Note: Here’s the second story of the series. This takes place at he end of "China Town". I'm changing the way Ezra and Li Pong say good-bye.
Even as he pulled her close Ezra knew he should not be kissing a woman in public. But somehow that didn't matter at the moment. All that mattered was the young woman in his arms. The young woman who was leaving him. He hadn't been lying when he'd told her seconds before that he didn't want her to leave. He'd learned that her spirit was as sweet as her lips and her heart as soft. Those lips suddenly took his entire sensation as they melded with his. The sensation of her lips and body against him felt much more familiar to him than they should have from only one kiss.They'd kissed the night before, but it had been her first kiss. A kiss of exploration and learning what a kiss truly was. She'd somehow sensed that she found the perfect teacher in Ezra, and knew that for the rest of her life she would compare all other kisses to his.
Ezra reluctantly ended the kiss and took a small step back. Moments later he was watching her leave. He'd always prided himself on his sophisticated tastes. Now he found he missed the sweet, simple taste of her.
Turning he met Nathan's dark eyes.
"Before you ask I did not take advantage of the young lady last night."
Nathan shook his head slightly. "That's not what I was gonna say. You really cared about her, didn't you?"
"Yes, Mr. Jackson I did," admitted the gambler. "Please don't ask for an explanation as to why. I am at a loss to explain it myself."
"Well, they say we always want the one thing you can't have. She was innocent. All of us have lost our innocence in one way or another, `cept maybe JD. An' I knew you didn't take advantage of her once I realized that. You wouldn't destroy something you value. It's the same reason you love kids so much. Their innocence."
"Perhaps you are right Mr. Jackson. But lets us get in out of this heat," drawled Ezra.
Together they headed into the Saloon.