“What kind of horse do you think they’ll let me ride?” Mark asked.
“I don’t know much about horses.”
“You don’t? You grew up in Colorado, didn’t you?”
She chuckled. “In a city. I didn’t take the time to learn how to ride.” She’d attempted a couple of times, but the horse always seemed to have a mind of its own. “You grew up in Colorado, too. Have you ever ridden?”
“Only about ten times.”
Then he’d do better than she would. “Keep your eye out for the Double Bar ranch. Zane said it was on the right-hand side of the road.” The ranch was situated off 119 about three miles north of Evergreen Road.
Mark pointed to a sign down the road. “There it is.” His enthusiasm surprised her.
She slowed and turned in. When she’d dropped Mark off before, she hadn’t looked around, and when Dani had come last night, it had been too dark to see anything. This time she spotted a corral between their house and a barn. Having a barn didn’t mean they raised cattle, but the corral suggested perhaps they had a few cows or steer. She pulled in front, next to Zane’s SUV and another truck, which she suspected belonged to Garth.
“Here we are.”
They’d just gotten out when the men opened the front door. “Howdy,” Garth said.
She walked with Mark up the path onto the large porch that contained a smattering of chairs and tables. She bet in the summer, this would be the place to sit and enjoy a drink.
Zane held open the door. “Welcome. Come on in.”
As soon as she stepped inside, she raised her gaze. The ceiling went on forever. It was an A-frame design with exposed wood beams, but it was the glass doors at the end of the living room overlooking another vast covered deck that impressed her more. “This is amazing.”
“Thanks,” Garth said. “It took us three years to build.”
She faced them. “You built this?”
“My dad lent a lot of his workers, but we designed it.”
“I love it.”
Both men beamed. Garth looked at Mark. “I haven’t seen you all week. How’s school going? Everyone treating you okay?”
He shrugged. “It’s okay. The kids are nice.”
“I’m glad to hear it. What’s your favorite subject?”
“Math.”
Zane grinned. “Man after my own heart.”
That surprised her. She really hadn’t given much thought to their expertise. Given they were into forestry, perhaps they excelled in science. Math made sense, too.
“Math. Humbug.” Garth shook his head. “Trust me when I say it is very clear that we have no genes in common.”
His humility appealed to her. She bet Garth did well in all of his subjects. Zane and Mark disappeared outside.
Zane glanced first at her then at Mark. “Who’s up for riding?”
Mark raised his hand. “I am.”
She just smiled.
“Then come on, sport. Let’s pick out your horse.”
Garth glanced down at her. “So what kind of horse do you like to ride?”
“I might as well fess up now. I don’t really ride.”
“No?”
Now they’d think she was a loser. “I’ve ridden a few times, but it’s not my thing.”
“I have the perfect mount for you.”
He clasped her hand and led her outside. Now she could see the barn better. It was quite large with about ten stalls. “Why do you need so many horses?”
“Most are my dad’s, but we own four. Some are for racing, others for long distance.”
She had no idea there were different kinds of horses. Or perhaps the age of the horse was the big determining factor. If she planned on living in a rural community, she needed to hone her skills.
When they arrived at the barn, Zane was saddling a small horse for Mark. She looked up at Garth. “I’ll need the gentlest one you have.”
“I had one of Dad’s cowboys bring over an old gelding for you. We’ll be lucky if he moves at all.”
He was kidding, but she appreciated he was trying to calm her. “Sounds perfect.”
“Come with me and I’ll show you how to saddle a horse.” He pulled an apple out of his pocket. “Here. Hold your hand flat and give this to Chester. He’ll love you for life.”
She wished it were that easy for men. She did as he suggested and the horse grabbed the apple, snorted, and nodded his head in apparent appreciation.
Garth placed a blanket on his horse’s back and then added the saddle. “Now you do the same.”
She placed the blanket on top of Chester. Garth nodded to the saddle. She lifted it up and inwardly groaned. It was heavier than she thought. Using a lot of effort, she swung it up on top.
Garth came over. “I’ll tighten the straps. Too much and old Chester won’t be happy.”
Once he adjusted the saddle to his liking, he told her to put her foot in the stirrup and hold on. Though she had strong muscles, Garth clasped her waist and practically lifted her up. She waited for the horse to buck or something, but old Chester just chewed.
“Good boy.” She patted his sides.
“He likes you.”
“Let’s hope.”
She still wasn’t convinced she’d ever want to ride again after this outing, but she wasn’t going to ruin this moment for anything.
Garth guided a beautiful horse from the stalls and mounted him. “Ready?” He looked at her then Mark.
“Yeah,” Mark exclaimed.
Zane led, followed by Mark and her. Garth took up the rear. To her delight, Zane walked his horse instead of trotting him. After a few minutes, Zane motioned for Mark to come alongside him, and Garth pulled next to her.
“You okay up there?”
“So far.” She smiled. The view from on top of the horse was quite empowering. The snowcapped mountains in the distance looked really beautiful. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
For the next half hour they headed toward a distinct line of trees. As soon as they reached it, Zane stopped and dismounted. He helped Mark off the horse while Garth came to her side. While she was capable of getting off, it was nice he wished to help.
“I’ll tie up these horses and then show you something special.”
Now that she’d made it this far, she was quite excited.
“Come on, Mark,” Zane said.
She’d taken a few steps when Garth stopped her. “Let them get ahead.”
“Why?”
“So I can do this.” He leaned over and drew her close.
His warm lips caught her on fire and she wrapped her arms around his neck. If Mark turned around he’d see them kiss. For some reason, it didn’t bother her. Being with Garth felt so right, and it was good for a child to see affection between two adults. The problem with the kiss was that her pussy engaged. She was already sore from riding and the added lust stimulated her even more.
He leaned back and tugged an errant strand of hair into her cap. “Zane and I are having a get together tonight with a few people. I hope you can come and stay all night.” He winked and her heart soared.
“What about Mark?”
His brows rose. “Do you think Mrs. Cunningham can take him?”
To be with her men again, she’d ask. “I’ll see.”
Garth wrapped an arm around her waist and together they sauntered down a path surrounded by trees. The only green belonged to the pines, but the place held a lot of magic. As they climbed a small incline, she heard the stream before she saw it. At the top, she spotted Mark and Zane down below by a stream-fed pond.
“It’s lovely.”
Garth tugged her close. “We used to come out here as kids all the time. Had a few encounters here, too.”
She turned and punched him. “I do not want to hear that you’ve slept with even one other woman.”
He laughed so hard, both Zane and Mark looked up. She waved and Zane handed Mark a flat rock. Zane skipped his stone acros
s the water. Mark’s attempt was not as successful.
“I think Mark likes it here,” Garth said. His voice contained pride.
“I know he does. He’s really come out of his shell since meeting you two.” Her voice trailed off.
“What’s wrong?” He turned her to face him. “You sound like it’s a bad thing.”
“I don’t want to see him hurt.”
His brows furrowed. “Neither do I. Neither does Zane.”
“You’ll get tired of him or become too busy with your jobs, and then he’ll wonder what happened to you or what he did wrong. Then what do I tell him?”
“Whoa. Do you always assume the worst of people?” He clasped her shoulders and had her face him.
Maybe. Her parents often accused her of that very fault. “I’ve always had to be careful around people.”
He whistled. “Someone burned you bad, sugar. The Milosino men are different. We’ll prove it to you.”
Now she felt bad for saying anything. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. Everyone has a right to his opinion. I just ask that you keep an open mind about us.”
He was right. “I’ll try.”
He took her hand again. “Want to test your skills at skipping a rock?”
First horseback riding, now rock skipping. This would be one more failure to her day. “If you’d be willing to go sharp shooting with me.”
“Are you kidding? I’d love to. Later this week, we’ll figure out a time and place.”
“Cool.” Then maybe she could beat him at something.
They climbed down the path to join Zane and Mark. To her delight, her rock skipped across the water on the fourth try. She clapped.
Garth gave her a squeeze. “I knew you could do it.”
These men were so good for her soul. Garth stepped behind and wrapped his arms around her. They stood like that for a good ten-minutes while Zane and Mark played around the pond.
When they returned, Zane tapped Mark’s head. “Time to go back, sport.”
“Do we have to?”
“Mark, don’t whine. It’s not polite.” Her father had brought her up to keep a stiff upper lip. It was always discipline, discipline, discipline.
“It’s okay, sugar. I’m glad he had a good time.”
Mark looked up at Zane. “I’m sorry.”
“No problem. Come on.”
The ride back was less stressful because she was getting used to having a horse under her. When they arrived at the barn, her ass was sore as were her inner thighs and pussy. Garth helped her down then took off both saddles and blankets. She could have done it herself, but he insisted she’d had a rough enough day.
He handed her a brush. “I’ll let you rub him down. Just do what I do.”
Zane did the same thing with Mark. In companionable silence, the four of them tended to the horses. There was something so earthy and good about being out with nature. When that chore was done, they headed back to the house. As much as she wanted to spend more time with the men, tonight would be soon enough.
“Thank the men, Mark.”
He walked up to both and shook their hands. She was so proud of him.
Garth mouthed, “See you tonight?”
She nodded. She’d have to call him later to find out the time. Spending the night with her men would be a huge step for her. To her it signaled she wanted to see if their relationship could work.
As soon as they got in the car, she told Mark about the party and asked if he minded staying with Mrs. Cunningham.
“Can Jackpot stay with me?”
“Sure can.”
“I guess it’ll be okay.”
She called her neighbor, who said she’d be delighted to see Mark again. “I’ll start dinner right now. What time will he be over?”
She could have cooked for Mark, but she wanted to take her time getting ready. “How about six?”
“Perfect.”
Tonight was going to be another amazing event.
Chapter Ten
Once Nikki dropped Mark and Jackpot off next door at Mrs. Cunningham’s, she got ready for tonight’s big party. She was curious what kind of friends Garth and Zane had and whether the party would be loud and full of bravado, or be lower key like the men.
Even though she and Dani had successfully completed their job in record time, she wasn’t in a wild or festive mood. Rather it was what came after the party that had her body vibrating.
When she’d called to find the time of the get together, she’d asked them not to mention where she was doing her surveillance. Owning a security company gave a fairly clear picture of what she did for a living, and once people found out, they brought up more questions than she was willing to answer. Zane agreed.
Not surprising, Nikki tried on half her closet to find the perfect outfit. She didn’t want the men to be embarrassed introducing her to their friends. Since she would be spending the night, she had to pack a bag and bring another set of clothes for tomorrow, too. That meant more decisions about makeup and what to wear.
She refused to think about whether she was ready to enter this new world of ménage loving. Having Mark in her life and trying to build a company would be enough for anyone to handle, but to add in two hunky men and their friends nearly overwhelmed her.
Her cell rang and she debated not answering it until she saw it was Dani. “Hey, girlfriend. What’s up?” She prayed it wasn’t another emergency job.
“Thought you’d want to know that I sent the photos to Sussman. He said when he got to the office on Monday, he’d fill out the paperwork, and as soon as the client paid, he’d send them off, and we’d get our money.”
“Great.” One reason they went with Sussman’s agency was because he was smart to demand cash up front before delivering the goods. They decided they never wanted to be in the business of collections, as they’d spend all their time rounding up what was owed them instead of earning more money.
“You’re really going to spend the night with those two hunks?”
Maybe she shouldn’t have told her the plan to stay over. “Yes.” She waited for Dani to give her some kind of warning.
“Wahoo. I’m proud of you.”
That was an unexpected response. “Proud? Why?” She hadn’t done anything. That was what Garth had said, too.
“You aren’t the best at letting people into your world.”
That wasn’t a very favorable opinion. “I let Mark, you, and Holly in.”
“We’re safe.”
She was right. Men could break her heart. “I’ll be careful.”
“I’m sure you will be.”
They disconnected. It was time to go have fun. She wished her nerves weren’t firing so hard right now. She debated called Mrs. Cunningham to make sure everything was all right with Mark, but she didn’t want to be accused of being a helicopter parent. She believed Mark when he said he wouldn’t run away again.
After checking she had everything with her, she climbed in her car and headed over to the Milosino ranch. When she pulled in front of their house, there were no other cars in the drive. Interesting. She swore Zane said seven, but to be honest she was glad to be the first one there. The men would put her at ease before the party began.
She left her bag in the car and knocked on the door. Immediately, Zane pulled it open. He turned to the side and cupped his mouth. “She came, bro!”
That made her laugh. There was no way they doubted she would.
“Come on in, sugar. Where’s your bag?”
“It’s in the car.”
“I’ll get it.”
She’d left her car unlocked. Just as she stepped inside, Garth came down a hallway looking delicious. He had on a long sleeved white sweater that hugged his muscular chest and tight black jeans that fit his hips just right. The polished boots added a nice touch.
“You look hot, cowboy.”
He smiled. “Go ahead and take off your coat so I can admire your curves.” Curves she had plenty of.
She slipped off her jacket. “I’ll put your jacket in my bedroom.” He winked.
Zane came in with her case. “I’ll stash this in my room.”
This was going to be some evening. Arguing over something as insignificant as to where she’d spend the night would spoil things.
When both men returned, they led her into the kitchen. It was huge with a large center island surrounded by four bar stools and stainless steels appliances. “Nice.”
“We like to cook.”
Not many men would admit that. She appreciated there didn’t seem to be any topic or activity off limits for them. “Need any help?”
“Sure.” He told her which platters to take out of the refrigerator and where to place them in the living room.
After a few trips to and from the kitchen, Zane gathered her in his arms. “I’ve been remiss. I didn’t greet your properly.” His kiss came out demanding.
He slid his hands under her blouse and pulled down the demi-cups on her bra. He plucked her nipples and her damned pussy gushed. She opened her mouth to invite him in, and he took advantage of her offer. This time, he explored her mouth with the right mixture of vigor and tenderness. Passion poured out of him. He backed her up until her rear hit the island, and when he pressed his hips forward, his huge erection dug into her belly. Oh, my. How would she ever get through the party? All she would be thinking about would be getting him in bed.
She reached down to touch his cock, but he stopped her before she got a handful. He leaned back. “Not going to happen. I want you too much. One touch and I’ll have to have my way with you.” The doorbell rang. “Shit.”
He stepped back a few inches and tried to fix her bra, but her left tit refused to go back in. She laughed and swatted away his hands. “Go answer the door. I’ll do it.”
He grinned. “Hurry. I don’t need the rest of my friends lusting after you. There’s a hall bath if you want to repair the damage.”
That must mean she looked a mess. “Thanks.”
She had to cross the hallway that led to the front door, but she didn’t look at who had arrived. Once she ducked in the bath and checked her image in the mirror, she nearly shrieked. Her lipstick was askew and her hair a tangled mess. “Men.”
Freedom to Trust [Freedom, Colorado 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 9
