[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] up and taught her to dream in little things, believe in big things and reach for you on the coldest and darkest of nights. Then you abandoned her and you never came home.  I m home now!  You re home? she chuckled, and it was more like a sickening bellow than a hearty laugh.  You re not home, Preston. You re here, but you ll never go home now. You have a wife with new responsibilities and Carly? She s made her own way. She has friends, a few men that actually love her, whether any of  em would make her a wife or not, I don t know. Preston swallowed hard.  What do you mean she has men who love her?  You have to ask? She pointed down the hallway.  I have three fellows in three rooms here, resting today. They re riding back out to Carly s place in a few hours. They came here last night to get a good night s sleep and didn t touch one of my girls. Not one of them. The three of them came up with the lamest excuses ever told. Big Dick 62 Branded by Love Wilcox even claimed his cock shrunk and he couldn t get a hard-on if someone gave him free pussy. So we offered and they all declined.  And you think Carly is the reason your whores didn t get paid?  I don t think, Preston. I d bet you a month of free ones with every girl in the house, gambling with their bodies and mine just to prove a point. Preston slapped his hands together.  I m gonna have a talk with Wilcox.  You ain t doing your talking here, Preston. Go home to your woman. Take care of her. Treat her right nice and maybe you ll keep her.  I don t need whores telling me how to treat a woman.  Oh, she chirped.  I see Carly has already told you the same thing, huh?  Rose, he began.  How do I get her back?  You can t right now, Preston. Maybe you never will. A loud blast of gunfire sounded off in the middle of the street and Preston quickly shut and locked Rose s door.  What the hell? she ran to the window and he quickly pushed her to the side as he looked out in the street.  I don t see anyone except the fellow who runs the telegraph office, Preston said.  Dean? Rose asked, leaping for the window and shoving it up with both hands.  Dean! What s 63 Destiny Blaine going on down there?  Rose! he exclaimed.  I have some horrible news. Mr. and Mrs. Barkley were in Sacramento and their stagecoach was robbed. Telegraph just came in and confirmed it. The Barkleys were shot and killed by outlaws. Rose put her hand over her mouth and slumped to the bed.  Oh my, she said.  How awful. Oh, Preston! She started to cry, burying her face in her palms.  Those poor, poor folks. Preston took a deep, tortured breath.  Yeah, those nice people ain t had a moment s peace since their son passed, have they? Rose looked up and shook her head. After a long, uncomfortable silence, she said,  Robert Barkley went missing. No one ever confirmed he died, Preston. Preston didn t make a habit out of lying to Rose. In the good old days, he spent a lot of time in her bed and he still considered her a close friend, even if she often took Carly s side of things more than his own.  Preston, you look at me and tell me that boy ain t dead, she said.  He wasn t a boy, Rose.  Last time I saw him, he was with you and Carly, she pointed out.  No one ever saw him after that and Carly never breathed a word about him even riding out with the two of you. 64 Branded by Love  I ain t saying he s dead for sure, but he must be if no one has seen him around. News traveled all the way to Dodge City, too. Speculation is he was killed by Indians since his mom and dad used to take up with them about like Carly is now.  I doubt Mr. and Mrs. Barkley took Spotted Cloud with them to bed. Preston stared off into space and then said,  You shoulda seen the way those two went at each other.  You spied on them?  Damn right. * * * * Rose had about all she could stomach of Preston. He had no right doing Carly the way he d done her and then riding back in with a woman at his side, a baby on the way, and stiff arrogance in his buckskins. He was a son-of-a-bitch, that s what he was and he ought to be ashamed of himself.  Don t look at me like I m some kind of outlaw.  Criminals come and go, Preston. No, you re much lower than a common thug. I m just trying to find a way to put a name on it, figure out what it is that you really are, you know?  How about Preston Evans, the only man who has any business loving Carly Corbaine Evans. 65 Destiny Blaine  What the hell is wrong with you? she screamed before slapping her hand across his gut.  Have you forgotten how you treated her? Preston took a deep breath.  I d appreciate it if you didn t smack me again.  Oh for the love of God, Preston, you need help. You need some serious help. A normal man doesn t spy on two lovers going at it. Hell, I m a working whore and don t allow it unless I know about it and then I charge extra for it. What were you doing peeking in Carly s window?  Trying to figure out what she sees in the profession.  From what she s said about Spotted Cloud, I imagine you got your eyes full, Rose said, smiling.  Probably did you some good.  In case you ve forgotten, woman, I have plenty of package tucked away in these breeches.  I wouldn t know or remember, Preston. It s been a long time ago and thank God, I never got in the thick of things with you like Carly did. I guess I would ve been plumb tempted to blow your pecker to kingdom come.  You should ve seen them, he moved the conversation back to the starting point.  She [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl blacksoulman.xlx.pl