Desire Oklahoma The Founding Fathers Trilogy

by Leah Brooke

  “You don’t have to work in the garden. Duke supervises that.”

  “Duke has enough to do.”

  “So do you.”

  “I want to be able to work in the garden. I want to can some of the vegetables for winter.”

  “We buy them in Tulsa.”

  “We don’t have to. I can do it.”

  Eb shook his head, taking a step toward her for each one she took back. “It’s too much work, and you have enough to do.”

  “I’m doing it, and that’s that. Stop stalking me. You’re being mean and contrary, and I don’t like it one bit.”

  “Tough.”

  “I don’t know what you’re so mad about. I came out here to get supplies and I’m not going to apologize for that.”

  Inclining his head again, Eb moved in closer. “Maybe not. But you are going to be more careful in the future, or I’ll teach you a lesson you’ll never forget.”

  Grabbing her arm, he led her back to the barrel with her slicker and bundled her into it like he was dressing a child.

  “Damn it, Eb. Stop manhandling me.”

  “I’ll handle you any damned way I want.”

  He proved it by dragging her over to the open doorway, holding her upper arm in his tight grip while pointing with the other hand.

  “What do you see?”

  She snapped her mouth shut, swallowing her retort, and stared in the direction he pointed. “Rain, it’s letting up some. That’s Phoenix out there and a couple of other men. I don’t know who they are. Cows. Horses. Trees. Grass.”

  She turned to him, frowning. “It’s a ranch, Eb. What am I supposed to be looking at?”

  Eb’s lips thinned. “What was out there when you came outside?”

  Surprised, Maggie stared back out into the yard. “I don’t know. The same thing that’s out there now, I suppose.”

  Eb nodded, his jaw clenched. “That’s what I thought. Damn it, Maggie. Do you see the man on the right?”

  At her nod, he continued. “That’s Stockney, the man who snuck in here trying to get a look at you naked.”

  Not understanding what had him so upset, she shrugged, still embarrassed by the entire incident. “We don’t know that’s what he was doing. He could have been telling the truth. Maybe he heard me cry out and came to investigate.”

  The thought of the other man hearing her cries of passion still made her feel dirty.

  Eb dropped the hand he used to point and turned toward her. “Do you think I like that another man heard what you sound like when you come?” He waved his hand. “But that doesn’t matter right now. I know Stockney. You don’t. He wouldn’t lift a hand to help anyone but himself. And he’s violent. The whores won’t even let him come around them anymore.”

  Maggie shuddered with revulsion. “Why do you have someone like that working here?”

  A muscle worked in Eb’s jaw. “It never mattered before. There’s not a man on the place who can’t handle him. But now that you’re here, he has to go.”

  Aghast that a man would lose his job because of her, Maggie gasped and reached out to grab Eb’s arm.

  “But that’s not fair. He shouldn’t lose his job because of me.”

  Eb looked down at her arm, his face lined with fury when he met her eyes again. “Do you know what he was doing when you walked in here? Following you. He was peeking into the house and followed you out here. Phoenix saw him and followed him, making sure Stockney knew it.”

  “What do you mean, made sure Stockney knew it? Of course he would know if someone was following him.”

  Eb’s brow went up. “If Phoenix, Blade, or Hawke didn’t want you to know they were there, you wouldn’t. But that’s beside the point. I’d bet my prize bull that Stockney would have come in here offering to help you and then would have attacked you.”

  He pointed in the distance again where another rider approached Stockney. “Jeremiah’s giving him his pay now.”

  Stunned, Maggie stared up at him, the knots in her stomach getting tighter as the implications set in. “Do you mean he would have…?”

  Eb crossed his arms over his chest, watching in the distance. “That’s exactly what I mean. That’s the kind of thing I’ve been trying to warn you about. Any man who wouldn’t give his life to protect you isn’t welcome on the Circle T.”

  Maggie stared up at him, her jaw dropping. “You can’t expect that.”

  Eb glanced at her before looking out again. “I can, and I do. So do the other men with the women who’ll be their wives. It’s a dangerous place out here, Maggie, and the women have to be protected at all costs.”

  His voice lowered, becoming thoughtful. “It’s really no life out here without women, something I think we’ve all come to understand. No civilization, no children, no reason to go on.”

  Turning to face her fully, he gathered her against him. “A woman makes a man a better man. We talked to Hayes and Wyatt about this before we left, and I think they understood it even better than we did at the time.”

  Amazed to hear such a thing from his lips, she snuggled against him. “I want to be good for you, Eb. For both you and Jeremiah.”

  Eb patted her bottom, the underlying threat in his voice giving her pause. “Then start paying attention, Maggie. If you do anything to put yourself in any kind of danger again, I’ll beat your ass raw.”

  * * * *

  Thrilled with the new level of closeness between Eb and Maggie, Jeremiah watched them both as they cuddled.

  Sitting on the sofa in front of the fire, Maggie lay against Eb watching the flames, her bare feet tucked beneath her. She wore the nightgown they’d taken off of her the night before and the shawl Esmeralda had given her, her hair loose and lying in shining waves to her hips.

  Eb played with the ends of her hair now as he and Jeremiah spoke, his eyes going with increasing frequency to Maggie. His brother didn’t seem able to tear his eyes away from her during dinner, the underlying threat in his indulgent gaze amusing Jeremiah no end.

  He’d been that way ever since he’d taken Maggie’s ass, and Jeremiah knew his brother well enough to understand it.

  Her complete surrender had satisfied Eb’s dominant nature. Giving herself to him that way, she’d made herself truly his, especially when she responded so completely.

  Eb showed a tenderness Jeremiah hadn’t seen from his brother in a long time, certainly not since the night they buried Maggie’s dead kitten. Eb felt a deep responsibility for anything that belonged to him, and Maggie’s submission and sweet response put her at the top of his list.

  It wouldn’t surprise Jeremiah at all to see Eb fall the rest of the way in love with her, and when that happened, God help anyone who dared to hurt her in any way.

  A small seed of unease planted itself in his gut. He couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if he inadvertently hurt Maggie and what it would do to his relationship with his brother.

  Irritated at himself for the jealousy that came from Eb having established himself so clearly as Maggie’s protector, Jeremiah decided it was time to reestablish his own place in this marriage and remind her that she belonged to him just as much as she belonged to Eb.

  Sitting in the chair across from them, Jeremiah set aside the small whiskey he allowed himself and rose, crossing to sit on the other side of Maggie.

  “Come here, honey.”

  Relieved when Eb kissed her forehead and lifted his arm resting on her hip, Jeremiah grinned at her sleepy frown and reached for her, sliding his hands under her and pulling her onto his lap.

  “I just want to hold you for a while.” Settling her more comfortably against him, he smiled when her head fell back against his arm, her blue eyes already clouded with sleep.

  She nodded, her eyes already closing.

  Running his hands up and down her thighs, he watched her slip into sleep, waiting until her breathing evened out before looking up at his brother.

  “Stockney’s dangerous. He’s made a few friends while he�
�s been working here. Lee, Willy, and Stick always followed him around and did whatever he said. I’d like to get rid of them, too, but they haven’t given us cause.”

  Eb touched Maggie’s feet, frowned, and took them in his hands, rubbing them. “I talked to them today. Believe it or not, they’re as happy as everyone else to see him go. Turns out he bullied them.”

  Jeremiah smoothed a hand over her hair. “The thought of Stockney following her today makes me want to hit something. She’s gonna have to learn to be more careful.”

  With a sigh, Eb stared into the fire. “She’s not as prepared for life here as I thought. She didn’t have a clue anyone was watching her. Hell, she grew up being the darling of the Shenandoah. Everybody there looked out for her.”

  Jeremiah ran his fingers through the ends of her hair, enjoying the silky texture. “We’ll have to make sure the same thing happens here. If anyone like Stockney hurts one of the women, there’ll be violence for sure. With all the women we hope to bring here, it could turn into a bloodbath. Trixie told me it took one of her girls two months to recover when Stockney got done with her.”

  Eb nodded grimly. “Yeah.”

  Silence fell as both men watched Maggie sleep. Jeremiah slid his hand from her stomach to her breast, smiling faintly when she moaned and turned toward him, pressing her breast more firmly into his hand.

  “She’s a weakness.” Unable to resist, he flicked a thumb over her nipple, his cock stirring impatiently when she moaned again and shifted her legs.

  “It scares me. Hell, she could get hurt so easily, and we’re not always within shouting distance.”

  Beneath her nightgown, Eb slid his hands up Maggie’s legs. “I know. That’s why it just makes sense to have all the men watch out for her and for any other women who come along.”

  Maggie moaned again, her eyes fluttering open. “That feels good.”

  Jeremiah bent to kiss her, a bare whisper of his lips over hers, slipping his hand between her thighs, his cock coming to life to find her warm and wet. He slid a finger over her folds and teased her opening before pressing it into her.

  The velvety smoothness of her lips rivaled that of the tight pussy he stroked, and swallowing her moan, he sank into both.

  Holding her in his arms, hearing the surprise and pleasure in her moans, breathing in the sweet scent of her, he knew he would die before he ever let anyone hurt her.

  She opened readily, her lips and thighs parting for him, and he eagerly took advantage of both.

  He’d already become addicted to the taste of her, the feel of her in his arms, and each time he touched her, the addiction grew even stronger.

  Needing to hear those erotic sounds she made when she came, Jeremiah flicked a thumb over her swollen clit and swallowed her whimper.

  Half asleep, she would be too tired to be taken, but he wanted to give her pleasure anyway. A selfish part of him wanted to sink into her, but he would settle for hearing his name on her lips, the need to establish a bond with her again nearly overwhelming.

  To his surprise, she pulled at his hair until he lifted his head.

  “I want you to take me.”

  The soft plea in her voice went straight to his cock. The painful press of it against her hip got even worse when a fresh rush of her juices coated his fingers.

  Bending again, he brushed his lips over her cheek. “You’re tired, honey. Just keep those thighs open, and I’ll make you come.”

  She closed her thighs on his hand and pulled his hair when he attempted to lower his head again. “Don’t you want me? Are you mad at me because of that Stockney man?”

  The distress and arousal in her eyes both pulled at him on different levels.

  He could have overpowered her and continued to stroke her clit, but he held that hand still, while with the other he lifted her higher against his chest.

  “Stockney has nothing to do with it, but if you’re ever so careless with your safety again, your ass is gonna be bright red. The way you were squirming, I thought you needed to come. Be still, and let me take care of it.”

  Maggie wiggled again, pulling herself up and rubbing her breasts against his chest. “I want you to be inside me when I do.”

  Unable to resist her, he slid his hand from between her thighs and with no finesse at all, lifted her higher and freed his cock.

  Eb gathered her in his arms and stood, repositioning her until she straddled Jeremiah’s lap, meeting his eyes as he cupped Maggie’s breasts from behind.

  Caught up in his desire for her, he watched her eyes as he lifted her and slowly lowered her onto his cock. He groaned at the hot, slick warmth that surrounded him, holding his breath as her tight pussy clenched on him in time to the flick of Eb’s thumbs on her nipples.

  He watched in fascination as Eb lifted the hem of her nightgown up and then the garment completely off of her, leaving her naked. He’d taken a lot of women over the years, but he’d never been so entranced by a woman’s body.

  Maggie’s tiny waist emphasized the voluptuousness of her breasts and hips, making them more exciting to fondle than any other woman’s had ever been. Her nipples enticed him more than any other woman’s.

  Her pussy tasted sweeter.

  Her round, firm ass made his hands itch to touch it.

  He could have spent all day just sipping from her lips.

  Even the sounds she made turned him inside out, each cry, each sigh like a stroke to his cock.

  The memory of every other woman he’d ever fucked faded more each time he took her.

  Circling her waist, he lifted her now, teasing them both by lowering her slowly onto his cock before raising her inch by inch back up again.

  The tight feel of her pussy surrounding him almost made him come on the spot. Watching her closely, he took several deep breaths in an effort to hold back his orgasm.

  Eb made it more difficult by nuzzling her neck while cupping her breasts and closing his thumbs and forefingers over her nipples, holding them there.

  Maggie squirmed on his cock, gasping when Eb pinched her nipples and tugged.

  With a smile and meaningful look at Eb, Jeremiah helped his brother adjust Maggie on the sofa between them with Jeremiah kneeling between her thighs and Eb on his knees above her.

  Eb released Maggie’s nipples and freed his cock, fisting it in his hand and touching the head to Maggie’s cheek. “Open your mouth, baby.”

  Maggie reached for Eb, crying out when Jeremiah almost completely withdrew from her and slid deep again.

  Eb took advantage of her cry and slipped the head of his cock between her parted lips.

  “Suck, Maggie.”

  While Eb moved slowly in and out of Maggie’s mouth, he teased her nipples, making her squirm.

  Not releasing his hold on her hips, Jeremiah pinched her clit between his thumbs and kept moving her on his cock while Eb fucked her mouth.

  Maggie’s reaction startled him. She went wild, kicking her legs and grabbing on to Eb’s thighs. She took Eb deeper and rocked her hips, her wild cries becoming louder and more desperate with every thrust.

  Her pussy clenched on him, the tight hold she had on his cock sending him racing to come.

  He wouldn’t go without her.

  He used one thumb to pull back the hood, used her own juices to lubricate her clit and flicked it, not giving her what she needed, but enough to make her clit burn. It took both of them to hold her when she started bucking, twisting, and turning to get the strokes on her clit she needed and to get Eb to touch her breasts again.

  Avoiding her became a challenge, and it wasn’t long before both he and Eb laughed at her antics. Between groans, he chuckled when she sucked Eb with an enthusiasm that made his brother curse up a storm, his face a tortured mask as he attempted to slow her down.

  “Damn it, Maggie. Slow down. Fuck.” His head went up at Jeremiah’s laughter. “Wait until your cock’s in her mouth. Then we’ll see how fucking funny it is.”

  Bending, he cupped her
jaw. “Baby, ease up. Gently.” His touch remained tender even though his words came out raw and gritty.

  Jeremiah understood his brother’s dilemma, doing his best to keep his own hands gentle on her hips even though he felt like his head was about to explode.

  Her tight pussy kept clenching on his cock, covering it with her juices.

  Working that place inside her took extreme concentration, the texture of her driving him wild.

  He closed his eyes, focusing his attention on hitting that spot with every thrust. Holding her trembling body, he kept her folds parted, knowing how much she liked having them exposed, which gave him another idea.

  A few more thrusts and he would begin stroking her clit. When her hand touched his, his eyes flew open in shock.

  “No!”

  Without hesitation, he slapped at her hand, inadvertently hitting her clit with his fingers. Her reaction turned out to be even more of a shock.

  She froze, her body drawn tight, and she screamed around Eb’s cock. Her body bucked. She kicked her feet, and her knuckles turned white where she grabbed on to Eb’s thighs.

  Horrified that he’d hurt her, he shared a look of alarm with his brother before reaching for her.

  Eb doubled over, bracing a hand on either side of her tiny waist as he groaned his completion.

  “Fuck. Baby, let go. Shit. I’m sorry. Fuck. Let me make it better.”

  He withdrew from her mouth and straightened, scrambling out from under her and dropping to his knees on the floor beside her.

  Jeremiah hurriedly withdrew and reached for her. “Honey? Oh, hell, I’m so sorry.” He froze at Maggie’s cry of outrage.

  “Don’t you dare stop. Oh! I’m coming. Don’t stop. Don’t stop.”

  Whipping his head around, he shared another look of shock with his brother. “Hell, I think she liked that.”

  Sliding his cock into her again, he groaned at the feel of her pussy grabbing at him and began thrusting in earnest.

  Eb bent over her, running his hands up and down her body, his eyes nearly black as he watched her arch and reach for her clit again.

  This time Eb was the one who slapped her hand. “No. I’ll do it. Put your hands over your head and keep them there.”