Gold Rush
Early October was the first anniversary of the victory over the patriots and Matheson-Monroe clan found themselves in Austin for a week-long celebration. They had been invited by the President of Texas himself, Frank Blanchard.
No one had been overly excited to come, but since the Great State of Texas gave them a paycheck twice a month, they really didn't feel able to refuse. Over the past year, one by one, they had found themselves going to work for Texas at the request of Blanchard. He seemed to know just what carrot to dangle in front of each and every one of them. So, from the oldest to the youngest, they found themselves trapped in a flurry of activities from ribbon cuttings to cocktail parties.
The highlight of the week was a dinner party on Saturday night with dancing and an auction, details of which were being withheld until that evening. Rachel and Priscilla had spent the morning and afternoon dragging Charlie around town shopping for a dress and shoes, made her wear the shoes to get used to them, and then made her suffer through the post-blackout version of a beauty salon. It had been a very trying day and she still had to get through the night without spilling food on her dress, which actually did make her legs look like they went all the way to the floor, as Priscilla put it, with the side slit up her thigh and the modest heels which were higher than the flat boots she wore but not so high she was in danger of making a fool of herself.
The men had stopped by earlier. Rachel told them to go on down and they would join them soon. She had caught a glimpse of pressed jeans and suit jackets, shined boots and clean shirts.
They were on the fourth floor of the hotel where the event was taking place, so carefully picked their way down the stairs when they were ready. Not seeing the rest of their group, Rachel ordered Charlie and Priscilla to stay put while she went in search of them. Charlie rolled her eyes as Rachel walked off, making a bee-line to the door beside her, behind which the hotel bar was hiding. She placed her order and was just getting ready to turn and peruse the room when a warm calloused hand ran over her shoulder.
She'd know that hand anywhere.
"Charlie?"
She turned flashing him a one-sided smile. "In the flesh."
"A whole lot of flesh." Bass muttered as his eyes swept up and down her body, taking in the exposed thigh, the cutout neckline and he had already seen the cutaway back. How Rachel had been convinced to let her daughter wear this in public, he had no idea. "Has Miles seen you?"
"No, why?" Charlie asked becoming self-conscious. "What's wrong with it?"
"Nothing's wrong with it," Miles said emerging from the crowd behind Bass, reaching out to chuck her chin. "You clean up good, Kid."
Charlie beamed at her Uncle. "Thanks, Miles."
"Your Mom's ready to go in so we can find our seats. You two ready?"
They both nodded, Bass waving Conner over as they made their way out of the bar.
"Charlie?" Conner asked in surprise as he caught up with them.
"You'd think you two had never seen a woman in a dress before." She grouched causing Miles to chuckle and whisper something in her ear which caused her to blush, Bass and Conner watching as it moved down her throat to her chest.
As they met up with the rest of their group, Charlie trailed behind the two couples, flanked by Conner and Bass. They were led to a round table and Charlie found herself being seated between Miles and Monroe, Conner on the other side of his Dad.
"Save me dance," Conner said leaning over to peck her cheek as Bass pulled her chair out for her earning him a shy thank you. Charlie was out of her element here and becoming more and more uncomfortable. Miles whispered words weren't helping either.
As Bass took his seat, he leaned towards her, "Hey, I'm sorry about earlier. It was just a shock to see...so much of you. You look absolutely stunning."
"Thank you, Bass." she said leaning in to meet him, taking a chance in confiding in him. "I'm sorry if I snapped. I'm just really out of my element here."
He reached over and squeezed her hand. "Just sit back and relax. You're going to be the bell of the ball, and like Conner said, don't forget to save me dance."
After dinner was cleared, a group of musicians set up on stage and people began to take to the dance floor. Conner swooping in to claim her first dance. Bass, gave a small smile as he pushed away from the table. Walking over to the bar set up in the corner, he ordered another drink as he watched Charlie and Conner on the dance floor. Conner had turned so that Charlie was now facing his direction and they made eye contact, Charlie smiling as she listened to Conner chattering away in her ear.
He had just accepted his drink when a statuesque redhead walked up, leaning in to whisper in his ear, her ample cleavage brushing up against his arm, causing Bass to grin that toothy, boyish smile that Charlie loved.
Conner looked over his shoulder when he felt her stiffen in his arms. He chuckled as he turned back to her. "That didn't take long."
"What do you mean?"
"She's been hitting on him all week. Not sure why he hasn't taken her up on the offer."
"You sure about that? Charlie asked looking back in their direction only to find them missing.
"He's been in our room every night this week doing nothing more exciting than reading a history book."
Charlie bit her lips to keep from smiling.
She danced a few more times with different partners before needing something to drink. Picking one up at the bar, she headed back to their table only to find her mother sitting alone. "Where is everyone?"
"Aaron and Priscilla are on the dance floor, Miles was called away for an emergency meeting and I haven't seen Bass."
Sitting down, Charlie was making small talk with her mother about their week and the trip home the next day when President Blanchard appeared on the stage motioning for the band to stop playing.
"I'd like to thank all of you for coming out this week to enjoy the sights of our fine capitol and helping us to celebrate our one year victory over the Patriots!" There was loud applause and a many shouts of approval.
"The time has come for our last event of the week. All proceeds from tonight's auction will be going towards the establishment of a University right here in Austin." The announcement causing more applause from the crowd. "Are you ready to find out what you'll be bidding on?" The crowd hooped and hollered calling out encouragement for him to get on with it. "Well then without further ado let me bring out some of the finest bachelor's in Texas!"
Rachel and Charlie looked at each other before looking back at the stage where a line of men were emerging. There in the mix, between Rangers and other community leaders, were Miles, Bass and Conner spread out with a few men between them. Rachel gasped as Charlie let loose a few "Whoop, whoops!" along with the other women in the room before sticking her fingers in her mouth to whistle which had two of the three men glaring out into the audience.
"Charlie!" Rachel hissed. "We've got to do something about this."
"Oh, no we don't," Charlie crowed as she sat back down, grabbing her glass as she tried to contain her laughter.
"You want Miles to be bought by some strange woman?"
Charlie snorted looking at her mother pointedly. "I try very hard not to involve myself in Miles sex life."
Blanchard had stepped back up, waving his hands to get the crowd's attention. "All forms of currency will be accepted in order of value. Texas dollars, diamonds, and gold. The terms of your purchase will be between you and the Gentleman."
Rachel huffed, throwing a heated look at her daughter before turning back to the stage just as Aaron and Priscilla rushed back over to their table. "Oh, wow! You should hear the scuttlebutt out there," nodding towards the crowd that was gathered on the dance floor. "Sounds like Miles is in high demand."
Charlie swore that she saw steam come out of Mothers ears.
"And you should see the Redhead that's determined she going to win Bass." Priscilla said in Charlie's direction.
"You mean THE redhead?" Charlie snapped making a motion with her hands in front of her chest.
"Yup. That's the one." Aaron blurted out, earning himself a look from Priscilla. "What? It's not like you can miss them." He muttered turning red as he looked away.
Charlie frowned as she sought the woman out in the crowd, finding her near the front with a few other ladies. Looking back up at the stage, Miles and Bass were looking in their direction, a look of panicked desperation upon their faces. Conner on the other hand was eating up the attention. As far as he was concerned he was getting laid tonight and nothing about that was bad.
"I've got some people I need to talk to," Charlie told her Mother.
"You just can't leave! You need to give me all the money you have on you." Rachel demanded holding out her hand.
Charlie laughed shaking her head. "Your man, you figure it out."
Walking away from her mother, she opened the small clutch that matched her dress. It held all the money she had with her. Two hundred dollars in Texas currency and about an ounce of diamonds. Looking around the room, she went to work.
Charlie laughed from where she stood watching, when Miles turn came up, her mother and another woman getting into bidding war over her Uncle. Rachel had finally won but by the skin of her teeth as she strong-armed Aaron into giving her all the money he had on him.
She watched Miles walk off the stage and straight to the nearest bar as her mother went to the back of the room to pay for her "purchase."
Continuing her circuit of the room, Charlie stopped her and there talking to different men that she had met this week or had known since fighting together in the War. Men that had been fun to wager with, exchange goods and information with or other various activities. Some she didn't know at all, but each of them owed her and she was calling in her markers here and now.
It wasn't long before Monroe was up. Walking up to the center of the stage, he tucked his hands in his pockets, settling back on his heels.
The bidding was opened and of course the redhead in front was the first to bid, joined by a few other women who slowly but surely bowed out as the redhead stuck with it, driving the price up to four ounces of diamonds. The auctioneer was about to finalize the bidding when a voice rang out from the back of the room.
"Four and a half ounces of diamonds!"
Charlie weaved her way through the crowd as the redhead quickly weighed her options. "Five ounces!"
"Five and a half!" Charlie immediately responded. Glancing around the room she saw Miles on a chair trying to find who it was doing the bidding. She ducked behind a few men in hats before he spotted her.
"Six ounces of diamonds!" The redhead yelled a fine sheen of sweat breaking out on her upper lip. Charlie smiled. This was it. The woman had just made her last bet.
"One ounce of gold!" Charlie yelled using her trump card as the room erupted into a collective gasp, causing even the auctioneer to pause. An ounce of gold was worth a fortune in today's economy.
"Sold!" The auctioneer simply said as those around Charlie who had heard her make the winning bid whispered behind their hands, either wondering who she was, or being told who she was.
Holding her head high, Charlie made her way to the payment table, only to find a few people waiting on her.
The president slapped his knee as he let out a hoot of laughter, slapping Miles on the shoulder for good measure. Reaching into her cleavage, Charlie pulled out a small leather pouch. Opening it she poured out the contents slowly, a bit at a time onto the scale. Once an ounce was met she tightened the strings, putting it back where she found it.
Blanchard held out his hand, reaching for Charlie's bringing it his mouth, as he smacked it loudly. "It was a pleasure doing business with you, young lady."
"Mr. President."
"Charlie?"
She turned around to find a confused Bass looking between her and an amused Miles.
"An ounce of gold?" he asked moving to stand next to her, so close they were touching.
"You owed me a dance."
Taking her by the elbow, Miles long forgotten, Bass led her out of the ballroom back into the now much emptier bar where a man was playing the piano. Leading her to the small dance floor, Bass pulled her close, taking one hand in his, pulling it up near his shoulder as his other rested low on her back, his thumb rubbing circles on the exposed skin there.
"I'm going to owe you a lot of dances for that much money, Charlie."
She gave a small shrug. "You looked like you really didn't want to be there. Thought I'd take the opportunity to save you for once. Unless of course you were really hoping for the redhead to win?" she asked pulling away from him just to be drug back.
He huffed out a breath against her ear. "Damn woman's been dogging me all week. Wouldn't take no for an answer. So, thank you for saving me, Charlotte. Because if there's one thing that this week has shown me, it's that I'm right where I need to be, with who I need to be with."
Charlie closed her eyes pressing her forehead against his temple, as they moved to the slow rhythm of the piano.
They danced a little longer, before Bass pressed his lips against her ear. "In the mood for a nightcap?"
She simply hummed, nodding her head. As he to lead them to a table, she stopped him, opening her clutch to pull out a wad of bills. "Not here." She said meeting his eyes to get his reaction.
He looked at her for a long minute before walking to the bar and speaking to the bartender.
Charlie made her way to the door nearest the stairs, waiting for him to join her. Taking her hand, he led her up the four flights of stairs to their floor, stopping at the end of the hall. Charlie answered his silent question as she pulled out her room key. She was the only one in the group not sharing a room with someone. Unlocking the door, she entered the room first, heading straight for the small desk against the wall as she tossed her bag down, slipping off her shoes with a sigh.
She had heard Bass shut and lock the door, looking over her shoulder at him as he sat both the bottle and key on the desk before wrapping his arms around her waist, tasting the skin above the collar of the dress.
She happily angled her neck giving him more room to work with.
Brushing her hair over her shoulder, he reached up placing his hands on the buttons at the back of her throat.
She nodded slightly.
He slipped the two buttons out of their holes, gently pushing the top of her dress down her torso, freeing her breasts and arms from the fabric.
Slipping his jacket off, he pressed his cloth covered chest to her bared back, reaching around to take the weight of her firm breasts in his hands.
Charlie reached an arm up to grab onto the back of his neck while he placed scorching kisses along her jaw and neck and his hands and fingers worshiped at her breasts. Moving a hand back around to her lower back, Bass slowly pulled down the half zipper that was keeping the dress on snug around her hips. Snaking his hand around her, he pushed the dress to the floor as his hand slipped inside the barely there panties she had on, drawing a low growl from his chest. She writhed against him, her ass pushing back against his crotch, his erection growing harder by the second.
Wanting to taste her mouth, he slowly turned her, running his hands through her hair as he grasped handfuls of it, bringing her mouth to his.
She placed her hands against his shirt as he kissed her, gentle teasing nips and licks encouraging her to open herself to him and she did, letting him explore her mouth before joining in. It only took a few minutes of his heated kisses before she wanted nothing more than to feel his skin against hers and blindly reached for the buttons on his shirt. He helped by tugging the ends out of his pants and let her push it off his shoulders before pulling her closer, feeling her sigh against his mouth as her breasts were pressed firmly against his chest.
Not willing to settle for so little, Charlie's hands delved towards his pants unbuckling, unbuttoning, and unzipping him in record time, causing him to pull back in an attempt to slow their pace.
"We've got all night" he whispered against her skin as he backed her towards the bed.
Settling her against the pillows scattered along the headboard, Bass stripped himself of the rest of his clothing before reaching out and pulling her panties down over her hips. Climbing on the bed, he parted her legs so that he could get closer to her, pressing kisses into the valley between her breasts before bringing his mouth to each pointed peak, suckling until she cried out at the lavish attention. Continuing his journey, he drew her legs up, spreading them further apart as he took a slow swipe up her slit with his tongue causing her to buck underneath him. They watched each other through lust darkened eyes as he made love to her with his mouth, Charlie's hands tangled in his curls as she lost herself in a tidal wave of sensation.
Wiping his mouth off on the back of his hand, Bass made his way back up her body, kissing her as she cupped his face with her hands. Grasping her thighs he pulled her further down on the bed, his cock hard and heavy against her thigh, trailing pre-cum against her skin.
"Bass, Please," she heard herself beg as she reached down between the two of them, stroking his length as she guided him towards her center.
"Charlie," he groaned grasping at her wrist as he met her eyes.
"I want this," she whispered. "I want you."
Letting go of her wrist, Bass let her guide him home.
Rachel knocked on Charlie's door the next morning, earning a muffled response. "Charlie, you need to get up. The train leaves in ninety minutes. Everyone else is packed and waiting downstairs."
She listened for a moment and was rewarded with the sound of shuffling feet.
Charlie unlocked the door casting a bleary eye at her mother.
"Long night?" Rachel asked eyeing her daughter's appearance. "I was wondering where you had gotten off to."
Charlie shrugged as she held the sheet wrapped around her. "I may have found myself with a few extra dollars to spend."
Charlie watched as her mother's eyebrow's hit her hairline.
"Do you want us to wait for you?" Rachel asked.
"No, y'all go on ahead and I'll meet you there."
"Okay. We'll probably stop for breakfast, I'll get you something to eat on the train."
"Thanks, Mom." Charlie said closing the door behind her only to be pressed up against the door by a warm body.
"Think we have enough time?" she asked breathlessly as their mouths and hands went to work.
"That's why they're called quickies," he replied with a nip to her ear, guiding her back towards the bed.
Eighty five minutes later, the final boarding whistle was blowing as Rachel paced up and down the passenger car in a panic that her daughter might miss the train when Bass and Charlie tumbled into the car all laughter and smiles.
Rachel stood staring at her daughter and Bass as Aaron groaned, pulling out a flask only to have it snatched away by Miles. Conner snickered from where he sat across the aisle as Priscilla covered her grin with her hand.
"Oh hey everybody. Look what the cat drug in" Charlie said pointing to Bass who began to stow her larger bag under the seat. Scooting into the seat next to the window, Charlie sat back and sighed loudly as Bass took the seat next to her, stretching his legs out into the empty seat across from him, as he leaned his head back, closing his eyes.
"What wrong, Charlie?" Rachel asked siting back down beside Miles.
Charlie looked over at her mother all sweetness and innocence. "I'm just really going to miss Austin."
"Really, I thought you hated it here?"
Charlie shrugged with a yawn, "Turns out an ounce of gold can change your outlook on a lot of things." Scooting closer to Bass she laid her head on his shoulder closing her eyes, as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
Rachel sputtered in outrage, until Miles handed her the flask. "Leave'em alone, Rachel."
"But…I…he…she…you!" she hissed pointing at him.
Everyone in the train car watched to see what she would do as Miles glared right back at her, the implication clear in his eyes.
She threw herself back in her seat, taking a long draw from the flask, "I don't have to like it." She ground out.
Miles patted her knee, "No, you don't. But you'll learn to live with it."
Charlie opened her eyes to see her mother staring mulishly down at her hands, until Miles wrapped his arm around her, tucking her head under his chin.
Looking over at Charlie, he nodded his head and gave her wink.
Her eyes watered as she smiled back and felt Bass' arm tighten around her shoulders. Lifting a hand to his cheek, she turned his head towards her. He smiled, kissing the tip of her nose. Charlie gave a happy sigh this time, tucking her head into the crook of his neck as she closed her eyes.