View All Titles by Amber Carlton

STORY EXCERPT

She pulled the hat from her head, and her hair tumbled around her shoulders. Immediate relief descended over her as the dark veil hid the side of her face from Billy’s stare, but the look Raines gave her made a whole new level of discomfort surge through her. Frank had never looked at her that way. Cutter Raines-Raines Cutter’s deep blue eyes darkened to midnight and shone with a gleam of light she could only associate with the eyes of a bobcat intent on raiding the hen house. Her hand tightened on the butt of the pistol, but she suddenly knew she’d never have the strength or desire to use it on this man. No, this man offered too much promise for that.

He thrilled her and scared her at the same time. The fear roiling in her gut was familiar. She’d had a reasonably safe life, but fear paid a visit in this part of the country every day in one form or another—predators, weather, outlaws and, lately, soldiers on both sides of the new conflict. Each day brought a new challenge and new anxieties. Even acquaintances brought fear. Nathaniel Prentice flickered through her mind.

She could deal with the fear. But that thrill? Her blood seemed to course through her veins with lightning speed, growing hotter and hotter as she struggled for breath.

Raines reached out and lifted a lock of hair from her shoulder. His fingers rubbed the texture as his gaze roamed across her chest. Finally he lifted his eyes to hers, staring from the dark shadows of his brows. “This has suddenly taken an interesting turn. And what might your terms be, girl?”

Her mouth dried up like the riverbanks in a bad season. Her words stuck to the roof of her mouth. She forced them out, nearly choking. “I think I can make them worth your while.”

His hand swept under her hair and tugged her closer. His fingers burned against her skin. She squirmed under the light caressing touch. She didn’t know if she wanted to draw away or push herself directly into his arms.

Billy sidled closer. She couldn’t find the nerve to look at him, but heard him take a deep raspy breath, then choke and spit something onto the ground. She shuddered and refused to look at whatever horrible thing he had dislodged. The aroma of sweaty, liquor-soaked skin nearly overwhelmed her and made her want to puke. But the feel of those fingers on her neck would be her undoing. They coiled something in her gut, twisting lower and lower and moisture leaked from her body. That couldn’t be good at all.

“She smells pretty, Raines.”

“Indeed she does.” A smile lifted the corner of his mouth.

She cleared her throat and drew back a step. His hand followed the line of her body, down her shoulder blades, across her breast, until distance separated them. She tugged on her jacket, trying to find some level of respectability. Respectability had flown away somewhere further down the road, perhaps in the destruction of her father’s house. More likely it had vanished when she stepped out of the bushes and saw this man.

He’s not good for you. Get in the wagon.

She didn’t move. She couldn’t move. Her feet seemed stuck in quicksand. She’d heard of quicksand, and the thought terrified her—being pulled inexorably toward an unknown with no escape, no help of any kind. Her father had scolded her for that irrational fear, telling her quicksand did not exist in the glorious state of Kentucky. But now she knew why she shuddered when she heard the word. Kentucky held quicksand of a different type. One look at this man told her that.

“So, about those terms?” the man said.

Her mind whirled. Martin had coins. No, no, they’d need those. She had no idea what troubles they might find, and she doubted anyone would hand Jane and the others back to her because she had a slip of crumpled paper. This man worked for gold. With his size, his stern demeanor and that hint of violence smoldering beneath the surface, he seemed worth any amount of gold to get a job done. Besides gold, what might entice this man to help her? She could think of only one thing. No, no, she couldn’t do—

He rubbed the back of his fingers over his jaw and that simple sound caused the moisture to leak from her privates again. Her knees threatened to buckle as his stare wandered down her body. He might do it. Would it be so bad? She almost sighed with the thought and wanted someone to kick her in the ass.

She wished she wore a dress and hoped she looked enticing enough to be worth this man’s time, or at least presentable enough. His eyes seemed to say she did. She couldn’t believe what she was about to say, but desperate people did desperate things. Despite her bravado with Ellie, she couldn’t handle Prentice on her own. She squared her shoulders and shook off what remained of the respectable widow. She stepped into the quicksand and fell into the abyss of this man’s dark cloud.

“I’m willing to offer myself. For however long it takes to do the job.”

Raines cocked his head. “For what exactly? Billy does the cooking.”

“Yeah, I do the—”

Raines held up his hand, and Billy shut up.

“For whatever, well, whatever your needs are,” Jessie stammered.

“Ah,” Raines said. He tilted his head back and stared at the darkening sky. “You couldn’t begin to understand my needs. I’m a rather complicated man. Dissecting my needs has become the hobby of professionals and—”

“Mr. Raines, are you being dense on purpose?”

For one moment a flash of horror swept through her at her own temerity and arrogance. Why would this man even be interested in her terms? Her gaze roamed down that hard, muscled body, over that handsome if somewhat dangerous-looking face. This man could have any woman he wanted and probably had.

Raines studied her closely, the dark shadow of his hat moving across his face like a coming storm. When he raised his eyes back to hers, she knew his thoughts and her body shuddered against her will. She had ventured into unknown territory and there was no way she’d come out unscathed. What brewed in this man could tear her world apart.

“Are we talking about fucking? If so, I think we can do some business.”

She controlled the gasp threatening to tear from her mouth. She might have been thinking of that, but to have it stated so bluntly made her wonder when she’d lost her mind. She steeled herself and stepped out of the frying pan and into the fire. “Yes, that’s what I’m talking about.”

“We have a deal then, Miss…?” His brow rose.

“It’s missus. Mrs. Jessie McGee.”

His dark brows drew down in a frown. He shook his head as though to clear a disturbing thought and glanced at Billy.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Nothing,” he said, shaking his head again. “No deal. I don’t fuck married women. My life has trouble enough.”

“I’m a widow, Mr. Raines, so you’ll have nothing to worry about. My husband won’t be crawling from his grave any time soon.”

He glanced at Billy again. She curbed her impatience, clenching her fists against her legs and forcing her feet to stay where they were. Some look passed between them that she didn’t understand. Raines rubbed a hand across his mouth and seemed to consider for a moment. He stuck out his hand. She stared at it stupidly then raised her own. He enveloped hers in a sure, strong grip. He turned to Billy as the other man dropped his hand over theirs and squeezed.

“Well, my friend,” Raines said, “our comfort level just increased.”

A huge twisted smile formed on Billy’s face. Jessie’s heart stopped. She glanced between the two men, desperate to find some hint of a joke. She yanked her hand away. “What?”

Raines clapped Billy on his lopsided shoulder. “Billy and I live a hard, sometimes lonely, life. We share everything, don’t we, Billy?”

“That we do, Cutter.” He lurched closer to her and gripped a lock of her hair, bringing it to his runny nose. His eye winked at her. “This is gonna be fun.”

“Oh, dear God,” Jessie squeaked.

HOT SEXCERPT

WARNING: Explicit double penetration

Billy gripped her hips. “You’re not going anywhere, darlin’. Now put your feet on my shoulders.”

She hurried to do what he asked. He spread her legs further apart and stopped talking, putting all his effort into his work. He shoved his hands under her ass and lifted. He slid his tongue down her slit and sucked her pussy lips into his mouth one at a time. With her legs on his shoulders, her pussy was spread wide, and he pressed his tongue inside and started fucking her with his tongue. She thrust her hips up to his mouth, matching the rhythm of his tongue.

Billy licked back up her slit until his mouth latched onto her clit with a vengeance, sucking until her body lifted off the blanket and slammed back down. She thought her heart would burst through her chest. The blood ripped through her veins, and sweat dotted her brow. She trembled when two of his fingers slipped inside her pussy, driving hard. He sucked her clit hard again, and her entire body quaked as her pussy spasmed around his fingers, and a wave of intense pulses shattered through her.

When she let out a huge sigh, Billy lifted his head. “She’s more than ready.”

“Ready?” she gasped. She lifted to her elbows. “I think I’m done.”

Billy shook his head. “Oh no, darlin’. Not by a long shot. Make up your mind, Cutter?”

“Yep.”

Billy rolled his eyes. “And?”

Raines picked up the jar of cream. “I plan to beat you to something for once. I’m going to do it.”

Billy climbed up Jessie’s body and gave her a kiss. She tasted herself on his lips. “Gotta tell you, that man is pure sacrifice.” He threw himself on the blanket. “Get on top of me, Jessie.”

She rolled over and straddled him, grabbing his swollen cock. She couldn’t resist. She leaned down and swiped her tongue across the tip. Billy lurched beneath her and gulped in a huge gasp of air. She gave him another kiss then slowly lowered herself onto his cock, relishing the sensation as her soaked pussy engulfed it with ease, laughing and throwing back her head with the sheer joy of the contact.

Raines moved behind her and his breath fanned across her skin. He whispered huskily against her neck, “Might not be laughing in a minute, honey.”

She leaned back against his chest and gave him a smile. “Oh, Cutter, don’t be such a chicken. I’ll be fine.”

His mouth came down on hers hard, stealing her breath and half of her reason. Billy wiggled beneath her, pushing his cock further inside and drawing her back to reality.

Raines kissed her jaw, nipping at her skin, then put his hand on the back of her head and pushed her gently toward Billy. She lay on his chest and his arms wrapped around her. She waited breathlessly while Raines smoothed his hands over her ass, gently stroking her flesh. When he spread her cheeks, she felt a cool, creamy substance coat her flesh. She shivered slightly at both the sensation and the intrusion, a tight gulp locked in her throat.

A finger slid inside her ass, slowly, methodically, gently. She tensed and clenched against the invasion. Billy tightened his arms around her.

“Just relax, darlin’,” Billy whispered in her ear. “We’re going to take care of you.”

As she grew accustomed to the foreign sensation, th