Dixie Lynn Dwyer (7 page)

BJ placed his hands on her hips as he stepped closer to her. He towered over Susanna, especially as she stood in front of him wearing only ankle socks. She remained standing there with her hands at her sides as he used his thumbs to gently caress her hips.

“What’s going on? Are you worried about the fire marshal coming by the club tonight?”

“What? He came by the club tonight? When? What happened?” she asked, pulling away from him and walking with her hand against her ribs on one side while she grabbed her cell phone from her purse.

She pulled it out.

“Hey, it was fine. It worked out all right. Paula took care of it,” he told her, and she froze as she stared at him.

“Paula took care of it? The two of them talked?”

“Sure did. Why do you sound concerned?” Monte asked her.

“Listen, it’s my place, my responsibility. I should have been there. I never leave early and the one night I do, this happens.” She ran her fingers through her hair. She looked at her cell phone. It appeared as if she were about to call or text someone.

BJ covered the phone and her hand.

“Sweetie, it’s after one in the morning. They got it covered and they want you to rest just like Monte and I do. Let’s go sit down in the living room.”

She stared at him and appeared as if she were about to give him a piece of her mind. Instead, she held the phone to her chest and slowly walked into the living room, passing Monte on the way.

She settled down on the couch slowly, and BJ took a seat next to her.

“Put your legs up and rest.”

Monte fixed the pillows, and she got comfortable after struggling with the rib pain.

* * * *

Monte moved a chair closer to the couch.

“We stopped by Dixie Chix today to talk with your staff,” Monte stated as BJ caressed Susanna’s ankle.

“I heard.” She stared at him.

“As your place becomes more popular, you’re going to need better security and more of it.”

She took a deep breath and nodded her head.

“We weren’t there being nosey, Susanna. We wanted to help you and your friends.” BJ caressed her thigh. He was drawing circles on her skin and making his way higher and higher. She closed her eyes then opened them again as she locked gazes with BJ.

“We worry about you,” he whispered, and his brother leaned forward from the chair to touch her cheek so she would look at him.

“We think about you all the time.”

BJ crept his fingers higher up her thigh as Monte leaned his lips closer to hers. BJ reached the hem of her shorts then moved under the fabric.

She shifted her leg just as she spoke to Monte.

“That’s real neighborly of you.”

Monte slipped his hand behind her head then leaned closer to her lips. “Being neighborly ain’t half of it.” He covered her mouth with his own as BJ shifted then pressed his fingers against her panties.

Susanna parted her thighs as BJ maneuvered between them. He massaged her inner thighs and caressed her legs up and down, and with every stroke, he moved closer to her pussy and teased her through the thin fabric.

Monte continued to devour her moans, and she lifted her hips slightly as if wanting his touch.

“So responsive and beautiful. Your skin is like silk.” BJ pushed the panties to the side and touched a finger to her pussy.

Monte released her lips.

“Oh God, Sheriff. What are you doing to me?”

BJ pressed a digit up into her cunt, and Susanna lifted her legs and knees up so she was resting feet flat on the couch.

“It’s BJ, not Sheriff. There’s no need to be so formal, especially now with my fingers stroking your wet pussy, honey.”

“Oh!” she moaned.

“I want to see her come, BJ.” Monte touched his fingers to her chin and tilted her head toward him.

Monte leaned down and softly kissed her lips, taking her lower lip between his teeth as BJ pumped his finger faster.

“So hot and wet for us. There’s no denying it, Susanna. We’re meant to be together.” BJ leaned down and licked her inner thigh, giving it a slight nibble with his teeth.

Susanna began to shake as Monte kissed her again right before BJ thrust his finger into her then pressed against her clit.

“Oh, BJ!” she cried then she shook as she exploded.

“So fucking hot.” Monte licked across the seam of her lips as BJ slowed down his thrusts. He took his time pulling his finger from her pussy.

“I’d love to have me a taste of your sweet cream, angel.”

In the distance they heard a car pull up and then a door slam. Susanna panicked as BJ assisted in straightening out her shorts.

He sat back on the couch, and Monte adjusted his crotch and his jeans and crossed his arms in front of his chest as if nothing happened.

“We’ll talk more tomorrow at our place,” Monte told her. BJ chuckled as he noticed the concerned and shocked expression in Susanna’s eyes.

Susanna lay on the floor in her bedroom, cringing as she forced herself to do sit-ups. She was used to pain. She had survived over a year of torture both physically and mentally by the hands of a man she thought loved her. She crunched her legs up, feeling the burning of her ab muscles overpower the ache of her bruised ribs. Tears formed in her eyes, but she was determined to not let these damn ribs hold her back or keep her from doing her job. The past few days she’d faltered too many times, both with work and with men. As badly as she yearned inside to be loved, to be cared for, and cherished like some princess in a fairy tale, she knew better. She knew the reality of life. There were no happy endings, just temporary calms before further storms. Life was filled with mountains needing to be climbed and ravines to tumble back down to if the wrong choices were made.

She growled as she tried to do another three sit-ups. She wanted to make it to a hundred. She could always do a hundred, and these fucking ribs weren’t going to stand in the way.

She fell to the carpeting with her forearm over her eyes as she breathed heavily.

Her body was spent, but her mind was crisp and strong in reminding her of her faults and her indiscretions.

I shouldn’t have let the sheriff kiss me. I shouldn’t have given in to the damn sexual attraction we’ve been feeling for one another. Fuck! I was so stupid to let my guard down and to give in to the hope, the fantasy that there was more. I shouldn’t have let Monte kiss me either.

The tears filled her eyes as she shook her head and felt the pain in her chest, the anxiety of her mistakes.

I can’t believe I let the sheriff finger-fuck me. What the hell was I thinking? I wasn’t thinking. I was like a silly fucking virgin falling for two hot, sexy cowboys wanting to have a good time. Men are weasels that can’t and shouldn’t be trusted. Damn it, I know this. I know that men can’t be trusted. Look what my own family did to me. Look what decisions I had to make to escape one home of violence only to fall into the hands of a master of dominance and abuse.

She shuddered as she thought about Casper. Rolling to her side in a ball, images of his battering tactics filled her mind. She jumped, practically feeling each lash of the whip he’d used on her back. The pain was like nothing she’d ever felt before. The way her skin parted, breaking the flesh and stinging for days later. The sick bastard lost it that night. He was pissed off at something she did. She didn’t even know what she did wrong.

She shook her head.
Stop thinking about him and about that night. Stop it. Stop it!

She pleaded with herself as she cried and rocked on her floor. She was a mess.

“Susanna…Susanna.”

She hadn’t realized how loud she cried and moaned, and it was too late when she opened her eyes and saw Ava, Juliet, Paula, and Elise surrounding her. They each knelt down around her, caressed her legs and her hair as the tears rolled down her cheeks.

“I screwed up,” she whispered as they continued to console her.

* * * *

Juliet felt her own tears roll down her cheeks. She loved Susanna like a sister, even more so because she had saved her life back in Mississippi. Susanna was always strong and the most unselfish individual and trustworthy person she had ever met. Juliet would do anything for her.

“You didn’t screw up anything. You’re just tired and overworked,” Juliet told Susanna, and the others looked at her and then back at Susanna. Susanna took her hand away from her face as she laid her cheek on the carpeting.

Ava continued to caress her hair away from her eyes. “I have the feeling you’re letting your past get in the way and rule your thoughts. You haven’t screwed up anything.”

“I did. I screwed up multiple times in one day.”

“How so?” Paula asked her.

“I shouldn’t have gone downstairs all cocky and ready for a fight with Don after…”

Juliet pushed for her to continue. “After what?”

Susanna sighed.

“Ah hell, after the sheriff kissed me in my office.”

The women hooted and cheered as Susanna covered her face with her hands.

Juliet pried Susanna’s hands away from her cheeks. “That was so not a mistake. You two have been avoiding this for far too long. That man adores you and wants you.”

Susanna looked unconvinced. “I wouldn’t go that far, Juliet.”

“Are you kidding me? Go all the fucking way. Maybe sex is what you need,” Paula stated, and they all laughed.

“Sure as shit does me good every now and then. It helps clear my mind and give me an extra skip in my step,” Elise added and they laughed again.

“You finally give those Ollsen deputies what they’ve been after?” Paula asked, and Elise appeared surprised to Juliet.

“Oh shit! She’s not fucking the deputies, she’s sleeping with someone else,” Ava stated and Juliet covered her mouth and laughed.

“Hey! It’s not like I’m going around being a slut. I have a couple of guys I can call when the need arises. I don’t want my pussy being all in charge when I meet someone of importance and they make their moves. If you haven’t had sex in a while, your pussy makes the decision for you,” Elise stated rather matter-of-factly.

“Isn’t that a guy’s excuse?” Juliet asked, and they chuckled.

“Good for you, Elise,” Ava stated, and Elise high-fived Ava and smiled.

“Now back to the boss here. She needs our help. She’s horny and turned on by two men who want her. She’s overworked and stressed out and probably thinks the well has run dry,” Paula told them.

“Oh no, I don’t need any of y’all’s help. I am perfectly fine in handling this situation.” Susanna slowly got up.

“Hey, what were you doing on the floor anyway?” Juliet asked Susanna.

“Sit-ups.” Susanna leaned on her hand.

“Are you out of your mind? You could injure yourself worse!” Ava yelled at Susanna.

“Naw. I was fine. I’ve never allowed pain to stand in my way before. I sure as shit won’t allow it now. I’m sorry you heard me crying. I’ve had more than a few weak moments the last couple of days.”

“Susanna, what’s really bothering you about the sheriff and Monte?” Juliet asked her.

“They both want you, and the whole ménage thing is pretty sexy after all,” Paula stated.

“They are very good men in all aspects. I mean if you’re not interested, I wouldn’t mind taking them for a ride.”

Susanna shot her a look, and Paula and the others pointed at her.

“There! Got you. You are so attracted to them. You want them both, don’t you?” Paula continued to harass Susanna.

“Stop it. I can’t get involved with any man. I just can’t handle that. I need to be stronger and to forget this foolishness.” She sat up and forced herself through the pain to stand. She immediately moved to the bed and took a seat.

“I think you’re scared,” Juliet whispered, and Susanna stared at her.

Susanna knew Juliet’s fears. She kept triple locks on her doors and windows, she carried Mace with her and she didn’t trust men either. She was scared and had very little self-confidence.

Susanna covered Juliet’s hand and stared into her eyes.

“You’re right. I am scared. I’m scared of trusting anyone other than you guys. I’m scared of getting hurt again. I don’t know if I could survive another abusive relationship. Add to that the fact that there are two of them, and individually they’re a force to reckon with. I couldn’t handle one of them, never mind two men with such dominant and superior personalities. They’re both ex-military and both work in law enforcement and surveillance. I’ve got a past, ladies, and it’s not pretty.” Susanna squeezed Juliet’s hand before she released it.

“When have you ever done anything the easy way, Susanna? You’re a fighter. You helped to save each of us on your journey to safety and a new life. You deserve more and you deserve love,” Ava told her.

“Love?” Susanna shook her head. “I don’t know about that. I especially don’t know about it from any man. I can’t allow them to get to me. I can’t afford that kind of weakness right now when we’re almost there. We’re almost free and clear of anyone getting in our way to financial freedom. Don’t you see what I’ve been working so hard for? It’s so none of us, including Alexa and Sally when they get here, will ever have to rely on a man or
anyone
else ever again.”