Lustful Intentions [Climax, Montana 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Reece Butler

  “There’s more?” It came out as a squeak.

  “We’re both pretty small, and our men are big. If you relax, you’ll be fine with both of them.” She winked. “As in both at the same time.”

  Chapter 8

  Trey filled his bowl with more stew. He was impressed. Katie had done a hell of a lot of work in a few short hours. She’d even baked home-made biscuits!

  “May I use your computer? I need to let my grandmother know where I am.”

  “Sure,” said Trey. “It’s in the office, off the sunroom. Power bar is on the desk.”

  “You can use the computer on one condition,” said Sam. He leaned back in his chair and set his jaw. He’d been acting like an ass since Trey patted Katie’s ass before supper and she’d giggled instead of hitting him with her wooden spoon. Trey tossed a biscuit at his brother’s fat head. Sam caught it then glared.

  “What’s the big problem with Katie telling her granny where she is?” demanded Trey.

  “I won’t pry, if that’s your concern,” she said. “And I’m well experienced with various operating systems.”

  “That’s not it.” Sam gestured with the biscuit. “I have a job I want you to do. If you’re so good on that box, you should be able to do this pretty easy.”

  “Do what?” asked Trey. Sam stared out the window, which Trey took to mean Sam wanted something personal done. The light went on. “You want Katie to search that matchmaking site!”

  “Matchmaking?” asked Katie. Her voice rose with every syllable.

  “I need a wife. We need a wife.” Sam gestured around the kitchen. “Seeing how the place looks after one day of cleaning makes me think Tom is right.”

  “Right about what?” Trey snagged another biscuit. Katie pushed the butter and honey his way, and away from Sam.

  “A potential wife wouldn’t want to visit a mess. Katie can clean things up in preparation, and find some possibilities at the same time.”

  Trey did not want to think about a possible wife, not with hot-blooded Katie front and center. He almost wished he’d told Sam about the kiss he and Katie had shared. Almost. He wanted to keep it between the two of them, something special.

  Sam was the older brother, the one who’d always known the ranch would come to him. Trey had spent too many hours wishing he was far from the Rocking E. It wasn’t the work, or the life that got to him. It was the heavy blanket of gloom that Sam hauled around everywhere he went. It could darken the sunniest day. Katie had lifted a corner of that blanket. Already Sam had started acting closer to human than robot. What would Sam be like if he was free of it entirely? Trey was sure Katie could do more for them than a woman Sam chose from the Internet.

  “Let me get this straight.” Katie sat taller in her chair. She had to set her feet on the rungs to do so. “You want me to clean your home to suit a potential wife, and you want me to find that wife?”

  Sam jerked his head in agreement.

  “Do you know how many Internet matchmaking companies there are? It could take hours every night to sift through the replies!”

  “There’s only one company I’m interested in, so it shouldn’t be too hard.”

  “Then you do it!”

  She shoved her chair back. One leg caught on a tear in the linoleum. Trey moved fast, catching her before she tumbled. They ended up almost nose to nose. His eyes immediately went to her lips. She licked them nervously. It didn’t matter why it darted out, that tiny pink tongue gave him ideas.

  “You can let me go now,” she said breathlessly.

  “Yeah, I could. Don’t much want to, though.” Her breasts expanded when she inhaled, pressing against him. That led to other things expanding farther south.

  “I’ll pay you a bonus for your time,” said Sam.

  Katie pushed, so Trey released her. She stood up, changing as she moved. From the look of her, at first Trey thought she would throw more than a biscuit at Sam’s head. He checked that the knives were far enough away. She drew herself as tall and straight as possible. He could see this version of Katie in a business suit sitting at the head of a boardroom table.

  “How much?”

  “That’ll depend on how good a job you do finding us a wife.”

  “Not good enough. I want an hourly fee and a set bonus when you invite the first woman here. No matter what she, or you, decides.”

  Yep. She definitely had terrier in her. She’d grab onto something with a grip so tight it would never get away. Maybe if she grabbed onto Sam’s wet blanket attitude and hauled it off…

  Sam went back to looking out the window, refusing to answer.

  “I expect it will take you some time to work out what you both want,” she said.

  “I want an easygoing, quiet woman who was raised on a farm or ranch,” said Sam. “She must know how to work hard, cook, and do all those wifely things, and know that ranching comes first.”

  “So, you’ll accept a hardworking single mom and her five kids, and you don’t care what she looks like, her age, personal habits, or even if she speaks English?”

  Trey stuffed another biscuit in his mouth to hide his grin. Katie found it easy to rile Sam, which was another reason Trey wanted to keep her around. Sam may not like it, but Katie kicked him out of the rut he’d been living in for so long it had become a trench.

  “I’d like us to speak the same language,” said Sam. “I don’t mind kids, if she’s the right person. And personality and moral character is more important than looks.”

  After a moment of silence Katie turned to Trey.

  “I want someone who loves living here on the Rocking E, who cares for both of us, is open-minded in and out of the bedroom, can take orders yet stands up to us when necessary, and gets along tolerably well with the rest of our extended family.”

  “What about love?”

  “What about it?” demanded Sam belligerently. “I want a partnership that will last. Love doesn’t.”

  “What about your parents and your aunts?” she demanded.

  “That’s different. My parents met each other in high school.”

  “Aunt Marci and Doc Nikki came here as strangers,” said Trey. “They both married quick enough, and both triads are still married. Aunt Aggie met Uncle Keith at college. She came to visit, met Uncle Donny, and stayed.”

  “Yeah, but they’re from the last generation,” said Sam as if it was an explanation easily understood. “Things are different now.”

  “Then add that I want a woman who loves me, and who’ll tolerate Sam well enough,” said Trey. He gave Katie a wink. “By that I mean share our bed. As long as she loves me and lusts after Sam now and then, it should work out.”

  Sam grumbled louder, but he’d already shot himself in the foot with the negative love comment. Trey had heard that women wanted love the way men wanted sex. He wanted both love and sex. Trey was already in heavy like with Katie, and even heavier lust. He was glad he was sitting down across the table so Katie couldn’t see his overly tight jeans. Though if he was standing there’d be more room…

  “I’ll print out a questionnaire for you to fill out together,” said Katie. “I won’t put any time into it until you both sign off what you want. I do need to contact my grandmother, tonight if possible.”

  Trey’s belly was full, though he’d been eyeing Katie’s apple pie since he first smelled it hours ago. He believed in using strategy to get what he wanted. Tonight that included half a pie and Katie in his bed. Or hers, because it was bigger.

  “Why don’t you e-mail your gran right now,” he said. “Me and Sam’ll clean up the kitchen.”

  “But—”

  “We can talk about what type of wife we want while you’re in the office.” He stood, moved behind her and, holding her waist, gently guided her out of the room. She went along easily, no doubt eager to check her social media after a quick one-liner to her grandmother.

  “What are you up to?” demanded Sam when he’d returned.

  “I want Katie ni
ce and relaxed before bedtime.”

  “Why? You think she’ll want anything to do with you?”

  Trey shrugged. “If not, at least we’ll have a clean kitchen and apple pie.”

  * * * *

  Hildy waited until the end of the day to read Katie’s e-mail. It would be the highlight of a very long, stressful week. At least, she hoped it would be the highlight. She’d discovered a totally different side of her youngest grandchild in the last six months. At first the e-mails had been stilted reports. She’d encouraged Katie to write her impressions down, as if she was writing letters to a close girlfriend. The family, those who noticed her, thought Katie was a mousy little thing. These last months proved she was anything but.

  The last thing her assistant had done was bring in the heavy silver tray with her tea. A Hester Bateman silver teapot, on a stand to protect the antique linen tray cover, contained loose leaf Darjeeling. Today her Minton teacup and saucer were of the Princess pattern with crisp red, blue, and yellow. All day she immersed herself in dry business matters. Her collection of pretty teacups, and her daily quiet time enjoying her tea, was one of the few ways she admitted she was an old woman.

  A matching plate contained two thick lemon shortbread cookies from the marvelous Ullapool bakery. One of the perks of being CEO was ordering cookies from the north coast of Scotland and no one dared say a thing. She’d just gotten a double order, lemon as well as stem ginger, delivered to her home. Her daughters-in-law squawked about the butter harming her heart so she’d hidden the shipment in a suitcase in the back of her closet. Her family’s bickering, and Walter’s arrogance, were far harder on her health than a few sticks of butter!

  She poured her tea into the cup and set it beside her computer screen. She disliked milk in her tea but Socrates, her shadow-gray Burmese, enjoyed a saucer of it. He leaped onto the desk with a purrpt and waved his tail, impatient for her to fill the fine porcelain saucer. While he lapped she sat back, took a restorative sip, and clicked open Katie’s e-mail.

  Memo to: Hildegard Katherine Winterbourne, CEO

  From: Katherine Winterbourne, Intern

  Subject: Assignment status

  Mrs. Winterbourne: Dear Gran,

  I am fine, though I had my pack and all my money stolen while taking the bus home.

  “Dear Lord!” Socrates looked up at the worried tone. Milk dripped from his chin. She schooled her lips not to move. The cat did not like to be laughed at. “Katie’s fine, pusscat. I offered her plane tickets home, but that girl’s stubborn. She reminds me of me,” she added.

  The assignment was to have been structured, keeping Katie safe. Instead, she’d struck out on her own, insisting she wanted freedom and anonymity for once in her life.

  I’ll make enough for my bus ticket home while scrubbing floors and walls, cooking, and the like. I’ve been hired to make up for a pair of bachelor brothers avoiding deep cleaning for the last decade or so.

  “Bachelor brothers? I do hope they’re not a pair of smelly old men.”

  Sam Elliott is five years older than me, and Trey is two years older. Sam is a stubborn, stuck-in-his-ways party pooper. Trey was, until recently, a party boy. When he turned twenty-five he decided to settle down. He’s the third son, therefore the nickname. Ben, the oldest, lives with his wife and children in Bozeman. I’ve been told there are at least fourteen young men my age in town.

  “Fourteen?” Hildy set down her teacup. It rattled, a product of a touch of palsy. “Surely she’ll find one she likes, even if it’s just for a few weeks of fun.” She sighed. “Not that I remember what that word means.”

  In addition to cleaning, cooking, and the like, I have taken on an assignment that will advance my organization, logistics, and management skills. I agreed to be responsible for organizing all the food for eighty or so people for over a week. It’s quite a logistical challenge as the men are working outside, moving from ranch to ranch, cutting and stacking the hay for the entire valley. There is the added demand that I am the one in charge and will be telling experienced ranch women twice and three times my age what I want done. Yes, this is an old-fashioned town where people get together for the good of them all. I’ve only met a few people, but I know you would enjoy it here.

  “I bet I would. Especially if my red-headed granddaughter finds herself a cowboy and gives me a red-headed great-granddaughter.”

  I may return late by a day or two if the weather causes problems getting the haying completed. I’m not exactly sure how it’s done yet, other than they use horses and make haystacks. I’ll be able to fill you in when I get home. I know you will understand if I must stay a few extra days. I shook hands with one of the older women, Marci MacDougal, and a Winterbourne always fulfills her promises.

  “That she does. Good thing Walter’s not in charge.” The cat nudged her shoulder. “You finished already?” Socrates gave her a look cats only bestowed on humans they needed to keep around for food and cuddles. She filled the saucer with the last of the milk.

  The added advantage of this position is that I will be meeting people who are likely to stimulate ideas for a smaller product line to level-load the production facility. Much of their furniture is handmade, used rather than antique, but sturdy. Most of the men here are over six feet tall and are well muscled from ranch work, so the furniture reflects that. It’s a long way from the delicate cabriole legs of your Queen Anne chair, LOL.

  If you want to stick another pin in the map of my travels, I’m staying in a tiny place called Climax, west of Dillon, Montana. It’s absolutely beautiful here. It’s quiet, and we’re surrounded by mountains. I’m sure it will be cold and snowy in the winter, but right now I love it.

  That’s all, Gram. I know you’re busy, but I wanted to let you know I am well and thinking of you. Love and hugs from your lastest and bestest grandchild, Katie.

  “I’m thinking of you, too, dearest.”

  She wiped her eyes and sniffed. Katie was the only one who loved her, rather than wanted what she could provide. The dear girl had no idea how badly her health had deteriorated since January. She’d got a touch of pneumonia which had lingered. When she’d cut back her hours, Walter had taken it as a green light to bulldoze his way over her. She was feeling much better now, though still tired. And why shouldn’t she be tired? She still worked ten-hour days. When she got home she was surrounded by eager eyes anticipating when she would finally step down.

  She needed a change in her life, but didn’t know what to change it to.

  She’d tell Katie to do what was best for herself. Katie was young, talented, and smart. She would wither under Walter’s harsh rule.

  Hildy turned to the keyboard to tell Katie to take her time when the tromp of heavy feet warned her of trouble. She said a very unladylike word and closed the e-mail. She moved it to a hidden file before shutting down the program. When her eldest son knocked and opened the door without waiting for an answer, she faced her desk, reading the day’s production reports.

  “Mother! I told you to keep that filthy beast off Grandfather’s desk!”

  She looked at Walter over her spectacles. She loved him, as she was his mother. But she certainly didn’t like him, especially lately. He behaved as if it was a matter of days before he’d shove her out the door and into a senior’s facility. One with doors that locked on the outside.

  “Whose name is on the door you just opened without waiting for my word of welcome?”

  “Mother, I—”

  “It’s a simple question, Walter.”

  “Yours.” He almost spit the word.

  “Correct. And until your name is up there, this is my desk.”

  He’d been a good-looking young man, but decades of sneering had left deep grooves on his face. She’d inherited her own grandmother’s skin, and had taken care of it, smiling instead of scowling.

  She might be old but she wasn’t ready to step down yet, mainly because she had a good idea what would happen with Walter in charge.

  H
e glared at Socrates, who hissed back. “We’ll see what the doctor says on Monday.”

  It was a threat, one she’d been concerned about for some time.

  “Yes, we will. But it’s Friday, and I’m having my tea. Now go away.”

  His lips twitched. She knew he was eager to say more but didn’t have the balls. She’d done a damn fine job hauling the company out of the red and making it successful. Unfortunately, it had been at the cost of her children. Not that they suffered, but they were not close and they focused on the company above all else. Walter barely stopped himself from slamming the door on his way out. She gathered Socrates into her lap. He’d leave long gray hair on her charcoal suit, but so be it. She needed something warm to cuddle. The deep rattle of his purrs soothed her.

  “You have far more redeeming qualities that that CEO wanna-be.” She sighed. “I don’t know how I’m going to be able to watch everything I’ve created go down the drain.”

  Chapter 9

  Katie vigorously rubbed her head with the towel before folding it over the shower rod. She looked in the mirror. Her hair erupted from her head like flames. Too bad. She was done. No more coloring it brown or straightening it. This was who she was and if anyone didn’t like it they could go hang.

  “You’re stalling. And if you wait too long, they’ll be back in the house and you’ll lose your advantage.”

  Telling herself so didn’t ease the butterflies in her belly, or the things happening below. Though she had just showered, her pussy lips were wet and slippery. After they finished in the kitchen and went out to the barn she’d shut down the computer, gone upstairs, and started one of Marci’s books. She immediately thought of Trey and Sam doing the same wonderful things to her, making her scream in orgasmic delight.

  That’s when she’d made her decision.