Drawn to a Cowboy (Brother Duet #1) (9 page)

“Stop!” I couldn’t control my mouth. They all turned my way briefly then turned back to Jade when I put my head down. Then I was to endure the round table, loss of virginity stories. Hearing how she had lost hers made me want to run out of the lodge and punch something. It was utterly crazy that I was jealous.

“So, Elma, do you have a cowboy fantasy?” Grant asked.

She laughed. “We’re not talking about me and I’m not saying. But if I was going to go about giving up my pudding… Hell, why not a cowboy?” She shrugged and began eating her meal that was placed in front of her at their table. It looked like she wasn’t joining me for supper.

“Pudding?” Rance questioned.

“I’ve never heard it called that,” Wayne stated.

“Well, everyone has their own analogy. Pudding to a woman is sacred. We have to be selective about who we let break our seal. You boys, on the other hand, will dip your spoon in just about any pudding cup. Most of us often look for the perfect person, stranger, boyfriend, husband or even a cowboy who we think is the one special utensil to share our sacred pudding. It’s pretty simple. We plan. We know when the time is right.”

I wanted to look at her, but I didn’t dare. I was pretty sure she was making sure I knew that she didn’t just give her pudding to
anyone
. Not that her pudding was virginal, but it was sacred and I couldn’t deny that I wanted another taste, whether or not I should.

Hoss chimed in bringing me back from my own sweet thoughts. “I am never looking at pudding the same way in my life.”
Me either!

Jade defended herself. “We all have different names or words to explain our virtuous parts. I’m sure you all have names for your
guys.
”

I nearly choked and Sal asked if I was okay. I nodded my head, taking a drink of the first of many beers I planned to drink. Why the hell did they talk to her about everything? Nothing was off limits with her. You’d think she was one of the boys. She had no problem giving her opinion, either.

Really? Did they have to talk about losing their virginities? I couldn’t stop the jealousy that was raging on inside of me. I wanted to be the one that had given her a first wild ride on top of a lifeguard stand, not her surfing student. I was fuming illogically. However, what was really pissing me off the most was that they all called her Pudding from that moment on. And that they were right, damn her, I was never going to look at pudding again without thinking about pussy. Mainly, hers with its little matching red curls.

I was so lost in my own perverse thoughts that I didn’t notice that they had all departed and my brother had plopped down across from me. “Who is she?”

“Shit!” He startled me. “Who? And when did you get here? I thought you were coming in tomorrow, I would’ve picked you up.”

“The woman who stole your man card. You have a dreamy, lovey-dovey look on your face mixed with… maybe some perversion.” He laughed and ordered a beer from a server. “I changed my flight so I could meet with a vendor in the morning. I wanted to have my own car.”

Mid-explanation, Spencer let out a low, wolf whistle and my stomach clenched.

“Holy shit! That neon red chick is hot as fuck! Is she part of the wedding party? Married? Please tell me she’s not the bride.” I didn’t need to look up to know who he was eyeing as she left the dining room.

“She’s off-limits. So back the fuck off!” I was probably a bit brasher than I needed to be with him. She wasn’t mine, I had no claim to her, but I wouldn’t let him have her either, that was for certain. If he attempted to lay one hand on her, he’d no longer be the Indian, and I would be the one doing the scalping!

“Oh. That’s the one that’s gotten under your skin is it? I haven’t seen you all hot and bothered about anyone since college, and that one really fucked with your head. I hope this one is not jerking your chain the same way. I can certainly understand your interest in her though. Tap it yet?” I shook my head and took a swig of beer number two… or three.

“What the hell is with you, Spence? You sound like a douchebag.”

“I’m just fucking with you. To be honest, I’m going through something familiar myself, and I’m worried that Valerie might have fucked up my chances with her. I guarantee my situation is probably a lot more messed up than yours.”

“What’s Valerie up to now? I thought she was gone.”

“She was. She came back. She’s pushing me to sell our place again.”

“And the new playmate?” I was sure that whoever he was talking about was nothing more as he had never dated anyone seriously after his divorce.

“It’s not like that. She’s passed the test. It was touchy one night, but it wasn’t an issue. Then Valerie showed up and brought up our past. Pulled some shit with her that I can’t even repeat. Then, of course, she threw up her usual bullshit claim of what I did to her. That her lifestyle was my all my fault. I made her what she is today. Ugh.”

“Shit!” I shook my head imagining Valerie in action. Whatever she did had to be really bad for Spencer to keep quiet about it. “Why are you still testing women? Not all of them are Val. And what’s so special about this one? You haven’t been concerned about others since your break-up, Mr. I’m Staying Single for Life.”

“I’m not even sure where to begin, but I can’t get her out of my head. She’s in my every thought. I tried to get her to come here with me. What Valerie did had her running for the airport, and she flew home. I need to think out my next plan, I can’t lose her.” Downing his beer, he asked where he was bunking. I told him his usual room was being used by one of Norma’s sons, and that he had to slum it with me.

Heading out of the lodge, we jumped into his rental, and I had him drive up to my cabin. I couldn’t believe Spencer had finally decided to commit again after a truly fucked up marriage to his high school sweetheart. I thought he would remain a bachelor for a lot longer. He had been a major player after their split. Said he was done, never again. I guess when the right one came along, everything you thought and swore not to do or refused to repeat again, went out the window. Maybe I needed to rethink my feelings… my actions toward Jade.

Jade

W
ith the wedding day activities in full swing, everybody was contributing their time. Seeing as
he
was involved in everything, he couldn’t ignore me completely. Plus, I didn’t think he was happy that I was doing so much with his very, equally, handsome brother. Fraternal twin, they had similar features and skin coloring. They looked like brothers, definitely. But Spencer had dark brown hair almost black and dark brown eyes, opposed to Sage’s light brown hair and sky blue eyes.

The wedding plans were great. So fun! They opted for getting married in a field near the lake, close to cabin number five. To transport all of their guests they asked for a hayride. After the bride and groom said, “I do,” they had a cookout in a picnic area featuring: steaks, corn on the cob, ranch beans and potato salad. With the two-tiered cowboy hat cake cut, the dancing began on a newly constructed large, raised wood planked platform that they decided would remain a fixed structure on the property. It looked enchanting decorated with millions of twinkling white lights strung across it, from one side to the other. With the addition of a local country western band playing on an elevated stage, everyone hit the floor to kick up their heels and stomp their boots.

I loved every minute, walking from one event to the next with a smile plastered on my face as I helped do whatever needed attention. Finally off duty, I watched the guests dance. “Care to dance, little lady?” a certain cowboy asked quietly in my ear. Turning around, I nearly stumbled right into his arms as I nodded. He left me speechless, he looked so handsome in black fitted denims with a pale blue, dress shirt with mother of pearl snaps and a black cowboy hat. Needless to say, he was wearing a pair of boots, as well.
Damn!
He smelled so good too. And felt so good holding me as we swayed to a slow melody. “Pretty dress,” he complimented me.

Looking down at the dark rose printed, spaghetti strap, fitted bodice and full skirt dress, I did a little shimmy to swing the fabric. “Thanks it was my grandmother’s. When I was a little girl I used to play dress up in it. It used to drag on the ground. Not to mention I didn’t quite fill the top part out. Ropes and strings held it in place.”

“Now your curves are hugged nicely.” His voice was raspy. He was making me nervous, among other things.

“My grandmother was into fashion. She was a part-time movie actress, part-time costume dresser. She was so elegant. Adorable. She looked like Doris Day with Rita Hayworth’s red hair color.” I could see her clearly. She is still precious!

“So you get your red hair from your grandmother?” He wore a smirk.

Bless him for breaking the tension, I laughed wildly. “Not quite!” Before I was red, as a natural blonde I always liked my grandmother’s red hair. I started adding a few natural red highlights as a teen. After high school, without rules, I experimented with different shades and wound up with my “mermaid princess color” as the beauty shop called it. The unnatural red shade seemed to suit me. My grandmother got a kick out of it. My grandfather just shook his head.

Dancing so close to Sage at the wedding reception had me thinking about them and their many years together. They met on a western movie set that my grandfather was acting on, and she was working with costumes on location. She was in charge of outfitting the cast. With one look at the beautiful Bonnie Lane, he was smitten. My grandmother said he was constantly ripping his britches just so he could see her. She didn’t mind at all, she thought he was so handsome. She joked that he was such an ass and that he had a mighty fine one!

She was just barely twenty, still a virgin. He tried like hell to get in her panties. She said he was a real wolf, what we would call a player. He had quite a reputation already at twenty-five.
Sounded so young. I was thirty and never married, at least I wasn’t still a virgin.
She told him that she was saving herself for her husband. She let him smooch her, but that was it.

One day he came to see her dressed up, all spiffy, nothing torn. He told her to put on her best dress. They were shooting a few miles out of Vegas. He wanted to take her out on the town, he said. Ready to go, he drove straight to The Little Church of the West Wedding Chapel, of course. They got hitched. Went out to dinner then spent their first night together in a swanky hotel room where he deflowered her, my grandmother’s words.

Then they were back to the set the next day and he was up to his same antics, ripping anything and everything he could to visit his bride. The studio sent him a hefty bill at the end of the filming. He didn’t care, he said it was worth every penny to be able to see his Bonnie-girl.
I wanted someone to feel that way about me. Someone that would continue to pursue me. If only it could be the man that held me in his arm at the moment.

“Where did you go, Jade?” I heard Sage ask, pulling me closer still.

Had he heard any of my thoughts?
“Nowhere, I was just listening to the words to this song.”

To my surprise, he began to sing the words.
“Pretty mouth… thank God… I live for little moments… steals my heart… doesn’t even know it!”
He sounded great. He was killing me slowly. I couldn’t believe how the night was turning out. I couldn’t believe that I was in his arms. I couldn’t believe that his lips were skimming my neck and heading toward my mouth.
If I’m dreaming, please don’t wake me.

“Hey you two, get a room!” We heard someone say.

“Sounds like a good idea. Come with me?” I nodded yes and he scooped me up. Walking off into the darkness of the night, I had no idea where he was headed, but at that moment I would’ve gone anywhere with him. I was weak, his dancing and singing had hypnotized me—I was at his mercy.

“Where are you taking me?”

“To the hump… honeymoon cabin.”

“What about the bride and groom? Are they into kink? Group thing?

He laughed. “I’m not sharing you with anyone. They took
our
Columbine tent for their stay. We gave them the option.” I loved that he called it “ours” and I was extremely jealous of them getting to use it.

Arriving at the door of the cabin, he had me reach into his pocket and pull out the key. “Keys? Already had this in mind?”

“A guy can hope… wish… anticipate… be prepared.”

“I get it.” I tightened my hold around his neck and attacked his lips.

Breaking our kiss, he urged me to concentrate on the lock. “Hurry. I need to fill… feel you. I’m aching here. Painfully so!” I giggled at his words.

With the door unlocked, we moved straight through to the bedroom, bathed in low lighting. There was no stopping what was about to happen. Placed on my feet, I wasted no time unhooking my dress. Letting it fall to the floor, I stood naked and he groaned.

Then before he could grasp a hold of me, I untucked his shirt from his pants and pulled—God, I loved his snap closure shirt. With him, they should be mandatory. Running my hands down his hard chest, I leaned forward and nipped him. I wasn’t about to play games or be upset that he had ignored me. I wanted him and I was willing to take him when I could.