Capturing Carolina Read online

  “That would be nice. Last night I had a peanut butter sandwich without the jelly.”

  Charlie, his smile as wicked as his brother’s, leaned his shoulder against hers. “Why didn’t you make yourself a real dinner?”

  If he gets any closer, I’m going to grab their collars and pull them both down. Whichever one gets to my lips first wins.

  “I didn’t know if it was okay.”

  “Anything you want to do is okay.” Jesse pulled the hood off her, revealing her wet and flat hair. “You look good today.”

  “Just like you did yesterday,” added Charlie.

  Oh, so that’s it. They’re blind.

  No matter how many jokes she made, it didn’t change the fact that they had a kind of magical pull over her. She wasn’t used to taking things fast, but Charlie and Jesse were different. She longed for them in a way that struck her deep in her soul, in a primal kind of tug.

  “I looked like a drowning rat yesterday, and I look like one again today. Rain is not my friend.”

  “Naw.” Charlie skimmed a finger down the front of her slicker, teased her with acting like he was about to open it up, then pulled his hand away. “You’re beautiful when you’re wet. And I’ll bet you’re even better looking when you’re dry.”

  What the hell do I have to do to get these guys to stop talking and make a move?

  “So it’s a…dinner?” She’d hesitated to use the word date.

  “Yeah. But first, I want a taste of dessert.”

  “What dessert?”

  “This one.” Jesse yanked her to him.

  His abrupt move took her by surprise. She couldn’t manage anything more than a quick inhale of air before he had her chin up and ready for his hungry mouth. He crushed his lips to hers like a man who hadn’t had a meal in years.

  His kiss was rough and hard, with no room for her to balk. Yet she didn’t want to resist. Not when he felt so right against her.

  Instead, she clung to his shirt, her own hunger eating at her to satisfy it. The heat, the sizzle, the whatever-it-was that was between them raked into her, blasting at her like a cannon of sexual need. She rode the wave of desire, arms wrapped around his neck, opening her mouth for his tongue. He gave it to her, flicking it around to gather her flavors, then was gone.

  When he turned her loose, she staggered and would’ve fallen if Charlie hadn’t grabbed her.

  “Hey, I like sweets, too.”

  Charlie’s mouth ravished hers, taking her breath away. Her clit responded, awakened by their assault and setting up a throb that heralded an immediate rush of her juices to wet her clothes.

  He tasted wild and manly, with the snap of the energy-lightning searing between them as fast as it had with Jesse. His kiss pulled at her, making her want more of it, more of him. She had to get onto her toes to strengthen the kiss, running her hands to lock behind his neck. The kiss deepened with him nibbling at her bottom lip, then tugging it in only to let it go. It was like riding the top of a tidal wave, then plunging deep into the ocean to be swept away by the undertow.

  Yet he, too, turned her loose way too soon. She whimpered, a sound she’d never made before.

  The sexual tension grew stronger, steaming against her body and causing her to perspire under her slicker. She wanted nothing more than to shuck it off followed by the rest of her clothes until her body was nude and exposed to a breeze. Hell, if sex was what they wanted, she’d take them right in the middle of the stall. Horse shit or no horse shit.

  Then Charlie made her miracle happen. He tugged the slicker off and hung it over the railing. Jesse undid her shirt, one button after the other in an agonizing slow procession down the front.

  Her heart pounded, her breathing quickened, and if Lisa-May or even Ms. Millicent had walked into the barn, she wouldn’t have cared.

  And yet the very thought of that possibility had her reconsidering what they were doing. “Wait. This isn’t right.”

  “Don’t tell me that.” Jesse’s dark eyes flashed. “You don’t get to tell us that. Not after that kiss.”

  “No. Not what you’re doing.” She glanced around them. “This. Here in the open where anyone could walk in.”

  What was she thinking? She barely knew them, but she no longer cared. Her instinct charged through her mind, ridding it of any hope of talking her out of it. Sometimes going rogue was the best thing to do.

  “Don’t worry about it.” Charlie tugged at the buttons of her jeans, then had her zipper sliding down.

  “How can I not worry about it? If someone sees us, I’ll never be able to live it down.”

  “Woman, you talk too much.” Charlie took her face between his hands, determination etched into the lines on his face. “Listen to me. We’re going to show you what it’ll be like with us. Just a taste, mind you, but enough to let you know.”

  Jesse commanded her attention in the same way Charlie had. “You need this, sugar. You need us bad. But just say the word, and we’ll back off.”

  She started to open her mouth, but couldn’t manage to say no. Yet she hadn’t had enough. She could never get enough.

  Charlie pushed her jeans down to wad up over the high boots. “Make your choice, babe. If you say yes to us now, you can never say no to us after that.”

  Never say no? That was ludicrous. And exciting as hell. But she couldn’t say yes, could she?

  Instead, she didn’t say anything at all.

  “I’ll take that as your answer.” Charlie dropped to his knees, then slid his hand underneath her underwear and between her legs. “Spread ’em.”

  Her breasts swelled as Jesse pushed her bra aside and freed her breasts. Her nipples engorged with blood, hardening with his touch. He tweaked her nipples then, with one of those wicked smirks she loved, bent and took one into his mouth. She whimpered again as his tongue danced from one nipple to the other.

  Her clit started to throb even harder as Charlie’s fingers found it and started massaging the sensitive muscles. She clenched her thighs, trying to capture his hand and keep it there. She gasped as Charlie used the ball of his hand on her clit and thrust fingers inside her pussy. Her body heated even more as she reached behind her and grabbed the railing of the stall for support.

  Jesse pinned her with his eyes, then jerked his head to the side. “Tell me you don’t like being watched and we’ll stop right now.”

  Lord, have mercy.

  A couple of ranch hands stood just inside the double back doors that were the same size as the front doors. Their gazes were glued on them, lust filling their faces. And yet they made no attempt to move their way.

  “Tell me, sugar. You like being watched, don’t you?”

  She wanted to lie, knew that she should lie, but she couldn’t. “Yes.”

  She gasped as Charlie thrust his fingers in, then out, quickening his movement. She cried out in pleasure as cream leaked from her. Embarrassed, yet thrilled beyond anything she’d ever experienced, she moaned, glanced at the ranch hands, then back to Jesse.

  “Please.”

  “Please what, sugar?”

  “Please fuck me.”

  He took hold of her hair, putting his face a few inches from hers. “I didn’t hear you. Speak up. What do you want me to do?”

  “Please fuck me!”

  He smiled, pleased at her shout. “Not yet. We’re giving you a little taste is all, the appetizer before the main course.”

  A hard tug from Charlie and her panties tore away. His tongue pressing against her clit stole the strength from her legs. She cried out again, on the verge of a climax. He sucked on her, tugging her clit into his mouth as he continued to plunge his fingers into her pussy. Her pussy walls clamped around his digits.

  She’d wanted them from the first moment she’d laid eyes on them. Physically at first, but then once they’d started talking in the truck, she’d wanted them in every other way. Maybe she hadn’t fully realized it, but she must’ve known it in some instinctual way. As soon as the frisson of
electricity had hit her, she’d somehow known.

  Hadn’t Lisa-May said the same thing? Not straight out, but she’d called them her men. Her words had struck true and fast.

  In desperation, she reached out to Jesse, taking his hair and trying to pull his mouth back to her nipples. He took one inside, then reached around her to skim his hand along her butt cheek. She tensed, never having had a man from behind.

  “Easy, sugar. Like I said, I’m not going to fuck you right now. That’s for later.”

  She let out a sob, brokenhearted that he wouldn’t give her his cock.

  “Don’t worry. We won’t leave you in pain.” Jesse kept his stark appraisal on her as he moved his fingers between her butt seam then down to tease her dark hole. She flinched when he ran his fingers around the puckered entrance, but the more he did it, the easier it was to relax.

  “That’s it. Take it easy. I’m not going to do anything you can’t handle.” His smirk grew. “Not yet anyway.”

  She didn’t care what he did to her just as long as he didn’t take his hands away. Her body trembled, a strange feeling when she was so hot and still had clothes on. Clutching him, she pushed at his slicker, but he was quick to take her hand.

  “No. Not us. This is all you.”

  Charlie’s bite on her inner thigh had her jerking. She looked down and saw her juices spread around his mouth. He grinned, then plunged his fingers back inside her pussy. Her juices slicked the insides of her legs. He ate her, lapping, then sucking until she could no longer stand it.

  “Fuck me!”

  Jesse laughed and shoved a finger into her ass. “Charlie, put her out of her misery.”

  Charlie groaned, then moved his fingers around, searching for the soft pad of pleasure within her. When his fingers caressed over the top of it, her body reacted, exploding with her climax. She sobbed out her release, letting both of them work their fingers into her. They held her up, the intense pressure of their bodies molding against hers.

  Charlie gave her pussy one last slurp, then came to his feet. He raised his hand to wipe her cream off his mouth, then cupped the back of her neck and brought her mouth to his. The simple joy of tasting her brief sweetness then his tanginess sent another fresh wave of release through her.

  She cried out as he broke away, angry that they kept leaving her. But she couldn’t stay angry for long. Not after what they’d given her.

  He pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead. “You’re sweet no matter where I kiss you.”

  Jesse shoved his finger in then out of her ass, then brought it slowly out and dragged it over her skin. “Good girl. You’re going to do just fine.”

  Fine at what? Her mind refused to work, the thoughts getting muddled up with emotions. Instead of searching for an answer she knew she wouldn’t find, she lifted her gaze to see if the men who had been watching her were still there.

  Her gaze locked with theirs. One of them had his cock in his hand. He groaned before turning his back to her. His body shuddered as he shot his seed. The other kept still, his hands shoved in his pockets. When their gaze held, he hit the first man on the arm, then pivoted on his heel and strode out of the barn. The first man wiped his hand on his jeans then ran his hand through his wavy red hair. Spinning around, he followed his friend.

  It was a shock, but she couldn’t deny it. She liked someone watching. In fact, she liked it a lot. Just thinking about having the men take her in front of others excited her again.

  Her body still ached for them, but after a quick look down, she knew they were hurting much worse. “This doesn’t make sense. Why didn’t we just do it?”

  “Ah, a woman who gets right to the point.” Jesse pulled her bra back over her breasts, then tugged her shirt closed.

  “We like frank women.” Charlie tugged up her jeans.

  She fumbled with the buttons on her shirt. Her mind had cleared, giving way to unwanted thoughts. “I can’t believe we, you, did that. Especially with them watching.”

  She shook her head, yet made no move to get away. “What if they say something? What if they tell Ms. Millicent? Oh, hell, I need to leave even if I have to walk back to town.”

  “No, you don’t.”

  She noticed he hadn’t said anything about the men talking. That was bad. Real bad. “You have to find them and tell them not to say anything.”

  The howl sailed around her as though the sound carried on every raindrop that fell. It reverberated, growing to a crescendo then lowering until it finally faded away.

  “Do you have a lot of wolves on the ranch?”

  “You could say so.” Charlie’s smile had an impish quality about it.

  “I think that ship has sailed.”

  “What?”

  “About telling the men not to say anything. But don’t worry. No one will think less of you.” Jesse laughed, then abruptly stepped away and grabbed hold of a nearby shovel. “Until tonight and dinner, we all have work to do. Let’s get to it. Take this.”

  She took the shovel and stared at it like she’d never seen one. The truth of it was that she had but had never used one.

  She couldn’t help but feel rejected as he walked over to a different stall, gave her an indecipherable look, then went inside where a painted horse pawed at the ground. The horse nickered its greeting, snorted and pushed at him with its nose.

  Was that all? Could they do what they did to her and walk away? They had to be aching, hurting like hell. But if that was how they wanted to play it, then she’d do it their way.

  “Where am I supposed to put all this shit?” The thing was, she wasn’t sure if she was talking about the manure or how she should react to the way he was behaving.

  Charlie pointed toward the back of the barn. The men who had watched had left the doors ajar. “You can fill a wheelbarrow, then spread that on the vegetable garden out back. And the rest? Get the pickup out back and drive it just outside the stall. Then shovel it into the truck bed and, once you’re done, let one of the guys know.”

  She blanched at the idea. One of the guys who had watched them. No way.

  “He’ll take the truck and dump the shit where it belongs out in the pasture. Think you can handle that?”

  “Is it too late to go back to the chickens?” How had she gone from getting pleasured to working with manure?

  “Yeah, it is. Jesse and I will be gone most of the day, checking on the cattle.”

  Jesse came out of the stall leading the paint horse. “Once you’re finished with this stall, you can start on the others.”

  “Finished?” She looked in horror at the thickness of the manure. “It’ll take me all day to do just this one.”

  “If it does, then it does.” Charlie gave her a wink and moved his horse around so he could put a saddle on its back.

  “It’d be a shame to miss dinner,” added Jesse as his long legs ate up the ground past her. He began saddling his horse. “Especially since we know how delicious dessert is going to be.”

  Damn. A lustful look from these guys and I’m ready to spread my legs again.

  “Seriously? You guys expect me to clean out all the stalls? There has to be six of them.”

  “Eight.” Jesse squinted at her from over his horse’s back, then was in the saddle in the next. His slicker was darker than the one he’d had on yesterday and flowed down his legs just past his knees. As they’d done before, they’d covered their hats with a clear plastic material to shield them from the rain. He tipped his hat to her, then made a clucking sound at the horse and turned him toward the door.

  “See you later.” Charlie swung up on his horse and started after his brother. At the entrance, he put a hand on the horse’s rump and twisted around to her. “Hey, babe?”

  “Yes?” She couldn’t help but hope he’d tell her it was all just a joke. She’d laugh, then give them hell.

  “You really do look beautiful. Even wet.”

  She couldn’t bring herself to thank him although his compliment did make her fe
el better. But when he put his back to her again and left the barn, the warmth his words had given her was gone. Letting out a groan, she faced the mountain of manure.

  “Maybe I should start walking until I find someone else to give me a ride.” And yet, she’d never do that. She wanted to get to know the Martin brothers better. A lot better.

  Chapter Four

  “I am out of my mind. No man is worth this. Not even the two Martin brothers.”

  That was a blatant lie. After what they’d done in the barn, she was sure they were worth it. But Carolina was tired and filthy. After they’d left, she’d done her best to clean out all the stalls. At least she’d gotten lucky enough that three of the stalls hadn’t had much manure in them. But she’d risen to the challenge and had completed the assignment. That was all she cared about. The fact that it might please them had nothing to do with it.

  Pleasing two men by shoveling shit. Yes. I am certifiably out of my mind. Men in white coats, come and get me.

  She stomped toward the house, hoping that some of manure, dust, and whatever-the-hell-else-some-of-that-crap-was would fall off her body in the process. She’d made the mistake of taking off her slicker when she’d gotten hot, but then had put it on again. Getting hot was a lot better than having the junk floating in the air stick to her body. Her hair clumped together, and she didn’t dare try and run her fingers through it.

  “I’m going to get under a hot shower and never come out. This is so not what I meant by helping out.”

  After spending hours in the barn, she should’ve told them to take their dinner and shove it. But the thought of sitting at the table, watching the way their jaws moved when they chewed, had been the only thing that had kept her going.

  She had a fantasy already worked out. After letting them eat a little, she’d grab the tablecloth and pull it and everything on top of it onto the floor. Once the table was cleared off, she’d undress in the sexiest way possible, then climb on top of the table. Then she’d lie on her back, spread out her arms and legs, and ask, “Who wants dessert?”

  “You’re Carolina Tallens, aren’t you?”

  She spun around, as much as she could in the heavy boots that bogged down in the mud, to face the man. He was bone-skinny, but she didn’t get the impression that he was weak. His dark eyes and stern jaw said otherwise. His stringy dark hair was thinning at the hairline. But it was the glint in those dark eyes that had her catching her breath.