That was a telling statement. No wonder she craved my attention and acceptance.
I smiled. My bride was quite the enigma, and I was eager to learn even more. “All right. You will go and win the money you need.”
Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open. I would have laughed at her expression if she wouldn’t have started crying again if I did so.
“You’ll allow it?”
“Allow it? I doubt I can stop you.”
She pursed her lips, but she gave me a small smile.
“Then you will let me go to Fargo?” She didn’t seem too pleased with the idea of letting her leave. She wanted me to want her to stay.
“Of course not. We will send a telegraph from Travis Point for the sheriff in Fargo. As you said, the man Grimsby sent has quite an advantage on us. The sheriff can see to your sisters promptly. Today.”
She bit her lip. “I didn’t even think of that.”
“Kitten, you must tell us your problems. They belong to us now, and we are strong enough to handle them.”
“Then why are you allowing me to play poker if all we’re doing is sending a telegraph?”
I leaned down, kissed her lips. “If you were a man, you would have earned the money you wanted quickly and without any problem at any establishment in Butte. I will not deny you the opportunity to do this just because you are a woman. You playing poker in a saloon, besting men out of their hard-earned coin? This is something I wish to see.”
10
TENNESSEE
“I did it!” I all but shouted as we walked out of the saloon into the bright sunshine.
Jonah took my elbow and escorted me down the boardwalk, tipping his hat at two ladies whose eyebrows were so high they were hidden beneath their hats because I’d come from a saloon… and with such exuberance. Nothing was going to ruffle my feathers at a moment such as this. Besides, they should be pleased a woman had entered, played cards and won from a bunch of men.
Ha! I was so pleased I could burst; the heavy weight of the money I’d won in my pocket. For the first time, I was thankful for something my father taught me. I could understand how he had become addicted to the practice, for winning felt… incredible. Unlike him, though, I had no intention of playing in a saloon again and wouldn’t lose my winnings like he did. And then some. “I can’t believe it.”
“I can’t believe I didn’t punch any of them in the face for looking at you the way they were. And I was sitting right beside you.”
His tone was that of a poked bear. I patted his forearm to comfort him. We’d entered the saloon an hour earlier, and while the men within—as well as the saloon girl—eyed my presence suspiciously, they remained silent. Especially when Jonah had sa
id his wife was going to play cards in a tone or bearing that brooked no argument. They’d humored me, at first, especially when I lost the first hand intentionally. But when I raked in the pot from the second, their placating stopped. And when I won again, and again, they eyed me with anger. Jonah had been my protector when the men could have changed their minds and taken the money right back.
“Yes, but I won.”
He quickened his pace, and I all but ran to keep up.
“Which means they may be following to get their money back.”
I looked over my shoulder and almost stumbled. Jonah gripped my arm to keep me from falling.
“Will you slow down?”
He stopped and I bumped into him. “Jonah”
He considered me to be the recalcitrant one.
His pale eyes met mine, then lowered to my lips. A growl rumbled from his chest. “We are hurrying because I want to fuck you. Watching you in there made me hard.”
I glanced down and sure enough, the thick outline of his cock was evident through his pants.
My nipples hardened in reflexive response. I’d become quickly attuned to that deep voice, the telling need in his pale eyes. I nodded because I could not refuse. I didn’t want to. I wanted to find a dark corner somewhere and let him have his way with me.