<strong>~ Carmen in the General Store | Day 2, early afternoon ~</strong><br/><br/>Her boots click-clacked sharply on the wooden floor as Carmen strolled inside the store, where Mr. Wang and a rather rough looking fellow were deep in negotiations at the counter.  Their conversation paused momentarily as the the bearded man turned to see who had entered, giving her a polite nod in acknowledgement and then immediately returning to his business transaction. Carmen chuckled slightly to herself at Mr. Wang’s intense focus on the several furs that were piled on the counter; they must be fine indeed, what with the close attention the shopkeeper was giving them.<br/><br/>Walking directly up to the counter, Carmen moved to stand next to the man who she assumed was a hunter; it was unlikely he had come by those furs any other way ‘cept by killing the animals himself. ‘Sides, he did have that look about him anyway - a little bit wild at the edges.<em>Mmmm,</em>she thought to herself, as she deliberately stood close beside the hunter, testing his tolerance for his personal space being breached by a stranger. Standing in her heeled boots, Carmen was actually just about as tall as the hunter, but that fact in no way detracted from his rugged masculinity. Waving her hat gently in front of her face a few times, Carmen was careful not to offend the man by wrinkling her nose at the distinct odor wafting from his direction. Apparently the hunter hadn’t had a chance to bathe since he’d emerged from the wilderness; or perhaps it was just the animal pelts giving off the strong musky odor.<br/><br/>Setting her hat on the counter and delicately pulling off one of her gloves, Carmen reached out her hand to stroke one of the fox skins, her pale slender fingers splayed out over the plush dark fur as she caressed the pelt. The silky hairs felt exceedingly soft against the palm of her hand, and Carmen’s mouth curved into a soft smile, her golden hazel eyes lifting to meet the stranger’s own eyes. “Those are some fine furs you got yourself there, Mister,” Carmen generously complemented the man. “My name’s Carmen; don’t think I’ve seen you in Oasis before?”<br/><br/>Slipping her hand into an outside pocket of her coat, Carmen withdrew a long list of items for her grocery and goods run. Unrolling the paper, she slapped it down on the counter next to the furs. Smiling brightly at the shopkeeper, she spoke in a friendly tone to Mr. Wang. “I hope you’ve been well, Mr. Wang? This here’s the list of what all we need this trip. The usual stuff, mostly. I’ll take a few of the smaller items back with me, assuming you got ‘em in supply. The rest, I reckon one of our ranch hands will be by in a day or two to pick them up.”<br/><br/>Taking her other glove off, Carmen untied the belt of her coat and tucked the gloves into an inside pocket. Grinning wickedly as the vivid crimson of her corset and the soft ivory curves of her cleavage were revealed, she turned to browse around the store, calling back over her shoulder, “You let me know when you’ve finished your business with that fine gentleman, Mr. Wang; I’ll just be right over here.”<br/><br/>As she leisurely strolled through the aisles, Carmen absently perused the various items on display. Shortly, the sound of a woman’s step caught her ears, and she glanced up to see the Saguaro Saloon’s Madame, Guinevera Starr walking quietly into the store. Although only five years older than Carmen, Guinevera’s unflappable personality and nurturing nature had elevated the woman to an almost mother-like figure in her otherwise mother-less life. Carmen looked up to Guinevera for her hard-earned success, and felt a kinship with the woman who had also lost both of her parents at a young age.<br/><br/>Rounding the corner of an aisle, Carmen strode briskly toward Guinevera with a welcoming smile. Curling her fingers lightly around Guinevera’s upper arm, Carmen leaned in to plant a friendly kiss on the shorter woman’s cheek. “Guinevera, how nice to see you - you look stunningly beautiful as always! How’s everything at the Seguaro?”<br/>