“That obvious, am I?”
“The moan was a dead giveaway, sugar,” Wes assured her.
Cherry felt her cheeks getting warm, but shrugged. “I haven’t had eggs cooked like this in a long, long time.”
“You need to eat more.” Remy made his pronouncement before taking a large swallow of coffee. “You’re too damn thin.”
His heavy-handedness made her want to smack him. Instead, she tilted her chin up and shot back a quick retort. “You didn’t seem to mind last night.”
Remy stilled and his nostrils flared and it wasn’t anger she saw in his eyes, but sexual heat. Cherry swallowed hard and went back to eating. But her appetite had disappeared again and she picked at her bacon, leaving the rest of the eggs and the toast.
The silence grew until she thought she might scream. Just when she couldn’t take it for a moment more, Wes broke it. “What are your plans for today?”
When Remy didn’t answer his brother, Cherry looked up from her plate to find both men staring at her. “What?”
“What are your plans for today?” Wes repeated.
Oh, he’d been talking to her. She set down the remnant of the piece of bacon she’d been nibbling on and wiped her hands on the paper towel Wes had set out instead of a napkin. “Get the truck running and contact Daddy’s lawyer and the real estate agent.”
A muscle jerked in the side of Remy’s face and she wondered what had him so riled up.
“Stay the day.”
She turned back to Wes. “Why?” It was probably better if she left. The longer she stayed around them, the harder it was going to be to leave.
“We want to talk to you about the land.” Remy pushed back from the table, grabbed his empty plate and took it to the counter. “We could do a bit of riding and talk some before we take you to your truck.”
Cherry’s churning stomach settled. She hadn’t even realized how tense the thought of leaving was making her until Remy suggested she stay a while longer. She’d missed riding in the years she’d been away. She’d managed a few short rides since she’d been home, but she hadn’t liked to venture far from the house with her father so ill. The thought of taking a long ride and forgetting her problems for a few more hours was appealing.
Plus, this was the second time Remy had mentioned the land. She wasn’t surprised they might be interested in buying some of it. Her father’s ranch, hers now, bordered theirs on the eastern side.
“Okay.” She stood and started clearing the table. Remy gave a curt nod, while Wes patted her on the shoulder on his way to the dishwasher with his plate.
With the three of them working together, they had the kitchen put to rights in no time. Cherry tried not to notice how right it felt to be rubbing shoulders and bumping into both of them in the small space.
When they were done, Wes loaned her one of his hats and the three of them set off to the stables.
* * * * *
Remy reined in his growing impatience. He, who was known for his unending patience with horses, was running out of it when it came to one particular woman. When he’d walked in from doing chores this morning and found Cherry in the kitchen with his brother, everything inside him had settled and a restlessness that had plagued him for years suddenly disappeared.
Now all he had to do was convince her to stay.
He knew he’d been an ass this morning. First he’d kissed her senseless, then he’d told her she was too skinny. Way to go, Smith. Real smooth moves. At least she hadn’t bolted. But she had stopped eating and for that he was more sorry than she’d ever know. She’d been enjoying her food until he’d opened his big mouth.
He glanced to his right, as he had many, many times in the past hour and satisfaction filled him to see Cherry riding alongside him and Wes. The mare she was on was an even-tempered lady with enough spirit to make her interesting. He wasn’t worried about Cherry. He knew she could ride and obviously in her years away she hadn’t lost her skills.
“You mentioned the land.” Cherry had obviously felt his gaze on her and had decided to take the bull by the horns and start the conversation.
Remy reined in his horse. “Let’s stop a spell.” It was time for a break anyway. Cherry might still be a good rider, but he’d bet his favorite hat that her backside was beginning to complain right about now.
There was a stream a few yards away so he dismounted and led his horse toward it, letting him drink from the trickle of water running across the ground. Much more dry weather and the stream would be nothing but a dry bed.
Wes and Cherry dismounted and watered their horses as well. Remy tied the reins onto the branch of a scraggly looking tree and the other two followed suit. No way the branch would hold if his gelding chose to test it, but Remy wasn’t worried. He’d trained Pepper from the time he was born and knew the horse would stay.
There really wasn’t much shade to be had, but there was nothing to be done about that. They wouldn’t stay long. Remy reached into the saddlebag and pulled out a couple of bottles of water. “Here. You need to stay hydrated.” He held the bottle out to Cherry. She took it and twisted off the cap, drinking deeply.
Wes took off his hat and wiped his forehead with the arm of his shirt before putting it back on. Then he took a swig of water from the bottle he dug out of his own pack.
Cherry looked so beautiful, so right standing next to them on their land. Her curly hair was damp with sweat and several tendrils stuck to her neck. She tilted her pale face up toward the sun, her eyes closed. She gave a deep sigh and lowered her head.
“Let’s sit.” Remy wanted to get business out of the way so he could focus on their personal relationship. Cherry wandered closer to the bank of the small stream and sat. He tried not to notice the stiffness in her gait. She was going to need a rubdown later or she wouldn’t be able to move tomorrow.
Wes settled beside her and started the conversation rolling. “You know we raise and train horses.” When Cherry nodded, Wes continued. “We’ve kept it a small operation.”
“But exclusive,” Remy added. Rich folks from around the country brought their high-priced, unmannered horses to them to train. Plus, the stock they bred themselves went for a fine dollar. He plucked a piece of dry grass out of the ground and twirled it between his fingers.
Cherry’s face was partially hidden by the brim of her hat and Remy suddenly wished she wasn’t wearing it so he could see her eyes. “Dad mentioned what a wonderful reputation the Double S has.”
Remy could hear the sadness in her voice and knew she was thinking about her father. He reached out and took her hand in his. She tilted her head back until he could see her lovely brown eyes.
“We have two men who come in five days a week to help with the basic chores, but Wes and I do the most of it ourselves.” Remy wanted her to understand what they did at the Double S, what he and Wes had built up over the past decade. He wanted her to be as proud of the place as he was.
She nodded and shifted her position slightly. He saw the faint grimace of pain and silently swore at himself for taking her out so far. It was going to be a long ride home.
“You want to buy some of the land from Dad’s—I mean, my place.” Remy could tell just saying it aloud was painful for her. He knew what it felt like to lose the only parent you had. His father had passed five years ago, but he and Wes still missed the old man.
“Yup, maybe a hundred acres. We’d like to have more, but that’s about what we can swing at the going rates.” Remy hated the thought of the land going to some stranger who might not appreciate it the way he did, the way Cherry’s father had.
“I’ll talk to the lawyer and have the papers drawn up.”
“Just like that?” Remy was slightly surprised by her reaction. There was no talk of price or trying to negotiate.
Cherry shrugged and rubbed the back of her neck, the motion pulling the front of her top taut against her full breasts. “Just like that.” She gave him a faint smile. “I know and trust you two and know
you won’t cheat me. Plus, I like knowing that at least some of the land will belong to someone I know will take care of it.”
Wes surged to his feet. “If that’s settled, we should get going. The heat is getting to be too much for Cherry.” When she started to object, Wes shook his head. “You’re not used to it anymore, sugar. Plus, I know you’ve got to be stiffening up some.”
She laughed and then groaned when she tried to stand. Wes removed the problem by simply lifting her off the ground. He held on while she steadied herself. “Try to walk a bit before you climb back on your horse.”
Cherry gave a rueful laugh. “Not sure that’s going to help, Wes. I’m stiffer than I thought I’d be. I’ve been doing some riding since I came home, but not for longer than a half hour at a time and not as often as I would have liked.” She swiped the dust off the backside of her jeans and began to stiffly walk around. “I’ll need a hot shower when I get home.”
Remy’s cock stirred at the thought of having Cherry naked and wet, hot water running over her supple body. When they’d renovated the main bathroom a few years back, they’d decided to put in a large shower stall, something they could use without banging their elbows on the walls. It would certainly be big enough for two—he glanced at his brother—or three if it came to it.
He turned away and adjusted his dick as best he could with the damn thing standing up like a spike. He grabbed the empty bottles of water and tucked them back in the saddlebag.
Wes was beside Cherry, making sure she was steady on her feet. It was Wes who helped her mount and handed her the mare’s reins. Remy was grateful to his brother. If he’d touched Cherry right now, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to keep from tossing her on the ground, stripping her jeans off and taking her there in the hot Texas dirt.
Remy pulled his hat down low over his brow and swept his gaze across the land. This all belonged to him and his brother. His eyes stopped when they landed on Cherry. She was smiling at something Wes said to her. She belonged to them too, just as the land did.
Chapter Seven
Cherry knew she was going to be sore tomorrow, but she wasn’t sorry. The ride under the hot sun with Wes and Remy had soothed her soul, leaving her feeling more at peace than she had in a long, long time. Her father’s death had left an aching void in her life. She was an orphan now, essentially alone. Remy and Wes had filled that space, at least for a short time. That reprieve made her feel stronger, more able to handle the tasks ahead.
No, spending the morning with them had been the right thing to do even though the ride back had been strangely silent, all of them lost in their own thoughts.
She breathed a sigh of relief when she finally urged the well-mannered mare into the barn. The cool shade made her shiver slightly after the unrelenting heat of the morning sun.
“Don’t try to dismount on your own, sugar. I’ll help you.” She got a funny sensation in her stomach every time Wes called her sugar. Some women wouldn’t like it, would find it demeaning, but she knew he meant it as a sign of his affection for her.
“I wouldn’t dare,” she told him. She had a feeling she was going to be a little less than graceful climbing off the horse than she’d been getting on.
Strong hands clasped her waist and lifted her off her mount. Wes kept his hands around her as her thighs quivered and her knees shook. “You doing okay?”
She nodded. “Yeah, I just need a second.”
Remy took the reins of all three horses and headed farther into the barn. Now that she was paying attention, Cherry could hear male voices in the background. She raised an eyebrow in question and Wes grinned.
“That will be Dan Gibbons and Robert Vardy. They’re the two hired hands Remy mentioned when we were out by the creek. They help us care for the horses and do some basic training.”
“I should get going.” It was fine to spend the night and even the morning, but the day was wasting and this was a working ranch. Both Wes and Remy had spent time with her they didn’t really have to spare. After all, she knew and understood the demands of a full-time ranch.
Remy returned just in time to hear her pronouncement. He scowled at her and then at his brother. Wes raised his hands in mock defense. “I didn’t do anything.”
Cherry frowned and started toward the door. It was more a shuffling than a walk until she got going. The more she moved, the easier it became as her muscles loosened up. “You’ve got work to tend to and I’ve got a hundred things to do with Dad’s estate, not to mention my own business.”
Wes fell into step beside her. She had a feeling he was watching her every move in case he had to catch her if she took a header. “Your father mentioned you had a graphic design business.”
“Yes. It was part-time for years while I built it from scratch, but now it’s full-time.” No more waitressing for her. She loved to draw and create and her own business gave her that opportunity.
“What exactly do you do?” Even though Wes asked, she sensed a keen interest from both men. Quite frankly, it surprised her. She hadn’t figured they’d be interested in what she did in Boston.
“I create and design logos and graphics for various companies. Most smaller businesses don’t have anyone on staff who can do that kind of thing for them, and a lot of larger companies have downsized and contract out that work now. I also have my own line of stationery and greeting cards that’s doing really well.” She hadn’t created any new designs in the past few months, not since she’d come home to tend to her father. The most she’d managed was to keep with the corporate and small business accounts she had.
She probably had dozens of emails and a ton of work waiting on her laptop. She really needed to get back to the ranch and get to work.
There was a low bark and then Bourbon came trotting toward her with Whiskey hot on his tail. Both dogs had been missing this morning when they left to go riding, but neither man had been worried about them, telling her the dogs liked to run in the morning when it was cooler.
“Hello there.” She petted each dog, rubbing their sides and getting wet kisses and hand licks in return. Bourbon barked and Whiskey whined when she stopped. She had a feeling they’d stay there all day if she’d keep scratching them. “That’s it, for now.” She laughed at the two animals as they sighed and walked back to their shady spot on the corner of the porch. They stopped by their water bowl for a quick drink before plopping down onto the wooden deck.
She went up the steps and reached for the handle on the screen door. “I’ll get my purse. Can one of you take me back to my truck?” She really hoped whatever was wrong with the truck wasn’t serious. She didn’t want to waste time or money repairing something she was going to have to sell. No way did she need a truck in Boston. The thought was absurd. She didn’t even have a car. Public transit was fine and cut down on the cost of living as garage fees were high if you didn’t have an apartment with a parking spot, not to mention the cost of gas and insurance.
The screen door slammed shut behind them. When neither man answered her, she turned. They were standing side by side just inside the doorway, two tall, broad-shouldered men. Their cowboy hats were pulled low, covering most of their faces, exposing their granite-like jawlines. Neither of them was smiling.
A shiver went down Cherry’s spine. There was an intensity surrounding them that was almost frightening. These were two dangerous men, but not to her. Never to her.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
It was Wes who stirred, slowly removing his hat to reveal intense blue eyes. He set his hat on the table and squared his shoulders. “We’re not letting you go.”
Wes ignored the shocked expression on Cherry’s face as he strode toward her, the heels of his boots thumping on the kitchen floor. He stopped when he was in front of her, so close they were almost touching.
She swallowed hard and her breathing quickened. “What do you mean, you’re not letting me go?” He listened hard, not hearing fear, but more questioning with a hint of arousal.
He removed her hat and tossed it aside. Her hair was damp and flat against her skull, but several curls were springing to life. Her skin was so soft, so lovely. He brushed her cheek with the tip of his finger. He was so much bigger, rougher than she was. The contrast was arousing as hell and his dick swelled with an unrelenting need for this particular woman.
“I want you to stay with me. With us.” Wes sighed and shook his head. “We want you to stay with us.”
Confusion filled her pretty face and she frowned. “But that’s impossible. We agreed to one night.”
He shook his head in denial. “Nothing is impossible, sugar. You just have to want it enough.”
Remy stepped up beside them, his face set in angry lines. “And we want it enough. Do you?”
Wes could tell they were confusing the shit out of her. They knew what they wanted. Had known for a long time. But this was all new to Cherry. They had to tone it down before she bolted like a frightened filly. They’d scared her away once before and he didn’t want the same thing to happen this time.
Wes lightly placed his hands on her shoulders and rubbed. The muscles of her neck were tight. “Stay with us. Stay the day. We can talk some more. Spend some time together.”
Cherry nibbled on her bottom lip and Wes groaned at the sight of her lush mouth being lightly chewed by her small white teeth. Her eyes flew to his and her eyes widened.
“Yeah, I’m aroused. I’m always aroused around you.” Wes wanted her to understand she wasn’t powerless in this relationship. If anything, she held the bulk of the power because they both wanted her so damn much.
He took her hand and guided it down to his growing erection. Her fingers brushed him through the thick denim, but it might as well have been flesh on flesh considering the reaction he had. His dick jerked and hardened to the point of pain. Wes gritted his teeth, the muscles in his jaw flexing.
“Stay.” He kept his tone low and cajoling.
“I have so much work to do,” she began, but he could see she was weakening. He could smell her heated skin, the light scent of soap mixed with perspiration and sunshine. It was earthy and sensual. And just below it was the slightest smell of arousal. “And I have a life back in Boston. I don’t live here anymore.”
Double or Nothing Page 6
