by Carol Lynne
He thought about what it had felt like to finally sink his cock into Lilly, knowing no one had been there before. She was tight and hot, and goddamn he loved her.
As Ryker rode up to the barn, Ranger was there to take Lilly into his arms. He waited until Ryker dismounted and passed her back. “I’ll take care of the horses while you get Lilly warm and dry.”
Ryker felt like a weight had landed in his stomach. Taking a deep breath, he nodded and carried Lilly inside. He felt like he was outside his body, unable to reconcile his feeling between his brother and the woman he loved. Drawing a warm bath, he used his favorite bath salts and lit Lilly a few candles. It was bad enough he was going to leave her after making love for the first time to talk to Ranger. He didn’t want her to think she was unloved.
Slipping under the water, Lilly cupped his cheek. “Go to him, I’ll be fine.”
Ryker leaned over the edge of the tub and kissed her, trying to put all the love he felt into this one awkward moment. “Hopefully I won’t be long.”
Lilly gave him a slight smile and nodded. He could tell by the strained look on her face that she was hurting as well. Dammit, this was supposed to be the answer to all his prayers, so why did everyone he loved feel sad?
Ryker closed his eyes and stood. Walking out to the great room, he spotted Ranger making a fire even though it was barely October. Sitting on the floor in front of the large river stone hearth, he stared at the flames. “Talk to me.”
“Huh?” Ranger looked over seemingly unaware that Ryker had even entered the room. “Where’s Lilly?”
“Taking a bath. I came to talk to you.” He reached out and ran his fingers through Ranger’s wet curls. “What happened back there?”
“What do you mean? I think you were pretty much involved in the whole process,” Ranger tried to pass Ryker’s comments off as a joke.
Ryker put a hand to either side of Ranger’s head and made him look him in the eyes. “What happened to you while I was making love to Lilly? Don’t tell me nothing because I could feel it, feel you, pulling away from us.”
Ranger shut his eyes. Ryker watched as his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down in the firelight. He could tell Ranger was trying not to cry. He’d only seen him cry twice before. The day their Dad had died and the night Sonny was shot. Ranger was tough, always had been. He was the one who’d held Ryker together when they’d been forced to leave their home at the age of eighteen. It had always been Ranger.
Now his brother clung to him fighting to keep the tears at bay. “I’m scared,” Ranger finally whispered in a guttural voice.
He pulled Ranger into his arms and buried his face in his neck. “I love you. You’re part of me, I can’t live unless I know you’re beside me, but I love Lilly, too. Please don’t ask me to give her up.”
Ranger shook his head. “Never. I’d never ask you to do that. I’m not sure how I’ll fit in with the two of you though. I like Lilly, a lot, but it doesn’t feel right making love to her knowing I don’t love her like you do, and I’m not sure I ever will. She’s yours and she always will be. So where does that leave me?”
Fuck! He’d never even thought of a scenario like this happening between them. “Are you saying I can’t have you both? That I have to somehow choose?”
“No, my minds just all screwed up right now.” Ranger said.
Feeling a warm hand on his back, Ryker turned to see Lilly, wrapped in the large blue terry robe he’d laid out for her. “Can I say something?” Lilly asked chewing on her lip.
Nodding, Ryker released one of his arms that held Ranger and pulled Lilly into a hug. The feel of both of them against him was right, dammit.
“I know I shouldn’t have heard what I did, but I’m glad I took the chance.” Lilly kissed Ranger’s cheek. “I don’t want to take Ryker away from you. And I was wondering if you could give us a chance. I don’t expect you to vow your undying love for me right away, but I already love you, I have for years. Just give me the opportunity to show you I’m not trying to come between the two of you? I wanna make a life here, with Ryker and you. I can be patient, give you time, hell, I’ll give you whatever you need. But please, don’t give up on me. I’m not sure how you feel about sharing his love and attention, but I’d rather have part of him than none of him.”
“How does that work?” Ranger asked, his voice hoarse with emotion.
“I’m not sure. This is all new to me. Maybe we could both try loving Ryker and maybe someday you’ll grow to love me, too.”
Lilly didn’t have to spell it out. He knew she was talking about intimacy between her and Ryker and between him and Ranger. She seemed to know his brother pretty well. Ranger didn’t want to make love to Lilly with his feelings still up in the air and Lilly was saying she understood that. She was also telling Ranger he could still be intimate with him and she’d give them the space to do that. He shook his head, finding it hard to believe he’d found a woman who understood what Ranger meant to him.
Time seemed to stand still as Ranger and Lilly looked at each other. Ryker finally released the breath he’d been holding when Ranger kissed the tip of Lilly’s nose. “We’ll see how it goes. Who knows, maybe it’s my own confusion about what comes next that’s getting in the way.” He cupped Lilly’s cheek. “I do care for you, no matter what, I need you to understand that. I’m just confused right now. I may wake up tomorrow and realize I’m madly in love with you and this whole conversation will have been wasted.”
“Never wasted.” Lilly kissed Ranger’s forehead. “You’re feelings are as important to me as Ryker’s and if something’s bothering you, we need to work it out together.”
“Deal,” Ranger agreed.
* * * *
The alarm woke them the next morning. Ryker was in his usual spot sandwiched between Ranger and Lilly. Stretching, he wrapped himself around Lilly as Ranger snuggled up to his back. “I don’t want to go to work,” he groaned, burying his head against Lilly’s warm neck.
“Sorry, Bub, but we’ve got a hundred head being loaded this morning for auction.” Ranger kissed his shoulder.
“What’s your day like, sweetheart?” he asked as he kissed his way around Lilly’s shoulder and neck.
“I need to call the insurance company and see what they’re going to do about my car. I have to be at work at three, but I’ll get off around eleven-thirty if we aren’t too busy.” She groaned as he slid his fingers between her pussy lips to the core of her.
“You sore?” Ryker asked, nipping her shoulder.
“No, make love to me,” she said, turning her head for a kiss.
Ryker looked over his shoulder at Ranger. “We have time for some love?”
“Yeah,” Ranger said, “I’ll just go get in the shower.”
“I really wish you wouldn’t try to run away every time I wanna make love to Lilly.” He pulled Ranger’s head down for a kiss.
Wide-eyed, Ranger looked over at Lilly. “Is that okay with you?”
“Of course.” She smiled at Ranger.
Rummaging in the drawer, Ranger came back with a condom and lube.
Ryker watched as a spark of desire flashed across Ranger’s face as he threw back the covers. With the three of them nude, it was easy to see Ranger’s need in the erection bobbing against his stomach. He’s scared. It wasn’t that he didn’t desire the two of them together, it went deeper. Ryker was determined to root out the problem, and soon.
Sitting back on his heels, he looked at the condom in Ranger’s hand. “Care to put it on me?”
Looking nervous, Ranger tore open the package and scooted closer. Ryker pulled him into a kiss as Ranger slid the latex down his aching cock. His hands felt natural on Ryker’s shaft as they continued to kiss, Ranger reaching down to run his fingers over Ryker’s heavy sac.
A physical shiver from him and a moan from Lilly broke their kiss. “Thank you,” he whispered against Ranger’s lips. He hoped Ranger understood he was thanking him for everything, not just the sexy two-mi
nute hand job.
“Stretch out beside Lilly, I’d like to look into the eyes of the two people I love.” He smiled as Ranger did as he asked. “Feel free to play if the mood strikes,” he teased as he placed the head of his cock to Lilly’s core.
As his cock slid into the tight channel, Ryker leaned over and kissed her, pushing his tongue in as deep as his shaft. “Oh, sweetheart.” He felt Lilly’s body tighten around him as he pulled out only to fill her again.
The harder he thrust into her, the more she appeared to like it. He smiled when he watched as Ranger put a hand on her lower stomach, stroking her soft skin. Ryker didn’t think Ranger was even aware he was doing it. His smile grew wider. That was a very good sign.
Lilly’s gaze connected with his, yep, Lilly was thinking the same thing. Hooking one of her legs over his shoulder, he looked down at Ranger. “Help a brother out?”
Ranger grinned and held Lilly’s other leg up against his body. As his hips pistoned faster, driving his cock deep into her depths, Lilly’s breathing changed from panting to stuttering. He knew she was close. Reaching out, he held his finger in front of Ranger’s mouth who automatically opened and laved Ryker’s digit thoroughly.
Withdrawing his finger he positioned it at Lilly’s back puckered hole and slowly inserted it. If she was going to eventually make love to both of them at the same time, she’d need to get used to having both holes filled.
Lilly, it seemed, was more than ready. As soon as he breached her tight ring of muscles her back bowed, body tightening around his cock. Her cry of release was like music to his ears. Removing his finger, he buried himself and pumped his seed into the condom. Falling forward, he caught himself with his arms and loomed over her. Sealing their passionate session with a kiss, he moaned as he felt Ranger’s hand skim down his back to land on his ass.
Turning his head, he kissed Ranger. Ryker was surprised when a finger ran down the crack of his ass to tap against his hole. He opened his eyes, still kissing Ranger’s soft lips. The small touch was beginning to wake his cock, still buried inside Lilly.
Ranger seemed to realize what he’d done and his eyes flew open. For a split second, the need was apparent. Could it be? His train of thought was interrupted as Ranger leaped off the bed. “I’m going to grab a shower,” he mumbled walking away.
Ryker closed his eyes. A soft hand to the side of his face had him smiling. Opening his eyes, he stared down into Lilly’s jade green jewels. “I’m in love with you.”
“I know, I can feel it when you look at me,” Lilly replied, bringing his head down for another kiss. Their tongues lapped at each other’s mouths as his hands buried themselves in Lilly’s long black curls.
“We have a lot of cattle to get loaded this morning, but maybe I can talk Ranger into taking the afternoon off. I thought we could go to the walk-in clinic in Lincoln.”
Lilly smiled and wrapped her legs around him. “I like that idea. As long as I can be at work by three-thirty, I’m game.”
Ryker licked a path from her ear down to the hollow of her neck. Swirling his tongue in the divot of skin, he moaned. “I want to bury myself deep inside your sweet pussy without anything between us.”
“Mmm hmm,” Lilly sighed as he worked his way down to her pebbled nipple. Nipping at the turgid flesh with his teeth, he laved the sting with his tongue. “Did you like when I filled your ass with my finger?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“I want the three of us to make love. That’ll mean either Ranger or me taking you there. Are you okay with that?”
“Yes,” she grinned. “Actually I look forward to it.” Lilly looked toward the bathroom door. “Maybe we should get Ranger drunk and seduce him.”
“I thought about asking Sonny to talk to him. Whatever’s really wrong with him, he won’t tell me, but maybe he’d open up to Sonny.”
Lilly shook her head. “You know he won’t. If he eventually opens up to anyone, it’ll be you. I think the two of you need to go out drinking. It’s been my experience that more things are said with liquor on the breath.”
“Maybe we’ll just get drunk here. Ranger likes to dance when he drinks, and I’d rather be home for that.” Ryker heard the water shut off in the bathroom. “Don’t be surprised if you come home tonight to two sloppy drunks. Ranger can usually drink me under the table so it’ll take a lot to get him loose lipped.”
“I’ll happily pour you both into bed.”
Chapter Twelve
By lunchtime, the three of them were on their way to Lincoln. On orders from Ranger, Ryker drove this time. It appeared Ranger didn’t want a replay of their last trip. The highway thrummed under the tires as they traveled up the interstate. “So what did the insurance company say about your car?”
“That they were totaling it and the check should be to me by the end of the week. It won’t be much, but maybe I can use it, with some of my savings on a down payment for another one.”
Ranger who’d been looking out the passenger window turned his attention to Lilly. “What are ya looking for?”
She shrugged and turned the stereo down. “Don’t really care. Something cheap and reliable.”
“Oh, that mystery dream car that every used car buyer searches for,” Ryker joked. He reached down and squeezed Lilly’s thigh. “We’ll find something.”
“Yeah, I was going to ask if we could go into the city this weekend.”
“Sure,” Ranger said, placing a kiss on Lilly’s forehead.
Ryker almost drove out of his lane at the unsolicited gesture.
Ranger must have caught the look on his face because he cleared his throat and looked back out the window. He knew Ranger wasn’t as unaffected by Lilly as he let on. Now he just needed to find a way to get Ranger to see it.
“I thought maybe Bub and I would come into the Zone for dinner later. Check to make sure Jeff isn’t anywhere around,” Ranger said in a casual way.
Ryker knew Lilly wouldn’t think anything about it, but he could tell by the tick of Ranger’s jaw that this thing with Jeff had been on his mind. Ryker’d heard Ranger talking to Rawley on the phone earlier in the day. He knew they hadn’t found any evidence to link Jeff with the vandalism, but Rawley had promised to have a Sheriff’s department vehicle out in the parking lot when Lilly got off shift.
“Oh, it’s a good night too. Kathy’s making pot roast.” Lilly gave Ryker a look, eyebrow raised.
“We’ll probably just stay for dinner and a couple beers before heading home.” He looked over at the back of Ranger’s head before giving Lilly a wink.
* * * *
The clinic was a busy, but they’d promised to give the three of them a call the next day with their test results. “One more day,” Ryker sighed as he tilted the icy mug of beer to his lips.
“Yep,” Ranger said absently. His mood brightened when he spotted Garron and Sonny coming through the door. Ranger stood and waved them over. “Hey, guys, what brings you to the Zone?”
Sonny and Garron looked at each other and said at the same time, “Pot roast.”
Smiling, he sat back down. “Pull up a chair.” He saw Lilly making her way over to them. There didn’t seem to be as many drinkers here tonight as there were roast eaters.
Lilly kissed Sonny’s forehead. “It’s good to see you in here again. You two looking to eat the special?”
“You know it,” Garron said, rubbing his palms together in anticipation.
Lilly grinned and turned toward him and Ryker. “Another round of beer?”
Ranger nodded and finished off his mug. “Thanks, sweetheart.”
Lilly picked up the two empty glasses and raised her brows at Garron and Sonny. “Beer or whiskey?”
Garron spoke up, “Beer for me and a Coke for Sonny.”
As soon as Lilly walked off, Ranger turned to his brother. “You been having headaches again?” He knew Sonny didn’t drink when he was taking pain medication for his headaches.
“A few,” Sonny shrugged.<
br />
Ranger reached across the table and covered Sonny’s hand. “You call if you need anything.”
Sonny chuckled and rolled his eyes. “I think you’ve got your hands pretty full right now, but it’s nice to know.”
A picture of having his hands full of Ryker and Lilly flashed through Ranger’s mind. He immediately felt his cock harden behind the fly of his jeans as he pictured the three of them making love, only instead of them both inside Lilly he was buried deep inside Ryker. A beer being set in front of him snapped him back to the present. He felt his face heat at the thoughts that had swirled around his head all day. What the hell’s going on with me? He shook his head in disgust.
And just like that, his mood turned. Needing to get away, he drank his beer as fast as his throat would allow. When he set the empty mug on the scarred tabletop, he looked over at Lilly. “I’d like my food to-go.” Ranger said, his voice deep and rough.
“Sure, I’ll go tell Kathy to put it in a container.” Lilly looked at him for another second or two before turning and walking toward the kitchen.
“Something wrong?” Ryker asked.
“Need to leave.” He looked at Ryker, the image of being buried inside him still fresh in his mind. “You stay. Have Garron and Sonny drop you off on their way by.”
Without waiting for a reply he stood and walked toward the bar, Lilly was just coming out of the kitchen with his dinner. Digging in his pocket, he hoped Lilly wouldn’t notice his rock hard erection. He pulled out a twenty and handed it to her. “Goodbye.”
Turning on his heel, he left the bar and drove straight to the liquor store.
* * * *
By the time he was dropped off, Ryker had worked himself up pretty good. He’d wanted to leave with Ranger earlier, but the stubborn ass hadn’t even given him a chance. He’d been forced to try and explain Ranger’s actions to not only Lilly but Sonny and Garron as well.
Needing time alone before he confronted Ranger, Ryker had Garron drop him at the end of the drive. Now, as he walked the long gravel road, he started to feel strange. At first he thought maybe it was the beer and food combined with the worry that was upsetting him, but as the ache became more severe he knew it was more, it was Ranger. Something was wrong.