Covington, Cara - Love Under Two Lawmen [The Lost Collection] (Siren Menage Everlasting) (12 page)

Adam looked at Warren. “I’m fine with that,” he said, “but I don’t like seeing Mandy suffer.”

“All right,” Adam said to Amanda, “but only on one condition. You ride with me. I can cradle you, give your bottom a rest.”

He expected further protest, and by the look of surprise on Warren’s face when Amanda nodded and dismounted, so did he.

Adam dismounted so he could tie her horse’s reins to his saddle, then got back on. Warren also got off his horse, and once Adam was back in the saddle, lifted Amanda to him.

“Your poor horse,” she said as he settled her in his arms.

“Don’t worry about Houston. He can easily carry several hundred pounds, sweetheart. You don’t weigh much. Besides, we aren’t going far.” He didn’t tell her that at the slower pace it would be more than an hour to get to that stream. They didn’t allow her that much sleep the night before, and on top of the week’s worth of traveling she’d done getting to Waco he figured she had to be beyond exhausted.

“Comfortable?” he asked her once she snuggled into him.

“Yes. Thank you. I really was getting sore.”

“I know. Why not close your eyes for a bit and rest?”

“I’m not going to fall asleep.”

“Of course not. But why not rest? Then you can help us set up camp when we get to the stream.”

“Okay.”

Adam held her easily with her head tucked against his shoulder and her legs across his saddle, dangling on his right. Houston didn’t seem to mind the extra load, and Adam wondered if the horse understood the situation because it seemed to him the animal’s gait gentled. Within moments and despite her declared intention to the contrary, Amanda dropped off to sleep.

“It’s both good and bad she doesn’t like to complain,” Warren said.

“I know. Nice not to have to listen to any whining, but that means we have to keep a good eye on her.”

Warren grinned. “That’s not a hardship.”

“It really isn’t,” Adam agreed.

It took them just over an hour to reach the stream he’d told Amanda about. The water wasn’t much more than a trickle. Adam knew of a better place not far from where they were, but it lay to the northwest. Adam looked from the stream, to Amanda, who still dozed.

“Let’s go to that lake we saw a couple years ago,” Warren said. “That’s not far from here, is it?”

“You read my mind,” Adam said.

It took almost another hour to reach the lake. Adam sighed in pleasure. This was much better.

Amanda began to stir just as the water came in sight. Adam helped her to sit up.

She blinked, taking in the landscape. “That stream looks like a lake.”

Warren laughed. “It is.”

“Oh.”

“I think our woman needs time to wake up before she’s coherent,” Adam said.

“That’s not a hardship, either,” Warren said.

Warren lifted her down, and Adam dismounted. Carrying Amanda for the better part of two hours had gotten his juices flowing. He’d have to see to it they didn’t ravage her two nights in a row. He began to have fond thoughts of the Katy Hotel in Denison. Amanda deserved better than the unforgiving ground under her when they made love.

* * * *
 

Amanda looked left and right as they rode into the town of Denison. Here she saw the frontier town of her imagination. Wooden buildings, dusty streets, people scurrying about, Denison looked like a town growing before her very eyes.

“Why don’t you wait for us in the lobby of the hotel? We’ll get the horses settled and then –”

“I’ll go with you to the livery and then carry my own saddle bag,” Amanda said. These two men had been pampering her for the last couple of days and while she loved it, she really did like to do her share.

Adam shook his head. “Stubborn.” He said.

“Yes, I am.”

It didn’t take long for them to see the horses boarded and walk back to the Katy Hotel.

Amanda hung back with Warren while Adam got them registered,

“While you two get settled in the room, I’ll drop in and say hello to Red.” Adam stepped back from the registration desk, handing one room key to Warren and keeping one for himself.

“Who’s Red?” Amanda asked. She was proud of the patience she was showing. After sleeping on the ground for the last several nights, she was definitely looking forward to having a real bed under her.

She hadn’t blinked when she heard Adam register them as a family—she apparently had become Warren’s wife, and he, Adam, their cousin.

Sarah had told Amanda the story of her time in this frontier town. After nights spent under these two lawmen, Amanda was all for any ruse that would put them in a real bed together.

“Red Hill,” Adam answered her. “He’s the sheriff of Denison. Used to be a Ranger, and I worked with him some.”

“I guess it’s a common courtesy for you to stop in and see him when you’re in his town,” Amanda said. Then she turned to Warren. “Any lawyers you have to stop in and pay your respects to?”

“Hell, no,” Warren answered. “There’re enough lawyers in Waco.”

Adam chuckled. “So I’ve always said.” Then he looked down at Amanda, and she could see he really wanted to kiss her.

She’d been looking forward to town, to a bed and a hot bath. Now she thought she could forgo those luxuries if the price of having them meant no spontaneous kisses from either of her lovers.

In little more than a week, these two lawmen had turned her into a shameless hussy.

“I’ll be back before your bath water arrives.” Adam’s voice was just loud enough for Warren and her to hear.

“Don’t expect the tub will be as big as the one my cousin has,” she said just as softly. When Sarah had shown her the appliance, Amanda’s eyes had widened. She ventured that it must take a long time to fill, being so big. Sarah had just blushed. Now Amanda understood why it was so big—so it could accommodate her cousin and both her husbands at the same time.

“Vixen,” Adam said. “That’s a fine image to put in my head. Unfortunately, you’re right, it won’t be. Warren and I will just have to be content to settle ourselves on either side of the tub and play lady’s maid.”

“Adam?”

“Yes, Amanda?”

Oh, she liked the way his eyes twinkled. She guessed he was proud of the way he’d turned her own teasing right back on her. She’d meant to titillate him just a little, to get him thinking about the three of them, naked and hungry. And now he’d instilled a similar hunger in her.

“Hurry back.”

“Don’t worry, I will.”

Warren had remained quiet during their exchange, but she knew he’d listened attentively, and one glance in his direction proved he had to work at restraining his laughter. He was a quieter man than Adam and also more reserved. He didn’t have the need to be in charge and seemed very content to leave that role up to Adam.

From her observations so far on the trail, the two men suited each other perfectly—and so far, they both suited her the same way.

Adam headed off down the street in the direction of the sheriff’s office. Warren hefted two saddle bags and would have relieved Amanda of her own, but she shook her head. “I can manage.”

They had a room on the second floor, one of the ones that looked out over the main street. “Do you think this is the same room Sarah had when they stayed here?”

“Seems likely. I was surprised the hotel is open again, but I guess the fire a few months back wasn’t as bad as it could have been.”

“I can’t believe what she went through. That a man would marry her just to murder her for her money.”

“Maddox was a real bastard.” Warren’s face colored.

Amanda went over and kissed him lightly. “That’s for being brave enough to face that bastard on behalf of my cousin.” Then she wrapped her arms around him. “This kiss is all just from me.”

She kissed him, her body pressed close to him, her tongue boldly sweeping into his mouth, eager to taste and tease. His arms came around her, and he lifted her off her feet, holding her easily as he took over the kiss.

Warren proved he could be forceful when he wanted to be, for in the next instant he laid her on the bed and had his hand under her skirt, caressing the cotton of her undergarment right over her pussy.

The heat of him, the power of his effect on her shot her arousal impossibly high. She surged her hips in response to his love play, seeking more of his touch and cursing the material that came between them.

“When Adam gets back, we’re going to try something new. Is that all right with you?” he asked.

She loved the look in his eyes, the way he focused on her as if she were the most important person in the world. She’d seen him look at Adam the same way and wondered if his feelings for her could ever be as strong as they were for the other man.

Reaching out, she gently caressed his face. “Yes. I want to try every single thing you two can come up with.”

It was nothing more than the truth.

* * * *
  

“Just between you and me, I’m glad Joshua killed that sorry son of a bitch. The man needed killing. Marrying a young lady just to kill her and make off with her inheritance is about as low as a man can go, in my estimation.”

Adam didn’t even blink at the sentiment shared with him by Denison’s sheriff. He’d known Red Hill for many of years. He knew the man to be a firm believer in law and order and letting the judge decide about innocence or guilt. But he was also a man, and as a man, he could become incensed over the most heinous of crimes, especially those perpetrated against the most vulnerable of victims.

“I guess none of us will ever understand why Maddox drew his weapon,” Adam said. “But that shot Joshua took was provoked. The bastard fired first, wounding a friend of mine.” He would forever remember rushing into Maddox’s study, certain that Warren had been hurt. Thank God for Joshua Benedict’s fast reflexes.

“Ask me,” Red said, “it was likely the hand of God at work.” He sat forward, the action bringing the front two legs of his chair to the floor with a thump. “So where are you headed?”

“Into Indian Territory. We’re looking for the grave of a man reported killed some years back. Doing a favor for a friend.” It was the story they’d come up with because they couldn’t really go around telling everyone what they were really looking for. The grave search had been Warren’s idea. Adam embellished it some. “My cousin’s a lawyer, and he’s been asked to look into this matter.” Even though Amanda was at the center of not only their travel but their lives at the moment, there was no need to mention her.

“Imagine it would be tough having a loved one die and being buried far from home. But hearing you’re going into Indian Territory,” Red paused and shook his head, “you keep your wits about you, Adam. We’ve gotten reports of a band of renegade Cherokee—five or six young bucks, by all accounts. They’ve been raiding and stealing from some of the settlers this side of the border and have already waylaid one party of travelers headed overland to Missouri.”

“Have they been violent?” Adam asked.

“They’re not after killing so much as they are stealing, mostly horses and any gold or other valuables you might leave on your horse overnight. They’ve been reported as being between here and Durant. You can bet your ass the sheriff of Durant wants a word with them. He’s stepped up search parties, and so have a couple of the Cherokee chiefs, but so far they haven’t caught them.”

Durant was a town within the Choctaw Nation. Adam had some friends there, including the sheriff. He could well imagine the man would want to get his hands on the raiders.

“Anyone think to contact the Cherokee Council?” Adam asked.

“Yeah, I’ve sent a couple of messages that way. Damn telegraph. Sometimes you just don’t know if your message has gotten across. Much better seeing a body face-to-face, you know?”

“I might have occasion to seek out one of the tribal chiefs while we’re there. If I do, I’ll be sure to pass on the message. I can’t imagine any of the Cherokee tribes would be happy with some of their own causing trouble. From what I hear, they’re having enough trouble with confrontations with the carpetbaggers.”

“Yeah, I had a conversation with Major Mackenzie out of Fort Gibson a few months back. He and his men made a sweep looking for squatters and came into town for supplies before heading back. He and I both agree that it’s only a matter of time before things get out of hand if something isn’t done soon about the situation.” Red shook his head. “But that’s none of my never mind. You just watch your back while you’re out there.”

“You can be sure I will.”

“You heading over to Bobby’s for dinner tonight?” Red got to his feet, and Adam had forgotten how tall and imposing the sheriff of Denison was. Likely one of the reasons he’d been able to get—and keep—the rowdies in line.

“Yeah. We’re a bit sick of our own cooking on the trail.”

“A man can eat only so many meals of beans and jerky before he has to have steak.”

Adam laughed. “That is surely the truth. Thanks again for the warning about those renegades.”