Chapter 25: Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
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His hip propped on the edge of the leather-covered exam table, his right forearm draped casually across his thigh, Matt watched with idle curiosity as Doc's sharp scissors carefully cut through the thick, protective wrapping of gauze that covered his left shoulder. Up to now, he really hadn't had a chance to get a good look at his injury, but he already knew that it wasn't going to be a very pretty sight.
Done, Doc laid the curved-tip scissors aside. A broad ray of dust-speckled, morning sunlight slanted through the window panes and caught the shiny metal, reflecting off it in a bright flash of light.
He adjusted the spectacles on his nose. "Well, let's see what we got here," he muttered, more to himself than to Matt.
The dry, cracked leather of the worn piece of furniture Matt was perched on, squeaked ominously as he shifted his six foot and a half frame uncomfortably when the physician's experienced fingers began to push and prod at the still somewhat tender scar to check on its progress. It was all he had to show for the ugly gunshot wound that had very nearly killed him almost four weeks ago; a puckered, purplish-pink four-inch scar, marring the smoothness of the skin on his left shoulder. With luck, the scar would eventually fade to a pale silver, but the puckering would be with him for life. It was a good thing he wasn't vain, Matt thought, his latest scar just another grim addition to the numerous others he already bore-most of them testament to the many attempts on his life in his four, short years as the Marshal of Dodge City.
Matt glanced down at his body. It had changed little during his enforced idleness; broad-shouldered and broad-chested, he was every inch as powerful as ever. The tan embedded in his arms had faded a bit, the normally iron hard muscles of his left arm had lost just a little tone, but there was nothing a little exercise wouldn't quickly put right. His gaze dropped to his left hand that was lying loosely in his lap, and he experimentally flexed its fingers. Most of the feeling had returned by now and, though the hand was still lacking its former strength, he was able to grasp objects and hold on to them without too much trouble.
Yes, there was no doubt-he was definitely more than ready to return to work. Matt's eyes tracked back to Doc, and he suddenly realized that the physician hadn't said a single word since he had started his examination. He cleared his throat. "Well?" he wondered, hoping to coax a comment of some sort from the older man.
The doctor's bushy brows rose slightly at the obvious edge of impatience in the lawman's query. "Well-what?" he wondered unperturbed as he continued to closely examine the fresh stitches he had put into Matt's shoulder three weeks ago after his second and final encounter with Dan Biggs.
Matt raised a single brow. "Well, what do you think?"
Doc still didn't look up; instead, he moved his face even closer to Matt's shoulder and began to gently check each of the stitches in turn to make sure they hadn't loosened too much. "Think about what?" he muttered absently, too absorbed in his task to pay much attention to what Matt was saying.
Matt's face took on an exasperated expression which turned quickly into a rather pained one as the doctor's prodding fingers unexpectedly encountered a particularly tender spot. Instinctively, the Marshal hitched his breath, causing Doc to stop what he was doing and finally glance up at him over the rims of his wire-rimmed spectacles.
"The shoulder, Doc," explained Matt, determined to remain patient. "Don't you think it's healed up pretty good by now?"
It had been almost three weeks since he had confronted and shot Dan Biggs out at the Crandall's farm. Thanks to Kitty and Chester, he had gotten plenty of rest during the time that had followed, giving him a chance to recover from his injuries. He was feeling fine and was more than ready to return to doing his job. All he had to do now was convince Doc of that.
Satisfied at last, the doctor straightened away and pulled the spectacles off with slow and measured movement. Sucking on a tooth, he nodded agreeably as he began to carefully fold them. "Oh. Oh, yes, by golly, it sure has," he agreed. He raised his head and looked Matt straight in the eye. "Now that you've stopped bustin' open that incision an' gave it a chance to heal."
Matt's face twitched slightly but he was smart enough to ignore the doctor's last remark. "Good," he declared satisfied instead. "I s'pose that means I can go back to work then."
If Matt had learned from previous experiences, he might have realized that that had not been the wisest thing to say. Nothing he might have said would have ensured better to get the physician's dander up, right then.
Taken by surprise, Doc blinked, then bristled. "Oh, no" he groused immediately, "now you just hold on there, Marshal...I didn't say anythin' about that!" He shoved the spectacles back into their case with a little more vigor than intended and replaced them to his vest pocket.
Right away, a frown began to crease Matt's forehead. He propped his good hand on his thigh and leaned forward to look his friend in the eye. "Now wait a minute...you just said yourself that it's all healed up..."
Doc pursed his lip, rounded a fingertip inside his ear and nodded. "That's what I said," he admitted and then paused briefly before leveling his now clearly irate glare on the lawman. "But what I didn't say was that you could go back to work!"
Matt's face darkened, incensed by his friend's words and tone alike. He drew a deep breath, not ready to back down just yet. "Now look here, Doc," he began, but the doctor, already knowing all too well what was about to come, didn't give him a chance to finish.
"No...now you look here, Mister Marshal..." He stabbed an angry finger at his friend's bare chest. "I already told you once before, an' now I'm tellin' you again...you're not goin' back to work until I say so!" He dragged a disgruntled hand across his mustache and added, "an' that's my final word!" With that, he shuffled off to the little supply cabinet which stood across the room.
Up to now, Kitty had remained silent. Sitting comfortably in the chair beside Doc's rickety, old roll-top desk, she had been content to sip on a cup of coffee while waiting for the physician to finish his examination. Attired in a form-fitting, low-cut, violet dress, embroidered with lavender lace and matching hat, she looked both, elegant and poised. A single amethyst stone hung suspended from a delicate silver chain around her neck, drawing attention to the low-cut bodice of her snug gown.
Matt 's attempt at convincing the doctor to pronounce him fit for duty hadn't come as too much of a surprise to her; for the last two days, it had been the prime subject of numerous of their conversations. Kitty set the cup down into the only available spot on the paper-strewn desk.
"Matt, Doc's right, you know," said. "I think it's too soon for you to go out there and start arresting people again."
At her words, Doc's head appeared above the glass door of the cabinet. He ran a swift hand across the bristles of his mustache and nodded curtly in approval of her support. "Thank you, Kitty."
Matt huffed out a resigned breath, prompting Doc to glance at him. "Golly, Matt...I sure don't understand why you're so eager to get back out there an' have folks take shots at you again," he said. "I think Chester's doin' a fine job keepin' things in line. There hasn't been a single shootin' all week."
Matt pressed his lips together in annoyance. He could argue the point, but he knew from experience that Doc was persistent and usually ended up having the last word anyway. The fact, that Kitty suddenly seemed to be siding with him, didn't help matters either. He was well aware that they both had his best interest at heart; but still, the knowledge wasn't making it any easier. He laced a hand through his dark curls, longer now than he normally liked them and made himself a mental note that a visit to Teeter's was definitely in order as soon as possible. "Yeah, well," he grumbled dejectedly as he watched as Kitty rose to her feet and came over to join him. "The next thing you two are probably gonna tell me is I oughtta have him keep my badge and find myself a new job."
Kitty cocked her head and eyed Matt hopefully. "Would you?"
Her words immediately elicited a scowl from him. "Now wait a minute, Kitty," he began to object, but the pretty redhead quickly placed a soothing hand on his forearm before he had a chance to say anything else.
Her pretty blue eyes were twinkling playfully. "Now don't get all upset," she calmed him. "I was just having a little fun."
Matt looked on doubtfully. His expression wasn't lost on Doc. He figured that a change of subject was probably in order. "Say, Matt, I got an idea," he said, "why don't you take Kitty here an' go an' do a little fishin'? Get outta town for a little while."
Not exactly what Matt had in mind. He watched with slight concern as the older man approached him with an alarmingly large handful of gauze and bandages. "Doc...I took Kitty fishin' three days ago," he grumbled.
Kitty arched an eyebrow, smiling sweetly as her fingers idly toyed with the polished rosewood grip of her parasol. "Well, I wouldn't mind goin' again..."
Matt sighed deeply and Doc dropped his pile of bandages onto the exam table.
"All right," the doctor suggested undaunted as he began to wrap Matt's shoulder with experienced fingers. "How about you take her on a picnic then? I'll let you have my buggy."
But that wasn't what Matt had in mind either. Feeling himself growing annoyed, he glared at his friend. "Look, I don't wanna go on a picnic and I don't want your buggy. All I want is go back to work!"
Doc glanced at him with a clear lack of compassion. "Well that's too bad," he said unmoved. He gave the bandage a little tug for good measure-an action that elicited a flinch from the lawman. "What I said still goes."
He picked up the piece of cotton material he had brought along, folded it into a triangle and knotted two ends together. "Go ahead, you can put your shirt back on," he instructed with a nod at the garment, lying wrinkled up beside Matt.
The lawman eyed the newly-made sling in Doc's hand wearily. "Do I still have to wear this thing?" he complained as he began to carefully ease his left arm into his shirt sleeve-a task, he was mastering with ease now.
Doc gave a curt nod. "You betcha." He reached behind Matt and pulled the shirt across the lawman's broad back so that he could slip his other arm inside. "There...now just get your arm in that sling an' keep it there," he said gruffly as he slipped the contraption over the Marshal's head before he had a chance to protest.
With a resigned tightening of his lips, Matt obliged and carefully eased his left forearm into the sling. He gave the sling a resentful glance, unable to understand why the doctor still insisted on him wearing. "I'll try," he grumbled, not too happy with the prospect of remaining one-armed for a little longer.
Right away, a frown furrowed the physician's forehead. "You better do a little more than just try," he warned as he scooped up the soiled bandages from the table and dropped them into a linen sack.
"Don't worry, Doc." Kitty cast the Marshal a stern side glance who was presently engaged in the endeavor of buttoning up his shirt. "Between you and me and Chester, we should be able to keep an eye on him."
Her words brought an instant flash of disgruntled irritation to Matt's eyes; someone to keep an eye on him was the last thing he needed right now. He was about to point that out when his attention was drawn to the open window. The sound of footfall clattering outside on the wooden stairs drifted into the office, and moments later the door swung inwards to reveal the shadowed forms of several people. Silhouetted by an aura of bright sunlight, a man stood in the doorway, trapping a cluster of dust motes in a beam of mustard gold.
"Mornin' there, Dillon...Kitty...Doc."
A toothpick bopping lazily in the corner of his mouth, a friendly grin stretching lips, half-hidden by a big, droopy mustache, Luke Crandall stepped out of the bright morning light into the cooler and dimmer confines of the doctor's office. He held the door for his wife and the children to step inside and then took off his old slouch hat.
Matt eased himself off the edge of the exam table and the floor boards creaked in response as his full weight settled on his booted feet.
"Hello, Crandall," he returned the greeting and took a step forward to shake the other's hand. But before he had a chance to do so, something small suddenly emerged from behind Luke's legs.
"Marsal!" declared Carry with a delighted squeal. Her bare little feet pattered across the plank flooring as she dashed across the room, her reddish curls bouncing in rhythm.
Matt had barely time to get down on his haunches and brace himself before she landed in his arms.
"Well, hello, there, honey," he welcomed her as she threw her chubby arms around his neck and pressed a wet kiss on his cheek. Still not quite accustomed to such outright declaration of affection, Matt felt the color rush to his face. Embarrassed, he cleared his throat when he found himself looking up into five bemused pairs of eyes.
"My gracious, Marshal," exclaimed Millie pleased after quickly looking the lawman over. "I hope you don't think me too bold if I say that you're looking quite a bit better than the last time I saw you."
Matt glanced up at the older woman. Fine laugh lines crinkled at the corners of deep, sea-green eyes, shining brightly with love and compassion in a heart-shaped face. Her smile, as always, was warm, straightforward.
Holding on to Carrie, who had perched herself somewhat wobbly on his knee, Matt returned the smile.v"Well, let me tell ya," he said. "I sure feel a lot better, too."
"Say," Luke pointed his thumb towards the door, "we just ran into Chester outside. He told us where to find you. Rory's got something he wanted to return to you."
Encouraged by a gentle nudge form his uncle, the little boy stepped forward. His hand disappeared in one of the deep, bulging pockets of his trousers as if looking for something.
"Here Marshal," he said as his hand emerged seconds later. "I brought this back for ya. I took good care of it. See? I even polished it all up for you."
He held out his small hand, palm-up and Matt could see his badge resting in it. A smile tugged at his lips. It was indeed very well cleaned, the polished metal gleaming brightly in the morning sunlight.
"Well, thanks, Rory," he said appreciatively as he reached out to accept the badge. "You sure did a mighty fine, job."
At the praise, the little boy's face lit up instantly and he beamed at the tall lawman with his gap-toothed smile. "Anytime it needs cleanin', Marshal just let me know." His head, crowned by a round, hard-topped hat, bobbed up and down earnestly.
"I'll keep that in mind." Matt pinned the badge to the left side of his shirt while Carrie watched curiously.
She poked a pudgy finger at it. "Siny Tar!" the little girl babbled happily as she bounced on the Marshal's knee.
"Yeah, it sure's shiny all right," agreed Matt chuckling. "I'll say that much."
Something compelled him to lift his gaze and his eyes caught Kitty's. There was a tender smile on her lips. He wasn't quite sure how to describe the expression in her eyes, but it was nothing new to him; he had seen it many times before-usually when she watched him interact with children.
Suddenly feeling a little self-conscious, he flashed her a quick smile.
"So, how's that shoulder of yours doin'?" Luke wondered as he pointed at the sling. "You're back to workin' yet?"
Matt resisted the urge to roll his eyes, but just barely. "No, not as long as Doc has his say," he grumbled, suddenly looking and sounding clearly disgruntled again.
The remark earned him a scowl from Millie. One hand perched on her hip, she shook her head in disapproval. "Now, Marshal, you listen to Doc Adams here," she chided as she wagged a finger at him. "After all...he knows what's best for you. You hear me?"
Now it was one thing to disagree with Doc, but it was an entirely different matter to disagree with Millie Crandall. One week under her care had taught Matt that the ex-lawman's wife was not to be contradicted. "Yes, ma'am," he replied meekly, much to Doc's amusement.
The physician jammed one hand down into the pocket of his baggy trousers. His eyes were twinkling merrily as he brushed the other hand swiftly across his mustache. "Well, thank you for the support, Millie," he declared with a wink as the two eyed each other sideways.
Millie nodded resolutely, a smile quirking the corners of her mouth. "You're most welcome, Doc." After all, she had her experience in dealing with stubborn lawmen. Her eyes tracked to the man beside her, watching as he pulled his battered pocket watch from his coat pocket.
"Millie, I think we'd better get goin'," Luke said after quickly glancing at his face. "It's gettin' to be almost nine and we still have lots to do." With a soft click, he snapped the dented cover shut again and replaced the watch to his pocket.
"My goodness," exclaimed Millie surprised, "is it that late already?"
Luke nodded an affirmative as he rolled the toothpick from corner of his mouth to the other and then turned to Matt again. "Matt" he said, grinning around the toothpick, "don't you forget to pay us a visit now an' then."
"Yes," added Millie, "you know you're always welcome at our house."
"Of course, that goes for you, too, Kitty an' Doc," added Luke with a nod at the two, making sure they wouldn't be left out.
Doc scratched his ear; he, too had grown quite fond of Luke and Millie over the course of the last two weeks. "Well, that's very kind of you," he said.
"Yes," agreed Kitty smiling, "it sure is."
Placing his hand on Rory's small shoulder, Luke gave it a fatherly clap. "Well, come on, son...let's go an' see Mr. Jonas. Who knows, we might get us some more of those delicious lemon drops-" He paused to quickly glance over at his wife and winked at her, adding, "-if aunt Millie says it's all right, of course."
Millie's green eyes were twinkling merrily. "Oh, she just might," she chuckled. Then she stooped down and held out her arms. "Come on, Carrie," she coaxed, "say good-bye to Marshal Dillon."
The prospect of lemon drops was too tempting for the little girl to resist. "Bye-bye, Marsal!" she babbled. She quickly pressed another wet peck onto the lawman's scruffy cheek and then hurriedly scooted off his knee to scamper off into her aunt's waiting arms.
Matt watched smiling as the Crandalls took their leave. In the short time he had known them, he had grown quite close with the ex-Sheriff and his wife. He was proud to be able to count this fine couple to his small circle of friends.
When the door had closed behind Luke with a soft click, the Marshal braced his good hand on the edge of the exam table and started to straighten, but he suddenly paused halfway up.
Kitty who had been watching him, noticed it right away; there was no mistaken the ominous dark stain that graced the lawman's left knee.
Although she tried her best to keep a straight face, the pretty redhead wasn't very successful.
Their eyes met and she could barely stifle a laugh. Her hand pressed over her mouth, she fought to control herself. "Oh, Matt...not again-"
Matt sighed tiredly."I'm startin' to get used to it."
Confused, Doc's eyes moved back and forth between the two. "What's the matter with you?" he demanded, "somethin' wrong?"
Matt made a face. "Never mind, Doc," he grumped as he straightened up to his full height.
Kitty chuckled softly, prompting Matt to trade a meaningful look with her which was half plea, half warning.
Immediately, Doc sensed conspiracy. "Never mind?" he echoed baffled. He turned to the pretty redhead, hoping to coax an answer from her. "Kitty? What in thunder's he talkin' about?"
Kitty cast a quick, bemused glance at Matt who had begun to tuck the tails of his shirt into the waistband of his pants. She leaned closer towards the doctor, putting her hand to the side of her mouth.
"I don't think I can tell you right now," she said quietly, and then added, after stealing another quick glance at Matt to assure herself he was still distracted. "Remind me to tell you later though."
Unfortunately, Matt had overheard her. He expelled a frustrated sigh and turned, his eyes meeting hers again. "Now, Kitty-" he warned.
The pretty redhead sighed in response. "Spoilsport."
Suddenly, the very distinct clomp of uneven footsteps sounded on the stairs outside and moments later, Chester came flying through the door. "Mister Dillon, Mister Dillon!" he shouted excitedly as he limped into the room. "Looky here what I got!" Unable to contain his excitement, he waved a somewhat ruffled-looking letter in the air as he headed straight for the Marshal with three long, limping strides.
He grinned from ear to ear. "Guess who it's from-"
Matt made a face, at the moment not exactly in the mood for guessing games. He regarded the gangly young man with an air of long-suffering irritation. "Well, why don't you just tell me since you already seem to know," he grumbled.
Chester grinned sheepishly. "It's from the War Department in Washington, Mister Dillon," he replied completely unembarrassed. "I betcha it's your paycheck."
The word 'paycheck' immediately got Matt's attention. He plucked the letter from his assistant's hand.
"Well, let me see," he said, feeling his mood instantly improve. Holding the envelope against his stomach with his left, he carefully tore the flap open with his right and extricated a slip of paper. He recognized it as once as the familiar bank draft he was accustomed to receive monthly.
"About time," he muttered, pleased to see that the amount covered the current, as well as the previous month.
Curiously, Doc sidled closer. "Finally got paid, huh?"
He glanced up at Matt and ran a quick hand over his mustache. "Maybe now you can finally pay your bill."
Matt looked up, confused. "My bill?"
Doc nodded. "That's right, Marshal," he declared. "You owe me exactly twelve dollars and fifty-two cents."
Now Matt was clearly confused. "Fifty-two cents?"
"Interest, Marshal," the doctor replied calmly. " But I'd be willin' to let that go an' declare myself satisfied with the twelve dollars...seein' that you're one of my best customers."
Matt heaved a sigh, his mind quickly making the necessary adjustments to his shrinking paycheck.
"Mister Dillon?" said Chester.
The Marshal raised his head. "Yeah, Chester," he replied wearily, already having a pretty good hunch what was coming next.
"There ain't no hurry, Mister Dillon," said Chester as he plucked nervously at the back of his neck. "None at all, but just so's you know-" He lifted his gaze and managed something akin to an apologetic expression. "Well,...you haven't paid me in over a month an' I sure could use the money...if you know what I mean."
Matt blew air through his lips. "Yeah, I know what you mean, Chester."
He glanced down at his check again, quickly doing some more calculating. Without a word, he folded it neatly and stuck it down into the breast pocket of his shirt. Raking a hand through his already rather mussed hair, he glanced down at the redhead beside him, a distinct flicker of resignation in his eyes.
"Ah, Kitty...about that job..."
Kitty raised her brows in open amusement. She hooked her arm into the crook of his elbow and looked up at him. "Well, why don't you get Doc's buggy and take me on that picnic?" she suggested slyly and then gave him a quick wink that Matt was sure wasn't meant to be seen by anybody else. "Maybe we can talk about it then?"
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Epilogue
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"You want any more coffee, Matt?"
His good arm folded behind his head, one booted ankle folded over the other, Matt was relaxing in the shade beneath the leafy bough of a huge cottonwood tree. At Kitty's query, he turned his head in her direction and lifted one lazy eyelid. "Huh?"
She was standing a short distance away by the smoldering remains of the small cooking fire, holding up an enameled tin coffee pot. In front of her, scattered on a red and white checkered tablecloth, were the sparse remainders of their picnic.
Thanks to Matt's legendary appetite, there weren't too many leftovers in need of re-packing; all of the roasted chicken and potato salad was gone, and so was the apple pie.
"Do you want the last of the coffee?" she repeated smiling.
"No, thanks, Kitty," he declined. He didn't think there was any room left in his stomach for even a small cup of Kitty's brew, even if it was undeniably better than Chester's concoction.
With a grunt, he re-settled the back of his head on his arm and glanced up the sky above. Today, it was a beautiful, bright blue with the occasional, wispy cloud floating by. The warm summer air was alive with the chirping of birds and the lazy buzzing of insects and, at least for the moment, Matt couldn't be more content. He liked coming out to Miller's Pond. He liked its seclusion and privacy, and he liked the fact that it was close to Dodge. Usually, he didn't get a chance to visit it very often, but this was his and Kitty's second visit this week.
His gaze skimmed the shimmering surface of the water before him. Deep purple shadows hugged the bank, feathering the water with plum-dark threads where tiny ripples rolled to shore. Cat-tails and whisper-thin reeds vied for room among heartier clumps of sawgrass and muskmallow.
He almost wished that he had brought his fishing pole along to get another try at the enormous catfish that had toyed with him the other day, consistently swallowing his bait but nothing more. He had blamed his shoulder, claiming that fishing one-armed was the reason for his lack of success, but Kitty and Doc had known better, both having had their equally unsuccessful tries at the big old catfish many times before.
A smile touched his lips and he drew a deep breath. The air was fragrant with the sun-dusted scent of the pond; a tangle of brown grass and moss-covered stones. It was a potent scent, rich and dark like the underbelly of a log.
"Matt?"
"Hm?" He turned his head towards her, watching her stroll over to where he was lying. She had exchanged the pretty violet dress she had worn this morning for a simple fawn-colored skirt, and had matched it with a soft white blouse. The latter, Matt couldn't help but notice with typical male appreciation, was form-fitting, tailored to accentuate the firm swell of her breasts; the narrow pinch of her waist.
With graceful poise, Kitty tucked her skirts beneath her and settled down into the soft, fragrant grass beside him. "You didn't take me out here just so I would tell you about that job," she wondered as she studied his relaxed features. Small patches of sunlight danced across his face as a soft breeze gently moved the leaves and smaller branches of the cottonwood tree, making the five o'clock shadow on his jaw and cheeks glow a brilliant auburn hue.
Matt glanced up at her and squinted against the brightness of the sun at her back.
Her hair was loose today, tumbling free over her shoulders in lustrous waves of fiery silk. He had never told her, but he liked it best when she wore it open. Beneath the gilded glow of the sun, it shone a beautiful, deep shade of coppery-red, highlighted with a multitude of golden threads.
For a moment, he was sorely tempted to reach out and pull her down to him, bury his hand in its silky softness, smell its enticing scent and kiss her deeply, but he could sense that something was on her mind; something of a more serious nature. As a matter of fact, he had been sensing it ever since they had left Dodge this morning in Doc's buggy.
With some effort, he tempered his desire. "And you didn't come along just so you could tell me," he countered playfully instead.
Unfortunately, his attitude came across as just a little too smug, his grin as just a little too broad for her taste, and beyond that, she could detect a certain challenge in his tone.
Kitty arched one delicate brow. "You seem awfully sure about that," she wagered. "What makes you think so? Maybe I was going to tell you..."
Matt rolled onto his side, propping himself up on his good elbow.
He tossed her an engaging grin. "Oh...I got a hunch-"
The pretty redhead cocked her head and eyed him skeptically. "That's not exactly a lot to go on..."
Matt pursed his lips in response. "It's enough for me," he replied with a slight shrug of his good shoulder. "I'm a lawman, remember? It part of my job to know when someone's tellin' the truth and when they're lyin'-"
Looking into the depths his deep, blue eyes, Kitty saw the mischievous twinkle there that told her better than to take him serious. But still, his words had touched on something. Something that had been playing at the back of her mind ever since they had left Doc's office this morning.
She stilled, her own playful expression now gone, replaced by a more serious one. A lawman. It had almost been too easy to forget during the course of the last three weeks. Not once during that time did she worry about his safety or his whereabouts, not once did she worry about someone provoking him into a gunfight. Now it all was about to come to an end and things would be just as they had been before. She had known that it wasn't going to last forever. The knowledge filled her with a certain sadness, at the same time making her appreciate this very moment they were sharing all the more.
"Matt?"
Having sensed the sudden change in her disposition, he regarded her curiously. "Yeah?"
Above, perched on some hidden branch amongst the dense foliage of the cottonwood tree, a prairie warbler was chirping, its distinct "chek-chek-chek"-call, answered by another of its kind some distance away.
Her gaze rested on her hands a moment longer, then she lifted it to meet his. "Thank you for today."
Matt looked at her with mild surprise. "Today?"
Kitty nodded. "Thank you for taking me out here." She hesitated briefly and then tilted her head to deliberately hold his eyes. "Matt, I know that it's time for you to go back to doing your job, but I just want you to know that I really enjoyed the last three weeks. It sure was a nice change to wake up in the morning without having to wonder where you are, worrying whether you're safe...I'm gonna miss that."
She swallowed and forced a smile, but her eyes were telling a different story. It was obvious that she was saddened by the admission, and it cut Matt to the very soul.
He regarded her for a long, silent moment, watching as her fingers began to fidget with the lace handkerchief she kept tucked away beneath the edge of her sleeve. He wasn't sure what to say. As much as he had enjoyed the last three weeks, had enjoyed spending the greater part of his days with her, had enjoyed lying next to her every night, he was looking forward to returning to his duties again. He missed his daily routine, missed doing his nightly rounds, simply missed being the Marshal. He maneuvered himself to a sitting position and propped his back against the rough-textured trunk of the cottonwood.
Her gaze rested on some meaningless spot at the foot of the tree, allowing him a brief moment to study her pretty face. The stark vulnerability was plainly evident beneath the surface. Matt knew that not too many people were allowed to see this side of her.
"Kitty."
She lifted her gaze. It was soft and apprehensive.
He smiled gently in return. "Come here."
Using his good arm, he reached out for her and wrapped it about her shoulders, gathering her close.
Kitty rested her head against his chest, drinking in the scent of him; the whisper-thin hint of soap that clung to the coarse fabric of his shirt, the sun-warmed fragrance of his hair. Enclosed in his arms, cradled against the broad wall of his chest, she felt infinitely safe and desired. Her own chest rose and fell as she shuttered away a deep breath, and automatically, Matt's arm tightened around her. He rested his chin on her shoulder and for a while, simply held her. "It'd be nice if we could simply change things to the way we want them to be, Kitty," he murmured into her hair. "But you an' I, we both know that it doesn't work that way. We have to wait until the time's right."
He fell silent for a moment, reflecting on what he'd just said. Raising his head off her shoulder, he drew slightly away to glance down at her. "I know that this is hard for you at times and I wish to God I could make it easier for you, but I can't. I can't even promise you that I'll always be there for you. All I can promise you is that I'll always try my hardest and that I'm yours for as long as you'll have me."
Kitty could feel the resonance of his deep, pleasant baritone beneath her fingers as it rumbled from deep within his chest. She lifted her head to look up at him. Her eyes were shimmering suspiciously, but the smile that touched her lips, although still somewhat brittle, was genuine. She brought a slender hand up to tenderly touch the side of his face. "That's all a girl can hope for, cowboy."
Relief and desire struck Matt simultaneously. He reached out to gently smooth his thumb over her cheek and along her jaw. And suddenly, he couldn't help himself; he wanted her. In fact, he wanted her real bad. After four long weeks of enforced celibacy, his body was hungering for her. Perhaps it was time for a man to get back into the saddle in more ways than one.
Tipping her chin up, he kissed her softly on the mouth. Lightly at first, but his kiss quickly deepened, allowing the emotions and desire nipping at his heart to wash over her in demanding wave after demanding wave.
Kitty melted willingly, opening her mouth beneath the possessive hunger of his kiss. Through the fabric of his shirt, her fingers felt the warmth of his skin, the rapid beat of his heart, the sharp rise and fall of his ribs. Any reservations she might have had spun carelessly away as the heat of his lips ignited warm fire deep within her belly, coaxing her to arch into his embrace.
Suddenly it didn't matter what would happen tomorrow. Kitty was content to know that for a little while longer, things would remain the way they had been. Entwined in each others arms, their bodies slowly sank down into the sun-warmed softness of the sweet, fragrant grass.
There was no hurry for either one of them to get back to Dodge any time soon.
x
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The End
Update from the author. February 10, 2022. Wow...I simply cannot believe how many hits this story is still getting after all these years. Thank you to those of you who have stuck it out with Matt and Kitty and have made it this far. I hope you enjoyed reading my little yarn as much as I havevenjoyed writing it. :-)
PS: you are still welcome to leave reviews should you feel inclined to do so. :-)