Marly's Choice (22 page)

The soreness of her body was nearly gone, but her nervousness wasn’t. She was more than thankful Cade was gone—

“Stay just like that.” His voice sounded behind her as a strong hand was laid on her upper back.

Marly moved her hands from the coffee cup, trembling as she felt another hand lift the shirt, and move to push between her thighs. She was wet; the excretion of her self release earlier was still present.

“Cade.” Her eyes closed as two fingers slid slowly inside her.

“Don’t fucking move. Don’t say no, don’t say anything.” The shirt was lifted higher, her legs parted further and she felt his legs move between them. Then the broad, hot head of his cock was pushing past the soft folds of her silken labia. Cade’s groan was harsh as her cry shattered the morning. His hands gripped her hips and he plunged inside her, burying his length in the moist heat of her vagina.

“Sam. Brock,” Marly gasped out in fear that they would be caught. Worried because it didn’t bother her as much as it should now. That the thought of what Cade needed wasn’t terrifying her.

“Fuck ‘em,” he growled. “They know the facts of life.”

His hands went to her breasts, his fingers tweaking her nipples as he began to move with slow, torturous movements inside her.

“Oh, God. Cade.” Her head lowered to the counter as she felt the lightning begin to zip through her body.

“Oh, Marly. You’re so tight,” he whispered at her ear. “So hot and tight I can barely stand it.”

He plunged inside her, retreated, slid in slow and easy, retreated then plunged deeply once again. The alternate strokes had her gasping, the building pressure in her body had her fighting the sensations threatening to drown her.

“Don’t, Marly,” Cade whispered at her ear. “Baby, please don’t fight it this time. Just let it go. Relax, sweetheart. I swear I’ll take care of you.”

She bucked in his grip, her ragged breaths became soft cries as intense pleasure began to flood her body. Then she gasped as he lifted her, pulling free of her gripping flesh as he turned her, lifting her to the counter and pushing between her thighs to plunge home again.

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His lips came down on hers almost gently, far softer than she expected as his tongue pushed past hers to twine slowly, erotically with her own. He moved against her gently, drawing out on alternate soft, easy strokes, and harsh groaning plunges that had her ready to scream with the pleasure.

“Get ready,” he growled against her lips, his teeth nipping at her as she sipped at his retreating lips. “Get ready, Marly.”

He held her firm, driving his cock inside her, the sound of gripping friction, the slurp of suction filling the room as hot, hungry moans erupted from them both. Marly’s legs wrapped around his waist as she cried out, her head flung back, her hair cascading over the counter as she felt her climax rushing upon her. She could do nothing but trust Cade to hold her steady as the fire whipped through her body, plunging her headlong into sensation.

When she exploded, she was only a second ahead of Cade. She felt the hot wash of his semen pulsing inside her as she screamed out her orgasm, heard his gasping groan of completion as he held her tightly to him. She shook and trembled in his arms, wondering if she would be able to retain consciousness this time.

“It’s okay, baby,” he whispered at her ear as she spasmed again, then again, each time her distress rising. “Don’t be scared, just let it have you. I’ll hold you Marly.”

It pulsed over her, making her blood sing through her veins and her heart race in time to the desperate release quaking through her body.

“There you go.” He nuzzled her neck as the first violent tremors began to ease from her body. “There you go, baby. See, it’s just fine.”

He petted and soothed her as she slowly eased from the terrifying grip of release. Pulling back slowly, he drew his cock from her flesh, but he didn’t release her from his arms. He laid his forehead gently atop hers and smiled slowly as he watched her gasp for breath.

A harsh knock at the door between the kitchen and dining room had them both jumping in surprise.

“If you two are done, I need my fucking coffee,” Sam griped from behind the portal. “Dammit, we have bedrooms for this.”

Marly flushed furiously as her eyes widened in shocked embarrassment. Her gaze went to Cade as he moved back from her slowly.

“Stop blushing, he’ll live through it.” He lifted her from the counter, then restored his jeans to proper order.

“Do you think he came in?” She didn’t like the sharp bite of pleasure that idea brought.

“Most likely.” Cade shrugged over her embarrassment. “At least he had the good sense to leave the room. I know other people who don’t.” He flashed her a wicked look, reminding her of the night she had caught him in the study and damned near demanned him with her brush. Lora Leigh

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“She was a slut,” Marly sniffed, hiding her face as Sam entered the kitchen.

“Dammit, you two aren’t minks,” he muttered grumpily as he stalked to the coffeepot. “And the fucking counter wasn’t made for that shit.”

He slammed a cup to the counter in question and poured his coffee. Marly’s eyes rounded in surprise at his ill mood.

“I’ll be out in the barn when you wake up, Sam,” Cade told him, his smile slow and easy as he dropped a quick kiss on Marly’s lips. “Hurry up, we have work to do.”

He lifted his hat from the hook on the wall and made his exit with a slow rolling rock that made Marly’s mouth water.

“Stop eating him with your eyes,” Sam griped as he flung himself in a chair and watched her broodingly.

“What’s with you?” Marly fought her blush and her embarrassment at being caught, at knowing a truth she didn’t want to face just yet. “You’re never this grouchy.”

His expression became shuttered.

“He’s not using rubbers,” Sam bit out. “I’m slow, but I’m not stupid.”

Marly shrugged, knowing her face was beet red at his observation.

“I’m on the pill.” She shrugged. “And I know for a fact that Cade’s careful. He bitches at you two too much not to be.”

Sam’s eyes narrowed on her.

“Cade know about the pill?” he asked her curiously.

Marly rolled her eyes. “What business is this of yours?”

“None.” He frowned darkly, turning his attention back to his coffee. Marly rose from the chair, retrieved her cup and after pouring out the cooling coffee, re-poured more. She took her cup and went to the back door, opening it and stepping out on the porch. Dawn was just a few hours past, and the mists of morning still lay on the ground. Spring was nearly over, and she knew summer was moving quickly forward.

She sighed deeply. She was going to have to make a decision about school quickly. If she were going back, she would have to leave in just a few days. The lasts months before summer break were usually pretty intense.

“He won’t let you leave now.” Sam stepped behind her, somehow in tune to her as he always was.

It frightened her now, how she knew these men so well. How they knew her as they did. She was confused, how she should feel versus what she did feel, and it was rioting through her mind like a crowd out of control.

She sighed deeply, staring out at the dew damp morning with a frown.

“He’s not what I expected,” she whispered, knowing Sam would understand. Knowing he wouldn’t question her. He would wait, as he always did, for what she wanted.

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“And I know he warned you he wouldn’t be, Marly,” he told her softly. “You pushed him, we all did, and maybe we were wrong in that. ”

She hunched her shoulders against his reminder.

“Cade’s not an easy man, none of us are. I know him, and I know what he’s like. He hasn’t had a woman since the night you caught him in the study with one of his floozies, and he has a lot of time to make up for.”

Marly frowned as a metallic glint flashed in the distance, catching her attention.

“Maybe I really am too inexperienced for him.” A sharp cracking sound heralded her words.

Hard hands gripped her, throwing her back as Sam grunted painfully. They landed on the kitchen floor amid Marly’s hair and spilled coffee. Angrily, she turned to blast him, then screamed out in fear at the bloodstain blooming over his chest.

“Sam!” She screamed, her shocked gaze going to his dazed one. He blinked up at her, his hand pressing to his chest weakly, then coming away, covered in blood as he stared in horrified fascination.

“Son of a bitch,” he gasped his surprise at the blood coating the hand he had pressed to his chest. “God. Damn, Marly.”

“Cade.” She jumped to her feet, her desperate scream followed by the sound of rushing feet, both through the house and on the porch. “Cade. Oh, God. Oh, God. Sam.”

She jerked a dishtowel from the counter, pressing it to his chest as Cade threw himself into the house, slamming the door behind him.

“Son of a bitch. He’s shooting fucking wild.” Cade yelled, rushing to Sam when he saw his brother lying prone on the floor.

He slid to the floor as Marly pressed the towel to the bloody wound. Reaching out to touch his brother, he jerked his hands back, fists clenching as his eyes widened in horror.

“Sam?” Marly heard the fear, the pain in that single word.

“Damn, Cade, this shit hurts,” Sam gasped, staring up at him. “Fucking hurts.”

Cade shook his head, his eyes going to Marly as she watched his expression fill with fury, with gut wrenching pain. She cried out at the sight, wondering why he hadn’t cried out himself.

Suddenly Brock rushed into the room, followed by strangers, raised voices and flashing weapons. The room erupted into chaos, jerking Cade back to reality. His eyes cleared, and Marly watched as all emotion, pain, fear and need was wiped away.

“Brock, call the sheriff,” a female voice ordered as she knelt at Marly’s side. “Cade, get her out of the way. Rick, you have a sight on that son of a bitch yet?”

The woman ripped Sam’s shirt straight down the middle, parting the edges as she pressed the towel against his chest.

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“Bastard’s on the run.” Marly looked up at the big male figure looking through the lens of a rifle’s telescope. “I can’t get a bead, son of a bitch is fucking gone.”

He rushed to the door, throwing it open as he tried for another angle from the porch.

“Bullet didn’t hit anything serious, but it’s a nasty damned wound,” the woman barked out. “He needs medical attention fucking now. Get an ambulance out here, Brock.”

Cade dragged Marly back as Brock yelled into the phone. The voices were raised and demanding, as cowboys began to pour into the house, rifles and pistols waving, their faces hard masks of determination.

“Cade, what’s going on?” Fear shook her body as he pulled her close, moving her along the floor to a corner of the room, out of the way.

“Stay here, Marly. Don’t fucking move,” he bit out, staring down into her face, his expression savage. “Do you understand me? Do not fucking move from here.”

She nodded shakily, her eyes widening at the fury she could see in his face.

“Do not move.” He jerked one of the jackets hanging on a peg above them free. Wrapping it around her quickly, he stood to his feet, picking up the rifle he had dropped to the floor then rushing from the house.

“Steady there, Sam.” The woman working over Sam was cool and collected, her pretty face concerned as she kept a steady pressure on the wound. Her eyes rose and collided with Marly’s. “He’s going to be okay.”

Marly nodded, clutching Cade’s jacket to her as she watched the commotion going on around her, confused and frightened as her body shook from the cold that seemed to wrap around it.

“You okay?” The woman asked her quickly.

Marly nodded again, ignoring the nausea building in her stomach.

“You must be Marly.” The woman smiled.

“Stop with the fucking social pleasantries,” Sam bitched harshly. “Where the hell is the doctor?”

“Oh, stop your whining,” the woman told him firmly. “It just hurts. You’ll be fine as soon as we get you to the hospital.”

Marly looked at Sam’s chest, then raised her gaze back to the woman. Whoever she was, she was worried, Marly could tell.

“Ambulance’s ETA is an hour at least,” Brock called out. “Bret, get the fucking chopper ready, we’ll fly his ass in.”

“Son of a bitch. I hate that fucking chopper,” Sam groaned.

“Get it going. I’ll get him ready for transport. Let the sheriff know what we’re doing. Rick, call Monty and tell him to get Lisa and Anna there on the double. I want security on his room.”

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Nothing made sense now. Marly huddled against the wall, watching as everyone scurried around the kitchen, listening as Sam bitched and complained about the chopper, but hearing the fear in his voice. Her hands fisted in the jacket. She felt twelve again; terrified and uncertain, unable to figure out what the hell was going on or what she was supposed to do.

Cade ordered her to stay put. He had never used that tone of voice, or looked so frightened for her as he had when he pushed her into the corner and made her swear not to move. She stayed. She hated herself for it, hated the fear and the lack of understanding, the inability to help. But she stayed, just like he told her to do. Lora Leigh

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CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

She had sat there for hours. Marly watched the hands of the wall clock tick from seven o’ clock until nine o’ clock. The chopper had left long ago with a bitching Sam, a worried Bret, and highly competent woman forcefully ordering them all. The man, Rick, had stayed behind and she could hear him and Cade on the other side of the door talking quietly.

Cade had forgotten she was there. Tucked carefully in the corner between the pantry and the door she listened in horror to their conversation.

“He was her step-father. He’s insane,” Cade told the man quietly. “Marly’s mother brought her here when she was twelve, and started running, after he tried to molest Marly.”