Chapter 4

Kitty answered Matt's request with another passionate kiss. Matt lifted Kitty into his arms and carried her over to her bed. He gently laid her down and reclined next to her. Matt was not going to rush things. He was going to take his time and savor every moment he had with her. Matt began kissing Kitty's forehead. He planted gentle kisses all over her face, and trailed them down her neck. Kitty moaned in appreciation. She began to fumble with the buttons on Matt's shirt. Realizing what Kitty was doing, Matt stopped his process and removed his vest. After removing his vest, he continued removing the rest of his clothes. Kitty did the same with her clothes.

Matt planned on taking things slowly, but it looked as though things weren't going in that direction. Once their clothes were removed, Kitty again had her lips pressed against Matt's. She gently took hold of his manhood and began to stroke up and down, causing Matt to harden. Matt's breath was becoming labored.

"Kitty, do you have any idea what you're doing to me?" Matt managed to ask.

"Uh huh," Kitty replied as she started planting open-mouthed kisses on Matt's muscular chest.

Matt couldn't take it anymore. He rolled both of them over, with Kitty on the bottom, and slowly entered her. Kitty was taken by surprise, but welcomed the feel of Matt inside of her. They began a familiar rhythm of grinding and pushing against one another. As their sensual movements continued, both were reaching their climax. All at once their world's exploded. Kitty's muscles clenched around Matt as he flooded her with his seed. Both of their bodies were slick with sweat. Matt gently pulled out of Kitty and rolled onto his back, taking Kitty with him. She rested her head on his chest.

They were in that position for a while, neither saying a word. More time passed and Matt realized that Kitty had fallen asleep. Her breathing was deep and even. Matt pulled the covers over them. He was hoping that if his words didn't persuade Kitty to stay, his actions would. He would find out in the morning. Matt soon fell asleep.

Matt was used to waking up before dawn, and today was no different. When he woke up, Kitty was still asleep on his chest. He tried to move without waking her, but he was unsuccessful. Kitty moaned as she lifted her head off Matt's chest and slowly opened her eyes.

"I'm sorry," Matt apologized. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"That's fine," Kitty said as she stretched her arms above her head. "I have lots to do before I leave. I need to pack, say goodbye to Doc and Chester, do my business at the bank with Bill." Kitty stopped and turned to look at Matt. "You weren't going to sneak out of here without saying goodbye, were you?"

"No," Matt answered. "I guess yer still going through with your plans."

Kitty sat up. " Why wouldn't I? Did you think after last night I would change my mind?"

Matt sat up and ran his hand through his curls. "I guess I was hoping," he admitted.

Kitty could feel her temper rising. "How dare you? How dare you use me to get your jollies before I left? You're no better than other men I've been with."

"Whoa! That's not what I was doing," Matt defended himself, hurt by Kitty's accusations. "I wanted to make love to you so I would have something memorable to think of whenever you crossed my mind. It was after we made love that the thought of you deciding to stay because of our lovemaking entered my thoughts, not before." Matt looked Kitty in the eyes, hoping she would believe him. "Kitty, I don't want to spend our final moments together arguing. Can we please just drop it?"

"Neither do I, Matt," Kitty quietly agreed. She knew that she owed him an apology. "I'm sorry for what I said. I know that you're not like the other men I've encountered. None of them compare to you. I suppose you have to get back to the jail."

"Yeah," said Matt as he got out of bed and got dressed. "I want to say goodbye to you before you leave. I'll meet you at the stagecoach before it pulls out."

"Okay, Matt," said Kitty. "That sounds good." Matt gave Kitty a peck on her lips and left her room.

Now that she was wide awake, Kitty got out of bed and got dressed. She knelt down to grab her carpet bag out from under her bed. When she pulled the carpet bag forward, one of Matt's socks came with it. Kitty picked it up and chuckled to herself. So that's where the missing sock went. Kitty remembered Matt telling her he lost one of his socks and was certain he lost it in her room. He went home one morning with only one sock. Kitty told Matt she took all the sheets and covers off of her bed and shook them out. No sock turned up. Both were puzzled at the mystery of the lost sock. Kitty had no idea how it ended up way under her bed. She took the sock and placed it on top of her carpet bag. Kitty would return it to Matt before she left.

Opening her chifferobe, Kitty surveyed the dresses inside. Kitty had her chifferobe organized into two sections, her saloon girl dresses and her other dresses. She looked at the saloon dresses. Aware that she would have no use for the saloon dresses in New Orleans, Kitty resolved to give them to Mitzy Rogers. She was a new girl that Kitty and Bill hired last week. The dresses would be perfect for Mitzy. She was the same size as Kitty. Kitty carefully packed her other dresses. There weren't that many, but Kitty would buy more when she was in New Orleans.

Kitty finished packing and looked at the small clock sitting on one of her side tables. It was still too early to go to the bank, but it wasn't too early to bid her farewells to Doc and Chester. She decided to see Doc first. His office was closer than the jail. Kitty left her carpet bag on her bed and left her bedroom. She descended the steps of the Long Branch and noticed how quiet it was in the saloon. Kitty usually wasn't awake at this hour. She walked out of the Long Branch and over to Doc's office. She climbed the steps to Doc's office and knocked on the door.

Doc was finishing counting pills when he heard the knock. "Come in," he shouted. Kitty opened the door and stepped inside. "Kitty, I wasn't expecting to see you at this hour. What can I do for you? Are you feeling okay?"

Doc studied Kitty. His mind started reeling. It was not like her to be in his office this early in the morning. Had she been feeling sick this morning? Had she been feeling sick other mornings? Doc suspected that Kitty and Matt were close, close enough to result in an unplanned pregnancy. If Kitty was pregnant, Doc was confident that Matt was the father. About five months ago Matt told him that Kitty agreed not take men up to her room anymore.

"I feel fine, Doc," Kitty said as she wrung her hands.

Doc observed Kitty's hands. "Are you sure? I can give you an exam."

"I'm sure. I don't need an exam," Kitty assured him. "I came by to say goodbye."

"Goodbye?" Doc questioned. "What in tarnation are you talking about?"

Kitty sat down at Doc's desk and absently began to play with the pen that was on it. "I've decided to go back to New Orleans with my father. Bill Pence and I are no longer partners. I'm going to put my money in my father's freight business. He and I are going to work together."

Doc did not know what to do or say. He tugged at ear and swiped at his mustache several times before he found his voice. "Does Matt know yer leaving?"

Kitty shook her head yes. "I told him last night."

"How did he take the news?" Doc asked, still trying to absorb the shocking news Kitty had delivered.

"How do you think it went?" Kitty answered with a question of her own.

"Not very well," Doc replied. "Well, I don't blame him."

Like Matt, Doc wasn't too sure if he trusted Wayne Russell. There was something about the guy that rubbed him the wrong way. Yes, Doc had a great time the other night eating and drinking with the man, but that was different. When it came to Kitty's personal welfare, Doc thought differently. He did not want to see Kitty get hurt.

"Kitty, are you sure you can trust him?" asked Doc. "I don't want to see you get hurt."

Kitty stood up. "Please don't start that, Doc. Matt said the same thing. I'll tell you what I told him. I grew up without a father. I've been given a chance to have one and I'm not going to waste it. I know he made a poor choice when he walked out on my mother and me, but I've decided to give him a second chance. I didn't come over here to argue with you. I came to say goodbye and to know that I have your support."

"I don't want to argue either," Doc told Kitty. "I don't want you to go, but you have my support." Doc pulled Kitty into a hug. He wanted to tell her that he thought of her as a daughter and would be more than happy to be the father that she longed for, but knew it would be of no avail. Doc let go of Kitty and noticed the tears pooling in her eyes. He could feel his own tears starting to pool. "When are you leaving?"

"On the eleven o'clock stage," Kitty answered.

"Darn," Doc declared. "I won't be able to see you off. I have to make a house call out to the Werner farm. Mrs. Werner is getting close to her due date. I want you to promise me that you'll write. Don't cut me out of your life."

"Don't worry, Doc. I'll write. You won't be cut out of my life," Kitty promised. She gave Doc one last hug and a small kiss on the cheek. "I still need to say goodbye to Chester and I have business to do with Bill Pence at the bank. I should get going. Goodbye." Before Doc could respond, Kitty left his office.

Doc heard Kitty walk down the steps and waited until he could no longer hear her footsteps on the wooden stairs. He walked over to his window and pulled back the curtain. Doc watched Kitty walk past the Long Branch and in the direction of the jail. He would give her time to say goodbye to Chester before he gave Matt a piece of his mind. Doc could not believe that big lug of a lawman was going to let Kitty walk out of his life. Kitty Russell was the best thing that ever happened to that man.

Doc packed his medical bag for his trip out to the Werner farm. He didn't have to be out there for another hour. If he gave Kitty time to say goodbye to Chester and walked over there to talk with Matt, he would still have plenty of time to get to the Werner's. Fifteen minutes had gone by. Doc figured that was plenty of time for Kitty to tell Chester that she was leaving. Doc put on his well-worn jacket and bowler hat. He left his office and made his way to the jail. He was going to have words with Matt Dillon.

TBC