Friends Along the Way: Flame Series #17

This Is Now…

Chapter 10

At the End of the Day

Jack Portal paced across the small room, thick circles of smoke followed him as he puffed on his cigar. His pacing stopped long enough to cast an angry look at his partner, when Reese walked through the door. "Where have you been?"

Reese loosened his tie and sauntered over to the table to pour himself a drink. "I was trying to have lunch with a very beautiful lady. But..." He shrugged and took a long swallow. "…her husband had other ideas." He took a seat in the rocker by the window. "That is one big man. Have you seen him up close?"

"You seem to think your antics are funny." Jack could never understand his partner's easy-going attitude about everything. Of course, Reese hadn't grown up as an orphan on the Lower East Side of New York. He didn't know what it was like to fight dogs for food and rats for shelter. Jack wasn't blessed with good looks like Reese, but he was smart. Smart and determined to never be that hungry, that cold, or that poor ever again. There was still a sharp edge to Portal's tone when he spoke again. "He's the law around here, you know."

"Believe me; I just saw that badge up close and personal." He watched, as his partner resumed his nervous pacing. "You're going to wear the flowers off the carpet. Calm down. Why is this job any different than any of the others over the last five years? We come, we swindle, we go."

"I just don't think you need to get cozy with the marshal's wife." Jack stopped suddenly, his small, beady eyes drawn closer under his scrutinizing gaze. "Unless…you and she-"

"Nope! Not this lady." With a regretful grimace, Reese finished off his drink and shook the glass at Jack for a refill.

"There hasn't been one yet to resist your charms." Out of habit, Jack played waiter to the empty glass. "You're sure?"

"Oh yeah. I saw the way those two looked at each other." Reese took the glass, this time only taking a small sip. "Thanks. Too bad, because I really would have liked to get to know her better."

"Why! She's just a know-it-all, prissy bitch."

Reese laughed, as he settled back into the rocker. "You're just mad because she showed you up. Hurt your pride, did she, Port?" Reese's expression became more serious. "But, Port, she is smart. You better watch out for her, because if anyone trips us up, it'll be her."

"Can you at least keep her entertained, while I fleece the rest of the association?" Jack stubbed his cigar out in the glass ashtray and finally took a seat. "We need this one, Henry. And it's a big one. I don't think you realize how much we can make here. If we can get all those men to put their businesses into the land trust…we'll have enough money to open that place in New Orleans. No more traveling around, living out of carpetbags. No more con games."

Reese pursed his lips, his brows arched high over wide grey eyes. "Really? So this is The Big One we've been waiting for, huh? I'll do my best with her, but I'm tellin' ya, she's different than the rest." He took a deep breath, trying to clear her image from his head. "When are you going to set the bait?"

Unlike his partner, when Jack smiled, it lacked charm and resulted in a sneer. "I'm going to wait one more day and then pull Bodkin aside with the news of this expansion deal."

"What do I do?" Reese had always been satisfied to play the roles that Jack wrote for him. They had barely escaped town a couple of times, but overall, the little man's con games were pretty well thought out.

"I'll take him to lunch. When you come to the table, you need to be angry that I'm letting this information out."

"Okay, I got it. Like we did in Santa Fe."

Jack smiled, pleased that Reese remembered the old scam. "Exactly. Dangle it but don't offer it. He'll beg for it. The others will follow his lead just like the other times."

Reese pulled himself to his feet. "Port you are a genius. Come on." He snatched up the small man's jacket from the rack. "Let's go down to the Prairie Rose. My treat."

Double O Double O Double O

"Are you going to pace the floor all night?" Newly folded down the comforter on their bed. "That's not going to get them here any faster."

Calleigh stopped in mid-stride, her small nose slightly up in the air. "How do you know what I'm thinking?"

Newly whirled around, suddenly grabbing the demure redhead and throwing her onto the bed. Before she could scramble up, he was on top of her. "Don't get smart with me, little lady. I know every thought in that pretty little head." His mouth came down, demanding of hers. "Even the scary ones," he whispered before kissing her again.

Calleigh squirmed her way into a comfortable position in his arms. "I just want everything to be perfect for them. They've been through so much."

Newly stroked the soft skin of her cheek. "Baby, they did rob a bank you know."

"I know, but only because of what those terrible men did to their town. You think they'll be happy here?"

"I have no doubt that between you, Kitty and Miss Pry, they will be three of the happiest men in Dodge." He rolled over, rising up on his elbow, letting his free hand release the buttons on her gown. "Any chance you want to make this man happy?"

Calleigh raked her bottom lip through her teeth as she studied the face hovering over her. "Why, Mister O'Brian, my only purpose in life is to make you happy. Where shall we start?" Despite her playful manner, she knew exactly where to start. Teasing became touching and laughter gave way to sighs.

TheBoysTheBoysTheBoysTheBoys

Gaith stretched out on his blanket, leaning his head against his saddle. "Is that not the most beautiful sky you have ever seen?"

Ned looked at the two brothers. Lem, had spread his blanket close to Gaith's. "The whole world is beautiful on this side of the bars. It's been a long three years, but—with a lot of help—we made it."

"I should have gone to prison, same as you two." Lem's young features echoed his guilt and sadness. "I got by too easy."

"Will you stop it, Lem. The marshal worked hard to get you on that work farm in order to keep you out of prison. Me and Ned did okay."

The youngest of the trio popped up. "Okay! Look at Ned's leg. He can barely walk. They beat you, didn't they, Ned? Why couldn't the marshal help you two?"

Neither Gaith, nor Ned, was quick to anger, but the boy's words lit a fire under them both. Gaith was a split second faster to scold the boy. "I don't ever want to hear you say anything like that again! Those people not only forgave us, but stood beside us all those years. They wrote letters and visited us AND you."

Ned looked down at his swollen leg. "For your information, squirt, it wasn't one of the prison guards that was hard on us. I got…this…from another inmate." He couldn't stop the grimace, as he pulled himself up to lean against a fallen log. "Warden Rappart told Gaith that the marshal was keeping tabs on us. Just to make sure we were keeping our noses clean and being treated fairly."

Lem believed Ned, but he still looked toward his brother for confirmation. The blow-up was over and Gaith relaxed, with a smile that backed up Ned's claim. "That's right. But, now it's over. We all did our time and we're lucky to have a place to go home to. Most of those guys getting out, got nowhere."

"I'll bet that pretty doctor can fix your leg, Ned."

"Maybe so, Lem. Even if she can't, she sure is pretty to look at." Ned laughed, as he eased back down. "Who would have thought that an old spinster lady—and both the marshal's daughter and his wife—would have championed three sodbusters from Missouri?"

"Gaith, they really will give us a home, won't they?" The boy wanted to believe in this miracle, but life had made him fearful of hoping.

The older brother reached over, giving Lem a gentle shove. "Stop worrying, kid. They made a promise and they'll keep it. We're gonna be alright. Now, get to sleep. We want to get an early start."

"Yeah," Ned slid down onto his bedroll. "I want to get to Dodge in time for lunch—for some of that pie and coffee!"

A round of hungry sigh's filled the cool, night air, before exhaustion claimed the three cowboys.

LadyKLadyKLadyKLadyKLadyK

Matt had been caught up in a fight between a couple of stubborn, feuding farmers. As a result, it looked like he would be spending the night at the jail, with his two prisoners. That was, until Festus showed up. He had business in town early the following morning, so the hill man volunteered to play deputy for the night.

Earlier, Matt had sent word that he probably wouldn't be coming home tonight, so Kitty had put the kids to bed and decided on a long, relaxing bath for herself. She was in that sweet, mellow state—that bordered between consciousness and sleep—when she heard the faint creak of the bedroom door.

"Matt?" Although there was no response, she could hear him rustling around the bedroom. It wasn't until she moved, that she realized the water had gotten cold. A layer of goosebumps covered her body, sending a shiver down her back. Kitty climbed out of the tub and did a quick hit and miss job of drying off, before slipping into the thin, cotton garment.

The lavender nightgown had looked so cute in the catalogue, with the tiny buttons concealed under a silk bow at the neckline. The description failed to mention how hard it was to fasten those hidden nubs. Finally securing the garment, she opened the door to the bedroom.

The room was still captive to the shadows of night, with only a single light burning beside Matt's favorite chair. It took a moment for her eyes to become acclimated to the darkness, before she realized that he was actually sitting there.

Matt?" For the second time, he did not respond. As Kitty stepped closer, she could see that he had shed his vest and shirt. His bare feet relaxed below the hem of his canvas pants.

"Were you expecting someone else?" There was something strange in his tone. If it had been anyone else, it would have sounded ominous.

"Huh? What's wrong with you?" Kitty started to take another step, but Matt rose to his feet so suddenly, it startled her. Stunned and confused—but still not afraid—she started to question him again. "Wha-"

"I don't ever want to see 'his' hands on you again!" Now, it was his hulking form that moved across the room. His steps did not stop until he was standing so close she could feel the warmth of his breath on her face. "I told you—I was the only stud, but you thought I was kidding!" Matt suddenly plucked the tiny piece of silk between his large fingers and gave the ribbon a violent tug. The hidden buttons began to pop free until the last one refused to let go of the cotton gown ripping the fragile material down the center.

Two sets of blue eyes darted at the ruined gown, paused, then slowly inched back up until their gazes met. Kitty pursed her lips, her eyes narrowed with a hostile stare.

"Ooops." Matt swallowed so hard, she could hear the muscles constricting in his throat. His mouth formed into a hapless shape, one that would never be confused for a smile. He uttered a silly giggle, that was more fearful, than endearing. "Uhhhh…it had buttons underneath." Again, he had claimed the voice of an adolescent.

Kitty stood with one hand planted on her hip—and a look that could stop a herd of charging buffalo. But, at the moment, she only had one buffalo in her sights. "Yeah! It had buttons underneath!" she snapped sarcastically.

Matt made a face that Hadley would have been envious to own. "I thought the little ribbon…" He decided it best to let that topic drop and try to redeem himself another way. "I was trying to be… you know—forceful." He arched his brows in an attempt to be seductive. "Masterful."

"Uh-huh." Intense blue eyes refused to release his gaze. She rested the tip of her tongue against the center of her upper lip as she contemplated her stud. Try as she might, she couldn't stay angry at that pathetic face. "Well, Cowboy… You got the corral gate open—what are you gonna do now?"

Matt wasted no time in showing his gratitude for her forgiveness. The lips that plundered hers desperately wanted to please. Once their clothes were shed and they lay naked in each other's arms, his botched attempt to play a jealous lover was soon forgotten. All was forgiven, as his fingers performed magic, causing her body to hum like an electrical current coursed through it. She cried out his name when the first explosion seized her body.

Matt loved the sound of his name on her lips when she was in the throes of passion, that deep, guttural moan that belonged to her alone. Kitty wrapped her long, slender legs around Matt's hips—wanting, needing him to reach farther, to go deeper, until their bodies merged into one—until that breathtaking moment when nothing in the world existed, but the two of them. There was no sight. No sound. Only the wild, consuming rush that engulfed them….

Kitty lay with her ear close to her husband's heart, as her fingers stroked the fine trail of hair that defined the center of his chest. Matt brushed his fingers in a lazy pattern across her back. His laughter was subdued, but still audible enough to disrupt her tranquil state. "What's so funny?"

"I was just thinking… that for a man that got off to such a bad start; All-in-all, I still managed to do a pretty good job of getting across the finish line."

Kitty left her comfort zone and pulled up into his arms. "Idiot." She kissed his waiting lips, before snuggling in. "Now I know why you don't get jealous…" There was a brief pause, as she stretched back. A tiny frown suddenly appeared. "Wait…Why don't you get jealous?"

Matt sighed and brushed his fingers through her hair. "Oh, I get jealous. I just handle it better than most."

"You do? Really?" The frown had been uprooted by a coy smile.

"You know I do! Stop baiting me." He kissed her again. "Why is that Reed guy hanging around you so much, anyway?"

"Reese," Kitty corrected. "I'm not sure. For some reason, he wants me to invest, I suppose. Everyone else has, but that's not enough for them."

"Why aren't you?" Matt knew to trust his wife in financial matters, but he was curious.

"Something is hinky. I don't like his partner at all, plus I don't trust him." Kitty waited, but Matt didn't respond. "What now?"

"But you trust Reeve?"

Kitty smiled to herself. She knew Matt was purposely pretending he couldn't remember the man's name. "No. I didn't say that. I don't trust either of them."

"But you only dislike the ugly one."

Kitty looked up at his playful grin. "Are we going back to the corral?"

"Maybe." He rolled over on his side, his hands just naturally gravitating to Kitty's most sensual spots. He found her to be still warm and moist—and very receptive to his ministrations. Kitty held his face in her hands, while her mouth ravaged his. Her body swayed in slow, languid moves, enticing him to make love to her again. An offer he couldn't wait to accept.

Once again, they lay breathless, content to enjoy the euphoric aftermath. Kitty lay on his outstretched arm. After a while Matt rolled over enough to wrap his other arm around her. "I'm really sorry about that gown. I was just going to pull the ribbon to untie it."

Kitty snuggled in closer to his embrace. "I think you made it up to me—twice."

TBC