What a question!
The Kid choked and reached for a glass of water. "Excuse me Ma'am! Marry you?" he spluttered.
"Yes. It seems to suit both our needs, Mr Jones. You did say you were looking to move from here fairly soon. Why not to Boston? And it would solve my problem as well." She smiled pleasantly.
"Well yeah I did say that I wanted to leave …" He looked lost for words. "I didn't …" He swallowed. "Don't mean to offend ma'am but you don't know me. Or anything about me!"
"Well I know I can trust you, Mr Jones. That's enough for me at this moment in time."
The Kid gulped.
"Don't misunderstand me Mr Jones. I am proposing a marriage of convenience only. There will be no …" She looked embarrassed now. "It will be purely platonic I assure you." She swallowed hard. "You will come and live with me in Boston and after a little while you can leave. In the fullness of time the marriage can be annulled."
"But won't that just leave you in the situation you're in now?"
"Possibly. However, things can change over time. In the meantime, if you find someone you want to marry then of course we can have the marriage annulled straight away. I won't tie you to me forever. That would be unforgivable."
The Kid sat back. He played with his fork as he considered. "Ma'am I'm real flattered that you asked me an' all but I reckon I'll have to say no." He looked across at her. She seemed deflated. "Like I said you don't know anything about me," he added, quietly.
She sighed. "Well I knew it was a lot to ask and I did rather spring it on you. There would be some financial compensation for you of course. Please Mr Jones would you at least take some time to consider it?"
The Kid scrubbed at his face. "It ain't that simple, ma'am." He paused. "I'm … not the man … you think I am."
She looked at him hard demanding an explanation. He found he couldn't look back, although he kept glancing to see if she was still looking. She was. In the end, he shook his head and looked away.
"I'm sorry ma'am."
"As I was honest with you Mr Jones I think you'd better tell me!" Her tone was such that she expected to be obeyed. "You're obviously hiding something and I should be in possession of all the facts."
The Kid was a study of indecision. He rubbed his face. He got up and paced. He stared out of the window for ages. Then finally, he leant against the sink, arms folded.
"My name's not Thaddeus Jones, ma'am."
She looked at him. "Are you …?" She licked her lips. "On the run?"
"No. Not anymore." He sat down at the table. "If I tell you ma'am … it's kinda secret … for now … maybe in a few months ..." He still looked unsure. He felt he could trust her. It was just that he was used to having the secret now and sharing it with a stranger … was kind of hard. He shook his head and looked away.
"You have my word, Mr Jones. I have never been, nor do I intend to be, a blabbermouth."
For some reason hearing "blabbermouth" spoken with that accent and by this refined, graceful, beautiful lady made the Kid grin. He chuckled gently.
"Okay ma'am I'll tell you the story but when I'm done I reckon you'll change your mind …"
"Let me be the judge of that Mr Jones. Please proceed."
"Yes ma'am," he nodded. "Up until about eight months ago I was a crook. A pretty big crook. I was wanted and there was $10,000 reward on my head." He paused. "Dead or alive."
"You said was?"
"Yes. Eight months ago, the Governor of Wyoming granted Heyes and me an amnesty. Wiped the slate clean."
"Heyes?"
"Joshua. My partner." He paused. "He's Hannibal Heyes. I'm Kid Curry." He swallowed hard.
By her reaction, she had heard of them. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"You cost my father a lot of money, Mr Jones," she said, finally.
"Yes ma'am. I'm sorry ma'am." He winced. "Kinda ironic don't you think?"
Despite herself, she smiled. "Yes it is." She considered. "Thank you for telling me but it doesn't really change anything."
"It doesn't?" The Kid was surprised. He thought it would change everything!
"No Mr … Jones it does not. I prefer to still think of you as Mr Jones."
"Oh please do. Ain't that many folks in town who know who we are."
"I hope Mr Heyes' wife does!" She looked alarmed.
"Oh yes ma'am. He told her before they were wed." He smiled. "She still wanted to marry him."
"And I still want to marry you, Mr Jones."
He looked wide-eyed in surprise.
"Yes even knowing who you are! I thank you for telling me. As you have said …. I presume you can prove this?"
"Oh! Yes. I got … papers … Yes ma'am I can prove it."
She nodded. "Good. Then I would be obliged if you would take some time to consider what I'm proposing." She seemed nervous now. She was sitting up straight, her palms together on the table.
"Yes ma'am. I'll … give it some consideration. Let you know in the morning."
She nodded. "Thank you."
"You oughta consider what I told you ma'am. You might want to change your mind." He smiled. "Heyes is always telling me, you have to look at a situation from all the angles."
She smiled. "He sounds like a wise man."
"Yeah he has his moments." He looked at her in alarm. "But don't go telling him though! His head swells up!"
She laughed gently at a vision of a man with a swollen head.
"I hate to do this to you ma'am. As you've been on your own all day an' all but I have a poker game arranged for this evening. I was kinda looking forward to it."
"Oh but you must go! Otherwise, it would look suspicious." She looked at him. "You haven't told me, did they get the train back on its tracks?"
"Yes ma'am. Eventually. I understand the plan is to depart tomorrow morning at eight o'clock."
She nodded. "And do you think my uncle will be on it?" she asked, anxiously.
"Yes ma'am. He's had folks looking for you all the way to Salt River and that's thirty miles away."
"And have they searched the town for me?"
"No ma'am. He thinks you rode out. I don't think he's considered that you might be here. At my home." He paused. "I had to tell the sheriff ma'am. That you're here an' 'bout what happened last night."
Caroline looked alarmed.
"But it's okay. He's a friend of mine. He can't abide your uncle either. Been in his office a time or two, shouting the odds 'bout finding ya. I had to put Lom straight. He's wired the sheriffs in a few towns hereabouts to keep an eye out for ya. Told your wicked uncle to get on that train tomorrow. Reckon he will."
Caroline smiled. "I think you read the situation correctly, Mr Jones. He would not have considered that I would be here with you. You being a country bumpkin."
"Some of us country bumpkins do have brains between our ears," the Kid grinned.
"I can see that, Mr Jones. Any man who can read Ivanhoe must have some brains. It's not an easy book to read in its original format."
The Kid winced. "Well like I say that's Heyes' book. He's the reader. I just picked it up to pass the time."
"You were halfway through. You must have got into it?"
"Heyes said it was a good read. I reckon it is. Don't understand most of it though," he admitted. "Knights in armour rescuing damsels in distress are a little outside of my experience," he grinned.
She smiled as he got up. "Mr Jones I'm not so sure about that. I think I qualify as a damsel in distress don't you?"
He smiled back and nodded. "If it's alright with you I'll be going now."
She nodded.
Caroline was asleep when the Kid got back. He stole into his bunk hoping not to wake her. He didn't.
He lay there thinking in the darkness. Her proposition had all sorts of advantages for him. He listed them. It would get him out of shovelling … manure in the livery stable. It would get him away from guns – he wouldn't need one back East. He knew that was concerning Heyes and if he admitted it, him too. Although it would be a marriage of convenience only, she had said there would be some financial reward for him. And … he was almost afraid to even think it. He liked her. All in all, it seemed to cover most of his concerns and solve her problem too. He grinned. He sure would like to see the uncle's face when he found out! It would be a picture! Of course, by now she would have considered what he had told her and changed her mind. Oh well.
"Have you given my proposal anymore thought Mr Jones?" Caroline asked when they were both awake this next morning.
"Yes ma'am I have," he said at the ceiling. He looked across at her. "Have you changed your mind, ma'am?"
"No I haven't changed my mind. I did think about what you told me. It seems to me that you have been taking risks all your life, Mr Jones. This just happens to be one more."
The Kid looked back at the ceiling. He nodded. "Yes." He sighed then looked across at her. He always thought he preferred brunettes but somehow this blond sophisticated lady was captivating him. He decided. "Yes ma'am, I would like to marry you," he said, quietly.
He was rewarded with a broad smile.
"Mr Jones, thank you. That is such a relief!"
The Kid chuckled at her reaction and he rolled his eyes. He turned on his side to face her, propping his head up on an elbow. "How will it work exactly?"
"Well." She turned to face him. "Like I said it will be a marriage of convenience only. You do understand that don't you? What it means?"
"Yes ma'am. No … separate bedrooms!"
She smiled. "Yes. Good. There is an old friend of my father who lives in a place called Big Bend, I think it is called. I believe it's not far from here?"
"Big Bend, Colorado?"
"Yes."
"It's not that far. Just over a hundred miles or so."
"Is it on the railroad?"
"Yes ma'am. Just south of Denver."
"Good. We should go there first before we go to Boston. He is a judge now and I think we ought to visit him for some legal advice. This has to be done properly; otherwise, Robert may find a loophole. He's like that."
The Kid nodded. "Okay."
"I think there is something called a pre-nuptial agreement which I would ask you to sign before the marriage. Uncle Jack can draw it up."
"And what's that exactly?" Heyes had warned him about signing things he didn't understand.
"It's a legal document. It means anything either of us has before the marriage remains ours separately. It doesn't become part of the marriage estate. You will have no call on my fortune, Mr Jones, unless I choose to make a part of it available to you. And as I have already said you would be financially compensated. I will give you a monthly allowance which I am sure you will find more than generous."
"Well that's very decent of you ma'am. So you're saying I don't have to share my twelve dollars and thirteen cents with you?"
She laughed. "No Mr Jones. That will be all yours!"
He sighed in relief. Whether that was genuine or put on, she wasn't entirely sure.
"I take it the poker didn't go well last night?"
"No ma'am I was a mite distracted."
"So if you're happy with those terms do we have a deal?"
"Yes Ma'am. I reckon we have a deal." He offered his hand and they shook.
The Kid had a lot to do that morning. He made sure the uncle got on the train when it finally left. He wrote a difficult letter to Heyes and left it with Lom. Then he went to the livery stable and quit, forfeiting two day's pay. After that, he packed his saddlebags, including Ivanhoe. He and Caroline caught the train to Cheyenne, where they changed for one that would take them to Big Bend.
"Caroline, are you really sure about this?" Jack Albertson asked after she had told him her plans.
"Yes Uncle Jack, I've thought it all through carefully. I know what I am doing. I just wanted to make sure that it was legal and that Robert would not have a case."
"Oh it's legal alright!" Jack winced and scratched his cheek. "But Kid Curry!"
She smiled. "I admit that's an unexpected dimension." She paused. "I trust him Jack. And he had the decency to tell me who he was straight away. In fact he said no at first."
Jack growled. "He has a reputation as a ladies man, Caroline."
"Well," she sighed. "I'm not marrying him for ever and I have made it very clear that this is a marriage of convenience only. So long as he's discrete …"
Jack looked doubtful. "He does understand does he? What this means?"
"Yes I've explained it all."
"He could still back out."
"I don't think so. Heiresses are never jilted."
Jack chuckled. "I'll have a talk with him, Caroline. Just to make sure." He paused. "So where is his partner, Hannibal Heyes?"
"On his honeymoon. In San Francisco."
"I'd heard those two had been given amnesty. Seems like they really are making new lives for themselves." He paused. "Kid Curry isn't how I imagined him to be. I always imagined him as a cocky young man. Pulling his gun out for the smallest of reason. There's no doubt is there? He really is Kid Curry?"
"Yes. He showed me the amnesty papers. They looked genuine to me. I'm sure he'd show you."
Jack sighed. "Well if you're sure …?"
"I am. I like him Jack. I've spent three days with him and he's easy to get along with. Given the short notice I'm under, I really don't think I could do any better."
Jack nodded. "He seems a personable young man. Alright, if you're sure, I'll draw up the pre-nuptial agreement for you."
"How long will that take?"
"Have it done by tomorrow night."
"And the reverend?"
"I can round him up for tomorrow night as well."
"Thank you Uncle Jack." She kissed him on the cheek.
"Have the Kid come to see me, huh? I would like to see those amnesty papers. Just for my own satisfaction."
"Mr Curry!"
The Kid frowned as he went into the judge's study.
"Judge," he nodded, turning to shut the door.
"Come on in. Sit down." He gestured at the chair on the other side his desk.
The Kid sat where indicated. He put an envelope on the desk.
"Caroline said you wanted to see this?"
Jack nodded and picked up the envelope.
"Caroline's my god daughter. Mrs Albertson and I weren't blessed with children of our own so Charles' daughter is the closest thing we have," he smiled. "Like to look out for her now Charles is gone."
The Kid nodded. He sat and watched quietly as Jack read through the papers. Finally, he returned them to the envelope and pushed it back towards the Kid.
"Well it looks all in order. I've seen a couple of these before but never for someone as well-known shall we say as you. Congratulations Mr Curry. You must be relieved?"
"Yes sir."
Jack smiled. "The er date on that is over eight months ago. What have you been doing since then?"
"Working in the livery stable in Porterville."
"All this time?" Jack seemed surprised.
"Yes sir. Didn't get a choice. Lom told us we had to stay put until word got around."
"Lom?"
"Lom Trevors. The sheriff in Porterville. He talked to the Governor for us. Got us the deal."
Jack nodded. "And what had you planned to do once word had got around?"
The Kid winced. "Don't rightly know sir. Heyes … settled down real quick. He er got himself married a few weeks ago."
"So I understand. It must be hard to lose your partner. You've been together for a long time."
"Yes sir. All my life in fact. He's my cousin. We grew up together."
Jack seemed surprised. "Is that a fact? Well, well, well. I never knew that."
"Not many folks do sir. Wasn't something we went around telling. Safer for both of us that way."
"Safer?" Jack frowned.
"We didn't want that knowledge being used against us."
"Ah!" Jack understood. He nodded. "So … Mr Heyes has married. That must have left you in a bit of a fix?"
The Kid sniffed. "Oh I guess I always knew Heyes would wanna settle. I'm glad he's met someone he can be happy with. And he will be and I don't begrudge him that Judge. Going for amnesty was hard on him. Me too but he wanted it to end so we knew where we were. He's smart enough to know it was either this chance or wind up dead. So we jus' kept ploddin' along, hoping." The Kid grinned. "Glad it worked out this way."
Jack smiled too. "So had you made any plans?"
"Not exactly. I was waiting for him to get back from his honeymoon. Then I was gonna tell him I was moving on."
"Where to?"
The Kid wrinkled his nose and shook his head. "I dunno. Hadn't got that far. Just knew I wanted to stop working in the livery."
Jack sat back and laced his fingers over his stomach. "So Caroline's offer must have seemed like the answer to your prayers?"
"Certainly not how I thought it would go sir no," the Kid grinned and then sobered. "I did say no first of all. Caroline thought I was a different man I think. I had to put her straight."
"So you told her who you are?"
"She had to understand why I was saying no. Give her a chance to change her mind and save face."
Jack looked at the Kid hard. "Mr Curry that's … very thoughtful of you."
The Kid shrugged. "She's a nice lady and er she's already got one man trying to take advantage of her. She don't need another one."
Jack smiled. "Mr Curry you're a surprising man."
"How so sir?" he frowned.
"Well some men may have taken the offer to marry a beautiful, wealthy and desperate young woman and used it for their own ends."
The Kid shook his head. "Some might but not me sir. I may have been a lot of things, had a reputation an' all but er my folks were law-abiding and devout Christians. And that's how I was raised. That kinda thing stays with you even if you don't exactly live an entirely wholesome life later on."
Jack smiled again. "Jed, I think you're a very decent young man." He held out his hand.
The Kid looked surprised but reached over and took it. "Thank you sir. I aim to try to be."
Jack hesitated. He liked this young man, Kid Curry or not.
"You do know what you're getting yourself into don't you?"
The Kid nodded. "Yes sir. Caroline needs a way out of an impossible situation and I reckon I can help her. 'Sides it'll help me too."
"Has Caroline given you an indication …?"
The Kid shook his head. "No sir. It don't matter none. I ain't in this for the money. Heyes is always telling me that you have to seize opportunities when they arise. Well this here is an opportunity and it has arisen. If I can help the lady out then that's good enough for me."
Jack considered his words and nodded.
"Are you a big reader, Mr Jones?" Caroline asked, as she came onto the porch, the next morning. The wedding was going to be that evening.
The Kid was reading Ivanhoe again and he started to get up. She waved him down and sat down herself.
"No Ma'am. As you can see, I'm only half way through. I just hate to leave a book unfinished that's all. Ain't right. If somebody's gone to all the bother of writing it. Kinda disrespectful. "
Caroline smiled. "Well. I have a large library at home. You might find you rather like reading."
The Kid shrugged. "I'm not much of a reader. Struggled with it at school so it don't give me much pleasure to read." He sighed. "I'm just passing the time 'til this evening that's all."
"I hope it won't be unlucky, Mr Jones."
"Unlucky?" he frowned.
"Well it's supposed to be unlucky for the bride to see the groom on their wedding day before they get married. " She smiled. "Here I am."
The Kid put the bookmark in his page and put the book on the table beside him. "Ma'am that's superstitious nonsense."
Caroline's smile widened. "Why Mr Jones that's quite emphatic!"
"Yes ma'am. Folks make their own luck and I reckon we've done that already."
She frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Well." He sniffed and looked up, considering. "Both of us needed a way out of the situations we found ourselves in. Strikes me that it was luck that brought us together just at the right time." He pursed his lips and shrugged. "Don't you think?"
Caroline considered, impressed by his logic. "I think you're a philosopher, Mr Jones. On the quiet."
He grinned. "I'm not much of a philosopher. Jus' try and' take things as they come ma'am."
Suddenly he started, remembering something, and he dug in his pants pocket. He brought something out and looked at it, hesitating.
"I er went out this morning. Into town," he said, slowly. "I er bought you something. Now you can't have it yet but I figured we'd need one. So I got you this."
In his palm was a plain gold band. Caroline gasped when she saw it.
"Oh, Mr Jones!" She was genuinely surprised and delighted all at the same time.
He smiled. "Guess you didn't consider it ma'am. Wouldn't be a wedding without a ring now would it?"
Caroline's eyes watered. "No, Mr Jones, it wouldn't." She went to touch it but he closed his fist around it.
"Nope. I reckon I have to put it on later." He tucked it away again. "Tain't much ma'am. It's all my twelve dollars and thirteen cents would get me but at least … well at least you'll have something. So long as nobody looks too close."
Caroline smiled. "Mr Jones, you are a very nice man."
He beamed and nodded in acknowledgement.
At 7 o'clock that evening, a small group of people assembled in the office of the church. There the pre-nuptial agreement was signed and witnessed. Then they passed through into the church itself. The judge gave the bride away and he and his wife acted as witnesses. The judge's clerk acted as the Kid's best man. Very soon afterwards, Miss Caroline Fairfield became Mrs Jedidiah Thaddeus Curry.
Later they all adjourned to the hotel for a quiet dinner and even later, Caroline and the Kid made their way upstairs to their room. Although it was a marriage of convenience, for appearances sake, they had agreed to share a room that night.
The Kid had just made himself a bed up on the floor when there was a knock on the door. The Kid pulled his gun from its holster, from where it hung over the back of a chair and opened the door a little. The Judge was standing outside and the Kid motioned him in.
"Caroline, Kid. Sorry to disturb you but I won't be seeing you in the morning and there's something I ought to tell you." Jack swallowed nervously and looked from one to the other.
"What is it, Uncle Jack?"
"Well …" Jack rubbed his chin. "I've been thinking about some of the things that Robert might try and do legally. Yes, you are legally married. On paper at least." He looked from one to the other and swallowed nervously. "There's something … perhaps … you ought to consider. To er … put it beyond doubt shall we say?"
"And what's that Jack?" the Kid asked.
"Well …" Jack cleared his throat. "Tonight is er … your wedding night and certain things … er happen on a wedding night." He pulled at his collar that suddenly felt too tight and cleared his throat again.
"Wait a minute … are you saying … what I think you're saying?" The Kid realised what the judge was trying to say. While he wasn't averse to the idea. He did LIKE Caroline and he DID find her attractive. It was just that's not what he'd signed up for.
"I er think so." He glanced at Caroline. "Maybe." He paused. "'Course it doesn't HAVE to be tonight. Perhaps in a day or two. When you're home …" He looked at Caroline again who now realised. "Just … don't leave it too long," he said, quickly and made for the door.
Caroline had her fingers over her lips.
"Uncle Jack! That's …" She looked at the Kid, wide-eyed. "Rather unexpected news!" She looked at the Kid in a new light suddenly. He was attractive. He liked his easy manner and he made her smile. But to do THAT with him? Now that was something else.
"I'm … I'm sorry. Should have considered it earlier I know. I didn't want you to go and I hadn't mentioned it." Jack swallowed hard, edging further to the door and putting his hand on the handle. "I'll er leave you to …" He waved a hand, vaguely. He opened the door. "Discuss it!"
Jack fled. Outside, he shut the door with a wide smile on his face. He had seen the way those two had looked at each other. True it was early days but there was something there, he could see it. Mrs Albertson could also see it. Yet, they didn't know it yet. Jack was pleased to be able to give them a little push along in the right direction. Time and intimacy should do the trick. After all, they were legally married so it wasn't as though he was encouraging anything scandalous.
Inside the Kid and Caroline looked at each other.
"Mr Jones I'm so sorry! I don't know what to say!" She looked at him in alarm.
The Kid pursed his lips. "Ain't much to say, ma'am. For now … I've made my bed, I oughta lie on it." He indicated the bed on the floor.
Caroline nodded and smiled weakly.
Caroline nudged the Kid with her toe. He woke with a start, his hand flailing for his gun, which he couldn't find. Instead, he looked up and frowned at Caroline.
"Ma'am? You alright, Ma'am?" he asked in alarm.
Caroline was standing in her nightdress, holding a lamp.
"Yes thank you I'm quite fine. I've simply been thinking about what Uncle Jack said."
The Kid groaned and dropped his head back onto the pillow, his hands over his eyes. "Don't tell me you do your best thinking in the middle of night?" How many times when they were still in the Hole had Heyes woken him in the middle of the night to tell him that he had "got it"?" How many times had the Kid listened to him with a sleep-befuddled brain? How many times had Heyes had to go over it again at a more civilised hour, usually over breakfast?
"It's a perfect time to think, Mr Jones," she started as she put the lamp on the floor and sat down beside it. "There are fewer distractions."
"Yes ma'am."
"I think we should do as he says."
The Kid widened his eyes. "Do … as he says?"
"Yes," she said and swallowed.
"Ma'am, have you any idea … what you're asking me?" He looked at her questioningly.
"Yes." She thrust her chin out. "I'm fully aware of what happens between a man and a woman. Thank you."
"It's not that simple ma'am!" he spluttered.
"Are you telling me you that you have never been with a woman?" She raised an eyebrow, doubtfully.
"No! I mean yes!" he spluttered. "There have been a few!"
"Well then you know what to do," she said, logically.
"That's not ….It still ain't that simple!" He looked at her in dismay. "There has to be a certain attraction and wiliness …"
"Oh so are you saying you don't find me attractive?" She was indignant.
The Kid groaned. "No ma'am that's not what I'm saying," he said, shaking his head. Heyes where are you when I need you? he thought.
"Then you do?"
The Kid sighed and sat up properly. "Ma'am I …" He looked at her helplessly. "I don't know what to say …"
Caroline got up. "I can see you should give this some thought, Mr Jones. I'm sorry to have disturbed you." She took up the lamp and made her way back to the bed.
The Kid rolled onto his front and looked at her as she got to the side of the bed.
"Caroline."
She set the lamp on the nightstand and looked round. He had never called her that before.
"Caroline." He said it again, this time softer. The light behind her was … oh, boy!
"Good night, Mr Jones," she said and drew aside the bed coverings. She prepared to get in but hesitated as he got up and came towards her.
"Caroline." He stopped in front of her and took her hands in his, his thumb rubbing the wedding band he found on her left hand. "Caroline, I know this is very important to you and it must seem like a simple act. One that you feel you are prepared to endure if need be but there's something you haven't considered in all this."
He was standing so close now. She could feel the heat from his body on hers. She looked up at him. He was so tall. His eyes so blue.
"And what is that, Mr Jones?"
"My feelings." He paused. "Caroline I do find you very attractive."
She nodded, trying not to smile. "Thank you."
"And it's 'cos of that, what you're asking me to do is hard for me."
She swallowed.
"I'm sorry, Mr Jones. Yes of course. I can see you are right. You will have to forgive me. I'm not familiar with a man's needs." She smiled faintly. "I wasn't doing what your friend advises and looking at the situation from all angles."
"No ma'am," the Kid grinned. "I think that takes practice."
Now she did smile at him. She licked her lips. The Kid was still holding her hands and it felt … nice. "So you … find me … attractive?"
"Yes ma'am. I do. But er …" He studied her face. "You're way outta my league!"
"These women that … you've … known. Were they in your league?"
The Kid pursed his lips. "I reckon."
She nodded. "I see." For some reason she felt intensely disappointed. She took a deep breath and swallowed hard.
The Kid was aware that she had not tried to pull her hands away and he studied the emotions playing over her face.
"But that was kinda because I wasn't in a positon to get to know anyone properly." He licked his lips. "Things are different for me now."
Why was he finding her so hard to resist? She wasn't his type. There was no way he should have a chance with her. Before he knew it, he lowered his head and kissed her gently. When she didn't protest, he pulled her to him a little. Her hands grasped his upper arms as he kissed her again, this time a little harder.
"I don't want to take advantage of you, Caroline. You're too nice a lady for me to wanna hurt you," he murmured, keeping his face close to hers.
"Mr Jones, I asked you!"
"Yeah you did," he sighed. "But I really don't think you know what's involved." She was still in his arms, looking up at him.
"I admit I'm nervous, Mr Jones. This is our wedding night but aren't all brides nervous on their wedding night?"
The Kid smiled. "Yes ma'am I reckon."
"Well then," she whispered. She looked up at him. "Please proceed, Mr Jones." Her tone of voice had changed. There seemed to be something more here than consummating the marriage for practical reasons.
The Kid stroked her cheek.
"Caroline, if we start … we don't stop," he breathed.
"I understand."
He nodded then lowered his head to kiss her. He kissed her in a way she would never have dreamed of. She felt things she would never have dreamed of. Their bodies were separated only by his underwear and her thin nightdress. She could feel every inch of him. Oh! Every inch! When his hand touched her the small of her back, she melted completely and she allowed him to lower her to the bed.
