CHAPTER NINE
"C'mon, Red, we've got to pick up my stuff before it gets too late," Matt was pushing. If she wasn't in a hurry to get ready, it was pointless. This time he stood behind her, so she could see him in her mirror as she fixed her hair. His image filled the whole mirror and then some.
"I can stay here if you want to go on. The claims are in my reticule."
He took her arm and stood her up. "Nope! Got one stop to make that I can't do without you."
She gave him a quizzical look, then immediately softened and dropped it. When Matt wanted to do something and didn't want to tell her, that's what Matt did. There was no arguing. She put her arms around him, gave him a big smile.
"Have I told you how happy I am?"
"A few hundred times. Tell me again. It never gets old."
"I love you, Matt Dillon," she said, giving him a light kiss.
He smiled and stroked her hair. "This looks fine, you don't have to fuss with it anymore. Let's go."
They walked slowly, and he talked.
"When do you want to get married, Kitty?"
"Ha!" she smiled up at him. "You're the one who asked me, remember? When do YOU want to get married?"
Since he had hold of her arm, it was easy for him to pull her to a stop and face her to him. The street was fairly busy, but he really didn't care if people had to walk around them. When Matt Dillon decided to put himself in one spot, well, it was Matt Dillon's spot.
He looked down at her. "Okay, I'll tell you what I want. I want to get married here, right away. Tomorrow. Charlie said he and Martha would stand up for us and he could get the preacher to his back yard."
"What about Doc?"
"Honey, Doc will understand. You know I don't want a big fuss, anyway. Doc will understand that I didn't want to give you one single extra day to change your mind. And the less fuss the less likely some punk will try to show up and ruin my day for me." And when he reached down to press his lips to hers, right there in the street, people started to notice as they walked around the striking couple. This giant man with the pretty redhead, lip locked right there on the street, in broad daylight! They drew some cat calls and some light applause. Matt broke off his kiss, smiled and tipped his hat to the crowd, and moved Kitty along down the street.
"We shoulda' tried that back in Dodge, huh?"
"We actually should, the first day we get home," she grinned up at him, giving him a reason to toss his head back and laugh out loud.
"You need to come in here with me," Matt said to Kitty, opening the door to Pikes Peak Gold. This is the stop I couldn't make without you. "It's time to pick out your wedding ring. In case you have any doubts, I'm making you my wife. They have gold here that should be nice enough for the girl I love."
"Oh, Matt! We can't, . . . . you shouldn't do this . . . . I can wait for a ring." This was a truly upscale jewelry shop, featuring the finest creations made from newly mined Colorado gold. Kitty's heart sank as she thought about what a purchase here would cost Matt on his marshal's salary.
"Maybe, but I can't wait. I want everyone in Dodge to see it on your finger when we get off the train. You're going to be my wife. When are we ever going to find a store like this again? It's got to be special."
She smiled up at him, took his arm, and together they walked along the jewelry cases.
"Guessing wedding rings, perhaps?" the clerk suggested to Matt.
"Yes," said Matt. But not just plain gold rings. I'd like to look at wide bands, something we can engrave with initials on the inside. Something that will stand out."
"Of course, sir," the clerk looked up at Matt, as he led them to a case along the wall. "Please browse here and see if anything looks pleasing to you. These are all fourteen carat gold. Some are domed, some are flat, and all can be engraved on the reverse with up to 10 characters. These are all the handwork of our master jeweler. You will see no finer rings anywhere in Denver."
Matt stroked Kitty's back while she leaned over looking at the rings in the cases. He was out of his element. Kitty had always worn the finest jewelry, rings no exception. He knew her choice would be spot-on, so he left her to look. After she looked up and down the case twice, she pulled Matt aside.
"Matt, I see several that are just gorgeous, but I need to say this. I want you to wear my wedding band, too. We've never talked about this. I know how you use your hands in your job, I'm just so confused I don't know what to say! More than anything, I want you to wear my ring, after all these years of waiting and trying to keep us private. I want to shout to the world that you're mine. If I choose the ring, will you let me buy the man's band?"
Matt called the clerk over. "We'll be back a bit later, need to do some talking about this." And he escorted Kitty out of the store, just like that.
"Let's get a beer and sit down. We need to talk. I keep forgetting that we haven't talked about marriage."
They found a nice stand across the street in Curtis Park. Trees all around, plenty of privacy. Matt moved his chair in close so he could face Kitty.
"Kit, here's the deal. I want to provide for you. That's what a man does. I can't wait to wear your ring. My gosh, you could have any man you want, and you're going to marry me! Do you know how proud I am? Sure, I've got some savings. But you know what I make. Have you thought about where we're going to live when we get home? I want to buy a house, a place for you and me. If I spend everything here that I've saved, it'll be a struggle. Maybe the man's ring should wait."
"A house? So soon? We still have the Long Branch."
He took both of her hands in his. "There is no way we're going to live upstairs. No way! The day we get home, we're going to look for someplace to live that isn't the Long Branch. I want a house. I want our private time together. I want a house with a kitchen and a parlor and a bedroom that nobody sees but us. I want a barn and a corral out back for our horses. I'll be damned if I want to listen to the cowboys downstairs! I don't want you working the floor at the Long Branch, either. You're the proprietor, you belong in the business office. I want my deputy to do the night check so I can get home before dark to be with you. Can you understand any of that? I want to provide it for you. If I have to make a choice, I want the house."
Kitty's eyes were searching his. She was amazed at the amount of thought he'd given this. She thought carefully before she spoke.
"I do too, Matt. I do too. Please don't be upset with me. I don't expect you to buy it. I want it to be my wedding present to you. I just wanted to know if you'd wear it. I'm really not going to let you have a say in this. Your ring is the last thing I'll buy with my own money, as a single woman."
"I will, Kitty. I'll wear it with pride. Let's go pick out two beautiful gold rings."
XOXOXO
There was a serious chill in the air that evening. Kitty was glad they'd decided to stay in. Truth be told, they'd stayed in a lot, just enjoying each other. The luxury of this time together was overwhelming for her. Room service was long gone and the bath water was on order. She poured two brandies while they sat next to each other looking out the window.
"Tomorrow at this time you'll be Mrs. Dillon."
She took his hand and smiled. "I haven't thought about another thing all day. Glad it's starting to dawn on you too, Cowboy."
"Let's stay here until Tuesday and then head back to Dodge. I'd like to start looking for a house before I have to go back to work."
"Everything's happening so fast," she said.
And the knock came on the door. "Bath service," the bellman announced with another knock. Matt let him in, waited while he filled the tub with amazingly hot water, then tipped him and locked the door behind him.
"How 'bout brandy service in the tub, my dear?," he grinned at Kitty. "Do you mind sharing a bath?"
"My favorite way to bathe. . . "
The water had cooled just enough to be comfortable by the time Matt had lit two candles and they were both ready. He pulled Kitty back into his lap, but she immediately rolled over onto her knees.
"Nope. You always spend all your time washing me. Tonight I get to start with YOU!"
She soaped the bath sponge and began a thorough job of cleaning him. Such a big man, so much ground to cover. He cooperated completely, even leaned forward so she could do his back. A quick kiss was inevitable, but then she went right back to her work. Softly, she finished with his sex. He aroused and pulled her down onto him. She knew from experience that he could just take her there, right then, so she quickly kissed him and broke it off. She dunked him playfully and washed his hair, laughing every time he came up for air, then went right back under for more. These two had never had trouble playing in the tub. Twelve years, they still loved to play in the tub.
"You need to save yourself for tomorrow, my sweet."
"Since when? Come here, Red!" He rolled her up onto him. His gaze was locked on her eyes.
He slid her up and put himself into her immediately, right there in the bathtub. She let out a delighted shriek when he did, not expecting he would try. He wore an ear to ear grin as he watched her immediately start moving on him.
She looked into his eyes. Hers were wide. "Just . . . practicing."
"I think you're getting the hang of it," and he stroked into her several times. But she controlled it from her position, pushing him down into the tub, and at this point, she wasn't inclined to stop practicing.
"Kit, you want this to happen right here in the tub?"
"What?," she teased breathlessly increasing the intensity of her rocking, "What's going to happen here, Marshal?"
He interrupted her rocking with some serious thrusts. "You know what. I'm real ready." He began a rhythm inside of her, and she could see his eyes widen to match hers.
"Kit, c'mon, what do you want to do here?"
"You know what I want." She bent onto him, rubbing his chest with her breasts.
As she sat back up, he drove deep into her, pushed twice, and climaxed.
"Okay, that wasn't fair! Now we gotta get out. I'm gonna be all over this bath water!"
XOXOXO
They lay in bed, relaxing in each other's company. Both were naked, with just a sheet covering them. As usual, Kitty was caressing Matt's chest. He was back to staring at the ceiling.
"Our last night as single people," he said. "You scared?"
"No, I'm just so happy with all this, there's no time to be scared. You need to talk to me, Matt, tell me what you're thinking.
He took a long breath and sighed.
"Those three weeks at home with you, after the Gore raid, we didn't have anything but each other. I got real used to that. There wasn't any pretending in front of anybody about how we felt, either. Decided I didn't want to be without you anymore. Decided I'd been a complete, selfish jerk for telling you I couldn't ever marry. Figured it was just because I was plain old scared."
He took a long pause, and then continued, "What could be worse than you sitting there at Ma Smalley's, in the dark, all alone, thinking I was dead? How could my damned badge put you through worse than that? So, baby girl, what's had me in its grip is making sure I can keep being the marshal and have you as my wife. Doc has my badge, in case you forgot. But I really do want to put it back on. Tomorrow we'll be husband and wife. Gonna be the happiest day of my life, Kit. When we get back home we won't have all this time to drive to the country and play in the tub and play in bed, you know. We'll have people and responsibilities pulling at us from all directions. I'll be gone on the trail again. You'll have nights alone. You'll have everyday emergencies at the Long Branch. I think about all the times I was away and you needed me, when I wasn't there to protect you. A husband wants to protect his wife. Am I going to be able to do my job a hundred percent, or am I going to be worried all the time about my wife? I'm scared over that, Kit."
The tears were starting to well up in his eyes, so she spoke if for no other reason than to calm him.
"Matt, is that what makes you tremble sometimes?"
He turned toward her. "Yeah, you bet it does. Starts with that vision I keep having of Gore. What if I drop my guard, or do something stupid and some punk like him guns me down? What happens to you? Doc and Charlie both gave me a pretty good lecture. Told me I'd be able to handle the job. Told me you'd be able to carry on if anything ever happened. Don't want you to ever have to do that."
"I love you and I love that other guy, Marshal Matt Dillon. If it's what you want and what you love, I hope you decide to keep being Marshal Matt Dillon. Doesn't mean I won't keep worrying myself sick when you go off alone to transport a prisoner, or have to sleep alone out on the prairie." She propped herself up on a pillow and faced him before continuing. "But when I marry you tomorrow, I get the whole package. I'm very proud of both of you. I want both of you to share the rest of my life with me. We can take each day as it comes, the good or the bad. Each day as it comes. I'll do my part, Matt. I know how much you love what you do. And I know how good you are at it. I know there are no guarantees. Nobody has any. Didn't ask for any."
"Do you think you can go back to everyday life and still be in love?"
Kitty tickled him in the ribs and grinned. "Sometimes you ask the silliest questions!
He flinched. "Owwww, hey!," and pulled her in for a soft kiss.
"I'm counting on having some nights like this."
"Every possible chance, I promise. Charlie gave me a pretty good lecture about finding time for family."
She pushed a stray curl off his forehead but didn't say a thing. He realized he had left her hanging there.
"Maybe we should talk about family, Kitty."
"You start. I'm all ears." It was her turn now, to face him. And she did.
"I want to have a family with you, sweetheart. Something you've always wanted and I've always been too scared to share with you. Till now." He paused for a moment, then went on. "I think you'd have beautiful babies, even with me."
"Babies? Babies? Just exactly how many are we having?"
He grinned. "Maybe we could start with just one?"
"I might be too old. What of that? Most women start when they're . . . " but he interrupted her.
"Yeah, spare me. Don't tell me, . . . about a dozen years ago, like maybe when we first fell in love?
"Just wanted to remind you. I might be too old. I've been trying not to for a very long time."
This time he sat clear up in bed, cross legged, facing her. She had struck a nerve.
"Listen to me, now! We're going to get married tomorrow. After all these years, I think we're pretty darn sure about each other. You know all my risks, and I know all yours. Nobody's trying to fool anybody here. We're going to get married. I want everything that comes with being married. I want a house, I want a good job, and yeah, I want a family if we can have one. But you know what I want most of all those things? Plain and simple. I want YOU. I want quiet times like these with you. I want to come home to you. I want to talk with you, just like we have here. I want to share my mind with you. I want to make amazing love with you. I don't want to go through any more of my life without you by my side. You're my rock. Got that?"
TBC