Double or Nothing (3 page)

Remy was aroused. For that matter, so was Wes. And there was no doubt she was extremely stirred up. Her panties were damp and it felt as though every nerve ending in her body was raw and exposed.

“That,” she began, slightly out of breath. “That almost got out of hand.” She licked her lips and had to swallow back a moan. She could still taste Remy.

“That didn’t go nearly far enough,” Remy countered.

“I think it’s time for me to go home.” Before she did something really stupid. Nothing had changed in ten years. She might be older and wiser, have more experience when it came to men, but the Smith brothers still left her feeling totally confused.

They’d been her best friends for years. Then suddenly, almost overnight, they’d turned into attractive men who made her very aware she was becoming a woman. A woman who yearned for two different men. Maybe if her mother had been alive and she’d been able to talk to her about her mixed-up feelings things would have been different. Or maybe not.

“We’ll take you home if that’s what you really want.” Wes stepped closer until she was penned in with him on one side of her and Remy on the other.

Wes cupped the side of her face and leaned toward her. He wasn’t going to kiss her, was he? He couldn’t. His brother had just kissed her.

But he was and he did. Wes’ lips weren’t as rough as Remy’s, but his kiss was no less intense. She tasted the beer he’d drunk at the bar, but beyond that was the taste of rising desire, of Wes. They both kissed better than any other man she’d ever known, but each was unique to the man doing the kissing.

Even as he devoured her, nibbling at her lips before he consumed them, there was a gentleness, a subtlety about him that Remy lacked. Neither was better. They were just different.

Cherry didn’t know what to think, what to do. And then it was out of her hands as her body took over, ignoring her brain screaming for her to stop this madness before it went any further. She leaned into the kiss, tasting his tongue, following it when it retreated until it was she who was exploring his mouth.

He didn’t touch her other than where their mouths met and she found herself wanting to rub her body against his. It was the lure of the forbidden, the promise of a hard, hot male body. And it was almost impossible to resist.

It was Wes who broke the embrace, but she wasn’t the only one breathing heavy. He didn’t look to be in much better shape than she did.

“Come home with us.” Remy’s voice was thick with desire, with lust, and sent a shiver of longing through her.

“Let us take care of you.” Wes hooked a stray curl behind her ear. “Let us pleasure you.”

Cherry swallowed hard. For ten long years she’d wondered if she’d done the right thing by leaving. She’d questioned her decision, but hadn’t known what else to do.

What was waiting for her at the ranch? And empty house. Empty dreams.

Maybe it was time to deal with the Smith brothers once and for all. If she had them, maybe she could get them out of her system and move on, have a fresh start in life. Once she tied up the loose ends of her father’s estate and sold the ranch she’d never be back.

Cherry ignored the way her heart clutched at the thought of never coming home again. But this wasn’t home anymore. Was it? Her life and her business were in Boston.

No, it was time to be an adult. If she gave into the explosive attraction between her and Wes and Remy maybe she could move forward in life. She knew she was guilty of comparing all the men she’d dated over the years to them. Even when they were teenagers they were more manly than most men she knew—tough, determined, honest and not afraid of hard work. They didn’t play games, which made the whole idea of the two of them wanting her even more intriguing.

But Cherry didn’t want to delve any deeper than the physical. She didn’t want to go home alone, didn’t want to shoulder the heartache and demands of her father’s death. Tonight, she wanted to forget all her troubles and what better way to do it than in the arms of two handsome men who both wanted her.

“Okay, I’ll go. But just for tonight.”

She thought Wes might object, but Remy silenced his brother with little more than a sharp glance.

“Okay,” Remy agreed. Butterflies filled her stomach and, for a moment, she wondered if she’d lost her ever-loving mind.

Wes dropped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against his side. “Let’s get your keys and lock up the truck. We’ll come back in the morning and see if we can fix what’s wrong. If we can’t get it going we’ll tow it into town and have it looked at.”

Both men were incredibly efficient and before she knew it, Cherry was seated between them on the bench seat of their truck. The darkness of the night closed in around them as the miles clicked by. They didn’t speak, but Wes held her right hand tight in his, while Remy held her left.

What in the name of God had she agreed to?

As if sensing her growing nerves, Wes gave her fingers a quick squeeze.

Cherry took a deep breath and tried to relax. She’d agreed to go home with them, which meant she’d agreed to make love with both of them. No, not love. She’d consented to have sex with them. Hot, pounding, mind-blowing sex. That was all it was, all it could be.

And that was all she wanted. Wasn’t it?

Chapter Three

Remy worried on the drive back to their ranch. Never had the ride seemed so long. He kept waiting for Cherry to change her mind and demand to be taken home. He still couldn’t believe she was here, that she’d agreed to go home with them.

His cock was hard as a fence post and had been since he’d kissed her, and the condition showed no sign of abating anytime soon. He wanted to take his time, to kiss and lick and taste every square inch of Cherry’s body, but feared the first time they came together would be hard and fast. Once he’d taken the edge off his lust he could take his time.

They had all night. And, if he had his way, a lot longer.

Cherry had agreed only to one night, but he intended it to be more than that and knew Wes felt the same. They’d take whatever she would give them and build on that. They were good at making plans and seeing things through, at finding ways to make them work.

And this was the most important night of their lives. Cherry the most important goal they’d ever tried to achieve. They wanted her in their lives. Permanently.

Remy was ready to do whatever it took to make that happen.

He turned off the main road and started down the gravel road to the ranch. They hit a bump and Cherry fell against him before righting herself. He wouldn’t have minded if she’d stayed cuddled against him.

He could still taste her on his lips. The kiss was everything he’d thought it would be and more. Even better than it had been when they were teenagers—more explosive, more powerful, more consuming. He sure as hell hadn’t lived like a monk all these years, but nothing he’d ever experienced equaled what he felt when he kissed Cherry.

Remy pulled in behind the box-shaped, two-story farmhouse and shut off the truck. The headlights went out, leaving only the porch light illuminating the yard. Two furry shapes stood on the back porch watching them with tails wagging. “That’s Bourbon and Whiskey.”

“Seriously?” Cherry asked. “You named your dogs after liquor?”

Wes chuckled. “Yup. I favor bourbon and Remy prefers whiskey.”

Remy climbed out and both dogs came running toward him, tails wagging, bodies wiggling. “They’re a mix between German Shepherd Dog and retriever. Bourbon is the one with the darker coat.”

Cherry slid out on Wes’ side of the vehicle and came around to see the dogs. Remy was grateful to the mutts for breaking the tension. Cherry had always loved animals and it seemed that hadn’t changed.

“Oh, they’re gorgeous.” She bent down and put out her hand. Both dogs pushed their noses against her palm. Seemed even their dogs were falling under her spell.

“They’re so friendly.” She crooned to the two dogs as she rubbed them behind their ears. Both animals gave little groans of pleasure.

“Usually they’re a little more reserved.” Wes gave both dogs a quick scrub. “They like you.”

Remy gave a command and both dogs reluctantly trotted back to the porch, glancing back to make sure they were following. “Let’s go inside.”

Now that she was here, the butterflies in Cherry’s stomach were all doing backflips. It was easy to think about having sex with two handsome men. I mean, it was a fantasy a lot of women had but never had the opportunity to fulfill, right? And here she was with the perfect situation handed to her.

But the reality of it was far different. She’d never been easy with sex. Her only two partners were men she’d been involved in long-term relationships with. She’d never had a one-night stand before and that’s all this was. Still, she wasn’t about to turn back now. If she did, she knew she’d regret it for the rest of her life. She had to know what it would be like to have sex with Remy and with Wes.

She crossed the yard and took the three steps up to the porch and waited while Remy selected the right key for the door. The dogs settled back on the far end of the porch but were watching them intently.

Cherry wasn’t quite sure how this was going to work but figured she’d let the men lead the way. “Have you two done this before?” She wasn’t sure how she felt about the idea of them having shared other women before.

“A couple of times,” Remy said as he unlocked the back door and pushed it open.

“Oh.” What could she say to that? She almost wished he’d lied, but that wasn’t Remy’s way. You could count on him to tell the truth no matter how painful.

Wes wrapped his arm around her and urged her inside. “Don’t worry. We’ll take care of you.”

Both apprehension and excitement warred within her, with excitement edging out in front. She hadn’t been in their home in years and was curious to see if there had been any changes.

Their mother had left when they were only boys. They had that in common. None of them had had mothers growing up, but at least hers hadn’t left by choice. Her father kept her up on all the news so she knew their father had passed away five years ago. It had been the two of them living here alone ever since.

The light was on over the stove, giving her a pretty clear view of the room. It was like stepping into a time capsule. The kitchen was almost exactly the same—dated but clean and functional. Actually, it was cleaner than she would have expected with two men living here. “Do you have a housekeeper?”

That would certainly throw a monkey wrench into things. No way was she having hot sex with two men while their housekeeper slept downstairs. She slowed, but Wes kept his hand on the small of her back, urging her through the kitchen.

“No, no housekeeper,” Wes assured her. “Although we do have a woman come in every Wednesday to clean and do the laundry.” He bent down and nibbled on her neck. “We’re all alone.”

Goose bumps trailed from her neck and down her arm. Was she really doing this?

They passed the living room on the right. It was dark, but she could make out the shape of several large leather couches, perfect for two big men to sprawl out on at the end of a long day. They were new. She remembered a sofa and two chairs with faded brown-and-beige stripes.

The stairs loomed before her and she grabbed the banister for support.

“You okay?” It was Remy who asked. He’d stopped several stairs above her and was watching her intently.

She nodded, half afraid to speak.

His harsh features softened slightly, or as much as they could on a hard man like Remy. The scar on his left cheek gave him a rough appearance, almost sinister.

“Where did you get it?” She motioned to the scar, wondering how it had happened, wincing at how much it must have hurt.

“A horse who’d been abused caught me with his right hoof.” He fingered the scar before dropping his hand. “My fault. I should have realized how spooked he was and approached him differently.”

Cherry sucked in a breath. He could have easily been killed, yet he blamed himself and not the animal. That said everything there was to say about Remy Smith.

“Broke my nose too,” he added ruefully.

“Gave it character,” Wes quipped.

“I can give you some character, little brother, if you’d like.”

Cherry giggled. It was a nervous sound. The brothers sounded the same as they had all those years ago. Little had changed. Except for one small detail. She was about to sleep with both of them.

Remy came back down two stairs and towered over her. Wes stood behind her, his hands on her waist. “Don’t worry, darlin’, we’ll take care of you.”

The soft, crooning tone had her creaming her panties. Oh, he was good. They both were. They made her feel safe even as they aroused her.

Remy leaned down and brushed his lips over hers. Back and forth, back and forth, barely touching them until she was going up on her toes to get deeper contact.

“Mmm, you taste good.” Remy took her hand in his much larger, rougher one and gently tugged her up the stairs and down a hallway. She couldn’t see much, but a single light glowed from a room down at the end of the hall.

When he pulled her through the doorway, she immediately knew it was Remy’s room. A huge king-sized bed dominated the space, but the room was big enough to accommodate a tall dresser, a nightstand and a rather large chair in the corner without seeming cluttered.

It was surprisingly neat for a single man. A shirt hung over the arm of the chair and a lariat rested on the floor beside it. Some loose change was scattered on a tray on the dresser and the nightstand held a lamp, a half-full glass of water and a tattered paperback. A pair of boots sat next to the dresser. A navy-blue comforter covered the bed and matching drapes hung at the window, though they weren’t pulled. A homemade quilt was draped over the footboard.

“You won’t regret this,” Remy promised. His fingers went to the buttons on her top and he began to slide them open one by one.

“We’ll make you feel so good,” Wes promised from behind her. He slipped his hands beneath her top and cupped her breasts. Even though she was wearing a bra she could feel the heat of his fingers through the thin fabric. It was as if it wasn’t even there. Her nipples puckered in anticipation as Wes’ thumb traced the outer edges of the taut bud.