Cowboys for Christmas Read online

  To his surprise, she was already asleep. She’d curled herself into the fetal position, her knees drawn up to her belly and her hands tucked beneath her cheeks. Her eyes were closed and a sweet smile played with her lips.

  She looked vulnerable. Way too vulnerable. Something raw and wild unleashed from somewhere deep inside of him and for some crazy insane reason he wanted to know everything about her.

  He inhaled a deep breath to steady his pounding heart. His lips still tingled from her kiss and he really wanted to kiss her again. Man, she was potent.

  He continued to gaze at her. She still wore her coat and her boots. He should get them off her to make her more comfortable, but he didn’t want to wake her. She might get chilled during the night, so he grabbed some quilts out of his closet and carefully placed several over her. He held his breath as he touched the zipper on her coat and slowly slid it down until it opened.

  He tried to ignore the sweet swell of her breasts peeking out from the V-neck of the green sweater she wore beneath her coat, but the visual was doing some mighty pleasing things to his cock. He wondered if she would wake up if he did give her one more kiss?

  From down the hallway, Dan called out his name. Brady cursed softly beneath his breath.

  No, he didn’t want her to awake again. He needed her gone.

  * * * * *

  “What the hell is it?” Brady asked softly as he joined Rafe and Dan in the living room.

  Rafe noted Brady’s flushed face and wondered what the hell he’d been up to, but he’d ask him later. Right now they had other things to attend to. Like the three boxes that had been transported along with the woman.

  Rafe pointed to the boxes which Dan and he had opened. They’d assumed their food supplies had been delivered, but the boxes contained everything but food.

  “Christmas ornaments. From this note from your sister, she picked them out for us.” Dan said as he handed Brady a sealed letter addressed to Brady that they’d found placed inside one of the boxes.

  “I’d say it’s because of what happened last Christmas,” Rafe reminded them. “Remember she stayed for a few days before Christmas and was disappointed that there was no tree?”

  “I remember,” Brady snarled.

  He went silent as he tore open the envelope and then read the note. His frown deepened.

  “The little bitch,” Brady said softly. “She says she couldn’t find two guys to replace Mrs. Wilson at such short notice so we’ll have to teach this woman the ropes of what we want her to do around the ranch. Jenna says she’s going on vacation for a few weeks and can’t be reached. I cannot fucking believe this. Who goes on vacation when she’s got her own ranch to run and Cowboys Online too? I don’t believe her. We’ve been fucking set up!”

  Brady cursed again and crunched the letter and tossed it over the fireplace screen into the fire. He looked really pissed. Well, he was going to get a hell of a lot nastier.

  “There’s something else you need to see,” Rafe dug into his pocket and withdrew the items they’d found. He handed them to Brady.

  “Prescription pills? Any ideas what they are for?” Brady mumbled. His brow furrowed with concern.

  Dan, who’d done a short stint in pharmaceutical school after graduating from high school, answered quickly.

  “In laymen’s terms, one is an anti-anxiety med and the other is a sedative. Mixed with alcohol, it makes one, shall we say, loopy. It can be quite the dangerous mix.”

  “Loopy?”

  “Tipsy, happy, bolder than normal. Like she’s acting tonight. I don’t think she drank too much or things would have gone downhill by now,” Dan said and then he looked toward the staircase. “Will she be joining us for supper?”

  Rafe read the excitement in Dan’s voice, felt it sift through himself as well. He wouldn’t mind getting another look at their new housekeeper and cook. She was very cute and she made his insides warm.

  “She’s in my room.”

  She was in Brady’s room?

  “You move fast, my man,” Dan chuckled.

  Brady visibly tensed and Rafe prepared himself for an explosion. Lately, Brady was snapping at the both of them. He needed to get laid. They all needed to get laid.

  “I didn’t want to chance her falling down the stairs. Lawsuit, ever hear of them? She’s in my room for the night. I’ll take the couch and keep an eye on her tonight. She’s asleep.”

  Dan winked at Rafe. Yeah, they could have a field day with that comment, but his stomach growled and Rafe’s did too. Now was not the time to get Brady so pissed that he would toss them out into the snow and lock the doors.

  By the way Dan was grinning, Rafe suspected he was about to let loose a volley of inappropriate comments about the woman and Rafe being alone in his bedroom and why was she sleeping instead of peeling off Brady’s clothes.

  Rafe’s cock stiffened at that idea. The three of them had had their share of ménages with willing women.

  Rafe clapped his hands and captured both men’s attention. “Good! Let’s eat!”

  * * * * *

  JJ moaned softly as something hot and moist clamped over both of her nipples. Sweet suctioning sensations had her gasping and gyrating her hips. She tried to close her thighs but something held them apart.

  Heat and pressure melted over her pussy. Slurping sounds whispered through the air. Something, a finger, slid into her vagina. Her muscles eagerly clenched the intruder. She wanted it deeper. Wanted it thrusting into her.

  She creamed and cried out as it withdrew and rubbed sensuously over her clitoris. Arousal seared nerve endings. She bucked and panted beneath an onslaught of pleasure.

  Heat and desperation snapped through her like a live wire. She needed to be fucked. Wanted to be impaled. She was so primed for penetration that she could scream.

  A hot hand smoothed over her belly. A man groaned. The guttural sound was erotic as it spilled into the air. The suctioning on her nipples intensified. She jerked in response to the sensations created.

  She slowly blinked her eyes open.

  Huh? What was happening? She should be scared, shouldn’t she? But she wasn’t. Fevered heat whipped through her and she wanted to dive into the agonizing pleasure wrapping around her body.

  Flickering lights shone across the walls from a fire in the hearth.

  She arched her hips and wrapped her legs around whomever was down there lapping at her pussy. She dug her heels into a hard, muscular back.

  Was it that hunky cowboy with the black cowboy hat dining on her? She’d loved his blue eyes and the dark shadow of stubble lining his jaw. Sexy.

  Just thinking of him sent ecstasy rocking through her. She gasped at the incredible onslaught of shudders that gripped her. Her fingers knotted into the soft material of the quilt. She clamped her thighs around the intruder.

  His lips greedily sucked at her labia. Her belly clenched. She creamed.

  His mouth melted over her pussy and his tongue stroked her clit. She bucked as she exploded and was quickly swept into a vortex of pleasure. Her thigh muscles trembled and her nipples ached as the suction increased.

  He dipped two fingers into her wet pussy and thrust quickly. She keened and jerked as her muscles clenched tightly around the intrusion. The climax was endless.

  She tossed and bucked and shuddered. Her senses were dazed when the orgasm ebbed.

  She managed to peer down and gasped as she watched the two male mouths latched to her nipples. Lips eagerly sucked. They wore cowboy hats, but she could see their faces. They were the very nice-looking men she’d seen in the kitchen. Tall guys. She’d liked the way they’d looked at her, first with surprise and then with erotic interest.

  They lapped at her with their tongues and pleasure swiftly burst through her again. Shivers lashed her and she convulsed and gyrated her hips, wanting more.

  “What’s happening?” she whispered. Why are you doing this to me? Why do I love this so much?

  Tongues flicked against her nipples,
making them wonderfully sore. Teeth nipped and lips kissed tenderly.

  Whoever was going down on her was doing a fantastic job. A rough tongue eagerly lapped at her pussy and lips sucked her engorged clit.

  Heat blistered into her. Perspiration beaded on her forehead. Her body tightened again and her breathing quickened. She trembled violently as spasms of pleasure burst through her.

  The men didn’t stop as she shook and moaned. Their hands slid sensually over her arms, her belly and her breasts. Callused fingers caressed her everywhere until she was a writhing mess of bliss.

  Heavens, she was going to climax again!

  JJ awoke on a moan. Cold sweat ran down her back and a headache split her skull. She groaned as she flopped onto her back and grimaced at the sound of her heart pounding in her ears. When she opened her eyes, an unfamiliar room came into focus and a wagon wheel chandelier hung from the ceiling right above her.

  She blinked in surprise. Where was she? She wasn’t in a prison cell anymore?

  Then it all rushed back to her. How she’d struggled against panicking in the small confines of that unbelievably small plane. Realizing the prescription drugs she’d taken were barely keeping her calm. Seeing that case of red wine. Grabbing a bottle and twisting the cap…kissing a very sexy cowboy with blue eyes wearing a black cowboy hat.

  Her tummy hollowed out with a very nice feeling. That kiss must have been part of a dream. And what a dream it had been. Three cowboys making love to her.

  She resisted the urge to reach down and slip her fingers between her thighs and touch herself like the delicious cowboys had been touching her. Any other time and she would have masturbated and enjoyed the feelings that the awesome dream had created.

  But she was not in the privacy of her cell and even if she had been, her cellmate could have heard. She’d always had to wait until the woman snored up a storm before she’d masturbate. Thankfully those days were over…she vaguely remembered coming into this room though…

  She sat up and gazed around. Dim light filtered into the room through the windows. She remembered the blue-and-white curtains.

  She glanced at the bedside table. A travel alarm clock ticked loudly. It was three minutes after seven.

  She winced as the headache continued to pound against her temples. Her tummy felt a bit queasy. Pain meds would come in handy for her headache. She could use a nice cold shower too. Gosh, she was still fully clothed and sweating.

  She froze when her gaze fell upon the black cowboy hat settled on a nearby dresser.

  No freaking way.

  Had she really kissed that cowboy? More memories began to trickle back. A gorgeous blue-eyed man with a severe frown. He’d studied her so intently while she sat on her suitcases on that landing strip, or had it been a lake?

  Her gut clenched. She’d been drunk.

  Embarrassment washed over her. She needed to apologize for her behavior and explain. But she’d kissed a cowboy. Maybe he’d just been a hired hand? Oh, she seriously hoped so.

  Excitement whipped through her as she remembered the rock-hard erection pressing against her pussy right after she’d dragged him on top of her on the bed. His blue eyes had darkened as he’d looked at her. A nervous muscle in his jaw had twitched. His warm breath had caressed her lips so sweetly she’d practically been begging him for a kiss.

  And what a kiss they’d shared. Electricity had snapped through her as his mouth touched hers. Her body had come alive beneath his hardness and an insistent need to be fucked by him had swept over her. She blew out a tense breath and jumped as wind battered against the windows. Frost edged the glass and snow swirled outside. A snowstorm?

  She moaned as she climbed out from beneath layers of snuggly quilts. She cursed her splitting headache as she stood.

  Had that cowboy she’d kissed covered her with these quilts?

  Oh darn. She’d given those men such a bad impression upon her arrival. Why had she drank so much wine? She should have known she’d be hungover. And mixing alcohol with drugs. So very dangerous.

  She shook her head. She’d been so stupid. She would never let something like that happen again.

  She gazed out one of the bedroom windows. Surprise washed over her. Everything was whiter than when she’d arrived last night. The trees. The barn, sheds and fences were all drenched in snow. Through the swirling flakes, she spied the lake. It was huge. It stretched for miles.

  Talk about a desolate place, but very pretty too.

  She moved away from the window and tiptoed in her boots to the closed door and listened. Silence. Maybe everybody was still sleeping?

  She opened the door and walked into a short hallway. Thankfully, the bathroom was right across the hall from the bedroom and she quickly scooted inside. Horror raced through her as she gazed into a mirror. Dark circles were smudged beneath her eyes and her shoulder-length dark-brown hair was a tangled mess.

  She quickly grabbed a comb off a nearby shelf and had the mass tamed within a couple of minutes. She wished she had makeup, but Sabrina had said there would be none in the suitcases. There would be clothing, some cash and nothing else. Before leaving the prison with Sabrina, she’d been given this parka, warm boots, hat and mittens, along with the two suitcases with the clothes that she hadn’t had a chance to investigate. Speaking of the suitcases, she needed to find them, grab that shower and change into a fresh set of clothing.

  After washing her face and going to the bathroom, she felt reasonably refreshed and a bit more confident to face the world. In the medicine cabinet she found painkillers, and took two pills.

  A bubble of emotions flared inside her at the sudden thought that she was now out of prison and on her own. She pushed the unwanted fear aside, braced her shoulders and opened the bathroom door.

  Why was it so quiet? At the prison it had always been loud. Even at night when women would cry out in their nightmares or moan while they masturbated in their cells, it was noisy.

  Now it seemed as if she’d gone from one extreme to the other. It was a bit unnerving.

  She stepped into the hallway and wandered to the end of the hall where she discovered the cute open concept living room, dining room and kitchen that she’d been in last night. She remembered thinking how rustic and homey it looked.

  Cowboy-country comfortable. A feeling of warmth and of being embraced moved through her. She’d experienced the same sensation yesterday upon arriving here. Was she crazy thinking that this might be her forever place?

  The aromatic scent of coffee encouraged her to seek out the coffee machine. It was located on the kitchen counter. To her surprise there was also a note propped against the coffeemaker. The note was addressed to her.

  JJ

  Your suitcases are in the upstairs bedroom. First door on your right.

  Make yourself at home. We’ll be back around lunch.

  Dan

  Was he the guy who she’d so boldly pulled onto her after she’d plopped onto the bed?

  Oh boy. She had been a bad girl last night, but relief poured through her. She would have a bit of time to catch her breath and absorb everything, and she’d start with that coffee.

  Chapter Three

  “Well, that’s the last of the hay,” Dan said as he climbed down the ladder from the hayloft and placed the pitchfork on a nearby hook. He shoved his gloves into his jacket pockets and strolled to where Brady were brushing hay off his clothes.

  Brady had always been a bit of a gruff guy—except after he got himself laid. But since the arrival of the cute chick last night, he’d been biting their heads off at every turn.

  “It better be the last time that stack falls over, because it’s pissing me off,” Brady growled at him. White puffs of air floated out of his mouth as he spoke and his face was once again red.

  Just like last night. Great.

  “The horses are fed and watered and the manure is taken care of. All the stalls are clean,” Rafe said as he rounded the corner from the stall area where they kept t
heir horses and joined them.

  Dan caught Rafe’s gaze and tossed him a teasing wink.

  “I guess there’s no more excuses to stay out of the ranch house, is there?” Dan was barely able to keep himself from laughing.

  On cue, Brady bristled.

  Yes, that woman had definitely gotten under Brady’s skin. Maybe he was attracted to her?

  “Wonder if she’s awake yet. It will be nice to finally meet her. Kind of like you did last night, Brady,” Rafe added with a wink.

  Dan grinned as Brady frowned and gazed around the interior of the barn. If Dan didn’t miss his guess, he’d think Brady was looking for more work for them to do. Perhaps it was time to get serious with the guy?

  “Stall much?” Dan prodded.

  “I am not stalling,” he shot back. “There’s still plenty of work to be done. You guys go ahead. I’ll be in shortly.”

  The lights flickered as a blast of wind buffeted the walls of the barn.

  “Oh, oh,” Dan said as he gazed up at the lights hanging from the barn ceiling. They flickered again. Then the barn dropped into darkness.

  Damn.

  A couple of pregnant cows close to giving birth mooed their distress from nearby stalls and then they fell silent.

  “I’ll get the barn generators going. You two head over to the house and get the house generator going so she doesn’t get scared,” Brady ordered.

  Oh, so he did care about the woman. That was a very good sign.

  It took them only a couple of minutes to follow the rope they’d put up between the house and the barn. The rope was a lifeline during snowstorms and power outages. Winters were brutal up north. During storms one could barely see their hand in front of their face and getting lost was not an option. One froze to death rather quickly without a fire.

  The snow was already more than ankle deep as he and Rafe headed for the house. Cold snowflakes stung his face as he stomped up the stairs. When he opened the back door and stepped into the mudroom, a smoky aroma of overdone bacon drifted beneath his nostrils. His stomach growled.

  Hmm, bacon for lunch. He liked this girl already.