Hammered: A Western Romance (Red Velvet Series Book 4) Read online

  “Dare I ask what’s causing your little rip-snortin’?”

  Shaking her head, she bit at her lip. “I feel higher than a floating balloon, ya know?” She kept chuckling. “All this hot sex? After I lived like a dried up ole’ nun, my whole life?”

  Wade looked intense again as he reached out and passed his fingers over her nipples.

  Shivering from his touch, her stomach coiled again. He always does that, takes me off guard, surprising me every other god damned minute. I ain’t ever met a man who could do that, even when they tried hard.

  Then abruptly, Wade stood up with her blouse in his hands. “I’ll help you dress. We gotta make it back or your mom will have my Aussie hide for sure.” He bent down and pulled her up like she was a feather.

  It never failed to amaze her. She wasn’t a small woman by any measure, yet he made her feel like she was. Big strong hands…biceps that looked like forged steel, taller than her 5’9”. All this time, her stature had been a bludgeon to keep men in line, her range cowhands, men in the cattle biz and others she came across, who thought they could walk all over her, because she ran a ranch while making the mistake of being female. She would get right up in their faces and make ’em see what was good for them and her.

  However, she’d met her match right here and he wasn’t even an American, Texan cowboy either. Well, she found out, just today, he could out-cowboy her and any rodeo rider she’d ever seen!

  Wade was snapping his fingers in front of her distracted gaze.

  Shaking her head, she took a step back and saw he held up her clothes.

  “I mean, it’s all fine by me if you ride nuddy in front of me. Course, it would be the only way I would ever let you get ahead of me on the trail.” His eyes deepened in color again, as if he were picturing it. “Yeah, my kinda bouncing. All…” He placed his warm palms over her bare boobs and squeezed gently “…That glorious bouncing going on while I watch…”

  Kanda shivered with his touching her again and from the intensity in his eyes. Yeah, I forgot about how much trouble I’m already in. Every time I look at him, I feel like my bellybutton is gnawing on my backbone. Hunger, a constant raging hunger. What the hell am I gonna do? What happens when he leaves? Her breath caught in her chest, trapped there by sudden anxiety.

  All these years of living clean-like with no smoking, hardly a drink, no pills, no addictions, except for running the ranch. Now? Here is my heroin habit standing in front of me. I’m hooked, gone, done, been trapped in a ring fence—all because of this man from down under who brought me up and over.

  “Kandy?” he called to her as if from far away.

  Gulping from the sheer weight of this final revelation of how she was utterly and completely doomed to a painful heartbreak, she grabbed her clothes from him and tried to act normal and unaffected.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked quiet like.

  Shaking her head, she smiled. “I think having picnics with you is making my brain blink.”

  He studied her face. “You sure that’s all it is?”

  No, I’m not sure! You big towering oak! I’m scared witless, wanting to run with my tail ‘tween my legs. Instead of confessing this, she just used what her daddy would say to keep ’em hornswoggled. “Hell, I’m having the time of my life with all this new…deflowering I keep gettin’. If things get any better than this, I may have to hire someone to help me enjoy it.”

  Wade stared at her with a stunned look on his handsome tanned face. Then he threw his head back and laughed.

  Kanda jumped a little while batting her eyes. She shoved her legs into her jeans and avoided looking at him. His smile and laugh were almost as alluring as the rest of him. From now on, she was gonna try with all her might to purge this sickness, this glorious wonderful disease of absolute addiction. This malady called Wade Monroe. It wouldn’t go nowhere—she knew that. Why would a fantastic man like this want to settle down with her in the first place? What the hell had she been thinking? Choosing him to pop her cherry, all the while actin’ like she was gonna get away with it! Stupid woman, silly…dumber than a box of rocks! She shook her head and buttoned up her blouse with a tisking sound coming through her pursed lips.

  “What the hell is the matter, Kandy?” Wade grabbed her up. “And don’t be trying to fruit loop me… You’re smiling, but you look like a cut snake.” He titled his head at her. “Are you aiming to give me the flick?”

  Now she knew she’d upset him, cause he was talking that Aussie gibberish again. She a made mental note of this fact for possible use later. She shook her head again to clear it. “What? I have no idea what you just said.”

  He rolled his eyes and seemed to try and think about how he needed to word what he was gonna say. “Stop trying to fool me. Tell me why you look so mad. Are you wanting me to leave?”

  She laughed. “Oh! That was what all that gobbledy-gook meant? Fruit loops, cut snakes? I mean, hot damn! I thought we Texans talked funny, but—”

  Wade looked angry now as he tugged her to his chest. “Tell me true…always tell me what’s going on. I mean, this ain’t gonna work if we don’t.”

  “What is this ?” she blurted out. “I mean, what won’t work?’ There, I asked . “What does this all mean to you?” Oh damn…I now sound like a pathetic clingy girl.

  He put his lips close to hers. “What do you think, I just sleep with women like a jagoff, and especially one who’s a new nipper—I mean a virgin? Then, just think nothin’ of it?”

  “So, you just feel responsible for me, ’cause I gave you my—my virginity?”

  He chuckled to her lips. “If you ain’t the damndest naughty ripper I ever met!”

  Batting her lashes, she didn’t know if she’d just gotten insulted or not.

  “Just know this. I don’t do anything I don’t want to do. I don’t live like that.” He gave her a wink. “Taking your virginity may just have been the best thing I ever flicking did!”

  Kanda felt a ray of hope. She grinned at him while staring at his beautiful blue eyes, yummy mouth and that adorable chin. “Okay. I was just being a stupid ninny girl for a moment there. I promise it doesn’t happen that often! I mean, it’s never happened before I met you.”

  Grinning, Wade kissed her lips gently as if he were sealing their discussion with a sweet kiss.

  With his warm mouth on hers, she felt her body heat up all over again. He’s like butter on hotcakes, and then I ooze all out like the sappy syrup on top. Kanda didn’t know whether to cry like a baby goat for its mother or laugh like a mad hatter caught in wonderland as she kissed him back.

  FOUR

  Why close the barn door after the horses are already out?

  Plush Stud ranch, Victoria, Texas…

  R and stood with Daisy in his arms. Her arms were flung out, like she had no conscious control over them. He gazed over to the open doorway to stare at a younger version of his Daisy. “I didn’t hurt her. She—well, fainted.”

  “Uh-oh,” came Trevor’s mutter from behind her as he let out a strangled chuckle.

  “Fainted? You big liar! My mama never fainted in all her life!” She charged forward.

  Trevor grabbed ahold of her. “Easy now, Bren. I really think this isn’t our business.”

  Bren struggled with him to get loose and save her mama. “He came here probably to—to break her heart, all over again! I’ve seen mama dump men and leave ’em with no remorse. But, I used to catch her crying over something…” She looked around the room and spotted the picture frame on the floor. “While holding that there picture in fact!”

  Rand looked stunned at the very idea. “Nah, I think you’re mistaken about that, little nipper.”

  “Oh, yeah? Well, what are you here to do, Mister Australia? Huh? Rip her pride to shreds? Take her down a notch?”

  Mister Australia calmly walked over to Daisy’s bed and lay her down. “Nope, but to some? It could be considered a close second to that.” He turned to face Bren’s wrath. “I came here to marry
her.”

  Bren’s mouth popped open like a guppy gunnin’ for water.

  Trevor started to laugh.

  “Whoop-hee!” Maggie exclaimed from the doorway as she jumped up and down with obvious glee.

  Bren finally closed her gaping mouth. “And what answer did she give you?”

  The determined Aussie crossed his arms over his wide chest and gave her a hard look. “It doesn’t matter.”

  Trevor laughed even harder. “Well, yee-fucking haw! Daisy Plush gettin’ her comeuppance!”

  Bren pursed her lips and turned to glare at her hot hysterical cowboy.

  Trevor shrugged. “Now, I’d say it’s two of the darndest things. One? ’Bout fucking time. Two: Ain’t none of our damn business!” He scooped a stunned Bren up into his arms and exited through the door.

  Maggie was beaming as she stepped out of the way.

  Bren kept yelling all the way down the hall for Trevor to, Set Her The Hell Down!

  Daisy bolted upright in her bed while looking entirely lost. “Tell me it was a dream!” She stared at Maggie, who stood across the room.

  Maggie bit at her lip and mutely shook her head as she pointed at her dad.

  Daisy gulped and slowly peered up at Rand who stood next to her bed. “Oh! Honey sugah iced tea!” she exclaimed as she dove under her pillow.

  Rand started to laugh as he strode across the room, gently pushing his happy looking daughter out to the hall and locking the door. He then turned to look at her.

  Daisy peeked out from beneath her pillow while she gaped at him.

  “It will either be the best dream you ever had…or, it could be the nightmare of your life…it’ll be up to you, dear Daize.

  ~~* * * *~~

  Maggie felt overjoyed. Her parents—married! A dream come true. She grinned and skipped all the way down the stairs, then skidded to a dead halt at the bottom.

  Trevor stood there, wearing the most amused smile. “Hey, where’s the fire?” he asked.

  “What?” she asked back.

  “You were skipping along those stairs like your…panties were on fire.”

  She felt truly confused by both his question and—what the hell he was doing down here, when she just saw him with— Oh, Lordy! This was the other hot cowboy! “Oh! You’re the other hot cowboy!” she blurted out.

  He chuckled as he stared at her with keen interest. “Other? Nah, there’s only one hot cowboy and that would be me.”

  Maggie batted her eyes and then squinted at him real hard.

  “I’ve never seen you before…” That charming smile remained on those yummy lips of his while he hit on her. “How about we test out how hot I really am?”

  Maggie jerked her head back. What a pig!

  “What? Cat got your tongue?” he asked while teasing her. “I could make good use of it myself, if you’ll let me.”

  “His brother ain’t nothing like Trevor,” she remembered Bren saying before. “Full of yourself much?” The insult popped right out of her mouth.

  He jerked his head back in response.

  She then took a bold step down from the stairs and sidled up real close to him. She slid her sly gaze down to his booted feet, then on up to those powerful thighs. She bravely stared at his jeans and belted waist which sported a rodeo champion buckle, then up along his shirtfront, broad chest and to his face which still seemed to wear a smug expression. “Well, golly be…” she simpered in her best TEXICAN accent. “I ain’t seen such a fine bod in all my life.”

  His eyes sparkled and the conceit seemed to grow across his face.

  “But…” she halted for emphasis. “You’re just purty on the outside…just hotter than blue blazes with a blank slate on the inside, aren’t ya?”

  His eyes rounded as he took a step back.

  “Anyway, what can I do for ya’ll?” Maggie acted entirely unaffected by him now, yet her heart pounded in her chest and she felt hot all over just standing this close to him. Then, coupled with the bewildering fact she had no earthly idea why she was putting on a Texas drawl and the act. She guessed maybe it just felt like fun to fool this egomaniac of a hot cowboy.

  He shook his head and kept staring at her, his smug look gone.

  Yeah, I just wiped that clean off, now, didn’t I? Maggie hid her own supreme feeling of pure smugness. “I suppose you’re looking for your brother, right?” she asked in a honey-sweetened tone.

  He nodded while still looking as if she just punched him in the stomach. “Our mother sent me to get him.”

  “Oh, well… He’s upstairs, third door on the right.” She sashayed past him toward the kitchen, like she didn’t have a care in the world. When she got to the double swinging doors, she turned to see if he’d left.

  Nope. He still stood there, staring at her.

  His expression now seemed to be one she couldn’t figure out. Interest? Curiosity? Her eyes met his and she saw a bit of a glare there. She turned away and went through the doors, mumbling under her breath, “Looking at me like I’m something he’s itching for, but thinks he doesn’t have to scratch to get it!” Yeah, she was really getting the hang of what these sayings meant now! She again thought of how mad he looked. “Well, that’s just fine by me!” she muttered aloud. “I don’t need a strutting peacock.” Even if he looked better than a bowl of sweet cream, served up hot and yummy. She shook the butterflies in her tummy feeling away and tried to concentrate on her chores.

  The cook stared suspiciously at her. “Now, missy, you ain’t messin’ with the studs now, are ya?” the big woman snapped. “Those men would eat you up and spit you out like chewed tabbacky!”

  “ Ping!” the maid piped in as she stood next to the cook. “Just like spit in a can!”

  They both broke out into laughter at the look on Maggie’s face.

  No, she wouldn’t be messing with the studs or him , that’s for sure. She felt so disappointed about what a man-slut Trevor’s twin turned out to be. She’d been hoping she could get herself a warm-hearted great looking man too, like her sis. She rolled her eyes. Yeah! Like that’s ever gonna happen! She fumed as she ignored the cackling women and started washing the dishes.

  ~~* * * *~~

  “Put me down, you big bully! I have to do something and right now. He’s got her locked up and she was passed out cold.” Bren kept kicking and struggling. “Damnit, Trev!” she shouted. “You had no right to force me outta there! That man is up to no good.”

  Trevor pushed through the door, slamming it closed behind him. Then, he bounced her onto the bed. He gazed down at her in total silence and he wore a strange expression on his face.

  “Wha-what?” She peered up at him, now feeling insecure and knowing she may have gone too far.

  “I knew you had true spunk the day I met ya, but I never thought I would have to…” His voice faded away.

  “Have to—what?” she asked.

  A sudden a twinkle appeared in his eyes.

  Her eyes widened. “Now, Trevor—”

  He grabbed her red boots and tugged them off.

  “Oh…” Bren was relieved. She’d felt unsure there for a minute about what he might be thinking. Yes, she did get a little riled up before . I’ll bet he isn’t used to that out of me, being I never was high strung like Daisy or even other Texan women. But she felt protective about her mama. It’d only been the two of them all these years, after all.

  He tugged both boots off, then pulled her jeans away.

  Bren felt excited and she couldn’t believe he was about to make her world spin yet again, this very day!

  He tugged her T-shirt up and off her body. Next, he grabbed her up and swung her around.

  “Ahh!” Bren was surprised by this as he sat down on the bed and placed her, belly down, across his lap.

  Trevor reached under her and found her clit button, stroking it with ease.

  Bren found herself getting wet already and wondered at this position, lying over his lap like this. With his clit play, her mind got fuzzy an
d she found she didn’t care anyway.

  Reaching under with his other hand, he played with her nipples as they hung downward, next to his jean covered knees.

  “Ohh…” she moaned as she felt her juices flow with his sensual moves.

  POP! Trevor smacked her bare ass cheek with his open palm.

  “Ahh!” she shouted out with total shock.

  “Yep…I never thought I would have to give you a sound spanking,” he voiced in a low tone, as he again reached under and stroked her clit some more.

  “What in the hell?” Bren asked breathlessly.

  He rubbed her clit sensuously and fondled her nipples again, the erotic actions lulling her into La-La land once more.

  Then— SMACK —he slapped her ass again.

  Bren jumped and her body shuddered with an overwhelming erotic heady feeling as the slap left a sting and his finger shoved into her pussy at the exact same time. She came instantly, without warning. “Ohhh!” she cried out as her pussy clenched and her entire body convulsed while lying helplessly over his lap.

  “God damnit, Bren!” He stood up and unzipped his pants with one hand, while wrapping her around his waist.

  She gazed down and saw his cock spring forth hard and straight, fully erected. Her breaths came in pants. “In all my born days, I ain’t ever come instantly like that!” she gasped out. Then, before she even thought about it, she maneuvered herself right over his erection and shoved her pelvis forward to impale herself on him.

  “Mmm…” he growled as he pulled her hips up and set her back down onto his cock. “Fuck all, Bren, you make me crazy!” he panted out. “I wanted to just teach you a lesson, then you had to go and cream all over my fingers and get me hard and wanting! Just sweeter than stolen honey.”