The Young Riders: HICKOK

TEN

"You can't possibly be thinking of leaving Tess. We all want you here."
Jimmy scanned the now empty room, avoiding Tess' gaze. "I want you here."

She sighed. "It's not as simple as all that JB. I just end up getting you and everyone around me hurt. And I can't consciously choose to stay knowing I put you danger."

She held his gaze with a firm stare. "I've decided to go live with my aunt in Louisiana, help her with the young'uns. It's best this way."

"You can't just leave, I'll get Teaspoon to give you a job, you can stay up in the house with Rachel, it'll all work out, you'll see." He was practically pleading at this point.

"Jimmy," she broke off with a sigh.

"Please just think about it for one day. That's all I ask, one day."

He held his breath, waiting for her response.

After what felt like a lifetime she finally whispered, "okay, one day, and that's it."

He exhaled a long sigh, pulling her closer to his chest and wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace.

"That's all I need." He replied.

*   *   *

"Jimmy, where are you taking me?" Tess giggled, stumbling over an unknown object on the ground. All she could see was the faint glow of the early evening light creeping in through the bottom of the bandana covering her eyes.

"You'll see soon enough, we're almost there." Jimmy held her hand close in his and lifted her over a gnarly root, placing her softly down on the other side. "Okay, you can look now."

Tess pulled the bandana off her face  slowly cracked open her lids and gasped.

Laid out before her was a checkered tablecloth and a woven basket, but that wasn't what caught her eye, the sky ahead was a beautiful rosy color that stretched across a crystal clear pond. The reflection of sky on water took her breath away and she filled with a longing she couldn't understand. Tears pricked her eyes and she quickly wiped them away. This was Jimmy's last day with her and she wasn't going to ruin it by letting her stupid emotions get in the way.

"Do you like it?" He asked quietly.

"Oh Jimmy, this is amazing." She sighed.

He cleared his throat. "I uh, I had Rachel whip up something special."

She looked at him curiously, now excited for what lay ahead, but also not wanting these precious moments to be over.

He took her hand again and brought her over to the tablecloth, motioning for her to sit.

"Jimmy-" she started.

"Shh. Don't say anything. Can we just enjoy the time we have together?"

She nodded.

Reaching across to the basket sitting between them, Jimmy pulled a little red and yellow flower out of the top and placed it gently in her chestnut hair.

"Blanket flower, you remembered they're my favorite?" She asked disbelieving. "That was so long ago."

He cleared his throat. "I remembered everything you told me about yourself."

"Oh really?" She smiled. "What's my favorite color?"

He chuckled. "That's easy, 'Emerald green, not olive James Hickok, and don't you forget it!'." He mimicked.

"Hey! I do not sound like that at all!" She picked up a twig and threw it at him, aiming for his head.

"Why you little!" He returned the twig to her, effectively getting it stuck in her hair.

"Aww, now look what you've done." She pulled on it but only managed to get it further wedged.

Jimmy leaned toward her. "Here, let me."

He reached his hand out and gently untangled the twig. Their eyes met and his breathing picked up, catching on his throat.

He trailed his thumb across her jaw and felt her leaning in to the little sparks that erupted wherever he touched.

"Jimmy," she breathed.

He moved closer, angling his head and lightly brushing his lips against hers.

She pulled him closer still and returned his tentative kiss with a firm plant of her lips on his, wrapping her arms around his neck and sighing into him.

"Tess,-"

"Don't stop Jimmy, I want to."

That was all the encouragement he needed. He pulled her across the blanket and onto his lap, placing his hands on her hips.

Deepening the kiss, he filled with a feverish need to have her here, right here with him. Not one state away, not two, but right here.

He hadn't noticed he'd spoken aloud until she was nodding against his lips.

"Yes, yes I'll stay Jimmy." He claimed her kiss swollen mouth again with a contented sigh.

The air between them was charged with a heated kind of electricity only two people in love shared.

Picnic forgotten, they held each other as the last rays of the evening sun danced across the horizon.

A/N. Yay! Another chapter FINALLY published! Ooh, things are getting steamy! ;) *mentally dials down excitement*
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