by Laura Sutton
“Nah, I wouldn’t like the high pressure and uncertainty that comes with owning and running a restaurant, but I do enjoy cooking for people I care about, and I’m glad you like it,” he said, his voice soft and sincere.
“Well, I do like it, and I’m lucky, ‘cause like Dean here,” she pointed her fork in his direction, “I can barely boil water. I can make a mean salad, though! I rarely cut myself!” She added with a laugh.
“Hey, I make great toast.” Dean defended himself with a chuckle.
Jason picked up his toast, much darker than hers, almost burnt.
“Sure you do, buddy. You make great toast.” He laughed and then chucked the burnt bread at Dean’s head.
“Hey! Not my fault. Blame Gwynn. She’s the one who bent over into the fridge and had her perfect ass on display. I couldn’t pay attention to the toast after that.” He laughed and turned his smile to her, his eyes now smoldering with desire. She almost choked on her coffee from his look.
“Nope, I refuse to take the blame,” she laughed. “You sent me to the fridge in the first place.” She swatted his arm playfully, realizing she’d been set up.
“Caught!” He held both hands up in mock defense.
“What can I say, beautiful. I love every part of your body, but bent over like that in my T-shirt… that’s like a dream come true.” He winked and dug in to finish his breakfast.
She smiled at him and then turned to look at Jason, his green eyes full of happiness and desire, desire for her. Gwynn realized that these two handsome men had more than just her body. They had her heart, and it would be very hard to say goodbye when the time came.
Dean
Breakfast was fun and relaxing in a way Dean had never experienced before. Though it had only been two days, Gwynn’s presence in his and Jason’s lives just seemed to fit, like she had always been here. Like she belonged.
They walked her to the carriage house after breakfast, and they both kissed her goodbye. It was perfect. She was perfect, beautiful, and sexy, and he knew he was falling hard. So was Jason.
They made their way to the pasture to load up the feeding troughs for the cattle.
“So,” Jason began, a grin on his stupid face. The man really talked way too much, Dean thought a bit grumpily.
“Yes?” he asked busy pouring fifty pounds of feed into the huge metal bin, the cows mooing their displeasure at the late breakfast.
“So do you like… enjoy and want Gwynn as much as I do? ‘Cause man, I think she might just be the perfect woman.” His happiness was clear, and Dean returned his smile. He couldn’t help it, and they both made their way over to the gate separating the cows from the pasture, and they headed to the feeding corral.
They both jumped up on the fence and watched the cows eat their breakfast.
“I do like Gwynn as much, if not more. I think this will be an amazing four months, and I will be sad when she moves on, because she will move. You know that, right, Jason?” he asked, turning to look at the profile of his friend, and he noticed a bit of the happiness drain from his face at the mention of Gwynn eventually leaving the Mariposa.
“Yeah, I know, but maybe she will visit occasionally,” Jason replied, his voice flat. They both knew she wouldn’t. This ranch was their haven, a place where two broken army guys found peace, but it was not a place for a woman like Gwynn—full of life and potential. Dean knew that once she left, she wouldn’t come back.
“Maybe,” he said, lying, but whether he was lying to himself or Jason, he wasn’t sure.
“But I do know,” Dean continued, “this will be an amazing four months.” Both men shared a grin at the thought of the months of nights they would have with Gwynn. How many nights they would be able to make her come apart in their arms.
“No doubt, man, no doubt,” Jason replied then jumped down and headed for his truck. Their men had just arrived for the day, and they all had work to do.
Most work days on the ranch were long and physically demanding, and Dean relished in it. He loved the soreness in his muscles telling him he had worked hard, and knowing that all of his hard work went into making his ranch and his family’s legacy something strong.
Today had been no less physically grueling. The new gelding was proving to be a strong and willful horse. He had bucked Dean off twice today, and Dean hardly ever lost his seat on a horse, even a strong one. This horse was stronger than most.
Though the day had been grueling, it seemed like it flew by. He was excited for tonight and excited to teach Gwynn to ride. He had the perfect horse for her, a sedate, beautiful mare named Brinny. Dean had taken the horse in when she was about two and was confiscated by authorities when her previous owner neglected her. She was skinny and skittish when she first came to the Mariposa three years ago, but he nursed her back to health, and she became the sweetest horse he ever had the privilege of owning.
Sometimes people would call and want horse-riding lessons. It was always an easy way to make some extra income, and Brinny was always the horse he used for those lessons.
He met Jason as he was bringing Brinny out of the stable into the corral. “Okay, girl, you hang around here and I will bring you someone to meet,” he told the horse. She neighed as he rubbed her gray nose and her head.
“Hey Dean, I was just headed up to the carriage house to help Gwynn move some stuff. I could move the stuff into the house while y’all start the lesson, so you don’t lose the light.” Jason said as Dean walked over to him and out of the corral.
Dean nodded his agreement. “Great idea. Let’s go get our girl, man,” Dean said as he fell into step beside Jason.
They talked about the fence in the west pasture as they walked. Jason wanted to put up some wildlife cameras because the fence looked like it had been cut. “It’s probably teenagers or something from Andrews, just looking to have fun, but if the cattle gets loose, it’s such a hassle to round them back up.”
Dean nodded in agreement, both about the cameras and the hassle. They would order the cameras tonight and hopefully be able to move the cattle into the west pasture to graze soon.
They reached the carriage house and knocked on the door, still talking about the pasture and the fence while they waited for Gwynn to answer. They waited some more.
“Knock again,” Dean told Jason, and he did. Still no response.
Dean began to worry. They couldn’t hear anything, and that wasn’t reassuring. What if she had fallen down the stairs or something? What if she was unconscious?
“Think we should just go in?” Jason asked, his face full of worry and concern.
“Yeah,” Dean agreed, his voice thick with distress. He leaned in and tried the knob, and the door opened. She hadn’t locked it. They walked and were greeted by Gwynn’s cat. She was rubbing herself against Jason’s legs and purring loudly.
“Well, someone likes you.” Dean smirked at Jason, and they looked around for Gwynn, but she didn’t seem to be downstairs.
“Do you hear that?” Jason asked. Dean listened, and sure enough, there was faint music coming from upstairs.
They headed up the stairs and found Gwynn in her office, still in Dean’s T-shirt from this morning, sitting in front of her computer and typing furiously, totally unaware that they were staring at her from the doorway.
“Hey, beautiful,” Dean said quietly, trying not to scare her. It didn’t work. She jumped in her chair and stared at them.
“Hey!” she eventually responded with a brilliant smile. “What are you two doing here? I thought you would be busy until at least 5 PM,” she said, and Dean smiled. She seemed to have lost the whole day in her work.
“Sweetheart, it’s almost 6 PM,” he told her, walking into the room and kissing the side of her head. Jason followed suit, but he kissed her stunned mouth instead.
“You seemed to have worked the entire day away. Did you stop for lunch?” Jason asked, rubbing her shoulders.
She let out a little moan and began to save her work and shut down her co
mputer.
“No, I didn’t. I started writing, and it just flowed out of me. I’ve written over ten thousand words today!” she said with a grin, obviously thrilled with how much work she had gotten done.
“That’s wonderful, baby,” Dean said, smiling and drawing her out of her chair. If she had been sitting and writing all day, she must have been stiff.
“Did you get anything packed?” Jason asked as the three of them made their way out of her office and into her bedroom.
“Yeah, I packed a bag first thing, and my toiletries. I can get more stuff later.” She reached for the bag, but Dean stopped her, taking the bag for her as Jason scooped up her cat and put her in her carrier.
“All your stuff. We will pack all your stuff tomorrow, Gwynn. I hope you don’t think this is temporary. We want you in our house and in our bed for the rest of your stay,” he told her, and she blushed. She was so sweet and innocent. Even her blushes made him hard.
She looked at her toes and then whispered, “Okay.” Dean pulled her face up with a finger under her chin and kissed her, long and deep, and he watched as her eyes fluttered shut while he did so.
He brought the kiss to a close, both of them panting.
“Let's head to the big house. You can shower and then we can go to the corral. You can meet Brinny. We won’t get much of a lesson done, but we can get a little started before dinner.”
She smiled—the smile Dean had learned was her happy smile.
“Then after dinner?” she asked, her voice becoming low and sultry, and Jason turned her head to kiss her while she was still wrapped up in Dean’s arms.
“After dinner, we will go to bed,” Jason said, nipping at her ear.
“Bed?” she asked, her voice full of need and a bit of nervousness.
“Yes, sweetheart, bed. And tomorrow, when you wake up, you won’t be a virgin any longer,” Dean said before taking her lips in a deep, hungry kiss, thoughts of tonight running through his head.
Gwynn
After a shower that probably set speed records, she didn’t bother drying her hair. She just pulled it up in a wet, messy bun and headed to the corral.
“Have fun!” Jason called from the kitchen as she came down the stairs. He had started dinner, and it already smelled wonderful, but he was leaning against the door frame that separated the kitchen and the living room.
He looked so handsome. He had changed out of his work shirt and into a tight black T-shirt that stretched across his firm chest in such an enticing way. His arms were crossed over his chest, and his smile was loose and easy. She glanced down, and his feet were bare. He looked comfortable and sexy. Just looking at him made her feel warm, and made her pussy dampen.
She walked over to him, and he gathered her close, his arms wrapped around her. She looked up at him, and he leaned down and kissed her. His tongue was warm and asking for entrance to her mouth, which she granted happily. The kiss itself was short, but so hot and full of promise for more.
“Okay, beautiful,” he said as he set her away from him. “Head on down to the corral. I will finish dinner while you two play with the horses.”
He lightly smacked her ass, and she giggled. He was such a flirt and so much fun.
“It smells delicious,” she called as she headed to the front door.
“No, you do, beautiful. Make sure Dean brings you in at a decent time. Dinner will be done in forty-five minutes,” he called as she walked through the door.
She headed out the door, and she could see Dean in the corral, sedately riding a beautiful gray horse. This horse wasn’t as large and didn’t look as powerful as the one she had seen him ride the day she came to the ranch, but it was still majestic and beautiful.
“Hey!” she called out as she made her way to the open gate of the corral.
“Hey, sweetheart!” Dean shouted. He rode up to her and jumped down from the saddle.
He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss and then looked down at her feet. She had on jeans and a plain blue T-shirt, but she was wearing tennis shoes.
“Baby, don’t you have a pair of cowboy boots?” he asked, concern coloring his voice.
“No, I don’t own a pair. Never have, actually,” she admitted, nervously fiddling with the hem of her shirt, unable to meet his eyes.
He cupped her face in his large, warm, slightly rough hands and brought her head up and forced her to meet his eyes. He gave her a smile and a kiss.
“It’s okay, Gwynn. We’ll get you a pair. If you’re going to live on a ranch and ride horses, you need boots, baby. But not tonight.” He grabbed her hand and brought her in front of the horse.
“This is Brinny. Brinny, meet Gwynn.” Still holding her hand, he brought it to the horse’s nose and encouraged her to pet her.
“Hi, Brinny,” she whispered in awe up close. Brinny was a big animal, but she seemed so sweet and gentle. The horse leaned her head into Gwynn’s hand, almost encouraging her to pet her. It was like when Griselda wanted attention and would bump her head into her hand.
“She likes you,” Dean said softly, standing behind her.
“The feeling is mutual,” Gwynn responded with a smile. She was quickly falling in love with this beautiful lady.
“Come on, let’s get you up in the saddle. It’s about all we have time for today.”
They moved around to Brinny’s side, and after she got her foot in the stirrup, Dean very easily helped her swing up onto the back of the horse.
“Oh!” Gwynn cried out as she got settled in the saddle, and Brinny nickered in what Gwynn hoped was happiness.
She was a little nervous, sitting on such a large animal so high in the air, but she trusted Dean. She knew he would never let her get hurt. She wasn’t sure how she knew that, but both he and Jason made her feel protected and treasured, and no one had ever made her feel that way before.
“You look beautiful up there!” Dean told her, a wide smile gracing his handsome face.
She could feel herself blush, but she smiled back. Who was she to argue if Dean said she looked beautiful? Maybe she was beautiful to him.
“Thank you. I feel like I’m on top of the world,” she laughed. She stroked Brinny’s long neck, and the horse nickered her pleasure at the touch.
“Think you could handle riding her as I guide her to the barn?” he asked. “We can do more later, but the sun is setting and I know dinner is waiting.” She nodded enthusiastically, but her mind wasn’t on the steady steps of the horse. Her mind was on what would happen after dinner.
After dinner meant bed, and tonight was the night she would lose her virginity. Not to one man, but to two, and she should be nervous, right? Ashamed? All she felt, though, was excitement and anticipation, because tonight she would be theirs. Finally.
Jason
Jason had just finished setting the table when he heard the front door slam closed, followed by Gwynn’s melodic laughter as she and Dean walked into the kitchen.
“Hey, did y’all have fun?” Jason said as he came around to kiss Gwynn hello. He could kiss her anytime; the hello was just an excuse. She looked so adorable in her pink and black flannel shirt, her dark jeans that seemed to hug all her curves, and even her little black tennis shoes.
“We did!” she answered when he ended the kiss and led her to the chair Dean was holding out for her. “Though apparently I have committed the mortal sin of being a native Texan and not owning a pair of cowboy boots,” she giggled and then took a long drink of her iced tea.
“Really? You don’t own any cowboy boots?” Jason asked, a bit shocked. He didn’t grow up anywhere near a ranch, his father being a property developer and investor in New Orleans, but he had always owned a pair of boots.
