Rough and Ready Read online

“Neither are you.”

  “Touché.” He wet his lips, leaning over on his forearms. Very hard, muscular forearms. “Why is a beautiful woman from the city still single?”

  The way he said beautiful left no room for argument. He meant it, a matter of fact, not just a word. For some reason, a compliment from Parker felt priceless.

  “Because where I work and play, the women are perfect. Men expect it, and women change themselves to meet those expectations.”

  “Not you?”

  “Not yet.”

  He frowned, his teasing quality fading. “What do you mean by changing? I can’t see a thing wrong with you, darlin’.”

  “Well, I don’t know about the women in your town, but where I’m from they consider me overweight.” She felt her cheeks heat with embarrassment. “And old.”

  “Then the men in the city are fools. They obviously don’t know how to handle a real woman.” Once again, the mood they’d created in his bedroom was back. Robyn felt entranced by the cowboy, ready to submit body and soul—so unlike her.

  She was going to fish for more compliments when Yukon entered the room with two bowls. He set one down in front of her and sat down with the other.

  Parker grumbled and left the room.

  “It’s all homemade. It was our mother’s recipe,” said Yukon.

  “Smells great,” she said, giving the stew a stir. At this point, she’d eat anything. “Do you mind me asking about your parents?”

  The brothers weren’t old. She guessed in their forties.

  After his first bite of stew, he answered. “Our mother died when we were just boys. She would have been around our age when she passed. Her death broke something in our father. He never remarried, never moved on. We still say he died of a broken heart.”

  “Wow, I’m so sorry. That’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard.”

  He smirked, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I keep promising myself I won’t end up like him, you know, dying alone. But here I am, heading down the same road.”

  “Don’t say that,” she said. “Any woman would be happy to have you.”

  He stared at her, making her breath catch.

  “What if I want you?” he asked.

  The moment was emotionally charged. She thought of her own life and battle with loneliness. She didn’t want to hurt him, especially after everything Parker had told her, but she knew she couldn’t go down this path. Her mind had become clouded, reality fading away the longer she stayed with the brothers. But once she got back to the city, this would all be a memory.

  “I hardly know you, Yukon. I’m talking about women here, in your own town.”

  “I’m not interested in any of them,” he said, before continuing to eat his food. She did the same, and she wondered if the topic was closed.

  Robyn watched Yukon eat, sneaking discreet peeks. He had a strong jaw, rough with stubble—such masculine features. His upper body was built like a brick house, his shirt clinging to all those home-grown muscles. Why wasn’t she falling head-over-heels for this cowboy’s attention? She knew everything about him was sincere, unlike the bastards back home who only wanted in her pants. It was her own ideals and expectations that kept putting on the brakes. She couldn’t give up now, not after a lifetime of struggling to make something of herself.

  Chapter Nine

  “Feel better?” Yukon asked.

  Robyn came down the stairs, still towel drying her hair. She looked adorable wearing his John Deere t-shirt and rolled up sweatpants.

  She smiled. “A shower can certainly do wonders.” Robyn walked to the big picture window. “What’s the forecast today?”

  The storm hadn’t hit them as bad as the south, and it already appeared to be petering out. He’d already been out first thing in the morning to check on the state of their fields. It looked like they were one of the lucky farms.

  “Rain. Then some more rain,” he said.

  “Great.” She didn’t sound disappointed like she’d been yesterday. Almost playful. Comfortable. “What are your plans for today?”

  “I can’t waste away another day. I’ve got to get some work done outside, rain or shine, and I need to check on a neighbor.”

  She nodded. “I can help. Well, I can try.”

  He liked the idea of toting Robyn around. Being seen with her would only make him proud. Yukon had a laundry list of chores he had to tackle, and hated the idea of leaving Robyn alone most of the day. He hadn’t made much headway in winning her over. She still seemed repelled by country living.

  The front door opened, the sound of rain briefly filling the room, until it was shut out with a bang. Parker hung up his overcoat and used a hand to ruffle his hair. “Nasty out there.”

  Robyn just stared at him.

  “You should have something to eat before we head out,” Yukon told Robyn. “There’s oatmeal on the stove.”

  “Where you two going?” asked Parker. He kicked off his boots and entered the kitchen, pouring himself a mug of coffee.

  “I need to check on Ms. Granger, then I have to mend one of the fences behind the barn. A downed tree busted it open.”

  “We can cut it up for firewood,” said Parker.

  When Robyn reached for the ladle in the pot, Parker moved behind her, taking a breath at her neckline. Since they had the same taste in women, Yukon knew his brother would be just as attracted to their guest. He could see it in his eyes too, even if he denied it. For some reason, Yukon didn’t have an inkling of jealousy. Not when it came to his brother, anyway.

  Since yesterday evening, Parker had started to mellow out, more accepting of their house guest. The atmosphere was more comfortable now that they weren’t at each other’s throats.

  “You want some?” she asked, turning to look up at Parker. They looked like an old married couple, and it nearly made Yukon laugh out loud. It was good having a woman underfoot.

  “I ate a couple hours ago. I’m ready to go whenever you are,” Parker said.

  Yukon’s first reaction was to protest, but then he thought better. He hated the rift growing between him and his brother. Spending some time together would be good for both of them. Like the good old days when they had to work as a team. So far, Parker hadn’t drank since Robyn showed up, and his mood was improving.

  “So you’re tagging along?” asked Yukon.

  “You might need some muscle.” Parker sat down on the chair across for him, nursing his coffee in both hands.

  “Well, thanks for that,” said Yukon, shaking his head.

  Robyn sat at the dinette table in the kitchen. “This is good. I’m not used to eating breakfast,” she said. They both turned to look in her direction.

  “You don’t eat breakfast?” asked Yukon. “It’s the most important meal of the day.”

  Parker nodded in agreement, taking another sip of coffee.

  “Well, after getting dressed and doing my make-up, I’m always in a rush to get to the office or court. I usually live on coffee.”

  “That’s no kind of life, darlin’,” said Parker.

  For once, Yukon was in complete agreement. Rushing around like a chicken with its head cut off was no way to live. She needed time to eat properly and enjoy the little things. City life sounded bad for her health.

  “I like to keep busy.”

  Parker looked at him, the unspoken disapproval passing between them. It was as if they both had the same investment … in the same woman.

  “How long can you keep up that pace?” Parker kept pushing, and Yukon was getting nervous that she’d shut herself off again.

  “It’s not easy. In a few more years, I’ll be forty. In my office, that’s close to the grave.”

  Yukon laughed. “Then we’re dead and buried, Parker.”

  “Don’t worry,” she said. “It’s only a concern for women. It’s a huge double standard.”

  “You look perfect the way you are, baby girl.” Parker finished his coffee and stood up. As he passed Robyn, he brushed
his hand along her shoulder. “If someone doesn’t like you for the way you are, you don’t need them.”

  ****

  Robyn played the words in her head. Not many people accepted her the way she was. In fact, no one knew the real her because she lived to hide her away. Even her closest so-called friends were slowly drifting away because she refused to change herself to fit in with their circles. Yes, the hottest paralegals were assigned the best cases, but she couldn’t stay young forever. That deep-seated worry continually bubbled to the surface. It was another reason she liked to keep busy, to avoid too much worry and reflection.

  Once they were all ready to go, they rushed through the rain to get to the pick-up truck, and she was sandwiched in the middle of the front bench seat.

  “You didn’t have to change back into your suit,” said Parker. “You’ll stick out like a sore thumb.”

  “I’m not wearing your size-twenty rubber boots, and I don’t think heels will look good with Yukon’s jogging pants.”

  “We’re not size twenty,” Yukon said, his eyes ahead as he drove up the road.

  “I don’t have my suitcase, so this will have to do. My undies are drying in the bathroom.” After she spoke, she regretted telling the brothers there was nothing under her skirt. Her face felt hotter than a furnace, and an awkward silence filled the cab of the truck. These were both virile men, so they had to be imagining all the intimate details.

  The more she thought about it, the more she wondered what it would be like to give herself to the two cowboys. Together, they’d make a perfect combination. She’d only had a few sexual encounters in her life, even though her friends thought it was in the dozens. Sometimes she had to lie to fit in, maybe a lot. Most of her image was a sham, and hiding her past a full-time job some days.

  “We’ll pop over at Ms. Granger’s first,” said Yukon.

  “Who’s that?”

  “A neighbor. With the power out, I want to be sure she’s okay.” They stopped the truck in front of a small wooden house. It looked more like a cottage set on acres of open land. “I’ll be right back.”

  It was too quiet. “That’s a cute house,” she said, once alone with Parker.

  “It’s one of the century homes. Her husband used to help out our father when we were struggling,” said Parker. “Now Ms. Granger’s a widow, so we do our best to look out for her.”

  That was so sweet. Old-fashioned values and neighbors helping neighbors. It was a foreign concept to her. The opposite of the backstabbing she was used to.

  “That’s really nice of you two.”

  He shrugged. “Nothing nice about it. In our town, we all look out for each other. It’s the cowboy way.”

  “I’m not from around here, and you’re helping me.”

  Parker leaned into her personal space. He smelled so damn good. “You’re a special one,” he said. “I usually don’t take kindly to strangers.”

  When his hand came down on her bare thigh, she jerked in her seat.

  “Are you cold?”

  She shook her head rapidly. If he kept his hand there, so close to her naked pussy, she’d come on the spot.

  “You can use my coat like a blanket if you like. Your skin’s all broken out into gooseflesh.”

  He was the reason. It had nothing to do with the cold. When she saw Yukon heading back to the truck, he was her saving grace. Parker sat up straighter, his hand slipping away.

  Yukon’s hair was wet, and he gave it a shake before hopping back into the truck. “Everything’s okay,” he said. “She sends her best.”

  “She has enough food? Well’s working?”

  “I checked everything. Mack was by yesterday and topped up her wood pile,” said Yukon. “Apparently Laura’s going to come visit in a couple months.”

  It was like she’d fallen asleep and woken up in an episode of Little House on the Prairie. Robyn couldn’t believe people still acted like this, and cared for each other.

  The truck skidded on the slick mud as they left the property and headed back toward their ranch. She braced the edge of the seat with her hands, but both men placed their arms across her at once, keeping her steady. Their protective nature was the ultimate turn on, especially for a woman forced to survive on her own for so long.

  “Now what?” she asked.

  “Repair work,” said Yukon, giving her a wink. That adorable dimple made its appearance. “You can wait in the house until we’re done.”

  “No, I don’t like being alone.”

  “Then you’ll stay with us,” said Parker.

  Yukon parked the truck back at their house, right up close to the barn. Both men opened the whiny metal doors at once, and Parker scooped her up and carried her into the barn like a bride on her wedding day. He rushed her past the bay door and set her on her feet once they were out of the rain.

  “You’re strong,” she whispered. Robyn wasn’t a light-weight, but he made her feel like she weighed a hundred pounds.

  Suddenly, Yukon was behind her, tucking her moist hair behind her ear. She felt so enveloped, a woman between two mountains ranges. She savored all the sensations, their touch, the scents, and the way they made her feel. Robyn couldn’t move, didn’t want to do anything but give up control. She was tired of being strong. Putting up a front 24/7 was exhausting.

  “She doesn’t like to be alone, and we wouldn’t want her scared,” said Yukon. His touch was mesmerizing. Her eyes briefly fluttering closed.

  “We’ll keep her close by. I’m sure we’ll find a use for her,” said Parker.

  Her body ignited, her bare pussy pulsing. She squeezed her legs together, convinced they’d know how aroused they made her. The sound of the rain on the barn roof relaxed her, made her drift into a fantasy-like state. Yukon continued to pet her hair, Parker’s hand running down her arm until their fingers touched.

  “I have a milking bench you can sit on.” Yukon walked off, giving her a bit of reprieve.

  Parker tilted her chin up. “Your pupils are dilated.” He ran the pad of his thumb along her lower lip, and she nearly opened her mouth for him.

  “It’s dark in here.”

  “If you say so.” He left her standing alone. Craving more.

  Once she was sitting on the wooden bench near the open side doors, she watched the brothers at work from her sheltered seat. A huge oak had crashed down from the storm, luckily over one of their fences rather than the barn. They said it had to be mended or wild hogs and other wildlife would destroy their unharvested crops. She knew so little about their lifestyle, but she started to feel like she belonged. A few times she’d stop and realize that she wasn’t obsessing over getting home or worrying about tomorrow. This place had created a bubble of time and space that she was becoming lost in—maybe never to return. Who would miss her?

  Robyn had fairy tale sickness, and as far as she knew, there was no cure.

  Time passed slowly, comfortably.

  She heard a snort, and looked to the other end of the barn. Robyn got up to investigate and discovered two horses—one brown, one black. She’d never been around farm animals, even though she thought horses were beautiful in pictures. They were huge. She hesitantly reached out and rubbed the nose of the black one. It felt softer than silk. Robyn smiled as she searched for something to feed him, grabbing a handful of hay from nearby. The beast was surprisingly calm, with big, expressive eyes. She continued to pet both for a while before returning to the bench.

  Watching the brothers’ hard bodies working in the rain was addicting. The smell of barley hay was decidedly soothing. Just because her parents had come from a small town didn’t make all small towns bad. She saw that now, saw there were still good people outside the city. Robyn’s parents had abandoned her as a baby, left her wrapped only in a bloodied t-shirt—but that wasn’t her fault. The countless foster homes, the abuse, the sadness … it was all part of her story, and it couldn’t be undone. She had to get over her hang-ups, but it was hard to make an overnight change. Her in
securities ran deep.

  “Shit!”

  Her attention was diverted back to the brothers. Yukon was on the ground and Parker stood over him. She ran out to them, not caring about the rain or her only dry clothes. “What happened?”

  “There was some old barbed wire. It got snaked around Yukon’s leg.”

  She looked down and saw the rain dripping red. “Get it off him!” she shouted.

  “I’m trying.”

  Yukon barely winced, leaning up on his elbows as his brother used a pair of pliers to free him, one barb at a time. When he’d gotten the wire out of the way, Yukon pulled himself up onto his good leg. Robyn wrapped her arms around his side. “Are you okay?”

  “Just a cut, baby girl. I’ll be fine.”

  “I’m going to finish closing up the fence, get inside for now,” said Parker, the rain rushing over his face as he spoke.

  They entered the barn, and she forced Yukon to sit on her bench.

  “You’re soaked to the skin,” he said, looking up at her.

  Her suit was indeed sopping wet, her blouse clinging to her breasts, leaving little to the imagination. Yukon wasn’t even trying to hide the fact he was staring.

  “Let me see your leg.” She squatted down and tugged off his big boot. Blood dripped down his pant leg. “Ugh. Take your pants off.”

  “You sure about that?”

  She ignored his teasing and motioned for him to lose the pants. He stood up over her, unbuckling his thick leather belt. As he unzipped, she swallowed hard. She tried to avert her gaze, but couldn’t stop staring. His black boxer briefs barely hid the massive erection sported diagonally over his thigh. The man was hung like a damn horse. It was unreal. Was she still staring?

  “How’s it look?” he asked once he’d tossed his pants.

  She gasped and looked up at him from her low crouch.

  “The leg…”

  “Right.” She took a breath and focused on the bloody tear that zigzagged around his leg, just above his knee. “It looks bad.” Robyn was no doctor. All she could think to suggest was getting it clean and adding Polysporin.

  “Think you can bandage it up for me later?”