STORY EXCERPT

The man striding toward them couldn’t have been much older than her, but the way he moved said he was confident and able to take charge. It wasn’t the cocky kind of walk a lot of guys at college had, but one coming from deep inside him. He probably wasn’t even aware of it because it had been part of him for most, if not all, of his life.

Now that’s a man. A real Texas man.

She could already see that he was tall. He ate up the distance between them. His body was toned, hard like rock stacked on top of other rocks. The denim shirt he wore was loose, but it couldn’t hide the muscles underneath it. Blue jeans, worn in spots and frayed in others, covered the long legs from the narrow waist sporting the leather belt and silver buckle down to the scuffed camel-colored boots. His dusty black hat was pulled low on his forehead, but when she slid her gaze up, his chocolate-brown eyes dragged her in and made her forget where she was. But she’d never forget him.

He came to a stop right in front of her, so close she could see individual hairs of the stubble on his chin. His smile brought out a set of dimples any girl would love to have. But they were as masculine as the testosterone she could almost see dripping off him.

He took in Jilly, taking a little too long to look her over, before renewing his smile. “Name’s Caleb Houston. So did I hear you right? You’ll do anything for a job?”

If he hadn’t said it with a sly hint to his tone, she wouldn’t have caught the innuendo. “Okay, you know what I mean. If I wanted to work the streets, or the ranch, or whatever, I wouldn’t need a cowboy pimp to do it.”

Paul chuckled, then bowed out. “Caleb, this is Molly and Jilly Miller. Ladies, let me know if you decide to take me up on that offer to get you back home.” He tipped his hat. “I’ve got things I need to look after. Good to meet you.”

“It was nice meeting you, too.” The question of whether she should trust Caleb Houston was on her lips but she held it back. She’d always considered herself a decent judge of character, so why would judging him be any different? A good dose of skepticism along with her gut had always served her well.

“You know I didn’t mean that.” His dimples teased her to touch them. “But it is kind of interesting that you came up with that idea.”

So he’s got a brain, too, and not just good looks. Still, he can’t be perfect. No one, especially someone who looks like him, can be perfect.

“I was just heading you off before you went down that road.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder and inwardly cringed. Would he think she was flirting with him? Was she subconsciously flirting? After all, he was a great-looking guy.

“Yeah. Good call.”

At least he admitted it.

“So what did you really mean?”

“Yeah.” Jilly inched closer, shooting him looks no one could misinterpret.

“My brother and I just bought a ranch and we’re a little shorthanded. We could use the extra help. If you’re up to it.”

Working on a ranch was way out of her league. The closest she’d ever come to riding a horse was at the county fair when she was ten years old. But he hadn’t asked if she was experienced, so she wasn’t about to tell him. “Sure. Why not? We’re stronger than we look.”

“See?” Jilly made a muscle, flirting even more. “Want to feel me up?”

OMG. Why not just tell him you’ll do a booty call?

She’d keep her smile plastered on her face, no matter what her sister said. After all these years of living with her, she should be used to having Jilly say off-the-wall kinds of things.

“Sure. Don’t mind if I do.” He squeezed Jilly’s not-so-big muscle. “Pretty good. After a few weeks on the ranch, you’ll be even more toned.”

“Does that mean we have the jobs?” She could hear her salesman of a father telling her to go for the close.

Caleb, however, wasn’t the type to get pushed into a deal without knowing all he was getting. “You’ll have to clean the house and cook some of the meals. You do cook, don’t you?”

“Sure.” As long as it involved a microwave.

“And then we’ll need you working the ranch, too.”

“I understand.” But she didn’t. How could she know what “working the ranch” meant? She was a city girl, born and raised.

“Like shoveling out the stalls.” He paused, but when she kept going, he did, too. “And helping with the animals.”

“What kind of animals?” Jilly had never been close to any animals. Even small cats and dogs scared her.

“The usual.”

Again, Molly nodded as though she knew exactly what he was talking about. “No problem. Right, Jilly?” She hoped her sister would pick up on her subtle hint to play along and not ask any more questions.

“Uh, yeah. No problem,” parroted Jilly.

“Okay, then. We can’t pay much, just minimum wage. Along with room and board.”

“A room? Like just a room or a whole apartment?”

Molly didn’t know what he’d meant by room and board, either, but the only choice they had was to sleep in the car. “Not that it matters.”

“Well…” He studied them as though only now thinking of the sleeping arrangements. “Hired hands sleep in the bunkhouse. It’s like an apartment. Sort of. It’s got a microwave and a coffee pot. Nothing fancy, but you’ll take your regular meals in the house with us. Since you’ll be doing the cooking and cleaning up, that seems only right. You’re not a slave, you know.” His grin was infectious, if not kind of snarky. “Although we’ll work you like one.”

ADULT EXCERPT

Their expressions were tense, hardened by both desire and urgency. “We can’t wait a second longer to have you. Not after what just happened. Do you get what I mean, little sub?”

She nodded, then bit her lower lip. “Yes, Master Caleb.”

“Now you’re getting the hang of it.”

She feasted on their bodies. After imaging what they’d look like without their clothes on, the pair of them standing side by side, she realized her imagination hadn’t been up to the task. Hard bodies built from hours of rough labor had toned them. Their muscles popped whenever they moved. Their lean abdomens made the wide expanses of their shoulders appear that much wider.

But it was their long, curved cocks that caught her attention. “Wow,” she whispered.

“I think our sub likes what she sees,” joked Caleb. “At least as far as I go. But don’t be too hard on him, baby. It is kind of cold in here.”

“Fuck you, man.”

If eyes alone could undress a woman, then Derrick’s already had her naked and lying spread-eagle. “It’s time for a lesson. Are you ready?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Then let’s start with the first rule. Call us sir or master. Doesn’t matter which.”

“But just at the club. Or during sex.” Caleb took hold of her feet and pulled off her sandals. “Or whenever you want to.”

“So it’s Master Caleb and Master Derrick? Would Dom Caleb and Dom Derrick be okay? How about Sir Sexy or Master Cock-a-lot?”

“Hey, as long as it’s a sign of respect.” Derrick chuckled then went around to the other side of the bed and slipped the straps of her dress off her shoulders. With one quick tug, he had it pulled off her and thrown to the floor. Her bra and panties were gone with another swift tug.

Caleb opened the nightstand next to him while Derrick did the same on the other side. When they got what they needed, they crawled on top of the bed.

“A blindfold?”

Caleb lifted an eyebrow in warning.

“I mean… a blindfold, sir?”

He slipped it over her head. At first, the blackness unnerved her. But she trusted them. They were her teachers, her Doms, and she wanted to treat them right.

“Hands above your head, babe.”

“Yes, Master Derrick.” She followed his order and felt the fuzziness of fur-lined handcuffs around her wrists. She didn’t mind the handcuffs. They didn’t hurt even when she felt him wrap a cloth around them and tug her arms even higher. Pain bit into her nipples as something latched on.

“Those are nipple clamps, baby. What’s your color?”

She wasn’t sure, but she gave an answer anyway. “Green.” She waited, both fearing and wanting to experience the next sensation.

Still, it came as a surprise.

A soft touch tickled the bottom of her feet, then slid over her ankle and up the inside of her leg. Was it a feather? And if so, was the feather attached to one end of a whip? “What is it?”

“Sub, remember how you talk to us.” Derrick’s tone was filled with need. She jerked when he skimmed his tongue along her arm and down to flick over the nipple clamp.

“I’m sorry.”

“And there you did it again. Caleb, I think she needs a punishment so she’ll remember the next time.”

“A punishment?” Would it be one she liked? Or one she’d have to say red to? And then she remembered. She hadn’t said sir or master again. Just as she was about to say sir, a hand pressed against the back of her jaw and forced her mouth open. She tried to speak, tried to gasp, but the ball inserted in her mouth kept her from doing so.

At first having the gag in her mouth was uncomfortable. How would she let them know if she wanted it out?

“Take it easy, baby. We know you can’t say your color, but if you want us to stop, just make as much noise as you can. We can tell the difference between moaning and trying to talk. If that makes sense, give it a try.”

She yelled as loudly as she could, but the gag muffled most of the sound. Still, it would be enough.

“Just lie back and enjoy.” Caleb stroked her leg, then skimmed the feather over it.

It didn’t tickle any longer. In fact, the light sensation made her nerve endings come to attention.

“Hold still.” Caleb took hold of her foot, but that didn’t prepare her for the warm wetness of his mouth covering her big toe. He held her leg still as he sucked on it, then ran his tongue along the tips of her other toes.

“Don’t mind him. He’s kind of a freak about toes.”

She would’ve laughed at Derrick if she could’ve. And then, all at once, laughing was the last thing she wanted to do. The sensation of the feather lightly brushing over her pussy sizzled through her.

How could a feather cause such an explosion inside her?

But the men weren’t about to let her think too long about it. A sting hit one nipple, then the next, giving her a completely different reaction than the feather. She moaned, the sound cut off all too soon by the gag.

Being deprived of her sight and her speech put the rest of her senses on full alert. She could feel her heart skipping a beat as it sped up. Her pulse roared in her ears. With anyone else, she would’ve been terrified to be at their mercy, but not with these men. Her men. Her Doms.

Had she really found them? Or was their relationship just a temporary thing? Derrick had talked about her being their permanent sub, but did they want her for more than sex? What if they didn’t want her as their lover and their partner in life?

If they didn’t, it would break her apart.

She drew in a breath, hoping her sense of smell would help her. It was exhilarating when Derrick leaned closer and she could recognize his scent. Sweat mixed with a unique body aroma that was pure masculinity. She sensed their movements and felt the rocking of the bed as they moved.

And then Caleb replaced the light touch of the feather with his mouth.