by Em Petrova
She stared at all three Moon boys, each sporting various cuts, scrapes and bruises.
“What happened to you three?”
They exchanged a look that suggested whatever version they gave her, Esme and Mimi would probably be a lot lighter on the danger than actual events.
“Mimi, do you have a first-aid box?” she asked.
“Yes, of course. After raisin’ three teen boys, I needed it. Come along with me. You boys get your butts into the kitchen, and don’t drip any blood on my floors.” Her stern voice roused a chuckle from Dane. Then Zayden joined in, and finally Asher. The three of them stood there laughing while Brennah and the others looked on in shock.
Brennah clasped a hand around Dane’s. “You heard Mimi. Get to the kitchen.”
“Uh-oh, bro. You’re in trouble.” Asher grinned. But when Mimi pinched his ear, he let out a howl. “All right! I’m comin’. Jeesh, things never change around here.”
Brennah’s lips twitched, but she withheld her smile for after she knew all three weren’t seriously injured in spots she couldn’t yet see.
In the kitchen, Esme stood between Zayden’s knees, fussing over the hand he held out. His pinky finger bent swollen.
Mimi set the first-aid kit on the table, and Brennah turned from Dane to Zayden to Asher. “Which one of you is hurt worst?”
Asher raised a hand like a schoolboy.
“Take off that shirt so I can have a look.”
He onehandedly unbuttoned his shirt and then winced as he maneuvered his arms from the sleeves. When she saw the deep cut on his side, she stepped back in shock. “That looks like a knife wound.”
He gave a nod. “It is. I’ve had worse, but it sure stings like a mother.”
“Dear God, what did you guys do?”
“We finished it, Brennah.” Dane touched her arm, setting her into motion.
She issued a shaky breath and rummaged through the first-aid supplies. “This needs stitches, and I can’t do anything without my medical bag from home.”
“I’ll go after it. Stay here.” Dane headed to the door and disappeared before she could call him back.
Using what she had on hand, she cleaned out Asher’s wound and examined the ragged edges closer. “You really should be seen at the emergency room, but I’m guessing you don’t want the questions that would follow such a visit.”
He looked into her eyes. “You got that right.”
“Okay then. Sit still and hold this gauze on the cut to stop the bleeding while I have a look at Zayden’s finger.” She couldn’t believe she was in this situation. Never in her career as a veterinarian or during all her schooling to become one did she guess she’d be treating men who had gotten themselves into…into whatever it was they’d gotten into.
Zayden held out his hand for her to examine. She probed the broken finger and when she asked him to move it, he set his jaw more firmly.
“It’s fractured. I could take you down to my clinic and x-ray it, but—”
“Just set it.” He shot her a glance. “Please, Brennah.”
If not for the history in this house, she might ask for some whiskey to numb the pain of what she had to do. But in the end, he was as tough as he looked and didn’t make a noise while she straightened the broken digit and securely taped it to the buddy finger.
When Dane entered carrying her bag, she met his stare. The blood that had been trickling down his cheek now dried on there, leaving him looking ghastly, but his eyes were warm when they landed on her.
She took the bag and located some wooden sticks. Often on calls, she found a need to craft splints to fit whatever size animal she treated. The last had been a lamb’s broken leg after he’d been stepped on by a steer. The leftover wood pieces would come in handy in splinting Zayden’s fingers.
With him fixed up, she also tended to a few cuts on his knuckles that looked to be from teeth. As she washed the cuts out, she shot him a dirty look. “Human mouths are nasty places full of bacteria. If these start to fester, you go to the ER immediately. You understand me?”
Esme stepped in. “He will. I’ll force him.”
“Okay, now for the stitches.”
In vet school, she’d watched one fellow student stitch another, but she’d never worked on a human before. Once she got started, though, she lost herself in the work and before she knew it, she created the final knot.
She bandaged Asher’s side. “Keep that dry for three days. If you come down with a fever, you get your butt to the hospital.”
He shot her an amused look. “You got a bossy one, Dane.”
“You better listen to her. She’s tougher than she looks.” He sat not far off, watching her work.
Mimi planted a hand on Asher’s shoulder. “I’ll see he takes care.”
Brennah nodded and pivoted to the last patient. Skimming her gaze over him, she found him less injured. Then he grinned.
She peered closer—and closer again. “Oh. My. God! Your tooth’s broken off!”
“Yeah, pretty pissed about it.”
“What the hell happened out there? You guys better start talkin’, or I’ll call the sheriff myself and let him get the answers!”
He settled his hands on her hips. The warm, solid touch sent a stroke of heat through her lower belly, and she totally did not want to give in to him until he answered her.
“We got your horses, baby doll.”
Her head snapped up. “You did?”
“Yeah, they’re safe and sound in your barn right this very minute.”
Relief trickled through her, but on the heels came more anger. “Just what exactly did you have to do in order to recover them?” With sharp movements, she set out supplies to tend to his cut brow.
“We tracked ’em down. Asher had a little info and it helped.”
All three women swung around to stare at Asher. “Just what kind of info did you have, young man?” Mimi demanded.
“I had a tip that one of Dad’s old enemies was lookin’ for him. That led us to his place and then a couple others’, until we found out where he’s been stayin’.”
“And again, you knew this how?” Zayden drawled.
“You knew that guy’s name. You recognized him,” Dane added.
Asher sighed. “You guys aren’t gonna let up, are ya?”
“No,” Dane and Zayden said in unison.
“All right, all right. I’ve been huntin’ that guy.”
“Hunting?” Dane’s brow rocketed upward, and a fresh trickle of blood seeped from the cut there.
“What are you, some kind of FBI agent?” Zayden stared at his brother.
“Bounty hunter. He skipped out on bail back in Helena, and I’ve tracked him across a few states these past months.”
Dane and Zayden gaped at each other. “Bounty hunter? Shit, Z, this Moon actually did something with his fucking life.”
Zayden shook his head. “Goddamn. Never thought I’d see it.”
“Well, I wondered plenty about all three of ya,” Mimi spit at them. She stalked to the kitchen cupboards and started pulling out mugs and ingredients for hot chocolate.
“Glad to make you assholes proud. But you both have cleaned up your act too. Maybe we ain’t all hopeless.”
“You didn’t finish the story,” Esme cut in.
Brennah nodded. “We’re listening.”
The story unfolded in spurts from all the guys. When they got to the part with a stakeout and lying in wait for the horse thieves, Brennah stopped cleaning Dane’s cut and stared at him.
“You guys could have been killed! You didn’t know what those men were capable of.” As if what she’d tended wasn’t bad enough, she shivered to think if anyone had been carrying a firearm.
“We got them into the truck easy enough.” Asher rested back in his chair.
“And just where were you taking them?”
“To the sheriff. But as soon as we rolled into town, we realized we were being followed.”
“Oh. My. God
.” Esme dropped her curly head and buried her face in her hands.
“Don’t worry, baby girl. We handled them too.” Zayden drew her across his lap.
“How many were there?” Brennah tried to keep her voice even, though she detected the hysteric note in it.
“Three more. Even fight.” Dane circled her waist with his hands.
“And this happened how? They stopped you?”
They exchanged a brotherly look. “No,” Dane said, “we stopped and waited for them.”
“God. You didn’t know what you were facing. You could have been killed!” She swiped at his cut too hard, and he winced.
“Calm down, Brennah. We’re good. All’s well that ends well.”
“You know, I was going to use medical adhesive on your cut but now I think I might favor long, slow stitches without anesthetic.”
Laughter broke out in the room, and Dane drew her down on his lap so she could feel the vibration of his own chuckle in his chest.
She laid her head against him and let the emotions wash over her. “I can’t lose you. I was so scared.”
“Baby doll,”—he held her closer, with a hand on the back of her head—“I did it for you. And to end this once and for all. I just hope the old man doesn’t spring any more surprises on us from the grave.”
She jerked her head up. “You mean this all happened from your father?”
Across the room where she stirred cocoa, Mimi gave a sad shake of her head.
“Yeah, everything started with that asshole Haskell,” Dane said.
She blinked. “Haskell from town?”
“Yeah. He apparently felt it was his civic duty to chase all Moons out of Stokes because our old man owed his. But Z paid off Dad’s debt, so Haskell had nothing to stand on. But this other guy Asher knew… He had another beef with Dad over some stolen property. We aren’t clear on the story, but the sheriff can get it out of him now. They were the ones who took the tractor, and that guy burned your field, Brennah. He admitted to it.”
She covered her mouth with her hand. “You were right, Dane.”
He nodded. “Then Stupid got with Angry and Mean and found a couple cronies to help them out. Pretty soon, your horses were the next target, and the rest is history.”
God, she hoped this mess all lay in a trail of dust behind them. None of them needed another day like this.
“It’s over now, Brennah.” She saw the truth and love glowing in the depths of his amber eyes. Dane flexed his arms, bringing her tight against him…right where she wanted to be.
Epilogue
Brennah squeezed her eyes shut on the extreme pleasure bursting like fireworks behind her lids. Dane’s lips and tongue drove her crazy. Each swirl of his tongue over her hard clit ramped up her need even more, and she tangled her fingers in his hair to hold him right where she wanted him.
He rumbled a groan that vibrated through her, and she moaned out in response to the sudden clutch of her pussy. As always, he sensed her need and slipped a finger into her—and then one into her backside.
This type of lovemaking might be brand new to her, but her body understood ohhh, so well what to do. At the invasion, her inner walls clamped around him. He pumped both fingers with mind-spinning slowness.
“Dane,” she rasped. “Please.”
Instead of speeding up, he curled his finger in her pussy, hitting a spot that had her dripping wet. Her breaths came in panting gasps, and she writhed on the bed. He brushed his lips over her bundle of nerves, setting her on fire. She couldn’t keep climbing without having a heart attack, could she?
She twisted the locks of his hair. “I need to…come,” she rasped.
“Mmm.” He sank his finger in her ass another fraction, and she clung to the edge of sanity. One puff of air across her hypersensitive skin and she’d careen over the cliff. One more breath. One lick… One stroke of his finger.
She quivered as he stretched out the moment until she thought she’d lose her mind. “I’m going to pay you back for this!”
He chuckled and lashed his tongue over her clit. Then with a flash of his eyes, he sucked it into his mouth, and her world shattered.
She came apart in shaking cries, her muscles quivering and contracting all at once. Long moments passed while her lover extended the ecstasy, pumping his hand in the fast rhythm she craved and sucking her clit until she started to tumble from her high.
He pulled his mouth free and then one finger and finally the other.
Throwing her arms out to the sides, she lay there panting. He laughed. “What are you doin’, baby doll?”
She cracked an eye at him. “Giving myself up for dead.”
He hovered over her for a moment and then kissed her lips, leaving the taste of her own release. When he pushed to his knees, she moaned at the sight of his hard cock bouncing on harder abs. He ground his hips in that dance he’d given her only once before.
Oh yeah, he’s pulling out all the stops tonight.
She reached to grab his hips and drag her inside her, but a glint in his eyes stopped her. “What is it?” she whispered.
He thrust his hips again, drawing her attention to his heavy cock. At the mushroomed tip, he’d tied a string.
And dangling off the string was a ring.
A diamond ring.
Her jaw dropped and her breath came out as a sob. “Dane!”
His eyes glowed as he cupped her cheek. “Might not be the most romantic way to propose, but Brennah Peterson…I love you with all my heart and soul. I give you my body and all the hard work that comes with it. Now that I got my debts paid back, I give you everything…including the promise to love and cherish you forever.”
Another sob rushed up, and she sat up to gently slip the string off his cock. The ring fell into her palm, and he took the circlet from her shaking fingers.
Holding her gaze, he wet his lips as if they were dry with nerves. No wonder—she could barely think straight right this minute. He took the platinum and diamond ring and slipped it onto her fourth finger.
“Will you make me the happiest man alive and be my wife?”
She hurled herself into his arms and clung to his neck. “Yes! Oh my God, yes. Dane, I can’t imagine being anything but with you forever.” She gave him a teary kiss, which he quickly took control of, and her body too, when he drove his cock into her pussy. She rode with him, their bodies entwined as her tears flowed freely and he kissed her with all the passion flowing through them both.
Need took hold, and her emotions spiked with even more love for this amazing man. He ground into her in one thrust, then two, and the first spike of her release drew a scream from her.
He swallowed the noise with a kiss as his hot cum shot into her body. She dug her heels into his ass and spurred him on to the finish. Breathing hard, he dropped his forehead to hers and looked into her eyes.
Hers blurred with more tears. “Dane...” Her words were lost in the soft, lingering kiss they shared.
When he raised his head, he smiled, newly fixed teeth flashing white, and she lost her heart all over again. Every day she lost it to this man in one way or another, and she knew with everything in her being that he would do his best to make her happy in their life together.
“I love you,” she whispered.
He gave her the extra quirk of his lips that sent her heart fluttering too. “I love you. You’re my world. My life.”
She nodded. “You’re mine.”
“I don’t deser—”
She kissed him before he finished the sentence. When he drew back again, they shared a smile. “Yes, you damn well do, Dane Moon. And I plan to show you how much you deserve every day for the rest of your life.”
She shoved his chest, rolling him into the rumpled sheets and then threw her leg over his middle. “Now I’m in the driver’s seat, lover.”
“Hell yeah.”
With a grin, she rocked her hips against him. “Ready to ride.”
THE END
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Kinsey didn’t plan on driving to the Moon Ranch and hammering on the front door to see Asher, but she did exactly that. After leaving Radosh’s place angrier than she’d ever been on the job, she planned to head back to town and talk to Branson about the issue at hand. Instead, she’d found herself crossing beneath the Moon Ranch sign.
The door opened on her second round of knocking, and she faced a small woman with white hair and eyes as bright blue as a jay and equally as attentive.
“Hello. What can I help you with today?” she asked.
Some of Kinsey’s wind left her sails. “I’m looking for Asher. Is he home?”
Just then, a huge figure appeared behind the older woman, nearly double her size.
“I’m home.” The rough grit of his voice had Kinsey’s senses firing—just what she didn’t need. He looked down at the woman. “Excuse me, Mimi.”
Dammit, Kinsey should not get turned on by the guy’s use of manners. Asher had done her family harm, and she hated him for it.
When the woman stepped aside, Asher pushed his way out the door. As soon as he faced Kinsey, her anger rose all over again. Quietly, the door closed, and they were alone.
She glared up at Asher. “You didn’t tell me you’re a bounty hunter.”
“Was.”
“Dammit, don’t try to worm your way out of this. You let me sleep with you, knowing you put away my brother!”
He looked her in the eyes. “I won’t deny it.”
“Well, Trent is not a criminal. He’s in a bad place, in with the wrong crowd.”
“They all say that, darlin’.”
“Don’t you darlin’ me!” She took a big step toward him, and too late she realized her error. She now stood within grabbing distance.
And God, she wanted him to grab her.
The cowboy stood there, stock-still and larger than life. His eyes burned down into hers, and damn if her heart didn’t pitter-patter in response to that heavy stare.
“Stop that, Asher.”
