Bound & Teased
Bound & Teased
by
Marie Tuhart
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
Bound & Teased
COPYRIGHT © 2015 by Marie Tuhart
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
Contact Information: [email protected]
Cover Art by Angela Anderson
The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
PO Box 708
Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708
Visit us at www.thewilderroses.com
Publishing History
First Scarlet Rose Edition, 2015
Print ISBN 978-1-5092-0374-1
Digital ISBN 978-1-5092-0375-8
Published in the United States of America
Dedication
To my editor, Trish, without you this book wouldn't be as good as it is. Any mistakes are mine.
To Nia, Isabel, and Chandra the three best critique partners this writer could have.
PRAISE FOR AUTHOR
Marie Tuhart
AND HER BOOKS
RED CLUB TEMPTATION
“Marie Tuhart has done it again. This story is exciting from beginning to end. I couldn't put it down. I read this in one day. Her characters are real to me. They have problems from their past as we all do and are trying to find their way through them together. The story catches your attention in the beginning and doesn't stop. Even when you get to the end, you want more. I definitely recommend it.”
~Mary Ann, Sizzling Hot Books
HIS FOR THE WEEKEND
“Highly sensual, this is also a sweet tale of love between two memorable, well-rounded characters.”
~Keitha, RT Book Reviews
QUICK SILVER RANCH: ROPED & READY
“This story has something for everyone and will thrill readers looking for depth in their erotica story as Tuhart spends equal time on the physical and emotional sides of Becca and Tyler's romance.”
~Kate Girard, RT Book Reviews
Chapter One
“This stops now, Walter.” Katie Crane’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. “I’m not coming back to New York. No matter what you or my father want.”
“Quit being a bitch and listen to reason.”
Katie saw red. “You’re a bastard.” She yanked off the Bluetooth earpiece and tossed it out the window of the moving car. If only it was that easy to get rid of her ex and her father then life would be grand.
If things were that easy, she wouldn’t have run away eight years ago. Now, she was coming home to the two men she’d run from. Ry and Jed. Had her time in New York City taught her enough to be the woman they wanted?
She bit her lip. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. What if Ry and Jed didn’t want her anymore? Could she live with that?
Yes, she decided. She was tired of playing it safe. Her home town may be small but she could handle seeing them. She’d made the right decision. It was time to come home to stay. She missed Gran and after talking to her, she found out Ry and Jed didn’t have anyone special in their lives. Besides, after reporting her father to the government, he wasn’t going to be so welcoming. Her stomach churned.
A blinding blue light caught Katie’s eye.
Oh crap.
A large SUV with lights flashing filled her rearview mirror. Glancing at the speedometer confirmed she wasn’t speeding. The cruise control was engaged.
With a flick of her wrist, she turned her signal on and brought the car to a stop on the shoulder. Just what she needed, a ticket only ten miles from Felton’s Creek. She’d never live this down.
Katie kept her hands on the wheel while watching the vehicle in her rearview mirror. A tall, muscular man climbed out of the SUV. She caught a glimpse of dark hair before it was hidden beneath his hat. The moment he stepped up to her door, she lowered the window.
“Good afternoon, officer.” She was proud her voice was steady after the way Walter had badgered her. Her gaze shifted to the officer’s face.
Oh my.
His eyes were covered by reflective sunglasses, but those didn’t detract from a straight nose, sculptured cheekbones and a stubborn chin. All things she shouldn’t be noticing right now.
“Good afternoon, ma’am.” His smooth whiskey voice slid over her skin in a gentle caress. “May I see your driver’s license, proof of insurance, and registration please?”
“Of course.” Katie gathered the documents from the glove compartment and her purse, and she handed them to the officer. His skin brushed hers and Katie caught her breath.
There was something familiar about him. Something she couldn’t put her finger on. When she left Felton’s Creek at eighteen, Ry’s father had been the sheriff. But that was before he’d passed away in an accident. So who was this new sheriff, and why was he familiar to her? She pushed her confusing thoughts away. No sense in muddying the waters. Ry hadn’t been interested in law enforcement.
“You drove all the way from New York?” His tone held censure.
“I did.” Her chin rose. She wasn’t a child anymore. She was tired of men treating her like she was eighteen, a naive eighteen at that. At twenty-six she was a woman with her own mind and attitude. As her father had found out when she drove away from New York five days ago. “Why did you pull me over, officer?”
He grinned as if she amused him. “Littering.”
“Littering?” She’d never littered in her life.
“You threw your earpiece out the window, and it shattered on the road.”
Katie’s mouth dropped. He pulled her over because of her earpiece? She started to speak, but there was a screech, and his radio went off.
“Excuse me.” Long, sensual fingers pressed the radio on his shoulder. “What’s up, Mabel?”
“There’s a problem at the Red Dog. They’re requesting your assistance.”
“Tell them I’ll be right there.” He glanced at her license quickly and handed it and her other paperwork back. “Duty calls. Please drive carefully, and don’t litter.”
Katie took her documents and watched him in the mirror as he sauntered back to his vehicle and climbed in. A shiver of sensual excitement crawled up her spine. What was it about him? Something familiar, yet not. And damn if her heart wasn’t pounding, her hands shaking with excitement and her pussy moist. Not so good. There was only one—no, make that two—men who could do that to her. Well, now maybe three.
The SUV pulled out and around her vehicle, before disappearing down the road. Katie shook off the sensual haze, put her things away, and then pulled back onto the road and for home. The word sent warmth and security into her blood.
She never thought she’d miss her tiny home town as much as she did. Eight years in New York was enough. But she missed more than the town. She missed her gran. Gran would be thrilled she was home to stay. She wondered how Ry and Jed looked today. She hadn’t been home in eight years, she bet they changed. How would they feel now that she’d come home to stay? Because it was to stay. It was time to come home where she belonged.
****
Ryland McKade strode over to the outdoor ring to see Jed, his best friend and lover, working with one of the horses. What an interesting day it had been. Katie was back. He grinned. She hadn’t recognized him when he pulled her over earlier today. He was sort of surprised, but then not. It had been eight years, and he’d changed a lot in those years.
Katie had changed, too. The second he realized it was her, his heart stuttered. Part of him wanted to ask her why she’d stayed away so long, and the other just wanted to drag her out of the car and kiss her until neither of them could breathe.
“Be with you in a second, Ry,” Jed yelled, leading the horse to the barn.
Ry raised his hand to let Jed know he heard him. How would Jed feel about Katie being back? Katie’s leaving had left Jed floundering for a while. They’d become lovers during their late teenage years. How would she feel about them being lovers? Ry ran his hands through his dark hair. His stomach tumbled around, and his groin tightened.
Eight long years, and Katie had looked almost the same. She’d cut her long, deep brown hair to her jaw line, and he had to admit it looked good on her. Her green eyes had been filled with confusion when he’d pulled her over, but later in their conversation he noticed other things.
A confidence that hadn’t been there before. Also how her breathing had deepened. The way her shirt clung to her ample breasts. Determination had flowed from the softness of her voice.
“Hey, Ry, you’ll never guess who called me today.” Jed strode out of the barn.
“Who?” He watched Jed amble over. Ry rested his foot on the lower rung of the fencing.
“Miss Mazie.”
“Katie’s gran? Is she okay?” It didn’t matter that Katie had left him and Jed all those years ago, Miss Mazie was still part of their extended family.
“Miss Mazie, yes. But Katie’s coming home.” Jed avoided eye contact.
“I know.” Ry placed his hand on Jed’s forearm, feeling the muscles tighten.
“How the hell did you find out?” Jed’s blue eyes widened.
The astonishment in Jed’s voice made Ry laugh. “I pulled Katie over ten miles outside of town.”
Jed frowned. “Katie was speeding?”
“Let’s walk.” Ry didn’t want to discuss this where Jed’s workers could overhear. They fell into step and strolled away from the barn, out toward the open pasture. “What did Miss Mazie say?”
“Just that Katie had called her, and she’d be home today.” Jed pushed his hat back and rubbed his forehead. “Miss Mazie always liked us.”
“Yeah.” Ry stared out at the land without really seeing it. Katie was back, and his mind raced with the possibilities along with all the disasters. Was she back to stay and ready to accept their lifestyle? Or was this just a visit? Perhaps she was involved with someone, or she couldn’t accept them as they were.
“How did she look?” Jed asked, his tone eager.
“Beautiful.” Ry closed his eyes and pictured her again. “She cut her hair but it suits her, and she’s filled out. She’s a woman now, not a teenager on the cusp of womanhood.”
“What did she say to you?”
Ry opened his eyes and laughed. “She didn’t recognize me.”
Jed chuckled. “That is surprising.” He sauntered over to the big oak tree and leaned against it. “What are we going to do?”
“I don’t know.” Katie had run right after her eighteenth birthday, the night after he and Jed had made love to her and explained what they wanted from Katie. They both wanted a relationship with her. A true committed ménage relationship, along with some bondage and discipline.
“Miss Mazie invited us to a welcome home party for Katie tomorrow.”
Ry’s fingers clenched. Could he get involved with Katie again? Hell, who was he kidding? The woman still had him tied up in knots, and he didn’t mind it at all. “I won’t hide who I am from her, Jed.”
“I’m not asking you to.” Jed placed a hand on Ry’s shoulder, squeezing gently. “Maybe keep your über dominate side toned down a bit. You do tend to get a little overbearing.”
“She ran, Jed. I’m not sure I can handle her running again.”
“I understand. Katie leaving eight years ago hurt us both. But we did kind of spring the type of relationship we wanted on her.”
“What was I supposed to do?” Ry stepped away from Jed and kicked at the tree roots. “I’m a Dominant.”
“And Katie is a submissive, and I’m a switch. She needs to understand our relationship, and how she fits into it.” Jed threw his hands in the air.
Ry stared at his friend. “What happens if I lose control, and what if I hurt her?” Ry didn’t like the doubt in his voice, but Jed was his best friend, his lover, and his submissive.
“You lost control once, Ry. Once. And even then you didn’t injure anyone but yourself. You would never hurt Katie, just like you would never hurt me.” Jed took Ry’s hand and placed it on his chest. “I’m more worried if Katie will accept the relationship between us.”
“Shit.” Not only did they have the past to deal with, but also the present and future. In all his dreams he never thought it would be this hard or this frightening. “We have to show her it’s all about love and desire.”