According to Hoyle (36 page)

He took himself in hand, coating more of the thick snake oil on himself, and then he tugged at one of Gabriel’s knees. Gabriel lifted his leg obediently and Cage moved to push it up onto his shoulder. Gabriel tossed his head to the side and moved for him with a groan, whether of approval or pain Cage didn’t know. He belatedly remembered the wounds he’d just moments before been doctoring and worrying over, but if Gabriel wasn’t going to complain, Cage would let it be. He lined himself up as he held Gabriel’s hips off the mattress, his body trembling with the effort and the restraint it took to go slowly.

Gabriel’s hands moved against the sparse hair of Cage’s chest as Cage pushed into him, and Cage was unable to keep the moan of pleasure from passing his lips as he looked down and watched himself sink into Gabriel’s tight body. Gabriel echoed the sound as he rolled his hips and his body tensed against the intrusion, his short fingernails scraping against Cage’s chest. It was an easier entry than Cage had expected and he briefly wondered who else had been riding Gabriel lately. It was a passing fancy, though, one that didn’t matter to Cage as he rocked into his newfound lover.

He began with measured, careful movements, trying to make sure he didn’t hurt either of them or shoot off his load too soon. But the way Gabriel moved with him and the sounds he made didn’t make it an easy task.

He pulled his ankle up higher to rest against the small of Cage’s back, and his hands dug into Cage’s upper arms as he tried and failed to make him thrust harder into him. Cage grunted at him and fumbled to capture his wrists again, first extricating his arm from beneath Gabriel’s leg to grab one wrist and then the other as he pinned Gabriel to the bed. Gabriel pulled both legs up to link them behind Cage’s back, smiling as if that had been his goal all along.

Cage kissed the smile off his lips and thrust into him, hard. Gabriel gasped at the sudden change in the rhythm of their bodies. Cage continued the punishing thrusts, grunting with the effort as Gabriel moaned and tugged at his hands, trying to free his arms. When Cage’s grip loosened, Gabriel freed himself and wrapped one arm around Cage’s neck, the other around his torso, and his nails dug into Cage’s skin as Cage fucked him hard and fast for a few more torturous, glorious minutes before slowing his pace once more.

He was panting with every thrust of his hips, and not merely from the exertion or pleasure of the act. But Gabriel’s breaths were hot against his skin and it felt so damn good inside him.

When his rhythm began to falter, Gabriel gripped him hard and whispered into his ear. “Roll over, Cage,” he managed to say.

Cage groaned and forced his hips to stop their slow thrusting. He lowered his head against Gabriel for a moment of pure pleasure before he gripped his lover tightly and rolled both their bodies to the side.

When Cage found himself on his back, Gabriel sat astride him with his hands on Cage’s stomach and his chin raised as he rocked his hips and forced Cage back inside him. Cage watched him raptly, unable to tear his eyes away as Gabriel took himself in hand and began to stroke in time with his slow rocking.

Cage reached for his hips and held on to him, enjoying the sinuous movement beneath his fingertips almost as much as the clench and slide around his dick. Gabriel’s moans grew deeper as he rode Cage and his hand moved faster as he pleasured himself. Cage found his hips pushing upward almost of their own accord, and with every move Gabriel would groan plaintively and his body would jerk and tighten.

Finally, he could take no more and his body bowed forward, Cage’s name on his lips as the evidence of his pleasure pulsed over his fingers and onto Cage’s stomach. Cage watched him reach his end, entranced and overwhelmed by the sight. His body screamed at him to find his own release, and he gripped Gabriel’s hips hard and bucked under him like an unruly mount that refused to be broken.

Gabriel called out hoarsely and threw his head back, first merely holding onto Cage as he rode him, and then regaining his senses enough to roll his hips and meet the wild thrusts with his own movements. Cage would come almost completely out of him, then slam back into him with the satisfying slap of their damp bodies and Gabriel’s gasps of pleasure.

It didn’t take long for Cage to be broken. He sat up to wrap his arms around Gabriel and kiss him passionately, holding him still as he emptied himself into his lover’s willing body.

F
LYNN
lay on his stomach in the middle of the bed, his breathing still harsh and labored. Wash sprawled next to him, both of their bodies damp from sweat and both of them worn out from such unusual exertion.

“Why the hell ain’t we done this before now?” Wash asked breathlessly.

Flynn just shook his head, unable to form coherent thought just yet. It had taken some tricky figuring and seeking some embarrassing advice from Rose, but they had figured it out for themselves before long.

“Guess that’s one use they won’t be listing on those medicine peddlers’ wagons,” Wash murmured with a smile as he stared up at the plaster ceiling.

Flynn rolled his head to look at him, and he grinned widely at his bedmate. They found themselves unable to keep their high spirits from becoming laughter, and they lay together in the narrow bed, chuckling, uncaring of the world outside the hotel’s doors for that perfect moment in time.

Chapter 17

C
AGE
sat stiffly in his chair, his ribs giving him a bit of trouble this morning as he and Gabriel enjoyed breakfast together. They’d purchased new clothing that morning, and Cage had to admit, Gabriel looked good. He couldn’t keep his eyes from straying to the man, and almost every time they did, he found Gabriel looking right back at him and smiling.

The world that morning was a bright, friendly place, full of hope and opportunity. Cage knew it wouldn’t stay that way, but he could enjoy it while it lasted.

It wasn’t long before the two marshals joined them, ordering coffee to drink and bacon and eggs for breakfast. Cage was slightly surprised Flynn and Wash would eat with them, considering they’d ridden into St. Louis less than three days before, hauling them both handcuffed to a wagon.

Rose smiled warmly at both the marshals and greeted them with his unusual brand of sarcastic class. “Marshals,” he drawled, “I trust you’re both well-rested this fine morning.”

Wash merely snorted at him good-naturedly, and Flynn glared for a moment before his lips twisted into a smile he couldn’t restrain.

“Half figured you to be gone this morning,” Flynn told them in a low voice as he settled into his chair.

Rose grinned broadly. “I’m waiting for a newspaper. I’m quite interested to see how my death has affected the masses.”

“And there was much rejoicing in the streets,” Flynn said wryly.

Cage and Wash both rolled their eyes and shared a glance as they sat beside one another at the table. “How are you, Cage?” Wash asked him as Flynn and Gabriel continued their affable bickering.

Cage pointed to his ribs and then made a so-so gesture with his hand.

“That’s good; at least they ain’t broke. Means you can travel easier. You know what you plan to do now?” Wash continued with a nod of his head at Gabriel.

Cage smiled at him. Ever the optimist, the good Marshal Washington, always seeing the silver lining and expecting Cage to be able to respond. Of course, he and Gabriel had discussed their plans the night before, and they’d been in agreement over the fact that it might do them both some good to leave the country for a while. He gave an elegant shrug and lifted a hand toward Gabriel. After that, they would go wherever life took them. Wash nodded as if he’d understood.

“It’s possible we may find ourselves back in England for a while,” Gabriel told Wash after a short while. “To let the news of my death settle around those still trying to kill me, if you catch my meaning.”

“Good idea,” Flynn agreed. Cage was under the impression that he merely liked the thought of Gabriel leaving the country.

“Well, you ever find yourself up by Lincoln way, you just… tie Rose to a tree and come on into town and visit us,” Wash told Cage as he began laughing.

Cage smiled with him, nodding. He doubted they would ever see the two marshals again, and though he felt a pang of regret over it, he was sure he was the only one of the group that did.

They left New Madrid shortly after breakfast, with newly purchased horses and equipment, and several parcels of new clothing for each of them. They bid farewell to the marshals, assuring them that they were heading for Nashville first, and then probably a port on the East Coast from which to sail. It was quite touching, if not a little painful, to watch Flynn try to thank Gabriel. They finally settled on a handshake, and then Flynn and Wash were gone, heading back to Lincoln by way of St. Louis.

Cage and Gabriel hadn’t ridden more than half a mile before they were joined by Koda the dog. Cage was shocked to see the animal lope up to them and bark happily, but Gabriel greeted him as if he’d known all along he would find them. Cage told himself right then that his life was about to get far more interesting than it had ever been, and he should start expecting anything and everything.

“Does it sit right with you, letting that box make its merry way on to wherever they were taking it?” Gabriel asked him as they rode side-by-side.

Cage glanced over at him with a long-suffering sigh, but he was smiling. Gabriel met his eyes, smirking. “I’m no thief, mind you,” Gabriel drawled. “But I am curious. Of course, you just say the word and you and I will disappear into the sunset.”

Cage’s lips twitched as he tried to keep a straight face. Finally, he reached into his pocket and withdrew the small leather booklet and the length of charcoal pencil Gabriel had bought for him that morning. He wrote his response quickly, then leaned over in the saddle to hand the booklet to his partner.

Gabriel took it and read it aloud. “The only thing a man ever got from riding off into the sunset was sunshine in his eyes.”

He barked a laugh and looked up at Cage, grinning from ear to ear. “Let’s go find something more substantial than sunshine then, shall we?”

“
Y
OU
know they’re going after that box, right?” Flynn asked Wash as they readied the horses rented from the livery that would take them to St. Louis to retrieve their own mounts and wagon.

“I know it,” Wash said in a long-suffering tone. He looked over his saddle at Flynn. “You suppose it’s our job to go stop ’em?”

“If we go according to Hoyle it is,” Flynn answered with a crooked smirk.

Wash stared at him mutinously for a few moments, then he groaned and looked away. “Damn you and your rules, Flynn,” he muttered as he pulled himself into his saddle. He looked off toward the south, tipping his head sideways so his hat would shield his eyes from the sun rising in the east. “I am a mite curious myself,” he grumbled with a sidelong glance at Flynn.

“Then we better get moving before they have all the fun.”

About the Author

A
BIGAIL
R
OUX
was born and raised in North Carolina. A past volleyball star who specializes in pratfalls and sarcasm, she currently spends her time coaching middle school volleyball and softball and dreading the day when her little girl hits that age. Abigail has a baby girl she calls Boomer, four rescued cats, one dog, a crazyass extended family, and a cast of thousands in her head.

Visit Abigail’s blog at http://abigail-roux.livejournal.com/. You can also send her mail at: Abigail Roux, P.O. Box 552, Wallburg, NC 27373-0552.