by Sam Crescent
Noah stood next to them. She liked the fact Drew hadn’t let her go. With his arms around her, she felt safe. For so long she’d been the person who’d been strong with no one to catch her when she was weak.
“What’s it going to be, beautiful? A tasty dinner at the diner or a meal with family?” Noah asked.
She glanced behind her at the dinner, laughing when several of the local people’s faces were plastered up the windows. Family. Dinner. Fun and laughter.
Even though she was fighting the two men who owned her heart for fear of what would happen if she gave them everything, she still wanted to spend time with them. Nodding her head, she turned back to them. “I’d love to spend Sunday lunch with both of you and your family.”
“Excellent.” Noah pulled her out of Drew’s arms and escorted her over to his truck.
“Were you guys following me?”
“Nope. We were just waiting for the perfect opportunity to catch you at a weak moment. What were you thinking about?” Noah asked. He lifted her in the truck and followed her in. Drew got in the other side and started the beast up.
“You don’t want to know,” she said. Her thoughts had been morbid. Sharing them wouldn’t bring her mother back.
“We’ve got a ten minute drive. Tell us. We want to know,” Drew said.
“You really want to know what I was thinking?”
Both of them nodded.
Letting out a breath, she waited for them to begin moving, and then she told them. “I was thinking about my mum. She loved Sundays. They were her favourite day. She’d bake cookies and muffins for the coming week and then put a big roast in. We didn’t get to eat ‘til two in the afternoon, but it tasted delicious. I haven’t got her anymore.” She stopped to lick her lips and to allow the lump in her throat to go away. Drew held one of her knees giving her comfort while Noah held the other. None of them spoke and waited for her to finish. “I was thinking about how quiet the house is, and I don’t like it. It’s hard to deal with the pain. Some days I feel I can get through it with time, and others I don’t know how I’m going to cope. I’ve got no one left in the world.”
In the time it had taken her to admit her horrid feelings, Drew had pulled up outside Gloria, Patrick, and Larry’s house. Biting her lip as the tears spilled over her cheeks, she glanced down to where two male hands held her.
Their tanned flesh looked odd against her pale skin. She couldn’t go out in the sun for long because she ended up ill from sunburn. During the summer she was one of those women who looked like a zombie.
“I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
Noah captured her chin in his hand and stared into her eyes. “Never apologise for being honest.”
The intensity of his gaze startled her.
“I don’t want to cry.” A sob broke from her. Pressing her face into her hands, she broke down in front of them. The tears kept coming, and she had no control over them. Noah and Drew held her between them. She felt their strength, and for the first time in over six years, she had someone else to lean on.
“You’ve got to let it all out,” Drew said.
“We’ve got you. Let it go,” Noah said.
She let go. Noah and Drew held her while she sobbed her heart out. For too long she’d been a strong woman, fighting to care for her mother, fighting to get by through school. Giving up was never an option, but the years had pulled her down. At twenty-four, Cheryl was exhausted from fighting.
The time went by, and she felt one of the men waving their arms, but they weren’t interrupted. After a time, the tears and sobs left her. She was numb inside but not losing control.
“I must look awful,” she said, wiping her eyes. Both of them tucked her hair behind her head.
“You look beautiful,” Drew whispered, and so did Noah.
“And you were wrong about one thing,” Noah said.
“What?”
“You’ve got us.”
They let her clean herself. Neither of the men would leave her alone. They stayed by her side in the truck. No amount of rubbing was going to rub away the tears. Noah got out of the truck and helped her out.
****
Drew followed Noah and Cheryl round the back where Patrick and Larry were setting the table. It looked like they were going to enjoy the sunshine, and dinner would be an al fresco affair.
Placing a hand on her lower back, he offered Cheryl support. Her face was red and blotchy from her crying. Watching her emotional outbreak had struck something inside him. He’d never once considered the fact she might not have allowed time to break down. She’d been young when the problems with her mother’s cancer had started. At the time he’d never thought about how it might affect such a young woman.
Gloria came out with a bunch of plates.
“When do you think they’ll be here?” she asked. He watched Patrick give her a signal, pointing in their direction. Gloria turned towards them with a huge smile. The love that woman had inside her could fill the whole world. She looked at Cheryl, and he saw the sadness enter her eyes.
“Cheryl, honey. I’m so glad you could come.” She took Cheryl out of their arms and led her away. “I think you boys can finish the table while I take Miss Fisher in for a chat. We’ve got some girly things to attend to.”
All four men chuckled. Drew watched her go inside. He noticed Cheryl lean a little heavily on the other woman.
“Don’t worry. Gloria will make her feel right at home,” Patrick said.
“She broke down. I don’t think she’s ever cried like that at all.”
Drew glanced over at his friend and noted his pale complexion.
“Her father’s fault. Fucking waste of space. It was good riddance when he got up and left, but hard on a young one like Cheryl. Someone that young should never have been in charge of her mother’s care,” Larry said.
“I thought people didn’t mind her father?” Drew spoke up.
“We minded, but the people of Law Castle don’t go interfering with other’s business. Cheryl’s mother married because her daddy told her to. Things were a little different here back then. We did what our older folk told us to. Her dad told her to marry, and she married. Of course, only a few of us knew what he was like back then,” Patrick said.
Drew heard the anger in the older man’s voice. Larry placed an arm on Patrick.
“Stop talking about it. You know it’ll only upset Gloria. She hated it when old man Fisher ran out on his wife. Don’t give her any more cause to upset her,” Larry said.
Both men were quiet, and Noah shrugged. All four of them finished setting the table. The time passed with them talking about football and work. They were sat down enjoying a bottle of beer when Gloria came out carrying the roast chicken. Cheryl was walking behind her with a heaped bowl of mashed potatoes.
The men moved out of the way for the women to put the pots on the table. They went back inside and came out with vegetables and gravy. Cheryl sat between him and Noah. The table was a circle, which meant no one was left without a partner. Gloria said a prayer and from the words he knew it was directed at Cheryl.
Drew squeezed her thigh to offer her more comfort. She gave him a small smile, which made his heart ache. Her beauty really took his breath away.
“Cheryl, honey, pass those potatoes. I’m so hungry,” Gloria said, and the feast began.
Chapter Eight
Noah kept a close eye on Cheryl throughout the meal. She looked so fragile he thought she might break. Gloria kept staring at her as well. Whatever had happened inside the house must have been enough to worry the older woman. All he wanted to do was protect Cheryl.
Yes, he wanted her to fuck and play with, but he wanted so much more. She took small bites of her food, her fork moving the meal about her plate more than she was actually eating.
Putting his fork into her mash, he lifted it to her lips. “Open wide,” he said.
She glared at him. “What are you doing?”
“I’m
feeding you. I want to see you eat something.”
“I can feed myself.”
“Really? Because to me it looked like you were playing with it. Now, open wide.” A battle of wills happened. She kept her lips firmly shut, and he refused to put the fork down.
“I’m not taking the food off you like a baby.”
Smiling, he leaned in close so only she could hear. “You’re going to need all your strength for later.”
He had her attention. Her eyes were wide, her lips parted.
“What’s happening later?”
Brushing a curl away from her ear, he got closer. “If you’re a good girl, I’ll take you back home and fuck your brains out.” Her blush was addictive. The desire to keep the red tinge on her cheeks by talking dirty to her was strong.
She picked up her fork and began eating her lunch. Smiling because he’d accomplished his task in getting her to eat, he looked over at Drew and gave him a wink. The rest of the meal went by without a hitch. Cheryl talked with his family, and he saw they adored her. Gloria gave him a knowing smile, nodding her head. She approved his choice of woman.
“Before my hips get any bigger, I think it’s time to clear this lot away, and then I’ll serve some cherry pie.” Gloria got to her feet to start clearing away.
“Let me help,” Cheryl said.
“Don’t you mind, deary. You stay and chat to the men.”
Cheryl sat down once again and stared at the men. Patrick and Larry moved and started clearing the table away, leaving Drew and Noah alone with her.
Placing his hand on her naked thigh, Drew ran circles over the flesh of her skin.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
Drew put his arm along the back of her chair, playing with her hair. “I’m touching you. Your skin is so soft. I think I’m addicted to it.”
“What about your family?” she said.
“They’re probably doing the same in the kitchen. Patrick and Larry could never keep their hands off Gloria,” Noah told her.
“Why me?” she asked.
“We want you, Cheryl. Feel.” He took her hand to his hardened cock. Biting back a moan, he thrust against her hand. Noah went back to touching her knee. Her legs opened, and then she placed his hand over her pussy. She wore some panties but nothing he couldn’t move out of the way. Touching her was an addiction to him. Skimming along the edge, he pushed his fingers behind her panties, seeking out her heat. She was slick and dripping with cum. He slipped his finger to her clit and circled the tight little nub making her cry out. Noah watched Drew capture her lips to absorb her noise. He knew they wouldn’t find release, but they could give her one to help her relax.
When Drew pulled away, she turned to Noah and gave him the same passionate kiss that his friend had gotten. She was so responsive to their touch. He felt the fire inside her and wanted to claim her completely.
Drew fondled her tits, and Noah used two fingers, teasing her clit.
Her hips pushed up to meet the pressure as she matched him with every touch. Noah knew when her orgasm was upon her. He knew her body so well already. It was like he was attuned to her in a fundamental way. Seconds later, her small cries came out, her hand fisting on his leg as her hips jerked against his hand. Pressing his finger inside her core, he gloried in her wetness.
Kissing her one final time, he arranged her dress, pulled his fingers out and licked them. She tasted musky and sweet. Her skin was covered in a lovely glow, which he found gorgeous.
Gloria, Patrick, and Larry came out. She was carrying the pie while the men wore goofy grins, and one held a jug of custard, the other a tub of vanilla ice cream.
****
Drew carried in the desert pots with Noah following behind him. He knew he was addicted to everything that was Cheryl, from her little moans to the glorious fullness of her body. He wanted her any way he could get her. When night fell and he got to take her home, he couldn’t wait to sink his dick inside her pussy.
Placing the dishes in the sink, he turned to Noah.
“Our place or hers?” he asked.
“None.” Noah put the ice cream back in the freezer.
“What?” He hadn’t misheard him. “Are we just going to do her in the car?”
“We’re going to take her home, and then we’re going to wait for her to come to us,” Noah said. The other man folded his hands over his chest while leaning up against the freezer.
Running his fingers through his hair, Drew stared off with his friend. “You mean, we’re going to leave her? Are you a fan of blue balls?”
“No, but we agreed. We want Cheryl for more than a quick fuck. The white picket fence and the whole nine yards and whatever else you can say.”
“I know what we agreed, Noah. You think leaving her alone now would be the ideal solution?”
“Yes. If we push her too far, she’ll run and blame our reputations. Leave her to come to us, and we’ve got a chance of proving to her we’re in this for the long haul.”
Drew had doubts about his friend’s plan. What if she found someone else?
“She won’t. Don’t you get it? She feels alone with no one in the world, which is why we need her to give herself to us.”
“Didn’t she already do that?” Drew asked.
Noah sighed, and he heard the frustration. “Trust me. We’ve got to prove to her that we’re worth fighting for. We’re not going to leave her alone. We’re just going to show her everything doesn’t have to be about sex with us.”
To a point, Drew understood what his friend was trying to do. Giving Cheryl space without demanding anything from her could make her realise they were in it for the lifetime. Doubts about their ability to prove it to her weighed on his mind.
They walked back out and spent some time with Larry, Patrick, and Gloria. The hours swept by as they played a couple of games of cards. Cheryl, over the course of the afternoon loosened up and began chattering. Her laughter was wonderful to hear. Drew knew he wanted to make her laugh more often.
When the time came to leave, Drew watched as Gloria gave her a firm hug. He watched the sadness and love flash across her face while cuddling the older woman. Cheryl needed someone whose only desire was to care for her. He got into the truck while Noah helped her inside the passenger seat. Drew waved and set the car into gear. The drive was in silence. Cheryl stayed in her own space, and he wondered how she would take them leaving her for the night. She was under the impression they were going to her house to screw. His dick ached with the need to sink inside her moist heat, but he also knew he had to keep it in his pants. If they hoped to win her for the rest of their lives, a certain amount of control would be needed.
He pulled up outside her house and followed Noah’s lead. They got out of the truck and got her to the front door. She fumbled with her keys to get inside the house. With her back turned, Drew slapped him on the arm to gain his attention.
“What are we doing?” he mouthed the words.
“Follow my lead.” Noah mouthed the words back.
The moment the door was shut, and they were inside Cheryl started to undress. Noah caught her hand stopping her from stripping.
Bloody good job as well. Drew didn’t know if he’d be able to fight a nearly naked Cheryl let alone a completely naked one.
“What’s the matter?” she asked.
“This isn’t going to happen,” Noah said.
“But you said I’d need my strength for this.” Drew saw the confusion on her face, and he had to look away otherwise he would have given in.
“I know what I said. I got you to eat, didn’t I?”
Turning back to watch the scene unfold, he saw her go red in the face. She wasn’t aroused, no, she was angry.
“That’s not fair,” she said.
Noah cupped her cheek and brushed her lips with a gentle kiss. She pulled away from his touch. Drew saw the anger in her face.
“You told us we wouldn’t want you for more than a fuck. This is us, proving to y
ou that we want you for more than one time.”
“What are you saying? You want me for the rest of your lives?” She said the words in a mock sounding voice. Drew and Noah remained silent. “You do?”
“You better come to us to find out. We’ll see you tomorrow.” Noah kissed her cheek and left. Drew stared at her before giving her a kiss on the other cheek. He followed Noah outside. The air was still warm in the afternoon breeze and was no solace for the burning need inside him. A cold shower and fucking his fist would be on the menu for the evening.
They both got in the truck. Drew stared at the steering wheel. “Are you sure this will work?”
“I hope so. For the first time I fucking hate being a Law Castle bad boy.”
Drew could only agree with Noah. The bad boy reputation had stuck with them since they’d left high school. What determined a bad boy? A guy who refused to settle down, who went through women faster than they went through a clean change of pants. Being a bad boy was prized where they lived, even though to many a bad boy was something to be ashamed of. Patrick and Larry had been a member of the bad boy clan when they had been younger. When they settled down with Gloria the reputation left them.
Women treated them like rock stars. Many wanted to sleep with them just to say they’d been with a Law Castle bad boy. Drew was surprised there wasn’t some sort of t-shirt for them to wear.
Being a teenager all he’d wanted to be was a bad boy. Now all he wanted to do was settle down with one woman. The irony was the one woman he and Noah wanted didn’t think they were capable of being with her.
In years to come, he hoped he’d be telling his own sons about the tale of how he’d gotten their mother. He thought about Cheryl with a swollen stomach, and his cock got harder.
He drove home quickly. The need to relieve himself was intense.
****
How could they do that to her? Get her all worked up only to leave her hanging when they got her home. She’d been looking forward to spending the night with them again. They were the only two people in the world who she trusted to let down her guard with.