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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 3181753" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter 194, “Jake’s Concerns”, Monday, March 27th, 1882, 5:30 PM Ruby waits for Jake, still lying on the bed, thinking through the days events. Jake comes up to their room, looking for Ruby. He enters the room and finding her there, sits on the bed next to her. "Hello, Princess," he looks down at her and moves some hair off her face. She smiles back up at him, "Hi baby." She slowly pulls his hat off his head and throws it next to them on the bed. She runs her hand over his face, "Good job at the barbers, did you learn anything while you were there?" "Nothing. Nothing at all." Jake shrugs, "Except that Bif does a pretty good job."  She says, “At least you tried, it was a good idea. I guess if you keep going there for a shave you might find something out eventually.” Ruby sighs, "I need to tell you what I found out. I learned a lot of stuff and some other things... well... I'm confused. I need your advice but I'm not sure I should say anything..." Ruby has a conflicted look on her face. "I mean, I want to tell you but I'm not sure..." "You are not sure about what? That I won't like what you say or you won't like the advice I give you?"  “You won’t like what I say and it will make you nervous. I always value your advice even if I don’t take it,” she smiles.  "If I start getting a nervous condition I might have to start taking elixirs." Jake smirks. "I wonder whose is worse tasting, Doc Eaton's or Dorita's? Do you think they use the same recipes?" They both laugh, and Jake says, "Go ahead make me nervous." "Let me start with what I learned from the Judge. Well, let me start with the rumor... I'm not sure how you will feel about it, you might not even care. Apparently, people think I'm $#%^ing the Judge, an arrangement made to keep you from going to jail a couple of weeks ago." Ruby waits and watches Jake's reaction.  "Figures." He shakes his head. "I don't know what we do about that right now. No, I don't like it but I'm not going to be angry at you over it, if that is what you are asking." “No, I’m not asking you, I’m telling you that’s what people think. I know you wouldn’t be mad at me, it’s not my fault. But people might have a different opinion of you, or make certain judgments, thinking that you would think it’s ok to let your girlfriend do that to keep you out of jail.”  Jake frowns. "I know. Go on."  "Here is what Isby told me, I knew something was up with him not hanging those two“ and she relays the rest of the conversation with the Judge. “So that explains a lot." "I suppose we should be grateful that the whole world doesn't know the Cowboy gang is trying to blow up the saloon." Jake strokes his beard while Ruby continues.  "I agree, it would be bad for all of us. Which is another thing…Remember how I used Chumbley's notepad to write that note? Well, he made a marking and read the note, he knows something is up, that little..." Ruby stops herself, then sighs, "He is jealous too, Jane told me he has been telling people he is attracted to me and how I shower him with attention..." "I wonder if that has gotten worse since all this strangeness has happened?" Jake chuckles, perhaps a bit darkly. "It's one thing to have all the men in town wanting your attention, but if it starts getting out of hand what will it take to slow it down a bit? Does your jealous boy friend need to gun someone down?"  “What has gotten worse? Chumbley being nosy? He said it was his people’s curious nature. I told him I was very disappointed in him. He agreed not to print anything revealing… yet. I don’t know if he’ll be true to his word or not.” “As for the other stuff… I hope you don’t have to gun anyone down, I don’t want you going to jail again. I’m selfish, I want you here in my bed every morning and every night.” She gently tugs on his shirt and pulls him down on the bed next to her. “I need you in my bed every morning and every night.” She kisses him then starts playing with his belt buckle. “I honestly don’t know how to slow down people’s affections for me. You’re going to have to let it be known that I am your girl and you’re not sharing me. How do you do that?” "No matter how I do it, people won't respect it unless I back it up. You are a beautiful and flirtatious woman Ruby West. Unless you change your ways, fear of Jake Cook is about the only thing that will keep them from going beyond looking. Let that be for now, I'll think of something." "Hhmmm… so what else? Niles said that Jeff needed off today. I guess that means he isn't quitting. He was really upset yesterday. Should I try talking to him? Or just let it go?" "I think we need to talk to him. His worries shouldn't be allowed to fester. I did talk to him briefly last night and reminded him of the trust we put in him even with his questionable behavior and background." Jake sits up and pulls off his boots before lying back down again and letting Ruby snuggle up to him. "I don't know who he trusts the most, maybe it's Chester. It does show that we need to be more careful what we do in front of Jeff Mills." “I agree. But I honestly didn’t think he would believe I would ask him to kill someone like that. I think he is overly paranoid about whatever information he knows. It’s time we find out what that is all about. I mean, it could be bad for us if what he says is true, that both armies are after him. I mean, you and I aren’t exactly law abiding citizens and if he is being watched… Anyway, I appreciate the work he’s done for us and he’s been mostly loyal, I would consider him an ally. So we should find out what we can do to help.” "Not law abiding citizens!" Jake says with mock shock on his face. "We need some quiet time with Mr. Mills so he can tell us his story." Ruby nods in agreement.  Jake then tells Ruby what about his conversation with Pierre. I think he'd talk to you in the future. He just needed some private reassurance." “Alright,” she says still tugging at Jake’s belt, “I was a bit ticked that I was getting excluded but I guess I can understand. But good gods, what are we going to do now that the Cowboys have all that ammunition to use against us? I guess you should have gotten to Pierre quicker. I don’t know why Chester or Nanuet didn’t do it earlier. Maybe you have to make sure people understand the urgency in these matters.” Ruby makes eye contact with Jake for a moment, trying not to show her fear. “This is shaping up to be some epic battle that I’m not sure we can win.” "We will win, girl, don't you believe otherwise. Ringo has gone too far and made too many enemies. If he had done his dirty work slower and smarter he could win. He has come out and become a public enemy of all the wrong people." Jake's eyes start to wander up and down Ruby's figure. Ruby is quiet for a moment, trying to believe Jake’s reassurances. She notices him looking her own and it distracts her, reminding her of the rest of her news. “As if we… I mean I… don’t have enough troubles, I went with Jane and we visited both banks, we saw Mr. Avery and then Mr. Condon. But…” She stops speaking. Jake nudges her, “What is it?” “The thing is…” Ruby shakes her head. “I don’t know. You know how you are worried about being influenced by someone? Well, I think Jane may be trying to influence people, I’m not entirely sure.” Ruby sighs, “You see Jake, I had that dream. And I am very sure of what the goddess told me. And she was right about what I wanted and what she said would happen if I did honor her came true. But she also said I had to make a choice. It’s up to people to decide if they want to follow or not. I said I would honor her but there are things I refuse to do. I know what the goddess wants from me, well I mostly know. Jane…” her voice trails off again. “I am in charge of the entertainment for the festival and I have been arranging it. But Jane wants to, no she’s planning on, having a service to Aphrodite during the festival. I said I would help, I can sing and I can dance, that’s easy. I just don’t know if she has something else in mind too.” "How does Ruby West think the goddess feels about deception to gain worshippers? Is this Jane out of line in the goddesses views? Perhaps a bit too enthusiastic?" Jake pauses to admire her neckline. "I may lie to folks, create opportunities, help folks see choices that they didn’t notice before, and maybe help then see things in a different light but I don't change their thoughts or control their actions. I always believed folks need to live their own lives." Jake smiles and says, "If this Jane has the temerity to put on an Aphrodite ceremony for the whole town and lets folks decide for themselves... well good for her. I say she deserves the chance and let her go. Of course if Ruby West chooses to assist her then Ruby will get what she earns good and bad from it." Jake's expression changes to a serious one. "Now if she is going to somehow influence folks, take the decision out of their hands and make them do what Jane wants, then I would have to oppose that." Ruby is quiet again. “Yes,” she proceeds slowly, “Perhaps she IS a bit enthusiastic. Jake, you know I don’t really know anything about the gods. I always felt they abandoned me my whole life and that they were selfish to do that to me. But now I feel like there is a reason to why things happen, even if I don’t know what it is. Is it possible that the gods try to manipulate us? Of course. Do I think they try to? Sure, I guess they probably do. But she told me… I had to choose. And I believe that to be true. I’m not going to lie and say I’ve never manipulated anyone to get what I want. But I don’t think that is what she wants. At least, that is not what she told me.” Ruby furrows her brows. “What bad to you think can come from helping with the ceremony? "If the ceremony draws the ire of the Vigilance Committee whoever was involved in it would certainly be the focus of their attention." Jake turns his head quickly, "Oh, and what did you mean you don't know what else she has in mind? I don't know very much about the priestesses of Aphrodite except that I have heard it said," Jake clears his throat and looks at Ruby, "well they say they are just a higher class of whore. I don't know myself and that seems a harsh view." “I don’t know what she intends to do with this ceremony of hers.” Ruby shrugs, “I don’t know if there is more to it or not and she isn’t being forthcoming, not yet anyway. The way I see it, if people want to come and watch it’s their choice. I have no issue with that, no one is forcing them as much as no one is forcing them to come to Minerva’s sermons or the festival in general. I sing at the Lucky Lady, people come by choice. And my experience has been the same for when I have danced. And if some other… feelings…of love or desire… come from the ceremony and someone decides they want more from it, well, what’s wrong with that? Does singing or dancing make someone a whore?” "No, singing and dancing doesn't make someone a whore. Plain and simple, taking money from the first person with a fist full of dollars to go out back for sex is whorin'. Somebody attends a ceremony and they get their own ideas, that's just fine. You just showed me that it is possible for folks to get somebody else's ideas. If this Jane is making it easier for them to choose the Aphrodite path, good for her. If she is selecting the path for them, that crosses the line." Jake starts to run a finger down her neck. "I don't know what to make of this whole thing. I've never been to an Aphrodite ceremony so I can't tell. This Jane is one of the entertainers at the Palace; you know what Adair expects of them." Jake raises an eyebrow, "Speaking of jealous boyfriends, are you not the least bit suspicious what else could be asked of you during a ceremony like that?" “What could be asked of me? I know what Aphrodite wants. What are you concerned about?”  He says, "I'm concerned about sharing you. Is the dance anything like the dance you did for me? What happens next in a ceremony like that? After the dance do all the men go home spiritually enriched or is there some satisfying the needs of the flesh?" Jake traces his finger from her neck over her underclothes to her belly. "Where is the line Ruby West? Where is the place that the feelings we have for each other don't allow you to go? The flirty smile and the low cut dress? The sensuous song? The risqué dance? That all seems harmless enough. It's part of what drew me to you and part of who you are. I understand that. After that, what next might Jane or the goddess suggest you do? It would be your choice of course. Just how much of this beautiful skin would you show to those hungry worshippers in the name of the goddess? Just where does it stop when you unleash all that desire?" He lays his hand flat on her belly. "I worship at the temple of Ruby West. How many more do you need?" She whispers her answer, “I need only you.” Ruby lays her hand over Jake’s and gently guides it under her top so it’s resting in the same spot on her belly, but on her skin rather than her chemise. She keeps her voice low as she continues speaking, “I need and want to thank the goddess. The dance? Yes, it’s like the dance I did for you. I don’t know what happens next, I have never been to a ceremony either.” Ruby slides her legs on the bed, forcing her skirt to rise, exposing her legs. “I’m true to you, baby, I won’t do anything you don’t want me to. You don’t have to share me. Others desires is not my concern.” She reaches her hand up and traces a finger across Jake’s cheek before she lifts her head off the bed and kisses him slowly. She lays her head back on the bed then looks him in the eyes, “Do you not want me to sing or dance?” "That's like asking a bird not to fly or asking Jake not to play poker." He chuckles. "Why in blazes would I want to share THAT particular dance with anyone if I don't have to share it? I know what it does for me." His hand starts to wander. "Honor your goddess in a way that is fitting. Just imagine what it would be like if our places were exchanged. Don't do anything that would cause Ruby would shoot Jake." He chuckles again before kissing her neck. Ruby starts finding it hard to concentrate as Jake’s kisses also begin to wander. “So, are you saying you don’t want me showing any of this?” Ruby says, starting to pull the straps down on her top with a mischievous smile. "Anything that remains hidden by those skimpy dance hall dresses is mine. I don't want you to feel like you can't give proper homage to your goddess." Jake nudges the straps even lower. "Whenever you are feeling pious I would provide you what meager assistance I can." Ruby smiles and pulls Jake’s head up gently by his hair so he is looking at her. “I thank her by loving you and making you happy and making you desire me. That is what she wants. But rest assured, I won’t dance, only sing. And if you come with me, I’ll only be singing to you.” "I suppose we'll have to work extra diligently here to make sure the goddess doesn't think you are holding back on her......."  Ruby smiles again and bites her lip as she considers continuing the conversation but is quickly distracted by the look in Jake’s eyes. Instead she wraps her legs around him and lets him get back to the kissing and wandering and thanking Aphrodite she loves so much.Ruby and Jake continue to lay around and laze with each other. Finally Ruby feels her stomach rumbling so they decide to get some dinner before Jake will take the table for the night. Ruby takes her time dressing, figuring she will do some singing this night. She wears her ruby gown with the loose straps to match her new ruby ring and secures her olive leaf pendant. Since she made the cord long enough to fit Jake the pendant lies hidden in her dress. Her heart earrings and her smile in place she tells Jake, "I'll meet you downstairs," as he is taking his time getting ready.</blockquote>

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