when it comes to creating weapons. But if you’re not careful, he’ll give away any ruse. He can’t keep his feelings for you out of his eyes.”
Oh, God preserve her. “He’s been reading Doc’s journals. He feels sorry for me.” Diana had to look away. “He’s also been saddled anew with the libidinous impulses of a man half his age. The two things are unrelated, trust me.”
Grace sighed. “If you say so. But I’ve never known you to hide from hard truths.”
Diana managed a shrug, but the smile she attempted wouldn’t come. “It just so happens, that is the hard truth.”
“Oh.” Grace closed her arms around her, a gesture of comfort and support. “I’m sorry. You’ve always been able to keep everything out of your eyes.”
Because she had to, now more than ever. “I’m all right. I’ll be fine.”
“You promise. Promise me, Diana.” Grace’s embrace turned desperate. “And if you need help, you send for it. Your best friend is a professional liar mated to a bank-robbing bloodhound.”
“I swear to send word if we need you.” If they had a chance in hell of arriving in time. If it wasn’t too dangerous. If. “Now, I want a drink.”
Grace let it drop and stepped back with a smile. “Are you sure you’re prepared for the saloon? I moved all the girls to the banker’s house, and Cecil and Cook have turned the saloon into an inn.”
“A respectable establishment?” Diana affected a shudder. “How could they?”
“Well, it’s not entirely respectable.” Grace pulled open the door to reveal even more bright, garish lights than had been there the last time.
And there, right in the middle of the damn room, stood Nate. He stared at her, both eyebrows up. “Diana.”
“Nate.” Her pulse quickened, something he could surely hear.
Perhaps everyone else could too. Nate stared at her in silence as Archer shifted uncomfortably. Even the handful of people milling about the dining room seemed to quiet.
Finally, Grace choked on a laugh. “Come, Diana. Did you want a drink or not?”
“Whiskey,” she answered, keeping her gaze locked with Nate’s. “It’s been a long day.”
He looked away first. “We almost came looking for you when you didn’t return. I wondered if you’d found someplace else to pass the evening.”
It stung. “I had an offer. I prefer the whiskey.”
“I see.” Only two words, but he almost seemed pleased.
Archer eyed them with interest, and Diana bared her teeth at him before accepting a glass from Grace. “Don’t worry, Nate. I’m not getting distracted. I’ll be ready to ride on first thing in the morning.”
Grace pursed her lips and propped her hands on her hips, the same posture that always preceded her wrangling misbehaving school children. “Why don’t we all sit down? I’ll pop into the back and let Cook know you’re here, Diana. She prepared your favorite.”
Diana drained half her drink before sliding into the chair Archer pulled out for her. “Thank you.”
“A peace offering,” he answered. “So you don’t bite me when you find out.”
“About our destination?” She absolutely couldn’t look at Nate, not with a good ounce of whiskey already humming through her veins. “I heard.”
Nate was staring straight ahead again, but this time he was doing a damn good job of staring through her. “Having a place to stay where we can trust our host—to some extent, in any case—will decrease the risk of our endeavor. It’s dangerous enough to go out and about in a city like Eternity as it is.”
“Agreed.” She finished her drink and turned to Archer. “Will your friend be able to help me make arrangements for the new moon?”
He paused with his glass halfway to his mouth, his ears turning red. “Everyone there will be aware of your nature and wholly dedicated to the pursuit of physical pleasure. I doubt you’ll lack for companionship.”
Nate glowered, and a muscle in his jaw jumped. So he didn’t like
Oh, God preserve her. “He’s been reading Doc’s journals. He feels sorry for me.” Diana had to look away. “He’s also been saddled anew with the libidinous impulses of a man half his age. The two things are unrelated, trust me.”
Grace sighed. “If you say so. But I’ve never known you to hide from hard truths.”
Diana managed a shrug, but the smile she attempted wouldn’t come. “It just so happens, that is the hard truth.”
“Oh.” Grace closed her arms around her, a gesture of comfort and support. “I’m sorry. You’ve always been able to keep everything out of your eyes.”
Because she had to, now more than ever. “I’m all right. I’ll be fine.”
“You promise. Promise me, Diana.” Grace’s embrace turned desperate. “And if you need help, you send for it. Your best friend is a professional liar mated to a bank-robbing bloodhound.”
“I swear to send word if we need you.” If they had a chance in hell of arriving in time. If it wasn’t too dangerous. If. “Now, I want a drink.”
Grace let it drop and stepped back with a smile. “Are you sure you’re prepared for the saloon? I moved all the girls to the banker’s house, and Cecil and Cook have turned the saloon into an inn.”
“A respectable establishment?” Diana affected a shudder. “How could they?”
“Well, it’s not entirely respectable.” Grace pulled open the door to reveal even more bright, garish lights than had been there the last time.
And there, right in the middle of the damn room, stood Nate. He stared at her, both eyebrows up. “Diana.”
“Nate.” Her pulse quickened, something he could surely hear.
Perhaps everyone else could too. Nate stared at her in silence as Archer shifted uncomfortably. Even the handful of people milling about the dining room seemed to quiet.
Finally, Grace choked on a laugh. “Come, Diana. Did you want a drink or not?”
“Whiskey,” she answered, keeping her gaze locked with Nate’s. “It’s been a long day.”
He looked away first. “We almost came looking for you when you didn’t return. I wondered if you’d found someplace else to pass the evening.”
It stung. “I had an offer. I prefer the whiskey.”
“I see.” Only two words, but he almost seemed pleased.
Archer eyed them with interest, and Diana bared her teeth at him before accepting a glass from Grace. “Don’t worry, Nate. I’m not getting distracted. I’ll be ready to ride on first thing in the morning.”
Grace pursed her lips and propped her hands on her hips, the same posture that always preceded her wrangling misbehaving school children. “Why don’t we all sit down? I’ll pop into the back and let Cook know you’re here, Diana. She prepared your favorite.”
Diana drained half her drink before sliding into the chair Archer pulled out for her. “Thank you.”
“A peace offering,” he answered. “So you don’t bite me when you find out.”
“About our destination?” She absolutely couldn’t look at Nate, not with a good ounce of whiskey already humming through her veins. “I heard.”
Nate was staring straight ahead again, but this time he was doing a damn good job of staring through her. “Having a place to stay where we can trust our host—to some extent, in any case—will decrease the risk of our endeavor. It’s dangerous enough to go out and about in a city like Eternity as it is.”
“Agreed.” She finished her drink and turned to Archer. “Will your friend be able to help me make arrangements for the new moon?”
He paused with his glass halfway to his mouth, his ears turning red. “Everyone there will be aware of your nature and wholly dedicated to the pursuit of physical pleasure. I doubt you’ll lack for companionship.”
Nate glowered, and a muscle in his jaw jumped. So he didn’t like
Similar Books
