Flame Series #11 - Rodeo Queen

Chapter 1

One of the Boys

"Are you sure about this?" Matt handed his wife the empty cloth bag.

Kitty took the bag, filled it with coffee, then handed it back. "You sound like you're trying to talk me out of it. Are you sorry you asked me?"

That was the confusing part, he didn't really remember 'asking'.

Matt thought back to the night this plan had originated... The two of them had taken a blanket and snuck down to the pond. They had made love under the stars. That part, he remembered very clearly. There was some talk of camping, of fishing; and before he knew what had happened, a trip was being planned: No frills, out in the wilderness, sleep on the ground—all out camping. Kitty had decided that she wanted to know what it was like to be one of the guys.

His cool blue eyes drifted slowly down the body in front of him as she waited for an answer. Never in his wildest dreams would that body ever be mistaken for 'one of the guys'.

"Of course not. I'm really looking forward to this." Did that lie sound as weak to her, as it did inside his own head?

Kitty stretched up on her toes, leaving a delicious little kiss on his lips. Guess not, he thought, as he blindly followed her back upstairs and into their bedroom.

It appeared as though half of the closet was spilled out across the bed.

Frightening thoughts plagued him as Matt watched Kitty sort through a pile of shirts. She does know you don't take luggage on a fishing trip—doesn't she? There are hatboxes on the bed... Why are there hatboxes on the bed?

"The rodeo is this Saturday and you promised Cooper you would take him. Don't forget, there's a barn dance Friday night to kick off the event. So, we have to be back by Friday."

"Friday?" His voice cracked, more like a prepubescent teen than a seasoned US Marshal. "If we leave tomorrow, like you're planning…that's—that's four days." Thankfully, he was able to maintain a calm tone outwardly, because the voice inside his head was screaming. FOUR DAYS! Four days of sleeping on the hard, damp ground. Wild animals. Snakes. NO amenities. Four days?...With Kitty!?

It was amazing how clearly he could see life as he knew it vanishing before his eyes. What it had taken twenty years to build, he was going to lose in…four…days. Kitty would take the kids…scratch that. He would be the one leaving. Not voluntarily either. All would be lost and he would be nothing but a lonely old lawman, sleeping on a lumpy cot in the jail for the remainder of his days. All because of a four-day camping trip.

On the fringe of his daydream, Matt could hear her calling his name. He blinked slowly, bringing her face into focus.

"Matt, honey?" Kitty touched his cheek "Are you all right? You look…funny. Like that time you found out you had eaten Buck's…."

"Okay! I remember." Matt held up a hand to stop that image from coming to life. "I'm fine."

She set two of the flannel shirts to the side then scooped up the remainder of the pile tossing the rejected garments onto the chair. "I know, you wish it was longer too. We'll just have to cram a lot of fun into too short a time." Once again, she stopped long enough to drop a kiss on his cheek. "Aren't you excited?"

Matt watched the love of his life flutter around the room like a schoolgirl. This whole thing was a recipe for disaster, but she was so happy. There was no denying, he simply adored this woman. After all these years together, she was thrilled at the prospect of spending four days alone with him, even if it was off in the wild.

"Yeah." Covering the short distance between them, he pulled her away from her packing and into his arms. "I'm excited too, sweetheart." His lips claimed hers in a kiss that certainly verified his excitement in something.

Maybe he was worrying for nothing. After all, they had gone fishing numerous times in their years together. She had always pulled her own weight. Heck, she even baited Chester's hooks for him. Matt could feel himself begin to relax; this might be alright after all.

Kitty ended their kiss with a peck to his cheek and a playful shove. Matt leaned back in the stuffed chair and smiled as he watched his wife disappear into the closet.

Seconds later, a blood-curdling scream ripped him out of the chair. Matt hit the doorway, gun in hand, ready to rescue his wife. Kitty was standing on the stool, her eyes wide with fear. The source of that fear continued to elude the trained lawman as his eyes darted from side to side.

Obviously, Kitty hadn't lost sight, as she continued to point and scream,"Matt shoot it. Shoot it!"

He eased the gun back in his hand and stepped into the small space. "Honey, what am I shooting?"

"That horrible, nasty looking beast! Please, Matt, shoot it!" Tears were forming, alerting the Marshal that he had better move quickly

"Okay. Okay, Kitty, calm down. I'll take care of it. It's kind of dark in here, honey. Can you just point it out to me?"

She bunched her dress up into a ball to keep the monster from leaping up and grabbing hold of the material. "Right…there! Next to my shoe..."

This probably wasn't the time to ask which of the twenty pair of shoes Kitty might be referring to. Instead, Matt quietly stepped forward, looking in the general vicinity of where she had pointed. Huddled in the corner was the teeniest mouse Matt had ever seen. He looked back toward Kitty, and again at the mouse.

It took all of Matt's willpower to keep from laughing, as he realized that the tiny creature was far more afraid than the hysterical woman calling for its demise—although he would never convince her of that.

Her fear was starting to turn to anger. "Well! Are you going to shoot it or not?"

Matt holstered his weapon and snatched the frightened rodent up into his hand. "If I shoot it, it'll make a mess. I'll just take it outside."

"You'll kill it, right? I don't want it coming back, maybe bringing its whole family and taking over my house!" Kitty shivered at the thought. "I hate those, almost as much as I hate those hairy, ugly spiders!"

"Don't worry, honey, I'll take care of it." Matt felt the tiny critter shivering in his hand, knowing exactly how the trapped, furry little guy felt. "Four days" he mumbled again, as Kitty climbed down and resumed her whirlwind preparations.

TBC