Page 219 of Ride a Cowboy

“I’m sorry too.” She was. She’d been overwrought. Her mother always accused her of being melodramatic. Last night had been a perfect example of that character flaw.

Rodney grinned. “Things always look better in the morning.”

She considered the fact they were stuck in a strange town with no money and a hit man on their trail, and were no closer to finding the flash drive. Then she remembered Matt and Mark, the way they’d caressed and kissed her last night. She smiled too. Maybe things weren’t so bad after all.

“So I take it you and Jacob had a good time last night?”

Rodney leaned closer, his face answering her question without words. He looked downright cheerful. “It was okay.”

She laughed, picking up her pillow and lobbing it at his head. “You go to hell for lying.”

He dodged her blow. “Hey, I’d say in comparison with your evening, my night was only okay. I just can’t imagine how your pants—and panties—ended up on the floor.”

Fucking observant cop. “I’m not answering that.”

“Come on, kitten. We’ve been living celibate lives here. You gotta give me some details. Inquiring minds want to know. Which James twin were you with?”

She blushed. She thought he’d figured it out already, but apparently he hadn’t. Saying it aloud was going to be tough. “I wasn’t with either of them. We just sort of fooled around some.”

Rodney nodded. “Okay. So you fooled around. Who with?”

She opened her mouth, determined to put him off, but then she thought better of it. She needed advice. Bad.

“Both of them.”

Rodney was silent for only a moment, and when he opened his mouth, it wasn’t to speak or judge or condemn her. It was worse. He laughed. Loudly.

Her temper was piqued. “This isn’t funny.”

Rodney continued to chuckle. “You’re damn right, it’s not. It’s fucking hot. Holy shit, girlfriend. I knew you were pretty cool, but I had no idea?—”

She smacked him on the shoulder. “I’ve never done anything like that before. Hell, I’ve never even had a one-night stand. This is just…” She threw her arms out in frustration. “I need advice here. I’m flying blind. Big time.”

“And you think I can tell you how to proceed in this little threesome you’re indulging in? Don’t mean to disillusion you, Bridge, but I suck at dating one person at a time.”

“You don’t think I’m, oh, I don’t know, sort of slutty for messing around with both of them?”

He shook his head. “You don’t have a slutty bone in your body. Do you think this is normal for them? I mean, maybe it’s a twin thing.”

“No,” she replied quickly. “They said last night it was new for them too. I’m not sure why I’m even letting myself get carried away with this. We have to leave soon and then?—”

A knock at the door prevented her from finishing.

Rodney stood and opened the door. Matt and Mark stood in the threshold. She glanced at the clock. After their late-night argument, she and Rodney had slept in. It was nearly eleven o’clock.

“Still in bed, sleepyhead?” Matt asked.

Rodney came to her defense. “We had a bit of a rough night. Thought we’d treat ourselves to a lazy morning.”

Mark walked in to the room, concern written on his face. “More bad dreams?”

She shook her head. “No. It was nothing really. Everything’s better today.”

“Good,” Matt said, entering the room and lifting up a basket. “Because we’re taking you on a picnic.”

“A picnic?” She laughed. “It’s February. And freezing outside.”

Mark shrugged, unconcerned. “Where’s your sense of adventure?”

---