<div class="floatleft">(http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q15/doogieporker/94uqfb7x0ihp3724e256.jpg)</div><br/><strong>Character: Desmond King<br/><br/>Location: Lola's Saloon - Bar<br/><br/>Time of day: Sunset<br/><br/>Tagging: Lola<br/></strong><br/><br/>Desmond could see the flash of anger cross her eyes at his remark, and he grinned inwardly. The woman was a fiery one, just as he had been told. Of course, she had to be in order for her to keep her saloon running every night, all by herself, a lone woman in a frontier town in the middle of nowhere. He wondered if she had been married at some point, and was a widower, or if she had once been a saloon whore herself, one that made good during her time on her back and decided to open her own establishment. Regardless, her tenacity was what had gotten her where she was, and it was just that determination that he was looking for in the woman. He was not disappointed.<br/><br/>"Desmond King." he replied. "And you might be surprised at the amount of silver I have."<br/><br/>He smiled, and stepped closer to her, one hand sliding to her waist and pulling her in close. He had no doubt that the ire of every cowboy in the place had suddenly arisen upon doing so, but he was also fairly confident that she would resist the urge to call for their aid. Looking down at her, their bodies pressed together, Desmond couldn't help but picture that pretty face twisted in passion, that same lilting voice that had been singing Clementine only moments ago calling out his name over and over again. But he forced himself to remain focused. He had not achieved greatness by being distracted by the pleasures of the flesh, no matter how desirable they might be.<br/><br/>"But I'm not here for that." he said, releasing her, and turning back to the bar. He set his cigar down, then turned, and leaned against it, folding his arms over his chest. "At least, not yet. I want to get in bed with you in running this business. And I have a business proposition that you might find enticing...'<br/><br/>Reaching behind him, he retrieved his half-empty glass and drained it in one quick swallow, motioning to the bartender for another.<br/><br/>"You may have heard the rumblings in town of a new man buying up everything in sight. There's a reason for that, but it's one that I'll only divulge to partners in my enterprise. You do a good service to this city; giving these hard working men a bit of fantasy and a place to relax, giving these girls a place to call home, and delighting everyone with that angelic voice. But I can see that you're more than what you appear. There's more to you than just the saloon owner with a beautiful smile...'<br/><br/>Desmond retrieved his cigar, and puffed on it for a moment, letting the smoke linger before him before it dissipated.<br/><br/>"I want to do right by this city like you do right by these girls. But I need someone who knows Silver City in a way that I cannot. I spent most of my time further west, in the saddle and out of it, and I can't rightly say that I know a thing about this place. But you do. And I could use your help getting to know what I need to know about this town before I own everything...'<br/><br/>"To that end, and for us to become partners, I want to buy your saloon. The locals won't see a thing change around here. You'll still be in charge, and run things like you run them now. But I'll keep the doors open, make improvements, and all I need from you is your help with the other shop and land owners."<br/><br/>The bartender set his refilled glass behind him, and Desmond picked it up, taking a small sip. The whiskey was going down more smoothly than it had, even with the sweetness of the sarsaparilla. He could see why the cowboys and miners liked to spend their evenings in the saloon. The company of the girls, the alcohol, the complimentary cigars, all of it helped a man to relax, to forget, and to live a life much more comfortable than it was during the daylight hours. He supposed he could be quite comfortable there, if that had been his desire, joining the ranks of the hopeful but ultimately gullible men that waited for a shot at one of Lola's girls, or at Lola herself. But he had much grander plans, and besides, if she were open to his proposal, there would be plenty of time to get to know each girl personally.<br/><br/>Reaching into his coat pocket, he pulled forth a small stack of bank notes, and set them on the bar.<br/><br/>"One thousand dollars." he said, raising his voice so as to draw the attention of those around him. "The first payment towards our arrangement, and another ten thousand once this saloon is mine."