"Is this really how you want to play this?"

I look up to see my favorite deputy standing in the doorway with one hand on her jutted out hip as she continues, "Because I sure as hell thought you were more of a man than that."

I set the file I'd been reading on my desk, "Come in and close the door, Vic."

She shifts her weight to the other hip and crosses her arms, "No."

I feel my jaw tighten, "Don't you think certain conversations should be held in private?"

"Ferg's out on a call and Ruby went to a doctor's appointment in Sheridan."

I glance at the clock on the wall. That's right, I had forgotten. I sigh and decide to try a different approach. How would I handle a pissed off mountain lion? Nice and easy. "Please?"

After a pause to consider the addition to the request she walks just far enough into my office to kick the door closed with her foot and then leans back against it, her arms still set like a shield across her chest. It's progress.

"Would you like to sit down? I could get you some coffee."

The only response I get is narrowed eyes, glaring at me. She's mad. She should be. I have been avoiding her. I never realized I was such a coward.

"I'm sorry."

A little tension goes out of Vic's stance.

"I've been avoiding you today, and I'm sorry."

She relaxes just a bit more.

"What can I do to make it up to you?"

"For starters you can tell me why."

"Why?"

"Why you've been avoiding me."

I nod, "And after that?"

"You can stop trying to control everything. You may be the Sheriff of Absaroka County, but you're not the sheriff of us."

I probably deserve that, "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay."

She walks over to sit on the couch. I glance around and realize I'm not fond of the dynamic that my sitting behind the desk creates so I stand wondering how to go about this. I grab a chair and set it at a right angle to the couch but not directly in front of her. I don't really want to face her head on. It seems too confrontational and she's already pissed off enough. I sit.

"Vic, I, uh, I realized last night that I've been trying to call all the shots here."

"You have."

"And, uh, that's not really fair of me. You're in this thing too and I should probably do a little more negotiating and a little less declaring in regards to the parameters of our relationship."

"Parameters of our relationship? You're kidding, right? This isn't a business transaction."

"I'm not treating this like a business transaction."

"Are you listening to yourself?"

"Vic, I'm just trying to do the right thing."

"The right thing according to whom?"

I rub my forehead with my hand. This isn't going well. I need to back up and try again.

"Vic, I know you are used to a different pace, but you need to realize that I am too. I don't mind moving in your direction, but I'm going to need you to move my direction a little as well."

"Tell me more."

"I only know how to do this one way. Martha and I took our time...before we moved into a more physical...relationship. I'm a little out of my element here."

"You slept with Lizzie."

I take a deep breath, "That was a mistake."

"I see."

"I don't want to make any mistakes with you. You mean too much to me...and when Henry brought up the idea that you only wanted me for sex..."

She cocks her head to the side, "Henry was making a joke, Walt. He was having a little fun. Yes, it was at your expense, but it was harmless."

"I know. But then, what you said in the parking lot..."

"Walt, I was flirting. You do know what that is, right? Women have flirted with you before. I've seen it myself."

"I guess I never really paid it much attention because I wasn't interested. Now I have you right in front of me...and I'm... interested. Even so, you caught me off guard last night. No one's ever said anything like that to me before. I, uh, had to take a minute before I was able to go back into the bar."

She looks toward the floor and I can tell she's trying to suppress the grin that's fighting to fill her face.

"I didn't sleep very well last night and when I came into work this morning and saw you, the dreams I had flooded my brain and I couldn't get the images to go away. That's why I've been avoiding you. Because every time I look at you, or hear your voice, my thoughts start to...wander, farther than they should. It makes it difficult to concentrate on work."

She looks back up at me, "I forget you don't have much experience with bad girls." She scoots to the edge of the couch and puts a hand on my knee, "I know this is scary for you. Hell, it's scary for me too. But damn Walt, I don't want to waste anymore time in my life. I don't want to make decisions based on fear. I want to live. I deserve to live, and you do too."

I nod.

"Look. I'll agree to not come on so strong, if you agree to loosen up a little. I know the divorce is a big issue, and I don't want you to be anyone other than who you are but you've got to stop trying to control the situation. I've got a pretty strong personality here. You're going to have to accept that I'm not going to stop flirting with you. I'm not going to stop wanting to be with you, and I may choose to remind you of that from time to time. If we need to wait, then I can wait," Her voice lowers, "But I'm certainly not going to apologize for what I said last night, because I meant every word."

"Okay."

She leans back against the couch. "One last thing. If this goes the way I'd like it to, this is not the last morning you're going to wake up with images of me in your head. And one of these days it won't be just your imagination, but actual memories: vivid, hot, sexy memories. So, you'd better get used to controlling those thoughts of yours when you see me at work. I don't want either of us to have to find a new job."