by Myla Jackson
Libby smiled. “You can. And you don’t need me. You have Kendall, Lacey and Charli and the new girl, Bella. They’re all wonderful.”
“But why?” Audrey’s eyes filled. “Was it something I said?”
“No, you’ve been the best, and I’ll hate leaving you and all my friends.” And the Gray Wolf men, she didn’t say out loud. But she’d miss them as well. Too bad she hadn’t discovered their delights earlier on in her stay in Temptation. But that was part of keeping a low profile, staying out of the public eye, and forming no attachments.
When Audrey opened her mouth to say something else, Libby lifted a hand.
“Please, Audrey. I have to leave. I don’t have any other choice. Don’t make it harder than it already is.”
Audrey nodded. “Okay, but I don’t like it, and I’m going to miss you like all get-out. Damn it, girl.” She hugged her again. “Will you at least work through tonight’s Cowboy Masquerade Ball and the next two nights of the rodeo? I need everyone who can work to be here this weekend. You know how busy we get.”
Libby shook her head. “I’m sorry. I’ll work tonight, but then I’m gone.”
Audrey wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “You’ll always be welcome back at the Ugly Stick Saloon, you know that?”
Libby smiled. “I know. Thank you for taking in this stray when I needed it.”
“Best stray I’ve ever adopted. Don’t stay away long. I already miss you.”
Libby dashed away the tears that had spilled over and sniffed. “I’d better get to work. The early birds will be yammerin’ for their beer.”
“Yeah.” Audrey wiped more tears from her eyes.
Libby turned toward the bar, her feet dragging, her heart heavy.
“Hey, wait, Libby. I almost forgot. The girls are all wearing matching costumes so the patrons will know who’s working here, and don’t forget we’re dancing on the bar tonight. One more show for the road, huh?” Audrey dashed into the storeroom and returned with a bright red corset and a red and black flounce skirt. “This should fit you.”
Libby’s mouth dropped open. As part of the hiring requirements for working at the Ugly Stick Saloon, the girls had to either sing or dance at least once a night. Usually in their blue jeans or whatever they wore to work. They’d been working on the Cowboy Masquerade Ball routine before the bar opened for the past two weeks. But she hadn’t been there when they’d discussed the costume. “You want me to dress as a whore?”
“No, sweetie. As a saloon girl. We are a saloon.” She shoved the outfit into Libby’s arms and spun her toward the bathroom. “Now, hurry before I start crying again.”
Libby dashed out of the storeroom before she broke down in a big fit of boohoos, something she hadn’t done since she’d left New York and swore she never would again. What was the saying? Oh, yeah.
Never say never.
Mark stood in front of the mirror, his crisp white shirt tucked into black jeans, the large silver buckle he’d won at the Houston rodeo for bronco riding gleamed from the good polishing he’d given it. He slid the black mask over his eyes and crammed the white cowboy hat on his head. “How do I look?”
Luke stepped up beside him, adjusting the bolero tie he’d chosen for the Cowboy Masquerade Ball at the Ugly Stick Saloon. “Like a redneck Lone Ranger.” He clapped Mark on the back. “She’ll think you’re hot stuff.”
“What’s with the Mexican caballero outfit?” Mark asked.
“I was going for the Zorro look. Is it too much?” He tied the black mask in place and settled the black hat on his head.
“No, you look dangerous. Girls like that.” Mark frowned in the mirror. “Maybe I should change into something darker.”
“No, don’t. Women also like a white knight to rescue them. You’ve got that written all over you.”
“Maybe we should swap. You usually have the rescue role.”
“Not always.” Luke rested a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “I think it’s fitting for the masquerade that you wear it, especially since I haven’t managed any rescuing where Libby’s concerned.”
“Me either.” Mark sat on the edge of his bed and pulled on his cowboy boots. “Something about her tells me she needs rescuing.”
“Yeah. I felt it too.” Luke held out his hands. “That’s why I chose Zorro. He might wear black, but he’s always bailing someone out. And I didn’t want us to go dressed alike. I think Libby likes that we’re so much alike, but that we’re also different.”
Mark sighed and shoved his hands in his pocket. “I could spend the rest of my life trying to please that woman.”
“Me too.” Luke sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “She’s incredible.”
“What do you make of her insisting on no commitment?” Mark asked.
“I’m taking it as a challenge.” Luke stared across at his brother, his eyes intensely black. “She’s perfect for us.”
Mark nodded. “My feelings exactly.”
“You think she’ll actually leave like she told Audrey?”
“I don’t know. After yesterday, I was pretty sure she wouldn’t leave.” Mark pulled his white cowboy hat from his head. “But we haven’t seen her since this morning and now I’m not sure at all.” He twisted his hat brim in his hand, staring at the braid.
“Then what are we waiting for? We have to convince her that we’re worth committing to.” Luke headed for the door. “I refuse to give up. As long as Libby is still there, we have a chance.”
Mark followed. “I’m with you, brother.”
Twenty minutes later they struggled to find a parking space at the Ugly Stick Saloon.
“This Cowboy Masquerade Ball on the opening night of the rodeo was a good idea for saloon business, but I’m beginning to doubt we’ll get two minutes alone with Libby.” Mark dropped down from the pickup and waited for Luke.
“We’ll either have to make the time to be with her or stay until they close. We need to talk to her.”
“I’m for making time.” Mark tugged at the black bandana he wore around his neck. “Come on, Zorro, let’s do this.”
Luke grinned. “If the Lone Ranger doesn’t cut it with the lady, we’re sunk.”
As they stepped into the Ugly Stick Saloon, Mark laughed at all the Lone Rangers and Zorros already there.
Luke groaned. “How is Libby supposed to spot us in the crowd?”
“We’ll make sure she does.”
A few men had dressed as John Wayne, there were a couple Roy Rogers, a Wild Bill Hickok and a Doc Holiday. Many of the cowboys weren’t wearing a mask, but a lot were.
The women wore a variety of costumes from Annie Oakley and Bell Starr to saloon girls in brightly colored corsets with flashy flounced skirts. All wore masks and smiled and flirted playfully with the men.
The band played a lively two-step and the floor was already crowded with dancers.
Mark made his way toward the bar where he hoped to find Libby popping open bottles of beer, filling mugs and flipping whiskey bottles to the delight of those near enough to see. A crowd of men gathered around the bar, all laughing and pushing each other to get closer.
As Mark neared, he glanced over the tops of their heads and stopped. His heart completed a full somersault and his breath caught in his throat. “Are you seein’ what I’m seein’?”
Luke stood next to Mark, also craning to see, his eyes wide, a smile curling his lips into a huge, stupid grin. “Sweet Jesus, will you get a load of that costume?”
Mark shook his head, fully understanding why the men at the bar were fighting to get close. “And I didn’t think Libby could get any hotter than the past twenty-four hours naked.”
“Wow.” Luke laid a hand on his chest. “Un-fucking-believable.”
Libby wore a mask over her beautiful green eyes, which didn’t begin to disguise her long, curly auburn hair. But it was the sinful red corset cut so low that her breasts pushed up and spilled over the top like big, beautiful mushrooms, lending to
a deep, dark cleavage that had every horny cowboy clamoring to crawl over the counter and claim her as his. Her skirt was a frilly, black thing with red ruffles and cut so short in front they could see the black matching panties. On her legs she wore black, net stockings ending in dangerously tall black stilettos. She tugged at the front of her corset, a frown denting her brows.
Mark’s cock strained against his black jeans. “We won’t get near her until someone leaves the bar,” he shouted into Luke’s ear.
“I don’t think any of those men plan on leaving anytime soon.” Luke touched Mark’s sleeve and pointed to the right of the bar. “Come on. I see a table. We’ll wait until she takes a break.”
Mark didn’t want to wait. Since he and Luke had kissed Libby goodbye that morning in front of the barn, he had been counting the minutes until he could be with her again.
Luke had been no better, stalking through the family home they shared with Jackson, unable to sit still for more than a minute at a time.
Kicking the chair from beneath the table, Mark straddled it and sat, facing the bar and Libby. She hadn’t figured out who they were in their costumes, either that or she had, and was avoiding eye contact. No matter, the waiting was killing Mark and he’d just started.
Kendall Mason stopped in front of their table, carrying a tray of empty mugs and bottles and smiled.
Mark gave Kendall a cursory glance, noting that the costume was the same as the one Libby wore. But Kendall didn’t look anything like Libby, nor did she inspire the same reaction. She leaned forward and tipped their hats up, giving them a generous view of the tops of her boobs. “Oh, hey, Mark, Luke. I thought it was you two. What can I get you boys?”
“Libby.” Both Mark and Luke spoke at once.
Kendall laughed. “Sorry, not on the menu. You’ll have to take it up with her when she gets off work.”
Mark’s lips twisted. He didn’t want to wait. “Draft beer and a whiskey shooter.”
“I’ll have the same,” Luke added.
“Got it.” Kendall smiled. “I’ll tell Libby you two are here.”
Mark’s gaze followed Kendall all the way back to the bar where she leaned over Libby’s shoulder and spoke in her ear.
Libby’s gaze shot up and over the crowd of men seated in front of her, panning the saloon until she saw them. For a moment her eyes lit and a smile curved her pretty lips.
Mark’s cock jumped to attention beneath his fly. How she did that with just a smile made him shake his head. What was he, a randy teen with his first crush? Or was it that incredibly hot costume?
Then her eyes clouded and the smile faded. Libby turned away and reached for a bottle on the shelf behind her.
Luke leaned close “Did you see that?”
“Yeah.” Mark frowned. “For a moment she looked happy to see us.”
“Then she didn’t.” Luke sat back in his chair, his eyes narrowing behind his black Zorro mask. “Why?”
“I don’t know, but I aim to figure it out tonight.”
“Me too.” Luke sat up straight, his head turning right then left. “Where’s Audrey?”
The owner of the bar had her hair up on top of her head and wore an old-fashioned saloon-girl dress with a black corset and red skirt the exact opposite color combination from what Libby and the other waitresses wore. Audrey’s dress was hiked up on one side, exposing a long length of her sexy legs. She wore a mask, but it did little to hide the fact she was the strawberry blonde beauty who’d purchased the Ugly Stick a couple years ago and brought it back to life.
“Over there. Looks like she’s headed for the storeroom.” Mark jumped to his feet, the movement sending his chair toppling over behind him. He set it straight and made a beeline for Audrey and the storeroom, though beeline might have been a stretch, considering the place was standing room only and everyone that could get in his way did.
By the time Mark and Luke reached the door to the storeroom, Audrey had disappeared inside.
Not one to be deterred, Mark had his hand on the doorknob and was turning it when a deep feminine growl erupted behind him.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
He jumped, his hand leaving the knob as he turned to face Greta Sue. Wearing a fringed leather jacket, a leather hat and leather pants, she stood as tall as Mark and Luke and probably outweighed them by a good thirty pounds.
Luke stepped forward. “Hey, Greta Sue. You’re looking fine tonight. Calamity Jane, isn’t it?”
She nodded, her eyes narrowing. “That’s right.”
Luke smiled his best get-her-in-the-bed smile. “We’d like to talk with Audrey.”
Greta crossed her arms over her chest and stood with her feet spread wide. “She’s busy and you two know that the storeroom is off-limits to everyone but the staff.”
“We’ll only take a minute,” Mark insisted, reaching for the knob.
Greta growled again, low and mean.
“Okay, okay.” Mark backed up a step, raising his hands in surrender. If they had to wait for Audrey to come out, what was a few more minutes?
That few minutes felt like an hour, when in fact it was only about five before Audrey flung the door open and stepped out, her face flushed, mask askew and her skirt tucked into the back of the waistband of her net stockings.
When she spied Mark and Luke, her cheeks flamed. “Mark, Luke, what are you doing here?”
Before Mark could reply, a masked man in a John Wayne hat, vest and empty holster swaggered out behind Audrey.
“Holy hell, Jackson, you mean to tell me we’ve been waiting out here while you two catch a quickie in a closet?” Mark shook his head, laughing.
His oldest brother chuckled and tipped his hat, like the Duke. “Well, partner, I reckon we can’t get privacy anywhere, can we now?”
Luke burst out laughing. “You two are too much.”
Jackson’s arm circled Audrey’s waist. “Were you looking for me?”
“No, actually, we were looking for Audrey,” Luke said.
Jackson shot a glance from Audrey to Mark and Luke, his forehead wrinkling beneath his mask. “What did I miss?”
Audrey’s lips twisted as she fought to contain a grin that ultimately escaped. “What? You two don’t tell your big brother everything?”
Audrey elbowed him in the gut. “They did Libby for the past twenty-four hours. You need to keep better tabs on your brothers.”
“I thought you were working on your place.” Jackson rubbed his ribs, his smile stretching across his face. “You did Libby, huh? I didn’t think she liked men. I mean, I never saw her go out with anyone around these parts.”
“Well, she went out with us,” Mark said.
“The both of you?” Jackson’s grin broadened. “Well, I’ll be darned. And?”
“And nothing.” Mark frowned. “We need to talk to her, Audrey. The sooner the better.”
Audrey’s smile faded. “Boys, I don’t know what happened out there, but Libby is firm. This is her last night at the Ugly Stick Saloon and probably her last night in Temptation.”
Mark’s heart slipped into his gut like a ton of rocks. “She hasn’t changed her mind?”
Audrey’s lips straightened into a thin line. “She’s quitting.”
Luke shook his head, his dark face pale beneath the mask. “Why?”
“She didn’t give me much of a reason, just said that she’d stayed too long and had to get away.”
Mark backed against the wall and tried to breathe past the constriction in his throat. “She can’t.”
“I got her to promise to stay until after the masquerade ball. I don’t want her to go. She’s the best bartender I’ve ever had and besides that, she’s been a good friend. A girl doesn’t come by those too often.”
“You have to make her change her mind.” Luke stepped forward. “We need more time with her.”
Audrey slipped an arm around Jackson’s waist. “You think I haven’t tried? She’s pretty determined. If I could make
her change her mind, I’d have done it by now. I was hoping you two could convince her.”
Mark stared across at Luke. “How?”
“Oh, come on, boys.” Jackson gave them his best disappointed-big-brother look. “You got Audrey and me together. Surely between the two of you, you’ll come up with a way.”
Luke hung his head, looking as much like a kicked puppy as a grown man could. “We can’t make her stay if she doesn’t want to.”
Mark realized the truth of his twin’s statement. Everything about Libby had pointed to her love of freedom—from her biker-babe, free-riding ways to the joy she’d shown at the open, light and airy feel of their home site. Making love on the deck, in the pool, on a horse, under the stars, had all been done in the open where the wind or sun caressed her naked beautiful skin. “We have to convince her.”
“She’s been adamant about no commitment,” Luke reminded him.
Mark’s fists clenched. “I thought she was giving herself an out.”
“She did, and now she’s taking it.” Luke sighed.
“Do I detect the stench of defeat?” Jackson stood straight, his shoulders back, his head held high and proud like a Kiowa warrior. “My brothers, you shame me with your lack of courage. If you want the woman, go after her. Win her with your bravery, your chivalry and…”
Audrey laid a hand on Jackson’s arm. “Win her with your heart. Libby doesn’t like to be hemmed in. I think she’s running from something. She wouldn’t tell me what, but whatever it is keeps her on the move. Find out what her dragon is, slay it and you just might convince her to stay.”
Luke nodded. “Yes and no. We need to find out what makes her think she has to leave and clear that up, but we can’t convince her to stay, we have to convince her that she can go anytime she likes.”
“What?” Mark stared at his brother as if he had lost his mind.
“She needs to know that staying with us isn’t caging her, it’s her choice and she’s free to leave anytime. We won’t hold her back.”
Audrey smiled. “Luke, I think you have it right. I’ll see what I can do to get you three alone, but no guarantees. It’s a madhouse tonight, and it doesn’t look like it will slack up anytime soon.”
