Chapter Twenty-Nine

Craig woke that evening curled deep in the warmth of Ezekiel's arms. They'd fallen asleep all tangled together. Ezekiel had been exhausted after his trip to find Craig and Craig hadn't been sleeping well during their separation. After a round of love making it had simply been too great a temptation to curl up against Ezekiel's broad chest and sleep the rest of the afternoon away.

But now he needed to take care of nature's call—and he needed to find food. His stomach rumbled and Craig rubbed at it. If he and Ezekiel had four days of rutting to look forward too, they were going to need food.

Craig wondered if he should wake the other man up but Ezekiel seemed so peaceful and relaxed. There wasn't a single tense line or worry marring his stubbled face.

Craig simply watched him for several long moments. Never in his life had he thought he'd fall in love with a man.... He'd always been a skirt chaser. Ezekiel had changed that. Ezekiel had changed him. And Craig knew that the changes had certainly been for the better.

Craig didn't want to leave the warmth of Ezekiel's arms but he also didn't want to cause a puddle in the bed so, with a loathsome sigh, Craig slid free and stood slowly.

His body was sore from Ezekiel's hard loving but it was a damn good sore. He pulled on his clothes, donned his gun belt and shoved his hand through his tangled hair. He could use a shower, a shave and a hair cut. Ezekiel would wake up to see a brand new man.

Craig slipped from the room and, after a quick trip to the outhouse, he grabbed a change of clothes from the tailor and headed for the bathhouse.

He walked into the lantern lit diner forty-five minutes later with fresh clothes, clean skin and a trim up to his nearly shoulder length blond hair. He had thought about cutting it shorter but Ezekiel seemed to like the length—it gave him something to tug Craig around by.

With a grin on his face, Craig ordered two dinners to go and found an empty corner to stand in and wait. The diner was crowded tonight and he eavesdropped on several nearby conversations to pass time.

He felt like a new man. No more Susannah hanging over his head. No more worries. The future was wide open and looking real bright thanks to the man currently sleeping at the hotel.

Craig's thoughts became wrapped up on that man but were suddenly stolen by the sight of Susannah stepping in the door on the arm of a cowboy Craig didn't recognize.

What the hell did she think she was doing? She was supposed to be getting ready to get the hell out of town come morning.

Craig wasted no time before striding across the floor, grabbing the unsuspecting woman by the arm and pulling her right back out the door.

Her companion let out a startled yell and came after them. "Get your hands off my fiancée!" he exclaimed.

Craig stopped short. He was sure he painted a comical picture as his jaw damn near hit the floor and he whirled around on Susannah. "Fiancée? When the hell did that happen?"

Susannah threw him a warning gaze before turning back to the man who seemed quite concerned and ready to fight Craig if need be. "Darling, please go wait inside for me," she purred, laying a dainty hand on his arm. She batted her lashes as she gazed up at him. "My cousin just wants to talk for a moment."

Craig nearly laughed. Cousin? Damn, this woman was something.

The man glared at Craig a moment. "You sure you'll be alright?" he asked Susannah.

"I'm sure, darling. The diner looks quite crowded. Find us a good place to sit."

He gave Craig one last hard look before turning and disappearing inside.

Craig let a harsh laugh out then and leaned back, rocking on his heels. "What the hell was that?"

Susannah crossed her arms over her chest with a snort. "That was my fiancé."

Craig rubbed at his freshly shaven jaw. "Just a few hours ago you were telling folks I was your fiancé. Where did you find him?"

"Are you jealous?" Susannah batted her long lashes.

Craig raised a brow. "Uh no."

Susannah let out a sigh. "A woman has to do what she has to do, Craig. I can't very well go wandering the country alone as my pregnant belly swells."

"And what exactly is he going to think about that pregnant belly?"

"He's agreed to claim the child as his own."

Craig's eyes widened. "Damn woman, you work fast. How'd you manage that?"

She smoothed out the front of her dark blue skirt and folded her hands. "He feels sympathy for the young, beautiful widow who is terrified and completely alone."

Craig couldn't believe his ears. Holy hell. He shook his head with complete disbelief. "You found another man to be your fool."

"The world is full of them when you're a beautiful woman."

Craig laughed out loud, unsure if he was more amused, annoyed or just plain over it all. "Well, good luck Susannah. I can only hope that, when that babe is born, you'll realize there is more to life than just you. Take care of that youngin."

For the first time since he'd known her, Craig knew he was seeing a true, real, unfiltered emotion on Susannah's face. "I will. They will have a better life than I've had. I will make sure of that."

Craig simply nodded and headed back into the diner. His food was ready so he grabbed the tray and headed out, casting one last glance at Susannah, who was at a back table fawning over her new man.

Craig worried about the child she carried but it was something that wasn't his to worry about. He had to focus on his own life now.

Balancing the tray in one hand, Craig opened the hotel room door with the other and was immediately assaulted. Craig barely had time to the tray on the small table beside the doorway before Ezekiel was pulling him into his arms and covering his mouth with a rough kiss.

He wrapped his arms around Ezekiel's bare body and ran his palms down the smooth, coiling muscles of the man's back. Their tongues warred for dominance and their bodies strained to be closer.

"You left while I was sleeping," Ezekiel growled against Craig's ear before nipping sharply at his tender flesh.

The shockwave of pleasure had Craig gasping for breath. "I wanted to smell a bit nicer for you. And I brought you something to eat."

Ezekiel pulled away and hunger flashed in his dark eyes. But Craig knew the sudden appetite wasn't for the meal waiting on the covered tray.

Ezekiel dropped to his knees without a word and hastily undid the gun belt around Craig's lean hips, letting it clatter to the floor. He then undid Craig's trousers and Craig swallowed hard with anticipation as his cock was suddenly freed and already standing at full attention.

Ezekiel gazed up at Craig through his thick black lashes and Craig swallowed hard as he looked down at him. Damn, he loved the man—and he loved what he knew the man was about to do to him.

Without warning, Ezekiel took Craig's cock into his mouth, clear to the hilt. Letting out a string of curses, Craig reached his arms over his head and gripped the door facing behind him—glad that the door itself had swung shut on its own since neither man had done so.

Ezekiel gently dragged his teeth along Craig's length. "Don't ever leave while I'm sleeping again. Don't make me worry about you."

Craig closed his eyes and let his head fall back. "Dammit, Ezekiel, less talking."

Ezekiel was chuckling as he took Craig back into his mouth and the vibration nearly did Craig in.

There was certainly an advantage to being with a man—a man knew exactly what felt good when it came to a cock. Craig pumped his hips in time with Ezekiel's movements and he lost himself in the pleasure.

His groin tightened and that band stretched tight suddenly snapped. Blinded with the white hot heat of his release, Craig cried out Ezekiel's name and nearly collapsed as his knees weakened.

Ezekiel's arm held him up even as the man drank him down. Ezekiel pressed several slow, lingering kisses along the length of him before pulling away and standing straight. "I mean it," he warned, tenderly pushing Craig's hair from his face. "Don't leave while I'm sleeping again and make me worry about you."

Craig's hands were trembling as he struggled to fasten his pants. Ezekiel stopped him by taking his hands gently in his own. "Don't bother. Take your clothes off, Craig. You're not gonna need 'em."

Craig grinned and engaged the door lock behind him. "Yes sir."

Ezekiel swooped in for a long, lingering kiss before turning his attention to the tray Craig had carried in. "What'd you bring?"

"Steak, potatoes and beans," Craig replied.

Ezekiel carried the tray to the bed and sat down. Craig hastily removed his clothes and joined him. As they ate, Ezekiel glanced toward the window. "We'll have to get up early and put Susannah on that stage."

Craig shook his head. "No, we won't. She's leaving without any fight."

"Have you talked to her?"

"Yeah, while I was out. She came into the diner with her fiancé."

Ezekiel choked a bit on the steak he'd just swallowed. "Fiance?"

"Yep." Craig sighed ruefully. "Another poor sucker falling hook, line and sinker for a lie about her being a lost, lonely, scared little widow with a baby on the way."

"Did you warn him?"

"No. No, I'm hoping he really is a decent man and that the kid will have a good father in him. I want the kid to be with someone good."

The two men fell silent for several long moments as they ate their meal. Finally, Ezekiel cleared his throat. "You'd have been good for that babe too, Craig. I just want to make sure you know that."