by Fiona Archer
“Please, Noah, please. Give me more. Don’t leave me like this.” To hell with pride. She couldn’t stand another moment of this erotic torture.
She searched Noah’s hard features, hoping for a pinch of compassion. He could keep her suspended between bliss and torment for however long he ordained. He wouldn’t, would he? She wouldn’t last.
“You want more, little teacher?” Noah pushed his cock a touch deeper, brushing her G-spot with the barest hint of pressure.
“Yes!”
“How much more? Do you want everything we have to offer? Our protection, comfort, and dominance?”
“What? Yes, whatever. Give me everything. Just, please, harder.” She jerked her hips, desperate to force him there, but he just pulled back further.
Bastard!
Flynn reached down, his thumb rubbing the edge of her clit, the gentle pressure not near enough to bring her satisfaction.
Double bastard!
“All right, sweet girl, you’ll get everything—all we have to offer—in and out of bed.” Noah’s words should have set off an alarm in her head, but the next second he pulled out of her vagina.
A sob caught in her throat. He had abandoned her. A knot of panic squeezed her stomach. She darted her gaze between both men.
Then Noah lifted her bottom as his iron-hard cock nudged against her opening. His voice—his Dom voice—radiated authority.
“Never doubt where you belong, Chloe. Safe in our arms, our thoughts, and our beds. You. Are. Ours.”
Flynn’s finger and thumb pinched her clit at the same time Noah thrust deep inside her.
Chloe screamed. Her eyes rolled back. Her body bucked. Ecstasy surged, overwhelming her as Noah pounded his cock against her G-spot.
Flynn pinched and released her clit over and over. The men ripped away the tattered remnants of her control. Oblivious to all coherent thought, she was propelled on a jet stream of lust that shredded all time and space.
Noah’s hoarse cry filled the air, and his body shuddered as her pussy milked every last ounce of his seed.
Chloe kept her eyes closed as she began her slow descent back from her sensual high. A warm washcloth pressed on her pussy. The turn of keys opened the tiny padlocks securing her cuffs. Gentle hands massaged her arms and legs, easing the slight cramps. Soft words of encouragement and praise filled her sleepy consciousness.
In that small, quiet place in her head, where rational thought ruled over emotion, an alarm hammered out a warning. She’d allowed these men to open the doorway into her life, one she’d kept securely bolted. It now hung limp, the locks shattered by Noah and Flynn’s combined force. By what miracle could she now keep them out?
Chapter Eight
As Noah entered the kitchen, the mouthwatering aromas of coffee and cooked bacon combined to deliver a sucker punch to his empty stomach.
He glanced at the clock on the wall, and sighed. Nine o’clock. He should have been up for hours, fed and well into his working day.
Too bad. He’d trade freezing his arse off outside for waking up next to Chloe’s warm, curvy body any day. His mouth hooked up at the corners. Staying in bed had never been so…satisfying. Of all the women he’d slept with—a healthy number for a grown man—he’d yet to experience the emotional connection he shared with Chloe, the overwhelming need to cherish her, share of himself. Hell, he’d go so far as to say it deepened his bond with Flynn.
“No points for guessing what’s put that smile on your face.” Flynn’s own face split with a grin from ear to ear as he heaped bacon and scrambled eggs into a dish and placed them in the oven.
Noah chuckled as he poured himself and Flynn each a fresh cup of coffee. “Yeah, I’m allowing myself a few minutes to grin like a loon before one of us goes up to wake our girl.” Ah, now there was a fun chore. He could think of a hundred different ways to coax her out of sleep. None of which would lead to them getting out of bed.
He shook his head at the growing bulge in his jeans. Shit, he’d end up a slave to his thirst for Chloe. So much for the big bad Dom.
Noah slid into a chair at the table and sipped his coffee, savoring the mellow taste of the roasted beans. He shot a glance at Digger’s empty bed. “Where’s the mutt? You’re cooking bacon. He should be glued to your side.”
As the words left his mouth, a loud thump came from the door to the mudroom. The Labrador-mongrel mix, with a much beloved hot dog chew toy gripped between his teeth, clambered through the doggy door and into the kitchen. The dog’s jaws crunched the toy, producing nothing more than a chronic wheeze, the squeaky mechanism having long given up the ghost from overuse.
Tail wagging, Digger trotted over to rub against Noah’s thigh, then dropped the now slimy toy in his hand.
“Thanks, mate. But you know the rules, no throwing in the house.” Noah scrubbed his hand over Digger’s chocolate brown head and steeled himself against the amber eyes filled with longing that pleaded up at him. Bloody dog had dissolved his defenses from the moment he and Flynn had spotted Digger’s crushed body by the side of the highway almost a year ago. A broken leg and internal injuries, and he’d still managed a weak thump of his tail when they’d rescued him.
“He’s just a big meanie, isn’t he, Digger?” Flynn smacked his thigh. With one last look of disappointment toward Noah, the dog sidled up to Flynn.
Noah snorted. “You know he’s playing you? He’ll butter you up, take what he can get, and then leave you high and dry.” He chuckled as their trusty sidekick sat on one of Flynn’s boot-shod feet. Sad-sack eyes gazed up at Flynn. Sucker. Within seconds, Digger was chomping on two strips of bacon.
“It’s not his fault one of his owners is a hard-arse.” Flynn gave the dog’s stubby coat a good rubbing. Digger’s tongue lolled out in apparent bliss.
He rose from his chair, dropped the toy in Digger’s bed near the walk-in pantry, and washed his hands at the sink before returning to his seat.
Flynn also cleaned up and joined him at the table. Noah caught the gleam of excitement in the man’s eyes as he took a hearty swallow of his coffee. He needed no clue as to why. It all came down to Chloe.
“She’s one beautiful woman.” Flynn’s voice held a note of reverence Noah could identify with.
“True.” He sipped his coffee and waited.
“She’s a natural sub. Our instincts didn’t let us down. Chloe’s the one we’ve been waiting for.” A throb of conviction further strengthened Flynn’s tone.
“I agree. And, before you ask, no, I’m not about to let her go despite the fact she’ll probably fight us every step of the way, starting with us protecting her from whatever threat Young can muster. We haven’t even started pushing her to confide in us about Hank’s death. The real fun will kick off when she struggles against the bond growing between the three of us.”
Noah heaved in a deep breath.
“Agreed. Regardless of whatever develops between her and us, her leaving the ranch is not an option. I’ll cuff her to the bed if necessary.” Flynn’s brows formed a fierce line, as if contemplating her escape. “There is no bloody way I’ll allow her to put herself in harm’s way. Trent Young is one fucked-up bastard. And, speaking of which, I called the sheriff’s office. No prints. He must have worn gloves.”
“So he’s not a complete idiot.” Noah’s jaw hardened. He refused to surrender to the rage that gnawed at his control like a rabid dog. Wasted emotion served no purpose in protecting Chloe, and that was his main goal. “I rang Caleb before coming down. He, Quinn, and Mike will be here after breakfast. You updated Jeb?”
Flynn nodded and picked up his mug of coffee. “He’ll assemble the hands once we’ve spoken to Chloe. Everyone will be on the same page. He’s promised not to tell Gretchen until we’ve had a chance to get things sorted out at this end.”
Noah huffed out a laugh. “Hell, can you imagine? Gretchen’ll come over here with Jeb’s shotgun ready to blast Young’s balls off if he gets within a mile of the place. Poor Chloe, by the
end of the day she’s not going to know what hit her.”
And right now, that was just the way he wanted her. Off-balance. Compliant.
Flynn grimaced. “True. However, she’ll be safe. That’s what counts.” His face tightened, and he lowered his mug to the table with a thud. “We can’t afford any mistakes, Noah. Young’s history goes against him backing down. He needs to be neutralized.” His fists clenched, his knuckles turning white from tension.
Noah narrowed his gaze. How hard were Flynn’s demons riding him today? Driving a knife deep into his soul judging by the haunted uneasiness in his eyes. He’d never been the same since that marine’s death. A bloody irresponsible, shit-scared kid, who would have lived if he’d followed Flynn’s orders.
“We’re not in the mountains of Afghanistan. We can’t engage and neutralize Young like he’s a terrorist target. It pisses me off but we have to allow the sheriff to do his thing. If the bastard fucks up and gets arrested then that’s how it rolls.” Noah’s tone hardened. He met Flynn’s stare head on. Neither of them seemed prepared to lower their gaze.
Finally, Flynn scrubbed a hand over his face and sighed. “Understood. I’ll behave like a good little civilian—up to a point.”
“Jesus, mate, don’t get me wrong. I’m not prepared to stand around with a thumb up my arse while Young hurts someone we love. The bastard will draw his last breath before that happens.” Noah’s brow creased as a huge grin stretched Flynn’s mouth wide. What the hell was so funny?
“What?” he barked.
Flynn threw back his head with a burst of laughter. “Only you could admit your love for a woman and vow to kill someone in the same breath.”
Shit, he was in love!
For one crazy second, his world tilted, threatening to send him tumbling from his chair. He sucked in air. The muscles in his legs clenched tight. Where was the ground, solid beneath his feet?
“Noah?”
He blinked. The gears of his brain clicked back into place like a rusty mechanism that had skipped a beat.
Yes, he was in love with a gorgeous, softhearted midget of a firebrand. If he hadn’t been so preoccupied last night with keeping her safe, the truth would have knocked him on the head sooner. He’d craved being with her, having her here on his ranch, exploring what they had, but love? Yes, it really was love.
He wanted to whoop and holler around the kitchen like a four-year-old riding his first pony.
Still, that self-satisfied grin on Flynn’s face was driving him insane.
“Come on, you smug bastard, admit you’ve fallen for her, too.” Noah was sure of the answer, but he wanted to hear it anyway.
Flynn smirked. “Of course I have. I didn’t take as long as some others to wise up.”
“Guess you have to come first at least once.” Noah ignored Flynn’s happy middle finger, scratched Digger one last time behind his ear, and then leaned back in his chair. Digger trotted back to his doggie bed. “So, when?
“Last night. Seeing Chloe surrounded by all the damage in her house, watching her try to be brave in front of us”—Flynn cursed under his breath, his hand gripping the handle of his mug so hard Noah was sure it would crumble under such force—“Jesus, I wanted to pick her up in my arms and promise her she’d never have to worry again, that we’d always love and cherish her and protect her from everything bad in the world. And I meant it, every bloody word.”
“Yeah, I hear you.” Noah’s heart thudded at the thought of actually saying it to a woman. Apart from his mum and sister, he’d never uttered those words to a female. This was unexplored territory. “We have to be smart and use the time she’s here to convince her of a future with us in a way that doesn’t involve her being chained to our bed for an extended period of time. Mind you, if it comes down to that, then so be it.”
Flynn’s mouth turned up in a wry slant. “A second ago you warned me not to take the law into my own hands, but you’re prepared to keep Chloe here as our captive?”
“Bloody oath, I’m all for double standards when it suits me.” Noah turned his mug with the tips of his fingers. “I’m not saying we order her around like she has no mind of her own. I fucking adore the fact she’s intelligent and thinks for herself. I don’t want a doormat for a woman, but when it comes to her safety, we’re in charge.”
The soft pad of feet on the floorboards reached him too late.
“Thanks for the vote of confidence on my ability to think for myself. Much appreciated. So you’ll understand when I tell you to go take a flying leap the next time you try to give me an order.”
Noah turned to face the doorway.
Chloe stood with hands planted on her sweetly curved hips. Twin spots of color stained her cheeks a candy pink and her eyes shot sparks guaranteed to singe a hole in his flannel shirt. Her hair, damp from her shower, framed a face painted in mutiny. She reminded him of a defiant wet kitten. Damn, he loved it when she bit back.
Dressed in gray track pants and a light blue sweater that hugged her ample breasts, she looked good enough to cuddle—or spank—either option suited him just fine.
In one swift move, the men rose from their chairs. Her eyes widened in automatic flight response. Lovely. The differences in their heights were more pronounced since all she wore on her feet were pink bed socks.
Flynn, closest to Chloe, walked over and dropped a kiss on her startled mouth. His free hand on her shoulder propelled her stiff form across the short space and into Noah’s chair.
When was the last time he’d tasted her sweet lips? Unable to resist any longer, Noah swooped down, capturing her mouth with his. The faint hint of baby powder teased his nostrils before her lips yielded under his gentle assault. His hand, resting at the curve of her neck, registered her thumping pulse. That’s right, little teacher, the body never lies.
It would be so easy to snatch her up and lay her across the table. Before he gave into the temptation, he stepped back and leaned against the sink, placing the table between him and her too tempting body.
“Honey, we didn’t realize you’d woken.” Flynn ran one hand down her arm before resuming his seat.
Chloe stared back, unflinching. “No kidding.”
Ouch. Their defiant kitten had unsheathed her claws.
Flynn nodded toward Noah. Let the battle commence.
* * * *
Resentment rushed up Chloe’s throat, threatening to cut off her voice. It wasn’t even the men she resented, but her own damn weakness. No, scratch that. She was pissed at Noah and Flynn. However, the reality was two good-morning kisses were all it took to slay her defenses and stoke a fire that radiated from her core out to the tips of her fingers and toes. And all that after she’d overheard their comments. Pathetic.
Waking from a blissful after-sex nap, the nerves in her stomach had performed backflips at the prospect of facing the men. What did a girl say after such an intimate encounter? Excitement had bubbled under her skin as she’d navigated various passages guided by the distant sounds of their voices until she had stood in the doorway of the kitchen.
Then the men had gone and ruined everything.
All right, so acting like a bitch wasn’t her style, but she had a right to be pissed off.
Fighting against the compelling force of Flynn’s stare, Chloe centered her attention on the large room. Every second she stayed out of the beam of those eyes gave her a chance to figure out how to think straight without tripping on her tongue.
State-of-the-art stainless steel appliances and a huge walk-in pantry caught her notice. Shaker-style cabinetry in smoke blue matched flecks in the light stone counter tops.
Above the double sink, a large window framed a light covering of snow dusting the ranch. At the far end of the room, a door fitted with a glass panel and a doggie door lower down led through to what she guessed was a mudroom. She could see coats perched on hooks but not much else from her seat at the table.
A dog with brown-and-tan-splotched fur reclined in a doggy bed, biting d
own on some type of plastic chew toy. Was that a hot dog? Hard to tell from its mangled state. Maybe he’d like a new toy, one that squeaked.
Catching Chloe smiling his way, the dog lumbered over and sat at attention beside her chair, the perfect gentleman.
“Hey, boy, you’re one handsome fella. What’s your name?” She bent down and used both hands to scratch behind the dog’s ears, earning her licks on the inside of her wrist.
“His name’s Digger. Watch out for this guy, Chloe. He’s a born charmer.” Flynn winked.
Pot to kettle?
A loud scoff at the sink had her turning her head in that direction. Bam. She ran into Noah’s piercing gaze. The red-and-black check of his flannel shirt emphasized the broadness of his chest. The memory of running her fingers over that muscle-ripped torso sent a tingle of sweet need down to her pussy.
As he leaned back against the counter, Noah reminded her of a panther, relaxed yet ready to strike at a moment’s notice. He cocked his head to the side. The tease of a smile pulled at the corners of his mouth.
“Something you need to get off your chest, sweetheart?”
“Damn it, yes,” she snapped before pushing out a sigh. Losing her temper would get her nowhere, not up against these two. After a deep breath, she tried again.
“You guys need to learn I don’t take well to being shut out from the decision-making process, especially where it concerns me.”
“Chloe, I’m not sure how much you overheard, but you need to hear us out.” Flynn’s voice sent a hot shiver over her skin. “We appreciate you’re not used to having someone telling you what to do, but this isn’t about us being macho and taking charge. Ignoring the fact that we consider you ours and want to have you here on the ranch, this is more about keeping you safe.” Flynn picked up her hand, firming his grip when she tried to pull away.
She turned to stare out the window above the kitchen sink.
“Look at me.”
That low voice—Dom voice. Obey.
Of its own volition, her gaze snapped to Flynn’s face. Twin beacons of gray beckoned her, summoning her obedience. She licked her lips.