Chapter Four

Seth

He lay awake in his cot. Somewhere in the jail a man muttered and whimpered in his sleep. Another snored. He wondered what Laura was doing. Picturing her asleep in a lacy, feminine gown, her thick, ebony hair cast around her lovely face, he felt his body harden.

That afternoon, she’d come into his cell and the deputy had said something about a conjugal visit. The man had assumed Laura was his wife. Ever since that moment, lust had consumed Seth. For months he’d thought of nothing but the dark-haired beauty with the fragile look in her eyes. He went to sleep thinking about her, and woke in his tangled sheets from lust-drenched dreams, his body hard and covered in cold sweat.

Seeing her in the door of his jail had felt like something akin to a miracle. She’d hardly met his eyes since coming to Colter Canyon, yet she’d strode into his cell like she had every right to be there. The girl who hid in the Magnolia kitchen, speaking to almost no one, had strode into the Colter Canyon Jail, sat across the table from him and spoken.

To him.

All evening and throughout the night, the memory tormented him. Her delicate scent hung in the air, driving him wild with savage need.

The cell was dark. The jail grew quiet as the other inmate’s muttering faded.

The thought of Laura unraveled his self-control. The girl always managed to undo his iron will. He undid his belt. Gritting his teeth, he wrapped his hand around his cock. He closed his eyes and imagined a conjugal visit with Laura. Not here in his cell, of course. He wouldn’t want other men around to hear her small cries as he tasted her and made her writhe beneath him. His cock pulsed in his grip, semen beading on the tip.

He bit back a groan as he imagined cupping her tits, sucking them. Would they be full and lush or smaller and pert? Either way they’d be perfect. Laura would be perfect. Everything about her. He’d lusted after her for so long and dreamed about her since the first time he ever saw her.

His cock felt almost painfully hard. He knew that his cock was too much for most women. Well-endowed was what he’d been told. He always had to be careful, but in his wild imaginings, he gave Laura everything he had. He pictured her gasping and begging, only she wouldn’t be begging for him to ease up.

She’d be begging for more. For all of him.

His balls tightened, and he growled as he came. His cock jerked in his hand. His body seized. Pleasure tore a snarl from him. It had been years since he’d stroked himself. Lying in bed, he relished the fading tendrils of pleasure. It was wrong. Everything about the last few days was wrong, and here he was, in jail, stroking off to thoughts of a girl he couldn’t touch. He regained his breath and slowly rolled out of bed, crossed the cell and splashed cold water over himself to clean up.

If only she would leave. Then he would be free of his obsession. If she left, he might be able to, one day, a long damn time from now, court a girl who didn’t shake like a leaf every time he looked in her direction. He growled thinking about Laura. She hadn’t shaken the day before when she brought him the basket of food. She seemed strangely composed.

He lay back down and closed his eyes. Maybe tomorrow he’d get news about the judge and the trial. Waiting to hear was a torment, but at least it gave him something else to think about, a brief respite from dwelling on thoughts of Laura.

Sometime near dawn, he awoke. Voices echoed down the hallway and instantly he was on his feet and moving to the door. His brothers, Will and Nick, were arguing excitedly with the deputy.

The deputy opened the door and his brothers both greeted him with a slap on the back.

“We got news about the fella whose been hurting our Colter Canyon women folk,” Will said.

Seth looked from Will to Nick and back to Will. “What’s going on?”

“Sumbitch came after a girl right on my ranch,” Will said. “Silas says it’s a cowboy that’s done a little work for me and you. Gerald.”

Seth shook his head, letting the news settle. He knew Gerald and he’d never liked the man. “He worked for me some but kept starting fights. I ran his ass off.”

“I did too. Just a couple of days ago. He broke into Jorge’s house and tried to bother Jorge’s fifteen-year-old girl. Jorge shot him.”

Seth glanced at Nick, who stood with his hands in his pockets. He seemed strangely quiet, avoiding his gaze. Seth brushed it off. Who could blame his brother for his discomfort? Jails were nasty places all around and Nick probably just wanted to leave as soon as possible. Seth didn’t blame him. He did too.

“Sheriff Holden says you’re free to go,” the deputy muttered.

Seth let out a low whistle and shook his head. He sank onto his cot and pulled on his boots, and marveled at the quick turn of events. He hoped to hear about the date of the trial today. Instead he was going home.

“Damn, I need a bath,” he said. “I’ve never wanted a soak so badly.”

He followed his brothers out of the jail, and stood on the front step for a moment, looking around in disbelief. Freedom. It had only been a few days, but felt like a lifetime. He ambled down the steps, patted the horse Nick and Will had brought for him and swung into the saddle.

“It feels good to be in the saddle,” he said, mostly to himself. They rode through town, talking and laughing about the ridiculous charges, happy the true culprit had been found. When they reached the center of town he glanced over at the Magnolia, hoping he might catch a glimpse of Laura. She wasn’t there. Maybe she was still in bed, he thought, a smile tugging at his mouth.

He rode in silence as they left Colter Canyon and headed for the Travis land. Later, after a decent bath and a shave, he’d go right back to town. He had a pesky girl he needed to see. One that he intended to charm and woo. If she had the nerve to march into his cell with a supper basket, she was ready for him. She might be mad about him wanting her to leave, but he’d set her straight.

He intended to wipe the slate clean. He’d start anew with Laura. That was what he wanted, and he suspected if she didn’t want that, he could convince her. The jail cell already seemed like a fading memory. All he could do was think of Laura.

Will broke the silence. “Holden kept sayin’ how glad he was the girl wasn’t badly hurt. He apologized to Jorge and his wife and to me too. Seems to me you’re the one he needs to apologize to.”

“I’m just glad it’s over,” Seth said.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to get too mad about it,” Nick muttered. “People make mistakes.”

“And I’m glad Charlotte was in bed asleep,” Will said.

“What are you going to do about Laura?” Nick gave Seth a worried look.

“I don’t know. She came to the jail and brought me supper. I told her I wanted her out of Colter Canyon.”

Nick looked away, his brow knit. Seth stared, wondering what was troubling his brother.

“You might as well just tell him,” Will said.

Seth frowned. He looked from Nick to Will and back to Nick. Both brothers were acting a little shifty. He narrowed his eyes. “Tell me what?”

Nick cleared his throat, but pursed his lips as if considering his options. “I was only trying to help.”

Will scoffed. “The road to hell’s paved with good intentions. Especially Nick’s.”

“If this is about Laura,” Seth said quietly. “Someone better start talking. Quick like.”

Nick shook his head wistfully. “All right. But you might not be real happy about what I did. At least not right away.”