by Maya Banks
down. She smiled. She looked hot, damn it.
Any woman, my ass.
She walked into the bar and peered around the interior. Not much had changed. It was still smoky as hell, and the click clack of balls colliding on the pool table echoed from the back of the room.
A hard arm snaked around her waist and hauled her up against an equally hard chest.
“Jasmine, darlin’, what the hell are you doing here?”
“J.T.!”
She turned her face up to smile at him. He dropped a kiss on her forehead then gestured to a nearby table. “Come have a seat with me.”
She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Don’t you mean come where you can keep an eye on me?”
He grinned and ushered her over to the table. “My days of tossing your ass out of the bar are over. You’re legal now.”
“Not worried I’ll cause trouble?” she asked mischievously.
He winked as he sat down and held up two fingers at the passing waitress. “You and trouble are a given. It’s only a matter of how much and when.”
She shook her head and sat down across from him. “I wasn’t that bad.”
His green eyes twinkled at her. “Yes, you were. Kept me on my toes. Truth was, I looked forward to every weekend. I always wondered what scheme you’d concoct next.”
She rolled her eyes. “It got boring out at the ranch. Seth and Zane were having all the fun.”
“And now?” J.T. asked.
“Now, I left their sorry asses at home,” she grumbled.
“In that case, try not to have too much to drink. I don’t want to worry about your driving yourself home, and I damned sure don’t want to have to lock you up for a DUI.”
She chuckled at the concern in his voice. “Don’t worry, J.T. If I have too much to drink, I’ll crawl over to the hotel and stay over.”
“Or you could just call Seth or Zane to come get you,” he said pointedly.
“I’d prefer not.”
J.T.’s brow creased. They were interrupted as the waitress plunked down two cold bottles of beer in front of them. Jasmine gripped her beer and took a sip as she surveyed the rest of the room.
“What’s going on with you and those boys?” J.T. asked. “Not like you to want to avoid them when you’ve spent the last six years velcroed to them.”
Jasmine winced. “Am I that obvious?”
“Not sure what you’re getting on about, sweetheart. I just wondered if they’d done something to piss you off, and then I marveled at the idea of them being able to do something to make you angry.” He chuckled and shook his head.
She raised the bottle to her lips again and took a long drink. “I’m just here to have a good time. No other reason.”
He nodded and shrugged his shoulders. “Nothing wrong with that.”
She raised her hand as the waitress walked by again. When she stopped, Jasmine leaned forward so the woman could hear. “Two shots of tequila please.”
As she sat back, J.T. frowned disapprovingly.
“Now, J.T.,” she drawled. “I said I’d crash at the hotel if I got too intoxicated. Besides, I’m driving Seth’s truck, and I have no desire to find out what he’d do if I wrapped it around a telephone poll.”
“Oh, shit.”
“What?”
“Does Seth know you’re driving his truck?”
“Well, he does now,” she said with a grin.
J.T. chuckled. “It’s going to be fun as hell to have you around again. I only wish I was there to see Seth shit a brick when he realizes you took off in his truck.”
“What’s the deal with his truck?”
“He loves that truck,” J.T. said.
She shrugged. “I didn’t see anything special about it.”
J.T. snorted. “You wouldn’t. It’s a guy thing. He bought it six months ago. Custom paint job, big tires, roll bar with lights—you know, guy stuff.”
She rolled her eyes. “A truck is a truck is a truck.”
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”
The waitress swung by and delivered Jasmine’s shots. Jasmine gripped one of the small shot glasses in her hand and raised it toward J.T. “To Barley, Texas and being back home.”
“I’ll drink to that,” J.T. said, raising his beer.
“What do you mean she went into town?” Seth demanded. “How the hell did she get there?”
Carmen frowned at his tone and tsked under her breath. “She drove. How else would she get into town unless you wanted her to walk like you made her do this afternoon?”
Seth sighed. “I didn’t make her walk, Carmen. You know once Jasmine’s made up her mind about something, there’s little you can do to change it.” And then another thought occurred to him, about the same time he realized that Zane wasn’t home and hadn’t been home all day. Which meant there was only one way Jasmine could have driven into town. He groaned even as he headed to the garage to see what he already suspected.
He stood in the doorway, bracing his hand on the frame as he stared at the empty space where his truck was usually parked. If she so much as put a scratch on it…
She’d be lucky if she didn’t put herself in a ditch somewhere. She hadn’t driven in the year she’d been in Paris, and before that, she’d always tooled around in Zane’s smaller truck, not that she’d driven a lot even then. She’d always been content to tag along with him or Zane wherever they happened to be going.
But she wasn’t a little girl anymore. Hell, she never had been. Even at sixteen she’d had more experience in her eyes than most women a dozen years older.
The memory of her mouth hot against his, her tongue bold and seeking, sent a bolt of awareness through his body. He closed his eyes, not wanting to relive the hurt in her eyes when he pushed her away.
“Seth, J.T. is on the phone for you,” Carmen called from the kitchen.
He shut the door to the garage and walked back to where Carmen stood, phone in hand.
“Hey, man, what’s up?” Seth asked as he put the phone to his ear.
“Not much. I’ve been down at the bar with your girl.”
“Jasmine?” Annoyance inched a slow crawl over his shoulders. The idea of Jasmine hanging out with J.T. irritated the shit out of him. Nearly as much as the idea of her going out with Brad.
“I got called out. Domestic disturbance. On my way to it now. But when I left, she was on her way to throwing one hell of a drunk.” J.T. hesitated for a moment. “It’s not that I don’t trust her. She said she’d get a hotel room if she wasn’t able to drive home. I just worry about her. Something seemed to be bothering her. I thought you’d want to know.”
Seth swore. “You did right. The last thing I want is for her to get hurt. I’m without wheels, but I’ll call Zane. He’s on his way home. I’ll have him stop in and pick her up. In the meantime, I’ll call Tucker and have him make sure Jasmine stays put until Zane gets there.”
The room was a little blurry. Okay, maybe a lot blurry. But she was having too much damn fun to worry about calling it a night.
Jasmine shook and shimmied, stomped her feet and clapped her hands in time with the country song the band was playing. More than one man was happy to dance with her. At least three skirted her periphery as she shook her head, hair flying.
One grasped her hand and spun her around where she collided with the chest of another. She smiled up as the second man put his hands on her shoulders and let them slide down her arms.
Yet another, too-tall, too-sexy cowboy pressed against her back, rotating his hips into her ass. Sweat beaded her forehead and her breath came heavier. How would it feel to be between Seth and Zane?
She closed her eyes and imagined for a moment that it was them who surrounded her body. She’d watched them one night. Saw them make love to the same woman. She’d been mesmerized by the sight and had been horribly jealous of the woman whose name she’d never even known. And then there was Mary Jo, town hairdresser. After seeing her between Seth and Zane, Jasmin
e had never been able to bring herself to go into Mary Jo’s salon.
She’d wanted it to be her. Already confused by her feelings for both brothers, those interludes had given her a taste of what it would be like to have them both.
But it wasn’t until she arrived in Paris and had met Cherisse that her secret fantasies had taken a serious flight into reality. Seeing her friend in a polyamorous relationship, a happy, loving situation, had given Jasmine hope that maybe she could love both men and that maybe they could love her in return.
When she’d told Cherisse about Seth and Zane, Cherisse had laughed and asked her why she was in Paris and not back in Texas.
As tempted as Jasmine had been to return, she also knew that the time away would do her—and them—good. She needed to spread her wings, prove her independence, and she also needed to return to them a woman. Not the needy, insecure girl they’d taken care of for so long.
And the truth was, as much as she’d missed home and Seth and Zane, Paris had been an amazing, wonderful experience. She wouldn’t trade that year for anything.
She felt a hand slide up the bare skin of her abdomen and lodge just underneath her breast. Her gaze dropped to see one of her cowboys had gotten up close and personal. His hands rested possessively on her body, and he was shouldering away from the other two men who had circled around her to dance.
If she didn’t nip this in the bud soon, he’d definitely get the wrong message.
She put her hand on his wrist, and his knuckles brushed the underside of her breast as she pried him away.
“Come on now, sugar,” he murmured close to her ear. “Why don’t you let me take you home and put you to bed? Preferably my home and my bed.”
She smiled. “Sorry, cowboy. I’m just here for a good time.”
“Oh, I could show you a good time,” he purred.
Strong arms surrounded her, lifted her away from the cowboy in question and set her aside. Zane.
“She’s off-limits,” Zane said in a near growl.
She blinked because for some reason, Zane kept swimming out of her vision. And damn it, he looked too good to keep fading out like that.
Not hearing what the two were saying to each other, she snuggled up against Zane’s side, and he dropped an arm around her in a protective gesture.
She rubbed her cheek against his shirt and inhaled his scent. He pulled her toward the door, and she wrapped her arm around his waist to steady herself.
The night air, warm and humid, hit her in the face as they stumbled outside. He walked her over to his truck and stopped as she leaned against the frame.
“Jaz, I don’t know what to do about you,” Zane said with a chuckle. “Seth is home having a kitten because you drove off in his truck, and J.T. is beside himself at the thought of you driving home drunk.”
She frowned her irritation. “And what do you think?” she asked huffily.
He reached out and tweaked her nose. “I think you’re damn cute when you’re drunk.”
She grinned and leaned closer to him. “You’re pretty cute too.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her.
“Jaz, honey,” he whispered. “This isn’t a good idea.”
She silenced him with her lips. His arms tightened around her, bending her slightly backwards as her head tilted underneath his.
“I need you,” she whispered back. “I ache. God, Zane, I hurt. I want you so much.”
His mouth devoured hers hungrily, as if he’d waited a lifetime to kiss her like this. She whimpered against his lips, her body writhing, hot and needy against his.
He broke away. “Not here. Not like this, Jaz. Get in the truck.”
Her entire body trembled as he opened the door and ushered her into the passenger seat. He closed the door once she was in then walked around the front to the driver’s side.
Without a word, he started the engine and tore out of the parking lot like he was being chased by the devil.
Her hand fluttered to her lips, but they didn’t ache nearly as much as other parts of her body. She twisted restlessly on the seat, stretching her body in an attempt to alleviate the tension.
Her belly ring flashed in the glow from the headlights. She could see Zane looking at it. Her belly. The ring. And then her breasts which just barely peeked out from underneath the cropped T-shirt.
“I hurt, Zane,” she whispered.
He pulled onto a dirt road, fishtailing as he righted the truck. He drove a half mile before cutting the engine and dousing the lights. Then he reached for her, pulling her against him.
Her fingers twisted in his long hair as he cupped her face in his hands. Their lips met and both panted for breath as they moved hot against each other.
“Where do you hurt, baby?” he murmured against her lips.
“Here,” she said, dragging one of his hands down her belly, lower to her pelvis and finally to rest at the juncture of her legs.
He groaned and rubbed his fingers over the denim covering her pussy.
“Touch me,” she whispered.
His fingers fumbled with her snap. Then he worked the zipper down, parting the fly. He reached behind him to open his door. The “door ajar” pinging sounded abrasive in the air, and he yanked at the keys, letting them fall to the floorboard.
He got out and stood in the doorway. He gazed at her, eyes blazing in the dark.
“Lie back, sugar,” he said in a strained voice. He pulled at her so that she was positioned with her legs dangling over his seat.
He peeled her jeans over her hips and down then yanked impatiently at her sandals so he could remove the pants completely.
He leaned forward, sliding his hands underneath her to cup her ass. He pulled until her knees pressed against his chest. She stared up at him, holding her breath in anticipation. She’d waited so long, wanting him, needing him, loving him so much.
He lowered his head to her belly and kissed her navel. The simple action sent shivers racing over her skin. His tongue lapped at her belly ring. He nibbled and toyed with it, finally sucking the delicate ring into his mouth.
“You like it?” she asked huskily.
“You know I do. You knew damn well it would make me crazy.”
She smiled.
His fingers curled around the thin band of her panties and gently began tugging them down her hips. His mouth followed the progress, kissing the expanse of skin from her belly to her soft mound.
“Please,” she whispered. “I need…”
“I’ll give you what you need, sugar,” he murmured. “Just this once.”
She arched into him as his mouth found her clit. She bucked uncontrollably as shards of pleasure shot through her pelvis. Her stomach tightened and the muscles in her legs spasmed as his tongue worked over her delicate flesh.
Her hand tangled in his hair, pulling him closer, begging him not to stop.
He licked and nibbled in turn, his tongue swirling around her quivering bud. He moved his fingers to trace a lazy circle around her pussy entrance. She moaned, suddenly needing so much more.
“Shhh, baby.”
He eased one finger inside just as he sucked her clit between his teeth.
“Zane!”
He chuckled. “You taste so sweet, Jaz. So sweet and fucking innocent. I’m going to hell for this, but damn, it’s going to be an awesome ride.”
“More,” she whimpered. “Please. I need to come. I can’t stand it anymore.”
“Then come, baby. Come for me.”
He thrust another finger inside, gently sliding the tip along the wall of her pussy. He sucked at her clit and moved his hand back and forth, creating the most delicious friction.
Her orgasm built and swelled, nothing like her self-induced pleasure escapades. God, this was the real thing, and it was so much more than she’d imagined.
As she writhed beneath him, he increased the tempo until finally, it felt as though she burst into one big ‘ole explosion of ecstasy. She cried out, the so
und sharp in the night.
He continued to coax her orgasm from her in long, sweet strokes of his tongue. She panted as the world spun around her. “Zane, Zane,” she chanted.
Finally she went limp against the seat. He kissed her quivering flesh one last time before he pulled away. Gently, he pulled her underwear back up her legs, and then he reached for her jeans. He bent to retrieve her sandals and slid them over her feet.
Her limbs felt heavy and lethargic. Sleepy, satisfied contentment settled into her body. The warm buzz of alcohol mixed with the glow of her orgasm made movement damn near impossible.
“Scooch up, honey,” Zane said in a low voice as he reached out a hand to help her up.
She struggled to sit up and move over to her seat as he climbed back in beside her. She blinked and stared at him as he started the engine.
“Zane?”
He looked over at her.
“You don’t regret it do you?”
He paused for a long moment, guilt crowding his expression. “I shouldn’t have done it, Jaz, but God help me I don’t regret it.”
Chapter Nine
As they drove up the winding driveway to the ranch house, Jasmine dreaded the thought of confronting Seth. She didn’t really care if he was pissed about the truck. She wasn’t ready to face him after the way he pushed her away, and especially not after Zane had just performed oral sex on her.
“I hope Seth didn’t wait up,” she said with a sigh.
Zane chuckled. “Tell you what. You pretend you’re passed out, and I’ll haul you upstairs to bed. You can face Seth in the morning.”
She grinned as she remembered so many other nights where Zane had covered for her.
They pulled to a stop outside the garage, and Zane cut the engine.
“Let’s be quick about this,” Zane said as he hopped out. He walked around to her side and opened the door. He turned her legs around until she faced him sideways and then simply picked her up, placing his shoulder into her belly.
She swung over his back, her nose bumping against his back pocket. His arm curved over the back of her legs just below her ass, and when he started walking to the door, his hand slid possessively over the curve of behind.
And sure enough, Seth met them as soon as Zane walked in. She guessed Zane must have held a finger to his lips and shushed Seth, because his question got aborted mid-sentence and he quieted.
Thankful that her face was hidden in Zane’s back, she held her breath until Zane mounted the stairs and headed for her bedroom.
A few seconds later, he deposited her on the bed and stepped back. “Okay, sugar, here you are. Now get undressed and into bed. Sleep off this drunk. I’ll make sure Carmen has a good hangover remedy for you in the morning.”
He turned to go, but Jasmine called out to him in a voice just above a whisper. “Zane?”
He swiveled back around and gazed down at her.