Tangled: Steele Ranch - Book 3

by Vanessa Vale

  I pulled a pillow over my face, groaned into it.

  If that was what I was obsessing over, I was crazy. I should be freaking out about how I let three men fuck me again. And then some. Pretty much wilted, Lee had led me upstairs to the master bathroom and showered with me, washing every inch of my body. Archer had been waiting for me when he was done, dried me off and tucked me into the big bed until Lee came out. Then he’d taken his turn cleaning up. I’d fallen asleep as Lee pulled me into his arms; the last thing I remember was listening to the steady beat of his heart.

  Had Archer joined us? The scent on the pillow was decidedly male, but I couldn’t distinguish between them yet.

  I just knew it wasn’t Sutton. After all but scraping me off the coffee table since they’d made me into a wilted, sweaty blob of sated woman, he’d kissed me tenderly at the bottom of the stairs, then fled out the front door for the bunk house. I felt a little pang of rejection, but it wasn’t as if he’d neglected me. He’d been the first to make me come. And with his tongue alone. Besides, it wasn’t as if there was a bed big enough for four in the house—that I knew of.

  Voices drifted up to me along with the dark roast scent. Were Archer and Lee still here? I sat up, looked around the room. The clock on the bedside table said ten thirty. Ten thirty! I hadn’t slept that late since I’d had the flu last winter. No wonder I felt so well rested. Sex and more than six hours of sleep did wonders.

  I saw no men’s clothes, only mine folded on a chair by the window. Someone was neat—and stealthily quiet. I had no interest in putting on yesterday’s panties, so I decided to go commando and got dressed. Ducking into the bathroom, I took care of business, washed my hands, brushed my teeth with a toothbrush I’d found packaged in one of the vanity drawers. Lastly, I finger-combed my hair into some kind of order. Falling asleep with it wet had made it stick up funny on one side. There was only so much I could do without any hair products, or even a comb.

  To think this was my father’s bathroom was weird. Really weird. And since it seemed he knocked up five different women—who knew how many others he’d been with without impregnating them—I’d have figured he’d have had some female products in the drawers. But no. They were empty except for the toothbrushes, travel-sized tubes of toothpaste and extra washcloths.

  I peeked in the walk-in closet, noted it was empty. Obviously, someone had cleaned out the house after Aiden Steele’s death. It could easily pass as a holiday rental. But it was mine. At least one-fifth of it. Insane. I would get my head around that new reality soon enough.

  Dressed, I went down the steps, heard Lee’s voice. He was also my new reality. Him, along with Sutton and Archer. I just had to figure out what was happening with them, too. Had last night been just another one-night-stand? Based on what they said, no, but I knew better than to rely on other people. I might submit to Sutton—and Archer and Lee—but that was play. That was sex. They wanted to dominate as much as I wanted to submit. The question was if they still were interested in me without that. Life with our clothes on.

  I stopped short when I entered the kitchen. The scent of meat and garlic filled the air along with coffee, and I noticed two slow cookers on the counter, the glass lids foggy with condensation.

  Turned out, it wasn’t just Archer and Lee chatting. They were talking with four men who stood on the outside of the peninsula counter area, coffee cups in hand. All lined up, they were huge. Big cowboys who made this big house seem just the right size. For them.

  But they were forgotten when a woman practically squealed, ran over to me and wrapped her arms around me.

  “Oh my god, you’re here. You’re awake! I’m Kady and I’m your sister!” I glanced over her shoulder at Lee, who winked, clearly pleased. It wasn’t every day I met two long-lost half-sisters. Hell, it wasn’t every day I met family since I’d had none my entire life.

  I lifted my arms, hugged her back, watched as a second woman moved to stand by her side. She seemed more reserved, although anyone would be in comparison to Kady’s excitement.

  “Let her breathe,” the other one said. When Kady didn’t stop hugging me, the other one rolled her eyes. “I’m Penny, the other sister.”

  Kady pulled back then, wiped her eyes. “Sorry, you hug her now.”

  “You’re crying?” I asked.

  Kady’s mouth fell open, then snapped shut. “I cry at card commercials. Meeting a long-lost sister for the first time requires tears.”

  That seemed reasonable.

  “And she’s pregnant, so she cries now when she takes a package of hamburger out of the fridge.” One of the men’s voices had all three of us turning.

  Kady stomped around the counter and two of the men stepped out of her way. She poked the big guy—the really, really big guy—in the ribs, although I doubt he even felt it. He was tall, dark and handsome as well as the size of a Samoan rugby player. “You made me this way,” she grumbled, but her smile softened her words.

  The big guy grinned and looked to me. “I’m Cord, the impregnator.”

  Kady laughed, poked him again, trying to get him to stop. If anything, he looked proud of himself for the fact that he’d knocked her up.

  The guy beside him lifted his hand, gave me a small wave. He looked in his early-thirties, blond hair, blue eyes. While he wore the snap shirt and jeans as well as the rest, he had a more urbane look about him. “I’m Riley, the other one who got her pregnant. I’m more widely known though, as the lawyer for the Steele estate.”

  “You sent me the paperwork,” I said, stating the obvious.

  “That’s right. I’m Riley Townsend. I’m glad you made it, although Lee was telling me about how you ended up being here.”

  I glanced at the floor, then back at him. None of the men looked happy. In fact, all the smiles were gone. In their places was fierce determination. They had the same looks as Sutton, Lee and Archer had the night before when I’d told them what had happened.

  “Let me make the rest of the introductions while Kady gets you some coffee,” Penny said, eying our sister with a warning. Kady spun on her heel and went to a cabinet and took down a mug.

  Penny pointed. “That’s Jamison, the foreman here at Steele Ranch, and Boone. He works at the area hospital in the ER.”

  I nodded at the other two.

  Boone, the closest to the edge of the peninsula, came around and shook my hand. “Lee said you’re in college.”

  “That’s right. I’m one class away from my bachelors in Nursing.”

  His eyebrows winged up. “Impressive. A great profession; nurses are needed everywhere.”

  I thought so. That was why I’d gotten into it. The flexibility, the various nursing options from a pediatrician’s office to a flight nurse would be available to me, even in Montana, if I finished up the last class in the fall.

  “Hey, I might be the foreman here, but more importantly, I’m known as the one who got Kitten pregnant.” Jamison pushed Boone out of the way and wrapped Penny in his arms, hugged her close and kissed the top of her blonde hair. She blushed hotly as I stared at them. Obviously, Penny was also known as Kitten.

  She lifted her hand, pointed at Boone. “Him, too.”

  Boone rubbed the back of his neck and replied. “Jamison didn’t knock me up, Kitten. We got you so full of cum that—”

  She reached out, covered Boone’s mouth with her small hand.

  “Don’t you dare!” she threatened as Jamison released her and Boone grabbed her up in his strong arms and carried her out of the room, his face a mixture of eager male and playfulness. I could hear the two of them bickering as they went down the hall, then a door slam shut.

  “Do you take milk or sugar?” Kady asked as if my new sister hadn’t been blatantly taken into another room to have sex.

  “Um, neither. Black is fine.”

  Kady handed me the mug and I took a big sip, using the time to study those who were left. Lee looked amused as he leaned against the counter. He had on jeans and a new shi

rt—I had to wonder where he got that—and his feet were bare. Jamison went to pour himself some more coffee.

  “You’re both pregnant?” I asked Kady, once again stating the obvious. Was there something in the water? Both of them seemed really excited and I was glad for them. How could I be anything else? I didn’t even know them. But I had zero intention of getting pregnant. Maybe I’d have a baby. Someday. But that someday was a long, long way off. Finish school, get a job, get out of living paycheck to paycheck. That had been my goal. Now? My only goal was to finish school. I could get a job as a nurse because I wanted to, not because I had to. I had to thank my dead father for that. But I wasn’t one to be idle and if I moved to the ranch, I’d go stir crazy out in the middle of nowhere before a month was over without something that challenged me.

  And that didn’t mean a baby. I inwardly sighed, glad Sutton had gone and gotten condoms. I was on the pill, but I wanted to be careful.

  Kady gave a brilliant smile, placed her hand on her flat stomach. She had on a cute hot pink sundress and strappy flat sandals that had sparkles on them. Her toenail polish matched her dress. The color was really pretty, and was striking in contrast to her gorgeous red hair.

  And Penny? Blonde hair and blue eyes.

  We looked absolutely nothing alike.

  “We are. Crazy, isn’t it? So much has changed since I found out about our father, the ranch. I’m from Pennsylvania and am definitely not a cowgirl.”

  Yeah, she didn’t seem to have gotten the cowgirl genes. Or jeans, for that matter. Her cute shoes were completely impractical for a ranch. Of course, so was her dress, but she didn’t seem to mind. When Riley came around the counter to refill his own mug, he hooked his arm about her waist, pulled her into his side.

  These men didn’t hide their affection. There was no issue with PDA around here. Or with a woman being with more than one guy. It seemed…normal.

  “We can go over all the legal details whenever you want,” Riley said, interrupting my thoughts. “Any questions you might have, but there’s no rush.”

  Kady leaned her head against Riley’s shoulder and she looked content. In love.

  A pang of jealousy struck me and I took another sip of coffee. To feel like that with someone, so blatantly in love, trusting that person. Relationships, the idea of committing like that was new to me. The word family was practically foreign.

  Lee was studying me as if he could read my thoughts.

  “You planning on staying in the main house or going back to Missoula?” Jamison asked.

  Everyone looked to me, waited for the answer. Lee looked chill, but I was coming to recognize that was the way he was, but the casual nature hid a seriousness that was focused squarely on me.

  I cleared my throat. “Well, you heard about what happened from Lee.” I glanced his way and he nodded for me to continue. I was actually thankful not to have to repeat the shameful story again. “I’ll stay here, for now. I was supposed to work last night, but I never called in so I’m sure I’m fired. Thanks to you”—I glanced at Riley—“I don’t have to worry about making rent this month.”

  “It wasn’t me,” Riley countered. “I’m just the executor.”

  I shrugged. Same difference to me. Someone I’d never met had left me a bank account full of cash. The relief of not having to work behind the bar for ten hours to make ends meet was heady. No sore feet. No drunk losers trying to hit on me. No stale beer scent clinging to me. God, I didn’t even want to collect my last paycheck. But I would. I might be a millionaire, but I’d earned that cash.

  “I have my apartment and the semester starts in a few weeks. I can’t miss the class, no matter what. It’s my last one before graduation. Until then…” I left it hanging because I didn’t have an answer. I didn’t know what the three men I’d slept with the night before wanted.

  What did it matter what they wanted? The house was mine. The guys were all standing in my kitchen—Kady’s and Penny’s too, of course—and if nothing came of whatever the hell I was doing with Sutton, Archer and Lee, then it didn’t matter. I was staying, or I would be staying once I finished school. At least visiting an awful lot. There wasn’t a statute of limitations on moving in, I didn’t think, but there were supposedly still two other sisters who hadn’t appeared yet. If I could get a nursing job in Barlow, then it would be perfect. In the meantime, I wanted to get to know the men. Maybe instead of doing things backward, I’d get to know them first.

  Like Lee, for example. He was right here, watching me with that relaxed air, as if life were simple. He was a bull rider and I couldn’t think of a major in college that would prepare him for that, so I had no idea if he had a degree or not. I didn’t really know much of anything about him—besides the fact that he liked his cock deep in my throat—but I wanted to know more.

  He crooked his finger and I went over to him without even thinking. Stroking my cheek, he tilted his head down so he could look directly in my eyes. I hadn’t noticed before—perhaps because my head had been upside down or the fact I’d seen more of his dick than his face—his eyes changed color. In his gray shirt, his pupils matched. “You okay?”

  I nodded.

  “Meeting family for the first time is a little crazy, huh?”

  I nodded again.

  “And all of us? Everyone connected to Steele Ranch? We’re a lot to take in. I’m sure you’re wondering, Archer went home—he lives in town—to shower, change clothes, and he’s off for a few days, so he’ll be back. Sutton, too, but he lives down the hill in the bunkhouse. He’ll be up when he’s finished his chores in the stable. We’ve got to talk about what happened last night, but not until they return.”

  I blushed hotly, thinking about what we’d done last night. I’d have to go and sanitize the coffee table in the great room before anyone went in there.

  He leaned in closer, tucked my hair back behind my ear. “Not that, baby,” he whispered so only I could hear. “About the men who are after you. Although we’ll definitely talk about those dirty thoughts that are making your cheeks nice and pink with Archer and Sutton. Just them.”

  His pale eyes met mine and I knew what he meant. They’d share me, but not with anyone else. The things we did together were private. While Boone wasn’t getting it on with Penny in the great room for all of us to see and hear, we knew what they were up to.

  “I was talking about the strip club, the money you supposedly owe,” he clarified.

  “Oh,” I whispered, feeling a tad foolish. My stomach flipped, remembering that Schmidt was most likely after me. Wild sex had made me forget.

  He softened my feelings by giving me a sweet kiss on the forehead. “You’re safe. You’ve got a whole bunch of brawny men to protect you.” His words were playful, but I knew he was serious. And I knew the brawny part was true. “We’ll wait for the others. Until then, we’ll let you ladies—sisters—get to know each other.”

  Kady fake sighed and rolled her eyes, stepping out of Riley’s hold. “It’s about time. And I get you all to myself until Boone lets Penny up for air.”

  Lee gave me one last kiss, stroked his hand down my back, filled his mug. “Keep an eye on my pot roasts,” he added, pointing to the slow cookers, then left the kitchen, the other men following.

  He was the chef? Yeah, there was a lot I needed to learn about him. Archer and Sutton, too.

  “Spill it,” Kady said, crossing her arms over her chest in mock seriousness.

  Her sly grin was a blatant tell. “Are you going to be pregnant in two weeks? And if so, was it Lee, Sutton or Archer?”

  9

  CRICKET

  * * *

  “Wait! I want to hear this, too,” Penny said, her voice breathless as she dashed into the room, her hands on the hem of her shirt, trying to get it straight.

  “That was fast,” Kady said, grinning.

  Penny blushed and rolled her eyes as she smoothed down her pale hair. “Let’s just say he knows what he’s doing.”

  “What Boone wants, Boone gets,” Kady replied in a sing-song voice. “Like last month when you had the group dinner and he carried you off.”

  “Yes, it’s such a hardship to have a quickie with that man.” Penny looked to me, her cheeks pink, although I wasn’t sure if it was from Kady’s teasing or her quickie. She did look satisfied. “You wouldn’t think I was a virgin a month ago.”

  My mouth fell open. “Um…”

  “These men know what they want. I’m sure you agree,” Kady continued. “And you’ve got three hotties panting after you.”

  “Don’t let Jamison or Boone hear you say they’re hotties,” Penny reminded, then grabbed a mug from the cabinet and went to pour coffee from the carafe.

  Boone swooped in, grabbed the mug from her as he kissed the side of her neck. “One cup, Kitten. That’s all you get now.”

  “You did this to me,” she fake grumbled, tilting her head to the side.

  He grinned, kissed along her jaw. “And you like it when I do it to you.”

  He winked at her, then left the room as fast as he’d entered.

  Penny frowned. “Stupid doctor,” she grumbled. “He knows better than to stay around.” She reached for my mug, took it from my hands and had a sip. “I can’t take hers.” She cocked her head toward Kady. “She’s only allowed one cup now, too, and she’d kill me if I drank any of it. Stupid caffeine and babies.”

  “I’m not pregnant,” I blurted, then laughed at myself, shook my head. “That sounds ridiculous.”

  “Not with us. I went off the pill because I wanted—want—a baby,” Kady said, her hand going to her belly once again. “As you can guess, it took me all of two seconds to get knocked up.”

  “I probably got pregnant my first time,” Penny admitted, looking anywhere but at either of us. She might have just had a quickie down the hall with one of her men, but she definitely still had some innocence about her. “I want a family, to stay at home and deal with the insanity of a brood of kids.”

  “That’s…great,” I said neutrally.

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