by Marla Monroe
The rest of the way to the lawyer’s office, they discussed the ranch and what she thought needed to be done first. She talked about her original dreams to specialize in Beefmaster or Santa Gertrudis breeds. They were a strong stock that would graze well on her land. They produced healthy calves and were easier to fatten up.
The more they talked, the more enthusiastic she became about the ranch again. Instead of it being the albatross around her neck she couldn’t get rid of, it was once again a place to dream about. All it took to transform the image from a deep black hole to something with potential was the resources she had lacked over the years. Rollan and Thorne seemed as excited about the plans to repair and update the place as she was.
When they finally pulled up outside Nate’s office, Sierra was once again feeling like a young woman on the brink of starting her life. She had a job that would provide for her family and could see their old ranch bloom once again. The two men paid attention to what she thought and often agreed with her. She wasn’t just a woman who’d been stuck with trying to keep a ranch going on her own. They treated her like a fellow rancher and someone they would listen to and respect. It went a long way to settling the few remaining frogs that gave the occasional hop in her stomach.
“Looks like we made it just as they are opening the office,” Rollan said, pointing to the door to Nate’s office just as his secretary pulled the blinds and unlocked the door.
“Maybe we’ll get lucky and he can see us immediately so we don’t have to wait around here and come back later. I know you have things to do back home,” Sierra said.
“We’ve got the hands working. They know their jobs. A day away won’t hurt anything, Sierra,” Rollan said with a broad smile. “Especially if we get to spend it with a pretty woman like you.”
She had to fight to keep from rolling her eyes at his obvious flirting. They were nice men. If things were different—a lot different—Sierra could see herself spending time with the two of them.
Rollan helped her down from the cab of the truck with ease. She didn’t even feel his arms or hands tense when he set her down. Was it her imagination or had his hands remained at her waist a little longer than was necessary?
Stop it! I can’t think about them like that. They’re my bosses and I need to concentrate on getting the ranch back in tip-top shape for them. They have no interest in me, romantic or otherwise. I’m just so grateful that they are helping me out of this mess I got myself in that I’m reading more into their attentions than is safe.
As they approached the door to the office, Nate opened it with a surprised expression on his face.
“Sierra. I didn’t expect to see you again. Is everything okay?” His eyes briefly betrayed his worry before the confident lawyer took his place.
“Actually, everything is great, but I needed to see you again if you have time this morning. I need a contract drawn up, and I trust you,” Sierra said with a broad grin.
“Um, you just signed one contract. Are you sure you need to jump into another one so soon?” Nate asked, eyeing the men on either side of her with a good bit of distrust.
“I’m sure. This one will prevent me from going through with the other one, Nate. We brought it back for you to destroy if you don’t mind.” She smiled and hoped he could make time for them today. They were too close to Dexter’s deadline for comfort.
“Okay. I don’t have a client until ten this morning. Let’s go discuss it and I’ll tell you what I think. I won’t draw one up if I’m not satisfied it’s in your best interest, Sierra,” he said.
“I understand, but you’ll like this one.” She followed him through the door and through the front office.
“Put Sierra Wensel on my book for a consultation,” he told his secretary.
Then he led them into his office and closed the door. As he walked around to sit behind his desk, Rollan and Thorne urged her into one of the chairs in front of the desk. Thorne took the other one and Rollan stood behind her chair, one of his hands resting lightly on her shoulder. For a few seconds, Sierra soaked in the warmth and sense of stability it gave her.
“Okay, Sierra. What sort of contract do you want?” Nate asked.
For the next thirty minutes, Sierra explained what she wanted with Thorne filling in the gaps she couldn’t remember. When she’d finished, Nate leaned back in his chair and studied the two men then looked at her. He seemed conflicted about something, which worried her. If he wouldn’t draw the paperwork for her, they’d have to find someone else and time was getting short.
“I have to say that this one is much less, um, personal, but you’re losing the ranch all the same. I thought the entire reason you were willing to sign that joke of a contract was to keep the ranch, Sierra,” Nate said, shaking his head.
“No. It’s not really the ranch I needed so much as the revenue from it to support my sisters while they are in school,” she said and continued on to explain the importance of it to her family.’So you see, all in all, it’s a very generous offer.”
“Oh, I agree. It’s a very generous offer indeed.” He looked over at Thorne then up at Rollan, a suspicious glint in his eye. “Gentlemen, would you step out for just a few minutes and let me confer with Sierra?”
Thorne looked over at her as if to ask if that was what she wanted or not. She wasn’t sure what it was that Nate wanted to discuss without them present, but figured it would be best to humor him if she wanted the contract drawn up as soon as possible.
She looked up at Rollan over her shoulder then over at Thorne. “I’ll be fine. I’m sure it won’t take but a second.”
Both men nodded. Thorne stood up after squeezing her hand then followed Rollan out of the room. She hoped they didn’t feel slighted, but going along with whatever Nate wanted to do or say seemed the fastest way to get things done. Arguing with him would only postpone his agreeing to handle it for them.
“Sierra. Are you sure about this?” he asked.
“Yes. Very sure. They are good men and offered a way for me to avoid that mess with Dexter while still having the money and freedom to see my sisters through college. Not only that, but I’m going to manage the ranch and watch it get the care it deserves. I wasn’t able to keep it up like it should have been.” She stopped talking when she saw him sigh. “What?”
“I don’t think they are doing this out of the goodness of their hearts, Sierra. They want you,” he said.
“What? No. They are just friends. They’re getting a very good ranch with a great source of water at a more than generous price.” She was sure Nate was mistaken. While she was attracted to them, she doubted they had any interest in her at all. Besides, she was pretty sure they were partners in more than just the ranch.
“That’s another thing that bothers me about this,” Nate began. “The price they’re paying is below the market value of the ranch based on the last appraisal you had done. While I know you said it’s in poor shape, like you said, the land and water is worth more.”
“I know. They offered more, but considering the concessions they are making for me and the fact that I’m going to be earning a more-than-decent salary, I lowered the price. They insist on paying the remainder once the ranch is back in shape, but don’t plan on accepting it.”
“I think you are making a huge mistake, Sierra, but considering the alternative you were considering, I suppose it is the better of the two. Just be aware that they are attracted to you,” Nate warned.
“I still think you’re wrong about that, but I’ll keep it in mind. How soon can you draw up the paperwork for us?” she asked.
“It will take me a couple of days. I know you’ve got to answer the other contract tomorrow, but I can’t work any faster. If they are serious about helping you, they will have to pay off your loan and sign the contract on Monday afternoon. I’ll work on it this weekend.”
Sierra sighed, one of several weights dissolving from her shoulders. “Thank you so much.”
Nate picked up his phone and told
his secretary to send the two men back in. They walked through the door with what she could only describe as a worried expression. Why would they be worried? She was the one in trouble, not them.
“Sierra?” Rollan asked, watching her face closely.
“Everything is fine. Nate is going to work on the contract for us, but it will be Monday afternoon before he can have it ready. He’s offering to work on it over the weekend for us,” she said.
Thorne nodded. “That’s more than appreciated.”
Rollan stuck out his hand to shake Nate’s. “Thank you. I know you’re worried about Sierra, but I promise we will do everything we can to make sure she’s safe and happy.”
Sierra blinked. “That sounded like he was promising her dad he’d take care of her after he’d asked for her hand in marriage.”
“Are you prepared to pay off the debt for her tomorrow even without the contract signed and in place?” Nate asked with a lifted brow.
“We’ve already transferred the money into her account so she can write the check and throw it in the bastard’s face,” Thorne said with a broad smile.
“What?” Sierra asked. She hadn’t known that.
“We transferred the money yesterday after you agreed to let us help you. I wanted it in your account so there would be no problems with waiting on the check to clear. We also wanted it to come from you and not from us when you paid it off,” Thorne explained.
Once again they’d surprised her and brought tears to her eyes. Why were they helping her like this? Yes, the land was a great incentive, but not the little things they were doing to make it so much easier on her. Was Nate right and they had feelings for her—both of them? Were they looking for a woman to complete their bond or something?
“Thanks again, Nate. We’ll be back Monday afternoon around two to sign the papers. If you have any questions at anytime, call us,” Rollan said, handing their card to him.
Nate saw them to the door, still looking a bit worried. Sierra liked the man for caring so much about her fate, but even if the two men helping her had the ulterior motive of convincing her to be with them, it was a far cry better than what Dexter had in mind or trying to seduce her out of her land. They already had it.
* * * *
Rollan helped Sierra into the truck then climbed in after her. Thorne was driving them back which gave him time to think and concentrate more on her instead of driving. He hadn’t wanted to risk a wreck on the drive up and thinking about her would have definitely kept his mind off of what he was supposed to be doing.
“Thank you both so much for everything you’re doing,” Sierra said once Thorne had them on the road again.
“Stop it, Sierra. No more thanking us,” he told her.
“But you have no idea what you’ve done for me,” she said.
Her bright eyes shone with the tears she tried to hide. It tore something inside of him to think about what she’d almost done.
“I think we do, honey. No more thinking about it. After you pay off that loan, it’s all in the past and you have nothing but the future to look forward to. I don’t want to hear one more word out of you about any of it.” He realized his voice had gotten gruff and hoped she didn’t think he was angry.
To make up for it, Rollan gently squeezed her hand and smiled down at her. A smile stopped her from worrying her lower lip with her teeth. The way her green eyes brightened with happiness instead of tears helped him to relax.
“We’re going to drop you off at home so we can get back to work, sweetness,” Thorne said. “Any chance we could talk you into coming over for an hour or two later tonight to talk about tomorrow?”
Rollan hated that they needed to get back to their ranch, but time was important in the ranching world, especially with them doing so much renovating to the house and the barns.
“That’s fine. I’ve taken up entirely too much of your time in the last few days. Are you sure you won’t be too tired tonight?” she asked, looking from Thorne to him.
He shook his head. “Thorne and I will be fine after cleaning up and getting something in our bellies. Just come on over when you have a chance to catch your breath. We need to get you some help over there as soon as possible.”
“I’ll cook something for you. That way you won’t have to worry about it when you’ve been out working all afternoon,” she told them.
“What the hell will you have been doing all afternoon?” Rollan asked with a frown. “You’ll be just as tired as we will be. Don’t worry about us. We can take care of ourselves.”
“Might not be the delicacies that you and your sister put together, but we’ll survive.” Thorne chuckled.
“Why don’t you ask Sedona to come, too? She can cook for all of us and I won’t feel too bad about that,” Rollan said.
“Okay. If she doesn’t have plans, I’ll have her do that. She’ll enjoy it,” Sierra said with a smile.
He and Thorne talked about some of the things they were doing at the ranch and the next thing he knew, Sierra was leaning on his shoulder. He looked down and smiled. She was sound asleep. When he looked over at Thorne, the other man had noticed it as well.
“Lucky bastard,” he whispered. “I should have made you drive back.
“Fair is fair, man. You had her attention on the way over,” Rollan said with a grin.
“She was too keyed up to relax then,” Thorne complained.
“It won’t take us long to win her over. You’ll see,” he said, looking down at the angel next to him.
“Wish she didn’t have to see that bastard tomorrow. I don’t trust him not to try something. Anyone low enough to suggest what he did and go so far as to put it in a contract will try anything.”
Rollan agreed with Thorne. He wanted to be there, but doubted she would let them, and they were already behind with the work they were doing on the ranch. She would be in a public place and safe. It was more her emotional safety he was worried about. Still, they had to trust her. She was a strong woman who’d weathered all sorts of problems in her life. He admired her strength of character as well as her determination to do the right thing by her family. He and Thorne couldn’t have found another woman as perfect for them as Sierra was. He was glad he hadn’t put up too much of a fight when Thorne had set his sights on her.
With her leaning against him, Rollan’s cock became pinched as it swelled in his tight jeans. He couldn’t adjust himself without waking her up. He’d put up with the pain to keep her leaning against him, using him for support.
“In a bind over there?” Thorne teased with a knowing look.
“Hell, Thorne. I’m so hard I could hammer nails,” he whispered back.
“Know the feeling. I want to taste her so badly my mouth is watering. I don’t know how much more I can handle before I snap. She’s eating away at my control every time she smiles my way.”
Rollan’s mouth watered at the thought of sucking on her sweet nipples. He wondered if they would be large and dark or dainty and pink. Then he wondered if she trimmed her pussy or even shaved it bare. He had to swallow a groan at that thought. Rollan figured he needed to squelch those thoughts and think about something less arousing, like whether he needed to muck the stalls again or if one of the hands had gotten around to it.
When they turned down her gravel drive, they didn’t have to wake her. The ruts provided all the stimulation she needed to open her eyes and moan when her head bounced a little too hard on his shoulder.
“Sorry, honey. First thing we need to do is smooth out the gravel in your drive. You could fall off in one of those ruts and we’d never hear from you again,” Rollan teased as she blinked her eyes trying to wake up.
“I can’t believe I fell asleep on you like that. I’m sorry,” she said sitting up again.
“Don’t worry about it. You’re exhausted, Sierra. You need to rest more,” he told her.
“Sounds like I’m going to get more rest once we get everything worked out and in place.”
He could
tell she’d been about to say thank you again but caught herself. She was simply amazing to him. There was nothing artificial about her. In that moment as she looked up at him with sleep-filled eyes, Rollan fell a little more in love with her. He lived for the day when she would fall for them as well.
Chapter Eleven
A cold sweat broke out over Sierra’s skin as she stepped out of the truck and wiped her damp palms up and down her hips. She’d purposefully chosen to wear her rattiest pair of jeans and faded-out work shirt. They guys had made her promise to call them the second she left the bank to head back home. They didn’t trust Dexter, but then neither did she.
Sierra carried a folder with the foreclosure notices and her original paperwork in one hand and her purse in the other. When she walked inside the bank, she didn’t even glance over in the direction of Dexter’s office. Instead she walked over to the first teller that was open with no one in line and set the folder on the ledge.
“Hi, Sierra. How are you doing today?” Gina asked.
“Hi Gina. I’m fine. How’s that new baby of yours? He’s like four or five months old now, isn’t he?” Gina and her husband had tried for a long time to have a baby, so when she’d finally gotten pregnant, the entire town of Riverbend had celebrated with them.
“Little Brent is growing so fast. I feel like if I don’t capture every moment with pictures that I’m going to wake up one day and he’ll be in school.” She smiled broadly at the thought of her little boy. “What can I help you with today?”
“I’m paying off my loan today, Gina.” Sierra opened the folder and pulled out the original loan papers and the latest foreclosure notice with the final dollar amount and passed it over to the other woman.
“Congratulations then! That’s always a good feeling.”
“You don’t know the half of it,” Sierra mumbled as Gina typed away on the computer.
A few seconds later, the other woman was frowning. Sierra wondered what was wrong but waited for her to say something. She clicked away for several more seconds then frowned.
