Karen Mercury (29 page)

“Or bring Caleb with us!” cried Worth, carried away with the idea. “I’m sure he’s getting tired of hanging around his tepee, chanting things.”

Tabitha could feel Jeremiah jumping up and down on the floorboards. “Oh, bring me, bring me!” He clapped his hands together like a schoolboy. “I’m getting tired of this dusty town. I’d love to see the Far West, where no white man has trod before!”

“Well,” said Foster. “A whole slew of white men are treading there at the moment. And you don’t like horses, and I’m not hauling you in a wagon.”

Worth said eagerly, “He could ride in my dark wagon with Phineas. Tabitha here could write articles about the Black Hills, and I could take new photographs that aren’t owned by the government.”

Tabitha finally removed her eye from the scope and saw three men staring at her, pinning her with their expectant gazes. No one moved a muscle, and it became obvious they were looking to her for approval.

She shrugged. “We need to inspect the claim anyway, and we could use a decent honeymoon.”

Her two men yee-hawed and punched each other with glee. Jeremiah was even more demonstrative. Flinging his arms up, he wiggled about like a man under a religious influence. He even cried, “Oh, praise to thee on highest!” and took off in an ecclesiastical fervor, smashing into the wall face-first. He slithered to the floor holding his nose, a dislodged painting conking him on the head, but no one paid him any mind.

The three partners slung their arms about each other’s shoulders. Their foreheads nearly touched as Tabitha said, “I’d like nothing more than to spend a few weeks in the wilderness with my men.”

Foster kissed her forehead. “I’d like nothing more than to spend an entire lifetime with the two of you.”

“At
least
one lifetime,” Worth corrected him.

Tabitha had to grin. She had seen some incredible things since arriving in Laramie. She knew she would see plenty more before her day was done. And this thought filled her with joy.

Karen’s first three novels were historical fiction involving pre-colonial African explorers. Since she was always either accused or praised (depending on how you look at it) for writing overly steamy sex scenes, erotic romance was the natural next step. She is currently writing about the rough-and-tumble life of the transcontinental railroad in Wyoming, and lives in Northern California with her Newfoundland dog.

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Siren Publishing, Inc.

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