'No,' Longarm conceded, 'that does not sound very likely, but one never knows. I've seen people I thought to be rich as kings turn out to be thieves. We all put on a little show--even you, Milly.'
'Show?' She laughed and brazenly cupped her breasts. 'They're not show, Deputy. You of all people know that they're for real--or do you need to be shown all over again right now?'
'Stop it, Milly!' he said in mock anger because he knew that she was simply trying to tease and embarrass him. Milly was actually a very educated and well-read woman, and that was why she of all the women was the only one allowed in the Outpost Hotel to mingle with the rich Eastern guests.
'Bye, honey,' Milly said, 'I just saw another gold mine come waddling in the door.'
'Sure,' he said.
Milly, hips swaying provocatively as she crossed the dining room, turned every man's head in the place, even those with wives and girlfriends. Longarm watched with admiration as Milly targeted an older, corpulent man who had all the appearance of wealth.
Longarm shook his head with wonder. Milly had once told him that she had a bank account that was large enough to buy a small cattle ranch or a ten-room whorehouse decked out like a doll cottage. And now, watching Milly ingratiate herself with the rich old man, and seeing the way his nose began to twitch with all the excitement of a bird dog, Longarm was a believer.
CHAPTER 7
Longarm went to bed that night thinking that he had plenty of baited hooks in the water and wondering which one would land the first fish. It felt wonderful to drop off to sleep in a feather bed with clean sheets and not have to worry about getting rained on in the night or waking up with a stiff back.
He was sleeping like the dead when he was suddenly jarred awake by a loud banging at his door. Longarm reached for his holstered Colt hanging from the headboard.
'Who is it?'
'It's me!'
Longarm relaxed. 'Aw, Milly, go away! I'm still asleep.'
'Too asleep to talk about an Englishman who smokes Royal Crown cigarettes and has a lot of money to spend on pretty women? Well, if you can find me, we can talk about him sometime. Night, night!'
Longarm blinked rapidly in the darkness. 'Wait a minute!' he called, bounding out of the bed and staggering to the door. When he finally got it unlocked, Milly was already descending the stairs to the lobby.
'Milly, dammit, come on back here!'
She turned and looked up at him with a loose smile of amusement. He could see that she was a little tipsy and her hair and lipstick were mussed. Milly had been working and was not in the mood for insults.
'Milly, I'm sorry,' Longarm said. 'It's just that I've got a lot of sleep to catch up on and I was... I was dreaming of you.'
'Aw, bullshit! Come on, Longarm, I'll bet you can do better than that!'
Longarm knuckled his eyes. 'What time is it?'
Milly shrugged. 'Who cares? I guess it will be daylight pretty soon, but I'll manage to be asleep by then and thankfully avoid it.'
Longarm yawned. 'Would you come on back and talk to me? Otherwise, I'd have to hunt you down and wake you up in a few hours.'
'And risk getting shot? That wouldn't be a very smart thing to do, honey.'
'Come on,' Longarm said, 'this is a respectable place. I can't stand out here begging in my almost natural state.'
'Say please.'
'Please.'
'Say that you'll reward me handsomely.'
Longarm yawned. 'I'll reward you handsomely.'
'And scratch my back and kiss me to sleep and-'
'Milly!'
'Oh, all right. I'll settle for the handsome reward,' she said, coming back up the stairs and giving Longarm a kiss before she took his hand and led him back into his room.
Milly wasted no time talking, but quickly undressed and climbed into bed with Longarm. She slipped her hand down his flat belly and tickled his privates.
'Come on, Milly!' Longarm said with another yawn. 'Don't distract me.'
'I want to distract you,' she said, rolling over to nibble on his earlobe.
'Business before pleasure. Who smokes the Royal Crown cigarettes?'
'Like most men,' Milly said peevishly, 'your mind is only on one thing. But in your case it's outlaws. Every other man I go to bed with is obsessed with my body.'
'Milly,' Longarm said, gently pushing her back. 'You know how much I enjoy being with you. You're a beautiful and passionate woman.'
'Don't stop. Tell me more.'
