It gets messy out there and it’ll be getting colder as winter moves in full force,” Smitty told him as they stepped off the wagon.The Bucks gather...d around and started unhitching the mules from the wagon as the men talked.“The Buffalo Soldiers are here, they brought six white boys with them that have mustered out too. They’ve gone over to clean up and get ready for dinner.”“Eli, are we still going to meet out here after dinner and go over things before we take them to the drilling rig. Alyssa looked at me via the corner of her eyes. An expression played across her face that said she knew something and I might not like her knowing it.Mom waved toward the front of the house. “When you arrived, you said you had business in Virginia. What kind of business?”I drew in a deep breath and let out a long, slow sigh. I glanced at Alyssa and then gave Mom full eye contact. I didn’t have to tell them absolutely everything, but I was going to stick to as much truth as possible without. In his chamber was Meg, not only without her hat but any garments whatsoever. Tobias looked at her lovely form decorating his bedcover, her hand already idly stroking between her parted legs.She grinned at him in welcome and said, “I thought I’d start without you,” opening her slender thighs further for his delectation as her busy fingers delved deeper. Tobias was momentarily entranced by such a vista, then recovering himself, he ripped off his clothes at top speed, joining his uninvited yet. I walked him to the elevator. ‘Um, Lisa, I know its late notice and all, and you’re probably already got plans, and it’s sort of like amateur night, but would you like to go out for Valentine’s Day?’ Tall. Slender. Quiet. Shy. Close to you. Damn, she had picked them all. ‘Sounds wonderful.’ And the elevator doors closed in front of his beaming face. For three days, I did not see or hear from him. I lurked around the lobby. I found myself taking my breaks on his floor and walking around outside.