Bind Me Close: 3 (Knights in Black Leather) Read online

  “Case and I,” Sam said, “would be happy to take you out there one day. Tough to get in those woods though. We can take the four-wheel drive only so far. Then we’ll go on foot. Are you up for a hike?”

  “I am.” Willow accepted her drink from Jed then took a sip. “Is that the house where Bull Elk appeared with his braves to steal Fancy from her family?”

  Case nodded. “It is. The terrain, I bet, is exactly the same as the day he swooped down and caught her up in his saddle. Looking out over the hill and valley, you can see how none of the Turners ever knew the Comanche raiding party was coming.”

  “Fancy was picking flowers, right?” Willow asked them.

  “Yes,” Case said. “From what we know, that’s true. She was out in the fields with her next-older sister, Collette.”

  “They were picking bluebonnets to put on the table for dinner because Reg Saxon was coming to dinner.”

  Wade’s ancestor, the gambler.

  Willow felt the warmth of Wade draw near behind her and she didn’t move a muscle except to ask, “He was courting Fancy?”

  “No.” Wade shook his head. “My great-grandfather came to call on the oldest Turner sister, Marguerite.”

  “That’s interesting,” Willow told them. “Blade wrote that Mr. Saxon wanted to marry his mother.”

  “Blade got it wrong,” Jed said. “It’s understandable that he would. He was a little boy and he didn’t have much contact with the Turners growing up.”

  “Because he was a half-breed.” Willow put in what she knew of Blade’s feelings.

  “Yes,” Jed said with sadness in his tone. “We know from our own family records that when Fancy married my two great-grandfathers, her father and brother spurned her. Well, actually, they did that before she married them.”

  Willow had to let the intriguing issue of Fancy marrying two men go for the moment. She was more fascinated by the attitudes of the family toward Fancy and her son. “Blade was lonely growing up. He says in his journal that he had two good friends here in Bravado.”

  “One was his cousin, Beau, my grandfather,” Wade said, “the son of Reg Saxon and Marguerite Turner. The other was Luke MacRae, Blade’s half brother and the ancestor of Jed, Will and Harry. Luke and Beau said Blade was whip-smart and honest to a fault.”

  Gratified by that description Willow nodded. “He wrote that he was grateful to have friends when so few would even speak to him.”

  “My great-grandfather told his sons they must judge a man by his deeds, not by his skin.”

  “He was ahead of his time,” she said.

  “Reg’s family owned slaves. He hated how his father had whipped and beaten them.”

  She took a sip of her cocktail, realizing that the two of them stood alone. Cara, Will and Jed had drifted off to do their hosting. What could she say to Wade now? Keep him talking about his ancestors? That was fine with her, if she didn’t wear out the subject and bore him to death.

  He downed his beer and set the bottle on a nearby table, jamming his hands in his pockets. “Do you ride a horse?”

  “A little. I’m more of a city slicker. Horses tend to run away with me.”

  He gave her one of his half-grins. “You have to show them who’s boss.”

  “That skill escapes me, I’m afraid.”

  “I’ll teach you.”

  The offer made her smile. “Want to feel superior to the rude Boston lady?”

  “No. I want to be helpful. You’re here only for a short time so I thought perhaps you’d like to see where the old Comanche camp grounds were.”

  “Oh.” She practically gushed in her enthusiasm. “You can locate that?”

  “Part of one sits on my land. But you need to ride to get there. If you come out to the house tomorrow, I’ll take you. Say seven?”

  “In the morning?”

  He tipped his head, a smile playing at his lips. “If we don’t do it early then we’ll melt like butter all over the Texas hills.”

  “Right. Well, then. The ungodly hour of seven it is.”

  “You don’t like early mornings, I gather.”

  “Not when I don’t have to love them. But I’m looking forward to this. Oh, wait!” She raised a finger. “I can’t.”

  “Why not?”

  She brushed a hand down her torso. “No clothes.”

  “Come on out. I’ve got some duds I can give you for the day.”

  “Yours?” Horrified whenever any man thought her so big that she’d fit into his clothes, she balked.

  “God, no. You’d swim in mine. But you can wear an old shirt and jeans of my daughter’s.”

  “Oh. Great.”

  “So we’re set?”

  “We are.” We’re also out of topics.

  “How you doing on your drink?”

  “Fine.”

  “I need another beer.”

  “Right. Go ahead. Get one.” She shooed him along. “I’m good here.”

  “Tomorrow.”

  “At seven.”

  “Don’t be late.”

  “Wouldn’t dream of it. You’re doing me a favor and—”

  “And you’re on a tight schedule, I know. I got it. I’m helping.”

  “I’m grateful.”

  He nodded, leaving her alone to watch him go. His broad shoulders and his nice tight ass were a scrumptious sight for her hungry eyes. Relief washing through her that he had left, she yearned for less tension between them. Almost kissing him twice had electrified their relationship, taking it from attraction to obsession. At least for her it had, damn it.

  “Hi, Willow.” Giles Benedict appeared before her. With large hazel eyes and soft, brown hair, he was built lean and tight as a baseball player. So different from the big-bear physique of Sheriff Wade Saxon, he was only an inch taller than she. “I hear you had your car stolen out near Boerne today.”

  “I did. Right from under my nose. Or rather while I was powdering it in that little ice house.”

  “That’s rough. Do you need a car?”

  “I have one, thanks. Wade loaned me one of his.”

  He whistled. “That’s one for the books. Saxon doesn’t let just anyone have a turn at those wheels of his.”

  “Valuable.” She nodded. “I know they must be. I have the ’48 Chevy.”

  “Classy. Still, I’d love to show you around town. There’s a great barbeque place and the Two Step.”

  “A dance hall?”

  “And dinner I did not cook.” He nodded, a grin lending an easy charm to his angular face. “Interested?”

  With you? “Definitely sign me up for barbeque. And as for dancing? One thing I like about the South is men who dance.”

  He knit his brows, a painful glee faceting his hazel eyes. “Okay, but many of us aren’t championship material.”

  “At least you get out on the floor.” She sighed, happy as a clam that she had moved from Boston years ago. In Oklahoma she felt comfortable. Here with these people she felt the serenity of home. “More than many men up north.”

  “I’ll be happy to show you my two left feet.”

  She wanted to applaud his modesty. “I’ll match them to my own.”

  “Oh, wonderful. We’ll be a fright on the floor!”

  “Now, now.” She shook a finger at him. “Don’t knock it ’til we try it. We might be great together.”

  He smiled with twinkling eyes. “And if we’re not, practice makes perfect. I’ll call you.”

  “Please do.” Willow grinned, surprised she’d found not just one man here who was interesting but two. More excitement than her little heart had had in years.

  “Attention everyone!” Cara called from the behind the long, rough-hewn kitchen table, Harry by her side, his hand on her shoulder. “Dinner is served! We’re doing buffet style tonight so that each of us has a chance to sit and talk with Willow.”

  “First, a toast,” Jed said, beaming at the crowd and raising his glass. “To Willow, our cousin who has come home to write th
e story of how we all began and how we all survived and prospered, welcome home!”

  * * * * *

  Hours later Willow stood at the front door bidding good night to the three MacRae brothers and Cara. “I had an absolutely wonderful time. You are terrific hosts and great cooks too.”

  Cara waved off the compliment. “Jed does the barbeque pit like a pro. Harry’s specialty is dessert.”

  “Mine,” said Will with a roll of his eyes, “is cleanup.”

  “Necessary,” Willow said, “for any party. I love them. This was super. If I can give a party at the B&B I might come looking for a few cooks and a cleanup man.”

  “Call me. I’m ready!” Will joked as he slipped a hand around Cara’s waist. “Only thing that might delay me is if we are all called to the hospital.”

  Jed grinned. “Our son is due in three weeks.”

  Our son. The very way he said the words made the impending birth sound extraordinary. To think that three men shared so much and so well they would even share paternity astounded her.

  “And our lady here,” added Will, “has to call an end to her working days soon. Right, Mrs. MacRae?” He widened his eyes at Cara, pressing home his point.

  His wife leaned her head on his shoulder and smiled. “I’ll stop work next week when I finish the latest set of financials. I don’t let these guys boss me around too much. But why not come in tomorrow around lunchtime and let me find you a few more lovely items for your stay here? I have loads of delicious things to choose from. French. Italian. Thai.” She winked at Willow.

  “You don’t have to invite me twice, Cara. I’ll do it. This time, though, I am using my own money. No gifts. But I can’t come tomorrow until later.”

  Cara tipped her head. “Okay. Maybe at four? I’ll have Duke Cummings send over a few appetizers from his restaurant and we’ll have our own happy hour. Say a few fried oysters and mini crab cakes?”

  The three men chuckled.

  Jed said, “Ever since she got pregnant Cara’s had cravings for Duke’s crab cakes. Hope you like Creole, Willow. Do you?”

  Willow nodded. “The best!” She tucked her purse under her arm and gave each of them a hug and kiss on the cheek. “Thanks for a great introduction to the family.”

  “You haven’t met them all yet,” Jed warned.

  “Stay tuned for more names to remember,” Will said.

  “I’ll need that family genealogy chart PDQ.”

  “Good thinking,” Harry agreed. “Listen, take it easy on that road. The deer are always jumping out of the woods along that last mile stretch into town and you’d be shocked at what damage one little fawn can do to your fender.”

  “Especially because she’s driving Wade’s ’48 convertible,” Jed added.

  “That’s right, she is.” Wade had come right up behind her.

  Willow was surprised he was still here. She hadn’t seen him for the last hour or more and assumed he had gone home. She did not want to be leaving at the same time as he. The opportunity for her to feel awkward and schoolgirlish around him was not a welcome one. If she rushed she might zip away before he came too close. Again.

  She waggled her fingers at the MacRaes and got the heck out of the house. Luck and her high heels had to be on her side because she got into the car, turned the engine over and wheeled it out of the driveway without hearing Wade’s footsteps.

  The night wind swirling her hair, the Texas sky like a blanket of navy velvet above her, she marveled at the brilliance of the moon. The route from the MacRae ranch was a straight shot into town. She was doing a cool forty when she saw a pair of headlights zoom right up in back of her trunk.

  She bit her lip. Wade, acting macho and sheriff-y.

  And damn if he didn’t turn on his popcorn lights.

  Well, hell.

  She pulled over. Killed the engine. Crossed her arms and huffed.

  When he stood beside her door she didn’t honor him with a look or a word.

  “Get out.”

  “I will not.”

  He yanked the door open so fast she was hauled up right flush to his body before she could say, “Forget you.”

  “I said, I want you out here.” One of his arms clamped her around her waist. His other went straight across her ass and his hand landed right there where he could press and get a good idea of how her pussy wept at his command over her.

  Better, standing next to him made her nipples peak. She loved being crushed against him like this, overwhelmed and manhandled by a colossus. So few men with the build and the power to haul her around had a personality that had any charm to it. This was a controlling man bending her to his will but she had seen his soft spot. He could melt for his kids. A good trait. Could he get weak in the knees for her? She wanted that but had to go slowly, be safe and erect boundaries around herself until she knew he was honestly interested in her as well as her pussy. Controlling men could be dangerous. She didn’t mind that. In fact she had often looked for a strong man to whom she could safely surrender. Could Wade Saxon be that man? Until she felt protected and whole with him she needed to stand her ground and show him she could rebel. Refuse. “Let me go.”

  In the moonlight his gaze grew narrow and feral.

  Her heart thumped.

  Her pussy too. Damn it all.

  His magnificent lips spread in a grin, like a lethal cat ready to eat her for dinner. “You were speeding.”

  She grunted. The action rubbed her aching breasts against his very solid chest—and sent her temperature higher. “I was doing forty.”

  “Going too fast.”

  For what? The car? Or their fascination with each other? “How can that be?”

  “You’ve got to treat this car gently.”

  “You should have given me instructions.”

  He cast his eyes down at her heaving breasts. “I should have.”

  He agreed? She tipped her head, searching for what his problem really was. She hoped it was his need to erase this ridiculous tension between them. Like I’m not to blame myself for delaying the inevitable? “Is that what you wanted to tell me?”

  He worked a muscle in his jaw.

  “Okay. What do I need to do to take better care of the car?”

  He laughed then grabbed a fistful of her hair and cupped her nape to draw her face closer to his. “Forget the car. I want to take care of this.”

  His lips seized hers. Torrid, demanding, his kiss was a brand, a brutal declaration of domination.

  “No.” She tore away, gasping for air.

  “No,” he objected and caught her back. This time when he brought her mouth to his, his claim was a firestorm of flaming kisses. They were too many, too fierce, too scalding to refuse.

  She swooned, all his.

  “You can’t say no, baby.” And he proved it by brushing her lips with his own and wrapping her closer still.

  Baby. How many men had ever thought she might like that word? Need it? How many men could think of her as something small and compliant and theirs? None. Her head swam with the way he took her will and molded it to his.

  “Bend to me, Willow.” His voice was an order and a plea.

  She melted against him, her arms winding around his broad back and rising up to taste more of him. God, please, give me more of his ravishing assault.

  His lips were as plush as they were silky. His tongue was insistent as it pushed inside the cavern of her mouth and took and took. Holding her head so that he could devour her, he ended one madness only to spread tiny kisses along her cheek and then take her mouth again, all animal sensation.

  They broke apart at the same instant, chests heaving. She curved against him, languid with the passion he aroused but oh so hungry for more of him.

  She rose on her toes, just as she had in the B&B that afternoon, and reached up to curl a hand around his nape to bring him down for another kiss. This one, led by her, was all soft surrender, her to him, him to her, both to the moaning need to savor the other. She rejoiced tha
t this time he let her lead. Maybe this wild man could be tamed after all.

  He drew back, eyeing her skeptically as he put his index finger to her lower lip to trace the outline. She caught the tip between her teeth, her gaze on him as she gave him a glimpse of how she could be brazen. He sank his finger inside her mouth and she knew he wanted her to suck him. Snagging him with her teeth, she sank her lips around his flesh and with languid swipes of her tongue, she caressed his finger inside her mouth just as later she would caress his cock inside her pussy. She was talented, had lots of practice in the art of the great BJ and she got soaking wet just thinking about how she wanted to blow his mind with her skills.

  Gasping, he tried to extract his finger and she nipped him. Licked him. Showed him that two could play at seduction…until she decided to let him go. Then, when she was ready, she withdrew and licked her lower lip with a slow swipe of her tongue.

  His nostrils flaring, his cock lodged right up tight against her mound, he crushed her closer to him. “We’ll do more of that.”

  She rubbed the tip of her nose against his nicely pressed shirt and smiled. “We will. Soon.” She pushed at his chest and leaned backward out of his embrace. “But not tonight.”

  His eyes half-lidded and disappointed, he gave her a little nod. “That’s best.”

  She turned out of his arms and even though she moved on shaking legs she managed to slide back into the front seat. Patting around to find the keys, she saw them on the floorboard and snatched at them. Coming up, she felt his hands cup her head as he led her to meet his lips in a sultry joining. The melding was tender, so tender.

  “Can’t stop kissing you,” he said, his voice rough.

  She swallowed her need to rise up and capture his mouth for more of his affection. “Have to, Sheriff. We can’t have anyone find us out here necking along the road.”

  He brushed his fingertips over her mouth. “We better get to know each other quick.”

  “Why’s that?” she asked as he caressed her throat and shoulders.

  “Because just to look at you is a hard, hard thing.”

  Ditto. “Is that so?”

  “Damn straight.”