by Starla Kaye
That teasing grin of his was back. “I’m hoping part of the reason is me…and Doug, I guess.”
She smiled in return, thinking about the wilted flowers he’d given her and the bags of chocolate Doug had given her. She was still nibbling on those chocolates. “You’re both okay, I guess,” she teased back.
He chuckled. “That’s quite an ego stroke, darlin’. ‘Okay, you guess.’” He glanced at her again. “I reckon I’d have impressed you more if I’d given you something other than flowers. They were almost respectable flowers. Until I about squeezed the life out of them.”
He sobered. “I feel bad about making you sneeze like that.”
She laughed, thinking about that day. She’d hurt her foot, got something on her skirt, and had felt pretty low. Then the brothers had shown up with their gifts. “You guys made my day, although I didn’t act very graciously at the time.” She hesitated, “Sorry about that.”
“If we made your day with those pitiful gifts, you’re pretty easy to please.” He glanced at her, his eyes warming. “I’m sure looking forward to getting a chance to pleasure you.” He waggled his eyebrows. “I can be mighty pleasing, or so I’ve been told.”
Heat curled low in her body, tingles danced in her stomach. When he lowered his voice in that way… When he looked at her with such need… she was tempted. So very, very tempted to tell him to show her. Today. At her house.
“God, darlin’,” he groaned. “Don’t look at me like that.”
Her cheeks flamed. He’d seen how much she desired him. It embarrassed her. She didn’t want him to see her like the other women in town who constantly threw themselves at him. Just because it had been a long time since she’d been made love to didn’t mean she should pounce on the first cowboy who came along. Or the first two cowboys who claimed to want her.
He reached over and touched her leg, making her shiver and look at him. “I didn’t mean to upset you. It’s just that I’m damn attracted to you. I want you. Bad.”
She drew in a breath before saying anxiously, “I want you, too. But it scares me how strongly I feel about it.” She couldn’t meet his eyes and looked straight ahead. “I…I have feelings for Doug, too. And that scares me as well.”
She swallowed hard. “How can I be this drawn to two men at the same time? It seems wrong. Unfair.”
He turned onto her street and was quiet until he pulled into her driveway. When he parked and turned off the engine, he faced her, touching her cheek till she looked at him. “It was a silly idea when we came up with it.” His expression softened but still he said huskily, “Damn turn on, though. I gotta admit that.”
He sobered. “But neither of us want to do anything that you aren’t comfortable with.”
She liked the sensation of his calloused hand against her face, liked inhaling his earthy scent, liked just being near him. She’d felt much the same way with Doug. It was confusing. Overwhelming. “I still don’t know…”
He gave her a gentle smile. “Take your time in thinking about it.” He thumbed her chin before pulling his hand away. “If you decide you’d rather be with only one of us… Well, that’ll be okay, too.”
His full-blown killer grin returned. “’Course I’d hope to be the one you picked.”
Tears misted her eyes. This was a tough decision, an impossible decision. Be with Camden? Or with Doug? Or with both of them? As it had ever since they’d made the proposal, visions of the three of them together in bed flashed into her head. Her heart raced. Definitely a ‘turn on’ just like he’d said.
She pushed open her door and shook her head. “No, don’t bother getting out. You need to get back to the ranch and I have things to do.” She slid out of the truck.
He studied her and said huskily, “Let us know what you decide. Hopefully soon, darlin’.” He flicked the engine on once more. “We’ll be waiting.”
She stepped back away from the truck and watched as he backed out of the driveway. She fought the desire to run after him, to drag him into her house. But she remembered Doug kissing her earlier, remembered how her body had come to life at just his touch. What the heck was she supposed to do? This was the craziest idea she’d ever considered…the hottest one as well.
CHAPTER SIX
When was she going to call them? Should he call her? Should he go see her at the library? Hell, the suspense of it all was killing him. Camdem, too. Neither of them had actually talked about their proposition to Rose or about her since she’d been at the ranch last Sunday. Six long damn days ago.
He walked out of the shower with a towel around his waist and made his way to his private room in the bunkhouse. Closing the door behind him, he dropped the towel and went to the closet. He tossed a fresh pair of jeans and a shirt onto his disheveled bed. Then he dug a pair of undershorts out of the chest of drawers. He’d been staying here this past week, but he was getting antsy. He got that way sometimes when he spent too long in close quarters with too many people. He wouldn’t be able to stay here at all if he didn’t have this bit of privacy.
He tugged on the briefs. Maybe he’d go stay in the house he had in Evergreen tonight. Or maybe he’d go stay with Camden. Or maybe he should go hang out at the bar tonight, do some two-stepping, find a willing woman. Strangely that idea didn’t appeal to him at all. He only wanted to spend time with Rose. Dammit.
As he caught the scent of bacon and eggs coming from the dining area of the bunkhouse, his stomach rumbled. He’d slept in late and almost missed breakfast. He’d tossed and turned last night, woke up almost as tired as when he’d landed in bed.
He didn’t have plans for today, but he was restless.
Reaching for his jeans, he was startled at the sound of his cell phone ringing on the nightstand. He felt a sense of urgency, of needing to answer before whoever was calling decided to hang up. He hurried around the bed and grabbed the phone. His hand shook as he spotted Rose Myers in the caller ID window.
It took another ring before he had calmed down enough to answer, “Doug.” He couldn’t seem to manage more than that.
“Yes,” Rose said, sounding nervous.
Damn if his knees didn’t go weak. He sat down on the side of the bed. “Meaning?” Why couldn’t he finish the question? He sounded like a monosyllabic idiot.
She hesitated and he could almost see her struggling to find the courage to speak to him again. Finally she said warily, “Today? Here at my house? Or somewhere else? Jeez, I don’t know.”
He was grinning, relieved. She had sounded determined as well as exasperated with the planning. He thought about her reputation, being so new to town, holding such a public position. He and Camden outside her house the other day had been bad enough. Then he’d taken her to church and to the ranch, and Camden had taken her home. They were facts that it seemed almost everyone in town knew. Already gossip was spreading about her getting involved with the Grayson family. It was another reason he’d thought she might never call him. But if he and Cam showed up there at her house again… well, it could get wild in the telling.
“It might be best if you came out to Camden’s place.”
“To the ranch?” She sounded uncertain and he didn’t blame her.
“To that log house of his, at the far end of the property. He said he showed you where it was. It’s private.”
“You want me to drive out there? I think I can find it, but…”
He changed his mind. Her driving out here might have simplified things a little, but now it didn’t feel right. “No. I’ll come get you. Give me a couple of hours, okay?”
She gave a relieved sounding sigh. “I’d prefer that, if it’s not too much bother.”
“Not a problem at all.” Could she sense that he was grinning like an idiot? He hadn’t smiled in days and now he couldn’t seem to stop.
The instant he disconnected he dialed Camden. He didn’t even wait for his friend’s greeting and instead blurted out, “Clean up your place this morning. Change the sheets.”
&nb
sp; Camden chewed on something and mumbled, “Since when do you care about clean sheets?”
“Since Rose is coming there to join us.”
Camden choked and when he recovered, he gasped, “She called you?”
“Like I said, clean up the place. I’m picking her up in a little over an hour.” He disconnected and sat still, grinning like a fool. Hot damn! This was going to be one hell of a day.
* * * *
Rose’s stomach was knotted, her palms sweating, and her heart pounding so loud it was a wonder the sound wasn’t echoing around inside Doug’s fancy truck. She was a wreck. But she suspected the big silent cowboy next to her was as well. She’d met him with a wobbly smile, mumbled something in greeting, and then followed him out to his silver, dust-coated truck. Helping her inside, he’d nervously apologized for not having had the time to wash it. And that had pretty much been the last words from him on their drive out to the Last Chance Ranch. Not that she’d said anything of worth, either. Wasn’t this just off to a good start!
She forced away the thought of opening the passenger door, jumping out, and racing back to town—assuming the fall didn’t kill her. Buck up, girl! You made this decision. Live with it.
“It’s beautiful, the ranch, I mean.” She drove her nerves aside and glanced around the vast acreage at the base of the Rocky Mountains. She’d enjoyed seeing it last Sunday, but now she was getting the chance to enjoy the view again. She definitely understood why the Grayson family was so proud of their ranch. From the road they were on, on what Doug had referred to as the Western section, everything she saw was breath taking. The pastures were a soft gold, stretching back to a mixture of pines, firs, and aspens alive with the colors of autumn. Beyond them was the rise of the mountains.
“I can’t imagine ever wanting to live anyplace else.” He glanced in her direction, pure love for the ranch in his expression. “It’s the only home I’ve had, will ever have.”
She should have talked with him more before, but she’d been anxious about having lunch with his family, meeting Samuel. They hadn’t talked about much really, just chitchat. As he focused on the dirt road heading toward Camden’s small house in the distance, she decided to see how much he would share with her. “How long have you lived here?”
It took him a couple of seconds before he said quietly, “Samuel took me in when I was fifteen, and legally adopted me a year later. He’s the only father I’ll ever claim.”
He glanced at her, seeming to study her, to make a decision of some kind. Then he turned away again. “I imagine you’ve heard that I was one of Samuel’s toughest boys…well, besides Hunter. He was one hard SOB, still is sometimes.
His hands gripped the steering wheel tighter. “We all had bad backgrounds before coming here. Mine…it was just this side of Hell.”
His jaw tightened and he blew out a frustrated breath. “I’ve come a long way, but every once in a while… Let’s just say the memories haunt me. Only Camden really understands. He can usually help me…get it together again.”
Rose heard the agony of something terrible in his past. She heard suffering he still felt in the gruffness of his voice. Her eyes misted and she blinked rapidly. Doug Grayson was a hard man, a complicated one, and a proud one. She knew he wouldn’t want tears shed on his behalf, even though he needed someone to do that for him. Once more the nurturer in her wanted to take care of him, heal whatever it was that tormented him. Hug him.
She was surprised that he’d revealed so much, pleased, too. “Camden? How long has he been here?”
“Actually I knew him from before the ranch. We met in high school, before our worlds fell apart.” He swallowed hard but continued. “Camden’s home life had been hellish, too. But after a lot of complicated stuff, Samuel got custody of him when he was fourteen.”
He stared at Camden’s rustic house for a moment before speaking. “He couldn’t be legally adopted. But he’s been one of Samuel’s ‘sons’ all these years. And he legally took the name Grayson years ago.”
As they pulled up in front of the cabin, he glanced at her again. “Any more than that will have to come from him.” His look seemed to be a challenge, a warning.
She gave him a reassuring smile. “I don’t need to know more, about Camden or about you. Unless there is something either of you want to share with me.”
His sharing even this much meant a lot to her.
Relief swept over his face, took some of the worry from his eyes. “I’m not sure why you’ve decided to trust a couple of scoundrels like us. But I’m glad you did. Real glad.” He reached over to undo her seatbelt and gently touched her arm. “We won’t hurt you. I promise.”
She still barely knew them, but everything she’d learned about them, the way they’d interacted with the rest of the Grayson family, made her trust them. She knew they wouldn’t physically hurt her. But she did sense that these two men could hurt her in another way when whatever was between them ended. But something in her gut told her they needed her, for more than just sex.
Camden walked up to open her door, grinning, even though she saw an underlying sense of uneasiness in his eyes. “Sure glad you called Doug. Finally.”
She let him help her out of the truck. “But I did call.”
“Yeah, you did,” he agreed, stepped back, moved his gaze up and down, and smiled appreciatively. “You look mighty fine in those skin-tight jeans. Heck, I’m pretty impressed with the way that shirt hugs those impressive breasts.”
She blushed, but enjoyed the compliment. She’d stressed about what to wear, tried on a half-dozen shirts and every pair of jeans she owned. Finally she’d gone with her favorite of each. Comfort clothes.
Doug closed the other door and hurried around to join them. He frowned at Camden, but she saw the amusement in his eyes as well. “Truth time, Little Rose. You look…well, great.” He nodded at his friend. “But we’re both damn anxious to strip you right out of those clothes.”
Again she felt heat spread over her face, nerves tangled in her stomach, but, in truth, she loved what he’d said. Feeling more at ease, more confident, she gave them a sassy smile. “I’d have to say I’m looking forward to doing the same.”
It surprised and amused her to watch the two large men’s eyes widen. Camden, as expected, was the first to grin. Laugh lines creased the corners of his eyes, twin dimples set off the mouth she longed to kiss again. “Glad to hear we’re all on the same page, darlin’.”
Not to be outdone, Doug’s deep blue eyes sparked with desire and a touch of challenge. “Just who’re you going to strip first?”
The way his voice had deepened, resonating with intense sensuality almost had her melting into a puddle at his feet. Add to that his sexual appeal, the five o’clock shadow that seemed always present, the tempting scruffiness of his collar-length hair, his scent…
“Hey!” Camden interrupted her wandering thoughts. “Don’t forget about me.” He tucked her up against his side and gave a gentle squeeze. “I’ve been dreaming about you for days, dreaming about—”
“Keep it clean, Camden,” Doug snarled. “This is a lady.”
She blinked at him, enormously pleased. There were probably a lot of people who would say she was about to become a major slut, having sex with two men at the same time. Good gawd! Have sex with two men at the same time! Yes, she knew what she’d agreed to, but somehow the whole logistics of it hadn’t occurred to her. This wouldn’t be having sex with one man, and then the other. Right?
Her face flamed and she struggled to look at them directly, first Doug and then Camden. “We’re going to… going to have sex…together? All of us? At the same time? Right?” She felt kind of stupid asking, especially at this late time.
“That’s the plan, darlin’.” Camden gave her a reassuring smile, another slight squeeze.
Tingles shot through her, everywhere. Anticipation, wild and desperate, thrummed through her as well.
Doug, always the more serious of the two, cupped the side
of her face with his calloused hand, stroked her cheek with his thumb. “It’s not happening if you have any worries about it. I mean it, sweet Rose. Won’t happen.”
She drew in a breath and said bluntly, “We’re doing this.”
The grimness left his expression. His slow grin made heat fire low in her body, made her tremble. This man’s smile was deadly. What was he going to be like in bed? Her heart raced.
Distracting her, Camden dropped his arm to take her hand and lead her to the house. “It’s not a palace, just a big great room, one bathroom, and one bedroom. But it’s clean.”
Rose heard the apprehension in his voice and was touched by it. “I’d be uncomfortable in a palace.” Although nerves were jumping like live wires in her abdomen, she gave them a smile before pulling her hand free and walking up the steps on her own. She hesitated at the door and glanced back. “Are you coming, my cowboy Prince Charmings?”
“Soon, my lovely lady,” Camden teased, winking at her. “I hope to be real soon.”
Doug lightly punched his arm, scowling. “Watch it.”
She giggled and headed into the house. Their little games of one-upmanship and disgruntled bickering at times amused her. “Me, too.” She glanced back, giving what she hoped was
a sexy smile. “Coming real soon, I mean.” Both men groaned.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Camden watched as Rose walked into his home. She was such a special woman. She’d captured his and Doug’s attention the night of the community dance and had not been out of his thoughts since then. Now he was a nervous wreck. He’d acted like an idiot, mouthing off about ‘coming.’ It didn’t matter that she’d played right back at him. He should have acted more respectfully. Doug should have flattened him. But he figured his friend sensed his uneasiness. He’d bedded a lot of women in his thirty-two years, but he’d never brought one here to his home. This was different and damn scary.