by Sue Lyndon
She rolled her eyes, and he had the sudden impulse to toss her over his knee, lift up her skirts, and spank her bare little bottom.
“Callie, if you need money or a place to stay…”
“Don’t,” she said, putting up a hand. “I’m already working here. The damage to my reputation is done, so I might as well stay here. I don’t plan on working here forever, Lawrence, but for now, this is where I’m meant to be. It’s where I need to be.”
He found himself at a loss for words. How could she seriously believe she was meant to work in a brothel? He noticed she wasn’t wearing the red petticoats and therefore wasn’t working upstairs, but it was true that just by working at The Red Petticoat, it didn’t do her reputation any favors. The last time he’d spoken to her, she had mentioned Mrs. Gerrard had been pressuring her to marry soon.
Something had happened with the Gerrards and he wanted to find out the truth. Sweet young widows didn’t suddenly wake up one day and decide to work in a brothel, even if they were just serving drinks.
“I don’t owe you any explanation about why I’m here, Lawrence.”
“Callie, I’m worried about you. Listen, if you need any help, I’ll be in town for a few more days. I’m staying at the Bentley’s.”
“Thank you, Lawrence, but I’ll be fine. Madame Jewel and all the gems have been very kind to me.”
“Oh sure, don’t even mention ol’ Nettie,” came a voice from the stove.
“And Nettie has been especially kind to me,” Callie said, raising her voice so the cook could clearly hear every word.
Lawrence smiled at her, though an aching sadness filled him. He sensed something very bad had happened to Callie, but he couldn’t force her to confide in him or accept his help.
They said goodbye to one another, and Lawrence returned to his place at the bar. A man sat next to him and immediately started going on about the new girl with the green eyes. Lawrence’s hands curled into fists, and Opal gave him an odd look when she refilled his wine.
“Her name’s Amber,” the man said. “But she isn’t going upstairs yet. She told me perhaps next week, to come see her then. Pretty little thing. Ooooweee. Shy, too. I like me the shy ones.” Spittle flew from his mouth when he gave a bawdy laugh. “They sure blush hard when you first pull your cock out.” He laughed harder.
Rage filled Lawrence, and his stool fell to the floor when he stood up. He grabbed the man by his collar and gave him a harsh shake. “You’ll stay away from her, that’s what you’ll do!”
“Is there a problem here?” asked a tall man who appeared out of nowhere.
“No problem at all, Gabriel. My friend here was just leavin’. Wasn’t you?”
Lawrence took a deep breath and released the man. He didn’t want to do anything foolish to get himself thrown out of The Red Petticoat, because he needed to be able to return whenever he wished. And he wished to return.
Next week. When Callie was taking customers.
Lord, he couldn’t believe she was actually going to start taking customers. He raged inside that she hadn’t offered up that bit of information during their brief conversation, but he suspected if he stalked back to the kitchen and tried to talk some sense into her, the large fellow would physically remove him from the saloon.
As he moved toward the exit, a white hot burst of anger filled him at the thought of another man lying with Callie. She was a genteel lady who’d simply come upon hard times. He felt a connection to her when he gazed into her pretty green eyes too. He ached to draw his fingers through her golden, silken curls, and by God he ached to make her his.
His need for her and his recent discovery that he was indeed ready to take a new wife consumed him. Why had he been stubborn and returned to his cabin the day after their picnic? Why hadn’t he remained in town so he could call upon her again? If he’d stuck around, maybe she would have trusted him enough to confide in him with her troubles, whatever troubles had resulted in her working in a brothel of all places.
He returned to the Bentley Inn, a plan forming in his mind.
Callie would belong to him.
Chapter Four
“All ready for your big début?” Amy asked as she adjusted the new petticoats underneath Callie’s dress.
“Of course I’m ready. I’m not a virgin, you know.” Callie tried to sound brave, though in truth, she had a serious case of the jitters. But she couldn’t earn enough money to return to Virginia simply by serving drinks and assisting the men in the bathing room. She needed to work upstairs. Then she could return to Virginia with extra money in her pocket and a made up tale about how Matthew sadly died after they struck it semi-rich on his claim.
It was better this way. This way, she wouldn’t humiliate herself by groveling to her parents for funds to travel home. As it was, despite their wealth, she didn’t know if they’d spare her a dime. But if she reached Virginia on her own, she could possibly live with one of her older sisters. She could even possibly find love again. No one in her hometown would learn of her stint at The Red Petticoat and from where her money truly originated. She could return to Virginia a widow in good standing, still young enough to marry again and start a family.
Madame Jewel placed a hand on Callie’s shoulder. “Are you sure? You are still welcome to your room downstairs. You can keep serving drinks and…”
“I’m completely sure,” Callie cut her off. “Besides, I’ve sort of been teasing the men all week, promising them I’d be wearing red petticoats this evening. In fact, I’ve come up with a naughty idea.” She leaned across the small table in the corner of the kitchen and looked from Amy to Madame Jewel. “How about holding an auction tonight?”
Amy’s eyes went wide and she bounced up and down in her seat. “Oh, that is naughty. And fun!”
“I can’t dance well, but I’ll try my best on stage, perhaps with a little help.” Callie twirled one of her curls around her finger, her excitement growing. In the week and a half that she’d been at The Red Petticoat, she’d discovered this place felt more like a home than when she’d been living with the Gerrards, or even her parents for that matter. Being surrounded by so many folks who seemed to care about her helped ease her jitters some. And Amy was right, an auction sounded like great fun, and she imagined it would set a playful and cheery ambiance for the remainder of the night.
“I’ll dance with you!” Amy clapped her hands in delight. “I’ll get Opal and a few other gems to step up with you too. You can stand in the middle of us and shimmy around while Charlie plays the piano. Oh and I’ll be your auctioneer? How does that sound?”
Callie grinned. “It sounds perfect.”
Madame Jewel’s expression grew serious and she touched Callie’s hand. “Don’t you forget, there’s a cord to pull next to your bed if the winner of the auction proves troublesome. Also, if you have a bad feeling about the winner, you can turn him down and go with another bidder. I won’t have you getting hurt or feeling uncomfortable, understand?”
“Yes, ma’am. I promise I won’t forget. Gabriel already went over the rules with me and had me test the bell out yesterday.”
“Good.” Madame Jewel scooted back. “Sounds like our first customers of the evening are starting to arrive.”
When Callie stepped into the main room wearing her frilly, low cut dress that left little to the imagination, complete with her very own pair of red petticoats underneath, she didn’t feel as naked as she’d expected. The other gems were dressed similarly. It wasn’t like she was walking down the street wearing her gem outfit.
All eyes turned to her as she made her way up to the stage. Her stomach fluttered, but only for a moment. The steady and graceful poise of the gems Amy had quickly rounded up to join her buoyed her own confidence.
Hoots and hollers and whistles rang out as she stepped onto the center stage. Charlie played a short tune, during which Callie attempted to mimic the moves of the other gems, and she breathed a sigh of relief when it ended.
Then Amy
stepped forward and gestured to Callie. “Good evening, gentlemen! We have a special treat for you all tonight. As you can see, a certain someone is making her début this evening. Go on, Amber, show them what you’re hiding under that dress.”
Though her red petticoats were already partially visible, Callie grinned and did an awkward shimmy during which she pulled her dress up to reveal her petticoats more fully. The crowd went wild.
“Quiet! Quiet, please!” Amy signaled for silence, and once the whistling and hollering settled down, she continued, “We’ve decided to celebrate Amber’s first night going upstairs by holding an auction. That’s right, gentlemen, the highest bidder gets to go upstairs with this beautiful blonde angel. Now, who’ll start the bidding?” She put her hand up above her eyes and peered across the sea of eager men.
“Two dollars!”
“Three dollars!”
“Three fifty!”
“Four dollars!”
The bidding quickly went all the way up to five dollars, when a familiar face appeared in the crowd. He stood up and stared directly at Callie. Her heart nearly stopped.
“Fifty dollars!” the man shouted.
A collective gasp went up in the room, followed by disappointed mutters. He approached the stage and held his hand out to Callie. She walked down the steps with his help and across the floor of the main room, still not believing who had outbid all the other men. Why was he here, anyway?
Madame Jewel shot Callie a questioning look, her raised eyebrow showing her concern. Callie gave her a reassuring smile and nodded, as if to say, “I’m fine going upstairs with this particular man.”
But was she fine? Her nervousness increased with each step.
He put an arm around her as they ascended the steps to her new room. All the nervousness she should’ve felt before stepping on stage rushed through her now. Butterflies flitted in her stomach. Breathing became difficult. Her hands commenced shaking.
Lawrence Black had paid fifty dollars for a night with her.
Her heart beat faster and faster as they neared the top of the stairs. She’d expected a complete stranger to win the auction. Her skin prickled with warmth everywhere he touched her, from the small of her back to her arm as he guided her down the hall.
“Which room is yours?”
She gestured to the left. “That one.”
He opened the door. “After you, my lady.” His deep voice made her tingle all over. What would it be like when he stripped her naked? Former preacher or not, this was a brothel and he’d paid a month’s wage for her. Surely he meant to get his money’s worth.
She entered the room Madam Jewel had helped her move into the day before. The walls were painted a soothing blue, though Gabriel had offered to order her a new color of paint if she wished to redecorate with a different color. She liked the blue walls though and thought they contrasted prettily with the white furniture. A dresser rested against the far wall, right beside a window that had a view of the main street. There was a large tall-backed chair, plenty of hooks on the walls for hanging her dresses on, and best of all—a painting of a grand ship. She liked to stare at the painting and imagine she was about to set sail and travel far away from Culpepper Cove and all the heartbreak she’d endured in this mining town.
“Are you well, Callie?” Lawrence asked as he shut the door. The room suddenly felt smaller and she’d never been more aware of a man’s presence.
She tore her gaze from the painting and smiled. “Of course. Oh, and it’s Amber. That’s my gem name.”
“Let me guess.” He moved in front of her and cupped her face, then his hands drifted up and his fingers tangled in her hair. Gooseflesh traveled down from her neck to spread over her arms. “Amber, for the yellow-orange streaks in your golden hair?”
Had her heart stopped beating? Certainly time was standing still. She stood in his arms for several seconds, not speaking or breathing. Finally, she exhaled and peered into his dark eyes. Why are you here? she wanted to ask. What do you want with me?
She longed to ask these questions, but she didn’t want to break the spell that had been woven between them. The air crackled with tension, and she was certain fireworks would explode outside her window the moment his lips descended upon hers.
She’d intentionally pushed him away that day he’d followed her into the kitchen. She hadn’t expected to see him again, or at least not so soon. But apparently he wasn’t spending as much time at his cabin in the mountains as he once had. Why was that? Her mind spun as she tried to figure this man out.
She lifted her face and closed her eyes, aching to feel his lips pressing against hers. But instead of kissing her, he grasped her hand and led her toward the bed. Her eyes fluttered open as he sat on the edge of the mattress and nodded at her clothing, or lack thereof.
“Take everything off, Callie.”
“I told you. I-I’m Amber.”
“Fine. If that’s what you insist on being called.” He stroked a hand up her thigh, above her black stockings. “My sweet Amber.”
Her breath hitched, and she fumbled as she tried to unfasten her bodice. Lawrence pushed her hands out of the way and had it undone in seconds. Her breasts spilled out of the garment as he pushed her dress down over her hips, leaving it in a pile of fabric on the floor. She slipped her shoes off when he commenced peeling her stockings down.
“I feel like I’m unwrapping a present.”
She flushed. Heat pulsed between her legs. When she’d decided to become a gem, she had never anticipated actually enjoying going upstairs with a customer. She’d been prepared to put on an act. She’d been prepared to smile and giggle and pretend she was having the grandest time of her life.
Amy had given her a few tips on how to make a man complete more quickly, should she wish for a customer to not take forever, and Callie had pictured herself falling into bed with the man who won the auction the moment they entered her room and doing just that.
But to her shock, she found she wanted to savor her time with Lawrence. She blinked back tears. Lord, she wanted to wake up in the morning and find he was still with her, his arms wrapped around her and their legs tangled together underneath the covers.
Don’t get sweet on the customers.
She tried to block out the tenderness she felt for this man. He’d offered to help her, but she had refused his help, claiming she was fine working here in the saloon. Was that why she felt tenderness toward him? Because he’d shown concern for her? But no. She’d felt something for him the moment he’d first looked into her eyes in the mercantile. The picnic they’d shared had been like a dream, until she realized he planned to leave town the next day and she surmised he wasn’t ready to marry again. She tried to shut her feelings and her thoughts off.
He’d paid for a service. She’d best give him his fifty dollars’ worth.
This was her life now.
Once he had her completely naked and bared to him, he guided her to lay atop the covers. The large lantern beside her bed cast a yellow glow across her nakedness, and she flushed at how exposed she felt. She looked at the light and started reaching to turn it down.
Smack!
“Ouch.” She cradled the hand he’d swatted and glared at him. “That wasn’t very nice.”
“The lantern stays on, young lady. I want to see you. All of you.”
She stilled and gazed up at him, at a loss for what to do next. Touch him? Try to kiss him?
As if reading her uncertainty, he said, “Put your hands above your head and keep them there.”
She gulped as she obeyed. Her heart beat a frantic rhythm in her chest. Lawrence rose off the bed and unbuttoned his shirt, keeping his eyes on her as he undressed. His chest was so beautifully broad and muscular that she almost disobeyed and reached out to touch him. It took all her self-control to remain still with her hands above her head.
How long would he make her stay like this? Minutes? Hours? Customers usually paid in thirty minute increments, and though thei
r time limit hadn’t been discussed, it pretty much went without saying that fifty dollars could get him the whole damn night.
Moisture pooled between her thighs. Heat pulsed harder and faster in her core.
“Oh!” She undulated her hips in the air, seeking to quench the building ache, though he wasn’t even on top of her yet.
Still keeping his dark gaze on hers, Lawrence removed his boots and took his trousers off. The muscles in his thighs flexed as he approached her, looking like a powerful and lithe predator. A quiver ran through her and she instinctively parted her legs. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she stared at his large, rigid length.
He crawled on the bed, but instead of straddling her and sinking his cock into her quim, he put his mouth to her center and blew softly against her slick folds.
“I’m going to taste you, sweet Amber, and I expect you to be a good girl and hold still. If you move your hands, I will punish you. Do you understand?”
Punish her? Why did that sound so naughty? Why did the threat make her gush more moisture? Was it even a serious threat?
She licked her lips and swallowed hard. “Yes, sir. I understand.”
***
The moment his tongue darted over her pink, gleaming parts, Callie jolted beneath him and her hands flew to his head. She gripped him and groaned, while moving her hips up and down, seeking her pleasure.
The naughty girl.
He pulled back from her center and gave her a stern look.
Her eyes went wide and she immediately returned her hands above her head, but it was too late. She’d disobeyed his instructions, and now he had to punish her for it. Of course, he would be lying if he said part of him hadn’t hoped she would disobey.
“I’m sorry, sir.”
His cock hardened every time she called him sir. God, what a beauty she was. And so goddamn sweet. She didn’t belong here. After tonight, he would take her away. He would keep her in his cabin and they would return to town when the circuit judge passed through, when she could legally become his wife. He felt his nostrils flaring with the possession he felt for this sweet young woman.
