Page 12 of Wellspring
Webster slapped the reins along the draft horses’ rumps to urge them to a faster pace, eagerness clear in his expression and in the way he scanned the horizon constantly.Erick had come to appreciate the sharpness of Webster’s vision over their time together, so while he had no hope of seeing as far as the other man, he looked the same way, curious to what he would see next.
At first it was nothing more than a smudge on the horizon, but as they continued on, the smudge resolved into a collection of buildings, smaller than Galveston, which surprised Erick since he understood it was the Texas capital.It wasn’t Bremen or Berlin, but it was a decent-sized city with brick and stone buildings and wide, if dusty, streets.
After so long being the only travelers on the road, Zephyr was inclined to take offense at the increasing number of carts, drays, carriages, and other riders they encountered.Keeping the fractious stallion under control through the turns Webster made as they wove deeper into town claimed much of Erick’s attention until the wagon drew to a stop in front of a three-story brick building with a limestone facade.
Webster set the brake and jumped down from the wagon.“I’ll see about getting us rooms if you want to take Zephyr to the stable around back.I don’t imagine he’ll stay tied to the hitching post.”
Erick nodded and nudged Zephyr into a walk.It took longer than he’d expected to get the stallion settled—he was not pleased to be shut into a small wooden stall and made his displeasure loudly known before Erick was able to calm him (and hope nothing happened to set him off again before morning).By the time he passed the stable hand a coin for his trouble and walked back to the front of the building, he found Webster pacing in the lobby.His tension was unusual enough to make Erick wonder if he had spent too long in the stables.
“There you are,” he said when he caught sight of Erick.“I was only able to get one room.By the time I paid for stabling the horses, baths, and board, I didn’t have enough left for a second room.I’m sorry.”
The words came out in such a rush Erick had a hard time following them, and a harder time understanding why it would make Webster uncharacteristically tense.He could probably afford to pay for a second room himself, if it would make Webster more comfortable, but until he hired on at Wellspring (assuming he was hired) and began earning a salary, he felt it prudent to conserve what funds he had left.He didn’t object to spending them for good cause, such as the clothes and supplies he bought in Galveston, but after weeks of sleeping on the ground, any bed would be a luxury.He didn’t need a room to himself—in fact, the idea of sharing that minor intimacy with Webster appealed, even if lying beside him with nothing more than a sheet between them would demand all his restraint.Keeping his hands and lips to himself when faced with the powerful temptation of Webster’s near-naked body beside him would be delectable torture, especially if he was not misreading the hints of interest he thought he had seen more frequently since the day of the storm.That hope made him bold enough to risk a daring comment.“There is no need to apologize.After all, we have been sleeping together for weeks, have we not?”
The clouds shadowing Webster’s face broke beneath the force of his smile.Dare Erick call it a leer?“We sure have.Why don’t you get the key while I get the wagon settled?Dinner after that, and then it’ll be our turn in the bathing rooms.”
Erick followed Webster to the desk where a clerk consulted a register with Webster’s name written in, and next to it, an X in place of a signature.
He masked his reaction through long practice while the clerk handed him a key and Webster headed out the front door.He had not suspected Webster could not read or write, though given the upbringing he’d described with the Comanche, perhaps it was not surprising.He wondered how Webster managed, though he clearly could recognize the different values of currency, and perhaps knew enough to make out common signs such as “hotel” and “stables”.It was harder for Erick to imagine a life without the pleasures of reading.He had a few well-loved books stowed in his saddlebags, though there had never been enough leisure time in their trip so far to bring one out.He had thought he might read tonight, though he would not want to discomfit Webster by doing so.
It only took a few minutes for Webster to return from the stables.Erick followed without comment as he led them up a flight of stairs to their room.
The room wasn’t large, nor was the bed, though after sleeping on the ground for weeks any mattress would be welcome.Erick set his saddlebags down in one corner as Webster tossed his in another and hung his hat neatly on the hat and coat rack near the door.“I don’t know about you, but I could eat a whole steer, I’m so hungry.”
Erick might have preferred to bathe before dining, but he settled for brushing the dust from his clothes as best he could.“Anything we do not have to catch and cook ourselves will be welcome.”
Webster grinned brightly.“And after we take our baths, I’ll show you the best saloon in town.Best whiskey you’ll find in the city.And the prettiest girls too.”
Because of course Webster would know where the prettiest girls in town could be found.Even so, Erick wasn’t immune to the power of his smile and found his lips twitching in turn.“I put myself in your capable hands.”
“You won’t regret it,” Webster promised.“But first, a steak dinner like nothing you’ve had before.”
They ate in the hotel’s dining room, and while Erick enjoyed the meal, he enjoyed even more watching how much Webster enjoyed it.At his first bite of steak, he closed his eyes and moaned in pleasure, making Erick glad there was a table between them and a napkin across his groin.“I would think that steak would be a common meal on a cattle ranch,” he observed when he trusted his voice not to break.
“We have it sometimes,” Webster replied after he swallowed, “but we only get paid for the cattle we drive to the railhead in the fall, so we don’t butcher all that many.We hunt, like we’ve been doing, and we raise pigs and chickens for meat and eggs.”
After that, Erick let Webster enjoy his meal without unneeded conversation.It felt comfortable, even if they were in a room full of other diners rather than sitting around the campfire eating beans or grilling whatever game they’d brought down that day.When Webster had mopped up his plate with the last biscuit, he smiled at Erick again and bounded to his feet.“Ready for a bath?”
Erick had been ready since they left Galveston, the dip in the river notwithstanding.“Show me where to go.”
Webster led him up to their room first to gather clean clothes, then down to the main floor and toward the back to a row of numbered doors.“Now we wait for one of the rooms to be empty,” he explained.“Someone from the hotel will bring clean water and then we can go in.”
“We?”slipped out before Erick could censor himself.He’d been looking forward to this bath all day, but while he’d imagined Webster fully naked ever since his first tantalizing glimpses of the cowboy’s body, the thought of Webster seeing him naked wasn’t nearly as appealing.Especially since his reaction could lead to his being punched or worse.
Webster blushed.“You can go first.I’ll take the second one to be free.I’m used to the dust of the trail.”
Before Erick could process that Webster was blushing, a door opened and a housemaid slipped out.“Water’s hot, sir, and clean towels on the sideboard.Enjoy your bath.”
Erick glanced at Webster, but he’d recovered his usual aplomb and waved Erick on.“I’ve got the next one.You heard the woman, enjoy your bath.”
As soon as the door closed behind him, Erick began to strip out of his clothes.Apart from the rare wash-up in a creek, he hadn’t felt clean in weeks.He folded the garments more carefully than their begrimed appearance deserved, but he wasn’t sure there would be time to have them washed before they left Austin.
The bath wasn’t especially hot, but it felt heavenly to submerge his body into even tepid water.Erick dunked his head and used the bar of soap the hotel provided to wash his hair, then slicked it back from his forehead and scrubbed the bar across his arms and chest.Despite his hope, exposure to the sun hadn’t done more than add to his unfortunate array of freckles.An image of Cade’s tanned torso—because he couldn’t think of him as Webster here, like this—flickered behind his closed eyelids, and his cock began to stir.Erick closed a soapy hand around it.He hadn’t indulged himself since leaving the rooming house in Galveston—he hadn’t dared with Cade sleeping just beside him beneath the wagon or across the fire when the skies were clear.And since they’d be sharing a bed tonight, it would be best to slake any inappropriate urges now.
He stroked slowly, drawing out the memory of taking refuge from the storm inside the wagon, Cade leaning back half-undressed, body still glistening with rainwater.As the pleasure built, it wasn’t Cade’s broad chest that filled his thoughts, but his kindness in taking a stranger under his wing; not his corded arms, but his generosity in sharing his expertise with an ignorant newcomer.As Erick spilled into the dingy bathwater, Cade smiling at him across the dinner table was all he could see.
This is dangerous, Erick reminded himself as he finished his ablutions.He dried quickly and changed into his only other set of clean clothes, then folded the towel and draped it over the lip of the tub, forcing himself to breathe slowly and deeply.He could find himself in a world of trouble if his attraction were not returned.Fortunately Cade was no longer in the hall, giving Erick more time to regain his composure.Imagining Cade reclining in his own bath wasn’t helping in that regard.
Chapter Nine
