Page 28 of Healing Her Cowboys
She found Lori and her little one next. The baby hid under her mother’s legs, peeking out now and then.
“Hi, sweetie,” she said. “I know you’re scared, but it’ll be okay soon. Plus, you’ve got your mamma and me here to protect you.” The filly stayed between her mother’s legs, but Lori moved closer to Reese.
“Are you staying strong for her, Lori?” She scratched behind the horse’s ears. “You’re being a great mama.”
After she settled the other horses down, she found Atlas in an empty stable moving the hay into a makeshift bed.
When he saw her, he smiled and brought her a large blanket. “Here. Change out of your wet clothes and wrap up in this to staywarm. We have an electric heater that I’ll bring over. We just need to keep it away from the hay.”
She nodded and helped him to move excess hay away from the space he was clearing for the heater to avoid a fire hazard. When she finished, she pulled off her wet clothes and snuggled into the blanket on the hay bed.
She watched as Atlas took off his wet clothes. Although they were facing a natural crisis, she still couldn’t help the way her body reacted to him. She had a feeling it could have been a zombie apocalypse situation, and she’d still want both men at the most inappropriate times.
With his skin still moist from the rain and movements bringing out his muscular physique, the shape of him infatuated her. Each muscle was sculpted from his hard work on the ranch and his abs probably could cut someone with those sharp lines.
She knew he caught her staring when he stopped taking off his pants to grin at her.
“See something you like?” he asked, with a teasing lift to his voice.
“Hurry and undress so you don’t freeze,” she said, looking away. They had her thoughts twisted with sensual depravity for most hours of the day. Was that supposed to be her fault?
Atlas spread their clothes out to dry before sitting next to her in his boxer briefs.
“Is Brik really going to be safe in this?” she asked, worried he may have faced worse than they did.
Atlas pulled her in close and shared his blanket with her. “Brik can handle some of the worse situations and come out unscathed. He had a dangerous job over there as a Marine. It’s a miracle that he only lost his leg, so trust me when I say he’s more than capable. Now that he has you, he has a better reason to stay safe. We both do.”
Knowing that these men had gone through so much for the safety of their country made her respect the way they cared for her even more. She’d seen how much serving took from them, yet they still had so much to give to others. She felt lucky to be on the receiving end of their affections.
She looked up at Atlas. “If you trust he’ll be okay, then I trust you both, too.” The warmth of his presence and his quiet yet confident strength made her feel safe, even in the middle of the storm. She smiled, her nerves settling as she looked up at him.
He brushed his fingers over her cheek. “We’d do anything for you, Reese. Anything, so you can always trust us.” His thumb brushed against her lower lip, and then he leaned over and kissed her. It was a soft brush of his lips against hers, steady and reassuring.
Although it was gentle, she craved more. Her fingers dug into the flesh of his arms, bringing him closer until he melded against her. Before she knew it, she had pulled him on top of her on the makeshift hay bed. It was as if he knew she needed to have control of this moment to feel safe.
Reese ran her fingers over his back, the feel of each muscle imprinting on her fingers and memory. She nipped at his lips and moved to his chin. The need for his skin between her teeth overwhelmed her.
She slid his underwear down so she could grip his ass and pull him even closer.
“Reese,” he said, his voice ragged with desire as he tried to pull back.
“I need you inside me, Atlas.” She held him tight, refusing to let him go.
“I don’t have protection on me. We shouldn’t.”
“You don’t need it. I want to feel you inside me this time, please.” She brought him down to her again until her mouthfound the sensitive skin of his shoulder. She bit down until he groaned.
Atlas ripped her panties with one tug. He understood the assignment.
There was no more debate when he pushed himself inside her. She was ready for him, and the feel of him inside her skin-on-skin was just what she needed. Her arms wrapped around his neck.
The storm raged outside, and in Atlas’s arms, they met its pacing, as if they competed with it. She melted into him, letting herself feel the full force of her emotions.
With each thrust, her fingers tangled in his hair as his hands held her to him, his embrace firm and passionate. Each sound of thunder pushed her closer to climax, fueling her on.
“Atlas,” she pleaded, begging him even more to push her over that edge. “More, Atlas.”
He lifted her hips to change the angle, and she held on tighter, feeling she could drift away into the storm. Each push into her felt like a response to the raging night.
