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“The conference is for three days, so we got time.” Riley came to stand beside him and watched his action with the knife. He had his shirt off and for some reason goosebumps rose on her arms.
“Good. Looks like we can get it all done.” Sam finished, wiped his chin and turned to smile at her.
“Yeah, it does.” Then she flopped on the end of the bed and shook her head. “I just had a real bad thought.”
“What now?”
“What if Harry tries to buy me out with that stolen money as a last resort?” Riley glanced at him and almost laughed. He came closer and sat beside her on the bed.
“Whoa…are you sure about selling out?”
“I’m sure.” She nodded.
“Where will you go…what will you do?” Sam asked, sitting beside her.
Riley felt her breath leave her at his closeness. “I-I don’t know yet. Won’t be any of your concern, you’re going to Arizona, right?”
“Y-yeah…but hey, I didn’t say I might not look you up and check on you from time to time. I mean, I’d just want to be sure you were making it alright. Of course.” Sam glanced at her.
“If I know where I’m going when you leave, I’ll tell you. If I don’t…I won’t,” she replied, turning away from him.
“That ain’t exactly fair.” He turned toward her now.
“It’s as fair as I can afford to be, Sam,” she cried.
“I’ll worry,” he said, reaching for her hand.
She nearly crumbled, but knew to keep from displaying her feelings she had to keep turning away from him.
“So, this is it?” he asked, as though waiting for the answer.
“As soon as I get my money and put the land up for sale, this is it.” She stood up and moved away to face him.
“No more contact?” he asked, his frown mirroring the picture of unhappiness.
She shrugged.
He nodded dully.
“Best get some rest then,” he declared and turned away from her.
She nodded, removed her mustache, and took off her overcoat and everything but her pants and shirt. She pulled the shirt out of the pants though and ran around in her socks.
He did the same and he watched her crawl into bed and cover up.
Hours later, in the middle of the night, a storm kicked up and lightning streaked through the room.
When she opened her eyes to the storm she saw the dream catcher hanging over her bed and she turned to look at Sam. His eyes were still on her, as though they never left her.
A clap of thunder had her running to his bedside.
“Oh, Sam…” she cried, reaching for him.
Without hesitation he took her into his arms, and cradled her there in the bed with him, as though it were a natural thing for him to do.
She snuggled against him, and realized he wore nothing but his drawers. The intimacy of his state of dress made her more aware of him as a man.
“Make it go away, Sam,” she cried as she turned so she could look up at his face.
