Her Three Wilde Champion Men (Wilde, Nevada 2)

This isn’t good. Despite her logical side screaming for her to stay where she was, Shelby went to the sofa and sat right next to Justin.

“That’s better, isn’t it?” he asked, putting his arm around her shoulders.

“Yes, but what’s the point, Justin?” Sitting with him on her couch in her house was just another step down a path that led to certain sorrow and to her heart being broken.

“The point? I think you and I both know the point, sweetheart.” He stroked her hair. “You are beautiful, Shelby.”

“What about Alex? I know we’re not an item but I did just spend the night with him.”

He smiled. “Baby, I know my brother. Alex letting you go with me now was his way of giving his blessing. He may not be used to this—it’s new to me, too—but he’s not completely closed off to the idea.”

How to make him understand this was never going to work. “I’m from Wilde. You know what that means, Justin, don’t you?”

“I’m from Elko. Of course I know what that means, baby.”

“I grew up in a family with two dads and a mom all under one roof. It’s what I know. More than that, it’s what I want.”

“I get it, Shelby.” He leaned in and kissed her gently, tenderly, knowingly.

She melted into him like the last winter snow surrendering to a fresh spring growth. Tingles and warmth spread through her as his tongue shot into her mouth.

When he moved his hands down her sides, Shelby gasped and found a sliver of logic and resistance left inside her. She placed her hands on his muscled chest and pushed. He didn’t budge, but did end their kiss.

“What’s the matter, baby?” he asked, his brown eyes filled with concern.

“I won’t do this again. Not again,” she said, recalling how it had been with Kenneth, her ex. “I’ve been through this before. I dated a guy who wasn’t from Wilde. He told me he wanted me to be happy, but in reality he didn’t.”

“What happened?” Justin asked, stroking her hair so passionately.

Talking to Justin about her most painful memory was something she wanted to do, had to do. Then he would understand why this couldn’t be.

“When Kenneth introduced me to his cousin, I thought meeting one of his family was heading us in the right direction. God, how wrong I was. Turned out that I was only part of a fraternity bet. Nothing more.” The sting of that mistake still haunted her. “His cousin secretly filmed me having sex with Kenneth. They posted it on a porn site. The pricks even sent me a link to it via e-mail with the subject line—Wilde Girl under a Frat Brother.”

“Goddamn motherfuckers. Who are they, Shelby?” Justin’s sudden rage was more than she’d expected. His face was beet red. “Kenneth’s last name?”

“They’re long gone, cowboy. Both got jobs working for an oil company. Last I heard was that his cousin got killed in an accident on a rig out in the Gulf. Kenneth was sent to prison for dealing drugs. I can sure pick them, can’t I?”

“Don’t blame yourself, baby. Those kind of assholes are a dime a dozen. That wasn’t your fault.” Justin ran his fingertips over her shoulders. “I’ll talk to Brandon about seeing how we can get that video off of the Internet. He knows a thing or two about how to go about that kind of thing.”

“It doesn’t matter. It was my mistake.” She closed her eyes, recalling the one and only time she’d watched the illicit video. “The version online was only three minutes long, and thankfully, my face never comes on screen. No one would ever know it’s me but me now.”

“Baby, I still want to see what Brandon can do. It might make you feel better.”

“Knock yourself out, cowboy.” She was glad for Justin’s concern but was pretty certain even Brandon wouldn’t succeed. She’d tried to get the thing removed but to no avail. “Why are you really here, Justin? It’s not just to protect me, is it?”

“Nope. Like I said. We need to talk.”

“Why? I’m not trying to be obstinate or repetitive, but I am from Wilde. You are from Elko.”

“And I’m interested in taking this to the next step,” he said.

“What next step? I wasn’t aware we took a first step.”

“At your office. On our date. We connected. You felt it. I know you did.” He leaned in and whispered in her ear. “Do you deny it?”

How could he read her so easily? “Even if you’re right, does that change things?”

“I am right. And yes, it changes everything.” Justin’s hands moved from the nape of her neck to her shoulders and down her arms to the very tips of her fingers and back up again. Every pass was making her more tingly. “I’m fine with sharing you with my brothers, Shelby. I know that’s what you want. Alex and Brandon might not be ready yet to go there with you, but they will be, in time. They’re into you already. That’s very clear to me.”