Cowboy Double-Decker (15 page)

What would sex with Adam be like? Bryan said his partner had never really left the mountains and had a lot of rough edges. While Candy had rubbed a few off, he still got her riled up with his macho attitude.

She sighed and twisted on the seat, squeezing her crossed legs.

“Kaela, the reason I’m driving you instead of Bryan is so we can get to know each other. As friends.”

She raised her eyebrows at him and snorted a laugh of disbelief.

“Yeah, I think you are one hot, sexy woman. Thinking of the four of us sharing a bed makes me harder than a railroad spike.”

He pulled closer to the edge of the road as a semi whooshed past going downhill.

“I’m still fighting my need to pull over to the side of the road.”

She licked her lips at his admission.

“All I can think about is bending you over the hood of my truck and pulling down those ass-hugging pants. Spread your legs wide and nibble what’s between them. Grab your hips and take you hard from behind. Pound into your sweet, hot flesh. Make your screams echo through the mountains.”

She gulped, almost feeling his hands grasping her hips as he thrust into her. He couldn’t miss her reaction to his words, her budding nipples and the way she couldn’t stop squirming on the seat.

“My dick throbs for you, but I still have a brain. And some control.” A quick glance and another wink. “But man, oh man. When I saw your ass bent over that seat, wiggling like you couldn’t wait for
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my cock—”

“I didn’t mean to tease,” she blurted. She bit her lip and stared out the side window until he spoke.

“No worries.” His eyes lightened and she caught a glimpse of devilry. He checked the rear-view mirror. “Think how Bryan feels, riding in the truck with Candy.” Adam grinned, pointing his thumb at the vehicle behind them. “You two act like you haven’t banged each other in a few days and I’ve got his woman. He knows you’re horny as hell and I want you. He’s watching how far apart we are, wondering where my hands are.”

Adam checked to see that the lane was clear, undid his seatbelt, and slid close to her. Keeping his left hand on the wheel, he leaned over and gave her forehead a quick kiss. A loud honk sounded from behind them. He laughed and taking his time, moved back into place.

“That’ll keep him stewing for a few miles.” He lifted himself off the seat and pulled at his jeans before re-settling and snapping his seatbelt back on. “If I knew I’d be driving you, I would’ve worn loose sweat pants.” He flicked her a grin. “Easy access and space to grow.

Damn, those rug rats better sleep well tonight.”

There was absolutely nothing Kaela could or would say in reply.

She stared out the window as the road crept ever higher toward the pass. Finally, she slept.

* * * *

Kaela and Adam stopped at the mercantile in Maverick. Not only did they need to stretch their legs, but he wanted to buy cold weather clothes for her and Scotty. Though she fought him, he insisted the extra gear could be left behind when she moved on, that someone was likely to use the stuff.

Bryan and Candy zipped past twenty miles back while Kaela argued about Adam’s insistence on paying for everything. Candy lifted her shirt and flashed her tits from the passenger seat as Bryan
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cruised past, both waving wildly. Adam grouched when Kaela refused to do the same thing.

The two trucks met in the store’s small gravel parking lot. Bryan and Candy unloaded two cute little girls from the back seat. Candy entered the store first carrying Diane, followed by Adam with Evie.

Neither girl would go to Bryan, unsure of him after two months away.

Adam’s growl that it was his own damn fault didn’t help. Kaela entered last, a bouncing wide awake son in her arms.

“We’re here,” Candy called out as soon as the door jingled open.

“Well, look what the storm blew in!” An elderly dark-skinned woman emerged from behind the cash, arms outstretched. She kissed each girl, getting squeals in return. “Geoff called to say you were on the way. The playpen’s all set up. Coffee and cocoa are hot and I’ve got juice in sippy cups for the little ones.”

“Geoff?” Bryan tilted his head. “You two-timing Doc, Madge?”

“Bite your tongue before I take a broom to that backside of yours, Bryan Raman. I married Geoff Secord last week. You may call him Doc, but I won’t.”

“You got hitched? When?” Adam’s voice boomed in the jam-packed store.

Kaela looked at the scads of stuff filling shelves between the scuffed wooden floor and the bright tin ceiling. She’d stopped at small stores while driving west but found nothing like this. She bet everything a person needed to survive was in the store. Somewhere.

And it likely had been there for forty years or more.

“Madge, you never told us,” said Candy. “We’d have held a huge party for you!”

Madge Grierson, now Secord, blushed like a bride of twenty. “We didn’t want any fuss. You’re the first to know. We only got back from Vegas a few days ago.”

“Vegas? You didn’t!” Candy’s squeal matched that of her daughters.

“Why not? We’re both Elvis fans. It was fun.”

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Bryan tenderly pulled the wrinkled woman into his arms. He kissed the top of her head, leaning way down to do so. “You deserve some fun, Madge Secord. Doc’s a good man. He’s waited a long time for you to be free.”

She pulled away, sniffling. “It’s your turn, Bryan Raman. Your mama wanted grandbabies. Since Sam’s gone to be with her, she’s expecting you to provide them.”

Kaela took a few mental notes. Other than the one time, she and Bryan hadn’t spoken about their pasts.

“You’d better introduce me to the young lady waiting patiently over by the mittens.”

Bryan took Kaela’s hand and towed her over. Scotty eagerly launched himself into Bryan’s arms with a loud “Da!” that caused a few raised eyebrows. Kaela suddenly realized how much Scotty’s blond hair resembled Bryan’s.

“Kaela, I’d like you to meet Madge Grierson, uh, Secord. Madge, this is Michaela Jones. She’s visiting with her son, Scotty. He’s about the same age as Evie and Diane.” He turned to Kaela. “Madge and Doc are honorary grandparents.”

“Welcome to Maverick, my dear.”

Kaela returned the warm smile, again struck by the kindness of strangers. Though welcomed for her relationship to Bryan rather than herself, it still felt good.

“Ready for a pit stop?” Candy tilted her head to the side wall where the universal sign of relief beckoned.

Kaela nodded, eager to take care of nature. Candy provided background information while they washed their hands.

“Doc is like a father to both Adam and Bryan. I expect Bryan hasn’t told you much, but neither of them had a great childhood.”

“We all survived.” Kaela tossed it off as if it didn’t matter.

“That we did.” Candy smiled warmly. “I should tell you that from some of the photos and comments Bryan sent, he really likes your little rascal. Now the polyamory thing is so that, should anything
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happen to our children, they’ll still have parents to love and care for them. I wasn’t hot on the idea at first, but,” she shrugged her shoulders and gave a wry smile, “those two men grow on you.”

“My biggest fear for Scotty is that something will happen to me and he’ll be taken away by strangers, like I was.”

“You don’t have family?”

“I would sell my soul to the devil to keep Scotty from those vicious—” Kaela clamped her mouth shut.

“Gotcha.” Candy leaned against the wall, arms crossed, and looked at Kaela for a moment before nodding. “I know we’ve just met, but I’d be honored if you’d consider me for Scotty’s guardian.

You’ll never need it, of course, but if Bryan brought you home, you’re good people.”

Kaela stared at Candy, unable to move or think. Candy reached up and pulled her into a hug. Everything hit. Years of rejection by those who should have loved her. Freddie’s total humiliation of her love.

Having and raising Scotty all alone. Finding a good job, only to be laid off. Bryan, a good man who wanted her company, who provided strength and support. Adam’s honest desire for her and now Candy’s friendship and offer to ease her greatest fear.

She handled the bad well enough. It was kindness she wasn’t used to. She burst into tears.

“Shh, it’s okay, Kaela.” Candy reached up and hugged. “I’ve been there, girlfriend. You keep strong for so long and when someone cares, it collapses your defenses.” Candy rubbed Kaela’s back as she spoke. “That’s it, let it all out. We can stay in here as long as we want.

No one will bother us.”

When Kaela’s sobs finally became deep, shuddering breaths, Candy backed away to give her space. She handed over a box of tissues without saying a word.

“I’m sorry,” said Kaela, voice shuddering. “You must think that I’m—”

“I think you’re a woman who’s been under terrible pressure for a
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very long time. You needed to let it out and you can only do that when you feel safe.” She ran cool water on paper towels and handed them to Kaela. “I bet our men haven’t even noticed we’ve been gone for a while.”

“Really?” Kaela choked. She held the cool towels over her eyes, attempting a smile. “They think so little of us?”

“Nah,” said Candy, laughing. “Doc got Madge to order a bunch of construction toys, and Adam’s been chomping at the bit to try them out. I doubt we get out of here without buying some for Scotty.”

“I can’t accept charity—”

“Kaela, forget it!” Candy shook her head, laughing. “Scotty’s only an excuse for Adam and Bryan to act like the kids they never were.

They need this, so let them.”

“But the cost—”

“Bryan didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what?” Kaela put more cold water on the towels and held them to her eyes as an excuse not to look at Candy.

“The Double R has one of the lowest debt loads of any ranch around here. Bryan made a killing in the high tech market and got out before the crash. After Adam’s father died, Bryan came home and bought half of the ranch.”

Candy cleared her throat. “Bryan might not want me to tell you this, but Grant, Adam’s bastard of a father, did his best to destroy everything. The banks wouldn’t lend him a cent, so he tried to sell the ranch. He wanted gambling money, but he also knew Adam never wanted to live anywhere else and he wanted to destroy Adam’s dream. Luckily, the bastard got tossed by a horse before the sale went through.”

Candy gently pulled the paper towels from Kaela’s eyes.

“When Adam inherited the ranch—it had a different name then—

the place was so run down that few thought he’d ever make it. Bryan came to Grant’s funeral celebration and stayed. They worked their asses off and did well. When I married Adam, I used my savings and
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bought half of Adam’s half. I own twenty-five percent of the Double R.”

Kaela shook her head. “You’ll have to be blunt, Candy. I can’t think right now.”

“You want blunt? We’re loaded. We could buy out this whole store if we wanted. The bank would jump at the chance to lend us a million or two.”

“Oh.” Kaela swallowed a lump.

“Oh, indeed.” Candy smiled. “I’m glad you fell for the goof without knowing it. He’s met a few women who only want him for the money.” She winked. “And the sex, of course. Those guys don’t dress rich very often, but they fill out a tux like Chippendale dancers.”

“Uh, we’re just friends. There’s no future with us beyond Thanksgiving.”

Candy snorted a laugh. “He said he met you in ‘unusual circumstances,’ but he wouldn’t say more. Spill, girlfriend. Inquiring minds want to know.”

Kaela had to laugh at Candy’s tough guy stance, especially as the woman was five inches shorter.

“The first time I saw Bryan he was in my hotel room. He wore jeans with black leather motorcycle boots and chaps. The sun was at his back, hiding his face in shadow. He looked like the Terminator, and he held my precious baby.”

“What were you wearing?”

“I’d just stepped out of the shower, so nothing but a towel. I told him I had a gun.”

“What?”

“I thought he’d broken into my hotel room and was going to steal Scotty.”

“Bryan?” Candy’s voice rose another octave.

“Well, that’s what I thought at the time. We, uh, worked out our differences.”

Candy shook her head, smiling widely. “I think there’s more to
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that story. But we’ll wait until there’s wine and chocolate nearby. You ready to join the mob? Don’t forget—no complaints about what they’ve bought. Don’t spoil their fun.”

As promised, they’d been barely missed, except by sharp-eyed Madge. A young woman stood at the cash register with a huge pile of clothing and toys in front of her. Scotty sat on the floor, a yellow plastic backhoe clutched in a death grip. Evie sat nearby with the matching dump truck while Diane cuddled in her daddy’s arms with a stuffed grizzly bear.

She bit her tongue at the extravagance but said nothing. She was on Double R’s turf now and would follow Candy’s lead.

* * * *

Unlike Kaela, overwhelmed by the size and grandeur of the ranch house, Scotty took to it right away. He raced around what Bryan called the kiddy corral, a special area built into a corner of the huge gathering room. It had padded mats and held more toys than Kaela’d ever seen outside a daycare. There was a top-quality plastic kitchen, small climbing structure with slide, a workbench and now giant construction equipment.

But the best toys were the two grown men growling like bears as they walked on all fours. Scotty caught on fast, attacking Bryan and climbing on his back for a ride. Evie shrieked until she also got on board. Diane, lifted onto Daddy’s back by Candy, held his neck in a chokehold, smile wide.

After the excited children were fed, bathed, and finally asleep, the adults sprawled by the fire. Or, three of them relaxed while Kaela sat upright in a chair and fought rising panic.