Survivor Pass Read online

  “There’s no need. Say what you came to say, then leave.”

  “I came for two reasons, Alison. This will only take a couple minutes.” His gaze settled on the wary expression in her eyes, then wandered down to her full, red lips. The lump in his throat increased as he waited for her response.

  “I’ll give you two minutes.” Yanking the door open, she moved aside, letting him pass. Closing the door, letting her back rest against it, she worked to keep her breathing normal and even. It wouldn’t do her any good for him to see how much his presence affected her. How much she’d missed him.

  Taking several paces away, he leaned his hip against a table, setting his hat aside.

  “Gabe asked me to stop by to see if you might need any help.”

  Her brows crunched together. “Help?”

  “A group of Chinese workers came to town and are looking for work. They’ve been working the mines up north at Cave Gulch. It closed down, so they moved south. We’re spreading the word in case anyone needs some help.”

  Her heart sank. She’d thought he’d come by to see her, explain why he hadn’t sought her company, maybe even ask her to supper. Instead, he’d come at the order of the sheriff.

  “You can thank Gabe for thinking of me, but I don’t need any help. If that’s all…” She pushed from the door, ready to open it.

  “There’s something else.”

  “And what would that be?”

  Cash dropped his gaze from hers, focusing on a gouge in the wooden floor, wondering why this was so hard. He’d rather face a bank robber than expose his feelings to a woman. And Alison wasn’t just any woman. The desire drawing him to her wouldn’t subside, no matter how hard he set his mind to it. Each day he missed her more, needing to see her smile, hear her laugh. Pushing her away hadn’t helped at all.

  “I’ve missed you,” he breathed out, looking up, watching her eyes widen.

  “I don’t know why. I’ve been right here every day, a few doors away from the jail.” Even as she spoke the words, her feet carried her toward him.

  “True.”

  She shook her head, confusion taking over the irritation she’d felt at his arrival. “I don’t understand.”

  He reached out, waiting until she took the last few steps to stand in front of him, touching her fingers to his. Threading his fingers through hers, he tugged her closer.

  “I’m not an easy person, Allie. I’ve never believed in happy endings or felt the desire to settle down.” He closed his eyes, searching for the words, allowing her time to stop his confession.

  Her chest tightened at his use of her nickname. The one her family and friends in Kentucky used. Odd, but the sound of it from his lips made her feel as if she were home.

  Opening his eyes, his gaze locked on hers. “Trouble is, I can’t stop thinking about you. I want you more than I’ve ever wanted any woman. Staying away hasn’t helped. The more I try, the more I need to be near you. Does that make any sense? Or have I completely lost my mind?”

  A shaky laugh escaped as she tightened her grip. “You may have lost your mind, but that’s not for me to decide. However, you do make sense.” Her lips curved upward as her face softened.

  Moving his other hand behind her back, he drew her closer until they were a breath apart.

  She tensed at the intimacy. Even though they’d shared several kisses, this felt more personal, more familiar. The passion she felt for Cash thrilled and scared her. He thought she was a widow, experienced. It couldn’t be further from the truth.

  Feeling her stiffen, he loosened his hold, allowing her to step away. She didn’t. Instead, she settled her hands on his arms and waited.

  “Unless you say different, I’m still courting you, Allie. I’ve been a fool, trying to ignore my feelings for you. No longer.” Tilting her chin up with a finger, he studied her face. “All right?”

  Words wouldn’t come, as if some magical force had claimed her, rendering her speechless. Instead, she nodded, watching as he drew her closer.

  “I’m going to kiss you.”

  Again, all she could do was nod, closing her eyes. A moment later, his warm lips brushed across hers, igniting a heat she didn’t know how to control. Her body began to tremble, her heart pounding as he traced her lips with his tongue, seeking entry. Opening for him, her mind began to spin when he delved inside. A voice in her head warned her to back away, break the kiss. Ignoring it, she moved her hands to the back of his head, threading her fingers through his hair, drawing him down.

  A deep groan signaled his approval. His arms became a band of steel around her, tightening, as if he planned to never let her go. Splaying his hands on her back, he pressed their bodies closer, feeling the fire from her flow into him. He couldn’t get close enough, and this wasn’t the time or place to take it further. Breaking the kiss, he sucked in a ragged breath, setting her a few inches away.

  “What I want to do to you can’t be done in the middle of your shop.” He grinned, watching her glazed expression take in his meaning.

  Stepping away, she touched a finger to her lips, certain she could still feel the vibrations from their kiss. “I, um… That was…”

  He almost chuckled at the stunned look on her face. “Yes, it was, and we aren’t done, Allie.” Straightening, he picked up his hat, touching his lips to her forehead. “I’m taking you to supper tonight.” Watching her expression, he waited.

  Finding her voice, her lips parted. “I’d like that.”

  ~~~~~

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Mind if I join you?” Cash settled against the bar, signaling Paul for a whiskey.

  “Doesn’t seem I have a choice.” Nick Barnett stared down into his own glass, not looking over at Cash.

  Taking the glass from Paul, he raised his eyebrows at the bartender, who glanced at Nick, then shrugged. Nick seldom had what most people would consider a bad day. He took good and bad news with the same even temper, showing little emotion except when someone he cared about was threatened.

  “Everyone all right, Nick?”

  Shifting, he glanced at Cash. “Yes. Why do you ask?”

  “Curious is all. You seem to be wrestling with something, so I wondered if Lena or Jack were sick, or…”

  Nick let the silence stretch out between them. The only other person who knew what troubled him was Gabe, his friend and business partner. Not even Lena, whom he had known since they were children in New Orleans, trying to pull themselves out of the lives they’d been dealt by having prostitutes as mothers, knew what bothered him.

  “As far as I know, both are fine. Gabe would be the one to ask.” He picked up his glass, started to take a sip, then set it back down.

  “And Suzanne?”

  Nick’s head snapped toward Cash, his eyes narrowing. “What about Suzanne?”

  “Nothing. Just wondered if she was doing all right.” Cash took another swallow of whiskey. He’d allow himself one drink before making his last tour of the town, then he’d clean up to escort Alison to supper. A slight grin formed at the thought.

  “How should I know what’s going on with Suzanne? She doesn’t answer to me.” Nick’s hardened voice might dissuade most people. Too bad Cash wasn’t most people.

  Turning to face the bar, he lowered his voice. “Hell, Nick. That woman can’t buy a new dress without you knowing about it. From what I can see, you won’t even let her go into the general store alone. Don’t tell me whatever’s going on with you has nothing to do with Suzanne because that would be plain hogwash.”

  Nick picked up his glass, glaring at Cash before he tossed it back in one gulp. “I’m tired of waiting.”

  “For what?”

  “For that skittish woman to give me some indication she wants more from me than friendship.”

  Cash’s bark of laughter had heads turning in their direction. Ignoring them, he lowered his voice. “When did you start backing down from a challenge? Seems to me you’re the one who ought to make it clear how you feel
. You know her story as well as anyone.”

  Nick sighed. He did know her story. How her husband and daughter were killed in a freak blizzard years before, leaving her more broken than living. It had taken time, but she’d moved past the pain, opening the boardinghouse and building a solitary life by putting all she had into her work. With a heart as big as Montana, she looked out for everyone except herself, rarely taking a day off and eschewing any thought of finding love a second time.

  “And her story is why I’ve been so patient. Look around, Cash. Not a person in this town is immune to heartbreak. All of us have faced loss.” He nodded at Paul to fill his glass a second time.

  “Some people take longer to heal. Truth is, some never do, accepting whatever is left of their life.” Cash finished the last of his whiskey, leaning his arms on the bar. “I think Suzanne has gotten into a routine she understands. Unless someone gives her a reason to change, she’ll keep getting up each day, doing what she did the day before. You’re the one who has to change it.”

  “What would you suggest?” Sarcasm seeped from Nick as a scowl crossed his face.

  “Court her. Take her to supper or for a ride in the country. Get her out of the boardinghouse.”

  “I’ve tried. Every day, she gets up before dawn, works her fingers to the bone, then falls into bed about midnight.” Nick rubbed his temple, feeling his head throb.

  “As I recall, you, Gabe, and Lena own half the boardinghouse and are paying to expand the restaurant. Can’t you get someone to take her place for a day or evening?”

  Nick thought a moment, his eyes taking on a familiar glint. “Mondays are slow. That’s one of the days Suzanne has that orphan girl, Rosemary, come in to help clean. Sometimes her brother, Ben, joins her. She’s been talking to Rosemary about working in the dining room…” His voice drifted off as he seemed to be working through the idea. “I might be able to arrange something.”

  Cash clasped him on the shoulder. “No time like now.” Straightening, he turned toward the door.

  “How do you know so much about this?”

  “Plain ol’ experience,” Cash muttered under his breath, wishing it were true.

  Alison closed the shop, locking the front door at least an hour before she expected Cash. Her stomach, and thoughts, had been in turmoil since he’d left, leaving her body tingling with a need she had no idea how to soothe.

  Dashing upstairs, she slipped out of her clothes, then grabbed the sponge, washing her chest, neck, and arms. Taking a seat at the table she used as a vanity, Alison let down her hair, brushing it until it shown, then re-pinned it in a loose bun. A bottle of rose water caught her attention. Her parents had given it to her before her father joined the Union Army. She hadn’t used it since his funeral, and had never intended to wear it again. On impulse, she opened it, using a small amount on her neck, behind her ears, and on her wrists.

  The final touch was the new dress she’d finished a week before, hanging on a hook behind her. When Alison saw it on a woman during the trip west, she vowed to make a pattern, then showcase the completed dress in her shop. Instead, when the last stitch was in place, she took it upstairs.

  Slipping it on, she fastened the buttons. Standing in front of the mirror, she rotated in a circle twice, inspecting each detail. Seeing nothing amiss, she picked up her reticule and a shawl, took a deep breath, and headed down the stairs.

  As she walked around the shop, adjusting hats and rearranging fabric, she heard a hearty knock. Sucking in a breath, she straightened her shoulders and unlocked the door. The look on his face pushed away the apprehension she’d been trying to ignore.

  Until she saw him slowly shift his gaze from her face to her shoes, Alison hadn’t realized how much she wanted Cash’s approval. When he looked back into her eyes, she could’ve launched herself into his arms. Approval, clear as any spring day, shown on his face.

  “You look stunning.” The huskiness in his voice told her how much he meant his words.

  “Thank you, Cash. You look very handsome.” She smiled as she let her gaze drift over him. To her, he always looked magnificent, with his striking green eyes and blond hair. Tonight, he looked beyond handsome in a black shirt with a green ribbon tie and matching black slacks. The black coat hung to his thighs, and his boots had been polished until they gleamed.

  Remembering his manners, he removed his hat and made a slight bow. “Are you ready?”

  She nodded, locking the door to the shop, then slipping her arm through his.

  They strolled down the boardwalk. When they passed Bett’s restaurant, she believed they’d be eating at the boardinghouse. As they crossed the street, she looked up at him in surprise when he continued past Suzanne’s and headed back toward the other end of town.

  “Where—”

  Cash placed a finger over her lips, silencing her question. “It’s a surprise.”

  As they approached the end of the boardwalk, she glanced around, wondering where he was taking her, then looked up at him. His grin told her how much he was enjoying her curiosity.

  Coming to a halt in front of the St. James Hotel, he hesitated a moment before opening the door.

  “But Cash, they have no restaurant…” Alison’s brows arched as her voice drifted off.

  Without saying a word, he nodded at the clerk behind the front desk, then made a slight turn. In an alcove to the left stood a single table with a white tablecloth, a stunning silver candelabra, and the most elegant silver tableware she’d ever seen, adorned with intricate engravings. Her gaze settled on the lustrous china decorated with a fine pattern of leaves and flowers in greens and blues. In all her life, Alison had never seen anything so stunning.

  “Do you like it?” The apprehension in his voice warmed her. It was obvious her answer meant a great deal to him.

  “I love it, Cash.” Her eyes sparkled as she looked up, seeing his features relax.

  “Good evening, Mr. Coulter.” A young waiter took the back of Alison’s chair, pulling it out for her.

  “Good evening, Bradley. I didn’t know Nick and Gabe had hired you.” Cash waited a moment while Alison adjusted her dress before taking his seat.

  “I spoke with Mr. Barnett about a job once the restaurant opened. Sheriff Evans rode out to the ranch a few days ago and said they were ready for me. You are, well, my first customers since the full dining room doesn’t open until next week.” He blushed, his enthusiasm for his new job obvious. Handing them each a handwritten menu, he walked to a nearby serving cart, picking up a bottle. “May I offer each of you a glass of our Isabella wine?”

  Cash glanced at Alison, whose blank face almost made him chuckle. “Thank you, Bradley. A small amount for the lady.”

  Pouring a half glass for Cash and a quarter glass for Alison, he set the bottle aside. “I’ll give you a few minutes to read the menu and decide.”

  They picked up their glasses, Cash tilting his toward her. “To a memorable evening.”

  A smile tugged at her lips. “A memorable evening.” Taking a sip, her eyes danced at the taste.

  “Have you had wine before?” Cash rolled the dark red liquid around to coat the sides of the glass, then took a sip.

  “Only what I’ve made.”

  He almost choked at her declaration. “You make wine?”

  “Not anything as elegant as this, of course. My mother taught me how to make it. I use apples, cherries, or elderberries. Whatever is available. I have a bottle of apple wine at home if you’d like to try a glass sometime.”

  “Mrs. Burns, you are full of surprises.”

  This time, it was Alison who almost choked on her wine, thinking of the other surprises Cash knew nothing about.

  Supper continued, each contributing small talk about their lives before moving west. Alison knew Cash left out much of what he saw during the war, the same as she did since her brother died. She longed to ask him more about the robbery and what happened that day.

  The change in her thoughts about Splendor a
nd the shootings unsettled her. Anger and the need for retribution controlled Alison from the moment she’d learned of Bobby’s death. She still believed he never would have been willingly involved with a gang of outlaws. The thought of him pulling a gun on innocent people sent a chill through her, as questions about his innocence mounted.

  “May I get you anything else?” Bradley filled their coffee cups once more, then picked up the empty dessert plates.

  “I don’t believe so.” Cash reached into his pocket, pulling out a worn leather wallet.

  “Mr. Barnett told me your supper has been taken care of, Mr. Coulter.” When he saw the dark look passing over Cash’s face, Bradley cleared his throat, his discomfort obvious. “He said if you have any problem with it, you need to see him.”

  Before Cash could react, Alison reached across the table, placing her hand over his. “Please tell Mr. Barnett thank you for us and that the evening couldn’t have been better.”

  “Thank you. I’ll certainly tell him.” Flashing Alison a look of gratitude, Bradley pulled out her chair. “I hope you’ll come back when the main dining room opens. It will be quite the sight.”

  “Oh, you can bet your horse on it, Bradley.” Cash moved next to Alison, placing a hand on her lower back as he guided her outside.

  “It was quite nice of Nick to treat us to supper.”

  Cash’s scowl indicated he didn’t feel the same. “I’ll talk to him. Give him your regards.”

  He knew the irritation he felt was unreasonable. If Nick wanted to pay for their supper, so be it. Yet a part of him wanted to play a little bit the hero with Alison, which included handing over the money himself.

  Ignoring his change in mood, she slid her arm through his as they crossed the street, walking toward her shop.

  “I’ve watched them move furniture into the hotel over the last few months. Tonight is the first time I’ve been inside. It’s magnificent. More than I would have expected for a town the size of Splendor.”