by Marla Monroe
“Maybe you shouldn’t push your luck and just rack them for a game with me.”
Haley snorted and finished up the two shots in record time. She squatted and grabbed the balls out of the pocket two balls at a time. Then she rolled them across the table for Joshua to rack them.
“What are we betting this time?”
They never bet money between them. Instead, it was always something like chores around the ranch. If she won, they had to groom her gelding after she rode her on Saturdays. If they won, she ended up coming over after work and feeding all their horses or mucking out Sugar Cube’s stall. Normally, their ranch hands took care of all that, but if she lost, they knew to steer clear of her chores. She’d actually tried to bribe one of them to do it for her. They knew not to fall for her bribes, though. They didn’t want the Crowley brothers on their backs.
“Thought we’d play for something different tonight,” Joshua said.
He saw Jayson fight back a grin. He was catching on.
“Different? What have you got in mind?” She didn’t appear the least bit worried. Good.
“How about the loser has to take the winner out to dinner.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
He shook his head no.
“Really?” She still didn’t look worried. He liked that she felt that safe with them.
“Yep. Let’s make it a full-out date. You have to provide the entertainment for the night as well as the meal.” Joshua smiled.
Now she looked a little unsure. He liked that look on her face.
“Um, I don’t know. That’s really sort of weird if you ask me.” Haley bit her lower lip.
Joshua heard Jayson growl behind him. It wasn’t lost on him either. That sexy little move always riled them up.
“Naw, just us eating out is all.” He didn’t want to scare her off.
“Well, sure. I’ll beat you, and you’ll have to take me out to Shawny’s Steakhouse. I’ll order the biggest steak they have and then dessert.” She smiled, looking smug.
Joshua fought not to grin like an idiot. She was going to win all right. They were going to take her out to eat and watch her eat to her heart’s content. Their little cowgirl could put away some food and never gain an ounce. Of course, she thought she was fat. Most women felt that way, but Haley had just the right amount of curves in all the right places. Her long, strawberry-blonde hair framed an oval face of fair complexion with striking blue eyes the color of an early spring morning. He loved seeing them bright and shiny when she was happy. He longed to see them dark and heavy when she was aroused. His baby girl would be one wild woman in bed. He was sure of it. She riled faster than any woman he or his brother had ever known and didn’t pull punches when she was angry. Yeah, she’d be a firecracker in bed. He had no doubt.
“Well, we will see about that, darling.” Jayson rubbed her hair on the top of her head that only came to their shoulders.
“Jayson, you get right back over there against that wall. You’re not screwing up any of my shots tonight.”
“Wouldn’t think of it.” He turned up his bottle of beer and drained it. “I’m going for more beer. You want anything, Haley?”
“Yeah, a Corona please.” She flipped a quarter.
Joshua called tails. It was heads, so she got to break. Joshua nodded his head toward his brother. He would play hard but not his best. He wanted her to win. They were going to show her a great time and hopefully get her to thinking of them as more than best friends. He hoped his plan worked.
Haley made short work of breaking and sunk a stripe right off. She followed it up with another stripe but missed on the third ball. Joshua figured he’d gotten lucky to get a shot in this soon in the game. He sank his solid and another one, and then flubbed one. She eyed him speculatively then shrugged and lined up her next shot. She cleaned him down to one ball plus the eight ball. It was his shot. Jayson was back and he stood back to take a quick slug of his beer. She sat on a bar stool and nursed her Corona.
Jayson teased him. “She’s about wiped your clock, little brother. You gonna screw us out of dinner?”
“Aw shut up, Jayson I don’t see you over here playing.”
“That’s ’cause I know better than to tempt a woman with the promise of a free meal.”
“Hey, I resent that,” she fussed good-naturedly.
Joshua bent over to run his balls. He planned to sink the rest of them. Then try for a trick shot and scratch on the eight ball. That would make her the winner and he and his brother the biggest winners of all. He made two of his balls but managed to miss the last one. He stared at it as if he couldn’t believe it. He really hadn’t planned to miss it. Jayson laughed at him. He frowned at his older brother. Then he grinned like an idiot. She would win now and they’d get their prize—Haley on a date.
“You really need to practice some, Joshua. I bet even Jayson could beat you now,” she teased.
Jayson grunted. Joshua grabbed her around the waist and spun her around.
“Let’s dance,” he said.
Never one to pass up a chance to dance, Haley handed her beer to Jayson and pulled Joshua toward the dance floor. He sat his beer on a table as they cruised past and then pulled her into his arms as a slow song started. He held back a smirk. She didn’t like slow songs. He figured he knew why, too. She had to get up close and in his personal space. Oh yeah, he liked it when they mixed up their personal spaces. He held her hand in his and put the other one on her lower back. He didn’t try pulling her closer. It was too soon for that. Instead, he tried a little subterfuge and worked on finding out about Matt.
“So, you seen lover boy around?” he asked.
“Who?” Her brows drew together in confusion. Then she harrumphed.
“You mean Matt. No, I haven’t, and hope I don’t.”
“So what really happened between you two? You were an item for nearly four months.”
“He and I just weren’t compatible. End of story.”
“No, there’s something more behind the breakup.”
He missed his chance when the song ended and she pulled out of his arms to slide through the throng of people toward the table Jayson held for them. Jayson was helping her into her chair by the time he arrived.
“Not end of story, baby. I want to know what happened. You always talk to us about it when you break up with someone. Why should this be any different?” Joshua asked as he took a seat across from her.
“Because it is, or it should be. Jesus! Okay already, I broke up with him. He was getting too possessive and controlling. There, are you happy now?” She grabbed her Corona and turned it up taking a healthy swig of it.
“Did he hurt you?” Jayson asked in a growly voice.
“No, he didn’t. You know I would have broken his nose if he’d hurt me. I can take care of myself.” She frowned at them.
“How was he controlling?” Jayson wasn’t going to let her off the hook that easily.
Joshua had a feeling they were on a thin line here, too.
“For one thing, he kept telling me I wasn’t to see you guys anymore. Like that was going to happen. Then he tried to tell me what I could and couldn’t wear.” She curled her lip.
“I guess he wasn’t around when you beat Terry Woods’s ass for telling you to dress like a girl on your dates, was he?” Joshua asked with a grin.
Matt had really fucked up on that one. Everyone knew you didn’t tell Haley what she could and couldn’t wear. Even the lawyers kept their mouth shut. She compromised with them by wearing skirts. Something he doubted he would ever see her in outside of work. That was fine with him and Jayson, though. They loved her just the way she was.
“So, what else did he tell you to do?” Jayson asked.
“Nothing of any importance,” she hedged.
“Hmm, was he controlling in the bedroom?” Jayson asked.
“Jayson! I’m not discussing sex with you.”
“Just asking.”
“’Cause most
men like to be in control.”
Chapter Two
Haley swallowed. Would they be in charge in the bedroom? She expected they would. Did it bother her? Not really, she knew they would never hurt her. She trusted them. What in the hell am I thinking? They’re my best friends. I’m not thinking about them in bed!
She felt heat blossom over her face and hoped they put it down to the hot room. She couldn’t believe she even thought of them in those terms. The idea didn’t make her sick. Instead, it excited her. That was what scared her so much.
“Let’s dance, honey.” Jayson stood up and held out his hand.
She hesitated for an instant then smiled and took his hand. She stood up and followed him to the dance floor. He pulled her into his arms and steered her to the middle where they couldn’t really move. She wondered why he did that. Usually he was all about the fast songs. Instead, they could only sway to the music. He held her close enough she could feel the outline of his erection and it surprised her. Yeah, she’d noticed before when he had a hard-on. She couldn’t help it with the brothers. They were huge.
Were they typical males who kept an erection or were they jonesing over one of the women there at the bar? She hadn’t seen them looking at any one person very long. Maybe she wasn’t there tonight.
Haley wasn’t crazy. She knew the guys’ reputation of sharing their women. The women in question usually enjoyed talking about it, too. She knew all about their proclivities for threesomes and anal sex. Lately, though, it had begun to bother her to know they were dating. Why, she wasn’t sure. Maybe it was because she wasn’t anymore.
Shrugging it off, she tried to concentrate on the music and not the size of Jayson’s cock as it rubbed across her belly. She swallowed and tried to think about mucking stalls and shoveling manure. None of that worked, and her panties grew damp from her pussy juices. By the time the song was over, she was almost a nervous wreck.
They tunneled their way back to the table, and Jayson helped her sit down. He kissed her on the side of the cheek.
“Thanks for the dance, baby girl.” He sat down on one side of her with Joshua on the other side.
Haley turned up her Corona and drained it. She stopped and thought about it. This was her second one. She needed to hold off on another one for a little while. When Joshua offered to get one for her she shook her head no. He nodded and continued talking to Craig sitting across from them. He was there with his date, Cindy. They had been an item since high school but had yet to tie the knot.
“Cindy, how are your parents doing?”
“Pretty good. They’re getting on up there, though. I worry about them out there all alone, but they insist they’re happy.”
“I’m sure they are. I would let them stay as long as they can take care of themselves. They won’t be happy anywhere else.”
“I know you’re right, but it’s hard not to worry.”
“Hey, Cindy, let’s dance.” Craig stood up and held out his hand. She grinned and got up and headed toward the dance floor.
“So what were we talking about before you and Jayson went to dance? Oh, yeah. We were talking about Matt and how he was controlling in the bedroom.” Joshua leaned back in his chair.
“No, you said he was controlling in the bedroom, and I have to ask myself, how do you know that unless you…”
“Bite your tongue, Haley girl.” Joshua frowned at her.
“Then stay out of my sex life, Joshua Crowley.”
No one needed to know that Matt had belittled her and said she was a cold fish in the bedroom. She couldn’t help it that he didn’t turn her on. She really wasn’t cold. It bothered her though to think that maybe she was. She’d never had an orgasm except for the ones she had given herself. Did that make her frigid? She sighed.
“What was that all about? That sounded like your entire heart was in on it.” Jayson rubbed his thumb over her knuckles.
“Oh, nothing really. Hey, they’re playing Trace Adkins. I’ve got to dance. See you guys later.” She jumped up and escaped before either of them could stop her.
She made it to the dance floor without anyone stopping her. Most of the guys knew to leave her alone but there were always some out there who either didn’t know any better or were a little too drunk to care.
She danced with Cindy and Rhonda to “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” then a Big and Rich song came on and they continued dancing. After the last song, Haley wandered over to the bar and got Tug to pass her a Corona. She stood there and sipped it, looking around to see who all was there. She was just about to head back to Jayson and Joshua’s table when Matt grabbed her by the wrist.
“Let go of me, Matt.” She pulled but he didn’t let go of her.
“Let’s dance, Haley.”
“I don’t want to dance, especially not with you.”
“Are you fucking them? Is that why you wouldn’t quit seeing them? You’re fucking them, aren’t you?” He was getting louder.
Haley looked around for a way out, but found none. One of the men standing next to her tried to intervene, but it only made Matt madder. He jerked her closer to him.
“Look, Matt. Let’s go outside and discuss this.” She didn’t want a scene, but she also didn’t really want to go outside with him. At least if she went outside, she could punch him if she had to.
“Yeah, let’s go outside. We need to talk, Haley.” Matt pulled her along behind him, crashing through people as if they didn’t exist.
Haley tried apologizing as she jogged behind him to keep up. She was afraid he was going to dislocate her shoulder if she didn’t keep up.
Once he had her through the door out in the parking lot, he pushed her against someone’s truck and got up in her face.
“You’re fucking both of them. They’re perverts, Haley. You’re screwing around with a couple of perverts. They’re just like their parents. I thought you were better than that. I get it that you would latch onto them because of their money, but I’ve got money too. I can take care of you even better than they can.”
“Let me go, Matt. I mean it. If you don’t let me go, I’m going to make you wish you had.”
“Oh, you’re not going to punch me. I’ll teach you how to act. You just need someone strong enough to keep you in line.”
Haley brought up her knee hard, but he was ready for her and pulled back in time. Then he backhanded her and pinned her body against the truck with his body. She could taste the blood in her mouth. The bastard had busted her lip. He bent closer to her and licked the blood from her mouth.
“You’re sick, Matthew Parker. Let me the fuck go.”
“Matt, she said to let go of her. I’d do it now if you know what’s good for you.” Joshua stood behind him.
Haley could see Jayson standing just to the side. Fuck, she’d worried about this. That was why she’d come outside, to avoid this.
“He’s leaving, Joshua.”
“Yes, he is. Right after I teach him a lesson. Now let go of her, Matt before I get really angry.”
“Fuck, you, Joshua. Stay out of this. It’s between Haley and me.”
Joshua grabbed Matt by the throat and squeezed. The other man grabbed at the hand at his throat, letting go of Haley. Jayson grabbed her and pulled her away from them. He took one look at her mouth and his face went cold.
“Joshua, he hit Haley. She’s got a busted lip.”
“You worthless piece of shit.” Joshua hauled back and socked him right in the face.
Matt went down like a ton of bricks. There were several people standing around outside watching, but they all nodded their heads and turned around and went back inside. Joshua hadn’t done anything wrong in their books. Matt had hit a woman. That just wasn’t done, ever.
Jayson was running his hand up and down Haley’s back in a soothing motion.
Joshua walked up and looked at her. He gently wiped his thumb across her lower lip.
“Why did you come out here with him, Haley?”
“I didn’t wan
t to cause a scene. He was getting out of hand. I figured I would teach him a lesson and he’d leave me alone.”
“You can’t deal with guys like him, baby girl. He’s dangerous. I don’t want you around him anymore.”
“You’re telling me what to do, Joshua. No one tells me what to do.” She still had enough anger in her from letting Matt get the best of her to argue with Joshua.
“Don’t press me, Haley. I would never tell you what to do except where it concerns your safety. He’s dangerous.” He looked her in the eyes. “Please.”
She had never heard him say that to anyone. She found herself nodding her head. For him, she’d avoid Matt like he was the devil. She’d planned to avoid him anyway.
“Let’s get you home. You need some ice on your lip. I’ll drive your car. Jayson can drive the truck.”
“I can drive, Joshua. I’m fine.”
“I know, but I want to drive you home.” He steered her toward her SUV and helped her in the passenger seat when she handed over her keys.
“I’ll take care of the tabs and be right over,” Jayson called after them.
Joshua waved his hand out the window and drove off. She looked out the side window wishing things could be different. She was such a screwup when it came to men. She always chose the wrong ones.
“What are you thinking about over there, Haley?”
“Nothing really.”
“Don’t lie to me, baby girl.”
“Why can’t I find a decent man to date, Joshua?”
“Probably because you’re looking in all the wrong places.”
Chapter Three
Joshua pulled into Haley’s drive. He parked the SUV right by the back door. Then he helped her out and unlocked her door with her keys. When she walked inside and flipped on the light switch, he could see that she had been crying. He hated the bastard for putting those tears in her eyes.
“Let’s see your mouth.” He held her face up to the light and cursed. “You’re going to have a bruise on your face. I could kill the little bastard for that alone.”
“Don’t worry about it, Joshua. It’s over with. You punched him.” She walked back toward the bathroom. He followed her. She ran water on a cloth and held it to her mouth.
