“Aidan was born here,” Bo argued, but there wasn’t a lot of heat behind it. He was starting to get damn tired of this conversation.
“Yeah, well, he left as fast as he could.” Brian tossed back his drink, swallowing the contents and slamming the glass on the bar when he was done. “And he’s brought back those two. City snobs. Did you know that woman of his is trying to force the city to spend thousands of dollars so she can wash her hair in artesian water?”
Now Bo didn’t try to stop his eye roll. Idiots. “Lexi is trying to get the city to upgrade the water filtration facilities that serve the school. And Lucas put up some of his own money for the project.”
“Yeah, we don’t want no money from fags.”
This was the shit Bo put up with on a daily basis. “Well, you fight him then. I’m sure all three of your kids will be fine. They might be deformed, but at least they won’t have taken fag money.”
Why did he hang out with these guys? Habit. He’d been trying to fit in since the day he’d figured out it sucked to not fit in.
Brian scratched at his head. “Yeah. That’s right. Hey, what do you mean by deformed?”
He was saved from having to explain that to a very drunk Brian by a well-manicured hand dipping into his shirt.
“Hey, what are you doing?” Clarissa practically purred in his ear.
Thinking about running as fast as he could. The whole thing with Clarissa had seemed like a fun idea, but she was kind of scaring him now. He looked down and saw her bloodred nails disappearing into his shirt.
“Yeah, Bo, how’s it going?” Melody swept in beside him. She was a blonde, too, though hers seemed a bit more natural than Clarissa’s. Melody’s hand slid along his thigh.
Bo nearly jumped out of his seat. “It’s going good, ladies. But I seem to be a little tired.”
Clarissa cocked a hip, and that taloned hand of hers rode it. “What do you mean, you’re tired? It’s not even ten o’clock. We’re supposed to head out to Angel’s party.”
Angel. He’d forgotten about that. Angel threw some wild parties that lasted for days. He had to work tomorrow. He’d promised his brother he would come in and meet the new foreman and pick up a feed order.
“You know I have to work in the morning. I think I’m going to call it a night.”
Clarissa’s mouth turned down into a pout that would do a two-year-old proud. “Tomorrow is Saturday.”
“Yeah, the cows don’t care. They don’t stop eating because it’s the weekend.” Ranching was a twenty-four-seven job. And it was a great excuse to get out of something he never should have gotten into.
“He’s gotta work hard because that brother of his is way too busy fucking his boyfriend to do real man’s work.” Brian belched.
Bo’d had just about enough of Brian. And he’d had just about enough of all of this. “Shut your fucking mouth. You don’t know my brother. My brother damn near gave up his legs for this country. You will treat him with some respect.”
Jimmy stood, his hands waving. “Hey, guys, there’s no reason for this to get ugly. We’re all just joking around.”
That was the excuse for everything. Bo had said the same words a thousand times. Don’t fight. It’s not worth fighting over. Just laugh it off and let the good times roll.
Maybe some things were worth fighting over.
“I think I would like an apology.” Bo stared at Brian.
Brian stood up. He towered over Bo. “Maybe you’re a faggot, too. Everyone saw you sitting with Trev McNamara. Did big-city living give him a taste for boys, too?”
“Trev ain’t doing Bo. Bo’s not gay. And Trev’s not either, though his taste in women sure has gone down.” Clarissa’s lips curved up like she had a secret she was dying to tell.
The music from the jukebox seemed to pulse through the bar. Bo could feel it in his boots. The place was just too damn loud, and he didn’t like the company. It was definitely time to leave. It was time to fucking change. He’d made too many decisions based on keeping his place in a group of people he didn’t even like anymore.
“Now that we’ve got my sexual orientation out of the way, I think I’ll head on home.” He wouldn’t. He was going to make a beeline for Mouse’s place. Right after he stopped for some flowers. Could he get flowers at this time of night? He wanted to apologize to her.
Damn, he wanted to treat her right. She was the only person in the world who ever stuck by him. It was past time to start treating her the way she should be treated.
“I don’t know if I want this discussion to be over.” Brian stood in his way. “I think it’s about time the good citizens of Deer Run got together and forced your brother out. We don’t need his kind around here.”
Bo just about laughed. Aidan and the company he was invested in, Barnes-Fleetwood, had poured more money into Deer Run’s coffers than the town had ever seen. There might be a large group of assholes who talked bad about his brother’s way of life, but ninety-nine percent of them had profited from his business. If Brian wanted to show up at the O’Malley Ranch with torches and pitchforks, he would most likely do it alone.
And then Aidan would find a nice place to bury Brian.
“You do that, buddy.” He wasn’t getting into a brawl with some dickhead whose mind was way too small.
“You can’t leave. I told everyone we’re going to that party.” Clarissa and Melody had formed a hair-sprayed phalanx in front of him.
He didn’t want to fight with them, either. “I appreciate the offer, ladies, but I have to pass tonight.”
“Hey, I was talking to you.” Brian’s meaty finger poked him in the back.
“Maybe you should sit down, Brian. I’ll get you another drink.” Jimmy tried getting in between them.
“Back off, asshole.” Bo could feel the whole bar starting to watch the scene playing out. He could hear the bartender on the phone, already calling the cops. Fights at The Rusty Spur were legendary.
“Are you planning on going to that pathetic little whore?” Clarissa asked.
Bo turned to her, Brian utterly forgotten. He had a pretty good idea who she meant. Aidan could stick up for himself. Mouse couldn’t. “What did you say?”
Melody seemed to be smarter than her friend. She took a quick step back. “Nothing. She didn’t say nothing.”
“Yes, I did. I think you’re planning on dumping me for that sad-sack little mouse who follows you around. Damn, I always thought she was a dried-up old prude, but she must be doing something right. Have you been fucking her all these years? She must have learned something from you since she’s sleeping with Trev now.”
Damn it. The story about the diner had gotten all over town, but it hadn’t gone down the way Bo had hoped. “We had dinner with the man. Don’t you go around trashing her reputation.”
“I don’t have to. She did that all on her own. Melody saw it, too. Old Mouse Hobbes left here with Trev McNamara wrapped around her. I guess he knows the real women of this town won’t have anything to do with him.”
Brian laughed behind him. “Bo couldn’t even do Mouse Hobbes. Damn. Maybe I’ll give that girl a whirl. I like my women with a little cushion, and after Trev’s done with her, she should be experienced enough. Yeah, maybe I’ll see what she’s doing.”
The whole world took on a strange red sheen as though someone had put goggles with bloody lenses over his eyes. They were talking about Mouse. They were talking about his Mouse. The entire idea of that fuckhead Brian’s hands on his sweet Mouse sent his fist rearing back.
Bo attacked the other man, fists flying.
In the background, he could already hear the sirens wailing.
* * * *
Mouse couldn’t breathe. Sitting on Trev McNamara’s lap was the most erotic thing that had ever happened to her. He wasn’t pawing at her or making any aggressive moves. His hand was on her waist, and the other cupped her knee through the material of her skirt.
“Put your arms around my neck, Beth.” He seemed
calmer than before. His voice was a rich, dark blend of sensuality and command.
It was nothing like the times she’d been close to a man before. It hadn’t happened often, and they had really been boys, not men. She’d gotten into trouble the one time she’d gone to a party. Some drunk guy from two towns over had gotten her in a corner and put his hands all over her.
Bo had saved her.
But she wasn’t going to think about Bo tonight. She let her hands find Trev’s shoulders. Even through the cotton of his shirt, she could feel the supple muscles that covered his body. He seemed to be hard everywhere.
“Now, answer my question.” The hand on her knee came up to brush across her bottom lip. “How do you like to be kissed?”
“Soft. And I don’t like the tongue thing.” That boy who had molested her had put his tongue all over her. She remembered it surging into her mouth. She couldn’t stand it.
“Well, I’m going to have to fix that. Because I definitely want to put my tongue on you. But we can go slow.” His words seemed to do just that. They seemed slow and languid, like he had all night and intended to use it.
It was utterly different from what she’d expected from him. He’d seemed so close to the edge. She really thought he would throw her over the nearest surface and take her. A part of her wanted that. She would get it over with and know once and for all what it felt like.
Of course, she also hadn’t expected him to tell her he wanted more than one night.
“Why don’t you show me how you want to kiss?”
“I thought the Dom was supposed to do all the showing.” She wasn’t sure she could do this. It would be easier if he would just take control. What kind of Dom was he?
The hand on her waist tightened. “The Dom is supposed to know what the sub needs. I know what you want, Beth. And I know that me turning you around and shoving my cock in isn’t going to teach you anything. I will fuck you, darlin’. Don’t doubt that, and when we get to it, I’ll be in control. But we’re going to start slow, and you’re going to be ready to take me. Now, kiss me or lay over my lap for some discipline. I’m allowing you to control the kiss for now, but do not doubt that I’m still the Dom. Speaking of Doms, is all your knowledge from Lexi’s books?”
“Yes. And some other books. We don’t have a club here. I’ve seen how Aidan and Lucas treat Lexi. It’s different than what I would have thought.” Lucas and Aidan worshipped Lexi.
“Yes, we get a bad rap. Now kiss me.”
Mouse took a deep breath and moved in. She could do this. She wanted this. She pressed her lips against his. His lips were thick and perfectly made. Masculine but so sinfully beautiful they made her sigh. She’d watched his lips when they had sat together in the diner. Now she felt them under hers.
He didn’t move. He simply let her explore. She was tentative at first. Her lips felt dry and awkward. He didn’t respond. Was she doing it wrong? She should stop. She didn’t know what she was doing. She was being ridiculous.
She really was. He was a man. He was a man who had offered himself up to her, and she was thinking about quitting because she didn’t get it right the first time?
Mouse shifted. She could feel his erection against her bottom. He was hard and ready, but he seemed to need something from her.
She ran her tongue across her lips and kissed him again. She kissed him the way she’d dreamed of kissing a man her whole life. She molded her lips to his and let go of her inhibitions. She might only get one shot at this, and she wasn’t going to waste time worrying if she got it right. She wanted to feel. She kissed his mouth and his cheek. She rubbed her cheek against his. His five o’clock shadow nipped at her skin. She ran her nose along his neck, reveling in his scent. She kissed all along that rock-hard jawline until she found his lips again.
And suddenly she got the whole tongue thing. She wanted to taste him. She very gently brought just the tip of her tongue out to run along his plump bottom lip.
Trev groaned, and his hand wandered to her ass. “Straddle me.”
She didn’t want to stop kissing, but she did as he asked. She hooked a knee over him so she straddled him like she was riding a horse. A magnificent stallion. She gasped as his cock touched her pussy through the thin cotton of her underwear and the rough denim of his jeans.
He pressed up against her, bucking slightly. “Yeah, girl, you did that to me.”
His hands were all over her backside. It felt so good. It wasn’t like the other time. Trev wasn’t groping, just making her aware that he was here with her.
She kissed him again. From this position, she had full access. She planted her lips on his and kissed. He followed her lead, their lips playing softly against each other. But it wasn’t enough.
“I want more.” She forced herself to say the words. She was glad for how dark it was, or he would have seen how much it made her blush.
“What do you want?”
She wanted him to not be so dense. He knew what she wanted. She could hear it in his voice, but he seemed determined to make her say it. “Open your mouth.”
“I thought you didn’t like that.”
And he was going to make her admit she’d been wrong. “I want to try again.”
“All right.” His hands nudged her toward him.
This time, when she put her mouth on his, he opened for her. She took his face between her hands and let her tongue explore him. Trev’s tongue glided along hers, all silky seduction. He let her lead, but there was no question in her mind that he was the man. His tongue felt strong against hers even as he let her lead the way.
She kissed him for the longest time, getting utterly lost in his taste, touch, and feel.
Her body felt like someone foreign had taken up in it. She felt sensual and confident. She could handle this man.
When she came up for air, she realized the game was about to change. Trev’s hand drifted across her back and wound into her hair. There was a little bite of pain that did strange things to her pussy.
“Are you feeling better now, Beth?”
She nodded. This was what he’d wanted. He’d wanted her in the moment with him, not just a doll to play with. She was with him now. She was eager to find out what came next.
“Then show me your breasts.”
And just like that, Mouse was right back to shy. Her breasts weren’t pretty. They already sagged. She had a couple of stretch marks, and she’d never even had a child. She was ten pounds overweight. It just wouldn’t go away no matter how much she rode that bike. She liked food too much. She needed to be on a diet.
Trev’s hand smacked against her ass, forcing her attention back to him. “You look at me. I gave you an order. I want to see your breasts. Show me now or take ten.”
He wasn’t going to give her time to worry. She could show him her breasts, or he’d spank her and then she’d show him her breasts. Walking away wasn’t an option. She brought her hand up and started to push the top of her dress down, catching the strap of her sturdy bra in her fingers. The zipper was in the back. When her shoulders were bare, she reached behind her.
“Let me.” Trev’s hands found her zipper, and he lowered it slowly. The tips of his fingers traced her skin as he brought the zipper down to her waist. She shivered, but not from cold. Heat was lighting her up everywhere he touched. After he was done with the zipper, he laid his hands on her back and twisted the clasp of her bra with the ease of long practice. He’d obviously removed more than one woman’s undergarments. He growled a little as he peeled the bra toward him.
She fought the urge to cover herself. That was part of the old Mouse, the Mouse who’d never had a man to take off her clothes in her living room. That Mouse didn’t know what it felt like to have a man like Trev press his cock against her. That Mouse had never been soft and wet, her body melting along with her inhibitions.
This Mouse let her hands fall to her sides. Her breasts bounced out of their confinement. They were what they were, heavy, and the nipples seemed too bi
g to her. They matched her wide hips and not-tiny waist.
Trev’s chest rose on a harsh breath. His hands came out, and he went straight for her nipples.
“Pretty.”
She held herself still though her whole body felt like it was quivering inside. His fingertips found her nipples, and he brushed across them.
So why did it feel like he’d touched her pussy?
“And they appear to be sensitive, too,” Trev commented. “Tell me something, love, has anyone ever touched these breasts? Ever played with them?”
“Tommy Smith grabbed one in seventh grade,” she admitted.
He rolled her nipples in between his thumbs and forefingers. Again, a little bite of pain that lit up her flesh. She couldn’t stop the moan that came out of her mouth or the way her back arched into him.
“Did this Tommy boy play with your nipples? Did he pinch them and roll them until they felt so tight they would burst? Did he clamp them with pretty jewels that kept the blood boiling?”
“No, he didn’t have any jewels, though I was wearing a white shirt and he had jelly on his hands. It was lunchtime.”
Trev sat back, his face utterly blank for a moment, and then it split into the widest grin. He threw back his head and laughed. The sound was masculine and joyous. Mouse thought she should be offended, but then realized he probably didn’t laugh all that much.
His eyes were crinkled with delight when he looked back up at her, and Mouse started to understand what real intimacy was. It wasn’t just having a man put his hands on her. It was laughing with him.
A picture of Bo slipped into her brain. She’d laughed with Bo a lot. But she’d never held him while she did it.
“Did they tease you all day, baby?”
Oh, the way he said “baby.” They had teased her. At the time, it had been terrible, but now, in the quiet of her own house with his hands on her, she could laugh about it. A memory really was what she made of it. That was what her father had always told her. “I had a purple handprint on my left boob all day long. Well, someone was real nice to me and lent me his jacket.”