To Wed a Wanton Woman (3 page)

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Oh, I think you do. I bet you want to say
exactly what’s on your mind, but don’t know if you should.” She issued the
challenge with a touch of humor in her voice. “I noticed you when Sandy and I
first arrived. During the ceremony, you purposely stood next to me, and ever
since, I haven’t been able to escape your company. Not that I mind. Truthfully,
I love to be the focus of a handsome gentleman’s attention.”

Train pulled a pouch of tobacco from his
pocket and rolled a cigarette. “Allison told me you like it when a person is
straightforward. I’ve tried to be honest with women in the past. Most don’t
really want to hear the truth.”

“I’m not like other women,” she said, taking
the cigarette and putting it between her lips. “You don’t have to mind your
manners with me.” She exhaled. “Let’s sit over there.” She pointed to a large
tree. Prairie grass grew knee-high in the shade. Train stomped down a place for
them to sit.

“You were telling me why every time I turn
around I see those beautiful eyes staring at me.” She sat and smoothed her
dress around her legs.

“Never been referred to as beautiful
before.” He chuckled. “Those words are best used to describe you.”

“Are you flirting with me?”

“And if I was?”

“I’d say it isn’t necessary.” She winked and
took a hearty swallow of champagne before handing him the bottle.

“Marion, you’re a hard woman to figure out.
You look like a lady, but you act like a man.”

She laughed. “Better than acting like a lady
and looking like a man.”

He took a drink and set the bottle between
them. “Why did you bring me out here?” he asked, leaning back, the rough bark
of the tree biting into his back.

She picked a long blade of grass that had
gone to seed along the top. “Because I was uncomfortable with the women at the
reception knowing I was a whore trying to look like a lady attending their
party.” She looked out into the softening glow of approaching night. Crickets
chirped in cadence while a gentle breeze rustled the leaves above them.
“Allison has always been a respectable lady. She’s never had to pretend. I’m
not very good at pretending to be something I’m not.”

He looked at her expensive dress, and
perfectly coiffed hair. Little blue stones sparkled in her ears. “No one knows
you’re anything, but a lady. You look beautiful. I would’ve loved the honor of
being your escort today.”

She smiled. “That’s a nice thing to say.
However, you know I do my socializing at night.”

“Marion, if you wanted to walk away from the
whorehouse and live a respectable life, could you?”

“Maybe, but I won’t.” She helped herself to
more champagne. “Not all the womenfolk working in the brothel chose it. Sandy did, and I’ve made the best out of the hand life dealt me.” She leaned in and
whispered, “Let’s be honest, Train. It is nice of you to be so kind. I’m far
from naive. Today has been…different from my normal day. I got to see how the
other half lives. And you know what? I don’t want it.”

“A family?”

Her eyes clouded over and the smile left her
face. She shook her head.

“I don’t see the point of living like you
do. Why wouldn’t you want a better life?”

“Stop Train, I like my life just fine.” She
held up a hand, closing the conversation. “I can’t see living as you do any more
than you could be in my line of work.” She leaned in close. “I like you. I
think you like me.” Her lips split into a smile. “Don’t you really want to know
if you can kiss me?” she whispered, her lips dangerously close to his.

“It’s good to want. It drives a man to
strive to be better.”

“I like instant gratification. Why want when
you can have?” She barely touched his lips with her own.

Train placed his hands on her shoulders and
gently glided his mouth over hers. His limited experience hadn’t prepared him
for her assault upon his lips. Her mouth opened under his. Her tongue stroked
his upper lip. Surprised, he pushed her away. “Damn, Marion!”

“What?” she asked. “Surely you’ve been
kissed by a woman before. A man shouldn’t always have to be the seducer.” She
ran her hand down his chest. “I’ll bet you’ve left a trail of broken hearts across
Montana.”

“Not one, because I take it slow.”

“I don’t like it slow. I like it fast…and
hard.”

“I swear, do you say everything that comes
into your mind?”

She tilted her head and smiled wickedly.
“Actually, I bite my tongue most of the time.”

“It’s your tongue that gets you in trouble.”

She took his cowboy hat from his head. “I
like the sound of that.” She pressed her lips to his. Once again, he pushed her
away.

“There’s a time when you need to let a man
play his part.”

Her eyes dropped to the front of his trousers.
“I know that part.”

“You shouldn’t say things like that.” He ran
his hand down his jaw.

“Maybe not, but this is me, Train. I say
what I think, and I do what I want. All night you’ve been a perfect gentleman.
Don’t expect me to act like a lady.”

“Ladies don’t kiss men they just met. And if
I were a gentleman, I wouldn’t have wanted you to.”

“But you do. So perhaps we’re perfect for
each other. I really don’t want to be a lady, and I’m glad you’re not a
gentleman.”

He wrapped his hand around her neck and
pulled her into him. At first, his kiss was tentative, caressing her mouth more
than kissing it. He sipped at her lips until she opened for him. Sliding his
tongue against hers, he tantalized further. She was hot and tasted of whiskey
and tobacco.

Their gazes locked as they pulled apart.
Gently she wiped a smudge of lip color from the edge of his mouth. The tip of
her tongue licked her upper lip.

He reached out and touched the spot on her
neck where he could see her pulse racing. “We should head back, before I forget
I am a gentleman.”

Her hand stilled on his. “Train, we can stay
here,” she said. “I don’t want tonight to end. Tomorrow will be busy and we
won’t have the privacy we do now. Neither one of us has a reason why we shouldn’t
do whatever we want.”

He shook his head. “I know TJ went to Sandy. I was with him most of the time, but you never saw me in your brothel because I
don’t go with whores.”

Smack!
The sting of her hand burned his face.

“I didn’t mean I don’t want to be with you.”
He grabbed her hand before she could slap him again. “Marion, I want to get to
know you, not hire you.”

“I didn’t ask for payment.”

“I’d feel like I’d owe you.” He ran his hand
through his hair and replaced his cowboy hat. “Let’s go back.”

Allison and TJ had left the festivities by
the time they returned.

“Sandy must have gone to bed,” Marion said, glancing around.

“I’ll walk you to the house.” He put his
hand on her waist.

“Did you forget, Train? This is morning for
me.” She left him staring at her back and made her way to the bar. Several men
stood around socializing while most of the women had returned to their homes to
put their children to bed.

Train watched a man tip his hat, and then
pour her a drink. A moment later, the man laughed and lit her cigarette.

Train went to the stables and saddled a
horse. He didn’t want to watch Marion drum up business with his friends. His
clenched gut and grinding teeth gave a good indication the young woman had his
interest. Seems she had everyone else’s as well.

Chapter Two

Train rode hard until he reached the edge of
the lake bordering the ranch to the north. Cattle grazed on the grassy hillside.
Off in the distance, fields of irrigated crops grew in rows as far as he could
see into the horizon.

He had always been content with his place in
life. Work on the ranch kept him from getting lonely, until Allison. For the
first time, he was jealous of TJ. Not because he got the girl they both wanted,
or because TJ owned a prosperous ranch. To Train, TJ seemed to have the world
in the palm of his hand. Train wanted the sweet taste of success on his lips.

Roosters were welcoming the dawn when Train
left the horse back in the stables. He entered the shack to eat breakfast with
the men. A loud, raucous laugh erupted from the corner. It appeared the wedding
party was still going strong for a few.

“Cake, you got any coffee?” he asked the
round man behind the stove.

Cake cracked eggs into a large bowl with his
pudgy fingers. “Help yourself.” He nodded to the stove. Another loud round of
laughter echoed off the walls.

“What’s going on over there?” Train asked,
sipping hot coffee.

“Sugar’s girlfriend is winning the shirts
off Charlie and a couple of the boys. Been at it most of the night. Surprised
the hell out of me. She drank six men unconscious.”

“You’re talking about Allison’s friend
Marion?”

He nodded. “That’d be the one.”

Train set the coffee down and joined the
group of men watching the poker game.

Marion
sat with one foot propped up on the chair next to her. She rolled a cigar
between her lips. Smoke trailed in a thin ribbon to the ceiling. Tossing a
couple coins into the center of the table, she called the bet. Her cards stayed
folded close to her bosom. The man sitting behind her desperately tried to see
the hand she held.

Train felt prickles along the back of his
neck as she tipped a glass of beer to her lips. She had complete command of the
group. Her dress wrinkled, her hair disheveled under a borrowed cowboy hat, enhanced
the satisfaction in her twinkling eyes.

“Fold,” the man facing her said, and tossed
his cards on the table, throwing his arms wide in defeat.

“Another hand?” Her silky voice held a challenge.

Marion
attempted to slide the coins into her pile. The man reached out, took her hand,
and brushed his lips and mustache against her knuckles.

Train watched the exchange, his temper
darkening like ominous thunderclouds on a muggy summer afternoon. He approached
the table.

“Good morning,” she said to Train, as she
glanced at the men around her. “Thanks for the game, boys. Perhaps I’ll see
some of y’all later.” She returned the cowboy hat to its rightful owner. “I’ll
collect my winnings now.” Her eyes never left Train as she folded the bills
piled in front of her and stuffed them into the cleavage of her dress. Turning
her attention away, she dropped the coins into her small clutch.

She stood and put her hand on Train’s elbow.
“I’d like a cup of coffee.”

Still angry, his posture stiff, he fell into
step beside her when she walked away. “You think I came in here to find you?”
he asked coldly.

“Quite the contrary. I know you’re irritated
with me by the look on your face. I can tell you didn’t sleep either. We’re
both still wearing the same clothes.”

“At least you haven’t wasted your time. Your
night was profitable.”

She stepped back, momentarily rebuffed.
“Don’t be mean.”

He witnessed her increasing unease under his
scrutiny as she fidgeted with her dress.

“I was provoked,” she said.

His eyebrows shot up.

“I wanted to spend the night with you, but
your delicate sensibilities wouldn’t let you.” Biting her lip, she looked away.

“I’m a man, not an animal.” He stopped at
the stove and poured her a cup of coffee. “Don’t treat me like one of your
customers,” he said once they were safely out of earshot.

“Oh darling, if I was doing that you’d look
much happier.”

They walked close together as they made
their way to the stables. “I’m trying hard not to think about your profession,
but you make it impossible.”

“What is it you want from me?” she asked.
“Have I mistakenly given you the impression I want something from you besides
sex?”

“I don’t want to simply take you to bed,” he
ground out. “I aim to court you.” He said the words tentatively, still debating
the notion himself.

A flash of humor crossed her face. “Train,
I’m only here for a couple of days.”

He pulled a pouch of tobacco from his
pocket. “That doesn’t give me much time, does it?”

* * *

“He’s ridiculous!” Marion paced back and
forth across the kitchen as Allison made lunch for TJ’s youngest son, Michael.
After leaving Train in the stables, she had searched out her friend. For the
first time ever, someone had left her speechless. “No one is that stupid.
Believe me; I’ve met plenty of stupid men.”

Allison ordered her to sit down by pointing
a wooden spoon at the table.

“Everyone knows whores don’t get married.”
With her elbow on the table, she rested her chin in her hand.