A nightmare from the past (Editing)

Chapter 9

Next morning Heyes woke, not knowing if Millie still was around or back with her husband in her own house. What he did know, was the fact that Kid had gone to the merchantile. They had flipped coin over it last night, and Kid had lost. He scratched his fingers in his tousled hair as he carefully looked around, his eyes drowsy from sleep.

As he saw Chyenne, a smile showed in his face. He sat up and started getting dressed, and when he was half way through buttoning his shirt, a soft voice declared :

"That's a nice color on you "

Surprised he stopped and looked up from buttoning his shirt. Their eyes met and he gave her a warm smile.

"Huh ? " he said and motioned at his shirt, "This ? "

Chyenne nodded slowly.

"Matches your eyes "she declared softly and started to move with difficulty as she wanted to sit up.

Buttoning the last buttons hastily, he got on his feet and walked over to her.

Without asking he leaned down and wrapped his arms around her, carefully lifting her up in a sitting position.

Chyenne held her breath, this was utter torture to her, his face just inches away. She closed her eyes as he gently let go of the hold he had on her. She was sure he could hear her heartbeats, God how he made her feel. She slowly opened her eyes again.

"How do you feel ?" he asked, his voice still a little hoarse from waking up.

Besides from feeling warm all over by looking in his eyes, she realized that her body was still aching a lot. Warm yet aching, she pondered, not logical at all. So she decided not to tell him.

"Better," she lied.

He gave her a doubtful glance as he sat down on the other bed, putting his boots on.

"Better ?" he echoed and stood up again after the finished task.

Chyenne swallowed and avoided his doubting stare.

"Yeah, better,  " she looked around, searching," Where's Kid ?" She tried to change the subject.

Heyes raised his eyebrow at the question. At the same time he felt a thight knot in his throat.

"Ah ! Well the Kid's...he's off to the merchantile to get some nails, got some fencing to do today." he mumbled and rubbed his bristled chin."Millie's gonna come by and keep you company "

Chyenne sighed silently.

"I'd rather you did " she whispered to herself, looking the other way, out the window.

Heyes had turned around to get out in the kitchen, but stopped as he thought he heard her say something.

"What ?" he said.

She still gazed out the window. She couldn't stop these feelings that seemed to have taken a hold on her, that had been with her for soo long, that insolently handsome outlaw made it difficult for her to breathe.

"Nothing, "she sighed dejected.

Sensing the discussion was over, he went out to the kitchen and started to make some coffee.

Could six months really make that much of a difference ? He felt vexatiously unsure of it somehow. Had he just imagined it before ? Maybe he wanted her so much, he saw things that wasn't there ?

A moment later Curry stepped through the door.

He slumped down on a chair, and displayed the box of nails on the table.