Jesse wondered for a moment. Who would know, besides his family, that he
was back in town? Jesse focused on the approaching figure.
"Well slap my hide and call me cooked! If it ain't the one and only Jesse James!" cried the figure, still hidden by the shadows.
Jesse dropped his mouth in disbelief as he recognized the voice- the voice of his neighbor, Baker Ann Marmot. When Jesse had last seen her, she was a short little thing with the thought in her mind that she was a boy.
Jesse surveyed Baker as she stepped into the light. She definitely was NOT anything near a boy.
"You don't got nothing to say to me?!" she asked in shock, noticing Jesse's open mouthed expression.
"Damn girl!" laughed Cole, coming in from behind Jesse. Baker laughed.
"At least someone notices!" she complained. Jesse abruptly shut his mouth. He laughed and held out his arms.
"Come here you little thing!" he cried. Baker leapt into his arms for a hug. Jesse was affirmed in his previous notion- Baker Ann was all woman.
She looked up at Jesse from inside his hug and gave him the once over.
"What, girl?" asked Jesse.
"Handsome as ever." Said Baker smoothly. Jesse felt himself turn red. Baker immediately noticed.
"The most famous outlaw in the west blushed when he's complimented!" she giggled. Jesse picked her up and spun her around. She giggled.
Baker stayed the evening and it was quite enjoyable. Jesse loved just to watch her. She was a woman- he had to give her that. But old 'Mud Pie' Baker- as the James family used to call the tomboy next door- showed her true self as the night wore down.
At midnight, Ma James insisted that Jesse ride back with Baker to her house, so as to get her home safely. Jesse agreed and Baker let him. They, of course, had to race to the porch for old time's sake. (Baker won.)
Jesse felt strange as he sat so close to Baker on the saddle. She was warm all over and he felt it through his shirt. The times before when he had ridden her home- she was usually covered in dirt, mud, or some other 'foul' substance and so was Jesse. This was the first time, Jesse reckoned, that they had both been completely clean riding home.
Baker leaned back onto Jesse's strong chest and looked up at the stars.
"You've changed, Jesse James." She said. Jesse laughed.
"You haven't?" he asked mockingly. Baker elbowed him right smart in the ribs. Jesse gasped once.
"I have but not as much as YOU." Said Baker firmly. Jesse rubbed his stomach where it throbbed. Baker laughed and pulled the reins.
"Hop down. Lemme see what I did to the big strong James' boy." She said, dismounting.
Jesse dismounted and turned to her. The moon was full- a harvest moon- which gave off plenty of light. Baker unbuttoned Jesse's shirt and felt over the red mark. Jesse felt strange to her smooth fingers. He felt his heart beat speed up faster than a thoroughbred. Baker felt it too because her hand quivered slightly.
"It don't.look.too.bad.." she said softly. Jesse pulled her closer.
"No, I reckon it don't." he said, tilting her chin to his. She closed her eyes and they kissed and Jesse felt a warm rush over his whole body.
"Well slap my hide and call me cooked! If it ain't the one and only Jesse James!" cried the figure, still hidden by the shadows.
Jesse dropped his mouth in disbelief as he recognized the voice- the voice of his neighbor, Baker Ann Marmot. When Jesse had last seen her, she was a short little thing with the thought in her mind that she was a boy.
Jesse surveyed Baker as she stepped into the light. She definitely was NOT anything near a boy.
"You don't got nothing to say to me?!" she asked in shock, noticing Jesse's open mouthed expression.
"Damn girl!" laughed Cole, coming in from behind Jesse. Baker laughed.
"At least someone notices!" she complained. Jesse abruptly shut his mouth. He laughed and held out his arms.
"Come here you little thing!" he cried. Baker leapt into his arms for a hug. Jesse was affirmed in his previous notion- Baker Ann was all woman.
She looked up at Jesse from inside his hug and gave him the once over.
"What, girl?" asked Jesse.
"Handsome as ever." Said Baker smoothly. Jesse felt himself turn red. Baker immediately noticed.
"The most famous outlaw in the west blushed when he's complimented!" she giggled. Jesse picked her up and spun her around. She giggled.
Baker stayed the evening and it was quite enjoyable. Jesse loved just to watch her. She was a woman- he had to give her that. But old 'Mud Pie' Baker- as the James family used to call the tomboy next door- showed her true self as the night wore down.
At midnight, Ma James insisted that Jesse ride back with Baker to her house, so as to get her home safely. Jesse agreed and Baker let him. They, of course, had to race to the porch for old time's sake. (Baker won.)
Jesse felt strange as he sat so close to Baker on the saddle. She was warm all over and he felt it through his shirt. The times before when he had ridden her home- she was usually covered in dirt, mud, or some other 'foul' substance and so was Jesse. This was the first time, Jesse reckoned, that they had both been completely clean riding home.
Baker leaned back onto Jesse's strong chest and looked up at the stars.
"You've changed, Jesse James." She said. Jesse laughed.
"You haven't?" he asked mockingly. Baker elbowed him right smart in the ribs. Jesse gasped once.
"I have but not as much as YOU." Said Baker firmly. Jesse rubbed his stomach where it throbbed. Baker laughed and pulled the reins.
"Hop down. Lemme see what I did to the big strong James' boy." She said, dismounting.
Jesse dismounted and turned to her. The moon was full- a harvest moon- which gave off plenty of light. Baker unbuttoned Jesse's shirt and felt over the red mark. Jesse felt strange to her smooth fingers. He felt his heart beat speed up faster than a thoroughbred. Baker felt it too because her hand quivered slightly.
"It don't.look.too.bad.." she said softly. Jesse pulled her closer.
"No, I reckon it don't." he said, tilting her chin to his. She closed her eyes and they kissed and Jesse felt a warm rush over his whole body.