Sequel to Chance Meeting

Somebody up in the heavens had to have it in for him. Or the man down below. In his case they were probably working together.

Narrowing green eyes glared at the opposite blue pair. That man had an uncanny ability to show up not making the slightest sound... And when he found himself in trouble. Looking around Ezra found that the other men in the saloon retreated as his gun followed his movements. Well, maybe not that much trouble. He met a smiling, blue gaze again. Oh yes, trouble indeed.

He hardly registered the blackclad, blond man talking to him. Answering something appropriorate, Ezra's attention was diverted to the tall, black man at Mr. Tanner's side. The dark eyes of the stranger was studying him with something that looked a lot like contempt.

"Will he be ridin' with you?" The question was out before Ezra could stop himself. Sure he would manage to prove that look right, but he was after all a man of significant pride. He did request a chance to piss them off before they decided all on their own. By the looks of things, he had already managed the task successfully as they were all glaring at him now. Think first, then talk. That little bit of wisdom seemed to evade him ever so often.

Listening to the suggestion that was given, Ezra found his eyes drawn to the quiet, longhaired man standing by the bar. Replying that he would think it over, he realised that he would have to figure out just what the blond gentleman actually had said first before he could get to the thinking over-part. Refusing to look at the Texan again, he nodded to the blond, whatever his name was, and made his way out of the saloon and outside.

The afternoon was turning over into night. Instead of going to his room, Ezra quickly slipped over the street and into the stables. A low whinnying told him that Chaucer had seen him. The chestnut's head nodded up and down a few times before nuzzling its owner's face. Quietly talking to the horse, Ezra never saw the figure entering the stables after him. Not before he heard a smooth voice say: "Why is it that everytime I see ya, you're in trouble?"

"Ah wasn't in trouble."

"Seems ta me that ya were." The voice and its owner had come closer. "You also have a nasty habit of runnin' away from me."

Leaning his head to his horse's sturdy neck, Ezra sighed, knowing the question would come up. "Ah had to do it, Mr. Tannah. Didn't necessary like it, but nevahtheless it had to be done."

"And now?" The feel of a lean body was all of a sudden very close to Ezra's and a warm voice was whispering into his ear. "You still runnin'?"

He was, as a matter of fact. Or he should be. Somehow his legs weren't getting the message through though. Maybe they were too busy keeping his knees from buckling. The sensation of the touch of moist lips made him give a small gasp of surprise. As the mouth travelled upwards, Ezra reluctantly leaned a little bit back, tilting his head to the side. Damn that man and his cocky attitude and damn that talented mouth too, while he was at it.

Chaucer seemed to be studying the situation with interest in his intelligente brown eyes. "Traitor," Ezra thought absentmindly. Figures his horse would have a soft spot for the brownhaired Texan and fail to give his usual warning of someone approaching. He wouldn't have been in this predicament if the horse had done what it was supposed to. Although, for a change, it was a very nice predicament...

Still he needed to stop things before he lost completely hold of his self control here.

"Mistah Tannah, ah strongly suggest that we..." He was spun around before being pulled into an embrace so tight that there weren't enough space for a strand of hair between them. Then before he could utter more than a highly undignified squeak, he was being kissed.

The deep, sensual kiss didn't just steal every breath of air from his body, but also every form of protest he might have been able to come up with. Working both hands into wavy, brown hair, Ezra did the only thing he could and simply succumbed to his fate. After what seemed like a small eternity and still much too short a time, Vin pulled back.

"You goin' ta run again?"

"No." The word was a little bit more than a breath.

"Good." Then the slightly taller man had the nerve to pat him on top of his auburn coloured hair like he was a toddler. Then Ezra got a smile, filled to the brim with pure mischief and a wink. To his dread, Ezra felt the beginnings of a pout settling in.

"I'll be seein' ya tomorrow then... Sweetpea."

And then Ezra found himself alone in the stables again, thoroughly stunned and just a tad amused. The sound of neighing got his attention.

"Don't you start as well. If you had done your job ah would at least have had a warning about that...that... That savage."

"And you loved every minute of it," a small voice inside his head told him.

"Oh shush."

Chaucer looked questionly at him.

"Not you. Me." Locking his arms around the horse's neck, Ezra sighed again. "Oh Chaucer, what have ah gotten us into now?" A thought hit him. "Ah still don't have a clue as to what that tall, blond was goin' on about." Patting the horse he fell silent for a little while. "Ah guess we are about to find out..."

The morning came, as usual, long before Ezra would have preferred. Getting up and getting ready was a slow process. At last he was looking representative enough to exit his room and go get the horse ready. He was standing next to Chaucer, making sure that the saddlebags were securely fastened when someone knocked his hat off his head. The green eyes lifted to glare at Chaucer.

"Behave yourself or ah shall purchase a new horse and sell you to a circus."

Big, brown eyes blinked innocently back at him. Ezra was about to continue as his hat was perched back on top of his head.

"Ah see." The Southern drawl was thoughtful. Removing the hat, Ezra studied it. "Mah apologies, mah friend. It seems that the real perpetrator is standin' behind me." Turning he fixed his eyes on Vin. "And look, ah was right."

"Good mornin', Ez."

Why did the man have to be so attractive even at this ungodly hour in the morning? Supressing a groan, Ezra merely nodded back. "Mr. Tannah. Ah must say that ah am most pleased to see you. Exactly what kind of mission are we embarkin' on this mornin'?"

"You didn't hear a word Chris told ya, did ya?"

"Ah think it is safe to assume that mah attention was elsewhere, yes. So please enlighten me, Mistah Tannah. Ah am gettin' rather frightened that ah will find that ah have unknowingly joined the Four Corners showdance troupe or something equally terrifyin'." An elegantly curved eyebrow lifted. "Ah see you find this amusin', Mr. Tannah?"

Straightening up, Vin wiped the tears of laughter away. "Oh Lord... When ya get ta know Chris a little better, you'll see why that was so funny...." A saucy wink and Ezra was again left in his own, and Chaucer's, company.

"He needs to stop doin' that," he decided. Chaucer nodded his head. "In fact, ah do believe that our Mr. Tannah is in diah need of some lessons on mannahs." The horse again nodded its head.

"And as the rest of them seems...well...shall we say a little challenged in the same area, ah think it will be you and ah, mah friend, who must take on the task. In fact, before ah leave this Godforsaken town, ah intend to have dear Mr. Tannah eatin' out of my hand."

The horse gave him a doubtful look.

"Oh quit lookin' at me that way."

Mr. Larabee had reacted as Ezra had predicted and had stomped off to no doubt scaring the bloomers off the poor newpaper lady. From his horse Ezra watched the general chaos in front of him, then snuck a sideways glance at his Mr. Tanner. As expected the blue eyes were already looking at him. Ezra could read a person with the best of them, but unfortunelately the Texan could appear unreadable with the best of them as well. For now they were at a stalemate. But he had seen worse odds and he surely was no quitter.

"What are ya thinkin' about?"

Smiling, letting the generous dimples show, Ezra shook his head. "Nothin'. Just about uneven odds."

"My favourite kind."

The smile got wider. "How very fittin', Mr. Tannah, that you should say that."

"Is that so." Receiving a bemused stare, Ezra looked as innocent as he could possibly manage.

"Yes. You see...they are mah favourite kind too."

The End