Triple M Ranch [Slick Rock 10] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Read online

  “My name is Cashmere or Cash,” she said through clenched teeth. She took a step closer but kept her eyes on his the whole time and then she poked him in the stomach. “I would appreciate it if you would use it.” She gave him another poke for good measure and had to bite her tongue when her finger bent to an unnatural angle and pain swept up it. Shit, the man was made of steel and should come with a warning label.

  He just stared at her as if she were crazy and then with a shrug of his shoulders walked away. Cash growled and spun around to tend to Fiend. She worked quickly and efficiently, rubbing him down and then brushing over his coat. Giving one last check to make sure all the horses had water and feed, she hurried out of the barn. It looked like she was going to have the fastest shower on record but she wasn’t backing out of tonight. She needed to get away from the ranch because the last thing she wanted was to have another encounter with the Morten men. They’d been here for a week and already they were interfering in her life. Of course she knew that Bruce had only been trying to help her but she had grown up around horses and had been taking care of the ones on this ranch pretty much on her own for the last twelve months.

  Just because she was small didn’t mean she couldn’t handle her job. Why did men always think that women, especially vertically challenged women like her, were useless? Did they think because she was little that she wasn’t capable of doing her work? The more she thought about it the more pissed off she became and by the time she stepped through the front door to her bungalow she was seething mad.

  After closing and locking the door behind her she entered the bathroom, turned the shower on and stripped off. Cash was glad that she’d worn her hair up in a ponytail. Usually she would have washed it before going out, not that she did that, ever, but she didn’t have time right now, and was thankful she’d washed it this morning. It should be okay after giving it a thorough brushing. As she washed, she puzzled over the way her body reacted to Bruce, Cain and Danny. Just thinking about those three big, muscular men made her breasts feel achy and her nipples began to harden. Her pussy moistened and her clit throbbed.

  Why couldn’t her body have reacted to Harry this way? Especially when she thought she had a crush on him? Why didn’t she feel more cut up about him, now knowing that he was in a relationship with David?

  Because you’ve been lying to yourself, girl. You made yourself believe that you wanted Harry because you knew he was safe. Her inner voice came through loud and clear and Cash thought about what her subconscious had just told her.

  Had she really made herself believe she was attracted to Harry because he was such a nice, gentle, caring, loving man, and gay? Her mind whirled as she dried off and moisturized her skin. She dressed, brushed her teeth and hair and eyed herself in her bedroom mirror. All she owned were jeans, T-shirts, shirts, tanks and shorts. Of course she’d never wear shorts to work because they were totally impractical on a ranch. She would end up sunburned, and there was no way in hell she wanted any of the other hands looking at her like a woman. As far as she was concerned she was another hand like the rest of them and her femininity didn’t come into it. She had never asked for or expected deferential treatment just because she was female. In fact she preferred to be treated like one of the men. Hopefully, that way none of them would look at her with anything other than respect and never with lust in their eyes.

  After one last look in the mirror she pulled on her going-out boots and then grabbed her license and some cash and stuffed them in her pocket. She remembered to pick up her cell phone from the coffee table in the small living area and then went out onto the small porch to wait for Harry and David.

  She was going out to dinner with friends and intended to enjoy every minute of it.

  But then why did those three men keep creeping across the edge of her mind?

  Chapter Two

  Bruce stared toward the small cabin to the west of the house while leaning on the wooden rail and sipping from his bottle of beer. Danny was sprawled in a chair behind him and Cain was in the chair next to him. He wondered if his brothers were going to break the silence. He was still reeling with surprise at how Cashmere had been able to pick out who Danny and Cain were, since they were the spitting image of each other. Other than close family everybody had a hard time telling them apart, but not little Cashmere Woodall.

  His hand clenched around the bottle until his fingers ached when he saw Cashmere come out the door to her cabin. She looked so sweet and innocent and like she was fresh from a shower. Her clothes were clean and simple but those black denim jeans showed her hips and legs off to perfection, and the red blouse set off the long curly black hair which now hung down her back. He clenched his teeth when he saw Harry and David’s truck pull up near her steps. Harry got out of the truck, and after opening the back door, he lifted Cash up into the back of the truck. Jealousy swept over him and he wanted to rush over and punch the shit out of Harry for having his hands on his woman but he restrained himself. Barely.

  Brutus didn’t know if she had seen him and his brothers on the verandah after a long day but as David drove past the house she kept her head turned away. He followed them with his eyes and saw that Harry was looking at Cash over his shoulder and laughing. Bruce wanted to be the one to drive her places. He wanted to be able to put his hands on her body and to help her in and out of his truck. But she was skittish around him, he figured because of his size, and she was so little. Cashmere hardly ever looked at him, in fact she seemed to go out of her way to avoid everyone except Harry and David and he wanted to know why. Was she frightened of all men or just him in particular?

  “I think we should have dinner at the hotel tonight,” Cain said.

  Brutus turned around to face his brothers. “Is that where they’re headed?”

  “Yep, I heard David and Harry talking while they were mending the fence near the corral.”

  Brutus tossed his bottle in the recycle bin near the end of the verandah and dug into his pocket for his keys. “Let’s go.”

  Cain and Danny slugged down the last of their beer, tossed the bottles and hurried toward his truck, which was parked in the carport. Danny got in the back and Cain in the front. Some of the tension in Brutus’s muscles released now that he knew where Cashmere was going and that he would be able to keep an eye on her. She was such a tiny thing and although she was tough and could look after herself, he felt possessive and wanted to protect her. If that was chauvinistic of him, too damn bad.

  He was a man and not one of those city men who were always politically correct. Not that all the political correctness was wrong but some of it was just plain bullshit as far as he was concerned. Even governments were stepping in and banning parents from smacking their kids. He wasn’t one to condone abuse in any way shape or form, but if a child needed discipline a parent should be allowed to tap their kids on the ass and not have to worry about someone coming to take their kids from them. Kids needed to learn right from wrong otherwise they could grow up to be disrespectful and get themselves in a hell of a lot of trouble.

  Brutus got in the truck, buckled up and backed out of the carport. He looked in the rearview mirror and saw one of the hands looking toward Cashmere’s place. He was about to stop the truck but the man turned around and walked away. Since the sun was setting and shining in his rearview mirror he couldn’t see the guy’s face. He would have to keep an eye out and make sure none of the men looked at Cash with lust. If he caught any of them gawking at her they would have to deal with him and his brothers.

  “How do you think she could tell us apart?” Danny asked.

  Brutus wondered if either of his brothers would bring up that interesting tidbit.

  “I don’t have a clue,” Cain answered, “but I like it.”

  “Me too.”

  “She’s more aware of us than she makes out.” Brutus raised his voice so Danny could hear him over the radio. “She’s scared of me.”

  “She’s just a tiny little thing.” Cain turned to f
ace him and Brutus gave him a glance before turning back to the road. “She’s nervous around all of us, but she’s not scared of you.”

  “Yes she is.”

  “No, I don’t think she is,” Danny said. “We all intimidate her with our size. She doesn’t even come up to your pecs, Brutus, but she’s aware of all three of us.”

  “Do you think she’ll ever give us a chance?”

  “Who knows man,” Cain answered. “But if I had my way she would be in my bed from tonight and that’s where she’d stay.”

  “Don’t you dare go pushing her, Cain,” Danny interjected. “She’s skittish enough already. We don’t want her running any more than she already is.”

  “Shit, you know I won’t do anything to hurt or upset her.”

  “Yes,” Brutus answered. He turned on the road into Slick Rock. “We know that but Cashmere doesn’t. You have to be patient. I know how hard that’ll be for you but if you push her too fast you’ll answer to me.”

  “Fuck you, Bruce.”

  “Calm down.” Brutus pulled into a parking slot and turned off the ignition. “Danny and I know you would never hurt her, but don’t go in with both pistols cocked.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” Cain got out of the truck and headed toward the door, Brutus and Danny right behind him.

  As soon as he stepped through the door to Slick Rock Hotel, he scanned the room looking for Cashmere, Harry, and David. He spotted them at a table toward the back hallway and his gut roiled with envy when he saw that she was sitting between the two men and she was laughing. God, she was so fucking sexy and had no idea how appealing she was. Her face was framed by those long black curly tresses which made her skin look creamy white and her lips were a perfect cupid’s bow. Her bottom lip was full and lush and even though her top lip was thinner it was formed beautifully. He could see the flush to her cheeks even in the dim light of the room and he wanted to go over there, scoop her up into his arms and hug her tight.

  He headed toward the bar with his brothers, ordered some beers and then moved toward the only table unoccupied, which also happened to be next to the one Cashmere was sitting at. She looked up and when her eyes met his, the laughter faded from her face. He cursed under his breath but didn’t look away. She must have realized she was staring because she quickly lowered her gaze and her cheeks flushed. The waitress brought out their food and just as he and his brothers took their seats, she turned to take their order.

  Brutus was conscious of Cashmere like he’d never been of another woman. He shifted in his seat trying to relieve the pressure on his hard dick but nothing seemed to help. He’d been walking around with a semi-hard and full-on erection since the first day he and his brothers had come to take over from his cousins and he wondered if his balls were actually turning blue. It certainly felt like it.

  Bruce strained to hear what Cashmere and the two other men were talking about but made sure to keep his eyes from her. If she saw him looking she would probably become self-conscious and clam up.

  “How old were you when you left home, Cash?” David asked.

  “I went to live with my grandmother when I was sixteen.”

  “Thank God you were able to leave that place,” Harry said. “Was living with your grandmother better?”

  “Yes. I learned all about horses living on her ranch, but when I turned eighteen she decided to sell up and travel.”

  “Wow, that must have been hard on you.” David took a sip of his drink.

  Bruce looked at Cashmere from under his eyelashes and saw her give a slight shrug.

  “She wasn’t an affectionately demonstrative person, but at least she didn’t hit me.”

  Bruce clenched his fists and his muscles went taut. He couldn’t imagine someone hitting any woman or child for that matter, but especially not such a little bit of a thing. He wanted to pull her over onto his lap, wrap her in his arms and demand to know who had hurt her, and tell her that no one would ever hurt her again, and then he would go and beat the shit out of the fucker, but he had no right.

  When he heard Cain growl low in his throat he looked up and saw that both his brothers were just as upset and angry as he was. He leaned over so that he wouldn’t be heard. “Hold it together and just listen.”

  “How long did that fucker hurt you?” Harry growled the question.

  “Six years.”

  “Jesus!” David sat back in his chair and glanced toward Bruce.

  Bruce could tell by the look on David’s face that he and his brothers had heard every word, but David looked back at Cash when she began talking again.

  “And where was your mother? Why didn’t she step in and protect you? Better yet, why didn’t she pack up and take you with her?”

  Bruce glanced at Cash and watched as she put another forkful of food into her mouth. The way she drew that silverware from between her lips was so sexy he nearly groaned when the image of them wrapped around his hard cock flashed into his mind. He took a deep breath and forced those thoughts away. This wasn’t the time or the place and he felt a little guilty for feeling horny when she was explaining about her abusive past.

  “She left when I was five years old. She was having an affair with my father’s brother and one day she had a babysitter come over and I never saw her again.”

  “Did that asshole beat your mother, too?”

  Bruce was glad that he looked at Cashmere when she answered, because her voice was so quiet he wouldn’t have heard her reply, but he was able to read her lips and her answer was “yes.”

  “Why didn’t she take you with her?”

  “I don’t know,” Cash said and Bruce heard the hitch in her voice, “and I never will.”

  Harry reached across the table and took her hand. Bruce wanted to go over and remove it from his woman but he pushed his jealousy aside. She needed comfort and it didn’t matter who gave it to her right now.

  “Why not, honey?”

  “My mother and uncle were killed by an out-of-control truck on the highway near Durango.”

  “So your father took his anger at your mother out on you for six long years?”

  “Yes.”

  Harry looked at Bruce this time and he could see the muscle twitching in his jaw as he tried to contain his anger. David’s voice drew his gaze and then he watched Cashmere gulp down half a glass of wine.

  “How big was he?”

  She glanced over to Danny and Cain and nodded her head, then leaned forward, obviously trying to keep her voice from carrying. “Their size.”

  Bruce couldn’t take any more. The thought of a man as big as his brothers beating on her as a kid, when she would have been half of her pint size, caused rage to run through him. He pushed his chair back and headed to the bar. One of his brothers was going to have to drive the truck back to the Double M Ranch, because he was about to get shit-faced drunk. It was the only way he would be able to stay away from her.

  No wonder she was so skittish around him and his brothers. They were all large men and she would no doubt do anything she could to avoid being alone with them. He ordered a whiskey and downed the shot in one go. It burned as it went down but when it hit his roiling belly some of the tension eased. He was about to order another one but he looked over his shoulder when a hand landed on his arm.

  “Getting drunk isn’t going to help,” Danny said. “If she sees you that way you’ll scare her more.”

  Bruce hung his head and took a deep breath. His younger brother was right. He gave a nod, scrubbed a hand over his face and finally turned around.

  “Come on back to the table. Our food has arrived.”

  “I’ve lost my appetite.”

  “Bruce, you are going to need every bit of energy to continue working the ranch while we try and woo our woman. As much as I would like to go and find her father and hit the living shit out of him it won’t change anything. What’s past is over and done with. We’ll take it slow with her but I’m not backing away.”

  “Do you think she know
s we want her?”

  Danny shrugged. “I’m not sure but David and Harry do. I think they got her talking so we know what we’re up against.”

  “Yeah, you’re probably right. When did you get to be so wise, little brother?”

  “When I heard the pain and fear in her voice when she was talking about the man who was supposed to love and take care of her.”

  Bruce followed Danny back to the table. He looked at Cashmere, who was downing the contents of another glass of wine. She was obviously hurting more than she let on but he wasn’t about to let her wipe herself out with alcohol. He walked up to Harry, leaned down and whispered in the man’s ear.

  “Don’t you think she’s had enough?”

  Harry gave a slight nod and held up two fingers, letting him know it was only her second drink. But by the way her cheeks were flushed and the glazed look in her eyes, it was clear she was a lightweight when it came to liquor. Bruce straightened and met Cashmere’s gaze. She gave him a lopsided smile, waved and then giggled. He smiled back and then sat back in his own chair and began to eat. He hardly took his eyes off of her the whole time he ate his dinner and neither did Cain or Danny. If Bruce had his way he would wrap her in cotton wool and never let her out, but he knew she would never let him or his brothers treat her like a delicate rose. Although she looked as fragile as a flower, Cashmere was tough, or so she seemed to think. But he’d seen another side of her tonight, a bruised vulnerable child hidden beneath that tough exterior and if she knew he and his brothers had heard every word she spoke tonight, he knew there would be hell to pay.

  Bruce fell a little more for her and hoped that he and his brothers could convince her that she was the woman they had been waiting for. The conversation at the other table had taken on a lighter tone and he was glad to hear Cash talking passionately about her future plans to have a horse breeding program, but also to give back to the community once she was up and running by having disadvantaged and disabled kids out on the weekend for pony rides. That also confirmed his belief that their woman had a loving, nurturing nature and a heart of gold. She would make a great mother.