by Zoey Marcel
“Jasmine?”
“My other puma. I still talk with her online. She actually lives here in South Dakota. Isn’t that great?”
“That’s fuckin’ brilliant.” Aiden’s tone lacked enthusiasm and his smile seemed artificial, but Justin knew he didn’t like people, so he dismissed it.
“I know, right? Now I can meet her in person and date her. And it’s all thanks to you.”
“Christ, let’s not go that far. This is all you.”
Justin grinned, hopping down as he stuffed his phone into his pocket. “Nah, you’re the genius. You saved me from getting naughty with my future sister-in-law and helped me find the girlfriend I was meant to be with. Maybe even my future bride.”
Aiden let out a shaky laugh. “Fuck. You’re already there, are you?”
“I was so conflicted with two women, but now that I’m just focused on one I see the light. You made it all possible. I could hug you.”
“You don’t want to be doing that.”
Justin extended his arms and walked into the other man. “Come here.”
“Ah, good, we’re doing that.” Aiden patted him halfheartedly before stepping back. “You should head home and get some sleep.”
“Actually, I was planning on chatting with her before bed. I’ve got to celebrate by talking to my one-and-only puma. Sleep well.”
“Oh, I’ll be drinkin’.”
“Heck yes, it’s a celebration. Have one for me.”
“I’ll be havin’ a few.”
“All right, Aiden. Just drink lots of water.”
Aiden stopped walking away and looked back at him. “What?”
“I think it’s all manly that you can hold your liquor, but you only have one liver. I know you take care of yourself aside from that. Just be good to your liver, too.”
“My organs aren’t your business.”
“But I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“If I died Shane would still pay you.”
“But…”
God, what was wrong with him? He’d been so happy about Jasmine, but for some reason Aiden seemed upset and the sight of him walking away had made Justin’s heart sag with loneliness.
“What?” Aiden growled.
Justin wanted to make like a roly-poly and curl up into a ball when Aiden stormed toward him with a scowl on his face. “You’re my hero.”
“Seriously?”
He nodded. “It’s true. You’re like Batman.”
The feeling deserted Aiden’s countenance and became derision. “If you really knew me, you’d know that I’m no hero. What if I told you I was closer to the Joker?”
“It doesn’t change anything. Whatever mask you wear, it’s still you.”
The man’s mocking air wavered and he seemed vulnerable for a fraction of a second.
“Is that how you see yourself? A monster?”
Aiden’s expression hardened and a tangible chill hovered in the air. “I’m not a monster.”
Justin drank in the man’s fiery green stare. “Jasmine’s right for me, isn’t she?”
“Who else would you be with? You carry on about this girl until everyone wants to shove their head up a donkey’s ass to drown out the sound, and now you don’t even know if you want to be with her?”
“I’m just confused,” he whispered, eyes pleading up at Aiden.
“Then you should be alone until you know what you want.”
“What if I’m torn?”
“Well, isn’t that just like a lad your age,” Aiden sneered.
The sharpness of the words dug at something susceptible inside of him. He didn’t know why. Aiden walked off and Justin stood there alone in the dark, wishing he was a woman.
* * * *
Quentin walked toward the house on the Huntingtons’ property that Charlie and Shane lived in. He had to smile when he saw Charlie seated on the sprawling porch with his boots propped up. Now there was a sight for sorry eyes. Seeing him quickened Quentin’s pulse and warmed his loins.
The morning air was cold and brisk. Fall was definitely coming. The rising sun cast a glorious light behind him and spilled its colorful guts across the horizon.
Charlie smiled as he drew closer. “Now there’s a nice thing to wake up to.”
“I’m glad you’re happy to see me.”
“I was talking about the sunrise.”
Quentin stepped onto the porch with him. “Feeling ornery today?”
“Only for you.”
“You shouldn’t trouble yourself just for me.”
Charlie took a sip of coffee from his mug. “Don’t you know you’re special?”
Quentin gave him a friendly smile and took up a seat near him. “I have something to tell you.”
“What’s that?”
He leaned forward with his elbows resting on his legs and one hand balled loosely in the other. “I thought you might appreciate knowing who the woman was that I shared with you the other day.”
“I don’t need a name.”
“I think if you knew who the woman was, you would feel differently.”
“Then you don’t know me at all, Quen. One woman is the same as another.”
Quentin studied him, silently calling him out.
“Just spit it out already.”
“There was one woman who stood out to you from the rest.”
Charlie gazed off into the dawn. “That was a long time ago.”
“If she ever came to South Dakota, would you want to know?”
“If she ever came to this town, I would know. It’s too small for her to hide in. The only way she would be able to is if she went out of her way to hide. I’d still find her.”
“I see.”
A tranquil silence filled the heated void. It was comfortable and tense at once.
It occurred to Quentin that Charlie might be mad at him for a while when he found out that Quentin had kept Kendall’s arrival in McKenna Downs a secret from him. Well, he couldn’t have that.
“Let’s fuck.”
Charlie looked at him quizzically before letting out a little snicker. “Nice and to-the-point. I like that. What makes you think I’m in the mood?”
“You’re always in the mood.”
“Well, that’s true. What happened to telling me her name?”
“You said you didn’t want to know.”
He took another swig of coffee. “Since when has that stopped you?”
“I thought we would fuck first and then I will tell you.”
Charlie eyed him suspiciously. “What the hell are you up to, Quen?”
“You really want to know her name?”
“Well, I do now. When you tell me, I doubt I’ll give a damn, but your bait-and-switch is irritating. I don’t think I’ll let you fuck me today.”
“I could seduce you.”
“You’re welcome to try.”
Quentin took that as an invitation and put his hand on Charlie’s thigh.
“Slow down, you eager bastard. First tell me the name of that woman who sucked my cock the other day.”
He pulled his hand away slowly from Charlie’s thigh. “As you wish.”
Charlie watched him, calm but attentive.
Quentin scrutinized his face closely, not wanting to miss a single detail of the man’s reaction as he spoke in a gentle tone. “The woman that René and I have been sleeping with and who also sucked your cock the other day is the same woman you fell for years ago in San Francisco.”
Charlie stiffened. His features were tense, voice harsh. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that Kendall Laurie is in town, and she is not over you.”
Chapter Sixteen
Charlie stormed toward the horse stable where he’d heard Kendall was fawning over them. He heard Justin talking before he entered the building. His heart skipped a beat when he heard Kendall’s sweet and sassy voice.
Taking a deep breath, Charlie pulled the door open and went inside.
&
nbsp; Her mouth fell open when she saw him. She was even more striking than he remembered. She had her hair pulled back in a low ponytail, and her alabaster features were gorgeous. She had on a gray sweater with a purple scarf, skinny jeans, and brown leather boots. She always dressed so stylish.
Too bad her sweater didn’t have buttons. He’d rip it open and get down to business. What was with all these women’s tops that went on and off over the head? Who had time for that? Maybe she’d learned not to wear blouses with buttons, given the years she’d spent dating him.
His heart tugged when he saw her standing there. It had been way too damned long...and it was all her fault. He had half a mind to spank her.
Justin looked over at him and grinned. “Hey, Charlie. I made some carrot cake. The frosted one is for you guys. The unfrosted one is for my cow buddies.”
Charlie noticed Spore, one of their calves, standing there eating a piece of carrot cake from Justin’s hand while Sirloin, one of their steers, ate cake from Justin’s other hand. The kid was gonna make their cattle fat. Ah well. Maybe the beef would be extra succulent.
“Thanks. You wanna hit the road for a minute,” Charlie said.
Justin frowned. “I just got here and I made you cake, jerk.”
“And I’m gonna eat it, but I want to talk to Kendall.”
“Okay. Yum-yums for your tum-tums,” Justin cooed to the cattle that swished their tails and mooed in response. “Follow me, guys.”
Both animals followed him, partly because they liked him and also because he lured them with carrot cake. Justin shut the door behind him after leaving with them.
Kendall stood there gaping at him.
“Quentin said you were in town.”
“I’m just passing through.”
“Why the hell didn’t you say anything?”
“I thought it might be awkward.”
“You mean awkward for you.” Charlie closed the distance between them. “Your sister told me that bitch you used to live with is dead.”
“Amelia was killed years ago.”
“I know you lied to me five years ago when you broke up with me that last time.” He stepped closer, getting hard when he felt her body heat and inhaled her lavender scent. “You said you were a lesbian. I knew you weren’t.”
“Maybe I was trying to find myself.”
He tilted her chin up. “Don’t you fucking lie to me, woman. I know you’ve been fucking Quentin and René.”
She moved his hand away, seeming reluctant to do so. “I thought that was what you wanted, me messing around with your brothers and your best friend.”
“With me there. I was gonna introduce you, and I told you never to say René’s name, let alone fuck him.”
“Well, I did, so what of it?”
“You want me to spank you?”
“We’re not together anymore.”
“Yeah, we are. You’re not a lesbian and ménage doesn’t bother you anymore. There’s nothing keeping us apart except for those damned thick clothes you’re wearing.”
“It’s fall. I have to stay warm.”
“I know how to warm you up real good.”
Charlie cupped the base of her skull and pulled her into a kiss. She gave him a thirsty moan and kissed back, draping her arms around him. God, he’d missed her. She tasted so good, felt so hot and womanly. Her kiss sent fiery heat bolts to his groin and a steady ache commenced in his loins. He had to have her.
She broke the kiss when he backed her into a clean, empty horse stall. “I’m not staying long. I have my career to think of.”
He undid her fly. “All I hear is ‘Fuck me, Charlie.’“
She sucked in a sharp breath of air when he stuck his hand down her panties and fondled her crotch.
“Bad woman, letting yourself go.”
“Excuse me?” She tried to move his arm. “I take damned good care of myself.”
“I’m talking about your hairy pussy. You know I want you shaved. Did you feel liberated growing in your little red bush?”
Her blush was adorable and her angry pistol face was priceless. “You ass, I had no reason to shave after we broke up.”
That made him smug. “You never got laid after me, huh?”
She let out an indignant gasp, obviously trying to suppress how good it felt when he played in her wet folds. “I had plenty of sex after we broke up.”
“Then you’re getting a spanking.”
He pushed her jeans and panties down and then spun her around, shoving her onto her hands and knees in the shavings of sawdust and wood chips.
“You really don’t deserve an orgasm this time, Red.”
She whimpered when he smoothed his hand over her soft fuzz in a back and forth motion.
“Good thing you’re nice and wet for me.”
He unfastened his fly and then freed his cock. When he strummed his glans in her creamy slit, she let out a needy sound.
Charlie drew in a harsh breath when he pressed lightly and got the head of his dick in. He rested like that, wanting her to beg for it.
“Still nice and tight. I guess your past fuck-boys weren’t as hung as I am.”
“Charlie,” she breathed.
Her soft little plea put a dull, pleasurable ache in his balls.
“I know you’re not a lesbian, Kendall. Tell me you lied years ago just to keep me from coming around.”
Kendall hung her head in shame. “I lied.”
He slapped her ass, making her cry out. She clenched his cockhead with her slippery cunt when he gave her butt a few more smacks.
“You want to make it up to me, don’t you?”
She nodded.
“Good girl.”
He stood, tugging her up to her knees by the hair. Holding his dick by the root, he poked her full lips with it. She opened her mouth and began sucking his cock. The steamy heat took his breath away. Her wiggly tongue licked his glans and laved sloppy trails of fire all over his shaft.
He yanked the hairpiece out of her hair so the curly length fanned out over her shoulders and back. She looked so feminine and sexy that way.
She was about to pull off, probably to tend to his scrotum like she knew he enjoyed, but he kept her head there. Holding her head, he assumed control and started to fuck her face, so she put her hand to use on his sac instead.
He ejaculated in her mouth, reveling in the electric rush of his release. He’d missed this, missed everything with her both in and out of bed. When he pulled out of her mouth, she spat his spunk into the sawdust. He didn’t mind, since they’d been apart for years. Papers needed to be seen, but once they were, she was sucking down every drop of his cum.
He tucked his happy cock away and then helped her to her feet.
“Aren’t you forgetting something?” she asked.
“I don’t think so. I had to go five years without holding you. Now you’re gonna ache for me until you apologize to me and beg for my cock.”
Her crabby face was kind of cute. “You arrogant jackass!”
“You’re gonna beg for my cock up your ass. Only then will I give what you need and let you come. We’re gonna have to shave that pussy. I’ve been called a tiger, but I don’t want a jungle in my way when I go down on you.” He slapped her on the ass before walking away, grinning at her scandalized sound.
“You conceited pig! I won’t beg for you, and I’m not sorry.”
“You say that now, but you’ll change your tune when you start thinking back on how good I made you feel.” He had to smile when he saw her face change as though she was recollecting their time together. Opening the stable door, he said, “It won’t be long now.”
* * * *
Kendall couldn’t stop thinking about Charlie. Her heart had melted when she’d seen him in the stable yesterday morning. She’d always liked sucking his cock, but she’d been absolutely starving for it on the floor of that horse stall.
The jerk hadn’t reciprocated. There was an inconvenient part of her that understo
od why. He was probably still upset that she’d broken up with him and that she’d slept with René. So what if they had different mothers? Big fucking deal. They had the same father and lived on the same ranch, even if they stayed in different houses.
She wanted to go to bed with Charlie, but she had a pretty bad feeling that if she did, she’d never want to leave. She might as well just kiss her fashion career in New York good-bye right now, in that case.
Thinking back, it occurred to her that she’d let him stick the crown of his cock inside her without protection, even though they’d been apart for years. Charlie was always safe, so it was probably fine, but it had still been foolish of her. She was always so careful. With him, she was weak.
She was currently in the process of cooking something homemade for dinner. She wondered if Charlie would come over to eat tonight. If not, it would just be her, Quentin, and René.
She had to climb up onto the counter to reach the top shelf in one of the cupboards. The men likely didn’t have this problem, given their height. Even the shortest of the men, René, was two inches taller than her.
She leaned back too far and lost her balance. A scared gasp was the only sound she made as she fell off the counter. Two big, strong hands caught her by the waist and kept her from hitting the floor.
“Careful there, doll.”
She didn’t recognize his voice.
The man set her down and she turned to face him. Oh sweet hell, he was to-die-for. He had to be the manliest-looking man she’d ever seen, alongside Quentin. She assumed this man was Shane Huntington, Charlie’s eldest brother.
“Thanks,” she said.
She would never classify herself as shy, but something about this man’s virility reduced her to coyness and some sort of demure reverence she wasn’t used to.
“I don’t think I’ve met you. Are you a burglar or the eldest brother?”
He cracked a grin and if it had been the right century to faint at the sight of a handsome man, she’d have been doing just that.
“Well, of course I’m gonna say I’m the brother. That way you trust me and don’t call the cops.”
She let out a shaky snicker that sounded like an insecure preteen girl around the hot guy.
He looks close to forty, old enough to see how enamored you are with him. Lord, how embarrassing.