Weren’t no need ta feel guilty ‘bout findin’ a nice girl ta spend some time with. First off, the captain had told ‘im to. Second, Kaylee hadn’t actually staked her claim. Third, havin’ a woman stake her claim had never stopped Jayne from findin’ a nice, different girl ta spend some time with before.

‘Course, no one had really ever staked their claim in ‘im. And he ain’t ever staked nothin’ in nobody long term before.

Hazard of movin’ around too much, he reckoned. Certainly weren’t nothin’ wrong with ‘im.

The doc’s silly yella horse was tied up outside the main house, along with a couple dozen other horses. The noise comin’ out the door was even louder than it’d been when he’d come before. Lot’ve people in there. He’d have ta be real sure ta stay pretty close ta the doc in order ta make sure he was safe.

Not that he really cared, personally. Havin’ him taken hostage would sure make things a lot easier with Kaylee.

Why hadn’t Kaylee staked her claim?

He felt a hand slide along his back.

“You got an invite?”

The hand slid across his side. The girl attached ta it came around an’ looked up at him.

It was the dark-haired one. Marie.

“You!” She smiled. Looked genuinely glad ta see ‘im again. “Back for more?”

Jayne grinned. “Didn’t get much the first time.”

“Too true.” She peeked around him, then looked back up at ‘im through her lashes. “You alone?”

He shrugged. “Couldn’t get any real business done with the missus around, I reckon.”

She smiled. “I reckon.”

“Can’t come in if you ain’t got an invite.”

Jayne turned ta see who was talkin’. It was the red-haired one. Stella. She was standin’ in the doorway lookin’ at ‘im. He saw the smile spread real slow across her face. “Oh. Didn’t know it was you.”

Marie took Jayne’s hand an’ coaxed him up the steps ta the door where Stella was standin’. “Told ya he’d come back.”

Stella didn’t look away from ‘im as she answered. “I was hopin’ you were right.”

She circled around him like Marie had, trailin’