Perceptions
Buck had just joined Chris and Josiah on their way to the saloon. It was a pleasant summer evening and a cool breeze could be felt in the air. Things had been quiet for at least a week. The seven protectors of Four Corners were enjoying a respite from the heat. Buck nodded toward the bathhouse as an individual exited.
"You know I bet he bathes with his clothes on."
Chris snorted. "Where the hell did that come from?"
"We are of one mind on this one, brother." Josiah looked at Buck as if the womanizer had just grown a second head.
"Aw, c'mon you two. Either one of ya ever been around when he takes a bath?"
"Well, quite frankly, Buck, I don't much pay attention to other folks' bathing habits. Long as they don't smell bad enough to make me move upwind, ain't none of my business." It was a long speech, but sometimes the things Buck came up with made Larabee wonder.
It was Josiah's turn to laugh. "What brings this on, Buck? Vin doesn't bathe often enough for you?" Ain't that. But look at him. Sometimes the boy is downright scruffy, but like Ezra says he don't smell. Ya never see him bathin'. Fact is, anyone ever see him without all those clothes on, especially that damned jacket?"
The individual they were discussing was a friend of theirs, one Vin Tanner. They watched as he crossed the street to the saloon. He tipped his hat to his friends as he disappeared through the batwing doors.
"I jest worry 'bout him. He ain't had no fun since that Charlotte mess." Chris shot his friend a glance and noticed that as usual, Buck didn't think anyone could or should go without some female companionship for any length of time without it ruining their health.
"Just cause he don't parade around town showin' what he's got like some I know doesn't mean anything is wrong with him." Josiah felt compelled to set his friend straight. "Vin ain't JD, Buck. He knows what he's doin'."
"And who's to say he ain't been seein' someone? Vin don't go around braggin' like you do, Buck. Sides, he don't want to get tied down with that bounty on his head. You don't know what it would do to him if he got himself tied down and she got hurt by bounty hunters after him."
"Chris is right, Buck. Vin's kinda shy, an' he doesn't make a big deal over things. There are a lot of women in town who have made it clear Vin could drop in any time. Just because he doesn't talk about it, doesn't mean he isn't enjoying the pleasures a woman can offer. You don't hear the rest of us braggin' 'bout what we do, do you?"
Buck frowned at Chris and Josiah. "I know he's shy. Hell, that's why that Charlotte woman got him. Boy's a sittin' duck for these needy women. He don't need to get tied down, he needs to cut loose and have some fun is all I'm sayin'." Before Buck could explain further, several strangers ran through the doors of the saloon, tripping over one another in an effort to get out to their horses and get out of town. Several of the townsmen gathered near the windows to catch the show inside the saloon. The three men looked at one another and ran the rest of the way to the saloon. The sight they saw wasn't anything they hadn't expected, except they had never seen a man as huge and ugly as the one standing in front of the bar talking to Inez.
Chris searched the room for Vin. So did Josiah and Buck. Then they spotted him. He was practically hidden by the huge man. Even standing straight up, the top of Vin's hat barely reached the man's shoulders. He was holding the filthy man's partner at bay with his hand while he had his mare's leg pointed straight into the big man's chest.
"The lady said she wasn't interested. You got that, or are ya stupid?" The last line was delivered in a low growl that indicated the usually affable tracker was angry, really blood boiling angry.
Instead of taking the hint the man laughed. Chris caught a whiff of him and wondered how Vin managed to keep standing right in front of him and not be knocked off his feet by the sheer smell of the man. Then he heard what the man was saying.
"Hey Bert, what say I play with the long-haired beauty while you take the Latin fire-brand? Then we can switch or take 'em both at the same time."
Vin was glad to see Chris enter with Buck and Josiah. He had back up now, so he could get both foul-smelling men out of the saloon. Inez already had a bruise on one arm and a torn sleeve where the man had grabbed her before Vin had moved swiftly to intervene.
"Aw yeah, I'd like a turn with both of 'em my own self." The man laughed at Inez's gasp and he actually put his hand over the hand Vin had flattened against his chest holding him away from Inez.
"The lady said," Vin was going to repeat himself one more time, then he was going to shoot the bastards. He saw Chris's eyes widen when it hit him what the foul smelling men had just said. He took a deep breath and tried to control his temper, but the combination of the smell of the two men and the torn sleeve exposing the bruise forming on Inez's shoulder was doing nothing but fuel his rage. The man actually caressed Vin's hand, and the other one leaned closer and smiled right at him.
"I bet yer real good, you and yer friend there. Heh, heh, we're gonna have a good time."
Chris saw the uncontrollable rage boil over in the blue eyes of his best friend and the woman behind the bar. Josiah and Buck saw it, too. They watched in fascination as Inez took a bottle from the bar and crashed it down on the head of the man caressing Vin's hand. She reached for a second bottle when Buck started to move. Ezra appeared at the top of the stairs, took one look at the situation, and ran down the stairs. One of the men was bigger than Josiah.
"Chris, Vin an' Inez are gonna get themselves killed!" Buck moved in to stop the blood bath. Josiah and Chris moved in to help also, but for some strange reason, Chris wasn't worried so much about Vin and Inez, as he was worried the two would kill the strangers before he and the others could get a hit in. He was right.
Vin erupted and tossed the man Inez had just hit on the head with the bottle right into Buck's arms. Buck didn't waste any time as he grabbed the man and turned him around as Ezra used the butt of his gun to knock the man unconscious. Then they turned to see Inez and Vin both take on the giant. Inez brought the second bottle down on his head, but all it did was make the man throw back his head and laugh. Vin then pushed Inez back behind the bar and turned the butt of his mare's leg and drove it into the giant's stomach. Then he dropped the mare's leg as the man backhanded him into the bar, knocking the wind out of him. Vin got right back up and connected two swift punches right in the man's face, breaking the skin on the back of his hands. He felt like he had just hit a brick wall. The giant shook his head and taunted the angry man in front of him.
"I like it rough, boy. Yer gonna be good." He reached for Vin and literally picked the smaller man off the floor by his shoulders. He wasn't expecting Vin's rage and his years with the Comanches to combine together to make the slight tracker the giant's worst nightmare. Chris grabbed one of the giant's arms, but he shook the gunslinger off like he was a fly. Buck helped Chris up off the floor as the man let go of Vin long enough to backhand Josiah right into Ezra. They toppled to the floor, and just as quickly got to their feet. The giant stood there laughing as he went back to shaking Vin around like he was a sack of potatoes.
All four men were ready to rush the giant as one to free their friend when they witnessed the most amazing turn of events. Even Ezra would have lost everything if he had bet on the giant's winning this fight with the tracker. Buck's mouth literally fell open, and Chris dropped the chair he had picked up to hit the man with. Josiah stood stunned, and Ezra's eye widened until they looked like they would pop out of their sockets. Just when they thought their friend would be another victim of the giant, Vin turned the tables on him. He knew he couldn't stop the man physically short of shooting him, so he waited for the one chance he knew he would have. All he had to do was to endure the battering his body was subjected to as the man banged him back and forth against the bar. As the man lifted him off the ground and pulled him toward him, Vin took his chance.
The giant lifted the tracker to eye level and brought him right up to his face, his teeth exposed like a dog's fangs. It looked as if the giant was going to devour the man he had dangling in the air when Vin brought first one foot and then the other to viciously kick the man right in his groin. As the man doubled over in pain, the tracker used both of his free hands to take the palms of his hands and drive them with all his strength onto either side of the man's eyes. The giant howled in pain and dropped Vin to the ground. Vin rolled to his feet despite the protest of his bruised body. Before the giant could get up or move, Vin reached and grabbed the two bottles Inez tossed to him and crashed first one and then the other down onto the giant's head. The giant looked up once at the smaller man in amazement and then fell to the floor like a tree crashing in the forest. The floor shook with the impact as Vin sagged against the bar. Buck caught him as he slowly sunk to the floor. Inez ran from around the bar to Vin as Buck held his friend up until he could regain his balance. Inez was already putting a cold wet cloth on the bruise already forming on the side of his face where the giant had struck him. He winced and then the tension drained from his body leaving him wobbling back and forth.
Vin focused on his friends as Josiah and Ezra got several of the men in the bar to help them drag the two unconscious men to the jail. They were more than willing after witnessing a fight they would be talking about for months to come. Tanner had put on quite a show for the people, and they all were talking about it as the news of the fight and what had started it spread through town like wildfire.
"I got him good, Chris." Vin could barely stand on his feet at this point without Buck's help, but here he was puffing up like a peacock.
"Yes you did, cowboy." Chris looked at him and then at Buck. Then they started laughing with the bruised tracker as Inez looked at them like they had all lost their minds.
"Yeah, you got him good, Vin. Ain't no funny cowboys gonna bother you ever, pard." Buck was afraid he was going to drop his friend he was laughing so hard. Between guffaws, Buck managed to get one more statement out. "Remind me never to get you mad at me."
"Me, too. Damn, you learn to fight mean like that from the Comanches?" Chris shook his head in amazement at what he had just seen. Then he looked at Vin's knuckles. "That's got to hurt. He get you anywhere else? I can send Buck here for Nathan." He took his friend's chin and looked at the bruise Inez had Vin place the cold compress on as she attended to his bloody knuckles.
"I'm all right. Damn fool didn't hurt me none at all."
Inez rolled her eyes at that statement. She threw her hands into the air. "Enough! You two, take him upstairs. He needs to lie down before he falls down. This one is about to drop him!" She pointed to one of the men who frequented the bar regularly. "You, pour everyone one drink on the house and then leave. The bar is closed. Understand?"
No one argued with her as she was carrying a bottle of whiskey in one hand. They had witnessed what she had done to one of the men with it, so they all were going to take their one drink and leave before she turned her temper on them. She turned to glare at the three idiots in front of her. "I told you to take this one upstairs, now!" Chris and Buck practically carried their protesting friend up the stairs.
"I can walk, damn it! Let go! I don't need no doctorin'!" Chris and Buck looked at the furious woman behind them and their friend. It was an easy choice as they took him up the stairs.
"I think you best go quiet like, Vin. Inez looks madder than you when you took that giant on." Buck snickered and winked at Chris. It was beginning to dawn on the lady's man why he had had such a hard time trying to entice Inez to his bed. She was interested in Vin. He could tell by the way she was fussing at all of them. He caught Chris's attention over Vin's protests. Chris didn't understand why Buck wanted his attention as they tried to get Vin to let someone check him over. With Nathan and JD out at the Harris ranch delivering Mrs. Harris's baby, Inez was the best choice. She had taken to helping Nathan at his clinic when she had free time. If nothing else, she could at least clean and bandage Vin's cut and bleeding knuckles. Buck winked one more time at Chris.
"Where do you want him, Inez?" Buck was being too polite all of a sudden to Chris's thinking. Then it dawned on him.
"Put him in my room." There was no hesitation in Inez's voice. "Put him on my bed."
Vin suddenly stopped struggling at her statement and let his two friends take him in and deposit him on Inez's bed. Buck winked at the tracker and said loud enough for both Vin and Chris to hear. "You dawg, you." Vin couldn't help but grin. He'd been real good at keeping his desire for Inez to himself, but the big man had figured it out. Buck slapped Vin on the shoulder and would have said more, but Inez started shoving him and Chris to the door. Buck turned at the door and saw Inez kneel down in front of Vin. He caught the tracker's eye one more time, grinned outrageously, tipped his hat to the couple, and closed the door.
Chris had nearly lost it when Vin had abruptly stopped protesting and willingly let Inez start fussing all over him. That's what Buck had been trying to let him know. It all made sense now. Vin jumping in to keep Inez safe from those two men when he could have called for help, his uncontrollable rage when the man mentioned having sex with both of them, and then Inez's immediate decision to take care of Vin. Chris didn't need a brick to hit him upside the head, but he wondered why Buck wasn't angry. Buck had been after Inez since the first day he had met her. Then Chris remembered the earlier conversation when Buck claimed Vin needed to have some fun. Well, Vin had already had some fun. It had damned near killed him, but Buck was grinning ear to ear. Chris suspected, like Buck did, that Vin was about to have even more fun. They left the room listening to Inez tell Vin he would have to take off his coat and his shirt. Chris saw her pull Vin's coat off and start to unbutton Vin's shirt before Buck closed the door. He looked up to a grinning Buck Wilmington.
"You okay with this, Buck?"
"Hell yes, Chris. Bout time that boy enjoyed himself, and that Inez is gonna drive him wild."
"But Buck."
"Hell, Chris. I was beginnin' to think I was losin' my touch. Here she's been wantin' Vin all this time and him her. I figure he's been too damn shy to do anything about it since that trouble he's had, or he's been quiet cause of me. Either way, it's gonna be a pure pleasure to watch the two of them squirm when they realize we done figured 'em out." Buck slapped his oldest friend on the back. "Did you see the look on Vin's face when it dawned on him that bastard called him a long-haired beauty?" Buck started laughing again. Chris joined him as they went down the stairs together. Josiah and Ezra were back.
"We've got them locked up. How's Vin?"
Buck couldn't wait to tell them. "Inez has him in her room now." He made it sound thoroughly debauched and Ezra raised an elegant eyebrow.
"I take it Vin and Inez are?" He let the question drift off as he saw the evil grin on Buck's face. Ezra returned it with an equally wry grin. "Josiah was telling me how this all started. Would you gentlemen care to join me in a libation while you all regale me with this most interesting tale of danger and damsels in distress? I am particularly interested in the one about the long-haired beauty." Ezra started laughing on that one as Chris shook his head and grinned. Josiah threw back his head and his rumbling laughter echoed throughout the empty bar. Buck put his hand over Ezra's shoulder grabbing a full bottle from the bar.
As they all sat down at a table and poured a round of drinks, Chris looked at Josiah. "You know we're gonna have to tell Nathan and JD this same tale when they get back don't you?"
"As long as it ends the same way, I'm willing." Josiah saluted Chris with his glass of whiskey. Chris nodded his head and tossed down a shot.
"Well Ezra, it all started because Buck here was worried Vin wasn't havin' any fun." Buck looked back up at the door of Inez's room and made a silent toast to the couple in the room. He hadn't lied when he told Chris he wasn't angry Inez wanted Vin. Course, he loved to be a fly on the wall just to see if the reticent tracker was really a wild man beneath that easy going nature of his. Buck figured Inez would be a wildcat, and who better to tame her than a wild man? Yeah, it was about time his friend had some fun.
+ + + + + + +
Inez didn't even notice the door closing. She just concentrated on the man in front of her; the man who had rescued her once again. If she had stopped to think about things she probably wouldn't have had him brought up here. But she hadn't thought, she had reacted on instinct allowing the emotion of the last few moments grab her. She reached for his coat. "We need to get this off."
Vin groaned out loud as she pulled on his jacket. When she gentled her touch, he slipped a shoulder out of the coat and allowed her to pull it the rest of the way off. All he wanted to do was lie down and rest for awhile but being on Inez's bed wasn't going to make that easy. It was like being surrounded by her and not just because of her nearness. The bed, the room and especially the woman all shared the same deep, mysterious scent. Vin closed his eyes for a moment, absorbing it all and then he felt her hands on the buttons of his shirt. His eyes flew open and he stared at the top of her head. When he grabbed her fingers in his hand, her gaze locked on his.
She wet her lips and said, "I need to check your injuries."
Vin watched her tongue sweep across her lips and realized that he would only have to lean forward slightly to take her mouth. He could forget all about the aches and bruises that the giant had left him with and concentrate on the ache of wanting Inez. Damn, the fight must have muddled his brain. Inez deserved better and she couldn't possibly want him, a man with a price on his head. When he heard her gasp, he looked down at his exposed chest and ribs and he realized that he was in for a whole lot of hurt. Hell.
She couldn't stop the surprised sound. His skin was already changing colors and she ran her hand over his ribs trying to soothe the bruised flesh. Tears filled her eyes as she said, "I am so sorry."
Her touch caused Vin to suck in his breath but not from the pain of an injury. He was also a little stunned by the tears in her eyes. He'd never had anyone cry over him before. "Not yer fault, Inez. I shoulda been a little quicker at takin' the bastard down." Vin lifted the corner of his mouth in a wry smile. He reached out and gently used the pad of his thumb to wipe away a tear that had escaped to her cheek. His voice was gruff, "My own fault."
Inez nodded once and swallowed hard as she said, "Take your shirt off and I'll find something to help get you cleaned up." She left him to remove his shirt as she poured water from the pitcher into the bowl on her washstand. She dipped a cloth in the water and wrung it out. When she turned back around she wasn't prepared for the sight of Vin Tanner, shirtless and sitting on her bed. She felt the solid beat of desire begin as she tried to steady herself with one hand on the washstand and concentrate on helping him. He was injured for heaven's sake. She shook her head and took a deep breath. It didn't help. She couldn't seem to clear the image she had of the two of them together.
He sat on the edge of the bed with his eyes closed. It would be so easy just to lie back and let oblivion claim him. Vin felt her fingers on his face just before she pressed the cold, wet cloth to the cut above his lip. He jerked back in surprise at the sting of pain, "Ow!"
Inez got a better grasp on his chin and held his face steady. "Enough. You say nothing while some big bully tosses you around the room but you can't take a little scrubbing? You need to let me clean the blood off of your face and hands. Wait until I use the whiskey."
"I can think of a better use for the whiskey." Vin looked up at her and smiled when he realized that she was over her tears of sympathy. She continued to clean his face as she dabbed the cloth on the cut over his eye. He winced slightly as she ruthlessly cleaned the wounds until she reached for his hands. If he hadn't been watching her so closely he would have missed the look that passed over her face. A look of shared pain, regret and something more. If he didn't know better he would have sworn that it was desire. He recognized it because he'd felt a building need for her from the moment she had arrived in town. He had stayed in the background, always close enough to help but never in the way. Buck had obviously taken a fancy to Inez and Vin didn't think it was fair to stand in the way of her happiness with a friend. It didn't change the fact that he had begun to need her as much as he needed to breathe.
The skin on his knuckles was torn because of her. He had put himself between her and danger before but this was different, he'd never been hurt because of her before. She used the cool, wet rag to wash the abrasions on his hands. When his wounds were clean, she wet the cloth again and wrung it out. As she handed the folded cloth to Vin she said, "For your eye. It looks as if you will have a black eye." She watched as he pressed the cloth to his cheek. "Just lie down for awhile and I will be right back." Inez picked up the bowl of water and walked to the door. "Lie down." She didn't wait for him to do as he was told before leaving the room.
Inez reached the last step and looked around the saloon. It appeared to be empty except for the boy sweeping the floors and gathering up the glasses. "James? I need to arrange for a hot bath for Senor Tanner tomorrow morning. Can you make sure that there is water on to heat early?" At the boy's nod, she carried the bowl of bloodied water to the kitchen.
Buck Wilmington stood up from behind the bar and grinned at James. He touched his finger to his lips and eased his way around the bar. He leaned down to the boy and said, "You just go on and sleep in tomorrow. I'll see to the bath."
James stared at the tall man standing before him. He had a look of unholy glee on his face and James scratched his head. "Miss Inez asked me to take care of it. I just started here, wouldn't want to get fired from my job."
"Don't worry, son. I'll take care of everything." Buck patted the boy on the shoulder, "I have a feeling Miss Inez won't be botherin' ya all that much. It 'pears she's gonna be a mite too busy to notice." At the sound of her returning footsteps, Buck put his finger to his lips again and still grinning, he ran for the door.
Inez didn't want to leave Vin alone for very long. She filled a bowl with the spicy stew that had been simmering on the stove and added some flatbread, fresh sopaipillas and honey to the tray. She wasn't sure if he would eat but she had to try; he needed his strength so that his body would repair itself. She climbed the stairs and bracing the tray against her side with one hand, she turned the doorknob and pushed the door open. She put the tray next to the bed and stared down at the sleeping man.
Vin had stretched out on the bed and given in to exhaustion. His breathing was deep and even and his right arm was draped across his middle. His legs were stretched out with one knee slightly bent and turned out to the side. The suspenders still attached to his pants hung loose and had become twisted under him. He still wore his boots. Inez allowed her gaze to wander from the toes of his boots, along his legs, across his muscled abdomen and chest where the bruises along his ribs stood out against his paler skin. When her gaze reached his face, she couldn't stop herself from reaching out and gently brushing the hair away from his forehead. His right hand still loosely held the wet cloth that she had given him to ease the pain of the bruise on his face. She took it, folded it and pressed it to his cheek. Her heart contracted a little as she watched his eyelashes flutter and then sleep fogged blue eyes met hers. "I didn't mean to wake you," she whispered.
"Jes' restin' my eyes." When his stomach rumbled, Inez smiled. "Somethin' smells good."
"Do you think you could eat something?"
Vin nodded and winced as he tried to pull himself up in the bed. He stopped when Inez extended her arm across his chest, put her hand on his shoulder and leaned forward to reach behind him to pull the pillows up against the headboard. "Perhaps you would also be more comfortable without your boots?" When he reached down for his left boot, she brushed his hands away and pressed her hand to the center of his chest and urged him to sit back against the pillows. "Relax." Inez reached for his nearest leg, grabbing the boot by its heel and toe. Once she had pulled it off and dropped it next to the bed, she went to work on the other. It joined its mate on the floor with a solid thump, she reached up into his pants legs to peel both of his socks off and then tossed them next to the boots. She turned and pulled her skirt up slightly to sit on the edge of the bed. She reached out to turn the tray beside the bed towards her.
"Got any more whiskey?" At her look, Vin grinned at her, "Purely medicinal."
Inez looked at the bottle on the nightstand and tossed her head, "You've had enough whiskey. You need some food in your belly." She scooped up some stew, held it to his mouth and waited until his lips opened and closed around the spoon. Vin watched Inez as he chewed and let his mind wander a bit thinking that the stew was a little hot and spicy just like the woman sitting next to him. When she offered up the next bite, Vin saw he tear in the sleeve of her blouse and the darkening finger-shaped bruises on her arm. He grabbed her elbow and pulled it towards him.
"Vin, wait. The stew will..."
"Hell with the stew. He hurt you." His eyes fired at the thought that the man had gotten his hands on her and caused her pain before he had stopped him.
"It is nothing. He didn't hurt me. Really, he didn't." Inez was stunned at how quickly his eyes had gone from quiet and relaxed to dangerous. "I'm..." When his thumb began stroking her bruised skin, she froze. Vin took the spoon from her fingers and tossed it on the night stand. He leaned forward as he lifted her hand to his shoulder and placed his lips on the skin just above the inside of her elbow. It was an impulse and one he didn't regret when he heard her quick intake of breath. His tongue slid along her skin and he looked up at her face, watching her eyes slowly close. He felt her hand curl into the hair at the nape of his neck as his lips traveled up her arm to the edge of the tear in her blouse. His eyes narrowed again as he thought of the man's hands on her, ripping the cloth before leaving his filthy marks on her skin.
When he stopped, Inez's other hand reached out and her fingers lifted his chin until his eyes met hers. She leaned forward to press her lips against his and drew him closer. He forgot about the men downstairs, the fight and everything else except the taste of her mouth.
+ + + + + + +
The sun was cresting as Vin lay watching Inez sleep. He was considering waking her up when her eyelashes began to flutter. He waited until her eyes opened and with a whispered, "Mornin'," he kissed her. Her arm curled around his neck to draw him closer.
A loud thump on the stairs followed by a "Son of a..." had Inez breaking the kiss.
Her eyes widened. "Bath," as she scrambled away from Vin, falling off the edge of the bed.
"Inez?" Vin lifted himself to look over the edge of the mattress, "Honey, what's wrong?" He watched as she frantically searched under the bed for something.
"Your bath. I ordered you a hot bath for this morning. I completely forgot." She couldn't find it. What had they done with her blouse?
"Well I appreciate the thought but there ain't no reason to go runnin' around this morning. We'll tell them to come back later. Why don't you jes' come back to bed?"
Inez's head popped up over the edge of the bed, dragging the sleeves of Vin's shirt over her arms. A long stream of curses followed another crash in the hallway. Inez groaned out loud, "Buck? No." She made it to the door just as the knob rattled.
Buck stuck his head in the door. "Bath's here. Everybody decent?" He grinned as he looked around the room and his gaze came to rest on Vin lying in bed. The obvious disappointment crossing his features as he realized Vin was in bed alone had Vin chuckling. Buck looked around again and said, "Where's Inez?"
Vin lay back against the pillows and laced his fingers behind his head. He grinned and without saying a word, he nodded at the door.
Buck grinned and said, "Brought you a hot bath, you ol' dog. Where you want it?"
Vin considered telling Buck exactly what he could do with his bath and the interruption but he was in just too good a mood this morning. "How 'bout over there?" Vin pointed across the room and waited while the tub was set and filled with steaming water.
When the bath preparations were complete, Buck tipped his hat to Vin and ran his fingers across his mustache. "You have a nice bath now, pard." He reached for the doorknob and started to pull the door closed behind him. It revealed Inez; eyes closed, with her back against the wall, wearing Vin's shirt. The sleeves covered her hands and the shirttail fell to the middle of her thighs. She clutched the shirt across her breasts not having had time to button it. Just when she thought he was gone, Buck's head peeked back around the door and he said, "Morning Inez. Nice shirt." Her eyes flew open at the mention of her name and she watched the door close. Buck's laughter could be heard ringing down the hallway.
The splash of water had Inez looking at Vin sinking into the tub. His audible groan as the steaming water loosened his muscles had her knees going weak again.
"You gonna come over here and join me?"
Inez pushed herself away from the wall and walked slowly towards the tub. Vin's mouth went dry when she slipped his shirt off and leaned over the tub. "Are you sure you are up to it this morning?"
Vin wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into the tub with him. Water overflowed along with their laughter as the two lovers prepared to enjoy a long, hot bath.
+ + + + + + +
Buck practically flew down the stairs. Never a man to waste time when it came to his friends' happiness, Buck was ready to burst with laughter. What he'd seen upstairs had to be shared. He'd seen that satisfied grin on Vin's face, and Inez hiding behind the door just sent Buck's sense of humor right over the edge. The look on her face when he'd snaked his head back round the door and spoke to her was worth all the rejections she'd put him through. He might not be the man she wanted in her bed, but Buck knew Inez considered him a friend. Now he had something he could genuinely torture the woman with. Vin, too. Hell, it was his duty as their friend to tease them mercilessly.
The first step was to tell Chris and the others. He'd seen Nathan and JD walk over to eat breakfast with Chris, Josiah, and Ezra. Nathan and JD had come back too late to hear what had happened while they were gone, but he knew the others would fill them in while he had taken the tub up to Inez's room. His ma always said it was the quiet ones you had to watch out for. Well, he doubted Vin had been very quiet last night. He'd heard the laughter and the water splashing before he started down the stairs. He'd best tell the others he doubted Vin would be around much today. Buck walked into the dining room of the hotel and sauntered over to the table as Ezra finished the tale for Nathan and JD. Of course, Nathan was concerned about Vin's state of health.
"Anyone see how bad Vin was hurt? Did anyone ask Inez if his ribs were broke?"
"No one's seen Vin or Inez since the fight, brother." Josiah saw the grin on Buck's face and continued. "I think Buck has some news for us, though."
Chris looked up from his coffee to glare at Buck. "You took that bath up, didn't you? I told ya it was none of our business and to leave 'em alone."
It suddenly hit JD what they were talking about. "You mean Vin and Inez? I mean they, well you know!"
"I believe from the look on Mr. Wilmington's face, Mr. Dunne, our Mr. Tanner survived the night but spent it getting to know a 'Latin firebrand' in the Biblical sense." Before JD could utter his famous, 'Huh?' Ezra took pity on him. "Yes, JD. Vin and Inez did."
Nathan's question still hadn't been answered yet, and the healer instinct was demanding he check on his friend. He looked at the still grinning Wilmington and used a glare similar to the one Chris had used earlier. "Well?"
"Aw Nathan, don't glare. You're beginning to look like Chris." He got an elbow to the ribs from his oldest friend. It didn't put a damper on his good mood. "That was the happiest looking bruise I've seen in a long time." Chris nearly spit the coffee in his mouth across the table and Ezra and Josiah threw back their heads and laughed. Nathan grinned and JD started laughing when Chris shook his head and laughed, too. Buck was never gonna change. Chris wasn't sure he wanted him, too. Buck wasn't finished, so Chris waited for the rest of the tale.
"Inez is takin' care of Vin just fine. She was hidin' behind the door from me when I brought the tub in. Vin looked like I interrupted somethin', but he was in too good a mood to complain." Buck leaned forward and lowered his voice so only the rest of the seven could hear. "She was wearin' nothing but his shirt. Didn't even have time to button it." Buck gave in to his mirth and slapped JD on the back nearly toppling the kid. "Aw fellas, ya should of seen the look on her face. Her eyes popped open real wide. I ain't had this good a laugh in a long time."
Buck continued to enlighten them about Vin and Inez as the hotel slowly emptied of its breakfast clientele. He doubted if Vin would feel up to patrolling the town anytime soon, so he was generous and volunteered JD to take Vin's patrol. Chris decided it would do him good, so he said he'd take it and made Buck go with him. It was the least he could do for the man who had watched his back on more than one occasion. If it meant listening to Buck all day, then Chris was prepared to put up with it. He'd never mention out loud that he agreed with Buck, that Vin just hadn't had any fun since that Charlotte affair. It was about time the tracker had a woman who could handle him.
The End