"With your, umm ... qualities. I am sure you would have a natural talent for it,” she said, while looking at Barbara's breasts. “And I hear it pays very well, especially with a woman with those kinds of assets."
Barbara's hands leapt to cover her breasts self-consciously.
"You shouldn't be covering those up, you should be showing them off, dear."
"Why, I never!” Barbara had people treat her differently all her life and she wasn't about to take being talked down to by a stranger. She turned around, walking straight for the door, letting the bell ring loudly as she slammed the door shut. “Thank you, but no thank you."
Well that was a waste of time, she thought darkly.
* * * *
Vincent looked at the cards he was just dealt, taking a moment to think whether he wanted to take any more cards. Blackjack wasn't usually his choice of game, but it was what the dealer was playing so he had joined in. He had an ace and a three of hearts. It wasn't a good number to stay at, and he wasn't sure what the dealer had. The girl on his lap wrapped her hands around his neck, snuggling into him. It was definitely a distraction to have Annie sitting on his lap, doing everything she could to get him to drop out of the game.
"Do me a favor, get me another drink,” he said to Annie. She was the best dressed woman in the saloon, her expensive sequined outfit caught the waning light and every cowboy's eye, despite her aging face. She was the proprietor of the saloon, but she made her real money on the beds she rented by the hour upstairs. After working out on the frontier for months at a time, men came here seeking a good time and a little fun.
Annie posed for him, pushing her breasts further out, but removed herself from his lap. Annie was his regular stop here at the saloon for the last three years. She had been trying to get him to marry her for the last two, but neither of them would be happy. She wanted different things in life. Annie loved the attention she got from the other men and had no intention on ever giving it up for any man she saw regularly, not even her husband. “Sure thing, sugar."
"Hit me again, Jim,” he said, blowing out the smoke of the cigar. The dealer gave him one more card, and he picked it up off the table, adding it to the others in his hand, fanning them slightly.
Vincent looked back at the other players at the table. It was a harder crowd than he usually played with. One of the men played with his Winchester handgun at his belt, fingering the ivory handle as one might caress a lover. It made Vincent a little nervous, but it was meant to make him unsteady. He also didn't take well to threats. Even if they were silent.
The dealer flipped his cards over, sharing his hand. His combined hand was a seventeen, a good hand for anyone to beat. The rough-looking man named Clyde narrowed his shifty eyes on Vincent. The man to his left went over twenty-one and he was out. The man on his other side showed his hand at fifteen, and Vincent couldn't help the smile that played his lips when he flipped over his cards. Nineteen.
The dealer paid him, and began to deal another hand.
Vincent held out his hand to stop the dealer. He knew better to stop while his luck held, “Not this time, friend. I think I'm about done for now."
He got up and walked over to the bar to meet Kitty and Annie. He had sampled almost every woman here, and Kitty was a tasty treat as well. Not that he really should be playing, with Barbara due back any time now. Of course, if she were in the middle of a fitting, it would be a little while before she got back. He might have several hours yet.
A man in the corner was playing the piano energetically, the music filling the room with happy sounds. Girls worked the room, sparking conversations with any man who seemed like he might need a willing partner for the evening. Like any hunter, they used the right equipment for their prey, dressed in revealing dresses hiked up to their knees. Ostrich feathers perched in their coiled hair, and the familiar perfume of a whorehouse was strong enough to cover the lingering smell of sex on their bodies.
It was a perfect place for men to spend all that extra gold they made, and men lined up to hand it over. The girls here had a reputation for being some of the best in the business, and Annie always kept her customers happy.
He met Annie at the bar and she smiled, keenly aware of his scrutiny. He took the glass of whiskey from her outstretched hand and put out his cigar on a dish sitting on the highly polished wood.
"You know, sexy, I hope you will have time to come up to my room later. I have missed you lately.” She cooed, basking in the confidence of her sensual power. “Kitty even volunteered to join us if you want. And I know how much you liked the last time she joined us. She couldn't wait to do it again."
"Really?” The thought had crossed his mind that he could finally alleviate some of this never ending sexual tension he had to endure around Barbara lately. Maybe if he had some kind of sexual outlet he could get rid of his stiff third leg. For once.
Kitty was similar to Barbara with her sleek blonde hair. She had much smaller breasts, but he could almost imagine it was Barbara. If he just closed his eyes, he could picture Barbara beneath him instead of Kitty.
Damn. What had the woman done to him? Bewitched him? He was standing in front of not one, but two beautiful women offering their professional services on the house, and all he could think of was Barbara.
She had bewitched him.
There was no doubt in his mind, and what better way for a man to forget a woman, than with another woman?
He arched one brow suggestively, leaning on one arm against the bar. “It would be my pleasure to escort you ladies off to bed."
* * * *
Barbara looked around the smoke-filled saloon, trying to locate her escort. She was surprised she would have to look for him at all. She expected to see him as soon as she peered into the bar, not have to go up to every rough looking cowboy she saw. Most of the ladies in here were working women dressed in the same outrageous and revealing dresses the shopkeeper had tried to sell her. Sensual and exotic, the materials varied from velvet to satin, but every one of the dresses was beautiful.
All of the women looked at Barbara skeptically, as if she was competition. Well, they could think it all they wanted. Just so long as they didn't say it. She decided to approach a gentleman to ask her question instead of one of the ladies. She picked the man who scared her the least, because some of the men were intimidating. She moved to a skinny man who wore a plain suit and glasses perched on the tip of his nose. He smiled graciously at her, welcoming her.
"I am here to find Vincent Waverly, do you happen to know where I can find him?” Not that she was in any particular hurry to meet up with her partner. His presence unnerved her, and set her on fire, and after meeting up with the locals, she realized just how stuck with him she was.
"I think he's not wanting to be disturbed right now, being as he has an appointment with a lady right now."
"A lady?” She lit up furiously, letting out a frustrated breath.
"Actually there were two of them.” The man grinned.
"Two women?” Her rage was white hot. “How could he? He knew I was supposed to meet him here. That man is irritating. Now what am I supposed to do? He was supposed to escort me home."
"Well I hate seeing a lady in distress. If it's a problem, I'd be happy to escort you home, ma'am.” He tipped his hat to her.
Barbara wanted more than a ride home, she wanted a showdown with Vincent. How dare he chastise her for running off by herself and then schedule himself a little rendezvous with his lovers?
The man had no class, he could have done this little rendezvous on a day when she wasn't around. On a day when she would never find out, but now all she could see was red, especially as she visualized him in bed with two naked women hanging on his arms.
She puffed out her chest, keeping the smile plastered to her face as she gritted out, “No thank you, I still have an appointment to join Vincent.” She turned on her heel and took the stairs two by two, pulling her dress up off the floor so she wouldn't trip over it.
* * * *
Vincent lay down on the bed after kicking off his boots. Locking his arms behind his head, he propped himself up to watch the girls disrobe. It was all part of the show. Not all of the men got this kind of special attention, but being one of Annie's favorites certainly paid off. Annie and he had agreed that it would never work permanently, but it was fun to play together.
Annie closed the door and helped the younger woman to disrobe. The scarlet dress dropped to the floor, revealing matching lingerie, a flat stomach, perky round breasts, and black stockings that hooked neatly to a garter belt. In one fluid motion, the corset was unhooked and her breasts freed. Her pink nipples were in sharp contrast to her creamy flesh.
She was no innocent virgin and she welcomed him with open arms. Slipping her pantaloons down around her ankles, she was now naked.
"I couldn't wait until it was playtime again, Vincent. It's been weeks since you came out to play,” Kitty purred.
Vincent licked his lips in anticipation, he pulsed beneath his pants. His voice was low and rough, “I never turn down an invitation to play."
"All the other men today were just a warm up for you, Vince.” She posed for him, angling her hips and thrusting her breasts forward as she helped unbutton Annie's dress. It slipped to a pile on the floor, and Annie stepped out of it. Now only in her underwear, Annie was ready to join in on the fun, too.