Six

THREE OF A KIND BEATS A PAIR

THE ROAR OF A HARLEY announced Devin and Cali’s arrival. Poppy and I rushed outside, thankful for the break. I’d amassed two cuts while chopping lettuce for the salad, and the tomato up next seemed to be laughing at me. I’d be lucky to make it through the meal prep with my fingers still intact.

“Together at last,” Poppy cried out as we ran to Cali’s side.

Devin shook his head and rolled his eyes.

“What?” I asked.

“We came here to help, not burn the place down.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Cali snapped.

Devin snagged her around the shoulders and drew her close. “Exactly what I said. The three of you together are a lethal combination.”

Cali snorted, then kissed him soundly on the mouth. “Go play cowboy while the girls and I handle the rest.”

Grinning, Devin turned and headed toward the corral, where Bo and Troy were presently wrestling with a calf.

Cali sighed as he stalked across the yard, his masculine form graceful like a panther’s. “I could watch that man walkin’ away from me all day.”

“Get a room,” Poppy grumbled.

“Yes, yes, you have great taste in men, but can you cook is the better question?” I asked hopefully.

“Devin will say no. But I make mean eggs.”

“Explain how we made it this far without culinary skills,” I commented as we took the back steps to the kitchen.

The moment we crossed the threshold, Cali stopped dead in her tracks and took in the chaos. “It looks like a war zone.”

“The lettuce is winnin’,” I chuckled, picking up a knife. “It won’t be satisfied until all ten of my fingers are wrapped in Band-Aids.”

“Maybe between the three of us, we can avoid losin’ a digit.”

The kitchen door swung open behind us, and Clint stepped through. He scanned the three of us and smiled. “Fringe benefits,” he muttered, heading for the fridge. “I haven’t been around this much beauty in a while.”

Then he winked at Poppy.

I looked at Cali, and she bugged out her eyes.

“Did you need somethin’?” Poppy snapped, stepping in front of the fridge.

Clint raised a brow. “I was hopin’ for a bottle of water. The barn’s hotter than Haiti.”

Poppy opened the door and snagged a bottle, shoving it into his gut. “You’ve got it now, so back to work.”

Clint didn’t seem perturbed by her behavior in the least; instead of getting angry, his mouth pulled into a sly grin. “You’ve got a temper on you. I like it.”

“And you’ve got a lot of nerve winkin’ at any of us. And before you make the mistake of winkin’ at Cali over there,”—Poppy jerked her head in our direction—“her man, a very big, badass man, will tie you in a knot if you so much as glance at her. So, take your roamin’ eye and get back to the barn.”

Clint continued to grin at Poppy then took a long pull from his bottle of water. His attention turned to Cali and me, dismissing Poppy. “Ladies,” he said, inclining his head before heading for the door and leaving.

“Poppy needs to blow off some steam,” Cali whispered.

“Poppy needs a man who isn’t an asshole,” I returned under my breath.

“Poppy can hear you,” Poppy snipped.

“Do I need to break out the green magic before you go postal?”

Poppy grabbed a tomato and picked up a knife, then began mutilating the poor thing. “Winkin’s the same as catcallin’ in my book. He started with you, then moved to me when he saw you had a man. He’s not choosy. He’s just flirtin’ with whomever he thinks he’s got a chance with. Typical man!”

With each word she bit out, her knife made mincemeat out of the villainous tomato.

“Step away from the vegetable,” Cali said cautiously like a negotiator talking down a potential jumper.

“Technically, a tomato is actually a fruit,” I said.

“A fruit is sweet. Tomatoes are not sweet. I don’t care what anyone says, it’s a vegetable.”

Poppy looked down at the mess she’d made and grimaced. “Perhaps I’m a little on edge.”

“Devin’s less on edge when he’s lecturin’ me about biker bars. What gives?”

I looked at Poppy and waited to see if she would confess to Cali about Blake.

Sighing, she grabbed another tomato and slowly began cutting it into chunks, then she recounted the entire tale from the beginning for Cali.

“I need a knife,” Cali groused when she’d finished. I handed her one, and she grabbed a cucumber and began chopping away with vigor. “Anything else I missed?”

“Sienna’s a virgin, and she doesn’t know who her dad is,” Poppy blurted out.

Cali’s eyes shot to mine. “First Poppy and now you?” She shook her head. “And you all gave me heck for not lettin’ you in.”

I glared at Poppy. “You’re like a little sister who tattles without givin’ all the facts.”

“What facts?” Cali asked.

“I didn’t tell Poppy until today. I was keepin’ it from both of you.”

“But why did you keep it from us?”

I shrugged. “I suppose the same reason Poppy didn’t tell us about Blake. I waited for the wrong man, and now I feel like an idiot.”

“And your father? Why wouldn’t you tell us about that?”

I pulled out a stool and sat down. “My whole life I was different from my family, the odd one in the bunch. Admitting to anyone that my mother had an affair, and that I was the product of that mistake, made me more so. My father barely speaks to me, and my brother and sister look at me like I’m a leper.”

Cali laid down her knife and took my hand. “Different means special, not the other way around. If they can’t see what a beautiful person you are, then they’re the odd ones, not you.”

I nodded. I knew she was right.

“And Bo?” she questioned. “Are you really ready to lose your virginity to him?”

I opened my mouth, then shut it, then opened it again. “I know I want him. That he’s everything I’ve been lookin’ for in a man.”

“And if it doesn’t work out between the two of you? Will you feel like Poppy? Will you feel like you’ve lost something precious you should have saved for another man?”

I started to say no, but I hesitated. “The only thing I know for sure is that when Bo touches me, I feel safe, wanted, worshipped. I ache deep within my bones for what you have with Devin; the intimacy that comes with being close to a man, closer than anyone else in your life. I also know that Bo is the kind of man I could, without reservation, fall deeply in love with. And that he would never intentionally hurt me. The rest I’ll figure out when it happens.”

 

 

Leaning against the wall, just outside the kitchen, Bo lowered his head. He’d seen Clint enter the back door while he was talking with Devin, and he’d gone on red alert. Something about the guy pushed all his buttons, so he’d jerked his head toward the house and Devin followed. They’d walked up just as Poppy gave Clint the lay of the land, confirming his suspicions, so they’d waited for Clint to exit. He made it two feet outside the door before Devin had him by the collar. “Eyes to yourself, or you’ll deal with me.”

Clint nodded, so Devin shoved him back, growling, “Back to work like the lady said.”

Before he and Devin could check on the Wallflowers, the conversation inside had turned abruptly to matters of the heart. He’d paused, not wanting to interrupt, so he’d stepped back and waited for them to finish, unable to tear himself away from their conversation.

A myriad of emotions coursed through him as they talked about Poppy’s history, Sienna’s family, and her feelings toward him. He felt possessive when she said he made her feel safe, wanted, worshipped. And felt hope when she admitted she could fall deeply in love with him, solidifying his resolve to do whatever it took to make that happen. She trusted him not to hurt her, to do what was right for her, and he was determined to earn that trust. He wouldn’t take her virginity until she was ready, until he’d earned the right to possess her fully. Until he’d proven to her that she’d trusted the right man with her innocence. And he’d do that by being patient, by giving her control when she’d lost so much of it in her lifetime, by simply waiting for her to come to him when she was ready.

Pushing off the wall, he looked at Devin then jerked his head toward the corral.

“Someone needs to find this Blake and teach him some manners,” Devin bit out.

Bo nodded in agreement. Poppy deserved better than the cards she’d been dealt in life. “You got someone in mind?”

“I’m thinkin’ the man who needs to hand him his ass is the man who takes on the woman,” Devin stated.

Bo cocked his head. “She got someone on the hook?”

“Yeah. He just hasn’t come to terms with it yet.”

Bo started to ask who, but his phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw a text message from John William, the man in charge of his cases for the week.

Daniels was found in an abandoned warehouse. He’d been beaten within an inch of his life. He’s in a coma.

Bo’s blood ran cold. His case involving the Wallflowers turned from bad to deadly.

“Jesus.”

At his tone, Devin turned, his eyes on full alert.

“Larry Dwayne Daniels, the Serpents’ prospect who chased the Wallflowers, he’s been beaten and is in a coma.”

Devin’s jaw ticked. “Tell me this is unrelated to the Wallflowers.”

“No clue. But my gut says no.”

Devin looked back at the house, and Bo’s eyes followed. Laughter rang out from the open kitchen door. Three women who’d done nothing but stop for a drink were now caught up in some unknown danger, and Bo couldn’t fix it as long as he was here.

“They’re safe here. We’ll figure this out when we get back. In the meantime, as a precaution, they aren’t out of our sight unless another man we trust is here.”

“Only one other man I trust besides you,” Devin growled.

“He’s not here,” Bo pointed out.

“He will be,” Devin stated, pulling out his phone. “He’ll need time to cover the bar, so until he arrives, the herd stays up the ridge.”

“Then we keep them with us at all times until he arrives.”

Both men turned and headed for the house.

“You think we’ll survive this?” Devin muttered.

“If we keep them away from horses, pigs, and small machinery, we might stand a chance.”

Laughter broke the air again, and both men smiled. “We’re fucked,” Devin sighed.

“That we are,” Bo agreed.

“How in the hell did we end up with unpredictable women?”

Bo didn’t hesitate to answer. Once he’d stopped fighting his feelings for Sienna, the blinders came off. Their unpredictable personalities were what made them unique. And also, he suspected, what drew men like Devin and him to them.

“Their inner light drew us in. They’re like a beacon shinin’ the way in the darkest of nights. Once you’ve seen it, there’s no fuckin’ way to change course.”

Devin stopped and looked at Bo. “Jesus. All that and looks to boot?”

Bo’s lip twitched at his own words being thrown back at him. “Yeah. And then some.”

“What about your other problem?” Devin asked. “You sure enough about the woman to go there before she’s ready?”

“I’m sure enough. But I’m not goin’ there until she is.”

Devin nodded and began to walk again. “Should make stickin’ to her like glue interestin’.”

“I make it through this without killin’ anyone, it’ll be a fuckin’ miracle.”

Devin flashed Bo a smile. “You do, I’ll nominate you for sainthood.”

The object of his desire walked out the kitchen door and smiled at him. His own mouth pulled into a grin as he climbed the steps and stopped in front of her. He wanted to take her into his arms and kiss that smile right off her face until she was frantic with need for him. He started to reach for her, then remembered his promise to earn her trust, so he dropped his hand. “We need to talk.”

“First, light the grill,” Sienna announced, holding up a lighter. “Hamburgers are on the menu for dinner.”

Devin snatched the lighter from her hand, mumbling, “Grillin’s a man’s domain.”

Sienna’s eyes lit up, and she rocked back on her feet, swinging her arms behind her back with a huge grin. Then she looked over her shoulder at the window and winked like a child with a secret.

She was so damn cute, so damn happy at that moment, Bo hated to ruin her mood, but he didn’t have a choice. He needed to set things straight before it was time for bed.

“Walk with me,” he muttered, grabbing hold of her hand. She peered up at him as they headed down the steps and around the house. Bo kept his face neutral as he led her back to the meadow near the lake. Once they were far enough away, he pulled her into his arms and rested his chin on her head. He didn’t know how else to say what he had to say, so he didn’t beat around the bush.

“I think we should slow down.”

Sienna stilled in his arms, then started to pull away. “I knew the resemblance to your mother would be an issue,” she whispered, stepping back. “It’s fine. I get it. No harm, no foul,” she choked out, then turned her back on him and let out a sob.

Bo reached out and turned her back to him, crushing her to his chest. “That’s not what I meant,” he whispered. “I don’t want to rush you into sleepin’ with me. I don’t think you’re ready, and when I take you for the first time, makin’ you mine in every way possible, I don’t want there to be any regrets.”

Sienna buried her face in his chest but didn’t reply, so Bo wrapped her tighter in his arms and leaned down until his mouth was next to her ear. “I take it my slowin’ things down doesn’t sit well with you?”

She shook her head, then shrugged.

“So you’re okay with my decision?”

She nodded, then shook her head, then nodded again, confusing Bo.

“Which is it?”

She tilted her head back and cried out, “Both. I want to, but a part of me is still afraid you’ll change your mind about us. But I’m also afraid you’ll get bored with me.”

Bo blinked.

“You think I’ll get—”

He threw his head back and laughed.

“This isn’t funny,” Sienna snapped. “Men like you can have anyone you want, so why would you settle for a borin’ virgin?”

Unable to contain his laughter, he buried his head in her neck and continued to laugh, tightening his hold on Sienna until she was breathless.

“Can’t. Breathe,” she gasped.

Bo loosened his hold and tipped his head up, choking on a chuckle. “Baby, you gotta know, you couldn’t be borin’ if you tried.”

“I couldn’t?”

“No,” he answered, then leaned in and brushed a kiss across her lips. “You save your friends from killers, climb trees to save a calf, and take on a dangerous biker with a Yeti. A fuckin’ Yeti, for Christ’s sake. You’re far from borin’. And the virgin part? Jesus. Just the thought another man hasn’t touched you drives me to distraction. I’m fuckin’ hard knowin’ I’m the only man who’ll ever hear you moan while I taste your sweet heat. Over the fuckin’ moon I’m the only man who will use his hands, his mouth, his cock to make your body burn.” Her eyelids grew heavy as he spoke, and she began to pant as he described what he planned to do to her. Then Bo made the mistake of looking at her lips. “And I’m fuckin’ thrilled I’m the only man who’ll ever watch you take his cock into your mouth. You are my desire,” he rumbled low, wrapping his hand in her hair to pull her closer to his mouth. “My ideal. My fuckin’ wet dream,” he rasped out, claiming her mouth with a possessive need.

Heat spiked instantly between them. He chased her tongue, tangling it with his own until desire burned away into the purest hunger he’d felt in his life. When she began to lead the kiss, he pulled back, trying to ebb the flames sparking between them. But she wouldn’t let him retreat. If they’d been alone in a room, he’d have been in trouble, but the sounds of the ranch around them kept him grounded in reality. With a groan, he ripped his mouth from hers and took a step back.

“Go,” he bit out.

“Go?”

He closed his eyes and counted to ten, trying to rein in his need to claim her on the spot.

“Go before I drag you inside and break my promise to give you more time.”

“You’re serious?”

Bo’s gray eyes shot to her face, and he narrowed them. “About this? Yes. I want you, but only when you’re ready. You’re not, so give me a minute to calm the fuck down.”

She started to say something, but he shook his head. “Don’t.”

With one last look at him, Sienna turned and began heading to the house. Bo turned his back on her and stripped off his shirt, heading for the lake. He needed a cold shower, but he wasn’t going anywhere near that house while she was in it. “Fuck sainthood. I’ve gone straight to hell.”

 

 

“He wants to wait?” Poppy said incredulously.

I nodded and then scowled. I still didn’t know what to make of Bo. I hadn’t even known I was hesitant to take the next step until Cali asked, so how had he known?

“Do you think he’s havin’ second thoughts about us?” I asked the girls.

Both looked at the other and shrugged. “We’re Wallflowers, what do we know about men and their thought processes,” Poppy answered.

“What exactly did he say?” Cali asked.

I replayed the conversation over in my mind, then answered. “That he didn’t want to rush me until I was ready. He said I was his desire, his”—I looked at them both and grinned—“his wet dream.”

Poppy snorted. “He’s not havin’ doubts.”

“No, he’s not havin’ doubts,” Cali agreed.

“Then how did he know I had any at all? We, you know, fooled around in the shower, so he should have thought I was all systems go.”

Cali cocked her head. “Are you all systems go?”

“I thought I was, but then I hesitated.”

Poppy pushed the bottle of green magic across the table and smiled. “Go on,” she said cheerfully.

I rolled my eyes. “I’m not upset.”

At least I didn’t think I was.

“Mmhmm,” Cali hmm’d calmly, pushing the bottle even closer to my hand.

“I don’t need it. I just need answers to my questions. Answers I’m not sure I have.”

“About?” Cali asked.

“Why the sky is blue. Why the Kardashians are even relevant. Why Taylor Swift dumped Tom Hiddleston, because, hello, he’s lush.”

“My granddaddy would say you’re avoidin’ the question with drivel.”

“How is dear old granddaddy, by the way?”

“Still an asshole, but he’s stopped tellin’ me Devin’s not good enough, so answer my question. Why did you hesitate?”

I bit my lip.

“Sienna?” Poppy said with a long, slow drawl.

I huffed and hung my head. “What if I’m not good at sex? Bo’s experienced, and if we don’t mesh sexually, he’ll know immediately.”

A growled “Jesus,” sounded from behind me, and I swung around. Devin was standing at the door with a lighter and charcoal in his hand.

“Tell me you didn’t hear that,” I gasped.

Devin’s eyes shot to Cali then back to me.

“I heard it,” he grumbled, walking further into the kitchen, “and it’s bullshit. Bo’s a man, not some idiot who doesn’t know how to treat a woman. Trust me, if he cares about you, it won’t matter to him.”

I should have been mortified to have this conversation with Devin, but for some odd reason, I wasn’t. Devin was family now, and family talks about anything, I was learning from watching Cali and her aunts.

“But how will I know what he likes or dislikes?”

Devin looked a wee bit horrified by my question. “You just will.”

Oh, this was too good to pass up.

“He’ll tell me, or will I know by the sounds he makes?” I asked innocently.

Devin’s jaw grew tight, and then he turned on his heel and walked right back out of the kitchen, mumbling as he went, “I’ve landed in hell.”

I turned back to Cali and grinned from ear to ear. “That’ll teach him to knock before entering a room.”

Poppy stood and looked out the window, then shut the back door. “He’s gone,” she chuckled. “I almost feel sorry for him.”

“Devin’s right, you know,” Cali laughed. “If Bo cares about you, it won’t matter what you know. He’ll just teach you how to please him. Men like that don’t pussyfoot around. He’ll just drag you where he wants you then play your body like an instrument until he’s memorized every curve.”

The front door slammed shut, startling us. Moments later, Bo walked in with dripping wet hair. He scanned the kitchen, taking in our stunned expressions, and raised a brow. “Why do you three look like the cat that caught the canary?”

Poppy snickered, and he narrowed his eyes.

Cali jumped up and grabbed my hand, pulling me from my seat. “Nothin’ untoward. We were just discussin’ if it was time to milk the cows. Come on, ladies, let’s go grab some tits and squeeze.”

Bo froze solid at her comment, dropped his head back, mumbled something about sitting at the right hand of God, then he turned abruptly and left the kitchen the way he came.

We headed out the back door laughing, then burst out louder when Devin saw us and turned in the opposite direction. By the time we made it to the barn, I felt more relaxed than I had in months. I didn’t feel pressured by Bo, and between Devin and Cali, I wasn’t scared about the unknown. If Bo cared, he’d wait. And if he cared enough to wait, then he’d take the time to teach me.

As we entered the barn, Clint stepped out from a stall holding a pitch fork. We jumped in response, then skirted around him and kept going.

“Hey, look at that,” Poppy said, pointing inside an open stall.

Inside were five four-wheelers of various sizes.

“That doesn’t have four legs,” I mumbled.

“And it’s not a tree,” Poppy smiled.

Cali looked between us. “Am I missin’ somethin?”

“Bo ordered her to stay off of anything with four legs, and to stop climbin’ trees.”

Cali blinked and scrunched nose. “I swear these men are autocrats. They need to get with the times.”

“So?” Poppy asked, her eyes gleaming. “Do we buck the system and have some fun?”

“What about the cows?” Cali jumped in. “Shouldn’t we milk them first?”

“I milked the cows already,” Clint said from behind us. “If you ladies want help with the four-wheelers, I’m your man.”

Poppy turned and glared at him. “Have you learned some manners? Or do I need to use that pitchfork on you?”

Clint smiled sheepishly. “Yes, ma’am. I apologize for my wicked behavior.”

“All right, then pull out three of these beasts and check for fuel.”

Clint actually bowed at Poppy, then he walked past her and began moving the four-wheelers out. He checked the gas, the tire pressure, then started each one for us.

“We should go out the back entrance so we avoid the men,” Poppy shouted over the noise.

Cali and I agreed and jumped on, then one by one we made the wide turn and exited out the back, opening up the throttle as we cleared the gate Clint had opened for us and flew across the pasture kicking up dirt. Once we’d cleared the gate on the opposite side of the pasture and drove up the rise, we stopped and looked across the valley below, taking in the ranch.

I could see Troy and Brantley in the corral looking up at us, pointing. I scanned the courtyard and found Devin and Bo running toward the barn.

“We’ve been ratted out,” I cried out.

“Do we wait for them?” Cali asked.

Poppy gunned her four-wheeler and took off.

I grinned at Cali and followed Poppy.

Seconds later, Cali flew past me laughing.

The game was afoot.

 

 

After realizing there was no escape from our predicament, Cali and I hid behind a mulberry bush watching breathlessly as Bo and Devin rode on horseback up to the rise. Poppy had sped off toward the lake as a diversion, stating her ass wouldn’t be in trouble if she was caught. Our half-assed plan was simple on the surface: get Bo and Devin to chase after her while Cali and I snuck back to the ranch, avoiding an unwanted confrontation with the brooding men. But Bo and Devin didn’t fall for it. They were currently scanning the hillside we were on. We were trapped like rabbits in a briar.

“Why are we hidin’ exactly?” I asked Cali.

“We don’t want a lecture about misbehavin’.”

“Then why didn’t we go back when we had the chance?”

She shrugged. “I was followin’ you. You seemed to have a plan.”

“I didn’t have a plan. I was followin’ Poppy.”

“Followin’ Poppy? Poppy doesn’t have a man who’ll give her crap about takin’ chances with her safety.”

“Then why didn’t you stop me?”

She opened her mouth, then snapped it shut.

“Well?”

“I’m thinkin’.”

I peered through the branches until I caught sight of Devin. His face was drawn taut, his eyes wild. He wasn’t pissed; he was worried.

“Cali, Devin doesn’t look pissed; he looks worried.”

Cali pushed me aside and looked through the bush. She closed her eyes slowly, shaking her head, and then mumbled, “Stupid. I’m so stupid. I should have known better. I got kidnapped four days ago, and now Devin watches me sleep like he’s afraid to take his eyes off me.”

She stood immediately and started making her way through the brush. I followed quickly on her tail, tripping over rocks as we slid down the hill. When we broke through the clearing, Devin shouted, “There,” and kicked his horse, racing toward Cali. I moved out the way to give him room and then faced Bo. His reaction was a little different. He crooked his finger at me again.

“I’m thinkin’ that’s a bad idea,” I whispered. “I’ll just get the four-wheeler and meet you back at the ranch.”

He was too far away to hear me, but the sinister grin that pulled across his mouth said he’d read my mind.

I picked up my pace.

He kicked his horse.

I started running.

Goliath snorted loudly at my puny attempt to outrun him.

I made it within five feet of the ATV when my feet left the ground on a shriek. One second I was running, and the next I was laid out across Bo’s lap, facedown.

“Put me down,” I cried out, struggling to raise my head.

He kept riding.

And riding.

All the way back down without saying a word.

Troy met us at the barn, sporting his own version of a scowl, so I ignored them both on principle.

I tried to slide off on my own when Bo stopped, still sporting the silent treatment, but Bo threw Troy the reins before I could. He pulled me up without a word and slid off Goliath, taking me with him as he went.

I was ready to do battle at being manhandled like a child, but my feet never hit the ground because he threw me over his shoulder and headed toward the house.

“I can walk,” I bit out. “I can also ride an ATV without supervision. I’m not incompetent.”

He continued to ignore me and kept walking until he’d entered the kitchen. Then he deposited me unceremoniously with a thud into a chair, caging me in with both arms until we were eye to eye.

I chanced a glance to gauge his anger and swallowed hard. His gray eyes were tweaked, his nostrils flared, and a tick had returned to his eye. A spark of fear shot through me, and I swallowed.

Danger, Will Robinson. Proceed with caution.

“I may not be fuckin’ you yet, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have rights as your man. I asked you not to put yourself in danger again. What if you’d been hurt? Or worse?”

What anger I’d stored up over being manhandled like a child evaporated immediately. He’d been worried as well, but he showed it differently than Devin. My own family never showed that much concern for me, so I didn’t recognize Bo’s concerns for what they were.

Guilt flooded me like it had Cali, and I reached up and grabbed his face, pulling his mouth to mine. I whispered, “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again,” against his lips and watched his eyes turn from stormy gray to ink.

On a hiss, Bo pulled me from the chair and claimed my mouth, then he leaned over until he’d deposited me on the table, and I wrapped my legs around his waist. The kiss turned wild after that. Bo never broke from my mouth. We exchanged air as he ground his erection against the inseam of my jeans, and his hand moved to my waistband then inside my panties. I gasped when he found my clit and threw my head back.

“Lift your hips,” Bo growled low and husky, and I obeyed, not caring if anyone walked into the kitchen at that moment. All I cared about was the man making me feel alive, and what he was doing to my body.

He slipped a long finger inside my core, then curled it up and pressed in while he rolled my clit with his thumb.

Sensations flooded me, and I arched my back as millions of nerve endings spiraled out of control.

“Give it to me,” Bo hissed. “Come all over my hand.”

I groaned low in my throat as the pressure built, reaching out to grab the edge of the table to anchor myself to reality. This is what I read about in books. The deep pulsing that comes with an orgasm so powerful that your atoms split at the point of release, only to merge again as you float down from heaven.

“Bo,” I whimpered, terrified of what I was feeling but still wanting more.

Grabbing the front of my shirt, Bo yanked it up until my breasts were exposed. He leaned down and sucked a nipple into his mouth, growling around it, “Imagine my cock pounding into you,” before he bit down on my nipple.

I erupted into a kaleidoscope of color as every nerve ending fired at the same time. Bo crushed his mouth over mine to silence my scream, his thumb unrelenting as another orgasm followed on the tail of the first.

His mouth was everywhere at the same time, coaxing the second orgasm to its crest. Needing a connection to Bo, I reached down and grabbed him through his jeans, and he thrust into my hand. “I want my cock inside your mouth, in your sweet pussy,”—one of his fingers found my ass and pressed in—“and I’m claiming you here, too.”

I gasped at the pressure. Anticipation and longing for the pleasure he promised directed my hips to press down against his finger. Bo hissed his approval, rubbing his cock against my hand once more. Then he claimed my mouth and groaned as his finger pressed all the way into my ass, and I exploded around them both.

I convulsed from the overload of sensations pouring through my body and cried out, arching my back off the table as the orgasm claimed my body. As I rode the waves, reveling in the beauty of the physical touch on a body, my bones became liquid and I slumped into a pile of mush against the table.

As I lay there panting, Bo pulled his hand out from inside my jeans, running his tongue around each of my nipples before pulling my shirt down. Then, without a word, he picked me up from the table and headed up the stairs to my room, placing me on the bed. He brushed a kiss across my lips as I watched through hooded eyes, still exhausted, and unable to form a clear thought, and then moved to the bathroom, turning on the shower.

I was too sated to move or contemplate what had just happened, so I lay there and listened as he undressed and jumped into the shower. Moments later, I heard the telltale sound of a man grunting and sat up. I moved to the bathroom door with my heart beating out of my chest and found Bo standing in the middle of the shower, running his hand up and down the length of his cock. It was the most erotic thing I’d ever seen.

He pinned me with his eyes the second I cleared the doorway. He’d been waiting for me to come watch. My gaze drifted down the length of his body, and I licked my lips. His breathing increased as I touched each inch of his body with my eyes, and when mine came back to his, he bit his lip, moaned deep in his throat, and threw his head back as his release pulsed into the water.

My knees went weak at the sight. I was tempted to throw caution to the wind and strip out of my clothes, but I didn’t. Instead, I lifted my hooded eyes back to his, licked my lips, and then turned and left the room. I needed to think. I needed to figure out what the hell was holding me back from Bo.

I needed the Wallflowers.