Quicksilver Passion (85 page)

They all backed away, apparently afraid of the big ’breed. She was safe at last ... safe from everyone but him.

He carried her up to a hotel room with a big bed.

Silver held her wrists out to him.
Aren’t you going to turn me loose?

He shook his head and looped the chains over the headboard so that she lay there helpless. As she waited, her heart pounding with apprehension, He began to slowly open her nightdress.
I’m going to return that kiss with interest,
he promised softly.
Don’t fight me, Silver, you’re my slave and I’m going to enjoy that ripe body!

She was naked now and he was pulling off his clothes.

Here’s that kiss
, he whispered and he put his mouth where her legs joined, and she gasped at the sensation. She had never had a man kiss her there, but with the golden chain looped over the headboard, she was helpless. Whatever he did to her with his hands and mouth, she couldn’t stop him, nor was she sure she wanted to. What men had done in the past was use her, but Cherokee was teasing her, thrilling her until she begged him not to stop.

Then suddenly Elmer Neely and Bart Brett were there, protesting and pushing Cherokee away.
No one can ever have her but us. In her mind, she can never accept a man because of us ... us ... us . . .

Silver woke and sat bolt upright in bed. She glanced at the door, saw that it was bolted, and sighed as she put her knees up and laid her face against them. A nightmare. The lamp didn’t help all that much after all. It must be very late; the saloon downstairs was quiet.

She got up and paced the floor, wondering what to do about the big ’breed. Now he was invading her dreams. Damn him and his kiss. She’d been doing just fine until he came into her life. She was rich and successful and she didn’t need him to mess things up.

Cherokee leaned against a door post across the street, stared up at her window, smoked a cigarette. A light burned dimly as always behind the drapes of her window. He had been standing here ever since the Nugget closed for the night, some hours ago. He ought to go to his own room and go to bed, but he knew he couldn’t sleep. He shouldn’t have kissed her. He had thought that once he finally tasted her mouth, he’d realize she was just a woman after all, only prettier than most. The bawdy house down the street looked as if it might still be open. What he should do is go there, get roaring drunk, and take the prettiest blond whore in the place.

If all white women were whores, why wouldn’t Silver let him buy her? He’d tried everything to seduce her, offered to pay all his hard-earned dust, to no avail. Maybe he just hadn’t offered enough.

He reached into his pocket, brought the small bracelet out, and watched it gleam in the moonlight. It was nice, but nothing compared to the jewelry she already owned. If he sent it to her, would she laugh at his small gift? When he had been facing her across the table this evening, why hadn’t he given it to her? Had he been secretly afraid she would sweep it off on the floor the same way he’d done the coins she tried to give him? Why the hell couldn’t he forget about her? There were other women in this town—women who’d offer, not only their bodies, but their passion. And all he hungered for was the shimmering, quicksilver sensation of hers.

Was she really afraid of men, or was she only a tantalizing tease?
Was there more to this girl than just her beauty? There were a lot of pretty women; Savannah had been pretty. Silver seemed different. He almost sensed a soft, sensitive vulnerability that called out to the dominant, protective maleness of him.

He dropped the bracelet in his pocket with a sigh, and shifted his weight. He ought to go to his room. Instead he stood and watched her window. As he smoked and looked up, he saw her shadow pass before the drapes and then pass again. What had awakened her and agitated her so? He watched her shadow pace up and down a long time before he tossed the cigarette away. He wasn’t quite sure what he was going to do, but he wanted her to know he was out there ... if she had changed her mind.Although he didn’t want to admit it, even to himself, the kiss had changed things, changed the way he felt about her.

A little uncertainly, he crossed the street, climbed one of the roof posts, and swung up onto the little railed balcony that ran along the windows.
Silver? Silver, are you all right?”

Silver froze and listened.
Who’s there?”

Cherokee Evans.”

She went to the window, and looked out through the crack in the drapes.
Go away! What are you doing out there?”

With the window closed, she couldn’t be sure what he was saying. She unlocked it, raising it just a fraction.
Go away! What the hell are you doing on my balcony?”

He frowned.
Worrying about you. I saw your shadow pacing. Are you all right?”

Go away! I’m fine. If Al catches you, or if the law sees you as he’s making his rounds, they might shoot first and ask questions later.”

If you’re worried about that, let me in.” He put his fingers under the window.

Drat it all, no! Go away!” She tried to close the window, but his fingers were in the way.

What should she do? She realized too late that she should never have opened the window. His big form loomed against the moonlight. Silver looked uncertainly toward the door. All she had to do was throw it open, scream loudly, and Al would come running. He’d pull both triggers on that shotgun without asking any questions and no jury would convict him for protecting his employer.