Her thighs went tight, squeezing his hand as she shook and shuddered, the expression on her face pure need. Her pretty skin flushed a deep rose from her cheeks to the tips of her breasts, her orgasm the single most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.
He brought his lips to hers again, traced the line of her mouth with the tip of his tongue. She shook, panting, her chest heaving. “
Que linda
.”
“Thank you. Oh I…I can’t believe I just…”
“Shh.” He kissed the words off her lips. “No worrying.”
“No worrying,” she agreed.
Dios
, her smile was fine. “That was amazing.”
“It was.” Paulo shifted, the bulge in his jeans making itself known again now that she was happy.
Her fingers pressed against his cock, the touch brave and tentative, all at once. “Oh.”
Paulo closed his eyes, swallowing. “Yeah.”
Fuck, her touch was warm, going straight to his balls as she traced him through his jeans. He wanted to reach down and get everything out in the open, but he didn’t want to scare her off.
“I’m not a virgin, Paulo, but I don’t want you to think I’m…trashy.” Her fingers kept moving.
“We don’t have to do anything you don’t want. I won’t think less if we do this though.” God, he just wanted to get off now. He didn’t care how.
“I trust you.” She eased his zipper down, her touch light, damn near licking over his shaft. He was afraid he was the one who would be embarrassed, not her. She was touching him so good, and he was leaking heavy drops.
Cheri licked her lips, the move completely unconscious and possibly the hottest thing he’d seen since Josh had gone down on him. Josh had a damned pretty mouth too.
He watched her, hoping against hope she would chance it. Her thumb drew a lazy circle around the tip of his cock, working the ridge, so slow.
“Oh.” His head fell back and he closed his eyes, humping up, trying to get more.
When her tongue touched him, his eyes rolled back in his head. He shook. His whole body telling him to just take her mouth. He wouldn’t though. He wouldn’t scare her, wouldn’t push her. No, he would let her explore him, learn him.
He did touch her, his fingers sliding along her cheek, and she leaned in to the touch as her lips wrapped around the tip of his cock, the suction slow and steady as hell.
She might not be a virgin, but her touch was hardly expert. She learned him thoroughly, moving faster once she measured his width and length. Her hair slipped against him, sliding over his thighs, pooling in his lap. The silky caress made him gasp, muscles jerking and jumping in his legs. His balls went tight, pulling up against his body.
He felt her moan, her little swallow all around him. He bit back a bark, his belly tight as a bow string.
She was stunning. Soft, feminine. Curious. He couldn’t wait to show her off to Josh, to take her while their mate watched.
To fill her together, join them all.
“
Querida
… Soon.” She made him wild as a teenager.
She hummed. Hummed. The vibrations rocked him to his toes, everything in him moving, shifting. He held on to the wolf, not letting it out.
He shot with a soft cry, all his control focused on the wildness screaming inside him.
She was staring at him when he could focus his gaze again, her lips bruised and swollen. “Your eyes changed color.”
“Really?” Damn.
“Yeah. I mean, yeah. Must’ve been the sun going down, huh?”
“Must have. Either that or you caused an electrical overload,
chica
.” He laughed with her, pulling her close for a kiss. Surely she would believe he knew all about electricity.
Fuck, she tasted like him, and if he hadn’t just shot, he’d have lost it. His cock actually gave a happy little twitch, spent as it was. This girl was dangerous.
Dangerous and theirs.
* * * * *
Josh sat on his couch, supposedly watching TV. He wasn’t really paying attention. He was listening for Paulo.
The man’s work truck had a loose bumper on the passenger side that rattled like a bitch across the cattle guards.
How fucking long could ice cream take anyway? Paulo needed to remember that Cheri was their mate. Theirs. Together.
His cock jerked just at the thought of Paulo’s dark hands on her honeyed skin. They would look so beautiful together, Paulo stocky and muscled from all that hard work, all tanned skin and dark hair. Cheri soft and curvy, with masses of soft, strawberry-blonde hair. She thought she hid behind those glasses and those awful clothes. She didn’t fool him.
The sound of that POS Ford rang out and Josh groaned, thighs spreading to give himself room. He was so damned ready; he’d spent way too much time imagining what was going on out there in the sunset.
His back door opened, then closed and locked and, fuck him raw, Josh could smell Cheri on Paulo from the kitchen. His cock pushed up out of his soft sweats, the head damp. He made himself just sit there though. Waiting.
“Mmm. Pretty man.” Paulo stood there in the light of the television, staring at him.
“Hey, honey. You gonna come on over here?” He held out one hand, his breath starting to speed up even more.
“Fuck yeah.” Paulo stalked over to him, ball cap soaring across the room. “
Querido
, you should’ve been there.”
“Yeah?” That warmed him a little, made him less grumpy. He didn’t want to be jealous; he just was a bit.
Paulo nodded, bared his teeth. “She’s like an angel when she comes. I want to watch you fuck her, and I want to lick her while you fuck me.”
His whole body jerked, heat rising up in his skin. “Come. Here.”
Paulo growled, the sound needy and happy, and suddenly his lap was filled with hot, horny Mexican. “Bossy.”
“Hell yes. You’ve been out with our girl. It’s my turn.” He didn’t want to think about Paulo making Cheri come first.
“She was wet and slick, and her mouth,
querido
…”
“Oh no fair.” He sank his hand into Paulo’s springy hair, pulling that naughty mouth down for a kiss.
Paulo dove right into the kiss, rubbing against him as if the little fucker hadn’t just gotten off. Josh knew better—he could smell that too.
“God, honey.” He panted when they broke for air. “You gonna show me what she did to you?”
“Mmm. You want my mouth,
querido
? Want to fuck my lips?” Shit, Paulo was evil, pure evil, and Josh loved it.
“I do. Suck me, honey.”
Paulo slipped down between his legs, tugged his sweats down and freed his poor, needy prick. He got one rough caress, stubbled cheek sliding along his shaft before the tip of his cock was taken in.
His head thumped against the back of the couch, his hips rising, pushing his cock against the roof of Paulo’s mouth. Oh God. That was some good friction.
Paulo reached up, pushed one finger into his mouth and fuck, the hint of their girl was there. Right there.
Josh moaned, sucking that finger, learning Cheri’s flavor. She was sweet where Paulo was spicy, like wild honey. Paulo sucked him in time, matching him, the pressure perfect.
He squirmed down until he got a better angle, humping like a mad thing. The heat was unreal, the wet suction making him moan on every breath.
Strong, calloused fingers slid under his ass, digging in, sliding to the crack.
Tensing up, he tried not to get grumpy about that. Him and Paulo, they were equals, right? He could let the man touch him.
Paulo’s tongue slid over the slit of his cock, the fine lips popping off. “This ain’t about Alphaing each other,
querido
. I’d let you in. After.”
“I know.” He did. It was just strange. Scratchy when Paulo touched his hole.
Paulo grabbed his ass, tugged and ducked, and suddenly it was that hot tongue instead of a rough finger, sliding over him.
Josh shouted, his cock jumping, his blood pounding in his ears. Christ, that felt good. Hot and wet and rough. He stopped worrying about why or what. It felt too fucking good to do anything but breathe.
They moved together, Josh drawing his feet up so Paulo had better access. He wanted more of that addictive touch.
Paulo moaned and that tongue licked again and again before Paulo started fucking him with it. He grabbed his cock, started jerking himself quick and hard. Close. He was embarrassingly close to coming all over the place.
Paulo rolled his balls, nudging them good and hard.
“Fuck!” He let go, his come coating his belly. Panting, he tried to get his brain back together, but Paulo scattered his chickens all over again by biting down on the meat of his inner thigh.
“Bastard…” He groaned as Paulo pushed up, lapped at the come on his belly.
“You said the first one to make her come could bite,
querido
. That was the bet.”
Josh nodded. “You don’t have to look so happy.”
“I’ve made both my mates come. What’s to be sad?”
“Asshat.” There wasn’t a bit of heat behind it. Josh felt too damned good to be getting all pissy. “I left her oranges and lilies today.”
“Did you? Yesterday I left her a basket with honey and tortillas.” At his look, Paulo shrugged. “It was what Tia Maria had fresh.”
“You’re a dork.” Tortillas. He guessed it was better than asking her to knock boots. He still groaned over that one.
“I brought you ice cream.”
Okay, so Paulo was a good dork.
“Is it in the truck?” Josh asked, knowing Paulo hadn’t brought it in. It was bound to be melted. Damn it.
“In my work cooler.”
“You are officially not a dork.” Josh pondered moving. “You good, honey? You need me to suck you?”
“Maybe after ice cream and a beer.” Paulo settled next to him. “Did I mention she uses peach shampoo?”
“No.” His fingers itched to pinch Paulo’s hip. “I should go get my treat, huh?”
“Mmhmm.” Paulo winked, pulled his sweats up and patted his cock. “And the beer.”
Josh grumbled but hoisted himself up off the couch while Paulo grabbed the remote. His thigh twinged, the bite mark throbbing. He’d lost the bet, he guessed, but that had turned out to be a good thing.
Sunday it was his turn.
Chapter Four
Lord have mercy, she had a headache.
The kids were ramping up like nothing she’d ever seen—bad enough that she’d gone to Janie Martin, the teacher across the hall, and asked if there was something in the water. Janie’d just chuckled and said, “There’s a full moon in a week.”
Okay. Wow. Really? What did that have to do with anything? She’d never put much credence that stuff, even if the new moon always made her blue.
Still, the kids were nuts and her head was pounding, the car needed gas, she was out of chocolate, and she needed to find out who was leaving flowers for her every afternoon.
She wasn’t complaining, she just wanted to know who to thank.
It had to be either Josh or Paulo, she figured. Both of them were sweet, hot and all over her. That situation wasn’t helping her headache one bit. She adored them both, but how was a girl supposed to keep up with two men, or choose between them?
Josh made her stupid, made her ache from his quick, clever hands. Paulo kissed her and she felt like the center of the Earth, molten and fluid, just silly. Both of them made her want to bite them, which really left her feeling a little slutty.
It wasn’t fair.
She pulled into the gas station out at the truck stop. She preferred the one in town, as it seemed safer, but that could be the city slicker in her. The highway brought a lot of trouble with it.
There was a storm toward the north; the wind was beginning to gust and the air smelled like rain. It amazed her, how you could catch the scent for miles here. Houston had smelled like water all the time.
Cheri hopped out, paid for her gas and started pumping, humming softly. She was going to meet Paulo for supper tomorrow night, but tonight she was on her own.
She sure hoped no one bothered her. She saw three young men piling out of a pick-up, and she didn’t know any of them. Cheri had her purse locked up in the car, her credit card tucked in her pocket. When someone was threatening, she made eye contact. She’d survived inner-city Houston, damn it. She wasn’t scared.
One of them stared right into her eyes. The other two were far more furtive, moving around to the other side of the pump.
She stopped the gas flow, wrapped her fingers around her phone. God damn it. She so didn’t need this right now. She gauged the distance to the truck stop. Too far.
“Back off, boys. I’m not interested in whatever you’re selling.” She grabbed her keys and tensed. She was not going to cry, damn it.
Cheri heard a low, rumbling sound from behind her. It was almost animal-like, but it had to be one of the boys. Weird.
“We’re not selling anything, lady. We’re buying.”
Someone grabbed her arm and she elbowed the kid hard, telling herself that she wasn’t going to freak out. She hadn’t left the inner city to get raped or die in New Mexico’s badlands. Her only choice was to hang on to the bitter end, and suddenly she felt a fierce, almost animal-like urge to fight.
The man holding her arm twisted it up behind her back, almost lifting her feet off the ground.
She cried out—she couldn’t hold it in—and kicked the kid in front of her in the balls as hard as she could. He grunted, going down, and she hooted, a totally involuntary sound of triumph.
The one she’d kicked was back on his feet in no time though, a knife in his hand.
Why the fuck didn’t anyone notice this? Where was the gas station attendant? It wasn’t even that late.
The sound of a big truck roaring into the parking lot, horn blaring, made everyone jump, the guy holding her arms loosening his grip.
She yanked away, slamming her fist with the keys into the first available body, the blade of the knife slicing into her upper arm. “Help me!”
She heard what sounded like the furious growl of a very, very big dog, and then the guy with the knife went flying, his feet flipping over his head. The other two hit each other, their heads slamming together with a sickening crunch.
Cheri headed for the station at a run, not even looking back, her hand over the cut on her arm, trying to stem the blood. She stumbled in, the smell of cigarette smoke strong.
“Oh my God!” The station attendant, Earline, came trotting over. “I was out back having a smoke. What happened, honey?”
“I just… Can I have a paper towel? Please?”
And someone call the police.
“Oh crap. Here. I have better.” Earline tugged her to the counter, producing a bath towel in a plastic bag. When she pulled it out and unfolded it, it said “Go Lobos!”
“Thank you.” She pressed it to the cut, which was already closing up, the bleeding slowing down. “There were some guys and…someone came. They’re still out there.”
“I’ll call the sheriff. You get to the bathroom and wash up.”
That was a great idea. She was a little paralyzed though, not wanting to go to the bathroom by herself.
“I took care of it, Earline. Jeff’s out there dealing with them now.” Josh walked in, blood on his shirt.
“Josh.” Her knees were going to give way.
As if he knew what she was thinking, he came right to her, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her close. “How bad are you hurt?”
“Just my arm, I think. It’s not deep.” She pushed close, nose against his shoulder. “They… Was that you? Who stopped?”
“It was me, honey. I saw them when I was pulling in. I didn’t know it was you until I got close…” He bit off the last word and she could feel him shaking a little. “Earline, get me something with sugar, huh? She’s a little shocky.”
“You got it, Josh.”
“Thank God you stopped.” She held on tight. “You’re always there when I need you.”
“I sure try.” He kissed her temple, his lips warm and firm. “You’re my girl.”
But what about Paulo? Sweet Paulo who brought lunch and held her hand, drove her mad with his kisses? She was his girl, really. Paulo’s. Josh felt so good against her though, and he was her hero, riding in and kicking butt for her, taking names.
A cold Coke was pushed into her hand, and Earline stared at them, then nodded. “There’s a storm coming. Y’all need to get home.”
“I—” Josh looked as if he was fixing to argue, but he didn’t. He just nodded and steered her toward the door. “Can you get Jack to have someone drive her car back to her place?”
“You know it. I’ll call Paulo. He’ll deal with it.”
“Thanks, sweets.” Josh picked her up when she stumbled, carrying her easily. His heart raced a little against her side.
He tucked her into his truck, the rain beginning to fall, slapping against his windshield. The storm hit with the same kind of sudden violence as her attackers had, and Cheri curled her arms around her body, shivering.
“I took her towel.” She was still holding the towel around her arm.
“She won’t care, honey. They’re all of three bucks. I’ll give it to her next time I go.” Josh turned off the highway, but he was headed the opposite way from her house.
“Where are we going?” She needed to clean up. She needed a beer. A hug.
“To my place. It’s little, but I’ll feel better if I can keep an eye on you for a bit.”
“Oh. Okay. The storm’s getting bad, huh?” A glance under the towel had her wincing just a little bit. It was shallow, but man, it was sore. The bleeding though, that was only sluggish now.
“It is. I just don’t want you to be alone. I mean, I know Paulo’s got your house more up to speed, but I got a generator if the power goes.” He turned across a cattle guard and bumped out on a packed dirt track.
“Thank you. I’m a little freaked and I feel like I’d jump at anything.” Her phone rang and she fumbled it out of her purse, Paulo’s name coming up. She answered. “Hello?”
“
Querida
. You okay? You with Josh?”
Her eyes welled up and she nodded. “Uh-huh.”
“Oh sweet girl. You don’t need to go to the doctor? If you do, you tell him, huh?”
“I don’t. It’s just a long cut. I’ll wash it.” She couldn’t believe Paulo wasn’t angry at her for being with Josh. “It was scary, but Josh came.”
“Well, he’s a cowboy,
si
? They show up when you need a man in a white hat.” Paulo chuckled, the sound oddly sensual. “I have your car,
querida
. I’ll take it home for you. The sheriff has me a ride home.”
“Thank you. You…you be careful with the rain.”
“I promise. Tell him to take care of you. I’ll come by and get you tomorrow if he’s out too early.”
Josh was watching the road, but she could tell he was curious. Listening.
“Okay. Okay. Good night, Paulo.” She hung up, smiled tremulously at Josh. “He says to tell you to take care of me and that he’ll pick me up in the morning.”
“Will he now?” Josh’s eyes glinted bright in the growing gloom.
“I…” She tensed up. She couldn’t handle a fight, not tonight, not when all she wanted was to push into Josh’s arms and beg him to touch her.
“Shh. I was just teasing you, honey. He knows I have to be up at the ass crack of dawn to feed.” Josh patted her leg, then pulled around the back of a little white frame house to park. She was so used to adobe now that she blinked a little.
“It’s pretty.” And wet. Really, really wet. Lightning flashed and she squealed, jumped.
“Okay, honey. I’ll come around. The dogs won’t come out in this weather, so I’ll grab you and run, nothing to trip over. You trust me?”
“I do.”
With all her heart.
“Good.” He gave her a blinding smile before he climbed out of the truck, then came around to grab her, running with her in his arms. Cheri never once felt as if Josh would drop her. She clung to him and suddenly they were in a warm, quiet kitchen, both of them dripping with the rain.
Josh set her on her feet but didn’t let her go. He pushed her wet hair back. “I should look at your arm.”
“It’s okay.” She pushed in closer. “I can’t believe it was you.”
“I’m just glad it was.” Thunder shook the windows in their frames. “I’ve never been so scared as when I saw an asshole with a knife at your chest.”
“I didn’t even know them,” she murmured and held on tight. “I just…”
She pushed up on her tiptoes and brought their lips together. That was what she needed. The lightning almost seemed to be going through her body, the electric feeling more than she could ignore.
Josh kissed her back as if he was starving, as if he couldn’t let go.
His hand pushed underneath her hair, his tongue slipping between her lips, electricity sparking between them over and over.
Lightning hit something outside, the boom huge, the lights going out. Cheri jumped, almost climbing Josh’s body. He held her, one hand under her bottom, the other starting to strip off her wet clothes.
She kicked her shoes off, fingers tearing open the buttons of his shirt, needing skin. She didn’t just need to know she was alive and well, her hunger was specific. Cheri needed Josh.
Her shirt came up and off and then Cheri was crushed to his chest, her nipples teased by the mat of soft hair she’d just revealed. She dragged her nails along his upper arms, testing the muscles there, and Josh moaned, rocking against her.
One of his muscled thighs pushed between her legs, the pressure and friction perfect. She moaned into the kiss, hips finding a rhythm, riding his leg. He was strong. So strong. He tasted like the storm outside and he brought out an answering wildness in her.
His fingers found her breast, cupped it, her nipple going hard as if it was trying to get Josh’s attention.
“So pretty. God, honey, I dreamed about you.” He lifted her again, with just the one arm around her, and started through the house toward the back.
“Want you.” Her fingers were tangled in his hair, her body aching.
“Hell yes. Now.” He nipped at her shoulder, the sting surprising her with the need to bite back.
She tore at his belt, his hard cock too necessary to be hidden away. It was longer than she’d expected, hotter, and already wet at the tip.
“Touch me, honey,” he said when he lowered her to sit on his bed.
“God yes.” She wrapped her fingers around him, sliding from base to tip, measuring him. So fine. His heartbeat was there, fast but strong. His moan sounded almost like a growl.
His prick was fat, heavy in her fingers, and she leaned in, dropped an open-mouthed kiss on his belly.
Muscles sucking in, Josh put a hand in her hair, tilting her face up. “You still have clothes on.”
“Do I?” She stood, her body rubbing along his the entire way. Fuck, she felt like pure, unadulterated sex.
“You do.” He stripped her quickly, efficiently, then lifted her again, letting her wrap her legs around his waist. Then he bit her.
“Fuck.” The single word tore from her, the nip almost making her come just from the sting.
“Dirty girl.” He laughed, but it was a sexy, joyful sound, not a mean one.
“Only with you.” Mostly she was just a mousy teacher. There was something wild about her cowboy that made her want things she never had.