Devonne slid onto the next seat. “Thank you.”
Both acted like he was some hero. “I like my privacy as much as anyone else. I figured you deserved some, too.”
“I appreciate that. In Los Angeles, no one would have lifted a finger to stop the guy.” Her smile dazzled.
“You’ll find the men in Intrigue are gentlemen.”
She leaned back and ran her gaze up and down his body as if she was trying to decide if he were from some other planet. “You sure I can’t convince you to dance with me?”
She did seem like she really wanted to take a spin on the dance floor. Maybe she hadn’t had many takers since she was so tall. “If I step on your toes, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Trust me. I got sturdy toes.”
That made him laugh. He jumped up and held out his arm. They wove their way to the small dance floor. The music changed, and he inwardly groaned. It was a slow song. He wrapped one hand lightly on her waist and held her right hand high, trying to put as much distance between them as possible. Knowing a few basic steps, he shuffled forward then moved backward, hoping he didn’t look too uncoordinated on the dance floor. Give him a basketball anytime. On the court he could smoothly dodge his opponents, but once his feet had to follow choreographed moves, he sucked.
The floor was cramped, and he kept bumping into people, which threw off his timing. Some burly guy moved at the same time Max did and their backs hit hard, pushing Max forward. His chest smashed against Devonne’s, and heat raced up his face. “Sorry, ma’am.”
“The name’s Devonne.” She smiled so sweetly his heart lurched.
Enough was enough. “Come on.” He grabbed her hand and led her off the floor.
No sooner had they arrived back at the bar than Ian rushed over. “You quittin’ already?” His gaze latched onto the pretty model. He held out his hand. “May I?”
She hesitated a bit then stood, holding Max’s gaze. “Don’t leave.”
Now what did that mean? He knew. She was trouble with a capital T.
Chapter Two
Devonne was happy to be out of the crush of humanity and back in the hotel room. Her first order of business was a hot shower, because her skin was clogged with the aroma of beer. Removing her makeup was a must do. While she’d really enjoyed herself at the saloon, the jet lag had caught up with her.
She undressed and stepped under the pulsating jets. Images of the Callen men flashed in her mind. Ian, the shorter of the two, had said he and Max were twins. It was hard to believe since Ian seemed so carefree compared to Max’s more reserved personality. She wouldn’t go so far to say the taller of the two was stuffy, but he did seem to hold his emotions in check, especially when he was on the dance floor. She would have loved to have a shot of his face when the song turned slow. His sharp eyes morphed into a mixture of fear and oh shit, what do I do now?
His cool composure had disappeared the first time the moment that pesky photographer stepped into the bar. Oh, my. That was hero action to the fullest. She’d caught the whole event from start to finish. Max was on the little man in no time. Since the Callens were rich, he was probably used to people sticking a lens in his face and understood how a camera could invade a person’s space.
She lathered her long hair and chuckled. For someone so packed full of muscles, Max Callen sure had no idea how to use his body on the dance floor. She cut off the image the moment she pictured both of them in bed. Romance had no place in her life right now.
After she finished with her shower, she wrapped a towel around her head and stepped into her pajamas. Comfortable at last, she crawled into bed. Giggles sounded outside her door. Uh-oh. From the squeals, it was Tara, who everyone called Red, and Cheri. She bet neither was sober. They knocked a bit too loudly.
“Coming.”
In the last year, she’d grown attached to these two despite their constant desire to party. After this show, they’d go their separate ways, and Devonne would miss them. She opened the door and trudged back to bed. Both girls hopped up on the end.
“You left early.” No surprise, Red was a bit tipsy.
“I was tired.”
“Why? You had that hot Callen man in your arms. Are you crazy?”
She laughed. “Max is a nice man, but I don’t think he was into me.” That was one reason she liked him. He didn’t seem affected by her looks.
“Every man likes you. You’re a star.” Cheri took off her four-inch heels, tossed them on the floor, and rubbed her feet. “These puppies sure are tired from all that dancing.”
“That’s another reason why I left. We have a big day tomorrow.”
Tara leaned back. “You really going to quit the business?”
“Yup.”
Red scrunched up her nose. “What are you going live on?”
She laughed. “My boutique brings in all the money I’ll ever need.”
The girls looked at each other and shrugged. “I need to start saving my money,” Red said. “But I’d never be able to afford a boutique on Melrose Avenue.”
She was rather proud she’d saved enough for the place. It wasn’t on Rodeo Drive, but it was close. These two could have it all if they learned to save. Devonne had lectured them until her head spun, but they liked to party too much. “You know my stand on planning for the future.”
Cheri flexed her feet. “I still have a few years left before I turn into an old hag. I’ll start saving soon.”
Red sat up. “Guess what I learned about Intrigue, Wyoming?” She bubbled enthusiasm.
“What?” Devonne wanted to go to bed, but these girls seemed to need to talk.
“Everyone around here is into the ménage lifestyle. Can you imagine what it would be like to make love to two men at the same time?”
Devonne leaned back on her elbows. “You know Daryl, the makeup artist?” They both nodded. “He’s always trying to get me to try it.”
Cheri laughed. “He’s gay.”
Devonne didn’t state the obvious. “He didn’t mean with him. Remember, he falls in love like anyone else. He’s always claimed the more hands the better.”
“Mmm. Maybe we should plan on staying a bit longer.” They both giggled again.
Devonne laughed. “That would only prolong the pain when you do leave. It’s the nature of the business. We aren’t built for long-term relationships.”
Red smiled. “But if you stay, you could get some real loving. Oooh. What about those twins? They were so hot.”
“Looks aren’t everything.”
“But they’re rich,” Cheri added.
She shook her head and laughed. “I have plenty of my own money.”
“That’s because you’ve been to Milan. What I wouldn’t give to model there.”
“The stress was worse there. It took a toll on my body. I swear I didn’t sleep for six months. We were required to go to parties. No sooner would we roll in than we had to be up early for makeup or fittings.”
Red giggled. “I bet the Italian men were hot.”
“I saw some fine specimens, but I wasn’t looking for a date.” Too many of the models spread their legs for every cameraman. She probably missed being the number one model because she didn’t. In the end, she didn’t regret her decision. “I spent all my time changing clothes and traipsing down the runway. I don’t think my feet will ever be the same.”
“Speaking of changing clothes”—Red ran her hands down her dress—“does this make me look fat? Be honest.”
Devonne inhaled. Every model questioned if she was thin enough. “Look at your tits. If they are full, then yes, you are too fat.” Red was about as flat as one could be.
Red gasped, patted her tits, and then smiled. “Nope. They’re still peanuts.”
“Then you aren’t too fat.”
Cheri wrapped an arm around Red. “Let’s go back to my room. I have a bottle of Jim Beam. I think Devonne needs her beauty rest.”
These girls would soon learn that alcohol aged the
skin. “You two go ahead, but remember tomorrow morning comes mighty early.”
The girls got up. “Since you said you might move here, you going try to land those Callen boys?”
What was up with them trying to hook her up? “Ian is fun loving, but I’m not sure he’s grown up enough for me.”
“What about the tall one?”
“Max? He could use someone to inject some life into his old soul.”
Red waved her hands. “Well, girlfriend, you’re just the woman to do it.”
* * * *
Ian’s cell rang. For a moment he thought the hot model, Devonne, might be calling him. After all, they’d really hit it off. When he removed the phone from his pocket, his shoulders sagged. “Hi, Mom.”
“Ian, I have a favor to ask.”
“Shoot.” He ran a hand along the steer’s flanks. This one would produce some high-quality beef.
“I’d like you and Max to pick the models up at the airport then swing by the Intrigue Hotel to pick up the three models who stayed there last night and bring them to the ranch.”
“How many are we talking about?” His truck held four people at the most.
“There are fourteen models. Don’t worry. I’ve rented two stretch limos. I want the models to arrive in style.”
He whistled. “Won’t the limousines come with drivers?” She sighed. Like he had any idea how these things worked. “What?”
“Yes, there will be drivers. Your job is to wave the sign at the airport and greet the women. You are my ambassadors. You’ll ride with the girls. Can you handle that?”
Could he rope a calf? Or shoot straight? “You bet.”
“Make sure your brother is on board.”
“I’ll make sure he obeys.”
She laughed. He loved when he could make her happy. She’d been so excited about raising money for the new children’s wing of the Intrigue hospital. The whole town benefitted from having the charity event. Not only would the patrons get to see the newest fashions, but several of the girls would be modeling designs by the local artists, too.
“Their flight comes into Cheyenne at 12:25 p.m. on Frontier Airlines.”
He glanced at the time. That wouldn’t give him much time to get ready. “We’ll bring ’em home.”
The chance to be with fourteen gorgeous women made his cock hard. Hell, it had been hard all day thinking of the three beauties from last night. He rushed into the house. “Hey, Max.”
“In here.”
As usual, his brother was in the office pounding away at the computer. Since when did ranching have to be so much about crunching the numbers? Given him a horse, some rope, and a rifle any day. Sure, the cattle made them their money, but Max needed to spend more time on the range. Hell, getting laid once in a while wouldn’t hurt him either.
He found his brother. “Mom called and said we need to pick the women up at the airport. Get this. She rented us limousines.”
Max didn’t look up. “You go.”
“There are two limos. She said to remind you that the Callens are gracious. We need to make an effort to be nice to these women. We don’t even have to drive. Come on. Their plane lands in two hours.”
“Shit.” He pushed back his chair. “I was just making headway with this spreadsheet.”
“What’s wrong with you, bro? We’re talking about fourteen hot babes.”
“I’m going only so as not to disappoint Mom.”
He shrugged. “I’m jumping in the shower. Then we can head out.” He wanted to look his best for the models.
Maybe his parents had lied about him being related to Max. His brother had brown hair and dark eyes, whereas the rest of the Callen clan was blonde. Max was tall like his two older brothers, but their outlook on life couldn’t be any different. Maybe that was why Dad sold them the land together. He always said that if he could mix Max’s intelligence with Ian’s business acumen, they’d own the most profitable ranch. Maybe that was true. They did need each other. But, Christ, they were only twenty-eight and needed to live a little.
He hopped in the shower and was ready to go in under fifteen minutes. That was a new record for him. He’d be seeing the ladies for the next few weeks and would have time later to show his best side.
When he came out of the bathroom, Max was waiting for him. His brother grabbed the keys on the counter. “Let’s get this over with.”
“You could smile a little. You’re so sour.”
Max didn’t take the bait. “I have work to do. We do run a ranch.”
“We have obligations to Mom, too.”
Max raised his brows but said nothing. It only took a few minutes to drive to his parents’ house, since their ten-thousand-acre spread had been cut from their father’s twenty-five-thousand-acre plot of land. Two white limousines sat in the drive.
“Sweet.”
He even detected a hint of a smile on Max’s lips. There might be hope for him after all. As soon as Max came to a stop, he jumped out. “I’ll let Mom know we’re on our way. Be right back.”
He rushed up the steps and jetted inside. His mom was at the dining room table.
“Oh, you’re here.” His mom had a plate of brownies on the table, and he nabbed one. He was so quick she missed slapping his hand. “Those are for the girls.”
“Models don’t eat sweets.”
She frowned. “Maybe they don’t, but I bet the cameramen, dressers, and makeup artists do.” She handed him a piece of paper. “Remember to stop at the hotel and pick up the other three models.”
“Will do.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek.
“No fraternizing with the girls. It’ll be hard enough to keep them focused with all the handsome Callen men running around.”
“Don’t worry.” Except for him and Max, all of the Callen men were married. Besides, the models were either staying at the main house, at Sam’s ranch, at Dustin’s or Cody’s. Their wives would be there to make sure nothing went wrong.
He raced outside. “We can drive to the airport in one limo, but we’ll have to split once we get there.”
“Whatever you say. I’m putting you in charge.”
That was a change. Max ran everything that concerned the ranch, but he wasn’t going to complain. The financial aspect of ranching never appealed to him.
“What did you think of three from last night? You ran out before we got a chance to chat.”
“They seemed nice.”
His brother was blind. “They were hot, bro. I liked Cheri and the one called Red, but Devonne and I connected on a deeper level.”
“What level is that? The basement?”
“Watch it. We talked about sports. The girl knows her stuff. She’s a Lakers fan, but I won’t hold that against her.”
“I didn’t get to know Cheri or Red, but Devonne seemed to have her act together. The fact she’s only twenty-three surprised me. She seems quite mature for her age.”
“That’s because she’s traveled the world.”
“You might be right. She said she was retiring. If she doesn’t model, what’s she going to do? All she’s known is the runway.”
“I feel kind of sorry for her. She said she’d been homeschooled her whole life. What kind of education is that?”
“She doesn’t seem lacking in knowledge to me.”
Ian shrugged. “I guess not.”
When they arrived at the airport, both men went in. Their mom had made signs for them to hold up. He figured the women would be easy to spot, but the models would feel more comfortable knowing they weren’t some random met attempting to pick them up.
Ian guessed the rest of the models would be taller than most and would get off the plane together. Sure enough, the women were the last to arrive. He waved his sign enthusiastically while Max stood there looking like he’d been asked to dig a grave and jump in.
“Smile, for God’s sake. We need to make Mom proud.”
That seemed to get through his brother’s thick skull. He waved a
t the ladies.
When the models gathered around them, he couldn’t keep the grin off his face. “Welcome to Intrigue. I’ll show you the way to baggage claim.”
When they got to the luggage belt, Max went in search of a cart. His brother always did think ahead. It took fifteen minutes before everyone was convinced they had all of their suitcases. My, but these ladies had a lot of gear. He wouldn’t have thought it took so much to look beautiful.
When they lined up for the limos, the women seemed to separate themselves into groups. They told him they came from different modeling agencies, and that they preferred to stay together. Eight piled into the limo with Max and he got the other four. Max’s limo would go straight to the ranch, whereas, his would stop at the hotel. That worked for him. He’d get to talk with Devonne, Cheri and Red once more.
The four women chatted the whole way back to Intrigue. Most of the time, they ignored him, but he listened closely. Knowledge was power. One thing he took away for the exchanges was that these women liked to party, which fit in nicely into his plans. All too soon, the limo arrived in front of the Intrigue Hotel.
“I’ll be right back, ladies, with the other models.”
He hurried inside. He’d called ahead, and to his surprise, all three were waiting for him. He and the limo driver carried out the heavier pieces of luggage while the women hopped into the back. As soon as he climbed in, the chatter began. The only one not totally engaged was Devonne. She, too, seemed content to listen and watch the girls interact. Most didn’t look even eighteen, but all were gorgeous. A few were a bit too thin for him, but he wouldn’t turn down any of them should they want to party with him.
Devonne asked about the accommodations. “Do you know where we’re going to stay?”
“My mom has divided you up into a couple of groups. Most will stay at the main house, and the rest will be with my married siblings.” He grinned. “I guess she doesn’t trust Max and me to keep you girls safe.”
She chuckled. “I can see why.”
When they arrived at the ranch, the girls piled out, and he, Max and the two drivers removed the luggage from the back. There would be four girls to transport between Sam’s, Dustin’s, and Cody’s homes, so they left the luggage on the front porch, not knowing which models would be leaving.
Intimate Illusions [The Callens 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 2