Part 3 (1/2)
Jeb had been waiting for that one. He was surprised he'd waited as long as he had.
”How do you mean, partners?” he asked.
”Are you lovers?”
Jeb pulled up on the reins and leaned forward in the saddle. G.o.d, he'd missed sitting on a horse out in the wide open s.p.a.ces while he'd been in prison. He looked up at the pale blue sky and then looked Kenny dead in the eyes.
”I reckon you have a right to know about us, but I'd be obliged if you wouldn't share it with Drew. If it comes up, we'll tell her.”
”I guess I mostly want to know what your intentions are with her. She's the best friend I've ever had. She gave me a job and a place to stay when no one else would.”
”Can't hide the fact that Marshall and I want her. She's an attractive woman, and smart. Plus, she loves the land as much as we do. Put all that together, and it's a h.e.l.l of an aphrodisiac for a man to swallow.” He sighed and shook his head.
”I don't expect her to fall in love with one of us or both of us, but she's a woman with needs just like a man has. If she lets us, we'll take good care of her. If she doesn't, we'll mind her feelings and stay to ourselves. Choice is hers.”
”You didn't answer if you and Marshall are lovers,” Kenny prodded.
”We did what had to be done in prison to survive. That don't carry out here, though. That's all I'm saying.” Jeb nudged his horse into a canter, figuring Kenny would either follow or not.
He could hear Kenny's horse behind him, so he didn't bother slowing down. He checked the fence as he went by, following the natural curve of the land. It sang in his blood. Being away from it had just about killed him and Marshall. Ranching had been their entire life. They'd planned to be running their own spread by now. Things happen and things change. There wasn't anything he would have done differently that day if he could have. The girl mattered. His momma had taught him well as a kid that you never disrespect or hurt a woman for any reason. You walk away until you can be civil.
It had been plain bad luck that he and Marshall had been convicted of manslaughter and sent to prison. The judge had been a friend of the family of one of the boys. They didn't have a chance when it was all said and done. Then they'd learned a whole new sort of life. It hadn't been an easy lesson, either. In there, you were one of two things. You were meat, or you were the man. They'd done what they had to do to survive. There was no use trying to forget about it. It had been part of what made them who they were today. It was one of the main reasons they continued to share their women.
When they'd been growing up, it had been a kink they'd shared. It added to the excitement and general pleasure of s.e.x. Now, however, they shared because it kept them close without actually being lovers. They needed that closeness between them. Maybe Jeb needed it more than Marshall did. He refused to think too hard on it.
He looked off in the distance and saw the herd grazing. Kenny caught up with him.
”That look like all of them to you?” Jeb asked.
”Nope. d.a.m.n it to h.e.l.l.” Kenny cussed.
”Well, let's go see if we can round up some more.”
Chapter Four.
Marshall finished up the ch.o.r.es in the barn after turning the horses out in the corral. They all looked in fine shape. The feed was all free of tampering, and he'd made sure to lock the back of the barn up tight. He refilled the water trough in the corral and looked around him. Pale blue sky reached the mountains ahead of him. He knew it would snow soon, and they'd be snowed in eventually. Montana was known for its harsh winters.
Next on his list of ch.o.r.es were the steps on the front porch. The top step was cracked and needed replacing. Then he would work on the railing. The entire house needed painting, but that would have to wait until spring when the weather was warmer and stayed that way.
He'd been putting the last nail in the step when he noticed the dirt trail of a vehicle coming up the road. Who in the h.e.l.l could it be? He called out to Drew through the open front door.
”Company coming up the drive, Drew.”
”Coming.”
She walked out on the front porch and cursed.
”Who is it?” Marshall stepped in front of her.
”Brett Gunnison. He owns most of the land around my ranch.”
”What does he want?”
”Me to sell out to him.”
Marshall nodded to her and stepped aside when the truck pulled up, a nice, new-looking Dodge Ram. He parked next to their old truck and opened the door to get out.
Brett Gunnison had blond hair cut close to his head and wore a new-looking Stetson. He wore s.h.i.+ny snakeskin boots. His beady eyes missed nothing.
”Drew. Good to see you.”
”Brett. What do you want?”
”Is that any way to greet a neighbor?” he asked.
”Just spill it, Brett, what do you want?”
”Actually I came to warn you about a couple of drifters looking for jobs. Seems they've already made it here.”
”What about them?”
”I was going to warn you to steer clear of them. They're dangerous.”
”Really?” She took a step closer to Marshall and slapped her hands on her hips. ”Since when have you ever worried about me?”
”Drew, honey. I've always worried about you. That's why I keep trying to get you to sell to me. It's no place for a woman alone out here.”
”Well, I'm not alone. I have Kenny, and now I have a new foreman and Marshall here.”
”See, there's where you're wrong, Drew darling. You have two ex-cons working for you. Now that's not safe.” Brett took a step forward, and Marshall stepped back in front of Drew.
”Let me get rid of these two men for you. I'll call the sheriff out right now.”
”If anyone needs to be leaving, it would be you,” Marshall said.
”Drew, you can't mean to keep these convicts out here with you. They're dangerous men. They killed two boys,” Brett argued.
”I know all about their past. I can hire who I want, so you might as well leave,” Drew said.
”If you would just marry me...”
Marshall interrupted him.
”She said to leave.” Marshall took a step toward him, the hammer still in his hand.
Brett eyed it then hardened his expression. ”I'll be back, and your new hands better be gone, or the sheriff will get rid of them.”