Wild Ones: Prowl by Zoey Daniels Page A

intrigued -- another man, not far behind him.
    She wasn’t afraid of them; they’d given her no reason. Lainey let her eyes drift open and got her first look at this pair from between the sweeping curtain of her eyelashes.
    Oh my. Lainey’s skin heated from more than the baking warmth of the planet. These were a fine pair to look at, weren’t they? One tall and rangy, dark hair clinging to his forehead, cheeks and nape; the other slighter and fairer and springier of step. Both had smiles broad and white enough to rival the sun and the moons, and stood close enough to reach out and touch if she wanted. Teasing her, just a little, by being that close and no closer.
    There were no men this far West, not that Lainey knew of. Some fishermen still lived along the coastlines, but not one man who’d come inland to ranch or farm had managed to stay. Bully boys, most of those, or so she’d heard, and it seemed like the land had taken objection to them. Might be a story made up to scare folks, might not be, but for whatever reason, the men had left these prime ranch lands. Left them for women fool enough to try to tame them. And try they had. Leman liked women. Liked them fine. Her sun and moons were kind to the ladies, and they treated her as best as they could in return.
    But one look at this pair and Lainey knew down in her gut that while this planet might be kind to the female strangers who’d colonized her… it loved these men without rhyme or reason. They were the sun and moons, somehow.
    Lainey couldn’t help smiling at that pair. Five seconds’ worth of acquaintance or not, they brought it out in her. “Now if you aren’t a treat,” she said. “Something I can help you with?”
    The men glanced at one another, communicating silently in the way long-time friends sometimes developed. A quirk of the eyebrow and the tilt of a wicked grin spoke volumes.
    Laughing, the taller jostled the smaller aside. He had a strange laugh, one that made Lainey sit up and take notice. Something between a rumble and a ruff, ruff, ruff. Not unpleasant to hear, Lord no. Quite the contrary. Gave her a pleasant sensation of warmth in her belly not unlike the sun on her skin. It belonged here, same as they did even if they weren’t supposed to.
    Curiouser and curiouser.
    “Need help?” the taller asked, gesturing toward Lainey’s loaded wagon. “I Asher. No. I… am, yes, I am Asher. He is Russ. You have long road back to cabin. We help you.”
    Lainey’s eyebrows lifted, despite her years of training. Not supposed to be here and didn’t speak the language? Call her intrigued, yes ma’am.
    And… they knew where she lived. Lainey figured she ought to be more alarmed about that, but so help her, she couldn’t be. She didn’t believe these two would hurt her, but if they tried? She had a rifle in the wagon, and she knew how to use it.
    The taller took one half-step closer, his shorter companion jostling him in play as he followed. “Help with more than this,” the tall man murmured. He reached to touch her face, taking clear care not to startle her but not about to be denied. His fingertips were rough, as tough as paw pads, but his touch was gentle. Almost worshipful.
    Lainey’s lips parted. So help her if she didn’t want to promise them anything for the pleasure of their company. It made her laugh. The shoe was on the other foot now, wasn’t it? Good thing for her she liked the fit of it just fine.
    She glanced over her shoulder, glad to see Rosemary in the doorway. Damn; better get that gold out.
    The strange, enticing men stood patiently, as if they’d nothing better to do -- no, nothing they cared more to do, or could enjoy more -- than wait and see what she’d do.
    “Probably not a good idea,” she said, but followed that right up with, “Not right now, at least.”
    The smaller man cocked his head. “Later?”
    Lainey hid her smile. “Maybe. You come find me, and we’ll see what we’ll see.”
    The men exchanged