"Did you close both your eyes?" he teased, nudging Caroline. "You gotta keep at least one open. And if you close one, make sure it's the right one." He paused. "Not right like right and left. But it might be the right, or it could be the left."
"Are you bein' mean to me, Mr. Connolly? The person who is holding a loaded gun and you ain't?" Caroline retorted, making a show of being upset. Of course it was all in jest. The two kidded around all the time.
"Not to mention, the person the person you fuck on a regular basis," she added, "Best keep me happy fer yer own sake, mister."
He waved his hand, "Forget I said all that. What you need to know is both your eyes work together to make pictures of what you see, and sometimes one is more...accurate than the other. So make sure the one you use is the good one. That make sense?"
"I'll have you know both my eyes are good ones, I don't even need glasses. I see like an eagle," she let him know.
"Lemme try again, that was my first shot. I never said I was perfect ya know.........close...but not perfect," she grinned.
She didn't wait for his permission though but leveled the pistol, cocked it back, closed one eye, aimed and fired.
Another loud retort, a smoke cloud rose, and there was a tink of tin can. It hadn't been a direct hit but glancing one, moved the can plenty though.
"You know when I get the hang of this, I'm gonna quit my singing career and become a gunfighter," she grinned up at her handsome devil of a man.
"The way you shot just now don't make me scared," Brendan chuckled. Now, if Caroline was really trying to shoot him, he wouldn't want to be standing close beside her. There'd be no way she could miss. But because they were just playing around, he didn't mind taunting her a little bit.
But not too much, or else she might decide she didn't want him as her bed partner any more.
As Caroline leveled the pistol again, he took a step to the side to watch her form and the way she was aiming. And this time she got one! "Hey, not too bad. You might make it as a gunfighter after all. You got four more shots -- let's see how many hits you get."
"The way you shot just now don't make me scared," Brendan chuckled.
"You are so mean, mister," Caroline frowned.
As Caroline leveled the pistol again, he took a step to the side to watch her form and the way she was aiming. And this time she got one! "Hey, not too bad. You might make it as a gunfighter after all. You got four more shots -- let's see how many hits you get."
Caroline lowered the gun and looked straight to her instructor.
"Hey, let's make us a wager. I will bet three dollars I can hit all four shots comin' up," she proposed with a smile.
"Put yer money where yer mouth is, hon."
Brendan's eyebrows went up. Three dollars was a lot of money. But...it was all in fun, and he that whether he or Caroline won the bet, the money would end up being spent on drinks at the saloon or food at the Lickskillet for both of them. So after his initial shock, he ran a hand through his hair and shrugged.
"Three dollars, huh? Well, I bet five dollars you don't make all four shots. So there." He crossed his arms and stepped back again to watch Caroline.
He might regret that bet if Caroline made all four shots, but he was probably going to regret it anyway because Caroline would find something to tease him about whether she made the shots or didn't. So he might as well have fun with the bet. And that was his life philosophy: life came with regrets no matter what, so why not have fun?
"Three dollars, huh? Well, I bet five dollars you don't make all four shots. So there." Brendan crossed his arms and stepped back again to watch her.
Caroline gave a big Cheshire Cat grin, "Oh you do, huh? I will accept that bet. Watch this and then get out yer money."
She now walked straight toward the dangling cans until she was literally right next to them. Putting the pistol up within an inch of the first one, she blasted it. Then she proceeded to do the same with the remaining three cans and shots. At such almost touching distance no one could miss.
Laughing thru the smoke cloud rising into the breeze she spun about, "You never said nothing about at what distance. You fell for it, mister. I set you up good."
"Now be a good loser and fork over my money," she once more approached him, looking very pleased with herself.
Brendan watched, mouth agape, as Caroline hit all the cans with her next four shots. Not that she could have missed the way she did it, though. As the smoke cleared and Caroline approached, looking pleased as punch, Brendan shook his head. Although what she'd done was cheating in his mind, Caroline was right. He'd left room for her to win and hadn't thought through the loopholes.
Although a scowl had initially broken out over his face, he couldn't help chuckling a little bit. "You're right. I never said nothing about distance. You better believe I won't make that mistake next time." He dug in his pocket for some change, counted out eight quarters, and held them out to Caroline. "Take this as a down payment, and I'll get you the rest later. You charge interest?"
Brendan couldn't help chuckling a little bit. "You're right. I never said nothing about distance. You better believe I won't make that mistake next time." He dug in his pocket for some change, counted out eight quarters, and held them out to Caroline. "Take this as a down payment, and I'll get you the rest later. You charge interest?"
Caroline knew he wasn't one to get upset easily which is why she pulled this stunt. She held out her hand and smiled like the Cheshire Cat as he placed quarters upon her palm.
"I trust ya...besides I know where you live," she commented, enjoying this immensely.
"And yes I do charge interest. If you don't gimme the rest of that money by tonight..........well, you gotta jump inta bed with me and I get to be on top when we do it," she declared.
Brendan shook his head as he handed his money over to Caroline. She was enjoying herself far too much. Not that there was anything wrong with that, and in fact Brendan was glad that she was getting such a kick out of this shooting lesson. So much of a kick that she decided to spice things up a little bit.
Brendan's eyebrows rose. Well, that was one way of paying interest, and it sounded like a mighty fine idea to him. He was having an awful hard time not grinning as he looked down at Caroline and said, "Aw shucks, I just remembered it'll be a while 'til I get paid. Looks like I know what I'll be doin' tonight, huh?"
Now he didn't really care about losing the bet because he'd won something better: an evening in Caroline's bed.
ooc: Dang, this one got lost in the shuffle, I was at an out of state convention when it was posted. Sorry.
IC: Brendan's eyebrows rose. He was having an awful hard time not grinning as he looked down at Caroline and said, "Aw shucks, I just remembered it'll be a while 'til I get paid. Looks like I know what I'll be doin' tonight, huh?"
"Is that so? Well, I don't accept no excuses," Caroline feigned anger. She would make a good actress.
"Guess I have to be extra hard on you tonight then. And I don't wanna hear no cryin' or whimperin' either," she added rather convincingly.
All jesting aside, the pair had come out to do some practice shooting so that was what they got back to doing. Caroline now took it more seriously and about a box of shells later, they finally decided to call it a session. She wasn't bad for a first practice. But the important thing was she at least got used to handling a full size revolver which could someday, god forbid, become the difference between life and death.
One thing was for certain, even though Brendan might not realize it, she was definitely willing to use deadly force if necessary. If she had to kill someone it wouldn't be her first time.
"Well, thanks for the lesson, Brendan, appreciate it. Whaddya say we head back now?" she handed over his gun to him, stock first. It was unloaded anyway.
Once Caroline had had her fun, she grew more serious about practicing. Brendan watched her was she went through his box of shells, giving her a pointer or suggestion here and there, and having her shoot at the cans at varying distances once she'd gotten the hang of the mechanics of the revolver. She was a fast learner, and determined.
When Caroline decided she was done, Brendan took his revolver back, stuck it carefully in the sack, and peeked into the cartridge box before stuffing it inside the sack as well. "Miss Mundee, you're a real fast learner. I'd hate to be at the business end of a revolver in your hands."
He glanced back at the dangling cans, which now had a few more holes in them than before -- and not from point blank range this time. "I'll leave those there so we can come out here again sometime. But yeah, let's head back." He started back in the direction of town.
"You wanna stop at the cafe or have Messalina rustle up somethin' for us? I need some food before I work off my debt to you," he said with a grin.