Late Night Date
Kitty Russell looked up and down Front Street before she locked the doors to the Longbranch Saloon. There were one or two stray cowboys making their way home. Most had been home for hours because they had wives and children waiting for them.
Kitty didn't see her Cowboy as she surveyed the street. He would be there soon she knew. She knew because he told her he would. Matt Dillon always kept his word.
Sure, his job as a Federal Marshall got in the way of their plans more times than Kitty could remember. That couldn't be helped. Matt had an important job to do keeping people safe and getting dangerous outlaws off the street. What were a few okay a lot of missed dances and vacation trips compared to the safety and well being of the people in Dodge?
Tonight, Matt was only walking through Dodge City and making sure the doors to the businesses were locked and there were no suspicious looking varmints of the human species hanging around.
Kitty chided herself for thinking only walking through Dodge. How many times had Marshall Matthew Dillon been shot only walking the streets of this city? Many more than she wanted to remember. She couldn't count the tears and the prayers that had flowed from her eyes and lips for that man of hers.
Kitty sighed as she locked the doors to her place of business. She had offered to leave the doors unlocked for him, but Matt wouldn't hear of it. He didn't want to take the least little chance regarding her safety. Kitty had been targeted over the years by sinister people because everyone knew her as the Marshall's woman.
Kitty looked at the clock. It was a quarter to midnight. Her Cowboy would be here soon. She sat down at a table to wait.
"Miss Kitty, is everything alright? You going to bed?" Sam asked.
"Yes, Sam, everything's fine. I have a date. I gotta wait up. He's a workin man." Kitty turned and looked at Sam on the staircase.
Sam smiled. "Goodnight, Miss Kitty. Give my regards to the Marshall."
"I will, Sam. Goodnight." Kitty got up and walked behind the bar.
She got two shot glasses and a bottle of Matt's favorite took the items back to the table with her. Kitty looked at the clock again as she sat down again. Five more minutes. She yawned. Oh, she prayed that she wouldn't go to sleep. Sometimes these date nights were far between.
Kitty heard the familiar knock at the Longbranch door. Kitty rushed to the door and opened it.
"Come on in, Matt. Would you like to have a drink before we go upstairs or take it with us?" She asked.
"I'm so tired, Kitty. What'da say we take it with us? My back and my feet have been aching to lie down for the last two hours." He replied.
"So, you're here just to lie down and rest, huh?" Kitty teased.
"Why, no, ma'am! I'm here to do my manly duty as well!" He pushed his hat back on his head making him look boyishly handsome.
"Well, Cowboy, let's head on up to my room. I can hardly wait to find out how good you are at your manly duty." She retorted in a soft sexy voice.
"After you ma'am." Matt made a sweeping motion toward the staircase letting her go ahead of him. He carried the bottle of whiskey and the shot glasses.
Kitty smiled and hurried up the stairs ahead of him.
In her room, the Marshall had a quick shot of whiskey. Then he took her in his arms and kissed her as if he had not seen her in years.
Kitty not only loved Matt and the kiss, but she also loved his scent. He smelled like gun smoke, whiskey, and a bit of sweat.
As the kiss ended, Matt picked her up and carried her to the bed. Kitty was well pleased at his fulfillment of her feminine desires.
"Matt, let's talk." Kitty said as her finger traced a bullet wound scar on his chest.
"What about, Kitty?" He asked even though he knew.
"Getting married." She answered.
"Kitty, we have talked about this for how long?" Matt questioned.
"For ten years, Matthew Dillon. Ten long years, we have had this conversation. I know all of the arguments against us getting married. You don't want me to be a widow with children to raise alone."
"That's right, Kitty. I could get killed any day in this line of work. It wouldn't be fair to you or to any children we might have. You just said you understand that so why are we having this talk?" Matt inquired.
"We are having this talk, Dillon because there's something that you don't understand." Kitty answered.
"What? What don't I understand?" The Marshall was confused.
"You don't understand that men in other jobs die too. Doctors, lawyers, teachers, storekeepers, ship captains, stagecoach drivers, and horse breeders to name a few. But they don't let their job and the possibility of dying stop them from living." Kitty said.
Well, Kitty, every situation is different." Matt frowned.
"Not really, Matt. We love each other and we want to get married, but you don't want to leave me a widow. No husband wants to do that. However, they take the chance. Let's say you died now. Where would that leave me?" She asked.
"It would leave you free to marry someone else." Matt replied
"That's true, but it's not what I'm getting at. It would leave me a bitter old woman with no children and without your name. What we have now is great, Matt. I want more. I want to be Mrs. Matthew Dillon and I want to be the mother of your children." Kitty said firmly.
Matthew groaned. "Now, Kitty. You know how I feel about this. I would love to marry you and raise a family, but I could be gunned down any day."
"Didn't you hear what I said? Any man can die any day, but that doesn't stop them from marrying and having kids. You know what I think Marshall Dillon? I think you are afraid to get married to a female saloon owner! That's what I think!" Kitty was angry.
"Why would I be afraid to marry you?" asked Matt.
"Come on, Matt, I've heard the talk and so have you. Some busybodies think just because I own a saloon that means I'm a floozie. Not long after we met, I told you that you weren't the first man I've been serious about. But I'm no floozie." Kitty explained.
"Kitty, I don't listen to gossip, and I never thought you were a floozie. Do you really care what busybodies think?" He grinned.
"I don't want to care what they think, but I do. Things like that are important to women, Matt." Kitty grudgingly admitted.
"Well, try not to worry about it, Kitty. You don't think about it all the time, do you?" Matt inquired.
"No, I don't lose any sleep over the opinions of nosy little old ladies. However, I have been known to lose sleep over a certain United States Marshall." She replied coyly.
Matt smiled. "Let's take things a day at a time, Kitty."
"That's what we have been doing for the past ten years, Dillon. I guess I can handle for a few more years. What do you want to do for date night next week?" Kitty wondered.
"I liked what we did tonight. Let's do it again next time." Matt answered.
"Whiskey, sex, and talk about getting married. Some date night." Kitty scoffed.
Matthew Dillon laughed softly. "Now you have to admit, Miss Russell, the whiskey and the sex we're pretty good."
"Alright, Matt. I guess pretty good whiskey and pretty good sex with my Cowboy make a pretty good date night." Kitty sighed as she fell asleep in his arms.
The End.