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  Unbidden, Destiny’s hand went to the top of Avery’s bent head and she stroked her hair like she was comforting a frightened kitten. “You are a beautiful, desirable woman and I shall teach you how to make him glad he’s a man. All I need to know is what he’s like and what turns him on. By the time I’m through with you – you, Avery Sinclair, will be Isaac McCoy’s dream girl.”

  ****

  Isaac was working double time; his more obvious goal was visible, out in the open and public. He was working on Hardbodies, renovating the bar into his vision of a seductive, exciting place for the locals to hang out on a Saturday night. All in all, he was pleased with what he had done. You could get a cold mug of beer, or a glass of wine and listen to some decent live music. Austin was close enough that he had no trouble attracting quality bands. By his design, Hardbodies was a cross between a western/cowboy saloon and a biker haven. Both species were catered to and welcome in his establishment. Mainly – because he was a cross between the two himself.

  Isaac McCoy was one of THE McCoy’s of Tebow Ranch. He and his brothers had broken horses, raised cattle, rode in the rodeo, played football – done everything a Texas good ole’ boy was supposed to do - and they had done it well. Tebow wasn’t as big as the infamous King Ranch, but it epitomized what a Texas ranch should be like. More than a showplace, it was their home. For the past few years, he hadn’t spent as much time there as he should have. It wasn’t his family’s fault; the walls just seemed to want to close around him.

  Aron had done his best to keep them all together after their parents died, but Isaac and Joseph had found their solace in a different manner than the others. Jacob had made family a priority, making sure that nobody’s birthday went unnoticed and no holiday went uncelebrated. Noah had become Mr. Conservative, he was way too serious and Isaac worried that his inflexibility would one day do him in. Joseph had become an extreme athlete, one of the best that Texas had ever produced. While he, himself, had become the wild child – the black sheep – the troublemaker of the family – or at least that’s what he let the others believe.

  Oh, he ran in a rough crowd, sometimes, but Isaac had stood up for more underdogs than he could count. He had made it his business to see that outlaw biker gangs kept their distance and there was no violence or drugs in his territory. When he had been approached by Shorty to buy the bar, Isaac had jumped at the chance. Being the owner of the local watering hole would put him right in the middle of the action so he could make sure all was as it should be. His family had been surprised and pleased that he had taken on the responsibility of owning a business – they knew of some of his community involvement, but not all of it. And that was the way he wanted it.

  Isaac had his good qualities, even he could admit that. On the other hand, he couldn’t deny that he had a dark side. Not even his brothers knew the whole truth. Isaac McCoy had a penchant for black leather, fast bikes, and faster women. And he had a secret. A big secret.

  As Isaac stood at the door of his basement playroom, he smiled. Now, he wouldn’t have to drive into Austin or Houston or Dallas to satisfy his sexual appetites. Isaac McCoy was a Dom. In some circles, he was developing quite a reputation. Several times submissives seeking to be trained had approached him. Even a few Dom-wannabes had asked for direction and advice. In the Texas BDSM world, he was known as Badass – and it was a title he had earned. Isaac was a badass. He liked his sex rough and hot, but most importantly he had to be in control. And that fact was why he couldn’t have the one woman he wanted more than anything.

  Shutting the door to his secret hide-a-way, he headed up front to the bar. It was too early for customers; Doris was restocking the liquor and cutting up garnishes. Meanwhile, he was doing his dead level best to forget the devastated look on Avery’s face when he told her she wasn’t woman enough for him. What a huge fuckin’ lie that had been! He wanted Avery Rose Sinclair, but he was afraid he would end up crushing her like a rose trampled on the ground. So, he was just going to have to forget her and move on. It would be the greatest gift he could give her.

  First, though – he was going to have to find out what had happened to her. After that fiasco in the bar, she had up and left – just disappeared. Her parents had moved out of town about six months earlier, when her dad left his pastorate in Kerrville and accepted a church in the valley. Isaac had always suspected that Avery stayed in town to be near him. And now, she was gone because of him.

  He had driven by her little house three times over the past couple of days. It looked deserted. Even though he had known it was going to be a disaster, he had looked up her dad’s new church on the Internet and called the parsonage number to see if she might be visiting them. He needed to know that Avery was okay. At least her mother had answered his question before she had discovered who she was talking to. Avery wasn’t with her parents. And her mom hated his guts. But he had already known that.

  Isaac didn’t have the same community social standing that his brothers had. To the less pious members of the Kerrville community, he was their example of an upstanding citizen. He wasn’t a front man like his brothers; Isaac did his good deeds behind the scenes. Most people didn’t know how hard he worked for different organizations and the time and money he devoted to charitable events. Avery did. Countless times they had worked together, and if she had needed something done – she had always known that Isaac was one of the few that she could count on.

  Over the years, he had watched her grow up and change from a pretty girl to a devastatingly beautiful woman with a natural grace and the sweetest spirit known to man. He smiled, remembering the quirky sense of humor she had. Avery had a kind word for everybody and one thing that had always amused Isaac was the way she loved to play pranks on people. Half the time they backfired on her, and she never had a problem laughing at herself. Avery was a wonderful person and truly a joy to be around.

  Walking out the back door of Hardbodies, Isaac opened the tailgate of his truck and began unloading cases of tequila and rum onto a dolley. He racked his brain trying to figure out where she could have gone, ashamed to admit that he didn’t know who her friends were, or even what she did for a living. In his efforts to keep her at arm’s length, he had failed to hold up his end of the friendship bargain. She had always attempted to make conversation with him, asking him polite questions and showing interest in his life – but he hadn’t returned the favor. So, where was she? Slamming the tailgate, Isaac let loose a blue streak of remorse. If something happened to Avery, he’d never forgive himself.

  ****

  “That’s right. Now, suck the head like you’re eating a big ole juicy plum.” Three of Nevada’s finest ladies of the evening leaned over Avery as she yummed down on a pink plastic Jackrabbit.” She closed her eyes, trying to imagine that she was kneeling in front of Isaac giving him pleasure. “Now, pump it as you suck it,” Roxy instructed, moving her own fist up and down in the air. Avery tried to follow the instructions – after all, this was important to her. But she got the giggles.

  “Watch your teeth. Don’t bite the boy,” Claret fussed, taking her job seriously. That thought sobered Avery up; she didn’t want to do Isaac’s private parts any damage. Extricating the faux penis from her mouth, she wiped her lips with a paper towel and announced, “Let’s do something else – my mouth is tired.” Hopefully, kissing Isaac’s penis would be more exciting than this.

  “How ‘bout if we work on your wardrobe, Avery?” Claret got a sneaky expression on her face; she was having a good time playing erotic mentor. Just last week, she had taught Avery how to walk – how to slowly strut and sway her hips – every move a flaunting of her sexuality. After putting on music, the girls had taught her how to use those moves in a pole dance or a lap dance. Several of them had worked with her on routines, going over and over the moves until she had them memorized.

  Every night after she would retire to her room, Avery would stand in front of the mirror, and practice being sexy. She would put one hand on her hip, one leg
in front of the other, and thrust her breasts out. Much to her surprise, she seemed to be catching on – and Avery was her own worst critic.

  It amazed her how free and easy she felt with these women. Here, she had truly been able to let down her hair. Avery swore she had never laughed so much. She had even confessed to them about her writing. In the quiet hours of the night, she had penned her first erotic story and sent it off to her publisher before she could change her mind. It had been called, “Cowboy Heat” – and of course, Isaac had been the hero. All of the girls had downloaded the free eBook reader app and had bought her stories. A few had even asked for her autograph. She had to admit she sort of enjoyed the attention. It had been difficult never sharing that part of her life with anyone. One night they sat up until the wee hours of the morning talking and laughing. She told them the plots of several more novels she had in the works and showed them how to find her website and her blog. Tricia was a good friend – but these were things she had never felt able to share with anyone, before now.

  “I ordered some biker clothes for you,” Claret announced, proudly. “They are guaranteed to bring your Hell’s Angel to his knees.”

  “All right, I’m game.” She stood up and wrapped the dildo in a paper towel, so she could remember to clean it properly when she got back to her room. It had been a new one, of course. They had allowed her to take it out of the plastic sealed container. The ladies had all been very nice to her, and she wasn’t a germaphobe, but she was cautious. Despite knowing the sheets were carefully laundered, Avery slept in the childhood sleeping bag she had brought from home. That sleeping bag had seen some action, lately. Even now, just thinking about Isaac made her nipples puff up and beg for attention. Last night, Avery had touched herself. After her bath, she had lain on her pink kitty sleeping bag and rubbed her breasts. It had felt so good. She hadn’t made herself come, but she had given kitty something to think about. Avery was determined that Isaac would give her that all-important first orgasm. Perhaps she was being sentimental, but it seemed necessary to her that she save all of those momentous experiences to share with him.

  “Can I come too?” Sissy was the newest girl. In many ways, she was as unskilled as Avery.

  “Sure – the more the merrier,” Destiny sashayed down the hall, turning sideways as she met Madam Margo. “Hey, boss lady. How’s it shaking?”

  Margo held up a hand and stopped all four of them in their tracks. “We’ve got trouble – especially for you, Avery.” She looked so serious that Avery got nervous. She couldn’t imagine what the problem was.

  “What’s the matter? Did I do something wrong?” She was grateful for all of the girls’ help and had no idea how anything she could have done would bother anybody.

  “You didn’t do anything, dear, but your being here isn’t exactly a secret anymore.” Margo held out a copy of the Las Vegas Sun. Avery took it from her hands – and right there – in living color was a picture of the whole line-up of Shady Ladies, including herself. And the headline underneath the photo said “Modern Day Mary Magdalene - Preacher’s Daughter Turns Tricks.”

  Avery gasped – “Holy Mother of God, who could have done this? I thought I was incognito.”

  “I was afraid of this. Sonya’s John said you looked familiar and he asked a lot of questions about you. He crept around after his session, like he was hiding from someone. I bet if you had seen him, you would have recognized his face. It’s obvious, he knows who you are.”

  Avery put a hand to her forehead. “Oh, what did Sonya tell him? Heavens! I’m so far from home. Surely, this photograph won’t be picked up in Texas.” Good Lord, she could just hear her daddy now. He would have a conniption fit - even though she hadn’t done anything wrong – technically. She was just planning on practicing fornication with Isaac McCoy at the first opportunity, that was all.

  “Let’s hope not, honey.” But even Avery could tell she looked doubtful.

  “I just hope he didn’t make a you-tube video,” Sissy said gravely, as she twisted her platinum ponytail around her fingers.

  Avery leaned back against the wall and sighed. “This is just my luck. I get branded a good-time girl and I’ve never even been around the block. I’m probably the first virgin fallen woman in history.”

  ****

  “I can’t believe you’re gonna try and pull that old trick on Skye.” Noah shook his head at Isaac’s tomfoolery.

  “Loosen up, little brother. She’s a city-girl. It’ll be fun.” It was deer season and the McCoy brothers had taken time out during the past week for a hunting trip. Archery-only season began in early October and the tradition merited a festival-like atmosphere. The brothers hunted from horseback and harvested enough deer meat to keep the kitchen in sausage and venison for the next twelve months. This year their foreman, Lance, had invited his sister down from Oklahoma City for a few weeks. “Watch this. I pulled it on Jessie when she first got here and I thought she was going to deliver that baby right then and there.”

  “Yea, and Jacob almost de-balled you for doing it, too.” Noah watched as Isaac took a pair of buckeyes from his pocket and tossed them in the air. “Skye sure is a beautiful woman – are you interested in her?”

  Isaac stopped for a moment and looked at his brother. “She’s beautiful, but I’m not interested. So if you are, go for it, man. What about Harper?” Isaac knew Noah had had his heart set on Harper for years. But something had happened – something that Noah refused to talk about. Isaac knew what it was, and he hoped to high heaven that knowledge didn’t blow up in his face.

  A funny look passed over Noah’s countenance, “Harper and I just aren’t meant to be.” That was the truth if Isaac ever heard it, Harper was nothing but trouble.

  “You’ll find someone else, Noah. Someone that will make you smile. I have no doubt about that.”

  Noah wasn’t arguing with him. “Skye is something else, Isaac. Hell, she’s just about fuckin’ perfect. I don’t know if it’s that Indian blood or what – but she makes my heart beat like a war drum.”

  “So, paleface, is it okay if I tease your little Indian princess?” He was enjoying this, probably too much, but that was one of the perks of being the big brother.

  “I’ll be watching you,” Noah joked with his brother, but Isaac could tell he was halfway serious. Figures. He was damn sure gonna quit drinking the water at Tebow. There were weddings and babies popping up all over the place. He’d be rich if he had bought stock in garter belts and diapers.

  Isaac held the door for Noah and they walked in right as Aron threw a full beer can at Jacob. It whizzed right by Isaac and he caught it, neatly. “Thanks, I needed that. What are ya’ll throwing cold ones around for?”

  The eldest McCoy sat in his big leather chair, feet propped upon the ottoman. His boots were dusty and his black Stetson was pushed back on his head. “Because we’re hot, tired and dusty, Hotrod. Hand your brother that beer, he’s spent the day trying to convince Mrs. Trahan that Red Warrior wasn’t trying to run her down and gore her to death.”

  Isaac handed the can of Shiner beer to Jacob, who was sitting on the couch opposite the big screen TV watching a reality show featuring shooting competitions. “Thanks, bud. Have you seen this program? These guys have all kinds of target practice – wild stuff. I think we ought to have war-games like that at our next party. What do you think?”

  “Well, since the next two parties we have are Joseph’s engagement party this weekend and you and Aron’s weddings the next - I don’t think that idea will fly very high with the womenfolk.” Noah answered with his usual logical thought process.

  “He’s right.” Aron took a swig of beer. “I can’t see the girls going for target practice at their love fests. We’ll have our gun shooting competition for Isaac’s birthday at Halloween. That’ll reward us for all the tedious romantic celebrations we’ve got to get through this month.” Isaac could see over Aron’s shoulder and what he saw made him want to snort. Aron hadn’t meant anything anti-wedding
by his comment; after all he was desperately in love with Libby. But at the moment - Libby was right behind him, and she didn’t look happy. Isaac started to stop him from putting his foot any deeper in his mouth, but it was just too much fun. Aron started talking again, and he just made it worse. “I mean how much lovey-dovey stuff are we supposed to endure before we get to do some manly shit. Life at Tebow has become like one of them chick flicks on Lifetime Movie network. All we need is to hook you two up with a woman each, get Nathan a little girlfriend – bring Kane and Lilibet into the fold - and we could be the cast of that stupid ‘Seven Brides for Seven Brothers’ movie from the fifties. Next thing you know, all us men will be lined up like chorus girls singing them corny songs like ‘Goin Courtin’ or ‘Lonesome Polecat’.”

  At Libby’s face, the brothers who could see her – drew back as far as they could. She was about to let it fly. “I don’t think you need to worry about ‘going courtin’, Mr. Aron McCoy - but ‘lonesome polecat’ will definitely describe your sleeping arrangements for the foreseeable future.” Libby was beautiful, pregnant and not amused. The expression on Aron’s face when he realized she had overheard his joking diatribe was priceless. Isaac had never seen his brother crawfish so fast before.

  He got up quickly and even though he was a foot taller and over a hundred pounds heavier than his fiancé – she clearly had the upper hand. Isaac could tell she wasn’t really mad – peeved maybe. But she wanted Aron to think she was mad. In fact, when Aron looked around for moral support from his brothers, Libby gave them all a soft wink to diffuse the situation. It wasn’t often they got the best of Aron, and when they did – the family needed to take advantage. “Now Libilicious, you know I want to marry you more than anything else in the world.” He was reaching for her, but she kept backing up – staying just out of reach.