Is that a challenge? (Lily, Patrick)

[Lovely]

July 2, Year 1
(Late evening)

Lily was concentrating on the stack of letters she shuffled as he stepped through the door, nearly knocking her aside. Patrick dodged from the collision, but one of her envelopes sifted to the ground as she likewise sidestepped, seeing him but barely acknowledging him as she continued on her way.

Patrick picked up the letter and moved swiftly to a step before her, tapping the envelope on his finger. "Esquire?" He mused, reading the name of address. "Reserved for attorneys-at-law... or eccentrics. So I am thinking the esteemed Mr. Westgate is a lawyer?" He mused a moment longer and begged that she stop a moment as he began to immitate his brother, the sheriff, mumbling his known distaste for 'officers'. The act was not entirely unlike Everitt would sound, but quite a bit quieter should the man be nearby, "Kill him now... lawyer.. rules monger... make my life difficult..."

Lily rolls her eyes.."Yeah.. try having him for a father.." She'd picked up the post while in town earlier and then had gone visiting, she was now making her way home.

"Careful what curse you speak, lovely girl.. might become true someday.. in a manner of speaking..."

"Please.. like you would ever.."

"Don't give a challenge you're not willing to accept the consequences of, Lily... if I did, then what would you do?"

"That decision.. is up to my father.. and I'd make your life hell.."

"More siblings than I can count and you think you can do worse? That is a challenge I might accept," he chuckled.

"I could.. and I would... your life would be a painful misery.. if you thought for one minute that you could own me.. as a husband does... or that I'm yours."

He shrugged, "What is pain, really? A sensation that reminds you that you're mortal... moreso it reminds you just how alive you are... it makes a man appreciate things all the more," he winked.

She laughed and folded her arms. "I'd almost like to see you try... not that my daddy would ever let you.."

"The game is on then," he smirked, a devilish sneer behind a gleam of delight in his eyes. It was an expression shared by his brothers, each of them full of irish charm and more full of cunning and mischief, not the least of them being the sheriff. "To be your suitor and to gain your hand and your father's approval."

She chuckled and then stood stock still staring at him. Slowly her head titled to the side and she raised an eyebrow. "You... ...surely you're not serious?"

"I am...," he chuckled, looking around for an item. "I'll prove it... that I mean to do this. Here... I know... my charm.. this charm, I mean." He slipped a cord and small medallion from his neck. "Each of my siblings was given a saint to protect us by our grandmother before she passed on. By giving you this, I give you my word, that I will be your very slave for a year to earn it back if I do not win your heart and your father's approval by the harvest moon."

She gazed at him in disbelief and then shock as he took the medallion from his neck. She narrowed her eyes and her expression grew curious. "And if you.. win..?"

"Then you admit.. to me and one witness... human witness, not the cat... that you have been caught.. and that your heart is mine."

"That's all? I just have to admit it?" She laughed. "Don't expect for one moment.. I'll make it at all easy for you."

"I'm hoping with all my heart that you make it as difficult as possible," he grinned darkly.

"good.. because I kind of like this..." She smiled and slipped the cord around her neck. "And I'll enjoy your year of servitude even more.."

He nodded and stood to give a flourishing bow, looking up to her from his bent position, "Starting tomorrow at dawn's light to present the most challenge, yes?"

She tilted her head, regally and gave a single nod. "You're going down.."

"We shall see, m'lady," he said softly, standing upright and straight. He had an odd manner about him and spoke differently from his siblings, sounding more like the characters he'd read about in stories.

She smiled softly and shook her head. "This starts tomorrow.. at dawn.. correct? Which means.. you have a few more hours.. where I might be nice to you."

"If you wish," he nodded.

She shrugged. "We'll see."

Her fingers played with the medallion, rubbing ligthly over it. She made sure the cord was secure and then slipped the medallion into the top of her dress, nestling it there.

He smirked again, watching it fall into place, imagining where it rested. He brushed the tip of his nose to stow the smirk and return to an at-ease stance, his hands clasped behind his back. "Or... if you don't wish to be.. that is your choice as well."

She stepped closer to him, reaching for his hands and lacing her fingers with his, behind his back. Pressing against him lightly, and smiling up at him, wickedly. "Well since.. I'm going to have so long not to be... " She chuckled. "Would you like.. a little niceness?"

"Only if it comes naturally," he whispered. "Whatever you wish to do, the night is yours... and the loft is locked and empty, yes?"

She sighed and leaned up to kiss his lips, nipping lightly with hers. "Yes.. mine.." She murmured to his lips. "Shall we?"

His nod nestled his lips to hers more solidly for a short moment before he pulled away with a longing sigh. "Lead and I shall follow..."

She giggled softly and kept hold of one of his hands. Turning and pulling him down between the buildings and heading towards their 'hideaway'

[Lovely]

He followed for a short distance before moving ahead and pausing, holding her back from entering the main street. The saloon wasn't often empty this time of night and they needed to pass it to get to the smithy or go around behind and risk running into the dogs that roamed and would surely raise alarm at their passing. The buildings were all connected, however, with the smithy at the end. He looked up at the buildings and glanced to her. "Care for a little adventure along the way?"

She grinned and nodded. "Of course!" Her eyes followed his up and she wondered what he had in mind.

"On the wings of angels... c'mon," he grinned, running off back behind the building where they were and launching himself from the water trough to the porch above the main walk. He turned back and motioned her to step up on the edge where he'd leapt and he would pull her up from there.

She followed and couldn't help smiling as he leapt and landed. Were it not for the fact that they needed to sneak, she would have let the delighted laugh flow, but she remained quiet. Lily moved to step up, being careful of her dress and shoes, which could easily get caught or cause her to slip. Her arm raised as she balanced with one hand and the other reached for him.

A blacksmith's arm, it was strong enough to hold her easily as she grasped and he lifted her up to the level where he clung to the post, the board across from post to post being broken and down to let her and her skirts past mostly unhindered. Once on the porch, he pointed up another level, to the very roof itself, unless she wished to pass the windows of the sleeping quarters along the porches and jump from one to the next, the largest space between being over the very door of the saloon they wished to get past without anyone seeing.

She looked up to the roof and nodded, though she chewed her lip, having never climbed up like this before. Her hands rested on his strong arms as she looked up. "You won't let me fall..?"

He gave her a look that indicated she had gone mad if she thought he'd do her any harm or allow harm to come to her. He ducked below the first window on the porch where they stood in shadow, then was back out on the ledge, the crossbeam being secure here and below the dip of the roof where the rain would pour off, their handhold to go up. Here, he motioned for her to stand and he clasped his fingers together for a 'stirrup' to hoist her over his shoulder to step up.

She followed, ducking as he had done and rising up near him. She was nervous, but excited and not afraid of the challenge. She looked at his hands and then up again, a deep breath to hold steady and her foot moved into his hands. Her hands reached to his shoulders and she pushed herself up.

He watched her slide up to the shingles overhead and looked down the road. Had they crossed in front, there would have been a large audience to avoid from the looks of the fight that moved now from the bar to the crossroad below them. He chuckled and slung himself onto the upper ledge to join her.

She was peeking at the fight, curious to who it was and who would win, she could hear a few random shouts, but not enough was being said at the moment to know what it was about.. though there didn't have to be a reason for a fight around here.

"... never cheated at cards a day in m'life, laddie... no need... natural, they call it... like the natural cheatin' liar y'are Westgate... it was a fair hand..," the irish trill was unmistakable and unmistakably drunk... the voice of Patrick's younger brother Alex.

She inched closer to the edge and closer to Patrick. "Is your brother.. fighting with my brother?" She whispered.

He nodded with a soft chuckle, "Looks like. Though Alex better watch himself... or ol' 'shortshaft' might get the better of 'im, eh?" He teased.

"I guess you would know better than I, what my brother is hiding underneath... but I do know.. he can whoop some.. so Alex.. better watch himself."

He looked at her quizzically and whispered, "You think that's how he got the name? Not his privates, though I like the way you think. He got the name because of his favorite gun... shortened the barrel of it.. makes it... special. Never intended it as an insult."

She stilled and turned to look at him, a blush turning her cheeks shades of red. She covered her mouth with her hand as she giggled very softly. "Well.. umm.. yeah.." She shook her head.
"Good to know.." She whispered and peeked back over the edge to watch a little more of the fight.

"Still like the way you think... saucy minx... too late to postpone this challenge a full day, I suppose."

"Why would you want to postpone it?" She looked back at him curious, with a slight smirk on her lips. "Besides.. challenge or no.. I'll still think the same way."

"Because maybe I want to have more time to be naughty while you're being nice to me before I need to get smart and whisk you away sometime in the next four months."

"You.. can shtow your natch' rul... and take your marked cards wi'ya, ya... shnake... he's a shnake... look at him," Cody laughed, stumbling. "He's all...no no... he'sh... he'sh not a snake... he's... he's a dog...yeah... bark... bark bark bark... hoooooowwwwwwww.... but no bite, see? He can't beat me... nobody beats Cody Weshhhhhhtgate..." Cody's gun was up in the air as he hooted and stumbled.

"Pity for you then... Guess you'll have to find a way to get me to be nice.." She smirked at him, teasing at his words. At the noise below she turned to see. She covered her mouth and shook her head, turning to look at Patrick. "Now I know why momma doesn't let me out with him in the evenings.. she is trying to save me, having to see him act a fool.." She smiled and chuckled softly at her brother's antics.

He shook his head, "Perhaps I don’t want for you to be nice. Lots of things a lady can be, but I never require ‘nice’ to be among them. Rather, if I had my say, I’d prefer as far from it, if we understand one another?"

"Put the gun down, laddie.. you’ll put another hole in y’sorry haid wavin’ about like that." Alex stumbled forward, shaking off a bystander who tried to stop him as Cody’s hand swung down to make a gesture, clocking Alex across the jaw, sending him spinning.

Lily nearly clapped as Cody got a good hit in on Alex. She turned with a smile to Patrick and leaned to whisper softly. "But you see... you're catching yourself all up.. You don't want a girl who is nice.. and giving you what you want is nice, which means you can't have what you want..."

"Which is why I don’t ask for what I want, dear girl. I take it instead. I want nice and naughty rolled into one, but the girls in town here are too simple for that... or cost too much." He looked at her from the side as she beamed over the violence below. "You enjoy a good show, don’t you?"

She covered her mouth with her hand to keep from giggling. Lily nodded, her eyes glancing down to the boys scuffling below. "Of course I do.. don't you?" Her lips pouted as she regarded him. "You take? Hmmm... since you haven't taken anything from me, that must mean I have nothing you want." Her lips twitched, but she withheld the lurking smile. "I guess that makes me one of the simple ones.. or do I cost too much?" Her finger tapped her lips as she 'pondered' over this idea.

"Oh... look at the widdle Carlisle.. he fell down," Cody chortled, the gun falling from his hand as he moved, stumbling forward into the ground beside Alex to pick him up. "I don’t thi...think... I’m done with you jushht yet... get up... c’mon... get up, I shaid," he stammered, hoisting the smaller boy by the collar, nearly falling over him in the process.

He wouldn’t stand for being called a cheat and wouldn’t stand merely because Westgate wanted him to. Alex rose enough for leverage and flipped Cody over his shoulder, landing him to the ground to propel two fists, one to jaw, the other to stomach before he lurched off and backed away to the water barrel to wash his swollen jaw.

"Oh, is that how it is?" He mused, a delighted smile coming over his face as he leaned on his elbows, tossing an invisible splinter down to the ground below. "Didn’t want to distract you from your brother’s beating, but if you want me to make good on my word, lovely, be sure I’m sorely tempted, though not as sore as I like."

Her eyes lit with a slight challenge. "Oo such frightening words, Patrick Carlisle.. Are you going to ..take me right here.. or carry me off to your hide away?" She teased, testing and baiting him to find out more.

[Lovely]

Cody wasn’t down long. He rolled on his side and pushed himself from the dirt gracelessly, staggering to standing and chasing after Alex. Before the cup was poured over his head to rinse down, Cody had dove to Alex's back and clasped his arms around to take him downward into the mud around the barrel, the cup flying from Alex’s hand as they toppled.

Whatever luck followed him kept his face from grazing the barrel or the edge of the step beyond as he was tackled to ground, the two of them rolling away from the walkway as fists continued to fly. A gun went off behind them.

"When I decide, it is where I tend to be at the moment, dark lady. Would that I could carry you from here and not be seen, I would consider it, but that we are not seen here brings to mind all sorts of ideas of what could be carried out, yeah?"

She watched him with a bemused smile on her lips. "If you say so.." She fiegned boredom, looking at her fingers as if they were vastly interesting. When the gun went off she jerked and her hands came to her mouth, muffling the startled sound that came from her lips. Her wide eyes glanced at Patrick and she found herself inching towards him. "I believe that was our signal to be going." Her heart was slamming against her chest as she curled into the shadows and closer to Patrick.

Both boys ducked head into hand as the sound hurtled through the night air. Alex let loose of Cody’s collar, feeling more sober, sore and in need of relief suddenly as his nerves reacted to the sound. He ushered back and away from Cody, taking his leave from the scene, leaving little but dust behind in his wake.

He knew the sound from his own gun, the one he’d dropped moments earlier. Cody curled and pushed himself from the mud and gravel, dabbing at his lip. Staggering to reach his hat, he slipped it on sloppily and moved to reclaim his effets from the bystander, one of the boys from his table, who held the gun out for him to reclaim. "Damn Carlisle... he’ll get hisshh.. shomeday I reckon... he’s a cheat.. I know he issshh," Cody spat a darkened glob to the ground from his cut lip and moved back inside with the other boys.

"Hardly a reason to leave so soon as they seem to be leaving us to our own, lovely," he grinned darkly, letting her curl closer following the wayward shot. The adrenaline raced through him as well, his heart beating rapidly and wanting more excitement. He took it on himself to lean to her as she curled, setting a kiss to her neck where she huddled closely.

She shivered gently at his lips, leaning into the touch a little. "I.." She began and then fell silent. Shifting herself onto his lap and finding his lips with hers as her hand brought his hand to her chest to feel the way her heart raced.

His hand on her chest led his mind and eyes to wander where his fingers rested and over the rest of her as she trembled beneath his touch. He smiled softly and sought more from her lips, savoring the hint of a sugary naughtiness he could appreciate, nipping her lip slightly and letting his hand curl to cup and caress where it sat.

Lily was eager to learn, have, explore, play... to be and know more than her some what sheltered life had shown her. Her lips parted as the kisses deepened and she learned the taste of his mouth, a shy teasing tongue explored. His hand rubbing over her chest caused her to pause and pull her lips from his for a moment. Her eyes cast down watching him curiously, she'd never had a man touch her before him. Everything was new to her and the way his touch made her tingle was delightful and confusing. Her lips curved into a smile as her gaze lifted to his face.

"Here and now, dark lady," he murmured beneath his wolfish grin. His eyes closed gently and his lips whispered over hers before sinking deeply into them, "You bewitch me."

Her fingers brushed over his cheek bones as they slid into his hair. She held him to her kisses as she settled into his lap, her legs straddling over him and her skirts pushed up. Her heart fluttered and her breath caught at his words, like sweetness in sound to her ears. Her mind 'reeled' at the 'shock' of this dark, mysterious, wicked man saying she bewitched him.

Her fingers slid into his hair, setting more of him ablaze with want for her. Her corset prevented him from perusing more of her bosom without undoing her, but her skirts had shifted and blanketed them, keeping her from the evening chill yet allowing a straying hand to wander over her cool cream skin beneath, his rough, but gentle palm warming her calf, then knee as his fingers trailed slowly up the leg at his side.

************************

She was flushed and laid back to catch her breath, staring up into his eyes. Invigorated and exhuasted all at once. "Patrick.." She whispered his name as her fingers stroked his cheek.

He stayed nestled, not wanting the moment to end. Turning to kiss her fingers, he pulled each tip to his tongue again, but letting go to lean to her lips. "Pity our pact begins in the morning.. means I'll need to let you go... but only for a while," he whispered.

She returned the kiss with tenderness, her eyes dark with the desire he'd filled her with. "Yes.. you will have to let me go." She spoke quietly, leaving off the 'for a while' purposely.

He chuckled, "Started already, I see." He withdrew and rolled to his back, letting the breeze wash over him. He turned to regard her, watching her eyes flutter in the light.

"Not started.. yet. Simply stating the truth of what will happen."

"So certain, are you? Don't be," he said flatly, almost angered by her words. "I know what I want, lovely, and you're likely wearing her dress." He looked her over more and propped up on his arm. "Why do you feel that's the truth? When I've offered a game to win you and you're father's approval? Tell me now if I'm wasting my time to think you'd enjoy my winning such a game, this.... and then some being only part of the prize. "

"Do you think she wants the dress back?" She asked at first avoiding the question and then she sighed. "If you want .. me... then you're not wasting your time... and if you win, you get what you want." Her face turned to look at him. "I promised to give you hell... so expect no less from me... and good luck to you, on my father's approval."

"'She' is you," he chuckled and sank back down, watching the stars glimmer in the desert sky. He paused a long moment, hearing her words. She never said no to him and didn't push him away. She merely reiterated the rules of his game and kept it fair. Her father was another tale to be told and he smirked at the thought of it. He leaned to kiss her neck and speak softly. "Then stay a little longer with me now... still a long while until daybreak and your brother's just going home. Give him time to fall asleep and I'll have you home soon after," he grinned, offering her more play before the game itself would begin.