Longarm and the Colorado gundown

_{He laughed. “Will you shut up and stop worrying?” “But if you think that is just another lie from just another whore, dear ...”}

_{“You said what you had t’ say. Now let me say something back, okay?”}

_{She nodded solemnly.}

_{“Thank you. Thank you for the compliment an’ thank you for last night. An’ that’s all I got t’ say on the subject.” Leah smiled and seemed satisfied. She touched his face and then nuzzled his side in contentment. “Will I see you again tonight, dear?”}

_{“Wish we could, but I gotta get on. Goin’ to a place called Snowshoe.”}

_{“I’ve heard of it. In fact, I’ll be going there myself soon. I’ve come to investigate all these new boom camps. I’ll open a business in at least one of them, possibly two if I can find a reliable manager. You, um, wouldn’t be looking for work, would you, dear?”}

_{He laughed and shook his head. “Not me. I got all the work I can handle at the moment, but I thank you.” It occurred to him that he never had exactly gotten around to telling her what kind of work it was that he did. He saw no reason to change that at this late date.}

_{“Will you be in Snowshoe long?”}

_{He shrugged.}

_{“If you’re still there when I arrive ... ?”}

_{“Then I’ll be wanting to hook up with you again, you bet. You’re a fine woman, Leah. A pleasure t’ be with. An’ I don’t mean just in bed. You’re nice company. So quit down-talkin’ yourself. Anything you used t’ do got nothing t’ do with here and now. You hear me?”}

_{She smiled and nodded and kissed his chest. “If you are still there, dear, and if you still want me...”}

_{“I’ll be counting on it,” he said.}

_“Good.”

_{“Reckon I’d best be sneaking back t’ my own room now. Wouldn’t want anybody getting the wrong idea about you.” He gave her a hug. “Besides, I oughta get more use out o’ that room than just storage for my things. At the least I can muss up the bed and do my shaving there.”}

_{“I don’t want you to go,” she said.}

_{“Got to. But I’ll see you in Snowshoe.”}

_{“Please don’t leave before I get there, dear. If you have to, at least leave a message for me. Where I can find you? I’d ... I’d go anywhere to be with you, Longarm. Isn’t that perfectly silly of me? Why, a hard-hearted old bawd like me, you’d think I would be past the moon-eyed stage of falling for some handsome ne’er-do-well.”}

_{“Are you tryin’ to call me a—”}