Authors: Linda Bridey
Tags: #Romance, #Historical, #Victorian, #Western, #Historical Romance, #Westerns
“Yep and they might rob me. My guns and knives are too valuable to leave unprotected,” Sammi said. “And no, I don’t worry about making the bed.”
“Me, neither,” Mitch said.
“You didn’t come here to discuss whether or not I make the bed, so what is it?” Sammi said.
Mitch sat in one of the chairs and motioned for her to join him. She took off her gun belt and laid it on the bed. Then she lifted one of her pant legs and took off a knife case. From her other calf she removed a derringer and put it with the knife and other gun.
“Damn, you’re armed to the teeth,” Mitch said.
“I’m not done yet,” she said.
Mitch watched in rapt attention as she took brass knuckles from her pocket and then brought her hat over to him. “Take a look around the band.”
Mitch took the hat and began turning it around. He saw a hat pin, sewing needle, and a couple of bobby pins neatly hidden in the band.
“The hat pin can nicely gouge out an eye or puncture an artery. The sewing needle can be used if I need to sew myself up from a cut. See the little pocket on the back of the hat band?”
“Yeah.”
“Suturing thread to go with the needle. The bobby pins are for picking locks should the need arise,” Sammi told him.
Mitch looked up at her with admiration. “Where the hell did you learn this stuff?”
Sammi gave him a coy smile. “Here and there. If I’m in a fight of any kind, I aim to be the one walkin’ away from it.”
Mitch looked back down at the hat band and was suddenly furious. No woman should have to carry this much protection. The sewing needle caught his attention again. “Have you had to sew yourself up before?”
“Yeah.” Sammi took her shirt out of her waistband and pulled her shirt up to just below her ribcage on the right side. “Right there.”
Mitch swore when he saw the four inch long scar. Without thinking he reached out to run his fingers over it. The skin was slightly raised, but the scar was neat and straight. She’d done a good job of suturing it. He knew it must have been an excruciating procedure.
Sammi didn’t mind Mitch’s tender touch as he traced the scar. “I was lucky that it wasn’t deeper. I was able to jump far enough back that it missed anything vital. I can’t say the same for him. He probably still has the scar from the knife I buried in his thigh.”
Mitch’s hand dropped and he got up from his chair. Sammi watched as he walked to the bed with angry movements and then turned back to her. “Show me the gun and knife collections.”
“Sure. Why are you getting so riled up, Mitch?” Sammi said.
“Just show me.”
Sammi went to one side of the bed and pulled out the tan suit case that contained her gun collection. She threw it up on the bed and turned it around for Mitch to open. Then she did the same with her knife collection. Mitch opened the cases and began scanning the items inside. She had guns and knives of many varieties designed to inflict different types of lethal wounds depending on the situation.
Mitch looked at the wall between the two windows. There was a small round picture hanging there. Mitch went to it and took the picture out of the three inch frame and then hung the frame back up. He came back to the bed and took a knife out of her collection. He handed it to her and said, “Hit that target.”
Sammi frowned and said, “It’s gonna damage the wall.”
“I don’t care. I’ll pay for it,” Mitch said.
Sammi took the knife from Mitch. She didn’t know what he was after, but decided to play along. It only took a moment to size up her target and send the knife whizzing through the air to hit the circle dead center. She smiled at Mitch, but his expression grew even grimmer. Mitch walked over to the knife and pulled it from the wall. After returning it to the suitcase, Mitch closed it and snapped it shut.
“Mitch, what is this about? Why are you so mad at me?” Sammi said.
Mitch came around to her side of the bed and gazed down at her. “I’m not mad at you, Sammi. I’m angry about all that you’ve had to go through. No one has this much protection unless they’ve had some very terrible things happen to them. You’re not telling me everything. Maybe you’re not ready and that’s ok, but I want to know everything at some point, Sammi.”
Whenever she felt tears threaten, Sammi warded them off with anger. “You want to know the truth, Mitch? I’ll tell you the truth. You might as well know now before you decide you would want to marry me.”
“Sammi,” Mitch said in a quieter voice, “you don’t have to tell me right now. I’m sorry.”
“Why wait? After Gregory’s family moved away, I had nowhere to go again. I found the next town and looked for work. None of the businesses had any jobs, but a farm did. I got hired in the kitchen and did some cleaning, too. It was all right until the father decided he wanted a little action on the side and came into my room one night. I got away from him by the skin of my teeth. I had to run for my life in the middle of the night.”
“Then there was a guy who thought he and his buddies were going to have some fun with me,” Sammi continued. “I showed them differently. You see, I took all of the knowledge Gregory gave me and learned more from whoever would teach me. I practiced and honed my skills. I got tricky and learned how to hide weapons on me. Pants and the shirts I wear let me do that.”
Sammi raised her chin and gave Mitch a look of cold defiance, but Mitch saw guilt flicker in them, too. “I can’t have children, Mitch.”
Mitch was stunned. “Why?”
“Because the last guy who actually got the best of me punched me so hard along my pelvis that it damaged my ovaries according to the doctor I was taken to. So if you’re set on having children, you’d better find someone else to marry,” Sammi said.
Mitch was dumbfounded. “Sammi, I can’t tell you how sorry I am.”
“I don’t want pity, Mitch!” Sammi said.
“It’s not pity, it’s sympathy. It’s like the sympathy and concern you always had for Lacey,” Mitch said. “Joe said that her father was a real bastard.”
“Yes, he was. I used to stand under her window some nights ready to save her if I heard her cry for help. It was bad enough he used to beat her, but I was gonna do everything I could to prevent him from raping her. I wouldn’t have hesitated to kill him,” Sammi said.
The hate for the man turned her voice rough and Mitch saw just how dangerous Sammi could be if provoked.
“I’m glad you didn’t, Sammi, because then you’d be in jail and not here with me,” Mitch said.
“Why do you want me? I’m damaged goods in so many ways, Mitch,” Sammi said. “I can’t give you a family.”
“Sammi, having children would be wonderful, but honestly having kids isn’t all that high on my list of priorities. If we don’t have kids, we don’t. Or there’s always adoption if we decide that we really wanted them and I wouldn’t care if they were an older child,” Mitch said. “But you are not damaged goods in my eyes and I don’t ever want to hear you say that about yourself again.”
Looking into Mitch’s eyes, Sammi saw that he meant every word he’d spoken and in that instant she fell in love with him. She’d never had anyone say those kinds of things to her. That Mitch would be willing to adopt touched a place inside that no one ever had. “Ok,” she said.
“Ok what?” Mitch asked as he took her face in his hands.
“Ok about maybe adopting and ok about not saying that about myself,” she said.
Mitch smiled down at her and kissed her gently. “Good.” He put his arms around her and held her.
Sammi leaned against him and did something she hadn’t done since she’d been a child. She cried. Mitch picked her up and sat down on the bed with her, holding her on his lap as years of pent up pain and fear spilled forth in her salty tears. Sammi held onto Mitch as if he were an anchor in a storm of grief. While she wept, Mitch undid the laces in her boots and pulled them off.
He picked her up again and laid her on the bed and got rid of his own boots. Propriety be damned, he wasn’t going to leave her alone that night. He lay down beside her and pulled her back into his embrace.
“It’s ok, Sammi. You’re safe,” he told her over and over.
It was a long time until her tears began to dry and Sammi was exhausted. Mitch held her while she slept and watched over her as the sun began to ascend into the sky.
Sammy awoke with a start and looked around her room. Sunbeams cut through the windows and spread their warm light throughout the space. She looked at the other side of the bed, but Mitch was gone. She felt where he’d lain, but it was cold. With a sigh she swung her legs over the side. Her head hurt. It was probably from all of the emotional strain and crying she’d done several hours ago. Her wind up clock showed that it was after ten a.m.
She was still dressed her clothes from the previous day. After washing and changing, Sammi felt somewhat better, but her headache still remained. She needed some coffee since caffeine would help alleviate her headache. As she walked towards the door of her room, Sammi noticed that one of her knives held a piece of paper to the door. Getting closer, she recognized Mitch’s handwriting.
Good morning, Sammi,
I’m sorry that I had to leave before you were up, but you know how it is. Come to the sheriff’s office when you’re up and around.
Mitch
Sammi laughed quietly the whole time she took the knife out of the door and put it away. The note she tucked into the nightstand drawer. Still chuckling, she descended the stairs.
Jolene greeted her. “How are you this morning, Sammi?” Jolene liked a woman with sass and Sammi had it in spades.
“Hey, Jolene. I’m fine. How about you?” Sammi said.
“Doing real good. I don’t mean to be nosey, sweetie, but since you have a job now, you need a place to live. I’d be happy to offer you a good rate for a small place that I have out back,” Jolene said.
Sammi said, “I hadn’t even thought about it. Can I look at it?”
“Sure. Come on with me,” Jolene said.
Sammi followed her through the office of the hotel and out a back door. A short walkway led to a small cottage that was overgrown with ivy. Jolene unlocked the door and motioned Sammi through. The bouncer entered the cottage and fell in love with it. There were three tiny rooms: a parlor, kitchen, and bedroom. The walls were whitewashed and pretty floral curtains adorned the windows.
The kitchen held a small cook stove and some cupboards. There were even dishes, cups, and pots and pans. The bedroom was furnished with a bed, nightstand, dry sink and small dresser. A long row of wooden pegs provided space for hanging clothing. A mirror hung over the dresser.
“It’s perfect,” Sammi said. “How much do you want for it?”
They settled on an amount.
“If you want to move in right away, you can. I’ll just put what you’ve paid on your room towards this place,” Jolene said.
“Thanks. I get paid Friday and pay you for the rest of the month then, if that’s ok?” Sammi said.
“Sure thing, sweetie,” Jolene said and handed her the keys. “You just let me know if you need anything.”
“I will and thanks again,” Sammi said.
She transferred her belongings quickly to the cottage and then set out to see Mitch. Bursting into the office, she said, “Guess what?”
Mitch looked up from what he was doing and smiled at her. Just seeing her made him happy. “Good morning to you, too.”
“Good morning. Guess what?” Sammi said and sat a key down in front of him.
He picked it up and asked, “What’s this go to?”
“The door to my new place!” Sammi said.
Her eyes held an excited light and her beautiful smile made his heart skip a couple of beats. He much preferred this Sammi to the devastated woman he’d held last night.
“You got your own place?” Mitch asked.
“Yes! Jolene said since I have a job, I should have my own place. I hadn’t really thought about it. It’s so pretty. Wait ‘til you see it,” Sammi said.
Mitch turned the key around in his fingers and said, “And you want me to have a key.”
“Yes. It’s the little cottage in back of the hotel. Do you know the one I mean?”
He stopped to think about it. “Yeah, I think so. There’s a bunch of ivy all over it, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Heck, I didn’t realize that that was a cottage. I always just thought it was a storage building,” he said. He smiled at her. “So, why do you want me to have a key?”
She gave him an impish smile and said, “Well, why do you think?”
He cocked his head at her. “You’re both good and bad for me.”
“And by bad, you still mean good,” Sammi said.
Mitch chuckled and pulled his key ring from his pocket and put the key on it. “I have it, but that doesn’t mean I’m gonna use it.”
“We’ll see,” Sammi said. She sashayed around to his side of the desk and sat on the corner. “I have ways of making you change your mind.”
Mitch couldn’t ignore his strong attraction to her, but was trying to keep those desires under control. Sammi certainly wasn’t making it easy. “I’m sure you do,” he said with a short laugh.
She pinned him with her gorgeous eyes and asked, “Do I get kiss good morning, Sheriff?”
Mitch took a page from her book. He grabbed her collar and pulled her down to his level and pressed his lips to hers. Sammi ran her fingers through the short hair on the nape of his neck and Mitch growled a little.
The door to the office opened and someone said, “So, Mitch, I been thinkin’.”
Sammi and Mitch jumped back and Sammi quickly stood up.
Joe stood smiling at them. “Aw, sorry, kids. I didn’t mean to interrupt your smoochin’.”
Mitch could have throttled him but he was relieved that it was just Joe. “What is it?”
Joe laughed at his annoyed expression, but didn’t make any more remarks about what he’d walked in on. “I’m planning on announcing my candidacy on Monday. Tessa says she can have my first speech ready by then and Marcus is working on some ads to put in the paper for Tuesday. I’m also planning on holding a fund-raising dinner next Friday night.”
“Wow,” Sammi said. “You’re moving right along. So is there anything I can do to help?”
Joe gave her a considering look. “Yeah. Convince Jake to close the Watering Hole early next Friday night. Make sure he understands
next
Friday night and not this one. He gets dates wrong all the time”
“Done,” Sammi said.
“You’re wonderful,” Joe said. “So, Sheriff, get ready for Monday. I’m planning on spreading the word Sunday that there will be a special meeting in the square Monday morning at nine. No matter how many people ask, you can’t tell them what it’s about. Just say something about me saying it’s important and act like you don’t even know what it’s about. They’ll be too curious not to come.”
Mitch nodded. “All right. I can do that.”
“Good. Thanks. That’s all I wanted. I’ll leave you kids get back to your smoochin’,” Joe said and gave them a smile as he left.
Sammi laughed. “Gotta love that Joe.”
Mitch grunted. “Yeah, he’s something else all right.”
“Buy a girl a cup of coffee?” Sammi said.
Mitch said, “Sure. Sammi, are you all right?”
“I have a headache, but other than that I’m fine,” Sammi said. “I, um, feel lighter somehow. I don’t even know how to thank you for last night. And I can’t believe you still want me.”
Taking her hand, Mitch said, “Sammi, the things you told me last night only make me think more highly of you, not less. It’s not every woman who would have the fortitude to survive everything that happened to you. Besides, your worth isn’t measured by whether or not you can have children. Remember that.” He placed a kiss on her palm and then said, “C’mon, let’s go get some breakfast.”
As they exited the office, Sammi expected him to release her hand, but he didn’t. Sammi smiled and blushed as he held her hand all the way to the Grady House.
People witnessed Mitch and Sammi holding hands as they walked and the word quickly spread about it. This information reached Jessie Wilkes’ ears and he understood why Mitch was so protective of Sammi and wasn’t willing to do anything about her. His hatred for them grew, but especially for Sammi. As he sat in his office, Jessie thought about how to make Mitch bend to his will. One way or another, he was going to get rid of Sammi Jameson.
Sammi had her hands full at the Watering Hole that night. She wondered if it was a full moon. There were squabbles to settle and she had to kick out two patrons. One went willingly and the other one left by force. Mitch sat at a table and just watched Sammi work. Sammi’s temper was getting the best of her and she finally went over to the piano and pounded on it. The crowd quieted down.
“Now, look! I’ve had all I’m gonna take tonight! If you can’t behave a little, get out so that everyone else can have a good time. I have no problem bustin’ your head and tossing you out on your ass, but I’d rather not have to. Do you understand?” she yelled.
Her announcement was met with positive responses and Sammi was satisfied for the moment. She went and sat down with Mitch. He looked at her and smiled.
“What?” she said.
“I’m just enjoying seeing you take charge,” Mitch said and took a swallow of his beer.
She smiled at him. “Oh yeah? Getting’ a kick out of it, huh?”
“Mmm hmm. I especially liked it when you threw Willy out of here. He never even knew what hit him. I gotta tell you, it kinda turned me on,” Mitch said.
“Really?” Sammi said. “I’ll have to find someone else to throw out and then you’ll use your key.”
Mitch had taken another swallow of beer and almost choked on it. “I don’t know about that, but I think there might at least be some smooching involved later.”
“Promise?”
“Promise,” Mitch said.
“I’m gonna hold you to that,” Sammi said and put a hand on his knee under the table.
Mitch grinned and grasped her hand and held it. Suddenly another fight broke out and Sammi growled in frustration. She let go of his hand and got up.
“Clyde! What did I just tell you guys?” she said and went to deal with the situation.
Joe plopped down in Sammi’s seat. “Why aren’t you helping her?” he asked.
“Because she doesn’t want me to. If I tried to step in without her asking for help, I’ll be next on her hit list,” Mitch said.
“Yeah, but still…” Joe said.
Mitch sighed. “Listen, Joe, everything in me wants to intervene, but I made a deal with her. In here she’s the law. If she wants help, she’ll ask. If not then I just stay put. I have to honor that deal, unless I see she’s really in trouble. So far, I haven’t seen that happen.”
“I guess you’re right,” Joe said.
“I am. She has all kinds of tricks up her sleeve, believe me. She’s armed to the teeth,” Mitch said.
Joe gave Mitch a look filled with curiosity. “Like what?”
“If I tell you, you can’t tell anyone,” Mitch said. “I don’t want anyone to get wind of it.”
“Mums the word, Mitch,” Joe said.
Mitch leaned close to Joe and whispered to him a list of all of Sammi’s weapons.
When he was done, Joe just sat still a moment and then said, “All of that? Really?”
“Yep. All of that,” Mitch said as he saw a guy take a swing at Sammi.
Joe would have jumped up if Mitch hadn’t put a hand on his shoulder to keep him in place. Sammi ducked the punch and came back with one of her own and caught the guy in the midsection. He bent over and Sammi kneed him in the face. Blood spurted from his nose and Sammi grabbed him by the back of his shirt and propelled him out of the bar.
“See,” Mitch said. “She’s fine.” He hadn’t been kidding when he’d said that watching Sammi work turned him on. Never did he think watching a woman beat up a guy would affect him that way.
Joe just looked at Sammi in awe as she came back to the table and nodded his agreement. Sammi sat in another chair and took a swig of beer. She looked down at her shirt and saw a drop of blood on it. “Oh, man! I’ll be back,” she said. Sammi had taken to bringing an extra shirt with her in case she got beer or blood on it.