"A simple transfer of the deed should be all that is required. Shall we say for the sum of one hundred dollars?"
"I'm afraid I don't understand," Mason said, his face and neck growing red above the collar of his shirt.
"Really? Michael Hanrahan informed me last evening that you were the owner of the Golden Nugget."
"He was mistaken," Mason said flatly. He shuffled papers together, stacked them on the corner of his desk, and rose. "Now, if there's nothing else, I'll initiate the transfer of those funds for you."
Vance crossed her legs and settled more comfortably into her chair. "If Mr. Hanrahan was lying, then he was protecting someone else at your expense. Who might that be?"
"I'm sure I have no idea."
"Well, I can probably clear up the misunderstanding easily enough." Vance stood. "I've always found that the wives of powerful men know far more than they ever let on." She laughed. "I know that was certainly true for my mother. My father was often quite dense about the motives of other men who sought to take advantage of his largesse and trusting nature, but my mother...my mother always knew and saw that he didn't entangle himself in difficult situations. I daresay your wife will know who harbors some ill will toward you."
"Certainly you wouldn't involve a lady in such unsavory business,"
Mason blustered, although there was a look of panic around his eyes.
Vance took a step closer to the desk and leaned forward, resting her hand in the center of his blotter. "Why should you think that I would value the sensibilities of your women any more than you value those of mine?"
"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Of course you do," Vance said, her unwavering gaze boring into his until he looked uneasily away. "You have a special arrangement with one of the women at the Nugget. You pay her for your pleasure and for that of your friends. You think if you come and go by the back stairs and have someone else do your dirty work that everyone will look the other way." She straightened. "Well, I won't. Sign the bill of sale or I will make my inquiries so public that within a week everyone will know of your personal association with the Nugget."
Sweat beaded on his forehead. After a moment, he nodded and picked up the bill of sale in a trembling hand. He began to read it over, then stopped with a surprised grunt and looked at Vance in astonishment.
"This isn't your name on the bill of sale."
"No," Vance said as she sat down and began to write the draft for the purchase price. "It isn't."
v Mae leaned against Vance in the buggy as they headed toward the Rising Star. "You look mighty fine in those new clothes."
Vance chuckled. "You'd better like them, since they were all your doing."
"A lot has to do with the body that's in them." Mae stroked Vance's cheek. " You are what's fine."
"Are you trying to flatter me into telling you what I've been up to?"
"Yes, even though it happens to be the truth and you do look handsome as all get out." Mae laughed. "I just don't think it's fair for you to make me wait until we get all the way out to the ranch."
"Truth be told, I don't want to wait either," Vance confessed.
"Reach into my inside coat pocket and take out that paper."
"I'll take pity on you and not touch anything else along the way."
Nevertheless, Mae indulged herself with a brief caress, stroking Vance's chest as she drew out the paper. Smiling at Vance's quick intake of breath, she unfolded the document and began to read. Then she gasped.
"I...is this...how did you...oh my."
Vance grinned. "You are now one of the most influential business owners in New Hope." She slowed the rig so she could savor Mae's look of astonishment and pleasure. "You'll never have to worry about what anyone might do to you or your girls again."
"My Lord, Vance. I own it?"
"You do."
"But how?"
Vance told her, enjoying Mae's satisfied snort as she described Mason's discomfort. "And before you say it's too much for you to accept, I did it as much for my peace of mind as your safety."
Mae's eyes brimmed with tears but she nodded. "Thank you."
"My pleasure."
"I won't say no, because I want this, but...I plan to pay you back.
Every dollar."
Vance smiled. "I thought you would."
Mae moved closer. "Would you really have told Clarissa Mason about her husband's philandering?"
"No, but I wouldn't have made it a secret either while I investigated who really did own it. Mason must have known she'd find out sooner or later if he forced me to search him out."
"Well." Mae's mind was going in a hundred different directions and she couldn't seem to take it all in. "What about Frank? The place won't run without Frank."
"I don't imagine he'll mind who pays his wages. In fact, I think he'll like it a whole lot better knowing that it's you." Vance halted the buggy at the entrance to the lane to the Rising Star. She dropped the reins over her knee and took Mae's hand. "You can turn the place into a respectable establishment. The girls will be protected, because you'll make the rules. And if not Frank, you can get someone else to enforce them."
"Are you going to ask me not to take care of customers?"
"That's not my place."
"Of course it is." Mae kissed Vance, a slow, tender kiss. "Unless you've been foolin' about loving me."
"Oh no," Vance murmured, her voice husky and low. She lifted Mae's hand and kissed her fingers, then her mouth. "I love you with all my heart."
"There'll never be another in my bed." Mae held Vance's hand to her breast. "Or my heart."
"Nor shall there be in mine. You have my solemn promise," Vance whispered.
Mae curved an arm around Vance's waist and settled her head on her shoulder. "Then hurry up now. I can't wait to tell Kate and Jessie."
Laughing, Vance guided the buggy down the lane, holding Mae's promise in her heart, knowing she had come home at last.
* * *
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About the Author
Radclyffe is the author of over twenty lesbian romances, the Erotic Interlude series ( Change of Pace , Stolen Moments , and Lessons in Love ed. with Stacia Seaman) and selections in multiple anthologies including Call of the Dark and The Perfect Valentine (Bella Books), Best Lesbian Erotica 2006 and After Midnight (Cleis), First-Timers and Ultimate Undies: Erotic Stories About Lingerie and Underwear (Alyson), and Naughty Spanking Stories 2 (Pretty Things Press). She is the recipient of the 2003 and 2004 Alice B. Readers' award, a 2005 Golden Crown Literary Society Award winner in both the romance category ( Fated Love ) and the mystery/intrigue/action category ( Justice in the Shadows ) and 2006 GCLS finalist for romance ( Distant Shores, Silent Thunder ) and mystery ( Justice Served ), and a 2006 Lammy finalist in the romance ( Distant Shores, Silent Thunder ), mystery (Justice Served), and erotica categories ( Erotic Interludes 2: Stolen Moments ed. with Stacia Seaman). Her other 2006 novels include Turn Back Time and Storms of Change .
She is also the president of Bold Strokes Books, a publishing company offering acclaimed lesbian-themed general and genre fiction.
She lives in New York state with her partner, Lee.
Look for information about these works at www.boldstrokesbooks.com.
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Books Available From Bold Strokes Books
Whitewater Rendezvous by Kim Baldwin. Two women on a wilderness kayak adventure--Chaz Herrick, a laid-back outdoorswoman, and Megan Maxwell, a workaholic news executive--discover that true love may be nothing at all like they imagined. (1-933110-38-4)
Erotic Interludes 3: Lessons in Love ed. by Radclyffe and Stacia Seaman. Sign on for a class in love...the best lesbian erotica writers take us to "school." (1-933110-39-2)
Punk Like Me by JD Glass. Twenty-one-year-old Nina writes lyrics and plays guitar in the rock band Adam's Rib, and she doesn't always play by the rules. And oh yeah--she has a way with the girls. (1-933110-40-6)
Coffe
e Sonata by Gun Brooke. Four women whose lives unexpectedly intersect in a small town by the sea share one thing in common--they all have secrets. (1-933110-41-4)
The Clinic: Tristaine Book One by Cate Culpepper. Brenna, a prison medic, finds herself deeply conflicted by her growing feelings for her patient Jesstin, a wild and rebellious warrior reputed to be descended from ancient Amazons. (1-933110-42-2)
Forever Found by JLee Meyer. Can time, tragedy, and shattered trust destroy a love that seemed destined? When chance reunites two childhood friends separated by tragedy, the past resurfaces to determine the shape of their future. (1-933110-37-6)
Sword of the Guardian by Merry Shannon. Princess Shasta's bold new bodyguard has a secret that could change both of their lives. He is actually a she . A passionate romance filled with courtly intrigue, chivalry, and devotion. (1-933110-36-8)
Wild Abandon by Ronica Black. From their first tumultuous meeting, Dr. Chandler Brogan and Officer Sarah Monroe are drawn together by their common obsessions--sex, speed, and danger. (1-933110-35-X)
Turn Back Time by Radclyffe. Pearce Rifkin and Wynter Thompson have nothing in common but a shared passion for surgery. They clash at every opportunity, especially when matters of the heart are suddenly at stake. (1-933110-34-1)
Chance by Grace Lennox. At twenty-six, Chance Delaney decides her life isn't working so she swaps it for a different one. What follows is the sexy, funny, touching story of two women who, in finding themselves, also find one another. (1-933110-31-7)
The Exile and the Sorcerer by Jane Fletcher. First in the Lyremouth Chronicles. Tevi, wounded and adrift, arrives in the courtyard of a shy young sorcerer. Together they face monsters, magic, and the challenge of loving despite their differences. (1-933110-32-5)
A Matter of Trust by Radclyffe. JT Sloan is a cybersleuth who doesn't like attachments. Michael Lassiter is leaving her husband, and she needs Sloan's expertise to safeguard her company. It should just be business--but it turns into much more. (1-933110-33-3)
Sweet Creek by Lee Lynch. A celebration of the enduring nature of love, friendship, and community in the quirky, heart-warming lesbian community of Waterfall Falls. (1-933110-29-5)
The Devil Inside by Ali Vali. Derby Cain Casey, head of a New Orleans crime organization, runs the family business with guts and grit, and no one crosses her. No one, that is, until Emma Verde claims her heart and turns her world upside down. (1-933110-30-9)
Grave Silence by Rose Beecham. Detective Jude Devine's investigation of a series of ritual murders is complicated by her torrid affair with the golden girl of Southwestern forensic pathology, Dr. Mercy Westmoreland. (1-933110-25-2)
Honor Reclaimed by Radclyffe. In the aftermath of 9/11, Secret Service Agent Cameron Roberts and Blair Powell close ranks with a trusted few to find the would-be assassins who nearly claimed Blair's life. (1-933110-18-X)
Honor Bound by Radclyffe. Secret Service Agent Cameron Roberts and Blair Powell face political intrigue, a clandestine threat to Blair's safety, and the seemingly irreconcilable personal differences that force them ever farther apart. (1-933110-20-1)
Protector of the Realm: Supreme Constellations Book One by Gun Brooke. A space adventure filled with suspense and a daring intergalactic romance featuring Commodore Rae Jacelon and the stunning, but decidedly lethal, Kellen O'Dal. (1-933110-26-0)
Innocent Hearts by Radclyffe. In a wild and unforgiving land, two women learn about love, passion, and the wonders of the heart.(1-933110-21-X)
The Temple at Landfall by Jane Fletcher. An imprinter, one of Celaeno's most revered servants of the Goddess, is also a prisoner to the faith--until a Ranger frees her by claiming her heart.The Celaeno series. (1-933110-27-9)
Force of Nature by Kim Baldwin. From tornados to forest fires, the forces of nature conspire to bring Gable McCoy and Erin Richards close to danger, and closer to each other. (1-933110-23-6)
In Too Deep by Ronica Black. Undercover homicide cop Erin McKenzie tracks a femme fatale who just might be a real killer...with love and danger hot on her heels. (1-933110-17-1)
Stolen Moments: Erotic Interludes 2 by Stacia Seaman and Radclyffe, eds. Love on the run, in the office, in the shadows...Fast, furious, and almost too hot to handle. (1-933110-16-3)
Course of Action by Gun Brooke. Actress Carolyn Black desperately wants the starring role in an upcoming film produced by Annelie Peterson. Just how far will she go for the dream part of a lifetime? (1-933110-22-8)
Rangers at Roadsend by Jane Fletcher. Sergeant Chip Coppelli has learned to spot trouble coming, and that is exactly what she sees in her new recruit, Katryn Nagata. The Celaeno series. (1-933110-28-7)
Justice Served by Radclyffe. Lieutenant Rebecca Frye and her lover, Dr. Catherine Rawlings, embark on a deadly game of hide- and-seek with an underworld kingpin who traffics in human souls.(1-933110-15-5)
Distant Shores, Silent Thunder by Radclyffe. Dr. Tory King--along with the women who love her--is forced to examine the boundaries of love, friendship, and the ties that transcend time. (1-933110-08-2)
Hunter's Pursuit by Kim Baldwin. A raging blizzard, a mountain hideaway, and a killer-for-hire set a scene for disaster--or desire--when Katarzyna Demetrious rescues a beautiful stranger. (1-933110-09-0)
The Walls of Westernfort by Jane Fletcher. All Temple Guard Natasha Ionadis wants is to serve the Goddess--until she falls in love with one of the rebels she is sworn to destroy. The Celaeno series. (1-933110-24-4)
Change Of Pace: Erotic Interludes by Radclyffe. Twenty-five hot- wired encounters guaranteed to spark more than just your imagination.Erotica as you've always dreamed of it. (1-933110-07-4)
Honor Guards by Radclyffe. In a wild flight for their lives, the president's daughter and those who are sworn to protect her wage a desperate struggle for survival. (1-933110-01-5)
Fated Love by Radclyffe. Amidst the chaos and drama of a busy emergency room, two women must contend not only with the fragile nature of life, but also with the irresistible forces of fate.(1-933110-05-8)
Justice in the Shadows by Radclyffe. In a shadow world of secrets and lies, Detective Sergeant Rebecca Frye and her lover, Dr.Catherine Rawlings, join forces in the elusive search for justice.(1-933110-03-1)
Shadowland by Radclyffe. In a world on the far edge of desire, two women are drawn together by power, passion, and dark pleasures. An erotic romance. (1-933110-11-2)
Love's Masquerade by Radclyffe. Plunged into the indistinguishable realms of ction, fantasy, and hidden desires, Auden Frost is forced to question all she believes about the nature of love. (1-933110-14-7)
Love & Honor by Radclyffe. The president's daughter and her lover are faced with difficult choices as they battle a tangled web of Washington intrigue for...love and honor. (1-933110-10-4)
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Beyond the Breakwater by Radclyffe. One Provincetown summer, three women learn the true meaning of love, friendship, and family. (1-933110-06-6)
Tomorrow's Promise by Radclyffe. One timeless summer, two very different women discover the power of passion to heal and the promise of hope that only love can bestow. (1-933110-12-0)
Love's Tender Warriors by Radclyffe. Two women who have accepted loneliness as a way of life learn that love is worth fighting for and a battle they cannot afford to lose. (1-933110-02-3)
Love's Melody Lost by Radclyffe. A secretive artist with a haunted past and a young woman escaping a life that has proved to be a lie nd their destinies entwined. (1-933110-00-7)
Safe Harbor by Radclyffe. A mysterious newcomer, a reclusive doctor, and a troubled gay teenager learn about love, friendship, and trust during one tumultuous summer in Provincetown. (1-933110-13-9)
Above All, Honor by Radclyffe. Secret Service Agent Cameron Roberts fights her desire for the one woman she can't have--Blair Powell, the daughter of the president of the United States. (1-933110-04-X)
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Radclyffe - Promising Hearts Page 27