Acres, Natalie - Cowboy Boots and Unsettled Debts [Cowboy Boots 3] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) (17 page)

“We need to lure Juraz here. I don’t want this playing out on his turf,” Brantley said.

“What are we now, street fighters?” Fowler asked, taking his place at the computer.

“You may be surprised. After this is over, we may feel more like guerrilla fighters than trained soldiers,” Brantley pointed out.

“That’s what we’ve always been. Since we left the armed forces, that’s all any of us have been,” Porter said, still focusing on Ace. He couldn’t help but feel sorry for the poor guy. Ace could have any woman he wanted. Porter had watched them come and go, trying to gain and keep his attention. Ace apparently didn’t want anything to do with any of them in recent months.

Ace belonged to Abby. She apparently had a possessive hold on that cock she’d never touched. On second thought, she grabbed him by the heart.

For Ace and the rest of them, perhaps this wasn’t about lust after all. Maybe they’d each been in love with her right from the start.

* * * *

An hour later, they were slinging hay.

“This was not part of the deal,” Fowler complained, trying to calculate how much time it would take to work up the security proposal. He needed at least ten hours to get everything ready for the grand opening at Juraz’s resort. The gates would swing open at six tomorrow evening, and they’d enter the property with the rest of the eager guests.

Casey looked up at the sun. He wiped the sweat from his brow and said, “I don’t know about you guys, but if you ask me, farmwork is great therapy.”

“I didn’t,” Ace said, tossing a square block.

“Quit whining, boys,” Porter said. “We could be stuck in the city looking up at tall buildings in hopes of catching a glimpse of the blue sky. It’s a beautiful day. The sun is out. The fresh air will do us some good.”

Brantley’s phone rang. He hopped off the wagon and hurried to the tractor to retrieve his cell. A few minutes later, he returned.

“All right, boys. Here’s the initial game plan. Kit and Judson are on their way with Abby. Since Juraz has been circling her place, we can’t let him see her. They’re in a vehicle with tinted windows. They’ll pull in the garage. We’ll take her upstairs and she’ll stay on the second floor until tomorrow night when we leave for the resort.

“In the meantime…” He paused and looked at Casey. Fowler grew uneasy as the stares between the two became intense. Fowler could predict what was coming from a mile away, and he could tell Brantley why this wasn’t going to work—not that he’d listen to him.

“Go ahead,” Casey said before Brantley finished. “I know. I’m the bait.”

“Not entirely,” Brantley said, swinging his gaze toward Porter.

“That won’t work,” Ace intervened before he finished. “Porter came out as the ex-boyfriend at the club.”

“Shit! I forgot about that,” Brantley said, shoving splayed fingers through his thick head of hair. “Fuck. This is already going south.”

“It might if you keep that attitude,” Ace said. “You need someone with Casey tonight. Send Kit.” He smiled, straightened his back, and said, “I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather see spending the night away from Abby tonight.”

“That won’t work either,” Fowler pointed out, realizing they wouldn’t want to hear this but it needed to be said all the same. “If Abby and Kit recently reconnected, Kit won’t leave her. He’s been away from her for over five years, and as far as I can tell, he hasn’t been involved with any other women during that time.”

“You been snoopin’, Fowler?” Porter teased.

“It’s important to know your opponent.”

“All right, guys. Stop right there,” Brantley said, climbing back onto the wagon. “Kit and Judson aren’t our enemies. When they arrive here, I want handshakes around the room. We’re a team. When we’ve needed them, they’ve been there. Trust me. I spent half the night reading some of their reports.”

“And…” Fowler coaxed him.

“Okay, Fowler, I’ll start with you. Last year in Rome, when you were involved in that gunfire exchange around the Trevi Fountain? You said you thought a couple of the sharpshooters must’ve missed you and hit one another, even mentioned you had a guardian angel—you had two.

“And Ace, when your chopper went down in
Australia
and you were convinced you’d spend days down under, you were rescued within hours—thank Kit and Judson.”

Ace shifted his weight, picked up a couple of hay bales, and tossed them to the other wagon. That information didn’t sit well.

“Porter, what about the time you were in
Thailand
and…”

“The car bomb was placed in a rental car meant for me?” Porter interrupted.

“Your gratitude is owed to Kit and Judson. They sent in that girl who distracted you. Remember her? Pretty little petite thing who thought you were a god?”

“Wait a minute. They picked her up off the streets?” Porter asked.

“Yeah,” Brantley replied. “Thank goodness you didn’t get her killed. She was barely eighteen.”

“Thank God I didn’t fuck her,” Porter said.

“I thought you did,” Fowler said.

Porter grinned. “Hell no. I was already quite taken by someone we all know well.”

“Yes, I’m beginning to believe that,” Fowler grumbled.

Brantley looked at Casey. “And if you want to know how many times they’ve saved you from near-death experiences, I’ll take vacation and write you a book.”

Casey ducked his head. “Go ahead. Make me feel guilty for harboring ill will toward the guys looking after our girl.”

“All right, we get the point,” Ace said. “So we’ve had a couple of shadows who protect our asses. Let’s move on. Who’s staying with Casey tonight?”

“You can’t,” Brantley replied. “I have plans for you tomorrow and it will fuck everything up if Juraz’s men find you at her place tonight.”

Brantley released a heavy breath. “I guess it’ll have to be me.”

“Not a good idea,” Ace said. “You’re the only one Juraz hasn’t seen.”

“I’ll do it,” Fowler volunteered.

“You’ll be working on our technology for tomorrow. That won’t work.”

“Then Brantley, you’ve got two choices—Kit and Judson. I vote for Kit,” Ace said.

“I second that,” Casey said. “I’d rather keep my eye on him than worry about what he’s doing with Abby.”

“I thought we settled this,” Brantley said. “Kit and Judson aren’t the enemies.”

“Shit,” Casey said. “I’m a big boy. I’ll stay by myself.”

“Not a good idea,” Ace said, pointing toward the gates. “We have company. Make a decision, Brantley, and stick to it.”

“We’ll send Kit…and Abby.”

“When hell freezes over and spits out Satan,” Ace said. “That’s not an option.”

“I’m standing by my decision,” Brantley stated firmly.

Ace slung a bale of hay. “Not this one you aren’t.”

Chapter Nineteen

Abby looked freshly fucked. That’s the only way Ace knew how to describe her. She had a soft glow to her cheeks when she stepped away from the car. Her round nipples were hard, pressing through her thin light-blue shirt, and those plaid shorts looked crumpled. Some heavy petting must’ve occurred in the backseat of that SUV.

“Hey you,” Ace said, forcing a smile. “I’m glad to see you’re in one piece.”

“I’m fine, Ace,” she assured him, glancing over her shoulder.

Judson slid out of the vehicle. Ace took a ragged breath. He wasn’t worried about Judson. He wasn’t the competition. He’d held Abby’s heart in the palm of his hand for a very short time.

Ace had been with her for the last five years.

Judson stuck out his hand, “Nice to see you, Ace.”

The others politely greeted Judson as well. By the time Kit stepped away from the automobile, everyone stood on the driver’s side of the Suburban. Kit and Brantley exchanged words, and the others were introduced.

Ace and Brantley were the only two operatives who’d worked with Kit in the past. Their time together was brief.

Thank God.

“Ace,” Kit said, narrowing his gaze. “You look stressed. How’s it going?”

“I’m super, you?” He stuck out his hand and shook. Damn, that hurt. He immediately wondered where the guy’s hands had been.

“Never better,” he replied, winking at Abby.

Ace stalked across the garage and stormed inside. Behind him, Brantley said, “We’ll discuss our plans once everyone gets settled in. Stop off at the refrigerator and grab you something to drink. We have plenty of snacks in the pantry. Meet upstairs in the control room in fifteen.”

Ace entered the kitchen. Abby was right behind him. No time like the present to get a few things out of the way.

She hit the last step. He grabbed her arm. Casey saw everything.

Right as Ace dragged her into the utility room, Casey said, “Have a good time. I’ll cover ya, and the two of you can owe me later.”

There was a brass latch at the top of the door, Ace used it. He slid the lever in place, turned around, and faced his fears. Time to play, and way past time to sate the need and satisfy the longing. Although he feared after he fucked her, things would only get worse.

“I’m in love with you.”

“What?” she asked, acting surprised.

“Don’t pretend you didn’t see this coming,” Ace said, stalking her. “Don’t act as if you don’t know there’s something between us.” He loosened his belt, snapped it as he pulled it away from the denim. Shirtless after working in the hayfields all afternoon, he noticed how her gaze worked across his dusty, hay-coated abs.

“I’m hot. I’m sweaty. I’ve been working all day.” He reached behind her and turned on the shower nozzle. A matter of convenience more than anything else, the mudroom housed a washer, dryer, toilet, sink, and small shower stall. “And I need to clean up.”

She placed her hand over her mouth and hid a smile.

“Considering I don’t know where you’ve been or who you’ve let touch you, I think a bath is in order for you, too.”

“Ace this is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard of,” Abby said. “You’re what? Jealous of Kit and now you’re ready to fuck me?”

“You’re half right,” he replied, grabbing her by the hand and pulling her against him. “I’m not jealous, but I am gonna fuck you. Right here. Right now. I don’t care if someone interrupts us or not.”

“Ace, no,” she said softly.

“Why? Because you don’t want to hurt him?”

She bowed her head. He used his fingertips and tilted her chin, forcing her to look up again.

“Do you love him?”

Her eyes watered.

“You do,” he said, processing.

“I always will,” she informed him.

Ace felt his jaw tighten. He felt like a blasted fool now. Maybe he should’ve asked her about her feelings for Kit before he dragged her off to the shower.

“And I’ve known for a long time I’m in love with you, too.”

He felt his jaw relax. “Of course you are.” He hoped like hell he didn’t sound pussy whipped. “Yeah, you are.” The second time sounded more confident.

“You should believe that,” she whispered as she stood on her tiptoes and took their first kiss. Her wicked tongue jabbed through his sealed lips. They parted and welcomed the invasion, the overdue moment that would prove they somehow weathered the storm.

He lifted her to him and stripped off her shorts as he released her. She grabbed the hem of her shirt and dragged the top over her head as she kicked off her sandals.

“My God, my imagination never did you justice.”

She blushed. “I hope not, Ace.” Her tongue held at her upper lip, and she reached down and fondled him as he wiggled free of his denim and briefs.

Abby took her own sweet time stroking him. There was nothing in this world that had ever felt better.

Ace took her hand and tugged her behind the shower curtain. Once there, he gave her a bruising kiss, thrusting his tongue between her lips as he fed that lust, engaged in an act guaranteed to lead them somewhere. And soon they were well on their way to a bit more than kissing.

Chapter Twenty

She alone could take away all his pain. She felt that the moment their lips met.

Standing under the shower nozzle, Ace held her against him. His hard cock brushed against her mound. He retreated, holding his head back, his lips out of reach.

Then his mouth crashed against hers again, and they fought one another for the lead in a most damaging kiss. Ace’s kiss was soul searing. His mouth was destroying her.

Abby’s body responded. The heat between her legs was hotter than the water spraying from the spigot, and her breasts were tender, throbbing for his hand or mouth, his fingers or tongue.

Ace framed her face as he explored her lips, and he never closed his eyes. His gaze softened as their lips came together then parted. He dragged her body along his, an apparent effort to ensure she felt his length, stayed aware of his erection.

“I was scared,” he admitted, pressing his forehead against hers. “We came back from that pond and you weren’t here and I was so fucking frightened, Abby.”