Free Teton Sunrise (Teton Romance Trilogy) by Peggy L Henderson Page B

ami ,” Laurent said loudly. He clasped Alex’s arms and squeezed heartily. He angled his head first one way and then the other, and sniffed the air.  “You look and smell as pretty as a young mangeur de lard fresh from the east.” The three men at the fire burst out laughing.
    Alex yanked his knife from his belt and held it to the Frenchman’s throat, glaring at his friend. Laurent released his arms and tilted his chin to the side to avoid the sharp tip, but the threat of a knife in his jugular apparently didn’t diminish the man’s amusement. Alex had known that his comrades would mock the change in his appearance. If any man other than Laurent had referred to him as a pork eater, he would have considered it a great insult, but even coming from his friend, that didn’t mean he had to take the friendly barb lying down.
    “Is she a nice robe warmer, Walker? Must be better than an Injun squaw,” one man called loudly. The others didn’t hide the eager expressions on their faces, waiting for Alex to satisfy their curiosity about the woman everyone assumed he had taken as his wife.
    “She’ll do,” Alex answered gruffly. He glared at Laurent, his jaw clenched. The others nodded approval and slapped each other on their backs. Ignoring his comrades, Alex lowered his knife and motioned for the Frenchman to follow him away from camp. He didn’t need to watch and listen to any more goading. They didn’t need to know the reason for his absence from camp the night before. If they wanted to assume he had spent it in the arms of his new bride, then so be it.
    The thought of spending a night in the arms of a woman like Evie sent his heart racing in his chest. Earlier, he told her that she belonged to him.  If only it were true.  The idea of Charlie Richardson laying a hand on her caused his muscles to tense, just as hot rage had flooded him when he watched other eager men barter for her. That he had yet to pay for his acquisition was best kept between him and Laurent.
    After his claim of ownership, Evie had told him in no uncertain terms that she would never belong to him, and had stormed into Aimee’s medical tent. For fear of his own temper getting the better of him, Alex had thought it wise to try reasoning with her again another time. If Evelyn found out that he had no real hold on her, she was just the type of woman to try something foolish and leave. For her own safety, it was better that everyone believed she was his newly acquired wife, at least until they both could figure out what to do. Now all he had to do was keep his own distance.
    “Why are you not with your lovely young bride?” Laurent asked when they were out of earshot from the rest of the men.
    Alex stopped in his tracks and faced the Frenchman. He and Laurent had been friends for four years, ever since Alex had helped him escape from a war party of Blackfeet. From then on, they had traveled the wilderness together, trapping and hunting the streams and tributaries of the Snake River Country below the Teewinots , sometimes venturing further north into the Yellowstone. While Alex was committed to the Rocky Mountain Fur Company, Laurent had always been a free trapper. Now that Alex had cut his ties with the company, he was eager to reach the small, secluded valley at the base of the great Teton Mountains. Laurent made his home in that valley, and last winter they had planned for Alex to build his own cabin.
    Glancing over his shoulder, Alex leaned toward Laurent and said in a hushed voice, “You know damn well she’s not my wife. I didn’t pay you anything for her.”
    Laurent shrugged and grinned. “You have not paid me the amount you boldly proclaimed you would pay for her. All I ask is one beaver pelt.” He held up a hand as if warding off an attack. “I will accept nothing more. Then she is yours.”
    Alex scoffed. Absently, he kicked at the rocks on the ground, stirring up dust. “Do you think I want Evelyn bound to me in that way? She