Free Diamond Buckow by A. J. Arnold Page A

woman poked her head around the wooden partition.
    â€œYoung man,” she sniffed. “If you would be so kind. This room is for ladies, and I have no intention of shopping with you here.”
    His ears burning, Buck had forgotten where he was. He’d forgotten everything but Sarah and her odd effect on him.
    â€œYes, Ma’am, I’m sorry. Excuse me.”
    He turned tensely to the blond clerk. “I’ll be out front when you get off work. I mean to say some more to you, Sarah Dawn Ainsworth.”
    His eyes glittered a warning as he spun around and hurried from the store.

Chapter Nine
    The clock on the fireplace mantel chimed twelve times. Buck raised his head, startled. Midnight! He had to leave. Sarah dared not be away from her own room when her father came home. They’d left the square dance over an hour ago, and had come to the seldom-used parlor of the rooming house where she and Ainsworth were staying. Gently, he bent over to press his lips on hers in a good-night kiss.
    Buck had been hot with anger and humiliation when he stormed out of the millinery earlier. He felt shamed, unmanly, to be tom between refusing to take Sarah out and being forced to borrow money from her in order to go.
    But all those feelings were drained off by the vigorous dancing. That, plus Sarah’s coquettish wiles, had mellowed him considerably. An entirely different kind of warmth surrounded him as his mouth lingered on hers.
    These past several minutes, Sarah had been ladylike and cool. But suddenly she seemed to notice the change in Buck’s ardor. Her arms went around him, pulling him close against her, and her manner turned bold.
    When her body arched up, molding itself to his, Buck felt the pleasurable heat within him grow. As if by instinct, his hands groped for the stiff fasteners at the back of her dress while his lips slid from hers and down to her white throat.
    A low moan of desire escaped her, cut off roughly by an abrupt and loud banging at the front door. They sprang apart, Buck snarling and swearing under his breath. The knocking increased.
    Then a familiar drunken voice demanded, “Sally? Sally girl! Come on, I’ve lost my key. Goddamn it, Sally girl, come let me in or I’ll wake up the whole house.”cs
    An insistent rattling continued at the latch.
    Sarah quickly untangled herself, smoothing down her clothing and her hair.
    â€œBuck,” she whispered, instantly calm and practical. “You stay right here while I let him in. He’d never suspect anyone was using this parlor. After I get him up to his room, you can slip out and no one will be any the wiser.”
    Without waiting for an answer, she stood up and moved away.
    Buck sat as if numb, only dimly aware of the slight commotion in the hallway and their bumping up the rickety steps. Still in a state of unsatisfied passion, he finally realized he’d been there alone a long time. The rooming house was silent.
    Had Sarah said she’d come back? He couldn’t remember. He decided she wouldn’t, and felt around on the floor for his hat. Finding it after a minute, he jammed it on his head and left, not sure where he was headed.
    Furious in the night air, Buck pondered what he should do. He hadn’t any place in town to stay, and, considering the lateness of the hour and the lightness of his pockets, there was no way he could rent a room. He didn’t want to ride home to Henry Blough’s ranch just now, and yet, maybe he should leave town for awhile. After what he’d tried to do, Sarah would probably think twice and never speak to him again.
    God, what a fool he was. Why couldn’t he control himself? It might’ve been better if he and Sarah had done it. At least that way she’d have talked to him again. He wondered how much one of those soiled doves would cost.
    Buck dug deep in his pocket, looking for what was left of Sarah’s loan money. Just a handful of small change, not