AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You shore don’t pull no punches, do you?” Sam cast her a strange look.
“Have to be blunt these days. Me and my sister are considering starting a bordello. We could make pretty good money in the right area. Cain’t afford the luxury of time. Don’t meet up with my kind often out on the prairie like we are. Figure I got to speak my mind. I need a man, I got three children. I can surely please you…” she began. “Just in the way you were looking at me, I could tell you were interested. No use fightin’ that. I’m willin’ if you are. Why, we could get married and have a passel of kids ourselves. Then we wouldn’t need no bordello.”
Sam eyed her and his eyes dipped to the cleavage once more. “That’s a tempting offer, mighty temptin’.”
She laughed. “Well, you just think on that real hard.”
After that, her arm went through his once more and she squeezed it off and on, bringing his attention to her every few minutes. She clung to him like a second skin.
Sam didn’t like being out of character, but he did have to get shed of Riley sooner or later and this might be his best chance. If Riley thought he was interested in Mavis, she might go on alone.
He just wasn’t sure he wanted her to…he should be, but he wasn’t.
***
Riley rode behind the wagon and eyed the children. All three of them watched her like a hawk. Directly, the boy peeked his head out. “How come you ridin’ with a black man?”
Riley shrugged. “‘Cause he came along…same time I did.”
“Is it true…they hung your pa?”
“Yeah,” Riley replied, not liking the lie on her tongue too much.
“What did he do?” the boy asked.
“You sure are a nosey one,” Riley snapped, wondering what Sam was doing, and why he was so anxious to help this woman and her children. But then something in the back of her mind reminded her that Sam was that kind of man, a helper.
“Well…you gonna tell me?” the boy prodded.
“He stole a horse…” Riley embellished her lie.
“A horse…well, that’s bad. Cain’t steal a horse in this country,” the boy replied, nodding.
“For sure and certain,” Riley agreed.
Mabel looked out now. “This Sam…is he any good?”
Riley screwed up her face. “What do you mean…any good?”
“Well, my mama’s latchin’ on to him like sugar candy. I want to know if he’s a good one or a bad one,” Mabel asked.
Riley studied the girl for a moment. This kid was older and protective, that was good. She could appreciate the fact that she was lookin’ out for her kin. “Sam’s alright. He took me in, and he shore didn’t have to.”
“Would he make a good daddy is what I want to know,” Mabel spelled it out.
Riley felt something rebel at that, deep inside her, but she slowly nodded. “Yeah…I guess so.”
“That’s a relief…‘cause I think Mama wants him.”
“Wants him?” Riley repeated.
“As her man.” Mabel smiled shyly. “You know what that means, don’t you?”
“‘Course I do. But she just met up with him. Oh.” Remembering to spit, Riley spit on the ground hard and nodded. “Kinda sudden, ain’t it?”
“No…Mama knows what she wants and goes after it. She said it don’t do no good to act shy about these things. I expect I’ll be findin’ me a man soon too.” Mabel’s eyes flashed at Riley. “I’m almost a woman now…”
