Spurred (Steele Ranch Book 1)

by Vanessa Vale

  “Wow, um. Are you trying to keep me here?”

  Archer shrugged. “You have a job, a life back there. Most people don’t just move to a small town like Barlow on a whim or without a job lined up. Just thought this might help your decision making.”

  Kady looked thoughtful, as if she were considering the possibility. Cord and I wanted her to stay. We expected her to do so just because of our love for her. Yes, love. But that wasn’t going to be enough. She couldn’t just sit around all day while we went off to work. She might be a millionaire now and not need a job, but she’d want one. She’d need it. It was just her nature. “Okay.”

  Archer stood, put on his hat. “Something to think about. I assume I’ll find you here?” he asked her.

  “Yes,” Cord and I answered at the same time.

  “I’ll be in touch.” Archer grinned, then left. We didn’t walk him to the door.

  Kady spun about, leaned against the counter. “Why is someone trying to kill me?”

  Neither of us answered, because what could we say? While it felt like my life was now based on days After-Kady, we’d only known her for such a short time. Insane, considering the depth of my feelings for her. I knew Cord felt the same. There was so much we didn’t know about each other, and I’d assumed we’d have the rest of our lives to learn it all. But it seemed like a dead fucker could have changed that. I glanced at Cord, then at Kady, and said the only thing I could. “We’ll let Archer do his job.”

  She frowned, glanced up at me. “What am I supposed to do then? Hide?”

  “We’re not leaving your side, sweetness, so no hiding. We’ll keep you safe. Trust me, nothing is going to happen to you.” Cord’s tone, his entire demeanor backed his words. She had to feel safe with him—a veteran the size of a Sequoia—by her side. And while I didn’t have the same training as he, or the size, no one was fucking with our woman.

  “What are you going to do?” I said. “Take a shower, then let your men fuck you.”

  Her mouth fell open. “Speaking of that, I can’t believe you let me have a conversation with the sheriff with a plug in my…in my, me!” Her hands went to her hips and she looked sassy and perfect.

  Cord grinned. “We were the only ones who knew and I have a hard-on to prove it. Come, let’s get you all cleaned up so we can get you dirty again.”

  She blushed. “I’m a little sore.”

  No doubt since she’d been fucked by both of us two days in a row, and all night long by Cord. But just the thought that we’d worked her so thoroughly made my balls ache.

  Cord tucked her wild hair behind her ear. “Don’t worry, sweetness, we weren’t thinking of your pussy.”

  It took two seconds, but she caught Cord’s drift. “You couldn’t. Could you?”

  “You’ve got that pretty plug in, getting you nice and stretched for us.”

  “You both can’t fit,” she countered.

  I loved the innocence about her, and showing her all the fun ways we could pleasure each other. I tapped a finger on her lip. “I can fit here just fine.”

  Her mouth fell open in surprise, her mind going to the fact that we planned to break in her virgin ass and claim her mouth at the same time. I slipped the tip of my finger in and her tongue flicked over the tip. I groaned.

  When I pulled my finger away, she said, “A plug’s okay. I…like it, but I don’t think…I’m not ready for more than that. There.”

  I nodded. “Okay. Then we’ll just play until you come.”

  We weren’t going to push her into something she wasn’t comfortable with. She’d been bold enough to take a plug, last night with Cord and now. More than that would come later. Until then—

  “Shower first, play second,” Cord said.

  He turned Kady toward the direction of the shower, gave her a gentle pat on the bottom.

  “Someone tried to murder me last night and you guys want to play?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” I replied, trying to keep my tone light. She was completely right. It was insane. Ridiculous. But we weren’t just going to sit around. Why would we do that when we were all horny as fuck?

  “I can’t walk with this thing in,” she grumbled.

  I lifted up the hem of my shirt she wore, saw the green jewel sparkle between her cheeks.

  “Try it out and see,” Cord said, clearly eager to watch her do so.

  We waited for her to move, because doing so meant she wanted it, wanted this play with us. It was a risk talking about fucking at a time like this, but there was nothing for us to do but keep her safe. And keep her head on straight. And the easiest way to do that was to keep her from thinking at all.

  We all needed a distraction and a wild romp would do that.

  She started walking toward the bathroom, slowly and carefully at first. We followed.

  “Lift up the hem of your shirt, sweetness. Let’s see that gorgeous ass.”

  She paused, looked over her shoulder, perhaps to see if we were serious. I had my hand on my dick over my sleep pants, trying to ease the ache and Cord was unbuttoning his jeans. After a few moments, she did as Cord requested, holding the hem of my shirt up about her waist.

  Giving a sly smile, she started walking again, the lush curves of her ass swaying with each step, the little jewel the centerpiece.

  “One day soon, sweetness, and that ass will be ours,” Cord vowed, following her with his dick leading the way.

  She might be the one who gets fucked, but Cord and I were screwed. Completely and totally screwed. Our sexy little schoolteacher wasn’t so simple after all. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.

  11

  KADY

  “Kady!” Beth shouted when I answered my cell.

  It had been almost twenty-four hours since Archer had come by and told us the few details about the dead man. We’d heard nothing since then. And while the sex with Cord and Riley was spectacular, we needed out of the house. And, my pussy needed a break. Riley suggested a horseback ride. That hadn’t been my first thought. Actually, it was probably the last thing my pussy wanted to do, but when I thought about how they might make it all better later, perhaps with their mouths, I got on board with the plan. I’d learned they were very, very skilled with their tongues.

  After that, I realized I’d see the men on horseback. The mental image alone made my ovaries jump for joy. I owed it to women everywhere to ogle the two cowboys in their natural setting.

  We’d just walked out the front door to head to Steele Ranch to ride because it seemed I was the proud—one-fifth owner—of a whole bunch of horses. Cord was locking the front door when the cell rang.

  “Hi, Beth, how are you?”

  Both men turned to look at me when I said my sister’s name. Riley’s pale brow went up. I sat down on the stoop as they walked toward Riley’s big truck. They leaned against it as they talked quietly to each other, their eyes squarely on me. I could only imagine what they were saying.

  It may have had something to do with the fact I was wearing jeans, not my usual dress. To them, my pants, new boots and one of my old t-shirts was quite a change. Jamison had called the old Steele housekeeper, Mrs. Potts, to come in and help pick up the main house after the robber’s mess. She’d pulled together an outfit for me—since he knew I’d left in just a nightgown—and had brought it by. I was thankful for the clothes—and underwear—because my nightie was all I had.

  “You are never going to believe this.”

  She was speaking quickly—too quickly, although with an excitement I hadn’t heard in a long time.

  “What?”

  “I got married!”

  My brain took an extra few seconds to process those three words. “Married? I…um. Who? How? When?”

  She laughed. “Two days ago. His name is David and at the courthouse.”

  “Two days ago?” I asked, stunned. Did that mean when she called me at the restaurant she’d been married and hadn’t told me? But she’d been so mad at me she was in rehab while I vacationed, s
pent all of my new inheritance. “The courthouse? How did you do that if you’re in rehab?”

  “I’m not in rehab, silly. They said I didn’t need to be there any longer. I’m all better.”

  All better.

  No one got all better from drug addiction. Someone might stop using drugs, but they always had the addiction. It never went away. “You’ve only been in rehab two months. Are you sure—”

  “Are you ever going to be happy for me? Is it always going to be about how wonderful your life is, Kady, and never about me? I’ve had something wonderful happen and you’re just going to shit all over it like you usually do.”

  There was the Beth I knew. Mean, vindictive. Cruel.

  I took a deep breath, let it out silently. “Tell me about David. How did you meet?”

  I had about a million other questions but chose the ones that weren’t total landmines. Beth had gone from happy to DEFCON 1 in the blink of an eye.

  “We met at New Beginnings. He’s so handsome. You’re going to love him. I’ve told him all about you.”

  “Okay, wow. He sounds great,” I replied. He didn’t sound great at all. They’d met at New Beginnings? He worked there? A patient? Neither option sounded good.

  I heard a voice in the background and Beth said something, although it was muffled. “I’ve got to go. David says hi.”

  “If you’re not in rehab, where are you two staying?”

  Instead of replying, she only said, “Bye, Kady!”

  The line cut and I dropped my phone to my lap, stared at it.

  Beth was out of rehab and married. I looked to Cord and Riley.

  “Everything okay?” Riley called.

  “Yeah, just give me a sec.”

  I scrolled through my list of contacts, found the number for the rehab place.

  “New Beginnings.”

  “May I speak to the supervisor on duty, please?”

  “Just a moment.”

  Canned hold music came on the line as Riley came over, sat down beside me. “What’s up?”

  “My sister. She’s no longer in rehab. And she got married.”

  “This is Dr. Shemanski.”

  I introduced myself to the woman on the phone and reminded her we’d met during Beth’s initial check-in. “I just talked with my sister, Beth, and she said that she didn’t need to be there any longer.”

  “Miss Parks, I’m pulling up your sister’s file right now.” There was a pause. “Interesting.”

  “What?” I asked.

  “Her file has no mention of you as a contact. I do remember you, of course, and know that you were actively involved in your sister’s progress, and as the person financially responsible for her care. You were listed to be called for emergencies or updates.”

  “But not now?”

  “Exactly. I’m not sure why, unless she had your name removed.”

  “So she was released? I thought she needed the full four months of treatment.”

  “She does. But she checked herself out.”

  “She checked herself out,” I repeated, not just for me, but for Riley as well.

  Cord came over and stood before us, one foot on the step and leaned in.

  “Put it on speaker,” Riley said.

  I fiddled with the phone and held it up between us.

  “As you’re well aware, we can’t keep a patient in our facility. If Beth wanted to leave, she could. And, well, she did.”

  “Did you know she got married?” I asked. Cord’s eyebrows winged up.

  Dr. Shemanski cleared her throat. I remembered her to be a calm woman, strict because of the kind of patients she had, yet kind. “No, I was not aware of that.”

  “She said his name was David.”

  There was a pause and I glanced between Cord and Riley. “Kady, David Briggs was a patient here until a few days ago when he, too, checked himself out.”

  “At the same time?”

  I heard the clicking of a keyboard. “No, the day before Beth.”

  “What can you tell me about him?”

  “I can’t say much due to patient confidentiality, but he is of the same age as your sister. They had some groups together.”

  “What can you tell me?”

  “Your sister will most likely return to drugs.”

  She was only stating fact; one I already knew. I let my shoulders slump and Riley put his arm around my shoulders.

  “Based on the phone call, she already has,” I told her. “I know what she sounds like when she’s using.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. Unfortunately, there isn’t much more I can do for her unless she returns. If you give me your number again, I will put it back in her file, but I’ll also share it with the other supervisors in case Beth does come back. We’ll call you if that happens.”

  I knew that wasn’t going to happen. Especially if she was married. I was sure the doctor felt the same way.

  I gave the number, offered my thanks and rang off.

  “Wow. I can’t believe she’s married.” My little sister. I still remembered her when she was young, before our parents died. All silly smiles and hugs.

  The guys remained quiet, like they always did. I loved that they let me think, that they didn’t bombard me with questions or advice.

  “It’s funny, I’m more upset she’s married than that she walked out of rehab. I guess I half expected her to do that. But a husband?”

  “She’s a grown woman,” Cord said. He was the pragmatist of the two. Cut and dried. No false platitudes with him. Thankfully, because I didn’t want them. Perhaps years ago when Beth first started using I’d liked to hear the hopeful comments, all the possibilities of how things would turn out. How she’d turn her life around. None of them had come true. Not one.

  I nodded and pushed up to standing, Cord stepping back. I smiled at him. “And that’s why I’m here, to let her do her own thing, whether it’s rehab or getting married. I’m not there to rescue her any more. Her husband is now. Ready to go riding?”

  Riley stood, too, turned and took my chin. They liked me looking right in their eyes when we spoke, at least about important things. It was as if they could look all the way inside me, past all the fake smiles and emotional walls I’d gotten so used to putting up when it came to Beth and see the truth.

  “The other choice is what?” I asked. “Go back inside and you’ll put that jeweled plug back in my butt?”

  Cord patted my bottom, gave me a sly grin. “Gotta get it prepared, sweetness. We may not have taken you there yet, but we will. When you’re ready.”

  After Archer had left the day before, they’d done just as they’d said. We showered and they’d washed me, making sure I was very clean, only to carry me to Cord’s bed and take turns between my thighs, eating me out until I came over and over, even with the jeweled plug deep inside me.

  “If we go back in that house, we won’t make it back out today,” I countered, pointing at the locked front door.

  Both men grinned. “Sweetness, it’s noon. I like how you think, that we’ll play and fuck for hours and hours.”

  I felt my cheeks go hot.

  “We’ll go to the ranch, introduce you to a gentle, sweet mare and take you for a ride,” Cord said as he took my elbow, led me over to the truck and lifted me up and into the front seat. “Break those pretty cowgirl boots in and see what being in Montana’s all about.”

  Riley went around the front of the truck, climbed in the driver’s side. “And later, once you’ve gotten the hang of it, we’ll bring you home and you can ride two wild stallions.”

  I had no idea riding a horse could be so much fun. At first, when we’d met Jamison in the stable and he’d introduced me to Sage, I was really wary. Especially when he showed me how to give the mare treats by holding my palm out flat. He’d demonstrated with a sugar cube and the horse had taken it from him with a toothy snuffle. But when it was my turn, I panicked and pulled my hand away. Horse teeth were big and there was no question in my mind S
age was going to bite into more than just a tiny piece of sugar. Fortunately, Jamison was patient and handed me a half an apple instead, which she took eagerly and I didn’t panic about finger loss. After that, she was content to follow me out of her stall to be saddled. Not by me, but the others, who knew what they were doing. I watched because I felt like an idiot…and it was interesting. I didn’t want to be reliant on Jamison or any of the others just because I didn’t pay attention.

  After the animals were ready, Riley helped me up, making sure the stirrups were adjusted just right, and Jamison waved us off.

  We rode west—I wasn’t up on my compass skills, but I did know the mountains were in that direction. There was no path, there didn’t need to be one. This was open grazing land for Steele Ranch’s cattle. While I saw a few head eating grass far off in the distance, it was as if we had the whole world to ourselves. There were no roads visible. No telephone or electrical poles. No buildings. Just us and the horses and Montana.

  Two sexy as hell cowboys who knew how to sit a saddle. Their jean-clad thighs were muscular and taut beneath their jeans, their cowboy hats shielding their eyes from the sun. Riley might be a lawyer and Cord might be the size of a refrigerator, but they both were excellent horsemen. They took it slow, letting the animals plod along. I became used to the back and forth sway and relaxed, realizing I wasn’t going to fall off, even loosened the death grip I had on the reins.

  We spoke of anything and everything—except for the fact that someone had tried to kill me. I learned about Cord’s time in the military, Riley’s dad and even the girl they’d both tried to date in high school. It seemed they’d definitely improved their game since then.

  By the time we returned, I was definitely relaxed. I even liked Sage. And as for Steele Ranch, it wasn’t all scary robbers and empty ranch houses. There was a feel to the place, something I couldn’t describe, a way of life. Relaxed, easy going, but very serious. The men were the same way, as if they knew what could happen and savored the little things. This glorious weather was deceiving; Montana wasn’t seventy-five degrees and sunny all the time. There were dangers here I didn’t even know. If I were stranded out here, I had no wilderness skills whatsoever, and I’d probably end up living out of the inside of my horse like a Tauntaun from Star Wars.