“Yes. Here, let me show you the wardrobe.” He took her hand and opened one of the far doors. It wasn’t a wardrobe, but looked like another room. He turned the light on. There were a few items of clothing hung up. “We brought you some clothes that we found. I hope you don’t mind.”
She pulled out a red cocktail dress. A dark red. “Do you think it would suit me with my hair?”
“Does it matter? You’d be wearing it for us. We saw the dress and knew you’d look good in it.” She put the dress back up and saw some shoes. Stiletto heels in four different colors.
“You have been busy.”
“What do you think?” he asked.
“I’m speechless. I’ve never seen anything so amazing in my life.”
“We may be cowboys, but we learnt how to spoil our woman by watching our dads spoil our mom.”
“She was one lucky lady.”
“She was, and so are you.” He caught her round the waist and pulled her close. “You’d better get used to all the attention and being spoilt. I know I’ve wasted a great deal of my life waiting for you. I’m not going to do anything to fuck our time up together.”
Cassidy ran her hands up his shirt to circle his neck. “I never knew how good this could feel. Will one of you be joining me up here?”
Jesse chuckled. “As much as I’d love to say yes, I’m afraid we’re going to decline your offer.”
She pouted. “Why?”
“We want you to be with us, but more than anything we want to show you this is more than sex.”
“I know it is.” She gave him a squeeze before pulling away. “I’d better get settled in. I’ll see you all downstairs.”
“Of course.” He rubbed her forehead. “You shouldn’t frown so much. This will work out, Cassidy.”
Cassidy nodded her head. “Of course it will.” Jesse left her to unpack. She sat on the edge of the bed and looked around at her room. Everything was perfect, and yet she couldn’t help but wonder how her life was going to change. She got up and began to unpack. She would look forward to her new life.
Tomorrow, she was meeting Claire at the diner which worked as the bakery. She couldn’t wait to tell the other woman about what was happening.
The following day, Cassidy got up and made breakfast for all the men. The ranch hands hadn’t shown up yet, but Gary said they were going to employ a cook to do the food for their workers.
They all kissed her good morning before they left. Michael finished his coffee and stood up.
“Could I ask you to take me to town, Sheriff?” she asked. The other four had left, and she hadn’t had the chance to ask them.
“Of course.”
“I’ll grab my bag.” She ran out of the kitchen, got her bag and put on some flat sandals before joining him at his truck. Michael was already inside with AC cranked up. “Can you believe this heat?” she asked.
“I can believe it, and it’s only going to get worse.” He pulled out of the front of the driveway and went in the direction of town. “Will you need me to give you a lift back home?”
“No. I’m spending some time with Claire Martin. Shane and Liam will take me home.”
“They’re good people,” he said.
“I know. When we were in high school together, no one could get between, Claire, Shane, and Liam. They were as thick as thieves. It was right of them to make a go of it. At least I think so.”
“You’re a little different from the others,” Cassidy said. She recalled the dream she had the morning after getting drunk on a bottle of whiskey.
“How do you mean?”
She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to think of the best way to approach what she’d been feeling from Michael for days. “I had this dream and in it you wanted to punish me.” He didn’t laugh at her questions so she took that as a good sign.
“Did you want me to punish you?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“You’re wondering what it all means.”
“Yes.”
He sighed. “Cassidy, I can’t talk about it right now, but you’re right. I’m different and one day I’m hoping to explore that with you.”
“Would you ever hurt me?”
“Not to cause you lots of pain. I’m a dominant man, Cassidy. You knew there was something different inside of me and there is something inside of you that responds to me.”
She knew what he was talking about. Since the first moment she met him there had been a spark between them. She wanted to please him and do everything he wanted. The feeling was strange and entirely different to the way she felt with the Walker brothers.
“Do you trust me?” he asked.
“You know I do.”
“Then trust me enough to know I’ll go easy on you.”
“Do the others know about your, erm, desires?”
“No, they don’t. I don’t go around wearing a label saying ‘I’m a dominant, line up to get spanked.’” Cassidy burst out laughing. “See, this is not something you need to be afraid of. I want to dominate you, Cassidy, but I don’t want to change who you are.”
“You’ll teach me?”
“I think you know most of it already. It is becoming popular in books and films. We’ll talk about it soon.”
Michael was right. There was something different between them. She liked knowing a part of him was darker than the other four. He would take care of her and she’d never have to worry again. For once, she’d like to have a day where she didn’t have to think about what she had to do next. Cassidy pushed the thoughts of Michael and his sexual appetites to the back of her mind.
They drove in silence for a few minutes, and Cassidy used the time to look out the window. Summer would be a nightmare. She preferred the winter. Last year they were lucky enough to get some snow.
She recalled playing in the snow like a little girl. All of the Walkers had come out to join which turned out to be fun. Gary and Scott had let loose for once. She rubbed her temples as a small spark of pain began.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“Yeah. My head hurts. I was thinking about Scott and Gary. The tension between them is difficult at times.”
“I had noticed they didn’t get along. What’s up with them?” He turned right, making his way into town.
“Could you drop me off by the diner?”
“I was going to take you to the station. I’ve got a few things to do, and then I was going to walk you to the diner, if that is okay?” He leaned over and patted her knee. The heat from his hand went straight to her pussy. She didn’t know how long she would be able to hold out with the sex. Her dreams were filled with five sexy men, and it had been too long for her.
“That will be fine. I don’t know what’s wrong with Scott and Gary. They’ve had problems as long as I can remember. I don’t think it helps that there is such a small age gap between them. Gary is only three years older than Scott.”
“So most of Scott’s life he has been passed over for Gary?”
She thought about what Michael was saying. It made sense for some of the issues, but it seemed unfair. “I guess it could happen. I know they fight all the time. Sometimes over the stupidest of things.”
“They both love you, and that is all that matters.” He locked their fingers together. She looked down at where they were connected and felt a thrill all the way up to her heart. Michael made her breathless with anticipation. She could never explain how he always made her want to please him. From the first moment they met, she knew he had a hold over her she would never understand.
He parked outside the station, and she let go of his hand. “Wait,” he ordered.
She sat back in the seat as she watched him get out of the truck and come to her side. He opened her door then offered his hand to help her down.
“Thank you,” she said. Cassidy was touched by his gentleman display.
“Every lady deserves to have doors opened for her.”
“You’re a true gentleman, Sheriff Hall. I’m one lucky lady.” She chuckled as he bowed low.
“Come on. I’m sure you know everyone inside already, but I want to tell them all you’re my woman.”
He grabbed her hand and moved toward the entrance. “Do you get many criminals walking through these doors?” she asked.
“Not in a small town like Long Mead. Then again, a couple of weeks ago, four brothers, two friends, and a sheriff were arrested for fighting at the local bar. I believe over a sexy little redhead.”
She burst out laughing at his teasing. It had been their own faults. Claire had refused to post bail on Liam and Shane. Cassidy had done the same with Michael and the brothers.
Michael opened the door, and she saw Calvin and Denny Hendy talking with Stephanie McGraw behind the desk. She knew both men were not officers of any kind and noted the blush on Stephanie’s face as Denny reached out, stroking the other woman’s cheek.
“Hello, Mrs. McGraw,” Michael said.
“Sheriff Hall. Calvin and Denny wanted to talk to you. I said you’d talk to them when you got in.” Stephanie stood, pushing her skirt down her legs. “Hi, Cassidy.”
“Hiya, Stephanie.”
Michael turned to her with a look of disappointment on his face. “I can’t walk you to the diner like I planned.”
Cassidy reached up and kissed him. “Don’t worry about it. Do you need Stephanie? She looks a little flustered, and I’m sure she’d appreciate the break.”
“Sure. Take her shopping and then to lunch with you and Claire. Stephanie, you can take today off. With the heat and everything, I think you could use the break,” Michael said. He kissed her once again and left.
She walked up to the desk where the other woman was watching Calvin and Denny walk away. “Thank you so much. They’ve been around here constantly. I feel like I can’t breathe.”
Cassidy chuckled. “Come on. I’m going shopping with Claire today. You can join us if you want.”
“I’d love to. Let me grab my bag.”
She walked outside the station, fanning herself the moment the heat glared at her. Stephanie joined her seconds later. She heard the other woman gasp. “This heat is insane. I can’t wait for winter.”
“I hear you on that.” She checked her watch, seeing it was almost ten. “Claire is meeting me outside the diner. I’m late.”
They walked side by side through the heaving town. People were everywhere. Considering Long Mead was a small town, on Mondays it sure got busy. Cassidy was sure people in the surrounding area visited the town because of the handsome men and the ménage-relationship rumor. Not that it was much of a rumor, but they did like to keep things to themselves. Outsiders either kept their thoughts to themselves or risked becoming a problem. They passed the market square where they were doing all of their selling. The diner wasn’t too far. Once they passed all the people, she saw Claire stood outside the diner with Liam and Shane kissing her.
“Wow, Claire is one lucky woman,” Stephanie said.
“From where I stood, I think you’re in for your own luck.”
“Calvin and Denny are not the settling type. You know it is just a sport for them to get any woman who says no to suddenly say yes. They’ve broken more hearts than I care to remember.” Stephanie flicked her blonde hair off her shoulder.
“You certainly know a lot about their exploits for a person who doesn’t care.”
Claire saw her and gave her a wave. Shane and Liam left with two beaming smiles on their face. “Damn, they look like they’ve been to heaven and back,” Cassidy said, embracing Claire.
“I’m the one who has gone to heaven. They’re amazing. I never knew being with two men could be this wonderful.” Claire ran her fingers through her hair.
“You remember Stephanie from high school. I’ve just saved you from the Hendy brothers. Looks like she is their new challenge.” Claire hooked her arm with Stephanie’s.
“Let’s go shopping.”
* * * *
Several hours later, her feet hurt, and she was so hungry. The diner was packed for lunch. Cassidy, Claire, and Stephanie got a table in the back. Edith, the waitress looked stressed as she brought out platefuls of food and tried to fill up people’s coffee. She went to stop at their table, but some tourists began cursing about how long they’d been waiting.
Cassidy smiled at the woman and told her they could wait.
“You know, I used to want to get out of Long Mead, but looking at some of these people from the surrounding area makes me want to stay here forever. Some people are so rude,” Stephanie said.
“I never wanted to go. Wherever Shane and Liam were, that is where I wanted to be.” Claire gave a smile. Cassidy knew that smile had dirty little secrets behind it.
“I wouldn’t dream of leaving Lou. And there are so many wonderful memories of my parents here.”
“Plus, you’ve got five sexy men wanting your attention,” Claire added.
Edith came back to their table. Her hands were shaking, and she looked ready to spit. “Can I get you lovely
local
ladies something?”
All three women at the table laughed. Cassidy reached out and touched the other woman’s hands. “What’s the matter, darling?”
“I don’t know why we’re suddenly the flavor of the month, but if I have another fucking tourist grabbing my ass, I’m not going to be responsible for my actions. It would help if some local girls would take on a job as a waitress.”