“Well, get your dancing shoes on and come kick it with us again sometime, won’t ya?” Natalie said.
Sawyer shrugged. “Maybe sometime.”
“We sure do miss you,” Natalie said. “It ain’t the same without you down there to give us all a whirl.”
The Holden joined us, his face going pink when he saw Natalie. He shot me a chagrinned look and dropped his gaze to the floor. “Waylon’s bringing the truck around,” he said. “If you’re ready to go.”
“I don’t know,” I said. “I’m learning some pretty interesting things here.”
“I don’t know about you, but I’m starved,” Sawyer said cheerfully. “Let’s go get one of those burgers I was telling you about.”
“It was sure good seeing you gentlemen,” Mrs. Wisenbaker said.
We said our goodbyes and headed out to the truck. “Giving all the girls a whirl, huh?” I said, elbowing Sawyer in the ribs as he helped me climb up into the truck. I just about needed a stepladder to get up there.
Sawyer just laughed and shook his head.
When we got to Buffalo Bill’s Burger Joint, two men in cowboy hats were sitting outside with canes, one of them smoking a cigar. They looked us over as we walked in, and I found myself standing up straighter. Walking in together, I felt like we all belonged to each other in a way we hadn’t the first time I’d come down here. Then, I’d been a girl crushing on my three hot stepbrothers.
Now they were my boys, and I was their girl.
I was proud of it, too. We all sat together at a booth in the corner, where we could see out along the street through town. “You can write this off as a business expense,” I said. “You had to bring the heifer in to the auction. A man’s gotta eat, right?”
Just then, a waitress sidled over. She was a petite little thing, with cropped dark hair and big brown eyes. “Well, if it isn’t the Westling boys,” she said, looking them over.
“Hey, Millie,” Sawyer said, tipping his hat to her.
“Haven’t seen you around town in a while,” she said, batting her lashes.
“Just been busy,” Sawyer said, shifting beside me in the booth. “I don’t get out much anymore.”
“I was starting to think you’d gone and settled down with someone.” She shot me a pointed look and held her pen poised above her notepad. “What can I get for the lady?”
Sawyer put an arm around my shoulders. “This here’s Amber,” he said. “She’s been staying at the ranch, helping out with the chores.”
“Is that so?” Millie asked, her eyes narrowing.
I was pretty sure I was getting a spitburger if I didn’t say something. “I’m their stepsister,” I said. “Our parents just got married.”
She looked me over. “I heard something about that.”
“I’m fixing up the cabins to rent out to tourists in the winter,” I said. “So if you get any coming through, we’d sure love it if you’d give us a mention.”
“The cabins?” she asked, her eyes moving to Waylon. “The ones we used to play in when we were kids?”
“Yup,” Waylon confirmed, setting down his menu.
“Those very ones,” Holden said.
“Well, dang me or hang me,” Millie said. “I didn’t think you’d ever do anything with those.”
By the time they finally got done with the chitchat and ordered, my stomach was growling. Millie went off to put in our order, and I shot Sawyer a look. “Is there anyone in this town you haven’t ‘given a whirl’?”
“Aw, baby, don’t be jealous,” he said, squeezing me to him. “It’s a small town. There’s only so many whirls I can give.”
I rolled my eyes. “Great. So you’ve already fucked all the girls in town. Would have been nice to know that before coming here.”
“I played quarterback in high school,” he said with a grin. “It came with certain privileges.”
“Look, Amber,” Waylon said. “We’re a little older than you. None of us is perfect. We had our ways, but it’s in the past. It’s got nothing to do with us.”
“I don’t think it’s that easy,” I said. “For instance, have any of you ever been to a doctor and gotten tested? Because I get the feeling you aren’t the type to do that kind of thing. But you might want to, or I’m going to have to ask you to double bag it. Just saying.”
“Amber,” Holden said quietly, a frown creasing his forehead. He took his hat off and set it in his lap, but the evidence of it remained in a line around his head. “You think we’re dirty or something?”
“I hope you’re dirty,” I said with a sly smile. “But I’d also like to be safe and responsible. I know I’m not trying to end up with a baby, and I’m not trying to end up with something another woman gave you.”
“You’re really going to make me go to a doctor who’s going to shove a Q-tip up my junk?” Sawyer asked.
“No,” I said lightly. “I’m not going to make you do anything. But you’re not going to be shoving anything up my junk until you do.”
“If I had something, I’d know it,” Sawyer said with a wink. “I’m well acquainted with my junk.”
“So am I,” I purred, leaning in to brush a kiss across his cheek.
“Just go get the damn test,” Waylon growled.
“You guys, too,” I said, gesturing to him and Holden.
Waylon grunted in response, and Holden nodded.
“But Princess…” Sawyer started to argue.
I put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I know you’re scared, and that’s okay. But you gotta do it. If you need me to go with you, I’ll hold your hand through it.”
“I’m not scared,” Sawyer growled.
I smiled sweetly at him. “Good. Then it’s all settled. That way, you won’t have to stop and worry about it in the heat of the moment. You know, when I’m all naked and wet and spread out on the bed in front of you…”
I watched his Adam’s apple bob up and down as he gulped, his eyes bugging.
“You said you liked to hear dirty talk,” Waylon said from across the table. His jaw clenched as he stared at me with those steely eyes.
Just then, the bell above the door chimed and two familiar figures stepped inside. I’d recognize that puffy parka and judgmental stare anyway. Mrs. Grimes fixed us with a hateful look. For a second, I thought she was going to march over and slap me across the face. But instead, she turned around and muttered angrily to Mr. Grimes. After a few words, they turned and left the diner.
“Wow,” I said. “They really hate me.”
“Don’t worry about them,” Holden said, covering my hand with his. “They’re not going to bother us.”
I wasn’t so sure, though. Mrs. Grimes looked like she’d enjoy bothering us plenty. But it wasn’t like I’d told her she wasn’t welcome in the same diner as us. She’d left without even pretending to be pleasant. I guessed that was better than being fake and stabbing someone in the back. But just barely.
Millie came back with our food then, and we ate our burgers. Like Sawyer said, they were pretty damn delicious, and I was ravenous. I cleaned my whole plate, which was met with a smug smile when Millie came to collect the dishes. “Won’t be skinny like that forever if you eat like that,” she said.
I was tempted to tell her I was eating for two, just to see the look on her face, but I knew that would come back to bite me in the ass. So I just gave her my sweetest smile. “I’ll make sure I get some good exercise to burn it off,” I assured her, letting my eyes flicker towards Sawyer just the slightest bit. “You know what’s a really good workout? All that riding.’
Millie pursed her lips while Sawyer dug out his wallet. “That should cover the four of us,” he said, laying down a couple twenties on the table.
“You’re such a good brother to them,” Millie said, squeezing his shoulder.
I glared at her this time.
“I’ll have to come up and visit real soon,” Millie went on, ignoring me. “Maybe some evening we can get together like we
used to. You know, reminisce about the good times, maybe stay up late and have a drink, the way old friends do.”
“Sure,” Holden said, standing.
I shot him a warning look, but he was obviously oblivious to Millie’s true meaning. Sawyer, however, was shifting uncertainly on his feet, not wanting to step around Millie, who was blocking us from stepping out of the booth. At last, he had to take her shoulders and move her aside so we could step out. Holding out a hand, he helped guide me out of the booth and stand.
“We’d love to have you,” I said to Millie. “Come by any time.”
Back in the truck, Sawyer kept shooting me guilty looks, but I kept my face towards the window. Like Waylon said, it was none of my business. It had all happened in the past. Still, I wished I didn’t know about it. So maybe I was a jealous bitch, but it was hard not to be when they’d rubbed it in my face so hard.
“Natalie was nice,” I said at last.
Sawyer had the nerve to laugh. He patted my knee. “You did good, babe,” he said. “You handled that with real class.”
“No thanks to you,” I said. “And besides, don’t act so surprised. I’m not a complete idiot.”
Waylon grunted.
I turned in the seat to raise an eyebrow at him waiting for him to speak. When he didn’t, I said, “Despite some of my farm mishaps, I’m not. I’ve never been on a farm. But people…I know people. You don’t get through a Manhattan private school without crossing paths with a few underhanded bitches.”
“I guess I was a little surprised,” Sawyer admitted. “But more impressed. I figured everyone from the city was rude.”
“Just because she deserved to get slapped doesn’t mean I’m going to do it,” I said. “After all, if I went around town slapping every bitch you slept with, my hand would get awfully sore.”
Sawyer just laughed and shook his head. “Well, I hope you make friends with Natalie or some of the other girls around here. I figure you’ll want some girlfriends if you’re planning on staying.”
The unspoken question hung in the air as the car ate up the miles, rushing along the straight black road towards Coyote Ranch. I wished I could give them an answer, but I still didn’t know the answer myself.
10
Amber
That night was cold and clear, the wind whistling across the snow. I could only hope the horses were warm in the barn, and that the cows out in the snow didn’t freeze. I couldn’t sleep after all the excitement, so I snuck out of my bedroom. I stood at the door, looking down the hall at the three other bedroom doors.
I knew that if I went knocking on any one of those doors, it would open. Any of the boys would be happy to have me there. And I couldn’t stop thinking about them as I lay in bed every single night. I was getting too frustrated to cope. I was a little surprised none of them had come to my room, but they’d told me it was my decision, and they were staying true to their word. This really was about more than just a fuck. They were respecting my choices.
I imagined stepping up to Waylon’s door, slipping inside silently and sliding between the sheets with him. He wouldn’t stop me, but I didn’t think he’d treat me gently, either. Gentle wasn’t in his nature.
With a gulp, I moved my eyes to Sawyer’s door. He’d be more than happy to take my virginity, to show me how it was done. He probably slept in the nude, too, so he’d be ready to go in seconds flat. And he could be gentle if he wanted. Hell, he’d probably had lots of practice deflowering those cheerleaders back in high school. The thought made me feel like a stupid kid, and my cheeks warmed.
The truth was, I was horny as hell, but the thought of having any one of them fuck me still scared me a little. On tiptoes, I raced silently down the hall, but when I got to Holden’s door, I hesitated. It wasn’t that I thought he wouldn’t want me. I knew he did. But I also knew he cared about me differently than the other two. If I decided to go back to my life in New York after we slept together, it might break his heart all over again.
The thought of how sweet and careful that gentle giant of a man would be made me smile. I wasn’t going to be responsible for breaking his heart, I knew that much. I couldn’t live with myself if I did that. But I figured he’d be good for a little cuddling, so I slipped through his door and closed it quietly behind me.
When I got to the bed, I turned down the covers on the empty side and slid in, my legs finding their way down next to his. My heart hammered as I draped my leg over his tree-trunk sized thighs.
“Amber?” he asked sleepily.
“If you have any doubts about the answer to that question, you’re in big trouble,” I told him.
Holden chuckled and rolled towards me, his huge body making the mattress sink so I rolled towards him. Tucking an arm around my middle, he pulled me into him, his body spooning mine. Damn, I’d forgotten how enormous he was! When I saw him all the time, it stopped being shocking. That was just Holden. But having my body aligned with his, I felt like a kid sitting in Daddy’s lap. Or, in this case, big brother’s lap.
His chin fit right on top of my head, and his arm around my middle was bigger than my thigh. I ran my fingers over his skin, enjoying the warmth of his body on this cold night. He was wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt, and his muscled forearm was fuzzy with soft hair. Snuggling tighter into him, I felt like nothing could hurt me. All that muscle, this huge man, was nothing but a big teddy bear when it came to me. But I knew that if anyone wanted to hurt me, they’d have to go through him first.
Just as I’d started to relax against him, I suddenly became aware of his cock between us. It gave a small pulse, then stilled for a second, then pulsed again. I could feel it growing and hardening against my ass. A thrill went through me every time it throbbed, and I couldn’t help but press back against it.
Holden groaned and tightened his arm around me, nuzzling into my neck. “What are you doing to me?” he asked, his voice all low and growly.
“Innocently trying to get comfortable?”
“Nothing innocent about it,” he said, slowly pushing his hips against mine. My clit throbbed at the sensation of his huge cock grinding against my butt.
Taking his arm from around my middle, he slid his hand down, pushing it between my legs. I arched back into his lap. Cupping my mound, he held me tight to him while he crushed his cock against me until it was pressed between my cheeks.
The thought of that giant thing going in my ass made me gulp, but my clit throbbed with approval. I parted my legs, and Holden growled, sliding his hand further between them. His fingers pressed at my opening through my satin pajamas, and I gasped with pleasure. He began stroking me, his fingers deftly moving from my clit to my opening while his cock throbbed against my ass. At last, he dug his fingers in, pushing one against my opening, burying the soaked fabric of my panties in my crease, the tip of his finger inside my opening.
I couldn’t stand it another second. If he’d asked me to take down my pants, I would have ripped them off and spread myself open for the taking. I needed his cock inside me so bad I wanted to scream.
But he didn’t even put his hand under my clothes. After a minute, I couldn’t stand it. I squirmed around in his arms so I was facing him and slid a hand inside his pants. His thick cock bucked in my hand like a bronco, and he inhaled sharply. I ran my hand from the rounded head all the way down his shaft, gulping at the size of him. He was even bigger than Sawyer. I couldn’t even wrap my hand all the way around his cock.
Holden grabbed my hips and rolled me over on top of him, his lips finding mine. His kiss was quick and urgent, his tongue sweeping mine, thrusting into my mouth like he was already fucking me. I responded, kissing him back while I pumped both hands along his endless shaft. After a minute, though, I was so breathless I had to sit up. My damp hair stuck to my face, and I was suddenly burning up.
As if sensing my agitation, Holden sat up and peeled his shirt off, tossing it to the floor. Then he reached for mine, drawing it up and over my head and discarding it wit
h his. He sat up, holding my body to his with one arm while he braced the other hand on the bed behind him. Lifting his hips under mine, he dragged me down against him, his hardness crushing against my wet pussy. I leaned back, grinding myself against the ridge of his cock.
With a growl, Holden’s mouth found my hardened nipple and sucked, making me gasp. He didn’t let up, sucking again, his tongue swiping my nipple while his arm dragged my wetness along his cock. My clit throbbed, and I moved faster on top of him. He slammed me down against him, grinding against me until I cried out.
My breathing came faster, and I whimpered as he reached down to thumb my clit through my soaked pants. Switching to my other nipple, his mouth engulfed it and he gave it a hard suck. My clit throbbed again and he chuckled, his mouth still covering my nipple. The vibration made my whole body shudder with pleasure. Sucking even harder, he made me writhe and squirm along his cock, dying for it to be inside me.
His teeth found my nipple, gently squeezing. It felt like a cord stretched from my nipple to my clit, and every bit his teeth tightened, the cord got tighter. I’d never really thought I’d like pain, but when his teeth tightened enough to cause pain, something exploded inside me. I cried out, arching my back. My pussy tightened, spasms running through it and my entire body.
I grabbed Holden’s cock and pumped it, pleasure wracking my body. “Oh, God, Holden,” I gasped. “I want you inside me. Rip me open.”
In one motion, Holden flipped me over, driving himself down on top of me. “God, you’re wet all the way through your pants,” he said, burying his hand in my hair and yanking my head down onto the pillow. His tongue plunged into my mouth, faster and faster. I moved my hand in rhythm with it, jerking my hand over the head of his cock while he ground the base of it against my tender clit.
At last, his cock stretched even bigger, and I could feel the vein in it pulse.
“I’m gonna come,” he gasped, breaking our kiss.
“Do it,” I cried, arching up against him, my clit pulsing out a smaller orgasm as hot wetness spurted across my belly. Holden shuddered on top of me, and another spurt of come burst out, pooling between us. I slowed my movement, just holding the head of his cock as it strained in my hand. He started to collapse, then caught himself on his elbows. Another little burst of shudders wracked his body, and come dripped over my fingers.
Ride Me, Cowboys: A Reverse Harem Forbidden Romance (Coyote Ranch Book 3) Page 4