Conrad, Kelly - Rogue Preacher (Siren Publishing Ménage and More ManLove) (13 page)

“The Association will believe anything I tell them. Besides, I think we both know that this is the kind of stuff people eat up. Gossip, slander, libel, you name it. And if the subject is a famous man like Sunset Carson, well—”

“Who are you, Russell? You called yourself a reporter before, but now you’re calling yourself a writer.”

“Reporter, writer, not much difference.”

“Answer my question, damn it!”

“All right. I’m a freelance writer for Penny Dreadful, but it doesn’t pay much. That’s why when the Full Gospel Association came to me with this, I couldn’t turn them down.”

“Since I’ve already been lied to once, I want to see some identification.”

Russ pulled his wallet from his vest pocket and gave it to Sunset with some hesitation. He knew the preacher was about to find out the truth and watched his reaction when he saw it.

Sunset’s eyes widened. “My God, you’re that devil, Lakota Jackson! A dirty, rotten Comanche! I can remember when you led a band of Indians so bloodthirsty—”

“That’s a lie, Sunset. A lie right out of hell. We weren’t any worse than the other tribes.”

“All right, so it was a lie. All I want to know is what the hell are you doin’ writing stories for Penny Dreadful?”

“I’m passin’, that’s all.” He pointed toward town. “That used to be the world of the red man out there, but now it’s the white man’s world, and like everyone else, I’m just tryin’ to make a livin’. This seemed the best way since no one wants to hire an Indian.”

“So you just want to earn a living, huh? What the hell do you think I’m tryin’ to do? Just answer me one question. Why the hell is what I do so wrong, but it’s okay for you to rape, kill, and—”

“We were tryin’ to stay alive!”

“Well, so am I! I know what kind of magazine Penny Dreadful is, and believe me when I say, I feel lily-clean when compared to you. Hell, I could write my own article.” He rose from the chair and gestured wildly with his hand. “Go ahead. Submit your story to the Association, or anyone else you feel like giving it to! But if you do, I’ll send for the best lawyer Boston’s got and sue the hell out of all of you.” He leaned close to Russ’s face. “By the time I’m through with you, you won’t be able to get a job swampin’ spittoons.”

With that, Sunset turned to leave.

“I didn’t say I’d do it, you know.”

Sunset stopped in his tracks and turned around slowly. “What?”

“I only told you who I was, and why I was here. I didn’t say I would use the story. I only said I was thinking of it.”

“To God, a thought is the same as an action. If you look at a woman and lust after her—”

“God, Sunset, I’m tryin’ to talk to you. Will you stop throwing Bible scriptures in my face?”

“So, what’s your decision?”

“Sunset, I think you’re a great preacher. Hell, if you’re conning people, then you’ve got me conned as well. I don’t really want to send this story to anyone. I just don’t know what’s in it for me if I don’t. I could make a lot of money from the Association, but frankly, I don’t think I’d enjoy spending it very much if I knew I made it ruining someone’s life.”

Sunset walked back slowly. “You mean there’s a streak of decency somewhere in that heart of yours?”

Russ shrugged. “There must be. Where the hell it came from, I don’t know.”

“All right, Comanche, if, like you said, you’re not going to do anything with the story, then what is it you want from me?”

Bingo!

“Cutting right to the bone, aren’t you, Sunset?”

“Look, I’m getting a little tired of all this. I think we’ve—”

“Got someone waiting for you behind the tent? I happen to know Vince and Chick have left.”

“If I do, it’s my business. Now, if we have no other business to discuss, you’ll have to excuse me. Like I said, I’m tired.”

Russ said nothing as Sunset exited the tent. Playing a hunch, he followed Sunset until he saw him go into the tent where his quarters were and then moved back into a shadow and waited. After about fifteen minutes, he saw a cowboy walk up to Sunset’s tent. Just as he was about to go in, Russ came out of the shadow. “What are you doing here?” he asked.

The cowboy turned and saw Russ. “I…I just wanted to see Sunset.”

“Did he tell you to come back here?”

“No. I just…I saw him preach, and I thought maybe…”

“It’s okay. You’d better leave before someone sees you.”

Just about then Sunset pulled the tent flap back and saw Russ standing there. “What’s goin’ on out here?”

“I was just getting rid of one of your fans for you.”

“Yeah?” Sunset said, giving him an angled look. “And how is it you just happen to be out here when he showed up?”

“All right. I came out here to see you.”

“I believe our business is concluded,” Sunset said as he turned to go back inside.

Russ followed him in. “Look, I’m sorry we got off on the wrong foot. I just want to be friends.”

“I’ll think about it.” He gestured toward the tent flap. “I believe that is the way out.”

“Damn, I feel like a schoolgirl with a crush.”

“A crush?”

“The truth is I was just about to go back to Boston and give the information to the Association when I heard you preaching. Damn, all it took was seeing you in that pulpit one more time to get me all hot and bothered.” He chuckled. “The stagecoach left without me.”

Sunset looked at him curiously. “You know, you’re beginning to sound more and more like a man with a problem.”

“I’ve always admired you, but that was from a distance. Your picture in a dime novel, a story of a bigger-than-life hero, a puff of wind, a fantasy, a dream. Hell, who knows if any of them are really flesh and blood? But now…seeing you in person. God, you’re hot. So damned hot I can hardly keep my cock in my pants.”

Sunset put his hand over his mouth to suppress a laugh.

“Sure, go ahead and laugh, I deserve it. Hell, I’ve turned into one of them schoolgirls that worship swaggering oafs like Jesse James or Billy the Kid. God!”

“Well, thanks for the compliment. Too bad your swaggering oaf is only a frontier preacher.”

“It wasn’t meant to be an insult. I’m sorry.” He put his hat on his head and then turned toward the tent flap. “I guess I’ll be going. Sorry I bothered you.” He was just about to pull the flap open when he turned back to Sunset. “Oh, don’t worry about that story. It’s between you and me. I’ve decided if that’s the only way I can make money, then I’ll gladly starve.”

“You’re sure you have to go?”

“It seems I remember you saying something about being tired?”

“Comanche, you think you’re the only one who’s been looking? I noticed you the first time you were in the congregation.” He smiled. “I liked what I saw.”

Russ’s smile was a little lopsided. “You did?”

“You were so different than the usual cowpoke or farmer that comes in there that you stood out like a sore thumb. I remember thinking I’d never seen anyone so clean.”

Russ gave a sarcastic laugh. “Clean. Clean thoughts. No dirt anywhere, not even in your mind when you looked at me, huh? I should have known.”

“Comanche—”

“Comanche is not my name, Sunset. Like you said, it’s Lakota.”

“All right, Lakota. I’ve got one question to ask you.”

“Sure, fire away.”

“Would you like to spend the night?”

Chapter Thirteen

“Hell, yes,” Lakota said.

Sunset turned and walked toward a table. “You won’t be writing about this one day, will you?”

“I hope you’re joking.”

Sunset chuckled. “Just checking.” He reached for a whiskey bottle, poured them a drink, and touched his glass to Lakota’s. “To new beginnings,” he said in a hot, husky whisper.

As each one drained his glass and then set it down, Sunset stood quietly, watching Lakota as he began to slowly undress. He searched his handsome face, focusing on his sensuous lips he knew would grip his in a passion unlike any he’d ever known. He was like a dark stranger, devilishly handsome with a pair of dark eyes that held both good and evil. His body gleamed in the dim light, making Sunset imagine what he must have looked like as a half-naked Indian riding his steed into battle. He could almost hear the wild shouts, the yelping, and the growling of the man-animal he had been at one time. The fact that he had lived like a savage only a few years ago made Sunset wonder how wild he could be in bed. He watched as he pulled at his clothes, dropping each piece on the floor, revealing to Sunset a muscular chest covered with crisp, dark hair that dipped low into his trousers.

When Lakota faced him, he whispered, “I’ve waited a long time for this.”

“How do you want me?”

“I want to fuck your ass, but don’t turn away from me. I want to cover you with my body, and as each thrust pushes up inside you, I want to see the passion on your face.”

Sunset moved toward the bed and pulled the cover back. When he crawled in, he lay on his back and reached down to his cock that was covered with bedclothes. As he handled it, the bulky shape showed that it was big and hard. He gazed at Lakota with a smoldering look that was an invitation to take him.

* * * *

Lakota was actually trembling inside. Sunset was the picture of sex. He glanced at his unruly hair, his strong, manly face that had been softened by two dimples, and then shifted his gaze down to his half-covered body, a body of muscled hardness and strength. When he thought of how he looked behind his pulpit, he groaned. He was about to have the fiery preacher and only hoped he could satisfy him. He wanted this to be the first of many nights of love between them. Slowly, he crawled on the bed, and with a blaze of passion pounding inside him, he leaned over Sunset and looked deep into his eyes, his lips coming closer and closer until he kissed him with such hunger it left his mouth burning with fire. And then a blaze of passion exploded between them. It was as if each of them had been breathlessly waiting for this moment.

When Lakota embraced Sunset, the touch of their bodies, skin to skin, cock to cock made a thrilling passion flare up between them. Their lips met in another kiss that was deep and wet and wild. And then it was as if a dam had burst inside him, sending a hot, melting thrill rushing into the pit of his stomach. With sweet urgency, Sunset began to move and grind against his cock, causing such a beautiful sensation that suddenly their cocks were almost embracing, loving each other, moving in synch, creating an intimate dance of wild savagery. Lakota lived up to his name when he growled out his passion, his body writhing over Sunset, his hips moving his cock against him. He wasn’t shy about taking his pleasure from Sunset’s body. His lips grazed along his neck, kissing, biting, and then whispering. “Are you ready, baby?”

* * * *

“Oh, God, yes,” Sunset whispered.

In only seconds he felt Lakota’s hands squeezing his ass and his fingers stretching him out in preparation for his plunge. Sunset’s legs opened wider as he urged himself upward to meet Lakota’s cock that was gently pressing against his opening. His breath stopped when he felt Lakota penetrate him, and he moaned loudly. While madly reeling with passion, he felt Lakota’s lips grazing along his chest, sucking and licking, his breath hot on his chest. As his passion rose, his breath became short and choppy. And then as Lakota began to fuck him, his thrust was deep, hard, and fast, making Sunset roll and sway, buck and push. He met every one of Lakota’s plunges with a fevered thrust of his own, the two bodies clinging together as if they couldn’t get enough of each other. They bounced and rolled until finally Sunset spewed out his passion while Lakota did the same.

Afterwards, they lay looking into each other’s eyes for a time, and then Lakota got up and poured them a drink. “Sunset,” he said as he sat down on the side of the bed and faced him, “when do you leave?”

“Tomorrow night is the last service. The next morning I’ll be pulling out for the next town.”

“What about Vince and Chick?”

Sunset shrugged. “They’re gone. As far as I know they’ll go back to Rogue’s Canyon.”

“Does this mean the three of you have split?”

Sunset looked troubled. “I suppose so. As soon as they left, you showed up, so I haven’t really had time to miss Vince. You might as well know that I thought I was falling in love with him. Chick, he was good in bed, but Vince, he was the one that really mattered to me.”

“What I’m getting at is, now that they’re gone, what will you do? Won’t you need someone? Someone to help with the heavy work, someone to work on the books, do the odd jobs that come up.”

“I need about three people really. Why do you ask?”

“I’m offering myself, Sunset. I can’t do everything, I know, but we can hire help in the towns we go into. Someone’s always looking to earn extra money.”

“You mean you’d give up a thriving career at Penny Dreadful?”

“Don’t make fun, Sunset, I’m serious. To hell with Penny Dreadful, and the Full Gospel Association. I need you to tell me if I have a chance.”

Sunset leaned forward, reached for Lakota, and with his hand on the back of his neck, he pulled him closer and kissed him. “You’d have to keep the boss happy,” he muttered between kisses. “It might mean a lot of late nights and undercover work.” His gaze went from his lips to his eyes. “How do you feel about that?”