A Lethal Lady

“You are one of the most despicable people I have ever met,” Rouse takes a step towards him, but the impending pain in the soles of her feet causes her to stagger slightly.

Tom immediately notices Rouse’s lack of balance and attempts to hold her up, but she was in defensive mode, so she dodged his hand and stepped back. Then she glared at him.

“I told you not to lay a hand on me again.

You...

-If I've just finished ranting all your venom, then let me work in peace.

She was very stubborn, there was no doubt about that. She was undeniably sore, but she was holding her own. Jesey told her that she still had to rest, but there she was, not following orders.

-Don't go messing with your homework, Miss LeRoy,” Tom turned to leave.

The blonde looked at him in surprise at his answer, what the hell was wrong with that man? She wonders as she watches his every step... as soon as she is alone, she sits down and takes off her boots.

-Damn itt -she lets out with a sigh.

The bandages on her feet were stained with blood, and it was only mid-morning. How was she going to endure the whole day in such a deplorable state? She needed a change of bandages, and at least something refreshing to rub on her feet. Miss Rouse, are you outside? -The blonde heard Lauren's voice and immediately pulled her boots on, but in her haste sh managed to hurt herself even more. Ah! There you are!

“What do you need?

-I thought you were done, I wanted you to help me with breakfast, but I'l take care of it.

-All right, I'll catch up with you when I'm done.

Rouse was left alone again, if she didn't die for other reasons, her wounds would.

[.]

A sleek carriage, drawn by two fine hairs, pulls up in front of Hilary's hotel, the coachman gets out of it and opens the do Out of the carriage steps a stout man, dressed in an exquisite suit and a high-cut hat.

He looks at the hotel for a moment and then walks into the hotel. The citizens of the town slyly watched the new hotel guest, it was not unusual for them to see someone of distinction check into Hilary's inn. Many ranchers who made deals with Joy would stay a few days in Coloma until they closed a deal with the old man.

As the fine man walked into the hotel, a gangly young man followed behind him carrying some suitcases... as soon as he entered the hotel, Hilary looked up and saw the customer take off his hat and approach her.

-Good afternoon, Miss,” the man smiles at Hilary, “I need to stay in one of your rooms, and have a bath drawn for me. -For how many days? -The woman answers, keeping a serious look in her eyes.

-Does it matter?

She blinks, then takes a key from the hanger and hands it to the new guest. The man smiles at the woman and takes the keys.

This boy to take the things up to my room, I also want assistance for my horses and the coachman.

-Let him take the horses to the blacksmith's house, and I can prepare a room for the coachman at...

-0h, no, is there not something less sophisticated?

-Let him go to James's Saloon, where he rents rooms upstairs.

That's fine, let him know.

The man continued on his way upstairs, being watched by Hilary, the woman kept her eyes on him until he was lost on th upper floor.

At that, Rouse was passing by with the clean sheets in her arms, heading upstairs to leave them in the rooms. But Hilary, stops her.

There's a wagon outside, take the coachman to the blacksmith's house to have the horses attended to, and then you tak the coachman to the saloon for James to put him in a room.

-All right.

The blonde retraces her steps, meeting Lauren on the way. She explains her mother’s orders to her and leaves the order the sheets...

By the time Rouse returned to the hotel, it was getting dark. He would have to help Lauren with dinner and then he wouls 20 to bed. Entering the hotel through the back, which was the quickest way to the kitchen, the blonde ran into Harry, this cowboy, who was leaning against the door frame as if he was waiting for her.

Miss LeRoy, I thought you were inside.

-Are you following me, sir? Did your boss send you to follow me?

-Of course not.” He steps away from the door and walks towards her. I just thought I saw you in there.

Perhaps it was Lauren herself he saw” Rouse chooses to ignore him, and walks past him. She didn't have time to spend with the man.

See you at dinnertime, Miss Rouse.

Now she had to deal with this guy, if it wasn't the sheriff it was him. The longer he stayed in that town, the more complicated things got.

[.]

There's a dinner that has to be taken to one of the rooms upstairs, the others are served down here,” Lauren says to Rouse.

-Can you take care of that?

Yes, I'll take it.

After the meal was served, Rouse was relieved not to have to see that idiot Tom in the dining room, she thought maybe tf special dinner was for him, or maybe for the person that coachman brought. When she finished washing the dishes, her shift was over and it was time to go to her room.

But when he got there, the nightmare of his dreams was standing in the doorway of his room.

“What does he want now? -He crosses his arms. It's not enough for him to accuse me of something 'm not, for him to continue this harassment.

“What was he doing in the saloon? -That man was a cynic.

-If your man is following in my footsteps, I recommend that you ask him.

“He's not the one who notified me of that, Miss LeRoy. -He's not the one who notified me of that, Miss LeRoy.

Leave me alone, 'm a woman, do you usually do this with women?

Those I find suspicious, yes.

it was amazing how easily this man could get on her nerves. If she wasn't so badly hurt, she could have sworn she'd beat him to a pulp.

-Don't waste my time, sheriff.

She tries to walk to the entrance of the room, when out of nowhere Tom grabs her wrist rather forcefully. Rouse looks up and challenges him with her eyes.

“Where do you think you're going?

-'ve had enough of your questions.

She tries to pull away from him, but then Tom grabs her other hand, leaving her helpless. She struggles, but due to the severity of her pain, it was impossible. Rather, she could barely move.

You're a.

Vl take her to the doctor.

“What? -She asks, more than surprised, stunned. Let go of me at once.

Tom pushes open the door to her room and drags her in, sits her down on the bed and immediately lifts up the skirt of h dress.

“What the f**k do you think you're do..2

But she doesn't finish speaking, as the sheriff pulls off one of her boots. Rouse gasps at being exposed to the man, the blonde watching as the sheriff looks up and glares at her.

He seemed quite annoyed...

“What are you doing?

-'m not a bastard, Rouse.

Hearing the mention of her first name, coming from the man’s lips, made her uneasy, immediately, she tenses up and trie to pull her leg back. But the sheriff's strong hands stop her.

-I'l take her to the doctor's house, she’s hurt, she looks serious.

Has she lost her mind? You're not taking me anywhere, do you think I want to go on owing you money... -And then Tom takes the other boot from her. She felt more uncovered than before.

He says to himself.

“Why is she doing this, these injuries are serious. She needs attention.

-1 was thinking of going to the doctor myself, I don't need you to take care of me, or my problems. I can fend for myself, y only bring me trouble and debt.

Tom squeezes her ankle and pulls her a little closer to him, Rouse is left with both legs spread and that monument of a man tucked between her thighs. Her petticoats had slipped up, leaving her quite exposed, intimately speaking.

But what the hell was going on?

At what point had this man cornered her in such an inappropriate way?

And why the f**k was he taking that kind of personal responsibility for her?

“What the hell does he think he’s doing? -She asks, embarrassed to the point of embarrassment.

-1 don't expect her to lose her feet, simply because pride won't let her. I'm not as heartless as you think I am.” Suddenly h softens his grip on her ankles, only letting his hands rest on her skin.

At that moment, Rouse’s heart began to pound harder than normal. It was an inexplicable sensation, this little jolt her insides were experiencing was totally new to her. What did it mean?