she was in deep enough now to plant herself and a team of horses. His dimples split his cheeks, plunging to depths never before reached as he heard his manager shuffle up beside him.
"Yes, Mr. Connors?"
"Mr. Connors?" Jewel sputtered, cocking an eyebrow at Tex. "Where do you get off calling him —a man who is probably a stowaway—anything? I signaled you for a reason. I demand that you have this man removed from this boat. He's just a two-bit gambler and I wouldn't be surprised to find he also cheats at cards." She sniffed and lifted her chin as she added, "He also insulted me. Please have him ejected."
Tex, a giant of a man who doubled as the bouncer, took off his visor and scratched his head. "Mr. Connors? What's going on? What do you want me to do?"
Brent held the toothpick in front of Jewel's face and snapped it in half. Then he turned to acknowledge Tex. "How did she get on board?"
"I hired her this morning, boss. I didn't think you'd mind, since you approved all the other acts I booked."
"I thought our entertainment budget was depleted."
Tex grinned, exposing a patchwork of neglected and missing teeth. "She signed on for room and board and whatever she can make from the passengers. Won't cost us anything but a few meals. I didn't think you'd mind."
Feeling left out, as if she'd never been a part of the discussion, Jewel elbowed her way back into the conversation. "Why do you care if he minds or not, and what's all this 'boss' talk? I thought you were the boss, Tex."
"I am in the saloon cabin, ma'am," he explained. "But Mr. Connors is the boss over all of us. He owns this steamship."
Her smile as counterfeit as the twenty dollar bills she'd tracked down in the past, Jewel kept her paralyzed gaze on Tex. "How very nice for him," she managed through a jaw so tight it would barely move. "How very, very lovely indeed. I guess I won't be needing you after all, Tex. I was just funning with Mr. Connors here. Thanks for taking part in my little joke."
Tex's eyebrow's drew together and he looked at Brent. "Mr. Connors?"
"Go on back to the bar, Tex. Thanks for coming over. I can handle this from here on out."
"Yes, sir." The puzzled giant began to move away slowly, then turned and hurried back to his post, shaking his head as he made his way across the long room.
Working to overcome her shock and wondering how, or if, she would keep her new job, Jewel reached over and lightly touched Brent's vest. "Nice fabric. Very expensive. It suits a big handsome man like you."
Again he circled her wrist with his fingers, but this time he held her arm up between them. "You have a decision to make and make now. You can come along to my cabin quietly and explain exactly who you are and why you are on this ship, or you can take a swim. Which will it be?''
"Why... stars and garters," she said in her best southern accent, "you don't leave a girl with much of a choice." Jewel stared up at him, pouting and fluttering her eyelashes. "I can't swim, you know, and going to your cabin is—how shall I say it?—not exactly the kind of thing a proper young lady—''
"Spare me the innocent act, all right? Are you coming with me or not?''
"Well, suh—"
"And get rid of the phony accent. If there's one thing I can't stand besides liars, it's southern belles. Now, what's it going to be?"
"I, ah... see." She shrugged. "In that case, I suppose a trip to your cabin is in order. I'm sure once I explain everything, you'll—"
"I'd just love to hear your story this time, but in private if you don't mind." Brent glanced around the saloon, noticing they'd already drawn more than a couple of curious stares. He began to walk away and was relieved when he heard her fall into step behind him.
Intent on dreaming up a story that would best serve her purpose, Jewel barely noticed the throngs of fancy ladies cautiously glancing her way as she wove her way through them. She kept her mind on business and her gaze on Brent's stiff shoulders—and caught
"Yes, Mr. Connors?"
"Mr. Connors?" Jewel sputtered, cocking an eyebrow at Tex. "Where do you get off calling him —a man who is probably a stowaway—anything? I signaled you for a reason. I demand that you have this man removed from this boat. He's just a two-bit gambler and I wouldn't be surprised to find he also cheats at cards." She sniffed and lifted her chin as she added, "He also insulted me. Please have him ejected."
Tex, a giant of a man who doubled as the bouncer, took off his visor and scratched his head. "Mr. Connors? What's going on? What do you want me to do?"
Brent held the toothpick in front of Jewel's face and snapped it in half. Then he turned to acknowledge Tex. "How did she get on board?"
"I hired her this morning, boss. I didn't think you'd mind, since you approved all the other acts I booked."
"I thought our entertainment budget was depleted."
Tex grinned, exposing a patchwork of neglected and missing teeth. "She signed on for room and board and whatever she can make from the passengers. Won't cost us anything but a few meals. I didn't think you'd mind."
Feeling left out, as if she'd never been a part of the discussion, Jewel elbowed her way back into the conversation. "Why do you care if he minds or not, and what's all this 'boss' talk? I thought you were the boss, Tex."
"I am in the saloon cabin, ma'am," he explained. "But Mr. Connors is the boss over all of us. He owns this steamship."
Her smile as counterfeit as the twenty dollar bills she'd tracked down in the past, Jewel kept her paralyzed gaze on Tex. "How very nice for him," she managed through a jaw so tight it would barely move. "How very, very lovely indeed. I guess I won't be needing you after all, Tex. I was just funning with Mr. Connors here. Thanks for taking part in my little joke."
Tex's eyebrow's drew together and he looked at Brent. "Mr. Connors?"
"Go on back to the bar, Tex. Thanks for coming over. I can handle this from here on out."
"Yes, sir." The puzzled giant began to move away slowly, then turned and hurried back to his post, shaking his head as he made his way across the long room.
Working to overcome her shock and wondering how, or if, she would keep her new job, Jewel reached over and lightly touched Brent's vest. "Nice fabric. Very expensive. It suits a big handsome man like you."
Again he circled her wrist with his fingers, but this time he held her arm up between them. "You have a decision to make and make now. You can come along to my cabin quietly and explain exactly who you are and why you are on this ship, or you can take a swim. Which will it be?''
"Why... stars and garters," she said in her best southern accent, "you don't leave a girl with much of a choice." Jewel stared up at him, pouting and fluttering her eyelashes. "I can't swim, you know, and going to your cabin is—how shall I say it?—not exactly the kind of thing a proper young lady—''
"Spare me the innocent act, all right? Are you coming with me or not?''
"Well, suh—"
"And get rid of the phony accent. If there's one thing I can't stand besides liars, it's southern belles. Now, what's it going to be?"
"I, ah... see." She shrugged. "In that case, I suppose a trip to your cabin is in order. I'm sure once I explain everything, you'll—"
"I'd just love to hear your story this time, but in private if you don't mind." Brent glanced around the saloon, noticing they'd already drawn more than a couple of curious stares. He began to walk away and was relieved when he heard her fall into step behind him.
Intent on dreaming up a story that would best serve her purpose, Jewel barely noticed the throngs of fancy ladies cautiously glancing her way as she wove her way through them. She kept her mind on business and her gaze on Brent's stiff shoulders—and caught
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