Whiskey Rose (Fallen) (16 page)

“
Alright fine point taken
.
” He laughed. He held her chair as she sat down in the little dining room.

“
Maggie makes the best chicken
.
” Rose smiled as the woman approached.

“
Ah Rose, flattery will get you everywhere
.
” Maggie smiled
.“
What can I get you
?
”

“
The chicken for me
.
”

“
And for you handsome
?
”

“
Whatever the lady recommends
.
” Matt looked into Ros
e’
s smiling eyes.

“Chick
en,” she said at once and he chuckled.  She was different tonight, like the girl she should be, carefree and unguarded. As he listened to her talk and laughed at her random observations he wondered when he had stopped noticing that he was surrounded by beautiful women. He had only been staying at the saloon for a couple of weeks. He could remember a time when the attention of six women compared to the attention of one would have been an easy choice. He wouldn’t have minded moving furniture. He would have enjoyed the flirtation. Yet here he was, somehow he had determined that the attention of this one woman was preferable to half a dozen at the same time.

They did
n’
t stop talking throughout the meal or the slow stroll back to the saloon. He held the door for her as she entered the bedroom, he was about to follow when he saw a figure at the end of the darkened hall. The size told him who it was. He pretended not to notice and followed Rose into the bedroom. He closed the door behind him and locked it. He leaned back against the door and watched her take off the wig. He smiled as she shook out the curls.

“
What
?
” she asked.

“
I was just wondering what it would take for you to burn those wigs
,
” he said and she laughed.

“
More than you got
,
” she said still laughing
.“
Would you prefer red? I was a redhead before I was a blond
.
”

“
I prefer the real thing
.
”

“
Well this is the real thing
.
”

“
I know i
t’
s great so why bother with the wig at all
.
”

“
I like the wig. It makes me feel safe
.
”

“
Safe from what
?
” She looked up sharply and he realized she had
n’
t meant to say that. She turned away and pulled the cover back on the bed. He had seen it before, she would clam up now. She would
n’
t answer the question.

“
All those kinks look dangerous, but I do
n’
t think they actually are. In fact I do
n’
t think they could even put an eye out
.
” He teased as he walked to the sofa and saw her smirk. He pulled his shirt over his head and the smirk disappeared and her gaze sharpened. She was attracted to him. It was strangely satisfying to know that.

“
Why Mrs. Anderson, yo
u’
re checking me out
.
” She smiled and turned away
.“
Do you want to touch it now that you can see how big it is
?
” Rose looked back over her shoulder slightly alarmed at the invitation but then she saw that he was flexing his bicep at her. She summoned all of her bravado and approached him. She put her hand on the muscle. It was hard now that it was flexed.

“
Oh my, that is impressive
.
” She simpered slightly and he burst out laughing. She laughed turning back to finish turning down the bed even as her fingers itched to touch more of him.

“
You could really give a guy a complex you know that? Makes me think every woman who has ever flirted with me has had some kind of agenda
.
”

“
She probably has. Every man has some agenda when he flirts with a woman does
n’
t he
?
”

“
No
.
”

“
No
?
”

“
No
.
” He insisted.

“
Give me one example
.
”

“
You are jaded are
n’
t you? What agenda is a man supposed to be pushing with every woman he meets
?
”

“
Tha
t’
s easy. Men are
n’
t nearly as complicated as women. He just wants to find a way into her bed
.
”

“
Oh that is harsh! Every time
?
”

“
Every time
.
”

“
What about courting
?
”

“
That is supposed to lead to marriage
.
”

“
Exactly. Not just into a woma
n’
s bed
.
”

“
But what is the point of marriage. It is only to say that she ca
n’
t deny you access to her bed
.
” He was so dumfounded he just stared at her for a moment with his mouth open.

“
I’
d like to think there is more to it than that
.
”

“
Sure it ends up being more complicated but that is the main point. Tha
t’
s what I like about this business there is no mistaking the attentions of everyone involved. The men are seeking pleasure and the women are willing to provide it for a price
.
” He crossed his arms and lifted his chin stubbornly.

“
There is a certain amount of pleasure for the women too
.
” She laughed, she tried to smother it but it came through anyway.

“
Oh Matt. Did
n’
t you learn anything from my earlier demonstration? Just because she says it does
n’
t make it true
.
”

“
Alright then how am I supposed to tell what is true
?
”

“
Easy, nothing is true
.
”

“
Nothing
?
”

“
Nothing
.
”

“Well that is disheartening,” h
e muttered and she laughed. He watched her for a moment as she brushed out her hair. Her back was to him. He refused to believe that she had been faking her responses to him. He stepped forward and kissed the side of her neck where she had left it exposed. She gasped and jumped but she didn’t move away she didn’t even straighten her head, continuing to leave the area exposed. He opened his mouth allowing his tongue to touch her skin as he kissed down toward her shoulder. He glanced up and saw her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was slightly open. He worked his way back up to her ear.

“
No pleasure at all
?
” he whispered in her ear. She turned to face him her eyes were lidded with desire. He saw her gaze sweep over his bare torso.

“
Perhapsit is just not enough pleasure
,
” she said softly. He saw her eyes drop again and remembered all too well how many times she had unbuttoned his shirt.

“
You do
n’
t have to waitfor an invitation
,
” he whispered.

“
Someone once told me you do
n’
t play with fire unless you want to get burned
.
”

“
I wo
n’
t burn you. You can stop where you want to
.
”

“
Tha
t’
s easy to say
.
”

“You have my word
,” he said seriously she looked up and met his eyes. It wasn’t a matter of trust, it was a matter of embarrassment, he could see it in her eyes. He leaned over and blew out the lamp plunging the room into semi-darkness. He stood up and waited half holding his breath until he felt her fingers on him. Her fingertips grazed along his collar bone then achingly slowly down the center of his chest. She watched her fingers as they slid all the way down. Then she looked up into his eyes again. She reached up and touched his smooth cheek.

“
You shaved
,
” she whispered.

“This morning,” he answered, f
or some reason she had almost expected him not to. Like he wasn’t really there, an apparition that she had conjured. She swallowed and prayed for courage then she climbed onto the bed. She laid down on the far edge leaving space for him. She didn’t have to explain he lay down but he didn’t touch her. He didn’t grab her and pull her close he didn’t even try to kiss her he simply laid on his side facing her and waited. He was going to let her set the pace. She smiled and he smiled back at her. Again proving he wasn’t an apparition. She ran her fingertip over his lower lip he didn’t move. She leaned forward and ran her tongue over the place she had just touched in the same way he had once done to her. She felt him part his lips to allow her entry but he didn’t move to pull her in. She obliged anyway dipping her tongue in far enough to taste his. As she kissed him she flattened her hand and slid her palm down over his chest. She delighted in the textures she found there. The soft smoothness of his skin gave way to the coarse crispness of the triangle of dark hair. As the kiss deepened and became more passionate she moved forward allowing her body to come in contact with his. That’s when she felt the long hard ridge in the front of his trousers. She gasped and pulled back severing the connection between them. He put his hands up hoping to appear as non-threatening as possible.

“
I ca
n’
t help that, sweetheart, i
t’
s inevitable
.
” His voice was husky. She looked at him and let out a giggle and felt better. She eased forward again but this time she just laid her head on his shoulder. He gently put his arm around her and began rubbing her back. He did
n’
t feel her move again until there was light creeping in the window.

Rose was conflicted about what she should be feeling today. She had so many conflicting emotions, part of her thought she should be embarrassed about the way she had behaved and yet with the exception of her slight over reaction she would
n’
t have taken any of it back even if she coul
d’
ve. She had slept all night in his arms, she felt safer than she had in years with him between her and that door.

Matt watched from the doorway as she sat at a corner table going over the books from the days sh
e’
d been gone. He saw her drink from her flask.

“
What is in that flask anyway
?
” She looked up as he dropped into the chair across from her.

“
I
t’
s a secret
.
” She smiled.

“
Well I know you ca
n’
t hold that much whiskey so is it something lighter? Wine
?
” Her smile widened slightly and she handed him the flask. He tipped it up and took a swig but it only intensified his confusion
.“
What is it
?
”

“
Sarsaparilla
.
” She smiled
,“
Guilty pleasure I guess, love the stuff
.
”

“
Why do you drink it from a flask
?
”

“
Keeps up the appearance
.
” She shrugged. He laughed at that.

“
Why are you avoiding me today
?
” The question caught her off guard and she faltered a bit.