Lion Love

by Jane Jamison

  Carol rushed into the hallway. “Okay, here’s the scoop, but I’ve got to make it quick. Customers are waiting.”

  “Then stop wasting time and spit it out,” demanded Shane. Normally, he considered himself to be fairly easy-going, but when it was serious, he got down to business.

  “The blonde’s name is Winnie Bunch, and her friend’s name is Bree Chambers.” She gave Shane a good-natured punch in the arm. “And, from what I can tell, my brothers and cousins are into Bree. Still, you never know what’ll happen once The Allure is involved. And…”

  “Damn it, Carol,” gruffed Jason. “Enough with the dramatic pauses. Tell us everything you know.”

  “Harrumph. You’re no fun. Anyway, they invited the women to use their bunkhouse during the festival instead of camping out.”

  Relief swamped Shane. He saw the same relief in his brothers’ faces. “Then we need to get to their ranch before anything has a chance to go wrong.”

  He had just led his brothers out of the hallway, heading toward the exit, when his phone beeped, alerting him of a text. He kept moving as he pulled his phone out of his back pocket. Before he was halfway to the door, however, he stopped.

  “What is it?” asked Danny as he leaned closer, trying to see over Shane’s shoulder.

  “It’s from Burton. He just invited us out to their ranch to meet Winnie.”

  Jason grinned. “Damn, it’s good to have friends.”

  “No shit. But it’ll be even better if Winnie’s the one for us. Let’s get moving.” Shane slammed the exit door open and hurried outside to the parking lot.

  * * * *

  Winnie took in the small cabin. The bunkhouse was definitely an improvement over the tent. It was the next best thing to staying in a hotel. She’d had her doubts when Bree had accepted the men’s offer to stay on their ranch, even in a separate building, but she now was glad.

  “This is great. Really,” said Bree.

  “You sound relieved,” joked Ridge.

  “Okay. Yeah, I admit it. I am relieved.”

  We both are, thought Winnie.

  “I don’t blame you.”

  Ridge turned to Winnie. “And how about you? How do you like the place?”

  “It beats sleeping in a tent.” Shit. She hadn’t meant to sound ungrateful. “I’m sorry. That came out all wrong. It’s nice, and I’m very grateful to be staying here.”

  Ridge laughed, obviously not taking any offense. “Then set your things down and make yourselves at home here on the Twisted Tree Ranch. You’ve got food in the fridge and the necessary bathroom things in there. If you need anything else, just let us know.”

  Bree laughed and teased him. “You sound like a bellhop.”

  Her friend was infatuated. Even more than infatuated. For a moment, Winnie felt a rush of jealousy. Would she find men she wanted to get to know? Yet that wasn’t the point of the trip. They were there to confirm Bree’s assertion that shifters really did exist. As she always did, Winnie tried to shake the doubt from her. If Bree said she’d seen a shifter, then Bree had seen a shifter. Her friend had never lied to her before, and she wasn’t lying now. She was certain of it. Or at least, she was going to try to be as certain as she could be.

  As Bree and the men continued talking, Winnie took time to study their new, temporary home. Two twin beds were pushed against each other on one wall. She and Bree could sleep head to head, if they wanted. A small table took up space in the middle of the room, but there was no better place to put it. A kitchenette with a cooktop and a full-size refrigerator took up most of the other wall. At the back of the room was a door that she assumed led to a small bathroom. At least, she hoped it did.

  It’s like living in one of those tiny houses.

  “Bree?”

  Winnie turned around carefully since the area was tight toward Burton. But tight quarters was still a lot better than the open spaces of the outdoors.

  “Hey, look who’s here.” Burton was staring outside.

  Winnie craned her neck, trying to see around Ridge and Matt, but it was no use. They were huge men, brawny and full of muscles. Just Bree’s type. And her type, too, but she felt nothing toward them. Instead, she followed Bree and the men back outside.

  “Bree, Winnie, these guys are the Landerson brothers. That’s Danny, Shane, and Jason.”

  “It’s nice to meet you,” said Danny in a voice that millions of radio listeners would drool over.

  “It’s nice to meet you, too,” said Bree.

  Unlike Bree, Winnie couldn’t find her voice.

  The Landerson men had caught hold of her and taken every bit of air from her. They had, as the saying goes, taken her breath away.

  It’s them. The men from the bar.

  All three men were tall and brawny just like Matt, Ridge, and Burton. But the Landerson men had a special, indefinable quality about them that made them so much more than simply sexy cowboys. Dressed in jeans, cotton shirts with belts sporting large silver buckles, they were perfect examples of Males of the West. Their cowboy hats and scuffed boots completed their look. All they needed was a lasso to throw over her body and wrangle her to the ground. If they wanted, they could even truss her up like a calf.

  “It is nice to meet them. Isn’t it, Winnie? Right, Winnie?”

  Had she been staring? Hell, yes, she had. And she still was. Somehow she managed to find her voice. “Oh. Yes. It is. It really is.”

  Jason had incredible green eyes, like moss growing on a tree. Better still, he didn’t seem to notice Bree at all. “So you ladies are going to stay in the bunkhouse, huh?”

  “We are, aren’t we, Winnie?”

  It took yet another prod from Bree for Winnie to speak again. “Uh-huh.” She sounded like she had half a brain. Which, at the moment, would’ve been a fair trade for the double amount of bodily heat coursing its way through her.

  I have never, ever wanted a man, much less three of them, as much as I want these guys.

  She barely refrained from licking her lips.

  Yes, I do. I want them baaaaad.

  “Because you’re in town for the festival?” asked Danny.

  Winnie blinked. She’d totally missed the question. Instead, she’d concentrated on watching his mouth and imagining his sexy, warm breath trailing along the length of her body.

  But she needn’t have worried. Bree kept the conversation going, giving Winnie even more time to bask in their machismo sexuality. Had she ever met men like these before? No, she definitely hadn’t. They put every man she’d ever known to shame. In fact, if they wanted to trademark the word “man” so that no other male could call himself a man, then, as far as she was concerned, they had a right to do so.

  She took in a breath and barely kept it from coming out as a sigh. The men towered over her, making her feel small and girly. Like Jason, Shane had dark brown hair but his had a white streak slashing through it that set him apart from his brothers. He shared Jason’s green eyes and even the twinkle in them. Danny had lighter brown hair with eyes the color of caramel. His shirtsleeves were rolled up, giving her a tantalizing sight of his muscles flexing with every move he made. They looked like brothers, their faces rugged with square-cut jaws.

  The all-out blatant need to have them swamped her again. If she weren’t careful, she’d blurt out a plea for them to take her right then and there. Instead, she gritted her teeth to remain quiet and let Bree do the talking for the both of them.

  What would happen if she got lucky enough to be alone with them? Would she forget every ounce of common sense she had and throw caution to the wind? She had no doubt men as amazing as them would never be attracted to her, but would they want her at all? Even if it was only for a short time?

  “And these jerks didn’t invite you to stay in their house?”

  She blinked again, loving the sound of Shane’s deep voice. His voice alone could make her orgasm. She tightened her pussy, fearful that a climax would erupt.

  All three men had voices tha
t were made for women’s fantasies.

  “Of course we did,” answered Matt. “But they felt better about staying in the bunkhouse.”

  “That’s probably a good idea,” added Jason with a sideways smile.

  But when Jason took his attention away from Winnie to look to Matt, Winnie would’ve sworn she heard a crack splinter through her heart.

  Please, no. Look at me. Don’t look at anyone else.

  Relief, sudden and knee-weakening, hit her when he brought his gaze back to hers. “We wouldn’t want anyone catching you alone in the kitchen and pawing you two.” He paused, his emerald eyes sparkling. “Yeah, you’re much safer staying in the bunkhouse.”

  “Trust me. Winnie’s perfectly safe staying with us.” Burton chuckled.

  She wasn’t sure what to make of his statement, but as long as the Landerson men didn’t seem to mind, then neither did she.

  Winnie startled when Danny stepped forward and took her hand. Normally, she might have shied away from a strange man taking her hand, but instead, she thrilled at his touch. Thrilled and hoped his touch would go lower. Much lower.

  Go on, Danny-boy. Touch me. Feel me.

  “How about meeting us at the bar later tonight?” He hesitated, and then, in a tone that said he wasn’t all that eager to do so, he added the invitation to include Bree. “Both of you.”

  “They just came from the bar, man. I’m surprised you didn’t see them.”

  Shut up, Matt.

  Wait. Did they see us? Did they see me? I definitely saw them.

  “We did.”

  They did? Oh, happy day! Did he see me more than Bree?

  “Yeah. So what? They weren’t there with us. We’ll show them a good time.”

  I’ll bet they could show us a very good time.

  Jealousy hit her again.

  But just me. Only me.

  She loved Bree, but if anything happened with the Landerson brothers, she wanted it to happen to her and only her. Not that she didn’t want the best for her friend, but she hoped that best would be with someone else. Like with Matt, Burton, and Ridge.

  “A real good time,” added Shane, taking Winnie’s other hand.

  Did he hear my heart skip a beat?

  She glanced down at their joined hands, and like a schoolgirl meeting a teen idol, she vowed to never wash her hand. Ever.

  If only…

  She looked to Jason and wished she had a third hand for him to hold. Failing that, he could hold any other part of her that he wanted to hold.

  Winnie wanted to speak up, to say yes, but she held back. What had come over her? Shouldn’t she be leery of three men coming on so fast? If she were smart, she would be. In fact, she should be a little afraid. What if Bree was right? What if the Landerson men were shifters? And yet, she had a feeling that she could trust them with her life. But could she trust them with her heart?

  It was a strange question to have about three strangers.

  Come on, girl. Think. Be afraid. At least, be wary.

  And perhaps she was. After all, she wasn’t jumping on their invitation. Was it fear that kept her from saying yes? What if they really were shifters? Or was the fear more about what she might let them do if she was ever alone with them? She’d given her heart away once before, and Vic had stomped all over it. Was she ready to take that risk again?

  She felt like a fish gaping for air as she turned to Bree, tried to answer, and couldn’t.

  Bree, however, had no problem talking. Her friend gave her a curious look then took the plunge Winnie was too frozen to make. Winnie’s head spun as what Bree said came to her as though filtered through water. Was Bree begging off?

  “I think I’ll hit the hay early tonight.”

  What’s Bree saying? Why can’t I concentrate?

  Bree kept talking, saying something about Winnie not staying in just because Bree was a little tired.

  Winnie was finally able to break through her mind-fog and force herself to speak up. “What? Tonight?” She paused, nibbling at her lower lip to keep from telling them she couldn’t wait to meet them there. But she couldn’t leave Bree by herself. Could she? No matter what Bree said. After all, Bree would be left alone on a ranch with three men they’d just met. “But I couldn’t. I don’t want to leave Bree alone.”

  Shit. Why did I say that? And what’s with Bree being tired? She’s never too tired to party with sexy guys.

  “No, Winnie, it’s okay. Go ahead and have fun. I’ll be fine.”

  Winnie glanced at Bree, confused. Why was Bree pushing her to accept their invitation? Still, she couldn’t bring herself to have fun without her friend. Sometimes Bree needed protecting from herself. “No. Thank you. I’m a little tired, too.” Disappointment flooded her. But she’d done the right thing, hadn’t she? She couldn’t leave Bree alone with three men she’d just met? Could she?

  Bree eyes widened, sending her an unmistakable message. Go!

  She frowned at Bree. Was she trying to get rid of her? “No. Thank you. I’m a little tired, too.” Hopefully, none of the men could tell that they were both lying.

  “Okay. We won’t push. But only if you promise we’ll get together another time. And soon.” Danny’s smile could charm any living, breathing woman.

  “She promises. And I’ll make sure she keeps her promise.” Bree’s expression brightened. She gave Winnie an encouraging look. “In fact, the next time she sees you, she’ll say yes.”

  “Bree!” Was Bree trying to pimp her out? Her cheeks warmed with embarrassment. Still, she couldn’t help but feel thankful to her friend for saying what she couldn’t bring herself to say.

  “It’s okay, Winnie,” assured Shane. “If you keep your promise, we’ll promise to be on our very best behavior.”

  “Not that that’s saying much.” Yet, judging by Ridge’s smile, he was only partially kidding.

  Did she want them on their best behavior? After all, the thoughts she was having for them couldn’t be called “good behavior” by anyone.

  Winnie couldn’t stand it any longer. If she didn’t put distance between herself and the Landerson men, she’d lose all control. Keeping her attention on too-sexy-to-be-real men, she fought the idea of changing her mind and gave Bree a slight push toward the bunkhouse and grabbed her hand, tugging her along with her. “Okay, well, it was nice meeting all of you, but we’re going now. Bree, let’s get settled in, okay? I’m worn out.”

  * * * *

  “Hot damn,” exclaimed Danny as he and his brothers got back into their pickup. It was a good thing he wasn’t driving because he couldn’t take his eyes off the bunkhouse. Silently, he willed the sweet little curly-headed blonde to come back outside, wave them down, and tell them to take her to the Whiskers and Whiskey Saloon. Or, better yet, straight out to their Rock Hard Ranch and right into their bed. “I never bought the old ‘when you see her, you’ll know’ shit, but I do now.”

  He was in love. He was certain of it. Lust, too, but there was something more when it came to Winnie Bunch. From the first moment he’d seen her, he’d ached to touch her, to taste her, to feel his cock buried deep inside her. But, unlike every woman before her, he’d also wanted to protect her, to make her feel safe and loved. That was a major difference for Danny, and he was all too aware of it.

  “Slow down, bro.” And yet, Jason craned his neck around to glance at the bunkhouse. With a low groan, he turned his head around, his gaze flicking to the review mirror and then, at last, onto the road. “We just met her.”

  “Yeah, I know.” Danny grinned and propped his boot on the dashboard. “And I don’t give a damn. The old saying is true. You’ll know her when you see her. And I know her. She’s ours, guys, as long as we don’t blow it.”

  “She’s skittish,” interjected Shane from the backseat. “I thought for a minute she was going to bolt.”

  “She was.” As much as Danny hated to admit it, the fact that she was leery of them wouldn’t put him off. What sane woman wouldn’t be a little wa
ry of three strangers coming on to her? “But she was also turned on. I saw it in her eyes. Hell, I smelled her hunger, in her sweetness. She wants me, boys. No doubt about it.”

  Jason chuckled and steered the truck back onto the main road then pointed it in the direction of their ranch. “She wants you, huh? And, let me guess, you think she wants you and only you. Am I right?”

  Danny couldn’t get rid of his grin. His heart, too, somehow felt bigger. “What can I say? When you got it, you got it. And she wants what I got.”

  Shane let out a curse that was filled with humor. “Our mother would roll over in her grave to hear your grammar.”

  “And our father would laugh his ass off to think you’re the only one she wants,” added Jason.

  “Whatever. She’s the one, and I don’t care how mushy that sounds. Nothing and no one’s going to change my mind.” The pastures rolled past him, but he didn’t really see the cattle or the horses dotting the land. Instead, a fantasy of Winnie with her legs spread wide and waiting hit him.

  “Come and get me, Danny,” she said. Her hair lay like gold thread curling over the bed. She held out her arms, jiggling her ample breasts enticingly. Her body was lean, but still had all the right curves, but it was the curly blonde strip of hair pointing him in the correct direction that caught his attention.

  “You don’t have to ask me twice, doll.” Suddenly, in the fantasy, he was as naked as she was. He crawled on top of the bed, skimming his body over hers, putting it only inches from her silky softness. “Tell me how you like it.”

  “Any way you want to give it to me.” Her perfect seductress lips parted, showing the tip of her tongue.