Breaking Leather: Lone Star Lovers, Book 4 (2 page)

As it was, they might still wind up in jail if the plans they’d made ever came to light. They wanted this weekend to happen naturally, but they hadn’t left anything to chance. Opportunity was there. She only had to have the courage to surrender.

“How have you been keepin’?” he asked, wanting to break the brittle tension.

“Fine. Yourself?”

Ezra clamped his fingers around the steering wheel, hating the tenor of her voice. It was a little high and strained, like she was afraid. “Been busy. We’ve had to move the cattle more than usual. Grass is dried up. We’ve shipped in hay from as far away as Iowa to keep ’em fed.”

“Sorry about that. Everyone seems to be having similar issues.”

Dammit, they sounded like a couple of strangers. “Still workin’ for Macy Pettigrew?” he asked, although he knew damn well she was. He’d been in close communication with Macy, tendering the private offer for the Dunstan property.

Macy thought she was helping Ezra with a love connection. The fact there were three interested bachelors hadn’t been mentioned.

“Yes. Three years now. Right after I got my realtor’s license.”

“Thought you wanted to be a teacher.” Actually, she’d wanted to teach until she married, and then become a full-time mom, but he thought better of mentioning that.

Her mouth tightened. “I took business in college.”

Had they been responsible for her change of heart? “Must be good at what you do.”

“Why do you say that?”

“You’ve lasted. Macy’s a bit of a shark.”

“She’s a pussycat if you’re not afraid of a little hard work.”

“I’ll take your word on that.”

The ranch’s high arched gate loomed. Letting out a relieved breath that he’d gotten her this far, he turned off the highway onto the dusty gravel road that led through the gate. They bumped over the cattle guard grating, and he slowed as he approached the house. In the distance, he saw Josh, bent over his horse and riding at full tilt—coming from the direction of the Dunstan property line. Ezra almost smiled, except he caught Chrissi’s expression as she watched Josh.

The longing in her dark eyes, and the way her mouth parted around her quickening breaths, had jealousy streaking through him. She hadn’t reacted that way to him. She hadn’t gone all soft and dewy. She’d turned up her nose and stiffened her back.

Ezra tamped down his sudden anger. He and his brothers had entered a pact. If one of them earned an advantage, they’d use it to help the others in this battle for her heart. They’d all thought he’d be the one to punch through her reserve. He’d been her first boyfriend. He’d been her first lover and the one who’d tempted her into sharing.

Maybe that was the problem. Chrissi blamed him for her fall from grace.

Chapter Two

Josh Kinzie watched the truck drive along the last hundred yards of gravel road before bumping over a cattle guard and into the fenced yard. He made out two figures in the cab—the bear-like figure of his brother and a slender, dark-haired feminine one sitting beside him.

Ezra had done it. Gotten Chrissi into the truck. With a little help from him. While Chrissi had been busy with Ms. Dunstan, he’d been busy making sure her radiator hose sprang a leak.

He pulled the reins to the right, whipping his horse around, and let out a loud “Yee-haw!” before racing toward the house. He pulled back when he neared the front porch and slid from the saddle to the ground in one fluid glide.

Cade sat on the top step, squinting against the sun as he watched the truck come to a stop. “We may still hit a snag, bro.”

Josh glanced back at the truck. The couple inside appeared to be arguing.

“Not a good sign if he can’t even get her out of the truck,” Cade muttered.

Josh snorted, not too worried. He remembered how Ezra and Chrissi bumped heads in the old days. “Ezra may not be one for sweet-talk, but he does have a way of makin’ the ladies do exactly what he wants. Eventually.”

Cade grunted. “Chrissi’s grown a metal-plated backbone.”

“Our girl’s all grown up.”

They shared a glance, but turned to the sound of a door slamming.

Ezra crammed his cowboy hat on his head and walked around the truck, his features stern and his jaw grinding.

The sound of a click made Josh choke down a bark of laughter. “Did she just lock him out of his own truck?”

Cade grinned. “Won’t do her any good. Though I think he’s only givin’ her a chance to behave. He’s got the keys in his hand.”

“Still, she’s playin’ with fire.” Everyone knew you didn’t defy Ezra Kinzie and expect to come out unscathed.

The two younger brothers watched, amusement growing, as Ezra cussed softly and tried the handle again.

“Chrissi,” Ezra said, his voice deepening in warning, “thought you wanted to use that phone.”

Even through the windshield, Josh could see the stubborn tilt of her chin.

Dark humor glinted in Chrissi’s eyes. “I’m thinkin’ I’d be better off usin’ your truck to get back to town all by myself.”

Ezra held up the keys. “Woman, how do you plan on doin’ that? Do you know how to hot-wire a truck?” He tugged off his hat and raked a hand through his short, dark hair. “You were fine a minute ago. What the hell changed?”

Through the windshield, her gaze shifted to the two men on the porch and held.

Josh cussed under his breath.

Cade stood and brushed off his jeans. “Guess it might help if we made ourselves scarce for a couple o’ minutes.”

Josh grabbed up his horse’s reins and spared one last look at Chrissi.

Her gaze met his, and her eyebrows furrowed into a fierce scowl. He tipped his hat to her and ambled toward the barn. Not looking back once.

It was hard pretending he was relaxed and indifferent to her anger. While she’d blatantly ignored Ezra and Cade over the years, she hadn’t been quite as harsh with him, giving him the occasional subtle nod or tight smile.

He’d thought maybe she didn’t hold as deep a grudge against him because he’d always been the one eager to soothe her bruised feelings, the one to coax a smile when things got out of hand with Ezra. And everyone always thought of him as the little brother, even though he and Cade had been born only minutes apart. That fact afforded him a little extra leniency with the ladies.

Josh cupped himself, readjusting his cock. Yeah, relaxed was the last thing he’d felt for days since they’d hatched this wild-ass plan. He tugged on the reins, pulling his trembling horse behind him. Sooner he turned him over to one of the ranch hands to walk, the better.

He didn’t like leaving everything in Ezra’s capable hands when Chrissi was on a tear—even though Ezra had always been the one who could bend a woman to his will, usually with just a look.

Josh ignored a pang of worry over the fact his brother’s naturally dominating will didn’t appear to be working at the moment. Chrissi was here. Within reach. One of them would shatter the armor she’d built around her heart.

Chrissi watched Josh lead away his tall roan gelding and breathed a sigh of relief. She’d thought her worst fears had already been realized when Ezra arrived to rescue her. Seeing Josh and Cade, in close proximity to Ezra, had sent her body into apoplectic shock, stirring up all those old memories.

Foremost in her mind, she remembered skinny-dipping in the river with them. Innocent enough since Ezra was her boyfriend and had approved. And how could she resist when the three brothers had eagerly shed their clothes?

Sweet Jesus
, the three of them, so alike and yet so different… She’d gotten love-drunk on the sight of them.

Ezra, older by only a year than the other two, had always seemed so much more mature. His body even then had been broad and sturdy—ripped from his shoulders to his calves. His size and strength had always made her feel safe, except during sex—but then his largeness and sexual intensity thrilled her, frightened her almost, she’d wanted him that badly.

Cade had been the quiet one. The nice one. Always courteous, always respectful, but his slow smile, so seldom seen, had had the power to melt her to her toes. And although the most reserved of the three, the memory of being held inside the circle of his strong arms whenever she’d suffered a fright was a cherished one.

And Josh, dear God, Josh was the golden child. Blond where the other two were dark-haired, his tall, lean body and the wicked glint in his crystal blue eyes, as though he was always ready for an adventure, had never failed to make her hot. How many times had she smoothed her thumb over that dimple in the center of his chin and warned him not to break a woman’s heart? Why hadn’t she taken her own damn advice?

That day by the river, the sight of their tall, tanned bodies, lined up prettier than any Chippendales’ review, had sucked the air right out of her lungs.

She hadn’t been as eager to get naked, feeling a little insecure among so much perfection, but they’d teased her, joking with each other, jostling and shoving until she’d laughed at their antics and joined them.

Even then she’d felt their combined illicit allure. Her nipples had prickled, her sex had tightened—but she’d been relieved to know she wasn’t the only one affected as each of the boys’ cocks had hardened.

They’d laughed, as though it was the most natural thing in the world to watch each other get hard. Her stare had lingered as she assessed their size, the slight upward curve of their shafts, the ruddy tan color that gave way to a reddish-purple at their fat, round crowns. When they’d grown silent, she’d dared an upward glance.

Ezra’s steamy blue gaze had locked with hers. “Not anything to be ashamed of, Chrissi. We’re guys. It’s what happens when we’re around a pretty girl. Only you can’t always see it when we’re dressed.”

She’d thought about that often, wondering how many men walked around with hard-ons inspired by a stray glimpse of an attractive woman. Not something she wanted to think about, considering she’d been living like a nun for a very long time.

“Open the door,” Ezra repeated, his voice sounding as rough as gravel. She shivered at the quiet intensity of his order. Even after all this time, she wanted to do exactly what he asked. However, she knew where her submission would lead.

She folded her arms over her chest and looked away.

The locks sprung. The door slammed open. Startled, she glanced up, but Ezra already had her wrist inside his hand and was pulling her from the seat.

She slid to the ground, stumbled against him, and felt that rock-hard chest she’d sighed over for years. Resisting the temptation to explore, she shoved away.

“You always this stubborn?” he bit out.

She tossed back her head. “Guess you don’t know me as well as you thought.”

“I know more than you think, Chrissi.”

She arched an eyebrow. “You don’t know me. You haven’t for a very long time.”

“I know you’re wet.”

Her jaw sagged.

He turned on his heel and walked away.

“Am not,” she whispered furiously. She turned to pick up her purse where it had fallen from her lap to the dirt and closed the cab door. Then, stiffening her backbone, she strode toward the porch.

The screen door slammed behind him as he walked inside without giving her a backward glance. She hated it when he did that, pretended his mama hadn’t taught him any manners, because she knew it was deliberate. Something he did when she disobeyed him. A punishment.

And he knew she liked punishment.

She gave a silent moan and climbed the steps. The sooner she placed that call the better. Already she felt some of her carefully erected reserve crumbling away beneath the liquid heat her proximity to Kinzie testosterone generated.

Entering the house, she noted that not much had changed since Mr. and Mrs. Kinzie had moved to Padre Island to enjoy their retirement. That had happened after Cade and Josh graduated; Ezra had already been in charge for a couple of years.

And word was that Ezra was a capable rancher. Fair to his employees and as hard-working as any hand. So were Josh and Cade, although Josh liked his playtime.

She’d heard about his exploits, all the women he’d been through. Gossip about the other two had been harder to glean, but she knew they hadn’t been celibate for long after she’d departed their lives.

Even though it had been her decision, she’d still been hurt. She’d nursed an aching heart for a very long time. However, she knew she’d done the right thing. There wasn’t anywhere their relationship could go but straight to hell.

She glanced around, looking for a phone, but her attention was caught by the warmth of familiar surroundings. Wooden floors, yellow walls, brown leather sofas and Indian rugs were cozy and inviting, even if the tall, vaulted ceiling and huge iron chandelier hinted at their wealth. The Kinzies didn’t act like boys who’d been born with silver spoons in their mouths. They’d been raised to work hard. Something she’d liked about them from the start. Raised by a single mom on a tight budget, she hadn’t let her head be turned by their wealth.

“It’s nice seein’ you here again.”

She turned to find Josh right behind her. How had he gotten here so quickly? He was a big man, as tall as his brothers if a little leaner, but he moved with a pantherish grace. “You still like sneakin’ up on women, I see.”

His lopsided grin made her heart do a flip-flop. The dimple in the center of his chin kept him from being too beautiful, and lent him a roguish appeal. She’d never been able to hold a grudge against him. His boyish charm was infectious and got him out of all sorts of scrapes.

“I didn’t sneak up on you. You seemed lost in thought. You remembering us?”

“Remembering what?” she deadpanned.

He arched an eyebrow. “Remember who you’re talkin’ to, missy. I knew all your secrets.”

Including one big fat secret that had spelled the end of all her dreams. “And you blabbed them to your brothers. You shouldn’t have told, Josh.”

“I am truly sorry about that. It wasn’t the time. I know that now.”

“There was never a right time for what we did,” she whispered harshly. She glanced blindly around, looking for a telephone. “Dammit, I don’t want to talk about it. I just want to use your phone.”