duffle bags into the kitchenette.
No way was Bryan leaving this luscious morsel behind. And what a fine behind she had! She’d rolled to her stomach after her stretch, the sheet draped provocatively to the peach valley between her cheeks.
He flipped the sheet down, put a knee on the bed and gave her a morning salute with the palm of his hand. She shrieked and rolled away from him, sitting up and blinking her eyes.
“How dare you!”
“We leave in fifteen minutes.” He checked his watch alarm.
“Twelve, now. There’s a major snowstorm blasting down from Canada and we’ve got to get over the pass before it closes. Much as 58
Reece Butler
I’d like to cuddle right here all day, work comes first. You staying in bed or coming with us?”
She groaned and flopped onto her back. “All right, I’m in.”
She rolled the rest of the way off the bed and to her feet, blinking.
She tucked dark curls behind her ears, looking for her suitcase. He hadn’t seen such a voluptuous woman in years. At the thought of sharing her with Adam for a few weeks, his temperature went up so fast steam almost whistled out his ears. She saw his stare and a blush rose from damn near her toes, raising nipples on the way past her breasts. He pointed to the bureau where they’d set her bag last night.
He couldn’t speak right now if he’d hit a triple Bingo card.
She grabbed her bag and skittered into the bathroom. He chuckled at the click of the lock. Women! After everything the three of them did last night, she was too shy to have him watch her dress?
The door opened soon after. No sexy thong, unfortunately. Nope, white cotton this morning, and her bra covered way too much. But on Candy, even white cotton looked damned sexy.
“Coffee. Now,” she commanded pointing to the bedside table.
“Not till you’re dressed. That’ll make you move faster. You’re down to ten minutes now.”
He waited until she slammed the door before grinning. Sassy wench. She’d bring Adam down a few pegs, all right, and he’d help, just to hear him laugh. Adam had rarely left the ranch, hadn’t seen the rest of the world and gotten over his past. Bryan couldn’t remember Adam talking or laughing so much since Bryan’s mom died, back when they were teenagers.
He automatically tidied the room as he waited for Candy, straightening the bed covers, checking drawers and under the bed to make sure they hadn’t left anything behind.
Along with a few of Candy’s fantasies, Sue had told them a bit about Candy’s past. They’d never brought a woman to the ranch and had no intention of ending up with one like Adam’s mother. Sue had laughed at the suggestion of Candy as a gold digger, said she had Cowboy Sandwich
59
more than enough money invested. Her upper-middle-class parents weren’t quite as screwed up as Adams’. Sue said there wasn’t physical abuse, but Bryan knew how years of scathing comments left scars invisible to the outside world.
“That’s where it went,” he muttered, finding the remains of her thong under the desk. He gave the white lace scrap an appreciative sniff and stuffed it in his back pocket. He knew he grinned like a fool, but no one was there to see.
None of them had family living, though Doc considered himself a father figure. Adam’s father, Grant, turned bitter when his mom walked off the ranch. He was five, and Grant took his vengeance out on everyone. At least Bryan’s mom lasted until they were in high school before the cancer got her. The rodeo did his dad in years earlier.
They were simple men, but Candy was complex. She had layers, like an onion. He’d enjoy peeling off each as he discovered the real woman inside. Afraid of love, Adam insisted he couldn’t give more than short-term affection to a woman. But, though he pretended otherwise, Adam watched Candy like a predator, using his peripheral vision so she wouldn’t get spooked and run. Bryan had a suspicion Candy might end up setting the trap rather
No way was Bryan leaving this luscious morsel behind. And what a fine behind she had! She’d rolled to her stomach after her stretch, the sheet draped provocatively to the peach valley between her cheeks.
He flipped the sheet down, put a knee on the bed and gave her a morning salute with the palm of his hand. She shrieked and rolled away from him, sitting up and blinking her eyes.
“How dare you!”
“We leave in fifteen minutes.” He checked his watch alarm.
“Twelve, now. There’s a major snowstorm blasting down from Canada and we’ve got to get over the pass before it closes. Much as 58
Reece Butler
I’d like to cuddle right here all day, work comes first. You staying in bed or coming with us?”
She groaned and flopped onto her back. “All right, I’m in.”
She rolled the rest of the way off the bed and to her feet, blinking.
She tucked dark curls behind her ears, looking for her suitcase. He hadn’t seen such a voluptuous woman in years. At the thought of sharing her with Adam for a few weeks, his temperature went up so fast steam almost whistled out his ears. She saw his stare and a blush rose from damn near her toes, raising nipples on the way past her breasts. He pointed to the bureau where they’d set her bag last night.
He couldn’t speak right now if he’d hit a triple Bingo card.
She grabbed her bag and skittered into the bathroom. He chuckled at the click of the lock. Women! After everything the three of them did last night, she was too shy to have him watch her dress?
The door opened soon after. No sexy thong, unfortunately. Nope, white cotton this morning, and her bra covered way too much. But on Candy, even white cotton looked damned sexy.
“Coffee. Now,” she commanded pointing to the bedside table.
“Not till you’re dressed. That’ll make you move faster. You’re down to ten minutes now.”
He waited until she slammed the door before grinning. Sassy wench. She’d bring Adam down a few pegs, all right, and he’d help, just to hear him laugh. Adam had rarely left the ranch, hadn’t seen the rest of the world and gotten over his past. Bryan couldn’t remember Adam talking or laughing so much since Bryan’s mom died, back when they were teenagers.
He automatically tidied the room as he waited for Candy, straightening the bed covers, checking drawers and under the bed to make sure they hadn’t left anything behind.
Along with a few of Candy’s fantasies, Sue had told them a bit about Candy’s past. They’d never brought a woman to the ranch and had no intention of ending up with one like Adam’s mother. Sue had laughed at the suggestion of Candy as a gold digger, said she had Cowboy Sandwich
59
more than enough money invested. Her upper-middle-class parents weren’t quite as screwed up as Adams’. Sue said there wasn’t physical abuse, but Bryan knew how years of scathing comments left scars invisible to the outside world.
“That’s where it went,” he muttered, finding the remains of her thong under the desk. He gave the white lace scrap an appreciative sniff and stuffed it in his back pocket. He knew he grinned like a fool, but no one was there to see.
None of them had family living, though Doc considered himself a father figure. Adam’s father, Grant, turned bitter when his mom walked off the ranch. He was five, and Grant took his vengeance out on everyone. At least Bryan’s mom lasted until they were in high school before the cancer got her. The rodeo did his dad in years earlier.
They were simple men, but Candy was complex. She had layers, like an onion. He’d enjoy peeling off each as he discovered the real woman inside. Afraid of love, Adam insisted he couldn’t give more than short-term affection to a woman. But, though he pretended otherwise, Adam watched Candy like a predator, using his peripheral vision so she wouldn’t get spooked and run. Bryan had a suspicion Candy might end up setting the trap rather
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