Swelter

by D. Jackson Leigh

  August tucked Teal away at the end of the bar and strolled into the fray. “Everything okay here, Brick?”

  “Hey, August.” Brick moved behind Tommy, keeping a steadying hand on the young wrangler’s shoulder, so August could take up a position beside him. “I think Tommy’s had one beer too many, so I was thinking I’d give him and Penney a ride. I’ll drop Manny off here on my way home so he can drive Tommy’s truck back to The White Paw.”

  August nodded. “Well, since Teal and I are here, how about you take Penney to her house, then go on home to Angela. I’ll drive Tommy back to the ranch to sleep off the beer, and Teal can follow in his truck.”

  “Even better.”

  “Not so fast.” The buff biker grinned at Penney. “I don’t think sweet thing is ready to go home, are you, darlin’?”

  He might be good-looking, but obviously Neanderthals had raised him.

  Penney didn’t seem to notice. She smiled up at him. “I’m still a little thirsty,” she said with a flicker of her mascara-laden eyelashes.

  Did she actually bat her eyes at him?

  “I’ll buy you a cola on your way to your daddy’s house,” Brick said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders to guide her toward the door.

  The biker had other ideas. He wrapped a meaty hand around Penney’s arm. “I say she stays.”

  The tavern’s door swung open and BJ strode in. “Got a problem here?”

  “Just making sure we don’t,” August said, checking quickly that Teal was still in a safe spot as the other bikers edged closer. She focused on the buff biker again.

  Penney seemed to have decided she’d bitten off more than she could chew and was trying to squirm out of the biker’s grasp. “You’re hurting me,” she whined.

  Geez. August would never understand why straight women loved to light fires when they had no intention of cooking. Tommy shook off Brick’s hand and surged forward, but August blocked his path, stepping between the biker and Tommy.

  “Look. We don’t want any trouble. I’ll just take them out of here and you can get on with your night.” She put her hand on the biker’s wrist but tried a different tactic when he didn’t release his hold on Penney’s arm. “The girl is underage. Ask the bartender. I’ll bet he’s been serving her nonalcoholic beer all night because he knows her ID is fake.”

  “I am not!” Penney thrust out her over-sized bust as evidence of her womanhood. “I turned twenty-one last month.”

  August almost rolled her eyes. Apparently, the boobs were real. The silicon was in her head, replacing brain cells.

  The biker grinned. “Then she’ll be staying.”

  August spoke low but clear as BJ moved to her side. “Brick, get these two outside. BJ and I will take care of things in here.”

  “I’m on it.”

  At that instant, she gouged her thumb into the biker’s wrist, and Brick yanked the girl free, dragging her and Tommy toward the door.

  “What the fuck?” The biker jerked back and shook his hand, then leaned into August’s personal space, his eyes narrowing. “You shouldn’t have done that.”

  The other bikers laughed. Their eyes gleamed as they formed a threatening semicircle around August and BJ but taunted their fellow biker. “What’s the matter, Buck? You gonna let that woman boss you like she does those cowboys?”

  The buff biker snarled at their insults, pushing his face closer to August’s. “I’m going to teach you a lesson for that, bitch.”

  “We don’t want trouble, mister. Why don’t you stand down, and we’ll clear out.” BJ inexplicably moved a few steps away, putting space between him and August.

  “You’d do best to get out of the way, old man. I’m thinking that since this bitch ran off the best-looking woman in this dump, I’ll just have to settle for a little fun with her.”

  August grinned. “Put your hands on me, short dick, and I’ll show you how much fun I can be.”

  The bartender groaned and squatted behind the bar to begin punching numbers on his cell phone.

  “It’s about time you called the police,” Teal said, whispering as she kneeled beside him. She couldn’t believe he’d waited this long.

  The bartender gave her a disgusted look, then spoke into the phone. “Hey. You know where that catalog is that I use to order new tables and chairs? I’m going to need it. August Reese is back in town. She and BJ are here, fixing to mix it up with a gang of bikers. Yeah. Well, I need some new furniture anyway. This way, The White Paw can pay for it.”

  Teal stared at him in amazement. “That wasn’t the police.”

  “Hell, no.” He gave her an irritated look. “That was my wife. I’m not calling the cops. They’ll write a report that’ll show up when my alcohol license comes up for review. I don’t need that. Those bikers won’t go whining to the cops either. If they need medical attention, they’ll just say they fell off their bike after drinking too much.”

  Teal was incredulous. “Are you crazy? That’s a woman and an old man against eight bikers. The smallest one has to weigh two-fifty.” She began to search for some type of weapon. Didn’t bartenders keep a shotgun or something stashed under the bar?

  They both peeked over the top of the bar at the sound of a loud crash. August was standing with her back to the crowd, and the biker was on the floor at her feet, shaking his head. BJ had her back, eyeing the others as they hooted and laughed.

  “She’s a wild one, Buck. Maybe you should let one of us show you how to handle that kind.”

  Buck stood and dusted himself off. He grinned. “I’m just getting started.” He dove for her, but when she ducked to flip him over her back again, he grabbed hold to take her down with him. She threw a quick elbow between his legs and he howled, releasing her in time for her to complete the flip and land him once again on his back, where he writhed and gripped his crotch.

  Another biker made a grab for her. She blocked his arm and punched him in the nose. An awful crunching sound was followed by a torrent of blood as he staggered backward.

  The rest of the bikers closed in, and BJ joined the action. His wiry frame seemed no match for the muscled bulls, but he struck with speed and accuracy that stunned Teal. The bikers appeared like clumsy giants as he spun and weaved among them, punching and kicking knees, throats, faces, and other vulnerable parts.

  Suddenly, Teal realized she was watching a strangely choreographed dance. BJ and August were back to back, moving in sync to dispatch the bikers surrounding them. At one point, BJ snatched up two short legs of a broken chair, then tossed August the long leg of a smashed table, and they used the wood as weapons. Using the table leg like a staff, August swept a biker’s knee, then downed him with a blow to the head. BJ wielded the chair legs in a blur that battered ribs, elbows, and heads.

  It was over all too quick. No bikers and only one table remained standing.

  August turned to BJ and bowed. “Sensei, it was my honor to be at your side again.”

  BJ returned the bow. “Grasshopper. I am pleased to see you haven’t deserted your training.” They grinned at each other. “You always were my best student.”

  “Wow,” Teal said, rising from her hiding place. “That was amazing.”

  August grinned, using her shirttail to wipe the sweat from her face. “That’s why BJ calls me ‘Grasshopper.’”

  BJ stepped over a groaning biker. A few of them were beginning to sit up. “You want us to stay until they clear out?” he asked the bartender.

  Tank burst through the door. “Oh, man. I missed it, didn’t I?”

  August laughed. “Yeah, you did, buddy. Who called you?”

  “Penney. That girl’s trouble, but she’s my cousin.” He laughed. “She couldn’t believe Brick left you two here alone with these roughnecks.”

  “Y’all go on,” the bartender said. “Tank can hang around until these fellers can drag themselves out to their bikes, and I’ve got Betsy here in case they try to cause any more trouble.” He reached into the stockroom doorway at
the end of the bar and retrieved a double-barrel shotgun. Right. That was the next place Teal would have looked.

  *

  August’s body still hummed with adrenaline as she drove Tommy, whom she found snoring in her truck where Brick had left him, back to the ranch. Her eyes were constantly drawn to the headlights in her rearview mirror—Teal following in Tommy’s truck. She wanted her, wanted her in the worst way. Would Teal understand? August had experienced a split second of uncertainty when she realized Teal had watched her commit violence on those men, then relaxed at the wonder in Teal’s eyes. Not that August condoned violence, but the martial-arts lessons had been necessary when she’d come out in high school and discovered that some men saw lesbians as a challenge to be physically converted or conquered.

  She parked by the ranch house and watched Teal pull up next to the bunkhouse, where she was met by Hawk. He took the keys to Tommy’s truck and walked Teal over to where August was shaking Tommy awake.

  “I’ve got him, Boss,” Hawk said. His white teeth flashed in the dim light. “Sorry I missed the show.” He hauled Tommy from the truck and held on while he found his balance.

  August was surprised. “News travels fast. I thought Brick had already left to take Penney home.”

  “Yep. He did. But Chuck Wheeler was tucked in that corner booth, recording the whole thing on his iPhone. He sent the video to me.” He eyed her, then bowed slightly. “No rust on your skills. Anytime you feel like a little practice, I’d be honored to spar a few rounds.”

  “Thanks. I’d like that.”

  He nodded. “Then I’ll take this upstart off your hands and let you get on with your evening. Good night.”

  August watched Hawk guide Tommy’s stumbling path back to the bunkhouse. She could feel Teal’s gaze on her. Maybe since she’d had time alone in Tommy’s truck to think, Teal had decided their little display wasn’t all that cool. She wasn’t ready to see what Teal’s eyes held for her. Instead, she blindly held out her hand, and when she felt Teal’s fingers lace with hers, she led her inside and down the hall to her bedroom. Teal apparently didn’t feel the same uncertainty.

  The moment they stepped inside, Teal slammed the door closed and spun them so August’s back was against it. Her mouth was hot and demanding, her tongue pushing past August’s lips and thrusting past her teeth. August’s body damn near ignited with the onslaught.

  “Off, get these clothes off.” Teal ripped August’s shirt open, her fingers grappling to divest August of her bra. She growled. “I love that Western shirts have snaps instead of buttons.”

  “Teal.” August almost winced at the pleading in her voice, but she was a pressure cooker about to explode. “God, I need you.”

  Teal was already tossing off her own shirt, and then her mouth was on August’s breast sucking hard, nipping lightly. Her fingers found the buttons on August’s jeans and worked them open with quick precision. Then she paused to slide the jeans down August’s hips slowly. “I really love it when you go commando.”

  “Teal. Oh, God.”

  Teal worked August’s turgid flesh with her mouth, stroking and sucking.

  “I’m going to—”

  But Teal stopped, thrusting her fingers inside. August groaned as she was filled below and Teal’s tongue again filled her mouth. Teal’s bare breasts were soft as they pressed against hers, but her jeans were rough, rubbing August’s bare legs as she thrust her fingers and her tongue into August’s body, capturing her, claiming her. The orgasm came so fast, so hard August was drawing a breath one second and exploding the next. But the climax only fed her need.

  Before she’d fully come down, she jerked Teal’s fingers from her body, picked her up, and tossed her onto the bed. She toed off her boots to step out of her jeans, then tugged Teal’s boots off, throwing them across the room, and jerked Teal’s unfastened jeans down her legs. Both completely naked, August fell on Teal, her sweat-slicked body meeting Teal’s soft, cool skin. She feasted on Teal like a starving animal, tasting, touching nearly every part of her. She didn’t think she’d ever satisfy her hunger for this woman. August plunged her fingers into Teal’s tight sex and pumped.

  “Your mouth. I want your mouth.”

  She would not, could never deny Teal. Brushing her face across Teal’s fragrant curls, she probed with her tongue as she thrust with her fingers. When she found the hard knot growing at the top of her clit, she sucked it in, and Teal’s body bowed as she screamed out her orgasm.

  “Not enough,” August said urgently.

  Teal wrenched free and rolled onto her belly. “Your thumb inside, your fingers on my clit.”

  August loved a woman who knew what she wanted. She also loved a great ass, and Teal had a superior derriere. She planted kisses along Teal’s back and nipped her buttocks as she thrust sure and steady. She pressed hard against the rough spot under her thumb pad and felt Teal’s clit swell again.

  “Oh, yeah, babe. Right there. Just like that.” Teal raised her hips slightly to give August a prime view and better leverage. “Don’t stop. God, that feels good.”

  Stop? Nothing could make her stop. She needed more.

  August straddled one of Teal’s legs and pumped against her firm buttock. Oh, yeah. She could come again. Being commanded to take Teal like this was primal and beyond erotic.

  “Yes, yes. Don’t stop, don’t stop. Harder.”

  Teal’s body tensed and she screamed into the pillow. Another thrust, another, and August was howling along with her. She collapsed only when Teal went limp. Their hearts pounded against each other as though trying to break out of their physical prisons and meld.

  “I think I’m done,” Teal said, her voice weak.

  August carefully withdrew and rolled off Teal. She stared up at the ceiling, willing her breath and heart to slow.

  “God, I don’t know where that came from.” Teal’s voice held a bit of uncertainty. “Was it okay?”

  “More than okay. It was…amazing.”

  Obviously reassured, Teal cuddled against her side and soon was fast asleep. As she well should be. It was late, no, early the next day. August had been up most of the night fucking and fighting and fucking. So why wasn’t she sleepy, too?

  Because her mind couldn’t shut down. Teal had incredibly tapped into a part of August that Christine had never sensed, never understood. August wasn’t sure she understood herself until now. But that’s what scared her. She’d connected with Christine in a haze of hormones, too. Was that how it always happened? Was she always going to be led around by her ovaries? Talk about the lesbian U-Haul cliché. She wasn’t even technically finished with Christine, and she was falling for Teal. Wait. This was just sex. She wasn’t falling for anyone. She can’t get involved. Reyes would use Christine against her if he could. He doesn’t need more leverage. And, what did she really know about Teal? BJ hadn’t asked for references from her last job. Teal had a ten-year blank in her past that she always managed to talk around.

  August looked down at the woman slumbering on her shoulder. Teal’s long-fingered hand splayed across August’s belly, fingers that moments before had been inside her, commanding her, pleasuring her. Her sex clenched at the thought. Teal was incredible all right, too incredible. And August was in so much trouble.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The men were gathered around the big-screen television when August strolled into the bunkhouse Saturday morning. She knew Tommy had Saturday calf watch and wanted to make sure he was up fulfilling his duties rather than nursing his hangover.

  “What’s so interesting?”

  The men stepped back so she could see past them. It was a video of her and BJ roughing up the bikers. Grainy, and a poor angle, but it was them. Oh, yeah. Chuck and his iPhone. The thought hit her like a hammer.

  “Holy crap! That isn’t going viral, is it?”

  “It should.” Brick grinned. “But Chuck has only about six followers on his YouTube station, and four of them are standing here.”

&n
bsp; “Make him take it down. That could lead Reyes straight to me.”

  Hawk’s eyes widened. “Damn it. She’s right. I can do that. I set up his account for him because he’s too stupid. I know his password.” He began typing on the laptop that was feeding the video.

  Tommy came through the front door and groaned. “Haven’t you guys watched that enough?” He dropped his gaze to the floor when August turned to face him.

  “You check all the herds already?” She kept a firm tone. She wouldn’t cut him any slack for being young and foolish.

  “Yes, ma’am. All but the west pasture. I’m headed there next, but—” He clutched his stomach as it let out a loud growl. “I needed the bathroom.” He glanced about desperately and ran for the toilet when August waved a hand to shoo him in that direction.

  “Boy has the runs something powerful,” Pops said. “Mixing beer and liquor will do it.”

  Manny reached for his hat. “Guess I’ll check the west pasture for him.”

  But August held up her hand. “No, he did the drinking. He’ll pay the price. That’s what Gus made me do. I never forgot it.” She turned to Pops. “But get some toast or some kind of bread and some Pepto-Bismol in him before he heads out again. The cows aren’t running off anywhere in the next hour or so.”

  Pops nodded but eyed her. “Need anything else?”

  “Yeah. I’m going into town with Teal. I want to talk to John Stutts about some stuff, and Tank said he has the check for her car now. I didn’t figure you’d mind if I left Rio with you.”

  Pops’s face lit up, and he slapped his thigh for Rio to sit next to him. “I never mind her company. She can help me dig some potatoes out of the garden later. She’s getting pretty good at it.”

  August shook her head. “She’s supposed to be a herding dog, not a gardening dog.”

  Pops stroked Rio’s head. “Well, nobody needs a one-trick pony, now do they?” He looked up at August. “You git on. We’ll be fine.”