Coming Home (11 page)

A loud moan slipped from her mouth, for which
she received a tap on her nose with his finger. "Silence."

Caleb stepped away, but only long enough for
Sydney to remove her panties. He snatched them from her and placed
them in the back pocket of his jeans, playfulness glinting in his
eyes.

Kissing her again, he leaned in, pressing his
rigid body against hers. His fingers tickled the back of her neck,
his thumb stroking down the front, before he danced them down to
her breast. Sydney gritted her teeth, stopping another moan.

He cupped her breast through the fabric,
circling her prominent nipple and muttering against her lips. She
could barely hear his declarations they were so low, and her
heartbeat so loudly she was certain the sound would alert
Roman.

Pushing her hips against his thigh, she hoped
for some sort of friction. However, he moved his leg out of the
way. Frustration built and her whole body charged, seeking an
outlet.

"I love you, Syd."

Her fingers skimmed across his chest under
his shirt, feeling every muscle. His words were honest; the truth
of them written all over his face. His feelings were too intense
right now, simply too much to deal with after the talk with her
father. Sydney wanted to get lost.

She trailed her tongue slowly along his jaw,
the stubble rough against it. The taste of pure undiluted Caleb
drove her into a lust-filled frenzy and his hand gripped her ass
firmly, pulling her as close as she could get to him. His mouth
moved back to her neck, his teeth latched against the flesh, and he
sucked hard. Syd mewled, hitching her leg around his knee. His
fingers immediately snaked to her wet pussy.

Caleb parted her folds and delved his fingers
inside, groaning when he met her slick heat. He didn't stop sucking
on her neck until she winced a little in pain. That would leave a
mark, but she couldn't bring herself to care, especially when his
fingers continued to play with her pussy. Her body hummed with
desire for him, and right then, him alone.

Lowering her hand to his jeans, she unbuckled
the belt, before popping each button open. Caleb pushed a finger
into her when the last button gave free and her hand touched his
hardened cock.

He cursed into her neck when her fingers
wrapped around his shaft tightly. They rocked in unison against the
stable wall, consumed by each other.

"Another?" he questioned.

Sydney struggled to comprehend what he
referred to, and he pushed a second finger inside her. "Oh!" Her
breathing grew heavy and fast. "I need more than your fingers. I
need you inside me."

"I want you, too. I can feel how wet you are
for me. So ready for my cock. Tell me you want me."

"Oh yes," she breathed. "Now."

He pulled his fingers from her body, making
her want to cry. She watched in fascination when he brought his
shining fingers to his lips and lapped at them, tasting her cream.
Her legs almost gave way.

"I've missed your taste," he crooned, before
lifting her up. He wrapped her legs around his body, and pressed
her back flat against the wall. "I've been dyin' to fuck you alone,
to have you all to myself."

Sydney bit her cheek to stop the loud moan
that wanted to burst from her lips at his words. She found his
possessiveness unbelievably sexy, and something she could get used
to. Their time apart had changed him, she could see that now.

In response, she rocked her hips faster,
scraping her fingernails along his scalp. All thoughts of the
horses, Jack, and Pax were gone. Her world centered on Caleb and
the way he made everything better.

"Condom," she hissed, hoping this would be
one of those times he had one handy.

He smirked, pushing his hips closer to hers.
He braced her against the wall and reached into his back pocket.
Sydney took it from him, tearing it open with her teeth before
handing it back. Burying his face in her chest, she waited until he
covered his cock.

Groaning, Caleb thrust harshly into her. She
squeezed her thighs and rocked along with him. The hair on her body
stood on end, goose bumps splayed across her skin. She gasped for
breath as he rammed her against the wall. Air hissed through his
gritted teeth and he snarled between each pump.

Sydney clawed at his shirt, only then
realizing that they were both still completely clothed. She'd only
removed her panties.

Caleb's legs trembled underneath her, and he
hitched her higher, slamming his cock into her aching pussy. She
brought her mouth back to his, tasting herself on his tongue. At
the same time, the throb between her legs started to spiral out of
control. Caleb must have felt it, because he lowered his lips, took
her T-shirt covered nipple between his teeth and bit down.

"I… I… oh, fuck…"

"Let go, Ne-Ne. Let me feel you come."

Her orgasm ripped through her. Screams left
her mouth when it burst through her body, burning her insides in
its wake. She sobbed, aftershocks racking her abdomen.

Caleb came seconds later, hissing and
grunting into her chest. His teeth pulled at her T-shirt, he'd been
reduced to a snarling primal beast, only needing his
completion.

From the way he bucked against her, his had
been just as wild as hers. Listening to Caleb's heavy breathing,
she tried to restore her equilibrium. His cock still pulsed inside
of her and his head nuzzled her chest. She tried to enjoy the
moment but reality came back like a kick to the gut. This had been
a small escape that she knew from the start couldn't make
everything better. Her father still disliked her decisions, and she
still had another life in another state. The time for hiding—for
running away, had to end. She had to make some choices, regardless
of who they would hurt.

As if sensing a change, Caleb lowered her
feet to the floor. Cupping her face between his hands, he kissed
her lips tenderly. "We should go and speak to Pax."

Sydney nodded, looking away while he tucked
himself back into his jeans. "I'll follow you in. I just need a
second. Okay?"

"You don't have to do anythin' alone, Syd.
Pax and I meant what we said earlier. We're here for you. We want
you."

"I know." She fought to keep her voice even.
"We'll talk. I'll be in soon."

Caleb started to protest, but she ignored him
and shooed him from the stable. Roman pushed his nose against her
shoulder, huffing when she turned her back him. She pushed her
fingers through her hair, gripping on it so tightly she cringed.
Her head spun, but Sydney finally accepted that her decision had
been made. In truth, she'd made the choice the day she realized how
much her father had aged. She just had to tell Caleb and Pax.

Bidding Roman goodbye, she patted his neck
gently and walked over to the main house. She took a deep breath
before opening the door, not surprised to see both men at the
kitchen table, focused solely on her arrival.

She closed the door and shot them a wan
smile, but she didn't walk over to them. She needed to have some
space while she conveyed her plans. Their touch could change those
plans, and she refused to let that happen.

"I don't know exactly how to say this." She
started, watching Pax's eyes narrow. "I'm leaving."

Sydney glanced around the empty room that
used to be her apartment. Everything she owned had been moved into
the back of the moving truck, waiting for her to take it to her new
home. Her real home.

Both men flipped out when she'd told them she
had no option but to leave, though they calmed as soon as she
elaborated. They'd wanted to come to Sacramento with her, to help
pack her apartment up. Declining them, she made them to understand
it had to be something she did alone.

Not because she had many people to say
goodbye to, or that shame stopped her showing off of her men.
Sydney wanted to close this chapter of her life by herself. Having
been the one that started it—the one that moved away, she thought
it important to make the fresh start the way she left.

Carla, her editor, thought she'd been joking
when she called to explain exactly what had happened and why she'd
been off the radar for weeks. To Sydney's surprise, Carla had been
green with jealously, a totally unexpected reaction. However, she
found it encouraging. The whole world didn't need to know she lived
with two men, but as long as the people closest to her accepted it,
she would be happy.

Her hurdle would always be her father, though
he had promised to try. Sydney couldn't hope for more.

Nevertheless, he'd been overjoyed she planned
to return home.

For good.

The last two months had been a whirlwind,
from that early morning call from Pax to the mortifying moment her
father had caught her and Pax in the field. She still fought to
believe all of it had happened.

The sound of her cell chirping snapped her
out of the daydream, and she grinned when she saw who called.

"Hey," she answered.

"Hey, baby. Pax and I wanted to know how
long."

"Until what?" she teased, knowing exactly
what he meant.

Caleb growled, causing her to shiver with
desire. "Until your ass is in this house, naked, and ready for
us."

"Oh." Her skin flamed.

"Yeah, oh! When Ne-Ne?" He sounded desperate,
and instead of feeling suffocated, she reveled in it. "It's all in
the truck. I'm about to lock the place up and start the drive
home."

"Home," he crooned. "I love the sound of
that."

"I love you."

"Ditto, baby." She heard Pax in the
background.

"Pax said you need to drive fast… but
safely."

"I'll see you later today."

Sydney ended the call, picking up the last
box of belongings, and walked out of her apartment. She stepped
down the stairs and tried to recall the name of one other person
that lived in the building. She came up blank, and yet she could
name the residents of every farm surrounding the 4D. It only
underlined she'd made the right decision.

After dropping the keys off with the super,
she climbed into the truck and began the long ride home.

Happiness swelled within her, only increasing
with every mile closer she got. Pax and Caleb continued to text her
as she drove through the night, and she'd even managed a chat with
Jack. She'd been cautious, expecting him to be somewhat
standoffish, but true to his word, he was working to accept her
relationship. He even joked about how the men were pining after
her. The teasing gave her hope.

About an hour from home, Sydney stopped to
stretch her legs. She'd given herself the location as the last
chance to turn around. But she no longer held any reservations. The
time for running away had come and gone. She knew where she clearly
belonged—where she'd always belonged. Time away had only made her
appreciate her home more. She thought of the wasted time, and all
the memories they could have had over the years, if only she'd been
honest with Caleb about why she couldn't marry him.

In hindsight, she reasoned they'd maybe all
needed that time and space to grow. Also to realize what they had
couldn't be considered a whim or a phase, they all truly loved each
other. They still had a lot of decisions to make, but with
certainty, she knew they could forge a way through anything as long
as they were honest with each other.

The closer she got to home, the faster she
drove, desperate to be in their arms again. When she pulled onto
the gravel path that led to the 4D, she smiled. Pax and Caleb were
waiting at the gates, both holding a bunch of flowers. The cheesy
gesture made her want to mock the men. Nevertheless, the
butterflies in her stomach went crazy.

She stopped the truck, jumping down from the
cab and racing over to them. Pax shot her his pant-dropping smile
and Caleb blew her a kiss.

"Welcome home, sweetheart," Pax drawled,
lowering his cheek so she could kiss it. She gave him a quick peck,
turning to give Caleb one, too.

"We missed you, baby," Caleb added.

"I've been gone just over seventy-two hours."
She rolled her eyes. "You're both so dramatic."

They chuckled, bracketing her, and placing
their arms around her waist. Caleb moved his lips to her ear,
whispering softly before sucking the lobe into his mouth.

"We missed you. That's not dramatic."

Groaning, her knees buckled. About to kiss
Pax, she stalled, noticing her father walking toward them. A small
scowl marred his face, and she pulled away from both men.

Jack shook his head. "You don't need to do
that. I've gotta get used to it, I suppose."

"Yeah, but—"

"No buts. I said I'd deal with it and I will.
I just came to give you a hug and welcome you home. It's good to
have you back Ne-Ne."

She rushed to him, wrapping her arms around
his neck. "Thank you."

"We'll talk tomorrow. Maybe go ridin'. For
now, go and put your feet up, those boys can see to emptyin' the
truck."

He kissed her cheek before whistling for the
dog to follow him into the cottage.

She couldn't call it an acceptance, but for
now it was more than she could hope for. She moved back to Caleb
and Pax, taking hold of their hands and led them toward the house.
Things weren't perfect. Jack still needed time to adjust, but he
wouldn't interfere. He would allow Sydney to live her life. The
life she'd always wanted. The life she wrote about in her novels.
Stifling a grin, she realized one thing: she'd become one of those
characters.

She was living her own romance story with her
two cowboys, and it felt amazing.

M. A. Stacie is never without a book or her
eReader. A voracious reader, with a love of sexy, yet angst ridden
novels, she loves getting lost in new worlds. Her need to write did
not grip her until after her second son was born, when her previous
rambles became fully fledged stories. She describes herself as one
huge contradiction, and though not the most conventional of
hobbies, she counts getting new tattoos as one of hers. Running
keeps her sane, and when she’s not playing with her sons, she’s
listening to loud music.