"N-no, no, that ain't right. I said I'd give you my mine, here's the deed to it." He threw it in the pot.
Cully sighed, "Alright, I hope you got something in those cards."
"I got three queens." The man smiled and started to rake it all toward him.
But Cully put his hand over his, "I got a full house."
"No….no…. tell me it ain't so!" the man cried out.
"Here," Cully tossed him the mine deed.
"No, you won it fair and square."
"Look, keep it. I'm no miner."
"Well, maybe you weren't but you are now!" The man laughed and got up and went to get another bottle.
Cully stared at the deed a long time, then something occurred to him.
He took the deed and put it in his pocket. He had an idea now. He raked his money in and got up and gave the men at the table some drinking money and left.
He walked down the boardwalk to the town hall. Music was still playing. But Abby was outside.
He stared at her from a distance then smiled with such satisfaction.
"May I have this dance?" He asked softly as he walked up to her.
"I thought you weren't coming." Her voice was like silk, almost a whisper, as she laid a hand on her chest.
"Changed my mind." His smile was relaxed and filled with warm humor.
"You know I can't dance." Swallowing the lump in her throat, she boldly met his gaze now.
"Neither can I." he smiled and took her into his arms. He twirled her around and when she came toward him again she looked into his probing eyes.
"So, did you find a husband?" His smile charmed her.
"No, not yet. But most of the girls are pairing up. I'm so happy for them. They haven't smiled like that in a long time." She sighed.
"I think we did good." He said glancing into the window where others were dancing.
"We?" She sent him an almost playful glance.
"Yeah, you and me. You thought this up, I delivered you. But it's time for you to find a husband, too." His glance sought and held hers.
Then a man stumbled out and broke them up. "Say, you aren't a miner. She's here for us, not you." The man said, a bit tipsy.
"That's where your wrong friend," Cully smiled. "I just won a mine in a poker game."
The man's mouth flew open. "Well, I'll be." He went back inside.
Cully turned to Abby.
"You…. won a mine, in a poker game?" She asked as she broke out in laughter. "Your really did?"
"Yeah," His laughter was infectious. "I told the man I didn't want it. Look, here's the deed." He showed it to her. "But he insisted. So, I guess that makes me a miner too, doesn't it?"
She laughed, "I don't believe it! You a miner."
"Well believe it honey." He stopped dancing and held her at arms. Length. His face grew serious, inquiring. Suddenly, his eyes darkened with smoldering desire. "And believe this, I love you Abby, I think I have since the day you walked in and held my eye open to see if I was alive or not." He grinned. "When I won that deed, I didn't realize what it might mean to me. And then it hit me. You want a miner, you got one. Marry me Abby and make me the happiest man alive.
"You love me?" she gasped.
His expression grew pensive. "Took me a while to realize what was happening to me. I had to get you here, but I was fighting it all the way. Then it suddenly dawned on me why. I had that deed in my hands, and it call became so clear. I didn't want you marrying some miner, because I wanted you for myself. And I think," he gathered her to him, his lips grazing over her cheek as he spoke. "The way you kissed me back every time, you must feel the same. I may not be the best miner, but I'll always love you Abby, and I'll never, ever hit you or hurt you if I can help it."
His glance slid over her, and his eyes went serious now. "Two kisses will never be enough… I've been wondering for days now how to tell you. And then I won this mine and it all came clear. I'm officially a mine owner. I was afraid I'd come too late and find you in the arms of a man that swept you off your feet."
"I love you too…. You know everything I've done, and you still love me….?" She stared up into his expressive eyes.
"More than life itself…. I don't care about your past Abby. I care about our future. With you I feel like I could do anything and make it work. We talked about finding the right person, well, I've found her, and I don't intend letting her to. If you gotta have a miner, then I'm your man."
"Oh Cully," she laughed.
He twirled her in his arms.
And then he took her in his arms and kissed her for all she was worth. His lips were butter warm, and he tasted like coffee. "Marry me Abby," his lips were all over her face now, her eyebrows, her nose, her cheek, and back to her waiting lips. "We'll never be happy until we are together, and you know it as well as I do. I won't promise you the moon, but I will promise to love you forever!"
"Cully…" she swooned, and he kissed her again.
Slug came up to them, rubbing against Abby's dress for a pet. But Abby was too busy, with the rest of her life! Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew she'd have all the time in the world to pet Slug. Right now, she wanted to show Cully just how much she loved him. And would for eternity.
The End!
About the Author
Rita has lots of books for your enjoyment. Rita has spent her life writing stories that come into her head. She loves writing and spreading romance around the world.
She's a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She lost her soul mate back in 2006, but she keeps on writing.
Whether it is contemporary or western, or even historical, Rita loves to write romances. She's tried her hand at writing western thrillers and she writes children's books too.
Rita's Other Books
The Travers Brothers Series:
Chief Cook & Bottle Washer
Courting Abby
Hannah's Man
Along Came Love
Avalanche of the Heart
The Amory's
Heart of the Wild
Sweeter Than Wine
Mail Order Nanny
The Dream Catcher Series
Beyond the Dream Catcher
Just One Kiss
Ask No Tomorrows
A Promised Heart
Be Free my Heart
The Red River Valley Brides
Heart of a Lady
Dancing with the Preacher Man
Last Bride, Last Man
Maggie's Dreams
Brides of the West Series
Heart of a Family
Delivering the Bride
Heart of a Woman
Wanted: Bride
This Side of Forever
Shotgun Bride
A Love as big as Texas
Heart of a Captive
Wherever my Heart Roams
In the Arms of an Angel
Bride from Shenandoah
Falling for the Bride
An Unexpected Welcome
A Desperado's Bride
The Filly and the Gambler
The Lady Train
Comes a Hero
Single Titles:
Nick's Baby
Pretend Mom
Strictly Business
Suspicions of the Heart
Wandering Heart
Runaway Bride
Historicals
Always Remember
Jodi's Journey
Love Rules
Contemporary:
The Connor's Series
Cinderella Nanny
Guarding Red Riding Hood
Finding the Fairytale
Saving Sleeping Beauty
A Beauty and a Beast
Wester Serial Killer Series:
Better Off Without Her
Good Day for a Hanging
Bad Day for a Killing
The Ghost of Victor Frank
Daughter of Iniquity
Contemporary Western
Broken Hearted
His to Hold
All My Yesterday's
Coming Soon:
The Armstrong's
Forever in Love
A Rebel's Heart
Remember Me
Plunder My Heart
Stalker Series
Afraid in the Dark
The Car Stalker
Beyond Scared
Hidden
In the Eye of the Beholder
Look for my children's books, short stories and teen stories too. New Adult line too!