Chapter Eight
ELBOW ON THE DESK and her head propped in her hand, Alice again focussed at the latest catalogue from Paris. Usually, she was all afire to discover the new doings from Paris, the way those high-fashion ladies chose to clothe themselves, the descriptions of the marvels from the cabarets. Usually, she devoured the catalogue from cover to cover, and turned it over to begin again. Now, she’d stared at the same page for five minutes, her mind adrift, and sure as hell would continue to do so.
She blamed Llewellyn. Rupert. Her pretty Englishman.
He was the reason she couldn’t keep a thought straight in her head. How could she, when the remembrance of the way he looked all laid out on her bed crept in as she studied the catalogue? Or absolute focus that burned in his eyes as he worked his way over her, kissing and licking her skin.
Pushing back from her desk, she walked to the balcony doors and allowed the night air to cool her. Damn the man, he was ruining her for everything but him.
A smile tugged at her mouth. He’d been ruining her for over two weeks. Every night after the Diamond shut its doors, she found him waiting for her. Sometimes, he cornered her in the corridor, sometimes in the theatre, sometimes in her office, and then...well, then he would ‘ruin’ her.
All in all, she mightily enjoyed this new relationship with Llewellyn. More than just the ruining, she enjoyed the time they spent together, the way he would say something tremendous and amusing, and have her laughing so hard she’d be convinced her guts would break. The way, sometimes, he looked at her as if she were the prettiest thing in this world or any other. And the way she thought the same of him.
A brief knock, and then her door swung open. Startled, she whipped around from her contemplation of the night, though it took her less than a second to figure who it was. Pearl’s knock was always brief, and she never waited for an invitation.
Striding for her desk, she took whiskey and two glasses from her drawer as Pearl entered the office and, graceful as ever, dropped herself into the chair before the desk. “What are you doing in here by your lonesome?” Pearl asked, accepting the whiskey and downing the glass.
Sinking into her own seat, Alice took a mite of her whiskey. “Not much.”
“Hmm.” Pearl watched as she refilled the glass. “You know, I can count on one hand the times you’ve not graced the floor since I arrived here. Four of ’em occurred this week.”
Holding her own, she leant back in her chair. “How is that any indication of any damn thing?”
Pearl shrugged. “It’s an indication of something.” She levelled her gaze upon Alice. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”
She took a gulp. “Any number of things, but nothing of any importance.”
Pearl’s brows drew together. “Don’t be flippant about this. You never stay off the floor for more than a night. What’s different?”
Her friend’s green eyes were dark with concern, and she rubbed her middle finger and thumb together, a tick she only employed when worried.
Shame at her levity filled her. She’d thought they were only having some fun, a bit of the banter she and Pearl enjoyed. However, if her friend were truly concerned, she wouldn’t tease. “Nothing to worry you. I’ll tell you real soon, I swear. It’s... I just want to keep it to myself, for a little while longer.”
For long moments, Pearl regarded her. Finally, she nodded. “All right. So, I think the next Spectacular should contain a ventriloquist act.”
Alice blinked. When Pearl wanted to change a topic, she made sure it came out of the precise middle of nowhere. “Ventriloquism?”
“We need new acts for the Spectacular, don’t we?” Pearl frowned. “Speaking of, weren’t you gonna head for San Francisco last week? You were waiting for the Spectacular to be over, you said.”
Well hell, look at that. The Parisian catalogue suddenly seemed real interesting. “I’ll go next month.”
“But don’t the costumes require a touch or two of new beading? And you were harping on about purchasing that new whiskey from Ireland you thought could sell like hotcakes.”
“Next month.” Staring at the catalogue, she hoped like hell her friend couldn’t see the fire in her cheeks. She hadn’t wanted to leave Ironwood, not when Llewellyn and she had just begun. She didn’t want to give up his visits every night, didn’t want to wake in the early morning light without him by her side. Besides which, she hadn’t yet found all the ways in which to make him crazy with lust.
And, maybe... Maybe next month, she’d ask if he’d come with her.
“Well, when you go, maybe you could seek out a ventriloquist act.” A considering look on her face, Pearl sipped her whiskey before saying, “I reckon it could be a fine addition to the Spectacular.”
“How do you figure ventriloquism as the way to go? Have you ever seen a man with his hand up a doll?”
Pearl shot her a dirty look. “Don’t be all contrary. I’ve seen them a time or two, back in Chicago, and I’ll have you know they captivated the audience every time. Even if they do scare the devil and his imps out of you.”
“So, even though these dolls—”
“Dummies.” Pearl shuddered.
Amusement threaded through her. “Even though thedummiesscare the devil out of you, you think we should add one to the Spectacular?”
