A Pair of Jacks (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Read online

  “They’re farther away than they look,” he explained when she went to stand in front of the window. “If trouble comes to the ranch, you take a horse and head for that outcropping that looks like an arrowhead.” He stood behind her positioning her shoulders, then pointing out an extension of rock that did indeed look like an arrowhead.

  “See the lower edge? If you look in that area, you’ll find supplies enough to keep you alive in the hills for several days. Food, camping supplies, extra clothing.”

  Marie turned to look at Walter who had stepped back a respectful distance from her. “Do you expect trouble?” She watched him closely for his reaction.

  “Better to be prepared, little lady,” he said without directly answering her question. “You come on down to dinner when you get hungry. My wife fixed up some homemade biscuits and fried chicken.” He gave Marie a friendly grin. “You don’t want to miss her fried chicken.”

  When Marie stepped into the kitchen, Walter and Reno sat at the table with a plate of biscuits between them. A small dark haired woman fussed round the stove and Jack stood at the old-fashioned pump sink in the corner of the room with his shirt off, washing what looked like hay particles off his arms and upper torso. Marie’s mouth went dry at the expanse of chest and the bulge of muscles that rippled above the snug fit of his jeans. He had a tattoo of the rising sun on his right arm that she hadn’t noticed back in D.C. because he’d been wearing a t-shirt that concealed it.

  He caught her staring at him and blushed adorably, toweling off before pulling a fresh blue t-shirt over his head. Surprised at his reaction, Marie kept watching him, lost in the captivating blueness of his eyes and the endearing way he avoided looking at her. Finally, unable to resist, he glanced back at her with a vulnerability that squeezed Marie’s heart.

  Obviously still feeling a little awkward, Jack sauntered over to the table, brushing against Marie as they both headed for the same seat at the table. Marie’s breasts barely brushed his arm, but she felt a jolt of electricity at his touch, and Jack gave her another vulnerable glance that stole her breath along with her heart.

  A new sort of confusion settled over Marie as she took the seat Jack held for her between him and Walter. He carefully avoided looking her way, turning his full attention to Walter’s wife as she carried the platter of fried chicken to the table and placed it between him and Reno.

  “These two used to fight for the drumsticks.” Sallie gave them both a motherly smile, lightly placing her hands on each of their shoulders. “They were always competing for something, but you couldn’t separate them, no matter how hard they argued. Closer than brothers, I told Walter.”

  Marie looked from one of them to the other. So they were childhood friends. That made a lot of sense. Now she understood why they had such a rapport. She could almost see the two of them in childish competition, yet bonding together to fight the world if one of them was threatened. Marie hoped she’d find out more about their background, but figured she would have to work on Reno if she wanted any details. Jack just didn’t seem like the kind to give any information away despite his sudden thawing.

  “Sit down and eat with us,” Walter told his wife. “You’ve done enough fussing over these two. You’re going to spoil them.”

  They all laughed, obviously sharing a long-term joke. Marie unexpectedly felt very much the outsider. With a little pang of jealousy, she wondered what it would be like to belong in a tight knit family group. Watching the comfortable interaction of the family with interest, she reminded herself it wasn’t worth getting upset over. She’d be back on the job in a few weeks, and this would be nothing more than a pleasant memory on the lonesome, sleepless nights.

  * * * *

  Walter proved to be right. His wife’s fried chicken tasted excellent, but the biscuits were what finally did Marie in. She slathered them with butter moaning softly a couple of times as she let the warm, home baked bread send her into a near orgasm.

  “These biscuits are wonderful.” Marie paused, thinking if someone had told her the woman’s name, she couldn’t recall it.

  Reno quickly came to her rescue. “I forget that everyone in the world doesn’t know Sallie. This is Sallie Eagleman, Walter’s wife, our adopted mother, and the best cook in Wyoming.”

  He reached over to give her an affectionate hug. “Sallie, this is Marie Maxwell. She’s been living in Paris for a few years and now she needs to hide out on the ranch for a little while.”

  Marie could tell by the look on Sallie’s face she didn’t miss the unspoken implication of Reno’s words. The elderly lady gave Marie a motherly smile. “You’ll be safe here with my boys.”

  Marie thought that statement was debatable, but she smiled at her, nodding her agreement. Marie watched Reno glance over at Jack and the two of them shared a private smirk before returning their attention to the heaping plates of food. That look said it all. Marie wondered how many times they had caught her staring at them. How many times she’d been so lost in her erotic daydreams, she hadn’t heard one of them ask her a question.

  After dinner, Marie offered to help with the dishes, but Sallie shooed her away. “You just make yourself at home, Marie. Do a little exploring and get used to the surroundings. It makes things a lot easier when you’re away from home if you feel comfortable with a place.”

  Marie didn’t want to feel too comfortable. In fact, it would have been a lot better if she were itching to get back to civilization, but she kept those thoughts to herself.

  Chapter Five

  Marie was on the porch swing drinking a cup of coffee when Jack led a gleaming black stallion around the side of the house. He patted the horse’s neck, murmuring encouragement as it danced skittishly, tugging at the reins.

  Stopping in front of her, Jack gave a soft laugh when the horse yanked his head back and whinnied, obviously impatient to be off on their ride. “I’m taking Ranger out for a run. Reno’s staying here with you. Don’t leave the house without letting him know.”

  “I won’t.”

  Marie watched Jack saddle up, swallowing as his powerful legs straddled the horse. He eased into the saddle with a comfortable grace, holding the reins in one hand while resting his left hand on his thigh. “I’ll be back soon.”

  She nodded, her heart doing odd little flips as she watched his body sway in the saddle like an extension of the stallion as the powerful beast danced and sidestepped with an excess of energy. Letting Ranger have his head, Jack loosened the reins and the horse galloped off like it had wings. She watched him ride out of sight, thinking it was going to be a very long night with that image burned into her mind.

  Marie felt restless. Too many thoughts flooded her mind. She wasn’t used to the quiet, or the slow pace of nothing to occupy her time. For three years, she lived in a whirlwind of deceit, society functions, and criminal activities. She’d become an adrenaline junkie. If danger didn’t find her soon, she’d be forced to go looking for it. Fortunately, she didn’t have to go far. She didn’t even have to move from her seat on the swing. Jack Reno stepped out the door giving her a killer smile full of unspoken suggestions. Marie watched him approach.

  Sometimes fate gives you just what you need.

  Marie smiled back at Reno. He would be the perfect vehicle to let her release a little tension, she bet he knew the rules. Reno was a player. He wouldn’t take a kiss seriously. It would all be fun and games to him, and that’s exactly what she needed at the moment. A man she felt safe with. She didn’t need a man that would make demands she wasn’t capable of fulfilling.

  “Sallie and Walter went home,” he explained, dropping down beside her. “They have a cabin about a mile down the valley.”

  The cool evening breeze ruffled Reno’s hair, inviting Marie to run her fingers through the disheveled curls. Instead, she played it cool, looking out over the barren landscape before she turned back to look at him. “So, how do you pass the time here?”

  Reno licked his lips in a suggestive smile. “Depe
nds on whether I’m by myself or with a beautiful woman.”

  Marie knew the game was on and Reno had played the first hand. “Why don’t you show me what you do when you have a woman with you?”

  “Oh fuck, baby. I’d be glad to do that.” Reno put his hand on the back of Marie’s head, threading his fingers through her hair and pulling her into a breathless kiss. At some point, she leaned into him, resting her hands against the broad expanse of his chest. He felt so right, so natural, and yet Jack stayed on her mind, too. She kissed him back harder, trying to wipe away the confusion in her mind, or was it the confusion of her heart? How could she feel this way? How could she want them both, even as she kissed the other one?

  Reno slid his face down the side of hers, twisting his head so that he could lower his mouth over her lips. He kissed gently, exploring her, tasting her as his tongue darted out to flick over her mouth before demanding entrance.

  He was working his hands up Marie’s back and sides, exploring every curve with infinite patience as he worked his mouth over hers, slipping his tongue between her lips. Marie gave into his touch, letting her own hands explore the hard planes of his body, slipping under the hem of his t-shirt to stroke the heated flesh that rippled under her touch.

  Reno found the bottom of her blouse and ran his hands under the stretchable material, gliding his thumbs upward until he’d reached the peaks of her breasts. His hands cupped her, his thumbs brushing across the sensitive nipples as he worked his magic with a kiss.

  Marie lost herself in the moment, shutting down her thoughts, letting herself simply feel the sensations that coursed through her pussy at Reno’s expert touch. He tugged her back against his chest so that his hand could slide down the front of her jeans. It was a tight fit, but he positioned her across his lap, letting the snug fabric mold his hand against the curve of her body. His fingers dipped between her legs to explore the moist entrance to her pussy.

  “Does that feel good, darlin’?” he whispered, curling his fingertip over the swollen nub of her clit.

  Feel good? No. It feels fucking better than good.

  Marie shoved her hips upward to meet his measured strokes. “Hmmm. You’re talking too much, cowboy,” she whispered, pushing back against his wide chest and feeling the light stubble of his beard as he planted kisses along her hairline. He chuckled at that, rubbing her faster now, teasing her with a light pressure that had her body stretched out in a trembling mass of nerves and need.

  “Relax. I’ll take you there.” Reno breathed in her ear. “I’ll fuck you anyway you want, Marie. Just tell me what you need, and you’ve got it.” He kept his movements unhurried, putting just enough pressure on her clit to bring her to the edge of an orgasm, but he held back enough to let her leisurely enjoy the release. When she was at the doorway of her climax, he withdrew his hand and slid out from behind her, getting up from the swing.

  “If you leave me now, or try to be noble, I will shoot you,” Marie threatened.

  “Shhhh, you’re talking too much,” Reno countered, dropping his face to kiss a trail of fire down her neck and into the opening of her blouse. He pushed the material aside with his chin, dropping hot kisses on the exposed skin above her bra line. Even the lace didn’t stop him from drawing her nipple into his mouth. The fabric was such a flimsy barrier, it detracted nothing from the feel of his teeth scraping over the nub of her nipple. Marie arched upward, drawing his head down to her. She tried to reach his erection, to stroke him through the jeans, hoping she could coax him to move faster.

  “Let me take care of you. We got plenty of time for me later.” He gently moved her hand up to the center of his chest where she unbuttoned a couple of buttons to swirl her fingers into the light patch of hair that sprinkled his skin.

  Reno kissed and teased her until she trembled again, ready to beg him for release. Ignoring her impatience, he lay her back on the swing while unfastening her jeans. With a sharp yank, he had the denim around her ankles, letting the night air cool her fevered pussy. The fresh mountain air wasn’t enough to quench the fire burning inside her, and Marie was ready to offer him anything he wanted if he would just bury his cock into her dripping cunt. She needed to feel him stroking deep inside her, hard and fast until the world ceased to exist any longer.

  With another tug at her jeans, Reno had her legs free. Kneeling down so he could bury his face into her pussy, he lifted one of her ankles over the back of the swing while placing the other over his shoulder. Marie felt herself being stretched wide open to his mouth in the position he placed her.

  “I’m going to eat your cunt until you scream, Marie.”

  A whimper of anticipation escaped her as she fell back limply on the swing, letting him pleasure her. She felt him lick a path from her clit to her core, stopping only long enough to bury his tongue deeply into her, lapping at the sweet cream she’d produced. He sucked at her, taking her clit between his teeth, holding it there while his tongue flicked the tender point until Marie gave a tortured sob.

  “That’s right, baby.” He lifted his head enough to speak as he inserted two of his long fingers into the wet channel of her pussy. “You’re going to scream. You’re going to beg me, and when I’ve decided you’re ready…”

  “Shut the fuck up, Reno, and make me come.”

  “Little girls like you need a spanking when you talk like that.” He threatened, dropping his face to her pussy. She clutched his head, holding him tightly against her as she pushed against his mouth, twisting and moaning while her orgasm began to build into an unstoppable flood. His fingers thrust into her slick pussy, in and out, in and out, finding a rhythm that matched the dance of his tongue on her clit. Then he pulled his fingers out of her body, moving them lower, pushing into the tight confines of her ass while his teeth fastened onto her clit with a determined force meant to drive her crazy.

  It worked. She was out of her mind with need.

  “Reno!”

  She was there, unable to stop if she wanted to. Her body gushed its pleasure while Reno’s insistent finger stretched her ass and his mouth worked at her until she collapsed with a long moan of satisfaction and her body clenched and tightened around the sensations that racked her core in a shuddering release.

  Caught up in the feeling of Reno’s mouth against her pussy and his finger in her ass, her heart stuttered when a shadow fell across them. Jack walked past them on the porch, giving one bitter glance in their direction before he rolled his eyes upward with an angry shake of his head. He let the door slam behind him when he went inside.

  “Fuck,” Reno whispered. His face dropped against her thigh for a moment and then he maneuvered up her body to give her a leisurely kiss. He stood up, pulling Marie to her feet. She scrambled into her jeans, zipping them with trembling fingers. “He’s pissed.”

  “Why?” Marie’s gaze darted to the door. She half expected Jack to be standing there, looking out at them.

  Reno’s eyes widened and he looked at Marie like she was crazy. “Why?” he repeated in disbelief.

  “Reno, get your ass in here,” Jack shouted.

  “Because he wants you, Marie. That’s why.”

  “He doesn’t act like it.” Marie fought her conflicting emotions. This type of scene had been exactly what she’d wanted to avoid. And why did she feel guilty? She thought both men were attractive, but Reno had made the first move. She didn’t owe Jack anything just because he’d been kind to her. He was only doing his job, nothing more. If he had truly been interested he should have spoken up. But then, he wasn’t the type to do that. He had shown an interest in her, more than once. But he wasn’t the kind to verbalize his feelings, especially while working on an assignment.

  “Now, Reno!”

  Reno shook his head, sighing as he went to the door. “What the hell do you want?”

  “You’re supposed to be protecting her, not fucking her.”

  “For your information, I wasn’t fucking her. We were just fooling around.” He pointed at the scre
en door. “It could have been you, Jack. If you weren’t so…”

  “So what? Professional?”

  “Uptight. If you weren’t so fucking uptight, it could have been you.”

  “We just got here, Reno. How the hell can you justify that?”

  Reno gave a quick glance at Marie. “Don’t go away, we need to talk about your discipline issues.” Opening the door, he stepped inside, lowering his voice, but Marie could still hear the sympathy in his words. “She’s lonesome, Jack. She’s had a fucking stressful day. She needed to relax.”

  “You fucked her because she’s lonesome, or because she needed to relax?”

  Reno sighed. “I didn’t fuck her, Jack. We just…”

  “I don’t want to hear it. Do what you want. She’s made her choice.”

  “It’s not like that, Jack.”

  “Sure as hell looked like it to me, Reno. You had your head buried between her legs and she was moaning like…”

  Marie walked away, unable to listen anymore. Less than 24 hours and she’d already brought trouble to the ranch. The two men were arguing because of her. As much as she enjoyed Reno’s kisses, and the pleasure of his skillful hands and mouth, she felt like she’d let Jack down in some way.

  Now, she just wanted to be alone for a little while. It had been a long day filled with painful experiences and she needed to think things through. She could still hear the angry voices of the men and blamed herself, wishing she could take it all back. Wishing she wasn’t attracted to both of them. Wishing she didn’t think it would be heaven to be a part of that little family no matter how unconventional it was.

  The night offered her solitude and she took it, walking away from the ranch until she couldn’t see the house any longer. In the shadows of the pine thicket, the isolation felt right. Marie wondered if she was one of those people meant to be alone for the rest of her life. Heavy hearted, she sat down on a boulder, looking at the sky through a canopy of pine branches. The scent of pine and unfamiliar forest plants was restful and pleasing.