{Hey guys so sorry I'm so late with this chapter. I've been at dance camp for the pass three weeks and they didn't have a computer. Thus my email account expired cuz I hadn't logged on for like thirty days. They are such needy bitches at hotmail. So you guys can contact me with my new e-mail address Justine2OO5@yahoo.com note the those are O's in 2005 not zeros. That confuses a lot of people and they never get it right so I never really handed it out until now. That's what I get for being different. Any who my schedule is pretty clear so I bang out the next two much quicker. I did this in like two days. So don't give up on me people still read and keep those reviews coming. It makes me all warm inside when I read them.}
Logan looked out across the ranch from the top of the barn. In the distance he could see a cloud of dust steadily coming closer. As he squinted a broad grin split his face. He leaned out the hayloft window, grabbed a hook that was attached to the pulley and dropped to the ground. He jogged to the house, just as his old friend swung nimbly to the ground.
"You sure took your sweet-ass time getting here." He said as he shook the chinaman's hand.
"Patience was never one of your virtues Tadpole." Lee answered pertly
"I've lived thirty years without it. Speaking of which, that Tadpole shit isn't cute anymore." He said as he helped Lee unload his horse
"Yes but it, as you would say, riles you up, which is very humorous. At least for me." He said as he led his horse to a watering trough.
"Yeah, well it's not supposed to be funny, it's suppose to be intimidating, I'm the sheriff for Pete's Sake. I'm supposed to be scary." Logan said hurt.
"Oh, Tadpole, for a brief moment I felt very intimidated. Do not be offended. I shall go inside and make tea. Why do not you go kill that chicken and I will prepare it in sesame sauce." Lee patted him on the back, then turned on his heel and went in side. Logan had to grin; Lee was a man who was always straight forward and to the point. Ever since he first met the man he respected him for that.
Logan at the tender age of fifteen had been on his own for six years already and was barely able to keep himself alive. He would pick up odd jobs from town to town and steal from general stores to feed himself. So when he got a job as a ranch hand he was naturally grateful. At Sally Petersons ranch was were he first met Lee. The foreman of the ranch never liked Logan for reasons he never knew why. But one day he used a carriage whip on Logan because he had branded a calve on the wrong side. Lee nursed him back to health. Then he took him under his wing, promising that if he would let Lee teach him the basics like reading and writing that he would also learn how to defend himself to a degree that he could best any man if they fought honorably. Which is what happened. Eventually they parted ways but wrote each other, and one would visit the other at least twice a year.
With a sigh Logan yanked a cleaver from a nearby stump and headed to the chicken coup.
Marie, chewing on a peppermint stick as if it were a cigar, looked at Chad smugly over her hand of cards. Chad, who was chewing on a real stogie, glanced at her and sighed. Then he threw down his hand and said.
"You really got to work on your poker face. I folded before you could even raise the bet." He said taking a deep drag and almost choking when he saw what hand she actually had, a pair of twos.
"You were saying something about my poker face?" She asked sweetly
"Hot damn, you sure don't gotta work on bluffing." He said gathering the cards up to deal another hand. It was about noon and the employees who were up were finding entertainment amongst themselves either in the bar or somewhere in town.
"Chad, I think I'm starting to get a hang of this but I was wondering if you could teach me something else."
"Sure, how about Five Card Stud?"
"No I was hoping you'd teach me how to cheat." She asked quickly then jumped as the cards went flying. Chad was looking at her with his mouth open and the cigar dropping on to the table.
"Why the hell would you want to cheat? It's not like you rely on cards for a living. Damnation, Marie, that sort of thing could get you killed." He said glancing around and lowering his voice as if someone where to hear.
"No, no, no I just want to be able to catch someone if they do. Oh, come on, Chad you don't want me to accuse someone if they aren't do you?"
"No, I suppose not."
"Well," She wheedled, "if you were to teach me then I wouldn't make a mistake and good hardworking men won't lose their money unfairly."
"I'm going to regret this." He said dealing.
It was a slow night the only occupants of the bar were Remy LeBeau, his men, and a few local men. But the only patron Marie had eyes for was the gruff sheriff that leaned casually against the bar sipping a beer and trying not to look at Marie. Marie was glad she took the extra time to change after the card game with Chad. She wore a cool, light pink silk dress with lace trim and her hair was swept from her face with pink rose buds. She untied her apron, smoothed her dress, and circled around the bar to lean next to him. He lifted an eyebrow as she sipped an amber liquid from a glass.
"It's ginger ale." She smiled up at him.
"Business isn't booming is it?"
"Why Sheriff, this is the first night in three weeks that the room hasn't been packed. I'm glad for the break." She looked over at a table where Remy sat with three local men. His thugs were in a circle watching. Behind the bar Kitty was preparing a tray of drinks.
"Excuse me a moment Sheriff." She said picking up the tray and walking towards the table.
Logan wasn't very talkative because he was watching Remy's men give him subtle signals and judging from the pile of chips in front of him they were pretty good ones. He was figuring out how to accuse him when Marie said something then she was going that direction. He had a gut sinking feeling.
"Why, Remy look at how well you're doing." She said innocently
"Ah, well, yes, I am having a good night." He gritted out as she circled behind him.
"Here let me refresh your drink."
"No I'm fine thank-."
"Oh but it's empty." She said reaching for it. As she did the whole tray tipped over right on Remy's lap. He stood straight up and knocked the table over, sending chips and cards everywhere. "I'm so sorry Remy here let me take your jacket." She said dropping the tray on his foot and tugging on his arms.
"No that's not necessary."
"I insist, I'll get it cleaned for you." She said tugging it even harder.
"Marie!" He shouted, Marie immediately back away. "It's all right." He said regaining composure. "It was an accident, it happens. I'll just take my winnings and be leaving."
" You sure they're your winnings LeBeau?" Logan said stepping up and hooking a thumb in his gun belt.
After an overly dramatic pause he said. "Why yes Sheriff they are. Are you trying to accuse me of something?"
"Look I feel so bad, this, this, is all my fault." Marie said stepping up and wringing her hands but she was cut off when Logan threw her a look over his shoulder.
"Don't worry your pretty head Marie, I wouldn't want to cause a scene in your place of business. Divide it between the men." Remy said bending and brushing a kiss over her fingertips. Then he tipped his hat to Logan and swaggered out the door. Marie was wiping her hand on the front of her apron when Logan grabbed her upper arm.
"We need to talk." He said dragging her out the back door into the alley. When they were outside he swung her around grabbed her other arm with his other hand and looked into his eyes.
"Did you spill those drinks on LeBeau on purpose?" He asked sternly
"Wh- what if I did?" She stammered wide eyed.
"Then I might just ring your neck."
"In that case I didn't."
He held up a finger. "Don't." He warned, "Why would you do something like that?"
"Well, it was planner than the nose on your face that he was cheating. He give gave those poor men free drinks until they were stinking drunk and then he was just taking their money. When I was grabbing his coat I was hoping some cards would fall out." She rambled, using wild hand gestures, and her southern drawl becoming deeper, showing that she was excited.
"What would've you done if you were right?"
"I-well, I mean I suppose. You're the Sheriff I guess you would have done something ." She smiled up at him sweetly. With a sigh Logan stepped back, raked his hands though his hair and replaced his hat. "I was right wasn't I? He was cheating." Marie asked.
"Yes, his men were giving his signals. I was about to bust him when you had you're stroke of genius."
"I'm so sorry Sheriff, sometimes I do things before my brain has a chance to think them though." She said contritely. But then she smiled wickedly. "But I knew, I just knew he was cheating. I mean I knew from the start that he was a rat, but I never thought he would stoop so low as to steal from drunk men."
Logan had to laugh at how confident she sounded. "Yup, you're right he's a huge rat. Marie, there's talk of a railroad spur coming though these parts and from what we know it looks like it's going straight though your ranch. Remy's been buying up every available piece of land, and Scott and I have reason to think that he has his sights set on yours. The government would pay top dollar for that land and we just don't want him to con you out of that, understand?"
"I understand." She said softly, reaching up a hand to caress the side of his face. Her thumb brushing over his lips, this surprised Logan and his first reaction was to ask her what the hell she thought she was doing. But his second reaction was to press her body close to his and smother her with his kisses. He didn't have time to do either because her hand snaked around his head to grip the back of his neck and pull him down to her level. The other arm soon joined it and Marie pressed her mouth to his.
After his initial shock Logan drove his hand into her mass of curls and with a savage twist of his head deepened the kiss until Marie felt her knees buckle and she gripped him closer, molding her curves to the hard contours of his body. Logan couldn't take anymore. He had two choices, back her up against the wall, or break the kiss. Even though the first sounded much better, he broke off the kiss and leaned against the wall, trying to ignore the ached below his belt.
"Did I do it wrong?" She sounded worried.
"No you did it very right."
"Then what's the matter?"
He turned to face her. "Maybe I want more than kisses from you. Maybe you want it too." He said taking a step closer, trying to scare her.
She took a step back. "I, I don't know. I do know that I'm not sorry I kissed you. In fact I'm glad I did it." She said stubbornly taking a step closer.
Laughing softly Logan said. "Good night Marie."
Marie reached up on tiptoes brushed a soft kiss over his cheek and whispered "Sweet dreams Logan." She turned and went back inside.
TBC
