by Robin Deeter
Cy said, “Pudge! Knock it off. Don’t submit to a cat!”
Pudge rolled back over, but kept inching closer. Then he raised a paw to it. The kitten backed away, growling louder. Pudge got up and bowed down, barking and then running away, classic doggie behavior for “come play with me”. The kitten didn’t respond, but the mama cat got down off the couch and walked right up to Pudge, rubbing her head against the little dog.
Ecstatic to have made friends with the new family member, Pudge licked the cat’s ears and ran rapid circuits around the room. Even Cy laughed at his antics as the cat sat down and calmly washed her paw while Pudge acted like a puppy. The kitten had ducked back under the sofa. The mama cat jumped up on Cy’s lap and Brock cracked up at the disgusted look on Cy’s face.
The cat was oblivious to Cy’s feelings and draped herself across his legs, purring loudly.
“Now what am I supposed to do?” he asked.
Leigh giggled. “You could try petting her.”
Cy shot her a dark look before briefly running his fingers over her back. The cat turned her face to his hand and started washing it.
“I think she likes you,” Brock said. “Stupid cat.”
Leigh let loose with a laugh as Daphne came into the room. Brock stood up, the cat forgotten as he took in Daphne’s beauty. He liked the deep wine dress on her as much has he had the blue one.
“You look beautiful,” he said.
Daphne blushed. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Ready?”
She said goodnight to Cy and Leigh and they embarked on their second night out.
Chapter Ten
Nothing went wrong that night. Brock took her to a different restaurant and then they stopped at Benny’s for a little dancing. He knew that his brother, Aaron, had been going to play there that night. They’d laughed off and on during dinner at Cy’s reaction to having cats and learned more about each other.
As soon as they went inside the saloon, fiddle and piano music greeted their ears. Daphne saw a man in a wheelchair playing the piano and smiled. Carter “Wheels” Ellis was a much-loved figure in Chance City. His fingers moved deftly over the keys, confidently hitting the right notes. Aaron Guthrie, younger than Brock by one year, stood close to the piano, sawing a lively tune on his fiddle.
Although his eyes were the same blue as Brock’s, he had their mother’s dark hair. He was too busy playing to notice that Brock had arrived.
“Well, there’s a fine lass if ever I saw one,” Benny said in his best Irish accent as Daphne and Brock approached the bar.
“Hello, Benny. How are you tonight?”
“Better now that you’re here.” His green eyes twinkled.
The open admiration in his gaze made Brock’s stomach clench with jealousy.
“We came to do some dancing,” Brock told him, putting a hand on Daphne’s shoulder.
He and Benny stared at each other for a few moments before the bartender nodded. “Well, you’re in luck since Aaron and Wheels are at it. You gonna play?”
“No. I don’t have my guitar with me,” Brock said. “Another time.”
“Ok. What are you drinkin’?”
Daphne said, “I’ll have a sarsaparilla, please.”
“Beer,” Brock said.
Benny poured their drinks and they found a table as the song ended. The crowd clapped and cheered while Aaron bowed and Wheels saluted them. Seeing his big brother, Aaron made his way over to their table, Wheels close behind him. Aaron pulled out a chair and Wheels moved into the empty space beside Daphne.
“Hello, pretty lady,” he said. “How’s the Indian princess tonight?”
Brock wanted to punch him until Daphne laughed. Apparently she knew Wheels and didn’t mind his teasing.
“I’m fine. How’s the handsomest man on two wheels?”
“Finer than frog hair split four ways. Gonna dance with me later?” he asked.
“Of course,” she said.
Brock frowned. “Not tonight, Wheels. I’m gonna be keeping her busy.”
Daphne said, “Don’t speak for me, Brock. I always dance with Wheels.”
“Yeah, Deputy, she always dances with me,” Wheels said.
Brock didn’t want to watch Daphne sit on Wheels’ lap. It wasn’t proper, but Wheels coaxed women into doing it. In the past, Brock had laughed as much as anyone else over it, but now that he was seeing Daphne, the idea of her sitting on any other man’s lap but his angered him.
Brock said, “I didn’t know that you came here so much, Daphne.”
“I come off and on with Cy and our cousins when I need to blow off a little steam,” she said.
Aaron watched the exchange with amusement. He didn’t share his father and brother’s deep-seated hatred of Indians and had nothing against the Decker or Lone Wolf families. His brother’s jealousy towards Wheels was funny, considering they were such close friends.
Wheels said, “It’s been a while. I’ve been missin’ my favorite dancin’ partner.”
“And I’ve been missing my favorite Mississippi boy,” she said, patting his arm.
Aaron saw Brock’s eyes narrow. “Brock, I brought your guitar just in case you showed up. How about we play a song and give Wheels a break?”
Brock almost refused, but he didn’t want to look like a jealous jackass, so he said, “All right. Have fun.”
Wheels let out a whoop and rolled out to the dance floor. Brock warmed up a little bit and then he and Aaron played a fast song. Daphne sat on Wheels’ lap and laughed when he started spinning nimbly around on the chair.
He’d been injured in the army and sent home, unable to walk after suffering spinal damage when his horse had been shot out from under him. Although initially devastated, he hadn’t allowed himself to wallow long, figuring that at least he was able to draw breath and be with his family.
His father, Vern, a brilliant inventor, who did ingenious things with metal and all sorts of machinery, had helped design a special chair using bicycle wheels and a custom made seat that let Wheels move around more freely than a regular wheelchair would have.
Wheels had spent hours practicing speeding along, turning quickly, and spinning. As a result, his upper body had grown powerful and he could maneuver around people and objects with ease. He’d always loved dancing and still did, even though he’d had to modify the way he went about it.
Brock watched Wheels and Daphne spin around on the dance floor and stifled his jealously. How could he begrudge his buddy some happiness? Although popular with the women, none of them were interested in seriously seeing Wheels. Brock had never asked Wheels, but he often wondered if things below the belt worked or not. It was a sensitive subject that Brock had no intention of bringing up.
As his fingers moved over the strings, Brock enjoyed listening to Daphne laugh and seeing her eyes lit up with happiness. Wheels spun and she held on tight, squealing over the speed at which they moved. Wheels laughed and spun in the other direction. The regulars at Benny’s always encouraged him to dance, amazed at the things he could do in his chair. They clapped and cheered him on.
When the song ended, Wheels brought Daphne over to the stage.
“Here’s your lady, Deputy. All in one piece.”
Daphne chuckled and kissed his cheek. “Thanks for the wonderful dance.”
“You’re welcome, sweetheart. Back to the piano I go.”
He wheeled over to the piano and struck up a drinking song. Benny sang along from behind the bar, his baritone voice blending with Wheels’ tenor. Brock twirled Daphne around as he sang along.
Daphne loved his smooth tenor voice and his smile as he held her and they moved around the floor. The heat of his palm at the small of her back made her tingle and the desire in his eyes made her pulse race. When the song shifted into a slower rhythm, Brock pulled her a little closer and she inhaled his slightly musky cologne. It tantalized her senses and his gaze captured hers.
Holding Daphne felt so right, so incredi
ble and Brock’s acute awareness of her beauty sent desire singing through his body. From her shiny, mahogany hair to her feet she was gorgeous and his hunger for her intensified as they danced.
After a few more songs, Aaron and Wheels announced that they were done for the night, which caused a lot of grumbling and groans of protest. Daphne and Brock took their leave soon after since he had to be up early for work.
Settling in the buggy, Daphne said, “Thank you for such a wonderful time. I’ve never heard you sing or play before. You’re very good.”
Brock smiled. “Thanks. Aaron, Nora, and me inherited Ma’s musical ability. She sings and plays piano. We play at home a lot.”
“That’s really nice.”
“Yeah. You’re a really good dancer.”
“All Indians are good dancers,” she teased him. “Didn’t you know that?”
He laughed. “No, I didn’t, but then again, I have to confess that I really don’t know a whole lot about them. I’ve never wanted to learn, but being with you makes me want to. I want to know you better and since that’s a part of you, I really should.”
She cocked her head at him a little. “I’m impressed, Deputy. You seem to be overcoming some of your hatred.”
“I’m trying.” His expression had turned bashful. “Uh, Cy told me about all of the stuff you guys went through as kids. It really opened my eyes. If people treated my family like that, I’d be pissed off and hate them, too. You guys were just kids and hadn’t hurt anyone. Kids shouldn’t be treated like that, no matter what race they are.”
Daphne laid her hand on his arm, touched by his remarks. “Thank you for seeing that. I know that this has to be hard for you, changing your perception of me and my heritage. I’m not saying that the Comanche didn’t kill a lot of people. My ancestors were a very war-like people, but a lot of times they had reason to be. But my family has been peaceful for a long time. Other than my cousins and Cy getting in bar fights, we haven’t hurt anyone.”
Brock took her hand and kissed the back of it. “You’re right. It’s hard, but I’m beginning to see how biased my thinking has been. Be patient with me, ok?”
She smiled and nodded and Brock couldn’t wait any longer to kiss her. They were far enough from town that they were alone on the road. He stopped the buggy.
Daphne gave him a confused look. “What are you doing?”
He replied by cupping her face and brushing his lips against hers. She surprised him by grasping his coat and pulling him closer. Thrusting a hand into her silky hair, he took what she offered him, delving his tongue into her mouth. When she moaned and wrapped her arms around his midsection, he deepened the kiss further. She tasted sweet from the sarsaparilla she’d drunk and her lips were incredibly soft.
Fire swept through Daphne as Brock plundered her mouth. She responded ardently to him, sliding even closer as he growled and slid a hand under her cloak, caressing her back. She’d kissed men in the past, but they’d never stirred her senses the way Brock did. His lips were warm and firm and she couldn’t get enough of him.
Brock almost moved his hand around to cup her breast, but caught himself and drew back from her, his breathing ragged. Her passion-filled expression didn’t make it easy to restrain himself.
In a husky voice, he said, “I’d better get you home.”
Daphne nodded a little. “Yes, that’s probably a good idea.”
Putting distance between them, Brock took up the reins again, and they moved on down the road. They held hands, though, unwilling to stop touching altogether. Daphne couldn’t believe that she was riding by Brock’s side after having dreamed of being with him for long.
He squeezed her hand. “Penny for your thoughts?”
Her smile made his heartbeat throb again. “I’m just very happy, that’s all.”
Putting an arm around her shoulders, he pulled her against his side and kissed her temple. “Me, too, sweetheart.”
Daphne blinked away the tears his term of endearment created. They didn’t talk much the rest of the way home. Words weren’t necessary because their hearts did the talking for them.
Chapter Eleven
The next night, Johnny burst into Cy’s house, looking for his cousin. Cy and Leigh sat at the kitchen table going over their books.
“How many times do I have to tell you not to bang the door?” Cy complained.
“Sorry. I can’t get my tie tied. Can you do it?” Johnny asked. “I’m taking Dory out and I’m nervous as a goat pooping peach pits.”
Leigh grinned. “You like this girl, huh?”
Johnny shook his head as Cy worked on the tie. “I think I’m in love.”
“Love?” Cy gave him a doubtful look. “You’ve only spent an hour or so with her. There’s no way you can love her.”
Johnny met his gaze. “You never heard of love at first sight? Well, trust me, it exists. I can’t get her out of my mind. Those big blue eyes of hers and she’s so sweet and—”
“You’re infatuated,” Cy interjected. “That’s normal. You have to take your time and get to know her.”
Johnny’s gesture included both Cy and Leigh. “You two didn’t. It only took a couple of weeks for you to get married.”
Leigh said, “That was a different situation, Johnny. I came here purposely to marry Cy. Dory isn’t a mail order bride, though. There’s no expectation of marriage. Cy’s right. Enjoy getting to know Dory. Have some fun and see what happens.”
Cy finished tying Johnny’s tie. “There you go. You look good. Other than that one funeral, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a suit. I see you had your ears lowered, too.”
Johnny smoothed down the back of his hair even though it was already neat. “Yeah. I wanna look my best. I’ve never called on a lady before. I’m about ready to jump out of my skin.”
With a grin, Leigh said, “Easy, there. It’ll be all right. You’re a good-looking fella and you’re fun and respectful. Just the sort of man most women like.”
“Thanks. I better get going. I don’t wanna be late,” Johnny said.
“Have fun,” Leigh said.
“I reckon I will.” Johnny gave them a big grin and hurried out the door.
*****
Johnny whistled as he drove along, keeping the horse at a trot. He’d been pleasantly surprised to learn that Dory didn’t live very far from Sundance Ranch. Finding Dory’s house proved easy and it wasn’t long before he reached her home. He took a breath, hopped out of the buggy, and jogged over to the house.
Just as he stepped onto the porch of the plain white clapboard house, he heard yelling from within the house. Suddenly the front door was yanked open and a surly looking man with dark hair rushed towards Johnny. He brandished a revolver, which he pointed at Johnny’s head.
“You need to leave. Dory ain’t going anywhere with no Comanche lover.”
Johnny’s voice stuck in his throat for a moment. “Sir, my family are good people. So am I. Please lower the gun, sir. I mean no harm.”
“Sure you don’t. You just wanna get her alone and knock her up. I won’t have it!”
The smell of booze was strong on the man and Johnny realized that he wasn’t dealing with a man who was in his right mind.
Splotches of color broke out on his face. “No, sir, you’re wrong. I have too much respect for women to ever treat Dory that way. I promise.”
Dory’s father sneered at him. “Sure, sure. If you ain’t outta here in the next ten seconds, I’m gonna shoot your sorry hide full of holes, boy. Now get!”
Dory grabbed her father’s shoulder. “Pa! Leave him alone. He’s a good man.”
He turned around and gave her a hard shove. Johnny couldn’t see behind him, but he heard Dory fall to the floor.
“Now, see here! There ain’t no cause to treat a woman like that!” Johnny protested.
He moved toward the drunk man, who focused his attention on Johnny again and raised the gun.
“Stop right there!”
John
ny’s temper simmered. “Shame on you for hurting a woman. Dory, you all right?”
“I’m fine.”
“I said get out of here!”
Johnny wasn’t about to leave Dory and her mother there with the violent man. “Sir, if you could lower the gun, we could talk this out like—”
The gun went off and Johnny was blown off his feet as the bullet ripped into his body. Fire spread through his chest, limiting his ability to breathe. Right before his head smacked off the porch floor, rendering him unconscious, Johnny heard Dory scream. Then he sank down into oblivion.
*****
Dory ran along the trail she knew well, her breathing coming in harsh gulps as she moved at top speed. As Cotton’s clearing loomed ahead, she started screaming his name as loud as she could. Exiting the woods, Dory saw that cross sticks had been placed outside his tipi, indicating that he had company. She didn’t care.
“Cotton! Come quick! It’s Johnny! Please!” she screamed.
Cotton threw the tipi flap open, rushing out in only his breechcloth and leggings. “What happened?”
“Pa shot him! I got away. I don’t know if he’s alive.”
Cotton didn’t ask questions. “Go to the ranch and have Cy go to your house. Stay at the ranch until someone comes for you.”
Dory’s blue eyes swam with tears. “But, Ma is—”
Cotton put his hands on her shoulders. “I’ll take care of Noreen. Go!”
She took off down the trail that led to Sundance Ranch and Cotton retrieved his shirt and weapons, telling his lady friend what had occurred. Then he ran into the woods, intent on saving his nephew and Noreen even if it meant murdering Maynard.
*****
Arriving at the Klingerman residence, Cotton crept carefully towards the house. All was quiet, but he saw Johnny lying prone on the porch. On silent feet, he ran for the porch, keeping a sharp eye out for Maynard. Reaching Johnny’s side, Cotton shook him a little, but Johnny didn’t move. Leaning down, Cotton listened to see if Johnny was still breathing.