“You know better than anyone what life is around here for single men. We might own a successful and lucrative ranch, but it gets lonely at the top. It’s not like when we were living in Silicon Valley or New York.”
“Hunter, relationships are a lot of work, and energy, and time,” he says, taking a sip of his coffee. “We haven’t had a lot of spare time because we’ve both invested our time in getting the ranch off the ground and learning everything we had to learn. You know as well as I do it’s hard to find a good fit in a small town when you’ve lived your whole life in cities with millions of single women.” He puts his cup on his desk. “Casual relationships are tricky here. And it’s been a challenge finding a woman who… you know…”
“Who would be willing to give in to our kinks?” I finish his sentence.
“Yes.”
“Maybe we don’t have to look much further. Maybe Allison is the one. It surely would make things easier since she’ll be living with us.”
“We thought the same about Cynthia, remember?”
“All right, so Cynthia turned out to be a conservative good-girl who was saving herself for marriage—no wonder she’s off on a missionary trip to Africa. I didn’t get the vibe that Allison is a goody two-shoes. There was something about the way she looked at me from under her lashes.”
“I hear you. I felt the same. The way she looked at me when she first arrived… and throughout the time we spent getting to know each other before you got back. Cynthia has always been oblivious to us and to the twelve men who come to work on the ranch every single day. Even in the midst of summer, when most of our guys are walking around shirtless, she never risked a peek, but I saw something flash in Allison’s eyes that suggests she’s not as innocent as my sister’s former assistant.”
“This might turn out to be a problem,” I say, rubbing my late-afternoon stubble with the tips of my fingers.
“How so?”
“I mean, it sounds like we both find her attractive. How do we approach this?”
“We shouldn’t even be having this conversation.”
“But we are.”
“You got me there.” Jake looks so torn. It’s as if he’s resisting the natural urge to lose himself between a woman’s thighs. In my world, there’s nothing more sublime.
“Mind you…” I allow my sentence to hang to torture him a bit more into admitting he wants Allison as much as I do. “We’ve shared a number of irresistible women in the past when we were both attracted to the same beauty. We’ve even had a few wild weekends when we’ve been back to San Fran on vacation and left Dirk Edwards, our manager, in charge of the operations for a few days, but we’ve kept it to one-on-one sex for the past few years…”
“Hunter, it’s a small community and people talk.”
“You’re right, which makes Allison so much more attractive.”
During the heyday of our tech company, Jake and I used to date a lot of women. The opportunities abounded and the women were throwing themselves at us. I still remember when we sold our company and became instant billionaires, we threw the party to end all parties. We celebrated the epic event for four days straight.
Small companies being bought out by giants is hardly news in Silicon Valley. It happens every day of the week. Things were different for us because we made history. We set a milestone in the world of buyouts when Tyrion Tech was willing to pay three point eight billion dollars for the technology my best friend and I spent years perfecting. Who can blame them? We’d built an app Facebook users couldn’t live without. It doesn’t take a genius to figure that with Facebook’s billion-plus users, Tyrion Tech was guaranteed to get back their investment in a blink of an eye.
We were wealthy before the buyout, but we become obscenely rich after it. When the news broke in the business world, we shut down our offices and flew the entire staff to Sin City. We rented four floors at the Wynn Hotel in Vegas and we partied hard. Even our newest employees made major bank from the sale of our company since we were offering stocks as bonuses. I don’t remember much from those four days, but I do remember how Jake and I fought over this gorgeous busty redhead with giant tits, a tiny waist and a dreamy ass. After a few too many drinks, the vixen suggested we stop fighting and both fuck her. I couldn’t walk for days after that wild weekend, but goddamn, was it ever worth it.
“I don’t know, Hunter. Allison is here to help my sister. Riley will have our heads on spikes if we attempt to distract her…”
“What?” I press when he stops in mid-sentence.
“I haven’t been able to shake off the visual of watching you fuck her pussy while I fuck her mouth since you started flirting with her earlier.”
“This is a perfect opportunity for us. You’re being overly cautious.”
“Am I?” he says, flashing me a somber stare.
Both Jake and I have dated women since moving to Fort Collins—it’s not as if there aren’t any gorgeous women to date where we live—but after a few months, things fizzle and we usually find ourselves single again. Jake blames his wishy-washiness with women on his responsibilities to his sister, who has been raising her kids as a single mom since her deadbeat ex-husband walked out on her when little Erika was two months old, but it covers up the fact he hasn’t been in the mood to make much effort in a long time. In my case, I blame my workload at the ranch, but it’s just a practical excuse.
“Can you think of anything that would be more amazing than fucking her ass while I pump her pussy? I can’t. I know how you have a penchant for anal sex and her ass would be oh, so sweet.” The thought had flashed in front of my eyes when Allison jumped to her feet and offered to help unload Riley’s car. I took one glance at her hips and I could think of nothing else.
“Listen, we don’t know if she’s even interested in either of us. Even if she were, it doesn’t mean she’d consider having both of us at the same time.” I can tell Jake is struggling with his emotions, but I’m not. “Hunter, I don’t want to take any chances. This could get out of hand. I think we should give Allison some space. She’s here to work and we need to respect that. So keep it in your pants.”
Fuck.
CHAPTER SIX
ALLISON
Zach, Riley’s eldest son, texts his mom and suddenly my new boss has to dash home. It seems her six-year-old twins, Brady and Perry, were playing and ripped the clothesline, sending a full day’s clean laundry into the dirt. Riley is more amused than annoyed and she rallies Isadora to help. She also takes me back to my house so I can shower and change before dinner.
I’d love to say the walk from Jake’s house is lovely and relaxing, but I can barely keep up with Riley’s long strides. Obviously, Isadora, who’s even shorter than I am, has had a lot of practice because she easily keeps up with the tall redhead.
After handing me the keys and kissing me on both cheeks, Riley leaves me to my own devices to discover my new abode while she rushes back to discipline her boys.
When I step inside, I take in my new surroundings. The décor is a reflection of the sleek, chic style in Jake’s house. The only difference is there are many more wooden accents and it’s a little quainter than the main house. There are three small, but comfortable rooms and I even have my own fully-equipped kitchen. Riley was right, this setting is a perfect way to ensure I maintain some privacy.
I waltz to the main bedroom and hoist my big suitcase onto the chair in the corner of the room to unpack and hang my clothing. As I pull out every piece I brought with me, I can’t help but think how underwhelming everything looks. I was under the impression I was going to spend the summer with Riley, her four kids and her nanny and I didn’t feel the pressure to look interesting, but after meeting Jake and Hunter, I regret not having anything better to wear.
What’s wrong with you, girl? You’ve only known them for a New York minute. Calm down.
I shrug off the thought that either of these two rugged and dangerously handsome men would give me the time of the day.
I’m still taki
ng in my summer home when my phone rings. I run back to the living room where I left it at the bottom of my handbag and I answer immediately when Gwyn’s name appears on my screen.
“Hey, darling, how’s life in the wild?”
“I wouldn’t say Colorado is exactly wilderness.”
“Honey, you’re out in the middle of nowhere with no hope in hell of getting a mani-pedi during your lunch break. In my world, that’s wilderness.” She chuckles.
“I’ve definitely missed your wacky humor since leaving your place.” I laugh.
“Have you settled in yet?”
“Yes, I just walked into my new house.”
“House?”
“Yes, I thought I was going to end up in a small room, but I have a large house all to myself. I didn’t know my new boss lived on a huge ranch. I was caught off guard. In any case, it’s stunning and Riley’s brother built a number of homes on his property so everyone can have their own little private hideaway.”
“Wait a minute. Slow down that car, step on the brakes and now put it in reverse. Did you just say Riley’s brother?”
I roll my eyes in the phone. My best friend doesn’t miss a beat. “I did.”
“You never mentioned a brother before.”
“I didn’t know. I found out when I got here and I also found out the brother, who happens to be the sexiest man I’ve ever laid eyes on, has an equally sexy business partner who also lives on the land.”
“Girl, two hot cowboys?”
“I don’t think they call themselves that,” I say, shaking my head. “Jake and Hunter own this massive ranch and all this sprawling land, but they hire real, bona fide cowboys to manage the day-to-day. It’s like owning a restaurant, but hiring a top-notch chef to take care of the cooking.”
“I get it. How old are they?”
“Hmmm,” I say, lifting my eyes to the ceiling. “I’m not one hundred percent sure, but I’d guess Gaven’s age.”
“So late twenties. Nice.”
“Yeah. They’re quite young considering their level of success. From what Jake explained, they became billionaires overnight in their mid-twenties when their dotcom company was sold.”
“Holy Jesus. Are you serious?”
“I know. It’s very impressive, but they’re so down-to-earth and normal, you’d never know.”
“Oh, honey, you’re so lucky. Which one do you prefer?”
“Whoa! You’re moving too fast, Gwyn. I’ve barely arrived. It’s not as if I’ve had time to make that kind of decision.”
“You’re so bullshitting me right now. Which one is it?” she pressures me, knowing full well I’ve had plenty of time to check them out.
“It’s all in my head. These two are both delicious and in my wildest dreams I’d love to have both, but I also know it’s a dream and it will never become reality.”
“Why not?”
I bite the inside of my mouth, unwilling to say the words.
“Allison, what are you thinking?”
I skirt the issue and hope I can distract her. “Riley explained there are twelve male workers who come to the ranch every single day. Perhaps I might get lucky with one of them.” There’s no way in hell a girl like me has a chance with either Jake or Hunter.
“You’re forgetting the most important part of this equation.”
“What do you mean?”
“What if you aren’t interested in any of these twelve workers because you’re totally into one of those ranch owners you seem to be fond of?”
“To be fair, I haven’t yet met these workers. Sparks could fly.”
“Allison, don’t settle again. Please.”
“Gwyn, I hate to admit it, but I desperately crave a man’s touch. It’s been over nine months since Clark last touched me and although he was an average lover, at least when we were intimate, I was able to feel his hands all over my body. These last few months have been horribly lonely and I’ve never felt so unattractive, undesired and unloved as I did at the tail end of my relationship. I’m sure he lost interest because I put on a few pounds.”
“Any woman in your situation would feel the same way, even if she were wafer-thin. It’s still no reasons to lower your expectations. You’re already convinced neither of these two studs would be interested in you because you’re not as thin as Keira Knightley, but you don’t know that for sure, do you?”
“I guess not,” I say, curling my lips down.
“Honey, I’ve told you before you left, Colorado is a fresh new start for you.”
“Thanks for lifting my spirits. You’re right. It’s all behind me now. No point in getting all depressed in the face of the recent fiascos in my life.”
“Exactly. You didn’t accept Riley’s offer just to relive every moment of your disastrous relationship with that asshole. Not when there are so many dangerously sexy men looming close by. Holy shit, imagine if it gets so hot, the men have to walk around with their shirts off… all. Day. Long. Imagine the eye candy.”
“You sound like my new boss.”
We both laugh.
“What are your plans for tonight? Is there anything to do out there other than to listen to crickets sing or are you going to curl up with a book in your new bed?”
“Riley is cooking a special dinner for my arrival at Jake’s house.”
“Jake? Her brother? What are you going to wear?”
“You’re such a fashion whore. There’s not much room for fashion out here and since I brought basic clothing, there’s not much I can do.”
“For the love of God, instead of putting yourself down, answer my question.” I hear the impatience in her voice. Gwyn hates it when I’m down on myself, but sometimes I can’t help it. Old habits die hard.
“I’m sorry,” I say, immediately regretting my last comment. “I was thinking of wearing a pair of dark navy boot-cut jeans I got at the Gap and a button-down turquoise shirt I bought a few weeks ago on clearance at Macy’s.”
“Turquoise looks amazing on you.”
“Yeah, I guess.” I’m unsure.
“There you go again.”
“Listen, Gwyn, I’m very self-conscious of the ten pounds I still want to lose.”
“Sweetie, just because you have a bit of a tummy doesn’t mean you’re not yummy.”
“You keep reminding me of that, but I’m not buying it. I don’t look like you—never will. Walking in on my ex and Paula kind of confirms what I’ve always known down deep inside—there’s nothing attractive about me. Clark professed to liking every part of me, but his words and actions suggest it was all a lie.”
“Ali, you’re being blind here. You can’t crucify all mankind because you’ve dated a few idiots. Men aren’t looking for perfection. They want a woman who’s confident about herself—just the way she is… not the way she wishes she were. I mean, you must remember my colleague Kaileigh O’Connell from the barbecue we had at my house for Memorial Day?”
“Yeah, I do,” I acquiesce grudgingly. “It’s hard to forget her.”
“Exactly. She has quite arresting large teeth and she has a big gap right in the middle of her pearly whites. On top of that, she has bee-stung rosebud lips, large eyes and serious dimples. But here’s the thing, she’s fun, joyful and bubbly. Her personality is a real magnet… and her boyfriend is smoking hot. I mean, fan-me-and-pour-a-bucket-of-ice-water-all-over-my-fiery-body hot.”
“You’re the least expressive person I know,” I mock.
We both laugh.
“Okay, you have a point. Kaileigh bagged a hunk who adores her.”
“And so can you and you don’t have to look like a freaking supermodel.”
“I wish I had as much confidence as you or Kaileigh, but I don’t. You’ve always been fearless and I’ve always been riddled with insecurities.”
My best friend has been pushing me out of my comfort zone since the day we met. She was the one who took me kicking and screaming to my first frat party and got me passing-out drunk. Her then boyf
riend, Darrell Cooks, invited her to be his date at this big bash one of his friends was holding at his parents’ house while they were away in Hawaii and she agreed on one condition—she had to be able to drag me along with her. I never clued in on why she insisted on bringing me because I ended up spending the earlier part of the night hugging the walls because I felt so out of place. Everyone was tall, skinny and sexy and I was not.
Gwyn wouldn’t understand my angst. She’s always been gorgeous and the life of any party. When she walks in a room every man stops and pays attention—I’m the invisible one following in her footsteps.
“Indulge me a little bit. What are these two Adonises you met earlier today like?” she asks.
“Honestly, it was impossible for me to ignore how strong and manly they both are when we all sat in Jake’s kitchen right after my arrival. I mean, I was dizzy from all that alpha-male testosterone flying in the air.”
“Damn, girl. Now I’m totally jealous. Don’t get me wrong, Gaven is a nice piece of eye candy, but you get to drool over these panty-drenchers all summer long,” she laughs. “Give me more details. Don’t hold back.”
Gwyn can turn the shittiest day into something that seems to have jumped off of the screen of a Disney movie.
“Well, Hunter, Jake’s business partner, is outspoken, impulsive, rugged and very tall. His jet-black hair only emphasizes his striking dark brown eyes and makes him that much more delicious. I’m sure life on the ranch is demanding, which would explain his impressive muscle mass, but his strong lean body had such an effect on me.”
“Oh, God, girl, my tongue is hanging out from that description. What about Riley’s brother?”
“Jake on the other hand is more subdued. He’s not quite as tall as Hunter, but I’m certain he stands at least six-three. The man is illegally hot. He’s totally my type since you know I’ve always been a sucker for men with blue eyes. He immediately caught my attention.”
“See, another reason to say amen and hallelujah your ex was a philanderer.”
“You kill me. Let me continue telling you about Jake,” I respond, more excited than I’ve been in a long time.
Irresistible Attraction Page 5