It was only in the early hours of the morning that she finally tired of holding his hand. She glanced up at him with bleary eyes, the drying sweat on his brow a welcome sign that the fever may have passed. He had been in such rough shape and the amount of whiskey the man had to drink couldn't have helped things either. She sighed as rubbed her fingers into her temples. This was not her usual routine. If someone hired her, they did their business, the payment was left on her dresser and the man went on his way.

But tonight had been different. She had wrapped her arm around the shoulders of the man at the bar with the intent of making the saloon owner happy and finding herself a customer. This man however, and she stressed the word man in her mind, gave her pause. He had looked up from his drink and asked for her bed, outright. She could feel his lust for her, but there was more.

He looked cold and was soaked from the steady downpour outside. He was obviously tired. His skin was pale and he wore the evidence of too many sleepless nights under his eyes. It made her wonder how long he had gone without truly resting. Then he raised his light brown eyes to meet hers and her heart skipped a beat. She had never seen such... vulnerability in the eyes of any man before, much less one she knew instinctively to be as powerful and dangerous as the one before her now. He looked lost, so lost. It shook her to the core. She reached out her hand to his and he gripped it tightly.

She wordlessly lead him up the stairs to her room, opened the door and ushered him in. She leaned against the door as she shut it and watched as he peeled out of his wet coat, revealing the broad, muscled form underneath. He tossed the coat aside, along with his hat and boots. He laid down in the middle of her bed like he owned it and his eyes roved over her body, hungrily. She felt herself blush under the intensity of his gaze.

"Why don't you take off that dress, darlin?" He said quietly, hands behind his head.

She had given him a shy smile, and turned her back to him slightly to unfasten her black saloon dress. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, and watched the desire in his eyes grow as the flimsy garment fell to the floor. She had done this action dozens of times before in her relatively short career as a working girl, so why the feelings of modesty now? She fought the sudden desire to cover herself with her arms as she turned back to face him in her chemise, waiting for his reaction. He growled his approval low in his throat.

"Hmm. Come here." He crooked his finger at her and beneath his mustache she could see his lips turn into a half smile. She stepped closer. Her heart raced in anticipation as she reached the side of the bed.

"What's your name?"

"Lynnette."

"Sounds like a song," he murmured as he reached for her hands. She blushed at the compliment and cursed her strange reaction to this man at the same time. She sat down close to him, her hands gently coming to rest on his chest. She felt the heat of his skin under her fingertips, radiating through his clothes.

"What's yours?" she whispered.

"Hickok. Maybe I'll tell you what I think my first name is later." He gave her his first real smile then and she wasn't sure what to make of his cryptic answer. He leaned forward off the pillow and reached his hand to the soft curls piled on top her head. With a quick flick of his wrists, her bobby pins went flying, sending her long hair cascading down her back.

"Hair the color of prairie grass and eyes like cornflower," his voice was barely a whisper and his hand shook slightly.

"Hickock, are you well?" she asked, her brow furrowing. She had been so caught up in his lust filled gaze that she had forgotten her earlier concerns... how pale he had looked. He answered her with a sharp cough, deep in his chest.

"No, you're not." She pushed him back down, shoving away her own desires as a woman for the more basic concern of another human being in need. She touched his forehead. He was burning up.

"You need some water and some sleep." She jumped off the bed and walked quickly to her dresser.

"Maybe I'll just leave then." His voice suddenly sounded harsh to her ears. She spun around.

"Why?"

"Well, that was your meaning right? You room ain't no hotel... you have... things to do."

His words still had a brutal edge to them and they cut as intended but for some reason Lynette didn't kick him out onto the street. She felt the meaning behind the words. She poured a glass of water from a pitcher and brought it to him. He hesitated, then gulped it down greedily.

"You need sleep and there is no better bed for it right now, than mine."

"I can't pay you for all that time," he grumbled, frowning, but his body, that had been tense like a wolf ready to pounce, started to relax.

"I'm not asking you to. Just lie down, Hickok. Sleep."

He had looked at her, his light brown eyes vulnerable again, searching hers. Finally he must have found something he trusted as he gave her a slight nod of his head and laid back down. He was clearly exhausted and slept through most of Lynette's ministrations of a cool cloth and stripping him to his long johns. It was only after those several hours when she finally sat holding his hand that his fever broke.

She breathed a deep sigh of relief. Why she had been so worried about this strange man in her bed she didn't know, nor did she care to ask herself why just then. She was sleepy too, so in the middle hours of night she stretched, threw back the covers and crawled in next to his side. His warmth and the steadiness of his breathing lulled her to sleep in minutes.

She was hot, so hot and heavy and wet too. The sun was in her arms, and the rushing brook lapped at her legs... She blinked her eyes open to hands caressing her, lips trailing kisses down her face, her neck. A brief glance out the window told her it was daybreak. She had been sleeping for several hours and her guest was awake.

"What? What are you doing? You're sick..." she exclaimed weakly, managing to hold two thoughts together at his continued onslaught on her senses.

"I feel better, much better, thanks to you. Figured I should show some appreciation to my nurse... do all those things I was thinkin' 'bout doing when I watched you take your dress off." His voices was muffled from the side of her neck. He moved his mouth down the column of her throat, nibbling and teasing as he went. His whiskers tickled her, causing an involuntary shiver.

"Oh," she managed to gasp.

He smiled at her knowingly as he raised his head up on one elbow and trailed his hand down her chest. Lynette tried to remember how to breathe. He was handsome in a hard way, but when he smiled, he was devastating. He started to undo the buttons of her chemise one by one. He noted the rapid rise and fall of her chest and leaned closer, until his lips brushed against her ear,

"I'm going to nurse you, Lynnette. When was the last time anyone made you feel better?" he asked as he replaced his fingers with his mouth, finishing the job of undoing the buttons.

"I.. I.. don't know... never?" She let the words slip and wished she could take them back. It spoke to her inexperience in her profession and even hinted at her mistreatment. When the other girls talked of being taken to the stars they all laughed and she joined in, but she could only imagine what they were talking about. She had never seen these "stars" herself.

"Never?" He raised his head, his long hair moved across her now exposed breasts. She shook her head. She could feel the blush rising on her cheeks. He kissed both sides of her face.

"Think that's 'bout the most perfect way I can thank you then." He leaned down and kissed her on the mouth. Her eyes flew open in surprise. Everyone knew working girls were never kissed on the mouth. All other acts of intimacy were acceptable, but lips touching lips... it just wasn't done. This act was saved for ladies. Lynnette hadn't felt like a "lady" in a very long time.

The kiss deepened and her eyes fluttered shut. He was gentle at first, but soon he nipped at her lower lip. As she gasped, he eased his tongue into her mouth, meeting her, tasting her. His hold on her frame tightened as the kiss deepened.

Lynnette was beyond caring about anything else now. She moaned into his mouth and ran her fingers through his long hair. She wanted to feel all of him, wanted to feel his skin next to hers. She moved her hands down his chest and pulled the buttons away. He groaned as her hands went lower down his chest, feeling his bare skin. He stopped, shrugged his shirt off and took the last of her clothing off with the same speed. His pants were the last to go and there, kneeling before her in full view of the early sun was proof of how desperately he wanted her.

She laid back down on the bed, a chill spread over her skin and a shiver of anticipation through her whole body. She knew he saw her body react at the sight of him. His eyes followed hers, to his erection. She had seen them before, felt men use them in her, but for some reason this was different. His desire seemed to be for her, Lynnette, not just another saloon girl. It was a fanciful thought and she pushed it away. She smiled at him instead as he moved towards her. His strong arms reached to each side of her, his knees to the outside of her thighs.

"Touch me," he asked, his voice soft like silk. She knew just what he was asking. She touched him, felt his soft, hot skin covering his hardness and ran her fingers up and down the ridge of his length, enjoying the shivers she could feel above her. She wrapped her hand around the tip and squeezed gently. He groaned.

"That's enough... or I won't be able to thank you properly."

He settled down close to her, one leg draped over her legs, one hand trailing circles around her breasts and up and down her abdomen. He raised up on his elbow to get a better view of her, from her head to her toes. He took in the sight of her soft skin and curves in the low morning light.

"Beautiful," He smiled and then smiled wider at the startled look she gave him.

"You're not hearing that word enough either, are ya?" He asked as his hand continued to roam her body, his leg gently moving up and down her own. She tried to concentrate on his question.

"Not to where I believe it." She admitted quietly.

"Mmmmm"

There was a sudden change in him. His breath felt hot against her neck. She could feel his hardness pressed against her thigh and yet he was waiting... for what? She had her answer in her next breath. His hand moved between her thighs. He found what he was looking for, her wetness for him. He moved his fingers inside her and groaned as she tightened around him.

"Are you ready to feel better?" He asked gruffly, just before he placed his mouth over her right breast and started to suck.

At the same time his fingers worked their magic, creating a rhythmic dance her whole body couldn't help but follow. He moved his fingers in and out, touching her most sensitive spots, rubbing, teasing, until she felt like she couldn't take it anymore. Her skin burned and tingled. Her lower abdomen felt like it was in knots, pressure was building deep inside and it almost frightened her. Her eyes flew open, as she reached for him. Her nails scratched his shoulder.

"It's alright darlin', you're almost there. Hang on to me... then, let go."

She closed her eyes. She could feel his smile against her breast as her breath came faster in time to the skill of his fingers and mouth. Her pleasure was so intense, her back arched off the bed, every muscle strained, reaching... she was so close, in danger of floating away. Suddenly she shattered, bursting into a million pieces. She became aware that she was groaning, crying out his name as she floated back to earth, completely limp in his arms.

Her skin was covered in a sheen of sweat. She almost felt embarrassed by her own body's response, but opened her eyes and dared to glance above her. He was staring at her intently, looking every bit like her lover. Before she could chase that fanciful thought away, he leaned over her and groaned, pulling her into his warm embrace. She could feel the tension coursing through his entire body. It was clear watching her receive pleasure had given him just as much. She reached up and kissed his brow.

"You still look feverish to me," she said finally as what came close to her normal breath, returned. She gently brushed the hair stuck to his sweaty face out of the way.

"Is that so?" He asked with a wry smile as he leaned into her touch.

She felt so secure in his arms and suddenly more bold than she had ever been before. She kissed his mouth then and sat up, gently pushing him flat on his back at the same time.

"It is so. Maybe I haven't done a good enough job seeing to my patient... so now it's my turn to make you feel... better," she said mischievously. She was going to try to do something she had never done before, but had heard the other girls speak of it frequently.

She crouched in between his legs. He looked at her curiously, but she patted his thigh and he smiled at the act of assurance. She ran her hands along his legs as she leaned forward and tasted him. He jerked at her touch. She looked up quickly, unsure until she saw the pleading look in his eyes that told her he liked it. She continued tasting, licking up and down his hardness, feeling the softness of the sack underneath, allowing her hair and then her mouth to trail down his chest and his legs.

His skin felt hot underneath her mouth, but she knew somehow this wasn't because of the fever. This was because he wanted her. That thought gave her more confidence as she continued to tease and nip him with her mouth, knead the flesh of his shoulders and chest with his hands. She pulled his full length into her mouth as far as she could go and sucked gently at first, then harder based on how his body responded.

"Please" he hissed, "Please. Now" He made a move towards her and she realized his intent, to toss her on the bed so he could finish what she started, but she stopped him with her hand as he sat up to hold her.

"Let me finish this." She pushed him back down and smiled broadly before moving forward. She placed her knees on either side of his waist, taking his erection in her hands. His eyes widened, then rolled back into his head as she slowly lowered herself on top of him.

"Oh, god," he muttered as she began to move, "ride me, ride me hard."

That was all the encouragement she needed. She moved up and down, touching his chest at the same time. She kissed his mouth, he grabbed the back of her neck and kissed her hard in return. She kissed his neck, licked and bit his nipples. There was a freedom in loving him this way that she had never known before. Soon she felt her own body start to respond to the friction between them. He opened his eyes at the sound of her whimpering. He pulled her close, kissed and fondled her breast. He moved his hand in between them to touch her. She nearly cried out again, but he pulled her into another hard kiss and caught the sound.

"This time, we go together," he managed to growl before he grabbed her hips and forcefully took control of the rhythm.

Another quick thrust and he called out her name. Lynnette felt his heat flow into her at the same time she found her release. She thought nothing could have topped the first time with him, but she was wrong. She collapsed onto his chest and he laughed, he scooted over a bit so she could cuddle into his side. They were a tangle of arms and legs and shuddering breaths.

"I never knew... All those times …. I've heard it could be like this but I never thought... not for me," she whispered finally into his shoulder. She suddenly felt very vulnerable and wished she could snatch back her words.

"I didn't either... been lots of places, done lots of things, but this was different. You're different, Lynnette."

She dared to meet his eyes then to see if he was telling her some line he told every girl. This was a hard, world weary man she had to remind himself. He had the look of a professional gambler, maybe even a gunslinger. Gunslingers didn't say such pretty things to working girls. But as she looked into his eyes and saw the openness in his expression, she knew he was speaking the truth. He really felt she was different. Tears pricked her eyes and she blinked them away, she smiled as he reached his hand to her face and wiped away a stray tear.

"Lord knows life is hard. I've seen that every which way... and life has been hard on you, too. But you're kind and you have a caring way... How have you stayed like that?" He leaned back and looked at her like he really wanted to know.

"I don't know, I just have always been, even though, yes, as you say, life has been hard. I just always have hope. Like I have hope I won't always have to work here," she said the last few words in a barely audible whisper.

He leaned in and squeezed her hand, "Maybe someday you won't."

"Lynnette! You better not have a customer still in there, if'n you do he's going to owe me a lot of money... LYNNETTE!"

A hostile voice broke through their reverie. Lynette bounded out of bed and wrapped the sheet around herself.

"The owner!" she whispered, then louder, "Course not, Lem! Just not decent is all! Give me five minutes!" she said as she ran for her chemise.

"I'ma giving you four before I'm busting this door down. Ain't no one seen the gunslinger fellow leave last night and he's gots some bad debts in this town. I'm going to be wantin to see some money, girl!"

Hickok threw on his clothes with lightning speed. He strapped on his colts last with a frown and a whispered curse. Lynnette was nearly done dressing herself and hastily putting pins in her hair.

"The window! Go through the window. You'll be able to make it down the trellis and to your horse.. now, quickly... go... go!" She said with increasing forcefulness as he came close to her. She shoved him in the chest with her hands, already mourning the thought she would never see him again.

"Here's what I owe Lem and the barkeep." He whispered as he put the money gently down on her dresser.

"Good, now, git! Before something happens to you!" she tried to look angry but as she looked into his eyes, her expression fell into sadness.

"Somethings already happened. I'm going to leave. But I'm coming back. I have some things I need to work out first, but neither of us are living the way we were born to live, you see that right?" he asked desperately.

She thought about arguing, but in the end, just cast her eyes down and nodded her hand.

"Your kindness woke something in me, I've let sleep too long. I will see you soon. I promise." He pulled her towards him in a crushing hug and kissed the top of her head. With a few long strides, he was at the window, pulling it open.

"Goodbye, Hickok."

"Lynnette! I'm coming in!" the angry voice called again

"One more minute, Lem!" She called, turning to the door. She turned back around to see her lover half out the window.

"Lynnette, one more thing," he said beckoning to her with a tilt of his head. She hurried over to him and grabbed his offered hand.

"It's Jimmy. My name is Jimmy.'

He gave her a wink and was gone.

A/N: Hi! So I wrote some smut!

Actually I wrote this months and months ago, just to prove to myself that I could, in fact, write smut... and it turned out alright. Then I got over my hang ups a bit and thought, what the heck, publish the smut, so that's what I'm doing.

I dedicate this to Hortense, whom I love dearly and gave me this bunny to begin with, and to Gertrude, who got out the spit shine and made this story all nice and tidy.

They are the best, you know.

Well... hope you enjoy and let me know if you do!