Boot Hill Bride (12 page)

against his warmth.

The embrace not only sent away the chill but filled her

insides with a tender glow. Her mind began to wonder if he'd

seen her undressing. The thought didn't cause

embarrassment, but something else, and though she'd never

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experienced it before the feeling was deep, and womanly. Her

body heated up a good ten degrees, like a small fire had been

built in the very pit of her being.

He wiggled a bit more, fitting his body around hers like

frosting on a cake. All of a sudden she felt extremely satisfied

and happy. She bit at the smile forming on her lips, a touch

fretful at upsetting him again. "I really am sorry," she

whispered.

"Shh." The touch of his breath floated over her neck, and

his hand, lightly resting on the nightgown Ma had repaired for

her today, softly patted her stomach.

Held as such, in the most comforting cuddle imaginable,

there was little she could do except float into a relaxing,

dreamlike euphoria that soon led to deep slumber.

Hours later, when a pale pink streamer of early morning

sun danced across the patch in the center of the tent ceiling,

she opened her eyes and found she was alone, tucked inside

the covers like a baby in a bunting. Randi wiggled her arms,

loosening the tight covers a bit, and glanced around the

empty tent. The faint sounds of hammers filtered into the

space. She sat up with a start.

The men were already working and here she was sleeping

in like a princess in a palace. Her eyes settled on the lamp on

the table before she snatched her dress and underclothes

from the chair and tugged them under the covers. The task

was difficult and took much longer than she wanted, but not

willing to stand beside the bed and dress, she didn't flip the

blankets off until her dress was settled over her head.

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She quickly pulled the skirt down as she stood and then

sat down to tug on her socks and shoes. After making up the

bed and putting the tent in order, she retrieved Howard's red

plaid shirt and exited the area. Crisp, clean morning air met

her, and she buttoned the shirt while making her way to the

cook site.

A glance over her shoulder didn't reveal any workmen,

mainly due to the high walls that had been lifted the day

before. The glistening morning sun, barely peeking over the

horizon, shined on the new boards, reflecting off the feather

swirls of frost still clinging to the structure. Pounding

continued to fill the air, and Randi turned about as Ma Quinter

stepped out of her tent.

"Land sakes, what time did that fool get up and start

poundin'?" the woman asked.

Randi shrugged, used the motion to pull the thick shirt

tighter to her body.

"Well, I'll get the fire goin' if'n you wanna get a pot of

coffee started."

"All right," Randi agreed and moved to the storage tent.

Yesterday, she'd help Ma arrange all of the supplies, more

than she'd ever seen at one place and time, in the extra tent.

Due to the large chunks of ice packed in sawdust,

surrounding the crates of beef Ma had brought, it was colder

inside the tent than outside. Blowing into her hands, she

quickly gathered the coffee pot and the small tin of ground

coffee beans and went back out to break a thin film of ice off

the top of the water in the bucket before filling the pot.

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Snake and Bug moved about, one adding sticks to the

flames taking life in the fire pit, the other hauling an arm load

of larger logs to form a pile near the circle of rocks. Her gaze

went to Howard's tent and embarrassment of what the boys

may have seen the night before blazed into her cheeks.

"Morning, Randi." Bug tipped his hat, a friendly smile

covering his face.

From his crouched position, adding yet another log to the

fire, Snake quickly offered, "Hey, Randi. Morning." He, too,

acted nonchalant, as if nothing had happened the night

before.

"Good morning," she replied with a sigh of relief,

extremely thankful for their behavior. Perhaps they hadn't

seen anything. Perhaps she had dowsed the light before

anyone besides Howard saw her undressing.

"Didn't Hog sleep a'tall?" Bug asked.

"Excuse me?" she asked.

Bug gestured toward the building site with his head, dark

brown eyes squinting with what looked like frustration. "Hog,

didn't he sleep at all last night?"

"I-uh..." she started, but stopped, wondering if Howard

had slept. She had—like a baby. As a matter of fact with the

warmth of his arms cradling her like a newborn, she had

never slept so well—ever. Her brows pulled taut on her

forehead. When had he left the comfort of the bed? She

hadn't awakened all night, not until the pounding had filtered

into her dreams. Hot blood rushed into her cheeks. The

dream had been quite pleasurable and shocking to her now

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awake virginal mind. She squeezed her eyes shut, forcing the

late night visions from her mind.

The blush, as well as the increased beat of her heart,

made her gulp for air and rush to the tri-pod to find

something to occupy her. Squeezing her shaking fingers,

which had nothing to do with the chilly morning air, she tried

to make them function enough to spoon coffee grounds into

the water and then set the pot atop the small grate.

"I swear I'd just fallen asleep when his blasted pounding

started," Bug said, still gazing at the work site.

"You know your brother has had his tail tied in a knot to

get this restaurant up and running. Quit belly-aching and get

over there to help him," Stephanie Quinter said as she

rounded the tent. "We'll have breakfast ready in half an

hour." She waved a hand to Snake. "You get, too!"

The boys grumbled under their breaths but sauntered off

toward the building, and Stephanie turned to Randi.

"You know how to make sausage gravy?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Well, get to it. I'll gather the leftover biscuits from last

night," Stephanie instructed, pulling the thick shawl around

her shoulders tighter. "Ain't none to warm yet in the

mornings. I told that boy to wait until April, but, oh no, he

wants it up and running by May. No patience, I tell ya, none

of my boys ain't got no patience."

It appeared as if the woman was waiting for her to agree,

so Randi nodded, but didn't comment as she moved to the

supply tent. Her eyes once again wandered to the half-built

structure. More men began to arrive, some on foot, some on

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horseback, and she recognized several as ones who'd helped

the day before.

By the time she walked out of the tent, hands full of

breakfast supplies, the site looked like an ant hill, workers

scurrying every direction and with precise movements

completing their specific tasks. She sliced potatoes to fry in

one pan, while the sausage began to sizzle in another. The

cooking soon consumed her, and thoughts of Howard's short

night were sent to the rear crevices of her mind.

When the meal was cooked to perfection, Stephanie lifted

the large iron triangle out of the back of the supply wagon

and split the air by banging against it with a short rod. The

loud ringing echoed in Randi's ears long after the woman

tossed the object back into the wagon.

The Quinter brothers walked around the wall

simultaneously, and the breath stalled in Randi's throat.

Walking side by side, the three men created quite a scene.

Tall and muscular, with just enough swaggers in their strides

to make anyone, man or woman, take a second look, each

one was uncommonly handsome. Bug was the shortest, but

only by less than an inch or so. His dark eyes and hair made

him look like a cousin instead of a brother.

Not that she knew much about cousins, never having any

herself, but the way Howard and Snake resembled each

other, there was no doubt they were brothers. Snake was a

touch shorter than Howard, who walked in the middle, talking

to a brother on each side. Howard and Snake both had blond

hair that wasn't curly but a touch more than wavy. Their eyes

were a unique gray-green. Silently, she decided it was the

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way Howard's eyes danced that made his face more

handsome. He was also broader than his brothers. Snake and

Bug weren't skinny, but they weren't as bulky as Howard.

There was no doubt to the amount of strength in his arms,

she'd felt the hard muscles yesterday and the protection they

offered last night.

Something tingled in the root of her stomach. She lifted

her eyes. Howard's gaze captured her like a rabbit in a snare.

Her face sizzled as if she'd been standing over a hot stove. A

wide smile formed on his lips, displaying a straight line of

white teeth. Her heart jolted, and her knees wobbled.

Thankfully, the pan of potatoes in her hand didn't land on the

ground.

Randi squared her shoulders and sucked in a deep breath.

She turned back to the food. Life certainly had thrust her into

an unknown plane. Focused on feeding the brothers, the

cooking managed to keep her feet on the ground and head

out of the sky, until Howard spoke.

Clasping her hands to her chest, against the pitter-patter,

she turned about. "Excuse me?"

He waved a hand toward the table. "Aren't you going to

join us?"

"No, no, go ahead and eat. I'll get something after you're

all done." She moved to the fire to transfer the pot of coffee.

"I'll get it. You go sit down," Howard said from near her

elbow, his fingers already grasping the handle.

"No, really, I'll get it." She reached for the pot, but was too

slow. He quickly snatched it out of her reach.

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With one hand carrying the coffee, he turned her about

with his other hand, and then folded the arm over her

shoulders. "Come on. The boys won't bite."

"What?"

"My brothers, they won't bite you." A crooked grin creased

his face, and his eyes twinkled down upon her with more

sparkle than the Christmas Star.

"I didn't think they would," she admitted as a warm

mellow commotion wafted through her chest. She would like

to ponder on how he did it, how he made her feel comfortable

and at ease with a simple look. But couldn't, because his

nearness also sent her heart racing. It was all quite

perplexing and wonderful at the same time. They sat and

soon the chatter and companionship at the table drew her in.

She'd never enjoyed a meal so immensely.

Empty plates sat before them, and while Bug entertained

everyone with a tale of how one of the workers had nailed his

own shirtsleeve to the wall yesterday, squeals interrupted

their small group. A shiver rippled Randi's shoulder, and she

turned to stare down the road. The screams were female and

very hostile.

"Sounds like someone ain't happy down at Danny J's,"

Snake said seconds before a gunshot sliced the air.

Randi leaped to her feet, hitched her skirts, and without

further thought or ado, took off in a dead run.

For a split, dazed second, Howard watched Randi leaping

over sticks and larger patches of tall grass before he jumped

and took off after her.

"Randi!"

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She could outrun a deer, but luckily, he caught up with her

on the road, before she barreled into the middle of two

women tearing at each other like mountain cats. He grasped

her by the waist, but her feet continued to run in the air near

his knees.

"Whoa, up!"

She twisted about like a squirming fish. "Corrine! I have to

help Corinne!"

Howard wrapped one arm around her waist and plucked

her under his arm like a sack of feed. He took a few steps

away from the dust being stirred by the fighting women

rolling across the dirt in front of the gate surrounding Danny

J's big house.

Beneath his hand, her heart pounded faster than a caged

rabbit. He set her on her feet and kept a tight hold on her,

while he turned to the screams and screeches. The blue silk

and long ringlets of one of the wrestling women did resemble

Corinne Martin.

Danny J, dressed as always in a black velvet jacket with

tails that fluttered behind his knees, tugged at his lapels as

he walked into the middle of the road. "Girls!" he shouted.

"Girls!"

The two women, Corrine Martin, and Danny's other

number one gal, Opal Smith, didn't even acknowledge the

man had spoken as they wrenched one another's hair and