A Cowboy's Muse Read online

  That was what she wanted, wasn’t it?

  *****

  Ace was halfway across the road before he came to his senses. He had been captured by the sight of Clio’s nakedness in the moonlight. It was almost painful when his brain kicked him in the ass. There was no way he could not go in there and seduce her, even if she did tell people she was a goddess. Maybelle would have his hide.

  Not to mention the fact that Clio seemed a bit touched in the head. He didn’t want to take advantage of a woman who couldn’t tell right from wrong. Ace could answer for a lot of sins, but seducing a crazy woman wasn’t one of them.

  His boots scuffed along slowly as he walked, echoing in the darkness, reminding him that he was alone, that he was meant to be alone. Clio’s presence wasn’t going to change that, even if he did feel his self-control slipping. He’d surely lose his job if he bedded her.

  He didn’t want to lose his cozy room and supply of good food because of a woman. He tried to accept that excuse as the truth, even if he knew it was a flat-out lie. To pound it into his head, he headed down to the Iron Bell Saloon. He hoped there was a fight so he could work off some of his frustration.

  *****

  Clio was awake most of the night. As a result, Maybelle had to practically shake her awake. Her eyes felt grainy and they stung when the sunshine hit. She remembered rather quickly that Ace had not come to her room last night. He had rejected her.

  Her! A goddess!

  Her pride stung worse than her eyes. She tried not to be angry, but it was hard to ignore the frustration. What she really wanted to do was rail at him, but she wouldn’t. Ace was under no obligation to fulfill her desires, but damn, she wanted him to.

  “Wake up, you slugabed! Breakfast is waiting to be made! Hungry folks will be wanting their eggs soon.” Maybelle bustled around the room. “Why in the world are you naked, girl?”

  Clio’s cheeks heated. “It was quite warm in here last night. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “It ain’t right, Clio. If you don’t like that nightdress we’ll find something else, but you ought not to sleep without a stitch on, you hear me?”

  She nodded, cursing Ace under her breath for the hundredth time. “Can I help with breakfast?”

  It turned out she could. In fact, she made the biscuits again. This time Maybelle barely watched her, she just shouted out the ingredients. Clio dove in and mixed the dough herself, this time without any mishaps with the rolling pin. She was excited to use her newfound knowledge and thrilled to find the routine was almost familiar.

  After the biscuits went in the oven, Maybelle sent Clio to set the table. She couldn’t remember exactly where everything went, so she just made sure there was one of everything at each place setting.

  “Can you make coffee?” Maybelle called from the kitchen.

  After one last doubtful glance at her table-setting job, Clio returned to the kitchen. “No. I’m sorry, Maybelle. Can you teach me?”

  Maybelle rolled her eyes and sighed. “I’m beginning to believe you, girl. You must be a princess to get to your age and not be able to do anything yourself.”

  Clio hugged Maybelle briefly and surprisingly flustered her hostess. “Thank you for teaching me.”

  Maybelle flapped her arms. “Get on with you!”

  She had no idea what that meant, but she laughed and hugged her again.

  Maybelle was teaching her how to make coffee. Clio was fast discovering that by just listening, she could learn a great deal. Prior to becoming mortal, she learned everything from books. Now, she couldn’t wait to learn more from everything else.

  “Hello? Maybelle, are you here?” came a man’s voice from the front door.

  Maybelle looked at her and made a face. “In here, Reverend Shaeffer.”

  Clio remembered Peony mentioning the reverend last night. By the expression on Maybelle’s face, she had a sinking feeling it was not a social call.

  Reverend Schaeffer was a dark-haired man, tall and excruciatingly thin, and dressed completely in black. He looked like an enormous raven with black eyes that glittered. An involuntary shudder traveled down Clio’s body.

  “Good morning, Maybelle,” he said in his oily voice. “I hear you have a new boarder.”

  His gaze slid to Clio and she squared her shoulders against his scrutiny. It was as if he was stripping her bare and judging her to be unworthy. A feeling Clio disliked intensely.

  “Yes, I do. She’s staying with me a spell until her Pa comes back for her.”

  Clio blessed Maybelle for her explanation as to why she appeared in the middle of nowhere with nothing but a wet, purple toga.

  “So I heard. I came to see if I could minister to her.” He smiled and his teeth looked more like fangs. “What is your name, child?”

  “Clio.”

  He nodded. “Interesting name. There was a Greek muse named Clio. Are you named after her?”

  Clio felt like she was standing on a very thin line and one misstep would cost her dearly. She chose her words very carefully, calling on all her readings and teachings to assist her.

  “Are you a student of history, Reverend?”

  His eyes narrowed. “Not particularly, my child, but I have read my Greek history.”

  Clio nodded. “So you know they worshipped multiple deities?”

  His hands laced together behind his back as he rocked back and forth on his heels. “Yes, I do. Reprehensible, really.”

  “Then I’m not certain I understand why you asked me if I was named after a Greek deity. Aren’t you a Christian, Reverend?”

  “Well, of course I am!”

  She tried to make her face look as innocent as possible. “Then we shouldn’t even be discussing Greek deities, don’t you agree? It’s against all Christian teachings. I thought you had come by to welcome me.”

  He blustered and stuttered. “I, ah, of course, I have. Welcome to Peyote, my child. I hope you’ll join us for Sunday services.”

  Clio fervently hoped she would be back with her family before then, but smiled as she replied, “Thank you. I would be pleased to join you. We’re making breakfast for the boarders right now. Have you eaten?”

  She was sure Reverend Schaeffer had never been so thoroughly flummoxed by a female before and she took secret delight in it.

  “Yes, I have, but thank you kindly for the offer. Maybelle. Clio. Have a good day ladies.”

  After a curt nod of his head, he spun on his heel and with a flap of his winged coat, left the kitchen. After the front door closed, Maybelle looked at her with a grin on her pudgy face and burst out laughing. Clio laughed along with her until tears squirted from her eyes and her stomach hurt.

  It was an amazing feeling.

  After breakfast, Maybelle convinced Clio to accompany her to the General Store. She had protested until she thought her throat would be hoarse, but to no avail. Once Maybelle had made up her mind, there was no changing it. Since it was such a hot summer’s day, they set off directly after cleaning up the dishes to avoid the heat of the afternoon sun. Maybelle put on a floppy straw hat and they set out to walk to the store.

  “You need some shoes, Clio, and a few other things too. And I don’t want to hear any more arguments from you.”

  Clio sighed. She didn’t want her friend to spend money she could ill afford on her, especially when Clio didn’t expect to be in town for too much longer. She had faith her father, or one of her sisters, would find her. Since she and Maybelle were not even close in size, there was no way anything purchased for her could be used by the kindly woman. For that reason alone, she felt she couldn’t allow even one cent to be spent of Maybelle’s money.

  “I know what you’re thinking,” Maybelle puffed as they walked along the wood-planked street. “You can’t trick me, fool me, or change my mind.”

  “I—”

  Maybelle held up her hand. “Hush up now, child.”

  The rest of the walk was silent. Clio plotted how best to change Maybelle’s mind. She
was sure Maybelle was making a shopping list in her head of all the things she would buy her wayward muse.

  In her mind!

  Clio almost stopped cold. She wasn’t writing anything down! Since Clio was, the muse of history and writing, she’d always used pen and paper. Now here she was relying on her mind alone to create, remember and perform tasks. She was working in her mind alone! Amazing! Clio grinned widely and shook her head at Maybelle’s questioning look. Who knew she would learn so much from mortals?

  When they arrived at Everett’s store, Maybelle introduced her to two older men sitting outside in the shade of the porch, playing a truly ancient-looking game of checkers. And Clio was well versed in ancient things.

  “Clio, this here is Rupert and Billy. Most days you’ll find ‘em sitting here doing nothing but holding up air.” She gestured to both of them in their well-used chairs.

  They nearly looked to be twins with their fuzzy, steel-gray hair, wire-rimmed spectacles, bleary-blue eyes and gnarled hands. Rupert had a belly that hung a bit over his pants and Billy was wide on the bottom end. They both smiled with considerably-fewer teeth than they likely had twenty years ago.

  “Boys, this here is Clio. She’s staying a spell with me down at the boarding house.”

  “Afternoon, Clio.”

  “Pleased to meetcha.”

  Clio smiled back and said hello to them, fascinated by the way they seemed to communicate without speaking. Rupert raised his eyebrows and Billy shook his head.

  “Enjoy your game,” she said as she followed Maybelle into the store.

  The interior was like nothing she had experienced before. There were items everywhere, piled one on top of the other and seemingly sorted by type. There were pots and pans, tin plates, cups and mugs, bolts and bolts of cloth, sewing implements, books, and a thousand other items she could barely take in at once.

  “Everett! Where are you?” Maybelle called.

  The hairs on the back of Clio’s neck stood up like blades of grass in a breeze and she knew Ace was nearby. She turned her head and saw him standing by the counter in the back, with a handful of cigars in his hand and a hungry look in his eyes.

  Hunger. That’s what it was. A shiver raced down her body and landed like an arrow between her legs. She no longer heard Maybelle’s voice as she traveled to one side of the store in search of its proprietor.

  No longer in control of her body, Clio walked toward Ace. She was wearing a yellow dress from Maybelle’s trunk of clothes. It was a little tight across her bosom since she was rather full-busted, but right then it felt as if it was going to pop off her skin, her breasts swelled and ached so. She felt a slickness coat her thighs and her lack of undergarments allowed it to trickle down her skin.

  When she stood in front of him, she noted the clear outline of his cock in his trousers. Her nipples tightened almost painfully at the absurd notion to rub herself against him. Right there in the store.

  “Clio.” His voice rumbled through her like thunder, its tone even deeper, huskier than usual.

  “Ace.” Hers was nearly a whisper. Before she could stop herself, she had wrapped her arms around his neck and plastered her lips up against his. He held his arms away from her, his fists clenched. She didn’t know exactly what to do, but when she snaked her tongue out to lick his lips as he had done to her that night, he groaned and pushed his hardness against her softness.

  “Oh, that feels so good.”

  “You need to stop.” He sounded as if he was in pain.

  “Tonight, Ace Nevada. Tonight you will come to my room. I cannot stand another moment without touching your skin.”

  He seemed to nearly fold in half after she said that. She stepped back and gave him some room.

  After more than a few moments, he spoke. “You like to give orders, don’t you, goddess?” He straightened up, a sharp look in his eyes.

  “Yes, and I expect them to be obeyed.”

  Clio never, ever spoke like that to anyone, but it was as if she couldn’t control her body or her tongue!

  Ace pulled her against him roughly, her breasts happily pushed up against his hard chest. She groaned and tried to pull his head down for another kiss.

  “Clio? Where did you get to, girl?”

  Maybelle’s voice was like falling in the water trough all over again. Shocking and disorienting. Clio looked into Ace’s dark-brown eyes and felt her body sway toward him, but stopped herself when Maybelle called her again.

  As if in a fog, she stepped back away from Ace. “Tonight,” she whispered then turned her back and walked toward Maybelle’s voice. She hoped her nipples would someday be the same again, because right then they were ranting and raving at the loss of contact with him.

  With the man she would make her lover tonight.

  Clio was so befuddled by her encounter with Ace that she let Maybelle buy whatever she wanted. It was only on the way back from the store did she remember she was supposed to stop the spending of money, not mindlessly agree to every purchase.

  She was unsure of the value of money in 1875 Texas, but she knew it was essential to living. For a woman who owned a boardinghouse, it was hard-earned money not easily replaced.

  Swallowing her guilt, she vowed to replace every cent that Maybelle spent, even if she had to use her powers. If they ever returned, that is.

  Refusing to even contemplate that thought, she focused on Maybelle’s discussion of the dinner meal. While pretending to listen to her completely, Clio’s mind drifted to Ace.

  To tonight.

  Chapter Five

  Ace deliberately waited until midnight to make the rounds around town so he would be away from the boardinghouse for at least two hours. Clio was just too goddamn tempting for him to resist her invitation. Hell, it wasn’t an invitation; it was an order to go to her bed.

  Lord above, it was an order he was almost helpless to resist. He wanted her so badly, especially after the way her body rubbed against his in the mercantile. His cock was awake and had been yowling for her all day. It was difficult to hide it from all and sundry.

  He’d never had a woman tie him in knots before, especially one who claimed she was a goddess. If only he hadn’t pulled her from the damn horse trough.

  Oh sure, like you would’ve left her there.

  He tried to kick that little voice again, but it dodged out of the way. He was not a gentleman; far from it. He’d lived his life ignoring any kind of guilt resulting from his actions. He’d learned early on that guilt bought him nothing but a twisted gut.

  He walked down the street and tried to pay attention to what was in front of him, but it was no use. All he could see was a little black-haired goddess with tits that made his mouth water.

  After half an hour he gave up. It was stupid to keep walking around when all he wanted to do was bury himself in her soft body. Maybelle would skin him alive if she caught him. Clio would probably slap him when he left her bed in the morning. His conscience may never shut up.

  None of that mattered. He didn’t give a shit. He had to have her.

  Now.

  *****

  Clio almost gave up. She was so sure he would come to her that she took a bath using the rose soap from the store and wore her new nightdress. It was a much lighter white material with little purple flowers with pretty lace at the collar and sleeves. She absolutely loved it.

  Even dressed as she was, it was very late and Ace hadn’t returned to the boardinghouse. She was not about to give up hope completely, but he hadn’t come to her. She sat, then stood and paced, then sat again, then paced again.

  Clio was annoyed. Strange how living as a mortal had awakened her long-sleeping temper. She stood up for what seemed like the hundredth time to look out the window at the empty street. She looked north and saw nothing but a small dog loping across the shadows of the dirt-packed street. She looked south and saw nothing but a couple of horses tied to the hitching post in front of the saloon.

  Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.
<
br />   She let out an impatient huff to the empty room.

  “That man had better have a good reason for not attending me.”

  “What are you going to do, whoop me?” Ace’s voice behind her nearly sent her catapulting through the window. He caught her around her waist and pulled her to him. Her behind snuggled nicely against him, making her entire body tingle from head to toe.

  “Where have you been?”

  His lips nuzzled the side of her neck and the rasp of his whiskers left a wake of bumps that raced down straight to her nipples, which pebbled to aching points. She moaned and tilted her head to give him better access. He obliged her and kissed his way across her cheek. He nibbled her earlobe then his tongue snaked out to lick the shell of her ear.

  “I was doing my job, Clio.” His voice was barely a whisper. “I don’t take orders from you. Even if you are a goddess.”

  Clio smiled and reached around behind her to pinch his behind.

  “Ouch! What the hell did you do that for?” he growled.

  “Shhhh… I am a goddess and I will give you orders.”

  He chuckled. “We’ll see about that.”

  She pulled away from him and cupped his face in the darkness. Her thumbs brushed his lips and the softness surprised her. She expected them to be hard like the rest of him.

  “You will serve me tonight, as my man.”

  As soon as the words left her mouth, she knew it was the right thing to say. She’d heard her sister Polyhymnia say it once when she shouldn’t have been eavesdropping on her older sister. Poly was with Hephaestus behind the arbor and, well… he served her nicely that night. The phrase had stuck in her head since she’d heard it. Now was the right time to say it.

  Ace’s hands grasped her waist gently. “I will be your man tonight.”

  Clio let out a breath that she didn’t know she was holding at his response.