by Marla Monroe
“There, all finished. You survived.”
“Hum. I suppose. Thanks.” He stood up and slipped into his shirt with only a little grimace.
It was going to be sore for a while, but if he didn’t do anything real strenuous, it should be okay. She quickly cleaned up the mess. Then she waited to see what the men were going to do. She had an idea that Grant would want to check the cattle since Luke had been doing it without him for several days.
“I’m going to check the cattle. I’ll be back in an hour.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“Nah, I’ll take the rifle, but I’m not going far.”
“Be careful, Grant.” She couldn’t help herself. She had to tell him.
Valerie was finding it harder and harder to keep from showing her feelings for the man. Sooner or later he was bound to notice. She wasn’t sure what would happen when he did. If he scoffed at her loving him, or made fun of her, it would break her heart. She already had a crack in it because he would never love her. She basked in Luke’s love, but she didn’t feel complete inside.
“Let’s cuddle on the couch, baby. I’ve missed loving you each night. I’m going to love you all night long tonight. Grant can join in or not. He’s well enough now.”
He kissed her, running his tongue across her lips until she opened for him. He took the invitation for what it was and plunged into her mouth to tickle the roof of her mouth before sliding along her tongue with his. Then he thrust it in and out in a parody of what he wanted to do to her.
She pressed her body against his in desperate need. She rubbed it against his groin and the hardness of his cock. She was already wet and ready for him. How could she possibly wait until night? He seemed to be reading her mind because he voiced out loud what she’d been thinking.
“I can’t wait.” He pulled back away from her and began unfastening her jeans.
She worked on his at the same time. He shoved hers down to her feet before turning her quickly around and pressing her over the back of the couch. She spread her legs for him as far as they would go with her pants around her ankles. She felt his fingers testing her readiness. With a groan, he pushed his cock into her slit in a quick jab.
“Fuck, you’re so wet and tight. I love being inside of you.”
She whimpered when he pulled all the way out. Then he was thrusting back in and managed to get his massive cock all the way inside her this time. She pushed back against him in an attempt to take more of him, but there wasn’t any more to be had. He plunged in again and again, thrusting as she drove back on him.
“Oh, God.” She felt her climax building deep inside her cunt.
Luke tunneled in and out of her pussy, grunting as he stroked his dick through her tight passage. She tightened around him and smiled when he cursed.
“Play with your clit, baby. I’m getting close and want you to come first.”
She didn’t hesitate. She reached between her legs and fingered her clit in a desperate attempt to reach her climax. She drew in deep breaths between each of Luke’s plunges inside her cunt. Finally, she squeezed her clit between her thumb and forefinger. It sent her flying. She called out Luke’s name, going to her toes as he thrust one last time and held still, splashing her womb with his cum. The warmth sent chills down her spine, triggering another small orgasm that caught her by surprise.
“Fuck, that was good. I missed you, baby.”
“You missed fucking me, you mean.” She chuckled.
“That, too. I love making love to you, baby, but sometimes a quick fuck does wonders.”
She breathed out when he pulled from her body. Then he helped her stand up, kneeling to help her pull her pants up. She turned around and wrapped her arms around him for a few seconds. Then she pulled back and found that he’d only bothered to zip his jeans and had left the buttons open. Shaking her head, she walked around the couch and sat down.
Luke started to sit down next to her when the sound of the back door opening then closing had him striding for the kitchen. Valerie remained on the couch, needing a few minutes to regain her breath and settle her racing heart.
Grant walked in and paused. His eyes went darker. She should have known he would smell the sex in the air. He continued into the room and pulled her to her feet before she knew it. He crushed her to him and found her mouth with his. Then he was plunging his tongue inside and ravaging her. She moaned into his mouth at the sheer animal in him. Luke plastered his body at her back, thrusting against her lower back. Grant picked her up and carried her upstairs.
“Your back!”
“Is fine,” he growled out.
He didn’t stop until he had her in the bedroom. Then he set her feet on the ground and began tearing at her clothes. She tried to help him, but he swatted her hands away and finished in seconds. He stared at her for what seemed like forever.
“Get on the bed, honey. I need inside you. Luke, on the bed. Let her ride you.”
Luke looked at her as if making sure she was okay with what Grant had planned. She nodded and quickly climbed up on the bed. Luke was right behind her. He lay back, and then helped her climb on top of him. She shuddered when he began to thrust up into her weeping pussy. She was slightly swollen from their recent tryst. It took him several tries before he managed to completely surround his cock with her pussy.
Grant climbed on the bed and ran his hands over her ass cheeks. He massaged them and kneaded them. Then he spread them and she felt his tongue on her tight rosette. He licked all around it. The next thing she felt was the cool lube before his finger began inching its way past the tight ring and into her back passage. She shivered at the decadent feel of pressure inside her there.
“You’re so fucking tight. I can’t wait to get my dick inside of you.”
More lube, and then he worked two fingers inside her. It pinched, but nothing that she couldn’t handle. Three fingers and the burn became more intense. He fucked her with them until he seemed satisfied that she was ready and removed them. Then his cock was there pushing into her. She moaned at the intense pressure as he breached her ass and the tight, resistant ring. He worked his way all the way inside her, and the pressure turned into something amazing.
Nerve endings came alive that thrilled along her spine. She couldn’t believe how full she felt and wanted to feel them rasping in and out of her. She struggled to get free from Luke’s arms, but he held on tight until Grant began to move.
“Oh, God! Yes!”
They began to move in tandem. Each plunge of a cock inside of her shot her higher and higher. She could feel them moving inside like pistons inside an engine. Fire flared, and then flared again even hotter. How would she survive this? It was a dark pleasure that seemed wrong, but somehow, so incredibly right.
“Faster, harder,” she all but screamed out.
Grant took her at her word and began to tunnel in and out of her ass as Luke struggled to keep up. She felt like their vessel as they plunged in and out of her body. Nothing felt like this. She was surrounded in her men and didn’t want it to end. Her body wouldn’t cooperate, and she exploded into a thousand pieces before being remade. She was dimly aware of Luke spilling his cum inside her cunt. Then Grant was pistoning in her body like a madman. Suddenly he stilled deep inside her and she felt the heated proof of his release coating her tender tissues.
She collapsed between them, unable to hold herself up. Grant’s forehead rested on her lower back before he kissed her all the way down her spine.
“You’re amazing, woman. I can’t get enough of you.” He carefully pulled out and left them.
Valerie knew he would return with a wet cloth to clean her up. He always took care of her. She could hardly believe that he didn’t love her. Yet it was there in his eyes, a slight distance there that didn’t ever quite go away. Tears formed in her eyes as he returned and wiped the evidence of his passion away. Then he was helping her off of Luke and tucking her in the bed. Luke curled around her as she silently cried herself to sl
eep.
* * * *
Grant padded down the stairs nude. He needed a drink something fierce. He rarely drank, but tonight was an exception. He had done it. He’d gotten too close to Valerie. He could feel her wrapping around his heart. He needed to distance himself from her but didn’t know how to do it. Everything inside of him ached for her touch.
He reached inside of the cabinet and pulled out the bottle. He contemplated getting a glass and vetoed that idea. He took a swig from the bottle instead, letting it burn its way down to his belly. He grimaced and took another swig before putting the bottle back in the cabinet. He put a log on the fire before he climbed into the recliner. He’d sit and think for a while.
It lasted most of the night and into the next morning. In all that time, he didn’t come up with a single idea of what he could do to stop the slow destruction of his heart.
When Valerie padded down the stairs at dawn, he saw a question in her eyes when they settled on him.
“You didn’t come to bed last night, did you?”
“No, I couldn’t sleep and didn’t want to wake you and Luke.”
“Is your back bothering you?”
“No.”
She nodded and continued into the kitchen. He heard her moving around in the other room and wondered what she was thinking. He finally got up and walked into the other room. She paused at what she was doing.
“How about some coffee?”
“Coffee would be great.”
She poured a cup and brought it to him. Then she leaned in to kiss him but stood back up.
“You’ve been drinking.”
“I had a drink, that’s all. I thought it might settle me down.”
“What had you so upset that you had to drink to get over it?”
“Nothing. Just nothing.” He took his coffee and started to walk away.
“Is it me, Grant? Do I bother you? What do you want me to do?”
“Nothing, Valerie. There’s nothing you can do. I’m fine.”
He knew that she didn’t believe him. What in the hell was he going to do? Then Luke was bounding down the stairs.
“You better go brush your teeth and gargle before he smells it on you. He won’t be so understanding.”
Luke walked into the room and smiled, heading straight for Valerie. Grant walked out and up the stairs. She was right. Luke would demand to know what in the hell was going on. He obviously didn’t know he hadn’t slept with them the night before. He wanted to keep it that way.
By the time he made it back downstairs after a shower and a thorough rinse with mouthwash, breakfast was on the table. He poured another cup of coffee and joined them at the table. Luke talked as if nothing was wrong. He guessed nothing was. He would go on like he was and try to deal with the growing feelings he had for her.
“I’m going out to gather the eggs and milk the cow. I’ll be back inside in about thirty minutes.” Grant got up and gathered the bucket and basket after putting on his outer gear.
He looked at Valerie then walked out into the snow. At least it wasn’t deep anymore. Maybe it would help to clear his head. He felt off-balance around her. There had to be something he could do to stop the intense emotions he felt. Nothing could come of them. He wouldn’t fall in love with her. Love brought heartache. He’d had more than his share and didn’t think it was fair that he go through it all again.
Luke would tell him he was crazy for thinking Valerie would use them and then leave. She wasn’t like Lydia. He wanted to believe that, but something blocked him from doing that.
He gathered the eggs and milked the cow. Before he returned to the house, he fed the horses and made sure they had plenty of water. Then he made himself go back. He set the milk down and placed the basket of eggs on the counter. Cold air circulated around him and Valerie was nowhere to be found. He listened but didn’t hear anything in the house, not even noises coming from upstairs.
When he walked into the living room the front door was wide open, looking as if it had been forced. He ran for the door and found Luke lying facedown in the snow. There was blood on the back of his head. He grabbed him up and half carried, half dragged him into the house. The head wound was bleeding like a faucet. He tore of his shirt and packed it at the back of his head. He searched for any other wounds but found none.
Then it hit him. Someone had Valerie. She was gone, just like he had worried about. Pain sliced through him. He shook Luke.
“Wake up, Luke. What happened?”
The other man moaned but didn’t come to.
“Luke, wake the fuck up. Someone took Valerie. What happened?”
Luke groaned and raised his head. He rolled over and started to put his hand to the back of his head, but Grant stopped him.
“You’ve got a cut back there. Don’t touch it. What the fuck happened?”
“Valerie!” He tried to get up, but couldn’t stand on his own.
Grant helped him over to the couch to sit down.
“They took her. Fuck, they took her. We’ve got to go after her, Grant.”
“Tell me what happened.”
“We were talking by the fire when the door crashed opened and two men ran in. One of them grabbed Valerie and threw her over his shoulder. The other man had a crowbar and swung it at me. I blocked it with my arm, which hurts like a son of a bitch. Then he managed to get me in the back of the head. I made it outside, but then I blacked out.”
“Did you see a truck? What color was it?”
“No truck, they carried her down the drive. Must have parked down on the road so we wouldn’t hear them drive up.” He tried to stand up again and managed to stand without falling down.
“Do you feel like tracking her?”
“Hell, yes!” He lunged for the door. “Let’s go.”
“Go put your fucking coat on, Luke. Think. If we go off half-cocked we’re going to screw up and lose her.”
Luke nodded and ran for the kitchen. Grant was right behind him. They suited up and hurried out to the truck.
“You drive and I’ll track till we have to follow them on the road.”
Luke climbed into the cab of the truck and started it. He shadowed Grant as he followed the tracks to the road. There he pointed in the direction the other one had headed. He climbed in with Luke and they took off in the same direction.
The other vehicle made several turns before it reached a main road with other traffic. Grant cursed and got out to figure out which way to go. He finally found what he thought were the same tire tracks several yards down the road and motioned for Luke to pick him up. Then they were off again.
They finally located a road that looked as if they had turned off. Luke made the turn and followed the tracks back up into the hills. They had to take it slow because the snow hadn’t melted as much higher up. Finally they located a cabin where a truck was parked. Grant studied the tracks and determined they were the ones from their house.
He motioned for Luke to back up. He followed on foot and then climbed in the truck with his brother.
“We need a plan. We don’t want them to hurt her when we go in after them.”
“I say we just ram the door and go on in. I don’t want their hands on her any more than they’ve already been.”
“Do you want them to kill her, Luke? ’Cause they might do it rather than give her up. It’s happened in the past.”
Luke drew in a deep breath and nodded. He knew the men that it had happened to. He didn’t want to lose Valerie at any cost.
“We didn’t think to grab the rifles so we’re going to have to rely on our hands. That means watching out for their guns.”
“Got you.”
“As soon as we go in, you go right and I’ll go left. It will divide their attention. Go for maiming them to incapacitate them. First one of us who gets their gun goes for Valerie. She’s the most important one. If you get her, leave with her.”
“I’m not leaving you behind.”
Grant grabbed his brother by the
shirt and pulled him toward him.
“The fuck you won’t! Valerie comes first. Do you hear me?”
“Fuck, yeah. I’ll get her out of there, and then I’m coming back for you if you’re not with me.”
Chapter Eleven
Valerie had fought the man carrying her as he took her down the road. She kicked and scratched at his back. He grunted, but didn’t drop her as she’d hoped. When they made it to the vehicle she had hoped they would dump her in the truck so that she could climb out the other side. Instead, the man hauled back and hit her, knocking her out.
When she came to, she was in a room in a cabin, completely naked. She screamed and tried to open the one window in the room. Just as she got it to move a couple of inches, the door slammed open and one of the men walked into the room. She tried to cover herself, but she realized it was useless and stood up straight. She’d fight him all the way.
He took off his belt and grinned. “I’m going to teach you not to fight me, darling. He advanced on her. She darted away, heading for the door, but he cut her off, grabbing her and tossing her on the ground. Her knees and the palms of her hands hit hard enough that she lost her breath with the pain. Before she could get up, the belt came down again and again.
She screamed and the door burst open in the other room. The man turned and raced for the door. She couldn’t get up to run into the other room. She saw Grant and Luke, and then they were fighting. She couldn’t tell who was doing what. She prayed they would be okay. She couldn’t bear it if one of them got hurt because of her.
The sound of flesh hitting flesh reverberated through the room. Then Grant was free and running toward her. He cursed when he saw her and picked her up. He ran through the door, yelling at Luke to get his ass out of there. Then they were running through the snow. She looked over Grant’s shoulder searching desperately for Luke. When he emerged from the cabin, she cried in relief.