“It’s different, all right. So much so it took me a few blinks to recognize you. Who’s this lovely lady?”
Brax made the introductions. “Raven Moreau. Charley Shirley, the owner.”
“Pleased to meet you, Mr. Shirley.”
“Same here. Thanks for brightening up my place.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Raven’s mother is marrying Da,” Brax told him.
“She must have poor eyesight.”
Raven cackled.
“I’m serious. Have your mama get her eyes seen by a good doctor. Something’s wrong with them if she thinks that old piece of shoe leather is worth marrying.”
Smiling, Brax asked, “What’s on the menu? What are you poisoning your customers with today, Shirley?”
The gray-haired Charley said to Raven, “See? Neither one of the Steele men is worth a Confederate coin.” He rattled off what he had to offer.
Raven said. “I’ll take a ham sandwich, please.”
“And you, Mr. Hairless?”
Brax cut him a look. “The same.”
“Okay. Will bring them to you directly.”
When he walked away, she said, “Now about the gown. You’ve given me bath salts and clothing. What’s next?”
To himself he thought:My name, my love, abig house, and that passel of babies.“I don’t know. What else would you like?”
She smiled and sighed. “Never mind. Thank you for the gown. Not that I have any place to wear it.”
“Sure, you do. My grandfather’s Captain’s Ball is coming up in about two weeks.”
“I don’t go to balls, Brax. I’m the woman who cleans up after all the drunken guests go home.”
“Not this time. Someone else will clean up. You get to wear your gown and dazzle every man in the room.”
She studied him silently. “What am I going to do with you?”
“I’ll let you know tonight. I think maybe we’ll begin by reading a chapter ofAlicewith you sitting on my lap. How’s that?”
She laughed and he loved the sound.
That evening, within the quiet confines of his bedroom, he loved the other sounds she made: her sighs when he kissed her, her moans when he slowly feasted on her breast and then between her spread-wide thighs, her passion-toned hiss when he entered her, and especially the sounds she made when the orgasms he gave her made her cry out his name. They never did finish that chapter ofAlice, but neither of them cared.