Whisper To Me In The Dark (2 page)

“
I am not a gold digger!” Angelica exclaimed. “I have worked hard every day since I was 15 years old  and I earn my own money. I have never asked him for one thing.  Whatever he gives me is by his own free will. Do I look like I’m walking around covered in jewels?”

Cash had to admit to himself that she wasn’t dressed like a tramp – and he was quite familiar with them.  What he’d seen since their first meeting early that morning pleased him in more than one part of his body. She was stunning – petite, but curvaceous, with golden hair that cascaded in ringlets down her back. Her smile was stunning and it set off her beautiful blue eyes and rosy cheeks. 

“
Well I have to admit that you don’t look like the town whore,” but I saw what you took from that gentleman at the restaurant.”  Cash strode closer to Angelica, intoxicated by the perfume that seemed to fill the air when she was around.

“
Well thanks a lot for not thinking I’m the town whore,” Angelica replied sarcastically.

It was clear by the mumbling in the entryway that Edward was about to return so she begged, “Please. Please don’t say anything.”

“
What about the $50 bill that gentleman gave you?”

“
Part of it was a tip, nothing more. And part of it was money he owed to Edward.  I’ve heard about Cash’s famous brother and the tips he gets  from the prostitutes in his line of work.”

Cash huffed, “I take services. Emphasis on the services.  Not tips or money.”

Angelica could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. Cash was just about to open his mouth when she clasped her tiny hand over it, petrified that his obnoxious huge ego would cause him to say something that would irreparably ruin her relationship with Edward.

Edward took the strange scene in stride as he returned to the window pane he’d been previously so entranced with and peered uneasily at the man walking back up the path. Edward laughed, “I see that you’re getting along swimmingly. If you’re trying to shut him up, you should know that  it’s an exercise in futility. I’ve been trying to do it for years.”

Angelica smiled brightly and sighed with relief.

“
Would you kindly remove your hand?” Cash rolled his eyes and whispered so Edward wouldn’t hear. “I don’t bite. Unless you want me to …”

Angelica quickly pulled her hand away and demurely sat down in the chair closest to Edward.

***

10 a.m. October 28, 1898 – Worthington’s Parlor

"Let's get one thing straight. There will be payment for my services and there will be no backtalk. My word is law and you  - WILL - listen and obey me. ‘Obedience,’ keep that word in mind."

Angelica rolled her eyes sarcastically and sighed, "Fine. -  Payment.  - Word. -  Law. Got it. - Anything else? Master?" Her mind quickly mulled over the fact that she had saved a little from her waitressing - but now that would be gone.

"Yes, cut out the sarcasm. If you think I won't desert you at any time on this trip you are very mistaken. So keep your pretty lips zipped. Got it?" Cash was already beginning to regret his decision to help and thought if she kept this up the way she was he'd be dropping her  five minutes into the trip. "Ok let's go." Cash stormed off leaving a trail of dust still floating suspended in the air behind him.

Angelica trailed behind, desperately trying to hold on to her many pretty flowered bags, barely able to keep up, muttering under her breath, "Narcissistic jerk. Thinks he's Lord and Master. Huh!"

Cash, who had heard every word and was already several yards ahead, stopped with a jerk and spun around to see Angelica come crashing into his now unmoving presence. "What did you say?"

Angelica sputtered, horrified that Cash had heard her, bit her lip, batted her eyes and said, "Nothing ... oh nothing."

"It had better be nothing ... " Cash replied ominously. Irritation nearly choked him, but what he hadn't counted on was the feelings she'd stirred up in his body as her soft skin came in contact with his. He was overcome with the notion of sweeping her into his arms and covering her beautiful body with hot, passionate kisses, until she begged for mercy.  Not wanting to reveal his sudden urge, he continued on stoically, instead quickly grabbing all of her bags in one fell swoop and carrying them down to the stage coach as Angelica looked on, puzzled at his sudden change in demeanor.

***

The train was magnificent. The car interiors were paneled in mahogany and had breathtaking leaded glass windows. Angelica was giddy with excitement since she'd never actually been on a train before. The sleeping cars were the most expensive, but Cash had bought tickets for them since this is what Edward had requested. It was Edward's money so why should Cash give a damn anyway. The sleeping cars were actually facing chairs that would convert to two bunks with curtains at night. Cash was looking forward to a little sleep if only to get away from Angelica's incessant patter.

"Cash, isn't this train absolutely dreamy? It's so beautiful. I feel as if I were in a dream," Angelica babbled happily, as she grabbed Cash by the arm yanking him to and fro.

"For Pete's sake Angelica, let go. I'm not a yo-yo," Cash replied, irritated. "Let's go to the dining car so we can at least get something to eat before we get there."

Angelica picked up her makeup case and started to drag it along with her.

"Why in all that is holy are you taking your makeup case to dinner," asked Cash, exasperated as had become the norm over the course of that day.

"I want to freshen up my makeup when we're finished eating," Angelica explained, as if Cash should be sitting in the corner with a dunce cap on his head for not understanding.

Cash only rolled his eyes and zipped his lip. "Let's go."

Angelica's eyes were like saucers as she took in the stunningly decorated dining car, running her hands over the carved wood trim, feeling the cool, delicate leaded glass panes. Standing primly next to the chair by the table in the corner, she looked at Cash expectantly.

Cash squinted his eyes and looked at her questioningly.

Angelica giggled, "Aren't you going to be a gentleman and pull out my chair for me?" She smiled demurely, as her golden hair cascaded gently down her milky white shoulders.

For a moment Cash was speechless. He did have to admit she was beyond lovely. Had it been any other occasion he would have had her on her back hours ago, breathless, moaning, bringing her to heights of unimaginable passion.

Her luscious lips. For a moment he could concentrate on nothing but her ruby red lips. The things he wanted to do with those lips would make her blush in that way that he had come to find adorable in the last few hours.

"Cash? Cash? What's wrong?" The sound of her voice interrupted his ongoing erotic fantasy.

"Sorry. Um, nothing." He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Here let me get your chair."

Angelica beamed and sat down as Cash pushed her chair close to the table.

"Maybe we'd be better off with a booth. More secure, you know?" Cash continued.

"No, it's so lovely here. Please let's sit here. I'd love to look out the window."

A quick perusal of the menu and they both decided on a light meal of sandwiches. Angelica was far too excited to eat much and frankly Cash was starting to get indigestion from taking care of her already so a sandwich would sit just right. A whiskey would have made Cash more than happy, but Angelica ordered two milks, so he figured he'd shut his mouth and just try to get through the rest of the day.

A distinguished gray haired gentleman wearing a tuxedo stopped by the table, looking Angelica up and down.

"Yes?" Angelica asked as she peered over the top of her menu.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought you were someone that I knew from back home in Kentucky. I apologize. I'm mistaken." The man bustled off, knocking Angelica's chair in the process and nearly sending her flying to the floor.

Cash grabbed her arm to stop her fall.

"Ouch." Angelica exclaimed.

"Would you rather be sitting on the floor?" Cash inquired. Angelica rolled her eyes again.

"He seemed very suspicious to me. Something just didn't seem right about him." Cash, bit his lip, running over the events of the previous minutes to try to figure out what wasn't sitting right with him.

"Oh you're suspicious of everyone. Don't be silly."

Angelica continued her excited chatter as she took little bites of the sadly, very dry, sandwich, which threatened to stick in her throat and choke her. Just as she was about to take a sip of her cold milk the train seemed to hit some kind of bump in the track as the contents of her glass went flying full force towards Cash's newly clean shirt and vest.

"What the hell is it with you and dumping food on me? Have a secret death wish or something?" Cash yelled.

Angelica jumped up and grabbed her lace napkin, dabbing at the dripping milk, getting on her knees and hitting some wildly inappropriate areas of his body. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to. It was the train," she sputtered.

"Stop touching me unless you intend to follow through on what parts of my body you just touched girlie," Cash replied infuriated.

Angelica gasped, quickly stood up, rolled her eyes, threw her napkin on the table, grabbed her bag and stomped off, whispering under her breath, "What a cad. What a jerk. The nerve to humiliate me like that."

***

Cash was welcomed back into their room by the sight of Angelica casually laying on the bench, that would apparently become her bed later that night. Not a word spilled from her lips as she sat there tapping her foot on the ground, drumming her fingernails and just trying to annoy Cash as much as she possibly could before bedtime.

"I'm going to change." Cash began unbuttoning his blue shirt, his massive chest straining against his shirt, making the buttons look like they'd pop off any minute in that way it always did. "Try to behave yourself while I'm gone."

Angelica tapped some more and fidgeted just a little bit. She'd use this opportunity to change into her own nightclothes while he was gone. A good warm flannel nightgown would be perfect. It was chilly in the room and she could not yet fathom how that bench would change into a bed. At this point she couldn't care how frumpy she looked in front of stupid Cash. She wouldn't even bother with her makeup tonight. Cad that he was.

The door to the washroom was open about two inches. Angelica could hear Cash whistling happily, some off key tune, she knew not which. He'd removed his shirt and was washing his upper body with a washcloth. She was peering so intently she suddenly got dizzy and grabbed the wall to balance herself. She had to admit once again that her initial impressions were true - that he was truly magnificent. His golden skin, those bulging muscles. Angelica had never seen a man with such muscular legs in her life. Like he was some sort of bodybuilder like she'd seen once at a carnival. Angelica blushed as she saw his navel and  got strangely dizzy again. Well, Edward certainly did not have this effect on her. How very worrying ... She'd better sit back down before she swooned in front of him.

Putting on her best poker face, Angelica sat on her future bed and bit her lip hard to prevent herself from saying anything nice after his rude display in the dining car.

Angelica stood up, pressing hard against the wall. A few quick motions and Cash had turned her bench into a semi-comfortable looking bed.

"I cannot believe you're forcing me to share a room with you." Angelica shook her head with irritation

"How does it feel to be a wanton?"

Angelica rolled her eyes yet again.

"If you keep doing that they are going to get stuck that way. I don't think there is much call for an actress with her eyes stuck rolled back in her head."

Angelica stuck out her tongue.

"Much more mature. Remember to tell Edward what an adult you've been on this trip."

Angelica rolled her eyes for the final time and turned off the light. She'd be as happy to get rid of him as he apparently would be to get rid of her.

***

Ten minutes of Cash's gold, engraved pocket watch ticking later, Angelica flipped the light back on.

"I can't sleep. I'm just so overwhelmed by ..."

Cash broke in, "It helps if you shut your eyes."

"But I just can't ..."

"And your mouth ..." Cash added, very unhelpfully.

"Hmmph!" was Angelica's only reply.

"That's not a word."

"Yeah, I have a word or two for you ..." Angelica grumbled.

Cash stretched his long legs, trying to get comfortable in whatever the contraption was that was serving as his bed for the night. The moonlight peeked through the corner of the shade that threatened to fly back up, flooding the car with more light than he was willing to deal with when his eyelids were so heavy.

"So other than being forced into your role as my apparent babysitter, what brings you to Boston?"  Angelica inquired.

"Work," was Cash's terse reply. "Now go to bed. I'm trying to get some sleep. I wasn't aware that I signed up for a slumber party. Turn the light off."

Not to be deterred by his cranky mood, Angelica continued, "What kind of work? I know you're a deputy. But Boston isn't exactly your home base. What case are you working on that would bring you so far away from home?"