Oh man, he should have stayed in bed and kept trying to sleep, Tyrell thought as he reluctantly moved back down the hallway, slipping into the bedroom. Quietly, he closed the door, and padded toward the bed. Kicking off his shoes and socks, he removed his jacket, shirt, and jeans, and then slipped back under the covers of the king-sized bed.
Elizabeth’s sexy scent drifted up from the pillow and the sheets. Flowery, delicate, and dainty. Just like her. Her smell was what had kept him from falling into a deep sleep.
Earlier, he’d awoken, and was unable to fall back into slumber land due to her scent and the discomfort in his wounded side, compliments of that damned bullet.
It was a bullet he hadn’t been able to dodge once the bank guard started shooting during the robbery in progress he and the rest of the Durango Gang had been involved in. Crap, there had been five members of the Durango Gang inside the bank. Obviously one of them had missed a weapon during the weapons search. Well, hell, they’d managed to subdue the son of a bitch anyways, but not until three of them had been shot.
Their leader, Kayne, always drilled it into them that he didn’t want anyone hurt. That they must have cool heads at all times and not retaliate to the point of killing someone. Tyrell and the other guys had always maintained that command, and for his troubles he’d taken a couple of bullets during his few months with the gang.
It still pissed him off that rumors were circulating that members of the Durango Gang were murderers, even when they hadn’t killed anyone. There was nothing he could do about that though. But the rumors of Durango’s lady, Liz, were true. The guys who’d met her said she was a beauty, and Tyrell had now seen it first hand.
She was almost as tall as the three of them. Had a nicely tanned, curvy body, her skin looking so velvety smooth all over. Hard not to miss her body when he’d heard the groans and her whimpers erupting from the kitchen area earlier. Like any curious red-blooded male he’d of course come in to take a look, and man, the lust had slammed into his gut like a sucker punch, sledgehammer, and two-by-four, all at once. His body had tightened into awareness mode, and his cock had snapped into rigid-pole alert mode within a second. Boy had that hurt, in a good way of course.
Despite arriving on the tail-end of things, he’d caught sight of her well-developed biceps, a pair of nice slender legs, and a faint dusting of freckles across her shoulders, but that view had been blocked as Durango had moved in between him and her while he’d prepared her with a butt plug.
Oh yeah, he was going to enjoy taking this woman. Enjoy bringing her fantasies to life, as well as bringing Durango’s to life as well.
It seemed to take an eternity before Durango and Landon crawled into bed on either side of him. They smelled of sex and her. Of course that hadn’t helped his fiercely throbbing cock and swollen balls. When he finally did fall asleep, he dreamed about Elizabeth, a woman who would be shared by three men. That is, if she allowed it to happen.
“Why are you acting so weird?” Liz’s friend, Teyla Sutton, smiled over the cup of coffee Liz handed her before sitting down on the chair across from her at the kitchen table.
Liz tried hard not to grimace as the butt plug zipped a wee bit deeper when she sat. She also tried hard not to think about what had happened earlier today right here in the kitchen. The chair where Landon had sat was empty now, both men satisfied and wanting to help Liz get cleaned up, but she’d insisted they head back into the bedroom to rest because they would only be underfoot.
The strange thing was she hadn’t been the least embarrassed after the sex with the two of them. She’d wanted more, but she’d needed to gather her composure and her thoughts about what had happened. She needed to figure out why it had happened and why she’d submitted so easily to Durango’s commands, especially since she’d been telling herself all these months that she would be strong and not give in to her fantasies or submit to Durango.
After the sex, Liz had contemplated going back down to the river for yet another bath in the cold water to soothe her aching pussy, but remembered how the water lapping against her pussy had made her feel so wickedly aroused the last time she’d been there. She knew she wasn’t aching due to the awesomely powerful thrusts of Durango’s cock but because she longed to have him pistoning into her again.
Instead of going to the creek she’d done a quick sponge bath in the living room. Thankfully, she hadn’t been interrupted until about an hour later. Liz had just put on some coffee to figure out what in the world she was going to do next with the three men when Teyla had come knocking at her door.
She said she’d been dropping in for a visit while her three men worked in a nearby pasture, cutting hay for the horses, using some old-fashioned hand sickles they’d found in an abandoned barn on the far side of the valley.
“Liz? Did you hear me? How come you’re acting so weird?”
Teyla said that Liz was acting weird? Well, hell yeah, she did just have sex with two guys. She was wired and ready to go at it again. She felt like she was in heat or something. Deliciously out of control.
Liz plastered on a fake smile for her suspicious friend. “Weird? I am? Oh, um, I’m just sleepy. The thunderstorm kept me awake,” she lied.
Teyla frowned with puzzlement, her eyes sharpening as she studied Liz. “I thought there were just a couple of low rumbles.”
Oh great. She’d been up at the crack of dawn, too?
“Would you like some sugar with your coffee?” Liz said, trying to change the subject. She reached for the sugar jar she kept in the middle of the table and noticed her hands were trembling. Oh darn.
Teyla’s gaze narrowed as she also caught sight of Liz’s shaking hands. “They’re here, aren’t they?”
“Excuse me?” Liz’s face flamed, giving her away.
Teyla’s mouth dropped open. “And you’ve had sex with them already, haven’t you? That’s why you’re acting so weird.”
“Keep your voice down,” Liz whispered, not wanting to wake up the men. At least not yet.
“With all three of them? I thought you said you weren’t going to give in to Durango if he ever came back?”
Shock mingled with glitters of amusement and excitement in her friend’s eyes.
“How did you know there were three? And how do you know he’s back?”
Teyla shrugged her shoulders. “They dropped by yesterday afternoon. They looked pretty beat. I wanted to help fix their wounds, but all three refused. Durango said he would wait until you patched them all up.”
All three? What?
“Durango was wounded, too?” She hadn’t seen any other injuries on him. Just the one in his arm. The one he said she’d put there. Or had she? Why would Durango make her feel so guilty if she wasn’t responsible? Anger flared, and Liz swore softly beneath her breath. So she would allow him to keep them here, that’s why he’d lied.
“Gosh, you really are rattled. You can’t even remember the wound to his arm?”
Liz shook her head, totally pissed at being duped.
Grabbing her coffee mug, she took a tentative sip of the scalding black bitter liquid and felt the heat zip down her throat. It reminded her of having Landon’s hot, pulsing cock in her mouth. Oh great, she was already addicted to sex with two men.
Suddenly Teyla squirmed with excitement in her seat and clasped her hands together with overly obvious delight. “Okay, you are really blushing now, Liz. What did they do to you?”
Liz closed her eyes and shook her head, feeling really embarrassed now. She didn’t make it a habit of talking about sex. She spoke to her clients about their sexual escapades, but she tended to keep her affairs a secret. Okay, affairs might not be the right word. Sharing wouldn’t be considered an affair if Durango was in on it and wanted it, right?
“I couldn’t refuse them. It was Durango and Landon. I thought I could, but they’re just so…”
“Sexy?” Teyla prodded.
Yeah, there was that. “Insistent,” Liz said. “Hot?”
Liz nodded. “And so demanding. Durango put a plug in me.”
“Oh my gosh,” Teyla breathed and threw up her hands over her mouth, obviously excited that she’d spoken too loud.
“And he said they would take me whenever they wanted,” Liz confessed, remembering Durango’s dark, erotic words.
“You must have made him really hot if he’s assuming you’re going to go for that. What did you tell him? Did you set him straight? Tell him that they would take you whenever you wanted to?”
“No, I just…accepted it. The firm way he spoke made me even more aroused.” Was she a sick woman or what?
“Oh wow, this is awesome. I’m so excited for you. To have three men just taking you whenever…well, actually, that’s what my three men do, but you were supposed to be different. Stronger than me. Defiant. Professional doctor. Girl power and all that.”
Liz could see the sides of Teyla’s lips struggling to lift and realized her friend was kidding her.
“I want to experience more of it,” Liz confessed, totally not believing she was confessing this out loud and to Teyla.
“That’s good to hear.”
Liz forgot to breathe as Durango’s low voice rumbled over her like smooth black velvet.
“Hi, Ethan.” Teyla waved to an area behind Liz and then winked at Liz.
Panic snapped through her. Oh God. Durango was up already and he’d heard her confession? Oh sweet heavens. This was so not good. What about Landon? And the other one? Had they heard, too? Were they standing behind her as well? She dared not look.
Oh, she was so not ready to deal with them. Not now. Not when she had Teyla sitting here, her eyebrows raised with curiosity, obviously awaiting Liz’s next move.
“Hey, doll. Nice to see you. I thought I heard voices. Your guys around, Teyla?”
“They’re over in the west field. There’s some good grass for hay there,” Teyla answered, taking a nonchalant sip of her coffee, acting totally normal and pretending that what Liz had just told her didn’t affect her one way or the other.
Liz could feel him all around her, and the tension zipping from him to her screamed sex. When he walked into her view, her insides melted. He wore nothing but his hip-hugging blue jeans and those perfectly sculpted, tanned muscles…Liz swore she was hot flashing just looking at them, although she was nowhere near menopause.
“I see Liz took care of that bullet wound for you.”
Liz saw Durango stiffen, and obviously he knew the cat was out of the bag. He didn’t answer. He also averted Liz’s gaze.
Son of a bitch. She would deal with him the moment Teyla was gone. He could bet on that.
“I think I’ll get dressed and pop on over and give your guys a hand, Tey. I’ll go out the back way. Nice seeing you again.”
“Likewise, Ethan,” Teyla chirped. A bit too happily where Liz was concerned. But then again, Teyla was always happy these days with three men sexually satisfying her, protecting her, and loving her.
They both waited for Durango to disappear down the hallway before Teyla leaned over the table and whispered softly, “He is so hunky. And the other two are, too. My goodness, Dr. Liz, you certainly do have the hottest male patients, and I’m not only speaking of your guys, but the last three guys you sent my way,” Teyla gushed.
Then her mouth dropped into a quick frown. “I wonder sometimes what would have happened to me if Logan, Cass, and Spencer hadn’t arrived when they did. I love them all so dearly. I dread anything happening to them, especially if those vigilantes decide they want to go after them for their part in the Durango Gang. Has Ethan said anything to you about quitting?”
That last question hit Liz in the gut like a bullet, and she sucked in a sharp breath at the impact. With all this sexual tension between her and Durango, she hadn’t really thought about it. Yet, here it was, poised over her head like a guillotine.
Teyla’s brows furrowed with concern. “You have talked to him about this. I mean, you can’t just allow them to have sex with you and then just leave. That’s just not right, Liz. You deserve better. You have to demand better for yourself. When he leaves, it will hurt you just like the last time. Maybe you don’t remember, but I do. You were a basket case for weeks.”
“I can handle this. I will handle this. I want this. I need this.”
“Be practical, Liz. You don’t need to be a pleasure girl for them.”
“But you were one.” Those words escaped her mouth, and from the pained expression on Teyla’s face, Liz knew she shouldn’t have said anything. Besides being a friend, Teyla was also her client. She needed to remember to remain sensitive.
“It was different for me. I needed the money.”
I need the sex. Masturbation was good and all, but she needed the sex with Durango and the others. Had been craving it like a drug ever since Durango had brought up the subject months ago before he’d left. Before even meeting him, she’d dreamt of having menages with strangers, but she’d been too damned shy to follow through on anything.
Oh man, she must be twisted or something. No, actually, that wasn’t true. Durango wasn’t twisted, and he wanted the same as her.
“I can handle this,” Liz replied with renewed firmness.
“You love him, so I bet you can.” Teyla smiled, and Liz felt confidence burn through her.
Yes, I can. She just hoped she wasn’t deluding herself.
Ethan Durango found Logan Leigh working an iron pole as he tried prying a giant boulder from the clutches of the hard field. In the distance, Spencer and Cassidy led a couple of black horses that dragged a funny-looking contraption that seemed to mow down the tall, yellowing grass, spreading it over the land.
Ethan couldn’t help but grin. It looked like a sight right out of a pioneer movie. Old-fashioned harvesting with horses. Despite the icy bite of the wind blowing against them, he noticed perspiration drenching Logan’s shirt and his forehead. His hands looked red and cold as he gripped the metal pole and pushed this way and that way trying to dislodge the boulder.
Logan and the other guys worked so unwaveringly that, to Ethan’s disappointment and concern, none of the men took the time to look around to see if a lynching party was coming for them. Had the trio of ex-gang members relaxed so much they’d let down their guard?
Man, this farmer stuff just wasn’t like the men he’d come to know in the gang. As far as he knew the closest any of them had come to farm work was tilling the soil with a rototiller in their backyards. Teyla sure had changed them from alert men to relaxed farmers. Amazing.
Ethan wasn’t sure if he could feel so relaxed if he was put into this same position. Running with the Durango Gang had made him alert, lean, and hungry for violence against the men and women who were taking advantage of the regular people in need. Yeah, sure, he could go into politics and run for office and change things that way.
Unfortunately there was no government to run for. People were fending for themselves since the Catastrophe. There were no social safety nets in place, no health care, and food was certainly lacking. The only thing that spoke these days was money, and that was where he came in by taking from the rich and giving to the poor. Not that he literally gave to the poor. He gave the money to soup kitchens that were opening up in the cities. He’d even helped dish out the food he’d bought and brought to these places.
His stealing was what made him a criminal, and he now appeared on most wanted posters pretty much everywhere. Truth was, he felt like he was making a difference, and to him that’s what counted. It beat feeling useless and fending for himself. The only problem was every time he sent money back with one of the guys who dropped in to check on Liz, she’d refused it.
Her refusal pissed him off, but he understood her principles and why she preferred to live the way she did, accepting whatever a client could give her for her services. She was a giver. Not a taker.
It had always impressed him that she was so giving. That was one of the reasons he’d fallen in love with her. Another reason, of course, was her pretty face and her concern for him when he’d sliced his palm open on that hot, humid day in the garage.
“Backbreaking work, is it?” Durango asked from where he stood watching.
Before Durango could blink Logan had palmed a gun from out of nowhere and pointed it right at Ethan’s chest.
Ethan swallowed as fear cleaved into him. Instantly he realized his mistake. The scenery had looked serene, but Logan appeared to have known he was here the whole time. Shit. The guy certainly hadn’t lost his touch, had he?
“Shouldn’t sneak up on a man like that, Ethan. You know better than that. Had you been anyone else we would have taken you down the minute you entered the field.” Logan chuckled and nodded to his right.
Realizing he’d forgotten to breathe, Ethan inhaled deeply and followed Logan’s gaze to where Cassidy and Spencer now stood not more than thirty feet away, their guns drawn, aiming at Ethan. Their faces were stern and tight. Obviously he should have announced his arrival. He wouldn’t be coming in quietly where these guys were concerned. At least, not anymore.
“Easy, boys. I come in peace,” Ethan said as he slowly lifted his hands in a submissive motion. “What’s gotten up your asses?”
Suddenly all three men started laughing and Ethan relaxed. The bastards were toying with him. He hoped.
In seconds, the men had surrounded Ethan and were back-slapping him and returning to their own jovial, if not uptight selves.
“Daylight is burning, my man. Have you come to lend us a hand?” Logan asked as Cassidy and Spencer quickly said their good-byes and headed back to their horses.
Logan’s grin sobered, yet his eyes glittered with mischievous amusement. “Shit, forgot you had an arm injury. Better not help, or Dr. Liz will be giving us shit for taking you out of action. You need both arms to hug that babe.”
“The wound isn’t that bad,” Ethan said as he pulled his collar up around his neck trying to ward off the cold wind. “I have one free hand. Let me put it to good use.”
“Grab a hold and start pushing down. We’ll get this fucking boulder rolled out of the way yet.”
Ethan clutched near the top of the icy bar, and Logan clasped beneath his hand. The men started pushing down, and to Ethan’s surprise he saw the boulder begin to budge.
“Keep pushing,” Ethan instructed and bore down. In a couple of minutes they had the boulder out of the dirt and rolled off to the side of the field.
“Thanks, you came in really handy.” Logan chuckled, and they began to walk along the field looking for more boulders to dig up and get out of the way.
“I guess you’re putting down roots here since you’re clearing the fields.”
Logan nodded, a huge smile plastered on his face. “Yeah, we’re staking our claim around these parts. We figure clearing the rocks now will help us move the sickle-bar mower faster. We don’t want downtime due to repairs. Those rocks are hidden behind the tall grass, and if the guys know the land is clear then we can get more work done in a day.”
“That’s a good idea,” Durango acknowledged as he kept up the fast walking pace with Logan, who kept to a straight line and his gaze glued to the tall grass in front of him.
“Heard that the vigilantes weren’t too happy with your latest heist,” Logan said after a few moments of silence. “I’d watch your back while you’re here. I think you might even make sure that you get Liz armed to the tooth if you plan on leaving her alone again. They may come seeking revenge on you through her, even though they believe you two have split.”
A bad feeling slithered through Ethan at Logan’s warning. Fear for her safety was something Ethan had to deal with on a regular basis. When he sent guys from the gang to bring her money, he also sent letters telling her it wasn’t safe where she was. She always sent back word that she was quite capable of taking care of herself.
“You might also want to consider getting out of the gang. Remember what happened to your cousin Kayne’s girlfriend?” Logan said.
Another wave of cold fear sliced through him at the mention of Eve. Kayne and some of the gang had taken a shine to a pleasure girl working out of a pleasure house over in a British Columbia town on the other side of the Rocky Mountains. The vigilantes had found out, kidnapped her, and taken her deep into the mountains to some hideaway retreat. No one knew what had happened to her there, but somehow, she’d escaped. She’d refused to see Kayne and the gang again.
Ethan couldn’t let something bad happen to Doc. He’d been selfish in coming back without a plan. He realized that now. His lust for Doc had made him brainless. His desire for adventure had put her life in danger, and deserting her the way he had was really stupid on his part.
“Not only because of what happened to Eve, but because after you left yesterday evening we had company.”
Ethan stiffened. “Posse? We covered our tracks.”
“No, an elderly neighbor who was in town the other day dropped by to say she heard rumors about roving cannibal-type gangs starting to move from cities into secluded areas where it’s easier to subdue their victims. They torture victims until the person or persons tell the whereabouts of nearest surviving friends or family. When these cannibals are full, they kill their half-eaten victims and move onto these houses the tortured ones have told them about. They catch their prey and stay until the food, so to speak, runs out. We were going to drop by later to pick up Teyla and pass along the information.”
Jesus. Logan was a bounty of good news today, wasn’t he?
“Any ideas how close these cannibals are?” Ethan asked as he found himself looking for hidden boulders as well.
“Still far off. Other side of the mountains. I’m sure they’ll be in the area soon. Maybe if our luck holds out they’ll stay away until after the winter. That is, if the winter ends this time around.”
Logan swallowed back a curse. He’d felt the weather getting colder every year. The Catastrophe had really screwed the climate. He should really consider taking Liz south of the border, but down that way it truly wasn’t any better. It was cold everywhere. He was surprised grass kept growing, although it was starting to look twisted and unhealthy.
They worked quietly after that, each lost in their own thoughts as they searched and dug out the boulders. It wasn’t long before Ethan wished for a nice warm pair of gloves. His hands were so fucking cold.
But he figured if Logan could handle the cold, so could he. As he worked he kept thinking about Liz and how he could protect her without driving himself crazy with the feelings of uselessness that had plagued him up until he’d joined the Durango Gang. There, in the gang, he felt as if he was doing some good. Unfortunately, he’d missed Liz from the moment he left, until he’d come home and found her safe. Had it only been earlier this morning?
He’d already taken her twice. Once orally, once vaginally while she went down on Landon. Was he some sort of sex-crazed maniac? Using her and then throwing her away when he wanted to head off for an adventure again?
That would make him a really selfish son of a bitch. Undeserving of Liz. She was too good for him. He should have realized that a long time ago. Yet, he couldn’t let her go because she was the best thing in his life. That thought sobered him. If she was the best thing in his life, then why in hell was he treating her the way he’d been since leaving?