by The Male Order, Texas Collection ]- A Bride for Two Billionaires (l
She got down on her knees next to Brody, who was now using his elbows to prop himself up as he lay on the ground, his clothes covered in various mystery sauces and gravies. She hesitated a moment then lifted her soft, cool hand to his cheek as she carefully studied his eyes. “Are you all right?” Her voice was that of a sophisticated southern belle, warm and refined.
“I am now.” He couldn’t keep his eyes from dancing from her shaking lip to the pulse that he could see beating frantically on the left side of her neck. Wow, she really was concerned. And damn, she smelled like Heaven, fresh and light and soft.
Suddenly, a hard, angry look formed on her face, then her gaze darted from Brody to Jay, and back to Brody. “Aren’t you two a little old to be playing with Big Wheels? You damn near broke your back!”
The brunette Barbie stood up and leaned down to dust the dirt off her knees, allowing Brody to take advantage of the clear view he had of the perfect, succulent feminine orbs that kissed each other in the push-up top holding them in place. He glanced at Jay and saw he took full advantage of the same opportunity.
As she straightened and stood there in the sunlight, her hair created a chestnut-brown halo. She looks like an angel. Her soft bangs framed wide, light brown eyes encircled with black fans for eyelashes.
Brody snapped out of his thoughts when ketchup suddenly splattered across his face. Jay had stepped on the half-empty plastic bottle as he scurried to stand in front of the pinup goddess in the yellow bikini. “Damn it, Jay!” Brody used his left shoulder to wipe off the mess on his cheek.
“Afternoon, ma’am. My name is Jay Stephens.” Immediately, the angel’s faced softened, and her cheeks flushed with color. She reached out for Jay’s extended hand as if in a trance over Jay’s presence. Even from a distant, Brody noticed the slight shudder in her shoulders when Jay leaned down to kiss the top of her perfectly manicured hand. Then suddenly, she turned her attention to Brody, and she gave him the same killer smile that got him dirty in the first place.
Taylor let out a soft laugh as the gorgeous blond stood and let out a small groan. He looked so silly, his designer clothes covered in spaghetti sauce and chocolate pudding and with ketchup splattered on the side of his clean-shaven face.
“I’m Brody Bartlett,” he drawled then hissed between his teeth as he started to limp toward her.
“Taylor Ewing. It’s a pleasure to meet you, gentleman. I’m staying here with my auntie, Veronica Ewing. I’m here visiting from—” She paused, losing her train of thought when Brody peeled off his stained shirt, revealing a perfectly chiseled torso that belonged on an Olympic swimmer. Taylor swallowed a gasp. “Down from—” Every visible muscle flexed as he worked to wipe away the smears of goo on his gorgeous biceps and inviting neck. There was no stopping the exhale escaping her pursed lips. “Dallas.” She quickly looked down at the ground, hoping to hide the heat rising to her face. When she looked up, Brody seemed to be too busy wiping the side his face with the ruined shirt to notice her embarrassment. She was just going to let out a sigh of relief until she looked at Jay. He gave her a little half-smile that let her know he noticed her attraction to Brody. Damn it. Taylor quickly returned her gaze to her red toenails until she could feel the heat start to recede.
“Um, are you sure you’re okay?” Taylor gathered the courage to look up in their eyes at the risk of revealing her attraction.
“Yes, ma’am, I’m fine. Just a bruised ankle,” Brody answered.
There was a long pause as both men’s gazes dropped to the cubic zirconia jewelry dangling from her navel, causing Taylor to instinctively cross her arms over her chest.
When she’d woken up this morning, she had thought she was spending the afternoon with only the fluttering monarchs and Jim Morrison’s sexy voice to keep her company. The last thing she had expected was for two gorgeous men to come crashing into her life, making her feel self-conscious with their indecent gazes.
Their designer clothes, tailored jeans, and large titanium Nubeo watches reeked of money, wealth, and class despite the simplicity of their casual dress. Most of the wealthy Dallas boys Taylor knew were much gaudier in their fashion choices. But, again, those were just boys. The two fine, dashing specimens standing before her looked far, far from being boys. Clearing her throat, she lifted her chin to Jay. “Maybe you should be a better babysitter.” She hoped the playful jab would divert attention away from her. Both men laughed simultaneously, making Taylor’s heart back flip in her chest, and suddenly she was aware of the faint pulse that had moved down to her freshly-shaven pussy lips. Their laughs felt like warm milk and honey, comforting and beautiful and soothing.
“Are you always such a spitfire to complete strangers, Miss Ewing?” asked Jay, wearing an amused smirk on his gorgeous face. His fitted army-green collared shirt brought out the green in his eyes. They were a sparkling contrast paired with his short black hair, perfectly styled even in the Texas humidity. He was a woman’s wet dream. He also seemed to be distracted by something on the side of her neck.
When his words registered, she again felt her face flush in shame. She should have been ashamed of herself speaking in such an un-ladylike manner. It seemed that over the last month, she had become a little snappy, not at all her usual warm self. It was as if Dillon built a wall of ice around her heart, and she felt void inside. She was obviously letting her bitterness get the better of her, and despite her promise to not get involved with yet another arrogant spoiled brat, it was no reason for her to be rude.
“My apologies, gentleman. I’m afraid you’re right. Excuse my rudeness. It’s just been an awfully long month for me.”
“Male Order can take some getting adjusted to,” added Jay with a quick shrug.
“Oh, it’s not the town that bothers me at all.” These men were obviously locals, and the last thing she wanted to do was to offend any of the townspeople. “In fact, I’ve been served heaps of southern hospitality since the day I arrived.”
“You can say Male Order citizens have a habit of spoiling their women,” Jay said. “As you may have noticed, they tend to get whatever they want.”
Taylor knew that was an understatement. Most of the households in Male Order were not only ménage but also extremely wealthy. Judging from the dozens of luxury stores, driveways full of Lamborginis and Bentleys, and blocks and blocks of southern mansions, the citizens of Male Order definitely appreciated the finer things in life.
“Most people with their statuses usually do.” Taylor heard the bite in her tone, but she decided to hold back another apology. Sure, the townsfolk were warm and welcoming, but if there was one thing Taylor had learned since Dillon, it was a young, wealthy, handsome man was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Although Dillon had been voted “Sexiest Frontman” by Texas Monthly, these two tall glasses of water made her ex look like an unkempt grease monkey. Stranger danger.
Jay was just a bit thicker than Brody, and his hair was cut close to his head. As his grin slowly receded, his face again turned serious, and Taylor’s mind struggled to relive the image of his smile. She wasn’t sure if he knew just how intimidating his clenched jaw and furrowed brow made him look, but she could feel her core twist at the thought of him using that same concentration on her body’s most private areas.
Brody, on the other hand, had a sexy, welcoming smile. His friendly face and sun-bleached waves reminded her of the young men that graced the pages of the teen idol magazines she had read as a boy-crazy fifth grader.
She couldn’t resist eagerly returning Brody’s contagious smile. Taylor realized in embarrassment that it might have been a little too eagerly when Brody let out another soft laugh. She had tried her best to be a lady and not be so obvious, but that had obviously failed.
Brody then shot Jay a knowing look with his chocolate brown eyes before turning them back to a humiliated Taylor. He raked his fingers through his dark gold hair when he finally spoke again. “We apologize for startling you, Miss Ewing, but maybe you’ll give us the pleasure o
f making it up to you.”
By instinct, Taylor’s eyes narrowed suspiciously on Brody. “What do you mean?”
“Have lunch with us tomorrow.” Jay was almost chest to chest with her before Taylor even realized he had taken a step toward her.
She looked up at him, and his intense stare and muscular, warm body were more than enough to make her speechless and left in a hazy fog of lust. Again, the wheels in her head spun in a panic, this time hoping to find an excuse for why she couldn’t join them. Taylor needed another egotistical man like she needed a hole in the head. And as gorgeous and charming as these two were, she wouldn’t be surprised if their egos needed their own zip codes. “Well, I-I was going to—”
“Look, we don’t mean to be rude by the short notice, Miss Ewing, but we promise you won’t regret it.” At that moment, Taylor realized the southern charm in Brody’s voice could make a girl agree to anything he wanted. Taylor could feel her body relax as the Texas Pied Piper’s voice melted away her apprehension.
“Call me Taylor, please.” She didn’t mean for it to come out in a whisper, but she was distracted by Brody, who kept biting his enticing full lips.
“Taylor,” Brody repeated softly, letting her name roll off his tongue like smooth honey as he slightly bowed his head in apology and then flashed another grin.
“Your auntie still hanging out at Luscious when the Boom Boom Room is closed?” asked Jay as he used his rough fingers to lightly turn her chin toward him. His warm, unexpected touch sent a wave of sensual tingles down Taylor’s body, ending with an ache in her core that caused her pussy to throb in hungry desperation.
“Of course. Almost every day until closing at eight.”
“Then we’ll meet you there tomorrow, right before lunch.” Taylor’s pussy clenched unexpectedly at the merely gentle yet swift movement of Jay’s thumb over her bottom lip before they turned to walk back to the humming 4 wheelers.
“She’s the still point of the turning world, Jay. I’m not letting her go.” Brody settled in the barber chair, staring at Jay through the mirror in front of him as Mr. Murphy, one of the barbers of the So Fresh Barbershop, flung a black cape around his neck.
Jay sighed heavily in frustration at his best friend’s insistence. Brody was diving into this too quick for comfort, and it was getting on Jay’s last damn nerve.
“All right, boy, c’mon now. I’m ready for you,” Mr. Davis called out to Jay. He beat the previous customer’s hair off the now-vacant chair with his towel before throwing it back over his shoulder, where all the barbers at So Fresh kept their towels.
Jay got up from the waiting area against the wall and sat in Mr. Davis’s chair. The smell of shaving cream, shampoo, and aftershave was incredibly nostalgic. “C’mon, Brody. Don’t be so naïve. She’s absolutely gorgeous. I mean, look at her, but you heard your mama after we drove back this afternoon. Taylor’s a pageant queen from Dallas. Do you really think she’s all that different from any of the L.A. centerfolds we know all too well?”
Brody turned to face Jay’s reflection and raised his chin in challenge. “I know she’s different.” Jay rolled his eyes. His friend barely knew the damn woman.
“He has a point, cuz,” said Gavin, a few chairs down. “Miss Ewing came to our football practice last week to speak to us about the dangers of HCM. She seemed like an extremely smart woman.”
“I was personally disappointed that she didn’t show up in her Miss Dallas Texas Yellow Rose crown,” said Grayson from another salon chair. “When the other players had asked her why she wasn’t wearing it, she said she felt silly wearing a tiara while lecturing about a deadly disease. She had every guy at practice enamored with her. That body! And, damn, that face. The Lord sure broke the mold with that one. Dillon Day is the biggest dumbass to roam the earth.”
“Dillon Day?” Jay thought hard about why that name sounded so familiar.
“Wait,” Brody held up a hand, “are you talking about the singer from that band that looks like they never shower?”
“Yeah, Daybed,” Grayson replied. “They’re nothing but a cheap Ramones rip off with less soap, if you ask me. Anyways, Taylor caught him cheating on her with her best friend a few weeks ago. That’s why she came to Male Order.”
Brody’s eyes appeared full of rage as he shook his head in disgust. “That sonuvabitch. He must have a brain of a garden worm for him to hurt a gem like Taylor.” Most of the men in the shop nodded and mumbled their agreement at once.
“Gentlemen, gentleman, I’m sure she’s an amazing woman, I just can’t—”
“You can’t what, Jay?” Brody interrupted, sounding more frustrated by the minute. “You can’t share a woman with me anymore?”
Jay’s heart fell to his feet. He glanced around at the men in the shop, including his cousins, who were now listening intently for his reply. He leaned toward Brody’s chair and whispered, “Not here, all right, buddy?”
Mr. Murphy grabbed the sides of Brody’s head and forced it back forward. “Now, see, don’t you go crying when I fuck up your hair. Now be still.” Brody complied but kept his glare on Jay through the reflection in the mirror.
“Stop with the bullshitting, Jay. Taylor Ewing is perfect. She’s gorgeous and she’s caring and independent. It’s obvious your problem lies with me, not her.”
“It’s not that simple, Brody.”
Jay wasn’t used to his friend being so stubborn with him. But he could see in Brody’s eyes that he honestly thought Taylor was The One.
When Jay heard the loud buzzing of the clippers in Mr. Davis’s hand, he was thankful. He hoped it would shut Brody the fuck up, but his nagging friend only called out over the noise, “Like I’ve always said, Jay, you can lie to yourself, but you can’t lie to me.”
Growing up, Jay always imagined one day having a marriage like his parents’. His fathers always worked as a team to keep the family happy. There was always a male figure present to attend his games or take him fishing at the lake. If he needed girl advice, he would have the perspectives of two different men to help him through any “life or death” love rut. Most of all, Jay was always forever grateful for the way they made his mother’s face light up like a schoolgirl with an obsessive crush every time they walked into the room.
Leaving for college gave Jay an even greater appreciation for Male Order. He had too many West Coast friends who grew up without a father, ignored by their father, or abused by their father. The only thing that held more pain than their lost childhoods was the anger that continued to haunt their souls.
As a boy, Jay had always hoped he would have a wife to share with his best friend one day. The assumption just felt right and natural. But the men were young, and for the last decade, the women he and Brody shared were nothing more than friends or casual encounters. He enjoyed the ménages with Brody. It had even gotten to the point where neither man was thoroughly satisfied unless they shared.
But the cold feet had begun three months ago, right after his thirtieth birthday. Thirty may still be a very young age for a man, but something changed inside him on that day. His wild, fast-paced twenties were over, and he was now the same age as Papa Clark and Papa Craig when they met and married his mother. The time to settle down, to make a commitment, would approach sooner rather than later. Question was, was he willing to make the commitment with not only one person but two?
For the first time since he was seventeen, Jay allowed his memory to reflect on his father’s death and its impact. He remembered the hell Papa Craig and his mother went through, and Jay couldn’t imagine being responsible for being the source of hurt in so many people’s lives if anything happened to him. Being best friends was one thing, but the bond of being co-husbands was too heavy for Jay to risk losing. He’d decided a few days after his last birthday that he would marry his own wife and have his own children. At least then, he’d only be responsible for one heart instead of two.
Jay had his head bent down, allowing Mr. Davis to edge the back of his h
ead, when Brody’s white leather boat shoes appeared in his sight. Did he really have to give him another lecture right now? “Brody, I told you not now. I insist you wait until we’re alone.”
Brody bent at the knees and squatted in front of Jay to allow their eyes to meet. “Look, Jay, I have to have her. She’s our wife, I know it. I knew it the moment she looked at me.” Jay was shocked at the desperation in Brody’s voice. “I need you to talk to me, brother. If you really love me like I know you do, you’ll be honest with me.” Brody visibly swallowed before asking, “Do you still want to have a family with me?”
Great fucking timing. The entire barbershop was now staring at them, anticipating. When the hell did So Fresh turn into Luscious? Jay took in a deep breath and replied, “No. No, buddy, I don’t. I’ve decided to build a family of my own. I’m sorry.”
His heart ached as he watched Brody’s head drop and his eyes shut tight. He was obviously distraught from the news, but he only took a few seconds to compose himself.
“All right, then, I respect your decision,” Brody finally said when he looked back at him. He was lying through his teeth. His face looked devoid of emotion, but Jay could read his eyes like an open book. In them swam pain, heartbreak, and disappointment. “I haven’t changed my mind about Taylor, though. I’ll use everything in my power to have her hand by the end of the summer. But I need your help, Jay.”
“She’s going to be your bride, Brody. That hardly concerns me.”
“Oh, but it does. I didn’t miss the way she looked at you, the way her tiny body shivered from the slightest touch of your hand.” Brody let out a long breath, shaking his head. “She probably was badly hurt by that jerk and she’s pushing away because she’s frightened. She will be mine, but I can’t tear down her walls alone, Jay. I need you.”
