She moaned and braced her hands, ready for him. Her ass was aching, and she felt consumed by him with his cock buried so deep inside her. They couldn’t get any closer.
He began to thrust—slowly at first—gradually picking up speed until her breasts bounced with each movement, shooting tendrils of ecstatic sensation to her clit which was still trapped between his fingers. He increased the tension on it, almost pinching it, and her legs began to shake beneath her as the tension soared and soared, going higher until it finally exploded.
Waves of rapture pulsed all through her as he encouraged her in his rough, sexy voice. He grasped her hips hard with both hands and thrust deep, driving his cock in and out of her until all that was left was the barrage of sensations as another orgasm rolled through her and he howled with satisfaction.
Wrapping his arms around her, he held her so tight she couldn’t move, which sent her over the edge again, and the rumble in his chest vibrated through her as he came.
He whispered passionate words, telling her he loved fucking her. She loved it, too. The tender way he held her afterward made her heart burn with hope that there was more to this than lust. It was either hope for that or savor the memories she was making with them until she returned to Montana.
* * * *
“No, no, I understand completely, Jane,” Tabitha muttered into her phone, practically grinding her molars into dust. I understand you’re no friend of mine.
“It would be one thing if I knew how long you needed to live with me. And of course there is the cat box issue. I already have my two cats, and you know how they are when they’re suddenly expected to share a box. Have you asked your mom?”
“Not yet. I was hoping…” —to avoid having to humble myself…again. Even the thought of what had happened to force her to move back home the last time made her cringe with shame.
Jane rattled on. “And you know you really don’t like my boyfriend anyway. You two probably wouldn’t get along and I’d just…Well, I hope you understand, hon.”
Sure, hon. I understand, hon. I’ve always been there for you and when you suddenly get a life, you don’t have time for your old friends. I get it. Ungrateful bitch. That was what she got for taking Jane under her wing a few years before. Ever since she’d gotten a life and started hanging out with some of the other single people in Divine, unrepentant losers, she didn’t have time for Tabitha, or room, evidently.
“Well, I have to go, Tabitha. I wish you luck finding a place to live. It’s too bad you lost your job over that…misunderstanding.”
“You sound like you don’t believe me, Jane. It really was a misunderstanding.”
“Sure, sure. Why don’t you try your mom? She has that big house. Sure, she’s…your mom, but at least she’d have room in her house for your cats and all your stuff. Until you can find your own place, of course. I’m sure it’ll all work out. Hey, you should come visit the quilter’s group sometime. The ladies ask about you from time to time.”
With a sneer, Tabitha said, “I don’t have time for quilting these days. I’m too busy with Keep Divine Pure, and my blog and newsletter, to worry about crafting.” She also detested listening to those ladies go on about their husbands, families, and grandbabies.
“Well…all right then. You…be well, Tabitha.”
“You take care of yourself, Jane,” Tabitha ground out before ending the call. Thankless bitch.
Well, that left only one other option.
Tabitha clenched her teeth as she looked at the touch screen on her phone. She really didn’t want to call that number but it looked like she had no choice. No job and no money meant she couldn’t pay her rent, which meant moving home until she found another job. Mr. Whiskers meowed plaintively as he rubbed against the leg of her green sweatpants. She dialed the number, praying for patience. This call wasn’t nearly as easy for her to make as Jane made it out to be.
“Hello?”
“Mom?”
“Eh? Oh, hello, Tabitha,” her mother said on the line, her elderly voice as strong as ever. “How are you?”
“Listen, Mom. I’ve lost my job and I need to move home.”
“Oh, good Lord! What now?” her mother shouted into the phone.
Shit.
* * * *
Hank held his cell phone away to protect his hearing from the shrill squeal on the other end of the phone but he could still hear Dr. Emma Rivers from a distance. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Hank, you’re the best. With you signed on, I’ll be able to talk some of the other big cheeses in Divine into participating. Do you think you can assemble your own team?”
“Another guy and a woman? Sure, no problem, Doc.”
Son, what have you gotten yourself into?
“The Wheelchair Drag Race Charity Relay is going to be a huge help to the Hill Country Boy’s Ranch, Hank. With Chance and Clayton Carlisle donating the use of the land, the funds they’ve raised so far, and the money from the relay and the Downtown Wassail Fest, they’ll be able to break ground next year. Thank you.”
Hank smiled. The gratitude in her voice choked him up a little but the warm fuzzies came to a screeching halt when she reminded him of one of the details in the relay race. “Do you need help getting your costumes ready?”
Wheelchair racing…in drag. Awesome. “No, doc. I have someone who can help me put a costume together.”
“You’re not gonna flake on me, are you?” Emma replied with a giggle. “Remember, all those boys are counting on you.”
“Don’t worry about that. This is for a good cause. By the way, I know some other guys who I’m willing to bet would like to get involved, too.”
“Who?”
“Cody, Heath, and Spencer. They were raised in the foster care system. I’ll call them for you and if they’re interested, I’ll give them your number.”
“Wonderful. Thank you, Hank. Um, so….”
“Yeah?”
“I was curious…”
Hank chuckled and shook his head as he gazed out of his windshield at the long expanse of road in front of his department SUV. Emma was fishing. “About what?”
“The pretty lady you and that hot game warden friend of yours were flirting with Saturday night. Grace told me she’s a visiting writer from Montana.”
“The game warden is Travis McDaniel. I’ll make sure and introduce him to you next time. And the pretty lady is Veronica Benedict.”
“I don’t mean to be nosey. She seems kind of shy.” He could hear the questions in her statement.
“She is until you get to know her. She’s a sweetheart, too.”
“The name sounds familiar. I’ll have to look her up. Well, I wish you the best of luck with her, if things…Well, crap.”
“Emma, just say what you want to say.”
“Okay. I’ve noticed over the last few years that you’ve seemed so solitary. Alone. I like seeing you with someone who puts the light in your eyes. I hope she knows what a sweetheart you are.”
“Careful, darlin’. I can’t have you damaging my reputation for intimidation.”
He couldn’t keep a straight face as Emma gigglesnorted into the phone. “Save that for the criminals and crazies because I know what a softy you really are.”
He was pretty soft where the ladies of Divine were concerned, Emma in particular. They’d nearly lost this fine doctor a couple of years before when she was shot and nearly killed by someone who’d been stalking the men she loved, Duke Rivers and Gage Randall. It’d been a miracle that she’d survived emergency open-heart surgery.
“Yeah, just call me marshmallow. I’ll get Veronica to help me and Travis put together costumes.” He grinned, imagining Travis’s reaction to finding out he’d be dressing in drag for a wheelchair relay race. His day was looking better all the time.
“I hope he doesn’t mind.”
“I don’t think so. He’s pretty passionate about education and helping the younger generation.”
“A game warden?”
“He’s done more than serve as a game warden. He’s worked with wildlife and game management programs, wetlands and agricultural programs, and volunteered at schools to talk to students about stewardship and career opportunities. I’ll tell him about the Hill Country Boy’s Ranch and I predict he’ll jump on board.”
“Then I’ll leave you to make that call, Hank. Have a great day.”
He disconnected and called Travis.
Travis’s voice came on the line. “Yeah.” He sounded like he was lying down.
Hank checked his watched and grinned. “It’s only nine o’clock. She’s already worn you out?”
Travis chuckled softly and Hank heard a rustling sound as though he was moving around. “We wore each other out. I think she’s making up for lost sleep.”
“Good. Let her sleep. Did you enjoy your morning so far?”
“You know I did. I’m glad you didn’t object to time alone with her.”
“Not at all. I go by what Jack, Ethan, and Adam tell me. If it works for them, maybe it’ll work for us. I have a question for you.”
“Shoot.”
“How do you feel about wearing pink?”
Five minutes later after the shock had worn off, Travis had agreed to participate. Now all Hank had to do was find a costume that came in a size that would fit him and Travis…and Veronica, if she agreed.
He was looking for Cody Welsh’s phone number, to invite the bears to participate in the wheelchair relay race, when his phone began ringing. He swiped the screen and wanted to groan as he saw caller ID and put the phone to his ear. “Hank Stinson.”
“Sheriff Stinson, this is Tabitha Lester.”
“How are you this fine morning, Miss Lester?”
“Not very happy, Sheriff. Please tell me that what I’m hearing about you and that friend of yours are simply ugly rumors!”
Hank’s eyebrow shot up. “Excuse me?”
“You’re not involving yourself in a polyamorous relationship, are you?” She sounded horrified when she said it and the poly word sounded like it tasted bad on her tongue.
“Miss Lester, you know I’m always happy to hear from you, and to hear your opinions about how Divine can be a better place, and how I can do my job better, but I draw the line firmly at personal questions.”
Tabitha gasped. “Oh, Lord. You didn’t say no. That means you are, doesn’t it? How can you—”
“Miss Lester, you’re entitled to your opinions. My personal life does not dictate how I do my job. And my constituents will not dictate my personal life. Did you have any other matters to discuss?”
“Well…I guess not, since you’re…one of them now. I was calling to clear up that nasty rumor and to invite you to Keep Divine Pure’s next meeting on Sunday. We wanted to hear your thoughts about the problem growing in our community, but…” She chuckled bitterly. “I can see that’s not going to happen. May I just say I am very disappointed.”
“Yes, you may, ma’am. If that’s all, have a good day.”
The line went dead and he held back the urge to throw his phone. He should’ve asked where she’d heard the rumor but it didn’t matter. He cared what the voters in Divine thought of him but he wasn’t about to let a lone citizen dictate his personal life. Next, she’d be peeping in his windows.
Chapter Twelve
Fresh from a shower, Travis was zipping up his jeans and buttoning his shirt when Veronica slipped into the bathroom and snuggled up behind him, rubbing her full breasts in a move that enticed him to stay naked. He loved the sweet sound she made, almost like a purr, and he watched in the mirror’s reflection as her graceful hands slid around his waist and upward to his chest.
“Ready to get started on work, Nika?” Maybe thinking about the fact she needed to get started would help to tame his cock. Not.
“Yes. You inspired me, Travis,” she murmured, and he could feel the heat from her cheek between his shoulder blades as she pressed it to him.
“So our getting together has been good for your work?” he asked, the hollow feeling opening up in his chest again. He wanted to be more than research to her but wouldn’t push her. She’d been pushed enough for one lifetime.
She peeked out from behind his arm and he could see the turmoil in her eyes. “It’s more than that to me, Travis. Yes, it’s going to make a huge difference in my stories. You and Hank have opened a whole new world to me. But—”
The crater in his chest deepened, hoping for her next words but they were interrupted by a loud, rapid knocking at the door and the sound of voices, and thumping outside.
Travis frowned and looked at her. “Were you expecting company?”
Veronica shook her head. “No. I was going to search online for our costumes for that race and then I was going to write until the two of you came back tonight.”
Travis helped her into her silky robe, since she was still nude, and she followed him to the front door. Multiple voices sounded on the porch and before he could reach the door, more rapid knocking filled the quiet of the house. He looped an arm around her and slid her behind him and opened the door.
A bevy of women, of all ages and sizes stood on the front porch, all chattering excitedly until their eyes landed on him. Beyond the porch, more stood on the walkway while others were climbing from the cars lined up in front of the house. There had to be at least twenty women, maybe more. Their spokesman, the woman who’d knocked, took one look at him and a pink blush filled her cheeks and she stammered unintelligibly. In the distance, he could see Jack, Angel, and the ranch foreman, Ash Peterson, along with several ranch hands, making their way down to the old foreman’s house.
“Good afternoon, ladies, can I help you?”
“We…Uh. Hi. We—” She finally fell silent.
Another woman came near and put her arm around the shoulder of the stammering woman and smiled from ear to ear, her eyes twinkling. “What my sister Sue is trying to say, sir, is that we hope we’ve come to the right place. My name is Tracy Farmer and we are the admins of the Heart of Texas Romance Reader’s Forum, and these are a number of our group members. Veronica Benedict invited our group to a private meet and greet at this location, complete with driving directions. Is she here?”
Travis heard Veronica’s gasp and felt it when her body trembled against him and she gripped his arms tightly.
The ladies whispered amongst themselves, obviously reacting to the confusion on his face. Veronica tugged at his shirt and he held up his hand for quiet. “Ladies, hold on for just one minute. I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.”
Miss Farmer nodded and smiled at him, unperturbed, while the other ladies looked confused. He closed the door, silently slid the bolt home, and drew her away from it, relieved the drapes were already all drawn. The shock on her face said it all.
“You didn’t invite anyone out here did you?”
“No, Travis, I didn’t. Oh my gosh. If they see Grace—”
Travis said, “I’ll go talk to them.”
“And tell them what, Travis? Someone obviously intended this situation to turn out bad. I can’t have that. We can’t send them away.”
Travis nodded as she picked up her phone. “Ask them to give me five minutes. I’ll get dressed and then I’ll talk to them.”
“Jack and some of the guys were coming up the drive.”
“Okay, go out there and talk to them privately. Explain what has happened and ask for their help.” She pulled up the reader’s forum on her smartphone browser and looked at it. “I did a chat with these ladies right before my first erotic romance came out. I haven’t been back to the group forum since.” Her jaw fell open and she closed her eyes. “Here’s the invitation.”
He looked over his shoulder. Sure enough. It was there on the group’s home page in bold, colorful lettering. A meet and greet with Veronica Benedict, on that day and at that time. And to top it off the time for the event was all day, so more people might show up as the day progressed.
She tapped on t
he icon for the member posting the invitation and sighed. “Someone set up an account as V. Benedict and posted it. There’s no profile or contact information.”
Veronica looked up at him, worry in her eyes. “I don’t mind if they know that a troll did this but I can’t disappoint them. I won’t. Those ladies are on Facebook and all over the place promoting my books. I can’t pay them back by doing that.”
Travis nodded and said, “After I talk with the guys, I’ll call Hank.”
“Call Ace and Kemp, too. We need to get to the bottom of this.”
Travis stopped and turned back. “Whoever did this knows your location, Nika.”
She stopped in mid-stride and looked back at him. Fear making an appearance in her eyes before she firmed her lips and shook her head. “As long as I’m with you, I’ll be okay. After we take care of these ladies, we’ll figure out what to do.”
No more chats, for starters. One of those chats had to be how they’d pinpointed her location. And the GPS on her phone needs to get turned off, too.
She hurried down the hallway and he reopened the front door and stepped out onto the front porch. Tracy nodded understandingly as he explained he needed to talk to the approaching men before saying anything. He had the feeling the ladies were beginning to catch on that they’d been snookered.
Two minutes later, he wasn’t the only righteously indignant man on the ranch. Jack, Angel, Ash, and the ranch hands put their heads together and helped him come up with a plan, and then they all went about their tasks, some to take care of ranch business and others to set up an afternoon and evening of fun for the ladies who’d taken time out of their lives on a weekday to some spend time with Veronica.
Travis walked back to the group of ladies, smiling at three who’d just pulled up and were getting out of their car, and then waved to Tracy and Sue to come closer and for the others to gather around. “Okay, ladies, first of all, let me thank you for making the long drive out to Divine. Veronica and I want to welcome you to the Divine Creek Ranch—”
Awakening Veronica [Divine Creek Ranch 17] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 19
