by Claire Adele
He raised his head from her breast. “Was it good for you, babe?”
“It was way more than good. That was amazing.”
“It can be better than what you felt this time. I can give you even more pleasure if you want.”
“How could it be better than that?”
“It can be more intense with anal sex. But only if you’re willing. I won’t do anything that makes you uncomfortable. Think about it. For now, we need to sleep.” He trailed his fingers up and down her arm.
“Will you give me a ride back to Darlene’s in the morning? I need to explain to her about why I’m leaving her home.”
“Sure. Sounds like a good idea. I need to check in with Juan and see what needs to be done about the Hawks still on the loose. Afterwards, I’ll come pick you up. I don’t want your brothers to follow you. It won’t help you if they find you here in Mike’s house.” He gathered her in his arms and she rested her head on his chest.
Chapter Four
“Are you sure you’ll be safe with Derek?” Darlene frowned at Kelly.
“Thank you for being concerned.” Kelly smiled at Darlene. “I’m confident I’ll be safe with him. I just need to avoid my brothers at all cost. I don’t want them to drag me home.”
Kelly heard the doorbell ring.
“I’ll be back in a minute. Stay right here. I want to know more about your brothers and their friends, and why you don’t want to go home.” Darlene gave her a look.
Darlene left the bedroom where Kelly had gone to gather her few pieces of clothing. She’d need to return the change of clothing to Darlene eventually when she had the money to buy new clothes.
The sound of Darlene’s irate voice came to her from the front door. What was going on? She’d better see if Darlene needed help.
As she neared the front entrance, she heard the voice of her oldest brother, Beau, joined by the sound of a voice she’d hoped never to hear again. Rafe Wolfgang.
“We’re looking for Kelly Wolford,” her brother said.
She couldn’t join Darlene to back her up. They must not know yet that she and Darlene were visiting today. She had to keep them from finding out so they wouldn’t have a chance to follow her and Derek to Mike’s house.
“I don’t know who you are or why you’re asking, but no one by the name of Kelly Wolford has ever been here, and if she had it would be none of your business.” Darlene’s voice rose in anger. “Goodbye.”
Kelly hoped the guys would leave before Derek arrived to pick her up. The good thing was that Darlene would now have a good idea why Kelly was avoiding her brothers and family friends.
She hoped Darlene didn’t provoke their tempers.
It sounded like her brothers definitely expected to find her at Darlene’s, and they were really aggravated, especially Rafe, that Darlene put them off.
“We know she’s been here,” Rafe said. “We’ve seen her here before.” He sounded furious.
“You have no business talking to anyone in that tone of voice,” Darlene said, her tone sharp. “Now leave, all of you, or I’ll call the police.”
Kelly heard the loud engine of a car race up the street. Tires screeched as it suddenly slowed in front of Darlene’s home.
“Come on, Rafe,” her brother said.
“And if I see any of you around this area again, I’ll call the police,” Darlene warned. The door closed with a bang.
The sound of the sedan racing up to the end of the street reminded Kelly of the murderous Hawks’ gang. She’d hoped they’d disappeared.
She waited for her friend in the bedroom.
Darlene joined her there. “I can’t believe the nerve of those guys. They wouldn’t take no for an answer, especially that guy they called Rafe. But I finally convinced them they wouldn’t get anywhere with me. I’m assuming the guy doing the most talking when I opened the door was one of your brothers.”
“Yeah, he’s my oldest brother.”
“The one they called Rafe acted like his word was law. He acted like an over-the-top alpha male. Just the kind of man I can’t abide.”
“Yeah, that would be my brother’s friend.”
“I don’t blame you in the least for not wanting to go home, or anywhere, with those overbearing guys. So, is your last name Wolford?”
“Yes. I’m Kelly Wolford. I used the name Smith to hide from them.”
“What on earth happened to you that sent you running from your family?”
“Nothing, so far.” When Darlene raised her eyebrows in question, Kelly explained. “My family is determined that I marry Rafe, and I don’t want to. I’m not in love with him. I want to marry someone I love and care for deeply.”
“Why would your family be so determined? Is it about money?”
“Sort of. Rafe’s family’s ranch and my family’s ranch are next door in central Texas. Our families have been close for generations.” Kelly wasn’t sure how much she should tell Darlene about her situation.
“Well, you can always count on my support on that issue. My parents wanted me to marry a man who was their choice of rich businessmen.”
“Did you marry him?”
“No. I was not in love with him. I have a trust fund that affords me to live on my own. I don’t plan to marry until I find a man who loves me as much as I love him.”
Kelly smiled and nodded in agreement.
“Life is complicated enough,” Darlene continued, “when you don’t have a man beside you who loves and respects you. How much harder it would be with a man who didn’t care about anything but money. Or only cared about what he wanted.”
“That’s what I tried to get my parents to understand. But they’re stuck in their old ways. When they wouldn’t listen to me, I left home. That was two years ago. Now my brothers have found me. I’m going to hide out at Derek’s friend’s house until my brothers and Rafe and his brothers give up looking for me. Derek assured me it was fine with his friend. I can’t stay here with you since my brothers suspect I’ve been here.” Kelly hugged her new friend. “Thanks for everything, Darlene. You’re the best.”
“You know you’re always welcome here.”
The doorbell rang.
Darlene hurried to the door. “If that’s your brother and his friends again—”
Kelly followed. “It may be Derek.”
Darlene looked through the glass on either side of the door. “Looks like Derek,” she said brightly.
“Come in.” Darlene held the door open for him.
“My brothers were just here asking Darlene about me.”
“Hell,” Derek swore.
“They don’t like taking no for an answer,” Darlene explained. “And their friend, Rafe, is an asshole.”
Derek took this in and looked at Kelly.
She nodded in agreement with Darlene. “How will we keep them from following us to Mike’s house?”
“We’ll lose them somewhere along the way. I know this town and the streets better than they do. Did you notice what kind of car they were driving?”
Kelly looked at Darlene and shook her head.
“That’s all right,” Derek said. “I’ll know if we’re being followed. Are you ready to head out?”
“Yes,” Kelly said. “I’ll go grab my stuff.”
After gathering her bundle and hugging Darlene goodbye, she hurried to Derek’s car in the driveway. He opened the door and went around and got in the driver’s side.
“Buckle up, hon. This could turn into a wild ride.”
She glanced at his serious face and grabbed for her seat belt, snapping it securely.
As soon as Derek drove out of Darlene’s neighborhood, a big black extended-cab pickup truck pulled into the lane behind him.
“Don’t look, but I think your brothers are right behind us. Do they drive a black pickup?”
“Yes, sometimes. It’s the model with the extended cab.”
“That’s probably it. I’ll head down the hill and try to lose them.”
“Hold on.” He turned back and forth through shorter blocks of homes and made it harder for the brothers to find them.
“I think we’ve lost them. Just to be sure, I’m heading down the road to the arroyo. We can hide out in the high brush on one of the turnouts off that narrow road. It’s near the Desert Edge Tennis Club, but the people there won’t care much what we’re doing if they see us. From there we can watch the road above that leads to Crazy Cat for any sign of their truck.”
“Whatever you think is best,” Kelly agreed. “I’m sure you know how to lose them.” She smiled at him.
A warm feeling filled Derek at her words. She trusted him. That would work in their favor in his efforts to protect her.
He angled the Civic off the neighborhood street and down the paved road into the bottom of the shallow arroyo. The road curved back and forth sharply. Bordered by brush and mesquite bushes that crowded both sides, the narrow street hid several secluded turnouts.
Derek drove past the tennis club and the parking area packed with cars belonging to members. A short way south of the property, a turnout offered a perfect hideout. He turned the car off the main road and onto the pullout. Maneuvering the car, he parked it so they could watch the street that headed toward Crazy Cat, northeast of their present position. He kept the motor running just in case they needed to get out of there in a hurry.
“They won’t be able to see my car here. But we’ll be able to see their truck up there on the other road by looking through the mesquite branches.”
Kelly peered through the mesquite toward the neighborhood street above. “How long will we have to stay here?”
“Not too long. If they caught sight of us, they’ll show up soon.”
“Okay.”
After about ten minutes, Derek decided they’d waited long enough. “Let’s see if we can spot them waiting down that street.”
He drove the Civic out of the turnout and along a side road that gave access to the south side of the arroyo. Making a U-turn at the end of the street, he stopped the car and searched the upper road on the opposite side of the arroyo as far as he could see in both directions. Checking the side streets, he saw no sign of them. “I don’t see them, do you?”
“No.” She continued to search as he watched her.
“I think we’re in the clear for now. Let’s head for Mike’s place.”
She met his gaze and smiled. “Sounds great.”
Derek drove the Civic out of the arroyo and headed for the gate to Crazy Cat. The guard nodded to them and opened the electronic gate at the bottom of the hill.
“Keep an eye open for them at the gate until we’re out of sight from it.”
She twisted around in her seat to watch out the back window.
Derek gave a sigh of relief when they rounded the first curve on the hill that hid them from view.
The guard at the gate to Mike’s property let them through.
Derek parked the car in the garage and closed the garage door behind them. He heard Kelly take a deep breath and release it slowly.
“I think we’re safe, hon.”
“I’m so relieved. It was a little tense there for a while.”
“Not tense in a good way, hmm?”
She looked at him and shook her head. “No, not in a good way.”
He leaned close to her and kissed her sweet, full lips. “Time for lunch?”
“I’m starved. I’d love some. I’ll have whatever you’re having.”
“I’m hoping Jared left something for us.”
They exited the car, locked it, and headed into the house.
“I need to put these clothes in the bedroom and afterwards I’ll join you.”
“I’ll be in the kitchen,” Derek said.
* * * *
When Kelly returned to the kitchen, Derek had put sandwiches on a plate on the bar along with napkins, utensils, and plates. She didn’t know how much she could eat. She worried her brothers would catch up to her soon. Her nerves suffered from her fears. She sat down on a barstool and Derek joined her. After taking a couple of bites of sandwich she put it down.
“Don’t like the sandwich?” Derek asked.
“It’s fine. I just don’t feel that hungry right now after all.”
“What’s bothering you?” He reached out and stroked her arm with his big, warm hand.
“I feel like my family is closing in on me. I don’t know what to do. If they get hold of me, they’ll force me to marry Rafe Wolfgang. They won’t waste any time.”
“I won’t let them.”
“You won’t be able to stop them.”
“If they should manage to kidnap you from this secured home, I won’t be far behind. I’ll rescue you.”
“You won’t get to me in time. All Rafe has to do is mate me in front of family witnesses, and afterwards, my family will insist on a wedding immediately.”
“In order to protect you, I need to know everything you can tell me about your family’s traditions and what could happen. That way I‘ll know how to prevent it from happening.”
“The only solution I can see possibly keeping Rafe from mating me is the family testing ceremony that involves two men who claim the right to wedding a woman.” Just the thought of such a ceremony made her sick with dread.
“Kelly, the best way I can protect you is if I know all the rules of this ceremony. What is involved? How is one of the two claimants judged the winner?”
“It’s a long process, sometimes lasting for hours. If there is a man involved who is not a member of the other family, he must wait while the man who is a member is given the first chance to try to bring the woman to a climax. There’s a time limit. If he doesn’t succeed then the other man is given a chance. A point goes to the man who succeeds.”
Beside her, Derek took a deep breath and released it.
She couldn’t look at him. The second part of the test was even more despicable to her. She didn’t even want to think about it, but she must if Derek was going to save her from a life with Rafe.
“The second part of the test gives each of the two men an opportunity to convince the woman, through more sexual stimulation, to mate with him. The awful part, besides the woman having no choice, is that the woman will be physically restrained by witnesses to the ceremony. She can’t do anything to protect herself or keep the man she doesn’t want as a husband from stimulating her to the point that she cries out for him to mate her. The man who won the point in the first round has the right to go first in the second round.”
“How can a man bring her to that point of need if she’s not willing?”
“I’ve heard that some men have used devious ways to take away the woman’s unwillingness.”
“Hell,” Derek swore under his breath. “Kelly, I know this is really hard for you. It makes me want to tear those guys to pieces, but I need to know all of it. Tell me,” he said softly.
She took a deep breath. “If the man who is not a family friend is successful in the second test, the family friend is then given a third chance to stimulate the woman to the point of climax. The man she calls to during her climax is then given the right to mate her and declared her mate for life.”
“Don’t worry, babe. We’ll work through every part of this ceremony. We’ll figure out how to win.”
“What scares me about all this is how long can I withstand different kinds of stimulation, from both you and Rafe, before I cave?” She paused to bring her emotions under control. She shook from her fear.
“We’ll leave nothing to chance, hon.”
“I’ll have to withstand all three attempts by Rafe.” She looked at Derek, feeling desperate and helpless.
“I won’t let Rafe have you. We won’t let him win.”
“You’ll have to stimulate me more than Rafe does in order for me to ignore his three attempts while I’m restrained.”
Derek cupped her face in his hands. “You will have your freedom to choose your life mate.”
“If I can’t withstand Rafe’s attempts, then you must make me climax three times, and I must call out your name.”
“Don’t worry, hon. We’ll start working on our defense today. The sooner the better. We’ll simulate the ceremony, work through every possible way Rafe could take advantage and how you and I will protect you, and beat Rafe at this testing ceremony. I’ll give you the strongest climaxes, so you won’t feel the need to climax when Rafe takes his turn.”
“All right. But I want to experience that with you and practice beforehand, so I’m sure.”
“That’s exactly what we’re going to do, hon. Do you know if there is any chance that both men can have a friend to help them bring the woman to climax?”
“I don’t remember hearing anything about that. I suppose it’s possible.”
“I’ll give that some thought. I can ask Mike’s houseman, Jared, to help out if it’s necessary. He has a book on fantastic sex. Rafe will probably ask one of his brothers to assist him if that’s allowed. We have to be prepared for anything. Are lubricants allowed?”
“I don’t know,” she said, frustrated with the information she didn’t have.
“Do you know if suppositories or dildos are allowed?”
She shook her head. “No, I don’t know.”
“That’s all right. We’ll hang out here and get prepared. Jared’s book may come in handy. We can both take a look through it.”
He smiled at her, and she felt hope for the first time since her brothers had located her. This situation might turn out all right with Derek’s help.
Chapter Five
Derek found Jared’s book about sex in his bookcase. “Let’s take this into the bedroom and try some of the best sex that will work for the testing.”
After they undressed, they sat on the bed with pillows piled behind their backs.