Cowboy Outcasts (15 page)

Some
days he was too weak or too tired to care about controlling the symptoms of his
Tourette’s. Right now he let it all go, embracing the anger and frustration. He
kicked open his bedroom door and crashed onto his bed. He vowed never to leave
his heart vulnerable again.

****

Hailey
watched the road signs flash by her peripheral vision. The further they drove,
the emptier she felt.
What have I done?

“Mr.
Fischer, I’m not sure I’ve made the right decision. I mean, it’ll be like
starting over—a
new city
,
new apartment, new job.”

“This
is what you wanted, Ms. Watson. Sometimes you have to make the decision to
advance your career, even if it’s difficult. Being the daughter of two doctors,
you should know the sacrifices required for a successful business.”

She
knew that they’d sacrificed family for money, love for their careers. Hailey
had vowed never to become like them, but she was doing exactly that now,
travelling to Jacksburg and kissing the O’Shea Ranch goodbye.
Money and success, or love?

“Stop
the car.”

Her
Professor made sure to remind her that she’d made the wrong choice. Even her
friend Peter couldn’t understand her devotion to the two misunderstood cowboys.
They weren’t evil. Despite the warnings, she trusted them enough to give up
everything for a chance at a happily ever after.

She
walked along the dusty side of the road, not even offered a ride back into the
little town. Hailey remembered how Callum had rescued her and Arden. The
difference in loyalty was night and day, and she knew she’d made the right
decision.

Hailey
still wanted to find out why
Arden
had sold his motorcycle. He was as passionate about that darned bike as she was
about solving the hog problem. As she reached the periphery of town, she
decided to stop at the distribution center to see if
Arden
’s bike was still available. She’d find
a way to get it back if she could. Hailey thought things were doing well on the
farm since
Arden
returned, but they must be worse off than she expected if he had to sell his
prized bike to make ends meet.

Regardless
of her choice to move to the city, Hailey was well aware she’d be receiving
regular royalties for her contribution to the hog crisis. Her research was
solid and even her Professors knew it.

Before
she reached the center, a pickup truck pulled up alongside her.

“What’s
a nice girl like you doing walking out here alone?”

She
turned to find
Arden
leaning out the passenger window, Callum at the wheel. Her dark-haired cowboys
were a beautiful sight. Her throat clogged with emotion just seeing them.

“Well,
I started down one road and realized it wasn’t the one I should be following.”
She kept walking and the truck crawled along beside her.

“Really.
So I take it you know which road you should be taking?”

“I do.
Care to give me a ride?”

The
truck stopped and the door opened. Callum didn’t drive straight but veered off
the road, bumping and jostling over the rough terrain.

When
they were surrounded by fields, no sign of the road or civilization, Callum
turned off the truck. The drone of crickets and cicadas filled the cab, a
soothing lullaby. She was tired from a long, emotionally exhausting day and the
long walk. The sky was transforming from blue to streaks of pink. The heat was
dying down, making it the type of evening she’d love to spend on the wraparound
porch with Callum and Arden. She couldn’t imagine life without their stories,
memories of their youth. They’d both come so far from the men she’d met only
months earlier.

“Were
you running away from us?” asked
Arden
.
He wasn’t angry, but they deserved honesty either way.

“I was
chasing after dollar signs and recognition, but it’s no different than trying
to capture the wind. It slipped through my fingers, reminding me the only thing
that will stand the test of time is love.”

“Fancy
words,” said
Arden
.

“We can
never offer you the things you can achieve in your career. We’re from two
different worlds. We’re simple farmers, and you know what the townsfolk think
of us,” said Callum.

“I
don’t care,” she said. Desperation crept up on her. He sounded final, as if he
wasn’t willing to give their relationship another try.
 
The muscles around her heart felt like iron,
each breath labored. She’d admitted to running from them. What if they decided
they didn’t want her back?

“So
what’re you saying, baby girl? You coming home with us?”

“If
you’ll have me.”

Arden
reached in his back pocket and pulled out a small, folded brown
envelope.

“This
is for you,” he said, handing it to her.

She
opened the envelope and a diamond engagement ring fell into her palm. Hailey
stared at it for so long time seemed to stand still.
 
It was perfect. She couldn’t help but envision
Callum and Arden picking it out, thinking of her. “What’s this?”

“She’s
not very bright for a scientist,” said
Arden
.

“Well,
you’re doing it all wrong,” said Callum. “You have to put it on her finger all
romantic-like.”

Her
eyes filled with unshed tears but she fought to keep them from falling.

Callum
leaned over his brother’s lap and took the ring, slipping it onto her ring
finger.

“It’s–it’s
beautiful. But—”

“We
want you to be ours, for now and always, Hailey Watson.”
Arden
kissed her hand, studying the ring. “It
looks beautiful on you.”

“How
did you afford this?”

“Darlin’,
you don’t get how this thing works. You’re supposed to say yes or no,” said
Arden
. “Money ain’t
important.”

She
knew by the look in his blue eyes that he’d sold his bike to buy the ring. It
was the only thing of value they could have sold. A tear slipped from her eye.
“Yes!
Yes
to both of you and
yes
to always.” Hailey had never been
more certain of a decision in her life.

****

“Tighter,”
said
Arden
.

Callum
tightened the ropes around her wrists, bringing her arms high above her head.

“At
least close the loft doors,” said Hailey. “Anyone can see me.”

Callum
laughed. “Darlin’, you should know that nobody dares to venture on O’Shea land.
Besides, you’re our little wife now. We can do with you as we please.”
 

They
had their woman strung up in the hayloft, her arms bound and body stripped
naked. She was a vision, his everything. Callum ran his hand through her hair
as
Arden
spread
her legs apart at the knees.

“No
more,” she begged. “I can’t…”

“Hush,
now. You lost the bet, so you have to endure two orgasms before we take you,”
said Callum.

Her
chest heaved, her entire body flush with desire. A cooling breeze blew into the
hayloft, making her skin break out in gooseflesh. It wouldn’t be long and
they’d have to prepare for the approaching winter. It was usually a sad time
for Callum. He’d watch the leaves die off the trees as the land grew desolate
and lifeless. He could already envision long nights in front of the fire—not in
loneliness but with love and laughter. Callum had a family. The entire world could
think he was a freak, but the only opinions that mattered were Arden’s and
Hailey’s.

“
Arden
rigged the bet,”
she said, gasping when his brother descended on her clit. “His horse was better
rested.”

They’d
had a good old-fashioned horse race across the plowed hay fields, and
Arden
won. The loser had
to endure two orgasms before sex.
 
As far
as Callum knew, his brother never lost a horse race, and the trophies in his
room were a testament to the fact.

Hailey
knew what she was getting into. And he had a strong suspicion she enjoyed her
punishment.

Callum
kissed her lips, his hand roaming over her breasts. “I love you,” he whispered
in her ear. “You make me feel like a man.” He wasn’t good at sweet words or
poetry. Even though it was difficult to express himself, he knew she
understood. She made him feel special, and understood his syndrome and its many
intricate layers. Hailey enjoyed studying him, hoping to contribute to finding
a cure one day. She was just smart enough to surprise the world. And he loved
it when she played doctor.

“
My
man,” she murmured. “Don’t let him
torture me, Callum. Fuck me. Please.”

Arden
peered up at him from between her legs, his eyes narrowed.

Callum
had given her the first orgasm in record time, and now it was
Arden
’s turn. He’d be a fool to challenge his
brother in the heat of the moment.

“Come
for
Arden
, and
then you can sit on my cock. You can ride me as hard and fast as you want.”

“Callum…”

He
helped her along, suckling her breasts as
Arden
brought her closer and closer to the edge. Her body convulsed, her hips lifting
off the saddle blanket he’d set on the hay.

“
Arden
!” As she rode out
her second orgasm, Callum watched her expressions. He loved everything about
her from the spattering of freckles across her nose to the beauty marks on her
neck. Her breasts jiggled as her body trembled, her hands tugging wildly at her
binds.

When
her body went limp, he used his pocket knife to cut the ropes securing her
wrists. She immediately reached for him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Arden
climbed up to join them. They cocooned her between them, their combined
heat staving off the fall chill.

Hailey
was their woman. And now new memories would be created on the O’Shea Ranch. For
the first time in his life, Callum couldn’t help but smile when thinking of the
future. It seemed God hadn’t abandoned them, and even cowboy outcasts could
attain a happily ever after.

The End

www.staceyespino.com

Other Books by Stacey Espino:

‘Twas a Dark and Delicious Christmas

Beyond the Wall

Catch Me If You Can

Claiming Their Mate

Freya’s Mates

The Last Princess

The Good Student

Scarlet and the Three Bears

Virgins Behaving Badly

Evernight Publishing

www.evernightpublishing.com