Chapter Eighteen

Finnegan and Cassandra followed the railroad tracks the next morning and they rode into the west Tennessee town of Hitchen just after midday.

"A real bed!" Cassandra exclaimed with a sigh as she wrapped her arms tighter around Finnegan's waist and he guided Theo toward the livery at the edge of town. "And a warm bath!" she added.

"And can I join ya then on this bed and bath adventure?" Finnegan asked, throwing a wick grin her way as he glanced over his shoulder.

Cassandra trembled. "Yes of course—that is if you think you're ready for that much adventure."

Finnegan threw his head back and laughed. "I was born ready for that kind of adventure, Little Cass."

"Just how many women have you had those adventures with, Finnegan?" Cassandra asked before she could stop herself. Damn her impulsive nature and mouth that tended to ask questions she didn't truly want the answer to.

Finnegan shook his head. "I could sooner count the stars in the sky," he lamented. "Though they are distant and cold. Any adventure with you will surely burn like the sun itself."

Cassandra couldn't stop the happy smile that curled her lips. Finnegan slid from the saddle and helped her down as well, their bodies brushing together and filling Cassandra with an awareness so intense that it made even her hair tingle.

"Go to the hotel over there, it looks to be a good one. Rent us a room and order a bath. I'll see to Theo, get us some supper and join ya just as quickly as I can," Finnegan urged.

"Don't keep me waiting too long, Finn," Cassandra warned.

Finnegan kissed her brow tenderly, causing her heart to ache. It was good to see him feeling more himself and she was happy that blow to his head hadn't caused any lasting damage. "I would not dream of keepin' ya waitin', Little Cass."

Cassandra laughed lightly and then headed toward the hotel. She rented a room from the smiling elderly woman behind the counter and glanced into the adjoining restaurant. There was a stage that was empty just now but a sign beside the entryway stated there would be music beginning at eight that night. It was only two now and she would enjoy a night of music and dancing with Finnegan. She would have to ask him to accompany her.

But first..... A bath and alone time with Finnegan. Cassandra knew well what happened between men and women. She had male cousins and had often heard her father and the men that came to visit him laughing and discussing their night time encounters over crystal glasses of scotch.

She knew the mechanics of what went on but she yearned to know more. She yearned to feel more of the heat and the hunger that mere kisses from Finnegan seemed to cause in her.

She made her way up a brightly lit staircase and down a wide hall to room 10-B. Cassandra used her key to unlock the door and stepped into the nicest hotel she'd seen so far on their journey. It was much better than that run down one they'd stayed in before and it certainly looked better than a moldy shack or a pile of dirt and pine needles.

The bed was larger than most hotel beds and there was a large copper tub in the corner along with a changing screen and a ceramic water pitcher. The wardrobe, dresser and mirror were all dark mahogany and the carpet was soft and green beneath her feet.

Cassandra kicked off her shoes and let down her hair before throwing herself onto the bed and staring at the ceiling. She could not stop the moan that slipped past her lips at the feel of the soft feather tick mattress beneath her. It had been too long since she had lay upon a true bed.

She counted the minutes ticking by on the fancy grandfather clock in the corner and wondered what was taking Finnegan so long. A knock on the door had Cassandra leaping to her feet quickly and trying hard to fight back the nerves swirling in her gut.

She was not even certain what the nerves were born from. She wanted Finnegan and was sure of her decision to give her innocence to him and yet still she felt that swirling in her gut and shakiness in her hands.

"Who is it?" she asked, hoping her voice sounded casual but knowing that Finnegan would hear the tremble in her words.

'We've got your water, ma'am."

Cassandra sighed with disappointment and disengaged to lock on the door. Four women came into the room with large buckets of steaming water. They poured them into the copper tub. "I will bring you up a spare bucket for rinsing," one of the women said before leaving the room with the others.

Cassandra looked at the clock. She had been at the hotel nearly thirty minutes! Where was Finnegan with their supper?

She walked quietly to the window and glanced out at the street below. Cassandra's eyes widened at what she saw. Finnegan! Finnegan was with a group of men in an alley across the street and they were all standing, crouched or seated upon crates around a barrel.

They were concentrating very hard on whatever it was they were doing, however, Cassandra had no idea what that was. What she was certain of was that he appeared to be in no hurry to come back to her and he had no supper.

Cassandra slid back into her shoes and headed out the door of their room. She met the woman with water in the hall. "I will be back momentarily," she assured the maid. "Just leave the water in the room. Thank you."

Cassandra left the hotel and strode across the street. She entered the alley and was stopped by a dirty, travel worn man with red hair and broken teeth. "This isn't the place for a lady such as yourself."

Cassandra tossed her hair over her shoulder and met his gaze. "I can assure you that a lady, such as myself, can go anywhere that she very well pleases."

The man sneered and bent a little closer to Cassandra. She curled her nose as the horrible scent of his breath washed over her face. "Well aren't you a cheeky one?" he whispered. Cassandra felt his hand grip her lower arm. "I like them with a bit of fire. Why don't we find a more private place to continue our little talk?"

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "How about you remove your hand from my arm before I quite simply break it off and shove it up your...."

"Such a lady you are, Little Cass." Finnegan suddenly appeared between Cassandra and her charming suitor. He looked down and saw that the man still had his hand on Cassandra's arm and Cassandra was surprised by the jealousy and anger that flashed over Finnegan's face. "You can remove your hand from her now. She's not the type o' woman you'd be interested in. This one spends more time usin' her mind than spreadin' her legs."

"I've got no need for a thinking woman," the man laughed as he released his hold on Cassandra and took a step back. "Is she yours?"

"Yes," Finnegan replied quickly, though Cassandra noticed he didn't look at her when he said it. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared angrily at him. The man certainly seemed to know he was in trouble.

The red-haired man patted him on the back and laughed heartily. "Good luck with that." Then he tipped his hat to Cassandra. "Have a good day, ma'am."

Cassandra smiled sweetly and batted her lashes. "Fall off a cliff."

The man was still laughing as he walked off down the street and Cassandra walked further into the alley. Finnegan caught her by the hand and spun her around. "I see no need to stay here any longer, Little Cass. Let's head back to the hotel now and..."

"And what, Finnegan?" Cassandra snapped, causing that flirtatious smile to disappear from his face. "What have you been doing?"

She caught sight of the dice and the money on the barrel and she whirled around and smacked him hard on the chest. "Gambling?!" she exclaimed.

"Shh..." Finnegan put his finger to his lips and looked around at the numerous eyes on them. "Keep your voice down, Cass. Come now, let's leave...."

"You've been gambling!?"

"Just a bit of fun," Finnegan shrugged. "Now let's go have a bit more."

Cassandra knew that he'd see her hurt and she hated him all the more for it. Of course she hated him the most for the simple truth that she could not hate him... no matter how badly he may deserve it.

"Will this always come before me, Finn?" she asked quietly.

Finnegan's face fell and he swallowed hard as his brown eyes reddened. "Ya come second to nothin', love...."

"Don't!" Cassandra held up her hand. "Don't love me. Where is your watch?"

"My watch?" Finnegan questioned with confusion.

"Your pocket watch that you stole from the train."

"Oh.." Finnegan shifted his feet as he tried to lead her from the alley and Cassandra allowed herself to be pulled onto the street but no further. "I lost it."

"And your money?"

"Yeah and it too."

"Are those your spectacles?" Cassandra demanded as another man left the alley with a big grin on his face and wire rimmed spectacles on his nose.

"Yes," Finnegan whispered. He took her hands in his and offered a smile, though Cassandra could tell it was only half-hearted. "Ya know I'm only an Irishman, Little Cass. I cannot pass up the chance for a good bet."

Cassandra snorted. "And Theo? Tell me do we still have a horse or did you gamble him away as well?"

Finnegan grumbled and dropped her hands. "Ya know I would not do that."

"What about me? Did you bet me as well as everything else you had?"

"Cassandra, you're being ridiculous!" Finnegan said as he laid his hand over her cheek. "Twas only a bit of gamblin'."

"You were supposed to be with me. Just like on the train when you ran and ended up drunk and caught by my father. I obviously cannot compete with the allure of whiskey and gambling, Finnegan, and I will not try. Good luck finding your treasure without me."

***

Finnegan stood there in stunned silence and watched Cassandra walk away.

What had just happened?

Finnegan whirled around twice to ensure he was still in the real world and hadn't somehow fallen asleep and woken up someplace else.

Hell he hadn't meant to hurt Cassandra! He'd simply been on his way to the diner, seen the dice being rolled and decided he had to have a go with them. He hadn't meant to get so caught up, hadn't meant to lose everything he had, hadn't meant to make his Little Cass cry.....

Shite! Finnegan shoved his hand through his hair and clenched his fists. Hurting Cassandra made him feel like a monster. He had no idea that she would see things this way. He hadn't known that she would feel as if she didn't matter—or at least didn't matter as much as gambling.

Finnegan had a weakness for the bet, that was certainly the truth, but a bigger truth was the weakness he had for her.

While he still had no idea if he could make her happy in the long run, he did know that he needed her in the now.

With renewed determination, Finnegan strode toward the hotel that Cassandra had disappeared inside of. Cassandra came second to nothing. Not to whores, not to gambling, not to whiskey and not to treasure and it was time Finnegan proved that to her once and for all.