Briar's Cowboys (8 page)

He crossed his arms to keep from reaching for her and taking her down to the mattress. She’d grown so beautiful in the past twelve years. “It’ll seem real tomorrow after we go over the books. Promise.”

“That’s not reassuring, Jax.”

“I like when you say my name.”

She sighed. “You’re changing the subject.”

Jax lifted a shoulder in a half-shrug. “There’s no need to worry about things tonight. Between us, we can figure out how to keep the ranch running and hopefully make it profitable, too. More to the moment, I came up here to let you know we
will
be staying the night. As long as you’re sure you want us here. Seems stupid to head out otherwise.”

“Yes, I want you,” she answered. Her tongue shot across her bottom lip before she bit it then looked up at him. She wanted more than for them to stay.

Jax pushed away from the doorframe and straightened, dropping his arms to his sides. “I’ve wanted to hear you say that for a long time. Do you know that I used to think you were the prettiest girl in Daly?”

Her brows drew together and her head tilted as she stared at him, as if trying to see the boy he once was. “We knew each other back then? I’m sorry, I—”

He shook his head. “Not well enough that you should remember me,” he interrupted. “Adam pretty much kept you away from all the other guys, even his friends. Let’s just say, I admired you from afar and leave it at that.” She didn’t need to know he’d been a little obsessive in a love-sick boy kind of way. There’d been nothing dangerous or illegal; he’d just made it a point to be nearby on the ranch whenever she’d been out and about.

‘What ever happened to him?”

“Moved to Alaska and got married. Basically does the tourism and fishing shtick now.”

“But you stayed here,” she commented, refocusing on the moment.

“Ranching is
my
shtick. I wouldn’t give up this life if someone gave me a million bucks to go live in the city.”

“I know what you mean. My mom loved the city, but I hated it there. I’m just back to Daly, and I can’t believe how relieved I feel…like I’ve been released from a bad dream, or something.” She tilted her head again, peering at him. “You used to have longer hair, kind of moppy, didn’t you? And you wore glasses with black rims. I thought you were kinda cute, if not shy. You liked me?”

“Yeah. And yeah, that was me. Glasses were pretty annoying out on the range so I had that eye surgery a few years ago. They’re pretty annoying for other things too—you know, you don’t need to make up rooms for me and Ram.”

“No?”

Shaking his head he moved closer. She scooted backward on the bed as he leaned over her, bracing his arms on either side of her shoulders. “No. Like I said, I very much want to be in your bed tonight, if that’s acceptable to you, ma’am.”

“Completely acceptable. Will you be calling me ma’am all night or do you actually want to have sex with me too?”

His body lowered, covering her completely. Capturing her head between his hands, he kissed her hard and delved between her lips with the sweep of his tongue. Briar groaned, arching into him as her thighs parted and bracketed his hips. Her apex rubbed against his cock, and even through the denim, her fiery heat made him hard. His fingers buried in her hair, holding her as he explored her mouth.

A cough drew their attention to the door where Ram now stood, watching. Rather than looking aroused by the possibilities before them, he looked concerned. Jax brushed Briar’s lips with his once more.

“Be right back, baby,” he murmured then got up and went to his friend and partner.

Ram took a step into the hallway when Jax got within reaching distance.

“What is it?” Jax asked, following him.

“Nothing. It’s stupid. I didn’t mean to stop you.”

“Ram…” Worry gnawed at him. He’d thought Ram was down with claiming Briar, but now he was balking? He’d never seen the man like this. Ram was always confident and jovial.

“You’ve wanted her for so long.”

“That’s not news. You’ve known that. We had a plan.”

Ram planted his hands on his hips and slid his foot along the carpet, refusing to meet Jax’s eyes. “Plans change.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” He pulled Ram closer to the stairwell to make sure he was out of Briar’s earshot. “Are you changing your mind? You don’t want her?”

Ram blew out an annoyed growl. “Of course, I want her. As far as I can tell, she’s the answer to our dreams.” He huffed. “Especially yours.”

Jax’s brows drew together. Was Ram…jealous? It didn’t make sense. He was as much a part of the relationship as Jax was. “Once in a while, we won’t all be together,” he said. “It’s the way things occasionally work out. Just me with her. Sometimes just you—”

His friend shook his head.

“
What
is wrong?” Jax demanded.

“He thinks I’m going to replace him.”

Jax looked over Ram’s shoulder at Briar as Ram groaned, speaking the truth of her words. “Why would you say that?” Jax asked her. He looked to Ram. “Why would you think that?”

“You’re getting what you’ve always wanted,” Ram simply said.

Jax stared at him speechless.

“Why don’t you leave Ram and I together?” Briar suggested. She came up beside the man and enclosed one of his beat-up hands in two of hers. “We need to talk. Get the others settled then come up in a bit.”

Without waiting for Jax to reply, she led Ram toward her bedroom, stopping along the way to switch off the light in the room they wouldn’t be using. Stunned by her calm, collected manner, Jax watched them go and wondered anew what life would be like here at Last Chance.

* * * *

“You shouldn’t worry,” Briar said as she closed her bedroom door behind them.

“Worry about what?” Ram hedged. He didn’t want to show his vulnerability. Belligerently, he crossed his arms and leaned on the door.

She crossed her arms, mimicking him. He gave her points for allowing him no quarter.

“Being replaced,” she replied baldly. “It’s obvious to me that Jax cares for you. Also…you’re familiar with the phrase ‘all or nothing’? I’m planning to be a little greedy that way. I want you both for as long as it works out. Maybe it’ll be a week, maybe a year…” She shrugged. “Maybe even longer. Who knows? What I do know is that I want both of you. And I think Jax wants both of us. The other guys aren’t here permanently, no matter what direction they choose to go. So there’s only one person in question. If anyone should feel as if their place were in jeopardy, it should be me.”

She shrugged, but before she walked away, he saw it bothered her. He was screwing up the best opportunity to happen to him and Jax in a long time.

“Briar…”

“You don’t have to worry that it’ll impact your job,” she said as she moved to the dresser and started pulling toiletries out of a box. “No matter what happens, I’ll still need you and Jax on the ranch.”

God, he was such a flippin’ idiot!

“I don’t give a crap about the job.”

“Oh,” she said, her voice small. Somehow, she’d lost the confidence of a few minutes ago—probably because he’d driven it from her by failing to tell her how he really felt.

Moving behind her, he caught her hands and stopped her busy work.

“
Listen
,” he ordered. “Like you said, it’s too soon to know how we feel and where this is going, but don’t you doubt I want you. I want you so badly, I’ve been hard for you since I first saw you in the barn. Hell, I got hard the first time Jax showed me a picture of you. And I want him, too. So, physically? Yeah, we can definitely make a go of things.”

“Did you know, anthropologically speaking, that many non-western unions start physically and the emotional connection grows later?”

“I should have known we were in trouble when Jax told me one of your majors was in anthropology. You’re going to play us left and right, aren’t you?”

“Play you?” she laughed. “Never. Study you? Maybe.” A glint sparked in her eyes when she met his gaze in the mirror over the dresser and one side of her mouth lifted. “I’d really like to get a better feel of cowboys and the town of Daly. It would be an interesting cultural study.”

“Hmm. Well. Maybe we should get on the bed and you can start getting a feel of this cowboy.” Suddenly, Ram wanted nothing more than to be in bed with her and to start developing more of that connection she’d mentioned.

Chapter Four

Slipping from Ram’s embrace, Briar moved a few paces away to take off her clothes. The drapes were open, giving her a clear view of the swirling flakes outside the window. She couldn’t imagine the men riding through this back to the cabin on the Flying D. The tire tracks from earlier were invisible, and judging by the accumulation against the bushes, it looked as if a foot of snow had come down. How much more would fall before morning?

Letting the thick precipitation outside be her backdrop, she turned and faced Ram. When she thought about being between him and Jax all night, she didn’t care how much it accumulated before morning. She’d be nice and warm.

Without further considering anything beyond this moment, Briar pulled off her T-shirt and jeans. Ram discarded his own clothes and reached for her as she stepped free of the denim. She shivered in pleasure as he drew her close, and she felt every inch of his powerful body against her. Cupping her face, he kissed her. While Jax’s kisses were determined and direct, Ram’s were gentler. He explored her thoroughly, making her feel cherished with each movement of his lips on hers. His fingers spread, and he slid them around to splay the back of her head. Tenderly, he angled her for his best advantage.

Enraptured, Briar curled her fingers on his chest. His skin was so smooth and hard as it stretched over firm muscle. With men like Ram and Jax by her side, she knew nothing could harm her—nothing would dare. Once again, she was struck with an overwhelming sense of safety. She was safe here with them. This was where she needed to be.

His arm slid behind her back and he dipped her down onto the bed. Her legs moved naturally around him as he kept kissing her.

“Damn, you’re delicious,” he muttered as his mouth moved along her jaw then down her neck. She arched into him as he kissed and nipped the curve of her breast.

“Yes,” she gasped as his hot mouth enveloped the first needy peak. He drew greedily, each pull yanking at the nerves in her pussy. His tongue lashed over the rigid tip, followed by his teeth scraping across it until Briar shook. Her hips canted into him as mindless pleasure wrapped around her.

“I can’t get enough of these,” he rasped, moving to the other nipple. Briar jolted at the first touch. Her blood raced through her to pulse behind her clit.

“Oh, yes!” She buried her fingers in is thick, dark hair and held him to her. At the moment, she was sure he’d make her come just from his mouth alone. That talented, ever-flicking tongue was driving her mad. “Ram, please,” she begged. She needed him inside her more than she needed to breathe.

To her disappointment, he rolled to her side. The back of his curled fingers trailed along her body, from her sternum to the divot of her navel. Lightly, he traced the indentation before moving lower.

“No condoms in here,” he told her. His fingertip ran along the crease of her pussy. He had to feel how wet she was for him, how ready.

Her teeth gritted with her need. Damn condoms anyway!

“Relax, baby,” he murmured against her neck. “Just let me make you happy.”

His finger slipped between her folds to find her clit. Slowly, he rotated over the nub while she shuddered in his arms. “I…God, Ram…”

Blood rushed past her ears deafening her to anything but the heavy, rapid thud of her heart. Her orgasm fluttered wildly across her belly as her cream flooded her pussy, making his fingers slick.

She barely noticed the door opening and closing before Jax stood beside the bed, pulling off his clothes.

“Go away unless you brought protection,” Ram muttered.

“Of course, I did,” Jax answered. Picking up his jeans and digging in the pocket. He tossed a handful of packets on the bed before climbing in next to them. Stretching beside Briar, he stroked his hands over her belly and up to her breast. Cupping one mound in his warm, callused hand, he molded the flesh and latched onto the peak with his mouth.

Briar cried out, arching at the dual sensations of the two men loving her. When there’d been four guys, she’d been concerned about everyone’s pleasure. Now, she lost herself in the two cowboys’ attention.

“You’re so hot,” Ram muttered in her ear as he stroked her pussy. A long finger sank into her needy passage. Her walls clamped around him as her body responded to the welcomed invasion.

“It’s just as good as I always dreamed,” Jax said in her other ear. It was as good as she’d dreamed too, even if she hadn’t known who the participants would be. Two real, very hot bodies pressed beside her and touching her everywhere made it so much better.

She groaned when she felt two hands on her cunt. Jax’s fingers joined Ram’s as he pushed a finger inside her. Her hips canted into them as she took the two long digits, each scraping and massaging her walls in different directions.

“You like?” Jax asked.

“Yes! More,” she begged. Feathering shivers shook her body. Her breasts were heavy and aching, her nipple taut and needy for more of the fleeting attention they’d received. As if sensing her desire, Jax moved lower and recaptured one tight peak. Ram’s mouth closed over the other. Reaching out his free hand, Jax caught her wrists and held them together above her head. She bucked, but the men’s bodies pinned her to the mattress, holding her there, helpless but to take the pleasure they gave her. Being trapped and at their mercy only amplified the arousal pushing through her. She trusted them. They wouldn’t hurt her or force her to do anything she didn’t want, but at the moment, she couldn’t imagine anything they’d do that she’d refuse.

Leaving her breast, Jax rose to kiss her.

“Suck my cock again?” he asked against her lips.

“Yes,” she replied, feeling tendrils of connection building between the three of them.