The Virgin Next Door (Stud Ranch)

She looked nothing like the Calla who’d walked into Liam leaving Bethany from a bathroom very much like this one.

In a few more months, no one would be mistaking her for a man, that was for sure. She let out a humorless laugh and then leaned her hands on the sink and dropped her head. What the hell was she doing? Better yet, what was she going to do?

She turned away from the mirror in disgust and slammed out of the bathroom door.

And right into Liam’s arms.

“Hey beautiful,” he laughed, catching her when she stumbled in surprise.

“Way to scare the shit out of her, asshole,” Mack said from where he stood behind Liam.

“No, I’m fine,” Calla said. She slipped her arms around Liam and pressed her head against his chest. God, he felt so good. Forget about burying her head in the sand. She wanted to bury herself in him and Mack.

“Hey, what’s all this about?” Liam asked, putting his arms around her and hugging her back. “Are you okay, love?”

Love. If only he meant that the way she wanted him to. No, that was stupid. What was she thinking? She squeezed her eyes shut and then pulled away from him, forcing a smile. “I’m fine.”

“You sure?” Mack asked, eyebrows furrowed like he could smell her bullshit from a mile away.

“God,” Calla rolled her eyes, putting on a façade of bravado. “I just had to use the bathroom. No crisis here. Chill out.”

Liam smirked. “What? Chicks aren’t angelic creatures who never piss or shit? Your blowin’ me mind here, baby.”

“Ha,” Calla said. She made to leave the back hallway but Liam put a hand on her elbow to stop her.

“Wait, there’s something I been wanting to give you.”

Calla stopped, surprised. “Give me?”

Liam just grinned and pulled a small oblong box out of his jacket pocket. What—?

He lifted off the lid and there was a silver necklace inside with a small oval pendant on it. Calla reached and ran the tip of her index finger down the thin chain to the delicate filigree tree engraved on the outside of the pendant.

“It’s beautiful,” Calla said, her voice high and tight. God, she felt like she was about to start crying. Fucking hormones.

“Let me put it on you.” Liam smiled, obviously pleased with her reaction.

Mack watched on from beside them, arms crossed over his chest, a slight frown on his face. Was he feeling left out?

“Would you mind if Mack put it on?” Calla searched Liam’s eyes.

Liam looked over at Mack in surprise. “Not at all. Go ahead.” He waved Mack close.

Mack looked uncertain for a second. “It’s his gift. I don’t want to—”

“We share everything, don’t we?” Calla asked.

At least for now.

Chills ran down her body when Mack’s calloused hands brushed her neck as he draped the necklace around her. She lifted her hair off her neck as he fumbled with the clasp.

“This is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever worn,” she whispered to Liam. No need for him to know it was the only jewelry she’d worn in a long time—since her mother had left anyway. She used to play at trying on her mother’s things but had thrown away the few pieces her mom left behind and never looked back.

Mack finally managed the clasp and stepped back. Calla lowered her hair and Liam came forward, centering the pendent right over the dip of her cleavage.

“You’re so beautiful,” Liam said.

“Perfect,” Mack whispered.

Calla’s cheeks burned and she was glad that she’d nixed the blush when Mel offered it earlier. She was pretty sure her cheeks were plenty pink all on their own.

“Wanna dance?” Liam held out his arm to her. There was a small dance floor off to the left of the main seating area and it was filled with people.

Calla smiled and it was genuine this time. God, it was always like this when she was with them. All her worries and fears disappeared. Even when it was them and the future she was worried about.

She grabbed Mack’s hand with the arm Liam wasn’t holding and dragged him along behind them.

The atmosphere and energy of the small crowd on the dance floor was hard not to get caught up in. Mack pulled Calla into his arms as that Florida-Georgia line song, HOLY, came on over the speakers. Liam stepped up right behind her.

Just like the first night they’d all danced together.

Liam moved her hair behind her ear and whisper sung the lyrics in her ear, “You’re holy, holy, holy, holy, I’m high on loving you.”

Loving? Did he just—

She swung her head around to look at Liam but he’d dipped his face into her hair. She blinked in the dim light of the dance floor, heart and mind racing a mile a minute as she swayed back and forth in their arms.

It was just a song lyric. It didn’t mean anything.