Large, gentle hands held her while kisses, thrusting tongues, and heated breaths trailed over her body. She moved and wiggled, welcoming Jesse’s hard body that mounted her. His hands and tongue stroked every inch of her body, her legs, and even her feet. His warm, wet tongue licked and sucked at her hot flesh until she thought she would die of delight.
Unexpectedly, she felt his hot, sensuous voice at her ear whispering, “Take my cock and push it inside you.”
When she touched it, the length and width of it sent her senses spinning, but the moment she felt it inside her, she gasped. She’d never felt anything so wonderful, and gave a long, low moan as it deliciously stretched her until she thought she would leave this world on a pink cloud of delight. She had to have more, to grab for that elusive feeling that only his rock-hard cock could give her. She knew it was coming, drifting on his hot breath as he spoke intimately into her ear.
“Let go, Camille! Don’t let your inhibitions stop you.”
She bucked wildly, feeling it as his cock pushed in and out, her cunt being massaged by a master. She raised her legs and circled his naked waist as he reached around and clenched her ass tightly and pulled her closer to him. She writhed as she clung to him tightly. Her mouth opened, her tongue brushed his nipples, sucked along his rippling chest as if she were draining him of every bit of his male elixir. The soft flesh of her cunt burned with want as his cock continued to thrust in and out.
His breath, his tiny whimpers of delight filled her ears, pulling her along with him. She had been roused to the ultimate peak of desire and drawn to a height of passion she’d never known before. Nothing mattered but to attain satisfaction. Her body, her senses, and her wanton desire swept up to a sudden frenzy that made the involuntary tremors begin. They ushered her into a place that scorched and burned every inch of her. The ultimate act was rewarded by a deluge of indelible kisses, making her bruised lips burn with pleasure, pleasure that began at her lips and trembled throughout her body.
A new passion had started.
Jesse moved away and Beau mounted her. His manly smell assaulted her senses. His cock and stroking hands reignited a fire within her.
Releasing her from one set of arms and lips, she now became the love partner of another. Her thoughts became fragmented, her passion turned to a hot tide that swept against her soul. It was as crazed and as wild as the river’s surf that lapped against this riverboat as it swayed, taking her on a fantasy trip that she wouldn’t soon forget.
His lips and his body rode her so high, she felt as if she would never come down. It was a raw act of possession, a pleasure that was pure and explosive. A tremor inside her heated her thighs and groin. She longed for, she reached, and she clung to him, feeling that his cock had pierced her very soul. While Beau was taking her on a maddening journey into paradise with his mighty plunges, Jesse, who lay beside her stroked her breasts with his fingers of flame. Both together brought on a culmination of sensations that finally burst, and a cry of release sounded from each of their throats right before a blasting of their juices mingled together. And each of them wilted, their sweaty, sated bodies lying quietly in the dark.
Camille didn’t remember falling asleep, but when she woke up, her body had a lovely ache to it. The kind of ache that told her she had been loved totally and completely. She looked around for Beau and Jesse, but they were gone. She might have believed they were only an erotic dream she was having until she breathed in their scent that still lingered in the air. She lay for a time, surrounded by the fantasy they’d created for her, wishing it could last forever.
When she finally got up and stumbled to her closet, she was jolted out of her dream world, and back to reality. Everywhere she looked, she saw yards of rich, colorful material that only a woman of wealth would wear. Clothes she had bought with the money she earned as Lady Chablis, the notorious jewel thief. Her flight into the dark world of thievery had been swift and dizzying.
She’d been born to parents who were dirt-poor, except for the relay station they owned out west called The Last Chance. It was a dry place where dust storms and drought killed the cattle and ruined the crops. She hated the lonely territory where stagecoaches filled with tired travelers stopped to eat or sleep on the trail. It wasn’t a place for the young who were alive and had a future to look forward to, only the old and forgotten could be happy in such a place. But Camille had dreams, dreams that would someday take her out of the squalor she’d known all her life.
Her favorite pastime was sneaking out of her house, and riding to a nearby town that was known for its drinking and gambling. The casinos were packed with people who were constantly coming and going, and others who seemed to gather around the front. She was mesmerized when she noticed that the women’s diamonds glittered in the lamplight, and also admired their colorful garments while hiding in the dark. On one occasion she recalled a woman who saw her hiding in a bush, threw her a gold coin, and then laughed when she scrambled for it. It was cruel of the woman, she knew that. But instead of being proud and flinging the coin back in her face, she was awestruck. She carried the picture of that woman in her mind—a woman richly-clad, with so much money she threw it away, and laughed while doing it.
That was the night her world changed. From that moment on, her one dream was to get out of that dirty place she called home and go to a big city. But how? She had nothing, no one.
And then one day her long-awaited opportunity came.
A dark-haired stranger stopped by on his way further west and told her stories of big cities like New Orleans and San Francisco. He even told her what it was like to ride the riverboats along the wide Mississippi.
“Sadie, you’re young. Get out there, and do young things. There’s a city I can take you to that has a place called the Golden Gate Bridge. There are casinos everywhere. It’s full of beautiful people that think nothing of gambling away thousands every night. The best part is you don’t even have to stay Sadie Beal. You can become anyone you want to be! Look at yourself. You’re beautiful. Why, with your red hair and bright blue eyes…”
Someone else.
She heard nothing else after that.
No longer plain, ordinary Sadie Beal, she dreamed of becoming Camille Du Peret. The name was fancy-sounding, beautiful, like the name of an actress. With that name, she could become anyone, even the toast of San Francisco! It was like she had awakened from a bad dream. With her eyes finally opened, she took another look around at the dusty, dirty way station where day in and day out everything was the same, and knew she couldn’t stay there.
She was breaking her back while waiting on hungry travelers and knew if she didn’t get away now, she might never get another chance. She would grow old never knowing what the rest of the world was like. But could she leave her mother? With a heavy heart, she watched her work and slave for pennies. Would it be possible to convince her that she was wasting away in this godforsaken country?
“But, Mama, haven’t you ever thought about going away? Living a life in the big city?”
“Sadie,” she said, picking up a fistful of dirt, “this is our land, honey. Land is everything. There’s dirt to plant your seeds in, timber to build your shelter, and grass to feed your cattle.”
“And dirt to dig your grave,” Sadie said angrily.
“You just don’t understand, honey. Without land, you have nothing.”
Sadie knew now that this was her mother’s dream, and it would never be anything more than what she saw before her now. But Sadie’s dreams were bigger. They were somewhere else, somewhere in a different world, a different life. She didn’t want to leave her mama, but she knew now that she couldn’t stay. This kind of life just wasn’t for her.
From that moment on, she had one thing on her mind—getting away. She listened while the stranger continued to tell her tales of a land that sparkled like jewels in her imagination until finally her mind was made up. She had a choice. She could go with him when he left, or stay th
ere and die. She hated leaving her family but knew it might be her only chance to live that dream. Her mother had her dream, now it was time for Sadie to have hers, and the dark stranger was the answer. He would help her get to that place where the lights were bright, the music loud, and excitement waited around every corner.
For the rest of the stranger’s stay, their heads stayed together, planning when they would leave. And then, with no warning, the two of them struck out one night after dark and didn’t stop until they came to the big, beautiful, gleaming city of San Francisco. It was like another world, a better world, a richer world.
While waiting on tables at a place on Prostitute’s Row called The Harlot, she watched the rich come and go until the glitter and gleam of jewelry quickly became too much of a temptation for her. By this time she’d realized that San Francisco was alive with sins she had never even heard of, so taking the beautiful baubles seemed like nothing to her. When she started her career in this velvet-roped little casino that catered to San Francisco’s richest, she saw only the glamour and wealth these things could give her, and nothing of the chance she took. Getting caught was never an option for her since she planned on giving up her life of crime when she was rich enough.
Now, as she rummaged through her clothes, she found her favorite lounging outfit. After getting dressed, she strolled over to her mirror and began finger-combing a few burnished curls and arranging them around her face. She licked her coral lips to give them a shine, pinched her cheeks for a healthy glow, and gave herself one last tiny spritz of Rose Dew cologne while thinking of the heist she would make tonight.
Chapter 3
THAT night when Camille walked into the casino, she was hit with the odor of alcohol, sex, and raw power. Drunken cowboys and flirting saloon girls hung all over each other as they climbed the steps and disappeared into private rooms. Game tables were set up everywhere, but a sinister curtain hung in the back, shielding the poker game taking place in the private alcove behind it. The poker games were always tucked away in a secluded area with strong drinks, fresh decks of cards, and even food since the games sometimes went on for days. The other games were fun, but the professional gamblers were not there for fun. It was a business to them. They played for high stakes and required complete privacy.
Moving her gaze away from the curtain, she made her way between the staggering cowboys to the roulette wheel. A tinny piano pounded out Red River Valley, eager voices yelled out bets, and boisterous laughter made it almost impossible to talk. She stood among the crowds making bets, losing a little, and winning a little when she saw the black curtain move and the Bannock brothers come through. Her movements stopped abruptly, and she stared.
She saw the same sexy swagger, the steely-blue eyes, and blond wavy hair that she’d seen the night before. She’d thought of the incident several times, even accused herself of exaggerating their good looks, but now seeing them again, she knew that her imagination had been right on. Pretty boys did not describe those two. They were men even more rugged and handsome than—
Her thoughts stopped when they looked up and saw each other. Embarrassed, she tried to pull her eyes away, but the three of them seemed to be locked in a gaze that caught fire and sizzled between them.
Her eyes again feasted on the pillowy softness of their lips, and dreamed of a kiss—of many kisses—on that one night of bliss that burned in her memory.
It was all too much for her.
She felt herself becoming disoriented.
She knew if she stayed beneath their heated gazes one more moment, she would faint. So she forced her eyes away and quickly left the casino.
Now, while standing at the rail of the boat, she took several deep breaths as she gazed down at the dark waves that lapped against the decorative hull.
“Good evening, Ms. Du Peret. I hope you’re enjoying your stay on the Twilight.”
Camille turned as if surprised, and smiled when she saw it was the captain. “Yes, yes, I…the…the casino is rather crowded. I just stepped out to get some air.”
“Oh? Are you all right?” he asked, concerned.
Returning a cordial smile, she said, “I’m fine, really. It can get rather close in there.”
“Yes, I know.”
“By the way, I was wondering who the blond gentlemen are that I saw coming out of the curtained area. They seem familiar.”
The captain turned and looked into the casino past the swinging doors. “You must be talking about the Bannock brothers. They’re professional gamblers. They ride the Twilight frequently.”
“So they’re gamblers,” she mumbled.
“What was that?”
“Oh, nothing,” she said quickly.
“Well, good—”
“Oh, Captain,” she said before he left, “I know only a little about the Twilight and was quite shocked by the suggestive decor. I’ve heard all the rumors going around about the Twilight’s scandalous ménage practices among its guests, but surely they’re only rumors.”
The captain smiled easily. “Now what makes you think they’re only rumors?”
Her eyes widened as she looked at him. “You mean—”
“Ms. Du Peret, you’re an attractive woman. Haven’t you ever had the desire to go somewhere and let your hair down, so to speak? A place where anything goes, a place where you can experience your wildest fantasies?”
“I suppose everyone has at some time or another.”
“Of course. This is the Twilight’s purpose. My advice to you is to find someone. Do with them what you could never do in proper society. The Twilight is a floating island, a dream, a fantasy apart and separate from a world full of snobbish rules. It’s a place where those dreams can come true, Ms. Du Peret.” He smiled at her from out of the darkness. “No one here is going to think any less of you.”
“I see,” she said, being reminded of her experience of the night before. “That’s why the decorations are so suggestive.”
“That and because it used to be a bordello.”
“It was?”
The captain chuckled. “Yes, it was. When the Dixie Queen Line learned they had inherited the Twilight, they were concerned because of its scandalous reputation. But it hasn’t hurt it at all. In fact, it brings in more money than all our other ships. There’s been so much talk about it, New Orleans has added it to their list of tourist sites.”
“I see. May I ask who ran the bordello?”
“Of course. You’re a little young, but have you ever heard of the millionaire Luce Devereaux?”
“No, I’m afraid not.”
“He lived in New Orleans and the Twilight was his while he was alive, but when he died, he left it to the Dixie Queen Lines. The ship sails the Delta four times a year. At other times, it’s a tourist attraction when it’s not being refurbished right down to the name on the hull.”
“The name…yes. Tell me, are all the other ships built like this one? I mean, it’s so ornate. The woodwork is beautiful.”
“No, the others are just the standard decor, but this one, being built in New Orleans, is very picturesque. It has the style of the city in every piece of furniture, and in the decor of the restaurants, even the casino.”
“I’ve heard tell that the Twilight has certain magical qualities.”
The captain laughed. “You know how rumors start, although I’ve often wondered about it myself. I suppose it’s up to the guests and what they believe.”
“Yes, I’m sure you’re right. Well, thank you. And thank you for the information.”
“Not at all,” he replied as he reached up and tipped the bill of his hat. “Well, goodnight, Ms. Du Peret.”
“Yes, goodnight, Captain.”
As the captain walked on, she turned back toward the lapping waves, feeling the lazy rock of the boat as she stared down into the dark water. She leaned over, trying to get a look at the flamboyant name on the side of the hull, when she heard a familiar deep, smooth voice
behind her.
“You’re not going to jump, are you?”
She turned, and even in the darkness she could see the sultry blue of his eyes as they stared down into hers. “Mr. Bannock…”
“It’s Beau.”
“Beau,” she repeated with an indulgent smile. “No, of course I’m not going to jump. It’s just that I love the water, the gentle rocking of the boat. It’s peaceful and very calming.”
“I have to agree.”
“Was Lady Luck with you tonight?”
“Lady Luck?”
“Yes. You must be familiar with Lady Luck. She’s the gambler’s mistress, isn’t she?”
“Oh, that Lady Luck. As a matter of fact, yes. We had a very good night. You seemed surprised when you saw us earlier. Why did you run away?”
“Embarrassed, I suppose. After all, our first encounter was a rather steamy one, wouldn’t you say?”
“I hope you’re not ashamed of what happened. If you are, let me put you at ease by saying that those were the most beautiful soap suds I’ve ever seen. Never seen them arranged quite that way before.”
“How? Sliding down my naked body?”
“If I were a poet, I think I’d be inspired to dedicate a whole poem to soap suds. You know, how they slid down your perfect curves all soft and gentle, how the water made your body shine.”
“Mr. Bannock, I don’t appreciate you making fun of me.”
“Fun? Oh, no. I was truly fascinated.”
“Well, if you don’t mind, I’d prefer we didn’t talk about it. It was an unfortunate incident. You were drunk, and I…well, let’s just say I wasn’t quite myself.”
His gaze shifted, resting on her burnished hair, her face, and then her body. “I see I wasn’t dreaming. You’re every bit as lovely as I remembered. When I thought of you later, I was sure it was my intoxicated state that made you seem so delectable.”
“Intoxicated?” she said, amused. “You weren’t simply intoxicated, Mr. Bannock, you and your brother were stinking drunk.”
Rogues and Riverboats Page 2
