Lily's Cowboys (7 page)

Lily was just putting the finishing touches on Allen’s bedroom. Allen and Clive had gone into town earlier and she wanted to be done before Allen returned. She had wanted to surprise him by getting it ready for him. He belonged back in his old room. She had washed and cleaned everything. She had had a little help which is why it took a little longer than she expected. When she had gone out to the barn early this morning she had heard a little meowing sound coming from behind the chicken coup. She had found a little kitten about six weeks old shivering in the cold. Unable to resist, she had scooped the little kitten up into her arms and carried him in with her. She had bathed him and snuggled him close into her jacket. Later she brought him upstairs with her and closed the door to Allen’s room so he wouldn’t get out. She couldn’t help but laughed as he ran, played and explored everything in the bedroom while she cleaned. Now, she stood back and smiled. It was ready. She had made a few changes, adding a few personal touches; a couple of throw pillows on the bed, a book they had enjoyed together on the night stand, fresh flowers she had picked up yesterday at the grocery store in a vase on the dresser.

“
Come here you little bugger.” Lily called scooping the kitten into her arms snuggling with him before sliding him inside her jacket again. “Now, you be quiet. I don’t know how the men will feel about having another little man in the house with them.”

Lily had her head down and wasn’t looking where she was going as she opened the bedroom door. She was more concerned with the little kitten snuggling up to her so it was a surprise when she ran right into a pair of hard, muscular arms and a broad chest.

“
Oh, I’m so sorry. I should have been watching where I was going.” Lily exclaimed startled. She looked up into the darkest eyes she had ever seen. They were like melted dark chocolate. She sighed. She loved dark chocolate, she thought wistfully.

Caleb couldn’t resist listening at the door to see if his brother was finished horsing around. The last thing he had expected was to feel the soft, warm, sweet smelling body of a woman coming out of it straight into his arms. Looking down, he was mesmerized by the deepest, bluest eyes he had ever seen. His arms tightened automatically when he felt her trying to move away. He was lost in a haze of desire that was almost overwhelming.

Lily wiggled trying to put some distance between them. Blushing a bright pink when she felt the hard bulge in the front of his pants, Lily nervously licked her lips whispering, “Uh, you can let go of me. I’m sorry for running into you.” Glancing at the door of the bedroom to make sure it was closed all the way, Lily pulled away from the man holding her and back peddled until she was far enough away to hurry down the front staircase. “I have to go.”

Lily was blushing furiously as she hurried down the stairs. Oh my, she thought, she hadn’t realized Caleb was so – everything. She had seen pictures of him on the walls in Allen’s room. They had not done him justice. He was over six and a half feet of pure male. His black hair and dark chocolate eyes were enough to cause any woman’s pulse to increase. Add to that his firm lips, hard muscles, and his scent! It was far more powerful than when she had cradled his pillow to her. She could feel the heat burning between her legs at the thought of being wrapped in his arms again. Wow, was all Lily could think as she hurried to turn off the timer in the kitchen. She moved into her bedroom off the kitchen and pulled the sleeping kitten out of her jacket and laid him on a small blanket she had found in the basement.

“
Now, you be a good boy and sleep while I finish up dinner. After dinner I’ll come play with you some more.” Lily kissed the top of the kitten’s head. She gently closed the door to her bedroom.

Pulling on a pair of oven mitts, she set the roasted chicken on the top of the stove to cool a little and put in a big pan of yeast rolls. She expected Allen and Clive should be back any time. Clive was supposed to pick up his wife and bring her to dinner tonight which was why Lily had set the dining room table for dinner tonight instead of the kitchen table where they normally ate. She had just enough time to start the wash for the dirty clothes Caleb had brought back before the men came in. She had almost tripped over it when she had come into the kitchen. Humming softly, she grabbed the bag and headed down the stairs.

Caleb stared in disbelief as the most beautiful woman he had ever met hurried down the front staircase. Glaring at his brother’s door he didn’t know if he should bang on the door until Allen answered who the hell she was, ask Allen if he crazy for letting her out of his sight, or if he should consider her fair game and go after her. He made up his mind he didn’t care what she was to his brother after a moment. He was staking his claim on her. Now all he needed to do was find out where she had run off too. He searched the kitchen and living room first looking for her. Going down the hallway he checked the office and den letting out a frustrated expletive when he didn’t find her. He was heading towards the living room and front door he saw his brother coming down the stairs.

“
Hey, you are home. I saw your truck outside and was looking for you.” Allen said with a grin.

Caleb looked at his brother like he had never seen him before. If he hadn’t known any better he would swear it was a different man standing in front of him. Gone was the long shaggy beard and matted hair. Gone were the glazed eyes from the whiskey and the mouth tight with anger. The biggest thing Caleb noticed that was missing was the haunted look in Allen’s eyes. He could see the little brother he had grown up with.

“
Yeah, I’m home.” Caleb grunted past his shock. “Where is she?”

“
Where’s who?” Allen asked watching Caleb with a weary expression.

“
The girl you were banging upstairs.” Caleb replied impatiently. He didn’t want to take a chance of the girl disappearing for good.

“
I wasn’t banging any girl upstairs. I just got back from town with Clive.” Allen replied, a confused expression crossing his face. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“
I heard you two doing it earlier and she was coming out of your bedroom upstairs just a few minutes ago. She sounded like she was having a whole hell of a lot of fun. She even commented on you being one very bad boy.” Caleb almost growled at his brother. Just remembering her sexy laughter was enough to make him hard.

“
What did she look like?” Allen asked with a sinking feeling. He had left Brad and Harold here alone with Lily. Surely they wouldn’t have been brazen enough to use his old bedroom to…he had a hard time even thinking it…aw hell no, he thought with growing rage.

“
She was the prettiest damn thing I ever saw. Eyes the color of a summer sky, long dark brown hair you could wrap your fists around, and breast the size of…” Caleb paused when he looked at the expression on his brother’s face. He had never seen him this pissed off, even when he was drunk.

Allen could feel his face freezing as Caleb described Lily. He was going to kill Harold and Brad. He had told those sons of bitches to stay away from Lily. She was his. Lock, stock and barrel. Hell, he hadn’t even kissed her yet. All he had done was fantasize about it night after night and half the damn day. Shit, just the thought of them banging her was enough to make him crazy.

“
Lily!” Allen roared furiously. “Lily, get your ass out here. Now, dammit!”

Lily had finished putting the dirty clothes on to wash in the basement and returned to the kitchen where she was taking the dinner rolls out of the oven when she heard Allen yelling. She set the hot rolls on a folded dish towel and pulled off her oven mitts.

“
Allen, you owe me fifty cents. You said two bad words. Pay up.” Lily said as she walked into the living room.

Allen planned on saying a lot more than two bad words by the time he got done with her. She was about to find out she was his and he wasn’t going to share her, at least not with Harold and Brad. She belonged to him, dammit.

Before he could say another word the front door opened and Clive, his wife, Helen, Brad, Harold, and Ed walked into the foyer.

“
You sons of bitches. Which one of you assholes did Lily?” Allen yelled at Brad and Harold.

Caleb was beyond mad when he realized it hadn’t been his brother who had been making Lily laugh the way she had upstairs. When she had walked into the room he had been stunned. He hadn’t really had time to look her over before as she had been wearing a jacket over her blouse but now he could really see her. She was wearing one of his old plaid shirts which she had tied at the waist leaving her midriff peeking out. The top three buttons were undone. This allowed her ample cleavage to show. He had never realized how sexy one of his old shirts could be until then. She was going to have to rethink if she thought they were going to stand by and let these two assholes have her. Even the thought of them touching her was more than he could handle. She was theirs and they were willing to fight for her.

Brad and Harold looked at each other then at Lily who was watching Allen with horror. Clive’s wife, Helen, gasped and leaned into Clive.

“
I’m going to fucking kick your asses. I told you she was off limits but you two mother fuckers couldn’t keep your pants up. Which one of you fucked her in my room?” Allen demanded clenching his fists and taking a step toward them. All the days of watching them watch Lily came to a boil as he thought of them with their hands all over her.

Brad stuttered, “Allen. I, we, didn’t touch her I swear. You told us to leave her alone and we did just like you said. I swear. Harold was over at the March’s place helping Clem fix the roof on his barn and I was working with the new horses in the barn all afternoon until Caleb got back. Caleb, you saw me. I took care of Buck for you, remember?” Harold just stood there dumbly nodding his head up and down.

Ed cleared his throat, “Now Allen. Think about what you’re saying. Do you really think so little of Lily? Do you really think she would have…, you know, with someone in your bedroom?”

Lily just stood there mortified. She had never been accused of something like this in all her years of working with families. She hadn’t said anything at first because she just couldn’t believe what Allen and Caleb were accusing her of but the more she listened the madder she got. Straightening her shoulders she walked over to Allen and Caleb.

“
You owe me three dollars and fifty cents. I expect it to be in the nearest cursing jar by morning.” Lily said glaring up at Allen. Turning to Caleb she glared at him too, “You owe me the same amount for even thinking what you did plus an apology.”

Lily turned and looked at Harold and Brad, “I’m sorry you were put in such an awkward situation. It was never my intentions to embarrass either of you. I want you to know I enjoy your friendship and your company and you are welcome here any time you like.”

Lily looked at Helen, Clive and Ed, “I apologize you had to witness the lack of manners of these two men. I’m sure they will be on their best behavior for the remainder of the night because if they aren’t they will be sleeping in the barn tonight. Now, if everyone is ready for dinner I have everything ready in the dining room.”

Lily turned and pointed her finger at Caleb and Allen before she left the room, glaring at them she threatened both men in a stern voice, “If you know what’s good for you, you will be on your best behavior for the rest of the night or I swear I’ll whack you both upside your heads with my broom, you hear me?”

Ed and Clive chuckled under their breath while Helen followed Lily out of the room with a huff. Ed said gruffly, “Boys, if I didn’t know any better I’d think you were on the deep end of the manure pile tonight.”

Caleb and Allen just stood in the living room looking as everyone filed out of the room. “Well, I guess I’d better pay up or I’ll be getting cold oatmeal in the morning.” Allen said quietly pulling out his wallet and placing a five dollar bill in the jar on the table.

“
What the hell is a cursing jar and why do I feel like the lowest life form on Earth right now?” Caleb asked puzzled.

“
Lily doesn’t tolerate anyone using profanity. Anyone who does has to pay twenty-five cents per word.” Allen said. “The first couple of days I was up and about was bad. I had to borrow money from Clive to pay.”

“
What happens if you don’t pay?” Caleb asked curiously.

“
You don’t want to know. She comes up with all kinds of tortures. The first time she shut off the hot water heater so I had to take cold showers, then she fed me cold, lumpy oatmeal for breakfast. The worst thing is she won’t talk to you until you pay. And Caleb, she knows if you don’t. I don’t know how but she knows.”

Caleb looked at the jar then back at the dining room where he could hear Lily laughing with Helen about something that was said. “Do you have five dollars I can borrow?” He asked sheepishly.

The evening went well after the little incident in the living room. Lily hardly looked at Allen and Caleb which drove both men nuts. She asked questions and listened intently as Helen talked about her and Clive’s children and grandchildren. She asked Harold how Clem’s roof repair went and if he was going to have to be helping out any more. She even asked Brad how the horses were doing. After dinner and dessert the two women chased the men out into the living room to talk while they cleaned up the kitchen.

“
You know, both those boys feel lower than a pig’s belly right now.” Helen commented as she handed a dish to Lily to put up.

“
They’ll be all right. It serves them right thinking such horrible thoughts. Even if I had decided to be with either Harold or Brad or both of them for that matter it is none of their business.” Lily said as she shut the door to the cabinet a little harder than necessary.