Page 30 of Wellspring

CADE HAD just slipped into place at Erick’s side when Payne stood up and gave a sharp whistle. Conversation ceased completely and everyone turned their attention to the ranch foreman.

“Trouble’s brewing,” he said without preamble.

“Reichardt and Sanders came sniffing around this morning, and when Miz Roarke wasn’t amenable to their propositions, they got belligerent.

MacRae and Heller ran them off.” He stopped and gave a tip of his hat in Erick’s direction, then one in MacRae’s.

“But they left spewing threats. Now I’ll be the first to call Reichardt a windbag, but he has the men, the money, and the firepower to back up those threats if he chooses to.

He wants Wellspring. He’ll take it legally by forcing Miz Roarke to marry him if he can, but if he can’t, he’ll try to take it illegally. ”

Cade grimaced and looked around at the others. Every one of them wore an expression of grim determination. The JR owner would find no easy marks at this table.

“They’re dirty sidewinders,” Payne continued.

“They’ll try any sneaky underhanded trick they can think of to make it look like we’re the ones who started a range war, and they’ll use that to have Lutz throw us in jail to weaken the protection around the ranch.

Do not let them goad you into starting anything.

If they fire first, shoot back and shoot to kill, but only if they shoot first.”

“But it would be our word against theirs,” Jesse Beaufort protested, generating a murmur of agreement.

“That’s why no one goes anywhere alone,” Payne reiterated.

“There will be a witness to anything that happens. Of course Lutz will argue that we’d lie for each other, but he’d have to prove it.

” Payne cut through the angry muttering with another whistle.

“There will be at least three hands on guard here at the ranch at all times. Everyone will be armed unless you’re sleeping.

Trujillo, Burke, Heller, I know you don’t usually wear sidearms, but we can’t take any chances.

If Reichardt thinks he can get to Miz Roarke against her will, we will put the motherfucker in the ground. ”

A chorus of “hell yes” and “damn right” echoed around the tables.

Cade leaned into Erick, forcing himself not to react as the heat from Erick’s body seeped through their shirts and into Cade’s skin. The situation was too serious to allow for any distractions, even one as damn-near perfect as Erick. “Are you okay with carrying your Colt?”

“Yes, although… would you mind if instead of a reading lesson tonight, you could take me to your range so I may practice? I am not as accurate with a pistol as I may need to be.”

Cade bit back his disappointment at the request. He’d hoped for the privacy of the spring to pick back up where they’d left off in the shower.

Still, at the range he was in his element, and he wasn’t opposed to a chance to show off.

And no matter how much he wished otherwise, they would need every advantage they could get in a fight against the JR, so Erick’s suggestion was a reasonable one.

“Of course I don’t mind. We can go as soon as we finish eating. ”

“I WILL feel like a true cowboy wearing a six-gun,” Erick said when they had retrieved his Colt and gun belt from the bunkhouse.

Cade kept the thought that no cowboy would carry his gun rather than wear it to himself.

When they reached the range, Erick buckled the belt around his waist and bent to tie the strap to secure the holster around his thigh.

“Though I am not sure I have done this properly.”

“Let me check,” Cade offered before he could think better of it.

He ran his hand along the edge of the gun belt until he could get his fingers beneath it and tug a little, but it stayed right where it belonged.

Then he grabbed the holster and tried pulling it away from Erick’s leg, because no matter how tempted he was to reach between Erick’s thighs to check the knot, that was one step too far without an actual conversation between them.

The holster didn’t budge, so Cade decided that was as good as it was going to get.

“It’s fine. You aren’t going to be in a showdown with them anyway, so it’s not like you have to worry about a quick draw.

Fire a couple of shots to get used to the feel of it. ”

Erick slid the gun into the holster and took a few steps, stopping a fair distance in front of the target.

He drew the gun and sighted carefully before firing.

The shot hit the outer edge of the circle ringing the center.

It was a more than respectable first shot, but Erick frowned and fired two more, closer but still outside the center ring.

“You’re pulling to the left.” Cade came to stand behind Erick.

“Here, let me help.” He reached around Erick to adjust his aim minutely.

The position put them close enough that their whole bodies touched.

He wanted to take advantage of the situation, to rub against Erick so he’d know just how much Cade wanted him, but anyone could show up at the range and probably would.

The sound of gunshots usually drew an audience pretty quickly.

“Really, Webster?” Mac drawled from behind them. “That’s the tactic you choose?”

Cade nearly jumped out of his skin—he hadn’t expected the audience quite that fast—but he didn’t back away from Erick. “Try it now,” he said.

Erick’s next three shots buried themselves in the center ring. He turned his head enough to meet Cade’s gaze and there, there was the twinkle Cade would do anything to put in Erick’s eyes. “I imagined aiming at MacRae,” he murmured before stepping away to reload.

It was hope, pure and simple, that shot through Cade’s chest. Why would Erick imagine aiming at Mac if he didn’t resent the interruption as much as Cade did? And why would he resent the interruption if not for how close they were standing?

“Show us what you’ve got then, MacRae,” Cade said. “Since you think you’re hot shit.”

“Never said I was hot shit.” Mac limped closer to the shooting line. “Not with this bum leg, anyway. But I need to be able to shoot a rifle again.” He sighted down the gun, but his stance wobbled before he fired, the barrel arching up and the shot missing the target entirely. “Fuck!”

“Hold it again, like you’re going to fire,” Cade said, “but don’t pull the trigger yet.”

Mac did as Cade instructed. Cade stood behind him and studied Mac’s stance. “You’re standing lop-jawed on that leg.” He looked around until he found a small, flat rock. “Lift up.” He slid the rock under the foot of Mac’s prosthetic. “Try it now.”

Mac fired again. The barrel—and his stance—stayed stable, although the shot still only hit the outer edge of the target. Mac grumbled under his breath.

“Hey.” Cade bumped their shoulders together. “I bet you didn’t do that well the first time you shot a rifle when you were a kid. Give yourself some credit.”

“Not much to take credit for when a greenhorn with a pistol can outshoot me,” Mac muttered, though his next shot hit several rings closer to the center.

“In fairness, I have shot a pistol before,” Erick observed. “I have not had much cause to use one before now, but it is easier to carry than a rifle.”

Cade had spent a pleasant evening showing Erick how to use his pistol on their way back from Galveston, but then they’d had to be careful not to use up all their bullets, so once he was sure Erick could use the pistol in an emergency, they’d stopped.

“Unless you’re riding herd and need to hit something at a distance.” Mac stepped back to reload again, ceding the target to Erick, who fired off several shots that all hit the center ring. “Not such a greenhorn at all, I reckon.”

“Then you’ll just have to keep practicing until you can beat him,” Cade goaded. “As good as you are with a pistol, it won’t take you long. Then you and I can give it a go. If you think you can take me.”

“Ain’t looking to get into a pissin’ contest with you. Just want to be able to ride with Kit again. Once I get used to this contraption.” Mac’s next shots edged the inner ring. “Burke may be a pain in the ass, but he does have his uses.”

Since getting Mac back on shift with Kit was Cade’s primary goal as well, he’d go along with anything that reached it.

“Amen to that. And that shot woulda taken out anything you’d need to hit on the range.

A rattler or any other varmint, animal or human.

Just in case you weren’t sure if you were ready.

Now we just have to get Heller here ready. ”

“I do not think Payne intends me to work with the herd.” Was that regret in Erick’s voice? “I would welcome the opportunity, but Grace—Mrs. Roarke—mentioned bringing in more horses. And there must be enough hands to guard the ranch should JR men attempt to make good on Reichardt’s threats.”

Cade stifled his disappointment at the thought of not getting to spend the days with Erick.

“Even if you’re at the house most of the time, when it comes fall and we have to drive the herd to Abilene, we’ll need all the hands we can get.

And if you are guarding the house, it’s all the more important that you’re ready.

MacRae, go bother Logan and leave us to practice. ”

Mac gave him the stink eye but slung his rifle over his shoulder. “Is that what you’re calling it now?” he asked as he limped away.

Fortunately Erick didn’t seem to catch what Mac was implying.

He hit the bullseye with his remaining shots before sliding the pistol into its holster.

With MacRae gone and Erick’s aim improving, Cade was free to admire the way the holster clung to Erick’s thigh and had to force his attention back to what Erick was saying.

“… see you use your bow. I had little opportunity to watch you hunt with it on our journey here.”