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I had been riding all night and was looking for a place to make camp, when a man rode out of the brush with a gun in his hand.
"Hold it right there, Marshal."
"I ain’t a Marshal anymore. I got fired."
"Yeah, we heard about that. Good riddance is what I say. Ride on out, Randy. I got him covered."
"Who are you boys? What quarrel you got with me?"
"You don’t remember us, do you? Ralph and Randy. We’re the Duggan brothers."
"Yeah. I remember you now."
"It was you that sent us to prison five years back. Wouldn’t listen to nothing we had to say. Told the judge a pack of lies about us."
"It wasn’t me sent you to prison. It was the court. You had a fair trial. Judge and jury found you guilty."
"It was your testimony that convinced’em. Claimed we was incorrigible, whatever that means. Well, we’re out now and we’re gonna make you suffer like we did in that hell hole. Get down off that horse and toss your gun up to me. Take off your boots and give’em to Randy. We ain’t gonna kill you. We ain’t killers. Take off your hat and give it to me. We’re gonna take your horse. It’s only about fifty miles to town. If we don’t see you again, we’ll be saying adios."
"Oh, I’ll see you again."
"Yeah. Maybe in hell which is what it’s gonna feel like to you in a couple hours." They rode away with my horse, hat, boots and gun.
“I’m gonna miss my horse and my new .45.” The sun beat down relentlessly on my head. “I’m sure missing my hat right about now. Of course, my hat ain’t the only thing I’m missing. Those sorry scoundrels thought they was smart leaving me without my boots and hat. It’s gonna be hard to survive without any water.”
I could see some trees way off in the distance. The way the air was shimmering and fluctuating there was no way to judge exactly how far. The landscape was barren and dry. No vegetation of any kind.
“I need to find any kind of shade and find it soon. I could take off my shirt and cover my head, but my body would cook like a rabbit roasting over a campfire. One foot in front of the other. Keep moving. Keep moving. Can’t stop. So hot. Hard to breathe.”
My face hit the dry hard dirt. Darkness enveloped me.
~~~~~~
"Drink a little of this. Easy now, just a little. Too much is bad for you. What’re you doing out here alone and without your boots? Okay. Another swallow. That’s enough for now. The horse is giving us a little shade, but that ain’t gonna last long. When you feel up to it, we’ll head home. My name’s Violet Richardson. My uncle Barney Kilburn owns the Rocking K Ranch, about ten miles from here. You ready to try to get up?"
"I think I can make it. Thanks."
"You done wore your socks clean through to the souls of your feet, and your face is gonna hurt like blazes. It’s burned real bad."
"I’ll live long enough to chase down those hombres, that left me out here, or my name ain’t Cliff Baron."
"You ain’t gonna be chasing after nobody for a spell. Now, let’s get you up on this horse, Mr. Baron. Come on. I’ll help. Put your foot in the stirrup. Now pull and I’ll push. Good. Now move your foot so I can climb up behind you."
She smelled like lilac water and a clean soapy smell. I liked it. I leaned back against her. It felt good. The rocking motion of the saddle made me drowsy. I felt her arms close around my body.
"Hold on, partner. You’re falling off." I didn’t stop leaning against her. I saw a house in the distance.
"We’re almost home. We’ll fix a bath for you and Aunt Emma will have some lotion for your face. Just a little further. Okay. Here we are. Alfredo! Alfredo! I need your help."
"Se. I am here, Senorita. What do you have here? Take it easy Senor. I will help you down."
"Take it easy with him. He’s in a bad way."
"Se. I will take him to the bunkhouse."
“No. Take him into the main house. Put him in the guest room. I’ll get Aunt Emma. Get the tub and fill it with water. Cold water. He don’t need nothing hot on his skin yet."
I had no strength at all. I was at Alfredo’s mercy. He carried me like a baby up the stairs and into a beautiful room. He laid me on the bed and started removing my clothes.
"No, senor. Do not fight. You do not want to wear your clothes in the tub of water.” He placed a light blanket over me. “You lay here while I fill the tub. The water, it will make you feel much better."
“Thank you, Alfredo. I’ll take it from here."
"See, senora."
"I’m Aunt Emma. We’ll have you feeling better in no time.” A plump silver haired lady with kind sparkling blue eyes started pulling the blanket off me.
“Don’t be embarrassed, young man. You ain’t got nothing I ain’t seen before. Can you help me get you into that tub? The sun must have been extremely hot to burn right through your shirt. The water may sting some. I added a little bit of vinegar to it. That’ll make you heal quicker. When you get out, I’ve got some aloe vera lotion that’ll make you feel a lot better. Come on now, let’s dry you off and rub some lotion on. Okay. Lay on the bed, belly down."
The lotion felt cool on my burnt skin. Aunt Emma knew just how much pressure to apply.
“That feels so good. Thank you for doing this.”
“You just relax and let this lotion do its job. You can close your eyes if you feel like it. I’ll wake you in a few hours.”
I let the darkness close in on me. I dreamt of days gone by. Days of Monty and me going to the swimming hole down behind our home. The day he saved me from drowning. The time he accused me of trying to kiss his girlfriend. I dreamt of good times and bad.
“Mr. Baron. Time to wake up. I need to rub some more of this lotion on you.”
“Okay. I’m awake. How long was I asleep?”
“The better part of two hours. How’re you feeling?”
“It doesn’t burn as much now.”
“This lotion comes from the Alo Vera plant. Folk’s say it has all kinds of medicinal purposes. This time tomorrow you’ll not be hurting at all. Now, let me rub some more on your back and face.”
Her touch had a soothing effect and I felt myself relaxing again.
“Don’t you fall asleep again. It’s time for supper. I have one of Barney’s robes and a pair of slippers for you. After all, you can’t go to supper in your birthday suit, now can you?”
“Tell Barney thank you for the use of his robe and slippers. Is he one of your hands?”
“Lordy no. Barney’s my husband. Has been going on fifty tears.”
“I don’t know how I’ll be able to repay you folks for all you’ve done.”
“Don’t concern yourself with them kind of thoughts. It ain’t nothing any decent person wouldn’t do for another. If you’ll stand up, I’ll help you on with this robe.”
I stood and she held the robe for me. It felt good to be covered in front of this nice lady.
“Now, take my arm and we’ll go down to supper. I believe Rosalita fixed something special tonight.”
As we entered the dining area, all eyes turned our direction.
“Good to see you up and around, Mr. Baron. You was in real bad shape when I found you,” said a beautiful brunette with flashing burgundy eyes approximately twenty five years old. Her brown hair is cut short, can’t tell her height, because she’s sitting, but what I can see is how she fills her blouse.
“Please call me Cliff. I sure appreciate everything you folks have done for me.”
“I done told you not to worry about that. Here you sit next to Violet. If you need help cutting your meat or anything, she can help you.”
“I think I’ll be able to handle that alright. But thank you.”
If this is the way they ate all the time, they should never be hungry. Sliced beef smothered in rich brown gravy. Mashed potatoes, green beans, fried squash, fresh baked bread lathered in butter. Ice tea to drink. And for dessert, a freshly baked peach pie, still warm from the oven.
I looked at the head of the table. A blonde man with pewter colored eyes looked back at me.
“You must be Mr. Kilburn. Thank you, Sir, for taking me into your home.”
“Ain’t nobody called me Mr. Kilburn for years, I’m just plain Barney. Wasn’t me took you in. It was Violet. She’s always taking in strays of some kind. She thinks she runs this place. Is that my robe you’re wearing?”
“Yes, Sir, it is and I thank you very much for allowing me the use of it. If you hadn’t lent it to me, I would have had to come to the table in only my birthday suit, as Aunt Emma put it. I don’t think anybody wanted that, so, I thank you again.”
“Hmmf.”
“Don’t pay no never mind to him, Mr. Baron. He’s just a little grumpy today.”
“Uncle Barney is grumpy every day.”
“How long you figure on staying, Mr. Baron, was it?”
“I’ll be out of your hair just as soon as I can ride. Hold on. I don’t have a horse. They took Blaze.”
“Well, this is a horse ranch. I’m sure we can find a mount suitable for you to ride. You called your horse Blaze?”
“Yes sir. He’s a big Liver Chestnut stallion with a white blaze down his forehead. He’s the finest horse in the territory. No offence to your stock.”
“I agree. Morgans are a fine breed, however, I could give you many examples of a better breed of horse. That is, if you were staying around longer.”
"Will you have another piece of pie, Mr. Baron?"
"Please. Call me Cliff. No. I couldn’t eat another bite. It was a delicious meal. And the peach pie. I don’t know the right words to describe it. Is it the special you told me about, Mrs. Kilburn?”
“If I gotta call you Cliff, then you’ve got to call me Aunt Emma. Would you like to go back upstairs and lie down for a while?”
“I think I’ll try to walk a little. Violet? Would you show me around a bit?”
Violet is twenty-five years old. Brown hair cut short, five feet two, burgundy brown eyes, has a fantastic figure. She moved from Boston when her husband was killed in an accident to live with her Aunt Emma and Uncle Barney on the Rocking K Ranch. . She has no children, although she loves them dearly.
“Sure. Let me get you a hat. The sun is still pretty hot.”
She offered her arm which I linked in mine, and we went outside and around the house.
“You don’t need to worry about Uncle Barney. He’s harmless. He did perk up when you mentioned your horse. If there’s one thing he’s passionate about. It is horses. He loves horses. Sometimes, I think more than his own flesh and blood. You feel like walking over to the corral? It’s on the other side of the barn.”
“I think I’d like that. Lead the way.”
“We keep a few head here in the corral for show, in case someone comes to buy. We run three hundred head of the finest horseflesh in the country. People from as far away as England have bought some of our horses.”
“That one there reminds me of Blaze. He has almost the same markings. They could be twins.”
“He’s yours.”
“What? What’d you mean?”
“I mean I’m giving him to you. He’s your horse.”
"I can’t accept a horse like this. He’s easily worth a hundred dollars."
"One hundred seventy-five is what we’ve been asking for him, but he’s yours. Free and clear."
"Why are you doing this? You don’t know me."
“I know a good man when I see one. An honest man. One that will take good care of a horse like this.”
“I’ll return him as soon as I find my own horse."
"You don’t have to return him. I’m giving him to you. He’s a gift from me to you. I suppose you’re going after those men that took your horse?"
"You know I have to. I can’t just walk away as if it didn’t happen."
"You could do just that. We can make a place for you here on the ranch. I really need someone like you to help run things. Uncle Barney is getting up there in age. So are all the hands. Most of them started the ranch with him some ten years ago."
"I’m not a cowboy. I don’t know anything about running a horse ranch."
"I’m a very good teacher. I’ve got a feeling you’re a fast learner. I like you, Cliff. There. I said it. I’m being honest with you. I think we would make a good couple. Why not stay?"
"I have to get Blaze back. He’s very special to me. Maybe after that I. . . "
"What. What did you start to say?"
"I was a marshall for ten years. My best friend told lies about me and I lost my job because of what he accused me of. I need to find him to clear my name. I can’t have that hanging over me the rest of my life. You can understand that, can’t you?"
“Not really. But I can’t seem to think straight when I’m close to you like this. I’ve never felt this way about anyone, not even my husband."
"You’re married?"
"I’m a widow. He was killed in an accident almost two months ago. I moved here from Boston to help Uncle Barney and Aunt Emma with the ranch."
"I’m sorry for your loss. How long were you married?"
"Five years, but I have to admit they weren’t all happy years. I found out he had a mistress for the last three years of our marriage. Her husband found out and shot them, then turned the gun on himself. I call it an accident because it’s easier to accept his death."
"I’m so sorry. I don’t know what to say. I am truly sorry.”
“You could show me how sorry you are by staying.”
“You know I can’t do that. I’m not built to ignore my responsibilities. I’ll be leaving in the morning.”
She reached up, grabbed me around the neck, pulled me down. Her lips melted against mine, sending waves of heat down my body. Her lips were gentle, sweet and warm. I wanted the feeling to go on forever. It ended much too soon.
"Has the horse got a name?"
"We don’t name our horses. That way the new owners can pick the name they want."
"In that case I’ll call him Flame."
"Because a flame is like a blaze?"
"Yes. I think he and I will get along fine. Thank you very much."
"How would you like to thank me later tonight?"
"If you mean what I think you mean. You need to know, I won’t change my mind about leaving."
"I know that. I just want to hold you close before you leave. You don’t mind, do you?"
"I’ll be looking forward to it."
I pulled her into my body, leaned down and pressed my lips to hers. The kiss was just as wonderful as the first one. It held promises of more to come.
"You about ready to go back to the house and get dressed?"
"I don’t know if my clothes will be fit to wear."
"I took that into consideration. I borrowed some of Uncle Barney’s clothes. You’re a little larger than him, so, I picked out some of his larger ones."
"Am I to thank him for the use of his clothes?"
"I really don’t think that’d be a good idea. Just wear them and enjoy. He’ll never miss them."
"Your family’s been extra nice to a stranger. I hope I can do something to repay you."
"You heard what Aunt Emma said. Don’t mention it. Now let’s get you out of this sunlight."
"Yes ma’am."
She again slipped her arm in mine and we walked arm in arm to the house.
"I’ll see you later." As she winked at me.
I went upstairs to the guest room. There were clean clothes spread on the bed. I removed the robe and dressed. I felt almost normal with the new duds. I guess Uncle Barney only owns blue dungarees and blue work shirts. He’s sure to notice me wearing the same kind of clothes as him.
"I’ll worry about that when it happens. I think I’ll stretch out on the bed for a minute. I still feel drained of energy."
I stretched out and was asleep immediately. I was awakened by Uncle Barney. "You gonna sleep your life away. Get up. It’s dinner time."
"Thanks, Barney. I’ll be right there."
"Humf."
I put on the slippers and went downstairs. Again, every head turned my direction as I entered the room.
"It’s only me. I haven’t changed since this morning."
"I believe there is something different about you. Are those my clothes you have on? I don’t remember giving them to you."
"I’m sorry, Barney. I must have misunderstood. I found these on my bed and I assumed you had left them for me. I wanted to thank you right then, but I lay down for a minute and the next thing I knew, you were telling me dinner was ready."
"I reckon since you already got’em on, it’ll be okay. I figure you’re gonna need some boots. What size you wear?"
"I wouldn’t want to take any of your boots. I can ride into town tomorrow and buy a pair at the general store."
"Suit yourself. I wear size ten, by the way, if you’re interested."
After supper, I retired to my room. I was thinking about what Violet had said about thanking me later tonight. I sure hope I didn’t misinterpret her.
I removed my new shirt, poured water into the bowl and proceeded to wash off. Later, dried off and stretched out on the bed. I awoke when someone slid into bed with me.
“Violet? That you?”
“Of course it’s me. Were you expecting someone else? Now hush and kiss me.”
She leaned over me and I noticed she wore no clothes.
“You sure about this?” I asked.
“Doesn’t my presence answer that question?”
Her lips were soft and sweet. Minty. I nudged her onto her back and continued to sample her mouth.
“Let’s get these pants off you.” She reached down, undid the buttons and pushed them down. With both of us working at it, in no time I was wearing the same as her.
“It’s been a long time," I said.”
“It’s been a long for me, too. My husband quit having relations with me long before he died. Let’s just go slow and savor every moment. After all, we have all night.”
I slipped on top of her, and gave an involuntary groan and she answered with a gentle purr. She rubbed her cheeks and soft lips against the stubble on my face, then found my mouth.
She turned, putting her on top, released my lips and started sliding down. Her fingers and lips left a trail of ripples on my skin. Her mouth did unspeakable things to me.
She raised up and crawled back up beside me.
“That was wonderful," I panted."
"Did you enjoy what I just did?” she asked, as she captured my bottom lip with her mouth.
"That was incredible." I answered. Her lips still had a slightly minty taste as we contiuned kissing. I could feel the passion building in me.
“I don’t think we’re going to have to wait much longer.”