by Lynn Stark
Jace chuckled. “I’m sure we can arrange it for a night you don’t have to work there.”
A slender hand waved in their direction. “No. No. Really. I’m not much for all that ball-scratching, belching, and drinking beer stuff.”
Piper watched and listened as her men teased her brother. It was the beginning of their family group and she couldn’t have been happier. She ate the dumplings and chicken, smiling to herself, feeling very happy inside. She couldn’t remember the last time, if ever, having felt it.
The knowledge that she was finally getting to know her parents was another huge bonus. It seemed like she was getting what she had always wanted. Sighing with contentment she finished her supper and leaned back in the chair.
Merck and Jace had finally stopped teasing Mink. Merck was now explaining exactly what Stormy’s new hutch would need to make her a happy mommy bunny. Mink hung on every word. He looked like he wanted to take notes, but she knew he wouldn’t forget a thing.
Once the meal was over he disappeared upstairs to look at his new room. Merck and a couple of men would take trucks in to pick up the rest of his belongings, which included a couple of pieces of furniture belonging to his mother. The rest he would donate, having agreed to live at the ranch indefinitely. She was glad he had done so. It would give her a chance to really get to know her brother and would help him feel as if he truly belonged to a family now.
Charm was on the back of the couch when they joined Mink in the living room. The cat was staring at Stormy, as if she was wondering if it was worth the risk to tease the rabbit. Mindy went to Merck and curled up on his lap. Sparkle also wanted to be on the couch. Jace lifted her up and she stretched out on an afghan. Piper smiled and shook her head. Even she had never allowed Sparkle on the furniture. The pig was going to be spoiled rotten. She was still amazed at how much Merck had accomplished in training her pet in the matter of a couple of days. Obviously food was a huge motivator.
“How did your lunch with our father go?” she asked, sitting between Mink and Sparkle.
Mink nodded. “It went okay. He’s a lot different than I thought he would be. He’s pretty nice.”
Piper nodded. “I’m learning that, too. We’re going to get to know him together.”
“He said I could call him Doug or Dad. It was up to me.” Mink stroked a hand over Stormy’s back. “It feels weird to me, but I’ll probably go with Dad. He’s got a lot of plans for his new electronics factory. He told me all about them. He’ll be doing the whole green thing. It’s going to mean jobs for Silver. Can’t have too many of those, can you?”
As they talked Jace turned on the TV and turned down a few of the lights. They settled in for a quiet evening of relaxation, something Piper soaked up like a sponge. A glance at her brother told her he was enjoying it as well. Though they hadn’t discussed it she didn’t think he had much of a social life. With the loss of his mother he would have been all alone.
Now they were making a family of their own and repairing the breaks with parents. Piper just prayed it all went well. She had found her men. She hoped Mink would find that special someone, or someones, soon. If his reaction to Rafe McNeil was anything to go by, her brother wasn’t indifferent to the handsome man. There was a few years difference in their ages, but she didn’t believe it was enough to be a problem. It was probably another reason why they didn’t know each other well, if at all. Rafe would have been a grown man by the time Mink was in his teens. They wouldn’t have been in school at the same time, or even in the same social circles.
One thing was certain, Rafe had very obviously taken an interest in her brother. Piper would keep an eye on that one and sent up another prayer that she had done the right thing in stirring up an interest between the two men.
As they were heading to bed a few hours later Mink, pausing at the bottom of the stairs, told his sister, “Don’t worry about waking me up. Jace gave me a pair of earplugs.”
Piper lunged for him, laughing. Mink stuck his tongue out at her and dashed up the stairs. “You know, I haven’t been upstairs yet. Maybe I could take a quick peek?”
“Tomorrow,” Merck said, pulling her into his arms so he could nuzzle on her neck. “I have plans for you right now.”
Jace pressed against her back, making a Piper sandwich. She loved it, her body echoing her thoughts with a powerful shudder of desire. Her nipples perked up, becoming hard under her shirt, while her pussy began preparing itself for some serious loving by her men.
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she asked in a purr, “And what would those plans involve, my darling man?”
“Well, we thought it was about time we made love to you at the same time.”
Piper knew what they were talking about without being told. Her heart began to pound in her chest and her breath quickened from between her lips. “That sounds like a good plan to me. I love being in the middle.” She rubbed herself against them as best she could.
Male growls of appreciation made her shiver. Big hands slid between the two of them. Jace caressed her small breasts through her clothing, molding her flesh, finding and tugging at her small nipples. Trembling, barely able to stand, Piper did the only thing she could. She held on. Merck bent and lifted her, which meant the hands on her breasts had to leave them. Moaning in protest, she squirmed in his arms as he carried her to their bedroom.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart,” Jace said with a chuckle. “We’re going to do a lot more touching before the night’s over.”
As the heat between the three of them increased they locked themselves away in the bedroom. Jace pulled her into his arms and kissed her until her toes curled and she was out of breath. When he released her she sagged weakly against him, gasping, and forcing herself to release the death grip she had on his shoulders.
The moment Piper’s clothes began to be removed she was nearly lost. Anticipation was zinging through her body. Her nipples were as hard as stones and aching. Her pussy was throbbing and she knew if she checked her clit would be demanding attention from two very skilled lovers.
It wasn’t until she was standing naked in the center of the room that she realized there was a fire in the fireplace and there was the sound of running water coming from the bathroom. Merck had been very busy while Jace distracted her with a mind-blowing kiss. Candles were lit and placed around the room. The lamps were out. It was all very soft and romantic. When sexy music filled the room she smiled. Her men knew just how to completely seduce her.
As if they needed it. Piper was theirs from the top of her head to the tip of her toes. She knew it and they knew it.
Chapter Eighteen
Merck came up behind Piper, his hands sliding around her naked body. He loved the feel of her warm, silken skin. There were times he felt almost guilty for touching her with hands hard and callused from years of working on the ranch. Almost, but not completely. Besides, she seemed to love it when he stroked her from head to toe. The woman had no complaints about his hands. Instead she encouraged his caresses by moving against each and every one he gave her.
Like now. A purr of pleasure reached Merck’s ears as he stroked up Piper’s sides to cup her small breasts for a moment. Taking her nipples between thumb and forefinger he rolled them then gave them a gentle tug.
“Oh, yes! I love when you do that!”
Jace smiled at him. Leaning toward one another above her head they shared a brief kiss.
“I love when you do that, too,” the silvery sweet voice said between them. “But I have to get out. I’m getting smooshed.”
They gave her room, and then Merck was sweeping her up in his arms and carrying her into the bathroom. They had shared several showers but had yet to take a bath together. The tub was huge, more than large enough to accommodate the three of them. Jace got in first, his cock now encased in latex and ready to go. Merck chuckled as Piper all but leapt over the side and onto their lover. Strong arms slid around her, pulling her down onto his chest as she straddled Jace’s groin. Wit
h some wiggling their tiny beauty was impaling herself on his rigid flesh. The three of them moaned in unison as she sank slowly down the length of him, the water rising around her thighs. He hadn’t put too much water in. He wanted to have fun, not a lengthy mop up session afterward.
Taking a moment to open a foil packet he rolled the condom down over his cock then reached for the waterproof lube. Piper and Jace were kissing passionately, her body pressed tightly to their lover’s water-slick torso, her arms wound around his neck. Merck’s gaze raked over her, admiring her back and the wet silver curls clinging to it, and the heart-shaped curves of her ass. Her creamy skin glowed in the candlelight.
Climbing into the tub Merck didn’t waste time on preliminaries. He guessed that Jace was close to losing his mind and his load, even though Piper had yet to move on his cock. The size of the tub gave him more than enough room to do what he needed to. He positioned himself between Jace’s muscular legs and opened the tube of lube. He squirted some on his fingers and over the puckered rosette of Piper’s pretty little asshole.
Preparing either of his lovers was half the fun for Merck. He loved gently stretching them, introducing finger after finger until they were ready to take his cock inside their dark channels. He watched as his fingers glided in and out of Piper’s body. Mewling sounds were coming from her. He looked up to see Jace watching him with those sexy, dark eyes of his.
Jace smiled and slid his hands down over Piper’s back until they reached the mounds of her ass. He parted them, fully exposing the prize. A moment later Merck was guiding the head of his cock to the twitching opening and pressing in.
The dark, silky channel welcomed Merck as he pressed forward, sinking slowly, gently, not wanting Piper to regret for even a moment that she allowed her men this special favor with her body. He didn’t want her to regret anything she had shared, or ever would share, with Jace and him.
With his groin pressing against Piper’s bottom, Merck gripped the end of the tub, bracing himself on his arms as he began moving his hips, stroking in and out of her tight little asshole. It clenched around his cock. As he pushed in and pulled out he could feel Jace’s cock through the membrane separating them. Their gazes locked. There was fire in his lover’s eyes, likely mirroring what was in his own. Heat was rising quickly in his body.
Knowing they didn’t have much more time before Piper came apart between them, or that they would lose their own grip on their control, Jace countered his every thrust, his every withdrawal, pulling out as he pushed in, thrusting powerfully into her cream-filled pussy even he withdrew from her clinging dark channel.
Their moans and gasps of pleasure filled the room. He and Jace whispered encouragement, praise. Piper whispered love words and then her own brand of encouragement, which always seemed to have curse words in it when she was losing herself to the raw, fiery pleasure of their passion.
“Fuck me harder! Oh, fuck yes!” Merck chuckled and drove deeper into her ass. “Oh, I love the feel of your cocks so deep inside of me!”
Merck leaned down to bit her ear. “Well, we love our cocks inside of you, baby. It’s one of our favorite things. Now, I believe Jace should hit the ‘fire’ button, don’t you?”
Not giving her a chance to respond, Jace’s hand moved then, a finger finding Piper’s clit. She went off like a rocket, her body arching, clamping down hard on both cocks buried in her. A scream of pleasure filled their ears, an additional catalyst to finding their own ball-clenching releases. Their triumphant shouts joined hers as they pumped and thrust, shook and arched as a near agony twisted through their bodies. Merck couldn’t take his eyes off Jace’s handsome face as the man beneath them watched Piper’s face with awed fascination. He was slightly jealous at that moment, but knew he would have the opportunity to witness it for himself soon. Their hunger for one another seemed endless.
After taking care of necessities Merck turned the water on and finished adding water. Jace grabbed the soap and began rubbing it over Piper’s back, which was now to him as she sat between his legs. That left her front for Merck to wash and he couldn’t say he was exactly disappointed.
They washed and rinsed her and as they did so it was obvious that Piper’s desire was rising once again, as was their own. She returned the favor of washing him, and then twisted around, sloshing water over the side of the tub, so she could wash Jace.
They were very clean and the floor was very wet by the time they left the bathtub. Once they’d dried off Merck threw the towels on the floor to soak up the water, then opened the drain.
The remainder of the night was making love softly, slowly, sweetly. Merck and Jace took turns making love to their woman. Then, when Jace made love to him, Piper held his hand and kissed them both, loving them with her words and the expression in her lovely gray eyes.
Grayson showed up just in time for breakfast the following morning. He had both good news and bad as he sat down to a plate of steak, eggs, and home fries. Jace filled his cup with coffee then took his place at the table.
“Okay, what’s happening? Any sign of Cragge?”
The sheriff chewed, swallowed, and then took a sip of coffee, which was very aggravating when they were so eager to hear news. “Well, it wasn’t Cragge. They caught him down in Tennessee. His family turned him in. Seems he’s not very popular, even with family. And that’s his alibi for when Piper’s house was broken into and her brakes were tampered with. They said he showed up the day after he was released from jail.”
“And Dennis Howell?”
“There’s still no sign of him. No one has a clue as to where he is, so he’s now our best suspect. I’ve issued a bulletin that he’s wanted for questioning. There’s not much more I can do at this point. There’s no evidence that he was ever close to Silver, let alone sneaking around and sabotaging. We’ll keep up the patrols, keep investigating. Cherry’s planning on going back to your old house, Piper, to see if she can find any more fingerprints or clues.”
It was frustrating to learn that Piper was still in danger. They would have to remain vigilant, watching for strangers in a town which attracted them. People were now coming from all over the world to enjoy the ski slopes in the winter, the glam camping, fishing, and many other activities to be found in the area during the few warmer months.
Jace knew that he would have to rely on his years in the military and subsequent years working as security for the rich and famous to help keep them all safe. He wouldn’t mention that, though. His lovers would certainly rib him about his success rate.
As if they’d read his mind, Merck asked, “Do you think we should hire a bodyguard for Piper?”
“Asshole,” Jace muttered, picking up and throwing a biscuit at the man seated across from him. “You guys are never going to let me forget that I lost one very small heiress, are you?”
Piper was grinning and shaking her head. “Not anytime soon. Suck it up and don’t be such a baby.”
Grayson laughed and finished the last bite of food on his plate. Then he was wiping his mouth and dropping the cloth napkin on the table. He rose and walked to where his hat was hung on a peg. They followed him to the front door.
“You know, it probably wouldn’t be a bad idea to get some more help. The cowhands here are fine for general guard work. But if it is Howell, and he has the experience I’ve read on him, then another professional keeping watch in the background might be good. If he’s around, he’ll know all my people, know our routines. The same with you guys. He’s going to find a weakness and exploit it. If you know anyone, Jace, I’d give them a call. Just let me know who it is so we don’t shoot the wrong guy sneaking around.”
Jace nodded. “I believe if you want someone with ninja skills, I’ll give my brother a call. He’s between jobs and getting fat and lazy. Our mom probably wouldn’t mind getting him out of the house, too.”
Once they woke up Mink, who had fallen asleep halfway through breakfast, they took care of the pets. Merck kissed everyone but Piper’s brother befo
re heading out to the barns. It was barely seven o’clock when they finally headed into town.
Piper and Mink went over to the doggie spa first, checking that everything was ready for that day’s clients. After making them lock the door after him, Jace went to the store he would be setting up his own business up in. He was helping the woman who owned the stationary store pack up everything. She was already there and was quite excited about the move. They were sorting out the cardboard cartons she had made up when his phone rang.
With a hasty promise to be right back, Jace ran down the sidewalk to the doggie spa. Mink was there to open the door. He pushed the gate open to pass through into the spa from the waiting area.
“Piper?”
“Around here, Jace.”
Rounding the corner he stopped dead when he saw what had caused the panic. On the far wall, above the row of kennel stalls, were words spray-painted in a dramatic fashion and in bright red.
PIPER YOU’RE MINE!!!
Slashing lines underlined it and sent chills down his spine. Whoever it was wasn’t playing with a full deck. First there was the breakin at her house, then the brakes in her SUV, and now this.
Pulling Piper into his arms he guided her back out to the reception desk and had her sit in the chair. “Mink, could you go next door to see if anything’s been messed with there? No wait,” he said, stopping his future brother-in-law. “We should let the sheriff and his people go in first. There might be evidence of some kind.”
Mink, pale and shaking, just stood there and nodded. He pulled up the hem of his T-shirt and began twisting it as Jace called the sheriff, then Merck, with his cellphone.
The painted words flashed in his head. They were terribly personal. Even if they hadn’t learned Cragge had been captured, it was not likely something he would have written as a message. He might hate her, blame her for his own stupidity and violence, but he would have worded a threat differently. No, whoever had done this knew Piper and was sending a very personal message.
