Abby's Last Stand (7 page)

Abby went over and kissed Snake's cheek. It felt cool and normal. Her heart lightened with happiness. "I'll go down and see about getting you some eggs."

"I'd rather have some of that wild game stew," he said.

She planted her hands on her hips. "If I make some for you, I'll have to make enough for the whole hotel."

Snake shrugged. "I just thought you'd be willing to do anything to get me better, that's all."

How could she refuse when he put it like that?

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Abby's Last Stand

by Michelle Marquis

Epilogue: Ten Months Later

Abby Wimple, a.k.a. Skinny Abby Six-Gun, stared out through the saloon doors at the rugged landscape and tried to remember seeing it for the first time all those months ago.

The person who'd come off that coach seemed like a stranger to her now. So much had happened, so much had changed.

The barkeep placed a shot of whiskey in front of her and grinned, trying to be friendly. He was a young man with crooked teeth. "You staying in Moss Creek for a while, ma'am?" he asked.

Abby wasn't in the mood to be friendly. "Nope, just passing through." She tossed back the drink and grimaced for a moment. She glanced over at Bear and Snake, who were embroiled in a tense game of poker with some of the locals.

There was a huge pot of money in the middle, enough to keep them fed for the next few weeks. Abby wasn't worried. She knew her boys would win the pot. There were no two better cheaters in the territory than Bear and Snake, that was for damn sure.

A grizzled, old gunfighter strolled over to her. His skin was shoe-leather brown, and his clothes smelled like he'd been sleeping in them for a year. He was making a big show of coming over, jingling his spurs and giving her the evil eye like he was gonna scare her or something. Abby gave him her coldest blank stare.

"I hear talk you're Skinny Abby, the only female gunslinger in these parts," the man said.

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Abby's Last Stand

by Michelle Marquis

She eased her jacket away from her two six guns. "You heard right."

"Word around town is you're fast. Real fast."

She blinked several times in mock surprise. "You looking to try your luck?"

"Just saying; I'm fast, too."

Over at the poker table, her boys met her gaze. Did she need backup? She gave a slight shake of her head. She had this sorry SOB covered.

The old gunfighter hesitated as he tried to read her, but Abby had mastered keeping her expression cool and calm. His hand twitched down to his gun. A rush of anger spiked her blood. The gunfighter might have been fast, but Abby was faster. She pulled both her guns and pointed them at the man's head. The bar grew deathly quiet. The man eased his hands up. "Easy, girl," he said. "I was just—"

"You were just looking for trouble, and by God you found it."

"Yes, ma'am."

"You wanted to know if you could bury me, and the answer is no. Now why don't you run along and go bother someone else before I forget I'm a lady?"

The gunfighter nodded stiffly. "Yes, ma'am. I surely will.

Thank you." He backed away from her like she was an angry rattler and left the saloon. Abby kept her guns trained on the door for a few moments just in case the gunfighter changed his mind. After it appeared he'd moved on, she holstered them.

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Abby's Last Stand

by Michelle Marquis

Bear got up from his game and came over. "You always make friends so easy?"

She smiled. It was hard being a legend. Bear knew how it was; he was just teasing her.

Snake whooped in triumph. He spread his cards on the table with great flourish. "And that, gentlemen, is a full house!" He gathered up his winnings and stuffed them in his pocket. Abby and Bear kept an eye on the other players just in case someone wanted to object to Snake's win. They'd already started making enemies in this town. They didn't need to be run out in a hail of bullets.

Snake joined them with a mischievous smile on his face. "I won us enough for a steak dinner and then some. We ought to be living pretty high on the hog all month."

Snake's enthusiasm wasn't helping matters. The locals glared at all three with equal venom. Abby, Bear, and Snake backed out of the saloon, keeping their hands near their weapons. Some angry card players followed them out. The players looked like they were itching to start some trouble to get their money back. They knew something wasn't right with Snake winning that last hand.

"Maybe we should get that steak dinner in the next town,"

Abby said. She grabbed her horse's reins and mounted up.

Bear and Snake did the same. Then they reined their horses around and took off, leaving Moss Creek far behind in a cloud of dust. They headed west, to California, and into the fading light of a glorious western sunset.

* * * *

Abby's Last Stand

by Michelle Marquis

The End

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Abby's Last Stand

by Michelle Marquis

About the Author

Michelle is a member of the Winter Park writers group, and has been writing erotic romance for several years. For more about her and her books, please stop by her website at www.michelle-oneill.com.

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