“Like I’m going to believe you.”
“I can haul your naked ass out onto the range and introduce you, but I’m warning you, she likes to lick people.”
“A dog?” She still didn’t look like she believed him. “You realize I can check that out?”
“Do it. I’ve never lied to you.” Jace paused. “Well, I did lie about one thing.”
“Really?” Amanda smirked. “And I guess you’re confessing now.”
“I am. I—”
“Wouldn’t the list be shorter if you just told me what you have been honest about?”
“Shut up, Amanda, I—”
“I’m not listening to this, to anything you have to say. You are a lowlife dirtbag and I regret the day I ever met you or your brother!”
“Do I have to gag you?” Jace asked with enough tolerance to make her teeth grind.
Amanda’s head drew back in offense and she responded very coldly. “Fine. Say it and then get off me.”
Because I don’t give a shit what you have to say. Jace knew the end of her sentence. As long as Amanda kept silent, he could live with it.
“Ménage relationships aren’t easy, and there is always some amount of jealousy lurking beneath the surface. We are human, and we suffer the same emotions as other people. I can’t lose my relationship with my brothers. I wouldn’t let a woman come between us. Do you understand?”
Amanda didn’t respond, but she did look a little less pissed and ever so slightly guilty. “That’s why you did this? Pulled this horrible stunt?”
“You really left me no choice.” Jace relaxed slightly before sighing. “You are as thick-skulled as a mountain is dense. I know you wanted to make a point, just as I knew I had to make my point in such a way you could understand how devastating the consequence of making somebody jealous can be.”
Amanda’s eyes narrowed. Jace knew no matter how noble his goal, he’d pay for it. “You hurt me to make a point? Did you ever think about just talking to me?”
“And that would have worked? You wouldn’t have taken what I said and seen it as a vulnerability to manipulate?”
“How dare you?” Every muscle in her forehead wrinkled as she glared at him. “I would never—”
“Didn’t you already?” Jace cut her off. “How do you think I felt on the ride home? Good? Or hurt? Don’t laugh. I love you, Amanda. Whether or not you want to accept my feelings, they’re real. You know what I think?”
Amanda groaned. “I’m not sure I want to know.”
“I think you’re scared to admit you love me, too, because you think this is all some kind of game, but it isn’t. This is real, Amanda.”
“Real?” Amanda smirked. “You want to share me with your two brothers and yet you love me. You don’t think maybe that’s a little insane sounding?”
With a sigh, Jace released his hold on her wrists and rolled to his side. She surprised him when she didn’t jump out of the bed and take off. Maybe, just maybe, he had actually survived this skirmish.
He’d taken a big risk, but now he had to take another. “You want to know why.”
“Yeah. I want to know why.”
“It’s just the way we are. It’s the way we were raised.”
“You mean…your parents…”
“Yeah. We had three dads and one mother. They had two fathers and so on down the line all the way back to the eighteen hundreds.”
“So this is like tradition for you guys.” Amanda curled onto her side and he could feel her studying him.
“Yeah. We have a lot of rituals in our family, like we don’t have any women. No aunts, no nieces, no daughters. Just boys.”
“You don’t have any control over children, but your family traditions, you choose.”
“True enough,” Jace conceded. Given her calm and rational response, he dared to loop an arm over her and snuggle Amanda in closer as he spoke. “But the way you are raised does impact you and, believe it or not, we had a great childhood, a great family.
“There were a lot of advantages to having more than two parents. Somebody always had time for us, to play, to teach, to raise us. We had more choices when we had problems, more experience to learn from. There was more love in the house, more contentment, more fun, more of everything. It was a great way to grow up. It’ll be a great way for my kids to grow up. All we have to do is find the perfect woman for all of us.”
“You’re serious.” She still didn’t sound like she believed him.
“I am.”
Amanda went silent and he could sense her thinking. He didn’t expect her to laugh, but she did. “You’re insane and worse, stupid. There’s no way all three of you are going to agree on one woman.”
“And why not?” Jace didn’t think it would be wise to point out they already had with Sharon. He’d mentioned enough women tonight. One more might cost him some skin.
“Well,” Amanda lifted up to her elbow, so she could look down on him, “you say you love me and I’m banking Knox is a no, so what are you going to do? Are you going to push me aside because he disagrees or…what?”
That was a question Jace didn’t have an answer for. It was the nightmare he feared lurked in the shadows of his future. If Knox rejected her, could he give her up? How would he ever survive without her? What would he do without his brother?
Jace looked over at Amanda, and he could see the same fear on her face. He knew what she wanted to hear and wished he could give it to her, but he just honestly didn’t know. All he had right then was the truth in his heart.
Brushing a wet strand of hair stuck to her cheek, he placed a gentle kiss on her lips before whispering, “You know I love you.”
With a muffled whimper she turned into his embrace and buried her face in his chest. “You shouldn’t say that.”
Jace hugged her close. “I think I should. I should say it constantly until you grow accustomed to hearing it and doesn’t scare you anymore.”
“Then you’ll be saying it for the rest of your life.”
“I only hope you give me the chance, Amanda.”
She raised her head to give him a serious look. “You know, I expect to see this dog, Abby, and I’ll be asking around to make sure there are no other Abbys in your past.”
Jace couldn’t help but grin at. “I have no doubt.”
“You really did that to me just to make a point?”
“Pretty bastardly of me, wasn’t it?”
Amazingly, she smiled when she spoke, and he could almost hear pride in her tone. “I didn’t think you had it in you.”
“Well now you learned something about me, Amanda. When it is something worth fighting for, I’ll do anything to win.”
Chapter 29
Knox rode into the main yard behind the ranch in a chaotic whirlwind of dirt, barking dogs, moaning cows, and the heavy snorting breaths of Molly. They rounded the select group of heifers in record time, mostly thanks to Knox’s agitated determination.
He just couldn’t get done fast enough, because he really wanted his pound of flesh from Jace and Cody. Thanks to those two dipshits, their schedule had been screwed. There would be no early night or late rise because they had the trucks coming in tomorrow. The sorting had to be finished, but damn if he’d be the one doing it.
Riding Molly into the barn, he intended to just pass through, looking to see if his two worthless siblings had made it home. The sight of Cody brushing down Winston in his stall had Knox pulling back on the reins. His little brother just pretended like he wasn’t there, waiting.
“So did you take the princess to the salon to get her nails fixed?”
Cody refused to even look up, making Knox chuckle. Always the baby, Cody couldn’t take it when the joke was on him. Well, Knox wouldn’t let his baby brother duck the humiliation he had coming.
“Come on, Cody,” Knox harassed him. “Spill it. What had the princess’ panties in a knot?”
Cody shot him a dark look over his shoulder before muttering, “Amanda i
s fine. That’s all that matters.”
Yeah, right. That was far from all Knox cared about. “Of course she is, but I’m getting the sense she was fine all along.”
“Whatever you think, Knox, just go on thinking it.” Cody didn’t even bother to look at him this time. “After all, you know everything.”
“That’s right, I do.” Knox leaned over his saddle horn, settling in for a good gloat. “So, I’ll tell you what happened. Amanda walked into her house, saw a spider hanging from her ceiling and screamed like a little girl. Of course, being a drama queen she had to have her two knights in shining armor rushing right over to kill it. Isn’t that right, Cody?”
“Not hardly,” Cody snarled.
“Really? What was it then? A roach?”
“Somebody broke into her house, you smug bastard.”
That took the fun out of Knox’s bubble. “What?”
“Someone broke in and tore her house up.”
“What do you mean tore it up?”
“I mean somebody kicked in the back door and trashed the place.” Cody threw down the brush, turning on Knox with enough speed to make both horses shy with sudden nerves. Cody ignored them as he continued tearing into Knox.
“The bastard smashed all her stuff, cut up her upholstery, smashed her furniture, and then left profanity written all over the walls. The best part is the number one going suspect is Amanda’s own father, who just happens to be in town terrorizing Amanda to get money from her.”
Cody came to rest, arms crossed, glaring right at Knox. “So just go on and say it, Knox. I know you want to. Amanda’s trouble.”
Well, shit. Knox didn’t know if the sentiment came from being wrong or from the sudden sickening feel in his stomach at the fact Amanda might have actually been hurt. Cody said it was her father, though, and, really, what father would hurt his little girl?
Unfortunately, Knox knew the real-world answer to that question. Hell if I’m going to panic. I do not panic. “I take it the cops are handling it.”
“Yeah,” Cody snorted. “They’re handling it.”
Knox could read something buried in his brother’s response, but he just didn’t know what. “You don’t think they can?”
Cody shrugged. “From what Amanda says, no.” Knox should have seen what came next, but it still caught him off guard. “She’s going to be staying here until the matter is handled, though.”
A sensation worse than the panic broke over him—fear. “She’s here?”
“Yep.”
Shit. “Why?”
“Because she can’t stay in her house the way it is,” Cody retorted in exasperation. “And I’m not going to send her back there just to be harassed by her father.”
Knox didn’t intend to give up the argument so quickly. “I get that, but doesn’t she have any friends she could stay with?”
“Does a boyfriend count?”
“Only when her boyfriend discusses it with the two brothers he lives with.” Molly pranced beneath him, shying away nervously as Knox tensed above her.
“Why?”
“Because this decision affects all of us. How can you not get that?”
“Jace said he loved her.”
“He did not.” The rejection just popped out of Knox, a denial he needed to be true. Cody didn’t give him the comfort.
“It was like a scene from some cheesy movie.” Cody’s nose wrinkled. “When we rode up to her house, Amanda came running down the steps to throw herself into Jace’s arms and then bam! He’s telling the girl he loves her.”
“Jesus.” Knox rolled his eyes.
“I think I’m falling the same way.” Cody’s chin lifted. “So maybe you ought to get over yourself and make Amanda feel welcome.”
Knox couldn’t say much to that. Sliding from Molly’s back, he laid down the only defense he had. “Yeah, well she’s got to accept me.”
“Yeah, right.” Cody caught the reins Knox tossed him. “And I’m sure you’re going to make it a real easy adjustment.”
Knox snorted, but didn’t respond to Cody’s bait. Instead, he turned and swaggered out of the barn. He’d put in his day’s work. Now Jace and Cody could pick up the slack. Knox’s schedule consisted of a shower and figuring out what the hell to do about Amanda.
One thing had become quite clear. His brothers wouldn’t be tiring of her. Getting rid of her would take some work. Consumed with his worrying, Knox almost got smacked in the head when the back door flew open. Lydia rushed out and right into him. Despite her size, she had momentum, and Knox’s ass met the hard planks of the porch floor before he could respond to the impact.
“Hey, now. What’s got you in such a rush?”
“Oh, my God. Knox.” Lydia stumbled under the collision but managed to keep her feet. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you.”
“I kind of figured.” Knox grunted as he pushed off the floor. “Damn, Lydia. For such a small package, you pack quite a wallop.”
Lydia cringed, looking more concerned than she should have. “You didn’t hurt yourself, did you?”
“Nah.” Knox shook his head. “I probably deserved the spanking, so don’t worry over it.”
“I really am sorry.”
“You really were in a rush.”
“I’m…” She danced around him. “Yes, I’m in a rush. If you could, tell the other guys there is a casserole in the oven.”
“Sure. Where you headed to?”
“I…I just got to go.”
With that cryptic statement, she took off. Knox watched her flee across the yard toward the small cabin she called home. Lydia didn’t lie. She was in a rush, an all-out run, actually. He couldn’t help but wonder what put the spring in her step. Turning into the kitchen, he paused long enough to toe off his boots and hang up his hat. Snatching a beer out of the fridge, he headed for his bedroom.
A beer, a shower, and then it would be time to handle Miss Johnson. Handle her, strip her down, fuck the need for her out of his balls, and then be the biggest bastard he knew how and chase her out of the door. It sounded like a plan to Knox.
“Ohhaaa.”
Knox stumbled to a stop in the doorway of his bedroom. He knew that sound, the sound of a woman being pleasured. It came again. The feminine groan twisted into one single word. “Please!”
Oh, yeah. Knox had assumed Jace had gone back to work. Apparently his brother had—on Amanda. Listening to her husky pleases wafting down the hall, Knox couldn’t resist the allure. Edging down the hall, he peeked around Jace’s wide open door and bit his lip as his dick jerked at the erotic show taking place before his eyes.
Jace’s bed sat opposite the doorway, giving Knox a good position to see all the details, and what he saw took his breath away. Just like it had been in the barn, he couldn’t take his eyes off her. So beautiful.
Amanda rode his brother with a slow sensuality that mesmerized him. Sweat glistened and rolled down between her breasts as they bounced and swayed with her easy rhythm. Like a sensuous cat, her back arched as she ground herself into his brother’s groin. With each smooth rotation of her hips, the beautiful globes of her rounded ass lifted, making the muscles in her thighs flex in a show of strength guaranteed she could hold on when the ride became bumpy.
Knox traced the line of her leg from her foot tucked up along his brother’s thigh up to where her thigh ended and heaven waited. Sunlight poured in through the window, stretching across the bed as the sun sloped downward in its nightly descent.
The golden rays fell right across Amanda’s pussy, paying homage to the pink folds he could see so perfectly stretched wide. The heated caress left nothing to Knox’s imagination, allowing him to watch every intimate detail as those flushed, pouty lips lifted over Jace’s hard length.
His cock glistened in the sunlight, slick with Amanda’s cream and he could hear the sweet suckling sounds as her cunt ate back up every inch of Jace’s dick. He could only imagine what it felt like to experience that most intimate of caresses. W
hat it would feel like to hold a woman as responsive as Amanda in his arms. One who moaned with her pleasure, digging her nails into his thighs as she arched backward to take every last inch of him deeper into her wet cunt.
Knox breathed out deeply, unable to tear his eyes from the sight of Amanda fucking herself along Jace’s cock. She loved it. He could tell. He could hear it, see it, even smell it. Sweet feminine arousal and the spicy musk of sex thickened in the air around him, seducing him into becoming a part of the scene before him, even if only at a distance.
Jace’s hands shifted, sliding up her sides and drawing Knox’s gaze with them. He knew where his brother’s touch was headed, just to where Knox wanted to touch—her breasts. Perfectly round, tipped with the most tempting pink nipples, they were made to be touched, tasted, even bitten. Amanda’s response to Jace cupping her breasts, thumbing her nipples was instantaneous. She gasped and then groaned, her hips losing beat for a moment, only to resume at a quickened pace, fast enough to make her find her release at any moment.
Knox tensed, waiting for the explosion, knowing he just might feel the aftershocks all the way across the room. But Jace had different plans. In a move Knox hadn’t expected, his brother’s hands dropped to Amanda’s waist. With enough speed to blur the motion, Jace lifted her right off his dick and pulled her dripping cunt up to his waiting mouth.
Oh, God, he’s going to make me come. This was no easygoing tasting but a devouring. The sounds of Jace giving Amanda the tongue lashing of a lifetime were drowned out almost immediately by her screams. She begged, she pleaded, she demanded until the words lost form and she splintered apart in a writhing, screaming explosion.
In the chaos of her release, Jace slammed her back down on his cock. This time it was his game. His brother pushed up to a seating position and bounced Amanda’s ass in a hard, furious rhythm that had her screams going hoarse as she clung to him, clawing at his shoulders as her whole body began to quake.
She came again—hard, fast, and furious. He could see the tears tracking down her cheeks, rolling over her swollen lips even as broken sobs managed to break free of her throat. Jace, though, hadn’t come. Apparently he’d saved himself for the most delectable treat Amanda’s body could offer.
Kansas Heat Page 27
