Every Which Way

by Sasha White

  Tucker glared at Jake, and then turned to Molly with a softer look. “I’m sorry,” he said through clenched teeth. “You’re right. No one owns you. Please, let’s dance.”

  She shook her head. “When someone cuts in, the polite thing to do is let him take the dance. Didn’t your mama teach you manners?” Molly held her arms out to Jake and gave Tucker a stern look. “Remember what I said earlier?”

  Tucker’s brows puckered. “About what?”

  “Sharing?” she prompted. When Tucker’s frown deepened, Molly snorted. “Never mind.” She smiled at Jake. “Let’s dance.”

  Jake swept her away, the feeling his brother was shooting daggers with his eyes into his back making him twitch. “What was that all about?”

  “What?” Molly smiled, though her expression appeared strained.

  “What did you mean by sharing?”

  Molly’s smile slipped and she stared up into Jake’s eyes. “Let me pose a hypothetical question to you?”

  “Okaaaay,” Jake said, uncertainty making his steps falter. “Shoot.”

  She let him dance her around the floor once before continuing. “What if the woman you care about wants you as well as another man?”

  Before she finished speaking, Jake shook his head. “It won’t work.”

  Molly stopped in the middle of the dance and fisted her hands on her hips. “Why?”

  “I’m a one-woman man. One woman. Not one-woman and a man.” He reached for her hands. “Let’s finish this dance.”

  “Jake Maddox, I’m serious.” She shook free of his hands. “Three of my brothers found a way to share one woman between them. Why can’t one woman share two men? That’s one less man in the picture.”

  “Frankly, I don’t know how your brothers do it.” Jake ran a hand through his hair. “Wouldn’t she get tired of all three of them?”

  “As a matter of fact, she couldn’t choose between the three, and it keeps the sex fresh when she has it with three different men.” Molly crossed her arms over her chest. “If you’re not up for a ménage a trois, there’s no point in continuing this relationship.”

  Jake glanced around at the couples happily circling the dance floor, staring at him and Molly stalled in the middle. “I’ve never been in a ménage-a-whatever. Who did you have in mind as the third?”

  Molly opened her mouth, but before a word could come out, Tucker was there beside her, anger pouring off him like fumes from a diesel truck.

  “You’ve got to be kidding,” Tucker said to Molly. “You can’t be serious.” He jerked his thumb toward Jake. “Him?”

  Molly’s lips pressed together and she nodded. “Yes.”

  Tucker shook his head. “No way.”

  Jake stared from Molly to Tucker and back to Molly, an inkling blossoming into a full-fledged understanding of what the two were arguing about. Jake pointed to Tucker. “You want the two of us to share you?”

  Molly’s chin lifted. “That’s right.”

  Jake shook his head and echoed Tucker’s words, “No way.”

  “We can barely share the business, how in the hell do you expect us to share a woman?”

  The people dancing around them slowed, their attention captured by the three of them shouting in the middle of the dance floor. Molly glanced left and right. “You two chew on it. But I can tell you now--I’m not going to choose between you. It’s both or neither.”

  Chapter Five

  Tucker glared at Jake. “What did you do to her?”

  “Me?” Jake threw out an arm. “What did you do? I had her in the palm of my hand when we made love this afternoon.”

  “You made—” Tucker sputtered. “This afternoon? Busy taking care of something, huh?” He stepped around Molly and planted a hand in Jake’s chest and shoved.

  “Don’t push me, Tuck,” Jake warned. “You’re older, but not a better fighter.”

  “You knew I had plans for this evening.” Tucker pushed him again, anger building with each breath he took. “And you went behind my back.”

  “Based on Molly’s demands, you had your chance as well.” Jake shoved Tucker. “Let her choose, you said.”

  “That’s right, and all you did was make it where she didn’t want to choose.” Tucker pushed Jake again.

  Jake swung his fist at Tucker’s jaw.

  Tucker turned in time so that Jake’s fist connected with his shoulder, pain radiating throughout his shoulder and arm.

  Tucker balled his fist and landed one in Jake’s gut.

  Jake doubled over and came up swinging.

  The female dancers scattered for the sidelines while the men formed a circle around Jake and Tucker and the betting began.

  “Twenty on Tucker to win.”

  “Fifty says Jake will take him!”

  Greta Sue shouted from the side of the dance floor. “Take it outside!”

  Tucker wasn’t taking anything. He landed an upper cut to Jake’s jaw, sending him staggering backward into Ed Judson’s arms.

  Ed threw him back into the ring, laughing. “Take him Tucker. I got money on you.”

  Jake came back swinging and hit Tucker in the side of his mouth, splitting his lip. Blood spouted from the injury, only seeming to make Tucker madder. He swung again, but Jake ducked and hit him in the belly again.

  Greta Sue hooked Jake with one arm and Tucker with the other and plowed them toward the door. People leaped out of the way, shoving chairs and tables out of Greta Sue’s path.

  Jackson Gray Wolf stood at the entrance to the Ugly Stick Saloon, laughing as he held open the door.

  Greta Sue shoved Tucker outside and then Jake after him.

  Jake crashed into Tucker as he scrambled to his feet and the two of them rolled across the ground, trading punches, kicks and flailing swings.

  When they rolled into a ditch, Tucker sat back on his haunches, gasping for breath, his jaw numb from too many hits and his eye swelling.

  Jake didn’t look much better.

  The crowd of men stood at the top of the slope cheering, until a siren’s wail sounded from the highway.

  Too tired to take another swing, Tucker lumbered to his feet, offering his hand to his brother.

  Jake shoved it aside and tried to get to his feet, crashing to the ground when his legs wouldn’t hold him.

  “Take my damned hand,” Tucker said.

  Jake glared at his brother and took his hand. “I’m not finished yet.” He bent over, his sides heaving. “Just give me a minute.”

  “Show’s over,” Sheriff’s Deputy Dusty Cramer called out, pushing his way through the onlookers. “Tucker, Jake, what the hell’s goin’ on?”

  “Not a goddamn thing.” Tucker spit blood on the ground.

  Dusty turned to Jake. “Jake, you want to fill me in?”

  “Fuck you.”

  Dusty extended a hand to him.

  Jake took it and pulled himself out of the ditch.

  The crowd of men retreated, headed back inside for another round of whatever they were drinking.

  Dusty helped Tucker out of the ditch. “Either one of you want to press charges?”

  “No,” Jake said.

  Tucker shook his head. “Not this time.”

  “Any damage inside?” Dusty pulled a notepad out of his pocket. “I gotta write you up if there’s any damage.”

  “Only to my face.” Tucker touched his lip and winced.

  “And my ribs.” Jake pressed a hand to his side and bent over in pain.

  “What’s got into you two?” Dusty asked. “I haven’t seen you go at each other since we were kids on the playground.”

  Jake didn’t answer

  Neither did Tucker.

  “They’re fighting over a woman.” Greta Sue joined Dusty, her arms crossed over her chest. “No damage to the saloon or anyone inside.”

  “Well, then, I’ll just go say hello to Audrey and grab a drink.” Dusty gave Jake and Tucker the look. “Talk it out. Fighting settles nothing.”

  With
those parting words of wisdom, Dusty followed Greta Sue back to the bar.

  Jake flipped Dusty the bird.

  “I saw that,” Dusty called out from the door to the saloon, a grin spreading across his face.

  Alone, Tucker glanced at the door, debating whether or not to go back inside and apologize to Molly and Audrey for raising a ruckus. But he looked like hell and Molly’s words still echoed in his mind. “She wants us to share her,” he said out loud.

  “No fucking way.” Jake shoved a hand through his hair. “She’s mine.”

  “Not from what she said inside. She doesn’t belong to anyone. Not you. Not me.”

  “Unless we choose to share her between the two of us.” Jake let out a long breath. “Impossible.”

  “Damn right.” Tucker agreed with his brother for the first time that night. “So what are we going to do?”

  “Give her time to come to her senses?” Jake offered.

  Tucker wasn’t so sure that was a good idea. “What if she ditches both of us?”

  “Would you rather see her with another guy than with me?”

  “Hell, yeah,” Tucker responded. Then thought about it and added. “Oh, hell no.”

  “I’d rather not lose her.” Jake stared at the saloon. “She’s special.”

  “Incredible.” Tucker stared at the saloon too, as if he could see Molly through the walls.

  “And she’s got a body that doesn’t quit,” Jake continued.

  Tucker spun and faced his brother. “So what the hell were you doing this afternoon? You went to see her without telling me, didn’t you?”

  Jake nodded, a grin spilling across his face. “She’d gone out riding. Her brothers met me at the truck with a horse, saddled and ready to go.” Jake scratched his chin. “They seemed eager for me to follow her.”

  “So you did.” Tucker’s jaw tightened. “I should have known you’d jump in front of me. If you hadn’t gone after her this afternoon, Molly would be all mine now. We made love in the storeroom before you got here.”

  “We did it in the creek, in front of God and the horses.”

  A jolt of jealousy hit Tucker in the gut, but he hurt too bad to react. “What are we going to do?”

  “Go back inside and try to talk sense into her.” Jake hitched up his jeans and ran his hand through his hair again.

  “She has to choose.” Tucker fell in step beside him and let Jake enter the saloon ahead of him.

  The band had taken a break, but the jukebox was blaring and the dance floor was full of two-steppin’ cowboys and cowgirls.

  “Where’s Molly?” Tucker squinted, his gaze sweeping across the faces around the tables and to the bar. Molly wasn’t anywhere he could see.

  Jake nudged him. “There.” He pointed to the dance floor.

  Molly was in the arms of Deputy Sheriff Dusty Cramer, laughing and smiling like he hung the moon.

  “Well, damn,” Tucker said.

  Jake nodded. “We might have to compromise or risk losing the only girl I ever gave a damn about.” He looked at Tucker. “You know we have to.”

  “No, we don’t.”

  Jake tipped his head toward Molly.

  Dusty dipped her into a deep pose and pulled her back up into his arms.

  Her cheeks were flushed and her smile wouldn’t stop.

  “Fuck,” Tucker said. “We have to talk about this. Let’s go.”

  *

  “They’re gone,” Molly stopped dancing, laughing and smiling as soon as the Maddox brothers left the saloon. “Thank you, Dusty. I hope we taught those boys a lesson.”

  “Yeah.” Dusty didn’t release her right away, his lips twisting. “You know, if things don’t work out for you with Tucker and Jake, I’m available Tuesday and Wednesday nights.” He smiled down at her. “I want to take you out.”

  Molly patted Dusty’s cheek. “Oh, sweetie, I’d love to, but I couldn’t go with you in clear conscience when I’m wrapped up, crazy for Jake and Tucker.”

  “Why don’t you just pick one of them?”

  She sighed. “I like them both. Tucker is big, stoic and incredibly passionate beneath his gruff exterior. And Jake...” She laughed. “He’s full of surprises and keeps things interesting. Having both of them would be the best of both worlds.”

  “What if they choose not to go along with your demands?” Dusty stared at the door the Maddox men had left through. “Most men aren’t into sharing their woman. Not even with their brother.”

  “That’s what’s so great about where we live. Look around.” She waved toward the saloon. “Three of my brothers love one woman, and she loves all three of them. Mark and Luke love Libby. Jack Monahan and Cory McBride both love Bunny, and she loves them.” Molly gripped Dusty’s arm. “It can work. I know it can.” She bit her lip. “Can’t it?”

  Dusty tipped his head. “Maybe. Thing is, Jake and Tucker have been competing against each other all their lives. Anything Tucker does, Jake has to try and do better. They were that way in sports and in flying. Fortunately, they need both a helicopter and a fixed-wing pilot or they’d be flying circles around each other, playing chicken in the sky.”

  Molly knew that. She’d known them her whole life and had fallen in love with them way before they’d finally asked her out. “Do you think I’m making a mistake? I don’t want to lose them.”

  “If you make them choose between sharing you and losing you, don’t be surprised if they take the easier route.”

  “Losing me?” Molly’s chest squeezed hard. “I don’t want to lose them. But I can’t choose. If I pick Tucker, I’ll always wonder how it would have been with Jake. And vice versa. Besides, how would the man I didn’t choose handle seeing me with his brother? It could tear them apart.” She shook her head. “No, it’s all or nothing. That’s the only way it can be.”

  “Your choice, Molly.” Dusty stared down at her. “Remember, you owe me.”

  “I’ll be there tomorrow, wearing a dress and lipstick. I promise.”

  He lifted her hand to his lips. “You’re a life-saver.”

  “It’s the least I can do. You helped me in a pinch. I can help you.”

  He lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “Again, if it all falls through, I’m here for you.” He winked and twirled her away from him and back into his arms. “Thanks for the dance.” He left her standing on the edge of the dance floor and walked out of the saloon.

  “Dusty’s a nice guy.” Audrey stopped next to her, resting a hand on her belly. “You could do worse.”

  “Yeah, but I’m not in love with Dusty.”

  “I know. You’re in love with the Maddox men.” Audrey patted her back. “Things have a way of working out.”

  “I hope you’re right.” Molly got back to work waiting tables and filling orders. If she was wrong, she’d just have to pull up stakes and head to Austin like she’d threatened her brothers she would.

  Austin was looking more and more depressing by the minute.

  Chapter Six

  Jake arrived at the Maddox Air Charter Service offices earlier than Tucker the following day. They’d agreed on the way home the previous night not to talk about the situation with Molly until they’d had time to sleep on it.

  Sleep hadn’t come easy to Jake. He’d gone to bed thinking to hell with her. When he woke, he knew he couldn’t just let go and move on. Molly was everything he could ever want in a forever mate. Though he’d played the field since he was a teen, he knew once he found the right girl he’d settle down and devote the rest of his life to making her happy.

  Molly was the girl. If sharing her with another man made her happy, who was he to balk? He and Tucker could work out a schedule. One of them could be with her one night, and switch out with the other the next night. They didn’t have to get naked with her at the same time.

  It could work.

  The more Jake thought about it, the more convinced he became that Molly could have them both and they could be as happy sharing
her.

  The one fly in the ointment was Tucker. His brother liked things the way he liked things, neat orderly and normal. A ménage to Tucker was not normal. He’d be uptight and possibly willing to give up on Molly if she stuck to her guns and insisted on both of them loving her, not just one.

  On the one hand, if Tucker backed out, it would leave Molly free to be with Jake. His heartbeat fluttered. Having her all to himself would be heaven.

  Pulse slowing, Jake realized it wouldn’t work. Molly had been crystal clear about both of them or neither. If Tucker backed out, that ruined things for Jake as well.

  He had a tough task ahead of him. Convincing Tucker he should share Molly with him might require some major finagling.

  The sound of a plane pulling up outside on the tarmac signaled Tuck’s arrival. Jake stepped out of the office to greet him.

  Tucker stepped down from the plane and extended a hand to the couple getting out behind him.

  Jake opened the storage bin, pulled out their suitcases and set them on the tarmac. “Did you have a nice flight?” he asked politely.

  The woman, in her fifties, slim and still beautiful, smiled. “It was lovely and the landing was so smooth.” She patted Tucker’s cheek. “Thank you, son. We’ll definitely recommend your service to our friends.”

  Her husband stuck out a hand and shook Tucker’s then Jake’s. “Top notch. Top notch,” was all he said.

  Tucker and Jake carried their luggage to the Lincoln Town Car they’d parked outside the office. After stowing their luggage and waving goodbye, Jake followed Tucker into the office.

  The second the door closed behind Jake, Tucker spun to face him. “Look, I’m not willing to lose Molly.”

  “Me either,” Jake agreed.

  “So what are we going to do about it?”

  “Cave in to her wishes?” Jake offered.

  Tucker paced the length of his office. He stopped, dragged a hand down his face and turned to Jake. “Yeah. We give her what she wants.” He looked at his brother. “I’m not sure how this will work, and I’m not totally comfortable sharing a woman with you, but damn it!” He pounded a fist on the surface of his desk. “Molly’s worth it!”