Too late for apologies, [Duke].

[Duke]

"Indeed we do, Mrs. Andrews," he smiled at her as his hands positioned on her hips. She was a perfect fit and he allowed himself to be completely engulfed in her passion. His woman, his wife.

Both of them were so desirous of each other their passion and love making went on and on. No sooner finishing than starting again until he was weak.

Finally, laying on his back he pulled her closely into his arms so her head rested on his chest, the silken sheets covered their all together as he laid there, content and satiated.

"I will build you the grandest house you want," he told her. "Two stories, if you want. Hell, three stories. Whatever you want, my love," he kissed her forehead and sighed. "I want you and Rachel happy. Tell me what you want and it's yours."

[vee4]

She thought a moment and shrugged. "I'd suggest you gettin' me a job as a bartender but alas, I think my performance from last time speaks for itself." She paused, wriggling briefly in an attempt to get more comfortable. "Do you 'member that time I hit that rowdy patron with the chair? The loudmouthed one from New York?" Biting her lip, she giggled quietly. She had proven time and time again that she hadn't needed Magowan's assistance in calming the proverbial storms back in Chicago.

Of course, if they had been sober, she probably wouldn't have stood a chance. In her mind, the small victories counted for something. Her methods had always been...well, violent. She had always fought fire with fire and in her mind, that was the reason behind Duke's nickname for her. It certainly was fitting. "How about one story?" She queried innocently, kissing his cheek.

There was a long pause as she began to think. "I mean, shoot, Rachel and I are only two people and last I knew, we didn't take up much space, unless you intend to start a little army of your own." She teased, burrowing against him. If she were any closer, she'd be joined at the hip, which wouldn't have been a particularly bad thing. A thought struck her and her brow furrowed. "You don't intend to do that, right?" She queried, biting her lip as her cheeks flooded with color.

One or two children were certainly more than enough at their ages. What if people started calling her a grandmother prematurely? That wouldn't be good, not at all. "So, not to change the topic or anything, but why'd you leave Chicago? I thought business was booming there." At least, it had been when she was there. Things changed, she supposed.

[Duke]

He listened to her chattering on and on with a slight grin on his face. He had always loved how she seemed energized after their love making while he was ready for a nap.

"I'd suggest you gettin' me a job as a bartender but alas, I think my performance from last time speaks for itself. Do you 'member that time I hit that rowdy patron with the chair? The loudmouthed one from New York?"

"You don't need to work, Sapphire," he answered her using her full name. "Especially not here. Most of the customers would mistake you for one of the dancers or, worse, one of the courtesans," he used the less derogatory term for what the women did for a living. "I won't risk having you manhandled by anyone but me," he kissed her forehead and gave her a gentle squeeze before relaxing once again.

"How about one story? I mean, shoot, Rachel and I are only two people and last I knew, we didn't take up much space, unless you intend to start a little army of your own." She teased, burrowing against him. If she were any closer, she'd be joined at the hip, which wouldn't have been a particularly bad thing. A thought struck her and her brow furrowed. "You don't intend to do that, right?"

"Why not?" he looked at her. "Having a house full of kids would be wonderful. You do make beautiful babies," he kissed her mouth and snuggled closer to her. "I'll hire all the help you need to keep things in hand. You can be a lady of leisure."

"So, not to change the topic or anything, but why'd you leave Chicago? I thought business was booming there."

His eyes flew open at that question and he pulled away. "Woman, you ask too many questions," he frowned as he sat up on the side of the bed, his back to her. "The less you know the better off you are." Reaching over he withdrew a cigarillo from a pack and lit it with a match. Taking a draw he blew out smoke into the air. "I own some land just outside of town. I'll take you out there later so you can look at it. I think you'll like it there. And I will build you a home of your dreams where we can both be happy together."

[vee4]

When her husband sat up, she frowned. Slowly, she sat up and draped her arms around him, brushing her lips along the side of his neck. "I worry about you, Duke. I deserve to know, don't I? You know I've never once told a soul and if that's not enough to convince you, just remember that not only am I your wife but the mother of your child." A soft sigh left her lips as her teeth sank into her bottom lip, chewing softly on the soft flesh. She understood in part why he didn't particularly trust her, and she couldn't blame him for that.

It was, after all, her own fault. What had she expected after faking her own death and running off in the dead of night while expecting his children? To add salt to the open wound, she had come back into his life without warning and claimed that the child that she had brought along with her was his and that his son had died without Duke ever even getting the chance to see him. Rachel was his, yes, but he certainly had no way of knowing that, outside of her word and the girl's age. "Just tell me what you can and give me some peace of mind. I-I want to know what's going on in your life, and I want to know everything." She hesitated, ducking behind a curtain of blonde hair.

How in the world was she going to handle everything if things went south for the winter and never came back? "You know I can handle myself, Duke and damn it, I want to help you." She certainly sounded stronger than she felt, which came as a small relief to her. Scooting beside him, she rested her head on his shoulder and sighed softly, closing her eyes. "There was a time when we made quite the team, you and I. I know you have your demons, Duke and take it from somebody who knows, you can't just bottle them up and pray it doesn't backfire." Her quivering hands took his free hand, enfolding it gently within her grasp.

She thought more about his words and just in case she upset him further, she chose to save face. "We can have as many children as you see fit, love." She murmured, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. If memory served correctly, smoking was something he did when he was upset or generally frustrated. She wasn't sure what it did for him, but she knew better than to try and boss him around. She had learned the hard way early on that he was the top dog, no matter what the circumstance. If anybody attempted to best him, they were snuffed out, no questions asked.

[Duke]

"I worry about you, Duke. I deserve to know, don't I? You know I've never once told a soul and if that's not enough to convince you, just remember that not only am I your wife but the mother of your child."
"There was a time when we made quite the team, you and I. I know you have your demons, Duke and take it from somebody who knows, you can't just bottle them up and pray it doesn't backfire."

He sighed deeply and lowered his head. Apparently she hadn't noticed. Ofcourse she didn't know what had happened to him.

"You deserve to know," he finally admitted after several moments. "I was accused of stealing from the customers. I don't mean pillaging through their pockets and dumping out their purses. I use a system that I have the girls use to tell the dealers, or certain people in my employ, what cards are being held. I don't use it on the high rollers. They know all the tricks. So, in order for the house to have the odds, I cheat. The low roller poker table, the faro game, the roulette wheel, all of it is rigged to cheat.
In Chicago I was found out. The other owners, who were doing the same thing, mind you, got a bunch of roughnecks all riled up and they tied me to a horse and drug me out of town. I thought I wasn't going to survive it. Then they beat me so badly I nearly died. Magowan found me and saved my life.
I still have scars on my back. No one will ever do that to me again," he turned his head to look at her. "No one," his look was menacing. After a moment he turned away.

[vee4]

Her brow furrowed. How did she respond to such a thing? "I should have been there..." She said quietly, giving his hand another gentle squeeze. What could she have done? She doubted she could have stopped it and in a way, she was grateful she hadn't been there.

How long after she left had it happened? What if Rachel had been around to witness it? She wouldn't have ever forgiven herself. "I love you, Duke." She murmured, releasing his hand with a final squeeze. "Let's take a nap, shall we?" She queried sweetly, squirming beneath the covers and sighing softly.

Everything ached, and she was fairly certain that she was semi-aroused again. Funny how separation screwed with your head. "After we've gotten some rest, maybe we can have dinner and properly catch up." She suggested with a chuckle, reaching over to gently tug on his arm. She wasn't sure what she'd do if he didn't want to stick around with her, not that she could blame him. "Join me, won't you?" She queried innocently, biting her lip.

[Duke]

Everything ached, and she was fairly certain that she was semi-aroused again. Funny how separation screwed with your head. "After we've gotten some rest, maybe we can have dinner and properly catch up." She suggested with a chuckle, reaching over to gently tug on his arm. She wasn't sure what she'd do if he didn't want to stick around with her, not that she could blame him. "Join me, won't you?" She queried innocently, biting her lip.

Blowing out smoke from his cigarillo he was feeling empty and cold inside. Was her love strong enough to make him stay? Sighing deeply he snubbed out the last bit of the cigarillo into an ashtray and turned to look at her. Her face was glowing from the bed and he grinned slightly.

In her eyes he could see love. It was a familiar look and yet one he hadn't seen in a very long time. There was always a tiny flame of it in her eyes but it had somehow blazed up and it's warmth drew him to her.

"My Gawd, you are so beautiful," he told her and it was obvious he was aroused by her. "My wife. My lover. You are all I've ever truly desired."

Scurrying under the covers he moved over her and kissed her passionately, the way a loving husband should kiss his wife. Before long he was making glorious love to her and he poured all of his feeling out to her.

This was not just sex. This was a very real expression of his love for her. From that moment one he had somehow reattached to her not just physically, but emotionally with his whole heart and soul.

[vee4]

By the time they had finished, she was breathless and aching for more. She wanted to ask a silly question like 'how dare he' but then again, she didn't deem it as fair, considering she had wanted it. "Absence really does make the heart grow fonder..." She mused aloud, brushing her lips along his before nestling beneath the covers. She wanted to sleep, but she also wanted to ask more questions. There wasn't much to tell on her end, but she figured he had quite a bit to tell, even if it was something so seemingly unimportant as a squabble in the saloon. Her blue eyes squinted briefly up at the ceiling before shifting to meet his gaze.

She wanted to talk but couldn't form the words just yet. It took another moment or so for her brain to catch up before she could actually say anything intelligible. "If you leave, Duke, I'mma hunt you down and give you a good ass kickin'." She huffed softly and pushed gently against his check. "Now, your wife needs some sleep 'cause you done tired her out with your lusty tendencies." She chuckled quietly and wriggled her hips slightly, still attempting to find a position that was more comfortable. How could such a thing be so hard?

She used to have no trouble falling asleep but then again, she also hadn't been face-to-face with the man that had haunted her for the past five years, always making her wonder if he had moved on with his life. Now that she found out he hadn't, she was almost grateful but then again, she also knew he wasn't exactly the one-woman kind of man. "If you're smart, you'll wrap your arms around me and take a nap with me." She pouted, kissing him again. For now, all she could do was push the thoughts from her mind and hope for the best. "Also, could you have Magowan go to the inn and get my wedding ring out of my room?" She queried sleepily, just barely managing to stay awake long enough to get the words out.

[Duke]

"If you're smart, you'll wrap your arms around me and take a nap with me. Also, could you have Magowan go to the inn and get my wedding ring out of my room?"

"Anything you want, wife," he told her as he snuggled up to her with his arm around her waist and drifted off to sleep. She would have to remind him again about the wedding rings. Right now he was content to sleep with his wife.