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

Chapter twenty

Chapter Twenty

Jeb was just pouring the last bucket of water into the barn trough when a strong pair of arms slipped around his waist.

He moaned as he leaned back into Gilliam's chest and smiled. "You're gonna start something, Gilliam," he warned as warm lips caressed his neck.

Jeb felt Gill smile against his skin. "That would be my goal."

"Aren't you the one always telling me that I've had enough," Jeb questioned, spinning around and nipping at Gill's neck.

The other man chuckled. "Never enough."

Jeb let out a hungry growl and attacked Gill's lips. His hands roamed over the strong body that he knew like the back of his hand. The heat in the barn was overwhelming and Jebidiah was losing himself in it—until a squeak sounded from the barn door.

"Oh great golly gee! Oh my. Oh fiddlesticks...."

Without releasing their hold on each other, the two men turned toward the barn door. "Elmer?" Jeb demanded. "What are you doing here?"

The telegraph and postal clerk from town wrung his hands and shifted his feet as he flushed bright red beneath his hat. "I uh... well I..."

"Does this make you uncomfortable?" Gill asked, moving a slight distance away from Jebidiah.

"Well..uh.. I mean. That is to say..."

Jebidiah sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Stop stuttering, Elmer."

Elmer's mouth slammed closed. Jeb and Gill shared an uncomfortable glance. While they never denied a relationship between them, they also never flaunted either. And they always did their best to avoid public displays of affection that could be witnessed by anyone outside their family.

"I'd heard that you.. that is to say that two of you uh..." Elmer continued.

Jeb put a hand on Gill's arm to silence the man when his mouth opened. He recognized the look on Gilliam's face that said he was going to cause mischief and poor Elmer didn't appear as if he could handle it.

"What brings you way out here so early, Elmer?" Jeb asked while Gill huffed about having his fun interrupted.

Elmer looked very relieved to have the subject changed. "Yes. I was just waking up this morning and about to head out for breakfast when this came." Elmer held up an envelope. "I knew you'd want to have this message real quick."

Jebidiah took the letter and scanned over it quickly. His heart dropped into the pit of his stomach. "Thanks, Elmer," he mumbled before striding to his horse to ready it.

"What's it say?" Gill demanded.

"It's from Craig. He caught up with Wyatt and Zachariah and was riding with them. Apparently Wyatt's been taken by the men Zachariah was after."

"Taken?" Gill growled as he too began readying a horse. "That damn Zachariah better hope we get Wyatt back alive or I'll be after him for not keeping him safe."

"Remember who we're talking about," Jebidiah gently warned. "Wyatt has a tendency to do what he wants."

"I'll go get Preston. He can stay with Maria while we're gone," Gill said as the two men led their horses from the barn. Elmer had already made a mad dash back toward town.