The Virgin Next Door (Stud Ranch)

She blinked, feeling light-headed. Her arms tightened around Mack’s neck. Then Mack’s hand was on the back of her head, urging her to lay her cheek against his chest. Turned out she was wrong earlier when she’d thought Mack had no rhythm.

He had plenty, it turned out, when he was dancing in a way he was used to. And damn was he good at it. He notched his legs between hers until the red fabric of her dress strained at the slit. So close that it was almost like she was riding him.

And Liam was still just as tight at her back, his thumbs rubbing tiny circles on her waist as all three of them swayed back and forth to the music.

She swallowed hard and her fingers gripped the collar of Mack’s shirt. Why were they—? What did this even mean? Were they trying to get her to choose between them? She’d just wanted to come have a night of carefree fun. Maybe join a few line dances. Try out getting drunk for the first time. But this felt like some game she didn’t know the rules to.

When Mack danced back and forth with his leg between her knees, she couldn’t help her breath hitching. Oh God. Did he realize that with their height differences, his upper thigh was rubbing against that spot?

Instead of Mack reacting, though, it was Liam’s fingers who clenched on her waist. Almost like he could sense the spike of heat at her center and knew exactly how turned on she was. Which was so embarrassing she was glad her face was buried in Mack’s chest.

“You’re so hot, baby,” Liam whispered in her ear.

Oh God, he knew. He knew and Mack probably did too.

She felt like the stupidest girl in the world to be getting so riled by a dance.

And suddenly, it was all too much. What the hell was she doing? All but grinding down and getting herself off on Mack’s leg while they freaking danced? Right here in front of God and everybody else?

She jerked away from Mack, backing into Liam until he stepped to the side.

“What’s wrong?” Mack asked, his face instantly registering alarm. “Are you okay?”

Calla lifted a hand to her forehead. “I’m hot.” Then she realized just what she’d said and her eyes widened in mortification. “Like dizzy. It’s so hot in here.”

Liam joined Mack in a twin look of concern.

Oh God, she was being a total freak, wasn’t she?

“I’m not feeling so good.” And then, not able to stand their concerned expressions for another second, she spun on her heel and bolted for the exit.

“Excuse me,” she said as she pushed through the crowd. “I’m sorry. Excuse me. Pardon me.”

She thought she heard her name called from behind her but she didn’t look back. If she hadn’t looked like a crazy person before, she definitely did now.

Tomorrow she’d just tell them she was sick. That was all. And she’d wear her normal overalls and flannel and never try anything this stupid again. Who was she kidding? People never changed, she was such a goddamned idiot to even think for a moment that she could—

She finally made it out of the ballroom and then she was high-tailing it through the lobby of the hotel for the elevators.

“Calla. Cal!”

Okay, one of them was definitely behind her, calling her name. Calla cringed and moved from fast-walking to all out jogging.

“Hold it,” she called out when she saw an elevator door closing. She had to get on that elevator or she would die in a puddle of embarrassment. The doors started opening again and she slipped inside.

It was only as she spun around and punched the button for the third floor that she saw both Liam and Mack closing in.

Oh God, if she had to face either of them right now she would absolutely die. She punched the close door button furiously until the doors closed right as Mack was reaching toward her.

10

MACK

“You fucking idiot,” Mack spun right as the elevators shut on a freaked as hell Calla. He shoved Liam as soon as the bastard caught up with him, slamming him against the wall. “What the fuck were you thinking, dancing with her like that?”

“What was I thinking?” Liam shoved him back and stumbled away from the wall, still glaring. “You were the gobshite dry humping her in the middle of the fecking dance floor.”

Mack got right up in his face again. “And you think coming up and double-teaming her like that wasn’t going to freak her the fuck out?”

If he was honest, he felt like punching himself just as much as he wanted to smack Liam. Why had he asked Calla to dance? He’d only meant to go down to the ballroom to redeem the two drink tickets they’d given everyone doing the mustang makeover.