The Badger City Gang [Bride Train 7] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (5 page)

She squawked when he wrapped a band of iron under her breasts and lifted her as easily as a sack of potatoes. He backed up, slid the door shut, and shoved her carpetbag into her hands.

“Better hold tight. I won’t be going after it if you let go.”

She put her arms through the handles and hugged it against her belly. She had no trunks in the baggage car, but now was not the time to tell him.

“You got her?”

She whipped her head toward the new voice. A man riding a black horse towed another behind him.

“Hold tight!”

Her scream, erupting as her captor tossed her to the other man, was lost in the shriek of the train whistle.

Zach couldn’t help grinning as the train chugged away. Kate struggled a bit in Rusty’s arms, but her kittenish attempts to escape just made his cousin laugh. Zach wanted to hold her, but they had to get away first. Her trim, stocking-clad legs hung either side of the horse’s flanks. If there was a way he could have leaped from the train with Kate in his arms, he would have, and Rusty knew it. The man grinned far too much at the way Kate’s breasts bounced against his supporting arm. Zach growled, knowing her soft bottom rubbed against Rusty’s cock. She should be riding his.

He was in agony by the time they pulled up at the camp. The train’s whistle, far in the distance, proved it rattled on. He dismounted and reached up for Kate. Rusty held her for an extra moment, grinning like a devil, before releasing her. When Zach set her down and let go, she swayed, grabbing the stirrup to stay upright. Rusty dismounted, pulled off his hat, and nodded howdy. She replied with a haughty sneer like the one he’d seen Louisa Mendoza in Texas give to a hired hand who’d presumed to speak with her.

“Do neither of you own a razor, comb, or pair of scissors?”

“We grew these as a disguise, ma’am,” said Rusty. He gave her his best wink and grin. She didn’t look as impressed as most women did around his cousin. The devil-may-care attitude drew them like wasps to beer. Not Kate.

“You let yourself go for months, just to hold up the Bride Train?”

“Nope,” replied Rusty. “Had no time to shave while pushing longhorns all the way from Texas.”

“You’re from Texas?”

“Nope,” answered Zach, glaring at his partner.

“Telling her won’t hurt,” said Rusty with a nonchalant shrug. “She won’t be seeing anyone but you, me, and Gideon for a long while.” He turned all his charm on Kate. “Soon you’ll know how we like our biscuits and gravy, and all.” His leer suggested what else they wanted her to learn about them.

Zach hoped Kate would be amenable to him learning more about her, as well. Things like what color her nipples and pussy lips were, and if she was a screamer. It might set the wolves howling, but making a woman go wild like that made a man proud. He shucked his coat and scratched his itchy beard with his nails. Now that he had her away from the train, he could drop the accent as well.

“Kate, this is Rusty, my cousin. My younger brother, Gideon, is working the ranch.”

“My name is Katharine.
You
may call me Miss Mason!”

She stabbed him in the belly with her finger as if it was the barrel of a Colt. He grabbed her whole hand and gently squeezed. She shivered, but he didn’t think it was fear.

“Nah,” he replied easily. “You’re not big enough to have such a long name. Kate’ll do you fine.” He pulled her tight against his belly with his other arm. “I got us the best cook on the train. Ain’t that right, Kate?”

She jammed her jaw shut and refused to speak. She didn’t have to. Her brown eyes said enough. He laughed. She squeaked and wriggled to escape, but he didn’t think she tried very hard.

“She’s mighty small, but she felt all grown up when I held her,” said Rusty. “I think she liked it, too.” He waggled his eyebrows. Kate blushed in response.

Zach was not going to let Rusty touch her again for a week! From carrying her he knew she didn’t wear too many layers, which was good. Or not good, considering how his cock throbbed in his tight pants. Walt knew he was heading out of town to find a wife, but he didn’t say how he planned to get one. If Walt thought Zach stole an unwilling woman, he’d sic all six Elliotts, three MacDougals, and Jessie’s trio of husbands to hunt him down. Jessie would, too, come to think of it, and she was the best hand with a bullwhip in a couple hundred miles. The other ranchers would be right behind.

He’d better make sure Kate was satisfied with her new life before he let anyone near enough to hear her complaints. Being a woman, she was bound to have a number of them.

“The other women were like a mob of sheep heading to market, all fancy dressed and useless as colored stitching on a work shirt. Not this one.” Zach took her hand. She tried to yank it away, but he touched her palm with his fingers. “She’s got a few calluses so I expect she can work. Let’s get her home and see how she fits.”

Rusty snickered at his choice of words. He ignored his cousin and pointed to the horses. “We’ve got an extra horse, but not with a side saddle.” He let her see his interest. “You can sit across my lap if you like.”

“How long will it take to get where we’re going?” she asked.

“I figured on three, maybe four days if you ride in our laps,” replied Rusty.

“What if I ride astride on my own horse?”

“You can do that?” Rusty’s expression showed admiration.

“It’s been a few years, but I used to ride rather well.”

“But you’re wearing a skirt,” said Zach, pointing out the obvious.

“I’ll change.” She lifted her carpetbag. “I’ve got my brother’s pants and shirt in here.”

Rusty whistled. “If you can ride, we could be home in time for supper tomorrow.”

“That means you’ll have only one night sleeping rough. If you can take a hard ride, that is,” said Zach.

Rusty choked. Zach’s ears burned. His mouth kept exploding with the wrong words. He glared to make sure his cousin didn’t say anything to upset Kate. They could want her all they liked, but no one would touch her until she was ready.

“You’d better use the bushes now,” he said. “We won’t be stopping much, and it’s a hard trail.”

* * * *

Kate tried to pretend she was aggravated at the two ruffians who rode at her front and back, but being on a horse in these mountains wearing comfortable clothing was a glorious thing. Instead of cowering under a hat so no one would recognize her, as she had to do when pretending to be her younger brother, she rode with her back straight and head high. It had been four years since she’d last worn pants, and it felt strange to have something snug against her thighs. Father would be apoplectic and her siblings horrified.

She felt wonderful.

She’d never before noticed how the seam between her legs rubbed against her as the horse walked. That, along with the heated looks she received from both men, made her feel more attractive and womanly than ever before. Strange, when she was dressed as a boy.

After walking a while to spare the horses they halted for a moment near the summit of a low mountain for a late breakfast. Rusty pointed out a golden eagle soaring below. It was glorious, exactly what being an adventuress was all about. Going to new places, seeing new things, meeting new people.

She followed Zach’s horse, which meant she could watch him. His broad shoulders tapered to the belt at his waist, above his curved bottom. She’d never looked at a man’s bottom before yesterday. Or any other part of one, now that she thought of it. The men Father brought home had so much lacking compared to Zach and Rusty.

Those two made her heart race just by giving her a certain look, a wink, or a sly smile. Their touch made her tingle and throb, especially in her breasts and between her legs. She wanted more than an “accidental” touch. Riding astride intensified the wonderful feelings, especially when she leaned forward to ride uphill. She was flushed and twitchy by the time they halted in a meadow to rest and water the horses.

“We’ll eat here,” said Zach. He pulled out dry sausage for them to gnaw on, and they shared a tin cup of cold mountain water between them. He seemed distant, not at all like the eager man who’d kissed her by the train. Was that only yesterday?

“You hurting, Kate, or can you ride for a couple more hours?” asked Rusty. “You’re doing so well we could push on. The more we travel today when you’re fresh, the shorter tomorrow will be.”

“I feel marvelous,” she replied, refusing to mention her sore bottom.

She walked around the clearing, stretching her legs. She’d opened a few buttons at her neck hours ago. It was so hot, she undid a few more. She flapped her blouse to create a cool breeze. Of course, she kept her back to the men until she did it up again. She only used enough buttons to keep it closed.

“Then we’ll stop at the wickiup by Bald Ridge.”

She followed Rusty to the horses. “What’s a wicky?” He quirked an eyebrow at her. “You said we’re stopping by one up by Bald Ridge.” He smiled and dropped his arm around her shoulders. She thought she heard a low growl from Zach.

“A wickiup is an Indian name for a lean-to that can be built quick. It kept us out of the rain on our trip out. Don’t think we’ll need it tonight, since the sky’s clear.”

She looked up and caught him staring into the space between her breasts. Though she was hot, hairs stood as bumps formed on her skin. Her nipples tightened as well. This close, she noticed his light blue eyes had a dark ring. He caught her looking at him, and noticing what he’d been staring at.

“Anytime you want me to kiss you, darlin’, just say the word. Anytime, anywhere.”

She bit her lip, considering the offer. Unlike Zach, his moustache was trimmed short, showing both lips. The ache between her legs that had kept her company since meeting Zach flared into life. She lifted her arms and turned into his embrace before she could think. He moaned, tilted his head sideways, and brought his head down.

He brushed his lips over hers once before settling in. She opened her mouth and tasted him. He pulled her to him, deepening the kiss. She let him guide her, nipping her lip and soothing it. She gripped the back of his neck to hold him close. His hands dropped to her bottom. He lifted her, pressing her against him. She quivered, twitching to get closer, to ease the ache.

“That’s enough!”

Rusty slowly released her mouth, and her bottom, at Zach’s barked order. They stood beside each other, gasping. She felt like there was nothing between her skin and his but the remainder of a lightning bolt that had struck.

“Now that’s a darn good start on tonight,” croaked Rusty, panting. He waggled his eyebrows and patted her bottom possessively.

Zach, growling quiet curses, elbowed him aside. He escorted her to her horse and hoisted her into the saddle. He ran his hand up her leg and squeezed her knee.

“Keep some of that for me.” He nodded at her as if sealing his words, and vaulted onto his horse. “Rusty, time for you to ride point.”

“You just want to watch Kate’s ass,” complained Rusty with a laugh.

“Yep.”

She turned to discover Rusty had removed his shirt. She’d never seen a naked chest before, but was sure none of the Eastern men would look like this. He had little hair on his wide chest, and what there was glinted reddish blond in the sun. He sat tall and flexed his muscles, laughing with his eyes as well as his mouth. He passed close by, making sure Zach saw him pat her bottom.

Kate, though unable to breathe calmly, almost rolled her eyes at how the two men tried to best the other. At the same time, a thrill ran through her. These two large, handsome men wanted her. Both of them!

She’d thought Zach’s kiss wonderful, but it was nothing like the one Rusty just gave her. She had a few hours to decide what she was going to do tonight. A before-bed kiss from each of them and then lie in separate blankets?

Or could there be more?

The sun grew so hot midafternoon that, during a quick break to stretch and use the bushes, she had to open her blouse and flap it again. Struck with a wicked idea, she undressed to the waist, removed her chemise and corset, and put her blouse back on. There was now nothing between her skin and their eyes but one thin layer of fabric. By the time she returned to her horse, her breasts were swollen, her nipples hard, and the place between her legs ached in need. She quickly stuffed what she’d removed into her carpetbag.

She knew she’d be tempting and teasing the two men. She wanted to do something so outrageous that it would wipe Father’s orders from her brain forever. If that meant having two arousing men kiss her, and do wicked things to her, then so be it.

By the promise in Rusty’s eyes she knew he wanted to do more than kiss her, but she was fuzzy on how to get there. She loved the way their hands felt caressing her bottom. It shot fire throughout her body. Surely nothing could feel more intense?

Rusty managed to scoot past Zach to help her into the saddle. He choked when his eyes strayed below her chin. “You’re playin’ with fire, sugar,” he warned. His nostrils flared like a stallion downwind of a mare in heat. “Keep that up and you might get more than a good-night kiss. It gets cold in these mountains at night, but I’ll keep you warm.”

“Leave Kate alone and ride,” ordered Zach.

Rusty’s hand drifted across her breast as he helped her into the saddle. She gasped at the rush of need it evoked. Zach grumbled, which made Rusty grin before mounting the dun gelding in front of her. He held himself up off the saddle for a moment before carefully sitting on the leather.

She was immediately glad she’d removed the extra layer. Nothing held back the breeze but a few buttons as it slid between her breasts. While the air cooled her skin, the knowledge of having nothing but one layer between her skin and a man’s eyes, heated her blood.

Whenever Rusty turned around to “check on her,” she made sure her spine was straight, her shoulders back. She would prove that she could ride as well as a man. He’d grin and turn to face forward again. Sometimes he’d lift himself out of the saddle and ride that way for a few minutes.