Just the sound of her voice made me hard.
"Who the hell is that?" Landon whispered, coming to stand on the step beside me.
"I don't know, but let's find out," I replied, descending the rest of the way to the lobby.
Perhaps we'd been on the trail too long. Perhaps we'd only been involved with the dregs of society-thieves, murderers, whores who'd do anything for a dime, even men who beat their women-and saw her as a ray of sunshine. Intriguing, lovely. Untarnished.
I saw him nod and we made our way to the desk. We'd only arrived earlier in the day, enough time to check in and find the nearest bath house, washing off the dust of our journey, getting a shave-at least I did-and donning fresh clothes.
"I'm sorry, but I couldn't rightly say," the desk clerk said to the woman.
"Is there a problem?" I asked, coming to the counter.
She turned her head and looked up at me, then Landon, her eyes widening in blatant surprise.
My breath caught. I was glad I asked the question before I saw her eyes. They were green, perhaps made even brighter by the matching color of her dress. With her long lashes and wide eyed stare, I knew I could get lost in them. Drown there. I was sinking fast.
"Unfortunately, there are no more rooms," the desk clerk said.
"She will have mine," I replied easily. I'd slept on the hard ground enough, sleeping on the floor in Landon's room wouldn't be hardship. At least it was warm and there was a roof over my head. I wouldn't have to worry about coyote or an adventurous ground squirrel.
When she flushed prettily and I knew I wanted to say something else so she'd do it again.
"That's not necessary, sir."
Sir. God, that word made me itch to hook my hand behind her head and pull her to me to sample those full lips. I had to wonder if she'd been kissed before.
"You have somewhere to sleep tonight?" Landon asked. His voice was deep and even and drew her attention easily.
She glanced at him, then away. "Well, no, but I couldn't inconvenience you."
Landon stepped up, took her elbow and guided her away from the counter. "Please, let us be obliging. My friend has offered his room. It would be ungentlemanly for him to do less."
Her lips pursed and I could see she was trying to hide a smile. She looked over her shoulder at me, then up at Landon. "And are you a gentleman, too?" she asked.
"I am," he replied.
We appeared to be gentlemen with our fresh clothes and groomed hair. Our manners indicated it as well. But beneath that veneer of fashion and soap Landon and I were hardened men. Searching for the rough underbelly of society had made us jaded and weary. Definitely rough around the edges. But for her? We could try our damnedest to hide all that.
"And to prove it, I shall take you to dinner," Landon added.
"But-"
Landon, the bastard, had put two fingers over her lips. Her eyes widened in surprise at the ungentlemanly contact, but she was silenced.
"We insist," he murmured. "Please see that Miss-"
"Mrs. Thomas," she said, pulling her head back a bit so she could speak.
Landon dropped his hand as if burned. "I beg your pardon. Is your husband with you?"
We both looked around the lobby, but there was no one else. No man who guarded her and her affections. We didn't need to be punched for being overly solicitous with a married woman. And if she was already claimed, we would not engage her interest. We didn't take a woman that had her heart elsewhere.
She shook her head, the curl at her nape swaying. "I am widowed."
I sighed then. Internally, at least. There were no legal bonds keeping her from us. This woman was going to be ours. I had absolutely no doubt.
None. Insane? Absolutely.
Especially since we had a job to do. We were in Helena for a meeting about the next criminal we were to find. But that was tomorrow.
We shouldn't go about claiming a woman with an outlaw to chase, an unsaid rule we usually abided, but we would not walk away from her. I was afraid to let her out of my sight.
Tonight, we would learn more about Mrs. Thomas. We would learn everything.
For some time now, Landon and I had been ready to find a woman and settle down. Together. We'd been friends since we were young, leaving Omaha to become US Marshals. We worked together, did everything together, including sharing a woman. We just hadn't found the one who we wanted to make ours permanently. Our wife.
We'd traveled all over the country and had plenty of opportunities to find the one. I realized in this moment the reason why we hadn't found her before was because we were waiting for her.
The dark haired beauty without a room. Mrs. Thomas.
Insane! I would not leave this town without a ring on her finger and least one night … no, two, in her bed. Landon, too. We'd make her ours. Her. If we just wanted a quick tumble, we'd take a whore or two. But that wasn't what this was. Hell, yes, I wanted to fuck her, taste her, hear her cries of pleasure when we made her come, but this was more. She was more. I just knew it.
And while we were here for another case, we could gladly end our careers with the US Marshals. We didn't want for money-we'd been paid well and had lived simply. While we had a ranch east of here, we were away frequently, on the hunt of the latest criminal. But we were both content to leave that chase behind and settle-finally-on the ranch. The place met our needs and was perfect for settling down and raising a family.
"Please have Mrs. Thomas' things taken to my-her-room. Thank you." At the desk clerk's nod, I joined Landon and our future wife.
"You are very kind," she replied, offering me a quick glance with those emerald eyes. "It has been a long day and I am thankful for a place to rest my head."
Landon put a hand to his chest. "I am Landon Cooper and this is my friend, Seth Bane."
"Ma'am," I said, nodding once, noticing the long slope of her neck, the smattering of freckles across the bridge of her dainty nose. How many were there? I wanted to count them and see if she had any elsewhere on her body.
"Besides being tired, you must be hungry as well," Landon said, holding out his arm. She stared at it for a moment, then him. "It would be our honor to escort you to dinner."
When she didn't readily take his arm, I gave her a verbal nudge. "Please, Mrs. Thomas. Join us, otherwise I will be stuck watching Landon's horrible table manners. Again."
Landon didn't blink an eye when I poked fun at him. I had a goal with it and it worked; it made her smile, just as I'd hoped.
"Very well," she said, before placing her small gloved hand at the crook of his elbow.
I followed them out into the warm evening, the summer sun working it's way lower in the western sky.
"You are here in Helena or continuing on?" I asked.
She glanced over her shoulder, but turned back, most likely so she didn't fall as she walked along the uneven boardwalk.
"Yes, I am here to meet a friend."
"And you are traveling by yourself?" Landon asked, glancing down at her. He was almost a head taller and I watched as his eyes roved over her. Yes, he was just as interested. Intrigued.
"I am a widow and require no chaperone," she countered. "I assure you, I am more worldly than you might think."
Her words had me thinking all kinds of carnal things. Worldly? As in she had lovers? Would be open to a marriage with two men?
"No, that is true," I admitted, responding to her lack of chaperone. I didn't think it was quite time to ask after the rest, about the extent of her worldliness. "However, if you were our wife, we'd see to your safety above everything else."
She looked over her shoulder at me again, this time with surprise, most likely at the use of the words "our" and "we." Then something else appeared in that green gaze. Yes, it was interest. Interest at having a man-or in our case, men-concerned for her wellbeing, or more? When she turned forward once again, I grinned.
How had we found her, here in the middle of the Montana Territory? Five minutes longer in our rooms and we would have missed her, having been turned away.
We approached the nearest restaurant, knowing it was good from eating there for lunch. Landon held the door for her and I followed her inside, the scents of fresh baked bread and roasting meat made my mouth water. With my hand at the small of her back, I felt how warm she was through the soft fabric of her dress, and so small. I spanned the breadth of her back. I received a surprised glance as I wasn't Landon. It was crucial we discover her interest in both of us, that she learned we would both touch her. Be attentive. Doting. Dominant.
Two men marrying one woman was not the norm and having been married before, I was sure she would find it unusual. Startling even. But I didn't want her to find it horrendous. In fact, I wanted her to be eager for two men to care for her, cherish her. Fuck her.
I covered up a groan with a small cough.