This time was slower. Sweeter. More intimate, more like making love than straight up fucking. Keeping his mouth attached to hers, he shaped her luscious breasts with his hands, avoiding her pebbled nipples entirely. Contenting himself with tracing her lush contours, a teasing touch of his fingertips on the upper swell as his thumbs swept the side near her armpits, until she began to shake with increased desire. He caressed the strong muscles in her bare back and squeezed the delicious curve of her ass as she lifted and lowered on his cock. They sustained the languorous kiss until the very end when the thrusts grew shorter and faster.

Her chest was slick with sweat. As was his. When she bowed backward, changing the angle so he could thrust deeper, his thumb found her clit and he brought her to the brink, keeping her there, greedily watching the pleasure cross her face, until the pivotal moment, her internal muscles clamped down on his cock and he smashed his mouth back to hers, swallowing her cries as they sailed over the edge of insanity together.

While she slumped against him, catching her breath, Cash released her hands, rubbing them vigorously to return blood flow.

Gemma nuzzled his jaw, the coarse cotton of the blindfold catching on his cheek. "I never imagined it could be this good again."

Part of him wanted to ask if she meant their second round of sex, or whether she meant with a man other than her late husband, but a larger part of Cash couldn't stand to hear the truth.

She sighed. "You're quiet. You okay?"

"Fine. Great. Just tired."

"No round three, then?" she teased.

"We'll see."

"Speaking of seeing...could you take this off?"

"Sure. Can you stand up first? I'm getting a cramp in my leg."

"Oh sorry."

He was reluctant to remove the blindfold, though he did so, his gut clenched in fear at what he might see in her eyes. Or what she might recognize in his. Cash tenderly kissed her eyelids, her eyebrows, the corners of her eyes, the bridge of her nose, every part that'd been covered by the cloth. She didn't melt into him, rather, held herself stiff. With a sinking sensation, he whispered, "I'm gonna head upstairs." And he turned away so she couldn't see his face.

After he hit the bathroom he crawled in bed. A sick feeling settled in the pit of his stomach.

Was she staying away, wallowing in regret?

Eventually Gemma entered the room. He feigned sleep as she climbed between the cool cotton sheets. She didn't snuggle up to him. They stayed on their respective sides of the queen-sized bed, back to back. Cash had almost drifted off for real, when the bed creaked and he heard her get up. Her light footfalls stopped at the window.

He laid there in silence, in misery, pretending sleep as he listened to her soft sniffles.

Never a good sign to hear the woman you'd just spent hours making love to, crying as if her heart was breaking.

Chapter Seven.

Lord it was hot.

Macie wiped the sweat from her forehead with the inside of her arm and dropped the empty bucket near the water pump. A low groan drifted out from the barn. Weird. The door was ajar. Curious about the strange noise she heard, she stepped inside and immediately was plunged from bright sunshine into darkness. She picked her way through discarded tools littering the dirt floor, the scent of hay and feed and horseflesh overwhelming her senses. She rounded the corner by the last wooden stall and stopped.

Three men were crammed in the small space. Three men, naked, except for their cowboy hats and boots. She couldn't see their faces, but at the moment it wasn't their faces she was interested in.

They were all buck-ass naked. Oh, man, it'd be a damn shame to cover up such glorious bodies under chaps, jeans and long-sleeved shirts. These hunky cowboys should be all nude, all the time.

Two men studied a man who was bound. His muscular arms were stretched above his head, his strong wrists tied together and hooked to a long rope. His feet were spread wide, though the tips of his boots scarcely touched the hay-strewn ground. His bulky thigh muscles were rigid from the strain. A single thin golden sunbeam blazed between the wooden slats, highlighting his sweat-coated skin.

Macie's eyes drank him in. Of the three, he was the most striking. Wide, defined shoulders. A hairless chest with sharply sculpted pectorals. His biceps bulged with corded muscles and thick veins. As her gaze swept down to his ribcage and his tapered waist, to the dent in his navel, the other two naked cowboys blocked her view of his groin.

Damn.

But she watched in fascination as the men murmured to him before each one latched onto a flat bronze nipple. The bound cowboy arched, but no sound emerged. The blond man suckling his right nipple reached down between the man's legs. Although Macie couldn't see specifics, by the way the bound cowboy bucked, and by the way the guy's hand moved up and down, she had a pretty good idea what was being done to him.

A fireball of heat blazed through her.

The dark-haired man on the left brought his fingers to the bound cowboy's mouth. The bound man parted his lips and sucked the offered digits to the knuckles. The man withdrew his wet fingers and reached around the bound cowboy's hip, his arm dropping below the phantom belt line.

A stuttered breath left the bound cowboy's mouth and he jerked once before a low-pitched groan escaped. Sweat beaded his upper lip. More perspiration coated his golden skin. He twisted beneath the men's ministrations and the ropes, yet his cowboy hat remained in place, covering his face.

Laughing, the two men abandoned the bound cowboy. The dark-haired man hooked his arm around the blond's neck and yanked him close. They fell on each other like long lost lovers. Hard male body slid against another hard male body. Cowboy hats hit the dirt as hungry mouths met in a ravenous kiss. The sounds of heavy breathing and of rough hands caressing even rougher skin echoed as the pungent musk of animals and sex hung in the air.

Macie's panties grew damp. She felt like a pervert but she couldn't make herself flee the sexy scene. There was something electrifying about three strong men lost in a taboo passion, no need to be gentle, doing to each other exactly what they'd like done to them.

The dark-haired man fisted one hand in the blond's hair and the other around the blond's long cock. He forcefully stroked the thick length, yanking back the blond's head to savage his throat, muttering unintelligible words against his skin.

The blond moaned.

The dark-haired cowboy released his hold on the man's hair as his open mouth skated across his lover's upper torso, his tongue tracing the dips and valleys of the musculature. He suckled the pebbled tips of the blond's pale nipples, biting down hard enough to cause the blond to gasp. Then he scraped his fingers over the taut washboard abs, flicking the tip of his tongue around the belly ring and through the thick nest of light hair before he fell to his knees.

Macie chanced a peek at the bound cowboy. His cock twitched against his stomach as he watched the two men from beneath the brim of his hat. A part of it, yet apart from it. A strange sense of deja vu surfaced.

"Open your mouth," the blond demanded, drawing Macie's attention back to the male couple.

Shaking his head, the dark-haired cowboy lifted the blond's cock and nuzzled his low-slung balls before his tongue darted out and licked them. Thoroughly. Then that long flickering tongue disappeared behind the tight sacs.

"Lick it. More. Get it wet. Yeah, push your tongue inside." He canted his hips. "Deeper. That's it. Fuck my ass with that greedy tongue. Stick it in as far as you can."

The dark-haired man's thick fingers pushed the inside of the blond's thighs as far apart as possible so he could bury his face beneath the blond's cock and balls. Wiggling his head as he dove deeper, he made wet, slurping sounds, sucking, moaning, grinding his hips and cock into the blond's shin.

The blond watched, wild-eyed as the man on his knees pulled back and brought the furry blond balls completely into his mouth again. "Like that. Yeah. Use your teeth a little. Roll them together. Now suck them. Jesus, that's so good. I love to watch you."

After the dark-haired cowboy released the globes with an audible wet pop, the blond grabbed the brunette's head and rammed his rosy meat into his lover's mouth.

The dark-haired cowboy made a choking noise and backed off, releasing the cock until just the tip remained in his mouth.

The blond thrust his hips hard, keeping his hands clamped to his lover's head. "Deeper. Come on. Take me all the way down that throat. Don't pretend you don't love it when I fuck your face."

The enthusiastic sucking sounds and the answering guttural demands mesmerized her. The blond would pull his wet cock out completely, circling the weeping purple head around the other man's swollen lips before plunging back in to the root.

Saliva dribbled down the dark-haired man's chin and neck. He kept up the frantic pace, digging his fingertips into his lover's hips with enough force to leave marks. Making greedy, happy hums that seemed to heighten the blond's pleasure.

The unbearably erotic interlude didn't last long. The blond cowboy muttered, "Fuck, here it comes," as he clutched the man's dark hair, and tipped his chin down so every inch of his cock was lodged in the man's throat, his ass muscles flexing with every spurt.

Macie was surprised at their collective stillness as the dark-haired cowboy gruffly swallowed. She glanced over at the bound cowboy, who was fighting against his restraints, his cock still hard as a railroad spike, yet, telltale wetness spread across his belly.

The blond man stumbled back as the dark-haired cowboy rose to his feet. A sexy, secret smile, followed by a gentle touch of the blond's hands. Then they exchanged a sinuous full-body hug, cock to cock, their hands stroking, caressing sweaty, bared skin as they shared a hot, long soul kiss.

Sweat trickled between her breasts and her nipples tingled as if they were touching her.

After they reluctantly broke apart, exchanging soft murmurs and soft laughter, they moved toward the bound cowboy as one unit.

"See what you've been missing?"

"We know you like to watch us," the blond said. "That's why you've been sneaking in here."

"Lucky for you we ain't done yet." They turned the bound man sideways and the dark-haired man disappeared into the shadows and returned with a sawhorse.

"And lucky for you, we'll let you participate. Isn't that what you've secretly hoped for, cowboy?" The blond circled the bound cowboy and plucked up his forgotten hat. "Have you ever been sucked off by a man?"

The bound cowboy grunted, "Fuck no."

Both men laughed. Then the dark-haired one said, "Then we'll make it memorable. No one knows how to suck cock better than another man." He positioned the sawhorse close to the bound cowboy's thighs. Then he slapped the blond hard on the butt. "You know how I want it. Bend over and spread those ass cheeks. I wanna see every inch of that hole."

Where had she heard that before?

Without argument, the blond placed his chest on the sawhorse. His mouth was directly across from the bound cowboy's straining cock. He smiled wickedly and the bound cowboy stopped squirming and seemed to hold his breath.

The dark-haired man reached into his boot and pulled out a condom and rolled it on. He moistened his fingers with his mouth, then traced them down the blond's crack and plunged them inside his ass.

The blond wiggled back. "Give me your cock or your tongue, not your fingers."

"I've already tongued you, that'll have to do for lube. It's gonna be one hard ride." The dark-haired cowboy lifted the ass in front of him higher, pulling apart the cheeks as his cock prodded the blond's dark hole. One thrust of his hips and his dick disappeared completely.

"Yes," the blond hissed. "Harder."

"Damn. No matter how many times I do this to you, you're always so fucking tight."

Macie focused on the blond circling his hands around the bound man's ass, bringing that big, straining cock to his mouth and swallowing it in one greedy gulp.

As the dark-haired man's cock reamed the blond man's asshole, each hard thrust sent the blond man's mouth further down the length of the bound man's cock, until his nose was buried in dark pubic hair. Then he'd release the cock slowly, and bring it fully back into his mouth, each hungry stroke increasing in speed and suction The scene looked as smooth as a choreographed dance. Like these cowboys had fucked each other well and often. The blond bobbed his head. Grunts burst from the bound cowboy as he began to pump his hips into the blond's face.

But the blond retreated and nuzzled the bound man's quivering belly. "Do you want me to finish you?"

"Yes," he hissed.

"You want to come in my mouth? In a man's mouth?"

"Yes, goddamn you, finish it."

With a loud slurp, the bound man's distended cock was once again buried between the blond's lips. Skin slapped skin. The sawhorse squeaked with the escalating thrusts. The musky odor of sweat and sex and dirt permeated the air.

Macie was so worked up, she slid her hand down inside her underwear. She slicked up her finger with her own juices and frantically rubbed her swollen clit, aching for fast relief, sighing when the familiar throbbing began.

The dark-haired man panted, "Shit, Dooce, I can't hold back."

Dooce? Macie made a surprised noise. The dark-haired man looked over his shoulder briefly as he pounded his meat into Dooce's ass like a man possessed. At that point she realized the dark-haired man was her ex-boyfriend, Dante.

Dooce turned and glared at her. "What are you doing here? He doesn't want you. No one wants you."

The bound cowboy finally looked up and his cowboy hat slid off his head.

Her heart stopped; the man was none other than Carter McKay.

Their eyes met and he said hoarsely, "I want you, Macie, in ways no man ever has. I want to give you everything you've ever wanted."

She closed her eyes at the heat in his eyes and the perfection of his quiet declaration. She slumped against the chute, finding it soft as a pillow.

A pillow?

Macie's eyes flew open. She sat straight up and looked around. She wasn't in a darkened barn, but in a darkened camper.

Dammit. It was another dream, a variation on the dream she'd been having the past two months. Except, it wasn't really a dream since the scenario was very close to the real one she'd walked in on in Dante's apartment. Dante on his knees, Dooce jacking off as Dante fucked Dooce's ass like a madman. It'd been rough, and raw, and unbelievably hot. She'd stayed hidden in the shadows of the hallway, ashamed she'd gotten off at the sight of Dante's sexual synchronicity with Dooce-a synchronicity she and Dante had never experienced.

No wonder. She hadn't been born with a penis.

So why did her subconscious place Carter at that scene? Because he was an artist like Dante? Because she wondered if Carter was gay? The last two times she'd experienced this dream, she was the one tied up and forced to watch the two men fuck like animals. Was Carter's presence because she was afraid the situation with him would turn out the same as every other past relationship -with her on the outside looking in?

A therapist would have a field day with that one.

She glanced at the clock. The red numbers flashed five a.m. No use going back to sleep now-the alarm would ring in another half hour anyway.

Macie cleaned up, dressed, and braided her hair before she hopped in her SUV and navigated her way to work.

Late yesterday afternoon, after she and her father finished their meal at the local diner, he'd sped off to Gemma's ranch to set up the camper. She'd sensed he needed to be alone with his thoughts and to gauge his new responsibilities without her chattering at him. So she'd lingered in the booth, thinking of her best friend Kat, wondering how she'd managed to be a third wheel again. Then she noticed the "help wanted" sign by the cash register and asked the waitress about the opening.

Velma-the sixty-something owner of the Last Chance Diner-needed a gal Friday to fill in part-time as a cook and waitress. The hours were sporadic, but the pay was decent for rural Wyoming. With Macie's experience in restaurants, Velma seemed genuinely happy to hire her on a simple handshake.

Macie was glad her first day would be spent in the kitchen. Between the bizarre dream, and her father ignoring her, beating eggs and dicing veggies would be a productive way to channel her frustrations.

Inside the restaurant, the rich scent of coffee caused her steps to quicken and she poured a mug before clocking in.

Velma grinned. "Another caffeine addict, huh?"

Macie grunted.

"Well, I've already had four cups so I've shaken off the cobwebs and started the bacon."

"What time do we open?"

"Six bells." Velma dumped two packages of frozen hashbrowns on the griddle. "Most of the early customers are construction workers. They like a big breakfast in a hurry. So I always have a bunch of potatoes and meat done ahead of time."

"Good plan." Macie donned an apron, lifted the metal press flattening the bacon to check on its doneness while downing her coffee. "Mostly egg specials?"