Melting Silver

by Livia Grant

  He let her heavenly voice wash over him, under the same spell as every other warm-blooded man in the room. He hadn’t played this song for years and his fingers stumbled on the keys as he lost his concentration listening to Emelie’s angelic voice.

  A moment of silence followed the end of the last note. He swore he could hear a laugh from the farthest bedroom upstairs in the rare silence of the first floor. And then it started. One clap turned to a roaring applause followed by a standing ovation. Silver beamed, taking a curtsy that had the crowd whistling and hollering for more.

  She grinned his way, nodding she was ready and he took off with the next song they’d planned, turning Jesus Loves Me into My Gem Loves Me. Each song was more popular than the last.

  Approximately half way through the set, Charlie said a prayer that he and Emelie weren’t going to go to hell for changing such classic praise songs into naughty invitations for fornication. By the time they were ready to take a break, Charlie’s guilt had him silently promising to get up early for the Sunday morning church service he often slept through. Hopefully Reverend Black wouldn’t hear of their unholy renditions in the name of entertainment.

  Overwhelmed with relief, Emelie rushed down the stairs of the stage and into a hug as soon as the set ended. “Oh thank you so much, Charlie! That was so much fun.”

  He was sure she was oblivious to the effect her pressing her curvy body against his already tightly wound core had on him. He was tempted to kiss her right then and there, but knew the whole saloon was watching them and didn’t want to embarrass her.

  He led her towards the kitchen where Jewel, Gabe, Ruby and Nettie all waited to congratulate them.

  “That was marvelous. What talent you have, child. You even made Mr. Charlie sound better and that’s saying something,” Nettie teased.

  Jewel hugged Emelie, before grinning. “I don’t think even a single customer noticed those were all hymns.”

  Emelie’s eyes grew large. “You knew?” When Jewel nodded, Emelie asked in a hushed breath. “You don’t think God’s going to strike me down for changing the words, do you?”

  Gabe stepped closer. “I can’t speak for God, but considering you’re making many of his flock happy with your singing, I’m guessing he won’t mind.”

  Several hours later, Silver’s excitement was wearing off for everyone, including Emelie herself. Charlie didn’t want to alarm her, but he’d seen nights like this before. The August heat was combining with overcrowding and long waits for too few gems and the horny men left waiting were getting restless. He’d tried to talk Emelie into calling it a night before the midnight set. He could tell she was exhausted on her feet, but she insisted she needed to earn her keep. He tried to convince her that he’d already surpassed his one-day record for tips, but she refused to go to her room.

  It was in the middle of Oh! Susanna that the first miner rushed the stage, groping Silver and trying to drag her off to her room. Charlie was sure he’d lay awake that night, unable to get her frightened scream out of his mind. The second she stopped singing and started screaming, he’d rushed the stage, tackling the miner to the ground.

  “Get your grimy hands off her, you asshole!” Charlie had the advantage of surprise and got a fierce punch to the customer’s nose before he was tackled himself by one of the miner’s friends. Within seconds, there was a proper brawl underway. Despite taking a punch to his own jaw, Charlie had the time to shout a warning to Emelie.

  “Run to your room and lock yourself in!”

  He felt strong arms pulling him off the miner beneath him as his close friend John Harrison spoke in his ear. “Whoa there, music man. You’re gonna break your hands and then where would we all be? Let’s let Gabe handle this.”

  Out of the corner of his eye, Charlie could see Gabe was indeed handling it, breaking up squirmishes, grabbing the offender who’d started the brawl and escorting him to the hinged doors, pushing him out the door and into the street.

  Charlie was still catching his breath, shaking out the pain in his hand when he saw Jewel sneaking Silver down the stairs at the back of the stage and off towards her bedroom.

  Only when he knew she was safe and the ruckus had died down did Charlie taste the blood in his mouth.

  John and Gabe had things in hand so Charlie headed to the kitchen. Nettie had long ago headed to bed. He hoped she wouldn’t mind him stealing some ice chips from the ice cellar to try to keep the swelling down on his hand. He rinsed his mouth, spitting bloodied water in the waste pail.

  “What the hell were you thinking?” Gabe accused from the doorway.

  He’d known this lecture was coming. It didn’t make it any easier to take.

  “I was thinking that asshole needed to stop scaring Emelie half to death. Did you see her face?”

  “I did. I also saw yours.” Gabe was walking towards him. It was dim in the kitchen, making it hard to make out the look on his friend’s face. It didn’t matter. He knew it well. He knew a lecture was coming. “You’re getting too attached.”

  “Too attached? Emelie’s only been here one day.”

  “Exactly, and yet you refuse to call her by her gem name. You know the rules.”

  “No one is here but us, and anyway, she’s not a gem.”

  “Yes, she is. She’s Silver. She may not work upstairs yet, but she’s an employee exactly the same as Ruby. That means she’s off limits.”

  “What kind of bullshit rule is that?”

  “We’ve talked about this before. It’s best if you don’t get emotionally attached to any one gem in particular. That kinda thing can cause jealousy.”

  “Says the man who sleeps with a gem every night.”

  “Careful, Charlie. I’m only trying to help. You’re my friend.”

  “Is that right?”

  “Yeah, that’s right and Jewel and I don’t want to see you hurt. I don’t know how I know, but Silver isn’t going to be with us long. I have an exceptional sense regarding which gems are meant to be here and which ones aren’t. She doesn’t belong. The fact that you had to play hymns all night should lead you to the same conclusion, mi amigo.”

  Damn if Gabe wasn’t picking up on the doubts that had been floating through his own head all night watching the angel who was Emelie on the stage in the outrageous gem outfit. It was like dressing up a swan in a duck suit. The fact that the realization depressed him so proved Gabe was right. Hell, he hadn’t even known her twenty-four hours ago. He needed to get a grip.

  “Fine. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

  Gabe stood in front of him, holding the lamp he’d carried in from the dining room. “Let’s get a look at your hand.”

  “It’s nothing.”

  “I never knew you were so bullheaded before. She sure has put a burr under your saddle, hasn’t she? Do you want me to ask her to leave?”

  Their gaze met in the dim light. Charlie hated to see pity mirrored back at him from his friend. “Don’t you dare ask her to leave. I can tell she’s in trouble and she doesn’t have anywhere to go. She’s stuck here for two weeks and then she can be on her way. I’m sure I can handle this for two weeks.”

  Gabe hesitated before clapping him on his back. “All right, amigo. We’ll do this your way. She does have the voice of an angel. I just hope she can hold it together for a few weeks, but know that unless you tell us otherwise, Jewel and I won’t put her out, whether she can work or not. Now, I think we’ve had enough entertainment for the day. Call it an early night. Get some rest. I suspect you’ll be doing a lot of practicing tomorrow for the Saturday night rush.”

  Charlie wanted to argue that he could do a few more sets, but his hand did throb. More importantly, he needed some time alone to think.

  “Much appreciated. I’ll take you up on that offer. Night.”

  Charlie made his way down the back hallway, past the large pantry and Nettie’s room. Past Jewel’s empty office and the side door that lead out to the privy. He stopped at the next door, knowing Em
elie was inside. He lifted his injured hand to knock, wanting to check on her, but Gabe’s words came back and helped him lower his hand and continue on past the bathroom on the left to his own room across the hall.

  His room had a decent sized window for which he was grateful, as the summer heat was oppressive. He pulled the thin curtain aside trying to let in a breeze and caught sight of Emelie leaving the privy. He peered out from the shadows, watching her look around anxiously as if the boogieman was going to leap out of the dark.

  Someone had hurt Emelie Svensson and he wanted to know who. How had she found herself alone and destitute in Culpepper Cove? So many questions he didn’t have the right to ask and was pretty sure he wouldn’t be getting answers to.

  He stripped down to his skivvies, laying on his bed in the dark, trying to cool off and quiet his thoughts enough to fall asleep. He could hear the shouts and laughter of the dwindling crowd out in the main saloon, interrupted by the frequent banging of Sapphire’s headboard against the wall directly above him as she serviced her next customer. He couldn’t help but smile when he heard the now famous howl of Onyx as she orgasmed. He’d heard plenty of girl talk between the gems and knew everyone teased Onyx that she couldn’t stay quiet when she found a customer who took the time to pleasure her. From the sounds of it, she’d found a generous customer that night.

  Christ, he was miserable. Memories of Emelie mingled with the sounds of sex, making it impossible to sleep. He let his left hand slide in to cup his balls before slowly stroking his erect length in an attempt to quiet his need. It only made him feel hotter and no matter what he did, he couldn’t find satisfaction.

  Frustration bubbling over, he shot to his feet deciding he needed a cool bath to douse the fire in his loins, hoping it would give him a fighting chance at getting some rest. He rarely wore more than skivvies to the bathroom since he was literally across the hall. And since close to every gem had accompanied him there at one point or another, he didn’t see the need for modesty.

  He knocked, waiting for a response for a few seconds and then proceeded into the room after finding the door unlocked.

  He stood frozen to his spot when the sight of a very naked Emelie came into focus in the candlelight. Light danced off her glistening skin, highlighting the goose pimples covering her from the too cold water she’d used for her bath.

  Her arms rushed to cover her under the clear water, but it was too late. He’d glimpsed the rosy rings around her pebbled nipples and the blond thatch of hair now covered with her left hand.

  “Charlie! You need to get out of here!” she squealed.

  He should leave. His feet stood planted to their spot, unable to move.

  An awkward minute went by before he found his voice. “I’m sorry to intrude. We usually lock the door when we want privacy.”

  “Oh. I didn’t know.”

  Still, he was rooted in place. Interestingly, she hadn’t asked him to leave again. They held their visual connection from across the room.

  “Why didn’t you warm up the water?” he asked.

  “I was so warm, I thought it would feel better with cool water. I’m thinking a pail or two of hot might not have hurt.”

  His feet finally came unstuck from the floor as he moved slowly towards the pump, filling two pails with fresh water from the well and taking them to the fireplace made with special grates to hold many buckets at a time.

  He used the poker to stir up the dying embers, placing fresh firewood on and stoking it until renewed flames licked up around the wood. It would take some time for the buckets to heat.

  Only after he turned around and caught Emelie staring, open mouthed at his now-constant erection tenting his skivvies did he remember he’d left his robe in his room.

  He expected she’d tell him to leave. She didn’t. He worried she’d scream out of fear he’d hurt her. She didn’t.

  What she did do was ask for his help. “I didn’t realize I needed to bring my own soaps and oils in with me and I can’t reach anything over on the counter. Do you think you could grab me some soap?”

  He did as she bade, crossing to his own basket of supplies to pull out the lavender and honey oils and pouring them into the few inches of too-cold water. “The warm water will help bring out the scent more when it’s ready.” He then knelt slowly beside her tub and reached down to wet the small cloth he used for his own baths. Once wet, he lathered it in vanilla scented soap and handed it to her.

  She tried to grab it while still hiding herself and failed miserably. Now that he was closer, he could see how truly thin she was. She needed to put on at least ten pounds. He also saw the greenish tinted bruises peppered across her body, some darker than others. Anger stewed inside him when he realized someone had used her as their punching bag.

  He should leave her to her bath—walk out and lock the door behind him. Instead he reclaimed the soapy cloth and told her, “Sit up. I’ll wash your back for you before I leave.”

  She looked skeptical, but did as she was told, slowly sitting up to present her bare back. He gently scrubbed from her shoulders down to her waist, taking the time to massage out her tight muscles, noting the ribs he could see on her too-thin frame. If ever there was someone in need of Nettie’s good home cooking, it was Emelie.

  He took his time, massaging until he felt her relaxing in his presence. The silence between them should have felt awkward, but it didn’t. She didn’t protest as he continued to caress and massage her.

  When the water was warmed on the fire, he laid the cloth over the edge of the tub and stood to retrieve it.

  “Scooch up to the front of the tub. I don’t want to scald you with hot water.” She complied, letting him pour first one and then the second bucket of hot water into the tub. He kneeled again, reaching in to swoosh the water around, mixing hot and cold and activating the scented oils that filled the room.

  “All right, Em. You can scoot back a bit now and put your head back. I’ll wash your hair for you.”

  He took it as a welcome sign when she obeyed without putting up a fight. He suspected she was deflating like a balloon losing air between the excitement of the night, the warm water, bath oils and his now gentle massaging of her scalp. Charlie smiled as she moaned in pleasure from his touch. She’d closed her eyes as she put her head back giving him the perfect opportunity to study her face.

  There was only one way to describe her. She was perfect. Delicate, pale skin with the smallest smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose. Her lips were plump and had a bit of a pouty look when she was relaxed. Oh how he’d love to feel those lips on his own. Better yet, wrapped around his cock as she knelt before him.

  He was having a hard time focusing on the job at hand and it got worse when she bit her bottom lip as if biting back a groan of pleasure.

  Christ, he needed to leave before he did something stupid like jump on top of her and have fun sloshing water all over the floor as he took her right then and there.

  He finished rinsing her hair and cleared his throat. “There you go. I guess you can finish up the rest on your own.”

  Her eyes flew open. He got the impression that she’d forgotten he was even there which was a definite kick to his ego.

  “Oh. Well, thank you. Truly. For everything, Charlie,” she answered quietly.

  “You’re welcome, Em.”

  He should go. He didn’t want to. Could he stay? He sat frozen, feeling like a young untested lad, unsure how to ask his special girl for a dance at the county fair.

  Considering she was naked and he didn’t have much more on, he’d say they were a bit past traditional courting etiquette rules.

  Was it his imagination? Was she leaning closer? Like a magnet’s pull he leaned in to her, moving slow, unwilling to frighten her. They each stopped mere inches apart, close enough for him to feel her warm breath against his cheek.

  His heart felt like it would beat out of his chest when she closed the final distance, brushing her lips lightly against hi
s own. It was the invitation he’d waited for, pressing closer, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her to the edge of the tub.

  His injured hand cupped the back of her head, pulling her into the kiss while his left hand hugged her wet torso, loving the feel of her smooth skin as he pressed her naked breasts against his chest. He felt those perfectly pebbled nipples pressing against him as his tongue licked the seam of her lips, demanding entry.

  Their kiss turned feral as pent up desire percolated, threatening to spill his seed inside his skivvies without a single brush of her hand. He was considering removing his underwear to join her in the tub when the door came crashing open and a too-drunk customer and tired looking Opal burst into the room. Emelie pulled away abruptly, scrambling to find and hold the small scrap of a cloth up to cover her breasts.

  “Hey, lookie here. We can have a party!” the intoxicated customer stammered.

  “No party, Frank. We need to clean you up a bit before we go upstairs for a good time.”

  “Ah, Opal, you’re no fun.”

  “That’s not what you said last week. You know you need to be cleaned up before you come for a visit. Now time’s a wasting. Let’s put some water on the fire.”

  They went to the second tub in the room and without so much as a second thought, Frank started pulling his clothes off. He was already down to his britches only by the time Charlie saw how panicked Emelie was.

  Charlie stood, crossing over the to pile of white fluffy towels stocked for patrons to use and grabbed the one on top. He returned to the bath and opened the large towel wide.

  “You’re gonna need to stand up and come out now, Emelie,” he instructed.

  “But…” She glanced over her shoulder at the miner who’d stopped undressing to keep his eyes peeled on the naked beauty who was contemplating standing from her bath. It couldn’t be helped.

  “It’ll be fine. I’ll wrap you up lickity split,” Charlie promised.

  She didn’t look too sure, but she did as she was told, standing and leaning into his arms while he quickly wrapped her up. The towel was huge for her petite frame. He helped her step over the tall side of the tub and finished drying her hair for her before letting Opal know, “Don’t bother drawing another bath. You can have this one. It’s still warm.”