Beauty and the Beasts [Bride Train 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (13 page)

“Another Elliott babe?” Frank laughed and slapped Ben on the back. “Congratulations.” Ben, flushing as red as Oz’s hair, nodded acceptance. Frank’s wide smile drooped. “I just wish your ma and pa could be here to see the valley filling with Elliotts.”

Ben nodded. “And MacDougals.”

“Please pass on our congratulations to your wife,” said Luke. He shook hands with Ben, who headed for the mercantile with a bounce in his step.

“Treat Sarah right and you might have a child of your own next year,” said Frank quietly.

“She insists she’ll never marry, but I’m not giving up.”

“If Sarah is anything like my Mary, what she says to you, and what she thinks, aren’t always the same. Give her time and things will fall the way they will.”

Frank headed back to the jail while Luke went to his horse. He’d give almost anything to be in Ben’s shoes, caring for a wife carrying his son. He mounted and turned west, toward home, to tell his partners the news about guarding Sarah.

He trusted Gabe and Oz to respect Sarah’s wishes. The only problem was, what if she wished for a whole lot more than kisses?

Sarah stretched out her back, groaning in relief that the long day was over. The fight about closing her bakery took a lot out of her, and since it was Friday, the dining room was full at both dinner and supper.

To top it off, she spent the day fretting about who would guard her tonight. Of course, none of the men bothered to inform her of the outcome of their discussion. She sighed, sore back and feet forgotten, at the thought of Gabe or Oz spending the night with her. Oz might agree to do more than kiss her, but she wasn’t sure about Gabe.

Thanks to the lawman, she now had an acceptable reason for a man to stay near her at night. The townspeople didn’t have to know just how close he would be. That meant tonight and tomorrow were her only chances to have an orgasm. It better not be Luke guarding her. If so, she’d insist he sleep on the other side of her bolted door!

“Word must have spread about you being here,” said Sophie. “This weekend might end up even busier than the last.”

“Maybe they know they’d better come before the council closes my bakery.” Sarah slumped on the bench by the table. She rested her head on her hands.

“Between the bakery and my dining room, you’ve been run off your feet for days. No wonder you’re so tired.” Sophie sat on the stool across the table from Sarah.

“It’s not just that,” mumbled Sarah.

“It couldn’t have anything to do with tossing and turning at night, dreaming of kisses, could it?”

“Sophie!” She shot her friend a warning look.

“Don’t try that look on me. I’ve been watching you keep one eye out for Gabe and Oz all week, while pretending not to. You pout when they don’t stop by.” She lowered her voice and spoke in a teasing singsong. “I hope you’re not too tired to enjoy tonight, should someone special be nearby.”

Sarah tried to look stern but the corners of her mouth turned up in a smile.

“I won’t be too tired for a kiss or two,” she admitted. “As long as it’s not with Luke.”

“Are you sure you don’t want more than kisses?”

Heat flashed over her face. She groaned at Sophie’s knowing laugh. She wanted a lot more than kisses. If sex felt so good with the first man, a stranger, who touched her intimately, how much more wonderful would it be if she cared about the man pleasing her? Just looking at Oz and Gabe made her eager for their touch. She groaned, from need rather than aching feet. Her breasts filled, pressing hard nipples against her bodice. She needed a man to touch her bare breasts with his fingers, and mouth. She needed—

“I need to find Oliver and get some sleep.” She stood, unable to sit any longer.

“You need more than a cat, my dear.” Sophie laughed when Sarah grimaced at her. “Which man is guarding you tonight? Experienced Oz, or shy Gabe?” She fluttered her eyelashes like an eager debutant.

“I don’t know yet,” said Sarah with a groan. She absently rubbed her left hip. “For all I know it could be Luke both nights. He might insist he ‘guard my honor’ since he plans to be my husband.”

Sophie wrinkled her nose. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

Sarah’s pussy contracted at the thought of a man finally touching her again. She pressed her arm against her swollen breasts. “Let’s talk about something else.”

“You’re right. Otherwise, neither of us will be able to sleep. What’s happening with Billy now that he’s not guarding you?”

“He said he’ll still watch out for me. I think he wants to use his rope to catch someone.”

“No one will try anything with one of the Circle C men sleeping in your front room.” Sophie waggled her eyebrows. “Or kitchen.”

Sarah ignored Sophie’s snicker though the increased heat blossoming from between her legs was harder to push aside.

“Before one of them arrives, I’d better wash and get ready for bed. I’ll put that pallet you lent me right by the door between the rooms, so no one will be able to see who’s sleeping there.”

“Don’t you mean, so no one will know
if
someone’s sleeping there?”

Thoughts of the night ahead warmed her so much she just wrapped her shawl loosely around her shoulders before stepping out into the evening. With the longer spring days she could see to walk even though it was seven o’clock. The purple haze of dusk darkened the east, but the sun’s dying rays still lit the west. She closed the door behind her, knowing Sophie would soon lock up.

She turned right and followed the path to the boardwalk. Though the bakery was on the other side of the hotel, Oliver liked to linger near the tree behind Nora’s home so she kept up her habit of checking to see if he was in the tree before going to bed. She looked, but no black-and-white lump waited for help getting down. She sighed in satisfaction. With luck, he’d be curled on Nora’s porch, waiting for her.

Hoof beats rapidly approached from the east end of town, likely someone needing Doc. There was no reason why anyone else would come racing through town. Just in case, she slid her hand into the special pocket Rosa had helped her create in the side seam of her skirt. She grasped the slender knife, a gift from Nevin MacDougal, along with the lessons on how to use it. She turned to face the approaching horse. All she could see was a dark shape on a dark horse coming up the street.

She stepped farther back from the boardwalk to let him pass. The rider slowed to a trot. The feeble light showed a stranger’s face. She pulled out her knife, holding it in her fist facing down. She hid it in the folds of her skirt, and set her feet. Nevin said to hide the weapon until she could take a man by surprise. Because men would always be bigger and stronger, she had to use her brain and her stealth. Being short, she should swing the knife up rather than stab down.

The man slowed and veered toward her. She backed up. White teeth snarled as the man leaned forward, one arm low, and reached. She slashed up at him and heard a scream. She stumbled backward and fell, landing on her side.

A rope flew over the rider’s head and settled around his arms and chest. He yelped and swore, fighting the lasso as the horse danced in a circle. The man finally managed to toss the rope off his shoulders. He snarled something, turned his horse, and raced back the way he’d come.

Deputy Chambers and Doc Henley rushed out of the jail, hollering. A tall, lean shadow approached on near-silent feet. She came to her knees and faced him, still gripping her knife. She almost dropped it in relief when she saw the shadow was Nevin.

“It’s okay, Miss Sarah,” cried Billy, running up. “Yer safe now.”

The deputy wheezed, bent over with his hands on knees. “I’m too old for this.” He gasped. “And of course Sheriff Barstow’s out of town.”

“Stop complaining,” said Doc. He slapped Frank Chambers on the back. “I know you don’t want to miss the showdown between Sarah and Jennet.”

Frank nodded at his good friend. “I’ve been wanting to see those men get their comeuppance for years.”

“You did a good job, but you can put the knife away now,” said Nevin quietly.

She blinked and looked at her hand. The blade was clean. Had she cut her attacker, or even touched him? It didn’t matter. She’d defended herself, and he was gone. She slid the knife back into its hiding spot with shaking fingers.

Frank slowly straightened up. “Where’d you come from, Nev?”

“Doc and Rosa’s.” Nevin looked at what Billy held. “You roped him?”

Billy nodded. “I said I’d rope anybody who tried to hurt Miss Sarah, but he hornswoggled me.”

“He threw off your loop, but you still stopped him from kidnapping Sarah,” said Nevin.

“Kidnap?” Sarah swallowed wrong and choked. Billy enthusiastically thumped her on the back. She managed to catch her breath and wave him off. “I thought they wanted me out of the bakery, not out of town,” she croaked.

“We don’t know who went after you, or why,” said Nevin. “It may have nothing to do with the bakery, and everything to do with a pretty, young, single woman.”

He rested his big hand on her shoulder, and she turned to him like a brother. He gave her a hug, pressing her face against his chest. Safe, she shuddered at what might have happened. When her fiancé sold her to that brothel, she was on her own. Now she had friends to help. No matter what happened, she didn’t want to leave this town.

Her protectors included a half-grown boy, an elderly ex-sheriff, a doctor who never carried a weapon, and a half-Bannock warrior who could, and would, kill anyone who harmed someone he cared about. She pushed away from Nevin, not wanting to appear weak and womanish. She fought tears, hating them. Someone wanted to hurt her, but why?

“I’d like to have what Gillis would call ‘a wee chat’ with that man.” Nevin looked down the empty street. “Come on, Billy. Help me look for hoof prints.” They walked up the street, hunkering down every few steps as Nevin pointed things out to the boy.

“Ready to go home?” asked Doc.

Home? The bakery was just a pair of almost empty rooms, but it was hers. At least, it was for now. All her life she’d dreamed of a loving home where she would be cherished. It was not to be, but she had her bakery, and her cat. She would not feel pity, either for her past or lack of future. She nodded at Doc.

“This wasn’t Jennet’s doing,” said Frank Chambers. He looked up the street, toward the bank. “He’s not that type. Someone else is determined to get you, whether you want him or not.”

“Could be someone who wants to get back at the Circle C,” said Doc, frowning. “Going after Sarah because she accepted their suit.”

They all turned at the sound of a galloping horse, heading in from the west. It slowed after coming around the corner. The rider’s hat had fallen to his back and the last of the sun lit his hair. Sarah’s heart leaped when she recognized the red curls. He trotted toward them.

“I thought I heard a scream. What in tarnation did I just miss?” Oz leaped off his dark horse, both of them hauling air into their lungs. He ran to Sarah and hugged her.

“Are you all right?”

She bit her lip and nodded, unsure if she could speak without bursting into tears.

“A man tried to steal Miss Sarah, but I roped him, Mr. Cutler! Jest like you showed me!” said Billy, running up. “Only, he got away.”

“Billy got him around the shoulders, but he managed to throw it off and escape,” explained Nevin as he followed the boy. “I couldn’t tell much from the hoof prints.”

“Thank you,” said Oz. He held out his hand for Billy to shake. They exchanged solemn looks. “Could you walk my horse to cool him down, and then put him up at Stumpy’s for the night?”

Billy nodded eagerly. The adults watched until the boy and horse were far enough away that he wouldn’t hear them. Though they stood apart, Sarah clutched Oz’s hand.

“I don’t think anyone would be stupid enough to fire the bakery, but they may try to smoke Sarah out,” said Frank. He turned to Oz. “I don’t want you sleeping on the other side of a bolted door tonight. You sleep in the kitchen. Sarah said she has a pallet up in the loft. I don’t want there to be anything slowing you down if someone breaks in the back door.”

The candle of heat which had blossomed in her pussy at Oz’s arrival flared to bonfire size.

“I reckon I could bed down beside the stove,” drawled Oz. “Unless the lady thinks that wouldn’t be proper. Of course, I’ll put my pallet back in the other room before sunup. No one but us needs to know. That okay with you, ma’am?”

His eyes said far more than his words. She didn’t trust her voice, so she just nodded. Oz’s Adam’s apple swelled when he gulped. A tingle went down her spine. Both of them knew, and agreed, what would happen that night.

What she didn’t know, was what would happen after. Would Oz treat her like a lover, or a friend? She wanted Oz as a lover but, since she wouldn’t be marrying, she needed friends even more. Could she have both in one man?

“If you’ll take Sarah to the bakery,” said Nevin to Oz, “I’ll get Oliver and meet you there.”

Sarah heard a hint of laughter in his voice. Her face heated, which she hoped was hidden by the night. Nevin was trained to pick up on small movements that gave away a person’s intent before they even knew it themselves. Even if he hadn’t heard about their kisses, he couldn’t have missed the way she and Oz looked at each other. When the Circle C men were around, she couldn’t keep from looking at them, though she usually managed to keep her hands to herself.

As soon as she and Oz were locked in her bakery, she could explore him all she wanted. Her body thrummed with an excitement she’d never felt before. She wanted to scream and run to the bakery instead of listening to the men chitchat.

“I wish I’d left home ten minutes earlier,” said Oz to the two older men. “I could have chased him down.”

Doc snickered. “You held off because you didn’t want to seem too eager?”

Oz laughed. The carefree sound floated into the night. “Damn right.”

“Don’t blame you, boy,” said Frank. He slapped Oz on the back. “Come on, Doc, we’ve got that game of checkers to finish before you go back to honeymooning.” He nudged Doc with his elbow. The two older men, snickering like boys with a secret, shuffled across the street to the jail.