New Pen in Town
The stranger stepped off the stage and took a deep breath. The smell of horses, gunpowder and sweaty gunslingers made chills run down her spine. My she loved this town! She looked around and spotted them. Right where she knew they'd be and she waved slightly in their direction. Within seconds the handsome young man and his friend were in front of her.
"Howdy, ma'am, I'm ..." the boy said, holding his bowler to his chest.
"Oh, I know who you are, J.D." she smiled and extended her hand. The young sheriff's eyes sparkled as he kissed her soft flesh and Buck eyed her suspiciously.
"How do you know me?" he asked, grinning at the unaccustomed attention.
"I know all of you," she leaned in closer to J.D. "Don't tell the anyone, but I like you best."
"Better than Vin?" he asked, his jaw dropping in shock.
"Even better than Vin."
Buck quickly grabbed his friend's arm and dragged him away from the girl.
"Don't you ever learn?" he whispered, looking back at the stranger and smiling to hide his concern.
"What? She said she liked me better 'n Vin!"
"I wasn't sure before, but now I am. You know how that girl knows us?"
J.D. shook his head, a bit annoyed at his friend's rudeness.
"I've seen her with Maggie and Cass, boy! You know what that means?" Buck said, exasperation clearly showing in his voice.
"Come on, Buck, she looks so innocent," J.D. said, glancing around Buck to see the stranger. She fluttered her eyes sweetly at him to confirm his words.
"Your head's thicker 'n brick, boy! Don't you remember what happens when those kinda girls 'really like' you?"
J.D.'s eyes widened. "Naw. She wouldn't..."
Buck nodded his head solemnly. "We'd better lure her to Vin or Ezra quick before we accidently charm the pantaloons off her."
"J.D., dear, you're looking a little pale," the stranger said, stepping toward the pair.
J.D. hurriedly looked around for reinforcements, but only saw Vin leaning against the jailhouse door.
"Vin!" J.D. called out. "Help us out here!"
"Sorry pard, nothing I can do," he grinned. "Besides, it's just so relievin' to have them women after one of you instead of me."
"Well at least you can wipe that stupid grin off your face," Buck snapped.
"Can't...she won't let me," he said, still smiling.
Buck and J.D. whirled back around to face the stranger.
"Come on, sweet thang," Buck gushed. "How 'bout Ezra! Yeah, I bet you'd have a lot of fun getting them fancy clothes off his back, wouldn't you?"
"I take offense to your feeble attempts to redirect this lovely maiden to my… ," Ezra stopped, unable to find the words he sought after, finally he resorted to tipping his hat and flashing his gold tooth.
Buck and J.D.'s eyes brightened as the stranger's attention turned to the gambler. "Oh, those eyes, that drawl," she said, her voice fading dreamily.
"But," she said, shaking her head, "it's those darn words! I have to stop and figure out a new word every five minutes. You know how that interrupts my creative flow? You two are a lot easier."
Buck hung his head, J.D. reached up to wipe the beads of sweat off his forehead.
"J.D., you're not coming down with something are you," the stranger asked innocently and the boy gulped.
"Please, lady," he begged.
"Come on now, J.D., don't you like to be constantly reassured your place as a valued member of the seven?"
J.D. thought about it and nodded.
Buck put a hand on the kid's shoulder. "Careful, J.D., don't let her bait you."
"Don't you like it when they all lay their lives on the line to protect you? And the fact they'd all blame themselves until they died of a broken heart if they let anything happen to you?"
"Well, yeah, but do you have to hurt me for that?"
The stranger grimaced in sympathy. "Afraid, so kid, but, I'll make you a few promises. I won't ever mess up that beautiful, unshaven face, at least not permanently and only if it's really imperative to the storyline."
J.D. and Buck both absently touched their cheeks and stared at the stranger.
"And I promise I'll never hurt you and leave you alone - for no more than a couple of days, tops."
The boy's eyes widened as he took a step behind Buck.
"Oh, and I'll never, ever, ever treat you with anything but dignity and respect while semi- or completely unclothed," she grinned, stepping closer to J.D. again. "Except, of course in my own mind, but we'll discuss that later," she winked as she reached up and brushed a fallen strand of hair from the kid's face.
"Now wait just a minute here," Buck spoke up, forcing his way between the two. "How come he gets to be, uh, unclothed? Anything wrong with me, darlin'?"
"Ohhh, you're good, Buck," the stranger smiled. "Real good. Like a mother bird leading me away from her young. That is just too cute, I can use that. The guilt when it doesn't work, I can see it now..." her voice trailed and Four Corners dissolved…
"And I wanna take you out of the frying pan (and into the fire), out of the frying pan (and into the fire)..." the stranger awoke to the radio playing the fitting Meatloaf tune and smiled. "Yep boys, I'll get you outta that frying pan..."
The End