Inez absently wiped the bar down with a rag, her mind wandering
away. It had been two days since the seven men had disappeared from
the town, riding after a group of rustlers. During that time, the dark
woman had found she missed their comforting presence. Just the quiet
way Chris Larabee and Vin Tanner sat for hours gave her a feeling of safety.
Her eyes drifted to an empty table. Usually, it would be filled by
anyone foolish enough to mention poker in the presence of Ezra Standish.
But, as it had been since they left, the table remained empty. Inez
realized she missed the ruffling sound of the cards as Ezra's long fingers
coaxed them to do his bidding.
A shiver passed through her as she thought not just of the way
his fingers and hands moved, but his whole body. He had a simple
grace and elegance to his form that concealed so much inside of him.
Inez thought she had seen that inner man once or twice, but never on the
outside of that controlled form. Always, the flashes of who he was
capable of being came from those deep green eyes that could hold anyone
in their drowning embrace.
Inez looked up as she heard someone running down the boardwalk
outside. Mary's form flew by, her blonde hair streaming behind her.
Inez and the few men at the bar walked outside to investigate. A
sigh of relief passed through her body as Inez quickly identified the seven
gunmen amongst the twelve that rode in. The others she assumed to
be their now captive rustlers. A flash of worry crossed her features
as they stiffly dismounted, more than one moving as if injured. The
five rustlers were dragged from their mounts and literally thrown into
the jail by Buck and JD. Her eyes found the object of her search,
and Inez watched as Ezra leaned heavily against his horse.
+ + + + + + +
Ezra took strength from his mount, allowing himself to lean heavily
against the horse for a moment. A hard ride to catch them, the fight
afterwards, and then another long ride back. Ezra winced as he breathed
too deeply, his bruised ribs protesting the movement. The fight had
begun with a shot, but ended with fists as the men tried to circle round
their attackers. Ezra closed his eyes as he remembered his opponent.
Lady Luck had apparently wanted to pay him back for leaving his poker table
to go on the venture and sent him the biggest of the bunch. Outweighed
by about twenty pounds, the small gambler had been hard pressed to keep
himself from being turned into raw meat by the outlaw. He had come
out of the fight with a busted and now swollen lip, a cut above his left
eye, some bruised ribs, and a number of other minor injuries.
The others had come out about the same, some worse than others.
Ezra watched the man in black as Chris allowed Nathan to check the temporary
bandage that had been put on his arm to stop the bleeding from a knife
wound Larabee had received. JD and Buck had matching black eyes,
Josiah's face was marked by a dark bruise on his jaw, and Nathan and Vin
had bruised knuckles. Ezra allowed a small grin to touch his face
as he remembered watching them and their opponents. Both men knew
how to fight with their fists and Ezra had felt he was watching a professional
match.
It was decided that JD and Buck would watch the prisoners.
Josiah wandered down to the stable to put away his horse, Vin following
him as they both led away the extra horses. Ezra watched as Mary
Travis cautiously reached out to the men's leader. Chris turned to
her and smiled softly, the harshness leaving his face to be replaced by
a look of tired comfort. Chris brushed Mary's hair back from her
face before offering her his arm. She took it and they both started
down towards Nathan's clinic. Ezra watched, his face revealing none
of the violent emotions that tore through him. He was startled from
his silent reverie by Nathan's gentle touch on his arm. Jumping slightly,
the gambler hissed in pain from his ribs.
"Maybe I should take a look at them ribs again, Ezra." The
healer took Ezra's chin in his hand, turning the smaller man's face so
he could look at the bruised visage. "Might oughtta keep you at the
clinic tonight too. That guy clipped you pretty good." Ezra
gently removed himself from Nathan's grasp, backing up without being rude
as only Ezra could do.
"I thank you for your concern, Mr. Jackson. However, it
is nothing that a good night's rest in my own bed will not help to cure.
Good night, sir." Ezra slowly walked towards the stable, unaware
of the dark gaze that followed his every move.
Inez dried a glass, her eyes never leaving the table that now
seemed much happier that it's occupant had returned home. /It's not the
only one,/ she thought to herself. She had long since stopped denying
the raw attraction she felt towards the quiet gambler. Everything
was back as it should be. Or was it? Inez had noticed, after
they first arrived back in town, that once again, Ezra's true self was
in his eyes. While he had watched Chris and Mary stroll away, she
had watched him, seeing the flash in his eyes. Longing, need, and
finally sorrowful resignation. She couldn't bring herself to picture
that Ezra resented Chris for having Mary. In fact, he often praised
the two when they weren't around. The only reasons she could come
up with for such a reaction to the scene was a longing for what Ezra thought
he himself could never find.
Ezra shuffled the cards as usual, only slower because of hands
still being sore. Inez swore that his hands were even more loving
and caressing of the cards at this slower pace and her breath caught in
her throat at the thought of his hands moving over her, bringing out every
pleasure to its fullest. She just barely caught the glass as it slipped
from her inattentive fingers, blushing strongly even though no one could
have known what she was thinking.
Nathan rose from the back table, unusually, the last to leave.
He had been watching Ezra, hoping the man would go up to his room of his
own accord. However, Ezra seemed to be quite content right where
he was. He watched Ezra take another pull from his flask. /Hell,
I'd be pretty content too,/ he thought. He knew that the contents
of the flask where hardly enough to make Ezra drunk, but it was a comfort
and was probably deadening the dull pain of his injuries. He placed
a hand on the gambler's shoulder, once again startling the other man.
"Mr. Jackson. May I interest you in a game?" Nathan
shook his head and watched Ezra's eyes for any glimpse of concussion or
other injury. Ezra's emerald orbs stared clearly back at him, hiding
his feelings and thoughts.
"Nope. I'm gonna get me some sleep. You'd better do
that yourself, ya hear, Ezra?" It was more of an order than a concerned
suggestion. Ezra nodded, not promising anything to the healer.
Nathan noticed this and walked out, his soft voice mumbling about the stubbornness
of a certain Southern gambler.
Ezra laid out a game of solitaire on the table, but his mind was
still moving through other memories. Each one always ended with him
alone, no one to care about his well-being or his battered heart.
They started from his childhood when his mother took care of him at her
convenience, and then continued on into his adult life. He had had several
affairs, but Ezra had never, not even once, felt the soft twinge of caring
that had passed between other couples he watched. Just the simplest
move of Chris smoothing Mary's hair had enclosed more caring and feeling
in it than the wildest night of sexual pleasure. He was glad that
someone had been able to draw Chris out of his usual depression, but found
himself slipping into one of his own as he realized that the others had
all gone off to something, while all he had was a deck of cards and a flask
of whiskey. Sighing, he took another drink.
A noise made him look up. The last man had just left the
saloon, leaving just himself and Inez. She started as his eyes focused
on her, blushing at being caught staring. Ezra rose from his chair,
steadying himself on the table as a small wave of dizziness hit him.
Draping his jacket over his arm and grabbing his hat, Ezra walked over
to the bar.
"Well, Good Night to you, Señorita. I shall retire
so you may close up your establishment." With a nod of his head, Ezra walked
over to the stairs. He made a valiant effort, but only made it halfway
up before the combination of his headache and the whiskey had him leaning
against the wall, struggling to see clearly. He felt someone by his
side and looked up into the concerned eyes of Inez. She pulled at
his arm as if to drape it over her shoulder. Ezra tried to protest,
but she would have none of it.
"Do not argue, Señor. I will not have you falling
down the stairs and hurting yourself more." Helping him to the top
of the stairs, Inez had a difficult time keeping herself from just pressing
her body to his, the slight smell of whiskey and sweat on him almost intoxicating.
Inez helped the gambler into his room, making sure he was seated firmly
on the bed.
"Thank you, my dear," he said, his eyes holding her to the spot.
She could tell he was not drunk, and held her breath as he ran his fingers
down her cheek, to her shoulder, and then down to grasp her hand.
He brought it to his lips, their soft heat teasing her skin.
Ezra released her hand, smiling up at her as he rose. Inez
nodded and walked back out the door, closing it softly behind her.
The smile fell from Ezra's face and his somber mood finally took control
of his features. He had thought, just for a moment, that he had seen
something in Inez' eyes. Not just the simple concern for a friend,
but the longing desire for a return of feelings. He unbuttoned his
shirt, throwing it carelessly over the single chair in the room to land
on his hat and jacket. Checking the dark bruises, Ezra saw the sadness
of his eyes in the mirror. He turned away almost angrily, refusing
to allow himself to grieve for lost things that were never his.
His hands froze on the fastenings of his pants as a soft knock
was heard on his door. Making sure his gun was within easy reach,
Ezra opened the door. Inez stood nervously, a bowl of water and a
cloth draped over its side resting on her hip.
"I thought it might help with your pains, Señor."
Ezra, still slightly in shock at finding her there, silently motioned her
inside, closing the door behind her.
Inez set the bowl carefully down on the small table by the bed
and then proceeded to clear off the chair in the room. Ezra watched
her silently as she tidied up his room quietly, finding a solid comfort
in her quiet presence. His eyes moved over her body, feeling the
stirring of arousal as she stretched to grasp at something just out of
reach. Ezra shook his head slightly. /Don't even start thinking about
it,/ he told himself, ignoring his own advice just as quickly as he had
given it.
Inez turned and caught his eyes on her, a flash of desire lingering
in them. She turned before he saw the mirroring look in her own eyes
and moved the now empty chair closer to the bed. Making sure she
would be able to reach the bowl and the bed from this position, she sat
down and indicated that Ezra was to sit facing her on the bed. The
gambler did as requested, placing a hand on his ribs as he eased himself
down to the mattress. Inez dipped the cloth into the water, and then
brought it up to dab lightly at his swollen lip. A heavy scent came
to Ezra from the cloth.
"Lilacs?" he mumbled as a soothing sensation covered his bruised
face. Inez nodded, moving the cloth over his face, taking it back
to re-wet it when necessary.
"Something I got from Nathan when I cut my hand a little while
back. It should soothe the pain." She moved down to grasp his
hand, running the cloth over the knuckles. Ezra began to visibly
relax and Inez smiled at him, noticing the relief in his eyes. She
released his hand and held out her own for his other one. He moved
it cautiously, and Inez bit her lip as she saw the dark bruise over his
ribs. She quickly treated his hand and then sat back, deciding how
best to get to his ribs.
Ezra watched her as she thought, losing the battle to his desire
as she sat there. The rise of her breasts as she breathed, the way
her tongue flitted over her lips, the remembered touch of her fingers moving
over his skin. She seemed to come to a decision, and Ezra snapped
his eyes back up to her face.
"Perhaps if you were to lay back..." She helped him recline
back so that his legs still hung over the side of the bed, but the rest
of him was stretched across it. Inez carefully moved to sit on the
bed beside him, bringing the cloth to rest against his chest. Ezra
inhaled sharply as the cool water flowed over his chest. Inez began
to rub the cloth around his body, watching in fascination as the little
rivulets chased their way down to the sheets. Suddenly, Ezra reached
up and took her wrist gently in his hands. Inez looked at him questioningly,
noticing that despite his soft touch, the rest of his body was straining
with tension.
"My dear, as relieving as your touch is, I believe you should
stop now." A burning need was lighting his emerald gaze, and Inez
looked down to see his erection straining against his pants. Barely restraining
herself from ripping his pants off his body, Inez brushed a hand lightly
across his groin. Ezra groaned loudly, his hips bucking upwards.
His grip on her wrist tightened considerably. Inez smiled and held
his gaze.
"Only if you want me too, Señor."
Ezra bit his lip as she moved her hand across him again.
He released her wrist an reached up to pull her head down. Inez gasped
as he pressed their lips together, his tongue running out along the edges
of her lips, asking, begging for entrance. Parting them slightly,
Inez immediately felt Ezra's tongue roll through her mouth, making itself
familiar with every inch of the warm cavern. Tentatively, she joined
her tongue to the intruder, gaining confidence as the kiss deepened.
Ezra winced slightly as the kiss made his lip sting, but pushed
the pain back from his mind. He felt the woman give into the kiss,
returning as much as she was given. Moving her carefully so as not
to stretch his ribs, Ezra brought her down to lie beside him. His
hands hovered over her breasts, not wanting to push things too fast for
two reasons. The first was his fear that she would bolt or he would
awaken from an amazing dream. The second ran much deeper. He
wasn't in need of just a quick romp through the sheets. Ezra wanted
this to last, to feel the pleasure of knowing he had brought his partner
to new heights of ecstasy.
Inez lightly took his hand in hers and pressed it down to her
breast, feeling those strong fingers finally beginning to run over her
flesh. The gambler reached under her with the other hand, his quick
fingers making short work of the buttons of her dress. Pushing the
dress down off her shoulders, Ezra released her mouth and ran it down her
neck, his lips leaving a trail of fiery wetness across her skin.
Inez sucked in deep breaths, gasping as she felt his tongue lash out to
taste the skin of her breasts. She arched her back, her fingers wrapping
themselves in his hair as he laved her breasts with his tongue, switching
between each one as the mood took him.
Ezra continued pushing the dress from her body, smiling against
her flesh as she raised her hips to allow him to move it down to her legs.
Slowly, Ezra slid down her body until he was kneeling on the floor by the
bed, pulling off her remaining clothes off as he went. Inez lay before
him, her eyes filled with desire as he looked at her naked form. She sat
up, reaching for his jeans. Ezra slowly pushed her back down, kneeling
between her legs. Inez relaxed as she felt his hands begin a slow
massage of her inner thighs, a sigh of contentment forming on her lips.
Her sigh quickly turned to one of sudden rapture as Ezra leaned
down, parting her folds and lashing out his tongue to taste her.
Inez bit her lip as her hips bucked, her hands flying down to hold his
head. Ezra allowed her to grind her hips against his mouth for a
short time before reaching up and holding her down, taking his time as
his tongue darted out to lick her here, taste her there.
Inez felt the climax building inside her and threw her head back
as it ripped through her body. Ezra watched, his green eyes glinting
with desire as he watched her pleasure. Reaching down, his fingers
found her throbbing nub of pleasure and grazed over it. Another wave
of pleasure sliced through her sweat-soaked body. Keeping his thumb
there, Ezra slipped two fingers inside her, causing her to thrash about
with delight.
Inez clutched madly at the sheets, a smile coming to her lips
as she remembered all the dreams she'd had about this man. The pleasure
he brought could not be imagined as he worked her body to the fullest extent
of its measure. Inez began to toss her head back and forth, mumbling.
The gambler was able to pick out "Please..don't stop....Ezraaaaaa..."
The sound of someone moaning his name in pleasure sent shivers through
his body.
Ezra leaned down on top of her, her legs widening to accept his
body. Inez groaned in disappointment as she found him still wearing
his pants. As he removed his hand from her body and leaned down to
kiss her, she pushed the small man over on his back. Straddling his
hips, Inez reached down and almost ripped his pants open, shoving her hand
inside. It was Ezra's turn to groan as she grasped his hardness,
running her hand up and down its length.
Regaining control, Ezra rolled them back over, moving off the
bed long enough to take off his remaining clothes. Inez gasped at
the vision of perfection before her. His skin glowed with a soft
sheen of sweat, his body seeming almost to have been chiseled from stone.
Inez looked back up into that usually controlled face, shocked to see it
covered by unmasked desire and passion. As he climbed back onto the
bed, Inez stared into those emerald eyes that up to now had been her only
window into the true self of the man in front of her. They glowed
with intense heat and excitement.
Ezra lay on top of her, spreading her legs with his knee.
Inez willingly opened her body to him, gasping as she felt him so close
to her womanhood. Leaning down, the gambler kissed her, slipping
his tongue into her mouth at the same time he moved into her body.
Inez cried out, wrapping her legs around Ezra as he thrust into her.
Following an ancient rhythm, Ezra moved inside her, his slow strokes driving
her to the edge and over it. But he didn't stop. Inez felt
him continue to move in slow, controlled thrusts. Control.
Always in control. /Dammit Ezra, lose control for once!/ Inez thought.
Moving her mouth from his, Inez leaned down and began to nibble
at his collarbone, light nips and grazes of her teeth while her hands wandered
over his back. Suddenly, Ezra felt a sharp pain as she bit down on
his shoulder hard, her hands digging into his arms. It was if she
could here his control snap. With an almost inaudible growl, Ezra
sped up his movements. Inez captured his mouth, returning his bruising
kiss with equal force as she once again reached her point of climax.
Ezra felt her muscles rippling in orgasm around him. Unable
to hold off any longer, he thrust in deeply once more and emptied himself
into her body. Falling down beside her in exhaustion, Ezra reached
over for Inez to pull her close. Only to find her not there.
Looking up, he saw her dipping the long forgotten cloth into the water
again, bringing it back to his side. Ezra closed his eyes as he felt
the cool water upon his fevered skin, washing away pain and pleasure both
at the same time.
"Thank you, my dear," he mumbled, trying to fight off the sleep
that tugged at his brain. A soft kiss touched his forehead.
*Thank you, Señor," Inez replied, smiling as she watched
him drift off to sleep.
Nathan watched Ezra carefully make his way down the stairs, the
dark circles under the gambler's eyes more than enough proof that he should
have kept him at the clinic last night. It was obvious the smaller
man hadn't gotten much sleep. Nathan pushed a chair out from the
table in Ezra's direction.
"Thank you, Mr. Jackson." Ezra signaled for a cup of coffee
and savored the flavor when it arrived. Nathan stared at the gambler
as he took a deck from his pocket and began to shuffle them absently.
"I thought I told you to get some sleep last night, Ezra.
Not stay up and play cards." Nathan gave his sternest look to the
gambler, watching as a faint smile crossed Ezra's lips.
"Trust me, Mr. Jackson. I took the best possible care of
my affairs last night." Ezra lifted the cards towards Nathan, fighting
to keep a large smile off his face as he thought of his "affairs last night".
The healer sighed with exasperation, knowing that he would get nothing
out of Ezra. The other man began to shuffle anew, turning up a card
every now and again. Nathan watched the green eyed man turn up the
Ace of Spades consistently. His attention was turned however as Buck
ambled in and walked over, flirting heavily with one of the girls before
sitting down.
Ezra payed no notice of Buck, instead staring at the card on the
table. Instead of the Ace of Spades he had been playing with, the
Two of Hearts lay on the table. He placed one finger on the top heart
and then moved it down to the bottom one. A contented smile covered
his face.
"Well, let's get this game started. Ezra?" The gambler
looked at his companions, still fingering the card.
"Deuces wild?" Buck asked. Ezra's grin widened as he looked
at the woman behind the bar and then back to his card.
"Yes, gentleman. They are."
The End
