by Rita Hestand
"Well, no I didn't." Ma Jones chuckled. "Sounds to me like you've already got him in your hip pocket, girl."
"I had set my cap for him, and he does like me. Oh Ma, you think it's possible for a girl to go from a saloon to being the wife of a Mayor?" Maggie gasped with delight. "Maybe even the Governor."
"Hold on there girl. Aren't you rushing things?" Ma asked with a squint in her eye.
"Of course I am. I'm just dreaming. But it's a lovely dream, Ma." She chuckled. "And I'm going to enjoy it, at least for a day."
"He wants to court you huh?"
"Oh yes. He's very interested."
"And I take it you are smitten with him?" She asked.
"Well," she moved her head about as though she couldn't commit to that. "I guess it's like a little girl dream to be courted by someone so astounding. I mean he flatters me with his attention. To be someone, so important. It looks as though all my dreams are finally coming true. And yet, I have to admit, his kisses lack something. Something I can't find a word for. They were so contrived. Like he gave them on cue or something. I don't know."
Ma hugged her, "Honey, you need to slow down. You've had so many things happening, first the audition and job, now the Mayor. That's a lot to take in at once. Are you smitten with him?"
"I don't know. It's too soon to tell. I enjoyed him kissing me, that's for sure. But then, I've always enjoyed kissing."
"So he hasn't stolen your heart yet, huh?" Ma frowned.
"Well no, but he stole some kisses." She giggled.
Ma chuckled. "Well, don't give him too much, too soon then."
"I won't. I'll play a little hard to get." She winked at her and ran up the stairs with a giggle. Then stopped mid-stairs, "But not too hard."
Ma shook her head and resumed cooking. But Maggie could tell Ma was a bit worried too. Perhaps she should play harder to get.
And yet, that was it, she was playing. And this was a serious game. Shouldn't it be about feelings? He hadn't set her heart a flutter. He talked more about himself and his goals than hers.
Jo Ella was upstairs working on Sarah hair when she came up.
Maggie was all smiles.
"Well, looks like you had a good morning." Sarah chuckled.
"Oh, it was wonderful. The Mayor, Richard, took me for a ride in the country, we had wine, cheese and grapes. It was lovely. He fed the grapes to me, one at a time. He kissed me too. And asked to court me."
"Maggie, you sure are rushing the cart before the horse." Jo Ella frowned at her.
"Well why not, he's exactly what I want." She fretted. "All those years in a saloon, and now, my dream is coming true. Going from saloon girl to Mayor's wife would be an accomplishment."
"Is it? I mean this is serious stuff. You don't fall for a man in one outing. You've got to look at this from all angles. And you've got to give yourself time to get to know him."
"Of course. You know I've been eyeing him for some time. I think I had stars in my eyes, because he was the Mayor."
"Yes, we know that. But slow down a little. Don't be too eager honey, you might lose him." Jo Ella cautioned. "Now, are you falling for him, or his job?"
"It's hard to tell, actually. I mean come on Jo, we worked in a saloon. We knew a lot of men. There's a certain amount of excitement, and most of it springs from him being Mayor, I'll admit. But he's quite handsome, ambitious. Everything is perfect except…"
"Except what?"
"There's no passion there…in his kisses."
Maggie frowned at her. It hadn't dawned on her to figure that out. She liked his kisses, his attention, everything about him. He dressed well, spoke well, and he wanted to be Governor. Wasn't that enough for any girl? Still, a little voice niggled in the back of her head.
"You didn't feel giddy from the kiss?"
"Kisses, and no I didn't feel giddy. I guess you can't have everything. But I was disappointed. I kind of expected him to knock my socks off, but he didn't."
"It's a little soon, to be sure."
"I'm not sure yet, that's true. He'll have to kiss me some more before I can be sure. I mean it's not like…passion. It's more like admiration right now. I think he's as star-struck with my talent as I am with his position."
"Honey, you are the most sensible of all of us. To see you like this worries me. Don’t' jump into the fire until you are sure you can put out the flames." Jo Ella cautioned again. "You should always marry for love, not fame, ambition or money."
"You are right of course, I'm being melodramatic. It's just I've always dreamed that something like this would happen to me, and now…it's coming true. It's hard to put on the brakes. I want this kind of life. It's exciting, and prestigious and why not?" She gasped at both girls. "We are doing this to become fine ladies, aren't we?"
"But does he light any fires in you?" Sarah asked turning around to look at Maggie's red face. "And most important question, can you eventually tell him the truth and would he accept it?"
"We didn't kiss that passionately, if that's what you mean, but I'm just getting to know him. He's not the kind of man to take advantages. I can't expect him to seduce me on our first outing. We rode out into the country, admired the scenery, we spread a blanket and had a treat, and he kissed me a few times. Isn't that enough for the first time?"
"You tell me?"
Maggie stared at them and a tear came into her eye, "I don't know what I was expecting. He's thrilled at my talent for singing. But, I don't understand you. I thought you two would be happy for me. This is what I've always wanted. To be someone! This is why we came here girls. To better ourselves. To make something of our lives. Well, I'm doing just that. I'm succeeding, why aren't you happy for me?"
Jo Ella took her hands in hers, "Of course we are. But we just don't want to see you go off the deep end and regret it. Follow your heart honey, not your good sense. It was only yesterday that you were mentioning this Dakota as so handsome and now it's the Mayor."
"It's just the Mayor has position, he's able to offer so much." Maggie reasoned. "Dakota is a very handsome man, the kind to maybe have an affair with, but not husband material. Even I know that."
"Can the Mayor give you the love you want so badly?" Sarah asked.
"I don't know. It's too soon to know." Maggie fretted.
"Just remember to judge him on who he really is, not what he is." Jo Ella sighed.
Maggie suddenly fretted. "There could be no future with a man like Dakota, because he's an Indian. I'd be disgraced. Yes, he's terribly attractive, and sometimes, the way he looks at me melts me on the spot. But I'd be blind not to realize the problems that would arise. I can't possibly put my future in him. Can I? I'm not even sure he likes me."
"Well, no one said you had to marry him either." Sarah shook her head.
"He's beautiful though!" She suddenly defended. "I don't care if he is Indian. He takes my breath away every time I look at him. But he's not sweet. I don't even think he likes me. Richard does. I have to be sensible. If I were the old Maggie, I'd have Dakota in my bed now. But I'm different now. I see the prospect of doing better, like you were talking about. Bettering myself."
"Well, you've got plenty of time to decide what you want. No use jumping into that fire just yet." Jo Ella patted her on the arm and finished Sarah's hair.
"Of course, you are right. It's just Richard excites me with his ambitions. He wants so much, and I have a feeling he wants me too." They both stared at her with open mouths. "I'm sure I could help his career."
"Sounds to me like you've got some ambitions here too."
"I guess it does, doesn't it?"
"Play it easy honey. Even if you do go for the Mayor, you are going to have to be a lady about it. He doesn't want a whore up there in his big house. He wants a lady. Remember that." Jo Ella warned her. "Sara had a time with her preacher, but you are going after the Mayor."
"Yeah…I'll try to remember that."
If he wants a lady, why is he kissing me, like that's not on his mind?
>
And Dakota is gorgeous, and he does set me on fire, just looking at him, but he doesn't even like me!
Chapter Three
But when she went for rehearsal, there was only the piano player and Dakota about.
Laying her things down she stepped over to the piano and introduced herself. "Hi, I'm Maggie Hilton, the singer."
"Hello, I'm Simon Lassiter, I'll be your pianist. I've got some music here for you to look over, so why don't you study it a bit and I'll get us some water."
Simon was a short man, with curly blond hair and a ready smile. Pleasant came to mind.
"That's great, thank you." She smiled.
Dakota came and stood a good distance away from her. His glance was brooding, his body tall and erect.
"Good morning," She smiled at him.
He didn't say a word, but he did look at her.
She rehearsed several familiar songs and then she had Simon play a couple of the others. "I like that one, I'd like to take the music home with me to study if you don't mind."
"Certainly, you really have a nice voice, such volume and clarity." He smiled. "It's a pleasure to play for you, ma'am."
"Thank you, you play well too. After I study these, I'd like to practice tomorrow on them with you."
"That sounds perfect to me. Well, I've got to run, see you tomorrow." He packed up his music and got his jacket and left.
"Thank you."
Dakota stood not saying anything. She glanced at him, he was wearing dark pants and shirt today and looked so virile she wished she could touch him, but decided that was merely a temptation. She couldn't give into her baser instincts. Besides, from the looks he'd been giving her, she knew he wouldn't welcome it.
"Well, I guess I better go now. Thanks." She said giving him a quick nod.
"Ma'am." He muttered.
She came up close to him, her eyes meeting his. But those dark chocolate eyes devoured her in one swoop, and her heart began to pound. "You…could smile every now and then." She murmured for his ears alone. "Do you find it distasteful to watch over me, all the time?"
"It would be hard to smile all the time, but I will try." He muttered thickly. "And no I don't find it distasteful at all."
Her eyes met his, mesmerized. "You don't like me much, do you?"
"Do you forget I am Indian?" He asked softly so no one else could hear.
She blinked. "I don't think of you as an Indian. I think of you as a man…" Her voice grew softer now, as her words impressed him.
Their eyes met and she was mesmerized, she couldn’t move.
Suddenly, without warning, he reached behind her, pulled her head toward him gently, giving her time to object, and bent to kiss her lips.
Dear God, she was stunned, his kiss was both torridly hot and passionate as sin. He ravaged her mouth, pressing into her hard, like a branding iron. She melted from his touch, sighing with such an inner pleasure and peace. It was his very forcefulness that turned her to putty. He demanded all her attention and participation. He was wild, reckless and oh so passionate! This kiss quickly captured her heart, made her moan in her throat, and sent wild, but pleasant sensations through her body.
When he pulled away, they stared into each other eyes. "I like you fine, miss! And thank you for what you said." He turned and walked away his eyes raking her with that same passion and something more…desire.
She stood there for several minutes soaking in that kiss, licking her lips as though needing more of the taste of him. Her heart was pounding like a vibration from a train. Her body quaked. Never in her entire life had she been kissed quiet so thoroughly. It was as though he had raped her lips, leaving behind his special brand of passion. Her lips trembled. And a slow satisfied smile spread over her. God, she knew he'd be good, she just didn't know how good! No man had ever knocked her socks off so to speak with a mere kiss. She had expected it from the Mayor, but she got it from Dakota. What was strange was that she suspicioned Dakota as passionate.
She fell back against the wall, grabbed her stomach, and closed her eyes. Strangely she remembered how his arms came gently around her, surrounding her protectively. How his hand had slipped into her hair, kneading her scalp? He seduced her with one kiss. She remembered how her breast pressed against his magnificent chest. How her hips meshed against his? Dear God, it was more than just a kiss. He'd made love to her with his mouth. She was right, he was a man! And she wouldn't be forgetting it.
There was no way to explain it. But she'd been thoroughly and provocatively kissed and she ached to know more about this man, quite suddenly.
"Thank you for what you said!" That pounded in her head now. That she thought of him as a man! And what a man!
She walked home in a daze. He hadn't walked her home this time because Mr. Montgomery requested he help the bank manager with his vault. So Dakota rushed out, hiding her behind him so Mr. Montgomery wouldn't see.
Ma said something to her when she came in, but she didn't hear the words.
She went upstairs, laid across the bed and closed her eyes. All she could see now was his face, his eyes, and feel those hot scorching lips that would plague her erotic dreams. She could not expound him from her mind or body, and she didn't want to.
It hadn't been like Richard's kiss, soft and tender, but raw and passionate. He took her, and she liked that taking.
She fell asleep and there she was in an erotic dream with Dakota. She hadn't purposely conjured it; it was just there. They were making love, passionately, on a bed way up in the attic of the theater. The sheets were red, and she could feel his arms around her. She could touch his muscled arms, and feel the strength there. His skin was hot to the touch, and satiny smooth. She could feel the sweat from them both as their appetite for each other increased by the moment. His kisses at the hollow of her throat, his hand massaging her full breast, his fingers curling around her nipples. He possessed her with one touch of his fingers. Just the curve of his finger, holding her nipples as his tongue laved them into erotic pleasure points. Where had he learned how to make love, she wondered. Were all Indians so erotic?
Anti-climaxes sizzled through her body. Delight and anticipation mingled.
His lips supped her tender nipples. She could feel the strength of his smooth skin, as she kissed his strong body too. Goosebumps rose as he blew softly against her ear. She squirmed beneath him. His kiss devouring her. His body spreading against her, as his manhood boldly announced itself against her thigh. And then…his lips were upon her, spreading her. Without forewarning his head dipped to kiss the most tender part of her body, for long lingering moments making her strain to cast herself against those lips that supped her so sweetly. She moaned aloud when he brought her to the peaks of heaven with his magic tongue. She cried out for what seemed like such a long time as the feeling spread through her like a wildfire. He had brought her to a frenzied climax. Then suddenly as a whisper, he was inside her, deep inside her, deeper than any man had ever penetrated. Her fingers curled around his as she strained to be closer. She moaned the pleasure it gave her. His love consumed her and once more she climaxed in his arms, moaning his name over and over. She heard the softness of his groan as an ecstasy of love swept over them. They were not two people making love, but one, united. How could that be?
He kissed her everywhere, his lips dipping gently against her nipples as he claimed them with his generous attention. The way his lips caressed her there, so gentle, she was raw, but the lingering effects of his love making kept her soaring. She reveled in the way his tongue laved her there, creating a want as old as time inside her. They climaxed together once more and she thought surely she might die from the pleasure he provoked with his constant stroking. The way his hands coveted her breasts. The way his lips set her on fire. He had taken her, as his own. She knew it. It was a thorough possessive taking of her body. And she gave it freely. He gave her such pleasure, and his taking was so gentle as he possessed her.
Exhaustion claimed her after three separate
orgasms.
When she woke up she was wet all over from his love-making. And she knew somehow, he had made love to her. It couldn't have been a dream; it was too real. Her own body knew it. She flushed from the memory of it. Never had she let all her inhibitions down and let any man possess her like that. And he had. She knew he had, somehow. He'd broken all her rules of maintaining control. He conquered her. He had taken his time, feeding on her erotic pleasure points. No man had done that. No man had feasted like he had, nor had she let them. All the barriers had been blown away with his soft caresses.
How could a man so strong, be so gentle?
She looked in the dark corners of the room for him, suspiciously thinking he lurked in the shadows. But there was nothing but her in the room.
Her pulse was going crazy; her body was flushed as though she'd been ravaged. She looked at her breasts, swollen and raw. She felt herself and the wetness of her body. It was somehow real? How could that be? It was a dream. Or was it?
How could a dream be more powerful than reality? How could she wake up and feel the results of his taking? It made no sense, but it had been glorious. And she couldn't just forget it. She'd never had such an experience and she'd been a whore once.
She didn't understand what had happened.
All her years as a whore, no man had so possessed her with his body. No man had claimed every secret she kept sacred so long. But for him, she let down all the barriers, she held back nothing, and it was heaven.
Nothing like this had ever happened to her.
She cleaned herself and put on her soft cotton dress. Sarah came into the room and she looked at her strangely.
"Something wrong?"
Maggie sighed loudly, "I'm not sure!"
Sarah waited for an explanation.
"Sarah, remember those dreams you used to talk about with the Reverend. Did you…" She stopped. Did she really want to talk about this with Sarah? "Did you…go all the way…"
