“Where did you get off to last night?” Aidan asked, remembering Bo’s complaint from the night before. Dwight lived in the foreman’s house behind the barn. He was a loner. He didn’t have many friends aside from Aidan.
“Oh, I just went out for a beer and then, well, you know.”
Aidan grinned. “Which lovely young lady caught your eye?”
“One of the new waitresses at the Two Horse Saloon.”
“Ah,” Aidan said, happy Dwight was getting out a bit. The Two Horse Saloon was a bar on the edge of town. Deer Run was dry, but cowboys always found a way around little things like the law when it came to getting a beer after a hard day’s work.
“And I am really sorry about Karen. Did she find you?” Dwight said, his mouth turning down. “She caught me in a weak moment. I was talking about you to Darla, the waitress I hooked up with. I was talking about The Club and how nice you said it was. I didn’t realize she was sitting next to me. That girl is psycho.”
Well, at least he understood how Karen had shown up. He’d tried to explain to her that he wasn’t interested. He wasn’t sure she’d gotten the message. But that wasn’t Dwight’s fault. “Don’t worry about it.”
Once Karen saw him around town with Lexi and Lucas, she would get the picture.
There was a scratching at the back door and a little whine. Aidan walked across the kitchen and let in the only good thing he’d found in Iraq.
“Hey, Ike, how you doing, boy?” He got down on one knee, wincing at the pain, but he was used to it. The dog was a mutt, some odd mix of retriever and Great Dane. He was a huge monster, but sweet as the day was long after he’d settled in. He’d been adopted by Aidan’s squad. Though the Army banned pets on base, the truth was most officers looked the other way. Aidan had nearly cried the day his former platoon CO showed up on the ranch leading Ike by a leash.
Ike’s nub of a tail wagged, and he licked Aidan’s face frantically. It was like this every time he left. Though Ike didn’t mind Bo, he preferred Aidan to everyone else. Ike looked up and started to growl.
“Don’t,” Aidan commanded.
Ike growled at a lot of men. He’d done it in Iraq, growling and barking at everyone. It had taken Aidan awhile to get the dog to come to him. Aidan wasn’t sure why he’d tried. Maybe he’d just seen something in the dog that called to him. Ike had obviously needed affection, but he’d been too scared to take it. Yeah, he and the dog had a lot in common. Eventually Ike had calmed down, but despite the fact that he’d been around Dwight during their time in Iraq, the dog still growled when he got too near. Aidan really hoped Ike and Lucas got along. The last thing he needed was for Ike to hate Lucas.
“Dumb dog,” Dwight said as he started out the back door. “I’ll be out in the south field. We’re going to have to replace that whole section of fence. I’ll take Clint with me.” Dwight slammed out the back door, and Ike calmed.
“Hey, boy,” Lucas said in that honey chocolate voice of his. Aidan looked back and he was on one knee with a hand held out.
“He doesn’t like a lot of people,” Aidan warned him.
“That’s okay,” Lucas replied. “He doesn’t have to do anything he doesn’t want to.”
But Ike was already moving toward the stranger. He sniffed Lucas’s hand warily, his nose poking and retreating as though he expected a slap at any moment. Lucas was patient, allowing the dog to become accustomed, to make his own judgment.
“That’s right, boy. We can be friends.” Lucas patted the dog’s head, and Ike’s stub started to wag again.
Just like that, Lucas made friends with a dog who took forever to get used to anyone. Aidan watched them with a great deal of pleasure.
“This coffee needs sugar,” Lexi groused as she walked into the room. There was a dour look on her pretty face, and her hair was tousled from sleep. She wasn’t a morning person, but Aidan had always thought she looked so damn cute when she was grumpy. She frowned at him, but her face lit up when she saw the dog. “Oh, hi, puppy!”
Lexi set the mug down and was on her knees in an instant. Aidan’s first thought was to warn her about the dog’s bad temper, but apparently they were soul mates. Ike abandoned Lucas and started sniffing Lexi. Lexi ran her hands all over the dog’s massive, somewhat stinky body.
“He needs a bath,” Aidan said, worrying she would find his dog unattractive.
Lexi grinned as the dog licked her face. “He’s perfect. You’re a pretty boy, aren’t you?”
Lucas stood and lent Aidan a hand. “Come on. She’s lost to us now. Let’s get some work done. Actually, there’s a little side project I’d like to talk to you about.”
He took Lucas’s hand and allowed Lucas to help him up. Even with the help, his back seized, and Aidan stumbled. Lucas steadied him, but the weakness had shown itself. Aidan flushed and inwardly cursed the muscles that always let him down now. He pulled away, not wanting to lean on Lucas.
Lucas’s arm tightened on his. “Stop it, Sir. Let me help.”
Aidan made it to his feet, but he couldn’t help the sense of shame that flushed through his system.
“Doms.” Lexi was shaking her head as she petted the dog. Aidan looked at her, ready for the rush of pity he got from a lot of people. “Such dumbasses.”
No pity from his girl.
“I believe what our lovely and infinitely sympathetic female is trying to say is, lean on us. The mistake most Doms make is to think that we’re burdens or something soft to play with in bed. We’re a part of this. If you don’t want our help and support, then we’re worth nothing to you. I don’t intend to submit to a man who needs nothing from me but sexual pleasure.”
“What he said,” Lexi shot back, but her lips were quirking up.
Aidan leaned into Lucas and allowed himself to steady before he pulled away. He took a long, deep breath to control the deep emotion he felt. What Lucas was talking about wasn’t a D/s relationship. He was talking about a family.
“Thank you, Lucas. I promise the next time my back gives out and I’m going to fall to the floor, I’ll let you catch me.”
“I would appreciate it, Sir. Now, can I go play cowboy?”
Aidan nodded. Lucas was a lawyer, but he’d spent enough time on a cattle ranch that he knew what he was doing. Lucas on a horse was a sight to be seen.
“Great, what am I supposed to do?” Lexi asked, standing up. Ike sat down beside her, his loyalty already obvious. “Since I don’t have a job anymore.”
Aidan had an answer for that. He pulled the notebook he’d stashed hours earlier from its drawer along with a pen. This was the good part about being the Dom. He was obligated to order her around. “Write. I don’t care what it is. You can write Aidan is an asshole four hundred times, as long you write.”
Lexi stared at the notebook like it was a snake that might bite her. “It won’t do any good. It’s not like I haven’t wanted to write. I just don’t do it anymore.”
Aidan shrugged. “Bullshit. It’s like anything else. You just do it. I don’t care if it’s any good. You will drink your coffee, and you will write whatever comes into that perverse, gorgeous brain of yours. You’ll meet me and Lucas for lunch at noon. If you don’t write something down, there will be punishment.”
Lexi took the pen and paper. “Fine. But it’s going to be crap.”
She turned and flounced out, Ike padding after her.
Lucas picked up her forgotten coffee and added a spoon of sugar. “I like this. I get to be the good cop.”
Lucas followed her back down the hall. Aidan could hear Lexi’s soft voice thanking him. She went up on her toes to kiss Lucas’s lips before she disappeared into the bedroom Aidan had designed with her in mind.
Lucas walked back down the hall with a smile on his face. Yep, the good cop looked ready to work. Aidan watched as Lucas practically jogged out the door. Aidan was comfortable with his role, but he really had to make sure the bad cop got a little love, too.
Chapter Ten
Lexi walked out on the porch and into the midday sun. It was warm but not overly hot, yet the sight in front of her sent her temperature soaring.
Lucas and Aidan were working outside the barn, loading carefully packed hay into the back of a bale rack attached to an oversized truck. Their shirts had been flung off at some point, leaving two gloriously hard male bodies on full display. They wore nothing but low-slung Levi’s, boots, and their Stetsons.
She’d gone way too long without sex.
They were so different, much more now than they were before. It had only been a few years since all three of them had been together, but they seemed more mature. Pain in each of their lives had changed them. Aidan was physically changed, but she could see the mental scars, too. She’d glimpsed the naked pain on his face when he’d had to lean on Lucas for balance.
Lexi could have told him that Lucas was the best balance in the world. Lucas thrived on people needing him. Jack had been the first person to really give a damn about Lucas. Lexi had been there that first summer. She’d watched Lucas change from a scared boy to a calm, patient, infinitely strong man.
Why was he so willing to let Aidan back in? Did she love Lucas enough to follow him?
Pain had changed Lexi, too. Had it changed the three of them enough that maybe it could work this time?
Lucas used the bale hooks to hoist the last of the hay onto the rack. His lean muscles rippled in the sunlight. He glanced up and saw her standing there. He took his hat off, his thick, dark hair curling around his ears. A devilish little glint came into his eyes. Aidan walked up close to the back of the rack and secured it. He drew the lock on the rack and turned. Lucas was in his space. Lucas said something to Aidan that had Aidan’s lips curling up and his dimples flashing.
Lucas’s hand came up and trailed down Aidan’s chest. It was a soft touch, the sort Lucas was good at. He always treated her so gently. The way he’d fucked her mouth the night before had been different. Lucas had been fully in command. He’d been rough, and she’d loved it. He’d held her head and forced his cock in and out of her mouth. She had loved looking at the dark expression on his face as he used her. It wasn’t like she wanted to be abused. She wouldn’t allow anyone but Lucas to do that. Lucas loved her. Hell, most of the time Lucas worshipped her. It was safe to submit to Lucas. It was perfectly fine to indulge that part of her sexuality.
And suddenly, with Aidan around, Lucas felt safe to indulge his. It was the only explanation. He’d spanked her and performed scenes with her, but the night before was the first time he’d just let go. Lucas had trusted Aidan to make sure she didn’t get hurt.
She wanted to have sex with Aidan.
Damn it. She’d always known Aidan would be masterful. She’d tried to steer him that way once she’d figured out a little of what she wanted, but Aidan had been very vanilla.
He didn’t look vanilla now.
Aidan leaned forward and whispered something into Lucas’s ear, his big hand cupping Lucas’s waist. Even from here she could see the way Aidan’s cock was pressed against his jeans. And then Lucas turned his head just the slightest bit and their mouths met. It was gentle at first, a little playful whisper of lips on lips. Then Lucas’s tongue came out and traced the line of Aidan’s mouth.
Aidan’s reaction was instant. He grabbed Lucas’s head, his fingers tangling in his hair. He pulled back and mastered Lucas. Aidan was only a few inches taller, but in that moment he towered over Lucas. Their mouths ate at each other. Aidan devoured Lucas like a starving man. It didn’t seem like simple lust to Lexi. There was infinitely more than that. Aidan needed Lucas, and Lucas needed him.
Lucas suddenly broke the kiss and turned to her.
Son of a bitch. Lucas had known what he was doing, and he’d known she couldn’t resist.
“Alexis, in the barn, now. Clothing is not an option.” Aidan was the one who barked the order, but Lucas was the one who smiled. It was the long, slow, satisfied smile of a master manipulator who’d just gotten his way.
Lucas wanted the three of them together, and he would play dirty to get it.
Lucas strode toward the barn after picking up a towel and wiping off his chest. Even that was calculated to show every inch of his gloriously cut torso. “You better obey, Lexi. He’s got the whole barn rigged for play. There’s some fun stuff in there. Of course, there’s also some stuff to torture a little sub who doesn’t mind her Masters. I’d love to use some of it on you. I might submit to our Dom, but don’t you dare forget that I top you, too. So get your pretty ass in that barn.”
Lexi stared as he disappeared inside the weathered barn. Aidan stood watching her. In that moment, he was more timid than Lucas. Though his jaw was square and his shoulders thrown back, she could still see his anxiety. He was expecting rejection. She could hurt him now. Lucas would follow her. She could force Lucas to make the same decision Aidan had foisted on her.
But all that would be was revenge. She could get some revenge on Aidan, but what did that buy her? Some momentary satisfaction? Aidan had been scared and confused when he’d forced her to choose between him and Lucas. Lexi was scared, too, though for different reasons, but she couldn’t hurt Lucas like that. And she didn’t want to.
Aidan’s face fell as he waited. Lucas came back to the door, not quite as sure as he was before.
It was her choice.
Lexi set the notebook down and walked to the barn, her fingers already undoing the buttons on her shirt. “If you think you’re touching me when you’re all sweaty, you’re all kinds of wrong, mister.”
Aidan’s hand came out as she passed him, and she felt a sharp shot to her ass. “That’s Sir, to you.”
She shrugged out of her shirt and unhooked her bra, noting Lucas’s smile and Aidan’s rising interest. “Fine, you should clean up, Sir.”
Aidan followed her inside. “Not going to happen. I’d just get dirty again. Lucas and I will have you just as sweaty as we are in a few minutes. Get your pants off and assume the position.”
For someone who used to be vanilla, he seemed awfully comfortable being bossy now. Maybe this was what she needed. Maybe a few days of submitting to Aidan would prove that she didn’t really need it. She’d only had Lucas as a Dom before, and he’d been very indulgent with her. Maybe she wouldn’t like real D/s.
She tried not to think about how her skin was already humming. She had gone soft and wet. She wouldn’t be able to hide how interested she was. She could be the biggest brat in the world, but the minute one of them shoved a finger up her pussy, they would know it was all an act. So much of what she did on a daily basis was just an act. She moved through life like a walking corpse when Lucas wasn’t around to make her smile. But being with both of them was making her feel.
She kicked off her shoes and pushed the jeans over her hips, snagging her panties as she went. The barn was warm, with soft sunlight filtering in. The whole place was gauzy and strangely romantic. It was filled with hay and equipment, but no animals. Though it was large, it felt intimate with just the three of them inside. Aidan closed the door behind him. Lucas was sitting on a bale of hay, leaning back like the centerfold to some uber-hot cowboy calendar. He had a length of rope in his hand. No comfy, fur-lined cuffs for her this time.
“I believe the Master told you to get on your knees, baby.”
Lexi had never heard as much confidence in Lucas’s voice before. It had her dropping to her knees and spreading them wide. She placed her hands on her thighs and lowered her head. She relaxed. She wanted this. She needed this.
Dark, worn cowboy boots came in to view. Aidan. He stood for a moment looking down at her, and then his boots disappeared. He pulled the band out of her hair, sending her dark tresses tumbling around her shoulders. “Very nice. Someone who didn’t know you might think you were a sweet little sub.”
“She can be, when she wants to.” Lucas’s boots were suddenly close to her knees. They were expensive, though he’d broken them in. His hand tangled in her hair, a
nd he gently forced her head up so she looked him in the eyes. “Are you ready for this, baby? Are you ready to serve two Masters?”
Since her heart was pounding like mad, she figured she probably was. Even if she wasn’t ready for this emotionally, she didn’t think she could stop. “Yes, Sir.”
“Lexi, I want to make love to you and Lucas.” Aidan’s dark brown eyes looked almost black in the soft light. “I want to set the ground rules before we start. I won’t make you do anything we don’t agree to at the beginning.”
He was going to force her to say yes. He couldn’t just take her? No, the bastard Dom had to put all the responsibility on her. She would have greatly preferred he just ordered her to spread her legs. She could have blamed it all on being in subspace.
Lucas knelt down. His hand stroked her cheek and then traced a line from her neck all the way down her torso to her pussy. Lexi held herself very still, though she wanted to force those long fingers to fuck her hard. It had been so long since she’d really had a partner. Lucas couldn’t count because he only gave and, until last night, hadn’t taken anything in return. She wanted her pleasure, but she needed to please, too.
A single finger slid through her pussy, parting her labia and wiggling all around. Lexi could feel the cream coating her pussy. Lucas’s finger teased her for a moment and then was gone. She let a little whimper escape her lips.
Lucas stood and held his hand up. “Well, she might not be willing to admit it, but her pussy is plain and open about what she wants.”
Aidan moved beside him, his eyes staring at Lucas’s cream-coated fingers. “It could all be about you. She loves you.”
“A fact I am grateful for every day, but I know my girl. She’s a dirty little thing, and I wouldn’t have her any other way. She’s thinking of two hard cocks right now.”
That was the problem. She wasn’t thinking of two hard cocks. She was thinking of Lucas and Aidan. She was thinking about their hands on her, their tongues lavishing affection, their bodies worshipping hers. She was thinking of them, not some random and faceless lovers.