head. “He must be the busiest man in town.”
“You know what I’m talking about, so don’t act stupid.”
“The problem is, Mistress Rosy, you don’t know what
you’re
talking about. You’re making Tom responsiblefor every man’s good sense in this town, and that’s not fair. He doesn’t pour drinks down anybody’s throat. He can’t be the conscience of every person in town.”
“He could show some moral obligation. He could set a limit on how many shots he’ll serve each customer.”
Theo raised a brow. “Shots? You know the jargon, don’t you?”
“Don’t change the subject. This town, every town, would be better off without open saloons. Why do you think they won’t allow women—other than barmaids—into them? They know the women would appeal to the men’s better senses and persuade them to leave the bar and go home. Sinmongers like Tom Wilson serve up one drink after another to make the men depend on their liquor so that they no longer have free will and can’t refuse—”
Theo yawned hugely and noisily. “Excuse me, Regina. I’m suddenly ready for a nap.”
“You asked for an explanation and I’m giving you one.”
“No, you’re lecturing me.”
“I’m telling you about how whiskey gets into the blood and poisons the mind and erodes the—”
He picked up his hat and turned his back on her. “Guess I’ll be taking myself over to Tom’s for a quick one before I tackle the rest of this day.”
“How dare you!” She grabbed his arm, seized by fury. “You can’t come into my home, accept my hospitality, and then treat me as if I’m no more than a—”
The shock of his mouth on hers silenced her. His arm circled her waist and brought her against his chest. She flattened her hands at his shoulders, but was too stunned to push him away. His lipswarmed against hers and the tip of his tongue raced across the seam before he set her from him.
Anger came to her rescue, giving her strength as she brought her open palm sharply across his cheek. She expected him to glower, but he grinned. Before she knew what he was about, his arm was around her waist again and she was his captive. His mouth moved over hers. She fought this time, pounding his shoulders, his back, his forearms. When he set her free, she gathered in a gulping breath and her hand lifted instinctively.
Theo wagged a finger. “Uh-uh-uh, Regina. Not unless you want tit for tat. Of course, I could go on kissing you all day, but I’m afraid you’ll loosen my teeth before too long.”
She lowered her hand, and he released a soft sigh. “You deserve worse, hurling one insult after another,” she said.
“Insults? You mean the kisses?”
“Those and that comment about going to Tom’s to drink when you know how I feel about such behavior. I hope you’re not already depending on liquor to get you through each day and make you sleep each night.”
He quirked one brow. “I don’t remember saying anything about going to Tom’s for a drink.”
“You most certainly did. You said you were going to grab a quick one before continuing—” Comprehension dawned and dried the words on her tongue. The devil! He was trying to make her think that he’d been talking about taking one of the saloon girls upstairs to a private room. Theo’s smirking grin added to her mortification, but she tipped up her chin and refused to crumble. “I’m not a dim-witted bumpkin, Theodore Dane. I know you’re trying to shock me, but you have only succeeded in sickening me.” She glided pasthim, moving quickly along the hall to the front door, which she held open for him.
He moved without haste and stopped on the threshold to face her. “You’ve got every man—with the notable exception of me—scared to even smile at you on the street, much less ask you out for a social occasion. You could use a night out, Regina Rose, so I’ll ask you once more to go to the cotillion with me.” He fit his hat on his head, throwing his face in
“You know what I’m talking about, so don’t act stupid.”
“The problem is, Mistress Rosy, you don’t know what
you’re
talking about. You’re making Tom responsiblefor every man’s good sense in this town, and that’s not fair. He doesn’t pour drinks down anybody’s throat. He can’t be the conscience of every person in town.”
“He could show some moral obligation. He could set a limit on how many shots he’ll serve each customer.”
Theo raised a brow. “Shots? You know the jargon, don’t you?”
“Don’t change the subject. This town, every town, would be better off without open saloons. Why do you think they won’t allow women—other than barmaids—into them? They know the women would appeal to the men’s better senses and persuade them to leave the bar and go home. Sinmongers like Tom Wilson serve up one drink after another to make the men depend on their liquor so that they no longer have free will and can’t refuse—”
Theo yawned hugely and noisily. “Excuse me, Regina. I’m suddenly ready for a nap.”
“You asked for an explanation and I’m giving you one.”
“No, you’re lecturing me.”
“I’m telling you about how whiskey gets into the blood and poisons the mind and erodes the—”
He picked up his hat and turned his back on her. “Guess I’ll be taking myself over to Tom’s for a quick one before I tackle the rest of this day.”
“How dare you!” She grabbed his arm, seized by fury. “You can’t come into my home, accept my hospitality, and then treat me as if I’m no more than a—”
The shock of his mouth on hers silenced her. His arm circled her waist and brought her against his chest. She flattened her hands at his shoulders, but was too stunned to push him away. His lipswarmed against hers and the tip of his tongue raced across the seam before he set her from him.
Anger came to her rescue, giving her strength as she brought her open palm sharply across his cheek. She expected him to glower, but he grinned. Before she knew what he was about, his arm was around her waist again and she was his captive. His mouth moved over hers. She fought this time, pounding his shoulders, his back, his forearms. When he set her free, she gathered in a gulping breath and her hand lifted instinctively.
Theo wagged a finger. “Uh-uh-uh, Regina. Not unless you want tit for tat. Of course, I could go on kissing you all day, but I’m afraid you’ll loosen my teeth before too long.”
She lowered her hand, and he released a soft sigh. “You deserve worse, hurling one insult after another,” she said.
“Insults? You mean the kisses?”
“Those and that comment about going to Tom’s to drink when you know how I feel about such behavior. I hope you’re not already depending on liquor to get you through each day and make you sleep each night.”
He quirked one brow. “I don’t remember saying anything about going to Tom’s for a drink.”
“You most certainly did. You said you were going to grab a quick one before continuing—” Comprehension dawned and dried the words on her tongue. The devil! He was trying to make her think that he’d been talking about taking one of the saloon girls upstairs to a private room. Theo’s smirking grin added to her mortification, but she tipped up her chin and refused to crumble. “I’m not a dim-witted bumpkin, Theodore Dane. I know you’re trying to shock me, but you have only succeeded in sickening me.” She glided pasthim, moving quickly along the hall to the front door, which she held open for him.
He moved without haste and stopped on the threshold to face her. “You’ve got every man—with the notable exception of me—scared to even smile at you on the street, much less ask you out for a social occasion. You could use a night out, Regina Rose, so I’ll ask you once more to go to the cotillion with me.” He fit his hat on his head, throwing his face in
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