Thawing the Ice (Untamed 1)

“Yeah, they are,” Ryan agreed.

Still riding high off the victory, they decided to head down to the local tavern for a few drinks before bed. The sooner they let others know she was off the market, the better. With her laid-back attitude, she had no clue how attractive and desirable she was among the men in town. She was one of the good girls they all wanted to settle down with after they sowed their oats. They walked in, and he winced at the bleached blonde seated at the bar. Mary Jo, the last woman he’d slept with before a relationship with Lei became a reality. He shot a panicked glance at his brother. Casey lifted his eyebrows, and he gestured toward her with his head. Casey followed his line of vision and winced.

“Why don’t we take a seat in the back?” Ryan said, wrapping his arm around Lei’s waist.

“Okay—”

“Ryan.” The high-pitched squeal made him want to bang his head against the wall. The ghost of commitment free ass was about to haunt him. Mary Jo slid of her barstool and hurried over to them. The heels of her boots clicked against the wood floor.

“I haven’t seen you here in ages, honey. Where’ve you been hiding?” She pressed her large breast into his arm and batted her mascara-coated lashes. With her bright red nails, coupled with the war paint on her face, she was the exact opposite of Leighton.

“Hey, Jo.” Ryan took a step back from her and pulled Lei closer. “I haven’t been hiding. I was exactly where I wanted to be.” He fixed her with a hard stare. Jo’s jaw dropped. She swayed back like she’d been hit.

“Are you kidding me?” Her blue eyes narrowed and she gave Leighton a death glare. A sneer turned her pouty pink slips into a twisted version of a doll’s mouth.

“You have something to say, Mary Jo?” Leighton’s voice turned saccharine sweet, and her spine stiffened. This could get ugly. Mary Jo had been trying to get him to commit for awhile, and the two worked together at the school.

“No, just didn’t figure you for the sloppy seconds type.” Jo tossed her long blonde mane behind her back.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Lei placed a hand over her heart. “Were you under the impression that he was ever yours?” Leighton laughed airily. “Silly rabbit.” Casey stepped up and completed the Boyer sandwich. Leighton wrapped an arm around Casey’s waist. “Come on, boys, I’m feeling parched.”

“God, you are so hot when you’re in bitch mode,” Ryan whispered, giving her side a squeeze as they walked away leaving the pissed blonde glued to the spot with a stuned expression on her face.

“For once, I completely agree,” Casey said.

“I barley said anything.” She snickered.

“It wasn’t the words, it was the tone. Mmm. Can’t wait to get you home tonight.” Ryan moved his hand down to squeeze her ass. The round globe of her cheek filled his hand, and he bit back a moan.

“Down, boy, you two promised me a good time.”

“I assure you, that’s what you’d get at home,” Casey said.

“Holy shit, way to man up, little brother,” Ryan said.

“Don’t change too much, Case. One of him is hard enough to handle.”

Ryan steered them to the table in the back, and they piled in, placing Lei in the middle. A few minutes later, Becky, the bubbly brunette who usually worked weekends greeted them.

“Hey, guys, what can I get you tonight?”

“Just a bucket of Blue Ribbon beer for us, I think.” Ryan glanced at Lei, who nodded.

“All right, I’ll get it coming your way,” Becky said.

“Thanks, Becky,” Casey and Lei said.

A half a bucket later, the night had turned around. Mary Jo kept her crazy over at the bar and limited her disdain to dirty looks.

“Hey, guys, what’s going on?” Jake asked. He pulled his hand from his blue jeans and offered it to shake and Ryan smiled at his friend They’d grown up together, and gotten into trouble a time or two.

“Hey, man, not much,” Ryan said, as they clasped hands in greeting.

“What are you up to tonight?” Case said.

“Just killing some time with the crew over there.” Jake nodded toward the bar at the local group he hung out with.

“I hear that,” Lei said, smiling.