Craving More

by Scarlett Avery

  “That’s a good idea, Hunter, but I have a better one.”

  “You do?” both Hunter and I ask in unison.

  Jake smiles like a man holding the winning hand at a poker match. “Tomorrow, Jenkins, a bona fide cowboy, will be one of the riders at the Rodeo Rising Stars event. I bet you our little New Yorker has never attended a rodeo in her life. Since you haven’t yet bought your cowgirl boots, I think this is a good excuse as any to get a pair.”

  “A rodeo?” I’m so excited to experience a typical country event I can hardly contain myself.

  “That’s a great idea. It’s an all-day event and there’s lots to see and eat.” Hunter winks at me.

  “I agree with Jake, this is a pretty good excuse to force me to finally get those boots I've been too busy to get since I got here. I’ll go shopping while the two of you are in your meetings. Manly cowboys riding dangerous bulls,” I say, rubbing my hands together while grinning. “I’m all in.”

  “If that’s all it takes to get you salivating like this, I’ll go out there and ride one of our own cattle with my riding hand firmly on the rein and my left arm up waving in the air yelling, ‘Yeehaw!’ so you can gush all over me.”

  We all laugh at Hunter’s joke.

  * * *

  I brought my camera to Denver with me yesterday with the intention of hitting a few farmers’ markets and taking some photos, but when Jake and Hunter dropped me at the mall, I got lost in the shopping. I was only going to run in and out of a shoe shop to buy myself a pair of brand-new cowgirl boots, but I became obsessed with a dress I saw in a window. I’m usually shy when it comes to buying new clothing because it’s never easy to dress a tiny woman with hips, an ass and huge boobs, but something about this pretty dress caught my attention and made me decide to venture into the store.

  It’s usually a song and dance when Gwyn and I go shopping in New York—by that I mean she pleads with me to open my horizons and to be more of a risk-taker in my wardrobe selection, and I dance around her suggestions, doing my best to avoid stepping out of my comfort zone. The reality is since I’ve set foot in Denver, I’ve been more audacious, more brazen and more fearless than ever before. I guess that’s one of the reasons why when I stepped out of the changing room and looked at myself, I beamed with joy at the sight of my body instead of cringing. I couldn’t believe I was the woman reflected at me in the mirror. It’s amazing how a few rapturous nights with Jake and Hunter have transformed me.

  I look at the time on the microwave and I panic. “Shit, shit, shit.” I’m already ten minutes late. I was supposed to meet my men in front of Jake’s truck at twelve o’clock and I’m still trying to get ready. I guess I got so carried away talking to my best friend and updating her on my latest frolics, I lost track of time. Now I’m scrambling to put the finishing touches to my look before heading to the rodeo.

  I barely have time to pull on my new pair of cowgirl boots before I hear a knock at my door. “God, I’m so in trouble now,” I say aloud. I run to the door and when I swing it open two extraordinarily handsome men stand in front of me all decked out in their rodeo best—freshly ironed checkered shirts, tight-fitting Wrangler jeans, the obligatory cowboy boots and let’s not forget the sexy cowboy hat. Damn. They may not call themselves cowboys, but they’re surely playing the part to a tee. For one split second, I consider ditching the event and luring both of them into my bedroom for an afternoon of unbridled fun because they look so delicious, but then I remember we still have the rest of the week to ourselves since Riley isn’t due back for seven more days.

  If I needed validation on my wardrobe selection, the way Hunter is eating me up is more than I could’ve asked for.

  “Come in, ya’ll,” I say, waving at them.

  Instead of walking in, Jake and Hunter stare at me incredulously. They blink so fast, I bite off a laugh.

  “Holy Jesus, Allison, you look delectable in that dress.” Hunter’s expression is priceless. He widens his eyes while holding on to his chest as if he’s having a heart attack.

  “Wow. I mean wow! What Hunter said.” Jake takes me in from head to toe and his gaze is so intense I have to fan myself to cool down.

  “You like?” I take a step back and twirl provocatively.

  “Like? Honey, if it wasn’t for the fact we’ve already made a promise to Jenkins to come out and support him, I’d sling you over my shoulder and I’d walk straight to your bedroom to take you.”

  “And I’d be running right behind him.” In usual fashion, Hunter is grinning from ear to ear at his own joke.

  “Stop it, you’re going to make me blush.” It’s false modesty. For once in my life I’m ready to own this moment.

  “Are you also wearing white lingerie underneath that dress?”

  “Hunter, if I reveal my little naughty secret, you’ll get rock hard and since it’s impossible for me to resist your huge cock, I’d have to get down on my knees to please you while Jake watches, but we don’t want to be late to support Jenkins, do we?”

  Jake coughs as if he’s choking when he hears my response and Hunter is so taken aback his mouth opens and closes, but nothing comes out. I wink at them and devilishly fold my lower lip in my mouth.

  From their reaction, I’m so happy I decided to buy the cutest little white dress I’d ever seen. It’s a lot shorter than what I’d usually wear in New York and it reveals a lot more of my legs than I’ve ever dared to expose before, but I’ve found this pool of confidence that has been dormant inside me for so long. For once in my life, I’m willing to be a lot more adventurous.

  There are a few details I particularly love about this dress—the embroidery overlaid on the skirt is extremely flattering to my hips and the western-style belt with bejeweled buckle cinches my waist perfectly. Although the neckline hits me close to the collarbone, I have to face the obvious—my double-D boobs are far too big to sport the tiny spaghetti straps without looking indecent. I’m so grateful I followed the sales clerk’s advice because I feel much more confident about my breast size. I’ve paired the dress with a delicate crochet half-cardigan that adds an outrageously flirtatious touch to the whole outfit while camouflaging my boobs.

  I wasn’t going to get all dressed up without paying attention to my lingerie. Since I’m pretty sure my men will want to have a little salacious fun when we get back, I’ve donned a virginal white bra and matching panties. I must say this white-on-white look has me feeling particularly naughty.

  Knowing that both Jake and Hunter love seeing my hair cascade over my shoulders, I’ve allowed my mane to flow freely. I’ve kept my makeup to the basics—one coat of black mascara to elongate my lashes, a little blush to bring attention to my eyes and a light coral lipstick to emphasize my pout. I popped a pair of silver hoops in my ears and a few bangles on my wrists and I’m good to go. Although I’ve only had a second to catch a full glimpse of myself before opening the door, I must say I feel extremely pretty.

  “I’m glad to see you bought yourself your very first pair of cowgirl boots.” Jake’s eyes are fixed on my feet, forcing both Hunter and I to lower our gazes.

  “I couldn’t resist.” I smile at him. “I’ve wanted a pair for a long time and this was the perfect excuse to buy them.” It was a struggle to choose the ideal color, but in the end I decided to go with a more classic look by selecting a pair of mid-calf brown boots.

  “Damn, between the flirty dress and those sexy cowboy boots, you’re going to be really popular today.”

  “You think?”

  “Seriously, Ali, every time you take a step, your hips under this dress will cause a poor unsuspecting soul to suffer from a heart attack.”

  “You guys are just saying that.”

  “No, we’re not,” both men answer at the same time with a serious look on their faces.

  I burst out laughing.

  “Honestly, you look ravishingly beautiful. I’m happy Jake and I will be standing by your side because I have a feeling we’re going to have to be
at them down with a stick to keep them away from your sensual curves.”

  “For the record, I don’t intend on sharing you with anyone else but Hunter.”

  “I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

  “That’s music to my ear, doll. Let’s hit the road, lil’ lady.” Jake adopts a pronounced Southern accent as he presses his fist against his hip, creating a triangle with his arm. I accept his silent invitation by sliding my arm into his and I follow him to the truck. Hunter closes the door behind me before running to join us. I hook my left arm around his and I’m sandwiched safely between my two men.

  Something tells me this is going to be another one of those unforgettable days.

  * * *

  Nothing could’ve prepared me for my first rodeo.

  The place is packed. It’s as if all of Denver is crammed under the roof of this arena. The Grand Entry inside the arena is spectacular and it draws a huge roar of admiration from the crowd. The Native Americans ride their majestic horses, all decked out in their colorful native clothing, proudly waving the American flag.

  Although we cheer loudly, Jenkins doesn’t qualify in the bull-riding event. He makes a valiant effort, but the bull that was drawn for him is a wild one with a fiery temper. Jenkins nearly makes it, but unfortunately Durango, the bull, is more determined than he is and our cowboy isn’t able to ride him for the eight seconds required to allow him to compete in the next round.

  I can’t believe how steadfast that animal is about throwing Jenkins to the ground. Durango is bucking, kicking, flying and performing vertiginous pirouettes in the air until our friend can no longer hold on. I’ll admit I’m very impressed. It takes courage, confidence and craziness to do anything so dangerous. It’s thrilling to watch.

  After the main event, my guys give me the tour of the outdoor fair. Since I’m wearing white, I’m paranoid about sampling some of the crowd favorites because every food item is either deep-fried, laced with barbecue sauce or drizzling with chocolate—usually I’d be all over them, but I really don’t want to ruin my pretty dress. When Hunter and Jake notice I’m refusing everything they suggest, I have to ’fess up. Unwilling to let me go hungry, my two dashing lovers rush me home so I can change into something more casual before they whisk me away to a magical location in Fort Collins where we have a picnic under the stars.

  Jake has packed everything we need for a delightful outdoor meal before making a quick detour to grab dinner on our way to the lake. He stops at Texas Roadhouse to allow me to sample their award-winning ribs, slow-cooked in their legendary signature secret BBQ sauce recipe. Jake also grabs their melt-in-your-mouth-delicious pulled pork. He tops off this food madness with a side order of steak fries, green beans and sautéed onions. I can’t tell you how grateful I am to no longer be wearing white because I indulge to my heart’s content.

  The stars are set high in the sky, the food is scrumptious and I have the undivided attention of my two favorite guys.

  It’s a perfect night.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  ALLISON

  Six days later

  “I can’t believe Riley is coming back tomorrow with her kids and Isadora,” I say to myself when I take a break from editing photos for my boss’ upcoming holiday cookbook.

  Wow, this time has flown by so fast. Too fast. The last ten days have been filled with such incredible adventures. Jake, Hunter and I did so many fun things I could barely keep up. Of all our crazy adventures, I cherish my daily discovery trips with Jake in his truck and my horseback riding lessons with Hunter the most.

  At about three-thirty every day, Jake would knock on Riley’s office door to remind me it was the end of the workday and the beginning of our road trip. He would usually leave Hunter behind to watch over the ranch while we’d head to a new spot around Fort Collins. I discovered so many hidden gems and so many beautiful landscapes.

  I still remember our first ride. He refused to start his truck unless I ran back to my place to grab my camera. I hadn’t planned on taking photos, but he’d claimed what I was about to see was so magical I had to capture it with my lens. I’ll admit, at first I thought he was overplaying it, but Jake was absolutely right. I had never seen such breathtaking scenery in my life. We’d drive around until the sky started changing in those chatoyant shades of warm red, yellow and orange.

  God, how can things be this good and this confusing? Gwyn is convinced I’ve fallen hard for Jake, but I still refuse to admit it to myself. Sometimes I’ll allow myself to believe there’s more to what we’ve shared so far, but I usually snap out of my delusional state when I remember how worked up Jake was when Lindsay ambushed him wanting to take things to the next level. Obviously, he’s not looking for anything too serious. The last thing I need is to create this fantasy in my mind just to find out he’s only interested in a casual fling, one in which he shares me with his best friend. It’s best if I keep my feelings for him safely locked up because I don’t need another heartbreak.

  That said, it hasn’t prevented me from secretly looking forward to our daily rides. I don’t know how to explain it, but when we’re together, Jake’s gaze is almost sweltering, causing my temperature to rise to intolerable levels.

  I smile at the thought of our short getaways. A small thrill runs through me as I flash back to yesterday’s ride.

  We ended the day like we have every day for the past week, leaning against the hood of his truck, holding hands and marveling at the landscape. There’s something truly magical about the way the sun sets over the Rocky Mountains and every night for the past week I’ve been in awe.

  The scenery wasn’t the only thing that took me aback yesterday. There was something different about Jake. I don’t know how to explain it, but I swear there was a softness to his touch I’ve yet to experience. Although still confident and very much the alpha male I gladly surrender to, he was so tender. The moment was intoxicating. It was so perfect I would’ve stayed out there with him all night long.

  Once it got too dark, we headed back to the ranch to join Hunter for a late dinner. Jake and I drove in a comfortable silence as I looked out my window, losing myself in the nocturnal stillness. Last night the moon was out, full and bright, lighting up the warm summer night sky. Furtively, I looked over at Jake, the dash lights casting a glow on his gorgeous face. A strand of his thick hair had fallen over his forehead and I watched his eyes, framed by beautiful lashes, as he scanned the road ahead of us. He was so focused. I’m not sure I’ve ever taken this much time to admire him before while he’s awake. The combination of dark hair, translucent blue eyes, and bronzed skin mixed with the potency of his desire to take my pleasure to new heights—a talent that makes me want more of him—should be illegal in every state of this great country of ours. At that moment, he really did take my breath away.

  I was staring at him so shamelessly he caught me a few times, but instead of turning away like I usually would, I held his suggestive gaze until his eyes flickered back to the road. A sly smile formed on his lips, his only acknowledgement that I was quietly devouring him.

  By the time we got back to the ranch, I was as turned on as a light switch and I seriously considered running to my place to relieve the tension mounting between my legs before dinner. There was no way of explaining to Hunter that an innocent ride could be laced with so much raw sexuality.

  When the three of us got together, the conversation was animated, like always, until I couldn’t handle it anymore, at which point Hunter slung me over his shoulder and walked me up to my blue-eyed hunk’s bedroom where both men ravished me and gave me orgasm after orgasm.

  My horseback riding lessons with Hunter never ended with us getting naked or by me being so wet I could slide out of my panties because we were too busy laughing our heads off to ever turn it into anything sexy. Hunter was more than patient with me, but my awkwardness constantly derailed my horse until Hunter put an end to it by grabbing the reins so we could follow him back to the ranch. I lamented numerous times th
at I wasn’t cut out to be a cowgirl and by the end of the week he agreed with me.

  I’m sad my ten days of freedom with my guys is nearly drawing to an end… well, until we figure things out. I’m unsure how Jake, Hunter and I will be able to continue enjoying each other with so many people on the ranch. There’s a part of me dying to know, but I’m so afraid of breaking this magical spell, I tell myself it’s best to wait for one of them to come up with a plan.

  Now I’m diligently working when my phone rings. When my best friend’s name flashes across my screen, I can’t help but smile. I’m sure she’s calling for more smut.

  “Are you calling for an update on my dirty love life and to find out if I’ve had my afternoon quickie yet?” I chuckle.

  Gwyn and I have had numerous chats and she knows about every single toe-curling climax. She also reveled in my saucy adventures of the past week. I think she’s been using me to live out one of her own fantasies and secretly, I’ve been enjoying every minute of it.

  “No. I’m calling about something else.”

  “Oh. Why do you sound so serious?”

  Her voice is unusually subdued. Gwyn is always so bubbly when we talk because she’s always looking forward to my latest naughty tale, but today she seems very preoccupied.

  “Allison—”

  “Wait a minute,” I interrupt. “Gwyn, you only call me by my full name when you have bad news. Is everything okay with you and Gaven?”

  “We’re fine. I’ve been debating calling you for the last thirty minutes, but Gaven pushed me to dial your number.”

  “Why in the world would you hesitate to call me? You’re my best friend. What’s going on?”

  “Clark left my house half an hour ago. Right after he left, I was so distraught, I called Gaven in a state of panic.”