The Virgin Next Door (Stud Ranch)

Mack’s head whipped back and his jaw hardened. “Did he say it was? That son of a—”

Calla winced and shook her head. “No. God.” She took a step back from him. “Forget about it.”

She felt her face flaming and she turned to go. Mack put a hand on her arm to stop her, stepping close again. “Look, Calla. I’m interested in you. I think we could have some fun together.”

Her mouth went dry as she looked at him, absolutely floored. “You don’t even know me.”

“Well, isn’t that sorta the point? I wanna get to know you.” His grey eyes flashed. “And I know life’s too fucking short not to grab ahold of something good before it’s gone. And I think you and me could have something special.”

Have some fun. Special. Her heart pounded wildly as she tried to clarify. “You mean like… sex?” she whispered.

He burst out laughing. Several heads turned in their direction at the sound. Crap. She was making a scene. Calla Carter didn’t make scenes. She was about to get the hell out of there before her mortification reached truly epic proportions, but again Mack’s hand on her arm stopped her.

Her jaw worked as she looked at the floor. She could really do with it opening up right now to swallow her. “I don’t like it when people laugh at me.”

“Sorry gorgeous,” he said, his hand dropping to her hand where his thumb moved in little circles on her wrist. Oh wow, that felt nice. Really, really nice.

“You just took me by surprise there. You’re so fucking direct.” He ran a hand through his hair and laughed again. “It’s refreshing.”

Then he leaned down so that he was speaking right in her ear. She shivered at the warmth of his breath. “And I guess yeah, if I’m being honest I do mean sex.”

“Can I take your plate, Cal?” Liam’s voice was short as he stepped up right beside them. He flashed a glare toward Mack before his eyes gentled.

“Oh.” Calla blinked and handed over her plate of half-eaten waffles.

“Not much of an appetite,” Liam said, his gaze on her like Mack wasn’t leaned over, his face still inches from hers. “I can understand that. I didn’t find those waffles very appetizing either.” His eyes flicked to Mack for just an instant.

Mack scoffed. “Did you eat any of your eggs? No wonder. Pretty sure they would have put me off food all day long.”

Liam’s head snapped toward Mack.

Okay, as nice as it was to be squeezed in between their two big warm bodies, the tension between them was getting to be too much. She wasn’t interested in being the dog bone in some tug of war.

“I think this is my cue to exit stage left. See you two later.” She patted Liam on the chest and touched Mack’s arm as she took her leave. Then she called, “Mel?” toward the end of the table where Mel was cleaning up after her boys.

“What’s up?”

“Is there space in your truck to ride with you?”

Mel glanced at the two men beside Calla, a small frown crossing her face. “You bet.”

“Great. I’ll go help get the trailers rigged.”

Calla left the room without a glance back to either Mack or Liam.

“You just let me know if any of the guys get out of hand, okay?” Mel said as she and Calla drove down the highway toward Denver. They were alone in the truck—Xavier and Liam were riding in another and Mack in the third. “I don’t know what’s up with Mack and Liam, but the last thing in the world I want you to feel is uncomfortable while you’re staying with us.”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I’m fine.”

Mel glanced over at her from the driver’s seat. “I’m serious. I’ll kick their asses.”

Calla couldn’t help grinning at the picture that put in her head. “I’d love to see that, actually.” She laughed. “But no, I’m fine. Believe me, I grew up around cowboys. I can do any ass-kicking I need to all on my own.”

Mel smiled but it didn’t fully erase the line of concern in her forehead. “I don’t doubt that.”

“So where are you from again?” Calla asked, changing the subject. “I think I heard Xavier mention once you were from New York.”

Mel laughed and shook her head. “About a million years ago, it feels like. But yeah. That’s where I grew up.”

“In the city?”

Mel nodded. “Lived there all my life till I was twenty-six. Moving here was a bit of a…” she paused before another slow smile crossed her lips, “a bit of an adjustment, that was for sure.”

“So how’d you find yourself in Hawthorne, Wyoming?” Calla asked, more than curious about the beautiful and obviously sophisticated woman beside her. Truth was, Calla had admired her from a far for a long time. Ever since news spread around town that Xavier Kent had got himself a wife, Calla had been as eager as anyone else to catch a glimpse of the woman.