Boots and Buckles (13 page)

“Anything for you, darlin’,” Sam said.

Grant’s face darkened. “Maybe I should leave the two of you alone?”

Mona laughed. “Don’t be silly. I enjoy having
both
of you here.”

“That’s not exactly the idea,” Grant muttered. “I thought we’d have a quiet dinner, just the two of us.”

Mona’s brows rose. “Maybe next time. Tonight, I’m privileged to have the company of two very handsome cowboys. And I like it.”

Sam captured her hand. “And I’m happy to be having dinner with my partner and the prettiest girl in the state.”

Grant coughed into his napkin, the sound coming out more like, “Bullshit.”

“Did you say something?” Mona asked, putting Grant on the spot when she knew exactly what he’d said.

“No, ma’am.”

Mona’s eyes narrowed, but then she turned to Sam and smiled. “Did you know that my best friend, Bunny, has two men in her life?”

“Interesting,” Sam said.

“I think so.” Mona shifted his hand to her thigh. “They all live in the same house. Which I find…intriguing.” She rested her elbow on the table, her chin propped in her hand. “Don’t you?” Mona batted her long brown eyelashes, first at Sam and then at Grant.

Grant’s face reddened. “It doesn’t work.”

“Bunny would disagree with you. And Libby, the bartender at the Ugly Stick, lives with two men. Isabella, one of the waitresses, lives with
three
.” Mona crossed her arms. “You’ll have a hard time convincing them it doesn’t work, when it obviously does.”

“It’s not a lifestyle for everyone,” Grant grumbled.

Mona nodded, her memories drifting back to when Dalton had introduced her to the concept, then had been such a pig and moved on. She could see where Grant was hesitant to engage in such a relationship again. Mona was equally hesitant, but open to the concept. She lifted her leg again and ran her toes along the inside of his thigh. “I’m just sayin’ it’s intriguing between the right people. What are your thoughts, Sam?”

Sam’s brow furrowed. “I actually haven’t known any people in that situation. I suppose it could work. If the parties involved are committed to the effort.” His fingers slipped to the inside of her thigh, brushing against her center, the thin dress not much of a barrier to his rough hands.

Her pussy creamed at his light touch.

“My thought exactly.” She shot a big smile at Grant, her breath hitching a bit. “It takes a great deal of trust.” Her gaze leveled on Grant. “Don’t you think?”

“Yeah. And love.” He reached beneath the table and captured her foot, placing it at the center of his crotch. “It’s not all about the sex. Though that can be satisfying. What are you gettin’ at, Mona?”

She looked away, heat rising up her own neck and into her cheeks, her body aching for more than touching and feeling beneath the table. “I’m just making conversation,” she said with a brightness that was beginning to feel strained.

Grant pressed her foot to the hardening swell beneath his jeans. “I don’t think so.”

Oh yeah, he was turned on, but then so was she and the restaurant seemed even smaller and more claustrophobic than usual.

“Your steaks.” Mandy sailed to the rescue with a laden tray filled with plates of steaming food. “Just the way you ordered.”

When Grant reached out to take a plate from the waitress, Mona snatched her foot away from his crotch, her toes tingling with awareness of just how much she was affecting him.

Trouble was, it was equally affecting her, killing her appetite for food while intensifying her hunger for—her lower belly clenched—sex.

She sank into silence, toying with her food, as the men dug into their steaks. When they’d cleared their plates, she asked Mandy for a box to take hers home.

“I need to get back to my apartment and change into my work clothes.”

Sam jumped up. “Grant, get the check, I’ll see Mona home.”

Mona raised a hand. “No, if you don’t mind, I don’t want to hurry you two. Grant can give you a ride back to your truck. If you’re at the Ugly Stick later, I’ll see you there.”

Sam grabbed her hand. “I’ll be there.” He shot a glance at Grant. “When can I see you alone?”

“I don’t know, Sam.” Her head was in a whirl of passion and she had to get away from them to be able to think straight.

“She’s going out with me next.” Grant took her other hand.

Mona tugged her hand free. “Sorry, guys. I really have to go. And let me leave you with this.” She stood two feet away from them, out of reach. “I’m not sure I’m ready for either one of you, alone. But I might consider both.”

“Mona, wait.” Grant reached out.

“Mona, please.” Sam took a step toward her.

“No.” Mona held up her hand. “I’m not going to be forced to choose between you two. I’m not even sure I want to be with either one of you. Frankly, I don’t want to be hurt again and all I can see at this moment is a whole lot of heartache.”

She turned and ran out of the restaurant. Hot, horny, confused and needing a good unbiased shoulder to cry on.

Sam started to go after her, but Grant hooked his arm. “Let her go.”

“Why? You did that three years ago, and this is what happened.”

Grant nodded. “She doesn’t trust either one of us.”

“Thanks to you and Faulkner for walking out on her.”

“If it makes you feel any better, she probably wouldn’t trust any man at this time.”

Sam’s brows angled downward. “That’s supposed to make me feel better?”

“No, but at least you know it’s not just you.” Grant tossed some bills on the table. “Come on.”

“I’ll walk.”

“Suit yourself. I’ll get to the salon before you either way.”

“Like hell you will.” Sam burst through the door and ran all the way down Main Street to Mona’s place.

Grant passed him and parked in front of her shop.

Sam got there three minutes later, after Grant had already circled to the back.

His heart hammering and out of breath, Sam rounded the corner to the stairs.

“Don’t bother, she’s not letting either one of us in.” Grant descended slowly, taking one step at a time.

“She and I had a beautiful night together…
without
you.” Sam stomped to his truck. “Then you walk back into her life and screw her up, and my chances with her.”

“You just met Mona.”

“Doesn’t matter. Have you ever heard of love at first sight?” Sam wasn’t even sure that’s what he was feeling, but he knew he liked being with Mona and wanted the opportunity to get to know her better.

“Did you ever think that maybe she’s using you?” Grant said.

Sam stopped and spun toward Grant, fists raised. “Take that back.”

Grant held up his hands. “Look, I’m not trying to start a fight. But think about it. You two have had one night together, not a lifetime.”

“You left her alone for three years.”

“I know and I’ve regretted every minute of it. You also know what I was like when we met. A complete, fucked-up mess. I had to get my act together before I could come back here.”

“Your point?” Sam unclenched his fists and crossed his arms.

“She could be scared of a relationship with either one of us.” Grant dug his hands into his pockets. “She said it herself that she doesn’t want to be hurt again.”

“And what’s this got to do with her using me?”

“As a shield. Me too, for that matter. If she has both of us in the picture, she doesn’t have to choose. She can use me to shield her heart from you and vice versa.”

Sam shook his head. “Sounds like psycho-bullshit to me.”

“Yeah, but she didn’t want to be alone with either one of us tonight.”

“She was alone with me last night.”

“True. And she might like you enough to feel threatened.”

“I’d never hurt her.”

“I know that, and you know that, but she might not believe it.”

Sam leaned back against his truck and raked a hand through his hair. “What do we do?”

“Give her what she wants.”

Before Grant finished talking, Sam was shaking his head. “You’re my friend, and I share a trailer with you, but damned if I’m gettin’ naked with you to win over Mona. She has to choose between me and you.”

Grant shrugged. “I guess you aren’t as serious about winning her over as you think you are.”

“I am, but I’ll do it on my terms.”

“Good luck with that.” Grant turned toward his truck. “Let me know when you’re ready to work as a team.” He left Sam standing by his truck and drove away.

His head whirling with what Mona had said, what Grant had reinforced and his own preferences, Sam glanced up at Mona’s door. Was she worth the trouble?

His groin tightened at the image of her lying naked beside him in bed, her dark hair spilled out over the pillow, her smile and the way she laughed.

Damn. He was too close to believing what he’d said to Grant about love at first sight. Torn between climbing the stairs to demand Mona make a choice, and leaving and never looking back, Sam stood for a long time, straddling the fence, half-hoping Mona would come out of her apartment and tell him she’d been pulling his leg about demanding a threesome or nothing.

After ten minutes, he finally gave up, climbed into his truck and headed for his trailer. He’d sit this one out. No way in hell he was going to crawl in bed with Mona and his partner. It wasn’t right.

The image of the three of them lying naked in bed grew in his mind and his body tightened, his cock swelling.
Holy hell.
Now he was lusting after something that would never happen. Not in a million years.

Chapter Ten

“Where’s Audrey?” Mona asked Libby as soon as she entered the Ugly Stick Saloon.

Libby nodded toward the door to the back. “In the storeroom.”

Without stopping to catch her breath, Mona burst through the door.

Audrey was with her fiancé, Jackson Gray Wolf, her jean skirt hiked up to her waist, her legs wrapped around Jackson and her hands braced on a beam behind her. With her head tilted back, she had her eyes squeezed shut. “Come on, Jackson. Fuck me like there’s no tomorrow.”

“Workin’ it, babe.” Jackson’s jeans hung loose around his waist and he held her hips, his cock pumping into her like a jackhammer. “Make some noise.”

She moaned and rocked her hips. “Come on, stud. Use that cock like you mean it. Make my pussy hot.”

“Oh.” Mona ground to a stop, her hand on the doorknob, her heart lodging in her throat.

Audrey’s eyes opened and she tapped Jackson’s shoulder. “Honey, we have company.”

“She’ll have to wait her turn,” he gritted out without breaking his rhythm, thrusting into her, his body tensing. “Are you with me?”

Audrey raised one finger. “Just a minute, Mona.” Then she was all attention on Jackson again.

“I can come back when you’re not so…busy,” Mona whispered.

“No, stay. It makes me hotter.” Audrey’s head tipped back again. “Flick my clit, honey. One more time and I’ll blow.”

He reached between them and stroked her where she wanted.

Audrey’s back arched against the pole and she cried out. “Oh, yes! There. I’m coming.”

“I’m with you, babe.” Jackson thrust one last time and held her still, buried deep inside.

Mona stood with her mouth open. She’d heard from others who worked at the Ugly Stick that Audrey and Jackson had numerous sessions in the storeroom or the costume room behind the stage, often interrupted by one of her staff. This was a first time for Mona to walk in on the pair.

She’d never watched another couple making love. Audrey was right. It was damned hot and made Mona’s insides even more inflamed than when she’d left Sam and Grant at the restaurant. Without realizing it, one hand rose to press against her tingling breasts and the other cupped her denim-covered crotch. Her core ached for release and her pussy creamed as the couple disengaged.

Jackson withdrew, letting Audrey’s feet drop to the ground.

She handed him a towel, he mopped up his come and zipped his jeans before facing Mona. He winked. “Thanks. Couldn’t have done it without you.”

Audrey slapped his arm. “Liar. But yes, it was nice to have an audience.” Audrey slipped her skirt down over her hips.

Mona was a little shocked and turned on by the fact the owner of the saloon wasn’t wearing panties beneath her skirt.

“I’m just leaving.” Jackson pressed a kiss to Audrey’s lips and ducked out of the storeroom.

“Mona, I’m so glad you could help out tonight.” Audrey hugged her as soon as the door closed behind Jackson.

Mona held on longer than normal, her body burning, tears welling in her eyes blurring her vision. “Holy crap, Audrey.”

“I know.” Audrey giggled. “Jackson’s so damned hot I can’t keep my hands off him.” She pushed Mona to arm’s length and brushed her hair from her eyes. “What’s wrong, honey? You look tense and ready to cry.”

“Oh, Audrey.” A single tear slipped down Mona’s cheek. “I don’t know what to do.”