CHAPTER ELEVEN

All of the reviews have been so positive, and I thank you so much. This is the end of this story and I am a little sad. However, I will be back with more adventures in Dodge City. Again so many thanks to my Beta Dodge City Angel for making me wait to publish this story and for patiently editing what even confused me at times. You are great!

The next morning Marshal Dillon sent Chester down to the depot, knowing it always took him a long time to get back. As soon as his assistant was on his way, Matt hurried to the Long Branch. He was happy to see Bill Pence behind the bar.

"How are you feeling, Bill? I heard you were under the weather yesterday."

Surprised to see the lawman there so early, the saloon owner explained, "It was something I ate. I feel a lot better today."

The big man was anxious to know if Kitty was working but knew he couldn't come right out and ask, or it would be all over town. "Well, that is good news."

There was an awkward silence until Pence finally said, with a slight smirk on his face, "Kitty is still sleeping."

Feeling his face flush slightly, Matt stammered, "Well… ah… I'm glad. I… ah… know she… uh… worked for you yesterday."

Bill's lips were quivering in amusement as he told the marshal, "I don't know what I would do without her. She is a real asset to the business."

Throwing caution to the wind, Matt admitted, "She sure is pretty, too. I'm glad she is doing well. Kitty deserves it."

The saloon owner looked intently at the big man. "Kitty is very special and I would hate to see her hurt more than she already has been."

"I have no intention of hurting her, Bill," Matt said adamantly.

"That's good, Marshal, I'll tell her you stopped in."

Feeling dismissed, the peace officer was walking out the doors when he ran smack into Kitty. "I thought you were sleeping. Bill said you were upstairs."

She smiled, "I went out the back way to see if Ma needed anything at the store, but Nora has everything under control. You're in here early."

He admitted, "I thought maybe you could get off today and we could go down to Crooked Creek for our dinner."

Her cornflower-blue eyes lit up. "I would love that, Marshal."

"Well, I'll stop over at Jonas' for the supplies I need and pick you up around 11."

As he started to walk away, he heard his name called. "Marshal Dillon, get ready to die!"

Standing in the street was a black-haired boy who looked about 16, holding a gun aimed at the lawman. Matt pushed the redhead inside through the batwing doors and said as calmly as possible, "Put that gun down, son."

Before Dillon could move a shot rang out, as the young man shouted, "You killed my brother!" There was blood everywhere. The marshal pulled his gun and the boy aimed again, his hand shaking. Not wanting to hurt the young man, he aimed low but the boy moved just as he pulled the trigger. It was over quickly.

Kitty shouted for Bill Pence and rushed to the big man's side. She helped him to a chair as she yelled for the doctor. "Stay still Matt!" she panted.

There was anguish in his voice as he asked, "How's the boy?"

Chester had come running from one direction and Doc from the other when they heard the shot. Doc hurried toward the marshal, but Dillon waved him away and directed him, "Take care of the boy first."

Pence ran out the door of the saloon with wet towels. Kitty pressed the towels over the lawman's face. The doctor walked quietly toward them. In a low solemn voice, he informed them, "It's too late for the boy. Who was he?"

Dillon moaned, "I don't know, Doc. He said I killed his brother. What have I just done?"

"Matt," Kitty said, "You couldn't do anything else. He was going to kill you. If you had not fought back, you would be lying there."

"She's right, Mr. Dillon, ya dint have a choice," Chester added.

Pulling away from the redhead's ministering hands, the marshal replied, "What a waste, what a waste."

Trying to stop the blood running down his face, Kitty appealed to the physician, "I can't seem to stop his bleeding."

As he took over and examined his patient, Doc explained, "The bullet just creased his head and scalp wounds always bleed like a son of a gun. Come up to my office, Matt, and I'll clean it up and bandage it."

The big man stood and headed for his own office. "Forget it, Doc," he said in a choked voice.

His three friends watched him go, not sure what to say or do. Finally, Kitty spoke up, "We can't just let him be alone right now!"

Scratching his head, the doctor observed, "He needs some time to himself."

"Not this time!" Kitty exclaimed. "Chester, I'm going to change my clothes, get some food and a buggy, and I'm taking him for a ride. If we have to drag him, he is going to get away from this town."

Startled by the vehemence in her voice, the marshal's assistant just nodded his head. The two men watched her hurry into the saloon. Turning to the healer, he stated, "Well, ah swan! Ah never seen Miss Kitty like this a'fore!"

"Maybe that's what he needs, someone who won't take 'no' for answer. Now don't you go tellin' him what she is planning," Doc warned.

"Ahm not stupid, Doc. Ya are always raggin' on me. I kin keep a secret."

The medic mumbled as he headed for his office, "I doubt it."

Chester limped off toward the jail, grousing about the doctor's attitude. The marshal was lying on the cot, a cloth pressed on his head. "Kin ah git ya anythin', Mr. Dillon. A cuppa coffee, maybe?"

Chester's coffee was the last thing he wanted. "Thanks, but I'll just close my eyes for a minute." He didn't close them, though, because he couldn't get that boy's face out of his mind.

A half hour later the beautiful redhead came storming through the door. "Get up, Matthew Dillon, we had a date for lunch."

His mind whirling, the big man growled, "Not today, Kitty."

Hands on her hips, she told him, "Either get yourself up and out that door or I'll find some men who will drag you out!"

Startled, he sat up and looked into snapping blue eyes. He had never seen her so enraged or so beautiful. Reluctantly, he got to his feet. "I'm not really in the…."

She interrupted, "Move out to that buggy, mister. I'm not taking 'no' for an answer."

He climbed up and took the reins but barely spoke a word on the trip to Crooked Creek, grumbling under his breath, "I don't know who she thinks she is."

When they arrived at the creek, she hurried to get the blanket and the basket she had brought along. Virtually ignoring him, Kitty went down to the water's edge and put a bottle of champagne in the cold water. Then she spread the blanket under a tree and began unpacking the food.

The marshal looked at the array of delicacies from Delmonico's. "You know, you didn't have to go to all this trouble."

"I'm hungry," she declared. "You can sit down and eat or stand over there and feel sorry for yourself."

Hesitantly, he lowered himself to the blanket. "What do you mean feel sorry for myself?"

She fixed him a plate and handed it to him. "Look, Matt, you have to eat. Coming out here gets us out of Dodge. For a little while we can try to forget what goes on there. No one is around, and we can have some peace and quiet for ourselves."

"It's not that simple," he explained.

Placing her hand on his arm, she explained, "You know I understand the violence that surrounds us, but we can't let it consume us. We deserve more than that."

Noticing that she was dressed in a blue denim skirt and white blouse, her flaming hair pulled back in a ponytail, he tried to make her understand. "It doesn't end. They seem to come challenge me one right after another. Each time they get younger."

"Matt," she said tenderly, "you don't have a lot of choices. You could take off that badge, leave Dodge, and get lost out on the prairie, or stay and take your chances. From what I know of you, you are not a man who runs out on his responsibilities."

He took her hand and turned it over tracing a finger on her palm. "Sometimes it feels like it's too much."

Running her hand along his jaw, she told him, "I know, Cowboy, but that is what makes you the man you are."

"Sometimes I'm not sure who that is," he confessed.

Handing him a sandwich off his plate, she explained, "For such a big man you can be so gentle. You are caring, compassionate, and you always try to do what's right. From what I hear, you have gone a long way toward making Dodge a safe place to live and grow. I'd say that's quite a lot to have contributed for one so young."

"You are pretty wise for one so young, yourself, Miss Kitty."

The redhead tilted her head as she looked at him from under long eyelashes. "Life has not been easy for either of us, but we are survivors."

Unable to stop himself, he leaned over and kissed her. Then, he couldn't stop kissing her as she slid her arms around his neck. Her lips were so soft and she smelled so fresh and clean. A herd of buffalo could have thundered by and he couldn't have stopped kissing her.

When she finally pulled away, breathless, she told him, "It's about time."

Surprised, he asked, "You wanted me to kiss you like that?"

Grinning she told him, "I've wanted you to at least do something, Marshal."

"Well, you sure haven't acted that interested," he declared.

Shaking her head, she inquired, "Did you want me to tear off your clothes?"

He chuckled, "I wouldn't say you should go that far, young lady."

"You sure don't know much about women," she observed.

"Perhaps you could start to educate me," he teased.

Kitty noticed that while she had kept him talking, he had eaten everything on his plate. "Would you like some more food?"

"I guess I could eat another sandwich," he confessed.

Not only did he eat another sandwich, but he finished the potato salad, and had two pieces of peach pie.

Rubbing his stomach, he stretched out under a big oak tree. Kitty began to clear the plates, when he pulled her down beside him. "Do that later," he suggested. "Come sit by me, Kathleen."

He put his arm around her and pulled her close to his side. Kissing her cheek, he explained, "We need to have a talk."

"So solemn, Marshal," she said, running her hand through his dark curls.

He looked deep into her blue eyes, "I'm serious Kitty. I've known a number of women in my lifetime."

"You sure have," she declared.

He squinted his eyes at her, "Just listen, please."

Alright," she promised.

Clearing his throat, he went on. "I have never met a woman like you. You are young and yet you have seen so much of the world. Doc said we are a lot alike."

"Did he?" she probed.

"Yes, he did. The problem is, as I told you before, that I can't offer you any kind of a permanent relationship. My father was a Texas Ranger killed in the line of duty. My mother died of a broken heart. I was an orphan before I was a teenager. My mentor, Adam Kimbro, taught me there is no place in law enforcement for a family. This is no kind of life for a woman."

Sitting up and looking at his handsome face, broad shoulders, and muscular body, she replied, "I don't recall asking for any kind of commitment. All I wanted was for you to give us a chance."

"I'm just afraid it won't be enough for you," he said sadly.

Getting up on her knees, she pulled his face to hers. She began by nibbling on his lips and when his arms circled her waist, pulling her against him, the redhead teased his lips until he opened his mouth to her. They finally parted when they needed to breathe.

Both of their faces were flushed, they were breathing heavily, and they began moving their hands, wanting to explore more of their passion. Before they lost control, Kitty took his hands and asked, "Matt, don't you sense the attraction, the desire we feel for each other. You set me on fire."

Reluctantly, he admitted, "Yes, I feel that I want to protect you, I love talking to you - and I want to make love to you. Is that enough and are you ready to be in a relationship - after what happened?"

"It's a start, Cowboy, it's a start. I felt we were becoming good friends and you pulled away. I was hurt and confused. I wanted my companion back, the man I felt I could confide in and not be judged. I missed you and felt so alone. What I need now is someone who is gentle, like you can be, Matt."

He wiped away the tear at the edge of her eye. "Kitty, my life is so dangerous. I don't want anything to happen to you. If I only have myself to worry about, then whatever happens is fine."

"What about how I feel when something happens to you?" she wanted to know. "We don't have to broadcast our relationship to anyone. After all, I won't rip your clothes off downstairs in the Long Branch."

A wide grin split his face. "Sometimes I wish you would," he said, a mischievous glint in his eye.

She stood and walked toward the creek, saying, "I think it's time for the champagne now."

"Just what are we celebrating?" he wanted to know.

Bringing the dripping bottle back to the blanket, she said, "Two lonely people who have found each other. I'm tired of being alone, sad, and frightened. You make me feel safe in your arms, Matt Dillon. Let's toast to making the most of every day we have together."

As he opened the bottle and poured two glasses, he solemnly added, "I think we should also toast to two less lonely people in the world."

As they looked into each other's eyes, she thought, "And I have the feeling with you, my life will be a wild ride with fireworks, excitement, and most of all - love."

After they had consumed half the bottle, she cuddled up next to him and fell asleep in his arms. He had never experienced anyone trusting him so thoroughly. Kitty had been through a lot and often presented a tough exterior. He kissed her vivid hair and felt content for the first time in many years, as if he had begun to heal.

She snuggled closer and sighed and he whispered softly, "Something has started to go right in my life because you did not give up on me, my crimson-haired beauty." He was finally able to close his eyes and see only Kitty's beautiful face in front of him. At long last Kitty could close her eyes and the nightmares disappeared because she had found peace and love in a most unexpected place..Matt's arms.

FIN