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IT WAS A WAITING GAME. The anticipation of something about to happen was wearing on the whole family, causing tempers to flare. Even Declan, after days of going to his class and department meetings, then rushing home the minute they were done, only to spend all the extra hours holed up in the office or the house, was showing the strain. He stayed home, working on things he normally did at the college. Changing his routine was putting him off-center. That was something he and Stryker had in common, the need for order and routine.
Renee was working diligently on their new project, but Avery had lost her hunger for it right now. She wanted this waiting game to be over. The sheriff brought Ben in for questioning, but since he wasn’t there at the ranch that early morning over a week ago, he couldn’t be held accountable for what others did or attempted to do. Stryker had mentioned Avery’s run-in with Ben at the gaming hall, but the sheriff could do nothing because Avery would not press charges.
No one gave him up as the instigator or mastermind, contrary to what Avery had told him. They had to let Ben go, but the sheriff was clear about the consequences of bothering the Red Eagles or Avery. They had a protection order that covered all those visiting and working on the ranch. Avery prayed her brother took the warning to heart.
By evening number eight, the guys began talking again about how they should handle things. They, nor the ranch, could stay on high alert forever. This week’s last round of guests had left this afternoon, but another round would be arriving in three days. The transitions were when they had the very least protection on the ranch and fewer people who needed it.
Seamus said, “I have to give the guys a night off. I’ll give one half this first twenty-four hours, and when they get back, I’ll send off the second half.”
“We’ll follow our normal protocol, splitting the more experienced hands equally in the two groups. Then we will have a fairly even set of capable men here, each night,” added Carson. “Remembering that the men who live off the ranch will be gone both days and some all three.”
Avery had already had another encounter with Stryker’s talking hand a few days after the “big consequence,” as she called the day Stryker impressed upon her the need to do as he said and stay safe. Both nights’ lovemaking was the most intense she had ever had. The fact that a hot seat started the sexy times didn’t bother Avery as much as she thought it should. Before Stryker, she’d never gotten off so many times, hadn’t seen stars that brightly, and her core muscles hadn’t been so sore as they were with him.
Callen, who was used to going out several nights a week, and certainly when the guests were gone, was finding it trying as well. “Okay, how long are we going to do this? I mean, in reality, he could have been all talk.”
“I think we are about to get a response. I sent him a demand for payment due to breach of contract,” said Stryker.
“Through your attorney?” asked Avery.
Stryker pulled her close to him on the sofa and kissed her softly before looping her curtain of hair behind her ear. She loved it when he took care of little things she hadn’t thought about. The passionate look of possession and love that shone in his eyes settled her heart.
“No, personally. I worded it close enough to legalese so that Ben would believe it was real but personal enough that he would believe I wrote it.”
Renee had verbalized the inquiring scrunched-up look Avery was sending him. “But why?”
“Because Callen is right. We can’t do this forever. And we do need to give the guys more downtime. So, I just synced Ben’s target. That gives us a place to focus our attention instead of spreading things out.”
“A ‘pool your resources’ kind of move. I think that is a good direction,” said Carson.
“Well, I don’t. You effectively painted a target on your chest, and I don’t want you to get hurt.” Avery was appalled. She tried to get off the sofa, but Stryker only tightened his hold.
Seamus nodded. “It is a good tactic, though, Avery. This way, we are forcing Ben’s hand, and that always makes a person less likely to be fully prepared.”
Declan nodded as well. “If he decides to act, we can be ready. See, Avery, when you are forced into action, your confidence has already taken a hit because you psych yourself into thinking it is already an inferior plan because you are rushed. I’m impressed, big brother.”
Stryker choked out a rough laugh. “Talk about a backhanded compliment. You sound like it’s the first time I’ve ever thought out a solution to a problem. I can think out strategies, even if I’m not a professor.”
“So you have proven.”
Declan ducked the pillow Stryker threw, and it hit Renee.
“Hey, watch that buster.”
When the next pillow came flying through the air, Avery scooted out from under Stryker’s arm to stand off to the side. This is what the guys needed, a little roughhousing, knock your block off kind of wrestling to ease the tension and lighten their spirits. Renee dove in the middle of the ruckus and seemed to be giving as good as she got. The guys were going easier on her; however, she didn’t appear to have the same restraint when responding to them. Avery went in to prepare fresh iced tea, coffee, and the two pies left by Libby.
After the den was put back to rights and all the ammunition rehoused on the assorted sofas and chairs, the group sat down to eat dessert. The tension gone, the siblings talked about all sorts of things, from work to play to childhood memories. Avery remembered her brothers and her talking similarly just a year ago. Things had changed, and time was not always a healer. She wished she could have turned back time to those days when she felt solid in her own world, proud to be who she was.
Stryker kissed Avery on the lips. “I’ll clean this up, baby. Why don’t you go upstairs and get in the shower? I’ll be up soon.”
“If you’re sure, I think I will. I’m tired.” He looked at her with concern and then nodded as she stood.
“I won’t be long.” Stryker was treated to a wan smile before she left.
That night he woke Avery up to make sweet love to her. The events surrounding her brother were getting to her, and he said he understood that no matter how many times he or the others said it wasn’t her fault, she couldn’t completely release the guilt.
“Time I help you believe how much I love you.”
“Even with Ben as my brother?”
“Yep. Your brother has nothing to do with who I love.”
His lips were insistent but gentle. He kissed his girl, starting at the top of her head, continuing in a slow descent to her passionate center. Avery loved it. Stryker kissed and hugged her, caressing her face with wonder in his eyes as he continued over her shoulders, down to her firm, tightly puckered nipples atop her full, pillowy breasts. The warm, featherlight touch teased one nip while his hot wet mouth suckled the other, drawing out her little mews of wantonness before switching sides only to start all over again.
Avery’s body arched to meet Stryker’s, raising her hands to explore his thick straight strands of charcoal-hued hair, cradling his head as she kissed his face. Her fingers ran freely over his chest and his back as he hovered above her breasts. She slid her hands eagerly over his flank and reached for his muscular ass to feel more of the hard contours of his sculpted body.
Before she could bring her searching hands to his pecs, flexing with his efforts, Stryker moved down her belly, leaving her well-loved upper half for real estate below. The bottomlands. He had taken a twist off the badlands and assigned that name to her core, her ass, and her sexy bits.
“But, if you don’t allow me full access when I need it, I’ll punish you like you are in the badlands, spanking that hot pussy you have before I fuck you hard.” His wicked grin pushed her libido up another notch.
She whimpered as he moved out of range for her to further explore his divineness. The chuckle that erupted from deep in his belly drove waves of anticipation through her core, and he released an answering groan of need.
“Please touch me.”
“Whatever you want, darlin’, you know that.”
He blew hot air over her warm brunette muff as he followed the parting of the thatch of curls with his stiff tongue. He broadened it once he made full contact with her satin pink bits, ever reddening them with excitement. She arched to him and grabbed onto his hair, keeping him in place.
“Greedy little girl, aren’t you? Hold on because I’m about to send you to the moon, sweetheart.”
Her only response was a moan as she held her pelvis tight to his face. She could feel the gush of warm arousal as it was released. Her orgasm followed hot on the trail of that last flood. She couldn’t see or hear, her brain only acknowledging that as she floated back to the ground, she was sated and yet not.
“Next time, you will come with me, baby.”
“Then hurry because I may run out of steam.”
Again that wicked dark chuckle. “If you do, I will extract payment when you least expect it.”
Stryker leaned up to kiss her lips, his face and mouth coated with her arousal. Avery hesitated when she realized she tasted her own juices on his lips, but Stryker didn’t allow her to think any further as he kissed her deeply,
He took her unerringly with a mighty shifting of his hips. Her grunts caused him to pause, but when Avery tried to ram her pelvis solidly against his, Stryker got the message and continued with his forceful thrusts until he suddenly slowed dramatically. He shifted into low gear and went slow and sweet, never stopping completely, but the pace was noticeably different than the earlier pounding.
Avery wanted more. There was a time for sweet love, but his darlin’ wanted rough love.
“I will make it good for you, but I bet you’ll be sore tomorrow. I’m trying not to make you worse than you are already. Let me love you gently.”
It took his girl a moment before she stopped trying to manipulate his lovemaking. When she did finally acquiesce, he showed her how deep his feelings ran. Soon her little mews and moans of arousal were a musical backdrop to his kisses and caresses. His slow, steady slide in and out was massaging her inner sanctum as she touched her clit.
“Not yet. I’ll make sure you get off spectacularly, but right now, I want you to lay there and absorb the sensations. Let them take you over.”
Avery let him know she was a little anxious for more, but she returned to her acceptance of his pace without any complaints. His work-roughened hands didn’t abrade her skin in the way they would have as a younger man, but now he did more paperwork than manual labor, and Avery benefitted from that difference.
Her breasts were like small, firm globes with arousal firmed nips that he lavished with his personal attention. Kissing, sucking, licking, nibbling all drew whimpers. Avery offered him her other breast when he had spent too long on the first. He grinned. Greedy minx, but it was time to rotate.
“Look at us as we meld our juices, watch our flesh becoming one. See my cock disappearing into your waiting entrance and caressed by the ripples of your yearning muscles and feel the stiffening of my staff. We are synchronized, working so well together. We were meant to be together, Avery; this is why we connected emotionally so quickly, why we fit so well.”
She lifted her legs to wrap around his waist. “I love this, you, but I need more. Please, sir?”
He didn’t answer but picked up the pace. “Put your legs on my shoulders.”
She quickly took them from his waist to lay them on his chest. Stryker grabbed her calves and picked up the pace a little more.
“Strum your clit, baby, make yourself come.”
He followed that command with a shift to hit that sensitive spot whenever he entered her, careful to scrape over the slightly bumpy patch of flesh. Her response was to give him a desperate grunt. He laughed. Making her wait was more fun this time than last. Definitely in the punishment/funishment category.
“Let me see you bring yourself off now. I’m about to fire my rockets, and it’s hot to watch.”
“Ahh,” slipped out before he could stop it. Avery’s fingers had brushed his cock, and after his startled response, she grinned and did it again with deliberate targeting.
The heat was building in his balls, with the pressure becoming hard to control. His sac was tightening fast, drawing close to his body. “Now, Avery, do it now. Come. And no screaming.”
She stopped. “What?”
She took a few more swipes of her clit, her anxious seeking of that explosive release that appeared just beyond her fingertips. Desperation forced her to work harder. Suddenly, her orgasm took over. Stryker watched her struggle not to make a sound and succeed. He followed her seconds later. His climax was more intense with Avery’s undulating waves of muscle flexing, massaging his cock, making his release almost overwhelming.
They seemed to continue coming and spasming for a very long time. Stryker emptied his sack for an extended time, and Avery was trying hard to take over the dance. “I’m leading, baby, just go with it.”
Lying on their sides, regaining their equilibrium and energy, Avery stretched like a cat and then snuggled in closer to Stryker. “That was incredible. We have to do that again soon.”
Stryker pulled her in closer and kissed the top of her head. “Sounds like a plan I can get behind. Pun intended.”
Yeah, they had to do this again, right after he took care of the threat hanging over them all.
***
AVERY GOT UP EARLIER than Stryker for once. She’d woken up to a brain that was already loudly thinking about the plan her man had that would put him in the crosshairs of Ben. She had no idea what had happened to the person she’d grown up with, but right now, it didn’t matter. He was a danger to the man she loved and the entire ranch. Trying to rustle cattle from the ranch had been a bold move. It told her how desperate he was.
Maybe she could give Ben what he wanted, and then he would leave the ranch alone. If she hadn’t taken the temp job in the first place, none of this would happen. Stryker and his family would not see it that way, but it was the truth. She’d brought them the trouble; it was Avery’s responsibility to get rid of it. She wasn’t sure what she had to offer or could get to offer for Ben’s owed money, but she would figure it out.
Avery got up and skipped the shower because it would wake Stryker. She couldn’t afford for that to happen. Besides, she wanted to get out and back as quickly as possible, but she needed time to find her brother and have it out. She would make a deal with the devil himself if it ended this worry and this animosity. Ben would always think that Stryker and the Red Eagle Ranch were somehow at fault for his situation because of their money. He wasn’t yet ready to admit that it was his doing and not anyone else’s.
Yes, the Red Eagle was profitable, but not because of anything but hard work, blood, sweat, and likely, plenty of tears. Something Ben was not going to sacrifice to gain stability. And yes, Seamus gambled at times but usually only once or twice a month, and he left if he was losing. If he was winning, he stayed longer, but he headed home at the first sign of losing his winnings.
It was entertainment to him after working a long week or two. Not a means to an end like it had turned into for Ben. She wished she could climb into Ben’s mind and see how he was thinking and where he got those thoughts, but she couldn’t. After this little adventure, Avery feared Stryker would put an end to her going anywhere alone, but it was worth the chance.
Avery snuck out the kitchen door easier today because Jenny and Libby were off until the next round of guests arrived. It was a few minutes past five, and the world was just waking up. She hurried to the car, praying no one would see her. The day was going to get warm, and she didn’t want to be gone too long.
Stryker was already going to force her to pay a steep price for disobeying him and leaving the ranch after the men had said everyone needed to use the buddy system. For their safety, the two women were not allowed anywhere alone, on or off the ranch. Yes, it would be a loud conversation when she got home, but that would be the end of all the problems with any luck.