Triple K Set

by Beck, J. L.

  “Tsk!” Daisy retorted as she planted her hands onto her hips. “This here is easy to explain.”

  All eyes swung over to her.

  “Well, it is. It’s like my mama would say when double dealings were afoot or when someone got caught stealin’.”

  Maggie shook her head as though she knew this would be a real ‘Daisy doozy’.

  “Valeen here was like the monkey makin’ love to the skunk; didn’t get all she wanted but got all she could stand!”

  Maggie paused as the statement sunk in then she let out a snort of laughter.

  Victoria tittered, then joined her.

  Brea acted as if she didn’t hear any of the chatter. Like her focus was on one thing while her gaze remained glued to the now laughing Noble twin. “Is—is it true though? About Cole, that you and him never…” Tears filled her eyes.

  Dammit, my kids could worry the dead! Daisy felt a pull in her chest. No one should steal Brea’s happiness like this.

  Victoria’s laughter halted and she sighed. “Cole never touched me. He…” Her eyes swung over to the good looking cowboy. “…Was a complete gentleman and I swear, I never meant to hurt you or anyone. I am truly sorry I let my sister talk me into this false bullshit at all.”

  Brea gasped and slapped her hands over her mouth.

  Daisy stepped forward and put a hand on Victoria’s shoulder.

  The redheaded woman nearly jumped out of her skin.

  “Nah. It’s okay darlin’,” Daisy reassured her as she let out a wicked laugh. “I won’t be bruising on ya today, baby girl! I just wanted to say that you done learned the hard way. Trust is a two way street. If you drive it like it’s a ONE WAY, all you gonna do is run into lies. Let’s hope your sibling learns that someday. Let me and Maggie help you get cleaned up and then we are gonna plan a wedding together.” She glanced up and saw Cole taking Brea’s hand.

  “SEE? We got one to plan too!” He cheered.

  Brea laughed through her tears as she looked back over at the three women. “It’s a deal but don’t ANYONE bring somethin’ blue, okay?” She gave them all a heavy, beady-eyed-serious type stare. “I mean just DO NOT!”

  Cole shook his head as he tugged her along the hallway and they went back into their room. “No worries, sweetie. We will all leave that up to you.”

  “Something blue?” Maggie asked while looking puzzled. “Is that another Texas thing?”

  Daisy chuckled as she walked ahead of the other two women. “No, I’m afraid that would be totally a Brea thang. Come along chickies, we got some work to do. I’m fixin’ to get hitched!”

  The two younger women shook their heads as they smiled and followed behind her.

  Daisy stopped in the hall. “This your door, Victoria?”

  “Yes.”

  Daisy opened it and they all went in.

  “Where’s my Dad today, Mama Daisy?”

  “I don’t rightly know. He said he had errands?” She walked over to the window and pulled up the blinds. “Though, I can’t begin to guess—?” She peered down to the front of the house and saw Rand—the very subject of the conversation. He was pulling up in his jeep in the huge circular K driveway and he had a passenger. A woman. Blonde, as far as she could tell. “What the…?” She swallowed heavily.

  Maggie moved to the window to peer down. “Oh, no!” She gasped. “What is SHE doing here?”

  Daisy didn’t like the sound of this, but she refused to be caught in the green eyed trap once again. The two way trust street needed to be where she was gonna drive her truck. She would act respectable about this if it effing killed her.

  The woman got out and then hugged Rand who had went over to open her door.

  With the loving hug, he smiled and embraced her back.

  Oh, shit.

  The blonde then said something to him.

  Rand stilled for a second, then tossed his head back with a laugh as they still held onto each other.

  Oh, nah! They just did not just do that!

  Daisy saw red, black and blue. “But then again, respectable ain’t all it’s cracked up to be!” she huffed and made her way out the door.

  “No! Mama Daisy…NO!” Maggie shouted from behind her.

  CHAPTER SIX

  TIT FOR TAT

  KANDA

  Wade said he was going to set up a cozy breakfast downstairs for her while she got dressed, so Kanda put on her jeans and a good shirt to ride the range in. Skipping down the stairs of her childhood home, she couldn’t believe how everything in her life looked and felt so different. She had come down these stairs for her whole life, but now it was with excitement and anticipation. She couldn’t wait to see him, even though it’d only been like fifteen whole minutes since she saw him. Her whole future looked so bright and happy.

  Then…

  Standing in the foyer was the man of her wet dreams. Wade gazed up at her and smiled.

  Kanda felt her heart pound even faster at the way he looked at her. She always found herself looking at him like a calf looks at a new gate. All nervous yet happy.

  This is the best moment of my life so far.

  Suddenly, the front door opened.

  Rand came in and for a moment, the two Monroe men stood side by side.

  Wow, and this means Wade will only get better with age. As if that were possible!

  Rand said a few words to his son.

  Wade then visibly stiffened. Next, he swung his gaze up at her again.

  Kanda felt an odd cold creeping along her skin at the worried look in his eyes. Is it bad news? Has someone been hurt?

  A tall buxom blonde woman walked in through the open door. When she saw Wade, she halted and gasped.

  Wade took a stunned step back.

  The woman’s long legs ate up the space between them as she virtually launched her body up onto his large frame. “Oh! Wade baby!” She peppered his face with kisses.

  Kanda let out her breath and felt like she was a balloon that just lost all its helium. Kicked in the teeth might be more accurate.

  Without warning, someone bumped into her and knocked her flat.

  OOMPH!

  She now DID lose all her air. Gazing up in a bewildered daze, she could see Daisy Plush standing in front of her as she came to an immediate halt. Raising her befuddled gaze up further, she saw the leggy blonde climb off of Wade as the entire group stared over at her.

  “Kandy!” Wade shouted and made his way around a flustered Daisy to lift Kanda up.

  “Wha-what ran me over?” she whispered.

  “I am SO sorry!” Daisy replied. “That would be me.” She shook her head. “Are ya all right?”

  Kanda saw two Daisys and shook her head. “Um, no. Unless you have a twin now too? I don’t think I am.” She slumped downward.

  Wade caught her weight. “Whoa, girl.”

  “Well, having two Daisy’s just might be too much for this world,” Rand interjected in a dry voice as he pointedly stared at his panicked looking fiancé.

  Daisy looked upset. “I was in a hurry and didn’t see her. I…?”

  Rand was looking at her with narrowed eyes. “In a hurry? Like to a fire or were you carrying the matches and kerosene?”

  “NO! I didn’t need to provide that. I mean talkin’ bout fire….” Daisy gave the blonde a beady eyed look. “This woman arrives hugging up and climbing on the Monroe men like they were freakin’ Everest or some damn thang. So...yeah, I was thinking about hosing her ass down.”

  “Daze!” Rand whispered low.

  “Is everything okay?” the blonde woman now stood close.

  Kanda raised her head to answer Miss Climber Lips. “NO. It’s NOT okay! And it won’t be until you tell me why you were all over MY man!”

  “Yeah! What she said!” Daisy piped in. “You nearly peeled his skin off with all those lip prints you were slappin’ on his face!”

  Rand gave Daisy a warning look then swiveled his gaze back to Wade and Kanda. “I’m sorry. It didn’t occur t
o me. I mean it’s been years. I…” He shook his head. “Mable asked me to go pick her up at the station.”

  Wade’s body stiffened as his father explained.

  Kanda peered up at him as he held her around the waist. He was wearing lipstick on his cheeks. Daisy was right all the way down the line. But why is Rand apologizing?

  “I’m Celia Bennett. It’s really no big deal.” The blonde stepped forward with her hand out. “I work for the same mining company as Wade. I’m just here for the job.” Her Australian accent was highly apparent.

  “HA!” Daisy scoffed. “Yeah right. Let’s run that one up the flagpole and see who salutes!”

  Kanda again, silently agreed with Daisy as she stared at her offered hand. “So, why would that allow you to be hugging up on Wade Baby?” She took a second to glare at Wade baby as she emphasized the word.

  Wade sighed and held his hand up. “Celia and I…” He gazed directly at Kanda with a plea in his eyes. “…Were engaged 2 years ago.”

  Daisy’s loud, surprised gasp was the only sound that could be heard in the foyer.

  Kanda’s mouth popped right open. “What?”

  “I never thought about the fact that they would send her for the job here.”

  Kanda shut her fish like open yap. “Oh…well, that explains it all right. The fact that you have a fiancé and never thought to mention it!”

  Wade sighed. “No. Because it was off two years back.”

  Kanda tried to stay calm, but it wasn’t working by a longshot. “Off? Well, looks like a lot of things are off around here!”

  “Oh, snap!” Daisy piped in.

  “Kandy—”

  Kanda stepped away from him. “No, no. It’s really NO big deal right?”

  Daisy let out a harrumph sound.

  Kanda held her head high, despite agreeing wholeheartedly with Daisy, yet again. Then she looked at the gorgeous woman’s outfit. “Is she going with us out on the range, cause she’d better change.” Then, she calmly walked across the foyer and out the door. She just didn’t trust herself. She was livid, ready to kick in that beautiful face in front of everyone. Stomp a big ole hole into brazen blonde’s head! The better part of sanity would be to resist or she would be doing prison time for this one.

  “Dammit son. I am so sorry,” Rand said.

  Daisy sighed as she watched Kanda walk away. “Well shit. That girl is tougher than a 2 dollar steak!”

  “Kandy!” Wade called from behind her.

  Kanda headed toward the barn. She did not want to hear a late explanation about how the man she trusted had been engaged and never told her. She spotted the horses that were saddled and ready for the ride. She hopped onto her horse. “Come on Beamer. Let’s get the hell outta liar land!” she shouted as her and the horse tore out of the barn.

  Wade stood in her path. “Kanda!” he shouted, then sidestepped from the horse’s path.

  Kanda ignored him. A little too late now, Two faced Romeo. She thought. She rode hard and fast. Forgetting about the survey plan and remembering how stupid she’d been to be all dreamy eyed—believing that she was having the best moments in her life. Then in the very next reality slapping moment, it all just turned as sour as ten day old milk!

  She leaned low over her horse and rode like the wind across the range. The way that woman looked! Oh, my God! She was like the epitome of class and curves. Why would he even be with me? She’s so hot, all the cowboys around here would be drooling, desperately searching for her in the daytime with a dammed flashlight! Tears blurred her vision. Damn purring accent too! Every time she spoke, I just wanted so bad to smash her painted mouth in like a can of Budweiser on Super Bowl Sunday!

  Her name was being called on the wind and the calls were getting closer.

  Dammit! I forgot that he could ride better than anyone in this county. She heeled her horse to get him to pick up speed.

  Suddenly, she was jerked completely from the saddle and landed on Wade’s lap.

  “Dammit Kandy!” he breathed the words into her ear. Then he kept riding, past the water tower and over the ridge. He rode for a while without a word to her.

  Kanda cried some more and then began to wonder where the hell they were going. Swiping her tears away, she wanted to ask but she refused to speak to the big liar! All this time and no word about a buxom blonde ex fiancé? Oh, well. No big deal the skank had said. REALLY? Well, it’s a big deal to me! Cause like her daddy had taught her, you can take the horses out of the barn, but you best not leave it standing wide open.

  The trespasser’s cabin came into view.

  Oh, no. She thought. He wants us to be entirely alone. What? So, he can seduce me, instead of explaining this huge little nothing he forgot to mention? Well, I don’t care. Nothing he says will—

  Wade halted the horse and jumped to the ground, all while keeping her in his arms. He made his way into the cabin.

  “Let me go!” she shouted. “I am NOT staying here with you!”

  Wade still said nothing as he did something entirely odd. He tugged one of her boots off and then the other, as they dropped to the floor with loud thumps while he kept his stride all the way.

  Kanda felt a tiny bit of alarm. My boots? When we’re in this big mess he made, he takes my boots? Where is his apologizing and trying to explain? Not that I would listen. The low down skunk! Oh, I believed him too! Saying how babe-o-luscious I was when he had a woman like that? What a fool I’ve—

  Wade grabbed the rope from the hook on the wall and without missing a bootstep—he then headed for the bed.

  Oh, holy shit! That’s the rope I used to—

  He dropped her onto the bed and planted his knee onto her torso. Not heavily, but it immobilized her just the same.

  “Wade?” she screeched. “Oh no, you wouldn’t!”

  He didn’t answer, but she learned that when he said he could knot tie, he wasn’t lying! Cause she had her arms tied above her and one foot secured, before she could take another breath.

  Wade then calmly secured her free ankle. Stepping back, he crossed his arms over his wide chest and stared at her.

  Mmmph! She let out with an obvious disgust. But she would be dammed, if she would speak first. He was the one with explaining to do.

  Standing there for a full minute, he didn’t open his mouth.

  What the hell is he going to do? She wondered. Then she gazed up and into his eyes.

  They were blazing at her and then—he grinned.

  Kanda gulped. That grin ordinarily would mean she was gonna get some hotter than lava kickass sex. But she refused to do ANYTHING with him now. Oh no! Not now! Who does he think he is? If he thinks I’m gonna forgive him, then he does have big hole in his screen door!

  Wade calmly turned away and walked into the makeshift kitchen.

  Her thoughts whirled in a panic. What is he up to? I mean he always seemed to be sensible and reasonable. NO. I am not going to wonder about this. He is the one at fault here, not me! Telling me since it’d been long over it wasn’t a piece of information he shoulda shared!

  He strode back in and raised a pair of scissors.

  Her eyes narrowed. What the Fuq?

  He came close to the bed and started at her ankles. Next, he cut a seam up along her jeans.

  Oh, crap! He’s gonna strip me! Panic riddled her thoughts.

  “Yes, I am gonna strip you,” he spoke for the first time.

  “You are crazy Mr. Monroe!”

  Wade chuckled, as he took the scissors to her other pant leg. “Oh, really? Well, isn’t this the famous Kanda Kincade Rope Trick? Along with the sextied style of removing the clothes stunt?” He paused and raised a brow at her silence. “So, that means I am as sane as you are.” The ripping away of her jeans followed his statement as he now stared down at her shirt.

  Kanda’s chest was heaving with her panicked breathing. He cannot be serious! He HAS done gone plumb crazy!

  He titled his head as though an idea just came to him. Then he dropp
ed the scissors to the floor. Reaching down, he grabbed a good amount of shirt in his fist and tugged it completely from her body. A satisfied look then came over his face. “I always wanted to try that. It was a lot easier than I thought. Just like, how is it you would put it? ‘Like a hot knife through butter’.”

  Her heavy breathing just got heavier as she gasped with shock when the cool air hit her skin. Her eyes narrowed at him. Tisk. Trying to scare me and all. Oh, I get it. He intends to do a TIT for TAT. But why now? She bit at her lip. I am not begging or asking him nuthin’. Somewhere in her mind, a memory fought its way to the surface, she remembered thinking of besting him before. Then, she got THE SPANKING. Realization just slammed its WWE way into her stubborn nature of a gut. He could reduce me to nothing but a—Kanda puddle.

  Oh, shit and crapcakes. I am in a heap load of trouble here!

  She tugged at the ropes with all her might. I gotta get loose!

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  A handful of dirt to the face…

  MAGGIE

  Earlier, Maggie had made it downstairs to find Wade and Kanda gone. In fact, there was no one in the foyer. And here she thought she had troubles. Nope. When she saw Celia, she knew Wade would be plenty busy. She then went out the back to the huge 2-acre backyard. The vans must have arrived, because the men were now unloading the chairs. The cowhands were all put to work who weren’t out with the branding party.

  Mable seemed to be watching the two men on the ladders, attaching streamers to a huge the tree.

  There seemed to be activity along with huge crates sitting everywhere. She watched Mable as she gave orders for a couple of minutes, then made her way forward. “Hey, Miss Mable.”

  The head of the Kincade family turned to her with a smile. “Just worried about the crates. They’re full of ice packs and flowers, some are actually real petals for the aisle path and some are full bouquets and singles. There’s gonna be flowers everywhere. Did you know that this tree has been here since—well, we call it the Kincade Tree and it’s gonna be the altar.”