Two Cowboys To Protect Her by Lacey Davis
Chapter 6
Rena slept very little that night, tossing and turning. Every time her eyes closed, she would see the man hanging from the tree and once again witness his killing. Then Harley and Clayton would enter her dream and show her the pleasure between a man and woman.
A moan would awaken her to the feel of her fingers between her legs, pleasuring herself.
She didn’t know why she was thinking about them, but it was such a pleasant feeling after experiencing the nightmare that she didn’t care.
Either man would be perfect for her and yet she knew they would never be interested in a woman like her.
Early the next morning, she dressed for work. In the dawning light when she walked out the door, she saw a man off in the distance watching her. He smiled and fear seized her as she hurried back into the house, her heart pumping wildly.
After she closed the door, she leaned against it. What was she going to do? If she missed work, she would be fired, but the thought of that man catching her was terrifying.
That was the man from the night before. Not the one who chased her, but the one who hid the body.
Harley and Clayton must still be asleep and she needed to get to work.
Knocking on their door, she heard a groan. Slowly she opened the door and stood there in shock. Both men were naked as the day they were born. Their cocks lay hard against their bellies, smooth and long and so irresistible.
For a moment, she just stared at the two of them. Their hard muscled chests, their thick burly arms and the manly smell that filled this room. Not a bad odor, but one that tantalized her. One that made her want to cuddle between them.
Taking a step back, she closed the door. It would not be proper for them to catch her staring at their naked bodies in awe. She’d never seen the male physique and she had the most incredible urge to run her fingers down their chest until she reached below their waist and take their cocks in her hands.
Not something a young, single woman should be thinking about.
Once again, she knocked. This time a little louder. “Clayton, it’s time for me to leave for work.”
She heard him rustling around. Thank God she'd stepped out the room before he awakened. “Give me a minute,” he called out.
Walking away from the door, she peeked out the hall window to see if the man was still watching the house. This time, she didn’t see him. Suddenly she felt Clayton behind her. He leaned down putting his head right beside hers and gazed out the window.
“What’s wrong?”
Should she tell him? Because then he would know she had tried to leave without him. Maybe it wasn’t the same man. Maybe she only imagined him.
“Nothing, we better get going. Jeremy hates it when I’m late, because then he has to do the cooking.”
Clayton checked his gun and ammunition, and then strapped his gun belt low on his waist. Watching him, her breath became fast and her chest tightened. What was wrong with her? All this after staring at two naked men in the bed. The sight would be with her all day.
“Let’s go,” he said.
When they opened the door, he stepped out in front of her. “Not to be rude, but this way if someone is going to shoot, I take the first shot.”
Stunned, she stared at him. What had she gotten herself into? Never had she really thought about someone wanting to really kill her. She was just a plain girl who struggled to make ends meet.
A cool breeze blew early this morning before the Texas sun would scorch the earth later and yet just thinking about the two men naked in bed had her breathless and warm. Too warm.
Taking her by the arm, Clayton moved her between the building and his side, off the main street. His eyes were the same color as the clear morning sky and his gaze shifted looking everywhere to make certain they were not being followed.
“Don’t you think I’ll be all right after today?” she asked. “I mean, surely they have moved on to find their treasure.”
Yet, she’d just seen the outlaw, Tray, waiting for her across from her home. She had nowhere else to go.
“No,” Clayton said. “You could testify against them and then they would hang. Until you’re dead, they’re going to be searching for you.”
His words worried her. She couldn’t afford interference in her life. She needed her job to buy food to keep from starving.
“How long is this going to take? We don’t even know where to capture them?”
He laid his hand on her arm and squeezed gently. “It’s going to be all right. Harley and I will stay with you until they’re caught.”
Warmth spread through her, and she realized she wanted them with her in her tiny house. Though if the gossips learned of their presence, she would be a ruined woman. But rather ruined than dead.
“That could be weeks or months,” she said.
“I don’t think so,” Clayton reassured her. “These men are not patient and they’re going to try something soon. Whatever you do, don’t leave without one of us being at your side. Don’t go outside after dark alone. If shooting starts, get down. Be very vigilant about your surroundings.”
They continued walking down the street and were almost to the restaurant. With a sigh, she closed her eyes for a second. “Thank you for protecting me.”
She glanced up at Clayton and a smile spread his lips. “My pleasure, Rena. I just wish we had met under not such a stressful event. It would have been better to meet at a church supper.”
A grin spread across her face. “Oh, you would not have come over and spoken to the old maid sitting on the blanket by herself.”
“You’re wrong,” he said. “I would have brought you a bowl of ice cream and even fed it to you.”
The very idea of him spoon feeding her the cool sweet had her sighing.
“Who says you’re an old maid?”
“Me,” she replied, wishing she had never mentioned that word. “I’m twenty years old.”
Laughter came from Clayton and he pulled her closer. “I like the fact that you’re not some young girl who has no clue about life.”
And yet she was clueless about what went on between a man and a woman. Sure, she knew about the act, but how did you get there?
They had arrived at the restaurant. Jeremy was just flipping the sign to open. Was Clayton flirting with her? The thought made her heart pound even harder.
“Are you going to stay and wait for me, or go on to the sheriff’s office?”
“I’ll have some breakfast and we’ll see how things go, but I’m probably going to be right outside the door where you are.”
This was going to be tricky. Jeremy was such a stickler about talking to the patrons and not being too flirty. What would he do when she told him that Clayton was her bodyguard?
“I can leave after the noon meal today,” she said. “Jeremy likes to keep our hours to a minimum in order to keep from paying us as much.”
Clayton swore and she could tell he didn’t really like Jeremy much. But he was the boss and at least she wasn’t lying at the whorehouse. This job paid just enough to keep her off her back.
“I’m going in through that door right there. You go in the front door,” she told him. “I’ll see you later.”
It was all she could do not to reach up and kiss him on the cheek. Was this how it would feel when someone courted her?
“No, I’ll walk you to the back door and then return through the front of the diner.”
Taking her by the hand, he led her to the door.
When she walked in, Jeremy frowned at her. “Who's the man?”
“My bodyguard,” she said.
“Your what?”
“I witnessed a murder last night. The men are after me. They want to kill me.”
Jeremy frowned. “You? Rena Hall? Our little mouse?” Then he threw back his head and laughed. “That story is not going to get you a day off.”
“I didn’t expect it to,” she said, putting her apron around her waist. She looked at the orders that so far Jeremy had taken, ignoring him.
Quickly she got into her routine with cooking, bacon, eggs and even whipped up some biscuit dough and put it in the oven. Then she made the gravy that so many of their clients loved.
Jeremy disappeared and then came back in. “Two more orders.”
“Yes, sir,” she replied. Every job had things that one didn’t like, and she had Jeremy. She was grateful for the job, but he could be an ass. Today she refused to put up with his sass.
Suddenly, the back door was kicked in and she screamed as the man from the night before walked in and grabbed her by the wrist.
“Clayton,” she screamed. “Help me.”
He hit her across the face, and she kicked him.
The click of a gun had the man freezing. “Let her go or I will enjoy putting a bullet in your skull.”
The man shifted her, putting her between him and Clayton.
“You that fella who interrupted us last night in the saloon. This here pretty woman is my wife.”
Why did they continue to use that excuse when they all knew it wasn’t true?
“Shut the hell up. I know that’s not true,” Clayton said. “Release her or I’m going to make this kitchen area a bloody mess.”
The man moved her slowly to the door. “We’re not going to hurt her.”
“Just like the murder you committed last night?”
“What murder? She’s telling you lies,” he responded with an evil grin.
“She didn’t tell me,” Clayton said and Rena felt the man tense. He had backed to the outside door still swinging with the wind.
“I’m going to find you and you’re going to regret being this much trouble for me.” With a shove, he pushed her at Clayton and ran out the door. Her protector ran to the open doorway and looked to see where he had gone.
When he turned back to her, she was crying. “He said he’s going to find me.”
Her big strong savior took her into his arms and held her. Then he lifted her head until she was gazing in his eyes. “He can try, but he’s not going to win.”
Suddenly his lips covered hers, his mouth commanding and taking control. His tongue slipped between her lips and she moaned as he assaulted her mouth. Rena had never been kissed before and she didn’t know if this was normal, but she liked the way he held her head in his hands and controlled her mouth. She liked the warmth flowing through her body, straight to between her legs.
But most of all, she liked Clayton.
“What the hell is the meaning of this?” Jeremy cried. “Who broke the damn door?”
When Clayton released her lips, he smiled at Jeremy. “Rena quits.”
“What? No, I can’t quit,” she cried.
“Yes, you can,” Clayton said and took her hand as they stepped through the back door.
“Good,” Jeremy cried. “No one else in town will hire you when I tell them what you did.”
Clayton stopped, turned, and gazed at the man. “I wouldn’t advise you doing that. I’m a Texas Ranger and we’re very protective of our women. Now, you have customers you might want to see about.”
Rena stood there in shock. She’d just been fired from her job. How in the world would she support herself now?
