Next morning the sun was at a steady climb up on a clear blue sky, not one single cloud in sight to threaten or do serious damage to the possibility of a glorious day to come, and the neighbours rooster saw fit to have a try at the world record of crow-quill, letting it out with no pudency or restraint.
Rolling over, lifting his head just slightly, Curry squinted his eyes and grimaced.
"Get me my gun Heyes. I'm seriously thinking about fixing us some dinner for tonight. " he groaned, then buried his head under his pillow.
In the other bed laid Heyes with his arms folded around Chyenne. He had just slept bits and pieces of the night, being awake for most part of it, as he was used to. But this night it had been for a quite pleasurable cause, as he'd been snuggled up close to Chyenne's back the whole night, listening to her soft breathings and smelling her lovely scent. His eyes were closed and his face wore a content dimpled smile, then a small chuckle escaped his lips when hearing his partner damn the rooster to hell.
Feeling Chyenne stir a little in his arms, he shifted slightly and let his mouth wander off and gently nip and fondle her neck. The sensational chill that raised in Chyenne made her giggle silently as she stretched her neck further, to give him access to more.
"I'll cook it with delight." she said to Curry, her voice unsteady as she felt Heyes' hands roam and end up under her dress.
"Hannibal?" she whispered alarmed.
"Mmmmm..." he mumbled back into her ear, letting his hands slide up and down her thighs, and every now and then seemingly accidentily ending up at her most private part.
She felt herself warm up, and the heat in her nether region wasn't fading at all, quite the opposite as she felt his arousal becoming abundantly clear against her back.
" Stop it .." she hissed as she enjoyed his fondling to the fullest, "we're not alone "
"I know..." he breathed and kissed her ear, then he raised his head looking back at Curry. Meeting his partners blue eyes, he realized he'd been watching them all along. Curry shook his head with a smug grin.
"You find anything interesting under there?" he chuckled.
Heyes bit back a curse and pursed his lips, glaring at his partner.
"Were'nt you gonna fix us dinner, or something?" he said annoyed, forcing his eager body to cool down, "I can still hear the damn thing crow."
Curry sat up, putting his feet down on the floor while he gazed over at his partner with a poor effort to hide his glee.
"Noo..I think I'll let it live for today " he put on his shirt and pants, but was in no hurry, "You want any coffee?"
If Heyes could have, he would have shoved him out the door.
"No..not now, " he growled, then he thought about it," wait a minute, yes, we'll have it right away, if you don't mind?"
Seeing his partner squirm next to Chyenne, like a child about to open a present, made him laugh out loud. He knew Heyes wanted to get rid of him as fast as possible.
"Go easy on her Heyes." was all he said as he stood up and grabbed his gunbelt from the drawer. Then he walked out from the bedchamber with a broad grin on his face.
Chyenne raised her head and turned it slowly to look at the magnificent man she had laying behind her, her lips curved slightly upwards.
"Go easy on me? " she pouted her lips in dislike, turning around completely to face him," I was hoping for the opposite!"
Seeing the gleam in her eyes and her inviting lips, made his body tense up once again. Knowing this was probably the last time they would have together before she had to leave, and he wanted to make it last forever in her memory.
He gently brushed her long dark hair, watching as it billowed around her head on the pillow. He inhaled the beautiful vision of her, smiling at her, then he lowered his mouth to hers in a sweet tender kiss.
"I have no intension to go easy on you " he breathed as they slowly parted, "I want you to remember this forever."
Saying that, he enveloped his arms around her and commenced what he had promised to to with a breathtaking and passionate kiss.
Sitting on the porch of the boardinghouse, Kid Curry looked around. He had come to like this place, and the people of this town, a lot. Well, perhaps not Mrs Tibbs, the merchantile owner...he could certainly manage without her. But all the others, Millie and Lorne in particular. They had become good friends. He knew it would be hard leaving this place, but they had to. Leaving places were something they were used to, but this would be somehow harder than usual.
All of a sudden he heard a familiar barking and he looked towards where it came from. Around the bend in the road came Octo leaping like crazy, and after him came Millie and Lorne comfortably seated in a buggy.
He stood up and greeted them with a smile and tip of his hat as they climbed down and walked towards him.
"Lorne! Millie! "
Lorne shook his hand nodded to him with a smile that showed both pride and gratitude.
"Thaddeus " he responded, looking around." Where's..?"
Before he had time to finish his question, Millie had stepped up on the porch about to enter the house. Kid grabbed her gently on her arm, spinning her slowly around to face him.
"Eh, let's not go in there, not just yet, " he saw her giving him a quizzical look, frowning, " Joshua is sort of saying his goodbye to Chyenne. It might take a while.."
Lorne had to stiffle a chuckle as he saw the expression on his wifes face when the meaning of it dawned on her. First her jaw dropped, then her face turned crimson as she tried to say something, but faltered.
Having tried his best to get everybodys attention, Octo got fed up with jumping up and down, and instead he started barking.
"Oh, I'm so sorry my friend " Curry greeted him too with a nice round of pats on the back, " Of course you gonna get your share "
The three of them sat down on the edge of the porch, talking, and in between sentences Curry entertained Octo by throwning sticks for him to fetch.
After what seemed like an eternity, the door behind them finally opened, and a love flushed Chyenne slowly stepped out. She was dressed in that yellow dress Millie had bought to her, the one she first had wanted to get rid of, but after Millie had refused to take it back, she had been forced to keep it. Deep inside she had to admit to herself she was quite happy that Millie had said no to having it back...she actually liked it. It made her feel like a woman...and together with Heyes, she wanted to feel like a woman, she needed to feel like a woman, and by god, he sure made her feel like a woman, in every single fibre of her body.
She smiled shyly and nodded to Lorne and Millie.
A moment later Heyes came out. Curry observed him from the corner of his eye. The look on Heyes' face showed satisfaction but also a hint of deep and profound misery.
"Lorne, Millie " Heyes shook Lorne's hand and graced Millie with a polite smile, then he eyed the buggy in the yard in front of the house, " so...all set and ready to go?"
Lorne looked at Chyenne. The sadness in her eyes was a mirror image of what he saw in Heyes'.
"Yes..we are. I've wired your father in Spring Valley, " he said giving her half of a smile, "telling him we'll be arriving in about an hour." then he turned his head, giving both Curry and Heyes a frown, " I sure wish you boys would reconsider staying here."
Millie clutched her hands together as she gave them both her best sorrowful look and leaned her head to the side.
"Oh yes..please stay, boys! " she pleaded , " I've become so very fond of you both."
Chyenne smiled as the older woman tried her best to convince the men in front of her. But as Heyes had told her, they had to be leaving too. And behind her beautiful smile, she bit back a deep and devastating hurt, that didn't just threatened to, but was about to break her heart into thousands of painful pieces.
"As much as we would like to stay, you know we can't do that " Curry said with a tone of sadness, "we can't risk it "
"If people were to find out, you two will also be in deep trouble " Heyes informed them, "to harbour wanted outlaws is a felony "
Lorne sighed and watched his wife's shoulders sag as she realized what they said was the truth, but didn't wanna accept it.
"You boys will always be welcome in our house..." she said grabbing them both for a collective hug, "I wanna make sure you know that!"
Both Heyes and Curry hugged her dearly and chuckled.
"We know, Millie" they said in unison, both of them feeling a sense of calm.
"But I can't convince you to stay?" she said with a little hope.
Heyes shook his head. Then a small dimple grew as he winked at her.
"But if Thaddeus here would ever smell a waft of your cooking, we might drop in on ya'!"
She smiled lovingly at them as she aimed a swat to Heyes' hip.
"Aww, you two are incorrigible "
Curry grinned.
"Yes , Ma'am "
Then, as a silence folded itself around all of them standing there, Lorne cleared his throat and held his hand out to Chyenne.
"Well..shall we leave?" his voice low as he watched her hesitate. Then she with deliberate steps walked straight into Hannibal Heyes' arms, folding her own tight around him. Leaning her head on his chest, hearing his heartbeats, she then raised her head looking straight into his dark, brown eyes.
"I love you," she mouthed silently to him, then smiling a little as she saw him mouth the same back to her.
"You know how to reach us " he then said and lowered his mouth to hers, giving her a tender and bittersweet kiss.
"I know " she whispered as they parted.
Just before they had joined the others outside, he had told her all about sheriff Lom Trevors of Porterville.
He snuggled close , whispering in her ear.
"And I know where to find you "
Having a hard time letting him go, she eventually did and then climbed up into the buggy, having her seat next to Lorne.
Smacking the horse into a trot, Lorne and Chyenne began the trip to take her home.
With a breaking heart, Heyes watched as the buggy disappeared from view going around the bend in the road, leaving nothing but a dust cloud.
He pursed his lips and stepped back up on the porch, heading for the door.
"We'll just pack our stuff, then we'll be going too." he said, not wanting to let Millie cut in, "We are so grateful for the time you let us stay here, we can never repay you."
"But you can.." Millie wasn't gonna let them get away that easy, "you just get your handsome faces back here some day, and we'll call it even, huh?"
Curry gave her a hug and laughed a little at her.
"Sure Millie, some day.." then he kissed her lightly on her forehead, "As Joshua said, your cooking will have me come running, ya' know!"
Laughing a little she watched as they both went inside to pack their belongings. A sadness swept over her as she thought about them leaving. She didn't care that they were Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry, she loved them anyhow no matter what their names.
And she already looked forward to the day they would return. If they would return.
Curry looked back at the boardinghouse that had been their home for months and sighed.
"Sure gonna be hard to leave this place "he murmured and took a hold of the reins.
His eyes searched around the area, wanting to memorize all of it, the place they had called home for some time now. Curry glanced over at his partner. He too, was mounted up and ready to go. He too, had a sullen look all over his face.
Millie stood on the porch with Octo by her side, her face all grave as she had seen them mount up and was about to leave.
"Now you two make sure you get enough to eat every day " she berated them, then she gave Heyes a warning finger, "You'll have to stay fit, Chyenne's not gonna want you skinny "
Heyes chuckled, his head bowed down.
"You're not giving up, are you?"
Millie shook her head.
"When it comes to you two, NO!"
Heyes took the reins and gave her a dimpled smile as he turned his horse.
"Well Millie, you never know, one day we might just be knocking on your door "
Afraid her voice would crack, she just nodded to them with tears in her eyes. Then she watched as they rode off. The tears in her eyes spilled over and they trickled down her cheeks like salty raindrops.
Patting Octo on the back, she then turned and locked the door to the boardinghouse. Then she stole one last look down the road in a faint hope to see them one last time. She didn't.
They had ridden in silence for about and hour, both of them quite resigned and saddened, when Curry decided to talk.
"I'm just wondering " he started, looking over at Heyes.
"Wondering what?" Heyes muttered, looking ahead from under his hat pulled down low.
"Just how long you're gonna be able to be without her " Curry smirked.
Heyes snapped his head to look at Curry. His eyes dark.
"Tell you what " Heyes began and tipped his hat a little, "I'm wondering ..."
Curry gave him a frown.
"What?"
Heyes leaned against the pommel of the saddle.
"Just for how long I will stand it, before I shut you up for good " a small grin was detectable.
Curry looked at him surprised, then he pointed at himself.
"Me? Shut me up?"
Heyes nodded, but now the grin got bigger.
"You and what army?" Curry said teasingly.
Heyes' eyes got a distant look and he rubbed his chin absent-minded.
"Maybe Wheat and the boys..." he mumbled, "I know they would love to clog the mouth of Kid Curry "
Curry stopped his horse, his mouth agape.
"Are you serious Heyes?" he blurted out, "You seriously thinking of going to the Devils Hole? They might not want us there, you thought about that?" Curry couldn't believe his ears, "Did you hit your head or something?"
Heyes also pulled his horse to a stop. He was smiling from ear to ear.
"Naw, just a friendly visit. No harm in that, is there?" he backed his horse enough to come alongside Curry, then he patted his shoulder reassuringly, "Who knows...they might be glad to see us!"
He smacked his horse into a slow trot, leaving Curry with his mouth still hanging open.
"Are you coming?" Heyes turned around and yelled back at him.
As Curry came to his senses and smacked his own horse into a move, it suddenly dawned on him. Heyes had cunningly diverted the topic of conversation and he had been so completely duped. Curry shook his head as a big grin spread in his face. He was gonna get back at Heyes, he sure was.
Not knowing whether Heyes was serious about the Devils Hole or not, he hurried to catch up with him.
Coming up to a fork in the road a half and hour later, they slowed their horses to a stop.
With a silent understanding they just looked at each other.
Then, as they rode..
...they headed west !!
The End !