Unbroken: Country Fever, Book 3 (30 page)

Christian planted a hand on her lower back even as Tucker grabbed her hand.

“Don’t be shy, Claire, sweetheart.” Tucker’s mouth lingered at her ear. A shiver ran straight to her pussy. God, she was going to have to let them have their way with her in a bathroom stall or something. A brief fantasy played out in her mind, of her ankle hooked over Tucker’s shoulder and Christian’s hard body at her back, both men slipping deep into her body and simultaneously against each other’s.

Christian snapped his fingers in front of her face. “Come on, baby. We won’t make you dance until you’ve at least had two drinks. Speaking of…” His hand left her spine and he disappeared into the crowd around the wooden bar.

Tucker continued to lead her into the crush. She clung to his warm, dry fingers while the beat and thunder of line dancers thudded in her chest.

They did a complete circuit of the bar and didn’t find a single free seat. So Tucker found an open space against the wall by the stage. He leaned against it and pulled her back against his front, wrapping one arm around her, just under her breasts.

“Already excited, I feel.” She wiggled her ass and turned her head to the side to peer at him.

His lips skimmed her ear, skated down to the lobe, which he bit sharply. Her nipples stiffened and she swallowed a moan. “I can’t help it. When I’m close to you, I want to do very dirty things to you.”

His words started an inferno in the pit of her belly, which only flared hotter when Christian burst out of the crowd with three cold longnecks in hand. He bootscooted across the dance floor, turning a circle in the center, then came toward them with a grin in place.

When he reached them, Tucker reached out. Instead of taking the bottle from Christian, he crunched the fabric of his shirt in his fist and tugged him close. For a breathless second, Claire was sandwiched perfectly between her men.

Christian scuffed his jaw over her cheek, teasing her with the rough hair she craved. He rocked back a few inches and passed out the beers.

She glanced around his body to see several girls on the sidelines staring at them. Nervousness warred with her desire to just stick her tongue down Christian’s throat while kneading Tucker’s cock through his jeans. Just to let everyone in the joint know that they were a threesome.

But she didn’t. She tipped the cold rim of the beer against her lips and drew two long swallows. The icy liquid only tightened her nipples more, which Christian ogled with a look of appreciation.

“Okay, hurry up and down that, baby. I want to dance with you.”

She smiled around the mouth of the bottle. “You said two drinks before you’d make me dance.”

“Yeah, well, I lied. I can’t wait to get you into my arms and spinning like mad across that floor.”

“Between the beer and the spinning, I’ll be lucky to stay upright.”

“Hell, you’re a fantastic dancer. I’ve seen ya in action.”

Tucker shifted his feet to the rhythm as a new song came on. A collective whoop from the crowd indicated it was a favorite of the house. Then suddenly, the beer was ripped from Claire’s hand and she was pushed and pulled onto the floor by four hands.

Finding herself stuffed into line between Christian and Tucker, she had no choice but to dance. And yeah, Christian was right—she prided herself on her ability on the dance floor.

Her fatigue fell away, and she let down her curls. For several minutes she only knew the music and the jolts of every boot stomp on the floor. Christian and Tucker kept pace easily.

When they twirled her off the dance floor and back against the wall, this time in Christian’s arms, she collapsed into giggles.

“What’s funny?” Tucker asked.

“How’d you guys learn that dance? You been practicing in the barn?”

Christian delivered a pinch to her backside that made her squeal. A slow song rang out across the bar. The lines dissolved into couples, all swaying to the love ballad.

“Go on. Take her out,” Christian said.

Tucker’s eyes were dark and close, his mouth tender and kissable. He chafed Claire’s fingers between his and led her into the crowd.

She spiraled her arms around his neck, thinking of a few other times they’d done this very thing. That was B.C.—before Christian. Back when Tucker didn’t seem to know what he wanted and was chasing a ghost.

He locked her to him and rather than pivot in a tight circle like some guys, he maneuvered her through the bodies with skill.

She rested her head on his shoulder and breathed his clean scent, happier than she’d ever been in her life.

“Fair’s this weekend. Is Boom Boom all ready?”

Well, damn, she’d been happy a moment ago.

She nodded jerkily, trying not to stiffen at his question. He didn’t have any clue about the deal she’d struck with Darcy—or their fight in the drugstore. That one surprised her. In a town as small as Reedy, someone was sure to witness the fight and tattle.

But no, Tucker hadn’t mentioned a word to her.

He opened his mouth to say something else. Frightened that it was more about the fair and the heartbreaking idea that she wouldn’t be showing Boom Boom, Claire went on tiptoe and kissed him.

The instant their lips brushed, she forgot all about it too. He tightened his hold on her, drawing her pussy against the hard steel of his erection. She rubbed wantonly, twining tongues until she thought she’d combust.

Someone touched her shoulder. She opened her eyes as Christian tapped on Tucker’s. “I’m cuttin’ in before you end up making her come.”

Tucker’s chest rumbled with laughter. “As if you won’t.” But he relinquished her to Christian’s arms, and they swayed.

Close and slow, his thighs rubbing hers in a way that maddened her. Crazy that only a few months ago, they’d started out in love with the same man. Now they shared him, and her heart equally belonged to them.

“You look beautiful tonight,” he crooned in her ear.

She shivered. “You look pretty fine yourself, cowboy.”

A shit-eating grin spread across his handsome face. “Cowboy, eh?”

She eyed him with a smile. “Isn’t that what you’ve been playing at for months, up there on that ranch with me and Tucker?”

He dipped his head as if shy but pleased. “Yes’m. I guess I am.”

“Real cowboys eat eggs and brains.”

His grin broadened until his eyes creased at the corners. “Then I’m a real cowboy.”

She giggled at the memory of the look on his face when that bite of brains had hit his tongue. He’d been more than disgusted, but he’d chewed and swallowed just to make Letty happy.

They all wanted to make Letty happy. Briefly, she thought of her father. He’d called once in the time since his visit to the ranch, but Claire had been out and hadn’t spoken with him.
I’ll call him soon. Tomorrow.

Christian held her gaze until she felt warmth radiate throughout her body. When he swooped in to claim her lips, she tilted her head and accepted him wholeheartedly. Dark need coursed in her veins. Much more of this and she wouldn’t make it to the parking lot before she was begging them to touch her, to give her release.

He probed her tongue with his then pulled away reluctantly as the song ended. His grip on her fingers indicated he planned to lead her back to Tucker, but after publicly displaying her want of both men, she thought it best to cool down.

“I’m just going to the ladies’ room.”

He nodded and gave her a heart-trilling smile. With a new lightness in her step to add to the slippery sway of her hips, she made her way to the back of The Hellion and the restrooms.

As usual, a short line of both men and women lined the hall. She plastered herself against the rough wooden wall and waited.

The line moved slowly. She didn’t dare make eye contact, though, because the moment she did—
bam
!

“You work at the diner,” a guy said.

Fuck. Didn’t even require the eye contact this time. Okay, what are you going to tell me that I don’t wanna hear?

She shot him a thin-lipped smile. “Yes, I do.”

“And you’re staying up at the Langley Ranch, right?”

“Uh…” No point in denying it. Everyone and his Uncle Jeb had seen her making out with both Tucker and Christian tonight.

“You know of a guy by the name of Leon?”

An icy finger trailed down her spine. “Yes,” she heard herself say, though she longed to spin on her boot heels and run away.

The man was in his late forties—close to Leon’s age. “I’ve known Leon from way back, but recently I’ve been working with him.” He glanced up as a man stumbled down the hall, pushing past them to get to the restroom.

“Working with him how?”

“Look, I want to talk to you about this, but not here. Not now. How can I reach you?”

Alarm bells went off in Claire’s head. The last thing she’d ever do was pass out her contact information. “Well, I…”

“The fair. You going to the fair tomorrow? Everyone goes. It’s a big deal.”

Claire’s stomach pitched and heaved, knowing she had to make a decision about the deal she’d struck with Darcy. “Yes, I am.”

“I’ll meet you after the wood-chopping competition.” He flexed his arms when he folded them over his chest. “I’ve won two years in a row.”

“That’s nice. If you’ll just excuse me.” She pivoted on her heel and took off back to the main room.

She bounced across the floor, stopped at the bar to grab a few more beers and met her men at their place against the wall. Christian pulled away from the wall with an intense look of want spelled all over his face. Tucker gnawed at the piercing in his lip, as he often did when he was about to make her feel really good.

Passing them each a bottle, she leaned in seductively. “Drink ‘em down, boys. I feel like kicking up my heels.”

“What a piss poor day for the fair,” Tucker muttered. He pulled his hat lower to avoid the nonstop sprinkle that was quickly turning into a soaking rain. He had two horses and an alpaca to offload from the trailer, though he’d rather go home and curl up in bed with Christian and Claire.

His boots dug into the mud. Christian joined him at the trailer, and as quickly as possible, they unloaded Boom Boom, whose event was first. The horses could comfortably hunker down in the dry trailer.

Claire got out of the truck and trudged back to the trailer too.

“You can stay in the truck till the event, sweetness. No point in letting those pretty curls get soaked.” Tucker eyed her from beneath the brim of his hat. She wasn’t herself today. Was she nervous about her event?

The area milled with other cowboys and ranchers unloading various animals. Letty had driven up with a friend from the ladies’ guild and would use Claire’s phone to text Christian when he needed to come get the jars of the tomato and applesauces she was presenting to the judges.

Claire’s head snapped up and a flush mottled her beautiful face. Tucker followed her gaze to see Darcy and Leon headed their way.

His stomach knotted as he prepared for the worst. He didn’t feel like having a word match here in front of everyone. As far as he knew, only Claire and Christian knew of his money. Leon, on the other hand, flaunted it to all.

Today he wore a long drover coat against the rain, and Darcy had on a pink fringed leather jacket with rhinestones that matched.

“There’s my blue ribbon winner!” Darcy grabbed the leash out of Tucker’s hand and started to lead Boom Boom away.

“Hold up. What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“This is my alpaca. I’m showing her in ten minutes. We made a deal.” She shot Claire a look.

Oh fuck.
His gut hollowed out.

His family had gotten to Claire. What had been said or done to her? In one step, he was beside Claire and had her tucked against his side. Christian looked as befuddled as he felt. Apparently Claire had held this information close.

Tucker looked straight at Leon. “Tell me what is going on.”

A snide smile spread over the man’s face. If Tucker hadn’t long ago learned to hate him, he would now. It was one thing to fuck with him, but with Claire?

He glared at him.

“This is between me and Darcy,” Claire spoke up. The rain was soaking her hair to black. Water ran down her cheek.

“Get under this pavilion,” he growled, towing her across the parking area to a small stand under roof. Typically the entire event was held under the great big Wyoming sky, but today someone had actually believed the weatherman when rain was forecasted. Whether or not the weatherman had been threatened with a shotgun was questionable. But in the end, some smart person had erected tents sporadically about the grounds.

Everyone followed, including Boom Boom, led by Darcy, damn her.

He looked down at Claire expectantly. Tears stood in the corners of her almond eyes. Fuck, he hadn’t meant to ever see those again after he’d committed himself to her and Christian.

“I’ve entered Darcy in the event. She’s showing Boom Boom.”

“Why?”

Claire flinched, and his heart tugged.