by Jane Jamison
“At least he didn’t take it to a major network.”
“They probably laughed their ass off and tossed him out. Looks like Kristal didn’t.”
“Are you calling his father?”
David pulled out his phone. “I will. Right after I let Lena know what happened. She can give us the word on Kristal.” If Lena told them Kristal was leaving, they’d have to take the risk and tell her about them.
“Boyd’s not going to like it.”
“I don’t give a fuck what he likes. He’s eighteen and acting like a damn idiot. It’s about time he grows up and becomes a man. If we have to help him do it, then we will.”
“Good thinking, bro.”
He shrugged and heard Lena pick up on the other end. “That’s what I do best, little brother.” He couldn’t resist a little dig. “Next to fucking.”
* * * *
Kristal stayed in her room for the rest of the night, skipping dinner. Even now, after spending hours remembering what had happened at Roar, after seeing what she’d seen, she still couldn’t make sense of it. Sleep had evaded her until the early morning hours and she’d finally given up trying for more rest. A hot shower helped a little.
She jumped at the knock on her door.
“Kristal, honey, would you like some breakfast?”
Her first impulse was to say no, but she was famished. Famished and wanting answers. Was the video fake? Had she really seen the men’s eyes change color? “Sure. I’ll be right down.”
Minutes later, she was seated at a long wooden dining table as Lena forked scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast onto her plate. “Is this your usual breakfast? I mean, I hope you’re not going to any trouble for me. Besides, I thought I was on my own for meals.”
“Most of the time you will be. I just had an urge to cook this morning. It’s no trouble. You know what they say. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” Lena took the chair next to hers and formed three large piles of food on her plate.
How could anyone so thin eat so much? If she ate like Lena every morning, she’d weigh three hundred pounds in short order. “Would you mind answering a few questions?”
Lena offered to pour her a cup of the steaming hot coffee. “I’ll do my best.”
Had Lena tensed up? “I went to Roar last night—”
“You did? Good for you. I’m glad you got out and had a little fun. You seemed so on edge when you arrived.”
Pot, do you hear the kettle calling?
“Yeah, well, I showed the video around.”
Lena went to work on her eggs and kept her gaze focused on her plate. “Uh-huh. And?”
“Purdy said it was a fake.”
The woman nodded, never stopping her fork from moving.
“And then the Conroy boys arrived.” She watched, hoping to catch a reaction, and got none.
“Uh-huh. Go on.”
Getting information from Lena was like trying to pull the stink off a skunk. “Anyway, David and Darion think it’s a fake, too.”
“Then, honey, you might want to consider that it really is a fake.”
“Uh-huh.” She cringed. She hadn’t meant to imitate her. “Anyway, we were dancing—”
Lena’s gaze shot up to meet hers. “You and who, honey?”
“David and Darion.”
“At the same time? Now that’s interesting. Why didn’t you say so earlier?”
She shrugged. “I guess I didn’t think of it.”
“If I’d danced with those two hunks, I wouldn’t be able to think of anything else.”
Was Lena just making conversation or did she have a crush on them? Either way, she had to fight to get to her real question. Yet did she really want to ask? Would Lena think she was crazier than she probably already did?
“Anyway, there was this man who tried to interrupt us. And when he did, Darion and David got really angry.”
“I don’t blame them. A man doesn’t like to have another man crossing into his territory.”
His territory? Like she was land they could claim as their own? “They were really angry. Fighting mad angry.”
Lena frowned. “Did anyone get hurt?”
“No. But when they got angry, their eyes”—she paused, considering her words carefully— “changed color.”
Lena looked away. She was sure she would deny it and tell her that it was all in her head.
“Do you mean they appeared to have more of an amber color in them?”
Had she hit on something? “Yes. Have you seen it happen?”
“Well, sure I have.” Lena plastered on a not-so-sincere smile then reached out and placed a hand over hers. “Honey, Roar has very unusual lighting. Sometimes it makes colors seem to change. Why I’ve even seen green eyes turn purple under those lights.”
She sat back, thrown by the explanation. Even though she’d had the same idea, it still didn’t sit right. “Special lights? Then why doesn’t everything else change color?” What kind of lights could make men’s eyes turn amber?
“Beats me. All I know is that I’ve seen it, too. Maybe Purdy does it only at certain times. It’s just one of those things, I guess.”
“And why didn’t their eyes have the amber color in them before they got angry?”
“Honey, I’m no scientist. All I know is that it happens.”
What she said didn’t make any sense. Yet short of calling Lena a liar, what could she do? “And you know this for sure?”
“Everyone knows it.” Lena stuffed a huge bite of eggs into her mouth.
“Okay.” Could lights really be the answer? Or was Lena trying to hide the real truth from her? “I guess so.”
“Trust me, honey. It’s nothing to worry about.” Lena finished off her third piece of bacon and took another. “Now tell me. What do you think about the Conroy boys?”
The lady was a master at changing the subject. She took a cue from Lena and glanced away. “They’re all right.”
“Just all right? Oh, come on. You’re holding back. Kristal, honey, if you can find men better than Darion and David Conroy, you let me know. Those two boys are fine. Now admit it. They’re sexy, right?”
They were more than fine. They were the epitome of masculinity. “Okay. Yes, they’re sexy as hell.”
Lena slapped her hand down on the table, rattling the dishes. “I knew it. I could see the glint in your eye when I mentioned them. You’re falling for them.”
“What? Of course not. I don’t even know them.”
“But I bet you feel like you do.”
She leaned forward, anxious to hear more. “How did you know?”
“Because, honey, that’s the way of it.”
“Of what?” Her heart beat against her chest. “What are you talking about?”
“Around these parts, we call it the connection. When a man, or men, meet the woman they’re meant to spend the rest of their lives with, they just know. And she does, too. You felt it in your gut, didn’t you? An electric feeling that rode you up and down and didn’t turn you loose. Am I right? I promise you, honey, once you feel it, you never forget it.”
Lena had described the experience to a T. “Again, how do you know this?”
“Everyone in Twisted knows about the connection. It’s a love-at-first-sight instinctual reaction. Everyone wants to get the connection sooner or later. You see the men you’re meant for and you just know. It’s that simple and that wonderful.”
How could she explain what Lena was saying? What she’d felt? How could she explain what she couldn’t understand? “But—”
“But what? But you don’t believe in love-at-first-sight?”
“No. I don’t.”
“Really? After feeling what you felt? Don’t fib to me, honey. I can see it on your face. You got the connection. Don’t be afraid to accept it. Just let it happen.”
“Wait. You said ‘the men’? As in more than one man?”
“You haven’t been around long enough to notice, but it happens a lot ar
ound here. When people get together, it’s usually two or more men with one woman.”
“Seriously? So Twisted is a polygamous town?”
Lena wrinkled her nose. “We don’t like that word. Why does society have to put labels on love? Do the lions in African make a big fuss when one male has a pride filled with females? Of course not.”
“No, but we’re not animals.”
“Of course we are. Humans are animals just like tigers, bears, and wolves. We all want to find our mates and be happy.”
The older woman had a point. Still…
“Let me ask you this. You want both of them, don’t you? You feel the same way for Darion that you feel for David, right?”
“This is crazy. I just met them.” She’d never believed in falling in love at a moment’s notice. Why should she start now because of some silly notion about a so-called connection? Love came from time getting to know the other person. It was a marathon and not a sprint.
“Maybe it is and maybe it isn’t. Only you can decide which one’s right.” Lena stood, taking her plate along with her. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a lot of errands to do today. You’re sticking around, aren’t you?”
If she had any sense, she’d get out of town as fast as she could. The story she’d come to investigate had morphed into something else. Something more. But acting sensibly didn’t always get the answers. “Yes. I’m staying. As long as it’s okay with you.”
“Honey, you can stay as long as you like.” Lena swayed out of the room, taking her plate along with her.
Now what?
Kristal scooted her chair back. As soon as she cleaned up, she’d head to town. One way or another, she’d find out what she needed to know. Not only about the video, but about the Conroy men, too.
* * * *
An hour later, Kristal was fed up. Why couldn’t she get anyone in Twisted to talk? They were all friendly enough, but as soon as she mentioned the video with the tiger, they suddenly found somewhere else to be. Even the ladies at Kut and Kolor beauty salon clammed up. When had a bunch of gossipy women ever kept a secret?
Maybe there wasn’t anything to find out. Maybe everyone was right. The video was a fake and she looked like a fool.
Strangely, although people weren’t interested in talking about the tiger, they were very interested in finding out what she thought about Darion and David. Why were so many of them curious? At times, one of them would remind her of a housecat watching a mouse eat a piece of cheese, ready to pounce on the poor animal as soon as it had fattened up for their meal.
Then it hit her. The same sensation she always felt whenever Darion and David were around swept over her again. Her stomach twisted as her abdomen tightened. The heat between her legs grew moist.
Damn it. Get hold of yourself.
“Kristal, have you got a minute?”
If she hadn’t already felt them near her, she would’ve turned around at David’s deep baritone voice. The sound slipped into her, diving inside her until the warmth of it enveloped her heart. There it was again. The powerful surge of lust that came every time she was near them. Was the connection Lena had mentioned real? Or was she giving into pure need? Granted, she’d never felt anything like it, but that didn’t mean there was an invisible bond pulling them together. She wasn’t so naïve as to believe in a mystical power. Or was she? Yet how else could she explain the rush of emotions mixing with an inner craving pushing her to reach for them? To plead with them to make love to her? Hell, to take her from the front and the back.
She almost sighed from the need to have them touching her, licking her, biting her. Her gaze moved to first David’s eyes then slid to Darion’s.
No amber. Could Lena be telling me the truth? Could it be a trick of the lights?
“Kristal?” David studied her. “Got a minute?”
She snapped out of it. “I guess so. What’s up?”
How could two men get better looking since the last time she’d seen them? Their tanned skin was a perfect light bronze. Their cream-colored hats shadowed their faces, but the darkness couldn’t lessen the forceful glint in their eyes. Strong bodies weren’t hidden by their clothing. Instead, the simple cotton of their shirts highlighted every muscle. Muscles she could still feel against her palm. Muscles she ached to touch without anything between them and her bare skin.
“We figured we could show you around town,” said Darion. He took a stance, placed his feet apart, and hooked his thumbs in the loops of his jeans.
“We’d like to make up for all the ruckus last night. Jacob has a problem holding his liquor,” added David.
“I don’t know.” Although every inch of her wanted to get closer to them, the part of her mind that wasn’t overwhelmed by their presence shouted for her to stay away.
“Come on, girl. What else do you have to do?”
Had anyone else called her girl the way Darion did, she would’ve given them hell. Instead, hearing the way he said it made her want to bite his lower lip like she’d done David’s the night before. The kiss had only been a kiss, but it had shaken her to her core. She’d bet Darion’s would do the same.
“Okay. Although there’s not much of a town to show me. I’ve already driven through it a couple of times.”
Darion took his hat off and plunked it down on her head. “Yeah, but you didn’t have the guided tour.” He tugged her along with him with David taking hold of her other hand. “Let me show you the highlights.”
She’d known charming men before, but Darion could put them all to shame. He was like a combination of entertainer and comedian. As they strolled along the sidewalk, he pointed out different buildings and talked about various people.
“To your right is the famous Kut and Kolor Beauty Shop run by the renowned Kacy Kutler. Ms. Kutler is known the world over for her classic bowl haircuts for children as well as an expert in mullet rejuvenation.”
She couldn’t help but laugh. Kacy had greeted her with a big “hey, you, come right in” and flung her arms around her. But Darion was wrong about the stylishness of the haircuts. Kacy and the other stylist were up-to-date on the latest trends.
“To your left are the Three Wise Men of Twisted.”
Three older gentlemen rocked their chairs back and forth in front of Roar. “What makes them wise?”
“I’ve asked the same question many times.” David gave the three men a wave.
“They’re wise because they have the knowledge of elderly men who have seen and done it all. They’re wise, too, because they can get Purdy to serve them beer any time of the day. Most of the time for free.”
“Wow. Free? They are very wise.” She scoffed, turning her head away so the wise men wouldn’t see.
A rather homely young woman held hands with two men who were almost as handsome as the Conroy brothers. Kristal wondered how such an unattractive woman could land two sexy men, then promptly hated herself for thinking that way. Obviously, the girl had a lot going on for her to catch them.
“Hi, David. Darion.” The girl smiled, shifting her attention from each man to her. “Hi, Kristal. Welcome to Twisted.”
“Hi, Lorelei. Hey, guys.” Darion bumped fists with one of the girl’s guys.
Kristal didn’t have time to react before the trio was past them. “How’d she know my name?”
“You know how it is. Small town gossip runs wild whenever anything new happens. Or whenever the town gets a visitor.” David picked up the pace.
“Plus, you made yourself known by showing the video around. You didn’t exactly keep a low profile,” added Darion.
An older couple window-shopping at one of the other small mom-and-pop stores greeted them with big smiles. Their gazes lingered as they hurried past.
“Okay, I get how the gossipers would spread the word about me and the video, but what’s with all the strange looks?”
“What strange looks?” David asked, but he kept his face turned from her as though he already knew the answer.
“I kind of feel like I’m getting one of two reactions from people. Some of them act like we’re an item. Like I’m your girlfriend or something.”
“Is that right?”
Darion was playing dumb, too.
“Yeah. Either that or they look at me like I’m a really juicy steak.”
What was the sound David just made? If she’d had to guess, she would’ve called it a growl. But she had to be imagining it. Or was it a groan?
“You’re letting your imagination run away with you.” Darion jumped ahead of them then started walking backward. “Besides, would being our girlfriend be so bad? Or are we too ugly for you?”
She stumbled, but caught herself with David’s help. Why would he ask such a question? Was he for real or was he playing with her? “You’re hardly ugly and you know it.” It was better to use that as a diversion than to answer the first question.
“Yeah, okay, you’re right. I know I’m gorgeous, but I was really asking about David. I just didn’t want to say so and hurt his feelings.”
“Fuck you, little brother.” David flipped him off, but he was smiling as he did it.
“How about the other? Could you see yourself as our woman?”
As theirs? She’d never let herself get too involved with any man, much less two. Her career had always come first. Working her way up the ranks in television with the long hours and low pay was hard enough without trying to juggle a relationship.
Still, she couldn’t suppress the tingle zapping her as she gave it some thought. If any men could make her change her mind, it was them. As much as logic fought against it, the other sides of her, the romantic in her as well as her basic sexuality wanted them more than she could ever say out loud.
“What do you think, Kristal?” asked David, putting even more pressure on her to respond.
“What I think is that I don’t know you. I also think people around here are too quick to jump to conclusions. Maybe they’re bored or maybe they’re hopeless romantics. Either way, it’s…” She stalled. What was the right word? Ridiculous? Silly? Premature?
“It’s what?” probed Darion.
