by Jan Springer
Suddenly Eve got that little-lost-girl look that always tugged at her heartstrings. It was the same look she’d gotten when they’d parted ways just the other day. Guilt slammed into C.J., and she wasn’t surprised at Eve’s next question.
“Are you sure you won’t stay?”
“I’m sure.” She patted her rifle. “This is my man. He’s the only thing I need to keep me warm at night and protected. Now go on back down there and have yourself a nice evening with your ticked-off men.”
Eve bit her bottom lip, then nodded assent.
This time there was no good-bye hug from her friend. This time Eve just waved and turned to walk back down to her three lovers. C.J. knew what Eve would do. She’d walk a few steps before turning around and asking her once again to stay. But before that could happen, C.J. knew she’d already be gone.
* * * *
As Eve drew nearer to the cabin, she couldn’t help but notice the scowls on their faces.
“You didn’t invite her for breakfast?” Maddox called out.
“She declined my offer of staying over.”
If she didn’t know any better, she could see disappointment flare in his eyes.
“Good,” Kayne growled, turned his broad back on her, and went inside.
“So, there’s no chance at payback?” Maddox grinned as Riley elbowed him in the ribs.
“That’s Eve’s friend. Talk nice.”
“Yeah, talk nice about my friend, guys, or you’ll have me to answer to. Now, I’m famished. What’s for breakfast?”
Both Riley and Mad’s faces brightened. Obviously they’d forgotten breakfast was long overdue.
“Ma’am, we are at your service. Step into our restaurant,” Riley said, and as she ascended the stairs, she had to be quick to clutch her blanket tight as each man took hold of one of her elbows and led her into the house.
Chapter Seven
“We’ll pull out first thing in the morning,” Kayne told all of them. He’d sat here quietly as the other three had been enjoying a leisurely breakfast while Eve reported on the conversation she’d had with her friend, and he used that term friend very loosely. He couldn’t understand for the life of him why she continued to call that woman a friend. She’d pointed a fucking gun at her and threatened to pull the trigger, and now Eve was saying the woman had reported the gold was still in the exact same place as when they’d left Wolfe’s hideout. He, for one, didn’t buy that woman’s story.
“I’d hoped we could stay here a few more days,” Maddox quickly said. “I’ve found Mason jars, a pressure cooker, and I can make some preserves from some of those root vegetables that Trader Jack has in his root cellar. I do make a mean beet preserve.”
“And I thought I could scout around the area for a hot spring,” Riley chimed in. “According to an old topographical map I found in the living room, there’s a hot spring around here somewhere. A hot bath sounds damn nice, and we can save our electricity here for cooking instead of heating up water for the tub.”
Irritation snapped through Kayne. “Shut up, you guys sound like a bunch of women. We ride out in the morning, and that’s final.”
Silence penetrated his anger as they all stared at him. He ignored them and picked up his fork in order to finish the eggs and scones on his plate.
“And if I say no?” Eve’s strong voice made his fork pause halfway to his mouth. Bold bitch, wasn’t she?
His gaze snapped to hers. “Now why would you say no to me, Eve?” He injected the raw sensuality into his voice, ensuring her that she knew defying him was out of the question. If she’d take the time to remember, her defying him turned him on very badly.
“I’ll decide when we go,” she continued, seemingly totally oblivious of his order that they were leaving in the morning. She gazed at him, her pretty mouth upturned into a sweet smile, and damned if she wasn’t batting her eyelashes sexily at him.
“You have no idea where this place is, and you can’t go without me, can you now?” She flashed a truly teasing smile that made his heart go pitter-patter and his cock grow into a steel bar. And it hurt. In a really nice, uncontrolled kind of way. And there was only one way he’d get his relief…fucking Eve.
Beside him Maddox’s and Riley’s bodies tightened with awareness. They’d always enjoyed showdowns and sparring between himself and Eve.
“We can torture the whereabouts of the hideout out of you, Eve,” he taunted.
Excitement flared in her eyes. “I’m afraid that would take too long,” she said coolly, but he could hear the aroused quiver underlying her controlled voice. Could see the fire of anticipation whispering over her facial features. It was in the way her nostrils flared and the exquisite rise to the edges of her sensually shaped lips. His heart beat even harder. Yeah, he wanted to fuck that defiant, teasing attitude right out of her and turn her into the sensual, whimpering woman who craved nothing but pleasure from the three of them.
Their sex toy. He blinked as he remembered her earlier question down by the creek. She’d wanted to know if that’s all she’d been to them. A sex toy.
Fuck. He should tell her she was so much more than that. So much more. He resisted the urge to reach out, grab her by the wrist, hoist her sweet little ass right up onto the breakfast table, rip off her leggings, and start fucking her right here in front of Mad and Riley.
In the old days, he would have done just that. But now, a little less impulsiveness and sex and some strategic planning might make this gold heist a success.
“I haven’t agreed yet on you even being there when we go in for the gold,” Kayne said slowly.
Her eyes flared in red-hot anger, and her fists clenched on the tabletop. Yeah, he’d succeeded in pissing her off. Good.
“But I know where the hideout is. I’ll go in alone if I have to.”
“Easy, colt. I want you to prove to me that you can really handle that rifle.”
“I showed you the other night,” she said defiantly.
“I want to see more,” he demanded.
“Fine,” she answered between gritted teeth. “I’m ready. I’ll get changed and meet you down by the creek. I’ll show you exactly how good I am.”
He wanted to tell her that she was more than good, but Kayne bit back his sexual retort.
The chair squeaked as she pushed it back and stood, clutching that damned distracting blanket tighter around her. The teasing little bitch had been flashing her breasts at them during breakfast. He’d make sure she was taught a lesson in not teasing them unless she wanted to endure the consequences. But another time. Business before pleasure.
“And Eve,” he called out to her as she headed toward the door. She stopped and turned around.
“What?”
“Make sure you ditch that blanket, too.”
He heard that sensual quiver in her exhalation. She nodded firmly, grabbed the blanket tighter around her, and with her head held high in defiance, she walked out of the kitchen.
* * * *
Riley exhaled as moments later he heard Eve rummaging around in the living room. His cock and balls were so tight he was in painland here.
“Glad you mentioned her getting rid of that damned blanket, Kayne. I kept getting glimpses of her rigid red nipples. What the hell did you two do out there?”
“Yeah, what went on? You guys were gone a long time this morning,” Maddox complained as he helped himself to another scone.
Kayne grinned. “Took her twice down by the creek.”
Riley swore. Maddox shook his head and closed his eyes. “You are killing me, here,” he whispered.
“She mentioned remembering her wearing boots and a blanket, so I tried to bring back more memories.”
“Yeah, and having her show us how good she is with a gun isn’t going to help the situation here,” Maddox said as he shifted uneasily in his chair. “You know how hot we got when we were teaching her how to shoot.”
“Or is that the plan?” Riley fished. “To get us so hot that we have
another sexfest today? ’Cause, to tell you the truth, I don’t think I can keep my hands off our pretty tease for too much longer.”
“She sure does look sweet in a blanket,” Mad replied dreamily.
Kayne chuckled, obviously enjoying their distress.
“This is purely business, gentlemen. Let’s see exactly how good she is with that gun first. No sex. We keep our minds on this job for now. Agreed?”
From beside Riley, Maddox swore softly beneath his breath. Riley bit his bottom lip with frustration before answering.
“It looks like we’re the ones getting tortured here and not Eve.”
“Don’t worry. Eve will get her sweet torture when we don’t react to that teasing way she’s been opening her blanket to us while we were trying to eat. Consider it her punishment for defying me.” Kayne’s nose flared with sensual anger, and the familiar sexual rush zapped through Riley’s bloodstream once again.
Torture her with no sex. Lousy plan, but hell, he could go along with it. Kayne’s business before pleasure plan was going to remind Eve exactly who was on top around here. And he meant that quite literally.
* * * *
Eve was getting pretty pissed off being forced to stand here out in the cold by the creek waiting for the men. How dare they not trust her with her rifle skills? Had she not proven herself that first night in camp when she’d shot at that seedling and the coin? And how dare Kayne be so commanding over her? He really knew how to push her buttons, didn’t he?
There was something else that really made her mad, too. Riley and Maddox barely put up a protest when Kayne said they were moving on tomorrow. They’d even appeared excited when she’d said no to Kayne and at a possible prospect of a verbal showdown between her and Kayne. She’d watched their bodies tense when she’d protested. It appeared as if the old Eve gave in way too easily to them. From here on out she would have to be strong and defiant against them.
But how could she when every time the three men looked at her, her knees melted and all she wanted to do was have them make love to her?
Eve cradled her rifle and winced at the soreness in her breasts. Yeah, she’d ditched the blanket as per Kayne’s request, but not because he’d instructed her to, but because she couldn’t very well keep her blanket wrapped around her shoulders and fire her rifle at the same time.
Besides, she figured she’d given Kayne, Mad, and Riley enough glimpses of her sore breasts and nipples at the breakfast table. In her ravenous appetite, she’d let go of the edges of the blankets on several occasions, and after catching them gazing at the opening and noticing their continued interest, she’d been turned on. Big-time. She realized she loved to tease them. Loved the intoxicating pleasure rush zipping through her veins every time she caught them looking.
Gosh, she hadn’t realized what a sexual being she truly was. Which reminded her of the flashback she’d had earlier when she’d smelled and touched Mad’s ointment. She’d remembered the men applying salve to various parts of her body. His salve being smeared to rope burns around her wrists and ankles.
She creamed at that memory now.
Obviously she enjoyed being tied down or tied up as she’d been tied to the tree when Kayne had taken her earlier. There were other times, too. She remembered them now. Salve being smeared over her sore ass cheeks after a good spanking. Or after rough lovemaking sessions when all three took turns taking her in the ass.
Eve blew out a tense breath as arousal spiraled through her. Her butt plug pulsed deep inside of her as she remembered the intoxicating pressure of having a cock impaling her back end before she’d been taken from them.
Oh my goodness. She was getting aroused again.
She shook her head and glared toward the cabin. Why weren’t they coming? She was getting herself all hot and bothered out here without any distractions. What was she anyway? Addicted to sex? A sex maniac?
Movement at the barn door caught her attention, and a moment later she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the three men strolling into the yard.
Cripes! About time!
Her nipples were starting to get all tight and tender again. She would need to get her hands on some more of Mad’s salve. With a sudden bout of impatience she forced herself to wait until the three men joined her.
“What took you so long?” she snapped, no longer able to hide her irritation.
“We needed to tend to the horses and figure out if Trader Jack had a wagon around to bring back the gold with,” Maddox explained.
Kayne chimed in. “We found one. So now we’re here. Okay, give us a show with your shooting skills.”
Nervousness skittered along her pulse, and suddenly perspiration blossomed across her forehead as the three men watched her with eager expectation. Talk about pressure. Sheesh. What in the world did they want her to do?
Just shoot at anything. C.J.’s voice echoed in her head as she remembered asking C.J. the same question when she’d first asked her friend to teach her how to shoot straight. First shoot at a target close to you, and then when you master it, start shooting a little further away. C.J. always made it a point to have ammunition on hand. Sometimes ammunition was stolen from houses. Sometimes they’d robbed people on the trails and roads. But it was survival of the fittest, and C.J. was aiming to make sure they survived any unexpected attacks by keeping them prepared with loads of ammunition. She’d thought it a waste of ammo when she’d point at something and miss, but with practice, she’d mastered her techniques.
So, that’s what she did this time, too. She started out slowly. Telling them what she was going to shoot at then she took aim and shot it. Trying as much as she could to ignore how intently they watched her movements, she pointed her weapon to targets further and further out, aiming at items that seemed impossible to strike. But she hit her objective every time.
After shooting for about fifteen minutes straight, she was exhausted, and her body was wound up tighter than she’d ever been before. Concentrating so intently on her targets, she’d forgotten she was being watched until Riley gently touched her elbow, snapping her out of her powerful attention.
“Okay, Eve. That’s enough,” he said softly.
Gosh, she felt as if she’d just written a series of exams at college already. She found herself smiling as she remembered the rows upon rows of desks in the auditorium. The intent silence as hundreds of students diligently worked on answering questions on their exams. She remembered the aching tension in her temples as she industriously worked on finishing her exam before the time was over.
God, she’d graduated from a college. She had a diploma in photography.
“Eve? Are you okay? You look kind of funny.” Maddox moved in front of her field of vision. His concerned look had her smiling even harder.
“I just remembered about my college days. More of my memory is coming back.”
“What else do you remember?” Kayne asked as he and Riley joined Maddox and crowded in around her.
She blinked at the intensity of their excitement. Felt it slip into her bloodstream and pump exhilaration through her veins like liquid fire.
“I remember you guys putting salve on me. Many times.”
Eagerness shone in their eyes. They wanted to know more. Suddenly she wanted to tell them more.
“Kayne, I remember our last time together on the side of the mountain near Stanley Glacier.” His mouth dropped open in surprise. She turned her attention to Riley. “I remember how you enjoy cooking in the kitchen and in the bedroom.” She winked at him and he laughed. “And Maddox, I remember how much you enjoy complaining when you need to make more salve to keep up with me.”
She shook her head as she remembered something else. Something that should have bothered her more than it did, but she realized it was something she’d dealt with emotionally and put to rest as best as she’d been able to do. It was her short time as a pleasure worker. It had been desperation that brought her to that pleasure house. She’d done things she hadn’t been pr
oud of, but she’d done it to survive.
“I remember how we first met. All of us,” she admitted as emotions of both shame and defiance against that shame warred within her.
The three men grew silent. She definitely had their attention.
She turned to Kayne. “I understand why you didn’t want to talk about how we first met earlier. I guess it wasn’t as romantic as I had hoped.”
Kayne nodded, his expression serious. “We all dealt with life the best we could right after the Catastrophe, Eve. You already know we don’t fault you for anything back then. We do what we do in order to survive.”
“Hell, girl. Had you not been there we would never have met, right?” Riley chimed in. She could tell he was trying to spin the conversation away from this sensitive area, and she was glad for his concern over her feelings.
Unfortunately Kayne wasn’t going to let her off the hook that easily.
“You dealt with it. We dealt with it. We moved on. Are you okay with this? I mean if you need to talk about it, you know we’re here for you. We’re always here for you, Eve.”
Riley and Mad eagerly nodded.
“You can always depend on us, Eve,” Mad said in that soft horse-whisperer voice of his that soothed her nerves.
“Yeah, babe.” Riley smiled at her and warmth flooded her heart.
Gosh, these guys were so sweet. Now she knew why she’d fallen head-over-heels for all of them.
“Do you remember your time with Wolfe?” Kayne said slowly, and suddenly her bubble burst, instantly replaced by fear. Why was he so insistent on knowing? Why didn’t he leave that part of her memory alone? Suddenly the fear was wrapping around her like a blanket. She could hear the voices. Could see everything unfolding right there before her eyes. And she was helpless to stop it.
* * * *
“She’s already pregnant, Wolfe. On top of that, the conk on her head your man gave her when he kidnapped her has fucked up her memory. She doesn’t even remember who she is.”
