These Men: Vin Tanner

Thanks to Meredith Brooks for her song "What Would Happen?"

Chris Larabee and Vin Tanner stood outside of the Clarion News offices enjoying the relative quiet when Gloria Potter suddenly rushed out from the Clarion with Mary Travis in tow.

"I haven't seen Matthew in two years Mary!" she exclaimed as she came to an abrupt halt on the sidewalk. She noticed Chris and Vin and nodded in quick greeting to both men. "The noon stage is never on time is it?" she seemed to ask no one. Then, "he's bringing his young wife Edina, I believe," she rambled on with a huge smile to all three of them. "I'm so glad they're coming out here!"

"That'll be wonderful," Mary added soothingly, trying to calm down the excitable Mrs. Potter. "It'll give you someone to keep you company at the store," she nodded.

Vin and Chris struggled to hold in their mirth at Mary's statement. Both men knew that she had been the widow Potter's single friend and company at the general store since her husband was murdered too. They had also noticed that Mary was tiring a bit from the older woman's visits to the news office, despite being a widow herself. Chris had seen that at times, Mrs. Potter would natter about Mary when all the younger woman really wanted was the silence to write and work on the paper.

Mary cast both men a warning glance and they straightened immediately, as if two little boys caught in the midst of misbehaving. Vin tipped his hat politely and turning his attention to the stage rolling in, stepped off the boardwalk. Chris and Mary exchanged glances while Mrs. Potter continued to go on about her nephew and his new bride and Vin offered his hand up to her to help her down the steps.

As the stage rolled in and came to a sudden stop in front of them, the drivers hurriedly began to toss Vin and Chris the bags for the couple disembarking. A young gentleman, in an Easterner's suit and a hat not unlike JD's bowler helped a pretty young woman in a yellow dress with fair features and light brown curly hair down from the stage. Then he was quickly enveloped by Mrs. Potter's firm embrace.

"Oh Matthew," she said happily, holding the slim young man at arm's length. "My you've grown! And is this Edina? Why hello dear! Why don't you come and give your Auntie a hug?!" she reached out and hugged the younger woman tightly. "My you two make a handsome couple, if your Uncle were here, Matthew, he'd be so proud," she rambled on, not noticing that the stage had left and that Mary, Chris and Vin still stood there waiting expectantly. The couple couldn't seem to get a word in edgewise.

Finally, "oh Auntie please!" Matthew Marshall interrupted good-naturedly as he smiled at his eager aunt. His dark brown eyes twinkled with humor.

"Oh dear boy," began Mrs. Potter, "so sorry for all this fuss," she apologized. "Let me introduce you to some friends," she said as she looked at the young couple. "This is Chris Larabee and Vin Tanner, they're part of the peacekeepers in town. And this is a dear, dear friend, Mary Travis. She's also the editor for the town Newspaper, the Clarion."

The couple nodded, with Matthew reaching out to shake hands with Chris and Vin. "My nephew Matthew Marshal and his young wife Edina," Mrs. Potter said proudly.

"Please Auntie," Edina said, "'Eddi' will be fine," she added.

Mrs. Potter beamed and hugged her niece-in-law once more. "Wonderful dear!" she exclaimed. "Well then, shall we get the both of you settled? The children are so excited to have you. I've fixed the spare room at the store, I hope you won't mind at all, I couldn't have kin stay at the Hotel, what kind of an Aunt would I be? Isn't that right Matthew?" She chattered on, oblivious to the apologetic look Matthew gave his wife.

Matthew picked up half the bags and gave Vin a grateful nod for picking up the rest. Mrs. Potter had trapped Edina in another motherly hug as she led the way to the store. Matthew turned back to give Chris and Mary a sheepish smile as he followed his Aunt. He couldn't help chuckling when he saw the mildly terrified look Edina cast over her shoulder at him.

Chris and Mary watched as the group headed out to the Potter's store across the way. Mary found she could hide her smile any longer and quickly turned towards Chris when she suddenly heard him snort softly. The gunfighter gave her a pointed look.

"Not one word Mr. Larabee," she warned looking back at him and starting to giggle, her clear blue eyes dancing.

Chris chuckled a little and then followed her into the Clarion, shaking his head.

+ + + + + + +

Vin had made it a point to pick-up some supplies from the Potter's store earlier in the week. But since he had been out helping Nettie Wells repair more fences, he'd never had the chance. So today as he headed over to the Potter's, he remembered that the Widow Potter and her nephew Matthew were out in Eagle Bend picking up additional surplus for the store. He entered knowing that Mrs. Marshal would be minding the store and nodded a greeting to her.

"Mr. Tanner," she said as she smiled.

Vin nodded again and said, "ma'am. How's minding the store going?"

"Oh fine," she said, "it's not -- " she began but was suddenly cut off by her young cousins.

"Vin, Vin!" said the Potter boy excitedly as he came out to meet Vin. John was the eldest of the two Potter children and Vin imagined he had more spirit in him than a jackrabbit. "You going out huntin' again?" he asked his eyes wide with anticipation.

"Last time, Mr. Tanner brought mama and us some white-tails!" interrupted Emily who was a few years younger. She looked up at Vin admiringly.

Edina observed the children merrily and suppressed a smile. She watched Vin calmly answer the children's questions and relay a short story concerning a recent hunting trip. When they were satisfied, Edina cut in, "now children, you do know that Mr. Tanner here is a busy man, and that he needs to get back to work as soon as he can? Why don't you two run along and let me help him with his order?" she asked gently.

"Okay cousin Eddi," they both replied and happily marched out.

Vin watched them go and then turned a sideways glance to Edina who was smiling at him. "They like you, huh?" he asked.

"They seem to like you pretty well too, Mr. Tanner," she said noticing how handsome he really was. "So Mr. Tanner, you have a list?" she said extending her hand to take the slip of paper that he was holding from him. Their fingers brushed lightly against one another and Edina couldn't help but blush.

Vin tried not to let the sudden shock he felt at her touch show. "I'll just go take a look at a few other things," he said politely, motioning towards the other side of the store.

Edina nodded and avoided his gaze as she set to composing the items requested on his list.

A moment later, Vin and Edina found themselves in the back stockroom. The room had shelves on all four walls with some even above the door. Edina set a lamp down on one of the larger crates that had been pushed up against the wall. The room was fairly small but there was just enough space for the two of them to stand comfortably and for Edina to show Vin what she needed.

Edina pointed to an upper shelf with boxes of tooth powder and moved aside to let Vin retrieve them. "I really am sorry about this Mr. Tanner, I knew I should have asked Matthew to get them before he left."

"It's no problem ma'am," Vin said as he reached up to bring the box down for her.

Suddenly the door to the little room closed behind them and they could hear the voices of the two Potter children on the other side laughing. Vin looked down at the door and saw that there was no handle on it. He looked over at Edina who gave him a bashful smile.

"Oh dear," Edina said as she took the box from him and put it down on another crate. "That was the other thing Matthew was supposed to fix before he left," she said with an exasperated sigh.

"Meaning we're trapped?" said Vin calmly trying to assess the situation as he pushed gently on the door that was not opening.

Edina nodded.

"Well what about the young 'uns?" he asked referring to the Potter children.

"We could try, but," Edina stopped.

"But what?" asked Vin with an inquisitive look.

"They've done this before Mr. Tanner, just last week. They locked poor Matthew in here with their momma," she said trying to hide the humor of it all in her sparkling eyes. The memory of Matthew and his aunt just tickled her.

Vin glanced at her and nodded thoughtfully and began, "I suppose I could just shoot -- " but Edina cut him off.

"Good Lord Mr. Tanner!" Edina exclaimed, "you might hit the children!" she said.

Vin began to softly chuckle at Edina's expression of horror. He wasn't intentionally being mean, but it was darn silly what he'd just gotten himself into. He laughed harder, a bounty hunter trapped in a storeroom with another man's beautiful wife. Vin shook his head.

Edina's look of alarm quickly faded as she realized he was just joking. "That was not funny," she said, not completely hiding the smile playing upon her lips. Edina had realized rather quickly that the children were certainly a handful.

Vin watched her facial expressions and couldn't help it. At the moment he was desperately struggling and shaking so much from repressed laughter, he had to lean himself against one of the shelves.

Edina shook her head and began to giggle and soon both erupted into uproarious laughter.

By the time either of them had calmed down, Edina had to wipe the tears away from her eyes. "Oh Mr. Tanner," she said sighing. "What do you suggest we do?"

"Vin," he said simply as he watched her. Her cheeks were flushed from all her laughing.

"Excuse me?" Edina said.

"My name's 'Vin' remember? And seeing how we may be here awhile ma'am," he nodded, trying to suppress another chuckle.

Edina smiled. "Well then you should call me 'Eddi,'" she nodded back at him. "So Vin, what shall we do?"

Vin looked at her. Her light brown hair was pulled back so that you could see her pretty face. She had a clean light complexion and full rosy lips. When she smiled, he realized she was even more attractive than he'd wanted to notice. She was about Mrs. Travis' height, just an inch or two shorter, had her same build, slim and comely and the light green dress she wore accentuated her hazel eyes as well as her figure. The sensible part of him began to nag at him about how it wasn't right looking at another man's wife that way and so Vin shook himself from his observations and focused again on the task at hand.

To get out of the stockroom.

"Vin?" asked Edina again, worried that something was wrong with her companion.

He looked past her and studied the door again. "Suppose," he said, "that I could see if we could break the door down?"

Edina smiled, "really Vin, is my company that atrocious?"

"Ma'am?" Vin asked, his blue eyes expressing his confusion.

"Matthew and Auntie should be back soon," Edina reassured him. "Why don't we wait for a while and if no one comes back, you break down the door?" she suggested.

Vin nodded and agreed to waiting for a half an hour.

After the time that they had allotted had passed, Vin stood up ready to charge at the door. There were no sounds coming from outside and after numerous failed attempts of calling to the children to get them to come and set them free, Vin started hitting the door with his shoulder. He thought it was a hell of a time to leave his skinning knife in his room.

Thump. Thump.

The tiny room shook with the force of Vin's hits to the door as items on the shelves of the storeroom wobbled in protest.

Thump.

Edina watched, slightly amused, but more embarrassed.

Thump.

"Vin?" she asked trying to apologize. "I really am sorry for all this trouble," she said, twisting her hands together.

Thump.

"Uhm, Vin?" she said again after he didn't answer.

Thump.

"Vin, watch out!" she finally said, as a small box of tins of mustache wax came tumbling down from above and hit him on the head. Vin sighed heavily, stopping his actions and looked at her.

She was desperately trying to hide a smile and he turned away with a grimace. "Seems, Mr. Potter did a mighty fine job of construction before he passed," he added flatly.

Bubbling laughter escaped Edina's mouth as she looked at the tins of the wax strewn along the floor of the storeroom. She quickly put a hand to her mouth to stifle herself, as she looked guiltily at Vin's back.

Vin turned to her and found that he couldn't help himself from smiling. Edina watched him and noticed the way the corners of his eyes crinkled and his lips curved when he did. She had to admit he was quite handsome, although scruffy and seemingly wild looking, there were definitely interesting things going on in his eyes. They were like calm pools of water Edina concluded.

But then she suddenly felt dizzy.

He was talking to her again, but for some reason Edina had not heard him. She merely kept looking at him and Vin began to feel nervous and jumpy. He didn't like being cooped up. The town of Four Corners itself barely held him in. There was no way he'd stay any calmer in the small room they were in, beautiful woman for company or not.

He looked at Edina and her eyes locked with his. After some moments, she dragged her gaze from his piercing blues to his lips and apprehensively darted her tongue out to wet her own. The action caught Vin's eye and as he watched her purse her lips his mind wandered, wondering what it would be like to kiss her. Would he caress her mouth with his own? Gently then roughly? Would he slip his tongue past her lips into her hot mouth and caress her tongue too? What would she taste like? How would she feel, pressed up against him or under him, soft? Warm? Would she become flush in the heat of the moment as she had earlier when she simply laughed?

Vin forced all those thoughts quickly from his head. It had suddenly become too hot in the little room and he needed to take off his outer coat.

Edina watched as he pulled at his coat, noting how the material of his red shirt played out along his shoulders and chest. Vin then removed the bandana around his neck, revealing that he had neglected to button the first few buttons of his shirt as it hung open to show the crest of thin hair just below his collar bone. He then took off his hat and Edina's eyes widened at the glorious cascade of wavy brown hair that lay beneath. He was very much a beautiful man she determined as she noticed the sheen of perspiration around his slightly tanned neck and at the "V" of his shirt. He reminded her of the Greek Adonis' that she'd secretly read about in some of Matthew's art books and she wondered what it would be like to run her fingers through his hair, along his body and how it would feel to kiss him. What would his lips feel like? Would his lips gently trail kisses across her jaw and neck as he made his way down to her bosom? Would the stubble on his chin burn her body and yet simultaneously make her feel alive? Would he smell masculine and warm, the way she imagined?

Edina gave herself a hard mental shake at her lascivious thoughts and dragged her eyes from Vin as she started to wonder why it was taking her husband so long to get back from his errand. Edina guiltily prayed to God she was not blushing as intensely as she felt and studied the patterns on the door before her. She surreptitiously glanced back at Vin and saw he was now sitting on one of the crates. His eyes were closed as if he were sleeping and for a minute, Edina became angry, not understanding how a man could sleep in such a situation.

Silently she approached him and noticed that he was developing a bump on his forehead from his accident earlier.

Edina gently reached out with her left hand to examine the wound on his head when Vin's hand shot up to grasp her wrist. His eyes flew open and came to focus on her.

Edina couldn't help but draw a sharp breath at what she saw in his eyes and she felt her heartbeat quicken.

Vin looked at her and saw intense want and desire and he knew that his eyes reflected the same.

He wanted to take her.

And then something caught his eye. As he looked at her left hand, he saw the gold band there. The gold band that told him that she was another man's wife.

Edina followed his gaze to her hand and closed her eyes, taking a deep calming breath. She flexed her delicate fingers and then balled them up into a loose fist.

"I'm sorry ma'am," Vin said, gently letting go of her wrist. He hoped she understood the meaning behind his words.

Edina's smile was sad for a brief moment and then all at once comforting.

He returned her smile, grateful that she somehow did understand what just happened. "I think I've got it Eddi," Vin suddenly said.

She quirked an eyebrow in question and stepped back from him.

Vin stood went to the corner of the little room and rummaged behind some crates and emerged with a measuring stick. "I figured Mrs. Potter would've had an extra one of these. See there's a little space here, between the door and the jamb," he said explaining what he was planning to do. "Now hoping this is strong enough," he said indicating to the thin stick, "maybe I can lift the latch. This would've been a lot easier if I'd brought my knife with me today," he added as he wiggled the measuring stick through the tiny space. In a matter of minutes, they were free.

Edina stepped out of the tiny room to breathe a sigh of relief. Then she yelled, "Emily! John!" She turned back to see Vin emerge from the room with his coat draped over his arm and his hat and bandana in his hands. "Children!" she said, holding in a smile, "get over here now, or I'm telling your momma!" she said loudly as she walked to the front of the store.

Vin followed her. "Matthew's a lucky man, Mrs. Marshal," he said smiling slightly, briefly sorry for leading a different life.

Edina nodded, not missing the use of her married name. "I hope one day, there'll be a lucky woman for you too Mr. Tanner," she added with a bittersweet smile of her own as she looked directly into his eyes.

Vin nodded back and watched her, letting his gaze roam over her face. "I'll be by later for the supplies," he said simply as he exited the store.

+ + + + + + +

Chris and Mary stood outside of the Clarion discussing another town-related issue when Vin walked up to them adjusting his bandana.

"I thought you were getting some supplies from the Potter's?" asked Chris.

"I'm picking them up later," he informed Chris as he nodded and tugged at his hat at Mary.

Chris nodded back and then they all turned their attention to the wagon riding in holding Mrs. Potter and Matthew. They could tell by the Widow Potter's animated actions that she was once again, probably talking Matthew's ear off. The trio smiled.

Edina emerged from the store to greet her husband and Mrs. Potter.

Vin watched them a bit before turning to Chris, "come on cowboy," Vin said draping an arm over Chris' shoulder. "I'll buy you a drink," he said as they moved away from Mary and headed over to the Saloon.

"Chris," Vin began suddenly, "I'm thinking of heading out of town for a bit."

"Oh?" Chris asked as he walked along side his friend. "You going hunting again?"

"Oh you could say that," Vin replied with a sly smile as he turned to look one last time at Edina before entering the Saloon.

The End