House of Dreams

	It was a little odd to be walking around Dodge City naked, but without his gun belt on that’s how Matt Dillon felt.  He had to admit it felt good, real good.  With a leisurely step he headed to the Long Branch.  It was only nine and Kitty’d still be in bed sound asleep but that was pretty much where he wanted her anyway.  His winning smile got wider with every step.  Taking the Long Branch back stairs two at a time, Matt could feel his heart pounding so loud he almost couldn’t breathe.  The back hall led to the balcony, and Matt crossed it quietly to number 6.  Pulling out the extra key Kitty had given him, he slid it in and crept in the dark room to shut the door behind him. 
	“Kitty,” he whispered and a low moan answered him.  
	Thinking it would be nice to just slide in next to her and wake her up that way, Matt started to undress.  By the time he slung the pants over the chair back his eyes had adjusted to the light and he could see how she was positioned.  Going over to the right side, he snuggled up against her, “Honey…”
	In the dark Kitty Russell’s eyes flew open.  Some very excited man had crawled in bed with her.  Calmly she rolled over to face whoever it was and with a well placed kick of the foot sent him rolling out to coil up on the floor in dire pain.  Leaping across the room to fling open the drapes for some light she had to blink a couple times before she could figure out it was Matt Dillon lying on her floor.  
	“Matt?”
	He couldn’t utter anything but a moan right off.  He was too busy trying to breathe.  No bullet had ever hurt as bad as a kick in the balls.  Horrified, Kitty dropped to her knees next to him to try to help, “Matt, oh God… are you all right?”
	“I can honestly say I’ve felt better,” he managed finally.  
	Kitty helped him get to a semi-standing position and eventually over to her bed where he lay prone for quite a bit.  She was so mortified she’d really hurt him she didn’t have to have time to be mad that he’d snuck in her room.  She finally realized it, “What were you trying to do?” 
	“Trying to wake you up for a surprise.  Remind me not to do that again,” he puffed and took the drink of bourbon she handed him.  The pain was tapering off but his ardor had definitely waned.  
	Tears were forming in Kitty’s eyes, “I’m so sorry…”
	“Don’t be.  I should’ve known better than to sneak in on you,” he said wiping the tears from her cheeks.  “At least I know you can take care of yourself with strange men.”
	Kitty nodded, “I’ve had some practice.” 
	“Yeah,” he said and started to sit up.  That hurt a little so he pulled her closer to him.  He might be down but he definitely wasn’t out of the mood.  She laid her head on his chest, “Why are you up here this time of day anyway?” 
	“Oh, just quit my job and needed a place to sleep that’s all,” he answered idly.  
	“Oh,” she answered still a little asleep then woke up, “Quit your job?”
	“Yep, through with the badge, the gun, killing, all of it,” he replied definitely. 
	“But what’ll you do?” Kitty asked trying to piece it all together. 
	“Gonna live a little for one and right now that means loving a certain redhead that just about killed me.  After that… can you get the day off sometime soon?”
	She thought a second, “I think so.”
	“Then we’ll go fishing.  There’s a spot I want to show you.  We’ll make an entire day of it, night too if you want.”
	She liked the sound of it but something nagged at her.  She was about to ask more questions but Matt was beginning to fully recover from his injury and her mind and body got distracted.
	
	“What do you think Doc?” Kitty asked later that night when he stopped in for his drink. 
	“It won’t last,” Adams replied truthfully sticking the toothpick between the space on his bottom teeth.  Delmonico’s stringy beef always got stuck there.  “He’s had it right now, but it won’t last long.”
	The redhead’s face fell, “Oh…”
	“Why?”
	She swirled the whiskey glass around, “Just that he was talking about settling down and working that piece of ground Jake Worth has promised him.  You knew that Jake’s offered him 40 acres and a pond anytime he wants it.”
	Doc hadn’t heard that but wasn’t surprised.  Jake Worth thought of a lot of Matt Dillon.  The town doctor could see why Kitty was down, “I’m sorry Kitty but that’s what I think’ll happen.”
	“I know it is, but Matt’s so sincere when he talks about how things’ll be someday.  It’s hard not to get caught up in the dream with him,” Kitty replied heart sore that the time just wasn’t right yet.  Dodge was still a wild, dangerous town that was just getting used to law and order.  Dillon was that law and order.  
	Doc leaned close and put his hand over hers, “You really love that string bean don’t you?”
	She smiled, “More than anything or anyone.  But I don’t want to get him this way.  He wouldn’t be happy for long.”
	“He wouldn’t or you wouldn’t?” Doc probed. 
	Kitty shrugged, “Probably both.  I like working.  I like having money and I’m finally getting the kind of money it takes to have a decent living.  Now Matt’s sleeping in my room cause he doesn’t have enough to pay for room and board for a week.”
	Doc couldn’t resist, “I’ll bet that’s a real hardship.”
	“It’ll be all right as long as Chester can keep getting his regular two dollars a week.  He’s already complained about being broke but now Mr. Dillon’s not got the two dollars to loan him till payday.  Both of them can’t sleep with me,” she declared. 
	“Yeah you wouldn’t know if you were coming or going,” Doc snorted into his beer.  
	Kitty wasn’t amused, “You’re a dirty minded old man Doc.”
	He was taken aback, “I am not.  I’ll have you know that fifty is not the legal definition of old.”
	Kitty couldn’t hold her sour expression and grinned, “Oh well, it happens to the best of us Curly.”
	“Age?” he asked and downed the rest of his beer.  
	“No, a dirty mind,” she replied and gave him a peck on the cheek for the thought before she went to get another round of drinks.  

	The buggy ride out to the pond Dillon was talking about was nice.  Kitty’d picked the only ‘normal’ dress she had.  Matt had bypassed Silver Creek, Brush Creek and several ponds on their way out.  When he finally stopped Kitty looked around, “Why here?”
	“This is that piece of land Jake Worth promised,” Matt said and watched her face light up.  She took another look, “Oh Matt, it’s beautiful.”
	“Forty acres of dirt, rocks, and trees, but it’d be a start.  Won’t have a house on it for some time though but maybe we could figure out where it’s supposed to go,” he hinted and took her hand in his to show her around.  “See how this slopes here,” Matt pointed out, “It’s perfect for a walk out cellar and with the house above angled just right we could put the porch out over the water and fish off the rail.  Wouldn’t that be something, catfish for breakfast?” 
	Kitty chuckled, “You gonna get up and cook ‘em?  I can’t cook remember.”
	Matt looked down at her, his face was tender, loving, “Well, we’ll just have to make sure you get a lot of practice before then.”  
	He headed back to the buggy to pull the fishing gear he’d brought out.  “You want to get a fire started?” he asked.  
Kitty put her hands on her hips, “Me?”
	“Yeah you…  I can’t do everything can I?  Besides, the faster we set up camp the faster I can show you were the bedroom is gonna be…”
	Kitty stiffened and offered him a salute, “Yes sir, Matt Dillon sir…” 
	“That’s more like it,” he grinned and set the poles up.  Yes it was going to be a lovely afternoon, no badge, no gun, and no Chester to bother them.