Double Chance Claim [Badlands 3] (Siren Publishing Menage Amour) (3 page)

“Bad luck and unfortunate circumstances.” She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “I was on the wagon train that came through yesterday, but my husband died last night in his sleep, and the wagon master wouldn’t let me continue on the journey.”

“I’m so sorry for your loss.”
Damn
. His amorous intent dried up like weeds in the blinding heat of summer.

She nodded once but didn’t look up. Eyes downcast, she took another sip of tea and remained silent.

“Do you have any personal belongings?”

“They’re at the church. I left my wagon and horses there in payment for the burial. I
was
offered a wooden pew for tonight, but after several months in the back of a wagon, I most desperately wanted to sleep in an actual bed tonight.”

“Understandable. Traveling by wagon to a new place is a difficult life. Losing a loved one during the journey is worse. I’m very sorry.”

She nodded again. “Caleb was a good man. I’ll miss him, but the wagon journey to Montana was his dream, not mine. I’m not quite sure what I’ll do now.”

“Would you like another cup of tea?”

“No. Just a comfortable place to close my eyes and rest for a few hours.”

Wyatt gathered her cup and placed it beneath the bar. He led her upstairs to Wade’s room at the far end of the long second-story hallway.

“It isn’t much, but I call it home.”
Or Wade does when he’s here
. Wyatt decided he’d also put a note on the outside of this door, just in case Wade came in early.

“It’s perfect.” She cast her gaze to the neatly made bed, and he avoided looking into her eyes from then on. She added, “I’ll be gone before the sun comes up. I promise.”

“In that case, I’ll bring you some water tonight so you can wash up in the morning before you go.”

“Thank you.”

Wyatt nodded, gathered some of Wade’s clothing for show and the things he’d likely need in the morning. He left before any further words were spoken.

Bringing her water was likely a bad idea, but it was the hospitable thing to do.
And I can see her again one last time before I go.

Stifling a vision of her undressing, he hurried to his own room located downstairs next to the kitchen. He fetched a spare pitcher and bowl to get her some water. Promising himself he’d deliver it promptly and escape down to his own room, Wyatt finished the task and headed upstairs.

If Maggie departed before dawn as promised, he’d have one less thing to remember to tell his brother in the morning.

Chapter Three

Maggie wandered around the small room. A brass headboard graced the wall with what looked like a very comfortable mattress in front of it. There was no footboard, but instead a padded brown leather bench.

Perhaps it made the previous business transactions much easier. Before she left the hotel, Maggie overheard two women talking about the town’s saloon being a former brothel. They found a bar easier to tolerate than a whorehouse.

The room itself, while neat and tidy, definitely displayed a masculine decor. It had colors of the earth and a homey quilt covering the sheets. She’d expected garish furnishings and loud, bright colors splashed everywhere, left over from the previous business.

She removed her petticoats and loosened the pins poking her scalp. It was a relief to take her hair down and let it fall around her shoulders. She struggled with the buttons on her dress but finally managed to undo them enough to be able to slip the garment over her head without ripping it. She also wasn’t good with a sewing needle, yet another offense the wagon train women belittled her for during the trip. Tonight was the first night she hadn’t been insulted repeatedly before heading for bed.

Luckily, Maggie hadn’t put her corset on this morning as she didn’t have anyone to help her tighten it up. She hadn’t worn the constricting device much since leaving Philadelphia. It was just too uncomfortable day to day. And too difficult to put on without the help of a maid. Unfortunately, it was yet another thing the other women of the wagon train marked against her. She’d heard more than one overly loud comment referring to her undergarments. “Loose women also don’t bother with corsets.” Maggie thought corset-less women exhibited vast intelligence.

With her bags and extra clothes still over at the church, she planned to sleep in her under slip for tonight. She didn’t have any other options. Honestly, she’d never felt as alone in the world as she did in this moment. She fought off the melancholy of her current circumstances and tried to think positively. Wyatt’s face flashed bright in her mind. She glanced down at her limited attire, and a new feeling seeped into her bones.

Anticipation coiled in her belly at the idea of being alone and undressed with Wyatt in the room. The moment she’d laid eyes on him she’d been taken aback. His honey–streaked blond hair, just a little too long to be considered respectable in polite society, suited his tanned skin perfectly.

Square jawed, blue eyed, and sporting a sensuous mouth she wanted to stare at all night, he would have fit just fine in her world even with his longish locks. With shoulders so wide and muscular it looked like he spent his off time chopping cords of wood rather than pouring drinks all day. The thought of getting a peek at those muscles made her tight and anxious beneath her skirt.

A light knock sounded at the door, and her heartbeat sped up a little.

“I have your water,” he called out from the hallway.

She peered out the door first then opened it wide. Outlined in the frame, his magnificent body seemed to fill the space. The beauty of his well-defined muscles called to her on a feminine level.

She wanted him.

Her heart pounded hard in her chest at the realization of her desire. Wyatt glanced down at her clothing, or lack thereof, and quickly focused his gaze up to her face. Did he like what he saw? She shook off the foolish notion, motioned him inside and stepped back to allow him entrance. He hesitated for only a moment before crossing the threshold.

“Thank you,” she said.

He nodded, turned away and busied himself with the task. He placed the water pitcher and bowl carefully on top of the stand to the left of the door.

Maggie watched his shoulders and arms, unable to stop looking at the well-defined muscles rippling across his fine body. Even hidden beneath his clothes, she knew he was strong. Maggie wished she could bury her face against his chest and hug him tight. She only wanted to assure herself she was still alive.
 
She needed to pretend that the problems in her miserable life would eventually work out.

It couldn’t be inappropriate to desire the closeness of a man to soothe her soul after such a horrible day? The road ahead was filled with so much uncertainty she wanted to lose herself in Wyatt’s arms if only for a few minutes.

He turned around, and she launched against his solid warmth. She slipped her arms around his neck and pressed her face into his throat. The tears coating her cheeks came from somewhere deep within her soul. She sobbed a little and clung to him as though he were the only thing keeping her sane. Wyatt stiffened at first when she fell against him, but then slipped his arms around her body and tightened the embrace. Her gratitude amplified when he didn’t push her away.

Cocooned in his arms, Maggie felt a modicum of relief. She didn’t know how long they stood quietly in each other’s arms, but after a while, Wyatt led her to the bed. They stumbled across the short space in the room and bumped against the edge of the bed. Wyatt loosened his hug, but Maggie dug her fingers into his arms, reluctant to let him go.

“You should lie down and rest,” he murmured against the top of her head.

Maggie tightened her already-hard grip. “Please don’t leave me yet. You can’t imagine how alone I feel right now.”

He patted her back once and stroked his hand from her shoulder down to her waist. “All right. I won’t go. And you’re not all alone. I’m right here.”

“Thank you for holding me.”

“My pleasure.”

Maggie released her titanic grip on his neck and sent her gaze to his face as they parted. His smile riled her emotions and made her think of all the sinful things she wanted to do to him.

After staring at his mouth for several long seconds, wishing he would kiss her, Wyatt lowered his head and touched his lips to her mouth, as if silently commanded by her wicked imagination. The moment their lips touched, Maggie’s heart banged against the inside of her chest in desire for more.

She sent her arms around his neck once again to pull him closer. His tongue blistered a path between her lips and entered her mouth, sweeping forcefully against her tongue as if searching for the warmth inside. Never had she experienced such a sultry, demanding kiss.

In fact, it seemed like an eternity since she’d been this close to a man. She and Caleb never kissed after their marriage ceremony. The one other time she spent intimately in the arms of a man she’d thought she might marry, Edgar, also hadn’t been
this
exciting. She wanted to wrap herself around Wyatt and never let go.
 

Maggie tightened her grip around his neck as the kiss grew frenzied. She leaned back against the soft surface of the bed and pulled him with her. He didn’t stop the movement or resist her intentions. With some maneuvering, she put him flat on top of her with his growing cock centered between her legs.

It was likely outrageous to yearn for a man so desperately, especially a stranger, but she wanted Wyatt more than anything she’d ever desired. She wanted him to make love to her. She wanted to spend the night in the arms of a sexy man without fear of discovery. She wanted…to be loved again. Even if only for a short time.

Maggie pushed her hips up into his hard cock. He groaned and pushed back. His hand slid from her waist to cup her breast. The moment he thumbed the tip she arched into his firm muscular body like a cat waking up after a long nap. The feeling of desire tingled from her breasts straight down to the core of her body, even as he touched her.

The frenzied kiss turned into a seductive exploration.

His hand quickly trailed down to her thigh, fairly burning her skin through the fabric of her slip along the way. During the blissful kiss, her impromptu nightgown rode up above her knees.

The moment his hand touched her bare flesh, Maggie groaned and squeezed Wyatt’s neck even tighter.
Please touch me. Please touch me.
The chant in her fevered mind melded with the rhythm of his tongue in her mouth. She wanted his hands on her body. As if directed by her thoughts alone, his fingers scalded her skin as they traced a path ever upward from her inner thigh to the equally hot space between her legs.

Wyatt’s very stiff cock pressed firmly against the core of her heated body. A gush of moist desire coated her lower lips. His hand scorched a trail to her intimate spot. When he stroked his finger across her curls there, a moan of unfathomable bliss escaped her throat.

The place he stroked lit her inside like a lantern flame turned up to high. Each pass of his finger over the sensitive nub sent her further and further to a place she’d never been. The pleasure grew with each rub of his finger across her clitoris. She yearned for an indescribable joy that she couldn’t name.

Her body trembling from the inside out, Maggie hit a pinnacle of delight moments later as one final stroke sent her to pleasurable oblivion. She moaned at first, then broke their kiss to release a small scream of satisfaction as waves of pleasure rode across every part of her, body and soul.

“Damn. You make me wild with noises like that, Maggie,” Wyatt murmured against her moist, swollen mouth.

She wanted to respond, but found herself only able to release one more moan against his face. His hard cock still pressed deeply against her leg, but otherwise he didn’t move his body to complete this lovely interlude.

Maggie knew what happened next. His stiff cock would enter her body. But he didn’t move to do this. Instead, he pushed his lips against hers for yet another sizzling kiss. After several lip-licking minutes of him making love to her mouth again, she wondered why he didn’t go further. Her singular other experience with sex hadn’t taken this long.