COMFORT

By Jay Law

Set directly after the hanging of Elias Mills in "Blood of Others."

They walked away with the crowd. She had seen him try to look at her, but he fought the urge to look to another human being for support. Her heart sank and she had turned to Kid.

As they turned away from the gruesome scene, she couldn't help herself, and touched Jimmy's arm. He glanced at her, from under his hat, and in his eyes, she saw a steely emptiness that she wanted to chase away. A brief flash of wanting coursed through his veins that she saw in his eyes, and her heart responded.

"Kid," he called out. Kid turned and saw Lou's hand on Jimmy's arm and her furrowed brow.

"What's wrong?" Kid came over to them.

"I need some time alone." Jimmy inclined his head towards the saloon.

Lou nodded, but Kid cautioned, "Don't get carried away, Jimmy."

Jimmy smiled sarcastically at Kid. "'Cause we all know how often that happens."

Then he looked at Lou's raised eyebrow and tiny smile, secretly challenging the statement. His smile disappeared. His body responded by tightening in remembrance.

He cleared his throat.

"Anyway," he trailed off, heading to the saloon.

As he walked away, he heard Lou say, "I'm pretty tired. I'm going to rest for a few hours."

"Do you want some company," Kid asked, hopefully.

She glanced over Kid's shoulder and saw Jimmy pause and tilt his head as if he were thinking. Or listening.

"No, Kid. I need to be," she paused, "alone."

Jimmy continued on to the saloon, hearing the disappointment in Kid's voice.

"Oh." A pause. "Alright. I wanted to get supplies anyway. For the trip home."

Kid turned and walked away. Lou nodded with a secret smile playing on her lips.

:::

There was a light knock at her hotel room door.

She muffled into her pillow, "Go away."

"It's me, Jimmy," he whispered loudly.

The butterflies in her stomach did a welcoming dance, which she tried to push away with her hands as she shot out of the bed. She opened her door and saw Jimmy leaning on the door jam. His hair tumbled artlessly over his shoulders, as if he had run his hands through it repeatedly in the last hour. His eyes, glossy and bright, fixed on her with barely suppressed need.

"You've been drinking," she said disapprovingly.

She was a vision in her pale peach night dress, tousled hair and pillow creases on her face. With his thumb, he wiped some drool from the side of her mouth. He looked both ways down the hall, then pushed himself into her room, closed and locked the door behind him, leaving the key in the door.

She stepped back several paces into her room, bumping the back of her legs against the bed. Jimmy looked at her, at the bed, then into her eyes. She saw his need, loneliness and desire mixed with something that seemed to be holding him back. He leaned against the closed door.

In a low, gravelly voice, he said sullenly, "I just had one."

He seemed to be wrestling with himself in his head. She stood, watching him.

"I wanted you more." The pain and fear that she had suspected he was hiding were suddenly in his eyes and his harsh whisper. He hadn't wanted to say that, she was sure. Jimmy didn't want to be vulnerable. To anyone. She moved to come to him, but he held up his hand, stopping her.

"I shouldn't want you like this. This much." He looked at the floor. "I don't want you getting hurt on account of me, but I don't know how to let you go."

"Elias said I'd be woman enough to match you," she said with hopeful eyes and a wrinkled brow.

He raised his eyes to hers and arched an eyebrow. "He did?"

She nodded. "But the question is, would you be man enough to match me?" she said with a teasing smile, and started towards him.

He shook his head, trying to keep himself focused. He held up his hand to stay her movement again.

He looked into her eyes in desperation. "That could be me swinging out there in a few years! What would that bring you?" The hurt in his eyes shot straight to her heart, as he pleaded for her to understand.

She quietly came towards him, focused and determined, speaking softly so he would be forced to hear her.

"The knowledge that you did the right thing, because you are a good man, James Butler Hickok."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his head down to hers, brushing a light kiss on his lips. His breath jerked from his body as he grabbed her in desperation and pressed her closer to his body, hungrily devouring her mouth.

She didn't bother with his many belts. She unfastened his pants and pulled out his steely hardness, stroking him gently yet aggressively. She stepped back towards the bed, pulling him, never breaking the kiss. He held her face in his hands as he backed her into the bed.

Her legs bumped the side of the bed, and Jimmy followed her down onto the mattress. He pulled her nightgown over her hips and consumed her mouth with his own again. She pulled his hips towards her own, wanting to be one with him, filled with him, immediately.

He needed her warmth to surround him, to dive into oblivion with her. There were no comforting words or terms of endearments. He thrust himself into her tight sheath, growling in satisfaction at her gasp followed by her moan of, "Yes..."

She wrapped her legs around his waist, the hilts of his guns nudging the backs of her thighs as he thrust into her. His face was buried in the crook of her neck; his hands were under her shoulders, curling over them, holding on to her, pulling her towards him with every thrust. He inhaled her scent with every heavy breath he took, driving himself mad with his insatiable need for more.

He thrust harder, deeper, her groans and moans only intensifying his need to become one with her. Her groans deepened with each thrust of his hips. Her breathing became shallow and she grabbed his neck.

With a faint, high pitched, "Ohhh, Jimmy!" and her nails in his back, she shuddered inside and out.

Her heat tightened around him and he ground out, "Oh, god, Lou!" as he felt his own release into her warmth, collapsing over her, on his arms.

:::

Lou came to awareness slowly, not sure what woke her up. Her eyes refused to open. Her arms wouldn't move. Her legs were stuck in an awkward position, and something was holding them down. She moaned a little, trying to pull herself out of her stupor. The heavy blanket on top of her moved, then rolled off her. Her eyes shot open in shock, only to see Jimmy settling next to her on the bed. Her arms and legs regained their mobility, and she realized she and Jimmy had fallen asleep together in the bed in that awkward position.

Lying on his side with his head propped up on his hand, he watched her, his sleepy eyes perusing her form up and down, making her blush. He stroked a finger lightly down the bridge of her nose, then across her cheek, following the pink flush.

"I love it when you do that," he whispered.

She rolled onto her side to face him. His finger continued along her nightgown clad shoulder, down her bare arm, then over her exposed hip and thigh. He spread his hand wide and palmed her hip in his hand, pulling her closer to him.

A faint tapping at the door froze them both in their actions.

"Lou?"

She looked at Jimmy in shock. "Kid," she whispered.

Jimmy seemed less impressed.

"Tell him to go away," he mumbled under his breath, his hand continuing its trek along Lou's curves. He removed his hand to unbuckle his belts that he had neglected to remove when he first came into her room.

Lou widened her eyes in protest and her lips formed an angry moue at his nonchalance. He shrugged, placing his hand back at her shoulder, and started a trail to her breast. She shrugged his hand off, but he replaced it, caressing her softness through her nightgown. His finger teased circles around her nipple, through her gown, causing her to gasp quietly and swallow hard.

"Jimmy," she mouthed around her clenched teeth. "Quit it."

His lopsided grin and single minded focus communicated loud and clear how useless the command was to the gunfighter.

He leaned over and licked her nipple through her nightgown, then latched on to it, soaking her sleeping dress and nipple. She grabbed on to his head, fighting to keep hers, while the soft material rubbed against her nipple under the ministrations of his wet and hot tongue.

"Jimmy!" she breathed, trying to catch her breath silently.

His fingers wandered back down to her hip, then to the junction at the apex of her thighs. Running his fingers lightly over her soft curls, he stroked through them, pushing deeper and deeper towards her moist heat.

She moaned softly, stiffening at his touch. She wrapped her hands around his muscular forearm, bulging with veins and tendons, trying to get him to stop.

With an evil grin, he whispered, "I'll stop... if you try your best to make me stop. If you actually try to make me stop."

She clutched at his arm, feeling his fingers push through her folds. Her breath caught when his middle finger found a bundle of nerves she had never really explored before. She knew it was there, but, not really knowing what to do with it, she hadn't really found the time to do anything with it.

Jimmy stroked it, causing her to cry out in surprise. He bit his lip, and admonished her with a look, fighting a grin and shaking his head at her.

"Lou? Are you alright?" Kid's voice called out from the other side of the door.

She moaned, "Kid? What? What are you doing?" She thought she sounded sufficiently sleepy. At least enough to convince him.

"Uh… I… uh…I heard you yell."

Jimmy pushed his finger deeper inside her, delving into her tight, moist tunnel. She gasped quietly, holding tight onto Jimmy's arm.

"Kid, I was sleepin'."

Jimmy raised an eyebrow, sardonically.

She whispered, "Well, I was."

He shot her a lopsided, sly grin and stroked inside her, while he watched her face contort in pleasure. He pulled his moistened finger out of her, and caressed her nub again, making her bite her lip in pleasure to try and stifle her cry. He covered her mouth with his, and started rubbing her in earnest, swallowing her outbursts with his kisses.

Her breathing became jerky gasps in and out as he circled her little ridge with his wet finger, her legs wrapped around one of his, grinding against him. He stroked, and rubbed, caressed and petted, until she could take no more and her head flung back in blind bliss, her body stiffening in a silent scream of rapture.

He stroked her a few more times, just to make sure she got to the highest peak she could reach, then slowed down, and gently pushed his finger inside her, feeling her tightness and convulsions from the inside. She was going to get everything out of this experience he wanted to give her.

"Lou? Are you going to come down for dinner?"

"Later," she squeaked out, trying to catch her breath.

One of Jimmy's guns in the belt fell off the bed and thudded onto the floor.

"Lou? Are you alright?"

She grabbed Jimmy by the lapels and snarled silently. He fought a grin at her.

"Kid," she sighed loudly, "can't a girl accidently drop a gun without you calling in the army to check on her?"

"Oh... sorry, Lou." He sounded sheepish.

Jimmy's other gun belt fell off the bed, thudding loudly on the floor.

"Really, Jimmy? Really?" she whispered in frustration.

"Lou? Are you sure you are alright?"

"Kid, I just woke up!" She glared at her bed companion. "I'm not all there yet. I'll meet you downstairs for dinner."

Jimmy pushed her onto her back, and rolled over on top of her.

"Jimmy, stop. I need to get dressed," she whispered in exasperation.

He pushed himself against her wet heat, lodging his thick head at her opening.

Kissing her deeply, he mumbled, "Are you sure? Not even a little bit?" He thrust his head inside her soft lips.

She moaned. "Jimmy, Mmmmm, damnit," wrapping her legs around his waist, pulling him closer with her legs.

He pushed his whole length deep inside her tightness. She gasped, closed her eyes, and raked her nails over the back of his shirt that he had not removed.

"Alright. I'm gonna head out and try to find Jimmy so we can all eat together."

Her eyes shot open, staring at the door, then flew to Jimmy's smugly smiling visage.

"Damnit, Jimmy," she whispered.

"Don't worry," he whispered into her neck as he nuzzled her. "He won't find me out there."

She smacked the back of his head. "Jimmy!"

He pulled his head up, eyes twinkling with mirth. "What? You think he will?"

He thrust into her again, taking away her retort, replacing it with a moan.

"God, Jimmy, what are we doin'?"

He looked at her in mock outrage. "If you have to ask that, then I need to get better at it!"

He ducked his head and latched on to her other nipple through her nightgown. Lou arched her back in ecstasy, overwhelmed with the sensations he was causing to course through her body. Between his thickness pushing in and out of her and his lips tugging, sucking and licking her sensitive buds, she couldn't find a moment to breathe, let alone think.

She pushed her fingers through his hair, she grabbed his shoulders, raked his back, nibbled his earlobe, dug her nails into his buttocks. Her hands were everywhere. She was lost in a whirlwind of sensation, and Jimmy was the center of the maelstrom.

She needed to keep quiet, but couldn't concentrate enough to pay attention. His hands were everywhere. His mouth was sucking all the places that made her breath catch. He finally got her nightgown up and licked and sucked her bare breasts with abandon while she held on for dear life.

"Jimmy," she whispered, "Jimmy, oh god, Jimmy, no, wait, Jimmy, oh, god, yes, please, Jimmy, uh, Jimmy wait, oh! Jimmy! Yes!"

He pushed his hand between them and rubbed her sensitive nub as he pushed and thrust and bit and sucked. Lou's eyes rolled back in her head under her fluttering lids, her breath caught in her throat several times, she grabbed for his thrusting undulating buttocks one more time and ground herself into him as she exploded in liquid pleasure, her cries of fulfillment swallowed by Jimmy's mouth upon hers as he pistoned into her core, releasing his essence into her convulsing tunnel with a powerful groan of completion and satisfaction.

Lou's head fell back onto the pillow, with Jimmy's face tucked into the crook of her neck. Breathing heavily and deeply, she struggled not to fall asleep again. She needed to get Jimmy out of her room before Kid found him here. She needed to tell him in her own time and in her own way. It would be a hell of a trip home if Kid found out before they left.

It was going to be a hell of a trip home anyway. Two whole nights and days without Jimmy inside her. It was torture to simply think about. She tightened her legs around him at the thought. There was no way around it, but, she would have to work really hard to not stare at him like the boys said she used to stare at Kid. The way Jimmy said she stared at Kid. And if Kid was staring at her that way, he was bound to notice her discomfort. Her lack of focus on him. The way she looked at Jimmy now.

How in the world was she ever going to be able to tell Kid about this? Huh. Probably as quickly and as well as he told her about that teacher. She did not seriously owe him any explanation at all, did she? Though, it would be good for her heart to come clean, and she would be the better person for it. He could live his life his way, she would live her life hers.

She ran her fingers through Jimmy's hair, scratching his scalp lightly. He raised his head, looking her in the eyes.

"Two whole nights without you, huh?" His eyes looked pained and sad.

She shrugged half-heartedly.

"And who knows when we'll be able to be together after that." She frowned.

"We'll make it happen. We can make this work," he reassured her with a half grin and a kiss. "Anything is worth it for you, Lou," he said seriously, looking into her eyes.

She gazed at him in wonder. "You really think that, Jimmy?" Trepidation, doubt, hope and adoration all took up residence in her eyes.

He looked at her in surprise. "Darlin', do you even know how long I've loved you?"

"Love?" She whispered on a breath caught in her throat.

He nodded, brushing her lips with his, whispering, "You knew that, didn't you?"

She shook her head, eyes wide in shock and relief.

"I thought it was just me," she whispered back on a hesitant smile.

He dropped his head back into the cradle between her neck and shoulder and shook it in disagreement.

His lips against her skin, he murmured, "Lou, sweetheart, you've always had my heart."

She closed her eyes and sighed deeply, hugging him closer.

Her eyes flew open. "Kid!"

She struggled underneath Jimmy until he lifted his head lazily and looked at her.

"No, Jimmy. No more. We all need to make it home in one piece. Then we can tell him."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Fine, I can tell him. That's the least I can do. And will do. I don't owe him nothin' but, at least I can know I have the decency to tell him when …"

Jimmy blinked in false innocence. "When he's being replaced?"

Lou looked up at the gunfighter with hurt eyes.

She whispered, "That's not what I meant." She looked down at his chest. "That's not what this is." Her worried eyes shot back to his. "Is it?"

Jimmy pushed up off her. "No, Lou, that's not what this is." She sighed in relief, nodding and sitting up.

"If that was the case," he continued, tucking himself in and buckling himself up, "we woulda gotten together weeks ago, dontcha think?"

She shrugged, sitting up and wrapping the sheet around her.

He continued, "As long as you're not yellin' out 'Next' every time we finish what we did, I think we'll be just fine, darlin."

He bent over and kissed her on the nose.

Lou pulled herself out of the bed, the sheet wrapped around her, and retrieved her clothes on the chair by the curtained window to dress.

Facing the chair, her back to Jimmy, she pulled the shirt on over the sheet, then let the sheet drape, droop and succumb to gravity as she slowly buttoned her shirt down. The hem of the shirt just barely covered her backside, and Jimmy's jaw slackened.

Lou bent over slightly to get her pants on, the bottom of her shirt pulling over the swell of her rear, tightening over her bottom and just barely showing a hint of the juncture at the apex of her thighs. Jimmy let out a shaky breath and swallowed hard. He couldn't take her again. Not when Kid and dinner were so near.

"I was hoping-" he said hoarsely, then cleared his throat, "-I kept wonderin' when you would get it through your thick skull that you an' me were meant to be together... but I didn't want ta push ya..."

She turned slowly to face him, fastening her pants and belt. "'Thick skull'? That's what you think of me?"

His eyes shot up to hers. He didn't realize he had even said anything. He started shaking his head, eyes wide, jaw working, mouth trying to form words he couldn't even think.

"No, wait! Lou, I jus' meant that-"

"Meant what?" She glowered at him, fists firmly planted on her hips.

He shrugged, helplessly. "That we're a good fit... and I thought that for a long while now, but, you didn't never see..." he trailed off, at a loss for words.

"Oh, so I'm blind now, too?"

"No, I didn't mean-"

"So I'm stupid and blind, but you can see your way past that to 'fit' with me these last few nights? Is that what you think?" She approached him menacingly. He backed up against the door fearfully.

"You think I'm easy, too?" She was almost yelling at him. She turned to the bed, grabbed his gun belts off the floor and thrust them into his chest.

"You take your crap and get the hell outta my room!"

He didn't hesitate to take her advice and do just that.

She seethed, pacing the room in her anger. How dare he suggest she was an idiot, just because she had been holding onto something that didn't even exist anymore. Who did he think he was, calling her out like that?

She had been faithful to Kid, and cared so much for him. Just because she wasn't ready to delve deeper into things with the Kid, just because she wasn't ready to go further, didn't mean she didn't love him. Did it? She just wasn't ready for what Kid was ready for, or at least seemed to be ready for.

But Jimmy listened to her all the time. He respected her choices and treated her like she wanted to be treated. Her heart was full to bursting when he came around, looking at her with those near-golden eyes. And now, having shared what they shared, her body was in his corner, just like her head and heart were.

But, he could say the stupidest things! Though, just because he didn't always think things through didn't mean he actually thought that way about her. Kid had said some god-awful things to her, and he actually meant them. 'Thick skull'... she'd show him a thick skull.

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