Love again

[Lovely]

June 15, Year 2
evening


The girls from Tessa's house were there at the saloon... especially on a Saturday night while the serious card players are there... with the serious boozing and money tossing - some at them, but MUCH at Maggie and Lucky. It was a bit of a rauckus party and just the kind of thing wehre someone might come in to 'lay low' and not cause trouble, get lost in the crowd except that if Ev is out and about he'd be right in the middle of that party. He was not partying himself, as he'd told Liza... he was working... He smiles and chews on his cigar - the only place he can smoke it. He was mainly trying to keep Sloane standing and keep Alex and Cody from going at each other as usual... and keep King-swill and any of his maggots under control, adams likewise.

Someone was there who didn't really want Sloane standing and was doing her best to flirt with him.. a bit shamelessly. "Would you be interested in finding out how I make the girls there all a flutter and glazed eyed smiles?"

He chuckled and said. "I already know some... do it well enough myself... but I am curious.."

"Mmm do you? Maybe I'd consider letting you show me.."

Ev sees what's going and gives him a nod. ".. good deputy has to make sure the lady makes it safe back to her room n all."

Sloane slips down the last of Cody's whiskey while he's betting and tips his hat back on. "Looks like I'm officially...off duty. Shall we miss Westgate?"

"The pleasure is mine deputy.. thank you kindly for seeing me safely.. back." Smiles with that look which is just so inviting.

Cody didn't even look up past his cards other than to watch Alex carefully. The man hadn't been in a game since he'd gone off and scooping up Miss Palmer as his wife. He figured there was somehow he cheated at that too and he was going to catch him doing it one day. His sister went unnoticed as did his disappearing drink when Sloane passed by him. He put another nickle and sat back, his confidence obviously larger than the hand he held close to himself.

"Careful Shortshaft... doesn't take much to beat ya when ya... 'aint got a pair'," Sloane muttered, reminding him that he was doomed to be pounded under the table as always when he played against a Carlisle. "Don't wait up, now." He tipped his hat at the boy and slithered off with the luxurious blonde.

Bold as some of the 'girls' present, Jaime wrapped one arm around his waist and set her other hand to his chest, looking up at him coyly but with a fire in her eyes that was hard to mistake for innocence.

[Lovely]

Sloane's mind was churning like a murky rain barrell in a downpour and the lack of innocence in her smile was met with his own and a raised eyebrow. "I'll see that and raise you..," he whispered to her as he wrapped around her and shuffled out to the street.

She giggled as they shifted out into the street, she didn't shy away from him as they came out into public though. The night was cooler than the day had been and she snuggled up closer to the hunk of a man. "Why mister Palmer.. are you trying to make me blush?" Her fingers played subtley with the buttons of his shirt as she gazed up at him.

"Ma'am, I ain't trying to make nobody do nothin... I'm succeeding, looks like. Looks like it's probably just the chill in this night air. Best make sure we ... keep you all nice and warm," he suggested, hugging a little tighter and taking a whiff of the air and her soaps.

"Now mister Palmer... what if I said I like you makin me blush?.. not many can.." She told him in a sweet purr as she lifted her eyes and her smile, just so.. nearly daring him to taste her lips right there.

"Mighty fine night, Miss Westgate, mighty fine," he said, his teeth holding his lip away with the words though it was hard work. Though she stayed at Tess's she'd made it very clear she wasn't on staff. He wondered though just what price he might have to pay to keep her company.. baubles, promises, dinners, a coach to the city and back? His mind burbled and billowed around such schemes as they walked and he watched her, nearly careening himself into a support on the boardwalk when he wasn't watching his feet.

"Careful.. wouldn't want you to knock yourself flat on your back here in the street." Her smile curved dangerously as her voice lowered. "I was planning on doing that myself once I got you alone." Her finger crawled up to touch and tease over his lips softly. She was certainly tempting him now.

"Mighty fine," he whispered, nodding like he sucked down a choice glass of cool whiskey, feeling the burn all the way down... and the heat all the way through and up into his ears as her finger played over his lip that had been briefly numbed by the sip he'd had of Cody's. "Might almost say... quite invitin'. Did I say it was chilly out here? I'm definitely... oooo... chills," he shivered, though it definitely wasn't cold making him, or making his smile widen with ideas. "Best get on in... soon."

"Why? Don't you like the chills?" She laughed softly, sliding herself around and in front of him, pressing against him more boldly, more seductively, though not making a huge display of it. "Sloane.." She used his first name, smiling with that playful glimmer to her eyes. "If I asked you to kiss me right here.. would you?"

He glanced around for Cody... and her father... though it wasn't likely the lawyerman knew that eight o'clock came around twice a day and was probably asleep already. Horrible waste to a Saturday night, he thought. "And what a horrible waste to say no to such a tempting... yes."

Her eyes lit up in ways he probably had never seen in any girl, especially not one that seemed so jaded as she pretended to be. "Sloane.." She whispered softly, her face still playful, yet sweet at the same time. "..kiss me?" Her hand rested at the back of his collar and she hoped he'd be true and kiss her, right there in the street.

[Lovely]

She'd told him once, she didn't care much what others thought. Most of the time he didn't either. The ones that made him think twice about it now were nowhere to be seen and Everitt knew.. seemed to give his blessing even. Something about the Carlisle point of view he always disagreed with except one thing Ev told him a long time ago... long as they didn't take up a cell and give out tickets, then it was discreet enough as long as it was sincere. Took Sloane a long time to figure what all that meant until he'd seen Ev with Elizabeth the first time... and that scoundrel brother of his Patrick when the truth came out about his marriage to Jaime's sister. Sincere meant you didn't have to be discrete... and the kiss he offered was definitely... sincere. He had to keep the girl warm out here in the cool night, afterall.

She sighed out softly, perfectly happy for that lingering shining moment as he kissed her. She had been 'naughty' and bad and didn't conform to what society thought was proper like, but she wasn't a horrible person. Her parent's called her wicked, but she wasn't.. cold at times, but mostly she just followed her heart.. wherever it might lead her. Never in her whole life did she consider it would lead her back to Atasco Creek and to the arms of Sloane Palmer. The kiss she gave in return was sincere, sweetly tender and full of passion.

"Haven't had the right chance to welcome you home yet... Jaime," he'd dared twice now, first with the kiss and now with a familiar name in public and the sweat of fear beaded gently below his brim. It faded quickly when there wasn't a rifle barrel knotting up his spine. He chuckled and pulled her close again for another kiss.

Her eyes closed to the sting of tears which slipped unchecked down her cheeks, only a few but enough to betray her heart, which was still and always would be his. "I was starting to think maybe you weren't going to." She whispered, her eyes still closed, her hand gently against his cheek. "Or maybe.. you'd just forgotten all about me after my father sent me away."

"Forgotten?! I declare Miss Westgate, I think you mistook me for a mule," he said a little louder than he meant at first before he cowered down into a whisper. "Honest mistake. Hm... better get you in before I give us more reason that Tess will turn me out on my ear thinking I'm too drunk for the place tonight."

She looked up at him and giggled softly. "Well you always were stubborn.. once you set your mind to something.. if you knew it was right.. that's just how it was going to be... always liked that.." She smiled, brushing her fingers over his cheek and turned, taking his arm again to finish the walk to Tessa's.

"Well then allow me to tell you how it's gonna be, then... I think you'll still like that," he tugged a little to walk a bit faster. If he walked in too slow, Tess might think Jaime was just holding him up. Too fast was too eager though and he slowed down again. Chances were pretty darn good Chance hadn't ever mentioned any of the particulars about him and Jaime and the explaining... wasn't going to happen tonight or ever if he had half a mind... and Tess had her doubts apparently that he even had that much some nights, he was sure.

"Well.. I suppose it depends on what all you're telling me." She smiled and quickened her steps to keep up with him, holding his arm.. she wasn't letting go. She stopped at Tessa's door and turned to face him a little.

[Lovely]

"I'm telling you I'm giving you a good and sure welcoming if you know what's good for you, missy," he said, trying to sound stern like her father had, but twisting it a little.

Her smile curled up and she looked up at him, setting her hand to one of his shoulders. "Well then.." The other hand, reached behind her to open the door as she took a step back and into the house, her eyes inviting him to show her his welcome home.

He knew his way around the house well enough, but she made him stumble and forget himself. He was in the door before remembering his hat, sliding it off and fumbling to keep it out of the way as she led the way to the room she'd taken as her own. A moment later he was looking around for Tess, and any of the girls he'd made promises to who might have a bit of an issue seeing him with the wiley Westgate girl who'd only recently arrived back in town.

She wasn't concerned about the other girls so much as they knew she had not taken up residence in Tessa's house to gain any profit for herself and she also paid the madame a weekly rent. Her eyes were on Sloane only as she moved back toward the room she'd been given for the length of her stay, like Tessa's it was not upstairs with the other girl's rooms, she led him past the entrance to the stairwell on the opposite side of Tessa's room and slipped a key from her pocket to unlock the door, pulling him into the dark room with her.

Sloane looked into the darkened room, seeing the outline of the window where her curtains were drawn tight and the silhouette of her dressing screen and the rest. Once his eyes had a dim idea of where things were, the door was closed behind them and his hat tossed as near the chair as he cared about for now, pulling himself closer to her embrace. "Damn him to hell for taking you away, Jaime," he hissed with no apology now that they were tucked away privately to themselves.

She felt his hissed words tear at her heart and she was moving toward him as he pulled himself closer, gently colliding with him, her arms wrapped up around him tightly. "Shhh.. I'm back now.. he can't send me away again.. I came back to you." She whispered, kissing his cheeks, lips, neck, everywhere she could.

"Ain't proper though," he said, not keeping her from her attentions and returning them as he spun her in the dark closer to the posts behind her. "Isn't this disrespectful... ?" He didn't rightly care and wasn't likely to stop anyhow.

She paused, a soft chuckle floating out as her fingers brushed his cheek. "You want to make it proper?" She asked him in a soft whisper, meaning to tease him, before she kissed him again.

Sloane's mule-thick noggin didn't quite take in her meaning and he gave her a strange look. "What? Now... make what 'what' proper?" He didn't think on it too long, reaching out to the quilted tuft beside them and sliding himself across it, intending to have her fall there beside him.

She laughed and shook her head, falling down on the quilt beside him and curling herself close to him. "I don't know you're the one who said it wasn't proper.." She poked his chest lightly with her finger and leaned to nibble his ear.

[Lovely]

"Said I thought it wasn't proper... never been in love with a widow before. Can I do that? Not likely to go and run over to get Gully's ear to see if I need permission or somethin' to bed a dead man's wife that shoulda been my wife to start with. Damn him too if he ain't already... shoulda been me," he pouted though he kept trying for kisses and warmth.

"Of course you can love a widow.. you loved me before I was one right?.. Not your fault what happened." She kissed his neck softly. "Please... don't say things like that.. about bedding and .. like it's the only thing you want.. I like the rest better about shoulda been you.. it will be you.." Her fingers stroked his cheek as she leaned to his lips again.

"Bein' a mule's behind," he sighed and laid his shoulders back as he apologized though he reached up part-way to meet her kiss. "Will be me how? What are you jawin' about, Jai? I did only have that one glass of Cody's right?" He wasn't sure now and his head was murky again with thoughts trying to understand what she meant.

She bit her lip and slowly brought herself up over him to look down into his eyes in the dark. "I meant it would be you... you'd be the one, the first, the only man.. I'll ever..." Her voice was a whisper and she looked a little scared. "Keep a secret?"

He lifted his head up wondering if being closer would make more clear what he thought he was hearing. His elbows pulled up at his sides and propped him up. "Secret about what? This better not be anything about Chance... or Cody. I don't care to hear it if it is."

"Sloane!" She still whispered even though it was an exclaimation this time as she punched his arm. "I am not trying to talk about your brothers or mine.. I'm trying to tell you something.. important." She sighed, biting her lip more and bringing her fingers to his cheek and her eyes to his, voice low. "I'm trying to tell you I'm still.. That I haven't ever.. with a man.. my marriage was never.. consumated!" She held her lip, her eyes full of fear for anyone knowing any different from what story had been told. "He never.. we never.." She gestured between the two of them hoping he was understanding what she was trying to say.

"So you never..?" His fingers moved like hers between them though he could scarcely see them or her, and she would not clearly see the huge smile that finally came over his face, but would feel it in the kiss before she could answer. He chuckled and lay back, stretching out more comfortably, almost victoriously. "Come down here and tell me that one more time."

At first she thought he didn't believe her and a pout started to form on her lips but he landed his kiss on her mouth and she felt his smile. She kissed him back for as long as he let her and her eyes were half shuttered as she lay down beside him. "I never.." She whispered and this time it was her who closed the space and she kissed him.

He let the kiss soak slowly into his chilled heart, warming it up and keeping the chill of the room away. After a moment it was becoming too warm to bear and he shifted again to start undoing his shirt. "So all this time I've been hissin' like a rattle snake for no reason? Boots...," he said, realizing he was close to messing up the bed with them and he had better things in mind to do that. "Then, you and me and all this wasted time made up right now."

[Lovely]

"Not for no reason.. maybe.. depends on how you feel about what a man can do to a girl.. or for my being sent away in the first place.." She pouted now and watched him shift to take his boots off, so sad and yet so happy at once. Part of her wished he'd hiss and be angry for all that had happened to her since she was ripped away, she wanted him to insist she be his always and take her right to the preacher and make her his wife as it should have been in the first place. Another part of her only cared that he was with her now and that he would be the only one, even if he didn't feel the same.. she would lay with him and no other man would have her. She'd fought her way back to him and she wouldn't turn him away, she reached out to gently stroke her fingers through his hair from his temple to the nape of his neck. "Promise.. no more wasted time.. for either of us."

The boots hit the floor and he marveled a moment how different the sound was down here than upstairs where he'd spent many nights since Jaime had left. Her words and the touch in his hair made him turn and curl around her. "I like that promise," he said, also liking the fingers in his hair. Her others words dug deeper. "Besides the being sent away part, what all was I supposed to hiss at? Fools made you get married and that was under the eyes of God. I can't hiss at that... well, not too much," he shrugged a little. "You already said you didn't... so between the his 'i do' and your 'i don't', there's not much I had a say in to hiss at, was there?"

Her eyes flared with anger shining bright enough he might even see it in the darkness, her head shook and her fingers curled as she all but growled. "Nothing you had a say in, I guess.. so it doesn't matter." She almost pushed him away, she wanted to scream and make him see how she'd suffered but he'd pretty much told her none of it mattered. The tears stung her eyes and she tugged him to a kiss that wasn't as tender as her others, it was a bit rough, filled her hurt and anger. "Just hush and do what you came for.." She pulled at his shirt, maybe talking and pouring her heart out to him wasn't the best idea and it would be better to lose herself in his kiss.

Sloane soaked up the kiss but felt the change and the tremble of her anger. She'd been gone a long time, but he remembered well how she kept things hidden, she just couldn't hide well from him. "What I came for was to keep you mine, Jaime. Not just... is that all you think I want? I might be as sharp as a horseshoe some days, but I think you're not telling me something I really should know about."

"Then keep me yours Sloane.. keep me yours for always and a day.. That's what I want.. what I always wanted.. wanted your love, your name, your babies if we'd ever have them.. just you and whatever life sent us.. I don't pretend to know what you want, I just know what I want.. what I never stopped wanting." She leaned back and her sigh was heavy, she wiped a few tears that escaped. "I think you may not want me anymore if you know what he did to me.. if you see.. but you're right.. you should know." Her fingers deftly though reluctantly loosened her laces and she reached to light to the candle by the bed. It wasn't alot of light but enough he'd be able to see. "You sure you want to know?" She asked over her shoulder as she lowered her dress, revealing her back and the criss cross of mark over mark over mark from the whipping her former husband had been giving her when his heart gave out on their wedding night and of the many beatings he'd given before that. "Maybe now you'll understand why I'm so angry.. and so scared.."

[Lovely]

He swung his feet back to the floor as she lit her candle and reached out to the marks she showed him. The other hand made a fist he punched into the quilt. "If that snake wasn't already dead I'd shoot him myself," he said, hissing again. "What have you got to be scared of, though? That part I don't get. You're back, I'm here, you say we can and I think we need to visit Gully in the morning. Not waking the preacher tonight. We're doing this right and right in front of Westg-... your father's steaming face."

Jaime looked at him for a long moment before turning her face to the front, letting him touch the marks, wincing a little as some were still tender. Her shoulder lifted in a gentle shrug and she spoke softly. "Scared that you wouldn't want to keep me.. or maybe not want me at all, knowing how he marked me up.." She admitted to him, holding the dress around her but not pulling it all back up again.

"Makes no difference if they're scars or freckles. Doesn't change who you are to me," he said, moving around her a little as she turned so she could see his face in the candlelight. "Makes a heap of difference how they got there, though he was already taken out of this world before I had the chance, or I'd have done it for you." He reached for her hand. "Don't ever be scared of that."

She smiled faintly and her chin lifted so she could look into his eyes, her fingers clasped at his and she let the dress slip a bit more as she shifted that much closer to him. "I wont be scared of that now.." She whispered her smile shining a little more and she leaned up for a kiss. "Are you really going to take me to see Gully in the morning?"

"In the morning. The only one who gets to see you tonight is me. I've waited too long, you've waited too long. Though if you're thinking, to make it really alright, that we should wait for tomorrow then... you tell me. Far as anyone knows, you're a widow and the difference of a few hours ain't that much in my book," he said, trying to reason between helping the dress fall further, or helping her keep herself hidden and whole one more day.

She was torn herself and she bit her lower lip, holding her dress with one hand and his hand with her other, she gave him the shy yet inviting look she'd given him so many times when they'd snuck off to the river together. "Will you stay with me tonight.. and just not.. take it farther than when we used to sneak to the river, until we've seen Gully and it's proper..?" She asked him softly, wanting him close to her and wanting to go farther but to wait a few hours and be his wife first would make it even sweeter.

Had he truly proposed? Sloane slowly moved back to the pillow. He felt light headed and stared up at the ceiling, thinking of the rooms above them and the girls he'd adored, but none so much as Jaime. He reached out for her and agreed. "Put out the candle and stay a while this time," he said, agreeing to the chaste company. Let the others talk, he'd decided. They'd shut themselves up soon as they met up with Gully. The problem would still be her father, but as best as he could see it, Westgate didn't own half the town and didn't have any influence over the preacher that he'd seen. He just hoped that wouldn't change come morning.

She watched him, just about holding her breath as he fell back to the pillow and she waited for him to answer her. The smile that burst forth when he told her to blow out the candle could have lit the room with it's shine. She almost whooped but held it back and it came out as a soft giggle, the candle was put out and she climbed up beside him. "I love you." She brushed to words over his ear in a sweet whisper of a kiss.

[Lovely]

"You love me...," he said, hearing her voice echo the words over and over. He turned. "Well don't that beat all? Cuz I love the girl of my dreams and she's right here saying that to me? I love you too, Jaime Westgate. You are a Westgate again.. but not for long."

"Been in love with you since the first time we snuck out and you kissed me by the river in the moonlight.. you stole my heart and I never want it back." She told him, growing more brave as she lay beside him, knowing he still wanted and loved her. ".. not for long.. and then I'll have the name I should have."

"Really? I was thinking of taking yours," he teased and cuddled her closer. Although she couldn't see his hand out before him, he could imagine all the same, a large poster of the announcement showing her name. "Jaime Palmer. Almost an outlaw sounding name, isn't it? Jaime... Palmer... Most wanted."

"You don't want mine.. I don't even want mine." She chuckled and snuggled in close as he cuddled her, her smile seemed stuck now, she couldn't stop smiling. "Jaime Palmer.. mm now that has a nice ring to it.. If I'm most wanted and your a deputy, you're going to have to take me into custody.. lock me up and throw away the key.. cause I never want you to let me go."

"Already got you in custody right here, ma'am. No man in his right-thinking mind will mess with Deputy Palmer... or his -wife-," he said, accenting the word and the idea a little more with a hug and a little tickle. He was quickly warming up to the idea he'd so deeply buried and it seemed to take much of the sharp edge from him.

"Well then you best bring your kisses over here.. or I might start fussing." She teased him, shifting her hand to run up his chest and over his shoulder to push away his unbuttoned shirt. Their trips to the river hadn't left much to the imagination, especially on the hottest of nights but they'd both been a little younger then. She felt the bulkier muscle of his arm beneath her fingers and sighed softly, wanting to explore every inch of him but also not wanting to spoil things since they'd be wed proper tomorrow.

"What happens if you start fussing? Will you start ripping things?" He chuckled and moved his arms from the sleeves. He didn't keep the kisses away long, but had to keep them tame and keep his heart from bursting through his chest. The way she touched his arm sparked memories for him as well, most of how her hair shone under moonlight. He couldn't see it, but could remember.He also had to keep himself from being forceful and demanding. She wasn't one of Tessa's girls who were paid to please and sober him up to send him back to work in the morning. That wasn't at all what he wanted from her and he told her that, but being so close after being denied for so long was taking its toll on him. "Jaime, you better not fuss or .. not fuss.. or I may not wait."

[Lovely]

If he asked, she would have to admit the kissing was working her up in all sorts of ways and she was sorely tempted not to make him wait. She brought her hand to his cheek and sighed with her own longing to close the gap between them and know him in the way she'd been dreaming of since the first night they snuck off. "Only a few hours of behaving.. part of me doesn't want to.. wait.. but if we do.. everything will be the way it's supposed to be.. You are a man who is certainly worth waiting for." She stole a soft kiss and shifted away to fix her dress and make herself less tempting so the wait wouldn't be any harder on him than it already was. A thought occurred to her and her fingers froze on her laces. "Is it too much.. to ask you to stay and ask you to wait? I want you here but I don't want to be cruel, keeping you so close if you don't want to wait.. or can't."

He sighed and she would not see the frown that was more due to her shifting away. "It's not a 'can't', because I can. I want to make sure you know that I don't want to and maybe it is this place. Not exactly a stranger, but that's to the rooms upstairs. Never been in here before, so it's new, but it's not new. I'm not sure how to say that's not gonne make you fuss. If you think I oughta.. I can go... maybe use the cot down at the jailhouse. Wouldn't be the first time, but I'm surely not goin' home."

She listened and then sighed herself, finishing the laces of her dress and then leaning down to take off her shoes. "I don't want you to leave.." She looked up to the ceiling though it was dark and even in the daytime she couldn't see through it to the rooms. "I'm not going to fuss.. about you not wanting to wait, to tell the truth part of me doesn't either. I know it will sound silly but you used make me all breathless and tempted but then I'd always make you wait.. and it wasn't supposed to be for this long, just till we made it proper.. anyway if I wait just a little longer till it is.. it will be even more special and I can sort of pretend a little that all the bad stuff that happened between then and now didn't really happen.. maybe it'll hurt a little less." She shifted back to lay on the pillow next to him, seeking his hand in the dark. "Like I said it sounds silly."

"Don't think it's silly at all, but breathless? Do you still think that?" Her fingers danced around him and he caught them, tangling them around his own. "Don't think anyone ever said that about me, or thought it before. Just remember to start breathing again at daybreak. I can't guarantee I'll wait any longer than that."

"Of course I still think it, wouldn't want you so badly if I didn't, and I definitely wouldn't want you to keep me.. Sloane Palmer you are the most handsome man this county will ever see.. and you're mine all mine! Now hush." She teased him by shushing him and shifted to give him another soft kiss. "We ought to try to get some sleep.. we have alot of making up for lost time to do tomorrow.. might even be days before we take a break."