by Lynn Stark
She rarely thought of the men in her past, but when she did it only made her even more grateful to have found another who treated her like a queen, but kept her in line when the need arose…or when they just couldn’t seem to help themselves. Tying up and being tied up were a helluva lot of fun and neither shied away from taking on their roles, when they found themselves in a moment when they needed to Dominate and submit. It didn’t take long in the beginning for Clarissa to trust Colt. There was just something about the man. His air of confidence was apparent. She had been impressed by it the moment she met him. But he was rarely smug and was never an asshole, as some were. He had been very reassuring from the beginning and she had not regretted her decision to become his submissive. It was a mutually satisfying relationship none of them had a desire to end.
“Where are you sleeping tonight, my angel?” Colt whispered against her ear.
They were in the upper hallway now, approaching the master suite. “With you. Maybe we can work on making a baby again.”
Colt laughed. Now that they had resolved the issues of marriage and children, he was very “into” trying to make a baby…or babies. He was now fully prepared to be up to his eyeballs in children.
Warm lips nuzzled her ear. “Why don’t you just admit that you want my big cock stretching your pussy? You don’t need to make these flimsy excuses.”
She laughed as she reached out to open the bedroom door. As they went in she saw that Bliss was curled up in the center, sleeping soundly. “Did you practice making babies with Bliss?”
“No, my precious, I didn’t. Now, would you like a bath? A shower?”
“A shower would be very nice.”
Though they had washed her from head to toe, she wanted her skin lotion-free when Colt made love to her. He set her on her feet and she watched as he walked toward the bathroom.
Clarissa crawled onto the bed when she saw the other woman stir. Eyes, much like her own, blinked sleepily. She smiled and stretched. “Did you succeed in seducing Gilly?”
“Well, I don’t know if it was seducing. I think I just pestered him until he was too horny and he snapped. The man’s quite good at running and whisking.” She chuckled as she bent to give the other woman a soft kiss on the lips. “Let’s just say I don’t mind him topping me.”
“Come on, woman!” Colt called from the bathroom. “I’ve got a surprise for you.”
Bliss giggled. “I wonder what it is.”
Clarissa winked before kissing her again. “I have no idea. I’ll have to go see.”
Their lover was waiting for her when she walked in. Colt was in the huge shower with the door open. Her gaze wandered over his body, taking in the hard muscle, the rippling abs, the powerful shoulders and thighs. They had been made impressive by working with cattle and horses his entire life. Then there was the bold cock jutting from his groin, a neatly trimmed nest of dark curls surrounding it.
A smile pulled at her mouth. Colt loved water. He loved to fuck them in it. It didn’t matter if it was standing in a shower or reclining in it. “Our baby is going to have webbed feet,” she teased, her heart feeling as if it were skipping happily in her chest.
“It will just make them more special.” Long-fingered hands wrapped around her waist. “Grab on.”
“To your surprise?” Her gaze wandered down to the large cock pointing at her.
Colt laughed and lifted her. She raised her hands to grab the bar fixed to the ceiling of the shower. As she did so she wrapped her legs around his trim waist. Even as he began playing with her clit and teasing the opening of her pussy, his mouth latched onto her right nipple, suckling and nibbling until she was rolling her pelvis against him. A moan escaped her as he guided the head of his cock to her pussy, slowly pushing in, the thick flesh stretching the slick channel until she was filled.
With his mouth now teasing her left nipple Colt began fucking Clarissa, his hips rolling, pushing, as his hands pulled her body to meet his with each thrust. She kept her ankles locked behind him, urging him on, encouraging him with deep, penetrating movement.
She needed him. It was as simple as that. They had been together for so long. They had so much invested in their relationship. Trying to see if they could be apart, could be without one another, had been a foolish move. Straining, moaning, she began begging for release.
Colt continued to suckle at her nipples, switching from one to the other, making them so hard the ache in them reached her belly. Clarissa screamed as she came. Her legs, her arms, tensed as her body jerked hard within his strong arms. Her pussy gripped his cock hard, pulsating around it, the tender flesh caressing the steely shaft swelling perceptively as Colt came inside her. A powerful combination of pleasure and need washed over her.
When Clarissa released the bar her tired arms went around Colt’s neck. She kissed the side of his wet face, working her way around to his lips. The invitation she offered was accepted. His mouth captured hers hungrily, the tip of his tongue teasing for a moment before it demanded entrance. Moaning, she opened her mouth. His fierce possession set her pussy on fire once again. Her nipples hardened, poking at his chest, dragging through the crisp dark hairs as they moved against one another.
Colt raised his head and grinned. Clarissa smiled back as he set her gently on her feet. “Come on. Let’s get you dried and to bed.”
A short time later Clarissa was snuggling in close to Bliss. Their lover was sleeping soundly. She slid her arm around her waist and closed her eyes as Colt bent over them to kiss them both.
“I’ll be back up shortly. I want to see how Gilly is doing.”
Yes, Colt would check on Gilly. He was making every effort to reaffirm the man’s part in this family they were creating. The two men were good together, and very happy with one another, but she knew Colt was still hurting because Avery hadn’t yet come to a decision. At this point she would rather see him go, than to keep dangling the carrot in front of the man she loved. It bordered on cruel. At the very least it was inconsiderate. If Avery was in pain, he should realize Colt was as well.
Deciding it was time for Avery to put up or shut up, Clarissa knew she and Bliss would have to talk to the man tomorrow. If he didn’t want anything to do with them, their family, then he needed to tell them that.
Sighing, knowing someone might get hurt, Clarissa snuggled closer to Bliss and forced sad thoughts from her mind.
* * * *
Colt finally wandered into the kitchen, smiling at Gilly when the man looked at him. “How’s the cake coming?”
“It’s perfect, of course. I just took it out of the oven. Would you like something to eat? I have sliced roast beef. I’ll make you a sandwich with the rolls I got at the bakery and throw on horseradish.”
Sitting at on a stool at the center island, he gave Gilly another smile. He was feeling lost at the moment. The time with their ladies had been perfect, as always. He had enjoyed sharing the play with Gilly. Still, there was something, someone missing, and he was feeling it deep in his soul.
“Sounds good.” He glanced toward the back door without realizing he was doing so until he heard the other man sigh. “Have you heard from Avery? Are his brothers all moved in?”
Gilly nodded. “He called a while ago. He says he’s staying in town tonight, but he’ll be back in the morning in time to take care of Sin.”
“Has he found a job?”
“He has. A guy named Logan MacMillan hired him to train horses. Both he and Tristan will be working there. What’s this guy MacMillan like?”
“Tough but fair. They must have impressed him. And that’s saying a lot. Logan’s not easy to impress. He knows talent when he sees it, though.”
Colt didn’t say anything more about Avery. He was feeling lost again, as he had those long weeks when he didn’t know whether or not to marry Bliss and Clarissa.
But he did tell Gilly in a sincere voice, “I’m glad you decided to stay, to give this thing between us a chance.” When Gilly walked around the count
er Colt shifted on the stool so he could pull the man close between his thighs. “I don’t know how it’s been for you, but being bisexual has been rough at times. Not as much since I met our ladies, since they have always been open to me satisfying both sides of my sexual nature. Still, I wasn’t expecting them to find you. And I certainly wasn’t expecting Avery. You’re both special in your own, unique ways.” He laughed, but there was little humor in it. “I don’t want to lose either of you.”
Gilly laid his head on Colt’s shoulder. His strong hands were stroking his back through the gray Henley shirt he had pulled on with his flannel sleep pants. “Being bisexual certainly has offered challenges,” Gilly agreed. “I’d date a woman for a while, but it never felt as if I was complete. It was the same when I was dating a man. It was good with either sex, but there was always something missing. When I heard about Silver and the relationships here, I thought I’d hit the jackpot. Now for the other subject. Avery and I talk a lot. I can’t break a confidence, but I can tell you he’s working through his insecurities. Just try to give him a little more time.”
“I want to. I will. But the longer Avery’s away from us, the more we all miss him.” He sighed as he ran his hands down over Gilly’s firm ass. “I should have let him get to know me before I made love to him.”
“Are you kidding?” Gilly pulled back to look at him. “Avery was smoking hot that night. He was as ready for it as you were. He wanted, no needed, for you to show him how desirable he is. I believe he’s working through his insecurities. He and his brothers have been on their own for years. They’ve been separated. They’re on the run from their parents, which has to be horrible. Now he finds himself with not one lover, but four. He’s insecure and overwhelmed. He wants it, but I believe he’s afraid you’ll change your mind, that it’s all too good to be true. That’s pretty much how I felt. Still do a little.”
“But he already believes that,” Colt argued, his heart aching for Avery. “All I wanted was for him, for the both of you, to be certain that this is what you wanted.”
“I’ll talk to him tomorrow. I’m going to tell him he needs to talk to you. Once he does, he’ll see that you’re sincere.”
Nothing was that simple. Though he had always considered himself a person with a positive attitude, the past few months had shaken that belief. Never more so than this past week when he had found a part of himself and might already have lost it.
“Where’s that roast beef sandwich you promised me?” he teased, hoping to lighten the mood in the room. If he didn’t he would have yet another sleepless night.
Before he released the grinning man he bent his head and kissed him firmly, sliding his tongue between parted lips, exploring the wet heat beyond. The man had obviously been chewing on a piece of the fresh mint from the huge pots of herbs he had placed near the window. Colt deepened the kiss, holding Gilly tight, until they were both aching and in need of oxygen.
As soon as he lifted his head Gilly grinned again and made his escape. Colt watched as he moved easily around the kitchen, taking out everything he needed, obviously having familiarized himself very quickly with the kitchen. It wasn’t long before they were both seated at the island and biting into the thick sandwiches. The horseradish had a definite bite. It blended nicely with the tender, flavorful beef.
“I know I will regret repeating this offer,” he said between bites. “But you don’t have to do all the cooking. We’re more than willing to help. There are a few dishes I cook very well. And Bliss and Clarissa love to cook. We can also have someone come in to prepare meals a couple of nights a week.”
Gilly nodded. “Once I get my chocolate shop going, I’ll probably take you up on that. But I’m used to long hours. Besides, having someone come in will cramp our style.” He winked meaningfully, causing Colt to laugh. It was easy being around Gilly. The man wasn’t easily ruffled and he had a sense of humor. Both qualities had gotten them through the past few days. “And we wouldn’t want that.”
“No, we wouldn’t want that. Come on, I’ll help you clean up and we’ll head up to bed. You can sleep beside Clarissa. She has ice for feet.”
“Thanks for the warning.”
“Anytime.”
Since Gilly cleaned as he went, it only took a few minutes to wipe down the counters and put away clean dishes and pans. When they were finished Colt took him by the hand and led him out, Gilly turning off the lights as they left the room .
There was still an empty feeling, but it was tempered by Gilly’s positive outlook. Colt would speak with Avery. He would convince the other man that he was sincere. And he would apologize for making the younger man doubt that he was wanted. He had never meant to do that. He had really screwed up and now they were all paying for it. Knowing that Avery was hurting at that moment was pulling on Colt. He was determined to put a stop to it.
With the decision made, he went to bed. Though asleep, Bliss moved toward him like a piece of steel to a magnet. Her slender arm wrapped around his waist and she tucked her head beneath his chin. He blew at hair which tickled his nose. Smiling, he smoothed it down and away from his face. She snuggled closer in response, a leg sliding over his.
How could he have not wanted this for the rest of his life? Colt closed his eyes on the thought. He hated to admit it, but he had been a jackass. Unknown insecurities had nearly cost him two fine women.
Colt’s mood lightened as he heard a startled yelp from the other side of the bed. “For the love of all that’s holy, woman, put some socks on!”
Grinning, he settled in and pulled a giggling Bliss closer.
Chapter Eight
Even after several days Avery still found it strange to spend time with his brothers. They all had jobs now. He was working for a rancher named Logan MacMillan. The guy was big and rather scary, but he, like Colt, had excellent horses. The man had watched Avery like a hawk, saying little, until after Avery had put several horses through their paces. Each horse was on a different level of training and the man had certainly wanted to know what level Avery was on. Since he had been raised around horses, his grandfather, father, and uncles all horse trainers, he had learned from some of the best.
Avery couldn’t remember a time when he didn’t want to work with horses. Riding horses was as easy as breathing. Once he had the job he shifted his worries to his personal relationships with four very special people.
No matter how confused he was at the moment none of them deserved his current behavior. He had all but ignored them, even as he lived in the house with them. His growing connection with Gilly further complicated the situation. That just had to make him look like even more of a jerk to the others.
As soon as Avery finished work he headed for his truck. He was glad he had decided to travel separately from the horse, otherwise he would have had to go back for his truck. When Sin had been sold and was to be delivered, he knew he wasn’t coming back. The seller wanted him to travel with the stallion so the animal would remain calm. He was happy to do it. He hadn’t been happy about having to ride with Harvey, another of the horse farm’s employees. The guy never talked. He didn’t allow the radio to be played. And he farted about every mile and a half. No, between not wanting to ride with Harvey, and not planning on returning to the farm, Avery had loaded his belongings into his truck and followed the truck and trailer down the long lane. There were regular stops where he would check on Sin. The stallion didn’t like the travel, but he managed with the breaks and Avery’s visits.
The instructions given by the buyers said to call once they arrived in Silver. He hadn’t been happy about the “joke” but had gone along with it. Sin was a clever horse and the entranceway into the building was simple and snow and ice free. An old cowboy had been there waiting for them. He was the one to take the stallion into the building. A few minutes later Sin was back outside and being loaded into the trailer. The cowboy got into the truck with Harvey, telling them he would show them the easiest way to get out to the ranch.
Dr
iving the miles between Logan’s ranch and town, he decided he would get his stuff from his brothers’ house. There wasn’t much, just a couple of changes of clothing. Still, he would feel better if he had everything now that he had made his decision.
Since Tristan had gotten a job on the ranch with him, he rode back to town with Avery. Tristan and Alex were planning on buying a truck together, which would be good if Avery groveled enough to earn his lovers’ forgiveness. Tristan would need a way to get out to the ranch. Alex, who had decided to work in town so he could keep an eye on Angel, had applied to work for Gilly. They decided that he only got the job because Angel had a talent for getting on Gilly’s last nerve. The man was becoming almost as obsessed with chocolate as the chef.
Avery and Tristan walked into the house. Alex and Angel weren’t there. They were working long hours at the chocolate shop, helping Gilly get it up and running. The way the guy talked they should be able to open it in another two weeks. He was still arguing with Angel over what would and wouldn’t be made.
“Want a beer?” Tristan asked, walking toward the kitchen.
“No, I’ll just get my stuff and head back out to the ranch.” He followed his brother into the kitchen. While he was anxious to see everyone, and talk, he wasn’t in a hurry. He was gathering his nerve. He really had been a jackass. “You guys going to be okay without me here?” he teased, taking the soda his brother pulled out of the refrigerator.
His brother snorted and popped the top of a beer. “Like I need you to hold my hand.”
Smiling, Avery leaned against the counter. “Hey, it’s what a big brother does.”
“You’re a goof. Being a couple of minutes older does not make you my boss.”
“No, it doesn’t. I just want to know you guys are safe. Silver seems like a real good place. The people are so friendly.”