by Maggie Ryan
It was dark… something that surprised her as Nettie was usually up by now, stirring the embers in the huge fireplace in preparation for cooking breakfast and working out her recipes for the meals that were served for both supper and dinner. But not even an oil lamp flickered to illuminate the room. Moving forward, knowing there was a lamp on the large work table in the center of the room, she was about to reach for the box of matches, when she squealed, her bare foot hitting something soft beneath the table. Stumbling, she reached out to grab the table to keep from falling, only to jerk her hand back when something furry met her palm. Squealing louder, her foot contacting the animal beneath the table again, her arms pin wheeling as she lost her balance, she toppled backwards only to slam into something hard and huge. When arms wrapped around her waist and her feet left the ground, the squeal became a full blown scream, her feet kicking, her hands clawing at the restraint, the fur beneath her fingers causing her heart to stop beating.
Bear! Oh my God, it’s a bear! Hot breath wafted over her head and a growl was given as her heel connected with the bear’s leg, his claws digging into her waist as she writhed and fought against its hold.
“Gabe!” she screamed, the sound of pure terror tearing past the constriction of her throat. Reaching for the table, knowing there was a crock holding tools… knives… that Nettie used in her cooking, she screamed again as her hand knocked it off the table. The sound of breaking crockery had her sobbing. “No! No! No! Let me go! Gabe!” More growling had her feet kicking backwards and the moment the arms loosened, she slipped from the animal’s hold, dropping to her hands and knees, scrambling beneath the table, screaming as her knees sank into the fur of the bear’s previous prey, searching for anything to use as a weapon.
Her hand found the wooden rolling pin and she turned and swept it out in front of her twice before it connected with the bear’s leg, causing a grunt of pain. Knowing that she’d most likely just enraged the beast, Jewel surged to her feet, racing around the table to head for the door. A stabbing pain in her foot had her screaming thinking the bear had finally stopped playing, its claws ready to rip her to pieces. As she began to fall, she reached out in desperation, swiping something from the tabletop. Unbalanced yet again, she went down hard, landing on her ass. Another blood curdling scream ripped through the air as something warm, slimy, and odorous splattered on her, dripping from her hair, down the gaping opening of her robe to slide over her breasts and stomach. Her hands clawed at the robe, tearing it off, her chest heaving as sobs wracked her body.
“What in the hell is going on?”
“Bear!”
“Jewel? What…”
Light suddenly flared as a match was lit, the shadows caused by the flame causing Jewel to screech again as the bear loomed over her.
“Shoot it!” Jewel screamed, curling into the smallest ball possible.
“Everybody just freeze!” Gabe roared, lighting the lamp that indeed did sit in the middle of the table.
“Querida, what happened?”
Jewel’s mind was racing a million miles an hour trying to assimilate everything that had happened in the last two minutes. Why wasn’t Gabe already shooting? Oh, God, where was Nettie? Remembering the horrid liquid, chunks of something slimy sliding down her body, she screamed again. “Nettie! Oh God, Nettie! Gabe!”
“Shh, I’ve got you,” Gabe said softly, kneeling down beside her and gathering her into his arms. “Why in the hell are you naked?” he asked, his voice going from soothing to steel as he stood, cradling her.
“Blo… blood… gu… guts…” Jewel stuttered, shaking so hard her teeth were chattering. “He… the bear… he ate Net… Nettie!” Jewel continued to sob incoherently, her body trembling violently.
“Jewel, shh, there’s no bear…” Gabe began only to hear Moses growl which did, in fact, sound like a grizzly.
“Stop whacking me!”
“Moses? What the fuck is going on?” Gabe barked at the mountain of a man who stood, one arm straight out, pressing against Nettie’s chest to keep the wooden spoon she was wielding from striking him yet again, the other hand holding Jewel’s silk robe.
Before Moses could speak, a sharp crack of the spoon was repeated as Nettie stepped back and then whacked him again as she dodged around him to get to her Jewel.
Nettie ignored the furious look on Gabe’s face, stepping right up to him and wrapping her arms around Jewel. “Shh, child, I’m here… I’m here. Moses, give me that robe!”
Instead, Moses pulled off his coat and took the two steps towards the trio. “I didn’t mean to scare her…”
“Well, you did, you big oaf! You’ve scared my poor child near to death!” Reaching for the coat, she gave him another smack with the spoon.
A hand the size of a ham plucked it from her hand, thick fingers snapping it in two without effort. “Woman, I warned you…”
“I’ve got plenty more, you old coot,” Nettie said.
“If you hit me with one again, I’ll take it away and use it on your behind!”
Huffing and ignoring the threat, Nettie attempted to wrap the coat around Jewel, only to jump back as her precious girl screeched, practically choking Gabe to death as she tried to climb up his body.
“Jewel,” Gabe said, her name a bit gargled as he reached to pull her hands from his neck. Stepping forward, he set her onto the table, gripped her arms and pulled them free, taking her hands in his and bending forward to press his forehead to hers, his eyes locked onto blue ones that seemed far too huge in her pale face. “Jewel, breathe, damn it, breathe!”
“What’s going on?”
Additional lanterns lit the room as John and Opal, followed by Amy, Dottie, Charlie and Silver crowded into the room.
“Oh, my!” Opal said and then gasped. “Wow, must have been one wild party! Why weren’t we invited?”
Her question went unanswered as Jewel, her eyes having locked onto Gabe’s, her chest finally loosening from her terror to rise and fall as she mimicked his breathing, finally began to calm. “Net… Nettie?”
“I’m here, child,” Nettie said, stepping close and stroking Jewel’s arm. “I’m right here.”
“You… Gabe… bear…”
“Bear?” This came from Amy who stepped backwards into Opal who knocked into John who lost his balance, crushing Dottie’s toes. She cried out and pushed the man off her only to have him stumble into Charlie who then knocked into a small table that held trays the women used to carry meals out to the dining room. As they fell to the ground, clattering loudly, Jewel screamed again, burying her face in Gabe’s neck.
“For fuck’s sake,” Gabe said, his head shaking. “Everybody sit down and shut up! Wait! Somebody give me something to cover Jewel with!” When Nettie attempted to hand him the coat, he shoved it aside. “Not that! Something that doesn’t look like some fucking dead animal!”
“Oh,” Nettie said, shoving the coat at Moses before storming past him and returning with a quilt she’d pulled from her bed. Once Gabe had wrapped it around Jewel, he plucked her from the table and moved to take a seat in a chair that sat around the kitchen table where the residents of the Red Petticoat took their meals. As the gems and the men settled into chairs as well, Nettie went into caretaker mode, stirring the embers of the fire until a blaze added its illumination to the room and then lighting the stove. Once she’d filled a kettle and put it on to heat, she shook her head, looking around her kingdom. “How on earth did all this happen?”
“That’s exactly what I want to know,” Gabe said, looking over at Moses who still hadn’t moved. “I suggest someone start talking right now.”
“It’s not what you think,” Moses said. Gabe was a large man but Moses was time and a half again his size. His height of close to seven feet required that he duck to enter through a doorway. His arms were as thick as tree trunks, his thighs even larger. His job as a trapper kept him fit, his muscles bulging beneath his shirt, his hands, scarred from running traps for years, were large enoug
h to crush a man’s skull. His voice was deep, his skin the color of dark chocolate. A formidable man, he was also as gentle as a kitten… as if understanding that people had an inherent fear of someone who looked as he did. “I was just leaving but before I could, I heard Miss Jewel scream and when she started to fall, I grabbed her…” He paused and shook his head. “I think she thought she was being attacked, but I swear to you… I didn’t touch her. I mean, I did but… um… not the way you’re thinking.”
“And how exactly did her clothes disappear?” Gabe asked.
“She took off her robe when she pulled the pot off the table. I guess she thought it was… hell, I’m not sure, but every time I tried to talk to her, she just screamed again.”
“Moses, I am so sorry… I-I thought you were a… a bear. You… I didn’t hear words… I just heard growling and snarling,” Jewel said softly, shuddering at the memory of her terror. When hearing some chuckling from the people around the table, she pushed away from Gabe’s chest. “Look at him! He is huge and that coat is furry! What the hell was I supposed to think! Ow! What was that for?”
“Language,” Gabe said, his swat against her ass coming without thought.
“I thought he ate Nettie!” Jewel admitted.
“Speaking of which, why are you here so early?” John asked, giving an oomph when Opal’s elbow dug into his stomach. “Why’d you hit me?” he asked.
“Good grief, John, he’s not early… he never left,” Opal said, rolling her eyes.
“Never left…” John echoed, confusion written on his face.
Nettie moved from the stove to stand next to Moses, her hands on her ample hips, her eyes flashing. “You don’t hear me asking why you are here, John Harrison! I may be nothing more than some cook to you but I’m a woman and I’ve got needs…”
“Nettie…”
Turning her attention to Moses, Nettie continued her rant. “What? It’s fine to rut with me but you’re too embarrassed to have anyone know you were in my bed? What? I’m too old and fat? You’re ashamed to be with me? I thought you were a better man than that, Moses Abraham!”
“You know damn well that’s not how I feel…”
“Well, I don’t hear you defending my honor…”
“Woman, I’m not sure how anyone can say sumthin’ when you get all wound up,” Moses said, reaching over to land a huge palm against her backside, the force causing her to bounce forward a foot and give a loud yelp. “You ain’t old and you sure ain’t fat. You’re just the way a woman should be… all soft and fluffy and, laws, woman, you’re tiny… you’re half my size! You’re the most beautiful little gal in these mountains.”
Gems giggled and men chuckled as Amy mock-whispered, “So, if Moses is a bear, she’s what… his cub?”
“No, I think he means she’s more like a nice fluffy sheep. But at least he’s not eating her,” Silver said, giggling.
“Don’t count on that,” Opal said. At Silver’s gasp, she giggled. “Hey, Nettie did say she has needs and well, you gotta admit, we do live in a brothel.”
“I think it’s very romantic,” Dottie said. “It’s nice to see Miss Nettie so happy. Hey, and Moses did break that awful spoon!” she added, nodding to the two pieces of the spoon that were laying on the work table. “Do you really think she’ll get another one?”
“I think it is far too early for this shit,” Gabe said. “And, good God, what in the hell is that smell?”
Nettie, who had been cuddling her man, turned to answer. “That was supposed to be tonight’s supper. One of Moses’ favorite dishes. He brought me all sorts of intestines and I was soaking them to make chitlins…”
“Oh, God!” Jewel said, attempting to squirm out of Gabe’s arms. “I’ve got… guts in my hair! All over me! I… I’m gonna be sick!”
Gabe stood, holding her tight. “I’m going to get Jewel into a bath. You girls help clean up this mess and Nettie, get that shit outside. I don’t care if you cook them, but I will not have that smell in the saloon. We’d run off every customer who stepped inside and took a single whiff.” At Jewel’s gag, he stopped barking orders, pushing through the kitchen door.
“Don’t you dare,” he said, striding through the saloon towards the bathing room. “Just think about something else. I’ve got you, querida, but if you vomit on me, you’re gonna have more than guts in your hair when I vomit right back.”
Jewel swallowed hard, her hand clamped over her mouth. Not to hold in any sickness but because seeing her love’s face go from that gorgeous coppery color to white and hearing him admit he had a weak tummy, had her fighting the urge to laugh. Of course, hearing her gems all giggling and Opal saying, “My, my, who knew Gabe had such a gorgeous ass?” didn’t help her keep her giggles inside. She was pretty damned sure that Mr. Gabriel Vasquez, her knight in shining armor… minus the armor, of course, had absolutely no idea that he’d come to rescue her while naked as a jaybird. Snuggling against him, she thought, good Lord, all I wanted was a glass of milk and a piece of cake!
Chapter 3
Jewel sat on the chair before the fire, the quilt wrapped around her as she watched Gabe pour the first pail of water he’d heated into one of the tubs. God, he was a handsome man and she could spend an entire day just watching him move. A smile played on her lips as his muscles rippled as he lifted the second bucket.
“All right, querida, you can get in now,” he said, moving to the pump to refill the two buckets.
Jewel stood, letting the quilt slip away. “Why are you heating more water?” she asked as he placed another bucket beside the first to heat over the fire.
“Honey, I love you, but you reek. It’ll take more than one bath to get my sweet smelling Jewel back.”
“Ah,” Jewel said, changing directions in order to pluck a bottle off a shelf beside the mantle. “In that case, perhaps a bit of lavender will help.” Uncapping the bottle, she poured a stream of the oil into the tub before stepping in. “This feels wonderful,” she said softly, giving a soft moan of bliss as she sank down in the warm water. Looking up, she grinned. “You planning on joining me?” She adored the look that came over Gabe’s face, the slow smile causing the dimples in his cheeks to deepen, the look in his eyes causing her nipples to tighten.
“What a nice invitation,” he said, his eyes never leaving hers as he reached for the buttons of his shirt. Jewel burst into laughter realizing that he still had given absolutely no thought to the fact that he was as naked as she.
“Fuck,” he muttered, breaking eye contact to look down at his body, his head shaking. Jewel continued to laugh, the pure joy knowing he’d not even taken the time to pull on a pair of pants before racing to her rescue going far in erasing all the terror of the past few minutes. He looked at her, his eyebrow lifting, causing her tummy to tingle. “What’s so funny, little girl?”
“God, I adore you, Mr. Vasquez,” she said, moving up to one end of the tub and holding out her hand. “Thank you, Gabe. You came so quickly to save me. You are my hero. Come, join me.”
Gabe grinned and stepped into the tub, sinking down behind her, his legs on either side of her hips as he pulled her back against him. His arms wrapping around her waist.
“I do have just one little question,” she asked, turning her head to look over her shoulder, waiting for his nod before continuing. “Exactly what were you planning on shooting the bear with? You didn’t even bring your pistol.”
Gabe chuckled. “I suppose it was a good thing there wasn’t a bear then, wasn’t it?”
“Poor Moses. He must think I’m some sort of crazy person.”
“No,” Gabe countered. “I’m sure he understands. But seriously, Jewel? A bear?”
She moaned and shook her head. “It was dark, there were furs all over the place and… well, I guess I have an active imagination.” Closing her eyes, she laid her head back against his chest. “I’ll apologize to him.”
“That might help Nettie forgive him for scaring her baby,” Gabe agreed, reachi
ng for the bar of soap and cloth on the stool. “But, as much as I love you, if I don’t get this stink off you, I’m not promising I won’t shoot him for bringing intestines into the saloon.”
Jewel groaned, shivering and then slipping completely beneath the water, her knees poking up as she shook her head, her golden curls swirling against his legs and the bottom of the tub. Coming up for air, she sighed when Gabe began to wash her hair. As his thick fingers massaged the soap into her scalp, she said, “There is no way on God’s green Earth that I’m going to eat whatever the hel… um, heck, chitlins are.”
“I don’t know, it might go a long way to soothing Moses’ feelings if you join him in eating a big plate of his favorite meal.”
Sputtering, she whipped her head around, ready to protest only to see him grinning. Turning around again, she said, “I think I’d rather be eaten than to ever eat anything that smells so godawful.”
“Now that might be arranged,” Gabe said, bending down to press his lips to nibble on her neck, ignoring the soap suds that covered her skin. “But first, wash!”
They did make use of both tubs, not emerging from the second until they were both a bit pruny looking. Gabe shook his head after picking up the quilt. “This smells almost as bad as you did.” He dropped it into the tub to soak until one of the gems could attend to washing it.
“Um, so what exactly are we going to wear?” Jewel asked, her nipples puckering and her skin pebbling with goose bumps. “I’m cold.”
Gabe grinned. “If you run fast, you’ll be warm by the time we reach our room.”