Quicksilver Passion (17 page)

The cobbler smiled.
She’ll like that! I’d do it myself, but I don’t have the silver. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her!”

Every man in town felt the same way, Cherokee discovered as he wandered about that day. Nearly all had a tale to tell of her kindness and generosity. A dozen told him they’d begged to marry her, but Silver’s nunlike life was as well known as her flawless face.

If he could, Cherokee intended to put an end to that. He had never wanted a woman as much as he wanted this one, but he was a little unsure how to go about it. He’d had little experience with women except for paid whores—with one exception. He frowned at the memory. No, they were all whores—even the ones who pretended to be respectable.

It seemed a long day, but finally the sun set and Cherokee leaned against the Nugget’s ornate bar, impatient to see the girl again.

Al looked up, reached for a cup of coffee, and slammed it down by Cherokee’s hand.
You’re wasting your time, sport.”

Let me be the judge of that.”

The ugly little man glowered at him.
She don’t sleep with nobody. That’s the way she wants it and my shotgun sees that Miss Silver gets what she wants.”

Cherokee sipped the coffee and watched the bartender take a gulp of patent medicine then wipe his mouth.
You known her a long time, Al?”

Long enough.”

You related to her?”

Nope.”

You don’t say much, do you?” Cherokee said in exasperation.

Al grinned then put the medicine bottle in his hip pocket.
You ever hear about the man who got rich mindin’ his own business?”

No.”

Then maybe that’s why you ain’t rich.”

Cherokee stared past him into the big mirror behind the bar. He wasn’t going to learn anything about Silver from this gorilla.

The saloon grew crowded and smoky as darkness fell and men drifted in. The piano banged out off-key songs, the roulette wheel whirled, glasses clinked, and women laughed.

More than one girl sidled up to him, took his arm, and brushed her ripe body against him, trying to take him to her room. Even Nellie made another try at it, but Cherokee kept his attention on the stairs. If he could kiss Silver or make love to her even one time, the fever in his blood might cool. After all, she was just a girl like many others, although she had the most flawless beauty he’d ever seen.