by Reece Butler
She sighed, relaxing. The rug was softer than many of the places she’d slept in the last few months.
Yes, she could make Sam angry, but it would be more fun to seduce him. She’d also get the benefit of it. He was no innocent, and the bulge she’d seen behind his belt buckle confirmed he wanted her. The eager hum between her thighs spoke the same language, making her panties damp. One of her fantasies was to be ravished, taken by a man who wanted her so much he couldn’t hold back his need for her. Sam and Trey were both big enough that she could fight as hard as she needed and they would still win. Dorothy and Tom insisted they wouldn’t harm her, and her instincts agreed.
Oh, God. The thought of Sam carrying her away like a caveman as she kicked and screamed, then driving her mad with lust until she begged for release, made her entire body buzz. She’d spent most of her life hiding in the corner like a meek brown mouse. It was time for her to step into the spotlight and demand her needs be met!
In small steps, she added, immediately backpedaling. She needed to prove to herself that she was an attractive woman and deserved a man’s attention, in bed and out. If she got a few orgasms out of it, and memories to cherish, all the better. Only, this was Climax. Dorothy said every man in town made darn sure their women came first, at least once. With two men to arouse her, the chance of experiencing screaming orgasms was far higher. And wouldn’t that be the best way to end her six months of freedom?
If she wanted to have some fun, it had to be now. Winterbourne females dated one appropriate man and then married him. Some of her cousins got away with a couple of serious boyfriends, but most of them had fun in college far away, and then came home and settled down. She had little time before she had to return. It wouldn’t take much to encourage Trey into wild sex. With what she knew of brotherly rivalry, Sam wouldn’t be far behind.
Katie curled her back to the sun. Though her body buzzed, she couldn’t keep her eyes open. She needed sleep, food, and a bath. They would come after a short nap. And then it would be game on!
Chapter 5
Sam headed for the house, stomach growling from skipping lunch. He’d chickened out, just like a fourteen-year-old desperate for a date but afraid to do much about it. He’d blurted out that he was interested then ran without explaining what he meant. It was time for him to bluntly set his cards on the table, let the chips fall as they may, and deal with the result. With Katie and with Trey.
He opened the kitchen door and stopped, his foot inches from touching the floor. The kitchen was clean, as in counters bare and floor scrubbed. The pail Katie’d used, still filled with dirty water, sat beside the door to the sunroom. He left his boots on the porch in front of the door as a warning to Trey to do the same, and entered in sock feet. The floor had dried, so she’d finished it a while ago. All he heard was the kitchen cat clock. It ticked loudly as its black tail swung side to side. The wide, white eyes jeered at him, as always. Many times he’d wanted to smash the thing but his dad had given it to his mother just before he died.
He padded to the sunroom. Katie lay on the rug, curled with her back to the sun. Her torch of hair blazed, resting on a bent arm. She looked so vulnerable that he backed away. He told himself she would not want him to see her this way. The truth was he wanted to take her into his arms and hold her, and that was not going to happen. Not until they straightened a few things out. The soft ting of a bell announced Trey’s truck had crossed the cattle grid. Sam hurried outside so his brother wouldn’t wake her.
“Katie inside?” Trey didn’t wait for an answer, striding across the dirt.
“How’s Mom?”
Trey stopped on the porch. “Good. Mrs. Jefferson’s fussing over her.” He took a closer look at Sam. “What the hell happened to you?”
“Nothing.”
Trey set his feet, crossed his arms, and got that mulish look that said he wasn’t going anywhere until Sam spilled. Sam hauled off his hat, woke up his hair with some heavy scratching, and then stuck his hat back on. Trey still waited. If he and Trey were to marry themselves a wife, he had to start talking to his brother about more than ranch chores.
“Hearing about Mom being hurt scared the hell out of me,” he admitted.
Trey looked up to the mountains, silent for once. His face looked older, lined. Sam realized his brother was always laughing and making faces no matter how he felt. He’d used a mask as much as Sam, only one of a grin rather than a scowl.
“Scared me, too,” admitted Trey with a sigh. “Makes me think how time’s slipping past. After losing Pa and Dad I never thought I’d make twenty-five, so I made sure I had a hell of a good ride.” He rubbed his breastbone with his knuckles. “Don’t quite know how to behave with a woman here.”
“Katie will be good practice for a wife,” said Sam.
“You need practice with that sexy wildcat?” Trey barked a laugh. “What, you’ve gone without so long that you’ve forgotten what to do with a naked woman?”
Sam’s cock twitched, proving the opposite. “Hardly.” He shifted his feet and cleared his throat. “I, uh, told her I was interested. We all know she’s only here a few days so it would be just sex. Nothing complicated.”
“A few days and nights.”
“Exactly.”
“You’ve got lustful intentions and want to scratch an itch?” Trey raised an eyebrow.
“Something like that. As long as she’s itchy, too. From those nipples and the way she twitched in the truck, I think she feels a fair bit of lust in return.”
Trey rubbed at his chin, silent. He hadn’t shaved that morning, unlike Sam, who had a morning routine. He also had set activities afternoon and evening. He hoped Katie would change his nightly routine, which was to fall into bed too exhausted to do more than sleep. That way he didn’t have to think.
“Katie irritates the hell out of me.” Sam scowled, hating to admit the next part. “And she makes me hard.”
“About time something other than work got your head out of your ass.”
“My head isn’t in my—”
“Not since Katie knocked it out with one punch.” Trey snickered. “You planning on working until you crash tonight?”
“Not if Katie’s interested in staying awake.” He winced as his cock swelled with nowhere to go.
“She inside?”
Sam nodded. “Last I checked she was flaked out on the rug in the sun. She scrubbed the kitchen floor, so take your boots off.”
“Did you make sure things were ready for her upstairs? Change the bed, that sort of thing?”
He didn’t want to admit he hadn’t thought of it, or that he’d gone far too long without feminine companionship of the lustful kind that he wasn’t sure how to start.
“I had barn work to do so I told her to help herself.”
Trey laughed, a natural one that Sam hadn’t heard in a long time. “Admit it, bro. You’re scared of that pint-sized fireball.”
“Am not!”
Trey gave Sam that superior look which pissed Sam off royally. “I dare you to kiss her,” said Trey.
“Yeah? Well I double-dare you!” he blurted in automatic response.
Trey grinned and reached for the door. “Thought you’d never ask.”
“Don’t you touch her!”
Trey tsk-tsked as he shook his head. His hand didn’t leave the door handle. “You are so busted, big brother. You want her, but are afraid to do anything about it. Boo-hoo-hoo, you might love someone else, and then lose them, too,” he taunted. “Yeah, life can suck, but if you never take a chance you’ll never have anything good happen, either.” His lip curled up in disgust. “I’m not afraid to go for what I want. And I want to kiss that fiery redhead.” He winked. “On both sets of lips.”
Sam forced his rage back into its cage. He did not get mad. He was the Iceman.
“Katie Winterbourne is an employee,” he reminded Trey.
“And that means…?”
“Hands off unless she makes the first move. You don�
�t touch her without permission.”
“As I said, no problem!” Trey gave an insulting salute and sauntered inside.
Sam held onto his fury until the door shut. He wanted to charge into that sunroom and give Katie an orgasm she’d never forget before taking his own. But he’d wait. He could control his lust until Katie took the next step. She had to ask to ensure he was not putting pressure on her. That was his rule.
Sam Elliott always followed the rules.
* * * *
Trey easily pushed Sam out of his mind when he spotted Katie. She lay on her side, dead to the world. The fire in her hair would be even brighter when it was clean. He’d love to lie in the tub, her back to his front, while he washed it and the rest of her, of course. Slowly and sensuously slipping his fingers into every crease and crevice.
Soon, but not today. She was exhausted, filthy, and no doubt hungry. He bet she was scared as well, though she’d hide it. He took her Tanner’s Ford Mercantile bag upstairs and dropped it on the bed in the master bedroom. This part of the house had been added to the original cabin. The ceilings were high, with wide windows facing south. He opened them to the breeze.
He’d had a lot of fun over the years while Sam kept his nose to the grindstone. He’d joked about Sam not getting things ready, but Trey knew more what women liked.
He changed the sheets, leaving the comforter pulled down in invitation. He put out towels, the special thick ones Mom had bought for guests. He set out some mini bottles of shampoo and fancy soaps that Amy had left behind. He looked in the bureau and pulled out a pair of Amy’s old sweat pants. He added one of his white T-shirts. He started a bath, deciding not to add bubbles in case her skin was sensitive. She was, after all, a redhead.
He padded downstairs and leaned a shoulder against the doorway, watching her sleep. She shifted and a smile flashed across her face. He hunkered down nearby, though not too close since he’d heard about her tackling Sam. Unfortunately she hadn’t hit his brother hard enough to give him a black eye. Trey would’ve enjoyed that.
Katie was wild and untamed, insisting on being strong when she had little more than the clothes she’d arrived in and a determination to get the job done. He admired that. Male or female, he liked people who worked hard and didn’t quit. Pretty girls were a dime a dozen, or had been when he was younger. Beautiful women were nice to have on your arm, but not to live with. Katie was neither, and both. She was unique, and hot, and he wanted to get to know her a whole lot better. Preferably with both of them naked.
She moaned then rolled onto her back. Her firm breasts were topped with large nipples, hard nipples that pointed to the sky. Was she dreaming? Another moan and her hand drifted toward a breast. Yeah, she was dreaming, and it was a humdinger. Her hand flopped back to the rug.
Those two nipples called to him. They told him they were lonely, that they could use a pair of soft, wet lips on them right about now.
I can’t touch her breasts without an invite!
She licked her lips and moaned again.
What about kissing her lips? Gently, just to see if she was interested? If she wasn’t he’d find out. She’d slammed Sam pretty damn fast. Was tasting her worth getting a black eye?
Oh, hell, yes!
Trey cleared his throat, testing to see if she’d wake. Nothing. He walked closer, stepping heavily on the rug. Still nothing.
“You awake? Because I really want to kiss you.” Her lips moved, as if puckering up for a kiss. “That was a yes, right?” She sighed, and her mouth opened. “That’s good enough for me.”
He knelt beside her, rested his right hand by her shoulder, and slowly brought his face close. Her nostrils flared as if she was inhaling. She didn’t open her eyes, scream, or screw up her face in disgust, so he kept going.
“I’m going to kiss you now, if that’s okay.”
“Kiss,” she murmured. The corners of her mouth turned up.
He took it slowly, wary about her punch. The smell of lemon cleanser was strong, but he was sure there was something enticing underneath. He’d think about that later. Their lips touched. She parted hers, enticing him in. He deepened the kiss just a bit, a question rather than a violation.
She answered by curling her arm over his head and pulling him down. Though startled he managed to land on his right shoulder and hip rather than crush her. Somehow he did it without breaking the kiss. She growled and rolled, pinning him onto his back as she took over. Trey was sure she was awake and demanding more. He eagerly slid his hands down her sides to cup her very nice ass. He squeezed his encouragement.
She pulled back. Green eyes glared down at him. Or were they blue?
She scrambled off, barely missing his erection with her knee. She rolled to her feet and went into a fighting stance. Though she was vertical he wasn’t sure she was awake so he stayed where he was, knee bent protectively over his cock. Just in case, he lifted his hands to fend off a punch or kick. The way his cock and balls were swollen an attack could do significant damage. He noticed her nipples hadn’t gone down.
“It’s okay, Katie,” he said, sounding calm though his heart still pounded. “You’re at the Rocking E Ranch. We hired you to do some heavy cleaning for a few days.”
“Who the hell is ‘we’?”
“I’m Trey Elliott, and Sam’s in the barn. You punched Sam this morning then worked at Tom and Dorothy Wright’s roadhouse. Our mother hurt her arm so you came here to clean. Any of that sound familiar?”
He watched recognition dawn. Her fear faded, replaced by anger. She stuck her chin out.
“You kissed me!”
Fury looked good on her. Trey knew enough about women not to mention it. He would love to have a wrestling session with her one day. Maybe put the California king-sized mattress on the floor as a mat, then when he had her pinned, he’d have his wicked way with her. Of course he’d have her full cooperation in a refusal-to-give-in way. There was nothing like a bit of full-body-contact wrestling to get the sexual juices flowing, especially when ripping off her clothes was part of the play. Katie’s clothes were in such bad shape they’d be perfect.
She wasn’t ready for that yet, unfortunately.
“Yes, I did,” he admitted. “I saw you were going to get a crick in your neck from sleeping on the floor so was going to wake you. After you slugged Sam I held back but you moaned, and then you…” He made a hand motion, hoping he wouldn’t have to go into detail.
“I what?” She narrowed her eyes, making it an ultimatum.
He straightened to his full height. Her blush paled, then like a knee-high terrier facing a mastiff she set her feet. Her eyes dared him to try something so she could attack.
“You puckered up your lips, which I took for an invite. I asked if you wanted a kiss. You said, ‘Kiss.’ Our lips barely touched when you grabbed me, flipped me on my back, and took over.” He chanced a hint of a smile and a knowing wink. “I like a woman who knows what she wants.”
Her color deepened. She crossed her arms under her breasts, likely to seem tough. Instead, it emphasized her considerable assets. Though a bit thin she had a woman’s curves. His hands tingled in memory of her full ass.
“I was dreaming!”
“Face it, you had lustful intentions toward my body.”
“Not consciously!”
At least she didn’t try to deny attacking him. “That must’ve been some dream. Care to share?” Her blush suggested what she refused to speak out loud.
“Why did you kiss me?”
That stopped him. He wouldn’t tell her about Sam’s dare. Women didn’t like that sort of thing.
“Seriously?”
“Always.” Her chin rose even higher.
“You mean, other than you’re a damn fine-lookin’ woman, your nipples were hard, and when you hauled me on top of you—”
“I never did!”
Her hands, curled into fists, dropped to her sides. She held her arms rigid. The pink of her blush clashed with her hair, though i
t suited her. He bet her nipples were the same shade of pink, like a rosebud.
“Hate to argue with a woman, so since I’m right, I’ll just stop.” She pressed her lips together as if to stop herself from speaking. “You are one damn fine kisser, Katie. Anytime you want more, just whistle. I’ll be happy to oblige.”
He stuck his arms in his front pockets and leaned back on his sock-clad heels. It put his erection front and center. He looked at her from head to toe and back up again, going slow on all the interesting bits. Her eyes dropped to do the same to him. When she hit his belt buckle she gulped, clenched her jaw, and glared up at him.
“Don’t expect me to whistle anytime soon!”
He leaned forward and dropped his voice to a caress. “If you didn’t like it, why was I flat on my back with your breasts holding me down?”
She choked. “I wasn’t…you held me down.”
“How could you have rolled to your feet so easily if I was on top of you?” Her blush now matched her faded pink T-shirt, snug over swollen breasts.
“Are you saying I attacked you?” she demanded.
Trey shook his head, keeping his eyes on hers. He sent out calming vibes as if she was a skittish horse. Calming, but arousing as well. He wanted more of her, whether she could whistle or not.
“You were in an erotic dream and when I touched you, you reached for what you wanted.” He winked. “It’s not an attack if the person enjoyed himself.” He dropped his eyes to her breasts, making it obvious. “Looks like I’m not the only one who wanted it.”
“Well, don’t touch me again!” This time she crossed her arms to cover her breasts. Again, she didn’t deny her actions.
“I won’t touch you unless you’re awake, aware, and ask me for it.” He used his index finger to make a cross over his heart. “I keep my promises.”
