Four Sworn

by Delilah Devlin

  “Hey!” Zach went under and came up ready for a fight. He jumped on Jake’s naked back and pushed him under, holding him down.

  Beneath the surface, Jake hunkered low, grabbed Zach’s leg and pushed up and out of the water, tossing Zach high into the air.

  They wrestled and splashed, too excited to feel the cold of the stream created by high country snow melts. Nor could it dampen the arousal Zach felt at touching Jake’s naked body, a secret Zach would never tell Jake for fear of losing the only friend he had on this godforsaken mountain.

  When his skin started to shrivel and his balls began turning blue, Zach cried uncle and crawled out of the water to dry on a giant boulder bathed in the sunshine.

  Jake climbed up on the rock next to him and stretched out.

  If Zach hadn’t been a man, he’d find Jake…well, too darned attractive. As suntanned and well-muscled as Jake was, Zach was surprised every woman in the Pikes Peak Mining Country wasn’t after him.

  Then again, there weren’t a whole lot of women in the mountains who weren’t already hitched or whores. Jake deserved a good woman. Shoot fire, they both deserved a good woman. But how the hell were they supposed to find one when they lived so far out in the hills? It took two days of climbing to get down to the nearest town.

  Jake lifted up on his elbow and smiled across at Zach. “Well, what are you going to buy?” He glanced down at his cock, swelled and ready for action. “I don’t think I can wait a couple more days to get down to Idaho Springs. I’m already itching for some lovin’.”

  Zach’s own cock swelled at the sight of Jake’s growing in size. The mention of women made it even worse. They hadn’t been completely naked since last summer. “I guess I’ll get me a female.”

  “Yeah, the sooner the better. Been so long since I fucked me a woman, you’re beginning to look good to me.” Jake stared across at Zach, the smile slipping from his face, his mouth tightening. “Strike that. Didn’t mean that to come out that way.”

  Zach laughed. His laughter did sound a bit strained, even to his own ears. “Know what you mean, buddy. You’re a fine specimen of a man. Any woman would be proud to have you.”

  “You ain’t hard to look at yourself. Now that you’ve scraped off that beard, all you need is to slather on some of that fancy cologne the dandies wear in Denver and you’d be right charmin’. Ain’t no reason you couldn’t catch you some sweet young thing to get hitched to.”

  His mind on the man next to him, the only human he’d spoken to in months, Zach could hardly picture a woman, much less a pretty one, he’d like lookin’ at for the rest of his days.

  Squashing down the disturbing attraction he’d been feeling toward his claim partner, he sighed and lay back on the rock. “Who are we foolin’? What woman in her right mind would want to hole up in a shack with a couple of galoots for months on end?”

  Jake didn’t answer.

  Maybe he saw the wisdom in Zach’s words and silently agreed.

  The next thing Zach knew, Jake had leaped onto his rock, grabbed him under the arms and legs and flung him into the pool. “Speak for yerself, old man. I’m getting me a woman if it’s the last thing I do.”

  Zach hit the surface, the chill robbing him of breath. He went under and came up in time for Jake to land a big splash next to him, blasting him with a spray of water that left him spluttering.

  Jake jerked his leg out from beneath him and Zach went under, grabbing for whatever handhold he could get, taking Jake back down with him.

  When they finally came up for air, they stood face-to-face, close enough to touch…if they dared.

  Inside, Zach knew his feelings for Jake were wrong. Men weren’t supposed to lust after men. What would people say?

  Hell, who would know? They lived so far in the back country the only living creatures they saw were wolves, deer and a few stray Indians.

  If he wanted to touch Jake, he could and no one would be the wiser. His hand was halfway there before he realized what he was doing and jerked it back.

  “You feel it, don’t you?” Jake asked. He reached out and laid his hand over Zach’s heart. “You want me as bad as I want you, don’t you?”

  Zach shook his head, even as he wanted to shout, Yes.

  Jake’s mouth twisted into a grimace. “I know what you’re thinkin’. It ain’t right. Men aren’t supposed to like each other. You know…that way.” His hand slid down Zach’s torso and into the water where even the cool mountain stream couldn’t shrink his arousal.

  When Jake’s hand circled his cock, Zach jumped back. “Damn, Jake. It ain’t right.” Revulsion warred with desire. Jake’s hand had felt good. Damn good and Zach wanted more.

  “Who’s around to say it ain’t right?” Jake waved at the forest around them before his gaze settled on Zach’s face. “I’d wondered what it would feel like to touch you there.” He closed the distance between them again. “Don’t you wonder?” He lifted Zach’s hand and guided it to his rock-hard dick. “See? The sky ain’t gonna crash in. The world ain’t comin’ to an end. We’re just two men.”

  “Two men sinnin’.” Zach’s fingers curled around Jake’s cock, reveling in the rush of heat pooling in his own groin. He backed away, his hand falling to his side. “We best get back to the shack. We got work to do before we can make that trip to Idaho Springs. Never know how long this good weather’s gonna hold out.”

  Jake sucked in a deep breath and let it out. “Not yet. I want more.” He stared across at Zach. The way his gray-eyed gaze locked on him made Zach’s cock swell even larger.

  If he didn’t find some relief soon, he’d explode. “You’re killin’ me, Jake,” Zach said. “If we weren’t such good friends, I’d punch you.”

  Jake glanced down at Zach’s engorged member. “I just know I can help you there.”

  Zach shook his head, the horror of what would happen if the men of the hills found out making him resist when all he wanted was Jake’s hands on him again.

  “Let me.” Jake reached out again and this time Zach didn’t back away. Seeing Jake naked made him hornier than a boy with his first whore.

  As Jake’s fingers closed around his cock, Zach shut his eyes. “We really need to get to Idaho Springs and find us some women.”

  “We will. Soon enough. But for now…” Jake smoothed his hand over the length of Zach’s shaft.

  She surrendered the reins. Now he’s raising the stakes.

  Raising Kane

  © 2010 Lorelei James

  Rough Riders, Book 9

  When a patch of ice sends attorney Ginger Paulson head-over-high-heels down a flight of stairs, she has no one to care for her young son and her invalid father—until lethally sexy Kane McKay shows up at the hospital, determined to prove his cowboy chivalry. Past experience has inoculated her against take-charge men, but even Ginger isn’t immune to Kane’s invasive charm and Built Ford Tough body.

  For two years rancher Kane McKay has followed the Little Buddies mentoring program’s cardinal rule—hands off his Little Buddy Hayden’s mama. But one look at Ginger’s bruised body and Kane is through watching the stubborn woman take care of everyone but herself. The feisty, curvy redhead needs his help, and he’ll give her the hands-on type whether she likes it or not.

  After Kane throws out doctor’s orders and issues his own demands—her full sexual submission—Ginger realizes Kane’s caring nature extends beyond just fulfilling her physical needs.

  Can the former hell-raiser convince the gun-shy single mom to look beyond his past…toward a shared future?

  Warning: Contains one sweet and hot hunk of cowboy manflesh who uses every sexual trick in the book to render a sassy, fast-talking attorney speechless and put a new twist on the term “binding arbitration”.

  Enjoy the following excerpt for Raising Kane:

  “Mom!”

  Ginger smiled at Hayden when he skidded to a stop in front of her. “It’s okay. You can hug me. Just don’t squeeze too hard.”

  H
e buried his face in her neck and heaved a deep sigh.

  She placed her forehead on the top of his damp head, breathing him in. The scent of her little boy, baby shampoo beneath the hint of sweat and the cold tang of the outdoors. “I missed you, baby.”

  “I’m not a baby.”

  “My mistake.” She smooched his crown before he squirmed back. He never used to try and escape her hugs, but from the day he’d turned eight, he’d gotten stingy with maternal affection. She looked over at Kane, lounging in the doorway.

  Good thing she wasn’t hooked up to a heart rate monitor.

  Holy buckets the man looked commanding, even leaning nonchalantly against the doorjamb. Commanding and an utterly striking example of masculine perfection. Scuffed black boots crossed at the ankle anchored the long line of his denim-clad legs. He wore a shaggy sheepskin coat and folded his arms over his broad chest. His ever-present black cowboy hat shadowed his face—a shame really, because Kane McKay had a beautiful face. Sharp angles defined his strong jawline. The neatly trimmed dark mustache and goatee framed those perfectly kissable lips. And his eyes. Lord have mercy on her soul. She could lose her train of thought in a heartbeat, gazing into those dark blue depths.

  Don’t you mean you could lose your panties in a heartbeat?

  The man epitomized rugged cowboy, down to the inscrutable way he looked at her, so she wasn’t quite sure what he was thinking.

  Which was probably why she’d never made a move on him.

  Well, that and it was against the rules of the Big Buddies/Little Buddies program for them to fraternize.

  And man, she’d thought about fraternizing with him naked a whole lot. Ever since the night last year that she’d gone out and found trouble with his assorted McKay cousins’ wives at the Twin Pines. Not only had she ended up drinking too much, she’d found herself in the middle of a bar fight, and coming home in the backseat of a cop car, courtesy of Deputy Cam McKay. She’d panicked to see Kane’s truck parked in her driveway, fearing something had happened to Hayden, but Kane had calmed her down immediately… And then he revved her back up, with his sexy whispered, “How about if you let me take you to bed?”

  “Mom?”

  Feeling guilty about her impure thoughts, she said, “Aren’t you supposed to be in school?” to Hayden and then shot a questioning glance at Kane.

  Kane shrugged. “I wanted to swing by and tell Libby you were goin’ home, so I just picked him up early.” His gaze moved over her at a snail’s pace and she shivered. “You ready?”

  “I signed myself out. Got my cache of drugs. Just waiting on the wheelchair.” She scowled. Seemed an unnecessary rule in her opinion.

  Hayden’s eyes grew big. “You have to be in a wheelchair?”

  “No, sweetie. They’ll wheel me out in one, that’s all.”

  “Too bad. I thought maybe you and Gramps could have wheelchair races.”

  “He’d beat me for sure. He’s pretty speedy.”

  Hayden crouched over the pink plaster. “Buck said you had a cast. Can I sign it?”

  “First thing when we get home.”

  The nurse wheeled in the chair and Kane left to pull his pickup around. Hayden didn’t say a word as the nurse helped Ginger into the chair. At least they’d removed the full bandage on her left hand so she wasn’t a total invalid.

  Face it. You are completely helpless for the next few days.

  Once they reached the patient pickup area, Ginger debated on how she’d climb into Kane’s monster truck. Hayden had no such qualms; he clambered into the back seat like a monkey. Good idea. Maybe she should just go for it. She attempted to stand and Kane was right there, gently shouldering aside the nurse.

  “Thanks.” He smiled at the nurse. “I got it from here.” He put his mouth on Ginger’s ear. Tingles ran from neck to her midsection, tightening everything in its wake. “Trust me?”

  “I guess.”

  “On three I’m gonna lift you.”

  “Kane—”

  His arm slipped behind the bend of her knee. He gently cradled the right side of her body to the hard strength of his. “One. Two. Three.”

  Then she was airborne, efficiently being stuffed in the front seat of Kane’s truck. “You’re lucky you didn’t wind up in the hospital yourself, McKay, with my weight straining your back.”

  “Nah. I’m used to movin’ around heifers.”

  She would’ve snapped at him if not for the twinkle in his eye and the smirk curling his lips. “You are a regular riot.”

  “So you can take a joke,” he murmured. “I’d wondered. Besides, you smell way better than heifers and you didn’t try to knock me on my ass. That’s always a plus.”

  “There’s always next time,” she said sweetly.

  “Lookin’ forward to it.” He fiddled with the seatbelt. “I’m thinkin’ we’d better put this strap behind your head so it don’t strain your shoulder and only use the lap belt.” The intimate way Kane’s fingers straightened the belt across her abdomen sent her heart galloping and a small gasp escaped.

  Mr. Twinkling Blue Eyes was right in her face. “Shit, sorry, I thought I was bein’ careful. Did I hurt you?”

  “Umm. No.”

  He squinted at her. “Then what’s wrong?”

  I just discovered my whole body goes haywire from your slightest touch. “Ah. Nothing. I’m just anxious to get home.”

  He smiled. His damn smile was as sexy as his teasing eyes. “Once we get there, don’t bail outta the truck on your own. I’m here to help you, and that includes carryin’ you into the house if I have to, understand?”

  “And if I don’t?”

  “Red, you might learn firsthand exactly how good I am with ropes.”

  Gulp.

  Kane grinned and spoke to Hayden. “All buckled in?”

  “Yes sir.”

  “Good. Let’s get your mama on home, hmm?”

  Hayden filled the air with chatter, which Ginger mostly tuned out due to the reappearance of a vicious headache.

  Once they’d reached her house, she couldn’t wait to crash in her own bed and sleep. She depressed the seatbelt locking mechanism and turned toward the door.

  “Ah ah ah. My threats ain’t idle, sugar, so stay put.”

  Dammit.

  The man lifted her out and wrapped his arm around her waist, holding her tightly to his side.

  “I can manage.”

  “No, you can’t,” he argued with entirely too much cheer.

  Glaring at him didn’t cause his sexy smile to slip.

  “You’re gonna have to learn to lean on me.” They took three steps. “There you go. See? That ain’t so hard.”

  “Yes, it is.” But Ginger wouldn’t admit the hardest part was being pressed against Kane’s muscular body and feeling the need to surrender to his raw magnetism.

  Definitely loopy from the drugs.

  Kane stopped on the top step. “You okay?

  “Sleepy. Sore. Starving. And crabby about being all three to be real honest.”

  “That’s totally understandable. Let’s get you inside.”

  In the kitchen, she sagged into a kitchen chair. “Give me a minute.”

  “No rush.”

  Ginger heard the soft squeak of her dad’s wheels on the wood floor and looked up.

  This aged version of her father caught her by surprise. During her childhood, this soft-spoken man had loomed larger than life. Tall, slender, with a shock of red hair. Now that red hair had turned white. His frame had shrunk, leaving his shoulders hunched, his arms and legs slightly shriveled. The arthritis confined him to a wheelchair, destroyed his body, but not his will, and his mind was as sharp as ever.

  Ginger had always adored him. Even when her mother used lies and manipulation to keep them apart. He’d given up his position as a federal prosecutor in California and retreated to Wyoming after the demise of his marriage to Ginger’s mother. Although they both regretted the years they’d lost, she was grateful they’d worked to
build a new relationship.

  She attempted a smile. “Hey, Dad.”

  “Dearest daughter.” His shrewd eyes took in every injury and assessed it before moving on to the next. “You all right?”

  “I’ve been better.”

  “We’ll talk about what happened after you’ve rested.” He tapped his fingers on the arms of his chair. “Maybe it’s none of my business, but who’s going to help you get undressed?”

  Ginger hadn’t thought about that. She’d left the hospital wearing the camisole top she’d worn under her suit jacket and a borrowed pair of baggy scrubs-type pants. She’d only needed one shoe, so the nurse outfitted her with a pair of shower shoes, covering both her feet with socks and surgical booties to protect her from the cold.

  “That young McKay has been quite a help, but I’m not comfortable with him…helping you get your clothes off, even though rumor around town is he’s helped plenty of women out of their clothes. Plenty of women,” he reiterated.

  “Dad. That’s not fair.”

  “I suppose you’re right. But I’d feel better if you had a female around to help you do those types of things.” He pinned her with a paternal look. “It’s what you insisted on for me, remember? The male nurse who comes every other day to help me?”

  “Fine. I’ll call Libby. Or maybe Joely can swing by.”

  “Good.” He rolled toward the living room.

  “Your dad have that opinion of all McKays? Or just me?” Kane asked tersely from the hallway.

  Ginger glanced up and saw a hard glint in Kane’s eyes. “Since your family has been my dad’s clients for thirty years, I’m betting it’s just you.”

  “At least you didn’t sugarcoat it,” he drawled. “Come on, let’s get you to bed.”

  “I thought you’d never ask.”

  “Careful, a man could take that the wrong way.”

  She stood too quickly and swayed, but Kane was right there to catch her. He snarled and practically carried her to her bedroom, leaving her no time to protest.