Deadly Desperados (7 page)

“Where are the s’mores?” Mandy glanced around the bonfire later that night, wrinkling her nose when she didn’t catch sight of graham crackers and chocolate. “I want s’mores.”

“We picked up stuff to make them this afternoon,” James reminded her. “If we don’t make them tonight, I promise to make some with you tomorrow.”

“But … .”

James lightly shook his head, sending her a silent admonishment. He loved his wife, but he didn’t want Ben and Mary feeling obliged to cater to her every whim when that was his job. He moved closer to her. “I’ll feed you chocolate later if you let this go now.”

“Are you going to be naked?”

“Yes, and so are you … except for those boots.”

Mandy pursed her lips to keep from laughing. She shouldn’t have been surprised that Ally pegged her brother’s dirty thoughts before she did, but Ally’s knowledge of the way her brothers’ minds worked was truly impressive. “So … you’re not mad that we spent so much money?”

James sighed as he pressed his hand to the back of Mandy’s neck, rubbing his fingers against her soft skin. “No, baby. I love the boots. I’m quite fond of the skirt, too. The shirt makes me laugh.”

“Wait until you see the underwear.”

“I would be happier if you weren’t wearing underwear,” James admitted just as a soft breeze blew Mandy’s skirt up slightly. He glanced at the gathered farm hands – many of whom he’d just met for the first time after dinner – and found them staring at Mandy’s legs. “Of course, perhaps the no-underwear game is something we should only play at home.”

Mandy shifted so she could see what James was looking at. “Oh, I see what’s going on. Now that someone else finds me attractive, you want me all covered up. I see the way your mind works.”

“You’re mine, baby,” James whispered, brushing a soft kiss against Mandy’s ear. “People find you attractive every second of every day. No one gets to play the underwear game but me.”

“Okay, but I want to wear my hat, too. I’m going to be the cowboy and you’re going to be the horse tonight.”

James snapped Mandy’s lithe body against his. “We’re spending exactly twenty minutes at this bonfire before going back to the cabin, wife. You’ve just earned yourself a very extensive ride.”

“THEY’RE
delightful together,” Mary said, moving to Jake’s side as he tossed a log on the fire. Her eyes were trained on Mandy and James as they cavorted next to the fire, James’ hands busy as they kept a hold of Mandy’s wriggling hips. Jake didn’t have to be a mind reader to know exactly what they were plotting.

“Yes, they’re going to be taking their delightful selves back to their cabin the second they can figure a way to get out of here gracefully. They’ll think they’re being stealthy, but anyone with eyes can see what they’re going to be doing tonight.”

“Why is that such a bad thing?” Mary asked, fixing her nephew with a quizzical smile. “They’re married and they’re in love. As long as they look at each other the way they do the fire will never go out.”

“I didn’t say it was a bad thing,” Jake said. “It’s just … where is Ally?”

Mary smirked. “She’s over talking to your uncle,” she said, pointing to the spot where Ally was enthusiastically recounting some story to a delighted Ben. He was clearly enamored with the little spitfire. “Your uncle loves her, by the way. I do, too. How come you’ve been keeping her from your mother?”

“I haven’t purposely been doing it,” Jake replied. “I didn’t even realize I was doing it until James suggested bringing her on the trip. I … we’re just in our own little world most of the time. It’s a great world.”

“You look happy.”

“I
am
happy.”

“Then how come you’re not engaged yet?” Mary pressed, causing Jake to scowl.

“We just moved in together, Aunt Mary,” Jake chided. “We haven’t even been dating each other for a year yet. Don’t you think it’s a little soon to be thinking about things like that?”

“Do you see yourself with anyone else down the road?”

“No. She’s it for me.”

“Then it’s not too soon to be thinking about things like that,” Mary said, patting his arm. “Jake, I’ve never seen you look at a woman the way you look at Ally. She’s a ball of energy and light, and you smile every time she’s around. That’s love.”

“I do love her,” Jake agreed. “I didn’t know it was possible to love someone as much as I love her. That doesn’t mean we’re getting married right this second.”

“You don’t have to get married right this second. Is that what I said?”

“You asked why we weren’t engaged,” Jake argued.

“That’s because when you’re dealing with a woman like Ally, it’s probably best to make sure she knows how you feel before someone sweeps in and steals her when you’re not looking,” Mary said. She inclined her chin in the direction of the rowdy farmhands, who were having a good time letting their eyes bounce between Ally and Mandy. “Ally draws people to her. You’ve obviously noticed that. You were drawn to her, after all, and I’m pretty sure you weren’t interested in a relationship with anyone at the time. Are you sure she knows how you feel?”

“She’d better,” Jake said. “I tell her every chance I get.”

“Women can’t help themselves from feeling insecure sometimes,” Mary said. “Ally is all bluster and bravado, and she clearly doesn’t suffer from self-esteem issues, but she’s still a woman who wants nothing more than for the man she loves to tell her how he’s feeling.

“No one is pressuring you to move faster than you’re ready for,” she continued. “Just … keep Ally’s feelings at the forefront as you move forward. I know she’s your future, Jake. Just make sure she knows it, too.”

Jake sighed. “I’ll keep that in mind, Aunt Mary.”

“Good. Make sure she knows that she’s absolutely adorable in that outfit, too.”

“Oh, she knows that,” Jake said, turning when he heard James clear his throat.

“Um, Mandy isn’t feeling well so we’re going to go to bed early,” James said, faux concern on his face. “I think she just needs a good night’s sleep and then she’ll be back to her usual self.”

“I told you,” Jake muttered.

“Okay, well, have a good night’s rest,” Mary called out to them.

“We will. Thank you.” James linked his fingers with Mandy’s and started pulling her into the darkness, whispering something Jake was convinced was filthy enough to burn the ears off anyone eavesdropping.

“Have fun kissing her grits, too,” Ally called to their backs, causing everyone around the campfire to chuckle appreciatively.

“Thank you, Ally,” James shot back.

“You’re welcome!”

JAMES
was on Mandy before the door to the cabin even closed, his hands bold and mouth needy as he slipped his fingers underneath his wife’s flimsy skirt. Her skin was soft to the touch, and she quivered with anticipation when he finally wrenched his mouth from hers.

He lifted her body, carrying her to the dresser before lowering her. He kissed her again, slipping his tongue into her mouth as he reached for the tank top. He pulled back long enough to whip the top over her head and reveal the peek-a-boo lace bra underneath.

“That’s pretty,” he gasped. “Does it unclasp in the front or the back?”

“The front.”

James didn’t waste time, his fingers deft as they unclasped the bra and pulled it from Mandy’s heaving chest. Once she was naked from the waist up, James removed his own shirt and pressed their bare skin together. There was nothing he loved more than feeling their skin collide – even if it was just so they could cuddle together to sleep.

“I love you, baby,” James murmured, slamming his mouth into Mandy’s again. For some reason, the fresh air and Mandy’s skirt and boots kept James’ mind busy all day. After a few more minutes of heavy groping and making out, James reached to the back of his wife and unbuttoned her skirt. She leveraged herself off the dresser so he could pull the skirt and her panties down at the same time – leaving her completely naked, except for the boots.

“Yeah, this is definitely going to work,” James said, cupping Mandy’s breasts with his hands before lowering his mouth and sucking in a turgid nipple, rolling his tongue over it and causing her to writhe.

Mandy’s head rolled back as she moaned, her hands reaching for James’ jeans so she could unbutton them. James helped her, never moving his mouth from her nipple as he shed his jeans and boxer shorts, leaving them in a pile on the floor.

James pushed Mandy back so she was reclining against the wall, earning a curious look from her as he lifted her thighs and knelt in front of her. Instead of answering, James blew out a heated breath on her warm core.

“James!” Mandy gripped his shoulders, her short fingernails digging into his muscles.

James slipped his tongue between her folds, gripping her thighs tightly as she jerked at the tactile sensation. He licked her up and down, working her into a lather before attacking her pleasure center with gusto.

Mandy’s thighs tightened around his head as she whimpered. James skirted the edge of her desire for as long as he could before pushing her over the edge, holding her so she couldn’t buck him off until she was finished. When he was sure her orgasm was complete, he licked his way up her stomach and positioned himself at her ready entrance.

“I know you wanted to do the riding tonight, baby, but I’m going to take the first crack at it,” James said, surging inside of her and causing Mandy to straighten as she gasped. “You can ride during the second round.”

Mandy bit her lip and nodded, throwing her head back as James began to piston inside of her. She wrapped her legs around his waist, digging in with the boot heels to spur him on.

James liked to fancy himself the king of control, but since the better part of the afternoon had served as foreplay, he was worried he wouldn’t last long. He lowered one hand to Mandy’s center and rubbed her, pressing hard to make sure she was stimulated.

Mandy clutched at his back, crying out as a second orgasm hit her quickly. That was enough for James to increase his pace and follow her over the edge into bliss.

“I love you, James,” Mandy murmured as he rested his forehead against hers, their bodies slick with sweat.

“I love you, wife. Don’t you ever doubt that … not even for one second.”

“DO YOU
think Mandy and James are still going at it, or have they already expended all their energy and turned in?” Jake asked Ally, their fingers linked as they walked past James and Mandy’s cabin two hours later.

“I … .” Ally didn’t get a chance to answer.

“Giddy up!”

Ally giggled. She couldn’t help herself. “I think Mandy is still riding her horse,” she said. “I knew those boots would do it for James. I can guarantee she’s still wearing them.”

Jake smiled, enjoying the night air and a few moments of peace with the woman who stole his heart. “He fell in love with those boots – and that shirt – the minute he saw them.”

“What about you?”

“I fell in love with you the minute I saw you.”

“Oh, so sweet,” Ally cooed, rolling to the balls of her feet so she could kiss him. The heartfelt interlude was interrupted by the sound of a headboard thudding against a wall inside of the nearby cabin.

“I think we should leave them to their business,” Jake said, tugging on Ally’s hand and directing her toward their cabin. “I have a few things I want to do with you that involve your boots … and nothing else.”

Ally’s smile was mischievous. “Do you think we can give them a run for their money?”

“I think I don’t care what they’re doing,” Jake said. “I want you … and I want all of you … to be mine as many times as you can take it tonight, Angel.”

“I don’t know … I can take an awful lot. Are you sure you’re up for that, pardner?”

“You’d better gird your loins, Ally, because I’m about to kiss your grits, too.”

Ally squealed as Jake chased her to their cabin. It was going to be a long and sweaty night, and there was absolutely nothing that could tear either one of them away from it.

“Okay, hens, keep your clucking confined to the house while we’re out setting up the security cameras along the fence line,” James ordered, watching Jake inventory the video equipment in question. “No wandering around.”

Mandy’s hands were planted on her hips when James risked a glance in her direction. “Excuse me?”

James pursed his keeps to keep from laughing. He loved her “stern” face. “I want to know where you’re at while we get this new security system in place, wife.”

“It’s four-thousand acres,” Mandy reminded him. “How are you possibly going to monitor all of that land?”

“We can’t,” James conceded. “However, we can monitor certain areas and we want cameras placed strategically close to the house and near the animal enclosures. We also want any areas easily accessed by crossroads to be covered. That means we’re going to be out and about for the better part of the afternoon.”

Mandy scowled. “And you think Ally and I are incapable of taking care of ourselves if you and Jake aren’t around to monitor us. That’s what you’re saying, right?”

“I’m saying that you’re my whole heart and I don’t want anything to happen to you,” James countered. “If you want to turn this into some women’s lib thing, you’re going to have to wait until I get back to fight. We want this all set up by dinner, and it’s a lot of work to pile into one afternoon.”

“We could help you,” Ally offered.

“Yeah, you and Mandy are extremely … talented … women in many ways,” James argued. “Electronics seem to baffle both of you, though.”

“Jake!” Ally swiveled quickly, fixing her boyfriend with a dark look. “Tell him that’s not true. I could totally help.”

“I think that … I’m going to let you guys argue this one out as brother and sister and stay out of it,” Jake said, causing Mary and Ben to chuckle as they watched the display.

“Wimp,” Ally hissed before turning back to James. “I’ll have you know that I DVR things all the time and I never miss a show.”

“And that’s the same thing as putting security cameras on a fence and logging them into our computer system how?” James challenged.

“I hate you,” Ally muttered.

“You’ll live,” James said, sidling over to Mandy and rubbing her back. “How mad are you?”

“I’m not mad at all.”

Mandy’s clipped tone told James exactly the opposite. “Baby, you said it yourself, this is a big place,” James said, his tone soothing. “I would feel better if you were here. I promise to take you out on a horse … or to see the chickens … or even to run through a meadow tomorrow. It’s just … .”

Ben furrowed his brow. “Run through a meadow?”

“They’re infatuated with
Little House on the Prairie
,” Jake explained.

“Oh, that’s why you didn’t want them to know that we have neighbors with the last name of Ingalls,” Ben mused.

Mandy and Ally exchanged excited glances.

“Are they related to the real Ingalls?” Ally asked.

“Thank you for
that
,” Jake said, rolling his neck until it cracked. “No. Ingalls is actually a common name.”

Ally was disappointed. “Well, that sucks.”

“I have an idea,” Mary interjected. “Ally mentioned wanting to learn how to cook some of Jake’s favorite meals. Now would be a good time to give her a few lessons. We can make a nice dinner for you guys for when you get back. How does that sound?”

Ally considered the suggestion. “Okay, but I don’t want to kill any animals,” she said. “I draw the line at chopping a chicken’s head off.”

“Duly noted,” Mary said, smirking before turning to Mandy. “What about you, dear?”

“Um … .” Mandy looked conflicted.

“You wanted to learn how to cook, baby,” James prodded. “Mary will be a better instructor and hopefully she won’t want to kill you when she’s done. I … please?”

Mandy sighed, resigned. “Fine. I want to learn to make something cool, though.”

“I think I can manage that,” Mary said, smiling.

James cupped Mandy’s chin and smacked his lips against hers, holding her there until she relaxed in his arms. When he pulled back, he shot her a wry grin. “Is it wrong that I’m excited to do a full day of manly work while my woman stays home and fixes me supper?”

Mandy’s blue eyes shifted into dangerous slits. “Do you really want to say things like that when I have the opportunity to spit in your food?”

James shrugged and kissed his wife a second time. “I love you. Be good.”

He paused at Mary’s side before leaving, lowering his voice so only she could hear. “You’re going to need to watch her. She can burn boiling water … and she’s accident prone.”

“She can’t possibly be that bad,” Mary chided.

“Keep a fire extinguisher handy.”

“THIS
is so much fun,” Ally enthused two hours later, flour clinging to the side of her nose as she used a rolling pin on dough. “I’ve never made a pie crust before.”

“Have you ever made pie?” Mary asked, gingerly taking the knife Mandy was trying to use to cut apples from her because she was worried the blonde was about to hack off a thumb. “Why don’t you help Ally with the crust, dear? I’ll handle the slicing.”

Mandy made a face. “I know what you’re doing,” she said. “I’m a menace in the kitchen. You’re not the first person to point this out to me.”

Mary kindly patted Mandy’s shoulder. “I’m sure you’re good at other things,” she said. “Your husband doesn’t seem to care that you can’t cook. Maybe you should take it as a … sign.”

“A sign of what?”

“That you shouldn’t cook,” Mary said, pursing her lips. Since they’d started food preparations, Mandy dropped the roast on the stove burner’s open flame, lost three onions somewhere in the kitchen they still couldn’t find, balked at peeling potatoes because they smelled, and dropped two eggs on the floor. Mary considered herself a patient woman, but she was at her limit. “What else can you do?”

“She’s an awesome painter,” Ally supplied, happily rolling away at the crust dough. “She took a photograph I gave her and turned it into a painting. It’s of Jake and me. It’s beautiful. We hung it over the fireplace.”

“You paint?” Mary was relieved Mandy had something going for her besides an adorable pout and a husband who doted on her. “That’s good. That means you’re artistic. Your mind might be too advanced for cooking.”

“Don’t placate me,” Mandy chided. “I tried to take a cooking class because I thought James deserved a wife who could make him a home-cooked meal. I turned soup green and almost got killed. I think you’re right about me staying away from the kitchen.”

“James doesn’t care if you cook,” Ally pointed out. “He’s happy with takeout and nudity. He’s really happy when those two things overlap.” Her cheeks colored when she realized what she said in front of Mary. “I mean … .”

“I know exactly what you mean,” Mary said, grinning. “I’m not so old I don’t remember what it was like to be young and in love. Mandy and James clearly aren’t having any problems in their relationship because she can’t cook. They seem blissfully happy.”

“When he’s not treating me like a child,” Mandy grumbled. “Do your clucking in the house, hens,” she said, mimicking James’ voice to perfection.

“Oh, please tell me you’ve done that impersonation for him,” Ally chortled. “That will drive him crazy.”

Mandy merely shrugged. “You know what? You guys should do the cooking and have a chance to talk when it’s just the two of you. I’m going to run over to the cabin and grab James’ camera. I packed it. I would like to take some photos of the property so I can paint them when I get back home.”

“That’s a great idea,” Ally said, her eyes sparkling. “Can you do one of the house so I can give it to Jake as a gift? He loves this house. It might make him feel better after all of those ‘whipped Jake’ jokes Grady lobbed at him because of my painting.”

Mandy nodded.

“I don’t know,” Mary hedged. “James was adamant about you staying in the house.”

“Oh, please. If James had his way Mandy would be cuffed to his side twenty-four hours a day,” Ally countered. “The cabin is close and it’s daylight. What could possibly happen?”

JAMES
studied his laptop screen, the sun dipping low in the sky to signify that it was almost time for dinner. He didn’t need the sky to tell him what his rumbling stomach was already complaining about.

“It looks like we have thirty cameras in place and they’re all reporting back,” James said, stretching his back. It had been a long day. All he wanted now was dinner and his wife.

They stood in the driveway of the Harrison’s massive home, the laptop propped up on the hood of Jake’s rental as they pinged all the cameras.

“This seems like a lot of technology I don’t understand,” Ben admitted. He was fascinated with the process, keen to learn as Jake and James moved from one farm location to another. Still, looking at James’ busy screen now seemed daunting. “What are we expecting this to show us?”

“We obviously can’t catch everything because there’s too much ground to cover,” Jake explained. “We have covered the main house area and the barns, though. If someone wants to do real damage, those are the areas they’ll target.”

“If we’re lucky, we’ll have anyone on camera who doesn’t belong here,” James added. “If we get really lucky, the footage will be good enough to identify whoever it is.

“Speaking of that, I need to call Grady before dinner,” he continued. “He’s running that check on Mark Nixon and I want to see what he’s come up with. Plus, Maverick is going to be monitoring these cameras for us and I want to make sure everything is transferring correctly.”

“Who is Maverick?” Ben asked.

“He’s our computer guru.” James snapped the top of the laptop down. “That’s all we can do for right now. Let’s go inside and see what the hens cooked for dinner. I’m starving.”

“You know that women don’t like being referred to as farm animals, right?” Ben asked, following James up the front porch steps. “You’re not going to be married very long if you keep that up.”

“Oh, I’m going to be married forever,” James argued. “My baby knows I’m just playing around.”

“She didn’t seem to know it this morning.”

“Yes, well … she’s not a morning person. She knows I love her more than anything. She’s fine when I call her a hen. I … .” He broke off, glancing at Jake. “She’s fine with it, right?”

“Don’t ask me,” Jake replied, glancing around the empty living room for a sign of the women. “I have no idea how you two haven’t killed each other during a fight or the making up that follows one of your infamous throw-downs.”

“Something smells delicious,” Ben said, pressing a kiss to Mary’s cheek as the men moved into the kitchen. “Is that pot roast?”

“It is,” Mary said, her eyes sparkling. “We made pot roast, potatoes, potato salad, fresh bread, and Ally made homemade pie.”

“Apple and blueberry,” Ally said, doing a little dance behind the counter. “I even made pie crust from scratch.”

Jake smiled as he thumbed a splotch of flour from Ally’s nose. “It sounds like you had fun, Angel.”

“I did.”

“She was a great apprentice,” Mary said. “She’s a natural in the kitchen.”

“Make sure you keep her if she’s good in the kitchen, Jake,” Ben teased. “Those are the kind of women you never want to let go of.”

“I think I’ll keep her whether she’s good in the kitchen or not,” Jake said, planting a soft kiss on Ally’s mouth. “Where’s the other chef?”

Mary pressed her lips together as she decided how to answer.

“Mandy dropped the pot roast, some eggs, and almost chopped her fingers off when she was cutting apples so Mary took the knife away from her,” Ally explained. “She didn’t last very long in the helping department.”

James smirked. “Where is my little culinary menace?”

“Well, it’s the weirdest thing,” Mary said. “She said she was going back to your cabin to get a camera she wanted because she wanted to take photos right around the house. I didn’t think it would be a big deal, but that was hours ago. She never came back. I think she’s out taking photos.”

James frowned. “I told her to stay here,” he said. “I … I’m going to kill her.”

“She’s probably just around the back of the house,” Ally said, rolling her eyes. “With the sun setting, she’ll get some really cool pictures.”

“I’m still going to kill her,” James said, moving to leave the kitchen. “If anyone hears screaming, don’t worry, it’s just Mandy and me … having a talk.”

As if on cue, a phone started ringing.

“That’s me.” James dug his cell phone out of his pocket, frowning when Mandy’s number popped onto the screen. “Why is she calling?” He pressed the phone to his ear, but before he got a chance to offer an annoyed greeting, Mandy started talking.

“James? You have to come to the cabin. I … hurry. Please. Help me!” Mandy followed up the terse statement with a scream right before the phone disconnected.

James broke into a run, racing out of the house and across the field that separated the main house from the cabin.