Flawless Surrender (13 page)

Tanner’s jaw dropped open, and he and his horse came to a dead stop. Zoey slowed her own horse, and turned to face him. Moving closer so she could see the expression on his face in the faint light, she waited for the hammer to drop. She had admitted her feelings for him, now he would go running.

"Tanner?"

He lifted his gaze to meet hers, and she had to take a deep breath at the heat in his eyes. "Sundays, huh?"

"Sundays. All day long."

They stared each other down for a few more moments before she spoke again. “You were my rock, Tanner, when everything else in my world fell apart I was able to come to you for unconditional help. I don’t care what you do for a living, or where you’ve been or will go in your life, but I won’t accept you saying you aren’t good enough for me. Period. You have been my protector for too long, now it’s up to you to make the choice to be my lover too.”

He leaned over, and took her chin between his thumb and forefinger, forcing her to lean to the side in her saddle to meet him in a kiss. Their lips smashed together, teeth clashing, tongues battling, and Zoey’s pussy wept for joy.

When they finally pulled apart they were both panting for air and Tanner was grinning. “We need to get home, so I can show you just how much that means to me, baby.”

Turning her horse, she laughed, “Then what are we waiting for, cowboy? Let’s go!”

As much as Zoey wanted to gallop across the grass to the ranch house, she knew it wasn’t safe in the dark. Instead, she followed his lead slowly but carefully back home. Once there, he took both horses from her and pressed a quick kiss to her mouth. “My room, fifteen minutes.”

Tanner unsaddled and stalled the horses faster than he ever had before. His cock was throbbing in his jeans, and his blood felt electrified as it pumped through his brain. Zoey was going to be his for tonight. He was finally going to get the chance to touch and taste every sexy inch of her lush body, and then sink into her tight pussy.

Stifling a groan at the wicked images racing through his brain, he adjusted his wood behind his zipper and headed for his bedroom. The door was closed, and when he pushed it open he was pleased to see that she followed his instructions. Her apprehension was clear in the way she sat stiffly on the edge of the bed, but there was hope and desire in her gorgeous blue eyes, and she held the red rose he had given her in her hands. He couldn’t get over how sexy it was to see her in his bedroom. The anticipation of having her was quite possibly the hottest thing he had ever experienced.

He moved to her side quickly, and stood over her, invading her space to see how she handled it. Her head tilted back, and he saw her throat convulse around a nervous swallow. Gently tugging the rose from her hands, he ran his fingertips over the soft petals. “Why did you bring this in here, Zoey?”

“I-I’m not exactly sure.” Her eyes darted away from him when he gave her a hard look of disbelief.

“I guess I wanted to be sure that you remembered to be romantic. I’ve fantasized about Dominance and submission, but I’ve never experienced it. I’m a little scared now.”

Tanner ran the crimson flower over her soft cheek, and then her lips, smiling slightly when she inhaled as it passed under her nose. “You have nothing to be scared of, baby. We’ll only go as far and as fast as you are up to. Trust me.”

She gave him a tentative nod, and then tipped her chin back to look up at him again. “Um, so what now?”

If it weren’t for the butterflies dancing in his own stomach, he might have laughed. She was such an interesting blend of vixen and virgin that it kept him on his toes. The woman who had blatantly teased and challenged him hadn’t waited to triumph; she had disappeared behind a veil of self-conscious nerves.

“Now, I teach you patience. You say you’ve fantasized about submitting to me, and now you will experience it. In the morning we’ll talk and you can decide whether or not you want to continue, or bail.” He tugged the elastic from her hair, letting her ponytail free, tangling his fingers in the heavy locks, and then he tugged on it. Her gasp made his dick pulse.

Her eyes drifted shut, but before they did he saw the sparkle nearly snuffed out. “So this is one night…”

“No.” The one word answer came out harsher than he intended, but it did have her snapping her eyes open again. “No, I want this to be more than that. I don’t want you to think that you’re an easy screw for me, baby. You are so much more than that. I just don’t think you know what you’re getting yourself into yet.”

Those brilliant blue eyes of hers seemed to penetrate the layers of self-loathing, and self-denial, reaching deep into his heart and laying it wide open. “Give it your best shot, cowboy. I’m not leaving until you push me out.”

A growly groan broke free from his voice box, and he pushed her onto her back on his bed, and set the flower down nearby. Taking his time, he ran his hands over her clothed form, pressing kisses to her mouth, nose, chin, jaw, and every inch of skin he exposed as he peeled her shirt over her head. He bit his own tongue when he flipped open the front clasp of her bra and bared her creamy breasts to his view. Her nipples were about the size of dimes, but the areolas were large and a delicious dusky rose color.

As he reverently skimmed his lips over her ribcage, she arched up into him and tried to grab his head. He jerked backwards, and pushed her hands down into the mattress underneath her. “No, baby. Lesson number one, I’m in charge. You take what I give you.”

Zoey nodded, her pupils expanding as her desire increased. She was a feast for sore eyes with her lush curves and milky white skin, spread out on his dark navy blue comforter. An innocence to her eager responses and pink flush of need struck a chord in his chest.

Standing tall between her spread knees, he pulled his shirt off over his head, pleased when she licked her lips at the sight of his naked torso. Her eyes skirted over the curly hair between his nipples, and then followed the dark line down to the button of his jeans. Before she could stop him, he reached out and tugged her pants down over her hips without even releasing the closure. She let out a strangled moan that matched his own when he caught sight of her lack of panties.

“Fuck me, baby. You were going commando this whole time? If I had known that I would have pulled your jeans down back at the tree and spanked your bare ass for all of the fireflies to see, just before I fucked you silly.”

Her thighs spread and a cloud of arousal perfumed the air around them. His mouth watered to get a taste of her, but he resisted. The edge was too close to take a chance. Instead, he finished undressing her, and then took a seat on the bed patting his thigh. When Zoey hesitated, he gave her a hard look. “I’ll give you one more chance, baby. Get your ass in the air, and prepare for your punishment.”

“Punishment? What am I being punished for?” She sounded so indignant, and when she stood up quickly her pert breasts bounced, distracting him for a moment.

“For all of your teasing and flirting. If you’ve read any good BDSM story then you know that’s topping from the bottom and I won’t tolerate it.” He kept his voice even so as not to alert her to the affect she had on his cock, but when she suddenly looked nervous again, he softened, “And because I want to see your sexy ass turn pink under my hand. I want to feel you squirm in my lap, and I want to know how far I can push you before you beg me to make love to you.”

Flames flared up in her eyes, and her lips parted on an exhale. It was just the reaction he hoped for as she moved to stretch over his lap. Helping her adjust into place, she wriggled into a comfortable spot that put the perfect curve of her ass right where he wanted it. He could feel the tension in her muscles as she explored something new, and the vulnerability of her position set in.

The skin of her bare back was softer than satin as he delicately danced one hand over her from the base of her neck to the split of her ass, all while keeping the other hand firmly planted on the back of her upper thigh. Holding her, securing her, but not giving her what she wanted, he relished in the sensation of having her naked in his hands.

When she finally began to relax under his touch, he gave her a light tap on the softest part of her rump to test the waters. Her gasp, and sigh, was exactly what he was hoping for, and he brought his hand down again, on the opposite cheek this time.

Rubbing to ease the burn of impact, he pushed his fingers up between the lips of her pussy to find her dripping wet. “My baby likes a little sting, huh?”

She didn’t respond verbally, but her head dropped in submission. It told him that she was absolutely invested in the moment. As he gave her a few more swats, and she hissed out a sharp breath, he wondered if he should have discussed limits and safewords with her first. It was a hard fast rule at The Cage, the BDSM club he had visited with Parker, but in this case he didn’t think he would ever be able to push Zoey so far out of her comfort zone that she would need it. And he knew tonight he certainly wouldn’t last that long. Tonight he was more focused on giving her everything she asked for, without ever asking.

Turning her in his arms, he cradled her against his chest like a child. Her tender ass rubbing against the rough material of his jeans and making her flinch a little.

“Please, Tanner!”

Her begging made his balls ache, and he kissed her forehead. “Not yet, baby. That was just a little appetizer to test the waters. We haven’t even started on the main course.”

She went where he guided her, lying back in the middle of the bed and allowing him to put her arms above her head. He pressed them to the pillows and gave her a quick wink. “Leave these here.”

Picking up the rose again, he ran the soft petals over her equally soft skin making her shiver. He kissed his way down her curvy legs to her toes and gently ran the flower over the soles of her bare feet, kissing the arch. When she giggled he narrowed his eyes at her. “What?”

“That tickles, stop.” The blush on her cheeks told him there was more.

“Why don’t you like me playing with your sexy feet, baby?” he asked, gripping her foot firmly in one hand and rubbing his thumb hard down the arch to make her groan.

“They aren’t sexy, they are enormous,” she hissed out, arching her back up off the bed as he slid the stem of the flower between her toes, careful not to prick her with a thorn.

Tanner shook his head, “There is nothing too big about you, baby. You are sexy as hell from the top of your head to the tips of your toes, and I happen to find your feet very erotic.”

Lifting himself to a better angle, he settled her feet into his lap, and proceeded to massage them, alternating between pressing them against his erection and teasing her with a thrusting motion of the stem between her toes. She began to writhe uncontrollably after a few minutes, begging him to ease the burning need inside of her.

Dropping the flower to the floor, he used his palms to spread her thighs, opening her to his mouth. Without any more build up, he descended on her tender flesh and carried her to greater heights. Her hips rocked and her thighs clenched tight around his ears when she exploded against his face. The sound of his name from her lips did his precious control in.

As much as he wanted to continue to play with her, his cock was going to embarrass him if he didn’t fuck her. He grabbed a condom from his bedside table and quickly sheathed his aching erection while she was still mellow from her orgasm.

The fat head of his cock spread her swollen pussy lips creating an erotic picture that was branded into his memories. He knew that any future jacking off would be to this one moment in time when her body lay submissively splayed for his pleasure, and her pussy dripped with her desire.

Arching his larger frame over her, he laced his hands with hers and met her heavy lidded gaze before forcing his thickness into her tight channel. Her gasp was followed by a full body undulation that sent a zap of electricity up his spine and back down to his balls. By the time he had worked his dick fully into her tight pussy, he was panting and sweat was dripping down his back.

“You feel like heaven, baby,” he whispered to her, allowing his emotions to show in his eyes as much as possible. In this moment, it wasn’t about Dominance or submission. It was just about making love to the woman that his heart and soul craved. It was about bringing them both to the glorious heights they could only achieve together, and strengthening the bond between their spirits. Never before had he wanted so badly to say the “L” word to anyone, and it was on the tip of his tongue as he thrust into her body, slaking his need and hers.

His knees slid under her hips, propping her up so his cock rubbed against the small spot deep inside of her that he knew would drive her crazy and using their connected hands as his anchor, he fucked her with every bit of unsaid emotion in his heart.

Somehow she understood. Her blue eyes widened, and her puffy lips parted on a moan, just before those same lips curved up in a wicked smile, and she tightened on his dick.

This time when she screamed his name, he echoed her cries with his own, feeling something inside of him release, and his heart finally ease. He was home.

Zoey’s eyes closed tightly when she climaxed, and her ears filled with the sound of Tanner calling out her name as he found his own release. It was the most beautiful sound in the world, and it took her breath away.

It took a few seconds for the sharp sound of clapping to register in her head, but when it did, she jerked in surprise to find Clint and Dalton watching from the bedroom doorway with mile wide smiles on their faces.

“That was epic, Skipper,” Clint said as he continued his applause.

Tanner acted like a scalded cat as he jumped away from her, his condom nearly pulling off his now drooping cock in the process. He recovered it and quickly dropped the spent rubber in the trashcan, using his discarded shirt to clean himself up. When he finished he stepped into his bathroom and grabbed a hand towel. She jumped when he pushed her thighs apart and cleaned her up.

“Thank you,” she murmured, staring up into his amber gaze feeling more than a little sad at his reluctance to include his brothers in their moment.

She could see the war of emotions in his eyes, and when he finally sighed and dropped down to sit next to her, she was relieved. “What the hell are you two doing? This wasn’t a show for your voyeuristic pleasure, you know?”

“Well it might not have started out that way, but I’m damn sure glad I made it back home in time to catch the finale,” Dalton said. He came directly to her, unhindered by his brother’s nude form next to him as he pressed a kiss to her lips. “Hey, pretty lady, you look delicious.”

It was impossible not to return his grin, “I feel pretty damn delicious right now.”

Clint appeared on her other side, and instead of kissing her mouth, he leaned over her torso and sucked her nipple between his lips hard, and then let it go with a loud pop. “Mmm, you taste pretty yummy too.” Her giggle made him smile before he brought his lips to hers. His gentle butterfly kiss over her lips made her sigh with pleasure. “Guess this means dinner will be delayed, huh?”

She snorted, “Ya think? I can’t even feel my legs yet.” Tanner gave her a small smirk of satisfaction but didn’t say anything. Ignoring the sting of hurt in her heart, she turned to Dalton. “So how did it go with the White’s?”

“You really want to talk about
that
now?” he asked with a groan. When she gave him a hard look, he sighed and then smiled. “It went great. Better than I could have dreamed. I had a lot of things wrong for so many years, and they thought that I was avoiding them because it hurt too much to see them. Now it’s all in the open, and they seem really glad to have me back in town. Thank you, Zoey.”

“Hey, I didn’t do anything!” she protested, trying to sit up, but Clint’s weight held her in place.

“You encouraged me to keep an open mind, and in this case, that’s all I needed.” He kissed her again, and then gestured to Tanner, “So what does this mean for all of us?”

Zoey looked to Tanner who sat silently next to her staring at his hands. His shoulders were taut with tension, but his head was bowed. “Tanner?”

“I told you I wasn’t sure if I could share…”

She flinched, as if he had physically lashed out at her. “But, I thought…what the fuck was all of this then?”

Shock filled his eyes at her anger, “No, baby, that’s not what I’m saying. Let me finish! What I wanted to say is that even though I’m not sure how we’ll make it all work, I want to try. To be honest, I don’t think I can give you up after having a taste of you.”

Warmth filled her belly soothing the sting of his earlier silence, and she let him take her hand between his, pressing a kiss to her palm. Clint pinched her nipple making her yelp, and laugh, “Yep, once you’ve had a hit of our angel, you can’t resist coming back for more. That’s what brought me to your bedroom door. Well, that and the sexy fuck noises the two of you were making. I almost blew my load when you two did.”

Tanner snorted and rolled his eyes, while Zoey and Dalton both laughed. Her eyes bounced from man to man as she searched for answers to the hundreds of questions running through her brain. If they were serious, then she might just lose her mind trying to sort out all of the hurdles they faced.

Settling on the issue that currently fogged her brain, she moved her hands up to cup her own breasts. “I have one big question…” Pausing for effect, she arched her back and pinched her own nipples, “Which one of you is going to give me my next orgasm?”

They were all laughing as Dalton and Clint stripped their clothes and joined her and Tanner on the king size bed. This time, Tanner slid up behind her, supporting her against his chest as he recovered from their monumental orgasm of a few moments ago. She nearly purred when his hands came around to replace hers on her breasts, offering them to Dalton and Clint as though a meal on a platter. “Have another taste, guys. I think Zoey wants to test her limits tonight, and we’re just the men to help her with that.”

Clint didn’t waste much time on her breasts before moving down her body with his hot mouth. He ran his tongue over the rise of her rib cage making her giggle, and then it dipped into the hollow of her belly button and skirted the curve of her hip. By the time he reached the top of her soaked pussy, she was whimpering.

One hand found the back of his head when his fingers spread her labia and he blew air over her swollen clit. “Fuck, Clint!”

Tanner’s hands released her tits to grab her wrists, tugging them to her side and holding her in place while his brothers feasted on her body. “No you don’t, baby, if you want all of us, then you get us as we are.” His words sent tingles washing over her, and she moaned, letting her legs fall open wider to give Clint more access.

Hot skin pressed along her cheek as she turned her face in an attempt to bite Tanner’s nipple. His hiss of irritation blew across her face, and he let out a low growl. “You’re playing with fire, Zoey. I’ve already spanked you once, don’t push me.”

He didn’t seem to understand that that was exactly what she wanted to do. She wanted to push him outside of his comfort zone, and shake him up. Everything was new to her, and it kept her hanging by an uncomfortable thread of anxiety as she tried to absorb each new experience, but she wanted them to understand and feel that too. “I want you. All of you.”

Dalton’s head shot up from where he had been masterfully plying her breasts, and he grabbed her chin in his hand to look her in the eye. “Do you know what you’re asking for, kitten?”

There was an almost imperceptible layer of doubt in his eyes, and she saw it slip away when she nodded, “Yes, if nothing else ever happens between us again, I want to experience it all tonight. I want one of you in my pussy, and one in my ass while I suck the third.”

All three men stopped what they were doing and awkwardly exchanged silent communication before Clint frowned at her, “Have you ever had anal sex, angel?”

Her gaze darted away from his, and suddenly Dalton was in her face while Tanner held her still, “Answer him, kitten. This is important.”

“Not with someone,” she whispered, and she caught the blazing look of shock and desire that fired his blue eyes.

Tanner shifted behind her, his hard cock pressing into her ribs from the back. “Are you saying you’ve masturbated with anal play?”

The blush was fast, and it heated her face as her core reached boiling point and she gave him a short nod. All three men groaned deeply and seemed to retreat to regroup.

Tanner lifted her and turned her around in one quick motion so she was forced to straddle his thick thighs and rest her palms on his muscular chest to support herself. “Baby, that is the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard, and someday I fully intend on watching you pleasure yourself that way, but for tonight, you get to experience it all.”

She accepted his kiss as he stole away every single reservation that still lingered in her brain and relaxed against him. When their lips parted, Dalton grabbed her by the hair and tugged her head back to kiss her himself. Inches apart, neither man wavered as they accepted each other’s right to be there touching her so intimately.

Clint, of course, had no reservations, and she jumped when his tongue ran down the split of her ass. Tanner’s hands pressed her hips back down to his lap, so she was spread wide for the younger Keegan brother’s attentions. From behind, Clint’s fingers sunk into her dripping channel, pulling her own cream from her body and using it to ease the tight muscles of her ass.

It was nearly impossible to focus on what he was doing as Tanner manipulated her breasts, pinching and pulling them hard enough to make her gasp at the sharp pleasure and intense heat. Dalton’s mouth ravished hers, swallowing her noises and her need as he caressed and fucked her mouth with his own.

She heard Tanner tell Clint there was lube in the nightstand drawer, and then she heard the click of a cap just before icy cold moisture joined his fingers on her asshole. There was no escaping the insistent pressure of his fingers as they pushed past the ring of muscles into her bowel.

“Holy shit, she’s tight. She’s going to strangle my cock when I get it in there. Easy, angel, I’m just going to stretch you a little.” Clint’s voice was tight with need, and Zoey forced her muscles to relax around him allowing him to penetrate her backside further. “That’s it, let me in.”

Their triple shot of concern and encouragement sent her desire even higher, and she felt herself rocking back on Clint’s fingers for more. As he slid a second and then a third finger into her body, she whimpered and bit Dalton’s lip so she could take a breath.

When he pulled back just a few inches, she gave him her best sexy look and resorted to begging, “Please, I need more.”

Another silent exchange happened between the brothers, but lust fogged her brain enough that she was having difficulty keeping up with their movements. Quickly she found herself being manipulated until she blanketed Tanner’s whole body. Clint’s fingers were still pulsing in and out of her ass, but now Tanner was on his back so his cock pressed against her weeping pussy. Dalton knelt on the bed next to them and brought her hand up to fist his erection. She used her thumb to spread the moisture pooled on the head, and he moaned.

Tanner groaned when she tried to shift so she could line up his dick with her aching channel. “Fuck, Clint, you better get your dick inside of her quick, or she’s going to be too full of me to take you.”

She felt Clint moving behind her so he was between Tanner’s spread legs. His hand flattened on her back, forcing her forward until her tits were scraping over his older brother’s bare chest, sending fire through her body again.

Clint’s fingers slid free of her ass, and then his thick cockhead pressed against her anus. Forcing his way past the impossibly tight ring of muscles, he groaned along with her. It was nothing like being full of a plastic dildo. The burning feeling was intense and it ran from her asshole to her fingertips and back. Her breathing came out in gasps as she tried to force herself to relax and let him inside of her.

Tanner’s hands came up to hold her head still, his large palms bracketing her flushed cheeks, “Easy, baby, breathe. Relax and bear down, let Clint in. You want this, you want us to fill you up, so relax and enjoy it.”

His focus on calming her emotions, allowed her to regain her control, and she did what he instructed. Her body easing to allow Clint to sink deeper into her backside. “Christ, you are fucking incredible, Zoey.”

“Back-atcha, Hollywood,” she moaned as his pubic hair tickled her ass cheeks, and then he eased his long, hard cock out of her, before sinking in again. Slowly she relaxed around him, then with another quick squirt of lube he was sliding in and out of her more easily, and pushing her to the edge of climax.

“No you don’t, baby,” Tanner snarled. Zoey popped her eyes open to find his liquid gold gaze blazing with heat. “I want in that pussy before you come.”

This time when she shifted to line up her cunt with his cock, he let her. Her opening stretched around his thick shaft but with Clint inside of her ass, it was almost impossible to breathe through his entry. Focusing on Tanner’s full lips, which were set in a determined grimace, she pushed herself to relax.

A groan from her left had her glancing at Dalton. Her fist was still wrapped around his erection, but she wasn’t moving it. Instead, she was just locked on him like a vise as she concentrated on his brothers. He caught her looking and winked, “Don’t worry about me, kitten, I’m enjoying the show. I’ll catch up in a couple of minutes.”

The distraction was enough to allow Tanner to push his way into her body. Completely full of two of her three men, she could hear herself whimpering as she let sensation wash over her. They quickly worked out a rhythm between them, taking turns easing in and out of her body, giving her an unending stream of fulfillment. Her own blood seemed to be burning her up from the inside out as she fought to stay conscious through all of their ministrations.

When Dalton brought his cock to her lips and rubbed his sticky cock head against her, she parted them instinctively. His unique taste hit her tongue and she swallowed around him. He kept his thrusts shallow, so as not to distract her more from all of the other events happening, but he wrapped his hand in her hair to hold her head steady. It was the ultimate moment of bliss and submission for her. Her men took over and she just relaxed into their possession. Never again would she experience this for the first time. It might be good again in the future, but it would never compete with the feeling of acceptance that filled her as her climax broke free and swamped her like a tidal wave.

Later she would have to admit that she didn’t remember Dalton pulling free of her mouth and coming in his fist, or Tanner and Clint coming deep inside her body. Delicious pleasure swamped her, blinding her to everything but the acceptance of pure sexual hedonism, and she fainted.

*****

Later, she awoke tangled in a mass of sweaty sheets and masculine limbs with Clint sound asleep underneath her cheek. She allowed herself the opportunity to admire him while he slept. From his chiseled jaw and dimpled chin down the long sweep of his throat where his pulse beat steadily, and even further still to the wide chest that dipped and curved with only ridges of muscles breaking the solid plane. His build was significantly bulkier than either Tanner or Dalton, and for the hundredth time since he appeared back on the Triple T she wondered how Hollywood had missed out on this magnificent man.

When he smiled, everyone nearby smiled with him. It was almost as if his duty to the world was to create joy, so it only made sense that he might do that on screen or on stage. Instead, the bright lights and craving for fame had broken him and knocked his knees out from underneath him.

She had observed him as he stepped back into the cowboy boots that he left behind and took up the reins of the cowboy lifestyle again. He was like a drop of sunshine on the withered plants, and already she had noticed a more relaxed air around the other ranch hands. He had a natural ability for reading both humans and animals, and his determination to shine a positive light on everything around him was one of the biggest things that she admired about him.

In the back of her mind she thought about what it would be like to have Clint as the father of her children and a life partner. There would never be a dull moment, and her children would never be faced with feeling unloved or unwanted. Wasn’t that exactly what she had always dreamed of? As the image of miniature Keegan offspring filled her brain, her heart stuttered in her chest.

Tanner hadn’t used a condom when they had sex the second time. That was exactly what she didn’t want for herself and her future offspring. If these three men committed to her, she wanted it to be because they couldn’t live without her, not because of some misplaced sense of obligation to her and an unplanned pregnancy.

Clint seemed to sense her sudden tension in his sleep, his arm tightened around her midsection, and he shifted to press his face into her hair, inhaling deeply.

“You okay, angel?” he murmured sleepily into her ear.

She nodded, but the emotional dam holding back all of her fears and worries was cracking. All it took was him rising up on one elbow and staring down into her eyes with a deep concern for her she wasn’t used to, and the dam broke. Tears filled her eyes and her chest sagged with a heavy sob.

“Oh shit, Zoey! What’s wrong, angel? Did we hurt you? Are you okay?” His immediate panic struck a chord in her chest and she sobbed harder.

Through her hiccupping cries she managed to mumble, “I’m fine, just emotional. This has been a rough week for me.”

The muscles in his body seemed to relax by a few degrees, and he tugged her over until she was draped over him like a small child. Her head tucked under his chin, and her legs slid between his spread thighs, so she was surrounded by the comfort he could give. “I know it has, angel. I’m sorry for that. Me and the guys just had to work through all of the kinks before we could address how much we all three wanted you.”

“It’s not just you guys. I’ve been trying to figure out what to do about my job, and where I’m going to live, and falling for three cowboys certainly changes any decisions I might make about both of those things.”

He held her in his arms, his strong heartbeat slowly calming her violent emotional outburst. When she was tearless and barely hiccupping, he spoke again. “Don’t freak me out like that, doll. I’m not good with crying, it kinda messes with my head.”

She giggled against his collarbone and pressed a kiss to the pulse throbbing in his neck. “I’m sorry. I’m not sure why I flipped like that. Everything just hit me all at once. I never imagined I would be considering sharing my body with three brothers.”

“Hopefully we made it good enough for you that you want to come back for more later.” His smug look of masculine satisfaction nearly had her denying it just to rile him, but instead she chose to stroke his ego with honesty.

“You couldn’t keep me away.” Relaxing into his gentle touch, she followed his hands as they stroked up her back to the nape of her neck, and back down to the base of her ass in a comforting sort of petting. “Clint, are you happy here? Back at the Triple T? Do you miss California?”

For a moment she didn’t think he would answer her, and when he took an enormous breath and let it all out in a whoosh, she started to shift away. His hands clamped down over her round ass cheeks and he growled a little. The sound was so unlike Clint that she felt her mouth drop open in surprise.

“I don’t miss California, because everything I want and need is in Texas.” Her sensitive female pride sufficiently flattered, she dropped her head back to his chest to listen. “Out there, I was surrounded by beautiful women, and powerful people, but I was also surrounded by con artists, and people so desperate to hold their dreams in their hands that they would do anything to get it. And I do mean anything. I’m not that person. I’m pretty easy going. I figure if life hands you lemons, consider it an offer to partake in body shots and find some Tequila.”

Laughter shook her, “That’s limes. You do body shots with limes.”

“Hey, you do shots your way, and I’ll do them mine. The point is, that I was naïve and ridiculously ignorant of how to work the business. I don’t play politics very well, and coming back to the Triple T was probably the only thing that saved my life. Believe it or not, I have spent the last four months or so on anti-depressants. The doctor said that my depression was a chemical imbalance, and once the medicine got into my system it went a long way toward me regaining my optimistic attitude.”

This time she sat up completely to stare down at him in wonder, “I can’t believe you of all people were depressed! You were chasing your dreams, and making a good living, how could you be depressed?”

“Depression isn’t always about bad shit happening to ya. Sometimes it’s just a matter of not being able to cope with every day things. Anyway, I knew from the moment I saw your perky round ass be-bopping around the kitchen that first day that I had to have you, no matter what.” He pulled her down for a quick kiss, and when she was distracted, he rolled her, switching their positions. Even though he settled between her thighs, the move wasn’t sexual, somehow he used it to make her feel cherished. For the first time she began to suspect there were more layers to Clint just as she had found out with Dalton and Tanner.

“I’m glad you aren’t easily put off your mission.” She said with a laugh, “I can’t imagine being any luckier than I am right now in this moment.”

“We’re the lucky ones, angel. Tanner filled us in on how he treated you years ago when you approached him. I’m surprised you even gave any of us the time of day after being shit on like that.” Clint’s irritation on her behalf made her belly tingle, and she lifted her head to kiss him.

“Thank you, but I believe everyone deserves a second chance, and even sometimes a third. Now, you better let me up because I have to pee like a racehorse and you’re on my bladder.” His laughter echoed through the room as he rolled away allowing her to dart into the bathroom.

She would never get tired of hearing that sound, or feeling his eyes on her as she moved. If this was what her future looked like, then she welcomed it with open arms.

By the time she came out of the bathroom, Clint had pulled on some sweats, and he held out a robe to her. “Slip this on and we’ll go find the guys. They are supposed to be making something for us to eat, but considering the lack of culinary talent between the two of them, we’re probably going to end up with peanut butter and jelly.”

“I’m more of a peanut butter and honey girl,” she responded, allowing him to take her hand and lead her into the living room.

Tanner was slicing a brick of cheese, while Dalton was filling a tray with some summer sausage and crackers. They both looked up with smiles on their faces as she entered the room.

“Hey, baby, Clint was supposed to let you sleep,” Tanner said, nuzzling her temple when she stepped to his side and hugged him briefly.

“He did. I was the one who woke him up.” She moved to Dalton and hugged him.

“More like she had a nervous breakdown on me,” Clint said with a snort.

Immediately Tanner and Dalton turned their complete attention on her. “What’s wrong, kitten?”

She rolled her eyes, “Nothing, it’s no big deal. I just had a little cry.”

“She’s worried about her job, and whether or not she’s going to move out of here.” She sent Clint a nasty look as he spilled her secrets.

“Tattletale,” she hissed at him, but he just winked in response.

“Well, I can ease part of those fears, you’re not moving anywhere, baby. Not unless you want to,” Tanner said, putting down his knife to give her a kiss.

“I second that, and as far as your job goes, I think you should tell Helen to kiss your ass when you see her tomorrow,” Dalton said.

“I can’t do that, I need a job,” Zoey argued, accepting a bottle of water from Clint as the other two finished their tasks and they all moved to the living room.

“There are other jobs out there,” Clint said with a shrug.

“But this is my dream. I want to help kids.”

Clint’s eyes met hers and he gave her a wistful smile, “Someone once told me that trying for your dream and failing is better than never trying at all. Maybe it’s time your dream changed. You can help kids some other way. You shouldn’t have to tolerate that woman’s nastiness.”

Zoey’s eyes filled with tears, and she moved to Clint, settling in his lap and kissing him deeply. For a moment they were lost in the intense emotions passing between them, and when they broke apart, she pressed her forehead to his, whispering, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, but it’s partially out of my own selfishness. I would much rather the woman I love be happy when she comes home from work.”

“I love you too, Clint,” she answered.

“Zoey, I know I should have pulled my head out of my ass much sooner, but I do love you. I think I’ve been in love with you since before that horrible night at Robin’s,” Tanner said.

“You sure have a funny way of showing it, cowboy,” she smarted off, but she grinned at him to ease the sting of her attitude. “I love you too, Tanner.”

“And me? What about me, pretty lady?” Dalton said, giving her wide puppy dog eyes.

“Hmm…I’m still on the fence about you...”

They all laughed, and Dalton kissed her hard on the mouth. “I love you too, kitten. More than I ever imagined possible.”

“Enough to play doctor later maybe?” she asked with a wiggle of her eyebrows. He tickled her until she cried mercy, “I love you too, Professor.”

They all settled in to eat their makeshift dinner before making love into the wee hours of the morning. Zoey told herself that she was going to take it all one day at a time, and accept whatever fate tossed on her plate, but in truth, she knew that she was so deeply in love with all three Keegan brothers that she couldn’t walk away from them if she tried.

Perhaps Clint was right, and it was time for a new dream and a new beginning.