agreement about that.
With their long muscular legs and powerful strides they made good time on the return trip, and before long, they had the inn in their sights. Built in the early nineteen hundreds with hand-hewn logs, it presented an imposing façade.
A tin roof sheltered a porch lined with rockers. The men stepped up, and Noah tried the front door, half afraid they’d been locked out. The door opened easily, and they walked inside.
Noah had hoped that the combination lobby and great room would be empty. No such luck.
Two men sat in front of the massive stone fireplace where embers still smoldered in the hearth. A bottle of whiskey and a checkerboard sat on the long wood plank table between them. The innkeeper looked up from his game and scowled at them.
His suspicious nature didn’t surprise Noah. People in small towns were always wary of strangers. He just hoped the man hadn’t found evidence of Wade sleeping in his room. The Black Wolf Lodge had ten sparsely furnished but impeccably clean rooms. They had booked two, but only used one.
Tongues wagged freely in a small community. If people knew they were lovers, it would only make them more conspicuous.
Noah nodded and kept walking, but the innkeeper’s grim face and cool stare followed them. They’d almost reached the staircase when the man’s question stopped them in their tracks.
“You boys taking in a little night air?”
“Just a walk.” No sense lying. The only place still open was the tavern, and it would be easy enough to find out they hadn’t been in there.
“Best stay indoors. It’s safer.”
Had they just been threatened? No. His imagination was getting the best of him. This whole mission freaked him out. He just wanted it over and done.
Chapter Eight
“Are you sure you don’t need me?” Jude must have asked Sable the same question six times.
“I always need you, baby.” Sable batted her eyes at him. “Now go take care of your horses.”
“Blech!” Janis pretended to stick a finger down her throat and gag. “How do you stand him?”
“He’s cute,” Sable said.
Jude made a face at Janis. He walked over to Sable and put his arms around her. “You sure? I’ll stick around if you want me to.”
Sable hugged him, and Janis watched them suck face. A tiny pang of regret pierced her heart. She wondered if Noah and Wade had concluded their business at home and returned to the apartment. Or had she really seen the last of them.
Jude came up for air and wiggled his hips against Sable’s.
Sable gave him a little shove. “Down, boy. Now I know why you want to hang around here.”
He laughed and swatted her butt.
“Wow. That was some kiss.” Janis fanned her face with her hand. “Sable, I swear you put my brothers under a magic spell.”
Sable laughed. “Horndogs! Both of them.” She winked at Jude. “Use up some of that energy on the horses. Go on. Don’t you have enough to do without worrying about me?”
“How many horses do you have stabled?” Janis asked, curious.
“Too many,” Sable said. “Eleven horses are too much for one man to take care of.”
“One man?” Janis echoed. Her brothers offered boarding and stud service in addition to taking care of their own animals. They’d always hired extra help if they needed it.
“Jonas is busy in his lab.” Jude’s voice took on a defensive tone. “He’s working on selective breeding. He says eventually we’ll have the best horses in the state.”
“If you live that long.” Sable’s brow furrowed.
“So why not hire some help?” Janis asked.
“I like doing things my own way.” Jude got that bulldog expression on his face, and Janis knew there was no changing his mind.
She suspected her brother’s desire for privacy had a lot to do with their unusual marriage. She was sure they didn’t want their business all over town. Gossip ran wild in Black Wolf, and her brothers wouldn’t want Sable or the boys harassed.
“I’ll help you.” The
With their long muscular legs and powerful strides they made good time on the return trip, and before long, they had the inn in their sights. Built in the early nineteen hundreds with hand-hewn logs, it presented an imposing façade.
A tin roof sheltered a porch lined with rockers. The men stepped up, and Noah tried the front door, half afraid they’d been locked out. The door opened easily, and they walked inside.
Noah had hoped that the combination lobby and great room would be empty. No such luck.
Two men sat in front of the massive stone fireplace where embers still smoldered in the hearth. A bottle of whiskey and a checkerboard sat on the long wood plank table between them. The innkeeper looked up from his game and scowled at them.
His suspicious nature didn’t surprise Noah. People in small towns were always wary of strangers. He just hoped the man hadn’t found evidence of Wade sleeping in his room. The Black Wolf Lodge had ten sparsely furnished but impeccably clean rooms. They had booked two, but only used one.
Tongues wagged freely in a small community. If people knew they were lovers, it would only make them more conspicuous.
Noah nodded and kept walking, but the innkeeper’s grim face and cool stare followed them. They’d almost reached the staircase when the man’s question stopped them in their tracks.
“You boys taking in a little night air?”
“Just a walk.” No sense lying. The only place still open was the tavern, and it would be easy enough to find out they hadn’t been in there.
“Best stay indoors. It’s safer.”
Had they just been threatened? No. His imagination was getting the best of him. This whole mission freaked him out. He just wanted it over and done.
Chapter Eight
“Are you sure you don’t need me?” Jude must have asked Sable the same question six times.
“I always need you, baby.” Sable batted her eyes at him. “Now go take care of your horses.”
“Blech!” Janis pretended to stick a finger down her throat and gag. “How do you stand him?”
“He’s cute,” Sable said.
Jude made a face at Janis. He walked over to Sable and put his arms around her. “You sure? I’ll stick around if you want me to.”
Sable hugged him, and Janis watched them suck face. A tiny pang of regret pierced her heart. She wondered if Noah and Wade had concluded their business at home and returned to the apartment. Or had she really seen the last of them.
Jude came up for air and wiggled his hips against Sable’s.
Sable gave him a little shove. “Down, boy. Now I know why you want to hang around here.”
He laughed and swatted her butt.
“Wow. That was some kiss.” Janis fanned her face with her hand. “Sable, I swear you put my brothers under a magic spell.”
Sable laughed. “Horndogs! Both of them.” She winked at Jude. “Use up some of that energy on the horses. Go on. Don’t you have enough to do without worrying about me?”
“How many horses do you have stabled?” Janis asked, curious.
“Too many,” Sable said. “Eleven horses are too much for one man to take care of.”
“One man?” Janis echoed. Her brothers offered boarding and stud service in addition to taking care of their own animals. They’d always hired extra help if they needed it.
“Jonas is busy in his lab.” Jude’s voice took on a defensive tone. “He’s working on selective breeding. He says eventually we’ll have the best horses in the state.”
“If you live that long.” Sable’s brow furrowed.
“So why not hire some help?” Janis asked.
“I like doing things my own way.” Jude got that bulldog expression on his face, and Janis knew there was no changing his mind.
She suspected her brother’s desire for privacy had a lot to do with their unusual marriage. She was sure they didn’t want their business all over town. Gossip ran wild in Black Wolf, and her brothers wouldn’t want Sable or the boys harassed.
“I’ll help you.” The
Similar Books
