Red Clouds Dancing [The ShadowDance Club 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Avery Gale

  Even now, each time she spoke with Cash she felt as if they had a deep connection, it was as if he spoke directly to her heart. She wasn’t going to walk away from them with her heart unscathed, but it was time to face the fact that they had obviously changed their minds. Oh, she knew they still wanted to be her friend, but she wasn’t sure she was going to be able to pull that off. Maybe she could until they started seeing someone else. She felt a tear roll down her cheek and then cursed herself for letting her mind wander into such a dark place.

  Gathering herself up, she plastered on the smile she wore like steel-plated armor, touched up her make-up and made her way out the door. She’d been living in one of the guest houses behind the Lamonts’ spacious home until the manager’s apartment was completed at the motel. The apartment wasn’t huge, but it was a lot bigger and nicer than any place she’d ever lived. It wasn’t a long drive down ShadowDance Mountain into town, but there were a lot of switchbacks that always made Layla nervous. The first thing she’d done when she got to town was buy a small used car. She still laughed when she remembered the looks on Alex and Zach Lamont’s faces when she’d asked for a small advance so she could buy a car. Their tastes in vehicles were much more sophisticated and expensive than hers. They’d readily agreed to give her the advance and had only wanted to know how much she needed. When she’d said six hundred dollars they’d looked at her as if she’d lost her mind.

  Boy had they put up a fuss when she’d told them she was buying a used subcompact car. Alex had actually gone pale. Zach had stood looking at her with his mouth gaping open and just blinked at her for long moments. And now that she’d gotten to know them better, she understood how significant that actually had been.

  A few weeks later when she’d told Kat, Jenna, Tori, and Rissa about it during one of their ’rita parties, she’d thought the women were going to fall out of their chairs they’d been laughing so hard. And now that she thought about it, it was a pretty funny scene, even if it hadn’t seemed all that funny at that moment. Damn, that had been a fun night with her new friends. How they’d all gotten so giddy when their drinks had been virgin had amazed her. There were several among them that either were pregnant or were trying to get pregnant, so it had just been easier to make the drinks without the alcohol.

  Letting her thoughts wander back to her bosses’ frustration over her choice of cars, she reached over and patted the cracked vinyl seat beside her and didn’t even try to hold back her giggle. Zach had been much more tactful than Alex, but he’d still tried valiantly to dissuade her, despite her insistence that the little yellow car was all she could afford. They had made her promise she’d trade it for something better before winter or borrow one of their four-wheel-drive SUVs. She’d turned back to thank them one last time before leaving their office and seen Alex Lamont thumping his forehead on his desk so she’d decided to just leave well enough alone.

  Making her way down the steep mountain road she noticed there was a car following her, it seemed to be gaining on her too quickly and it flashed through her mind for a split second that they weren’t going to get shut down in time to avoid rear-ending her. But they’d slowed briefly, flashed their lights a couple of times and then roared past her. Her eyes had still been adjusting after the flashing of their bright lights in her mirrors, so she hadn’t gotten a good look at the truck as it roared around her. She did notice that it had out of state plates, but she hadn’t made out anything else. Crazy ass hat was probably in a big hurry to get to the new bar and dance with his two gigantic left feet. She found a spot to pull over for a few seconds until her hands had stopped shaking and then headed on down into town. By the time she turned into the large parking lot in front of Red Clouds Dancing she had pushed the unpleasant incident out of her mind. She was determined to enjoy her evening and she headed inside. Her friends had said they’d be here and she’d asked them to save her a seat. Hopefully their zaniness would be enough to keep her from slipping into a funk about Cash, Collin, and Clay’s change of heart.

  Chapter 5

  Cash let a sigh of relief when Toby sent him a text letting him know he’d just seen Layla’s small yellow POS pull into the lot. The former linebacker was perfect in every way as a bouncer at the bar and he never missed a chance to give him or his brothers shit about the car their woman drove. Hell, evidently everybody knew she was their woman but the object of their affections. Excusing himself from the table of local city council members he’d been visiting with, Cash sent a quick message to his brothers as he quickly made his way to the entrance.

  The minute Layla stepped through the front entrance he wrapped her in his arms and pulled her against his chest. “You look beautiful, love. I’m so glad you’re here, I was getting worried.” He didn’t give her time to answer before he just turned her into Collin’s waiting arms.

  “Sweetness, you look gorgeous. I can’t wait to get you out on that dance floor.” Cash watched as Collin leaned in and whispered against her ear. Cash couldn’t hear his words but loved the deep flush that flooded her beautiful cheeks.

  Clay was now standing close and pulled her into his arms next. “Baby, you are so beautiful. Will you dance with me after you dance with Cash? I’ll get our drinks and be waiting for you. What would you like?”

  “I think I’d better stick with iced tea. I’m going to need the caffeine to dance with you later, I’ve heard about you rodeo cowboys, and I want to be able to keep up.” Cash watched as she flirted with Clay, theirs was an easy rapport and he was pleased knowing she’d have a balance with the three of them. He’d spent a lot of time talking with his mom and dads since moving back to Climax and the one thing his mom had repeatedly cited as a key to their family’s success was the fact that each of her husbands was different in some significant way. She’d explained that when she wanted to joke around she always sought out Julian and when she wanted to argue or debate something she’d go to James. But when she needed guidance or comfort, it was the eldest, Joseph, she turned to. She’d noted that she believed he and his brothers would be very similar in strengths and temperaments. And just now, watching how Layla was playful with Clay, Cash could see exactly what she’d meant.

  Cash handed her small handbag to Clay and led his beautiful woman to the dance floor. He looked up to the stage and nodded to the lead singer. The young man immediately launched into Josh Turner’s “Soulmate.” Cash pulled Layla against him and led her around the floor in a dance that he hoped set the stage for an evening of pure seduction. He and his brothers had planned in great detail how they intended to show her exactly how much they wanted her. And they planned to make it perfectly clear that simple friendship was not their goal.

  Remembering how he’d made sweet love to her that night so many months ago in Houston, and then watched as Collin and Clay had taken her together he could hardly wait until they had her naked between them again. When Collin had rolled her to her hands and knees and slid deep into her pussy, Clay had guided her lips to his own raging need. Cash had watched as his brothers had brought Layla to the edge of release twice before sending her into a screaming orgasm that had been just about the sexiest thing he’d ever seen.

  Bringing his thoughts back to the present, he pulled her up against his rigid length then let his words spill over the shell of her dainty ear. “Feel that, love? That’s how much I want you. Never doubt it, but know this—I want all of you. I want your sweet smile, your generous spirit, your giving heart and your future.” He caught her as she missed a step in their dance and made the most of the opportunity, pressing her breasts tightly against his chest. “I’ll always catch you, love. You can trust me to always catch you, so don’t ever be afraid to jump.” He’d pulled her back so he could look into her eyes. He wanted to make sure she understood he’d spoken from his heart. He saw tears pool in her emerald eyes, so he knew she had recognized his sincerity. “Don’t cry, love. And please never doubt how much we all care for you. We’ve made a mistake letting so much time go by, but we
knew you were working so hard—hell, we’ve all been working too hard. And we let our priorities slip, but that stops—now. After tonight you’ll no longer have to worry that we don’t want you.” The song had ended and when she started to speak, Cash placed his fingers over her lips and simply shook his head, then placed his hands on her shoulders and slowly turned her so that she was facing Clay.

  * * * *

  Clay had chosen the song “I Swear” by John Michael Montgomery because he wanted Layla to understand how strong his commitment would always be. There wasn’t any question that he’d been with a lot of women. He’d had his share of buckle bunnies at every rodeo and exhibition stop on the road—there wasn’t a thing he could do to change the past—but he could damned well build a future with the amazing woman dancing across the planked floor with him.

  It had been his idea to use the old wood from the barn as the dance floor. Once they’d laid it all down, they’d poured high gloss-high impact poly by the drums full over the top and the result was astonishingly gorgeous. The poly manufacturers had offered to reimburse them all of the expenses if Red Clouds Dancing would allow them to use the idea in advertising. By Clay’s estimation the free advertising Red Clouds was going to get was going to make all the work worthwhile.

  He smiled down at Layla when she asked him what he was thinking about that had him “grinnin’ like the cat that got the canary.” He told her about the floor and she nearly caused a domino effect of wrecked couples when she stopped and dropped down to check it out right in front of the band.

  He’d quickly lifted her back into his arms, laughing out loud at her antics. “Baby, you are somethin’ else, you know that? Damn, you are gorgeous, smart, and funny. And you are perfect for us. I want you to know how happy I am that you’re our woman. I could hold you in my arms like this forever and never get tired of it.” He let the music carry them around the floor. He wanted her to be comfortable before he pushed her just a bit further.

  Leaning closer to her and pressing his hard cock against her belly he whispered right behind her dainty ear, “Baby, I’d like you to consider coming home with us tonight. I know you can feel how much I want you. We won’t push you to make love with us if you aren’t ready, but we’ve done some things with the house we’d like to show you. And since we all have the day off tomorrow, we’d like to spend it with you.” He pulled back to look into her eyes just as the song started to wind down. When he saw tears glistening in her eyes his heart sunk. “Oh, baby, please don’t cry. You don’t have to come if you don’t want to, we’ll still want.”

  He didn’t get to finish because she’d pulled him down and kissed him. He knew he should keep the kiss gentle and let her take the lead, but at his first taste of her, all rational thought fled and all he could think about was getting closer and sweeping his tongue over every inch of her sweet mouth. When he finally heard someone to the side clear their throat, he realized exactly how out of control his reaction had been. Christ, they were still standing in the middle of the dance floor and he’d been ready to start stripping her. When he pulled back slightly, he was panting and once the blood stopped rushing through his ears like a freight train he could hear the hoots and hollers from their ShadowDance friends who were currently taking up three tables at the edge of the floor.

  “I have to get back to work, babe, but I’ll be checking on you. Enjoy your dance with Collin.” He turned her into his brother’s arms and then turned to their friends and saluted.

  * * * *

  Collin had been thrilled to see their woman pull his brother down into a kiss so searing he’d worried Clay was going to fuck her right in the middle of the dance floor. He’d been chosen to go last because he was the one who was ordinarily the most intimidating. They’d hoped that by letting Cash and Clay lay the ground work, his plan for Layla would cinch her going home with them. He looked down and smiled at her slightly dazed look, “Dance with me, sweetheart.” And then the band started playing the song he’d chosen for her, Rod Stewart’s “Have I Told You Lately.”

  He ran his hand in slow circles over her lower back and felt her melt against him—molding her curves to his length. Everything about holding her in his arms felt right and he didn’t want to ever let her go. Collin knew full well the effect his voice had on Layla and he intended to use that information shamelessly tonight. Leaning down so that his breath brushed over her soft skin he started to sing the first refrain. Then he said to her, “There isn’t anyone else who has ever filled my heart the way you do.” He kept them moving around the crowded dance floor and was continually finding ways that Layla chased away the sadness that he’d been plagued with since his last mission.

  “It’s true, you know. I love you, as do both of my brothers. And I want you in ways I hadn’t even realized were possible.” He felt his friends closing ranks around them, just as they had planned. Alex was dancing with Katarina and from the look on her face, his friend was telling his little fireball wife many of the same things Collin was whispering to Layla. Colt Matthews was dancing with his very pregnant wife, Jenna Lamont-Matthews, and Trace and Tori Bartell were also staying close. Their friends were essentially a shield for Layla as Collin continued to tell her exactly how he wanted to slide his throbbing cock deep inside her glistening pussy. And that the feel of her vaginal walls gripping his cock as he slid in and out of her heat had to be a glimpse of what heaven would be like. When he felt her breathing coming in short panting breaths he slid his knee between her legs and pressed against her clit and simply said, “Come for me, sweetheart.” He felt her body stiffen and he quickly covered her mouth with his and caught her cries of release. It was a good thing he’d had his arm wrapped firmly around her because he felt her knees give way, but to her credit she recovered quickly and only missed a couple of steps in their dance.

  When the song ended, Collin noticed that Katarina, Jenna, and Tori all looked like their men had taken them on the same ride, but since each of them was experienced with at least some level of open play at The Club, he knew they wouldn’t be intimidated by having an orgasm in public. He led Layla to the edge of the floor and then turned her back into his arms. “Come home with us, sweetheart. Let us love you. Let us show you how great we can be together.”

  Her voice was shaky, but he certainly loved her answer. “Yes, I…well, I’d like that very much.” He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her with a sense of urgency that would have left no doubt in her mind how much her answer had pleased him. Pulling back he whispered, “Come on, sweetness, I’ll take you to the restroom and let you freshen up a bit before we join our friends.” When they reached the door he assured her that he’d be waiting right there when she returned. After she had disappeared inside, he sent a quick text to his brothers making sure they knew she had agreed to go home with them. Even though this was Red Clouds Dancing’s grand opening, they’d actually been open for almost a week, so their assistant managers were well trained and had been quick to offer to close up shop so the three of them could leave earlier than usual tonight. Once the crowd thinned out, they’d be making their way the short distance to their home.

  As soon as his parents decided to move to Denver and leave their spacious home for their sons, Collin had started drawing up plans for renovations and improvements. One of the first changes he’d made to those plans after meeting Layla was to add a well-appointed play room in the basement. He could hardly wait to show it to her, but that wasn’t on the agenda for this weekend. This first visit was about showing her the more mainstream changes they’d made to their childhood home.

  Cash and Clay had joined him by the time Layla opened the restroom’s door and walked out. Her eyes went wide at the sight of all three of them waiting for her and she hesitated for just a moment before walking in to Cash’s open arms. “I’m keeping you from your guests. This is your big night, you all should be out there greeting your customers and enjoying yourselves. I’m sorry I took so long, but I had to…well, I had to.”

&nbs
p; Collin watched as Cash laughed and pulled her chin up from her chest and smiled at her embarrassment. “Love, we know exactly what Collin did to you on the dance floor. And both Clay and I are thrilled that you trusted him enough to let him take you there. Don’t be embarrassed, I’m sure you probably heard from some of your new friends that they had similar experiences, didn’t you?”

  Her eyes got absolutely huge and Collin knew immediately that the conversation in the ladies’ room must have been very interesting. “Well…yes, it was mentioned. But they are so much braver than I am about this kind of thing. I’m sassy, but I really don’t have that much experience.” Cash watched her eyes drop to the floor again and he knew she hadn’t intended to share that much information.

  Collin stepped forward and said, “You were a dream come true, sweetheart. Now, let’s get you something to drink, shall we?” They led her to the tables where the Lamonts, Matthews, Bartells, and Marshalls had pulled together. Their tables immediately became the focal point of the bar and grill and they were all thrilled with their new business’s success, but as Collin looked at both of his brothers, he knew they were every bit as anxious to get Layla home and to themselves as he was.