Fargo was still ahead an hour later but not by as much. He was dealt two pair and bid cautiously and was glad he did when another player laid down a flush. Another round was under way and he was being dealt new cards when he smelled lilacs and a warm hand fell on his shoulder.
“I got off early,” Fanny whispered in his ear. “Just for you.”
“Pull up a chair.”
Fargo had been given a queen, a jack, a ten, a seven and a two. He debated, asked for two cards, and wound up with a king and an ace. His face a mask, he put all he had into the pot since there was no limit. Two of the players folded. A third gnawed on his lip a while and then he folded, too. That left Leroy.
“I think you’re bluffing.”
“One way to find out,” Fargo said.
Leroy counted his chips and drummed his fingers and finally met the raise. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”
Fargo laid out the straight.
“Son of a bitch.” Leroy threw down his cards, stood up, and stomped off in a huff.
“Can we go now?” Fanny asked as Fargo raked in his winnings.
“I am all yours.”
It was a cool night and a lot of people were out and about. Two men were having a tobacco-spitting contest in defiance of the new town ordinance. A friend of Fanny’s was strolling about with a gentleman in a suit.
“I sure do like it here,” Fanny declared, her arm linked in his.
Fargo patted his bulging poke. “I’m right fond of it myself.”
“Are you still planning to go after Brain Eater tomorrow?”
“Why even ask?” Fargo rejoined.
She looked into his eyes and kissed him on the cheek. “Be careful, you hear? I won’t sleep a wink until you get back.”
Fargo did her the courtesy of pretending to believe her. Patting her bottom, he said, “Neither will I.”
They turned into the side street to her lodgings. There were few lights. Fargo was about to nuzzle her ear when some of the shadows moved. He was expecting them to and had the Colt in his hand before the first shadow reached him.
“I’ve got you now!”
Fargo slammed the barrel against Leroy’s ear and the farmer folded like so much limp wash. He pointed it at Leroy’s friends, who stopped cold at the click of the hammer.
“Don’t shoot!” one blurted.
Fargo nudged Leroy with a toe. “Get this sack of pus out of here.”
“Yes, sir. Whatever you say.”
They bent to grab him.
“And tell Leroy that if there’s a next time, I won’t go easy.”
Fargo didn’t holster the Colt until they were dim in the distance. He chuckled and twirled it and slid it in with a flourish.
“You handle yourself real well,” Fanny complimented him.
Fargo sculpted her bottom with his hand. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”
Other than a chemise that had been tossed over her table, her room was the same. Fargo kicked the door shut and pulled her to him and their two mouths became one. She sucked on his tongue while kneading his muscles and grinding her lower mount against him.
“I’ve been dreaming of this all day,” she husked into his ear.
Fargo had done some dreaming himself. He swept her onto the bed and went through the ritual of undressing her. The dress didn’t have as many buttons as the last one. Soon she was gloriously naked and reaching for him with open arms.
Fargo melted into her. Her lips were red-hot coals, her legs were silken clamps. He caressed her breasts and pulled on her nipples and she wriggled and cooed and told him to do it harder. She was wet down below. He knelt and slid the tip of his member along her slit and she shivered and dug her fingernails into his shoulders.
“Yessss. Keep doing that.”
Fargo was glad to accommodate her. He teased and stroked until she suddenly grabbed his pole and hungrily fed him into her, groaning louder with every inch he penetrated. When he was all the way she lay still, her eyes closed, her forehead on his chest.
“I love this.”
So did Fargo.
“When you get back, look me up. You can have me every night we’re here.”
“Maybe I will,” Fargo said. So long as she didn’t make more of it than there was.
Fanny began to move her bottom. “You’re the best I’ve had and I’ve had a lot.”
Fargo kissed her to shut her up. The bed creaked under them in rising tempo as their two bodies merged and pumped.
It promised to be a spell before he could treat himself again so he took his sweet time. They were both panting and slick with sweat when Fanny arched her back and her eyes grew wide with the ecstasy of climax. She gushed, humping against him violently.
Fargo wasn’t ready yet. He went on plunging into her while she gasped and moaned and smothered him with burning kisses. His own explosion nearly broke the bed.
Afterward, Fanny lay with her cheek on his shoulder and plied his hair. He was on the verge of drifting off when she spoiled things.
“Can I ask you a question?”
“If you have to.”
“Will you be honest with me?”
“Hell,” Fargo said.
“All right. Tell me one thing.” Fanny raised her head. “What are the odds of you making it back alive?”
“Double hell.”
Fanny kissed his chin. “You can’t blame a girl for worrying.”
“Sure I can.”
“Please don’t be mad,” she said, running her hand over his chest. “It’s not as if I’m in love or anything.”
“Good,” Fargo said.
“But this bear has killed a lot of people. They say it’s the meanest critter on four legs. They say it can outthink any man. They say—”
Fargo opened his eyes and put his finger to her lips. “I don’t give a damn what
“Me either. But I do give a damn about you.”
Fargo sighed.
“Don’t take me wrong. It’s not like I’m in love or anything,” Fanny said again. She smiled and traced his hairline with a fingertip. “I mean what I said, is all.”
“About what?”
“You are the best fuck I ever had.”
Fargo chuckled. “
“Oh you,” Fanny said, and reached below his waist. “What do you say to a second helping?”
“I’m a big eater,” Fargo said.
Five adults plus three kids plus two packhorses. Fargo was at the head, and when he glanced over his shoulder as they were climbing, he saw that the line of horses stretched for a hundred and fifty feet. He didn’t like that. They were spaced too far apart. It made them easy pickings for Brain Eater should the grizzly attack. He turned to Rooster, who was behind him, and asked him to go down the line and ask everyone to ride closer together. The old scout nodded and reined around.
It was the Englishman who had suggested a spot to put their plan into effect. He had come across it while out hunting for the bear a couple of weeks earlier.
Fargo hadn’t seen bear sign all day. The sun was on its westward arc and they had about five hours of
