Deborah Camp (10 page)

Fury surged through her. “Answer me, Reno. Do I know her?” she asked, voicing the question burning in her mind and poisoning her heart. “Who is she? Who have you taken as your mistress?”

“A
m I being accused of something?” Reno asked, picking up his hat and sailing it across the room, where it landed neatly on his cot.

“I am asking for the simple truth. Can you manage it?” Adele trembled inside, her nerves getting the better of her. She told herself she wasn’t jealous, and yet this writhing, gnawing feeling certainly felt like that vile beast.

“I believe I can. You want to know about my mistress.” He removed his coat and unfastened his shirt cuffs. “She’s fickle, I’ll give her that. I’m certainly not the first or the only man she has smiled upon and offered her favors to.”

“Ah-ha!” Adele raised a shaking finger. Anger heated her face. “She’s one of Terrapin’s tarts, I suppose. Which one? Little Nugget?” Just the thought of him dallying with that painted-up child made her want to retch. She couldn’t continue having him in her home if he had such low morals. Not even her mother would have faulted her on that. A man who would have relations with a girl nary a year or two
out of her pinafores, a girl who had fallen into a nest of snakes and could see no way out—well, that was a man she could never respect, never join with heart and soul. “How disgusting! How despicable of you! But I shouldn’t expect anything more, should I? Sally is right about you. You’re common and lazy and heartless.”

He came across the room so suddenly that she had no time to defend herself or move away. His hands clamped on her upper arms, and she found herself pulled solidly against his chest, her head flung back to stare with shock into smoky eyes narrowed to dangerous slits.

“I’ve had about enough of you telling me I’m this and I’m that, when you don’t even know me. Nor have you even tried to get to know me again. For your information I have not been spending my evenings with Little Nugget.”

“Who, then?” she asked, her voice emerging choked.

“Lady Luck, my dear. I’ve been playing poker in a private game, not in a saloon, with some of this town’s most respected gentlemen and coming out a winner.”

Adele swallowed her heart from where it had lodged in her throat. “I wish you would find something you’re good at besides gambling.”

“I’m good at making love,” he responded, drawing a fingertip down her cheek. “Would you like a demonstration?”

“No.” She wriggled, but he wrapped an arm around her to keep her captive. Her traitorous heart hummed and a lethargic sensation floated through
her. He was going to kiss her, and she was fairly certain she was going to like it.

“I’m feeling magnanimous,” he said, his gaze fastened on her lips. “I’m going to give you a sample of what you’re missing. Night after night I come back to this dark room and climb into that hard bed to dream of you. I think it’s about time I renewed my memories of what it’s like to kiss you, Dellie.”

His mouth was a welcomed visitor and her lips parted, bidding his tongue entrance. At the barest touch of his flesh, her body temperature spiked and her arms found their way around him. The tip of his tongue outlined her lips, sending shivers down her spine, and then surged fully into her mouth in an intrepid, carnal passion only a fully grown man could orchestrate.

Her own passion stampeded through her, almost violent in its rending of her willpower. She sagged against Reno and raked her fingers through his silky, black hair. Breathing him in, she experienced his scent mixed with rawhide and Whistle Stop’s dust. His mouth left hers and he peppered the side of her neck with fire-tipped kisses as he feverishly whispered her name. His hands stole down her back to her hips.

“Come to bed with me,” he said. He scooped her up in his arms. “Let me show you how much I want you.”

He carried her into her bedroom and lowered her onto the quilt. Joining her there, he plucked out her hairpins and kissed her eyelids and cheeks and throbbing lips.

“You’ve been waiting for this, same as I have,” he told her, one hand moving down between their bodies
to unbuckle his belt. “I knew you were burning for me.”

His conceit acted like a hard slap to her self-esteem, and she turned her face away from his and shoved at his shoulders. Adele scrambled off the bed and straightened her clothes, then pushed her hair back from her forehead and flaming cheeks.

“I have
not
been on fire for you, Reno Gold,” she informed him. “This may come as a crushing blow, but every female who claps eyes on you does not pine for your attentions.”

He stretched out on his side and cradled his head in one hand, his gaze roving over her as if she were standing nude before him. “I have been for yours.”

“Then speak for yourself and not for me.” She spied her hairpins and scooped them up from the floor.

“Okay, I’ll do that. I’m a stallion, not a gelding, and if you don’t start warming up to me, I’ll be forced to go looking for a willing woman. Is that what you want?”

“I ask for your discretion.” She piled her hair back on top of her head and secured it haphazardly with the pins. “And I hope you won’t make any more trouble for me with Mr. Terrapin. I don’t like him coming around here with his veiled threats.”

He came up off the bed with the agility of a cat. “What do you mean? When was he here bothering you?”

“Just minutes before you showed up. He is very upset by the hiring of Mrs. McDonald.”

“I don’t care and I don’t like him coming around
here. If he’s got business to talk about, he should talk to me.” He jabbed a thumb at his chest.

“Excuse me, Mr. High And Mighty, but
I
am the business person in this room. Not you. Certainly not you with your layabout ways, your late nights and later mornings, your total disregard of this restaurant and the disbursement of funds. Mr. Terrapin was correct in coming to me to talk business. Whatever would
you
know about it?” She spun away from him and went to the dresser, where she finished rearranging her hair.

Behind her Reno tried to bank his anger. Damn her for belittling him! Yes, she had him dead to rights, but how did she think a man could pick himself up if she kept kicking his legs out from under him?

“Mr. Terrapin said you pulled a gun on him.”

“That’s right. I was defending your honor,” he joshed, but he saw the sparkle of interest in the eyes that were reflected in the dresser mirror. He placed a serious expression on his face and played the rest of his hand. “He spoke disrespectfully of you, and I couldn’t abide that.”

Adele lowered her gaze, a thrill racing through her. No man had ever defended her honor. It was like something out of a novel. Still, she couldn’t endorse gunplay.

“Violence is never an answer among the civilized,” she said, repeating something she’d heard her mother say many times. “What if someone had been injured or worse?”

“Would you have cared if that someone had been me?”

“Of course.” She traced the back of the silver-handled
brush with her fingertip, unable to meet his gaze. “But please use more tact, Reno. Waving a gun at someone like Taylor Terrapin is most unwise.”

So often she reminded him of her fiery, too-smart-for-her-own-good mother. Except that Dellie was beautiful, while Victoria Bishop had been handsome in a robust, apple-cheeked way. Dellie was more fair-skinned, more fragile, yet just as spirited and as sharp-witted as Victoria.

“Do you miss your mother, Dellie?” he asked. Her lashes lifted to reveal her green eyes in the dresser mirror. “How did she die?”

“Pneumonia,” she answered, unable to manage more than a whisper. “It was pneumonia. The winter had been harsh and she’d spent it in Maine, setting up another library. She’d had some meetings with an influential man named Carnegie. He wanted to do what she’d been doing, but on a much larger scale. She was terribly excited, but then the sickness went into her lungs and she could barely draw a breath. It was quite sudden.” She released a shaky sigh. “And yes, I miss her very much. Just knowing she is no longer in this world casts a shadow over me.” Her eyes found his in the mirror. “How is your family?”

“Alive and well. Thanks for asking—finally.”

His words poured over her, drenching her with guilt. She turned slowly toward him, seeing him fully for the first time, this broad-shouldered, handsome man she had married.

His dark hair, sleek as a crow’s wing, fell across his forehead and brushed the tops of his well-shaped ears. She could see where his beard would grow in if he allowed it, but she was glad he didn’t, for whiskers
would hide the dimple in his square chin. He had rolled his shirtsleeves up to his elbows and unbuttoned his shirt almost to his waist. He wore black suspenders and trousers and shiny black boots. Suddenly her bedroom seemed small and overly fussy with this man standing in it. He extended one hand, palm up, and she responded without thinking by placing her hand in his.

“I should have asked after your family sooner,” she allowed, averting her gaze while feeling his keenly on her hair, her face, her breasts. “They were always kind to me.”

“Why did you take up this work, Dellie? I thought you would walk in your mother’s footsteps.”

“I wanted something of my own. Besides, opening libraries means moving often, and I’m tired of that. Mother loved to travel, but I wanted roots.”

“You could have found a better town than this one to put down your roots.”

“Oh, Whistle Stop isn’t so bad.” She hitched in a breath when his thumb moved sensuously across her knuckles. “If Terrapin would pack up and leave, this place would be almost heaven.”

“I wouldn’t bet on him doing that, Dellie.”

Dellie. Nobody said her name quite like he did, she thought. His gentle Southern accent drew out the sound of it, caressed it.

“Terrapin’s not going anywhere. He likes it here,” Reno said. “Being a big man in a small town is a profession to someone like him.”

“Reno, while I appreciate you standing up for me, I must ask that you not threaten or challenge Mr. Terrapin.
You’ll get yourself killed. He is a ruthless man.”

“Again you demonstrate your appalling lack of faith in me.” He released her hand abruptly. “You assume that I can’t handle Terrapin, that I’ll end up the loser.”

“It’s just that I know him and—”

“And you know me?” he finished. “Well, you don’t, Dellie. You
don’t
know me.” He pointed a finger at her, and she was surprised to see the slight tremor of his hand. “What’s more, you haven’t even tried to get to know me. You labeled me common and lazy and what was it?” He snapped his fingers, remembering. “Heartless, that’s it. Heartless.” He shook his head and a mirthless laugh tumbled from him. “You thought you could put a yoke on me and lead me around like a dumb ox and you’re aggravated because I won’t mind you.” He stepped closer, one step, and his body bumped hers. “I’m not a dumb ox. I’m a man. Treat me like one, treat me with common decency, and you might find out a little more about me. I guarantee you’ll like what you find.”

He cupped the back of her head in one hand and slanted his mouth over hers. Adele’s fingers curled against his chest, fastening on his shirt, while her breath caught in her throat. Oh, kissing him was a celestial experience! He kissed with his lips and tongue and even his teeth, taking tiny soft bites while his tongue tussled gently with hers. He had learned a few things about kissing since his boyhood and he was teaching her. Adele was lost in her lessons.

So lost that she didn’t hear Sally until she had nearly invaded the bedroom to stand on the threshold,
her jaw dropping like an egg from a tall chicken.

“Adele! What are you doing?” Sally asked, staring at Adele as if she’d caught her in an illicit act.

“I … that is … I didn’t hear you—”

“We’re spooning, Sally,” Reno said, wrapping an arm tightly about Adele’s waist. “I’m stealing a little sugar from my wife here. Surely you and Cousin Win locked lips every now and then.”

“What my husband and I did is none of your concern!”

“Exactly.” Reno stared at Sally, letting his message settle, smiling patiently while she grasped his meaning.

Sally looked at Adele. “You can do better than this. You know you can.”

“Sally, please, you promised.” Adele slipped out of Reno’s embrace. “What can I do for you?”

“Do?” Sally blinked, then remembered her mission. “Oh, yes. One of those whores from the Black Knight is here, asking to see Doris McDonald. I told her that Mrs. McDonald was working. I thought she’d have enough sense to leave or at least call on the cook at the back door, but that little tart sat down and ordered coffee and pie!” Sally gave a sniff of contempt. “You should have a word with her and explain why we can’t serve her.”

“What?” Reno’s voice sounded like the boom of thunder and his eyes flashed with inner lightning. “Why won’t you serve her? It must be Little Nugget.”

Sally glared at him. “I wouldn’t know her name, but we won’t serve her because of what she is, of course.”

“You served Terrapin today, didn’t you?” Reno asked.

“He is a businessman,” Sally rejoined. “And I’m not speaking with you. I’m trying to have a conversation with Dellie.”

“
I’m
speaking to
you
,” Reno bellowed, “you hypocritical, tight-lipped little—”

“God’s nightgown! Hush up, the both of you!” Adele stepped between them. “I’m tired of this bickering. Reno, will you tell the cook she has a visitor and ask Helen to oversee the kitchen while Mrs. McDonald takes a break? Sally, you know that we don’t turn away any paying customer.”

“But you can’t approve of how she made that money,” Sally objected. “You wouldn’t take Mr. Terrapin’s.”

“That was different. Terrapin is older and should be wiser and he is a man. He has far more opportunities to make a decent living. He isn’t trapped. He is the trap.” Adele shouldered past Sally, but not before she caught a glimpse of Reno’s proud grin. She ducked her head to hide her own smile and was surprised that his pride in her created a warm glow around her heart.