Flawless Surrender (11 page)

Every ounce of the emotions he had been battling and trying to contain swamped him, and poured into his actions. Zoey’s hands held onto Clint’s cock now, and her ankles rested on Dalton’s shoulders. She was sexier than any porn star Dalton had ever seen, with her skin covered in a sheen of sweat and her breasts bouncing. He couldn’t hold back any longer when she began spasming around his dick. He heard her choke just before Clint pulled his cock from her mouth and came all over her beautiful breasts, and then his vision grayed as cum shot from his balls and poured out of his dick into the condom.

*****

Zoey’s brain was spinning and she was fighting to fill her lungs. Dalton laid slumped half on and half off her with his now slightly softer cock still buried balls deep inside of her. Clint rested on his haunches looking as though he had just been through twelve rounds with a professional boxer. Zoey could relate to that. Her body sizzled as waves of bliss washed over her from head to toe, and her own cream dripped out of her.

So this was what being with two men was like. It was better than good, it was fan-fucking-tastic. In fact, as soon as she caught her breath, she wanted to give Clint a chance to match his big brother, or at least give him the ride of his life.

“Are you alright, pretty lady?” Dalton asked, reaching his hand out to brush her hair away from her face. “We weren’t exactly gentle.”

She gave him a half smile, “And I greatly appreciate that. I won’t break. I’m not a china doll.”

“Thank God,” Clint murmured before pressing a sweet kiss to her mouth. “I never did like slow and sweet. If I’m going for a ride, I want it to be hard, fast, and steal my breath.”

Zoey felt her smile widen as he used his discarded t-shirt to clean off her breasts. “I’m glad you feel that way, cowboy because as soon as you’ve recovered, I plan on saddling up.”

Clint’s eyes went wide, and then he barked out a loud laugh. “You. Are. Fucking. Perfect.” When he kissed her this time it wasn’t sweet, it was soul stealing. His tongue lashed at hers, and his teeth nipped her lips. The fire that had heated her blood slowly grew again, and she reached out to pinch his nipple in retaliation.

Dalton moved off her, allowing her to roll over onto her knees, and she shoved at Clint’s shoulders. “Lay down, Hollywood.”

“Bossy woman. You think you can handle me?” Clint threw back as he did what she instructed.

“I can handle you,
and
your brother.” Zoey picked up a condom from where they had been dropped, and she covered Clint’s growing erection with minimal fumbling. If it weren’t for the remaining stickiness on her breasts, she might have wondered if he had really orgasmed just moments before. In fact, Dalton was now stroking his semi-hard cock and he would be ready to go again in another moment. Pleased with the stamina both brothers had, she quickly pressed her wet slit down over Clint’s cock, bracing herself with her hands on the center of his chest, and wiggling until he filled her completely.

“Yeah, baby, take it all. Now fuck me.” Clint’s dirty talk did wicked things to Zoey’s brain and body, and she began an easy rocking motion that allowed her to grind her clit on his pubic bone while beckoning for Dalton to come closer.

She hadn’t given all that many blow jobs in her life, and she had never once enjoyed one, but something about the awe and adoration on their faces made her chest puff up with pride. Knowing both men enjoyed what she did, helped make it more enjoyable for her, and she relaxed her jaw allowing Dalton to slide in past her tonsils. As with Clint, it took a couple of tries, and it was slightly more awkward while trying to maintain a steady thrusting movement, but she managed to get into a rhythm.

When the first ripples of orgasm started and her motions faltered, they took over. Dalton’s hand went to her head, holding her in place while he fucked into her mouth. His thrusts were shorter so she wasn’t trying to focus on deep throating, and she was able to focus on the sensations in her body. Clint gripped her hips and began thrusting up to meet her, ensuring that she still got the hard contact on her clit she needed in order to fall over the cliff of climax.

She screamed around Dalton’s cock, feeling her own saliva and his semen running off her lips. Trying not to think about how it looked, she focused in on the two brothers nearly simultaneous groans of completion. If this was what a ménage was like, then she could understand why Rachel walked around with such a contented cat smile on her face all the time.

For the first time in her life, she let someone take over and take care of her. After a few minutes of recovery cuddling, the two men went to work cleaning her up and setting up camp for the night. They redressed for comfort more than modesty, and then spent the rest of the evening sharing ghost stories, roasting hot dogs and marshmallows, and just being blissfully happy with their company.

If there was one dark spot to their happy moment, it was that Tanner wasn’t with them. The knowledge tickled at the back of her brain, as did the realization that she was kidding herself if she thought she could give this up and walk away from them.

By the time they had made love again, and were slipping off into sleep in the sleeping bags, Zoey was determined to convince Tanner that she was the woman for him. Somehow she would find a way to prove to him that she was good enough, even with a shitty past because she knew she would never truly be happy without all three Keegan men in her life.

It hurt to watch Zoey leave with Dalton and Clint, but it hurt even more when they all came back on Sunday morning looking freshly fucked and satisfied. Tanner’s balls were bluer than the sky even though he had jerked off at least three dozen times in the week Zoey had lived on the Triple T.

He watched her easily step into an affectionate lover role with his brothers, and his heart ached to have her reach for him too. What he wouldn’t give to kiss her before he walked out the door each morning, a promise for the night to come. Instead, he started avoiding her more and more as he fought to control his blinding desire.

Sure it made sense that she would want Clint and Dalton. One had movie star looks and charm to back them up, while the other had a promising career as a doctor ahead of him and the ability to give her the security she never had as a girl. What did he have for her? A ranch that fought to stay profitable, and his six day work week from sun up to sun down with barely any time for her. No. He was absolutely not what was best for Zoey Carson. Even if he wanted her with every ounce of his being.

“Hey, Skipper, how’s it hanging?” Clint asked as he helped Zoey from the truck and carried a load of stuff into the house.

Tanner’s eyes were on Zoey, watching her every hypnotic movement as though his next breath depended on it.
Get it together, man, she just slept with your brothers
.
Instead of cooling his ardor, the mental images his thoughts inspired just made his cock throb.

“Hey, Tanner,” she said softly, moving to stand directly in front of him. He had to fist his hands to keep from reaching out to touch her.

“Hey, Zoey, how was camping? Did they feed you enough?”

She laughed, “Oh yeah, I can’t say I’ve ever had a better tasting marshmallow. The bluff was beautiful, and the view of the sunset was…breathtaking.”

Tanner nodded politely as he shifted on his feet. Did she mean for her eyes to get all dreamy and her soft lips to part seductively? “I’m glad you had a good time. I have to go into town later for a few things, did you want to ride along?”

“Yes, that would be great. I think Dalton is wanting to talk to Doc Plass, so he might want to come along, is that alright?” She looked up at him with those big blue eyes and he nodded immediately.

Damn it
.
I’m supposed to be the one in control with women
.
How does this little drop of a woman manage to keep directing me?
Feeling a surge of irritation, he stepped backwards and turned away from her deliberately. “I want to be back before sunset, so we’ll leave by noon.”

Without turning back for a response, he headed for the barn. Sunday was his day off from the ranch, but today he didn’t feel like relaxing in his own house. Instead, he would work so hard that he would forget to think about Zoey, and her whisker burned throat, or the missing buttons on Clint’s shirt. He would find a way to live with the hand he was dealt, somehow.

*****

The ride to town was filled with quiet tension. Tanner was giving both Zoey and Dalton the cold shoulder, and it was making things awkward. A big part of her wanted to just flip out on him and ask him what the hell his problem was, but in her gut, she knew she wasn’t ready to hear his answer. If he rejected her again, she wasn’t sure she could survive it.

Instead, she bit her tongue and acted like she wasn’t affected. Dalton was fidgeting on the seat next to her, and she finally reached out to lace her fingers through his. The gratitude in his blue eyes relaxed her a little. Here she was worrying about what Tanner thought when Dalton was getting ready to face his worst fears. Walking back into Stone River and possibly coming face to face with Walt or Minnie White.

“It will be alright,” she murmured. A small thrill went through her when he pressed a soft kiss to her temple and stroked his thumb over her palm.

“I know, how could it not be when I have you with me?”

Tanner snorted, and Zoey shot him an icy glare. When he pointedly ignored her, she huffed, “Well I doubt they will even be in town. It’s Sunday after all, surely there is a football game on or something.”

That made both men laugh. “You’re probably right, kitten. It’s just a lot to take in. I never thought I would be doing this,” Dalton swallowed hard.

“Doing what? Going to the Merc?” Tanner said with a snarky tone.

“Shut up, Skipper. You know what I mean.”

Zoey squeezed Dalton’s hand, “Things are different now. You’re not a little kid anymore, and surely they wouldn’t still be angry at you. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“She’s right, Professor. Walt and Minnie wouldn’t want you to keep running,” Tanner said, surprising them both. He looked up at their shocked faces, “What? I don’t always agree with her, but this time she’s absolutely correct. You’ve taken on a mountain of guilt you never had a right to own. It’s not fair to you, it’s not fair to the White’s, and it isn’t fair to Ben’s memory.”

Zoey wanted to throw her arms around Tanner and kiss him for his words. They seemed to bring an entirely new light into Dalton’s eyes and his shoulders lifted again.

“Thanks for that,” Dalton gave Tanner a half smile, and the silence resumed in the truck leaving them all to their own thoughts.

By the time they arrived, Zoey was determined to find a way to bring Dalton and the White’s together. Her heart told her that Dalton had seen the situation through the eyes of a child, and he misinterpreted their feelings. If she could find a way to get him to talk to them, she just knew it would help him over his fear of remaining in Stone River. And if he stayed, well, that just opened all sorts of doors that seemed locked up tight before.

Tanner exited the truck and headed down the sidewalk toward the opposite end of town without a word, leaving Zoey and Dalton.

“I need to stop in and talk to Doc, will you be alright shopping alone?” Dalton asked as he helped her out of Tanner’s pickup.

She snickered, “Uh yeah, I’ve only been doing my own grocery shopping since I was eleven. I think I can manage.”

His fingers brushed back a piece of her long dark hair that had escaped from her ponytail. “Don’t be like that. I only asked because I don’t know if I will be alright alone. I miss you when we’re apart, believe it or not.”

Zoey felt a wave of warmth wash over her, and she melted. Accepting his kiss, she watched him walk across the street and into Thomas Plass’s office. Hopefully their meeting would be a good one. Doc Plass was in his early seventies and after his wife passed away two summers ago, he had been looking for a way to retire. Dalton might be the solution he needed.

Forcing her feet to move, Zoey went into the Merc and got to shopping. By the time she made her way up to the register she had her cart laden with groceries and she was feeling exhausted. The sleepless night filled with aerobic activity had zapped all of her energy, and she was in dire need of a nap.

Hal McCrite was waiting near the register as she started to unload her cart. Ignoring the cashier, he jumped right in and started to bag things as they were checked out. “So, you’re living with all three of the Keegan boys now, huh?”

Zoey didn’t even bother to look up. “I’m still living on the Triple T. If that’s what you’re asking.”

“And all three of them live there too?” Hal continued, and Zoey gave a sharp nod. “So does that mean wedding bells might be—”

“What it means is, that you need to mind your own business, McCrite. Unless you want to lose all of the Triple T’s business.”

Zoey jumped at Tanner’s voice. The angry look on his face was clear enough, and Hal stuttered an apology quickly finding something more pressing to do. Before Zoey could offer up her debit card, Tanner had his wallet out and was paying the grocery bill. The young cashier looked up at him with a smitten glow in her eyes Zoey found particularly revolting, but she kept her mouth shut.

The moment they were back at the truck, she thanked him.

“For what?” Tanner asked, looking puzzled.

“For putting Hal in his place back there. You didn’t have to say anything, but it means a lot to me that you did.” She gave him a small smile while handing him another bag.

Tanner froze, “I would never let anyone say something shitty about you, Zoey, and that includes insinuating that you’re fucking around.”

“But I am, aren’t I? Fucking around?” She tried to hold his gaze, but ultimately her eyes dropped to stare at the tiny dark hairs that were peeking above the open collar of his shirt.

“Are you? Because I thought you might really have feelings for my brothers,” Tanner said softly. His fingers came up under her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. “Until you say differently, you are still under my protection.”

Again she experienced an oddly warm feeling from her belly to her clit as she stared up into his gold eyes. Did he know what that did to her? The fire that smoldered in his gaze answered her unspoken question, and she inhaled sharply.

Before she could say anything, he released her and resumed loading the groceries into the bed of the pickup. She watched as he carefully arranged everything cold into the two coolers they had brought specifically for transporting, and closed all of the other bags into the long silver toolbox that stretched under the back window. He was always so meticulous and careful in everything he did. It both amazed and bewildered her. The one thing he seemed unsure of was her.

A jolt of surprise shot down her spine. Tanner still wanted her. He wanted her in a very non-friend way, and it thrilled her to realize it. A plan was just beginning to form in her brain when Dalton walked up. His arms came around her, and he pressed a kiss to the crown of her head.

“All done?”

Smiling up at him she nodded, “Yep, Tanner was just helping me load it up. How about you? How did it go with Doc?”

“You are looking at Stone River’s new family physician, well, so long as I accept the job that is. Doc Plass has been having more and more trouble with his arthritis, and he has decided to move to Tallahassee, Florida, to live with his daughter and her family. Finding a new doctor to take over a small town practice is about as hard as you can imagine, so he was elated to hear that I was back.” Dalton was watching his older brother as he answered.

Tanner was quiet for a moment before he smiled at them both, “Congratulations, Doctor Keegan, and welcome home.”

The two brothers shook hands and then hugged while laughing.

“This calls for a celebration before we go home!” Tanner said, giving Zoey a wink, “Robin’s is closed, so I can’t buy you a drink, Professor, but I can get you a cone from the Ice Cream Shoppe if you’re game?”

Dalton looked over at her, and she nodded, “Oh yeah, I think a cone with one scoop of chocolate mountain and one scoop of peppermint sounds perfect!”

“Well then lead the way, m’lady!” Dalton bowed elegantly gesturing that Zoey go ahead of him, and she did so laughing all the way down the street to the shop.

Dottie was behind the counter as always, her light gray hair with a soft blue tint was pulled up into her own unique version of a bouffant, and her green eyes were lined with blue eyeliner and eye shadow that gave her a particularly disturbing wide awake look. For all her makeup skills were lacking, her sweet genuine personality made up for it, and she greeted the three of them as they filed through the door.

“Zoey Carson, where you been girl?” She gave them all a once over and then her penciled eyebrow rose, “Hmm….guess you found better things to do, huh?”

“Miss Dottie, we are celebrating today, so we need three cones—two scoops each, as well as a small container of Butter Pecan to take home to Clint,” Tanner said, turning his most charming smile on the older woman.

“Whoa, two scoops? What’s the occasion?” Dottie asked as she pulled out three large waffle cones.

“New beginnings,” Dalton piped up, exchanging a glance with Zoey, and then waiting for Tanner’s nod of agreement.

“I’d say that’s a great thing to celebrate. By the way, welcome home Doctor Keegan.” Dottie put the emphasis on the doctor title, and Dalton flushed a little.

“It’s still Dalton for you, Miss Dottie.”

The older woman cackled at his discomfort, “You keep calling me Miss and I’ll be calling you son before long, sugar. Now, which flavors do y’all want?”

By the time they were finishing their cones, Zoey’s heart was feeling significantly lighter, and her sides ached from laughing. It seemed that Dalton’s decision to remain in Stone River had eased some of the rift between him and Tanner. Suddenly, anything seemed possible, and she went back to formulating a plan for seducing Tanner. If she could get him into her bed, perhaps she could get him to admit his feelings for her. At which point she would be glad to share her own, and they could talk about what happened next. Until then, she couldn’t let herself fall harder for his brothers. It would hurt too much if she was forced to give them all up later.

Tanner accepted the small pint of butter pecan ice cream that Dottie made up for Clint, and tucked it carefully into the cooler surrounded by frozen food so it wouldn’t melt. Before they could climb into the truck to leave, a startled gasp slipped from Dalton, and Zoey’s heart jumped.

Standing on the sidewalk holding a small bag of charcoal briquettes was Minnie White. Her face was a colorless as her name, and her hands were shaking. Tears filled her eyes, and Zoey’s heart broke when she saw Dalton take a step back as if he had been slapped.

“Dalton Keegan?” Minnie whispered. When Dalton nodded and shoved his hands in his pockets, she let out a small laugh. “Oh don’t look like that, son. I haven’t seen you in so many years…you just look so, grown up!”

His cheeks grew ruddy, and Zoey struggled with what to do. When she would have stepped forward to facilitate the awkward meeting, Tanner wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back again. The feeling of his long hot body against her back momentarily fried her brain.

“Hi, Minnie. How are you? How is Walt?” Dalton finally said.

“We’re both as good as you would expect. Getting old, but doing okay. I heard you were in Africa?” Minnie said, taking a step closer. Dalton seemed to relax now that he knew she wasn’t going to burst into tears.

“Yeah, but I’m back for good now. I’m going to be taking over for Doc Plass.” He was holding his breath. Zoey could see the tension in his every muscle.

“That’s wonderful news! I’m sure glad to hear it, Dalton. You know, I’d like to have you come over, if you want to. To see Walt, and…to talk.” Minnie’s words seemed to shock Dalton to the core, and he went pale.

“I don’t understand,” he said, his eyes jumping to Zoey, who was still held snugly in Tanner’s grip. “I thought you two hated me, for not saving—for what happened.”

Minnie shook her head, and tears finally started to fall, “Oh no, Dalton! Never once did we hate you! Have you thought that? All of these years? You poor boy! We went through such a hard time when Ben died. There were moments that I wasn’t sure we would either one survive it, but if you had gone back for him…well, every day I thank God that you ran for help instead of trying to pull him out. Otherwise we would have been grieving for both of you.”

Dalton’s eyes grew glassy with unshed tears, and the tension just seemed to drain out of him. “I-I never knew. I thought…”

“Will you come over tonight? Walt and I would really love to spend some time with you if you’re not busy, and we’re grilling steaks.” Minnie glanced toward Zoey and Tanner with a small smile. “Hello, Zoey, Tanner. Do you mind if I steal him away?”

Zoey shook her head, “No, Mrs. White. That’s fine, we were just on our way back to the Triple T to put away groceries, but Dalton should go with you. You guys have a few things to talk about.”

Dalton gave her a grateful smile, and then nodded. “Yeah, we do.”

Zoey accepted a small hand squeeze from Dalton, thankful and slightly disappointed that he didn’t offer a more public display of affection. She was, after all, in his brother’s arms in full view of the town.

Together, Zoey and Tanner watched him help Minnie to her car and leave with her. It felt as though in a matter of minutes a huge weight had been knocked off their shoulders. Dalton was staying in Stone River. He would have no reservations about it now, and that meant that all three Keegan men would be on the ranch for the rest of the time Zoey was.

Turning to face Tanner, she didn’t step away from his grip, she just placed her hand on his chest. “They aren’t the only ones that need to talk. I think we do too.”

Tanner stared down at her and she watched several emotions dance in his eyes before he took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay, but let’s get this stuff home first. If we’re going to talk, we’re going to do it alone.”

Zoey nodded and gave him a quick hug before letting him help her into the truck. The ride home was just as quiet as the ride into town, but the tension had drained away along with the sunshine. As she watched it sinking toward the horizon on the drive, apprehension and excitement warred in her belly. By confronting Tanner, she was either making the biggest move of her life, or the biggest mistake. Only time would tell.