The Private Stable [Iron Spur Ranch 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (21 page)

Her heart broke for her cowboy. Ethan was frozen in space and time, his desperation for her approval nearly palpable. She’d been worried Jason would sour
her
reputation, and she didn’t want one of the men she loved to experience that same fear. There was no way she’d give Jason that much power.

“Leave, Jason. Just go,” she said, not wanting any trouble. It was bad enough she may never be able to pick up the pieces.

“Yeah, whatever. Never wanted you anyway.” He turned to collect the horse from the brushwood.

“Leave the horse. You can walk to the iron gates,” said Damien.

He began to walk away, a true coward. When confronted by real men he was powerless. “I can do much better,” he shouted as he retreated. “Keep that fat whore. I’m done with her.”

When she thought it was over, it had only just begun. Wyatt was on Jason faster than she could bat a lash. He pulled back his fist and let one loose on Jason’s jaw. He was so much stronger, his body solid muscle and strength.

She ran up to them and tried to pry Wyatt off. He’d do something stupid and regret it. He may not care about his future, but she did. “Stop,” she cried. Rachel wasn’t worried about Jason, only about Wyatt getting in trouble or hurt if he got stuck by a knife.

Ethan wrapped his arms around her to restrain her. “Hush, darlin’. Everything will be okay.” Tears clouded her vision. She’d been through so much the past hour that her control was fractured to the point of no repair.

“Wyatt!”

“Listen to me and listen well, young man. Rachel’s no concern of yours any longer. You won’t try to come back here, call her, nothing. She belongs to me and my friend and we couldn’t be happier. She’s beautiful, sexy, and perfect, and much too good for your sorry ass,” said Wyatt, pinning Jason down by the scruff of the shirt.

“And if you try coming back and make trouble you’ll get a cowboy greeting, and I promise it has nothing to do with riding off into the sunset. Hear me?” said Ethan.

Wyatt pulled back his elbow as if to strike again, but then lifted off Jason and told him to fuck off. This time he listened and kept his mouth shut. She watched him retreat, each step he took making it easier for her to breathe. Hopefully this would be the last time she ever had to deal with him.

“He won’t come back,” said Wyatt. “I’ll enjoy it if he does, though.” He got to his feet and dusted off his jeans with his Stetson.

“I’ll expect ya’ll to be back to work at first light,” said Damien with little emotion in his voice.

“Suppose that means we have the rest of the day off?” asked Wyatt.

Damien nodded a farewell and steered his horse around, disappeared up the grassy bank. He may be harsh, but he was a good boss—fair and honest.

Ethan scooped her up into his arms, leaving her dizzy for a moment. “Don’t hate me. It’s not like you think, darlin’. Whatever you’ve heard is likely a mix of lies. It was manslaughter. I’d never—”

“Stop,” she interrupted. “I don’t need to hear anything more. I just need your love.” And she needed it now more than ever.

“That you have. Guaranteed. I’ll spend the rest of my life proving my love to you.”

“That’s a long time, cowboy. You ready for the long haul?” asked Wyatt.

“All I’ve ever wanted was a family. I lost mine because of things outside my control. I was sure Rachel wouldn’t want me either after finding out about my past. Now there ain’t any way I’m letting her go.”

She felt new tears threatening to emerge, not from fear but sheer happiness. “I want to belong to both of you. There’s nothing I want more,” she said. “We can start our own family.”

“I like the sound of that,” said Wyatt. “It’s something I never expected to have. Now I realize it’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

Ethan smiled. She could feel the love the two men held for the other. It was a friendship born in the ashes of a world gone mad.

They were all perfect together, as if their three separate paths led them here to the Iron Spur Ranch and each other. The unconditional acceptance was healing.

Wyatt kissed her temple as Ethan held her between them. “The whole day to spend with our sweet girl. Whatever shall we do?”

The first thing that entered her mind was the private stable. She’d been through so much and just wanted to let it all go. The exclusive club was the place she could submit all her power to the men she trusted and just focus on experiencing. Jason had shown her that trust could be shattered. Wyatt and Ethan taught her that those little shards could be made new again.

“I just don’t want to be alone,” she said.

“You’ll never be alone,” said Wyatt, tucking loose hair behind her ears. “A cowboy’s love burns hot and never fades away.”

“Promise?”

She closed her eyes as Wyatt leaned in to kiss her lips. Rachel felt boneless, supported effortlessly in Ethan’s muscular arms. Then she felt Ethan’s eager kiss follow. Her body reacted, as if tuned to them alone.

“She forgets last night already,” said Wyatt, shaking his head in mock disapproval. He unbuttoned her shirt to expose her left breast, still slightly pink from their wax play. Remembering their games made her pussy flood with liquid heat. “She forgets my promise.”

“I guess we better remind her, then,” said Ethan. He licked his thick lips, his eyes boring into hers like a wolf sizing up its meal.

It wasn’t too late to start over, not then and not now. The past was only a learning tool, and she was better for it. She was Rachel the fearless. And she had better be, because her cowboys had set a course for the private stable.

THE END

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Stacey Espino resides in beautiful Ontario, Canada where she is busy raising her five school-aged children. She loves being a Canadian, but could do without the brutal winters. She enjoys writing erotic romance that will have you squirming in your seat. From hardcore cowboys to alpha shifters, she has you covered! Stacey also writes alternative m/m romance as Winona Wilder.

For all titles by Stacey Espino, please visit

www.bookstrand.com/stacey-espino

For titles by Stacey Espino writing as

Winona Wilder, please visit

www.bookstrand.com/winona-wilder

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