by Vanessa Vale
Swallowing down a lump in my throat, I glanced away and blinked back tears. I would not cry. I couldn’t. The blame was squarely, and very heavily, on my shoulders. I’d done this to myself. No, Tennessee had started it all, but it mattered no longer.
When the men steered their horses to the west, I frowned. “Where are we going?” I asked. “Butte is to the south.”
“Bridgewater,” Tucker replied.
“Bridgewater?” I repeated. “Why?”
We weren’t going to Butte?
“It’s time we had a talk, don’t you think?” Gabe eyed me.
I gulped. What did they know? “Gabe—”
He shook his head. “Not here, precious. When we get to our house, we’ll talk.”
I shook my head. I didn’t want to get all the way to Bridgewater for them to reject me. Bridgewater! With Laurel and Olivia, all the others. I had to tell them the truth, at least about making up a beau. I didn’t have to tell the reason why.
“I lied.” The words popped out, and I bit my lip, waiting.
The men slowed their horses and glanced my way. Since they flanked me, I couldn’t look them both in the eye at the same time, but I could feel the intensity of their eyes on me.
“Lied?” Tucker repeated, his brow furrowed.
I looked down at my hands on the reins. My knuckles had turned white as I was gripping them so hard. “Yes. There is no man in Butte.”
“You have no suitor?” Gabe asked.
I shook my head. “No.”
They continued on toward Bridgewater. I didn’t understand why they didn’t turn around and take me home, nor ask me question after question about my ruse. I sat there confused by their quiet.
Gabe only said, “We’ll talk at the house.” Nothing more.
And so the remainder of the ride to Bridgewater seemed interminable. I’d dreamed of them taking me home with them, but not like this. Not with so much between us, and Mr. Grimsby.
I’d never been to the big ranch before. When we rode up to a modest-sized house perched high on a bluff, I could see other buildings in the distance. I had to wonder which houses were Laurel’s and Olivia’s.
They dismounted then helped me down from my horse.
“I am weary from the journey,” I told them, afraid to meet their eyes. “I would like to rest before you take me back to my brother’s.”
It was a thinly veiled excuse to keep from talking, for the ride hadn’t been two hours.
Fortunately, Gabe and Tucker were gentlemen enough not to argue and, with Gabe’s hand still on my elbow, they led me into their house. It was one story, but quite large. The clapboards were painted a crisp white and on the front porch there were two rocking chairs. With the view of the open ranchland and the mountains in the distance, it was a beautiful spot.
But I couldn’t appreciate it. Every step was miserable, having them right beside me and yet impossibly far away. I could even smell them, and their scent was dark and spicy and perfect. They escorted me down a hallway to a bedroom. It was simply furnished, but the bed, the largest I’d ever seen, filled most of the space. A man’s shirt hung on a peg on the wall, a pair of well-worn boots were tucked beneath the foot of the bed, and I saw shaving supplies atop a dresser.
In the doorway, I took a deep breath and girded myself, turning to face them and thank them for their attentiveness. When Tucker moved around me and went into the room, I discovered they had other ideas.
Gabe stepped forward, his dark eyes on mine, and I retreated. He moved closer, and I had to back up, step by step, into the room until the back of my legs bumped into the bed.
“Gabe, what are you doing?” I asked, trying to move so I didn’t feel crowded. “I… I wish to lie down.” It was the truth, but I left off the part about wanting to do it with him. With them.
“Good,” he replied as Tucker closed the door behind him. “You may lie down over my lap.”
Gabe sat down on the side of the bed and without much effort tugged me across his knees. I gasped, startled by the swiftness of his actions. My upper body was on the comfortable mattress, and I instantly pushed up onto my hands in an attempt to stand once again.
“Gabe—”
He took one of his feet and hooked it with mine, trapping my legs in place. With a hand at the small of my back holding me down, I wasn’t going anywhere. I glanced up at Tucker for help, but he leaned against the wall, arms crossed, completely relaxed. What Gabe was doing didn’t surprise or bother him. He wasn’t offering help of any kind. I’d expected him to do so, since he was a gentleman and wouldn’t let anyone manhandle me. Anyone besides Gabe, it seemed.
“Now then, precious,” Gabe began. The palm at my back was insistent, yet gentle, as it kept me still. I could feel the heat of his hand through my dress. “Tell us about this lie of yours.”
“What? Let me up!” I squirmed, not eager to tell them in such a fashion. Looking them in the eye and telling them I lied was bad enough; doing it with my bottom in the air was even worse.
“No more, Abigail. We’re done waiting. We want the truth, and we want it now.”
I was equal parts angry and afraid. I couldn’t get up, couldn’t escape the men with any more excuses.
“You can tell us, or Gabe can spank you,” Tucker said. His nonchalance was aggravating. “Then you’ll tell us with a bright pink and very sore ass.”
I turned my head over my shoulder to look up at Gabe. “You wouldn’t.”
Instead of responding, he grabbed the hem of my skirt and tossed it up and over my back, pushing all the material up so my drawers were exposed. I cried out his name again, squirmed.
He hissed out a breath and looked at my bottom almost reverently. Then he spanked me. Once, but it was enough to have me stiffen and gasp. The pain was sharp and bright, but, after a second, it only stung, along with my pride.
“Aren’t you tired of the keeping it to yourself?” Gabe asked, stroking his palm over the spot he spanked. “The weight of it must be oppressive.”
I pinched my lips together. It was oppressive not to ask for their help about Tennessee, about why I was heading to Butte. But Mr. Grimsby would kill them. James, too. And so I would have to cover up a lie with another.
Gabe spanked me again, the crack of it resounding in the small room. Then he tugged on my drawers and pulled them down so they were bunched about my thighs. I was bare to him. To both of them.
“What are you doing?” I cried. They could see my bottom!
“Fuck.” I heard Tucker’s whisper. “Such a pretty ass, precious. Even with Gabe’s handprints all hot and pink.”
“Gabe!” I yelled again, trying to wiggle free. I’d never been exposed like this to anyone before. Not just physically, but they were trying to uncover all of my secrets, too. Knowing they could see my bare bottom, turning quite red as Tucker said, made me blush.
But the mortification of them seeing me this way was outweighed by what they’d do when I admitted it in more detail. I wanted to tell them, I did—I ached to do so—but I knew they’d leave me once they knew the truth. While I certainly didn’t want to be spanked, I did like being the center of their attention. They were focused on me. Why, I didn’t know, but I liked it.
As I remained silent, Gabe resumed his spanking. He didn’t leave a spot of skin untouched, even the tops of my thighs. My flesh was hot and prickly and the pain of it was growing, morphing into a ball of feeling that was more than just his hand making contact with my bottom. It was knowing he was doing this to me and I couldn’t relent and had tears sliding down my cheeks.
“Yes. Let it go, precious,” Tucker murmured, squatting down beside the bed so he could stroke his big hand over my hair. “Give it to us to handle.”
He spoke as if my burden were a tangible thing I could just hand over to them. But I could do nothing but take what Gabe was doing, give over to the spanking. I had to give up, to submit to the spanking, for I had no control. I could do nothing but give in to the feel of his pa
It wasn’t trapped inside me anymore but coming out with each spank, with each falling tear. I began to sob in earnest then, letting go, just as Tucker had said. I couldn’t think, couldn’t worry, only felt the tingling heat spread through me.
Tucker crooned to me as Gabe continued, although the spanking was softer, almost as if he wanted to purge all of my tears from me. Finally, finally he stopped, his palm stroking over my heated flesh, gently caressing me. Tenderly.
I continued to cry, and, for some reason, it felt good, almost cathartic to let the tears out. I wasn’t one to break down in histrionics, but perhaps that was the problem. Perhaps I needed to cry, to purge the misery inside me and these men knew I'd needed it. They weren’t running away; they stayed right with me. I let go, as if falling from a high place, and I didn’t break. In fact, they caught me. And yet… the truth hadn’t been spoken. Only the words, I lied. When they knew more, surely they’d get up and leave. But it was time. No matter what happened, it was time.
Tucker tipped up my chin, wiped his warm thumb through the tears. “Tell us?” he asked, his voice just above a whisper.
I nodded, sniffed, and looked up into his pale eyes. “As I said, there’s… there’s no man.”
I tugged my chin to look away, but Tucker didn’t relent on his hold.
“No man?” he asked. His eyes raked over my tearstained face, seeing my scar and more.
“No beau. I… I made him up.” I could admit this much but nothing more.
His look heated, softened, and he stroked my hair again. I forgot to breathe.
“There we go,” Gabe replied, easing out a breath. “It’s over now.”
Over. Yes. As I’d thought, they were done with me. Done with a woman who would lie. And continue to do so.
I began to cry then in earnest. It was over. Whatever was between us. Tucker calling me “precious.” Their attentiveness, their talk about kissing, their ability to look past my scar. All of it. As soon as Gabe let go of me, I’d be on my own.
My bottom still stung from Gabe’s spanking, but that was nothing in comparison to my breaking heart. So be it. I’d told the truth, and they didn’t want me. I sniffed once, twice, got my tears under control, for while I’d felt better from the release of emotions before, now it was just wasted. I’d done this to myself. I took a deep breath and pushed up, Gabe finally letting me stand. My drawers fell to the floor. I wouldn’t subject myself to having them watch me lift my skirt to tie them in place, so I kicked them away as I smoothed my hem back down. Besides the men, no one else would know my bottom was bright red. It was all a facade anyway. Anyone seeing my scar would never consider I wore no drawers.
Gabe’s hand was warm on my hip as he helped me settle, but then he dropped it to his lap.
With one last glance, I offered them a small smile then turned my back. Walked to the door and opened it.
“Wait, Abigail,” Gabe said, easily coming to stand before me, his arm reaching around me to push the door closed once again. He frowned down at me. “Where are you going?”
A deep vee formed between his dark brows, as if confused.
“It’s over, you said,” I replied. I was surprised at the strength of my voice. “I’m… leaving. I understand why you want to be rid of me. I’m a liar.”
“Whoa, precious,” Tucker said, coming to stand beside his brother.
“I didn’t mean we were over,” Gabe replied. “Hell, we’re just beginning. You think I toss any woman over my lap for a spanking?” He shook his head. “Only you.”
I looked between the two. “I don’t understand.”
“After the wedding the other day, I told you we don’t take what belongs to another. But you didn’t seem to have much interest in him, and since there is no Aaron, there is no one standing in the way of us claiming you.”
I was surprised, vastly so. I could barely comprehend what they were saying. “Aren’t you mad I lied?”
“I’m mad someone who didn’t even exist kept us apart,” Tucker grumbled.
“But I lied!”
And still did, but if they thought my only trouble was making up a fake suitor, they would be safer.
“Are you trying to push us away?” Gabe asked. “Because it’s not going to happen.”
I dropped my gaze to their broad chests then lifted my chin. “Of course not, but I did something shameful.”
Gabe grunted. “Yes, and we’ll get to your reasons for doing so later. For now, though, we want to know how you feel about two men.”
“Two men?” I repeated. They were so big in front of me, they blocked out the light from the room’s one window.
“Us. We told you we’re claiming you. So if you have some serious objections, tell us now. The spanking was just a start of how we’re going to have our hands on you.”
My body warmed at his words.
“Hell, I didn’t even get my hands on her.” Tucker sounded like a child who didn’t get to play with a toy.
“You? Both of you?” I asked. I knew they would claim a woman together, but me? Truly?
The corner of Tucker’s mouth tipped up as he put his hands on my body. “We need to know, precious, if you want us as much as we do you. We might have spanked you without your say, but we won’t touch you unless you want us.”
My mouth fell open as the warm caress slid down my arm, over my hip, to cup my stinging bottom. “You… you want me?” I couldn’t think when his hands were on me.
“Yes. For a long time now.” Tucker stepped back and put his hand over the front of his pants. I couldn’t miss the thick outline of what he had beneath. “I can tell you, but I’d rather show you.” A wicked grin spread across his face. “All you have to do is say the word.”
“Oh,” I gasped. The duo had told me some decidedly less than gentlemanly things after the wedding the other day, but they hadn’t been blatant.
This was blatant.
“We want you, Abigail.” Gabe touched me then, his hands replacing Tucker’s, but his were a little more aggressive. They curled around my waist, his thumbs stroking over the underside of my breasts. “We want you for our wife.”
Hope flared in my chest at Gabe’s words. Wife?
I shook my head, though, confused, putting my fingers over the puckered skin on my cheek. His touch said one thing, but my mind— “How can you? I’m… I’ve got a—”
Gabe’s hands stilled. “If you finish that sentence about your scar, you will go back over my knees, and I won’t hold back.”
He’d held back before? I squeezed the muscles of my sore bottom at the thought.
“But—”
I tried again, but Gabe would have none of it.
“Is that why you invented a beau?”
I hadn’t considered the possibility, but it was plausible. It would make sense since I was so nervous about how they felt about my scar. I did feel uncomfortable with it, having people see it. I had been teased and taunted about it, the latest bully being Mr. Grimsby. It would make a perfect excuse and I wouldn’t have to tell Gabe or Tucker about Tennessee.
So I nodded. And lied to them. Again.
“Do you trust us, Abigail?” Gabe crossed his arms over his chest. I felt cold and lonely without his touch. Without both of their hands on me.
“You just spanked me and threatened to do so again,” I countered, feeling the throbbing heat of my bottom.
Gabe stepped close so I backed up, right into the door. Placing his forearm beside my head, he leaned in so that his mouth brushed over my ear. His warm breath made me shiver. “And you needed it,” he murmured. “You needed to let go of your problems, to give them to your men.”
My men?
“Yes, I needed to tell you I’d made up the beau,” I readily agreed. I had. It had been tormenting me. “But I didn’t need to be spanked to do so.”
“Yes, you did,” Gabe countered. “We gave you plenty of opportunity to share your secret. You all but pushed us into it.”
Had I? I hadn’t asked for it, but I hadn’t given them much choice with keeping them away and continuing the charade. I’d needed them to make me tell, but unfortunately I still hadn’t lanced everything which continued to fester
“You told us the truth and you feel better for it, don’t you?” Gabe asked.
I breathed in his virile scent and couldn’t do anything except tilt my head and as he nuzzled down the line of my neck.
Did I? Did I feel better telling them the truth, that they’d given me a way to let it out? No, I didn’t feel completely better because they’d only gotten part of the truth. If I told them everything, if I gave them all my troubles, would I truly feel better?
Perhaps, but then I’d worry about their safety. I’d only just discovered they wanted me. I couldn’t ruin that. Not for anything. There was no good answer. Until I was free of Mr. Grimsby’s hold, I would feel guilty and nervous.
Gabe had been so insistent with the spanking, and it hadn’t been from anger. He hadn’t been punishing me. Well, perhaps a little bit. But it was something else entirely, something I didn’t wholly understand.
With every breath, the tips of my breasts touched his chest, and I could feel my nipples turning into hard points. I nodded before I thought more of it. I did feel better.
“Trust us when we say we want you. You saw how hard Tucker is.” Gabe tilted his hips into me, pressing his own hard length into my belly. “How hard I am.”
“It’s been hard ever since I saw you at the picnic,” Tucker admitted from across the room.
“As for me, if you don’t believe our words, then how about this?”
Gabe took hold of my chin and, before I could even wonder what he was going to do, his mouth was on mine. He was kissing me! His lips were soft, yet insistent. When I gasped at the feel of it, his tongue slid over my bottom lip and then into my mouth. His beard was soft, yet a little ticklish. Prickly.
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