Two Wanted Men [Badlands 2] (Siren Publishing Menage Amour) (15 page)

The sun was just breaking over the eastern sky and according to the cryptic, well worn message Reese had given her before leaving, she had to go four miles northwest of the railway station stop after seeing the Devil’s Horn. Fearful she’d miss it at every turn, Miranda had barely slept the entire trip. Last night in the fading sky the formation had been clearly defined and it matched the sketch on the paper they’d given her. Once she made it to their property, she’d likely fall into an endless sleep upon seeing the first bed.

Once the light in the sky was bright enough, she pulled the battered compass out of its box and started walking northwest.

After three miles, she found a marker with the letters RM and LQ on the post.

Surely that stood for Reese and Luke. With a renewed skip in her step she followed a partial trail staying on her northwest trajectory until she came though a thicket of woods and into a clearing.

The log house, centered in the wide space, had smoke coming from the stone chimney on the roof.

Even though it was early summer, the cooler temperature of
South Dakota
was a surprise.

The inviting structure beckoned her with the promise of something warm to drink and a place to rest her weary head. Finally, seeing her two wanted men after so long was a joy she could barely contain in her grin.

Miranda knocked at the door and after a few minutes, it was opened by a beautiful girl with long black hair.

“Yes,” she said in a strange accent. Her coloring suggested she was Indian.

“I’m looking for Luke and Reese. Is this their house?”

The girl paused, squinted and then said, “Yes.”

Dressed in a colorful yet simple blouse and long skirt, Miranda wondered why they would have a woman in their home. She certainly wasn’t Reese’s sister.

She was however very beautiful. And a sudden horrible thought occurred.

Miranda asked, “Do you live here in this house with Luke and Reese?”

The girl smiled shyly and nodded. “Yes.”

Oh, God. They hadn’t waited for her. They figured out she wouldn’t leave her job to come all this way and they’d found someone else to share their bed.

She swooned a little at the futility of her journey, the endless miles she’d crossed and for the crushing hurt she felt at the thought of them with another woman.

Miranda backed away from the door and the beautiful girl. This was worse than the nightmare she’d left in Perrysburg. She’d come all this way only to have no place to go. Again. The letters Ben had held probably explained their choice. Of course they wouldn’t wait for her. They thought she was living her dream as a doctor.

The sound of approaching horses finally invaded her brain. In the distance coming from the south according to her compass, were two riders traveling hell bent for leather and straight for this house.

Was it the sheriff from town with her arrest warrant and an open hand ready to receive two hundred dollars for her return?

If she couldn’t have Luke and Reese, she didn’t know what she would do. She surely didn’t relish another trip and Ben would only punish her for leaving.

The urge to run was a useless endeavor. She’d never make it off the porch before they caught her.

A lightheaded feeling came quickly as she turned away from the open door. Miranda sat down on the top porch step of the lovely cabin, despair overwhelmed her and fatigue took over.

Black splotches crowded her view and a strange summer cricket noise rose to such a cacophony, she shook her head to clear it, but it was no use and the one thing she’d never allowed herself to do happened.

She fainted.

* * * *

“Miranda darlin’, please wake up.” Luke’s voice sounded rife with concern.

Without opening her eyes, she determined that she rested in a very comfortable bed. A cold compress had been placed against her forehead. When she opened her eyes, Luke’s weary expression greeted her.

“What happened?”

“You came all the way out here to faint on my porch and scare me half to death. Why would you do that?”

The memory of her journey, the jump from the train and all the complications came rushing into her brain and made tears well up.

“Don’t cry, darlin’.”

“But everything is such a dreadful mess. You don’t even know the half of it.”

“Well, given that you have an arrest warrant out for you from the sheriff in Perrysburg, I can guess quite a bit.”

“How did you know about that already?”

Another figure stepped into view. He was a lawman unmistakably since he had a star pinned to his vest. “I told him. Name’s Vanguard. I’m the sheriff in
Campbell
’s Valley about ten miles away.” In his hands was the hated paper outlining her crime of debt for her immediate detention. “I’d like to talk to you about this in more detail.”

Miranda sat up and hung her head. Luke put a finger to her chin until she gazed into his eyes. Tears welled up before she could stop them. “I should have left with you when I had the chance. I’m so sorry I didn’t.”

“It’s all right, darlin’, we’ll figure something out. And Vanguard will help us.”

“But there’s a reward for my capture.”

Sheriff Vanguard stepped closer. “We have to establish that the warrant is even talking about you.”

Miranda squinted. “It has my name and description on it. Of course it’s me.”

Vanguard frowned and tilted his head to one side. After studying her for a few long moments, he pulled a knife out of his boot and handed it to Luke.

Her eyes widened. “He wants me alive, you know.”

“Your hair doesn’t go down to your waist, does it?” There was an odd smile shaping his lips.

She started to answer yes, but Luke pulled the pins out of her hair. He took the bottom strands altogether in his hand and cut off eight inches using the knife. Once he was done, he handed her the discarded clump and returned the knife to Sheriff Vanguard.

“There.” Luke studied her new hair length. “Now she doesn’t fit the description anymore.”

“Excellent. I never did think it was her, anyway. I’ll head back to town and send a return telegraph message informing the Perrysburg sheriff that no one fitting that description has shown up in town.”

“Thanks.”

“My pleasure. I owe you tons of favors.” He caught her eye and smiled. “More than two hundred dollars worth.”

“Thank you for helping me, but I won’t stay and bother you any further.”

Luke gave her the oddest look. “You’ll have to explain that to me, darlin’. Did you get too much sun when you walked here?”

“No. I just don’t want you to think I’ll give you any trouble. I know you found another woman.” Tears slipped down her cheeks. “I should have come with you from the start. I don’t blame you for finding someone else.”

“There is absolutely no one else but you. What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about the girl who answered your door.”

“Kaispa? She just helps out around our house with the cleaning and cooking. Her husband helps with the property.”

“But I asked her if she lived with you and she said yes.”

Luke’s easy smile softened her. “The only English word she knows is yes. Maybe you can teach her more now that you’re here.”

“Perhaps I can. Where is Reese?”

“He left with a few men to check the northern section fences on our property. He won’t be back until late tonight or tomorrow morning.”

Miranda slipped her arms around his neck. “I love you.”

“I love you, too. I can’t believe you’re here. We worried a little when you didn’t respond to any of the letters.”

“They were intercepted. I never got them.”

“Doesn’t matter. I’ll write you some more.” He pulled her into his firm strong arms. “What do you want to do right now?”

“Truthfully, I want a bath.”

“Done. I’ll have Kaispa help get some heated water.”

“Do you think we’ve heard the last of Ben?”

“I know
you
don’t have to worry about it anymore. Take a bath. Get some rest and when Reese gets back, we’ll discuss everything.”

* * * *

Miranda took a long hot bath and after dressing in the only other shift she owned, she promptly fell into a deep sleep tucked securely in his bed. Luke paced in the great room for several minutes pondering today’s events. Obviously, they’d do everything in their power to keep her here.

After Reese had left this morning, Luke had gone into town for supplies. He happened to run into Vanguard, who was holding the warrant for Miranda’s arrest in his hands.

From that moment forward, Luke had been in a panic to get back home. He suspected she was headed to their place. He hadn’t expected her to already be at his house, but was so grateful to see her alive. At least, until she collapsed on his front porch. It was a wonder his heart hadn’t seized in his chest when she fainted.

Reese came in sooner than expected to find Luke still pacing the floor.

“What are you pacing for?”

“Miranda arrived today and she’s in a little bit of trouble.”

“What? Where is she?”

“Sleeping in my bed.” He glanced at his pocket watch. “For the last twelve hours now.

Reese grinned. “I think we should wake her and show her why she needs to reside here with us.”

“I must admit I’ve been thinking wicked carnal thoughts since she arrived.” He grinned then sobered. “But she was exhausted when she got here. She jumped off a train for Christ’s sake.”

“All the more reason to reward her.”

* * * *

Miranda dreamed about Luke and Reese again. It wasn’t the first time, but this dream was much more vivid.

The quilt and top sheet were pulled back to reveal her. She was dressed only in a thin shift. The fabric was pushed to her neck as unseen hands stroked her nakedness. She sighed at the pleasure of being touched again after so long. Two hands cupped her breasts and teased her nipples. The sensation sent spirals of pleasure down to the space between her legs. Meanwhile, two more hands pulled her thighs apart. Miranda waited to feel the penetration of either Luke or Reese’s cock filling her to the brink of pleasure. Instead, something unusual happened. She felt a rush of air brush across her pussy as if someone breathed against the sensitive flesh. She tried to close her legs, but something barred her.

She roused more fully awake as the vestiges of sleep fell away.

“Miranda,” called Reese’s familiar masculine voice. “Let me lick you.” The unseen hands spread her legs apart again, but this time she didn’t resist.

Her eyes drifted open to see Luke’s handsome face smiling down at her. He leaned down to kiss her mouth as a dizzyingly arousing sensation crossed her clitoris with blissful results.

She sucked in a deep breath breaking Luke’s ardent kiss. “What’s happening?”

Luke twisted his head to look at her legs. She followed his gaze to see Reese with his face buried between her thighs. The visual was so stimulating, she cried out, “Oh.”