Page 23 of Rope Me, Cowboys

His words were harsh and accusatory, and I felt the rejection like a slap. He knew what I was thinking, all right—but he didn’t share those feelings. Instead of reciprocating my feelings, he was reproaching me. My face burned with shame and anger. I knew nothing could happen between us. Just thinking of the humiliation my mother would feel if instead of learning responsibility, I hooked up with my own stepbrothers, made a wave of shame wash over me.

And I sure as hell wasn’t going to put myself through having to admit that to her. But here Waylon was, acting like I’d propositioned him. I couldn’t help it that I had a wandering eye and an itch that no one had ever scratched.

“Our job is to keep you out of trouble with her, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do,” Sawyer said, his voice not so accusatory, but equally resolved.

I couldn’t help but notice that he’d said he would keep me from getting in trouble with her. Not that he’d keep me from doing things she wouldn’t approve of. Like being massaged by my three sexy stepbrothers at once, on a bearskin rug in front of a fireplace. While topless.

When Waylon had gone, Holden leaned over and lay a hand over my forehead. “Are you going to be okay?”

“I’m fine,” I said, though I didn’t know if I’d ever feel warm again. I didn’t know if I’d ever felt so frustrated, either. Everything I’d ever wanted was right here in front of me, but I couldn’t have any of it. Any of them. I wanted to scream.

“I hope so,” Holden said. “Because it’s supposed to snow tonight, and sometimes it takes a while to get out after a good snow. You sure you don’t need to go see a doctor?”

“We can doctor you up,” Sawyer said, smiling down at me. Their two concerned faces hovered over mine, both of theirs rimmed with felt cowboy hats.

“I’m sure you can,” I said. “But which one of you gets to be the doctor?”

“I’m the doctor tonight,” Sawyer said. “I’m going to sit up with you all night. Make sure you’re okay.”

“I’m okay,” I assured him. “If I need tea or anything, I can make it.”

“I told my father I’d look after you,” he said. “And I can’t sleep on stormy nights, anyway. Consider it a chance to sit up late talking, getting to know your new brother, and being waited on hand and foot.” He winked at me, and I felt a thrill of excitement growing inside me. I didn’t know how I was going to resist these guys all winter. And worse still, I didn’t know which ones I wanted to resist, and which one I wanted to keep. A sneaking suspicion began to dawn inside me. I wasn’t falling for one of my hot cowboy stepbrothers.

I was falling for all three of them.

19

Amber

As the wind howled outside the large wooden cabin my three stepbrothers owned, I huddled down into the blanket one of them had laid over me after another one had pulled me from a trough of icy cow water. Oh god, I’d fallen in the cow water. I wanted to smack my own forehead. I’d never live this one down.

“You ready for a warm drink?” Sawyer asked, emerging from the kitchen looking sinfully gorgeous in a pair of jeans, a flannel, cowboy boots, and a cowboy hat. I’d never seen him in anything else.

But I wouldn’t mind seeing him in a lot less, my shameless mind said.

I nearly groaned out loud. I seriously needed to stop lusting after him, not to mention the other two. If anything happened between any of us… Holden was so sweet I thought I’d ruin him for life, and Waylon was so rough I thought he’d ruin me for life.

And then there was Sawyer, who never stopped flirting long enough for me to think about him the way I should—as a brother.

Carrying a mug in each hand, he lowered himself to the bearskin rug beside me. I sat up, careful to keep the blanket wrapped around myself so I wouldn’t flash him. Sawyer handed me a mug of steaming apple cider before hopping up and retrieving all the cushions from the couch. He set them behind me so I had something to lean on, then scooted in beside me, so close our shoulders were pressed against each other.

“To more nights like this,” he said, toasting me with his mug. “So we can get to know each other better.”

“Minus the near-hypothermic diving lesson,” I said, bumping my mug against his. The others had gone to bed, so it was just the two of us, waiting to see how much snow fell outside while we stayed warm and cozy inside.

“I have a question,” I said. “If we’re getting to know each other.”

Sawyer grinned. “Is this like truth or dare?”

“Sort of,” I said. “But for now, just truth. Why don’t any of you have girlfriends?”

“Who says we don’t?”

“You did,” I reminded him.

“I said we weren’t married.”

“So you have a girlfriend?”