An Outlaw's Silence (manxman)(second story in The Crane Gang series)

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

Just as Zachariah had said they would, the trio reached a town at the end of the second day just as the sky was turning orange.

After dropping their horses off at the livery, the men stood shoulder to shoulder on the bustling road. This town was a common stop along the trail for anyone traveling upon it. Therefore, the people around them ranged from outlaws, to lawmen, to cattle herders and businessmen.

"Wyatt, go get us a room at that hotel down here. See about paying for all of us one of those showers their sign boasts about," Zachariah said.

Wyatt nodded as he adjusted the saddlebags over his shoulder. 'What are you gonna do?'

Zachariah glanced toward a pair of saloons down the street "I'm gonna go see if I can't learn something about Clive."

"There are two saloons," Craig stated. "Why don't I help by taking one while you take the other?"

Zachariah turned a questioning glance toward Wyatt. Wyatt scratched at his neck and bit his lip. 'You sure that's a good idea?'

Craig shrugged. "Why wouldn't it be?" When Wyatt's brow raised, Craig scoffed and patted his friend on the back. "I'll be just fine, Wyatt. Don't worry about me."

Wyatt was still skeptical. 'No drinking, Craig.' Memories of losing his best friend to the bottle plucked at old hurts and wounds.

Anger darkened Craig's expression before he masked it with a smile. "I'm a grown man, Wyatt. I'll be just fine. Stop mother henning me. You're starting to sound like Jeb."

Wyatt sighed. He didn't think sounding like Jeb was a bad thing at all. 'I'll get some rooms,' he said and with that Wyatt walked away. He wasn't comfortable at all with Craig being near whiskey but he also knew there wasn't a single thing he could about it.

Wyatt stepped into the hotel lobby and found the front desk empty. He frowned and took a seat on a roughly hewn bench to wait for someone to check him in. A set of swinging doors to his right opened momentarily to reveal a crowded diner attached to the hotel and brimming with people.

A tremendous growling sounded from the pit of Wyatt's stomach, reminding him that he was hungry. His mouth watered. A real hot meal sounded damn good right about now....But he wouldn't eat without Craig and Zachariah. They were just as hungry as he was.

Wyatt leaned against the wall. The hotel clerk was probably at the diner eating supper and Wyatt would just have to wait patiently. While waiting, Wyatt let his mind wander back to the night when Zachariah had kissed him in the moonlight.

He felt his heart speed up at the memory and his blood seemed to grow hotter. Zachariah's kisses had been intoxicating. Wyatt wanted more—and tonight he'd get it. That thought both terrified and excited him.

Wyatt had never been with another man before... would he disappoint Zachariah with his lack of experience?

After what seemed an eternity, the hotel clerk finally emerged from within the diner. He adjusted his glasses and patted his bulging belly. "Sorry to keep you waiting, sir," he acknowledged with a tilt of his head as he stepped behind the desk. "Can I help you?"

Wyatt stood and nodded as he approached the desk with a friendly smile. He held up two fingers and pointed toward the staircase that led to the rooms.