Wildstar

"I will be Wednesday night." Riley stared.

Uncomfortable with her father's scrutiny, Jess jumped up from the table and began clearing the dinner dishes.

"What's come over you lately, Jess? Ever since the mine cave you've been as jumpy as a cat."

"Nothing. I'm fine." She lifted the pot of scalding water she'd left heating on the stove and poured it into the sink.

"Then how come you're so steamed at Devlin all of a sudden? You used to like the fellow."

"That was before I knew what kind of man he is."

"What kind of man is he? What'd he do that's got you so all-fired upset?"

She couldn't possibly tell her father all the reasons she wanted nothing to do with Devlin. Glancing over her shoulder as she tied on her apron, she hedged. "For one thing, he's so damnably arrogant I could spit."

Riley's eyebrows shot up, and Jess knew it was because she'd sworn in his presence. She never swore. She felt it incumbent on her to follow her own rules that she'd set up for her boarders.

"That's no reason not to go celebrate," Riley said slowly. "I'd like you to go with us, Jess." He gave her a coaxing smile. "You can buy you a pretty new dress and get all fancied up—"

"My own dresses aren't good enough to be worn in his company, is that it? He's too rich to be seen with us the way we are?" She shoved a skillet under the water, heed­less of the good china plates and her usual order of wash­ing.

"I didn't say that. You know I don't give a hoot about things like that. But we owe him a lot, after everything he's done for us."

I thought I owed you. The memory of Devlin's biting words brought an ache to her throat. She'd lost her heart to him, but he'd tried to buy her off with fifty thousand dollars. What's wrong? Don't you think your virginity is worth fifty thousand? He'd paid a huge sum for something she'd given freely, willingly—and only proved without a doubt that he and Burke were cut from the same cloth.

"I thought you liked Devlin," her father pressed.

"Well, I don't. I want nothing more to do with that pompous male popinjay."

"Why not? You've got to give me a better reason than just because he's rich."

"It isn't only that." She searched her mind for an excuse her father would accept. "He has a fancy woman."

"How do you know?"

"Because I saw her in Devlin's hotel room."

"You— What? When?"

She felt a blush rise to her cheeks. "When I went there the other day."

"You went to Devlin's hotel room? Bold as brass? Con­found it, Jess, your ma would have had a fit!"

At her father's shock, Jess felt like squirming, especially when she thought of what Riley's reaction would be if he knew the entire truth about her and Devlin, that she done more than merely visit his hotel room. "I only wanted to ask him what he knew about the lode in the Wildstar. . . . And that woman was there."

Riley took a sip of coffee, mulling over her answer. "Sounds like you're a mite jealous."

"I am not!" Jess denied hotly. "I couldn't care less what tarts he keeps!"

"Then why are you shouting?"

When Jess didn't answer, Riley shook his head. "A man like that always has a fancy piece or two."

"Or two!" She went rigid as she thought of Devlin fool­ing around with two fallen angels like Lena Thorpe. "You mean to tell me you approve of such despicable behav­ior?"

"I don't know that it's so despicable. There's no law that says a man can't enjoy himself before he settles down."

"Well, there should be! And Devlin ought to be run out of town!"