Lydia's Twin Temptation (9 page)

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Chance glanced at Lydia’s face as they slowed for the turn under the steel pipe entryway to the Rockin’ C Ranch. He’d pointed it out to her, and she’d repositioned the seat and sat forward as it came into view. Now her pink lips were parted as she gaped at it and the gorgeous spread beyond it that he called home.

“Oh, my word.”

Pleasure rippled through Chance at her awed declaration. “Like it?”

She turned her round-eyed gaze on him and said, “I knew it was big, but I’ve seen plenty of big ranches. This is…”

They crested the top of the first hill so she could see beyond it. The full view couldn’t be appreciated from the entry or the highway until a vehicle came to the top of the first rise. He took great delight in rolling to a stop so she could get her first clear view of the Rockin’ C Ranch. She laid both her hands on the dashboard and leaned forward to look through the windshield. Her expression was nothing short of awe.

The ranch house was about a mile away in the distance. Gentle hills rolled out between, with the long drive winding through. Big round hay bales dotted the landscape on one side of the drive where they’d recently mowed the field, and part of the cattle herd occupied the cross-fenced sections on the other side.

Beyond the large, stone-faced house sat the barns, outbuildings and the large, older ranch house that the ranch hands used as their residence. The older house had been the original residence, built and occupied by his grandparents. His parents had built the newer, bigger house which Chance and Clayton now lived in by themselves, since their parents and grandparents had all passed on.

Beyond the group of buildings towered a stand of ancient oak trees and the greenbelt that grew on either side of Divine Creek. Their ranch extended into the rolling Hill Country quite a distance beyond the creek.

Across the creek, to the east a few miles distance, was the Divine Creek Ranch, owned by Jack Warner, Ethan Grant, and Adam Davis, and their beautiful wife Grace. Neighboring the Rockin’ C Ranch was the MWTD Ranch, owned by Jack’s first cousins, Kendall, Boone, and Richard Warner and their lovely bride-to-be Maya Daire.

They’d recently traversed that greenbelt along the creek, coming to the Warners’ aid when Maya had been tracked there and shot by her deceased husband’s former business partner. Maya was thankfully recovering and appeared to be doing well the last time he saw her. The man who had tried to steal her inheritance from her was now behind bars in the custody of the State of Texas.

The hills and fields before them were green from recent rains, and the edges of the drive were dotted here and there with yellow and orange wildflowers. Chance wondered how it must look to her and couldn’t imagine a prettier place to live. He hoped she was feeling the same way right now. It said a lot to him that her first question was not how large the ranch was.

Watching the expression on her face, he finally reiterated, “What do you think?”

Lydia never took her eyes off of it but laid her warm, soft hand over his. “It’s magnificent.”

“I think so, too. Thank you, baby.”

“I never dreamed this is what I would see at the end of this trip. You love coming home, don’t you?”

Chance chuckled and nodded his head in agreement. “Yes, I do. Rolling over this spot, right here, is the best ‘welcome home’ in the world.”

Sitting back, she replied, “I believe that.”

He took his foot off the brake, and the truck slowly coasted down the first hill. She switched between looking out her window and looking out the windshield as she got a good look at the place.

He took the long driveway slow and grinned when he noticed Clayton come out the front screen door and stand at the top of the steps on the deep front porch. From a distance he thought his brother did a pretty good job at appearing nonchalant as he leaned against one of the heavy support posts.

He cast a critical eye at the landscaping around the house, or lack thereof, and decided she could hire a landscaper if it made her happy. The two half-grown oak trees in the front yard provided nice shade leading up to the porch but not much in the way of welcoming color.

He pulled around the circular, concrete drive under the shade of the trees and put the dually in park. Lydia turned to him and licked her lips as though she were nervous.

Chance brushed a thick, silky lock of hair from her shoulder, gently stroked the back of her neck, and said, “One step at a time. Why don’t you say hello to Clayton and then go have a look around your new home. We’ll get everything unloaded and I’ll put your things in your bedroom upstairs. Are you nervous?”

Her eyelashes swept down and covered her anxious turquoise-blue eyes and she bit her lower lip then nodded. “A little.”

“Clayton is glad you’re here. See how harmless he looks? I promise he won’t bite. At least not unless you ask him to.”

His comment made her giggle, and he hoped it set her at ease. It was just the first step that was a doozy for her, he supposed. Glancing over her shoulder, he watched Clayton saunter slowly down the steps and reach for her door. Chance hoped this was a good place for them to start.

Chapter Nine

Lydia smiled back at Chance as she heard the truck door open beside her. He nodded reassuringly at her, and she turned to greet Clayton.
This is it. Everything has changed now. What must he be thinking?

Myriad, confusing thoughts swirled in her brain as she looked into his more serious, mesmerizing blue gaze. That was the difference she always noticed between Chance and Clayton when they’d come in the café together. Clayton was every bit as kind and gentlemanly as Chance, but there was a hint of reserve to him whereas Chance almost couldn’t help but smile and tease. She found Clayton’s taciturnity intriguing rather than intimidating.

Like Chance, he was dressed in jeans and a button-down shirt. A pale straw cowboy hat sat upon his head, and he was wearing the requisite cowboy boots. Chance opened the driver-side door, and when he pushed it open it drew a draft from her side of the vehicle, pulling in the heat of the late afternoon and the clean scent of a recently showered man.

Perhaps sensing her hesitance, Clayton said, “Welcome home, Lydia. Can I help you down?” She smiled and nodded at him. Even up high in the truck, she was still at eye level with him as he reached in for her. After she released the seat belt, he slid his forearms under her knees and around her back and lifted her from the seat.

She bit her lip at the motion, still a little unsettled by both men’s willingness to do that. None of the guys she’d ever dated had been strong enough or had the inclination to heft her curvy frame around like these two seemed to enjoy doing. Clayton must’ve picked up on her disconcertion because he gave her a small smile.

“You’re as light as a feather.” he murmured reassuringly as he backed away from the truck. He lingered with her in his arms perhaps a second or two longer than needed, then surprised her with a kiss on the cheek. His jaw was smooth against hers, and she detected the barest hint of aftershave as he brushed his lips against her cheek. Proving that her body didn’t care about the particulars or risks of polyamorous relationships, her pussy warmed instantly in response to his scent and touch.

Clayton carefully set her on her feet, and she took in the front of the house, trying to distract herself from her reaction to the contact. It had a deep, wraparound front porch, and the native stone that covered the exterior walls reminded her of Sunday houses she’d seen in Fredericksburg, Texas, on a summer vacation years before.

Clayton quietly said, “There is no one else in the house, if you’d like to go in and have a look around your domain. I hope you’ll be happy here.”

Smiling at his word choice, Lydia replied, “I’m sure I will, Clayton. Thank you.”

She started to slip away from him, feeling like there had been more she should say or wondering if there was more he wanted to say. Clayton took hold of her hand, and when Lydia looked up at him, he said, “I’m really glad you came.”

Relaxing just a notch when she saw a momentary trace of a smile and vulnerability in his eyes, Lydia smiled wholeheartedly at him and replied, “I am, too, Clayton. I’ll be inside.”

He nodded, releasing her hand. She heard Chance’s and Clayton’s deep voices in conversation as she made her way up the steps to the front door. She turned the knob on the heavy oak door, catching a hint of the naturally lit interior through the leaded-glass windows in the door. It swung open silently, and she stepped in, sighing contentedly as the cool air greeted her. She closed the door and walked into the foyer. The house was enormous and beautiful.

To her left was a living room, complete with upholstered couches and chairs and a very complicated-looking home theater system. The head of an axis deer hung on one wall opposite of a moose head. One wall was lined with bookshelves. To her right was a formal dining room containing a table that could easily seat twenty, two large china cabinets, and a buffet between them. The room looked as though it didn’t get used very often, but she hoped to change that.

The soles of her shoes echoed quietly on the tan ceramic tile as she moved past the staircase landing. She spied what appeared to be a home office to her left, judging by the paperwork avalanche waiting to happen on one of the desks. Ahead of her was a spacious family room with a bear head rug in the center of it. A mounted elk head graced one wall, and a bighorn sheep head with massive curling horns hung from the other. Couches and other comfortable-looking furniture were positioned around the rug, making it an inviting space for a get-together.

Looking to her right, Lydia gasped in delight. Un-self-consciously, she rushed into the kitchen and wanted to jump up and down with glee. She was going to be
very
happy here.

The kitchen was spacious, well lit both by natural light from skylights above as well as from the windows. In the center of the room was a large island with a cooktop on one side and a sink at one end. Whoever had designed this room had loved to cook. The appliances were all newer and large enough to handle the job of feeding a big group. She ran her fingertips along the front edge of a large, restaurant-grade stove and oven. Judging by the dust her fingers picked up, it must not have gotten much use. That was going to change.

She heard Clayton and Chance come in and go up the stairs as she looked in the numerous cabinets and drawers. Getting a feel for what sorts of tools and small appliances were there, she determined that she’d take an inventory first thing in the morning. It had been a few years since anyone had spent quality time in this kitchen judging by the age of what she found.

Perhaps one of their parents or their grandparents had loved to entertain, because she found a lot of vintage glassware and china. With the addition of a few new tools and a little reorganization she could make this work, but there was a layer of dust and grime on a lot of it. She’d have to rise early in the morning if she wanted to be able to serve the men of the ranch a decent meal the following night.

After a quick investigation of the pantry and its limited contents, she took a peek in the double garage. One set of double doors faced the front of the house, and another set of double doors opened out to the side of the house. Another pickup truck was parked inside, which she assumed was Clayton’s.

Deciding on a simple meal for that night, she removed a soup pot from one of the cabinets and filled it with water at the deep sink. Once she had it heating on the large stove, she wiped down the large island and began pulling ingredients from the pantry and the refrigerator. The garlic and mushrooms were chopped for spaghetti before she laid the knife down with a chuckle. She’d gotten so caught up in her excitement over the kitchen and the prospect of cooking for Chance and Clayton that she’d forgotten she still hadn’t seen the upstairs.

After checking the big pot on the stove, she looked around the kitchen, reliving the thrill of discovery and the joy in the challenge that lay ahead, and walked back through the house.

She didn’t hear anyone downstairs, so she took the stairs up to the second story. What appeared to be bedroom doors lined both sides of the long upstairs hallway, seven doors in all. The first two on the left were probably guest rooms because they didn’t look lived in. Behind the next door was a large bathroom.

Across the hall were two larger bedrooms which Lydia guessed belonged to Chance and Clayton. Both rooms were relatively neat but lived in. They also looked more comfortable. She didn’t intrude very far into their spaces but noted that there was an adjoining bathroom between their rooms.

At the end of the hallway to the left of the last door was a flight of stairs that led back down to the kitchen, by the pantry. She peeked in the last door and realized she hadn’t heard either of the men. She assumed they’d gone down the back stairs as she’d gone up the front stairs.

Stepping into the last room, she did a double take. Her three boxes, all she owned in the world besides Gunther, were lined up neatly on the end of the king-size bed. The large suite of rooms was neat and tidy and smelled of furniture polish and the odor of lemon-scented cleaning supplies.

The room had been freshly cleaned this morning and obviously made ready for a new occupant, but they’d given her the
master suite
. She walked across the plush area rug into the bathroom and practically swooned at the sight of the large whirlpool tub and separate shower. There were two vanities and two separate walk-in closets.

“Oh, my goodness.”

“Do you like it?”

The voice was close behind her, and Lydia embarrassed herself by screaming in fright. Clayton gently squeezed her shoulders and apologized. “I’m sorry, Lydia. I thought you heard me walk in. Are you okay?” His hands felt strong and steady at her upper arms, and she let him pull her to him for a hug. “I’m sorry I scared you.”

His chest was a hard, unyielding wall of muscle, but his words were kind as he patted her back and then released her.

“I’m sorry I’m so jumpy. I thought I was alone. Clayton, can I ask a question?”

“Sure.”

“Why are my things in the master suite?”

“So that you’d have your own adjoining bathroom and plenty of space. Chance said you were used to living in cramped quarters, so we thought we’d let you have the master suite.”

“That’s really thoughtful of you but I wouldn’t have minded being put in one of the smaller bedrooms. It doesn’t seem right.”

“What doesn’t seem right? Wanting you to be as comfortable as you can be? I don’t want you in one of the smaller rooms, Lydia. This room and that bedroom are right where you should be. I got you some help from the local employment agency. She’ll be helping you around here, doing whatever you need done.”

“Chance told me you would get someone to help me. Thank you.” She relished the challenge the house presented, but an extra pair of hands would probably be a good idea. She didn’t want them to think she was greedy. “I hope it wasn’t a bother to do that.”

Clayton shrugged nonchalantly. “This is a pretty big house. We’re not that messy, but if you’re going to be feeding a big crowd of men on certain days you’re going to need some help.”

After working at the café, she knew she could handle just about anything thrown her way. She reminded herself that she was no longer in survival mode and should take the help that was being offered to her.

“Okay. I’m grateful, Clayton. Thank you for this, too.” She gestured to the bedroom. “Did
you
move out of here this morning and clean it so thoroughly?”

Clayton nodded. “I couldn’t leave my whiskers in the sink, now could I? It was no big deal.” Both rooms were immaculate, and to her it was a big deal.

Hearing a noise out front, she went to the bedroom window and drew back the white lace curtains, catching sight of Chance’s dually as it pulled away with the U-Haul hooked behind it. Gunther wasn’t parked in front of the house.

Clayton stepped up behind her and said, “Chance is taking the U-Haul to the rental place in Divine after he drops your car off at the local mechanic. He’s a good friend and a reputable businessman. He can tell us for certain what is wrong with your car and fix it if that’s what you want done.”

“I hope he can fix it.” For a long time that car had been her only link to freedom, and it made her a wee bit nervous to watch it go.

“You’re pretty attached to your car, aren’t you?”

“I know it’s silly, but yeah. I am.”

She turned to face him with the window at her back, and he didn’t back away.

“We’ll do what we can to see that it’s running again soon. Lydia?”

The tone he used to speak her name sent a rivulet of heat up her spine, and she hesitated for a moment before looking up into his eyes. “Clayton, I—”

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion as he lifted his hands to her jaw and gave her the gentlest kiss she’d ever experienced. His hand was steady at her jaw, but his breath shuddered slightly, possibly giving a hint of the passion he was trying to control.

Her pussy bloomed with heat and moisture for him, and her heart pounded in her chest as his fingers slid into the hair at the nape of her neck and tilted her head back a bit farther so he could deepen the kiss. She groaned as his tongue slid sensuously against hers and she tasted his mouth for the first time. Her pussy quivered with longing, and she realized she was holding tightly to his shirt front.

Lord, have mercy. I am putty in their hands.

He retreated from the kiss slowly, stroking her lower lip with his thumb and flicking the tip of his tongue against it before withdrawing.

“Any regrets so far?” His voice was laden with desire, and as her befuddled brain came back online she became aware of the long, hard ridge at his groin pressed against her abdomen.

Incapable of speech, she gave a small shake of her head as she gazed into his eyes.

Brushing his lower lip against hers, he murmured, “My only regret is that I haven’t done that before now. I wish I’d been as persistent as my brother and that I had been with him yesterday.”

“Clayton—”

He smiled and laid a fingertip over her lips. “I know you need time, Lydi.” He sighed and said, “I have time to make up for and I feel—” He hesitated and then released her with a sigh.

“You feel what?”
What, please! Tell me because I have no idea what I’m doing!

He smiled almost apologetically at her and said, “There will be plenty of time to talk later. I’m sorry if I got a little pushy there.”

“Oh. Okay. Um—I have something heating up downstairs.”

Boy, do I ever!

The moment the words were out of her mouth, her cheeks flooded with heat and she ducked around him and hurried out the door.
Heating up downstairs, indeed.
She needed a fresh change of panties she was so wet from his kiss.