“See?” he said with more than a hint of humor in his voice. “I told you it’d work out all right.”
“Now we have to deal with Junior sitting in Sheriff Birch’s jail.” She’d managed not to think about it the evening before, but the ride into town reminded her of that reality. It wouldn’t be long before Senior showed up and demanded she drop the charges against his son.
She shivered.
“No, you don’t have to deal with that at all. Mason and I will take care of that.” He squeezed her closer. “You just enjoy being a well-loved and spoiled woman and planning our wedding.”
She looked up into his eyes and couldn’t help but return his smile. “It doesn’t seem fair that we’re getting married and Mason isn’t.”
“He’ll be my best man. Don’t worry. Mason has developed a bachelor’s reputation. No one will question him staying single and living with us.”
When they reached the shop, they found Ben Ainsley sitting in a tipped back chair on the porch, his shotgun laying across his lap and feet propped up on the railing.
Joe helped Katie down from the buggy. “Ben? What’s going on?”
He tipped his hat to Katie. “Sheriff told me to spend the day here. He got word from Dade City that Dorchester Senior is on the warpath and headin’ here to try to get Junior out.”
Katie swore under her breath. Joe had brought her shotgun. He reached into the buggy, handing the weapon out to her. “Go on inside, honey, and let me talk to Ben.”
With nervous fingers, she unlocked her door and stepped inside. She had about twenty minutes before Mrs. Paisley arrived. As she got her shop ready, she kept glancing outside at Joe, who now sat in another chair on the porch while he talked with Ben.
The men didn’t move from their posts when Mrs. Paisley arrived. She cast a curious glance at the men as she passed them and stepped inside the shop. She turned to Katie with a knowing smile.
“So I hear congratulations are in order, dear? You and Joe are getting married?”
Katie felt the blush creep up her face. Likely, the whole of Brooksville knew already. The speed of gossip exceeded even that of the fastest train, apparently. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Good for you!” She smiled as she took the dress Katie handed her and stepped into the back room to change. “Joe is a wonderful man. So is his cousin, Mason.”
“Yes, they’ve been very kind to me.”
“So how is Mason handling the news? I thought he was rather sweet on you. Everyone seemed to think he would be marrying you.”
Katie gulped. Thank goodness the woman was behind the screen and couldn’t see her. “He’s very happy for us. He offered to move out after the wedding, but Joe and I wouldn’t hear of it.” She took a gamble. “Truth be told, Mason really isn’t interested in a relationship. I was just doing him a favor and helping him fend off single women.”
“Oh?” Katie wasn’t sure she liked the woman’s inquisitive tone and decided she should clarify.
“He prefers being a bachelor. Said he doesn’t want a woman ordering him around or telling him to wipe his feet before he comes in. He’s also worried that since he has his sights on becoming sheriff eventually, he doesn’t want a woman to risk losing him in the line of duty. He saw how broke up Joe was after his fiancée died. Mason said he’d rather be alone than put a woman through that kind of grief.”
“Aww.” The woman’s sympathetic tone told Katie her words had the desired effect. “That’s sort of sad, don’t you think? Sweet, but sad.” She stepped out from behind the screen and Katie helped her button the back of the dress.
“Some might think that, but Mason is set in his ways. I thought it was sad at first, too, but now that I know him better, I see he really is happy. He’s married to his work. You know how some men are. I’d feel sorry for any woman who does manage to put a ring on his hand. She’d be better off alone.” Okay, that was putting it on rather thickly, but maybe it would help accomplish two goals at once—keeping single women away from Mason, and explaining why he was still single and living with them.
Mrs. Paisley let out a sad sigh. “Yes, I can see that. Well, my cousin Georgia will be crushed. She was hoping once she’d heard about you marrying Joe that maybe she would have a chance with Mason again.”
Katie knew Georgia. Black hair and brown eyes and not plain-looking, but no blue ribbon winner, either. “No offense, ma’am, but Mason’s first obligation and love is his work. I doubt any woman will ever be able to steal him away from that.
Or from me, she silently added.
* * * *
Katie could close up the shop for the day after Mrs. Paisley left. Once the woman changed back to her other dress and Katie finished the final alterations, she paid Katie and took the neatly boxed dress with her. Ben and Joe both stood as one and started to step inside when a commotion out on the street caught their attention. A group of five horsemen, led by Dorchester Senior, were racing into town, scattering people and the odd chicken and dog in their path.
Katie stepped toward the doorway, but Joe blocked her path. “No. Lock this door, go get your gun, and take cover in the closet in back.
Anger rose in her. “Do you honestly think I’m going to run from a fight? I’ve spent too much time running from that son of a gun already.”
Joe spun her around by the shoulders and planted a stinging slap on her rump before pulling the door shut behind her. “You mind me, Katie,” he yelled through the door. “Go get the gun and stay out of sight!”
She wanted to argue, but he’d already turned to face the group as they pulled up to a stop in front of the store. She locked the door before racing to the back room and grabbing the shotgun. But instead of hiding in the closet as ordered, she stood behind the curtain to the back room and peeked out.
The feel of Joe’s hand making contact with her bottom both angered her and made heat rise in other, more intimate places. She’d had to be in charge of her own life and well-being for what felt like forever, and now she wasn’t alone anymore.
And Joe wouldn’t take any back talk from her when it came to her safety.
When they got through this, she was going to tackle that man and take him to bed.
She shook her head to clear it of the wanton thought. This is certainly not the time to think of that!
But now that she had thought of it, she could barely think of anything else, especially with the pleasant ache she still felt between her legs from the thorough fucking both men had given her the night before.
Her former father-in-law dismounted his horse and angrily strode up to the store where Ben and Joe stood, shoulder to shoulder, blocking access to the porch. “Where’s that woman? I want a word with her!”
“You want to talk to her,” Joe said, matching Senior’s angry tone, “you talk to the Sheriff first. Then I suggest you get a lawyer for that no-good son of yours. He tried to rape and kill Katie.”
Senior sneered at him. “It’s her word against his.”
“No, it’s my word and her word against his,” Joe told him. “I came in while he was attacking her. He would have killed her if I hadn’t showed up.” Both Joe and Ben stepped forward, forcing Senior back a step. “And she ain’t dropping the charges, and neither am I. He assaulted her, and he assaulted me, and as far as we’re concerned he can rot in the damn jail until the end of the world.”
Senior’s face turned beet red. “We’ll see about that!” He jumped onto his horse and kicked it, spurring it down the street with his cadre of men following, presumably heading for the jail.
Katie walked across the store and unlocked the door as Ben spit in the street in the direction the men had gone. “I don’t trust that sumbitch,” Ben said.
Joe shook his head. “Neither do I, Ben.”
Katie stepped aside as Joe opened the door. “Ben, can I stash Katie at your house for a couple of hours? I don’t want to risk taking her back home just yet until I can get Mason here and we have more back up. I wouldn’t put it
past that man to try to ambush us on the way home.”
“No problem.”
Katie gathered her things and locked up, then followed Ben to his house while Joe brought up the rear, gun ready and with a wary eye. Once Joe was satisfied she would be safe, he pulled her in for a quick kiss. “You stay here, understand me? You stay put until either me or Mason comes for you personally. No one else. If you move from this house, I will tan your bottom.”
She nodded. As Joe left, she watched him walk back toward the main street. Shelby Ainsley chuckled from behind Katie, startling her.
“I think he means it,” she told Katie.
Katie managed a smile. “I know he does.”
“He really loves you. I don’t think I’ve seen him look so happy. Well, happy despite being angry at the Dorchesters,” she added. “I really thought you and Mason would be the ones together.”
Katie knew she had another round of storytelling ahead of her. While not as bad a gossip as Mrs. Paisley, Shelby did have a lot of friends in town who were. “It’s a bit of a story.”
Shelby put an arm around her shoulders and led her to the kitchen. “I’ll make us tea and some lunch and you can tell me all about it.”
* * * *
Joe sent a rider from his mill to go fetch Mason. Then he headed for the sheriff’s office. As he rightfully guessed, Dorchester and his gang were already there and raising Cain with the deputy on duty. From a cell in back, separated from the office area by a heavy wooden door, Joe could hear Junior yelling for his father, demanding he be released from the cell.
Joe stepped inside. “Leave him alone, Dorchester,” Joe ordered. “You aren’t going to be able to buy Junior’s way out of trouble this time,” he said as he rested his hand on the butt of the revolver slung on his hip.
Dorchester’s face grew angry. He stepped toward Joe. “You listen here, you bastard, you cain’t tell me—”
“But I can,” Sheriff Birch’s voice boomed from behind Joe.
The room fell silent.
Sheriff Birch stepped inside, flanked by two deputies. “What seems to be the problem here, Mr. Dorchester?”
He shoved past Joe and got in the sheriff’s face. “I’ll tell you what the problem is, Sheriff. This man and that whore of his have filed a false report against my son!”
As Joe stepped in to confront Dorchester, the sheriff stepped between them and muttered low under his breath, “Son, don’t do it. He’s not worth it. Let me handle him.” Joe reluctantly stepped back but glared at Dorchester.
“Mr. Dorchester,” the sheriff said, “Joe and Miz Dorchester aren’t the only ones. We have several witnesses who heard her screaming for help and who saw him attack her and Joe. And your son isn’t getting out of that cell until the justice of the peace says he can. And considering he’s up in Dunnellon until next week hearing cases, I suggest you and your son both should just make yourselves comfortable and wait.” He stepped up to Dorchester, forcing him a step back. “Unless, of course, you want me to lock you in the cell with your son so you can wait there together?”
Dorchester went even redder in the face. “You’ll never get away with this!”
“Get away with what? Enforcing the law? I assure you, that’s what I was hired to do in this town, and that’s what I’m going to do. And unlike in Dade City, you’ll find your money’s no good here, Mr. Dorchester. Now you and your men can ride out of town peaceably, or you can spend a few days in a cell with your son for disturbing the peace. Which will it be?”
Dorchester sputtered and fumed, then turned on his heel and slammed out the door with his men following in his wake.
With a relieved sigh, the sheriff made his way over to his desk, where he sat down. “Well, this certainly turned out to be an interesting day, huh, Joe?”
Joe couldn’t help but laugh. “I can’t believe it. Dorchester finally won’t get his way.”
The sheriff started filling a pipe with tobacco. “Nope, he surely won’t. Not if I have anything to say about it.” He lit his pipe and took a few puffs. “Never did like that son of a buck. Pushy bastard.” He pointed his pipe in Joe’s direction. “Now you look here, Joe. Don’t let him egg you into doing something foolish, got it? I won’t hesitate to lock you up if you break the law.”
“I’ll only go after him in self-defense, Sheriff. I promise.”
Sheriff Birch nodded. “Good man.” They heard Junior hollering again in the back, and the sheriff cocked his head at the door. “You three deputies go in there and check on him and warn him he’d better be quiet.” The men smiled and nodded, heading back to do it. The sheriff looked like he was about to say something else when the door opened and Mason burst in.
“What’s going on? What happened?” The sheriff and Joe filled him in. Mason turned to Joe. “Where’s Katie?”
Joe tried to placate him. “She’s safe with Ben and Shelby, don’t worry. I told her to stay put under threat of spanking.”
The sheriff laughed. “I suspect you boys are going to have your hands full with her.” He winked at them. “Congratulations again Joe…and Mason.”
Both men blushed. “What?” Mason choked out.
The sheriff glanced in the direction of the doorway leading back to the cells to ensure they were alone and dropped his voice. “If you two ain’t sharing her, I’m one of them Egyptian mummies they been digging up over there. It ain’t none of my concern what y’all do, and believe me, I ain’t gonna go running my mouth about it. Frankly, I think until this business with the Dorchesters is settled, she’s gonna need both of you to keep her safe.”
His face darkened as he looked at Joe. “Don’t think I don’t know what went running through your mind when you buried Laura. I would have gone after Junior then if I’d had evidence to hold him on it. Unfortunately, I didn’t.” He pointed at the front door. “You two go take her home and keep her safe. As far as I’m concerned, there ain’t nothing improper going on between the three of you, and that’s the story I’ll tell anyone who asks. But you keep that woman safe. She been through more than enough heartache in her life to last her, and so have both of you. If y’all can make each other happy, then I ain’t gonna be one to judge you.”
Joe and Mason shared a glance before thanking the sheriff and leaving. Mason gathered his horse’s reins and walked with Joe across the town square toward the Ainsley house.
“Well, what do you think about that?” Mason quietly asked.
“Heh. Looks like Sheriff Birch has us figured out.” He glanced at Mason. “I don’t think we should tell Katie that, though.”
“Why not?”
“She’s already plenty worried about you and me, understand? About how the town would view us. Let’s just let her mind lay easy on the subject. I trust Sheriff Birch not to say anything to anyone. He’s a man of his word. Deal?”
Mason nodded. “Deal.”
* * * *
Katie gave Joe and Mason both big hugs when they reached the Ainsley house. The three of them bid the Ainsleys good-bye, then headed over to the store, where the horse and buggy were still hitched.
“So what do we do now?” Katie asked, sounding nervous.
Joe patted her on the shoulder. “We, as in Mason and me. You don’t have to do anything except tell the truth to the justice of the peace at the hearing,” he assured her. “You let Mason and me take care of you.”
She started to protest, then gave up with a smile. From the protective look on both men’s faces, she knew arguing with them would be useless. “Okay then, what should our next step be?”
“I think a picnic sounds good,” Mason suggested. “Maybe a little skinny-dipping?” he added with a grin.
Joe nodded. “Dang good idea, Mase.” He smiled. “I know just the swimming hole you’re talking about. I think we should go tomorrow.”
She looked from Joe to Mason before laughing. “All right, I know when I’m outnumbered. A picnic sounds nice. Not sure I’m up for skinny-dipping, though.”
&nb
sp; They reached her store. Joe and Mason helped her up into the buggy. “Who said you’ll have a choice?” Mason teased. He kissed the back of her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before releasing her.
“Yes,” Joe agreed. “Then a nice, long, hard fucking on a blanket in the shade. Let you scream your head off in passion all you want.”
Katie gulped as her pussy clenched with sudden, overpowering need. If it wasn’t for the fact they were in town, she’d let them both fuck her right there and then. “Okay,” she squeaked out.
Both men laughed. Joe gathered up the buggy reins. “Let’s get you home, sweetheart. I have a feeling you have something that needs to be taken care of.
She wordlessly nodded as both men laughed. Joe kissed her before snapping the reins and urging the horse onward.
Mason mounted his horse and followed them down the road and out of town toward the ranch.
Katie had a feeling with these two men she’d be spending a lot of time in bed over the next few weeks, if not for the rest of her life.
Chapter Twelve
Edward Dorchester Senior pulled up his horse just outside of town and gathered his men around him. He pointed to two of them. “You. Go back into town. I want you to follow them around. Keep tabs on them. Find out anything you can on them that we can use against them. I’ve heard she’s living with those two even though she’s only marrying Lansing.” He knew the rumors about his son’s involvement with Lansing’s fiancée’s death.
Unfortunately, he also knew his son was more than capable of something like that despite it having nothing to do with business. He certainly didn’t have a problem with revenge, but not in such a stupid and foolhardy way as his son had engaged in it.
The men nodded, turned their horses, and headed back to town. He looked at another of his men. “Angus, you head back to Dade City. Tell Boyd Simpson to get his ass over here immediately. I can’t have my son sitting in jail until next week. If he gives you any guff, remind him that I pay his salary, and he’s my lawyer first and foremost before anyone else. Got it?”
Hernando Heat Page 10
