Pressing his back to the wooden door, Sean cleared his throat and mumbled out without meeting her eyes. "I... I think there has been a mistake. I... I think I was directed to the wrong room." Helena's chuckle was so soft and calming to hear. Adjusting her long legs to cross them, she told him sweetly. "There is no mistake. I'm bought and paid for by your friend... for you." Closing his eyes with a sinking feeling, Sean looked away to meekly try to hide his burning cheeks. When he was sure that she could still see, he pulled the brim of his hat down to hide better. Then shaking his head, he muttered out under his breath. "Nathan... Son of a bitch..." Helena's heels clicked against the floor as she slid off the stool, telling him gently. "It's ok. You don't have to be afraid. I'll go as slow as you want, honey." Sean tilted his head enough to peek at her from under the brim, uttering out in a broken voice. "What did he tell you?" Helena very slowly approached him, answering neutrally. "Just that girls like me make you... nervous." Sean narrowed his eyes on her, correcting uneasily. "He told you I'm a virgin, didn't he?"

Helena stopped arm's length away from him, admitting with a little smile. "He told the madam that yes. She won't have summoned me otherwise." Sean shifted on his feet, forcing himself to ask in a strained voice. "Why you?" Helena slowly lifted a hand trying to coax him to take it as she soothingly told him. "Because I'm good with those of little experience. I'll break you in at your pace. And when I'm done... women won't seem so scary." Sean kept his hands at his sides, his eyes looking at her hand like it was a poisonous snake about to strike. Helena tilted her head as she read his expression and turned her hand in a gesture to try shaking his hand instead. The tension in Sean eased as she sweetly conversed to him. "I'm Helena Rosewood. What's your name, lad?" His hand shook as he lifted it to shake her slender and soft hand, answering after clearing his throat. "Sean. Sean McLaughlin." Smiling beautifully, she greeted him cheerfully. "Nice to meet you, Sean. Wanna sit with me?" Sean's eyes darted to a little loveseat that sat before a window and tensed. Helena didn't miss a beat. Holding his hand in hers, she leaned in and cooed out innocently. "So we can talk more comfortably? Standing in these heels hurt my feet."

Sean nodded and she eased him over to sit on the loveseat. Sitting next to him, she draped her leg over her other to unlace her heel boot slowly. She fumbled with it a bit, wincing as she told him casually. "Ugh, these are so uncomfortable after the first few hours." Sean watched her struggle with the laces, before offering to help. Smiling, she happily nodded, and he took her foot to unlace them. Sliding it off her foot, he wondered if she was playing him a bit. Her feet didn't look sore or swollen. Relaxing next to him, she purred out curiously. "You've cared for a woman before, haven't you?" Sean slowed untying her laces, asking anxiously. "What makes you say that?" Reaching out, she touched the back of one of his hands, replying coolly. "I can recognize the signs. You didn't hesitate to help me with these. Most wait until I ask them." Glancing from her hand to her face, he mumbled out a bit guarded. "You're testing me?" Helena propped her chin up on her hand as she rested her elbow on the back of the loveseat, before answering honestly. "In a way. I'm trying to see how scared of me you are. It varies between virgins. Some have never touched a woman. Some have. Some are afraid we are... fragile. Others got hurt by a woman and fear being touched by a woman in return. Does that bother you?"

Taking a shaky breath, Sean informed her just as honestly. "A little. I don't like... being compared to others. And I'm... I'm not scared of women. I just... I don't... It's complicated." Helena leaned closer, her elbow sliding over the top of the loveseat until she was resting closer to his shoulder. Sean pulled her last boot free, avoiding her eyes. By hear ear though, she asked him in a gentle whisper. "Is there someone else you've got your heart set on?" Sean kept his eyes forward and tried to give nothing away. He caught her smiling as she purred out. "Ah... There is. What's she like?" Sean opened his mouth to correct her, but instead mumbled out in a low voice. "Stubborn. But... kind. More than I feel I deserve. Or could ever live up to..." Helena hummed dreamily, telling him distantly. "She's lucky to have someone feel that way about her." Bowing his head, Sean mumbled out to the floor. "I can barely talk around... her. I get the worst case of butterflies in my stomach and... I feel like I'm going to stop breathing." Helena chuckled, nudging his leg with hers as she said teasingly. "Yep. You got bit by the love bug bad."

Sighing, Sean removed his hat and fanned himself a bit as he leaned over his legs, grumbling out. "I shouldn't feel the way I do..." Helena stilled beside him, before asking in a surprised whisper. "Oh... I see now. Your she is a... he?" Sean jerked his head up to look her in the eyes with his fragile ones. He hadn't meant to give himself away like that. Helena's face remained neutral, but her voice was sweet when she told him softly. "It's ok. Your secret is safe with me. I'm sorry. It just surprised me because... you're the first I've met. I've heard the other girls mention them. Does your friend know?" Rolling his eyes, Sean grumbled out through his teeth. "I believe so. I think he's... fucking with me." Helena giggled, smirking out as she shrugged out. "Maybe. But now I'm curious... are you really not attracted to me?" Sean turned soft eyes on her, looking her over before answering nicely. "I think you're beautiful. But... I don't think I could..." When he drifted off, she teased out to finish a bit more crudely. "Can't get it up for me?" Closing his eyes, he blushed and nodded. Helena touched his cheek, causing his eyes to shoot open. Staring into his eyes, she asked him almost hopefully. "Would you like to try?"

Sean tried to read her emerald green eyes, asking curiously. "Why would you want to do that to yourself?" Helena eased closer to his lips, whispering in a slightly pained voice. "Honey... you don't know my world. So, trust me when I say that men like you... your pure heart and selflessness... It's rare here. I'm selfish... because I want to taste what that feels like. I want a man like you." Sean wasn't sure if he should tell her no or not. He felt frozen but found himself nodding slightly. He was curious to try kissing a woman for the first time. She brushed a painted nail over his lower lip, slowly easing in to press her lips to his. She left herself open incase he wanted to push her away, but he didn't. Instead, he put his hands on her arms to keep the rest of her at a distance. There kiss started slow, and Sean tried to enjoy it... but his mind kept drifting to Mark. Would Mark taste like her? He certainly didn't smell like her. She tried to slip her tongue into his mouth, but he jerked away, causing her to stop and coax him back into more light kisses.

Out at the abandoned church, Mark sat on the floor cleaning his gun until Bob and Wade rode up. Stiffly getting up, he led his horse out to meet them, asking with concern. "Run into any trouble?" Bob chuckled, gesturing to Wade's black eye as he informed him. "It's fine. Wade's horse threw a horseshoe when we crossed the ravine. Took us a while to find the shoe and nail it back on as best we could. We'll need to find a farrier to fix it properly. The horse has been limping for miles like a drama queen." Wade swatted Bob's shoulder, grumbling out. "Don't say that about her. You'd limp too if your shoe was loose and uncomfortable." Mark tugged Wade down off his horse, looking at his black eye more closely. Wade waved him off, telling him with a shrug. "She bucked me off. I wasn't ready for it and landed a bit roughly. I'm fine." Mark made sure he wasn't bleeding, then checked the horse's shoe. Bracing his shoulder under the horse's leg, he let her put weight on him as he lifted her foot. The shoe had a nail missing, causing it to slide too much and the other nails to hang loose. Putting her hoof down, he told Wade seriously. "Don't ride her. Walk her to the stableman and ask how much the farrier will cost. She can't go on like this."

Wade nodded and started to walk her toward town with Bob riding along behind him. Mark mounted up and rode off ahead of them to see if he could spot trouble. When Wade's horse had been stabled and scheduled in the morning for a reshoeing, Mark looked for Nate and Sean's horse. Only for his heart to sink when he didn't see their horses posted outside the inn. Riding up next to him, Bob nudged Mark and asked. "There they are." Looking to the brothel, Mark practically growled like a dog. Walking around Mark, Wade teased out. "Wonder what they are up to in there." Wade and Bob shared a light chuckle, until Wade saw Mark's murderous glare. Dismounting, Mark tossed his horse's reins to Wade, commanding sternly. "Hitch my horse. I'm going to kill Nathan." Wade barely caught the jumble of reins, wincing out a bit startled. "What? Mark!" Mark ignored him, storming up the steps and into the brothel. While behind him, Bob told Wade nervously. "Oh, shit... Come on. We got to stop him." Entering at a stride, Mark snapped to the older woman behind the counter. "What room did you put a cowboy escorting a young Irishman in?"

The older woman fanned herself, asking coolly with wide eyes. "Oh, dear... Something wrong, Sheriff?" Mark glared at her, muttering out darkly. "Yes. Tell me. Or I'll go room to room." Sighing, the other woman slid him an extra key as she sternly told him. "Here. Any issue you have with them, take it outside. Or I'll start shooting to keep my other customers safe. Got it?" Mark nodded, yanking the key out from under her hand. Checking the number, he stormed off as Bob and Wade stumbled in calling his name. Mark took the stairs two at a time, passing giggling woman and half naked men. Reaching the room, Mark grabbed the handle and flung it open angrily. Nathan jumped up from laying on the bed, yanking his gun out from under the pillow to aim at Mark. Standing fearlessly in the doorway, Mark glanced around the room, before snapping out. "Where is he?" Nathan lowered his gun, calmly snapping back. "Fuck, Mark. The boy is fine. He's in the bath behind you. Relax." Mark threw the key at Nathan, snapping out bitterly. "Damn it, Nathan! I told you not to let him out of your sight!"

Nathan flicked him off, shaking his head as Mark gestured for Bob and Wade to go watch Nathan. Walking over to the door, Mark tried the door and when it didn't budge, he kicked it in. The door swung open, slamming against the door and causing the woman and Sean to jump in fright. Mark's blood boiled as he took in the scene before him. The woman had been leaning on Sean and kissing his neck. Stepping into the room, Mark pointed to the door and ordered her seriously. "Get out. Now." The woman slowly rose away from Sean, collecting her heel boots and fleeing around Mark. Sean slowly got to his feet, shakily telling him. "Mark. It's not what you think. I was just-" Mark cut him off by slamming the door shut behind him and storming up to Sean. Sean flinched as Mark reached out for him, but Mark simply eased Sean's collar down to see his neck. Looking over the dark bruising there, Mark forced himself to ask in a concerned light tone. "Are you ok? Did she hurt you?" Sean blinked, his meek eyes meeting Mark's when he answered uneasily. "I'm good. She just... wanted to try..."

Sean couldn't finish. It was too embarrassing. Mark turned his head to look at him, asking protectively. "Try what? What did she do? Did you tell her no?" Staring into Mark's dark brown eyes, Sean smirked a little. Mark wasn't mad at him but... concerned that he'd been attacked. Putting a hand on Mark's chest, Sean calmly told him. "She wanted to see if she could turn me on. That's all." Mark turned to glare at the closed door, asking reluctantly. "And did she...?" Sean looked over Mark's tense posture, before telling him brutally honest. "She tried." Mark's guarded eyes peered out the corner of his eyes to look at him in silence. Sean eased his hand over Mark's chest a bit until he could feel his racing heartbeat. Then shrugging, he told Mark gently. "It felt good, but... it didn't do it for me. Mark... she was-" The words never made it out because Mark suddenly turned to cup his face, pulling him into a passionate kiss. Sean's hands firmly slammed against Mark's chest in surprise, but slowly slid up to wrap around his neck. Mark eased the kiss up to be less aggressively passionate as Sean relaxed into it.

Unlike his kiss withHelena, Mark's warm lips captured his in a way that made him feel safe. His legs weakened under his weight, until hewas leaning into the kiss for support. The butterflies in his stomach swarmed and Mark's every breath stole alittle more of his own. Mark's warmhands held his jaw so tenderly that Sean could feel and hear nothing except forhim. As Mark's lips pried off his, hetold Sean breathlessly. "I... I'm sorry... Ishouldn't have-" Smirking, Sean pulledMark back into the kiss and stepped closer to press his body completely againstMark's. He wasn't going to let himretreat so easily. To Be Continued...