Longarm and the Colorado gundown

_{Longarm stopped in his own room only long enough to drop his things on the foot of the bed, take his hat off, and give his hair a quick slicking back. Then he was out again and striding for the staircase.}

_{He tapped lightly on the door. “Miss Skelde? I believe this might be yours?” Just in case someone was listening.}

_{“It’s open. Come in.”}

_{Longarm let himself into the room. And stopped immediately, a quick smile tugging at his lips.}

_{“Bolt the door, won’t you please, dear?”}

_{He found the bolt by feel and slid it home. He didn’t want to take his eyes off Leah. Not yet.}

_{The heavy travel gown was gone, discarded somewhere out of sight already. So were the hat and the veil.}

_{Leah stood before him now wearing only her foundation garments: corset, pantaloons, garter belt, silk stockings, high-top shoes. Her honey-brown hair was piled high and pinned in a mass of tight curls. She wore a cameo brooch on a ribbon tied tight at her throat and matching cameo earbobs.}

_{She was . .. mouth-watering. Exquisite. Statuesque.}

_{Her waist was impossibly narrow, her hips and legs slim and sleek. Her bosom swelled high and sharp and proud over a taut expanse of flat belly, and the texture of her skin was that of fresh-whipped cream.}

_{“Do you like it?”}

_{“I like it,” he admitted.}

_{Leah smiled and turned in a slow and deliberately provocative pirouette so he could see and assess her from all sides.}

_{“Yeah,” he said. “I like it.”}

_{“Do you want to undress me, dear?”}

_{“You go ahead. I think I’ll watch.” He crossed the room to the one armchair that was provided and settled into it. He brought out a cheroot and lighted it, taking his time about it and giving the smoke most of his attention for the moment. Finally he stuck the cigar in his jaw at a jaunty angle, crossed his legs, and gave Leah the nod. “Now I’m set t’ appreciate you proper.”}

_{She half turned away from him and glanced briefly over a creamy shoulder as if to satisfy herself that he was still watching. Then she lifted one foot onto the side of the bed and leaned forward to begin unlacing her shoe. One shoe and then the other were slowly removed. She had fine legs. And a superb back as well, Longarm saw. She was sleek as an otter, with no spare flesh on her but with an abundance of absolutely everything that she needed.}

_{She twisted, turned, posed for his benefit while pretending to act like a lady alone in her boudoir. After the shoes the stockings went. Then the corset laces.}