The Tall Texan

The Tall Texan Storm Benedict was injured in a mine explosion when he was very young and wandered away from town dazed and disoriented. Ten years later, he returns a big, handsome, rough-talking, big-as-amountain cowboy who has inherited a ranching empire. After learning of Storm's inheritance, the town fathers attack the ranch and refuse to let it go until Storm gets married, so he sends for a mail-order bride. Saul Denis is a city slicker from the east with a secret desire to become a cowboy, but he doesn’t have the money to travel west until his sister Sable receives a proposal from a big, good-looking cowboy with a sexy grin. Saul swipes the letter, making a deal with Sable to go in her place. When he meets Storm, he is overwhelmed, quickly falling in love with the big cowboy. Soon, Storm reunites with an old drifter friend, Curt Sanders, and sparks fly between all three men. Will Storm's passion for a drifter and a city slicker be the end of his empire, or will the three men stay together and fight for their love? Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Western/Cowboys Length: 46,480 words

THE TALL TEXAN

Kelly Conrad

MENAGE AND MORE MANLOVE

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK IMPRINT: Ménage and More ManLove

THE TALL TEXAN Copyright © 2011 by Kelly Conrad E-book ISBN: 1-61034-650-5 First E-book Publication: July 2011 Cover design by Jinger Heaston All cover art and logo copyright © 2011 by Siren Publishing, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

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THE TALL TEXAN KELLY CONRAD Copyright © 2011

Prologue Storm was getting angrier by the minute when the doctor leaned in close to him once again and peered into each eye with a small magnifying glass. “Who are you?” “You know who I am! I’m Storm Benedict!” “What day is this?” “It’s fuckin’ Tuesday!” Storm growled. “And tomorrow will be fuckin’ Wednesday!” “And who am I?” Suddenly, Storm pushed his face as close to the doctor’s as he could get and said, “You’re the fuckin’ doctor I’m gonna shoot a hole through if you don’t stop askin’ me the same dumb questions over and over!” He jerked his head around and looked at the sheriff. “Why in hell do I have to sit here answerin’ these stupid questions? For the hundredth time, I’m Storm Benedict. I live in Thunderbolt, Texas, and it’s 1871! My folks were Ellie and Harv Benedict, and they owned South Wind…” “All right, Storm, that’s enough,” the sheriff said. “What the hell more do they want, sheriff?” Storm shouted, and then jerked his head around and looked at the men at the table. “How long does it take for these dumb clucks to understand that I’m fine?”

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The sheriff turned to the five men who sat at the table looking at Storm with a frown carved deep and ugly on each of their faces. “Are you satisfied now?” “Satisfied?” Clyde Watkins said. “What the hell do you think?” With angry, jerking movements, the doctor began putting away his instruments and said, “Well, I don’t know what else I can do. I’ve given him every test I know of, and he’s come through ’em as normal as blueberry pie.” “This idiot? Normal?” Clyde Wilkins said and jumped up from his chair. “I’d sooner believe pigs could fly!” “He is not, nor was he ever, an idiot!” the sheriff shouted as he reached over and restrained Storm from attacking the old man. “He got caught in a fuckin’ mine explosion. He wandered away because he was dazed and disoriented. It could happen to anyone.” “Idiot or not, he ain’t one anymore,” the doctor said. “He’s probably smarter than anyone in this room.” “That doesn’t negate the fact that one day he just got up and wandered away,” Wilkins argued. “Look, you weasel,” Storm said as he rushed around the sheriff and got into the man’s face. “I can’t help what I did then, but I’m back, see? And I’ll see you and these other bloodsuckers in hell before I let you take my ranch!” “All right, Storm,” the sheriff said, stepping between him and Clyde. “Hold it down, okay?” When Storm saw a smirk on the man’s face, he pushed the sheriff aside and grabbed the man’s collar, pushing him hard against the wall. “You think this is funny, do you? If I lose my ranch because of you, I’ll cut out that lyin’ tongue of yours and feed it to my dogs!” The man’s smirk turned to fear as his gaze shifted toward the sheriff. “Well, don’t just stand there! Do something! He threatened to kill me! Lock him up, for God’s sake!”

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“I ain’t lockin’ him up just because he wants what’s rightfully his, Clyde.” He laid a hand on Storm’s arm and said, “Storm, he ain’t worth gettin’ hung for.” Just then, Storm pushed Clyde as hard as he could against the wall just before he let him go. “Bastard!” When Clyde got away from Storm, he scooted around the table to the other side of the room. “See that temper, sheriff? He’s gonna end up killin’ somebody. All right, so he knows the days of the week and even his name. What does that prove? Hell, he slipped out of his mind once. How do we know he won’t do it again?” “Clyde, whether he’s in his right mind or not ain’t even the issue here. We’re discussin’ the validity of the will Storm’s ma and pa left.” He indicated to a professional-looking man that sat at the table with legal documents spread out before him. “Charley Davis here says this will is legal and binding, and Storm, whether insane or not, can take possession of it anytime he wants.” “But he ain’t even the Benedicts’ natural son. He’s adopted, for God’s sake. What kind of parents did he come from? Look at him,” the man said, his eyes raking down his body. “He dresses like an outlaw and acts like the very devil himself. Not bein’ in his right mind—” “He is in his right mind!” the sheriff shouted as he leaned over the table, his steady gaze shooting darts. “The goddamned doctor just said so.” Clyde’s frightened gaze darted back to Storm. “So what? I ain’t buyin’ it.” “You goddamned fuckin’ imbecile,” the sheriff mumbled under his breath. Suddenly, Charley Davis spoke up, his voice and demeanor very professional as he said, “Clyde Wilkins…” He turned to the others and looked at each one as he called out their names. “Archie Burnside, Leroy Hawkins, Roy Smith, and Bernie Lawson, I demand

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the town release this property back into the hands of its rightful owner, or I’ll advise my client to sue the hell out of all of you!” “Charley, not you, too! You remember how it was.” He turned to the others. “All of you do! Hell, with no word from Storm for ten years, we all thought he was dead. That’s why we took possession of the ranch. Now he comes back and decides he wants it. Well, I’m sorry, but I ain’t handin’ over a ranch like South Wind to a drifter without any roots or assets of any kind.” “He’ll have assets when you decide to take your grubby paws off his property!” the sheriff shouted, his face so close to Clyde’s the man leaned backward. “Why don’t you admit the real reason you won’t release the property?” “What do you mean?” “Hell, Wilkins, you ain’t foolin’ anybody. I know what shape the town funds are in. You even have a problem payin’ me my measly little salary every month. A nice big ranch like South Wind would put Thunderbolt back in the black again, wouldn’t it?” “All right, damn it, I’ll admit it. But that’s a fuckin’ empire out there, sheriff. The Benedicts owned half the property between here and Thunderbolt Mountain. In case you don’t know it, that’s quite a spread, and puttin’ it into the hands of someone like Storm is a sin!” **** Storm listened as the room full of men continued to bicker back and forth. He was itching to get in the middle of it and break a few heads, but he had to admit that everything had happened just the way they said. There was a mine explosion at the Copper Queen, and he was lucky to come away with nothing more than a head injury that made him dazed and disoriented. He didn’t remember it, but they say that during his recuperation period he’d simply wandered away, never being heard of again—until ten years later.

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They’d questioned him over and over, but all he could tell them was that one day he was workin’ in the mine, and the next he was in a doctor’s office in Durango, Colorado. He couldn’t remember anything about the ten years in between, but he would never forget the day his memory came back to him. Storm’s eyes slowly opened, and he looked around at the small, dingy office. Wondering where he was, his gaze shifted toward the old, gray-haired man who was putting a bandage on his head. “Where the hell am I?” “About time you woke up. How does your head feel?” “It hurts a little,” Storm said as he moved to get up. “Just tell me where I am.” “No, don’t move yet. You’re in Durango, Colorado.” Storm looked around. “How the hell did I get here? I was diggin’ in a mine when suddenly…” Storm’s words faded when the mine exploded again in his mind—and then darkness. “It blew up,” he whispered. “After that…I don’t know.” He looked at the doctor. “You say this is Durango?” The doctor nodded, his attention on the bandage. When he was through, he said, “Sorry, I don’t know anything about a mine. All I know is somebody brought you in here after the bank was robbed.” “I robbed a bank?” “No, not you. Johnny August. You were just somebody who got in his way. I’m not sure how it happened, but somehow you got whacked over the head. You lost a good amount of blood, but I think you’ll be okay.” The doctor put a finger beneath each eye, stretched them open, and looked into them. “Do you know who you are?” “My name is Storm….” He winced when he felt a pain. “Storm Benedict.” When the pain subsided, he looked curiously at the doctor. “Who the hell are you?” “My name’s Galen Stoddard. I’m the doctor here. I must say you were lucky to come out of this with nothing more than a gigantic

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headache. A couple of people were killed. You’ll be okay, though. If you feel like it, you can get up now.” Storm threw his legs over to the side and stood up. He began digging in his pockets but came up with nothing. “Look, doc, I’m afraid I don’t have no money to pay you.” “I wouldn’t take it even if you did. All I did was put a bandage on that hard head of yours.” Storm looked over and saw a hat and asked, “Is that mine?” “It must be. You were wearin’ it when they brought you in.” After grabbing the hat, he said, “Well, thanks, doc—” “Before you go, take this with you.” The doctor handed him a box of small envelopes. “I’ve already given you one of these for the pain. It’s nothing but headache powders. When your head starts hurtin’ again, just empty an envelope of powder in a glass of water, drink it, and you’ll be as good as new.” “Thanks again, doc, I sure appreciate it.” Storm was on his way out when suddenly he caught a glimpse of himself in a wall mirror and paused for a moment. He stared for several seconds at the stranger he saw. His dark hair was parted in the middle and hung down to his shoulders. There was a shadow of a beard on his face, and he was dressed in a black shirt, pants, and hat. He also had on black boots with silver spurs. Although the image he saw was familiar, he seemed roughed-up and dirty—sort of like a hellish gunslinger ridin’ up out of the bowels of an abyss. With a big black void in his mind, he turned and hurried out to find a horse waiting. He could barely remember riding this animal, but with a Mexican saddle on it, he knew he must have spent some time in Mexico. It was his only clue as to where he had spent the darkest days of his life. Climbing upon the horse, he gave him a nudge with his silver spurs, and the animal responded as if he’d been doing it every day for the past ten years. As quickly as he could, he headed out of town toward Texas and a little town called Thunderbolt.

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**** Now, as he sat at a table listening to the town fathers discuss him and his ranch, he’d had all he could take and lunged out of his chair. “I’m gettin’ mighty tired of—” The sheriff rushed over to him and said, “Easy, Storm. Now’s not the time. You got a place to stay?” “I’m out at Thunderbolt Mountain,” Storm said as he pushed his long hair out of his face. “It ain’t much, but it’ll do until I can move into the ranch.” “I know all this is hard on you, Storm. Why don’t you go now, and when I get this settled, I’ll come out and let you know somethin’.” “Sheriff, I ain’t givin’ up that ranch. If I have to—” “Don’t say anymore, Storm, and don’t worry. I’ll do everything I can for you.” Storm turned, and in anger, he brutally pushed the men aside as he made his way to the door. When he opened it, he paused and looked back, his gaze jumping to each one of them. “You better hear me and hear me good. I ain’t the same kid that walked out of this town ten years ago. You’re dealin’ with a man now, gents, and my advice to you is to say your prayers because your asses belong to me! If you think I’m gonna sit back and let you take my ranch, you’re the idiots, not me. If I have to, I’ll let my six-guns do my talkin’ for me.” He laid a threatening hand on his gun. “You just remember that.” With that, he turned, walked through the door, and slammed it shut. “He’s a devil, sheriff,” Leroy Hawkins said. “Hell, I wish he’d stayed away. Even as a kid he was a live wire, but since he’s growed up, he’s twice as mean.” “Storm ain’t mean, Mr. Hawkins, he’s just fightin’ to hang on to somethin’ that belongs to him. You’d do the same thing if the shoe was on the other foot.”

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“But he’s livin’ in a mountain,” Bernie Lawson said with a trembling voice. “How many sane men do that?” “And whose fault is that? With no money and no place to stay, he has no choice. Storm’s rough, I’ll admit it, but he knows how to survive in the wild, and that’s more than you or me can do. Believe me, if I was caught out on the prairie, Storm Benedict is the man I’d like to have with me. You sure as hell can’t call him an idiot anymore.”

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Chapter One Storm spent the rest of the day practicing his fast draw, but that night his body was crying out with need. The weather was hot and sultry, and he took a ride down to South Wind and sought out Judd Parsons, the Benedicts’ ranch hand. Now, as the two men lay in each other’s arms, the sounds of their passion rose on the heat, and moans and whimpers filled the night while the old bed thumped and squeaked. Their bodies smelled of sweat and sex, and as Storm lay over Judd, his cock trembled with want. Finally, he reached down and guided it between the cowboy’s crack in search of his hole. When he finally found it, he pushed, the opening grasping the head of his cock, sending wild sensations of melting heat up into the pit of his belly. His plunge into the cowboy’s ass brought an even hotter flare, and then another until both men were thrashing and moaning, reaching for the ultimate joy their carnal dance would bring. Their hips pumped while the two of them sucked and licked each other, going from neck to chest, and then at last when the ultimate joy burst upon them, their lips met in a grasping, tongue-tangling kiss. The burst of pleasure filled their bellies, the melting heat making them grasp each other in a tight embrace while Storm’s cock made one last plunge into the deep darkness of the cowhand’s soul. While breathing hard, Storm moved off of Judd, and the two lay in each other’s arms, kissing and waiting for the next fire to begin. But Storm couldn’t wait. He wanted nothing more than to stay in Judd’s arms all night, but he was worried about his ranch. With this on his mind, he finally rolled over to get out of bed.

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Before he sat up, the cowboy reached out for Storm and whispered, “God, Storm, not yet.” Storm looked down at his hand as it reached around him and began lovingly squeezing his cock, trying to arouse him again. “C’mon,” Judd whispered. “You ain’t had near enough yet. Let me fuck you ’til the sun comes up.” “No…” Storm’s words faded when suddenly Judd pulled him backward and leaned over his cock. As he cleaned it, making it ready for his mouth, Storm’s cock stiffened at the slow cleansing strokes. Judd handled it gently, urging it to grow even bigger, the sensations bursting new and hot. “Oh, God, Judd, I…” Storm murmured. When he couldn’t resist it any longer, he thrust his hips forward, plunging his cock further into Judd’s mouth. **** By now, Judd’s hungry mouth covered Storm’s stiff cock, and he began to suck and lick as if he were eating an erotic lollipop, being sure to lap up the forbidden juices that dripped down the sides. He could feel Storm’s hands on his head, digging his fingers into his wavy hair while his cock plunged in and out of his mouth. Feeling an erotic heat slowly gathering in his groin, Judd slid a hand down to his own cock, rubbing and fucking himself as he continued to eat Storm. This went on for several minutes until he knew the time was near. Since he wanted them to come together, he removed his mouth from Storm’s cock, crawled up his body, and pressed his cock to Storm’s. The feeling grabbed them, and the two cowboys began moving in a wild abandon while they clung to each other, the feeling flirting with them and urging them upward. Their cocks and balls rubbed each other while they fucked and rolled, their sweaty bodies heavy, making the bed bump and squeak in the night. The satisfaction they sought seemed to hide in the humid darkness, teasing and taunting them until finally the two of them came with a mad shout that

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mingled with the sultry, early morning wind as it blew across an empty, neglected ranch. “Oh, God!” As the feeling began to subside, their bodies slowly stopped thrashing, and they lay limp and exhausted in each other’s arms until Judd whispered in the darkness. “Have you heard anything yet?” “No, and if they find out about you, any chance I’ve got is gone.” “Why, for God’s sake?” “Hell, Judd,” Storm said as he got up from the bed, “you know how people are. It’ll just be one more thing they can use against me. It’s been hell tryin’ to keep my private life out of this.” “Tell the sheriff. He’s a friend.” “How the hell am I gonna tell him?” Storm asked as he pulled on his jeans. “It’s not something that comes up in conversation, you know. Besides, I don’t know how he’d take it.” “Well, it’s your call, but it’ll be worse on you if they find out on their own.” “I’ll just have to take my chances,” Storm said and looked at Judd, sensing something was wrong. “What’s the matter?” Judd looked up at Storm, a worried look on his face. “I’ve been puttin’ off tellin’ you, but hell, I might as well do it now, since I’ve finally made up my mind.” “Okay. So, what is it?” “I think I’m gonna head on up to Montana.” “Montana? Why, for God’s sake?” “There’s nothin’ for me around here, Storm.” “What about me? I’m here.” “Sure, I know that, but this has been on my mind ever since your ma and pa died. I was just about ready to leave when you came back to town, so I waited. I’d ask you to go with me, but you got the ranch to keep you here.” “Hell no. I ain’t leavin’ now. That’s exactly what them bastards would want. This ranch is all I’ve got in this world, and I ain’t lettin’

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it go that easy. The Benedicts thought enough of me to leave it to me in their will, but these bastards make it sound like I’m some kind of lowlife that stole it from ’em.” He shook his head. “I don’t give a fuckin’ damn what I gotta do to get it. The Benedicts wouldn’t want it fallin’ into the hands of them bastards. I’ve gotta stay and fight. If not for me, then for them.” **** Storm Benedict was a threatening sight. Although he had shaved, his hair was still long and his body as big as a mountain. His face had a rugged look that warred with his handsome features. He stood over six foot six and was as strong as a mountain lion. Living in a halfcave and foraging for his food had given Storm a few wounds, but to him they weren’t scars, but trophies. Living on the prairie, his gun had become his closest companion, and he even learned how to make other weapons as well as implements to cook with. As a result, his life in the half-cave wasn’t half bad. When it was cold, he put up animal skins at the mouth of the cave, but when it was hot, strangely enough the cave stayed cool in the shadows. Later that day, Storm was cleaning some fish for supper when he heard the sound of a horse outside. He got up and went to the wide opening of the cave and looked out. “You don’t know how glad I am to see you.” “I came out here to give you somethin’,” the sheriff said as he dismounted. “Yeah? What’s that?” He began digging in his wallet and pulled out a legal-looking document and gave it to Storm. Storm took it hesitantly. “What’s this?” “Can you read?” “Well enough, I guess, but knowin’ what the words mean is somethin’ else,” he said as he opened the papers.

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“It’s the will the Benedicts drew up leaving you the ranch. Charley says it gives you the right to move into the ranch anytime you want, but just so you know, the town fathers still ain’t givin’ up. They’re holdin’ on to the fact that you weren’t the Benedicts’ natural son, but, more or less, a drifter. It’s a slim thread, and weak, but it’s all they’ve got now, and they ain’t gonna let it go.” “Do they still think I’m an idiot?” “No, but with no roots and no place to live…” He looked around at the cave. “You’ve got to admit, Storm, this ain’t the best accommodations you could have.” “I know, but I didn’t have no place else to go.” “Well, you have now, and with the Benedicts’ money you can probably hire you some ranch hands to help you.” “I need that money to stock my ranch with cattle. I can’t afford both.” “All right, but don’t let that land stand there and go to seed. You gotta figure out some way to work it and make it pay for itself. This ain’t the end of it, you know. They’re gonna be watchin’ every move you make, so don’t do nothin’ to make ’em suspicious.” “Hellfire! This is a fine way to live!” “Well, if it’s too much, maybe you should just forget it.” “Hell no, sheriff, I gotta fight this. The Benedicts wouldn’t want that ranch to go to strangers. If they left it to me, it’s because they wanted me to have it.” “I agree,” the sheriff said as he rubbed his chin. He finally looked over at Storm. “The only other thing I can think of is marriage. They don’t like the fact that you ain’t married yet, and you’re gettin’…” The sheriff frowned. “By the way, how old are you?” “I’m near thirty-one now, but—” “No buts here, Storm. If you want that ranch, that’s the only way them vultures will leave you alone. A woman goes a long way in settlin’ a man down.”

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“But married.” Storm looked at the sheriff. “You mean to a female girl?” The sheriff snorted. “I ain’t talkin’ about a horse.” “It might as well be a horse. I don’t know any damned females.” “Ever heard of a mail-order bride? A lot of men are doin’ it these days. Not many women out here except…well, you know the kind I mean.” “Mail-order?” Storm said and looked at the sheriff as if he’d popped his cork. “How the hell do you fit a wife in a little bitty envelope?” “She don’t get in the envelope… Hell, Storm, the next time you’re in town, just take a walk down to the newspaper office. Clancy’s usually got a paper or two that’s got some pictures in it. Just look at ’em and take your pick.” “How does she get in the envelope?” “Storm,” the sheriff said. “Forget the fuckin’ envelope, for God’s sake. The instructions will be there. Do what they say, and before you know it, you’ll have a wife.” “Damn, I do sound like an idiot, don’t I? No woman’s gonna want to marry me.” “You’re not an idiot, Storm. Hell, you got more sense than a lot of men I know. Just because you ain’t had a lot of book learnin’ don’t mean… Hey, I got an idea. The Widow Spencer’s got a lot of books her boys used in school. I’ll get ’em and you can read up on a few things.” “That sounds good,” Storm said, getting excited. “Sure.” “All right. I’ll go back and tell the town fathers that you’re plannin’ to get married. Don’t forget to keep me informed, Storm. I think it might be the answer we’re lookin’ for.” ****

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The next day, Storm walked into the saloon with the thought of getting drunk on his mind. “Give me a whiskey, Floyd,” he called out to the barkeep. Just then a cowboy walked up and pushed his hat back on his head as he leaned against the bar alongside Storm. “Well, what’dya know? A hot wind just blew in from hell. What the hell are you doin’ here, Storm? Ain’t you supposed to be out scarin’ small children or somethin’?” “Shut up, Slim. I just came into town to get some things I needed.” “Does that include a gut full of whiskey?” “It includes a woman,” Storm said irritably. “A woman? What’s the matter? Got a little itch?” “Not that kind of an itch,” Storm said as he looked at the cowboy with a question in his eyes. “Hey, Slim…you and me, we’re about the same age, ain’t we?” “Yeah, I think so.” “So, how come you ain’t got a woman by now?” “You mean married?” Storm gave a slight shrug. “I guess.” “I don’t know. I guess I just ain’t found the right one yet.” “The right woman?” “No, the right horse.” “Slim…” “All right. I just mean that every man has a woman that’s just right for him.” “I don’t,” Storm said, looking down into his glass. “They don’t take to me.” “Sure they do, it’s just that they’re afraid of you.” “Why? I ain’t gonna hurt any of ’em.” Slim looked down at his clothes. “Storm, how come you wear black all the time? Hell, you look like a fuckin’ gunslinger.”

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“I don’t have many clothes, and you can’t see the dirt on black like you can on other colors. I live in a cave, so who cares anyway?” “That’s another thing. Get outta that damned cave and get yourself a decent place to live and a decent set of clothes. While you’re at it, you might tame that hair of yours. If you did, hell, you’d have to fight the women off. Now they’re probably afraid of you.” He looked at Slim’s sturdy body. “You ain’t no wimp, Slim. Why ain’t they afraid of you?” “Because I like women. It’s as simple as that.” Storm had his answer. Since he didn’t like women, he had no chance of getting a wife. With a craw full of anger, he looked over at Slim and said, “Ever fuck a cowboy? If you did, you’d never touch another woman.” While Slim looked at him with surprise in his eyes, Storm put his glass down, turned to go, and said, “You think about it.” After Storm stomped out of the saloon, he turned and headed over to the newspaper office. As soon as he walked in, he grabbed a paper and began flipping through it. “Hey, what the hell are you doin’?” “I’m lookin’ for the mail-order brides.” The clerk smiled. “You gonna get hitched, Storm?” “Shut up, and tell me how to find one.” “First of all, you can’t get married until you have a place to bring a wife to.” “I got a place.” “What? Thunderbolt Mountain? Storm, you ain’t gonna get a woman to live out there. You may be used to livin’ in the wild, but they ain’t no woman alive who’s gonna live there with you. They have to have pretty things. You know, silk, satin, lace, and things like that. They like to drink tea instead of coffee, and they eat them stupid finger sandwiches. Besides, it takes money, and you ain’t got any.” “I got a little money the Benedicts left me.” “Ain’t you got all that spent by now?” “Not all of it.”

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“Okay,” he said and shoved a few thin sheets toward him. “This catalogue here’s all I got.” “This? Three fuckin’ pages? Catalogue, my ass. That ain’t even big enough for a dog to piss on.” “It’s all they sent this month. Take it or leave it.” Storm looked down at the small catalogue entitled Sweethearts of the West and began looking through it. “Where are these women from?” “Most are from the east. Boston, I think.” “Then why do they call ’em Sweethearts of the West?” “How do I know? I just get ’em and put ’em out on the counter.” “Real smart, Clancy,” Storm said as he turned to leave. “Hey, that’ll cost you fifteen cents.” Storm stopped and turned around. “Fifteen cents? For this little old thing? I can get a damned beer for a dime.” “Fine, get yourself a beer, but if you want that catalogue, it’ll cost you fifteen cents.” “It’s robbery, pure and simple!” Storm said as he began digging in the pockets of his jeans. “You think that costs a lot, try buyin’ a subscription to the paper. I charge five dollars for a year.” “Who’s fool enough to spend that kind of money on nothin’ but paper?” “Some people like to know what’s goin’ on in the world.” “Robber,” Storm mumbled as he slapped a couple of coins down on the counter and walked out. As soon as Storm got back out on the street, he saw the general store and thought about what Slim said about his black clothes. He looked down at himself, and then over at the general store across the street. He stepped off the boardwalk and was crossing the street when he saw a woman who was walking toward him. When she saw him, she turned to go another way. Storm stopped his stride and watched her hurry away from him. “What are you afraid of?” he finally called

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out. When she didn’t answer him, he mumbled, “Rotten stinkin’ females. You’d think I had two heads or somethin’.” He stood watching her as she rushed away, and then looked up at the sign that said General Store, even more determined to changed his appearance. Hurrying in, he felt like the idiot the town fathers were calling him when he began to pick out some clothes. He didn’t trust his own taste, so he asked the store clerk to help him. By the time he left the general store, his black outfit had been left behind, and he had on a new outfit. A little stiff, but okay. Just then, a woman was walking toward him, coming from the opposite direction. He expected her to cross over to the other side, but instead, she smiled and watched him as he passed her. Once he had passed her, he looked back, and she was looking at him. His eyes widened when he saw her wink. It reminded him of something Slim had said. If you did, hell, you’d have to fight the women off. **** Feeling a little better about getting himself a wife, when he got back to Thunderbolt, he sat down at a crude table and opened the pages and looked at each of the pictures in it. Some were so ugly he thought they’d make a good scarecrow for his garden, but there were others that weren’t so bad. He finally saw one that was pretty enough, but she looked scared, kind of stiff and solemn. It had him wondering what she would look like if she smiled. Others were okay, but for some reason, he kept coming back to the one who looked scared. He noticed that she lived in the east and had graduated from the East Coast Conservatory for Genteel Women. She could cook. She liked children, and could crochet, sew, and play a lute. Storm frowned. What the hell is a lute? She sounded like one of them snobbish women who would slap your wrist with a wooden spoon if you slurped your soup. He knew he would have to hide certain facts about himself to get her here, but she

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would eventually find out. He thought about being honest with her from the start, but he couldn’t make himself do it. He would have to tell her on their wedding night. She would yell and scream at him and call him names, but he would have to sit back and take it like a man. After all, he’d have it coming. He finally sighed and circled the picture with his pen thinking there must be a better way.

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Chapter Two Saul Denis sat quietly in church with his Bible opened. He seemed to be reading intently from the word of God as the preacher shouted out his fiery sermon, but instead, he had a letter lying flat against its pages. It was from a man named Storm Benedict. This Storm character had sent the letter to his sister, Sable, but Saul had found it tucked among her things in her room and snatched it. Now, after reading the letter, he pulled out the picture that was enclosed. It showed the man leaning over slightly, with one booted foot resting on a chair and one hand resting on the gun on his hip. Saul couldn’t even imagine what it would be like to be with a man like this. He’d been used to Eastern men. Those with good manners and not a fleck of dirt on them. But this one, God, what a wrangler he must be. He looked as mean as Hades and had the Devil’s own good looks. Saul suspected he was some kind of outlaw but hadn’t ever heard of one called Storm. It was a unique name, to say the least. He suddenly jumped when the preacher shouted, “The devil loves liars and thieves! There’ll be a special place in hell for the man that spews out lies as easily as he breathes God’s fresh air!” With those words ringing in Saul’s ears, he looked down again at the wild, untamed man in the picture and saw a big, burly bad boy with a sharp gaze that undoubtedly pierced those he looked at. The longer he stared at the sexy half-smile, the more his heart thrashed in his chest. Slowly, his eyes closed as he imagined himself in this man’s strong, muscled arms, his lips—

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Suddenly, he was punched by his mother. “Saul, wake up. It’s time to go.” She frowned at him. “Did you get anything out of the sermon, or did you sit there and sleep all morning?” “Sorry, Mother,” he said and hurried out of the church, trailing behind her and his sister. Saul was in his room when he heard loud voices and quickly ran out and hid behind the parlor curtain to listen to the argument going on between his mother and Sable. “I’m not doing this, Mama. It’s against the law.” “But Sable, you must, dear. If you don’t, we’ll have to sell the house. What will we do then?” “If we have to cheat to keep the house, then I don’t want it!” “Brave words as long as you have a warm bed to sleep in and food on the table. But, Sable, if we don’t get that money, we’ll lose everything.” She knelt down in front of her daughter. “Darling, a lot of women do this. They think they want to at first, but then they get cold feet for whatever reason. They just don’t bother to send the money back, that’s all.” She shrugged. “We could do the same thing. Not to just one but several of them. Just think of the money we could make! When it comes time to go, all you have to do is pretend to change your mind. The money will be for…I don’t know…pain and suffering?” “Pain and suffering? Mama, please!” “Sable, I don’t ask much of you. It seems to me you could do this one small thing for me.” “Small thing? You’re asking me to break the law! To lie, to cheat! Mama, have you even thought of Tucker? What would he think about this if he found out? He wouldn’t want to marry a girl who would do such a thing.” “Then don’t tell him!” “You want me to start our marriage with a lie between us?” Just then the cook came in and interrupted their conversation. “Lunch is served, ma’am.”

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“Yes, thank you, Ruby.” “Right there is a fine example of where our money is going. Mama, why in God’s name do we need so many servants? We can’t afford them. With money so scarce, you should have let them go when Father left.” Looking as if she were losing her patience, Lettie Denis got up, took a deep breath, and said, “You’re hungry now. Once you’ve had a good meal, you’ll see things differently. Go change your clothes. I’ll tell Ruby to keep the food warm.” Saul followed his sister to her room and went in. “So, what are you going to do?” Sable was so mad, she almost growled. “Damn, Saul, she’s got me so fuc—” “Sable, does Tucker know how you curse?” “No, I don’t suppose he does, but who cares? I’m not changing for any man.” Saul pushed Storm’s picture in front of her eyes. “Not even this one?” Sable grabbed it out of his hand and looked at it. “Where did you get this?” “It was in the envelope with the letter he sent you. Didn’t you see it?” “No, I didn’t.” “He might even be worth a little change in personality, don’t you think?” “He is good-looking. God, what a body. I didn’t think they made men like him.” “Sable, you’re a beautiful young girl. The fact that you’re not married is all due to that mouth of yours. Why don’t you do something about it? If you did, you’d be married before the week was out.” Still looking at the picture, Sable said, “I’m almost tempted to take this cowboy up on his offer.”

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“What about Tucker?” “Oh yeah,” she said with a big sigh, “Tucker.” Saul walked over to the mirror and looked at himself. “Sable, do you think I could be a cowboy?” He turned back to her. “I mean, they’re all so rough and tough. Do I look too…What do they call it? Prissy? A lot of people out west describe Eastern men as prissy.” “You’re not prissy, Saul. In fact, I think you’re quite good looking. You know what you remind me of? A prince charming. You know, like in the Cinderella story. With your blond hair, and your handsome face, you’re absolutely stunning. The kind only royalty would have. Know what I mean?” While looking in the mirror, he turned his face to and fro. “Well, I can’t see it, but if others can, I guess that’s all that’s important.” His gaze lowered, and he looked concerned. “What about my body? I may be tall, but do you think I’m well-built? I mean, I’m not skinny, but you’ve seen those cowboys. How do they compare to me?” “Saul, why are you so worried about your looks all of a sudden? Your body is fine. I’ve never seen a cowboy in person, but those that I’ve seen pictures of don’t look much different than you except in the way they dress. And they’re dirtier.” She looked down at the picture of Storm. “This one, of course, is different than all of them. He doesn’t exactly look mean, just, I don’t know, kind of sexy. Seriously sexy.” “Seriously sexy? What does that mean?” She smiled faintly as she gazed at the picture. “You know, like he would sweep a girl up, carry her to his hideout, and have his way with her.” “Shame on you, Sable. I didn’t know you thought about things like that.” “Only with men like this,” she said, feeling wicked. “I know the feeling,” Saul mumbled.

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“Oh, God, Saul, how am I going to get out of this? This man in good faith has proposed marriage. What’s going to happen when he gets no bride?” “I don’t understand. If you didn’t want to do this, why did you submit your name when the Sweethearts of the West were looking for mail-order brides?” “I didn’t, Mother did.” “Without asking you first?” “You know how she is. She wheedled me and wheedled me until I finally said yes. I didn’t think anything would come of it, but then I got this letter. Now she wants me to write him back and accept. After he sends the money I’m supposed to pretend I’ve changed my mind.” Saul saw his opportunity, turned, and sat down beside her. “Sable, you know I’ve been trying to get away for years, right? But Mama holds on to her purse strings so tight I haven’t been able to get a cent out of her.” “Yeah? So?” she said as she stood and slipped behind a screen to change clothes. “I want you to tell Mama you’ll do it. Write this cowboy and accept his offer—” “Saul, not you, too!” she said, peeking out. “—and let me take your place.” “Take my place?” She snorted. “Saul, you’re a man. He wants a woman. A wife. I don’t care how good-looking you are. He’s going to know right away you’re not a female.” “My God, Sable, all I’m saying is that since you won’t be using the ticket, you give it to me. Don’t you see? When I show up, he’ll be looking for a woman, not a man, so he won’t know me. By that time, Mama’s got his money, I’ve got a free trip out west, and everyone will be happy.” “But what about me?” she called out loudly from behind the screen. “What do I get out of it?”

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“You and Tucker elope. Can you think of anything more romantic? By the time Mama finds out what’s going on, you’ll already be married, I’ll be gone, and there won’t be anything she can do about it. You’ll be free. We both will. With this solution, everyone will be happy.” “Saul, you can’t just get up and go. Don’t you think she’ll notice that you’re not here?” “I’ll make some excuse about visiting—” He rubbed his chin, thinking, when suddenly, he said, “I know. Aunt Edna in St. Louis. If I tell her Aunt Edna sent me the money, she can’t say no. By the time she finds out I lied, it’ll be too late.” Sable frowned when she came out from behind the screen. “I don’t know, Saul.” “It’ll work, Sable. I know it will.” “Why don’t you just move out?” she said as she looked in the mirror and smoothed her hair. “Why all this secrecy? Just get up and go. It doesn’t have to be out west.” “Money, Sable. I don’t have any.” “Get a fuc… Get a job!” “Work? Dear God, no!” Sable laughed. “Is that why you were asking me if you could be a cowboy?” Saul smiled. “Maybe. All I know is I want as many miles as I can get between me and this place. Hell, Sable, it’s time I spread my wings. I don’t always want to be known as Lettie Denis’s son. I want my own identity.” “You know it’s dangerous out there, don’t you?” “It probably is, but it’s the ideal place for a boy to learn how to be a man, don’t you think?” “Sure, if you don’t get killed first.” “All I know is, I’ll never learn how here in Boston. Besides, any job I could get around here wouldn’t be very challenging. Now,

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busting a bronco or riding into the wind…” He smiled. “Well, I just can’t think of anything I’d like better than that.” Sable shrugged, picked up the picture, and said, “This killer here might be able to teach you a thing or two. Maybe you should look him up.” “At this point, I’m ready for anything.” He looked down at the dark devil with his seductive gaze cutting around at the camera and felt a little heat rise inside him. It made Saul wonder if that sexy gaze was intentional. One thing bothered him. If it was, he thought he was making himself attractive for a woman—not a man. “Well, here goes nothing,” Sable said as she went to join her mother for lunch. Still looking at the picture, Saul’s gaze traced along the big man’s features, one look showing him just how different this tall Texan was from Boston men. They seemed small in comparison, but hell, any man would seem small in comparison. Saul admired his seducing gaze and thought if he could look this good in a picture, what would he be like in person? Just then, he heard his mother’s voice calling him and quickly punched the picture down into his pocket and hurried to the dining room. He tried to look uninterested as the two women talked. “You have to promise me something, Mother. Promise me that this will be the end of it. Have you thought about what this cowboy might do if he finds out about this? I mean, what if he—” “Sable, stop! We don’t have a choice! It’s not me. It’s that father of yours! If he hadn’t run off with that dance hall girl…” “But he left us money.” “Not enough!” she answered quickly. “I don’t believe that, Mama. The problem is you. The way you throw money around, you must have known this would happen. You simply can’t live like a queen with no money coming in. So we’re not rich, so what? If we had lived within our means, we wouldn’t be in this shape.

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“Sable, save your morality sermon for another time. Blame me if you want, but it all comes back to the same thing. If we don’t do something quick, we’ll be out on the street. Right now, all I care about is getting that money. You don’t have to worry, you’re marrying Tucker, but me and Saul, we have nothing. Help us, for God’s sake.” Sable cut her glance over at Saul, remembering their previous conversation, and felt almost jealous that he was getting out of here. “Okay, Mama,” she said with forced softness, “I’ll do it.” “Thank God,” Lettie said softly. “As soon as lunch is over, we’ll go into the living room and begin. I have two more names—” Sable looked shocked. “We’ve heard from two more?” “Yes. They came in yesterday’s mail.” Later, while Sable sat at the desk writing, she furtively cut her gaze over to Saul who was watching from behind the parlor curtain. She nodded her head when he mouthed, “Thank you.” **** “…very happy to accept your offer…” Forcing himself to go through the motions, Storm bought a ticket, inserted a bank note for expenses, and sent it off. But the more he thought about it, the more he was convinced that maybe he shouldn’t do this. As the days went on, he would sit and stare at her picture. He saw innocence in her eyes, trust. My God, she was beautiful and so young! What the hell had he been thinking? He was going to commit fraud against a young and trusting woman! He thought about his ma and the things she had taught him and was suddenly ashamed. Finally, he made his decision and scribbled out a letter to her telling her he had changed his mind. He inserted her picture into the envelope, apologized, and then sealed it to be mailed the next day. He was bothered when he finally went to sleep on his makeshift bed and tossed and turned. Sleep was not his friend that night.

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Chapter Three When Storm hadn’t received an answer to the letter he sent telling the woman not to come, a million things went through his mind. She might have been angry and simply ignored it, or maybe she was already on her way when he sent it. If so, she would probably be on the next stage. Now, as he stood outside the stage depot, he saw three men get off but no woman. He looked up at the stagecoach driver. “Hey, Curly, did you have a woman from Boston this trip?” “No. The only passenger from Boston is this gentleman here.” Storm glanced over at Saul, and then muttered, “Okay, thanks.” He turned to go, but when he noticed the gentleman from Boston staring at him, he asked, “Have we met?” Before Saul could answer, Storm gave a swipe of his hand. “Don’t even answer that stupid question. If you just came in from Boston, there’s no way I could know you.” “I guess some people just have those kinds of faces.” Storm didn’t understand. “What kind of faces?” “You know, familiar faces. Since Adam and Eve…” He suddenly felt stupid. “Well, never mind. I’m sure you don’t need a lesson on how we’ve all come from…” His words suddenly stopped, and he said, “Why don’t I just shut up and buy you a drink?” Storm gave a slight shrug. “Okay, I guess.” While walking with Storm into the saloon, Saul said, “You know, there’s a theory going around that sometime you dream of people you don’t know, and then later you meet them. That’s why they look

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familiar. Let’s just say that today…” He looked down at his watch. “…at ten twenty-two, I emerged from your dream.” “That’s a little nutty, even for me,” Storm said while looking at Saul with dark, flashing eyes. “Well, it’s only a theory.” **** With Storm so close, Saul could smell the man that he was. He smelled like the wild prairie, the hot sun, and the reckless wind. It was a cowboy’s cologne, and it mixed well with his persona. All of it together lit a fire in his soul, heating his cock almost to the point of boiling. Without rhyme or reason, they moved closer to each other as they leaned against the bar. Saul could feel the fierce chemistry between them and put out his hand in friendship. “I’m Saul Denis,” he said. When Storm took his hand, Saul’s eyes closed when he felt his body’s warmth. The intimacy of it spurred his senses. A dark and wonderful place existed in his mind—a place where only he and Storm lived. He’d imagined any number of times how it would be. His kiss would be far from tender. It would be fierce, hot, and hungry… “My name is Storm Benedict.” His words made the dream dissolve away slowly like a smoldering flame, and his eyes opened slowly, his desire showing in every flicker of his gaze. Would Storm guess without him having to tell him? And what would be his response? “Storm,” he repeated softly. “Let me guess. You were born during a storm.” “Actually, when I was put on my ma’s doorstep, I didn’t even have a name. But you’re right. It was in the middle of a storm. She always thought it was kind of a miracle that I didn’t get blown away. She always said that one of God’s angels must have kept me there.”

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He looked down into his drink, remembering. “She was kind of religious.” “You said was. Does that mean…?” “Yeah, they’re both dead. Yellow fever.” Storm lowered his head, still feeling the ache that had settled in his heart when he thought about them. When he had wandered away, they were still alive, but when he came back, he found that they had died of yellow fever, so it seemed as if their death was only yesterday. Saul could see the pain in Storm’s eyes. “God, I’m sorry.” “That’s okay. Each day it gets a little easier.” Saul gazed at Storm for a moment, almost envying him. There were very few women in his past that he revered. Certainly not his own mother, and Sable didn’t really count since she was his sister. Because he preferred men, he was a loner until he met Linus. Their affair lasted only a year, but it was enough time to convince him that he was different. He was instantly attracted to Linus and didn’t think he would ever meet another man like him until he picked up that picture and saw Storm. Now, as he looked into Storm’s sexy eyes and watched his smooth, catlike movements, he wondered how he would take it if he told him that he was his—mail-order bride. **** Curt Sanders was the restless sort. He was always looking for that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. He spent a lot of time out of town digging through mine shafts or just chasing down his dream in one way or another. He only came into town once in a while when he needed something or to rest up so he could go out again. He seemed to manage to have a little luck, but it was never the windfall he’d always hoped for. Due to Curt’s traveling, the friendship between Curt and Storm was more of an on-again, off-again kind of thing. Curt had learned in his

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association with Storm that he was close-mouthed and distant until he knew he could trust you. If the day ever came that he knew he could trust you, you couldn’t have a better friend, but if you didn’t pass his test, a vampire with a toothache would have a better chance. Now, when Curt rode into town, he stopped in at the White Stallion Saloon where the gossips were in full force, and the return of Storm Benedict was their favorite subject. He learned that in the ten years he’d been gone, Storm had changed from a voice-cracking youth to a larger-than-life cowboy who had gained the reputation of being the Devil of Thunderbolt Mountain. Since a lot of them thought Storm was dead, seeing him back in town was like the raising of the dead. To those that had nothing more to do than flap their lips, he remained a dark figure that waged a battle with the town fathers over South Wind, the large cattle ranch his parents had left him in their will. Many thought that was why he came back, but like all gossips, they weren’t even close to the truth. Now, after Curt threw back his drink, he put his whiskey glass down and turned to leave. He knew he would never know the real story unless he heard it from Storm himself, so he headed out to the mountain to see him. When he got there, he got off his horse and yelled out, “Hey, Storm!” Storm came to the opening and looked out. “Oh, my God, if it ain’t Curt Jenson. You still ridin’ the range looking for that easy money?” “Hey, if you knew all the critters I have to do battle with every day, you wouldn’t be callin’ it ‘easy money.’ I just rode in this mornin’.” He frowned and rubbed his stomach. “You got anything to eat?” “Come on in. I’ll pour you a drink while I see what I’ve got.” By the time the sun went down, two bottles and two drunk men sat on the floor of the cave. Curt’s words slurred badly when he held

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up the half-full whiskey bottle and said, “Best damned eighty proof meal I’ve ever had.” By this time, Storm was also drunk, and his blood was boiling. It was a problem because Curt was the only other man there. The last time he’d seen Curt was before he left, so he didn’t know a lot about him. He couldn’t remember him ever being with a woman, so it made him wonder if maybe he preferred men. Now, as the sun was setting in the sky, and the wind was getting cool, he began laying a fire. Curt moved over to help him, and Storm noticed how the flames brightened Curt’s face. God, he was a handsome dude. And then suddenly, Curt looked up. “What the hell are you starin’ at?” Storm smiled. “Curt, I been gone ten years, and you still ain’t got a woman of your own. I was just wonderin’ why?” The look on Curt’s face became serious. “Hey, I might ask you the same thing. Wherever you was all this time, why ain’t you got a woman by now? Hell, women like you, Storm. Why the hell don’t you take what’s offered to you?” “I don’t take to women too much.” “Why?” “Hey, I thought I was the one askin’ the questions here. You gonna answer me, or—” “You wouldn’t like my answer, Storm. If I told you, it might…well, you might not want to be my buddy anymore.” Storm took a chance, reached out to Curt and turned his face toward his. His gaze became soft as he looked into his eyes. “If it’s what I think it is, it might bring us closer.” Curt’s eyes sharpened as he looked at Storm, at the man he had been wanting ever since he knew him. “I…I…like…” He couldn’t say it, and quickly turned away from Storm. “You like men?” Storm answered for him, his words as soft as a whisper.

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Curt turned back and looked at Storm, his guilty gaze reflecting the undulating flames. “How the hell did you know?” “Just a guess.” “The truth is I can go either way.” “Either way?” “I can fuck a woman as easy as I can fuck a man. I like ’em both. It depends on what mood I’m in. Sometimes a good stiff cock in my ass is just what I need, but sometimes a good, sweet-smellin’ pussy is…well, there’s just nothin’ like it.” He saw the surprise on Storm’s face, and his eyes clouded over. “Now that you know, how do you feel about me?” “How do you feel about me?” “About…you?” Storm nodded. “Oh, my God, Storm!” “It’s true,” Storm said while laying logs and fiddling with the fire. When Storm looked back at Curt, he saw him staring at him. Their eyes met and embraced, a look of pure sin spinning up and out of control as they gazed at each other. “What now?” Curt finally whispered. Storm nodded to a makeshift bed over against one rock-hewn wall. “You tired?” “Well, I hadn’t planned on spendin’ the night, but…” Suddenly, they were in each other’s arms, the bed empty as their bodies wilted to the ground. With each of them pulling at the other’s clothes, they finally lay with cock pressing against cock while the fire cast a hellish glow over their naked bodies. Storm lay over Curt, his mouth covering his lips, and his hands reaching down and squeezing his ass. Their hips moved in synch, each one’s cock pushing against the other and rubbing madly. Curt’s hips rose up to meet Storm’s, his hips pumping faster and harder as he reached into hell for the ultimate joy that only the devil could give him.

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Finally, Curt’s legs parted, inviting Storm to take his ass. Storm sat up on his knees, found Curt’s hole, and pressed his cock against it, but Curt said, “Lick it, Storm. Lick it all over.” When he heard what Curt wanted, he went to work on his beautiful asshole and loved the hot, musky smell. He then reached up between Curt’s hard, muscled thighs and began squeezing his magnificent balls and rubbing his cock’s incredible length. “Make a fist around it,” Curt whispered, as the undulating shadows of the fire licked the walls of the caves with monstrous shadows. With his hands on Curt’s cock, Storm moved up and lay close beside Curt while giving Curt a hand-fuck. While he continued, he leaned forward and kissed his nipples, his tongue tweaking them until Curt let out a guttural moan of pleasure. Curt reached out and grabbed Storm’s cock as well, and the two lay there hand-fucking each other until both suddenly spurted out their heated cum when satisfaction burst inside them. “Turn over, Curt,” Storm whispered. Lying close to his back, Storm’s cock began to flame with a new heat. He rubbed himself against Curt’s crack, and then when he was ready, he gave Curt a finger-fuck for several minutes, their whimpers and moans heard all over the cave as the two men pleased each other. When Curt was ready, Storm lay over Curt, his teeth nibbling at his back as he pressed himself into Curt’s ass. He rained kisses on his neck and back, and as his cock began plunging in and out of Curt’s ass, he whispered, “Oh, baby, what took us so long?” Storm plunged in and out of Curt, his cock going a little deeper each time, and each time the sensations rising and becoming even hotter than the heat of their campfire. Storm could hear the tremble of his breath as his passion rose higher and higher. The flood of melting heat flowed into the wild riptide where all the sensations met and flooded him, each one struggling for his soul. His hands stroked Curt’s ass, and then his cock, working to bring Curt into the same

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turbulent heaven where satisfaction was lurking in the shadows. He teased him and taunted him until at last the two men felt a smash of that erotic sea flooding them, and bringing them all the way into a calm, placid, and shining heaven. **** The next morning Storm woke to the sound of someone moving around in the cave. He lunged forward with his gun in his hand until he saw Curt. “Curt! My God, man, you know you could get yourself killed that way?” “I’m sorry. You were sleepin’ so sound I didn’t want to wake you.” Storm looked down at himself as he put his gun away and noticed that he was naked. He grabbed his clothes and said, “What the hell are you doin’ over there, anyway?” “I’m tryin’ to get this fire started again, so I can cook breakfast.” “What are we havin’?” “Not bacon and eggs.” “I guessed that much.” “So this is home sweet home, is it?” Curt chuckled as he looked around. “As animal dens run, I’d say yours is about the best, but for a home, I’d say it leaves something to be desired.” “Nobody’s askin’ you.” “Maybe you ought to get yourself some chickens. You could all live inside this mountain. Say, come to think of it, why the hell do they call this a mountain? It ain’t nothin’ but a mesa. For a mountain, its growth looks a little stunted. Know what I mean?” “Look, Curt, how the hell can you just stand there talkin’ as if nothin’ happened between us?” “God, it was dynamite, wasn’t it?” Curt smiled. “You know you’re hottern’ a pistol, Storm. I ain’t had lovin’ like that since…well, I don’t know when.”

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“How long you in town for this time? I don’t think you told me before we…well, you know.” “I’ll be stayin’ for a while. I gotta make a little money before I go out again. I heard that you was tryin’ to get South Wind back, so I thought you might need someone out there.” “I do, and I’d love to have you out there, but hell, I couldn’t pay you. I ain’t got that kind of money.” “Yeah, but it’s got a bunkhouse. That would give me a place to sleep. As for food, I stopped by there on my way here. When’s the last time you been in there, Storm? I found bacon curing, lots of pork, a root cellar with potatoes, turnips, and there’s a place for a garden. All we’d need is the price of seeds.” “I hope nobody saw you sneakin’ around the place. You could’ve got your butt shot off.” “Well, I didn’t, so what about it? The place is yours, Storm. When are you going to move in?” “I don’t know if I will.” “Why? It’s just sittin’ out there—” “It ain’t as simple as that, Curt. The sheriff says I need to get married, so I sent off for a mail-order bride…and then got cold feet.” “A mail-order bride? You? Hell, Storm we just—” “I know what we just done, but I have to get married, or I don’t get the ranch. I was all set to move in when I mailed the letter, but hell, she looked so sweet and innocent I just couldn’t do it to her. How could I tell a sweet, innocent little gal that there won’t be no weddin’ night?” “Did it ever occur to you that she might be relieved?” “What do you mean?” “Well, some of them gals just want a free trip out west. Chances are if you explain the situation, she would help you. You might have to pay her a little somethin’, but I’m sure she’ll cooperate.” Storm looked at him thoughtfully. “That’s somethin’ to think about.” “Got any paper? I’ll help you with the letter.”

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Chapter Four The night was perfect. Few people knew about this cavernous old building. It was located on an empty lot down by the railroad tracks. It was an empty shell, and a perfect place for these men to have their secret meetings. A lot of life-altering decisions had been made sitting at the large, crude table that filled up almost half the room. Tonight, it had whiskey bottles, glasses, and ashtrays full of crushed cigarette butts littering the rough, splinter-ridden top that had ashes scattered all over it. The table legs were slightly uneven, making it rock as the men pounded their fists on it. One lone lamp sat in the middle, the rest of the room shaded in darkness. Just beyond the undulating light, phantom-like figures gathered with curling tendrils drifting up from red-tipped cigarettes to join the ash-colored smoke that hung heavily above. Suddenly, Clyde Wilkins pushed his frowning, wrinkled-up face into the light and peered through the thick, smothering fog. “He might have won the first round, but we ain’t givin’ up, not by a long shot!” A set of glittering eyes stayed well into the darkness, but the sound of his voice, and accent were well known. “He ain’t gonna lay down easy, that’s for dang sure. I say we get his ass out of town any way we can. I don’t care if we have to strap it to a runaway bull!” “I’ve got a plan,” Clyde whispered, the soft words carrying on the hot, dusty wind that whistled through the cracks. “What would be the perfect solution?” “If the damned bastard was dead.” “Exactly,” he said as he peered at the others, his beady eyes glittering like a snake as he looked at each one. “I, for one, am tired of

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Storm Benedict strong-armin’ this town. Threatenin’ us, tryin’ to force our hand to give up a property that could easily be the answer to this town’s problems. Do you realize if we let Storm get a hold on that ranch, he’ll be the ranking citizen? Hell, he’ll own this town. We’ve worked too hard to gain control of Thunderbolt, and there’ll be snow in hell before I give it over to that hot-blooded devil.” He looked at the others, the heavy silence in the room closing in. “He’s got a powerful friend,” a cherubic face with a conspiratorial leer rasped. “Sheriff Chase and Storm have been friends ever since before Storm went all crazy.” “And we called him stupid.” The wavy, salt-and-pepper head shook in amazement as his eyes raked over the silhouettes. “He ain’t stupid. He’s smarter than any of us. He sure as hell knows how to feather his own coop, don't he?” “I don't give a good goddamned if the bastard is kin to the pope himself, I want that fuckin’ mountain man out of the picture!” “Yeah? And how do you propose we do that?” Wilkins looked from one to the other. “Come on. Speak up!” Every voice gave way to a guilty silence and listened as the midnight wind whistled and whined through the eaves of the old building. Angry, beady eyes darted around the room, the leaning shadows providing a welcome veil for the savage look on each of their faces. Suddenly, a tiny whisper came out of the darkness. “We couldn't.” “Why the hell not?” a raspy voice answered. “It's got to be done right,” an urgent voice demanded. And then everyone was talking at once. Some voices screeched high with anger, some dipped low with threats, and some were indecisive while others were imperious. Fists pounded on the table while someone in a corner was writing. Wilkins, the husky leader of the group, went over and grabbed the tablet from his hands and looked at it. “What the hell are you doin’?” “I'm just makin’ some notes.”

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He grabbed the paper angrily, tore it off the tablet, and crumpled it in his hand. He threw the tablet back down at the timid man. “You're makin' notes on how we're gonna kill someone? You idiot! If the right person ever got their hands on that, our necks would stretch at the end of a rope. You make notes on how we're gonna bring jobs to Thunderbolt or end a drought. You don't make notes on how we're gonna kill someone, for God's sake!” “I was just tryin’ to help.” “Well, do us all a favor, and don't try.” The meeting went on until well into the morning, and while bathed in the dim, yellow, undulating light, heated words were cooled, crucial plans were made, and angry arguments settled. Smoke blew from fat lips, thin lips, well-defined lips, or no lips at all, and by the time the meeting was finally over, a decision had been made— Storm Benedict had to die! **** As Sable lay on her bed, she gazed down at the letter from the good-looking cowboy who looked at her with a lopsided smile. When he had written back before to say he had changed his mind, it was a big disappointment for her mama. She ranted and raved for an hour calling him every rotten name she could think of. She didn’t even stop to think that she was planning to do the same thing to him. Sable wasn’t the least bit sorry. Her mama deserved it. She reveled in the fact that for once someone had gotten the best of Mama. For that reason alone, she decided she liked this Storm person. And now he had written her again, but not with a proposal of marriage. She kept reading, and when he mentioned some kind of business deal he wanted to discuss with her, her interest deepened. He even mentioned money. This was getting better and better. What could it be? She didn’t dare show the letter to her mama, especially since there was money involved. Wanting time to think, she folded

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the letter carefully, hid it between the pages of her private diary, and looked over at the clock. Since she was late, she rushed around putting on her hat, her gloves, and grabbing her parasol just before she hurried out the door to the park. When she saw him coming toward her, she couldn’t help but compare him to the man in the picture. Next to him, Tucker was almost effeminate. Why hadn’t she seen it before? Every strand of his hair was in place, his clothes fit well, and he was clean—right down to his fingernails. When he walked up to her, she asked, “How tall are you, Tucker?” “Huh?” he said, not understanding. “How tall are you?” He looked at her as if she’d lost her mind, and then said, “About five eight, I guess.” She felt disappointment. The man in the picture was almost a whole foot taller than Tucker. When she looked at Tucker, she immediately noticed that his freckles seemed to stand out, and the red in his hair looked more like rust—dirty rust. His blue eyes would be attractive, but they always looked clouded over with worry. The man in the picture looked rugged, sexy, and was so good-looking she found herself staring at him, wondering what he was like. He had dark hair and swarthy skin and looked confident. The best part was—there wasn’t a freckle on him. “Remember, we can’t stay out in the sun too long, or I’ll burn.” She indicated toward a grove of trees. “Let’s go down and sit by the lake. It’ll be cooler there, and we’ll be in the shade. Besides, it’s always restful down there.” “All right, but don’t forget that I’m allergic to certain plants.” He looked at her and smiled weakly. Wimp! she wanted to yell but had to mind her temper. She had already run two men off with her bad temper, so she had to be careful with Tucker. He might not be much, but he was better than nothing.

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When they found a bench to sit on, Tucker said, “So, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?” “I thought…I thought maybe we could elope.” “Elope? You mean just get up and…and run off?” “It’ll be so romantic, Tucker,” she said, a dreamy look in her eyes. “Oh, no, Sable. Eloping is out of the question. My family is counting on a big wedding. I can’t cheat them out of that. I’m sure your mother is—” “Forget it,” she said hotly, still trying to contain her temper. “Sable, eloping, it’s not—” “All right, Tucker, I got it.” She was just short of yelling at him and thought if she didn’t get away from him, she might injure something inside by keeping her emotions all bottled up. “I’m kind of tired, so I think I should go home and get some rest.” “Of course. I’m sorry you don’t feel well.” He took her arm. “Do you want me to walk you back?” “No,” she said shortly as she shook his hand off her arm. “I can make it by myself.” She knew as she walked home she’d never see Tucker again. He’d disappointed her badly, but she couldn’t blame Tucker. He was the same man he’d always been, but until she saw a real man, she just didn’t see him for what he really was. There wasn’t an ounce of romance in his soul, not like there would be in Storm. She pictured him in her mind, and a small smile tilted her lips. Oh, yes, she wanted to meet this Storm and decided then and there that she was going to do something crazy and accept his offer. To hell with Tucker! When she got home, she went to her room and got out all the letters from Saul she’d received and sat down at her desk to read them again. They were full of news and information about the west and even some things about Storm. As she sat there envying Saul his trip out west, she suddenly pulled out a drawer, got out a page of stationery, and began writing.

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**** “…be happy to accept your offer…” Storm sat at a back table in the White Stallion Saloon and smiled at the words he read. There they were again. The same words that had scared him off before now excited him. But when he saw how she signed her name, his smile faded. Sable Denis. Denis. Where had he heard that name before? He looked up from the letter thoughtfully, trying to remember. And then it came to him. In his mind’s eye he saw a blond, good-looking man step carefully off the stage. Dressed in the traditional Eastern costume, he remembered a hand being extended to him. I’m Saul Denis. Denis! Suddenly, Storm’s mind began clicking in mechanical precision as he put two and two together. Since he hadn’t heard from Sable, he thought maybe his letter telling her he had changed his mind had bypassed her, so he met the stage just in case she was on it. He didn’t know at the time that a good-looking man by the name of Saul Denis had come in her place. And Storm, like a real ninny, kept expecting Sable to return the money, but she never did. Now he knew why. It was deep in the pockets of Saul Denis. Sable’s black sheep brother, cousin, uncle, or whatever. Who the hell knows? Whoever he was, Storm knew the little weasel had used the ticket and probably pocketed the money. While harboring an anger so hot he could hardly stay in his seat, he looked up and saw Curt. “Hey, Curt!” he called out. Curt came over and sat down. “Hi, Storm, what’ve you got there?”

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“You remember the letter you helped me write to Sable Denis? This is her answer. She says she’ll be glad to come out and talk to me about it.” “That’s great.” Curt looked closely at Storm. “Is something wrong? You seem upset.” “Well, there is something, but I’ll explain later.” Changing the subject, he said, “When you were out at South Wind before, did you notice anything wrong with the place? How is it holdin’ up, I mean, since nobody’s been livin’ in it.” “A few things, I guess. Nothin’ major, really. It needs attention, though. Without anyone livin’ there, it’s beginnin’ to look deserted, you know, neglected. You need someone out there to take care of it, that’s for sure.” “Where’re you stayin’ now?” “I’m over at the hotel right now, but I don’t know how much longer I’ll be there. My money is slowly dwindlin’ away. I need a job to keep me goin’.” “I think I might be able to help you. I’ll be gettin’ a ticket off to Sable today, so she should be here in the next few days. Why don’t you just go ahead and move in until I can get there?” “It’s kind of soon, ain’t it? I mean you ain’t told her what you want her to do yet. Instead of sending any money, maybe you should write her back and explain.” “Naw, this is too important to write in a letter, Curt. She needs to be here so we can discuss it. If she doesn’t agree, then I’ll just send her back home. In the meantime, you can do a few things around the ranch until I know whether I’ll be movin’ in or not. I’ll stop by tomorrow and see how things are goin’.” “You sure? It would be great if I could.” “Why not? You could use a place to stay right now, and I need you out there.” He put his hand out to Storm. “You got it, Storm. Hey, thanks a lot.”

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“You bet.” Curt and Storm parted at the swinging doors, Curt on his way to the hotel to pack his things up, and Storm on his way to the Post Office to mail his letter. While Storm was walking by the barber shop, he happened to look in the window and saw Saul in the barber’s chair. He stopped abruptly and peered in to make sure he was right. Just the sight of Saul made him feel as if he could chew nails. He quickly opened the door and went in. “Hello, Saul,” he said, the sound of his voice much like the rattle of a snake. Just then, the barber walked up. “Hello, Storm, what can I do for you? Don’t tell me you’re gonna get all that hair cut off.” Storm’s words were soft and deadly as he kept staring at Saul. “No, Luke, I’m here for somethin’ else.”

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Chapter Five Saul looked up at Storm, almost feeling the fire in his gaze. Before he knew what was happening, Storm reached out and grabbed him up from the barber’s chair and said, “You don’t need a haircut.” “Hey, wait…” Saul yelled. “You can’t just—” Without letting him finish, Storm yanked him outside, and threw him so hard against the storefront it shook. “I just found out that a low-down, rotten snake swindled me out of some money, tricked me, and made me look like a fool.” “What…what does that have to do with me?” Saul said, knowing he’d been found out. “You tell me.” “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Saul insisted. “Has anyone ever done that to you, Saul?” “Well…I’ve had my share—” “I sent for a mail-order bride but then changed my mind. I had already sent her the ticket and the money, but she never returned it to me. Strange, don’t you think?” “You changed your mind?” Saul asked timidly. “Yeah.” Storm knew that Sable, being kin, must mean something to Saul, so he chose his words very carefully and heaped insult upon insult. “You know, I been thinkin’. Only a little whore would do something like that, don’t you think?” “A whore?” “Sure, a whore. She must be awful desperate. Probably goes around conning men all the time. She’s probably one of them easy women. You know, a pushover?”

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“Look,” Saul said, getting angry. “Maybe she had a good reason.” “What reason could she have to take money that wasn’t hers? A woman like that…you know, no good and all. I’ll bet she took it and spent it on a wild time. Men, lots of liquor, pretty shiny baubles.” “Or maybe she used it to buy food. Maybe she used it to—” “Oh, no, not this woman. She’s a slut,” Storm said, looking hard into Saul’s eyes. “A slut, a tramp, a whore, and she probably takes money for—” “Now just a minute, Storm. You can’t talk that way about my…” Saul’s words stopped when he realized what he was saying. “Your what?” Storm asked, looking at him closely. When Saul didn’t say anything, Storm persisted. “Your what? What is this woman to you, Saul?” Saul was nervous. This shouldn’t have happened this way. They had it all planned, worked out. How the hell did Storm find out? Saul shifted his worried gaze up at Storm. “Storm, look, please let me explain. There’s a reason for all this, believe me.” “Shut your filthy mouth before I take you and tie you to a cactus.” “H–How did you find out about Sable?” “I wrote to her again, askin’ her to come. She accepted.” Saul looked at Storm with surprise in his eyes and said, “She did?” “Yeah. Sable Denis, that’s her name.” Daggers fairly flew from Storm’s eyes as he stared at Saul. “Any relation?” “I don’t believe—” “Don’t try it, you son of a bitch! Any more lies or tricks, and I’ll tear you apart.” Saul quickly jerked away from Storm and managed to get away, but Storm caught him and pulled him into an alleyway, his hands crunched around his heavily starched collar and Storm’s mouth only inches from his face. “You don’t understand, Storm. Really, we need to talk.”

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“I understand all right. You’re one of them prissy Eastern men who think all us cowboys are thick in the head. Well, let me tell you, Saul Denis, whatever it is you’ve got to say had better be good because I got just the cactus in mind. It’s tall, and the spikes on it are a foot long. It’s way out there in the desert where the sun shines down on you from sunup to sunset.” He squeezed the shirt collar around Saul’s throat and continued. “The sun gets hot, and a man gets thirsty. You’ll have all kinds of hallucinations. You’ll see an oasis in the desert there, but you won’t be able to get to it. While the sweat is fallin’ down your face, your lips will pucker with sores, and them spikes will dig in deeper and deeper. And then it’ll start gettin’ dark. You’ll be glad because it begins to cool down, but then the coyotes start howlin’, and late in the day the buzzards start circlin’ around your body. You don’t see the insects that come out of their holes and begin crawlin’ and lookin’ for food. They crawl all over you, but by now you’re so near death—” “Storm, please. No more. I’ll tell you everything. Just, please, let’s go find a spot and talk.” Storm let go of him so suddenly he fell backward. His clothes were in disarray, so when he quickly tried to put himself back together, he remembered what Storm had said about prissy Boston men. He looked at Storm with a sheepish look on his face. “All right, so I’m prissy.” “Well, prissy ain’t gonna work out here. The first thing you need to learn is that if you want to live in this country, you have to be tough, and not always thinkin’ about a hair that might be out of place.” Storm looked down at Saul’s clothes. “For God’s sake, go to the general store, and get yourself some decent clothes. Some you’re not afraid to get dirty. You can still be clean. Take your baths in a lake. Since when can a bathtub do anything but make you stay in one place and prune up?” Saul felt giddy. He didn’t quite know what was making him laugh, the fact that Storm wasn’t going to kill him after all or that he was

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getting hygiene advice from a dirty-as-sin cowboy. He had to write home about that but suddenly remembered that he could tell Sable— when she arrived! **** Saul looked too happy, so Storm decided to tighten the screws a little. “C’mon, I’m gonna turn you in to the sheriff.” “Oh, no!” Saul pleaded while struggling. “Do you have to? If you’d just give me a chance to explain the situation, I’m sure you would understand.” “Look, I don’t care what your excuse is, you still owe me that money, and I’m gonna get it either by strippin’ your hide from off’n your back, or you’re gonna work it off. Which is it?” “Isn’t there ano—” “Saul!” Storm yelled. Saul sighed. “Okay…uh, maybe working it—” Not letting him finish, Storm said, “Okay, so here’s the deal. I’m the owner of a ranch out along the Chilton Trail. It’s called South Wind. I need men out there right now to keep the ranch up, but I don’t have any money to pay them. While you’re there, you’ll have a place to stay and food to eat, and I’ll let you know when your debt is paid.” Storm gave him an evil smile as he continued. “It ain’t quite as bloody as what I wanted, but I guess it’ll have to do. Is that agreed?” “What do I have to do?” “It don’t matter, damn it! Because whatever it is, you’re gonna do it!” “But I don’t even know how to ride a horse.” “You’ll learn, you fuckin’ city slicker! You’ll also learn how to lasso calves, brand cattle, build corrals and fences, slop hogs, feed chickens, and milk a cow. You’ll fix pumps, dig wells, draw water, and you might even learn how to cook and do the washin’. By the time you’re through, you Eastern bastard, guess what? You’re gonna

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be a cowboy! We’ll start here,” Storm said, pointing to the general store. He pulled Saul along with him as he burst the door open. “Hey, Mac,” Storm called out. Mac stuck his head out of a curtained area and said, “Yes? Did someone call?” “I want you to dress this poor excuse for a dude from top to bottom with everything he needs to be a cowboy, and that includes a gun and a gunbelt.” Saul gasped. “A g–gun?” “Burn these clothes he’s wearin’.” “But they’re my best—” “Burn ’em!” Storm yelled, pinning Saul down with a blazing gaze that dared him to disagree. “You can pay for this with the money you stole from me.” “Oh, God,” Saul gasped out. Turning to Mac, he said, “The dude will pay in cash.” Storm knew he was putting the screws to the Eastern bastard, but that was his intention. Anything he could do to make his life miserable was just what the doctor ordered. **** Saul stood inside the curtained area while he dressed in the things Mac picked out for him, his hands unsure and clumsy as they moved. Now, with everything in place, he turned to a mirror, and his eyes widened in shock. He almost didn’t recognize himself. As he stood there fully dressed, with the guns hanging askew along his hips and his shiny new boots on his feet, he felt like a different person. More confidence seemed to seep into him slowly. He seemed to stand taller, and oh, my God, he looked almost sexy. A real cowboy’s cowboy. With a smile stretching along his lips, he pulled the kerchief around his neck up over his nose and mouth and drew his gun. He crouched slightly and said, “Stick ’em up!” This brought back his memories of

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when he used to play cowboys and Indians when he was a kid and felt “dressed up” in these new clothes. To him it was a fantasy, a dream. He’d never even touched denim. He doubted if it could be found anywhere in Boston. He’d always dreamed about being a cowboy but never thought he would get the opportunity to come out west. Storm seemed so intent on torturing him, if he only knew that he was pleasing Saul by making him wear these new…what did they call them? Duds? He only hoped that Storm never found out that he was giving Saul the one thing that he wanted more than anything—to be a cowboy. Because of the way he felt about him, he wanted more than anything to learn all he could and make Storm proud. Now, ready for Storm to see him, he finally pulled the curtain back and stepped out.

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Chapter Six Storm had just turned back from looking out the window when a cowboy stepped out of the curtained area. He had his curled cowboy hat pulled down close to his eyes, and as he looked at Storm from out of the shadow the hat created, Storm felt something stir inside him. The cowboy was tall, and his body moved easily as he walked. His movements were pure sex, with a confident swagger that Storm admired. The jeans were so damned tight the stiff material seemed to cup his cock just right, the tantalizing bulge pushing forward boldly, so large, it reminded Storm of a brazen, cock-hungry beast. His gaze moved upward, and he could see just enough of his hair to know it was blond and curled slightly. The clear-cut lines of his face were not rugged but very manly, and he had brilliant blue eyes that mirrored a clean soul, but with a secret hiding in every glance. It was a combination that was explosive. And then suddenly, the cowboy stopped and stood in a very comfortable, laid-back sort of way, his hands grasping each side of his gunbelt. He looked at Storm as if he were waiting for him to say something. Storm was silent as he continued to admire the cowboy’s good looks. Every line, every sexy contour of the cowboy’s body filled him with a hunger that made him know that he would be a good lover, and he would be stupid to let him get away. The moments passed, and the tension built. Storm’s heart thrashed in his chest as the eyes of the two met and embraced. The cowboy smiled, looking at Storm expectantly while several seconds of heavy silence passed. Finally, Storm stepped forward ready to make his play when he was hit by a thunderbolt out of the sky and realized who he was looking at.

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“Saul?” Saul smiled. “Well, what do you think?” Storm stared in shock. When he thought Saul was a stranger, he saw something in him he hadn’t seen so far. But why hadn’t he? He knew the answer to that. First of all, not only was he as angry as hell at him, but Saul was hiding all that sex appeal under his Eastern clothes. Now that he was dressed like a man, Storm saw it immediately. Oh, God, he couldn’t do this. No matter how sexy he was, he was a cheat and a liar. For one crazy moment he thought maybe he should make him put the Eastern clothes back on and send him home. No, he couldn’t. He was hooked, and he knew it. He knew now that there was more to Saul than just his Eastern upbringing, and it triggered something in Storm that he couldn’t deny. His gaze shifted upward, and his eyes met Saul’s, his feelings apparent in the way he looked at him. A shifting of eyes, each looking at the other’s lips and imagining a kiss that would be explosive and hot. The gaze must have lasted for several minutes when Saul’s voice came out in a seductive whisper. “Do you feel what I feel?” Still trying to deny what he felt, Storm said, “Uh…can…can you sing?” Saul frowned. “Sing?” “Yeah. I forgot to tell you that you’ll have to sing to the cattle during round up time.” “Storm, forget the cattle for a minute.” “Yeah, it calms ’em down.” “Storm!” Saul almost shouted. Storm’s eyes shifted back to Saul’s. “You’re a liar and a cheat. How can I be attracted to a little weasel like you?” “It was my mother,” Saul began, talking fast. “She talked Sable into it. She needed the money, Storm. Otherwise, she would have lost everything.” “That wasn’t my problem.”

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“You didn’t know my mother. Both me and Sable were like prisoners there. Sable was going to marry Tucker…” “Who?” “Tuc…never mind. He was her fiancé. I knew she was just marrying him to get away from mother, and I…Well, I had myself to worry about. I didn’t know how I was going to get away until I saw your picture. I think I fell in love with you the moment I saw you. I knew it was wrong, but I had to do it, Storm. Since Sable wasn’t going to use the train ticket, I made a deal with her. She gave me the ticket, and I—” “Yeah, I know the rest of the story.” “I’m sorry. I don’t know what else to say, Storm, except that…” He hesitated. “Now that I’ve seen you in person, I’m absolutely overwhelmed. I just hope there’s not anyone else in your life right now.” Storm thought of Curt. He and Curt were definitely an item, but that’s as far as it went. They hadn’t talked over any long-range plans, so he said, “I do have someone, but it’s not serious. We…see each other from time to time, that’s all.” “So, you’re not in love. Right?” “I ain’t really thought about it. I enjoy Curt’s company, and he enjoys mine.” “Curt,” Saul said thoughtfully. “A tall, dark, woodsy-looking son of a bitch that has white teeth and the hardest butt I’ve seen besides yours?” “That’s Curt.” “God, he looks like prime beef.” He looked at Storm. “Smiles a lot, doesn’t he?” “He’s got the greatest smile I’ve ever seen.” “I wouldn’t mind meeting him.” “You will. Curt stays out at the ranch.” “I guess Curt sings, huh?” Storm laughed. “He gets by.”

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“I still don’t understand why a cowboy sings to the cattle.” “It’s usually during a cattle drive. The cattle get restless sometime, and the least little thing can make ’em stampede. A nice crooning voice singing a lullaby does wonders.” He looked at Saul and smiled. “Who knows? You might turn out to be a singin’ cowboy.” “I never realized to be a cowboy you have to be able to sing.” He rubbed his throat. “I’ll try my best.” Storm reached out and began straightening the kerchief around his neck. “Maybe you’d rather have a blue one since your shirt is blue.” “I been wondering,” Saul said as he fingered the kerchief around his neck. “Why do I need this thing?” “You’ll find out when we start ridin’.” “What do you mean?” “They come in handy for keepin’ the dust out of your nose and mouth when you’re workin’ or ridin’, but they’re good for other things, too, such as dippin’ in the horse trough for water and wipin’ down your face on a hot day or just keepin’ the sweat off your face in the hot sun. They have different uses.” “Like robbing stage coaches?” “I wouldn’t advise that, but you get the idea,” Storm said and looked down at Saul’s new clothes. “So, you ready?” “Yeah, I guess so.” As they left, Saul asked, “Where to now?” “I want to—” “Storm,” Saul interrupted quickly. “We shared a moment back there. Are you going to deny it? I want us to be together, don’t you?” Lowering his voice until it was barely above a whisper, he said, “Take me somewhere. Anywhere we can be alone.” Storm spoke softly with his head lowered as if he were afraid someone would hear him. “I can’t take you out to the ranch, but we could go out to Thunderbolt Mountain. It’s only a few miles out of town.” “Anywhere. I don’t care.”

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**** When they walked into the cave, Saul looked around. “You used to live here?” “It was all I had after my ma and pa died. It might not be much, but it was better than nothing.” Saul turned and saw the bed. “Is that bed sturdy?” “For what we’ve got in mind, I’m not sure.” Storm walked up to Saul and began unbuttoning his shirt. “It’s a shame to take these things off right after you put ’em on.” “I’ve never had a cowboy,” Saul whispered and gazed at Storm as if he were in a dream. “You’ll have to tell me what’s expected of me or what is proper.” Storm chuckled. “The first thing you need to do is forget that word, ‘proper.’ Nothing about this is proper, and you’d better be glad it ain’t.” He leaned toward Saul and touched his lips lightly. “If I find you to be a cold fish, you’ll be booted right out the front door.” “What front door?” Saul asked amusingly as he enjoyed the light teasing of Storm’s lips. “Don’t give me any of them Eastern manners. You feel like shouting, shout. You feel like coming loose at the seams, be my guest. I’m here to warn you, Saul. Cowboy love ain’t anything like that Eastern fuckin’ you’ve had. We’re raw and hot here, and if you ain’t up to it, you better say so now.” Saul stayed silent, but when he watched Storm’s lips come closer and closer he felt a thrill begin deep in his belly and spread. “I don’t seem to be saying anything,” he whispered as he reached down to unbuckle Storm’s gun belt. “I don’t think we’ll be needing these.” When the buttons on Storm’s jeans were undone, Saul reached in and closed his hand around his cock. “Oh, God, Storm. I’ve never felt anything so big in my life. I can’t wait to feel it inside me.”

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As their clothes slowly fell around them, the two men wilted toward the floor, skin touching skin, hot wind blowing in from outside as Storm mounted Saul. His mouth opened hungrily as he began kissing his chest, taking each of his nipples into his mouth and sucking heartily as they hardened. His mouth moved slowly along Saul’s chest, his lips lowering to Saul’s sculpted abs while Saul writhed beneath his touch. Storm continued to kiss his way down Saul’s hairless body until he reached his cock. It lay hard and trembling, almost as if it was reaching for something. It seemed anxious, Storm’s breathtaking touch. The big cowboy worked slowly at first. With his large hands, he held it tight as Saul moved his hips, pushing his cock in and out of Storm’s strong fist. With every plunge, Saul cried out with a deep, guttural moan. Finally, Storm leaned down and gently licked the top of his cock, his mouth gradually opening, taking more and more into his mouth. While he sucked and licked, his hands held Saul’s ass, his mouth sucking, his fingers digging deep into Saul’s hole, preparing him for Storm’s large cock. When Saul finally spewed out his lust, Storm got on his hands and knees and lay over Saul while he guided his cock into Saul’s ass and began to plunge. The plunges were hot and wild, and Saul clung to Storm, feeling every plunge, and with it a thrill edging into his belly and flaring up. As Storm’s body moved against Saul, he could feel Saul’s cock subtly growing and becoming hard again. Saul gloried in Storm’s bucking body as it rubbed against his cock and his deep thrusts as they plunged so hot and wild into his ass. As the sensations burst within him, Saul careened into the most rugged, hot hell he’d ever experienced. Finally, Storm’s last thrust plunged so hard into Saul that it brought him to one more deep and melting climax. “Oh, God,” Saul whispered when he knew Storm had climaxed along with him and was slowing down. “Don’t stop. I’ve never had such fantastic sex in my life. I never want it to end.”

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Storm held Saul in his arms, his lips next to his ear. “I’ve got a lot more in me, baby, but if I keep fucking your hole, I’m afraid I’ll hurt you.” With that, Storm found Saul’s lips and covered them with his own, his tongue invading the dark cave of his mouth, making him moan. Storm’s continuous plunges into his mouth was a simulation of the sex he’d just had, and Saul could feel his cock growing and getting hard once again. While Storm was still in his mouth, Saul felt him reach down, fondle his cock, and then mount him again, rubbing his cock with Saul’s. The sensation grabbed them, and their hips moved with a frenzy, their cocks on fire as one rubbed against the other. Saul reached his legs around Storm, clinging to him while the two rode together. And then Saul grunted with passion when he came. He felt himself drifting down, the wild flames slowly cooling as he closed his eyes and slept. **** Later, as Storm and Saul road up to the ranch, Curt came out and met them. “Hi, Storm. I was beginnin’ to think you’d changed your mind.” Storm cut his gaze toward Saul and winked. “I had something to take care of first.” Curt looked over at Saul. His face seemed familiar, so he thought he’d probably just seen him in town a few times. “We got company?” “Curt, this is Saul Denis. He’s—” “Did you say Denis?” “Yeah.” He turned to Saul. “You any relation to—” “Save your breath, Curt. He’s Sable’s…” He looked over at Saul. “You never did tell me what relation you were to her.” “She’s my sister.”

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“Anyway, Curt, could you show him around the place? He’s repayin’ a debt to me, so teach him everything he needs to know.” Storm slid off his horse and indicated that he wanted to talk to Curt privately. “I want this man turned into the toughest horse-ridin’, lasso-ropin’, cattle-brandin’ cowboy there ever was. Believe it or not, we’ll be doin’ him a favor.” “You mean you want me to put the screws to him?” Curt asked softly. “You understand real good, Curt. Don’t let him hurt himself, but wring everything you can out of this tenderfoot. I want to turn him into a man.” “Oh, sure,” Curt said, a big smile on his face. “By the time I’m through with him, he’ll put you and me to shame.” He turned to Saul and said, “All right, hotshot, just come with me, and I’ll show you where you’ll be sleepin’.” “Hotshot?” Saul said as he followed Curt to the bunkhouse. When he realized where they were going, Saul stopped in his tracks and said, “You’re gonna put me in the barn?” “It’s a bunkhouse,” Curt said. “All the help sleeps out there.” “But…” He pointed toward the house. “But what’s wrong with the house there?” “That’s where I’ll be sleeping once I move in,” Storm said. “I’m the owner. You’re the help.” “But there must be at least four or five bedrooms in there.” “Yeah, and not a one of ’em is yours. Sorry,” Storm said and then smiled in satisfaction at Saul’s look of bewilderment. He stood and watched as Saul followed Curt into the bunkhouse. He might want to fuck Saul’s ass, but he still had a score to settle with him.

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Chapter Seven With her train ticket tucked safely in her drawstring purse, Sable looked out her bedroom window and saw a big full moon so close she felt as if she could reach out and touch it. It was a night for romance, not a night for running away. But she had no choice. She had received the ticket in the morning mail and couldn’t wait until her mother had gone to bed, so she could slip out her window and use it. Her mother had become impossible. Sable had the feeling she would auction her off to the highest bidder if she stayed a moment longer. Now, as she gathered her voluminous skirt around her, she carefully climbed through the window, praying that she wouldn’t trip and fall. As she placed her feet on each step of the ladder, she thought about all the time she had spent learning how to hook up the horses to the carriage. Their groom, Jeremiah didn’t understand why she was so interested, but being a good servant kept his mouth shut and only did what he was told. She fervently hoped she had learned well and wouldn’t have to wake him to help her. She wasn’t up to answering a lot of questions that even Jeremiah might be persuaded to ask. The night was so warm and beautiful, she could almost believe running away was romantic. After all, she was running to a man—a good-looking man. She was also running to a new life, a different life. She was entering into the world of the cowboy. A world of dance hall girls, outlaws, showdowns on dusty streets, black hats, white hats, guns, and excitement. Things she’d only read about. Hoot! Hoot! The sound came out of the night, mysterious and chilling. For a moment, it distracted her, and she missed the last step of the ladder

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and fell on the ground. Realizing what it was, she felt silly, but she wasted no time in getting up. After dusting off her skirt, she quickly picked up her purse, adjusted her hat, and then ran into the carriage house. She worked feverishly for several minutes—minutes that seemed to stretch into hours until she finally got the horses hitched up to the carriage. With a stiff crack of her whip on the horses’ back, the carriage lurched forward, and she was finally on the street feeling the free wind in her face. She was almost giddy with excitement. She ran the horses faster than she should have, but the train was to leave in a half hour, and she had a little ways to go yet. If she missed it, she could take the next one, but she would be stuck at the station all night since she had no place to stay. Minute upon minute ticked by, the haunting darkness of the countryside passing as if in a dream. As the horses galloped, their whinnies turned to snorts while the carriage wheels squeaked and wobbled—but she was finally there. Now, as she looked through the window of the train and saw the manicured eastern countryside turn wild, her eyes drooped until they closed, an image of Storm captured in her brain as the miles slid by. **** Storm, once again, stood at the stagecoach depot, waiting. When he saw the stage rattling to a stop in front of the hotel, he moved closer and watched as the people slowly emerged. He knew her the minute he saw her. She had white-blonde hair, the purest, palest white skin he’d ever seen, and her eyes were a sparkling blue, much like her brother, Saul. For the first time since planning this little shenanigan, he was shy. And then suddenly, she looked his way. He could tell she recognized him. He nonchalantly stepped up to her and said, “Sable Denis?”

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She looked up at him with those liquid blue eyes, and his heart melted. The picture he saw of her didn’t do her justice, but what photograph does? The picture made her look stiff and scared and much like a little girl, but she was definitely a woman. A woman so beautiful, her beauty almost hurt his eyes. “My name is—” “Tom? Bill? Dave?” She smiled mischievously and cocked her head teasingly. “I’ll bet you’re…Storm.” A sense of humor, Storm thought and smiled as he took her hand and pressed it to his lips. “I’m very happy to meet you.” She withdrew her hand from his, drew it up to her face, and rubbed it softly against her cheek. “Very continental.” Her voice was like a melody. A husky, sexy melody. He could tell by looking at her expensive clothes that she was a worldly woman. A woman that any man would be proud to call his wife. “My buggy is this way.” “Your buggy? But the hotel is right here.” “Oh, yes. Well, things have changed since we last talked. At that time, I was living at Thun…uh, somewhere else and thought you would be more comfortable at the hotel. However, I just recently…well, now’s not the time to discuss it, but the fact is, it’s very comfortable there, and I see no reason why you can’t stay there instead of the hotel. You don’t mind, do you?” “Storm, please don’t think me unappreciative, but I’m a city girl, and the idea of staying on a ranch way out on some prairie gives me chills. I hope you don’t mind if I stay here.” “Not if that’s what you want. I suppose the first thing we should do is get you a room.” “I agree, Storm.” She gave him a searching look and then said, “Interesting name, but I would imagine there are all kinds of things I would find interesting about you.” Storm felt a hot flush color his face. Was she flirting with him or simply making conversation? Either way, he felt like a schoolboy in

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her presence. The strange thing was he found himself imagining what a night in her arms would be like. He couldn’t seem to stop his gaze from moving along her body from top to bottom, especially from her trim waist to her extremely full bosom. He found himself almost wishing this was going to be a real marriage instead of one of convenience. She interrupted his thoughts by saying, “You’re even taller than I imagined.” “Be careful of the step there.” She looked down and navigated it perfectly before she looked up at him. “A girl could get mighty used to being taken care of by you…Storm.” “You’d better take my arm.” She replied with a smile and took it as if he was a beau and they were out on a Sunday walk in the park. With as much gentleness as Storm could manage, he walked her along the boardwalk until they got to the hotel where Storm opened the door for her. He noticed her looking around at everything and realized being from the east she might find everything a bit unusual. “It must be a lot different than Boston.” She smiled up at him. “It is, but that doesn’t mean Boston is better.” What a nice thing to say, Storm thought. “It couldn’t be that you’re a nice person, could it?” She laughed. “I’ve been accused of worse things.” “Saul tells me you were engaged.” She reached up and touched his lips with a soft, fragrant finger. “Tut, tut. Questions later. Remember?” If Storm didn’t know better, he’d think those were definitely the words and actions of a flirt, but if she was a flirt, she was an Eastern flirt, and that was entirely different. Her flirting was not flamboyant, but contained. He could see her dressed in her finest, flirting with the men in a drawing room. Men dressed in lace shirts and using hankies.

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Men that didn’t want to dirty themselves up with sex. It’s all she knew, and no matter how far west she came, she would always bring those drawing room manners with her. This is where the east meets the west, he thought and began to wonder what kind of explosion it would make. When they reached the desk, Storm slapped the bell down, and an older man dressed in the clothes of a banker stepped out of the back room. “Hello, Storm.” He cut his gaze toward the young woman and then back up at Storm. “Need a room?” he said with a wink. Storm reached out and grabbed the man’s collar and brutally jerked him forward. “Look, you weasel, this here’s a lady, got that? Now, apologize.” “I didn’t…” “Apologize!” The clerk looked at Sable and said, “I…I apologize…” “For actin’ like a horse’s butt!” Storm continued for him. When the man was silent, Storm shook him and said, “Say it!” “…f–for actin’ like a h–horse’s b–butt.” Storm released him. “That’s better. Just so you know, this is a lady. Her name is Sable Denis, and I won’t stand for her bein’ treated like a tramp, got it?” “Y–Yes, s–sir.” Storm grabbed one of the keys and said, “We’ll take this one.” He turned to Sable and took a deep breath. “Sorry for that.” He put his hand on the small of her back and led her up the steps to her room. “I know these rooms. This one is particularly light and airy. I think you’ll be very comfortable there.” As soon as she got in the room, she turned to him, slid her hands up his muscled chest and around his neck. With her hands on the back of his head, she pulled him down to her, opened her mouth, and kissed him. “That’s for defending my honor,” she whispered. Storm was filled with need—but this was an Eastern woman, and he was a man’s man. His idea of sex was a cowboy’s ass, their cocks

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pressed together and a night of romping, drinking, and swearing. What was he doing here with this woman—and worst of all, why was he feeling as if he’d like to fuck the hell out of her? Actually, I can go either way. …sometimes a good, sweet-smellin’ pussy is…well, there’s just nothin’ like it. He remembered his conversation with Curt. It meant that Curt could get just as much pleasure from fucking a woman as he could a man. Curt called it bisexual. Is that what he was—bisexual? He looked down at the dimpled beauty and knew for sure that he must be. With that thought resting in his brain, he leaned his head down and covered her lips hungrily with his. He’d never tasted anything so sweet, so soft, and so flavorful. The pleasing fragrance that lifted on the wind came from her, and it made him want to eat her up. He wanted to lick her skin, kiss those soft lips, and spend his life protecting her. A red flag went up in his mind. Danger! He quickly pulled himself away and said, “I guess I’d better leave.” She looked at him strangely. “Why?” “Look,” he began. “This can get sticky. I’m a little confused right now and need time to think.” “But I thought we were going to discuss the reason you brought me out here. You haven’t changed your mind, have you?” She looked hurt. “What did I do? Was it the kiss? I’m sorry if I offended you.” It hurt Storm to see her sad, and he knew the problem wasn’t her, it was him. He was getting in way over his head. This was supposed to be strictly a business deal, and they were, or could get, way too close. He liked the kiss, he liked her, and he liked the thought of fucking the hell out of her. “I’m sorry. It’s just…well, you bein’ a lady and all.”

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“Storm, I am a lady…to them out there,” she said as she indicated toward the window. “But for you…at this moment…I want to be a woman.” “A w–woman?” “A very warm and loving woman.” “But Miss Denis—” “Storm, call me Sable.” “Sable,” he whispered, and the two of them just kind of drifted into each other’s arms.

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Chapter Eight A rustling of clothes, the silent falling of material to the floor, and suddenly, his body was hard against hers. The room was small and full of heavy breathing. Was it all leading to a foolish act? Should she let this continue or put a stop to it? For the first time in her life she felt like a woman as she enjoyed the fresh smell of the west that was all over him. He had a wild taste, a taste that made the dust of the trail as appealing to her as the most expensive men’s cologne. When she thought of Tucker, she almost laughed. She was willing to give all this up in order to marry him. It was so ridiculous, it was funny. Now that she was here and now that she knew Storm, she had no doubt that she would fall in love with him. She luxuriated in his lips as he slowly trailed hot, fervent kisses over her body. First her neck, her ears, and then her nipples. She laced her fingers through his long, dark hair as his lips suckled her nipples, and his hands squeezed her breasts trying to push as much of her into his mouth as it would hold. It seemed to be such a natural thing for them to wilt toward the bed, and before she knew it, his large body covered hers. She became as ravenous as he when she felt his cock growing and pressing against her. The hard feel of it caused an explosion of thrills to sizzle throughout her body. And then he took her hands and pushed them upward, his palms over hers, his fingers rubbing them erotically. She grasped the metal rods of the headboard and whimpered as he opened her legs, gently nudged his fingers inside her, and fondled her clit. Oh, God, it was heaven! Her knees were bent, and her body was bucking, writhing, and pushing upward, urging herself closer to his cock as it dangled above her, so close, yet

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so far away. She wanted it so bad. She could feel herself already flirting with a climax. Her pussy almost seemed alive as it throbbed, her clit begging for more of him. “Are you a virgin?” Storm whispered into her sensitive ear, his tongue tweaking her lobe and kissing her ear erotically. “No,” she answered, her voice husky with desire. The more he fondled her ear with his tongue, the more she writhed. Each thrust of his delving tongue drove her crazy as it invaded her. And then suddenly he reached down and pushed his cock into her pussy, the head pressing against her clit and teasing it. “Oh, God, Storm, more! More, please!” “Okay, baby, but remember, you asked for it.” While wondering what he meant, she felt him opening her legs wider until she felt a sudden thrust. The size of his cock was enormous! The stretch was almost painful. The further he went in, the wider she felt her pussy becoming. Deeper and deeper he plunged until she felt as if she had swallowed it whole. His thrusts in and out caused sensations so wild it made her feel as if she were on a spinning carousel and couldn’t stop. Closer and closer she came to that place where her heart throbbed, her soul resided—and then she was there. She opened her mouth to scream, but it lasted only a moment. She quickly felt Storm’s hand over her mouth. “I feel like screaming myself, but if you do, everyone in the hotel will be at the door.” Having his hand over her mouth was erotic. She began kissing it, taking each of his fingers into her mouth and sucking them. She was so filled with desire and want. As he continued to plunge in and out of her, she felt as sinful as a harlot. She had cast her inhibitions away as she clung to him, her beautifully manicured nails scratching his back like a cat in heat. Her hips moved in synch with his, and she could feel every plunge he made into her. The sensations his enormous cock pulled out of her were moving her into a dark, sensuous hell where her inhibitions began to flee one by one. Desperate to reach

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satisfaction, she clenched him with her thighs. It was elusive. It taunted her from around some dark corner, over a dark hill—at heaven’s door. Until she at last sailed into the deepest, hottest, wildest, and fiercest climax she’d ever experienced.

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Chapter Nine “Oh, God, what have I done?” he whispered to Sable as he lay beside her. “Was it good for you, Storm?” “Was it good? It was fantastic. I’m just worried that I might have hurt you.” She reached up and put her hand on his face and caressed him. “You didn’t hurt me. You made me feel like a harlot and a wanton, but you didn’t hurt me. It was wonderful. No man has ever made me feel that way.” “Gosh, I’m sorry—” “Storm, I don’t regret a thing we’ve done. I’ve never had a man like you. So damned sexy and good-looking.” “What about your fiancé?” “The first thing you need to know is Tucker is no longer my fiancé. He’s got a cock that he’s very selfish with. In all the time we’ve been going together, we’ve never been intimate once. You see, Tucker believes you should wait until marriage.” “And you don’t.” “I thought I did, but the minute I got off that stage and saw you, that little bit of homespun philosophy went right out the window.” Storm leaned over and kissed her. He could tell she wanted more, so he moved back over her and opened her up with his cock. Desire flared up in both of them as they slowly melted together, Storm’s lips on hers and her legs reaching up and embracing his ass. She gasped as he moved his cock along her cleft until he entered her slightly and rubbed her clit with the tip of his cock. She moaned, his thrust hard

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and demanding. She clutched him, her mouth and tongue ravishing his chest and face as she made her way to his lips. While he kissed her, he thrust himself in hard, causing her to moan loudly as his lips continued to kiss her. “Oh, God, Storm, I...” Before she could finish, Storm was sliding into her furiously, burying his cock deeper and deeper into her pussy and giving her another stormy ride into hell. While he rode her, he couldn’t stop kissing her soft neck and nibbling her fragrant earlobes. He had always imagined to fuck a woman would be like fucking a dead fish, but Sable was anything but a dead fish. She writhed in his arms. Sucked him, kissed him, and whispered in his ear as she nibbled on him. She clung, her hips moving in synch with his, so much so that his cock was pushed in as far as he could get it. As he thrust in and out of her pussy, he could hear her passionate whimpers and moans. She was so tight, he knew his cock must have stretched her to the limit, but she had no trouble taking him inside her. He had a feeling that she was one woman in a million. **** After their shared intimacy, Sable decided to move into the ranch with Storm, so she didn’t bother to unpack. Since she didn’t ride, he rented a buggy and drove them out to the ranch. “Oh, Storm, it’s beautiful,” Sable exclaimed as they rode up to the ranch. “And the name, South Wind. It sounds sort of tropical, doesn’t it? I love it.” She looked around at the grounds. “I can’t believe it’s so neat. I mean, I expected nothing but dirt and rocks, but this resembles a large plantation with white fences and grass. Even trees. Oh, my. I’m so impressed.” Just about then, Saul came out of the bunkhouse and ran up to the horses to unhitch them. “I thought she was staying in town.” Storm shrugged. “She changed her mind.”

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He turned to Sable, and with a big smile, he said, “Welcome to South Wind, Sable.” Sable looked down at Saul as if insulted that the help would call her by her given name. “I beg your pardon?” “I said, welcome to South Wind. How’s Mother?” Sable’s eyes widened. “My God! Saul, is that you?” “Yeah. Who the hell did you think it was?” “I didn’t recognize you. You’re so…brown and…what happened to your clothes?” “I’m a cowboy now, Sable, and this is what cowboys wear.” Remembering their steamy day in the general store, he winked at Storm. “That was the first thing I learned. Come on, and I’ll help you down.” “Storm will help me.” She looked over at Storm, smiled, and reached for him. Storm walked over, held his hands out, and she slid down his body in an intimate way that Saul noticed right away. Saul gave Storm a questioning look just before he walked away and began chopping wood. “Sable,” Storm said as he held her in his arms. “We need to talk.” “Oh, yes, about the business deal you referred to in your letter.” “There’s more to it than that. I have to explain something to you.” “You look worried.” “A little. Come on into the house, and I’ll show you around and show you where your room is.” “Maybe we could share a room,” she said hopefully. “I mean, if you don’t have much space.” Storm chuckled and looked up at the house. “In this place? There are five bedrooms here. Don’t worry, I don’t think we’ll have a problem finding you a place to sleep.” The rest of the day was spent looking the house over and getting settled, but when their tour stopped in front of her door, Sable looked

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up at Storm and said, “I guess I’m not as strong as I thought. I’m a little tired. Do you think we could put off that talk until later?” “Of course,” Storm said. “I’ll be downstairs if you need anything.” “Storm,” she said softly as she reached up and kissed him. “Are you sure you don’t want me to share your room?” “We’ve got a lot to discuss, Sable. I think you’ll want to hear what I say before you go inviting me into your bedroom.” She gave him a seductive smile and said, “Toodle-oo then. Until later.” “Toodle—” He hesitated, feeling silly. “—oo.” Later that evening, Storm was laying a fire in the fireplace when Sable came out of her room, refreshed. She noticed right away that they were alone and walked up to him and gently put her hands on his shoulders. As she began to massage them, she said in a seductive manner, “Would now be a good time to talk?” “As good a time as any, I suppose,” he said as he rose from his crouch and went to a sideboard and poured them a drink. As he handed it to her, he said, “Sable, you remember what happened in the hotel…between you and me.” Sable’s smile was warm. “I’ll never forget it.” “It shouldn’t have happened.” She frowned. “Why?” “Because I misled you. I didn’t mean to, it just happened. The only thing I can say is I’m sorry.” “I don’t understand.” Storm looked down at his drink and then back up at her. “Up until yesterday, I’d never even had a woman.” Sable’s eyes widened. “You mean you were a virgin?” “No, not exactly.” He hesitated as he said the next few words. “Sable, I’m homosexual.” Sable’s eyes widened. “Hom… Isn’t that someone who likes…?” “It’s a man who likes other men.”

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“But how is that possible? I mean, we… You know what we did.” “I know, but it’s possible for a man who likes men to also like women...” “Of course you like women,” she said hopefully. “Storm, look at yourself. I’ve never seen a more handsome, burly guy in my life. It’s not possible that you’re one of them.” “I’m afraid—” “No. I can’t accept that. Maybe this is a temporary thing. Maybe there’s something in the water. A bug that got into your garden, a weed killer, a—” Storm jumped up and grabbed her. “Sable!” he shouted. “It’s true. I am—” “No! It can’t be!” She looked up at him. “I love you, Storm. Please don’t tell me you’re…like that.” Storm lowered his eyes. “I can’t, Sable. You see, I have a relationship with a man here on the ranch. It’s nothing serious, but we’re close…that way.” “Oh, God,” she mumbled and rose from her chair and began to pace. “Your picture… What I’m trying to say is, when I saw it I felt myself falling in love with you. You’re so handsome in a wild Texas sort of way, I guess it just never entered my mind that you might be…strange like that.” “You, and others like you, may see it as strange, but it’s really not. It’s just the way some men are. Some women, too, so I hear.” Sable’s eyes widened. “Oh, my word!” Finally, she sighed and said, “Well.” She began wiping her eyes and sniffing into her hankie. “I’ll make arrangements to go back to Boston—” “Sable, I’d like you to stay. I just needed you to understand the reason why I can’t marry you and the reason why I’m going to ask you to do something for me.” “Oh, yes, the…the deal.” “This ranch was left to me in the Benedicts’ will when they died, but because I’m not their natural son, the town wants to contest the

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will and take it away from me. The sheriff advised me to get married for appearance’s sake. Right now they think I’m a drifter with no roots, but if I marry and make a home, they’ll reconsider.” “What is it you need from me?” “I need you to marry me as planned, Sable, but because of what I am, it would be in name only. A marriage of convenience. I’m sure you’ve heard of them.” “Yes. I just never thought I would…” She lowered her head and looked at the amber swirl of liquid in her glass. “I guess I’m doing a lot of things I’ve never done before.” “When enough time has gone by, and the will is probated, we can divorce and go our own ways. Naturally, you’ll be paid.” Sable wanted to cry. Never in her wildest dreams had she thought anything like this would happen. She was deep in thought when suddenly the door opened. Her eyes widened when she saw a cowboy come in that was almost as handsome and rugged as Storm. She could tell immediately that they were lovers. Nothing that they did or said told her—she just somehow knew. “Curt, I’m glad you’re here,” Storm said. “There’s someone I want you to meet.” As Curt took off his hat and threw it on the coatrack, he said, “Sorry I wasn’t here when you came in. I was out working on the fences along the north forty.” “Curt, this is Sable Denis. She’s Saul’s sister from Boston. She came down here to help me out with our deal…if she hasn’t changed her mind.” Curt nodded and smiled. “Hello, Sable. I’m glad to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.” Suddenly, Sable found herself surrounded by the biggest, dirtiest, rawest, and handsomest cowboys she’d ever seen in her life. She felt as if she was in a different country where everything was strange, even the language. Words she’d never heard before she would quickly learn the meaning of. She’d already learned that the women out here

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were almost as rugged as the men and knew if she stayed, she’d have to adapt. It would be tough, but it would definitely be worth it. “The answer is yes,” she said quickly as she looked first at Curt and then Storm. “I will…as they say in the marriage ceremony.” The men smiled and then laughed. “You will?” “Yes. I’ll marry you, Storm.” She looked at the two of them. “Now what?” “Well,” Storm said with a shrug, “anything you want. We’ll be married as soon as I can set it up, so until then, I guess you can just relax and take it easy.” “Could someone teach me to ride?” “Sure, but why would you want to do that?” “Oh, I don’t know. I guess because it seems to be so much fun.” “Okay, well, I’ll teach you everything you need to know—” “We will teach her everything she needs to know,” Curt said. “All right, we,” Storm agreed. Sable smiled, loving the feeling of being caught between these two rugged cowboys. The only dark cloud on the whole thing was their sexual preference. As she gazed at each of them, she could hardly believe they were lovers. They were the roughest, toughest cowboys she’d ever seen. Since they seemed to like women, too, she wondered if it was possible to join their little twosome—and make it a threesome. That very night when Sable was in her room, she sat before her mirror and took down her hair and began brushing it. As she gazed at her reflection, she couldn’t help but be proud of her looks. She and her brother Saul resembled their father. He had fair hair and blue eyes, too, and he was kind and thoughtful, and he loved them. She knew why he had to leave. Her mother had made it impossible for him to stay. She didn’t blame him for looking elsewhere for companionship and only wished them the best. She often wondered why her father married her mother and what in her mother’s life had turned her into such a vindictive, selfish

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creature that couldn’t love anyone. Not even her children. She knew that when he left, her father had left them a tidy sum. It would have been enough to support her mother for the rest of her life, but she went through it like water. When she had no money left, in desperation, she turned to her children, willing to drag them into her money-making schemes. Now, she sat remembering the letters she’d received from Saul. Everything he wrote was wonderful. He told her all about Storm and how he ended up working for him and how he was teaching him how to be a cowboy. Her envy grew until she made the decision of a lifetime. She was going out west. She had to admit that she did a dangerous thing coming all this way by herself, and since she’d been here, it was one surprise after another, but she still didn’t regret it. The countryside was rugged—like the cowboys. She never knew there were men like these. They worked from dawn to sunset. The work they did kept their bodies strong. They were big, muscled, and played hard. Some were dangerous, but some were mischievous rascals, and she was learning to tell the difference and to love them all. A frown crept across Sable’s face when she remembered Storm telling her she could go home after they had been married about a month. He thought that was what she wanted, but she didn’t. How could she tell him she wanted to stay with him? A bump on the wall. A muffled moan. A grunt of pleasure. She quickly turned and looked at the wall that separated her bedroom from Storm’s. She rose from her chair, walked over there, and put her ear close to it, trying to hear. Heavy breathing. A series of rusty springs. The bounce of something heavy.

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Someone was making love! Sable turned quickly and went to the door. She opened it gently to make sure it didn’t make a sound and peeked around the door frame. She finally walked out into the hall and turned right to Storm’s room. Sneaking around in the dark like this made her feel a little like an amateur sleuth from some of the stories she’d read, but she continued on. When she reached the door, she put her ear up as close to it as she could and heard whispers and moans and bodies tumbling around. With a surge of courage, she touched the knob and turned it. In the dark were three men, Curt, Storm, and—Saul!

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Chapter Ten Saul looked up when he saw the door open and Sable peek in. Oh, God! he thought as he jumped up from the bed, grabbed his clothes, and dressed quickly. With a swift tug, he grabbed Sable’s arm, herded her outside and closed the door behind him. “What the hell are you doing here?” he whispered “I might ask you the same thing.” “None of your damned business. Now go!” “Saul, are you…like them?” “You might as well know the truth. Yes.” “Do you…sleep with them?” “Sometimes. When I’m lucky enough to be included.” He looked down at the way she was dressed. “Look, you’re going to catch your death standing out here half dressed. Go back to your room, and stay out of this.” He turned her around and herded her back to her room. “Are you going back in there?” she whispered. “Hell, no! I feel like I’ve had a bucket of cold water thrown on me. Thanks for ruining it for me. I hope you’re happy.” She stopped when she got to her door. “Good night, Saul. Sorry. I…I heard noises.” “It’s okay. Now, go to sleep, and stop roaming these halls.” “Okay. Whatever you say.” She watched him as he hurried down the hall and down the staircase. When she was sure he was gone, she turned and went back to Storm’s room. She opened the door gently as she did before and went in. As she stood and watched the men make love, it excited her.

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Before Storm told her about his preference, she never really believed anything like this existed. Sex…between men. How long had this been going on? God, she’d been so sheltered! Finally, she began walking toward the bed and reached her hand out to touch them. Their bodies were so strong and muscled…and hot. Even sweaty. She remembered her talk with Storm earlier that evening and slipped her robe and her gown off. …it’s possible for a man who likes men to also like women… Gently climbing in beside them, she whispered, “You boys need a woman to balance things out.” Just then, Curt rolled over on his stomach, his hand landing on her breast. Floating in a world of passion, he began squeezing and tweaking her nipples. The feeling was so sexy. She scooted closer until she was practically beneath him. The first thing she knew he had his mouth on one of her nipples while he squeezed the other. And then suddenly she was one of them, their hands all over her, their cocks searching for her pussy as she kissed their chests gently, one and then the other. Finally, someone turned her over, and Curt was laying against her back, his throbbing cock searching for her hole. When he found it, she felt him enter her with a guttural moan and a sudden frenzy of pushing. He felt heavy, so she looked around and saw Storm about to fuck his ass as he fucked hers. “Ohhh,” she whimpered as he thrust himself into her, his hands cupping her pussy as his cock rode her ass. **** As Storm thrust into Curt over and over, his eyes opened slightly. He was looking through a red-hot haze of passion when he noticed that the door was ajar just a little bit. He didn’t move from Curt’s ass…he couldn’t. He was far too lost in a swirl of sensations that were

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carrying him higher and higher. Each thrust pushed the open door further and further in the back of his mind until his last thrust. That one sent him into a flood of heat that caused a lustful moan to escape his throat. The sound cut through the darkness, shattering the hot, heavy silence of the room. Just then, Curt pulled out of Sable’s ass and turned to Storm and covered his lips with his own. The kiss was deep and so arousing that Storm opened his legs and encircled Curt’s hips, pushing his cock up against him. “Oh, baby,” Curt whispered. “Let me give you what you want.” While Curt was pressing his cock against Storm’s, Sable moved her hand between them and fondled them as they rubbed against each other. Just then, she felt Curt’s hand dig into her pussy and begin to fondle her clit. He was giving her a finger-fuck that had Curt almost losing his momentum as he continued to press himself against Storm’s cock. The bed made a loud squeak, and the springs, one by one, moaned out an erotic melody of lust and passion as the three of them fucked each other. Heavy bouncing, lusty moans, guttural whimpers and moans filled the room. The room seemed to be overflowing with intimate heat, the smell of sex drifting on the wind from an open window. Suddenly, Storm grunted, reaching into a netherworld of passion, the sensations leading upward, higher and higher. And then it happened. He spewed against Curt. Just then, Curt opened up and thrust his cock against Storm for the last time, causing him to let out a big sigh of satisfaction. “Oh, God,” Curt mumbled when he felt Sable take his cock and give him a hand-fuck at the same time he was hand-fucking her clit. From somewhere behind him, Storm reached around Curt, pushed Sable away, and whispered, “Come in my hand, baby.” “I’m not there yet, Storm.”

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“This’ll do it,” Storm said as he lay against Curt in a sixty-nine position, offering him his cock while he took Curt’s cock in his mouth and began to eat it. The two of them writhed together, an orgasm flirting just beyond—and then it was there, bursting upon them and thrusting them around like a mad whipcrack. “Oh, God,” Curt said to Storm. “I’ve come all over you.” “Go ahead and burst some more, baby,” Storm said, still eating him. Curt almost yelled when another load of cum burst from his cock again and again until he felt all his energy leave him. By the time it was all over, his cum and Storm’s mixed together intimately. When Curt relaxed and closed his eyes, Storm leaned in close to him and whispered in his ear while he was kissing the side of his face. “I love you, Curt.” When Curt didn’t move or respond in any way, Storm knew he was asleep. It was just as well, he’d never told Curt he loved him before, and it was hard holding the words back when they made love. He knew he was getting dangerously close to telling Curt the truth, and didn’t know how he would take it. Just then he heard movement and looked over at Sable. With a look of surprise in his eyes, his gaze shifted to the door that was barely opened. “What happened to Saul?” “I took his place.” **** As he stared at her, Sable suddenly felt like an intruder. “Sorry,” she whispered and quickly got up, grabbed her robe, and left. It bothered her as she hurried back down the hall to her room and quickly slammed in. Have I done something wrong? she wondered as she leaned against the closed door.

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It was brazen of her to push her way in between them, and when she heard the words “I love you” coming from Storm when he was talking to Curt, she felt like an intruder. It was an intimate moment, a time meant for them alone, and she had—oh, God, what has she done? She quickly got dressed, ran outside to the bunkhouse, and gently knocked on the bunkhouse door. When Saul opened it, she fell in his arms. “He hates me, Saul.” “Who?” “Storm.” “What are you talking about?” “I went to his room again after you left.” “You went to Storm’s room?” Sable nodded. “I joined in.” “Oh, my God, Sable. Without being invited? What the hell were you thinking?” “Hell, Saul, I don’t know the protocol for men lovers. I just did what I felt.” “But I told you to stay away. Why in hell don’t you do what you’re told once in a while?” “All right, I messed things up, but they both seemed so out of it I didn’t even know if they would realize I was there.” “So, what happened?” “Storm, he…he didn’t look too pleased when it was over, and he found me there. There was an intimate moment when he told Curt he loved him—” “He what?” “He told Curt he loved him.” She looked up and saw a look on Saul’s face she’d never seen before. “Are you okay?” “Yeah…I’m…I’m okay.” After a moment’s hesitation, he said, “So, why are you here?” “I was just thinking…Saul, would you rather me go back home?”

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Saul gave a slight shrug. “Not me, but Storm…Hell, after tonight who knows what he might want? I think we should just wait and see if he brings it up.” “Things being the way they are, I feel like such an outsider. When I saw…” “I know what you saw, Sable.” “How long have you been like this, Saul?” “As long as I can remember.” “But why didn’t you tell me?” “Tell you? Why would I? We never talked about things like this.” She looked down, fooling with a tissue in her hands. “Storm…” She got a warm feeling inside even when she mentioned his name. “Storm is a wonderful man. Do you know he told me about himself immediately? Him and Curt. And yet you, my own brother, kept it a secret from me.” She looked up at him. “You should have told me, Saul. When I saw you with the others, I…well, it was a shock.” “Well, if you’d mind your own business...” “I know, but it does kind of leave me out. I mean, I understand, I really do. You weren’t expecting me, and I seem to have upset things for you.” She looked up at him. “I am sorry, Saul.” “It’s okay. No reason to apologize. Actually, I’m relieved that you know. I’m only sorry you had to find out this way. There’s no need to feel uncomfortable about this. You’ll be fine as long as you remember to stay in your room at night instead of roaming around the halls.” He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “I’m not ashamed of what I am, Sable. I hope you’re not.” He walked her to the door and said, “Are we okay?” She smiled. “Yes, we are, Saul. And thank you.” Sable walked out into the western night and looked up at the big, chunky stars. The sky seemed wider, bigger out west. The perfect setting for romance. This brought Storm to mind, and her eyes filled with tears. It seemed that only the handsomest men—no. She

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wouldn’t think about it. But it was true. The handsomest men were the ones that—no. She said she wouldn’t think of it, and she wouldn’t. But the tears wouldn’t go away. **** It was a slow night when Sheriff William Chase sat in his office brushing the dirt of a busy day off his boots. As he rubbed the leather back and forth, he thought of the time five years ago when the little town of Thunderbolt was wild and rowdy, consisting of little more than saloons, dance halls, gambling parlors, and brothels. But the west was growing and slowly gaining in respectability with lawful businessmen and hard-working pioneers who craved a sense of stability and demanded law and order. The time had come for a sheriff, so they inquired until they were put on the trail of William Chase, a former Pinkerton Detective Agent and wildcat oil driller. When they found him, he was on a wolf hunt, capturing hundreds of wolves single-handedly without ever having to kill one. They roamed in packs, killing cattle, baby steers, and chickens until Chase put out traps for some and stalked others one by one. He would keep them from attacking him by jamming his hands down their throats. The town felt if a man had all that to his credit, he could most certainly turn a town like Thunderbolt into a thriving community. It turned out to be a good decision because after Sheriff Chase got in office, up sprang a school, a church, and a bank. Thunderbolt was on its way until the town fathers began a town hall, formed a council, and took over the city. Now, the sheriff stalked a new kind of wolf. His face was tanned, his eyes piercing and dark, and his hair was closely cropped and dark. He didn’t look in the mirror much since he wasn’t a vain man, but one thing about Sheriff Chase, his boots were

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always clean. Many times when Storm would come into his office he’d see the sheriff with his foot on a chair brushing his boots off. “You at it again?” “Always keep your boots clean, Storm. If a man’s boots are clean, then you know he’s got a clean soul.” The sheriff turned and gave his brush to Storm. “Be my guest.” Laughing while he took the brush, Storm lifted his leg, rested his booted foot on the chair, and began a regiment that would somehow take hold. From that day on, Storm’s boots were always shining clean—his and the sheriff’s. Now, as the sheriff got up and peered through his window at the people passing by, he saw couples coming and going. Some were just dance hall girls being walked home by a cowboy after a rowdy drinking party at the saloon. Others were farmers hurrying to get home to their wives and kids. Hurrying to a warm house, a comforting wife, and kids to play with until suppertime. It all painted such a beautiful picture. A sheriff’s life wasn’t conducive to marriage. What woman would want to be married to a man that might die any day? She’d never know when he went to work whether he would be coming home. Although the sheriff longed for marriage, he couldn’t do that to a woman. That’s why he hadn’t married—and why he probably never would. He’d made his decision a long time ago while chasing down a dirty, rotten killer that went free for raping and killing a seventeenyear-old kid. That was the day the question of lawman or husband was put to him. He chose lawman. He didn’t regret that decision as a rule, but right about now— All at once he smiled when he saw his good friend Storm Benedict with a beautiful young woman on his arm coming this way. He opened the door and said, “Howdy, Storm.” He looked down at

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Sable and tipped his hat. “We must have a new citizen in Thunderbolt. Mighty pretty one, too, I might add.” “Sheriff, this is my mail-order bride, Sable Denis.” “Oh, your bride.” “Yeah. You said to let you know when she was here. She just arrived a couple of days ago. You been out of town, so this is the first chance I’ve had to bring her in to meet you.” “You ain’t married yet?” “Not yet. If the weather holds up, we’ll be goin’ over to see the parson and let him set the day.” He looked down at Sable. “Sable wanted kind of a pretty weddin’, not just a quick ‘I do,’ so I’m gonna see what day the parson has open.” “Well, Sable, I’m mighty glad to meet you. Now, you make this weasel take good care of you, hear? Don’t let him get away with nothin’. I’ll check on you from time to time to see if you’re all right.” “What do you mean?” Sable asked, confused. “Oh, nothin’ really. It’s just this wild country out here. It’s full of outlaws, gunslingers, a little bit of everything. I like to police the prairies every chance I get. You know, look in on the homesteaders and such.” He looked up at Storm. “You tell her, Storm.” “Well, Sable, I hate to admit it, but he’s right. But don’t you worry none. I’ll take good care of you.” “Well, thank you, sheriff,” Sable said. “I’m sure I’ll be fine with Storm.” Storm put out his hand to the sheriff. “Thanks, sheriff. It looks bad out there, so we’d better be gettin’ on over to the church. You’ll check in with the town fathers, won’t you? Tell them everythin’ is fine?” “I’ll do that, Storm. Bye now.” As soon as they closed the door, Storm looked up at the sky and then headed toward the buggy. “We’d better get goin’,” he said as he put out his hand to help her up. Sable pointed toward the church and said, “Shouldn’t we be gettin’ on over to Parson Brown’s now?”

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“Well, ordinarily I’d say yes, but I just noticed the sky. It looks bad. I think I need to get you home before it starts. We can do this tomorrow.” He took her hand and pulled her along to the buggy and helped her up. About halfway home, the rain started, and Storm rode as fast as he could until he saw a shack in the distance. It was a shack that had been half burned down, leaving only a portion of a room with the fireplace. It was just enough to keep them dry if the wind didn’t blow too much. As soon as he got there, he helped her down from her seat, swept her up in his arms, and rushed her into the covered part. “You need to take them things off so you won’t catch cold. I’ll try and find us some firewood so we can have a fire.” **** While Storm was gone, Sable looked around and saw a chest located beside the fireplace. She went over there and tried to open it, but it seemed stubborn. She kept trying and discovered that the hinges were rusty, but she forced them until they squeaked as if they were in pain. When it finally creaked open, she saw blankets, pillows, and towels amid the cobwebs, dragged them out, and dusted them off. By the time Storm was back, she had a blanket spread out, had dried herself off with a towel, and had another blanket wrapped around her. “Well,” he said as he made his way in, “you look comfortable. As soon as I get a fire started, this will be just like home.” “Did you find any dry kindling?” “This is not just kindling, this is wood. I found a covered woodbox at the side of the house. Pretty lucky, huh?” While he was laying the fire, he glanced over at Sable and saw her nodding off. His eyes shifted toward the chest, looked in it, and found a pillow. He grabbed it quickly and went over to where she was.

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When Sable felt Storm moving her, she opened her eyes and smiled. Their eyes met and held. “What do you think you’re doing, cowboy?” “Just tryin’ to make you comfortable, ma’am.” His drawl made her belly run wild with thrills trailing all the way down deep in her belly. She could almost feel her clit swelling and reaching. The warmth from the fire felt good as the cold, wet rain pounded overhead. As the day got later and later, the fire became their only light, the shadow of the flames dancing along the floor. Storm kept stoking the fire, trying to keep it ablaze while the wind blew the moisture into the little shack. It wasn’t the most comfortable place she’d been in, but she loved it because it drove her and Storm closer into each other’s arms. “You’re wet,” she whispered with a husky voice. “You need to get out of those clothes.” He looked down at the blanket around her and knew she was naked beneath it. The V in front provided a dark tunnel, leading to the soft roundness of her cleavage. “I guess you’re right,” he said softly and slowly began undressing while she watched, and then got under her blanket with her. “This is one hell of a place to be just before our marriage.” She looked up and pulled his head down, offering her lips to him. “I’m not complaining.” While their lips met in a passionate kiss, their tongues mating, Storm climbed on Sable, his legs pushing between hers. An electric shock scorched through her belly when she felt their bodies meeting. Skin to skin, heat on top of heat, and then his enormous cock began to rub against her cleft, turning mere heat to a raging fire. Her body ached for his touch, and she couldn’t control her outcry of delight when he moved his hips, making her cleft part and his cock rub against her clit. She raised her legs, opening herself up and gasping as he inched in closer and closer until the tip was inside her. Her back arched, her need was so great. She could feel it pressing deeper and

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deeper until she felt herself climbing toward an orgasm, but it was too soon. When she came, she wanted to feel his whole cock inside her, his plunges hard and wild, over and over, in and out. Even the pain of his large cock stretching her was heaven. When his hungry mouth caught her breasts and his hands squeezed her ass, she surrendered to him totally and completely, loving his touch, his fire, his ardor. He seemed to know what would make her crazy and held nothing back. Finally, his plunge was hard, demanding, insistent. He not only wanted her surrender, he wanted her soul. And she would give it to him gladly. And then, as they rocked together on the hard ground and their passion mounted, lightning flashed, and the storm turned deadly. The shack trembled and shook, but they were caught up in a passion that made them oblivious to the storm around them. While it continued to rage, the turbulent wind rocked the lean-to, and something began to rip and tear, but they hardly heard it. Suddenly, the roof blew backward and then came a loud ripping sound as it tore away from the lean-to and blew away. In the next moment, they were being pummeled by the storm and the wind. “Oh, God, Storm…” Her words suddenly faded, muffled by the sound of the storm screaming, the wind blowing, and the rain making a small lake around them. Like the storm around her, Storm’s love was tumultuous and fiery. For one crazy moment, she thought of Saul. They both couldn’t have him. What would they do? A brother and sister in competition for a man they both loved. All at once, while Storm was kissing the rain off her, he plunged into her so deep she thought he had penetrated her very being. And despite the pouring rain, she went with him, clinging, urging herself upward, reaching, grabbing. It was an the elusive sensation that played cat and mouse with her until the very last plunge, the very last push and pull of Storm’s cock. She had to have it. She wanted it so

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badly, so completely—and then suddenly, heaven was in her, around her, filling her with a warm, melting sensation, bringing with it a total and complete shattering of her soul. Although the rain was hitting their bodies, the fire seemed to heat up the cold rain, and they were bathed in warmth, almost as if they were surrounded by the warm water of a delicious bath. Just then, Storm came to his senses and jumped up. “Oh, my God, I’ve got to get you out of here!” “I’ll never forget this, Storm,” she yelled over the rain. “In spite of the rain or maybe because of it, I’ll never forget how you loved me tonight.” “What if you die of pneumonia?” he yelled back. “You won’t remember it so happily then.” “Oh, yes I will, but I don’t know how, in my wildest dreams, heaven could compare to what you gave me tonight.” “Silly girl. Come on.” She laughed while Storm made sure the fire was out and carried her to the buggy. **** Storm urged the horses as fast as he could. He was worried. All he needed now was a wheel to fall off, and the night would be perfect. At least the buggy had part of a top on it that resembled a parasol. While whipping the reins around like a first-rate driver, he silently resolved that first thing tomorrow, Sable was going to learn how to ride a horse. Then he would gladly give this buggy back to the stable owner he rented it from. **** Sable hung onto his arm as he drove, thinking love was wonderful—even in the pouring rain.

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Chapter Eleven The next night Sable’s bottom was sore. She had been in the saddle all day because Storm was determined to teach her to ride. Storm had explained to her that she would get used to it and even enjoy her time in the saddle, but she somehow doubted it. As she sunk down into her bed, she felt blessed sleep lifting her into dreamland and went with it. She’d never loved the bed quite so much as she did that night. Cock-a-doodle-dooooo! Sable suddenly lunged up when she heard the cock crow. She looked around. The room was still dark! It couldn’t be! She had just got into bed, and now it was time to get up? She threw her legs over the side, jumped up, ran to the window, and looked out. There before her very eyes, even though she could hardly believe it, was the first blush of a beautiful sunrise on the horizon. Dawn! Later, as Sable limped out to the kitchen rubbing her backside, she saw everyone gathered around the table that was set, and delicious smells of baked bread, scrambled eggs, and ham seemed to drift toward her. “It’s about time you got up,” Storm said as he cut his teasing gaze toward Saul and Curt and winked. “You can’t sleep in—” “Sleep in?” Sable shouted, hating Storm for the first time since she’d met him. “Sleep in?” she yelled louder this time. “The fucking chickens weren’t even up when I got out of bed!” “Someone’s grumpy this morning,” Storm continued, a slight grin on his face. “Pearl,” he said to the housekeeper, “set Miss Denis a

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plate.” He then reached over and pulled out her chair. “Sit down, Sable. Everything is ready.” While rubbing her backside, she said, “I…I think I’ll eat standing.” Just then, her attention was taken by a snickering sound, and turned to see that it was Curt and Saul. “What the hell do you two find so funny?” “Cut it out, boys,” Storm said as he tried to suppress a smile. Sable looked back at Storm. “What’s going on here?” “Sable, the truth is we expected you to sleep in and rest a little. Riding, like everything else on a ranch, is hard. You’re new at this and a woman as well. It’s okay if you want to take a little time for yourself. You did very good yesterday, and I’m proud of you.” “I’m a woman?” Sable asked as her eyes narrowed on Storm. “A woman? And women have to be coddled and cared for because they can’t do as much as a man. Is that right?” She turned and looked at all of them and said, “Well, fuck you!” Everyone’s eyes widened in surprise. “I can do anything you can do and probably do it a damned sight better.” Suddenly, she pushed her plate away and said, “C’mon, get the hell up from there, boys, and let’s get to work!” “Sable, you don’t have to…” She gave Storm a killer look and said, “Hop to it, Storm! The sun’s been up a full ten minutes, and you’re still eating eggs! Why don’t you chew on a few nails once in a while, maybe it’ll take that jelly out of your backbone!” **** As Sable banged out of the house, Storm knew the joke was over. He looked over at the others and saw them staring at Sable as if she were some kind of monster that had just crawled up out of hell. “What the hell just happened here?” Storm asked with a confused look on his face.

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“God, Storm, I’m sorry. I can’t believe…” He hesitated. “She…” “What, Saul? What?” “The truth is, she’s always been a real hellcat and won’t take any guff off of anyone. She’s tried to hold it down since she’s been here, but the minute you said what you did about her being a woman, she just came apart.” He shrugged. “I’m afraid you’ve rattled her cage, Storm, and Sable, the wildcat, has escaped.” “I can’t believe it!” Storm said as he looked through the screen door at her making her way toward the corral. “Sable, the nice, sweet, gentle girl that’s as pretty as a picture is really a…” He looked back over at Saul. “What did you call her?” “A hellcat,” Saul said then began talking quickly. “Don’t get me wrong, Storm. Sable is a real sweet girl most of the time, but she just won’t be pushed around or let anyone take advantage of her.” “Who the hell’s taking advantage?” “Being called a woman is a sore spot with her.” “But she is a woman. What’s so bad about that?” “You don’t understand. The delicate feminine thing don’t work with her. Quite frankly, she wants to be treated like a man.” Storm’s gaze sharpened. “She does, does she? Well, gents, she’s about to get her wish.” With that, Storm slammed out the door, looking for the sweet little kitten that just turned into a mountain lion. When Storm found her, he stood back watching as she tried to get on a horse with her voluminous skirt, and it was all he could do not to burst out laughing. After the skirt of her dress had been ripped and torn and was just barely hanging on, she finally gave up, turned and ran to the house, angrily slammed inside and hurried up to her room. Storm followed her. “I told her yesterday that she couldn’t ride in those clothes,” Storm said softly as if afraid she would hear. “But she wouldn’t listen. Now, it looks as if she’s ruined one of her good dresses.” They continued whispering among themselves until they finally looked up and saw Sable standing in the door wide-legged and

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dressed in a pair of cutoff jeans. She had swiped one of Storm’s Western shirts, and to keep it from hanging too far down over her hips, she tied it up beneath her breasts. As she stood there with her hands on her hips, she said, “Are you three still eating? Them cattle ain’t gonna brand themselves, you know.” The three men just stood there looking at her, almost afraid to say anything when Storm separated himself from the three of them and walked toward her. When he stood before her, he reached down, lifted her up as if she weighed no more than a sack of grass, and turned and put her back down so he could go through the door. “Get out of my way, you little hellcat, and remember who’s boss around here.” Sable watched him as he disappeared into the shadows, her heart going pitter-patter. He was big, mean, and tough. Suddenly, it seemed as if a light had just been turned on, and she could see what it was she really wanted. Now she knew it wasn’t only his looks that attracted her or those devilish eyes and muscled frame. She simply wanted a man she couldn’t push around. She had a feeling she’d found him—too late. **** In the days that followed, Storm gave Sable her wish and began treating her like a man. When she struggled, he didn’t move a muscle to help. Instead he yelled at her, insulted her, and made her do the task over and over again until she did it right. He growled, pushed, and even tripped her on purpose, causing her to fall. When he slapped her on her back for doing a good job, she fell forward onto the ground, and Storm walked away, not even offering to help her up. The days were hot, and many times they would stop for water. It was a golden opportunity for Storm to splash her and accidentally knock her into the horse trough. Later he pushed against her and watched her fall headlong into the

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pigpen. The satisfaction he felt when she got up covered with slop was very heart-warming. He made her lug water, chop wood, and purposely took her on a trip to buy horses. When they camped out, one night they got stalked by Indians, and Storm, in a moment of seething anger, tried to trade her away. “No way!” one Indian said to Storm in his broken English. “Damn!” he shouted at her. “The Indians don’t even want you!” For the insulting remark, she pushed him backward, causing him to fall into a cocklebur bush. It took him most of the night to pick them out of his clothes, but when they were finally gone, he grabbed her, turned her over in his lap, and spanked her. This war went on for days, and for two cents, Storm would have cancelled the wedding, but since he needed her, he decided, come hell or high water, she was going to fulfill her agreement with him. So, on the day of the wedding, with Sable dressed in one of her best dresses and Storm dressed in his best Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes, they made their way to the church. “You sure do look pretty,” the sheriff said and leaned close to him. “You even smell pretty.” “Shut up,” Storm said while tugging on his collar and fooling with his string tie. “Sable wanted me to dress up.” The sheriff laughed. “She’s makin’ you toe the line already, huh?” “What the hell are all these people doin’ here?” “I guess they want to see you get married.” Storm noticed that not only were the town fathers there but almost the whole town. He hadn’t intended it to be such a festive occasion. He’d only intended to come in, have a few friends there, and then head back to the ranch. He figured it was the lunch on church grounds that brought them out, as well as the games for the children. Apparently, the parson had gone all out for the occasion. With everything that went on, it was a tiring, all-day affair, but Storm hung in there and was thankful when it was over. After saying good-bye and receiving congratulations all around, they were finally

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on their way home. Breathing a big sigh of relief, Storm pulled at his string tie, unbuttoned the top button on his shirt, and guided the horses toward home. “Something’s been bothering you, Storm. What is it?” Storm looked over at Sable and asked, “Why do you say that?” “I can tell.” Storm was silent for a moment, and then the words he spoke were soft and troubled. “You know the only reason I married you was to get the ranch, don’t you?” Sable looked at him, a thread of sadness dimming the sunshine above and making the warm winds blow just a little cooler. “That’s what’s been bothering you?” “That and a lot of other stuff.” “What else?” Storm stopped the buggy and turned to look at her. “I’ve been cheated, and I don’t mind sayin’ I’m disappointed in you, Sable.” “What did I do?” “You paraded in here pretendin’ to be a sweet little—” For want of a better word, he finally said, “—kitten, but you turned out to be a fuckin’ mountain lion. Here I’ve been tryin’ to watch my language with you because I thought I’d offend the sweet little Boston filly, but it turns out that you know more curse words than I do. Where the hell did you learn all this? Weren’t you brought up to be a lady?” “I am a lady, Storm.” “You may know how to conduct yourself in a drawing room, but that don’t make you no lady. A real lady don’t yell, and they sure as hell don’t curse like a demon right out of hell.” “Oh, I see. Only a man can curse.” “At least a man don’t come in pretendin’ he’s somethin’ he ain’t. At least not a man brought up in the west. Them Eastern dudes I’m not so sure of. Here’s the way it’ll be. We’ll stay married for about a month, and then you can go back to Boston. You’ll be a little bit smarter and a whole lot richer.”

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“You say that like you don’t care. I thought maybe we were beginning to like each other. Even maybe love…” “Love?” Storm said, looking at her incredulously. “Sable, do you even know what that word means? Let me straighten you out on love. First of all, it’s a warm, sweet, soft feeling that you feel when you’re around that certain someone. It’s a heart-poundin’, blood-pumpin’, goosepimply feelin’ you get just by lookin’ at them. It’s sure as hell not pushing him into a cocklebur bush!” “But look at what you’ve done to me.” “I started out doing what I thought you wanted, but when nothing seemed to make you happy, I decided to give you a vague idea of what it’s like to be a man. We don’t get the luxury of crying everytime we break a nail or a hair gets out of place. We have to push on. And if a little dirt gets on us, we keep going. You say you want to be treated like a man, but you don’t really. You just want to be boss and have everyone bow down to you and say yes ma’am and no ma’am. Well, sister, here’s one that ain’t gonna sit still for it. I intend to give as good as I get, and if that’s not what you want, then you’re free to leave anytime you want. Just so you know, young lady, there won’t be any more rainy nights or sex with this dude because if I do take a woman, I want the satisfaction of knowin’ she is a lady.” He hesitated a moment and then said, “By the way, stay in your own room from now on.” She quickly lifted her hand to slap him when he caught it in midair. “Pull your claws back in, hellcat, ’cause I ain’t havin’ none of it.” She tried to yank her wrist out of his hand when he pulled her close, his face near enough that his hot breath warmed her face. “One more thing. I’m a man’s man, see. I like men, I don’t like hellcats. Don’t be tryin’ to work your female wiles on me. I won’t fall into that little trap again.” “You’ll fall. You all do. Let a woman bat an eyelash, and you all come running.”

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“There’s plenty of men out there that will, I’m sure, but I don’t happen to be one of ’em.” He loosed her wrist so abruptly, she fell against him, her breasts rubbing against his arm. She looked up into his eyes, and with a seducing tone of voice, she said, “In one month, I’ll have you eating out of my hand.” “You mean like I’ve got you doin’ now?” She froze for a moment, his comment insulting. “All right, so I like you. Is that a crime?” With that, he flapped the reins and the horses lurched forward. “There’ll be no more riding lessons, no more nothing. I’m not wasting my time on a little hellcat that’ll be going back home soon.” With one big flap on the horses’ backside to speed them up, he added sarcastically, “You can sleep as late as you want.” The horses lurched forward, riding and snorting as if Storm’s anger had transferred to them. **** Sable moved over and sat on her side of the buggy thinking about the disaster everything had turned into. Now he was sending her home and giving her no choice in the matter. Before, when he was willing to teach her how to be a cowgirl, it must have been because he thought she might stay, but now he wanted no part of her. She knew it would happen eventually. In a fit of temper she had ripped away her mask and made him sorry he had ever sent for her. She might have pushed him away with her hot temper, but at least the air was clearer between them. And if she did make him love her, at least it would be her he loved and not some little wimp with no backbone.

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Chapter Twelve In the days that followed, Sable didn’t ask for help from anyone. She put on her shorts and roomy shirt and went to work. She learned all by herself how to cinch up a saddle and how to take care of it with saddle soap and oil. Next, she got to know the horse. She petted him, let him smell her scent, and spoke to him so he would know her voice. “I love you, boy,” she said softly. “How about we go for a ride out on the prairie? Now, since you know your way around, I’ll give you plenty of rein so you can go wherever you want. If you’re thirsty, find a lake, or if you’re hungry, chow down on some nice green grass. Maybe we’ll find an apple tree. You like apples, don’t you?” Feeling rebellious, she stayed away all afternoon hoping that Storm would worry about her, but when she returned, she was disappointed to find that they had all gone into town, and her supper plate had been kept hot in the oven. That night, when she was talking to Saul in her room, she said, “Saul, what’s a man’s man?” “Where the hell did you hear that?” “Around.” “Well, actually it depends on what world you’re in. In the straight world, a ‘man’s man’ is someone who all men aspire to be like. But in the world of the homosexual, it’s a man who likes men instead of women. You know, sexually.” “And that’s what you are.” “Sable,” he said, turning to her, “I thought we already had this conversation.”

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“I know, but what about a man who likes both men and women? What do you call them?” “Uhhh,” Saul began, scratching his head. “Bisexual, I think.” “That’s when he can be attracted to either men or women. Right?” “I guess,” he said, going over to the dresser and smoothing down his hair. “If it don’t apply to me, then I don’t know much about it.” “Are you saying that you’re not a bisexual?” He turned back to her. “Sable, why all these questions?” “I’m trying to learn, Saul.” “I don’t know if Storm is bisexual or not. Ask him.” “Who said anything about Storm?” “Sable, I know how you feel about Storm. Hell, I feel the same way. That’s one for the books, isn’t it? The sister and brother in love with the same man. Talk about twisted.” Twisted, indeed! Sable thought but said nothing. “Do you mind, Saul? I’d like to go to bed. I’m pretty tired.” “Sure,” Saul said and walked to the door. When he opened it, he turned to her. “Remember, don’t go roaming around the house sticking your nose into something that doesn’t concern you.” “Yeah, okay.” She walked to the door and closed it behind him when he left and then went to the dresser. After changing clothes, she picked up the brush and began brushing her hair while thinking about Storm. Suddenly, she heard sounds that were similar to the ones she had heard the other night. That night, Saul had made up a threesome, but he’d just left her room, so she doubted he would be part of this one. Putting the brush down gently, she felt tempted to go roaming through the halls again but had promised Saul she wouldn’t. Trying to ignore them, she lay down and tried to go to sleep but found herself tossing and turning. Finally, she got up and sat on the side of her bed, looking at the wall where the sounds were coming from. Thinking she should go and tell them to stay quiet, she heard a loud moan and jumped up. Without wasting another minute, she

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walked out of her room and down to Storm’s room, determined to say something. She reached up to knock, but she couldn’t. She looked down at the doorknob and wondered if it was locked. After the last time she barged in, it was likely they had locked it this time. She reached down, and gently turned the knob. To her surprise, the door slowly opened, causing the sounds she heard to get louder. The moans, the sounds of passion, the… Her eyes widened. She’d never get used to seeing two men fucking each other. It was Curt and Storm. Muscled bodies embraced and kissing. Cocks, large and stiff, one rubbing against the other. Oh, God, it was…it was so hot! She didn’t know what to do. She wanted to join in but knew she shouldn’t. She wanted to ask them to be a little quieter, but the longer she stared at these two moving bodies as one sought to satisfy the other, something very hot and very stimulating was happening inside her. A trickling of heat, hot threads of dynamite had grown to a fevered pitch and began to burst inside her groin, one after the other. It moved her feet toward them, her hands. She wanted to reach out and touch these two magnificent bodies covered with sweat that sparkled like diamonds in the moonlight as it filtered through the window. Ever since the first time, being a part of this twosome was a fantasy that had begun growing in her mind, so much so that she found herself boldly climbing on the bed. When Storm had slid down Curt’s body to take his cock into his mouth, Sable began to undress and then mounted Curt and began slowly licking his hairless chest until she came to a nipple. With her tongue, she tweaked it, feeling it stiffen with erotic pleasure. It felt good in her mouth, and she sucked and sucked and then moved over to his other nipple. Slowly, she made her way down his body, sucking all the man elixir she could. The taste was musky, mixed with the slight flavor of whiskey, cigarettes, and saddle soap, and maybe a touch of sagebrush. His skin was stretched tight, his muscles rippling as he moved. He was so hard all over that he caught her off guard when she felt his

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hands lift her, his mouth covering her nipples and his fingers entering her pussy and tantalizing her clit. “Where did you come from?” Curt whispered in her ear. “I just dropped in to show you boys how it’s done,” Sable answered, her breathing suddenly short as she immediately felt herself climbing toward an orgasm. **** After Storm fucked Curt’s ass, he saw Sable and realized she had turned their twosome into a threesome again, and he slowly withdrew, letting Curt have her. Feeling a little angry, he grabbed a robe and went out to the bunkhouse to Saul. He slammed in, waking Saul. Saul sat up, looking around. “Damn, Storm, you scared me. What the hell are you doing here? Where’s Curt?” “He’s in there with your little hellcat sister, fucking the hell out of her.” “I thought you and he…” “We were until she showed up.” “Damn!” Saul said while he sat up, raking his fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry, Storm. I told her to stay away, but you know how she is. She pretty much does what she wants.” “Look, Saul. I’m…I’m all wired up. I sure would like a little—” “Oh, so now you want me. Hell, Storm, this is anything but ego building. Curt’s not available, so you come to me. I ought to say no.” He was angry at Storm, but when he looked up at him and saw the face and body he’d worshipped since the first time he saw it in a picture, he couldn’t say no. So, cursing his weakness, he pulled back the covers of his bed and invited Storm in. Storm quickly crawled in, feeling the warmth surround him as he melted into Saul’s arms.

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Saul took Storm in his arms, knowing he was here only because Curt was with Sable, but he didn’t care. As Storm leaned over him and their lips met, he tasted familiar. His embrace was always hot and humid, and Saul couldn’t help but moan as he felt Storm’s heavy body coming down over his. He didn’t care what it took to get him here. He would take him however he could get him. All at once, he felt Storm’s cock against him, and a series of fiery thrills burst in his groin, filling up his cock and making it so hard he thought it might explode with desire. He pushed himself against Storm’s muscled frame, his cock and Storm’s rubbing together while he moved his mouth down along Storm’s neck and then down to his chest. As he chewed and nibbled on Storm, he pushed against him, opening his legs, inviting Storm to take his ass. “You know I’ll always be here, Storm. You want a fuck, you come to me,” Saul said breathlessly. “Oh, God, Saul, I do want you,” he whispered in the dark room. “More than I thought. Both you and Curt, you’ve got different things I have to have.” “I’m yours, baby, anytime you want me.” The naughty sensations that gathered in their groins filled their cocks, making them reach out to each other in a wild erotic dance. Rubbing, fucking, cocks and balls meeting and mating as they reached into that heat and let it surround them until the anticipated explosion came. Their bodies writhed and bounced, one on top and then the other, and then Saul opened his legs wider, achingly begging Storm to take his ass quick. “Fuck me, baby,” he said, his breathing heavy and labored. “Oh, God, I want it so bad, Storm.” The bedsprings squeaked, the frame shook as they moved feverishly, their arms embracing each other. Saul’s legs circled around Storm’s bucking ass as he plunged into Saul taking him into the heaven of shattered souls.

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It seemed forever that their bodies bucked together, sensations blazing while both took pleasure from the other’s body. Their kisses sounded wet, and their hands squeezed each other’s ass. Pushing, pulling, grunting, groaning until at last a blast of cum came spewing out of each of them, hot to the touch and marking the end of a night of forbidden man sex. **** Back at the house, Sable was so caught up in Curt’s lovemaking, she hadn’t noticed that Storm wasn’t there. She surrendered to his hot lips and long cock to such a degree that she literally clung to him, her teeth biting along his neck, her tongue sucking, and her thighs clenching him. She moved feverishly, her cunt pulsing from want, her melting warmth surrounding Curt’s cock, reaching, grabbing, urging upward to grab that ultimate joy. And then she came. She heard Curt grunt at the same time, his hips moving in abandon as he gave her a series of last plunges, sending a melting heat into her groin that flooded her and stretched up through her belly for a complete and wondrous fulfillment. When she at last wilted against the bed, her eyes slightly opened, and she discovered that she and Curt were alone. Despite her exhaustion, her eyes flew open, and she looked around. Where was Storm?

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Chapter Thirteen “Where the hell did you go last night?” Curt asked Storm as he peeled his clothes off at the lake. “You left me alone with that little hellcat.” “Did she do it for you? I mean, you do like women, too, don’t you?” Storm gave him a hard look and then turned away and walked into the water. Curt looked at him, surprised at his sarcastic comment, and then hurried after him and pulled at his arm to turn him around. “So that’s the way it is. You’re fuckin’ jealous.” “No, I’m not jealous. It’s just that I see a pattern developing here. It’s the second time she’s come into our room when we were together.” “She did? When was the last time?” “It was the night Saul was with us.” “Saul? That’s her damned brother.” “It’s not what you think. Saul left, and she took his place. Hell, she didn’t even know about Saul until that night.” “All right, so she comes into our room. So what?” “I don’t want her in there, Curt. I hate the damn bitch. But apparently, you don’t, so you can do it alone.” Curt grabbed Storm, turned him all the way around, and looked him square in the eyes. “Let’s get somethin’ straight right now. I may not hate the bitch, but I sure as hell don’t prefer her over you. If we can’t do it in your room, then we’ll find another spot. We’ve got our pick of fuckin’ bedrooms, and any one of ’em will do. If that don’t work, we’ll hide, damn it. In the hayloft, the… I know, we can go up

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to your old place, Thunderbolt Mountain. If she finds us up there, she’s part bloodhound.” “This is ridiculous, Curt. I’m just gonna send her back home. When I first saw her, I thought she was a beautiful doll that needed protectin’, but after bein’ around her, I wouldn’t give the devil in hell a chance against her.” “But you’re married to this hothead, Storm.” “It don’t matter. She was goin’ home anyway in about a month. I’ll just send her a little sooner.” “What about the sheriff? He’s sure to tell the town fathers.” “I know, but I don’t like all this shady business anyway. If I lose the ranch, I’ll just lose it.” “What’ll you do?” “Kill a few people,” Storm mumbled. “Think about what you’re sayin’, Storm.” Storm shrugged. “I guess there’s nothin’ I can do. I’ll have to go back up to the mountain and stay there.” “That’s a hell of a lot of money to pay in to somethin’ that didn’t work. I’d like to tell that damned female just what she’s cost you.” “Just leave her alone, Curt. It’s my fault anyway. If I hadn’t been in such an all-fired hurry to have the ranch, I would’ve been more careful.” “Hey,” Curt said as they stood close, the water waist-high. “Ever been fucked in the water?” Storm’s cock twitched, a wanton lust causing it to rise. “I can’t say that I have.” “Let me show you,” Curt said, reaching for Storm’s cock that had already grown stiff. He slowly went around him until he was behind Storm and rubbed his cock along his ass until he sank it between the cheeks of his butt. While his cock rubbed him, his hands squeezed his butt together. With eyes that closed in passion and a moan escaping his throat, his breathing became short and choppy in Storm’s ear.

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Meanwhile, Curt cupped Storm’s cock with his hands, his palms rubbing it so easy and tender, making Storm softly moan. His hands began at the sensitive top and then continued all along the rod to the root where his balls waited. When Curt took them, he cupped them in his palm and played with them until he knew Storm was ready to come. “Curt,” Storm said, “this is good, but I want your cock inside me.” Suddenly, Curt began pumping faster, and as he came, he leaned against Storm’s back for a moment and said, “So do I, baby. Let’s go over to that ledge there, and you lean over it while I take your ass.” “What if someone comes along and sees us?” “They’ll have to wait their turn.” Storm smiled at his joke while they made their way to the ledge where he leaned forward. Curt began to rub his hands all over Storm’s body, savoring every muscled part until he reached his ass and pulled his cheeks open and found his hole. With his fingers he stretched Storm out and then edged his cock inside gently until Storm’s ass closed over the top of Curt’s cock. “Ohhhhh,” Curt moaned, slowly going in further and further until he began a slight push and pull, waking up the deep, dark sensations that lay dormant. With every plunge, the sensations grew, flaring out, sending him on a subtle journey to the climax that was elusive. It was a winking, teasing heaven that seemed to want to be coerced with more plunges, more moans, and even more wild and aggressive pursuits. The two cowboys’ wild and bucking movements made the water splash, sending waves out into the middle, the turbulence wild and free as they sought their release. As Curt’s muscled body leaned over Storm’s back, his arms wrapped around him, his hands groping until he found his cock and began to pump it. Clutching it tightly, he gave Storm a hand-fuck while he took his ass, still chasing the explosive promise of completion. Each one could feel themselves edging closer

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and closer to the heaven that was promised, the water splashing freely as it slapped against the bank of the lake. And then the two cowboys drifted into the hellish delight that was their release. When at last these two lusty giants exploded, they lay limp, one over the other while they waited for their strength to return. And then slowly, they rose, a look of intimacy as their eyes met and fused. “I’ll never want anyone but you, baby,” Curt whispered as he touched Storm’s face. “Anyone else is just a passing fancy, someone to fill my need. There’ll never be a forever love like you.” The two embraced, Storm at last hearing the words he’d waited so long to hear. **** That afternoon Storm saddled up his horse and sneaked away from the ranch. He hadn’t mentioned anything to Sable about going back home, so he got Curt’s help in keeping her busy while he rode into town to talk to the sheriff. When he walked in, the sheriff was locking up a drunk and letting him sleep it off. “Has Willy been at it again?” Storm asked. “Yeah,” the sheriff answered with an amused smile on his face. “Every time he comes into town I make sure I’ve got at least one empty cell. Ordinarily, he’s a real good Joe, but when he starts drinkin’, he gets mean.” “Sheriff, if you’ve got time, I’d like to talk to you.” “Sure,” the sheriff said while hanging the keys on the wall peg. He indicated toward the chair beside his desk. “Take a seat while I get some coffee. Want some?” “No, thanks.” The sheriff came and sat down opposite him, looking at Storm’s concerned face. “You sure got somethin’ on your mind. I can tell.” He

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took a swig of his coffee, got comfortable, and looked at Storm. “So what is it?” “It’s about Sable. You know, the little gal from Boston.” The sheriff smiled. “Oh, yeah, your mail-order bride. I got to tell you, Storm, you lucked out there. Hell, my horse is better lookin’ than some of them women.” He took another sip of his coffee. “But this one’s a real beauty.” “Yeah, I guess she is.” He hesitated. “The thing is, we were gonna stay married about a month, just long enough for me to get the deed to the ranch changed over into my name then I was gonna send her back to Boston. Well, it ain’t quite worked out that way, and I’m sending her back to Boston right away.” “But why, for God’s sake? Why would you want to send a beautiful little thing like that back to Boston? You know what it’ll mean if you do, don’t you? It’ll mean no ranch. It’ll mean the town fathers have won. It’ll mean you losing an empire, Storm. Hell, it’ll mean movin’ back to Thunderbolt Mountain. Do you hear what I’m sayin’? You send her back to Boston and you got nothin’.” “But sheriff, I don’t want her!” The sheriff looked at Storm as if were crazy. “You ain’t slipped back into insanity, have you, Storm?” “No, of course not.” “Storm…hell, I don’t know. Your marriage to this girl was legal and everything. I was there, damn it. I saw the parson say the words. I saw the rings, the license. In situations like this, it’s my job to make sure it’s a real marriage.” Storm leaned toward the sheriff. “Sheriff, you gotta get me out of this marriage. Is there anything you can do?” “Why? She’s a lovely young—” “She’s a cat right out of hell.” “A hellcat.” “I hate the damned bitch. She’s got a hair-trigger temper. She’s bossy, pushy, and the meanest creature that ever came out of Boston. I

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don’t care what I have to do, I ain’t stayin’ with her. The problem is, if I throw her out, she’ll be humiliated. She may be mean, but I don’t want to do that to her. Ain’t there some way she could leave without anyone knowin’?” The sheriff looked at Storm intuitively and then said, “What would you be willing to do to get rid of her?” “Anything, I’ll do anything.” “Mmm,” the sheriff said, thinking. “When you think about it, you did everything the town fathers said to do. So the marriage didn’t last. Hell, it happens all the time.” He looked back at Storm. “Okay, but let me think about it. It could be that I could find a way out of this for you. If I’m right, you’ll be able to keep your ranch and get rid of her as well.” For the first time, Storm’s eyes filled with hope. “You ain’t kiddin’?” “Just give me a few days. I’ve got an idea, but I’ll need a little time to put it all together. I’ll let you know when I’ve figured it out.” Storm reached out and clutched the sheriff’s hand and shook it. “That’s great news, sheriff. But remember, I don’t want to hurt her or embarrass her in any way.” “I’ll keep that in mind.” **** The sheriff watched Storm leave, wondering what the hell was wrong with the cowboy. If he had a beauty like her, he wouldn’t care if she was the devil’s girlfriend. All he would have to do was tame her like he did his horses. Hell, by the time he was through, she’d know who was boss. He wouldn’t want to lay it on too thick, though. After all, everyone likes a little spice to make things interesting. He knew Storm wasn’t no sissy and could’ve done the same thing. If he wasn’t willing to take the time to straighten her out, there must be a reason.

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He went to a mirror and looked at himself. He didn’t look like much right now, but he had a head full of curly hair, stubble on his chin, and eyes that had seen a lot in his life. He wasn’t exactly no handsome dude, but he sure as hell wasn’t ugly. He’d had plenty of women willing to lay down for him if he’d wanted to, but all his life he’d been looking for one special woman. The day he saw Sable Denis on Storm’s arm, he knew he’d found her, but she was taken. It bothered him for a while, but he had to snap himself out of it if he was going to do his job. And now, it seemed as if little Sable Denis was going to fall right in his lap. Storm had said he would do anything, so he would turn on what charm he had left, wiggle right in between them, and sweep her right off her sweet-smellin’ little feet. It wouldn’t be wrong since Storm didn’t want her anyway. But first, he had the town fathers to deal with.

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Chapter Fourteen Sheriff Chase sat at the table with the town fathers, a look on his face that told them he had something heavy on his mind. Finally, he rose from his chair, walked over to the window, and looked out on the dusty street of Thunderbolt. “Storm wants out of the marriage,” he said in a despondent voice. Archie Burnside whirled around toward him and said, “You mean after all the trouble he’s caused…the threats he made…the…the yelling he did, he’s willing to just let the ranch go?” “No. He’s not willing to do that.” “Then what? With no one left in the family to inherit the ranch, it will automatically go to the town to be sold.” The sheriff turned and looked at Burnside. “I’m afraid you can’t do that.” Burnside frowned. “We can’t? Why?” The sheriff walked back over to his chair, sat down, and rested one booted foot on his other knee. He was about to tell the biggest lie of his career, but he had to do it for Storm’s sake. “I’m afraid he’s already claimed the ranch, and the deed has been put in his name.” “But that’s…” He looked around at the others. “Ain’t that illegal? Ain’t there a certain time you have to wait to—” “I don’t know who the hell you been talkin’ to,” the sheriff answered, “but that ain’t the case at all.” “But it’s only been…what—?” “Okay, so it ain’t been that long, but it’s been my experience that Storm Benedict ain’t one to drag his heels.”

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Burnside turned to the others and said, “Maybe we should look at the legal documents. Isn’t there some kind of loophole—” “Mr. Burnside,” the sheriff said angrily, “you know that would be dishonest. Storm did what you asked, and now the ranch is legally his. Don’t try to wrangle him out of it.” “So what’s he gonna do with his wife?” Roy Smith said as he jumped up from the table and began to pace. “This whole thing could turn ugly. What’s to keep that girl from suing Storm along with the whole town for breach of promise?” “Don’t get excited,” the sheriff said. “It won’t get that far if we handle it right. Storm has already come to see me, and between the both of us, I think we can come up with something that will work.” “Will it involve money?” “It may, but don’t worry. It won’t come out of the town’s funds. Storm will handle it.” “I still don’t understand why he wants to end this marriage.” “They’re just not happy together from what Storm says. When he decided to do it, he came to me and was completely honest about the whole thing. He’s not trying to pull anything, he just…well, wants out.” Bernie Lawson turned to the others, a suspicious look in his eyes. “Maybe he had this planned all along. In my opinion, Storm has forfeited his right to the ranch.” “Hell, Lawson, if he had, don’t you think he would’ve waited a lot longer than…what…a couple of weeks? You all know that sometimes these mail-order marriages just don’t work out. You’re marrying a stranger, for God’s sake. How would you feel if you married a stranger and then found out you just couldn’t live together? Storm didn’t ask for this to happen, it just did.” A frowning Lawson grabbed a whiskey bottle, poured two fingers of whiskey in his glass, and threw it back as if it were the answer to all his problems. “What a can of worms this is.”

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“So, what about it?” the sheriff said. “Can I go back to Storm and tell him the ranch is his, and if he wants to call it quits he can?” Smith grabbed the whiskey bottle as he poured himself a drink. “I guess we have no choice since the deed is already in his name. Let’s just hope the girl leaves peaceably.” “I’ll take care of the girl,” the sheriff said. “Just remember not to give Storm any grief over this. He couldn’t help it.” Smith looked at the sheriff with fire in his eyes. “Oh, I ain’t blamin’ Storm for this little farce. I’m blamin’ you.” “Me? What did I do?” “You’re the one who suggested Storm get a mail-order bride. Said it would solve everything. But it didn’t, did it? No. Now Storm’s got the ranch, lock, stock, and barrel, and there’s not a thing short of murder we can do about it.” When he mentioned murder, the sheriff felt a jolt. He sure as hell wouldn’t put it past them. “Now you wait just a minute…” “We’ve already waited too damned long, sheriff. If this goes haywire, somebody’s gonna have to pay, and it might as well be you. Somethin’ tells me you have a plan of your own workin’ here. If I find out you and Storm are up to no good, we’ll be gettin’ ourselves a new sheriff—and a ranch.” The sheriff said nothing as he gazed into the rheumy eyes of these old codgers, amazed that they could be so perceptive. With his spurs jingling and his boots clomping on the plank floor, he left, anxious to take a trip out to South Wind. **** The minute the sheriff left, Wilkins turned to the town fathers and looked at them with blazing eyes. “This is what happens when you drag your feet! If we would’ve put our plan into action immediately, we wouldn’t be in this fix.” “But it would’ve meant killin’ Storm. I don’t like killin’!”

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“None of us do, but you heard the sheriff. Now we got no choice!” The men turned and looked at each other, some of the gazes frightened, some angry, and some undecided. But they all knew that it was too late to turn back now. “I ain’t pullin’ any trigger—” “Nobody’s askin’ you to do nothing, Burnside.” He turned and looked at the others, a gleam in his eyes. “We get someone to do it.” “Someone? You mean like a—” “Yeah. A gunslinger.” “But that’ll cost money, and the town ain’t got any. None it can spare, anyway.” “Maybe the town ain’t, but we do. The way I got it figured, each one of us will contribute.” He quickly pulled out his wallet, opened it, and pulled out several greenbacks. “Put your money on the table. Every cent.” Each man hesitantly pulled out his wallet, some throwing every dollar in the middle of the table while others held back. “Every fuckin’ cent, Lawson,” Wilkins said. Digging down into his wallet, Lawson pulled out all he had and threw it down on the table begrudgingly. “I hope he’s worth it.” “Who?” Burnside asked. “Who are we givin’ all this money to? You ain’t mentioned any names.” “Only the best, that’s all.” The men turned and looked at each other, worried, but one from out of the crowd hissed out a name, and the other men gasped collectively. “Johnny August!” Wilkins looked at them and smiled. “If that bastard can’t do it, it can’t be done.” **** Sable slept late every day now.

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Ever since his mysterious trip into town, Storm had been in a good mood. When she asked him about it, he told her to mind her own business, and it made her mad. Whatever it was, she didn’t like it, so she looked for every opportunity to irritate him. She kicked dirt on him, threw things at him, and absolutely refused to do anything he asked her to do. “You’re acting like a damned baby!” he shouted as she kicked him in the shins. “Grow up!” he shouted. “I don’t take orders from a shit—” Suddenly, he leaned down and picked up a handful of manure and rubbed it in her face. “Ohhh! What…?” “You must like shit to have it in your mouth so much. Well, fine. Be my guest!” Without saying another word, she ran to the house crying, leaving Storm to do her chores for her. She’d always known that someday her temper would get her into trouble, and it looked as if she was right. She couldn’t really blame him for the way he felt, but somehow, she just couldn’t help it. Now Storm just left her alone, only talking to her when he had to. Because of her temper their relationship had gone from beautiful sex to quarrels to tolerance to hate—and now—to a cold business arrangement. She couldn’t complain because that’s what she’d agreed to. She had thought that she could make him love her and want her to stay, but even she had to admit that it didn’t look good. God, how was she going to last a whole month without touching Storm? She had doomed herself to sit and watch him or gaze into his eyes and try and tempt him, but all she could think of was the day he’d said the words that haunted her. I’m a man’s man. Even though she knew that he and Curt, and even Saul, were sleeping together, she heard no more sounds coming from the next room. One night curiosity made her go over there to see why, but no

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one was there. To her shame they had found another place where they could have some privacy. It was then that she knew without a doubt that she’d lost Storm— if she ever had him. Now, she was in her room doing a little sewing when she heard the sheriff riding up. Thankful to have company, she left her room and ran outside to meet him. “Hi, sheriff. What are you doing way out here?” “Hello, Sable. I came to see Storm. Is he anywhere around?” “He’s in the barn, I think. Pitching hay or something like that.” The sheriff got off his horse and walked up to her, looking down at her shorts and the Western shirt she had tied up beneath her breasts. “You look mighty fetchin’ today, Miss Sable.” Sable looked down at herself. “Just an old pair of shorts. The shirt’s Storm’s. It’s too big, so I wear it tied up.” “That yellow ribbon in your hair makes me think of sunshine.” “Really?” Sable said, reaching up and smoothing her hair. Just then, her gaze met his, and it gave her a funny feeling in her belly, making her wonder if the sheriff was flirting with her. Turning, she saw Storm come out of the barn. “There he is now. Maybe you should go over and—” “Speakin’ of Storm, how are you two gettin’ along?” A feeling of dread rose up inside her. “I…we…we’re doing fine, I guess.” She wanted to change the subject, so she smiled up at the sheriff and shrugged slightly. “Lot to learn on a ranch. I been real busy learning how to ride and…everything.” The sheriff untied his kerchief and wiped at his face. “Mighty hot today, ain’t it?” “Yes, it sure is,” Sable said quickly, thankful to be talking about something else. “Will you be staying for supper? We’re having fried chicken, greens, and some kind of potatoes. Even fresh baked bread. Pearl’s got a fresh apple pie cooling on the windowsill.”

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“That apple pie sounds mighty good, but I’m not sure my business will take that long.” He tipped his hat and backed away. “You have a nice day, Miss Sable.” “Yes, sir, you, too.” Sable watched him walk over to Storm and wondered if he had guessed that they weren’t doing too good. Being a gentleman, even if he knew, he wouldn’t embarrass her by talking about something she was uncomfortable with. He is a gentleman, isn’t he? she thought. She felt the same funny feeling inside her belly that she’d felt before and wondered what it meant. **** Sitting on a couple of hay bales, both Sheriff Chase and Storm were talking. “Why don’t you just give her to me?” “What!” Storm yelled. “Just pass her around like a party favor? No way in hell, Chase. No way!” “I ain’t talkin’ about that. I’m talkin’ about marriage.” “Sheriff, she’s already married.” “No, no,” he said, shaking his head. “I’ve got that all figured out. I been talkin’ to Charley Davis, and he says we can get it annulled since it’s only been a matter of a few days. When you do, then she can marry me.” “Somethin’ about this ain’t right.” “But why not? She was willing to come down here to marry you, sight unseen.” “She at least had a picture.” “All right, but she’s seen me. She knows me. We’ve talked. I think she likes me.” “She likes meatloaf, too, damn it, but it don’t mean she’s gonna marry it.”

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The sheriff thought for a moment. “Okay, why don’t we let her make up her own mind? You’re gonna have to tell her sooner or later anyway. She might rather marry me than go back home. It’d just be a matter of changing husbands. After all, if it was only a business deal, who would get hurt?” “Chase, you ain’t seen her temper yet. Frankly, I wouldn’t wish her on my worst enemy.” The sheriff raised one eyebrow. “And she ain’t seen mine.” “Yeah, but I have,” Storm said as a small smile played at the corner of his lips. He cocked his head as he looked at the sheriff. “You know, you might just be the slave driver who can tame her. I’d take pleasure in it if I gave a damn, but you, on the other hand, do.” The sheriff smiled. “Now you’re talkin’.” “Let’s get one thing straight, sheriff. If we do this, I don’t want her back. If you find that she’s too much to handle and you change your mind, don’t send her back here. You take her, you’re stuck with her. You solve your own problems with her. No coming to me to solve them for you. Is that understood?” “Whatever you say.” The two men clasped each other’s hands and shook on it. When they left the barn, they saw Sable helping Pearl with the wash. She’d made such a mess out of washing, she’d splashed it all over herself. Now she stood there covered with soapy water, and her shirt molded to her trembling breasts, making her look as if she had nothing on. When the sheriff saw her, God, how he wanted to jump in that tub of soapy water with her. He could hardly speak when he said, “We’ve done shook on this, Storm. No changin’ your mind.” “No changin’ my mind.”

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Chapter Fifteen Sable was restless as she stood before the mirror brushing her hair. She looked closely at her face, stretching her skin and looking for wrinkles. She knew she was attractive and had always been able to get anything she wanted because of her looks. Many times she’d been called a hellcat, so it wasn’t a surprise when Storm called her one. Up to now it had always made her more interesting to a man, but for some reason, it didn’t work on Storm. Strangely enough, it seemed to work the opposite on him. Sometimes it takes more than beauty—or a hellish tongue—to interest a man. The thought clouded her eyes with sadness as she continued to pull the brush through her hair. Now that she didn’t do too much around the ranch anymore, she had energy to burn which made for many restless nights. She longed for Storm to come and make love to her but knew that wouldn’t happen. Thinking she might be able to relax with something to read, she got up and left her room. She was walking down the hallway and slowed down as she came to the landing and glanced down. The familiar, soft feeling she always felt when she saw him burst within her now, and she stood there watching him. He looked so handsome sitting in a big leather chair reading. She watched him for a moment, loving every line of his face and admiring the way he seemed to fill up that big chair so easily. He was such a man. She knew from other encounters with him how he would smell. After a busy day on the ranch, he would go down to the lake and wash off. He didn’t realize it, but the lake water left a smell on him that was a sweet, floral scent. Although the plants that grew

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beside the lake were by no means exotic, when their branches hung over and the blossoms dragged the water, some of the most beautiful scents she had ever smelled were loosed into the water. Of course, being a man, if Storm knew how very sweet he smelled, he wouldn’t like it. She smiled, but then her smile fell when she suddenly realized how she’d been cheated. She’d fallen in love with a big handsome cowboy, but he didn’t love her. She thought maybe if she could sneak in and join them, making it a threesome, it would work, but it didn’t. Storm had made it clear that he didn’t want her there. But she wasn’t through yet. Now, with a cunning look in her eyes, she got to the head of the stairs and began the long descent down. **** Storm looked up when he heard a board creaking. It was Sable, gliding down the stairs as if she were walking on air. His eyes shifted back to his book, and he continued reading. Even though he tried to concentrate, he was aware of every move she made—until she stood before him. “Braun’s Mystery of the Mind?” She chuckled. “I don’t know if I should be impressed or not.” “They’re beginning a study of the mind of man. I thought it might be interesting to read about why some people act the way they do.” “Meaning me?” “You said it, I didn’t,” he said, going back to his reading. “I can’t sleep,” she said with a whine in her voice. “Sorry,” he replied as if he were involved in the book. She walked around the room touching things and cutting her eyes back at him, but he kept reading his book. Finally, she came and stood before him again, demanding he look at her. He finally put the book down and said, “What is it, Sable?”

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“I want you to start teaching me again. You know, all the cowboy stuff. My riding lessons, how to tie a lasso, and all the other stuff you were teaching me.” Storm picked up the book and began reading again. “No,” he said simply. “But why?” “Why bother? You’ll be leaving in a couple of weeks.” “I will?” “Of course. That was the agreement. We would stay married a month, and then you’d go back home.” “But it hasn’t been a month, has it?” “To you, maybe,” he mumbled sarcastically. “To me it’s been a lifetime.” Suddenly he felt a swipe, and the book went flying out of his hand. All that was left was Sable, standing there looking at him with her little girl look of stubbornness. “Pay attention to me!” Storm slowly arose, his large frame coming forward as she backed up. “You want me to pay attention to you?” “I want you, Storm. I want things the way they were before. I want you to make love to me!” “Oh? Is that all you want? You just want me to make love to you?” She nodded her head, her eyes wide and frightened as he continued to back her up until she fell against the first step of the staircase. Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed her, swept her up in his arms, and ran up the steep staircase. When he got to her room, he burst through the door with her and threw her on the bed. He began ripping at her clothes with one hand while he unbuckled his jeans with the other. When he laid himself over her, she put her arms around him and said, “Oh, God, Storm. This is what I’ve wanted for so long.” “You’re sure? You want me to make love to you?”

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“Oh, yes!” Storm’s eyes darkened with anger as he looked down at her and said, “If I have to make love with you, bitch, I’m going to do it the way I want to.” He quickly turned Sable over and stretched her crack open, finding her hole. With a hard thrust, he inserted a couple of fingers and stretched her out, and then he slowly inserted his cock. **** Sable’s eyes widened in surprise when she felt his cock entering her ass. “Oh, God,” she screamed. “What are you doing?” “You asked me to make love to you, and that’s what I’m doing. I told you I’m a man’s man, and this is the way I make love to a man. We’ll just pretend your name is Sam.” She gasped when suddenly she felt his cock plunge into her hard and fast. It was rough and tumble, but she rode with him, each plunge bringing a grunt and a groan from each of them, a dark, musky sensation rising and taking them to a different plateau. Sable didn’t know it was possible. It was good that night with Curt, but with Storm, it was different. She’d never known love like this until she came out west. She loved the feel of his front to her back, the feel of his hot breath on her face. She loved it when he nibbled her ear, and she loved it when his hands covered her breasts and then went down and played with her clit. Oh, God, so many sensations, she felt like she was in a heaven like no other. She didn’t know if Storm was trying to torment her or please her, but it was the most exciting experience she’d ever had. They rode together, their bodies bouncing while his cock continued to pump in and out of her, sending the most awesome vibrations through her she’d ever known. It was dirty, naughty, and unlike anything she’d ever felt—and she loved it. And then when the act became even more dynamic, she could feel a flirting orgasm as it peeked at her, tempting her. Trying to reach it,

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she reached up and grabbed the spindles of the headboard and clung to them while her body moved against Storm’s, pushing against him as he pushed himself in as far as he could. Did she imagine the misty fog that their bodies seemed to generate? The heat was humid, their muscled frames were slick as they slid against each other. Skin to skin, flame to flame, nothing as hot and humid as the air around them seemed to be. She felt as if she were on fire! And then, it was there. Almost there. Coming. Coming. She urged herself upward, reaching for it, until the pulsating delight grabbed her over and over again and filled her. Ahhhhhhhhh! **** The next day, Storm was out early, sitting on the fence watching Curt break a horse. While he sat there, calling out encouragement to Curt from the sidelines, Sable walked up behind him. “Hi, Storm.” He looked down, and with a chill in his voice, he said, “Hi.” “Have you had breakfast yet?” “About three hours ago.” “Why don’t you take a break? Some coffee would be nice.” Storm was about to refuse when he thought maybe it would be a good opportunity to talk with her about what he and the sheriff had planned for her. “Okay,” he said and climbed down from the fence. While they walked into the house, Storm pulled away from Sable when she tried to link her arm through his. He could tell by the look on her face that he had made her mad, but that was the least of his worries. “Pearl, two coffees please,” he called out and sat down without pulling Sable’s chair out for her.

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Sable stood there puzzled, expecting him to accommodate her, but when he didn’t, she pulled the chair out with angry movements and sat. When two cups of coffee were placed before them, she began doctoring hers up with sugar and cream. “I want to talk to you about something,” Storm said with a concerned look on his face. She reached out and put her hand over his. “I wanted to thank you…for last night.” “Never mind about that,” he said, withdrawing his hand from beneath hers. “But—” “Forget it. Okay?” “All right,” she whispered, the look in her eyes clouding over with sadness. “I’ve got a deal for you.” “Another deal? Storm, what’s been happening around here? I knew you had your mind on something. Why didn’t you come to me?” “It’s nothin’ you need to worry about. The sheriff worked it out for me, and the only thing left is you.” “Me? What would I have to do with the sheriff?” “First, let me say that if you don’t agree, I’ll see that you get back to Boston safely.” “You mean…leave?” “Yeah, if that’s what you want.” “But I…I wanted to stay with you.” Storm looked at her and spoke as if he were speaking to a small child. “Sable, you know what the deal was. You were required to stay only a month at the longest. This is good news, for God’s sake. Now you can go back early.” “Storm, the agreement was—”

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“I know what the damned agreement was,” Storm said, getting angry. “Are you sittin’ here tellin’ me you ain’t gonna uphold your end of the deal we made?” “I’m not saying anything like that. It’s just that I didn’t count on falling in love with you. Now I don’t want to leave, I want to stay here with you.” Storm jumped up, so angry he felt like he could chew nails. “Sable, love wasn’t in the deal.” “I’m not going back, Storm.” “Fine. You don’t have to.” “I don’t?” she said, a small smile playing along her lips. “But if you don’t, you have to marry the sheriff.” Her eyes widened. “Marry the sheriff?” She looked at him strangely for a moment, wondering if he’d lost his senses. “Storm, don’t you remember? We’re already married.” “Oh, that’s no problem. The sheriff says he can get it annulled.” “Annulled. What’s that? I’ve never heard of it.” “It’s a process in which two people can back out of a marriage if they decide they made a mistake. It’s common in mail-order marriages.” “So, it’s that easy, is it?” He smiled. “Progress. It’s wonderful, isn’t it?” “Why the sheriff…” Suddenly, she remembered when he was there the other day and thought he was acting a little flirty. “Did the sheriff suggest this…or did you?” “It was his idea, but I agreed.” “Just like that? We get our marriage annulled, and then I marry the sheriff?” “What the hell’s so bad about it? You were willing to marry me, sight unseen.” “I had your picture. It wasn’t as if I didn’t know what I was getting.”

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“So, how about the sheriff? Is he ugly? Smells bad? What’s wrong with him? I personally think he’d make a good husband for a woman.” “There’s nothing wrong with the sheriff that I can see.” “Okay, so it’s done. You marry him, and…” Storm closed his eyes as if he were in paradise. “I’m free!” **** Sable was hurt but knew if she stayed she’d have to do what Storm said. This set her to thinking about the sheriff more and more. Although she couldn’t ride very well, she managed to saddle a horse and ride into town. When she burst into the sheriff’s office, he looked up at her with surprise. “I hear I’m supposed to marry you.” The sheriff watched her, seeing a rebellious streak a mile wide. “The fact is if you marry me, then I marry you, too.” “Very funny. Well, this is how it’s going to be. I want—” He suddenly grabbed her and leaned her back with the roughest, meanest…and most delicious kiss she’d ever had. When he let go of her, he said, “You may want a lot of things, you little hellcat, but if you’re gonna be the sheriff’s wife, you’ll have what I say you can have.” “Why, you bastard!” she yelled and lifted her hand to slap him. “Hold it right there,” he said, catching her hand in midair. “If we do this, then you’ll have to learn a few things. First of all, I like lard in my greens and a lot of spice on my meat. And when I say jump, you say, how high? Got that?” He slowly began backing her up. “I’m a lawman first, last, and always. Sometimes it takes me away from home for days or weeks at a time. One day I might get up well and whole, and by nighttime, I might be in my grave. That’s the whole of it. If you can’t handle it, say so now, and I’ll put you on the next stage out of here.” He took the tops of her arms, pulled her to him, and with

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his lips almost brushing her, he said, “I play hard, and I make love hard. If you want a man instead of a thin-blooded scarecrow, then I’m here. If not, the door’s that way.” She turned and quickly ran toward the door, but when she opened it, she hesitated and looked back at him. “It seems I have no choice. Well, let me tell you something, Mr. Sheriff. It ain’t gonna be as easy as you think taming me. For one thing, I don’t cook and I don’t clean—” “Do you make love?” “Ask Storm Benedict. I ain’t had lovin’ like I’ve had with him, and if you want to keep me from dreamin’ about him morning, noon, and night, you’d better be just as good.” While standing there, she realized that there was a very good reason she didn’t want to go home. It wasn’t Storm, necessarily, it was because she’d finally found her home. In Boston she’d always felt like a cocklebur in a silk wrapper. She didn’t belong there, she belonged here. She’d learned that the Wild West didn’t tolerate weak people, and she’d never been one. She was the kind of woman who needed to be tamed, and she must have sensed a long time ago that she’d never find that in an Eastern man. She thought she had found the man she needed in Storm, but since he preferred men, she looked over at the sheriff. He may not be as big, as handsome, or as rugged as Storm, but he would do. With that, she slammed out, for the first time looking forward to giving the sheriff a taste of the real Sable Denis he wouldn’t soon forget.

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Chapter Sixteen “Johnny August is comin’ this way…” “He’s been seen in Cimarron…” “Johnny August has a score to settle…” The whispers passed around from one man to another until it sounded like a low rumble all over the little town of Thunderbolt. Ever since the people learned that Johnny August was on his way to their town, they lived in fear. They constantly watched the road into town, looking for a black-clad outlaw that stood tall with a confident swagger and sat tall in his saddle with one hand always on his gun. “He’s here!” the man yelled when he got the first glimpse of a black outfit with black boots and silver spurs. He turned and ran toward the sheriff’s office and slammed in. “He’s here, sheriff, and he looks like he’s lookin’ for trouble.” The two men looked through the window, waiting for the famous outlaw to turn onto the main street of Thunderbolt. When the sheriff saw him, he naturally went for his gun but then hesitated as the man came into full view. He frowned. “Jed, is that who you’re talkin’ about?” “Yeah! That’s him!” “Hell, that ain’t no outlaw, that’s Storm Benedict.” “Storm Benedict?” the man asked, hardly able to believe what he saw. “My God, he looks just like Johnny August.” Now that he mentioned it, the sheriff had to agree and thought of the wanted posters he had. He turned, hurried over to his desk, and got them out. He shuffled through them for a while until he got to the one he was looking for. He stopped quickly and gasped. He couldn’t

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believe it! It was him! Storm Benedict was Johnny August! Oh, my God! He thought about the ten years Storm had been gone. The talk seemed to start small. Penny-ante stagecoach robberies had grown into a bank being held up in Durango, Colorado. Durango! He’d said that was where he was when his memory came back. Was it all a fake? Had he really lost his memory, or was he hiding the truth? Did he know who he had been for ten years? Suddenly, the door opened and Storm stepped in. “Howdy, sheriff,” he said and then looked over at the man who had pointed him out. He noticed a frightened look on his face and nodded in a friendly way. He then noticed the look on the sheriff’s face and frowned. “Is something wrong?” The sheriff slowly drew his gun and held it on Storm. “You’re under arrest, Storm…Johnny.” “Johnny?” He looked down at the gun. “Why did you call me Johnny? It’s Storm, sheriff.” He glanced back over at the frightened man and then back at the sheriff. “What’s goin’ on here?” The sheriff handed him the wanted poster, and Storm looked down at it. When he saw his own image there, his face paled. “My God, that cowboy looks just like me.” “Is it you, Storm?” “Of course not.” “How do I know that?” “How do you know that? Because you know me, sheriff. Hell, I don’t go around…” He thought for a moment and then said, “What did he do?” “He robbed a bank in Durango.” The sheriff could tell that the name Durango struck a chord. He kept his eyes on him, watching his reaction. “That’s funny. That’s where I was…” Suddenly, what the sheriff was saying dawned bright and clear. “Now, look here, sheriff, that ain’t me on that poster.” He looked down at the poster again and then back up at the sheriff. “It ain’t…is it?”

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“I don’t know, Storm. But it all adds up.” “Sheriff, I don’t go around robbin’ banks. Hell, I don’t have a cent. You know that. Surely to hell you don’t think this is me.” “I don’t know if it’s you or not, Storm, but I’m gonna have to lock you up until I know for sure. You’ve got to admit the man is your spittin’ image. Think about it. His reign of terror started about three years ago, and nobody’s heard anymore about him since he robbed a bank in Durango, Colorado just before you came back.” “The town fathers, they’re doin’ this, ain’t they? They’re tryin’ to pin somethin’ on me so I have to give the ranch back.” “The town fathers don’t know anything about this, Storm. Right now, no one knows anything but you and me, and Jed there.” The sheriff cut his eyes over to Jed. “Jed, if you let one word of this out, I’ll lock you up and throw away the key. You hear that?” The man could do nothing but nod his head. “C’mon, Storm—” “That ain’t me, sheriff. It can’t be. I wouldn’t rob no bank.” “Remember, Storm, it was while you were out of your mind.” “But still, I just couldn’t. I know!” “It all adds up, Storm.” “Only one and one ain’t addin’ up to two, sheriff. You’ve got to believe that.” “Look, Storm. If you say it ain’t you, I believe you. Hell, I’m on your side, but I got to lock you up until I can find out what’s goin’ on here.” He indicated to Storm’s guns. “Hand ’em over.” “I’m only doin’ this because you’re a friend, Chase,” Storm said as he surrendered his gun. “You sure as hell better hurry up and find out somethin’ soon because I don’t know how long my patience is gonna last. Just so you know, there ain’t no way I’m goin’ to prison for somethin’ I didn’t do.” “What you said about the town fathers made me think of something. There’s word out on the street that Johnny August is comin’ this way. I’m interested in knowin’ why. I can’t think of any

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reason except that somebody must’ve sent for him. I’ve got an idea, and if it goes the way I think it will, you’ll be out of here soon. I’ll be out of the office for a while. Anything you want me to do while I’m gone?” “I need someone to go out to South Wind and tell ’em I won’t be back for a while. Could you do that?” “Sure,” the sheriff said as he clanged the cell door shut and turned to go. “Ain’t you gonna lock it?” “Nah, ain’t no use. Hell, Storm, you’re a friend. This is just a formality. You’ll be out of there as soon as I can get some answers.” “I hope you’re right.” While hurrying out the door, Chase yelled out, telling his deputy that he was going down to the telegraph office to send a wire to the sheriff at Durango. It took no time to send, but while waiting for an answer, the sheriff paced and looked anxiously at the clock. In about an hour, he heard the clickity-clack of the telegraph and hurried to the desk. After the clerk translated the Morse-coded message, he snatched it up and gave it to the sheriff. The reply said that the only man around there answering that description was Johnny August, and he had left town a couple of days ago heading south. A couple of days ago. Storm was right here in his office a couple of days ago. It was all the proof the sheriff needed. Now he knew why Jed had made the mistake he had. It was because Johnny August and Storm looked a lot alike. While he continued reading the wire, very unexpectedly, a dark, mysterious man walked into his office. “I’m Sheriff Burke from Durango, Colorado. I got word that you had Johnny August here. I’m here to take him back to Durango to stand trial.” Sheriff Chase couldn’t believe it. He was the spittin’ image of Storm. “You’re Sheriff Burke from Durango?” “That’s what I said. Now, where’s August?”

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“He’s locked up in back, but you need to get one thing straight. I said I got a prisoner here that answers the description of Johnny August. He’s a friend, and I know this man. I can tell you right now that he ain’t Johnny August, but he’s been accused, and before I can clear him, I need you to tell me he ain’t August.” “Get him out here, and I’ll identify him.” “Where’s your documentation?” “Oh…uh, my documentation. Sorry. I lost it on the trail. Yeah, some ruffians attacked me and stole my wallet.” Of course, Chase didn’t buy it for a minute, but just to see how far this stranger would go, he grabbed the keys off the peg and said, “Come on back here. I got him locked up.” “Okay, but he’s August, I’m sure of it.” Storm turned quickly when the door opened and he saw the sheriff and a familiar dark, rugged face peering at him through the shadows. Storm’s eyes widened when he recognized him. “That’s August,” the man from Durango said. “I’d know him anywhere.” “He looks a lot like you, don’t he?” Chase said. “Not a chance. It’s…It’s kind of dark in here. Get him out in the light and you could tell the difference right away.” Storm grabbed the bars. “That’s a lie, and you know it!” he shouted. “I ain’t Johnny August…you are!” “Don’t believe him,” the stranger growled. “This scum will tell you anything to get out.” “Sheriff Chase,” Storm said with desperation in his voice. “This man was robbing the bank in Durango. When I tried to stop it, he hit me on the head.” “Are you sure, Storm?” “Oh, yeah, I’m sure. Things bein’ the way they are, I guess I owe him a debt of gratitude. It was that whack on the head that brought me out of my daze.”

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“Shut up!” August shouted as he whipped out his gun and pointed it toward the sheriff. “Get him out of there!” While he was looking away, Storm silently opened the cell door and ambushed him from the back. The two struggled, the gun going off just before Storm grabbed it. Jerking him around, Storm threw him in the cell, slammed the door, and the sheriff locked it. “Storm, are you sure about this?” he said as he turned the rattling key. “I’m more sure than I’ve ever been about anything in my life. I’ll never forget his ugly face as long as I live. I’ve even seen that face in my nightmares.” “Who did this?” Chase asked the gunman. “Who hired you to come in here and parade around as Sheriff Burke in Durango?” “I ain’t tellin’ you nothin’!” “You’ll tell me if it takes a hundred years. ’Cause if you don’t, you’ll rot right here in this cell while Storm here’s livin’ high and mighty on your bounty money.” August’s hated gaze turned to Storm. “You son of a bitch. I should’ve killed you when I had the chance!” “Spill it, you snake,” Storm said. “Who put you up to this? Did someone hire you to kill me?” “I ain’t no snitch.” “Not even to save your life?” Chase asked. “’Cause right now I got enough on you to hang you from the tallest tree.” August looked at the sheriff, interested in what he was saying. “What do you mean?” “Look at it this way, August. You’re caught. No gettin’ out of this and a lot of other stuff. When you came in here sayin’ you were Sheriff Burke from Durango, I was sittin’ there with a wire I’d just received from him. If you think I’m dumb enough to think he could get here from there in only a few minutes, you’re one stupid bastard.” “Why didn’t you say somethin’?” “I just wanted to see how far you’d go.”

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“You led me into a trap, you—” “Uh, uh, uh, you don’t want to add slander to all the charges I have against you.” “All right, you got me this time, but I got friends.” “A man like you don’t have friends, August. You’re all just greedy bums who think alike.” “All right,” August growled, “what will it take?” “If you tell me what I want to know, I could make it as easy on you as possible. That would mean the death penalty reduced to time in prison.” “What kind of deal is that?” The sheriff shrugged. “Okay, if you don’t want to do this, I’ll just let the judge hang you.” “No, wait…okay.” “All right,” the sheriff said, and turned back. “First question. Who hired you?” “A man by the name of Archie Burnside contacted me. He said he wanted someone dead.” “Had Archie ever seen you? You know, did he know how much you looked like Storm?” “As far as I know, he didn’t. I mean, there’s only the wanted posters.” “That’s where he made his mistake,” Chase said. “He couldn’t have known that you were Storm’s double. Nobody knew. So, how were you to do this?” “I was just supposed to tell you I was Sheriff Burke from Durango, take Benedict with me, and dispose of him on the prairie. They gave me until midnight to get it done.” “And then?” “I’m supposed to meet ’em tonight at midnight in the alley beside the mortuary. To prove he’s dead, I’m supposed to give them something personal of Benedict’s, and they give me the money.” August nodded toward Storm’s hand. “Like his ring there.”

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“You think that’s enough?” Storm asked, looking down at his ring. “Maybe they’re expectin’ my ear or somethin’.” The sheriff looked thoughtful for a moment and then looked back at August. “All right, August, I guess that’s all I need. At least it’ll be enough to put those sons of bitches away.” “You’ll do what you said, Sheriff?” “Yeah. That was a promise I made and I intend to keep it, so don’t worry.” After Chase and Storm got up to the front, Chase turned and said, “Storm, think you can hold things down until I get back?” “Where you goin’?” “I’m goin’ over to the town hall. I’ve got a whopper of a lie to tell, and it’s gonna be a pleasure doin’ it.” “You think they want that ranch bad enough to have me killed?” “I sure as hell do. Them bastards would kill off their own grandma to keep that ranch out of your hands, and if I have to arrest everyone of ’em, I’ll get to the truth.” “Thanks, sheriff.” “For what?” “For believin’ me and bein’ smart enough not to let that bastard in there fool you.” “One thing I had workin’ for me was his timing. It was all off. Hell, I was sittin’ there reading Sheriff Burke’s reply to my message, and suddenly, there he was. Even if he could fly, he couldn’t get from Colorado to Texas in that amount of time. Besides, his uncanny resemblance to you answered a lot of my questions. You heard him. If I had given you to that bastard, you would’ve never seen Durango. Hell, you would have probably ended up on the wrong end of a rope…minus a ring.” “What now, sheriff?” “I’ve got an idea, and if it works, the town fathers will have a lot to answer for. Stay put while I pay ’em a little visit.”

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**** The sheriff slammed into the town hall and said, “I need to see the town fathers.” “I’m sorry, but they’re in a meeting.” Without another word, he turned and went into the first door he saw that was closed and tried to open it, but it was locked. With his big booted foot, he lifted it high and shoved it against the door, tearing the wood off the door frame, and burst in. “I came to see the dirty, rotten cowards that put Johnny August on Storm’s trail.” “No one here knows what you’re talkin’ about, sheriff.” “Everyone here knows what I’m talkin’ about because Storm is dead. He was killed by Johnny August.” He watched each one of them closely as they considered his lie. He could see the tremor of smiles that were being suppressed and knowing gazes that cut around to the others. “There was talk around town that Storm was Johnny August, so I locked him up for suspicion of bank robbery and contacted Sheriff Burke in Durango. The next thing I know he comes into my office telling me he’s here to pick up Storm for his trial. I gave Storm to him, and the next thing I know, he’s hangin’ from a tree, as dead as a doornail.” “Oh, my. What a shame,” Clyde Wilkins said, trying hard to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. “Well, what did you expect, sheriff? None of us know what Storm was involved in for ten years. During that time, he must’ve got on somebody’s bad side, and whoever it was hired August to kill Storm. Sad, but these things happen. Maybe he got what was coming to him.” Watching these men take Storm’s supposed death so lightly made the sheriff sick. He had only one more card to play before he could be certain he had won. “You mean you men had nothing to do with this?” “Us?” Clyde said. “Of course not, sheriff.”

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“Well, I just wondered since Storm’s death would be a benefit to all of you.” “I understand how you feel, but we couldn’t do such a thing. I mean, the ranch means a lot to the town, but to hire a killer? Really, sheriff, how could you think so little of us?” “All right,” he said, turning to leave. Looking at the door, he said, “Sorry about the door.” The men sat quietly until the sheriff left, but the minute they knew he was gone, they began laughing and slapping each other on the back while congratulating each other. They shook hands and pulled out several bottles of whiskey and didn’t stop until they were stinking drunk. They were unaware that the sheriff was standing just outside the smashed door. They didn’t know that he could hear the joyful explosion of congratulations and laughter all over the room. They also didn’t know that before he left he swore vengeance upon each and every one of them—even if it meant his badge.

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Chapter Seventeen By midnight, the town was reasonably quiet. All the wild partying at the White Stallion Saloon had cooled down to a soft roar. The cowboys, one by one, were staggering out through the swinging doors and heading for home, but there were still those that hung on until the very last drop in every bottle of whiskey was drank. Crushed out cigarettes, poker chips, and cards littered a couple of tables, tired saloon girls with tired smiles tried to discourage those that insisted the night was young yet. A man dressed in black stood across the road hiding himself in a leaning shadow, watching the drunk cowboys come and go. The darkness hid his sharp, assessing eyes, his confident swagger, and his broad shoulders that were strong, muscled, and threatening. He waited. As the clock ticked through each minute and the streets were at last vacant, he finally saw a man get out of a buggy and come toward him. He stepped closer to the corner of the building but made sure his face was still hidden in the shadows. “Have you got the money, old man?” he asked as a neatly dressed man approached him. “Before I give it to you, I need proof. I need something only Storm would have.” “How about his wedding ring?” the man asked as he held it out to show him. “That’ll do,” the man said and reached out to take it, but it was quickly snatched away. “Not until I get the money.”

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The man glanced around to make sure he wasn’t being seen and then reached inside his coat and took out an envelope. “This is it. All of it. Remember. You’re to leave town immediately. Tonight.” The man in the shadow reached out and took the envelope, opened it, and flicked the bills. “If I find you’ve cheated me, I’ll be back to kill the whole stinkin’ bunch of you. Got that?” “The ring. Give me the ring.” The moment he took the ring, he heard something rustling, and suddenly, the sheriff came into the light. “I’m afraid you’ll have to give the ring back, Hawkins. You see, Storm might need it. Especially since he ain’t dead.” Just then, the man in black stepped forward, the envelope of money grasped tightly in his hand. “I’ll take that ring.” “Oh, my God, it’s Storm! This can’t be! It just can’t!” “I’m afraid it is, Hawkins. Too bad your little plan didn’t work. Next time I’d advise you to make sure your killer is not a dead ringer for his victim. Storm here looks so much like Johnny August, we let him play the outlaw this one time. He did good, didn’t he?” “If they look alike, how do we know he ain’t Johnny August?” “Because I’ve got Johnny August locked up in a cell. He confessed everything.” “It wasn’t me. It was Wilkins. This whole thing was his idea.” “I don’t care whose idea it was,” the sheriff said, “’cause all of you are goin’ to jail. And you know what the twist of this whole thing is? You’ve not only lost Storm’s ranch, you’ve lost your own, along with your reputation and standing in the community. Oh, but there is one thing you have now that you didn’t have before…a ten-year sentence in the rock quarry for conspiracy to commit murder. If there’s anything I hate, it’s dirty politicians. Just think, Hawkins, you could have saved yourself ten years at hard labor if you had just been fair with Storm at the beginning. Now, all that’s wiped away.” The sheriff grabbed the old man roughly, turned him around, clasped his hands in the back, and circled his wrists with metal. He

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noticed that in the dark, the click of the handcuffs sounded louder. It was a sound like no other, a sound that would probably haunt the old man’s dreams, turning them to nightmares. Later, with everyone locked away, Storm and the sheriff sat down and talked. “By the way, sheriff,” Storm said, “I’ve talked to Sable about marryin’ you. She’s a little hesitant right now, but she’ll warm up ’cause she don’t want to go home.” “I know. She came in here the other day tellin’ me how the cow ate the cabbage, and I had to take her down a peg or two. Damn, this is gonna be fun.” “Your idea of fun and mine are very different.” “Say, Storm, you’ve been with her a few times. What does she like?” Storm smiled and leaned close to the sheriff as if he thought someone else might be listening. “She likes sex in the rain.” The sheriff smiled. “Cozy, huh?” “No, I mean in the rain. She also likes to be fucked from the back, and bein’ a little hellcat, she likes a man to dominate her.” Storm winked at the sheriff. “You show her who’s boss, and she’ll be putty in your hands.” “I don’t understand, Storm. You know her so well, why wouldn’t you want her?” “Can I trust you, sheriff?” “You know you can, Storm.” “I’m…you know.” “No, I…” Suddenly, his eyes widened. “You mean…?” Storm nodded. “My God, I never suspected.” He frowned at Storm. “You mean you don’t like women at all?” “A fluff of hair, a whiff of sexy perfume, a soft body…hell, I’m as ready as the next man, but if I had to choose, it would be men.”

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“Oh, God, I’m so glad the town fathers didn’t get wind of this. It could have ruined every chance you would’ve had of getting the ranch.” “I knew it would. That’s why I couldn’t tell anyone, not even you.” The sheriff looked at Storm and smiled. “I would have never guessed it. I mean, a big stud like you and all.” “Well, you can’t never tell.” “I guess not, well—” “Oh, by the way, sheriff, something’s been botherin’ me. I told you that Sable’s got a real bad temper. Don’t get me wrong, I like a spicy, sassy female, but in my book, she’s just damned mean. It just might be when you get to know her, you’ll change your mind. If you do, the responsibility is yours. You deal with her, send her home, or whatever. Okay?” “Storm, didn’t we already talk about this once?” “Yeah, but I just wanted to make sure you understand the terms of our deal.” “Sure, I do, but I don’t think we have that to worry about.” “Well, I hope you’re right. By the way, you won’t tell anyone what I told you, will you?” “Hell no. Your secret’s safe with me. I understand now why you’re so willin’ to give her up.” “Once you get all this cleared up, come on out and take supper with us one night. No time like the present to start courtin’ her.” The sheriff gave Storm a big smile and clasped his hand. “I sure as hell will, Storm. Thanks for takin’ me into your confidence.” “That’s a small price for what you did for me. I’ll never be able to repay you.” “The day Sable says yes, your debt will be paid in full.” “All right then,” Storm said as he turned to leave. “I reckon I’d better be gettin’ back now. You like chicken, sheriff?” “Hell yes!”

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“What part?” “I’m kind of partial to the drumstick.” “They’re yours. So long, now.” **** In the days to follow, the sheriff thought of all kinds of reasons to be out at South Wind, but everyone knew he was there just to see Sable. His visits slowly turned into a courtship that lasted only a few weeks, and the moment her marriage to Storm had been annulled, their marriage plans were set. “Look what I’ve got here,” the sheriff said as he walked up to Storm. Storm looked down at the papers. “It looks like a lot of legal mumbo jumbo.” “It is. The annulment papers finally came through, and the deed to your property is all made out. You can leave it like it is, or there’s a place here to take on co-owners if you want. You know, someone to invest in the property and then when it starts payin’ off, they get their share.” “That’s interesting.” “Yeah. The bigger places usually do that.” “So what’s goin’ on in town?” “Well, I just came from a town meeting. Storm, you should’ve been there. When they found out how corrupted the town fathers had become, they decided they wanted elected officials that could only be in office a few years at a time.” “That sounds like a good deal. Did you agree?” “I sure as hell did. I have to admit I was gettin’ kind of tired of all this corruption around our town, but now I’m so proud I’m about ready to bust my buttons.”

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While Storm was looking at the papers, he noticed a lull in the conversation and looked up. He smiled when he saw that the sheriff had a silly grin on his face. “Sheriff,” Storm said, “What’s wrong with you? You been talkin’ about some pretty serious stuff, but now you got a silly grin on your face. What’s that all about?” “I’m sorry, but a gentleman don’t discuss things like that.” Storm smiled. “You don’t have to discuss it. I could guess it just by the dumb look on your face.” The sheriff’s face flushed, and he said, “It was better than I ever imagined it would be, Storm. I think she’s done gone and got you out of her blood. There for a while I was worried, but after last night, well, I think she belongs to me now.” “Congratulations, sheriff. I couldn’t be happier for you.” Storm looked at him closely. “Have you seen her temper yet?” “I have, and you know what I did? I turned her over my lap and spanked the livin’ daylights out of her. My God, it was wild.” “She didn’t bite you or slap you?” “She tried, but our little war slowly turned into the hottest sex I’ve ever had. I think you missed out, buddy.” “Maybe so, but she’s yours now, and that’s fine with me.” “Well, I can’t thank you enough.” “Take care of her, Chase. She might not be what I want, but she’s a lady and should be treated like one.” “By the way, Storm, that was the best fried chicken I’ve ever had. Did she—” “No, I’m afraid not, but maybe Pearl will give her the recipe.” He slapped Chase on the back. “Hey, I hope you two can make it.” “Well, I have a feelin’ my marriage will be a lot of things, but it sure as hell won’t be dull.” ****

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One day Storm was riding home after taking care of something in town and slowed down as he neared the ranch, noticing something for the first time. Stopping his horse, he looked up at the sign, seeing once again the words, South Wind, written in bold letters as big as Texas. Beneath it was a smaller sign that hung on a couple of hooks that read, Owner, Harv and Ellie Benedict. Storm knew that any other man wouldn’t have added his wife’s name, but Harv, being the man he was, did, and Storm admired him for it. He was sure that it made Ellie feel good to know that Harv respected her that much. What a marriage they had. Marriage. That was something Storm would never know, at least not with a woman, and men didn’t marry men, did they? When he finally arrived at the ranch, he saw Saul taming a wild bronco. Storm was particularly proud of Saul. After only a few weeks, Saul could tie a lasso and even throw it. Storm had watched him loop that thing around everything from calves to bulls and then let out a loud Yee-haw! If Storm didn’t know better, he’d swear that Saul had been born in the saddle. After putting up his horse, he went out to where Saul was and talked to him. “So, how about it, Saul? You think you might stay out west?” Saul looked over at him. “Are you kidding? I was born for this life. I love it.” A soft look came into his eyes as he continued. “Besides, I can’t leave the man I love, Storm. But, hell, whether I stay or not has nothing to do with the way I feel about you. It’s because you introduced me to all this. I get the chills when I think that I could have wasted my whole life in Boston, never knowing what I was missing.” “I’m glad to hear that, Saul, because I’ve made arrangements to have something done, but before I tell you about it, I had to know if you were stayin’.” “Hell, I’m here to stay if you’ll let me.” “Do you know where Curt is?”

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“He’s down at the lake washing the dirt off.” “I feel a little dirty myself. Come on. Let’s go down there.” Once they got there, Storm and Saul stripped and got into the lake. The three cowboys naturally drifted together, their bodies slick and gleaming in the dying sun. “What are you two doin’ here?” Curt asked. “Just wantin’ to wash up.” “Well, I’m through. I’ll meet you on the bank.” The men washed and played for a time and then just before the sun began setting, they got out and the three of them lay together on their towels talking to each other. The intimacy of the moment, the sleek feel of wet bodies, and the clean floral scent that mixed with the wind caused their cocks to rise. While the soft wind played in the treetops and the wet flowers dragged along the lake’s surface, the three cowboys began getting hungry. Their eyes began a frank appraisal of the other one as the lake water slowly dripped from their hair down each of their bodies. Both Curt and Saul leaned over Storm and began to suck his nipples, pushing him backward onto the grass. Storm sought their lips as they reached up and began to lick the water from his neck and face. Their lips, hot and rich with want, finally found Storm’s mouth, each of them kissing Storm, the three tongues tangling with each other, one kissing Storm first, and then each other. The three-way kiss excited them, making Storm writhe. He could feel their stiff cocks as they brushed along his thighs. “Who wants my cock, and who wants my ass?” “I want Curt’s ass,” Saul said as he looked at Curt with the soft look of a man in love. “I’ll take your cock first, Storm,” Curt whispered and then looked at Saul. “And then I want Saul’s ass.” As Storm lay between them, he could feel hands everywhere. While Curt kissed his way down his body toward his cock, Saul was kissing his neck, licking his ear, and nibbling his lobe. His hot breath tickled Storm, causing him to moan and float among the sensations

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their hands and mouths were causing. And then he felt the warmth of Curt’s mouth as it closed over his cock as he had so many times before. He never tired of having Curt eat his long, brown cock, and using his hands to stroke, tickle, and squeeze his balls. When Storm felt as if he was about to come, he spewed into Curt’s mouth, but he wasn’t through. By that time, Saul moved to take Curt’s ass. Since Storm wanted an ass to bury his cock into as well, he mounted Saul’s ass and rubbed himself hard between the crack in Saul’s butt. When he had to have more, he opened Saul up and found his hole and pressed himself in until he felt himself floating on that euphoric place that would lead him to satisfaction. While he worked hard, the three of them clung together, their eyes closed in passion, their moans floating on the warm Texas wind. Storm was coming closer and closer to a climax and felt himself almost ready to spew. Oh, God, it was so close, yet so far away. He plunged in, out, lunging hard until he felt himself getting closer and closer to that realm where his lust would at last be satisfied. Saul and Curt were both edging closer to completion, when suddenly, they all exploded together. Another fire was started when Storm found himself at Curt’s back and slowly laid his cock along the crack in his ass, rubbing it until he found his hole. He wanted more. God, so much more, so he squeezed his ass around his cock and began rubbing hard. When he knew the time was right, he found Curt’s hole, nudged it, and opened it little by little until the sensitive top of his cock was buried inside. His desire rose and floated as he pushed himself in further and then out, allowing the sensations to fill up his belly and carry him close to a fucking man’s delight. And then suddenly, he felt Saul push himself inside his ass, and a new set of sensations grew, grabbing him and sending him to a heavenly sphere of such splendor, he could do nothing but go with it. As he continued to climb, he fucked Curt while being fucked himself.

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When an explosion like none he’d experienced hit him, he called out with a lusty groan. The sound filled the little cradle of crushed grass beside the lake while the floral-scented wind still wafted around them. His energy gone, he wilted down on Curt’s back while Saul still pumped in and out of him, his breath short and labored until he at last came to a climax that spewed out like an angry volcano.

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Epilogue Later, when the three of them were riding back toward the ranch, Storm slowed his horse at the arch and then stopped. The others who were ahead reined in their horses and looked back. “What’s wrong?” Curt asked as both he and Saul galloped back to where Storm’s horse was standing. Storm looked at each of them and said, “I have a surprise for you.” Curt smiled. “Yeah? What is it?” “Look,” he said, nodding toward the sign at the top of the arch. The two men looked up and saw… South Wind Owner, Storm Benedict Co-owners, Curt Sanders and Saul Denis “Oh, my God, Storm!” Curt said. “Are you sure about this?” “I don’t have any doubts.” “But what does it mean?” Saul asked. “It means you get a percentage of the profits from the ranch, my way of paying you back for all you’ve done. It means we’re partners. It means no more sleeping in the bunkhouse.” Saul laughed. “Damn! I love it already!” “For me, this is forever, but I know things can happen, so, in the future, if for any reason you want to pull out, just say so.” He hesitated for a moment and then added, “But I hope you don’t.”

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“What made you think of it?” “Something you said, Curt, and something old Harv used to do. I think he’d approve if he was here. The fact is, both of you have worked very hard to build the ranch up, even used your own money sometime to buy what was needed, whether it was something for the ranch, food, or just a bottle of whiskey. The best part is, you never mentioned it, never threw it in my face that your money was being used in this way. I just want you to know I appreciate it, and this is the least I can do. My way of showing you how I feel about each of you.” “Is this legal and everything?” Saul asked. “It will be after I put both your names on a document that lists you as a co-owner.” He looked at the two of them and said, “I got the lease here, and the sign’s up. Why don’t we go into town and do it now?” “It’s been a full day, aren’t you tired?” Curt asked. “Not anymore. And we can stop at the White Stallion and celebrate. How about it?” “Sure,” they said in unison and then turned their horses around and yelled out the typical cowboy call, “Yeee-haaw,” while their horses kicked up dirt as they raced into town. While Storm was riding, he thought of what Curt had said to him not long ago that seemed to apply to their situation. It ain’t a marriage, but it’s damn close.

THE END WWW.KELLYCONRAD.NET

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Kelly Conrad has been in love with romance books since she was a very young girl. She loves to write so much that it’s hard for her to stay locked in one genre, but finds herself entering into the world of darkness where vampires, shapeshifters, and other strange characters live. Although she began her career by writing westerns, she likes to push the boundaries of her imagination as far as they will go. As a result, her contemporary side begins to emerge, and another great book is born. Also a lover of the arts, she enjoys anything that embraces the creative nature within us all. Bringing believable characters to life that thrill and excite her readers is a challenge that she will embrace fully. She intends to go the whole spectrum and create stories involving super sexy alpha heroes and divine heroes and heroines in magical, exotic, and fantastic scenarios. So, I invite you to indulge your secret fetishes and desires because you haven’t seen all of Kelly Conrad yet. Who knows where she will go next?

Also by Kelly Conrad Ménage Amour: Love and Lust for Three Ménage Amour: The Spitfire and Her Four Gunslingers Ménage Amour ManLove: Riverboat Named Desire PolyAmour: Wild Texas Heat PolyAmour: Pistol Packin’ Molly Ménage and More ManLove: Rogue Preacher Siren Allure ManLove: Jupiter’s Jungle

Available at BOOKSTRAND.COM

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com