Wildfire Creek

by Shirleen Davies

Luke reined Prince to a stop under the protection of a large group of pines not far from Splendor. He’d made good time, leaving Big Pine early, and stopping twice.

  He’d made the decision to decline any further requests from Pinkerton. The money provided extra cash the ranch could always use. The assignments, however, had lost their appeal.

  He’d thought of little except the conversation between him and Ginny before he left. He knew she talked of independence, having her own life, and raising Mary. He felt certain a part of her also wanted to settle down and be loved.

  This last job, and the risks it entailed, made it clear how much he wanted the life Dax had built with Rachel. He spent most of his time thinking of Ginny, wondering if she’d allow him an opportunity to express the decision he’d made and give them a chance. He loved her, probably had since the first day he’d set eyes on her at the Wild Rose. Now he knew the time had come to express his feelings and hope she felt the same.

  He’d stop at the Rose for a drink or two, then head on to the ranch in time for supper. He wanted to speak with Ginny before she pushed him away with her excuses. And they would be excuses. He now realized how much he wanted her in his life. Her thoughts about him being incapable of settling down were dead wrong, and he meant to not just tell her, but show her.

  Luke swung back up on Prince and turned toward Splendor, hoping his charm and persuasive abilities didn’t elude him tonight.

  “Is Mr. Barnett available?” Ginny almost hadn’t gone through with her plan. She’d stood outside the Dixie, pacing back and forth before finding the courage to walk inside.

  The bartender looked at her with narrowed eyes, then nodded once toward the back. “I’ll go get him. What’s your name, girl?”

  She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Ginny Sorensen.”

  The man tossed down the towel he held and disappeared into the back.

  “There’s a girl out front to see you, Nick.”

  He didn’t look up from the paperwork, which seemed to grow each day. “She’ll have to come back another time.”

  “I’ll tell Miss Sorensen that.”

  “Wait.” Nick tossed down his pen. “What’s her name?”

  “Ginny Sorensen.”

  Nick’s brow’s knit together. The last he knew, she worked for the Pelletiers. Suzanne had told him how much she liked it out at their ranch.

  “Tell her I’ll be right out.” He straightened his vest and tie before pushing open the door to the saloon. “Miss Sorensen. What a wonderful surprise.” He stopped in front of her, noticing what seemed to be pure panic in her eyes. “I heard you wanted to see me.”

  She glanced around, not wanting anyone else to hear her request. “Uh…yes. Do you have time to talk in private?”

  “Of course. Let’s go into my office.” He gestured to the back and followed her through the door, hoping she hadn’t come to talk about working at the Dixie. “Please, have a seat and tell me why you came.”

  She took her time, gripping her hands together so tight, the knuckles began to turn white. She cleared her throat, not knowing where to start. “I wanted to talk to you about…” Her voice trailed off as her courage began to wane. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.

  “Yes?”

  “Well… I wondered if, perhaps, you might have a job for me.”

  Nick leaned forward, keeping his expression blank as he rested his arms on the desk. He let his eyes narrow on hers, wondering what had prompted someone like her to seek work in a saloon. She knew he didn’t hire serving girls, only those who were willing to work on their feet downstairs and their backs upstairs.

  “Why don’t you tell me the reason you want to leave the Pelletiers and make such a drastic change. Seems you have it good with them.”

  “Yes, they’re good to me. The work is fair, as are the wages and living arrangements.”

  “But?”

  “It’s all changed since Luke arrived back from Denver. It’s clear he doesn’t want me there. The job is no longer what I thought it would be. I need to make enough to buy a house, raise Mary, and not be tied to anyone.” She clamped her mouth shut, not wanting to divulge any more.

  “I see. And what is it you propose to do here?”

  “I thought I could do the same work as the other girls who work for you.” She forced herself to look at Nick, even as she felt her body quake at the declaration.

  He studied her, trying to figure out what had driven Ginny to seek money by using her body. “Are you certain you understand what the girls who work for me do? Have you spoken with them?”

  “Well, no. I haven’t met any of the people who work here, but I have spoken with Belle and some of the other girls at the Rose.”

  “What did they tell you?”

  She licked her dry lips as her eyes darted around the room. She hadn’t expected Nick to question her like this.

  “Belle says it’s not so bad. The same with the others. They have a place to stay, food, and save some money every month. Each plans to get out as soon as they save enough to find another job and a place to live.”

  “Have any of them given you the idea they’re able to quit soon? From what I understand, everyone at the Rose has been with Amos for a good long time. Don’t you think they could’ve saved enough to quit by now if that’s what they wanted to do?”

  Nick was right. The girls had settled into their chosen life and none seemed anxious to leave it. “I suppose so, but that doesn’t mean I’d do the same.”

  He blew out a breath. Dissuading her might take longer than he anticipated. Perhaps he should see how far she’d go before he gave her a firm, gentle no.

  “I’d rather have you work for me than Amos, or anyone else who opens a place in Splendor.” He pushed from his chair and walked around the desk, leaning against the front edge and crossing his arms over his chest. “If you’re determined to do this, show me what the paying customers will get.”

  Her eyes widened in shock. “What? Now? Here? You want me to…?” She couldn’t finish for the tightness in her chest.

  “Of course. I’m putting you on display for the men to see. I want to know they’ll be satisfied with what they get for their money.” He waited a moment, letting his gaze trail up and down her body, seeing the discomfort grow, hoping it would have the desired effect. “Come now, Ginny. If you can’t take your clothes off for me, how will you be able to do it for someone you don’t know at all?”

  He could see her lower lip and chin quiver as she stood. Her hands shook as she undid the buttons on her coat, letting it fall to the chair. Her arms dropped to her sides and she forced her gaze to his, waiting.

  “All of it, Ginny.” He relaxed against the desk, doing his best to remain expressionless, as if this were any other business deal. The agony he saw in her eyes tore a hole through his gut, yet he knew from experience this would be the only way to get her to see the flaws in her thinking. “Start with the front buttons of your dress.”

  She moved her hands up, her fingers shaking so much she couldn’t seem to grip the small buttons. After a moment, she had success with the first one, then moved to the second, and third, trying to control the sick feeling in her stomach.

  “Good evening, Luke. You just get back from Big Pine?” Al asked as he poured him a whiskey and slid it in front of him.

  “I did. Thought I’d stop here before heading on to the ranch.” He downed the liquid and held out the empty glass, indicating he wanted another. He’d just brought the glass to his lips when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

  “Evening, Luke.”

  “Travis. You’re in town late.” Luke shook his hand and leaned his back against the bar. The sun still hadn’t set and there remained at least a couple of hours before darkness fell.

  “Dax needed supplies and I seemed the best person to come in. Miss Ginny and Mary rode in with me.” Travis saw the brief surprise in Luke’s face before he masked it.

  “Where are they now?”

  “That
’s what I came over to tell you. Mary is with Mrs. Briar at the boardinghouse. Ginny had some errands to run, and…” Travis stammered and glanced around the bar before finishing. “I saw her go into the Dixie not too long ago.”

  “What the hell?” Luke slammed down the glass and took off at a fast pace toward the Dixie.

  Ginny got as far as the seventh button, her chemise and top of her breasts visible to Nick, then stopped. She swallowed again and shook her head before slowly lifting her face to his. The misery he saw broke his heart. He moved toward her, grasping her shoulders and forcing her to look at him.

  “Ginny, both of us know this is a bad idea. Your background and circumstances don’t compare to those of the girls who work here. You have choices they never did.” He kept his voice calm, knowing she already felt a measure of humiliation. “Not one was a virgin when they started with me. They may have lost their virginity in another brothel, but not in one of my saloons.” He turned her toward the door leading to the saloon and opened it. “Is this where you want to lose your virginity?”

  Ginny clasped a hand to her mouth as tears began to form.

  “Then give yourself to any man willing to pay until you’re too worn down to do anything else?”

  She looked at the floor and slowly shook her head.

  Nick shut the door with a quick push and guided her back toward the desk.

  “Look at me, Ginny.” He put a finger under her chin and lifted her face up. “This isn’t the place for you. Not because you aren’t pretty enough, because you are. Any man would be a fool to turn you away, but that’s what I’m doing.”

  The door slammed open, causing Ginny to spin around, her dress falling from her shoulders, allowing Luke to see what she’d already shown Nick.

  The oath that emerged from Luke’s mouth was foul and loud as he launched himself at Nick, landing a blow to the man’s face, causing him to rock back on his heels.

  “Luke, stop it!” She positioned herself in front of Nick, shielding him from more blows.

  Nick gently moved her aside, looking at an irate Luke standing with his hands fisted, ready to throw another punch. “If you’re certain you want to fight, I’ll oblige you.”

  Luke could see amusement cross the man’s face and held up. He glanced at Ginny, then back at Nick. “What the hell is going on here?”

  His booming voice startled Ginny and she took a step away as she frantically tried to close the buttons on her dress.

  Nick straightened and rubbed his jaw, glancing at Ginny. “Do you want to tell him, or should I?”

  Luke swung his gaze to Ginny, pinning her with a hard, unyielding glare. He crossed his arms, waves of anger still rolling off him.

  “I…uh…” The words died on her lips as humiliation won out over the horror she’d felt at seeing Luke. Her fingers trembled so badly, she couldn’t close her dress. She looked up at Luke in alarm.

  “Ah, hell.” He reached down, grabbed her coat, and tossed it at her. “Put this on.”

  She slipped into the coat and closed the larger buttons in a few quick motions, then wrapped her arms tight around her waist.

  “Ginny came here to talk to me about a job,” Nick said in a flat voice, not wanting to cause her any more distress.

  “What?” Luke bellowed. He had to get himself under control. He paced to the window and back, taking a couple of deep breaths and forcing his gaze away from Ginny until he’d calmed his features. “Why, Ginny?”

  She licked her lips in a frantic attempt to clear her head and answer. “I… You… We…” She buried her face in her hands, rubbing her eyes and massaging her temples where a painful throbbing had begun the moment Luke burst into the room.

  Luke shifted his gaze to Nick, who nodded toward the door. “Take her home. Give her some time and she’ll explain everything.”

  “You and Ginny—”

  “Don’t insult me, Pelletier. Take your woman and go.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Luke replayed the scene at the Dixie over and over on their way to the ranch with Ginny snuggled up against his chest. He tightened his arm around her waist, drawing her toward him, trying to make sense of what he’d seen. Luke sent word to Travis, saying Ginny would ride back with him on Prince, and asking the ranch hand to get Mary from the boardinghouse. Luke and Ginny needed time alone to sort through what had happened and understand if they had any future together.

  He’d recovered from the initial shock. Now he needed to know why she’d acted the way she had. What woman would walk out of a secure, safe home, where she had a good job and plenty to eat, and ask for a job in a brothel? No one, as far as Luke believed. Not one woman he’d ever met would do what Ginny did. It made no sense and he sure as hell wanted to understand her reason.

  She shifted in the saddle, causing him to groan, heat flaring through his body. He breathed in her clean scent, letting wisps of hair blow across his face until he couldn’t resist her any longer. He buried his face in the side of her neck, placing kisses on her soft skin until she sighed, snuggling closer to him.

  “You’re going to tell me why you did this,” he whispered as he pulled his head back and replaced the weak moment with the strength he knew he’d need once she told her side of the story.

  He saw no movement around the ranch as he rode into the barn and slid from Prince. He helped Ginny down, then turned her to him. “Don’t even consider going into the house and locking yourself in your bedroom. I swear, Ginny, I’ll bust the door down if I need to.”

  She scowled, but nodded and walked toward the house as he took care of Prince. She disappeared long enough to fix her hair and wash the tears that had dried on her cheeks during the ride home. Luke didn’t give any indication he’d noticed her damp face, although she felt certain he had. Ginny heard the front door open and close, followed by the sound of male voices before another door closed. She grabbed her shawl, making the decision to get their conversation over with now and face whatever consequences Luke and Dax doled out.

  Luke could hear her coming down the hall. Hank walked out the back door to join Bernice, pointing to a full pot of coffee. Everyone else was out with the herd and not expected back until well past sunset. Doc Worthington had come by earlier to get Rachel as he’d gotten word Abby Tolbert wasn’t well.

  They were alone.

  He looked up as she stopped just inside the kitchen. “Do you want some coffee?” he offered, grabbing two cups.

  “I’d prefer water.”

  Her voice still shook and if he hadn’t walked in on her and Nick, he might be able to feel sorry for her. He filled her cup with water and his with coffee, then took a seat at the table, nodding for her to do the same. She settled across from him, wrapping the shawl around her, tying the ends together, then grasping the cup with both hands.

  Luke took a sip of the hot, strong brew and watched her over the rim of his cup, his eyes narrowed.

  “Did you plan to let Nick take you to bed when you rode into town?”

  She jumped up and slammed her hands flat on the table, eyes flashing. “No, of course not. And that is not what was happening when you almost busted down his door.”

  “Sit down, Ginny.” The calm tone of his voice belied the rage he felt. Until he knew what had inspired her to go into the Dixie, he knew his stomach would be tied in knots and his chest would feel as if it were being squeezed in a vice. The faster he learned the truth, the sooner he’d be able to control his fury. “Why did you go there?”

  Ginny lowered herself into the chair, focusing on her cup of water, clasping her hand in her lap. She let out a slow breath. “I thought it would be best for Mary and me.”

  “To work in a brothel?” His voice was low, steady, and disbelieving.

  “To get away from you and the confusion I feel when you’re around. I don’t know what to expect from you, or what you want from me.” She let her eyes look past him and to the window over the sink as she tried to get her jumbled thoughts in order.

/>   The pain that flared with her words staggered Luke. She’d made the decision to work in a saloon to escape him. “You’d toss a life at the ranch and your reputation aside to get away from me?”

  “You don’t understand.” She rubbed her eyes, needing to control her emotions.

  He leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. “You’re right. I don’t.”

  She swallowed the lump in her throat, knowing he wouldn’t let her leave the room until he understood why she’d gone to Nick. “When my parents died, I knew there would be hard choices if Mary and I were to survive. Few ways exist for a woman to make enough money to live. I didn’t have a wagon to continue our journey to Oregon as my father had planned, so we stayed in Splendor. Suzanne provided a room and board in exchange for work. She spoke to Amos about hiring me. I’m not sure he wanted to, but he did, and I counted my blessings for the good fortune.” She took a sip of water as her thoughts began to unfold.

  “Then the Dixie opened and Amos didn’t have the business to keep me. Suzanne also struggled when the new restaurant opened and I knew she would need the money from every room. Rachel offering me a job was a wonderful surprise…except for one problem.”

  “Me.” Luke settled back in his chair.

  Her gaze settled on his as a sad smile formed. “Yes, you. I’d made the decision to be independent, never marry, and find contentment raising Mary. The job at your ranch would fulfill all of these, except I’d have to deal with my feelings for you every day. You muddle my thoughts, make me doubt what I believe I should do to protect myself and Mary. I thought I could handle it, but you…well…”

  “I wouldn’t leave you alone, and couldn’t explain how I felt,” Luke murmured.

  “You didn’t need to explain. I already knew you’d chosen a life that included the ranch and jobs with Pinkerton. You have no use for building a family, yet I couldn’t change the way I felt when you were around. I did everything I could to ignore you. I soon learned that wouldn’t work.”

  Luke recalled his irritation at her obvious attempts to keep her distance, and his determination not to let her. Looking back, his actions seemed selfish.