Fever for Three Read online

  “I just… Can I have a paper towel? Please?” And someone call the police.

  “Oh crap. Here. I have better.” Earline tugged her to the counter, producing a bath towel in a plastic bag. When she pulled it out and unfolded it, it said “Go Lobos!”

  “Thank you.” She pressed it to the cut, which was already closing up, the bleeding slowing down. “There were some guys and…someone came. They’re still out there.”

  “I’ll call the sheriff. You get to the bathroom and wash up.”

  That was a great idea. She was a little paralyzed though, not wanting to go to the bathroom by herself.

  “I took care of it, Earline. Jeff’s out there dealing with them now.” Josh walked in, blood on his shirt.

  “Josh.” Her knees were going to give way.

  As if he knew what she was thinking, he came right to her, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her close. “How bad are you hurt?”

  “Just my arm, I think. It’s not deep.” She pushed close, nose against his shoulder. “They… Was that you? Who stopped?”

  “It was me, honey. I saw them when I was pulling in. I didn’t know it was you until I got close…” He bit off the last word and she could feel him shaking a little. “Earline, get me something with sugar, huh? She’s a little shocky.”

  “You got it, Josh.”

  “Thank God you stopped.” She held on tight. “You’re always there when I need you.”

  “I sure try.” He kissed her temple, his lips warm and firm. “You’re my girl.”

  But what about Paulo? Sweet Paulo who brought lunch and held her hand, drove her mad with his kisses? She was his girl, really. Paulo’s. Josh felt so good against her though, and he was her hero, riding in and kicking butt for her, taking names.

  A cold Coke was pushed into her hand, and Earline stared at them, then nodded. “There’s a storm coming. Y’all need to get home.”

  “I—” Josh looked as if he was fixing to argue, but he didn’t. He just nodded and steered her toward the door. “Can you get Jack to have someone drive her car back to her place?”

  “You know it. I’ll call Paulo. He’ll deal with it.”

  “Thanks, sweets.” Josh picked her up when she stumbled, carrying her easily. His heart raced a little against her side.

  He tucked her into his truck, the rain beginning to fall, slapping against his windshield. The storm hit with the same kind of sudden violence as her attackers had, and Cheri curled her arms around her body, shivering.

  “I took her towel.” She was still holding the towel around her arm.

  “She won’t care, honey. They’re all of three bucks. I’ll give it to her next time I go.” Josh turned off the highway, but he was headed the opposite way from her house.

  “Where are we going?” She needed to clean up. She needed a beer. A hug.

  “To my place. It’s little, but I’ll feel better if I can keep an eye on you for a bit.”

  “Oh. Okay. The storm’s getting bad, huh?” A glance under the towel had her wincing just a little bit. It was shallow, but man, it was sore. The bleeding though, that was only sluggish now.

  “It is. I just don’t want you to be alone. I mean, I know Paulo’s got your house more up to speed, but I got a generator if the power goes.” He turned across a cattle guard and bumped out on a packed dirt track.

  “Thank you. I’m a little freaked and I feel like I’d jump at anything.” Her phone rang and she fumbled it out of her purse, Paulo’s name coming up. She answered. “Hello?”

  “Querida. You okay? You with Josh?”

  Her eyes welled up and she nodded. “Uh-huh.”

  “Oh sweet girl. You don’t need to go to the doctor? If you do, you tell him, huh?”

  “I don’t. It’s just a long cut. I’ll wash it.” She couldn’t believe Paulo wasn’t angry at her for being with Josh. “It was scary, but Josh came.”

  “Well, he’s a cowboy, si? They show up when you need a man in a white hat.” Paulo chuckled, the sound oddly sensual. “I have your car, querida. I’ll take it home for you. The sheriff has me a ride home.”

  “Thank you. You…you be careful with the rain.”

  “I promise. Tell him to take care of you. I’ll come by and get you tomorrow if he’s out too early.”

  Josh was watching the road, but she could tell he was curious. Listening.

  “Okay. Okay. Good night, Paulo.” She hung up, smiled tremulously at Josh. “He says to tell you to take care of me and that he’ll pick me up in the morning.”

  “Will he now?” Josh’s eyes glinted bright in the growing gloom.

  “I…” She tensed up. She couldn’t handle a fight, not tonight, not when all she wanted was to push into Josh’s arms and beg him to touch her.

  “Shh. I was just teasing you, honey. He knows I have to be up at the ass crack of dawn to feed.” Josh patted her leg, then pulled around the back of a little white frame house to park. She was so used to adobe now that she blinked a little.

  “It’s pretty.” And wet. Really, really wet. Lightning flashed and she squealed, jumped.

  “Okay, honey. I’ll come around. The dogs won’t come out in this weather, so I’ll grab you and run, nothing to trip over. You trust me?”

  “I do.”

  With all her heart.

  “Good.” He gave her a blinding smile before he climbed out of the truck, then came around to grab her, running with her in his arms. Cheri never once felt as if Josh would drop her. She clung to him and suddenly they were in a warm, quiet kitchen, both of them dripping with the rain.

  Josh set her on her feet but didn’t let her go. He pushed her wet hair back. “I should look at your arm.”

  “It’s okay.” She pushed in closer. “I can’t believe it was you.”

  “I’m just glad it was.” Thunder shook the windows in their frames. “I’ve never been so scared as when I saw an asshole with a knife at your chest.”

  “I didn’t even know them,” she murmured and held on tight. “I just…”

  She pushed up on her tiptoes and brought their lips together. That was what she needed. The lightning almost seemed to be going through her body, the electric feeling more than she could ignore.

  Josh kissed her back as if he was starving, as if he couldn’t let go.

  His hand pushed underneath her hair, his tongue slipping between her lips, electricity sparking between them over and over.

  Lightning hit something outside, the boom huge, the lights going out. Cheri jumped, almost climbing Josh’s body. He held her, one hand under her bottom, the other starting to strip off her wet clothes.

  She kicked her shoes off, fingers tearing open the buttons of his shirt, needing skin. She didn’t just need to know she was alive and well, her hunger was specific. Cheri needed Josh.

  Her shirt came up and off and then Cheri was crushed to his chest, her nipples teased by the mat of soft hair she’d just revealed. She dragged her nails along his upper arms, testing the muscles there, and Josh moaned, rocking against her.

  One of his muscled thighs pushed between her legs, the pressure and friction perfect. She moaned into the kiss, hips finding a rhythm, riding his leg. He was strong. So strong. He tasted like the storm outside and he brought out an answering wildness in her.

  His fingers found her breast, cupped it, her nipple going hard as if it was trying to get Josh’s attention.

  “So pretty. God, honey, I dreamed about you.” He lifted her again, with just the one arm around her, and started through the house toward the back.

  “Want you.” Her fingers were tangled in his hair, her body aching.

  “Hell yes. Now.” He nipped at her shoulder, the sting surprising her with the need to bite back.

  She tore at his belt, his hard cock too necessary to be hidden away. It was longer than she’d expected, hotter, and already wet at the tip.

  “Touch me, honey,” he said when he lowered her to sit on his bed.

  “God yes.�
�� She wrapped her fingers around him, sliding from base to tip, measuring him. So fine. His heartbeat was there, fast but strong. His moan sounded almost like a growl.

  His prick was fat, heavy in her fingers, and she leaned in, dropped an open-mouthed kiss on his belly.

  Muscles sucking in, Josh put a hand in her hair, tilting her face up. “You still have clothes on.”

  “Do I?” She stood, her body rubbing along his the entire way. Fuck, she felt like pure, unadulterated sex.

  “You do.” He stripped her quickly, efficiently, then lifted her again, letting her wrap her legs around his waist. Then he bit her.

  “Fuck.” The single word tore from her, the nip almost making her come just from the sting.

  “Dirty girl.” He laughed, but it was a sexy, joyful sound, not a mean one.

  “Only with you.” Mostly she was just a mousy teacher. There was something wild about her cowboy that made her want things she never had.

  “I’m okay with that.” He nipped at her again, right on her collarbone.

  Her hips rolled up, her heated cunt slipping along his thigh. She was so wet that all she had to do was move the tiniest bit and she could rock, his skin almost burning her where they touched.

  “Look at you ride.” Josh moaned and licked his lips. “You’re like dripping honey, baby.”

  Her thighs tightened, squeezed, pussy aching. He thought she was naughty? He was downright pornographic. He made her want to bite him back.

  Oh! Did she dare?

  She leaned in, teeth finding the skin right above his nipple as she bit.

  “Fuck!” He jerked hard, almost unseating her. Josh held her up but his arms shook.

  Lightning flashed as she bit again, teeth sinking in, not enough to hurt surely, but enough to feel. They tumbled back to the bed, Josh rolling her beneath him, her legs spreading to take his weight.

  A sound like a growl hit her ears. “Damn, baby. You make me crazy. Could eat you up.”

  “Like the big bad wolf?”

  He grinned, the look pleased as punch. “Just like that, honey.” Josh moved down her body, his mouth sliding over her breasts.

  She arched up, pushed one nipple into his mouth, begging silently for the attention. His lips felt soft and hard at the same time, the suction hot and wet and perfect. Each tug seemed to pull at her pussy.

  His tongue pushed the tip of her nipple against his teeth, just enough to sting so good. She shivered, so close to crying out. The sound she did make embarrassed her a little.

  He moaned for her though, one hand reaching down to card through her wet curls, fingers sliding in along her lips. She spread like hot butter, letting him touch her, letting him in.

  The suction around her nipple intensified and she arched, and that cry did come out, loud and harsh. Her body bent up, her head falling back. All her muscles went tight, and he petted her thighs, easing her back down.

  “Sorry. Sorry, you just…” The thunder clapped again and she moaned, electricity making all the hairs on her body stand up. Her nipples were so hard they ached.

  “No sorries. Jesus, honey, I need you.” His mouth wrapped around her ignored nipple and it was as if he was feasting on her. His blond hair looked amazing against her skin and his lashes were so dark against his cheeks.

  He circled her clit, nudging it with his calloused thumb, making her gasp and groan. Her thighs squeezed around his hand, her body bouncing a little on the sheets.

  Neither Josh nor Paulo had taken her yet. Neither one had given her the good, hard fucking her body craved. Josh was all over her, but not sliding into her. No, he was slipping down her body, lips on her belly.

  “Please. I need, so badly.” She ached, deep in the pit of her belly.

  “I know, baby girl.”

  Oh she liked that. From honey to baby girl. He licked at her thigh, his teeth stinging.

  Her leg bent, knee drawing up, exposing her wet center. Josh moaned, and she thought maybe he sniffed her. That was a little weird, but hot. Really hot.

  “Like honey.” He leaned down, tongue sliding along her slit like a lick of flame.

  She screamed. She just flat out screamed, her body shaking. He might kill her.

  His thumbs spread her and that tongue licked at her again, then he slapped her clit with the flat of his tongue and her entire body went tight, her brain going into complete overload. When he slid a finger inside her cunt, she almost shook herself to death.

  “That’s right, baby girl. Give me more.” His tongue started flicking at her, lapping at her over and over.

  Cheri tried to find something to hold on to. The sheets didn’t do it. His hair worked as an anchor, curling around her fingers. He moaned against her, one finger becoming two, pushing into her with a steady, driving rhythm. She rode it, reaching for the moon, trying to fly. He kept the rhythm just soft enough that she couldn’t make it.

  “Josh. Josh, love, please.” Her toes curled, her legs spreading wider.

  “Mmmhmm.” He licked, his hum vibrating all down her spine.

  She tugged his hair, needing more pressure, more speed, something. He was driving her out of her goddamn mind. He laughed. Laughed. Cheri rumbled, the sound she made surprising her. Then she tugged his hair again. Hard.

  “Need you. More.”

  Josh’s head turned, sharp teeth nipping at her inner thigh.

  She jumped, her heart stuttering. Then he went back to her center, his tongue pushing inside her alongside his fingers.

  Wild. He pushed her so hard she wanted to scream with it, her eyes rolling in her head. Her belly tried to pull in so far she couldn’t breathe and her breasts bounced as she rode his mouth. When he pushed his tongue in deep, his thumb catching her clit, that was more than she could bear.

  She let out this wild noise, body humping up, slamming into Josh’s mouth, those hands. Her belly tingled, her thighs shook wildly. This was what she needed. Right now.

  Her orgasm left her limp and weak, her hands sliding free of Josh’s hair.

  “Pretty baby. So fucking sweet.” Josh nuzzled her belly.

  “I…you. Wow.” Words escaped her.

  Josh’s chuckle was soft, warm, not mean at all. “You are wow, baby. Slick and sweet and so wet.”

  Heat spread over her chest and neck. “The things you say. I swear I’m not like this.”

  “You so are. The hottest thing I’ve ever seen.” His blue eyes sparkled, his smile so earnest and happy.

  She reached down, stroked those lips, chuckling as he nibbled. He had a thing for biting. Which reminded her…

  “Your nephew is a biter.”

  “What?” Josh looked completely baffled.

  “He’s in my class at school.” She grinned, stroking his cheek. “What do you need, Josh?”

  He turned his head, sucked on her fingers, teeth scraping. Biting definitely must run in the family. Cheri pressed a finger to his lips, then the dip in his chin.

  He nibbled his way up her arm, each little nip stinging so good. Torn between chuckling and jumping, she watched him, waiting to see what he needed. He was still so hard against her.

  She wanted him to fuck her, to fill her up and make her come.

  He dropped his forehead down against her shoulder when he reached it. “We can’t, baby girl. Not now.”

  “Why?” She stroked his head. “Is…is something wrong?”

  Was Josh sick?

  “No!” He laughed, shaking his head. “No, baby. I don’t have condoms.”

  “Oh. I don’t either. I haven’t in a while.” Not even with Paulo.

  He nodded as if he knew, which was a little weird. Maybe it was satisfaction instead, but that seemed odd too. He should be angry or something, right?

  She reached down, fingers sliding over the bulge in his jeans.

  He danced for her, his hips rocking hard. “Careful now. That’s almost painful.”

  “I don’t want you to hurt.” She eased his zipper down.

  “No. No,
you don’t want that.” His body lifted up, and he let her pull his cock out. His skin was so hot against her fingers.

  Cheri moaned, stroked him from base to tip, loving the way his heavy flesh felt in her palm. He pushed hard against her, letting her know how he liked it, which was rougher than Paulo.

  “Hungry.” She licked her lips, let her thumb rub the ridge around the mushroom-shaped tip, pushing just a little too hard.

  “Always. You make it so much better.” His body started rocking. “And worse.”

  “Worse?” She repeated the touch, eyes rolling at the slick, wet heat that met her fingers.

  “Uh-huh. Make me hard when I think about you.” He put his hand over hers, squeezing. “Can be awkward.”

  “Oh…” She lifted her face for a kiss. His lips tasted like her and his tongue pushed into her mouth, Josh growling softly as he moved her hand faster and helped her grip harder. He was panting, but it wasn’t gross. Somehow breathing him in was so good. So right.

  His hips were rocking violently, his balls nudging her thigh, and she gave him the barest bit of pressure.

  “Fuck. Oh baby. Need to come.” He stared at her, his eyes flashing gold.

  “Josh.” She moaned, kissed him again and nudged his balls again, her thumbnail pressing into the slit of his cock.

  He bit her lower lip hard, his seed spilling over her wrist, her hand. He came hard, his body bucking as if he was riding at a rodeo.

  He smelled good.

  So good.

  She moaned low, tongue tracing his bottom lip.

  “Oh thank you, baby.” He smiled against her mouth, his hands sliding up and down her sides. “You’re something else.”

  “I’m…” The lightning flashed again and she pressed closer. “Thank you.”

  “You’re okay, baby girl. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

  “Yeah. Yeah, I’m okay. Can I stay?” It wasn’t too late yet, but with the storm and everything…

  “Of course you can. We can have soup and I have cookies from Ray Bailey’s bakery.”

  She kissed his cheek. “That sounds amazing.”

  “Cool.” He hugged her tight, snuggling down in the covers. She felt protected. Cared for. “Nap first?”