Slocum and the Ghost of Adam Weyland

by Jake Logan

  Slocum brushed Mia’s hand from his shoulder and swung down from the saddle. “Get down here right now, or by God, I’ll pull you down.”

  Triedle swiped at the beads of sweat that rolled down his face. “Just get back on your horse and lead the way, O fearless trailsman.”

  “We really should keep moving,” Adam said.

  “See, John? Don’t you feel foolish when a sickly fool like that is the voice of reason?”

  That caused Adam to look at Triedle with almost enough fire in his eyes to match Slocum’s. “What did you call me?”

  “Oh, don’t bother denying it,” the gambler said. “Just sit up there and sulk like always.”

  “He’s been making himself more useful than you,” Slocum said while stabbing a finger up at Triedle. “Now get down from your horse.”

  “Yeah,” Adam said after reining his horse to a stop so he could climb down from its back. “Maybe you should do what he says.”

  “All of you just simmer down,” Mia demanded. “It’s been a rough day and we’re all not in the best frame of mind.”

  “Just shut up and keep to your own affairs,” Triedle snapped.

  Adam shoved past Slocum in his haste to approach the gambler’s horse. “Don’t talk to her like that!”

  When he was knocked aside, Slocum retaliated by shoving Adam back.

  “Don’t test me,” Adam said. “Especially not after being taunted by a cheating little prick like that.”

  Since he was being singled out by Adam’s pointing finger, Triedle growled, “Cheating? You call me a cheater?” He swung one leg over his horse’s back and slipped his other from the stirrup just enough to use it as a launching point so he could throw himself down onto both Adam and Slocum. He bounced off of one to land on the other. Because of the way he spread out his arms and legs, kicking and flailing like a crazed hawk swooping down for a mouse, it was difficult for Mia to see which man got the worst of it.

  “Stop it,” she pleaded. “What are you doing?”

  But her words fell upon deaf ears. The other three men either weren’t listening or were too busy getting their faces punched to notice someone was talking.

  “You called me a cheater?” Triedle asked as he sank a fist into Adam’s stomach.

  Slocum turned him around by grabbing the gambler’s arm and nearly pulling it from its socket. That way, he could look him in the eyes when he said, “You called me a liar!” Before Triedle had a chance to defend himself, Slocum punched him in the face.

  Adam took that opportunity to elbow Slocum in the ribs so he could get a clear shot at Triedle. “You think all I do is sulk?”

  Being a fairly successful gambler, Triedle made a living by being able to gauge a man just by observing the slightest twitch or picking up on certain tones of voice. All of those talents were either not present at the moment or being overlooked because Ed peeled back his bloodied lips to smile as he asked, “Well, isn’t it?”

  Since Slocum was still in front of him, Adam shoved him with all of his might so he could charge the gambler. When Slocum shoved him back, Adam responded with a backhanded swing and the two of them launched into a scrap.

  “Both of you, stop it!” Mia said.

  Triedle seemed to agree with her peacemaking efforts because he began slinking away from all those flailing fists. He didn’t make it two steps before he was pulled into the fray and forced to defend himself.

  Mia kept her distance. “Fine,” she sighed. “You’ll run out of steam sooner or later.”

  13

  To Mia’s surprise, the scuffle ended later rather than sooner.

  All three men landed some good punches, but none were of a mind to stop swinging right away. In fact, the more hits they took, the more they wanted to deliver some of their own. When it was all said and done, the three of them looked worse than when someone had been shooting at them. The men cleaned themselves up, climbed onto their horses, with Slocum back on Mia’s, and continued riding southeast along Slocum’s broken trail.

  To make up for lost time, they pushed the horses to a full gallop whenever the terrain would allow it. Whenever there were too many pits in the ground or rotten trees lying in their path, they slowed to navigate the obstacles and move along. Apart from the occasional notification that a watering hole had been spotted, it was a quiet ride. Once the sun had set and no town was in sight, Triedle’s angry stares bored into Slocum’s head. After less than an hour after sundown, however, the glow of lanterns and cooking fires could be seen in the distance. Slocum returned Triedle’s gaze, snapped his reins, and rode ahead to what appeared to be more of a large camp instead of a town. He was gladder than anyone else to find the camp because, just as Triedle had accused, Slocum had made up the town as a way to spur the others into the day’s ride.

  The camp was centered around a small group of miners who’d pitched their tents around a bend in the Trinity River. Slocum only figured that much by observing the wooden planks hung outside the camp’s trading posts and saloon. With names ranging from The Gold Pebble and Silver Strike to Fred’s Turquoise Emporium, the camp was either a mining post or founded by people who had a mighty big fondness for jewelry.

  Slocum steered for a large tent near the periphery of the camp that was marked by a sign that read, BUNKS FOR RENT. After he climbed down from the saddle and helped Mia do the same, he saw that neither of the other two men were following suit.

  “There’s another place we passed,” Adam said.

  “I didn’t see it,” Slocum replied.

  “Well, it’s there all the same. I’d rather sleep there.” Without another word, Adam rode away.

  “And I’d rather have a few drinks and maybe a game or two with some more sociable folks,” Triedle said.

  Slocum had already turned his back on them both so he could hitch Mia’s horse to a post. “I’ll stop by the saloon to collect you in the morning, but won’t waste time looking under every table.”

  “Wouldn’t expect you to.” Tipping his hat to Mia, the gambler said, “If you’d rather indulge in friendly conversation, you’re welcome to join me.”

  “No, thank you,” Mia said.

  “Suit yourself.” Removing all of the pleasantness from his voice, Triedle added, “Good night to both of you, then.”

  Slocum didn’t bother looking back as he stepped into the tent. It was a structure that was about the size of a small house. Heavy canvas hung on a wooden frame that sectioned the inner space into what looked to be five rooms. The first room was a narrow front area occupied by a slender woman sitting in a rocker reading a book.

  “So you’ve decided to come in?” the woman asked.

  Slocum removed his hat and wiped his brown with a bandanna. “That’s right. Two rooms if you’ve got ’em.”

  “I’ve got four rooms, but only one is available. Do you still want it?”

  Looking over to Mia, Slocum asked, “How many cots in the room?”

  “Just one,” the woman replied, “but I can fetch another one for a small fee.”

  “If there’s only one cot, we’re not taking the room,” he told her. “So you can either fetch the cot as a courtesy to a paying customer or you can hope you get another paying customer tonight that only needs the one.”

  The woman sighed and pulled herself up from her chair. “You’ll have the cot instead of breakfast.”

  Since he didn’t even want to think about what sort of breakfast might be served in a hotel that was a large tent, Slocum agreed to the terms. Even then, the woman made sure to let him know how much she resented being made to leave her chair and go scrounge up another cot.

  Slocum stepped outside to collect his saddlebag and hefted it over his shoulder. By the time he’d walked through the tent to find the room with the open door, the woman who ran the place was dragging a cot inside. “You’ll pay up front,” she shouted.

  Someone from another room yelled for quiet. Slocum paid for the room, took the cot, tipped his hat, and wished her a
very unheartfelt good evening. She was back in her chair, rocking and reading her book before Slocum and Mia were in their rented space.

  “This really isn’t so bad,” Mia said.

  From behind the canvas wall, the gruff voice told her once more to shut the hell up. Slocum leaned toward that wall and spoke in a calm, even voice. “How about you get back to sleep before I light this tent on fire with you in it?”

  They didn’t hear the gruff voice again after that.

  Mia smirked and walked over to a small trunk at the foot of the cot that had already been there. It contained a towel and a spare set of linens, which she used to get the cot ready for the evening. “This isn’t bad at all,” she said. “Better than outside anyway.”

  “I don’t know about that,” Slocum grumbled.

  “Well, at least we don’t have to bother with a fire and all.” Casting a cautious glance to the wall that had spoken to her before, she dropped her voice to a whisper and said, “Maybe I should check on Adam.”

  Slocum tested the cot by sitting on it. Although the linens were paper-thin and the frame barely seemed capable of supporting him, he felt better than when he’d been in the saddle. “You do that.”

  Pausing at the door, Mia decided to shut it before leaving Slocum alone in the room. It clacked solidly as if to let her know that the tent’s frame was sturdier than it appeared. “You think I shouldn’t?”

  “I think I’m sick of talking about him.”

  “Well, I guess I’ve just grown accustomed to the subject.”

  “Then I feel sorry for you. As for me, I’d rather talk about paint drying than him. You’d think with all the attention that man gets he wouldn’t be so damned glum all the time.”

  Mia placed the sheet on the other cot and quickly got it in proper order until it looked twice as inviting as the one Slocum was on. “You’re right. To be honest, it’s nice to hear someone else’s voice for a change.”

  As if on cue, the voice on the other side of the wall drifted through the air. Instead of complaining about noise, it made a loud groan, which shifted into a jarring snore. A body shifted on its cot with the creaking of old wood, dropping the snore back down to a wavering grunt.

  “You don’t have to put up with that when you’re sleeping outside,” Slocum said.

  “No,” Mia replied as she knelt down beside the cot. “But you also don’t get any bit of privacy.”

  “That’s what you call this?”

  “Well, it’s private enough for me to do this.” With that, she leaned down and kissed him on the forehead. When Slocum opened his eyes, she said, “That’s the first time you’ve done that in a long while.”

  “Done what?”

  “Looked at me directly. Seems like you’ve been nothing but stern business today.”

  “Well, there’s a job that needs to be done.”

  “Funny,” she mused. “Today seemed like a day where the only thing we did was ride in a crooked line. I’ve forgotten about what we’re riding toward.”

  “I suppose it does get that way sometimes.”

  “And that’s something else you haven’t done in a while.”

  “What now?” he asked.

  “Smile.”

  Slocum reached out to place one hand on the back of her head so he could pull her forward and kiss her. The gesture wasn’t necessary since she wasn’t about to go anywhere, but he enjoyed the feel of her soft hair between his fingers. The touch of her lips against his was even better. They kissed a few more times, sampling the taste of each other as they came together for longer amounts of time before their mouths pressed together and their tongues slid out to brush against the other’s lips.

  “Oh my,” she said quietly.

  “Did I step over a line?”

  “No, I just wasn’t expecting that.”

  “Well, you started it,” Slocum chuckled.

  She smiled widely. It was brighter than the single lantern that had been provided and warmer than a stove. Her softly rounded cheeks flushed in a way to which Slocum had become familiar in the time they’d spent together. “I mean I wasn’t expecting to like it quite so much,” she admitted.

  “Should I take that as a compliment?”

  “Not just yet. Wouldn’t want you to get a big head.”

  “Oh, is that so?”

  She nodded and leaned in for another kiss. This time, she slipped her hand through his hair and immediately eased her tongue into his mouth. Slocum could feel his entire body responding to her, and before he knew it, he was pulling her onto the cot on top of him. The moment she lay down with him, the cot creaked as if it was going to give way.

  “Uh-oh,” he whispered. “Maybe there’s another benefit to sleeping on a bedroll.”

  “You think this isn’t strong enough for two?”

  “It’s barely big enough for one.”

  The cot creaked again, prompting them both to hop off. Slocum quickly grabbed his bedroll from the pile of his belongings in the corner and spread it on the floor. By the time he’d removed his boots, Mia had already eased out of her dress and slipped under the bedroll. She was quick enough that all he caught was a glimpse of smooth skin and supple curves before she was wrapped up again.

  “Now there’s something I wasn’t expecting,” he said.

  “I’m just getting comfortable,” she replied. “You can have the cot to yourself if you like.”

  “After all I’ve been through to get this far, you’re not getting rid of me that easily.” Slocum pulled off his clothes and climbed in with her. The bedroll was barely large enough to cover them, but that wasn’t much of a concern. They were too busy running their hands over each other’s bodies to worry about anything as simple as a blanket.

  Mia’s entire body was smooth as a peach. Her hips were round and shifted contentedly beneath his hand. When he reached around to rub the soft slope of her buttocks, she moaned softly and draped a leg over him. They were both on their sides, exploring each other while kissing passionately. When she leaned back to catch her breath, Slocum kissed a line along the side of her neck until she was almost purring like a kitten.

  As they shifted beneath the blanket, Mia’s hair wrapped around her face. Her limbs enveloped him, and when she felt his erection between her legs, she reached down to stroke it. Her hand moved slowly up and down along his shaft, massaging him to the point that his entire body ached. Judging by the haste with which she rolled onto her back and guided him into her, she was feeling much the same way.

  She was wet and ready for him. He glided into her easily, letting out a slow breath as her tight pussy wrapped around his cock in much the same manner as her limbs wrapped around his body. “Yes,” she whispered into his ear. “That feels so good.”

  Slocum wasn’t about to argue. He was too busy savoring the feel of her naked body against him and the strength in her arms as she held him close. When he propped himself up with both arms to look down at her, Slocum took a few moments to drink in the sight of her bare breasts and hard nipples. She reached up to rub her hands along his arms, smiling contentedly as he moved in and out of her. Mia arched her back and pressed her head against the bedroll when Slocum drove in as deeply as he could go. He stayed there for a few seconds, feeling her body wrap perfectly around him.

  After lowering himself all the way down onto her, Slocum wrapped his arms around Mia and kissed her again. This time, there was no playful touching of lips. There were only two people who ached to feel and taste each other with deeply probing tongues. Slocum pumped with a solid rhythm between her thighs, giving in to every thought he’d had since meeting her and enjoying the scent of her hair mingled with that of her sweaty skin.

  She allowed her hands to roam freely now, grabbing his hips and massaging his naked flesh. All she needed to do was look at him for Slocum to know what she wanted. He pumped into her harder, causing Mia to clench her eyes shut and dig her fingernails into his back. Her mouth opened and closed without a single word passing her li
ps. The bedroll had fallen away from them, leaving them naked upon the floor. She braced her feet against the ground and spread her legs open wide so he could move freely between her trembling thighs.

  Her breaths came harder now, mirroring the rhythm Slocum had built. When he drove his rigid pole all the way inside and held it there, she held on to the air in her lungs as if she expected she might not be able to catch another breath anytime soon. Slocum looked down at her, admiring the difference that had come over Mia’s face since she’d given herself to him. Before, she’d been a sweet little thing with a soft voice. Now, she was grinding her hips to feel him inside her, grunting more in a voice that was akin to a low growl.

  Slocum eased his hands up along her body, tracing the curves of her hips, the swell of her breasts, and finally the taut muscles of her arms. When he got to her hands, he clasped them and held them against the ground above her head. She squirmed anxiously, closing her legs as if to trap him there. When her eyes snapped open, they fixed upon him and wouldn’t budge as he began pumping his cock into her with building intensity.

  The wet lips of Mia’s pussy tightened around him as she drew closer to her climax. After slowing his pace for a few thrusts, he pounded into her. She groaned loudly and quickly forced her mouth shut, obviously taken off guard by the pleasure that swept through her. When she arched her back and shuddered with her orgasm, Slocum could feel it in every inch of her body. That sensation, combined with the sight of her beneath him, was more than enough to push him over the edge.

  He pumped into her again and again. Now that he was so close to his own climax, Slocum rocked on top of her until it came. Mia pressed her mouth against his ear so he could hear every grateful moan that she was trying so desperately to hold back.

  When Slocum exploded inside her, he released his grip on her hands and practically collapsed. Before he could roll off her, she wrapped her arms around him and kissed his neck. They lay there for the better part of the night, too tired and too contented to think about using the extra cot that had been such a struggle to acquire.