Two Cowboys in Her Crosshairs [Hellfire Ranch] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Jennifer August

  Her senses went on alert. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  “Just waiting for it to close,” he said.

  It clattered shut, and he eased toward the blacktop. Tag blocked the entrance with his sheriff’s car. He waved when he saw them and pulled forward.

  But Jake didn’t move the truck.

  Again her tension rose.

  Tag honked and waved his hand again.

  “Hud, yell at him to get out of the car.”

  Hud did as asked, and seconds later Tag unfurled his length from the driver’s seat and strode to the truck. Jake rolled his window down.

  “Problem?”

  “Yeah,” Jake said. His voice was flat. “Wanted to make damn sure it was you in there and not another ugly surprise.”

  Tag’s face tightened. Olivia figured behind his standard-issue mirrored glasses his eyes were filled with sorrow and anger. “Good call. Should have thought about that myself. You ready?”

  “Yep.”

  “Keep it under eighty this time. I will write a ticket for your collection.”

  Jake grinned and rolled his window back up then drove around the sheriff’s car and toward town.

  “You speed?” She was totally surprised by the information. In the service, Jake had been as by the book as any marine she’d ever met. More than by the book with one notable exception.

  “He’s racked up quite a few citations,” Hudson said. “And that doesn’t even count the times he got let off with a warning.”

  “Huh.”

  Jake shrugged. “It’s a boring drive.”

  He reached over and flipped on the radio. Strains of an old Barbara Mandrell song poured forth. She was lamenting about the wrong kind of loving being right.

  Olivia knew exactly how she felt.

  By the time they reached the center of town, they’d gained two more police escorts. The Hex was full of cars, and finding a spot was difficult. They had to wait until Tag and his men found spaces. Olivia watched in aghast amusement as one deputy commandeered a handicapped space.

  “Don’t worry,” Tag assured her. “We don’t have anyone with legal handicapped tags in town.”

  “What about visitors?” she asked.

  “There are more spaces.”

  She laughed. Texas was a lot more laid-back than DC. Not only were there no bustling traffic and a multitude of lights, but the attitudes here were as smooth as good whisky.

  It was a very pleasant change.

  Tag introduced the two deputies as Agby and Rice. Both men were polite but kept their distance. As they headed for the lone hard-goods mercantile in town, the officers fell into step around her while Jake and Hudson squeezed her between them.

  “You’ll like Hank’s Goods & Gets,” Hudson said. “She has everything under the sun and about half a billion things you never thought of.”

  “Hank’s a girl?”

  “Sort of. The original Hank was her great-great-great-grandpa. Her name is actually Christine, but everyone calls her Hank.”

  “Nice.”

  Jake wasn’t talking as they moved along the sidewalk. Like Tag and the deputies, his head swiveled left, right, and behind in a constant sweeping motion.

  She looked up and wasn’t surprised to find Hudson doing the same.

  These men took their protecting seriously.

  Olivia couldn’t help but wonder just what other things they excelled at.

  Chapter Ten

  “Here it is. Hank’s Goods & Get.”

  Hudson pulled open the door for Olivia. Like Jake earlier, he couldn’t help but admire her beautiful ass as she passed him. Even through the oversized clothes, her butt was round and taut.

  He could not wait to have it.

  His dick strained his Levi’s, and he surreptitiously rearranged his erection.

  “Settle down,” Jake murmured. He grinned as he walked into the store.

  “Agby and Rice will stay outside,” Tag announced when they were all inside. “Let’s get what you need and get out. I want you home and safe as soon as possible.”

  Jake pulled a grimace. “I’m going to have to go by the bank, too. Unless you found my wallet undamaged at the scene?”

  Tag shook his head. “Everything in there was crispy, sorry.”

  “Me, too.”

  “I’ve got my own money, Jake,” Olivia said.

  Hudson nodded. “I also have the ranch card. If it can wait until this situation is done, that would be better.”

  “Good idea. Okay, Olivia, have at it.”

  “Howdy, Jake. Hudson. It’s been a coon’s age since you’ve been in.”

  Hudson turned as Hank strolled up the aisle. She wasn’t looking at either of them, though. Her gaze was pinned directly on Olivia and sizing her up. She stopped just shy of the foursome and stuck her hand out. “Hi. I’m Hank.”

  “Olivia,” she said with a smile as she shook the other woman’s hand.

  “You staying with these two hellions?”

  Hudson groaned. Hank was a wildfire combination of earth mother and mother hen. She was nosier than Pinocchio and made no bones about asking questions that were none of her business. Her gray-shot red braid fell over her shoulder, and she impatiently tossed it back. She tapped the concrete floor with one booted foot and looked at them expectantly.

  Her sharp brown gaze made him squirm. “Yes,” he finally blurted. “Olivia is visiting us from out of town.”

  The rotund woman lifted her brows, and he could see the wheels churning fast and furious in her brain. He figured she’d be on the phone with Betty Reynolds down at the beauty shop before the bell over the door even stopped chiming.

  That was not a good idea. He shared a look with Jake who nodded.

  “Hank, you are looking mighty pretty today. Did you do something new with your hair?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Spit it out, Charming. I’m on to you and your silver tongue.”

  He smiled and took her arm to lead her back to the checkout counter.

  “I need to ask a favor,” he said. He infused as much seriousness in his voice as possible. She stiffened beneath his arm.

  “What’s wrong? Does this have to do with Deputy Wallace and the Calico Queen?”

  “I can’t tell you, Hank.” Hudson raised a palm as she protested. “It’s better you don’t know. In fact, it’s better if no one at all knows we were in the shop today.”

  She snorted. “Did that fever bake your brain, Hudson? Half the town already knows you’re here. By the time you check out, the other half will know.”

  Damn, he’d forgotten about the efficiency of the grapevine. “Good point. Okay, don’t mention Olivia’s presence.”

  Her look was the pity-filled kind you gave to an obvious idiot. Hudson ground his teeth. “Hell.”

  “Look, you can count on me.”

  About as far as he could throw her. And considering she tipped the scales at three hundred pounds, he didn’t have any faith in that ability. “Hank,” he drawled in warning.

  She grinned and patted his hand. “Hush now. Go see to your lady friend. She’s in the underwear section looking at some saucy red panties.” Hank wiggled her brows. “Hm. The gossip might be better than I thought.”

  Then her expression turned sad. “It’s a shame what happened to the deputy. And Whitty is over at the Chrome Barrel crying in his beer. He said some woman was in that room, and they don’t know what happened to her.”

  Hudson’s breath caught. He leaned on the counter. “Really? Who was she?”

  “Some lady named Ellen Ryan. Apparently she was in the military. Whitty said she was wearing camouflage pants and dog tags when she checked in.”

  “That’s all? Sounds like my kind of woman,” he said. Relief flooded him. If Hank hadn’t made the connection between Olivia and the mysterious Ellen Ryan, chances were good no one else had either.

  “Oh, stop,” Hank said, but she was smiling. “She was also wearing a white T-shirt. Whitty figured it was b
ecause it was so hot yesterday.”

  Hudson figured it was because it would have been awkward to explain why someone named Ryan was checking into a hotel wearing a jacket with the name Martinez on it.

  “Was she good looking?” Hudson asked, but only because he knew she expected it. Being known as the town flirt was sometimes a trying experience.

  “You know Whitcombe. He’s not the most observant guy on the block.” Hank squinted at the air. “Dark hair, tanned skin, short fingernails.” She smiled at that one. “He noticed that because he always watches when they sign the credit slip. He thinks he can tell when someone is forging a name by the way they write.”

  Hudson coughed to cover his laugh. “Good idea.”

  Hank leaned closer. “Jake is holding up her undies. She looks a bit red. Maybe you should help her out.”

  Hudson nodded and loped to where the three of them were clustered into the small lingerie section. Hank might be a big girl, but she had exquisite taste in sexy undergarments. For some reason that knowledge made him a bit uncomfortable yet oddly intrigued.

  “I don’t need ten pairs of underwear,” Olivia said as he walked up.

  “I agree,” Hudson said.

  Jake cut him a dark glare. “We’re not coming back into town.”

  “Personally I think she doesn’t need any underwear.”

  “Oh, for Pete’s sake,” Tag muttered.

  Olivia shook her head and grabbed four panties in varying hues of red and blue from Jake. She shoved them back onto the rack. “Six is fine. You do have a washing machine, don’t you?”

  “Yep.”

  “Can we hurry this along?” Tag asked. “The men outside are going to rouse some interest soon.”

  “I’m sorry,” Olivia said. “I’m almost done.”

  She grabbed two bras. Bland, non-descript, and serviceable bras that screamed blah.

  Hudson snatched them out of her hand. “You can’t pair boring bras with smoking-hot panties.” He nudged her out of the way and pawed through the rack. “Aha. These are perfect.”

  He held up a dark-red number with a cleavage-baring front and a midnight-blue one that shimmered when he shook it.

  “Fine,” she muttered. “Whatever. Where are the jeans?”

  “Over here,” Jake said. “Aren’t you going to try them on?”

  Hudson thought she was going to refuse, but she finally conceded.

  They tore through the rest of the store in twenty minutes, and by the time they were done Olivia protested she had enough clothes to last the rest of the year.

  Jake and Hudson agreed and refused to let her put anything away.

  As Hank rang them up, she peppered Olivia with questions. Olivia handled them smoothly and deflected many more. Hudson knew she didn’t realize she was only tempting the dragon by making herself more mysterious. But they had no time to combat the wild theories flitting through Hank’s head.

  “Hank, would you mind if I used your dressing room to change?” Olivia asked.

  The big woman eyed the drooping sweat pants and oversized T-shirt Olivia wore. “Good call, honey. Talk is gonna be flying enough as it is. Last thing you need is to drop your drawers in the middle of the street.”

  Olivia laughed. “Exactly what I’m afraid of. Thanks.”

  Hudson and Jake waited outside the dressing room as she changed. Olivia took only a few minutes to change, and when she emerged she looked like a totally new woman. Her orange T-shirt skimmed her lush breasts and trim waist in a soft silhouette. The deep cut of the shirt showed off her delicious cleavage. His mouth watered.

  The jeans were nearly sinful. The tight fit showed off her long legs, and the seat cupped her ass like a lover’s hand. If they didn’t get out of here soon, he might shove her back in the dressing room and really give Hank something to talk about.

  From the way Jake eyed Olivia, he felt the same way.

  “Where to next?” Hudson asked.

  “The grocery store,” Jake said. “Bye, Hank. Thanks for your help.”

  “Sure thing, honey. And you bring your girl back anytime. She’s a sweet little thing.”

  Jake snorted as the door closed. “Yeah, a sweet little thing who can shoot the hat off a fly at a hundred yards.”

  “Not anymore,” Olivia said. Sadness touched her eyes.

  “That’s impossible,” Hudson said. He grabbed Olivia’s free hand and pulled her close. “Flies don’t wear hats.”

  Laughter replaced the brief melancholy. “Hank is quite the woman.”

  “She is at that.”

  They rounded the end of the block and turned left toward the grocery store.

  Olivia tugged on his hand. “What are those shops over there?”

  He looked. “Post office and library combo. The Page Turner. A great little antique store called the Piquant Peacock, Lake Jewelers, and the Freedom Soda Fountain. Hey, have you ever had a real fountain soda?”

  “Nope,” she said.

  “Oh boy, come on.” He pulled her across the street and ignored Jake’s shout to come back. Seconds later the entourage was intact.

  “What the hell are you doing?” Jake muttered. “We need to get done and home.”

  “She’s never had a real fountain drink,” Hud said. “I’m going to get her one.” He knew the risk they were taking by being out so long, but he couldn’t stand the way her eyes dimmed when she’d made the remark about her eye. Besides, as long as they were inside they were safe.

  Olivia leaned around him and looked up. “Can we stop by the bookstore, too? I could use something to relax with since my e-reader is probably a gooey charred mess.”

  A muscle ticked in Jake’s jaw, and Hudson saw his blood pressure climbing by the second. Tag didn’t look all that healthy either.

  “We’ll be inside and perfectly safe. Hell, you know this side of town was built to withstand bullets.”

  “Yeah from the 1800s,” Jake said. “Not one shot from a high-powered rifle.”

  They reached the bookstore, and Hudson opened the door. “What kind of book are you looking for?”

  “Can’t you control him?” Tag muttered.

  “As if,” Jake replied.

  As usual the air inside the darkened store was stifling and hot with only a few oscillating fans to move the nonexistent breeze. Sadie Rose sat huddled behind her large desk with her nose practically pressed against a large computer monitor. She looked up and blinked rapidly. “Hello, boys. What brings you in today? Tag,” she gasped and stood up. She skirted the desk then counter and enveloped him in a hug.

  The big man stood awkwardly in her embrace and patted her shoulders.

  “I’m so sorry about Deputy Wallace.” Tears streamed down her face.

  “Thank you, Sadie.”

  “We’ve set up a casserole brigade for Mary Beth and the kids. There’s also an account at the bank to help cover his expenses and whatever else they need. What happened to him?”

  “We’re still looking into it, Sadie.”

  “Ongoing investigation. Right. Who is this?”

  Hud was used to her rapid-fire topic changes. He stepped forward. “This is Olivia. She’s staying with us for a few days.”

  “Olivia. What’s your last name?”

  “Uh.”

  “No last name,” he said smoothly. “Kind of like Madonna and Cher. You know?”

  Sadie’s brows disappeared beneath her jet-black bangs. “Interesting.”

  She held out her hand and shook Olivia’s. “Sorry to be so nosy. Occupational hazard. I’m something of a genealogist. Ever since I retired from the library and opened this store, I find myself getting deeper and deeper into it.”

  “Don’t let her fool you,” Jake said. “She might be tiny, but there’s a whole lot of knowledge in that body. She knows everyone’s family tree back to Moses.”

  Sadie giggled. “Flatterer.”

  “I’m looking for some romance novels. Do you have any?”

  “Heavens yes. To
ns. They’re very popular.” Sadie took hold of Olivia and dragged her into the gloomy depths of soaring bookshelves. Olivia towered over the not-even-five-foot sprite, and Hudson noticed how she shortened her strides so the older woman wouldn’t have to run to keep up. Their Olivia was not only beautiful, but she was kind as well.

  “She’s amazing, Jake.”

  “I know.” He looked at his watch. “I’d like to keep her that way. We shouldn’t be making so many stops.”

  “Let her have this one day before she goes into lockdown.”

  “What if something happens?”

  “What if something doesn’t?”

  Jake grunted. “After all you’ve been through, how in the hell can you be such an optimist?”

  Hudson shrugged away the painful memories. “Easy,” he said. “I had you and your family.”

  Jake clamped a hand on his shoulder. “Yeah, and that will never change.” His glance flicked down the aisle to Olivia and Sadie. “No matter what.”

  Hudson followed his gaze. “I hope not.”

  “Trust me,” Jake said fiercely. “I have a plan.”

  “Oh, Lord help us.”

  Olivia and Sadie appeared from the gloomy aisle. They both had arms full of books. “Your lady is quite the reader,” Sadie announced as she dropped them on the counter. “I approve.” She winked at Olivia. “She has excellent taste, too.”

  Hudson perused the titles of books and found his eyebrows arching. Most were erotic-themed novels with less-than-subtle covers. She’d also chosen a slew of historical and contemporary romances.

  Olivia crossed her arms. “Yes?”

  Hudson leaned down and picked up one of the hotter looking books. A naked man stood behind an equally naked woman. The only thing hiding their goods was a strategically placed title. “I like it. Can I read it? Better yet, will you read it to me?”

  Sadie laughed and grabbed it out of his hand to shove it into a paper sack. “That’s twelve fifty, Olivia.”

  She handed over a twenty, took the change, and stuffed it into the pocket of her brand-new jeans. Hudson had to admit they looked damn fine on her. Accentuated the lush curves of her hips and ass. The new V-necked orange T-shirt dipped just enough to hint at the cleavage nestled in her bra. When she’d come out of the dressing room, it’d taken all of his restraint not to sweep her into his arms and motorboat her bountiful breasts.