by Jane Jamison
Seth slipped out, making enough noise to let the hitchers know where he was. It was a risk, giving them his location, but he’d rather not startle them into foolish action. Jarrod slid out the other side then nodded, letting him know he was ready.
Seth leaned over the side and studied the tarps. There were definitely two people underneath them. Making sure Jarrod was ready with the gun, he lifted the second tarp and yanked it away.
“Fuck!” The guy who’d threatened Donny scrambled to the other side. “Don’t shoot, man. I’m unarmed.”
The other tarp flew off, revealing Amy. Her hair was mussed, giving her that morning-after look that tugged at his cock. Her eyes flashed as she put her hands up like he was a cop and she was the fleeing robber.
“Please, don’t shoot.”
“What the hell are you two doing in the back of our pickup?” Damn, she looked even better than he remembered. And he remembered a lot. Like the bright blue of her eyes. And the way her perky breasts pushed against her T-shirt.
“We don’t mean anything, dude. Put the gun down, will ya?”
Jarrod scowled at him. “What’s your name again?”
She answered for the both of them. “I’m Amy Arlington and this is my brother Jesse.”
As if he’d have ever forgotten her name. But at least now they knew her last name.
She pointed at the gun still aimed straight at Jesse. “Please, put that thing down.”
Seth gave a slight nod. They weren’t armed, so a gun was unnecessary. Jarrod reached into the cab of the truck and put it back inside the glove compartment. “My brother asked you a question. What are you doing back there?”
“We’re just hitching a ride, man. That’s all. We didn’t steal nothing.” Jesse paused, then once Jarrod motioned for him to go ahead, he threw his body over the side of the truck, landing in front of him.
She stood up in the flatbed of the truck, positioning her crotch at eye level. Seth didn’t bother looking away. What red-blooded man could?
She caught where he was looking and shifted on her feet. Clearing her throat to bring his attention higher, she lifted her eyebrows and reached out her arms.
Suddenly, the image of her lying on top of his bed, her arms open wide and reaching for him, struck him dead center, rocking him. His mouth dried up as a hot flash of lust seared through him. If her brother hadn’t been watching them, he might’ve hopped into the back of the pickup and made quick work of her clothes.
Having Jarrod join in would’ve made it even better. They’d shared a few women before, but none for longer than a few days. It didn’t take long before they wanted the women gone.
Amy Arlington wasn’t the type of girl a man could discard in only a few days. If ever.
“Can you help me get out?”
He’d caught her hitching a ride and she still wanted him to treat her like a princess? The lady had guts. And he liked a woman with guts.
She was perfectly capable of getting out by herself, but if she wanted him to help, he was happy to do so. He took her under the arms and lifted her over the side of the truck and lowered her gently to the ground. She was even lighter than he’d thought she’d be.
While lifting her wasn’t the problem, turning her loose was.
She smelled like the roses his mother used to grow outside the old rental house they’d lived in. Although both his parents had worked, they’d never had any extra money for things like flowers. Her boss had given his mother a rose bush for her birthday and she’d tended the plant as though her life depended on it. She’d loved that bush up until the day he’d run into it with his bike.
He still berated himself for killing the bush. Years later, he’d returned home and brought four rose bushes, each one boasting a different colored petal.
But her fragrance was the only thing about Amy that reminded him of his mother.
He looked into her eyes and suddenly felt like he was drowning. But it was a good kind of going under. The kind that made him ache to dive head-first into her blue pools.
When his gaze slipped lower, going beneath the dip of her shirt, he almost forgot where he was. In the second before he would’ve slipped his hand between her full, ripe breasts, he blinked and realized what he was about to do.
“Shit, man. Why don’t you take a selfie with her boobs? Post it on your page, why don’t you?” Jesse snorted, amused by his joke.
He swallowed, turned her loose, and stepped back. Just putting a little distance between them was enough to make him physically hurt.
He’d never wanted any woman the way he wanted her. And, damn it, if he had any say in it, he’d have her. Tearing his gaze away from her, he found his brother’s knowing look. He sent him a meaningful look, not sure what he was telling him, but needing to say it all the same.
Jarrod nodded, just enough for him to catch the gesture. “I’ll check the horses.” He moved toward the rear of the trailer.
A minute later, Seth heard the squeak of the gate as Jarrod opened the trailer and took a good look inside. As they waited for his brother to return, the three of them took the time to study each other.
He smiled, unable to hold back his feelings. Damn, she was sexy as hell. But she was more, too. Intelligence shown in the light of her eyes. Determination was evident in the lift of her head. And she had plenty of spirit. She stood with her feet planted apart, signaling that she was ready to do fight if she had to.
Jesse’s scowl deepened when Jarrod stalked over, returning to the same place he’d stood before. Her brother was a young man, but for whatever reason, he hadn’t grown into the man he could be. He still had the attitude and swagger of a teen.
“The question is, why? Why are you hitching in the back of our truck when you came to the rodeo in your own car? It was your car, right?” Jarrod’s attention drifted from her to Jesse. “Or did you steal it?”
“Fuck no. It’s Amy’s car.”
“Jesse, please. Don’t.”
And yet, she didn’t want to answer him. He could see her refusal in the stubborn thrust of her chin and the flash in her eyes. “Who are you?”
He grinned, loving the way she made it sound like he was the one who’d gotten caught riding in the back of her pickup. She knew damn well who they were, but was using the tactic to distract him from the fact that she hadn’t answered his question. “I’m surprised you don’t remember. I would’ve sworn you caught our names back at the rodeo. I’m Seth Hill and he’s Jarrod.”
“It’s good to meet you, Mr. Hill. Again.”
He shook his head. Having a beautiful woman call him Mr. Hill made him feel old. And limp. “It’s Seth, and you knew that before you asked. If you think you’re going to get away without answering Jarrod’s question, you’re dead wrong. Let’s try this again. Why are you hitching?”
She glanced at her brother. “I couldn’t take my car and we needed to find another way out of town.”
“Your car didn’t look like much, but it ran, didn’t it?”
She frowned and he knew he’d hit a sore spot with her. He just wasn’t sure how.
“It did. And it was a good car.”
“Okay, so it’s not stolen and it runs. Why not take it instead of playing escaped convict with us? Why not call a friend? Seems to me you had to get out of town fast if you were willing to play stowaway.” Getting her to tell him was harder than yanking road kill away from a badger.
“Like I said. We needed to get out of town and didn’t want to take my car.”
“And instead of just asking for a lift, you thought it’d be more fun to hide under a couple of tarps. Is that right?”
She couldn’t look him in the eye. “Yes.”
He nodded as though he accepted her lie. Not that he did. His mamma didn’t raise stupid children.
“Those guys were after you, weren’t they?”
She turned her head, enough to see Jarrod, but didn’t answer his question.
Jarrod pointed at Jesse. “More than likely th
ey’re after him. Question is…what for?”
Jesse scowled again. “None of your damn business.”
Hadn’t they had a conversation like this already? Still, the whole thing was kind of funny. A hardnosed kid and his beautiful sister. How often did a guy run across a duo like them?
Jarrod, however, didn’t find any humor in the situation. “You made it our business when you got into our pickup. Then I did you a favor and told them I hadn’t seen you. I don’t like lying, but then again I don’t like gangs, either. I did it to help your sister out. Getting her mixed up in whatever you’ve done is a shitty move.”
Jesse had the decency to drop his gaze and appear contrite. At least a little.
“Look, Mr. Hill,”—Amy paused, drawing in a breath that did a terrific job of lifting her breasts when she turned back to Seth—“we can’t tell you why. We had to get away and couldn’t use my car any longer. That’s all I can say. I hope it’s enough.”
She nibbled on her lower lip and just about brought him to his knees. He knew what he should say, but couldn’t find the words to tell them to hit the road. No doubt Jarrod would do it.
“Uh-huh. We get that you’re in trouble. One or the both of you.” If he was betting man—which he was—he’d bet the ranch that Jarrod was right and her brother was the one to blame. Still, she was determined to help him, which meant she’d gotten mixed up in his trouble.
Be sensible. Get rid of them.
They could either take them along with them or drop them on the side of the road. The smart thing to do would be to dump them and get the hell out of there. Why get involved? He hated problems, especially when they weren’t his own. And Jarrod hated problems more than he did.
“Seth…”
Damn, but how he liked the way she said his name. Especially now that she wasn’t calling him Mr. Hill. He’d listen to anything she said as long as she kept saying his name.
“Do you think you could give us a ride?”
He checked with Jarrod, although he could’ve guessed his answer. But no matter what Jarrod said, he wanted to give her a ride and would say so soon enough. Until then, he couldn’t resist toying with her. Her reaction would be priceless. “Hell no.”
Chapter Four
Not just no, but hell no?
Amy stared at Seth, unable to believe he’d let her down. She’d been sure the Hill brothers would come to their rescue. “You won’t?” She turned to Jarrod, hoping for a better answer. “Can you talk him into it?”
“You heard my brother,” added Jarrod.
“Fuck, man. We’re only asking for a ride.”
Jarrod’s smile was anything but friendly. “Kid, you need to learn to keep your mouth shut.”
“I’m not a kid.” Jesse sneered. “I bet I’m almost your age.”
At least it got Jarrod to laugh. Although his tone wasn’t much better than his condescending smile. “How old are you anyway?”
“Eighteen.”
“Really?” Jarrod crossed his arms and gave Jesse a hard look. “Yeah, I can see it from the looks of you. Problem is, I don’t think your brain has caught up with your body.”
“Fuck you, man.”
She gave Jesse a hard look to silence him then did her best to stay calm. If anything, she wanted to ream him out and defend her brother. But pissing him off wouldn’t get them a ride.
“Please, Jarrod. We need help. I promise my brother won’t say another word.” She scowled at Jesse’s grumbled protest. “Not another word.”
“We can’t ask for more than that, right, bro? She’s convinced me. Let’s give them a ride.” Seth leaned against the side of the pickup. “What harm can it do, anyway? Those guys aren’t on our ass. Hell, they’ve probably given up by now.”
She couldn’t read Seth. Had he been joking before? Jarrod, however, wasn’t.
“Fine, but I won’t have you two riding in the back. It’s not safe on the main roads.”
She waited, not wanting to say anything in case it changed their minds.
Jarrod cocked his head toward the cab. “Get in the truck. We’ll take you as far as Garner.”
“Anywhere away from Selena is good.” She closed her mouth fast. If she wasn’t careful, she might say too much. “Where is Garner?”
“It’s a small town close to the New Mexico border.” Seth pulled the door open and gestured for her to get inside. “If you want a ride, then come on.”
“But we’re not making any side trips, got it?” Jarrod walked around the hood of the truck. “I’m driving, Seth.”
“Suit yourself, bro.” He grinned at her as he changed sides.
She eased past Jarrod and, as she did, picked up the heady aroma of leather, sweat, and masculinity. The men who frequented the diner where she’d worked had the sweat part of the scent down pat. As for the others? Not a chance.
She took her time getting into the cab. Damn, but the man smelled good. Not in the cologne kind of way city guys did, but way better. Sliding over the seat, she again gave Jesse a warning look, reminding him to keep quiet, as he got in on the other side. He grumbled something she couldn’t understand as they scrunched together to make room for the two larger men.
“Hey, Amy, if it’s too tight a squeeze, you’re welcome to sit on my lap.” Seth patted his leg. “Crawl on over.”
Jesse pulled his hoodie low and, thankfully, didn’t say anything. If her brother wasn’t sitting next to her, she might have taken Seth up on his offer. Her legs pressed against the cowboy’s hard thighs would make for an uncomfortably good ride, not to mention how his crotch would have her squirming with delight. Since the seat belt wouldn’t fit around both of them, she’d have to hang on, but that was fine with her. It’d give him an opportunity to wrap his trunk-like arms around her and crush her breasts against his rock-hard chest.
If only Jesse wasn’t with them. But, if he wasn’t, she wouldn’t have an excuse to sit on Seth’s lap. Still, she’d better play it safe. “Um, thanks, but it’s better if I stay where I am.”
She motioned for Jesse to take the middle seat belt, but he ignored her. It was useless to fight with him. Instead, she snapped it around her waist.
She drew in a long breath, catching not only Seth’s heady scent, but Jarrod’s, too. If only she’d been caught between Jarrod and Seth, instead of having her brother next to her, it would’ve been even better.
Although she scrunched her body, trying to take up as little space as possible, her shoulder still rubbed against Seth’s. His leg brushed against hers as he settled into the seat, and the strong muscles of his arm flexed as he placed his hand on his knee. She found it hard to breathe and even harder not to stare into his eyes. If she did, she might just forget Jesse was there. Instead, she focused her attention on Jarrod. At least her brother provided a safe barrier between them.
Jarrod had muscles just like his brother with arms as solid as a large branch. They could’ve been cut from the same massive tree. She couldn’t help but catch the way his legs filled out the denim jeans all the way down to his scuffed boots. Yet when he caught her looking him over, she was quick to find an excuse.
“Um, what’s the buckle for?” It wasn’t an ordinary belt buckle, but she didn’t want to stare anywhere near the vicinity of his crotch to read the intricate engraving on the silver oval.
“I won it a couple of years ago at a rodeo.”
Another rodeo? Did he travel around to a lot of them?
She didn’t know much about rodeos. Was that what they competed for? A buckle? Why not just buy one? Why put themselves in harm’s way for an accessory? Still, she tried to fake her way through it. “Wow. So you must’ve won best cowboy or something, right?”
Damn. Talk about sounding lame.
“Don’t go making his head too big for his hat, Amy.”
Jarrod pulled the rig back onto the road. “Yeah. Something like that. Seth’s just jealous because he didn’t get anything except a broken tailbone and a sore head.”
&n
bsp; His dark gaze met hers then went to her lips, sending her an unmistakable message. He wanted to kiss her. If Jesse weren’t sitting next to her, she would’ve gladly let him. Hell, she would’ve gladly let both Hill brothers pull off the side of the road, strip her of her clothes, and have at her.
It’s a good thing Jesse’s here.
She pulled her gaze away from Jarrod’s.
Or is it?
“Did you compete in the rodeo today?” She wasn’t sure why she didn’t want to admit that she’d watched him.
“Yeah.”
“Jarrod and I won the team roping event.”
She dared to give Seth a quick smile before turning it on Jarrod. “Really? That’s great. Congratulations, Seth. You, too, Jarrod.”
“Thanks. All in all it was a pretty good day,” answered Seth.
And yet the glance Seth gave Jarrod seemed like he was expecting his brother to disagree.
“And those are your horses in the trailer?” She cringed inwardly. If she sounded any lamer, she’d have to toss herself out of the truck.
“Yeah. One’s mine and the other’s Seth’s.”
Luckily, his answer didn’t make her question seem so lame. “Did you win another belt buckle today? Or something else?” Surely the prizes had to be more than a buckle, even a fancy one like Jarrod’s. How could anyone afford to haul horses around and spend a day trying not to get hurt for just a buckle?
“Not much.” Jarrod’s gaze fixed on the large side mirror.
Why had Jarrod clammed up? Come on, cowboy. Give me something to work with. Talk.
“Oh?” She ignored Jesse’s chuckle. He wasn’t helping to ease the awkward situation.
Seth chimed in. “We won the team roping event, but the bull riding went wrong. Still, we came away with a little cash.”
“Seriously, man? You ride bulls?”
It was the nicest thing Jesse had said so far. She bumped her shoulder against his and gave him a smile he promptly shrugged off.
But Jarrod’s expression had gone south. Again, she caught Seth watching him.
“Jarrod and I are ranchers for a living, but we’re doing the rodeo circuit as much as we can. We want to get into the finals at the end of the season.” Seth shifted his body, giving them a little more room. His gaze searched her with a sexy look she was sure other women would’ve killed for.
