Lady Deception

by Bobbi Smith

  Cody made her way slowly through the crowd, heading toward her prey. At last she had him where she wanted him. She was ready. Disguised this way, she felt in control. She would lure him upstairs and give Stalking Ghost the signal. Then it would be simply a matter of hauling him away without getting caught. She was pretty sure they could make it as long as the hour was late enough and the patrons had had enough to drink.

  She reached the bar and leaned on it with one elbow as she smiled at Hal.

  "Good singing," Hal complimented her.

  "Gracias. It is fun to make the men laugh... especially so many of them."

  "That's all thanks to you, Armita."

  Cody gave a soft laugh as her gaze settled on Luke. "I told you I could bring the men in." As she spoke, she made certain that her accent was soft, yet evident enough to enhance her character. Having grown up in San Antonio, she was very good at it.

  She smiled at Luke when he looked over at her.

  "You do sing beautifully, Armita," Luke complimented her. "You're a rare treat in a town like this."

  "Why, thank you," she purred in accented English. She saw pure male appreciation in his gaze and her pulse quickened. Cody had to warn herself to remember who she was and what she was doing. She couldn't allow him to touch her or kiss her. She remembered all too clearly how she'd reacted to his embrace, and she didn't want that to happen again. She was here with him, and he was interested in her, so she was halfway home. All she had to do was get him alone upstairs. The rest would be easy. "You are from around here?"

  "No, I just rode in."

  "You are with the others?" she asked, glancing toward where Hadley and Sully sat.

  "You could say that. Can I buy you a drink?" Luke offered.

  "I try not to drink when I'm working, but tonight, with you..." She paused to look him in the eye. "Yes. I would love to have a whiskey with you."

  Cody smiled serenely as she accepted the glass from the bartender. She sipped the empowering liquor, relishing the burning taste that steadied her. Luke Majors would soon be hers.

  "Would you like to sit at a table?" he invited.

  "Of course, Senor...? What shall I call you?"

  "Just call me Luke."

  "All right, Luke," she answered in a throaty voice. "Let us find a table where we can be alone."

  With his hand at the small of her back, he directed her to a secluded table as far away from the rest of the gang as he could get her.

  "So tell me about yourself," Cody encouraged as she sat facing him in the quiet corner.

  "There's not much to tell."

  "Why have you come to Rio Nuevo?"

  "I came to hear you sing," he answered, his gaze upon her.

  "So the news that I am singing here has already spread so far throughout Texas that it even draws the infamous El Diablo gang to hear me?" She smiled wickedly, knowing he was lying and enjoying matching wits with him.

  "As good as you are, one day you will be worldfamous."

  She nodded. "I would like to be the best at what I do."

  "You aren't already?"

  "We shall see," she replied, casually sipping her liquor. "So why are you really here, Luke?"

  "Business. What about you? How did you end up in a place like this?"

  "Sometimes life has a way of taking you to places you never dreamed you'd go," she remarked, looking around the room and taking great care to hide the disgust she was feeling about the place.

  "I know," he agreed.

  He took a deep drink, then looked up at her. Their gazes met.

  Cody stared into the fathomless depths of his blue eyes and felt as if she were losing herself. She took another healthy drink of whiskey to bolster her nerve. She had to tread very cautiously with him, for she knew what could happen if she allowed him to kiss her. She had to be careful, very careful. Remembering the last embrace they'd shared, she suddenly downed the rest of her drink.

  "I have to go get ready to sing again," she told him, wondering why she sounded so breathless. "Will you be here when I finish?"

  "I'm not going anywhere," he answered with a smile. "Come back when you're done, and I'll buy you another whiskey."

  "I will do that." She stood up and touched his cheek. "This is my last performance for the night. Perhaps after we have our drink..."

  She left him with that titillating thought.

  Her next performance went smoothly, and she could hardly wait to be done with it. She left the stage and headed straight to Luke's table to join him for the drink he'd promised. She'd only just taken a seat when Sully's voice sounded from behind her. Shivers of revulsion shot up her spine when the outlaw touched her, lifting a lock of her hair from her shoulder and rubbing it between his fingers.

  "Well, well, Majors, looks like you already found somebody to replace the preacher woman," Sully slurred drunkenly. "This one's real pretty, too."

  Cody tried to act casual, but he was making her skin crawl. She picked up the glass of liquor Luke had ordered for her and took a healthy swig. She hated Sully and couldn't wait to be done with her job so she'd never have to see him again. Had Logan hired her to bring him in, she would have had trouble bringing him back alive. She turned and looked up at the outlaw, trying not to appear the least bit affected by his presence.

  "You and Luke are amigos?" she asked politely.

  "We're old friends," Sully sneered. "If you get bored with him, come and see me. I'll show you a good time."

  "I will remember your offer, senor."

  Relief and triumph swept through her as he walked away. Luke hadn't recognized her up close and neither had Sully. She had fooled them both! Her disguise was working! Now if she could just get Luke upstairs alone...

  "It is crowded in here. Would you like to leave? My room is just upstairs."

  Luke smiled, but didn't make any move to get up right away.

  "Why are you smiling so at me?" She had expected him to jump right up and head for the stairs. If he refused to go to her room, she was going to have to come up with an alternate plan to get him alone.

  "I am smiling because I am pleased with your invitation. Your friend the bartender told me not to get my hopes up, because you didn't take men upstairs."

  She smiled, again relieved. "I have not.. .until you. You are the man I want to be with tonight." She took another sip of whiskey.

  He lifted his glass and drained it. "Let's go." He picked up the bottle of liquor he'd brought to the table and stood to follow her.

  Cody led the way, threading a path through the tables, pausing now and then to exchange greetings with the cowboys. Then she reached the bottom of the steps and waited for Luke to come to her side before starting up the stairs with him.

  Many of those gathered in the saloon below watched them go, and each wished he was the man with Armita. She'd proven elusive to all the other men there. Regular customers who returned night after night had never seen her take any man upstairs to her private room before. They wondered enviously what Luke had that they didn't.

  Cody opened the door to her room and waited until Luke had entered before closing and locking it behind her.

  "You locking me in or locking others out?"

  "I want you to myself," she said huskily.

  "You have me already," he said with a hungry smile as he set the bottle aside.

  Cody knew she should evade his advances, but there was no way to do it without rousing suspicion in him. She had lured him up here, now she had to act the part. With Andrews it had been easy. He had been repulsive, but with Luke...

  He took her in his arms and without another word, he kissed her.

  At the touch of his lips, she went weak inside. She'd hoped she'd be immune to his sensual assault, but she wasn't. Freed by the mind-numbing whiskey she'd imbibed, all the feelings she'd denied surged forth again. Cody found herself leaning into Luke and linking her arms around his neck to get even closer. She told herself she would see about signaling Stalking Ghost and trapping Luk
e in a minute, but for right now, she just wanted to kiss him.

  He tightened his arms around her, and the woman inside her smiled in feminine triumph. Luke wanted her.

  The room seemed to spin as he held her in his embrace. There was no tentativeness in his passion with her as there had been when she was Sister Mary. He was a man who desired her, and he was not holding back.

  His lips moved persuasively over hers, coaxing her to deepen the kiss, and she met him fully in that passionate exchange. When they finally broke apart, Cody was breathless and stared at him in bewilderment, not quite sure what to do next. She spied the whiskey bottle where he'd set it on the nearby table and she picked it up and took a swig. The heat of it seeped through her veins, relaxing her strength of will even more and easing the stern control she maintained over herself.

  "What did that man mean when he was talking about you and a preacher woman?" Cody asked, trying to get a grip on what was going on.

  "He was just talking to hear himself talk." Luke tried to dismiss Sully's comment, wanting to avoid thinking about Sister Mary right now. For just that short time when he'd been kissing Armita, all thoughts of Sister Mary had been banished, and that was good. Somehow it just didn't seem right to be dwelling on the revivalist when he was in the middle of kissing Armita.

  "No, I can see that she meant something to you. Why don't you tell me about her?"

  Luke picked up his bottle and took a drink. He started to set it aside, but Cody took it from him and drank herself. She didn't usually like liquor, but tonight it was tasting good to her. There were no chairs in the room, so they settled in on the side of the bed to talk.

  "What do you want to know?" Luke asked.

  He stared at Armita, and though he knew it was crazy, something about her reminded him of Sister Maiy. Certainly they looked nothing alike except for the fact that they both had green eyes. Other than that, they were as different as night and day. Sister Mary had been pure and innocent. Armita knew her way around men. Sister Mary had been kind, gentle, and chaste. Armita was no doubt a hellion. She had to be to work here. He'd watched her work the crowd in the cantina. Sister Mary was fair. Armita was dark. Sister Mary had dressed as a woman of God unconcerned about worldly things. Armita dressed to enhance her own beauty and draw admiring glances from men.

  "Who was she?" Her question interrupted his thoughts of the preacher woman. "Where did you two meet?"

  "In a little town called El Trajar. She was a traveling revivalist whose main goal in life was to save souls."

  "And did she save yours?"

  Luke gave a derisive laugh. "I'm past saving, Armita. My soul is blacker than pitch. Especially now." Memories of the soldiers who'd been murdered in the robbery came to him, and he took another swallow of the fiery liquor. He handed the bottle to her. "Sister Mary was honest, pure, and sweet. A truly gentle soul. She was all the wonderful things a woman should be. I didn't deserve her, and I'm glad she's safely away from me. I've got a job to do."

  Cody listened to his description of her and had to take a deep drink of the whiskey to steady herself. She realized distantly that she'd lost count of the number of drinks she'd had, but she told herself she was still in control. Something he'd said puzzled her and she had to ask, "You said you have a job to do. Do you call running with El Diablo a job?"

  Luke's expression turned black as he said tersely, "Actually, I call it hell."

  She saw all the dark emotion in his regard and wondered at it. If Luke was really as bad as they said, would he care? Had he really done all those terrible things?

  Her confusion reigned, and seeing his pain, she felt a deep, abiding need to ease the torment within him. Thoughts of Stalking Ghost waiting patiently for her signal faded to insignificance. All that was important was holding Luke and kissing him again. She went into his arms. When she ended the kiss and drew back to say something, he stopped her.

  "We've talked enough, Armita."

  "I know. You've said your life is hell." Her gaze met and held his. "Let me show you a glimpse of heaven tonight."

  And emboldened by the liquor, Cody meant it.

  Cody lifted her hands to frame Luke's face and kissed him. His arms came around her, enfolding her in his embrace. In that moment, all the logic and common sense she prided herself on were burned away like a morning mist before the heat of the rising sun. She wanted this. She wanted him.

  They came together, the fire of their loving stoked by each caress, each kiss. Desire seared them as they worked to shed the garments that kept them apart.

  When Luke stripped off his shirt, Cody hungrily reached for him. She had never forgotten the sight of his bare chest before her that night at the outlaw's camp, and she hadn't realized until now just how much she'd wanted to touch him, to sculpt the muscles of his back and shoulders. He was male beauty personified, so lean, hard, and strong. Cody ran her hands over him, and he shuddered beneath her touch. The knowledge that she could cause such a reaction in him thrilled and excited her.

  She did not resist when Luke slipped her dress from her shoulders to bare her breasts to his caress.

  "You're beautiful," Luke murmured as he pressed heated kisses to that tender flesh.

  Cody arched back at the touch of his mouth upon her. Feelings she had never known existed were awakened deep within the womanly heart of her. She was mindless before the onslaught of his expert caresses, and when he moved to help her shed the rest of her clothing she was pliant and eager before him. She lay unclad on the bed, waiting while he quickly finished undressing. Luke joined her there, and Cody gloried in that heated contact with him. He moved over her, branding her body with his desire, and she opened to him like a flower to the sun.

  Ecstasy seared her as his touch traced paths of fire upon her willing flesh. She was an innocent to the ways of men, but the need within her urged her to move against him, to claim what only he could give her. When at last Luke positioned himself to take her, she went still, surprised by the intimacy of that male touch.

  Luke didn't realize that she was untouched, and so he took no extra caution with her. He thought she was a woman fully versed in the ways of lov ing. Only when he took the gift of her love and pressed deep within her, breaching the proof of her innocence, did he realize what a treasure he'd just claimed. Sheathed tightly within her, he stopped. He was stunned by the discovery and pushed himself up on his elbows to gaze down at her. Her eyes were closed and tears were tracing crystalline paths down her cheeks.

  "Armita?" Luke said her name softly. He felt terrible because she was crying. He must have hurt her, and that was the last thing he'd wanted to do. He'd wanted to bring her pleasure, not pain.

  "It's all right." She looked up at him, smiling tremulously as she lifted her arms to draw him down to her for a kiss. "It's all right."

  "But-"

  "I want you, Luke."

  His mouth sought hers in a passionate domination then, and they were caught up in the wildfire of their need. He did not know how it was that a singer in a border-town cantina could be a virgin, but at that moment he wasn't about to question it. She wanted him as he wanted her. That was all that was important.

  Luke tried to pace himself, to go slow, to show her the fullness of love, but soon his desire swept them both away. Caught up in the power of their need for one another, they came together in exquisite union. The starburst of fulfillment swept over them, taking them to the heavens and beyond. And then there was only the silken ecstasy of their bodies entwined in love's afterembrace, and the joy of having known perfect loving.

  "I'm sorry if I hurt you. I didn't know," Luke whispered as he held her close.

  Cody smiled serenely at him as she pressed a soft kiss to his lips. She had wanted this... needed this ...to be one with him. It had been as beautiful as she'd known it would be. She sighed. "Luke..."

  Then she closed her eyes as she nestled against him, the liquor having muted her senses and his loving having cooled the fever that had raged within h
er.

  Luke gazed down at her for a moment longer, holding her close, relishing this moment of closeness. It had been so long since he'd known innocence of any kind. Only his dealings with Sister Mary had helped to convince him that goodness and gentleness still existed. Now, for some reason, he'd been given the gift of Armita's loving. He lay quietly, savoring the peace of the moment.

  Not too much later, Luke slipped from the bed. Armita did not stir, but slept on. He hated leaving her this way, but the gang was riding out before dawn to meet up with the Mexicans who were going to buy the stolen guns.

  Luke dressed quickly and quietly, then turned to watch her sleeping for a moment. He thought about leaving her a note, but decided against it. He would be back just as soon as they made the exchange. He pressed one last soft kiss to her lips, then let himself out of her room.

  Cody awoke to sunshine streaming through the window. She closed her eyes quickly against the glare of morning brightness and lay still, wondering why she had such a pounding headache. She moved a little then, stretching out, and it was in that instant, when she realized she was naked, that the whiskey-blurred memories of the night before came flooding back.

  "Luke!"

  Cody sat upright in bed at the thought of all that had transpired, and immediately moaned in regret at her hasty action. She clutched the blanket to her breasts to cover herself as she fought to ignore the throbbing in her temples. Where was he? Where had he gone? She had to find him!

  She got up and searched the room, but there was no trace that he'd ever been there. He was gone, vanished into thin air, and she was alone with the realization of what she'd done.

  Cody stared at the nearly empty whiskey bottle on the dresser. She shook her head ruefully and knew it would be a cold day in hell before she ever touched another drop. Staring about the room in disgust, she berated herself for her weakness. She'd known it was dangerous to be alone with Luke. She'd known the effect the man had on her, yet she'd kissed him, and once she had, she'd forgotten everything except that she wanted him.