was he supposed to explain that? “We’re all alone…it’s snowing
out…”
“We’ve been alone before, Buck.” She reminded him.
“But not like this...not miles away from everyone else, and you’re so
beautiful,” he was practically whispering, “And all I want to do is
love you, Melissa.” He said it so softly that she had to strain
to hear him.
Melissa walked slowly over to him. “What if I said I wanted that too?”
“But before….”
Melissa stepped very close to him. “Before, I was scared Buck. I mean I
still am scared because I don’t know the first thing about it. I’ve
never been with a man before.” Here she blushed furiously. “But I
see what it’s done for Jimmy and Sarah. They’re so close. They’re
almost like one person. I want that for us too, Buck.”
But put his hands on her arms and squeezed them.
“I do too. But it’s not jist you…you see, I ain’t ever done it a fore
neither!” he told her as he blushed furiously at that admission. “I
mean, as close as I got to anything was layin’ with Sarah..kind of like
you and Jimmy. But I have a feelin’ there’s a lot more to it that that!”
“Yeah, me too, Buck. Do you think we can figure it out together?”
The look she was giving him was very endearing. He pulled her closely
against him. Was this the way he wanted it to happen? Out here in the
middle of a snowstorm with them miles away from anything? Their bed, a
blanket on the floor? Was this was his beautiful lady deserved?
“I wanted to give you the world. I wanted to give you more than this!”
he confessed, whispering into her hair.
“I don’t need the world, Buck. I only need to know that I have you by
my side,” she said as she looked up into his dark eyes.
Buck lifted her chin, and lowered his mouth slowly to hers. He felt as
if he would burst with the great love that he held for her. They
continued to kiss as they walked over towards the bedrolls. Standing in
front of the fire, Melissa slowly unbuttoned his shirt, and pulled it
out of his trousers, tossing it to the floor. Then she hesitated.
“You can take the rest of my clothes off too. It’s jist as easy as the
shirt,” he told her with a gentle smile.
She felt herself blushing again. She undid his gun belt, and laid it
gently aside. Then she leaned down and undid the knife that was
strapped to his boot. He stood perfectly still as she reached for his
belt. He was right. This was pretty easy! Gaining more courage, she
undid his trousers and slid his them easily down his legs. There was a
noticeable bulge below his waist. She felt giddy with the excitement of
finally seeing Buck unclothed.
“I can’t get them over the boots,” she giggled.
“Easy ‘nough,” he told her as he sat down and took them off. He
finished taking off his trousers and soon was sitting before her in his
long johns. She sat next to him, pulling off her own boots.
“Your turn,” she stated as she smiled at him.
With fingers feeling very weak, he slowly unbuttoned her woolen shirt
and took it off of her. His hands went to her waist and he lovingly
took her trousers off. Then she lay down, held her hand out to him, and
pulled him down next to her. Both still in their long underwear, they
began to kiss each other. Melissa ran her hands down his back and over
his bottom, which made his kisses turn deeper for her.
“I want to see you, Buck,” she told him a little breathlessly.
“You’re sure about this, Melissa?” He asked giving her one more chance
to back down. He didn’t want her to regret his love.
“I’m real sure!”
He sat back up and quickly took off his long johns. Melissa’s eyes got
wider as she took in all that was Buck. His frame was lean and
muscular. His skin was the same color all over. It looked so smooth
that she just wanted to run her hands all over his body. And the part
of him that was very male reached out to her. So this was what she’d
been missing! He was gorgeous!
Buck gave her a little smile as he started to unbutton her long
underwear. He pushed it off her soft shoulders and kissed them, before
he pushed the material further down. She helped him get it all off, and
then she lay back down. His eyes raked over her as the firelight cast
shadows over her white skin. His hands itched to caress her ample
breasts, and his mouth could almost taste the pink nipples that were
pointed upwards waiting for him. Her waist was tiny, and a mound of
dark curls were waiting for him to discover the pleasures within.
“Oh Melissa!” was all he said as he lay down next to her and kissed her
as his hands moved to her breasts. Soon his mouth moved to her nipples
and she experienced all the good feelings that Jimmy had taught her.
Melissa’s hands moved over every inch of Buck’s skin as she explored
and marveled at the male that he was. Her hand closed around his
hardness, and she looked up at him.
His hand came down to cover hers and he moved them together over his
hardness. A soft groan escaped his lips, and she realized that he was
showing her what he wanted. She snuggled closer to his side and
continued her movements for several moments. Then she leaned closer and
kissed the tip of his hardness. This made him gasp.
“Melissa, come here. I need to love you.” He moaned as he reached
for her. He kissed her deeply as his hand moved down to the curls at
the junction of her legs. He experimentally touched various places, and
he knew when he’d found the right spot because she seemed to melt into
him. Her legs fell open and he softly caressed her, before his finger
found what he had been looking for.
Buck moved on top her. Her eyes were heated as she looked up at him.
“I love you Melissa. I don’t want to hurt you, but I might.” He
barely whispered as his hardness strained to find its home.
“It’s okay Buck. I want you to be a part of me,” she told him as
she pulled his head down to hers and her mouth found his. As he started
to kiss her, she felt his hardness push into her.
A pain shot through her, as that hardness pushed its way slowly inside
of her. She grabbed him and held on for dear life. Then the pain left
as quickly as it had come, and Buck began to move in and out of her.
She wrapped her legs tightly around him, and lost herself in this man
that she loved so much. She had so many sensations running through her,
that she couldn’t keep track of all of them.
Buck didn’t have to think about what to do. His body automatically took
over for him as he moved in and out of his lady. He moved faster, and
she kept up with him. Buck heard her moan and felt her grab on to him
tightly. He couldn’t hold back any longer. He released himself inside
of her, and had never felt so incredible in his life! He pushed as
deeply as he could into her and then collapsed on top of her, his heart
racing.
“I love you,” he whispered into her ear. “You are my heart.”
“I love you too.” She told him as she wrapped her arms tightly
around him.
Their breathing slowed, as they held each other. Melissa laid her head
on his chest.
“I didn’t know it would be that incredible.”
“Me either,” he admitted, as he got up on his elbow to look down into
her eyes. “Did I hurt you too much?”
Melissa looked up at this man that she loved so much. She reached up to
tuck his long hair behind his ear.
“It hurt a little,” she admitted, “But then it was okay. I think you
and I caught on pretty quickly!”
“You’re braggin’ now!” He laughed softly as he leaned down to
kiss her. He felt so relaxed now. He laid his head on her shoulder,
pulling a blanket over the two of them. “I don’t think I’ve ever been
this happy before. Thank you.”
She chuckled. “I’ve never been this happy either.”
“I’m glad we’re together lady.”
“Me too. Would you mind terribly if I took a short nap before I get
supper together? I’m suddenly very sleepy!”
“Me too,” he admitted as he tucked himself around her. He heard her
yawn and smiled to himself. And he fervently thanked Sarah in his heart
of hearts for not letting him make love to her. This was the lady he
was supposed to be with!
Several hours later, Melissa woke to the growling sounds of her own
stomach. She looked to her right and found Buck propped up on one hand,
just watching her. Her stomach rumbled again and they both laughed.
“Guess it’s time we found some food.” She started to sit up, but
Buck moved over closer to her.
“I’d much rather jist stay rite here with you!” He kissed the
skin behind her right ear and she shivered slightly.
Slipping her arms up around his neck, Melissa turned her lips up to
invite him for a kiss. Passion ran high between them again and just as
Buck was about to cover her body with his, her stomach growled really
loud. Melissa couldn't help it, she started to giggle and before long
it had turned into a full laugh which Buck joined in with.
“Alright! I can take a hint. Go bring what’s left of the food and the
canteen. Better feed your noisy stomach before it causes an avalanche!”
Melissa giggled again, but stuck her tongue out at him for his remark.
He laughed, shaking his head, as he got up to put more wood on the fire.
Melissa slipped on her woolen shirt to keep the chill off as she moved
around the cabin. Buck watched her as she gathered the things that were
needed for their meager meal. He noticed her long shapely legs beneath
the short shirt. Her hair was tousled and her face was flushed from the
heat of the fire, but he didn’t remember her ever looking so beautiful!
She returned to sit by him and they shared what was left of their noon
meal: Apples, biscuits, some beef jerky and a few rice cakes. It wasn’t
much, but it was enough to hold them until morning.
After they had finished, Buck pulled Melissa back against his chest.
They sat in silence for a while. Melissa’s hands lightly caressed
Buck’s arms that held her.
“Guess Teaspoon would be a little upset to find us here like this,”
Buck leaned down to softly kiss her lips.
“I really don’t think he would. Look how I came to be in this world! I
think he knows how we feel. He knows what love is like. I know he had
it with my mother!”
“You think it was true love with her and maybe that’s why he’s been
married so many times? He’s lookin’ for it again?”
Melissa sighed. “I’d like to think that it was perfect love between
them. I think true loves comes only once in a life time. Maybe since
Mama is dead, he’s trying to find it again. No one wants to live their
life alone!” She smiled up into his deep brown eyes. “Now that
I’ve found you, I won’t have to spend my life alone either!”
Their lips found one another’s and they lay back on the bedrolls as
one. The wind set its mournful howls around the cabin and the snow
continued to fall. But inside Buck and Melissa were safe and warm, not
only from the weather, but with their love for each other as well.
Buck woke near dawn, as was his usual routine. He lay holding Melissa
near, not wanting to awaken her. She was snuggled around him and he
knew that once they left the cabin, their closeness would be broken for
now. So he wanted to hold her for as long as he could.
He closed his eyes and savored the feeling of her in his arms. He had
lost count of the times they had shared their love throughout the
night. He had never dreamed it would be so wonderful.
Melissa lay close in Buck’s arms, afraid to open her eyes. Afraid that
if she did, the spell would be broken. Had all those wonderful things
really happened between them? Or had it all been a dream? If she opened
her eyes, would Buck be there still holding her? Slowly she opened one
eye and then the other. Buck was still there grinning at her.
“Were you ‘fraid of what you mite see when you opened your eyes?”
“More afraid of what I wouldn’t see! I was afraid it had all been a
beautiful dream!” She hugged him near, and then she stretched.
“I know, I sort of felt the same way. I wanted to lay here and hold you
as long as I could!” He kissed her right shoulder that was tucked
under his left arm. “I guess I should put some more wood on the fire
and see if it’s still snowing.”
She noticed there was a definite chill to the cabin since the fire had
gone out. He got up and moved to restart it. Taking only a few seconds
to do so, he then moved to the door of the cabin and looked outside.
Melissa watched him walk unclothed. He was so beautiful. All she could
think about was pulling him back down and attacking him with her body!
Moving back to her side, he slipped under the blankets. “Jist what are
you thinkin’ bout? The look on your face is so serious!”
She rose on her hands and leaned over him. “How much I wanted to pull
you down beside me and attack your body with mine!” She started
kissing his lips, his eyes, his nose, across his neck and chest. Her
breasts brushed across his chest and he reached up to crush her body
against his. In moments they were lost in the hot arms of love once
more.
A few hours later, Buck reluctantly suggested they gather their things
and start back for Rock Creek. It had stopped snowing and the clouds
were lifting.
Knowing everyone would be worried about them, Melissa got up from the
floor. Buck went out to check on the horses and get them ready for
travel. Melissa gathered some snow in a kettle she found near the
hearth, and melted it into warm water. She washed quickly, and then
gathered their bedrolls. When Buck returned, Melissa was nearly ready
to go.
She slipped her arms around his waist as she looked towards the place
where they had lain together. “It was so beautiful! Thank you for
sharing your love with me.”
He smiled. “It was beautiful. There will be many more times of sharing
our love!” He kissed her gently, then picked up the bed rolls.
Melissa gave the inside of the cabin one last look, then they headed
for Rock Creek.
Most everyone had spent a restless night. Buck and Melissa had not
returned as they had planned. Teaspoon, though worried, knew Buck had a
good head on his shoulders. He would look after Melissa. He felt sure
Buck had found shelter for them to ride out the storm, if they had left
the fort at all.
Sarah had spent Sunday morning in church with Teaspoon and Rachel and
then the afternoon and night with Jimmy. She worried about Melissa when
they didn’t return as planned that night. But she was positive this was
a very special time for her and Buck. She felt as Teaspoon did, Buck
would provide for Melissa. He had taken very good care of her and she
knew that he would do the same for the woman he loved. Riding out a
storm with him could be very exciting for Melissa!
It was late afternoon when they finally returned. Sarah had just walked
over to see if they had heard from Melissa and Buck, when they rode in.
The storm had deposited several inches of snow on the ground and it had
made travel a little harder than normal.
“Hey everyone! Buck and Melissa are back!” Cody yelled as he saw
them coming at a distance. Everyone was gathered round when they
arrived.
“Are you two alright?” Teaspoon looked from one to the other and
immediately knew that something was very different about the two of
them.
“We’re fine! Buck took very good care of me!” She leaned down for
Teaspoon to help her from the horse. She smiled once her feet hit the
ground and she gave him a kiss and hug.
“Did the storm catch you?” Teaspoon helped unload Melissa’s horse.
“Bout fifty miles from here. We spent the nite at the old trapper’s
cabin outside Salt Flats. The storm was so bad at that point I wasn’t
sure we could make it to town!”
When Buck mentioned the trapper’s cabin, Cody cleared his throat. “Bet
it were an interstin’ nite!”
Buck blushed quickly, knowing full well what Cody meant. He glanced at
Melissa, but she had her back to him and was busily hugging Sarah.
“Bet you didn’t pass the time playin’ cards! Buck don’t carry no cards
with him,” Kid was grinning his way too. Lou just shook her head and
moved over to give Melissa a hug.
“Now don’t you boys go raggin’ Buck none! He did a very good job of
protectin’ my daughter! For that, I’m grateful!” Teaspoon put an
arm around Buck’s shoulders, and they headed to the barn to take care
of the horses.
Buck was a little uneasy as they went into the barn. He wondered why
Teaspoon had come along. Surely he wouldn’t ask if anything had
happened between him and Melissa! If he did, what was he supposed to
say?
“Son, you didn’t have no trouble at the fort did you?” Teaspoon was
unsaddling Melissa’s mount as he spoke.
“No, things went smoothly. We even went to the dance that you told me
bout. I was the envy of every man there!” Buck beamed as he
looked Teaspoon’s way.
“I don’t doubt that one bit son! Thanks for taking care of Melissa.
Course I knew you had a good head on your shoulders an all!”
Buck stopped what he was doing and looked his way. “Teaspoon, I love
your daughter with all my heart. I ain’t gonna let nothin’ happen to
her!”
Teaspoon smiled. That was what he had wanted to hear. “I know son! But
I wanted to thank you any ways. She’s a very special little lady. Ain’t
so sure I could live without her, now that I’ve finally found her!”
“You ain’t gonna have a problem with lettin’ her go when the rite man
comes along an asks her of she wants to git married are you?” Buck sort
of held his breath as he waited for the answer.
“I reckon not. Course I think he’s already come along! Don’t you?” He
patted Buck on the back.
“Reckon he has at that!” Buck led his horse into the stall, then
the two of them headed for the house.
Melissa followed Sarah, Lou and Rachel into the house. Lou and Rachel
decided to start supper. Rachel knew that Melissa was tired from the
trip, so she urged her to go upstairs and rest a little before time to
eat. She and Lou could handle the meal for one night.
As Sarah closed Melissa’s bedroom door, Melissa took off her hat and
let her hair fall down around her shoulders. She stretched, her entire
body tired from being in the saddle, plus other obvious reasons. Sarah
walked over and stood in front of her.
“I know something happened between you and Buck while you were gone! It
was written all over you both when you rode up! Something tells me Cody
didn’t interrupt this time!”
Sarah was holding Melissa by the arms. Her face turned a bright red. A
big smile quickly covering her entire face.
“I knew it! Didn’t I tell you it would be wonderful!”
Melissa laughed and hugged her friend. “Wonderful doesn’t begin to
describe it! I spent most of the trip back wondering how I am going to
sleep in that bed another night without Buck’s arms around me!”
She pointed to the bed in the corner of the room.
“Perhaps he can sneak up to visit you from time to time!” She
grinned as Melissa’s cheeks flushed with the thoughts!
“I don’t think I want to push that with Teaspoon so close at hand! He
might be understanding to a point, but he’ll draw the line at that one
I’m afraid!” She went over and sat down on the bed.
Sarah smiled. “You’re probably right!” She followed Melissa over
and joined her. “You happy?”
Melissa smiled. “Oh yes! Buck’s my heart and soul, Sarah!”
“I know. Just as Jimmy is mine! Things have been going so good
lately. I just hope that it lasts!” She sighed, and reached out
to pat her hand. “Now tell me about the fort. I’ve never seen one!”
So the two friends spent the next few hours talking about the trip.
Then Melissa pulled the photographs that she had gone after, out, and
they looked them over.
Buck headed for the bunkhouse. He wondered where Ike was. He wanted to
know if he’d asked Emily to marry him yet. No one was there but Cody
and Noah.
“Where’s Ike?”
“Gone to see Emily.”
“He asked her yet?” Buck looked their way.
“Yep! She said yes! Ain’t never seen anyone so happy! They was gonna
talk to her paw this afternoon and set a date!”
“Guess they’ll be ‘nother weddin’ soon! When you and Melissa gonna git
hitched?” Cody was looking his way.
“One step at a time Cody! Maybe we’ll be the next ones to walk down the
aisle after Emily and Ike. Who knows!”
Buck grinned as he started taking off his coat. He needed a bath, but
wasn’t sure of there was enough time before supper.
“Mite need to be thinkin’ on them lines if what I think happened,
happened, while you two was gone!”
Buck could feel his face turning red. He knew what Cody was referring
to. Just then the door opened and Jimmy strolled in.
“I mean, sort sounded as if it were a real cozy settin’ at that
trappers cabin last nite!”
“What you talkin’ bout Cody?” Jimmy had noticed the blush that had
quickly covered Buck’s face.
“Buck and Melissa got caught in that snow storm last night and ended up
spendin’ the nite at the ole’ trappers cabin outside Salt Flats!
Bet it was real cozy!” Cody grinned. “In fact, I know it was,
considering what I’ve walked in on lately!”
“What you walked in on?” Jimmy glanced his way.
Buck sort of glared towards Jimmy. The least he could do was stop
asking questions so Cody would shut up! Jimmy didn’t miss the look, but
knew that Cody was only funning!
“Yeah, those two can shore git lost in one another!”
“Yeah, and you can shore pick some great times to appear from out a no
wheres! At least at the cabin, we didn’t have to worry bout no
interruptions!” Buck looked his way a little upset, then realized
he had just told on them more or less!
Cody grinned. “Told you it happened!”
“Don’t pay him no mind Buck! He’s just jealous!” Noah looked his
way. “One day he’s gonna find a woman that is gonna turn him every way
but loose! It won’t be like them ladies at the saloons he keeps
sneakin’ off to be with! Be a different kind of love!” Cody was
blushing now.
“So you’ve checked out the saloon gals, huh Cody?” Jimmy was smiling.
“I seed him go up the stairs with ‘em several times!” Noah was
grinning, finally finding something to get back at Cody with.
“Now don’t you fellers go tellin’ on me! Teaspoon will never let me
‘lone bout it! The less he knows the better off I am!” Cody shook
his head as the others laughed.
Jimmy walked over to Buck who’d sat down on his bunk.
“Guess you had a nice trip, huh?”
Buck looked up, his face still crimson. “Yeah. Real nice! You was rite
Jimmy. It is wonderful with the rite woman!”
Jimmy smiled as his thoughts went to Sarah. He patted Buck on the back.
He could see the happiness in his friends face.
Continued.....
COPYRIGHT 2004 -M BOLTON & R WOOTEN