Cowboy Brothers of Rainbow Canyon: A Western Contemporary Cowboy Romance

by K. C. Crowne

  Adam opened his mouth to speak but closed it. It was clear he didn’t know what to say. “We, um, we don’t need to think about any of that right now. More important shit to worry about.”

  “But I can’t stop thinkin’ about it. And I bet anything you can’t either.”

  He didn’t answer immediately. “Travis…” Adam said finally, shaking his head before he looked at me. “He’s a good man.”

  “I know. And so are you.”

  “But he’s in a hell of a bind. I know the man – I know him damn well.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean? What kind of bind?”

  “We’ve talked about you, Skye. Talked about this thing goin’ on.”

  It irked me some that they hadn’t included me in the conversation. “And what did you discuss?”

  “Travis talked about how nothin’ can happen between the two of you on account of him bein’ your boss and you bein’ his employee.”

  “But…” I was about to say something about how we’d already…done stuff. But Adam likely didn’t want to hear about that.

  “I’m sure you found out tonight how important family is to Travis. That Walker clan, they’re tight as hell. Sometimes I’m a little envious of how tight they are. Don’t really have anything like that.”

  “Same here. Kind of all by myself now.”

  “Well, you’re not anymore.” He took my hand again and squeezed it, the sensation making me want him even more. “But with Travis, I’m sure he knows that anything happenin’ between you and him might roil up some kinda scandal. Think about if Bryce were to find out and spread the word that there was somethin’ goin’ on between you and him. He’d have the eye of the entire area on Rainbow Canyon.”

  I nodded my head, understanding.

  Adam sucked in a breath. “He cares too much about his family to put them in that spot. So, he’s gonna hold back how he feel.”

  There was a burning question on my mind, one I couldn’t hold back any longer. I had to ask. “But…what about me and you?”

  Adam turned his gaze to me, and for a moment I was totally taken by his face, his gorgeous features, his kind eyes. “What about me and you?”

  I tilted my head. “You’re not my boss. No scandal if anything were to happen between us.”

  He shook his head. “But…it feels like I’d be betrayin’ my friend. I want you, I really do, Skye. But that might not be enough.”

  All I heard was the part where he’d said, “I want you.” A surge of heat ran through my body, and I rubbed my thighs together. Without thinking, I moved my hand up his arm, dragging my nails over his rough, taut forearms.

  “It could be enough. We don’t have to, you know, make a thing about it. We can have each other, just for a little while?”

  I glanced down at his jeans, and I could see his cock twitch through the denim. Whatever the words coming out of his mouth, his body told me the truth.

  “It’s…not a good idea,” he said. “Not with Travis, not with everythin’ that’s goin’ on.”

  He was rock solid – I could see it.

  “I don’t wanna hear what you think you oughta do,” I said. “I want to know what’s really goin’ on in that head of yours.”

  He took a deep breath and spoke. “You kiddin’ me? I want you like crazy, Skye. You’re about all I can damn-near think about. Not a minute goes by without me…” He stopped, trailed off, as if he realized he’d said too much.

  “Without you what?”

  “Without me wantin’ to call you and tell you to come wherever I am so I can give you the screwin’ of a lifetime.”

  Another surge of heat ran through me, wetness along with it. I was so ready for him, I felt like I might explode.

  “Well, I’m here right now. And I’m tellin’ you that I want it as bad as you do. So…what’s stoppin’ you?”

  A sly smile formed on his sexy mouth. “You know, now that you mention it, not a damn thing.”

  I’d broken through to him.

  “Now come here,” he said. He reached over and grabbed me by the hips. I undid my seatbelt as he lifted me and placed me on his lap. My legs were spread over his thighs, my body near enough to his that I could feel his thick cock through his jeans. However turned on I was before, that pushed me over the edge.

  “God, how much I’ve been wantin’ to kiss you.”

  I smiled as Adam brought his lips to mine. The kiss was something else. But then a strange thing happened – as soon as our mouths opened enough to move our tongues against one another’s, I thought of Travis.

  It wasn’t in the sense I wished he was there instead of Adam. No, it was more than I wanted them both, together like we’d been that first night. But I was more than happy with the man sitting underneath me.

  We kissed long and deep, and as we did Adam undid the buttons of my shirt and pushed it off my shoulders. I was wearing a red bra, and my nipples were hard and my breasts about ready to burst through it. But Adam had it off before I had to worry about anything like that.

  The kiss continued as he massaged my breasts, the sensation of his fingertips on my nipples total heaven.

  “We gonna do this right here in the truck?” I asked, my chest heaving as he kissed my tits.

  “Can’t think of a reason why not. I ain’t about to wait another minute.”

  I grinned. “You thinkin’ I give you as good a ride as I gave that bull back at Raw Heart’s?”

  “Great minds…” he murmured, trailing off.

  I opened his shirt enough to stare at his sculpted body underneath. My hands moved over his pecs almost frantically. At the same time, Adam undid my belt buckle and helped me shimmy off my jeans while I kicked my boots from my feet. The fabric between my legs was soaking wet, and Adam placed his hand there and began to rub. Holy hell, did it feel right.

  “Look at you – all wet for me.”

  “Can’t…can’t help it.” I could barely get out the words through the moans. “You make me crazy, Adam.”

  “Feelin’s more than mutual, gorgeous.”

  Hearing him call me gorgeous brought a smile to my lips, one that turned into a big “O” as he massaged me. Through it, I placed my hand on his cock and teased him through his jeans.

  “We need to get this shit off,” he said. “Gonna lose my mind over here.”

  “Then do it.”

  He hooked his thumbs under the waist of my panties and pulled them down. My underwear rolled down my thighs, and I kicked them off when they reached my feet. As soon as they were gone, Adam’s hand was between my legs.

  “You get so wet for me, baby. You like when I touch you there?”

  “Such a stupid question,” I said with a grin. “You know I can’t get enough of it.”

  He rubbed his hand against my lips, each bit of pressure coaxing more pleasure out of me. While he was busy touching me, I set about the task of getting him out of his pants. First the belt buckle, then the button, then the zipper. Then he was all mine.

  His cock strained against his underwear – which were a sexy little pair of white boxer-briefs. I reached in and clasped him. Adam let out one of his growls, the ones that drove me totally wild, as I wrapped my fingers around his shaft.

  “Right here in the truck?” he asked, repeating my question. “Fine with me.”

  “And more than fine with me,” I said as I lifted myself and positioned my pussy right over his head.

  Adam grabbed my hips, squeezing the curvy flesh. Didn’t seem like he was in a waiting mood. He lowered me, his cock spreading my lips and pushing inside me. I sat down on him, my head swirling with how damn good he felt buried to the root inside me.

  My pussy gripped him tight, and the ecstasy was so intense that I could barely even think about moving. But Adam helped me with that, too. His hands still on my hips, he lifted me up and brought me back down onto him.

  “Damn, you feel like heaven,” he moaned.

  “Right back at you,” I groaned.

&
nbsp; I rocked my hips back and forth, feeling his solid cock rub against my walls. Then I arched my back, slamming my hands down onto his shoulders and increasing the pace of my movements. The way he felt, the way he looked, the way he tasted – heaven, heaven, heaven, like he’d said.

  Adam grabbed my breasts as they bounced wildly with my bucking. I grinded him hard, switching it up between moving up and down and back and forth. Wasn’t long before the orgasm was right there waiting for me.

  “I can feel you,” he said. “I can feel you about to come.”

  “I’m gonna, baby,” I moaned. “I’m gonna!”

  “I want you to come for me right now. Come right now on my cock.”

  His voice was commanding, and I loved it, loved the way he was still in control even though I was the one on top. The orgasm burst through my body in the middle of my ride. Adam’s was next, and his eyes shut tightly as I felt him spray deep inside of me. The pleasure was insane, like the sweetest drug imaginable. There was only me and him, me and him as we came together.

  I slowed, keeping him inside me as we came back to reality. Adam gave my ass one last squeeze before I climbed off him. We dressed ourselves in silence. And as I fastened the last button of my shirt, Adam’s words from before hit me.

  This was wrong.

  Once we were dressed, Adam started the truck and we continued on our way to Rainbow Canyons. Neither of us said a word, and I wondered if he was thinking the same as me.

  I spent the drive thinking, tossing the situation around in my head. Adam and Travis, two men I wanted. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I shouldn’t have either one of them. Between Bryce and the family and their friendship, I was poised to be the match that set off a fire that might never burn out.

  “Adam,” I said once we were in front of the ranch. “We can’t do this anymore.”

  Confusion gripped his features. “You’re…serious?”

  “I care about you, I do. And I want you to be in my life. But you’re right, this can’t work.” I didn’t look at him. I couldn’t. “Don’t worry about helping me with the bags. I can get them.”

  After hurrying out of the car, I grabbed my bags and headed to the front doors. I wondered what the hell I’d just done.

  Travis

  The second Adam drove off without saying a word, leaving Skye standing at the door with her bags in her hands, I knew something was up.

  “Hey,” she said weakly as I held the door open for her.

  I didn’t let her get a step into the ranch before I took her bags from her.

  “You don’t need to do that,” she said. “I can handle my own things.”

  “Basic manners,” I told her. “You’re a guest in this house.”

  “Yeah.” She trudged past me into the house

  I wanted to grill her on the spot, but her downcast expression didn’t let me. I didn’t want to come after her too hard. But the jealousy was intense. Something had happened with her and Adam, and I wanted to know about it.

  We went up the spiral stairs leading to Skye’s room on the second floor, neither of us speaking. I tried to figure out how I felt. Was I angry? Crushed? Hard to say. But I didn’t like it one bit.

  After reaching her room, I set the bags on the floor. Skye stepped into the space, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

  “Hey. You…mind closin’ the door?”

  Good. That meant she was ready to talk. I did as she asked, taking a seat on the bed next to her once the door was shut.

  “What’s up?” It was a dumbass question – I knew damn well what was going on.

  “I need to tell you about somethin’. Just happened.”

  I clenched my fists and let them go. Just happened. Meaning, as I was in the kitchen helping Mama G clear the table, sneaking a bite of blackberry pie here and there, Adam and Skye were fucking like a couple of prairie dogs.

  “Let me guess,” I said, wanting to get right to it. “You and Adam.”

  She nodded. Sure, I’d known, but seeing her confirmation made the jealousy burn like a jet engine fire.

  “On the way back,” she confessed. “I know…I know it shouldn’t have happened. But it did.”

  “You and him…hooked up.”

  “That’s one way to put it,” she agreed, grimacing. “I don’t know what came over me.”

  “You mean, what came over both of you.”

  “Yeah. I guess it takes two.”

  I took a slow, deep breath, trying to give my nerves the chance to un-jangle themselves. As jealous as I was, I sure as shit didn’t want to blow up at Skye. It’d only make the situation worse. I weighed my next words carefully, knowing whatever relationship I was going to have with Skye hung in the balance.

  “That’s…that’s fine.”

  She snapped her head in my direction, her eyes wide with shock and confusion. “It’s…what?”

  “I said it’s fine. And it is.”

  “How is it fine?”

  “How’s it not? You and me havin’ any sort of thing goin’ on…that’s not fine. Whole boss-employee thing. But like we talked about before, you and Adam is a whole other story.”

  There was silence as Skye processed what I’d said. “You mean…you’re not bothered by it?”

  “I ain’t,” I lied, but I had to lie. “It is what it is, you know? I gave him my blessing, and that’s that. You’re both adults, and whatever you want to do on your own time is your business. You and him get busy while you’re on the clock…that might be a different matter.” I offered a weak smile, the best I could do with how I felt inside.

  “Well,” she said. “You’re not gonna have to worry about that.”

  “Oh yeah? What’re you talkin’ about?”

  “I mean, I told him after that he and I weren’t gonna be gettin’ up to any of that kind of business anymore. It’s done.”

  The jealously was still there, sure, but what she’d said sent a cool breeze of relief over the raging fire. “And why’s that?”

  “Just…with everything that’s goin’ on. Bryce and work and me bein’ here with you and your family. Didn’t seem right, you know?”

  “You ain’t sayin’ this because you’re worried about me, are you?” I asked her, staring hard at her. “Because I’m a big boy, I can handle my shit.”

  “No. Well, maybe that’s part of it too. There’s me and you and him and seein’ only one of you seemed wrong. I don’t know. Maybe I’m bein’ paranoid, but that’s how I feel, and that’s what I told him.”

  I allowed myself a minute. It should’ve been good news, but it still hit me strangely. There was nothing to do but leave. I heaved myself off the bed and started toward the door.

  “You feelin’ alright?” I asked. “Need anything?”

  She shook her head. “Nah, but thank you. I’m thinkin’ I’ll take a bath, try and relax before gettin’ a good night’s rest.”

  “Sure. But if you do need anything, you let me know, y’hear?”

  “I will. And…thanks for lettin’ me be here, and thanks for understandin’.”

  “Don’t mention it.” I glanced at her over my shoulder before leaving. Then I shut the door and walked away.

  My gut tightened as soon as I was away from Skye. I’d meant what I’d said about giving my blessing and all that shit, but that didn’t mean it hadn’t hurt like hell to hear that she’d hooked up with Adam again. And now she was done with both of us? Thought it was for the better than she didn’t mess around with either of us? Hell, maybe she was right. Didn’t mean it sucked any less to think about her and Adam hooking up. Damn, the whole thing had left me feeling raw as hell.

  Once I was back at my cabin, I poured myself a stiff drink of whiskey. I felt a little better after shooting it, but booze would only do so much. I tried to relax, tried to have a quiet night in hoping that might make me feel a little less bent out of shape. But it didn’t help. Not even losing myself in work managed to untangle my gut.

  I got to the
point where I realized only a good night’s sleep had any chance of settling me. Once eleven rolled around, I stripped down to my boxer-briefs and climbed into bed. I worried I might not be able to get to sleep, but it only took a few minutes before I was out like a light.

  The dream I had that night was strange as hell.

  Me and Skye and Adam, all together. The three of us were at the main ranch, no one else in the house but us. Didn’t know how I knew we were alone, but I just knew in that way you did in dreams.

  The dream was hot as hell, to be honest. There was kissing, there was sex, there was genuine affection from me and Adam to Skye. And I felt...calm about it, like it was the most natural thing in the world. The three of us were in some kind of strange, domestic situation where we all got along, me and Adam loving Skye, her loving us.

  When I woke up in the morning, I didn’t know what to make of it. The three of us…it was tense between us. Not one of us seemed to know how the hell to handle what was going on. Best we could do was not get mixed up with her, hoping to keep any potential drama at bay before it blew up in our faces.

  But the more I thought about the dream, the more…normal it felt.

  Adam

  A few weeks passed uneventfully, which was a hell of a relief. Bryce must’ve decided to back off after learning that Skye was staying at the Walker ranch – a smart move on his part.

  And absolutely nothing exciting happened between me and Skye and Travis. Skye hadn’t said anything about not talking to her, but with how our last conversation had gone after our hookup in the truck, I figured it was a good idea to give the girl her distance. Made sense, would keep the drama to a minimum.

  There was more to it than that, though. I still wanted her badly, and the idea of being around her without being able to have her made me crazy. Keeping my distance was about my own sanity as much as it was respecting her wishes.

  Slowly but surely, the work at Bryce’s ranch proceeded. After finishing the surveying, we got the go-ahead from the groundskeeper to get started on the actual construction. With the amount of money Bryce had thrown at us, we were able to get it done in record time.