Two Dude Ranchers for Dawn [Cowboy City 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage and More) (4 page)

“You can’t leave me standing out here with a hard-on, darlin’. Not in front of all these people.”

“Oh, God. No. Sorry.” Dawn allowed him to draw her back into his arms, biting her lip to stop herself from babbling like an idiot to cover her nerves. She held herself at arm’s length and stared at the hollow of Garrett’s throat because she simply couldn’t bring herself to look him in the eye, especially while her mind was preoccupied with his erection.

Was it still hard? How long would she need to keep dancing? Would he let her know when it was okay to stop? Maybe she should take a peek?
God, no! Don’t do that…

“Relax, honey. It’s no big deal.”

Garrett’s voice jerked her out of her frantic thoughts. “I’m sorry.”

“Stop apologizing. I find you attractive. Is that so hard to believe?”

“But you said you were gay.”

He shook his head. “No, you said I was gay. I only said I’ve been with Ben for ten years.”

“So you’re bisexual?”

Garrett stopped dancing and took a step away, and Dawn had to stop herself checking that he wasn’t revealing the hard-on he’d just been trying to hide.

“What is your obsession with putting a label on everything?”

“I’m not trying to label you, just trying to understand. I didn’t mean to offend you.”

Garrett took his hat off and ran a hand through his hair as he let out a ragged sigh, then thrust it back on his head. “Forget it. I’m not offended. I guess I understand your confusion.”

He held his arms out to her, inviting her to finish their dance. Dawn thought about refusing for a second, but gave in rather than risk upsetting him again. The tension didn’t ease between them as the dance seemed to go on for an eternity, and the warm intimacy she’d felt toward him earlier disappeared.

When the music finally ended, Garrett let her go. As she turned to walk away, he held onto her hand for a little longer, lifting it to his lips as he pressed a quick kiss against her knuckles. Dawn smiled, genuinely charmed by the sweet gesture and touched that he wanted her to know she was forgiven.

As she backed away, she bumped into something solid and spun around, ready to apologize to whomever it was she’d bumped into, only to find Ben grinning down at her.

“My turn, little lady,” he said, yanking her into his embrace without waiting for permission.

Dawn hung on tight as he began to spin her around the yard when the music started again, this time in a lively two-step. If Ben had any idea what had passed between her and Garrett, he didn’t let on, and she could only hope this dance was far less complicated than the one she’d just shared with his very gorgeous, but very intimidating, boyfriend.

When Ben cut in, his first intention had been to put a stop to whatever the hell was going on between Garrett and the woman. Despite his lover’s earlier denials, it was clear he was sexually attracted to Dawn.

There was also a part of him that was curious to discover exactly what it was Garrett was responding to in a way he never had before with anyone except Mary. If she’d looked a little like his wife, Ben would have been able to understand it, but the women couldn’t have been more different.

She seemed to enjoy dancing with Ben, if her infectious laughter was anything to go by, and he found himself encouraging it by spinning her faster. He dipped her low as the music came to an end, making her scream in surprise and clutch on to his arms. She blushed as he set her back on her feet, and the rosy glow on her cheeks intensified as he stared down at her, charmed by her shy smile.

Another tune started, and he held his arms wide, inviting her to join him. For a second, he thought she was gonna refuse, but then she stepped into his embrace, placing one of her hands in his and the other on his shoulder.

“What do you think of Cowboy City so far?”

“Oh, it’s wonderful.” Her face lit up with enthusiasm, her reaction genuine.

He enquired about her reason for visiting and asked where she hailed from. Dawn started telling him about the bachelorette party and her job in New York, talking long enough that he could stop paying attention and start studying her.

She really was pretty, beautiful even. Her eyes were a deep sapphire blue and fringed with long, dark lashes. Ben gazed down at her mouth as she spoke, noting her even, white teeth and lush pout. He felt a stirring in his groin and almost laughed out loud. Despite the fact he hadn’t slept with a woman in over in decade, he was getting horny for her.

Ben took an inventory of her from head to toe, sensing with his body what his eyes could not see.

Her small breasts were firm against his chest, and her waist felt tiny under his palm. Ben knew what her butt looked like as he’d gotten an eyeful when he was watching her dance with Garrett. She had long, lean legs and filled out her jeans in all the right places. His gaze landed on the column of her neck and fixed onto the shadowy spot just below her ear, and a sudden urge to flick his tongue out and lick at it made his throat go dry.

“I said, do you enjoy working here?” Dawn’s voice broke through Ben’s thoughts.

“Yeah, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. I’ve always worked with animals, horses in particular, and I love meeting people, so this is perfect for me.”

Ben adjusted his grip on her, letting his hands mold around her hips as he pulled her a little closer.

“So, tell me, is there a guy waiting for you back in New York?”

Dawn stopped dancing and leaned back into his arms to stare up into his face. “Your partner asked me the exact same question.”

“Garrett asked you?” Ben shook his head in mock amazement to cover his genuine surprise, making her smile in the process, and pulled her back into his embrace. “And what did you tell him?”

“I told him I was single.”

“What did he say to that?”

Dawn yanked herself out of his arms and stepped away. “Why don’t you ask him. Look, I don’t know what kind of game you two are playing but I don’t appreciate being caught in the middle of it.”

“Hey, hold up.” Ben reached out and grabbed her hand, stopping her as she tried to walk away. “I don’t know what happened between you two, but we aren’t playing any game. We both asked a beautiful woman to dance, that’s all. Mingling with the guests is part of our job. I can’t speak for Garrett, but believe me when I tell you that flirting with a woman is the last thing I would ever normally do.”

“So why are you doing it with me?”

“Is that what that was?” Ben tried for humor, but the expression on Dawn’s face told him it wasn’t working. “Hell, I don’t know. You’re very pretty and I enjoyed dancing with you. Why make it any more complicated than that?”

Dawn nodded, letting him off the hook, and Ben resolved to behave himself until the dance was over. She stepped back into his embrace but held her body away from his, and he wondered if she’d felt his earlier reaction to her. The awkward silence that followed told him she had.

The music ended and she quickly put some distance between them, avoiding his gaze as she thanked him and walked away. Ben turned to find Garrett staring at him and shaking his head.

“What was that all about?” he asked, handing Ben a fresh bottle of beer.

Ben put the bottle to his mouth and drained half the contents, easing his parched throat, and then turned to look at Garrett. “From what I’ve just been told, you’re in no position to ask me any questions.”

Garrett pulled out of Ben and collapsed onto the bed beside him, bathed in sweat and panting hard.

They’d just had angry, almost violent sex, and Garrett’s orgasm had been mind blowing.

“Told ya,” Ben muttered, the pillow smothering his wry chuckle.

“Told me what, exactly?” Garrett wasn’t in the mood to argue any more.

“That you wanted to fuck her.” Ben turned to face him and, to Garrett’s surprise, he didn’t look angry.

“Jesus, not this again.” Garrett tried to defuse the situation and leaned down to kiss Ben before pulling him into an embrace. “How many times do I have to tell you? The only person I want to fuck, the only person I
ever
want to fuck, is you. And I think I just did a damn good job of doing it.”

Ben nodded. “You can say that again. It’s been a long time since we had sex twice in one day.

Someone’s got you hot under the collar, and I think I know who it is.”

“I’m going to sleep.” Garrett pushed him away and turned to lay on his side, but Ben kept talking.

“Don’t get mad. I’m trying to tell you that I understand. Dawn is a gorgeous woman, and I totally get why you’re so turned on by her. Hell, I wanted her after only a couple of minutes in her company.”

Garrett looked back over his shoulder. “You did? Then why are you giving me such a hard time?”

“Because I don’t like hearing from a woman I barely know that the man I am in love with has been coming on to her. I gave you every opportunity to tell me you were hot for her when I tried to talk to you earlier.”

“I wasn’t coming on to her. Well, not really. Okay, I got an erection and she–”

Ben’s laughter stopped Garrett short. He sat up against the headboard and folded his arms, waiting to see what Ben found so funny.

“You, too?” Ben asked, his words barely audible as he wiped his eyes and gasped for breath.

“You mean, you got a hard-on while you were dancing with her?”

“Yep.”

Garrett considered that for a second. What was it about Dawn that affected them both so much?

Although he would never admit it openly, Garrett had to confess to himself that he did sometimes miss having someone soft, warm, and feminine to hold, but not so badly that he’d do anything to risk his relationship with Ben. Dawn was the first woman he’d met since Mary died that he’d had such a strong physical reaction to, but that didn’t explain why Ben seemed to be so fascinated by her.

“Seems to me, you’re the one who can’t stop yakking about her.” Garrett realized his words had hit home when Ben looked away, struggling to come up with an answer. Eventually, he shrugged.

“I guess I just think it’s important we talk about what’s going on.”

“Why won’t you let this go?”

Ben rolled onto his side and laid his head on Garrett’s thigh. “Because it’s too late to let it go. You can deny it all you want but I know you were thinking of her while you were fucking me.”

Garrett didn’t want to admit he was right. “Were you thinking about her?”

“Yeah…but not the whole time.”

“And you don’t feel guilty?” He sure as hell did.

“No, because thinking about her didn’t weaken my reaction to you. If anything, it made it stronger.

I wanted you so bad, I couldn’t think straight.”

Garrett understood that well enough. He’d just gone through the exact same thing himself.

“This isn’t just about her. It’s also about us.” Ben looked up into Garrett’s face.

“How so?”

“Ask yourself, when was the last time a woman turned you on?”

Garrett shrugged. “It happens every once in a while, but not often. And I never act on it.”

Ben nodded. “Same here. But it’s different with Dawn, don’t you think?”

“It’s the first time I’ve ever wanted to have sex with somebody else other than you, if that’s what you mean.” Garrett’s gaze focused on the far wall rather than on Ben. He couldn’t look him in the eye.

Being this truthful didn’t come easy.

“That’s exactly what I mean. And what do you think we should do about it?”

“Nothing.”

“Don’t you think we should explore this together, find out what it means?”

“How?”

Ben sat up and leaned into the headboard, his shoulder pressed against Garrett’s. “I know you’re not that stupid. We seduce her.”

“Hang on a minute, when the hell did we come that conclusion? Besides, what makes you think that would work?”

“It might not, but what if it did? Doesn’t the thought of both of us taking her together turn you on, even a little?”

Garrett’s body answered for him when he couldn’t bring himself to utter the words. His cock got painfully hard, and there wasn’t the slightest chance in hell Ben wouldn’t notice.

“I think we have a winner,” Ben said, grabbing Garrett’s hand and placing it on an erection of his own.

Dawn finished her cocktail, aware she was probably drinking too fast. Two days after her unnerving encounter with the gorgeous Garrett and his partner, Ben, she still hadn’t managed to get her frazzled nerves or libido under control. Suddenly, the idea of subjecting herself to a night of staring at hard bodies, gleaming muscles, and sexy smiles, didn’t seem like such a good idea, but the rest of the girls had seemed dead set on seeing the show. It was the perfect venue for Jen’s official bachelorette party, and the management had arranged a little surprise for Jen after the show. Dawn cast a nervous glance her way, hoping they weren’t just going to cause Jen more problems with her fiancé. It had taken every bit of effort that Dawn and her friends could muster to convince Jen not to tell Alan. Jen claimed he wouldn’t mind, but Dawn suspected he’d make sure Jen didn’t enjoy herself by pouting about it beforehand.

A loud chorus of catcalls, whistles, and giggles went up from the people crowded into the cabaret bar located in the heart of Cowboy City. Dawn swiveled in her seat to stare up at the stage. Standing in the center, framed in a spotlight, was a gorgeous guy, dressed in a cowboy hat, skintight jeans, leather chaps, boots with lethal-looking spurs, and a smile.

“Good evening, ladies and gentleman. Welcome to Buck Naked and Bareback Night at the Roughriders Saloon. The show’s about to start, so make sure your glasses are full.”

The sound of a champagne cork popping just behind her made Dawn jump, and she turned to find Julie grinning like a Cheshire cat as she splashed wine into the tray of glasses that Dawn hadn’t noticed arrive.