“I’m not extra strong, or talented in any unusual way like you all are. It’s hard to believe that’s possible. And then look how uncomfortable I always was at the ranch. I didn’t feel I fit in.”
“Maybe that was the reason.”
Confused by his statement, Cassie asked, “What do you mean?”
“Perhaps something inside you recognized our kinship. You didn’t understand, and it made you unsettled. Consequently, you put distance between you and the place that evoked those feelings the most.”
Cassie was surprised both by such a long speech from Lang and by what he said. She thought about the time she came to the ranch and those years before she ran off.
“The reaction was like a hum,” she muttered partly to herself, but loud enough for him to hear. He didn’t respond, just drank his coffee and waited patiently.
“When I got to be a teenager, it got worse. I don’t know if I can describe it. A yearning, a questioning—” She shook her head. “I don’t know. I blamed my confusion and feelings on the fact that you all were different from me. I didn’t fit in. I’d noticed the extra strength, how well most of you could see better, further than me. And other small incidents that pointed out our differences. I told myself I was inferior.”
“If you’d been older, like Sara, I believe you’d have responded differently.”
“Perhaps, or maybe I would have been a pain either way.” She smiled at Lang, and he laughed.
“Maybe.”
Sally brought their food, and they ate in silence. But it was a comfortable quiet that was soothing to Cassie.
“I never eat this much. I think that’s all I can get down.” Cassie pushed her plate to the side. “I ran into Nick today when I was walking out of the ranch house.”
Lang glanced across at her and at her plate. “You ate enough.” He didn’t comment on her other statement.
“Nick was polite, but distant. I hurt him, didn’t I?”
“Yes.” Lang took a sip of his coffee.
“Well, say something.”
“What do you want me to say, Cassie?”
“Tell me how to make it right.”
“I can’t do that. You and Nick have to find your own way.” He continued to finish his meal.
“Since I let you help me, he probably thinks I care for you and not him. It isn’t true. For some reason when I’m with you I’m calmer. With Nick it’s more teasing, laughing. I don’t know how to describe the difference. I need both, but right now I need your solidness, your strength more.”
Lang put down his fork and sat his plate to the side. “I’m not always calming. I wasn’t at the new house the other day.”
“I know.”
“Nick has strength you can depend on, too.” Lang shrugged. “He just offers it in a more demanding way.”
Cassie grinned. “Yes, he does.”
“You two have to work that out.”
“I’m not sure he wants to.”
“Let’s go back to your place,” Lang said. He motioned to Sally, and she brought their check.
After paying, he and Cassie walked back to her shop and went up the back stairs to her apartment. Cassie led the way inside and opened her living room windows to let in some fresh air.
“Do you want some tea? I have several different specialties of Nanna’s.”
Lang stepped into her space. “The only thing in this apartment that I want, is you.”
A ripple of excitement shivered over her. She stared into his gray eyes and saw the need.
Large, callused hands cupped her face. “Do you have any idea how beautiful you are? When I look at you, I ache to be inside your hot, sweet pussy.” He kissed her lightly on the mouth.
His words sent heat flowing to all the parts of her body. She stood on her toes and leaned into him. Her arms curled around his neck.
“How do you think I’ve felt watching you work? Your hands”—she stepped back, took hold of them, and kissed each palm—“do beautiful work. I’ve wanted those hands on me.”
Lang wrapped his arms around her body and stood holding her tight. “This isn’t a game, Cassie. I love you, and so does Nick. We want you for our wife.” He kissed the top of her head.
“I know. I love you, too, but I can’t commit to a relationship at this time. Not yet. There’s something I have to be sure is taken care of first.”
He stepped back and held her shoulders. “Let us help.”
“Let me try to deal with it first. If it gets too hard, I’ll come to you two.”
He wasn’t pleased. He, like Nick, wanted to take over, but he nodded. “All right, if you promise to call us when needed.”
“Deal.” She grinned at him. “Why are we talking?”
“I have no idea.” He picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. When he let her down, her body slid against his hard frame, and the desire that almost constantly flickered when he or Nick were around grew into a roaring fire as Lang slowly unbuttoned her blouse and removed the rest of her clothes.
Lang stood back and looked at her. “You are the only woman I’ve ever really wanted. I always knew it was either you or no one.”
Cassie reached up and unbuttoned his shirt. “You’re way overdressed, cowboy, if you want to make love to me.”
“Yes, Madam. That’s exactly what I plan to do.” He stood patiently as she unfastened his silver belt buckle and slid his jeans and shorts down his long legs. She stopped for a second and touched his large cock. Her hand wrapped around the velvety hardness, and her tongue licked the salty drop from the top of his dick.
She heard his indrawn breath. His fingers grasped her head gently. A thrill built inside her as she took him in her mouth and wrapped her tongue all around his wide girth. His big body shuddered, encouraging her to cup his sac and increase her movements. She sucked on his cock and gently massaged his balls.
“Darlin’.” His raspy voice had her glancing up at him. His face muscles were held taut, his jaw tight. “I love what you’re doing, but I want to be in your tight pussy when I come. So you’d better let me take off my boots and get rid of these pants.”
“You’re sure you want me to stop?”
“This time, yes.”
She licked across the top one more time, before standing. “Hurry, cowboy. I want your body close to mine.”
In a few seconds he’d discarded his boots and pants, sheathed his cock with a condom, and had her on her back on the bed. He glanced down at her. “Your wish is my command.” His warm body covered her and held her snug.
“I’ve got you now. Let’s see, where do I start this feast?”
He bent his head and kissed her neck. She giggled and scrunched her neck. “Ah, I forgot how ticklish you were if I kissed you in just the right spot.” He blew his breath across her neck and kissed her again. Goose bumps and shivers covered her arms.
“No fair. I want you to make love to me. Not tease me.”
“Ah, my love. I am making love to you.” He nipped at her earlobe, and the shivers changed to an aching desire. His lips caressed her cheeks, her eyes, her mouth. She opened her mouth, and his tongue slipped inside to caress along the inner walls and the edge of her teeth.
She ran her hands across his muscled arms and down to his hard chest. His soft chest hair teased her nipples where they’d tightened and pebbled to a peak.
Moving down, he kissed her neck again where her blood raced and her pulse pounded. His lips brushed across her nipples as he cupped her breasts. As he massaged them, his tongue tormented each sensitive pebble.
Cassie couldn’t stay still. She moved under his body and pushed her breasts harder against his mouth. When his hand slid down and rubbed across her nub, she moaned. “Please go in me. I’m starving for you.” His chuckle vibrated against her chest.
“Savor the moment, honey,” he whispered in her ear. His mouth did a leisurely stroll along her body, kissing every vulnerable spot. When he got to her pussy, he spread her folds covering her sens
itive nub. He licked and suckled her clit until her body shook with her desire for him.
When his tongue darted into her pussy opening, she screamed his name and bowed her body. Heat and pleasure rushed through her veins. A throbbing pulse beat inside her pussy walls.
Moving quickly now, he positioned his hard cock at her opening and surged in hard and fast. She gasped as her tight pussy accommodated his big cock.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“Oh, yes. Don’t quit now.”
His grin, which he seldom showed to anyone, flashed again. “Good, because it would be difficult to stop.” He picked up his rhythm, and she met his every stroke. Her inner walls clenched and unclenched around his full girth.
She strained against him, wanting more. As though he’d heard her thought, he pushed further into her and held as her pussy walls rippled around him. She raised her legs up and around him. Her inner walls held his cock tight as he lightly bit her nipple. A huge orgasmic wave surged across her whole body.
Lang went in and out fast, and the orgasm hung suspended inside her before carrying her away. His shout of completion shook her again.
They lay together, panting. A thin sheen of perspiration coated their bodies in spite of the coolness of the room.
Cassie felt her face flush. “Do you suppose we shook the building, or that anyone heard our yells from the open living room windows?
He raised his body weight off of her. “Too late to worry. I don’t give a damn.” He said the words softly, a wide smile on his face. Rolling to the side, he took her with him and held her close to his body.
“According to your clock, you have about an hour before you have to leave to give blood. Sleep. I’ll wake you.”
* * * *
Lang waited until she was sound asleep, and then crept out of the bed. He took a quick shower and put on his clothes. The living room had gotten quite cold. While lowering the windows he stared at the town and distant mountains.
This land had always been his home. A part of his being. And he felt the same way about Cassie.
She smelled like the sweet roses his mother always had in her garden. The scent would flavor the air in the spring. Her skin was as soft as down, and her lush mouth tasted like ambrosia. He wanted to kiss her pussy lips and suckle her nub on and on. Her luscious breasts filled his hands, and her pink nipples begged to be tasted. When her orgasm hit her and she tightened on his cock his desire spiraled higher. When the pleasure hit it exploded to every cell in his body.
No one else would ever do for him. He was determined that he and Nick would marry her. Starting now that was even more his mission than it had ever been before.
He started to turn from the window. A man standing on the sidewalk across the street caught his eye. He looked vaguely familiar. He’d been staring at this building. Lang rushed out the door and down the steps, but when he got around to the front of the shop, whoever he was, he had disappeared.
Lang took out his cell and punched in Nick’s number. “Hi, drive to town. I want to talk with you. And if you hurry you can take Cassie to the ranch for her to donate blood.” When Nick said he was on his way, Lang snapped his phone shut. Soon, he’d need to wake Cassie, but first he had to formulate a plan.
Chapter Eight
Slut, she never let me touch her intimately, but she opens her legs for those cowboys. But my plan will fix her. This revenge is going to be so sweet. Just a little more patience.
* * * *
Nick arrived at the shop a few minutes before Lang had to wake Cassie. Lang told him about the man watching the shop. “He didn’t do anything overt, but I didn’t have a good feeling about him. You were right. Cassie is worried about something, and feels she has to handle whatever it is herself.”
“What do you suggest? She certainly let me know she didn’t want us taking over and being too protective.”
“Tough. We’ll do what we have to, to keep our woman safe.”
“I like it when you start thinking more like me.”
“Heaven forbid.” Lang and Nick both laughed at his remark.
“Go wake her and take her to the ranch. I’m going to work on my project inside. Cindy is working in the shop, but they aren’t using that room until I’m finished.”
Lang smiled seeing Nick take the stairs two at time. He couldn’t blame him. That’s how he felt, too.
* * * *
Cassie woke and found herself alone. She stretched. Her muscles were loose and relaxed. Her whole body felt different in a good way. She started to get up when she saw the shadow of man in her doorway. Jumping back into bed, she reached for her gun. It was gone.
“Hi, hope I didn’t frighten you.”
Nick, handsome as ever and wearing his sexy smile, made her heart jump with joy. “You did scare me. I should have known it would be Lang or you.”
She wrinkled her forehead and looked in her bedside table drawer. “I had a gun in here. I keep it for protection. It’s gone.”
“Let me see.” Nick searched all around the area. “Who would steal your gun, and when?”
Cassie remembered. “In my concern about the fire, I left my door unlocked for quite a while that day.”
“Most people around this area don’t steal, and especially not guns. They all have their own.”
“Unless it was the boys that the sheriff thinks started the fire. Maybe they lingered around and saw the opportunity to go upstairs.”
“I don’t think so. They’d have taken jewelry, food, something of value along with the gun. Is anything else missing?”
“I have little of value except my work. I haven’t noticed any of it being gone.”
Nick glanced at his watch. “You’d better get ready. We’ll figure this out later.”
Cassie was quick. She readily agreed to Nick driving her. “I might be a little weak afterward. Thanks for offering.”
He drove fast along the road to the ranch. They met few cars. Cassie started to speak several times, but decided to wait until later. They arrived at Ellen’s office right on time.
“I see you have your handsome escort.” Ellen smiled at Nick. “You can wait upstairs. I’m sure Tessa will have a delicious cake or pie to share with you.”
“That does tempt a man. But I’d rather stay and hold my lady’s hand.” He held Ellen’s gaze.
Ellen stared back at him. Cassie opened her mouth to tell him she’d be all right, and Ellen spoke. “I suppose I should know by now not to suggest you leave. Once you men have decided a woman is yours, no one is going to move the immovable rock.” She grinned. “I know from experience.” She looked at Cassie. “My husbands would be the same way. I’m very independent, but I’ve grown to like their always being there for me.” She turned and sat her equipment on the table by a large lounge-type chair. “Come sit here.”
Nick pulled a straight chair to the side opposite from where Ellen was working. He took Cassie’s hand. “Now you can see giving in once in a while isn’t so hard.”
Cassie laughed. “No. I don’t guess it was.”
“Might as well give in, honey. Lang and I intend to take care of you.”
“Keep this up and you may wear me down.”
“Take this ball and tighten your fist. Let’s see what kind of veins you have.”
She’d never liked having her blood drawn, so Cassie turned her head and stared into Nick’s blue eyes. She loosened her fist when told. Nick tightened his grip on her hand when Ellen stuck the needle in her skin.
“Now that wasn’t so bad, was it?” Ellen asked.
“No, not at all.”
“You two relax. We’re going to be here for a while. I’m going in the next room to do some work. This nice lady”—Ellen nodded to a young woman who had just entered the room—“is a nurse. She’ll sit over at the desk in the corner and check you frequently. I’ll be back in too, but let her know if you want to see me sooner.” Ellen left and the nurse came over and checked everything before setting at her d
esk.
“I’m glad we have this time to talk.” Cassie spoke softly to Nick. “I’m sorry about the other day. I’ve been mixed up lately. I was rude.”
He took her free hand and leaned forward so they could keep their voices low. “Forget it. I pushed a little too hard. It doesn’t mean I’ve changed my mind. I understand your need to be independent to a point, but if we disagree, let’s discuss the problem.”
“Nick, you and I are alike in a lot of ways. We’re both emotional and more apt to react in anger and snap at each other.”
“I’d never hurt you. I wasn’t angry so much as I was frustrated.”
“Lang and you are very different. Lang is calm, he thinks before he speaks, he has a steadiness, and all that is something I need. I love him.” She saw Nick’s stricken look and squeezed his hand. “I love you, too, for different reasons.”
Nick stood and walked around the room. When he sat back down, he asked, “Would you rather only marry Lang?” His body was stiff, and pain flashed in his eyes as he faced her.
“No. If I agree to marry, I’ll marry you both. I need your energy, teasing ways, and strong confidence. Lang shows his confidence in one way, and you show it in another. You are both strong, lovable men who make my heart race and my body ache to be near you. I don’t understand why you still want me after the way I left.”
Nick kissed her hand. “Living at the ranch you must have noticed that when the men decide they want a particular woman, nothing changes their mind. When the right lady comes along, our bodies know it before our minds accept the forgone conclusion.
“I thought if I went away to school, and then worked in the outside world far from here, I’d stop wanting you, stop seeing you in my dreams. It never happened. Finally I realized I preferred living here. And I gave up trying to find another woman to replace you.”
“But how does your body know?”
“I’m not sure. Our Priestess has said we can choose another, but our union will never be as strong. Our children will not inherit as many of our traits. I think it is a mechanism to make sure our line is preserved across time. Otherwise across the centuries, we’d have gradually become more and more fully human.”
Cameron, Paige - Commando Cowboys Reclaim Their Love [Wyoming Warriors 4] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Polyromance) Page 8
