by Lori King
Shandi accepted the handshake with a warm smile. For just a moment she could feel the Whetstone brothers’ eyes on her and Owen, and she sensed jealousy from them. It was an odd feeling. Shandi had never experienced being the woman that men wanted, and she wasn’t entirely unhappy about it.
“You don’t look like a firefighter, Owen. What do you do?” Shandi asked curiously, easing into her seat. Rafe and Ryley moved quickly, and she found herself once again sitting between the two brothers. Rafe’s hand rested on her upper thigh this time, and Ryley’s long arm draped across the back of her chair. There was no escaping their masculine energy, and the horny female inside of her head nearly purred with pleasure.
Owen laughed and shook his head. “I actually am a firefighter, but only on a volunteer basis. My alter ego is an attorney.”
Shandi returned Owen’s friendly smile. “That explains the suit. We don’t stumble over too many gentlemen when we go out.”
“Hey! I haven’t done anything to make you believe that I’m not a gentleman,” Ryley argued.
“And for the record, I never said I was a gentleman,” Owen added with a wink. Shandi laughed, shaking her head at their loyalty to each other.
“Touché. Perhaps I was wrong about both of you,” she said teasingly.
Ryley leaned in real close and said softly, “No you weren’t wrong, baby girl, but this isn’t the time or the place to show you how bad I can be.”
Shandi could feel the blush work its way over her cheeks and down her chest, like flames moving swiftly over paper. There was absolutely no way to deny the sexual innuendo. Now the question was what to do about it. Owen watched with a smirk on his face. He had clearly heard what Ryley said, and he was waiting for her response to it.
Steeling her nerves, she looked Ryley straight in his eyes and responded, “I don’t see why I would want something bad in my life, do you?”
His slow, sexy grin answered her question before he even spoke. “Everybody needs a little naughty in their life. I’d be happy to help you find your inner vixen, baby girl,” he said in a low, husky voice that caused every bone in her body to melt, as wicked thoughts zipped through her imagination. Damn, that was supposed to sound witty, not set her up to be the butt of the joke. Huffing loudly, she turned back to her food and pretended to be fascinated by it.
While she ate she could feel the Whetstone brothers watching her, but she chose to look anywhere else but at them. They were easily having a conversation with Owen, and the cowboy from earlier, who was introduced as Owen’s brother Cash. The group seemed especially close for cousins, and they laughed and joked together easily.
“So do you sing for a living, Cash?” Shandi asked, and her breath caught in her throat when he turned dark chocolate-colored eyes on her. He had a quality about him that seemed darker than his carefree persona portrayed. Sex simmered under the surface, as he shot her a charming smile complete with a deep dimple and answered her.
“No, I’m a fireman, too. I only sing for fun,” he said with a wink.
“Bullshit, you sing because it gets you women,” Owen said, choking on his beer, and the whole group laughed.
“Well, that, too,” Cash conceded. “Rustler’s is the only place I sing right now. I’ve had a few offers, but at the moment I’m needed here, so here is where I am.”
Shandi wondered about the mysterious words, but held her tongue. She surveyed Owen and Cash as they talked with their cousins and her friends. Owen seemed to be older than the rest of them, and by far he was the quietest. In comparison Cash was charismatic and boisterous. The two were like two halves of a yin-yang symbol.
Jen and Lily sure seemed interested in the pair, and based on the touching going on the feeling was mutual. Two other men paused by their table long enough for a quick introduction as younger cousins. Luke and Noah Gray proved to Shandi that there must be something amazing in their family’s genetic pool, because seeing all six of the muscular men together was any heterosexual woman’s wet dream. Noah spoke with Cash for several minutes about their set list, cluing Shandi in that Noah must be in Cash’s band, and then the two younger men left them.
Lily and Jen continued to flirt, but she noticed that neither of her men gave them any encouragement or showed the slightest inclination to leave Shandi’s side. A ripple of apprehension went through her brain at the easy way she thought of them as her men already. It felt so comfortable to be surrounded by them that it almost made her uncomfortable. Ryley was playing with her long hair as his arm rested on the back of the chair, and Rafe’s fingers were alternating between caressing and squeezing the softness of her upper thigh.
If she were honest with herself she would admit that she was enjoying their touches, but she wasn’t completely at ease with the level of attention they were showering on her, and she didn’t like things that she didn’t understand. This was one of those things. She couldn’t understand their interest in her, and she began to wonder if it was all a set up by Lily and Jen. Both women had been encouraging her to go out, and get her feet wet. What if they had planned this whole thing to boost Shandi’s ego?
With a heavy sigh, she put the second half of her sandwich down, having lost her appetite, and took a sip of her now warm beer. The crowded bar was warm, and the music was loud. The melancholy that flooded her completely wiped out her desire to pursue any conversation with the other occupants of the table.
“Everything all right, angel?” Rafe’s voice rippled through her body as he spoke quietly near her ear. She nodded without speaking because she was afraid of what might slip off of her tongue. “Why don’t you dance with me?”
She hesitated, wondering for a moment if somehow he already knew about her promise to dance with Ryley, but dismissed it immediately. Ryley must have overheard the exchange, because he snorted out a loud laugh, drawing the attention of his cousins and her friends.
“Sorry, bro! She promised the first dance to me,” Ryley said, jumping to his feet.
Rafe smiled at her shy confusion. “Go on, get your dance out of the way with him so that I can have mine,” he said encouragingly, and she blushed. Lily and Jen were watching her curiously, and she couldn’t fathom what was running through their heads. They had never been ignored by a man so that he could pay attention to Shandi, and it was probably irritating them.
Forcing herself to croak out, “Umm…yeah sure,” she let Ryley take her hand and lead her out to the dance floor.
The song was low and slow, and perfect for close quarters dancing. She let her arms drift up around Ryley’s neck, his long hair draping over her hands. She imagined that it would feel even more decadent against her naked skin. A hot blush crept up her cheeks, as he tugged her tense body closer to his muscular length. Her head only came up to the middle of his chest, and she had to bend her neck to look up at him. She heard her own sigh of relief when their bodies finally made contact, but she was praying that Ryley didn’t.
“You feel perfect, do you know that?” Ryley said, and she grimaced. Was it possible he could read her thoughts, too?
“You and Rafe seem to be having trouble taking no for an answer, Ryley,” she said, staring into his chest as his body began to move seamlessly against hers.
“I would take no for an answer if I believed that’s what you really wanted. Trust me, baby girl, I want nothing more than to make you mind-numbingly happy,” he said, kissing her forehead sweetly. She narrowly avoided sighing embarrassingly at the romantic gesture.
“What kind of game are you playing?” she asked, trying to harden her voice. She couldn’t shake the doubt that he was only here as a joke, and if that was the case she wasn’t going to be a willing participant.
“What do you mean?” he said, stopping all of his movement, and pulling back to look at her with narrowed eyes.
“Why are you pretending to be interested in me? Did Lily put you up to this? Or Jen? Come hang out and flirt with poor single Shandi, that way she gives up her pity party,” she said in a brat
ty whine, and his jaw clenched.
“I’m interested in you because you are a sexy, intelligent woman. Who just happens to make my blood boil and my cock hard. Is that clear enough for you, Ms. Martin? No one put me up to anything, and I find it insulting that you would think so. I’ve never met your friends until tonight, and even if I had, once I saw you they wouldn’t have had to pay me a damn thing to want you,” he said angrily, and Shandi couldn’t do anything but stand there on the dance floor gaping up at him.
“Stop it. I can’t do this,” she gasped in shock.
After a silent moment she could visibly see his anger fading, and he closed his eyes and sighed. “I’m sorry, Shandi, but I don’t like being accused of shit I didn’t do, and you seem to put me a little on edge.”
“I’m sorry, too, Ryley,” she whispered, and then she spun on her heel and nearly ran back to the table. Grabbing her purse, and dropping some money on the table, she barely paused long enough to say goodbye to Lily and Jen before she took off out the door into the night.
Just as she slid the key into the lock on the door of her little yellow VW Bug, a hand reached out and grabbed hers. She cried out in fright and jerked toward the car, stumbling in the process.
“Slow down, angel. I didn’t mean to scare you. What’s got you so worked up and on edge? What did Ryley say?” Rafe pulled a trembling Shandi into his arms, and she fell against his broad chest. She tried to ignore the feelings of rightness when she pressed her face into the warmth of his chest. She rested there for only a moment before she pulled her internal defenses back up and lifted her head away from him.
“Rafe! You startled me. I…um…Ryley and I just had a disagreement. I’m going home now,” she said, trying to pull free of his hands.
“Not in the condition you’re in right now, Shandi. You’re shaking like a leaf, and you would most likely end up in a ditch before you got home,” he said, refusing to relax his grip. Her large breasts were pressed against his ribs and stomach, and he ran his hands up and down her back in a gentle caress. “Let me drive you home.”
She shook her head. “No! I’ll be fine. I need to be alone for right now.” She took several deep breaths, trying to relax her frazzled nerves and get a grip on her emotions. He tipped her head back with one hand on her jaw, so that she had to meet his curious stare.
“Shandi, are you scared of Ryley?” Rafe asked quietly, and she laughed nervously, shaking his hand off of her face.
“No, Rafe, I’m not scared of him. I’ve just been through enough in my life that the last thing that I need is a domineering man jerking me around,” she said with a sigh, and Rafe’s arms tightened slightly around her.
“Who? Ryley? Jerking you around about what?” The confusion on his beautiful face had her hesitating. Could Ryley have been telling the truth, that he honestly wanted her?
“About wanting me,” she said hesitantly, feeling less and less sure of herself.
“You think he doesn’t want you? Are you fucking kidding me?” Rafe said. He sounded stunned, and she jerked her eyes up to meet his.
“What?” she gasped as she felt his hands dig into the soft flesh of her hips holding her still when she would have pulled away.
“Is it so hard to believe that you are a desirable woman?” he said in a softer voice, as he stared down into her shocked face. His grip gentled as he seemed to realize that her doubts were more about her own self-confidence than about Ryley.
“Please, Rafe, can we do this another time? I just want to go home and lie down right now,” she pleaded.
He slid his hands up to the shoulders and held her back a step so that he could look into her eyes again. “If it makes you happy, angel, but before you go I want to explain something to you. I think you’re running from Ryley, because you’re scared of the things he makes you feel. I’m even beginning to wonder if I can handle the emotions running through me. We want you, Shandi. Not just one of us, both of us. You’ve got baggage, I get it, but we all do. I’m not going to just give up because you’re running scared. Chew on that for a little while, and we’ll finish this conversation later.”
With that he bent and kissed her lips gently, in an artistically erotic caress that left her breathless and weak. She stood there slack jawed and stunned as he tugged her car door open, and nudged her into the vehicle. Without waiting for her response he brushed his lips over her temple. “Good night, angel. We’ll see you soon.”
Then he pushed the car door shut, and then spun on his heel and walked back into the bar.
Chapter 4
Shandi jumped at the knock on her classroom door the next afternoon. She had been daydreaming about two sexy blond firemen as she sat in the now silent room, staring out the window. She remembered every touch, caress, and word that the Whetstone brothers had inflicted on her last night, and it was all she could do to keep her focus while she taught her students today. Thank God tomorrow was Friday. She needed a weekend to get her mind back together.
She spun in her desk chair just as Jen stepped into the room carrying two small vases in her hands. One held a rose that was an intense sunshine-yellow color, and the other held a soft-pink colored carnation.
“What—” she started to ask, but Jen’s wicked grin and raised eyebrows cut off her words.
“Looks like you made a good impression on two of our city’s finest heroes. These are both for you, Shandi, dear.” Jen set them in front of Shandi, and stood expectantly at her side. Shandi was barely breathing when she reached out and plucked the card from the rose. She slowly opened it to read the inscription out loud.
Angel, yellow is the color of friendship, and until you’re ready to give me more than that, I will gladly accept your friendship.
Love, Rafe
“Wow! Isn’t he a sweetheart! I bet he is a real romantic at heart. Are you sure you don’t want to date that one?” Jen said with a slight frown on her pretty face.
Shandi’s mouth had gone dry, and she could do nothing but shake her head at her friend. Her pulse was pounding, and she could feel the flush on her cheeks. Quickly she snatched up the other card, opening it with trembling fingers. Her body grew hot as she read it, and she squirmed in her seat.
This is the same color of pink that your cheeks were after I kissed you. How long will you make me wait to see it again?
Ryley
“Damn, Shandi, you didn’t tell me that he kissed you. What was it like? I bet he’s a fantastic kisser.” Jen perched on the edge of Shandi’s desk, talking excitedly.
Shandi cleared her throat and nodded. “Yes. He’s an amazing kisser, but, Jen, you know I’m on a permanent sabbatical from dating. I told them both that yesterday when they acted interested.” Shandi frowned at the flowers, slightly perplexed that the two brothers seemed so intent on spending more time with her.
Jen snorted and chuckled. “You’re going to tell me that you are willingly walking away from two men who would make Chris Hemsworth look like dog food? Have you lost your mind, girl?”
“That’s exactly what I’m telling you. After what Jett did to me…I can’t get into another relationship, and go through that kind of rejection again,” Shandi said resolutely, pushing the vases across the desk toward Jen.
Jen immediately nudged them back to Shandi. “They aren’t proposing for God’s sake! What’s the harm in dinner and a movie? Anyways, you’re going to have to call them to thank them for the flowers. Not to do so would be rude.”
Sighing heavily, Shandi slumped with her elbows on the desk and her forehead in her hands. Jen was right. Shandi was raised with manners, so there was no way she could just accept the gifts without saying thank you. The sensation of anxiety filled her belly. What if they continued to pursue her? She wasn’t ready to deal with telling any man about her past. Her relationship with Jett had only ended in a painful rejection that literally caused her physical discomfort, even at this moment, just by thinking about it. “I can’t call them. I didn’t get their phone numbers,” she s
aid firmly, eyeing Jen, who laughed.
“Yeah you did. Look.” Jen gestured toward the cards, and Shandi pulled them back off of the flowers. Written on the back of each card was a phone number for each man. Well, there goes that excuse, she through wryly.
“Fine! I will call them, but only to tell them thanks, nothing else,” she snapped.
“Whatever, but chica, if you don’t want them, then for heaven’s sake give someone else a shot. I would love to see how those strong muscles felt against my skin, all night long,” Jen said with a seductive tone, and a flash of jealousy shot through Shandi’s chest. There was no way she would let Jen get her hooks into Rafe or Ryley. They were too good for Jen. Surprised at her own nasty thoughts toward her friend, Shandi stood and moved the flowers to the small windowsill next to her desk.
“Thanks, Jen, but right now the last thing you need is another man following you around like a puppy dog. Now, if you’ll excuse me I have a phone call to make,” she said, narrowing her eyes at Jen and trying to force her to leave with just a look.
Instead of intimidating her it just seemed to amuse Jen. “Got it, they are off-limits. Well, get your ass in gear, girl, because if you don’t jump on them someone else will,” Jen said, and she walked out the classroom door.
Shandi took a deep breath and picked up the cell phone on her desk. It was now or never. If she didn’t just get it over with, she would chicken out, and then feel guilty later. The phone rang only a couple of times, before Ryley’s deep rumbling purr came over the line.
“Hello?”
“Umm…hi. Ryley?” she said tentatively.
“Hey, baby girl.” He sounded like he had been looking forward her call, and it pleased her immensely, even as she chided herself to remain stoic.