Outlaw Vices (third in The Crane Gang Series)manxman

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Craig had washed up as well as he could in the stream behind the shack but he figured he'd be digging mud out of cracks and crevices for the rest of his life.

Damn, he'd been an idiot.

He didn't regret saving the cow. It hadn't seemed right to kill the animal or allow it to die in the mud. But, he should have been smarter about how he went about saving the creature.

Ezekiel had been forced to risk his own life to save Craig and Craig wasn't okay with that.... There'd been enough damn death and pain around him in his life; Craig wasn't eager to see any more.

Craig glanced across the oil lamp lit field shack. Ezekiel was sitting on his cot, cleaning the mud from his knives and holsters with some oil and a rag.

"Thank you."

Ezekiel glanced up. "You're welcome." His dark eyes dropped back to the blade he was wiping.

Craig was seeing a different side of the foreman just now. He'd always wanted to see the worst in Ezekiel—probably because the man seemed to always see the worst in Craig.

But Ezekiel had saved his life twice now and the man hadn't said a single word about the mud or Craig's own foolishness for simply leaping into it.

Something in him was desperate to open up a bit. He was desperate for that feeling of comradery that he'd once shared with the gang—his family.

"Would you believe me if I told you I spent most of my life in a gang?" he asked, filling the silence.

Ezekiel brow furrowed as he looked up once again. "Are you making conversation with me?"

Craig raised a shoulder. "Do you see anyone else to conversate with?"

Ezekiel glanced around. "Guess not. And in answer to your question, yes, I'd believe you. I figured, based on certain things I've noticed about you, that you'd either been a lawman or a gang member." Ezekiel chuckled. "But upon further examination, I just didn't figure you as the badge wearing type."

Craig made a face. "No. I ain't a single bit the badge wearing type." Then curiosity got the better of him. "What is it about me that told you I was either gang member or lawman?"

Ezekiel, apparently satisfied with the cleanliness of his weapons, put them back in their holsters and tossed them aside. "You work well in a team, don't take well to authority and you're clearly loyal to a cause, a person, or a cow, once you set your mind to it."

Craig batted his lashes. "I didn't know you were so fond of me."

Ezekiel snorted. "I never said I admired those characteristics."

Craig laid back on his cot and stared up at the shadows on the lamp-lit ceiling. "It surprises me to hear you say good things about me. I was sure you hated me completely."

"I never said I hated you, Craig," Ezekiel replied firmly. "Hell, if I hated you, I wouldn't give a damn about you killing yourself for fun."

Craig didn't know what to say. He felt a strange stirring in his chest. A tug in his heart. Damn. If there was one person Craig didn't want to be like it was his overbearing, bossy brother..... but they might be alike in one very specific way.

How could that be? Craig had always been attracted to women. He had never in his life felt any pull toward a man—until Ezekiel.

But why Ezekiel? Hell, the man was just as bossy and overbearing as the brother that Craig had run away from. Craig glanced over at the man who was watching him with those intense brown eyes.... His dark skin shimmered in the lantern light. His muscular forearms were slung across his knees and his big hands dangled down.

Craig swallowed hard.

He was finding it harder and harder to tell himself that he wasn't attracted to Ezekiel.

Ezekiel stood up slowly and stretched his arms over his head. The motion emphasized just how smoothly the man's broad chest and shoulders tapered down to his narrow waist.

Craig quickly averted his gaze but the look on Ezekiel's face told him the man had noticed his appraisal.

Feeling too exposed and vulnerable, Craig hopped to his feet. "I'm gonna make sure the horses are good for the night."

After that mumbled excuse, Craig made a quick escape out the door. Out in the open, he drew the fresh air deep into his lungs and tried to focus.

Craig was confused. Part of him was angry at Ezekiel for the way he'd treated him since coming to the ranch. Then again, Ezekiel had saved his life—twice.

And he was only harsh when Craig was thinking about drinking, gambling or whores..... Was it possible that, just like Jeb, Ezekiel was hard on Craig because he cared?

Craig had seen the desire Ezekiel felt for him written on the other man's face more than once. Was it possible that Ezekiel was fond of him too?

Could the other man be falling for him?

Shit.

Two days ago, Craig wouldn't have cared if he hurt Ezekiel but now Craig was beginning to see him in a different light. Possibly as a friend? He didn't want to hurt Ezekiel when he told him they had no future.

If, (and it was a very big if), Craig ever settled down, it would be with a woman—no matter what out of character and confusing thoughts Ezekiel caused him to have.

***

Ezekiel stared out a crack in the log walls at Craig who was staring at the sky with what was clearly confusion. It was as if he were hoping the darkening evening would somehow give him answers.

Ezekiel felt a little sorry for the man. It was clear he'd never realized he might desire men—but it was also clear to Ezekiel that he did.

Ezekiel wasn't commonly the pushy type. He'd never even had much of a desire or drive to find a partner to bed.

Craig had changed that. There was something about that man that had everything in Ezekiel screaming to take him, claim him and make him his.

Craig made him hungry in ways he'd never been hungry before. Ezekiel was going to get pushy. He was going to get real pushy.

He knew Craig wanted him—the man just needed a bit of guidance. Ezekiel was more than happy to lead the horse to water—and then he'd see to it that they both drank their fill.

 A/N: I hope you enjoyed it.. a bit of a filler, I know! But the next chapter should prove to be VERY interesting ;)