Shaye glanced around Alejandro’s new room, which was very much like his old one: a double bed, a four-drawer chest, a single chair, a window that overlooked the street.
“Can I help you with anything?” Folding his coat, she laid it over the back of the chair.
He shook his head. “Thanks. I’ll be all right.”
“Okay. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
“Were you serious about dealing at the Queen?”
“Yes, if you really think I can do it.”
“There’s no time like the present to find out.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m due at the Queen in an hour.” He lifted his wounded arm. “The doc told me to take it easy for a few days. Said I shouldn’t deal. But you can.”
“Tonight? You mean tonight? But I haven’t had enough practice.”
Alejandro’s gaze moved over her. “Darlin’, the men won’t be paying any attention to their cards.”
She stared at him a moment, felt her cheeks grow warm as she realized what he meant. “But…”
“Wear something…provocative.”
“Provocative? Like what, my shorts?”
“What are shorts?”
“You know, the short pants I was wearing when I came here.”
“I remember,” he said with a grin. “You’ve got nice legs.”
“Thanks,” she muttered drily.
“I need to get cleaned up,” he said, glancing down at his ruined shirt. “How soon can you be ready?”
“I don’t know. Thirty minutes?”
“All right. I’ll come for you in three-quarters of an hour. And don’t worry. You’ll do fine.”
“If you say so.”
She hadn’t been kidding when she said the only provocative thing she owned were her shorts. The outfits from Madame Sophie’s were all demure in the extreme with their high necks and long sleeves.
In the end, she picked the white blouse with the ruffled front and the wine red skirt, which had a modest bustle. She wore her hair down, something she rarely did. She applied her makeup carefully, put on a clean pair of stockings, laced up her boots.
She blew out a sigh when Alejandro knocked on the door. Ready or not, she mused, here I come.
* * * * *
The Queen of Bodie was in full swing when they arrived. Every table was filled to capacity. Men stood three deep at the bar, drinking and laughing. The saloon girls moved through the room, their gaudy dresses making them look like exotic birds.
Digger, Henry, and Spooner were sitting at Alejandro’s table, along with two other men unknown to Shaye.
“’Bout time you got here, Rio,” Digger said. “Hell, man, what happened to your arm?”
“I got into a little disagreement with McCrory. I’ll take over now, Murphy.”
“Suits me.” Murphy swept up his winnings and left the table.
Alejandro pulled out a chair for Shaye, then dropped into the one Murphy had vacated.
Spooner made a sound of disgust. “McCrory! That dirty sonofa…” He glanced at Shaye, cleared his throat, and looked back at Alejandro. “What did he do?”
“He’s dipping into the till over at the Belle.”
“The bastard. Oh, sorry, Shaye.”
“It’s all right, Spooner,” she said with a grin. “I agree with you.”
“So, I guess you set him straight,” Henry said. “Right?”
“We talked,” Alejandro said curtly.
Spooner grunted. “Must have been some conversation. Does he look as bad as you do?”
Alejandro laughed. “Worse.”
“We playin’ poker or gossipin’?”
“Hold your horses, Mercer,” Digger admonished. He gestured at Alejandro’s injured arm. “You gonna be able to deal?”
“No. Hurts like the devil when I move my hand. Shaye’s gonna deal, if you’ve got no objections.”
“Shaye!” Henry exclaimed. “Why, I think that’s a hell of…I mean, that’s a fine idea.”
“I don’t care who deals,” Mercer muttered irritably. “Let’s play cards.”
Alejandro winked at Shaye as he handed her a fresh deck.
She smiled her thanks, broke the seal, and shuffled the cards, grateful that her hands weren’t shaking. She wasn’t sure why she was so nervous. She had sat in with Spooner, Digger, and Henry before.
The four men each tossed twenty dollars into the pot.
Shaye looked over at Alejandro. “I didn’t bring any…”
He shook his head as he reached into his pocket and withdrew a roll of greenbacks and a handful of coins. “You’re dealing for me,” he said as he tossed a double eagle into the pot. “It’s only fair that I foot the bill.”
* * * * *
Shaye pushed away from the table and stood up, stretching. She couldn’t believe how quickly the last four hours had passed. What was even more amazing was the fact that she had come out more than seven hundred dollars ahead.
Alejandro sat back in his chair. “You’re a natural, darlin’.” He smiled at her, a warm, wonderful smile that made her go weak in the knees “I thought Mercer was gonna shit his britches when you turned over that fourth jack.”
Shaye laughed. She had taken a big chance on the last hand, and it had paid off. She gathered up her winnings and pushed them toward Alejandro. “Thanks for backing me.”
Alejandro counted the greenbacks, gold and silver. After deducting the amount he had given her up front, he split the rest in half, and slid it across the table.
“What’s that for?”
“You worked hard. You earned it.”
“But I still owe you…”
“You don’t owe me anything, darlin’.” He picked up her half and put it in his pocket. “Mine in the left, yours in the right,” he said, and stood up. “Ready to go?”
She nodded, felt her whole body tingle when he took her hand in his.
They walked slowly toward the hotel. Caught up in his nearness, she paid little heed to the crowds on the street, hardly heard the ever-present noise of the stamp mill. His hand was large and warm around hers.
The air around them felt charged, thick with tension, like the air before a storm.
Her heart was pounding by the time they reached the hotel. He walked her up the stairs, waited while she unlocked the door. Stepping inside, she lit the lamp on the bedside table, her heart racing a little as she wondered if he would stay awhile.
When she turned around, he was standing just inside the door. “Should I go?”
She shook her head, felt a nervous quiver of excitement in the pit of her stomach as he closed and locked the door behind him.
She stood there, feeling as though she were poised on the brink of a precipice, while he closed the distance between them, then slid his good arm around her waist and drew her close.
“Shaye.” He looked into her eyes, a wry smile on his lips. “I love the sound of your name.”
“I love the way you say it.” She swayed toward him, eyelids fluttering down as he bent his head toward her.
His kiss, when it came, was warm and sweet and infinitely tender. Rising on her tiptoes, she wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him back.
“Rio…”
He ran his finger over her lower lip. “I know darlin’,” he murmured.
“Does your arm hurt very much?”
“Yeah,” he admitted. “Would you mind if I spent the night?”
She batted her eyelashes at him in her best Southern belle style. “Why, sir, whatever are you suggesting?”
“When I’m suggesting something, darlin’, you’ll know it,” he said with a wicked grin. “You won’t have to ask.”
“Of course you can stay.” She unbuttoned his shirt, taking care not to jar his injured arm as she slipped his shirt off and tossed it on the chair.
She unbuckled his gunbelt, coiled it around the holster, and laid it on top of his shirt.
When she started to unbuckle his belt, he laid his hand over hers. “I think I’d better take care of the rest myself.”
She nodded. Turning her back to him, she began to get undressed.
He whistled under his breath when he saw her standing there clad in nothing but her bra and panties. “What the hell are you wearing?”
She glanced at him over her shoulder. “This is what ladies’ underwear is like where I come from.”
“Damn,” he muttered, “I’m gonna have to go there.”
She made a face at him. Removing her under garments, she pulled on her nightgown, then drew back the covers and slid under the sheets.
A few moments later, he crawled into bed beside her.
“I’ve been thinking about what you said,” Alejandro remarked.
“What I said about what?”
“About your coming here from the future.”
“Do you believe me?”
“I don’t know.” He put his arm around her and drew her up against his side.
“It seems impossible.”
“But here I am.” She turned her head so she could see his face. “You’ll leave town the end of July, won’t you?”
“If you’ll go with me.”
She nodded, knowing she would gladly go anywhere he asked. “What about Daisy?”
“I don’t know. I guess we’ll just have to take her with us.”
“That’ll be a lot of fun,” Shaye muttered. But she knew he was right. They couldn’t leave Daisy behind. And once again, she couldn’t help wondering what effect, if any, all this would have on the future.
She settled her head on his shoulder, thinking how right it felt to be lying there with him. Only a few days ago, she had been afraid she would never find her way back home; now she wanted to spend the rest of her life here, with him.