Omega’s Refuge (Rambling Cow Dude Ranch #1)

Chapter Two

Stuffing down my frustration, I continued driving. I wasn’t surprised Steve had fallen asleep. In fact, I’d probably have died of shock if he’d offered to drive for a while so I could take a little cat nap. He wasn’t considerate like that. I’d always known that about him and had gotten used to how he was, but since the breakup, those sorts of selfish things bugged me more.

When I’d faced life without him, I’d started thinking more about what I wanted in an alpha. But then he’d come back, begging for my forgiveness. It was hard to turn him away because I still loved him. It had seemed easier to just give in and hope for the best. At least with him in my arms again the pain of loss was gone. I’d underestimated how hard it was to let go of the hurt and damage he’d caused, though. I held out hope I could work through the pain he’d caused, but sometimes I didn’t feel very hopeful about us making it long term.

A half hour passed, and eventually Steve roused himself from his nap. He sat up, rubbing his eyes. “Man, I was out.”

“I noticed.”

He straightened and picked up his phone. “It looks like the turn off is only about four miles up the road. ”

“Good thing you woke up or we might have missed the turn.” I shook my head.

“Well, I woke up so no harm done.” He yawned and stretched his arms, lowering his legs from the dash. “I feel refreshed.”

I once more had to stuff down my frustration, and said nothing.

After a few minutes, he pointed to a dirt road on the left of the paved highway. “That’s the turnoff. See the sign?”

“I see it.”

I slowed the car and carefully turned into the wide driveway. We passed under a big wooden sign with the name “Rambling Cow Dude Ranch” painted on it. After about a ten-minute drive over a bumpy dirt road, we came to the main ranch house. The house was a sprawling, two-story white building with a gray roof. Charming cabins were peppered around the larger home, which I assumed were guest cottages.

Steve and I exited the car as a tall, lanky, middle-aged female alpha sauntered up to us. She had sharp brown eyes, a narrow, angular face, and close-cropped gray hair. “Howdy.” She tipped her hat at us. “I’m Mrs. Rodwell, I own this ranch. You boys must be the Turlington party.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Steve answered.

“We’re all ready for you boys.” She scanned me head to toe. “You look like you could use an ice-cold glass of lemonade. ”

“I wouldn’t turn a glass down.” I smiled politely, feeling self-conscious. I hoped I didn’t smell of sex, or look like I’d just had a blow job. I definitely felt disheveled after the long drive.

“I’ll have some lemonade sent to your cabin.” She turned to the man who’d followed her out of the main house. “This here is Rex. He’s my right hand man.”

A little buzzing jolt went through me as I met Rex’s blue eyes.

“Howdy.” His voice was husky. He was about six feet tall, lean, and gorgeous. He had blond hair and broad shoulders. He wore a blue flannel shirt and faded jeans that fit his muscular thighs nicely, and, of course, he had on boots. I was surprised he didn’t have a Stetson.

“Can’t you get arrested in these parts for not wearing a cowboy hat?” I asked, laughing. The minute I made the joke, I regretted it. Rex narrowed his eyes, but other than a cow mooing somewhere in the distance, and Steve giving me a soft pity laugh, you could have heard a pin drop.

Rex continued to stare at me with the bluest eyes I’d ever seen, but then with a shake of his head, he moved to the back of the car to help unload the suitcases. I knew for a fact the suitcases were heavy as hell, but Rex lifted them out of the trunk like they were light as a feather.

“I’m Tanner, by the way,” I volunteered .

“Nice to meet you, Tanner,” Mrs. Rodwell said with a pleasant smile.

“I call him T.” Steve announced, as if anyone cared what his pet name for me was.

Rex just grunted and took off toward the cabins.

“We have you boys in the Lonesome Pine cabin. Follow me,” Mrs. Rodwell said in a no-nonsense voice as she set off toward a small brown building.

We followed behind, and Steve elbowed me and said under his breath, “’Can’t you get arrested in these parts for not wearing a cowboy hat?’ Seriously?”

“Oh, shut up,” I muttered. “I was trying to lighten the mood.”

Steve cackled and put his arm around my shoulders. “I don’t think the cowboy appreciated your wit.”

“No, he didn’t seem to.” I gave a grudging smile.

We followed Rex and Mrs. Rodwell up the stairs and into the brown cabin they’d entered. I was pleasantly surprised by the interior. I hadn’t known what to expect and wouldn’t have been surprised to find cacti growing out of the floorboards. It was the complete opposite. The place was a nice mix of rustic and modern, with a large bed with a pine headboard, a TV, and a little area with a coffee maker and microwave .

A cozy leather armchair sat in the corner beside a small, round wooden table adorned with a lamp made from a vintage lantern. The walls were decorated with framed photographs of cowboy scenes and landscapes, adding a touch of local charm. A woven rug with earthy tones lay beneath the bed, and a set of antlers was mounted above the door, completing the rustic yet comfortable atmosphere.

“This is so much nicer than I pictured,” I said happily.

Mrs. Rodwell smiled. “What were you expecting?”

I grimaced. “No modern conveniences?”

She laughed. “Why? We want our guests to enjoy their stay. We know most people need the comforts of home around them.”

Steve nodded. “It’s even nicer than the brochure.”

“Thanks. Appreciate the compliment.” Mrs. Rodwell moved toward the door. “You boys let us know if you need anything.”

“We will,” Steve said, going to sit on the edge of the bed. “Nice mattress too.”

She smiled and left the cottage.

I still stood near the door as Rex brushed past me into the small room, carrying the remaining suitcases. I caught a whiff of his woodsy cologne and was surprised at how good he smelled. I guess I’d assumed he’d smell like cattle or sweat, but he didn’t.

He plunked our suitcases down with a loud thump and moved toward the door. “Dinner is in the main house at six,” he said.

I guess I hadn’t learned my lesson yet because I made yet another stupid joke. “What are we having, raccoon stew?” Once more, my humor was met with stony silence.

Rex narrowed his eyes, but he said nothing and left the cabin, closing the door firmly behind him.

“You just couldn’t help yourself, could you?” Steve smirked.

“That was some of my best material,” I said, shaking my head. “This is a tough crowd.”

“I don’t think that cowboy likes you very much.” Steve stood and unzipped his suitcase as he spoke. “Too bad for you because he’s hot. Smokin’ hot.”

“Why would I care if he’s hot?” I frowned. “I’m here with you.”

Steve grimaced. “Oh, I know. I just mean sometimes it’s fun to flirt. But he doesn’t seem interested in even talking to you.”

My stomach churned at his comments. “That’s fine by me. I’m here to spend time with you, not flirt with random cowboys. ”

Sighing, Steve moved to me. “It was a thoughtless thing to say. I’m sorry.” He kissed me. “Now, I’m going to shower. Care to join me?”

“No, I’m going to unpack. I’ll go after you.” I moved away from him.

“Tanner, are you going to be this touchy the whole time?” He scowled. “Do I have to guard every word that comes out of my mouth?”

“I’m not being touchy. I need to unpack, that’s all.” I forced a smile, hoping he’d believe me. I didn’t want to argue or get into some heavy discussion when we’d just arrived. Besides, I probably was being too touchy. “Go shower. I’m fine.”

He studied me, then he shrugged. “Okay.”

As promised, a young girl arrived with two glasses of cold lemonade, and I drank mine while I unpacked my stuff into the dresser that was provided. I felt guilty about being grumpy with Steve earlier, so I unpacked his suitcase too. By the time the showers and unpacking were out of the way, it was close enough to six that we headed to the main house for dinner.

When we stepped inside, we saw three other couples, along with Rex and Mrs. Rodwell, sitting at a long wooden table. I was immediately struck by the rustic charm of the building. The walls were lined with dark, weathered wood, adorned with vintage cowboy hats and old photographs of the ranch's history .

A large stone fireplace dominated one side of the room, the wall above the mantle decorated with antlers. Antlers seemed to be a big thing here at the ranch. The wooden table stretched the length of the room, set with checkered tablecloth and mason jars filled with wildflowers. The buffet to the side was covered with big bowls of mashed potatoes, gravy, salad, and a large platter of some version of grilled beef.

The only two seats left were next to Rex, who sat at the head of the table. I was closest to the seat directly next to him, and it would have been weird or rude if I’d avoided that chair. So I sat down, and Steve took the chair on the other side of me.

Rex met my gaze and he gave me a polite nod.

I smiled and tried to ignore the butterflies fluttering in my gut when our eyes met. He really was a sexy man. Up close, he was even nicer to look at. His lips were full, and his lashes were thick and black. My hands shook a little as I reached for my glass of water. I sipped the cool liquid, pretending to listen as Mrs. Rodwell gave a nice welcoming speech to the guests. Truth was, I was painfully aware that Rex’s long legs kept brushing mine as he adjusted his position now and then.

Once Mrs. Rodwell was done speaking, we were all instructed to go to the buffet and fill our plates. We did so eagerly, and somehow Steve and I got separated, but I ended up next to Rex in line.

It was annoying how physically aware of Rex I was, but he smelled so darn good, and the heat of his arm when it accidentally bumped mine sent shivers through me. We didn’t speak to each other while we waited in line, but eventually, it was our turn to help ourselves to the hot food held in the silver chafing dishes. I served myself some mashed potatoes and gravy and took a juicy slab of barbecued beef.

As I put the beef on my plate, Rex leaned in and said softly, “We ran out of raccoon stew. So we had to go with coyote steaks instead.”

Surprised, I couldn’t help laughing as I met his amused gaze. “Holy cow, did you just make a joke?”

His lips twitched, but he didn’t speak.

“By my count, that’s two cowboy violations in one day. No hat and making a goofy joke.” I grinned. “You better be careful, or they’ll revoke your cowpoke license.”

“They wouldn’t dare.” Rex scooped some potatoes onto his plate.

“No?”

He shook his head. “I’m a founding member.”

“Really? You look awful young to be a founding member.”

He winked. “I made a pact with the devil for eternal youth. ”

We shared a smile and my pulse sped up. I hadn’t expected Rex to have a sense of humor. That just made him even more appealing. Not that I was thinking anything would come of the attraction I felt for him. I loved Steve and was fully committed to my alpha. But when Steve had broken up with me, and I’d thought about the type of alpha I wanted in the future, Rex was the type I’d pictured.

But Steve had returned to me and here we were.

“Anyway,” Rex said, turning back to the food filled table. “Be sure you save some room for Betsy’s homemade peach cobbler.”

“I will.”

When Steve suddenly appeared at my elbow, I jumped guiltily. “Oh, hey,” I said. “Did you just cut the line?”

“No, I already got my food.” His gaze glittered with jealousy as he gave Rex an uneasy look. “I just wondered what was taking you so long. I was hoping to eat dinner with you, not alone.”

“Sorry. I got stuck at the back of the line,” I mumbled, helping myself to a portion of asparagus. My face was warm and I hoped I didn’t look guilty. I hadn’t really done anything other than talk to Rex, but I did find him really sexy, so there was definitely a bit of guilt .

“Right.” Steve’s expression was skeptical as he eyed Rex’s broad back. “Well, don’t take too long. I’m starving.”

“I’ll be right there.”

Rex didn’t acknowledge my conversation with Steve, in fact he ignored me the rest of our time at the buffet table. I took my food back to the table and sat beside Steve. He surprised me by leaning in and kissing me just as Rex took his seat too. Steve wasn’t usually big on PDA, so I knew he was simply being a possessive alpha because he was jealous of Rex.

The group was friendly and the conversation flowed easily as we all shared where we were from. Rex didn’t talk much, but our eyes would meet a lot because he was watching me and Steve. I got the feeling he didn’t like Steve, but maybe that was simply because Steve wasn’t being very friendly.

Once we’d all stuffed ourselves with the delicious dinner and some fresh peach cobbler, the group moved to the makeshift bar area on the big back porch of the house. The outdoor space had a long wooden bar, its surface polished to a smooth sheen. Barstools made from old saddles provided quirky yet comfortable seating. Fairy lights were strung up behind the bar, their white light bouncing off an array of liquor bottles and glasses that rested on pine shelves .

The guests included two sets of newlyweds—one who kept mostly to themselves—and a retired couple named Martha and Joe. They all seemed friendly and easygoing, so I had high hopes that the five days here would go smoothly.

“You boys ever been on a ranch before?” Joe asked. He had warm brown eyes, and a bushy gray beard.

“I spent one summer on my grandfather’s ranch in California when I was around sixteen. It was hard work,” I volunteered, not feeling the need to go into too much detail. Joe didn’t need to know my summer hadn’t been much fun.

Joe nodded. “Yeah, life on a ranch isn’t for everyone.”

Steve picked at the label on his beer. “I never spent time on a ranch, but I went horseback riding once when I was younger. I’m looking forward to riding more horses on this trip.”

I grimaced. “I really enjoyed riding when I was at my granddad’s ranch, but I was younger then. To be honest, I’m a little nervous about getting back on a horse.”

“You don’t need to be nervous.” Rex spoke up from behind the bar. “We’ll make sure you’re safe.”

I was surprised he’d been listening to our conversation since he’d seemed to be ignoring us. “I guess horses make me uneasy because I’m pretty much a city boy. ”

“Seems like a man can be from the city and still enjoy ranch life.” Rex polished a glass with a cotton rag as he answered, but his gaze lingered on me.

“I guess.” I smiled weakly.

Steve sniggered. “I don’t know about that, Rex. Ranch life is pretty rugged. An extra shot in his nonfat cappuccino is about as rugged as Tanner gets.”

I scowled at him, feeling my cheeks heat up. “Hey. I rode well and worked hard that summer. I didn’t wimp out or anything. My grandfather just didn’t like—certain things about me.”

“What sort of things?” Joe asked.

I wasn’t about to tell the truth about my homophobic grandfather, so instead I said, “I’m a freelance graphic artist. Granddad thought art was a waste of time. If you couldn’t ride it, rope it, or eat it, he didn’t respect it.”

Joe nodded. “I had a father like that.”

“Did you?” I met his gaze.

“Sure did. He felt the only real job was one where you did physical work. Maybe it was a generational thing. All I know is he was really upset that I didn’t want to take over his automotive business. I wasn’t into grease under my nails. I wanted to work in banking instead, and he couldn’t comprehend that. ”

“Personally, I think it’s cool that Tanner can make a living doing art.” Steve rubbed my back. “Well, when he’s employed, that is.”

My face warmed at his backhanded compliment, and I gave him an irritable look. He was making me look bad every time he opened his mouth. “I don’t have trouble finding jobs.”

Steve grimaced. “No, not at all. It’s just that being freelance his jobs don’t last long. For example, his most recent contract just ended before we came on this trip. So, technically, he’s unemployed right now.”

Why is he telling them that?

Anger welled up inside of me, and I struggled to hold it down. Was Steve purposely trying to make me seem pathetic so that Rex would have no interest in me or something? Whatever his motive, it was pissing me off.

“I have a bunch of leads on new jobs. I’m not worried,” I said stiffly. “I’ve never been unemployed for long.”

Steve winced, seeming to finally catch on that I didn’t appreciate any of the things he was saying about me. “Oh, yeah. He’ll find another job quickly. He always does. I just mean, making a living in the arts isn’t easy and I respect that Tanner can do that.”

You sure that’s what you meant, Steve?

Rex slid a fresh drink toward me. “I’d love to see some of your art sometime. ”

I winced. “Oh, it’s mostly commercial stuff. Not very interesting to the lay person.”

“That’s not true.” Steve laughed. “He has a bunch of stuff he does for fun. He’s really talented, but super modest.” He slipped his arm around my neck, pulling me over so he could kiss my head. All the sudden PDA was definitely for Rex’s benefit, and I didn’t care for it because it felt insincere. But, even though I was annoyed with him, I didn’t reject him. I didn’t want to embarrass him in front of everyone.

Thankfully, the conversation drifted to something other than me and my lack of employment. I did my best to ignore my irritation with Steve. The drinks helped because Rex made them nice and strong, and soon my buzz softened my irritation with my alpha.

Steve definitely drank too much. He’d occasionally shoot Rex hostile glances, and then lean in and steal more kisses. Rex glanced at us now and then, but he simply observed us in silence. I didn’t want to make Steve worse than he already was, so, I kept my attention focused on him. When midnight hit, people began leaving and heading to their cabins, which eventually left Steve and me alone with Rex.

The atmosphere was awkward once it was just the three of us. Rex kept busy cleaning up behind the bar, but I still felt conspicuous because Steve was being so touchy feely. I wouldn’t have minded if I’d thought he was doing that because he couldn’t keep his hands off me. But I knew him well enough to know he was putting on a show and laying claim to me. It was embarrassing because I was fairly certain Rex knew what he was up to as well. Steve wasn’t exactly being subtle.

I put up with the awkwardness for about ten minutes. Then I decided I didn’t want Rex to have to stay up any longer just because we were up. I got the feeling he was required to stay as long as we were in the bar area.

I slid off my stool and turned to Steve. “Ready for bed?”

“Sure, T. Can’t wait to get you into bed,” Steve said loudly. He stood unsteadily, and drained his drink. When he swayed a bit, he grabbed hold of the bar and cackled. “Fuck. I’m drunk.”

Rex glanced over. “Need help getting him to the cabin?”

I frowned, struggling to hold Steve upright. “I don’t know.”

“No, he doesn’t need your help.” Steve scowled at Rex. “I’m not that drunk.”

Rex’s expression was dubious, but he stayed where he was. He didn’t speak, he just shrugged and went back to restocking the bar area.

“You don’t need to be rude,” I muttered to Steve as I led him to the steps that led off of the porch. “Rex is just trying to help. ”

“Pfft, yeah. He wants to help himself to you , dude.” He moved unsteadily down the stairs.

“You’re nuts,” I mumbled, embarrassed that Rex might have heard him. “He’s just being nice.”

“I’m not nuts. He’s been eye-fucking you all night.”

I was relieved we were far enough away now that Rex wouldn’t have heard that inappropriate comment. “You’re just drunk and acting stupid, Steve. Knock it off.”

“You’re going to pretend you don’t know he’s into you?” Steve laughed.

“I’m not pretending. I think you’re wrong, that’s all.” The gravel crunched beneath our feet as we made our way through a grove of trees that separated the main house from our cabin.

“Well, he better keep his fucking distance,” rumbled Steve. “You’re my omega.”

I sighed, but didn’t respond.

“What?” Steve said, his tone accusing. “You don’t agree?”

I frowned. “That I’m yours? Of course I agree. I just don’t understand why you’re acting so jealous.”

“I don’t like that guy.”

“Well, you’d better suck it up because we have five days here with him.” I rolled my eyes.

“I’m just saying you’d better not flirt with him a bunch or I’ll be pissed.”

“I wasn’t flirting ,” I rasped .

“Seemed like you were to me. The asshole couldn’t stop watching us.” His tone was surly.

“Well, you were putting on quite the show,” I said drolly.

“Show? It wasn’t a show. You know I’m always horny—for you, babe.” He put his arm around my neck, and we stumbled slightly.

I know you’re always horny. Not sure it’s always for me.

“Careful,” I groused, struggling to keep us both upright. “Or we’ll both end up on the ground.”

We’d finally reached our cabin, but we were on the back of the structure. I started to head around the side toward the front entrance, bringing Steve with me, but he dug his heels in.

“What are you doing?” I asked, tripping over my feet.

He grabbed hold of the front of my shirt and he walked me backward, until my back bumped into a nearby pine tree. I winced because he was being so rough. “Take it easy, Steve.”

“You still love me, right?” Steve’s voice wobbled.

“Of course I love you.” I squinted at him. “Why are you asking me that?”

He eyed me suspiciously. “Sure you don’t want to trade me in for that fucking cowboy ?”

Scowling, I pushed against his chest. “You’re drunk. I didn’t do anything to make you accuse me of that. You’re wrong about Rex. You’re being dumb because you had too much to drink.”

His expression was tense. “I don’t think I am wrong. I can sense he’s into you.”

“Well, even if he is, I’m with you.” I tried to sound reassuring and not give into my impatience, but it wasn’t easy. Being accused of wanting to cheat, when he was the only one who’d ever strayed was aggravating. “I only have eyes for you, okay?”

“Prove it,” he growled.

I laughed gruffly. “You want a notarized letter or something?”

“No, I want to fuck you right here. Right now.” He gave an angry glance back toward the main house. “Maybe Cowboy Rex will enjoy hearing me nail you.”

My face warmed. “You’re being childish.”

“No, I’m claiming what’s rightfully mine,” he rumbled, his eyes glittering with jealousy.

“Come on, Steve.”

“Come on what? Are you rejecting me, T?” His tone was accusing. “Why? You don’t want Cowboy Rex to hear me fucking you?”

I let out an impatient breath. “I don’t care about that. It’s just cold out here.” Shivering, I glanced around at the trees and dark sky.

“Sure.” His eyes were still drenched with suspicion. “I’m sure that’s all it is. It has nothing at all to do with fucking Cowboy Rex . ”

The last thing I wanted was to have sex outside, or inside for that matter. I had a headache starting, and Steve was annoying the shit out of me. But it was obvious he was seething with jealousy and stupidly paranoid.

Using a coaxing voice, I asked, “Can’t we go inside first? It’ll be more comfortable.”

“I thought you were going to try and be more spontaneous , T?” He eyed me grumpily. “You always complain about my flaws. You know, I have things I need from you too.”

“I never said you didn’t.” There was a full moon which allowed me to see Steve’s face clearly. My heart softened toward him when I saw the paranoia and worry etched there. He was like a little boy sometimes, and right now he seemed to need reassurance that I wanted him, and only him. I definitely felt guilt about the attraction I had for Rex, and while I hadn’t done anything wrong, I was compelled to give Steve what he wanted.

I leaned in and kissed him. It wasn’t a chaste kiss because I knew he needed to feel wanted . He responded and stuck his tongue in my mouth, rubbing his hands up and down my body. When he pulled back, his face was a canvas of lust as he ground against me like a horny bull.

“You want me to fuck you, T?” Steve’s voice was raspy and he unzipped his pants as he spoke. “ Right here. Right now? You can’t wait one second more for my cock?”

“I can’t wait.” I gritted my teeth at how roughly he pushed me against the rough bark of the tree. The moment wasn’t romantic, that was for sure. It got even less so when he turned me around to face the tree. I tried to ignore how impersonal the moment felt. I couldn’t shake the feeling that, in that moment, any hole would have been fine by him.

He undid my jeans and tugged them down to my ankles. The cool night air swirled around my bare ass and legs, and I swallowed nervously. “You brought a condom, right?”

Before he’d cheated, we’d fucked bare. But since we’d reconciled, I’d insisted on rubbers. He had to earn my trust again before I’d let him inside me bare.

“Yeah, I have a fucking rubber,” he rasped in an irritated tone. But despite his reticence, I heard the sound of a condom wrapper being torn open. “Gonna use your ass hard. Gonna pound your hole until you squeal.”

How romantic?

“Do it. I want it,” I said, playing along. It was my hope if I gave him what he needed he’d calm down about Rex. The trip was going to blow if Steve was jealous and paranoid the entire time.

“You want me for real?” he asked softly. “You want to be my omega still, right? ”

“So long as you don’t cheat on me again, yeah.” I grunted as he pulled my hips back hard, and rubbed his finger over my slick hole roughly. “Jesus, slow down,” I whispered.

“Why?” he mumbled.

“Because I’d like to be able to walk tomorrow.” I laughed unsteadily.

His response was to pry my ass cheeks open and push the head of his cock to my hole.

I stiffened. “Dude, what the hell? No foreplay?” I needed to get in the mood so my slick would lubricate my hole.

“I figured you were as ready as you needed to be since you’ve been making eyes at that fucking cowboy all night.”

“Not this again,” I grumbled. “That’s a lie and you know it. You’re imagining things.”

“Am I? I don’t think so.” His voice was surly, and he pushed his finger into my ass as he spoke.

“Hey.” I jolted upright, hole burning at the rough penetration. “Take it easy, Steve. I mean it.”

“Sorry.” He sounded a little guilty. “But you said you wanted foreplay.”

“Sticking your finger in my ass without warning isn’t foreplay,” I snapped. “You’re being paranoid for no reason,” I muttered, trying to relax my muscles so his finger inside me didn’t feel so uncomfortable. I needed to think sexy thoughts so that my slick would be plentiful .

Just go with it. Make him happy, and maybe he’ll stop being such an asshole.

“You need to remember I’m your alpha, not that guy.” He pressed another finger in, slower this time. “You’re mine.”

Because he was being gentler now, I could relax a little. With relief, I felt a pulse of warm slick release, and with that my arousal spiked. “I want to be yours, Steve.”

“Okay, then.” He began moving his fingers in and out of me, slowly and teasingly. “So long as you only want me.”

“I do.” I moaned, feeling a familiar tightening of my balls, and streaking sensations of arousal moving through me. The tight ring of muscle around my entrance began to loosen, and what he was doing to me started feeling good. Really good.

“You like my fingers in your ass?”

“Oh, yeah, more,” I moaned, rolling my hips to allow his fingers deeper. I rested my head in the bend of my arm, and curved my ass toward Steve in invitation. He made an appreciative rumble, and he pushed his sheathed cock to my hole. When I noticed a flash of movement in the trees to the right of us, I stiffened. Through blurry eyes, I could just make out the tall figure of a man.

“Wait,” I whispered, reaching back to touch Steve’s thigh. “There’s someone over there in the trees watching us. ”

Steve was too far gone and drunk to listen. “Who cares?” he mumbled. “Let ‘em watch and learn.”

Whoever it was, they definitely seemed to be staring in our direction. They just stayed there, not making any move to leave. It must have been obvious what we were up to, and I found it odd they didn’t leave in embarrassment.

“They’re not leaving,” I whispered, feeling self-conscious. It was definitely a man and he was tall, with broad shoulders. Excitement clutched me as the idea formed that maybe it was Rex. The body type was right, and the idea gave me a rush of lust that made my knees weak. Guilty that the idea of him watching us was a turn on, I tried to drag my gaze from the figure. “We should stop. I think they’re still watching us.”

“Ignore them. They probably just like the show,” Steve said breathlessly, pushing inside me without warning.

I gasped as he sank deep inside me, and I clawed at the tree and rasped, “Fuck.” The startling plunge of his thickness stretching me wide distracted me from our visitor, and I let out a groan of primal lust.

“Shit.” Steve began moving his hips fast and rough. “So good.”

My mouth hung open and my eyes glazed over as he pounded into me. He was being much rougher than usual, and it was hard not to feel like he was punishing me for something. But his cock was hard and deep, and I was too turned on to complain. Maybe later I’d ask him to be gentler from now on. But for now, I just wanted to get off.

“Take it deep, baby,” Steve whispered against my neck, his breath hot. “You want it rougher, don’t you?”

I pressed my lips tight, wanting to tell him not to be so aggressive. But I worried telling him anything negative might make him even more so. He was definitely in a weird mood tonight, and I didn’t dare say anything that wasn’t complementary.

“You’re so fucking tight. It’s unreal how good you feel, dude.” He gasped against my neck, thrusting jaggedly.

Despite how rough he was being, I was going to come any minute and there was no stopping it. “Yeah, that’s good,” I whimpered. “Oh God, yeah, like that.” My gaze slid back to where the silent visitor still stood.

“See babe, I knew you’d like it rough,” he slurred.

His words annoyed me, but I ignored them because my eyes were now fixed on the mystery man. I couldn’t look away. My pre-orgasm brain didn’t care anymore that we were being watched. In fact, a part of me started to really like the idea that maybe that person actually was Rex. Maybe Rex was silently watching Steve thrust into me, over and over. Maybe he was wishing it was him instead of Steve.

I wish it was Rex fucking me too.

That realization hit me hard. Guilt washed over me, but even so, instead of rejecting the thought of Rex fucking me, I embraced it. Maybe it was buried resentment at how Steve had betrayed me that made those traitorous thoughts seep into my head. But whatever the reason, I moaned and pleaded for more, fantasizing about Rex’s hands on me, or his mouth on me, or his cock buried so deep I could taste him. I was guilty as hell thinking about Rex instead of Steve, but the fantasy wouldn’t go away. I could just imagine Rex taking what he wanted, and me letting him.

Those traitorous thoughts sent me over the edge. I cried out and came hard, hot white strings painting the tree trunk, and sliding down onto the forest floor. Then Steve was coming too, his fingers digging into my hips. My legs almost gave out, and I closed my eyes as Steve finished inside me.

Shame washed through me as my fantasy about Rex slowly faded. That had been wrong of me. I shouldn’t have let thoughts of Rex take over. Even if the thoughts had been the result of lingering resentments because Steve had cheated, they’d been wrong. Steve was my alpha. He was the only alpha I’d allow inside me, so long as he stayed true to me.

When I opened my eyes, our mystery guest was gone.

And I felt oddly let down.