Chapter 1
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The growl of Harley's diesiel was the only sound that accompanied him on his ride of shame. Here he was, limping home again, with busted up ribs. At least he had won this round. Harley shook his head, he wouldn't be leaving again, this had been his last ride. Besides, he had a date with a little filly that had run long enough. He had given her time to date and grow up, he had waited for her for the past 4 years.
Harley laughed as he shook his head.
Mrs B. was sure gonna be fussing up a storm this time. She had been his and his brother's momma for too many years since she been there. Wonder how much of a fuss she was gonna kick up when she found out he also came home for her little Myley cause he wasn't leaving this time.
He had watched over her and loved her since she hit 15 but he wasn't impatient and he refused to touch her till it was time. She was 19 this weekend and he wasn't but 25 and he refused to wait any longer.
He wanted to take his time with her, there was no rush. She would know who she belonged though before too long.
Harley got lost in thoughts of sweet and innocent Myley, as he drove the few miles to home. He smiled when Mrs. B and Myley stepped out on the porch to greet him.
"Well I'll be damn." Mrs. B called with a laugh and then she looked at him and the smile froze. "Harley, you done come home all busted up again?" She asked in less happier tone.
Harley smiled and slowly made his way up to the steps finally using his deep scratchy voice as he spoke to Myley,
"Hey there little filly, ain't you looking pretty?" He smiled up at her on the porch as he paused on the bottom step.
Myley blushed but his words still didn't wipe the concern off her face. "Harley, are you hurt again?" She asked in a soft voice. Harley dropped his head and smiled, "Yea, darlin' I went and got hurt again. I think i about decided that this was my last ride. I am done with chasing that dream." He smiled up at the two ladies staring like they had been turned to stone.
Mrs. B. wasn't as naive as they all wanted her to be. She saw the way that boy had watched her little Myley and knew why he had come home. She was secretly hoping he would, but she had worried he would be lost in the world of bright lights and flashy clothes. The boys may have been a wild bunch but they were good boys and she didn't think there was anybody better for Myley. She wouldn't tell him that so easily though.
"Come on in here, let me wrap you up before them brothers of your come in." Mrs. B said, "Myley get his shirt off while I get my first-aid kit out." She heaved a sigh and walked into the bathroom off the kitchen.
Myley sat Harley on a kitchen chair and proceeded to unbutton Harley's shirt. She tried to seem unaffected by him but truth was her hands was shaking so hard she hoped he didn't notice. Of all the brothers, Harley had always effected her this way. Not much like a brother at all actually but as a man.
So much for hoping she thought when Harley grabbed her hand. "Honey, why you shaking like a leaf in the wind? You alright?" He asked with now genuine fear in his eyes.
"Yea, Harley I am fine, I dunno what is the matter with me." She replied breathlessly as she finally got is shirt unbuttoned and slowly pulled it over his shoulders. The sight of that tanned and muscled chest just made her all the more breathless. Good lord in heaven he should be outlawed. She thought, that much male perfection is a sin, no wonder she couldn't find anyone else that made her want to date.
Harley was looking up at Myley from under the brim of his hat, he would have to remove it soon, he knew it was a rule in the house but he wanted to take advantage of the few moments he had to sneak a peek at her expression.
When his shirt was off Myley knew she had to make her escape for her own sanity before she did something to embarrass them both but Harley had other ideas. He saw the fear in her eyes mixed with desire and knew she was getting ready to bolt.
"So you ready for the weekend darlin'? Harley asked her. She simple smiled and nodded, "Yea, we decided to have a cook-out and invite some kids from school." Myley sat in a chair beside Harley as she spoke.
. "You got somebody special coming little girl?" Harley asked with a little too much edge to his voice. Inside he cursed himself when he saw her smile drop and her eyes hit the floor. He hadn't meant to intimidate her he was simply curious is all. "No, nobody asked." Myley mumbled and then flashing Harley a smile she stood. "I am glad your home for good Harley. I got work to do outside today." She said as she headed out to the barn.
Harley watched her pert little butt swing as she made her get away.
"You always did make my girl feel insecure and unsure of herself." Mrs. B. commented as she walked into the kitchen. "How long you stand there and listen?" Harley asked knowing exactly where she kept her first-aid kit and that it wouldn't took her nearly as long as it did.
"Long enough." She replied as she started pulling out the bandages. "Sit up here and let me check you out. I don't know why you seem to think I don't have eyes son. I been knowing you wanted my girl, and all I got to say is you want her, you do right by her. We understand one another?" Harley nodded and sucked in a breath as her fingers found his broken rib. "Oh yea, its broke alright. Might even need to go in for an x-ray Harley." He shook his head just as she knew he would.
"Stubborn jack-ass." She mumbled as she wrapped him up. Harley laughed at her comment as he raised his arms and let her mother him.
Harley strolled into the barn looking for Myley, a few hours later. He heard her soft voice as she spoke softly to one of the horses a few stalls down. Following the sounds of her sweet voice, Harley found the stall she sat in with a pregnant mare stroking her pale tan nose as the mare sat gently by and enjoyed the pampering. Harley recognized it as the horse, he himself , had brought home.
"I see you finally decided to breed that mare...who's the daddy?" He asked. Myley looked up and with a blush he didn't understand she answered simply, Lightning."
Harley laughed as he understood her blush then, Lightning was his black stallion that no one could ride but him and no one could care for him beside himself but Myley. Seemed the horse much like his master had a soft spot for her.
"Allow me to escort you to the cook-out Myley." Harley was surprised it came out even though he had been thinking it, he had no idea he was going to ask her till he did.
Myley looked up surprised, "Are you pulling my leg Harley cause I don't find it funny." She said in a tone he heard her rarely use but he had to admit her anger was all the more sexy.
"Now don't go getting your back up at me, I wasn't joking. I wish for you to be on my arm this Saturday. What's wrong with that?"
Myley's face took on a puzzled look as she stepped out of the stall and directly in front of Harley. Looking up she gave him a confused look.
"Nothing, I don't guess. I just am surprised you'd want to." Harley reached up and took hold of Myley's chin. "You might as well know now honey, rather than later, they ain't no point in me beating around the bush about it. I been waiting for 4 years for you to turn 19 and graduate from school. I came back for you Myley and I plan on spending a lot of time with you. So you might as well get use to the idea because I ain't planning on letting this go."
Myley stood stunned her beautiful brown eyes looking huge on her flawless face. Harley scowled as she stood mute, "Well say something darlin' don't leave me hanging like this. Do you feel the same or not? Although I warn you now, it don't matter, when I get done you will."
Marley tried to pull her face away so as to look away from him as she spoke. "Uh huh little filly, you don't get to hide." He mumbled and she blushed as her eyes hit his mouth. "I have always.......felt that way Harley." She said in a soft and hesitant voice. Harley knew then that his Myley was just as innocent as when he left.
"Have you ever let another man kiss you Myley?" She nodded and then explained, "A few boys from school have tried to get me interested enough." She confessed.
"Did you go out with them baby?" Harley asked in a careful tone not wanting to scare her like before.
Myley shook her head and all of sudden her face crumbled and tears streamed down her cheeks. Harley hit a knee in front of her so he could look up into her face. "What is it honey, why did that make you cry?" Myley turned to run from him not wanting to tell him about the boy that had tried to force her on the one date she did accept and how she had been scared every since.
She took only a few steps though before Harley's large hulking arm circled her waist and caught her but he didn't force her to turn around. He simply pulled her back to his chest and holding on to her he asked. "Come on now, I won't have no secrets between us. We have always gotten along real good before I left here and I want to know whatever upset you."
Mayley dropped her head and watched her hands as they stroked over his thick muscled arm, Harley turned his arm and held his hand out before her watching as she stroked it too as if studying it.
"I finally accepted a date from one the cowboys in town. I think he was close to your age...." Myley hesitated and Harley felt every muscle in his body clench having a feeling he knew where this was going already. "He was real sweet to me and I hadn't ever been on a real date before so I finally agreed, he took me to dinner and then we went to the Iron Wagon Wheel for some dancing. On the way home he pulled off into a pasture and .....and tried to force himself on me." Myley finally got it all out of her mouth in a rush and then stood silent waiting for Harley to respond. "Did he hurt you baby?" Harley asked quietly trying not to break the spell of the moment. She shook her head, " I got away and started walking home. Momma was the only one up to realize a car never dropped me off and she is the only one I have told."
Harley took a deep calming breath as he tried for a normal voice, "Tell me who it was Myley." He coaxed in a sweet voice. Myley hesitated and then did as he asked, "Colt Jensen." She murmured but he heard it, "Turn around here and look up at me, honey." She did slowly but her eyes once again stopped on his delicious lips.
"I want to kiss you Myley that was why I originally asked if you had been kissed but if your not ready for that then we will take it slow." He said softly but she must have trusted him because her eye shot to his and whatever she saw there she took a step closer to him. "I want you to kiss me, please." She asked in such a husky voice that Harley moaned as he cupped her jaw and dropped his face to hers.
Slowly he brushed his lips over hers testing the waters and when she stood still for him he brushed his lips over her again except this time he allowed his tongue to come out to paint over her soft pink lips and when she gasped he took the opening to kiss her like he had always wanted to.
Licking the inside of her top lip before sinking his tongue deeper and rubbing it against hers. Timidly and very slow at first Myley followed his tongue as he retreated, "Hmm, baby you taste like pure wild honey." He moaned before leaning back in, running his tongue back over hers. She made a little moaning sound of her own as Harley pulled back, pulling her closer as he wrapped his arms around her, "That's enough baby before you tempt me to take things further and I hadn't intended on that yet." He spoke gruffly with a desire thickened voice.
"I came back for this, you and Me. I've waited
long enough, your mine to protect."
"Why Harley, why didn't you tell me all this time?" Harley sighed as he pulled her over to sit with him on a bail of hay, "Baby, your the only one that didn't know. All the guys around town that know me, had figured out I wanted you and was just waiting for you to be old enough. Hell my brothers knew too and I know they have warned their fare share of men off. The fact that you got to go on a date amazes me but I sure bet I know why you haven't been on any more."
Finally realizing what he was saying, Myley nodded silently as she played with a piece of straw.
"The past doesn't matter honey, it only helped me to know your worth. The fact is I got hurt on this last run and decided I was tired of waiting, I decided it was time to come home and claim my little filly." He said with a smile on his face and Myley looked up at the nickname and smiled back.
"Come on darlin', them brothers of mine will be in to eat your momma's cooking shortly. I think I will sit in the kitchen and visit with y'all while we wait." Myley smiled as hand in hand they walked to the house.
The boys filed in all excited and loud behind their father, who took one look at Harley and then Myley and got the damnedest smirk on his face. Well hell guess I didn't hide it to well from him either. Harley thought with a smirk of his own.
Kevin, Dusty and Lyle his younger brothers all filed in with laughter and jokes as they saw Harley at the table waiting. "Hey there hoss, they done went and castrated you on that circuit you were riding to where you hide in here with the women now?" This came from Dusty the joker and youngest of the bunch at 16 himself. He was a tall and well enough built man kept his hair longer than they rest of them, said the ladies like having something to run their hands through. Harley chuckled and looked up at him, "Hell no, I am just smart enough to know a beautiful filly from a stallion's ass unlike you wet behind the ears boys." Harley shot back and everyone laughed all the harder knowing exactly what he meant. Myley excused herself to go get the cows milk from outside no doubt she caught the jibe to his brother's too.
"So you back to stay this time?' Kevin asked this, the brother below him and 22 years old, he had took on their mothers paler skin and blond hair that was cut short and he like Harley was as big as their daddy who stood at 6' 2".
"Yep, thought it was time to settled down and quit chasing that dream before it killed me." He looked up at Mrs. B. as she snickered at her own thoughts on the subject and then turned his attention to his dad. They spoke of the ranch and all that been going on since his absence over a year ago, the last time he came home for a short time. The conversation died and came back to Myley as her and her mother finally got the food on the table and sat to join them.
"You got everything settled for this weekend, honey." Harley's dad, Luke asked her. Myley smiled and nodded, "I think it will be a total of 10 kids here, uncle Luke." Harley smiled at the name she still called him." Luke smiled fondly at her and then with a laugh he replied, "Honey that is just the kids you invited. You know in a small town you'll have more show up uninvited and that includes some of the adults and parents that just can't stay away from a cook-out at the Hutch Ranch. Myley nodded, "I don't mind Uncle Luke maybe that will take some of the lime light off of me." She joked and they laughed at their modest Myley, "So what boy you bringing?" Luke asked with a knowing smirk on his face, Myley had been taking a drink in that moment and had gotten choked at his question. Her chair screeched back as she hung her head between her legs, trying to cough up the sweet tea that had went down the wrong way and with a smirk of his own Harley looked over when she recovered and raised his evil brow. Waiting for her to explain this one, yes, he could have been a gentlemen and answered for them both but he wanted to see if his little filly was brave enough to admit just who her date would be. "Umm...well..that is...."
"Spit it out Myley damn, it can't be that bad." The silent until now Lyle spoke up, always putting his dumb foot in his mouth as he did now. "We ain't seen you date anyone since that date with Colt slipped by us." He said in all seriousness and Harley kicked him when he saw her face pale at the comment. Lyle looked up to see 4 men and 1 woman shooting daggers at him with their eyes and at this point the joke was over and his little filly turned her embarrassment into anger. "For your information smart mouth, Harley asked me to allow him to be my date." Myley shot at him with a dirty look and the brothers went quiet all looking at Harley with shocked expressions.
Harley smiled at Myley as she continued shooting daggers at Lyle with those sexy brown eyes that blazed fire and looking up at his father and Mrs. B. he smiled, "Yep, I reckon I better get this done. Dad as the closest thing to her father that Myley's ever had I'd like to ask your permission to date her." He asked properly. Myley's jaw dropped and she looked at him as she had today in the barn. "Close your mouth baby, it ain't nothing I didn't already tell you earlier." He spoke with a chuckle and then refocused on his father. His father sat with a knowing grin, "You aim to do right by this gal?" Luke asked as he would any man to ask permission. Harley nodded, "Yes sir. It is my ultimate goal." Myley was even more shocked at his words. Harley dropped his head as he laughed at her expression. "Then I give my blessings but know this you hurt my girl and I have several guns with your names on them, son or no son." Harley nodded and laughed. "I expect nothing less." He said to his ole'man.
"Well it's about damn time." He mumbled and everyone laughed and went back to eating.