by Leah Brooke
Gus cursed. “I’m fucking freezing to death!”
Secure between Barrett and Grant, Kendra smiled, pressing her back against the wall of rock behind them. “Hmm. I’m nice and warm. You’re the asshole who decided to come up here, and you sure as hell didn’t care when I was cold.”
Quinn did something to make one of the other men cry out. “The next one of you who opens their mouth gets tossed in the ravine. Shut the fuck up!”
Kendra couldn’t see her feet, but she trusted Barrett to guide her. “This is a hell of a lot less scary than it was coming up with them. They were falling all over the place, and grabbing on to me to steady them.”
Mason’s growl seemed to echo. “You held on to her?”
Kendra breathed a sigh of relief when the ledge got wider and then opened up. Walking between Barrett and Grant, she used her flashlight to guide her way, but still slid several times.
Each time, Barrett and Grant caught her.
The men behind her kept slipping, and every once in a while she heard what sounded like someone behind hit, but each time she tried to turn around, Barrett and Grant urged her forward.
Grant steadied her over a particularly slippery spot. “Don’t worry about them. Just watch where you’re going. They’re fine.”
Gus cursed. “I can’t. I can’t walk anymore. My leg!”
“You can either walk, or I’ll throw you the rest of the way down.” Mason’s voice had an edge she’d never heard in it before.
Looking up at Barrett, Kendra smiled. “He’s starting to sound like Quinn.”
Barrett laughed softly. “You bring out the best in all of us, baby. Look. See the flashlights down there? That’s the sheriff. We’re almost home.”
Kendra grinned. “God, I love the sound of that.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Kendra woke once again to the sensation of being enveloped in warmth, a delicious sensation that went all the way to her soul.
Stretching, she burrowed her face against a hard chest, breathing in the scent of warm male and soap.
Barrett.
She didn’t even have to open her eyes to know who held her so close.
“Good morning, sleepyhead.”
Kendra smiled, reaching her hand up to touch the bandage on his shoulder and upper arm. “Good morning. Does your arm hurt? Did you take a pain pill? Is that why you’re still in bed?”
His soft chuckle rumbled against her ear. “Stop fussing. It’s fine. It was a late night. Remember?”
From behind her came a deep groan, one she recognized instantly as Mason’s. “Do you two have to talk?” His arm came around her from behind, pulling her back against him.
“Hmm. You smell good.” He unbuttoned the buttons of her pajama top, touching his lips to the shoulder he’d bared. “It’s nice to wake up to warm, sweet woman. Are you okay? Hurt anywhere?”
Smiling, Kendra covered the hand he held at her waist with her own. “I’m good.”
“You’re great.” Mason slid a hand to her breast. “Perfect, in fact. My own little warrior.”
Turning her head, she opened her eyes, surprised that sunlight poured in from the windows. “Damn. It’s late. I’ve got to feed you so you can go feed all the cows and horses.”
Barrett chuckled, taking her hand in his and lifting it back to his chest. “Grant and Quinn are taking care of things on the ranch this morning, while Mason and I are taking care of you.”
Kendra blinked. “Taking care of me? I told you that I’m fine. Not even a scratch. Although, I can’t say the same for Gus and his men. They looked pretty beat up when the sheriff took them. Bloody noses and swollen eyes. I wonder how that happened.”
Behind her, Mason chuckled. “It’s a mystery.”
After several minutes of companionable silence, during which both Barrett and Mason caressed her, Kendra sighed with contentment and touched her lips to Barrett’s chest. “I love waking up to you, but I hate that I kept you from your work.”
Lifting her hand to his lips, Barrett kissed her palm, still not opening his eyes. “You needed sleep and we didn’t want you to wake up alone.”
Dropping her head back to the pillow, she smiled, closing her eyes again. “I have a feeling that you just didn’t want to get out of a warm bed.”
Cupping her breast, Mason teased her nipple. “Or leave our warm, soft woman.”
Her breath caught when Barrett slid his hand to her mound, lifting her leg over Mason’s thigh for better access. “Hmm. This is a hell of a way to wake up. I think I could probably get used to this.”
Barrett parted her folds, sliding his finger back and forth over her clit. “I’m glad you think so, because your days of sleeping alone are over.”
Kendra bit her lip at the rush of pleasure, the combination of pressure against her nipple and friction against her clit bringing her still-drowsy body to full alert.
Frowning, she arched into Mason’s caress, her hips rocking against Barrett’s hand. “I don’t remember coming to bed last night—or putting my pajama top on.”
Barrett rolled toward her, his hand sliding to her breast as Mason released her and rolled to his back. “We did it. You fell asleep on Mason’s lap while we were still talking to the sheriff. Christ, we were scared to death when we found you gone.”
Smoothing her hand over Barrett’s chest, Kendra moaned at the sound of foil ripping. “I didn’t do too badly.”
The head of Mason’s cock pushed into her from behind, the thick heat of it stretching her pussy as he slid deeper.
Spreading his hand over her abdomen, he pulled her back against him and into his thrusts. “Yes, you did, and we’re all damned proud of you. In the future, though, I think we’d all prefer it if you leave the dangerous situations to us.”
Barrett lowered his head, brushing his lips against hers. “This is your home now, and you belong to all of us. You realize that now, don’t you?”
It should have seemed strange to kiss one man while another took her from behind, but it didn’t. Kendra reveled in the feel of having both men’s hands on her, melting under the warmth and caring in their firm caresses. She loved how it felt to be surrounded by them, their strong presence giving her a sense of security she’d never known before coming to the Jagged Rock.
Reaching for Barrett’s cock, she smiled against his lips at his sharp gasp, her breath catching when Mason’s fingers danced over her clit.
Heat. Hunger. Love.
In every sigh, every moan, every touch.
She went over in a long, slow swell, the strength and caring in their caresses guiding her securely through it.
Barrett swallowed her cry of release in a slow, deep kiss filled with hunger and love.
With a curse, Mason brushed the covers aside, his hand tightening against her mound as he thrust deep one last time.
His deep groan gave her a warm inner glow, one that warmed her even more when he buried his face against her throat. “Christ, woman, I love you.”
Sucking in a breath when Barrett lifted his head, she cuddled against him, blinking back tears of vulnerability—and of joy. “I love you, too. So much.”
Cupping Barrett’s jaw, she tilted her head back and smiled, still stroking his cock, a moan escaping when Mason withdrew. “All of you. It scares me sometimes, but it feels so good.”
Rolling her to her back, Barrett ignored Mason’s curses as he shoved him from the bed, and reached out to retrieve a condom. “I love you, too, baby. Once we get you settled, how about having a couple of our babies?”
Kendra gasped. “You’d want that?”
Mason chuckled as he got to his feet. “Hell yeah!”
Once Barrett rolled on the condom, she wrapped her legs around his hips, sucking in a breath when he entered her. “I can’t think of anything I’d like more.”
Barrett surged deep, his eyes flaring as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her more tightly against him, lifting her hips for his thrusts. “Neither can I.�
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* * * *
Hearing the back door open, Kendra squealed in excitement and raced from the kitchen, throwing herself at Quinn before he even had the chance to take off his coat.
“Whoa!” Quinn caught her with a curse, frowning even as his eyes flashed with surprised delight. “Your thigh, damn it!”
Kendra kissed him hard, shivering at the cold from his coat penetrating her sweat suit. “Barrett took them out. I’m good as new. Everything’s settled. I’m going to have babies, and since you’re the only one I haven’t said I love you to, I wanted to tell you.”
Quinn looked as if he’d been hit in the head with a two-by-four. “Babies.” He lowered her to the lid of the washing machine and ran his hand over her belly. “You’re going to have a baby?”
Kendra laughed. “Not now. After we spend some time alone.” Frowning at the stunned look on his face, she cupped his jaw, frowning. “That’s all right with you isn’t it?”
“A baby.” Quinn swallowed heavily, his hands shaking. “You’d do that? You’d be willing to have our baby?”
Relieved and incredibly touched by his reaction, Kendra grinned. “Well, more than one, I hope.”
Nothing could have shocked her more than when Quinn grabbed her, pulling her so tightly against him, she could barely breathe.
“Christ, woman, I love you.”
* * * *
After speaking with Quinn, Kendra worried about Grant, and while the others sat in the kitchen eating, she went in search of him. Making her way to his room, she smiled when she heard the shower running.
Stripping out of her clothes, she made her way into the bathroom, forcing a smile as she opened the shower door. “There you are. I was worried about you. Aren’t you hungry?”
Grant’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Not now. Maybe later. I guess Quinn told you.”
Taking the soap from him, Kendra began to wash his chest. “He told me the sheriff arrested Gus’s friend in town, the one who was going to call you for the ransom. By the way, he also heard what happened to Don Edelson. Apparently, Don had been staying with his nephew. He went out for cigarettes and got into minor fender-bender. When the police came to make a report, he begged them not to put his name on it. He was almost hysterical, saying that someone was out to kill him.”
Shaking her head, she smiled up at him. “Needless to say, it set off all sorts of red flags, and they took him to the station and got the entire story out of him, including how he’d given Gus my name. Once he told them where I was, they called your friend, Sid. Evidently, Don wouldn’t leave the police station until he found out that Gus and his men had been arrested.”
Pausing, she traced a pattern on his chest, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. “He also told me that the sheriff found Lisa in town and that she’s under arrest.” Looking up at him through her lashes, she continued to soap him, hoping to ease some of the tension in him. “Does that bother you? Are you still in love with her?”
Grant blinked, the surprise in his eyes unmistakable. “What? Hell, no!”
Grabbing her to him, Grant pressed his face against her neck, heedless of the water spraying over them. “I love you. I didn’t know it was possible to love someone so much. I just feel guilty as hell for what she did. I should have known.”
Gripping his hair, Kendra lifted his head so she could look into his eyes. “You had no way of knowing, and when she called me, I didn’t tell you about it.”
Grant stilled, his hands tightening on her waist. “What? She called you?”
“Yeah.” With a sigh, Kendra told him about the phone call. “I should have told you, but I didn’t want to hurt your feelings or upset you—”
A muscle worked in his jaw. “Upset me?”
“Just like you kept Barrett’s injury from me because you didn’t want to upset me. You were also feeling guilty because you thought he had your gun. Well, I had your gun, which probably saved my life. So, are you going to snap out of this, or do I have to get physical?” Pleased that she’d made her case, she put her hands on her hips and met his angry gaze head-on.
Grant stared down at her for several long seconds, an inner battle taking place that glittered in his eyes.
Between one heartbeat and the next, his eyes narrowed, a small smile playing at his lips. “How physical?”
Knowing she’d started to win the battle, she decided that playing would get rid of the rest of his bad mood. Amazed that she’d already begun to learn how to handle them, she set the soap aside.
“It can get as physical as you want, cowboy. But, you’re gonna have to catch me first.”
Throwing open the shower door, she took off, with an equally naked and wet Grant hot on her heels.
Chasing her through the bathroom and into his bedroom, he caught hold of her arm briefly, but couldn’t hold on to her. Laughing, she ran as fast as she could out into the hallway, just as Barrett, Mason, and Quinn reached the top of the stairs.
Barrett blinked. “What the hell?”
All three of them grinned as Grant appeared behind her. “Damn it, she’s fast and she’s fucking slippery when she’s wet.”
To her delight, Mason, Barrett, and Quinn all burst out laughing.
Mason jumped back out of the way when she flew past him. “Get her, Grant.”
They followed when she ran into Quinn’s room, standing outside the doorway and laughing hysterically when she managed to elude Grant, who was laughing too hard to catch her.
Grant sped out of the room on her heels, cursing when she ducked into Mason’s room. “You could help me, you know!”
Quinn yelled from behind them. “And miss watching this? You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Barrett chuckled. “You gotta break her yourself before you can ride her.”
“Ride me? I—oh!”
Laughing as Grant caught her from behind, Kendra squealed when he threw her over his shoulder and headed back to his room. Not bothering to close the door, he tossed her on the bed, covering her body with his before she could bounce.
“Damn, honey. You’re good for me.”
Wrapping her arms and legs around him, Kendra grinned. “You’re good for me, too.” Giggling, she rubbed against him. “We’re all wet.”
Grant slid a hand down her center, slipping a finger into her pussy. “You certainly are.” Rolling to his side, he retrieved a condom, and hurriedly rolled it on. Gathering her close, he pressed his cock into her, his eyes flaring at her cry of pleasure. “For the first time in my life, I feel like I’m home.”
Kendra grinned and dug her heels into his tight butt, tilting her hips to take him deeper. “Welcome home, darlin’.”
Hearing the others laugh as they walked away, and gasping in pleasure at Grant’s slow, tender lovemaking, Kendra knew she’d finally found the home she’d always longed for.
Epilogue
Kendra jumped when Barrett touched her arm. “What?” She looked around the kitchen table to find all three of them frowning at her. “What’s wrong?”
Barrett leaned closer. “That’s what I was about to ask you. I’ve said your name twice already, and you seemed like you were in another world.”
Kendra blinked. “Sorry. I’m fine.”
Smiling to herself, she thought about the secret she carried.
Blowing out a breath, she looked down at her plate to see that she hadn’t eaten a bite of her food. “I got a phone call today.”
All four of them stilled.
Quinn’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “From who?” The ice in his eyes startled her, and she realized suddenly that she hadn’t seen that look from any of them in a long time.
“My sister.”
Barrett shared a look with the others. “You haven’t heard from her since you’ve been here—that’s over a year now. What did she want?”
Too restless to sit still, Kendra got to her feet, ignoring their pointed looks at her full plate. “She caught Jerry cheating on her, and found out
he’s been cheating on her for years—with his secretary. She apologized for ever thinking it was me, and it sounds like she wants to have a relationship again.” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, still reeling from the conversation with her sister. She wants to come visit.”
When they all just stared at her, she dropped into her seat again. “Is that okay?”
Grant frowned. “If that’s what you want. This is your home, Kendra. By now, you should know that. Do you want to see her again?”
“Of course, and I want to see Tony. I’ve missed him so much. He’d love the horses.”
Mason scooped up another forkful of lasagna. “Then by all means, invite them.”
Barrett pulled her from her chair with an ease that still thrilled her, settling her on his lap. “Are you sure that’s all you want to tell us?”
His hand slid to her abdomen, covering it protectively, his eyes glittering with love. “I was a doctor, you know, and we do breed cattle.”
Mason, Grant, and Quinn all stilled, their eyes going wide.
Grant rose from his chair and pulled hers closer to Barrett’s before dropping into it. Running his hand over her back, he smiled, a tender smile unlike any she’d seen before. “You got something to tell us, baby?”
The glow in their eyes brought tears to hers. “I was going to tell you tonight. I also got a call from the clinic today.” Grinning, she looked at each of them, blinking back tears. “We’re having a baby. Oh, God. I’m going to start crying again.”
Barrett gathered her close, burying his face against her neck. “Cry all you want to. Oh, God, honey. I can’t believe it. I love you so damned much.” The awe made his deep voice husky, and she found herself crying even harder.
Laughing and crying at the same time, she found herself passed from one of them to the other, amidst a lot of teasing and backslapping.
Settled on Mason’s lap, she kicked at Barrett. “How long have you known?”
Barrett caught her foot, rubbing it before settling it on his lap. “About a week. I thought you were trying to keep it from us.”