Love and the Two Wranglers

by Marla Monroe

  “That’s fine. We can wait. But while we wait, we’re going to watch over you.” Luke took her hand and pulled her toward the store.

  Beverly sighed and let him lead her to her room. Instead of stopping at the stairs, he continued down to the exercise ring behind the store just off of the main barn and climbed the seating area until they were midway before sitting down and drawing her down next to him.

  “The stars are bright tonight. See that one over there?” Luke pointed to an especially bright star. “It’s probably been dead for hundreds if not thousands of years now. It takes that long for the light to reach us.”

  “I didn’t know you were into astronomy,” she said.

  “I’m not a scholar or anything. I just like reading up on different subjects and learned that most of the stars we see in other galaxies are actually suns that are dying or have already died.”

  “What do you read about, Jeremy?” she asked.

  “I don’t do a lot of reading like Luke does. Not much need since he shares everything he reads.”

  Luke reached around Beverly’s back to pop the other man on the head. “I don’t tell you everything I read about.

  “Could have fooled me.”

  “You two are incorrigible.” Beverly couldn’t stop the amusement from reaching her mouth and turning her lips upward.

  “What do you like to do when you aren’t working?” Luke asked her.

  “I like to read. Mostly I read romance books, but sometimes I like a good murder mystery.”

  She turned to ask Jeremy what he liked to do on his off days and found herself staring into his intense gaze, falling deeper under his spell. She swore he smelled like leather and cedar. Before she realized it, she’d leaned toward him, and he took advantage of her poor balance to pull her into his arms and repeat the kiss from the night before. This time he wasn’t alone and Luke scooted closer to her, warming her back as he brushed aside her hair to kiss along her neck and nuzzle aside the collar of her blouse to trail his lips down her neck to her shoulder.

  The moan slipped past her lips without her realizing it. Having both men touching her with their lips and hands overwhelmed her. She sank willingly into Jeremy’s arms as he explored her mouth with his tongue. Then, she was shifted so that she sat on Luke’s lap and he took over the kiss.

  “God, help me.” Beverly couldn’t push them away if she’d wanted to. It all felt too good, but common sense had her breaking away at last. “The guests could come out here. We can’t do this here.”

  Jeremy’s voice deepened. “You’re right. Let’s take this upstairs to your room, babe.”

  “We—I don’t think this is a good idea. I’m not looking for a relationship right now.”

  “We think it’s a very good idea.” Jeremy helped her off Luke’s lap.

  “Let’s see where this goes, Bev. Okay? We’re not pressuring you to marry us or anything like that. We just want the chance to see and to get to know you.” Luke tilted her chin up so that she had to look him in the eyes. “You can’t tell me that there isn’t something there for us.”

  She sighed. They were right. She liked both of them. The fact that there were two of them and she felt equally attracted to them made it all the more difficult for her to accept. What happened if she totally fell for Luke and not Jeremy or the other way around? How could she make a choice when they obviously fell under the same ideals as several of the other families on the ranch? They believed in threesomes. Beverly wasn’t so sure she could live like that.

  According to my ex, I’m cold and couldn’t make him happy. How can I even begin to handle two men?

  No, she didn’t need to get into that predicament. Nothing good would come of it.

  But I want to. I want to know how it feels to be cared for by two men. I want to know if I really am that unlovable.

  She allowed them to help her down off the stands and lead her toward the stairs to her room. Beverly knew that if she let them, they would take her to bed, but she wasn’t going to let that happen.

  When they’d climbed the stairs and stopped outside her door, Beverly turned to tell the men goodnight only to have Luke pull her into his arms and kiss her. While Jeremy’s kisses were hot and wild, Luke’s were sweet and gentle. They destroyed her good intentions just as completely as Jeremy’s wild ones had.

  Luke pulled back and stared down into her eyes. His were heavy-lidded and dark with desire. “I want you so much right now, but I know you’re not ready for us. Make no mistake, Beverly. We want you, but we want all of you, so we can wait. For now.

  Jeremy twirled her around so that her back touched the door and he hedged her in with his body. “I want you so damn much right now I hurt with it. But Luke’s right. If we took what you aren’t really ready to give, it would hurt any chance we had at a relationship in the future.”

  He leaned into her, capturing her mouth with his and running the long length of his body against hers. She had no doubt that he wanted her by the hard bulge that pressed into her abdomen. It had her whimpering against Jeremy’s kiss. His tongue thrust against hers several times before he slowly ended the kiss and pulled back.

  “Go inside, babe. Now. Before I change my mind. I’m not a saint.” Jeremy stepped back and waited for her to open her door and escape inside.

  “Lock it, babe. Lock it tight.”

  Chapter Six

  Beverly rode quietly behind Ginger, watching for any signs the horse still had some soreness in her back hoof. So far, she proved to be just as surefooted as ever. The young woman riding her was used to horses and hadn’t needed much in the way of refreshment in how to sit, hold the reins, or turn the horse.

  The two Florida gals were behind her with Luke keeping them company with stories about the area, pointing out birds and the occasional squirrel. They hadn’t needed a lot of instructions once they’d ridden around the circle a few times. Now everyone was well into the morning and on their way back down the mountain to the ranch house.

  “How are you guys doing back there?” Jeremy asked from up front. He’d turned part of the way around in his saddle to check on them.

  “We’re fine back here,” she called up.

  “Doing great back here,” Luke added.

  “How about you?” Jeremy asked the first couple.

  “Great. It’s so pretty out here.” One of the ladies up front took pictures of pretty much everything she saw.

  “We’re about forty-five minutes from the ranch now. Anyone ready for lunch?”

  Everyone called out that they were starved.

  “Now you know why we encourage you to eat a good breakfast and take advantage of the snack packs we throw together. You get hungry out here.” Luke chuckled. “It’s the fresh air.”

  Once they’d returned to the barn, Beverly set to work brushing down the horses and feeding them. Luke helped her while Jeremy forked hay into the ring. By the time they’d cleaned up, most of the guests would be finished with lunch and moseying off to their next outing or massage.

  “I’m starved. Let’s go eat, Beverly.” Luke pulled her away from the fence post where she’d been leaning as she watched Jeremy finish filling up the water trough.

  “Let me clean up.” She walked over to the barn and used the sink inside to wash her hands and face before drying them off with a dry cloth Jeremy handed her. “Thanks.”

  He followed suit and used that same towel to dry off with, as well. She couldn’t help but notice how he inhaled of the towel before he dried off. He didn’t say anything, but the intense gaze he settled on her told her that he’d smelled her on the cloth.

  When they’d finished eating, the three of them were off the clock until supper time where they would mingle and visit with the guests in case they had questions. It was when they were expected to act like wranglers to give them the sense of authenticity.

  “Reed, can I borrow one of the trucks? I want to run into town for a little while.”

  “Mind if we go with you?” J
eremy asked.

  “Um, no. I suppose not.” She shrugged.

  “Take the Silverado. Key’s on the rack in the store.” Reed waved them off as he strode across the road.

  “I’ll get the truck and meet you guys out front.” Luke jogged toward the store.

  “I’ve got to get my purse. I’ll be right back.” Beverly walked to the back of the store and climbed the stairs to her room.

  She drew in a deep breath to steady her nerves. Having them along with her wasn’t what she’d had in mind. She’d planned the trip to get away from them for a few hours. They were already in every cell of her body. Much more and she’d smell them on her even when she wasn’t around them.

  The ride down into town didn’t take but fifteen minutes. Situated between the two men in the front seat, it felt like an hour. She touched them both from thigh to shoulder. Sexual tension built like a line of fireflies up and down her arms.

  When they pulled up in front of the general store, Beverly climbed out after Luke and hurried inside. She hoped they would get tired of following her around and leave her alone to do her shopping. To her surprise, they did, for the first thirty minutes. Then they dogged her every step.

  “So that’s what I’m smelling when I get close to you.” Jeremy picked up the shampoo she’d put in her basket. “Honeysuckle.”

  “It does smell good on her.” Luke took it from Jeremy to sniff.

  “Put it back in my basket, guys. Behave.”

  “Uh, oh. I know what those are. Better go grab some chocolate for her, Jeremy.”

  “What?” He replaced the shampoo and watched as Beverly tossed a box of tampons in the buggy. “Oh. Yeah. Remind me when we get to that part of the store.”

  “You guys are terrible.” She didn’t know what to say to them. They were making her want to laugh.

  That’s a good thing, right? I don’t laugh a lot anymore.

  She continued with the intentions of buying a couple of new sweaters. The nights still got cool in the mountains despite it being spring. Her favorite ones were beginning to get threadbare. Using the common washers and dryers didn’t help preserve them.

  “This one would look great on you.” Luke held up a pretty robin’s egg blue sweater.

  She looked at the size and realized it would fit her. She nodded and set it in the cart.

  “What about this one?” Jeremy held up a mint green sweater that was also in her size. How they knew that was beyond her.

  “I like it, too.” She added it to the cart. “Don’t you guys have something you need to be doing?”

  “Nope. We’re good.” Luke smiled then added another sweater in a deep navy to her cart.

  “I didn’t need that one. I only want to get two.”

  “I’m getting that one. I like it.”

  “Are you planning to wear it?” she asked in a saucy voice.

  “Maybe. You can never tell what we’ll do.”

  “Tell me about it.” Beverly sighed and steered the cart to the snack aisle.

  “Chocolate, Jeremy.” Luke pulled the cart ahead of them as Beverly examined the selections of nuts.

  “Wait. Don’t put that in there. I’m not buying chocolate, Jeremy.”

  “No. We are. I’m just using your buggy.” Jeremy smiled and jammed his hands into his pockets.

  “I’ll be right back.” Luke left them to their staring contest.

  “I didn’t realize you guys had a sweet tooth.” She noticed it was her favorite candy bar, as well.

  “That’s why we’re along for the ride. We’re getting to know each other better.”

  “Back.” Luke dropped a box of condoms into the cart. Size X-Large.

  The drive back to the ranch was made in near silence. Beverly fought back visions of what the two men looked like without their clothes on. That box of XLarge condoms had been the last straw. She’d checked out in record time. All thoughts of exploring the town vanished in a need to return to the ranch and escape the two men as soon as possible. Her nerve endings were raw with need. She didn’t want to jump into something just because she couldn’t control her hormones.

  She tried to excuse herself as soon as they parked, but the guys insisted on carrying her purchases upstairs for her. Her little one-room apartment was much too small for the three of them. When it was just her, she considered it cozy, but with two men as large and virile as Jeremy and Luke, it was downright tiny.

  “Thanks guys for bringing my things up. I think I’m going to take a nap before dinner tonight.”

  “That sounds like a good idea, honey.” Luke ran both hands up and down her arms. “Get some rest. We’ll see you at dinner.”

  “Sweet dreams, sweetheart.” Jeremy kissed her forehead, and the two men left her in peace.

  Well, peace wasn’t exactly the right word. Her body was alive and on fire after having spent several hours in their company. There was no way she’d get any sleep like that. She opted for a shower to relax her and ended up touching herself in an effort to wring an orgasm out of herself so maybe she could sleep.

  Beverly had no trouble bringing up images of the two men in her head. It was like they were already burned in her mind. She imagined them touching her all over, rubbing her skin with their big calloused hands, their fingertips brushing across her nipples. They’d harden and itch for more attention.

  She rubbed her own breasts, plucking and pinching the tiny nubs on top. She was so aroused that her pussy pulsed with need. She ran one hand down her body to focus on her clit. She circled it then stabbed two fingers deep inside her cunt. She imagined Luke licking her there while Jeremy nibbled on her breasts, sucking and biting each one until she was pressing her pussy into Luke’s face.

  She was so close, but the orgasm remained elusive as she leaned against the back of the shower stall, weak-kneed and overheated. She could feel her pulse in her throat. She needed to come so badly it was a constant ache inside of her.

  Beverly grabbed the shower head and dialed it to pulse and held it to her throbbing clit until the spray hit her just right. It only took seconds before she climaxed so hard that she had to hold one hand on the wall to keep from sinking to her knees. Her heartbeat thudded in her chest and in her ears as all sound drowned out while she flew on the most intense orgasm she’d ever had.

  “Holy fuck.” It was all she managed to get out when she was able to use her voice again.

  She quickly cleaned up then stumbled out of the shower to dry off. By the time she managed to lie down, Beverly was more than ready for a nap. She set an alarm on her phone and drifted off into a dreamless sleep for the first time in weeks.

  Chapter Seven

  Luke closed the door after he and Jeremy entered their bedroom. Jeremy watched as Luke sat down on his bed and pulled off his boots. The other man had something on his mind, he could tell.

  “I’m worried she’s going to pick up stakes and leave,” Luke finally said.

  “She’s fighting herself,” Jeremy told Luke.

  “I know. I can feel her attraction to us, but she’s trying to resist.”

  “Do you think it’s because she doesn’t want to date at all or because she doesn’t want to date two men?”

  Luke shrugged and dropped his boot to the floor. “Probably a little of both. For the most part, she’s kept to herself since she started working here. I bet there’s a fucked-up relationship in her past. Why else would she have been on the road in the first place?”

  Jeremy nodded. He agreed with Luke’s assessment. Beverly had probably left her last position to start over after a failed relationship. It seemed sort of extreme, but they didn’t know her well enough to understand what might have driven her to run.

  Beverly is special. I want to get to know her so that I can make her happy. Luke and I will take care of her so that she never has to worry about a thing.

  “Are we pushing her too fast?” Luke tugged at the back of his shirt, drawing it over his head and balled it up before tossing it into the
hamper at the foot of his bed.

  “I don’t think so. She’s been here long enough to know us, and she’s been around Shelby and Billy Jean to know what we are proposing. She just needs to get to know us better.”

  “I want her so damn much it’s driving me crazy, Jeremy.” He punched his pillow. “Sometimes when she doesn’t realize anyone is looking, she has the saddest expression fall over her face like she’s in pain. I hate seeing that on her.

  “I know what you mean. That’s why I want to spend more time with her. She needs to learn that we would never hurt her,” Luke said.

  “Let’s take her on a ride Sunday afternoon once everyone has left for the week. We can take a picnic lunch and get to know her better. Maybe she’ll relax more around us once we’re outside of work.”

  Jeremy hoped getting her away from others would help. While in town she’d been a little easier to talk to and flirt with. She hadn’t shut them down, so he believed that she was just as attracted to them as they were to her. He was fairly sure a lot of the problem was that she didn’t feel comfortable dating two men at one time.

  I want to chase away whatever ghosts she has in her past. I can tell someone has hurt her. It makes me want to find them and teach them a lesson on how to treat a lady.

  He and Luke would have no trouble showing Beverly just how she should be treated. A woman was the best thing that could ever happen to a man. If only he’d treat her right, she’d make him happy with one of her smiles.

  “Hey, Jeremy?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Is it too soon to be in love with her?”

  “I don’t know. Probably.”

  “My chest hurts just thinking about her refusing us.”

  “Yeah, mine, too. She won’t though.”

  “How can you be sure?”

  Jeremy sighed. “Because losing her isn’t an option.”

  He lay in bed for a long time and thought about all of the ways he wanted to make Beverly happy. He worried about all the things that could go wrong, and all the pain it would cause if she said no.