Page 27 of Knot Her Cowboys (Big Sky Omegas #2)

I almost tripped running out of reception when Dakota and Riley returned. My omega spilled out of the passenger side and tumbled right into my arms, squeezing so hard I wheezed.

“Careful.” I laughed. “Gonna make me think you missed me.”

She planted her face against my chest, firmly scent marking me with each cheek. “I did miss you.”

“Do I get to know what caused all the chaos in the bond?”

“Her mom’s not dead,” Dakota announced. “Faked her own death to lure Riley home.”

“Jesus Christ. I knew Darlene was unhinged, but that’s next level. You doing okay, honey bun? You’ve felt a lot more stable since finding that out.”

She nodded, holding me like she was afraid to let go. “Dakota, get the fuck over here.”

His whole face brightened as he realized what she was asking, moving swiftly to sandwich our omega between us. “Better?”

Her purr was answer enough.

Dakota suggested the gate system to me while Riley chilled out in our arms.

“I’ll call some companies. Guests can be given a code to get through.”

“Won’t that be annoying, though?” Riley asked. “It’ll slow the staff down.”

“We can get them some fobs. If they have a decent range, the gate will open for them when they get close. Plus, even if it’s annoying, everyone is used to safety measures. This will be no different.”

“I guess.” She sighed, glancing around. “Where are Levi and Cooper?”

“Setting up a show for the guests,” I replied.

“What kind of show?”

“Cowboy tricks. Guests fucking love it. Coop does a bunch of fancy shit, and then we let the guests try it out. Everyone has a blast.”

“That’s so cute. I’ll come by and watch it.”

“Ten bucks says he fucks up just because Riley is watching,” I said to Dakota.

“I’ll take that bet. We’ll see if his need to impress overtakes his nerves.”

Riley laughed, somehow burrowing even harder against my chest. “Are you busy right now?”

“Never too busy for you, honey bun. What’s up?”

“Could we have a cuddle inside?” She steadfastly refused to look at me. “I feel steadi er , but not steady enough to just go about my day, you know?”

“If you think I’m ever going to say no to a cuddle sesh, you’re out of your mind. You go on inside and I’ll get someone to cover the front desk for a bit.”

Her cheeks were a beautiful pink when I stepped away and she glanced over her shoulder to Dakota. “Can you come too?”

She might as well have handed him a winning lottery ticket with how big his smile got at her request. “I definitely can. I don’t have a therapy session booked until this evening.”

I sent the two of them into the big house and snagged one of our young staffers to take over for me. With that handled, I booked it straight inside. Riley was already curled up in my bed with Dakota at her back.

“You think you’re ever going to sleep in your room?” I asked playfully.

“That room doesn’t smell like you.”

I tried not to feel too smug about her wanting to sleep wrapped up in my scent, but I failed miserably. I stripped off my outer layers and rocket-launched myself onto the bed, making her laugh as I landed next to them.

Her purr started up as I cocooned her between Dakota and me.

“Is my omega happy?”

“What gave you that idea?” she said with a sweet laugh.

“It’s a mystery,” I replied. “You’re so subtle.”

She tucked deeper beneath the blankets, her purr a barely disguised roar.

Dakota trailed his fingertips over the Riley lump, looking like he had no idea what he had done to deserve her.

I didn’t know what I had done either, but I was just happy she was here.

It would’ve been so easy for her to panic and flee, and I’d have gone with her.

The fact that she was remotely willing to trust us to protect her was kind of humbling.

I hadn’t been able to do much for her growing up.

My parents had always been willing to offer a safe space, but she’d always stuck with Cooper, and he was never allowed to take advantage of my parents’ generosity without getting his ass handed to him for skipping chores.

Now it was a different story. I was a grown man with a home of my own, a pack I loved, and a mate I was willing to commit various crimes for. If I had to take Darlene Fletcher into the woods to free Riley from her, I was willing to do that to protect my pack.

Cooper’s family, excluding Morgan—’cause she was the best—had the good sense to fuck off most of the time so Cooper actually got a modicum of peace, but Riley’s family had never been that accommodating.

If it came down to it, we’d move to protect her.

Hopefully that wasn’t what happened, but I was ready for the possibility.

“She’s so cute,” Dakota whispered.

“I can still hear you,” Riley piped up from beneath the blankets.

“You don’t want to hear that you’re cute?” Dakota asked.

Her head popped out. “It’s already weirding me out how much of a squishy baby being around you guys is making me. I was not like this with my last alphas.”

“Did you feel safe with them, though?” I asked.

“Mostly. Bryan was a lot more indulgent with this kind of stuff than Bruce was. He didn’t mind when I needed to be cozy and comforted. Bruce preferred when I was a ‘proper’ adult.”

“Kind of fucked up he doesn’t think proper adults ever need coziness or comfort,” Dakota said. “It’s not a need that disappears with childhood. We just learn to suppress it.”

“Bruce had a stick up his ass about a lot of things. He was thoughtful when he wanted to be, and free with his money, but Bryan definitely took on the lion’s share of the emotional care.

I don’t think Oskar and Karl would’ve been very good at that part.

Pretty sure they would’ve been the German versions of Bruce.

” She rotated, tugging me closer and wedging her head beneath Dakota’s chin. “This is much better.”

“I’m glad you think so, honey bun.”

She deserved some emotionally competent partners.

Cooper might be a little more neurotic than was ideal, but she had always been good about balancing that in him.

He loved her a whole fucking lot, and the rest of us were a lot more chill comparatively.

Riley wouldn’t be wanting for affection in our pack.

“How long do you think it’ll take Cooper to stop running away?”

“Who the fuck knows? If I need to, I’ll lasso his ass so he can’t get far. He works through things in his own time, but we won’t let it go on forever.”

“I’ll talk to him,” Dakota promised. “If I get him up on horseback, he tends to open up easier.”

“Thank you,” Riley murmured. “I know I’m a wrench thrown into everyone’s lives and you don’t have to do these nice things for me, but I appreciate it.”

“Pack is there for one another,” Dakota insisted. “I know Cooper, and I’m learning you. We’ll get it figured out eventually.”

Her scent blossomed and she gave a little frustrated snort. “It feels dumb that compassionate emotional care makes me hot.”

I laughed and planted a kiss on her shoulder. “Probably healthier than getting turned on by negligence, though.”

“A fair point,” she conceded.

Dakota froze as she brushed her nose along the column of his throat.

“What are the odds of you guys doing something about it?”

I caught his gaze over her head. His pupils were dilated.

He swallowed hard. “I’d say they’re pretty good as long as you want us for the sake of it and not just a distraction. “

“Oh, I definitely want you. That’s not up for debate. Once I get totally comfy, you’ll have to pry me off.”

“Is that so?” I asked, amusement coloring my tone.

“Yep. I need a whole pack to keep up with my appetites even outside of heat.”

I couldn’t deny the statement—back in the day, if I couldn’t find Riley and Cooper for any length of time, it was because they’d snuck away to get frisky—and I certainly wasn’t going to complain about getting to indulge in her.

She caught Dakota in a kiss that had his sweetgrass and sandalwood scent erupting. I helped her out of her panties while she mesmerized my packmate, and then I nudged down my underwear so I could drag my cock along her slick folds. That feeling would never get old.

Distraction or not, she was craving connection. Her anxiety melted away in the bond, slowly replaced by a tide of desire that crashed over me with each delicious rock of her hips.

Telepathy would be so handy right now. I suppose I’d have to settle for actual words. “Don’t worry, D. She definitely likes you, right, honey bun?”

Her answering moan against his lips was confirmation enough.

“No anxiety spirals hiding in here,” I said, sweeping my hand over her ribs. “Just a slutty little omega wanting her alphas.”

Delight sparkled in the bond at the adjective.

I decided to double-check her reaction, gliding my cock into her slick heat and letting her adjust for a hot second before I hauled out the s-word again.

“You feel so fucking good.” With a firm grip on her hip, I gave a few experimental thrusts until she was gasping against Dakota’s mouth.

“Such a good girl. You like being a needy slut for us?”

Her pussy squeezed me so tightly I almost came right then. She pulled away from Dakota, panting. “Cashy, who taught you language like that? And moreover, who taught you that I like it?”

“Lucky guess?”

“ Dangerous guess,” Dakota said with a laugh. “I almost expected her to take a swing at you.”

“Nah.” She tipped her head to kiss my cheek. “I’m feisty, but not particularly violent, at least not anymore. If Cash wants to call me out for being a squirmy mess, I don’t mind one bit.”

I stole her mouth for myself, diving into the sweetness of her lips. I wanted to kiss her forever. So many lost years meant a lot of kisses to make up for. Dakota shuddered and I glanced over to see Riley’s hand moving beneath the blankets.

She nipped my mouth. “I will mind if I don’t get railed soon, though.”

“Message received.” I laughed. A quick prop of her knee over Dakota’s hip spread her open for me so I could tease her clit while riding her.

It was still wild—almost surreal—to be tangled up with Riley .

No fantasy over the years could remotely compare to having her in my bed.

She’d always been scrappy, willing to throw a punch with assholes who pushed her too far, and she’d been sassy, too.

Delicate and demure weren’t descriptors that could have been applied to her growing up, and while she might have gotten a little softer over the last decade, she was still her.

And hot damn did I want her.

What a turn the universe had taken to make her mine.

If she wanted to dive into life with my pack, I wasn’t going to stop her, no matter how much damage she’d do if she left again.

It was our job to make sure that didn’t happen.

Maybe it was immature to think I could coax her into staying with enough orgasms, but it couldn’t hurt, right?

Riley’s whimpers were a perfect symphony. Dakota drowned them out with sweeping kisses that sent delight barreling down the bond while I reveled in the grip of her cunt around me.

She let out a feral cry as I teased her over the peak, bucking hard until she broke for me and I spilled into her wet heat.

As much as I wanted to bury my knot in her perfect body, that would make us very late.

Instead, I flipped her over. She frowned before realizing I’d made her pussy accessible to Dakota, and her lips available to me.

Her gorgeous brown eyes gleamed with fire as she dragged me closer and took control of a kiss that made my toes fucking curl.

Dakota caught on quickly, if the delectable gasp Riley gave against my mouth was any indication.

She was potent as hell in the bond. Her pleasure snaked through me, stoking the torch I always carried for her into an inferno. Every shiver she gave felt like she was being anchored to us. Or at least, I hoped.

Riley curled her fingers around my cock, apparently determined to get me off again even when I was trying to be good.

Maybe good was a bit of a stretch…

I was still slippery from her slick and Riley took full advantage, coaxing me with short strokes while I drowned in the taste of her. Her grip twitched as Dakota pulled her closer to the edge.

When her panting grew too unruly, she detached from my mouth, planting her forehead against my shoulder, a litany of gorgeous sounds filling the air. Her fist grew more frantic and I clung to her sweet, shuddering body.

Dakota groaned and I shifted Riley’s hips closer to me so she wouldn’t get stuck on a knot. I lasted barely five seconds more before her demanding movements had me spilling all over her skin, my whole body shaking.

She hummed softly before her purr took over.

Too fucking cute.

Dakota laid a trail of kisses from the curve of her shoulder and up her throat. Riley’s purr only got louder.

“We should get you cleaned up, petal.”

“Too comfy to move.”

“But if you don’t move, you don’t get to see Cooper work his rope magic.”

Riley sighed dramatically. “Twist my rubber arm.”

“You’ll like it,” I promised. “Cooper has never looked sluttier than when he’s swinging around a lasso.”

My omega burst into giggles. “Does he know that’s how you describe it?”

“Absolutely the fuck not, and you’d better not tell him.”

Her purr ignited again and cut off when she pulled me into another kiss. “Your secret is safe with me.”