Chapter 6

I told Molly (yes, we were on a first name basis already) that I’d move in Monday, and headed to the stables to check on my horse. A decided benefit of my new digs was its proximity to the stables and Liz’s place; both my girls would be less than a block from my door. Clem’s barbershop was a block further away now, but I could live with that.

Saturday afternoon, Liz joined me in my hotel room for another study session. Yes, it was an actual study session, because Liz was too sore ‘down there’ for much hanky-panky. I wasn’t disappointed about that very much anyway, I enjoyed her company and she was an excellent study partner. We did kiss and make out some, and I let her explore my body at her leisure. She asked a lot of questions about sex and my attitude about relationships. Through it all, she stayed completely and modestly dressed.

I almost laughed at how scandalized Liz was at my suggestion that she return the oral favors I had bestowed on her yesterday. I kept coaxing though, and finally she relented enough to suck me a little and finish me with her hand. She was very pleased with herself when she made me come in great streaming gushes. She even tentatively tasted my ejaculate and pronounced it ‘not as horrible as she had imagined.’

Liz departed at four in the afternoon, headed for the mercantile, and I curled up in the bed for a well-deserved nap.

Saturday night was a biggie for me. It started with Pen explaining the job he was offering me. The salary was pretty damned good and the job didn’t sound that difficult. I was going to spend a week or so learning his routine, and then I’d fill in for him, looking after the saloon when he needed me. I would also represent the house three nights a week at the poker tables. That means that I sold the chips and collected the saloon’s ten percent cut. Since the saloons share came when the chips were purchased, it was a piece of cake. I could sit at the table and play, or just watch. If I played, I had to buy into the game the same as everyone else.

Pen showed me the small office he had mentioned. It wasn’t a suite at the Ritz, but it was not too shabby. I still needed a desk, bookcase and chairs, but it would do just fine. After seeing the office, I stuck out my hand.

“I’ll take it, Boss. When do I start?”

Well, I started right then, because Pen wanted a break from the nightly card game to visit a senorita he was partial to over at Cortez’s Cantina. H. Pennington Smythe was a dog. He’d chase a woman a thousand miles to bed her, then run two thousand to get away from her.

Without Pen at the table, I was the man that night. I won forty dollars by the time the game broke up at midnight. I started playing conservatively as I observed the other players at the table. When I thought I had their games figured out, I stopped folding as much and pushed the game. I made sure I won enough hands to stay ahead, while losing enough to keep the other players in the game. While I was running the game, I instituted a policy of the house, buying a round every hour. I also ensured that any of the unoccupied bar girls dropped by the table often to flirt with the players. It seemed to work, as soldiers, cowboys and shopkeepers lined up to join the game. I soon had three tables going and the house had pulled in seventy dollars in chip sales.

Because I had to stay at the Bull until midnight, I only had a few minutes to spend with Liz at the Nugget. I didn’t even buy a dance ticket. I just flipped Charlie a silver dollar and told him to set me up with a beer, and Liz a glass of real wine. I was a regular now, and I tipped Charlie well, so I received dispensations.

Liz understood when I told her I couldn’t see her until tomorrow evening. She was even a little impressed that I was attending Mass. She was a staunch Baptist, so there wasn’t a chance of her wanting to go with me.

Sunday morning I had to shave myself, because Clem’s was closed. I took my time and managed not to cut my own throat in the process. I put on a clean shirt, and topped off my outfit with my frock coat. I was pretty damned dapper. I went to the stable and rescued Melosa an hour before mass was scheduled, so we could take a little ride. My little sweetie appreciated that, and she liked it even better when I started singing songs that hadn’t been written yet. Melosa thought my singing voice was just fine, a much different opinion than any of my ex-wives held. Gracie told me the first time I sang in the shower, she thought I’d zipped my weenie up in my fly.

I missed Gracie the most of all the former Mrs. Tyler McGuinns. Gracie had a great sense of humor to go along with her hair-trigger temper. Molly Dean reminded me of Gracie. What is really sad about my split from Grace was that there was no real reason for it. Little things and a lack of effort on my part caused our marriage to die the ‘death of a thousand cuts’.

In honor of Grace, I sang Melosa some sad sack country tearjerkers. I don’t think she liked them nearly as much as she did the Motown numbers I’d been hooting in her ear.

We arrived at the grand old mission church in San Elizario about fifteen minutes before Mass. I was standing under a tree, holding Melosa’s reins as she daintily nibbled some grass, when I spotted Juanita and Maria. They were riding in a wagon filled with formally dress Lopezes. I tied Melosa’s long reins loosely to a tree limb and walked to the door of the church. I had to smile at myself as I instinctively squared my shoulders and stood up straight, my grandmother’s training in full display.

Juanita was leading the procession of Lopezes, carrying a beautiful little girl, so I greeted her first. She introduced me to her father, Hector Calis. In turn, her father introduced his wife and her widowed mother. I was on my best and most formal behavior. I was especially attentive to the grandmother, remembering my own sainted Abuela.

I could tell by Señor Calis’s look, that he was trying to find a reason to dislike me for something other than general principles. My good manners and respectful tone were making that hard for him. Those same manners were, however, having a positive affect on Señora Lopez and her mother; especially when I held my arm out for the grandmother, to escort her into the church.

As we trooped into the church, I could not help notice what a handsome family the Lopezes were. Heck, even grandma, who had to be at least fifty, was pretty and shapely.

Juanita’s baby was named Anna, the same as her grandmother. Baby Anna was just at the starting to walk stage and was fidgety sitting in her mother’s lap. Finally, Grandmother Anna took her namesake outside so as not to disrupt the service. She surprised me by asking me to escort her. I stood up and led the way, opening the heavy door for the pair of them.

Abuela Anna had an ulterior motive for asking me to help her outside with the baby. I walked the pair over to Melosa, figuring that a horse to pet would entertain the baby. Melosa was gently nudging the giggling little girl while grandma quizzed me. She didn’t beat around the bush.

“What is your purpose, Señor Tyler? Has not Juanita suffered enough?”

I gave Anna the truth about being there, about how I was trying to divert Maria from stalking me by pretending to woo Juanita and getting to know the family.

“You are all beautiful women, Anna, and I am strongly drawn to you all; but I will stay on my best behavior and not try to seduce any of you,” I said gallantly.

Anna looked startled for a second that I included her with her granddaughters. Then she leaned towards me, her eyes latching onto mine. Her eyes were deep, mysterious, obsidian pools that were impossible for me to look away from. She smiled when she saw how helpless I was. When she spoke, the timbre of her voice had changed downward an octave or two.

“The choice may not yours, my handsome young friend. The way I see you now makes me sure of that. It is that way with us and some men. Too bad Juanita’s first man wasn’t one of them. Rest assured, Sweetheart ... we will take care of everything,” she said cryptically.

Her voice was so sexy it made me shiver. I didn’t doubt for a moment what she had said.

After the Mass, we stood on the steps of the church, waiting for the Padre to come out and greet everyone. While we were waiting, a very beautiful, light skinned woman exited the church with three other women, one older than the rest. The women were all well dressed, and seemed disdainful of the other parishioners. Grandmother Lopez caught me looking.

“The beautiful one’s name is Feleena, stay far away from her. She uses men and discards them as if they were rubbish.”

I frowned at the description, but nodded absently. I certainly could see what drew Uncle Ty to her; she was breathtaking. I could also see what Anna was talking about. She looked cruel, predatory, and entirely aware of her appeal.

I watched Feleena descend the steps with her companions. Her long raven hair cascaded over her shoulders. She had large, dark eyes in which a man could lose himself. Nineteenth century women’s formal wear didn’t leave much in the way of bare flesh, what with floor-length multi-layered skirts, petticoats, and corsets concealing everything. Nevertheless, Feleena’s attire couldn’t hide her womanly charms, two of which strained to burst through her bodice. When I returned my gaze to her pretty face, I suddenly realized I’d been caught staring, for she was looking directly at me, a knowing, flirtatious smile on her lips. Just as quickly, she turned her attention to yet another male admirer and flirted with him as well.