The McEllis Boys

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Nicole was having one hell of a dream. Which was odd considering she could have sworn she had already started her day. In her dream there were four tall, good looking cowboys (hats, spurs, chaps and six shooters included), and they were currently arguing how exactly you were supposed to use the big cooking machine and which knobs did what.

"That circle thing is turning red. Does that mean it's hot?" one of them asked in a voice that sounded as if it came straight out of a western.

"I don't know, Andrew, why don't you touch it and find out?" A deeper voice replied. This was followed by the smell of burnt flesh and a loud curse.

"Dammit, Jamison!" Andrew exclaimed as Jamison chuckled.

"Watch your language in front of the kid," another voice warned and this voice was more familiar than the others. It was slow and had a drawl to it that washed over her.

"I think they're funny." Madeline replied with a giggle.

Hearing Madeline had Nicole snapping awake and sitting bolt upright on the large brown couch where someone must have laid her.

"Well look who is sounding all fatherly." Jamison's voice was laced with sarcasm. Nicole stared into the kitchen and was certain she had completely lost her mind.

From here she could had a clear view of her kitchen and there they were. They weren't a dream. Four wild west looking cowboys with guns on their hips, hats on their heads and chaps on their legs were standing in her country kitchen looking more confused than a little.

She remembered how Cavanaugh had said they were from the year 1875... She had a funny feeling they were escapees from the mental hospital about an hour away. But if a woman's home had to be overrun by escaped mental patients then Nicole couldn't imagine four hotter men to be overrun by.

Strangely enough she found herself looking at each man in turn and noting his features. What she should do was call the police and have these men tossed in jail but instead she was enjoying the view!

Andrew, appeared to be the youngest. Judging from his build she would guess he was between seventeen and twenty though he acted far younger as he opened the freezer and stuck his burned hand inside, "Oh man this thing would have come in handy that time Ian stuck that cattle brand to the back of my britches!" he exclaimed.

"Yes but I don't think the lady would appreciate you sticking your backside on her food." Cavanaugh's voice drawled.

Nicole found herself fighting the urge to laugh at their conversation and went back to her appraisal of Andrew. He had taken his hat off and his hair was nearly black. He had boyish features, big brown eyes and a lopsided smile, which was still on his face despite the pain he appeared to be in.

If she had to guess she would say the trigger happy man who had shot her alarm clock was the next in age. There was something about this man that she didn't trust despite his seemingly friendly demeanor. He looked too perfect she supposed. His sharply angled face was flawless, with just the tiniest hint of stubble on his jaw. His brown eyes were too bright, his smile too perfect.

She turned her gaze to the other two and frowned. While all four men were broad and fairly tall these two were the broadest and tallest. They looked very much alike just as the younger two looked quite similar. She looked at the 'lawman' first. He was six and a half feet tall at least and very handsome, but he looked stern. His blue eyes were hard and he seemed very standoffish with his arms over his chest and his square jaw set.