Much Ado About Madams (24 page)

He’d feel better when he had a hot bath, hot food, and a hot woman in his bed. Getting the latter would be a lot more likely if he took Lucinda’s advice. Only thing is, he doubted the hot woman he wanted would be amenable. The last time they slept together she tried to beat him half to death.

The kiss. He still felt it. Did she?

“
Good idea. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Chapter 13

Lucinda flushed warm all over. That kiss made her tingle clear down to her tootsies every time she thought about it, so she tried not to. She wanted Reese to kiss her again, so sweet, yet earth-shattering. Much as she hated to admit it, she’d lost her heart to the very type of man she despised—except he’d turned out to be not that type of man at all, baffling her, enticing her with nearly everything he did. Why did he have to own a brothel?

He came back dripping wet but smelling a lot better. Lucinda handed him the table cloth to dry off, then moved the picnic basket to the front of the wagon, just in back of the seat. “Bring the canteen. We’re ready to go if you’re done with the wheel.”

“
All set.”

Reese offered his assistance but she shook her head. Actually, it was nice to have a gentleman help her, but the trip to a suffragist meeting wasn’t the time to concede. He checked the horses, then climbed into the driver’s seat, and they were on their way. Finally.

“
Will we still get to Silver City in time for the suffragist meeting?” The meeting wasn’t until morning, but she had no idea how far they had to go, and the sun slipped all too quickly toward the western horizon.

“
Tonight’s a full moon so I doubt we’ll have to stop before we get there. This bad patch of road should end in a mile or two, and then we have a decent road all the way to town.”

“
Good.” Unfortunately, she only had one other pair of gloves with her so, indecent or not, she was bare-handed. Her bonnet hadn’t fared well, either. “With the way I look, it’s best we not arrive until after dark.”

He laughed. “You look like a beautiful flower, only maybe a little crumpled, like when a little boy picks a dandelion for his mama. Once she puts it in a glass of water, it perks right up.”

She wasn’t all that keen about being compared to a dandelion, but wondered if he, in fact, had been that little boy. Reese always spoke so admiringly about his mother.

Reese nodded at the picnic basket behind her. “How about some food.”

“
Which do you want first—peaches, jerky, or biscuit?”

“
You choose. My belly isn’t picky.”

Lucinda retrieved the jerky, figuring it would take him a while to chew, and give her some time to fetch the rest of the food from the basket. “Here.” She ripped off a bite-size piece and held it to his mouth. His lips brushed her fingers sending a tingle to her heart.

What a manly sight. She couldn’t take her gaze away from his broad shoulders, muscles flexing, as his strong hands were occupied with the ribbons. After feeding him another bite of jerky, she unwrapped the Mason jar of sliced peaches and opened it.

“
Ready for a little sweetness?”

“
Darlin’, it can’t possibly be as sweet as the sugar we shared back there.”

“
Watch your mouth.”

“
I’m planning to watch you plop that peach right in my mouth.”

She shoved a slice in to quiet him, but then a drip fell on his chin so she wiped it with her finger and he licked it off. She seemed to have a direct line from there to her womanly parts. Suffragist or not, this man could change any woman’s mind. Maybe the free love advocate, Victoria Woodhall, was right.

“
Are you going to eat? Or just stare at me?”

“
Um, I’ll wait until you’ve had your fill. I’m not very hungry.” At least, not for food. “And just because you kissed me, doesn’t mean you can take other liberties.”

“
I’d never dream of it.”

* * * * *

The sun set but under the light of the full moon, they finally pulled into Silver City. Lucinda’s backside was plenty ready to be off the wagon and into a tub of nice, hot water. Plus, her shoulders and back had stiffened from her earlier shoveling, something she hoped she’d never have to repeat.

None of that could compete with her annoyance that he didn’t want to take liberties with her. How could you kiss someone like that and not want to? But there it was. Good thing she had the suffragist cause because obviously the womanly business wasn’t her forte. And, much as she hated to admit it, she wanted him to want her.

Reese pulled the team to a stop in front of the Idaho Hotel, where piano music, cigar smoke mixed with wood smoke, and the low rumble of male voices filled the air.

A man in a blue livery uniform stepped off the porch and offered to take the horses and wagon to the livery.

“
How much?” Reese asked.

“
A dollar for unhitching and rubbing down the stock, and a good ration of oats.”

“
Check their hooves, too. Tell the blacksmith that the back right wheel on the wagon is broken, and in the bed, there’s a tongue and another broken wheel that need fixed, too.” He threw the man a coin. “The lady has a trunk that needs brought in.”

Meantime, Lucinda climbed off the wagon to stretch her lower limbs. Sore all over, the simple act of walking into the lobby would be an effort. She waited for Reese to escort her. Even though she had her own money, it wouldn’t be at all proper for a single lady to enter the premises.

He rounded the wagon carrying his valise and offered her his arm. She grasped his bicep, and with the other hand, lifted her skirts to ascend the steps. The clerk handed Reese a quill and he signed his name.

“
Would you and Mrs. McAdams like a bath brought to your room?”

Lucinda gasped. “Oh, no. We’re not married.”

He raised his eyebrow.

“
I mean, we’ll take two rooms, please.”

“
Ah, I see. Mr. McAdams, please record the young lady’s name below yours.”

“
I’m perfectly capable of writing my own name, and paying for my own room.” She took the quill from Reese, who shot her a wicked grin, and signed the book. “And yes, I’d like a bath brought.”

“
As would the gentleman?”

Reese nodded. “And we’d like hot meals, too, after the baths.”

They each paid and the clerk gave Reese both their keys, which riled Lucinda even more. Men like the clerk were the very reason the suffragists needed to prevail.

“
Up the stairs, back two rooms on the left.” She headed for the stairway. “Mr. McAdams, don’t you own the Comfort Palace in Dickshooter?”

“
Yes, I do, and no, the lady has nothing to do with that establishment.”

Lucinda couldn’t get away from the clerk soon enough even though her muscles protested at the very thought of climbing the stairs. She led the way and Reese followed.

“
I supposed the whole of Silver City will see me as a fallen woman now.”

“
I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Somehow, that didn’t reassure her. On the second floor, the narrowness of the hallway made Reese loom that much larger as he passed her by and unlocked both rooms.

“
You choose.” He stood back so she could make her decision. The last room might be more secure because an intruder would have to pass by Reese’s room to get there, but was also chillier.

“
I’ll take the end room, if you don’t mind, provided they bring more blankets.”

“
I don’t mind, and I’m sure they will oblige you with another blanket, but that room will be noisier as the night wears on and men get liquored up.”

“
You’re right, and I’m silly to be thinking that anyone would break into the room.”

“
Not so silly—you can never be too careful in the city.” He gave her one of his pistols. “Either way, you should have this by your bedside, and don’t hesitate to use it.”

She opted for the warmer room. “I’ll take the second room, then, but I still want an extra blanket.” Or him. He’d keep her warm. Very warm. All over. Feeding him peaches had been a big mistake. Kissing him had been a revelation to the sun and the moon and the stars. Still pure, too, since he didn’t want her.

Maybe the hotel clerk was right.

Lucinda entered the room and sat on the bed, testing it for comfort. She noticed the door to the adjoining room—Reese’s room. It had a deadbolt, so was no concern. He cleared his throat. “Would you like your key? Or do you want me to keep it.”

She hopped up. “I’ll take it, thank you.” And then she groaned and massaged her shoulder. “I don’t mind saying that shoveling is not my favorite thing.”

“
Maybe you’d like a massage after your bath?”

“
Oh, they have a masseuse here?”

“
No, but I’d oblige.”

She wouldn’t even dignify that with an answer, no matter how good it sounded. How could she possibly attend a suffragist meeting after having spent the night being massaged by a brothel owner?

A man delivered the tub within a few minutes, but told her they were still heating water. “I’ll get your trunk now.”

Twenty minutes later, she sunk in a lavender-scented tub of gloriously hot water. With her eyes closed, she relived Reese licking the peach juice from her fingers. The kiss, the feel of his strong arms around her.

* * * * *

Reese ached, too, and not just from clearing the damned landslide off the road. The bath helped his muscles, but not his need. Miss Lucinda Sharpe, schoolmarm, had gotten to him good and proper.
Proper
being the main word. The aggravating word. But maybe part of her intrigue.

He dressed and waited. His stomach growled, hungry for the forthcoming hot meal. Soon, someone knocked on Lucinda’s door. Undoubtedly the maid delivering supper. Another knock. Then a knock on his door.

A girl not more than fourteen held a tray with food piled high and smelling of roast beef. “Your meal, sir.”

He relieved her of the tray, and it was heavy as it looked. “Quite a load for a young lady.”

“
Yes, sir, half of it is for the room next to you, but she doesn’t answer the door.”

He gave her a generous tip. “We’re traveling together. I’ll see that she gets it.”

“
I’ll send someone up to fetch the tub.” The maid left and the room filled with the mouth-watering aroma. Reese hadn’t heard a thing from Lucinda’s room since the first splash when she must have stepped into the tub. He went to the hall and knocked on her door.

“
Quit the racket!” yelled a man from a room across the hall. Reese tried the door but it was locked. Lucinda had probably fallen asleep in the tub, and if she didn’t get out, she’d catch her death once the water turned cold, which it probably already was. He went back to his room, thinking he should see the clerk for another key, but then the clerk already thought she was one of the whores, so Reese rejected that idea.

Then he tried the door connecting their rooms. Unlocked! But then, Lucinda would probably pitch a fit if he entered her room while she was in the tub. Naked. Wet naked. And needing someone to warm her up.

He opened the door and saw her head resting on the rim of the tub. She was sound asleep. “Lucinda!” he called, but she didn’t stir.

Waking her would be tricky, but honorable as he tried to be, he couldn’t resist one look. Her breasts were submerged but he could still see their luscious form, and he ached to touch them.

Not wanting her to know he’d been gawking at her like a schoolboy, he turned around.

“
Lucinda!” Still no sound.

He felt around for her hair and patted her head. “Lucinda, wake up.”

“
What!” she shrieked and splashed.

“
Ssshhh, you’ll wake the dead. You fell asleep in your bath and the water’s cold. And your supper’s here.” He picked up her towel and passed it behind him. “I’ll go back in my room now.”

He heard the rush of water from her body when she stood. “How’d you get in here?”

“
The door between our rooms.”

“
Oh. I should have checked it.”

“
Good thing you didn’t.”

“
You can leave now.”

Oh, but he didn’t want to leave.

* * * * *

Lucinda dressed, which was no easy task. She wished she could just put on her nightdress and go to bed, but her stomach told her otherwise. Besides, for some reason, she couldn’t resist being with Reese. He pulled her like a magnet.

“
I’m so sore, I can barely move.”

He scooted a chair toward her. “Need help?”

Not really, although her legs wobbled like a kitten’s, but she needed him to hold her once more. She took a deep breath, willing strength to fill her wet-dishcloth muscles. “Please.”

Reese didn’t need to know she wanted his touch and to hear his gentle words. He grasped her waist firmly and to help her sit, but instead, she turned to him. For a moment they locked gazes, and she ran her hands over his shoulders.

“
It’s time to eat.” His voice was gruff.

But she was right where she wanted to be. “No. Just hold still a minute.” She rested her head on his chest and listened to his heart beating. The steady rhythm lent comfort. And more. It told her life held promise.