Chapter Three

"Matt, I think we should head back before it gets too dark."

"I told Moss not to expect the buggy until nine. Was thinking about that moonlight buggy ride, you know."

"Would you settle for a beer and leftovers with me at home? I can think of other moonlight activities."

"Miss Russell, I'd be just pleased as punch to honor that request."

And with that they dressed. Laughing all the while, each tidied the other up . . . Grass brushed off the blanket and their clothes, everything smoothed out. They hadn't, after all, taken any time to lay those clothes out neatly. He carefully groomed some small tangles from her hair and helped her refasten the ribbon that held it back. His hat covered his tousled hair, but not before he asked her to run her fingers through it one more time, supposedly making him look untouched. He removed the mare's hobbles and hitched her, while Kitty helped by getting the hobbles off of Buck and tying him to the buggy. She patted him quietly, thinking of all the times the big gelding had brought Matt back into town.

Kitty leaned in close to him in the buggy, and with his arm around her, they drove just as slowly back home as they had on the way out. The moon was just coming up, and she wanted him to enjoy at least part of that moonlight buggy ride he had planned on. Thinking ahead now, much more clearly and deliberately than she had in the bathtub that morning, maybe Matt would stay the night. She could picture herself sleeping in his arms, waking up next to him. Indeed, she was thinking more clearly. It was what she wanted.

Matt called to Moss from the door of the stable, and he came out immediately to help with the horses.

"Surprised to see you quite this early, Marshal, Hello Miss Kitty," he said. "Was my mare OK for you?"

"More than OK. We had a picnic down at Spring Creek and she turned out to be a very patient girl waiting for us. You could send this mare out with anyone, and she'd be just fine," Matt assured him. "Thought we might head back before it cooled off too much, and it's time for a beer over at the Long Branch anyway."

"Well, it's nice you finally got a day off, Marshal." And with that he finished unhitching the mare and leading both her and Buck back to their stalls, waving good-bye over his shoulder.

Matt grabbed the picnic basket. Seemed like it was almost as heavy as when he loaded it up.

"Guessing by the weight of this thing there'll be more than enough leftovers for supper."

"Uh, well, I wasn't too interested in food earlier. Might say I was distracted," she smiled up at him. "But you ate like you were called out to a fire." He laughed and took her hand for the walk back to the Long Branch. As they rounded the turn onto Front Street, Matt saw Chester up ahead.

"Hey Chester!" he called. No mistaking that voice, Chester stopped in his tracks and turned toward his boss, who was still hand in hand with Kitty.

"Slow afternoon, I hope?" Matt questioned.

He tipped his hat to Kitty and said, "Miss Kitty" to her, with a smile. Then he turned back to Matt. "Aww, it was just fine. Just the usual. A couple of fist fights that some of the boys broke up, two rowdy drunks over at The Lady Gay. Louie twisted his ankle stepping off the boardwalk so we had to haul him up to Doc's. Nothing I couldn't handle, Mister Dillon."

"I'll go ahead and plan on you doing night rounds like we talked," Matt said.

As Chester smiled and agreed and chatted with Matt, Kitty let her thoughts wander just a bit. Chester didn't seem to think she looked any different than usual. She sure felt different. How could she not be different after what she and Matt had done with each other out there?

But Chester knew. He saw the way the Marshal held onto her. He knew his boss and this beautiful woman were special for each other.

"Good!" Kitty thought to herself. Matt was off duty, just as he had promised. Chester had the night. She wanted Matt. It was her turn.

He held the batwing doors open for Kitty as they walked into the Long Branch. Her eyes always went to the bar first, and true to form she looked that way and noticed that Bill had gone for the evening, leaving Max Harolds to tend. Max was a good man, even though he only worked occasional part-time. She knew that Bill was paying Max for his time because she had asked for the entire day off. Good, then! Both she and Matt had this covered. Teamwork.

"Hey you two!" came the greeting and the wave from the back table. Doc was done with his day and enjoying a beer. He motioned to them to come over. Oh my gosh, Kitty thought. Doc will notice right away. He'll see that Matt and I are different. Somehow different. Unexplainably different. With Chester it was curiosity. With Doc, it was downright fear.

But Matt grinned, and Kitty smiled, and she gave Doc a quick kiss on the cheek and it seemed as always. Except maybe he noticed the smell of Matt on her? Maybe she shouldn't have gotten that close?

"How was the picnic?"

"Doc, we had a great afternoon. I actually had an uninterrupted date with this lady," he smiled down at Kitty. "We also found a fishing hole that you just have to check out. It's a little tricky to find because it's in an alcove that's pretty well hidden from the average Spring Creek visitor. But Kitty can show you where it is. It was circling with bass. Maybe you'd take her fishing this weekend when I'm out of town."

"Well now, where are you headed in such a hurry?"

"No hurry, but I have to be in Hays City Friday for that deposition I told you about. The ride back is two days, so I won't be around till late Sunday night. You should think about it!"

"Kitty, I think we should plan on that," he turned to her. "So, you kids eat supper yet?"

Matt jumped in, rescuing Kitty once again. "Well, Doc, here's how it is. This lady here invited me back to her rooms for leftovers. Just remembering how good that picnic was, I think I'm going to take her up on it."

Not a doubt in Doctor Adams' mind what that meant. Absolutely not a doubt. He had noticed the small bruise on Matt's neck. He had smelled Matt on Kitty when she leaned in to kiss him. He had always hoped these two youngsters would find each other. He winked at Matt and said, "Well, why don't you have a beer here before you two head off to that second picnic?"

And the love these two had for their friend left not a minute of doubt that they would sit with Doc for a bit and enjoy a beer.