He was tempted.
So sorely tempted.
Except they might as well go ahead and have sex in the middle of the street at midday for all the privacy the alley would give them.Chances were good that no one would walk by, but the chances weren’t zero, and he didn’t feel the same inhibitions about exhibitionism that she did.
Then she went and slid her hand into the front of his jeans, and what with one thing that always led to another, his willpower tapped out.He soon had her back pressed to the side of the boardinghouse, her skirts hiked to her waist, and her legs draped over his hips while he put on a full display of his strength.The soft glow from the kitchen window overhead added mood lighting to their peep show for any spectators lurking nearby.He was gentleman enough to make sure she finished first, but that was as far as his manners went, and it was a close call.
After that, he needed a few minutes to regain some of that strength he’d shown off, so they stayed as they were, with her back to the wall, and his pants at his knees.He pressed his forehead to hers while they both caught their breath.
Common sense began to return along with an awkward awareness of their surroundings.Sound carried, and they hadn’t exactly been quiet.He set her feet on the ground, hauled his pants up, and helped settle her skirts.
“Yara was wrong,” she breathed into his ear while she buttoned his shirt.“Sex standing up is not very good.It’s magnificent.”
He had no business feeling proud about this, no matter how magnificent it was.But his pride strutted around in his chest like a chicken that laid its first egg and wanted the whole world to know.
He wanted Cassidy to know she was his.
He picked up her shawl from where it had fallen and draped it around her shoulders.
He kissed her.“Consider yourself kidnapped, ma’am.Let’s go.”
*
Kidnapping Malika mighthave been a mistake.
Jayce should have asked a few questions as to why she was so willing, but his ego had gotten involved, and now the train wreck was in motion.
He’d offered her a choice between cattle rustler, harlot, and music teacher.The role of cattle rustler intrigued her, but she said she knew nothing about it.She claimed to know even less about teaching music.The role of harlot, however?Especially a reformed harlot who now belonged to one man?
She was giving that role an Oscar-worthy performance.
Dave and his buddies were greatly entertained by her vocal admiration of Jayce’s magnificent prowess in bed.To be honest, he found it funny, too, because she was so outrageous.He didn’t have the imagination to dream up the things she accredited him with and they knew it.If he ever met her sisters or their husbands, however, he wouldn’t be able to look them in the eye without blushing.Women talked dirty.
Butch Cassidy didn’t find her as amusing.She was deliberately trying to provoke him, and no one knew better than Jayce how well she could succeed at that when she tried.What he wasn’t sure of was why.
“Sundance is a very beautiful man, don’t you agree?”she said to Cassidy while they ate lunch.
The Mexicans’ silent protest was to cook eggs, beans, and tortillas for every meal, and scorch the edges a little.
She patted Cassidy’s arm and fluttered her eyelashes at him.“I’m sure you were equally handsome when you were young and physically fit.”
Cassidy looked uncertain as to whether he’d been insulted or slapped with the truth as viewed by a young, beautiful woman, but insult appeared to be winning.
Jayce dropped his eyes to his plate and shoveled food in his mouth.He wasn’t dumb enough to get involved in this conversation.If he tried to stop her, she’d only get worse.
“I dunno about that,” one of the fake Mexicans said, because none of them liked Cassidy and they all loved egging her on.“Sundance is prettymuchobeautiful, but it would take a lot more than average physical fitness to match his stamina.”
“That’s true,” Malika said cheerfully.“His stamina would also have to match mine.”
Jayce choked on a burnt tortilla crust.A Mexican thumped him on the back until his eyes watered.
“My stamina is perfectly fine,” Cassidy said, ice in his tone.
Before the Mexicans could wind him up further, a small figure burst out of the trees.
“Hi, Momma,” Linda called out to Malika.
“Darling,” Malika said.She held out her arms.“Come meet Mr.Cassidy and his friends.”
