They moved down three doors.
“This is mine and Meredith’s room, and across the hall is where you’ll be staying.”
The door opposite their room, Damon walked inside. He went straight for the window, seeing the view overlooked the ranch.
“I hope you like it. We don’t have much.”
“You’ve got a beautiful ranch, a wonderful home, and a brilliant wife, Andy. You’re living the dream.”
Andy smiled. “Thank you.”
Silence settled on the room, and he felt Andy’s nerves across the floor.
“How long will you be staying?”
“I don’t know. I need to fix my bike and get me some money together. Hopefully not too long. I don’t want to impose on you,” Damon said. The Dom was screaming for him to stay forever. He wouldn’t do it. This was not his place to settle down.
“Well, you can stay for however long you’d like. I could do with the help, and Meredith won’t mind at all.”
Nodding, Damon turned his attention onto the other man. “I’ll consider it.”
The sound of steps coming toward him forced Andy to step outside the door. “If you need anything let us know. We want you to be comfortable.”
“I will do.” He smiled at Meredith as she stood next to Andy.
“Goodnight, Damon.” She kissed Andy’s cheek and walked into their bedroom.
In no time at all he was alone with his thoughts. Within minutes he heard the bed creaking in the room across from him. Sitting on his bed, he listened to Meredith’s feminine sounds and Andy’s groans. When they hit completion even he heard the disappointment in both of them.
They need your help.
No, he wouldn’t do it. No one needed anything from him, and he wasn’t sticking around to find anything out.
Chapter One
One year later
Andy stormed out of the ranch house into the setting sun. It was almost winter once again, and life outside was starting to wear thin for him. Putting on his gloves he moved toward the stable where he kept a fresh load of hay for his cattle. He found Damon forking through the hay as he entered the old stable. A couple of years ago during the summer he’d built a second stable for his horses to be more comfortable with. He’d found the plans his father left him before his parents went on a world tour. His two fathers and mother kept in touch every couple of months, but he was thankful they didn’t call every day otherwise he’d feel like they were checking up on him. The ranch was no longer in his parents’ names. They’d passed it over to him a good few years ago when they knew he was ready to take over.
“Morning,” Andy said, gritting his teeth as he watched Damon working. He was so happy the other man had decided to stay for as long as he could. His bike was close to being fixed. Over the last year they’d suffered through one hell of a winter, which meant the parts were late to arrive. The extended delivery time along with sourcing the parts made for a long, long wait.
“Meredith cooking breakfast?” Damon asked.
The mention of his wife had Andy tensing. The last year had been a mixture of bliss and a lack of fulfillment along with a burning desire for something he didn’t want. During the Creek Valley picnics and fairs the town liked to host, he found himself looking at the other couples he’d known who’d found happiness with more than one person. Kade, Holly, and Steven were all happily married together without a single problem in sight. The next couple was Gavin, Landon, and Heidi, who had also found happiness and were happily married to one another. There were several more couples he’d grown up with who were living the dream. What was he living? A dream yet hell at times.
Grabbing a fork, Andy did his best to rid the images seeing Damon evoked from his thoughts. Nothing stopped the erotic pictures as he continued to work. The other man had started to invade every part of his life at home and at work. The invasions started out as dreams. He’d imagine being at Damon’s feet and being told to lick his cock and serve him. Over time the dreams became more elaborate with Meredith starring in them as well. Damon was their Dominant, and both of them together were his submissives. Then the dreams started turning into fantasies to the point he wanted to live them out. Making love to his wife no longer excited him. Their love life was getting more difficult to maintain. Meredith wanted something from him he couldn’t give her, and he wanted something she couldn’t give him.
What the hell was wrong with him?
“Andy, get out of your fucking head and answer me,” Damon said, standing beside him. He saw Damon had his arms folded and was glaring down at him.
“Sorry, what did you ask?” Andy rubbed his temples. This morning hadn’t been good. He’d woken up hard as rock, turning to Meredith intent on saving their relationship. Instead he’d reduced Meredith to tears and stormed out when he couldn’t get what he wanted. He didn’t have a clue what he wanted, but he knew what he was getting wasn’t it. Upsetting Meredith wasn’t helping either. She didn’t deserve his anger at all.
So fucked in the head.
“Is Meredith cooking breakfast? A couple of the boys are hungry, and I put them to work without any food.”
“Yeah, she’s making breakfast.” Andy forked some more hay and tried to ignore the pleasure of having Damon so close.
Fuck, I’m a married man. I’m a happily married man. I don’t love guys. Damon is nothing. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.
He’d never been one for swearing at all. Damon entering his life had made him take up new habits.
“What’s going on?” Damon asked.
“Nothing.”
“No? Then why do you look mightily pissed about something?”
Throwing down the fork, he stared at the other man. All the fight left him as he gazed into Damon’s dark brown eyes. The other man wasn’t backing up or showing any signs of leaving shit alone.
“It’s nothing. I’ve got stuff to do.” Walking out of the old stable he headed toward the new one and looked in on his horses. Several minutes passed by before he heard Meredith calling out for breakfast. Some of the men would gather the workers out in the far fields repairing the fence for the winter. The first snowfall was set to arrive in a matter of days. He had lots of work to do and not enough time to get it done.
“Andy?” Meredith’s voice made him tense.
He turned to see his beautiful wife stood in the doorway of the stable. “You shouldn’t be out here. It’s too cold.” In the last year he’d refused to give her a child. She’d asked about them having a baby, but he couldn’t do it. For some reason he wasn’t ready to give into a child.
Such a selfish prick!
Her arms were folded over her ample chest. The cardigan Damon had bought her for last Christmas was stopping a lot of the chill from getting into her bones. He loved the dark green cardigan. The color went well with her long auburn hair, which she’d grown out in the last year.
Staring at her, Andy was aware of the distance between them, not only physically but mentally as well. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying. He always knew when she’d been crying.
“I, erm, I need to go to the store to get supplies. If the weather hits and it’s as bad as they say I need to get enough food for us to survive.” She didn’t drive, and he had to be the one to take her out to town several times a month. Meredith never complained about their lack of social life. He’d known she wasn’t into getting to know everyone.
“I’ll arrange for you to be taken.”
The disappointment in her eyes was clear to see. “Breakfast is waiting.”
Before he could respond, Meredith was already out of the stable and heading home. Going to the door he watched her walk back to the kitchen. Damon was also following her actions. Heat went straight to his groin at the sight of the woman he loved and Damon checking her out.
There were times he was sure Damon was attracted to Meredith. Then he figured it was down to his own feeble hoping. There was no way Damon would be attracted to him and Meredith. It just wasn’t possible.
****
Sitting in the truck Meredith was aware of Damon beside her. She was always aware of the man who wasn’t her husband. His presence made her feel like she’d betrayed her husband for the feelings he caused inside her. She sat beside the door hoping to create some space in her mind for her to be able to breathe. When Andy took her to town for stocking up for bad weather she would sit right beside him, cuddling up to his arm.
She couldn’t believe he’d not taken her. He’d taken her every other time, but this time was completely different. Their marriage was falling apart, and she didn’t have a clue on how to put it back together. Every time she tried to give him what he wanted they ended up arguing. Before Damon arrived in their lives she and Andy never argued. He wanted her to order him to do things, to force him to submit to her. She couldn’t do it, and when she did, he got angry at how he felt. Ordering him to … do things to her, didn’t come naturally. She tried. She really did try, but she couldn’t force something like that.
Andy had always been the one in charge for her. He told her what he wanted, and she did what he asked without question. Ordering him around was not what she wanted, and she wasn’t good at it at all. In fact, she was really, really bad at it.
“You’re very quiet over there,” Damon said, pulling her out of her misery.
She felt the tears close to the surface and quickly blinked them away.
“It’s nothing. I’m just staring out of the window.”
Her hands were clasped tightly together in an attempt to keep herself sane. She wanted to blurt out all of her troubles to this man. Over the last year she’d come to know him quite well. He was kind, considerate, and never took any crap from the other men. She cleaned his room regularly and was shocked by how neat he actually was.
“There’s something going on between you and Andy.”
Glancing in his direction, she saw his gaze was on the road in front of him.
“It’s nothing. We’re fine. Everything is fine.” She spoke quickly hoping he’d believe her words.
“You’re lying. Andy always took you to town to go gathering for supplies. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind driving the truck and taking you out, but I have to wonder what’s going on with him.”
She rubbed her sweaty palms down her thighs hoping if she stayed quiet he would take the hint.
“You’re not afraid of me, are you?” he asked.
“No, of course not.”
Even with all of his tattoos, muscles, and dominant presence about him, Damon did not scare her. The only thing that scared her at the moment was the prospect of divorce. She loved Andy with all of her heart. Leaving him or being given the boot would kill a part of her inside. No, she couldn’t do it.
Taking several deep breaths, she continued staring out of the window. Damon kept talking, and she tried to block him out. His voice lured her in. Within minutes Damon had her laughing as the town came into view. She climbed out of the truck, giggling at the joke he’d told. They linked arms as they entered the large supermarket. Meredith was pleased to see the shelves were well stocked. The people who lived close to town didn’t need to stock up when the snow hit, but the people in the ranches needed all the help they could get. Shopping with Damon was fun. He took her mind away from the problems with Andy. When she got back home she knew they were still going to be there regardless of having a good time with Damon.
Unlike Andy, Damon got involved adding ingredients to the trolley as they went around. Whenever his arm would brush across hers, she found herself pausing from the small contact. Heat consumed her core, and the pleasure he created soaked her pussy with cream. The only man who’d made her feel such intense desire was her husband.
“You and Andy, you’re good, right? Nothing is wrong?” Damon asked as she leaned into the freezers. She stopped as pain stabbed her heart.
“Yeah, we’re fine.” The words were a lie. Staring into Damon’s eyes, she knew he saw the lie as well.
She couldn’t face lying to him again. Keeping her back to him she finished filling the trolley and headed toward the checkouts where Gavin, Landon, and Heidi were stood. They were a little family together, and she saw each man was holding a child as another two were fighting in the trolley.
Yearning hit her in the chest along with the pain. They were all happy while she and her husband were arguing about nothing at all. Meredith greeted them but tried not to show too much interest in their life. Damon saw everything, and the last thing she needed was him asking more questions.
When it was their turn, she packaged everything up as Damon spoke with the woman serving them. Meredith had never been much of a talker and was more than happy to listen to the conversation around them. He paid for their purchases as she finished filling the trolley back up. By the time they made it outside it felt colder than ever before.
“Get in the truck. I’ll load this stuff in the back.”
Nodding, she did as he asked, climbing into her side and rubbing her hands together. He was back in no time, starting up the truck. “Don’t freeze over there. Come and get some heating.”
She shuffled across the seat, pushing her hands up to the heater.
“Here, wear this.” Damon removed his jacket and handed it to her.
“No, I couldn’t take your jacket.”
“I insist. Take my jacket. Get warm. I’m not having you go cold on me or poorly.” His tone made her stop. Her clit was burning with the need to be touched. Squeezing her legs together, she pushed her arms into the warm jacket. His scent invaded her nostrils, and she sank into his warmth. “There we go. Don’t argue with me, Meredith. I don’t like it.”
He pulled out of the supermarket and headed home. She hated arguing with him as well. Meredith made a note in her mind, making sure she wouldn’t argue with him again.
****
The following day Damon stood in the barn waiting for Andy to let out his aggression on the unsuspecting hay. He wasn’t going to let the other man have his way. For the past couple of weeks he’d listened to the couple try to be something they were not. Andy was so far out of his league that he didn’t even see what his moods were doing to Meredith. Last night while sitting down in front of a movie Damon had witnessed the fear and sadness in Meredith’s eyes. She was scared Andy didn’t want her or would divorce her. Out of Andy and Meredith, she was the more submissive of the two. In the last year he’d seen Andy was a Switch. There were times he liked to be dominant, and then he liked to be submissive. The two conflicting emotions raging inside Andy were threatening to tear the married couple apart. Damon knew he could handle both of them. Meredith was always submissive, and together with the right training, Damon knew he could give them both what they wanted.
There was no way Andy would be dominating him. His wife was submissive enough for the both of them. Damon would be the one in charge, with Andy taking and giving while Meredith would be their perfect little submissive.
I’ve got to do something to help them. They’re tearing each other apart.
Yesterday during his trip into town with Meredith he’d decided he would help them. His feelings for the couple had developed over the year, and he’d come to care for both of them.
Staring at the door, Damon waited for the sound of the door to slam shut. Andy could become a wonderful Switch with the right teaching. The couple loved each other. Their feelings were plain to see by anyone who cared to look. The only problem they were facing was their forbidden desires. Neither knew what the other wanted or wished for. Even Andy was clueless to what Meredith needed.
Shaking his head, Damon tensed as he heard the door slam shut. If Meredith was crying when he went to see her, he’d punish Andy for it. No Dom left his submissive wife in tears unless they were tears of happiness. Seconds later Andy entered the stable. He paused when he caught sight of Damon.
“Morning. I didn’t know you were awake.”
“I couldn’t sleep,” Damon said, staring at the other man.
; Andy ran his fingers through his hair. “Sorry.”
“Sorry? You’re sorry?” The other man bowed his head. Damon knew he needed to be radical in order to get through to Andy. The other workers were far away from the ranch. He’d made sure they would get enough privacy for what he was about to do. “Get on your knees and crawl to me.” There was no more waiting.
“Excuse me?”
“Did I give you permission to talk? Do as I say, or risk punishment, pet!” Damon kept his arms folded. Time for talking would come. First, he needed to get them both on the right step. He had to fix what was clearly broken between the two people he’d come to really care about.
Will you be sticking around to keep it fixed?
Cutting off the thought, he brought his attention back to Andy. The other man was fighting with his inner self. Damon needed to push him over the edge and make him see. “Tell me this is not what you want,” Damon said. “Tell me you hate the thought of getting on your knees and crawling to me, and I’ll stop. I’ll walk away. If, however, that hard cock I see in your jeans is because of me then I guess you better do as I told you.”
Arms still folded, Damon waited. He didn’t have to wait long. Something broke within Andy, and the man went to his knees. With each drop onto his knee a sigh escaped Andy’s mouth. When he was on all fours, Damon felt his own arousal start to build. Slowly, he watched Andy start to crawl to him. With each step forward on his hands and knees, he saw Andy’s will start to crumble. They both knew this was what he wanted, what he needed. By the time he was at his feet, Damon’s cock was hard as rock at the sight of him.
“Tell me, pet, is this what you want?” Damon asked.
“Yes.”
“Sir. You call me Sir when we’re alone.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Good.” Opening the top button of his jeans, Damon eased the denim down until his cock was stood free out of the confines of the clothing. “If you don’t want anything at all I want you to say no, do you understand?”
Damon's Challenge (Creek Valley) Page 2