8. Questions #4
“Always a bonus,” agreed Clem, patting her bottom on their way out of the bathroom. “Sure you’re not on the menu, pretty Sally?”
The older woman blushed and patted Clem’s cheek.
“You’re a charmer, and tempting if I were younger, but no.
Once I was the most popular girl in the house, but I don’t turn tricks anymore.
” She gestured through a pair of red velvet curtains.
“There’re plenty in there that do.” She slapped Clem on the butt as she passed through. “Go get ‘em, charmer.”
Barney was standing at the bar in a clean white robe, hair cut above his ears, drinking a beer and chatting with several women moving about the room in their colorful chemises and frilly bloomers. “Hey, Clem,” he cried, seeing her come into the room. “You look great.” He waved her over.
“You, too, Barn,” said Clem, but her eyes were on the ladies, all kinds of ladies, short, tall, buxom, slender, pale, dark, blondes, brunettes, and redheads.
“Uh, I already picked a girl for the night.” Barney blushed but turned and pulled a small, slender, sweet-faced woman forward. “This is Tina.”
With dancing brown eyes, black curls, a dazzling smile, and wearing a short robe over an unlaced corset, the petite girl looked pert and playful, perfect for Barney. “Howdydo,” she said with a small curtsy, just as cute as could be.
“Nice to meet you, Tina,” Clem said with a nod, taking in her best friend’s excitement. She winked at Barney. “Well, don’t let me hold you.”
“Meet you at dawn, down by the stables.” Without a backward glance, Barney swept an arm around Tina’s waist, turned her around, and let her lead him up a flight of stairs.
Having already decided on her story, Clem looked at the bartender as he handed her a beer. “Lady Jane says I can have up to three more girls for the night.”
“She told me.” The bartender looked her over. “And the best room in the house. That’s a lot, even for an eager young man. You know who you want?”
Clem leaned on the bar. “Listen, friend. I got kicked in the bags shoeing a mule at fifteen. It broke my pecker.”
The bartender winced.
She downed half of the beer. “It quit growing, and I can’t do anything with it but pee.” She shrugged. “I won’t lie, I look like a little kid down there, and it’s damned embarrassing.”
“That’s tough. So, why pay for three girls when your equipment ain’t workin’?”
Clem grinned. “I ain’t dead, and my eyes and ears work just fine. I want women who’ll do what I want to do, but to each other, and let me watch.” She finished her beer. “Got any who’ll do that?”
The bartender twitched his nose. “Any of the girls will do it.” He looked at Clem with sympathy. “But we’ll get you a couple of girls who’ll give you a show to remember, you paid enough for it.”
He handed her another beer. “We’ve got two who really enjoy it, and each other.
” He looked over the room, then glanced at the clock.
He hollered up the stairs, “Poppy and Joy are probably doing each other right now, while a lucrative opportunity will go to someone else who won’t enjoy it half as much! ”
Clem laughed. “Sounds like just the pair I want. I’ll take ‘em sight unseen.”
“You sure?” asked the bartender, with a huge grin and a nod. “They can be a handful when they’re together, no mistake about it.” He laughed. “Just turn ‘em over your knee and give ‘em a spanking if they act out.”
“Even better.”
Nervous about Kizzy’s reaction to hearing all of this, Clem nevertheless smiled at the memory. “I spent a wonderful night watching Joy and Poppy. After several visits to watch them, I wanted in on the fun and exposed my secret.” When Kizzy laughed at her double entendre, Clem relaxed a bit.
“They were roommates and lovers, happy to keep my secret, and more than willing to let me, uh,” she grinned, “pay for their favors. Both skilled and talented, they taught me a thing or two.” She chuckled at Kizzy’s fascination.
“Oh.” She blushed, wet her handkerchief, and wiped down her face and neck.
Clem watched, amused. “After that, whenever I was in Sacramento to make a gold deposit, I took both girls for an hour. Watching me use a strap-on dingus with Joy one afternoon, Poppy said, “You should make a smaller, softer, more normal johnson of your own to stuff down your long johns. It’ll fill them out better.” It was a brilliant suggestion that makes me look even more masculine. ”
Clem smiled at Kizzy. “The girls and I had a lot of fun together,” she shook her head, “but I won’t see them again.”
“Did they …?” Kizzy looked down at her hands, wringing out the handkerchief. She started again. “Um, I mean, what…?” Her teeth bit her bottom lip, and she hesitated.
Oh, no. Was she upset? “Ask me anything. I’ll tell you the truth.” But Kizzy’s question surprised her.
“What’s a dingus? I never heard that word. And they taught you things? What?” The beauty she was about to marry giggled like a school girl. “I mean, they invented the johnson; what else did they show you how to do?”
Clem’s eyebrows almost jumped off her forehead.
Thrilled by Kizzy’s interest, with her imagination running full speed, it took her a heartbeat to find the words she wanted.
“A number of wondrous things, all of which I’ll be happy to demonstrate in the fullness of time, you lecherous wench.
” She grabbed Kizzy and kissed her hard, then whispered against full lips, “But first you show me tonight what you know, and we’ll start from there. ”
“Our wedding night.” Kizzy’s eyes glistened. “It doesn’t seem real that it’s just hours away.”
“Yes, and we’re already running late. We’ve got to get going.
” But Clem didn’t want to leave. She wanted to sit and talk, kiss, and cuddle this extraordinary woman.
After a few minutes of billing and cooing, she cupped Kizzy’s head with both hands, and stared into mesmerizing eyes.
“You do understand? It’s important to treat me like a man all the time, except in private. ”
Her thumbs stroked soft plump lips that parted for her.
“When speaking of me to others you can never use feminine pronouns, it’s got to be ‘he’, ‘him’, or ‘his’, with no mistakes.
” She kissed the perfect mouth, which would have to be so careful.
“Men do not like women passing as one of them, especially if she’s more successful at it than they are. ”
Kizzy’s enormous eyes bore into her. “What happened?”
“A long story for another day,” Clem said, hugging her close. “But it means not drawing attention to us, and living as much like a normal married couple as possible.”
She looked down into Kizzy’s upturned face.
“I will act like any other husband, and hope you will behave like any other wife.” She dropped a hand to Kizzy’s bottom and pinched, making her jump.
“But I’ve already seen for myself how impulsive you can be.
Can I trust you to keep my secret, Kizzy, even when you lose your temper? ”
A reassuring hand caressed Clem’s face as the woman she was going to marry gazed into her eyes. “Yes, you can trust me.”
Kizzy blinked. “But ours will not be a legal marriage, and I won’t hesitate to leave if you give me reason, or if I simply choose to go. I am my own woman, and no one, man or woman, will ever own me.”
“I love that,” Clem grinned back. “I couldn’t agree more.”
They shook hands on it, both chuckling at the silly importance of the gesture.
“Although you must admit,” Clem couldn’t help teasing, “you are impulsive. Running out into the dark night chasing a stranger? If those rowdies found you...”
Kizzy stared back, chagrined. “It would have been horrible.” She nodded. “I can be impetuous.”
“You sure are. Look at you, marrying the first woman…” she paused, realizing something, “who asks you.” Clem laughed. “It’s your wedding day, girl! We better get going or your bath water will be cold.”
She pulled her boots back on. While Kizzy did the same, Clem searched along the stream, plucking wild bellflowers until she gathered a pretty bouquet of blue blooms. Returning with an armful, she found Kizzy still sitting on the boulder, watching her, and smiling. Taking her hand, she helped her stand.
“Our marriage will be one between equals,” Clem said, holding her hand. Heart fluttering, she bent down on one knee. “Miss Kizzy Walker, will you do me the honor of becoming my bride?” She held up the bouquet.
Before answering, looking around to be sure no one snuck up on them, Kizzy gleefully agreed, “Clementine Lorelei Dennison, I will.” She accepted the flowers and tugged on Clem’s hand, urging her to rise. As she did so, she slipped down to one knee herself.
“And will you, Clem Dennison, do me the honor of being my groom?” Bright blue eyes danced and a teasing smile beckoned as she offered her back the bouquet.
Laughing long and loud, Clem bent down and scooped her up. “I will, Keziah Walker. I most certainly will.” A thrill pulsed through her as her bride’s fingers twined through her hair and tugged. They kissed before she set her down.
Clem looked around them for a moment, memorizing the place, the light in Kizzy’s blue eyes, and the magic of the moment. She picked up the sturdy branch.
“Follow me.” After thumping through tall grass back to the wagon, she helped Kizzy into the driver’s box, and jumped up beside her, taking the reins.
Riding back to town to prepare for their wedding, Clem’s heart expanded far beyond its former limits to surround this wondrous woman, tucking her deep inside.
Life would never be the same.