One dress. Merciful heavens, I'm down to the clothes on my back. Hasting to Mrs. Flower's shop in hopes she had something appropriate for a widow, Marie stepped off the boardwalk to cross the street. She stepped back quickly when she saw several riders galloping briskly toward her.
Behind her, a woman screamed, "Mary, come back!"
In the next instant, a toddler darted past Marie, directly into the path of the horses. Without thinking, Marie ran after the child. As she snatched her up and enfolded her in her arms, she saw a huge golden horse almost upon them.
Logan, leaving the general store, heard the loud neighing of a horse and glanced up the street. A horse reared back on his hind legs, his hooves flailing the air, and beneath the huge animal was a woman clutching a small child. Recognition hit him like a bullet. Marie!
Running toward them, he watched helplessly as a hoof clipped the side of Marie's head, sending her falling backward to the ground. Still holding the screaming child to her chest, she rolled quickly to her side to protect the child as the horse's hooves came down on her. Fear and despair surged though him. God, was he too late to help them?
Agonizing pain ripped though Marie as she felt the sharp hooves dig into her flesh. Her screams mingled with the shocked and terrified cries of the onlookers. She heard the child screaming and, looking up, saw the hooves coming down again. In an instant, someone grabbed her and dragged her to safety. The child wiggled form her arms, crying out, "Mommy!"
"Someone go get Doc McCoy."
"Sure thing, Sheriff," a man called back.
"Marie?"
Dazed, she gazed up as Logan lowered to his knees beside her. He brushed her tangled hair from her chalk-white face and, removing his handkerchief, gently wiped the blood from her cut on her forehead. "It isn't bad, thank God."
As he tenderly stroked her face, Marie sighed, "I'm glad Save Widow Woman is still on your list of duties."
Logan chuckled. Leaning over, he whispered, "It breaks the monotony."
His warm breath caressing her ear sent shivers running down her spine. She forced her arms to remain at her sides, struggling with the urge to drape them around his neck and…kiss him? That thought brought the heat running up her neck and onto her face.
Noticing her suddenly flushed face, he asked, "Are you hurting anywhere, Marie?"
Yes just kiss my hurts like you did my finger and I'll lie here forever. "Uh… just my hip and ribs," she managed to say, although the thought of his mouth on those barren places was almost her undoing.
"Don't move you might have some broken bones."
No they've already melted along with everything else, she thought. Another voice with a thick French accent broke into their conversation. "Madame, are you hurt?"
She glanced up at a strikingly handsome man hovering over her. "Just a little but I'll be fine, thank you."
She didn't see the scowl on Logan's face as his steel-gray eyes met the red-brown eyes of Remy LeBeau. The moment he and Scott had dreaded had arrived.
Marie judged the man to be in his early fifties. Beneath a long straight nose, a auburn mustache formed a neat arch over his generous mouth, the ends waxed to a point. He wore a black felt hat, the hair around his ears and neckline had the same red-brown color of his mustache and eyes. It was his eyes that held her attention, she never seen those color of eyes before. Brown with a tint of red in them, they were so strange they almost scared her.
He saw her watching him, and smiled. "I'm sorry, real sorry. Madame. I couldn't stop my horse fast enough."
"It wasn't your fault Mr…."
"LeBeau, Remy LeBeau."
"I'm Marie Elders, Mr. LeBeau."
"You must be new in town."
"Yes I'm Charles Xavier's daughter."
Logan noticed the shocked look on Remy's face. So he didn't know that Charles had a daughter. Guess this puts a barb in his plans, he thought deviously. Logan was certain that in time, Remy had hope to buy Xavier's property. The commotion had drawn the employees of the saloon out into the street. Chad's heart lurched to his throat and he lit out in a dead run when he saw LeBeau standing over Marie's still figure. Had the bastard killed her? He caught Logan attention, "Is… she…she-"
"She's shaken up a bit. I've sent someone for the doctor."
Chad along with the rest of Marie's employees heaved a great sigh of relief as Marie smiled up at them.
Rooting his way beside Logan, Chad squeezed her hand. "You're a brave little gal, missy, for risking your life to save that young 'un."
Before Marie could answer, Logan said, "Here comes Doc now. Scott is with him. You'll be in good hands, Marie."
Everyone one moved out of the doctor's way. Kneeling beside her, he asked softly, "Where do you hurt, Mrs. Elders?"
"Here," she said moving her hand along her ribs and hip. "Do you think I've broken any bones?"
He smiled. "Let's hope not, but we can move you until I check. Now, this might a little…"
Marie grimaced when he pressed lightly along her ribs. When his hand brushed the underside of her breast she nearly jumped out of her skin.
"Did that hurt?'
"No…I mean yes, a little."
"It doesn't feel like any bones are broken, Mrs. Elders. Once we get to your room, I can examine you more thoroughly."
"I'll carry her," Chad offered
"No I will," Remy quickly interceded. "After all, it's my fault that she's hurt."
"You'll drop her. Me? I'm strong as an ox." To prove it he thrust out his broad chest and flexed his biceps.
Scott's eyes cut towards Logan; he saw the scowl on Logan's face. While Remy and Chad argued, Logan knelt beside Marie. "Just put your arms around my neck, Marie."
Gladly, she thought. Complying, she nestled her head in the crook of his neck, drinking in his masculine scent. Heaven…I'm in heaven, she thought dreamily. Before she passed out. Jubilee and Kitty went ahead of them to prepare Marie's bed.
In the hall outside Marie's room, Scott, Logan, Remy, and Chad waited impatiently. Once Jubilee came out and instructed Chad to get vinegar and cold water. But the was over twenty minutes ago what could be taking so long? When Doc McCoy finally came out they all jumped up and bombarded him with questions.
"Relax, she's sleeping peacefully. She has a lot of bumps and bruised ribs, but she's fine. I've left instructions with Jubilee and Kitty on how to take care of her, and I've filled out a prescription for some pain killers. She's not to get out of that bed for at least week. So don't let her sweet talk her way out of it. Call me anytime, day or night if something goes wrong."
"Doctor, I want you to send me the bill." Remy offered
Logan and Scott exchanged frowns
'Tell me something, LeBeau," Chad put in with a nasty smirk. "if it was that child laying in there instead of Marie, would you be so generous?"
A sudden hush fell over the hall as each pair of eyes fell on Remy. A muscle twitched furiously in his jaw as he tried to contain his anger.
"I don't see that as any of your business Mr. Ward, but in answer to your question, yes, I would help in anyway I could. Now if you will excuse me, I have other business to attend to."
After Doctor McCoy and Remy departed, the remaining three moved out into the saloon..
"You'd better watch your mouth Chad," Logan warned. "Remy might sic one of his hired guns on you."
"I don't want that Son-of-a-bitch messing around here bothering Marie. Pay her doctor bill my ass," he snorted.
"Just stay out of it, Chad," Scott ordered. "That temper of yours could make problems for Marie instead of solving them Just keep and eye on things for us, all right?"
Chad fingered the black eye patch covering his eye. "Oh I'll keep an eye out alright. If he has any attentions of going upstairs again, he'll have to go though me first.
"Don't you think Marie has a say in who comes to see her?" Logan said hoping to dissuade Chad from taking matters in his own hands.
"You want him up there bothering her?"
"I want you to do the job you were hired to do which is keep the saloon clean and to make drinks. Now if you can't handle that then will find someone else to replace you." Logan snapped
Scott lowered his head and smiled
"He…can't do that I'm the-"
Seeing Chad's temper rising to the breaking point, and knowing he was about to revile something that should be said at this point Scott interrupted quickly. "Chad go back to work! We'll talk later."
"Damnation," Chad muttered heading out the back door. "Fire me! Now ain't that the damnedest thing?"
"From the look on Remy's face, he didn't know Charles had a daughter," Logan said grimly. "What do you think he'll do next?"
Scott scratched his chin thoughtfully "If he's after her property, now's the best chance for him to make his move. He can check on her to his hearts content and there's not a damn thing anyone can say. Marie might find him a charming man…unless, of course, you should decide to show her a little extra attention. You could, you know?"
"Damn it, Scott, you go too far."
"You know she's infatuated with you."
Logan raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Oh she hasn't told me her feelings; she doesn't have to. I see it in her eyes every time she looks at you."
Logan shuffled he feet uneasily. Suddenly he barked "No the answer is no! I'll watch over her, I'll be damned if I lower myself to Remy's level by deceiving her."
"You can't lame me for trying, Charles was my best friend and I'll I want to do is protect her."
"You can't coddle her forever, Scott. Give Marie a chance to discover what kind of rat LeBeau is." But for the life of him, he couldn't figure out why his gut hurt when he thought of Marie ever being in Remy LeBeau's arms.
All hell broke loose in The Tumbleweed later the next afternoon. Kurt was helping Chad behind the bar when the batwing doors opened and several women from the church marched into the saloon. Ed Culpepper was standing at the bar sipping his drink when he recognized his wife Alma. The liquor spewed from his mouth seconds before he dove over the bar, ramming his head into a self housing glasses. Duke Womack saw his fiancé, and throwing his cards, took a nose dive behind the piano, Spraining both wrists as they rammed into the wall. Some men quickly shoved the brims of their hands down over their faces. Others dashed out the back doors, their heads buried beneath their jackets.
As the ladies slowly perused the suddenly quite room, some smiled in amusement, while others hissed like snakes. Then single file they went up the stairs to Marie's room where she was propped up in bed working on the saloons books. After an hour of them praising her, and visiting they marched single file back down the stairs and out the door.
After they left Kitty came in and told her that Remy was waiting to see her. After adjusting her new robe Mrs., Flowers had brought her earlier she asked Kitty to see him in. Miss. Rogue pounced on her bed and curled up beside her. "All right I'm ready."
Entering her room Remy removed his hat. "Thank you for
seeing me Mrs. Elders. The doctor told me you were fine but I had to see for
myself."
Marie heard a low growl coming
from Miss. Rogue. The cat was standing on all fours, her hair sticking straight
up and she was showing her teeth. "Miss. Rogue, is that anyway to treat our
guests? Mr. LeBeau, I-I don't know why she's acting like this. Please have a
seat." She said nodding to a chair nearby.
Remy stopped by the bed, a ghost of a smile stole across his mouth as he scanned her face. He held out a box. "Chocolates. I hope you like them."
After accepting the box, with a yowling scream Miss. Rogue leaped on Remy's arm and clawed her way up her sleeve. Remy jerked his head back a spilt second before the feline took a swipe at him with her sharp claws. Yanking the cat off him he threw her to the floor. In the next instant, she bounded though the window a disappeared. Marie stared at the window in shock.
"Does she attack all your guests like this?" Remy asked, disgruntled, straightening his jacket
"You're the first," she said perplexed. "Maybe she doesn't like chocolates."
"Well, I must be going now. I just wanted to give you those and to tell you that I intend to have your doctor's bill paid for."
"No, absolutely not. My father left me while taken care of."
"Still, I'd like to do something for you."
"You have, these are my favorite chocolates. Thank you Mr. LeBeau."
"Call me Remy, and may I call you Marie?"
"Uh, sure."
"Good. I don't want to tire you, so I'll be on my way." He bent picking up her hand a planting a kiss in her palm. "Now that I have met the charming new owner of the Tumbleweed I plan to stop by more often."
"I hope so. And thank you again for the chocolates Mr LeBeau-Remy." She said with a forced smile. She managed to wait until he was out the door before throwing way the disgusting chocolates and wiping her hand.
Logan paced the floor, feeling guilty that he had not visited Marie. Her close brush with death had frightened him. And reluctantly he admitted that he missed her, her impulsiveness, her wit, and her infatuation. But he didn't want to feel anything for her, and these new feelings disturbed and confused him. Avoiding her was only making him miserable and, though he hated to admit it lonely, damned lonely.
His eyes grave and smileless, he thought about Remy LeBeau. On two occasions, he had seen the man enter the saloon in the early afternoon. By way of the grapevine (Jubes and Kitty) he'd heard about the gifts he'd brought her. Expensive silk gloves and a box of French chocolates. It didn't require very close scrutiny on Logan's part to arrive swiftly at the conclusion that Remy was undeniably clever. What better way for a man to win a woman admiration than to flirt with her vanity.
Shoving back his chair, he rose and settled his hat on his head. Outside, he glanced up at Marie's window. Damn it, woman, when you're not around, you make my life hell!
Marie lay in bed, somewhere between wakefulness and sleep. And was she imagining all sorts of crazy things. For a moment she thought she saw Logan standing at her door, with the sweetest smile on his face. When she blinked, he was still there, this time clutching a nosegay of flowers. She rubbed her fisted hands against her eyes and took another peek. He was still there. A smiled trembled on her lips as she scooted up in bed.
"I thought I was dreaming." She confessed.
"I hope it wasn't a nightmare," he teased approaching the bed.
"How long have you been standing there?"
"Not long. Here." He extended the hand holding the flowers.
"Thank you they are beautiful." Her hand closed around the posy and their fingers touched. Time stilled, as did their breathing. Green eyes locked with steel gray ones and words couldn't deny the heat scorching the tips of their fingers.
"Forget-me-nots," she choked out, examining the delicate buds.
Logan fought the raging lust battling though him. Her voice, husky form sleep pulled at him like fire on a cold winters night. She was warm and soft looking, cuddled beneath the covers that way. Her hair, tangled and mussed, encouraged him to lose his fingers in the unbound mane. She looked like he knew she would. Even though he'd tried to convince himself that she held no attraction for him. Her gown was a soft white cotton, high-necked and long sleeved, the delicate lace on the cuffs brushing the backs of her hands as she brushed the hair out of her face. He knew that if he buried his face in her neck it smell like warm sunshine.
"So, how are feeling?"
"Bored, if they don't let me out of here soon, I'm planning mutiny," she teased
"Don't do anything impulsive, Marie, the doctor knows best."
"The doctor doesn't spend his days counting the cracks in the ceiling." She said, pouting.
Before he thought, Logan dropped to the bed beside her. "Is there anything I can get you that would elevate your boredom?"
She wanted to say you, you, you, but refrained. Instead she trailed her finger along the boarder of the sheet and whispered, "Just talk to me."
"You've had a lot of company that must help pass the time."
"Oh, I don't mean to be unkind, Kitty and Jubes drop by all the time, but they are busy down stairs."
"What about LeBeau? He's been a frequent visitor."
"Yes, he's been very kind." How could she tell him he was the one she'd ached to see? Now he was here and she was rambling.
He lifted her hand and fingered the delicate lace. She pulled her hand away and wound her fingers together, twisting them nervously.
"Are you afraid of me, Marie?"
"No" she swallowed loudly.
"Then what is it?"
"I don't know how to say this with out it sounding like there is something wrong with me, maybe there is, I don't know. Jubes and Kitty are just like you they touch and hug so effortlessly. They think nothing of laying their hand on someone's arm or hugging another person just because they are glad to see them. Even Chad Ward is quick to pat my hand or my back if he's pleased about something-or sometimes for know reason at all."
"And that bothers you?" Logan asked.
"Well, it bothers me only because it makes me uncomfortable. But I'd like to be that way. It makes me feel good when one of the girls hug me, or when Chad pats me on the back. It makes me feel like I'm apart of something special. But I don't know how to hug them back without feeling awkward. And for the life of me I don't know why I'm telling you this." She laughed nervously.
Logan's heart filled with something he didn't want to examine too closely. He knew Marie had no inkling of the fine art of flirting, but her admission moved him. "Didn't your mother or your grandparents ever hug you?"
She shook her head.
"For God's sake, Marie. Didn't your husband ever hold you just for the sake of holding you?"
She shook her head.
"Well, I'll be damned."
"Please don't swear Logan, it's not nice."
"I suppose your grandfather taught you that, too?"
This time, she nodded her head.
What kind of man was her grandfather? He'd taught her not to swear, but failed to teach her how to reach out and touch another human being, had refused her the comfort of a hug.
"Am I just being foolish?"
"No," he reached for her hand and unwound her fingers. "Don't jump I'm just going to hold your hand."
They sat for several seconds, Logan holding her limp hand. Finally her fingers came to life and gently gripped back. They spent several minutes of silently holding hands.
"How does that feel?"
"Good," then she smiled. "Very good."
He dropped her hand. "Now it's your turn."
"What?"
"For you to hold my hand."
"I thought I was."
"You instigate the hand-holding this time."
She stared at the large brown hand-laying palm up on her bed covers. A ripple started in her stomach and wound its way up the back of her neck. She lifted his hand and turned it over, curling her fingers between his.
"That wasn't so bad, was it?"
She shook her head.
"Now, about that hug." He scooted toward her.
She shot straight up in bed.
He placed one hand around her shoulders and the other around her back. She was stiff as a Georgia pine. "Relax," he whispered
"I can't."
"Just lean against me. I won't bite."
She laughed, and he felt her shoulders slump as she exhaled. He wiggled closer and rested the side of his face against hers, his chin nuzzling her neck. Sure enough, she smelled like sunshine. He lifted his hands to her shoulders and leaned back so he could see her face. Her eyes were shut and the softest look encompassed her face.
She felt the lack of comfort from his body and her eyes blinked open, a puzzled frown marring her brow. "Did I do something wrong?"
"Oh no," he assured her, "you're a very good hugger."
"I am?"
"Amazing, isn't it? And you so new at it."
He tightened his arms and repositioned his head. His lips brushed the warm flesh of her neck. He heard her breath catch.
They sat very still, savoring the comfort of each other. He could feel the rise and fall of her breasts pressing against his chest as she breathed, the pulse racing in her neck. He dropped his arms from her back and leaned away. "Now it's your turn.'
She lifted her arms toward him, then changed her mind and repositioned them. At last, she slid one arm beneath his and spanned his ribs before she settled her hand on the small of his back. The other arm circled his shoulder and her palm rested between his shoulder blades. She turned her face into his neck and nuzzled him as much as he had done earlier to her neck. Like her, his breath caught. But if she'd seen the swelling at the juncture of his legs, their lesson in hugging would have died a sudden death. She felt so good, so damn good, he couldn't control his own body.
"Are hugs supposed to last this long?"
"I guess that depends on who you're hugging."
As they separated, each felt an immediate loss and wanted to assume their former position. But it didn't seem such a good idea. The room had become unusually hot.
When Logan lifted her hand, she didn't flinch. He didn't wind his fingers through hers, but instead studied the lines marking her palm. One hand slid up the length of her arm while the other continued to cradle her hand. Slowly he lowered his mouth and kissed her in the middle of her palm. His tongue traced her lifeline until the lace edging her cuff touched his nose. Pushing the sleeve up, he kissed her wrist. When he lifted his head, her other hand was extended. He took it and applied the same thorough treatment.
When she could get her breath, she asked, "What's that called?"
"Foreplay," he answered hoarsely.
"It's wonderful," she sighed.
"Most assuredly, but I can't…" He examined her flushed face, the brightness of her eyes, and the fullness of her rosebud lips. There was no way on God's green earth he could continue to touch her, and not sample the sweetness of her mouth. Talk about being between the devil and the deep blue sea. He felt as though he'd just been broad sided by his conscience.
"Oh hell," he growled, removing himself from the bed. Approaching the window, he bowed his arms on the windowsill and studied the street below him as he tried to control the surging lust throbbing through him. Gaining limited control, he peered over his shoulder at Marie, She snuggled beneath the covers watching him-the picture of innocence.
He felt himself losing ground. "I need to go, Marie, I've a thousand things to do."
"Thank you for dropping by, and thanks for the flowers."
"Give me a quick hug before I go."
She smiled brightly and lifted her arms. He dared not sit on the bed again, so he bent from the waist and wrapped his arms around her. When he released her, she placed her hand against the side of his face and stroked his bristled cheek. "Thank you for everything."
"My pleasure," he admitted, taking her hand and kissing the tips of her fingers. "Anytime. Now, you get some rest."
"Will you come back to see me?"
"You can count on it." But he knew he couldn't. Marie did things to him that he didn't want to explore.
After the door closed behind him, Marie picked up the bouquet and studied the flowers. Strange, she thought, fingering the delicate blooms, when Logan touched her it was nothing like the girls' hugs or Chad's pats. Something wonderful happened inside her when he touched her, something she'd never felt before.
