Lawyers, Guns & Money

Wanda was laughing as she set breakfast on the table. Vic had brought the map down so Heyes could review it and form a strategy. “ Did ya drink yer tea last night, missy?” Vic blushed. The Kid looked at her out of the corner of his eye and winked.
“ Well, it was certainly loud last night,” Clem announced as she put cream in her coffee.
“ Musta been some kind of wild animal.” Heyes joked.
“ Put your head under your pillow,” Vic suggested. And suffocate, you bitch.
The Kid was going over Heyes’ supply list to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything. “ Heyes, let’s take the wagon into town today and get loaded up.”
Leave me here with the bitch and she’s mine. “ Jed, we have ranch hands for that.” Vic reminded him.
He laughed and threw the paper on the table, “ You’re right. I keep forgetting.”


Vic rested her head on the Kid’s chest, looking up at the sky. Heyes and Clem were finishing off the wine and strawberries. They had decided on a final day of rest before the trip began, so Wanda had packed them a picnic and off they went to the East Meadow and it’s rocky stream and plentiful shade. Clem had come to the stables dressed in one of those citified riding shirts and Vic had to stifle a laugh. Heyes help her mount up and even though Vic had honestly chosen her tamest horse, Clem seemed to have trouble controlling her.
“ A wagon wheel,” Vic pointed and shouted. She rolled over and collected her kiss before Curry could debate her on the point.
Clem leaned over to Heyes, “ What are they doing?”
“ Don’t you remember the cloud game?” He asked.
“ That’s so juvenile…” Clem judged.
Heyes just looked over at them whispering to each other, smiling and wished he could be juvenile again sometimes. That’s one thing Heyes envied about the Kid, he hadn’t completely lost his wonder of the world, his chivalry, his flat out stubbornness when something came up that he wanted. “ So, Clem, what do you think about Kentucky?”
“ It’s so…backwards. This is just nothing like Denver. There are things to do in Denver. They don’t even have a playhouse.”
“ Well, they have a train that can take you to one.”
“ I’m thinking about what I want to do after I’m free.” He pondered.
“ Do you really think she is going to give any of her family fortune for that?” Clem asked.
“ Yeah, I do. And something to look forward to after I am a free man.” Heyes started. “ I’ll have the saloon and some very rich friends. Kentucky’s starting to look pretty good to me.”
“ How much could you get for the saloon if you sold it?” Clem inquired.
“ Who knows,” Heyes was puzzled. He was trying to get across to her his interest in having her here with him. Not wandering more.
“ You could come to Denver, if you were rich enough.” Clem teased. “ and we could have a good life.”
“ Let’s get back to the cottage,” he looked over at the Kid and Vic, who were fast asleep on the blanket in each other’s arms.


Prancer snorted and stepped nervously, as if he knew what was coming. Mr. Nightlinger was driving the wagon, with Ox riding shotgun. Heyes, Clem and the Kid all mounted up.
“ Well, to the south side of Indian Hills, then.” Heyes said.
Vic agreed,” Looked like the most promising spot to me. Let’s ride.” The small band started off across the south meadow, into the foothills and beyond. Trigger was beside her soon. “ Did you get your dust?” Jed asked. Vic nodded.
“ How about the tea? You brought the tea right?”
Vic was getting annoyed, “ I went through the packs with Wanda twice, Jed. We’ve got everything. Whiskey for Squinting Weasel, dynamite, goose down pads, picks shovels, water, gosh, did I remember the food?” she smiled over at him and then her face turned serious. “ Jed…”
Uh oh. That tone always scared the fire out of him, “ What is it, Vic.”
“ You always make sure I drink my tea. Do you not want children?”
He slowed Trigger so he could reach out for her hand, “ Of course I do. Just not right now. We need time for us first. I’m not ready to share you just yet, even with my own son.” He winked and gave Trigger his head to catch up with Heyes.
She smiled, he was right; the first one would be a son. She gave Prancer his head and they sailed to the front of the pack. She made sure to give Clem a smile as she flashed by.


“ Are we ready for lunch yet?” Clem was nearly whining. “ We have passed two very good spots already and I am ready to get out of this saddle.”
Freakin’ tenderfoot. We should have left you back at the ranch with the old women. We are not going to make good time if we are always stopping. Vic pointed up the next hill, “ There’s a good spot up over this hill here to stop. I’ll ride ahead and make sure there aren’t any Injuns waiting.”
“ Indians?” Clem was panicky. “ Is she serious, in Kentucky? That is not possible.”
“ Tell them that,” Heyes and Curry chorused in unison.
“ Hannibal, you did not say anything about Indians,” Clem admonished, “ I would have certainly remembered if you had said anything at all about Indians.”
“ They are friendly,” Heyes assured her “ You’ll be perfectly safe, and I hear they have the prettiest beads.”
“ and a pretty good supply of whiskey…” Curry joked.


With lunch out of the way, and Clem’s backside rested, the group set out to make good time to White Ridge; their camping spot for the night. A natural progression formed of Heyes, Curry and Vic riding a quarter of a mile ahead and Clem, Nightlinger and Ox bringing the wagon up behind. Full of mischief, Vic heeled Prancer and she shot around Heyes and Curry, riding circles around them as they galloped along.
“ You’re making me dizzy,” Heyes yelled.
“ She can’t ride with us, Kid. Let’s leave her behind!” she mocked his conversation back in Laredo when Heyes thought Vic too injured to ride with them. “ Well, who exactly is in behind?”
“ Well, I’d never seen you ride,” Heyes defended.
Vic galloped past the nose of his horse again, “ Well, how do you like me now?”
Better not answer that. “ Okay, I give!” Heyes conceded. “ Just stop, you’re making me dizzy.”
Vic just giggled.
“ She’s kinda different on the trail, huh?” Curry smirked proudly.

They made it to White Ridge an hour before dusk. It had plenty of water; grass, a natural corral and the Kid spotted an immense rock on the right. He smiled to himself, remembering the first time he had watched her climb a rock in her underwear to sleep. Vic started supper on the fire Ox had made as Mr. Nightlinger walked the perimeter of the camp, scoping out the terrain. “ Better an ounce of prevention than a pound of cure,” his ma had always said. He still felt guarding Vic his job; he hadn’t been too impressed with the condition those boys had brought that child back to him in. He kept it to himself; he just knew from the way Miss Vic looked at Mr. Jones that she thought he hung the moon.
Curry and Heyes went over the map again, matching it to the current terrain, making sure they were still on course and headed for the most promising spot. In his games at the saloon, Heyes had struck up a conversation with an old timer who remembered stories of a long abandoned mine at the south end of Indian Hills. There was a good wagon trail still headed that way; or so it read on the map. They were just going to have to feel their way around.

Vic had lowered the back of the wagon and Ox had found some planks and stumps enough to supply makeshift seating around it. Clem was soaking her feet in the river, picking at a blister. They finally all sat down to a meal of ham, biscuits and candied yams. Wanda had put in a pie that was quickly consumed for dessert. Heyes was just dumbfounded to watch Ox eat; he just kept shoveling it in and Heyes secretly hoped they had brought enough food. He didn’t want to be around the big guy if he was starving. He’d heard about Donner Pass and he didn’t want to take any chances.
Clem was delighted with the goose down pads and she set about picking out her spot for the night. The Kid had already taken his and Vic’s bedrolls to the top of the rock.
He found her at the stream soaking her feet while she was washing the dinner dishes.
“ Need some help?”
“ Thanks, I’m about done here; but I could use some help getting it all back to the wagon. Jed…”
oh no, there was that voice again.. He sat down next to her and brushed a curl from her face. “ What?”
“ What made you want her? Clem I mean?”
oh, do not have this conversation. You could be sleeping alone tonight. “ I’m not sure what you mean…” if she can’t explain it, then I don’t have to answer it…
“ I mean, when I look at her I see a female’s female. All bows and hats and pretty shoes and putting on the Ritz and such. If that’s what you want your women to be like, then why did you even want me? “ Vic looked genuinely concerned and was twisting that stray curl around her finger.
Easy boy, don’t show any fear… “ Well.” He cleared his throat. “ It’s pretty hard to explain why any man wants any particular woman; but you have to remember you & I were made for each other; I just didn’t know that until I met you. Maybe at one time I wanted her, but I need you and I have you and I’m not letting you go.”
She looked over at Clem and then back to Curry. “ Will you wake up one day and not want me anymore?”
She’s fucking kidding, right? “ Only when I’m dead. Now get your pretty ass up on that rock and you’ll see how much I want you.”
She smiled in the moonlight at him. “ Still going to help me carry these dishes?”
They had put everything away and he checked the horses, and then scrambled up to the top of the rock while Vic got ready for bed. He looked up at the stars to see if there were any he could remember. He still waited for her to get ready for bed. Ready for bed! Tight, cut off long johns you can see her nipples through. Curry jumped down from the top of the rock right in front of Vic. She screamed and dust went flying everywhere. The Kid could see that Heyes had already gotten the picture; he grabbed a blanket off of Mr. Nightlinger and put it around Vic. “ Red flag, red flag,” he warned her and started pushing her up the rock.
She protested all the way, “ I haven’t finished spreading my circle yet.”
“ No, honey, it’s okay, you did a great job.”
Heyes saw the blanket come sailing off of the top of the rock and land directly on Mr. Nightlinger.
“ Sorry!”
He wasn’t quite sure what he had seen, it was kind of scary, it was kind of erotic, and it was obviously something the Kid didn’t want him to see. Now he really wanted to know what was going on. He snuggled up next to Clem and closed his eyes.
“ What is that all about…” Vic was unable to finish the sentence before Curry took her lips with his. He laid her back on the bedroll, kissing her to keep her quiet and starting to run his hands over her body. She wrapped her arms around him to pull him closer and started to moan. He broke the kiss long enough to whisper in her ear, “ Ssshh. We don’t want to frighten the horses.” He danced with her tongue, with the cool night air swirling around them. It had been a long time since he had taken anyone under the stars. He would take his time and make gentle love to her; slow, sweet. If he could just get her to cooperate.
She had her eyes open as he had laid her back onto the bedroll. She remembered looking up at him to see his face framed in moonlight and the entire night sky full of stars looking down upon them. She wanted him to be gentle tonight, slow, sweet. If only she could get him to cooperate.


She heard the thundering hooves of his wicked steed; saw the black monster with the string of souls around his neck. Still hungry for his bounty; her beloved. She saw the desk clerk from the hotel in Laredo whispering secrets, pointing the way. Then he turned and looked directly at her, eyes glowing red. His lips curled; his hunger was great…

Kid Curry had been awake for a while, just watching her sleep under the moonlight; watching every curve of her body, touching her lips, her face. Humbled by beauty. He heard her whimper and she started to get restless. He lay back next to her, whispering in her ear and stroking her hair. Her back arched and she screamed her lungs out. He clamped his hand over her mouth, but too late to stifle the sound. Her eyes were open, and she looked around wildly, disoriented. Her whole body was shaking.
“ Hey, give it a rest up there, other people trying to sleep,” Heyes yelled.
“ Victoria, I’m here. You’re safe. Nod if you know who I am.”
Her eyes were still wild, but she nodded slowly and he took his hand from her mouth and gathered her up in his arms. “ What is it, Vic? What’s wrong?”
She hugged him tightly around his neck, “ Let’s forget the gold, let’s just go as far and as fast as we can. Please say we can go.”
“ Go where?” he was worried.
“ Anywhere he can’t follow, I have enough money for us to run. We can go to the Greek Islands, or China. Please! He saw me! He looked right at me!”
Curry could still feel her shaking, but she was making sense to him now. “ The bounty Hunter.”
She nodded.
“ Where?”
“ Laredo.”
He started to stroke her hair again and kiss her face. “ A long way from Kentucky. Heyes and me have had meaner chase us.”
Her face was white,” No, you haven’t.”

Kid Curry galloped alongside Heyes and slowed to a trot. “ She dreamed again last night. It scared the fire out of her. She thinks that bounty Hunter is still on our trail.”
Heyes shook his head. “ We’ve had meaner chase us.”
“ Not according to her.”
“ What does she want?”
“ For us to run.” Curry looked over at him to gauge his reaction.
“ I don’t know about you Kid, but freedom was starting to look pretty good to me.” Heyes shook his head. “ What do you say?”
“ I don’t want my life with Vic to be one step ahead of the posse.”
“Can you keep her under control?”
“ Why don’t you just ask me to put a tornado in a jar.”
“ I thought I just did.”


Clem thought it odd that today Vic was riding slower, back with her and the wagon. Mr. Nightlinger was making small talk but she didn’t seem to hear any of it.
Clem herself had tried to engage her in conversation. She wanted to know her better; she wanted to know what had finally captured the Kid’s heart. Vic just rode silently. Then a flash caught Clem’s eye on the ridge to the right of them. She could make out horses and riders, maybe a dozen or so, scattered out along the ridge. “ Mr. Nightlinger, is anybody living up here?”
“ Them be da Injuns, Missy Clem.” Nightlinger advised matter-of-factly.
Clem screamed and reined her horse, taking off at full speed. “ Indians! Heyes! Help! Indians! Don’t let them take me.”
Ox looked over at Mr. Nightlinger and shook his head slowly. “ Everybody knows we have Indians.”
Heyes wheeled his horse around to see Clem headed for him at breakneck speed. That girl could ride when she had to. “ Indians!”
Kid Curry heard it before he saw it, heard the whistling and a thud. Close by. Trigger reared, shaking his head and snorting. He pranced around nervously, and that is when the Kid saw it, a spear sticking out of the ground just ahead of him. Maybe six or seven feet long. Painted brightly with feathers on the far end. He could see Vic thundering up from the behind on Prancer; she passed them and leaning out of her saddle, jerked the spear out of the ground. She held it over her head and then heeled Prancer hard, riding away from the ridge. She went about a hundred yards before wheeling him around fast and racing back to the spot the spear had hit the first time. Rising up in the saddle, she jerked Prancer to a halt as she threw the spear back toward the ridge. She sat there, following its progress with her eyes. “ No, a little more left, c’mon. Fly, baby, fly, That’s it, c’mon. Oh darn, and it comes up short!”
A cry went up from the party on the ridge and they headed down at breakneck speed. Clem started screaming and Heyes had to hold her reins to keep her in place. “ I think they’re the friendly ones,” he assured her.
The Kid looked at Vic with a puzzled look on his face.
“ What?” she asked.
“ Exactly, what was that?”
Vic just rolled her eyes, “ the spear game. He throws it at me and I see if I can get it back to where it started. I was a little short and a little to the right.”
“ So, what do you play for?”
“ He gets a scalp.” Vic started. “ Just kidding, this is Squinting Weasel’s tribe. Boy, you can tell some people there are Indians but when they show up, the running and screaming starts.”
“ You forgot to mention that spears would be chucked in my general direction. That might have helped!” Curry snapped.


The band of Indians slowed as they approached. One tall man with three feathers from his headband yelled, “ Kay ya tay!”
Vic looked at Heyes and Curry, “ He wants to pow wow. I’ll be right back.” She trotted Prancer to the group and they stood there long enough to make Curry nervous. One of the braves was making wild hand gestures. Vic reached over and slapped him.
The Kid instinctively went for his Colt and took the safety off. He watched like a hawk for any movement that didn’t sit well with him. He let out a sigh when he saw her turn and gallop back.
“ Well, honey,” she reported, “ guess who’s coming to dinner?”
Heyes and the Kid looked at each other. “ Who?”
“ We are!” she said triumphantly.
Clem was fit to be tied. “ I will not go to their teepees and eat insects and grub worms with them.”
Vic leaned on her saddle horn and looked the Kid and Heyes in the eye. “ Do you have any idea why we have friendly Indians on our land?”
They shook their heads without even a guess.
“ Because we don’t piss them off.”
Curry looked confused. “ I saw you slap one of them.”
“ He had a big mosquito on his face. Enormous.”
Heyes looked back at the wagon, “ Hey, who’s hungry?”
Vic reached out to pat Clem on the shoulder,” Oh, c’mon, it’ll be fun. They make a great squash casserole.”


They rode into the settlement, amid teepees and log cabins alike. There were children playing stick hoops and several open fire pits with roasting wild boar. Some of the braves and squaws alike waved in greeting. Mr. Nightlinger returned the greetings and brought the wagon to a stop in front of a large wooden barn. The braves led the riders to two large teepees hooked together and dismounted. The rest did when they saw Vic slide off of Prancer. Young Indian boys came to lead their horses off toward the barn.

“ Quapla Victoria.” One of the braves called inside the teepee. Soon Squinting Eagle emerged with a woman at his side. “ Sweet pea! How are you child? “ He gave her a big hug and immediately checked for the scar on her forehead. “ That’s not even going to be visible soon.” He looked at he rest of the group and seemed genuinely surprised to see Heyes and Curry. “ Gentlemen, Greetings! “ He turned to the woman at his side. “ These are the real outlaws I was telling you about! Tiny Squaw, this is Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry; gentlemen, my wife Tiny Squaw. Oh, you are staying for the evening meal I hope. Roast boar with a plum reduction glaze, garlic potatoes, squash casserole…”
“ Yummy!” Vic exclaimed. Clem looked pale.
“ Great Father, we need to speak with you privately.” Vic requested.
“ Well, certainly, come on in, there’s plenty of room, it’s a double wide.”
He ducked through the opening that Tiny Squaw was holding open for them. Vic grabbed the Kid’s hand and led him inside, motioning for Heyes to follow. Heyes grabbed Clem and jerked her inside. Inside the spacious interior, Squinting Weasel was already sitting by a central fire on a pile of buffalo skins and motioned for the others to sit. Tiny Squaw handed him a long pipe and he held the tip upward, uttering “ Quar vene.” She lit it for him and he passed it to Victoria, she held the tip skyward
“ Quar vene.” And she took a long draw on the pipe and passed it to the Kid who just looked at it, Vic nudged him and motioned with her fingers for him to raise the pipe.
He gave her a sour look and raised the pipe and spoke the words. After all in the circle had taken their turn on the pipe, Squinting Weasel handed her a brightly colored stick
with leather thongs and feathers wrapped around it.
“ You many speak, Good Daughter.”
“ I dream walked again.”
“ Did you run out of dust? How many times have I told you to buy in bulk?”
“ No,” she glanced sideways at the Kid, “ it was an accident. But the dark rider, he saw me.”
“ Are you certain?”
“ Are you kidding?” Clem said and started to get up and walk out. Heyes pulled her back down with an apologetic look on his face.
Vic was holding back tears, “ His eyes were red, and he saw me.”
“His black mark is upon you, he will follow it. You must be cleansed. ” He looked at Kid Curry, “ are you still the primary individual responsible for payment on behalf of the patient? “
The Kid leaned over the Heyes and whispered, “ Does that mean he wants another hundred bucks?”
“ Oh, at least, Kid. At least.”
“ When the moon shows it’s full face to us, then Twisted Oak will proceed. Until then, you must rest and we shall eat. Tiny Squaw, do we still have that case of merlot?”

They were shown to three teepees in the middle of the camp. The Kid led Vic into one, Heyes and Clem took the middle one and Ox and Nightlinger, the third.
Clem took one look around and put her hands on her hips.” I am not staying in this flea bitten hole. “
“ Aw, what happened to that cabin-in-the-woods, adventure-loving Clem I used to know?”
“She moved back to Denver.”
“ Look on the bright side, you’re going to get a four star dinner.” Heyes said as she flung a buffalo skin at him.
Squinting Weasel circled Vic’s teepee, spreading the dust and chanting the words, and then he stuck his head inside. “ You can let her rest now. Dinner is promptly at six and we’ll understand if you don’t dress appropriately.”
The Kid just shook his head.
“ I’m sorry.” Came the soft voice beside him. “ My life just isn’t normal.”
Curry laughed and pulled her close. “ Heyes and I passed normal a long time ago.” He stretched out on the skins next to her, “ Get some rest, I’ll be right here.”

Dinner was promptly at six and they were not late. The tribe gathered in the large great hall, and there was a buzz in the air. The Indians whispered and looked at them, and Clem whispered to Heyes and stared back at them. There were long tables and benches and at the front of the building a platform with another shorter table; obviously for the Chieftain. This was the table they were all invited to sit at, and maidens brought serving platters out, starting with Squinting Weasel and working to the back of the room. Tiny Squaw poured wine for the table, and Clem picked it up suspiciously.
“ Aw, introductions, “ Squinting Weasel started. “ to my right is Grinning Gopher, next to him is Croaking Toad, and then we have Heaving Wind and his wife Cross-eyed Doe. My brothers, on my left is Kid Curry, we all know Victoria, that is Hannibal Heyes, and my dear?”
“ Clementine Hale. “ she replied swiftly.
“ Charmed to meet you. Please all, serve yourselves and nourish your bodies…whoa Nelly, what is that thing?” Squinting Weasel yelled. Everyone turned around to see what he was talking about.
“ What thing?” Vic asked, totally dumbfounded.
“ That thing on your hand. My God, I could signal the Apaches in Wyoming with that thing.”
“ No Apaches, please,” Heyes requested.
“ Great Father, it is my wedding ring.” Vic answered simply.
Squinting Weasel slapped the Kid on the back, “ Good going, son!”
Heyes leaned over, “ How do you know I’m not the groom.”
“ Oh, please.” Tiny Squaw said.
“ We must have a fire walk in celebration!” Squinting Weasel declared.
“ Oh, please,” moaned Clem.


With dinner and the fire walk over, Tiny Squaw and Cross-eyed Doe took Victoria by the hand and led her away. She looked back over her shoulder, nodding to Jed that it was okay. Squinting Weasel gathered the men by the large bonfire and passed the pipe while they waited for the shaman, Twisted Oak to prepare himself for the cleansing.
Heyes and Curry looked at each other after they had passed the pipe six or seven times, “ What is in that pipe?” they were beginning to feel lighted headed and quite euphoric.
“ Maybe it was the boar..” Heyes suggested.
“ or the wine..”
“ garlic potatoes..”
“ I’m hungry again..”

A large brave with four feathers in his hair, carrying a pouch over his shoulder announced. “ We will begin.”
Squinting Weasel pushed himself up and motioned for Curry, Heyes, Ox and Nightlinger to follow him. They snaked their way through teepees and lodges and up a winding path to a rock overlook. There on a large stone altar, lay Vic. Naked, except for a strip of buckskin draped over her breasts and another draped over her hips. Her eyes were closed, and she looked like she was sleeping. Her long curls spilling over the sides of the altar. Before the Kid could open his mouth in protest, Squinting Weasel put a hand on his shoulder and put his finger to his lips, indicating silence. The four men were placed at the four corners of the table, with Squinting Weasel at the foot. Twisted Oak stood at the head of the altar and threw off his buffalo robe. He walked around the altar, chanting and spilling oil on the four corners. Back at the head of the altar, he reached into his pouch and pulled out a handful of stones. Still chanting, he placed one between her eyes, one on her throat, one between her breasts.
Heyes looked over at the Kid, who was clearly unhappy with the proceedings.
Continuing down her body, Twisted Oak placed stones in different places, continuing his chanting. He returned to his pouch and retrieved a small bottle and drew a charm on her forehead with the oil. He continued down her body, drawing in oil, different symbols with his fingers.
Heyes looked over at the Kid, who was clearly seething about the proceedings, but continued to stand his post.
Twisted Oak lit a clump of sage and with a fan of feathers, sent the wisps of smoke over her body, always continuing his chant.
He raised his hands to the sky and his chant grew louder. To Heyes’ amazement, it started to rain. A light soft rain. A rain that he thought had never smelled so clean. They all stood there, watching the rainfall on her, beading up in the places where the anointing oils were. They could now clearly see the signs that had been drawn. Twisted Oak continued to chant.
The Kid thought he was going to go mad. He had stood there and watched a strange man put his hands on his wife’s bare skin. Caress it with oils. He briefly thought about rushing forward and pushing the bastard off of the overlook. He also felt possessed to walk forward, climb upon the altar, and take her, in front of everyone. To show she was his and his alone. He was the only one to ever touch her, taste her, and take her.
Heyes could see the look on the Kid’s face and knew he was not a happy cowboy. He didn’t know what else to do except stand there with him. In the rain. He suddenly noticed that Twisted Oak walked to her feet and began to take the stones off of her, in the reverse order that they had been laid. The rain continued, but Twisted Oak simply walked past them and started down the path back to the village. The Kid took a step toward her and felt the strong hand of Squinting Weasel on his shoulder again. He motioned for him to follow the rest of the men down the path. Heyes could see the Kid looking back at her while descending back into the village. He knew Kid didn’t want to leave her up there all alone; it was going against his grain. He put his hand reassuringly on Curry’s shoulder and followed the men back to the main fire pit.


Curry sat there, simmering, waiting for some word or sign what he was supposed to do next. They all sat in silence as the soft rain continued to fall. Then Squinting Weasel passed the pipe again for all to share. Curry tried to pass it up, but received a sharp look from Squinting Weasel, so he took his turn. It was not helping to calm him down. Without warning, Tiny Squaw was behind him, pulling him to his feet. She led him in silence to the teepee and pulled back the flap. He proceeded inside to find Vic stretched out on a buffalo skin, dressed in a simple white gauze shift. She still looked like she was sleeping. He turned around, but Tiny Squaw had left and closed the flap.

He knelt next to her to take her hand, and put his hand lovingly on her cheek. “ Victoria, it’s Jed. Wake up.” Her stroked her face and hair,” C’mon, time to wake up.” He bent over and kissed her, but still she slept. He felt powerfully compelled to wake her up. Now. He picked her up and hugged her to his chest. “ Wake up, Vic.” He said louder, more urgently. “ Wake up, Mrs. Curry, now!” He hugged her tighter, “ You wake up or I’ll come where ever you are and pull you back.” He turned her face up and kissed her lips again. To his surprise and relief, he felt her take a deep breath and start to return his kiss.
Vic didn’t need to open her eyes when she felt his kiss. She knew it was his kiss. She just knew. She felt clean, she felt renewed. She circled his neck with her arms and pulled him closer for a deeper kiss. She felt his arms around her, protecting her, loving her. She felt like every nerve was on fire and only he could put it out. He followed her down to the buffalo skin, never breaking the kiss.
He felt consumed by fire and only she could put it out. His hand snaked up her thigh, lifting the flimsy gauze as he did. He felt her hand go to his gun belt and he moved to help her release his shaft, already rock hard. He stroked her hair, whispered love into her ear; his cock seemed to find its own way between her legs. It found her damp and ready for him. His entry into her was like silk and he was surprised when she immediately let a whimper escape her mouth and he felt her hard contractions as she came. Curry was captivated by her instant ecstasy and it drove him to seek his own release. Deliberately and blissfully.