by Lana Dare
Blade lifted his head, running his lips and hands over her thighs. “So sweet. Is she all right?”
“She’s fine.” Still holding her close, Hawke ran his hand up and down her back, the heat from his hand warming her cooling skin. “She’s perfect.”
Her face burned as Phoenix moved the finger against her bottom opening—the naughty feel of having Phoenix’s finger inside her embarrassing now that the pleasure had begun to diminish. “Hawke?”
His lips brushed over her temple. “What is it, Sarah?”
Hiding her burning face against his chest, she fisted her hand in his shirt. “Phoenix. Oh, God. Why is he doing that?”
The hand at her back stilled. “Phoenix, what the hell are you doing to her?” The threat in his tone sent a chill through her.
Terrified that they’d fight, she shook her head at Hawke. “Please don’t get mad. Please. Can I get dressed now?”
The awareness in her nipples, her slit, and her bottom made it difficult to look any of them in the eye, her face burning when Hawke lifted his head and gripped her chin to stare down at her.
Frowning, he ran his thumb over her cheek. “I’m not mad. I will know what’s going on, though, especially when it concerns you.” Releasing her, he turned to Phoenix. “What was she talking about?”
Blade looked up at Phoenix, and then at Hawke, before his gaze settled on hers, a smile playing at his lips. “Sharing her is gonna be a hell of a lot of fun.”
Phoenix grinned, meeting Hawke’s glower head on. “She liked the feel of my fingers brushing over her bottom.” His gaze slid to hers. “Right before she came, I slid the tip of my finger into her.”
Hawke stiffened, his arm tightening protectively around her. “You shouldn’t have done that. I told you that she was scared.”
Reaching out to touch her nipple, Phoenix grinned at her. “She didn’t look scared to me. She liked it.”
Pulling her shirt back up, Hawke helped ease her arms into the sleeves. “She’s not one of your women in town, Phoenix. She’s our wife.” Something on her face must have upset Hawke, because he shot a glare at Phoenix and pulled her close again. “I’m sorry. That’s in the past.”
Phoenix smiled. “Stuck your foot in your mouth, didn’t you, Hawke?” Reaching out, he started to button Sarah’s shirt, his smile tender, but strained. “I won’t be visiting those women in town again. You’ve really got my brother flummoxed. I can count the number of times that’s happened on one hand.”
Lifting her by the waist, Blade set her on her feet, letting her skirt fall again. “There’s no point in causin’ a scuffle. The three of us are going to have to work things out when Sarah’s not around. No reason to get her upset. We’re all gonna have different ideas about how to handle her, and it’s not fair for her to be caught in the middle.”
Phoenix finished buttoning her shirt and went to the pitcher to wash his hands. “Come on. I’m sure you’re hungry. Let’s go get some chow and introduce you to the others.”
Sarah paused, looking back at Hawke, nervous about being with a lot of strangers without him by her side.
Hawke’s eyes warmed, gleaming with satisfaction and pride. Reaching out, he draped her shawl over her shoulders and took her hand in his. “Phoenix is right. You need to eat, and I want you to meet some of the others, so you’ll know who to go to if we’re not around. When we get back, we’ll get you settled for the night. We can all get baths.”
Sarah nodded, remembering Blade’s promise to bathe her. Swallowing heavily, she glanced at him, her face burning when he raised a brow. “It was nice of Maggie to give me some of the scented soaps she makes. I can’t believe all the things they have stored in the supply building. It was real generous of her to offer to let me have more fabric.”
Hawke frowned. “We’ll give you what you need. I don’t want charity.”
Her stomach knotted at his sharp tone, a reminder that the three men she’d married now had complete power over her. Nodding, she turned away. “Of course.”
Hawke said something under his breath in a language she didn’t understand, and with a sigh, took several steps toward her. “Maggie Tyler is a fine woman, and very generous, but I—”
“We.” Blade moved closer.
“—want to take care of you ourselves.” Hawke’s lips firmed. “We don’t take handouts.”
Phoenix shook his head. “You’re both too hard-headed. You told her how we all watch out for each other, and then you tell her she can’t take something Maggie offered in friendship.”
“We can give her the things she needs.” Hawke gestured toward the door. “Come on. Dinner’s waiting.”
Chapter Seven
Nervous about meeting the others, and aware of the tension between her husbands, Sarah stayed close to Hawke as they entered the chow shack.
Intrigued and a little disconcerted by the satisfaction in their eyes, she smiled, her smile falling when Phoenix opened the door to the chow shack and went through first.
Although he pulled the door wide for her to enter and smiled when she passed him, he’d gone through first, confirming her belief that finding pleasure in their touch guaranteed that they wouldn’t respect her.
Forcing a smile, she looked away from him to focus on the building she’d just entered.
Surprised to find it nearly filled with empty tables, she looked around, hoping to see Maggie. Her mouth watered at the incredible smells, her stomach growling at the unmistakable aroma of beef.
Taking her arm, Hawke led her to the front where a large feast waited. “We’re late. Most everyone will have already eaten.” Hawke took two metal plates from the pile and led her toward two serving tables piled with food. Stilling, he frowned and leaned closer, hovering protectively over her. “What wrong, Sarah?” He glanced around as if searching for a threat.
Shaking her head, she smiled up at him, embarrassed that her stomach growled. “It smells so good. I’d forgotten what beef smelled like.”
The largest and meanest-looking man she’d ever seen stood behind the serving tables, using a huge knife to expertly carve a piece of beef so big that it took up half of the table. “It’s a smell you’re gonna get used to.”
Even more alarmed by his gravelly voice, Sarah pulled her shawl more firmly around her. Watching him with the knife, Sarah gulped, pressing against Hawke.
The man turned his head, revealing a large scar that ran down the entire side of his face, giving him an even more sinister appearance. “Better hurry. More’ll be comin’ in soon.”
With a supportive arm around her waist, Hawke nodded at the other man. “Sarah, this is Duke, the best cook around, and the only man on the ranch who can sneak up on me. Duke, this is Sarah—our wife.”
Duke paused just long enough to nod in her direction, his bald head gleaming in the low light. “Ma’am.” He went back to his carving, the huge muscles in his arms plainly visible in his short-sleeved shirt. “You’re later than usual, but I figured you would be. There’s still more comin’ in though. Had a break in the fence at the south end and some of the herd broke loose. It’s gonna be a long night.”
Duke slid a thick piece of beef on each of their plates, not even glancing at Sarah. “Heard you got hitched. Appears those posters for brides is startin’ to pay off.” Something in his tone—a combination of sadness and fury—had Sarah stiffening and taking a hurried step back.
Blade closed in on her from behind, rubbing her shoulder. “It did for us.”
Duke’s lips twitched. “Thought you were supposed to bring the women back here. The bosses built that house for the single women to live in, and it’s standing empty.”
Blade scooped fried potatoes onto Sarah’s plate and then his. “You never know.”
Duke nodded and gestured for them to help themselves to a pile of steaming biscuits. “The bosses are happy the three of you finally got hitched, but now they have everyone arguin’ ’bout who’s goin’ on the next run. Bunch of addle-minded cowboys if you ask me. Hart
and Gideon are the only ones who have any brains.”
Phoenix laughed at that, lifting a hand in acknowledgement when several of the men sitting at the tables behind them called out to him. “You don’t want one of those women for yourself?”
Duke stilled, his entire body stiffening. “No. Not gonna go through that again.”
“You were married before?” The question slipped out before she could prevent it, and she regretting it almost instantly when she felt both Hawke and Blade stiffen.
Phoenix helped himself to several biscuits, setting two on the edge of her plate as he whispered in her ear. “Duke doesn’t talk about it. His wife was killed when another man took her as a hostage after a bank robbery. Duke was young and inexperienced. He ended up getting cut with his own knife when he went after they guy. Made up his mind to learn to use a knife to protect himself. He’s deadly with ’em—more deadly than most men are with a gun.”
Aware of their sharp attention, Sarah straightened, smiling an apology in Duke’s direction. Seeing the huge man in a different light, and feeling sorry for him for what he went through, Sarah stared at him until he met her gaze. “Thank you, Duke. This looks delicious.”
Nodding once, he looked away. “Eat good. I don’t like people wastin’ my food.”
Touched by the brief glimpse of tenderness she’d seen in his eyes, she grinned. “I’m hungry enough to eat Hawke’s horse.”
To her surprise, Duke’s lips twitched. “Well, there’s a thought. I’ll bet I could make a nice stew—”
“Stay away from my horse.” Hawke glared at Duke over his shoulder as he led her to an empty table.
Uncomfortably aware of the attention she drew, she hunched her shoulders and hurried after Hawke.
Blade and Phoenix followed close behind, Blade’s hand warm on her back. “Don’t look so worried. You’re safe here. They’re just curious about you.”
Nodding, Sarah sat on the hard wooden bench while Phoenix dropped onto the bench across from her.
Hawke set his plate and hers on the table. “Blade and I will go get some coffee. There’s fresh milk if you want some.”
“I’d love some!”
Hawke’s gaze lingered on her lips for several long seconds before meeting hers again. “Eat, Sarah. I’ll just be a minute.”
Sarah watched him walk away, still unable to believe that such a man would marry her. With shaking hands, she cut into her steak, her mouth watering.
Phoenix spoke from the other side of the table. “Sarah, look at me.”
Sarah lifted her gaze, her cheeks burning at his searching look.
Reaching across the table, he covered her hand with his, his smile playful. “I’ll earn your trust.”
The memory of what he’d done to her only minutes earlier had her cheeks burning even hotter. Lowering her head again, she stabbed her fork into her steak. “I trust you.”
“No, you don’t.” Instead of the angry look she expected, Phoenix smiled again. “If Hawke hadn’t been there, you never would have relaxed enough to enjoy my touch. I see the way you keep watching him. You were scared of coming in here, and didn’t let more than six inches come between you. You rely on him to keep you safe. He’s your security.”
Still smiling, he broke a biscuit in half and used his knife to scoop butter from a crock on the table. “I’m your husband, too.”
She glanced toward Hawke again. Realizing what she’d done, she sighed and lifted her gaze to Phoenix’s. “I know that.”
A dark brow went up. “Do you?”
“Of course.”
He smiled, a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Then you know that I’m going to want to spend time alone with you.”
Nervous at the prospect, Sarah nodded again and took her first bite, a moan escaping at the explosion of flavor. “Oh, God. This is delicious.”
Watching her, Phoenix grinned and placed the buttered biscuit on her plate. “Good, huh?” He touched her hand again, leaning forward as he took it in his. “You get so much pleasure from everything. It makes a man want to see just how much pleasure he can give you.”
Hawke and Blade came back to the table, saving her from having to reply. Although neither spoke much as they ate, she could feel their scrutiny the entire time Phoenix asked her questions about her life back in Waco.
“What’s your mother going to say when she finds out you’re missing?”
Her stomach clenched at the question, and feeling slightly ill, she set her fork aside. “Willy was looking for me, so she’ll know that I left with his money. I wish I could write to her and tell her I’m all right. I just hope he and Rose don’t take their anger out on her.”
Blade paused with his fork halfway to his mouth and lowered it again, leaning forward. “How do you know he was looking for you?”
Without meaning to, she leaned against Hawke, the memory of Willy’s features twisted in rage sending a chill through her. “I saw him. I was already on the train and saw him riding down the street looking for me. He looked so mad. Enraged.” Straightening, she picked up her fork and started pushing the last of her potatoes around on her plate. “When he couldn’t find me, I’ll bet he went back to the saloon and questioned my mother. Oh, God. I shouldn’t have left her there.”
Hawke made that crooning sound, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her into the safety of his embrace. “You can’t be responsible for her. She should have been taking care of you.”
Blade rubbed her back. “There’s nothing to be done about it now. I’m sure she convinced Willy that she didn’t know where you are. If you want to write to her, do it. It doesn’t matter if she knows where you are now. No one can get near you here.”
Sitting up, Sarah sighed and shook her head. “Willy’s an outlaw. He’s really good with a gun, and he doesn’t care about killing anyone who gets in his way. He and his men are wanted, and even the sheriff wouldn’t try to arrest them. He’s a dangerous man, and you shouldn’t underestimate him.”
Phoenix handed her another biscuit. “We won’t underestimate him, Sarah, but he’s walking into something he won’t understand. We’re a family here. We’ve had to be, and we rely on each other to survive. We watch each other’s backs. He won’t get through us to you. Word is spreading about Willy and his gang, and everyone here is already on the lookout for strangers. That’s one of the reasons that everyone is interested in seeing you, especially since you’re one of us now. Don’t worry. We’ll take care of Willy and his men if they show up here. You have nothing to be afraid of.”
Sarah picked up her fork again, worried that they seemed to be taking this so lightly. “You men are all alike. You won’t listen, and I don’t know how to convince you how dangerous he is. He’s killed men before, and he will again. He’s an excellent shot. I heard he even killed a man over a bottle of whiskey. The sheriff is terrified of him and won’t lift a finger to stop him.”
Rubbing her forehead, she stared down at her plate. “I caused trouble when I left, and now I’ve brought trouble here. I hate that. I just wanted to get away. I was so scared. I couldn’t let Willy do that to me.” Blinking back tears, she reached for her glass of milk, taking a sip to swallow the lump in her throat. “I shouldn’t have let you talk me into marrying you. It’s only going to bring you trouble.”
And once it did, they’d blame her, and wouldn’t want to be married to her anymore.
* * * *
Hawke pushed his plate and hers toward Phoenix to deal with. “We’re married, and that’s it. Since you’re done eating, we’ll go home. Hopefully a bath will calm you enough to get a good night’s sleep.”
Helping her to her feet, Hawke clenched his jaw when she stiffened, meeting both Blade’s and Phoenix’s looks of frustration and concern. “I’ll take care of it.”
With a nod in Duke’s direction, he opened the door and went out, keeping Sarah’s hand in his and her firmly close behind him so he could protect her body with his. Seeing no danger, he pulled her to hi
s side, unsurprised that she trembled. “There’s no reason to be scared. I won’t hurt you.”
“I know. I trust you. It’s awfully dark.”
“I know this yard like I know the back of my own hand. I don’t want you to ever come out here at night alone, though.”
The thought of her being a meal for one of the wild animals that came out at night sent a chill through him. “I’m gonna have to teach you to shoot. I want you to wear a gun whenever you leave the house. Wild animals roam around out here on occasion, and I don’t want you to be caught alone to face them.”
He didn’t mention that Willy might be one of them.
He’d love to get his hands on the man who thought he could take her so coldly and without her permission.
He and the others had dealt with men like Willy before. They’d dealt with a hell of a lot worse, but he had no intention of telling his wife just how violent he could be.
How violent he and his brothers had had to be in order to survive.
He held her closer, regretting that he caused the shiver that went through her. “I don’t mean to scare you, but I want you to be aware of the dangers. I want you to be alert and pay attention to your surroundings.”
A coyote howled in the distance, the sound drawing a sharp cry from Sarah, who leapt at him, climbing up his body with a desperation that alarmed Hawke, while filling him with masculine satisfaction.
Wrapping her legs around his waist, she buried her face against his neck and fisted her hands in his hair. “What was that?”
Within thinking, he turned his head to kiss her hair, eager to dispel her fears. “Coyote. You’ll hear them a lot at night, but they’re too far away and rarely come close. You’re all right, Sarah.”
Cupping the back of her head, he clenched his other hand on her bottom. “You’ll get used to the sounds here, but I want you to pay attention to them. I want you to learn them so you know when something’s wrong.”
She lifted her head slightly, looking around while gripping his neck tightly. “Are you sure he’s not going to come after us?”
