She has something else in mind

Jessica smiled at Lisa as she looked her over, sizing her up. "You know, Lisa, there are other ways we can settle this. It doesn't have to be with guns." Her eyes now looked over Lisa in a different way. "You're a very beautiful woman. It would be such a waste to gun you down. I'm starting to think maybe my brother got exactly what he deserved. I'm gonna get off my horse, but we're gonna go into the saloon, have us a seat, and talk about what happened. Will you?"

Lisa raised an eyebrow. What was this girl up to? It made her curious enough to want to find out. She moved her hand away from her gun, and smiled in return. "I'm agreeable to that. You know, you're actually a might bit pretty yourself."

Jessica beamed and smiled. "Why, thank you, Lisa Bennet. That's mighty kind of you to say. Not too many people do." She dismounted her horse, and tied the reigns to the hitching post. "So let's go have ourselves a drink, and you can tell me exactly what happened, and why it happened. Then we'll think about how to handle it. Fair enough?" She flashed that beguiling smile of hers again as she stood before Lisa.

Lisa had always been kind of a tom boy. Growing up on the frontier around three brothers really toughened her up. Her mother was an Easterner from Boston, and was always of a mind to send Lisa back East for a good education in hopes it would help to feminize her. But that was never to be. The two women walked across the street together to the saloon, occasionally glancing at each other, exchanging sweet, shy smiles when they managed to catch each other looking. They walked in and stood at the bar. The bartender shot them a startled glance, and raised his eyebrows. "So what can I do for you ladies?" he asked.

Jessica laughed. "Now do we look like two ladies to you? I may be wearing a skirt and fancy petticoats under it, but my heart is as wild as the open prairie. I think I can say the same for my partner Lisa here. Please don't call us ladies."

This made Lisa giggle as she watched the bartender's quivering lips. He wanted to respond, but wasn't sure how to. "Just give us a bottle of whiskey, Johnny" she finally said. "And two glasses."

Relieved Johnny pulled a bottle and two glasses off the shelf behind him. "On the house, as long as you two promise not to shoot it out in here."

Jessica looked at Lisa, and smiled brightly. "I'm agreeable to that."

"So am I" Lisa chimed. She grabbed the bottle and two glasses, and led Jessica over to an open table in the corner. All the men in the room watched them as they made their way, wondering as much what was going on between the two as they were wondering what was under their skirts and jeans. The two women sat down, and Lisa opened the bottle and poured the first round.

"So tell me, Lisa Bennet, what led you to shoot my brother?" said Jessica after downing her shot.

Lisa went on to tell her the tale of how she came to town, spending most of her money to enter the town as the three thugs demanded payment from her. She went on about how she got involved in a poker game, trying to win some of her money back, without knowing the real stakes of the game. It was only after she lost that she found out the losers had to face John Delvers in a gun fight. The men who lost all acted cowardly, so she decided to face Delvers herself.

Jessica stopped her at that point. "I think I've heard enough. You mean to tell me there were three men who lost, and they wouldn't help you? They chickened out?" She poured more whiskey into their glasses.

"That's exactly what I'm telling you" said Lisa.

Jessica smiled. "Thank you, Lisa. It's clear to me you are just a victim of circumstance here. Number one, if my brother was dumb enough to make the losers of a poker game face him in a gun fight, then he got what he deserved. Number two, those three thugs I lassoed outside should know better than to extort people's money. Number three, I have a strong dislike of cowards, especially men. Number four, I like you, Lisa Bennet, and I have designs on you. I'd like to be friends with you, and more, if you will."

Lisa sat there for a moment with her mouth hanging open. She had no idea what to say. Jessica had designs on her? She picked up the glass of whiskey Jessica had poured for her, and quickly downed it. She couldn't deny she felt something for Jessica. Was it attraction? She had told the girl she thought she was pretty. It was the first time she had ever said anything like that in her life to anyone. For all intents and purposes, Lisa was still a virgin. "Why Jessica Delvers, are you trying to tell me you're sweet on me?"