Giddy Up Read online

  “I’ll have some water,” Sakura requested with a smile. Even though he hadn’t touched her intimately, seeing him made her feel good. The brief touch confirmed yet again that she’d made the right decision in coming to the U.S. They made their way to the others and felt at ease.

  Except for Molly, Sakura preferred to keep a slight distance from people she worked with. She didn’t want to do that while at the Big W Ranch. There were no formalities here, no cultural rules to remember and exist under, and she hoped none appeared. As far as she was concerned, the days were for business, after that was something else. Something much more personal.

  Dinner turned out to be a group effort and they ate outside on a patio beneath the expansive darkening sky.

  Jon made a green salad, Ted handled the steaks, and Matt was in charge of grilling the asparagus once the steaks had been removed. While she’d read about the American fascination with barbecuing, neither she nor Molly had ever tried it before. After listening to them talk and seeing the seriously extensive setup, they were interested to see how it was done and how the end product tasted.

  By the time the meal was finished she knew why it was a national fascination. The meal was delicious and filling. Once they’d finished eating, a chill started to settle over them and they cleared the table. Moving inside, they settled in the living room and started to talk shop.

  “We’ll have another barbecue tomorrow with the ranch hands that are here. Later you can then meet the group currently out moving the last of the herd to the eastern pasture. It will leave the northern field free for the newborns after they’ve been double tagged.” Ted was hands on with the ranch itself and had even sent her a map of the ranch, with the various sections labeled.

  “Sounds good. Tomorrow morning Molly and I can take a look at the equipment, see what we’re waiting for, and start making a game plan on setting it all up. Have you settled on where you want to place it?” She leaned her head back against the couch and snuggled in for comfort, relaxing further into the discussion.

  “We’ve enclosed the space in the barn to cut it off from the activity while still being in the midst of it all. We figured proximity was best and decided to go with a dedicated generator which kicks on automatically. There’s one for the house already and it shouldn’t be a big deal to get one for the barn office.” Ted sat beside her and drank his beer.

  “Yes, makes sense. I’m going to suggest we add a dedicated station to your office here at the house. As a sort of back-up source in case the other goes down.”

  “I like the idea of another terminal outside of the barn. Don’t forget how harsh winters can get here.” Matt added a dose of reality to the discussion before settling down, and brought her feet to his lap. “Would it be a mirror version of the other or would we need to set up a backup program?”

  “If we set it up right, then yes, working on one station would be like working on the other with a dedicated backup being done on the inside office unit.” Sakura had built the plan for the Big W from the ground up. It meant she could talk details without needing to dive too deeply into work mode. It was a good thing because she wasn’t in the mood to do much thinking.

  “Everyone, I’m going to head back to the house and get some sleep.” Molly stood up and looked at Matt, Ted, and Jon in turn. “Thank you for such a wonderful dinner. It was a great introduction to the barbequing phenomenon. I look forward to returning the kindness and cooking a typical English Sunday roast and all fixings for you gentlemen.”

  “I’ll walk you back,” Jon quietly offered and moved to stand next to her.

  “That’s all right, I can find my way back.”

  “It’s not a problem.”

  “Oh, okay.” She smiled up at the big man standing at her side. With a light touch to her back, he followed her to the front door. “Good night, everyone. See you in the morning.”

  “Night,” was everything the tall dark haired escort muttered before they were gone.

  Silence fell with the snick of the door closing until Sakura couldn’t hold back what she was thinking any longer.

  “Is it me, or do those two have a thing for each other? I’ve known Molly for over five years. She’s never smiled at a man like she just did, nor would she have allowed one to walk her home.”

  “There’s definitely heat between them. We’ve known Jon since we were kids. Even when he and I were in the Marines, stationed everywhere from the jungles of Columbia to the bazaars of the Middle East, he never went after a woman. They always followed him, but he’s definitely following Molly.” Ted spoke in a matter of fact way as he put his glass on the table behind the couch.

  “You were in the military? I didn’t know, I—” She was shocked at how much she didn’t know about the men she was growing to care about.

  “It’s all right, Sakura. There’s plenty of time to get to know each other better. We aren’t going to rush into anything.”

  “You’re right.” The idea she could have lost him before she ever met him struck her hard. They’d talked on the phone, lengthy calls, but she wanted to experience getting to know him in person, not be given a list noting down every detail of their lives. She didn’t want him or Matt to get to know her that way, either. They’d talk and discover each other in a natural way. “I take it she’s safe with him?”

  “Safe, absolutely, but seduced is something else.” Ted rubbed his chin over the top of her head.

  Sakura knew she’d been relaxed in both the company and conversation, but hadn’t realized how much.

  At some point she’d moved to rest against Ted rather than the couch. He hadn’t touched her, but her hand was on his thigh, unconsciously stroking the softened jeans and hard leg beneath. Looking at Matt, she wondered how he was taking her being close to his brother. She found him sitting at the other end of the couch, watching them with a gentle smile on his face as he rubbed her feet.

  She remembered what he’d told her, what it meant if she came to the Big W Ranch. Matt and Ted would both be her lovers. Two incredibly sexy men were there to please her as she would them. The picture he’d painted seemed hot and a bit naughty, and appealed to her greatly.

  For months she’d prepared for the visit, but hadn’t known what to expect. She hadn’t any idea how things would progress. They’d simply been themselves and she’d found them attractive. Without trying, they enticed her to want to spend time with them in and out of bed.

  It had been too long since she’d spent the night with Matt, and there’d been no relief since for the passion he’d set blazing inside her mind and body. Instead, the need burned brighter, and left her constantly thinking of the release she knew she’d find in their arms. It was a scary step to make, and one she wanted to do.

  Tilting her head to the side and back, she looked at Ted, then at his lips. It was a hint, brazen, but a clue that she wanted his kiss and he gave her one plus a bit more. He gently placed his lips against hers and left them simply touching. Their connection sparked and she gave him an invitation to take what he wanted.

  His tongue made a subtle sweep of the seam between her lips. She inhaled sharply and slipped her tongue out to meet his. They twisted and tangled around each other. It was utterly delightful, and she swept swiftly into a new realm full of wonder when his hands smoothed over her belly and up to cup her breasts.

  Inhaling sharply, she wanted them to do something, but they simply held her fleshy mounds. She waited for the thumbs to stroke across the tips or maybe for him to push the two together, but nothing. After waiting with held breath, she slowly relaxed into his touch and figured he was simply curious about how they’d feel.

  With a breath followed by another, she realized Matt ran his hand over her foot, past her ankle to encase her calf. He massaged the muscle and, without breaking their kiss, her eyes rose to meet his. The man was smiling and she wanted to say something, but hadn’t any idea what. Words trickled through, but before she could put them together Ted pinched her nipples.


  Gasping, Sakura accepted she was lost and broke the kiss. He rolled the hard tips between his fingers and then released them. The palms of his hands covered her breasts. It might have been soothing, but she was too excited by the subtle circular motion they made. That almost not there touch had her fighting to not thrust her chest up to meet his hands.

  An intense passion raced through her body, one she hadn’t experienced since the last time she spent time with a Wilson brother. Questions roved through her head without any of them coming out.

  Despite her fuzzy headedness, being with the two men actually left her feeling calm. They weren’t pushing her to do anything she wasn’t ready for, which made her feel even more at ease in their company.

  The comfortable silence they’d fallen into was eventually broken by Matt. He asked the question which had obviously been on his mind for some time.

  “I’ve wondered, Sakura, why you chose to come to my room that night in Japan. Was it because you wanted me, or were you doing something to push against your parents’ rules and tight hold on you?”

  While she should’ve been surprised at how perceptive he was, she realized now how obvious it must have been to others that she was unhappy existing under her parents’ thumbs. Living the life they set out for her from birth hadn’t been fulfilling, but she hadn’t known other people could see what she couldn’t or wouldn’t.

  She had been gone from home for only a few weeks, and already she was free to be true to herself and her needs.

  “They’re both right. I absolutely wanted you.” She smiled at him as she remembered their first conversations over the phone. “Your voice and sense of humor seduced me before I ever met you in person. Then, even though I thought you wanted me, I jumped at the chance to be with you. For the first time in my life, I worked toward achieving what I wanted, not what somebody else chose or expected me to do.”

  “When you were little, what did you dream of doing?” Ted stroked her arm, comforting her with his touch as he sought to appease his curiosity.

  “Nothing, I think.” No matter how hard she tried, Sakura couldn’t remember what the child she’d been wanted or even dreamed about. Every step had been planned and she was expected to follow through with success.

  “What about being an artist, writer, something far out there? That thing you never knew was possible to achieve but still wanted to do or at least try?” Ted asked the question, but she could tell they both were interested in her answer.

  “No, I could never draw as much as a stick figure and my writings skills are best found in a report based on defined facts. My imagination doesn’t go beyond what shoes to wear with what suit. I’m too practical.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with being sensible. In fact, it’s an asset.”

  “True, but disappointing. Thinking outside the box is beyond my abilities.” She didn’t mind admitting her flaws to these two men. They wouldn’t think any less of her for not being able to do everything.

  “I think you were creative when you dressed as a geisha to get what you wanted,” Matt spoke gently but emphatically. “Not many women are comfortable enough with who they are and confident in themselves to take what they want sexually.”

  “I’ve always done everything my parents wanted and ignored things which might make me personally happy. Then, talking with Hiedo, the hotel’s concierge,” she explained to Ted, “about Matt’s request for a geisha, it was as if the brick wall blocking my way from living as I wanted was destroyed and couldn’t be rebuilt. Even if it was for one night, I simply couldn’t let the opportunity to fulfill both our fantasies be wasted.”

  “Fantasies?” Matt had an idea what hers had been, but wanted to hear her say it and know what they were.

  “Yes, you wanted a geisha and I wanted a cowboy. Well, one in particular.”

  “What do you mean?” queried Ted.

  “Before Matt came to Japan and we spent hours talking on the phone, I imagined him as a cowboy.” She wasn’t sure if she would go as far as to tell them about it becoming a cowboy in hat and boots only, but she remembered how good he looked wearing a few basics.

  Sakura looked over at him and smiled. Being at their ranch, on the cusp of forming some sort of relationship with them, she couldn’t imagine not taking the chance and sharing everything.

  “How do your parents feel about your coming over here to handle the installation?” Matt went back to massaging her feet and lower legs.

  Closing her eyes, she relaxed in their arms. It was as if, with them, she was home. On a sigh, she told them everything.

  “They know what I’m here to do for the business and that I can do it because I already completed almost a dozen installations back home. They accept and support how I’m open to staying in the U.S. to possibly open a consultancy firm for Americans and possibly Canadians to export beef successfully to Japan. What they don’t know is that my feelings, maybe my heart, are involved.”

  “Stay in Montana, or specifically the Big W?”

  “I don’t know anything for sure, Ted, but if I do remain then it would be because the three of us agree there could be a loving relationship growing between us. Besides work, I intend to discover what’s in my heart. I know if my lust had the final say, there’d be no doubts about settling here. However, I’ve never been truly in love before and need time to sort out everything I feel.”

  “No matter how much we want you to move in with us, we both promise not to push you to make a decision. Right, Ted?”

  “Yup. We want you to stay here and be a family with us. We’ll give you all the time you need to come to the same conclusion.” The younger brother held her closer and placed a kiss on the side of her forehead.

  “Can I ask a favor?”

  “Of course.”

  “Whatever you need,” Matt said as he pressed his fingers into her arch.

  “Anything that may happen between us stays between us. I don’t want to do anything to shame or embarrass my family or the company. Officially, I’m here to work on behalf of Nakamura Enterprises. What we do together will only happen once work on the project is done for the day and in the privacy of your home. It would probably be best if, while we are working or even out in public, there be no kisses, hugs, touches or glances shared between us.”

  Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Ted move his head to look over hers at his brother. She didn’t have to wait long to hear what silent communication had passed between them.

  “We can’t help how we may look at you, Sakura. The moment I saw you in the diner, I was hard as a rock and everyone there could see proof if they looked. It’s a natural reaction and will surely happen time and again. What we promise is we won’t do anything to satisfy our needs if anyone is around to see it.” What Ted said about being turned on by her had the pulse in her pussy restarting its pounding beat. She could feel his erection prodding her back and looked over to see Matt was in a similar condition.

  Actually, she understood what he meant since she’d struggled to keep a lid on her desire to touch them.

  “Yes, okay. Fine.”

  Sakura looked over her shoulder at Ted and then at Matt, who was working on her ankles. They didn’t consult or look at each other about what she’d told them. She knew their lack of communication wasn’t because they weren’t taking her seriously. It had more to do with something Matt had told her on their last night in Osaka. He’d said, “What’s mine is Ted’s and what’s his is mine.”

  The time she’d already spent with them helped her understand more about them and how their idea of family worked. Already Sakura knew she wanted to be included in their circle.

  “All we want is for you to wake up every day with a smile on your face and the same as you fall asleep each night.” Ted was as gentle as his brother. They hid nothing from her. Neither feelings nor appearances, nothing but the complete truth was offered, and she was comforted knowing that about them.

  “Thank you.” She was eager to see what the next few
of months held for them.

  Chapter Four

  Sakura inched forward on her knees and cursed the unbearable humidity in the sealed room. They’d set up fans in the barn office, but they weren’t powerful enough to move the dead air.

  The office was at the back of the barn, with doors to both the stalls and outside. To ensure minimal problems from the external environment were introduced to the computers, most of the work would take place outside with handheld devices. The office itself would remain clean, or as clean as they could keep it.

  The program they were installing for the Big W would keep an inventory of their cattle in a way both the US and Japanese governments approved. There was a detailed depth to the program required by her home country. The Wilsons worked to adhere to those rules to ensure they’d be able to export their beef without any issues, and do it by not breaking any American laws.

  Up to this point, the only hiccup in the project was getting the HVAC up and running. Unfortunately, amongst other parts, a special filter was being specifically made for use in a barn and had delayed the installation. There was still work to be done, which left her sweating buckets as she crawled around beneath the table.

  “I will be happy when we finally finish securing these cables to the floor. There is sweat dripping from my body, maybe I should be doing this naked. Were you able to find more clips?” she asked her friend when the door from outside squeaked, telling her someone had walked in.

  She was met with silence, which was weird. Molly had been quieter than normal lately, although she was sure Jon Black was the reason. Her friend seemed to like him. She couldn’t remember ever seeing Molly weak at the knees like she was with this particular man. Maybe she was finally ready to move on from the past. She hoped it was true, her friend deserved to find love.

  Twisting around, she bent down further and looked under her bent arm to see what was up.