Red Dead Retribution

[Eltee]

Sean held up his glass for a moment, and it was refilled, as well. "But, enough of such unhappy subjects." He said, picking his now-full glass again. "I believe it's your turn to propose the toast, señorita."

He was interrupted by Charlie, and he glanced back at the native with a grin. "Well, I have no love for White God, in any case. Take a seat. Last time I checked, I was buying drinks, so go ahead and order something."

[Baloth-Kul]

Charlie nodded and took a seat at the bar. "Water. I've seen more than enough, what alcohol does to people, to families, to know that I'm not willingly touching a single drop of the stuff." He looked at Laura and his gun again.

[Eltee]

Sean laughed wearily. "Well, aren't we a barrel of [&@%!] laughs. How about that toast, Laura?"

[Br3admax]

Several of the watching patrons, lifted their glasses, waiting for Laura to respond.

[Musicman247]

Laura looked down at the shot in her hand - or was it two? She raised her arm into the air and said, "To whoever invented alcohol, the best medicine for forgetting what has happened and what's going to happen." She looked at Sean and gave a small wink before gulping down the liquid. She then leaned against the bar, waiting for Sean and James to finish their own drinks.

[Baloth-Kul]

Charlie downed his water when he got it, then looked at Laura, and pretended to clear his throat.

Spoiler:

He asked you 'bout his gun

[Musicman247]

Laura unslung Charlie's rifle, put it on the bar and slid it down to him. In the same motion she slid over to Sean, raised up on her toes and kissed him.

[Baloth-Kul]

Charlie happily strapped his rifle to his back, where it belonged. "Thank y--" He stopped himself when she kissed Sean. He simply looked into the bottom of his glass and chuckled lightly.

[Br3admax]

Roy walked into the Saloon, just as the events unfolded, "Those Canadians...." He laughed a little as several of the patrons whistled.

[Nevastar]

James had lowered his head from gulping down his shot in time to see the kiss, and now he winced and turned away, mouthing the word "[&@%!]" as he said it in his head.

[Baloth-Kul]

Shaking his head, Charlie gestured for a refill of his glass of his water. "On second thought, make that a glass of whiskey. Looks like there's a first time for everything." He lightly tapped the bar near Laura as a sign of sympathy, then hesitantly took a sip of his drink. He recoiled a bit, and shook his head, but took another sip.

[Eltee]

After about two seconds of not unhappy surprise, Sean wrapped an arm around Laura's lower back, resisting the temptation (that was rather galvanized by alcohol) to continue lower, and pulled her up (or himself down?) into the kiss. Her lips were warm and soft, and at her intimate proximity her scent... Sweat and dust, sure, but he'd like to think and feel that she smelled like heaven itself, and his good friend the Macallan and newer amiga Tequila were quite persuasive. Goddammit, did he feel younger than his just-short-of-double-her-years!

After an unquantifiably long and short moment, infinitely satisfying but begging for a moment (however long or briefly it stretched,) Sean leaned back.

Goddammit, age has made me philosophical. He mused, amused. Whatever teasing and insubordination had dominated the day before, she was a beautiful, exotic woman, and he hadn't failed to notice.

"Senorita." He said simply, with a small smile.

[Musicman247]

Laura was surprised by the arm suddenly wrapped around her, but the mix of the three drinks already in her system made her care less than she normally would. She teased Sean's upper lip with her tongue as they became level. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment, one she had experienced many times before - though they usually ended with a pistol whipping.

When it was over she didn't know whether to slap him or kiss him again, and the world tilting slightly didn't make the decision any easier. She stood there looking at Sean dubiously as he smiled and addressed her. She finally settled on neither...for now. A small grin crossed her full lips. "Guero," she said, the grin spreading into a smile.

[Nevastar]

James quickly downed another shot with shaky hands and tried to make his way out of the saloon quietly, but knocked over a chair on the way out. He turned and fumbled as he tried to upright the piece of furniture, but it only fell back to the ground. Red-faced, he left it on the ground and hurried out of the building.

[Kerr]

Spoiler:

Braver man than me who would drink the brown water in that saloon.

Sam entered the saloon. He saw Charlie with the others. "You should take things easy in your state." said Sam walking up to him. "You were almost killed."

[Musicman247]

Laura turned at the noise and watched in fascination as James stumbled out of the bar. She knew it was because of the kiss. It couldn't be more obvious. She'd seen it dozens of times before: guy thinks he has a chance, realizes he doesn't, gets his heart broken. This was the first time it had happened so quickly before. I wonder what he would think of the fact I would have kissed him just as easily had he been between myself and Charlie? she thought.

Men were dumb playthings. She used them when she wanted them and left them when she didn't. Only fair considering what they had done to her, right? The priest wasn't the first to try something, nor was he the last, but he was the last to be in control. Laura controlled her own life now, and she was going to live it how she wanted.

"If you want to test your tolerance for pain, you're welcome to join me in my room," she told Sean. "But be warned that you will probably not enjoy the experience as much as I will." With that she put five dollars on the bar and said, "Same room as last night," to the barkeep. The Mexican headed up the stairs as she had the night before, except this time nobody tried anything, the blood stain on the hardwood floor a reminder of the teeth the last man who tried lost.

[Nevastar]

The early morning's cold air filled James' lungs as he slumped to the ground, his back against the exterior wall of Armadillo's saloon. Many thoughts filled his troubled mind, and he tried to dismiss them as he closed his eyes and threw his head back against the wooden wall. He was angry at himself for falling for Laura, and for letting his emotions drive him.
I bet kissing won't be the last of it, too, he thought as he groaned and clenched his fists

[Eltee]

Sean waited another five minutes, giving Laura some time to settle down.

He had met a few girls in his travels... Well, more than a few. But not one as strong-willed as Laura. Or as... Dammit, what was he thinking?

He shook his head, left money for the drinks on the bar, obtained Laura's room number, and came up.

He rapped on the door the door three times, widely spaced, unhurried.

[Musicman247]

There was the sound of quiet footsteps before the door to Laura's room cracked open. She stood there with only her shirt on, one eyebrow cocked as she asked, "Yes?"

[Eltee]

Sean's eyes skimmed down Laura's bare legs, before returning to her eyes. A faint smile adorned his face. "Danger's a compelling thing, miss." he said, raising his arms.

[Musicman247]

"I see," Laura said, her face still not showing anything but apathy, her eyebrow still raised. "And this is the danger you want?" she asked, passing a hand in front of herself, gesturing from head to toe. "Because if so there are rules."

[Eltee]

Sean nodded. Decades in the NWMP had told him volumes about wheat a man could do to a woman in the confines of a tavern room. "I understand. Go ahead, lass."

[Musicman247]

"The first rule," Laura said, grinning a small grin, "is you beg to come in."

[Eltee]

Sean leaned on the doorframe, with an amused smile on his face. "Ahh, I see. You have a preference in how I do this, lass?" he asked. "Exaltation? Bowing? Kneeling? Shall I kiss your feet?" He raised an eyebrow. "Or elsewhere, a bit higher?"

[Baloth-Kul]

Swirling it around in the glass for a moment, Charlie finished his drink, and put down $10 to pay for all of the drinks and a room for the night.

Spoiler:

Too much, too little?

He looked at Roy. "Now why don't you go about returning the horses that you f*cking stole?"