Free Trail to Shasta (9781101622049) by J. R. Roberts Page B

can see that,” Denny said. “We’re gonna stand here and wait for it to go out.”
    â€œWhat if it doesn’t?”
    â€œIt has to go out sometime,” Ames said. “He has to go to sleep.”
    â€œRight,” Denny said, staring at the window from across the street. “Sometime.”
    * * * 
    Naked, Clint crossed the room to Bridget and took her into his arms.
    â€œI like your freckles,” he said.
    â€œReally?” she said. “In Ireland we all have them.”
    â€œWell, not here,” he said. He bent his head and began to kiss the freckles. When his mouth came near her nipples, he caught them in his teeth, pulled on them, sucked them into his mouth.
    â€œOh!” she gasped.
    His hands roamed her body, over the smooth skin of her back, down to her buttocks, which he clenched in his hands. He got to his knees in front of her, kissed her belly, moved lower, slid his tongue into the red forest of her pubic thatch so he could taste her.
    She gasped and jumped back from him.
    â€œWhat are you doing?” she demanded.
    â€œNo one’s ever done that to you before?” he asked. “I thought you said you were wild.”
    â€œNot that wild,” she said. “That’s French stuff.”
    â€œAnd it’s very nice,” he said.
    â€œYou do that here?” she asked. “In the West?”
    â€œWell,” he said, “I do.” He stood up, put his hand out to her. “Come here.”
    She came to him. He slid his hand down over her belly, into her crotch, where she was wet. She gasped when his fingers touched her.
    â€œCome to bed,” he said into her ear, “and I’ll show you.”
    He tugged her toward the bed, turned her, and laid her down on it.
    â€œWait,” she said.
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œThe light,” she said. “Put the light out.”
    â€œAll right.”
    He walked to the lamp on the wall by the door and turned it all the way down, plunging the room into total darkness.
    * * * 
    From across the street, the three men saw the light go out.
    â€œThat’s it,” Denny said. “Let’s go.”

TWENTY-SIX
    The clerk looked up as the three men came charging into the lobby.
    â€œWhat the hell—”
    â€œShut up!” Denny told him.
    â€œHey, you!” the clerk said, pointing to Ames. “You’re crazy!”
    Denny pointed his gun at the clerk and said, “Shut the hell up.”
    â€œWhat the hell—” the clerk said again, but he shut up.
    â€œDon’t say another word,” Denny said. “Duck down behind your desk and stay there.”
    â€œBut—”
    â€œDo it!”
    The clerk ducked down.
    Denny turned to Ames and Fred and said, “Okay, let’s go.”
    â€œWhat room?” Fred asked.
    â€œI told you before,” Denny said. “Room 15.”
    * * * 
    In Room 15, Clint had joined Bridget on the bed. In the darkness he reached for her, slid his hands up her legs and thighs, then even higher to her breasts. She sighed as he palmed them, her nipples hard as pebbles against his palms.
    He moved up alongside her and kissed her, sliding his hand back down her body until it was between her legs again. This time when he touched her, she started, but did not pull away.
    â€œOh my,” she whispered as he probed. “Oh, glory be . . .”
    * * * 
    In the hall the three men crept along quietly, Denny in the lead. They all had their guns in their hands. As they approached Room 15, the door to Room 14 suddenly opened. A sleepy-looking girl appeared, rubbing her eyes and saying, “Bridget?”
    The three men froze. The girl saw them, and screamed . . .
    * * * 
    â€œBride!” Bridget shouted.
    Even in the dark, Clint’s hand went directly to the butt of his gun. He sprang from the bed and ran to the door. Naked, he yanked the door open