Whiskey Rose (Fallen) (6 page)

“
Save it
R
… Matt
,
” she caught herself
,“
I just spent eight hours listening to empty flattery
.
” He closed his mouth and poured her drink instead
.“
I am tired
,
” she sighed
.“
I have a headache
.
” She lifted the glass and shot back the contents. He lifted the bottle to refill the glass but she held up her hand.

“
Tha
t’
s my limit
.
” His brows rose in surprise but he set the bottle down.

“
You run a pretty tight ship around here. Yo
u’
ve built a solid business
.
”

“
I
t’
s my fathe
r’
s business
.
”

“
No it is
n’
t
.
” She looked deep into his pale eyes. They were
n’
t easy to read but there was no malice and no accusation.

“
Alright it is
n’
t
.
” She shrugged.

“
So why did you agree to let me come in? Potentially cause problems
?
”

“
How is your investigation going
?
” She asked blatantly changing the subject.

“
Slow
.
” He ran his fingertips lightly over the glass of whiskey that he had
n’
t yet touched.

“
Why are you here really? Are you looking to take down the Cannon boys? They are small time but there are a lot of them
.
”

“
One gang one Ranger
,
” he said blandly. Her eyes narrowed slightly.

“
Yo
u’
re not here for them either. Why are you here really
?
”

“
I am here because a man was murdered
.
” He finally lifted the glass and downed the whiskey.

“
They do
n’
t send the Rangers when one man is murdered
.
”

“
They did
n’
t send me
.
” She saw his jaw muscles twitch beneath his whiskers
.“
He was
n’
t just some guy. He was my partner. My best friend. He saved my hide more times than I can count and I saved his
.
” He paused his voice gruff
.“
Just not this time. This time someone got the drop on him and I came to find out who and why
.
” She swallowed back the sudden lump of emotion that rose up in her throat.

"I'm sorry,
" she said softly. He didn't say anything he just spun the empty glass with his fingers. "Did he have any enemies?"

"Yeah we made our fair
share." Matt smirked. "But no one in the area that I can think of."

"Do you know why he came here
?
”

“
No
.
” Matt sighed
.“
We just wrapped up a case, a long one. Captain gave us two weeks. We were close so I went to see my brother. H
e
… I do
n’
t know where he was going. The last thing he said to me was that he was tired of looking at my ugly mug and he was going to go find a face prettier than mine
.
” Matt paused staring at the table
.“
I said two weeks was
n’
t going to be long enough
.
”
 
The volume of his voice had dropped to a whisper. Automatically Rose scooted forward and put her hand over his.

“
He knew you were joking
,
” she said softly.

“
I know
,
” he sighed,
“
I just wish I knew what he was doing here
.
”

“
Well you can certainly find a pretty face here
.
”

“
We were in Austin. There are a lot of pretty faces between here and there
.
”

“
Well I would like to think I have collected the prettiest faces in all of Texas
,
” she said haughtily. He could
n’
t help it he smiled. Her hand was warm and soft where it was lying on his. Her smoky eyes were clear, bright and caring. They made him feel like a night in her arms would take all of his pain away. He leaned forward resting his elbow on his knee. He was close enough to see the blue sea behind the smoke screen in her eyes.

“
Do
n’
t you ever get lonely always pretending to be someone else?  Never letting anyone see who you really are
?
” he whispered.

“
I could ask you the same thing
.
” Her voice was as quiet as his.

“Yes, you could, and yes I do.”  She couldn’t breathe
. It was like those pale eyes could see her very soul.  He was so handsome it made her want to touch him all the time but those eyes… those eyes held her in a paralyzed trance. The fact that she didn’t move away must have been invitation enough because he closed the gap and kissed her. It was soft, asking instead of demanding. Persuading her to return the caress and she did without any conscious thought. Her stomach dropped and her whole being felt jittery as if she were shaking uncontrollably but she wasn’t actually moving. He moved forward sliding his hand up her neck to her cheek. He parted his lips, and again she responded. He tasted faintly of the whiskey he had just drank but there was something else, something sweet and unidentifiable. She could feel herself getting carried away with the sensation. She had to stop this or she was going to lose control of the situation.  She pulled back severing the kiss. She tried to remind herself that she was supposed to be an experienced madam not a giddy maiden and forced a smile. She put her hand on his cheek and ran her thumb lightly across his lips.

“
Matt, I ca
n’
t make your hurt go away
.
” He was surprised he was that transparent.

“
Are you sure because it feels like maybe you could
,
” he said looking into her eyes. She smiled even as her heart pounded wildly. She stood up and took the glasses and the whiskey off the table. Matt watched her walk away with a pang of regret. She might not be able to take the hurt away completely but she could certainly help him forget for a little while at least.

Rose busied herself washing the glasses for as long as she could, waiting for the jitters to subside.  When she finally finished he was waiting for her. She was
n’
t real keen on sharing a bedroom with him now. She did
n’
t trust herself to keep saying no if he kept pushing it. She summoned all of the bravado her staged life required.

“
Do
n’
t look at me like that Matt. You ca
n’
t afford me
.
”
 
One side of his mouth went up in a cockeyed grin.

“
You sure about that
?
”

“
I am absolutely certain
.
” She flipped her fake blond hair over her shoulder and walked passed him and heard him laugh. She walked into her room then waited for him to come in before she closed the door and locked it.

“
Why are you locking it? If anyone comes through that door I will shoot them
.
”

“
Well I do
n’
t sleep with a gun under my pillow. I find i
t’
s easier to just lock the door
.
” He chuckled at that. She began pulling the pins that held her wig in place until she realized he was watching her. She stopped and looked at him and he smiled.
 “
Do
n’
t you have a bed to make
?
”
 
He smiled but he turned and began converting the couch into a bed. He looked back over his shoulder and caught her eye in the vanity mirror.

“
I can see you
,
” she scolded.

“
What? I am making my bed
.
” He laughed and he saw her reflection smile. He had to look when she began shaking out her hair. Even if he had
n’
t been watching the movement would have drawn his attention. She did
n’
t meet his gaze again instead she sat down and took off her shoes rubbing her feet as she did. He took twice as long as necessary to make the bed because he was so distracted but he did
n’
t care. Finally he started taking off his shirt.

“
What are you doing
?
” she demanded.

“
I was getting ready for bed
.
” He was surprised by her tone but then he saw the opportunity
.“
Do
n’
t tell me yo
u’
re uncomfortable with me being naked
.
” Her eyes widened and he saw her gaze sweep over him.

“
Yes I am uncomfortable with that. If you are going to share my room you keep your clothes on
!
”

“
Wha
t’
s the matter would it be just too tempting for you?What with me vulnerable, no clothes on locked in this locked room
.
” She crossed her arms and glared at him. She looked so different with the chestnut curls that he could barely restrain himself. He pulled his shirt free of his waist band letting it hang down to insure she would
n’
t see the effect she had on him physically.

“
I think I can restrain myself
.
”

“You sure about that?”  He stepped closer to her and she hated that she didn’t have the nerve to stand her ground. She took a step back. He wasn’t touching her but the energy he exuded was almost more powerful. “You don’t look very sure.” She lifted her chin defiantly and he laughed. “You don’t have to back a
way. I won’t touch you unless you invite me to. You however, don’t need an invitation. You are welcome whenever you get the urge.” His words sucked all the air out of the room and she stood there staring at him her mouth slightly agape. It seemed like an eternity before he backed away but it was really only seconds.  Once he moved away she was annoyed that his presence could affect her so profoundly.

“
I am going to step behind that screen and change my clothes. You do whatever you have to,to get ready for bed. You just let me know when yo
u’
re covered
.
” He laughed and she wanted to throw something at the back of his head. 

Matt took his shirt, boots and his gun belt off and climbed into the bed. He had never intended to strip completely but temptation to tease her had just been too great. The temptation to pull her into his arms and kiss her senseless had been nearly overwhelming as well but he had managed to resist it barely. He wanted her to come to him. She would, he would wear her down.

Matt remembered all too well what a Friday night meant so he wasn’t surprised when Rose was up at dawn going over inventory and cleaning random things. Really it wasn’t much different from what she usually did. Still he felt compelled to help her. She was driven like no one he had ever seen. From the time she got up in the morning to the time she went to sleep at night she was working. Doing something for the Saloon. No one else worked the way she did. The girls rotated nights off during the week but not Rose she worked every night.

“
Alright, give me a job
.
”

“
I beg your pardon
?
” She looked up from the list she was making of things she needed to order.

“
I am feeling a little useless and you are running around like a chicken with its head cut off. So tell me how I can help
.
” 

“
I am not running around likea chicken with my head cut off
,
” she said indignantly
.“
I have a business to run
.
” He smiled.