by Desiree Holt, Lisabet Sarai, Lily Harlem, Elizabeth Coldwell, Wendi Zwaduk, Imari Jade
“I’m doing just great. Thanks for asking.” She took a step back. Then another. Getting too close to Cade Thompson was a very bad idea.
“Apartment working out okay?” he asked.
“Perfect. I really appreciate having it.”
He shrugged. “No problem. It would just go to waste anyway. So. You’ve got everything under control here?”
“Absolutely.” Except I wish I could see you naked.
“Good, good. Glad to hear it.”
He was watching her with those coffee-brown eyes, a penetrating gaze that seemed to see right inside her. Marti’s stomach clenched and a pulse throbbed deep inside her womb.
“Um, can I get you something, Cade? Coffee? A beer?”
His mouth curved in that heart-stopping grin again. “A little early for beer, but I’ll take a cup of coffee if you’ve got some.”
“Sure. Um, I’ll get it for you right now.” She had to walk past him to get to the coffee pot. “Why don’t you, um, take a seat?”
“I’m good.” He was still grinning and there was something so sensual about it, she felt her knees weaken.
“O-Okay.” What was the matter with her? She couldn’t seem to get one sentence out without stammering.
She walked to the end of the bar near to where he was leaning on the long polished wood counter and bent down to take a mug out of the lower cupboard. He was so close she couldn’t help brushing against him. The moment their bodies made contact, electricity zinged through her with such force she almost dropped the mug.
“You okay, Marti?” His tone of voice held a tinge of amusement.
“Uh, fine. Yes. Good.”
She was trembling slightly when she set the mug on the bar and Cade closed his big warm hand over hers. God, his touch was enough to melt her panties.
Do not screw up this job. Do not. Do not.
“Marti.” His voice was low and deep. “Look at me.”
She forced herself to raise her eyes to his. He took his Stetson off and set it on the end of the bar. His grin had morphed into a sensual smile.
“Are you afraid of me?” he asked, his hand still holding hers.
“Why, no, Cade.” She forced a calmness she definitely did not feel. “Should I be?”
“Definitely not.” His hand slid over her wrist and along her arm, his fingers reaching beneath the rolled-up sleeve of her shirt to stroke the skin of her forearm.
Marti was afraid she might actually have a full meltdown right there.
“Your, um, coffee’s getting cold,” she pointed out. But she didn’t move her arm. In fact, she seemed unable to move any part of her body—a body that was suddenly throbbing with such intense need she knew he had to sense it.
Cade stroked her arm once more before lifting his hand to touch a finger to the hollow of her throat.
“Your pulse is beating like a drum,” he commented, rubbing his finger back and forth over the tell-tale spot. “If you’re not afraid of me then it must be something else. Want me to guess what it is?”
She shook her head mutely, mesmerised by his gaze.
His hand slid up to cup her chin. “See, here’s the thing. My brothers and me, we never mix business with pleasure. Unwritten rule. I think you feel the same way.”
She nodded, all the while thinking, For you, I’d break every rule in the book.
“But every once in a while some rules are made to be broken. Don’t you agree?”
Again she just nodded, incapable of speech. She wanted Cade Thompson in her bed more than she wanted her next breath. Along with everything else she knew he had to offer. Because he had no idea that his idea of fun and games and hers were pretty much the same. The problem was, Daisy had also told her that the Thompson brothers simply used women as playthings, never forming any attachments. And the women were so turned on by the sexual adventures they didn’t care. Just lined up to take their turn.
But Marti had been down that road already and been burned more than once. She was tired of just being another notch on someone’s bedpost because her sexual desires reached outside the lines. She wanted something a little more. But she didn’t think she was going to get it at the Treble T, and if she gave into her urges, accepted Cade’s unspoken invitation, how would she survive afterwards when she became just another name on their list?
“Marti?”
His voiced jolted her out of her mental wanderings. His face was so close to hers now she could almost count every one of the thick eyelashes.
“Y-Yes?”
When he spoke his breath was a warm breeze fanning her face. “You’re probably the best damn manager we could get for this place. You know your stuff, handle the drunks, make everyone happy, run the place in a businesslike manner and we’re making money. A manager like that’s hard to find.”
“Th-Thank you.” God, she was still stammering. And she seemed rooted to the spot. His warm fingers were still holding her chin, the contact sending shivers skating over her skin.
“But, see, here’s the thing.” His mouth hovered so close to hers, their lips were almost touching. “I want to fuck you more than anything in the world. What do you say about that?”
Shock raced through her followed by such intense lust she was sure she’d burn alive.
“Say something, Marti,” he coaxed. “Say yes. Or no. Or tell me to go to hell. Do something or I’m going to kiss you.”
But she couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, could only stare into those hypnotic eyes that burned into hers. And in the next second, he closed that tiny space between them. His lips were warm and firm, pressing lightly against hers, then harder. His big hands cradled her face, holding it in place for him as he deepened the kiss. His tongue was like a lick of flame as it traced the closed seam of her mouth. Automatically she opened for him and that devil tongue swept inside, igniting every surface.
At thirty-two, Marti had certainly been kissed plenty of times, but they were all amateurish efforts compared to this. This was a kiss. Cade Thompson drank from her mouth, sipped from it, touched every inner surface. Dared her tongue to dance with his. Sucked it into his mouth.
She was sure she stopped breathing. Every nerve in her body was on fire, her skin felt too tight. And with every throb of the pulse deep inside of her, cream soaked her cunt. Right at the point where she was afraid she’d pass out from the pleasure, Cade lifted his mouth from hers.
“So tell me, Miss Marti Jensen. Does this send you running back to San Antonio or any of the other cities you came from? Because I’m taking a big chance here of losing a damn fine manager.”
“No,” she whispered. “I’m not running.”
What she really wanted to do was rip off both her clothes and his and take him down to the floor right there behind the service bar.
He licked her lips with the tip of his tongue. “Good. That’s good. One more thing.”
“Y-Yes?”
“You know about my brothers and me? I’m sure Daisy Brooks has managed to fill you in on every erotic detail.”
She nodded, her gaze still locked with his.
“Still not running?” he asked.
She shook her head. “I-I want this job. I need this job.”
“Be clear about one thing,” he said. “Your job doesn’t depend on whether you spend a night at the Treble T. Either before or after.”
“Okay,” she whispered.
Finally he dropped his hands and took a step back, lifted his hat and set it back on his head. “I’ll be back.”
“You didn’t drink your coffee,” she called after his retreating figure.
He laughed, a loud, lusty sound. “That’s okay. I’m hot enough.”
She heard the back door close after him.
Holy shit!
What had she just done? Probably made the biggest mistake of her life. She’d come here to get away from all that, convinced that her sexual appetites could only get her into trouble. And now look.
She leaned against the service ba
r for a long moment, willing her racing heart to slow down, forcing herself to even out her breathing. Finally she picked up her inventory list and went back to the tiny office to fax it to the liquor distributor. Maybe Cade Thompson would forget all about this little visit and her life could go back to what had lately passed for normal.
Yeah, right. And maybe I’ll win the lottery.
* * * *
Cade cursed himself all the way back to the Treble T. What the fuck had got into him? There were plenty of women all over the county to pick from, including those like Shannon who were used to their games and knew there was no commitment on either side. Safe. Uncomplicated. So what the hell was he doing making a pass at Marti Jensen?
He knew the answer and didn’t like it. He’d wanted her from the minute he and his brothers interviewed her. The minute he’d seen her walk up the outside stairs to that apartment with tight jeans covering her fine ass. What he didn’t want to admit to himself was the urge to demand more from her.
And exactly how would that work out, asshole? Maybe you’re not even anything close to what she wants. For any reason.
But he had a gut feeling about Marti. He just didn’t know if he could trust his instincts or not. He’d made his play before he could catch himself. Now he had to figure out what to do next…now that he’d opened up this Pandora’s box.
He was still cursing himself when he parked at the ranch then slammed out of the truck. His boot heels made indentations in the gravel as he walked to the barn. No one needed to tell him he was twenty-five kinds of a fool. He’d probably just done the stupidest thing ever, and he had no idea what to do about it.
“Somebody step on your tail?”
He heard Justin’s laughing voice and looked up. His brother was astride his favourite buckskin gelding at the edge of the parking area. He was leaning forward casually, arms crossed and resting on the pommel of the saddle, the reins held loosely in one hand.
“My tail’s just fine,” Cade snapped and kept walking towards the barn.
“Well, let’s see.” Justin urged the horse forward and followed Cade. “You went to the feed store and I didn’t hear any shouting clear from town, so they must have taken care of the order just fine.”
“No problem,” Cade growled, still walking.
“Shannon’s out of town for the week so you couldn’t have had a run-in with her.”
“Leave it, Justin.” Cade stomped into the barn.
Mark looked up from where he was cleaning a saddle. “What’s got your dick in a twist?” he asked. “You look like someone just told you either the price of beef dropped to five cents a pound or there’s a law forbidding any kind of sexual activity for the next year.”
Justin had ridden the gelding into the barn. Now, he swung out of the saddle and began to remove the tack.
“Big brother stepped in some kind of shit,” Justin teased. “I’m just tryin’ to figure out what it was.”
Cade wished they’d just shut up and leave him alone. He didn’t want to admit what a stupid thing he’d done. Or think about how he was going to fix it. Problem was, he didn’t want to get out of it. He wanted to strip Marti Jensen naked, eat every delicious inch of her and then plunge his aching cock so deep inside her there wasn’t even room for a whisper of air.
He started to open the door to the tack room but Justin was suddenly in front of him.
“Uh-oh,” he said. “I know that look. What have you done, big brother?”
“None of your damn business,” he growled.
“Shit.” Mark had come up behind him. “I’ll bet fifty I know what he’s done.” He put his hand on Cade’s shoulder and span him around. “He went by Treble Shooters and put a move on our very valuable manager. Right, Cade?” He was right in Cade’s face now. “That’s what you did?”
“Shut up.” Cade tried to shake him off.
“Wait a minute.” Now Justin was standing beside him. “I thought we agreed she was off limits.”
“Unless she was willing,” Cade pointed out.
His brothers stared at him. Justin frowned. “Are you telling me she is?”
“Does she know about us?” Mark asked.
“Yes and yes.” Cade gritted his teeth. “But I’m thinking I need to figure out how to pretend she and I never had our little talk.”
Because I have a feeling if I get started with her, it will never be over. And then what do I do?
“I think that horse may already be out of the barn,” Justin laughed. “I just hope you haven’t cost us a damn fine manager.”
Cade held up a hand. “I was very clear with her about that. The choice is hers and no repercussions, no matter what she decides. Or what happens.”
“But you still think you need to dial it back,” Mark said.
A muscle jumped in Cade’s cheek, a sign of his frustration. “It was an impulse, damn it. I thought I’d stop into the bar and see how things were going for her. If she needed anything. But damn it, five seconds next to her and my cock was already talking to me.”
Justin stared at him with open curiosity. “So where did you leave it?”
He shrugged. “I guess the next move is up to us. We can just forget about it, and I can figure out some way to grovel and tell her I had a momentary lapse of sanity”
“That oughta be great for her ego,” Mark chuckled.
“Or we move forward with this and invite her out to the ranch. Treble Shooters is closed on Sundays.”
Mark and Justin looked at each other then back at Cade.
“We could be taking a big chance on losing her here,” Mark said at last. “But we did say the other night that if she was willing, we wanted to do it.”
Justin clapped Cade on the shoulder. “I think the invite should come from you, big brother, since you’re the one that stirred the pot, so to speak. Just make sure she understands what she’s walking into.”
“Oh, like I said, Daisy’s filled her in on all the hot, sexy details, so she knows.”
“Then I think you need to try and set things up for next Sunday.”
Cade glared at his brother. “I think Marti Jensen might be a little different than the other women we bring here. She may be a bar manager, but she’s got more class than Shannon and her friends. And she needs more than five seconds inside the door before we tear off her clothes.”
“Hell, we’ll even grill prime steaks and break out the best whisky,” Mark said. “Let’s just make this happen.”
* * * *
Marti spent most of the week mentally chewing herself out for the episode with Cade Thompson. She’d been burned so many times before by men who were willing to play her games then walked away afterwards. At least with the Thompson brothers she would be on a level playing field, sexually. She wouldn’t have to explain her outrageous tastes.
But Daisy had been very explicit in detailing their escapades and definite about letting her know that women were just casual playthings to them. If she agreed to an ‘episode’ with them, how would she handle it afterwards? She really, really didn’t want to leave Spring Valley. The tiny place was growing on her, as were the people she was getting to know.
She alternately hoped Cade would drop in again and tell her the whole thing was a big mistake, no hard feelings—and waited for him to come by and invite her out to the ranch for fun and games. By Friday night, her nerves were so raw she jumped at every little thing. She even dropped a glass in the kitchen when Daisy came through the swinging door and startled her.
“Sheesh, Marti.” Daisy shook her head. “What’s with you, anyway? You look like you’re about to fly out of your skin.”
“Nothing,” Marti muttered. “Just…not sleeping too well.”
“Honey, you need to get out and get yourself some kind of life. You eat and sleep this place. It’s not healthy.” She leant closer to Marti. “Spring Valley may be small but there’s some damn fine men wandering around here.”
Marti shook her head. “Not interested. But tha
nks, anyway.” She dumped the remains of the glass in the trash. “Anyway, I hear the noise level rising out there, so why don’t you go on out and see who’s thirsty for a drink.”
She gave herself a count of ten before emerging into the bar area again. The jukebox, again at full volume, kicked into Lady Antebellum’s Need You Now. The couples on the floor were dry-humping to the music, and just as it hit the chorus, “And I don't know how I can do without, I just need you now,” the front door opened and the Thompson brothers filed in. Cade’s eyes homed in on hers and their gazes locked up tight. He gave the barest of nods as the three of them worked their way over to a far corner.
There were no empty tables but that didn’t seem to bother them. In fact, they probably loved the fact that the place was packed wall to wall. Justin managed to squeeze into a booth with four other people and Mark wandered back to the pool table area. But Cade just leaned against the wall in a position that gave him a clear line of vision to her.
He’s probably forgotten all about what happened. It meant nothing to him. He was just playing with you. Pay attention to work.
Customers sitting at the bar were demanding her attention and Daisy was at the well shooting orders at her, so thankfully for the next hour she was too busy to even think about Cade Thompson. But she could still feel his eyes on her, no matter what she was doing. During a brief lull, she went into the kitchen to get a large bag of nuts to refill the bowls on the bar, then turned…and nearly walked right into the man himself.
“Oh!” She clutched the large plastic bag to her chest like armour.
“Sorry.” His mouth curved in its lethal grin. “Didn’t mean to startle you.”
“N-No problem. Did you want something? Because I really need to get back out there.”
“Want something? Oh, yeah.” His drawl was low and thick as warm honey. “But I don’t think this is the time or the place.”
“Cade, I—”
“Shh. It’s okay.” His fingers caressed her flushed cheek. “I just wanted to ask you if you’d like to come out to the ranch Sunday. Spend the day.” He paused. “And the night.” And just in case she misread the invitation, he added, “With me. And my brothers.”