by Jane Jamison
“Stay with Hale and me.”
Laughter and good-natured jabs broke free.
“As our guest.” He scowled at the others. “I promise you that you’ll be safe. We won’t lay a hand on you.” Unless you want us to.
She was caught. If she turned him down, she’d look as though she had something to lose. If she took him up on the offer, she’d have to go through with it.
“Fine.” She stuck out her hand. “Show me what it’s like to live your life.”
He shook her hand, but when he started to take it away, she held fast.
“If I do this—with an open mind—but I still don’t think the way you do, you have to promise to sell your ranch to me. At the fair market value, of course.”
Shit. She’d pulled a fast one again, just as she’d done at the shooting match.
He could give no other answer and gave her hand a firm squeeze. “Done deal.”
* * * *
Raven knocked on the front door of the pretty frame home of Silver Sagebrush Ranch. The place was small but well maintained. With its painted shutters and rocking chairs on the front porch, it gave off a homey vibe she liked a lot. Next to the cold mansions her family owned, the house was warm and welcoming.
She glanced back at Richard, who waited at the foot of the steps. He shifted her suitcase to his other hand.
“Tell me the truth, Richard.”
“I always do, Raven.”
“Am I about to do something stupid?”
Before he could answer, the sound of the front door opening drew her attention away. What did it matter what his answer would be? She’d made a deal. It was too late to turn back.
Hale pushed the screen door open, making her take a step back. His smile was as warm as his home. “Welcome, Raven, to our humble home.”
Our home.
In a flash, she saw the three of them together, naked as the day they were born, lying on a leather couch in front of a roaring fire. She mentally shook herself, refusing to let a silly daydream throw her off her game.
“Here. I’ll take that.”
Clint came up behind her, took the suitcase from Richard, and then pounded up the steps. For a second, she felt as though she was trapped between a rock and a hard place. But she didn’t mind one bit. She’d love getting caught between Clint’s rock-hard body and Hale’s solid frame.
Her nostrils burned as she picked up the tantalizing aroma of sweat, leather, and hay. Clint paused, gave her a quick tip of his cowboy hat, and then eased past her.
Hale tilted his head, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “Come on inside. Or were you thinking about camping out on the porch?”
She swallowed, needing the brief time to force her mind to work. “Ooh, a funny cowboy.” With a wave, she dismissed her driver. “Thanks, Richard. I’ll be fine from here on out.”
“Yes, Ms. Ronnell.”
Again with the Ms.?
Walking into their home was like walking into a parallel universe. Her house of expensive furnishings, all chosen by the top designer in the nation, looked nothing like the comfortable worn furniture of the Yager home.
Home. That’s the real difference. This is a home.
Her condo wasn’t a home. It never had been and never would be. She’d bought it because it was a better investment to own her place of residence rather than to rent. A leather couch, similar to the one she’d envisioned, rested in front of a huge stone fireplace. The mantel above the fireplace was topped with one photograph after the other. Friendly faces peered back at her, most of which were candid shots of a family much like the Merriweathers. Laughing and loving, happy to spend time with each other.
The yearning to have a family like that barreled into her.
Keep your mind on business.
Whatever the reason, she couldn’t afford to let all the downhome goodness get to her. These people didn’t live in the real world, a world where a woman had to fight to make a name for herself. A world where money triumphed over everything else.
“I’ll show you to your room.” Hale cocked his head toward the hallway on the right.
She nodded and followed him into a small bedroom. The bed was one of those older styles where a footstool was needed to climb on top of the patchwork-quilted bedspread. Lace curtains hung on the two large windows, and a mish-mash of nightstands and chests of drawers filled the room.
“The bathroom’s through the other door.” Clint strode past them and plopped her suitcase on top of the bed. “It’s not much, but it’s private. Hale and I have bedrooms on the second floor.”
“We know it’s not what you’re used to, but you’ll live,” added Hale.
She tossed her purse on top of the bed next to her suitcase. “It’ll do. After all, I don’t plan on being here very long.”
“Long enough to give it a real go, right?” Clint studied her a little harder than she would’ve liked. “If you’re coming into this with an open mind. If not, then why bother?”
“I said I’d do this, and I will.” She popped the locks on her suitcase.
“You’re a woman of your word. Is that it?”
She whirled around to find Clint standing way too close. Close enough she could’ve flicked her tongue along his stubble-covered jaw. Blinking, she realized almost too late that she’d leaned toward him, narrowing the distance between them even more.
“I keep my word.” She straightened up, determined to fix her mind on her goal and not the two sexy cowboys she’d love to saddle up and ride. “And I do what I say I’ll do.”
“Do you always have a stick up your ass?” Clint’s eyes flashed. “Or did you shove it up there just for us?”
She hadn’t expected to be attacked. Anger flared, and her hand was in the air heading straight for the same jaw she’d wanted to lick a minute earlier. He caught her arm an inch from his face.
Tension thickened the air between them as they glared at each other. A different kind of heat, one not borne of anger, leapt to life, burning its way outward from her pussy. She was turned on, enveloping her with sensations she hadn’t had in a long time. Sex with faceless men was different from this. Whatever this was had more power, jangling her nerves until she wanted to unleash the primal hunger swirling in her gut.
“Fuck you, Clint.”
“With pleasure.” He yanked her to him, crushing his mouth to hers.
She should’ve expected it. She should’ve been the one to control it. Instead, he overpowered her, more emotionally than physically, and the best she could do was hold on. Hold on and enjoy the hell out of it.
His tongue took possession of her mouth, raking along her cheek then dodging past her tongue to the other side. He nibbled on her lower lip, tugging just hard enough to hurt, just hard enough to send the burn to a higher level.
He clutched her body to his, molding his against hers. She didn’t fight it. She couldn’t have if she’d wanted to.
Damn it. I want him.
She broke their kiss and found Hale’s yearning gaze on her.
I want them. Both of them. Apart, together, whatever way they like it.
She’d felt the amazing sexual attraction at the shooting match, and she felt it now. If she had anything to say about it, she’d get what she wanted, just like she always did.
Clint spun her around, putting her back to Hale. He cut her smile short when he kissed her again. Taking her mouth slowly, he intensified his kiss, letting it grow harder, needier. A need she wanted to return tenfold.
Hands cupped her breasts as other hands cupped her butt cheeks. Hale pushed against her back, making her the meat in their sandwich. She moaned, and her hands found the buttons of Clint’s shirt. Opening his shirt gave her fingers free rein to skim over the strong chest and the dark hairs flowing downward.
Hale brushed her hair back and nibbled at the nape of her neck. Her shirt came out of her jeans as he slipped his fingers under the waistband and around to find the zipper.
She wondered if they’d und
erstand that it was about sex and nothing more, but she wouldn’t stop them to clarify that now. They’d have time for talk afterward.
Could it be more than sex?
Her heart skipped a beat as her abdomen tightened. It wasn’t the first time her dreams had infiltrated reality since arriving in Garner. Since meeting them. Like all the times before, she shoved the errant idea away. Sex was one thing. But love? That rare emotion was something she’d never let herself believe was possible. She concentrated on the rush of feelings, basic and primal, driving through her.
Passion washed over her. Need consumed her. If she didn’t get their cocks inside her soon, she’d explode.
The ringing of a cell phone didn’t register. Not at first anyway. Once she realized it wasn’t hers, she resolved to ignore it.
If only Clint had done the same.
Instead, he broke away, pulled his phone out of his pocket, and put it to his ear. “Yager here.”
She snuggled closer to Hale, who turned her around and brought his mouth to hers, taking up where his brother had left off. His kiss was just as intense, with his tongue doing a playful dance. She’d never met two men who could kiss better.
“You’ve got nerve, Charlie.”
Hale stiffened and pulled away from her. Although she wanted to, she kept from clinging to his shirt and keeping him against her.
“What’s up?”
Clint waved his brother’s question away. “And now you want our help.”
The men exchanged a look, their jaws clenched, their gazes meeting as an unspoken message passed between them.
“We’ll be right over.”
Seriously? They’re leaving me to help Zucker?
Clint pulled his shirt together and shoved his phone into his back pocket. “Sorry, Raven, but we’re going to have to continue our”—he paused—“discussion later.”
She tucked in her shirt and adopted an uncaring expression. Her attitude, however, was as fake as a three-dollar bill. “What’s going on?”
“Charlie’s having some trouble with a cow.”
“And you’re going to help him? After he sold his ranch? Why should you care if he needs help?”
Hale was already striding toward the door when he turned around. “Because that’s what we do. If a neighbor, even one like Charlie, needs help, then we help.”
Clint headed for the door, too. “Make yourself at home. We’ll be back later.” He winked. “Don’t wait up, sugar.”
He’s a cocky son-of-a-bitch. Just the way I like them.
On a whim, she added, “I’ll go with you.”
“What?” Hale glanced at Clint. “No.”
“Why not? I’m supposed to experience the life of a rancher, right? Isn’t this part of it?”
Clint shook his head, but Hale had already changed his mind. “Fine. Can you ride a horse?”
“Sure.” She didn’t bother telling him that she was more used to riding dressage than sitting a range horse. Other than the saddle being heavier, how different could it be? A horse was a horse was a horse.
“Fine. Let’s get moving.” Clint led the way out.
* * * *
Raven cringed at Zucker’s pitiful wail. After a hard ride over rough pasture, her body was already reminding her that it had been a seriously long time since she’d had a huge animal between her legs. And not the kind of animal she would’ve preferred, either.
“Goddamn it, Hale Yager, you sorry son of a bitch. Are you two trying to break my other leg?”
Clint had ridden back to their ranch, exchanged his horse for their pickup and had come back to the middle of the pasture where they’d found Charlie. The older man had been thrown from his horse while trying to wrangle a wayward calf. Fortunately for him, he’d made the call to Clint before he’d ended up on his ass. He’d landed hard, twisting his leg into a very painful position. She and Hale had done their best to make Charlie comfortable, but how much could they do without any pain medication?
All Raven could do was to stay out of the way now. It was up to the men to get Zucker stretched out in the flatbed of the truck on top of a bunch of blankets that were piled in the back. She felt sorry for the cantankerous man, but it was his own damn fault. After all, hadn’t he said part of the reason he’d sold the ranch was that he was too old for “pushing cows and shoveling shit”?
Zucker let out another pitiful moan. Falling back on her boardroom techniques, she tried not to show how much the man’s suffering affected her. Having a poker face in tough situations, even nonfinancial ones, was always better than showing her feelings. Her father had drilled the number one rule of negotiation into her. “Never let them see what you’re thinking. If they do, they’ll take advantage of your vulnerability.”
Yet it was difficult not to admire the Yager men. They were amazing with Zucker. Although the man had sold his ranch and was the first in a line of what would soon be many people giving up on their hometown, they treated him with respect and concern. They took care to lift him as gently as they could, even while Zucker cursed them up and down. Once they had Zucker lying on top of the blankets, they made sure he was as comfortable as possible.
“Damn it all. Fuck you two. I’m an old man. Stop throwing me around like a sack of feed. Why the hell are you tossing me in the back? Put me up front, for shit’s sake.”
Clint and Hale remained focused on getting him settled onto the blankets and ignored Zucker’s verbal stabs. Still mindful of hiding her feelings, she wasn’t sure she could’ve kept from cursing him back.
“Sorry, Charlie. It’s going to be a rough ride, but putting you in the cab won’t work. We’d have to bend your leg to get you in. Maybe even break it again.”
“Fuck, fuck, fuck. Stop making excuses and get me to the doc.”
“We’re doing our best.” Hale turned his head away from Zucker and made a God-help-me look.
“Mr. Zucker, they’re doing the best they can.” She lowered her voice at his scowl and muttered, “You ungrateful ass.”
How the men could remain so calm and compassionate was beyond her. Was it the way they always were? Or was it, as they’d said, what people in Garner were like?
“Who’s going to take care of my herd while I’m laid up?”
Hale didn’t miss a beat. “We’ll handle it. You won’t have to worry about a thing.”
“You damn sure better.”
Like they owe him. These guys are too good to be true.
“Why worry about it? You’ve already sold the ranch to me.” She shrugged when all three men gaped at her. “What’d I say?”
“I sold the ranch to you, girly. I didn’t sell my cattle.” Zucker’s growl turned into a snarl. “What did you think I’d do? Leave them to die?”
“No. Of course not.” The truth was she hadn’t given it any thought. Had, in fact, assumed the cattle were like the house. Simply things to get rid of once the construction company was ready to start clearing the land.
“Raven, can you get the horses to the barn?”
“I guess. Sure. But, Hale, why aren’t you riding back with me? It doesn’t take both of you to drive the pickup.”
They gave her another curious look.
“Because I’m going to ride in the back with Charlie,” answered Hale. “We’ll stick with him until the doc says he’s okay. You can handle leading the horses, right? And brush them down? Just put Charlie’s into the empty stall. You’ll see which one I mean.”
She’d always had a stable boy to take care of her horses. Still, she’d seen them brush down her horses more than once. The whole thing looked simple enough. Take a brush and run it over the horse. How hard could it be? Besides, even caring for the horses was better than listening to Zucker’s moans and curses all the way into town.
“No problem. I’ll see you two back at the house. Did you lock the front door? Want to give me a key?”
“Why would we lock the door?” asked Clint. He handed her the reins of the other two horses.
> Again with the strange looks. Like I just told them I’m from a different galaxy.
“Because anyone could walk inside and steal things. Or don’t you have burglars around here?”
“This is Garner.” Clint slid behind the wheel while Hale went to his knees next to Zucker.
The pickup’s engine revved to life. She watched the truck bounce over potholes as it headed toward the nearest gate.
“Yeah. Of course. What was I thinking? This is Garner.”
Chapter Four
Okay, so brushing down a horse isn’t as easy as I thought it’d be.
Raven stepped out of the shower, tugged the towel off the rack, and dried her wet hair. She’d done as they’d asked her, putting up the riding gear then cooling the horses before giving them a good brushing down. Fortunately, the stalls she’d placed them in already had some feed in the trough, so she didn’t bother trying to figure out what to give them. If they needed more food, the men could handle it once they returned home.
As she always did, she took a hard look at her naked body. Not out of vanity, but more to make sure nothing seemed wrong. Her mother had already gone through several scares with melanoma, and Raven wasn’t about to let anything slip by her. Yet taking stock of her skin soon changed into taking stock of the shape of her body.
I’m too damn short.
If she had one complaint about the way she looked, it was that she was too short. Taller people, women and men alike, were taken more seriously in the workplace. Even with heels, she wasn’t tall enough. Instead of taking after her six-foot-three-inch father, she’d inherited her mother’s diminutive stature. On the good side, however, she’d also gotten her mother’s sweet oval face and dark hair. Better to be short than balding like her father.
She smiled at her reflection and rubbed the towel over her breasts. Her mind wandered to the Yager men.
Clint and Hale. Solid names.
Tall and each of them with a full head of hair.
Strong, too.
Hard-working to boot.
And sexy as hell.
She rubbed one breast, her fingers circling her nipple, and let the rest of the cloth drop. She pushed it between her legs. At once, the friction of the worn towel against her sensitive skin had her heating up where the hot water hadn’t reached.
