Paige Cameron (13 page)

* * * *

“They’ve developed an antibody to fight the poison.” Gala spoke on the phone to her partner.

“Damn. If you’d done as I said, they’d all be dead by now. No, you wanted them to suffer first. I’m flying into Casper, Wyoming, in two days. I’ll be visiting my parents on the ranch. I’ll rent a car at the airport and call you when I get to town. Don’t do anything else before I see you. Do you understand?”

“I heard you. I’ll be waiting for your call.” Gala hung up. She hadn’t told him about the other poison she had. Her father’s notes had warned it was especially lethal. First, she’d try it on her partner. He thought he was the boss, and he wanted to try and take over. To her, he was expendable. She’d lay low on the ranch. Then after she’d killed her partner, she’d avenge her father’s death.

* * * *

Averil awoke when two warm, male bodies climbed into her bed. She kissed Payton and then Cody. “Good morning. I rested very well, thanks to you two.”

“We’re always ready to do it again,” Payton said.

“Hmmm, you mean the before and the aftercare?”

“Whatever you want, darlin’.”

Cody nuzzled her neck, stirring the embers of desire low in her abdomen. Averil stretched. “I’d like to be fed and have that ride we missed yesterday. Then we’ll play.”

Payton and Cody pretended to be sad and reluctantly got off the bed, pulling her up with them. Cody smacked her backside lightly. “Go get cleaned up. Payton will get the horses ready and I’ll cook.”

She hugged them. “I do love being spoiled.” Skipping to the bathroom door, she glanced back at the two men staring at her backside. She clapped her hands. “Get to work.” Then she closed the door.

“She’s even beautiful in the morning. I’ll go see about the horses.”

Standing inside the bathroom, Averil smiled. She waited until she heard them leave before adjusting the shower temperature and getting in. She almost felt guilty about sleeping late. It was already nine thirty. She should call her sister. But first, she’d have some time with her men. They’d enjoy the ride they missed yesterday.
Kira will call if she needs me.

Averil stopped at the door to the kitchen. What a sight. Cody was cooking bacon and eggs and Payton carried sandwich meat, cheese, bread, and mustard to the counter. Payton glanced toward the door and saw her.

“Come on in and join us. Cody will have breakfast finished soon. I’m preparing a lunch for us to take with us. Is ham and cheese good for you?”

“Fine, but can we spend that much time away? We won’t know what’s happening with the poisonings.”

“We all have cell phones and the tower built on the farthest corner of the ranch gives good coverage.”

“I didn’t know there was a tower so close. No wonder the reception is good. That relieves my mind. I was feeling guilty about Kira maybe not being able to reach me.”

“Don’t worry, darlin’. We have it covered. I talked to Mitch this morning. Harry is fine. He came around last night.”

“Wonderful. Now I can really enjoy our ride.”

Cody set her plate in front of her. “We’ll always watch out for you. You don’t need to worry at all.”

Averil looked up at him. “Remember, I’m independent and I don’t need you two constantly wrapping me in cotton to protect me from any bumps in the road. If I do decide to marry you, I’m either a full partner or nothing.”

She picked up her fork and started to eat. When Cody didn’t move from her side, she glanced at him. “Aren’t you and Payton going to join me?”

Payton walked over next to Cody. “Yes, but first there’s something you need to know. We won’t take your life over, but we will spoil you and protect you. If you can’t handle that then maybe we aren’t meant for each other.”

Cody nodded and went back to the stove to fix their plates.

Payton finished the sandwiches. Then they both joined her at the table.

Averil was confused. Part of her wanted to say, “Go to hell,” and the other half wanted to forget about being so independent. But she’d had to be.

“I don’t know how to be different.” She spoke hesitantly. Both of them looked at her. “I worked hard to toughen myself so I would be accepted by the other guys in my group of sharpshooters. It’s ingrained in me.” She bit the edge of her lower lip then looked down.

Payton’s hand covered hers. “Did they resent you?”

“Some did. Why didn’t you?”

“I thought you were magnificent, smart, and beautiful. I’m confident in myself, so I didn’t feel threatened by the possibility of a woman beating me.” He kissed her hand. “But I must admit I’m glad we tied. I’d have hated all the razzing the guys would have given me.” He squeezed her hand. “Don’t worry. We aren’t going to give up easily. But we do need you to be our wife, not our buddy.”

Averil looked from Payton to Cody. She was falling for them, hard. But could she change and did she want to? Maybe the main question she had to ask herself was whether she loved them enough to become more vulnerable.

Averil, Cody, and Payton rode across several miles of prairie, and then they entered a large stand of trees. The temperature dropped several degrees in the dappled shade.

“You two have a large ranch. I never expected it to cover so much territory.”

“We wanted plenty of acreage for riding Cody’s magnificent horses.”

“My mare is definitely well trained. She’s very responsive and beautiful.” Averil rubbed the chestnut mane.

Cody led the way and Payton followed her as they slowed to ride through the narrow trail between the thick trees. They turned left and went deeper into the forest.

“Ah,” Averil said and sat staring at a clearing where the sun shone down on thick green grass, wildflowers bloomed in various spots, and, looking up, she saw that the tall trees appeared to touch the sky.

“It’s our favorite spot on the ranch. We’ve never brought another person here. We preferred to keep this as our one private place. We usually come alone. The peace and quiet helps me to think more clearly and to relax completely,” Payton explained.

“Why did you bring me before I’ve agreed to marry you?”

Cody put his hands on her waist and lifted her off her horse. “We trust you’d never tell anyone, and we still believe you’ll marry us.” He pulled her close against his warm body.

She took a deep breath of his fresh scent, citrus and sandalwood. He tipped her chin and kissed her. His tongue swept inside her mouth and licked and tasted along the inside contours. Her arms went around his neck as she leaned even closer into him.

Cody raised his mouth slightly away from hers. “We want to make love here in the sunlight and peacefulness. Payton brought a blanket. He’s laying it on the grass to make a soft, natural bed.”

Averil turned to look at where Payton had spread the flannel covering. He had undressed and held out his hand to her.

“Will you join us?”

“Absolutely, I can’t resist.”

Cody tied the horses off to the side as Averil walked toward Payton. Payton cupped her face and tenderly kissed her forehead, her cheeks, and her mouth.

“I’m going to remove all these clothes so I can see your gorgeous body.”

“It’s cool this morning.”

“Believe me, you won’t be cold for long.” Payton unbuttoned her flannel shirt and removed her bra. His warm lips kissed along her neck, to her shoulder, and then covered her rosy nipple. Averil shivered.

“Are you cold?” His voice sounded deep and hoarse.

“No. I’m responding to your touch.”

Cody moved behind her and kissed her neck. Payton slid down and took off her boots, jeans, and panties while Cody held on to her. Payton ran his hands over her feet and upward. “Spread your legs.”

She did, and sweet pleasure coursed through her veins when Payton licked her clit and slipped two fingers into her pussy opening. Cody’s hands closed on her breasts, and his fingers pinched her nipples. Fluid flowed from her pussy.

“You taste like the sweetest ambrosia,” Payton said.

Averil’s head fell back on Cody’s shoulder, and he kissed her. When Payton’s fingers touched her G-spot, pleasure exploded outward, sending tremors of sensual bliss to every nerve in her body “I can’t take it. I…”

Payton moved up and thrust into her pussy. Cody backed off as Payton brought her legs up around his hips. He lifted her up and down on his wide cock as another orgasm shook her and left her clinging to his body.

“Are you all right?”

“Hmmm, good.”

Gently Payton lowered her to the flannel blanket. He moved away a short distance as Cody straddled her body. Cody ran his hands from her neck to the sides of her rib cage, across her abdomen, and down along her legs. When he got to her feet, he glanced at Payton.

“Did you bring the cream your brother gave you?”

“Here it is, but you’d better explain it to her first.”

“Darlin’, this is special. It was created by our scientists especially for us.” He held up the small jar. “A little of this heightens the sexual response. We’ve been told it makes the experience even better, if possible. Would you like to try it? If so, I’ll massage a little on your body, starting at your feet and legs.”

“I’m not sure it can get any better. But try a very small amount.”

Cody nodded. She watched as he took a fingertip amount on his hands and massaged the cream into her feet. The soft grass under the blanket made a comfortable bed to sink into. Overhead a blue sky dazzled her eyes and the soft chirps of nearby birds created their own symphony.

“It’s very relaxing,” she whispered.

He lifted her leg and ran his hand firmly around and downward toward her pussy. Tiny sensations like bubbles of joy followed his touch. When he spread her folds open and ran his tongue across her clit, she screamed. Pleasure shot up her spine, and her pussy gushed with moisture.

“Do you want me to stop?”

“Don’t you dare!”

Chuckling, Cody put more cream on his hands, moved further up to her waist, rubbed across her ribs, then his mouth covered her breast, and he lightly bit her nipple. This time her body bowed with the excessive ecstasy that filled her whole body.

“Go in me, damn it.”

“Such language, darlin’.” Cody chuckled.

Averil took firm hold of his cock. He shivered. She ran her hands up and down his length.

Sweat broke out on his face. “Much more of that and it will all be over.”

“Then maybe you’d better bury your big cock inside me,” Averil said. She knew Cody didn’t want to give in, not yet. She leaned forward and licked across the top of his cock.

He removed her hand and slipped into her wet, welcoming pussy. She clamped around him and moved her hips up and down.

He put her legs on his shoulders and pounded into her pussy. The heat and pleasure escalated her straight into another orgasm. Seconds later, she heard him groan and felt his hot seed flooding her womb. He caught his breath, kissed her, and rolled over, staring upward.

Coming back to reality, Averil sat up and frowned at both of them. “Was this a plan to get me pregnant, and then I’d have to marry you?”

“I used a sheath. I put it on before you’d turned around. In his excitement, Cody forgot.”

“Honest, I did.” Cody sat up to face her.

“Well, if it was a plan, it won’t work. I’ve been on birth control for several years. I’ll have children when I’m ready.”

Averil got up, grabbed her clothes, and walked off a distance to dress. Her body still felt drained, but in a good way. She’d never had multiple orgasms like that or such overpowering ones. But she didn’t know whether to trust them or not.

Still, she hadn’t thought about it either when she held his cock in her hand. He probably did forget. With all the powerful sensations she’d experienced, she overreacted possibly to put up a wall to cover her vulnerability. Damn, now she’d have to apologize.

They had dressed and waited patiently by the horses.

Payton gave her a leg up to get on the mare. “Are you still mad?”

“No. I have to apologize to you, Cody. You two made such wonderful love to me, I was overwhelmed. It made me feel more vulnerable. Not a position I’m comfortable with, so I lashed out at you. Hell, I held your cock in my hands and never thought about it. I understand you forgetting.”

“I’ll forgive you, but since you are on a form of birth control can we get rid of the condoms? It’s certainly more pleasurable without them.”

“We might as well, but keep the cream for special occasions.” Her men laughed and her heart lightened. She wasn’t falling in love with them anymore. She loved them.

* * * *

Cody rode behind and enjoyed the view of Averil riding his mare. He had a special horse to give her when they married. He’d realized today he and Averil were alike in many ways. They both lashed out when feeling anxious or vulnerable. Their marriage would not be totally peaceful but always exciting. It was good they had Payton, who seldom lost his temper and never as loudly as he and Averil. He’d be the buffer and peacemaker in this threesome.