me."
"I'll go," Stefan said, "but this isn't over. Not by a long shot." He stared at her for a few moments, but when she offered nothing more, he turned and left.
And Joanna knew that whatever it took, she would not let herself fall deeper in love with Stefan. She couldn't endure the anxiety that would always accompany that love...
...my husband died and I felt relief... at least I would be able to sleep at night without wondering when his time would come...
In her stateroom, later that night, Joanna lay in bed unable to sleep, wondering if tomorrow, Stefan's time would come. Maybe she should give her body to him, let him do the things he promised, let him release the terrible tension that seemed to be a part of her existence now. There would never be a man like Stefan for her, and with life so tenuous, if she lost him, she'd never know the depth of the physical love he was offering. And she wanted that physical love, if only for one night.
Throwing the covers back, she opened the door to her stateroom and crossed the passageway, prepared to give herself to Stefan, body and soul, fearing that if she did not, she'd lose her sanity. But when she knocked, he didn't answer. She looked inside and found his room unoccupied, and she knew he was on the Glazier with his animals. Which was for the best, she conceded. She needed time away from him.
***
At dawn, the Aurora docked at Natchez-Under-The-Hill, the narrow shoreline between the river and the bluff that was the site of seamy bars, brothels and gaming houses where river men and scalawags drank and brawled. Joanna stood on the hurricane deck looking toward the Glazier , where roustabouts hauled the wagons with cages off the steamer, and she faced the chilling possibility that if she didn't turn away from Stefan now, before long she would be too deeply in love to do so because once they were joined, body and soul, for her there would be no turning back. Having acknowledged that, she made the decision to avoid Stefan at all cost and do whatever was necessary to enforce that decision.
While Stefan was directing the handlers, she decided to slip off the boat unnoticed and head for the lot on the bluff. Leaving the sternwheeler, she crossed the landing and threaded her way between vendors and concessionaires, walking briskly toward the broad road that climbed to the top of the bluff where the city of Natchez overlooked the river from high above.
Natchez-Under-The-Hill looked disreputable, and she shouldn't be walking alone, but most of the others had left the Aurora so she had no choice. She quickened her pace, but as she passed a seedy-looking boarding house, a pair of bearded, hard-faced rivermen stepped out of the front door and walked along with her.
"Hey, Mo," one said, "look at them cream jugs. I'll wager they've got a pair of the prettiest raspberry tits this side of heaven."
The other replied, "I bet she's got an arse to match, soft and round and hidin ' a nice pink fancy-piece just ripe for the takin '."
Joanna quickened her pace, but the men continued to walk with her. One took her by the arm and said in a voice laced with salacious intent, "Seems you come to town just in time. My cock's up ready to sink inside a pretty little whore like you. What say we duck down this next alley and I'll show you what I've got for you. I been told by the best whores workin ' these parts that I got the kind of cock you ladies like. Big and mean."
A wave of panic surging through her, Joanna said, "I am not a prostitute, and if you don't remove your hand this instant I'll scream." She attempted to shake off the man's hand.
He tightened his grip. "You're a feisty one. The best kind. There's nothin ' like a good fight before a good night... right?"
" Wrong !" The man was dragged from Joanna's arm, and an instant later he fell back, sprawled on the ground. "Keep your hands off her you goddamn bastard," Stefan yelled, "or you'll find yourself belly-down in the river sucking
"I'll go," Stefan said, "but this isn't over. Not by a long shot." He stared at her for a few moments, but when she offered nothing more, he turned and left.
And Joanna knew that whatever it took, she would not let herself fall deeper in love with Stefan. She couldn't endure the anxiety that would always accompany that love...
...my husband died and I felt relief... at least I would be able to sleep at night without wondering when his time would come...
In her stateroom, later that night, Joanna lay in bed unable to sleep, wondering if tomorrow, Stefan's time would come. Maybe she should give her body to him, let him do the things he promised, let him release the terrible tension that seemed to be a part of her existence now. There would never be a man like Stefan for her, and with life so tenuous, if she lost him, she'd never know the depth of the physical love he was offering. And she wanted that physical love, if only for one night.
Throwing the covers back, she opened the door to her stateroom and crossed the passageway, prepared to give herself to Stefan, body and soul, fearing that if she did not, she'd lose her sanity. But when she knocked, he didn't answer. She looked inside and found his room unoccupied, and she knew he was on the Glazier with his animals. Which was for the best, she conceded. She needed time away from him.
***
At dawn, the Aurora docked at Natchez-Under-The-Hill, the narrow shoreline between the river and the bluff that was the site of seamy bars, brothels and gaming houses where river men and scalawags drank and brawled. Joanna stood on the hurricane deck looking toward the Glazier , where roustabouts hauled the wagons with cages off the steamer, and she faced the chilling possibility that if she didn't turn away from Stefan now, before long she would be too deeply in love to do so because once they were joined, body and soul, for her there would be no turning back. Having acknowledged that, she made the decision to avoid Stefan at all cost and do whatever was necessary to enforce that decision.
While Stefan was directing the handlers, she decided to slip off the boat unnoticed and head for the lot on the bluff. Leaving the sternwheeler, she crossed the landing and threaded her way between vendors and concessionaires, walking briskly toward the broad road that climbed to the top of the bluff where the city of Natchez overlooked the river from high above.
Natchez-Under-The-Hill looked disreputable, and she shouldn't be walking alone, but most of the others had left the Aurora so she had no choice. She quickened her pace, but as she passed a seedy-looking boarding house, a pair of bearded, hard-faced rivermen stepped out of the front door and walked along with her.
"Hey, Mo," one said, "look at them cream jugs. I'll wager they've got a pair of the prettiest raspberry tits this side of heaven."
The other replied, "I bet she's got an arse to match, soft and round and hidin ' a nice pink fancy-piece just ripe for the takin '."
Joanna quickened her pace, but the men continued to walk with her. One took her by the arm and said in a voice laced with salacious intent, "Seems you come to town just in time. My cock's up ready to sink inside a pretty little whore like you. What say we duck down this next alley and I'll show you what I've got for you. I been told by the best whores workin ' these parts that I got the kind of cock you ladies like. Big and mean."
A wave of panic surging through her, Joanna said, "I am not a prostitute, and if you don't remove your hand this instant I'll scream." She attempted to shake off the man's hand.
He tightened his grip. "You're a feisty one. The best kind. There's nothin ' like a good fight before a good night... right?"
" Wrong !" The man was dragged from Joanna's arm, and an instant later he fell back, sprawled on the ground. "Keep your hands off her you goddamn bastard," Stefan yelled, "or you'll find yourself belly-down in the river sucking
Similar Books
