Across a Crowded Room
Their eyes locked.
Blue met blue, and something was communicated between them that no one else in the crowded saloon even noticed. Something that took them both by surprise, and left them breathless.
Mary's hand fluttered to her throat at the heat in the smoldering gaze that met her, spiralling through the air from the bar where HE sat. She saw the passion that flared like blue fire from his eyes, and for a moment, she couldn't speak, could barely breathe. It was a great surprise to her when she suddenly realized that she was returning the look.
Vin felt his heart pounding in his chest, a breathtaking rhythm that beat against his ribs like a caged animal. He fought down the urge to pull himself up bodily from his seat at the bar, cross to where she was standing near the swinging doors, and capture her mouth with his own. ///You been able to hold it in this long, Vin my boy. Just keep it goin'./// But it was pretty damned hard to do when he saw that she was looking back at him. And not just looking, either.
LOOKING.
Mary was totally flabbergasted. Why had she come in here again? The room was spinning. There had been a reason.....Something about an interview with the Seven for The Clarion......Hadn't that been the reason? She couldn't remember anymore. His eyes were too mesmerizing. The way he leaned against the bar, one foot propped up on the rung of his stool, the other stretched out so that it rested on the floor, his elbow on the countertop. And his eyes.
Good God, they were hypnotic!
Her stomach fluttered, and she felt a flush begin to rise into her cheeks, spreading from feet to head. ///Well, certainly I've fancied him before. What warm-blooded woman wouldn't? But.....but this is so.....so..........unlike me!///
She was nervous. That much was obvious. Vin couldn't resist a grin at her insecurity- why would she be uncomfortable around him? He'd never do anything to hurt her. Hell, he'd protect her to the ends of the earth if that were in his power. A blush began to work it's way into his cheeks, matching shade for shade the flush on Mary's face. ///Get a hold on yourself!/// Vin scolded himself. ///You're a grown man. Act like one!///
///This is ridiculous!/// Mary thought, fidgeting with her skirt. ///I'm here for a reason./// Using a supreme force of will, she managed to get her feet to move forward, pulling her body through the crowded saloon.
She stopped in front of Vin, and took a second to compose herself. ///Just breathe, Mary./// "Mr. Tanner," she said, with only a small squeak on his name. He tipped his hat to her, and Mary felt her heart rise into her throat.
"Miz Travis." Vin forced his hands to lie still, although they wanted to reach out and stroke her smooth cheek, wanted to tremble just at the sight of her. "How can I help you."
///Well, you can start by taking that shirt off and what am I thinking!?///Mary blinked hard to try and clear the aberrant thoughts from her mind. "I, uh, wanted to ask you for a, um, oh dear, intercourse- I mean interview!," she managed, silently cursing herself for sounding like such a dolt. ///Please don't notice!///
Vin prudently blipped over her slip of the tongue. "What do you want from me?" ///God, she's beautiful when she blushes!///
Mary knew she was growing redder by the moment, especially with the double meaning of his last statement. ///You could tell me you'd love me till the end of time./// She pushed the idea to the back of her mind. "Just your thoughts on the town, the district, the territory...." She trailed off as his eyes held hers.
"What about the people?" Vin asked. He was finding it harder and harder to keep his breathing regular. Her eyes seemed to burn into his, and he couldn't bear to look away.
"People? Well, yes, I suppose you could mention them." Why hadn't she thought of that? She tried to clear her mind, but it just got refuzzed by the sight of his face.
"Anyone in particular?"
"What?" Mary pulled herself back to reality. "Excuse me?"
"I asked if I could talk about anyone in particular." Vin hardly even knew what he was saying. Words simply spilled over his tongue and trickled from his mouth.
"Well, yes, I suppose so."
Vin slowly stood, his eyes still trained on hers, and he felt his heartbeat accelerate even more when her gaze followed his. "Like Chris and Ezra and the others? Nettie? Casey? You?"
Mary started, and almost broke her eyelock with him. "Me? Well, I don't know......." ///Me? Why me?/// "I don't think there's much to say about me."
Vin shook his head minutely and spoke as though in a trance. "Oh, I wouldn't say that, Miz Travis. I'm sure I could say plenty about you."
"Really?" Mary asked breathlessly.
He nodded. "Yep."
"Would you?" It wasn't so much a question as it was a plea.
Vin knew something was happening here, something he'd wanted to happen for a very long time. "I'll do anything you want, Mary."
Mary felt a smile crook the corners of her mouth. "Then tell me about me." ///Am I really saying this? I shouldn't-///
///Oh, shut up!/// she told herself. Smiling, she spoke again. "I'd really love to hear what you have to say."
Vin grinned back at her. "Where would you like me to start, Mary?"
Moving fluidly, the blonde widow slipped her arm through the tracker's. "How about the beginning? I've heard it's a very good place to start." The feel of his arm against her made her knees weak.
Vin almost sat back down when she slipped her arm through the crook of his elbow. "Well, I surely can do that."
"Then shall we?" Mary gestured towards the swinging doors of the saloon.
"All righty," Vin concurred, and still linked at the elbow, they headed for the door, eyes locked.
"I'd seen you around town before, and thought you were the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen, but that day when they were goin' to lynch Nathan, well, that's when it all started to fall into place....." Vin was saying as they headed through the door into the street.
At a corner table, Ezra watched the couple departing with a wistful shaking of his head. "A pity. What a terrible, terrible pity."
"Aww, quit your whinin', Ezra, and pay up," Buck smirked, extending one hand towards the gambler. "I told you they'd hook up sooner or later."
The southerner looked at the moustachioed gunslinger. "You are what is unpleasantly referred to as a vicious gloater, Mr. Wilmington." But he dug into his waistcoat pocket and withdrew a few bills. Depositing them into Buck's waiting hand, he sighed. "There. I hope that shall satisfy your bloodthirsty nature."
Buck chuckled as he sat back and flipped through the money. "Oh yeah, Ezra. This'll do just fine." He grinned, even as he thought, ///Well Vin, ole buddy, glad to see you finally came to your senses!/// He couldn't resist a fond smile as he thought of the look on his friend's face as he'd left the saloon. The same look that had made Mary's face nearly glow with happiness.
Adoration.
///Damn straight you'd better have come to your senses!/// Buck thought. ///Or I'da had to beat it into that thick skull of your's!///
"May I ask what it is you are snickering at, Mr. Wilmington?"
Buck looked up and nearly choked on his own laughter at the indignant expression on the gambler's face. "Nothing, Ezra," he chuckled as he sat forward again. Gesturing to the center of the table he said, "Ante up."
"I intend to win back my currency from you, my dear sir."
"I'd like to see you try."
"I intend to do just that."
"You cheat, I'll shoot you."
"Indeed."
"Just shut up and play."
The End