Her blistered bottom would heal, but the chafing skin made him long to kiss away the pain. As his cock slipped between her globes, he gently massaged her hips, careful not to open the blisters dotting her silken skin.
“Don’t, Kemper,” she crooned, kissing the end of Colt’s cock. “Don’t slow down. Don’t stop.”
“Shh, Kelly,” Kemper whispered, his palms framing her bottom. The moments of calling her his submissive had long since passed. At that particular moment, he wanted to draw her back against his chest and simply love her.
Colt’s body language changed and Crue bracketed a protective arm around her waist, clutching her as they hammered inside her. Colt possessed her mouth while Crue ravaged her body, pounding like a sex-starved animal as he stroked her pussy. Kemper, to his amazement, lost his control as she bucked underneath him.
“Now, sub,” Crue said, shifting his weight. “Come with us, sub.”
The slurping sounds were crude and erotic as their bodies came together as one. They rocked to and fro until their carnal screams resounded and they collapsed in a heap, securing her in their loving arms.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The bed was as big as any she’d ever seen. Twice the size of a king mattress, the furniture had been clearly designed for the needs they had in mind.
“The Donovans took care of all this?” she asked, rubbing her bottom and anxious to find some salve to soothe the burn. “Do you really expect me to believe you didn’t have anything to do with the chosen décor?”
Colt appeared pleased. “I had a little something to do with the bedroom.”
“We all did,” Brand said, not to be outdone.
“I can only imagine,” she whispered, admiring the view from the window. While Pahrump hardly provided the most picturesque landscape, the ranch and everything about the property looked made-to-order. She couldn’t imagine a more lovely setting, and her father’s place in Red Rock Canyon was hard to trump.
“Why here?” She turned to Crue. “If we’re staying in Nevada, why didn’t the Donovans spend the money to repair the other property?”
“That’s a question for Riley Donovan. He said the ground here was better for building the tunnels.”
“So we have underground facilities here, too?” she asked.
“We will. State of the art, just like what we had at Daniel’s.” Brand immediately sealed his lips. Frowning, he quickly said, “I’m sorry, Kelly.”
She waved him away when he reached for her. They couldn’t tiptoe around Daniel and any mention of him. She knew that. He’d been a huge part of their lives. He’d built the Underground Unit’s western operations.
Taking a troubled breath, she tried to forget Red Rock Canyon and dismiss the empty void she felt at the mention of her father once more. She could think about him on her own terms, but for some reason, when one of her men mentioned him, her heart shattered.
“Come on,” Gabe said, grabbing her hand. “I want to show you something.”
Leading her to the master bathroom, he turned on the light. Extravagant pine beams stretched across the room. Gorgeous Southwest designs using an assortment of tan and turquoise tiles formed ornate patterns across two walls. A large sunken tub looked all the more inviting with the floor-to-ceiling windows encasing the oversized Jacuzzi.
Five sinks and plenty of vanity area and a mirror with track lighting to make even showgirls jealous added to the appeal, but her favorite area was definitely the shower, built to accommodate at least a party of seven or eight. Not that more than six would ever occupy the space.
Built-in tile shelves and benches made her long for sex in the shower, if her ass could stand another round of good loving.
“Come on,” Brand said, leading her away from Gabe. “There’s something I want you to see.”
They walked through the galley kitchen and family room. The long hallway led through a maze of bedrooms and baths, a library and den, and a large media room complete with an alcove full of movies. Entering the boardroom, a common feature in the Underground Unit compounds, Brand pointed to the pasture. “Beyond that field, you’ll find what you always wanted.”
“A stable?”
“Yes, you have a stable, but—” He twisted his head and cursed under his breath.
Understanding his near slip, she took his hand in hers and said, “Show me, Brand.”
As they walked down a dimly lit path, he said, “I don’t want to hurt you when I mention your father.”
“He’s around every corner. His ghost will forever haunt me, but his memory will also bring the occasional smile.” She stopped and looked into his eyes. “He was closest to you, Brand. I understand his death was difficult for you and I’ve been insensitive. I’m sorry.”
Tilting her chin, he left a peck upon her lips. “You have nothing to be sorry about.”
As if she hadn’t been loved one way and fucked another, a ripple of heat cascaded over her body as he brushed his knuckles across her cheek. Putting his arm around her shoulder, he watched her as if he fully understood what was on her mind. A slow smile tilted his lips and he said, “Come. I can’t wait for you to see this.”
Walking about two hundred feet, they took a left and strolled through an exquisite garden complete with greenery and romantic arches set off by an assortment of cactus and flowers. Benches and waterfalls were surrounded by large marble statues, elegant angels and Greek gods that towered over the scenic courtyard located in the center.
“Wow,” she whispered, her eyes widening as she turned around and absorbed the entire scene.
“Picture perfect?”
“Yes,” she replied, following him to the other side of the path.
At the end of the walkway, she stood in awe. “Oh my God.”
“Beyond that range is Death Valley,” he said in this matter-of-fact voice which was every bit of Brand’s charm.
She couldn’t help but turn to him. Pure pleasure sculpted his face as he focused on the land before them, the setting sun casting the perfect illusion. “When I first saw it, I thought of you. We started on this place three years ago and when I first stood here, all I could think about was how much you would appreciate this place. Then the Donovans decided to use it for a training facility and I knew you’d be here a lot at some point. I had to believe you’d enjoy this with us.” He glanced at her and took her hand again, bringing her fingertips to his lips. “When you’re here at sunset, the desert looks like still waters with cascading waves rising high and frozen in a dusty state. There’s no other way to describe the beauty here.”
Kelly’s eyes followed his hand as he pointed out the various sand dunes in the distance. “I’d love to see them close-up.”
“You will,” he said, nodding to the barn. “We brought the horses over from Daniel’s place. Crue and Colt picked you up a couple of nice Saddlebreds, too. Wanna see them?”
“I’ll wait. Crue is the horseman among you. He might be a little disappointed if someone else rains on his parade.”
“You’re right,” Brand said, moving behind her and looping his arms around her waist. “I would’ve resented them if they’d taken away this moment.”
“You designed the garden. Didn’t you?”
He rubbed his cheek against hers. “I wanted you to feel like you had a quiet place to get away.”
She turned to him, determined to see his eyes when she asked the question. “You and Crue—just the two of you—Dad told you. Didn’t he?”
Brand lifted a brow. “I don’t follow you.”
“Yes you do,” she said, pressing him. “You do follow me. It’s why Crue didn’t watch the footage. It’s why you were so close to Dad all these years. Both of you knew what he held in store for me and whether you agreed with him or disagreed doesn’t matter. The fact is, you knew what he wanted me to be. You understood what he wanted for me from the beginning.”
“I knew, Kelly.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Crue slow
ly stepped out of the shadows. “Because there’s more.”
“More?” she asked, not at all startled to find him lurking nearby. The view alone would summons Crue, but more than anything else, he was there because she was there. He’d been different with her since her abduction. She’d watched him, seen how he’d observed her. Even the way he’d made love to her had changed.
“What more could there possibly be?”
“Come back to the garden, Kelly,” Crue told her, turning his palm upward and waiting for her to place her hand in his.
His hair was damp. He’d obviously already showered. His eyes were glistening like gems and his cheeks were flushed.
She stared at his outstretched arm for a long time before she laced her fingers with his. Together they walked the same path she’d followed with Brand, this time Brand lingering behind them.
A few times, she’d paused and reached for him. Their fingers touched and he’d release her hand almost immediately. They reentered the garden, and as soon as she saw the solemn expressions scribbled across the faces of the men waiting there, she knew there was no way around the present as the past and future collided, holding her captive and insisting she take the time to grieve.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“I’m beginning to think you’re stalking me,” Kelly said, eyeing Brock Donovan.
“You aren’t the only one,” Riley said, standing next to his brother. “We walked in the hospital room to extend our congratulations and Veronica ordered us out of the hospital.”
“Not her room, mind you, but the whole damn medical facility,” Brock added.
“Why are you here?” she asked, observing the man at Brock’s immediate left. Cloaked in a white vestment, the man was undoubtedly a priest.
When he didn’t answer her, she pulled Brock by his sleeve, tugging him to the side. Colt and Crue joined them, but she kept her gaze pinned on her boss. “Do you think I need a priest?”
Brock’s unusual lime-green eyes flickered with amusement.
“This isn’t a laughing matter, Brock.”
“Yes, I think you probably need a priest, Kelly,” he said, trying—and failing—to hide his smile, a rare commodity found in Brock Donovan.
A few greetings were exchanged behind her as someone else joined them.
Dressed in an identical vestment, he said, “I’m here. Traffic out of the city was somewhat of a challenge.” He made his way to Kelly. “You must be Daniel’s daughter. I’m Father Paul.”
The first priest introduced himself as Father John and quickly added, “I’m not at liberty to perform the ceremony, but I’m pleased to meet you.”
“Ceremony? What ceremony?” she asked, her eyes meeting Crue’s and then Colt’s.
“A wedding ceremony,” Crue told her.
For some reason, she turned to Brock. “Who’s getting married?”
“Apparently you are,” Riley said, joining what had started out as a private conversation.
“We’re here for the memorial and to witness the marriage celebration,” Brock explained.
“Memorial?” Her eyes watered. “I haven’t planned Dad’s memorial.” She gasped as she studied Crue and Colt, their faces aglow with expectation. “And no one proposed. I’m not getting married. Someone must’ve misinformed you.”
Turning to face Kemper, Brand, and Gabe, she asked, “Are you out of your minds?”
“Wrong grooms,” Kemper grated out, nodding at Colt and Crue.
Wheeling around to face them, she gritted her teeth and said, “I need a word with both of you.” She stalked across the path, marching to the house.
Once there, she swung open the door and waved them inside.
“Ladies first,” Crue said, reaching above her and holding the door wider.
Inside at last, she turned on them. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“Making an honest woman out of you, sub,” Crue told her.
“An honest woman? Do I look like I have a problem with lies?”
“Funny girl,” Colt said, tapping the end of her nose with his forefinger.
“Are you insane?” she asked, her gaze bouncing between the two brothers. “I can’t marry you. I certainly can’t marry two of you.”
“That’s the reason for the two priests. Only, we discovered soon after arriving here that they don’t want to perform the ceremony. They won’t knowingly marry someone who is already married or about to wed someone else.”
“Well no shit,” she said, placing her hands on her hips.
“We want you to be ours, Kelly.” Colt ran his splayed fingers through his long hair. “We thought you wanted the same.”
“Is this some kind of sick joke?”
“Why would you ask such a question?” Crue crossed his arms over his chest. “Don’t you love us?”
“I rarely hear the four-letter word from either of you and I’m certain there hasn’t been a proposal.”
Crue stroked his defined jaw, dragging his fingernails over a well-formed five-o’clock shadow. He opened his mouth then thinned his lips. She easily sensed his internal struggle.
Finally, he said, “Kelly Lynn Martin, would you be my wife?” He ran a trembling hand over his brow. He took her hand in his and knelt to the floor. “Would you please be my wife?” He looked away and his brow furrowed. He cleared his throat. “Soon. Today?”
His appearance gave off the impression of a man under tremendous stress, of a man who seemingly knew what he wanted, but wasn’t quite convinced he could attain what he needed. After several weighted breaths, he squeezed her hand and said, “I have loved you for the better part of my adult life. I’ve dreamt of you. I’ve lived for you, and if ever asked of me, I will die for you.” His eyes watered and he looked away again.
“Just say yes,” Colt said, taking her free hand in his.
“What about you?” she rasped, her gaze working between two of the men she loved more than anyone else in the world. “I don’t love one of you more than I love another.”
“And you think we don’t know this?” Colt asked, taking his position on bended knee in front of her, too. “We’ve talked about this, Kelly. We want you to be Mrs. Colt-Crue Candy.”
“Crue-Colt,” Crue bit out, shooting Colt a sideways glance.
“I’ve heard of hyphenated last names but—”
“Say yes to both of us, sub,” Crue said, his tone dark and mysterious.
A shiver ran up and down her spine. She observed the brothers knelt before her and knew without any shadow of doubt, if she didn’t say yes, there would never be a second proposal from Crue. He wasn’t a man a woman easily denied.
“Yes,” she whispered, her heart racing as she tried to wrap her head around the idea of being a wife to two different men.
“That’s my beautiful woman,” Crue said, the first one to stand and embrace her. When he released her, he tilted her chin to his and kissed her. The kiss wasn’t hungry or suggestive, only simple and loving, a kiss to seal their promise and commitment.
Colt, on the other hand, pulled her into his arms and a passionate kiss. His mouth assaulted hers as he savagely thrust his tongue between her lips and deepened the kiss, rubbing against her as if he had more interest in consummating the commitment than reciting actual vows.
A door slammed behind them and Brock entered the room. “So which is it? I do or I don’t?” He gave her a hard look before a slow smile crept across his face. “That’s about what I thought. Take a lesson from a man who’s been there. If you love these two, you’d better go with what feels right.”
Kelly took a deep breath. “I’m pretty sure that’s what got me in this predicament in the first place.”
Chapter Thirty
Kelly’s real issue, in Colt’s opinion, was the timing. And maybe the timing wasn’t perfect. Then again, Colt believed everything happened for a reason, in due time, at the appropriate time. If that wasn’t true, then the big moments in life wouldn’t occur at all.
As Father Paul spoke about Daniel’s kindness and generosity, he and Crue cradled her in their arms when she leaned one way or the other. After scattering Daniel’s ashes in the courtyard, located near the angel with broken wings, Brock stood before them.
Everyone formed a circle around Brock and he said a prayer, one which seemed recited from memory. Then, he took a piece of paper from his pocket, a document he barely acknowledged outside of crumpling the page and stuffing it back in his pocket. By the time he cleared his throat and directed his conversation to Kelly, she’d wept until her swollen eyes were dry.
“Kelly, there are a few words you need to hear and it’s best if you hear them from me. These guys won’t tell you the truth about your father because they don’t want to hurt you.
“I don’t want to cause you pain either, but what I tell you will maybe better explain why Colt and Crue made their plans to commit their lives to you on this day, the one which will also mark its place in history as the day we remembered your father and celebrated his life.” He paused long enough to look at Riley, who shook his head firmly.
Crue clutched her head against his chest and over the top of Kelly’s head mouthed, “This isn’t a good time.”
Brock squared his shoulders and stared at Colt. He knew better than to go up against a Donovan when one of them had made up their minds, but where Kelly was concerned, he would’ve gladly taken a stand if he had feared the ramifications of what he’d soon say would be too much for her to handle.
Fact was, she needed to hear the truth.
“Your father made these men promise they would never pursue you for a long-term relationship. They haven’t told you because they gave their word they wouldn’t.” Brock’s lips twitched. “After viewing some of the footage, I have reason to believe Colt had every plan of breaking his word. Crue, I never could figure out what you were thinking.”
“What do you mean they promised him…” She gasped. Her fingers skimmed across her brow. “Wait a minute. Was he blackmailing you?” She searched their eyes. “That’s it. Isn’t it?” She studied the others. “He was blackmailing you.”
Cowboy Boots and Unadulterated Pleasures [Cowboy Boots 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 21
