Sunny's Safe Haven (The Red Petticoat Saloon)

by Vanessa Brooks

  Nothing had turned out the way she had expected. She had thought that her father would allow her to explain everything fully and then perhaps storm over to Mr. Thurgood and demand that his son Kelly do the honorable thing and marry her. Instead he had turned on her in a violently terrifying way, frightening Stephanie into her disastrous flight.

  She turned her head into the pillow trying to block out the memory of what came next, she was so tired of weeping but she just couldn’t seem to stop the tears that leaked constantly from her eyes. She gave way and howled her pain into her already damp pillow.

  A strong arm suddenly slipped underneath her and she felt herself scooped up. The next thing she knew, she was clasped within a man’s strong arms, held against a solid, broad chest, a gruff voice crooning in her ear reassuringly. She held onto his strength, oblivious of his identity and keened her raw grief at the loss of her baby. Despite her predicament, she had wanted that child and she was devastated by the loss.

  The man rocked her and held her; it was comforting to have his strength and hardness wrapped about her. She snuggled in, enjoying the feel of his protection. Even after the maelstrom had passed and she lay exhausted, he continued to hold her close. His hand smoothed her forehead, his fingers massaged her scalp, running through her pale flaxen hair.

  “Better?” the gruff voice finally asked. Stephanie propped herself up, turning so that she could look at him. She had kind of assumed that it was Mr. Vasquez, Gabe, who was comforting her. Stephanie was sure that she had never seen this man before in her life. Her second thought was, oh my lawd, what a gorgeous man, quickly followed by, I must look like a damp dishrag. She hurriedly rubbed her tear stained cheeks with the palm of her hand.

  He grinned and tiny smile lines crinkled into being about his piercing, luminescent baby blue eyes which stood out from his darkly tanned skin. His hair was dark, almost as black as Gabe Vasquez’s. His even teeth flashed white. She glanced at his forearms, hard, well-muscled and covered in a thick layer of dark hair. She noticed that his nails were unusually clean. But the thing that struck her most about him was his male scent. He smelt sublime. Leather mingled with sandalwood soap and an intangible something that stirred her senses and made her completely aware of herself as a woman. Stephanie’s thoughts took a reality check, a fallen woman. She drew back from him at once, embarrassed and ashamed of her sudden feelings toward him.

  She cleared her throat and asked him more sharply than she actually meant to, “Who are you?”

  "You don’t recall? I am the man whose horse you fell under after your pa hit you. The name’s Tey.”

  “Tey what?”

  “Just… Tey.”

  “You must have another name?”

  “We-ll, Patrick Tey but folks call me Tey. I prefer it that way.”

  “Hello, Tey, I thank you for holding me, it was… real kind.”

  Tey ran his knuckles in a caress under her chin and smiled, his eyes crinkling appealingly. “Entirely my pleasure, Miss Stephanie. Now do tell, where d’you get such pretty white blonde hair?”

  Stephanie felt her face heat at the compliment. Did Tey not know that she was a woman who had lost a baby out of wedlock? “My mother, her parents were from Poland.”

  There was a sudden, scratching, scuffling sound and the next moment a thump. Something had landed heavily next to them on the bed.

  “A dog!” Stephanie cried delightedly.

  “Sorry ‘bout that. Careful though, he’s not partial to strangers an’ he might jus’ nip you.”

  Dog gave him a “who me?” kind of look, laid his head down upon her arm, his pink tongue swiping her wrist, belying everything Tey had just told her about him. Stephanie scratched him behind the ears and grinned.

  Tey glowered at the dog. “Honest, he don’t usually take to strangers.”

  Dog rolled over onto his back, waving all four of his short legs into the air, his pink tongue flopped sideways out of his mouth as he leered comically back at them. Stephanie scratched the dog’s belly and giggled. “What’s his name?”

  “Dog.”

  “Oh… how long have you had him?”

  “‘Bout five years now I guess. Some sonofabitch was fixin’ to throw him in the Colorado River. I stepped in an’ put a stop to that. Dog’s chosen to mosey along with me ever since, I don’t rightly consider him mine, if’n he decides to part ways, well then that’s just fine by me.”

  Dog whimpered appealingly and Tey glared down at him.

  “You just stop that, making me look bad in front of a lady an’ all, you’re a real bad dog!” Dog gave a single arguing yip in reply and licked Stephanie again. She sniggered, this was one funny dog. She loved the interaction between the two. She reckoned Tey must be a man she could trust, if Dog trusted him. She found herself feeling more relaxed than she had since she arrived here.

  “You gonna press charges against your Pa, like Sheriff Justice suggested?”

  She shook her head, not looking at him, concentrating on petting the dog. “The sheriff spoke to you about me?” she enquired softly.

  “I was with him when he said he thought you ought to bring charges.”

  “I don’t blame my father for being so angry with me, I-I can’t bring charges. I am furious enough with myself. I just, I just…” She raised her head and her eyes sheened over once again.

  Tey hushed her, staring with fascination into her liquid yellow-green eyes.

  “Hey, the scum who let you down doesn’t deserve this amount of grief spent on him. You gotta pick yourself up and move on with your life. You’re lucky to have landed in this here safe haven. Believe me this saloon is unique and if anyone should know I would. I spend half my life in saloons and bawdy houses, heck, some of my best friends are whores.”

  “Gems, they’re called gems here,” Stephanie corrected absentmindedly. Did this gorgeous man believe that she should stay on here and become a gem?

  “Yeah, good title for the cuties working here, all dressed up in those lovely red petticoats. Tell me d’you know the significance of the pink petticoats?”

  “Mm, they are girls not ready or wanting to go upstairs with men. They serve bar when needed, or waitress. Some dance or work in the bathing room.” Notions about what her future might hold swirled around in her head.

  After a few moments of easy silence, Tey got to his feet. “I guess I’ll be moseying on now. I was looking for Perry when I heard you crying.”

  “Sorry… who?” Stephanie frowned. She’d been deep in thought.

  “Peridot, kinda a mouthful, so I call her Perry.”

  “Oh, everyone calls her Dottie. Um, so you’re quite taken with her are you?” she mumbled, feeling inexplicably dispirited.

  “We-ll yeah, I want to spend another night with her. Kinda beats staying in the boarding house an’ I paid Miz Jewel up front for tonight.” He wondered why he felt the need to explain himself to her.

  “I expect Dottie’s in the kitchen having supper; take a look see in there.”

  “I will, thanks.” Tey stood up, twisting his hat around in his hands. The atmosphere had become strained and neither of them understood why but both felt the awkwardness that had sprung up between them.

  “Um, thanks, Tey,” Stephanie eventually murmured.

  “Hey, you’re welcome, you get better d’you hear? Come on, Dog.” Tey whistled and turned leaving the room.

  “Thanks again, and goodbye,” Stephanie called softly.

  Dog stayed put upon the bed and Tey turned back into the room, his brow furrowed, he shook his head at the mongrel and gave another brief whistle but the dog stubbornly remained where he was. Tey sighed, flashed a quick grin at Stephanie and was gone, leaving the dog behind.

  Stephanie flopped backward onto the bed. Dog immediately snuggled into the curve of her hip with a contented sigh. Stephanie stroked his head; it felt nice to have his warm, reassuring company.

  She thought about what Tey had said. Basically she understood that he implied tha
t no decent man would want her now. He had pointed out that she was already in a safe place and Stephanie took his meaning to be that she should stay here and work within the Red Petticoat saloon. After all, what other options did she have? Go back to her father with her tail between her legs and accept his daily abuse, because she knew for a fact, he would never let her forget that she was a fallen woman. Then there was the very real possibility that he would hit her again. The proper ladies within Culpepper Cove society would ignore her and gossip about her, dragging her name through the mud.

  It was nice here. She was clean and well fed. The girls and Miss Jewel were friendly, she liked them. Gabe was kind, although he sometimes scared her, with his dark forbidding gaze.

  Tey’s face swam in her mind and she felt a stab of regret that it was Dottie he was interested in but then she couldn’t expect him to be interested in a loose girl like herself, one who’d just lost another man’s baby. She closed her eyes with deep sadness but overall she did now at least feel a little more positive. Worn out by so much emotion, she turned her face into her pillow and within seconds she slept.

  Chapter Four

  Tey pushed open the door to the kitchen and stuck his head round. His senses were immediately engulfed by mouthwatering aromas. The very same large aproned woman he had seen when Stephanie had been brought into the saloon earlier in the week, stood at a stove stirring a large pot. Three pretty women sat around the kitchen table in various stages of undress and a tall slim man Tey had not encountered before, leaned against the back door of the room. They all stared at him as he entered with some surprise, all except Dottie, who leaped to her feet and came over to him, hips swaying provocatively, her lips curved into a delighted smile. “Well how do, cowboy, you lost and all on your lonesome?”

  Tey grinned back and leaned in for a kiss one which had steam coming out of his ears. A shrieking whistle drew them apart. A man standing across the kitchen growled. “Hey, you two, get a room upstairs, kitchen ain’t no place for that.”

  “Sit and eat or taste my spoon, boy!” The cook called across the room, waving her spoon wildly at him.

  “Nettie, have done now, you know how much you love a handsome cowboy in your kitchen!” Dottie teased.

  “Pull up a seat and prepare to taste the best gumbo you’ve ever eaten, cowboy,” she ordered bossily, ladling out a dish for Tey and setting it before him. Tey laid his hat on the table before holding out his hand to the man.

  “Tey.”

  “John, a pleasure to meet you, Tey. I hear you’ve taken quite a shine to our Peridot,” John drawled.

  “She’s an insatiable baggage but we seem to fit well together, for the time being at any rate.”

  Dottie slapped Tey’s shoulder indignantly. “Hey!” she squealed.

  Tey leaned back and scooped an arm about her waist, drawing her into his side. He pinched her backside and she squealed again.

  “Well now, Tey, if ever you tire of Dottie’s charms, my door’s always wide open.” The pretty dark haired Opal batted her eyelashes at Tey from across the table.

  “We’ll see about that, missy. I have you pretty much booked up for the foreseeable future!” John growled at her. Opal jumped up and sashayed across toward the tall man. He crossed his arms and glowered down at her. Opal tapped his bulging forearm lightly with a well-manicured fingertip.

  “Now, now, boys have to learn to share,” she taunted. John flashed out a hand, caught her and spun her around, landing a single, sharp explosive smack on her bottom. Everyone laughed, except the pouting Opal, who flounced back to sit at the table.

  Tey took up the spoon Nettie set before him and tucked in. “Mmm, hmm, best damned gumbo I ever tasted, Miz Nettie!”

  Nettie grinned. “You better believe it, mister. Everything I make is the best you ever tasted that’s for sure!”

  “You don’t hear me arguing none, ma’am!” Tey replied easily.

  The door swung open and Gabe sauntered in then stopped dead. “Nettie, there’s a client eating at the family table.”

  “S’ okay, Gabe, he’s with me,” Dottie answered.”

  “You know the rule; client’s stay out front of house.”

  “Mah kitchen, mah rules!” Nettie boomed, flailing her spoon about in the air to make her point.

  Gabe lowered his brows into a mock scowl. “I think a certain young lady needs a reminder of the house rules,” he growled in jest as he stalked her slowly around the table. Nettie squealed and ran to the opposite side of the kitchen. Everyone burst out laughing as the two began to chase around the table and chairs. Finally, John stepped forward and snagged Nettie’s beefy arm allowing Gabe to catch up with her.

  “You jus’ let me go or you’re gonna feel my wooden spoon on your backside and that’s a promise, mister!”

  Gabe stuck a booted foot up onto a chair rung and tipped the large woman forward over his knee. The kitchen immediately burst into uproar. Girls shrieked with glee and Tey and John clapped, egging Gabe on.

  “I’s too big and ornery for a spankin’, Mister Gabe, jus’ you put me down!”

  “Ah, but I think a spanking might help you remember the house rules, Miz Nettie.” Gabe landed some wallops on Nettie’s bottom and then John leaned in and handed him a wooden spoon that he had snuck from a drawer. Gabe winked back at him wickedly. He gave Nettie’s ample rump four thwacks with the spoon. She kicked her leg out, squealing like a stuck pig.

  “What in blazes is going on in here? I can hear the noise from outside in the bar and that’s saying something!” Jewel stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of Gabe with Nettie balanced across his knee.

  “Gabe, have you lost your mind?” she cried.

  Gabe winked at her, lowering the spoon so that it rested on Nettie’s upturned rear.

  “Am I not in charge of discipline, queirda?”

  “Yes… but…”

  “I am reminding this naughty young señorita here of our house rules. Now then, Nettie, what do you have to say to me?”

  There was a strangulated gurgle of laughter from around his boot. “You is one naughty man, Mister Gabe! I’ll get you back jus’ you see if I don’t!”

  “Tsk, tsk, wrong answer, niña.” The spoon began rising and falling again and Jewel found herself laughing along with the others until tears ran down her cheeks.

  When Gabe finally allowed Nettie up, he pulled her in for a big hug but she began boxing his ears instead.

  “Ow… Ow, enough, Nettie, it was just a bit of fun!” he cried, his arms rising to shield his dark head.

  “Fun? Fun! Tell that to my burning backside, you Mexican fiend!” she howled, rubbing her generously endowed bottom. She turned back to the stove and began to stir her pot, grumbling and muttering fiercely to herself. It was apparent to those who knew her well that the flush staining the nape of her neck indicated that she might be embarrassed but she had enjoyed the horseplay with Gabe.

  Jewel cleared her throat, still grinning from ear to ear. “I have six orders for gumbo here, Nettie. Amethyst, you need to get out front of house to man the bar, we’re filling up already and the girls are barely coping. Peridot, take your client upstairs. Tey, since you have her all night, perhaps you would save Gabe the job of reminding her of our house rules?”

  “What? Noo… I didn’t ask him into the kitchen, he just arrived here!” Dottie objected vehemently.

  Tey grinned. “Be my pleasure, ma’am!” He winked at Jewel and landed a smack on Dottie’s rear. She wiggled her bottom at him saucily then turned skipping nimbly out of the kitchen door. Tey leapt up, following her in hot pursuit. The gay strains of Old California, drifted into the room from the open doorway, indicating that Charlie was already hard at work amusing the early evening punters on his piano.

  John walked to the door. “Come on, Opal, sounds like we’re needed out front.” When everyone had gone, Nettie turned to Jewel. “I like that boy.”

  “Who, John?” Jewel asked, surprised.

  “No, y
ou ninny, Tey.”

  “You like anyone who likes your cooking,” Jewel replied.

  “I do, but that Tey, well he’s a likeable young man. Think he’s falling for our Peridot?”

  “No, they enjoy one another but I do not detect amor between them,” Gabe replied, sitting down and pulling Jewel down onto his lap.

  “Shame,” Nettie sighed. She began to dish out plates of her steaming gumbo ready to feed the hordes of patrons filling the Red Petticoat to bursting for another busy night.

  Jewel looked in on their guest and smiled at the sight of Stephanie wrapped around Dog. He opened one eye and glanced at her before going back to sleep. She collected up the empty soup bowl, pleased to see that the girl had finished it all. Pulling the door to, she headed back to the kitchen to help serve the hungry men already seated waiting for their supper at front of house.

  Chapter Five

  Tey left town as dawn streaked the sky with pale apricot fingers. It was the first time in five years that he had travelled without Dog. He had stuck his head around Stephanie’s door and given the mutt a low whistle, one which usually galvanized the dog into eager action, but not today. He had lifted his head and stared Tey straight in the eye, before churning around in a half circle, putting his back to his master. Tey had clicked his fingers but Dog had ignored him and stayed where he was, snuggled up against Stephanie. Tey was hurt, oh, he would deny it till hell froze over, but that dog had followed him faithfully for five long years and his defection stumped Tey.

  As he and Mustang moved out into the lower hills of the Sierra Mountains, Tey found himself thinking about Stephanie. He liked her; he liked Dottie too. Why then when Dottie climaxed last night, had he found himself wondering how Stephanie’s face would look, if it were she that he was balls deep inside while her sheath tightened in ecstasy around him? Would she pant and sigh, or would she have a loud throaty cry like Dottie when she came? He shook himself; why the hell was he thinking like this at all? Jeeze, he was such a piece of work. That little girl had just lost a baby and here he was already mentally debasing the poor thing. She was no whore, his lip twitched with amusement as he corrected himself, she was no gem. He shook himself, putting Stephanie from his mind.