Three Men and a Bounty by Gigi Moore Read Free Book Online

“So if you’re responsible for me now, what does that mean?”
    More than anything, James wanted it to mean that the boy would stay with him, by his side and under his protection. However, he didn’t have the luxury. Not when he would be going back out on the 42
    Gigi Moore
    trail eventually. What would he do with Chris then? How would he protect him from out on the trail? And who could say Troy hadn’t already staked a claim? Would he let the boy travel all the way across town by himself if he had?
    “Where’s Troy now?”
    “Back in Wolf Creek. He loaned me his horse to ride over here.”
    Definitely smitten, James thought. In some cases, a cowboy’s horse proved more important to him than a woman. If Troy lent Chris his horse then things were serious between the two men, or at least Troy wanted them to be—the same as James did.
    “I reckon he’ll be expecting you back soon to help out at the bar?”
    “I reckon.” Chris lowered his gaze for a moment, then fixed James with a penetrating stare that was liked to blow his boots off. “That woman that was here earlier…Is she your woman ?”
    “Sarah? No. Not by far.”
    “Oh.”
    “How old are you?”
    Chris huffed and rolled his eyes. “Troy asked me the same thing.”
    “And what did you tell him?”
    “That I’m old enough.”
    James closed the space between them, bending his head until his lips were a hairsbreadth away from Chris’, close enough to hear the hitch in the boy’s breath. “You’re sure about that?”
    “I–I’m sure.”
    “You don’t sound sure.”
    “I’m twenty-one, and I know what I want.”
    Twenty-one! He might as well have been between hay and grass, neither man nor boy, for the fourteen-year gap linking their years.
    He sounded sure, but many a stronger, older, and wiser man had been brought to his knees with hankerings that he dare not satisfy.
    “I’m a sight older.” And he had seen a sight more, more than he wanted to remember—as a slave, in the war, on the trail…

    Three Men and a Bounty
    43
    Chris licked his lips, and the critter in James’ pants liked to leap for joy, pulling him away from his violent past. Here and now with Chris mattered to him more than anything.
    James cupped the boy’s face with both hands and drew him near as he covered Chris’ mouth with his own. The taste of him set James’
    senses on fire. He slid one hand down between them, cupping the solid evidence of Chris’ desire burgeoning between his legs. James rubbed the hard bulge and captured the sound of Chris’ hunger when the boy groaned into his mouth. He thrust his tongue past Chris’
    parted lips and toppled the boy down against the bed.
    Their erections met flush, hot and hard. James rocked and circled his hips until Chris writhed beneath him, meeting his thrusts as a whimper climbed from his throat.
    James pulled away slightly, pausing when Chris drew his arms around his neck. He remembered how the boy had arrived in Barrow’s last night. He remembered the pain that had been etched on his fine features.
    “No. Don’t stop. Please, don’t stop.”
    He lowered his face to Chris’. “You want this?”
    “I want you . Have since I saw you in the saloon.”
    James chuckled, feeling reckless and younger than he had in years. “Feeling’s mutual.” He dipped his tongue into Chris’ mouth and swirled it around to the kid’s decided pleasure if Chris’ groans were any indication. Ready to take his fill even more, he reached for the button on Chris’ britches right before someone pounded on the door.
    James popped up his head and pushed up, his weight on his palms, as Chris scrambled from under him and sprang to his feet. He stood a good several feet away from James—much too far away.
    “Who is it?”
    “Marshal, there’s trouble downstairs! You need to come now!”
    Sarah’s anxious voice broke through the sexual spell that Chris had woven around him since he’d arrived. James bounded from the bed 44
    Gigi