Chapter Three
As Ebony and Slade walked the short distance to the Saloon an eerie silence descended on the couple and while Slade was satisfied to merely take the time to better observe Ebony he knew that there was something wrong with her. Everything from her braids to the curve of her hell red lips screamed that this woman wasn't supposed to be quite or anything of that kind. No a woman like this was meant to be the centre of attention which was why Slade was so determined to break the silence.
In most women there was nothing interesting in their conversation, only the minimum words were to be used in his quest to get them into bed with him and rake up another notch on the bed post but when it came to Ebony there was something of an intoxication about her, the need that he had to know her opinion on every subject.
He felt like hearing her speak would be worth the time all by itself even though normally he wouldn't give a damn about what a girl thought.
Slade was about to open his mouth to speak when they reached the Saloon, he left his bike – which he had been rolling – outside and looked up expecting to see Ebony waiting for him but rather than that he saw her moving towards the door just slowly enough so that he could open the door if he ran.
He sprinted two steps before flinging his arm out just in time to open the door the way that his mother had always taught him to yet Ebony didn't seem to take any notice of this action.
Ebony smiled slightly with power as she saw Slade run like a good little mommy's boy to and continued into the Saloon in the same vain, walking just fast enough to make him have to work to keep up with her until she felt his hand on her arm.
Slade had had enough of following her around like a good little puppy, he was not about to roll over and beg for her even if she was beautiful, that was what possessed Slade to reach out his hand and caress her arm in a soft way but one which without a doubt kept her in place.
As his finger brushed against her skin he couldn't believe how soft her flesh was and he moved in front of her to look down into her deep emerald eyes, before saying, "Now now, it's not nice to make a man run after you although I am sure that you quite often invoke such a reaction".
Ebony couldn't help but allow a smile to grace her lips as she heard his words and felt his hot breath on her exposed neck causing her to look up at him with an a feeling that she had never felt before. It was hard to explain but what could almost be considered a feeling of warmth trickled over her skin at the gentleness of his caress.
His tone was stern but almost teasing and most defiantly flirtatious, there was nothing dark or sneaky about him and that was what she liked about him, and what caused her to reply, "But that's how I like my men, running behind me".
She couldn't resist this slight teasing manor in her reply trying to bait him in some ways to show his full hand, it wasn't that he was hiding it so much as had not been given the chance to show it fully, this was only the beginning of their flirtation, of that she was sure.
He smiled without thinking about it, this girl was something else, she could get more of a reaction out of him with only a few words or a simple gesture than any other with all of the works of Shakespeare in their knowledge.
"Oh but I am sure that we could think of better …" he broke off to lean to her ear and whisper, "positions, than with me behind you".
Although it must be said that Ebony had never been the type to blush easily or the most innocent of girls these words still conjured up images and thoughts so naughty that she couldn't meet his eyes for a second before she realised how she was acting. She was acting like a school girl rather than a confident, strong woman.
Chastising herself slightly she forced herself to look straight into his eyes, "Well you will have to tell me about these positions as the only one that I think would suit us would you being a slave on your knees before me".
No sooner were these words out of her mouth than she realised that she had said the wrong thing.
Slade smirked naughtily and raised one eyebrow although he didn't say anything as he let the idea run wild in his mind.
He knew very well what she had meant by the comment but also knew what images had there after being conjured and was glad that she might not completely resent the idea of him and sex in the same sentence.
Ebony felt uncomfortable and hated it and so within a second of seeing Slade's reaction added, "But as for the moment you can stick to getting me a room and a drink".
She couldn't say that she felt particularly inclined to drink at that moment but there again she supposed that there was no harm in it as she guessed that if the virus had not occurred she would have been around the right age to drink and that she would have probably snuck some alcohol before that time.
"As you wish", Slade said with a smile as he lead her over to the bar and said to Ruby, "To drinks and a room for Ebony here", without much thought as he was too concerned with Ebony and getting to know her.
Slade knew that Ruby liked him and while he had been content to sleep with her a few times now that Ebony was in the picture he was no longer interested in a folly with Ruby as that was all that she had ever been to him and he had made sure that she knew it.
While Slade had had his share of women he was by no means a user, he had always made it perfectly clear that he only sleep with people as a one off and had no intention of getting tied down but after only a few minutes with Ebony was all of a sudden more than willing to be tied down.
Ruby's heart filled with joy as she saw Slade entering the Saloon again as he had been gone longer than normal and she wasn't sure if he was going to return, he was such a strange creature, so aloof even when making love and she wasn't sure that he hadn't altogether decided to pack up and leave after such a long absence, two days without seeing him.
She had just about made up her mind to go and look around his room just to make sure that he was either gone or staying to sooth her mind and nerves when she saw his familiar form standing in the doorway.
There was no sight that was more welcome to her eyes than that one yet within a second it was destroyed as an exquisite dark skinned beauty followed him into the Saloon. Trying to keep her composer, Ruby got ready for them to come over to the bar yet within seconds Slade had turned to talk to this over woman.
Not wanting to stand there watching their conversation, – however fascinated she was with this new woman – Ruby turned to leave, and had managed about two steps before she heard Slade's order.
She knew that she would have to serve them even though she would dislike it but that didn't mean that she had to show her disarray and as such she waited a few seconds before plastering on a happy smile and turned back to them.
"Of course", she poured them two drinks, "That will be eight credits and what room here is your room key", then trying to make conversation she asked, "So where are you from, I'm Ruby by the way, what's your name?"
Ebony smirked evilly as she saw the blond woman at the counter scowling as she and Slade talked and she knew that she probably fancied Slade and envied her. The cheery smile did not deceive Ebony as it did the others and as such she decided that she would show just how much more she had than this woman.
She had no respect for Ruby, from just looking at her she could tell that she was pining over Slade and there was no way that Ebony would let that go, this woman appeared to her to have no self respect if she needed a man so badly. For that moment Ebony had forgot about everything that had happened with Lex and was back to her old self, although slightly less confident - as although Lex wasn't in the fore front of her mind there was still something in the back of her mind reminding her that she had not succeeded in something.
"I'm from the city, the name's Ebony", and with that brief introduction she had betrayed everything that she had promised to keep a secrete, her name, her identity and she knew that there was no longer any sense in running from what had happened, she would have to stay there for a while.
Slade noticed that something was odd with Ruby as she never demanded money normally she would just wait until he offered it and even then sometimes refused to accept it yet he handed over the money with indifference.
He took the room key off Ruby and inspected the number quickly before handling to over to Ebony, still not paying much attention to Ruby.
Ruby was now desperate, she simply had to have his attention off this Ebony woman and she would get it to, which was why she suddenly announced, "Oh and Slade there were some rowdy guys in here earlier, I saw them off but you know what men are like".
She knew that he would have to pay attention to something that was anything to do with his job and this certainly was.
Ebony rolled her eyes slightly at Ruby, wondering why she was telling him this if in fact she had seen them off, there was nothing that annoyed her more than a woman that couldn't take care of herself and who had to rely on a man that much.
She glanced at Slade for a second as if to ask, 'Why the hell is she telling you this?'
"I'll have a talk with them", Slade informed Ruby paying a little more attention her as she was now in the conversation. It wasn't that he had ever ignored her on purpose, it was quite simply that she had been acting as a bar maid rather than as participant in the conversation and as such he had treated her so.
Then noticing Ebony's glance, he explained, "I'm the Sheriff around these part so I have to sort things like that out".
To Slade that was a simply sentence and as such couldn't fathom why Ebony all of a sudden turned so pale.
The colour drained from Ebony's face as she heard the phrase, "I'm the Sheriff", reverberating in her mind, reminding her of Lex
How could she have been so stupid as to have forgot so soon about what had happened with Lex and have let herself open up? She should have known better, yet she could still make it alright.
"That's nice for you I'm sure, but if you will excuse me I have had enough of talking to the Sheriff and his serving whore so I will be going to my room", and with that she got up and walked up the stairs, oblivious to both Ruby and Slade's bewildered expressions.
Every fibre of her being cried for her to turn and go back to Slade yet her head knew that that was not even a possibility, she would not be played for a fool again by a man who was probably just like Lex and with that in mind she flung herself to her bed where she lay until finally sinking into an uneasy sleep.