by Mari Carr
“I don’t think…”
“Fine. Partner.” Gandle grimaced. “Smith can be encouraged to retire if necessary.”
“You’d do that to someone you’ve worked with for fifteen years?” Sam shook his head. How could this have been his dream? Belinda had done him a huge favor. “Thanks, but no thanks, sir.”
“Son of a bitch.” A one of a kind pen launched across the room. “Without you or Belinda we have no shot in cornering this market.”
“Hang on. What’d you say?” Could he have heard that right? “Where’d Belinda go? Did you fire her for her sexual shenanigans?”
“Hardly.” A terse snort echoed in the executive’s mammoth office. “I’d have banged her, no hardship there. She got cocky. Played her hand too soon. Thought she had investors lined up and bolted to bigger, shinier seas. They didn’t have the cash they’d promised her to play with.”
Well that explained why all his preferred stocks had remained available and reasonably priced while he sorted out his family issues. Too bad, so sad.
Sam grinned.
“You might want to dial that shit down, son. Last I heard, the barracuda was on a flight heading your way. Actually, I called because I thought she’d already be there. Maybe she wants to kiss and make up.”
“Thanks for the early warning.” Sam grimaced.
“It’s the least I could do.” Gandle shrugged. “Don’t take it personal, Sam. It was about business. Always about protecting our assets.”
“Funny. I’d sacrifice every liquefiable interest I have to keep my family intact. I’d gladly fork over every dime if I could buy my dad more time. All of us. I can’t believe I forgot what was really important. Thanks for reminding me.”
“Sam—”
He punched the end button, silencing the objection of his one-time mentor.
A huge weight lifted off his shoulders. He didn’t doubt for one moment he’d done the right thing by coming home. He only regretted that he hadn’t acted sooner. He could have spent more time with JD. Vicky. His brothers. Cindi.
Shit.
How many years had he wasted? Maybe he should make up for it now instead of deferring his relationship with Cindi until some mystical ideal period in his life. Reality was, there would never be a perfect time. Things could go haywire without notice. It’d be better to have her by his side than to muddle through on his own. Hell, he’d forced her to suffer alone these past few weeks.
No more. He shoved his chair back from the desk and marched toward the barn. He’d think of something to say by the time he got to Cindi’s office. Except, when he burst onto the porch, a rental sedan sat dead center in the yard, hogging the free space.
“Oh no.” He broke into a run, loping toward the disaster he could sense brewing like an experiment gone wrong in a mad scientist’s laboratory.
He cleared the entryway and paused to let his pupils dilate. Feminine insults rang from the far end of the aisle way.
“You’re that bitch, Belinda?” Cindi sounded ready to spit. “Hell fucking no I won’t tell you where to find Sam. Hit the road and take that last-season bag with you.”
“Do you have any idea how much this cost?” Belinda reeled as though someone had punched her in the stomach instead of insulting her purse.
“Doesn’t make it any less fugly.” Cindi put her nose in the air and sniffed.
The awkward angle left her vulnerable to Belinda when she swung the truly hideous gold-leather at Cindi’s face.
Before Sam could yell out a warning, the heavy satchel caught her on the jaw. She sputtered, then pounced, knocking Belinda off her ridiculously high heels into the pile of hay nearby. A cloud of dust enveloped the women as they struggled for the top position.
Sam gaped so wide you could have driven a tractor through his mouth.
Screeches ricocheted through the space while they wrestled, putting the hen house at feeding time to shame.
“Holy girl fight!” Colby shoved past the cowboys gathering on the other side of the barn. The sight of his friend racing toward the women spurred Sam to motion.
He reached the tangle of smooth skin and silky hair first, unsure of how to begin.
“Grab Cindi.” Colby waved his hands toward the flash of purple. “I’ll take the tall one.”
Sam wrapped his arms around Cindi’s waist and hauled her upright. Colby did the same to Belinda. Her elbow caught him in the nose, and he jerked. “Son of a bitch.”
Blood trickled over Colby’s lip.
“Enough, kitten,” Sam crooned, trying to calm Cindi. Her ferocious defense had his cock hard in the small of her back. She would stick up for him even after he’d hurt her? “Maybe I should call you wildcat from now on.”
“Sam.” Belinda went from tigress to simpering victim in half a second. Mascara streaked as she manufactured tears. “You’re going to let that cunt hit me?”
“Pretty sure you deserved it, honey.” Sam relished Cindi’s undignified snort. He ran his hands over her body, making sure nothing seemed out of place. If Belinda had so much as scratched her, he’d press charges. Somehow he doubted prison garb lived up to her fashion standards.
“You know her?” Colby held Belinda with straight arms, as if she stunk worse than the pigpen on a hot day.
“Thought I did.” Sam shook his head. “Belinda was just leaving.”
“But, Samuel…” she pleaded. “Hear me out. I have a proposition for you.”
“Gross. I just bet you do.” Cindi wrinkled her adorable nose, scrunching together the freckles dusting the bridge.
Sam chuckled and picked hay from the lavender locks below his chin.
“There’s nothing you have that I want, Belinda.” Sam shook his head. “Gandle beat you to it. He filled me in. Looks like you shot yourself in those Manolo Blahniks.”
“But—” She might have kept arguing if an enormous sneeze hadn’t shaken her skeletal frame.
How had he ever found her attractive?
“Allergies.” She sniffled, horrified when her nose began to run. “Hay. Cats. Horses. Dust. Gah!”
Another sneeze rocked her on her inappropriate heels.
Cindi squirmed from his hold to retrieve a box from her office. Despite their rude introduction, she offered the other woman a tissue. Belinda knocked the cardboard from Cindi’s hands.
“Have it your way.” Cindi rounded on him. “Really? Her? You slept with her, but me you’re not interested in?”
“Cindi, wait…” Sam reached for her hand, intent on convincing her he’d come out here to beg for another chance.
“Cindi?” Belinda cocked her head in between another round of sneezes. “Wait a minute… I thought you looked familiar. How many women would opt for those nasty highlights? Just didn’t think you’d be hiding all the way out here. Are you telling me you’re Cindi—”
The bookkeeper froze. Her wild stare winged from Belinda to Sam to Colby. Before she could utter another sound, Belinda was ushered from the barn by Colby, who yelled over the snake’s continued rant, “I’ve got this under control, Sam. I’ll see your guest back to the airport.”
“Thanks.” He never took his eyes from Cindi.
She smiled faintly, wringing her hands and staring after Colby and the blotchy, red-faced version of Belinda.
“Planning to tell me what that was all about?” Sam cocked his head. Where would Belinda have possibly met Cindi before? The world wasn’t that small after all.
“No.” She studied the ground as she shuffled toward her office.
“Cindi.” Sam grabbed her wrist. “I came out here to admit I messed up. I’m ready. I’d like to try for something big with you. But if you don’t trust me, how can that work?”
“Trust? I’m not the one with issues there.” She avoided his stare. “What would I have to hide?”
“I don’t know, kitten.” He cupped her cheek in his hand, rubbing his thumb over a smudge of dirt left behind from her scuffle. “From me, I don’t think there’s reason to keep secrets. I’
ll give you the same understanding you’ve shown me. I swear.”
She shook her head. “What if it’s too much for you to handle? What if you run again?”
“I don’t scare easily,” he murmured. “I’m here for you.”
“I can’t.”
Sam felt as though someone had dunked him in the lake in the middle of February. He’d almost made the same mistake twice. Ready to open up and lay himself bare before a woman who couldn’t do the same for him.
“If you change your mind, you know where to find me.” He kissed her cheek. “Think about it, okay?”
He didn’t give her a chance to respond before he spun and left the barn. So much for his grand designs.
Chapter Fourteen
Eight weeks after returning to Compass Ranch
JD had announced his official retirement at dinner. Today had been his last day in the pastures.
Ever.
He’d arranged to transfer responsibility to Colby, Silas, Seth and Sam in front of the hands first thing in the morning. Vicky, Lucy, Jody and Cindi planned to attend the informal gathering. They’d invited all the other staff and neighbors to share in a surprise potluck buffet afterward. A few of their friends had asked to make brief speeches.
Sam slammed the side of his hand into the dresser. Dealing with the daily decline of JD had turned out to be harder than he imagined. Especially while surrounded by the partnership of his parents, Silas, Colby and Lucy, as well as Seth and Jody. He figured he should have had odd man out tattooed beside his fancy E. Christ, there was so much love in the air it made him sick with envy. What kind of fuckwad resented the happiness of his family?
Especially in times like these.
Things had been easier before Cindi cut him off. At least then he’d had a willing ear whenever he’d needed it. What kind of pussy did it make him that he’d been ready to cherish her friendship and instead she turned him down when he didn’t marry the offer of a shoulder to cry on with stud service?
Christ. Yet somehow every member of his family seemed to think their meltdown had been his fault. He’d suffered lectures from JD, Vicky, his brothers, their mates—all of them piled on the poor-Cindi bandwagon.
He had to get out of here. If only for a little while. He’d take Dee and roam the night like he’d done after he’d forgotten to latch the gate on the coyote-proof pen and they’d lost three lambs to the hunters when he’d been fourteen. Only then, he’d had Sawyer to keep him company. His twin had sensed his self-directed anger and sadness. He’d ridden, quiet for once, by Sam’s side.
Too bad for them all, he’d had it.
Sam was calling his brother. This time he wasn’t giving up until they spoke. The guy had a right to know, to share these last days with their father. Every one that passed marked a deterioration for JD—a little slower, a little sleepier, a little more pain-ridden. And there was nothing they could do but keep him company as he descended.
Sam reached in his pocket and drew out his cell phone. It took three tries before he could swipe the touchscreen in the necessary pattern to unlock the display. He punched the contact folder, then Sawyer’s ridiculous profile picture from Facebook, which he’d saved to display every time Saw called.
A deep breath rattled his ribs. Then another.
The phone lowered as he stared at the screen, which blurred in his watery stare. No messages, no texts, no nothing. So much for the prickle in his neck, which he’d swear had been telling him all day Sawyer might already be back on dry land. Although he probably would have called to check in, he might also be out partying and fucking himself into oblivion after so long at sea.
“Screw it.” Sam mashed the icon and hauled the device to his ear.
It rang.
And rang.
And rang some more.
Until Sawyer’s cheery begging to leave a message and a phone number to call back had Sam half-laughing along with his half-definitely-not-crying.
The transmission severed with a beep an instant before he redialed. Answer me.
Halfway through the second ring, Sawyer picked up. The slight pant in his greeting confirmed Sam’s suspicions. “Dude. Really? Twice? I’m sort of busy…”
“Uh, sorry.” Holy shit! Sam was so surprised to hear Sawyer he couldn’t drum up a thing to say.
“Sam? What is it? Is Silas okay? Shit, I should have called. It’s just…” The instant fluctuation from relaxed to tense changed Sam’s mind. He couldn’t sign up for torturing his brother. The rest of them had agonized enough.
Also known as chickening out.
“Si? Oh yeah, how would I know? Haven’t heard anything from him in weeks. He’s fine I’m sure.” Sam laughed. “Sorry, must have butt dialed.”
“Twice? Talented ass you’ve got, bro.”
The dulcet tones of a female voice filtered through the speaker.
“Yeah, I hear how busy you are. Let you get back to it…her, I mean. Have fun. Be safe.”
“I’ll call you in the morning.” Sawyer paused. “You’re sure everything’s good?”
“Yep. Other than you stalling for your girl. Hope you’re not losing your wood.”
“Don’t you worry about my cock, okay? Damn. Gotta go.”
The picture of Sawyer on Sam’s phone was replaced with a giant red X.
Sam banged his head on the wall several times in a row. He jammed the device in his pocket and tore along the hallway. Night air would do him some good. The back door squeaked loud as ever, though he shut it softly before racing down the stairs and jogging toward the barn. Fired up, he didn’t notice the lights streaming from beneath the not-quite-shut door until he was less than ten feet away.
“What the fuck—?”
A loud cry rent the night. A feminine shout was followed by male grunts and groans. Holy shit, was someone being attacked in there? He ripped the panel open with enough force to shake the entire wall of the barn. A swarm of cowboys surrounded a petite woman with platinum and lavender streaked hair.
Cindi.
Sam could use a good fight right about now. He cracked his knuckles before clenching his fists. If they’d harmed even one of those wild hairs on her head, he’d rip them limb from limb despite the fact there had to be more than a half dozen of the strapping guys.
“Get the fuck off her. Right now!”
He didn’t expect her soft response, more question than grateful relief. “Sam? Is that you?”
Could she be enjoying this?
He shook his head, clearing the irrational rage and measuring the scene objectively. Guys framed her with their cocks in hand. They didn’t pin her down. Instead, they supported her, held her up and open for their buddies, who filled her seeking hands, mouth and pussy.
Fantasies collided before him as though someone had made a 3D porno out of his greatest desires and cast his favorite actress in the starring role. Sam had no choice—he had to investigate.
Cindi froze with one hand on Jake’s cock and tried to close her legs around Duke, as he plowed between her creamy thighs. He’d built long and slow to this final sprint and she hated stealing his glory. Considerate and gentle, he always tended to her pleasure before seeking his own. He shouldn’t have to suffer this rude interruption.
Sam refused to be ignored.
Would he damn her, rail and shout or could he possibly understand? Even a little.
She shivered as she prayed.
“This?” He smacked his palm on his thigh hard enough it had to burn all through his elbow. “This is the secret you’ve been hiding from me? You like to get nasty? Fuck the hands? Let them pass you around. Give yourself to them all…”
“Sam.” Jake angled his torso to protect Cindi from the brunt of Sam’s ire. “Careful how you talk to her. Don’t disrespect her or you’ll find yourself facedown in the hay. I don’t have a problem kicking the boss’s son’s ass any more now than I did when you were a spoiled kid.”
“You could try.” Sam swallowed hard.
Sti
ll, Jake let Sam pass. Interesting.
She allowed the men—Johnny below her, Duke between her legs, Levi, Jake and a couple others she couldn’t place scattered around—to support her as she absorbed Sam’s inspection.
The searing beam of his gaze scanned her from head to toe.
“You let them come on you?” He studied the slick trail of pearly come decorating one of her breasts. The lines had never shamed her before. They didn’t this time either when Sam’s pupils dilated as though the sight alone made him yearn to mark her, too. “Does it turn you on? How many times can they make you shatter before they’re wasted?”
He elbowed Levi out of his path.
His focus returned some of the steam to Cindi’s core. Her pussy clenched on Duke, and her thighs trembled in his big hands.
“I need them.” She closed her eyes and Johnny, who’d volunteered to act as a human couch to prevent her from lying on the floor of the barn, surrounded her in a bear hug.
“I’ve got you, doll.” He murmured in her ear, “We need you too.”
“So, what, you thought I’d flip? That I wouldn’t think it’s hot?” He stalked closer to trail a finger through the iridescent proof icing her breast.
She bit her lip and nodded, furious at the tears that sprang to her eyes, unshed. “I was willing to give them up for you. But you didn’t want me.”
The cowboys grumbled at both halves of her revelation.
“Not true. I didn’t think I could have you. If I had known this…”
“Would it have been different?” She shook her head. “No. Your focus still would have been on JD. I get that.”
“How could I ignore this? It was hard enough when I thought you were perfect in every way but one. You have no idea what seeing you like this does to me. I need too, Cindi. So bad. I never would have guessed you had this in common with me. Though I suppose I should have, like everything else. Shit. All we did was waste our time.” Sam ripped his flannel shirt from his powerful frame. Dear God he had a body on him. So much different than the men surrounding her. Not any less muscular yet so much more refined. Skewed from bulk to sinew. “I’m going to fuck you so every man here can witness how you come apart for me.”
