The final chorus of the song faded and her movements slowed as she turned toward them. Grace whispered something to her before leaving the dance floor with Ethan. Hank glanced at Travis, who nodded before backing away to return to their table.
Hank held her gaze as he stalked toward the dance floor to claim her. Territoriality reared its head as he noted several men were gazing at her with interest evident in their eyes. The one brave enough to stand and make his way in her direction happened to look over at him. One look and the guy wisely backed off with raised eyebrows and a nod. Hank had never acted that way about a woman in the Dancing Pony before. She was the first. Her scent filled his head, easing him as he closed his arms around her.
The beginning chords of Little Big Town’s “Sober” began to play and she bit her lip as she glanced at the couples who were moving on the dance floor.
“Um—”
“No overthinking, Nika. Follow my lead and you’ll see how easy it is. Forget what you were taught. You’re with me now.”
She glanced around her one last time, as though making sure there was no one near that she could bump into, and then looked up at him with warm brown eyes.
“What’d Grace tell you?” he asked, distracting her as he took charge and moved her slowly in the two-step dance steps. She already knew how to do it. She just had to learn to do it in reverse.
Her blush deepened and she stumbled, bumping his boot with hers, and then giggled. “She told me to seize the day.”
Hank snorted. “Should’ve known. You’re doing great. Now we’re going to turn. Follow my lead.”
He maneuvered her through a full turn and chuckled when she squealed in delight as she accomplished the turn without a hitch. Lifting misty eyes to him, she said, “I love you.”
Smiling, he kissed her and slid his hand down her lower back, pulling her a little closer. Doing so meant her abdomen was pressed against his erection, making concentration difficult, but he didn’t mind. “I love you, too, Nika.”
After the song was done, he kissed her and then escorted her back to the table where Travis stood waiting for his chance.
“Ready to dance with me?” he asked as she went into his arms.
“You’re both brave souls tonight, aren’t you?” she asked as “Compass” by Lady Antebellum started to play. “This is kind of fast for a beginner, isn’t it?”
Travis winked at Hank and then gave her a grin. “You’re with me, Nika. Before long you’ll wear us out, wanting to dance all the time.”
Hank watched them with pleasure as she spread her wings with Travis and let him guide her in the dance. At first, Travis maneuvered her at a slower pace, giving her time to gain confidence. When he changed to a faster pace, her eyes sparkled and the flush return to her cheeks.
He counted himself fortunate that he and Travis had been the ones she’d trusted in her journey. As Doms. As lovers. As encouragers, and soon, as her husbands.
* * * *
Lucy Owen and Maizy Welsh winked at Veronica across the empty space Violet had set up for Veronica in the center of Violet’s Emporium. Hank and Travis were picking her up for supper at O’Reilley’s any minute. They were celebrating Travis’s news that he’d been asked to become the facility director and ranch activity coordinator for the Hill Country Boy’s Ranch, which would break ground in the spring.
A reader, Jerry Batson’s wife, was talking to her about how much she liked Veronica’s books. She cast a glance around the room and gestured to Veronica to lean close and said, “My husband got curious one night because I was giggling while I was reading Bound at the Bonfire and asked me to share…so I did.” Veronica giggled as Mrs. Batson blushed and added, “Let’s just say he’s a fan, too, and he says I can read your books all I want. He even told the kids to stop giving me a hard time about reading them.” Her eyes grew a little teary and she added in a whisper, “Thank you for what you do.”
Veronica patted her hand as Mrs. Batson blinked and sniffled for a few seconds. They chatted a while longer and posed for a picture before she departed to pay for her books and converse with Violet.
The book signing had been a hit. Violet had set it for a Saturday in the middle of December and advertised in all the surrounding communities. The store had been busy the entire time.
As was her custom, Veronica had taken her time, talking with each person who waited, taking pictures until she saw stars, and signing books and other items until the last customer waiting in line had been greeted.
Grace and Grandma Kate had come for moral support, too, but they’d left early because Grace hadn’t been feeling well.
Violet turned the “Closed” sign on the door, locked it, and declared the book signing extravaganza a success. As she removed the extra copies of books from the table, she said, “I wasn’t there, since I was getting ready for the Wassail Fest, but I have to know. Whatever became of that Lester woman? Did those bikers catch up to her?”
Lucy gathered the other promo goods from the table and stacked them while Maizy folded the festive tablecloth that had been decorating the table. Lucy said, “The last we saw of her, she was on the back of Stubby Joe’s Harley, headed out of town on Main Street, with Black Mike and Big Dick cruising alongside them with big ol’ smiles on their faces. I wish I’d had my camera handy because that would’ve been one for the front page of the Divine Courier. That was two weeks ago and we haven’t seen hide nor hair of her since.”
Violet giggled, “So that shrew wound up riding off into the sunset with her own ménage à quatre. I wonder if those three men know what they have on their hands. Did she look happy at least?”
Maizy raised her hands and shook her head. “She had a helmet on so it was hard to say.”
“I guess she left her cats with her mom,” Maizy added with a snicker. “Speaking of pussy, I can’t believe one of them called her Pussy Girl. Tabitha Lester—Pussy Girl. It simply doesn’t compute.”
Maizy and Veronica laughed along with Violet and Lucy said, “Just goes to show you there’s someone for everyone. Maybe Val will keep up with them and let us know if it works out. I’m hoping it’s in another town, though. I can’t see myself doing a girls’ dance at the Dancing Pony with Tabitha Lester in our midst.”
Maizy shook her head. “Some things are sacred, darn it.”
Chapter Twenty
On Christmas Eve, Veronica stood nervously between Hank and Travis, watching through a window as headlights came up the driveway of the Divine Creek Ranch. Some of the occupants of those vehicles were people she wasn’t sure she wanted to see. Others, like Cord, Jackson, and their new wife Ari, she couldn’t wait to see again.
All of her friends had wanted to be there for their binding ceremony, and when her family was added in the mix, there simply hadn’t been enough space at Hank’s home, so Grace had kindly opened her house to them.
They were leaving in the morning for a weeklong honeymoon deep in the Texas Hill Country, staying in the luxurious vacation cabin of a friend of Hank’s. Tonight would be spent in the arms of her men in their own bed, a new, supersized custom creation built by wood craftsmen Hank had introduced her to, Wes and Evan Garner.
On her right side, Travis asked, “Doing okay, Nika?”
Veronica nodded and squeezed his big, callused had. “I feel like I’m about to charge Hell’s gates armed with a water pistol.”
At her left, Hank chuckled and said, “We’re all behind you. Nika, far as I’m concerned, you can stay glued to my hip or Travis’s all night. I’m not letting any of them ruin this night for you. You don’t let them draw you away from us for any tacky little comments they want to make.”
“That’s right,” Travis said. “Anything they want to say to you they can say in front of us and everyone else.”
Hank stroked the small of her back. “You’re doing some of those people a favor by allowing them to be here at all.”
Veronica nodded. Over the past few weeks, she’d realized that this time in her
life had been a series of confrontations with the bullies in her life. The first had been BookAddictedWhore. The second had been Brent. The third had been Tabitha Lester, although Hank had been her champion in that clash. This was the last one. The one that would be both the hardest and the most freeing. She would be free of the bondage and bullying of her family. They no longer had any power over her. She wouldn’t let them, and if they tried, Hank and Travis would deal with them.
She turned as footsteps came up behind them.
Grandma Kate smiled reassuringly and gave her hands a solid squeeze. “You ready, sweet girl? You look beautiful.”
“Yes, thank you, Grandma Kate.” She smoothed her hand over the white silk and lace knee-length dress that Grace had helped her find in Morehead. “I feel beautiful.”
Jack, Ethan, Adam, and Grace came up behind them, too, and Jack said, “Veronica, we’re all here for you.”
The rest of their group of friends—all of them—nodded and gave her reassuring smiles of support over Jack’s shoulders.
The cars came to a stop, filling the circular driveway, and Veronica took a bracing breath. Hank lifted her hand and kissed the ring he’d placed on her finger earlier that afternoon, with Woody Porter officiating. Woody stood with the group, too, having just given her a wink of assurance before she faced the door and opened it.
Grandma Kate came forward to greet the Montana Benedicts on the front porch. Grace joined her on one side, and Veronica stepped forward to her other side as the passengers of the vehicles climbed out and mounted the steps.
Grandma Kate clapped her hands together, a wide smile on her face, and said, “George, Norah, welcome to the Divine Creek Ranch. I’m so thrilled—we are so thrilled you and the family have decided to join us.”
Her mother and father, with slightly bemused looks on their faces, came forward and were first enveloped in Kate’s embrace and then introduced to Grace as the lady of the house. They greeted her graciously and then turned to Veronica.
Her father hugged her with care after casting a glance at her knee-length dress and said, “It’s a shame that it had to take coming to Texas to see our youngest daughter for the holidays.”
Grandma Kate chuckled and said, “Oh dear, George, you’re here for so much more.”
He frowned as he stepped aside and glanced in the house but stayed on the porch, making room for her mother.
Veronica kept her left hand behind her back and was able to genuinely smile as Hank intertwined her hidden fingers with his. She braced herself as her mother formed a smile that didn’t really reach her eyes and came close for a hug and a surgically precise whisper. “Pudge, I think you really should’ve have chosen a dress that camouflaged your legs a little better.”
“I’m sorry you feel that way, Mom. I feel beautiful in it and I love the length.”
Her mother gave a simple, high-pitched “hmmpf” and her eyes grew a little round as she glanced over Veronica’s shoulder. Without looking, Veronica knew the reason for her reaction. Hank and Travis were standing directly behind her, like guard dogs, as several more family members mounted the porch.
Her sister, Addison, came next, her brows knit slightly as she leaned down to hug Grandma Kate. “Aunt Kate. Nice to see you again. We rearranged all our Christmas plans and we’re here at your request.” She spoke politely but there was a subtle terseness to her words.
“My dear Addison, willowy thin and to the point, exactly as I remember you, bless your heart. It’s been years since last I saw you but you haven’t changed a bit.” Addison nodded and smiled to Grace and then turned to Veronica.
“Ronnie!” she said in a fake, high-pitched cheery voice with a bounce in her step as she pranced to her. With the fake smile on her face, she said, “You look so pretty. But white? Really?”
“Mmmhmm, really.” Veronica chuckled when she heard Hank growl behind her and she gave Addison a one-armed hug and said, “Yep, you haven’t changed a bit. I’m so happy you could come.”
Grandma Kate greeted Jesse and Barry next. “Why my goodness, Jesse and Barry, you’re both still single? We’ll have to work on that some time when you come visit me in Lusty, yes?”
“Um…sure, Grandma—” Jesse glanced at his mother when she cleared her throat. Veronica caught the disapproval in her glare and he corrected himself. “I mean Aunt Kate. We’ll have to do that.”
Veronica scoffed to herself, making a mental note to have Kate share the true family connection, that she was their distant cousin, if the opportunity arose. Her mother cared enough about them not referring to her as Grandma Kate, but not enough to set the record straight. Typical. Maybe her mother was jealous of Kate’s status as the family matriarch and wanted them to keep their distance. Also typical.
Barry came to Grandma Kate and grinned at her and accepted her hug. “Hey, Aunt Kate. Good to see you again. Yeah, maybe we’ll have to pay you a visit out there sometime soon.”
“I think you should,” Grandma Kate said with a chuckle, and Veronica could almost hear the “Bless your heart” in her Kate’s tone.
Both Jesse and Barry came at Veronica and hollered “Round Ronnie!” as they reached to grab her up and tickle her. Jesse froze first as he looked over her shoulder and Barry stopped in mid-grab. She’d warned Hank and Travis they would do this. To grab and tickle her until she screamed was part of their greeting. One of the big reasons she’d avoided them whenever she could.
Hank placed his hand on her shoulder in a show of territoriality that she couldn’t help but enjoy. When she looked behind her at Travis, he was shaking his head in warning at the twins, the “hands off” message clear in his eyes.
They both backed off and Jesse said, “Guess you’ve outgrown that, huh, Pudge?”
Hank said, “She’s outgrown the nicknames, too, gentlemen. Her name is Veronica, if you need the reminder.”
Cord and Jackson came chuckling up the steps and kissed and hugged Grandma Kate. Jackson even gently lifted her off her feet a bit as he hugged her before they went to Veronica. The tears brimmed in her eyes as she smiled at them. Having them there made it so much better.
Cord held up his hands and playfully said, “No teasing, no tickling, just a hug for you, sis.” In her ear, he whispered, “Congratulations, little Nika. You look gorgeous.”
Tears threatened to fall and her chin quivered as she said, “Thank you, Cord. I’m so happy to see you.”
“I wouldn’t miss this for the world, baby sis.”
Jackson elbowed Cord aside and stood there smiling down at her for a second. He glanced quickly over her shoulder and then wiped an errant tear from her cheek and said, “Merry Christmas Eve, sis.”
She wrapped her arm around his shoulder and felt it when one of her men stroked the hand she held down at her hip out of sight. She glanced at her mother and noted the confusion that lasted in her eyes for less than a second. Yeah, Mom, this is what familial love looks like. You should try it sometime.
Jackson kissed her cheek and whispered, “I’m so proud of you, Nika. You give ’em hell and I’ll back you up. I’ve missed you something fierce, girl!” He released her and added, “Ari’s been dying to see you again.”
Cord and Jackson held out their hand to the petite redhead who’d stood back, her trembling lips pressed together as she watched the reunion. She hurried forward and wrapped her arms around Veronica and hugged her tight. She whispered, “You’re not the same girl I remember at all, Veronica. I’m so happy for you. So happy to see you,” she added as she looked at Veronica’s parents and sniffled.
Unable to resist, Veronica turned to Jesse and Barry. “Where are Phil and Gordon? Since you four were always joined at the hip, I figured they’d be along for the ride. That always seemed like a family tradition.”
Jesse and Barry looked at each other, and Jesse said, “Since Brent split up with you, we haven’t seen very much of them. I asked them if they wanted to come with us but I guess their mom must’ve had something special planned
. Phil said they’d be dead men if they went on this trip. I don’t know why.”
Veronica laughed at his words and the little inaccuracy and said, “It’s cold out here, why don’t we all go inside.”
Grandma Kate and Grace agreed and everyone filed in and Veronica, Hank, and Travis brought up the rear.
Cord, Jackson, and Ari quickly reconnected with Grace and her men, and with Lucy, Patrick, and Beck since they’d met at a commitment ceremony in Lusty a few months before, and were soon involved in a conversation with several of the others.
Veronica introduced her parents around the room and all her friends gave warm greetings, and Veronica watched as it sank in to her parents that this was a gathering that included many ménages. She supposed this was therapy by immersion for them. Chance and Clayton Carlisle drew her father into a conversation with Joaquin and Angel about ranching and he seemed to settle right in, nodding to her before she continued on around the room with her mother and her sister.
“All these people are in threesomes and foursomes?” her mother whispered as Rachel Wolf approached and put out her hand.
“Not all of us, ma’am. I’m Rachel Wolf. I’d like to introduce you to my husband, Eli, and our son, Levi.”
Her mom smiled at Rachel and inquired about Levi who seemed entranced by her mother’s bright white hair. He grinned at her and held up a shy hand and waved to her. Her mother was captivated by his pale silver-gray eyes, which were replicas of his father’s.
Addison stood beside Veronica at the kitchen island, watching as the family got to know her friends. “So have you enjoyed your stay down here, Ronnie? You seem to have made lots of friends. Surprising.”
Veronica turned to her sister, noting her men were close by as promised, and tilted her head at Addison’s subtle, but cutting tone. Her specialty, inherited from her mother.
“Why is it surprising—wait. Before you answer that, I’d like to ask a favor,” she said, firmly drawing strength from the gentle, callused hand that grasped hers. “Please don’t call me Ronnie, round or otherwise, anymore. Don’t call me Pudge or Chubbs, either. My name is Veronica. Now, why is it surprising that I’d make lots of friends here.”
Awakening Veronica [Divine Creek Ranch 17] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 31