by Vanessa Vale
Skirt Steak
Grade-A Beefcakes Series - Book 5
Vanessa Vale
Skirt Steak
Copyright © 2019 by Vanessa Vale
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the products of the author's imagination and used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from both authors, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
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Cover design: Bridger Media
Cover graphic: Shutterstock: Art of Photos; Period Images
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Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Note From Vanessa
Want More? Visit Steele Ranch!
Spurred
About the Author
Also by Vanessa Vale
Prologue
JULIA
* * *
My brothers had each found their “The One”. Even my cousin Porter. It had happened fast for them. Bam, hit by a Mack truck of love. They were all pussy-whipped and happy about it.
It was hard to watch because I wanted what they had. A guy who was ridiculously possessive, attentive, protective. Loving. Devoted. All the adjectives a woman wanted in a man.
Their hot and heavy affection made me even more depressed. Made Friday dinners even harder to swallow. Clearly, a relationship wasn’t for me. Love existed, but for everyone else.
I was doomed to being the spinster who had six cats and even more vibrators.
I’d been in such a funk about relationships, I didn’t see one when it arrived on the doorstep. It even rang the doorbell for me. As for fast? I should have used a stopwatch on how long it took me to fall in love. One weekend and a story could be written about it.
The Duke boys were nicknamed for cuts of meat. Sir Loin of Beef. T-Bone. Tri-Tip. Porterhouse. We were a ranching family after all. And me? I was known as Skirt Steak. I didn’t think much of it until Cash and Bennett, because they told me—and showed me—how much they liked my pink center, said it was juicy and lick-their-lips good.
I was going to take their word for it. Every single time they made me come.
1
JULIA
* * *
“Dildos weren’t what I had in mind for party favors,” Kaitlyn said as she held a neon green one in her hand. She pushed her glasses up her nose and frowned at it.
I paused as I pulled one from the brown shipping box. I’d ordered them online for the party. “You haven’t seen one up close before?”
I wasn’t into using lots of toys with a guy, but I did have a vibrator in my bedside drawer for sex dry spells… like now.
She blushed and looked at me across her kitchen table. A sly grin spread across her face as she waved the toy back and forth, the tip of it swaying. “With two men with big dicks, who needs this?”
I closed my eyes and groaned. “Ugh, I hate when you guys talk about my brothers’ dicks.” And a pang of loneliness was buried beneath the horrible mental picture of my brothers, naked. I didn’t have a guy warming my bed, or my heart, and I wasn’t holding out hope for finding one. Not after what happened with Frank Marsden, not that I was telling anyone, least of all Kaitlyn or the others. He lived in town and Raines was really small. I’d been miserable enough after our so-called relationship to become a road warrior for work, taking jobs all over to keep me out of town until I felt like my self-confidence wasn’t in the toilet. Until Frank hopefully moved on.
Kaitlyn didn’t apologize, and why should she? It wasn’t her fault she was in a solid—and sexy—relationship with my oldest brother, Duke, and also with Jed Cassidy, who owned a bar on Main Street. She laughed and set the dildo back on the table. “It’s only me around right now. Just wait until Ava and Parker get here.”
The other two women were in relationships with my other brothers. Parker was hot and heavy with Gus, along with his two colleagues Kemp and Poe. Ava was engaged to my middle brother, Tucker, and also Colton Ridge. Yeah, two guys for Ava and three for Parker. Tonight was Ava’s bachelorette party which Kaitlyn was hosting, although I was the organizer. That was why I was at her house early, getting things set up.
“Don’t forget Jill. Porter’s my cousin, and hearing about his dick isn’t all that fun either,” I grumbled. I was happy for all four of them, but I really didn’t like to hear all the details of their sex lives, especially when mine only involved either my hand or my vibrator.
“Then you shouldn’t have bought dildos,” Kaitlyn countered, grabbing a favor bag, opening it up and sitting it upright beside the others on the table to be filled.
“Oh please, ditching the dildos isn’t going to keep everyone from talking hot men, or ogling the ones I have showing up.”
“So it’s okay for you to call your brothers—and cousin—hot, but not mention their dicks,” she countered. She was an only child, so she had no idea what it was like with three older brothers. Three bossy older brothers.
It wasn’t like I was going to tell any of them about my sex life… and after Frank, I figured sex wasn’t happening. Ever. I wasn’t looking for a guy. In fact, I’d had to hide from one at the grocery store. Of course, with Raines being so small, I had to see Frank standing with some woman in front of the apples in the produce section. I’d had to steer my cart around the deli counter and hide in the pasta section until I was sure he was gone.
Sure, a guy would be nice. To have what Kaitlyn had with Duke and Jed was something I’d always wanted. But now, since I was a considered a “frigid bitch”, it probably wasn’t going to happen. I sighed, knowing Frank the Asshole, was long over me, and yet still lingering in among the fruit and my low self-esteem. Most likely hooked up with the woman who knew what she was doing, could give blow jobs that didn’t put him to sleep. Hell, who wasn’t “broken”.
Guys wanted sex—good sex—and since I was bad at it, who would want to keep me? I had a feeling one of the dildo favors was going to be my late night BFF.
“Julia,” Kaitlyn said, waving her hand a few feet in front of me.
I blinked, smiled, then lied. “Sorry, I was blocking out visions of my hot brothers.” I picked up the dildo, gripped it like it was a cucumber. “These are just for fun, and just for the ladies.”
“Don’t forget the strippers.” Kaitlyn waggled her eyebrows and grinned. “You’re so much better at this stuff than I am. If I’d planned it, we’d be having a quilting bee instead of hot guys giving us a show and fun favors.”
“You’re not as tame as you think,” I replied, tucking my hair behind my ear. “I mean, you’ve got two guys. And, you went to the all-male revue at Cassidy’s that one night.” Since I worked in marketing, Jed had asked me to help with ways to grow his business. A strip show was just one idea I’d had. The ladies’ night had been a huge hit. For Ava’s party tonight, I asked the same company to send two strippers. If th
ey were anything like the guys back in the fall, they were going to be H. O. T. My brothers—and cousin—would thank me later because Kaitlyn, Ava, Parker and Jill would all be horny and ready for a hot night.
I mentally sighed, reminding myself to get more batteries for my vibrator. With no man—or men—in my life, it was going to need them.
“I was brought on stage. God, in front of sooo many people,” she added, looking away with lingering embarrassment.
“With Duke and Jed. They wouldn’t let the strippers get near you,” I reminded her, although I doubted she could forget since it was when the three of them first met. It had been like lightning had struck.
“Tonight, it’s going to be different. A show right here in my living room.” She groaned. “If the guys find out strippers were swinging their dicks around in circles in the great room, they’ll be furious.”
“I’m not going to tell them.” I rolled my eyes, not afraid of any of the Duke boys. “Besides, this is just a job for them. They’re professionals.”
She held up her hands in surrender. “Fine, fine. If they get mad, it doesn’t really matter. I like being spanked anyway.”
I wasn’t sure if I should laugh or cover my ears.
“Well, at least your mom’s not coming,” she continued. “I couldn’t watch strippers with her. Or know she was taking home a dildo.”
I did laugh, then covered my mouth with my hand. I was close with my mom, but not that close.
She pointed to the table covered in favor items, bags and tissue paper. “If you’re okay here, I’m going to go take a shower.”
“No problem. I’ll just finish with these bags.”
It wasn’t even two minutes later when the doorbell rang. I looked at the clock on the microwave and realized it must be the strippers. They were early, but it didn’t matter. Better than being late. When I opened the door, I froze. Gulped, hoped I didn’t have drool on my chin. Holy hell, they were even hotter than the ones from the revue at Cassidy’s.
Two, big, brawny guys stood before me. For age, I guessed early thirties. One was probably six foot, the other a few inches over. One dark, the other fair. The dark haired one—the guy on the right—had a close-cropped beard. Brown eyes. The blond’s were fair. Their gazes roved over me from the top of my—most likely—wild red hair to my sock clad feet. They took their time in doing it, and I felt as if they didn’t miss a single inch. Suddenly, I was hot all over and my nipples went hard.
If they were going to stare, then so was I. I catalogued the taut white t-shirt and flannel on Mr. Brown Eyes, the snug, long sleeved Henley on Blondie, the perfect fit of their well-worn jeans in all the right places. Oh, they definitely had what a stripper needed inside those pants if the substantial bulges were any indication. In fact, was that Blondie’s dick going down the inside of his thigh?
Rugged, virile, intense, dark. Brooding. Well-hung. These two weren’t cowboys. No snap shirts or Stetsons in sight.
“Hi, guys, you’re here early,” I said after clearing my throat. Suddenly, my mouth was very dry. Other parts of me… not so much, and I rubbed my thighs together. If girls got hard-ons, I’d have one.
“I’m Cash,” Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome said, tipping his head. “And this is Bennett.” God, his voice was deep and… hot. I had a feeling if he whispered the dictionary in my ear he could get me to come.
Ava was going to reconsider marrying my brother and Jed after getting a look at these two. A flare of jealousy made me pause and realize I was an idiot. They were strippers here for work, not to be dragged to the altar. I wasn’t the first woman who’d ogled them, and I wouldn’t be the last.
“I’m Julia. I’m the one who arranged for you to come. I hope you like performing for bachelorette parties. All the ladies are due in about an hour for your little show, so you can hang out with me until then.”
Bennett narrowed his eyes and studied me again, making me very self-conscious. They weren’t trying to date me, just work a job. I exhaled, realizing I was being ridiculous. “Little show?” he asked.
I bit my lip and understood I’d pricked his vanity. How, I wasn’t exactly sure because there was no way women weren’t tossing their panties at them wherever they went. Even fully clothed. Their self-confidence must be through the roof.
“Yeah, sorry about that.” I glanced down at my green socks, then back at them. “I didn’t mean to make light of your job. Entertaining horny women can’t be easy, especially when you’re practically naked. I couldn’t be a stripper.”
They glanced down at my body, as if assessing me for the role.
“Why not? I’d like to see you take it all off,” Bennett replied.
I gave a little huff of a laugh. I wasn’t supermodel skinny, nor had centerfold boobs like Ava, and I had fiery red hair that had a mind of its own. “I’ve got no moves.” No moves at all, per Frank.
I stepped back so they could come in.
“You mentioned entertaining horny women. Are you horny?” Cash asked, taking a step toward me, making me tip my chin up to meet his eyes. Instantly, I wondered how that beard would feel against my inner thighs. Down, girl!
He was just flirting, a professional stripper. Flirting was part of the job. It definitely brought in more tips. But that was all it was. Sexy banter. They weren’t serious about me.
“What woman wouldn’t be, looking at you two?” I responded, tilting my head to see Bennett, too. It was easy to flirt with guys who weren’t actually interested. It was… practice flirting.
A slow grin spread across Bennett’s face. “I’m not interested in all women, just you.”
Oh. If looks could kill, I’d be dead… from orgasms. And my panties were definitely ruined now.
“Well, um… sure. Guys aren’t the only ones who think about sex all the time. Good thing I’ve got dildos for party favors. It’s like the real thing, without all the complaints. Come on, you can help me finish with the bags.”
They didn’t say anything, just stared at me wide-eyed, then looked at each other for a moment.
“Do you have costumes or props or anything you need to bring in?” I tried to look past them and out the door, but they were so big they blocked the view of the street.
“No,” Cash said.
I nodded once. “Right. You’re probably already wearing those little banana hammocks. That little scrap of stretchy fabric is all the costume you need, right?” Pointing toward the front of their jeans, I circled my finger about.
When they stared at me as if I sprouted a second head, I thought about what I’d said. “God, sorry.” I put my hand over my eyes for a moment in shame, shook my head. “Not little. I mean, sure, a G-string isn’t all that much material, but I’m sure you’re both very big.” I waved my finger around in a circle, then pointed in the direction of their dicks. “I didn’t mean to insult you… um, there.”
Cash grinned and I realized I sounded like a lunatic. No wonder I didn’t have a boyfriend. “Right, I’ll shut up now. Come on in.”
I heard the door close and they followed me through Kaitlyn’s house to the kitchen.
When I looked over my shoulder at them, I caught Tall, Dark and Handsome checking out my ass.
I blushed and stood in front of the favor bags again, not exactly sure how to entertain them. “I, um, just need to finish these up.” I reached into the box and pulled out two dildos. “Here.” I handed one to each of them. When Blondie’s eyebrows went up practically under his hair, I laughed. “They’re for the favor bags each guest gets to take home. I figured after your show, we might want to use one later. So, each bag gets a dildo and the other favors. They’re all lined up there to make it easy to fill.” I pointed to the other side of the table. “One in each.”
They studied the dildos in their hands. “Why do you need one of these? I’m sure your boyfriend knows what he’s doing,” Cash said.
I grabbed a bag and went around to the other favor items. I dropped a little lavender scented soap into t
he bag, then a bath bomb. “No boyfriend,” I replied.
“You said something about complaints. If you don’t like using a dildo, there are other toys.”
I looked up at Bennett’s comment, then grabbed a steamy paperback from the pile, dropped it in the bag. I thought of Frank, of what he’d said to me. The asshole who’d hijacked my produce department. “The dildo’s great,” I finally answered, grabbing a dildo from the box to finish filling the favor bag. “It doesn’t complain when it’s fucking me.”
I bit my lip, realized I said too much. Strippers or not, they were strangers, and they didn’t need to know this stuff. Taking a deep breath, I pasted on a smile. “I never offered you a drink. Can I get you something?”
They were staring at me. Again. Still. This time, their eyes were narrowed, jaws clenched. Bennett still held the neon green dildo and was practically strangling it.
“Who complains when fucking you? What’s his name?” he asked.
The front door slammed shut before I could say more. “Hello!”
Ava. Thank god.
“In here,” I called and the men put the dildos on the table. Ava breezed in, all smiles and perfect, Miss America hair. I hated that she looked so good all the time. I’d never seen her without at least mascara and lip gloss. She lived on a ranch in Montana, not Park Avenue, and I wanted to hate her for being so flipping perfect. But, I couldn’t.
With her in the room, I looked like a hot mess. My red hair was wild and always unruly. I didn’t have on any makeup, and I was in a t-shirt and jeans.