"Ugh, where am I?" Rev wondered out loud as his eyes opened. The regular ticking of the grandfather clock beside his bed gave Rev a steady assurance that he was in fact, still in the land of the living.

His head still pounded, but less so. The best thing was, the pain in his bicep was gone. He turned his head, looking at what happened to it. The fresh bandages and feeling of the bullet no longer lodged inside gave Rev a renewed sense of hope.

The shotgun welding woman did help him after all. He smiled.

"You're up."

Whoa! Rev thrashed about in surprise, falling off the bed with a clumsy loud crash. He raised his head slightly, peeking out from below the mattress at the owner of that sexy feminine voice.

"Shotgun woman! You tended to my wounds?"

"Firstly, I'm not 'shotgun woman', my name's Tess, Tess Emory. I'm sorry I had to point that thing at you. You honestly can't be too careful round these parts. Too many bandits and coyotes out looking for a place like mine to raid."

"Tess..." Rev repeated after her. He liked that name, in fact, on giving her figure a brief glance, he decided he liked her body too.

"So what's yours, you impolite lil' runt."

"Wha-" Rev was shocked she had such a mouth, but gradually wondered if her mouth was good for anything else besides cussing out loud like that.

"Rev, my name's Revolver Rapture. But you can just call me 'Rev' for short." he stood up and tried to extend his hand to shake in thanks for her aid. The pain reminded him that there were still many functions that he had yet to recover though.

Tess smiled, shaking Rev's left hand instead.

"So who're you exactly, Mr Cowboy Rev?" Tess asked in a deep southern drawl, the kind that made most men in her life come in their pants.

"I'm a cowboy. My story's not important. Maybe I'll tell you later. I'm still pretty busted up."

"Oh my," Tess was enamored by this handsome stranger. Come to think of it, why hadn't she noticed how well built he was before? It was probably all that time out on the plains, the wind his perfectly tousled hair, the firm muscles straining against the backbreaking work he had to do, he was so much more of a man than her lazy no-good excuse of a husband.

"Well, I hope you're not so tired that you're unable to repay me for treating that nasty wound in your arm..." Tess let her voice trail off, praying that Rev caught that naughty glint in her eye and the sexiness of the night gown she was in.

Rev found it strange. It was probably the middle of the day, why did Tess still wear that sexy negligee of hers?

Don't tell me she stayed up all night to tend to me, that's why she's only sleeping now? He thought excitedly, wondering if he had a snowball's chance in hell with Tess and her smokin' hot body.