Along Came Merrie (11 page)

He patted the cow’s head soothingly before grabbing some antibacterial wipes to clean up.

“Ready to go?” he asked.

She gave the cow one last pat and stood. “Yes.”

They drove back and parked the four-wheeler in its spot. While Leo went to talk with Chuck, Merrie walked toward the truck. She feared she’d say something bad to Chuck Johnson. Soon, Leo followed. He stored his medical bag in the bed then slid behind the wheel.

“That man is a jerk,” he muttered, clearly frustrated. “He said he’ll go check on the cow later but doesn’t have a way to get her back to the barn. Damn fool. How does he not have a flatbed? Or a trailer?”

She rubbed his hand where he gripped the steering wheel. Leo had such a loving soul. He really cared about his animal patients and she loved that about him. They drove back to the office in silence. He unlocked the door and turned off the alarm before holding the door open for her.

“By the way,” Leo said, digging in his pocket and producing a key. “I want you to have this.”

“What is it?” she asked as she took it from him.

“The key to the office,” he said. “Let me show you how to deactivate and set the alarm.”

“Surely I don’t need to know how to do that,” she said. “Patty will be back in a few days.”

Leo shook his head. “She called saying that she’s pregnant and her OB wants her to stay home. She’s older and it has been a difficult road for her to conceive, but I’m happy for her. She and Steve have been trying for a while, even before they got married.”

“Oh. Then I’m very happy for her, as well.”

Leo grinned. “It’s okay, really. I have you now and I’m hoping this job is enough to convince you not to head to Cheyenne.”

Something squeezed inside Merrie’s chest and her heart pounded heavily with excitement. Dare she believe? “You want me to stay?”

He brushed a finger over her cheek. “Very much.”

“Okay.” Merrie nodded. She felt like she’d just won the lottery. “You sure Patty left voluntarily and you didn’t fire her?”

“Honest to God,” Leo said with a chuckle. “In fact, Patty was upset about abandoning me until I told her about you. Now, let me show you how the code works.”

Merrie was a little hesitant to embrace how her dreams seemed to be coming true. She’d left her hometown to find a place to belong—a job she could care about and a place to call home. It seemed fantastical that one heinous act of violence was the catalyst to bringing it all together.

The rest of the day passed smoothly. It was vaccine day for many animals, which kept her hopping. She didn’t have time to think about the previous night or the fact that she’d not seen Braden at all that day. She quickly learned how to draw up the vaccines for Leo and helped him with whatever she could. When the workday ended, Leo offered to take her to a restaurant for dinner. Feeling tired, she agreed and they ate at a diner north of Destiny, heading toward Riverton.

Their conversation remained light and Merrie made sure to avoid talking about what had happened the previous night. She didn’t think it right to analyze it while missing one of the trio, and Braden was now very much a part of her life.

When they got back later that evening, eerie darkness engulfed the house. Crickets chirped, a soft breeze rustled the willow branches, and for a moment, Merrie thought it might be deserted.

“Braden must’ve gone to bed,” Leo said, as he strode to the front porch.

Disappointed, she sighed, having missed Braden all day. Leo led the way up to his bedroom, where she hesitated, wondering if she was breaking some kind of unknown rule about sleeping with one man while the other was not around. Would there be private moments with Braden as well? So, she took Leo’s hand and halted with him just as he closed the door, sealing them inside.

“This is all right, isn’t it?”

He frowned, confused. “What do you mean?”

“Braden’s not here.”

Understanding dawned and he smiled at her. “Yes, it is all right, Merrie. Above everything, there’s trust. All right?”

“All right. If that’s the case, then stay just like that.”

Amusement lit up his face but he did as she’d asked. Merrie began undressing him, kissing his skin wherever she exposed it. The shirt slid down his arms to land in a heap on the floor, followed by his belt. She kneeled to help him out of his pants and underwear and gasped as his cock sprang up, the tip already leaking fluid. She gave the head a quick lick, collecting the moisture before she pushed him back onto the bed. He gave a little groan. Merrie took off his shoes and socks to slide off the rest of his clothes.

“Scoot up the bed,” she ordered.

He did so, fisting his dick and pushing the foreskin down to slowly massage his shaft. As he met her gaze, she enjoyed him pleasuring himself.

She performed a little strip-tease, even though there wasn’t any music, but hunger lit up his face so any embarrassment she had drifted away. Finally naked, she crawled on her hands and knees over his body, taking another lick of his cock tip. He moaned and thrust his hips up, so she went down on him, swallowing his large cock as far as she could go. After a few minutes of making him moan, she released him and continued on her journey until she sat on his lap. His dick pressed along her ass cleft and the thought that she’d like to explore that area one day drifted through her mind, but then he kissed her and everything else faded from her head.

She sat astride his legs, her hair flowing loose around her face and shoulders. The position thrust her breasts out, toward his mouth, and he eagerly accepted the invitation. He sucked on each nipple until they stood raw and turgid from the delicious torment.

He collected her hair in one hand and yanked her head back, not causing pain but allowing him better access to slide up her torso with his tongue, taking nibbles along the way until his mouth met hers. Leo swept his tongue in to duel with hers as if he were trying to exert his dominance. Merrie was more than happy to surrender to such bliss.

He trailed his fingers over her hips then across her thighs to find the wetness oozing from her pussy. Merrie shuddered, and he delved his fingers deeper to find her G-spot. She rocked her hips as his hard cock slid into her crack while he teased her clit with his fingers.

His body all hard muscles over smooth skin, Leo maneuvered his jutting cock between her thighs. She reached behind her to grasp it, tracing the lines and contours, learning how it responded to her touch. She captured some of his pre-cum on a finger and brought it to her lips. She loved how he tasted.

He reached over to the nightstand and opened the drawer to pull out a condom. Next, he guided her to kneel forward so he could slip it over his cock. Then he lowered her over his shaft.

Excitement gripped her stomach as she sank on him, her pussy practically grabbing and pulling him inside her. He held her still for a moment to allow her to adjust to his girth, before he propelled her hips—back and forth, very tenderly and slowly.

Needing to move, she rolled her hips. Leo let out a moaning-hissing noise that she took as a good sign. She leaned over to gently bite his earlobe and that was all it took to break the slow and easy façade. He pumped her up and down on his cock—in and out, in and out—until Merrie wasn’t sure if it was him out of control or her. All she did know was how incredible it felt to be with him. She gripped her inner walls around him so tightly a squelching sound occurred with each thrust.

“Ah, Leo,” she breathed just as her climax hit. It coursed through her, bringing exquisite pleasure.

“Merrie!” He gasped just as he surged against her, shuddering his release.

After a moment, he relaxed and tucked her sweaty body against him. She could feel both their hearts beating frantically. He took off the used condom and tossed it in the wastebasket next to his bed.

“Will you sleep with me?”

“Of course,” she answered drowsily. “I wish Braden was here too.”

Leo didn’t answer as she drifted off to sleep.

Chapter Thirteen

Braden left the house before dawn, wanting to get as far away from Merrie and Leo as possible. Damn if he hadn’t been right about her being fickle, and even though he should have felt a small amount of vindication, hurt battered his heart. He’d had to listen to them last night and the memories of how Merrie had come apart in his arms, how tight her pussy had been around his dick, had crashed over him painfully.

To know that she’d gotten over him so quickly, that she’d turned her back so easily on him, cut him to the core and he tried to shake that off. He had no reason to feel such betrayal because he was the one who’d backed off. He was the one who’d given Leo the go-ahead.

He drove to the barn and parked, wishing it was as easy to turn off his thoughts. He planned to ride all day so he wouldn’t bump into either of them. Braden greeted his ranch hand, who had just begun to clean the stalls. Usually he’d help, but today he couldn’t. He needed to be out on the range, away from everyone.

He saddled his horse and mounted, then galloped off toward the eastern fields so he could check on the other horses. Crisp morning air filled his lungs and it helped settle his mind. How was he going to live with Merrie and Leo, who were now together? He felt sure he’d be able to bury his emotions deep but that didn’t mean he wanted to be slapped upside the head each time he saw her—or saw them together.

Of course, it was just a matter of time before Merrie headed to Cheyenne, back to the life that she really wanted. Friends, parties, men her own age—how could she not want all that? She was only twenty-three with her whole life in front of her. Once she got bored of ranch life, she’d be gone.

Just like Samantha.

Through the day, he checked his horses, ate a power bar at lunch and enjoyed the solitude that only wide-open spaces could allow. And he almost forgot about what had driven him out here to begin with. When twilight began to fall, he reined in toward the barn. He dismounted about half a mile away and walked his mount to cool him down. He spent a couple more hours finding odd jobs to do—anything to keep him from going back to the house. Eventually his stomach protested too much so he got back in his truck and drove home. The dashboard read a little past nine o’clock and all he wanted to do was eat, shower and sleep.

Lights glowed in the kitchen and when he went inside, Merrie stood cleaning up the kitchen surfaces. Just seeing her hurt his heart and he was half tempted to starve himself just so he wouldn’t have to face talking with her. What would she say? What would he say?

“Oh, hey!” she greeted, a warm smile not only gracing her lips but shining from her eyes.

“Hi,” he greeted coolly. “Is there any food?”

Her smile slipped and she regarded him oddly. “Yes. Let me heat it up for you. Sit.”

“Let me go wash my hands,” he said. He used the downstairs bathroom, taking a little longer than necessary to clean up. When he walked back into the kitchen, a plate full of meatloaf, potatoes and vegetables waited for him. Merrie sat in the chair to his right, a cup of tea in her hands.

He wished she wasn’t there. It was hard enough keeping his hands off her, let alone the temptation of her only a few inches from him. But when she smiled, he felt himself walking toward her like a moth drawn to a flame, helplessly caught in her heat.

He sat at the table and began to eat, doing his best to ignore her. Her fresh scent drifted over him and his dick stood at attention. Holy hell. How was he supposed to pretend she didn’t affect him?

“I haven’t seen you in almost two days,” she said, lightly touching his hand. “I’ve missed you.

Braden frowned and moved his hand away. He took another bite to give himself time from what she’d said.

“Didn’t Leo talk to you?” he asked after he’d swallowed.

“Talk to me about what?”

He sighed and rose, walking to the fridge to grab a beer. He twisted the lid off and downed half of it in one, long drink.

“You should eat more before you drink it all,” Merrie warned. “Otherwise you’re going to be tipsy.”

“Damn it,” Braden swore. “I never thought Leo was such a coward.”

“What’re you talking about? What’s wrong, Braden?”

“Where’s Leo?”

“He said he had some things to do at the office. Why? Hey, talk to me, Braden,” she stressed.

“This,” he said, gesturing between her and him. “Isn’t going to work.”

She flinched as if he’d struck her and it made him feel like a heel.

“I don’t understand,” she said, clearly confused.

“I told Leo I was stepping back,” he said quietly.

“You…what? What does that mean?”

“It means we had a fantastic night together, but we need to be practical. Leo has this idea that we can all be together, that you’re going to stay. And I know how impossible that is.”

Her mouth dropped open and he read the surprise on her face. Slowly, she shook her head.

“What did I do wrong?”

“Nothing,” he said. “I just know how this is going to end and I’d rather not get my heart broken again.”

She blinked, her eyes huge in her pale face. “So this isn’t about seeing if a three way relationship could work. It’s about our age difference, isn’t it? You still think I want to leave.”

“Eventually, you will. Maybe not right now, but once this Axe person is caught, I’m pretty sure you’ll be itching for the twenty-something lifestyle.”

She surged to her feet and anger turned her cheeks red. “You condemn me for my age but out of the two of us, you’re the one acting immature.”

“Perhaps we should talk later—”

“Oh, no. You don’t get to hide.” Her face flared red. “We had something pretty incredible the other night and now you’ve decided I’m not good enough?”

“I never said you’re not good enough!”

“This,” she said, indicating the space between them, “tells me everything I need to know. You don’t get to fuck me then decide a relationship is too messy, not even if it’s a three-way relationship.”

He turned away and set his beer down then leaned against the counter and hung his head. God, he was confused. He wanted to pull her into his arms and beg her forgiveness but his brain kept warring with his heart.