by Diana Downey
“That’s a touchy subject but admirable if you can show both sides of the issue.”
His arm rests on my shoulders. “That’s my plan.”
“You are brave.” I’ve never really had time for a boyfriend, and I look forward to spending quiet time with Aedan. I’ve always focused on school and never really thought I could compete with Cyn and Fay. “What do you want for dinner?”
“Well, I know this great Irish Pub that will deliver. I’ll order bangers and mash and shepherd’s pie.”
“I’ve never had either,” I say nervously. What if I don’t like it? I want to make a good impression on him.
“You’ll love it.”
When he parks in the driveway, he rushes to get out and open my door. I anxiously scan the area. I’ve been kidnapped and our home has been ransacked. Unease settles into my chest.
Manny is dead. I killed him, and it stabs my heart.
Aedan must notice because his hands run down my bare arms, and all I can think about is his weight pressing me into the bed. It’s like he’s taken hold of my good sense and unraveled it, so I’m left scooping it up and sewing it back together.
Inside, I study while he works. I glance up at the clock. An hour has passed, and my eyes are stuck on the same page. I can’t think with him being so close, especially when my mind roams all over his body and imagines his mouth all over mine.
After the carryout arrives, we eat and the food is really good, though I think it’s Aedan. His hand wanders up my thigh throughout the meal. I don’t want to study. I want to feel his hands all over my body. He needs to make me forget what I’ve done. What I had to do.
“You’re having a hard time studying,” he says in that Irish brogue that only belongs in my bedroom.
“No,” I lie. I can’t believe I have such nasty thoughts about him. I’ve never felt this way. Maybe it’s from seeing Shane and Cyn together. They have what I want. Shane worships her.
He picks up my book. “I’ll help you. I was good in school.”
“Where did you go to school for film?”
“In Dublin. After I graduated, I had a good job, but Caitlin was desperate to have a father and I couldn’t leave her on her own in the States. The courts finally established paternity, so she’ll get the back child support owed to her. But the money won’t give her a father, and that’s what she really wanted.”
I lean onto him, craving his support. “My father’s in jail for selling drugs for my crazy uncle.”
“I read in the papers that he was murdered. Do you want to talk about that?”
I shake my head. “No. I shouldn’t involve you.”
“From where he was murdered, he was the one who took you? It would be self-defense.”
I nod, ashamed of what I’ve done.
He kisses my bare shoulder and current jolts me from my daze. “I wished I could’ve done that for you.”
Cyn killed the man hunting her, and it didn’t bother her. She told me he’d killed our mom, and she would do it all over again. “Why?”
“I’ve liked yer since I saw you in the cemetery. I’ve never had a lass get to me like you do. I dream about you, about us.”
His words burn my skin and warm my cheeks. “I thought you didn’t remember me or you kissing me.”
He sips on the beer he ordered with the takeout. “When I saw your age, I thought it best to stay away from you, but that’s proved more difficult than I thought.”
He takes my hand and leads me to the couch where he gently pushes me down. “All I can think about is yer. It’s hard to focus, even when yer not around.”
My body tingles all over in anticipation. I straighten to lean into him and kiss his sweet lips tasting of beer.
He snuggles with me on the couch, and his body heat pours into me. “I haven’t been with a virgin since I was a boy. I will be gentle though.”
Is this it? We can’t do this on the couch. Cyn and Shane could walk in at any moment. Anxiousness twitches in my extremities until his mouth lands on mine. His lips should be the last lips I ever feel. The soft suppleness caresses my mouth, and I open to him, hooking my legs around his hips. His erection expands in his jeans and rubs against the slit already moistened by him simply kissing me.
I may be a virgin, but I know how my body works. “I want you.”
His kisses are at first sweet but quickly grow impatient and fervent. My fingers thresh through his thick dark hair, and the roughness of his beard chafes my skin. The tender parts between my legs pinch and radiate with passion.
“Be careful what you ask for pretty lass.”
“I want all of you,” I say in a shaky voice. How can I kill a man, yet be nervous or shy around Aedan or about sex?
He kisses me roughly, his fingers tangling in my hair. Hot hands grope my hips, and I encourage him to slip under my shirt, but his mouth is attacking mine. With swollen lips, I return his feverish kisses.
Every part of my body feels alive with fire, and it begs for him to touch me everywhere. The hard ridge of his dick grinds against where it should be. After what I went through I need this. I want to be loved.
My hands reach for his hard cock, and he freezes.
“Too much,” he says.
“But I want to.” Why is he turning me down? Does he not want me?
He draws in a raspy breath, his hand trails over my neck and behind my ear. “Patience.”
His mouth moves over mine. “I love the way yer taste. Yer one of the sweetest lasses I’ve ever seen.”
He didn’t see me shoot my uncle and cousin. I want to concentrate on this seductively attractive man twisted around me, but if he doesn’t relieve my frustration, I can’t.
I try another tactic and shove my hand down his jeans. I need to feel him. I need release. What the hell is wrong with me? I’ve never been this aggressive. Tears spill down my cheeks.
“What’s wrong, Willa?” he asks between groans of my hand finding its target.
I’ve never touched a man, not like this. The soft tip of the head fits into my palm, and the pre-cum lubes my hand. Sliding down the shaft, my hand delves lower to his testicles. I carefully cup them and from the low whistle slipping through his teeth, I must be doing something right.
I need to feel connected to the living and stop seeing the ugly images in my mind. I know it’s wrong to use Aedan, but I need the closeness. He needs to hold me and keep me together before I shatter into a million pieces.
My teeth tug on his jaw, and my tongue sinks into his mouth to explore and arouse him into action. “Complete me,” I plead.
He growls into my ear. “Oh Willa, yer making this very difficult,” he says in that sexy accent.
The door opening quietly barely registers in my ears before Cyn and Shane walk into the living area. His mouth is all over my sister’s as he kicks the door closed with his foot. I yank my hand out of Aedan’s jeans, causing him to swear and scraping my hand. I didn’t mean to hurt him.
“What the hell are you doing?” Cyn barks out, staring wide eyed at us.
“Let it rest,” Shane says, his mouth gliding down her neck and his hand piloting her to the bedroom.
“Aedan, if you get Willa pregnant, give her any disease, or hurt her, I will kill you,” Shane says smiling. He picks up Cyn, and before she opens her mouth, he says, “I have better plans for those lips of yours.”
They walk into Cyn’s bedroom, and Shane closes the door.
Aedan sits straight up. “He could kill me, couldn’t he?”
“My sister told me Shane killed a wolf with his bare hands to protect her, so probably.” That put a damper on our evening, and it certainly didn’t satisfy the need throbbing between my legs or prickling my breasts.
Chapter Aedan
The owner Mr. Wong checks the scheduling of the running shows and upcoming documentaries outside of the state. That’s what I’d like to be filming, but I like keeping an eye on Willa. It’s hard to watch guys hitting on her, and the director has a
nother night planned full of the same two wankers. I’ve fought them off already.
Tonight they have to work at a rodeo, which may be entertaining for viewers but certainly not for me. If Willa’s suitors get out of line tonight, they may go home in an ambulance.
There’s no alone time with Willa because the film crew arrives before the girls and Shane. He is one big motherfucker, but he loves Cyn and treats Willa like family. We set up cameras near the chutes, the arena, and near the judges’ box.
Besides riding out with the professional cowgirls at the beginning of the rodeo, the three sisters have other jobs. One sister will be a timer, another will judge, and I don’t know what the other sister will do. That information wasn’t given to me.
When all our gear is in place, the show opens and cowgirls dressed in sequined outfits and their horses decked out in studded saddles and halters canter into the arena. Cyn, Fay, and Willa ride in the middle, waving their Stetsons at the crowd.
“Tonight, we have our special guests, the Diaz and Hunt sisters’ Riches to Rags.” The crowd whoops and hollers. The reality TV show has become popular in a short time, in part due to the Texas based theme but mostly due to the interactions of three beautiful women, my favorite being Willa.
Her raven hair flows down her back in curled waves. Her dark eyes sparkle under the bright spotlights, and I cannot tear my gaze away from her. The lens puts her dead center in my view, and so far the audience likes the focus being on the young virginal sister, though her kisses spell raw sex. They make it hard to refuse a young lass, but I want to make her first time special and I’d like to be her last. These Diaz sisters are tough and capable women, and that attracts me to Willa. She’s also smart and beautiful.
All the suitors partake in the rodeo. Willa’s ride bulls or broncos while Fay’s bachelors rope calves or wrestle steers.
Fay takes the timer, but I notice she has a backup in case she messes up while Cyn takes a judge’s seat. Apparently, Cyn has experience judging and knows a few of the judges. She chats with them before the competitions start.
Shane comes over to me.
“Why is Cyn judging?” I ask.
“Cyn has judged rodeo events for her sorority. What’s Willa doing?”
I scan the area to look for her. “I don’t know.”
“What the hell?” Shane says, his gaze roaming over the dirt arena.
I glance in the same direction as him. Willa puts on a clown outfit and she looks all too happy about it. I glance up at the judges’ box, and worry embeds in Cyn’s brow until she sees Shane hop over the fence into the arena.
I’ve never been to a rodeo, but flitting around like a clown seems rather tame.
He stalks over to where Willa enters in the alleyway dressed like the prettiest clown I’ve ever seen. Shane has a few words with what I assume is the head clown. Willa argues with Shane, and I can’t hear what it’s about, even though each of the girls wears a mic.
She pulls out a wad of balloons and shows them to Shane. He shakes his head and walks away. Willa climbs into the stands where she twists animal shapes together for children. That seems harmless enough.
They start on the barrel racing, and the camera catches Fay messing up and some cowboy helping her with keeping time. I know she’s not dumb, but I think she plays the guys.
Tanner wanders up into the judges’ box and lays a fat kiss on her. “Give me a kiss for luck?”
She kisses him hot and heavy back, and he leans her back so the cameras get a good shot.
Willa moves down to the arena with three other clowns. They wave at the crowd, and Willa bends over to show her oversized bloomers. The guys whoop and holler probably because they saw her riding that yellow horse earlier in a tight, cleavage-showing satiny blouse.
I’m not normally a jealous guy, but no girl has ever captured my heart and my prick’s lack of good sense. She’s trouble for me, and I will gladly dive into the deep end after that girl.
She dances with one of the other clowns while Tanner shoots out of the alleyway chasing a steer. Is it dangerous for her to be out there? The steer doesn’t go anywhere near the clowns.
Tanner easily lassoes the head, and I wonder how I compete with these yahoos, though Willa doesn’t seem too interested in any of them, other than Wyatt. He doesn’t seem to get on her nerves. She hates Travis and Lynch.
Tanner jumps off his horse and in no time pulls the steer to the ground and ties its hooves together. Damn. That was impressive. He runs over to the judges’ box and blows Fay a kiss, and she returns it. I think she honestly likes this bloke.
That’s when Wyatt jumps over the fence and waltzes up to Willa. Her back is to him. He twirls her around, dips her, taking her completely by surprise, and kisses her. Jealousy boils over, and I want to jump over the rail to break them apart.
She smiles for him, and I fucking hate it. Only my lips should touch that delicious mouth.
Several barrels are put out. What are those for? I continue filming, tamping down the rage of Wyatt locking lips with my girl. He finally leaves and heads to the bulls trapped in the chutes.
Hell, I would never ride one of those beasts. This bull snorts, blowing snot, and its eyes flash crazy anger. The powerful odor of sweat, beast, and hay fill my nose.
Wyatt climbs up and onto the bull, puts on a rawhide glove, and locks that hand under the rope. His knees hug the bull’s barrel chest. The bull kicks the pen’s planks, rattling them like an earthquake.
That bull is none too happy.
Willa and the clowns are entertaining the crowd with silly antics. Willa playfully kicks one in the rear, and he goes over into the dirt. The fans seem to be enjoying the show.
The bull kicks the shoot, and Wyatt holds the rope tightly. The chute opens, and the bull bucks out of the opened gate.
Shit. I glance at Willa and then at the bull. The two are on a collision course.
Willa is standing toward the middle, and her eyes are wild with fear. Another clown tries to pull her out of the way, but there’s nowhere to run. The bull bucks and kicks while Wyatt holds on for dear life, his body leaning back and his ungloved hand thrown in the air. He doesn’t even notice her because his concentration is on riding that damn beast.
Without thinking, I leave my camera and jump over the arena fence. I have no idea what the hell to do, but I run for Willa. The bull spins around, stares her down, and the clock for Willa is ticking down in my head along with my heart.
I sprint toward her and feel the distance growing further apart as the bull sets its hard gaze upon my wee lass.
Shane hops over the fence and is running for her too.
Wyatt’s eight seconds must be up because he hops off the bull and sees the confused bull and stock-still Willa. She isn’t moving. She’s only looking blankly at the bull.
“Willa move,” Wyatt yells. It doesn’t deter the bull’s intense stare-down.
Aren’t the clowns supposed to distract the bull? Where the hell are they?
I keep running toward Willa. She finally moves, hurrying to the far fence, but the bull charges toward her. I sprint on my toes. Several women scream in the crowd.
Shane waves at the bull and yells. It stops and paws the ground, considering who to charge.
I throw my arms around Willa and pick her up. I carry her to the fence and help her climb over it. She’s breathing hard, and I can smell her fear. I clamber up after her.
Shane is facing off the bull, and Cyn is screaming.
I yell at the bull, pounding on the slats. “Over here.”
Finally, the other clowns engage the bull, but its eyes target Shane. He’s out in the open with nothing to protect him. He slowly moves to the side where a barrel stands.
The bull charges at him. Shane rips off his shirt that’s blood red. A few women swoon in the stands and must think the drama is part of the show. This guy is built like a tank.
Willa throws her arms around me, and I almost forget about Shane.
&nb
sp; “I can’t watch,” she cries.
The bull locks onto the shirt, which Shane waves to the side of him.
No matter what the clowns do they cannot divert the bull’s attention. It’s completely focused on Shane.
Cyn has left the judges’ box and stands outside on its porch, clutching the railing. Her normally olive skin has paled.
Willa buries her face into my shirt, so I wrap my arms around her. The bull snorts, blowing the dust from its broad nose.
The clowns use horns and bang pans, but the bull has its sights on Shane. When it bears down this time, its sharp broad horns are pointed at Shane’s gut. I don’t know how the animal will miss this time.
Chapter Shane
The bull has made me its target. It lowers its head and rushes toward me. Sweat lathers on its withers. I run to the side where the barrel could lessen the impending blow.
My heart pounds like it could explode from my chest.
I race toward the barrel, but there’s no way I’ll make it. The animal’s rank odor assaults my senses. I could dive for the barrel, but exposing my body to the bull’s hooves is not a good choice.
As the bull slams into me, knocking the breath from my lungs, I reach for its horns. It snorts in my face and its wild eyes glaze over. It pushes its one horn into my side and pain like a sharp knife rips into me. I can’t hold this damn bull any longer. I smash the bull in the nose, and fuck, it only makes it angrier and dig its hooves in harder.
An explosion rings in my ears. The one horn sinks into my ribs, and I can hear it crack from the pressure. Before the other horn pierces through my flesh, the bull drops. Its front hooves buckle underneath the massive weight of its broad chest.
The bull topples over, pinning my shot leg with its side. I clench my teeth in agony. Blood pumps from the hole in its side, penetrating the heart.
I swivel my head to see Cyn holding her gun, her arms shaking. She runs to me while several cowboys jump the fence and rush over to help lift the bull off of me. Blood pools from the wound in my side. Pain knifes my ribs where the bull slammed into them.
